Collaborating for flavor

A group of chefs, farmers and UW plant breeders gathered recently at Madison’s L’Étoile restaurant to discuss opportunities for collaboration on flavor for local food systems, reports Julie Dawson, who joined CALS last summer as assistant professor of horticulture and Extension urban agriculture specialist. The discussion included strategies for finding varieties with unique qualities and the best way to get these to farmers and chefs. One idea is to expand the vegetable demonstration gardens at the West Madison ag research station to showcase  promising new varieties of different crops and to host field days and tastings for interested chefs and farmers.  Read more here.