And the winner is...

We have a winner! 23 people left comments or links to their re-post about the Les Petites Images first give away! Using random.org's random number generator the 15th comment is the lucky winner.


And that lucky person just happens to be Suzanne:




And now I've been challenged to lavender foam and inside out omelets.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered! I have now have a huge list of places in NYC to sort through, and lots of great cooking ideas. While I can't promise to visit all places or cook all dishes, consider your suggestions on the shortlist of finalists in my future. Suzanne, please DM me on twitter with your contact info... or maybe we can schedule a tweetup with you and other twin cities entrants!

Paired: June Edition

Attending this Paired was different than the others. I only knew minimal attendees, had a less than stress free weekend, and was definitely not ready to go an hour beforehand (Chris stopped by to pick up his cutting board he had left at our house earlier in the month and looked at me with concern asking "... are you guys coming tonight?" while I greeted him bra-less, un-showered and at best, disheveled. Classy).

The setting for the first weather cooperative Paired was intimidating as we approached the industrial part of Midway via 94 (What? Not in Northeast?). Kyle, myself and another couple consisting of two well dressed individuals greeted each other as assumed Paired attendees in the wrong part of the parking lot, made a few confused phone calls to the powers that be, and were eventually escorted to the correct entryway by Lauren.





There is something alluring and mysterious about entering a dining space with signs that remind you that if you're not authorized personnel, you aren't welcome beyond a certain point. Tonight, we were authorized.

We climbed numerous flights of stairs and finally emerged into a wood workers studio. I like to play games with myself and do zero investigative research into the artists that are announced in the Paired emails. This most likely stems for my disregard for reading the back of movies I find intriguing, or the synopses of books I am about to read (We can investigate my neuroses later). I was excited to find ourselves in a wood workers studio. Though not much saw dust was laying around, plenty of beautiful evidence surrounded us.















After snooping around a bit in the studio Brooke suggested I look into the dining area. It almost took my breath away. Aside from the gorgeous table laid out in front of me, the decor, surroundings, everything was just calm, beautiful, and inviting. I was SO excited.











The studio is part of a co-operative, but the artist featured was Scott McGlasson of Woodsport. On top of having gorgeous pieces on display for us, Scott was the least intimidating of all the artists I've encountered during Paired, and was definitely the most social. He talked about his work in non-complicated terms, gave us advise about the moulding situation in our 110 year old Farm house, and easily joined the crowd for dinner. Oh yeah...dinner. That's what I'm normally blog about, right? Well Scott is great, and you should buy some of his work.



These vases were also crafted by Scott


Now onto the food.



Chris brought the woodsy theme to the table (made out of re-use wood, given to the studio and originally from a Church, as far as my memory serves me) in all 3 courses. He also invited us to eat radishes to whet our palettes.





1st up was a White Gazpacho with poached egg and gelée with grape (Gelée!! Way to bring it Chris!!) This dish was definitely the most thought provoking, with a mystery ingredient, contrast of textures and plain old creativity.





2nd up was a garbanzo bean salad served family style with mint, plum and yogurt. I love all forms of beans (though I should omit Lima from that statement) and loved that it was served on some of Scott's work.






Our Main course was Walleye (caught just the day before up in North Dakota), which was grilled on a cedar plank which gave it an incredibly smokey flavor. The field greens added a nice bitterness to the plate which was balanced by the tartness of the rhubarb compote and the creaminess of the potatoes.



Dessert was composed of gingerbread cookies and fresh from the farmer's market strawberry ice cream. I loved that the cookies were cut into shapes for us to play with. I always had an affinity for Lincoln Logs, and who doesn't love to play with their food?








Drinks were a mixture of wine, beer made by Kevin Horkheimer (with whom you can chat at the Northern Brewer in St Paul)



and Scotch served with dessert. I actually really enjoyed the scotch, but won't comment as to whether that was influenced by numerous servings of wine and beer prior to that point in the meal.



Final thoughts: the setting was gorgeous and the food was perfect for the 1st cool evening in what seemed like weeks. I'm so fortunate to have such amazing people in my life that express their creativity this way. I am both saddened by, and excited about the last Paired meal coming up in August. Regardless, it has certainly inspired my desire to host more dinner parties.

Simple, Good and Tasty: A Meal

A month or two ago I was fortunate enough to be invited to a meetup with other local food bloggers, hosted by Jim Norton of The Heavy Table. It's always fun to meet others in the blogosphere (especially when it comes to food) and get their advice on where to eat, what to order, who to talk to, what's in the works, who is closing shop. One of the individuals I met was Lee Zukor, "Instigator" for Simple, Good, and Tasty. Lee is diving into the world of local, organic, and responsible eating and wants you to come with him. In addition to his garden, CSA and farmer's market extravaganzas, he's started organizing meals at restaurants that focus on using local ingredients.





I was a little late in the game on finding out about his first meal (I read too many blogs and therefore often end up skimming even my favorites) but made sure to get my name on the list to his second, scheduled to take place at Heartland Restaurant in St Paul.






Lee invited me to come a bit early to tour the kitchen, which I gladly obliged. I enjoyed a nice glass of Cremant Rose in the bar while discussing what it takes to quit your job and become an organic farmer with one of Lee's previous co-workers. Then we were whisked off the the dinning room which was reserved solely for Simple Good and Tasty dinner participants.










While I didn't cook anything "new" this week, I did experience a first. It was a challenge to pass up the vegetarian menu that was featuring duck-egg pasta ravioli with local sheep's milk ricotta (oh god my mouth is watering just typing that) but I had to dive into the house made headcheese, which I had never officially previously consumed (I am certain I had one version or another during my time in Italy, but never knowingly called it headcheese).

head⋅cheese [hed-cheez]

–noun

a seasoned loaf made of the head meat, sometimes including the tongue or brains, of a calf or pig and molded in the natural aspic of the head.

Hey, I'm always up for a challenge

I was dining solo (shocking, right?! Kyle started Grad School two weeks ago, so the occasional dinner without him is inevitable) and had a great time getting to know my dining neighbors, Steve and Ben, a couple of dads from Lee's neighborhood and Joan and her sister, from A Backyard Farm. Fortunately, Joan ordered the Flora option, so I was able to take pictures for both meal options.


Before the meal Lee talked a little bit about his mantra, announced that Simple, Good and Tasty is officially a business according to the State of MN, and thanked everyone involved for being a part of the evening.





Next up was Chef Lenny Russo who also talked about his local food mantra, explained a bit about his business practices (like the fact that they purchase and utilize a whole pig, hence the headcheese portion of the evening)






This led to an amuse bouche (I'm not sure there are any other two words in the world that I love more... especially when I'm not expecting to hear them... or maybe foie gras) of Walleye Mousse on Kohlrabi slaw with a chervil aioli. Yums.




For us omnivores the 1st course was the much awaited headcheese. If you like ham, you'd love headcheese. It's creamy and rich, and the idea of internal organs being in there is the farthest thing from your mind when it hits your tongue. I was immediately brought back to the time Kyle and I spent on the pig farm in Italy. There is an undeniable earthy character to properly raised pork. I have to admit I kind of missed the concept of the chrysanthemum salad while eating it but the dish was delicious.





The vegetarian eaters got a very brightly colored fruit soup that looked incredibly refreshing (a good thing on any 90 degree day).





Next up was the Poussin (which may or may not just be a young chicken)
It was incredibly tender, rich, and in sum, delicious. Additionally, I could eat about 20 of those wild rice-pumpkin seed cakes and ANYTHING that has been drizzled with bit of Glace de Viande (fancy pants description for boiled down meat juice) gets two thumbs up from this girl. Well done Chef!









I already talked about how great the vegetarian option sounded. This picture makes me seriously hungry.




The dessert was delicious, and I love love love pepper with my chocolate. It's my new obsession. Last winter I was making chipotle hot chocolate for my crew in the cold blustery mornings. Sadly since this is Minnesota only a few appreciated the heat in their belly's from the spicy pepper addition. I'm not always a chocolate and cherry fan, but the cherries were mild, and are definitely in season so it works in my book.



I would have really liked to try the veg option, but probably didn't need a 2nd dessert. Damn it looks good though.



All in all, I highly recommend you go to one of Lee's up and coming dinners. Next month is at (my all time favorite, and impeccably close to me) Red Stag Supper Club. The price is right, the company is light hearted and good natured, and hey, it's local! Email Lee if you're interested in learning about future events!

Giveaways

In honor of my 215th post (yeah, well.... my 200th was a while ago, so we're sticking with 215) I've decided to treat you to the opportunity to personally benefit from reading my blog EVEN MORE than you already do (ha ha).

I started this blog right after Kyle and I celebrated our Honeymoon in Wine Country, California. A few months prior we marked our calenders and with great luck (and extreme perseverance on my part using TWO cellphones at once) Kyle and I got reservations at The French Laundry. Food Snobbery Heaven! I remember learning about The French Laundry a LONG time ago when I was browsing through the cookbooks in my parent's kitchen (you think I just became a food snob on accident?) when I stumbled across one that looked like a piece of art.

My mom explained to me how Thomas Keller served his patrons a 13 course dinner. THIRTEEN COURSES? My young mind couldn't wrap itself around the concept. But then she continued to explain. They are all very small, well thought out and incredibly detailed courses. Look at the details in those recipes; the ingredients; the time it takes to make each course. I was intrigued. And the pictures. Oh god the pictures! They are enough to make any omnivore's mouth water.

SO! In honor of the marriage that lead to the dinner which was part of the honeymoon that started this blog, I give you:

The French Laundry Cookbook Giveaway!






Simply leave a comment about what you'd like to see me cook and blog about in the future OR if you're NYC savvy leave a comment about what restaurant (big, small, gourmet or taqueria) I should visit in my upcoming trip to The Big Apple.

If you blog, tweet, tumble or facebook (or any other form of social media for all I care) about this give away, leave a SECOND comment linking to your shout-out and enter to win a second time.

The winner will be selected with a random number generator and the giveaway will close on July 3rd, 2009 at 12pm Central Time.
Good luck!

UPDATE: Comments are now closed. Winner TBA!

Kaboom!

They blew up the bridge in my backyard today. I didn't get as good of a shot as this (damn you Chuck Olsen), but snapped a few of it falling anyway.



this was that OH SHIT IT'S HAPPENING moment


and down she falls























The End.

(sorry I didn't take the time to so much as straighten out my pictures. I had a long day yesterday and today it's back to work).