Know what Shawano is exceptional at? Making and serving up some truly amazing holiday – and year-round – favorite dishes and cocktails. Wisconsin, in general, is known for some of the best beer, meat, and cheese in the world and Shawano Country boasts our fair share of craft beers and smoky meats, plus a variety of shops and artisans that supply us with the fixings for a colossal locally made holiday spread.
Look over our handy list of hand-crafted foods, gift foods, and items perfect for serving during the holidays. We’ve given our choice of three must-haves from each shop to help you get started. Come to Shawano Country and visit your favorites… or try to see (and taste) them all!
Charlie’s County Market
126 S. Main St., Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 524-9010
Besides having impressive meat and alcohol departments, Charlie’s knows their cheese. As Wisconsinites, the cheese and dairy areas of our stores is critically important to us and Charlie, himself, knows this. You’ll find Wisconsin-made cheeses from our state’s best-known cheesemakers. Here’s what we recommend getting for your holiday charcuterie board:
- Sartori Montamoré® Cheddar
- Vern’s Smoked String Cheese
- Port Wine Cold Pack Cheese (grab some crackers, too)
Fannita’s Bakery
128 S. Main St., Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 526-6600
Just walk down Shawano’s main street in the morning and you’ll smell the warm, soft scent of fresh doughnuts on the wind. Fannita’s is where you’ll go and once you’re in the door, you’ll get a dozen of some of the most perfectly tender doughnuts you’ve ever experienced… plus fresh bread, frosted cookies, and luscious cakes. During the holidays, Fannita’s also creates Italian Christmas cookies – the owners are from Italy; these cookies are the real deal – and this year’s most popular winter treat: Hot Cocoa Bombs. Get all three:
- Hot Cocoa Bombs
- Italian Christmas Cookies
- The Best Doughnuts on Earth (we swear)
Five Star Lamb
W5729 County Rd. B, Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 304-9483
What began with as a 4H project in the 1990s is now a full-fledged farm breeding Suffolk and Hampshire sheep, know for their consistent quality and flavor. You can order full and half lambs, of course, but if you’re looking for certain cuts, these are holiday and special occasion favorites:
- Lamb Chops
- Leg of Lamb
- Lamb Shoulder Roast
John & Lorraine’s Hobby Honey Farm
W9790 Thurner Ln., Shawano, WI 54128
(920) 234-8565
With hives located around Northeastern Wisconsin, John and Lorraine have their hobby farm in Gresham, Wisconsin. Stop out at their place and you’ll find all things honeybee. Sweeten up your holidays with their raw honey – it goes perfectly with tea from The Stock Market in Shawano – the two paired together make a cozy, warming gift! Get these natural sweets:
- Creamed Honey (soooo good spread on pretty much anything)
- Raw & Combed Honey
- Beeswax Candles for your holiday table
Mike’s Country Meats
800 County Rd. M, Tigerton, WI 54486
(715) 535-4741
Wisconsin’s master of jerky, Mike himself, creates incredible snacks from high quality full-muscle beef that will get top ratings from the jerky lover in your life. Mike’s jerky flavors range from a traditional jerky to some serious kick-in-the-mouth Carolina Reaper jerky. You can order “Wisconsin’s #1 Jerky” (it really is!) online or check out our local, well-stocked Wagner Shell stations. We haven’t tried all of the flavors… yet, but here are our three favorites, so far:
- Regular Beef Jerky
- Hot Jamaican Beef Jerky
- Maple Brown Sugar Beef Jerky
Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats
1390 E. Grand Ave., Wittenberg, WI 54166
(715) 253-4000
Shawano Country is proud to claim this famous family smokehouse as one of our own. Known by chefs and food lovers across the nation for their signature sweet, mellow Applewood Smoked Bacon, the Nueske family has an unforgettable country store just off Wisconsin Highway 29 in Wittenberg. Stop in a get traditional smoked meats like summer sausage, landjaeger, and liver sausage for that charcuterie board (fancy-schmancy meat board…including cheese because we’re in Wisconsin) you really should be creating for the holiday… and grab corned beef hash and bacon to make a hearty Christmas breakfast. Don’t forget a hand-glazed ham for your holiday table, as well!
- Applewood Smoked Bacon
- Corned Beef Hash
- Honey-Glazed Spiral-Sliced Ham
Old Glory Candy
108 E. Division St., Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 526-3253
Take a step back in time as you cross the threshold of this charming, sugar-laden candy shop. With bulk taffy and baskets of hard (and hard-to-find) candies lining the walls, the smell of toasting almonds in the air, and a selection of some of the most creative handmade fudge varieties you’ll find within at least a hundred-mile radius, don’t miss this new take on a vintage candy store. They have Christmas treats galore! Our picks:
- Sea Salt Caramel Fudge
- Handmade Candy Canes
- Peanut Butter Meltaways
Pingel Processing
W9248 County Rd. A, Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 851-8281
Just west of Red River, you’ll find Dallas Pingel hard at work hand-trimming tender cuts of meat and crafting small-batch sausages – a multi-generational trade passed down through the Pingel family. Let’s cut straight to the chase: there’s not much out there that’s finer than a perfectly prepared prime rib roast, and Pingel’s has both fresh and pre-cooked prime rib roasts ready to order at custom weights for the holidays. Give them a call to reserve a truly special cut of meat for your family’s holiday… these cuts are awesome for New Years, too! Our choices for the holiday table are:
- Prime Rib (fresh or pre-cooked)
- Whole Beef Tenderloin
- Summer Sausage/Cheese & Sausage Tray
Stock Market
103 S. Main. St., Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 201-1111
Besides being one of Shawano Country’s premiere locations for gift-buying, The Stock Market has a colossal amount of made-for-holidays craft liqueurs – and liquors – that you’re going to want to bring home for extra tasty merry-making. Looking for alcohol-free celebratory drinks? The women of The Stock Market have bulk teas, herbal teas, and chai ready to steep and enjoy. Grab a set of vinegar and oil while you’re there, too. Our abbreviated shopping list looks like this:
- Sugarlands Appalachian Sippin’ Cream
(on ice or in coffee; either way you’ll love it) - Black Mission Fig Balsamic + Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil
- Winter White Chai
…try this recipe for Sparkling Holiday Punch from Chelsea Gilling of The Stock Market and we just know you’ll begin to feel the holiday cheer! Stop in and ask Chelsea and Abby for more recipe ideas anytime; they’ve got terrific uses to recommend for the products they carry.
Stubborn Brothers Brewery
220 S. Main St., Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 201-0859
A newer addition to Shawano’s Main Street, Stubborn Brothers Brewery is housed in a lovingly restored theater that has become a historic jewel of downtown. What can you take home from a brewery for your holiday party, you ask? Well, the brothers are ready to fill growlers with your favorite brew so you can enjoy some mighty fine craft beer around your own table. We’ll list our favorites but know that the beer menu does change. Trust us when we say that we’re sure you’ll find a brew to love at this impressive public house. Beer recommendations, if available:
- DC Cherry Tart (cherry wheat)
- Shawano Club (pilsner)
- Two Pistons (amber)
Sweet Timber Maple Co.
W16396 County Rd. M, Tigerton, WI 54486
(920) 213-5225
Wisconsin is known for top-notch maple syrup and Shawano Country is no slouch when it comes to producing this sweet, golden treat. Sweet Timber has raised the bar in the maple syrup world by creating fanciful delights like Maple Cotton Candy and infused syrups. Honestly, their Maple Cotton Candy is one of the most unique and most fun confections we’ve ever had. If you’ve never tried it, you are missing something every food lover needs to experience. You’ll need to grab some infused syrup for that big holiday breakfast, too. Our Sweet Timber selections are:
- Maple Cotton Candy
- Vanilla Bean (or Bourbon!) Infused Maple Syrup
- Maple Popcorn
Twig’s Beverage
920 S Franklin St., Shawano, WI 54166
(715) 526-5031
We’ll cut to the chase on this one. If you aren’t from Shawano, we’ll let you in on a secret: Sundrop is a key part of Shawano culture and if you want to hang with us, you’ll have to go get a case of Sundrop in glass bottles to make us feel at home. Can you give Sundrop, the original golden cola, as a Christmas gift? Absolutely. Will your holiday guests love grabbing a cold glass bottle of Sundrop from your fridge or cooler? Yes, they will. Will you find yourself drawn to this soda ever after? Probably. Drink it straight up or use it as wash in your holiday mixers… p.s., Twig’s makes an amazing, face-puckering sour, too, so pick up some for those Old Fashioneds you know you’ll be having.
- Sundrop or Diet Sundrop
- Twig’s Sour Soda
- Twig’s Orange Soda (you know, for the kids… or yourself)
Yoder’s Bakery
N4995 Oakcrest Dr., Bonduel 54107
(715) 758-6111
A quaint Amish bakery located in the heart of Shawano Country’s Amish community, the Yoder family creates wonderfully fresh baked goods. Think fruit-filled hand pies, bacon cheese bread, and potato doughnuts. Yoder’s hearty Old World baking will leave you wanting to make another visit and you’re sure to appreciate a glimpse into a culture that locals treasure.
- Potato Doughnuts
- Hand Pies
- Anything with Cream Cheese Frosting (seriously)
Our community has a great deal to offer in the food tourism department and we’re ready to serve up our very best for your Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Come to Shawano Country and bring home a taste of Wisconsin’s finest craft foods!