Twin Cities Grass-Fed Beef Burger Roundup

Cattle grazing in a pasture in Fennimore, WI.

Introductions aside, this blog post is a roundup of all the restaurants in Minneapolis and St. Paul serving locally sourced, grass-fed beef burgers.

NOTE

This post isn't intended to be a re-hash of my previous post which is a discussion about local, grass-fed beef. If you're interested in reading more about local, grass-fed beef, you might want to check out that link. However, I will note that my rationale for eating grass-fed beef, and eating it in moderation, has been influenced by environmental concerns and publications such as UW Extension's Guide to Grass-Fed Beef, which, among other findings, relates the following table regarding nutrition:

	Cattleana pasture-finished Galloway beef loin	USDA Prime Grade beef loin	USDA Choice Grade beef loin	Pork loin		Lamb loin	Chicken breast without skin	Chicken thigh without skin
Protein (grams)	27	24	24	26	26		26	22
Fat (grams)	3.5	11.6	8.7	6.6	8.2		1.3	7.0
Calories	129	201	175	165	176		119	151

REETSY'S GRASS-FED BURGER LIST

I rarely eat beef or beef burgers these days. When I want to go out for a beef burger, or when my husband says it's time for a burger and a beer, I want a list of restaurants that serve grass-fed beef burgers so I know where to go.

In my search for a list,
I discovered no such list,
so this blog post will be my list
(and yours, if you want) .

I will update it continually, and use it as a resource. For that reason, I welcome comments regarding Twin Cities restaurants I may have missed, or restaurants who are no longer serving said locally sourced, grass-fed beef burger(s).

MINNEAPOLIS

Anchor Fish and Chips
302 13th Avenue NE, Minneapolis

The Bad Waitress
2 E. 26th St, Minneapolis

Birchwood Café (Sundays)
East 25th Street, Minneapolis

Bryant Lake Bowl
810 W Lake St, Minneapolis

The Capital Grille
801 Hennepin Ave (La Salle Plaza), Minneapolis

Chef Shack
704 2nd St S, Minneapolis

Common Roots Café
2558 Lyndale Ave. S, Minneapolis

Corner Table
4257 Nicollet Ave Minneapolis

Craftsman Restaurant
4300 E Lake St, Minneapolis

French Meadow
2610 Lyndale Avenue S, Minneapolis

Grumpy's Roseville
280 Snelling Ave, Roseville

Hell’s Kitchen
80 9th St S, Minneapolis

King’s Wine Bar
4555 Grand Avenue South, Minneapolis

The Lowbrow
4244 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis

Merlin's Rest

3601 E Lake St, Minneapolis

Pat's Tap
3510 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis

Red Cow
3624 W 50th Street, Minneapolis 

Republic
221 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis

The Sample Room
2124 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis

Union
731 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Wise Acres Eatery
5401 Nicollet Avenue South, Minneapolis

ST PAUL

Faces Mears Park
380 Jackson St., St. Paul

Heartland
289 E 5th St, St Paul

Muffuletta in the Park
2260 Como Ave, Saint Paul

Strip Club Meat & Fish
378 Maria Ave, St. Paul




[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota, MN]

A Greener Visit to the State Fair: 2011

From Minnesota Cooks and the Eco-Experience to MN-made food (of course), here's a list to make your MN Fair experience even more local:

As we all know, The Minnesota State Fair is underway, and once again has a lot to offer in terms of fun edible and educational opportunities. This year at the fair you can eat local food, watch local chefs cook local ingredients, and learn more about how we can reduce our impact on the environment by how we maintain our diets, homes, and communities. Below I've put together a list of events and food items that can give your annual fair experience a greener twist.

Attend Minnesota Cooks on Sunday, August 28th
Usually a weekday event during the fair, Minnesota Cooks has moved to a Sunday (this Sunday, August 28th!). It’s an annual local food event that shares information about local farmers, local food, and local chefs. The program, which runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m., is broken into hour-long segments. Each hour, two local chefs are paired with a local farmer and local ingredients. The chefs create dishes to feed celebrity tasters and provide samples to hungry audience members. They share information and field questions from the audience. I've attended the past four years and have learned a lot about local foods in Minnesota. Stop by Carousel Park and learn more about food made in our state.

Minnesota Cooks Schedule
9 a.m.: Maty Lahammer (tpt) & JD Fratzke (The Strip Club Meat and Fish) discuss sustainability. Le Cordon Bleu students demonstrate culinary art skills. Noah Hoehn, live looping musician.

10 a.m.: Truman Olson (Chowgirls Killer Catering) & Smude’s Sunflower Oil; Jeffrey Lundmark (Domacin Restaurant & Winebar) & Shepherd’s Way Farms: Recipes featured will be Harvest Platter with a Trio of Sunflower Sauces and Croque Monsieur with Prosciutto and Shepherd’s Way Farms Mornay Sauce.

11 a.m.: Nina Wong (ChinDian Café) & Prairie Pride Farm; James Winberg & Mike Brown (Travail) & Au Bon Canard Foie Gras: Recipes featured will be Chicken with Mixed Vegetables and Noodles and Seared Au Bon Canard Foie Gras with Corn Pudding, Compressed Watermelon and Rootbeer-Grit Croquettes.

Noon: Lucia Watson (Lucia’s Restaurant, Wine Bar & To Go) & Encore Farm; Tom Hanson (Duluth Grill) & 4 Quarters Holdings: Recipes featured will be Fresh Encore Beans with Summer Vegetables and Wild Rice Meatloaf with Beef-Stuffed Squash.

1 p.m.: Ian Pierce (128 Café) & Star Thrower Farm; Shane Wichtendahl (Arrowwood Resort) & Doraisamy Elk Farm: Recipes featured will be Lamb and Barley Risotto with Minnesota Skyr and Porcini-Crusted Doraisamy Elk Loin with Grilled Tomato Compote, Summer Squash, and Wild Mushrooms.

2 p.m.: Paul Lynch (FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar) & Red Lake Nation Fisheries; Bryce Lamb (Söntés) & Marshall Farms: Recipes featured will be Summer Goddess Red Lake Nation Walleye, Lemon Green Beans, Fennel and Radishes and Marshall Farms Braised Rabbit with Cerignola Olives and Sun Dried Apricots.

3 p.m.: Craig Sharp (Terra Waconia) & Elm Brink Farm; Tiffany Haag & Matt Jossart (Zellas) & Loon Organics: Recipes featured will be Red Wattle Kabobs and Summer Corn and Farro Cakes with Loon Salad.

4 p.m.: Live looping musician Noah Hoehn entertains with original music. Doug Peterson, president of Minnesota Farmers Union, & Bruce Miller, Minnesota Cooks, discuss the vital role of local, sustainable food with chef JD Fratzke and other chef guests.

Stop by the Eco-Experience
The Eco-Experience at the State Fair showcases renewable energy and exhibits on air, water, land, green buildings, organic agriculture, and renewable energy. New to the Eco Experience for 2011, the Green Crossing is a green building and landscaping exhibit featuring three green homes and landscaping ideas. You can even sample some “Minnesota super-food,” as Minnesota chefs showcase Minnesota foods such as blueberries, dairy, wild rice, honey, greens, squash, and pastured meats and eggs. Check out the Sustainability Stage schedule for daily events, including presentations on small green roofs, composting, and solar basics.

Visit the Minnesota Grown Booth
The Minnesota Grown booth educates fair-goers about the diversity of Minnesota products and where we can find them. Located in the Ag/Hort Building.

Sample Some Locally Produced Food
• (New!) Minnesota-made bottled Spring Grove Soda made with cane sugar, featuring these flavors: strawberry, orange, grape, root beer, cream soda, lemon sour, black cherry, and creamy orange.
• (New!) Yankee Apple Pie Chocolate Sandwich: Minnesota-grown apples sauteed with spices, topped with chocolate and grilled in Brioche bread–at Moe and Joes Coffee.
• Wild rice burgers, wild rice sausage, waffle fries, and wild rice corndogs–at Minnesota Wild Rice Specialties.
• Minnesota wild rice sausages with beef or pork and jalapeno cheese–at Sausage by Cynthia.
• Jams and jellies, maple syrup, maple syrup candy, American Indian fry bread mix, wild rice, wild rice pancake mix, wild rice soup mix, and Native American herbal tea–at Birchberry.
• Buffalo kabobs–at Minnekabob
• Minnesota wine, ice cream, and sausage made with Minnesota wine–at MN Wine Country.
• Bison jerky and meat sticks –from the MN Buffalo Association.
• Minnesota wine–at the French Creperie.
• Elk meat cookbooks, elk jerky, elk snack sticks and elk summer sausage–from MN Elk Breeders.
• Minnesota apples, apple cider, apple sauce, frozen cider pop–from MN Apples.
• Honey (liquid, spun, creamed, comb, whipped) in glass and plastic containers, honey jams, honey jellies, honey candy, cookies, ice cream, honey nut fudge ice cream, and honey nut frozen yogurt–from MN Honey Producers Association.

Consider Public Transportation
State Fair Express buses operate from 17 Twin Cities locations. For automated State Fair transit information, call 612-341-4287. Express buses drop off and pick up across from the Como Loop (Gate #9) and at the West Red Pedestrian Bridge (Gate #20) on the south side of Como Ave.

Consider Biking
This bike map shows the location of the State Fair bike corrals and recommends routes.

Did I miss anything? Have a great, green fair experience!

Cross post From: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Dear-Dara/August-2011/The-2011-Minnesota-State-Fair-as-Local-as-it-Can-Get/

[where: Minnesota, Food, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, 55418]

2011 American Cheese Society Competition Roundup

The 2011 American Cheese Society competition is a wrap, and several Minnesota and Wisconsin dairies came back with ribbons. Why did I pull out Wisconsin and Minnesota? Because, like many of my friends who read this thing, I was born and raised in Wisconsin and I currently live in Minnesota. So there.

Minnesota and Wisconsin Highlights:

• Carr Valley's Cave Aged Marisa took 2nd place for overall Best in Show.
• Upland's Pleasant Ridge Reserve and LeClare Farms' Evalon placed 1st in their respective categories.
• Hidden Springs swept the flavored fresh sheep's milk cheese division with their Driftless collection.
• Holland’s Family Cheese swept the flavored Dutch style cheese division with the Marieke collection.
• Hook's took a blue ribbon for their Little Boy Blue cheese, but didn't place in the aged cheddar division, which surprised me.
• Alemar Cheese Company took third place for their Bent River Camembert – Style Cheese
• Widmers placed in a couple of brick categories.
• Cedar Grove took second place in the Colby category.

---------------------------------------------------

2nd Place Best in Show
Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Cave Aged Marisa

Mascarpone – made from cow’s milk
1st place - Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, LLC, WI for their Mascarpone

Camembert - made from cow’s milk
3rd place - Alemar Cheese Company, MN for their Bent River Camembert – Style Cheese

Brick Cheese
1st place - Klondike Cheese Co., WI for their Brick
2nd place - Widmers Cheese Cellars, WI for their Mild Brick

Monterey Jack – made from cow’s milk
1st place - Burnett Dairy Co-Op, WI for their Monterey Jack
2nd place - Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Monterey Jack

Brick Muenster
2nd place - Edelweiss Creamery, WI for their Muenster
3rd place - Klondike Cheese Co., WI for their Muenster

Colby – made from cow’s milk
2nd place - Cedar Grove Cheese Inc., WI for their Marbled Colby
3rd place - Hook’s Cheese Company, Inc., WI for their Colby

Original Recipe / Open Category made from goat’s milk
1st Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Cocoa Cardona
2nd Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Cave Aged Cardona

Original Recipe / Open Category made from sheep’s milk or mixed milks
1st place - Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Cave Aged Mellage

Dutch style – all milks (Gouda, Edam etc.)
3rd place - Edelweiss Creamery, WI for their Gouda Cellar Aged (Grass Based)

Flavor Added – Dutch style – spices, herbs, seasonings, fruits – all milks
1st place - Holland’s Family Cheese, WI for their Marieke Gouda Cumin
2nd place - Holland’s Family Cheese, WI for their Marieke Gouda Black Mustard
3rd place - Holland’s Family Cheese, WI for their Marieke Gouda Mustard Melange

Open Category made from cow’s milk
3rd place - Sartori Company, WI for their Sartori Reserve BellaVitano Gold

Open Category made from sheep’s milk or mixed milks
1st place - Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Caso Bolo Mellage
3rd place - Sartori Company, WI for their Sartori Limited Edition Pastorale Blend

Aged Cheddar, all milks (aged between 12 and 24 months)
3rd place - Kraft Foods, WI for their Aged Extra Sharp Cheddar

Cheddar flavored with sweet, savory, jalapeno, chipotle, red, green peppers; black, white, green peppercorns, garlic, onions
3rd place - Widmers Cheese Cellars, WI for their Cheddar/Jalapenos

Cheddar from cow’s milk, aged less than 12 months
2nd place - Kraft Foods, WI for their Limited Edition Extra Sharp Cheddar
3rd place - Kraft Foods, WI for their EX Sharp Cheddar

Cheddar from goat’s milk, aged less than 12 months
3rd place - Mt. Sterling Co-Op Creamery, WI for their Sterling Reserve / Raw Goat Milk Cave Aged Cheddar

Mature Cheddar aged longer than 48 months
2nd place - DCI Cheese Company, WI for their Black Diamond 5 Year Cheddar

Cheddar wrapped in cloth, linen, aged up to 12 months
2nd place - Bleu Mont Dairy, WI for their Bandaged Cheddar – Wrapped and Aged up to 12 Months

Cheddar wrapped in cloth, linen, aged over 12 months
2nd place - Bleu Mont Dairy, WI for their Bandaged Cheddar – Wrapped and Aged Over 12 Months

Rindless Blue-veined made from cow’s milk
2nd place - DCI Cheese Company, WI for their Salemville Blue Cheese
3rd place - DCI Cheese Company, WI for their Black River Gorgonzola

Rindless Blue-veined made from goat’s milk
2nd place - Finica Food Specialties Limited, WI for their Celebrity International Blue Goat Sliced
3rd place -Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Billy Blue
3rd place - Montchevre-Betin, INC., WI for their Chevre in Blue – Goat Milk Blue

Rindless Blue-veined made from sheep’s milk or mixed milks
1st place - Hook’s Cheese Company, Inc., WI for their Little Boy Blue
2nd place - Shepherd’s Way Farms, MN for their Big Woods Blue

External Blue molded cheeses – all milks
3rd place Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Virgin Pine Native Blue

Ripened category – Cotija, Flamingo Bolla, Freir, Queso Prato, Queso Añejo, Chihuahua, etc. – all milks
1st place - Emmi Roth USA Inc., WI for their Gran Queso Reserve
2nd place - Emmi Roth USA Inc., WI for their Gran Queso

Parmesan – all milks; (Romano made only from cow’s or goat’s milk and not from sheep’s milk)
1st place - Sartori Company, WI for their Sartori Parmesan
2nd place - Park Cheese Co Inc., WI for their Vegetarian Parmesan

Fresh Mozzarella – 8 oz. or more (Balls or Shapes) – all milks
1st place - BelGioioso Cheese Inc., WI for their Fresh Mozzarella Thermoform

Burrata – Fresh mozzarella encasing a distinctly separate, softer curd and cream, or other soft cheese, core – all milks
1st place - BelGioioso Cheese Inc., WI for their Burrata

Feta made from sheep’s milk or mixed milks
1st place - Hidden Springs Creamery, WI for their Farmstead Feta

Cheeses flavored with all peppers (chipotle, jalapeno, chili, etc.) – all milks
3rd place - Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin, WI for their Brun-uusto with Jalapeno

Cheeses flavored with herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers, syrups – all milks
1st place - LaClare Farms Specialties LLC, WI for their Evalon with Fenugreek
3rd place - Sartori Company, WI for their Sartori Reserve Espresso BellaVitano

Cheeses flavored with crushed or whole peppercorns or savory spices – all milks
1st place - Sartori Company, WI for their Sartori Reserve Black Pepper BellaVitano

Flavor Added Havarti – spices, herbs, seasonings, fruits – all milks
2nd place - Klondike Cheese Co., WI for their Dill Havarti
3rd place - Edelweiss Creamery, WI for their Onion Havarti

Smoked Cheese - Open Category made from cow’s milk
1st place - Holland’s Family Cheese, WI for their Marieke Gouda Smoked Cumin
3rd place - 3rd Emmi Roth USA Inc., WI for their Rofumo

Smoked cheese - Open Category made from goat’s milk, sheep’s milk or mixed milks
3rd place - Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Smoked Marisa

Smoked Italian Styles (Mozzarella, Scamorza, Bocconcini, Ovalini, etc.)
3rd place - Burnett Dairy Co-Op, WI for their Smoke Mozzarella String

Fresh Goat Rindless (black ash coating permitted, extruded or in containers, cups, tubs, cryovac
2nd place - Montchevre-Betin, INC., WI with their Crumbled Goat Cheese

Open Category - Fresh Sheep's Milk Cheeses
3rd place - Shepherd’s Way Farms, MN for their Shepherd’s Hope Original

Fresh Sheep's Milk Cheeses - Flavor Added – spices, herbs, seasonings, fruits
1st place - Hidden Springs Creamery, WI for their Driftless – Cranberry
2nd place - Hidden Springs Creamery, WI for their Driftless – Maple
3rd place - Hidden Springs Creamery, WI for their Driftless – Honey Lavender

Open Category made from goat’s milk marinated in liquids and ingredients
3rd place - Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Sweet Vanilla Cardona

Open Category made from sheep’s milk or mixed milks marinated in liquids and ingredients
2nd place - Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their Canaria

Unsalted Butter made from cow’s milk with or without cultures
2nd place - CROPP Cooperative/ Organic Valley, WI for their Organic European Style Cultured Butter

Open Category Cold Pack Style made from cow’s milk
3rd place - Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin, WI for their Blue Cheese Spread

Cold pack cheese food and cheese spreads with Flavor Added – spices, herbs, seasonings, fruits – all milks – maximum moisture 44%
2nd place - Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin, WI for their Raw Milk Cheddar Spread with Hatch Chile

Open Category - Aged Goat's Milk Cheese
1st place - LaClare Farms Specialties LLC, WI for their Evalon

Open Category - Washed Rind Cheese made from goat’s milk
2nd place - Carr Valley Cheese Co, Inc., WI for their River Bend Goat

Open Category made from sheep’s milk or mixed milks - washed rind cheeses
2nd place - Hidden Springs Creamery, WI for their Ocooch
3rd place - Hidden Springs Creamery, WI for their Meadow Melody

Cheeses aged more than 90 days with up to 44% moisture – all milks
1st place - Uplands Cheese, WI for their Pleasant Ridge Reserve
3rd place - Widmers Cheese Cellars, WI for their Washed Rind Traditional Brick



[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Harvest Crudités

Harvest Crudités, a photo by gergistheword on Flickr.

Harvest came with a bang this year - it was a regular triple whammy from our garden, gerg's parents' garden, and our CSA share.

For bookclub, I went as simple as possible with veggies and herbs from the gardens and CSA share. I concocted a crudites platter.

Salt water soaked Kohlrabi, poached beets, Italian green beans, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli made their way to a tray with a Cannelini bean dip (made with chevre and dill).

It passed the book club test and the leftovers were tossed into a dish in the refrigerator for mad snacking.

Don't Miss the Magic Bus

A “Magic Chili Dog” and a “Mexicali
Blues Dog” from the Magic Bus.

The 2011 Street Food & Chef Truck season has been a hit so far with so many solid options, even though, as fans know, the lines at our favorite trucks can be a bit arduous. It was later than I thought when I spotted just two people waiting in line for the Magic Bus Cafe at the Midtown Farmer’s market last Saturday. My hungry gal pal and I took one look at one another and made a beeline for the bus.

You can’t miss the Magic Bus. It’s a big, purple 1978 Chevy school bus decorated with flowers, doodles, peace signs, and blue stripes. There’s seating inside the bus, where you can eat your dog and catch a glimpse of photographs of the owners posing with celebs such as Bonnie Raitt, but they also sell dogs through a window for walk-up service. As for the music-loving owners, chef Chris Lockyear, who worked for years at Bobino and D’Amico Cucina, runs and owns Magic Bus with his wife, Cathy, a former assistant deli manager at The Wedge, and her twin sister, Chrissy Russell.

When you’re ready to order, you start by selecting your dog. You can order a grass-fed Thousand Hills Cattle Company hot dog, an all beef natural casing Boar’s Head frankfurter, or a Smart Pup tofu dog—something to make us all feel happy. They split and fry the dogs on a griddle, and then top the dogs with several combinations that run the gambit, from a simple “Plain Jane Dog” to a “Meet Me in the Morning Dog,” which is topped with scrambled, organic eggs, bacon, and shredded cheese.

My gal pal and I grabbed a couple of dogs. She ordered the tofu “Mexicali Blues Dog” topped with spicy relish, sliced jalapeno, refried beans, and shredded cheese. I ordered a grass-fed beef “Magic Chili Dog” with shredded Colby-Jack cheese, bean chili, and chopped onion. The spicy relish on the Mexicali Blues Dog was tangy and slightly fiery. The grass-fed beef dog’s casing was snappy, and the split, fried beef was juicy, salty, and slightly caramelized. The chili was somewhat lacking, so I added mustard to mine, but even with the mustard, chili, cheese, and onions the flavor of the split, fried beef hot dog kept on shining.

If you’re thinking “I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it,” upcoming stops are posted on their website. This week you can catch them in the following locations, weather permitting:

• 7/21, 4-9 p.m., Park B4 Dark, Como Ave., St. Paul
• 7/23, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Midtown Farmers Market, Minneapolis

Crosspost from: Don't Miss the Magic Bus - Dara & Co. - July 2011 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Renewing the Countryside and Sustainable Farming Association Fundraiser

Renewing the Countryside and the Sustainable Farming Association of MN will be hosting a spectacular evening fundraiser at Alexis Bailly Vineyards in Hastings in celebration of sustainable family farmers and rural communities.

Enjoy a pairing of local foods grown by sustainable farms in Minnesota and the wonderful wines of Alexis Bailly. Music by I Like You of Minneapolis will serenade the party, and hors d'oeurves will be prepared by some Twin Cities' restaurants, including Birchwood Cafe.

Two price levels are available for the event - A supporter level of $50 will get access to all activities, music, food, and wine; while a sustainer level attendees for $100 will also receive a private tasting and winery tour plus a swag bag of local and organic goodies.

CLICK HERE to register.

Good Food Fundraiser
July 31st, 2011
5:30-9:00pm
Alexis Bailly Vineyards
Hastings, MN

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Wonder Yogurt From Traders Point Creamery

What do Jamie Lee Curtis, my refrigerator, and tzatziki all have in common? They all contain yogurt. Rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, yogurt has been a dietary mainstay for centuries, worldwide. From Siggi’s thick, Icelandic-style yogurt to Caprine Supreme’s drinkable goat milk yogurt, I’ve tried just about every yogurt offering at markets and co-ops in the Twin Cities and beyond.

In my quest to try as many yogurts as possible, the one that keeps coming back to me, the one that was the most interesting and memorable in the past year, was Traders Point Creamery’s yogurt. Located in Zionsville, IN, Traders Point Creamery is a family owned, organic, grassfed dairy farm. Their yogurt comes in flavors including plain, raspberry, banana mango, low fat vanilla, and wildberry. It’s packaged in a glass bottle, and appears relatively thin, and slightly separated. Now if words like thin, drinkable, and slightly separated don’t appeal to you when it comes to yogurt, I understand. I was skeptical when I made my purchase at Seward Co-op. Then I reminded myself that it won National Cheese Society awards for yogurt in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, and I left the bottle in my shopping cart.

When I got home, I shook the bottle, popped open the cap, and peered inside. The non-homogenized yogurt had separated into thin, milky yogurt with thicker spots of cream. I recapped it and shook it up some more. Finally, I gave the bottle the old Heinz 57 whack, and it eventually “poured” into a bowl. Feeling a bit anxious, I dipped my spoon in for a small bite, and…I smiled. Bite after bite, I smiled more. Because of the separation from being non-homogenized, every spoonful of yogurt was a bit different—some bites burst with rich creaminess, while others were lighter and tangy.

That darn yogurt was so interesting that I didn’t realize the bowl was almost empty until I came to my last bite. “How am I ever going to wait until tomorrow to try some more?” I thought. When my husband asked me if I liked it, I had to admit that despite my reservations, it was satisfying, it was fascinating, and I wanted to try more as soon as my bowl was empty.

Wonder Yogurt From Traders Point Creamery - Dara & Co. - June 2011 - Minnesota

[where: Minnesota, Food, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, 55418]