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

Taste Atlas: Amsterdam

Devour Amsterdam Amsterdam is a quirky enclave of bikes, boats and old world charm that draws visitors from all over the world. In a city that defies easy description, tourists flock there for the forbidden (“coffee shops” and the infamous Red Light District) as much as they do for the renowned architecture, museums and culture. And…  Read More

Tips for Cooking Pasta

Cooking Pasta in My Kitchen Everyone loves a good noodle. It’s a quick, easy and economical way to eat. It can also be as elegant as you care to make it, and is universally beloved in every country I can think of. These are some fun tips to keep in mind next time you are…  Read More

Taste Atlas: Dublin

Devour Dublin Few modern European cities can match Dublin’s mix of rough spirit and hip energy. Rife with old-school pubs and scratchy-voiced musicians, there has been a recent influx of young entrepreneurial-types who have been fostering a place where creativity and contemporary ideas can flourish. With this unique meshing of history and modernity, there is…  Read More

Taste Atlas: Rome

Devour Rome One of the cradles of Western civilization, Rome is a city full of globally influential art, culture and architecture. Over 4 million tourists flock to the Italian capital every year, visiting ancient Roman ruins, hoping to catch a glimpse of the pope in Vatican City, and, often times, binging on Italian gelato, pizza…  Read More

5 Questions: Tony Maws

Uncompromisingly Committed to His Craft A 2011 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef Northeast and Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2005, Tony Maws is the owner of Boston’s acclaimed Craigie on Main and the newer, more casual Kirkland Tap & Trotter. An immensely talented chef with ruthless expectations of himself and his staff,…  Read More

No Kid Hungry #SaveSummer

I got this email from Tamra C. McCraw yesterday. It’s reprinted in its exact form because I couldn’t put it any better… please read it, make the links your mission for today and lets help kids get the food they need during the summer months and beyond. I need you to call/email/tweet/urge your Senators to get active on this piece of legislation. Thanks, AZ    Andrew it…  Read More

My Hometown: Matthew Accarrino’s San Francisco

Chef Accarrino Shares San Francisco Favorites After graduating from the CIA in New York and working for top tier chefs around the country (including Thomas Keller at Per Se and Tom Colicchio at Craft Los Angeles), chef Matthew Accarrino moved to San Francisco in 2009 to take over the SPQR kitchen. At the intimate Fillmore neighborhood restaurant, Accarrino takes traditional,…  Read More

Taste Atlas: Madrid

Devour Madrid A vibrant city with a storied history, beautiful architecture and a serious appetite for food, art and music, Madrid is one of Europe’s great capitals of culture. From market tapas to Michelin-starred fine dining, restaurants in this bustling metropolis intertwine the country’s rich culinary traditions with innovation and modern gastronomy. Here’s a sampling…  Read More

My Hometown: Michael Solomonov’s Philadelphia

Mike Solomonov’s Top Picks for Philly Highly regarded as one of the best chefs in Philadelphia—and I’d say in the entire country—Michael Solomonov’s Israeli food at the award-winning Zahav is beyond exquisite; it’s mind blowing. After he took a seemingly simple dish like hummus and elevated it to cult status, people started paying attention and the crowds have…  Read More

Guelaguetza

Iconic Oaxacan Food in LA For more than 20 years, Guelaguetza has been a stalwart in Los Angeles’ robust Mexican restaurant scene. From mole to mezcal, they serve some of the best Oaxacan specialties in the United States. Be sure to try their signature mole negro, served either with chicken and hand-made fresh tortillas, layered in their tlayudas (a…  Read More

5 Questions: Joe Carroll

Feeding the Fire When Joe Carroll opened Brooklyn’s Fette Sau in 2007, he was among the very first pioneers to bring legit barbecue to New York City. A couple years ago, the New Jersey-native expanded his operation to Philadelphia, adding a second Fette Sau to his roster of restaurants (which also includes the neighborhood steakhouse…  Read More

Taste Atlas: Dubai

Devour Dubai Dubai is the wealthiest and most populous of the seven United Arab Emirates. In just two short decades, it’s grown into a modern metropolis with man-made islands, shopping centers with indoor ski slopes and the world’s tallest skyscraper. But scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find a vibrant melting pot of immigrants, merging…  Read More

Swan Oyster Depot

Classic San Fran Seafood Located in the Nob Hill neighborhood, Swan Oyster Depot is more than 100 years old—an amazing feat in the restaurant business, especially considering they haven’t lost any relevancy. Get there early or expect to wait, folks start queuing up for one of the 18 counter seats before they open at 10:15am, and the…  Read More

Ideas on Changing the Food & Farming System

Last week I spoke at the 75th annual American Public Gardens Association Conference, hosted by the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. Before the event, I sat down with Lisa Marchand of Minnesota Monthly to chat about our broken food system and the state’s farming potential. Read the article here.   When…  Read More

My Hometown: Edward Kim’s Chicago

Edward Kim on Where to Eat & Drink in Chicago After graduating from culinary school, chef Edward Kim worked in kitchens in Los Angeles, Seoul and New York City—most notably under Thomas Keller at Per Se—before returning to his native Chicago to open Ruxbin in Wicker Park. After the wild success of his globally-influenced 32-seat neighborhood BYOB,…  Read More