There was no shortage of inspiration for this season’s issue celebrating the sheroes (our women heroes) of our local food system. From culinary legends like Odessa Piper to trailblazers like Elena Terry, southern Wisconsin is brimming with talent, knowledge and perseverance. In industries traditionally dominated by men, I am grateful for the bounty of women farmers, chefs, advocates, service industry stars and more that I aspire toward.
I am in awe of Kristen Kordet of Blue Moon Community Farm and her ability to face challenges with grit and a great sense of humor. I hope one day to bring as much love into my work as Lauren Montelbano of The Vibrant Veg—I swear you can taste the joy in her food. I celebrate the work of Qwantèse D. Winters providing meal support to postpartum women, I applaud the determination of Francesca Hong in bringing her service industry experiences all the way to the Capitol, and I couldn’t be more grateful to Christy McKenzie not only for her community work through Pasture and Plenty but for giving us the ability to share the stories of our local food system through Edible Madison. How lucky am I to call these women my friends, colleagues and personal heroes.
But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the shero who has made the largest impact on my culinary journey—my mother, Dana Slimmen. Some of my most impactful childhood memories took place in the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar, watching my mother make spaghetti or waffles—nothing fancy but always from scratch and always yummy.
But more than teaching me how to cook, my mother taught me how to feed people.
Feeding people isn’t simply about the food we make, it’s an intention that turns every family dinner into an hours-long affair because everyone is eating slowly and sharing stories of their day. It’s an art that made every classmate's jaw drop at the Halloween treats I brought for the class party, (IV bags filled with Hawaiian Punch and Almond Roca cleverly placed in cat litter boxes with Grape Nuts were particular hits!) It’s showing love for one another through a bountiful homemade meal.
So, to honor my culinary shero, here are the Rules of Feeding People according to my mother:
1. Count your number of guests. Multiple that number by at least three. Prepare food for that number of people…maybe more.
2. No one leaves your house hungry or without enough leftovers for at least a week.
3. At least one drawer in your kitchen should be dedicated to sprinkles, and you should own at least two dozen cookie cutters…because food should be fun.
4. Everyone is always welcome around the table.
These have always been the unspoken rules in my mother’s kitchen. Even when means were low in our family and meals were made with inexpensive ingredients but lots of heart, everyone was welcome to our meals and could share in whatever we could offer. I believe in the power of food to bring us together. I believe that feeding people can bring us joy and bring us healing. I learned this from my mother and I see these lessons reverberate through our communities thanks to the work of the many sheroes of our local food system—those whose stories we share in this season’s issue and the countless others doing this difficult but delicious work every day.
Cheers,
Marissa DeGroot, Managing Editor
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