The Dish

Good news
Dos Rios opened on Court Avenue bringing open-rotisserie meats, tableside guacamole preparation and a Guadalajara-class tequila bar to downtown… Radish opened in Grimes, bringing owner-chef Mike Guigan (Fratello’s, 801) back to the local scene… Rolling Wok debuted in the new La Plaza shopping center with Lao, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese wok cooking… Wendell Garretson’s Uncle Wendell’s barbecue and bakery moved into the former Pat’s Corner Café on Ingersoll. Wendell also introduced Kool Aid pickles to town… Pat Borgen, former owner of Pat’s Corner Café, took over management of breakfast and lunch service at the Red Rock Café at Quality Inn on Merle Hay… Todd Bordenaro opened Bordo’s on 8th in West Des Moines, with Carmen Renda as a partner and culinary influence… Dragon House West added a pulled noodle menu and a Sunday dim sum service… Miyabi 9 planned an October opening in East Village for intimate Japanese fine dining… Junko Japanese Café opened in Capital Square, bringing exotic teas and coffees to the skywalk sushi scene... Kamodo Klub announced an October opening in the old Club Envy locale, promising to bring sushi and sake to the nightclub scene… Frank’s Pizza opened in Dogtown, with Café di Scala’s Tony Lemmo upgrading the favorite food of college students… Providence Café opened in the White House, the venerable home base of Alcoholic’s Anonymous for decades. Partners Ron Wheeler and Mike Scopa serve inexpensive breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, without judgment.

Accolades
Cafe di Scala received a Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence” for its “investment and passion in providing exceptional Italian wine.” The café was the only other restaurant mentioned along with Grand Award winners The French Laundry of Napa, California and Palais Coburg in Vienna, Austria. There is no better company to keep… The Iowa Culinary Institute hosted the first-ever Mid American Wine Competition with 560 entries. More than 800 supporters attended ICI’s conjunctive SwineFest… Des Moines’ Joyce Lock published “Foodie Fight,” the first English language trivia game for food lovers. The $19 game has some heavyweights endorsements from Mario Batali, Jacques Pepin, Chuck Williams (Williams-Sonoma) and Lidia Bastianich.

Transitions
Sotos and Maroussa Annoussis closed Top’s Steak House in August after 35 years. The family-priced, Greek-owned steak house was the last of a genre that thrived from the late 1960s to the 1980s all across Iowa. Sotos owned the Spartan steak house chain, which included 11 such outlets… Soul food disappeared from the East Side when Off the Hook closed in July. China Feast took over the venue in September… When Pigs Fly is looking for a buyer because of owner’s health problems… Café Su revived lunch service and Lagniappe opened a roof top wine bar/coffee shop in Valley Junction… The former Belwood Café at Valley West Mall is now a French-themed Carefree Café… New Saigon launched the city’s first ever Vietnamese breakfast and lunch buffet… Taste! To Go moved into the former Bass & Ringneck store at 4700 University Ave.... Hank & Sharon’s Giant Tenderloin took over Taste’s old venue by Drake… Hy-Vee is currently moving its Fleur Drive store into neighboring space vacated by Target. The new store will be the largest in Iowa and will include a club room for cooking classes... Angelo’s announced the closing of their Urbandale store… Z’Mariks Noodle Café moved out of their Bridgestone Plaza venue to concentrate on their Clive store on University… Nathan’s Pizza closed seven months after opening, two months longer than Argentina Restaurante lasted… Felix & Oscar’s took over the old Buca di Beppo locale… The East Euclid Tasty Tacos built a new building next door to their old one… The Funky Pickle opened in the downtown site that previously housed Kopsa’s… The Ingersoll Bruegger’s reopened after remodeling from fire damage… Beaverdale Pizza opened a carry-out and delivery outlet at 8000 Douglas… Chef Hal Jasa put his Underground Inc. on hold to become Rich Garcia’s main man at Dos Rios… Flanagan’s added breakfast buffet service (Wednesday through Friday)… DuBay’s reopened in September after a summer kitchen remodeling… The old Autographs in Urbandale now is stomping ground for The Wild Dingo Pub & Grill, with dancing waiters... Grand China Buffet on Hickman closed.

Carpetbagger news
The Firkin & Fox Group of Ontario, Canada, opened their first Iowa outlet in the site of the former Old Country Buffet in West Des Moines… Rock Bottom Inc. of Louisville, Colo., opened an Old Chicago Pizza and Pasta store in Merle Hay Mall and announced a November target date for another store in Ankeny… Mimi’s Café of California announced an October opening for a new store in Paradise Pointe in West Des Moines… Starbucks opened a new outlet across from Wal-Mart on Mills Parkway… Minnesota-based Jimmy’s Pizza opened their first Iowa store on 121st Street in Urbandale. The fast growing chain lists 35 stores on their Web site with five more, including this one, “opening soon.”

Trends
Food items making their debut at the 2007 Iowa State Fair included: potato lollipops; mashed-potato-and-pork bowls; apple fries (which weren’t fried); mocha latte ice cream bars; and “X-treme fries” (covered with chili, cheese and jalapenos)… The Fancy Foods Show in San Francisco declared wasabi, mojito, dulce de leche, Meyer lemon and chipotle as 2007’s hottest flavors… Omassum (the part of the cow’s digestive system between the rumen and reticulum), headcheese, tripe, ox tail and rye whiskey all gained market share in Des Moines restaurants… Sliders popped up on local menus, with duck (try Grand Piano Bistro’s) and burger (Bordo’s) being the most popular… Deep fryers have been banned in all California schools, sweet tea is no longer served in Alabama schools and New Jersey schools outlawed certain sports drinks.

Industrial food news
John Weimer of Wall Lake settled his “pop corn lung” negligence lawsuit out of court. The former Snappy Popcorn plant manager alleged that exposure to “buttery flavoring” of microwave popcorn caused serious lung damage and that International Flavors & Fragrance knew the health hazard was linked to diacetyl but failed to warn users or government agencies. Last Fall an American Pop Corn (APC) worker in Sioux City settled a similar suit. Another APC employee’s case is scheduled for trial in November. At least one case has now been diagnosed involving a heavy consumer of microwave popcorn. The industry claims microwave popcorn is safe to eat but ConAgra, General Mills and APC all removed diacetyl from buttery flavoring recipes and the Washington Post reports the industry has paid over $100 million to stay out of court … Chiquita Brands International pleaded guilty in the US District Court to dealing with a designated global terrorist and was fined $25 million... Many national restaurants switched their ice tea brand to Luzianne this year to support its New Orleans company, which kept every employee on full salary while rebuilding after hurricane damage... Thai vendors were caught dying puffer fish and selling it as salmon. The practice killed at least 15 people and hospitalized 115 in Thailand.

High tech news
Big Beef said it can’t be done, but all of Iowa company Wholesome Harvest’s meat now comes with farmer ID numbers that can be traced to the people who raised it... New technology from Harvestmark in the USA now tracks the origins, harvest dates and shipping dates of the company’s fresh fruits and vegetables. RELISH

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The Good Steward

Des Moines’ unexpected food renaissance

By Jim Duncan

When business leaders talk about Des Moines’ future, they invariably stress five things: 1) attracting more young workers; 2) encouraging entrepreneurs and venture capital; 3) stimulating creative environments; 4) developing tourism; 5) building synergies between new and traditional businesses. All kinds of tax breaks and legislated incentives have been lavished on companies, particularly those in the high tech sector, that promised to do any of those things.

In economics though, “it is the unexpected, always.” During the last decade, with almost no one noticing, one old fashioned sector of the local economy transformed itself for the 21st century while accomplishing all five of those goals. This issue of Relish completes our fifth year of chronicling our local food culture. Some advisors predicted that a journal taking a serious look at the things we eat would be “one and done.” Since we’re still around, we thought it would be timely to review what has changed during these last five years in the local food scene.

Most significantly 9/11 happened and the aftermath of that national trauma encouraged cocooning. The fresh & local food philosophies that Relish advocated suddenly fit new perceptions about what was safe and comforting. As our cover story extols, Des Moines quickly became a rich food town in many ways that were almost unimaginable five years ago. Yet this blossoming food culture simply fulfilled Des Moines’ natural destiny. Our city sits on the tongue tip of the happiest accident in agricultural history. When the last great Ice Age glaciers melted, they dumped the richest soil on earth here on what geologists call “the Des Moines lobe.” A land rush of immigrants flocked from Europe in the 19th century to raise food in the famous black dirt. By the end of that century, Iowa had become a wealthy state of proud independent farmers.

One-hundred years later, our agriculture had regressed into something like Third World mining. Iowa farmland is now mostly owned by investors instead of family stewards, and it’s worked by hired hands, often immigrants, instead of farmer-owners. Rather than growing a diversity of good things to eat, the soil is exploited for industrialization, producing just two crops unintended for human consumption. This modern agriculture is supported by billions of dollars in government subsidies and is defended by armies of attorneys and lobbyists fighting to kill the ancient practices of saving seeds, the essence of sustainability.

This decade Iowans rebelled against that new Industrial Food Complex (IFC). They began planting, raising, buying and eating diverse crops. While suburban sprawl and the tyranny of corporate carpetbagger restaurants decimated independent dining scenes in places like Wichita, Oklahoma City and Peoria, Des Moines became a magnet for culinary creativity and entrepreneurship. Superb chefs came here to make a name for themselves, from Hawaii, Massachusetts and all points between. Culinary academy graduates from Iowa returned here, despite possessing diploma-passports to see the world.

They built a thriving new independent restaurant culture, which paid exponential dividends. A corporately owned restaurant siphons off local money in franchise fees, consultancy fees and profits. When a local guy owns a restaurant, all the money spent there re-circulates within the local economy. Corporations from a distant state are not as apt to do business with local farmers, banks, advertising agencies or media companies.

Good independent cafes have become a tourist attraction. As restaurant critic for Cityview, I hear each month from out-of-towners interested in unique dining experiences. I have never been asked about a corporate chain restaurant. I hear frequently from businessmen who say they love staying in downtown hotels because they can walk to so many wonderful restaurants. I have never heard from anyone who stayed in a interstate-access motel because it was near a chain restaurant.

Political benefits of a superior food culture also accrue interest. Our first Good Steward column five years ago began with an E.E. Cummings quote — “There is some shit I will not eat.” Iowans are now saying “no” to crap that the IFC tries to feed them. (Read about deadly microwave “popcorn lung” disease and poisonous fish in our current Dish column.) They are saying “no” to politicians who serve the IFC with laws against local control of agricultural zoning and lax regulation over farm chemicals and livestock confinements.

Consumers are saying “no” to industrialized foods that have never been tested for long term health effects. They now challenge IFC inventions, such as hydrogenated oil and high fructose corn sweetener, which bear eerie coincidences to increased rates of diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Iowans are beginning to question the science of the IFC, asking whether Round-up ready productivity is worth the sacrifice of sustainability, and if moving populations from rural land to asphalted suburbia is really a good thing.

Expanded food awareness is also making us more open minded because immigrant and ethnic cafés have figured in our food renaissance. The first step to tolerance is breaking bread with strangers. In Des Moines you can now go out for Chinese-style omassum, Salvadoran-style tripe and tails, Mexican-style brains or cheeks, and Brazilian-style feet. Those are all parts of the cow that our Iowa forefathers relished, but which had become unknown by the end of the 20th century.

Sometimes the next new thing is an old thing. RELISH

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Believe it! Des Moines becomes a foodie town

You no longer need to drive 300 miles to eat well

By Jim Duncan

At the beginning of this decade, Harry and Pam Bookey were trying to save the Masonic Temple from the wrecking ball. That architectural heirloom, later christened The Temple for Performing Arts, had been deemed too expensive to restore and inappropriate to neighbor with the new downtown library. The Bookeys prevailed though with a creative business plan that unionized scores of funding sources.

Three cafés pumped the heart of that plan with Centro supplying the lifeblood. That restaurant became a creative metaphor for the complicated project. George Formaro was recruited to amalgamate traditional Calabrese-Des Moines cuisine, with the New York City coal oven pizzeria and the nouveau California (fresh & local) philosophy. Back in 2002, the Bookeys were asked if Des Moines was ready for such an innovation.

“We have a significant investment, so we hope so, but honestly, you just never know. A number of people here complain about high prices at good restaurants in Des Moines, but at the same time they will drive into Minneapolis or Chicago and spend more money for an equal dining experience,” Harry answered.

Much has changed since Centro opened five years ago. The Bookeys now partner in a new downtown restaurant, Dos Rios, which applies fresh and local philosophy to the cuisine of Jalisco, Mexico. They are also researching another major restoration — the Randolph Hotel in the Court Avenue district. Without doubt, Court Avenue’s renaissance has been driven by creative and independent restaurateurs. Restaurants are also the most conspicuous driving forces in neighborhood revivals of East Village, Greenwood (the Ingersoll/42nd Street L), Jaliscolito (the East Grand-Hubbell corridor) and Dogtown (Drake). Suddenly, more locals are proud to take out-of-town visitors out to dinner.

As Des Moines developed a new appreciation of culinary creativity, outsiders started to take notice, too. Two Des Moines chefs (Formaro and Andrew Meek of Sage) were among three Iowans in the final 20 nominees for this year’s James Beard Award as the Midwest’s best chef. No insider we talked to could remember more than one Iowan ever making that distinguished list before. The city’s developing food scene is now helping attract out of town visitors. Some even say that Des Moines cafés are their main reason for coming here.

No out-of-towner has done more for our culinary reputation than Kevin Kruger. Kruger was a key player in the restaurant-driven revival of Miami Beach a quarter century ago. Now a rancher, grower of rare spices and a peripatetic restaurant consultant, the Florida-based food guru and blogger recently made these comments.

“Des Moines has it all over comparably sized cities. I have two businesses that keep me traveling. A few years ago, friends and colleagues at home and around the country were startled when I would tell them of a new dining spot I found while passing through Des Moines.

“‘Des Moines?’” they’d ask incredulously. “Now, nearly everyone asks me if my last trip took me through Des Moines and, if so, where did I go and what did I eat. Several have added Des Moines stops to their itineraries when they’ve traveled and, like me, none have been disappointed. From inexpensive casual spots to higher end fine dining — and everything in between — Des Moines, unlike many other mid-sized metros, has both depth and breadth within its food milieu that is unrivaled.

“The clincher for me is that it gets better all the time,” Kruger wrote from Las Vegas.

Believe it, Des Moines is a foodie town now, filled with unique and worldly restaurants, specialty stores and local products of distinction. Residents are supporting these food businesses despite an onslaught of competition from industrial franchise outlets in the suburbs. Since this issue of Relish completes our fifth year of covering this local food movement, it’s time to review our city’s culinary charms.

The traditional infrastructure
The Iowa State Fair (ISF)
Our state fair sponsors America’s largest array of culinary competitions: 900 contests for 10,000 cooks. An ISF blue ribbon gives a cook the aegis of success and its competitions preserve the great culinary skills of traditional farm families. Some of the finest pies, preserves, pastries and soups in the world can be found here.

A Calabrese century
Southern Italian food establishments have been around for more than 100 years, longer than any other type of restaurant. Most Italians came to Central Iowa from just two regions of Italy. The majority, who settled on the south side of Des Moines, immigrated mainly from Calabria and Sicily. By the mid 1950s, Johnny and Kay’s, Vic’s Tally Ho, The Latin King and Babe’s dominated fine dining in Des Moines, and all were owned by sons of Calabria. Most Italians who originally settled northwest of Des Moines came to work in coalmines and hailed from Modena in Emilia-Romagna. When the coalmines closed, many of these families moved into Des Moines. One Modenese restaurant, Anjo’s, moved from Madrid to Windsor Heights and preserved the Emilian style until the 1990s.

Today, heirloom Calabrese-Sicilian restaurants include Gino’s, Tumea & Sons, Noah’s, Mama Lacona’s, Orlando’s on Park, Bordonaro’s, Scornovaccas, Baratta’s, Chuck’s, Tursi’s Latin King, Christopher’s and Riccelli’s. Second and third generation Calabrese families recently sprouted new places such as Café di Scala, Centro, South Union, Mezzodi’s, Frank’s, Bordo’s and Noodles. Lucca and Basil Prosperi’s keep northern Italian family heritage alive. Sam & Gabe’s represents the culinary marriage of Modena and Calabria.

Living History Farms
Blessed by a Papal visit, this 550-acre open-air museum educates Iowans and tourists about 300 years of Iowa’s rich food history. Its historic dinners, afternoon teas and special food events (Bacon Festival) are one of a kind.

Steakhouse culture
Iowa steakhouses are as old as packing houses and as macho as campfire cooking. Places like Trostel’s Greenbriar, 801 Steak & Chop, Joseph’s, AJ’s, Ember’s and Fleming’s keep the tradition burning. More family-oriented places like Rube’s, Iowa Beef Steak House and Big Steer extend the mystique.

The new infrastructure
Niche producers
An extraordinary number of good food producers developed in Iowa in this decade. Without their high quality fresh and local foods, our café revival would probably never have taken off. Restaurants like Sage, Centro, Mojo’s on 86th, Greenbriar, Dish, Lucca, Star Bar, Azalea, Raccoon River Brewing Company, Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewery, Gateway Market Café, Cool Basil, Robin’s Wood Oven Grill, Hessen Haus, Royal Mile, Tournament Club, El Bait Shop, Bistro Montage, Phat Chefs, Taste! To Go, Des Moines Art Center Café, Cosi Cucina, Dos Rios, Fleming’s and all of Prairie Meadows’ restaurants support local farmers and ranchers.

Cleverley Farms in Mingo probably upgraded the local restaurant fare more than anyone else. Larry Cleverley moved to Iowa from New York City after securing a few restaurant commitments, notably from Jeremy Morrow at 43 (now of Star Bar, Azalea and Zen Sushi & Noodle) and Doug Smith at Cosi Cucina. Similarly, local producers like La Quercia Prosciutto, Niman Ranch Pork, Eden Farms, Northern Prairie Chevre, Pickett Fence Creamery, Cloverleaf Dairy, Sheeder Farms, Coyote Run, Dalla Terra Ranch, Sunstead Farm, Wallace Farms, Malloy Game Birds, Wholesome Harvest, etc. all helped set a better table here.

The Iowa Culinary Institute (ICI)
The ICI expanded last year to keep up with growing demand. The Ankeny college produces culinary professionals of the highest caliber, and more and more choose to stay in Iowa. Cutting-edge young chefs bring new energies and ideas to local restaurants. The college itself educates the general public with its own café, international exchanges and special events. This year they inaugurated the Mid America Wine Competition and the SwineFest.

Rebirth of wineries
Iowa was a top-six grape state in the 1920‘s and 30’s with the Loess Hills producing vaunted wine grapes. But the state’s wineries were virtually extinguished by a triple hit of pesticides, herbicides and the infamous Labor Day Freeze of 1940. They began appearing again in the last 15 years after farmers discovered that grapes are a hedge against the tyranny of corn and bean prices. More recently, Iowa wineries discovered tourism by hosting weddings and concerts and by building cafés and B&B’s.

It’s harder core, but Templeton Rye, the revived and legalized whiskey of Iowa lore, is probably the most prestigious part of this story. Their original batch of aged rye whiskey sold out at handsome prices and they recently entered the Chicago market. Clear Heart vodka hopes to develop a similar reputation.

Wine Fest
In 2003, Des Moines publisher Connie Wimer determined that her city was ready for this really big, three-night party. Lots of people scoffed, but four years later it’s an ostrich feather in the civic cap and the generator of significant culinary respect. Super star chef Eric Ripert came last year, enough said.

World Pork Expo (WPE) & the BBQ competition circuit
While much of WPE caters to some dubious aspects of industrial agriculture, this event has become a near fixture in Des Moines and is responsible for initiating local interest in the most purely American culinary art — barbecue. There is now a respectable competition circuit within Iowa and a number of local stars have gone on to open authentic smokehouse restaurants here, most notably Absolute Flavors & Smokey D’s. BBQ’s were the fastest growing type of restaurant in the city the last two years, with independents outnumbering chains.

The rich harvest
Café-driven neighborhood revivals
The last decade brought dramatic neighborhood revivals to Des Moines. Cafés have been the most obvious driving forces.

East Village
Basil Prosperi, Lucca, Continental, Grand Piano Bistro, Ban Thai, Gong Fu Tea, Baratta’s and Noodle Zoo all made this forgotten part of downtown hip again. Not that long ago Olympic Flame and Taste of Thailand were the only cafés in the Village that weren’t primarily taverns of questionable character.

Gateway
The city’s so-called “first impression” has seen dramatic new traffic thanks to culinary innovators. The restaurants of the Hotel Fort Des Moines, plus Raccoon River Brewing Company, Centro, South Union, Gateway Market Café and Café di Scala have become economic stimulants and cultural treasures. Wine Fest and Art Fest would not likely have moved to Gateway Park if not for the food infrastructure these cafés provide.

Greenwood
The only major strip in Des Moines where franchise restaurants do not dominate, the Ingersoll/42nd Street revival took off when new destination cafés like Bistro Montage, Star Bar, La Mie, Chocolaterie Stam, Gelateria Stam, Palmer’s, Zanzibar’s and Java B Good joined traditional ones like Noah’s, Wellman’s, Big Tomato and Flanagan’s.

Jaliscolito
The Hispanic revival on the East Grand — Hubbell corridor is the town’s most dynamic, a site of near continuous changes. American dreams come here to wake up. In the same block, multiple taco trucks park next to the sparkling new La Plaza development. Cafés and grocery stores come and go with indomitable fervor. They range from budget mom & pops to fine dining seafood restaurants and a full fledged Hispanic supermarket.

Court Avenue
Java Joe’s and Full Court Press (a group of friends mostly from Iowa) kept the Court Avenue district’s food options interesting and independent of industrial carpetbaggers for most of the last decade. FCP’s energetic, thoroughly researched pub concepts included Royal Mile, Red Monk, Hessen Haus, High Life Lounge and El Bait Shop. Their success stimulated a rising food and beverage awareness that inspired nearly a dozen other new places.

Entrepreneurial diversity
With all these things in place, wonderful things are happening fast in Des Moines’ restaurant scene. A surprising number of out of town chefs have come here: Jeremy Morrow from Tennessee; Andrew Meek from Georgia; Rob Beasley from Louisiana; Cy Gushiken from Hawaii; Ryan Binney from Boston; Don Hensley from Texas; Karl Alterman from Florida; Steve Feig from the East Coast, etc. Even more astonishing is the number of academy-trained chefs from Des Moines who now choose to work here. Just a few years ago, a diploma from a place like the Culinary Institute of America was an Iowa kid’s ticket to travel the world, working in five star resorts. Now chefs like Aaron King, Jon Benedict, Chris Place and Enosh Kelley are coming home to be part of the rising foodie tide.

A magnificent number of authentic Mexican, Thai, Punjabi, Bosnian, Lao and Vietnamese cafés here encouraged new diversity while inspiring American dreams. Few towns of any size boast a Dravidian kitchen like Namaste’s or an Afghani café like Aryana. RELISH

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A fiesta for your taste buds

Dos Rios restaurant brings authentic Mexican dishes, tequila bar to Des Moines

By Jared Curtis

While walking past the hustle and bustle of the ongoing revitalization project known as Court Avenue District, specialty restaurants abound. For your pasta needs there is Spaghetti Works, for Creole and Cajun try Buzzard Billy’s, and Legends is the place for bar food. But for great Mexican food, strong drinks and amazing atmosphere, nothing compares to Dos Rios.

“There is a stereotype of what people think about Mexican food,” says co-owner Karl Alterman. “But we want to present it to the masses in a contemporary fashion.”

Dos Rios came about after Alterman and Director of Operations Rich Garcia began to chat. They took quite a few trips to scour the Mexican countryside trying to find the perfect mix for their menu.

“We are trying to do something totally different than anything in the United States,” Alterman says.

After looking for the right home, the growth of the Court Avenue District convinced them to become the area’s newest neighbor. The name, which means “two rivers,” also originates from the neighborhood.

“The Des Moines and the Raccoon rivers meet about a half mile from here,” Garcia says. “There is a lot of stuff going on around here. We are excited to be a part of the growth.”

Tequila will be an integral part of the restaurant.

“I was planning on opening a tequila bar,” Alterman says. “But once things got going, and we started working together, I knew it could be so much more.”

There are usually two types of tequila drinkers: people who love it, and people who loathe it. Many people have licked the salt and sucked the lime, but like any other liquor, a higher quality of drink can be found. That is the type of tequila Dos Rios will offer.

“We are going to get as much as we can get our hands on,” Alterman says. “I’m trying to get some brands that are not even available in the Untied States.”

Tequila is a distilled beverage made primarily in the surrounding area of Tequila, a town in the western Mexican state of Jalisco. It is made from the native Mexican Blue Agave, part of the lily and amaryllis flower families, and was first produced in the 16th century. In Mexico, a shot of tequila is served with a sangrita, a sweet, sour and spicy drink made from orange juice, grenadine and hot chilies.

“We will be making our own sangrita for the customers to enjoy with their drinks,” Garcia says. “It saves you in the morning.”

A Tequila University is also in the works for Dos Rios, as Alterman has envisioned a school for the drinker in all of us. Paying a membership fee will allow “students” to attend sessions and “build credits” toward a degree in tequila drinking. The sessions will offer discount tequila tasting, information on the drink’s components, how to use it in cooking, how to make the best margarita and how to pair tequila with food.

“Hopefully, it will spark interest as well as create awareness,” Alterman says. “A lot of Americans don’t know what tequila is all about.”

Besides serving more than the 200 types of tequila, the fully-stocked bar will also offer a wide variety of Mexican beers.

“We will have a few domestics, but we are trying to keep it authentic,” Garcia adds.

“You won’t find a better margarita anywhere,” Alterman says.

Oh, by the way, they also serve food. The kitchen belongs to Head Chef Hal Jasa, the king of the Des Moines underground dinners. Jasa mixes old school culinary knowledge with his new school flavors and skills. Jasa says he is excited to be part of the team.

“It was time,” he says. “I had done what I wanted to do with Underground Inc., and I was ready for something new. It all kind of fell into place.”

When Jasa heard about the restaurant, he contacted the owners to interview with them. Soon after, Alterman and Garcia knew they had found their man.

“Karl has bent over backwards for me. He works around my schedule and my family’s schedule,” Jasa says. “I couldn’t ask for better people to work for. These guys are awesome, and this place is amazing.”

Garcia says Iowans can expect a dining experience like no other in Des Moines. Fresh guacamole will be made tableside, with servers mashing the avocados and adding the traditional garnishes.

“We will be offering our own salsas and hot sauce,” he says.

Fresh tortillas will be pressed and served piping hot. The kitchen also has a huge rotisserie.

“We want to stay authentic by slow roasting and marinating the meats,” Garcia says. “It keeps all the flavors in.”

Dos Rios has kept the local farmers in mind. All of their meats, vegetables, cheese and even coffee will come from local providers.

“We want to keep everything local,” Garcia says. “From natural grazing farms, organic vegetables and local cheeses. We are even working with Java Joe’s on our own blend of coffee.”

Another plan is to host farmer’s market meals. Alterman plans on having a special on Saturday nights, after walking through the downtown farmer’s market and selecting the best items they can find.

“When you come here, you will be able to taste the heart and soul in every plate,” Jasa says. “We have the foundation; now it’s time to move forward.”

“Our goal is to treat the customer like they have come into our home,” Alterman says. “We have a lot of new surprises and twists that we will be unveiling to the people of Des Moines.” RELISH

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A taste of the past

Horse-drawn wagon rides, hearty home-cooked meals and parlor games allow Iowans to sample their heritage at Living History Farms

By Michael Swanger

For more than 35 years, Living History Farms in Urbandale has told the story of how Iowans transformed the fertile prairies of the Midwest into the most productive farmland in the world. That same farmland has produced some of the world’s best food, which in turn, has shaped generations of Iowans’ kitchens, palates and dining traditions.

Each year, more than 137,000 people from more than 60 countries visit the 550-acre open-air museum to travel through five historical time periods spanning 300 years: the 1700 Ioway Farm, 1850 Pioneer Farm, 1875 Town of Walnut Hill, 1900 Horse-Powered Farm and Wallace Exhibit Center. Many of those visitors, including native Iowans, are attracted to the traditional foods served at the museum.

Two of the most popular dining attractions at Living History Farms are the historic dinners and Victorian holiday teas, which are offered during the fall and winter seasons. The 1900 Farm [daily at 6:30 p.m. and weekends at 1:30 p.m.] and 1875 Tangen Home dinners [Tuesday through Sunday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 p.m.] are available from Nov. 2 to March 16, 2008, and include hearty meals prepared with historic recipes popular in their respective time period, both for the price of $45 per person.

“It’s a great place to bring families, where adults learn something, too, and they have some fun as well,” says Jennie Deerr, director of marketing and communications at Living History Farms.

The 1900 Farm Dinner is more than just a meal; it’s a night on the town — or prairie. A horse-drawn wagon carries guests to the farmhouse where the smell of freshly baked rolls and hot cider welcomes them, as does a host with tales of pioneer farm life. Dinner parties of 10 to 12 people are seated at a table next to the wood-burning stove where the majority of the meal is prepared. The bill of fare includes roast beef or chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, or center cut ham roast and escalloped potatoes. The meal includes three vegetable side dishes and homemade rolls with churned butter, jams and pumpkin butter, and bread and butter pickles. Guests can wash down their food with coffee, hot cider and water. For dessert, a lantern-lighted trip to a 118-year barn rewards diners with a chocolate cake and fruit pie. Afterwards, guests return by wagon and receive recipes from the evening to take home.

The 1875 Tangen Home Dinner starts with a stroll along a lamp-lit boardwalk to the 1875 home where guests enjoy punch next to a glowing fireplace and a host shares stories of Victorian life. The family style meal includes savory soup, roast turkey with dressing or roast pork with specialty potatoes or chicken fricassee served with rice, as well as two vegetable side dishes, citrus ice to cleanse the palate, fresh dinner rolls with sweet cream butter, jams, jellies and sweet pickles. Dessert includes fancy cake and preserved fruits. Coffee, hot punch and water are offered during all courses of the meal. Afterwards, guests are invited to partake in some lighthearted parlor amusement, including a game of “Hunt the Thimble.” They also receive a copy of the recipes for the meals they ate.

“We like to call it dinner with entertainment,” Deerr says, adding each dinner lasts about two-and-one-half hours. “It’s more of an experience than a typical dinner. And there’s always way more food than anyone could possibly eat.”

Deerr says reservations are required and she encourages guests to book them as soon as possible as many of the dinners sell out — especially during the fall. “There’s nothing else out there like it in the Des Moines area,” she says.

The same could be said about the Victorian Holiday Teas, Deerr says. Fall Harvest and Victorian Holiday teas are served at the 1875 Flynn House complete with an assortment of sweets and savories. Fall Harvest teas are held Nov. 12-18. Holiday teas take place Nov. 28-Dec.6 and Dec. 11-19. Each daily session, which holds up to 16 people, starts at 1:30 p.m. and lasts about two hours. The menu includes sandwiches, scones, lemon curd and desserts. Each guest also takes home a memento.

“They’re very popular,” Deerr says. “The Flynn House is on the National Historic Register and is beautifully decorated for the season.”

Though the dinners and teas are the top attraction for foodies at Living History Farms during the fall and winter, there are other food options and holiday celebrations to be enjoyed, too.

A marketplace includes a variety of Iowa foods, ranging from mustards, popcorn and salsa, to soups, cheese balls and cheesecakes, that are available at the museum as well as online [www.lhf.org]. Cookbooks and other products with an Iowa flare are available, too.

Holiday celebrations include Family Halloween ($3-$4.50) complete with wagon rides, marshmallow roasts, storytellers and free popcorn and drinks. The event is held Oct. 25-28, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Christmas by Candlelight ($6.50-$8), which includes wagon rides, holiday decoration displays and snacks, will be held Dec. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. Lanterns and Lamp Posts: A Family Holiday Celebration ($3-$4.50), which includes strolling carolers and a soup supper, will be held Dec. 8, from noon to 8 p.m.

For reservations for the dinners or teas, or for information about Living History Farms, 2600 111th St., call 278-5286 or visit www.lhf.org. RELISH

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Holiday cooking 101

Some top chefs offer seasonal cooking tips, classes

By Sean J. Miller

Most Americans have their own idea of what makes a Thanksgiving feast. They know the smells, the dishes, the flavors and the place settings. But what many of them don’t know is how to produce all that holiday magic. Those of us who spend the holidays visiting family — the ones with spacious dinning rooms and powerful ovens — have grown comfortable never having to prepare anything more challenging than mashed potatoes. But there comes a time when we, too, will have to host. When that time comes, there’s professional help.

There are a variety of cooking classes offered in the metro, and they’re accessible to everyone from the first time cook to the experienced chef looking to try something new to impress the foodie in-laws. Relish asked a few of the chef/instructors for their best tips for getting ready for the holidays.

During the holidays, George Formaro, who teaches cooking classes at Centro, suggests people try to maximize their time with family friends. If you’re hosting, the easiest way to do that is to serve dishes that can be prepared in advance, he says, adding that people should try preparing a chilled seafood salad or a Caprese salad, made with mozzarella and tomato. Salads that don’t wilt and can be left in the fridge are a good bet, he says. For the main course, turkey, he has one piece of advice.

“My sole philosophy on poultry is to brine it or inject it. If you do that, you get a lot more leeway,” he says. Brine can be created with a cup of salt per gallon of water; garlic and pepper can be added as well. A turkey should marinate in the brine for about 36 hours, Formaro says. “It’s the salt that you want to penetrate.”

Brining meats, including turkey, is what Formaro focuses on during his cooking classes at Centro. “Once people start to brine, and they get the brine down, they’ll brine everything,” says Formaro, who is part owner of Centro and the Gateway Market in Sherman Hill. Brining a bird can prevent it from being overcooked — one of the most common mistakes people make when cooking a Thanksgiving dinner, he says.

“Brining allows you to cook it however you need to, so the bird doesn’t dry out as easily,” he says. A baking bag can also be used to speed up the process. “It makes it a little easier,” Formaro adds.

Formaro grew up in an Italian household, which influences what’s on his table during the holidays. “Every Italian will tell you the same thing. There’s always a turkey at Thanksgiving, but there’s always a pasta dish, too,” he says. People should stick with what they know best, says Formaro, who plans to make only one change to his holiday tradition this year. “We’re going to get an heirloom bird this year,” he says.

Heirloom turkeys are available from a variety of small producers around Iowa. The birds are typically uncommon species of turkey that have a very different taste and texture than the Butterballs that are available at Hy-Vee, says Matt Russell, who raises heirloom turkeys at Coyote Run Farm near Lacona.

Heirloom turkeys have “really rich flavors,” he says. “The texture of the meat is more like meat, instead of being soft and mushy. But it’s not tough.”

Russell’s farm is producing about 60 birds this season, he says. “We’re happy to talk to people about it.”

Robert Anderson, program director at the Iowa Culinary Institute, says that people should be weary of trying new things around the holidays. “It’s stressful enough,” he says. “It’s best to stick with what you know.” If you are going to make changes, Anderson says that people should make them small, such as adding pork sausage to the dressing to prevent it from drying out.

“Do something well before you go out and try to put a twist on something,” Anderson says. “When you get 20 people coming over, it’s not the time to try new recipes.”

Terrie Kohl, owner of Country Club Market in Clive, disagrees. “I know a lot of people, myself included, will try a first-time recipe [at Thanksgiving], and they generally work out,” she says.

Kohl teaches adult cooking classes and encourages her students to try simple things to improve their meals. She suggests cooking walnuts or almonds for 5-10 minutes in the oven at 350 F. “They can be put into the stuffing, into the salad,” she says. “People can do them in advance and keep them in the freezer.”

Thanksgiving might be a traditional holiday, but Kohl sees it as a chance to try something new. “I don’t teach the traditional,” she says. “Most of the people who come [to the classes] are very much foodies.” A typical menu at Kohl’s class would consist of stuffed turkey breast with a tiramisu for dessert.

Regardless of your taste or skill level, there are a variety of cooking classes available in the metro. And there’s one thing most chefs agree on: start planning now. The doorbell will be ringing before you know it. RELISH

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Great American recipes

Explore some history-altering dishes

Recipes alter history. Christopher Columbus discovered chocolate on an island off Nicaragua in 1498. He was not impressed, but still sent some beans back to Spain where they were ignored by the royal court. A decade later Hernan Cortez discovered chocolate in Yucatan. He enthusiastically acquired recipes and sent those back to the same royal court. That time chocolate quickly became the rage of all of Europe, spurring more exploration.

Relish did its own exploring to find these recipes which were created by, or for, some legendary people. We also threw in a holiday bird recipe fit for royalty.

Thomas Jefferson’s Bread Pudding
This recipe is by Jefferson’s eldest daughter Martha, who was his longtime housekeeper.

Remove the crusts from a loaf of bread and crumble the bread fine. Add it to a quart of milk, bring to a boil and let simmer 15 minutes. Beat the yolks of six eggs and whites of three eggs until light. Add six tablespoons of sugar, one fourth a teaspoon of salt and grated rind of one lemon. Beat all together and bake in moderate oven for 45 minute.

For sauce: Melt two tablespoons butter, add two tablespoons of brandy or rum, one cup of sugar mixed with one teaspoon of flour. Stir over low fire until thickened.

Lou Henry Hoover’s Corned Beef Hash
Iowa native Lou Henry Hoover was wife of Iowa native President Herbert Hoover. (They fell in love at Stanford.) They helped popularize corned beef hash between the two World Wars.

1 cup minced corned beef
4 medium boiled potatoes
Half cup hot water
3 tablespoons butter
9 strips bacon
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except bacon together. Shape into form of a loaf with bacon over the top. Bake in greased pan in oven at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes. Optional — pour seasoned hot tomato sauce over the hash.

Mary Todd Lincoln’s Chicken Fricassee
Abraham Lincoln ate little more than coffee and bread during his war time Presidency. This recipe was his favorite during his happier days.

2 skinless chickens, cut up
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
sweet marjoram, salt and pepper to taste
half pint cream
2 tbsp. butter, rolled in flour

Season chicken with salt and pepper, nutmeg, mace and marjoram. Place in stew pan. Pour in cream and add butter. Cover pot tightly and simmer gently, on medium low heat, never allowing to boil, about one hour. Serves eight.

John Adams’ Oyster Rolls
This is the second President’s personal recipe.

6 French rolls
1 pint oysters (reserve liquor)
dash of mace and nutmeg
4 peppercorns
2 tablespoons butter
parsley sprigs

Take the French rolls, grate the outside and cut a piece out of the top and scoop out all the crumbs. Drain the oysters, saving the liquor. Wash oysters in water and salt. Add mace and nutmeg, plus peppercorns, to strained oyster liquid. Place in pan over low heat. Add oysters and butter. Stew until edges of oysters curl. Pour into rolls and place in hot oven (375-400 degrees F) until they are hot. Garnish with parsley.

Enosh Kelley’s Tomatoes a la Provencal
The chef and owner of Bistro Montage learned this recipe from his uncle, who was John Wayne’s personal chef. No ingredient quantities are given because they vary according to size of tomatoes.

Tomatoes
Garlic
Bread Crumbs
Olive oil
Parsley
Salt and pepper

Cut tomatoes in half, from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and salt. Place the cut side down on a plate with olive oil covering bottom. In an iron pan, heat olive oil until hot (a non virgin oilve oil has a higher smoke point and works better here), shake the tomatoes to drain and place them cut side down in hot oil. When they sizzle and the skin lifts off the flesh at the corners, turn them with a wooden spatula (to avoid bruising). If the tomatoes stick, add oil. Place the tomatoes in a gratin dish, salt and pepper them. In a frying pan, fry garlic, parsley and bread crumbs to sprinkle over the tomatoes. Set them in 350 degree oven for five minutes.

Rob Beasley’s Baked Chickens
The chef and owner of Mojo’s on 86th gave us this recipe for holiday birds just to stop us from begging.

Serves 8-16

4 Sheeder Farms free range chickens
2 tbsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. fresh cracked pepper
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp. mixed citrus zest, save the pulp
1 tbsp. paprika
Pint of white wine
1/2 gallon water
Tbsp. butter

Split the chickens in halves or quarters and rub with mixture of the sea salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and zest. Cover and set overnight.

Set birds in a perforated pan with white wine and the pulp from the zest. Bake in preheated oven for half an hour at 350 degrees. Remove birds, strain the juice and reserve it. When birds have cooled, de-bone the chickens. Simmer the bones in water until liquid reduces by half. Strain the liquid and add the reserved juice. Simmer until reduced to about one pint. Add the butter.

Heat oven to 500 degrees and bake chickens until crisp, 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with the sauce poured over the top. RELISH

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