Great Taste

Authentic NOLA dinner at ZZest

From Zzest Market & Cafe, Rochester:

The "Big E," Chef Eric Austin, will be our guest chef for a Creole evening at ZZest.  His Chef training in New York, France, Italy, and Amsterdam,  as well as his New Orleans background,  at Commanders Palace and Brennan's, will be featured in this authentic (that is, not the Minnesota version) 5-course Creole Chef's dinner.

The March 3rd event features a choice of two seatings, 6 or 8 pm, and is $65 per person.

If you plan to go, call ASAP.  According to an email message that arrived last night from owner LeeAnn Zubay: "....by the time you get this email it will probably be sold out!....But there could very likely be some cancellations."   

To reserve call 507-424-0080. Zubay also has a raclette tasting in the works for mid March.  Wait a minute....Creole cooking followed by a raclette cheese event? Is this foodie paradise or what?  

 

20.21 will serve its last dinner March 12

In case you missed earlier reports, 20.21 Restaurant & Bar at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, is about to close. 

20.21 brought the glam and culinary wizardry of LA-based Chef Wolfgang Puck to the Twin Cities.

Minneapolis-based D’Amico and Partners will replace 20.21 later this spring with Gather, which will be open mainly for lunch.

If you never have had the chance to dine at 20.21 and are curious about it, GG urges you to make the trip while you can.

Back in 2009 GG created her Great Taste "faves list" for Twin Cities finer dining and 20.21 didn't make the cut. At the time she felt the high profile spot was a too-predictable pick, and that Puck's restaurants in LA were better.

But GG wouldn't ever have wished that sleek and sexy 20.21 exit the scene. Ouch. 

Brewmaster dinners this weekend in Lanesboro

Old Village Hall Restaurant, one of the top dining rooms in southeast Minnesota, will hold a multi-course dinner served with beers by New Ulm's August Schell Brewing Company, 6:30 pm tonight and tomorrow. 

More details at http://www.oldvillagehall.com/; click on "Brewmaster Dinner."

Yes! Mozzarella di bufala made in Wisconsin

 

Imagine your caprese salad made with mozzarella di bufala from Plain, Wisconsin, a little more than a 3 hour car-ride from Rochester. 

Check out Cedar Grove Cheese:  http://my.execpc.com/~cgcheese/ArtisanCheese.html

Water buffalo mozzarella (translation) is a classic Italian cheese that's superior to fresh cow's milk mozzarella in flavor but difficult to find domestically--and that's an understatement. The imported version, though available on a limited basis, is a letdown not only for its steep price but because the highly perishable product usually arrives on southern Minnesota retail shelves when it is already starting to turn. (This comes from personal experience--several times and from two different stores.) 

GG plans to order Cedar Grove's water buffalo mozzarella and will get a report back to you. Tomatoes are flavorless now so she'll probably match it with some La Quercia proscuitto, the freshest EVOO she can find, and a little crusty bread, or....just canned peaches.

 

The Upper Midwest and chocolate: Let's go crazy

News and views about "healthy" chocolate seem to only get better (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/chocolates-startling-heal_b_825978.html) and what's more, some of the best chocolatiers are right in our midst--in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and (just a tad south) Chicago. 

Let's start local with B.T. McElrath, out of Minneapolis: https://www.btmcelrath.com/index.asp. Offered by a number of Minnesota retailers, its shiny-as-if-buffed, refined candies can be discovered south of the metro Cities at ZZest Market & Wine Cafe, Rochester, Slant Avenue Mercantile, Laneboro, and Present Perfect, Northfield.   

Fresh from Duluth, 185 Chocolat (http://185chocolat.com/links.html) is featured in Rochester at Sopra Sotto.  

Our next door neighbor, Wisconsin, claims greatness with artisan dairy products and now can also pride itself on Candinas Chocolatier, made and sold only in the Madison area. (http://www.candinas.com/) 

Traveling via the northern route around Lake Michigan, GG arrives in Fudge Country--but that's for another blog post. Here is Grocer's Daughter Chocolate, in Empire, Michigan. /http://www.grocersdaughter.com/ Then its on to truffle specialist The Chocolate Garden, Coloma: http://www.chocolategarden.com/

Last stop, all off, Chi-Town USA. Vosges Haut-Chocolat, popular for its bar chocolates, offers bittersweet-and-salty selections, among numerous concoctions that give tastebuds a sensory high:  http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/?gclid=CIL02sW4nqcCFQgHbAodtXSQcQ Vosges is sold in Rochester at Zzest Market & Wine Cafe.

Ah, this was such a hard blog to post....The agony. GG indeed has tried candies from all of the makers listed here and can confidently state they are right up there (or close) with fine Belgian chocolates, yet they stand on their own in mix-it-up, witty American style. GG is undoubtedly missing some other splendid makers; please comment on your faves. 

What do hungry Madison protesters eat most?

GG has never tried Ian's Pizza but she is ready to protest for a slice now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTMv6KyvDns

And she's particularly curious because Madison-based Ian's has an outpost on Clark Street in pizza-crazy Chicago.  

Here is Ian's very own blog: http://ianspizza.com/speakEasy/

 

Today is National Chocolate Mint Day

Hmmmm. You didn't know?

Now you do. There's always Frango Mints from Macy's, should you have the urge to splurge for today's event.

Do certain foods and drinks really deserve coast-to-coast celebration?  Like sticky buns (Feb. 21), clam chowder (Feb. 25), and Kahlua (Feb. 27)?

GG hasn't decided. She's still perusing The Nibble's guide: http://www.thenibble.com/fun/more/facts/holidays-february.asp

Fellow Great Taste poster Jay will want to look ahead to National Absinthe Day, March 5.

GG's two cents on independent versus chain restaurants

Seen a lot of online exchanges about whether or not it's good for Rochester to have more chain restaurants come to town. (See Feb. 15 post and comments in Kiger's Notebook: http://postbulletin.typepad.com/kiger/)

GG's reaction:

1. There are already plenty of chain restaurants in Rochester. 

2. Chain food is usually cheap, processed food served in too-ample portions....In the long run it's not ideal for one's health, and, when a person experiences health problems, it sure ain't cheap these days to go to a doctor and get that wellness back.

3. Some may think that more chain food restaurants equal "progress." Here is a kind of progress GG would prefer to see in the Rochester area: http://www.twinfarms.com/dining/Flash/dining.htm.

Where is Rochester's own version of Twin Farms for the discriminating Mayo visitor (aka, people who put thousands, if not millions, of dollars into the local economy during a visit)?  

Time to wake up and smell the locally baked bread (using locally ground, organic wheat in the dough).

Update: Italian cooking classes for spring at Sopra Sotto

From Sopra Sotto, Rochester:

THE ART OF PRIMO PIATTO: FIRST COURSES WITH ANTONIO CECCONI

Saturday, March 12, 2011

 

Learn the basics of pasta, risotto and polenta - the three basics true Italian che's master. First, the classic technique for  homemade pasta.  Risotto is common in the Po River valley and has spread throughout the country and world. The mountains and rural towns of northern Italy are famous for polenta.  Once the basic technique is mastered, polenta can be served as an elegant antipasti platter or the base for a main course dish topped with meat sauce. This is true Italian cooking at it's best!  Wine served, as always!

ARRIVEDERCI TO WINTER WITH ANTONIO CECCONI

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Is winter over yet? Here is an Italian solution to that question: Start with an antipasti of spinach polenta soup, follow with an Il Primo of Chicken with Tarragon Mustard sauce accompanied by Eggplant Parmesan; Dessert will be an Alpine Almond Torte, which is always a palate pleaser.

This menu will feel like the perfect way to say arrivederci to winter! Wine will accompany the courses.

 

The Cuisine of Le Marche
Wednesday, March 23

The Italian region of Le Marche, known as "the anti-Tuscany", in many ways mirrors the image of its more internationally renowned neighbor. Le Marche  is located on the eastern coastline of Italy & is an undiscovered jewel. This region borders Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo and Umbria; borrowing from the cuisines of all four regions. It's Central Italy at its tastiest! 

Antonio will give us the Grand Tour and incorporate some of the signature dishes of Le Marche for this evening. We will also explore the wines of this delightful region.

Primavera in Italia (Springtime in Italy)
Saturday, April 9, 2011

Springtime in Italy is signaled by the arrival of fresh sweet fruits and vegetables that appear in the market and at the roadside vendors. Tender fresh herbs bursting with flavor, artichokes and berries enliven the menu and spirit again. Antonio will take you away to Italy with a first course of Pasta Primavera with fresh herbs that really tastes like spring! This will be followed by sizzling Spring Lamb chops with mint accompanied by Sautéed Artichokes and Insalata al Basilico.  Dessert is a Raspberry Fruit Sorbet. Wine accompanies the courses.

ITALIAN EASTER BRUNCH
Sunday, April 10, 2011

Celebrate Spring with an Antipasto of Frittata del Giardino (Frittata Garden Style)  followed by Ziti  Asparagi ( Ziti pasta with asparagus sauce). The main course is Salmone Marinato alla Menta (grilled salmon with mint marinade) accompanied by Peperonata ai Tre Colori  (Warm Tricolor Bell Pepper Salad). Strawberries with Marsala Sauce end the meal on a yummy note!

CUISINE OF EMILIA-ROMAGNA
Thursday, April 21, 2011

Emilia-Romagna is the considered the culinary capital of Italy. Parma, Bologna, Modena and Reggio are famous for ingredients like prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese and, of course, Bolognese sauce.  On the menu this evening is Ravioli Bolognese which will show you the techniques of the perfect Bolognese sauce. For the Secondo course, “Costolette di Maiale al Pepe” (peppered pork chops) served with “Cavolfiore e Finocchio Gratinato” (cauliflower and fennel gratin) and an Insalta. Our dolci is Profiterole with Chocolate Amaretto sauce. 

The ice bar cometh....again!

Uffda. Wasn't once enough?

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1444554

Why do this type of drinking event in the shadow of the Mayo Clinic?