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What I’ve enjoyed recently …
In Bloom, Saint Paul sports
the largest open hearth in North
America. Everything is cooked
in the hearth or wood-fired oven.
Order the venison tartar and
pheasant boudin blanc. Cocktails
are amazing.
928 7th St W
Saint Paul MN 55102Favorite Places, Barcelona
Favorite Places, Bourgogne
Favorite Places, California
Favorite Places, New York
Favorite Places, Paris
- 142 Crêperie Contemporaine
- Ambassade d'Auvergne
- Aux Merveilleux de Fred
- Benoit
- Bread and Roses
- Breizh Café
- Café Constant
- Chez Janou
- Chez Loulou
- Chocolate Directory, Paris
- Christian Constant
- Du Pain et Des Idées
- Jean-Charles Rochoux
- Jean-Paul Hevin
- La La Pâisserie by Cyril Lignac
- La Maison du Chocolat
- La Tuile a Loup
- Le Chardenoux
- Le MaZenay
- Paris Flea Markets
- Patrick Roger
- Popelini
- Pozzetto
- Stohrer
- Thiercelin
Favorite Places, Provence
Favorite Places, Twin Cities
Favorite Links
- Alice Medrich
- Andrew Zimmern
- Artisan Bread in Fine Minutes a Day
- B.T. McElrath Chocolatier
- Baking Obsession
- Cannelle et Vanille
- Chocolate & Zucchini
- Cookography
- Curious Cook
- David Lebovitz
- David Schmit Photography
- Dorie Greenspan
- Eat the Love, Sweets for the Mouth and Mind
- Eat Well Guide
- eatwild
- Far North Spirits
- Farmette
- French Food and Cook
- French Word-A-Day
- Gale Gand
- HiP Paris Blog
- Hiroko's Kitchen
- Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
- Julia Usher
- Le Pétrin
- Nick Malgieri
- Not Without Salt
- Olli Salumeria
- On Rue Tatin
- Paris Breakfasts
- Purple Pitchfork
- Raghaven Iyer
- Robin Asbell
- Sake Story
- Slow Food
- Smitten Kitchen
- Steamy Kitchen Modern Asia
- Suvir Saran
- Taste Spotting
- The Daily Meal
- The Paris Kitchen
- The Perennial Plate
- These Peas are Hollow
- Wedge Community Co-op
- White on Rice Couple
- Zoë Bakes
Graced by Hiroko’s Visit
Bret’s Table was honored to have Hiroko Shimbo visit for a few days recently. She was in town to teach classes at Cooks of Crocus Hill. During her visit, I had a chance to talk to her about growing up in Japan. She gives her mother much of the credit for her love of cooking and her love for life in general.
Like so many other young girls, her mother taught her not only of the beauty of food, but of its nutritional value as well. Her father was a surgeon and his clinic and small hospital were attached to their home. Her mother would cook for the patients that were recovering from their illnesses, so Hiroko spent a lot of time at her mother’s apron strings learning what foods would assist in their healing.
Stateside, the importance of eating a wide variety of food “colors” is a relatively new idea. For example, we should be eating dark green vegetables, red fruits, purple berries, etc. You get the picture.
I was also fortunate to accompany Hiroko to a local Asian grocery store here in town. As we walked the aisles she pointed out for example, the best brown rice to purchase, which shoyu (soy sauce) I should be using and introduced me to Japanese pickled vegetables. Gherkins they are not! After shopping, I spent the evening learning how to make fresh Udon noodles and assisting in the preparation of the television spot on Showcase Minnesota. After returning home from the TV studio the next morning, we got down to work preparing dinner for those that would be sitting at Bret’s Table that evening.
We purchased a couple of pounds of U15 shrimp from Coastal Seafoods which were seared and laid alongside a timbale of steaming brown rice. All of these elements were laid on a pool of the curry sauce. The sauce reminded me of what I might enjoy as part in a gumbo if I were to replace the heat with notes of sweet and citrus.
One of the guests brought an ice chest full of various sakes that we tried with each course. The more I taste sake, the more I am enjoying the many flavor profiles and nuances. I will be teaching a Pairing Food and Sake class this autumn at The Chef’s Gallery. What’s going to be fun about this class is the fact that we will have non-traditional pairings to bring home the fact that sake can be paired with cuisines other than Japanese. Be sure to check it out and sign up if you’re interested. Regardless, spend some time in the kitchen and enjoy a meal with a loved one.