Great Taste

112 Eatery and Zingerman's Roadhouse won James Beard chef awards: What's wrong with this picture?

Never mind that the James Beard people have that flyover mentality that you recognize when someone confuses Minnesota with Michigan or spells Minnepolis "Miniapolis." (Both examples have actually happened to this writer....with college grads who otherwise may have passed for intellectual elite.)

So.....just don't pay attention to lack-logic categories in which Minnesota and Wisconsin are not considered part of the "Great Lakes" states but are lumped with Nebraska and Kansas. 

Amid this geo-cultural ignorance there still must be culinary brilliance. Right? Maybe? Here's what happened earlier this month: A ROADHOUSE on the outskirts of Ann Arbor got the prize for Best Chef: Great Lakes. And Minneapolis's 112 Eatery--which is noisy, casual and, yes, has good food, but is nothing to dream about--received Best Chef award for the Midwest. 

Really?

What to expect at Rochester's first outdoor farmers market of 2011

From Kari Dunn, manager of Rochester Downtown Farmers Market:  

"Weather has been pretty crummy for things like asparagus - but I expect we'll have at least 40 to 50 vendors and of course that number will grow as more produce becomes available. We have a total of 93 vendors this year! There should be ramps and watercress tomorrow, pea shoots, lots of lettuce varieties, green onions, salad mixes, radishes.....Do you visit our Facebook page? I'll be 'reporting' live to it from market this year."

For more news and information on one of the best farmers markets in the Midwest, check out RDFM's website here. 

There's just one big missing piece to RDFM being of the highest calibre. Great Tastes asks city leaders: When can RDFM have a specially designed area in central Rochester, instead of several congested parking lots? 

Stillwater and New Prague farms feature in gourmet loca-feasts

Twin Cities chef Scott Pampuch is presenting his annual summer Tour de Farm events at Cedar Summit dairy, New Prague; Axdahl's Garden Farm, Stillwater; and Riverbend Farm, near Delano.

Highlights: participitation by "it" chef Mike DeCamp of La Belle Vie, Minneapolis, and Twin Cities "bad boy" (or so sayeth Pioneer Press) chef Landon Schoenefeld at the Cedar Summit gathering.

More on Tour de Farm here. 

Family recipe for German potato salad

Looking for a delicious complement to holiday ham?

Give this potato salad a try. It's from mama, with a few subtle updates.  The recipe calls for raw eggs so you will need to prepare and eat the salad the same day. 

Five large, fresh red potatoes, halved
Six slices thick, quality bacon, chopped into one-inch pieces
One-half large or one small white onion, chopped
Two fresh eggs, beaten
One-half cup apple cider vinegar
Three tablespoons (or more) fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
One chopped green onion, for garnish

Cover potatoes in water and cook until fork tender but not too soft--15 to 20 minutes. Drain off water and allow potatoes to cool slightly. Meanwhile cook bacon in large pan on stovetop. After a few minutes add white onions. Continue to cook over medium to low flame until bacon is slightly crispy and onions are soft. While potatoes are still warm, peel and gently slice. Place sliced potatoes in pan with onions, bacon and fat. Pour over eggs and vinegar, and mix in parsley and seasonings. Carefully blend ingredients, taking care to not break up potatoes in the process. Let stand at least an hour. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped green onion. Serve with warm ham or cold cuts with rye bread, pumpernickel and/or vollkornbrot. Yield: About eight servings

Easter grocery shopping idea

Let the Earth Day vibe keep hoppin' towards the holiday.

Get fresh Easter eggs and other farm-direct foods at tomorrow's Rochester Downtown Farmers Market indoor market:  http://www.rochesterdowntownfarmersmarket.org/

 

Paczki for Fat Tuesday? Info here

Paczki is a Polish deep-fried pastry, similar to a doughnut, with jam or custard filling. It's popular at this time of year; details:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/03/paczki-day-2011-where-to-_n_830805.html

In Rochester paczki is available at Daube's Cakes and Bakery.

 

How's that diet going? Time for a Jenny Lind Bakery reward?

Your Great Taste blogger weighed in last night almost 9 pounds lighter than a few weeks back.

Time to start dreaming up a sweet little reward. Red Wing, perhaps? Did anyone just think--Jenny Lind Bakery? 

Drool over this: http://www.jennylindbakery.net/bakery_menu.html#half 

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?  

 

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."

MN Locavores: Here's a list for ya!

Or, a good starting point for those intrigued by the local food movement: http://slowfoodmn.org/local.html