DOOR COUNTY - Wisconsin - page 263

THE WORKS
A Door County fish boil requires only a couple things: a huge witch-quality iron
cauldron, firewood sufficient to blaze a light for Great Lakes ship traffic, and the
innards—fish steaks, small potatoes, onions, and a heck of a lot of salt. Whitefish is
for purists, but don't let that stop you from trying other varieties such as trout.
Add salt to the water and bring to a boil (the salt raises the boiling temperature
of the water and helps keep the fish from flaking apart in the water). Add potatoes
andboilfor15minutes.Addonionsandboilanother4-5minutes.Addfish,whichis
often wrapped in cheesecloth to prevent it from falling apart, and boil for another 10
minutes. Now, here's the fun part: Right before the fish is done, use kerosene to jack
up the flame to space shuttle-launch proportions. The kerosene induces a boil-over,
which forces the oily top layers of water out of the cauldron to be burned off in the
fire. Drain the rest and slather it with butter. The requisite side dishes are coleslaw,
dark breads, and, this being Door County, cherry pie or cobbler for dessert.
The White Gull Inn gets much-deserved press around the state—and, recently, na-
tion—for its dining, yet for dinner you may not be able to beat the M Whistling Swan
(4192 Main St., 920/868-3442, www.whistlingswan.com , dinner daily, $18-36). Expect
gorgeous environs, gorgeous food (which of course is impeccably done), and a top-notch
staff. This is a genuine treat.
Information
The Fish Creek Information Center (4097 WIS 42, 920/868-2316 or 800/577-1880,
www.visitfishcreek.com ) is fully equipped to deal with your travel snafus or last-minute
needs.
MM PENINSULA STATE PARK
Consider: 3,800 variegated acres stretching from the northern fringe of Fish Creek, past
Strawberry Channel, past Eagle Bluff, past Nicolet Bay, and finally to Eagle Harbor and
Ephraim.Allofitmagnificent.Deededtothestateforastateparkin1909, Peninsula State
Park (920/868-3258) is the second-oldest park in the state system, and with no statistical
manipulation the park is numero uno in usage in Wisconsin. It draws more folks per annum
than Yellowstone National Park.