Blog

Very berry, Very Prairie, very good

By Rick Nelson, Star Tribune When juicy, color-saturated raspberries and blueberries made their first appearances at the Mill City Farmers Market, they immediately inspired thoughts of pie. Just one problem: Temperatures were soaring into the upper 90s, with similarly punishing humidity levels, which meant that turning on the oven was not an option. Besides, if…  Read More

It’s a culinary street scene

by Rick Nelson, Star Tribune Following a national trend, this summer’s avalanche of street food — sold from trucks, carts and stands — is luring hungry downtowners in St. Paul and Minneapolis out onto the sidewalks. Summers — and dining while standing — will never taste the same. A tip: Locations and times change frequently…  Read More

Farmer’s Markets Innovations Make Healthy Food an Easy Option

By Leah Zerbe, Rodale News June 1, 2011 Growers of heirloom vegetables and classic edibles are using innovative new ideas to make farmer’s markets better for shoppers seeking sustainably grown, in-season food. There’s often a throwback feel to farmer’s markets, where you can seek out the same heirloom vegetable varieties your great-grandmother adored. Old-school, heritage-breed…  Read More

Market watch: Finding rhubarb

by Rick Nelson, Star Tribune May 18, 2011 A recent posting on a friend’s Facebook page summed up what a lot of Minnesotans have been surely feeling during this late-arriving spring. “[I] won’t last much longer if I don’t bake something with rhubarb soon,” he wrote. That sentiment was lingering in my brain as I…  Read More

Market Watch: Let the salad spinning begin

 By Rick Nelson, Star Tribune May 25, 2011 Lovers of greens have an ally in farmer Mike Noreen. The owner of Burning River Farm grows an impressive array of vegetables at his Frederic, Wis., acreage, but what makes a visit to his stand at the Mill City Farmers market on Saturday morning a necessity is the…  Read More

Enjoying Grazefest at Mill City Farmers Market

By Sarah Johnson, Simple Good and Tasty June 9, 2011 Nestled between the theatrical masterpiece designed by famed architect Jean Nouvel and a museum built into the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill resides the Mill City Farmer’s Market, offering Twin Citians the opportunity to connect with and support local vendors each…  Read More

“On Board” – Rick Nelson reviews Scott McGlasson’s Woodsport

By Rick Nelson, Star Tribune June 3, 2011 At his sunny St. Paul studio, woodcrafter Scott McGlasson devotes most of his considerable energy and talents to furniture making. But the Woodsport owner also deftly converts birch and walnut planks into cutting boards that mirror his furniture’s aesthetic balancing act of striking beauty and practical functionality.…  Read More

Star Tribune: “Rhubarb Ketchup at MCFM”

By Rick Nelson, Star Tribune June 17, 2009 With her rhubarb ketchup, Susan Dietrich has found a clever use for June’s tart red stalks. Not that she’ll take any credit for it. “You’re going to think that I don’t have an original idea in my head,” she said with a laugh. Hardly. Mill City Farmers…  Read More