This post is presented by Wüsthof 
See that hipster cradling a steamy cup of something warm in the chilly December air? You might expect to find ethically sourced, pour-over coffee in that lumbersexual’s cup. Or perhaps that tattooed trendsetter is sipping single sourced, small farm tea. You would be wrong. Inside that cup is a savory, restorative elixir best known to the health-conscious set at bone broth.
Before you take issue with the descriptor, remember that grandma’s chicken soup is made from the bones of roasted chickens. This is much the same and just as healing, on every level, as the lovingly stewed brew from her kitchen.
The concept of bone broth has catapulted into the forefront of bowls and cups around the country, led by the Paleo movement (a diet consisting of more primal, whole and unprocessed eating.) In Brooklyn (because of course, it’s in Brooklyn) there is even a shop, Brodo, entirely devoted to the stuff. Locally, the forthcoming Sassy Spoon spot has hinted at serving broth in their South Minneapolis restaurant menu (to be located in the former 3 Tiers address).
To try a cup right now, you’ll want to get over to Foxy Falafel just off University on Raymond Avenue in St. Paul. It’s right on the Green Line and chef and owner Erica Strait is known for more than her perfect fried falafels. She studied nutrition long before opening her restaurant. Inside her broth are layers of subtle, wholesome flavors that are so powerfully fortifying that you feel better after sipping some, even if you weren’t battling a cold or flu (or even hangover).
Strait explained bone broth as, “This magical liquid made from bones of beef, chicken, pork, fish, and other animals. It’s simmered for long periods time, up to 24 hours, to extract as many minerals, amino acids, and nutrients as possible.” Bone broth is the basis of ramen, the soup everyone is so obsessed with right now. Strait boosts the nutritional value with the addition of unfiltered, fermented apple cider vinegar along with other anti-inflammatory vegetables and herbs.
So, why exactly is this concoction so healthful? “Its medicinal properties include but are not limited to: Healing the gut and lining of the intestines; promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails; preventing infections like the flu or colds, and reduces joint pain and inflammation. The minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium) become easier to absorb. Gelatin heals the gut, reduces joint pain, reduces inflammation, prevents bone loss, and builds healthy skin, hair, and nails. Plus, the collagen helps fight off those wrinkles!”
So, why is it called “bone broth?” Simply because the long simmered stew extracts all the goodies, like the afore mentioned collagen out of the animals bones.
More than anything, it’s simply delicious. At Foxy Falafel the broth available is a heavenly, soothing garlic ginger chicken broth made with local Kadejan chicken. It’s available by the cup, bowl or can be ordered ahead by the quart. Sipping directly from a cup, the hot, heady broth soaks into every pore, winds its way down to your toes and warms a chilly soul from the bones outward. No matter your mood or health status, it’s the liquid equivalent of wrapping yourself in a bright red cape before facing the cold, cruel world.
Foxy Falafel
791 Raymond Ave
St. Paul, MN
foxyfalafel.com
