Edible Madison 45 • Summer 2021

SUMMER 45

Day Tripping • Grill’s On • Westridge Farm • El Mercadito De Centro

PROUDLY FEATURED IN THE 2021 MADISON AREA PARADE OF HOMES. WEB: www. TheGenerousHome.com VISIT: 807 WALTER RUN, WAUNAKEE, WI 53597

CHARITIES: American Family Children’s Hospital The Beacon (Catholic Charities) Badger Prairie Needs Network

BENEFITING

One of the bestselling sandwiches from Alimentari is the Prosciutto Sandwich, which contains fresh mozzarella, arugula, tomato and balsamic vinegar.

Photos by Tracy Harris

SUJHEY BEISSER

Sujhey is the passionate home cook behind the food blog and personal chef business, Five Senses Palate. Inspired by Latin flavors and local ingredients, Sujhey offers in-home dinner experiences and cooking classes. When she is not in the kitchen, she is an AVP Strategy & Development Officer at Park Bank or serving the community with volunteer work.

SUNNY FRANTZ

Sunny is an editorial and commercial photographer with a studio on the west side of Madison where she lives with her husband, their two kids and a tiny dog. She specializes in food and product photography and loves the opportunity it gives her to connect with the many wonderful businesses and entrepreneurs in Madison.

TRACY HARRIS

Tracy is a graphic designer and photographer from Madison. A polymath at heart, she dabbles in various arenas of makery including cooking and baking, sewing and knitting, painting and collage, and has a soft spot in her heart for film photography. When she’s not busy making things, she enjoys travel, good food and drinks, gardening and live music.

JIM KLOUSIA

Jim holds a degree in communications and a journalism degree from UW-Eau Claire. A Wisconsin native, he is a local adventurer who loves food, photos and a good wheat beer. He is passionate about enjoying food with others and capturing life in southern Wisconsin through photography.

KATIE MOENCH

Katie Moench is a teacher and librarian in Wisconsin. She is a regular contributor at Book Riot and Literary Quicksand, as well as a reviewer for School Library Journal. She writes about books, education, history, and local culture and events.

LAURA POE MATHES

Laura Poe Mathes is a registered dietician in private practice, focused on healing with real foods and herbs. She loves to spread knowledge and enthusiasm for great food, and teach traditional cooking and fermentation classes around the region. This causes her fridge to overflow with jars of pickled goodies. Originally from Missouri, Laura has been living in Viroqua, for four years and now understands why cheese curds are a thing. She also loves to canoe, drink coffee and watch stand-up comedy.

MANAGING EDITOR

Lauren Langtim

PUBLISHERS

Christy McKenzie Cricket Redman

BUSINESS MANAGER

Christy McKenzie

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Cricket Redman

COPY EDITOR

Andrea Debbink

CULINARY ADVISOR Christy McKenzie

SOCIAL & DIGITAL PRODUCER Lauren Rudersdorf

ADVERTISING, SPONSORSHIPS & EVENTS Dena Alspach 612-978-0084 dena@ediblemadison.com

CONTACT US Edible Madison 4313 Somerset Lane Madison, WI 53711 hello@ediblemadison.com

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VISIT US ONLINE AT EDIBLE MADISON.COM

CRICKET REDMAN

Cricket Redman is an avid gardener, artist and designer and messy cook. By day she runs Cricket Design Works and by night she is the creative director and partner of Edible Madison. In 1993, she moved to Madison for grad school at UW-Madison and fell in love with the snowy winters, driftless landscape and her now-husband and business partner Phil.

LAUREN RUDERSDORF

Lauren Rudersdorf owns and operates Raleigh’s Hillside Farm outside of Evansville with her husband Kyle. Together they manage ten acres for their growing CSA and hemp businesses. When she’s not out in the fields, Lauren shares seasonal recipes on her blog The Leek & The Carrot.

EMMA WALDINGER

Emma (she/her) is a writer, grower and maker based in Madison. She cherishes warm summer memories spent at her grandparents’ hobby farm and harvesting from her family’s backyard vegetable garden. These experiences have been the catalyst for her fascination with the intersections between art, ecology, agriculture and good food. When she’s not dreaming of the perfect cake, Emma helps to produce community events at Pasture and Plenty.

Clarification. The Spring 2021 issue of Edible Madison featured an article entitled, “Serendipity: Foraging in Southern Wisconsin.” In it the author mentions that the cut-leaved coneflower is abundant at the UW Arboretum. The UW Arboretum does not allow foraging or collection of any plant material without a permit and this is strictly enforced. Please be sure to check your local, state, or county websites for information on where foraging is allowed, and forage with care to keep our natural areas in balance.

Summertime in the Midwest is always sweet, made sweeter by the harsh winters we endure year after year. This coming summer feels especially sweet as we emerge from over a year of a kind of collective spiritual winter precipitated by Covid. While we can’t quite proclaim the pandemic to be over and done with yet, the availability of vaccines and the opportunity for outdoor socializing made possible by warmer weather means that this summer will thankfully look very different from the last one.

We have the opportunity to rediscover the joy of being together. It’s time to become reacquainted with places and experiences that were once familiar but from which we may have taken a long break. There is so much to explore right in our own backyards. We hope this travel-themed issue will inspire you to hit the road, whether it’s across the state for some tasty brews or just down the street to a restaurant you haven’t gotten around to trying yet.

The glory of the summer harvest season means that there’s also no better time to take your tastebuds on a ride. I’ve fallen into a food rut lately–you know, when you find yourself cooking the same things over and over and yet you can’t quite think of how to mix it up. It’s a miserable state, especially if you really love to eat. But working on this issue, I can feel myself starting to find my way out of it. We’re so lucky to live in an area with an amazing organic farming community and a plethora of farmers’ markets, internationally focused grocery stores and independent restaurants. Grilling up the recipes featured in Cook at Home (p. 33) provided such a magical blip of summer in the late spring when we tested the recipes. Laura Poe Mathes’ deep dive into pickling will have you feeling more prepared than ever to create the pickles of your dreams. (p. 12)

Thank you to all of our writers, photographers, advertisers and everyone involved in the creation of this issue. We wish our community of readers a safe and adventure-filled summer!

Let’s dig In!

Lauren Langtim

P.S. As always, we welcome your thoughts and feedback. Drop us a line at hello@ediblemadison.com.

Authentic SOUTH SHORE Superiu Superiu

Celebrating the Unique Creativity and Renegade Spirit of Lake Superior’s South Shore

Wh a t is A u t he n t ic S u perior ?

We are a nonprofit organization focused on creating a strong brand for Lake Superior’s South Shore region & bringing more revenue to the region’s artists, craftspeople, farmers and food producers.

Visit our virtual marketplace which features over 70 local artists, craftspeople, farmers, and other creative producers. 100% of sales go direct to the producer!

Coming Later This Year: Tours, Workshops, Immersion Experiences & More!

A Staycation Summer

FOODIE FORWARD

Madison Eats Food Tours

There’s so much to experience right in our backyard.

LET THE DRIFTLESS WAKE UP YOUR INNER ARTIST

Public and private tours available, including the fabulous Bike n’ Bites Food Tour featuring tastings to go from restaurants of the Willy Street, Atwood and Olbrich neighborhoods.madisoneatsfoodtours.com

Driftless Folk School Viroqua

Want to learn more about fermentation, cheesemaking, plant medicine, carpentry, basket weaving, knitting, and other skills, arts and crafts? Check out driftlessfolkschool. org/calendar for their full schedule of classes.

Taliesin Spring Green

Take in a socially distanced architectural tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s estate and enjoy farm-to-table grab & go fare at the Riverview Terrace Cafe. Also on offer—creative day camps for kids! taliesinpreservation.org

Madison Food Explorers

Small private walking tours. Taste local food and learn about Madison’s history, architecture and culture. madisonfoodexplorers.com

DOWN ON THE FARM

Ridge Valley Tours

Custom tours of the best of Richland County! Locals Marty and Teri Richards can shepherd you to the finest farms, dairies, wineries, breweries and more. ridgeandvalleytours.com

Soil Sisters

For three days with five unique components involving numerous women-owned farms, the jam-packed, award-winning SOIL SISTERS culinary event celebrates Wisconsin’s family farms and rural life in and around the farming communities of Monroe, New Glarus, Blanchardville and Brodhead. August 6-8, 2021. soilsisters.wixsite. com/soilsisters

Shake Rag Alley for the Arts Mineral Point

Enjoy visual, performing, and literary arts workshops, events and retreats for adults and children on a beautiful historic campus. Lodging available on-site. shakeragalley.org

Driftless Curiosity Viola

This new nonprofit offers a variety of workshops and land-based learning opportunities focused on experiential education, farming, social justice and the arts. driftlesscuriosity.org

Photos courtesy of Madison Eats and Taliesin

Travel the world without leaving Madison

Take a journey of the senses at these favorite local cultural groceries and markets, because staying close to home doesn’t mean you can’t expand your horizons. List curated by Jenina Mella.

ASIAN MARKETS AND GROCERIES

J & P Fresh Market

6634 Watts Rd. Madison

High quality market that carries a variety of products, mainly Chinese. jpfreshmarket.com

A-Mart Asian Grocery

680 S Whitney Way, Madison

A gem of an Asian grocery with a strong Southeast Asian feel. facebook.com/amartasiangrocery

Yue - Wah Oriental Foods

2328 S Park St. Madison

Primarily Asian market with a great range of Latin American and Middle Eastern products.

Global World Market

2161 Zeier Rd. Madison

Asian market + food court, that is the largest Asian Market in Wisconsin. globalmarketfoodhall.com

Hmong Legacy Market

2119 Fish Hatchery Rd. Madison

Cambodian, Laoatian and Thai specialty market. Find them on Facebook

Hmoob Oriental Market

1197 N Sherman Ave. Madison

Small, friendly market with emphasis on Southeast Asian products.

AFRICAN AND INDIAN MARKETS AND GROCERIES International Market

4261 Lien Rd. Madison

International with focus on African products. Find them on Facebook

African & American Store

2750 E Johnson St. Madison

Small, but very friendly source for African foods + gifts. sites.google.com/view/africanandamericanstore

Namaste Indian Grocery Store

805 S Gammon Rd. Madison

Looking for good curry leaves? This well stocked, Indian market will have them and more. namasteindiamadison.business.site

LATIN AMERICAN MARKETS AND GROCERIES

La Rosita Market and Taco Bar

6005 Monona Dr. Monona

Mexican market with a fabulous meat counter and taco bar. Find them on Facebook

Mercado Marimar

2102 S Park St. Madison

Excellent taqueria in a full to bursting Mexican grocery. Find them on Facebook

Abarrotes El Primo

105 E Main St. Sun Prairie

Tiny Mexican market with a fantastic taco bar. Try the tripe tacos! Find them on Facebook

Photo by Emma Waldinger

Strengthening the System

INVEST IN THE EXPANSION OF ORGANIC FARMLAND

Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT works to increase organic farmland in order to help farmers secure land and make people healthier. In fact, it’s already helped Wisconsin farmers like Meadowlark Organics secure land. Founded by a finance guy who wanted to preserve family farms and a doctor alarmed by the way the American diet contributes to poor health outcomes, Iroquois Valley is a certified B Corp that provides organic and regenerative farmers land security through long-term leases, mortgages and lines of credit funded by capital from mission-driven investors. Its investors buy into the radical idea that they can help the food system grow more nutritious food through soil health, while supporting rural economies. Unlike playing the stock market, investors can have a real connection to what their money is supporting. iroquoisvalley.com

Meadowlark Organics, an Iroquois Valley partner, in Iowa County, WI uses soil-building practices like contour farming to grow heritage grains and beans. Photo courtesy of Meadowlark Organics

BRIX

LOCAL FOOD HUB MEDIA PROJECT

Mount Horeb-based cidery and restaurant Brix Cider has partnered with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Black Krim Creative to create a three-year project that highlights the value and importance of local food sourcing, funded by the USDA (AMS) Local Food Promotion Program. The project will produce and share 12 short films paired with several food- and cider-centered events. Brix will share stories of how sourcing food from regional farms and producers is not only possible, but profitable. Look for live events through outdoor gatherings throughout summer 2021. Join the Brix Cider email list for details at brixcider.com or follow along on Instagram @brixcider —Jonnah Perkins

EXPLORING THE LANDSCAPE, HIS(&HER)STORY OF BLACK AGRICULTURE IN WISCONSIN • July and August 2021

Chef Yusuf Bin-Rella of Madison’s TradeRoots Culinary Collective and Chef Adrian Lispcombe of LaCrosse’s Uptowne Cafe and The 40 Acres & a Mule Project are collaborating with the UW System Center for Gender and Women’s Studies and Pasture and Plenty on a summer lecture series. The series includes a picnic pick-up in Madison and LaCrosse to take along on a self-guided Cheyenne Valley tour July 23 to 25. The scenic Cheyenne Valley was the destination of the largest African American settlement in Wisconsin in the 19th century. pastureandplenty.com

Photo of Seven Seeds Farm by Jessie Perkins

IN A

PICKLE lacto-fermented

NOURISH LAURA POE MATHES

Pickles are an essential summertime food. These salty, sour bites are nonnegotiable at a picnic or barbeque, nestled beside burgers, adorning sandwiches, or on plates of smoked meat. Pickles are also key ingredients in summery sides like potato salad or egg salad, so having a big jar in your fridge all season long is a must. Many cultures all over the world, from central Europe to Japan to India to the American South, have pickled vegetables as part of their culinary traditions, used as a way to preserve foods before canning or refrigeration. While pickling is a delicious, ingenious way to preserve the bounty of your summertime garden, it also adds extra nutrition to your vegetables.

To pickle means to preserve in brine, essentially a saltwater solution, and most people referring to “pickles” are talking about pickled cucumbers. With cucumber pickles, acidity is a key component of the brine, used for flavor and preventing spoilage. In the case of most store-bought and homemade pickles, we often think of vinegar pickles, where a vinegar-based brine preserves pickles with acetic acid. An even more traditional version (found in the recipe below) forgoes vinegar and instead employs fermentation for the acidity of the brine, which comes from lactic acid made in the fermenting process. This process is known as lacto-fermentation, so named because of the lactic acid-producing bacteria that facilitate the fermentation. Lacto-fermented pickles go through a similar process as other fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, with the main difference being that the pickles are submerged in a salty brine,

whereas sauerkraut is shredded and mixed with salt to create its own brine, a method known as dry-salting. Fermentation is what transforms cucumbers into pickles and safely preserves them, helping them stay “good” for months under refrigeration. This process also adds a nutritional boost. Similar to kimchi, miso, yogurt, kefir, and other ferments, pickles prepared through fermentation have the added benefit of probiotic bacteria and yeasts, enzymes and organic acids, as well as extra vitamins such as B12 and K2. Vinegar pickling does not use fermentation, so these added benefits are not present, though it’s certainly still tasty! The probiotics from pickled vegetables, as with any fermented food, can help support digestion, immune function, and more, so adding them to as many meals as possible can help give your body extra support. The basic process of brining vegetables for lacto-fermentation is this: chop the veggies, create a saltwater brine, submerge the vegetables in this brine for 1-2 weeks to ferment, and you’ve got your very own homemade pickles. This brining method can be preferable over dry-salting if you are wanting to ferment vegetables in larger pieces, such as cucumbers, rather than shredding and pounding them, as used in turning cabbage into sauerkraut. Not only does the brining method work for cucumber pickles, but it can also be used for other larger-cut veggies like cauliflower, radishes, carrots, onions, whole garlic cloves and even hot peppers. The amount of salt used in lacto-fermenting cucumbers is a bit higher than other vegetables due to

cucumbers’ higher water content, but the overall method is the same. No matter the veggie, the brine requires a salt that has no additives or anti-caking agents, so look for pickling salt or any unrefined, non-iodized sea salt to use in your pickles. The other difference when pickling cucumbers versus other vegetables is the addition of tannin-rich leaves, such as grape, horseradish, or raspberry leaves. The tannins in these leaves help to keep your pickles crunchy, as they can get a bit soft if these are omitted. This is not totally essential in pickle making, but does yield a crunchier, higher-quality pickle. Look for unsprayed grape, horseradish, or raspberry leaves in your yard or garden (or the woods!), or feel free to use dried raspberry leaves or jarred grape leaves in your recipe, giving them a rinse before using to remove extra salt or acidity.

A starter culture can be added to the brine to speed up fermentation, decreasing the risk of mold and yeast growth and helping pickles to stay crunchier. I often use whey, the yellowish opaque liquid strained from plain yogurt, but a bit of sauerkraut or kimchi brine also works well to get your fermentation going. This addition is optional, however, and your pickles can turn out great simply using “wild” fermentation. Pickled cucumbers or other veggies will stay fresh in the fridge for about 6 months; after this, they start to get soft and lose their flavor—so be sure to eat them up before this happens, using your lacto-fermented pickles as you would any store-bought pickle, while totally impressing your friends and grandmas alike.

Illustrations by Cricket Redman

The addition of tannin-rich leaves, such as grape, horseradish, or raspberry leaves help to keep your pickles crunchy.

LACTO-FERMENTED DILL PICKLES

prep time: 30 minutes

fermentation time: 1-2 weeks makes 1 gallon

INGREDIENTS

~3 pounds pickling cucumbers

1 bulb garlic, peeled and chopped

3-4 heads fresh flowering dill

2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds

3-4 grape leaves, fresh or jarred (Rinse well if using jarred; you can sub fresh horseradish leaves or raspberry leaves instead)

¼ cup + 1 tablespoon additive-free, fine grain sea salt

½ gallon filtered water

Optional: ¼ cup starter culture (whey from yogurt or brine from sauerkraut/kimchi)

EQUIPMENT

1-gallon glass jar (with plastic lid) or multiple, smaller glass jars or ceramic fermenting crock with lid or cloth covering Glass or ceramic fermentation weights that fit your vessel

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse cucumbers and trim any stems left on the ends.

2. Place the garlic, dill, peppercorns and mustard seeds in the bottom of your glass jar or ceramic crock.

3. On top of the spices, tightly pack the prepped cucumbers , filling the jar to the shoulders, just below where the lid meets the jar to leave a few inches of space on top.

4. Place the grape leaves over the top of the cucumbers, creating a cover with the leaves.

5. Place the fermentation weight on top of the grape leaves.

6. Prepare the brine by whisking the salt into the water until dissolved. If using a starter culture, add it to the brine.

7. Pour the brine over the top of the cucumbers to cover them completely, leaving 1-2 inches of headspace above them to leave room for expansion.

8. Cover the jar with a plastic lid, screwing on to secure but not fastening too tightly in case of expansion. Label your jar with the date of preparation. I like to set my jar on a plate or sheet pan in case of any brine overflow.

9. Leave the jar on the counter at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, to ferment for 5-14 days. If using a starter, you may need to only ferment these for 5-7 days. If not, let sit for 10-14 days. Warmer temperatures will cause fermentation to go faster than cooler temperatures as well. Check regularly for mold and to ensure the pickles stay submerged in the brine—this is the key in preventing mold formation.

10. When ready (see notes for more), remove the weight and transfer the pickles to the fridge for long-term storage. These will keep for about 6 months in the refrigerator.

Photo by Sunny Frantz

The pickles are “done” when they have developed a tangy, acidic flavor but still have some crunch; how long this takes will depend on the factors mentioned above and your taste preference. The brine may become lightly effervescent and slightly cloudy, which is normal and are results of the fermentation process.Pickles can be considered ready to eat or refrigerated when the flavor and texture are to your liking.

Check regularly for mold or yeast. If you see mold or smell/taste “off” flavors, discard and start a new batch, trusting your senses to know if your pickles are good to eat. Keeping the cucumbers submerged in the brine will help prevent mold from forming, but sometimes this does still occur and is just part of fermentation sometimes!

If you can’t find pickling cucumbers, which are about 3-4 inches long you can use full-sized cucumbers that have been cut into spears or slices. If using these instead, shorten the fermentation time to prevent your pickles from getting mushy. You can use many different vegetables in this recipe in lieu of cucumbers. Zucchini and summer squash can be swapped

one-for-one for cucumbers in this recipe. However, if using vegetables other than cucumber or squash (such as cauliflower or carrot), decrease the amount of salt to ¼ cup and omit the tannin-rich leaves if desired.

Leftover brine can be stored in the fridge for several months. A bit of brine can be sipped as a digestive tonic, used in dressings or marinades, splashed into soups just before serving, stirred into cocktails (such as a Bloody Mary), or used as a starter culture for future batches of fermented vegetables.

SOURCES

Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz

Fermented Vegetables by Kirsten and Christopher Shockey

2. Mount Horeb

3. Cross Plains

TROLL

4.Verona

Destination Drinks

5. Belleville/Paoli

HOP GARDEN TAP

Sun Prairie Cottage Grove

Lake Mills

Tyranena

ROOM

thehopgarden.net • 6818 Canal St. Enjoy brews on the banks of the Sugar River. Grab a kayak from Sugar River Outfitters to paddle the river, hike part of the Ice Age Trail, or bike the Badger State Trail that goes all the way to the Illinois border.

6. Waunakee

OCTOPI BREWING octopibrewing,com • 1131 Uniek Dr. As of the publication of this issue, the tasting room is currently closed, but is expected to reopen this summer.

7. Sun Prairie

FULLMILE

8. Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE WINERY cambridgewinery.com • 700 Kenseth Way. With a short detour off the Glacial Drumlin Trail you can taste wine or grab a bite to eat. Serves Friday Fish Fry and Wednesday Pizzas.

Glacial Drumlin Trail North

9. Lake Mills

TYRANENA BEER tyranena.com • 1025 Owen St Enjoy the beer garden and live music on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the summer.

SUNSHINE BREWING sunshinebrewco.com • 121 S Main St. Grab a beer and a taco on the patio or in the socially distanced beer hall.

LEWIS STATION WINERY lewisstationwinery.com • 217 N Main St. Award-winning craft winery in an upcycled vintage gas station.

Octopi

10. Soldiers Grove

11. Potosi

12. Muscoda

Illustration by Cricket Redman

In madison

ALIMENTARI 306 South Brearly St, Madison (608) 665-3650 • alimentarimadison.com

Get out to eat guide

ORANGE TREE IMPORTS 1721 Monroe St, Madison (608) 255-8211 • orangetreeimports.com

Alimentari is an Italian/ European specialty market and carryout sandwich shop. A great place for lunch now or dinner later. We’re also known for our excellent selection of wines, spirits and beer. Appointment shopping available. Tuesday through Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 10am-5pm @alimentarimadison FB: alimentarimadisonbyapiginafurcoat

CASETTA KITCHEN 222 West Washington Ave, Madison (608) 467-8108 • casettakitchen.com Casetta Kitchen is a sandwich shop serving house-roasted and quality cured meats on fresh baked bread. We serve rotating specials and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies daily. We offer contactless pick up, curbside take out, and delivery. Come enjoy the patio in warmer months. Monday through Friday 10:30am-2:30 pm @casettakitchen

FAR BRETON BAKERY 1219 North Sherman Ave Madison • (608) 250-0035 • farbretonbakery.com

Far Breton Bakery is a one-of-a-kind small bakery specializing in incredible, buttery croissants and other pastry creations by a talented team of lady bakers. Try our spiced sugar bun, cousin to the classic morning bun, made with richer dough and rolled in a cinnamon-cardamon-nutmeg-vanilla sugar. Baked fresh at FEED Kitchen! Grab a pastry at your next visit to the Northside Farmers Market. Available at Northside Farmers Market, May 9th to October 30th, Sundays from 8:30am-12:30pm @farbretonbakery

MADISON FARMERS UNITE Lakeside Street Coffeehouse, 402 W Lakeside St, Madison (608) 239-9802 • madisonfarmersunite.com

Madison Farmers Unite is your local online farmers market. We are producers from Madison and Dane County Farmers Markets. Fresh, seasonally available products. Shop until Thursday evening and pick up your groceries at four convenient locations on Saturday including Lakeside St Coffeehouse, Bradbury’s, and N + 1 Cafe. We offer curbside pick up for your safety. Saturday curbside pick up. Hours vary by site. • @madisonfarmersunite

MADTOWN FOOD SERVICES & THE SOUTH MADISON FARMER’S MARKET

1602 S Park St, Madison • (608) 285-2485 madtownfoodservices.com

Madtown Food Services provides hot food specialty items from Jamaica and the Gambia as well as comfort foods from America. Find us at the South Madison Farmers Market on Sundays. Menu items rotate weekly and will be posted on the MFS website and the SMFM Facebook event page.

Our South Madison Farmers’ Market partner, Neighborhood Food Solutions provides information on organic produce, locally grown fresh produce and their benefits at market. Monthly events planned around produce in season providing an opportunity to sample farm fresh Wisconsin produce, enjoy local musicians, and visit with friends and neighbors. For over 13 years, we’ve been more focused on nutrition, community, diversity, and friendship more than anything else and we plan to keep it that way!

Join us on Sundays!

NEW GLARUS FARMERS MARKET

1101 Hwy 69, New Glarus (608) 290-3905

Orange Tree Imports is an award-winning Madison shop featuring gifts, kitchenware, picnic ware and specialty foods. We are currently open limited hours for in-store shopping, and offer curbside pickup from our website seven days a week. Open for limited in-person shopping Tuesday through Saturday noon–5pm and Sunday noon–4:00pm. Curbside pickup of online and phone orders available Sunday noon–4pm, Monday through Saturday 11am–5:30pm • @orangetreeimports

PARTHENON 316 State St, Madison (608) 251-6311• parthenongyros.com

Come enjoy a World Famous Gyro with a view right on State Street! Or, pick yours up to go and make a picnic at your favorite spot. Now open for indoor and outdoor dining, takeout, delivery and curbside pickup! Open every day! 11am–10pm • @parthenongyros

VINTAGE BREWING CO. 674 South Whitney Way, Madison • 803 East Washington Ave, Madison 600 Water St, Sauk Prairie (608) 204-2739 vintagebrewingcompany.com

We’re a family owned and operated brewpub in beautiful Madison, Wisconsin, featuring “elevated Americana” cuisine and an eclectic array of highly-acclaimed housemade brews. Come visit our Beer Garden in Sauk Prairie and our two Madison brewpubs. Stop in for a beer and a bite and enjoy some Midwestern hospitality in our chilledout retro ambiance. Beer, Food, Patio dining, Banquets and Weddings. We love what we do and sharing it with you! Hours vary by location - Open 11:00am weekdays and 10:00am weekends for brunch. @vintagebrewingcomadison @vintagebrewingcosaukprairie @vintagebrewingcocapeast @vintagebrewingcobeer

Farther Afield

AVROM FARM PARTY & AVROM FARM STORE

W0908 Scott Hill Road, Ripon (920) 266-9645 • avromfarm.com

Join Us For Our Annual Avrom Farm Party! A Music and Food Festival at Our Farm. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook for all the details for Summer 2021. Visit our pop ups, markets and the Avrom Farm Store Saturdays through the summer. Find details on our social media! See website for hours. @avromfarm

J HENRY & SONS BOURBON TOURS

7794 Patton Rd, Dane (608) 846-4116 • jhenryandsons.com

Learn about our grain to glass production, heirloom grains and award-winning bourbons at the start of the WI Bourbon Trail. We offer tours, tastings and cocktails. Schedule a cocktail making class or a special VIP Whiskey Thief experience. We have Farm-To-Table dinners and special events returning this summer. Bourbon, apparel, glassware, classes and tastings are available for sale as well as gift certificates. We are socially distancing and moving outdoors as weather permits, or you may schedule a porch pickup. Join us and #RewardYourself with an escape to Dane. Cheers! Open Thursdays 4pm–7pm, Friday & Saturdays 12–6pm, and Sundays 12–5pm. Special events scheduled as available. • @jhenrybourbon

New Glarus Farmers’ Market is a small community driven market serving New Glarus, Wisconsin and surrounding Green County communities. Each season we have a variety of vendors bringing delicious food, baked goods, meats, vegetables, flowers, honey, and everything in between. Safe social distance practices in place; masks expected. Open Friday 3pm–-5:30pm May 7 to October 8 • @newglarusfarmersmarket

SPROUTING ACRES FARM 1746 Hwy 73, Cambridge (608) 469-2319 • sproutingacres.com

Sprouting Acres hosts a pizza night on the farm twice a month with housemade, wood-fired pizzas, beer, wine, cider and more. Gluten-free desserts, crusts and vegan cheese are available. Head to sproutingacres.com to get your pizza order placed the week before or order at the farm the day of the event. Enjoy live music on our new stage, a natural playground for the kids, and paths galore. Large open field for seating. Bring a blanket and chairs. No indoor seating at this time. Handicapped accessible parking, deck and restroom. Fun for the whole family! Open on 1st and 3rd Sundays in May, September & October: 3:30pm–8pm. Extended hours June through August, 12pm–8pm • @sproutingacres

THE WHITE SCHOOL COLLECTIVE PIZZA PARTY 242 N Lexington St, Spring Green • (608) 588-4226 facebook.com/WhiteSchoolCollective Friday night means pizza parties all season long in Spring Green. Enjoy pizza in our garden, imbibe at the outdoor cocktail bar, and keep an eye out for a visit from the Vesperman’s ice cream truck! Don’t miss out on this party. Bring your blanket and make it a picnic. Follow us on Facebook to see the menu each week. Open Fridays 4:30pm–7pm • @whiteschoolcollective

VIROQUA FOOD CO-OP 609 N Main St, Viroqua (608) 637-7511• viroquafood.coop/deli

The Viroqua Food Co+op has been providing healthy, delicious food to the Viroqua area since 1995. Our deli counter is open 7am-7pm and serves coffee, tea, espresso drinks and smoothies. We have lots of quick meal options: hot bar single-serve entrees, burrito bar, take-n-bake pizzas or pizza by the slice, grab-n-go sandwiches served hot or cold, and more. Enjoy your food on the outdoor patio and take advantage of our new bicycle repair station! Check out the artisanal and local selection of beers, wines and spirits while you’re here. To see what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, visit our website. Open daily 7am–8pm @viroquafoodcoop

WOLLERSHEIM WINERY, DISTILLERY & BISTRO

7876 State Rd 188, Prairie du Sac • 1 (800) VIP-WINE wollersheim.com Wollersheim is located on a scenic hillside across the Wisconsin River from Prairie du Sac. We invite you to join us at the winery, where new wines grow in old-world tradition, and the aroma of past vintages fills the air. Offering wine and spirits pick ups in our courtyard! And, local and seasonal fare expertly paired with Wisconsin’s favorite locally made wine and spirits. Our bistro is open daily! Monday through Thursday for light snack menu, Friday through Sunday for full menu. Winery and Distillery Open daily 12pm-5pm, Bistro: Open daily 12pm-4:30pm •@wollersheimwine

Photo by Jim Klousia

smaller is better FOR WESTRIDGE FARM

by Emma Waldinger

Kim and Jake Jakubowski are rooting for human-scale in an agricultural paradigm that tells farmers bigger is better.

Like many young farmers, Kim and Jake Jakubowski started out small. Kim puts it simply: “We just started growing stuff.” In 2002, they bought 11 acres of wooded land tucked into the rolling hills of Wisconsin’s Driftless region and formed Westridge Organic Farm. Initially, they sold at farmers markets in Viroqua and Richland Center, establishing a pathway over the next few years to organic certification and additional marketing opportunities in CSA and wholesale. As they accumulated equipment and rented more acreage for production space, the Jakubowskis eventually found themselves managing nearly 35 acres of vegetables, hay, and livestock. To grow so big was never necessarily their intention. However, the standard to expand and mechanize set by other farmers in their area naturally swept Jake and Kim in the same direction.

Between managing a scattered collection of rented plots and battling uncontrollable weed pressure, the Jakubowskis’ efforts were spread thin on so much acreage. “Most people think that bigger is better with farming,” Kim says. “But we’ve learned that is not the case.” In 2019, Westridge Organic Farm began cycling back to human-scale, adopting a range of new techniques in the process. They started experimenting on two acres, piloting a small no-till spot while continuing to primarily work with the tractors. Last year, they trimmed cultivation even further to just three-quarter acres of no-till and were finally able to move the entire operation back to their own land. Now, they closely crop in 30-inch permanent raised beds twice, and sometimes even three times, throughout the year.

Kim points out that this isn’t a new way of farming. The Back to the Land movement of the 1960’s and 70’s catalyzed a strong following of the smallscale organic growing framework. Most notably, Eliot Coleman’s wildly popular guide The New Organic Grower motivated many conscious farmers to make the most out of downsized acreage and equipment. Coleman’s teachings guided farmers and home gardeners to aim their growing practices towards ecological benefits like soil integrity, pest and disease resiliency, and weed suppression. More recently, farmer J.M. Fortier has brought renewed attention to market gardening by demonstrating that small-scale growing methods can reap unheard of profitability in organic farming. While taking home a solid living

as a farmer is an ongoing struggle across agricultural approaches, market gardening techniques make high productivity and profitability not only possible, but manageable. Westridge Organic Farm has experienced this same effect. “Last year, we made like $100,000 in vegetables off of the three quarters of an acre,” Jake says. “One time we were making less than that off of five.”

Aside from intensive cropping and permanent raised beds, the Jakubowskis have adapted a number of market gardening techniques to their farming practice. In place of tillage, they turn and aerate the soil through a process called broadforking. The broadfork, a 30-inch-wide fork-like implement with eight- to ten-inch tines, is inserted into the soil every foot of bed length and then pulled back to loosen up the soil. The Jakubowskis then top the soil with a layer of compost an inch or two thick. They also use a tilther, a drill-like tool developed by Eliot Coleman that mixes up the top inch of soil without excessively disturbing its biological activity. In fact, these techniques are synchronous with a variety of ecological advantages. Specifically, ditching tillage and tractors creates better outcomes for soil health, weed suppression, and cuts way down on carbon footprint. Even further, scaling down machinery and acreage demonstrates Kim and Jake’s commitment to reducing their environmental impact and mitigating climate change. With foot traffic limited to the narrow paths between crop beds, soil compaction

is reduced to near nonexistence. This means that the soil maintains a healthy level of aeration for essential biological activity to unfold below the surface. When worms and other beneficial insects and bacterias thrive, they can create better conditions for hearty soil structure, water filtration, and crop nitrogen-fixation. More carbon stays in the soil with minimal disturbance, and less reaches the atmosphere when tractors and fuel-intensive machinery are deferred. Reducing tillage can also bring considerable relief to farmers struggling to keep up with weed pressure. Methods like broadforking and tilthing are less disruptive to the soil than traditional tillage, leaving more weed seeds below the surface deeply buried. Piling on compost can further suppress the weeds, given that the compost hasn’t already been compromised by weed seeds.

With much less land to cover, Kim and Jake don’t have to sacrifice their yields to the weeds either. Jake tackles them with just a flame-weeder, collinear hoe, and a wire weeder—all tools intended for human-scale weed management. The Jakubowskis note that their ability to manage weed pressure has already significantly improved.

The resiliency of the soil’s stewards is just as important; Kim and Jake are already starting to feel the relief of juggling less land and losing fewer crops to competition. The Covid-19 pandemic allowed them to shift their marketing to strictly CSA, giving them much-needed Saturdays off from the farmers market. In tandem with extending their season through high tunnels and a new minimally-heated greenhouse, these changes have all contributed to a greater sense of balance for the farmers.

And, their most noteworthy challenge to date? “Growing carrots because they like that really soft, deep soil,” Kim says. “Some of the carrots were really short.” Jake adds. “I think as it gets looser over time, it’s going to get really nice.” As Kim and Jake nurture the biological activity of their soil with compost and minimal disturbance, over time it will begin to match those ideal carrot-growing conditions once achieved forcibly by tractor tillage. With many advantages yet to come, the Jakubowskis are looking forward to growing even higher-quality, nutrient-dense vegetables. If one thing is better bigger, it’s the carrots—but when it comes to acreage, Westridge Organic Farm is staying small.

Photos by Jim Klousia

In the next few years, they’re optimistic that they will begin to see other benefits associated with healthier soil such as higher levels of drought, pest, and disease-resistance in their crops.

Red stars hens at Westridge roam a very spacious coop with ample space inside as well as the option to go outside and eat grass and bugs. The hens lay their beautiful brown eggs, enriched with Omega-3’s because Kim and Jake feed them a diet of certified organic layer feed mixed with organic flaxseed.

Early season greens and spinach increase the length of the growing season.

While earning a solid living as a farmer is an ongoing struggle across agricultural approaches, market gardening techniques make high productivity and profitability not only possible, but manageable.

Westridge uses greenhouses and hoop houses to extend the season, permitting a greater density of plantings and generating more income per square foot as a result.

Soil Prep is Everything

The right tools can make all the difference

collinear hoe – For weeding in between plants without bending over

broadfork – This beefy tool is used to loosen soil while improving drainage and aeration.

hori hori knife –The ultimate mutipurpose tool: dig, saw, cut through vines, measure the depth for planting seeds or open a beer at the end of a long day

tilther – This clever tool uses a cordless drill to drive 2” tines to loosen soil and prepare beds for planting.

hand cultivator – For easy weeding with even the toughest roots wire hoe – Similar the collinear hoe for more delicate conditions

flame weeder – This provides some firepower for use on tough broadleaf weeds. It’s prohibited in certain areas and not for use in dry conditions.

Photo by Jim Klousia. Illustration by Cricket Redman

by Sujhey Beisser

E L MERCADITO DE CENTRO

IMAGINE it is a Wednesday afternoon in July 2019. You are driving south on Park Street. On the corner of Badger Road you see colorful booths of crafts, vegetables and food. You hear Spanish music playing and see the vibrant dancers dressed in perfect folkloric attire. You might even wonder if you are still in Madison or if you followed a magical path that took you straight down to the border into the whimsical mix of cultures that exists in Central and South America. You’ve arrived at El Mercadito!

Centro Hispano is a nonprofit organization that’s been serving Latinos in Dane County since 1983. As the Hispanic population continues to grow in Wisconsin, Centro’s programs have expanded to strengthen families and engage the community. In 2015, under the leadership of Dr. Karen Menendez Coller, the staff sought a space where the community could gather, an event that families would look forward to every week. Food and family are at the center of Latino culture. History, connection to the land, and community are all critical factors the staff considered.

El Mercadito was an idea inspired by the staff’s visits to markets in their countries of origin, or family stories about these places for those staff members who were born here and have never visited their parents’ or grandparents’ home countries. Keeping traditions alive and passing them down to children is also an essential part of El Mercadito’s purpose. “I remember going to the market to hang out with my friends, gathering around food and entertainment for the whole family,” says Centro’s executive director Karen Menendez Coller of her memories of growing up in El Salvador. Mercado is the Spanish word for market. El Mercadito translates to “The Little Market,” but don’t let the name imply that the space created here to connect the community is in any way small. In fact, having a space like El Mercadito in the Latino community is a big deal. Hispanics make up the largest minority group in Wisconsin and the fastest-growing minority group in Madison, yet the integration of the Latino community in large-scale events is rare.

Since its inception in 2015, El Mercadito has gone through numerous changes as Centro’s staff, volunteers, and community members have worked together to put the program in place. It runs almost year-round. In the warmer months, it’s set up outdoors in Centro’s front parking lot, and it moves indoors to their main lobby during fall and part of winter. On any given Wednesday afternoon, visitors can find about a doz-

Photos courtesy of El Meradito de Centro

“BEAUTIFUL THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER”

KAREN MENENDEZ COLLER

en diverse vendors including farmers, producers, artisans and artists. Locally grown vegetables, handmade tortillas, handcrafted goods, honey and exotic fruits that don’t grow in Wisconsin (imported directly from Mexico) are what to expect at the market. Also, a wide variety of traditional dishes including moles, tamales, street corn, tacos, mangonadas (a sweet and spicy frozen treat) and more. Karen says, “El Mercadito is a labor of love and persistence, and you can sense that from the moment you walk in.” The planning and organization of the program depend on volunteers. Centro can’t have a dedicated staff for the market, but they are all very passionate about it and spend whatever time they can coordinating community volunteers to help. As the market keeps growing, Centro continues to explore the idea of partnering with other organizations with shared values that could provide more support. They are currently partnering with Roots 4 Change, a cooperative of community health workers and doulas that emerged from collaborations and community services through Centro Hispano. They continue their desire to expand that reach. “Beautiful things can happen when the community comes together,” Karen says.

Communities of color are predominantly more affected by food insecurities due to socioeconomic challenges and racial

disparities. Having a program like El Mercadito means a lot more than food access to the Latino community. It is a space like no other in the city where families gather together and experience a full cultural connection with food. El Mercadito was paused in 2020 because of the pandemic. It is essential for the community to have this space back but keeping everyone safe is a priority. It will depend on vaccination rates and changes to other safety requirements from the health department and the county, but Centro’s staff has high hopes to have the market back sometime this year. The start date for the 2021 season has not been announced yet—follow Centro Hispano on social media for updates!

Once the doors are open, visitors are welcome to experience the lively environment of the market, full of pleasant aromas, flavors, vibrant colors and music. It’s a party for all the senses. El Mercadito is a space for the Latino community to feel at home, but all are welcome to immerse in the culture and connect with our community right here, on the south side of the city.

EL MERCADITO IS A LABOR OF LOVE AND PERSISTENCE, AND YOU CAN SENSE THAT FROM THE MOMENT YOU WALK IN...

MANGONADA

Recipe by Sujhey Bessier

Want to bring a taste of El Mercadito de Centro back to your kitchen? Whether you choose to mix in a shot of tequilla blanco is up to you.

Serves 2

Prep time: 5 min

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons Tajín (chile lime spice mix)

3 tablespoons chamoy sauce, separated

1 10-ounce bag frozen mango

1/2 cup cold water

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons fine sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare two tall glasses. Use the squeezed lime half to go around the top of the glass.

2. Spread Tajín on a small plate and dip the glass tops in Tajín making circular moves to make sure it coats the top of the glass.

3. Add one tablespoon chamoy sauce to each glass and move the glass around to cover the sides of the glass.

4. In a blender, add frozen mango, water, lime juice, and sugar.

5. Blend on high until smooth. Add more water if too thick. It should have the consistency of a smoothie.

6. Fill each prepared glass halfway through with the mango mixture. Add a swirl of chamoy sauce, continue filling with the rest of the mango mixture. Swirl some more chamoy on top and sprinkle with Tajín. Enjoy!

Note: Chamoy sauce is a fruit-based dipping sauce that may have added chili powder for a little extra zip.Tajín is a lime powder and chili spice mixture that also comes in varying degrees of heat. Both are available at Latin grocers (see list in Notable Edibles for some suggestions).

A frosty mangonada from La Michoacana in Madison

Photo by Nicole Peaslee

COOK AT HOME

Gather

AROUND THE Grill

Summer in Wisconsin is too short not to spend every possible moment outside. Who wants to sweat over a hot stove when you could be cooking alfresco with friends? Stock up on fresh produce and some local meats and get grilling with these four great summer recipes.

LAUREN RUDERSDORF

Juusto Fattoush with Grilled Zucchini

Peak season is Driftless Cafe chef Mary Kastman’s favorite time of year in Viroqua. A continuous stream of goodness from local farmers allows her to showcase the bounty of the region on their daily changing menu, and fattoush is her first choice when summer vegetables are in their full glory! This Middle Eastern chopped salad is typically served with bread, but this version of fattoush has a western Wisconsin twist with the addition of grilled Juusto cheese (also making it gluten-free!).

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 20 min

INGREDIENTS

For Salad:

2 medium zucchini or summer squash, halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 pounds Carr Valley Bread Cheese (Juusto) or haloumi cheese

1 large head romaine lettuce, cut into thick ribbons

1 medium cucumber, small dice

1 small red onion, shaved

4 salad radishes or Hakurei turnips, small dice

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped dill

Ground sumac, to taste

For Dressing:

2 red bell peppers

½ cup toasted walnuts

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (or good quality balsamic vinegar)

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons hazelnut oil (or other neutral cooking oil)

3 cups sliced portobello mushrooms

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the grill.

2. Season the zucchini or squash halves with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill cut side down for 5 minutes, rotating a quarter turn for grill marks halfway through the grilling time. Repeat on the skin side. Let cool and dice into ½ -inch cubes.

3. Grill the Juusto cheese with the grill lid closed for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and cut into 1-inch cubes.

Recipe by Mary Kastman of Driftless Cafe

4. Add the diced zucchini and cheese to a large bowl with the chopped lettuce, cucumber, red onion, radishes, and fresh herbs.

5. To make the dressing, place the red peppers on the grill and char on all sides. Remove from heat, peel, and remove the seeds.

6. In a blender, combine the grilled peppers with the remaining dressing ingredients. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

7. Add the red pepper dressing to the salad and mix well. Portion the salad into individual bowls and sprinkle with sumac before serving.

Photos by Sunny Frantz. Salad bowl set and plates from Orange Tree Imports.

Chiles Rellenos De Chorizo

Since 2014, Conscious Carnivore has been making ethical sourcing of meat simpler in Madison. For this recipe, head sausage maker Diego Colorado shares his favorite summer meal made with chorizo from the shop.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 30 min

INGREDIENTS

½ cup peeled walnuts, chopped 1 cup coconut milk

4 ounces queso fresco 2 ears sweet corn

6 large poblano chiles

1 large tomato, halved 1 tablespoon olive oil

½ large yellow onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced

1½ pounds Conscious Carnivore chorizo

1 large zucchini, cubed

1 large summer squash, cubed 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano 1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare the grill to cook over medium-high heat.

2. While waiting for the grill to heat, make the crema. Combine the chopped walnuts, coconut milk and queso fresco in a blender, and blend until smooth. Keep it in the fridge until needed.

3. Grill the sweet corn and poblanos directly over heat, cover, and turn occasionally, until the corn is slightly toasted on all sides and the chiles are lightly blackened, about 6-10 minutes.

4. Remove the chiles from the grill and cover them with foil for about 10 minutes to steam. This will make peeling the skins easier.

5. Grill the tomato halves and set aside to cool.

6. Place a cast-iron skillet on the grill and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. If possible, reduce heat to low or move the skillet away from direct heat. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo, and cook it halfway through. Then add the zucchini, summer squash and spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, while you prep the poblano chiles, corn and tomato.

7. Peel the skins from the chiles. Starting at the stem, make a 3- to 4-inch slit along the length of each chile. Pull out seeds and some of the base of the stem to open up the cavity. Set aside prepared peppers.

8. Remove the corn kernels from the cob. Cube the tomato. Add the corn and cubed tomato to the chorizo mixture .

9. Set two chiles on a foil sheet. Stuff the chiles with the chorizo filling and crimp the sides of the foil around them to create open packets. Repeat with the remaining chiles. Place the packets on the grill to heat the stuffed chiles for 2-3 minutes.

10. Place the finished poblanos on a plate. Drizzle the crema on top of each poblano and garnish with cilantro.

Recipe by Diego Colorado of Conscious Carnivore

Grilled Green Beans with Butter & Almonds

After a long day at the farm, my favorite way to spend an evening is with a quick dinner in our backyard (where work and farm talk is never allowed). We fire up the grill and keep dinner simple with an easy side that can be prepared alongside the grilled meats. It is as effortless as it is delicious.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 15 min

INGREDIENTS

1 small rutabaga, peeled

1 medium purple top turnip, peeled

2 eggs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 to 4 tablespoons bacon fat (or coconut oil)

Shredded cheese, optional Ketchup or hot sauce, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the grill to cook over high direct heat.

2. Toss the green beans with olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl until well-coated.

3. Place the green beans in a grill basket over high heat. Cook, flipping occasionally with tongs, until blackened and blistered throughout, about 20 minutes. Move green beans off heat.

4. Add almonds to a cast-iron skillet and toast them over high heat, about 3-5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt. Then add the charred beans, and toss with tongs to combine.

Dishware and vase from Good Day Shop. Candleholders from Orange Tree Imports.

Recipe by Lauren Rudersdorf Raleigh’s Hillside Farm and The Leek & The Carrot

Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Peach Salsa

Since opening their restaurant and tasting room in early 2019, Owners Matt and Marie Raboin have been serious about locally sourcing their products. Prior to opening Brix they worked with the local food system for more than a decade so their list of farm suppliers includes a list of longtime friends and acquaintances, including one of Brix’s main farm partners Seven Seeds Farm.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 hrs (inactive)

Cook time: 30 min

INGREDIENTS

For Pork Tenderloin:

½ cup grain mustard

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

1 pound Seven Seeds Farm pork tenderloin

For Salsa:

6 peaches

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 jalapeno peppers, minced

½ medium red onion, minced

1 large heirloom tomato, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the marinade, mix together the mustard, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, thyme and rosemary in a large bowl. Place the pork tenderloin in the marinade and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours (or overnight).

2. When ready to start your meal, prepare a grill for both high heat and indirect heat. (For a charcoal grill, bank the coals on one side of the grill. For a gas grill, set half the burners to high heat and keep the other half turned off.)

3. Remove the pork from the marinade and place it directly over the flames. Grill, rotating and flipping, until all sides of the pork are seared. Move the pork to indirect heat, cover, and cook until it has reached 145 degrees F, about 30 minutes. Remove the pork from the grill and let rest.

4. While the pork rests, prepare the salsa. Cut the peaches in half, removing the pits. Lightly brush the peaches with sesame oil and grill until there are even grill marks on both sides, approximately 1 minute per side. Let cool.

5. Place the jalapenos, onion, tomato, garlic and cilantro in a large bowl. Dice the cooled peaches and add them to the bowl. Stir in the lime juice, honey, salt and pepper.

6. Slice the pork and serve with spoonfuls of salsa on top.

Recipe by Derek Rikli of Brix Cider

Photo by Sunny Frantz. Dishware from Good Day Shop.

reimer

ALIMENTARI

by Katie Moench

Alimentari, at 306 S. Brearly, is a deli that features a little of everything the gourmet shoppers and diners of Madison could possibly want. Established in 2018 by Dan Bonanno and Bonnie Arent of the renowned Pig in a Fur Coat, along with Dan’s brother Enrico, the store offers both prepared foods and the specialty ingredients

that Pig in a Fur Coat uses to make its dishes sing. And there’s certainly a wealth of knowledge to go around, as Enrico and Dan Bonanno grew up helping their family run Tenuta’s Deli in Kenosha and bring that experience to Alimentari and Madison today.

According to Arent, when a space opened up near the existing restaurant,

“we jumped on it,” and the three owners have worked together to combine their knowledge of Italian cooking with local Wisconsin ingredients, as well as imported items, to offer a variety of options for hungry shoppers. Alimentari’s freshly made pasta and sauces make it a must visit for the home cook, while the store’s many grab and go

Photos by Tracy Harris

sandwiches, salads, and beverages are perfect for picnics or a casual backyard get together.

Customers at Alimentari can browse a selection of imported and local items ranging from bottles of wine to a dizzying variety of cheeses that are sure to appeal to the many of us who want to spruce up our stay-at-home meals. Accompanying these tempting displays are knowledgeable staff who are happy to chat about the latest salami offerings or give advice on which of the store’s sauces (available for purchase by the jar) to pair with some of their freshly made pasta. Those who are a bit newer to the kitchen can benefit from classes on topics such as arranging the perfect charcuterie board, or simply grab one of the premade salads and some gelato to enjoy outdoors.

The combination of fresh and high quality ingredients and unexpected twists like the nduja mayo is the kind of cooking that has made Pig in a Fur Coat so popular in town. With Alimentari, customers can not only enjoy this kind of eating more frequently, they can also have the chance to shop for and cook with some of the same ingredients used in the restaurant. Arent compares running the deli to “a marathon,” as opposed to the “sprint” of a restaurant, and cites the opportunity to talk with customers about the meats and cheeses (both of which can be ordered to slice) as one of the best parts of the business.

Above Left: (left to right) Owners Dan Bonanno, Enrico Bonnano, and Bonnie Arent. (Top) Bonnie and Rico handing off the Spicy Sopressata (Above).

Arent says, “what’s unique is that there is a kind of education with the customers, different types of prosciutto or salami, but we love talking about food. For education, it’s just a matter of talking, people asking questions and us getting excited to talk about prosciutto or pasta or pizza or really anything.” Her personal favorite? The jars of housemade tomato sauce. Customers can round out their lunch with some Calabrian chips, topped with vinegar, chili, and oregano and finish their meal with a cannoli featuring orange zest and chocolate chips. Also available are artisan salumi sticks for snacking and gift baskets of treats themed around upcoming holidays that will be perfect for when we can start gathering together again.

Alimentari literally means foodstuffs. And in Italy the alimentari is the specialty grocer offering the best of what each region offers. We’re following that tradition with a mix of Italian imports next to local and regional gems.

Dan Bonnano, Owner and Little Brother

Since we were boys, we’ve always wanted to work together—we don’t know why—but when we saw this opportunity, I moved my family up here and here we are.

Enrico Bonanno, Owner and Big Brother

Clockwise from above left: Alimentari’s robust dried pasta section, Canolis made to order and Enrico hard at work.

Dan Bonanno

As vaccines continue to roll out and small gatherings become possible, Alimentari is a great place to pick up the kinds of sandwiches, drinks, and salads that are perfect for outdoor dining. Whether you have a long conversation with Enrico about the dazzling variety of cheese options the store offers and what recipes the staff recommends trying at home, or simply grab a bottle of wine and one of the store’s amazing lasagnas to go, Alimentari is well worth the visit for deli food that is sure to delight.

Clockwise from top: Alimentari hosts an impressive selection of Italian and dometic wines, sopressatta and prosciutto sandwiches and fresh house-made pasta.

Now because of Covid we’ve really upped our game with prepared foods and it’s supporting our community and Pig too.

EAT. DRINK. THINK.

How we inhabit this planet and envision its future is more critical now than at any time in our history. is past year has certainly taught us that—it has exposed our vulnerabilities, our frail insigni cance in the scheme of things. Yet during this turbulent and challenging time we have also found hope.

On the following pages, we bring you the rst in a series of thought leadership stories that span topics on sustainability, hunger, restaurant revitalization and regenerative agriculture. ese are the values that Edible Communities, as an organization, has been devoted to for the past two decades. Our work lends itself to the singular notion that excellent storytelling has the power to change lives; and that by exploring and elevating important conversations like these, we can create massive change.

We also know that change is impossible without the support of our readers

—consumers who have the power to reshape the world we live in. Every farmer, rancher, entrepreneur and organization we champion is better o because of you. You read, learn, take action and vote with your forks. It will be you who ultimately tilts the scale toward a more sustainable future, a more sustainable food system.

ank you for joining us as we collectively set our sights on creating a future that is nothing less than extraordinary. One that binds the ecosystems of our lives to Mother Nature without a disconnect between what is on our plates and where it comes from—where all of the seemingly smaller choices we make today add up to massive, beautiful and everlasting positive change.

Tracey Ryder Co-Founder, Edible Communities

Marshall Johnson, Vice President of Conservation Ranching for Audubon standing in a eld of prairie grass. Photo courtesy of Audubon

THE BIRDS & THE BEEF

WORDS BY Joy Manning + PHOTOS BY Candice Vivien

You’ve seen the headlines: Beef is destroying the planet. You’ve heard all about the greenhouse gases and pollution a typical beef operation produces. But the idea that beef is an environmental disaster isn’t quite that simple. ose dire warnings are based on one kind of beef: e conventional, factory-farmed kind. And it is, by far, the most commonly consumed beef in North America. In fact, 97% of the beef in the US food supply is grain-fed, feedlot beef.

But there’s another way to produce beef, a way that actually enriches the environment. And it’s happening across at least 3.5 million acres of American grassland. Kay Cornelius, a fourth-generation rancher and new general manager at Panorama Meats, intends to add another million acres to that total by 2030 through a groundbreaking new partnership with an unlikely ally: e National Audubon Society.

A NEW SEAL OF APPROVAL

“All of our data proves that grassland birds are the most imperiled group of bird species in America. Grassland birds have lost 53% of their population since 1970, and 95% of all grassland birds live on cattle ranches,” says Marshall Johnson, vicepresident of Audubon’s conservation ranching initiative. e nonpro t’s “Grazed on Audubon Certi ed Bird-friendly Land” seal was established to recognize ranches that are managed in a way that protects those birds. Saving these birds is a vital part of maintaining biodiversity. Like bees, birds are important pollinators, and they help maintain the delicate balance of a grassland ecosystem.

rough Audubon’s new partnership with Panorama, every ranch in Panorama’s network will earn that Grazed on Audubon Certi ed Bird-friendly Land seal. “We began the project of introducing this certi cation in 2013, and we enrolled our rst ranch in 2017,” says Johnson. Joining forces with Panorama

now means adding 1 million acres of land to the 2.5 million acres that have already been certi ed as bird-friendly. “It means a lot to partner with an organization that has built its brand in alignment with our core values,” says Johnson.

Darrell Wood, founding Panorama rancher, was the rst in the network to get certi ed. “I volunteered. I wanted to see how it went and what the level of di culty would be for ranchers,” he says. And he discovered the bene ts greatly outweighed any extra e ort. In large part, the certi cation is an acknowledgement of what Panorama ranches, all of which were already organic, have been doing for years.

As part of the program, each ranch gets an annual visit from a rangeland biologist who takes soil samples, measures the vegetation, and assesses how the ranch a ects bird life. en Audubon creates a habitat management plan for the rancher with suggestions for improvements. “ e ranches enrolled are going to become even more bird friendly, but they were already doing great things,” says Johnson.

FARMERS FIRST

Cornelius isn’t new to dramatically growing a network of environmentally friendly farmers. Before taking the helm of Panorama Meats as general manager last September, she doubled sales in her role as vice president for the biggest and bestknown name in humanely raised meats, Niman Ranch. “I spent 12 years there working for farmers, and in my new job I’m still helping farmers earn a living,” she says.

Finding ways to grow and protect a rancher’s livelihood is a high priority for Cornelius personally and central to Panorama Meats’ mission. “I grew up in a rural community during the farm crisis years. My mom and dad really struggled,” she says. e experience of watching her once-thriving farming community dry up back then informs everything she does today. “At Niman

Ranch, we really celebrated the family farmer doing the right thing and we’re doing the same thing at Panorama.” e simplest way to keep these family farms in business is to ensure they are able to get their product to market and to be paid a fair price. Being part of Panorama’s network helps them accomplish these goals, and the Audubon’s bird-friendly seal provides a major boost, a way to make these special packages of meat stand out from everything else in the butcher’s case for environmental conscious consumers.

4 Ways to Shop for Sustainable Meat

Not every supermarket is stocked with grass-fed, grass-finished and bird-friendly beef—yet. If you can’t find it at your store, there are still ways to purchase sustainable steaks, chops, and burgers wherever you are. Here are some tips to get you started.

1.

SHOP ONLINE

Panorama has partnered with online retailer CrowdCow.com and you can nd their beef as well as meat from other high-quality sustainable ranchers there.

2.

BUY A COW SHARE

In many communities, smaller farmers and ranchers will sell onehalf, one-quarter, or one-eighth of a single animal to you. Check out EatWild.com to nd one near you.

SAVING GRASSLAND

e connection between beef, birds, grassland, and climate change isn’t immediately obvious. To understand how a properly managed ranch can actually help remove carbon from the atmosphere, you have to understand the long history of North America’s grassland.

Before they were hunted nearly to extinction in the late 19th century, wild bison grazed an area just the right amount to promote the growth of a complex and robust root system without killing the plants. Domestic cows, if left to their own devices, will eat the grass down to the bare earth, destroying the grassland. To make them more like their ancestors, ranchers must use rotational grazing, moving them from spot to spot to achieve that ideal level of grazing. “Cattle can mimic what historic bison used to do. at’s why we need them,” says Johnson.

3. SHOP AT YOUR FARMERS MARKET

Farmers markets are typically a great place to connect with the kind of farmers and ranchers who are passionate about sustainability and land stewardship.

4. ASK QUESTIONS

When you’re shopping, ask your butcher where the beef comes from and how it was raised. is educates you and lets them know there’s a demand for sustainable beef.

Red-winged blackbird

Without animals grazing, grassland becomes overwhelmed with weeds and invasive plant species. e soil quality is degraded, and animal life, birds and pollinators like bees lose their habitat. Vernal pools dry up and disappear. Without well-managed grassland, some species can even become extinct. “ ere’s a vernal pool on my ranch that hosts an endangered species called fairy shrimp,” says Wood. “I have a stream that goes through my property that’s one of the major salmon spawning streams in California.”

And then there’s the matter of carbon. It’s true that cows emit carbon into the atmosphere, about 80 tons annually for a ranch of 150 acres, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. ere’s also a certain amount of carbon emissions associated with the farm equipment (32 tons). But well-managed grassland, with its deep root systems, lush vegetation, and rich soil, is actually able to remove 500 tons of carbon from the atmosphere per year, giving it an overall positive e ect on the environment rather than a negative one. It should be noted that this only applies to cattle ranches with high standards for land management and environmental stewardship--not conventional factory farms.

Raising beef cattle on pasture this way does take longer: Cows don’t fatten up as quickly without the grains provided by feedlots, and they expend more energy grazing than on a feedlot. It also requires more space. As a result, a rancher practicing this kind of regenerative agriculture cannot produce the same volume of beef on the same acreage as a factory farm. eir beef must therefore be sold at a premium. e preservation of this land is important to everyone, but

these eco-minded ranchers can only protect the grassland, the birds, and the whole ecosystem it supports if they can earn a living doing it. at’s where you come in.

A MARKET SOLUTION

e way Kay Cornelius sees it, people are looking for three things when they’re shopping for grass-fed beef. “ ey want to know it’s organic, they want to know that the animals were treated humanely, and they want to know about the environmental impact,” she says. “With the USDA organic seal and the Step 4 animal welfare standards, we had the rst two covered.” But until this new partnership with Audubon, Panorama had no iron-clad way to convey their commitment to the environment in a way easily understood by busy shoppers.

e Grazed on Audubon Certi ed Bird-friendly Land seal requires third-party certi cation. Audubon is one of the most trusted names in conservation. is means, in an era of spurious label claims, the Audubon seal stands out as meaningful. According to Johnson, since the rst ranches were enrolled in the program in 2016, bird abundance has increased on those grasslands by 36%. is is a good indication that other species, especially bees and other pollinators necessary for the food supply, are ourishing as well.

“Consumers buy grass-fed beef to vote for a change in the environment. Paying a little more for beef is a nudge in the right direction,” says Cornelius. It’s a small price to pay for doing your part to preserve America’s grassland and the birds that call it home.

Darrell Wood and Kay Cornelius of Panorama Organic e

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