Each Friday, this list will track five of the best things Heavy Table’s writers, editors, and photographers have recently bitten or sipped. Have a suggestion for the Hot Five? Email editor@heavytable.com.
The Hot Five is a weekly feature created by the Heavy Table and supported by Shepherd Song Farm.
Dunn Brothers Burundi Microlot Coffee and B.T. McElrath Changemaker Chocolate Bar
Coffee and chocolate are, generally speaking, two lovely tastes that complement one another, but let’s get specific: this particular coffee and this particular chocolate are a dynamite duo. The Burundi Microlot Coffee is about as big and bold and robust as coffee gets, a blast of both acidity and an earthy chocolate note. The B.T. McElrath Changemaker Chocolate Bar clocks in at that wonderful, serious-but-reasonable 70 percent cacao range, where the chocolate flavor is rich and legitimate without crossing over into excessively fruity brightness. The addition of roasted espresso bean pieces contributes a welcome crunch and a lovely coffee note to the bar. As an added bonus, both products help support a $10,000 contribution by Dunn Brothers to the Minneapolis-based American Refugee Committee.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Heart-Shaped Cardamom Rolls from Aki’s BreadHaus
Aki’s BreadHaus has an alternative to the chocolate overload Valentine’s Day often inspires: cardamom rolls shaped like hearts. They may look like pretzels, but they have the same gently sweet flavor as Aki’s cardamom bread. They would make a lovely Valentine’s breakfast or teatime treat.
[Debuting on the Hot Five| Submitted by Amy Rea]
Lamb Bacon BLT and Fries at Mr. Roberts Resort in Pengilly
A BLT is one of those foods that comes down to interpretation — done poorly, it’s dull as dirt, forgotten the moment it’s eaten. But done correctly — as at Mr. Roberts Resort, with flavorful tomato, umami-dense lamb bacon, and creamy saffron aioli in perfect proportions on lightly toasted bread — this dish is a bona fide killer. We always dug the cooking of Chef Sarah Master at Barbette and Porter & Frye; we’re loving it up on the Iron Range, too. Oh, and the super crisp, flavorful, beautifully cut little French fries are worth the trip, too.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton after a Chef Camp Minnesota scouting trip]
Meat Pie from Heirloom
We’ve never had a meat pie like this before. But we’ll definitely have it again. The combination of cracker crust, shredded chicken and pork, fruit, mustard, and pickled green tomatoes is delicious, balanced, and soulful. And the pie is just so damn adorable.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #1 | From an upcoming review by Joshua Page]
Paczki from Sarah Jane’s Bakery
You don’t have to be Polish, or even to observe Lent, to appreciate the paczki from Sarah Jane’s Bakery in Northeast. They look like little round doughnuts, but the dough is more cakelike, and the filling is generous, whether it’s a smooth, rich custard, or a tart, not overly sweet raspberry mixture. Get them while the season is here.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Amy Rea]