February 2010 | Simple, Good and Tasty, page 2

March Local Food Event Announced: Thai Food at Sen Yai Sen Lek

Posted in Out & About on Thu, 02/18/2010 - 8:24am by lee -

When I made the commitment to eat local food, I assumed that my love of Asian cuisine would remain an exception. "No, I don't know where that meat comes from," I told myself, "but it's so darned good."

Somehow, this "ignorance is bliss" approach turned out not to be so blissful after all. I started paying more attention to Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Thai food menus, feeling less okay with eating meat whose source I couldn't track. There was no denying it: all of this talk about the cost of cheap food was making an impact.

The Seedy Side of Gardening: The Best Seed Catalogs for This Summer's Garden

Posted in Farms & Gardens on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 10:37pm by Amy Thielen -

The unofficial rule dictates that you don’t start browsing through seed catalogs until well after the New Year. They’ve been on my bedside table since before Christmas, but that’s only because the first ones started arriving in November. They’re playing dirty with my resolve; in Minnesota, that’s a full six months before planting.

Feeling SAD? Here are 7 Ways to Make It to Spring

Posted in Health on Tue, 02/16/2010 - 12:34am by Amy Boland -

Spring may be just around the corner, but first we have to live through the rest of winter. Many Minnesotans try to cut it short by escaping to a warm-weather destination. But if the bad economy means that you’ll have to skip your annual trip to the beach this year, then there’s no way around it: you’re stuck here, and you’ll have to tough it out.

Egg Pappardelle, Bagna Cauda, Wilted Radicchio and an Olive-Oil-Fried Egg: The "Sophia Loren of Pastas"

Posted in Family & Home, Recipes on Sun, 02/14/2010 - 11:41pm by Gabriela Lambert -

“You deeeep them!” explained my Argentine mother standing behind a cutting board overflowing with seemingly every vegetable known to man. She made a dipping motion with the cauliflower floret in her hand, while trying to keep her piles from avalanching into each other. “Like fondue?” I asked hopefully, visions of chocolate-covered strawberries dancing in my 10-year-old head. “Si, pero tiene mucho mucho ajo!” Lots and lots of garlic.

Can Food Get You in the Mood? A Guy's Guide to Aphrodisiacs

Posted in Health on Sat, 02/13/2010 - 3:22am by Shari Danielson -

Hey, you guys… listen up. Valentine’s Day is this weekend. If you're in a significant relationship, this is the one day every year when you’re expected – no, mandated – to express your undying devotion to that person in your life whom you love more than…
(a) beer
(b) pizza
(c) your dog
(d) your mother
(e) all of the above

This is also the day, every year, when there is extra pressure to, um, “perform” like the stud-muffin that you are. In other words, Valentine’s Day would be the wrong time to fall asleep early in front of the TV, dressed in your wife-beater undershirt and ketchup-stained boxers.

Telepan NYC Delights the Local Food Lover in Me

Posted in Out & About on Fri, 02/12/2010 - 8:07am by lee -

Photo Credit: Jeremy Liebman, New York MagazineAlthough I grew up in New York - or, more likely, because I grew up in New York - I don't have very many oportunities to choose where I eat when I get back there. I'm not complaining - my trips are (happily) centered around friends and family, and my desire to sample the finest local food restaurants in town hasn't been a high enough priority.

W7 Collective - St. Paul's "Uncommon Market" - Happens this Week

Posted in Out & About on Wed, 02/10/2010 - 10:51pm by Tracy Morgan -

One of the best things about living in the Twin Cities is uncovering all the fun, creative things to do around town. Pop-up retail is hot these days. And occasional sales have long been a part of our vintage/antique market. But when you take those concepts and throw in a healthy dash of high-quality, artisan goods, well, what you have then is the new W7 Collective. And being a St. Paul native, I always love to see this kind of happenin’ gig on my side of the river!

Cooking Up a Special Valentine's Day: What to Skip, Do Instead, and "While You're There"

Posted in Out & About on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:24pm by Tracy Morgan -

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
- Harriet Van Horne

I’ve always said that Valentine’s Day isn’t for the faint of heart. Between the overpriced roses, over-pinked shopping, and overly dramatic search for restaurant reservations, it’s enough to give any girl – or guy – indigestion. And more than ever, I’m really thinking about the true value of gift giving, because, frankly, I just don’t need any more stuff.

What I truly want to give – and receive – for Valentine’s Day is a great experience to share with the one I adore. So, how about cooking at home this year?

With this in mind, I set out to find some great gift ideas for you, your honey and your home that just might lead to a romantic evening in. Let’s get started!

Michael Pollan's "Food Rules": Keep it Simple, Then Simplify

Posted in Book Club, Books & Media on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 8:16am by lee -

Namedropping Michael Pollan isn't likely to bring you much insider food cred these days. If you think about good, real, local, organic, sustainable, fresh, tasty, whole food - heck, if you've watched "Oprah" lately - then you've probably already heard the name Michael Pollan more times just this week than you can count. When "The Omnivore's Dilemma" was published in 2006, many of us were just starting to think about the amount of corn we were consuming.

Equal Exchange Offers Fair-Trade Valentine's Day Treats

Posted in News & Views, Out & About on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 8:21am by lee -

There's something irresistible about Equal Exchange organic chocolate. Maybe it's the fact that the company supports fair-trade practices and small growers. Maybe it's the knowledge that it's all organic. But frankly, I'm guessing it has as lot to do with the taste. Each variety I've tried has been all that I've hoped for - a delicious experience at a fair price. So given what we know about large-scale chocolate production, this year I'm considering giving my Valentine something we can both feel great about. Here are a few gift ideas from the folks at Equal Exchange: