Treasured Valley

I always love it when I find a new local blog.

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Jimmy Dean passed away a little while ago, but his sausage lives on.  These days, however, I prefer to get my sausage fix from a number of local sources – none of whom have yet to get a song on the charts, but who put out some product that would likely make Mr. Dean (Jimmy or James) yell, “boy, howdy”.

As a kid, my bologna had a first name (it was “O-s-c-a-r”)…and so did my sausage.  It was “J-i-m-m-y”.  And while James Dean may have been a rebel without a cause, Jimmy Dean was a good ole country boy with a hit single that most folks under 50 years-old have long forgotten (“Big John”), and a sausage brand that continues to define the “ground pork” genre for American consumers.

As a grade school kid with Grand Ole Opry aspirations, I spent a lot of time singing “Big John”, and even more time eating Jimmy Dean sausage.  To this day I still love to sit down to my Okie mama-in-law’s biscuits and gravy with Jimmy Dean’s culinary namesake as the protein of choice (I prefer the spicy version).  As far as my  mama-in-law is concerned, if it ain’t Jimmy, it ain’t on the plate, cousin.

Jimmy Dean passed away a little while ago, but his sausage lives on.  These days, however, I prefer to get my sausage fix from a number of local sources – none of whom have yet to get a song on the charts, but who put out some product that would likely make Mr. Dean (Jimmy or James) yell, “boy, howdy”.

My first encounter with “local links” continues to be a favorite: the Boise Co-op.  The Co-op makes a variety of amazing sausages that one of our Behind the Menu followers referred to as “hippy sausage”.  The quote was actually taken from her neighbor, but I love it nonetheless.  If “hippy” is equated with eclectically artisan, then the Co-op is guilty as charged, dude.  I just know that one of my favorite Sunday breakfast indulgences is its spinach, feta, and chicken sausage.  Spread a little Mom’s Mustard (another local fave) on those bad boys, fry up some eggs and hash browns, and you’ve got something that will please anyone, regardless of whether they’re wearing tie-dye or a Brooks Brothers suit.  That there is good eatin’, neighbors!  (Click here to see a video of Co-op Meat Department employee Jeremy describing some of his store’s sausage offerings)

Another amazing source of local sausage is Snake River Farms, who puts out a line of American Kurobuta (Berkshire pork) sausages that include its “Korizo” (the Kurobuta version of chorizo) that Bar Gernika proudly featured on its Jaialdi menu (click here to see a video of Jeff May at Bar Gernika cooking up a Korizo for his restaurant’s Jaialdi menu).  You can buy them as well at The Basque Market.  As a breakfast sausage, my favorite is the SRF Portabella & Gouda (try serving them up with a side of caramelized apples).  Just a few weeks ago, Behind the Menu gave you the scoop on SRF’s newest sausage: their Olde World Bratwurst, which follows an old European style recipe that SRF executive chef Alan Turner says will take you back to what brats tasted like nearly half a century ago.  That’s my kind of time travel (click here to see Snake River Farms executive chef Alan Turner introducing his Olde World Bratwurst in the kitchen of Angell’s Bar & Grille)

While most of us think of pork when we think of sausage, Meadowlark Farm has a lamb sausage that traces its ethnicity not to the Olde World, but to North Africa — which I suppose would make it REALLY olde world.  Janie Burns of Meadowlark Farm began making her Merguez sausage at the request of some customers who had previously lived in Morocco.  In addition to ground lamb, the sausage mix includes pomegranate juice, cinnamon, paprika, thyme, ginger, and cayenne (for a bit of a kick).  It has a consistency that reminds me of a good linguica, with a Middle Eastern twist.  Pair this up with couscous and veggies or a traditional Moroccan tagine and you’ll be rockin’ the casbah for sure.

If you want to get truly artisan, you’ll have to check out Boise Urban Market for Justin Bogg’s andouille sausage.  In addition to being an arch-foodie, loyal Behind the Menu follower, and champion of all things local and culinary, Justin knows his way around a kitchen.  Ever since a gig in Louisiana, Justin has been on a Grail Quest for a great andouille sausage.

After poring through lord knows how many recipes, Justin purchased his very own commercial meat grinder (I’m telling you, this man is a fanatic) and began perfecting an andouille that would meet his standards.  A few months ago he introduced Behind the Menu to the fruits of his labor while sitting down at the Brick Oven Bistro with owners Stephanie Telesco and Jeff Nee over bowls of his and the Brick Oven Bistro’s red beams & rice.  The result?  Both Stephanie and Jeff pronounced Justin’s andouille sausage to be the best they’d ever had – and that is high praise from some folks who have been serving up some mighty fine gumbo and etouffee for more than a quarter century.  They even began buying some of Justin’s sausage to include with their red beans & rice, which is a Monday (Laundry Day) tradition at the Brick Oven Bistro.

The most recent artisan adventure in local sausage that I’m aware of, however, has to be from Ed Wilsey and his partners at Homestead Natural Foods, who recently teamed up with Lost River Meats to introduce some sausages based on Homestead’s 100 percent grass-fed beef (now available at the Boise Co-op, by the by).  And speaking of Lost River Meats, you can’t overlook the Capital City Public Market when it comes to local sausage.  Lost River Meats offers an dizzying array of sausages with everything from Idaho potatoes to lemon chicken, while fellow Market vendor Black Canyon Elk Ranch regularly samples a number of different game sausages from their Emmett ranch.

This summary of local sausages is no doubt the tip of the culinary iceberg, but it should be sufficient to demonstrate that if your sausage has a first name, it should be “l-o-c-a-l”.  No offense, Jimmy.  For what it’s worth, I still love to sing Big John, even if I long ago stopped waiting for the phone call from the Grand Ole Opry.  Sausage has helped blunt the sting of that particular disappointment.

Michael Boss is the editor-in-chief for Behind the Menu, and he’s been known to work for sausage — which sounds vaguely obscene, but is strictly on the up and up.  Join Behind the menu on Facebook for a daily conversation about our Treasure Valley Food scene.

Former KTVB reporter Edgar Linares has a new website “Downtown With Edgar”.

His first webisode is on Downtown Boise’s The Chocolat Bar, check it out here.

All the local food news that’s fit to print from the week of August 2, 2010 in Behind the Menu and TreasuredValley.com

The Stories

Who’s Your Papa? — Having finally rectified a long time injustice and eaten at Papa Joe’s, I can tell you that whether or not you think of this long standing culinary icon as a pizza joint, a sandwich shop, or an Italian eatery…you’re right.

Wok Inn Noodle — History and ambiance aside, the secret of Wok Inn Noodle’s success is clear to anyone who eats there: it’s all about the noodles.  Owner and cook C.C. Chien makes them early every morning and hand chops all his veggies as dishes are ordered – and with the Oriental Market just next door, it’s not like he has to go very far away to get some great produce.

The Videos

Eagle Food & Wine Festival — Tickets are now available for the August 28 Eagle Food & Wine Festival…so what are you waiting for? Here to tell us a bit about the 4th annual celebration of Eagle’s culinary scene in ths Behind the Menu Drive By Moment are Steve Thurm and Susie Breaux of Banbury Golf Course.

Brian’s Dream – In this Drive By Moment video we introduce you to Brian Wetzel, the man behind the martini that Boise Weekly described as “Best Wet Dream”.

Garden of Sushi Delights — Belly up to the sushi bar at Mai Thai in Eagle for today’s UFO…cuz that’s the only place Sushi Mike will serve it to you. If you think he sounds like a temperamental artist, well, he’s the damn Sushi Chef already…so get over it or get therapy.

Meet Sarah Carrico — You may know her as “Zombie Prep Girl” or “Ms. Bueno Cheapo Guernika”, but at Behind the Menu she is our very own Sarah Carrico. She’s also our Behind the Menu Follower of the Week.

The Blogosphere

Epi’s: A Basque Restaurant –Reminiscing about the Jaialdi celebrations? Here’s a little something from Northwest Food News to help sustain the reverie.

An American Boy in a Paris-Inspired Cooking Class – Awhile back, while attending my first Boise Co-op cooking class, I had the privelege of meeting to very delightful local foodies: Michael & Pat Lazare. Besides having a wicked cool name, Michael has an amazing history.

The Photos

Jaialdi 2010 – A photo essay of “The Basque Tsunami”

Out and About with Behind the Menu – From pitchfork to plate, our latest photo editions to our Out and About with Behind the Menu include Common Ground Farm, Gelato Cafe, and Wok Inn Noodle.

A Link and a Nod

Boise Fry Co. on the Food Network – Would you like national fame with those fries? This just in from Chris Oates at TreasuredValley.com. Congratulations to Blake Lingle and all the great folks at Boise Fry Co. Seems like only yesterday we were attending the “Grand Reopening” of this little place that serves “burgers with fries on the side”.

UFO of the Week

Nothing stimulates the salivary glands and the conversation quite like a killer plate of hot pasta — and this Thursday Night Special from Papa Joe’s in Boise got quite a few of our followers talking — as well as inspiring a TidBits episode that you can link to under “The Stories” above.

Events

August TweetUp – Come on out to The Falcon Tavern tomorrow evening and join Behind the Menu and Boise TweetUp to make new friends and renew old acquaintances, as well as check out a favorite culinary venue among our followers.

Having finally rectified a long time injustice and eaten at Papa Joe’s, I can tell you that whether or not you think of this long standing culinary icon as a pizza joint, a sandwich shop, or an Italian eatery…you’re right.  What really impressed me about Papa Joe’s, however, was their menu of weekly specials.

I’ve never been comfortable with the expression, “familiarity breeds contempt”.  I prefer to think that it breeds intimacy…but then again I’m also willing to concede that absent our better angels, familiarity can foster a sense of indifference.

Which perhaps explains how after living in Boise for 15 years and cruising down Capitol Blvd. past the Boise Depot and BSU campus lord knows how many times, I never set foot in Papa Joe’s until a couple of weeks ago.

OK…in my defense, I labored under the assumption that Papa Joe’s was a sandwich shop; and unless a restaurant takes a pretty adventurous approach to what they put between two slices of bread, I’m not much of a sandwich eater.  If someone had told me that Papa Joe’s was an Italian restaurant, my more likely response would have been, “Mama mia!  I’m so there.”

Having finally rectified a long time injustice and eaten at Papa Joe’s, I can tell you that whether or not you think of this long standing culinary icon as a pizza joint, a sandwich shop, or an Italian eatery…you’re right.  What really impressed me about Papa Joe’s, however, was their menu of weekly specials.  Since I had the good fortune to be there on a Thursday evening, the dinner feature was “Papa’s Own Itlaian Carbonara”, which consists of (quoting from the menu), “bacon, green onions, roasted red peppers, tossed in linguini and topped with fresh ground pepper, basil, and roma tomatoes”.  The price for this magnficence?  A mere $10, pisan.

Other menu specials that will definitely bring me back to Papa Joe’s are its pasta shells stuffed with fresh lobster, crab, and four cheese blend with a homemade smoked alfredo (Friday), a creamy white wine alfredo with smoked salmon, Greek and kalamata olives and roasted red peppers over linguini (Wednesday), and a creamy marinara with sausage, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and fresh basil over a bed of linguini topped with fresh romano cheese.  Said dishes range in price from $9.50 to $14 (that lobster will cost you a bit extra, bucko).

Another thing besides the food that merits repeat visits by this lover of Italian cuisine is the setting.  I have to admit that I never quite got the connection between my assumptions about Papa Joe’s and the totem pole and log cabin exterior.  It all seemed a bit random.  Step inside, however, and the ambiance is much more intimate and relaxing.  To call it quaint would be too precious, but I think the restaurant’s website describes it best:

“Our building has housed a number of different businesses, the most famous of which, besides Papa Joe’s, was Dixons Sea Foods. It is a beautiful eclectic building which we have been working to restore. The patio offers a great view of the foot hills, BSU campus. We enjoy sitting outside in the early morning with a cup of espresso and watch the world go by. Evening patio dining has a festive charm. We offer a variety of dining rooms, one by the stone fire place, one in our parlor, as well our living room, a private den for 10 or fewer with an HD TV complete with coffee table and leather sofa.”

I don’t know about you, but combine “festive charm” with some killer Italian food, and familiarity will breed devotion.  Papa Joe’s, thanks for doing what you do.  I’m just sorry it took me 15 years to experience it.  My bad.

Michael Boss is the editor-in-chief for Behind the Menu, and is still pouting over Gino’s departure from downtown Boise.  He thanks Papa Joe’s for helping fill that void.  Follow Behind the Menu on Facebook for a daily conversation about our local culinary scene.

History and ambiance aside, the secret of Wok Inn Noodle’s success is clear to anyone who eats there: it’s all about the noodles.  Owner and cook C.C. Chien makes them early every morning and hand chops all his veggies as dishes are ordered – and with the Oriental Market just next door, it’s not like he has to go very far away to get some great produce.

I was first introduced to the Wok Inn Noodle by my friend Robin Zimmerman, who our Behind the Menu followers may know as the Boise Co-op’s marketing director…or perhaps as the result of her more recent claim to fame as one of Idaho’s rising musical talents.

I have to admit that when Robin first gave me directions to the restaurant’s location in the little strip mall at the intersection of Emerald and Orchard in Boise, I wondered if I was hearing her right.  I knew that Chiang Mai House was at that location, as was the Oriental Market.  I even recalled that The Navajo Room was there.  But a restaurant specializing in Chinese noodles?  No way.  Hmmm…there was that sketchy looking little storefront with all the hanging plants, but surely that couldn’t be it.  Guess again, Mikey…and welcome to Wok Inn Noodle.

I think it’s safe to say that Wok Inn Noodle has an ambiance that is unmatched by any other restaurant in the Treasure Valley.  Along with its jungle of plants, the wall of vintage stereo equipment (including devices known as “turntables”) and shelves jammed full of LPs (that’s “long playing” records for you younger readers) give the place a “lost in the ‘70s” vibe that comes as no surprise when you discover that Wok Inn Noodle goes back nearly 30 years – qualifying it as arguably one of Boise’s oldest Chinese restaurants, and one of a handful of culinary establishments in the Treasure Valley that have survived for more than a quarter of a century.

On my first visit with Robin, the music selection at Wok Inn Noodle was classical.  On my second visit, the stereo was throbbing to the beat of South African jazz legend Fela Kuti.  I asked my waitress, Lizzie, about the choice in music selections.  Her reply: “Oh, we have a customer who likes to bring stuff in, and we just put it on.”  You gotta love it.  (Note to self: bring in Ali Farka Toure or Toumani Diabate and Ballake Sissoko CDs with next visit).

History and ambiance aside, the secret of Wok Inn Noodle’s success is clear to anyone who eats there: it’s all about the noodles.  Owner and cook C.C. Chien makes them early every morning and hand chops all his veggies as dishes are ordered – and with the Oriental Market just next door, it’s not like he has to go very far away to get some great produce.

Pull up a chair at Wok Inn Noodle and scan the menu and you’ll quickly discover that the ambiance of the place isn’t the only thing that seems to be caught in a time warp.  The most expensive items on the menu, the Spicy Chicken, Spicy Beef, and Pad Thai Noodles with Shrimp, will set you back $6.25…which includes your tea and soup.  I would encourage first time visitors to order the House Noodle – your choice of chicken, beef or shrimp with vegetables – lots and lots of vegetables.  And the noodles?  I’m not sure what the Mandarin word for al dente is, but the noodles are so much more than a complex carbohydrate base for the goodies on top.  They have that wonderfully wholesome taste that you find with freshly made pasta, and a generous Wok Inn Noodle serving will leave you feeling better than full – you’ll feel satisfied.

My most recent lunch at Wok Inn Noodle was the House Chicken (I’m a sucker for anything on a menu preceded by “House”), which the menu describes as deep fried chicken with ginger and garlic.  If you’re used to Chinese restaurants that are long on batter and short on protein, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by Mr. Chien’s House Chicken, in which only enough the batter is applied to provide a little bit of crunch to the star attraction, and hold in that juicy goodness.  You can order any dish “hot, medium, or mild”.  As a person who definitely “does spicy”, I found that medium was just fine, thank you very much.  I loved the fact that the ginger in the dish was treated as one of the vegetables and was thinly sliced, as was the garlic, rather than minced.  Both the garlic and ginger stood out boldly, as they should in an Asian dish – at least in my humble Occidental opinion.

There is, finally, another wonderful little vignette regarding the Wok Inn Noodle story besides the provenance and food.  It turns out that the waitress, Lizzie, has been working with Mr. Chien since she was…well, in utero.  Her mom used to be the waitress there, and she worked at Wok Inn Noodle while she carried Lizzie, who started her own career with C.C. at age 13.  Now 21 and expecting her first child, Lizzie looks at Wok Inn Noodle as home.  “C.C. has been like a father to me, and I think I could probably cook anything on the menu,” she told me.  “It just wouldn’t taste as good.”

The waiter during my last visit to Wok Inn Noodle was Brandon, the prospective father of Lizzie’s child.  “I work for free just to help out Lizzie,” he told me.  “But I’ll work for food.”  I’m with you, Brandon.  I wonder if Mr. Chien would be interested in an apprentice noodle maker.

Michael Boss is editor-in-chief for Behind the Menu, and refuses to stoop to crude puns about places to go to get your woks off.  Join Behind the Menu on Facebook for a daily conversation about our local culinary scene — and click here for a video of Robin Zimmerman declaring her undying love for Wok Inn Noodle.

Remember this?

Well, now we know why the Food Network was visiting Boise Fry Co. this past March, they were selected by Food Network Magazine for “America’s Top Ten Comfort Foods” — an honor for sure!

Check out the story here.

The show will air on the Food Network on September 20th through the 23rd.

…and drool over my meal from the Boise Fry Co. this past weekend here.

One more option, that’s how I look at it. Crescent Brewing has started getting their taps around town, right now they are in Brick 29 and the Nampa Winger’s with more places on the way. They’ll also be pouring beer at the Boise BeerFest here in a couple of weeks.

Great story from the Idaho Press-Tribune here.