dahl

I'll admit that I haven’t been cooking at home much recently. In the past, I blamed this sad occurrence on my busy school or work schedule; I can’t say the same this time. The culprit, you ask? Several new restaurants have popped up in Madison over the past month -- and each of them is boasting a (mostly) locally-sourced menu. Believe me, if you tasted the food, you wouldn’t be cooking at home either! 

I strongly encourage Madison visitors -- in town for this weekend’s Wisconsin Cheese Festival, our last outdoors Dane County Farmer’s Market, or REAP’s Pie Palooza, maybe? -- to visit two of my favorite new restaurants: Graze and Nostrano.

Graze

Usually on Simple Good and Tasty, we’re extolling the joys of eating, relishing and celebrating great food. But today, I’m going to try to convince you to temporarily deny yourself the usual culinary pleasures and join me for a seven-day fall “cleanse.” For one week, we will eat nothing but Kicharee, an Asian dish of split yellow mung beans cooked with basmati rice and spices, three times a day, to be supplemented only by a morning shot of ghee – clarified, melted butter. Oh, and lots of warm water.

I’ll start by answering your first question: No, I’m not crazy. Then, your second question: Because it’s good for you. Third question: Yes, I have done this before. Now, before you ask anything else, let me explain…