All About Food

Dip-it

March 25th, 2015

Photo by Abigail Maki

Recently, at a somewhat posh reception, I found myself hovering near the buffet table expounding on the achievements of ALS patient extraordinaire Chris Rosati.If you don’t know who he is check out his Facebook page and be prepared to be amazed. He makes everything we all do seem so insignificant, but that is because his actions are so much more significant with “The Butterfly Effect.”

Anyway, the brunette was off discussing the worldwide options of fashion (now that the winter…

Food: Now Delicious and Nutritious

March 18th, 2015

By Eric McKenzie

I found it difficult to decide what to eat yesterday. Seeking to never bore my flavor palate, I strengthen my connection with food through continuous learning and creativity.

Knowing that what I eat sustains me, mind and body, I make cooking a pleasurable experience. A podcast keeps me company through the tedious moments. If you don't have kitchen confidence yet, keep trying and know that it's always a recipe away.

Reset your taste buds

Can you remember a time when you…

The Toasted Frog offering great cocktails, top-shelf chef specials and service

March 5th, 2015

What is in a name? Curious as it may seem there is no back-story to the name of Fargo’s latest hotspot, The Toasted Frog, or at least one not readily available for our consumption. No worries, there are a lot more tasty consumables awaiting you there. Originally based in Grand Forks, this hip bar and restaurant serving intoxicatingly well-crafted cocktails along with diverse culinary offerings is a welcome addition to downtown Fargo’s dining scene.

While chatting with Sarah Erikson,…

Quack Quack

February 11th, 2015

The fun about writing for the reader, for me, is finding these places I like to eat at and being able to brag about them to you.

I wanted to share with you a place in Bismarck that I was introduced to two years ago during their Street Fair. I was hungry for a really good salad and really nice, comfy soup, not street fair food. I have nothing against street fair food (I like a good hot dog and I will fight for the last cheese curd too) but because it was pouring rain and cold, I needed…

Say ‘Cheese,’ darling: Quality cheese is worth the price

February 7th, 2015

There is cheese and then there is cheese: hand-crafted and aged well to allow all the microbes to work their magic; or mass produced as a stodgy yellow substance stored as slices between sheets of plastic with a nuclear half-life.

Cheese is very much a part of the daily American diet and the economic darling of the National Dairy Management office.

America is ranked as the 11th largest cheese consumer on an international scale with the average personal consumption of around 30-plus…

Cooking With a Friend

January 29th, 2015

My friend Barb wanted me to teach her how to make my version of falafels. It really is the version that a coworker from my Full Circle Restaurant days shared with our staff.

For those of you who do not have a clue what I am talking about, falafels are made from garbanzo beans (some call them chickpeas). Fava beans can also be used.

Falafels are full of delicious spices and served on pita bread, or in my case I like to put them into a wrap. They have humus, tahini sauce and lettuce too. I…

Introducing sommelier Jean Taylor

January 21st, 2015

Photo by Dan Francis

Fargo’s flourishing dining scene has reached a new high.

Jean Taylor, of Mosaic Foods (parent company of Mezzaluna and Rustica), recently became the region’s first certified sommelier after passing the Court of Master Sommeliers’ difficult three-part, Level II exam.

As a professional wine steward, a sommelier works as a trained and highly knowledgeable spirits guide for restaurants and their patrons.

“I can have a conversation with you and understand what you like and why you like…

Road Trip Cuisine

January 16th, 2015

Welcome back, all you HPR readers, from the holidays. I hope you had a great holiday, as much as I did.

Over my next four articles I will talk about (1) All the food I surrounded myself by on my break, totally shameless (2) Some new people I met and that love they have for cooking so they shared their favorite items with me (3) The importance of feeding yourself through relaxing and (4) A very BIG lesson I learned in the world of catering.

“Road Trip with Lora”

I'm so excited to share…

The Ultimate New Year’s Eve Guide

December 23rd, 2014

Cover by Max Morlock

Plenty of free champagne, rowdy music, swanky parties and exquisite food will be going around this Wednesday, December 31. Whether you want to treat yourself to a fancy meal, party along with your favorite rock band or play dress up, we’ve done our best to give you the most comprehensive guide to all things New Year’s Eve in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Highlighted are some of the folks behind the most above-and-beyond dinners and/or parties in town. Don’t hesitate to book…

Plum Pudding a Christmas Tradition

December 23rd, 2014

When it comes to re-gifting I think the number one item would be fruit cake. That boat anchor of technicolor dried fruits and maraschino cherries bound together in a molasses-based cake mixture that has a nuclear half-life. The problem with fruitcake, outside of being inedible, is people get it confused with plum pudding, a rich dense alcohol soaked masterpiece that adorns every British Christmas Day table.

It is a bit late in the day to make one for this Christmas, well that is if you…