Co-op Cafe serves organic fare to vegetarian, vegan audience

[Guest guest]

O.K. Fraggle wheres this one from? Who they are: Alexandria Barnett and Michelle Dettloff What they do: head prep chef and co-manager of Riverwest Co-Op Grocery & Cafe Alexandria Barnett rarely steps away from the stove. If she's not working at Riverwest Co-op Grocery & Cafe, where she's head prep chef, the 22-year-old mother of two is dreaming up the next weekly family-style dinner she'll host. "I cook a lot on the side, more soulful vegetarian," Barnett said. "I have a group of friends who always want me to cook." Barnett cooked with natural foods at Beans & Barley, Outpost Natural Foods and a Waldorf child care center at the Quaker House before joining the co-op cafe one month after it opened in October 2004. She's been able to tweak the menu, which is mostly organic and relies on ingredients from local farms. Her favorite thing on

the menu is the black-bean all-organic burrito. Advertisement "It's definitely been a roller-coaster ride, seeing what works and what doesn't," Barnett said. "A lot of our audience is vegetarian." Michelle Dettloff, 35, is the co-op cafe's co-manager with Jeff Winkowski, and has been on board since January. A former student at Kendall College's culinary school, Dettloff worked in a restaurant kitchen in Evanston, Ill., and later at a catering company, while attending art school. She still paints, focusing on portraits and abstracts. "I started cooking in Chicago to support myself, at an upscale diner," Dettloff said. The cafe serves breakfast daily - a rarity in the Riverwest neighborhood - with a menu that includes vegan

vanilla-cinnamon French toast, breakfast burrito and a signature English-muffin sandwich topped with spinach, tomato, onion, soy sausage, and a choice of tofu or egg. Other meals are brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and lunch and dinner daily. The cafe, at 733 E. Clarke St., has a family-friendly environment with toys for small children to play with. "It's really small mom-and-pop-ish," Barnett said. "We get to know your names as customers." This fall, Barnett begins classes at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, building on a real estate course she completed. But the kitchen always calls. Last year, for instance, just for fun, she put together an all-vegan menu for a local wedding. "I have to be able to care about what I do," Barnett saidPeter H

 

All new Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC Magazine

[Guest guest]

milwaukee wisconsin

 

you have a thing fer wisconsin, huh?

peter VV Aug 26, 2006 8:22 AM Re: Co-op Cafe serves organic fare to vegetarian, vegan audience

O.K. Fraggle wheres this one from?

 

Who they are: Alexandria Barnett and Michelle Dettloff

What they do: head prep chef and co-manager of Riverwest Co-Op Grocery & Cafe

Alexandria Barnett rarely steps away from the stove. If she's not working at Riverwest Co-op Grocery & Cafe, where she's head prep chef, the 22-year-old mother of two is dreaming up the next weekly family-style dinner she'll host.

"I cook a lot on the side, more soulful vegetarian," Barnett said.

"I have a group of friends who always want me to cook."

Barnett cooked with natural foods at Beans & Barley, Outpost Natural Foods and a Waldorf child care center at the Quaker House before joining the co-op cafe one month after it opened in October 2004.

She's been able to tweak the menu, which is mostly organic and relies on ingredients from local farms. Her favorite thing on the menu is the black-bean all-organic burrito.

 

 

 

 

Advertisement

 

'); --> on error resume next MM_FlashCanPlay = ( IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & MM_contentVersion)))

"It's definitely been a roller-coaster ride, seeing what works and what doesn't," Barnett said.

"A lot of our audience is vegetarian."

Michelle Dettloff, 35, is the co-op cafe's co-manager with Jeff Winkowski, and has been on board since January.

A former student at Kendall College's culinary school, Dettloff worked in a restaurant kitchen in Evanston, Ill., and later at a catering company, while attending art school. She still paints, focusing on portraits and abstracts.

"I started cooking in Chicago to support myself, at an upscale diner," Dettloff said.

The cafe serves breakfast daily - a rarity in the Riverwest neighborhood - with a menu that includes vegan vanilla-cinnamon French toast, breakfast burrito and a signature English-muffin sandwich topped with spinach, tomato, onion, soy sausage, and a choice of tofu or egg.

Other meals are brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and lunch and dinner daily.

The cafe, at 733 E. Clarke St., has a family-friendly environment with toys for small children to play with.

"It's really small mom-and-pop-ish," Barnett said. "We get to know your names as customers."

This fall, Barnett begins classes at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, building on a real estate course she completed. But the kitchen always calls.

Last year, for instance, just for fun, she put together an all-vegan menu for a local wedding.

"I have to be able to care about what I do," Barnett said

Peter H

 

 

 

All new Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC Magazine

If George Bush said that the Earth was flat, the headline would read, "Views Differ on Shape of the Earth"

[Guest guest]

Hey , what was it that made Milwaakee famous? The Valley Vegan.............fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote: milwaukee wisconsin you have a thing fer wisconsin, huh? peter VV Aug 26, 2006 8:22 AM Re: Co-op Cafe serves organic fare to vegetarian, vegan audience O.K. Fraggle wheres this one from? Who they are: Alexandria Barnett and Michelle Dettloff What they do: head

prep chef and co-manager of Riverwest Co-Op Grocery & Cafe Alexandria Barnett rarely steps away from the stove. If she's not working at Riverwest Co-op Grocery & Cafe, where she's head prep chef, the 22-year-old mother of two is dreaming up the next weekly family-style dinner she'll host. "I cook a lot on the side, more soulful vegetarian," Barnett said. "I have a group of friends who always want me to cook." Barnett cooked with natural foods at Beans & Barley, Outpost Natural Foods and a Waldorf child care center at the Quaker House before joining the co-op cafe one month after it opened in October 2004. She's been able to tweak the menu, which is mostly organic and relies on ingredients from local farms. Her favorite thing on the menu is the black-bean all-organic burrito. Advertisement '); --> on error resume next MM_FlashCanPlay = (

IsObject(CreateObject("ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash." & MM_contentVersion))) "It's definitely been a roller-coaster ride, seeing what works and what doesn't," Barnett said. "A lot of our audience is vegetarian." Michelle Dettloff, 35, is the co-op cafe's co-manager with Jeff Winkowski, and has been on board since January. A former student at Kendall College's culinary school, Dettloff worked in a restaurant kitchen in Evanston, Ill., and later at a catering company, while attending art school. She still paints, focusing on portraits and abstracts. "I started cooking in Chicago to support myself, at an upscale diner," Dettloff said. The cafe serves breakfast daily - a rarity in the Riverwest neighborhood - with a menu that includes vegan vanilla-cinnamon French toast, breakfast burrito and a signature English-muffin sandwich topped with spinach, tomato,

onion, soy sausage, and a choice of tofu or egg. Other meals are brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and lunch and dinner daily. The cafe, at 733 E. Clarke St., has a family-friendly environment with toys for small children to play with. "It's really small mom-and-pop-ish," Barnett said. "We get to know your names as customers." This fall, Barnett begins classes at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, building on a real estate course she completed. But the kitchen always calls. Last year, for instance, just for fun, she put together an all-vegan menu for a local wedding. "I have to be able to care about what I do," Barnett said Peter H All new Mail "The new Interface is stunning in its simplicity and ease of use." - PC Magazine If George Bush said that the Earth was flat, the headline would read, "Views Differ on Shape of the Earth"Peter H

 

Photos – NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 7p a photo.