Girl Friday

Holiday Drinks

This is one of my personal favorites. Check out this week's issue of Vita.mn for Holiday Drinks: Making Spirits Bright. I rounded up 5 specialty cocktails of the season from local establishments and charmed the bartenders into sharing their recipes so we can make them all at home.

Would you use wifi at McDonald's? Something about the ambiance, the smell and the fact that it's the genocide-committing, Earth-destroying McDonald's would really deter me from plopping down with my laptop.

Gridskipper's Foodie's Guide to Minneapolis. I'm the second "guest" commenter because of course I couldn't resist setting them straight.

Alie's cat needs our help. Agent has a necessary surgery coming up and Alie is looking for any donation you can spare to help offset the vet expenses, which will wipe out her savings. 

Sorry for the fly-by blog post but I'm having quite a week over here, and not in a good way. I'm on day 3 of no heat or hot water due to a boiler replacement gone horribly wrong. The gas company is here right now repairing a broken line, so hopefully these radiators will be back in business by the end of the night. Thanks to my friends who have offered up their showers, laundry facilities and beds. And have tolerated my increasing crabbiness.

Weekend Hodge Podge: Local Gifts, Fancy Jewelry and Cheap Drinks

The Sequin and Badgely Mischka Sample Sale is going on today through Saturday:

What: Jewelry will be 50-80% off retail prices. (Retail prices range from $40-500.) Great for holiday parties and holiday gifts. Cash accepted.
Where: International Market Square, Suite 436
When: Today December 3rd, 11:00am-7:00pm
Friday December 4th, 11:00am-7:00pm
Saturday, December 5th 10:00am-3:00pm

The fourth annual No-Coast Craft-O-Rama happens tomorrow through Saturday at Midtown Global Market:

What: The No Coast Craft-o-rama (NCCOR) is a craft event that began in December 2005 as a way to feature a variety of designers, artists, crafters and other talented creators of unique handmade goods.
Where: Midtown Global Market. I already said that.
When: Friday December 4th, 3:00pm-8:00pm
Saturday December 5th, 9:00am-5:00pm

Also starting tomorrow and also featuring local artists is Three-Day Local Artist Gift Mart:

What: More than 20 local artisans will display their one-of-a-kind jewelry, personal and home accessories, tee shirts, artis books, toys, letterpress cards and more. All members save 20% on their purchases.
Where: The Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave
When: Friday December 4th, noon-4:00pm
Saturday December 5th, noon-4:00pm
Sunday December 6th, noon-4:00pm

Toys in the Attic happens tomorrow night at Soo-VAC, featuring toy-inspired art for sale from local and national artists. Guests are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots (no military toys, please). Suggested donation at the door is $1-5, with all door proceeds and 25% of the evening's sales going to Toys for Tots.

What: Toys in the Attic exhibition benefiting Toys for Tots, featuring toy-inspired art in the form of limited edition signed poster prints and custom one-of-a-kind toys.
Where: Soo Visual Arts Center, 2640 Lyndale Ave S
When: Friday December 4th, 6:00pm-9:00pm (silent auction ends at 8:30pm)

Thom Pham has remodeled and renamed his Anemoni Sushi Bar, now it's A25 Anemoni Sushi + Sake Bar. This weekend is the official grand opening to show off the new space, which is now equipped with a full bar, more sake selections than ever before and a list of specialty cocktails from Brad Smith. A25 retains its huge sushi menu but has added an array of traditional hot and cold Japanese dishes. I've spent a lot of time in the new A25 space the past couple of weeks and I find it to be really warm and cozy, despite Thom's intent of recreating a Tokyo streets and subways feel. The closed-circuit TV over the sushi bar that shows you what's going on at Azia's front bar is a nice touch.

What: Grand opening weekend, featuring non-stop happy hour for the next three days. Half-price sake and select bottles of wine, discounted specialty drinks and appetizers.
Where: A25 Anemoni Sushi + Sake Bar (at Azia Restaurant), 2550 Nicollet Ave
When: Friday December 4th, 4:00pm-2:00am
Saturday December 5th, 4:00pm-2:00am
Sunday December 6th, 4:00pm-2:00am

Finally, happy birthday to The Herkimer! The Uptown brewpub celebrates its 10th anniversary this Saturday (I feel old) with $1.00 beers all day. Congratulations to proprietor Blake Richardson and all his amazing staff for defining restaurant longevity.

What: Celebrating 10 years in business with $1.00 beers from open to close, free birthday cake, trivia with prizes all day long and DJ Double Trouble from 10:00pm-close.
Where: The Herkimer, 2922 Lyndale Ave S
When: Saturday December 5th, 11:00am-2:00am

Il Gatto Now Open

If you're looking for the website for Il Gatto, the new Parasole restaurant in the former Figlio space at Calhoun Square, you can find it at IlGattoMinneapolis.com (or even Figlio.com for the time being). Browse the menus and you'll see that Il Gatto is carrying on the legacy of Figlio's famous $3 happy hour as well as the same emphasis on Italian specialties (in case the name didn't tip you off already).

I was fortunate enough to get invited to a test run dinner at Il Gatto on Saturday and I was wholly impressed. I tried the artichoke appetizer, which was a small glass jar of chopped artichoke hearts, mint and red chile flakes. Scooped up and piled atop the accompanying olive oil grilled bread, it was snappy and satisfying without being heavy.

The pasta and entree menu is not overly vegetarian-friendly but I found solace in the standard cheese ravioli with marinara. Nearly all the pastas at Il Gatto are made in-house, and my ravioli had a pleasant chewy texture that only fresh pasta can have. The pureed marinara was very reminiscent of Figlio's ravioli but, thankfully, the 3-cheese blend inside was mostly ricotta and not the cream cheese situation previously presented at The Fig. Also, props for dusting the plate with a little bit of parmigiano as opposed to the heaping handful of mozzarella most mid-priced restaurants gob on top of an already cheesy dish. The other vegetarian pasta option was a tagliatelle with beets, however I loathe those vile root vegetables and await the day when our beloved chefs who are endlessly (and admirably) dedicated to cooking seasonally realize that I am far from alone.

My dining companion ordered the baked oysters with shrimp, pancetta and parmigiano, as well as the boiled gnocchi with lamb ragu. I tried neither, of course, but the man had no complaints.

We attempted to order the limoncello tiramisu for dessert but it was completely sold out, leaving us completely heartbroken.The pain subsided when the chocolate budino arrived at the table, courtesy of the always-amazing Adrienne Odom. It's a warm chocolate pudding cake with a gooey crown of molten chocolate, served alongside a scoop of heavenly salted caramel ice cream. I barely had room for a bite of the spumoni (much less three bites), which was a trio of chocolate, strawberry and pistachio ice creams from Sebastian Joe's topped with hazelnuts, maraschino cherries and pistachios, respectively.

I think it was about this time that the limoncello made its way to our table, served Italian-style from a smiley server toting a freezing cold bottle of the house-made concoction. The presentation here is noteworthy: the bottle is fused inside a small steel bucket of frozen lemons and lemon leaves. The digestif itself is also noteworthy, as it's an ideally sweet, tart, and icy finish to a great meal.

Our server recommended the Pistol Tease cocktail, a sweet citrusy rocks drink with St. Germain elderflower liqueur and a muddled edible orchid. I loved the floral flavors but was a little too sweet for my taste. I did fall in love with my friend's Smitten Kitten, though: a martini of pineapple-infused vodka, cracked black pepper and a kiss of simple syrup.

Price points at Il Gatto are ridiculously reasonable, particularly for a seafood-focused restaurant, with small plates at $4-9, wood-fired pizzas at $9-13 and entrees at $12-25. Martinis top out at $10, house wines (served in Il Gatto's soon-to-be-famous "glass and a half" are just $5 glass/$14 bottle/$26 double bottle, and even top shelf scotches and brandies will only run you between $8 and $11.

Even on a test run night, the service was seamless, friendly and well-versed in the menu, and the course arrivals were timed perfectly, with nothing cold or out of order. We can safely chalk this up to Il Gatto retaining much of the same overall staff as Figlio, not changing the kitchen layout one bit, and putting Executive Chef Matt Kempf at the helm.

I'm not so good with the quantitative math, but I'd say the space's remodel added a metric assload of seating. The main dining room feels about the same, but the bar has moved completely (it now divides the restaurant in half, stretching from the main entrance to the bathrooms), making room for a string of 4-tops in the bar proper, as well as creating an entire second dining area, complete with booths, along the windowed side of the restaurant that overlooks Lake Street.

Oh! And you no longer have to walk through the service stand to get to the bathrooms. They're still in the same spot, but with a less-intrusive entrance that doesn't suddenly make you feel like you should start rolling silverware with the wait assistants.

Dude, Parasole got skillz. Il Gatto will be around for a long, long time; as long if not longer than Figlio's 25-year run at one of the most historic corners in Minneapolis.

Il Gatto: 3001 Hennepin Avenue South, 612-822-1688
Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:30pm-2:00am
Food served until 1:00am Sunday-Thursday, 2:00am Friday-Saturday
Happy Hour: 4:30pm-6:30pm daily, 10:30pm-12:00am Sunday-Thursday

Pantry Check: Veggie Moroccan-style Curry

I haven't done a full-on grocery shop since moving into my new place a few weeks ago, so I haven't been able to do the amount of cooking that I like to do and hence haven't posted any recipes lately. Tonight I wanted home cooking for dinner that was slightly exotic, but I didn't want to leave the house (still wearing pajamas at 11:00pm, thankyouverymuch). The result was delicious -- savory, sweet and fragrant -- and, best of all, made with simple ingredients I already had on hand. This recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Veggie Moroccan-style Curry
© 2009 by Alexis McKinnis
Yields: 4 servings, with rice

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup dried Mediterranean apricots, cut into thin strips (raisins would also work well)
3 handfuls fresh baby spinach (very scientific measurement, I know-- it was one of those plastic cartons minus a salad's worth)

In medium skillet, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft. Add all remaining ingredients except spinach. Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in spinach, cooking for 2 minutes or until it fully wilts. Remove cinnamon stick and serve over rice.

*****

I posted the question to Twitter a few days ago, but I want to ask it here: What coffee shops offer rice or almond milk as an option?

My body hates cow and soy milk equally, so I'd love to know about a place I can go for yummy coffee drinks and not feel like total crap afterward.

megacita suggested The Wedge's coffee bar, since they have both rice and almond milk, and kjtten suggested Dragonfly Coffee at 50th & Penn, which offers hemp milk. Anybody know of a place in or closer to Northeast, or am I asking too much? Not being a regular coffee drinker, I'm not super hip to the scene.

Holiday Shopping Season Begins

So this is my new favorite food blog: Cook to Bang: Recipes to Get You Laid. Aside from the genius concept and quirky commentary, the recipes are actually pretty promising. The photos are good -- though any food photos are good compared to mine -- and several of the recipes are vegetarian or easily convertible.

Speaking of which, any recipe requests for me? I haven't seen much reader mail the past couple of months and I'm dying for a challenge. Hit me.

I hope you have a little spending money because it's officially holiday shopping season. Last year, most retailers offered special discounts and extended sales above and beyond the usual, so I expect that to be the case again this year. Cleaning out my inbox, I came across a few good shopping events this weekend:

Tomorrow through Sunday, martinpatrick3 is having a pre-holiday sale where nearly everything in the store will be 20% off. It's worth a look, if only because this is one of the few good men's boutiques in the Twin Cities.

Saturday from 10:00am to 5:00pm is "Presence of the Holidays" at Suburban World Theater in Uptown. The event is free and will feature 35 local artists and retailers peddling jewelry, clothing, food, desserts, bath and body products, pet items, hats, pottery, wall art and home decor, as well as live music all day.

Saturday is also the Local-to-Global jewelry event at the Walker Art Center. From 11:00am to 5:00pm, shoppers will find "unique gifts to suit unique tastes by jewelry artists and designers from Mexico City to Minneapolis; and from Brooklyn to San Francisco." Local chocolatier B.T. McElrath will also be on hand from 11:00am to 3:00pm with chocolate samples.

And I would be disowned by my family if I failed to mention the grand opening festivities this weekend at WillowBridge Center in Cambridge. WillowBridge is a family business owned and operated by my sister. It's a massive facility where things like massage, skin care, salon services, acupuncture, natural health consulting, yoga, dance and a ton of other services are available. There's also a large gift boutique and a bead shop operated by my mom.

This Friday and Saturday, all items in the gift boutique will be 10% off, and there will be complimentary wellness seminars, auriculotherapy, beverages and treats, as well as free makeup consultations and Aveda consultations. There will also be $5.00 brow waxes, 50-cents-a-minute chair massages, and discounts on regular massages, facials and yoga classes if you book on Friday or Saturday.

OM: You Should Go Here

Cristina celebrated her birthday last Friday and a bunch of us headed to OM, the new Indian contemporary restaurant downtown, to celebrate.

Shortly after I got there, I chatted with Chef/Culineer Raghavan Iyer a little bit and we bonded in our vegetarianism. I asked him what the best snacks were on the menu and he recommended I get the Mumbai Crackers (crackers with mango, potato, red onion topped with two chutneys) and the Patiala Cakes (potato crisps stuffed with fresh mint, chiles, red onion with tamarind-date sauce and mint-cilantro chutney). But here's the tragic part: I had no appetite that night so I ended up not ordering any food. I did have a couple bites of the Palak Paneer Parantha, a grilled flatbread stuffed with spinach and fresh cheese and spiced with crushed chiles and, I believe, mango powder. It was cold by the time I got around to it, so fresh from the grill would've been better, but it had a pleasantly high spice level and I'd definitely try it again. (Actually, I would totally take some of that right now.)

Tell you what I did try, though: the cocktails. The Agni was a crowd favorite, so much so that I had to order a second one 5 minutes after I got the first one because two other people wouldn't stop sampling it. Fresh muddled limes and dried chiles are shaken with Grey Goose Citron and strained into a martini glass (my least favorite drinking vehicle, but folks seem to like it). A fresh Thai chile floats on top of the drink and the result is simple and delicious. Spicy enough to knock you back a little, with the heat balanced out by the tang of the lime and a dash of simple syrup.

I also tried The Slumdog, a spiked up lemonade with Grey Goose Citron, ginger, lime and fresh cilantro. Points for being served in a lowball on the rocks, but I was having issues with the tiny pieces of cilantro. The bits kept sticking to my lip gloss and were sort of messing with my game. My advice to the OM bar is to invest in some cute, short drinking straws or maybe just shake the drink with a couple whole sprigs of cilantro, strain them out, then garnish with a fresh, unbruised one.

Prices are completely reasonable. If you judged OM solely on its fancy looks, you wouldn't guess that select cocktails are just $2 during happy hour (4:30-6:30 pm daily), specialty cocktails are $7-8, small plates start at $6 and entrees start at $14. (Valet parking is a whopping $10 but hey, it was raining, I was wearing heels and I had a birthday gift in one hand and a silk handbag in the other.)

I'd take a small tweak in the restaurant's temperature (up just 2 degrees would be perfect) but otherwise I was totally comfortable in the upstairs bar and lounge. The elevated seating overlooks the corner of 1st Avenue and 4th Street so, if you feel the need to tune out your friends for a minute, you can gaze outside and watch the people go by. OM's lounge was built for mingling; our group moved effortlessly through the room, changing seats and visiting with other tables. I highly recommend the space for small events.

Overall, OM really isn't that large, certainly not as huge as r. Norman's or Bellanotte, and Randy Norman went the subdued route with his latest venture. The decor has its share of glamour (the grand staircase to the dining room encircles a giant, illuminated, crystal spiral chandelier that drops down to a reflecting pool below) but the space is almost cozy, with warm woods, soft metal finishes and muted lavender, teal and yellow gold touches throughout. The style in which OM was decorated actually reminds me of some parts in my apartment; namely the bedroom and my own dining room.

The staff consists of a bunch of rockstars. Our wait assistant (whose name is on the tip of my tongue because he worked at Azia for years), server (Jesse), manager (Kari), Randy and even Raghavan took the time to stop and make sure we were having a great time.

Love OM. Can't wait to actually eat there. I think I may do that soon, as they're currently offering a 4-course, $30 tasting menu every Sunday.

Wild Rice Soup (Vegetarian)

I was thinking I wouldn't bother to post the recipe for the wild rice soup I made today because it's wild rice soup and doesn't every Minnesotan have a good recipe for this, our unofficial state dish?

But then I realized that a lot of people make it with chicken and ham, or at least chicken stock, and my version is vegetarian. I made this at my mom's today, so also I thickened it with Tom Sawyer's gluten-free flour mix since she can't hang with the wheat.

Wild Rice Soup (Vegetarian, Gluten-free)
© 2009 by Alexis McKinnis
Yields: A metric assload

1 pound uncooked wild rice
6 cups + 2 cups hot water
2 Tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
1 bunch celery, cleaned and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 cups mock chicken broth (strongly recommend Edward & Sons Not-Chick'n)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram
2 bay leaves (optional)
10 ounces fresh white mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons flour or gluten-free flour mix
1 pint heavy cream
salt to taste

Boil 6 cups salted water in large saucepan. Add wild rice, bring back to boil, then simmer, covered 40 minutes or until tender. Drain wild rice and set aside. In very large soup pot, saute onion and celery in butter over medium-high heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add wild rice, mock chicken broth, 2 cups water, thyme, sage, marjoram and bay leaves (if using). Bring soup to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add mushrooms and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Whisk in flour to thicken. Turn off heat and stir in cream. Salt, ladle, serve (preferably with saltines).

Don't eat the bay leaves, of course. Also, if I haven't mentioned it before, I'm pretty salt-sensitive, so I don't like to list measurements for the salt. Your own taste buds will be the best meter there.

Cold Cactus Salad

OM opened last Friday but I haven't had a chance to stop in yet. I'll forgive them for having a drink called "The Kamasutra," as they apparently have a $2 happy hour from 4:30-6:30pm, 7 days a week.

Inari and I went to Loring Kitchen & Bar last Saturday and were wholly impressed with what they managed to do with the space. An absolutely beautiful room and bar. Not much on the menu for vegetarian meals -- portabella mushroom sandwich, really, gentlemen -- but they have a bangin' happy hour: $3 taps, $4 house wines, $4 rails and $5 select martinis, 4:00-6:00pm Monday-Friday, and 9:30-close Monday-Thursday. Caveat: just like at neighboring Cafe Lurcat, "close" is when the last customers meander out the door, not necessarily 2:00am. Plan accordingly.

If you live or work in Northeast, then you have the fortunate ability to stop at La Placita Mexican market on Central and 19th to pick up some fresh nopales (green cactus). They de-spine and cut the nopales for you, and sell it in one-pound zipper baggies in the cooler. What convenience! Pick one up next time you drive by, or else you can stop by your local Cub Foods to grab a few cactus paddles and try your hand at de-spining yourself. It's really not that hard; think about fileting a fish (yes, I've fileted a fish): run a filet or a tomato knife down the broad parts of the cactus paddles, then along the edges. You don't want to eat the spines, so just take care to remove them.

Ensalada de Nopalitos (Cactus Salad)
© 2009 by Alexis McKinnis

1 pound de-spined nopalitos, sliced into 2" x 1/2" strips
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 serrano chiles, slit along one side
1 medium white onion, sliced and divided
pinch baking soda
1/4 cup high-quality cider vinegar
1/4 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
2 large round or 4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place nopalitos, garlic cloves, serranos, 1/2 the onion and baking soda in a large pot of boiling water, leaving 1 inch water to cover. Continue to boil for 30 minutes. Drain, removing serranos and garlic. Rinse nopalitos and onions with cold water until any remaining slime is gone (undercooked nopalitos are slimy, don't be afraid). Transfer to large bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. Cover and chill at least one hour. Salt to taste before serving.

Cilantro haters: Use fresh oregano.

Spicy Cucumber Salad

Depending on where your garden is, you might have a bumper crop of cucumbers right now. Even if you don't, cucumbers are always inexpensive at the grocery store and this is a simple, refreshing salad you can enjoy anytime instead of the usual creamy or vinegar versions your mom taught you how to make.

Spicy Cucumber Salad
© 2009 by Alexis McKinnis
Yields about 4 cups

1 1/2 pounds cucumbers, peeled and seeded and sliced into 1/4" slices
1/2 pound peeled jicama, sliced into 2" x 1/4" slices
The juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon Cholula or Valentina hot sauce

Toss all ingredients in a shallow bowl, cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Season to taste with more salt or, if desired, more hot sauce. This should be salty and spicy (if you can handle it)! In addition to a side dish, it's also an excellent substitute for regular pickles or pickled jalapeños on a sandwich. If you've got knife skillz or a mandoline, go even thinner with the slices.

All Fried Out

I think I'm all fried out. I spent nearly 9 hours at the State Fair today with my family and everything I sampled, save for a couple of Sweet Martha's cookies, spent at least 20 seconds in a bubbling vat of grease before being served to me.

To be specific: cheese on a stick, ribbon fries (with cheese sauce and jalapenos, obviously), cheese curds, mini donuts, something called a tater twister (horrifically overpriced) and some fresh french fries (I know I shouldn't complain because it's the State Fair, but seriously; it's called "changing the fryer oil," people.)

I'm currently sitting at my desk drinking cucumber water and rubbing my belly, an extension of my body that didn't yet exist at noon today.

Because I'm a glutton for punishment (not to mention a glutton) and because I love the State Fair, I'm going back tomorrow evening for another run-through. This time, though, I think I'll stick to the always-veggie soba at Island Noodles, chickpea-potato roti at Harry Singh's (ask him for the serious sauce if it's not out on the counter) and maybe some falafel from Falafel King or Holy Land.

I finally broke down and bought the red Polish hoodie I've been eyeing for the past few years (and my copycat mom bought one in black). I wish that vendor carried as much apparel at the Fair booth as they do on their website; perhaps this tee would've been more appropriate for me.

It was brought to my attention that a lot of kids had to go back to school this week instead of after Labor Day, hence the Fair wasn't very crowded at all today. This also explains last week's record-breaking attendance and hearing from several people who sat in traffic for nearly two hours. I can't even imagine. My hamster bladder would never hold up.