The Savory Spoon Cooking School and Marketplace

Morning sun illuminated whitewashed cabinets and gleaming stainless steel appliances as our press group of 15 people donned aprons and washed our hands. Dressed in chef whites and standing behind a butcher-block countertop owner, Janice Thomas, a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, gave us prep instructions for the morning. We divided into five small groups that each prepared a dish together, from

Swiss Chard and Black Olive Tart to Roasted Apple, Pecan, Cherry and Black River Blue Salad, Green Beans with Orange and Toasted Maple Pecans,

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Cherry Sauce and

Fresh Blueberry Tart. An hour later, we savored our feast.

The Savory Spoon Cooking School and Marketplace, in Ellison Bay, Door County, Wisconsin, has offered cooking classes since 2003, often with a focus on locally produced foods such as cherries, cheese, and whitefish. Housed in a circa 1879 schoolhouse renovated by Thomas' husband, The Savory Spoon offers cooking classes from June through October. State-of-the-art kitchens feature SubZero/Wolf cooking and refrigeration appliances, plus the finest culinary tools and small appliances. 

“We’re a hands-on cooking school,” Thomas said during my August 2008 visit. “And August is a big month for local foods.” Other classes range from India’s Melting Pot to Truffles Galore and Timpano Delight. The school also hosts private events. The Marketplace offers kitchenwares, cookbooks, artisanal cheeses and cured meats, fresh baguettes/pastries, treats from in-house chocolatier, The Sweet Spot, and specialty foods, from quiche to sticky buns.

When The Savory Spoon is closed, Thomas leads annual culinary trips to France, Italy, and China, with a new Mexican destination added for 2010.

Whether you want to hone your own cooking skills or explore the cuisine of other cultures, check out Door County's The Savory Spoon Cooking School and Marketplace.

Door County Wake

We waited patiently as a long line of vehicles slowly drove onto the massive ferry in preparation for transport across Death's Door - the watery link between the Door County area and tiny Washington Island where many a ship met with harsh waters and weather before modern navigation devices came along. Once cars had filled the vehicle decks, we joined dozens of passengers on the ferry.

I headed to the top deck with several friends. The sun hid behind a cloud and the temperature dropped as our ferry chugged to life. I gratefully pulled the jacket around me that I had brought along 'just in case.' Throughout the half-hour trip the sun and temperature bounced around as we tried to figure out if occasional spray came from the water or the sky.

We spent several delightful hours at Washington Island Hotel, Restaurant and Cooking School, where proprietor and chef, Leah Caplan, described her commitment to using locally produced dairy, fish and cattle as she served us fresh Door County cherries wrapped in delicate crepes (please note: Caplan is no longer the hotel proprietor). We strolled through the renovated antique hotel and grounds, and then returned to the ferry dock.

Our late-afternoon trip across Death's Door was full of steady temperature and radiant sunlight. As Washington Island faded behind us the water glistened and a sparkling, watery wake followed us all the way back to the mainland.

Chanterelle Season at The Inn at Kristofer's

Early evening sun cast golden rays across Sister Bay, Door County, Wis., as we arrived for dinner at the The Inn at Kristofer's. Dark wood, linen and more stunning views of the water awaited us. As we ordered wine and perused the menu Executive Chef, Terri Milligan, proudly displayed a small tray of plump, fresh chanterelle mushrooms. Another chef had retrieved them during the brief summer growing season the area is sometimes blessed with - and sometimes not. Each spring, he also forages for morels and ramps.


On this evening the kitchen had used chanterelles in a dish made with fresh-caught whitefish, and a crepe with asparagus. Terri says these mushrooms have a softer flavor than morels do, and subtle mushroom flavor interspersed with bright green al dente asparagus in this delicate wrap. Other members of our party ordered Certified Angus Filet Mignon, Veal Napoleon with Wild Mushrooms and Risotto, and Rack of New Zealand Lamb.

We spent several hours at the table. As shadows lengthened and the moon sent silvery light dancing along the water's surface, we savored more wine, and coffee, paired with cheesecake, apple tatin and a thoroughly decadent Triple Chocolate Mousse Tower. Only a soft pillow and a comfortable mattress could make the evening any better.

Cooking Lesson at the Savory Spoon

Morning sun illuminates whitewashed cabinets and gleaming stainless steel appliances as our group of 15 people dons aprons and washes our hands, Dressed in chef whites and standing behind a butcher-block countertop, owner Janice Thomas, describes prep instructions for the morning as we arrange the dining room.

"We're a hands-on cooking school," says Thomas, a Wisconsin native who also lived in Tucson. "And August is a big food month for local foods." Open from June through October and housed in a renovated schoolhouse, Savory Spoon Cooking School, in Door County, Wis., has offered cooking classes since 2003, often with a focus on indigenous foods - including cherries, mouthwatering cheeses and whitefish.

Today, each of five small groups prepares a dish together, from Swiss Chard and Olive Tart (see photo), to Roasted Apple, Pecan, Cherry and Black River Blue Salad, Green Beans with Orange and Toasted Maple Pecans, Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Cherry Sauce and Fresh Blueberry Tart. An hour later we savor our handiwork, and wish for more of everything.

Toothpicks at Sweetie Pies

When you make close to 500 pies per week, in 30 varieties, keeping track of which is which can be a real challenge. So Sweetie Pies, a shop in Door County, Wisconsin devised a 'toothpick code' that helps them remember what they've made. A strawberry pie gets two, red-topped toothpicks, while strawberry-rhubarb gets one red and one green toothpick. Two yellow-topped toothpicks plus one green equals an apple-blackberry combination and two yellow + two red equals a peach-cherry pie.

Opened in 1995, Sweetie Pies uses cane sugar, unbleached and un-bromated flour, and a combination of butter and shortening. They also make no-sugar-added and Splenda pies. A crew of seven or eight creates every pie from scratch, except for an occasional whirl in a food processor. But sometimes the crew expands when visitors make a reservation to help with production for a day.

After they return home, guest bakers can still enjoy Sweetie Pies. The shop ships frozen/raw pies anywhere in the U.S., from Florida or Texas to Alaska. Imagine - freshly baked pie directly from your oven - without any of the work!

Washington Island Wake

There's only one way to reach Washington Island, Wisconsin with your vehicle in tow. The Washington Island Ferry, Inc. crosses a six-mile waterway between the Door County peninsula and the island, a watery expanse known as 'Death's Door,' a dozen times each day.

I put on and removed my jacket three times during our half hour ferry ride, as rain clouds and wind currents ebbed and flowed. Dozens of passengers craned their necks for views of the calm blue waterway while gulls soared high above. SUVs, motorcycles, and other passenger vehicles, many decorated with kayaks and bicycles, crowded the lower deck.

After several hours spent exploring the island we returned to 'the Door,' as evening sun rays lengthened and the water's surface glittered like a million stars. Storm clouds receded and a frothy wake foamed and churned behind us.