This coming week, in events that get to your heart through your stomach.
Tuesday, April 6
trip to New York for a special Farm to Table dinner at the , 167 W. 12th St., New York City, 7 p.m., $125 member and $165 non-members. Call 255-6075 for more info.
Wednesday, April 7
monthly meeting this evening. The guest speaker is Madeline Scherb, the Madison-based author of A Taste of Heaven, a guide and cookbook about the culinary products of Catholic monastic orders in Belgium, France, Germany, and the U.S. She is also the manager of the monastery food provider . Her talk will focus on her travels researching the book, and will be garnished with some samples of the foods described in it. Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa St., 7:15 p.m., free. Call 233-5488 for more info.
Thursday, April 8
Community Support Day. The store is donating 5% of its net sales today to the Whole Foods Market, 3313 University Ave., all day. Call 233-9566 for more info.
Community Give Back Day, but in its case is donating 10% of net sales to a charitable organization. The recipient today is the Silly Yak Bakery, 7866 Mineral Point Rd., all day. Call 833-5965 for more info.
and sponsorship opportunities for businesses and individuals interested in providing more financial support to the campaign. Volunteers can register online for a meal-packing shift. Airport Road Business Park, 8233 Forsythia St., Middleton, Thursday 6-9 p.m., Friday 6-9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. There is also a Meals for Haiti benefit show with Primitive Culture on Saturday, April 10 at the Crystal Corner Bar, 1302 Williamson St., 9:30 p.m., $7 donation. Call 575-0224 for more info.
Friday, April 9
Gear up for a new season in the field at the 26th annual Wisconsin Deer & Turkey Expo, a three-day hunting and shooting sports extravaganza. Unparalleled in size, more than 580 product booths featuring firearms and bows, accessories, guides, art, food, decorations, and more are at the heart of the show, but there are many other activities for families all weekend long. Highlights include numerous seminars, a trophy deer and black bear contest, natural history displays and live animals, photo contests, shooting ranges, archery demos, and nine hunting tech info centers. Game meat is also a focus of the expo, with demos on the basics of venison butchering, processing, and cooking. Alliant Energy Center, Exhibition Hall, 1919 Alliant Energy Way, 2 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, $12/day and $20 for two days. Call 800-324-3337 for more info.
The grand opening festivities at its new home in downtown Middleton. There are three days of celebrations, which include: the transfer of the last jar of mustard, Grey Poupon, of course, from its old location in Mount Horeb; the premiere of the award-winning baseball-and-mustard short film Hits; a hot pepper mustard tasting and discussion; mustard tastings and cooking demonstrations; and, plenty of mustard-slathered hot dogs, brat sliders, and pretzels for snacking. National Mustard Museum, 7477 Hubbard Ave., 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, free. Call 831-2222 for more info.
"Let's Retake Our Plates", a documentary film series about the impact of the food supply on the environment. The programming opens this evening with a triple-feature screening of , and , which works to protect and restore the state's watersheds. Whole Foods Market, 3313 University Ave., 6:30 p.m., $3. Call 233-9566 to reserve a seat.
and fundraiser this evening. The menu, prepared by guest chefs Nadia Smith, Daniel Norlindh, and friends, will highlight the diversity of South African cuisine with chakalaka, pap, bobotie, and potjiekos stew. Diners will get a chance to work up an appetite before the meal with an introductory South African dance class taught by University of Cape Town instructor Maxwell Xolani Rani. All proceeds from the dinner and class will go to the Sigiya Sonke Dance Group and The Crossing, 1127 University Ave., 5:30-8:30 p.m., $15 community and $10 students. RSVP online, and call 257-1039 for more info.
Saturday, April 10
Chef Jonny Hunter of the Dane County Farmers' Market comes to an end this week, as the outdoor edition returns a week hence to its home on Capitol Square. The menu will include: breakfast tacos with Pecatonica Valley chicken braised in a Driftless Organic salsa verde served over handmade Drumlin Farm corn tortillas; vegetarian tacos with poached potatoes and roasted Black Earth mushrooms with salsa verde; Don's Produce mixed fresh greens with smoked Snug Haven peppers and shredded JenEhr beets marinated in vinegar; rice cooked with Black Earth onions, Brantmeier garlic, and dried Snug Haven peppers with Driftless Organic black beans; Granny's Bakery lavender cookies; and, organic fair trade Just Coffee and tea, Greens Orchards apple cider, cranberry juice, and milk. The Currach will perform traditional Irish tunes during the meal. Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St., 8 a.m.-noon, $7.50 adults and $3.75 kids. Call 455-1999 for more info about the market.
The second annual International Raw Milk Symposium convenes in Madison today with a mission of addressing "the chasm between consumer demand for raw milk and health official qualms about allowing access to unprocessed, unadulterated dairy foods." An increasing demand for and resulting regulatory dispute over the status of raw milk in Wisconsin and elsewhere around the world is energizing producers and consumers to organize and push for easing direct access to this dairy staple. This all-day conference follows the inaugural January 2009 meeting in Toronto. The agenda includes a global lineup of speakers, and will be followed by a $150 fundraiser reception, dinner and lecture to support the work of the Monona Terrace, 1 John Nolen Dr., 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., $60. Call 703-208-3276.
The entire tasting fundraiser for the Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, 750 N. Midvale Blvd., noon-3 p.m., minimum $35 donation. Call 233-9550 for more info.
Alicia Rheal of City Chickens 101, the lesson will cover the basics of nutrition, housing behavior, regulations, and the benefits and drawbacks of various chicken breeds. Willy Street Coop, 1221 Williamson St., 1-2:30 p.m., $15 owners and $25 non-owners. Call 251-6776 for more info.
Wunk Sheek, a Native American student association at UW-Madison, is hosting its 35th annual Spring Pow-Wow this afternoon. Preceded by the introductory seminar "Pow-Wow 101: An Introduction for All the People," the festivities include drumming and dancing, grand entries at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., a traditional feast at 5 p.m., and arts and crafts sales through the day. Kohl Center, 601 W. Dayton St., 1-9 p.m., free. Call 890-2746 for more info.
public gathering and potluck birthday celebration of United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta. Participating farmers and supporters are invited to bring food to share while signing up for garden plots and exchanging seeds and ideas to put into action this spring and summer. The long-term future of the Drumlin grounds, long threatened by commercial development, will also be discussed at this gathering. Centro Hispano, 810 W. Badger Rd., 4 p.m., free. Call 262-9036 for more info.
Sunday, April 11
Sweet and Savory Pies!, a class taught by Chef Laurie Conrad of the Willy Street Coop, 1221 Williamson St., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $15 owners and $25 non-owners. Call 251-6776 for more info.
The Melting Pot is marking Cheese for Charity fundraiser. The restaurant will donate $10 from every fondue purchase to The Melting Pot, 6816 Odana Rd., all day. Call 833-5676 for more info.
Monday, April 12
Chef Sabi turns his focus to fresh seasonal fare today at his Vegetarranean cooking class. The Mediterranean-focused menu for the lesson will feature: lentil spinach soup with turmeric and coriander; a tabouli made with a "secret dressing," date and walnut energy bars; and, a "Found Fresh Food" seasonal vegetarian entree made with ingredients selected from the produce section at the co-op. Willy Street Coop, 1221 Williamson St., 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $15 owners and $25 non-owners. Call 251-6776 for more info.
Author, innkeeper, and farmer Lisa Kivirist is giving a free talk this evening titled "Eating Organic on a Dime" as part of the Ethical Eats lecture series hosted by the in Green County, as well as her work with the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Dr., 7 p.m., $5. Call 233-9774 for more info.
monthly meeting and membership drive this evening, focusing as always on tasty brews and camaraderie. Babe's Grill & Bar, 5614 Schroeder Rd., 7:30 p.m., free. Call 628-9806 for more info.
Upcoming eats events
It's worth knowing about some events that require reservations farther in advance.
Sunday, April 18
Herbalists Lauri Lee and Susan Churchill of the Herb Garden Design workshop this afternoon that offers examples and ideas on "how to transform a random collection of herb plants into a well-designed garden." Olbrich Gardens, 3330 Atwood Ave., 1:30 p.m., $45. RSVPs must be made by April 8. Call 246-4550 for more info.
Saturday, June 5
Celebrate backyard cuisine at its most local level with the return of Burgers & Brew, an annual summertime fundraiser and feast on behalf of the 2009 edition of the benefit. Tickets go on sale on April 12 and can be purchased at the Willy Street Co-op or online. REAP members can purchase early-entry tickets, which will allow them access to the event a half-hour earlier than regular guests; these must be purchased online or in person. Capital Brewery, 7734 Terrace Ave., Middleton, 4-7 p.m., $25. Call 310-7836 for more info.
