Cooking Workshop with Maine Grains and The Good Crust

Join MNC for our summer educational event; a 2 hour interactive workshop and cooking demo with Maine Grains and The Good Crust.

Presenters: Amber and Heather. Learn more about them below.

When? Wednesday, August 7th, 2024

Location: Grist Mill, 42 Court St, Skowhegan, ME 04976

Schedule:
4:00-4:45pm | Intros to Maine Grains & The Good Crust, plus a tour of the gristmill!

4:45-5:45pm | Split into (2) groups; 25-30 minute stations, then switch

• Versatility of The Good Crust: 2-3 different ways to use the dough (dining room space)
• Cooking with Whole Grains: easy, high protein, whole grain meals - ready in 25 minutes or less (kitchen space)

5:45-6:00pm | Bring the group back together to enjoy the fruits of their labor; networking, raffle drawing & Q&A.

*Subject to change

This event provides 2 CPEs. Read more about the Lynn below.

• This event is non-refundable.

• Upon registration to this MNC event, you will automatically become a 2024 member and have the opportunity to attend three free CPE events each membership year.
• This event is FREE for MNC 2024 members. If already a member for 2024, contact duranfrontera@gmail.com to sign-up w/ special member code.

Meet our presenters:

Amber Lambke

Formerly a speech language pathologist, Amber Lambke shifted gears to respond to a community need for grain processing infrastructure and is the co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, Inc., carried by specialty food stores and used by bakeries, breweries and chefs throughout the Northeast. She is also the founding director of the non-profit Maine Grain Alliance and its flagship event, the Kneading Conference.  A creative problem solver, mother of two, weekend baker, and  driving force behind Maine’s sustainable foods movement, Amber has worked with local businesses, state and national leaders and her community to successfully bring the cultivation and processing of grains back to the northeast.

Heather Kerner:

Heather Kerner, OTR/L is the Founder and CEO of The Good Crust in Canaan, ME. A homestead gardener, professional feltmaker, and pediatric Occupational Therapist of 27 years, she launched The Good Crust in Fall 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, manufacturing the first pizza dough made from 100% Maine Grains, and using dough manufacturing as a platform for workforce development and inclusion. To date, she has created 19 jobs for individuals with unique needs including autism, cerebral palsy, brain injury, and addiction recovery, and mobilizes the rapid growth of The Good Crust to purchase close to 120,000 pounds of local grain annually. Her company plays a critical role in Maine’s grain economy as both an economic sales engine, but also as an educational ambassador to breweries, schools, restaurants, and home bakers seeking more healthful, sustainable, and whole grain ingredient choices.

Passionate about eating healthy foods in season, and not content to accept that good pizza crust must have white flour from far away, Kerner spearheaded the founding of the "Maine Craft Pizza" concept in 2021; a pizza initiative that is defined by the flavors of Maine's own regional grain, and locally grown and processed pizza toppings.  Kerner earned a Bachelors of Science from the University of New Hampshire, a minor in Studio Arts with internationally published works in woolen felt, and is a proud new member of the "Women in Pizza" community.  She was awarded the Michael Sheehan Memorial Award in 2021 by the Maine Center for Entrepreneurship for her fair and equitable commitment to workforce development.   And most recently in May 2024, The Good Crust was awarded “Maine Manufacturer of the Year” by the Small Business Administration for its exceptional business growth year after year, fastidious food safety practices, and workforce development model.