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.
120-Day Aged Beef from the Chef’s Table at Cosmos
We’re increasingly convinced that the Upper Midwest’s killer culinary edge is going to come from the woods and water that surround us, so we’re always stoked to meet chefs who tap into foraging, gardening, hunting, and fishing as they cook. Timothy Fischer of Loews Minneapolis is one such chef. He led us last night through an epic chef’s table dinner that included everything from Minnesota crayfish to foraged mushrooms to vegetables and edible flowers from the hotel’s rooftop garden. The meal had a number of high points, but the peak may have been a perfectly cooked, exquisitely tender, medium-rare slice of beef served with thinly sliced truffles, bold verde and rojo sauces, and just enough greenery and pickled onion to set everything off.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Homemade Celery Bitters Made from Skaalvenn Vodka
This week my CSA box from Clover Bee Farms accidentally contained celery tops instead of parsley. I made celery bitters using Skaalvenn vodka because it’s affordable but high-quality. Put greens in a jar, and add enough vodka to cover. Let sit for about a week at room temp. Try in a bloody mary or a gin martini.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by Paige Latham Didora]
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart at Brake Bread
Brake Bread has become our go-to St. Paul bakery, between its emphasis on delicious, accessible artisan loaves and the ever-changing catalogue of sweet treats. In that latter category: the chocolate hazelnut tart, a scratch-made riff on a Nutella-stuffed Pop-Tart that is sweet, creamy, nutty, earthy, rich, and downright delicious.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]
Bratwurst at Tanzenwald Brewing Company in Northfield
Topped with crispy kraut and beer-braised onions, this is one of the best bratwursts we’ve had in years, Wisconsin inclusive. It was snappy but not tough, smoothly textured without being pasty or squishy, and imbued with a coriander-driven spice bite that was clean, natural, and assertive without being overpowering. The bun was ample and had character without overpowering its contents, and the whole dish was a rare, ideal version of what a bratwurst can be.
[Last Week on the Hot Five: #1 | Submitted by James Norton]
Char Siu Tacos by Chef Yia Vang for Local Crate
With its trademark blend of sweetness and spicy depth, there are few treatments more delicious for pork than char siu. As part of a collaboration between Local Crate and Chef Camp, we recently made and ate some killer char siu tacos from Chef Yia Vang that included a quick pickled veggie slaw and warmed-up tortillas.
[Debuting on the Hot Five | Submitted by James Norton]