corneygirl's Profile
Iowa City
Augusta is still open, I haven't made the drive for a while, but I have always enjoyed it. I doubt you can find consensus on any restaurant any where....
That said, the dining scene in IC has grown impressively over the 15 years I've been here and there are some great options (imho Lincoln Cafe rivals any 'big name' restaurant I've been to in NY although I know others disagree). There is great and growing availability of local/seasonal ingredients. BUT, it is a small city and certainly doesn't have the options that you have in a large metro area like Phoenix (where the population is greater than the entire state of Iowa). Go to the farmers market, find farmstands in late summer/early fall, and try some of the places you've read about. There is great food here - but if you want Bahn Mi there are 1 or 2 places to go and if you don't like them you're out of luck.
Cake in Iowa City
I've seen some attractive cupcakes in Revival downtown, but I haven't tried them (while you're waiting for Molly's - where is that going to be?)....
Cheddar please??? Who makes the best cheddars???
I get an Australian cheddar that's really nice and not too pricey - I want to say it's called Austen Vale... Pretty sure about the vale part.
Cake in Iowa City
Thanks for reporting back, I'm glad it worked out! I've heard the donuts they have on the weekend are amazing, but I haven't tried them myself.
Insufficient quantity of oil
If the pan is hot before I add the oil a little goes much farther.
Scallion/Spring Onion/Green Onion Recipes
That's really good, although I cut back a bit on the ginger (I love, but once you over do it....)!
Scallion/Spring Onion/Green Onion Recipes
Yep, a little charred they are awesome! I also make an omelette with fish or soy sauce a bit of sirachacha and an injudicious amount of green onion.
Vegetarian options in Iowa City?
Wig and Pen is good if you want a thicker crust and lot's of cheese (really good with a hangover). Pagliai's is my favorite - they have a thin crust. Plus, Pagliai's is totally old school - the pizza makers are all in the front window wearing white paper hats. Dine-in or carry out only and they only serve pizza, no salad, no cheese bread and if you want parm bring your own. Sanctuary has a great atmosphere, last time I was there the food was underwhelming (but nobody ordered pizza) - they have a great beer list if you are into that it's definitely worth checking out (as is the beer room at John's Grocery).
Vegetarian options in Iowa City?
Red Avocado has been bulldozed. Most places are veg friendly. I like Oasis falafel for casual middle eastern, mekong for vietnamese. Spendier spots to try are Devotay and Lincoln Cafe (30 min out of town). Lincoln has a small menu, look at the web page and maybe call before going to see how they can accommodate your diet.
Herb/leaf ID help
Gingko looks cool, but those stupid smelly berries are awful. I am going to leave the fish mint out of tonight's salad for guests. I'll try some with the leftovers.
Herb/leaf ID help
I think that's it - Thank you! That would explain why I thought it was mint when I purchased it. Never thought to search by smell. Now to try it...
Herb/leaf ID help
I bought a green herb at the local asian grocery - and I have no clue what it is. It came wrapped in saran warp. Unrolled I have about 12 large (about the size of my hand) green leaves. They are shaped like a spade on a playing card and have a saw tooth edge and a hairy stem. My boyfriend says that it looks like a leaf from a cotton wood tree. It smells like fish a little bit.
Anyone have an idea what I might have?
Cooking party ideas
I've done a similar thing - we did 4 different dumplings from Andrea Nguyen's Asian Dumplings book. Also had a tamale and enchilada party as goodhealthgourmet suggests.
Both were very informal cooking and eating parties without a formal sit down meal. Everyone takes home some leftovers.
Our next plan is Italian stuffed pasta - I'm going to maybe work in some stuffed meatballs.
POLL: Can you walk to an actual grocery store?
I have 3, live in a smallish city in Iowa.
do you think I can start a bed garden on my balcony?
If you get good sun you should be able to. I use 5 gallon food service buckets and have grown tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, beans, peppers, herbs and greens. Just make sure the containers can drain.
Things you want to try making
Similar problem only ravioli. A neighbor brought over the largest pan he had and we all ate wedges of ravioli pie w/ tomato onion sauce! Glad I'm not alone with that one.
What do you do in a restaurant that you never do..... [moved from General Chowhounding board]
I rarely eat dessert at home and I never, ever put cream in my coffee. Except in a restaurant. After dinner. When I get that cute little pitcher of real cream. And it swirls like paisleys, I just love that.
Tipping at places with counter service
If you feel cheap/really like the place etc. then tip... It is generally not considered compulsory, but if I pay cash and there is a tip jar out I at least throw in any coins I receive as change. If I get what I deem to be good service I throw in a dollar or two. If food is delivered or drinks refilled I tip a bit more.
Delivery Tips in NYC (from New York Times)
Yeah, I don't live anywhere near NYC, but I wouldn't think of tipping less than $3 no matter the size of the order. My brother lives in NYC and we ordered in while I visited, I asked how much to tip (ordered online) and he said 20%, so that was 8 for a pizza and salad. He's not someone who is an exceptionally high tipper in general...
Cake in Iowa City
I would look at Deluxe - everything I've had has been great (especially the carrot cake). They do custom orders and I think they stay away from the overly frosted sugar rush cakes.
http://www.deluxecakesandpastries.com
North Carolina hounded headed to Iowa...
I'll second Augusta and add the Lincoln Cafe in Mt. Vernon to the list. The Lincoln has food that would be well received anywhere (IMHO) and Mt. Vernon is a charming town, with a small college and a lot of antique stores.
Iowa - Regional Food ideas anyone???
Pork tenderloin sandwiches are probably the first thing I think of. Basically a hunk of pork loin that is butterflied and pounded thin. The most discussed are pounded out to the size of a dinner plate, breaded and fried and served on a hamburger bun that seems ridiculously small compared with the sandwich. Maybe with corn and edamame to celebrate the major ag products here (not that what most farmers grow is intended for direct consumption by people).
Craftbar or the Tavern @ Gramercy Tavern?
To report back...
Ended up going to Craftbar, great meal and great service. Thanks for all your advice, next time I'll try the Tavern Room.
What sweet is your daily pleasure? Do you have just one thing that makes your day? [moved from Home Cooking]
The Ritter Sport Marzipan is ah-maze-ing!
What am I doing with this cheese?
welsch rarebit, broccoli cheese soup, quiche all might be good. That's a lot of cheese!
ASIAN MARKET SHOPPER -- iphone app
Wondering if anybody has used this much? Is it useful if you have some experience shopping in Asian Markets - or is it directed at pure novices?
What would be great is if there was an app where I could take a picture of a label and get told what it was... or maybe there is...
Lumpy Cheese Sauce
Another trick I learned somewhere is that a little alcohol helps break down the proteins in cheese. I add a little of whatever to any cheese sauce and it works well. I usually add beer to mac and cheese, but white wine, vermouth, sherry and vodka have all worked.
Craftbar or the Tavern @ Gramercy Tavern?
I'm budgeting $100 for just the food, tax, tips and drinks on top of that (I know that can add up, but we'll split a bottle of wine - I've looked at the lists). Thanks!
I made a terrible cake.. how to keep it from going to waste?
Cut into cubes, dry in a low oven and make bourbon or rum balls? But if it tastes really bad I think it will still taste bad...
