For a humble eatery,
Deb's Country Cafe in Darien puts on a good presentation. It is one of those blue-collar places that opens early in the morning before sun-up and closes in mid-afternoon. They do however, stay open until 8 p.m. on Fridays. You will find them in the midst of what is the middle of the little berg of Darien. It is in a line of old buildings. The interior also still has its old building demeanor, yet they have some thoughtful nick-nacks placed about the place.
The sign above the roof proclaims "The Best Skillet in Town.' A hand painted sign on the window reaffirms the same.
Toward the kitchen you will find an eight-stool counter. There is the consummate cafe table and booth area. Looks like there is a side-room eating area if needed. Of course there is the typical picture window in the old facade facing the street. If you peek back over the counter, you can watch the cooks busy at work.
The first time I visited the joint I was on the way back from Milwaukee. Darien is right off Interstate 43. I got a dandy cheeseburger with raw onions and a side of fries. The bun lightly was toasted and basted with butter. I topped off the meal with a big mug of regular coffee.
Lured back to try the fish fry like a moth drawn into fire I discovered it was one of the best fish fry presentations in the area.
I started out with a dandy fresh salad. It came in a decorative dish. Of course I ordered both French and Ranch dressing. I went for a bowl of the homemade clam chowder - it had a good and thick consistency. The meal came with three big pieces of deep-fried and breaded Cod. The fish had my favorite church dinner texture - crusty on the outside breading and tender on the inside. Other fish options included Walleye, Smelt, and Perch.
The presentation came with potato pancakes. They were excellent and not just hash browns. The cole slaw had a carrot nuance. The side offerings were rounded out with a chunky cinnamon applesauce.
If you go, take note of the customers. They are mostly locals and it is the kind of place where lots of folks know each other. What I am trying to say is the people are part of the timbre of the place. No McDonald's crowd here.
Be careful with the time on Friday. Get there early; they are popular. I would not walk in five minutes to closing. The eats may already have been gobbled up.
Deb's Country Cafe is cool with Cool Dadio. Find them at 28 West Beloit Street in Darien, Wisconsin. Call (262) 882 - 3327 for more information.
Wisconsin Military Service Person Special Mention of the Week
(each week Cooldadiomedia mentions a Wisconsin service person killed in Iraq or Afghanistan)
Marine Corporal Joshua Mark Schmitz, 21, Loyal, Wisconsin, died on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was in the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Corporal Schmitz was killed during combat operations. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned Schmitz was the second person from Loyal killed in Iraq. Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Todd Olson was killed December 26, 2004 in Samarra, Iraq. Loyal is a small town of around 1300 near Marshfield, Wisconsin near the center of the state. Also, December 2006 was a particularly hard month for Wisconsin as Schmitz was the fourth Wisconsin military service person to die that month. The paper went on to say Josh played on Loyal's high school football team all four years. Josh joined the Marines shortly after he graduated in 2003 from Loyal High School; he was on a second tour in Iraq. The Journal Sentinel went on to mention Josh was remembered as a Green Bay Packers fan, for having a sense of humor, having curly hair, and he liked to play drums. He played drums in a band that played at the annual fair in Marshfield and at weddings. He also was a drummer in his high school band. Schmitz was said to have had a problem with his feet that could have prevented him from getting in the Marines, but he kept working at it and finally got in. The Marshfield News Herald via the Clark County Internet Library Project mentioned Josh was due to come home from Iraq in just six weeks and complete his enlistment in September of 2006. He hoped to go to college and possibly start his own business. The publication also mentioned he sang in the choir his senior year; and, he was a linebacker on the football team. It went on to say Josh was the second-oldest child in his family. Wisconsin 2007 Senate Joint Resolution 13 noted Joshua Schmitz was born January 16, 1985, in Marshfield, Wisconsin. The Resolution added he had been "an all−conference football player, model student, and generous volunteer." At the time of his death Joshua Schmitz was survived by his parents Mark and Kelly Schmitz; his siblings, Angela Colby, Stephanie Schmitz, Justin Schmitz, Brandon Schmitz, and Nick Schmitz: and his grandparents, Ken and Bonnie Gilles, and Marlin and Virginia Schmitz. Corporal Joshua Schmitz was the 67th Wisconsin military service person to be killed in Iraq since the spring of 2003.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
98,171 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9,733 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,428 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1321 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
318 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
823 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
31,967 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
8,530 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
102 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
23 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
144 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
21 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Wisconsin military service person special mention of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf; and, icasualties.org.
