Is it just us or is it harder to get out of bed at the end of the week? Our parents have tried a bunch of ways to try to get us up. By Friday morning, nothing but a guarantee of unlimited screen time could get us moving. That is until they started holding a […]
Bread & Butter Dining Guide
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
Recipe: Puttanesca sauce to inspire passion
You may have heard about pasta puttanesca, or “whore’s pasta,” as it is so problematically translated, with its legendary history as a bordello staple that served as both aphrodisiac and restorative. The truth is that no one knows precisely why puttanesca is so named, just like no one knows exactly how factual any folktale is. […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
Recipe: Simple-to-make strawberry chia jam
Recipe and photo by Lindsey Frisbie, RD, LD This is the easiest jam you will ever make! It’s made with frozen berries here, but fresh fruit would work, too. It’s equally great made with blueberries, raspberries and/or cherries. A finishing touch of lemon zest at the end brightens the flavor. Cook time: 10 minutes 2 […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
LV Recommends: The CRANDIC’s coolest ice cream shops
Nothing soothes the soul quite like a scoop, cone or mixture named after a weather event. The Brass Fountain 122 E Main St, Solon 319-624-6122 View Website An ode to the soda fountains and malt shops of a bygone era, The Brass Fountain tastes like a trip to the past. And since it’s run by […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
Carried away: Great local takeout and where to enjoy it outside
During the lockdown portion of the COVID-19 pandemic, our family took the opportunity to dive much deeper into two of our interests: exploring nature and eating takeout. The marriage of these two activities can go wrong easily—a soggy, sloppy sandwich in a poorly balanced Styrofoam container spilling onto your jeans in the great outdoors can […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
LV Recommends: Restaurants that feel like home
Foodies who spent the last two years dining only al fresco — or simply a casa — are itching for a change of scenery. While these local spots offer a range of fare, what they all have in common is a comfy, casual atmosphere that will help ease you back into the dine-in experience. Sanctuary […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
A 2022 CSA guide for the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area
There are many different types of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) options within Iowa. We’ve compiled a list of those located within one hour (and often much closer) of Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, or offering pickup in these areas. Many of these CSAs sell a combination of items, so be sure to check out what […]
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Tender is the loin: The quest to find the CRANDIC’s most perfect pork tenderloin
Photos by Zak Neumann / Little Village The pork tenderloin sandwich ranks among Iowa’s most important culinary contributions, alongside Maid-Rites, puppy chow and Casey’s breakfast pizza. The formula is simple: A piece of pork loin is pounded thin, battered and deep fried, served on a bun which it humorously dwarfs in size and topped most […]
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LV Recommends: Notable restaurant newbies in Eastern Iowa
Opening a restaurant is no small feat, but opening your doors for the first time in the middle of a global pandemic is next level. These new spots are worthy of a gold star. Alebrije Restaurant 401 S Linn St, Iowa City 319-569-1083 View Website Named for the brightly colored Mexican folk art sculptures you’ll […]
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Joanna’s Premium Tonic Syrups are designed to elevate your mixed drinks
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
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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
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
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
