Reflections on Sauerbraten

Inspiration can come from anywhere. At a recent used-book sale, I stumbled across this 1936 publication by Culinary Arts Press of the "Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book: Fine Old Recipes" and decided it was time to try a traditional Sauerbraten which I had been considering for some time. Here is the recipe: I started with a [...]

Venison Tenderloin with Dried Cherry Gastrique

A gift of beautiful venison tenderloins from a good friend inspired this dish along with a helping of beautiful dried cherries. I particularly love fruits in a savory sauce with tender meats. The rich, game flavors of venison here are offset by not just the cherries but the tang of vinegar and the sweetness of [...]

New Restaurant Added – Ardent, Milwaukee WI

A recent review of Justin Carlisle's new venture, Ardent in Milwaukee, WI, Carol Deptolla of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel expressed her appreciation this way: "Ardent's inaugural menu in particular said Wisconsin to me, with some dishes that evoked supper clubs, if their chefs had put in time at the Greenbrier in West Virginia, Gramercy Tavern [...]

New Restaurants Added – Grand Rapids, MI

Let me tell you this – the Backwoods Bastard is definitely one of the finest brews I have ever had. Complex, lingering, hauntingly good. It just may be the best brew in Grand Rapids, MI, and given that Grand Rapids has been named Beer City USA in a poll run by the guru of home [...]