Some people have driven 22 hours to get there – the magical Crystal Café nestled in the rolling hills of Iola, Wisconsin. Just about everything there is delicious, but their specialty consists of homemade pies to die for. Just thinking about their pies brings back Midwest Memories from that fabulous summer of 2018.

And what a summer that was! A Family Reunion in Port Aransas, Texas, complete with a celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary and a beach wedding.

Then on to Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and all the sights, family history, and delectable fare along the way.

Starting out in Illinois with another wonderful visit with my sister Ann at the farm.

You can find some of the mouth-watering farm fresh recipes we have enjoyed there, especially niece Cindy’s Smothered Pheasant and Ann’s Eggplant Parmesan.

Then on to Green Lake, Wisconsin, and the beautiful McConnell Inn, where we were so kindly hosted by Mary-Jo Johnson, who created delicious breakfasts for us each day. Especially her Broccoli Cheddar Frittata.

That wonderful little community just recently put together their own Green Lake Cookbook, where you can find Mary-Jo’s recipe and so many other delicious ones, such as Tenderloin and Tequila Chili, Apple Crumb Pie, Don’t-Call-Me Sugar-Cookies, and Irish Spaghetti Sauce.

Also unforgettable after a long day of hiking and boating was the tender broiled Walleye at Adam’s Rib Restaurant served by their great staff.

A few more adventures, such as the eye opening tour of Taliesin East, the family estate that Frank Lloyd Wright escaped to when scandal drove him from my home town of Oak Park, Illinois. There he built a beautiful home for his then mistress that echoes his love for Asian architecture.

The house, which literally means “Shining Brow,” is built into the hillside, and it’s a knockout inside and out, even nicer than Taliesin West, which we saw in Scottsdale, Arizona, several years ago. My husband really loved the shelf that seemed to float in the air.

Then a trip up to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the town of Houghton, where Gary’s grandfather worked the mines when he emigrated from Yugoslavia in the early 1900s. We even went down a copper mine to relive a bit of that experience and visited a gothic church he and his fellow Croats probably attended.

But I’ve saved the best for last – the famous Iola Car Show and the wonderful Crystal Café with its Pies to Die for.

At that show, we saw the actual car Steve McQueen drove in Bullitt.

As well as Fonzi’s motorcycle from his Happy Days. The Fonz was there in person, too.

The warm and cozy Crystal Café envelopes you in a taste of the past and those simpler times.

Footloose Foodie

It all started a long time ago (50+ years) when Judy's mother Ann purchased the Crystal Cafe in Iola. She was a natural born cook- serving only the highest quality homemade foods - including everybody's favorite: her pies. Her secret: "it's all in the feel of the dough" - something that takes a lot of practice to be sure.

Today Judith Bolier and her daughter Jennifer Schustek carry on the tradition and maintain the same high standards set forth by Ann. In today's world homemade food can be a thing of the past. But at the Crystal Cafe they take pride in serving only food that's start to finish homemade with all natural ingredients. Their specialty, pie making, seems to be becoming a lost art, but not here. Customers rave that Crystal Cafe pies are "to die for" and Judy and Jennifer ensure that experience is the same for all guests. All pies are made with a homemade, hand rolled crust to ensure tender and flaky perfection. Only all pure and natural ingredients are allowed: NEVER any preservatives and NEVER any canned fruit.

After 50+ years, this restaurant is still family owned and operated with the fourth generation now happily taking part. Just as it always is for family, your place is set at our table and Judy, Jennifer, and the staff of Crytsal Cafe are hoping to see you soon!

“It’s all in the feel of the dough”…

Though our recipe doesn’t include their trade secret “handmade, hand rolled dough,” here is a link for a pretty good pie dough recipe.

Banana Coconut Pie

Ingredients

1 baked pie crust

10 oz. whipped topping

1 cup coconut flakes

2 Tbsp of coconut for topping

3 large bananas sliced

3 cups milk

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Directions:

Mix together eggs, sugar, cornstarch. Scorch milk and add to mixture. Whisk over medium heat until mixture becomes thick, remove from heat. Add in your coconut and bananas Pour into pie shell and let cool. Beat your whipped topping and top pie and sprinkle with coconut flakes.

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