Farmers' market breakfast showcases local ingredient availibility in winter

Looking for fresh local ingredients during the winter? Try the Dane County Farmers' Market breakfast.

Every Saturday from Jan. 5 thru April 13, Dane County Farmers’ Market hosts breakfast at the Madison Senior Center. Most ingredients in the breakfast are products grown and produced by local vendors and the meal is prepared by a rotating line-up of local chefs and costs about $8.50.

“The idea was try to promote that we have good products in the middle of the wintertime, and also the breakfast provides a showcase for our vendors’ products,” said Dane County Farmers’ Market Manager Larry Johnson.

Even in the winter season, market vendors are still able provide a variety of products for the breakfast and for purchase.

“We have eggs in the middle of the winter. We have jams. We have meat, even greens,” said Johnson.

In addition to showcasing the seasonal ingredients, the market breakfast also provides an opportunity for volunteers to gain kitchen experience with local chefs. Non-profit organizations, such as the Friends FoodShare Program, River Food Pantry, and the Women in Focus group have helped serve breakfast this year. 

The Feb. 9 breakfast was served by the Research, Education, Action, and Policy (REAP) Food Group ’s Chef in the Classroom program. Started in 2006, Chef in the Classroom works to teach local students how to cultivate healthy eating through hands-on preparation of fresh local food.

Sherman Middle School students helped chef Tory Miller serve breakfast burritos and a salad with vinegarette to market breakfast customers on Feb. 9. This allowed students to practice the cooking skills they learned from the REAP's Chef in the Classroom program.

Alexus McClain, an eighth-grade student from Sherman Middle School thought making breakfast at the farmers’ market felt rewarding.

“It was fun to see smiles on people’s faces and serve different people,” she said.

Her classmate Journey Henderson felt “everything was going so fast,” that it was difficult to keep up.

While the students are working hard in the kitchen, local customers like Aistis Tumas found Dane County’s Winter Market lively and cozy.

“I go to the summer’s farmers’ market a lot, it feels different from this. This is a lot more intimate -- and a good atmosphere,” said Tumas.

Breakfast is served from 8:30 a.m. to about 11 a.m.  The menu changes each week.

This weekend's breakfast, on March 2, was prepared by Rob Grisham from Brasserie V. The menu included braised brisket or sweet potato with a mushroom and caramelized onion ragout and fried eggs, salad with cheese and house-made honey vinaigrette, and Cress Springs cinnamon raisin brioche.