Holiday tour highlights local flavors

The holidays are a tasty time, and your tastebuds have the chance to indulge in festive local flavors on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

The Holiday Artisan Food Tour, offered by A World of Flavors Tours, aims to provide customers a memorable culinary experience by guiding them through unique restaurants and local shops on the near east side.

As part of an effort to support local stores, customers will be visiting what tour leader Otehlia Cassidy describes as “Madison’s finest artisan food and craft spirit producers.” These include Old Sugar Distillery, Yum Butter, and Just Coffee.

The walking tour will provide opportunities to view production facilities as well as meet owners and try samples. The stroll starts at Madison Enterprise Center, 100 N. Baldwin Street, and ends at the Old Sugar Distillery in the Main Street Industries.

Cassidy, owner of culinary tour company A World of Flavors, said that it is fortunate to have such “great food producers in our community” that are ready to be explored.

Cassidy will give 10 percent of the holiday tour proceeds to support the Goodman Center’s TEENworks, a program aiming to assist students to learn skills, such as cooking, while supporting their communities.

“The program they have is for kids to develop culinary skills, and the program's emphasis on local foods is  incredible and important," said Cassidy. "I hope that it will help support their efforts to give kids hands-on experience in the culinary world.” 

TEENworks Manager Keith Pollock said he appreciates that the Goodman Center’s Ironworks Cafe was selected to be part of the tour.

“Any donation to help us reach more students is greatly appreciated and we thank Othelia and A World of Flavors for supporting and promoting our work with youth,” Pollock said.

The tour will be held twice on Dec. 5, once at 5:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. Registration costs $50 and the 5:30 tour is sold out.

“It is great that Otehlia is putting this together and it should be a really good time for anyone interested in great local artisan food and drink,” said Matthew Earley, a blogger working for Just Coffee Cooperative, a local, worker-owned coffee roaster.

Contact Otehlia Cassidy at 608-628-8927 or visit either http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/295614 or www.aworldflavortours.com to reserve a spot.