Definitions and the Occasional Odd Duck

This post will be a bit longer and more esoteric than many of our posts as we attempt to lay-out a fundamental problem at the very core of our efforts here. A recent video discussion between Kyle Cherek and Ardent’s chef/owner Justin Carlisle was featured here recently as something of a raison d'être for this [...]

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 [...]