What is Midwestern cuisine? We may not ever know, but we get closer to understanding the food of the Midwest on a new episode of A Taste of the Past. Host Linda Pelaccio is joined by Peggy Wolff, author of Fried Walleye and Cherry Pie. With its corn by the acre, beef on the hoof, Quaker Oats, and Kraft Mac n’ Cheese, the Midwest eats pretty well and feeds the nation on the side. But there’s more to the midwestern kitchen and palate than the farm food and sizable portions the region is best known for beyond its borders. It is to these heartland specialties, from the heartwarming to the downright weird, that Fried Walleye and Cherry Pie invites the reader. Tune in and get some brilliant insight into an often overlooked region and its impact on the way we eat in America. This program was brought to you by The Greenhouse Tavern.

“When you criss cross the midwest and hit the farmers markets you see, what I call, real food. You’re gonna see a nod to the housewives back in the 50’s with homemade pickles and preserves.” [23:00]

“I think the Midwest can claim the roots of fast food. Where we would be without the whole notion of fast food?” [25:00]

–Peggy Wolff on A Taste of the Past