Mill City Bread Festival
Mill City Farmers Market will host its popular Bread Festival on Oct. 1, with several educational sessions featuring baking pros and winners of its popular bread contests. Among them is Jonathan Kaye, a chef who won first place at the 2014 contest and found that he enjoyed the challenge so much that he switched gears and opened his own bakery, Heritage Breads. He started with a bread CSA (community-supported agriculture), then sold baked goods at Sunrise Flour Mill's booth; he uses only their heritage grain flours. In October, he'll open a storefront in Minnetonka.
Kaye will be one in a series of bread demonstrators from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., talking about "Breads With Extras: The Chef's Approach to Bread." Other presenters include Darrold Glanville of Sunrise Flour Mill talking about sourdough; Chris Boles of Fire and Flour talking about bread structure and kneading, and local baker and contest winner John Jacobson talking about rye.
Instead of a contest, the market will have a Bread Baking Showcase. Home bakers can show their skills with breads that will be sampled at a community tasting. Breads with a family story or cultural significance are especially desired. To enter the showcase, arrive in the kitchen demonstration area at or before 9 a.m. with one or two loaves to be served. Entry forms will be available that morning, or visit millcityfarmersmarket.org.
The Mill City Farmers Market is at 704 S. 2nd St., next to the Guthrie Theater, in downtown Minneapolis.
Saint Paul Food Opera debuts
Zeitgeist, composer Ben Houge and top St. Paul chefs are teaming up to mix the musical and culinary arts in the Saint Paul Food Opera, Oct. 6-8 at Studio Z in Lowertown. Houge will create a collection of musical works for Zeitgeist designed to pair with dishes prepared by chefs from Tongue in Cheek, Saint Dinette, the Handsome Hog, Golden's Lowertown, Izzy's Ice Cream and Brake Bread. Houge is a former Minnesota resident whose eclectic projects include electronic sound installations and music for video games in addition to traditional chamber and choral music. In recent years he has turned his attention to the indeterminate timings of the dining room, working with chefs around the world on multisensory dining events he calls "food operas."
There are several lunch and dinner seatings over the three days. Lunch is $35; and dinner is $70. For more information and to buy tickets, visit zeitgeistnewmusic.org/foodopera.
Culinary garage sale Oct. 1
When it comes to nabbing a bargain on items for cooking, baking and entertaining, it's hard to beat the culinary garage sale hosted by the local chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier, an organization of women in the food professions that funds scholarships for culinary students and youth food programs. This year's sale is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 1 at 6800 Stonewood Court in Eden Prairie. Expect catering ware, cookbooks, gadgets, serving pieces and much more.
Oktoberfest in Grand Marais
Up for a spontaneous road trip? Consider the Oktoberfest this weekend in Grand Marais, Minn., hosted by Voyageur Brewing Co. and the Cook County Community Fund. There'll be commemorative steins for sale, plus German appetizers and pretzels with a flight of sauces. Lots of games, music and fun. Details are online at voyageurbrewing.com or on the Facebook page, Oktoberfest at Voyageur Brewing Co.
KIM ODE
