Treasured Valley

All the local food news that’s fit to print from the week of July 12, 2010 in Behind the Menu and TreasuredValley.com

The Stories

Jim’s Coffee Shop — There are certain places you have to go if you’re going to earn street cred as part of the local food scene.  These are places you might not necessarily recommend to the passersby, but as lingering vestiges of small town Americana, they are truly the realms of the insider.  You’ll find one of those places on Fort Street in Boise, just across the parking lot from Boise Co-Op.  You can’t miss it.  Just look for the gigantic rooster tethered precariously to the roof.  Welcome to Jim’s Coffee Shop.

The Videos

Big Time — “Sushi Mike”, the sushi chef of Mai Thai in Eagle, crafts a sushi roll from spicy tuna, broiled salmon skin, avacado, hicama…and strawberries.  Then he torches it.

Fried Oyster Salad — Here with a story “behind the menu” is Chef Eric Peterson of Seasons Bistro in Eagle, who tells us about his amazing Fried Oyster Salad…and about his sadness as a Louisiana boy over the current situation in the Gulf.

The “Brat” Pack — Here’s something I’ll bet you never considerd. What would a bratwurst made 40 years ago in the Old World tradition have tasted like?

Jelly Lady…or Jam Ma’am? — When Marge Price says she’s jammin’, she’s not talking about lighting a spliff and putting on some Bob Marley. In this Behind the Menu Market Moment, we learn the true identity of “The Jelly Lady” — or should it be “The Jam Ma’am”? You decide.

The Great Crepe Controversy — While I suspect that most folks think of the crepe as originating in France (here in Idaho we prefer the term “Freedom Pancake”, pardner), Oleg and Svetlana Mironov of Cafe Russina Bear staunchly maintain that Napoleon ripped this dish off from the Motherland.

Taku Time! — In this Behind the Menu Drive By Moment video, Porterhouse Market owner Dave Faulk tells us about a new line of Alaskan salmon that he is carrying.

The Blogosphere

Boise Foodie Guild: Wine Dinner at The Buzz — “So, here we go again. Another wonderful wine dinner at the Buzz! The July Wine Club dinner featured Semillion and Grenache and a full dinner. Not really my favorite varietals, but one must learn to enjoy them.”

Brick Oven Bistro: White Wine Deserves Your Respect — “Somehow over the years it became fashionable to look down your nose at white wine if you fancied yourself a wine lover.  While it’s not for us to pass judgment on anyone’s taste when it comes to the fruit of the vine, we can’t help wonder if there isn’t a bit of pretension at work in that bias – which is precisely why we devoted our June 29 World of Wine Tour class to the wonder of vino blanco.”

A Link and a Nod

The Washington Post: Notes From the Underground Market – “Iso Rabins is an urban forager. He collects mushrooms, wild greens and acorns, which he grinds into flour. Like any ambitious food entrepreneur, he hoped one day to sell his wares at a farmers market in San Francisco, where he lives.”

Out and About With Behind the Menu

Our latest compilation of photos from our “culinary peregrinations” focuses on our Treasure Valley public markets.

UFO of the Week

From Russia with Love!

Our photo of a crepe with homemade cherry syrup (from Emmett cherries, mind you) lovingly made by Svetlana Miranov of the Cafe Russina Bear in Eagle earned plenty of comments, and won a few freebies (including crepes) for our Behind the Menu followers.