The Minnesota Model

Target just announced that it will label carbon-monoxide treated meat saying that color is not indicative of freshness. Regular readers will remember my eruption due to the stupidity of the folks who refused to acknowledge same. Target, once again, gets it! Great move, Big Red.

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Hey, Minnesota, tomorrow night is the premiere of the Minnesota episode of Bizarre Foods. For all the obvious reasons, check it out.

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Sorry about the dearth of posts last week, I was in a country that only has dial-up Internet access and limited connectivity of any kind. Yes, these places really do exist.

I checked e-mail on my way home and saw that Jim Denevan had sent me an e-mail reminding me that the 2008 summer schedule for Outstanding in the Field is available online at and that reservations can be made online. Two years ago, the program made a stop here in Minnesota, and Lenny Russo made a dinner down at Alexis Bailly Vineyard that was superb. The year before that, I went to Georgia for one of the dinners that Anne Quatrano from Bacchanalia put together, and it was stupendous.

Essentially, you sit at a table for one-hundred people, which is built in the middle of a farm field, and are served a multi-course food and wine extravaganza designed by a local culinary wizard and inspired by everything local, fresh, and best. On August 15, OITF will be hosting a dinner at Cedar Summit Farm here in New Prague. Make your reservations now since almost all the dinners around the country are quickly selling out.

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The 2008 IACP Award nominations are out, and my pals Sasha Issenberg (The Sushi Economy) and Paula Disbrowe (Crescent City Cooking) both got nominated. I hope they win big. The Beard Award nominees will be announced today if memory serves me. Look for plenty of local nominees this year; should be a good year for local food writers and chefs to win big.

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I missed the Food and Wine Experience this year because I was at the SoBe show, but Stephanie March's take on the Food and Wine conclave surprised me. I had forgotten about the event since no one I know went. Does anyone go? I mean, there are huge numbers of people there, but who are they? Do you go, and why?

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Regarding the meat packing brouhaha and the posted comments on this blog, here is a website that shows which organic companies are owned by other really big companies–enjoy!

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Speaking of cool food news, check out this Ethicurean article about rising grain prices. It has quite a few good links within the first paragraph about the global food situation.

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I spent a few weeks in Hawaii recently and was shocked at the number of wealthy farmsters with serious working farms, especially in Maui. Here is a cool New York Times piece on hipsters becoming farmsters.   

Comments

[Eric]

Nice showing by the local boys in the Beard Awards. Isaac Becker, Tim McKee and Alex Roberts all finalists for the Midwest award. All respect to the other finalists, but Tim McKee really has to win, doesn't he?

[Alexis]

The last F&W show I attended was for one of my appearances on your radio show. I don't go anymore because the lines are too long and pushy and there's just not as many things for vegetarians to sample as I'd like (there's only so much chocolate one can eat before the imminent sugar crash).

[Morris Weinblatt]

There is one prominent name missing from the James Beard list...and that is Uncle Stewart Woodman

[Bearded Clam]

No disrespect to Stewart, but if you looked at the semi-finalists, he didn't even make the cut there. Lenny did, as did others in different areas. (Sameh @ Saffron, D'Amico & Partners) Don't get me wrong, I like "Uncle" Stewarts? food, and I think the more nominations for MPLS the better, but I am very pleased with the three nominations. Best of luck to all three. I will be happy as long as someone from MPLS wins...but Tim McKee is the most deserving in my opinion.

[Gary Harding]

After I got over the drive by insult. I am one of the nobodies that have attended the F&W Show. You asked who they are. They are the people who read and listen to you. Being one of thick skin I quickly realized your question of "Why go?" was a fair one. As an organizer for the Crow River BBQ Contest in Watertown I attended once to learn more about some of the presenters. Specifically the year Ray Lampe had a stage. I wanted to see his presentation. It like my impression of the whole show was marginal at best. As someone who does not consider himself among the "Food Elite" in Minnesota I thought the whole thing a scam to extract money from the unsuspecting. The crowd as many people into a large space as they can for profit and then make you fight for a morsel of food. Much like feeding the pigeons. Don't get me wrong I think most of the presenters do a fine job. Then the owners of the show take that fine work and trash it in the name of making huge profit

[geofff]

stewart is great, but he needs to have his feet in one place for at least one year to get a proper nomination. it looks like he has the place, now he just needs the time.

Another related question. Has MN always been in a separate category from IL?

[Danny B.]

I'd be interested to hear from some of the local chefs who post here about their thoughts on The Beard Awards.

Is this an important recognition to them? Do they care? Is it like the Oscars where "it's just nice to be nominated?" Does it make a difference in the bottom line of their restaurants?

I've read various thoughts (pro and con) about it on the national scene, but would be interested on how some of our local talent views it.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who was nominated at any point and best of luck to the three finalists.

[Anonymous]

If you recall, Stewart Woodman had his feet somewhere for at least a year, so how does that have bearing on whether he gets nominated or not?

Perhaps it has more to do with whether he learns to play nice with others.

[Merzy]

AZ-Thank you so much for the MN version of Bizzare Foods. It was fantastic to see what crazy things are available right here in MN. I really appreciate your genuine attitude towards scary looking foods. I hope someday to get the guts you have in tasting new foods.

[flasky jameson]

Am I the only one sorely disappointed by the Minnesota show? Meat raffles, for example? I understand the premise, and grant that lutefisk and the Fair had to be part of it, but even Heartland came off as looking full of bumpkins.
Then again, maybe that's the truth, and explains why good restaurants continue to struggle.

[jerseygirl]

Dear Anonymous,
I couldn’t agree with you more…Chef Stewart Woodman is definitely a cowboy. I would be willing to bet that he will never win “The Best Chef in Minnesota” award, because he just won't play nice (i.e. kiss a**). I think I like that about him.

[Jen]

Hey Andrew-
Thanks for the Minnesota show last night. I realy enjoyed it. I do agree that Minnesotans were kind of shown as fat and old, but hey that might be accurate. Also, great section on Heartland. I love that place! Keep up the good work!

[Dr. Ron]

I am very curious, who is James Beard? And why does he care so much about noshing in Minneapolis? Its all very confusing to me...God Bless America

[Pam and Jimmy Powell]

Hello Andrew!
Just wanted to let you know that Salad Girl Organic Salad Dressings hit the local grocery store shelves(All Kowalski's Markets) last week!
Although our flavors are not "Minnesota Bizarre" they are really unique, and really worth your investigation, AND we are "proudly", the 1st 100% MCIA
certified organic& fresh salad dressing manufactured here in Mn!
But if you really NEED Bizarre, we are a bit strange, so give us a call and we will gladly show ya!
Congrats and thankyou for all the interesting and fun things you do for us folks!
The Powells