Duane’s Brats: More Fun in the Bun
By Lindsay Simmons
Sun contributor
Like brats? You’ve got to try Duane’s Brats. They’re so tender, so juicy, so dynamically flavorful! These brats have got that “snap” when you bit into ‘em, and the ooey-gooey ingredients inside mean you might not need that bottle of ketchup (Duane always recommends tasting your brat before applying condiments).
Photo by Keenan May/Leelanau Lab
Duane Campbell, a civil engineer turned brat entrepreneur, serves up these delicacies at the Foothills Café in Burdickville on Thursday through Saturday evenings. “I try to make inspired brats. Anyone can go to the store and buy a package of Johnsonville Brats,” he says. “Compare those to a handcrafted raspberry chipotle brat, or one with turkey, feta, tomato and fresh basil.” Duane often uses local ingredients, and always a better grade of meat than run-of-the-mill bratwursts.
With the exception of the endearing assistance from his 8-year-old daughter Sage, Duane is a one-man show: cooking, serving and creating brats the “old fashioned way” with a hand-crank stuffer in the kitchen at the Foothills. Patrons can always count on the “Plain Jane”, the jalapeño swiss and the “Potato and Jive” with cheddar and green onion. Other offerings might include the turkey, broccoli cheddar or cherry, chocolate, walnut made with Grocer’s Daughter dark chocolate. “I like to keep some flavors revolving to keep myself interested as well as the customers,” he says.
Duane found his self-described passion for brat making while he was an employee at Deering’s Market in Empire. “I was able to get creative with recipes and I really liked the sense of community while I worked there.” Eventually he moved to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to earn a degree in civil engineering from Michigan Tech University. After he graduated, Duane didn’t feel fulfilled at his Toledo-based civil engineering job and missed the relationships he had formed at the market. With Sage living in Empire and his good friends at Deering’s and the Foothills, Duane’s Brats was born.
“Ideally I’ll create a place for the community; a place for kids to come express themselves and eat some quality brats,” Duane says. Currently he offers open mic night on Thursdays, and — pending enough participants — open dance on Saturday evenings. Dance is a therapy for Duane and he wants to share the joie de vivre. “It’s a different kind of connection with a person: another form of communication,” he says. Duane is an avid dancer, frequenting dance groups in Traverse City several times per week. He also started the Social Dance Club at Michigan Tech, which gained over 250 members. “When you have a great dance, there’s not much that can top it … other than a great brat!”
Duane doesn’t lie when he says his brats are more fun in the bun, but he wants to make sure vegetarians feel welcome, too. Hummus and vegetables are available for anyone who prefers to dine brat-less. Duane caters events and festivals as well.
To contact Duane’s Brats, call (231) 392-2637. The Foothills Café can be reached at (231) 334-3495 or by visiting www.FoothillsofGlenLake.com.
