Eat Local! What's in the Box Cooking Challenge

Love discovering new local products? Want to learn creative ways to cook using local, seasonal ingredients? Then join Willy Street Co-op and Edible Madison for a very special, community-wide Eat Local Cooking Challenge!

Celebrate the end of Eat Local Month with a bounty of local ingredients by purchasing a limited-release Eat Local provisions box! This box is bursting with local goodies all available at Willy Street Co-op, including meat, cheese, dry goods and beverages. Use the box to inspire a meal and then share your creation with us on social media for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Willy Street Co-op.

Community members are also welcome to join us on Thursday, October 1st for a virtual cooking event hosted by Qwantese Winters where Lori Stern, executive director of Marbleseed, and Laurel Burleson, Ugly Apple Cafe, will craft delicious meals using only the Eat Local box ingredients. Get inspired for how to cook with your Eat Local provisions box and learn fun tips and techniques for creating meals everyday that celebrate local.

Pick up your box ahead of time at one of 4 convenient locations:

• Pick up at your local Willy Street Co-op location. Wednesday, September 30, 4pm-7pm

  • Willy Street Co-op West (6825 University Ave, Middleton)

  • Willy Street Co-op North (2817 N Sherman Ave, Madison)

  • Willy Street Co-op East (1221 Williamson St, Madison)

• Pasture and Plenty. Pick-up available: Tuesday, September 29, 4-7pm; Wednesday, September 30, 9am-7pm; Thursday, October 1, 9am-7pm

A virtual event will be held on Thursday, October 1st at 6 pm. The event will be live streamed from Willy Street’s Aubergine Event Space. A recording will be provided the day following the event.

Shipping is not available for this event.

Purchase your Eat Local Box + virtual event ticket

Check out the list of local farmers and producers whose products will fill the Eat Local provisions box:

• Blue Roof Orchard

• Doudlah Farms Organics

• Fox Heritage Farms

• Lovefood Farm

• Maple Valley Cooperative

• Meadowlark Farm & Mill

• Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats

• Saffi Foods

• Simple Soyman

• The Deliciouser

• Wonderstate Coffee

Meet the Chefs!

Lori Stern has been a small-scale livestock farmer, run for office in her rural community, and opened Cow & Quince eatery in New Glarus, stepping into the chef role from the pastry kitchen. For the past six years she has been the Executive Director at Marbleseed, a nonprofit dedicated to education and support of human scale, organically managed and certified farms. As a restaurateur Lori procured over 90% of the food she served from the same local farmers that make up the Marbleseed community. She is passionate about local food systems and has lived every role from raising food, to advocating for rural economies, and organic farms. Lori still finds great joy in connecting folks to their food and each other. Her newest passion involves a wood-fired oven and a return to making bagels-‘fire in the hole!

Laurel Burleson has been a chef for the past 20 years. During that time, she worked in high end restaurants, hotels, and a country club around the Chicago area and in Madison. She loved working with local fresh produce but hated seeing good foods go to waste. In 2016 she opened the Ugly Apple Food Cart serving breakfast to downtown Madison. The Ugly Apple focuses on getting local farmers’ overstock produce and “seconds” or slightly misshapen or blemished produce when the vegetables are at their peak. The mission is to turn as much of this produce into ready to eat foods as well as packaged products when possible. These items include fruit leathers and donuts as well as breakfast and lunch, soups, salads, pastries, desserts and beverages served Monday through Friday in the cafe located in the lower level of the Dane County Courthouse in Madison and at the Monona Farmers market on Sunday mornings. Ugly Apple also uses overstock produce for catering events as much as possible in creative and delicious ways and otherwise buys from local producers whenever possible.

Meet Your Host for the Evening!

Qwantese Dourese Winters is a doula, cook, and community organizer passionate about nourishing people through food and care. She’s the creator of A Bowl of Soul, a postpartum meal program designed to support marginalized mothers with comforting, nutrient-dense meals during 6 weeks of their postpartum journey. Her work is rooted in the belief that food is a powerful expression of love, legacy, and liberation. Whether hosting gatherings, cooking for new moms, or building community around the table, she brings intention, joy, and deep care to everything she creates.