While studying abroad in Venezuela, I, along with other students, would take overnight buses to the coast. It was there where I discovered cacao trees, which give us chocolate and is found growing as an understory tree.
Menu
Food & Drink
[Drinks]
Birch’s Restaurant and Bar in Long Lake has a blast concocting yummy seasonal drinks as the owner, manager and servers share creative input. Staunch supporters of local ingredients, they love Minnesota-made Prairie Organic vodka.
The perfect time for chili is when temperatures drop, people opt for sweaters and Friday nights mean football.
If I never ate a steak again, I’d be perfectly fine. But if I were deprived of cheese for one measly week, I’d go mad with urgent cravings for the creamy stuff. Obviously I’d never make it as a vegan, but not because I’m indifferent to animal rights: Simply put, cheese is my favorite food.
Dumas Apple House Rich in tradition, this orchard has been growing apples for more than 70 years. Fresh picks: Fireside, Prairie Spy, Redwell and Regent Dumas Family Apple Cobbler:5-6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced2 eggs 1 cup sugar 8 Tbsp.
[Drinks]
Ten years ago, we’d have said, “What local craft beer movement?” State regulations hampered Minnesota from keeping up with the rest of the nation’s microbrew craze. Hurray! Things have changed. People are making all kinds of exciting new beer in our area, and it’s a unified front.
[Reviews]
Once upon a time, burgers were made of grilled or fried ground beef and served on a fluffy white flour bun. There was never any impetus—or will—to make them differently, and for good reason: Why gild the lily?
[Kitchen]
They might be your neighbors, your co-workers or even your friends. For decades, a fluid group of friends and foodies has been meeting in various kitchens around Lake Minnetonka. By day, each of them lives and works as something other than a chef.
Summer is winding down, as people shift from lazy mode to back-to-work and back-to-school mode. Frankly, this mass transition gets kind of stressful—and before we know it, we’ll be shivering in the snowdrifts.
Bacio | 1571 Plymouth Rd., Minnetonka; 952.544.7000; baciomn.com Find a convenient oasis on your way home from work or shopping on Bacio’s secluded patio. Located near Ridgedale Mall, Bacio offers happy hour specials, free parking and a great atmosphere.
[Reviews]
Many ancient civilizations were onto the pleasures of super-cold food. The Chinese served frozen milk and rice around 200 BC. The Roman emperor Nero (37–68 BC) topped mountain ice with fruit.
