In an all new television special set to premier on Monday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. on PBS Wisconsin, beloved Wisconsin author and historian, Jerry Apps, along with his daughter, author and educator Susan Apps-Bodilly will explore the ways food shapes family and traditions.
During the show, entitled "Jerry Apps: Food & Memories", Apps and his daughter will share family stories as told through the food that Apps’ mother, Eleanor, prepared for their family using a wood-burning stove in a kitchen with no plumbing or electricity.
"For me food will always be associated with times of good eating, storytelling, laughter and good-hearted fun,” notes Apps, as he looks back on an era with which modern generations are swiftly losing touch.
Apps, Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was born and raised on a dairy farm in Waushara County during the Great Depression. In partnership with the University and the Wisconsin Historical Society, he has written and spoken extensively about his childhood and the agricultural history in Wisconsin
The new television show will function as a companion piece for Apps’ book “Old Farm Country Cookbook: Recipes, Menus, and Memories,” a tome which depicts both the challenges and nostalgia of farm life during the 1930s and ‘40s, and how those traditions live on.
“If there’s one thing I’d like everybody to leave with, it is: The history of agriculture is important. The history of farm life is important. The history of small rural villages is important” says Apps.
"Jerry Apps: Food & Memories" will also be available for on-demand streaming at pbswisconsin.org and in the free PBS Video App on all streaming platforms, digital devices and Smart TVs.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
