What does a warm winter mean for syrup lovers?

​ Our unusually mild winter has left many wondering just how much sap will run from the sugar maple trees this season. Will we be relegated to purchasing 100% Canadian maple syrup when the local supply inevitably runs out? Fortunately, there is still a possibility of a strong syrup season, according to U of M extension educator David Wilsey. "Biologically, the trees have received their signals" to shut down, he says, pointing out that freezing weather is freezing weather even if it is not as cold as we're used to. A mild winter doesn't necessarily affect sap production as long as the tree hardens off in fall and goes dormant in the winter. That's not the only factor, however.

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Meritage

Uncap the tureen to taste Meritage's Harvest Pumpkin Soup

 Back for it's seasonal performance, Meritage's Harvest Pumpkin Soup is a bowlful of flavor. And gingerbread croutons. And spiced creme fraiche. It's hearty, rich, and interesting, and ladled into a slightly ironic yet charming pumpkin-shaped tureen-for-one.

This isn't just another bowl of soup. Here's why.

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Zingy rhubarb lemonade with just a smidge of gin and Aperol

​After a long, soggy, cold spring, the weather turned on us. It's like Mother Nature is giving us the ol' "Oh, yeah? You don't like sweatshirts in summer? Well how do you like me know?" 

The best way to combat our sweltering environs is by staying plenty hydrated. We asked Christina Nguyen and Birk Stefan Grudem, the team in the cheerfully colored Hola Arepa food truck, for the recipe to one of their outstanding lemonades.  Here we have a large dose of sweet, tart summer heat relief with or without the booze. A perfect way to utilize those last cherry-colored stalks of rhubarb at the farmers markets.

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​Is there anything more optimistic than a sweet little pea? Imbued with all an early season's fleeting sweetness, best at their fresh peak, a pea ought to be coddled and cared for, rather than abused in frozen potpies.

Chef Jason Blair of Red Stag Supperclub, a supporter of seasonal cooking, created this bright and easy-to-assemble dish. Blair's approach to food is often to create a simple stage for seasonal and, whenever possible, locally sourced ingredients to shine. A small bowl of beautiful and flavorful peas dressed with a few ripped leaves of mint, crumbles of salty ricotta salata, and a sweet shallot sauce is all any summer side dish could hope to be.
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The first, delicious harbingers of spring

​Sing Hallelujah! Devotees of seasonal eating can finally retire the root vegetables and celebrate the abundant arrival of spring's early bounty. Asparagus, like the noble tomato, is theoretically available year-round, but neither tastes as good outside of its small window of seasonality. Plenty of local restaurants are offering dishes that highlight the tender green shoots, and the internet is bursting with recipes for the home chef to try with their own bundles of spring. Here are a few ways to enjoy asparagus this month, both at home and out and about.

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Kei Terauchi

The potentially deadly fugu is a veritable winter delicacy

​Last winter Origami received attention by becoming the first restaurant in Minnesota to serve fugu, Japanese blowfish.

The hype around fugu's grand arrival in Minnesota was mainly focused on the danger of the fish. While it's true that fugu can be lethally poisonous due to its tetrodotoxin, the actual taste and the experience of this seasonal delicacy seemed to be merely an afterthought.

Nobody would recommend a nonchalant attitude toward food poisoning. But the fact is, there are 20 times the number of fatal accidents than food-borne illnesses.

Daredevils, are you disappointed?

Fugu is back at Origami this year. It's time to move past its notoriety and enjoy its distinct flavor and texture. We tried a taste of fugu karaage, deep-fried blowfish.

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Girl Scouts

Say what? Downsizing Girl Scout cookies?

​It's the time of the year when you start to notice those order forms around the office and Scouts-turned-businesswomen giving their best pitch at grocery stores. Smell the Thin Mints in the air, 'tis the season of Girl Scout cookies.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led program in the country. And although the program is rich in history, there are several changes being made this year.

To cut cost and increase revenue, about a dozen Girl Scout councils across the country are decreasing their selection to just six kinds of cookies, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Which ones made the list? And are our local Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys safe from cookie-downsizing?

Read on to find out.

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Step out the door to melt away the cold

​Last night, a certain local weatherman announced, "Welcome to the coldest 48 hours of winter."

Yikes.

But don't hibernate in your Snuggie quite yet. Here are five delicious reasons to go out and stay warm.

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Warm plate of comfort

​Frozen fingers and runny noses require tender care as we ease our creaking bodies into the blustery cold that is the ridiculous weather we Minnesotans endure each year. It's our Midwestern badge of courage to compare temperatures and snow coverage with the rest of the world. But that's out there. In here we require some special food to warm our souls and thaw those extremities. Regardless of what the weather is like outside, inside we are ready for those sweet homey meals just like Mom used to make. Tuck in to our Top 5 picks for the meatiest, cheesiest, slathered in warm milk gravy, coziest comfort foods.More >>

Some days just require a road trip

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Each year there is one magical weekend when the fall leaf colors along the northern shores of Lake Superior reach their flaming peak. The brushfire oranges and tepid yellow-greens flutter against the Mylar-shiny backdrop of the waves lapping against slate-colored rocks. That kind of scenic majesty begs for a road trip. This weekend's forecast calls for sunny weather, and the twisty roads of Highway 61 from Duluth to Two Harbors beckon. Trace the coastline and take our tips for the best picnic site and snacks for you to enjoy this fleeting seasonal moment.
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