Great Taste

Homegrown strawberries are ripe for picking

ST. PAUL — It looks like a great weekend to plan a picking party at one of Minnesota’s strawberry farms.  Ripe, juicy strawberries are always a homegrown favorite and growers say they’re open and ready for business.  
 
“It’s shaping up to be a very good berry crop,” says Paul Hugunin, Director of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Minnesota Grown Program.  “Unfortunately the recent rainy days have kept consumers away so growers are urging them to come on out while the picking is prime.”
 
Hugunin says picking conditions can vary from farm to farm and change from day to day depending on weather and field conditions so consumers are advised to call the farm or visit their website to verify conditions and hours.
 
Most growers allow you to pick-your-own or will pick the berries for you if you place an order ahead of arrival.  Some other picking tips before you go:
 
• Select only plump, firm, fully ripe berries.  Smaller berries usually have the most flavor.

• Find out if you need to bring your own containers for picking, and ask if children are welcome.

• Most farms sell berries by the pound.

• Don’t heap the containers too full — you can easily bruise the berries on the bottom.

• Remember berries will only last a couple of days in the refrigerator.  For fresh-tasting local berries year-round, plan to freeze extra berries or make jam or jelly within a day or two of purchase.
 
Consumers will find nearly 100 strawberry patches and pick-your-own farms listed in the 2011 Minnesota Grown Directory.  Searching online at www.minnesotagrown.com makes it easy to locate a farm, get directions and contact information to call ahead.   You can also sign up online for the Pick-of-the-Month newsletter which features information on the strawberry season, berry recipes and storage tips.
 
A free printed copy of the Minnesota Grown Directory can also be ordered by calling 1-888-Tourism.

Zpizza celebrates Bastille Day with free samples

Zpizza is celebrating the French national holiday, Bastille Day, which commemorates the storming of the Bastille, with free samplings of their French-inspired pizza, the Provence, made with organic tomato sauce, homemade roasted garlic sauce, fresh mozzarella, capers, artichoke hearts, tomato and fresh basil.

Zpizza offers vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options including pizzas, rusticas, pastas, calzones, sandwiches and salads with a selection of local ingredients.

The free samples will be available from 11 a.m. to noon and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. July 14.

Get set to crawl and sample fine wines

Get ready, get set, crawl! The Three Rivers Wine Trail is hosting a wine and art crawl at all five of its participating wineries in the St. Croix, Mississippi and Cannon River valleys — WineHaven Winery (9757 292nd St., Chisago City), Northern Vineyards (223 N. Main St., Stillwater), Saint Croix Vineyards (6428 Manning Ave., Stillwater), Cannon River Winery (421 W. Mill St., Cannon Falls) and Falconer Vineyard (3572 Old Tyler Road, Red Wing).

From noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, sample a variety of wines, listening to live music and viewing artwork by a handful of local artists. Visit all the wineries over the weekend and complete your wine trail passport for a free glass of wine.

— Marissa Block, Life Section Editor

Ready for your Thursday paella?

It's not officially summer yet but the festive vibe is totally here. 

Sontes Restaurant, Rochester, offers paella and sangria, among other Spanish delights, at its booth in the Thursdays on First Summer Market & Music Festival. Look for your paella at the corner of First Avenue and Third Street SW, from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm, every Thursday through August.

The longing for "real food"

At times a search goes on that can take us to faraway lands. Here is a recent post from the Chefs Collaborative's blog: 

http://chefscollaborative.org/category/blog/  

Don't set sail for Europa yet. This Saturday is Rochester's first-ever Healthy Living Fair, next to the Rochester Downtown Farmers Market. Also, the outdoor farmers market is increasing its frequency from once to twice per week.

More on RDFM's new Wednesday market:  http://www.postbulletin.com/news/stories/display.php?id=1457841

Hopeful signs of growing interest in where our food comes from....

Sopra Sotto to close

Sopra Sotto, "The Italian Living Store," located in The Shops at University Square, Rochester, will be closing its doors for good in the coming weeks. 

Owner Maureen McNally writes in an email:

"I have decided that it is time to relocate back to my second hometown of Los Angeles, California, and re-imagine Sopra Sotto! I will be opening a showroom in the Los Angeles Mart and continue to be a source of fine Italian artisanal products....Sopra Sotto will continue as an on-line business as well as a direct business source in California. To make it even easier we will be adding an Amazon Sopra Sotto store as well as retaining our www.sopra-sotto.com store.....As part of our business plan for Sopra Sotto in the future, we hope to expand our offerings also to include fine Italian wines." 

Sopra Sotta has for years helped anchor downtown Rochester's food scene. Its merchandise has included outstanding Italian imported products ranging from Carnaroli risotto rice, lentils, and specialty pastas to fine chocolates to dried porcini mushrooms, uncommon balsamic vinegars, olive oils, and herb blends.

Regularly featured Italian cooking classes have been often taught by top Italian chef and cookbook author Antonio Cecconi. Delicious, freshly prepared foods and beverages have been available for eat-in at an elegant counter in the back of the shop.

Sopra Sotto also has featured Italian handmade ceramics, sleek espresso machines, table linens, leather goods, and bath and body products, among other items.

This writer wishes Ms. McNally the best of luck with her future plans but will sorely miss her retail space in the heart of downtown.....Great Taste offers a heartfelt "thank you" to Maureen for serving the area with her truly exceptional store.

Harbor View Cafe raises awareness about local arts

STOCKHOLM, Wis. — What’s better than kicking-off summer with live folk and bluegrass music, dancing, friends, neighbors and lots of Wisconsin beer and wine at an outdoor music festival?

Harbor View Cafe, an award-winning restaurant in neighboring, Pepin, Wis., and WideSpot Performing Arts Center are hosting a fundraiser on the Summer Solstice, June 21, to help raise awareness of the local arts and music scene in Stockholm, Wis. It’s a free event, for all ages.

What: A Summer Solstice celebration and fundraiser for WideSpot Performing Arts Center

When: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. June 21

Where: Downtown Stockholm, behind Abode Gallery at the outdoor “SideSpot” stage

Food highlights at Radish Magazine's Healthy Living Fair

Mike Arends, part of the culinary team at Zzest Market & Cafe, Rochester, will be giving a cooking demonstration at Radish Magazine's Healthy Living Fair June 18. Rochester's Good Food Store Co-op and Mac's Cafe and Restaurant will also participate in the fair.   

The first annual event will be held next to Rochester Downtown Farmers Market, 4th Street at 4th Avenue SE, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (RDFM ends at noon.) Radish Magazine is a part of Post-Bulletin Company and Small Newspaper Group. Visit website here.

'Day of Giving' at Culver's

Now you can have your Butterburger and do some good for your neighbors, too:

Culver's Restaurants in the Rochester Area to Help Victims of Tornadoes
and Floods

June 14th "Day of Giving" will dedicate 10% of sales

In an effort to assist  in the relief efforts for those affected by devastating tornadoes and floods that have ravaged the country this spring, Culver's restaurants will sponsor a "Day of Giving." Participating restaurants nationwide,
including Rochester area restaurants, will dedicate 10% of sales on Tuesday, June 14th to American Red Cross Disaster Relief.

"Culver's has a rich history of giving back to our communities in times of
need. These are our communities and our guests that are affected," says
Phil Keiser, President and Chief Operating Officer. "Raising badly needed
funds for food, shelter, and emotional support during these difficult
times is part of the Culver's True Blue spirit. We hope our loyal guests
come out and make this happen in a big way," he adds.

Many Culver's restaurants have been involved in disaster relief efforts
on the local level this spring through percent of sales days, donation
canisters and other methods. The "Day of Giving" will complement those
ongoing efforts.

'Dear Mr. Tasteless Tastebuds'

Ouch! But here's a fun, unedited note from a reader named Lorilie, regarding the Fours Stars of broasted chicken. I love the crack about the Alpo School of Taste Testing:

Dear Mr. Tasteless Tastebuds,
 
Where in the world did you get your training to be qualified to suggest to people who read your column what food is good and the restaurants where they can find it?  Alpo/Hot Pockets/Purina school of taste testing? You should really base your choices on your READERS suggestions beacause they are the ones that go out to eat at awsome places for the great food beacuse they TRULY love the food and eat there often enough to know, NOT because they are getting paid to try and find good food!
 
My fiancee and I eat out about 10 times a week so we certainly should know our food!!!  My fiancee's main food of choice is chicken (basically a chicken conesour). So when we came across your column on broasted chicken we were intrigued.
 
That same day after reading your article we headed to Fun City for their broasted chicken you ( broasted). about HA HA.  You failed to mention that they are closed on Mondays AND Tuesdays but the drive was nice so we made the best of it.  Remember my fiancee LOVES his chicken so he was a little upset, but we were intrigued with your suggestions and his LOVE for chicken so we decided to continue on our AMAZING chicken RACE and head to another choice of yours the PIZZA CELLAR in crazy Blooming Prairie.
 
Ok, long drive from Roch for chicken but did I mention my fiancee LOVES chicken??
 
We walked in not a soul in the place...big place.  Now were thinking. Such good chicken no ones here hmmmmmm. After such a long drive JUST for this awsome broasted chicken we decided to take a seat and check out what this guy from the PB thinks is so great about broasted chicken coming from a restaurant that looks like it specilizes in PIZZA not chicken.  By the way, it didn't even smell like chicken in there or pizza for that matter, but why should it no one is even eating here.....still we stayed.
 
My conissour fiancee ordered chicken of course and I, since it is called the Pizza Cellar ordered the pizza!  Lets just say we would have rather stayed at home and had chicken stuffed Hot Pockets than have wasted money on that foo....stuff.
 
Dry, no flavor over priced.  Broasted chicken to write about?  Definately not!  And the pizza?  Well I won't waste time going there cuz after all, this is about broasted chicken right?
 
Anyway to top it off the service was TERRIBLE and shouldn't have been noone was there!
 
So, do we believe you know your chicken????? No! Would you like to hear of an absolutely AWSOME place you can share with your readers on where to go to get great tasting broasted chicken?????
 
It's a little bit of a drive for some but well worth it!
 
Across the river in Red Wing to the Wisconsin side.  "Hager Heights Drive In"!!!!!
 
They are open EVERY day 11-7pm but get there early because there is usually 15 cars waiting in line at their 50's style drive thru order from your car window restaurant!
 
We go there all the time and by the taste and looks of all the cars that are there.........great broasted chicken?  Yes!!!
 
Thanks for your time.  Were on our way out the door to Hager Heights, this e-mail has made my fiancee hungry!