By Jeff Pitts Shrimp cocktail is old school cool. The classic seafood dish is simple, easy to make, delightful to taste and timeless. The popular appetizer is traditionally chilled, served in a cocktail glass and sided with a cocktail sauce consisting of little more than ketchup and horseradish. Chicago Speakeasy takes care to render its […]
By Jeff Pitts Ever wonder what Bugs Bunny orders when he hits the town on the hunt for vegan fare? If he’s going to Proof — the hip eatery equipped with a modern vibe in downtown’s gateway — Bugs likely has a hankering for Chef Sean Wilson’s Coffee Roasted Carrot Soup. Wilson routinely makes mouths […]
By Eleni Upah In its early ears, caviar was so plentiful in America that it was given away in bars to make patrons thirsty — much like peanuts in today’s establishments. Due to overfishing, harvesting and selling black caviar was banned in Russia in 2007, and wild caviar production was suspended between 2008-2011 to allow for […]
By Eleni Upah Wash your hands and tuck that napkin into your shirt — it’s time to get messy. Chicken wings are a fan favorite when it comes to appetizers, so it’s only fitting to celebrate them in the poultry issue. While boneless wings have staged a major takeover in this food category, there’s just something […]
By Eleni Upah Even though the fall harvest several months away, it’s never too early to start talking about one of Iowa’s most delicious and versatile crops: squash. The Iowa climate is ideal for growing squash, which is perfect for restaurants like Alba that strive to use local ingredients in their meals. “The reason we […]
A glorious ride
By Jim Duncan
As Relish moves into its 15th year, we have witnessed a marvelous birthing of central Iowa’s food culture. The number of good places to eat here has increased exponentially since our first issue. The diversity of foods available here has, too. Our readers, who are also the city’s fine diners, have also become far more sophisticated about food. Fifteen years ago, few people here knew what charcuterie or heirloom tomatoes were. James Beard Awards were for New Yorkers, Chicagoans and San Franciscans. Free ranged, cage-free, organic, pasture-raised, and naturally grown were terms few people cared about. Today, Target and Hy-Vee stores have giant sections devoted to them.
Clearly the times have changed, and now it’s time for us to change, too. This issue introduces our new format with more of the things readers have told us they like – glossy paper, subject oriented stories, recipes, food and wine/beer pairings, and, of course, top restaurants. Don’t worry, The Dish returns with three months worth of tales from the wacky world of food. Two features in this issue focus on hot new restaurants. Another lauds the season with a story about why we believe that Des Moines in late summer, more than anywhere else on earth, represents the perfect conjunction of time and place for producing great things to eat.
Fifteen years ago, that was not the case. It’s been a glorious ride while watching this food scene develop on our watch. Today Iowa travelers tell stories about exchanging our local foods with friends and chefs in other parts of America. August produces the best of Iowa tomatoes, and we have been told that they are now apparently worth their weight in roasted Hatch chilies in Albuquerque, stone fruit in Fresno, wild mushrooms in Oregon and crabs in Baltimore.
Bon appétit. RELISH
— Jim Duncan, editor
JD91446@aol.com
Twitter.com/foodude
Jim Duncan has covered the food scene in Des Moines for more than 25 years. And he never met a dish he didn’t respect.
