Book Notes | ‘In Winter’s Kitchen’
In Winter’s Kitchen, first published in 2016, is part memoir and part guidebook. It explores the local food movement in the Upper Midwest, winter eating, cultural and environmental awareness, and the farm-to-fork journey. It is a story about discovering community-based agriculture and finding delicious, healthy food even during winter.
The book’s chapters are loosely organized around the contents of a Thanksgiving dinner: apples, wheat, potatoes, beans and carrots, sweet potatoes, cranberries, chestnuts, corn, cheese and butter, turkey, and wild rice.
Each chapter visits a local producer or producers of a food item, and delves into the production and challenges faced to produce a quality and healthy item. Each chapter also contains autobiographical information about Dooley that is woven into the fabric of the book.
At the end of the book there are recipes for that could be used for a Thanksgiving dinner.
Dooley is the author or co-author of numerous books. She collaborated with chef, author, and educator Sean Sherman to create The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, which won the 2018 James Beard Best American Cookbook award.
She was the guest speaker for the September 2025 UMRA forum, when she talked about her personal journey in thinking about food.
The members of UMRA’s Book Club I generally enjoyed In Winter’s Kitchen, and came away with a greater appreciation for choosing to buy organic and locally sourced food.
—Kathryn Sedo, UMRA Book Club I
‘In Winter’s Kitchen’ by Beth Dooley
Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 2pm
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss In Winter’s Kitchen by Beth Dooley when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 19. Kathryn Sedo will lead the discussion.
Dooley is a food writer who has published six cookbooks and has often appeared as a guest on Minnesota Public Radio. Her emphasis is on local food sources in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Each chapter focuses on an ingredient for a Thanksgiving feast, from apples to wild rice (and, of course, the turkey).
The author obviously loves cooking, and she makes a convincing argument that it is more satisfactory to use local products than it is to use quick and easy prepared food.
Dooley was the guest speaker for the September 2025 UMRA forum, when she talked about her personal journey in thinking about food.
In Winter’s Kitchen: Growing Roots and Breaking Bread in the Northern Heartland was published by Milkweed Editions in 2016 and was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Awards.
Email Pat Tollefson to learn more.
Upcoming Events
"Monuments" is the theme for the September meeting of the UMRA Photo Club.
UMRA member Mike Amidon, president of the Minnesota Genealogical Society in Mendota Heights, will provide a brief overview of the society, the library, and the many volunteers who help maintain it, when UMRA’s Family History Interest Group meets on Wednesday, September 9.
Bev Moe leads a hike around Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis with a social gathering afterwards at Isles Bun & Coffee.
Gather with UMRA members in the Campus Club West Wing to share lunch and conversation. No agenda.
Older adults often have difficulty with sleep. Our goal for this informal discussion is to share with each other helpful routines and strategies. Our resource person will be sleep specialist Marcel Hungs, MD, PhD.
UMRA Book Club I will discuss The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan Henry when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 18. The day’s discussion leader will be Judy Helgen.
Critical issues facing detained immigrants and their families will be discussed.
UMRA’s September Living Well Workshop will feature Carol Bradford, MD, MS, FACS, interim dean of the University of Minnesota Medical School and interim executive vice president for Health Affairs. She is an internationally recognized cancer surgeon-scientist who also brings considerable leadership and administrative experience.
We'll visit with Marla Spivak, MacArthur Fellow and Emeritus Professor of Entomology and Dr. Katie Lee
A 1978 short story collection by American author John Cheever.
Professor Arun Saldanha, the featured speaker for the first luncheon forum of UMRA’s 2026–27 program year, will examine how tourism has evolved in an era shaped by pandemics, climate concerns, and changing global realities; and encourage us to think about what it means to be thoughtful, responsible, and curious travelers.
The architecture in Iceland is as spare as the culture -- honest and simple.
Michelle Trudeau-Spanjers leads the hike at William O'Brien State Park.
Topics include longevity, distributions, long term care, Social Security, and comprehensive planning.
The theme for October is "Hands."
UMRA’s second “Campus Conversation” with a University leader will offer UMRA members an exclusive opportunity to meet with John Morris, president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation. The focus of the conversation will be the role of the foundation and its relationship to retirees.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss the historical fiction novel The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 16.
Jon C leads the hike at Nerstrand Big Woods with lunch afterwards.
** PROGRAM CANCELLED ** New program topic is forthcoming
Michael Osterholm is a well-known epidemiologist, author, and public commentator with particular expertise on infectious diseases and vaccines. His conversation with us via Zoom will address current major public health outbreaks around the world, as well as the importance of preparedness for future pandemics.
Gather with UMRA members in the Campus Club West Wing to share lunch and conversation. No agenda.
.
Discuss long term care options with Fred Andersen.
Chris Coleman, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity president and CEO and a two time alumnus of the University of Minnesota, will provide a deep dive for UMRA’s October 27 luncheon forum into how Habitat creates, preserves, and promotes affordable homeownership for low-income households.
Bob & Jean Hall and Andy Whitman, participants.
The theme for November is "Pathways and roadways"
UMRA’s Cabinets of Curiosity tour will offer an insider's look into the important work happening at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. We will enjoy a walking tour through patient exam rooms, student learning areas, and clinical/surgery suites, highlighting how faculty experts and student veterinarians collaborate to deliver life-saving care.
Gift planning strategies and ideas for impactful tax-efficient gifts to accomplish your goals.
Gather with UMRA members in the Campus Club West Wing to share lunch and conversation. No agenda.
The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney.