As an "immigrant" to Wisconsin, I had to be introduced to brats (pronouced to rhyme with "hots"). My husband very rarely eats red meat, but he makes an exception every now and then for brats. I think it is some sort of food ritual to affirm his connection to Wisconsin. I like them just fine myself and am always happy to eat them!
I've read that real German-style bratwurst are made from meat that is processed very fine, like the meat for hot dogs (you should excuse the comparison). However, real Wisconsin-style brats are made from more coarsely-ground meat, similar to Italian or Polish sausage. One of my ex-boyfriends, a native Wisconsinite, swore that the best way to cook brats is to boil them in beer, then let them cool and dry, and grill briefly to brown and heat them. My husband and I usually skip this step and just grill them until done. And because we are "foodies," we serve them on a part-whole-wheat bun with grainy Dijon mustard and sauteed onions, with multi-colored home-grown lettuce and a Belgian ale. And potato salad, of course -- with fresh dill from our garden.
