We are over the moon to announce with have been selected as a vendor for the May 2022 Madison Night Market. The event takes place Thursday, May 12 from 4 - 8 pm. Follow our social media to find out where we will be located. Links are provided at the bottom of this page. What is the Madison Night Market? According to their website; The Night Market is a celebration of Madison's unique and inspiring creative culture. Vendors showcase handmade products, local art, artisan gifts, prepackaged foods and fresh produce. The event includes live music, artists, special visiting food carts and pop-up restaurant experiences. We are so excited and look forward to seeing you there! Cheers! Jeremy

Hi all, we wanted to say hello and send you love, hugs, and affirmations in this moment of global chaos. It's been a rough few years and the events of the past few weeks have not made us feel any safer. In our hearts, we hold no animosity toward the Russian people, but we do not condone war of any kind. Many of our cohort of candle makers are currently selling candles that allow you to buy their candle and the profits go to support the people of Ukraine. We support their efforts and we hope that their promotions help to make a difference in some way. However, we're sharing this post to let you know that we will not be creating a "Support Ukraine" candle. We have made this decision not because we do not support Ukraine. We do. However, we have always felt that the best way to support someone or a situation is not by buying a product that generates a donation to an organization, but to donate to the organization directly. With our "Do Good. Smell Good." campaign we promise to donate a portion of profits to specific charities. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Ukraine cannot wait for those donations. In lieu of a promotional candle or some snappy slogan, we encourage you to donate to Razom for Ukraine. Razom for Ukraine is a support organization that sends medical and other supplies to Ukraine. They are an American organization that was founded in 2014. Please, if you are looking for an avenue to support Ukraine, send them a few of your dollars. We already have. With love and support for Ukraine, Don & Jeremy

We've been exploring different cuisines and ways to make our daily dinners a little more interesting. Here's a recent favorite we made at home. This dish is an easy, make in one pan dish with great flavors that can help you break out of the winter doldrums. Shakshukah with Feta is on the New York Times website. I'm sure it's on all sorts of other websites, but I trust the New York Times. Shakshuka originated in North Africa, and like many great dishes there are as many versions as there are cooks who have embraced it. This one strays from more traditional renditions by adding crumbled feta cheese, which softens into creamy nuggets in the oven’s heat. When I served this for dinner, Jeremy couldn't believe that it was meet-free. The tomatoes are so hardy and the egg adds just a little bit of protein. You'll come back to make this one again and again and again. Shakshukah with Feta Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon sweet paprika ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed 5 ounces feta, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups) 6 large eggs Chopped cilantro, for serving Hot sauce, for serving PREPARATION Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in crumbled feta. Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

The toughest question ever pondered by mankind was "Should I have the apple pie or the pumpkin pie" (after Thanksgiving Dinner). Well, have I got a surprise for you!!! Why not both? This is a great recipe I first came across from Penzey's Spices. Penzey's may be a household name where you're from. But, if not, they are an awesome little company here in Wisconsin that not only delivers high quality spices for a reasonable price, they also publish a magazine that is chock full of amazing recipes from cooks around the country. For many years I subscribed to the magazine and this was one of the recipes that I tried. It's absolutely delicious. To my friends and family I call this Caramel Apple Pumpkin Pie. The apple part of the pie is prepared with a caramel sauce that is absolutely essential. However, Penzey's call it Apple Pumpkin Pie, so that is what we shall call it. I've included the entire recipe below, but please spend some time on their website, if you're looking for any spices to round out your cabinet. Also, this crust recipe is super easy and provides good results. But, if you are looking to cut corners, as I suggested in How to Host the Perfect Thanksgiving, please feel free to buy a frozen pie crust from the store. Enjoy, Don Apple Pumpkin Pie Ingredients Crust: Makes one 9 inch crust 1/2 Cup butter or shortening 1 Cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. CREAM OF TARTAR 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 Cup milk Filling: 1/3 Cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1 TB. cornstarch 1 tsp. CHINA CINNAMON, divided 1/4 tsp. NUTMEG 1/4 tsp. ALLSPICE 1/2 tsp. salt, divided 1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT 1/3 Cup water 2 TB. butter 3 Cups Granny Smith, Cortland or McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced about 1/8-inch thick (about 3 apples) 3/4 Cup canned solid packed pumpkin 3/4 Cup evaporated milk 1/3 Cup sugar 1 egg, beaten Directions Preheat oven to 375°. To prepare the crust, cut the butter into small pieces; it doesn’t have to be cold, but it should not be warm to the point of melting. Add the flour, CREAM OF TARTAR, and salt, beat or mix by hand to combine. Add the milk in a thin stream, mixing until thoroughly blended. Sprinkle a wooden board or counter top with flour, place the dough on the board, and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Using short strokes with a rolling pin, roll it from the center to the edges until it is 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. You will want to turn the dough over and re-dust with flour halfway through. Roll until the crust is about an inch larger than your 9 inch pie pan when inverted. Fold the crust in half and in half again so that it looks like a triangle. Place it in the ungreased pie pan with the point in the center. Unfold the crust and ease it into the pan. Roll the edges of the overhanging crust under so that you have a nice rim around the pie plate. Set aside. In a roomy skillet, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. CINNAMON, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add the PURE VANILLA EXTRACT, water and butter and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken, creating a caramel sauce. Add the apples and continue cooking over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie crust and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, egg, 1/2 tsp. CINNAMON, NUTMEG, ALLSPICE and 1/4 tsp. salt. Pour over the apple layer. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Check the crust occasionally; if it looks too brown, cover the edges with foil. Cool completely before cutting. This pie should be refrigerated. Prep. time: 20 minutes Baking time: 50 minutes Serves: 8

If you don't know it already, I'm #obsessed with German culture and German cuisine. I love learning to make the foods that so influenced the founding of our state. The Germans needed hearty dishes to keep that energy going while they built America. Of the German dishes I've mastered at home, I'd say my favorite is Spätzle. It's originally a southern German dish, but many varieties exist around the world. It's a simple dumpling that takes only about 30 minutes to make from start to finish and the flavors are just unique enough to transport you out of the humdrum of winter cuisine. Spätzle, pronounced sh-pets-luh, is served year round in Bavaria, Swabia, and the Black Forest, but it really shines in the middle of a cold Wisconsin winter. In order to make it, you'll need a Spätzle Maker. It's not essential, but you'll spend way more time trying to make it without one. Once you master your technique, you're definitely going to want to try making Käsesplätzle (Germany's Mac & Cheese). I'll be following up with a post containing a good recipe for it, but my first goal was to set you up with the basics and to see how the dish is most often served in Germany. Note: this is not a diet recipe. You're welcome to find your own ways to make it "healthier", but I'd really recommend you try it as written the first time. Spätzle Ingredients 3 cups flour 6 eggs 200 ml milk (I use whole milk) 1 1/2 Tbsp butter (melted and cooled) salt 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 sticks butter for sautéing Before preparing the dough start bringing a large pot of salted water to boil. Put flour into a large bowl and make a round trough in the middle. Add the eggs, milk, a few pinches of salt, and the slightly cooled, melted butter to the bowl. Mix well into a sticky dough with a wooden spoon. Allow dough to rest for 5-10 minutes. Once the water is boiling, load some Spätzle dough into the hopper of your Spätzlemaker. Set the maker on top of your pot and run the hopper back and forth across the maker until the hopper empties. When the Spätzle have cooked fully they float to the top of the boiling water and swell just a little bit. Scoop them off the top and place them in a strainer. Do this one hopper at a time. Once your Spätzle are all cooked add them back to a large skillet and sauté them in butter until brown an d crispy. If you have a large enough pan, you can do this with an entire batch, however, it probably goes faster, if you sauté in smaller batches. Serves 6 as a side dish and 4 as an entrée.

June is LGBTQIA2S+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and Two-Spirit) month. Yes, that's a lot of letters. The good news is that it's completely acceptable to simply use LGBT. LGBT Pride Month has a very auspicious beginning. As has become a popular slogan "The first pride was a riot!" In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969 the New York Police Department conducted yet another raid on the Stonewall Inn. No one really knows why this raid was different, but it was. This time, the gays, lesbians, and transexuals stood up for themselves and fought back. This riot and further protests and rioting over the following nights were the watershed moment in the modern LGBT rights movement and the impetus for organizing LGBT pride marches on a much larger public scale. The following year June 28, 1970 was celebrated as Christopher Street Liberation Day (the Stonewall Inn is located on Christopher Street). The celebration included the first LGBT Pride March and covered the 51 blocks from Christopher Street to Central Park. The march took less than half the scheduled time due to excitement, but also due to wariness about walking through the city with gay banners and signs. Throughout the 70s and 80s Pride Parades/Marches were held in most American cities larger than about 200,000 people. The first Pride March to be held in Madison, WI was on May 3, 1988. Fun fact, I was there. I was a junior in high school at the time and happened to be in town for the State Solo & Ensemble Music competition. I remember thinking even then, that it must take a lot of courage to take part in that march. It's taken a lot of courage from a lot of people to get us where we are today. From those first pride marches to the marches on Washington, and the many, many other marches that have been conducted in the name of LGBT visibility, the goal was always just that. Visibility. Before these parades and Pride month existed, the only times the gay community were visible were when they rioted. The Compton Cafeteria riot in San Francisco (1966) and the Stonewall Riot (1969) are two notable examples. Pride Month finally gave us the visibility we've needed. Despite this visibility we've gained our civil rights slowly and incrementally. Wisconsin first legalized private, consensual, sexual acts in 1983. It would be another 32 years before the LGBT community were allowed to marry. Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court decision that legalized homosexual marriage, was a landmark decision that many in the LGBT community waited a long, long time for. With that, we still have a long way to go. Because we haven't reached the end (equality) we still march. We still celebrate Pride Month, because we still need that visibility. Thank you for supporting us and our little venture. We're proud of who we are and we support whatever it is that you are. Do you the best that you can, and happy Pride everyone! Don Executive Gay Activist Wisco Home Goods

This mom is a long time friend. We don't see each other often, but when we do, the conversation picks right back up where left off, as if no time had passed. She's an awesome mom, an awesome business woman, and very funny. In short, she's probably the most perfect mom ever. Just kidding, you're the most perfect mom ever! How many children do you have? We have two beautiful girls ages 13 and 14. What do you feel is the best part of being a mother? Laughing. We laugh so much as a family. And hugs. There are many kinds of amazing hugs in this life, but nothing (for me) compares to the hugs of my children. Is there a moment with your children that you wish you could take back? No. Parenting is hard. And there are certainly days that I’m less than great. But the beauty of parenthood is that every day our kids wake up and give us another chance to get it right. If you could provide any single commodity/experience/advantage to your child(ren) what would it be and why? I know I can never provide everything my kids deserve. But I hope that they will always feel loved, valued and supported. I hope they know that I will always be here for them. How many of your pregnancies were planned? Is there anything you would like to add to that answer? I’ve always known that carrying my own children would be a challenge. Having been diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18, it was always on the back of my mind. When we were married we knew we wanted a family. Thanks to modern medicine we were able to conceive our first right after the wedding. Her little sister followed her 15 months later. Having two babies so close together came with its own set of challenges, but I truly wouldn’t have it any other way. What is the best gift to receive on Mother’s Day, and why is it a Wisco Home Goods product? Beautiful scents are always the perfect Mothers day gift! When, at last, you get some alone time, what do you like to do? Alone time? I think I vaguely remember what that is!

No, her name isn't Chanel. Wisco Mom #5 is a co-worker at one of our day jobs. She rocks! From her many stories it's clear she loves her kids and really enjoys being a mom. What more could we ask for? How many children do you have? I have 2 children, a biological son who is 17 and an adopted daughter who is 15. She was born in Korea and came to the US when she was 5 months old. What do you feel is the best part of being a mother? Their company. My kids are both smart, funny, loving, and self aware. I feel privileged to spend time with them. I didn’t have a very good mother growing up, so being able to establish a relationship with my kids that is close, trusting, genuine, and affectionate is the greatest gift in my life. Is there a moment with your child(ren) that you wish you could take back? So many. I often wish I could go back and repeat their infant and toddler years with less anxiety. I was so busy worrying about the “right” way to do things, and fretting about every runny nose, were they getting the exact right balance of nutrition, were they meeting their milestones. Now they’re nearly adults and I don’t feel like I had nearly enough time with their sweet baby versions. Everyone says it goes by quickly, and there’s a reason for that. If you could provide any single commodity/experience/advantage to your child(ren) what would it be and why? Single?? Oy. I guess, if I had to pick one, I’d pick humility. Without humility, it’s difficult to learn anything, make genuine connections with people, or truly live in the present. How many of your pregnancies were planned? I actually had a…. not so much planned, but not prevented pregnancy that resulted in a miscarriage. I only ever intended to have children through adoption, and I felt that my first pregnancy ending was a sure sign I should continue in that vein. I then had an unplanned pregnancy with my son. I didn’t even know I was pregnant until I was about 4 months along. It was complicated and painful, from the way I found out, all the way through to the emergency c-section. I’m so glad it happened without planning it, I can’t imagine my life without him, or the world without him in it. What is the best gift to receive on Mother’s Day, and why is it a Wisco Home Goods product? I see what you did there. I know this isn’t the answer you wanted, but the best gift to receive on Mother’s Day is a walk in the woods with my husband and kids. When, at last, you get some alone time, what do you like to do and which Wisco Home Goods product supports you in those moments? READ. The answer to this is always read. I never get enough time for that. Candles are always nice. Who wants to read in a stinky room?

Hi all, sorry for the hiatus on posting over the past few weeks, it's been an interesting time at the Don & Jeremy household. One that definitely caused me to pause and respect the work my mother put into keeping life moving forward for the family on a daily basis. You see, we're both a little apathetic about planning for dinner. We grab something out of the fridge or run to the store or go to a restaurant. Well, three weeks ago our refrigerator died. Suddenly, we were completely helpless. We were using a cooler to try to save leftovers and basically ordering out, since we didn't have most of the basics needed to prepare a meal. As I was growing up, there were several occasions I can recall where our home lost power for at least a few days. My mother would immediately switch gears and find solutions. During the Wisconsin Ice Storm of 1976, she cooked dinner on a wood stove (thankfully we had a wood stove), arranged a slumber party in the living room and kept everyone in good spirits. I most definitely was not in the same spirits over the past few weeks. :-) So, here's to mom's everywhere! And here's to their ability to make do with what's available to them. Without further ado, here is Wisco Mom #4: How many children do you have? 4 What do you feel is the best part of being a mother? Raising my children to be independent and for them to be confident in leaving the “nest”. Is there a moment with your child(ren) that you wish you could take back? I think every experience that we have had as a mother/child has helped to bring us to the current relationship that we have. Some of those experiences may have been painful, but they helped me to evolve as a mother and to make my children into who they are today. If you could provide any single commodity/experience/advantage to your child(ren) what would it be and why? This one is hard. I feel that my children have had a “cushy” life and never really wanted for anything that was necessary in life and had plenty of wants given to them. My biggest want for them is to grow up independent and not be afraid to go after what they want, whether that be a material thing, life goal, or experience. How many of your pregnancies were planned? All of them. The last one was long awaited for, but definitely worth the wait, it was twins. What is the best gift to receive on Mother’s Day, and why is it a Wisco Home Goods product? I have only used the candles so far, but I love them.

Wisco Mom #3 is definitely in our top ten list of moms! We've. met her daughter at a few craft fairs and she's absolutely lovely. Is there anything more that can be said about a mother than she raised wonderful people? How many children do you have? Mom: 2, I had 3 miscarriages prior to giving birth to my daughter. After many years of hopelessness I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, and it was 1 of the 2 best days of my life. The other day was the day I gave birth to my son. What do you feel is the best part of being a mother? Mom: Discovering how much you can love another human. There is nothing like it. Is there a moment with your children that you wish you could take back? Mom: I wish I would have stayed home, I only worked part-time but that was still too much. I would have handled the financial struggle and spent more time with them. If you could provide any single commodity/experience/advantage to your children what would it be and why? Mom: Do not hold your thoughts and feelings inside. Be truthful, kind, fair and loving. How many of your pregnancies were planned? Mom: Both of them were wanted more than anything else. What is the best gift to receive on Mother’s Day, and why is it a Wisco Home Goods product? Mom: Beach Bliss or Lavender & Thyme. So many great options, I really don’t have a favorite. Although the Trump candle WAS THE BEST! When, at last, you get some alone time, what do you like to do and which Wisco Home Goods product supports you in those moments? Mom: Have a glass of red wine, listening to great music with Twilight Jasmine burning. Which Wisco Home Goods product do you feel your mother deserves this Mother’s Day, and why? Mom: I would think she’d love any of WISCO products!❤️

Wisco Mom #2 is an old, old friend. I've known her since she was a little girl. It's been an absolute pleasure watching her grow up and to start a family of her own! How many children do you have? Mom: One child through adoption. We fostered her for over 2 years before having the opportunity to adopt. What do you feel is the best part of being a mother? Mom: Bedtime. I also really enjoy reading books just before bedtime. It is really fun to watch your child fall in love with books and reading. Is there a moment with your children that you wish you could take back? Mom: I wish I was more “present” when she first came to us as a foster placement. In the beginning, we assumed she was going to be reunified with her bio parents and I don’t feel I paid enough attention to the little things. If you could provide any single commodity/experience/advantage to your children what would it be and why? Mom: Knowledge/acceptance/open-mindedness. I just hope she grows up to think for herself and really look at all sides of an issue. What is the best gift to receive on Mother’s Day, and why is it a Wisco Home Goods product? Mom: It would definitely have to be a high quality lotion or hand soap by Wisco Home Goods. Living in Wisconsin, we always have dry, chapped hands in the winter and the soap and lotion would definitely help get us through the miserable winters. When, at last, you get some alone time, what do you like to do and which Wisco Home Goods product supports you in those moments? Mom: Probably a soy candle to help me relax as I am reading a book. Which Wisco Home Goods product do you feel your mother deserves this Mother’s Day, and why? Mom: My own mom deserves a wonderful smelling soy candle to enjoy as she also relaxes while reading a book. My mom taught me how amazing it can be to lose yourself in a book and now I get to teach my own daughter these same lessons.

Happy Mother's Day, y'all! We may not all know who she is. Some of us may not care who she is. We live in a post-nuclear-family-world. What's important is finding your own family. In many ways Jeremy and I feel privileged to have been forced to make those choices. It's given us both the chance to understand where family is made and where family resides. For this Mother's Day we wanted to share with you the experiences of women we feel are awesome mothers. We hope that you see in them a little bit of you. All of them have done the best they could with their motherhood. Some love where they are, some likely wish they had done things differently. But ain't that the truth for everyone? What we've learned from our little survey is that moms love being moms. Our first mom didn't expect to be a mom, but today she wouldn't trade it for anything. How many children do you have? Mom: 2 How many of them do you have through alternative means (adoption, surrogacy, etc.)? Mom: Both of them, honestly. I was on medically prescribed birth control both times I got pregnant. What do you feel is the best part of being a mother? Mom: Finding out, sometimes years later, that your efforts, love and support meant something to them. Is there a moment with your children that you wish you could take back? Mom: Not a moment but years. I wish I had had the self-confidence when I was young to have never married their father and subjected them to witnessing and experiencing abuse in their home. The place they should always feel safe never felt that way until I took a stand and made the home I longed for without him. If you could provide any single commodity/experience/advantage to your children what would it be and why? Mom: I wish I would have known in my youth the woman I am now. I would have instilled in them tremendous confidence and self-worth. Unfortunately but yet fortunately, we are all coming into those things together. As I’ve watched them grow, I have grown. We’ve made it here together. How many of your pregnancies were planned? Mom: None. I planned to never have children because I was so fearful of my children experiencing life as I had. I never wanted to be responsible for another human feeling unloved or experiencing abuse. But here I am pushing 2 other humans through life, and telling them constantly to focus on love and positive interactions with other humans. I would never want to go back and live my life without them. They are two incredible souls that I was blessed with that changed my life forever and made me the woman I am today. What is the best gift to receive on Mother’s Day, and why is it a Wisco Home Goods product? Mom: 🤣🤣🤣 This is not what I expected as a final question, but I would expect a Willy Street candle because my kids know how much I love hippie scents! When, at last, you get some alone time, what do you like to do and which Wisco Home Goods product supports you in those moments? Mom: Willy Street is always down with any mood of mine.