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Best Bets: April 9-14

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Chef Takeover at Tullibee for Eid
Chef Takeover at Tullibee for Eid

Courtesy of Tullibee

Tullibee Takeover

What: Chef Takeover at Tullibee for Eid
When: April 10 and 11, 5-10 p.m.
Where: Tullibee, 300 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis

Palestinian chef Aref Zalatimo, of Tullibee, hosts two Eid al-Fitr dinners featuring “elevated Middle Eastern flavors that highlight the depth of Levantine cuisine,” according to the press release. “Expect a meal filled with traditional old-world flavors comprised in modern-day dishes “—such as tuna kibbeh, cinnamon-grilled lamb kefta, and stuffed eggplant.

St. Crawl

What: St. Paul Art Crawl
When: April 12-14, 5-9 p.m.
Where: St. Paul Art Collective, 316 Broadway St., St. Paul

The St. Paul Art Collective is hosting art crawls for spring this month, starting this weekend. More than 40 galleries and group art spaces showcase the works of over 350 artists across media. There are also free dance performances and open-level workshops.

Around the Bock

What: Bock Party at Omni Brewery & Taproom
When: April 13, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Where: Omni Brewrey & Taproom, 9462 Deerwood Lane N., Osseo

All-day live music, several new bock beers, a mixed cocktail, wine, brats, and beer poking should make this a killer bock festival.

Scaled Up

What: Minnesota Reptile Show
When: April 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, 2020 American Blvd. E., Bloomington

About 45 vendors are expected to show for this expo of all things creepy, crawly, and reptilian.

Geek Out

What: Geeky Craft Fair at Boom Island Brewing
When: April 14, noon-5 p.m.
Where: Boom Island Brewing Co., 5937 Baker Rd., Minnetonka

Fans converge to show off their geeky crafts at Boom Island Brewing. In the market for candles, tumblers, purses, or other handy items? More than a dozen artisans are expected to show off their nerdiest wares.

Blog: Live Photos from the Total Solar Eclipse

The sky suddenly darkened, the wind picked up, the crickets sounded, and three planets came out when the moon passed in front of the sun just now. “That was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” my kid exclaimed after today’s solar eclipse totality passed about 10 minutes ago.

The sun during the total solar eclipse.

Amy Nelson

We cheered on the eclipse with visitors to Nebraska on our left, and travelers from Colorado on our right.

We made it to a campground in Missouri last night, woke up to clear skies, and drove about an hour this morning to land at D’s Country Kitchen in Ellsinore, Missouri, which promises more than 4 minutes of totality in about an hour.

As the skies started to darken right before totality.

Amy Nelson

Here are some images of the solar eclipse from earlier, when the moon started moving across the sun at about 1:30 p.m. CST.

The start of the eclipse through welder’s glass

Amy Nelson

Here’s what the area looks like without the welder’s glass protection.

The regular view at D’s in Missouri

Amy Nelson

We are so pleased to find D’s in Ellsinore, Missouri, which owners say was about 10 minutes from totality in 2017. There’s a BBQ buffet, live band, and cornhole here for the crowds gathered to watch today’s events on their patio.

D’s Country Kitchen

Isabel Sander

Here’s the live band playing for the crowds.

Blog: Day 1 of Following the Total Solar Eclipse

The sun during the total solar eclipse.

Amy Nelson

It’s finally here! After more than a year of planning to get both our college-aged kids home for the eclipse—and a week of worrying and watching weather patterns and predicted cloud cover—we headed out on our epic road trip Saturday afternoon.

As I wrote earlier, after seeing the total solar eclipse in Wyoming in 2017, I’m hooked. It was an amazing experience, something I now plan trips around to view. Last time, our daughter and French Rotary exchange student joined us, but our son had just started his sophomore year of high school at an international school in Botswana. He had some great adventures of his own, but kept hearing over the past nearly seven years that he could NOT miss this eclipse. He graduates from college next month, but we flew him home for the few days to join us. Our daughter and her boyfriend drove from Canada earlier in the week, so after our son landed at MSP at 9:15 a.m. Saturday morning, we were packed up and ready to hit the road by noon.

Ready for the total solar eclipse road trip

Amy Nelson

A lot has been written already about this eclipse—the science behind it, the path of totality, the expected traffic jams, the logistics of staying safe. In the car, we discussed many of these points. Our daughter is getting her master’s degree in astrophysics; her interest, in part, was sparked by the 2017 experience (yay, me!), and she knows more of the technical aspects of the phenomenon. I’m more about the awe it inspired last time. How I felt shivers during the approximately 2-minute totality, the darkening sky, the significant drop in the temperature, the increasing buzzing of the insects. Monday’s totality will double in length and be more intense, heightening my expectations. The Minnesotans quoted in this story help capture the “if you know, you know” feeling I’ve had the past few weeks describing seeing an eclipse to others.

Road sign in Missouri

Amy Nelson

The past week has been intense (at work, we finalized the 2024 Ultimate Travel Guide and hosted CannaFest) with changing weather predictions and speculation. On Easter, we told the kids it looked like we were going to head to Ohio instead of Missouri. On Wednesday, we were still thinking Ohio, but that we’d drive to mid-Illinois on Saturday and then decide from there. On Saturday, we returned to our original plan to camp at Alley Spring Campground in Eminence, MO (I mean, what a great town name!).

So Saturday afternoon, we headed south out of the Twin Cities, stopping at Culver’s in Owatonna for lunch at the request of the Canadian in our group, attempting to find an open Kum & Go along the route in Iowa, and waving at other caravans along the way we suspected were also en route to see the eclipse. As we passed into Missouri, one of us remarked that the cloud cover would be perfect for Monday’s event—if it stands.

Sunny skies in Missouri

Amy Nelson

We decided to stop in Kansas City for the night, pulling into a hotel parking lot about 7 p.m. Part of the road trip adventure is discovering new spots, right? So we checked into our hotel rooms and decided to find some famous KC barbecue for dinner. We lucked out with 3Halves Brewpub and BBQ in charming Liberty, MO. A participant in Minnesota-based Crafttapped, we chose it for the live music (John Prine and Lead Belly covers), brews, and family-style BBQ (smoky brisket and spicy ribs). After dinner, was walked the few blocks around town to see some of the highlights, including a Jesse James-related spot.

Barbecue platter at 3 Halves Brewpub

Amy Nelson

City Hall in Liberty, Missouri

Amy Nelson

Mural in Liberty, Missouri

Amy Nelson

Statue commemorating Susan B. Anthony (with additional tributes to Ruth Bader Ginsburg) in Liberty, Missouri

Amy Nelson

Jason DeRusha’s Top Pizza Picks

The Parma Pizza at OG Zaza
The Parma Pizza at OG Zaza

Provided

We are all pizza experts. We eat pizza more than any other type of food. Some surveys show 1 out of 7 of us is eating pizza on any given day. It’s also the fastest-growing type of restaurant in Minnesota, with new pizza styles and new locations opening every month. My list of favorites is constantly changing, depending on my mood, and is very style-specific. The pizza closest to your home, or freshest out of the oven, often is the best pizza. For me, the key to quality is an intense focus on the basics: dough and sauce. Remember when people used to say you couldn’t get good pizza around here? Now, that’s laughable. It has never been a better time to be a pizza lover.

Sanjusan
Sanjusan

Provided

Cheffy Pizza

Boludo, multiple locations, boludo.com

Nouvelle Kitchen & Brewery, 4124 W. Broadway Ave., Robbinsdale, 763-537-7267, nouvellebrewing.com

Red Rabbit, 201 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, 612-767-8855, and 788 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-444-5995, redrabbitmn.com

Red Wagon Pizza Company, 5416 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-259-7147, redwagon-mpls.com

Rosalia, 2811 W. 43rd St., Minneapolis, 612-345-5494, rosaliapizza.com

Young Joni, 165 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis, 612-345-5719, youngjoni.com

Sanjusan
Sanjusan

Provided

Jason’s Pick: Sanjusan

33 N. First Ave., Main Floor, Minneapolis, 612-354-7763, sanjusanrestaurant.com

 Red Rabbit and Sanjusan are my two most underrated pizza places in town, both with incredible attention to dough. But for sheer creativity, Sanjusan is my pick. The Isaac Becker, with raw tuna, cilantro, and lime, is my favorite, but how about the Okonomiyaki, with shrimp, cabbage, bonito flakes, and kewpie mayo? Executive chef Peter Thillen is a genius at combining Italian and Japanese flavors in ways you’d think would be strange but captivate instead.

Earl Giles
Earl Giles

Provided

Neapolitan, Coal, Wood-Fired

Black Sheep Pizza, 2550 Nicollet Ave. S. and 600 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis, 612-886-1233 and 612-342-2625, blacksheeppizza.com

Northern Fires Pizza, 1839 E. 42nd St., Minneapolis, 612-424-1428, northernfirespizza.com

Pompeii Pizzeria, 315 Jackson Ave., Elk River, 763-633-1222, pompeiipizzeria.net

Punch, multiple locations, 612-223-7200, punchpizza.com

Saint Paul Brewing, 688 Minnehaha Ave. E., St. Paul, 651-698-1945, stpaulbrewing.com

Jason’s Pick: Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery

1325 Quincy St. NE, Suite 100, Minneapolis, 612-345-5305, earlgiles.com

It’s almost impossible to pick from this section, but right now I’m craving the sourdough pizza at Earl Giles. It has come a long way in consistency and quality: The dough is perfectly balanced with a complex, yeasty aroma, and has an ideal baguette-like combination of crunchy and soft. There are lots of creative topping combos, too, like squash, taleggio, and fried Brussels sprouts on the Animal Lover and chorizo plus roasted poblano cream on the Pizza Indeed.

Slices

Broder’s Cucina Italiana, 2308 W. 50th St., Minneapolis, 612-925-3113, broders.com

Cossetta Alimentari, 211 Seventh St. W., St. Paul, 651-222-3476, cossettas.com

Hello Pizza, 3904 Sunnyside Road, Edina, 952-303-4514, hellopizza.com

Snack Bar, 800 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, 612-383-2848, snackbarmpls.com

Slice Brothers, multiple locations, sliceminneapolis.com 

Jason’s Pick: ElMar’s New York Pizza

15725 37th Ave. N., Plymouth, elmarsnypizza.com

Is it the special system they installed that tries to replicate the flavor notes of New York City water? I don’t know, but there’s a reason people travel to Plymouth from all over the metro to get a slice at ElMar’s. Nicole and Michael ElMaraghy are bringing that big slice, floppy enough to fold but still crisp enough that you get a little crunch-right-out-of-the-oven game. And that is the best way to enjoy ElMar’s: hot, fresh, and by the slice.

OG Zaza
OG Zaza

Provided

Specific City Style—New Haven or Detroit

Melt Pizza Company, 112 Main St. N., Stillwater, 651-342-0246, meltpizzacompany.com

Mario’s, 232 Cleveland Ave. N., St. Paul, 651-207-5252, mariosstp.com

Surly Brewing Co., 520 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis, 763-999-4040, surlybrewing.com

Wrecktangle, 729 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, 612-695-6525, wrecktanglepizza.com

OG Zaza
OG Zaza

Provided

Jason’s Pick: OG Zaza

1595 Highway 36, Roseville, 612-251-5017, ogzazamn.com

Chef Josh Hedquist’s OG Zaza brings obsessive detail over sauce and dough along with a slightly caramelized (almost burned) New Haven-style edge that explodes with flavor. A five-day process of fermenting the dough gives real character to the crispy/chewy crust, cooked at high heat in a rotating pizza oven inside Rosedale’s Potluck food court. The Lil’ Roni is aggressively pepperoni-packed, and the Parma brings a great balance of prosciutto, arugula, and gorgonzola.

Tavern

Jakeeno’s Pizza & Pasta, 3555 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-825-6827, jakeenos.com

Latuff’s Pizzeria, 10820 Highway 55, Plymouth, 763-545-2914, latuffspizza.com

Skinner’s Pub & Eatery, 919 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, 651-291-0146, skinnersmn.com

Jason’s Pick: Good Times Pizza

322 W. 38th St., Minneapolis, 612-354-3589, goodtimespizzampls.com

There’s something special about Good Times Pizza. The crust is thin and crunchy and square-cut like a good bar pizza should be, but it’s also…more. There’s more flavor and a more exciting end piece with more oomph than you’d expect. Pepperoni and pickle? Yes. It’s amazing. Salt plus fat plus plus plus. White pie with toasted garlic cream as a base, caramelized onions, and roasted mushrooms? Maybe even better. Good Times feels like a pizza place that has been in south Minneapolis forever, despite the fact that it dates to 2020.

Greater Minnesota

Gary’s Pizza, multiple locations, garyspizza.com

Pagliai’s Pizza, 524 S. Front St., Mankato, 507-345-6080, pagliaismankato.com

Pi Wood-Fired Pizza, 3932 Marketplace Dr. NW, Rochester, 507-424-3885, live4pi.com

Sammy’s, multiple locations, mysammys.com

Ursa Minor Brewing, 2415 W. Superior St., Suite B, Duluth, 218-481-7886, ursaminorbrewing.com

Hall of Fame Icons

Broadway Bar & Pizza, multiple locations, broadwaypizza.com

Davanni’s, multiple locations, davannis.com

Pizza Lucé, multiple locations, pizzaluce.com

Red’s Savoy Pizza, multiple locations, savoypizza.com

Dunk into Tasty Snack Recipes

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White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Photo Terry Brennan, food styling Lara Miklasevics

Whether you’re hanging out to watch college basketball tournaments, binge watching your favorite show, or playing your own board games, tasty snacks are always welcome. In this recipe from cookbook author Kristin Donnelly, which she created for Real Food, white beans make a creamy base for a dip that gets its bright but deep flavors from sun-dried tomatoes, toasted garlic, and cumin. Serve it with vegetables, or you could also dunk in chips, pita bread, or other crunchy dip delivery vehicles. To present artistic and tasty veggies, check out her tips below.

Picturesque Platters

To create a beautiful platter of vegetables for dipping, instead of the vegetables being an afterthought, make them an integral part of your dip presentation, says Donnelly. Choose two or three in-season vegetables and prep them with care.

  • Cut all vegetables so the pieces are still firm enough that they don’t bend in a dip and can be eaten within two bites.
  • If your typically crisp vegetables like fennel, radishes, carrots, and celery feel a little limp, slice them how you like, then soak them in a bowl of ice water for 15 minutes.
  • Sturdy vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, taste best and are easiest to digest when they’re lightly cooked. To do so, set a bowl of ice water next to the stove. Bring a pot of water to a boil and season the water with salt. Add the vegetables and cook until crisp-tender. Drain, then plunge into the ice water to cool.

White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Makes 8 to 10 Servings (about 3 cups)

To make this dip nice and smooth, be sure to puree it for at least 2 minutes and possibly longer. –K.D.

1 (10-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
½ lemon
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
Sliced fennel, Belgian endive leaves, or other raw vegetables, for serving

  1. Scoop out 1½ tablespoons oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, and place in a skillet. Heat over medium heat. Add half the garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon cumin and cook until just fragrant, about 10 seconds. Scrape the garlic and cumin into a food processor.
  2. Add the white beans along with ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon of the canning liquid or water to the food processor. Add all but 4 of the sun-dried tomatoes to the food processor, leaving any remaining oil behind in the jar. Add the juice from the lemon and ¼ teaspoon salt and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if desired.
  3. Finely chop the 4 reserved sun-dried tomatoes. In the same skillet, heat another 1½ tablespoons oil from the jar. Add the remaining garlic and cook until just starting to turn golden. Add the remaining cumin and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
  4. Scrape the white bean dip into a bowl. Use a spoon to create a well on the top of the dip and pour the garlicky oil in it. Serve with the vegetables.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 190, Fat: 5g (Sat: .5g), Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 150mg, Carb: 29g, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 4g, Protein: 10g

Tiny Taco Beef Tarts

Photo: Beef, It's What's For Dinner

Hungry for More?

Have you tried some of these snack and dip recipes I have highlighted here?

Game-Day Recipes

From tiny taco bites or baked cheese dip to chipotle chili, Sloppy Joes five ways, and more, we’ve got you covered with delicious ideas for your party.

Slam-Dunk Cheesy Snacks

Upgrade your snacking to a new level with easy, cheesy recipes for any get-together.

Game-Day Bites

Get in the game with twists on cheesy favorites from easy make-your-own pizza, wings, and artichoke dip to a pumpkin baked brie, and more.

Cauliflower and Thyme Dip and Black Olive Tapenade Recipes

Turn a veggie into a fascinating, and somewhat addictive, spread and bring a healthier option to the table.

Bruschetta with Olive Tapenade Recipe

This quick-and-easy appetizer can also serve as heartier bites with optional meat or plant-based proteins for a little something for everyone.