In the News - Taste of Sauk County
Many people may not even know what sorghum is. But for David Schlieckau, it’s a way of life — and a family tradition.
The Loganville farmer uses old-fashioned techniques, including wood-burning cookers, to turn juice from the sweet sorghum cane he grows into a caramel-like syrup.
“Sorghum been used for many years,” Schlieckau said. “I don’t know how far back it goes. But during the Depression, they used a lot of it because sugar was rationed and this was another sweetener people could use.”
Sorghum can be used like the more traditional maple syrup on pancakes and also on ice cream and to make tasty treats such as popcorn balls, candy, cookies, cakes and barbecue sauce.
Some of those items will be available for purchase — and free syrup samples will be provided — during the fifth annual Taste of Sauk County, which will feature intriguing foods from local producers. The event will take place Friday and Saturday at the Sauk County Fair in Baraboo.
Sorghum making has been in Schlieckau’s family for three generations before him. His business, Schlieckau Sorghum, is located about 5 miles south of Loganville.
The process involves a press that squeezes a green solution — which looks a bit like pea soup — from the cane. It’s then cooked until it changes into a clear, caramel-like syrup that Schlieckau said has many nutritional benefits.
“It’s high in potassium and iron,” he said. “A spoonful of sorghum is equal to about a whole banana.”
Taste of Sauk County promoter Allegra Zick said the recent drought has put pressure on farmers, making this year’s event a bit difficult to organize. But it also has forced producers to bring unusual foods they otherwise might have left at home.
“Normally we have maple syrup, but there was no crop this year, and no raspberries, either,” she said. “There are some things we’ve always liked having, but we just can’t have them this year because of the weather.”
Other displays will feature foods and personal hygiene items such as homemade jams and jellies, pies, garlic pesto, goat-milk soap, egg soap and lotions.
Zick said the Taste of Sauk County is one way for people to learn about products from local producers and vendors they might not find at a supermarket.
“We just want people to know they’re out there,” she said.
