Category: Food and Drink

Maybe you love him. Maybe you hate him. Maybe you love to hate him, you cheeky poppet.

As I’ve said before, I rather like Gordon Ramsay, more for his Brit shows (Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and The F Word) and Michelin stars (eight) than for Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen. Clearly staffed with inept kitchen squid, the show is meant to provoke Ramsay’s legendary temper.

When I saw Roasting in Hell’s Kitchen on the shelf, I bit … and now I really like him. The book reads as if you’re at the pub and, over a pint, you asked him “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Far from a tot who grew up tied to Gran’s apron strings, his childhood was a mess. He had to scratch and claw his way through life to get what he wanted, which turned out to be a life with food. His stories are colorful and riotous, they had me laughing late into the night. I have no doubt he’s cut from the same cloth as my friend Cliff, a Brit who carried a sutures set with him at all times.

Most TV chefs put on a persona that everyday hard-scrabble kitchen guys see through: an icky-palatable-to-the-masses glimmer glow. Ramsay is old school, he’s the real deal, and while it’s clear he loves the limelight, you can be dead sure he won’t be hawking for Applebees.

Hotness got the best of us on Sunday night, so I packed up the kids and headed to the movies. From being in the sun all day (I’m feeling a little Colonel Saunders Original Recipe) I was in need of a beer with my flick, so we headed off to the New Hope Cinema Grill. The doctor ordered a big pint of Surly Ale, some crispy waffle fries with seasoned sour cream, and a gnarly surfing penguins movie.

Driving home refreshed and chatting about the possibility of finding surf lessons in town, all of a sudden my son blurts out “Oh my god, there’s Uncle Franky’s!”

Being huge fans of the Scooby-Doo enhanced Uncle Franky’s of Nordeast, we were shocked to see the sign in Plymouth of all places. But joy, there it is! Right off of Hwy 55 and 169, across from a Rainbow Foods, right next to a Caribou! Hail hail, the suburbs have become a bit more liveable!

It was closed last night, but we are already plotting our lunch today: I’m in for the Polish Maxwell (with kraut, danke schon), Jake is all about the classic Uncle Franky Dog with a strawberry shake, and Matt’s thinking about the Motown Chili burger (no beans).

Why is it that Mothers get brunch on their day, but Dads get grillables? Is there something so feminine about pancakes and burnt toast? Clearly, most of us belive there is something masculine and primal about cooking food over an open flame.

But there are Dads who are the Champions of Breakfast: they are the ones that shuffle the cereal during the week and man the griddle on the weekends. For them I’d whip up some aebleskivers, the round pancake balls that you can fill with jam or Nutella or whatever makes you happy.

Maybe your Dad is The Sandwich Man: a guy who likes nothing better than to plop on the couch with a huge hoagie and a beer. A perfect pile of Italian spiciness from Delmonico’s might fit the bill. Better yet, go get a couple of pounds of pastrami and every fixin’ you can think of, and let him create the perfect bite.

Meat can be manly without being grilled. Grab a couple pounds of grass-fed beef short ribs from the boys of Braucher’s Sunshine Harvest Farm at the Mill City Market, and brine it in beer overnight. A quiet three hour braise will give you a tender, flavorful dish that would be tasty with some nicely spiced onion rings. No grill required.

Short Ribs
(about 4 lbs. of beef ribs)
Place short ribs in Ziploc bags, cover with Guinness, seal and allow to marinate over night.

Mix together:
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. tumeric

Remove ribs, and pat dry. Rub spice mix over all sides. In large pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over high heat until hot. Brown the ribs on all sides, working in batches if needed. Place ribs aside on a separate plate.

Thrown in a some chopped garlic and slices of sweet onion (Vidalia)and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, add short ribs and enough Guinness to cover them. Cover and place in 350 degree oven for about 3 hours. Remove, drain and chow down.

hot! hot! hot!

Ok, what’s with the hot tub?

For the last two seasons, the Top Chef chefs were holed up in spartan lofts…they had to cook Thanksgiving dinner in the ridiculous little kitchens, remember?

I get that the show’s succeess means that people want to give them things: like the penthouse suite at the Fountainebleu in Miami that is DECKED out with glam…and a hot tub. Fishing for bikini shots, anyone? I think it’s a little cheesey, a little Hell’s Kitchen, not worthy of the goal of the competition.

OK, just for starters: Hung is clearly the guy we’re supposed to love to hate … and he’s got a connection to Marcel, hmmmm.

The big Vinnie-NY-Italian-Guy looks like he’ll be the meathead of the bunch.

The girls are all pretty-pretty, and younger than before, not a Betty or Cynthia amongst them.

The food looked pretty good, I was seriously hungry for the winning dish and was excited by CJ’s ostrich tartare. And even though Brian ended up in the bottom bunch at the judges table, I think he had guts to choose the snake and eel.

We’ll see…..

I am all a-board for this one.

I have a certain attraction to the idea of floating down the river while snacking on fine foods. I think it goes to the dream of a lazy summer evening, one in which I am continually served bourbon and branch cocktails by someone I refer to as “Sugar”. If there are chaise lounges and pretty dresses involved, so much the better.

The Taste of the St. Croix Cruise might just fit the bill. As a kick-off for the week-long Taste, on June 21 you can board the Grand Duchess and cruise the St. Croix while noshing on treats provided by the valley’s tastiest restaurants: Bayport Cookery, Lake Elmo Inn, Confluence, and San Pedro Cafe to name a few. Plus, 10% of ticket sales go to benefit the Perspectives Kids Cafe which is a phenomenal program that feeds hungry kids.

Reservations required, so pick your dress, get a date, practice your drawl (thahnks, shuggah) and get on the list soon…

Just a quick reminder that the Mill City Farmers Market is open tonight from 4pm to 8pm for the first of its new summer Thursdays gig. Sounds like a good place to spend happy hour.

Word is, there are some kick-ass mini-donuts skulking around….

ps…last night’s Top Chef wasn’t worth yapping about, but tune in next Thursday and we’ll see how my bff Brian fared….

AOL Radio is featuring some tasty tunes on their Blogger Radio station. That’s thanks to Josh Friedland of The Food Section who pulled together 100 of his favorite food-related songs. It’s a very cool buffet, something for everyone (a little Snoop, a dash of Dizzy Gillespie, some Carole King, a pinch of Fat Boys). They’re only up until June 16, so tune in soon.

I personally would have added “Cold Beverages” from G. Love and Special Sauce … “Starfish and Coffee” by Prince … “Cigarettes and Coffee” done by Otis Redding. Personal fave: “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” ala Squeeze.

Josh’s Top 100
All That Meat And No Potatoes by Fats Waller
All You Can Eat by the Fat Boys
Artichoke by Cibo Matto
Augustus Gloop by Danny Elfman
Augustus Gloop by The Poozies
Banana Boat (Day-O) by Harry Belafonte
Beans And Cornbread by Louis Jordan
Beef Jerky by Cibo Matto
Birthday Cake by Cibo Matto
Black Coffee In Bed by Squeeze
Bowl Of Oranges by Bright Eyes
Brown Sugar by D’Angelo
Brown Sugar by the Rolling Stones
Candy by Cameo
Candy by Morphine
Candy (Drippin’ Like Water) by Snoop Dogg
Candy Shop by 50 Cent
Catfish by Bob Dylan
Catfish Blues by Jimi Hendrix
Chicken Grease by D’Angelo
Chicken Noodle Soup by Webstar n Young B
Chicken Soup With Rice by Carole King
Chocolate Buttermilk by Kool n The Gang
Chocolate City by Parliament
Chocolate Factory by R. Kelly
Choux Pastry Heart by Corinne Bailey Rae
Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk by Rufus Wainwright
Cookin’ by Clifford Brown
Crawfish by Elvis Presley
Days Of Wine And Roses by Henry Mancini
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On The Bedpost by Lonnie Donegan
Drinks by Twista
Egg Man by the Beastie Boys
Eggs And Sausage by Tom Waits
Fried Chicken by Ice-T
Giblet Gravy by George Benson
Gimme That Wine by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross
Gin And Juice by Snoop Doggy Dogg
Glass Onion by The Beatles
Gone Sugaring by Mirah
Green Onions by Booker T and The MG’s
Grits by James Brown
Ham ‘N’ Eggs by A Tribe Called Quest
Happy Meal II by The Cardigans
Home Cookin’ by Horace Silver
Honey by Moby
Honey Pie by The Beatles
I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl by Nina Simone
I Want Candy by Bow Wow Wow
Ice Cream Castles by The Time
Ice Cream Man by Tom Waits
Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice
It Should Have Been Me by Ray Charles
Jail House Rap by Fat Boys
Juicebox by The Strokes
Juicy Fruit by Mtume
Know Your Chicken by Cibo Matto
Lady Marmalade by LaBelle
Le Jazz Et Le Gin by Coralie Clement
Le Pain Perdu by Cibo Matto
Milkcow Blues Boogie by Elvis Presley
Milkshake by Kelis
Mother Popcorn by James Brown
My Sweet Potato by Booker T and The MG’s
Old Joe’s Place by The Folksmen
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer by John Lee Hooker
Orange Crush by R.E.M.
Oregano Flow (Gumbo Soup Mix) by Digital Underground
Otha Fish by The Pharcyde
Pimp Juice by Nelly
Pot Kettle Black by Wilco
Potato Head Blues by Louis Armstrong
Potato’s In The Paddy Wagon by The New Main Street Singers
Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard
Pulling Mussels (From The Shell) by Squeeze
Quiche Lorraine by The B-52’s
Rapper’s Delight by Sugarhill Gang
Red Apples by Cat Power
Red Vines by Aimee Mann
Salt Peanuts by Dizzy Gillespie
Salt Peanuts by Joshua Redman
Savoy Truffle by The Beatles
Shanghai Noodle Factory by Traffic
Spanish Grease by Willie Bobo
Straight, No Chaser by Thelonious Monk
Struttin’ With Some Barbecue by Louis Armstrong
Sukiyaki by A Taste Of Honey
Sweets For My Sweet by The Drifters
Taco WIth A Pork Chop by Ray Brown, John Clayton, Christian McBride
Tacos, Enchiladas And Beans by Doris Day
Tea For Two by Ella Fitzgerald
Tea For Two by Fats Waller
The Coffee Song by Frank Sinatra
The Lemon Song by Led Zeppelin
Too Much Sugar For A Dime by Merle Travis
Watermelon Man by Mongo Santamaria
White Pepper Ice Cream by Cibo Matto
Wild Honey by U2
Yes! We Have No Bananas by Louis Prima
You’re Not The Only Oyster In The Stew by Fats Waller

I am PSYCHED about these guys landing in the Western Metro. I know they’ve been shopping spots in the Twin Cities for a while, but it looks like Minnetonka (Hwy 7/Shady Oak by Lunds) is the first lucky recipient of a HomeMade Pizza Co.

You could just poo-poo it as another take-and-bake concept, but you would be a sad and hungry poo-pooer when you realized how cool these guys are. Never mind the props from Oprah and Brooke Shields, never mind that chef-on-the-scene Grant Achatz calls it a personal favorite, it’s really all about the ingredients, my friends.

The guys behind HomeMade Pizza Co. have an idea that the ingredients should be the best available and all-natural and that the pizzas should be made from scratch. That means chopping fresh basil for your personal pie. Huh.

Plus, they seem to have a knack for putting the freshness to work. The Georgia has Santa Fe chicken sausage, poblano peppers and ricotta cheese … the wild mushroom pizza is complemented with creamy Fontinella cheese and fresh thyme … and their signature sausage and onion utilizes all-natural Itaian sausage, carmelized onions, Asiago cheese and a hit of sage.

Also check out their Cutie Pie Kit, in which you take home a box of fun for pizza making with the kids.

They aren’t open yet, but they are hiring, which means it will be soon, very soon …..

something lovely from celeste?

First off, did you see this piece on kids’ menus? I’ve been noticing the ‘chicken finger pandemic’ myself for a while now, but thankfully there are places that try to feed kids, not just pacify them. Craftsman, with their finger-free kids’ menu of fresh but friendly food, comes directly to mind. I have to say, my kids aren’t saints or elite eaters by any means, but because our home dinners are not restaurant-style (no special orders!), the 4 year-old has grown up eating tilapia, zucchini, goat cheese and spinach with the rest of us. It’s actually easier than trying to make meals to fit everyone.

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I wandered into the new Wayzata Eatery the other day. They’ve just opened with a “Fine Casual Dining” motto in the old Louie’s Habit spot. The space has been made a bit more comfortable, but it still has a dark and clubby feel. The menu looks interesting: Nueske’s BLT, parm crusted grilled cheese, wild mushroom lasagna, and an $11 Wagyu burger. The first menu wasn’t proofed very well, but crispy leaks and pine nutes are forgivable. Word is, the owners have a history in foodservice, but more on the commercial/supply side. Apparently this is their first restaurant, but they have plans to turn the old Shelley’s Woodroast into a seafood restaurant later this summer. Let’s hope it’s nothing like the Billfish concept that failed across the street.

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Always looking to give something cool and different to the grad, this year I’m bringing personalized, stenciled chocolates from Chocolat Celeste. That and a fat check.

Gaelic mythology tells of a hero known for his amazing perception. As a young lad, he was ordered by his master to cook a magical salmon which would impart all the world’s knowledge to its eater. During preparation, the young hero burned his finger on the fish. Quickly putting the sore finger in his mouth, he unknowingly swallowed a scale from the salmon skin, passing some of the fish’s power onto him.

I can’t say I’m smarter from the salmon I ate last night, but I am happier. There is some great salmon out there right now, Alaskan King (aka Chinook) and Copper River Sockeye are two of my favorites.

For the first time last week, I had some ivory King Salmon. The white fleshed fish is a bit of a prize, you won’t know it’s an ivory fish until you cut into it. I first ate it sashimi style: sliced and raw, the pale flesh carried a slightly rosy hue and was unbelievably soft and delicate. I also had it simply broiled with a dusting of seasoning: the firm yet flaky flesh was luminous and the flavor was so subtle, so cleanly oceanic.

last night’s dinner
(the hub’s 40th birthday)
herbed bamboo rice
zucchini/asparagus with leeks and basil
ciabatta
Alaskan King salmon
… When buying filets, ask for the bones and the skin to be removed. Treating the fish simply is best, in my mind. And I also like it medium to medium rare. I set the filets on a rimmed baking sheet and brushed them with olive oil, Maldon sea salt and a little black pepper. In a pre-heated 425 oven, the two 8oz. pieces sat for about 20 minutes and came out perfectly medium.