Cranberry Chatter – September 2009

September 2009
Monthly Publication of the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center
Warrens, Wis.
Warrens Cranberry Festival Time is Here!
Harvest time is just around the corner, and that means
Cranfest time!
This year, Warrens Cranberry Festival – the world’s largest
cranberry festival – is celebrating its 37th year of showcasing
Wisconsin’s state fruit. Since the first festival in 1973, the
festival has grown in attendance from 3,500 to more than
110,000 in recent years.
Cranfest will take place Sept. 25-27, 2009, and will include
fun and exciting activities to keep you busy all weekend,
including shopping, food, marsh tours, a parade, contests and
more.
The shopping alone is worth the visit. Cranfest features more
than three miles of shopping and more than 1,300 booths,
including arts and crafts, a flea market, antiques, a farm market
and of course an array of cranberry products. In the arts and
crafts area shoppers can find handmade jewelry, hand carved
furniture, quilts and more. In the more than 350 flea market and
antique booths you just might find some old treasures you’ve
long been looking for – or maybe even a few you didn’t know
you needed. The farm market lets you stock up on fresh fall
produce and products like pumpkins, honey, Amish noodles and
breads, dried flowers and cranberries!
If shopping isn’t your cup of tea – or maybe you just need a
break – stop by one of the four food courts. Festival favorites
include fresh pancakes topped with cranberry syrup, cranberry
fritters, buffalo burgers, cheese curds and many more tasty
Wisconsin treats. This year, Cranfest will also host a spaghetti
feed Friday night at the log building in the ballpark, as well as a
Wisconsin’s cranberry harvest kicks off in late September.
steak dinner on Saturday night.
For those interested in seeing where
cranberries are grown, marsh tours are
Wisconsin Cranberry, Apple and Cheddar Pizza
offered on Friday and Saturday. Tours run
every 15 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30
Chef Mark featured this recipe at the We Energies stage at the Wisconsin
State Fair. Use this recipe to warm up your home as temperatures fall.
p.m. and last about an hour. Tickets are $6
and include admission to the Wisconsin
1 package dry yeast
1 lb. sliced white mushrooms (lightly
Cranberry Discovery Center. Last year, we
1 tsp. honey
sauteed and cooled)
estimate that more than 30,000 people toured
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
the museum and center during the three-day
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
event! Special attractions at the Cranberry
1 cup bread flour
1 lb. aged sharp cheddar cheese
Discovery Center during the 2009 Cranfest
1 tsp. salt
(shredded)
include fresh cranberry pie and cranberry ice
4 medium Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup walnut pieces
cream. Make sure to visit the Cranberry
(peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 cup minced dried cranberries
Discovery Center gift shop for a large
selection of Wisconsin-made cranberry
Dissolve yeast and honey in 1/4 cup of warm water. In a mixer fitted with a
products, including cranberry wine,
dough hook, combine the flours and salt. Add the yeast mixture and remainmustards, syrups, grilling sauce and even
ing 3/4 cup water and mix on low speed until dough comes away from sides
dental floss.
Continued on Page 2
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September 2009
Cranberry Chatter
The Warrens Cranberry Festival is a wonderful time and
recognizes the tiny, tart berry and the tremendous impact it has
on our state. As always, the Discovery Center is in need of
volunteers before, during and after the upcoming festival, and
it’s not too late to help! If you are willing and able to help out
in any way with your time and energy, we would be extremely
grateful for your support – even if it’s just a couple of hours.
Please call Barb Hendricks, business manager at the Discovery
Center at (608) 378-4878.
Regardless of whether you come for the shopping, the food,
or the many other activities, we hope you join us in Warrens
this year for Cranfest!
Continued from Page 1
Another annual favorite, the Cranfest parade, will roll
through the streets on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 12:00 p.m. This
year’s parade features 19 marching bands from across the
Midwest, as well as cranberry royalty and a much more. To
participate in the parade or sign up as a sponsor, visit the
Cranfest Web site at www.cranfest.com.
If you are interested in getting more involved, Cranfest hosts
a variety of contests held each year at the festival. Contests
include photography, unique scarecrow designs, spectacular
vegetables and sunflowers, a flower show and, of course, the
biggest berry contest. For more information or to register for
any of the above contests, visit the Cranfest Web site.
Love Cranberries?
The Cranberry Discovery Center needs
volunteers before, during and after the
Warrens Cranberry Festival!
Volunteer all day or for just a few hours
Fun and friendly atmosphere
Opportunity to discover new products
and meet new people
Enter the 2009 Cranfest raffle to win a seven
day, all inclusive Western Caribbean cruise!
For more information on volunteering at
the Cranberry Discovery Center, call
Barb Hendricks at (608) 378-4878.
*Other prizes include cash, gift certificates
and a Wisconsin Badger Sport package.
For details visit www.discovercranberries.com.
of bowl (about 5 minutes). Turn dough out onto clean work surface and knead
by hand for 2-3 minutes. Dough should be smooth and firm. Cover with a
clean, damp towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes.
Divide dough into four equal pieces and shape into balls. On a smooth, unfloured surface, roll each ball under palm of hand until top of the dough is
smooth and firm, about 1 minute. Cover dough balls with damp towel and let
rest for 15-20 minutes. Place each on a clean, lightly floured surface; press
down on center, spreading dough into an 8-inch circle, leaving border thicker
than the center. Prick dough about 12 times with a fork and place on pizza
stone or heavy non-stick sheet pan.
Heat oven to 500 degrees. Divide apples and mushrooms evenly among the
four crusts. Season with rosemary and thyme and sprinkle with cheese. Top
pizzas with nuts and cranberries. Bake until cheese melts and begins to brown,
about 9-12 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees and continue to bake
for 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice and serve.
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