Linda Falkenstein
The Ugly Apple is trying something new for Capitol Square food carts: breakfast. Chef Laurel Burleson saw an opening for a morning meal cart when researching mobile vending last year.
“The food cart scene is so well supported in Madison. But no one was really doing breakfast,” says Burleson. Such a cart “seemed like it might appeal to someone who wants something fast, but also homemade and substantial, on their way to work.”
Ugly Apple serves biscuit sandwiches (made with ham or bacon from Stoddard’s in Cottage Grove), apple fritters, muffins, oatmeal, market vegetable frittatas, and biscuits and gravy as well as rotating specials. The food cart operates on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Mifflin Street 7-10 a.m., Monday through Thursday. On Friday morning, Ugly Apple serves office workers at University Research Park. Burleson intends to be open for business through the winter (unless there’s a blizzard).
Linda Falkenstein
Burleson has worked in professional kitchens since high school. Her experience in Madison includes stints as a sous chef at Bishop’s Bay Country Club as well as Nostrano. While working in the restaurant industry, Burleson was always bothered by the amount of food that’s wasted.
“I also started to hear from farmers at local markets about the difficulty of selling their ugly produce. It’s still tastes great but just wasn’t being sold because it had a scratch or was the wrong shape,” says Burleson. “So I got the idea of buying overstock produce — the things that don’t sell at the farmers’ markets — and trying to use that.”
A commitment to using tasty — if not aesthetically perfect — produce is also what inspired Burleson to name her food cart Ugly Apple.
“The name goes back to the Ugly Duckling story,” says Burleson. “The ugly apple still becomes a beautiful fritter.”
