Blueberry Pancakes

And this is how I like my berries, inside the pancake with a side of snout. Thank you Pine Cone truck stop and bakery full mammoth pastries and pancakes.

They asked if I wanted 2 or 3. Does that come with a new stomach?

We don't need no stinkin' compote

Cream Puff Season

Nobody puts a Wisconsin State Fair cream puff in the corner

                                                     Meanwhile...

The Wisconsin State Fair begins on August 4 and so does talk of Bacon popcorn balls, Banana Split Cheesecake Squares and PBR Beercicles (my Aunt Agnes is licking her lips wherever she is).

Have a Pine Cone cream puff if you dare

It took three of us to dare. Could have been more, I dropped the monstrosity off elsewhere.

Don't forget me, you're pal the eclair

Norske Nook

The DeForest Norske Nook, is one of those places that makes you want everything you see.
Reason enough to order, share, photograph and dish. I've been wanting to go there and review it for the Dish for. ever. I wrote them years ago at either Rice Lake or Osseo, but never heard back. Since they've got a new restaurant a handful of miles away, I finally gave them a trial run yesterday.
We're having a birthday dinner there tomorrow so more photos and menu items will be posted soon.

Austin

First up, chilled strawberry pie, classified as a Fresh Berry Pie along with blackberry and raspberry on the vast Norske Nook Pie Menu.
The Good: Huge fresh strawberries, flaky, tender crust.
The Iffy: The gelatin filling although tangy, is still too bland and too plentiful. I'm not a fan of this kind of filling and will forever chase the strawberry pie we ate at a sixties Country Kitchen on the south side of Madison.
The Bad: Not real whipped cream. C'mon! WT actual F?

Fresh Berry Strawberry Pie, a distant third place in yesterday's Candy Dish rankings.

The Norske Nook has five locations, 

Root beer float is the kind of novelty pie you want to try once just to say you had... is something you'd think from the title.
Uh uh. SupercalifragiYUM. Incredible. I love root beer floats, the Dish Taste Testers love root beer floats, three of us tasted this frozen summer pie and all three of us LOVED it.
The Northwoods Root Beer Float pie is one of four frozen pies offered by the sugary Norwegian restaurant and bakery. I wasn't too tempted by the Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Mousse, or Orange Dreamsicle, all which seemed too rich or like that time I got properly over served and colorfully sick on Orange Dreamsicle cocktails during a round robin (going from dorm room to dorm room) in the seventies.
The Good: It tastes like a root beer float. Although so thick the young waiter broke a knife slicing off a piece to go (we needed to use plastic wrap on the top of the box because the pie was too big for it), it tastes light and refreshing. Not too sweet, decent crust I think but honestly didn't notice, a heft hunk of pie that goes down easy.
The Iffy: Get bigger to-go boxes.
The Bad: Again, not real whipped cream, but it didn't matter as much with this pie and I wonder if the "whipped topping" lends itself more efficiently to freezing.

The Winner from Dinner, The Northwoods Root Beer Pie Float

I had to include their Wisconsin Reuben because the corned beef brisket was tender, flavorful, not too rich or sliced too thick or thin and blended seamlessly with the perfect amount of kraut and Swiss cheese. It was lovingly nested between two pieces of awesome cranberry wild rice bread.  I'll see if they sell it in their bakery tomorrow when we go for my mother's birthday.

Wisconsin Reuben, Runner Up to the Root Beer Float Pie

The Norwegian Restaurant and bakery has five locations, the DeForest Norske Nook is open from 6 am - 9 pm Monday through Saturday and 8 am - 8 pm on Sunday. Telephone: 842-3378. The dish is that this location is not doing well, so if you're in the Madison or DeForest area stop by downtown DeForest at Main and Holum.
Remember, Wednesday is Pie Day. Pie Day Wednesday offers a different pie choice weekly, the prices just rose from $2.99 for pie and coffee to $3.50.
Pie of the Month: Dutch Apple.