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.
Kara-age from Ramen Kazama
Ramen Kazama’s Kara-age is a generous portion of Japanese fried chicken with a lemon wedge garnish and a side of seasoned mayo. The shattering, bubbly-crisp fried exterior of the chicken gives way to perfectly moist dark meat. These are McNuggets elevated to art, pairing up perfectly with a mug of cold draft beer.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | From an upcoming review by Peter Sieve]
Glögg at ASI’s Fika
Fika at the American Swedish Institute has a wonderful holiday tradition: Glögg (this year with red or white wine), a rich, complex brew of wine and spices. Pair it with Fika’s juniper-spiced meatballs served on a bed of light-as-air pureed potatoes with tart lingonberry sauce and mustard sauce. Comfort food at its finest, and an excellent prelude to visiting the holiday display at the Institute.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Amy Rea]
Cacao Porter from Enki Brewing
For all the rich cocoa flavor that this brew packs, it’s also surprisingly clean and light on the palate, with a welcome creamy kick of fine carbonation that keeps what could be a syrupy beer nice and lively. Guaranteed to bring welcome cheer to any gathering that it attends.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | From a 2015 Local Food Gift Guide item by James Norton]
The Black Hand from The Alchemist
Simple yet satisfying, the Black Hand is one of the Alchemist’s “served on ice” cocktails. It’s made with gin, Rabarbaro Zucca (a rhubarb amaro liqueur), and lemon sour and topped with lightly effervescent cava. The sweet liqueur softens the pine notes in the gin, while the citrus finish gives the beverage an overall zesty soda feel.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | From the review of The Alchemist by Liz Scholz]
Eisenhower Steaks from Everett’s Foods
The concept behind an Eisenhower steak is simple: You get a three- or four-inch-thick ribeye, rub it with a mix of coffee, brown sugar, ancho chili powder, and other spices, start a hot fire using good wood charcoal, fan the ashes off the coals, and drop the steak directly onto the coals for a good 10 minutes a side. We tried it (using terrific steaks from Everett’s) and loved the results — the massive, irregularly sized steaks presented a variety of donenesses (everything from well done to rare) and pleased our whole dinner party. Minnesota grilling season doesn’t officially end until the mercury drops below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, so you’ve got some time to sort this one out.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #4 | Submitted by James Norton]