Pork neckbone ragu
My mentor in the kitchen Stephen Pedalino taught this one to me, back when we were both working at the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in the 1980s. A transplant from…
Hilal Groceries in Des Moines
1163 25th Street Finding good bread often requires foraging skills in Grinnell, Iowa, though that is less the case than when I got here in 1993. You can get by…
La Tapatia Tienda Mexicana in Des Moines
1440 Des Moines Street This place is just off 235, between SE 14th and SE 15th. I almost always stop here as part of my food circuit in Des Moines,…
Chong’s Market in Coralville
905 2nd Street, Coralville, IA This may be my favorite stop for food shopping in Iowa City/Coralville. It’s set just off the Coralville strip, and can be a be hard…
Chicken Feet
I helped a friend slaughter and process 30 chickens this past weekend. The difference between a farm-raised semi-free-range chicken and what you buy in the store is considerable, and it’s…
Iowa Venison
I’m not a big game hunter. I tried it, but it never really appealed to me. But I love venison, and I’m lucky that Iowa is not just overflowing with…
Miyabi 9 in Des Moines
512 E. Grand Avenue This is the best sushi I’ve had in Iowa–and easily compares with sushi in any major metropolitan area in this country. It’s a small restaurant, and…
Los Laureles in Des Moines
1518 East Grand Avenue This is probably my favorite Mexican restaurant in the state of Iowa. I first started going there in the early 90s, when it was more like…
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