When the Waunakee Farmers Market opens June 4, a new culinary arts program for Waunakee youths will debut. 

Shoppers will see Especially Stroopwafels for sale, sweet treats prepared by Waunakee High School graduates with cognitive disabilities.

Edgar Steenwinkel spoke to the Waunakee Rotary Club about Essentially Stroopwafels and the opportunity to bake at Sweet Hartleys, an initiative through the Create Waunakee nonprofit that gives young people an employment opportunity. 

Jennifer Norback, who was hired as Create Waunakee’s development director earlier this year as Create Waunakee became its own free-standing nonprofit, noted that the organization’s mission has been to foster a creative economy in the village. 

Essentially Stroopwafels and Sweet Hartleys is one of its programs, with Edgar at the helm. Originally from the Netherlands, Edgar joined the Create Waunakee board of directors a year ago, and has provided technical expertise for events such as the Ball of Creativity galain 2024. He also runs DJ Dutch, providing DJ services. 

Edgar explained that the Waunakee school district offers a transition program for students with disabilities. They graduate with their class, and afterwards, they can join the three-year program to further develop life skills, but afterwards, many don’t have support. The Create Waunakee initiative with the Middleton bakery, Sweet Hartleys, provides meaningful jobs for these young people baking custom products and preparing stroopwafels. 

Edgar said he has worked with the Waunakee High School Transitions Program coordinator on the project, as well.

Especially Stroopwafels will start small, selling the product at the Waunakee Farmers Market  when it opens on June 4. Edgar said the cookies, or stroopwafels, are basically a wafer sandwich with a caramel type sauce in the middle. Stroop is the Dutch word for sauce, Edgar said. 

Eventually, the goal is to have a small storefront and a commercial kitchen where the stroopwafels are made. The hope is that businesses around town may want to sell the cookies, that are traditionally placed on top of coffee to warm the caramel sauce. 

In the Netherlands, a similar enterprise is Brownies and Downies, Edgar said. Begun in 2010 with one store, it has expanded to 60,000 and has expanded into South Africa.

“Every mid-size town in the Netherlands has one of them,” Edgar said. 

Stroopwafels were chosen as the ideal product because they have a long shelf life, are durable and ship easily. They are from a 1810 recipe with no proprietorship, Edgar said. 

Wisconsin has a “cottage industry” law that allows people to sell baked goods to the public.

It’s taken some time to get the recipe figured out and the best technique for preparing them, but Especially Stroopwafels has received its first order.

Young people entering the culinary arts business can also make cake pops, cupcakes and other products at Sweet Hartleys in Middleton.

For Edgar, whose son attended the Waunakee district, Especially Stroopwafel seems to be an expression of gratitude, as well.

“Our children have an amazing system, and I wanted to give back in a way that helps them beyond the transition program,” he said. 

Coasters have been created with a QR code about the Create Waunakee Especially Stroopwafels project and a coupon for a free Stroopwafel. They are being given out at events for the June 4 farmers market opening, and anyone who presents one will receive a free stroopwafel.

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Other News:
-With golf season underway, fellowship is taking place at the Meadows in the afternoons. 

-Tri4Kids is Saturday. Show up between 7:30 and 11:30 a.m. at the high school. 

-A signup circulated for the cruise along Lake Mendota aboard the Midnight Splash on June 3 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Visiting Rotarians: None

Guests: ??

Birthdays: May 23, Bob Klostermann; May 26, Bob Lenz

Anniversaries: May 23, Greg and Heidi Garton; May 25, Mick and Jeamie Holm; May 25, Jon and Barbara Townley.

What’s for Lunch: May 22, Chicken Salad Croissant, chips; May 29, Baked potato bar with cup of soup.

Greeters: May 22, Peggy Acker Farber and Mark McFarland; May 29, Tom Kennedy and Dave Kennedy; June 5, Leah Abeyta and ???

Programs: May 22, Exchange students’ presentations; May 29, Club Assembly

To sign up to greet or to find out if you are greeting, visit: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054CAAAA2CA7F85-44320149-2023#/