WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Wisconsin State Fair is known for its food but none has been around longer than Mille's Italian Sausage.
The vendor is celebrating its 91st Wisconsin State Fair this year. Amatore and Antonette Mille created the Italian sausage recipe in 1932, sold them at the State Fair that year, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Mike Mille is the grandson of the founders, and the Fair has been a part of his life for as long as he can remember.
Mike says, "August means fair time."
Three generations of Mille's are working the fair right now. Mike's 41-year-old daughter, Megan says one of her favorite memories is when people tell her, "'This is our first stop,' or 'I've been coming here since I was a kid and now I'm doing this with my kids.' Much like it's a family affair for us working here, it's a family affair for people coming here."
Mike's granddaughter, Elise, is visiting from Illinois to help the family and be with family.
Elise says, "It's honestly amazing that it's been able to stay around for so long that it's been through so many generations. It kinda makes you feel connected to everybody else."
So how did Mille's become a State Fair staple?
Mike credits the sausage recipe his grandparents created, grilled to perfection with freshly sauteed peppers on a bun from Milwaukee's Sciortino Bakery. It's a combination that keeps people coming back. And now, grown children will pick one up to take home to their older parents who may not be able to get to the Fair.
Mike says it's touching when they say "They're taking it home to my dad or whatever. We like to think that every sandwich is great, you always put a little extra something for that sandwich. So, it's neat."
Mille's has two locations on the State fairgrounds, one on Second Street near the Grandstand. The second location is on Dairy Lane.
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