A self-proclaimed lover of entertaining guests, New York native Joanna Mouming thoroughly enjoys hosting dinner parties for family and friends. Following one such night, her friend’s son noted, “She has a way with ingredients.” Over a decade later, this offhand comment
Dining Features
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From Momofuku to Main Street: Chef Sam Gelman returns to Iowa City
If you’re hoping to have a career in the restaurant industry, you better be open to change, says Sam Gelman. His own career has taken him from unpaid kitchen jobs in Iowa City to overseeing two of the most anticipated North American restaurant openings of the
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Prairie Kitchen Store will supply Iowa City with tools for the kitchen
Nearing retirement from her position in the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, Susan Felker was hungry for more creativity and deeper engagement in her life. She and her family, husband Kevin and son Alex, began fantasizing what their next endeavor
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Local mushroom growers supply area restaurants and stores with specialty fungi
The word “mushroom” often elicits a rather standard image to the average consumer’s mind: a circular, white, umbrella-like capped fungi with a stubby trunk. However, businesses in the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids corridor aim to expand consumer knowledge
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Kalona SuperNatural does dairy the old-fashioned way
In a world dominated by heavy processing and technological advancements, it’s become rarer to find simple, truly all-natural products on grocery store shelves. But Kalona-based dairy producer Kalona SuperNatural aims to bring the age-old tradition of leaving
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These tried-and-true area restaurants know a thing or two about what it takes to survive
Jack Piper, co-owner of Jimmy Jack’s Rib Shack and Basta: “Both of us started when we were like 16. [Co-owner] James [Adrian] started in the Hy-Vee Deli and worked his way up to a restaurant called Commander’s Palace, which won all kinds of accolades. I started as a busboy
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Local farm-to-table events continue to attract diners
I wonder, sometimes, what our great-grandparents might think of the term “farm-to-table.” It is a phrase that has gained serious traction in the past decade, but not without some scrutiny. In “The 10 Most Annoying Words and Phrases on Menus, Ranked,” Los Angeles Magazine lists “name-dropping
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Meet a farmer: How Shanti Sellz works to make fresh food accessible
Located down a rolling gravel road just about eight miles west of Iowa City is Muddy Miss Farms at Walker Homestead, where farmer Shanti Sellz grows vegetables for her 22-week CSA share. The season begins in early May and continues through October, when her members regularly visit the farm to pick up a weekly supply […]
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How Quaker Oats became a household name
The most remarkable thing about oatmeal being a popular breakfast item in America is nobody thinks it’s remarkable that oatmeal is popular. It’s a sign of how successful Quaker Oats’ marketing has been. Because even though oats are one of the oldest cultivated grains, before Quaker Oats, most Americans had little interest in eating oat […]
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Waste not, want not: How Eastern Iowa is tackling the problem of food waste
From food sharing to organic composting, systems are being put in place to tackle issues of food waste, and they’re working. Stocking up on bulk goods at a wholesale warehouse club on a good sale. Over-catering for a party or event. Avoiding the slightly wrinkled pepper, bruised banana or about-to-expire dairy item at the grocery […]
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No music, no problem: Area bars and restaurants that provide a space to eat in peace
“Don’t worry; they don’t have a band tonight. I called ahead to make sure,” my husband said about the restaurant where we were thinking of eating that evening. Though we’d technically passed the threshold already, I think that was the moment we officially entered our 30s. I had to tease him about being old and […]
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Natural wine and feelin’ fine: Uncorking the latest wine trend
If you’re keyed into the food and beverage world, chances are you’ve caught whiff of one of the buzziest new terms: natural wine. It’s certainly a movement that’s grown in popularity over the past few years. But ask a wine professional, merchant or server at your favorite restaurant about natural wine and you’re likely to […]
