Welcome to the end of the world.  Or, at least, one of many.  I will try, in vain, again, to get some one other than my Mom pumped up about Alaska.  This mean you, less-than-thrilled Eat AR blog readers.  Tough crowd.  Jeeze. 

I mean, okay, I get it.  It's not Arkansas.  However, I will shamelessly whine, "but... it's Alaska."  ALASKA.  And it ranks right up there with New Zealand, in terms of beauty.  Wouldn't you enjoy a paper in a steamy hot tub with a view for which there are no words?

Continue reading "A View, Perhaps? Part One." »

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So, according to their website Wal-Mart is jumping on the “locally grown produce” wagon. Shopping at Wal-Mart is sometimes unavoidable so I wanted to see just what kind of local produce you could find there. I visited a few different Wal-marts just to get a good perspective: The Super Center on McCain in North Little Rock as well as the Neighborhood Market and the Super Center both on Hwy 107 in Sherwood. Walking into the McCain Super Center I had reason to be hopeful. After all, Wal-Mart is an Arkansas business. What better place to implement their new plan than a Super Center in their home state? Upon entering I was excited to see big farmer’s-market-type bins of corn and squash. Just to be sure, I inquired about the bins. According to the employee I asked, neither the corn nor the squash in those particular bins were grown in Arkansas. In fact, on my first visit to this location the only Arkansas products I saw were tomatoes. There were some blueberries that were packaged in Arkansas, but of course that does not mean that they were grown here.  Someone who worked there did tell me that they have or have had Arkansas watermelons, cantaloupes, squash, corn, and tomatoes.  Too bad, I didn’t see any, except for the tomatoes but it did give me an excuse to check back. A few days later, I visited the same location and found that they had added Arkansas cantaloupes and yellow squash. However, the squash was not marked as local and I had to ask someone to find out.
Next, I went to the Neighborhood Market on Highway 107 in Sherwood. This location was a little better. They did have Arkansas tomatoes, cantaloupes, and watermelons. All were clearly marked as having been grown in Arkansas. An employee told me that the squash, the collard greens, and the parsley were local, too, but they were not marked as such. Why wouldn’t they be?
Nearby, at the other Super Center on Hwy 107, I found Arkansas peaches. They also had Arkansas watermelons, cantaloupes, and tomatoes, but you kind of had to search them out.

I think we can all applaud Wal-Mart for at least taking a step in this direction. All of these stores carried some Arkansas items and that’s a good start. Change never happens overnight.

Posted by Jessica Kokinos-Havel | Permalink | Comments (2)

Imagine if a GNC, a Whole Foods, and a medical supply store had a child. It would look a lot like the small health food store that has recently opened on S. Bowman. It’s kind of a strange little place because in addition to organic groceries and vitamins they also carry medical supplies. (Huh?) For this reason, the store operates under two names: Cook’s Unimed and Cook’s Natural Market. Regardless of how odd the concept is, they have products that I’ve been looking for for a while, but can never seem to find. Organic hotdogs to name one. (My kid loves them.) The owner, Jerry Cook, has another store, called Jerry’s Unimeds, in Rogers and this Bowman location is his first effort to branch out. Cook makes his own sausage and has all the meat (which is all naturally raised and hormone free) butchered at the main store in Rogers. He then ships the meat from the Rogers store to the Little Rock location. In addition to staples like chicken and beef, they also carry elk, buffalo and several types of seafood. They have a wide selection of gluten free foods, juices and juice concentrates, ice creams and gelatos, essential oils and extracts and a heck of a lot more. There is long empty refrigerated shelf along one side of the store, which the manager promises will soon be stocked with organic produce and dairy products. Once that happens, they will have the official grand opening. In the mean time, it’s worth checking out the store and the website, which has a lot of health food info.

801 S. Bowman Rd.
Little Rock, AR 72211
501-221-1306

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Joel DiPippa is back.

A few weeks ago, I bought a pork loin as my main protein for the week and decided to see what I would do with it before the week was out.  First up was a fairly simple preparation: Always present kitchen components, onions and garlic went into a pan with a little bit of butter to soften and carmelize a bit.  A few medallions, about 3-4 ounces  each, were given a light dusting  of salt and pepper before going into the cast iron skillet.  The red sauce is a standard quick and easy red sauce I make at home, with just a touch of  Monk Sauce to keep me on my toes.  Once the onions were mostly soft with some nice flavor, they went into the middle of the plate and were stretched across while the sauce crossed the other way.  The medallions, off the heat, out of the pan, and resting for a few minutes, were plated and the result was delicious.

Looks great. I'd get a loaf of Boulevard Bread instead, however.

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Kat Robinson's Tie Dye Travels slides into Kelt's Pub in Altus for a pint. And a fine steak.

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Continue reading "From Sea to Belly" »

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Obviously, if you are reading this blog, you love food. You think about it, you read about it, you probably even dream about it. As foodies, we care deeply about our food and where it comes from. We wonder about the farms that produce what we eat. We wonder about the chefs that can create dishes that we only wish we could make ourselves. But how often do we wonder about who is serving our food?  Well, Meet Your Waiter hopes to change all that. Here, we will highlight those unsung heroes of the restaurant biz, without which your food would never get from that brilliant chef in the kitchen all the way to your table. Some things you learn about them may surprise you. Other things you may have had pegged the minute you laid on eyes on them. Either way, meet your waiter this week:

 
Name: John Green, bartender

Age: 32

Where he works: Vermillion Water Grille

Favorite dish he serves: John is a vegan, so his favorite dishes are the Grilled Artichoke and Olive Bruschetta appetizer and the Vegan Leek Tostada.

Best part about waiting tables: John likes working downtown because he meets all kinds of people from all over the map. “There is a whole side of Little Rock that I never knew existed”, he says. “There are lots of people from all over the world that come to Little Rock on business or just to visit.”

What you may not know: John is a grad from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. 

His future plans: Right now, John is busy planning his October 2009 wedding. He met the blushing bride while on the job at Vermillion two and half years ago. 

 If you want your favorite waiter profiled here, leave a comment and let me know where they work and why they are awesome.

Posted by Jessica Kokinos-Havel | Permalink | Comments (5)

You don’t need me to tell you that the economy seems just a bit out of whack.  The ripple effects can be felt in just about every sector of every market. The New York Times reported yesterday, that one of those hard hit markets is the catfish industry. Apparently catfish farms are feeling the bite from the high cost of corn, soybeans, and diesel fuel.  According to the article, many catfish farms all over the south are draining their ponds because they cannot afford to maintain them.  This, in turn, is affecting the south’s beloved catfish houses.  While Arkansas was not mentioned specifically in the article, I wondered just how much our local favorites were feeling the pinch. Nate Townsend, owner of Grampa’s Catfish House in Sherwood, had a lot to say on the matter. He says, “People have a preconceived notion that catfish is cheap because in the old days, you could snag them out of the river for .25 cents a pound. Now, the cost is about $5 a pound because of the cost of farming”.  Luckily, none of Townsend’s suppliers have gone out of business, although he has seen both their and his own costs go up recently.  Of course, like everyone else, he is tightening his belt and hoping for the best. Aren’t we all. The south just isn’t the south without abundant amounts of fried catfish!

Grampa's Catfish House
100 Shaddow Oaks
Sherwood, AR
834-5400

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When eating organic heirloom tomates from Farmer Al's Truck Patch, there's only one appropriate way to do it -- au naturel.

The red brandywines are still the best tomato ever.

We're putting on a feed -- peppered ham, squash casserole (mostly yellow squash and onion with cheese, butter and flour), cole slaw, yeast rolls and a peach and blackberry cobbler. Aesthetically, the cobblers aren't much, but that wasn't the point. The point was using two quarts of Arkansa peaches and two quarts of Arkansas blackberries.

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A word about blogging…
In response to Scott McGehee’s letter to the Arkansas Times. (Scroll about ¾ down the page.)

In the last few years, the blogging phenomenon has swept the country. Thousands of people log on everyday to speak their minds and have their say on just about everything. There are blogs about cats, wigs and traffic. There is even a blog about Reese Witherspoon’s chin! As a food blogger, I do not claim to be an expert on anything. My only job is to offer a perspective—my perspective—on the food scene in Arkansas. I try to articulate that perspective in a way that many people can understand and appreciate. I do not claim to be a restaurant “reviewer”. I do not claim to have the adequate knowledge or experience to critique and then tear down a chef’s life’s work.  This is why you will never hear me say, “This or that totally sucks.”  I do feel, however, that my perspective is a good one. I have worked in the food and beverage industry since I was 16. I’ve lived on both coasts and even Europe. I have two bachelor’s degrees and a culinary arts degree. I did an internship with a James Beard Award-winning food blogger. If that is not an informed and well-rounded perspective, I’m not sure what is.

In the end, my loyalties do not lie with established and well-known Arkansas eateries. They don’t even lie with the publication for which I write. My loyalties lie solely to myself. I must always be fair, honest, consistent, and truthful. Period.

That being said, Scott McGehee is an excellent chef. He has become such an establishment in Little Rock, you would have a hard time finding someone who disagrees with that statement. He makes excellent sandwiches, soups, pastries, and yes….EVEN LATTES.  

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Our own Ninja Poodle blogger has another free-world Ninja Poodle blog on which she's been talking lately about making home-made fresh mozzarella. Says Belinda:

This may already be something you do, but if not, you should.  Everyone should make fresh mozzarella.  SO easy, and done in 30 minutes, with maybe 5 minutes of actual work, from a gallon of milk to a pound of cheese.  And then you have 3/4 of a gallon of fresh whey left over, that you can use to make Ricotta or bread or pancakes or pizza dough (almost anything that calls for buttermilk).

Pictures show it in the making above and on top of a pizza below.

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There is no reason to wait for Tuesday or Saturday to get fresh Arkansas produce. (Not that we don’t love love love the River Market!) There is a fabulous little farmer’s market that is open 6 days a week, and they sell many of the same Arkansas grown products.  It’s called BJ’s Plants & Produce, and it is located just off McCain in North Little Rock. Here is a map. My father has been singing the praises of this place for years, and now I know what he was talking about. Maybe I am jaded by the high cost of food these days, but BJ’s prices seem downright crazy (in a good way)! Here is small list of some of the Arkansas grown produce you can get there:
Zucchini: .99 cents/lb
Pecans (which they will shell for you): $1.49/lb
Tomatoes: $1.49/lb or a 20lb box for $19.00
Yellow squash: .99 cents/lb
Cucumbers: $1.49/lb
Peaches: $1.69/lb
Corn: 3 ears for $1
Cantaloupe: $1.99

And the list goes on and on. To even out their selection, they do carry some products grown elsewhere in the country, but they always try to keep it local and affordable. Today, I bought a big bag of grapes, four Arkansas tomatoes, a bag of peanuts, two mangos, three ears of Arkansas corn, and two cactus pears for $6.37. I don’t care who you are, THAT’S a good deal!

They even have a “Bargain Table”, where everything on the table is $1. And what’s on the table? Grapes, tomatoes, lettuce, cantaloupe, and often times, even more than that. Now, grant it, the “Bargain Table” items might be on their last leg, which is why they are there, but if you are looking for items to serve that night or even the next day, you just struck gold.

They also carry several lines of jams, jellies, relishes, honey, molasses, and pickled vegetables all made right here in The Natural State.

If you find yourself going that way, you should stop in and check it out for yourself. Even with these gas prices, it is worth the drive.

And, by the way, there is restaurant, “BJ’s Market Café” right next door. But that’s another blog.

B J Plants & Produce
47 Market Plz
North Little Rock, AR, 72117
Open Monday-Saturday 8am-6pm
Wednesdays 8am-5:30

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A funny thing happened last week. A couple of the Times' eaters tried out the new Little Rock branch of the New Orleans-flavored Copeland's in Shackleford Crossing about the same time. One wasn't too impressed. That review is running in this week's edition. But the other guy loved it. He wrote his review not knowing one was already in the can.

Read the favorable Copeland's review on the jump. And enjoy a photo of something that both reviewers agreed is a hallmark of the place -- massive platters of fried seafood.

Continue reading "Copeland's: Here, pro" »

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Alright, alright.  So, you didn't take the bait (I know the pun is hilarious) with the 110 lbs of King salmon, so I'll try a different angle.  Let's talk food.  Served in Alaskan restaurants.

We'll start on the Kenai peninsula.  Namely, Soldotna.

Now, if you are like me, you would have naively assumed that crab legs in AK would be more affordable than they are the Lower 48.  Not so.  Not even remotely.  A hefty plate of crab legs- say 1 lb.- cost a mere $36-$40. 

The Crossing, located on the world famous Kenai River, in Soldotna.  Why, you ask, is this river so coveted?  It's because the world record King salmon (97 lbs... yes, 97 lbs.) was hooked on this river. 

Crab and artichoke dip.  Okay, okay.  So get used to the repetition of crab.  I mean, when in Rome...  Do I need to say it was delicious?  No.

Continue reading "Crab Legs and Such..." »

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The headline is from an old saying about trying to dress up something you wouldn't think particularly apt for finery.

Joel DiPippa tries it with the poor college student's friend -- ramen noodles -- and likes the results.

I realized that I had shared anything in a month or more from the reminder about Jennie in Alaska and the new Eat Arkansas contributor.  I have a nice backlog I will try to share soon, but first a quick snack: 

Fancied up Ramen noodles.  A little butter and some onions and garlic went into a pot to which chicken stock was added.  The ramen noodles came from the store and went quickly into the briskly boiling stock.  The "flavor packet" went into a bag to be used later for a marinade or rub for a few pounds of beef or pork.  In the three minutes I had while the noodles cooked, I got a boneless, skinless chicken breast I out of the fridge.  It was cooked several days earlier and put in the fridge for just such a quick recipe.  A quick splash of balsamic vinegar and the chicken went into the noodles.  The chopped sage was the last touch to give it a bit more aroma and a little edge.

With the chicken precooked, this clocked in at less than 10 minutes of planning, prepping, cooking, and plating

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Grace Anderson sends a photo and note about her under-$20 haul from the North Little Rock farmers market on Saturday:

I just made it out to the CAFM in NLR this morning for the first time and I am a believer!  Here's a first-timers haul:

(Read from left to right, top to bottom)

Summer Squash
Red Onions
Head of garlic
Some sort of lighter beans from Stowe's (don't remember what type exactly)
Plums
Golden Sun Tomatoes (sooooo good!)
Tomatillo
Sweet/hot pepper from Stowe's
Salsa pepper
Purple pepper

I may end up running up there on Tuesday to find some more of those little golden tomatoes (seriously - yum yum)!  Now it's time to cook some squash! 

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments (4)

Obviously, if you are reading this blog, you love food. You think about it, you read about it, you probably even dream about it. As foodies, we care deeply about our food and where it comes from. We wonder about the farms that produce what we eat. We wonder about the chefs that can create dishes that we only wish we could make ourselves. But how often do we wonder about who is serving our food?  Well, Meet Your Waiter hopes to change all that. Here, we will highlight those unsung heroes of the restaurant biz, without which your food would never get from that brilliant chef in the kitchen all the way to your table. Some things you learn about them may surprise you. Other things you may have had pegged the minute you laid on eyes on them. Either way, meet your waiter this week:

Name: Kirsten Caldwell

Age: 21

Where she works: Sticky Fingerz Rock n’ Roll Chicken Shack

Favorite dish she serves: The Sticky Fingerz Salad, which has fried chicken strips, blue cheese, and pecans.

Best part about waiting tables: Meeting new people. She says, “When people are drinking, they’re always really nice.”

What you may not know: Kirsten is an avid animal lover with a great big heart (and hopefully a great big backyard). She has recently adopted 3 stray dogs.
 
Her future plans: Kirsten is an art student studying ceramics at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She is taking a much-needed break from school but she plans to return to Fayetteville in the spring to finish up her degree.

If you want your favorite waiter profiled here, leave a comment and let me know where they work and why they are awesome.

Posted by Jessica Kokinos-Havel | Permalink | Comments (10)

When my parents called me up and told me that the new sushi restaurant that opened near their home in Sherwood was to die for, I was more than bit skeptical. I had been living in New York at the time, so in my very snotty New York way of thinking I thought that they must not know what they were talking about.  After all, Arkansas is a landlocked state. How would they even get fish fresh enough to eat raw? Then, I moved here, and as it turns out they couldn’t have been more right, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Sakura Japanese Restaurant, Steakhouse and Sushi Bar on Kiehl Avenue is actually an incredible little restaurant.  Now, I go there so much, it’s almost embarrassing. Without fail, every time I go, I stuff myself to the point that I can barely move. Everything, from the fried rice to the hibachi to the sushi is phenomenal. I’m not sure how they make their fried rice, but whatever they do, they do it right. There are endless varieties of sushi to choose from so you can always try something new and never be disappointed.

I hesitate to even start naming my favorites because I might keep listing things until I have named everything on the menu, but here it is, and I will try to keep it short: the Crunchy Shrimp Roll (fried tempura crunchies with shrimp), the Eel Avocado roll (obviously eel and avocado but with a sauce that I can only imagine is made with oyster sauce, but I’m not sure), and the Philidephia Roll (tuna and cream cheese), and anything on the hibachi menu. The shrimps are always huge and fresh and even the chicken, which should be run of the mill, is outstanding. On top of that, the service is excellent and the prices are just right. The only complaint I have would be that the sake and liquor selection should be extended just a bit. To tell you the truth though, it wouldn’t make a difference for me. Less money on drinks and more money for sushi.

Sakura has two locations and a website. (*NOTE: I can only vouch for the Sherwood spot. I've never been to the Bryant location.)

4011 Kiehl Ave 
Sherwood, AR        
834.3546

7307 Alcoa Rd
Bryant, AR           
778.9585

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