Rick looks back at his favorite meals of the year (featuring: In Season, Masu, Sopranos) and Mecca does the same (Heidi’s, Marvel Bar, Tilia), Minneapolis Public Schools hires Taher vet Bertrand Weber for the position of director of nutrition services, Al McCarty really dislikes the Stout of Morning Destruction from Staple Mills Brewing Company, apparently we have a local cocktail and it’s called the Bootleg, some USA Today praise for Meritage as an oyster destination (this former Bostonian agrees), a look ahead to Wisconsin beer in 2012, and if your fridge contains any Grumpy Goat Shreds cheese, toss it. Also: We just heard about this 2006 article about Olive Garden coming to Sioux City, but we think it has stood the test of time.