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Taste of the NFL: Party with a Purpose

Taste of the NFL’s Party with a Purpose February 6, 2016 at San Francisco’s Cow Palace   Born at Super Bowl XXVI, Taste of the NFL rallies the country’s top chefs, celebrities and athletes to raise money in support of food banks throughout the United States. On the eve of the Super Bowl, chefs and…  Read More

5 Questions: Josh Friedland

A Way with Words An award-winning food writer and creator of the long running blog The Food Section, Josh Friedland was the man behind one of Twitter’s greatest mysteries—the elusive and satirical personality mash-up known as @RuthBourdain, which won a James Beard Award for Humor. He’s dropped the alternate persona, and has now authored a new…  Read More

Tlacolula Market in Oaxaca

A Diverse Collection of Oaxacan Food Oaxaca is Mexico’s undisputed culinary capital, and the birthplace of some of the richest traditions on the planet. Every Sunday the communities of the central Oaxacan valley converge on the Tlacolula market to buy and sell one-of-a-kind Oaxacan staples. This is one of the oldest markets in North America, and a direct…  Read More

My Hometown: Ed Lee’s Louisville

Ed Lee’s Top Picks for Louisville You may recognize chef Edward Lee from his television appearances—Top Chef, Mind of a Chef (for which he earned an Emmy nomination), Iron Chef America, to name a few—but he’s more than a TV star. His brilliant cooking at 610 Magnolia has landed him four nominations for Best Chef: Southeast…  Read More

Taste Atlas: Munich

Devour Munich The capital of Bavaria, Munich is full of impressive architecture, world-class art, and prosperous industries. Home of Germany’s renowned Oktoberfest celebration, there’s a lot more to Munich than huge beer gardens and lederhosen. Bike through the old town, visit Frauenkirche, and indulge in various Bavarian meals that you simply can’t find outside of this region. From…  Read More

The Good Acre Grand Opening

The Good Acre Food Hub Open House Friday, October 30th The mission of The Good Acre is to enhance how food is grown and shared in the Twin Cities region, to improve marketplace opportunities for diverse independent farmers, and to increase access for all consumers to healthy, locally-grown fresh produce. The acre of land next…  Read More

A Discussion About Creativity & Innovation in the Kitchen

Ferran Adria, Jose Andres & Andrew Zimmern on the Creative Process On October 9, the Minneapolis Institute of Art welcomed Ferran Adrià, the world-renowned chef behind Spain’s avant-garde elBulli, his protégé and award-winning chef José Andrés, and yours truly for a discussion on creativity and innovation in the kitchen. The panel was part of a weekend of activity celebrating…  Read More

My Hometown: Jose Enrique’s San Juan

Jose Enrique’s Top Picks for San Juan Jose Enrique is one of the biggest names in Puerto Rican cuisine. Two years ago, he became the first Puerto Rican honored as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs, and in 2013 and 2014 he was a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation Best Chef South award. Enrique’s…  Read More

Auction Item of the Year!

Minneapolis Taste of the Nation I want people to come to the Share Our Strength dinner on Sunday evening with a big check in hand to raise money to fight hunger in America. In an effort to shatter our records and help Minnesotans get food on their tables Chef Tim McKee of La Belle Vie…  Read More

Gilles Verot

Charcuterie from a Master Culinary Craftsman With two charcuterie shops in Paris and chefs from New York to London seeking out his meat arts for their Michelin-starred menus, chef Gilles Verot is the first charcutier to become an international super star. He’s the third generation in a family of charcutiers, bringing traditional country foods onto center stage…  Read More

5 Questions: Raquel Pelzel

Reimagining Bread & Butter A seasoned writer and recipe developer, Raquel Pelzel started her food career in pastry school before landing a gig in the test kitchen at Cook’s Illustrated and later moving on to Tasting Table as a senior food editor. She’s co-authored 20 cookbooks—including the James Beard award-winning Quick Recipe and the James Beard…  Read More

Wine-braised rabbit|

Essential Tips for Braising

4 Rules for Better Braising Everyone loves to braise, and the mythology indicates that it’s easy, but it’s not—it’s simple (and there is a difference). But for everyone who thinks that braising is forgiving, I would remind you of the last dried-out pot roast you’ve eaten. Here are some handy tips for braising. Brown well.…  Read More

Ai Fiori

Beautiful Cuisine from the Italian Riviera By Bob & Sue As the sister restaurant of Michael White’s Marea, Ai Fiori has a Michelin star and an exciting Italian menu. We had a hard time choosing among the many interesting courses but started with the lobster veloute, the chilled corn soup with crab, and a crudo of fluke with American sturgeon…  Read More

A Minnesotan culinary experience celebrating Ferran Adrià

I’m writing to invite my fellow Minnesotans to a once in a lifetime opportunity for anyone who loves food. As previously reported, on Friday, October 9 the Minneapolis Institute of Art is welcoming Ferran Adrià, an innovator widely considered to be one of the world’s top chefs, his protégé and award-winning chef José Andrès, and yours truly for…  Read More

Bizarre Foods Guatemala

Guatemala is an amazing country that’s overlooked by most travelers. It’s not filled with sexy beach resorts or swanky nightlife, but the rainforests, coastline, jungles and river systems are second to none in terms of natural beauty. One of the most fascinating things about this country is the 21 ethnic Maya peoples that are still in numbers…  Read More

La Cuevita de los Urquizú

Authentic Maya Cuisine For the past 20 years, owner Doña Ofira de Urquizú and her family have served dishes from the 21 unique Maya cultures. Facing the old cobblestone streets of Antigua, the restaurant’s storefront is lined with ceramic pots of thick rustic stews that are the heart and soul of Maya cooking. One of the specialties…  Read More

Taste Atlas: Zürich

Devour Zürich At the intersection of Lake Zürich and the Limmat River with a breathtaking Alpine backdrop, the Swiss capital is a leading world financial center that has tons to offer. The buzzing city boasts four official languages, a high quality of life and is consistently recognized among the world’s top cities to live in. When…  Read More

My Hometown: Jonathan Brooks’ Indianapolis

Jonathan Brooks’ Top Picks for Indianapolis Indianapolis native Jonathan Brooks opened his first restaurant, Milktooth, with his wife in October of 2014. It didn’t take long for his edgy brunch menu to gain a following and a national reputation. In 2015, Brooks was named a Food & Wine Best New Chef (the first award given to…  Read More

Behind the Scenes: Cooking Light Photo Shoot

Here’s a backstage look at last week’s Cooking Light magazine photo shoot on Lake Minnetonka. The theme was a Fourth of July barbecue potluck with my Twin Cities chef friends. That’s right, we did the shoot nearly a year in advance! Thanks to Erik Anderson, Doug Flicker, Tracy Singleton, Mike DeCamp, Jamie Malone and Steven Brown…  Read More

Ferran Adria’s Notes on Creativity at the MIA

Talk & Taste with Ferran Adrià, Josè Andrès & Andrew Zimmern Friday, October 9 Talk is at 6:00 PM Doors open for the tasting at 7:00 PM On Friday, October 9 the Minneapolis Institute of Art is welcoming Ferran Adrià, widely considered to be one of the world’s top chefs, his protégé and award-winning chef…  Read More

5 Questions: Lizz Winstead

Comedy for a Cause The co-creator of The Daily Show and Air America Radio, Lizz Winstead is a brilliant comedian. These days, she’s using her platform to advocate for women’s reproductive rights through a national comedy tour supporting Planned Parenthood and her organization Lady Parts Justice, which uses humor, parodies and events like V to Shining V…  Read More

Taste Atlas: London’s Best Fine Dining

Devour London A global hub of history, finance, fashion and food, London is incredibly accessible, reliable and popular for tourists. As England’s capital grows increasingly diverse, so do the culinary offerings. From high-end Michelin-rated tasting menus and an influx of chef-driven gastropubs to roaming food trucks and amazing ethnic food from around the globe, there…  Read More

Petition for USDA Investigation

Sign this Petition! Hey friends, thanks to many of you for signing my petition regarding Unilever (Hellmann’s/Best Foods) bullying start-up sustainable food company Hampton Creek. Because of you, Unilever dropped the frivolous lawsuit. Thank you! Here’s the crazy update though. According to an exposé by The Guardian, the United States Department of Agriculture conspired (likely illegally)…  Read More

New Minnesota State Fair Foods For 2015

New Foods at the Minnesota State Fair The Great Minnesota Get-Together always makes room for a host of new foods to try. This year is no exception, with over 50 fresh eats to sample. Fans of Sriracha, ice cream, and everything deep-fried will have plenty to celebrate, so here’s the line up for 2015: [Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”15″ gal_title=”New Minnesota State Fair…  Read More

Youth Farm: Where Leadership Grows

Growing Food, Growing Leaders, Growing Community Food and music go hand-in-hand at Cultivate, the Chipotle-sponsored touring food festival in Loring Park this Saturday (p.s. it’s FREE). There’s more than burritos to be had, with a craft beer-laden tasting hall, cooking demos from celebrity chefs like Richard Blais, Jim Christiansen, Gavin Kaysen, Erik Anderson, Jamie Malone…  Read More

My Top Picks for the MN State Fair

The State Fair is my favorite Minnesota food celebration, hands down. I adore the Minnesota State Fair so much that I try to go all 12 days. Every year there’s a list of new food booths, but I dig on the classics…. Sweet Martha’s Cookies, Speedy’s About a Foot Long Hot Dog, the Gizmo (an Italian…  Read More