AliceBarbaraMarion's Profile
Specialty food shopping in Des Moines
Thanks for the ideas. At least in my neck of the woods, so many of the grocery stores that stock primarily ethnic foods have Asian fare and occasionally an aisle or two dedicated to Mexican food items. We used to have a great Mediterranean grocery but it closed down. I'll keep you posted on International Groceries. Thanks again!
Specialty food shopping in Des Moines
Thank you for the info! I'll look into Pammel Grocery - I'd be willing to drive up to Ames while I'm in that part of the state.
Where can I buy/try Graziano's?
Specialty food shopping in Des Moines
Hi, Hounds -
Can anyone direct me to some Greek or Mediterranean markets in Des Moines, if such an animal exists? I'm hoping to marinate olives and feta in house and offer them as gifts this year, so quality is important but QUANTITY is also important - I'll need several pounds of each. Someone told be about Europa, but I'm not sure if that's more dry goods or what...? Also, please clue me in on Graziano's sausage, which I've seen referenced in several DSM threads.
Oooh, one other thing: is there anywhere in Des Moines to buy paper panetonne molds? Thanks!
ABM
Canning tomato sauce - two questions
Bought 30# of tomatoes at the market this morning and I'm processing them into a sauce. Since I'm planning to can the completed product using a hot water bath, I'm following Barbara Kingsolver's recipe from Animal Vegetable Miracle. I have two questions. FIRST, the recipe calls for 1 cup of dried basil. I don't have dried basil - I don't care for it, so I never have it on hand - so I raided my garden and subbed fresh. I know acidity is extremely important, and now I wonder: will the fresh basil affect pH? Should I freeze the sauce to be on the safe side? SECOND, the recipe starts with 10 quarts of tomato puree from 30# of tomatoes, and I got more than that. I have about three quarts of leftover puree. I'd really appreciate some ideas on how to use those up. Thanks in advance, Hounds!
ABM
Pre-marathon dinner!
I am absolutely the sort of person who plans a meal around dessert, and I have every intention of going to Capogiro. Let's say a girl and her friends know they're going to polish off their delicious Italian meal in City Center at the best Capogiro scoop shop in town. Two of the three have set their sights on big mounds of pasta for dinner; the third just wants a good Italian meal that's vegetarian and is NOT the standard (fettucine alfredo, spaghetti marinara). Where should our heroines go for their Italian feast?
Pre-marathon dinner!
Isn't Maggiano's a chain? I seem to recall one in Schaumburg, IL. I'd prefer someplace local.
Pre-marathon dinner!
OK, OK! :) I've said I'm not listening to pinstripe, right? I AM going to Capogiro, I AM hoping to be wowed. I have been promised a small plastic spade with which to eat my gelato, and that's a good start. I just wanted to acknowledge all who posted, including those in the very distinct minority. :)
New priority: massive plates of pasta at a veg-friendly place. You can't have it all, right?
Pre-marathon dinner!
Thank you so much to everyone who provided tips about coffee, gelato, pastry, local treats, and locavore-friendly restaurants. We have an ambitious eating tour lined up so far! I have one more request for recommendations: three of us will be staying at the Inn at Penn, and are hoping to find a decent place for pasta on the night before the marathon. I know, from glancing at the boards, that there are lots and lots of excellent options, but here's my wish list:
1. Massive portions.
2. Vegetarian friendly and/or responsibly-sourced meats (local if possible; no hormones; minimally processed; beef should be grass-fed, chicken should be free-range and vegetarian-fed...).
3. Not too far from the hotel (3600 Sansom Street).
4. Within walking distance of Capogiro, which we're going to try despite some mixed reviews from posters.
5. I rather doubt we'll drink vast quantities of wine, but since most places seem to be BYOB, please shout out some tips of a nearby place (near the hotel, near the restaurant you're reccing) to pick up a bottle or two.
Grazie! I eagerly await your replies!
ABM
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
Capogiro it is, and I'm glad to hear your feedback about the location at 20th and Sansom. Frankly, I'm likely to be disappointed - gelato seems to be best in France and Italy; talk about eating close to the source! - but I'll try to stay optimistic until the last spade-ful. (I hope they serve it with those little plastic spades and not spoons?!) In any event, I'll let you know what I think. (Assuming I'll really have a taste for gelato in late November...hmmm....) Thanks again!
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
I'm curious about Reading Terminal Market! We'll have to check it out. I think we're going to be doing a LOT of eating in the three days or so we'll be there! :) Thanks for your ideas.
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
Thank you so much for the tip about Italian pastry. I'll take your recs into consideration and troll through the boards to see what others have to say... Grazie!
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
Excellent suggestions, thanks! It's good to know there are options to Ultimo, since I'm not sure how much public transit I can take before my first coffee in the morning. I am eager to sample Metropolitain. It's been awhile since I had a good croissant, so even if the macarons are terrible (which I pray they won't be, as I have a huge hole in my life that needs to be FILLED with colorful, chewy, ganache- or jam-filled sweet little clouds of magnificence), sign me up.
I'll look more closely at Noble, James, Fork, and Bibou. Thank you so much for all your thoughtful recommendations!
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
Ultimo will be one of our destinations! I like drip (pour-over when I'm out, although we make French press at home) in the morning. Sometimes a good latte if it's a late morning or I need a pick-me-up. Espresso after dinner or before heading home. I never set out to be a coffee snob (my parents drank Folgers, yikes!), but here I am.
Thanks for the rec. I'm looking forward to Ultimo.
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
I'm sure it's fabulous, elegant, and all things wonderful. It just looks too much like someplace I'd take my in-laws after church on Easter Sunday or something. I'm intrigued by the description of Philly as an "unsung brunch town" (per nwinkler, below)! I'll keep poking around the boards and ask for really specific feedback in a bit... Thanks for your input!
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
Thanks for the rec. The menu looks lovely, but I'm a little concerned about the "stations" (when did "buffets" become "food stations," and is it really an improvement to call them so?). I'm having horrible flashbacks of brunch at the country club, an all-you-can-eat (before they became "all-you-care-to-eat"!) affair that was more about ramming appalling quantities of food down your gullet than enjoying a well-prepared meal . There is no delicate way to ask, so I'll just ask: Lacroix brunch = pigs at the trough? Just in case I can't work through the bad memories, can you rec someplace where one orders from the menu (no trough to speak of)?
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
I've been browsing the boards for hours - good reading! - and I can tell there are dozens of amazing options. Let me clarify what I'm looking for, in terms of a celebratory restaurant: my top priority is to find a chef who sources his food locally or regionally, as much as possible. No Sysco trucks, please! I usually find that once I specify how I prefer ingredients to be sourced, the list of restaurant recommendations dwindles from dozens and dozens to about...three. Hope that helps, and thanks for your advice so far!
First-time visitor looking for lots of guidance!
Hi, all!
I'll be in Philly for a few days in late November to run the half-marathon. I know this is well in advance, but I'm guessing I'll need to book tables. I've never been to Philly before, but I expect we'll stay right in Center City - no car, so whatever you rec has to be accessible by public transit or foot (of course). Here's what I'm hoping to find:
1. A local coffee roasterie that uses really good beans. (I'm an addict, so first things first.)
2. A French-style pastry shop, preferably one that has macarons, OR a really, really great bakery, OR someplace that serves gelato, the real deal, i.e. if there are mashed-up Snickers bars anywhere, no thanks.
3. A good place for a celebratory meal, with preference for one that uses locally- and sustainably-grown foods, especially meats and poultry.
4. The BEST place for a really excellent, amazing breakfast/brunch. What's the Philly equivalent of Hell's Kitchen or Toast? I know the trend for these places is to not take reservations (because if there's a line around the block, it must be good, right?), but really, I'm looking for a place where I can make a reservation. Great cocktails are a big bonus.
5. If there's a particular regional food or specialty you really think an out-of-towner should try, please let me know! I have a pretty adventurous palate. :)
Thanks, hounds!
ABM
Local seafood in Sarasota area?
Could anyone rec someplace that has good seafood that's locally caught? Having looked through some of the messages on this board, I know some people have very strong opinions about the quality of the food in the area. Please refrain from replying if your response is akin to, "Don't even bother, all the food in Sarasota is mediocre and I ate better when I lived in ______." Thanks in advance for your thoughtful and positive responses.
Ciao, hounds,
ABM
Locavore/veg options in Chicago
Hmmm. We had a not-so-hot experience at Lula. I'll relate the story, and you tell me if it was just a fluke: we ordered the cheese plate as a first course. It was beautifully presented, although I must say I have never, ever seen such tiny portions of the selections - they must have used a laser cutter. I mean, light was shining through these slices. Anyway, the server thunked the plate down and turned to leave. We asked her to please identify the cheeses, and she was utterly incapable of offering any descriptors other than, "That one's blue, I think," gesturing broadly with her hand, "and that one's a stinky French cheese" (I'm not even editing - she literally called it "stinky French cheese") - anyway, we were underwhelmed. We were left feeling like it was gauche or snobby of us to expect to know what cheeses we were eating. Fluke? I'm reluctant to try it again...
Vegetarian fine-dining in Chicago
We've eaten at Green Zebra twice - the last time was about a year ago - and on both occasions we were very impressed with the quality of the food. The menu can be a bit puzzling: it's clearly a tasting menu, but on the printed page it's hard to tell if you're meant to order three or four items. Items are simply listed, with a small space between the "courses," if you can picture it. The seasoning on all dishes was really outstanding: one could taste absolutely everything and discern, with attention, every flavor and influence. The atmosphere is very clean and modern, almost forgettable but certainly easy on the eye. The good thing about the soothing atmosphere is that it really allows the plated food items to shine, and presentation is one thing GZ excels at. You won't be disappointed.
ABM
Authentic macarons?
Anyone have any recommendations for a pastry shop that sells French-style macarons (think Pierre Herme and A. Lehrer)? How about kouglof? (Did I spell that right? It doesn't look right...) I am oh-so-willing to drive for these items, if they're good.
ABM
Locavore/veg options in Chicago
We'll be in Chicago over Thanksgiving weekend. Normally we're stuck in the burbs, but this time we're meeting friends in Chicago proper for brunch/lunch on Friday. Here are the parameters:
1. Must be fairly easily accessible via public transportation.
2. Must have solid vegetarian options (i.e., something other than ("chicken alfredo, hold the chicken, please")
3. To the extent this is possible, must source ingredients locally.
4. Otherwise, meats must come from sustainable, responsible sources.
Thanks!
ABM
Iowa City
Has anyone been to Tuscan Moon in Kalona? Not strictly Iowa City, to be sure, but I've heard and read good things, despite the limited menu. Also, anyone know how they source their meat and poultry?
ABM
Iowa City
Hi -
Long-time lurker here - but I had to reply about Blackstone. I went to Blackstone with a couple friends a few weeks ago. The flatbreads were decent, the margaritas were awful, the menu is overall pretty ho-hum, but I was curious about how they source their beef. The menu indicates they proudly serve "Creekstone Charbroiled Angus Beef Burgers." I checked it out online and Creekstone guarantees the following: no antibiotics, no added hormones, no growth-promoting drugs, no artificial ingredients, 100% vegetarian fed, and humane animal handling practices. They're probably corn-fed, and not entirely local, but overall not a bad option...If you know otherwise - like if I'm being a total chump - or if you have other recs for burgers that are more locally and responsibly sourced, please let me know!
ABM
Locavore options in Boston?
Hi all -
We'll be in the Boston area the last weekend in July and are looking for recs for restaurants that source ingredients locally. I'm not just talking about herbs from the kitchen garden or tomatoes from the farmer near Stow - that's well and good, but I hope to find someplace a bit more ambitious and creative. Meat, seafood, and poultry are all fine, assuming that they're locally sourced, sustainably grown and harvested, etc. Basically, if Alice Waters, Barbara Kingsolver, and Marion Nestle would eat it, so would I. :)
Any ideas? I'll check out Slowfood's recs for the area, too.
Katherine
