August 2012

Palestine's Family Jewel: Why in the World Would Someone Willingly Eat a Testicle?

One of the most highly publicized “new foods” for the 2012 MN State Fair are Holy Land’s lamb testicles otherwise known as lamb fries. Hearing about Holy Land’s latest contribution to the MN food culture piqued my interest. “How were fried testicles hailed as a delicacy and what in the world would the precious gems taste like?” I wondered. As with every meaningful interaction, I received my answers plus a greater respect and understanding of the impact one’s passion has on their work. Majdi Wadi, Holy Land CEO's intent is not simply to sell more food, but to share worldly experiences with his fellow Minnesotans, thereby bridging the gap between the us and them.

 

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Fool For Love... Simple, Good and Tasty goes to the Movies, Part 2.

 

This is part 2 in a series about running a craft services table for a film shoot here in Minneapolis for the Independent movie Stay Then Go. Read part 1 here. 

 

It's been a long time since I've done anything more than plan a dinner party for four. Hell, it's been a long time since I've even done that. Maybe 20 years. Most of my  cooking now revolves around the challenges of cooking for just one, such as how to make the most of vegetables before they go bad in the bin.

 

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Feeding Your Kids Fair Food

At a gathering that celebrates deep fried SPAM curds and advertises 40 “new foods” in 2012, the Minnesota State Fair is culinary overload at its most base level. Ever since I was a boy it’s the fair food that draws me back just as much as climbing on the tractors, visiting the animal barns, or seeing the crop art in the Ag/Hort building. Going off to college I stayed in Minneapolis and attended the UofM, which was a short bike ride from the fairgrounds, and I came to the realization that now on my own I was free to eat as much food at the fair as I wanted without the supervision of a mindful parent. Awesome!

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The Latin Tongue: Pupuseria La Palmera

More often than not, the places that serve us the tacos, tamales and the like have been around, some for more than a decade. Reviews have been written, yelp folks have argued about how much things differ from their expectations, and alas, I am old hat. For this review, I have the pleasure of sharing with you some new folks here to satisfy your cravings for corn, beans, cheese and meat. I'm speaking of a modest little eatery on 42nd and Cedar avenue south in Minneapolis: Pupuseria La Palmera. 

 

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Garden in a Glass: Bloody Mary Recipe and More.

It’s during the hottest days of the summer when heating up the kitchen by firing up the stove seems like the last thing on my list. Firing up the bbq is a decent alternative, dinner salads made out of garden veggies, and cold sandwiches get us through the July/August season without having to turn the air conditioning on in our home. When I’m planning a dinner party during these months all too often I fall back to sucking down the clichéd ice-cold beer around the grill or the table. Maybe chilled white or rose wines? Sure, they’re great hot weather standbys, but I’m completely ignoring the garden when making those kind of drinks. Why not use the fresh herbs, fruits, and even vegetables when making cocktails? Last winter I received a cocktail recipe book that has prodded me along on this idea, and while initially following the recipes verbatim I’ve now moved on to making my own cocktail creations from what’s fresh in the yard.  

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Simple, Good and Tasty Goes to the Movies Part 1: Stay Then Go

We've all gotten this question or a variant of same...

"My mother-in-law... my former high school sweetheart... my old college roommate... my parole officer... an IRS auditor... (insert your favorite)... is coming for a visit. What should I serve them? Or where should I take them to dinner... or breakfast... or lunch, for drinks... or a snack... or for brunch?"

 

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Farm To Fork, A CSA Series: Relying On Basics During A Busy Week

This is part 5 of a summer long series about our CSA boxes and what we do with them. Recipes for silky simmered cabbage, roasted baby potatoes, Mexican elote and Pasta with tomatoes and breadcrumbs follow.


I knew it was a bad week when the only thing getting me out of bed at 4:45 a.m. one morning was the promise of indulging in a fast food breakfast on the way to work. 

 

A fast food breakfast? I rarely eat fast food...let alone for breakfast.  

 

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Iftar Time: The Thanksgiving and Mindfulness of Ramadan.

For the religion of Islam, it is now the holy month of Ramadan, which in its essence is a major fast observed by 1 billion Muslims throughout the world. People typically undergo the purification ritual of fasting as a means to cleanse the spirit, body or both. All major religions throughout the world including Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam involve some variation of fasting into their religious code of practice. Native American tribes also practice a fast paired with a guided meditation as part of a spiritual ritual. Plainly stated, fasting is the act of intentional abstinence from food and water during a specified period of time, but when done mindfully or with a spiritual purpose, it becomes much more.

 

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The Latin Tongue: Andale

Well, we continue to bounce around the Twin Cities and hope that everyone out there is on board for more Latin eats! With no end in sight and continual support for our efforts from readers, we continue to pick off taquerias, restaurantes and pupuserias with a seemingly insatiable appetite. If you would have told me after our first article that we would potentially still be going when the Winter came back around, well...ok, I was hopeful, I might have believed you...and given you a hug because I love this stuff. As a matter of fact, I love it even more when I can share with others and this past week was all about sharing. My friend John told me about a place in Richfield that I had not been to yet: Andale Taqueria.

 

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Local Food All Year Starts Now!

The weekend farmers markets are upon us again and I am already thinking about what I am going to be buying. I imagine bartering for the huge, unpriced box of pickling cucumbers sitting under someone's market table. Will 30 heads of garlic really be enough. How much kale is too much? If I buy 10 boxes of beans, will I get a deal or just a funny look.

 

No, I'm not planning a party, but almost as soon as the summer begins, I start to squirrel food away. This year, it started with strawberries. Both from my own plants and from the local market, I managed to slice and freeze about 3 gallons of strawberries. I totally missed out on peas, but I intend not to let bean season pass without doing some late night blanching, freezing and pickling. 

 

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