"Bryan's Garden" Movie Premiere to Take Place at The Mill in NE Minneapolis

BRYAN'S GARDEN
This revealing short documentary about Bryan Morcom and his urban garden in Northeast Minneapolis continues the frank discussion about how our culture approaches food and what it means to truly have a local meal. If you haven't grown, harvested, killed, and prepared anything recently, then you'll want to see this! This event is open to the public. The documentary is about 25 minutes in long.

www.browntowndesign.com/bryansgarden


THE MILL
The Mill is a NEW educational industrial arts/maker space in Minneapolis, Minnesota that celebrates the do-it-yourself culture and creative communities by providing members with access to tools, equipment and instruction.

The mission of the Mill is to serve as an incubator of ideas; to foster a collaborative community where members utilize industrial arts concepts, cutting edge technology and time tested fabrication equipment to create innovative solutions to technical issues in fabrication and making. Through classes, group interaction, and an inclusive environment, the Mill is a space where innovation and creativity can be fostered for novice and expert alike. In the spirit of disclosure, my husband, gerg, is an employee of The Mill.

www.mnmill.org

Movie Premiere : Saturday, Dec. 17 2011
Doors Open : 6:00 pm
Show Time : 6:30 pm

Showing at :

The MILL
2300 Kennedy Street NE
Suite #130
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(location map: http://g.co/maps/hb97c)


A Special Thanks to Sponsors: The MILL & Restaurant ALMA & Browntown_Design

www.browntowndesign.com
www.restaurantalma.com
www.mnmill.org


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

Simple Shortbread Cookies for Big-Time Events

Simple Shortbread Cookies for Big-Time Events - Dara & Co. - December 2011 - Minnesota

Every year, a few pals of mine gather together, sip hot cocoa, and sample each other’s homemade holiday cookies, taking home each other’s leftovers. I find myself being invited to participate in these cookie events with increasing frequency, and this year I needed a recipe that would be manageable when scaling up to make 10 dozen cookies.

I found the perfectly scalable recipe with shortbread cookies.

Shortbread is a simple, buttery, unleavened cookie which is traditionally made from butter, sugar, and flour. It has so few ingredients, and mixes up with such ease, that it’s perfect for your big cookie events. You can roll out the dough and cut in into shapes, or you can ball the dough and make dome-shaped cookies. The ingredients are simple, and the dough is extremely versatile, but the best part is how much folks will enjoy them—sweet, buttery, and slightly crisp, they’re always a hit. I use Hope Creamery butter and Dakota Maid flour to make shortbread that’s unique to our region.

Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 4 dozen cut-outs or 5 dozen dome-shaped cookies

3 ½ cups flour
1 lb. butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. corn starch
Sprinkles for decorating (optional)
Crushed pecans (optional)

In a bowl, whisk the flour with the salt and corn starch. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and the crushed pecans. Gently stir in the flour mixture until incorporated—don’t mix it any longer than necessary to incorporate the flour. I use my stand mixer, but you could use a handheld mixer as well.

Once the flour is mixed in, divide the dough into four even parts. Flatten the dough into disk shapes, seal them in a bowl or with plastic wrap and let the dough chill until firm (about an hour).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle of the oven.

For cut-outs: On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. I like to mix a bit of powdered sugar in with my rolling-out flour for extra sweetness. Trim the edges of the dough.

For simple shapes, cut into squares, triangles, or parallelograms using a pizza cutter. You can also use cookie cutters to cut shapes.

For dome-shaped: Use a tablespoon to form round dough balls and place them on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Place cookies on baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. (This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.)

You can sprinkle with decorative sugar before baking, or dust with powdered sugar after baking. You can also dip these bad boys in chocolate after baking.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

If cooking the dough as balls, toss them in powdered sugar while they’re still warm so it sticks.

Shortbread cookies will keep in an airtight container for about a week, or they can be frozen.

It seems the variations are endless with this versatile dough. Have a shortbread variation that you love? Please share it!

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

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]

My Favorite Minnesota Ice Cream Treats

My Favorite Minnesota Ice Cream Treats - Dara & Co. - June 2011 - Minnesota

This is likely my last blog post celebrating Dairy Month, and while I’ve already covered some of my favorite cheeses and yogurt, there are several remaining dairy products that I wanted to brag about. But since it’s summer, and there are so many great options, I selected some of my favorite Minnesota ice cream treats for this post.

Izzy's Guatemalan Coffee Ice Cream

I am an Izzy’s girl for many reasons: the ice cream shop was close to home when I lived in South Minneapolis, they consider the environment by using solar power to offset the power they use to make and chill their ice cream, and they have a nice location with seating—but most of all, Izzy’s concocts fantastic flavors.

Coffee, cream, and sugar are a traditional and timeless balance of flavors, but hot coffee takes a back seat in summer. For their Guatemalan coffee ice cream, Izzy’s steeps their ice cream in Dark Roast Guatemalan Coffee Beans from Peace Coffee. They remove the beans, so what’s left is sweet and smooth coffee-flavored ice cream.

Izzy's Dark Chocolate Zin

Izzy’s Guatemalan coffee ice cream is good, but concocted with bittersweet dark chocolate ice cream, Italian balsamic vinegar, and red zinfandel wine, the dark chocolate zin is my favorite Izzy’s flavor. My advice for enjoying it: buy a pint, take it home, and top it with warm dollops of Legacy Chocolates’ Potion #9 chocolate sauce for a chocolaty experience that’ll make you swoon and maybe make your eyes cross.

Grand Ole Creamery's Butter Brickle in a waffle cone

Izzy’s ice cream is great in a bowl, but when I’m in the mood for a waffle cone, only Grand Ole Creamery will do. The aroma of their homemade malted waffle cones wafts through the air and sends your appetite into total overdrive long before you enter the parlor. The slightly salty and buttery flavor of their creamy butter brickle ice cream plays well with the sugary crispiness of their waffle cone. I like to do a little window shopping along Grand Avenue while I eat my waffle cone, since the crowd in the shop can be a bit overwhelming at times.

Salty Tart's Peaches and Cream Parfait

The MN State Fair chatter has already started, and that reminded me that I had to mention two of my State Fair ice cream favorites: the peaches and cream parfait from Salty Tart, and the honey sunflower ice cream at the U of MN Horticulture Building.

For the peaches and cream parfait introduced last year, Salty Tart owner and a 2010 James Beard Foundation nominee Michelle Gayer layered soft serve made with Greek yogurt, coconut water, and vanilla beans with peaches sautéed with sugar and lemon zest. She topped it all with crumbled ginger snaps. The result? A break from the cacophony of deep fried wonderment—the parfait was simple, sweet, luscious, and refreshing.

Honey Sunflower Ice Cream at the State Fair

As for the honey sunflower ice cream (right), it’s a staple for many at the fair. It’s a cherished tradition for a reason: the MN Honey Producers Association takes vanilla ice cream, swirl ribbons of honey through it, and mixes in sunflower seeds. They sell it with chocolate ice cream as well, but I like how the delicate spiciness of the vanilla pairs with the floral sweetness of the honey.

Awhile back I mentioned that whipped cream is my favorite food of all time, so much so that it inspired a debate with my husband. I like my whipped cream made with Cedar Summit heavy cream, so it stands to reason that whipping up my own ice cream at home with Cedar Summit heavy cream could be a blast. I haven’t done it yet, but Dara & Co. blogger Stephanie Meyer made her own ice cream last summer, and I intend on replicating her effort this summer.

So now you know some of my favorite ice cream treats, but I’d like to know yours. Where do you go in Minnesota to get your ice cream fix?

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

Reetsy Reviews: Amici, Growing Better With Age

Not too long ago I noticed something about Amici Pizza and Bistro in Northeast Minneapolis. They added something to their menu since the first time I visited back when they opened: “Amici Pizza and Bistro proudly supports and uses local products including: Fischer Farms Pork, Midwest Salad, Living Water Gardens, Larry Schultz – Chicken and Eggs, and Izzy’s Ice Cream.”

I’ll admit that when Amici opened, I had hoped for a friendly, hopping, neighborhood joint with a commitment to sustainability. Instead, we got a relaxed neighborhood restaurant serving good mussels. On a more recent visit, I was pleased with the improvements they’ve made to their service and their menu, including some of the ingredients they’re sourcing.

The tender, thinly sliced beets on their warm beet salad were served with greens and a smooth, nutty puree made with cannellini beans and goat cheese. That cannellini bean puree was immediately added to my craveable list, along with the mussels, which were still good. The heaping pile of mussels, nestled in broth flavored with sweet red peppers and tomato, served with crusty bread on the side, should be enough for two people, yet my husband and I always have to thumb wrestle for the last one. The seasonal pulled pork pizza was made a regular on the menu. It featured Fischer Farms pulled pork, smoked mozzarella, arugula, and pickled onions (Northeasters can have that Fischer Farms pulled pork pizza delivered, along with most other items on their menu). They finally offered beer and wine as well, including Summit and Summit Seasonal (ask).

While I agree with Dara that there’s no reason for foodies in Orono to start making treks to Amici yet, neighborhood folks who haven’t visited Amici yet, or haven’t visited Amici in a good, long while might consider a visit to what, in my opinion, is an improved Amici.

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

It's Dairy Month: My Minnesota Cheese Roundup

Honoring My Favorite Food Group - Dara & Co. - June 2011 - Minnesota

June is Dairy Month! My favorite food group is being recognized for a whole 30 days, and I am looking forward to writing about all things Minnesota and dairy all month long. For my blog post this week, I wanted to summarize just a handful of my favorite local cheese nibbles from the past year. Whether creamy and blue or tangy and crumbly, this week, I’m giving a nod to Minnesota cheese. (And yes, some of these cheeses —marked by italics—may seem familiar, because I've written about them before! But they're so good, I had to mention them again.)

I’ve been crazy about a couple cheeses from PastureLand in Southeast Minn., especially their Farmdog Raw Milk Blue and Meadowlark Clothbound Cheddar. Pastureland uses 100% grass-fed organic milk to craft their cheeses, and the complex, grass-fed flavors are truly something special from Minnesota.

Farmdog Raw Milk Blue
PastureLand’s Farmdog Raw Milk Blue Cheese is aged for 75 days in the caves in Faribault, Minn. It’s pungent, slightly yellow, creamy, and chock full of blue veining. I let the Farmdog warm to room temperature, and it became smooth and easy to spread on a piece of fresh baguette with a dollop of honey. Pair it with a glass of Riesling for an after-dinner treat.

Meadowlark Clothbound Cheddar
Pictured above, PastureLand’s Meadowlark Cheddar is pasteurized and also aged in the caves at Faribault. The fact that it’s clothbound means the cheese releases more moisture and develops a different concentration of flavor than other cheddars wrapped in wax or plastic. It’s slightly sweet, a bit tangy, and has an earthiness to it. It’s dense and fares well on a cheese board with crisp apple slices.

A couple of Faribault Dairy’s cheeses have graced my cheese plate regularly this year. Faribault Dairy in Faribault, Minn. is using raw cow's milk from seven local dairies and producing tasty blue cheeses that are giving more expensive European blues a run for their money.

Oktoberfest Blau
Faribault Dairy took it upon themselves to bathe St. Pete’s Select blue cheese in Summit Brewing’s Company’s OktoberFest Beer. Beer bathing in caves might sound a bit strange, but it’s not much of a stretch, considering the sandstone caves at Faribault were used as beer cellars once upon a time. The washed rind does impart a stronger aroma than Faribault’s other blue cheeses, so it’s best to let it come to room temperature under glass, but even the wine-toting mamas in my monthly book club made short work of this creamy, pungent, beer-bathed blue.

Amablu Gorgonzola
Faribault Dairy's Amablu Gorgonzola recently won Best of Class at the World Championship Cheese Contest, proving that cheese-making isn't a skill that the Old World has a lock on. I like Amablu Gorgonzola with a dollop of local honey. It provides a perfect foil for the sharp, pungent, slightly sweet, and salty cheese.

Of course, I can’t forget Alemar Cheese in Mankato, Minn. Their smooth, soft-ripened Bent River cheese is crafted using whole milk from Cedar Summit Farm to produce some of the most delicate Camembert-style cheese produced in the U.S.

Bent River
Bent River Camembert is a domestic, Camembert-style cheese called Bent River by Alemar Cheese. Alemar Cheese Company is located about 70 miles southwest of the Twin Cities in Mankato, Minn. There, Keith Adams is using organic whole milk from Cedar Summit Farm to produce some of the most soft, smooth, delicate Camembert-style cheese produced in the U.S.

Let’s not forget sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses! Both Big Woods Blue and Donnay Dairy Chévre bring classic flavors to the table with their handcrafted cheeses.

Big Woods Blue
In 1994, Steven Read and Jodi Ohlsen Read established Shepherd’s Way Farms in rural Carver County with their flock of sheep. Currently located outside Northfield, Minn., Shepherd’s Way Farms is handcrafting cheese on their farm. The cheeses are made in small batches and many are national award-winners, including Big Woods Blue, a creamy sheep’s milk blue cheese.

Donnay Dairy Chévre
Donnay Dairy, located in Kimball, Minn., produces two certified-organic goat cheeses, fresh chévre, and cave-aged Granite Ridge. Light and tangy, Donnay Dairy Chévre is a great option served either chilled or cooked. It crumbles when chilled, spreads easily at room temperature, but also softens nicely when exposed to heat (as on a pizza).

With so many cheeses and so little time to celebrate Dairy Month, it’s time to hightail it to the nearest cheese shop and check all the tasty options that Minnesota cheesemakers have to offer. And by all means, if you discover something wonderful, be sure to share!

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

Farmer's Market Season is Especially Special For Shepherd's Way

This weekend marks the opening of the Minneapolis Farmer's Market and the St Paul Farmer's Market. It also marks a special day for Shepherd's Way Farms.

They're back to full scale production for the first time since a devastating arson fire in 2005 that killed hundreds of their lambs and ewes.

They'll be making their "debut" at the St Paul Farmer's Market this weekend sampling and selling their smoked, cooked Westlund sausage and knockout cheeses - Friesago, Big Woods Blue and both Shepherd's Hopes.

Look for them at the St Paul Farmer's Market this weekend and the Mill City Farmer's Market next weekend.

In an email earlier this week, Steven Read said:.

For now, we won't be bringing any of our wool to Saint Paul for sale, but folks can order them and we will deliver there. We will have wool pillows, comforters and mattress pads on hand for sale at Mill City. We will also only have our eggs and lamb cuts for sale at Mill City until we see how to balance our inventory.

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

New Email Listserv for Minnesota Urban Farmers

The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture has created a MNURBANFARMERS listserv, which will provide a way for Minnesotans engaged in urban farming activities to correspond with one another.

According to the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, "the purpose of the MNUurbanFarmers listserv is to be a discussion forum relevant to urban agriculture activities. "

To sign up go to: http://www.misa.umn.edu

While you are there, take their urban agriculture survey to help keep them in the know about your interests and activities.

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

Ready for Ramps!

Ready for Ramps! - Dara & Co. - April 2011 - Minnesota

Word on the street is that fresh, local ramps will be making their seasonal debut at local co-ops this weekend. Hooray! Ramps!

What are ramps?
Ramps are tasty, wild leeks. Their small bulbs have a pungent, onion-like flavor and they have broad, green leaves that smell like onion as well. They emerge in spring around the same time as daffodils and tulips. They can be foraged in the wild near water and on hillsides in sandy soil, or you can grab a bunch at your neighborhood co-op.

Cooking with Ramps
As with so many ingredients in our kitchens, ramps pair well with bacon.

• Half a pound of ramps, trimmed and cleaned
• Half a pound of bacon, chopped
• Salt and pepper

1. First, separate the leaves from the bulbs.
2. Gently parboil the bulbs in water while you chop and fry some bacon in a pan.
3. Remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside.
4. Once the bulbs are tender, transfer them to the bacon pan and sauté them in the bacon pan with the drippings.
5. Add the chopped ramp greens to the bacon pan with the bulbs and cook until they are wilted.
6. Grab the bacon you set aside earlier and crumble it over the top of the bulbs and greens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preserving Ramps
Can’t eat all of your ramps? Take a crack at preserving them for later use.

Make a ramp compound butter. Compound butter is butter that has been modified with additional ingredients. Herb butter comes to mind as a popular compound butter served at restaurants. Compound butters are great on broiled fish, bread, and are even good for making sauces.

• Half a pound of ramps, trimmed and cleaned
• 2 pounds of unsalted, cubed butter at room temperature
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parchment Paper (or wax paper)

1. Trim and clean the ramps.
2. Blanch the ramps by boiling them in water for a minute and then plunging them in ice water.
3. Drain the ramps and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
4. Slice the ramps into very small pieces.
5. In a large bowl or mixer, combine the butter, ramps, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
6. Create logs of compound butter and wrap them in parchment paper. Store in container in refrigerator or freeze.

Not in the mood for butter? Try pickling your leftover ramps using a recipe from Twin Cities’ own Chef Shack rock stars. Read up on canning if you’ve never canned before. The University of Minnesota Extension has everything you need to know to get started.

• 1 lb cleaned, fresh wild ramps
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. each of hard pickling spice (cinnamon, coriander, juniper berry, star anise, and cardamom)

1. Clean and soak wild ramps in cold water.
2. Trim root ends and scrub free of soil. Leave whole.
3. Place the raw, prepped ramps in jars while you prepare the pickling liquid in Step #4.
4. Pour vinegar, sugar, water, and spices in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring the mix to a rolling boil for 3 minutes.
5. Carefully pour the hot liquid mix over the ramps in jars and place self-sealing ring and top on each jar.
6. Cook the sealed jars in your canner for approximately 15 minutes. Keep a minimum of 2 inches of water boiling over the jars during cooking time.
7. Remove the ramp-filled jars from the hot water. Cool for 24 hours.

Just as quickly as ramps appear on shelves and menus around the city, they disappear, so grab some of these tasty harbingers of spring while you can!

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