-By Dr Ray & Rev Jean Kadkhodaian

Day Date Idea: Scuppernong Trail & the Holi Cannoli

A great way to spend the day together being active, enjoying the outside and ending the day with a great place to have dinner, will take you just over the border near Eagle, Wisconsin. If you like hiking, the Scuppernong trail is just the right enough of challenge for people like us in Chicago that are used to flat hiking trails since it adds some elevation and uneven terrain. There are three trails you can take at this trailhead ranging from about 3 miles to 5 miles in distance. Bring water, good hiking shoes and a camera! Jean and I got footage of a quail crossing our path and once we saw an owl sitting on a branch above the trail, so look out for wildlife around you.

On the way back to Chicago, you will come upon a restaurant in Elkhorn, Wisconsin called Holi Cannoli. When Jean and I were training for our hike on the John Muir Trail, we would often come up to the Ice Age Trail and then stop by the Holi Cannoli for dinner. Ask for Kathy, the owner, and let her know Dr Ray & Rev Jean sent you! She is fantastic and the food is delicious. Jean and I have actually never sat at a table and have had our meals at the bar. The hours of the restaurant are limited and if you don’t have a reservation, it can be difficult to get a table.

This particular outing, Jean had a lemon drop martini and I had a special drink with bourbon, homemade lemonade and beet juice, they called the Kentucky Lemonade. Our appetizers were the bruchetta and seafood salad, with octopus, calamari, and shrimp. Jean had the Chicken Marsala and I had the Holi Cannoli Chicken, which is a whole chicken, deboned and sitting in savory juices. Literally everything we have had at this restaurant has been fantastic, so you can’t go wrong!

Don’t forget to have their signature dessert, the holi cannoli!