Union restaurant takes pride in its local products
Photo courtesy of Skot Weidermann
At first glance, Union South’s Harvest Grains restaurant may seem like any other sandwich shop. But if you take a closer look, you’ll see a little shop doing big things when it comes to sustainability and promoting local food products.
“The vision of Harvest Grains has been ‘local’ and ‘sustainable’ since its inception,” said Jeff Cullen, general manager of Harvest Grains and two other Union eateries, Urban Slice and Ginger Root. “We are constantly trying to find great local products to incorporate in our menu.”
Parrfection Produce, less than an hour drive from Madison, provides Harvest Grains with fresh, local fruits and vegetables. But what about the bread that makes some of the restaurant’s most popular sandwiches?
Photo courtesy of Susan Detering
Look no further than Madison’s own Batch Bakehouse, just a five-minute drive from the Capitol that has a mission for quality and freshness in all of its breads, pastries and treats.
Susan Detering, manager and co-owner of Batch Bakehouse, explains they bake bread the “old-world way.” “We use flour, water, yeast and salt—no extra stuff. And the trick is to eat it fresh,” she said. “This proves to be great for people with allergies because they know exactly what they’re eating.”
Susan said Batch Bakehouse strives to be an asset to the local community. “We’re a good employer, give back to the community and are good to our customers because we are honest in our promises and values,” she said. “We’ve been open for four years and I’ve watched children grow up coming into Batch. We want to be your [neighborhood] bakery.”
The Union partnered with Batch Bakehouse last fall and their bread is delivered every morning. Cracked wheat rolls, ciabatta buns and demi baguettes provide the foundation for Harvest Grains’s savory sandwiches and accompany salads and soups.
Photo courtesy of Josie Bonefas
“I really like all three, but I would have to pick the ciabatta roll as my favorite,” Jeff said.
According to Jeff, it has been a successful partnership: “Batch Bakehouse’s made-from-scratch quality is outstanding and we are receiving positive feedback from our customers. They like the quality of the products and seem to appreciate our efforts to seek out and use as much local product as possible. ” Jeff has also been reaching out to other local vendors, with the goal of bringing even more local food products to Wisconsin Union restaurants.
“Our mission is quality and freshness,” Susan said. “You can’t ask for better than that.”
To see Harvest Grain’s full menu click here, and to find out more about the tasty treats Batch Bakehouse has to offer, click here.
