Blog

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:

Tell the Dept. of Justice: Free Our Farmers! Break Up BigAg Monopolies Like Monsanto!

Posted in Farms & Gardens, News & Views on Sat, 02/06/2010 - 5:57pm by Shari Danielson -

Photo courtesy of RawFoodLife.comLast December, we wrote about ana Sofia Joanes, food policy activist and director of the movie Fresh, and her campaign against BigAg monopolies.

Heavy Table Offers Fun Foodie Nights Out

Posted in Out & About on Sat, 02/06/2010 - 8:18am by lee -

Photo of Chris Olson by Becca Dilley, Heavy TableI haven't been shy about my love for Heavy Table, an online magazine focused on food in the Midwest. Although the site's not strictly focused on local food, the staff's passion for good food brings them back to local sources on a regular basis.

This month, Heavy Table is venturing into the sexy world of real-life events with a couple of terrific sounding ones. Here's the down-low (or is it the low-down?):