Marketplace Manager Dishes on Savory Spoon Delights As an organizer of running events for 15 years, Betsy Titterington hadn't hit her stride in a career she loved until she became involved with the culinary arts. Now manager of the Marketplace within the Savory Spoon Cooking School in Ellison Bay, Titterington is helping to set the pace for gourmet tastes in northern Door County. Titterington is rarely behind the counter in the 1870's former schoolhouse that houses the cooking school and market. She moves about the cozy, 500 sq. ft retail space enthusiastically educating customers on culinary tools, gourmet treats and the history and current use of the building. "Managing the Marketplace is an extension of the dream I had to work with food when I lived in Kansas City," she says. Titterington, educated at the Culinary Institute of America in California's Napa Valley, owned two culinary businesses in the Kansas City, Missouri area. She had a partnership in a catering business called Two Cooks and a Book. Another partnership, the Culinary Center of Kansas City, (also located in a historic building, a 2,500 sq. ft. horse buggy barn) was a cooking school. Her marriage to Michael Brecke in 2001 brought her to Door County.
Subsequently, she and her husband opened Door to Door Catering, which they ran for two years. Along with the help of Brecke's children the couple then operated the Village Pizzeria for one season. A brief stint in banking followed before Titterington went to work as a cook for the Clearing for three seasons. In 2004, her Clearing co-worker, Ann Ginger, introduced Titterington to Janice Thomas, a classically-trained chef and future owner of the Savory Spoon. "Janice and I talked about our common love of food," she says. "I pitched in with her cooking school when it was located at their farm and when it came time to open the Savory Spoon this summer, I was excited to be a part of it." Titterington says the Marketplace acts a complement to the classes held at the school. "Before a class, I gather up ingredients and implements to tie in with that particular concentration." she says. Titterington also shares in the buying duties for the Marketplace with Thomas. Along with culinary tools, the Marketplace offers imported ceramic cookware and specialty kitchen linens (including Milwaukee artist Demond Peterson's hand-printed pieces). "Hard-to-find" gourmet specialty items also stock the shelves and refrigerator case. Among them are a line of Spanish olive oils, wines, fresh and packaged pasta, European butters, Dulce de Leche sauces, gourmet marshmallows, and a selection of artisan salamis prepared by chef Mario Batali's father. The Savory Spoon prepares their own chocolates weekly and offers freshly baked items from the Savory Spoon kitchen daily. Special orders are also welcomed. Titterington points out that the Savory Spoon Marketplace can be a time-saver in the race to get dinner on the table or provide a treat for an event. "Our hope is for people to drop by to pick up a quick dinner of pasta, sauce, fresh greens, a baguette and cheeses," she says. "Our selection also offers quick appetizers and nice culinary hostess gifts." Owned and operated by classically-trained chef Janice Thomas and her husband, Michael, the Savory Spoon Cooking School and Marketplace is located at 12042 Highway 42 in Ellison Bay and is open daily from 10am-5pm. A complete listing of events and classes is listed on savoryspoon.com. For further information, call Betsy Titterington at 920-854-6600 or 920-854-6100.
Copyright© 2008 Savory Spoon Cooking School, All Rights Reserved 12042 Highway 42 • Ellison Bay, WI 54210 • Phone: (920) 854-6600 Email: savoryspoon@aol.com