“Stirring the Pot” Community Picnic Offers Free Cooking Demonstrations Local Chefs Share their Secrets on Wed. June 17

Monroe, WI – Looking for tips on cooking with fresher, seasonal local produce this summer? Do you have a passion for gardening, home cooking and supporting the Monroe Farmers’ Market? Mark your calendar for Wednesday, June 17 and the first “Stirring the Pot: Dialogue, Discussion and Dinner in the Dairyland” picnic series which will kick-off at 5:30 pm with free culinary demonstrations by area chefs.

“Come learn new tips and ideas for cooking at home with the amazing bounty of local produce grown here in Green County,” shares Cara Carper, Green County UW Extension Educator who initiated this picnic series through a Wisconsin Humanities Council grant. “This unique event will bring together and celebrate our area’s rich agriculture and culinary heritage with a focus on stimulating new perspectives and ideas that we can take home directly to our own kitchen and gardens.”
The full “Stirring the Pot” event, including the chef demos and recipe cards, is free and open to the public. Please bring your own picnic and blanket or lawn chairs and help reduce waste at this event by bringing reusable dishware.

The first picnic is Wednesday, June 17 will feature a spring theme, “Roots and Seeds of Spring.” After the chef demonstrations, the “Community Commons” area will open on the MAC parking lot area, complete with music by area bluegrass band Moo Grass and various activities to prompt discussion about food, focusing on how our food experiences and memories shape our attitudes today.

The second “Stirring the Pot” picnic will take place on Wednesday, July 15 with a “Summer Abundance” theme and the final picnic takes place on August 19 and turns to fall harvest perspectives. To help encourage discussion, national humanities experts Dr. Steve Stevenson and Kathy Ruf will be on hand to share their perspectives working in the areas of preserving family farms and encouraging local food systems. Shakespeare on the Edge will organize a kids’ activity area.

Other local partners in “Stirring the Pot” include Blackhawk Technical College, Monroe Arts Center, Monroe Farmers’ Market, Monroe Main Street, Green County Spotlight, Green County Development Corporation, Future Forward! Green County, the Monroe Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Local Fare. Minhas Craft Brewery donated locally made Blumer’s Soda for the events.

“’Stirring the Pot’ celebrates our community’s long-standing culinary and agricultural heritage, with an eye toward how we can green and sustain things so that future generations can enjoy the high quality of life we have today.”

For those with disabilities who need table seating, call Cara Carper, UW-Extension (608-328-9441, e-mail: cara.carper@ces.uwex.edu). No reservation is needed. The event will be held inside the Monroe Arts Center in case of rain. Any questions or if you would like to volunteer and help with these events, please contact Cara Carper.