An Art Adventure

This weekend Native American artists from across the Northern Plains will gather in Sioux Falls, South Dakota to hold one of the largest Art Markets representing their culture and heritage. For more information you can visit their website, http://www.npiam.org I will be there on Saturday, and will report back about how it was and hopefully my many great findings. Regardless it should be and interesting excursion away from the homefront.

Black and White Crackle Cookies

Recently I was going to make a dessert for a friend of mines birthday, and she requested that I make these chocolate cookies that I had given her in the past from David Lebovitz's book "Room for Dessert". Lebovitz is like the guru of anything sweet so there are many great recipes for all kinds of desserts in his book, but the most acclaimed one that I have made thus far has to be the recipe for these black and white cookies. These are not the traditional New York style black and white cookies, but they are black and white nonetheless. They look beautiful and taste even better, many of my friends say they should come with a warning label, because literally once you pop you can't stop.

It's a Beautiful Day

It was a Beautiful Labor Day weekend here in Orange City and Christian, Roux, and myself tried to make the most of it. We went to the lake in Yankton, SD, we went to a movie, and we barbecued with some friends and had a bonfire, but my favorite part about our weekend, was this walk. I give thanks for everyday that we get to live on this earth, and these moments amongst nature with the ones that I love are so special, though simple, they mean so much. This area also holds a special place in our hearts, because along this trail is where Christian and I got engaged, with Roux in tow. It is refreshing to be able to visit this place that holds such a wonderful memory in our lives.

My New Favorite Recipe Website

So, you have always used King Arthur's flour for all of your baking and cooking needs, but did you know that they have their own website? And that, that website has a section for recipes, and that they all sound delicious. I have my eye on the coffee cakes, but I am not sure what to try first. Let me know if there is anything that you have tried and is a "must-make".

My trip to Minneapolis

Recently I traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the first time to meet my mom for a girls weekend of shopping, dining, talking , and city exploration. I did not realize how close I was to this big city, right under a four hour drive. This was both my mom and I's first times to one of the Twin Cities and I have to say I thouroughly enjoyed it. Minneapolis has everything that all of the great big cities have, but they still retain their midwest character.

On our first day, Mom and I took to the streets and to the skyways that line downtown and Explored Nicollet Mall. This area is not really a mall, but a street or promenade if you will, that is lined with shops, restaurants, and businesses.



During the beatiful summer days that we were there, people were outside everywhere, dining, drinking and enjoying the long awaited beautiful weather. From May 1 - Oct. 31 on every Thursday, there is a Farmers Market along Nicollet Mall. Much of the produce sold is homegrown and organic. You can buy fresh vegetables, fruits, flowers and meats.

We explored and shopped for a bit and stopped for dinner at a fabulous french restaurant, called Vincent a Restaurant.



Everything was delicous here, but I must say the appetizer that I had of the Veal Sweetbreads with a sweet corn risotto and tomato butter sauce, was one of the best things I have ever had. It was a great dinner to end a wonderful day.

The next day we had to conquer consumer heaven and shop at the Mall of America. So we geared up for it by having an awesome breakfast at a local diner, called Key's cafe. There are evidently a few locations in Minneapolis, but we were at the one downtown. I shied away from the larger than life Cinnamon Rolls, which looked heavenly, and had a supberb veggie omelet with freshly squeezed o.j. and a smile, which was delightfully unexpected for diners.
The Mall of America is a task that needs some planning if you want to get it all done in one day, but if you map out your points of interest and stick to the track, never getting wrapped up into the inside playworld that is every child's fantasy and every parent's nightmare, you will be fine. So "sticking to the track" we shoppped for hours and hours, and seven hours later we emerged from the Mall of America unscathed and with some new clothes. Of course Nordstrom's shoe and makeup department were my favorites, but I also discovered this store called, The Afternoon, that is full to the brim with amazing cards and gifts for every person in your life and they have a website, so I can shop them from home. If you have any energy left, which I didn't, there is also an IKEA across the street from the Mall. That night we went back to Nicollet, because it was such a beautiful evening and dined Al fresco at Zelo, a modern italian restaurant with a passion for Art.



It was splendid and everything on the menu reflects what Mineapolis is becoming known for, which is a healthy and more natural and organic approach to farm fresh foods.
Minneapolis, was also hosting three Art Festivals on the weekend we were there, so we made it Uptown to also check out the festivities and see a favorite artist of mine, Dolan Geiman
The next day we ventured out a bit and went to the city of Edina. Minneapolis has so many unique little cities amongst the city, and Edina is one of them. At the neighborhood surrounding the intersection of 50th and France are many quaint shops, restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, etc... that have a cool historic and unique vibe about them, but also very urban and hip. There was the best cooking store there called, The Cooks of Crocus Hill. I bought the awesome crocs for making French Onion soup there that I always wanted, but the greatest thing about this store was that it was a venue for crop sharing and a drop off point for local farms. You could order free heritage turkeys, specialty french tri-color chickens, wild boar, and the list goes on, not to mention the produce. They also hold a cooking class here once a week.

We ended our trip with dramatic contrast. First cocktails at the new and completely modern Cosmos, at the Graves 601 Hotel and then Dinner at Oceanaire, and old school staple that has fish flown in fresh daily, that feels like something remeniscent of the "the good old days."



It was truly a wonderful time and I had a great time catching up with my mom, which for me was the best part of the trip, but I also fell in love with Minneapolis. On the way home I even stopped by two roadside famer's markets and picked up some of the delicious produce and jarred creations that Minnesota had to offer, but I'll still take the cold here, at least it's a few degrees warmer.

Tomatoes... the possibilities are endless

My garden has been popping lately with all kinds of things, but my favorite vegetable of the bounty is tomatoes. I love tomatoes and used to eagerly look forward to the Creole Tomato season in New Orleans, but there are many kinds of wonderful tomatoes out there, and many ways to use them in cooking. So more recently I have been trying to invent my own recipes, using my new favorite book called, The Flavor Bible.



The Flavor Bible lists by alphabet every naturally found food that exists and gives you flavor pairings, great combinations, and even certain great recipes from top chefs, on what compliments the certain food. I have been using this now "religiously" when cooking anything and have come up with some great recipes. Recently, I cooked with Kohlrabi for the first time and came up with a gratin that was out of this world. But with my tomatoes I experimented some and came up with this creation:



Baked Green Tomato Napoleans with Spicy Tabasco Remoulade Sauce

I have not gotten to the part of actually writing down the recipes as I make them, so that will have to be my next goal, but I did coat the Tomatoes in Grape Seed oil, salt, and pepper, and then dredged them through a mixture of Panko, parmesan cheese, and fresh basil. I then broiled them until they were crispy. For the layering of the napolean, I used herbed goat cheese- (whatever herbs were available in my garden) and mixed them with goat cheese, then layered that with between three tomatoes and broiled that some more. The remoulade is really where I lost track of what was put in it, sorry. If you have any interesting tomato recipe suggestions, please send them to me. Thanks and happy cooking.

My Tales of the Cocktail...New Orleans

While Christian will be in our hometown this week attending the Tales of the Cocktail conference, "learning and studying" of course all that liquor has to offer. I thought that I would do my own Tales of the Cocktail list of all of my favorite spots to get great drinks in New Orleans. This is not for all of you visiting bartenders who'll sit and critique base liquors for hours on end while forcing the frail bartender at the Absinthe House to whip up 30 Absinthe Frappes for you and your ilk (@ 3am; hotshot)...this is for the people who just know how to enjoy a good drink...compiled over my 10+ years of liquid indulgence.

I would not recommend doing this all in one day, unless your tolerance is ready for it, but two or three days would suffice

First, hop on up to the The Carousel Bar at the Monteleone Hotel in the French Quarter where famous drinkers such as Ernest Hemmingway imbibed at, amongst many other infamous people, and order The Goody.



The Goody is an original cocktail invented at the Carousel Bar and includes dark rum, light rum, orgeat (almond syrup), pineapple juice, and orange juice. What better way to get your daily vitamins. Now perhaps riding a carousel bar that makes one rotation every thirty minutes, might not seem like the thing to do whilst drinking but trust me it is worth it. I have riden it countless times and never gotten sick and it provides this great carnival-esque ambience.

The next cocktail on the essential list can be found at the Napolean House. The Napolean House is a great spot that has been around for over 200 years, and still holds the mysticism of being stuck in a more relaxed and refined time. I love going here for the great atmoshpere, a wonderful Muffaletta, and of course for the famed Pimm's Cup.



I will never forget trying my first Pimm's Cup, because I truly thought I would not like it, but after one pleasantly refreshing sip amidst the humid New Orleans summer, I was hooked. The classic Pimm's Cup contains a gin based liquor called, Pimm's, lemonade, lemon-lime soda, and of course (the refreshing part) cucumber. These are so easy going down, so be careful and eat a little or a lot so you can continue the tour.

The next bar that is a must on everyone's list is Pat O'Brien's. Located in the french quarter and renowned for it's super drink, the Hurricane, Pat O'Brien's is a New Orleans establishment that will never perish. However, since all of the Hurricanes are now made from a powdery mix I am not going to include them on my cocktail tour, but another remarkable drink that Pat O's makes, that they even took off of the menu because it makes the bartenders cringe, is the Pousse Cafe. This is on my list because it is a beautiful layered shot that noone besides the tenders at Pat O's seem to be able to replicate. Placed in the sun, this shot looks like a rainbow mixture of goodness. What makes this drink work is knowing the specific gravities of the liquors that are in it and carefully pouring them over a spoon to allow the layers to set up.



Drinking a pousse at Pat's.

The next stop on the cocktail tour would have to be the Ritz Carlton Hotel. It may seem a bit stodgy to be going to the Ritz for drinks, but if you are looking for the best in cocktails then you have to go to the Library Lounge at the Ritz Carlton and pay a visit to Chris McMillian. Chris can mix any drink to its absolute pefection, but if there is one drink that you want done perfectly and absolutely can not have it any other way, than it is a Ramos Gin Fizz and world renowned bartender, mixologist, and all around cocktail genius, Chris McMillian has to make it. When done correctly this is the lightest sweetest and most enjoyable libation I have ever tasted, and I usually don't like Gin that much. The basic recipe calls for one-and-a-half ounces gin, a tablespoon simple syrup, two ounces half-and-half, one egg white, a dash of vanilla extract, a half-an-ounce of orange flower water and a splash of lemon-lime soda. However, the magic happens once you shake it and shake it vigorously you must.


The Ramos Gin Fizz

If you want more history about this classic New Orleans cocktail than I suggest you visit Chris and let him tell you, because as the fourth generation of bartenders in his family and a native New Orleanian who has worked in the finest establishments, he will have the best tale of that cocktail and many others.

There is nothing more classic New Orleans than going to the next spot, which has just reopened its doors after Hurricane Katrina, for its signature drink. The Sazerac, can only be had at the Sazerac Lounge in the old, but new again, Roosevelt Hotel. According to the Atlantic, "The trinity of Sazerac ingredients survived Hurricane Katrina: Herbsaint liqueur, Peychaud’s Bitters, and Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey. All are owned by the Sazerac Company, headquartered in New Orleans in a building that itself survived the storm."



I have memories of going here with my family over Christmas every year when it was the Fairmont and looking at the lavish decorations and as I got older trying my first sazerac. You have to love when a bar dedicates its name to one drink, because you know they have to do it well, and well they do.

The Next drink is not orginial to New Orleans, but in my opinion they know how to make it like they invented it. However, it is a toss up on where to get the best one. The Bloody Mary is a classic drink legened to cure any hangover and there are two places in New Orleans where I love to have them. Ralph's On The Park, a Brennan's family restaurant, has one of the most acclaimed Bloody's in the city and has the view to match. Located on City Park Avenue across from City Park itself, you can see the southern seersucker clad men and women brunching with their delectable Bloody Mary's with the wondeful spicy cayanne spiked rim and of course the pickled salad that must be included, don't exlude the okra and green beans - they make it.


The other place to get the best Bloody Mary is quite a different scene, but comparable nonetheless. Getting a bloody mary at the Superdome on sunday at a Saint's game is a joy on its own whether or not the Saint's win or lose. They are perfectly spicy and have all of the fancy accoutrements and served usually from your same friendly bar attendant everytime. I guess people here just know what they like and a good Bloody Mary is a must on Sundays, so you chose where you'd like to have one.

This next cocktail is more about where you are enjoying it than the cocktail itself, but my fondest sophisticated cocktail moments came from sitting on the front porch of The Columns Hotel and experiencing my first Martini, gin style of course. (There are a lot of first time Gin moments in here- which I guess I really do like) The Columns is my favorite place to meet for drinks around happy hour and watch New Orleans in it's glory.



It makes the notion of why cocktails and New Orleans go so well together, like a breath of fresh air.

The next drink is the most luxurious drink on the list and a great way to end an evening before hitting the hay. The Brandy Alexander at Gallatoire's is not only an amazing drink, but the most wonderful way to end a meal at one of the most fantastic restaurants in the world.



So after you have wined and dined for hours over amazing food, conversation, and service, end your meal the right way with a Brandy Alexander. Oh and don't exclude dessert, just make it the after dessert dessert. The Brandy Alexander includes chocolate liqueur, brandy, and ice cream or cream.

For my last entry a tear is kind of welling up in my eye, because I have to say RIP to Nick's Bar on Tulane Avenue in New Orleans who I believe have still not reopened after Hurricane Katrina. Nick's is the kind of establishment that can only be referred to as a dive, but it was the kind of dive that you would see people from all walks of life in. The kind of establishment that makes any New Orleanian feel at home and where they just might remember your name. The most amazing thing about Nick's (clearly not the decor if you ever were there) was the gigantic hand painted bar menu that hung above patrons, taunting them with funnily named drinks that you just had to try. Yes, Nick's was not known for the classier cocktails but more for the ones with lots of liquor to get you messed up quicker. So here is a RIP moment to all the Pink Lemonade's (doesn't that sound so innocent) and 1-800-F**k Me up's that my friends and I drank over the years. Nick's you and your amazing drink menu will truly be missed.

So there it is. A list of fantastic cocktails comprised by a local with accompanied memories to match. I hope you have enjoyed my Tail of New Orlean's Cocktails and that it inspires you to try them all, at least the one's that still exist. Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans yet? Just wait till you can't get that fantastic cocktail in your town.