by Trina Erickson, Director and Maggie Strittmater, Adult Programming & Outreach Coordinator, McIntosh Memorial Library
Cooking Up Community: Launching Our Culinary Literacy Mobile Demonstration Kitchen
We’re excited to share the first update on our newest adventure here at McIntosh Memorial Library, thanks to the generous support of the WiLS Ideas to Action grant! With this funding, we’ve officially launched our Culinary Literacy Mobile Demonstration Kitchen—a project designed to bring food literacy directly to our community through the vibrant setting of the Viroqua Farmers Market.
So what does that mean, exactly? It means we’ll getting hands-on with local, fresh foods—showcasing what’s in season, how to prepare it, and how it fits into the many rich cultural traditions represented in our area. Our mission is simple: help our community connect more deeply with the food they eat, the people who grow it, and the ways they can use it every day.
From Vision to Reality: Getting Started
We kicked things off with one of the most fun parts—shopping! So far, we’ve been busy gathering the essential pieces for our mobile kitchen setup. We’ve secured:
- Cooking utensils
- Pop-up tents for our outdoor demonstrations
- A demonstration camera so folks can see the action up close
- Burners and a grill for cooking on-site
- And more!
But that’s not all—thanks to the help of a local contractor, we’re currently in the process of building our very own custom demonstration kitchen. Trina (our library director) and I, Maggie Strittmater (adult programming and outreach coordinator), had the pleasure of hand-picking the wood, hardware, and countertop materials that will form the heart of our mobile setup. It’s been such a fun, creative process!
What’s Next?
As we head into spring, the real action begins. We’re working closely with the Viroqua Chamber and Farmers Market team to finalize our locations and schedule for the upcoming market season. We’ve already had several local “chefs” express interest in leading demos, and we’re looking forward to solidifying those collaborations in the coming weeks.
Our goal is to have everything up and running in May—just in time for peak market season. This will be dependent on the contractors finishing the mobile kitchen and having it delivered in a timely manner. With the mobile kitchen complete and our demo lineup in place, we’ll be ready to start sharing recipes, tips, and tasty samples with the community.
A Garden Grows at the Library
In addition to our culinary programming, we’re also thrilled to be growing our own supplemental ingredients through the Growing Forward Together Garden, located right at the library! This project is a partnership with the UW Extension Office and a local master gardener, and it’s another way we’re deepening the connection between food, learning, and community.
Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing more updates, photos, and schedules soon. We can’t wait to cook, learn, and grow with all of you!
