Chef Lenny Russo has been busy lately. He’s just been appointed culinary director of the Madison Hospitality group of restaurants, which includes the new Handsome Hog in St. Paul’s Lowertown. He’s also released Heartland, his exciting new cookbook that’s getting rave reviews for the farm-forward dishes from his award-winning namesake restaurant. In addition to the stories of the dishes, you will love the asparagus with Mornay sauce and a fried egg, or vegetable ragout, for a refreshing summer meal right from the farmers market. The book benefits Urban Roots, a St. Paul organization that builds healthy communities through food, conservation, and youth development.
Speaking of roots, Roots for the Home Team, a youth food enterprise founded by Susan Moores, partners with inner-city youth garden programs throughout the Twin Cities. They create salad recipes with clever names like Spiced Curry Puckett and Grand Salami and sell them at Gate 34 in Target Field during Minnesota Twins weekend home games. They are a tasty, healthy addition to ballpark food while nurturing youth members for future success in business and in life. It’s surely a home run organization.
Sue Zelickson is the founder and director of Women Who Really Cook and Perspectives Family Center’s Kids Cafe. She is the former host of WCCO Radio’s Food for Thought.
Illustration by James Kloiber
