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Hamann Charcuterie:
Love at first bite!
by Mimi Jett, photo courtesy of Jim Franck
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For Nick Bruns, the idea of
a perfect Spicy Italian Sausage is about as close as one can get to heaven. This son of a long line of Northside families returned to his roots after graduating from the Pacific Culinary Arts Institute in Vancouver, BC, to explore his passion for foods — and especially, foods made from locally produced pork, beef, herbs and spices, ground together and stuffed into chubby links. |
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Nick Bruns and Lisa Wiese in the kitchen at Lakeview Lutheran Church |
Though only in his early 20s, Nick dreamed of starting a sausage making business to introduce Madison to the flavors of authentic German sausages, flavors he discovered while traveling to the land of his ancestors. Yet one obstacle stood in his way, finding the tens of thousands of dollars needed to build and equip a proper commercial kitchen that would allow for the production of foods destined for retail sale.
Coincidentally, some of the organizers of the Northside Farmers Market were also imagining a commercial kitchen that would help extend the season for farmers, provide a venue for food preparation and safety education, and even assist budding entrepreneurs. For Nick and the Northside Farmers Market, the stars were aligning. And this summer, with the help and generosity of Lakeview Lutheran church, the Northside Community Kitchen project was started as a proof-of-concept, to explore the potential for a commercially licensed kitchen that is available to anyone wanting to learn about, prepare, and/or preserve local foods to enhance food security for our community. If the demand is as large as expected, and if grants or other awards are available to provide adequate startup funding, the Northside Farmers Market plans to open its own kitchen in 2009.
Competition is enormous for grants and other funding. In May, the Buy Local Buy Wisconsin program (BLBW) rejected a request for initial funding of the kitchen project. The BLBW program had only $225,000 to distribute, yet had to choose from more than 90 applications totaling more than $3,000,000 in requested funds. That has not discouraged the organizers though, since other applications are pending and the response from the Northside community has been outstanding.
More than a century after his great-great-grandfather started a dairy farm on the land that is now Northside Town Center, Nick is beginning a new enterprise, Hamann Charcuterie, at the very same location. You can find Nick at the Northside Farmers Market every Sunday morning, handing out tasty samples of Italian sausage, brats, and breakfast links. But be prepared, you can’t try Nick’s fine sausage without wanting to take home a package or two.
For more information, please visit the Northside Farmers Market website or write to nfmkitchen @ charter.net. |
Volunteer Spotlight - Chris Moore
by Lynette Jandl, photo courtesy of Joey Johannsen
 NFM Volunteer Chris Moore has
lived on the Northside for going
on ten years. He is the Outreach Coordinator for the National Science Lab, the Synchrotron Radiation Center, in Stoughton, WI, which is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin.
For the Northside Farmers Market, Chris does the following:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Coordinates the volunteers with Margaret McEntire
- Helps with articles and photos for the newsletter and website
- Helps organize and inform organizers
- Manages the NFM Dane County Timebank account
(organizers and NFM volunteers can be paid in Timedollars)
- Often works at the Info and Quest booth
- Tends the Quest program at the market
- Keeps our Treasurer, Lisa Wiese, happy
- Brings his daughter, Cora, to play harp music for shoppers!
Chris said he is seeking a few additional volunteers to help with occasional (once or twice a month for about an hour) tasks at the market and wants to let folks know that the NFM greatly appreciates all timedollar donations to the market.
Thank you, Chris, for all you do!
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Early Riser?
Are you one of those folks with morning energy to spare? Well, we could use your help to set up the market!
Call Chris Moore at 242-8572 and
help this Sunday!
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Don't forget your shopping bag!
 What? You don't have one?
Donate $25 to the Friends of the NFM and you can sport this stylish tote!
Your gift will help sustain this great neighborhood farmers market so that you'll continue to have easy access to delicious locally grown foods for years to come!
Download a sponsorship brochure in PDF format
or grab one at our info tent this Sunday and learn about
The Friends of the Northside Farmers Market Program.
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New Products for Sunday
Our NFM Vendors anticipate
these new products at
the June 29 market: Beets (maybe), Cabbage,
Beans, and Rhubarb
Lemonade!
Lots of Strawberries!
Troy Gardens would like shoppers to
know that there will be a lot of broccoli
this Sunday... so bring your shopping bag!
What else you'll find at the market:
Angus beef, bison, brats, fresh eggs (maybe), cheese, chives, chocolates, elk, flowers, green onions, herbs, honey, milk, perch, preserves, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, sour cream, syrup, yogurt. Hothouse cukes and tomatoes, too.
Fresh fruit juices, smoothies, coffee, biscotti, cookies and bakery every Sunday.
This list could change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. |
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BBQ Beef Sandwiches
by Dale Matthews, served at last week's market
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Ingredients
6 lbs cooked prime rib roast
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups da ultimate BBQ sauce
3 large onions
1 bell pepper, chopped
Check out your local restaurant the morning after its Prime Rib Special night. Often the last 2" to 4" of the Prime Rib is not served. I got mine from Rossario's Italian Restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin. These pieces are delicious and make a wonderful BBQ Sandwich. |
Directions
1. Trim overcooked meat and
fat from meat. Grind coarsely.
2. Chop 2 of the onions, slice
thinly the third and set aside.
Chop bell pepper.
3. Put all into a heavy Dutch
Oven.
4. Using medium high heat bring
up to a low simmer for 10
minutes. Stir well!
5. Remove from heat, cover with
sliced onion. Garnish liberally
with da ultimate BBQ sauce.
6. Let set for 5-10 minutes and
serve a heaping spoonful on
each bun.
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The Off the Vine e-newsletter is written and edited by volunteers Amy Pace, Lynette Jandl, Jim Franck, Chris Moore, and Sherri Schroeder. Photo of Strawberries by Joey Johannsen. Would you like to contribute to this newsletter? Email us. |
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Northside Farmers Market
Sundays 8:30am - 12:30pm ~
May through October
Northside TownCenter, Northport and Sherman
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