May 2008

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Bears and otters would like you to drink

Filed under: Shopping

When shopping for classy wine, you might be tempted to shy away from bottles festooned with pictures of otters on them, but otters and bears have made the labels of these wine bottles for a good reason.

From now through June 13, wildlife enthusiasts can purchase Russia’s Grizzly Coast wine. Choose between cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay and 20% of the proceeds will go towards the Minnesota Zoo Foundation. Russia’s Grizzly Coast opens at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley on June 7, and will feature specialized habitats featuring bears, leopards, wild boars, sea otters, and tigers, to nameonly a few species. The exhibit strives to promote conservation, and has plans to eventually breed endangered leopards.

The specially–labeled wines are both from Napa Valley, and feature fruity, vanilla undertones. The Sea Otter Chardonnay boasts pineapple, coconut, and apricot aromas while the Grizzly Bear Cabernet Sauvignon tastes of berries. Both are medium, full-bodied wines. Both wines are available at the Wine Market in Woodbury and Mendota Heights, or can be purchased online here.

Posted by Jessica Armbruster at May 30, 2008 5:05 PM | Comments (0)

 

Drink of the Week: Minnesota Martini

Filed under: Drink of the Week

Minnesota Martini
Dakota Jazz Club
Opulent Vodka, Alexis Bailey ice wine, orange twist and fresh mint
$10.50

Legend has it that Winston Churchill used to merely whisper the word “vermouth” over his martini. If that's too high-octane, but you don't like to fill your boozohol with pomegranate juice either, try the Dakota's “Minnesota Martini.”

Instead of vermouth, the concoction is made with ice wine. The dessert wine is made from grapes frozen on the vine, and hence has more concentrated sugar. But when combined with the vodka, it's more refreshing than sweet vermouth. This results in a delightfully drinkable cocktail that's more or less true to the lush (heh) roots of the martini. Cheap? Nope. Tasty? Absolutely. Er, Opulently.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at May 30, 2008 5:17 AM | Comments (1)

 

Sex and the City drinks

Filed under: Events

Sex and the City is credited with launching the Cosmopolitan craze, so its not surprising that the new Sex and the City movie, which releases in local theaters tomorrow, has its own official vodka sponsor, and cocktails named after each of the main characters.

I decided I was most like Carrie, based on the fact that hers was the only drink for which I had the ingredients on hand, and mixed up one of her cocktials (ahh, the joys of working at home) so I could incorporate a little journalism in what is otherwise, admittedly, pure promotional fluff. The Carrie was good--basically a regular Cosmo with mango juice subbing for cranberry--but just because I’m posting the recipe, doesn’t mean I’m endorsing smuggling a round into the movie theater.

CARRIE aka THE NEW COSMO
2 oz SKYY Vodka
1 oz Triple Sec
2 oz Mango Nectar
½ oz freshly squeezed Lime Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with slice of dried Mango.

MIRANDA
2 oz SKYY Vodka
¾ oz Campari
2 oz Pomegranate Juice
1 oz Triple Sec
Squeeze of Lemon

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled stem less flute. Garnish with a large Lemon twist.

CHARLOTTE
2 oz SKYY Vodka
¾ oz Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur
¾ oz Amaretto Almond Liqueur
¾ oz Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur
1 oz Half and Half

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with shaved Chocolate.

SAMANTHA
2 ½ oz SKYY Vodka
1 ½ oz Cabo Wabo Añejo Tequila
1 oz Simple Syrup
1 oz freshly squeezed Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Rim glass with mixture of salt and small amount of white pepper. No garnish.

MR. BIG
4 oz Cutty Sark
2 oz Cinzano Rosso
3 dashes of Peach Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a peach slice.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 29, 2008 10:33 AM | Comments (2)

 

First Look: Gandhi Mahal

Filed under: Restaurants

Anyone bemoaning the lack of good solid northern Indian cuisine — former Bostonians and Chicagoans are probably prime candidates — will want to get over to the newly opened Gandhi Mahal, next door to Midori's on 27th Ave. and East Lake.

On a recent visit, nicely spiced chicken tikka masala and a rich — but not overly sweet — lamb korma were both worth the asking price ($12.95 a pop). A delightful selection of lassis (including banana, strawberry and mango) made the beverage section of the menu a joy to peruse, and the naan was soft, warm and lip-smackingly buttery.

I'll have a full review in City Pages on June 18, but until then, consider yourself covered if you have a sudden craving for Mughal cuisine.

A first look at the Twin Cities' newest Indian restaurant.

Posted by James Norton at May 28, 2008 8:24 PM | Comments (7)

 

Reporter's Notebook: Hmong Cooking

Filed under: Recipes

In researching Hmong cooking, I found written recipes were hard to come by since information is traditionally passed orally (in fact, the Hmong didn't have a written language until the 1950s). The Minneapolis public library and the Hmong Cultural Center both had just two publications on Hmong cooking in their collections: "Let's Eat Rice," a 54-page, spiral-bound booklet produced by a class at Metropolitan State University, and "Hmong American Food Practices, Customs, and Holidays," which is basically a short report put out by the American Diatetic Association in response to the rise in diabetes in the Hmong-American population.

The University of Minnesota press is producing Cooking from the Heart: Hmong Cooking in America, but it won't be released next spring. And I did return the other two cookbooks to the library, but they probably won't be back in circulation for a few days. In the meantime, here are a few recipes from "Let's Eat Rice":

Mustard Greens and Pork Soup
1 pound mustard greens
1/4 cup ginger root
pork (neck bones are best)
salt to taste
1 pinch MSG

Fill pot half full of water. Add pork, salt, MSG, and ginger root in water. Simmer until pork is done. Add mustard greens. Cook unitl mustard greens are soft. Serves two.

Meat Salad
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lettuce leaf
1 Tablespoon salt
3 Tablespoons roast rice powder (sold in Asian markets)

Wash cilantro, onions, and lettuce. Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain grease. Add onions and cilantro and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Take mixture out of skillet and put in a large bowl. Add roast rice powder and mix well together with meat. Serve over lettuce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 27, 2008 6:08 PM | Comments (0)

 

Attention All Beer Loving Film Folk

Filed under: Brews, Etc.

The deadline for the first ever Summit Beer Movie Contest has been extended to June 3rd. The relevant bits of data?

1. The contest is clearly being under-entered, and is therefore ripe for the winnin'.

2. That, in turn, is good news because prizes are as follows:

First place: $1000 cash, 12 cases of beer, and a private party at the
brewery

Second place: $500 cash, 6 cases of beer, and $50 in Summit merchandise

Third place: $250 cash, 3 cases of beer, and $25 in Summit merchandise

3. Even the losing entrants get invited to the screening party.

All that Summit asks is a short film, five minutes or less, that features a Summit beer product placement. More details can be found right here.

Posted by James Norton at May 26, 2008 11:39 PM | Comments (1)

 

Tune in to FM107 today at 2 p.m.

Last time I was on-air with the dynamic duo, the conversation ranged from whether or not you always wash your hands after using the restroom, to the dreaminess of Common Roots Cafe owner Danny Schwartzman...so who knows what this afternoon will bring! Listen live here.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 26, 2008 11:14 PM | Comments (0)

 

Garden Must-Grows

Filed under: Food

Some people spend all winter looking through seed catalogs, diagramming their garden plots, and starting seedlings in little trays. I am not one of those people, but even as a lazy, unambitious gardener, there are two things I aways plant.

First, an herb pot. Herbs are low-maintenence, they take up hardly any space, and it's so much more convenient to snip off a few springs than buy those (expensive) plastic packages which often end up rotting or drying out in the fridge. I usually plant the ones I use most frequently--basil, cilantro, mint, rosemary, thyme, sage, and tarragon--which are great for throwing in cocktails, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, salads, meat, poultry, and fish.

Tomatoes are one of those foods where store-bought can never match home-grown, because retailers favor varieties with characteristics that appeal to them (uniform shape, bright color, ability to ship and store well), instead of those customers prefer (flavor, texture, etc.). The co-ops and farmers markets do sell some amazing heirloom tomatoes, but prices can be steep.

Brewery Creek Garden Center in Belle Plain has an enormous selection of heirloom tomatoes--and they have a stall at the Minneapolis Farmers' Market (number 217). One of my favorite varieties, a relatively new cultivar, actually, is the green zebra, with stripey green-and-yellow hues and an incomparable tart, lemony flavor. I haven't seen them at the co-ops and only found them a few times at the farmers' markets, so hopefully, 78 days from now, I'll have some in my garden.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 25, 2008 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

 

The Arboretum's own farmers' market

Filed under: Shopping

If you make a trip to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, be sure to stop by the Summer House, a hybrid (sorry!) farmers' market, garden shop, and gift store that sells plants (lots of fruit trees), seeds, gardening tools, plus local meats and cheeses. Fresh produce, supplied by local farmers (including some from the home gardens of arboretum employees) should arrive next week, starting with rhubarb, and shortly after, greens and asparagus.

The Summer House is located just past the arboretum's entrance at Highway 5 and Rolling Acres Road and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 23, 2008 6:16 PM | Comments (1)

 

Drink of the Week: The Big Ginger

Filed under: Drink of the Week

No, I'm not talking about some ginormous redhead.

This is the #1 specialty cocktail at the Local. And sadly, it's not named for its color. The name come from the main non-alcoholic ingredient, ginger ale. It's not a complex drink, with several shots of Jameson Irish Whiskey, ginger ale, ice, and lemon and lime wedges, but sometimes after a long day of work you don't really need a lot of complexities. It's well mixed, refreshing in the summertime, and a bargain at $6 when you consider it's whiskey-loaded (and can probably get you loaded as well).

Posted by Jessica Armbruster at May 23, 2008 5:08 AM | Comments (0)

 

Bent, Dent and Cheap

Filed under: Road Trip

In an era when food prices are spiking — and the country's massive food waste is poised to become a national scandal — it's nice to know that there are still places where you can get seriously discounted groceries.

If you're up for a roadtrip, visit the little-publicized Amish pocket around Granton and Neillsville, WI on Highway 10, just past Eau Claire. The farms are picture-perfect, the cows are plentiful, buggies clatter along peacefully on the side of the road, and food is available for wicked cheap prices at The Farmer's Pantry.

The store is all about bent, dented and otherwise slightly damaged but perfectly good foodstuffs. The crazy thing is this: The quality of food ranges from Kraft Mac-n-Cheese all the way up to Lindt gourmet chocolate (75 percent off) and Kodiak Big Bear brownies ($1.25 for a box; normally about $5.) Stocking up for the coming apocalypse? Luna Bars are only $.30 a pop. Thirty cents! That leaves plenty of money for ammunition and barbed wire. And they've got Oregon Chai mix, soy-based crap, couscous Kagome fruit juices... etc. etc.

All the action takes place at W3024 Starr Rd., just off of Highway 10.

View Larger Map

Of course, you've gotta weigh the food savings against the massive gasoline cost. But here's your dealbreaker: The Granton/Neillsville area is also home to Chatty Belle, the World's Largest Talking Cow. Link includes photos and — naturally — talking cow audio.

Posted by James Norton at May 22, 2008 1:23 AM | Comments (0)

 

Taste-Testing the McLatte

Filed under: Restaurants

As trouble continues to brew at Starbucks, McDonald's is making its move into specialty coffee drinks and Twin Cities stores will be introducing the new iced and hot mochas, lattes, and cappuccinos later this week. I stopped by the Uptown McDonald's (does anyone still refer to it as "McPunks"?) and found that the machine was installed (it looked like the Franke super-automatics I've seen at Caribou), but the staff hadn't been trained on them, nor had the drinks been added to the cash register system. When my barista friend and I inquired about the new beverages, the manager nicely offered to make us a couple of samples.

The latte was better than ones at gas stations, but certainly a notch down from the typical coffee house version. On the plus side, the coffee wasn't bitter, but its flavor was weak--perhaps it was made with just one shot? Aesthetically (hey, it's a factor), there was no discernible crema and no latte art.

The mocha, topped with Reddi Whip and sprinkled with chocolate, reminded me of mixing low-grade office-kitchen coffee with powdered cocoa mix. It was cloyingly sweet, with an inferior chocolate flavor, and an almost chemical note: Basically undrinkable.

To be fair, those drinks were testers, and I'll be curious to see if the quality improves and how many specialty coffee drinkers make the switch. Price--the drinks run about $.50 to $1 cheaper than their Starbucks equivalent--and convenience (drive thrus) might convince less discerning coffee drinkers to try McDonald's, but I don't think they'll win over coffee geeks any time soon.

**Also: Don't forget to sign up for City Pages' free food e-newsletter, which starts next week. It'll linclude the latest food news, restaurant specials, the newest hot spots, upcoming events and festivals, and more.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 20, 2008 5:11 PM | Comments (10)

 

Outset Magnetic Light for BBQ Tools

Filed under: Gadgets

BBQing at night is as American as apple pie, NASA and the occasional race riot. But even when there's enough ambient light to keep track of where everything essential is being kept, it's still kind of tough to see whether the burger is done without resorting to the kludgy solution of wielding a spatula in one hand and a flashlight in the other.

Enter the Outset Magnetic Light for BBQ Tools. A surprisingly elegant and weighty little contraption colored silver, copper and black, it sticks onto any of your big metal BBQ tools through the magic of a strong magnet built into its base. A ball-and-socket joint makes the angle adjustable on both the X and Y planes of motion.

Beyond its mere physical beauty, the light is actually quite a versatile little bugger; anything made of ferromagnetic material is a potential home, and the LED light barrel packs quite a reasonable optic punch. Don't, for example, stare directly into it while it's on. That would be stupid, and make it difficult to write a blog.

Two downsides: It costs $17.99 at Kitchen Window, and you need to be able to put it high enough up on your tool of choice in order to keep it from being consumed in the fire. That said, the thing appears to be solidly made, the magnet is tenacious, and while the problem it addresses is kind of limited, anyone's who has tried to enjoy a brat at 9pm understands why it's worth addressing.

Posted by James Norton at May 20, 2008 1:18 AM | Comments (1)

 

Mill City Market General Store

Filed under: Shopping

One of the Mill City Farmers Market's newest additions is the General Store, located in the back of the train shed near the music/cooking demonstration stage. The store was designed to offer small producers a way to sell their products at the market without having to staff their own booths.

This means lucky consumers now have access to several items they otherwise wouldn't: frozen grass-fed bison, milk and cream from Castle Rock organic dairy, plus all sorts of non-food products (natural oils and lip balms) and value-added items, like Ma Bell's amazing rhubarb lace.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 18, 2008 3:11 PM | Comments (1)

 

Drink of the Week: Miami Vice Grip

Filed under: Drink of the Week

I was hesitant to try anything with a punny reference to "vise grip" in the name, but when I asked the waiter at Bryant Lake Bowl to recommend something obnoxiously bright, yet not overwhelmingly sweet, this was the item she pointed to on the menu.

What arrived was an electric blue concoction bright enough to stun the drunken ghost of 80s past (Don Johnson, is that you?). Served up in a martini glass, this beverage belongs more on the faux-tini side of things, but that doesn't make it any less tasty. It features Bacardi O (rum infused with oranges and tangerines), Blue Curacao, Red Bull, and a splash of pineapple juice. The waiter was right; it was sweet, but somehow not too sweet. Would I drink this every day? Probably not. But it does work strangely as a Sunday brunch drink. Yes, mimosas and Bloody Marys are will always be the alcoholic breakfast staples of choice, but Miami Vice Grip, with its fruit juice flavor, caffeine kick, and hyper-manic color, captures the essence of Saturdays spent watching cartoons and consuming sugar-loaded cereals. Which, despite what you mother may have said, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Posted by Jessica Armbruster at May 16, 2008 5:56 AM | Comments (0)

 

A Recipe for a Perfect Cheesy Weekend Getaway

Filed under: Road Trip

What's better than the combination of wine and the great outdoors? The addition of cheese crafted by certified master cheesemaker Scott Erickson will take things to a still higher level. Lovers of cheese (goat cheese in particular, but there are some cheddars and truffle-infused numbers that'll definitely raise some eyebrows) should head on out to the wine tasting at the Bass Lake Cheese Factory this Saturday.

It runs from 1 to 5 p.m., and promises a series of taste pairings fine enough to match this week's weather.

Here are a few photos to whet your appetite, courtesy of photographer/my wife Becca Dilley:

First, some butter jack cheese with cinnamon:

Second, a shot of (a small bit of) the extensive cheese array at the Bass Lake shop:

Finally, some of the Finnish-style "bread cheese" that Bass Lake has become well-known for:

All this is accessible by driving east on 94, and taking Highway 12 north (exit 4 in Wisconsin). From there, drive through Burkhardt and take a left on county road I. Bass Lake's sign will pop up on your left. Total travel time's about an hour.

View Larger Map

Posted by James Norton at May 14, 2008 11:09 PM | Comments (0)

 

Discount Grocery Shopping

Filed under: Shopping

A recent Star Tribune business story suggested sales have been up 25-30% in recent months at a couple of local "salvage" grocery stores, which cull food that mainstream supermarkets are ready to get rid of (often because it's expired or about to expire, the packages are damaged, or the marketing campaigns are over). I visited the So Low Grocery Outlet in north Minneapolis and Mike's Discount Foods in Hilltop and the Aldi on East Franklin to see how the shopping experience compared.

So Low is located at Lowry and Emerson in North Minneapolis, one of the city's most impoverished neighborhoods, but when I arrive, there are plenty of nice looking cars in the parking lot (along with a couple of MPD squad cars). While So Low isn't nearly as big as a mainstream supermarket, it does have all the requisite grocery departments: produce, meat counter, lots of packaged foods aisles (one devoted to ethnic foods), a refrigerator and freezer case.

The produce quality varies widely: some is ridiculously past its prime--several pineapple are so old they're mushy, and ears of corn are so dry you could make dolls from the husks and pop the kernels--while others, like the greens being misted with water, look just fine. At the meat counter, there's a range of steaks, ground beef, ribs, plus some inexpensive options, like fish heads, you don't see in most grocery shops. In the refrigerated area, there's yogurt that's expired a few days ago and turkey salad that's been past its prime for a week. I find a few examples of out-of-date marketing campaigns (Christmas and Fourth of July-themed Little Debbie snack cakes prices 2/$.99) and new products that perhaps sounded better to corporate marketing gurus than actual shoppers (Green Giant "immunity boost" vegetables and a "breakfast pizza" topped with scrambled eggs and bacon in the freezer).

Some prices seem on par with mainstream groceries, including milk and eggs, while others--an 18 oz. jar of Peter Pan peanut butter for $.99 and a 6-pack of diet IBC root beer at 2/$3--are significantly discounted.

My next stop is Mike's Discount Foods in a Hilltop strip mall (it's just west of Central, on 45th Avenue), which is significantly smaller, but equally busy. While So Low offered most staples, Mike's selection is more hit-or-miss: They're selling everything from grapefruit to generic SPAM to (expired) Yo Baby organic yogurt. The whole setup feels as temporary, like it could pack up and move to a new storefront overnight.

Aldi, on Franklin at Bloomington in South Minneapolis, looks the most like a mainstream grocery store or Costco. It's clean and well-lit, with wide aisles where boxed goods are stacked, not displayed on shelves. Aldi seems something like a low-cost Trader Joe's, where instead of selling gourmet items (goat cheese) at lower cost, they sell more mainstream items (American cheese) at even lower cost. Eggs and milk seemed a little cheaper at $1.45/dozen and less than $3/gallon. As with many generic-brand items, sometimes the quality is on par with popular brands and sometimes its inferior. They do sell some brand-name, unexpired foods that seem the same as in a mainstream grocery store, except cheaper.

All in all, there are deals to be had on discount groceries, but with gas at nearly $4/gallon, the savings are probably not significant enough to make a special trip. If the produce looks fine, it's probably not that different from conventional supermarket produce. I thought it was interesting that most of the bargain items weren't the nutritious staples price-sensitive shoppers need, and instead things like Ben & Jerry's Cake Batter ice cream, Dove chocolates in Christmas packaging. If you don't live near a discount grocery, you'll probably do just as well buying items that are on sale and clipping coupons.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 14, 2008 8:49 AM | Comments (5)

 

Galactic Pizza on CNN

Filed under: Restaurants

First, they get their own photo gallery , then their own video. Does CNN have a thing for Galactic Pizza? And who knew there was such a thing as pizzatube?

Also: Sign up for our new food e-newsletter. Every week, we'll tell you about the latest food news, restaurant specials, the newest hot spots, upcoming events and festivals, and more.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 12, 2008 7:14 PM | Comments (0)

 

What's New at Mill City Farmers Market

Filed under: Shopping

Here's a list of hot new vendors ripped straight from the virtual pages of the Mill City Farmers Market website in the hopes that it'll drive people out to this week's market:

Brewery Creek Farm — bedding plants and a huge diversity of melons

Café Himalaya — Tibetan momo made with local ingredients

Nistler Farms — Asparagus and natural ornamentals

Omely Food — Handmade dim sum featuring market ingredients

The next market (at Chicago Ave. and 2nd St. South between the Guthrie and Mill City Museum) is this Saturday, May 17, and features a rummage sale, live tango music, a cooking demo by Chef Rachel Rubin and a yarn-spinning demonstration. Sign me up for the dim sum and cooking demo, for starters...

Posted by James Norton at May 12, 2008 5:44 PM | Comments (0)

 

Hey guys, I've cracked the recipe for restaurant-style Thai lemongrass soup

Filed under: Recipes

When you eat at a restaurant, do you ever contemplate how you would go about making your favorite dish? Does this overwhelm and make your mind boggle?

I've always been a fan of the Thai lemongrass soup that you see on menus around town. It's spicy, filling, and very healthy. And once you figure out the ingredients? It's incredibly easy to make, and even improve on.

Ingredients:

Mushrooms (I'm using generic sliced mushrooms because canned 'shrooms squick me out, but just about any mushroom you like will work), red pepper, lime, veggie broth, sugar, ginger, coconut milk, tofu (firmer is better), red curry paste, lemongrass, soy sauce.

Zesty!

Take your fresh ginger and grate out about two tablespoons (the ginger should be paste-like). Grate out two tablespoons of lime as well. Side note: Lime zest is the green stuff, you don’t want to hit the soft white part. Set the lime aside, because you will use it later.

Red pepper and 'shrooms:

Rinse off your mushrooms of choice, and cut the red pepper into matchstick-shaped portions.

Squared:

Drain your block of tofu cut it into 1-inch cubes. Don't worry about squeezing the excess water out of the tofu.

Tossin' things in the pot:

Add three cups of veggie broth (or three cups of water and a veggie broth cube, which is what I do), 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and a cube of sugar (about a tsp). Throw the ginger, zest, tofu, red pepper, and mushrooms in as well. Bring to a bowl, stirring occasionally.

Coconut milk:

Can of coconut milk: Now's your moment to shine. Stir the coconut and bring to a tiny boil again.

Still adding stuff:

Still bubbling, add two generous tablespoons of lemongrass. I used this dried stuff that's almost a powder, but fresh and the dried tubes also work well. Take half the lime and squeeze the juice into the mix. Side note: If you don’t have fresh lime, you can make a poor man's version of this using a healthy squirt from one of those plastic lime juice thingies.

Don't panic:

Here's the step that might freak people out: You need red curry paste to make this recipe. I know I glaze over recipes when I read some ingredient or cooking tool I don't normally use, but this is a really non-scandalous ingredient, I promise. You can buy it in any grocery store in the “Asian foods” section. It will cost you about $4, and it will last a year. So lower the heat, and add 2-3 teaspoons of red curry paste. I do three, because I like it spicy, and the paste makes it yummy. You might want to add a teaspoon at a time, testing along the way so it's not too hot. Stir to incorporate all ingredients, turn off the heat and let things sit for a minute.

Ta-da:

The end product. This only lasts about two days, since the tofu gets brown like a banana and that turns some people off. Also, you can add any vegetable to this you want. I've done snap peas, spinach, onions, and other stuff that’s turned out well. You can also add noodles and rice if that’s your thing.

Posted by Jessica Armbruster at May 9, 2008 7:14 PM | Comments (0)

 

Lakemaid, a beer for fishermen

Filed under: Product Review

It's a joyous day when we are sent free beer. It's even more joyous when it happens on a Friday, a day that starts off right with free doughnuts in the break room.

This Friday we were sent the newest in the Schell beer family, Lakemaid's Beer, a beer brewed in New Ulm, MN. The marketing is a little dubious: Bottles are festooned with a variety of ladies that are half fish, half bikini babe. What follows is a transcription of my coworkers and I as we sample this fish/lady-themed beer.

(Ward Rubrecht and Jessica Armbruster open beer, look at the message under the bottle cap)

Jessica Armbruster: 2 pounds, large mouth.

Ward Rubrecht: Boot?

JA: Huh. What does that mean?

WR: Oh, I see, you open the bottle and catch something. My label has "Miss Perch," which apparently is a nice Hawaiian lady in a bikini.

JA: I got "Miss Northern Pike," a blonde lady in a hot pink bikini.

WR: Yours is a boney fish with many ribs. It’s billed as the "fisherman’s lager," which encourages drinking and boating!

JA: Scandalous!

WR: According to the label, "A portion of the proceeds goes towards the International Game Fish association."

JA: Nice. (takes sip) Hm. This tastes generic.

WR: Yeah, sort of like Leinie's Red with more hoppiness.

JA: But you know, it's not a bad beer. I could binge drink this some night and not feel bad about it. It’s definitely not a Budweiser or water-y beer. Not aggressively flavorful, yet reasonably tasty.

WR: With all the fishing affiliation, I am pleased to discover there's no aftertaste of pond scum.

JA: I am wary of the marketing though. Women as fish? Wrong. "Miss Sturgeon". I am concerned that "Miss Sturgeon" -- the only African American of the bunch -- is being described as "primitive." That’s really not cool.

WR: I would also like to point out, since I am post-feminist, that they use "Miss" for the title of each fish woman. I am also concerned about the cut-off point for the anatomy of the ladies. They have two sets of guts: Fish and lady. This makes me not want to sleep with any of them. Bad marketing. And, it is marketed to fishermen rather than "fisherpeople."

JA: No, this beer is not particularly gender-friendly.

(Jeff Shaw and Nate Patrin enter the room)

Jeff Shaw: I don’t know that I would be excited to be "Miss Large Mouth."

JA: Wow. Tasteful!

WR: (fixated) I know they're going for the mermaid thing, but it's creepy that they’re half fish, half lady. Does anyone want to make it with a fish?

JS: Her large intestine must be two miles! This is a tasty lager though. I like it. It's sort of like a high-end Lucky Lager. I'm not a beer elitist.

WR: (ponders) Dying with a beer in my hand is how I want to go. Though, probably not with this one.

Nate Patrin: I would like to die in my 80s in a fiery automobile accident. But in a really good car.

WR: The problem is that old people can't drive fast enough for that to work.

JS: What time is it?

JA: 4 p.m.

NP: Time to get ill.

JS: It's always time to get ill.

Posted by Jessica Armbruster at May 9, 2008 5:18 PM | Comments (8)

 

Drink of the Week: Rubber Ducky

Filed under: Drink of the Week

Rubber Ducky
Cafe Maude
Sparkling blue raspberry lemonade and a yellow Peep
$3.50

We salute the artisan cocktail movement for merging the liquor cabinet with the kitchen--using fresh-squeezed juices, herb-infused liquors, and artsy garnishes to mix up creative concoctions. But compared to their crapulous cousins, non-alcoholic drinks have lagged. That's why we're especially impressed with the list at Cafe Maude, where all sorts of refreshing teas and fruity spritzers keep us sipping just as elegantly, sans the after effects.

Since the Bad Kid--a bottle of non-alcoholic beer and a candy cigarette--came off the menu, we've been celebrating summer with the Rubber Ducky: neon blue raspberry lemonade with a yellow Peep floating on top. The drink is bright as squint-inducing sunshine. Its tartness as shocking as an ice cube down the shirt. And it has just enough fizzy sizzle to make it as invigorating as plopping your self into a swimming pool.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 9, 2008 5:20 AM | Comments (0)

 

Start Gearing Up for Okonomiyaki Sunday

Filed under: Restaurants

If you've had your fill of sushi and tempura — for the time being, at any rate — it's worth investigating the lesser-known demigods in the pantheon of Japanese cuisine as served in the US. You could try donburi ("rice-bowl dish"). Or robata (grilled skewers). Or o-nigiri (stuffed riceballs).

Or try one of my personal favorites: the battered egg and cabbage-comprised entree known as "okonomiyaki" (literally, "grilled what-you-like"). Okonomiyaki are about as varied as omelettes are in the States, so you can't necessarily generalize, but in addition to egg and cabbage, they often tend to feature okonomiyaki sauce (a thicker, sweeter version of a steak sauce), seaweed flakes, fish flakes, another protein (seafood, pork) and Japanese mayo.

Midori's Floating World does a very passable and savory okonomiyaki on Sunday nights, for $9.95. It's served vegetarian (those who have had it with uncured bacon will miss the pork, but if you haven't, you won't). You can request a shrimp add-on for another $3.

The Floating World version looks absolutely gorgeous (the camera phone photo below doesn't do it justice), with vibrant green seaweed flakes dusting the top of the sauce-smeared pancake. When I've had the dish before, it was looser and less battered; the Floating World okonomiyaki is fairly hard to cut through with chopsticks, but the positive side effect is that bite-sized pieces tend to hold together fairly well.

And the taste? Well, there's a lot going on. It's despicable to say "you've just got to try it," but you do; between the sweet sauce, the cabbage, the sprouts, the mayo, the seaweed flakes and the pickled condiment in the center of the plate, you get a fireworks festival of flavors.

On an unrelated, but still food-centered note: Don't forget to sign up for City Pages' free food e-newsletter. Every week, we'll tell you about the latest food news, restaurant specials, the newest hot spots, upcoming events and festivals, and more.

/plug

Posted by James Norton at May 8, 2008 6:54 PM | Comments (0)

 

Chino crosses a new line

Filed under: Restaurants

Passing by 29th and Lyndale in south Minneapolis, I noticed this new Chino Latino billboard:

Chino's billboards based on racial and sexual stereotypes have been a source of controversy for years and, while I've found much of the toilet humor amusing, some of the comments, to me, crossed the line. Knowing the problems Southeast Asia faces with child prostitution, a happy hour that's "cheaper than a Bangkok brothel" really isn't so funny.

After Chino paid $325,000 last year to settle a discrimination lawsuit regarding alleged mistreatment of Hispanic employees, I wondered if Parasole might tone things down...not likely considering the CEO once referred to billboard protesters as "bedwetting hippies."

Why could I grin at the recent Lake/Hennepin Figlio billboard with the drag queen who’s been "working the corner" for decades, and laugh out loud about the one on 44th/France that says the oysters at Salut are "taking the E.D. out of Edina," but find this one so unsettling?

I think part of it was related to the double standard related to sexually promiscuous men and women. But most of it had to do with the fact that the phrase "damaged goods" is a term that's been applied to rape victims, both by others and by the victims themselves, and seeing the phrase used to sell food and drink is something I find hard to stomach.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 7, 2008 3:32 PM | Comments (1)

 

Coffee Industry Buzz

Filed under: Events

If downtown Minneapolis seemed particularly abuzz this weekend, it's because the Specialty Coffee Association was holding its annual conference and exhibition at the convention center. Thousands of coffee producers, importers, retailers, and roasters came together for labs, lectures, and information sharing. If you wanted to, say, discuss preserving coffee plants' genetic diversity, or debate Starbucks' purchase of the company that makes Clover coffee machines, this was the place to be.

I spent a little time perusing the exhibit hall booths, which featured brewing eqiupment, green and roasted coffees, and all sorts of environmentally friendly packaging--including reusable cup sleeves like this:

My favorite discovery was the Handpresso portable espresso maker, a French product making its American debut. The machine uses coffee "pods" and is pressurized by hand, like a bike pump--but you have to produce the hot water. While it's probably about as necessary as the reusable cup sleeves, it was a cool concept that produced a decent-tasting shot.

Three locals--Andrew Palmer of Paradise Roasters, Andrew Millstead of Kopplin's Coffee, and Peter Middlecamp of Black Sheep--participated in the U.S. Barista Championships, in which competitors have 15 minutes to prepare 12 coffee beverages (one espresso, one cappuccino, and one signature drink for each of the four judges). While none placed this year (Peter took sixth at last year's competiton), they were sure fun to watch. Check out these shots from photographer Michael McGuire:

(That's Adam Palmer in the reflection.)

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 6, 2008 10:49 AM | Comments (6)

 

Midtown Farmers' Market: Open for Business

Filed under: Shopping

After a long, cold winter (one that seems to be still in the process of begrudgingly releasing its hold on the state), it's nice to get back to the summer and harvest-time normalcy of a good old outdoor farmer's market. Even if you need to wear a coat to stay warm.

The Midtown Farmers' Market opened up this past Saturday, attracting a healthy and enthusiastic crowd. There wasn't much in the way of produce, but meat, honey, egg, baked good and other vendors were present, making the trip well worth the effort. Most critically, a crepe-selling vendor (Creperie Mala) was present, allowing visitors to purchase delectable ramp, ham and gruyere crepes ($4) such as this one:

Also present: a couple sheep that were sheared for the viewing delight of the audience. Here's one of the two dudes, pre-shearing:

And here's an even more dramatic shot of the sheep being hauled up and presented to the onlooking throng:

And then the sheep-shearing process begins. You have to admire the sheep's relatively composed expression at this point in the process:

My wife took a bunch more shots of this ilk, but they get a little redundant and — in light of the cold and windy weather — a little depressing. We bugged out before the sheep was completely sheared, opting instead to pick up some farm-fresh eggs for the evening's meal, a skillet flan.

Which is a fancy way to say "potato quiche."

Posted by James Norton at May 6, 2008 1:26 AM | Comments (0)

 

Living Green Expo

Filed under: Events

The Living Green Expo takes place this weekend in the Grandstand Building at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds , and it features all sorts of of food-focused booths, workshops, and demos--everything from local natural food co-ops to vegetable gardening and worm composting. Here are a few highlights:

Cooking demonstrations:
Rick Kimmes (Oceanaire) cooks Wisconsin trout, Mike Phillips (The Craftsman) makes his own cured meats, and JD Fratzke (The Strip Club) how to prepare meat from pasture-raised animals.

Workshops:
An introduction to beekeeping with a U of M bee lab scientist, and a discussion of the farm bill's impact on farming practices and the environment led by ag policy professionals.

If you haven’t signed up for a CSA yet, you can meet dozens of local farmers in the Community Food and Farm area.

Posted by Rachel Hutton at May 2, 2008 10:04 AM | Comments (3)

 

Drink of the Week: The Silly Rabbit

Filed under: Drink of the Week

The Silly Rabbit
Town Talk Diner
Vanilla ice cream; Trix; three Marie Brizard liqueurs: Raspberry, Blackberry, and Parfait Amour; topped with whipped cream
$11

Town Talk Diner's Silly Rabbit gets its name from the saccharine, Trix-sprinkled richness you can only find where anisette commingles with vanilla ice cream in a 16-ounce goblet topped with whipped cream. Think of the remaining milk from a bowl of Trix, only frozen. And with booze.

Three Marie Brizard liqueurs—Blackberry, Raspberry, and the roasted orangey Parfait Amour—comprise this "drink" (it goes down more like a hearty dessert). Despite the cost ($11), the Silly Rabbit is well worth the price of admission. We're talking a pint of ice cream, so good luck putting down more than one without succumbing to brainfreeze or bloatation.

Call us lushes, but if there's one complaint to levy against the Silly Rabbit, it's the relatively low alcohol content— less than three ounces of liqueur ranging between 40 and 60 proof equals about a shot's worth of booze. Even so, you'll want to keep these Trix away from kids.

Posted by Matt Snyders at May 2, 2008 5:21 AM | Comments (2)

 

In Praise of Rainbow Foods

Filed under: Shopping

I don't mean to circle back to the running theme of moving house from Uptown to Longfellow, but it's hard to avoid. We eat local whether we like it or not, and restaurants and grocery stores are clear windows into what a given neighborhood is really "like."

Along those lines: There were three grocery stores (that I knew of/frequented) in Uptown. Lunds, which was typically frequented by white, well-to-do older people. Kowalski's, which was typically frequented by white, well-to-do younger people. And the ill-maintained Rainbow on Lake Street, which was frequented by... everybody else.

For various reasons, my wife and I eventually wound up doing most of our non farmer's market shopping at a large Cub Foods about four miles to west. This was not an ideal solution.

Now we're living in Longfellow, and I've discovered a completely different aspect to the clean, well-stocked Rainbow up on Lake Street and Minnehaha. It's frequented by... everyone. White, black, Asian, Middle Eastern — the struggling, the middle-class, the wealthy — old, young, middle-aged — name a category, and a representative is probably strolling the aisles somewhere.

I like it. Let me restate that. I love it. It reminds me of moving to Brooklyn, riding the subway, and realizing that everybody takes the subway to get everywhere. There are a lot of things to dislike about modern America, and one of the most annoying is that folks tend to separate from one another, centrifuging apart into places where we don't even need to look at someone from a different race and/or economic class, let alone do business with them.

Posted by James Norton at May 1, 2008 1:15 AM | Comments (2)

 

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