The Dane County Farmers’ Market Cookbook

For more than 50 years, the nationally renowned Dane County Farmers’ Market in Madison, Wisconsin, has supported farmers and bakers, inspired award-winning chefs, nurtured home cooks, built community, and attracted hordes of tourists and locals who browse up to 150 stalls surrounding the beautiful Wisconsin Capitol building. It is the largest producers-only farmers market in the nation, featuring growers from all corners of the state. Farm-fresh vegetables and fruit, pastured meats, world-class cheeses, luscious baked goods, maple syrup and honey, foraged nuts and mushrooms, and many more seasonal specialties delight the eye and palate. 

This cookbook is a gorgeous, warm-hearted salute to all who make the market a community. Build your pantry contents and recipe repertoire with everything from purple daikon radishes and harissa paste to bandaged cheddar and black currants. Prepare both contemporary and heritage dishes such as Hungarian Tomato and Pepper Stew, Tacos de Carnitas, Garlic Scape Feta Pesto Salad, and Red Kabocha Squash Soup with Ginger, Lemongrass, and Thai Eggplant. In addition to some 125 recipes that give a global spin to local ingredients, the book includes a history of the DCFM, a foreword by chef Tory Miller of L’Etoile, and many pages of colorful market photographs.

In conversation with Holly De Ruyter, History Producer for PBS Wisconsin.