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Lake Geneva Offers Gastronomical Adventures and a Bit of Magic
by Pat Lindsey
Independent News entertainment and travel writer Pat Lindsey sharpens her cooking skills under the watchful eye of Chef John Bogan at Lake Geneva School of Cooking .
So much to do and so little time in which to do it . . . That’s the story of my weekend trip to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Lake Geneva is a relaxing family getaway where the summer weather is usually mild and the lake scenery is always gorgeous. There’s a public beach and shops galore, but in the downtown area alone there are so many more places to see and things to do.
The highlight of my trip was the Lake Geneva School of Cooking, where Chef John Bogan not only entertained us through an evening of gastronomical pleasures, but actually taught us some gourmet cooking techniques through hands-on experience. Ten adults enrolled in our class and we didn’t know what we were having for dinner until we arrived at 727 Geneva St. at the historic home that once served as the rectory for the former church next door. From the moment we arrived, Chef John made us feel as though we were guests in his home. He offered us champagne and Three Cheese Popovers and gave everyone a chance to mix and mingle. Then, he explained the menu and gave each of us the opportunity to volunteer to prepare one of the courses of the meal. My husband and I chose the Morel Mushroom Bisque with Cheddar Baskets. The other couples chose to make the grilled asparagus salad with chopped egg and smoked bacon; Grilled Pork au Poivre; and rhubarb-strawberry cobbler for dessert. We donned our chef hats and aprons and moved to our assigned work station in the comfortable kitchen, where we began food preparation with instructions from Chef John. Several kitchen helpers were also on hand to assist with problem-solving and clean-up.
Nearly three hours later, we were seated in the dining room to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Chef John introduced the guest chefs of each course as we served our masterpieces. And it was well worth the wait! Our dining experience could not have been more perfect. We were among new friends in a beautiful home savoring gourmet food and Duckhorn wine.
If cooking is not your thing and you’d rather sit back and enjoy a meal prepared by someone else, there is plenty of fine dining in Lake Geneva. For ambience and delicious food, we chose Cafe Calamari, which overlooks Williams Bay at 10 East Geneva St. As its name suggests, Cafe Calamari offers a variety of seafood dishes, but there is an equal number of steak and pasta entrees on the menu, as well. I thought I should try the house specialty, Sicilian Encrusted Prime Rib, and my husband ordered his favorite grilled salmon. My serving of beef could have served my whole family! The salads that accompanied our entrees were tossed at our table with honey mustard champagne dressing and they were divine.
For more information: www.lakegenevacookingschool.com.
After all that food, I can’t say we were really hungry for lunch the next day, but we had heard about Sprecher’s at 111 Center St. near the lake and we stopped in for sandwiches and root beer floats at the “family pub,” as they say. Sprecher’s is a small Wisconsin chain owned by a brewery in Milwaukee, where beer and root beer are brewed. The extensive menu is peppered with burgers and brats, salads, soups, and sandwiches adding a German touch.
Tristan Crist Magic Show Part of the Lake Geneva Downtown Landscape
Not everything in Lake Geneva revolves around food. There’s even some magic. Tristan Crist has his own intimate theater at 609 West Main St., where he performs magic tricks and illusions in such close proximity to the audience that you would think it would be easy to detect his secrets. But Crist is as good as any magician we’ve seen in Las Vegas and he expertly boggled our minds. How could we not figure out how he levitated his assistant or sawed her in half when they were only several feet away from us? He has mastered his craft and achieved his life-long dream of becoming a magician. Soon he’ll be moving into a larger theater with three-fold the seating capacity. His one-hour show should not be missed. www,LakeGenevaMagic.com
Another family show at Lake Geneva, which we didn’t have time to see, is The Dancing Horses, open year-round. Visit: www.thedancinghorses.com, These are just a few of activities for families found in the cozy town just north of the Illinois border.
As I look back on our Lake Geneva weekend, I would have to say that it was three magical days. We did a lot, but we never felt rushed. It was a relaxing trip and one I hope to repeat very soon.
