As I drove through Minoqua yesterday, along the side of the road I spotted wagons full of fresh corn, berries and other local produce. In past Centerline articles I have stressed the importance of knowing where your food comes from, and to try and utilize the fresh ingredients possible. Summer is the most opportune time to do this.

I have had the privilege this summer to spend some time with some of your children up in Eagle River at Camp Interlaken JCC. I have watched as our children have had the opportunity to participate in our outdoor cooking specialty program. Just yesterday, Chef Maurice, a talented young chef from Miami, FL demonstrated garde manger skills (cold preparations). Working with fruits and vegetables, he showed them how to form rosettes, flowers, and other shapes for an attractive display. It was inspiring to see our kids work with something so basic as fruits and vegetables to form it into a piece of edible art.

I urge you, as the summer comes to a close, to pile the kids into the car and take the road less travelled. On it you will find some amazing small farms selling the freshest produce available. Take it home, and with your kids, prepare it, serve it and enjoy. My best tip-- fresh corn. Buy it from the local road stand, open the outsides carefully, pull the stringy parts out and soak in fresh water for 2 hours. Remove from the water and place on a medium grill outside and cook for 20 minutes with the outside intact. You will have sweet corn, perfectly cooked, with a bit of smoky flavor.

I look forward to welcoming everyone back to CAFA B DATA in September. Watch for our specials and cooking demos!

Chef Jonah