Fellow Slow Foodies,
There are many ways to tell that the dark days of winter are truly behind us and that spring has arrived, but some more than others appeal to the inner cook in all of us. For instance, the Dane County Farmers Market has finally coming out of hibernation to return the lifeblood of gastronomic activity to the sleepy capital square. Hoards of food lovers flocked to the stands this Saturday to buy as many of those short season, wild greens as they could carry, and then they sped home to create their favorite springtime dish.
If you missed the market this week, or overlooked the ramps and sorrel completely while you were there, don’t worry! Slow Food UW has done the footwork for you, battling the strollers and market fanatics to bring you our latest family dinner night.
A Taste of the Market!
This Monday, April 20th
5:30 pm
In the Crossing Kitchen
(Corner of University and Charter)
We will be making grilled cheese sandwiches made with the sharp granular bite of Hook’s 5yr cheddar and mellowed with creamy Cedar Grove white cheddar and colby cheeses, with pesto made from Harmony Valley ramps, Farmer John’s Parmesan, and Cherokee Bison Farm’s fresh sunflower seed oil. The sandwiches will be served with pureed sorrel soup, using JenEhr Farm’s sorrel and bacon (in the non-vegetarian variety) from Fountain Prairie Farms.
In general, we at Slow Food were ecstatic about shopping in the fresh air and sunshine to source these menu items. As well, we had the opportunity to talk with the vendors about sourcing food for the Slow Food Café in the future. It is immediately apparent that we have some real allies willing to do whatever they can to make this project a realistic endeavor (thank you again Fountain Prairie Farms!). This trip to the market was a refreshing reminder of the sense of community and cooperation a local food system could deliver. See you on Monday!
