TRAVEL/FOOD : Page 79 of 96 : On the road and at home, it's always about food and fun!

Disco Cubes: Ice is a big part of the mix in making great cocktails

Creating artisanal ice for large scale events, private clients and parties in Los Angeles is a continuation of Leslie Kirchhoff’s career as an artist, DJ and photographer for high-end magazines like Vogue. Feeling a little stifled and less than creative in her day-to-day work doing magazine shoots, she hit upon the idea of ice cubes as works of art–albeit not very permanent ones. She also realized that while putting large ice cubes in drinks was trendy, putting something in the ice cube itself wasn’t being done. Using that as a springboard she started Disco Cubes, where she creates handcrafted ice so beautiful and/or unique that it turns a mere cocktail into a showpiece.

“The cube itself is just the container for whatever you put inside, like a tiny 3-dimensional blank canvas where gravity doesn’t quite exist,” says Kirchhoff who describes great cocktails as similar to multi-sensory sculptures. “Mixologists are truly becoming artists, much like chefs have become. You have the architectural elements, like the shape and texture of the glassware, the color and clarity of the drink. Every element is so carefully calculated that it’s a wonder why more people aren’t experimenting with ice.”

Now Kirchhoff is sharing her ice cube recipes in the recently released Disco Cube Cocktails: 100+ innovative recipes for artful ice and drinks. The name Disco harkens to both a renewed interest in the designs, clothing and aesthetics of that era as well as her own work as a DJ. Kirchhoff also is very much influenced in her ice works by Danish designer Verner Panton who she describes as an inventor as well and the first to make a single-form injection-molded chair.

I just love everything about him,” she says, impressed by Panton’s ability to find a balance between the weird and the practical while have fun doing so.

A perfectionist when it comes to cubes, Kirchhoff also read up on the physics of freezing and talks about polishing ice cubes to make them perfect. In other words, Disco Cubes isn’t just cracking open an ice cube tray or putting a glass under the dispenser on the refrigerator.

Some of her recipes have multiple steps and include ingredients we’re not likely to have on hand. Others are simpler and those are the ones I’m starting off with here. If you like them and want to go more experimental, I’ve included the more complicated ones at the end.

HERBAL SPEARS
Makes 4 Spears
4 fresh herb sprigs [about 4 inches long]
5¼ in clear Collins cube mold

Place one herb sprig into each Collins cube compartment. Fill the mold with water and freeze until solid, about 30 hours.
Remove the cubes from the mold, polish them, and keep frozen until ready to use.
Polishing Cubes
As with metal that needs polishing or wood that needs sanding, ice sometimes needs a little love before it’s ready for its close-up. Cubes may have seams from two-part molds, lumpy tops, or other imperfections you want to smooth out. This process must be done quickly, especially in a warm environment.
Shaping Herbal Spears
A sharp paring knife can easily skim off the seam from an ice sphere. Hold the cube with a microfiber cloth in one hand, while carefully carving with the knife facing toward you, rotating the sphere away from you as you go.

HOT SAUCE SHATTER
These are easy to make and can be used in drinks such as Bloody Marys, Margaritas and Michelada (chilled Mexican beer mixed with other ingredients such as lime juice and Worcestershire sauce) that require spicing up.
Makes Enough for 10 to 15 Drinks
1 ounce hot sauce
2 cups water
Quarter sheet pan, to use as ice mold

In a glass measuring cup, combine the hot sauce with 2 cups of water. Place a quarter sheet pan in the freezer, and carefully pour the hot sauce mixture directly into the pan. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Pop the entire sheet of ice off the tray and transfer to a 1 gallon freezer bag until ready to use. When ready to serve, with the ice still in the bag, shatter it into various-size pieces [anywhere from 1 to 4 inches, or 2.5 inches in length] using a mallet or rolling pin.

HOLIDAY PUNCH + ROSEMARY WREATH
You don’t have to wait until the holidays to serve this one. It can be a cool summer drink as well.
Makes 24 Servings
Four 750 ml bottles prosecco, chilled
24 ounces Peppered Cranberry Syrup (see recipe below)
16 ounces vodka
¾ ounce orange bitters
1 Rosemary Wreath (see recipe below)

In a large punch bowl, combine the prosecco, cranberry syrup, vodka, and bitters. Stir to mix. Gently add the ice wreath and serve.
Peppered Cranberry Syrup
Makes About 24 Ounces
4 cups cranberries [two 12 ounce packages]
1 cup sugar
4 ounces apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons peppercorns, coarsely cracked

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cranberries, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and peppercorns with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Strain it twice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve, or for up to 1 week.
Rosemary Wreath
Makes 1 Ice Wreath
1 tablespoon dried hibiscus flowers
One 8 cup Bundt pan
1 or 2 bunches rosemary sprigs

In a large heatproof glass measuring cup, steep the hibiscus flowers in 32 ounces of hot water for 5 minutes.
If using a silicone Bundt pan, place it on a quarter sheet pan.
Arrange the rosemary sprigs in a wreath shape inside the pan. Through a fine mesh strainer, pour the hibiscus tea into the mold, then add 2 cups of water. Use the sheet pan to transfer the mold to the freezer and freeze until solid, about 8 hours, or overnight.
DR. DRAGON + RADISH CUBES
Makes 2 Cocktails
2 Radish Cubes
2 cucumber strips
4 ounces Miso Butter Washed Suntory (see recipe below)
1½ ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ ounce Radish Simple Syrup (see recipe below)

Place 1 Radish Cube in each of two Old-Fashioned glasses to temper. Add 1 cucumber strip to each glass, circling the cube and touching the side of the glass.
In a cocktail shaker filled with plain ice, combine the whisky, lemon juice, and radish simple syrup. Cover and shake for 15 seconds, then double strain into the glasses.
Radish Cubes
Makes 4 Cubes
4 micro radishes, or small red radishes,
stems trimmed so total size is about 2½ inches
2-inch clear ice cube mold
Place 1 radish in each compartment of the clear cube mold. Fill the mold with water and freeze until solid, about 30 hours. Remove the cubes from the mold, polish them, and keep frozen until ready to use.
Miso Butter Washed Suntory
Makes 2 Cups
4 ounces unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sweet white miso paste (can substitute soy sauce instead)
2 cups Suntory whisky (or other bourbon)

In a small pan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in miso paste to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Combine the melted miso butter and bourbon in a lidded wide-mouth container, then cover and shake briefly to combine.
Let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours, then transfer to the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove the hardened butter from the top of the bourbon and set aside, then strain the mixture through a coffee filter set inside a sieve and into another lidded jar. Store infused bourbon in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Radish Simple Syrup*
Makes about ¾ Cup
½ cup sugar
½ cup thinly sliced radishes

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and ½ cup of water. Heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the radishes. Cover and let steep at room temperature for at least 2 hours, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a lidded jar or bottle.
*Beware the pungent smell of making this simple syrup.
SOUL MAKOSSA + TANGERINE TURMERIC CUBES
“In 1973, Manu Dibango brought an infec¬tious groove from Africa to the dance floors of downtown New York City with his mas¬sive global hit, “’Soul Makossa,’ which flew off shelves so quickly that even DJs had a hard time getting their hands on a copy,” says Kirchhoff. “The infectious sax riff and vocal chant were covered, sampled, and famously ripped off time and time again, most notably by Michael Jackson in ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’. With these cubes you’ll have a party in your glass faster than you can say ‘ma-mako, ma-ma-sa, mako-mako ssa.’”
Makes 1 Cocktail
1 Tangerine Turmeric Cube (see recipe below)
2 ounces tequila
Soda water or tonic water, for topping off
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Lime wheel, for garnish

Place the Tangerine Turmeric Cube on a cutting board and using a serrated knife cut it diag¬onally through the middle. Place both halves into a white wine glass or Old-Fashioned glass. Pour the tequila over the top, then top with soda or tonic water, bitters, and lime wheel.
Tangerine Turmeric Cubes
Makes 4 Cubes
8 ounces freshly squeezed tangerine juice, strained
2 ounces fresh turmeric juice, strained (see note below)
2 ounces Honey Simple Syrup (see below)
12 dashes of orange bitters
Collins cube tray

In a large glass measuring cup, combine the tangerine juice, turmeric juice, simple syrup, and orange bitters. Pour the mixture into the tray and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
Simple Honey Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup honey

Combine water and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring constantly until honey dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool about 30 minutes until it is at room temperature. Store refrigerator in airtight container, it should keep for up to 2 weeks.
Note: Turmeric juice can be found locally at Apple Valley Market in Berrien Springs and GNC in Benton Harbor or if you don’t want to buy it then consider mixing a little ground turmeric with carrot or orange juice.
The above recipes are reprinted from Disco Cubes by Leslie Kirchhoff with permission by Chronicle Books, 2020.
Jane Ammeson can be contacted via email at janeammeson@gmail.com or by writing to Focus, The Herald Palladium, P.O. Box 128, St. Joseph, MI 49085.

SouthWest Germany Showcases its Six UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Europe, Germany, Historic Architecture, History, Road Trips, Southwest Germany, Travel, UNESCO World Heritage Site

The State Tourist Board of Baden-Württemberg, also known as SouthWest Germany, is marking the 75th
anniversary of the UNESCO with a reminder about its extraordinary UNESCO world heritage sites. SouthWest Germany proudly maintains its six UNESCO world heritage sites, including the distinguished and perfectly preserved Cistercian monastery of Maulbronn which was the first in SouthWest Germany‘s UNESCO crown in 1993.

Today SouthWest Germany’s UNESCO range from the oldest cave art in the world to iconic twentieth
century architecture. SouthWest Germany, officially the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, is a beautiful part of Germany that offers green hills and valleys, caves of ancient art and forests, large and small rivers and lakes, as well as great cities,palaces, castles, medieval monasteries and delicious food and wine. What many people do not know is that SouthWest Germany is also home to no less than six of Germany’s 46 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We present these sites in the order of their own history from oldest to the most modern.

The state’s most recent UNESCO award was made in 2017 but interestingly, it went to one of the oldest
monuments: the caves and art of the ice age in the Swabian Alb, southwest of Stuttgart. When the first modern humans settled in Europe during the last Ice Age about 40,000 years ago, some of them settled in the numerous caves of the Swabian Alb that offered protection. In the caves, they left behind the oldest works of art in the world, whose significance for the understanding of human history and the development of the arts is unique worldwide. After decades of research, archaeologists presented around 50 small mammoth ivory sculptures and eight flutes from the six caves in the Ach and Lone valleys. These are the oldest musical instruments known worldwide. You can visit some of the caves and see the art in nearby museums.

In the south on Lake Constance is the collection of the Pfahlbauten or prehistoric lake dwellings from the Late Neolithic, the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age. In 2011, 111 places with pile dwellings in six European countries became UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including nine on Lake Constance. There is a museum on the shores of Lake Constance as well as a village, or a network of thatched huts built on pilings (said to be for transportation or security) and the huts provide re-enactments of the lives of the pile dwellers, including a show of their tools, such as the oldest wheel and textiles in Europe, which date from around 3000 BC. The museum shows the results of the excavations from 3,000 to 900 BC. It was the preservation of archaeological finds in the mud that enabled this unique reconstruction for early life at the lake. They provide fantastic tours in English for all ages.

The legacy of the Roman Empire is one of the greatest empires that ever existed and is included in the UNESCO in Germany. Of course you have heard of Hadrian’s Wall in England, well the Limes Route is the Roman’s line of defense in Europe. (Limes means path or boundary in Latin) The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes is part of the Roman border fortifications with castles, watchtowers, walls and palisades with which the former world power demarcated its empire from free Germania. There are also museum-like facilities such as protective structures covering roman ruins which are explained by plans, photographs and finds as well as archaeological parks located in the neighborhood of boundary wall structures with reconstructed or restored exhibitions. Most of the forts were founded at the beginning or middle of the 2nd century and existed until the end of the Roman occupation 260/270 A.D. It is actually a perfect site to visit while practicing social distancing as you can walk or bike the entire route – there is a walking trail and a cycling route – and most of it is located in two nature parks.

www.tourism-bw.com

Peas, Love and Carrots

Farm-to-Table, Jewish Cookery, Regional & Ethnic

Savory Stovetop Turkey. Photo by Moshe Wulliger.

So, before we start talking about Danielle Renov’s wonderful new cookbook, Peas Love and Carrots (Me’sorah Publications, Ltd. 2020; $28.93 Amazon price) I want to take a few moments to whine. I write a lot about food, I have a food blog, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts where I post about food and travel. I often think it’s lucky I have a large family including cousins who I am able to cajole into following me so I have at least some followers.

Some don’t seem to need large families to get followers. At least four or five times a year, I interview a cookbook author who started with an Instagram or Facebook or Twitter account and ended up with tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of followers. I’m not saying I’m anywhere near their level of ability and creativity. Far from it, but still—comparatively my numbers aren’t even close. I’m not writing this to make people feel so sorry for me that they follow me—but hey, if you want to it’s okay. it’s just that with Renov I ran into it again. Four years ago, with her husband out of town and her kids tucked away in bed, she decided to start Instagramming.

Tuna Salad A` La Moi. Photo by Moshe Wulliger.

Last year, she had around 43,000 followers. This year, as of May, the number was edging close to 60,000. She now is talked about as a kosher and food influencer—someone who has the audience and credibility to persuade others. To give an example of what that means, Kim Kardashian may be the ultimate influencer with 200 million followers across social media channels. Yes, 200 million. That’s more than half the number of people who live in the United States.

Burnt Cauliflower and Herb Salad. Photo by by Moshe Wulliger.

Renov, who grew up on Long Island, New York and moved to Israel about 13 years ago, deserves her followers. The 254 plus recipes she created for Peas, Love & Carrots reflect her many life experiences, her family’s heritage, her Sephardic and Ashkenazi roots and her own interest in food in her new homeland including her weekly shopping expeditions to the Machane Yehuda Shuk, a sprawling 19th century
market in Jerusalem selling among many other items, a variety of foods. In writing the introduction to her recipes, Renov tells a story about it, often displaying a sense of humor.

“Dinner again?” she writes in the introduction to Crispy Baked Chicken fingers. “I know. it’s crazy. No matter how many times you go through it, it comes back again and again. It’s almost like laundry. Only you can’t eat your laundry, so at least there’s that. This (recipe) is for those days. And since those days happen more than we’d like to admit, I gave you three versions so that you can change things up. You’re welcome.”
But food is also serious for Renov, who returns frequently to New York where she records cooking videos for kosher.com. She wants her recipes to work, to be easily accessible for both kosher and non-kosher cooks and to offer tastes beyond the everyday.

Describing her Savory Stovetop Turkey recipe as an ode to her father who doesn’t eat a lot of read met, Renov says she’s always on the hunt for tasty turkey recipes.

Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers. Photo by Moshe Wulliger.

“What I never saw was a turkey roast recipe where I felt like the turkey was treated like a proper beef roast,” she says, and I have to agree which is another reason why this recipe looks so intriguing. From the photo, and I’ll soon have my own photos too as I’m making it for company tomorrow, it looks like a richly braised beef roast.

“That’s what was aiming for here,” she says, “Turkey that was deeply savory, moist, and extremely satisfying.”

Go ahead and follow Renov, I won’t mind. Really. She posts her recipes, cooking tutorials, lifestyle tips and inspirational ideas for the kitchen, home, and family on both her blog peaslovencarrots.com and Instagram feed @peaslovencarrots.

The following were excerpted from Peas Love & Carrots by Danielle Renov. Copyright 2020 by ArtScroll Mesorah Publications, photos by Moshe Wulliger. Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.

Burnt Cauliflower and Herb Salad
Yield: 2+ quarts
Cauliflower
2 (24 oz) bags frozen cauliflower florets
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 1⁄2 Tablespoons)
1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1⁄2 teaspoons sumac
1⁄2 teaspoons paprika
1 lemon, halved

Herb Salad
1⁄2 cup chopped parsley
1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro
1⁄2 cup chopped scallions (from about 4 scallions)
2 tablespoons chopped mint, optional
1 small purple onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1-11⁄2 Tablespoons white vinegar kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cauliflower
Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil; coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Toss frozen cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, sumac, and paprika.
Spread out on baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast undisturbed for about 45 minutes (DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR DURING THAT TIME!).
After 45 minutes, cauliflower should begin to get crispy and charred.

Open oven door remove baking sheet, and squeeze both halves of the lemon over the cauliflower. DO NOT MIX OR STIR. Just squeeze over the top, return to oven and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Serve and enjoy.

Herb Salad
While cauliflower is roasting, combine parsley, cilantro, scallions, mint, and onion in a large bowl.
When cauliflower is done, add to the herb mixture, tossing to combine. Add vinegar; toss to combine.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve warm or cold.
Note: If not serving the same day, combine herbs with cauliflower before serving time.

Tuna Salad A` La Moi
“This is my favorite lunch salad,” says Renov. “I could eat it, on repeat, every day. I know, mercy. Ok, fine. every other day. It’s filling, the
flavors are punchy, and it’s my absolute favorite way to eat tuna. Make it today, double the recipe, and store it in an airtight container for tomorrow. it is actually better the second day.”

2 cups shredded purple cabbage
1 cup shredded radicchio
1 cup chopped scallions
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup finely chopped celery
1⁄2 cup diced purple onion
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup chopped preserved lemons
1⁄2 cup chopped capers 15 ounce canned tuna in water, drained,

Roughly chopped juice of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1⁄2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.

Place all ingredients into a large bowl. Toss well to combine.

Let sit for 5 minutes. Toss again.

Savory Stovetop Turkey
1 large whole deboned turkey breast
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 1⁄2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 1⁄2 cups dry white wine
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 cups chicken broth
1⁄4 cup duck sauce

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Season turkey breast with mixture on all sides.
Heat a pot over medium heat. Add oil; place turkey top side down and sear for 4 minutes on each side.
Remove turkey from pot; set aside.

Add onion; cook for 12 minutes.

Add garlic and tomato paste to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add wine, bay leaves, and vinegar, stirring to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan.

Cook for 2 minutes; add chicken broth and duck sauce.

Return turkey to the pot, spooning some of the mixture over the top.

Bring mixture to a boil, cover pot, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 1⁄2 hours, basting every 20 minutes or so. Serve hot and enjoy.
Tips + Tricks
If making in advance, slice turkey when it’s cold, return to sauce, and reheat gently.

Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers:

Crispy Asian Baked Shnitsel
1 package chicken tenders (about 18 pieces) OR 12 thin cutlets
1 cup mayo
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 teaspoons sriracha (depending how spicy you like it!)
1 Tablespoon white miso
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
Barbecue Crispy Chicken
1 package chicken tenders (about 18 pieces) OR 12 thin cutlets
1⁄4 cup mayo
3⁄4 cup favorite barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
3 cups panko breadcrumbs

Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken
1 package chicken tenders (about 18 pieces) or 12 thin cutlets
1⁄4 cup mayo
1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350°F

Coat a baking sheet liberally with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine flavoring ingredients (aside from chicken and breadcrumbs) in selected recipe.
Add chicken to wet mixture; mix to coat.
Dip coated chicken into breadcrumbs, then place flat on prepared baking sheet. Spray the top of the chicken pieces with a little more nonstick spray.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Cooking the Perfect Omaha Steak

Cooking demonstrations

What other major American city besides Omaha is defined by one specific food? No, we couldn’t think of one either, meaning when it happens, you know it’s got to be the best. And so it is with Omaha and steaks and the company who put them all together–Omaha Steaks. Long known for producing tender, tasty, grain-fed, hand-cut steaks, Omaha Steaks also is a fine purveyor of seafood, pork, lamb, chicken and such starters and sides as Filet Mignon Pastry Bites, Steakhouse Cauliflower Au Gratin and Mini-Lobster Grilled Cheese.

As a serious carnivore, I was extremely lucky–and enthused–when asked to join a group of food and travel writers in a Zoom tour of the Omaha food scene where city’s famed steaks reign supreme. The webinar, organized by Visit Omaha’s Director of Communications, Tracie McPherson, was also sponsored by Omaha Steaks. Designed to introduce us to the city’s food scene, we met (virtually, of course) three of the city’s best chefs who shared tips and recipes on how to prepare what are considered the best of the best when it comes to quality meat.

But first a little history.

During the webinar, we learned that Omaha beef history dates back to 1862 when a Wyoming rancher asked a group of Omaha businessmen to consider creating a stockyard. Though it ended up being a boon for Omaha, the rancher had a mercenary motive as well. Western ranchers sending their cattle to the Stockyard Exchange Markets needed a place to feed and water their cattle as they made their way east. Omaha, located right on the banks of the Missouri River, was bountiful in corn and grass making it perfect for plumping up the cattle ensuring a higher price. Besides that, the city also was a growing transportation hub as the Union Pacific Railroad was expanding west making it perfect for a stockyard. So perfect that by 1890, Omaha Union Stockyards were ranked third in the United States for production. By 1910, the operations had 20,000 animals arriving daily. It was more than feeding and watering the cattle on their way to east coast markets, Omaha had become the market.

And now the chefs and their steak preparation methods.

We met Chef Nick Strawhecker, owner/chef of Dante, who who trained in Europe and specializes in authentic, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and rustic Italian cuisine. Cultivating relationships with growers and producers throughout the Midwest, his menu is seasonally driven. He also owns one of the few restaurants in the country that has pizza certified by the Italian Government.

Dante– Chef Nick Strawhecker

Steak Cut: 20 oz. Bone-in Ribeye

Steak Preparation

Temper steak for about two hours, prefer room temperature
Season with fresh cracked black pepper and diamond crystal salt
Prepare in a hot cast iron pan with olive oil
Placed steak in wood-fired oven
Internal temperature of steak should read 115 degrees to 120 degrees (rare to medium rare)
Let steak rest then cut across grain

The steak sandwiches are served with a variety of condiments like Fresh mushrooms, pickled vegetables, different sauces etc. Very versatile that can feed a crowd.

Chef Nick’s Tip: At home, the key is a good cast iron skillet that you preheat on a stove, oven or grill.

Chef Jake Newton of V. Mertz learned to cook from his mother and after high school, attended Johnson & Wales University in Denver before moving to Europe where he worked and dined in some of the world’s best restaurants. Now he’s head chef for V. Mertz, part of Omaha’s culinary scene for more than 40 years, which is ocated in Omaha’s historic Old Market Entertainment District.

Steak: Boneless Ribeye

Steak Preparation

Start with a very dry steak by removing all of the moisture
Season with a liberal amount of salt and cracked black pepper
Sear steak on the hottest service possible to create that crust and caramelization on the steak.
Once steak has the nice exterior crust, let it rest for 5-7 minutes, the goal is to cool the external temperature to be less than what you desire the internal temperature.
Finish steak in a hot oven (450 degrees) for about 5 minutes (depending on your oven) until you reach desired internal temperature
Final resting period is around 15 minutes

Chef Jake’s Tips:

Use canola oil in pan, it heats nice and hot
Move pan to another hot spot to keep the temperature of the pan high

Kitchen Table

According to our presententer, that Chef Colin Duggan and his wife Jessica, owner of Kitchen Table, make the kind of food that changes the way you eat. Before moving back to Omaha to open their restaurant, the couple spent time in San Francisco perfecting their culinary skills. Kitchen Table’s menu changes almost daily and is full of locally-raised seasonal food. Almost everything, including bread and jam, is made in house. The crew makes a Snack Mix of house bacon, candied nuts, and house popcorn that should come with a warning: highly addictive.

Steak Cut: Teres Major (very versatile and large enough to have several servings)

Made three meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner

Trim silverskin of the steak but leave some of the fat
Prepare pan with butter and herbs (unintelligible due to connectivity)
Season steak with in-house seasonings
Use very hot cast iron pan to create sear and crust on steak
Breakfast
- Cook eggs and vegetables on grill. Seasons with oil after cooking to absorb flavor
Lunch
- Steak salad with housemade Greek Goddess dressing and Kitchen Table seasoning
Dinner
- Jerk Spiced steak with marinated tomatoes
- Same Cooking method for steak
- Use reductions to accompany steak

Chef Colin’s Tip: Season steak up to 12 hours prior to cooking to infuse maximum flavor

@VisitOmaha; @OmahaSteaks; #OmahaWeekend; @IFWTWA; #ifwtwa1; @winenormal; Toastingfoodwinetravel, toastingfoodwinetravel1; Toastingfoodwinetravel; TastesAndTravel; WINEormous; amythepipertravels; tastesandtravel; janesimonammeson; TravelWell4Less; wineormous; janeammeson; temeculalinda; kurtzshar;shar_kurtz/;janeammeson1; jaimesays

DOOR COUNTY WELCOMES SUMMER AND SAFETY WITH RE-OPENING LODGING PACKAGES

Bed & Breakfast, Family, Family Excursions, Farm-to-Table, Farm-to-Table Restaurant, Farming, Food, Fruit, Historic Restaurants, History, Home Town Fun, Road Trips, Travel

Wisconsin Cherry Pie. Photo by Jon Jarosh.

Summer in Door County means cool breezes, mild temperatures, quaint harbor towns, farm-to-table
restaurants, cheeseries, wineries, mead makers and distillers and sun-soaked waterfront vistas as well as
300 miles of shoreline paralleling Lake Michigan and Green Bay.

This delightful coastal Wisconsin getaway is now open for travel and committed to providing visitors with a safe vacation experience. To achieve this, Door County communities and lodgers have developed health and safety procedures and are committed to following operating guidelines from state and local authorities. Many have signed on to the Commitment to Cleanliness and Safety Initiative, a joint endeavor from Door County Medical Center and Door County Public Health to ensure the safety of both visitors and residents.

Hillside Waterfront Hotel. Photo by Trail Genius.

Visitors to Door County can choose family owned, vintage hotels and inns, historic B&Bs, luxury
waterfront suites and cottages for their stay. Starting in June through July many accommodations in
Door County are offering Re-Open and Re-Discover promotion packages for those who want to explore
the peninsula’s 11 lighthouses, five state parks, cherry orchards, maritime history, wildlife preserves and
myriad of outdoor recreation activities knowing that safety precautions are of utmost importance to
the community.
Take advantage of packages that include accommodations for one to three nights; a meal for two
(offerings may include a gift certificate to a local restaurant, complimentary on-property breakfast, a
picnic basket filled with Door County specialties); an activity or attraction offering (state park pass,
maps, tours, tastings); and a $25 Door County gift certificate available to use at a variety of shops,
restaurants and attractions.

Kayaking by Cana Lighthouse. Photo by Jon Jarosh.

Explore the Lake Michigan side, a little more quiet, in Baileys Harbor with Maxwelton Braes Lodge’s
Stay, Play & Dine Package featuring a two night stay, two rounds of golf, $50 gift certificate to Thyme
Cuisine, two complimentary old fashioned cocktails, and breakfast or express lunch for two at Thyme
Cuisine. Ephraim’s ideal spot for a romantic getaway is Eagle Harbor Inn, offering “Suite Escape: Contact
Free Stay.” Enjoy a one-bedroom Whirlpool Suite welcomed with chilled prosecco and chocolate truffles
and grab a picnic lunch from Door County Creamery using a Door County gift certificate.
To view complete package details and a list of participating accommodations, visit
doorcounty.com/content/vacation-packages and link directly to accommodations for booking

Sunset Over Eagle Harbor. Photo by Jon Jarosh.

HALL WINES HOSTS VIRTUAL CABERNET COOKOFF ‘HOME EDITION’ ON SATURDAY, MAY 30: Participants to Compete for a Charity of Their Choice

Cooking demonstrations

HALL Wines, one of the world’s most notable Cabernet Sauvignon producers, is hosting a Virtual Cabernet Cookoff: Home Edition, on Saturday, May 30. A virtual version of the winery’s annual Cabernet Cookoff that was cancelled due to the Covid-19 shelter in place orders, the creative Home Edition allows chefs to participate remotely.

To compete in the online food and wine pairing competition, contestants simply submit a recipe that pairs best with HALL’s 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The recipes are then reviewed by HALL’s judging committee, consisting of HALL’s senior staffing with backgrounds in culinary arts. The top three dishes will be created by a guest chef and shared live for viewers on Saturday, May 30 at 4:00p.m. PT on Facebook Live. The event will be hosted by Vintner Kathryn Hall.

“It is more important now than ever to support each other,” says Hall. “The ravages of Covid-19 continue to devastate our families and communities. Holding a virtual Cabernet Cookoff this year means we and our friends can continue to support deserving charitable organizations across our nation. On May 30, let’s get creative in the kitchen, drink some fabulous wine, and have fun while we are at it.”

Kathryn Walt Hall, the proprietor of both HALL Wines and WALT Wines, has long been involved in the California wine industry starting when her family first purchased a vineyard in the 1970’s. Besides being vintner, her impressive resume lists a career as an attorney, United States Ambassador to Austrai and community activitist.

The 2019 HALL Cabernet Cookoff drew more than 800 attendees for a sold-out crowd and raised $106,000 for local charities. Since inception in 2010, the HALL Cabernet Cookoff has raised $1.2 million dollars for Napa Valley non-profit organizations.

Participants are asked to fill out an Interest Form to submit their recipe and select a non-profit organization (501c3) of their choice to compete for a donation to that organization. The competition is open to everyone. In total, the event will select three winners with prize donations for First Place: $5,000; Second Place: $2,500; and Third Place: $1,500. The donations will be paid directly to the non-profit organizations connected to the top three winning chef teams.

The wine selection for the event, HALL’s 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($65.00 retail), offers effusive aromas of blackberry, black cherry, freshly turned earth and subtly warm toasty oak notes. The palate is dense and richly concentrated with fine grained tannin and good length. Flavors of dark chocolate, dark berry compote, and hints of dried thyme and leather are abundant, making this wine both versatile and expressive when looking to pair with diverse culinary dishes. During the contest period this wine will offered at a 10% discount as part of HALL’s virtual campaign.

WHAT:

HALL’sVirtual Cabernet Cookoff: Home Edition

WHEN:

Saturday, May 30,2020

4:00p.m. PT

WHERE:

HALL’s Facebook: Live

For more information, please visit HALL’s Virtual Cabernet Cookoff landing page.

For more information, please visit www.hallwines.com/cabernetcookoff or via social channels using @hallwines #cabernetcookoff.

The South’s Best Butts: Pitmaster Secrets for Southern Barbecue Perfection

cookbooks, Culture, Food, Houghton Mifflin Houghton, Regional & Ethnic, Southern cuisine, Southern States, Travel

Several years ago I talked to Matt Moore about his cookbook, The South’s Best Butts:
Pitmaster Secrets for Southern Barbecue Perfection. Moore, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, hit the
road, chronicling how barbecue differs in the 12 southern states he calls the Barbecue Belt.

Now luckily, in a time when going out to dinner means firing up the grill, Matt’s been busy
driving and flying (he owns a small airplane) again. Covering 10,000 miles in three months, he’s gathered
special recipes and tips from the eateries of Southern grillmasters and restaurants owned by such well-known chefs as Michael Solomonov, owner of Zahav in Philadelphia and Ashley Christensen’s Death &
Taxes in Raleigh, North Carolina. He’s put all this together in his latest book, Serial Griller: Grillmaster
Secrets for Flame-Cooked Perfection.

Matt Moore, on his way to check out more barbecue places throughout the South.

“It’s an All-American guide to grilling,” Moore tells me. “I think we’re really fortunate to live in a
country where people come from someplace else and we can pull from all those different countries. I
wanted to make sure the recipes were diverse.”

Indeed the multi-ethnicity of grilling comes out with recipes like Athenian Chicken and Sweet
Potatoes Rescoldo, which he describes as melding Louisiana and South America flavors. Al rescoldo is a
popular South American technique where foods like potatoes are cooked in the dying brasas, or embers
of a fire.

Moore also wanted to make sure Serial Griller was instructive and easy to use, no matter what
type of grill or foods you use.

“We spend a lot of time talking about the different meats, vegetables, even fruit as well as
fuels,” he says. “We give instructions for using both gas and charcoal instructions for each of the
recipes.”

Moore had to use persuasion to get some to reveal their secret recipes.

“There’s a little more secrecy in barbecue, there ae recipes they don’t want to give out,” says
Moore.

He also includes his own includes his own, like one for Grilled Watermelon.

“The concentrated sweetness and hint of smoke that juicy melon gets from a brief rest on a hot
grill adds surprising pizzazz to a refreshing dessert that is big on flavor and short on hassle,” he writes in
the recipe’s introduction. “Sweeten things up, in a healthy way, by adding a rich, creamy dollop of
vanilla Greek yogurt. The best desserts are all about sensory balance—here, hot meets cold, and creamy
and juicy counter crunchy and chewy.”

The following recipes excerpted from Serial Griller © 2020 by Matt Moore. Photography © by Andrea
Behrends and Helen Dujardin. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Sweet Potatoes Al Rescoldo
SERVES 4
HANDS-ON:25 minutes
TOTAL:1 hour 35 minutes

4 sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup roughly chopped pecans
1 teaspoon Mexican cinnamon (canela)
½ teaspoon guajillo chile powder
Finely chopped fresh parsley

Prepare a fire of live red oak coals or two chimneys full of charcoal. If you do not have two chimneys,
work in batches to produce enough coals. After the coals have gone from glowing red-hot to gray, pour
the coals onto a grilling surface and use tongs to carefully submerge the sweet potatoes completely
beneath the coals.

Allow the potatoes to sit in the coals until completely cooked, about 1 hour. Remove the potatoes from
the coals and let cool to the touch. Brush clean and cut in half.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop or over direct heat
on the grill. Add the sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and chile powder and mix until thoroughly combined.
Generously spoon the butter on top of the cut potatoes. Place the potatoes, cut-side up, back on the
grill over direct heat (500°F), cover, and cook for 5 minutes to allow the potatoes to firm. (You can also
place the potatoes under a broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to set.)

Athenian Chicken
HANDS-ON: 50 minutes
TOTAL: 26 hours, including 24 hours marinating

Chicken:
1 (3- to 4-pound) whole chicken
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Honey-Lemon Sauce:

⅓ cup lemon juice
¼ cup yellow mustard
¼ cup honey
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Minced fresh parsley

For the chicken: Remove and discard the giblets from the chicken. Wash the chicken thoroughly and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix the oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper together. Using your hands, rub
the spice mixture all over the bird, including inside the cavity. Place the chicken in a shallow dish, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours or overnight.
Open the bottom vent of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with charcoal. When the coals are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of the grill, and then push to one side of the grill. Adjust the vents as needed to maintain an internal temperature of 300° to 350°F. Coat the top grate with oil, place on the grill. (If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high [300° to 350°F] on one side.)
Place the chicken, preferably on a rotisserie or rack, over indirect heat and cook, grill covered, for about 1 hour, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. The chicken can be served whole, or you can remove the backbone and serve in halves or quarter it by removing the thighs from the breasts.
For the sauce: Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Generously drizzle the sauce over the cooked chicken and garnish with parsley.

NOTE:
The sauce can be made in advance and kept for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, covered. Bring to room temperature and shake vigorously prior to serving.

Grilled Watermelon

SERVES 8
HANDS-ON: 10 minutes
TOTAL: 10 minutes

8 (1-inch-thick) seedless watermelon wedges with rinds
½ cup vanilla whole-milk Greek yogurt
¼ cup roasted salted pistachios, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons crystallized ginger, finely chopped
½ teaspoon grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
Freshly ground black pepper

Open the bottom and top vents of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled halfway with charcoal. When the coals are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of the grill. Adjust the vents as needed to maintain an internal temperature of 450° to 500°F. Coat the top grate with oil, place on the grill. (If using a gas grill, preheat to high [450° to 500°F].)

Place the watermelon wedges on the oiled grates; grill, uncovered, until grill marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Place a grilled watermelon wedge on each of eight serving plates. Top the wedges evenly with the yogurt, pistachios, ginger, and orange zest. Garnish with pepper.

Lincoln Park Zoo Announces Grevy’s Zebra Pregnancy and Welcomes New Arrivals: Birth of a Diana Monkey and Two Japanese Macaques

Chicagoland Area

While Lincoln Park Zoo may be temporarily closed for the first extended period in its 152-year history, the zoo remains an urban oasis full of life, with a zebra foal expected this summer and the recent birth of a Diana monkey and two Japanese macaques.

Macaque infant Ozu–Lincoln Park Zoo/Shannon McElmeel

Lincoln Park Zoo is excited to announce that 13-year-old female Grevy’s Zebra Adia is pregnant. This is Adia’s fourth offspring, and her second offspring with 9-year-old sire Wester. The pregnancy is a result of a breeding recommendation from the Grevy’s Zebra Species Survival Plan^® (SSP) that cooperatively manages the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) population. Adia’s progesterone levels, measured by non-invasive fecal samples collected in February and analyzed by the Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, as well as a growing abdomen and increased food consumption, indicate Adia is pregnant.

“We are looking forward to welcoming another Grevy’s zebra to the herd, not only because foals are adorable, but because they will be a success story for this endangered species,” said curator Dan Boehm.

Macaque infant Nikko–Lincoln Park Zoo/Gina Sullivan

The foal is expected to arrive in July. Grevy’s zebra are native to eastern Africa and are endangered in the wild due to hunting and habitat loss.

At the other end of the zoo at Regenstein Macaque Forest, the zoo celebrated the birth of two Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys. Nara welcomed a female infant named Nikko on March 15, 2020. A few weeks later, Ono gave birth to a male infant named Ozu on April 18, 2020. Both infants are doing well and join the troop of 13 snow monkeys at Regenstein Macaque Forest.

“Infants bring such joy to folks at the zoo and make for a very active macaque troop,” said Curator of Primates Jill Moyse. “While we are disappointed guests can’t visit the troop currently, our essential staff are enjoying the pick-me-up that two curious primate babies bring.”

Diana monkey Cece at Regenstein African Journey welcomed an infant on April 23 as part of the Diana Monkey Species Survival Plan^® (SSP). The infant joins the troop of 4 Diana monkeys and has yet to be sexed or named.

While the zoo is currently closed, guests can see photos and videos of the new zoo babies on the zoo’s blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels. For more information about Lincoln Park Zoo, visit lpzoo.org.

Macaque infant Nikko–Lincoln Park Zoo/Jill Dignan

Saxony Travel Dreams: A New Microsite for Immersive Visual and Audio Experiences

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Saxony Engages Travelers with Compelling Microsite
www.saxonytraveldreams.com is the new microsite from Saxony Germany where lovers of history, castles, classical music, art museums and charming towns can experience Saxony at its most beautiful. A perfect antidote to the stay at home corona virus regulations, this microsite takes you there, to Saxony, creating an immersive visual and audio experience.

” We are making sure that memories of Saxony are kept alive in the minds of our international guests,” says TMGS managing director Veronika Hiebl.Whether you love history, castles, wine, charming towns and palaces, classical music or art museums, Saxony has it all so you don’t have to choose.

The land of Luther and Bach brings its charm and talents to the fore in the new #saxonytraveldreams campaign. Stocked with beautiful videos and photographs, visitors get a taste of the beauty and creativity that is alive in Saxony today. Although you may not be able to hop on a plane and travel there, this eastern state in Germany is a bastion for the arts and music and you can get a sense of these treasurers from your own home. The videos from journalists, bloggers and influencers are outstanding and objectively showcase Saxony at its most beautiful.

Two times per week the music city of Leipzig, broadcasts live stream performances from the world-famous Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. Broadcasts start every Thursday and Friday at 12 pm (Europe time) and are then available for 24 hours. In Dresden, the landmark Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) that rose from the GDR ashes produces a short“musical greetings”on the church’s YouTube channel or visitors can choose to go on a 360-degree tour. Jan Vogler, the director of the Dresden Music Festival has organized an online music festival to replace the recently cancelled Dresden Music Festival.

The spa town of Bad Elster, a hidden gem in southern Saxony, goes digital with its philharmonic and presents a range of live recordings every Wednesday and Saturday at 7.30 pm (Europe time) plus special music performances by individual orchestra members. But it’s not just music, there is art and incredible towns to explore. From the movie town of Görlitz, where The Grand Budapest Hotel among many other movies was filmed, to Radebeul, Leipzig and Torgau: Saxony’s enchanting towns and cities delight with unique architecture, fascinating history, interesting museums and character.

Truly there are many undiscovered gems and places that are not crowded and worth every penny to visit. Also, many of Saxony’s castles are off the beaten track and in this site, you will visit some of them and receive two very special immersive experiences created by local students built around famous palaces and castles in Dresden. Two sites which have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status impressively underline Saxony’s reputation as the number one cultural tourist destination in Germany: “Muskauer Park/Park Muzakowski”, a joint Polish-German site, and the “Ore Mountains/Krusnohori Mining Region” site of German/Czech cultural heritage. You can take 360 tours of these beautiful areas.

For example, known as Saxony’s “silver town”, 800-year-old Freiberg at the foot of the “Ore Mountains has beautiful patrician townhouses, reflecting the wealth derived from the once thriving mining industry, and features a fascinating cathedral – discover the town on a 360-degree tour. These are only a few of the highlights that Saxony has to offer and they will whet your appetite for when you are able to travel again.

saxonytraveldreams.com

facebook.com/SaxonyTourism

instagram.com/SaxonyTourism

saxonytraveldreams

visitsaxony

Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience

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When I was young, my parents liked to dine at supper clubs. To me, they were swank places of dark wood, bold colored banquettes, and oversized menus where your dad would order a martini and your mom a Manhattan while you, because you were only seven or so, had to do with a Shirley Temple. But at least it came with a pretty paper umbrella and a maraschino cherry

These were the supper clubs of yore. Often tucked away on back roads that seemed to take hours—no make that days—to reach when you were riding in the back of that big boat-like Buick your parents owned and no iPad or cell phone existed yet to keep you entertained. Just a coloring book and a box of Crayolas your mother handed you as you climbed into the car. If your brother came along you could kill time by arguing over whether the Cubs or Sox were better—a fight that endures to this day. If not, you colored and asked every three minutes (I know because my dad timed it once) “are we there yet?”

In Michigan there are few supper clubs that I know of. Maybe D’Agostino’s Navajo Bar & Grille in Bridgeman, family owned for almost 70 years would qualify. It has that feel. There’s Talon’s Supper Club in Norway way up in the U.P. where old fashioned ice cream drinks (typically one of the deciding factors in determining if a place is a supper club) like Grasshoppers and Brandy Alexanders are on the menu. But let’s face it, is anyone going to drive 400 miles one way to go to a supper club? In Norway Michigan—population 2,845? No, I didn’t think so.

Much more local, there’s the Heston Supper Club, in Heston, Indiana just north of LaPorte on the Michigan-Indiana border. And yes, it is in the middle of nowhere. In Syracuse, Indiana less than 90 minutes, The Sleepy Owl has been around for more than a half century. I haven’t been there yet, but definitely will when we can finally leave the house.

Geraldine’s Supper Club in Indy is a hat tip to the classic places of the 1930s and 1940s. There are a few more in Illinois, like the 60-year plus old Timmerman’s Supper Club on the Mississippi River in East Dubuque as well as several in towns I’ve never heard of like Scapecchi’s Supper Club in Farmington.

Because they’re becoming big again, Millie’s Supper Club in Chicago has the look—polished wood, red leather, low lighting—which is cool unless you want old.

But for the largest selection of real back-in-the-day supper clubs, the place to go is Wisconsin and Ron Faiola has got them covered in his two large, heavy-on-photos books, Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old Fashioned Experience and the follow-up Wisconsin Supper Clubs: Another Round both published by Agate, a Chicago publishing company. The books came about after Faiola’s film (its name is the same as the first book) was shown nationwide on PBS nine years ago. He also has a website, wisconsinsupperclubs.net, with lists of supper clubs organized by region including many not mentioned in his books. And amazingly, there are lots of them.

So what exactly is a supper club? You’d know if you walked into one of them but Faiola describes them as usually only open for dinner and family owned with great service and food as well as a club-like atmosphere. The reason for all that, he says, is because there’s usually at least one family member on the premises to ensure quality is maintained and guests are happy.

Courtesy of CHUCKMAN’S PHOTOS ON WORDPRESS: CHICAGO NOSTALGIA AND MEMORABILIA

Courtesy of The English Inn Supper Club with locations in Fish Creek and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

“When you come back to a place a few times, you get to be family too,” he says.

Expect steaks and classic dishes like shrimp deJonghe. The latter is totally Chicago-centric, dating back to Chicago and the three deJonghe brothers who immigrated from Belgium in 1891. Two years later they opened a restaurant at the 1893 World’s Fair: Columbian Exposition, a global celebration of Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the Americas. The brothers went on to operate several restaurants including, from 1899 to 1923, DeJonghe’s Hotel and Restaurant at 12 E. Monroe Street. Their most famous dish, the one Henri deJonghe or their chef, Emil Zehr, is said to have created, is Shrimp deJonghe. Heston Supper Club has it on their menu as Sautéed deJonghe. They also serve frog legs, an old fashioned supper club dish if there ever was one and one even harder to find than Shrimp deJonghe. Ditto for The Sleepy Owl, though they call theirs Shrimp Scampi which really is pretty much the same. And yes, they have frog legs as well.

Lobster, ribs, prime rib, perch and Friday night fish fries are also popular supper club items. Oh and don’t forget, the relish tray and/or salad bar.

Drinking is part of the experience. That’s one reason there are so many Wisconsin supper clubs further north like in Door County says Faiola. During Prohibition as liquor was offloaded from boats coming from Canada and delivered via back roads to the big cities, supper clubs out in the boonies got their orders filled as gangsters, avoiding the highways and the cops, stopped by.

The cocktails people drank back then are popular again. But the thing with supper clubs is they never went out of style. In Wisconsin, the big one is the brandy old-fashioned sweet. I’d never heard of it but according to Faiola—and he should know—people in Wisconsin drink more brandy than anyone else in the U.S. and that’s usually by consuming a lot of brandy old-fashioned sweets.

Courtesy of Greenwood Supper Club which opened in 1929 in Fish Harbor in Door County.

But supper clubs aren’t cookie cutters, says Faiola. Each is unique because of the family factor. Just like going to one friend’s home versus another.

Courtesy of Florian Supper Club in Bailey Harbor, Wisconsin.

His books make great guides and people use them to explore the state, choosing which supper club to try next. Even in these days when we really can’t go anywhere yet, they’re still fun to look at—both a step back in time and a look forward when we can hit the road again. Also, I’m also going to be on the hunt for more Michigan supper clubs so if anyone knows of any, let me know.

RECIPES

Here is the original recipe served at the deJonghe Brothers’ various restaurants. It’s interesting because it calls for ingredients not usually associated with fish dishes—nutmeg and mace. But while both are more pie ingredients today, in Europe a century and more ago, they were often used in savory cooking as well.

As for why last place the deJonghe Brothers owned closed, supposedly it was because of liquor violations during Prohibition. But that doesn’t really sound like Chicago, does it?

Also, shrimp can be expensive. A reasonable substitute (after all, this dish is really about the butter, garlic and breadcrumbs) is a tender, mild white fish or even cauliflower that’s cooked in boiling water until barely tender just like the shrimp. For fresh mild white fish, it’ll bake in the oven and doesn’t need to be parboiled beforehand.

The Original Shrimp deJonghe

2 pounds large shrimp (40), or 48 slightly smaller

1 large garlic clove, mashed with the side of a knife or finely minced

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chervil

Pinch of dried thyme crumbled between your fingers and thumb

1 shallot, minced (very finely chopped)

1 tablespoon minced onion

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of mace (optional)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook shrimp in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water (see note below) until just cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain shrimp in a colander, then immediately transfer to a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mash garlic to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash garlic with salt using a large knife), then stir together with fresh and dried herbs, shallot, onion, 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, 1 cup bread crumbs, nutmeg, mace, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Melt remaining 1/2 stick butter and stir together with remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to make topping.

Arrange shrimp in 1 layer (slightly overlapping if necessary) in a buttered 3-quart flameproof gratin dish or other wide shallow ceramic baking dish. Cover with herbed breadcrumb mixture, then sprinkle with topping. Bake in upper third of oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil until crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Note: When salting water for cooking, use 1 tablespoon for every 4 quarts water.

Note: This can also be made in 8 small baking ramekins for appetizers, or 4 larger individual baking dishes for main dish-sized.

Relish Tray

These are all suggestions. Add or subtract as you like.

Spreadable cheese and crackers

Black olives

Green olives

Olives stuffed with blue cheese

Gherkins

Bread and butter pickles

Sweet pickles

Pickled beets