Posted by Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle
, July 29, 2008 17:25
If you’ve ever had the good fortune to spend some time in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, as we have, you surely have permanently imprinted on your olfactory and taste memories the incomparable aroma of Sheboygan brats cooking over charcoal, and the tastebud thrill of a butter-dripping double brat with the works on a hard roll. There’s a reason Sheboygan is known as The Bratwurst Capital of America!
This weekend you’ll have a chance to experience total brat immersion as Sheboygan celebrates their annual Brat Days, perfuming the entire city with the scent of charcoaled meat. The first festival was held in downtown Sheboygan in 1953. By the mid-60’s crowds got to be too much for the city and they stopped holding the festival. It was brought back in 1978 and it’s been going strong ever since.
Now if you are just visiting, what you probably want to do is eat grilled brats, and only grilled brats, until your digestion cries uncle. If you live in the area, however, your jaded palate might want to take full advantage of the Bratxotic tent, where you can sample not only single and double brats, but have a brat on a stick, or maybe brat lasagna or brat jambalaya, or perhaps some Hmong-styled brat-stuffed chicken wings or a brat eggroll. Or perhaps you’d like to try some brat-filled tacos, chimichangas, quesadillas, and burritos. None of that grabs you? Then, have a go at a brat pizza or an oostburger (hamburger/brat). This is Wisconsin so there’ll also be plenty of beer, including many local brews.
Saturday morning at 8 will see the start of the annual Brat Trot to support diabetes research, and the Brat Days Parade begins at 9 (they sure do get started early in Sheboygan!), and will feature the Budweiser Clydesdales. And don’t miss the Brat Eating Contest at noon Saturday; eaters will consume brats only, with no buns or condiments. Water is provided. The Grand Prize is $500, plus $500 donated to a charity of the winner’s choice, a year’s supply of Johnsonville products, and a trophy. The official rules say that “hurlers will be disqualified, and will have to clean up their own mess.”
See the festival website for all the details.
