Winter

(January–March 2008)

March 30:
10 am, Spring Brunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Enjoy a Spring Cooking Class and Brunch with Chef Donna Duvall. Held at Hand & Spirit Gallery, Mount Carroll. Tour of local mill, Roger's Creek Grist Mill, follows meal. Tours, dinner and cooking class, $95

Spring

(April–June 2008)

April 5:
3 pm, The Art of Barbeque, Mt. Carroll, IL
Tour Evergreen Hill Farm in Sabula, Iowa, then cook with Chef Michael Staver, award-winning barbecuer. Held at Hand & Spirit Gallery, Mount Carroll, Ill. Tour, cooking class and dinner, $95

April 19:
3 pm, The Art of Barbeque, Mt. Carroll, IL
Tour Evergreen Hill Farm in Sabula, Iowa, then cook with Chef Michael Staver, award-winning barbecuer. Held at Hand & Spirit Gallery, Mount Carroll, Ill. Tour, cooking class and dinner, $95

April 25:
3 pm, Wine Tour, Galena, IL
Enjoying the delicious biodynamic wines of Cedarville's newest winery, then on to Galena for cooking class and dinner at the fabulous Great Galena Cookery. Get on the Trail with Us!

May 9:
3 pm, Herb Tour, Stockton, IL - SOLD OUT
Taste delicious biodynamic wines at Famous Fossil Winery in Cedarville, then visit Brightflower Nursery, located in a wooded paradise where all vegetables, herbs, edible and ornamental flowers are produced using strict organic principles. Tour this beautiful 4 acre site with the owner, Jeanie McKewan, who is an experienced horticulturalist. Then enjoy a chocolate tasting with tour guide Donna Duvall, and a hands-on cooking class and delicious organic gourmet meal prepared by Chef Michael Staver, co-owner of the nursery and chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago.

May 10:
3 pm, Chocolate Tour, Mt. Carroll, IL
Enjoy a Piece of the Chocolate Trail, that is, with our fun and fabulous chocolate tour. Tasting, cooking and enjoying chocolate for an afternoon, we will be cooking at the Learn Great Foods Kitchen in Mount Carroll, Ill.

May 23:
12 pm, Mayfest Culinary Tour, Mt. Carroll, IL
With the sights and sounds (and beer and wine tents) of the 27th annual Mayfest Celebration right outside our kitchen door, how could we not have a tour? The Mayfest tour will take you to our favorite food stops in Northwest Illinois, feed you gloriously, show you a few cooking tips, and then get you to the Beer and Wine Tent when it opens...

May 31:
Chocolate Tour, Mt. Carroll, IL
Taste chocolates from all over the world, learn to cook gourmet recipes featuring chocolate and eat delicious food! The cooking class will be taught by Chef Donna Duvall. Cost is $95 per person.

June 13:
2 Busy 2 Cook Retreat, Mt. Carroll, IL
Enjoy three days of tours, cooking classes and food therapy with Chef Donna Duvall in gorgeous Mount Carroll, Illinois. Held at the Learn Great Foods Kitchen on the historic Campbell Center. Begins Friday at 6 pm and ends at 2 pm Sunday.

June 14:
Culinary Farm Tour, Mt. Carroll, IL
Tour a gorgeous Mississippi River beef farm with Bill Giddings of Evergreen Hills Farm, then ride across the Sabula-Savanna Blue Bridge to a picnic lunch in Palisades State Park, then to the Learn Great Foods Kitchen for a chocolate tasting and cooking class, and gourmet organic dinner.

June 20:
IL SARE Sustainable Agriculture Tour
Tour to Seger's Tree Farm (shiitake mushrooms and berries) and Wiedmann's Asparagus Farm, with lunch by Learn Great Foods' favorites: Patricia Lehnhardt and Donna Duvall. This tour is organized and sponsored by Illinois SARE; please register through their website. Visit www.extension.uiuc.edu/smallfarm/ to register and for more details about each of the tours, including a map and agenda. To register by phone, contact Donna Cray at 217-241-4644. $20 per person

June 21:
Twin City Farmer
Meet us in Sterling, Ill., for a market morning cooking demo with the Learn Great Foods crew and guest chef. FREE

June 27:
3 pm, Wine Tour
Visit Cedarville's newest biodynamic winery, Famous Fossil Winery and enjoy the Stagecoach Trail, as we sample our way to dinner and cooking class at the Great Galena Cookery. The Brazilian menu includes Pao de Queijo (cheese puffs), Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad, Moqueca (fish with tomatoes and coconut milk), Brazilian White Rice and Banana Frita and Walnut Candy.

June 28:
Green Fair, Elizabeth, IL
Come visit the Learn Great Foods booth at Green Fair in Elizabeth, IL. Ann Dougherty of LGF will join Chef Michael Staver of Brightflower Nursery for a panel discussion on Local Foods at 10 am.

Summer

(July–September 2008)

July 11:
3 pm, Herb Tour, Stockton, IL
Visit Brightflower Nursery, located in a wooded paradise, where all vegetables, herbs, edible and ornamental flowers are produced using strict organic principles. Tour this beautiful 4-acre site with the owner, Jeanie McKewan, who is an experienced horticulturalist. Then enjoy a hands-on cooking class and a delicious organic gourmet meal prepared by either Chef Michael Staver, co-owner of the nursery, or Chef Patricia Lehnhardt of The Great Galena Cookery.

July 18:
Turkey Tour, Elizabeth to Galena, IL
There's no such thing as paltry poultry at Arnold's Farm in Elizabeth. Come see the birds, then travel to Galena for a wine tasting in the granary-turned-winery of Galena Cellars. Finish the day getting gallinaceous at the Great Galena Cookery, where Chef Pat Lehnhardt will lead the preparation of some fowl fare, to be enjoyed with more local wine.
Turkey and chicken can be ordered during the tour, for delivery the following week in Chicago and suburbs.

July 25:
2 Busy 2 Cook Retreat, Mt. Carroll, IL
Too busy to cook? Pencil us in!
Enjoy three relaxing days of tours, cooking classes and food therapy with Chef Donna Duvall in gorgeous Mt. Carroll, IL. Held at the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus. Begins Friday at 6 pm and ends at 2 pm Sunday.

July 26:
Culinary Farm Tour, Mt. Carroll, IL
Join us for the second day of the 2 Busy 2 Cook retreat, and visit organic farms, cook with Chef Donna Duvall, and enjoy a chocolate tasting. Tour starts at 1:00 pm at Evergreen Hills Farm in Sabula, Iowa, then siesta (or shopping) time, then back to our lovely stone-walled kitchen to cook up a meal with Chef Donna Duvall (5 pm). Dinner is served at 8 pm.

August 3:
Culinary Farm Tour, Mt. Carroll, IL
Visit organic farms and cook with the chef at the Learn Great Foods Kitchen in Mount Carroll, IL.

August 9:
Illinios Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair, Oregon, IL
Come talk to us at this fantastic sustainability fair in north central Illinois. We'll be waiting for you in our booth on Saturday and Sunday, on the Ogle County Fairgrounds.
FREE!

August 14:
Beef Tour, Mendota to Dixon, IL
Join us for an in-depth and honest view of a modern beef operation at Heartland Meats, just south of Mendota. We'll meet some famous Italians, namely the Piedmontese cattle raised there. Dinner spot TBA, but we promise it's good.

August 22:
3 pm - Wine Tour, Freeport to Galena, IL
Enjoy the biodynamic wines of Cedarville's newest winery, then on to Galena for a cooking class and dinner at the Great Galena Cookery. Get on the trail with us!

August 27:
Fish Tour, Flanagan, IL
A tour of Aqua Ranch Fish Farm. Sample Asian cuisine with a dinner, cooking demo and wine-tasting. Menu includes:
STARTER: Endive tongue filled with mascarpone mixed with chopped Transylvanian garlic, sweet red pepper, tomatoes and garnished with basil leaf and strawberry.
Entrée: Grilled tilapia fillet rolled in a mixture of lemon-lime juices, olive oil, chopped giner, chopped river kettle garlic, fresh oregano, tamari soy sauce, smothered in toasted slivered almonds and coconut milk reduction. Served with brown and wild rice.
SIDE DISH: Asparagus, cabbage and broccoli tossed in rosemary herb, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, chopped German garlic, balsalmic vinegar and olive oil, then grilled.
SALAD: Mixed greens with spring onions, edamame, tomatoes, boiled eggs, raisins, sunflower seeds and goat cheese. Toss with either basil, raspberry and/or currant vinaigrette dressings.
DESSERT: Rhubarb torte or Bread pudding in English toffee sauce topped with strawberry compote.
BEVERAGES: Coffee or tea

August 30:
Culinary Escape Weekend, Mt. Carroll, IL
A getaway weekend focused on practical ideas for buying and eating organically. Includes tours of a farmers' market and an organic beef farm, Evergreen Hill Farm. Chef Donna Duvall will teach the cooking classes and help guests prepare delicious gourmet meals. Cost is $325, including lodging at a bed and breakfast. The event begins at 6 pm on Friday and ends at 2 pm on Sunday.

August 31:
Culinary Escape Weekend, Mt. Carroll, IL
A getaway weekend focused on practical ideas for buying and eating organically. Includes tours of a farmers' market and an organic beef farm, Evergreen Hill Farm. Chef Donna Duvall will teach the cooking classes and help guests prepare delicious gourmet meals. Cost is $325, including lodging at a bed and breakfast.

September 7:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

September 12:
12 pm, Herb Tour - VEGAN, Stockton, IL
Vist Brightflower Nursery, located in a wooded paradise, where all vegetables, herbs, edible and ornamental flowers are produced using strict organic principles. Tour this beautiful 4 acre site with owner, Jeanie McKewan, who is an experienced horticulturalist. Then enjoy a hands-on cooking class and delicious organic gourmet meal of raw foods prepared by either Chef Michael Staver, co-owner of the nursery or Chef Patricia Lehnhardt of The Great Galena Cookery.

September 14:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

September 21:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

September 28:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

Fall

(October–November 2008)

October 5:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

October 12:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

October 19:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

October 24:
3 pm, Wine Tour
Enjoy the delicious biodynamic wines of Cedarville's newest winery, then on to Galena for a cooking class and dinner at the Great Galena Cookery. Get on the trail with us!

October 26:
10 pm, Harvest Lunch, Mt. Carroll, IL
Based at either the Learn Great Foods kitchen on the historic Campbell Center campus in Mt. Carroll or the beautiful Brightflower Nursery in Stockton, guests will cook a harvest meal with either Chef Michael Staver, chef instructor at Kendall College in Chicago or Chef Donna Duvall of Food Fancies and there will also be a tour of an organic farm.

November 7:
All Things Chocolate Weekend Retreat, Galena, IL
A getaway weekend featuring two nights lodging, 2 tours and cooking classes. Taste chocolates of the world, learn to cook gourmet recipes with chocolate and eat delicious food! Cost is $325 per person, double occupancy.

November 8:
All Things Chocolate Weekend Retreat, Galena, IL
A getaway weekend featuring two nights lodging, 2 tours and cooking classes. Taste chocolates of the world, learn to cook gourmet recipes with chocolate and eat delicious food! Cost is $325 per person, double occupancy.

November 9:
All Things Chocolate Weekend Retreat, Galena, IL
A getaway weekend featuring two nights lodging, 2 tours and cooking classes. Taste chocolates of the world, learn to cook gourmet recipes with chocolate and eat delicious food! Cost is $325 per person, double occupancy.

Where we eat: The Mount Carroll culinary tours are based at Campbell Center, an historic college campus, with Georgian Revival architecture, stone basements, brick walls, and beautiful lawns. Culinary classes and dinners are also hosted at sustainable locations throughout the northwest Illinois/ Wisconsin/ Iowa region: Great Galena Cookery in Galena, The Dining Room at 209 Main in Monticello, Wisc., and in Sabula, Iowa, on the farm—in the rolling Mississippi River hills.

Where we visit: Each culinary tour includes two food stops and a hands-on cooking class, with delicious organic gourmet dinner! Tours include cheese-makers, buffalo and beef and chicken farms, tree farms and vineyard/ wineries, herb gardens, vegetable and fruit growers, and a grist mill. We visit these farms and producers and make wonderful food-lover stops along the way!