The Walker Place Farmers Market begins its second season on Friday afternoon, June 17 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. This year, the senior center is inviting not just its residents and staff, but also the public to enjoy the mini market that will have items for sale that are fresh and direct-from-the-farm. "It's in the courtyard between the health center and us — the perfect little venue for it," said Glenda Reid, Walker Place's Resident Service Coordinator. She said that they made a decision to expand the hours of the farmers market for 2011 so that it would hit some of the shift changeovers for …

Foodies in the Twin Cities regularly buzz about 50th and France, Kingfield's new prominence as a dining destination, and of course Piccolo. I, like everyone else, love those latest and greatest hotspots, and yet there are times when I find myself yearning for a meal that eschews flash and simply delivers on taste, in a low-key and warm environment. To that end, allow me to reacquaint you with the intersection of Penn Avenue and West 50th Street, just two blocks south of Lake Harriet. It's on that stretch of road you take to go back and forth to work or when you indulge in some boutique …

I agree whole-heartedly with my editor (can you believe it?) here at Patch about opening day at the farmers market. It is the first true representation of a Minnesota spring, which frankly on March 21 is not well promoted by the whisper of wind through icy tree limbs and piles of black snow. But enough about the past. The grass is green, it's time to sow seeds and the sun has actually made a legitimate show of itself on more than one occasion. So now it is time for all the sights, sounds and tastes that our Southwest markets promise from now through late fall. In this, part one of my intro to…

A Saturday farmers market in these parts is music to my ears (and we even hear there will be live musicians). We've got the fabulous Kingfield venue on Sundays, but now I'll be able to get my week's worth of goodies, regardless of which weekend day I'm free to wander the farm stands and treat purveyors. To give you an idea of how the new Fulton Farmers Market came into being, here's some cross-neighborhood history to make a Southwesterner proud, plus a brief description of the inaugural day's vendors and events. "Passionate and dedicated Fulton volunteers wanted to find a way to bring folks …

Calling all earth-loving foodies! Interested in eating healthy vittles and checking out the latest flicks that tackle sustainability issues? If you want to hang out with like-minded folks and discuss what we put in our bodies and the environment, then, Marianna Padilla has pulled together a dinner and a movie series that is for you. It will both tickle your tastebuds and tantalize your inner social activist on certain Fridays through September. The owner of Casa Marianna and a noted vegetarian cook, personal trainer and city gardener extraordinaire, Padilla is offering her Friday Night Dinner…

The restaurant scene in these parts is enviable, even by big city standards. Our little section of Minneapolis is home to scads of independent, forward-thinking food craftspeople and chefs, and an enthusiastic customer base to support them (so be proud, fellow consumers). Not to toot our own horn, but we are home to both City Pages Best Restaurant 2011, Piccolo, and Best Farmers Market 2011, Kingfield. And, when it comes to one of the most important and conversation-sparking food groups there is — ICE CREAM — we can keep our hometown heads held high. We are literally at some kind of gourmet …

I'm not a mom, so I make sure to revere and fête the mothers I know, including my own, on Mother's Day. I can barely take care of my cat and my husband, let alone be responsible for a wee one. What I can do, however, is choose the appropriate restaurant for the occasion. And while that may be a minor talent in a world where diseases are cured, despots are dethroned, and mothers nurture their children, I do strive to use my powers for good. In this case, Sunday, May 8, 2011, requires some serious thought about where to take mom and her hangers-on — so that she has the best time possible. Today…

The recent kerfuffle regarding Minneapolis City Council Member Meg Tuthill's proposed ordinance to restrict the number of people enjoying each restaurant patio shows just how passionate Minneapolitans are about their right to dine alfresco. And as the whiff of spring blossoms into a full-blown season, I not only empathize with the urge to eat outside, I heartily endorse it. If this summer is in any way comparable to the length and breadth of the winter, it's going to be a doozy. I plan to fill it with much outdoor food and drink indulgence as is humanly possible. Here's a few places where I'…

Tonight is the annual Dining Out For Life night benefitting the Kingfield-based Minnesota Aliveness Project, which serves people living with HIV/AIDS. Eateries have promised different levels of donation, ranging from the platinum level at 35% donation, gold - 25% donation, silver - 2%0 donation or bronze - 15% donation. Many of Southwest's restaurants are taking part including: Platinum - Blackbird, Cafe Ena, El Meson, Piccolo, Victor's 1959 Gold - Anodyne, Cafe Twenty-Eight, Curran's, Grand Cafe Silver - Arezzo Ristorante, Cafe Maude, El Paraiso Mexican Bronze - Gigi's, La Chaya Bistro, The …

Call it egg casserole or savory bread pudding, but there's no denying that strata is a tasty make-ahead dish that can feed a crowd with a minimum of time and hard labor in the kitchen. So if you're stuck hosting the family this year for Easter on April 24, this easy casserole with variations might be just the thing. And, it's thrifty too, as a dozen eggs is still less than $5 — even if they are organic and cage-free. It's basically cubed bread soaked in a custard and filled with whatever goodies and cheese suit your tastes. You can go with a veggie option full of coloful produce or please …

From viticulture to organica, there are several seasonal classes budding in the area that will help you grow your cooking techniques and expertise. Here's a selection of some great and diverse courses that will definitely raise your gourmet IQ. COOPERATIVE EDUCATION Across the way at Linden Hills Co-op, each week brings something new and diverse to learn. On April 7, David S. Cargo, a founding member of the St. Paul Bread Club, will lead a class called, "Muffins in Minutes," for $15/$13 (Members save $2 on all courses). He'll show folks how to make this coffeeshop/bakery favorite at home, and…

Krista Steinbach and Ly Lo are making it official on Saturday, April 9 with the grand opening of Sweets Bakeshop, their cupcake/macaron store, in Tangletown. Though the bakery has been doing business since early February, they waited until now to plan an event. "We just wanted to kind of get everything together before we had a big opening," explained Lo. Now that it's set for Saturday, the festivities will start at 11 a.m. with free chair massages and live guitar music by Lo's brother, as well as a string quartet later in the afternoon. And yes, they'll be chances to win free cupcakes — with …

Bread & Pickle originally announced an April 1 opening at the Lake Harriet Bandshell, but now it's looking more like an April 22, Earth Day date will be the day the snack bar serves its first meal. "According to the park board plumber, we can't even get the water turned on until April 15," explained owner Kim Bartmann. It's actually not such a bad thing, as it gives Bartmann and her staff more time to completely renovate the former snack stand's kitchen. She and her crew needed to add a lot of cooking and refrigeration equipment to prepare the kind of food that folks have come to associate …

As of October 2010, the space at 6042 Nicollet Ave. S. has become the Cattle Ranch Steak House, much to the chaigrin of those in search of a Persian meal. The home of the old Shiraz Fire Roasted Cuisine,  it's next door to Tailgate Sports Cafe, a neighborhood mainstay for Windom-ites and sports fans. Both are owned by Bahman Razmpour, who is hoping that his new steak concept will put this corner back on the map with diners. At the moment, the Windom eating scene is fairly slow, as La Perla del Pacifico up the street closed, and the only other thing nearby is a Perkins. Basically, the recent …

Sun Street Breads Coming to 46th Street and Nicollet Avenue "Here's my new electric stacked oven," bragged Solveig Tofte, about her gleaming, four level baking appliance, obviously excited about her Sun Street Breads store as it takes shape at 4600 Nicollet Avenue. She and her husband, Martin Ouimet are deep into the renovations of the old Snyder's drug store, which is on schedule to open in March as a retail and eat-in bakery with breakfast and lunch service. Sun Street will also have a beer and wine license. "We were at the Kingfield Farmers Market all summer, so really when we were looking…

I'm as guilty as the next food enthusiast of hyping the latest restaurant, trend or even celebrity chef. If it says farm-to-table, sustainable, local or organic, I hop on the bandwagon along with the rest of the foodie hoi polloi, and often get disappointed. It led me to thinking about how these concepts came about partially because we started to get disconnected from the simple joys of food and the community it creates. Our neighborhood is home to many restaurants that are doing great new things. But what about the old ones that don't follow the trends? Are they still worth our notice?  Is …

Ah, Valentine's Day. You fickle, fickle holiday. Some times you present as light and ephemeral and other times you come forth with all the sublety of blunt force trauma. The heart boxes of candy stacked up at the Walgreen's make me catch my breath, afraid to embark on another year's attempt to foster romance on a specific day in the middle of cold, cold February. So this time around, I'm taking a new tack. How about approaching the whole tomfoolery of cards, candy and flowers with a casual, cool air? I know my husband will appreciate me peeling back the layers of this so-called "most romantic…

The Super Bowl inspires a variety of different feelings in my closest friends and family. My husband will watch every minute of the game, yell at the refs about the review of calls and make fun of the half-time entertainment as being merely a bathroom break for "true fans." A close vegetarian friend sees the whole shenanigans as a chance to sample delicious dips, drink Bell's Two Hearted Ale, watch a bit of ball and throw a party. And then there are more than a few folks that I love dearly who basically see Super Bowl Sunday as a chance to avoid crowds—that is if they even remember which day …

Armatage is a good, solid Minneapolis neighborhood with mid-sized houses and well-groomed lawns. Folks walk their dogs, grill out back and according to the Summer Crime Synopsis posted on the neighborhood association website, live in a safe environment (so long as they close their garage doors and take the keys out of their parked cars). While a lovely place to reside, it hardly seems the proper spot to start a new restaurant in November, just as winter sets in. At least that's what I thought—and boy, was I wrong. Two very different eateries have proven that diners from near and far are …

The season is not only here, it is quite literally upon us. Unlike the winter 0f 2009-2010, this year is a cold, snowy journey that will likely see many more inches of precipitation. With that in mind, I'm taking it in stride, riding the wave and obviously using many, many cliches. But honestly, I am facing the facts and dealing with what this northern tundra has to give. At the moment, my husband's formerly lovely mint and basil are sadly browning in the front window and our waist-high rhubarb is frozen tight beneath a blanket of snow. As well, I heard that Liberty Custard is closing its …