What’s For Dinner?

It’s deer season here in Minnesota. That means a lot of freezers are filling up with venison, and a lot of cooks are asking the same question: now what do I make with it?My guest today has the answer. Hank Shaw is a James Beard Award winner and the voice behind Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. He’s a chef, a forager, a hunter and the author of five cookbooks. Today we’re talking about one I think every hunting family should own: Buck, Buck, Moose.It’s Hank’s complete guide to venison of every kind: deer, elk, moose, antelope and more. He takes you all the way from the field to the table: how to break down and age the meat, and how to cook every part, from backstrap to shanks to the bits most people throw away.If you’ve ever had venison that came out tough or gamey, this conversation is going to change your mind.Stephanie Hansen (00:01)Hello, everybody, and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish, the podcast where we talk to people that are obsessed with food. And today it’s pretty exciting because we are on the cusp. Actually, we’re in the deer season for Minnesota. The archery has started, and I think Hank Shaw is my guest. Does the guns start this weekend? Okay.Hank (00:21)It’s sort of last weekend, so we’re in gun season.Stephanie Hansen (00:25)And people are hopefully getting deer, and then of course, theDifficulty is what do you do with them when you either take them to the processor? Do you process them yourselves? Do you try and hang them in your own garage? And we have a guest today that has done all of this. Hank Shaw is the author of Buck Buck Moose, and it is a 10th anniversary edition that has been relaunched that has 30 new recipes, 200 color photos. It’s glorious.It is everything you would want if you’re a venison hunter. And while I am not a venison hunter, I have a bunch of people in my life that are and I’ve given them this book and they just are it’s like the encyclopedia of what to do if you’re a deer hunter.Hank (01:10)Well, that was the goal. it it’s funny you should say that because I did an event in Madison, Wisconsin a week ago and I you know, it was over a hundred people were there. And I said, Okay, so how many people are hunters? And you know, about maybe forty percent of hands went up. And then I said, Well, okay, well, how many people here have access to venison?whenever you want and let every single person raise their hand.It was it is a it is definitely a thing that happens up here in the upper midwest that is you know, people hunt deer and and venison is just kind of, you know, the coin of the realm when it comes to fall and winter and and it’s pretty easy to get your hands on some.Stephanie Hansen (01:46)Yeah, and it’s also, you know, if we didn’t hunt deer, because I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this, it they we we’d probably be overrun with them because there are a lot. I live in Golden Valley and the last three days in a row a buck has literally walked through my yard. So I feel like there’s quite a few. What is it about buck hunting in particular or deer hunting that you think appeals to so many Midwesterners?Hank (02:12)I think the you know, the the idea of deer hunt deer hunting is way beyond the Midwest. I mean, we’ve been hunting something like a deer since we were something like a human. So there’s a very, very deep, very ancestral millennia, tens,hundreds of millennia, we’ve been chasing something like a deer, all the way back to pre, you know, early hominids.So even if you don’t hunt deer, or even if you don’t like hunting deer, you recognize that it’s a thing. Like this is a thing that humans do. so i you know, in the Midwest I think what’s interesting is A, like we just said, there are a lot of deer. So you the the opportunity to be successful is very high. Um the other piece to it is thatthe deer season, especially the gun seasons, which that brings out the pumpkin army, So you have to be a little bit more dedicated and a little bit more skilled to hunt with a muzzle loader or with a bow. you know, but the rifle season is is basically for everybody. And the deal of it is in most states, this being one of them, your gun season’s very short. So it’s sometimes it’s only a two weekends in a week. And but in other cases it’stwo weeks, but it’s rarely more than three weeks long in the Midwest. So there’s this kind of buildup of excitement that goes on where this is happening. It’s gonna happen. Where in the West, for example, I used to live in Northern California and a particular any given gun season there is six weeks long. So the the the there’s no urgency as much, you know. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (03:37)Yeah, the fever is a little less.Hank (03:40)And there it there’s also a Thanksgiving aspect to it as well, becausevirtually every Midwestern state links their main deer season to Thanksgiving. It’s either right before or during or right after. And so the the family aspect of Midwestern deer hunting is very, very strong. Much stronger than in the West Coast.Stephanie Hansen (03:58)Okay. So you started writing about food in earnest in two thousand seven. I feel like you have you’ve written about pheasants, you’ve written about venison, you’ve written about all the wild things, fish, angling, foraging now. You are someone that has been really connected with the wild your whole life. Where did that come from and how do you sustain that living in a city?Hank (04:23)Well, it’s actually kinda easy living in a city, because there’s more around than you might think. now you there’s no hunting in a city. although I’m contemplating putting out traps for those stupid rabbits who are always eating my gardenStephanie Hansen (04:33)Yes. why don’t we eat more rabbits, really?Hank (04:37)well there’s a there’s a sort of a mechanistic answer for that because at one point rabbits and and chickens were kind of neck and neck in terms of America’s white meat. This would be like in the thirties or forties. but until they developed what’s called the Cornish Cross, the double breasted chicken, that we’re known that we all eat now, that didn’t happen until the fifties.SoStephanie Hansen (04:57)Wow.Hank (04:57)immediately when that happens, you you the ability to get more meat off of a carcass of the same size, really, really it dramatically shifted everything in the chicken’s favor. And plus chickens grow faster and their their feed to meat ratio is better. SoThat’s basically how the the chicken won. It’s like they’re easier to cut up, they are they’re faster to grow and they’re cheaper to grow. So and they’re not as cute. So there is absolutely like if you don’t think a rabbit is cute, there’s some something dead inside you, but they are also super tasty, soStephanie Hansen (05:31)Yes, and I just feel like there’s so many. No one’s gonna miss a few.Hank (05:34)Especially in especially I live in St. Paul. There’s buckets of them. Like I I guarantee you in the course of this podcast, one will hop by my front window.Stephanie Hansen (05:42)Yeah, and as a gardener, it’s the scourge of your life, like the rabbits.Hank (05:45)Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (05:47)Food blogging has changed a lot since you started in 2007.Hank (05:50)yes.Stephanie Hansen (05:52)And I first met you, I think four years ago. Is that how long you’vebeen in the Twin Cities?Hank (05:57)Since twenty twenty three.Stephanie Hansen (05:58)Okay. And now we’re seeing a real shift in this industry that is probably dramatic and permanent in that many of the people who write blogs and maintain food blogs for a living, their traffic has been cut in half, therefore revenue has been cut in half. And we’re seeing new models of how to get readers, but it’s really the wild west and we’re in early stages of figuring outhow this is all gonna land. And while it maybe seems like what you’re doing, publishing cookbooks or reissuing older books with new content might be the way to go at $35 a book, you know, wholesale or no cost. Your cost is probably, I don’t know, 20 bucks. It’s gonna be… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Get Tickets to the Book Launch Sunday, November 15, 20262:00 PM - 3:30 PMMinnesota History CenterJoin us for a delicious celebration of Minnesota’s Northland with Iron Range native Crystal Schlueter as she shares the stories, traditions, and recipes behind End of the Road Cookbook. with Stephanie Hansen, Ticket price includes the program, a selection of sweet treats from End of the Road Cookbook, coffee/tea, and a book signing. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

We made sheet pan chicken tonight with Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and fig jam. I am going to make this one of my exclusive Substack recipes, as it was really tasty. Subscribers get access to my archive of 70 exclusive recipes.We started with chicken thighs and oiled, salted, and peppered them. Then we cut red potatoes and Brussels sprouts in half and tossed them with a fig jam, Dijon mustard, Balsamic vinegar, Thyme, Rosemary and olive oil. We reserved 1/4 cup of marinade and put our sheet pan in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, we turned the heat up to 450. We tossed the veggies, glazed the chicken with the reserved marinade, and cooked for 15 more minutes until the chicken was cooked and the veggies were crisp and roasted. Here is an official recipe:Fig Jam-Glazed Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts and PotatoesCrispy chicken thighs glazed with fig jam, Dijon, and balsamic, roasted on one pan with caramelized Brussels sprouts and red potatoes.INGREDIENTSFor the Chicken• 1 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 thighs)• 2 teaspoons olive oil, for the chicken• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for the chicken• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, for the chickenFor the Vegetables• 1 pound small red potatoes, halved• 1 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halvedFor the marinade• 2/3 cups fig jam• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar• 1/4 cup olive oil, for the marinade• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for the vegetables• 1 teaspoon black pepper, for the vegetablesInstructions1. Preheat: Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed sheet pan with a Silpat silicone mat, foil, or parchment for easier cleanup.2. Season the chicken: Pat 1-1.5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 thighs) dry with paper towels. Rub with 2 teaspoons olive oil, for the chicken and season all over with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, for the chicken.3. Make the fig marinade: Whisk 2/3 cups fig jam, 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, for the marinade, 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, for the vegetables, and 1 teaspoon black pepper, for the vegetables in a large bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade in a small bowl for glazing the chicken later.4. Toss the vegetables: Toss the Brussels sprouts and potatoes, trimmed and halved, in a large bowl with the remaining marinade and toss to coat.5. Arrange the pan: Spread the vegetables on the sheet pan, placing the potatoes and Brussels sprouts amongst the chicken thighs skin side up.6. Roast at 400°F for 30 minutes.7. Increase the oven to 450°F. Toss the vegetables on the pan, then brush the chicken with the reserved 1/4 cup marinade.8. Finish roasting: Roast 15 minutes more, until the chicken reaches 175°F inside and the vegetables are crisp and caramelized.9. Rest and serve: Let rest 5 minutes. Spoon any pan juices over the chicken and vegetables, and garnish with extra thyme if you like.Substitutions:* Apricot or cherry jam works in place of fig. * Scatter with chopped parsley and finish with crumbled goat cheese or toasted walnuts for a dinner-party version.Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video to cook dinner tonight! Join me for my next live video in the app on 11/13 6pm CST.Also, I'll see you at the Becker Library 11/9!Stephanie Hansen's @StephaniesDish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.Get the marinated goat cheese and other recipes at stephaniesdish.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Get Reservations at Charlie’s RestaurantGet more information about The Minneapolis ClubOpen Seatings to the Public* Dinner Tuesday - Friday, 5 pm - 7:15 pm* Charlie’s Bar Open until 9 pmNon-members can join for cocktails at the iconic Charlie’s Bar until 9 pm or for full dinner service with seatings available Tuesday through Friday from 5 pm to 7:15 pmMake a Non-Member ReservationTo make a same-day reservation, please call us at 612-332-2292.ORIGINAL EDITED TRANSCRIPTStephanie Hansen (00:00.664)Hi, welcome to Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space. And today I’m actually recording from the Minneapolis Club. I had a little internet trouble at home, so I’m a member here and, coincidentally, I'm recording today with Michael Lopata, Executive Chef and Director of the Culinary Program at the Minneapolis Club. Welcome to the podcast, Michael.Michael Lopata (00:21.117)Thank you so much. Good to have you here, literally and figuratively.Stephanie Hansen (00:25.352)Yes, thank you. I am glad to be here too. I hosted a really powerful event last week, I thought, about women in food. Fellow member Beth Dooley , who is a cookbook writer. She’s written so many great books. She was there. Joy summers , a food critic for the Star Tribune, and my radio partner, Stephanie March , the founder of the Salt Cure Recovery Fund for Restaurant Recovery. It was really just such a great panel. And we had a lot of opportunity to talk about food from the intersection of chefs, farmers, product producers, people that write about, and home cooking. And that day you made something so delicious. You made one of my favorite things. Did you know I love a beef short rib?Michael Lopata (01:16.955)No, but I wouldn’t trust you if you said you didn’t. So it was nice to kind of live in the center lane of the highway there, but also be able to put something out there. I’ve said for years, as long as I’ve been doing this, there are those corporate Monday-through-Friday lunches with chicken, mashed potatoes, and asparagus, and that fits the bill. But I wanted to do something a little bit more fun. I definitely want to touch on something that you said about the intersection of food and chefs, butit’s always easier when we’re cooking people’s favorite food. It makes my job and my team’s job so much easier. So I’m glad we I’m glad we hit that mark.Stephanie Hansen (01:50.763)it was so delicious. And I had mine packed up to go because obviously when I was speaking I couldn’t eat, and I was sitting down in a little side room kind of off of Charlie’s restaurant here, which is open to the public Thursday through Sunday. So, Thursday through Saturday, did I get the hours right?Michael Lopata (02:11.843)Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. Yep. Yep.Stephanie Hansen (02:14.732)People don’t realize they can come to the Minneapolis Club and eat this delicious food at Charlie’s. You also have a beautiful patio. It’s getting to be fall now, but the patio is lovely during patio season. yeah, I had a lot of great comments about the food that day, so well done.Michael Lopata (02:35.762)Thank you so much. I caught the very end of you and Beth and Joy and Stephanie andyou know, as soon as that food was out, we actually had an event on the second floor, but we’re rushing through it because I love listening to people talk about their passion. Whether I’m getting my oil changed and it’s somebody who just graduated from auto tech school and he’s excited about the next 20 years of his life, and I’m driving away thinking, I’m glad that guy loves cars more than I do. But it’s always nice to listen and exciting for me, especially because this is my passion. And this is what I’ve dedicated the last twenty-five years of my life to: listening to four just exponentially great voices in this in the Minneapolis food scene and beyond. Two quick things. I moved here from Seattle in January 2022. And then when you work at a place like the Minneapolis Club that has that rich history and that tradition, the expectation is, you knowThe ins and outs of Midwest food, you know the history of the club. And a lot of times I’m teaching Tuesday morning what I learned Monday night. So if I have to listen to you, talk to Beth, and have those experiences, it’s a win-win for me because I get to talk to somebody who’s passionate, and I also get to learn. And that’s that’s the best part about this job. So as I was listening to you all talk, I kept hearing, over and over again, everybody referencing what I say at all my interviews and all my wine dinners.The food tastes better when it has a story. And y’all were just telling the story of food for an hour. And I I didn’t want the day to end. I love hearing that. Every time you have a story for food, it always tastes better. And if you can relate it to those those certain aspects of of what people are eating and why they’re eating it, it’s always gonna make the food better. So really, really fun event, as you said, and it was just amazing to hear four people so passionate about what we do here. Bring some light to some things that maybe a lot of people don’t see and don’t know about the restaurant business.Stephanie Hansen (04:32.104)When you're putting menus together here, you guys have a pretty robust lunch business because you have a built-in clientele; obviously, a lot of events and people are here. The club is very active during the day. But how would you describe evening service, and what kind of food do you think is appealing for the evening guest? That’s a little bit different.Michael Lopata (04:56.786)Yeah, it’s it’s different. It’s a challenge, and that’s kind of what makes it fun. There are challenges and obstacles in this world, in this business, and in life. And I think challenges are what you overcome, and I think obstacles are the excuses you make to keep you from doing something. So when you’re when you’re at a private club, a lot of times you are able to do those fun events for the members. We could turn Charlie’s into a barbecue restaurant every Tuesday night in the winter. But if you have a family of four, like last weekend,It looked like a daycare in here because there was a child, like a kid focused event at at Orchestra Hall and we were slinging chicken tenders and mac and cheese and pepperoni pizzas. but you have to lean into that and say we are open to the public. There are a lot of places that you are not able to bring your kids into, we’re not able to bring your family to if you’re not a member. And and we wanna we wanna bring those people in and let them experience the club in the hopes that they can see all the things that that the club offers in addition to just coming in for dinner.On those nights during the week. So at lunch, you hit it perfectly. We have the clientele. We have Monday through Friday, the business, the lawyers, the politicians. Let’s get them in, let’s get them some lunch, and let’s get them back to work. So we don't have a lot of fireworks on our lunch menu, and you don’t need them. You want a salmon salad, you want a burger, you want it cooked right, you want it served fast, you want to get on with your day. Dinner is kind of our opportunity toTo kind of bring up some new things to do, like that braised short rib dish that you had. When that walks to a table with the smoked cheddar polenta that we did last fall, that’s a showstopper. And somebody’s asking, What is that? And I need that. I don’t even know what it is, but I want it. And so when we have the dinner menus that we change two or three times a year, it’s really an opportunity to reach out to people and say, This is the time to come in and it gives us time to flex our culinary muscle, or, you know, it gives us an opportunity to showcase.Something that we’re not able to do during that lunch crowd. And I think that’s the great part about the challenge of being open to the public and to the members: we have an opportunity to impress people every single day when they walk in the door, a… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

My friend Rebecca Blackwell, whom I met through Substack and who has been such a resource and inspiration in my food writing career, turned the tables on me by interviewing me for a coffee chat as part of her Mastermind for Food Writers series. We could have talked for hours! * If you are wondering how to get started on a new creative endeavor, this might inspire you.* If you have ever been insecure in your career pursuits, this might give you some courage.* If you are curious about building your own brand ecosystem, this might give you some ideas.As a creator and broadcaster, I love hearing others'. stories, and when the microphone turns the other way, It turns out I have a lot to say about the process of being a creator myself. I hope you enjoy our coffee chat!If you come here for the recipes - I have one of those for you too! My Crockpot Sausage and Tortelloni Soup as we are on day 21 of Crocktober! Crock On Friends. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Jeremy Messersmith, an indie pop folk singer-songwriter, joins us this week on Dishing with Stephanie's Dish. Known for his quirky style and engaging performances, Jeremy shares insights from his musical journey and his newfound passion for baking during the pandemic.Get Tickets for the Show and Listen to Fox Coyote by Jeremy Messersmith on SpotifyORIGINAL TRANSCRIPT FOLOWSStephanie Hansen (00:00.728)Hello everybody and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish, the podcast where we talk to cool people in the food space. They can be in any spaces. I’m here today with, as my friend Sarah calls you, my boy band crush, Jeremy Messersmith. You are my first musician on the program, friend.Jeremy Messersmith (00:21.41)Well, it’s good to good to be here.Stephanie Hansen (00:21.544)I’m trying to describe you - I mean people would say you’re like an indie pop folk singer songwriter, perhaps.Jeremy Messersmith (00:35.436)Yeah, I think that’s fair. it I describe myself as you I’m basically just another white guy with an acoustic guitar, is mostly what I do. I think what I end up writing to me just seems like very normal songs, but people do describe it as a quirky, let’s say. Yeah, yeah.Stephanie Hansen (00:51.85)Yeah. There is kind of a and I hope you take this as a compliment. There is sort of like a a little bit of a Ben Folds vibe. ButJeremy Messersmith (01:02.526)yeah. I yeah, I I definitely take that. Yeah, I take that as a as a high compliment. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (01:09.066)The first time I think I became aware of you was probably at a New Standards holiday show. And it might have been, well, I honestly, it could have been like 15 years ago that was the first time. And you came out, and since then you’ve appeared many times, sometimes with the ukulele, sometimes just singing fantastical, crazy songs.Jeremy Messersmith (01:16.718)Yeah.Jeremy Messersmith (01:37.175)Yeah. Yeah. That’s true. The New Standards have been quite generous over the years in letting me crash their their holiday show and sometimes it’s a song that I pitch for them and sometimes they want me to to come in and sing a song and I I try to we generally try to shake it up and do something that’s f fairly funny and provocative maybe at the same time.Stephanie Hansen (01:59.584)Well, and I have to say you have also blown up in my mind in the food space a little bit here because you seem to like have made a decision about something. And tell me if you think I’m right. I feel like, okay, COVID was just a hellish time, right? And particularly horrible for musicians because you couldn’t be out on the road doing what you do.And I think it’s fair to say most musicians that tour at all were just going crazy. And you all seem to have like created some self-discovery through the social media channels. And those social media channels for a lot of musicians are like a blessing and a curse at the same time because you need them to sell records. But also many musicians are actually kind of can be introverted and a little quirky and.So putting yourself out there in that way feels so weird. But I feel like I don’t know, like in the last year, have you made a concerted effort to just like throw caution to the wind and get out there?Jeremy Messersmith (03:11.146)Yes, yes I have. And it’s mostly just because I have a a new record out, released in in April. It’s called Fox Coyote and I just play I play all kinds of little games with myself and I realize that Part of my job as a musician, if I care about my my art, my craft, is I need to just go where people are. And that’s something I’ve always tried to do in my career. And if that is social media, then so be it. I will I will pop on there. And so back in April I I had a little challenge with myself and it was I’m going to make like, you know, an Instagram reel every day for like a month or something. And then if if I do that, then I’m gonna go take myself out to eat at a very nice restaurant.You know, like that was my little reward to myself. And it was challenging because, you know, how much of yourself do you really want to share with people? And I found that what was most comfortable to me was usually things based around kind of projects. either, here’s what I was thinking, putting together an outfit for today. And it’s just stuff I would be doing anyway, but just like sharing it with folks. And a lot of that ended up being baking, which is something that started back during the pandemic for me, really. I I’ve always done a little bit of cooking and and been handy around the kitchen, but but during the pandemic we all had kind of different stabs at at sanity, let’s say. And I s for me it was I started baking my way through Sarah Kiefer’s book One Hundred Cookies, and I just baked cookies and I made little videos for for all of them andHad a great time doing that. And it made me very, very popular with my neighbors because I was baking more cookies than any one person could could reasonably eat. And it was just a very fun, fun project. And I’ve still kind of continued it to this day. I still I don’t do them as often, but I usually do a bake about once a week, maybe maybe twice a week, sometimes depending on the audience, and yeah, have a great time.Stephanie Hansen (05:08.938)It’s also Sarah Kiefer was one of the first guests on my show, Taste Buds, in the first year. And I love to tell this story because we went to her house. And, you know, Sarah is extremely successful, but also kind of shy. And we went to record at her house. And we were in this really cool mid-century modern kitchen. And she had pink appliances and Everything was so decked out. And then at some point she was like, I have to get something across the street. And I was like, wait a second, is this a stunt house? And indeed, it is. She has like a whole baking studio. They bought a house. Her her father-in-law lives in the first level. So I mean it’sJeremy Messersmith (05:48.078)Ha ha ha ha ha ha!Jeremy Messersmith (06:01.518)Okay. Yeah, yeah.Stephanie Hansen (06:03.208)A multi generational situation, but I was like, this is the most amazing thing ever. She has a stunthouse.Jeremy Messersmith (06:08.929)God. I love that. I love that. That is that is fantastic. I did not know that. I’ve not seen the stunthouse. I’ve not seen it.Stephanie Hansen (06:17.536)It’s pretty cool. And her books, I mean, the whole banging of the pan really hard for chocolate chip cookies. I feel like we’ve now long since attributed it to Sarah. She was one of the first pan bangers. And just her technique is really delicious with cookies. Where I saw youJeremy Messersmith (06:29.655)Yeah. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (06:38.164)was you were involved with my friend Stephanie March, my radio partner. She did a fundraising event for her salt cure fund and you made lemon bars. Tell me about your lemon bars.Sure. well I went on a bit of a lemon bar quest because you know, it was me contributing some bars to this fundraiser, but you know, I’mI’m just a musician guy. Like I don’t I’m not I’m not a professional chef. I’ve never written a cookbook. I’ve never even developed a recipe. So but I do like to be fairly diligent in what I sign up to do. So I knew I wanted to do lemon bars because they’re just my favorite. They’re just in any time of year. Just a lemon bar is is great. And so I had about I th I wanna say a couple months or six weeks before I had to bake the bars. So I just made so many lemon bars and I combed the internet for recipes for lemon bars and triedjust about every kind of lemon bar that I could get my hands on before I kinda kind of found what to me what I want in a lemon bar, which is like one with that’s got like kind of a like a nice kind of custard like on the like, you know, it’s a little gooey. And I want it to be s so tart and tingly that I can I can barely eat it. You know? Like I want I want all of that. So I I think one of my favorites was was yeah bare barefoot Contessa I ended up loving.The in a ga… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, Stephanie Hansen chats with Emily Vikre, owner of Vikre Distillery and author of the new book Cabin Cocktails. Emily shares insights into her journey as a cookbook writer and distiller.The Art of Cocktail CreationEmily’s fourth book, Cabin Cocktails, features 70 seasonal cocktails, including mocktails, that celebrate the beauty of outdoor experiences. She reflects on how intuitive cooking differs from the precision required in cocktail making:“I do find cooking recipes hard to write down for me. Especially because as a cook, I’m very intuitive... I go by those sensory inputs.”Emily emphasizes that while cooking can be forgiving, cocktails require strict adherence to measurements for the best results. “Cocktails can be very unforgiving if you don’t have a good recipe and if you don’t follow it,” she explains.Sense of PlaceThe conversation moves into the heart of what makes Vikre Distillery unique: the water sourced from Lake Superior. Emily discusses how this element influences the flavor and character of her spirits on this week’s “Dishing With Stephanie’s Dish” Podcast.Stephanie Hansen (00:01.038)Hello everybody and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish, the podcast where we talk to people in the food space. And today I am here with Emily Vikre. And she is the owner of Vikre Distillery up in Duluth and also makes a whole host of beautiful, beautiful spirits. I’m a big fan. But Emily also is a cookbook writer. And in her case, she has written this is your fourth book, isn’t it?Stephanie Hansen's @StephaniesDish Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Emily (00:31.574)Yes, it is. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (00:33.814)Okay, four books and four cookbooks in particular is pretty amazing. This last book is called Cabin Cocktails, and it has 70 seasonal cocktails for year-round drinks, and there’s mocktails too, I want to point out, because a lot of people are looking for mocktail options. I’m curious, you’ve had so many books. So you I’m just gonna kind of go through your canon here. You have Camp Cocktails, which was a great book and isEmily (00:47.984)Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.Emily (00:59.738)Yeah. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (01:04.03)still sold all over. It’s usually a lot of places where the True North Cabin cookbook is. We’re right next to each other, which yeah, I love. And then Cabin Cocktails, which is the new book. Then you have On the Trail, which was a new camp cookbook about easy-to-pack meals, kind of more about like taking your family actually camping and how to orchestrate that. And that book was great. And then you have another book called Fireside Warmers that had drinks.Emily (01:09.166)Yes, right. All those outdoorsy places.Emily (01:24.988)Mm. Yeah.Stephanie Hansen (01:33.354)Sweets. So you’ve done both cocktails, and you’ve done food books. Is one easier for you than the other?Emily (01:38.811)Yes. Ooh, that’s a great question. both things are things that I think cut like kind of come naturally to me to talk about, to storytell about, to develop recipes for. So in that way, one isn’t necessarily harder than the other. But I will say I do find like cooking recipes hard to write down for me.Especially because as a cook, I’m very like intuitive in my cooking. And when I’m cooking for myself or my family, I don’t measure anything, I don’t time anything. I go by those like sensory inputs. And so it’s hard then when you’re writing a cookbook to really slow yourself down and say, okay, how much did I use here? Check my time, how long did that go for? Give it to other people to test it. and because myCookbooks right now have really been more about outdoor cooking and camping cooking, which isn’t even like the bulk of the cooking I do, but it is something that I enjoy. There is a whole part where you have to give that sensory feedback anyway, because everybody’s fires fires a little bit wild. So you have to learn to work with it. and then conversely for cocktails, I treat it much more like baking, where very precise. I’m measuring everything and so what those ones I have like the recipes kind of already dialed and written in a format that works for a cookbook already more easily. and this most recent book, yeah, just flowed.Stephanie Hansen (03:11.414)It’s funny that your your description of this whole thing is the exact reason why I have a hard time writing cocktails. Cause I feel like it’s so much easier to write a recipe than and you get like, you know, different flavor profiles and you knowEmily (03:20.228)Mm-hmm, interesting.Stephanie Hansen (03:32.042)salt to taste, like okay. But like with cocktails, the level of sweet, the level of acid, the level of sour, the level of bitter feels so much more precise, just like baking to me.Emily (03:43.109)Yes, right. Cocktails can be very unforgiving if you don’t have if you haven’t developed a good recipe and if you don’t follow the recipe for sure. And you know, when people ask like, why didn’t my cocktail turn out? I’m like, well, first question, did you measure? Did you actually shake it when it’s had to shake it? you know, can you can wiggle and you can riff, but but it is. It’s like because cocktail ingredients often are complex.And very multifaceted in and of themselves already. And those are the ingredients I love to work with, but they they are the ones where a little change can make a big difference. I tell people it’s like trying to combine a curry, a stew, and a salad instead of trying to combine a meat, a vegetable, and a spice.Stephanie Hansen (04:27.904)Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And also, I mean, you are, I think, for sure, from a Minnesota standpoint, I think your gins are world class. And I’m a big fan of all of your profile of gins in the Minnesota realm. But also I think your gins stand up to a lot of gins made in America, but also in Europe.And you’re welcome. I I really I’m a big fan. But when you mix different gins, there’s also different flavor profiles. So if you’re gonna make a gin and tonic with, you know, any number of gins, it’s gonna be so different.Emily (04:57.948)Mm-hmm. Yeah. And that is a hard thing to think about when you’re writing a cocktail book for sure. And where you just kind of have to accept that there will be some variability if somebody’s gonna use Tankere or Hendrix or Vikra or The Botanist or Grey Whale, it’s going to be a little bit different. And like our Vikra gins are creative djinns, but I made all of them with the idea and the goal of being a true djinn at theirSo they can work in any recipe that calls for gin and it will go with the other flavors and the proportions there, which can’t be said for all creative gins for sure. but yeah, it is, it is a thing to take into consideration. And in this book, Cavan Cocktails, where it was very much pulling from you know, European cocktail traditions and opera ski and aperitivo hour and things like that.There’s a lot of liqueurs and pairitifs and amari that have very distinct flavor profiles. And so some of these recipes call very specifically for this type of amara or that type of liqueur. And then other ones I say, like you can use any herbal liqueur amongst these, because they all, you know, they’re all unique, but they all play the same violin. Maybe they have the same moves on the dance floor, even though they have their individual style.Stephanie Hansen (06:34.959)That’s a cool way to say that. one of the things I liked about this book, well, all of your books I think really have a sense of place to them, which I really like in a cookbook. It is, I think, what makes your books really appeal to me. But also the way that you position this book is more about.like what the experience is, where you are, what you might be doing, what you might be feeling. And that really does speak to, I think, how you drink and consume alcohol, like what that setting is.Emily (07:15.951)Yeah, right. I think that is you … This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

Lisa Steele, author of 'In Season' and known for her expertise in eggs from her Blog, and first cookbook of the same name Fresh Eggs Daily, and farm-to-table cooking, shares her journey from chicken farming to cookbook author. She discusses her creative process, the challenges of social media, and her upcoming baking book, offering insights for aspiring food creators.Stephanie Hansen (00:00.718)Hello, everybody. Welcome to Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish, the podcast where I talk to cool people in the food space. I’ve been expanding my repertoire, but I got a cookbook that came across my desk earlier in the season. It is called In Season. It’s by Lisa Steele. She’s the founder of Fresh Eggs Daily. And this is Lisa’s second book. The first book that she has is really all about eggs. Because if you know Lisa, she is a chicken farmer.But she is so much more than that. Lisa, this new book "In Season”, 125 sweet and savory recipes, is gorgeous. Congratulations.Lisa Steele l (00:37.886)thank you. Yeah, it it is a really pretty book. I mean, I know the most important part is that the recipes are delicious, but you know, we do all eat with our eyes. And I feel like if someone’s in a bookstore flipping through the book, you know, they’re just gonna be like, I wanna make that, I wanna make that, that looks so good. I mean, it’s just so because it’s vegetables and fruits and berries, you know. So it was easy to make it like bright and vibrant. You know, my first book, All Eggs, it can get a little dull, you know, eggs are kind of tough to photograph sometimes.Hmm.Stephanie Hansen (01:08.138)Your first book though, okay, so every season I spend a bit good portion of the summer at my cabin. And your book came with me to the cabin this summer because there’s so much to do with eggs and I do a lot of entertaining there. So there’s a lot of brunch ideas. So I use that book a lot.Lisa Steele l (02:19.71)Good. And I mean the second book does have a whole egg chapter. So anyone who does love eggs, I managed to slide in, you know, like a bunch of deviled egg recipes and, you know, some baked dishes that I feel like are, you know, kind of like casseroles that are really good for entertaining, or like you said, if you’re, you know, somewhere that you have a limited, you know, cooking space or whatever. So there are still egg recipes for those people that love eggs.Stephanie Hansen (01:55.47)Can we talk about like obviously after you got done with the first book, y you had more to say and more to say that wasn’t just eggs? I loved that you expanded your repertoire because obviously you’re a cook. you know how to make and put together a book and put dishes together. What was it that kept propelling you forward, or were you just like, I’m gonna stay on this cookbook jag?Lisa Steele l (02:19.71)yeah. So after the first book came out, I mean it was it was brand new. Like you said, I was in the chicken world. I was writing books about raising chickens. I was giving talks about raising chickens and you know, COVID came along and my publisher wanted me to write another chicken book. And I had written like almost a book a year for like six years. And I said to him, I don’t really have anything more to say about chickens. Like I have a blog with a ton of information. I just couldn’t get excited about it, you know. And so I said, I really want to write a cookbook. Like it’s COVID. I feel like this might be the end of the world. You know, I wanna likeCheck things off my bucket list. And he did he wasn’t interested. He he said, No, you’ve got your lane. This is what you do. This is what you do. Well, you need to do it. But he very graciously let me out of my contract. you know, you know, as a cookbook author, you they have like first write a refusal, right? And you’ve got like whatever. He let me out of my contract, wished me well. and I hired an agent and pitched, you know, the egg cookbook to him. He loved it. Jill kind of was so gracious to share with me her agent. and yeah, he loved the idea of an egg cookbook. And he said, you know, it’s the next natural step for you. You know, you’ve got all these people that raise chickens and have a ton of eggs. Let’s do this cookbook. Plus, people who don’t have chickens, you know, so it’s just widening your your universe kind of. so he loved it, got right on board, and it was so much fun. you know.People say cookbooks are hard to write and it wasn’t easy and it took a long time, you know, two years, right? Start to finish pretty much. but I found it so much easier than writing like a nonfiction chicken book because each recipe is like its own little capsule. You know, you’ve got your your title, you’ve got your head notes, you’ve got your recipe and your photo, and then you move on. And like writing a nonfiction book.There’s got to be chapters and there’s got to be paragraphs and you can’t do all run-on sentences and it has to flow. And I I just found the whole cookbook process in my mind was so much easier to like wrap my head around, you know. yeah, and I loved it so much. And the book really, for someone who wasn’t in the food world at all and didn’t know anybody and nobody knew me, it really did well. And so, you know, I did get a second book deal and now I’m working on my third cookbook actually. So I was thrilled becauseJust to kind of leave that chicken world behind, although I still have my foot in it. I’ve had a couple offers to sell my blog. And I’m like, I don’t know. You know, that’s kind of like my bread and butter still. So I I’m still holding on to that part of it. but the food world is so fun. I’ve had so much fun.Stephanie Hansen (04:55.276)So you the first book is egg specific. This second book in season is 125 recipes with eggs, but there are other recipes too, a lot of them. How long did this book take?Lisa Steele l (05:09.813)Yeah, vegetables and berries and stuff. so it’s been four years since my first book. But for the first two years, like every week, I was bugging my agent. I was like, I want to write another cookbook. Let’s write another cookbook. And he said, You can’t. You gotta like get some traction, you gotta get some sales, you know. We can pitch one now, but you’re not gonna get as good deal as if you have like a track record. We gotta give it some time, right? So that was like the first two years. And then I just kept bugging and I was like, you know what? I’m just gonna start writing another egg cookbook.so I I started doing that. I just started creating recipes and testing them and putting them in my little files and stuff. And then finally, you know, they said, okay, we can pitch another book. And I said, okay, great. I’m like, you know, halfway done. And they said, no, no, not another egg cookbook. Like sequels don’t usually do well, whether it’s movies, books, whatever it is. you can’t write another egg cookbook. So I was like, what the heck am I gonna do? Right. So they they suggested farm to table. And I said, I hate that.that was cool like maybe 20 years ago, but it’s like so overdone. Like I just hate that phrase, like the farm to table. Cause I was like, technically everything is farm to table unless you’re growing vegetables in a lab, right? Or meat in a lab, whatever. So I was like, I hate that, but that’s what they pitched and that what was was bought. So me being me, I was like, well I’m just gonna do what I want to do anyway. So I just kept continuing on. I got the whole egg chapter in there. and then okay.You hire professionals because they know what they’re doing. And in the end, I am so glad that they pushed me in that direction because it opened up, like obviously I don’t just cook eggs at home, right? You know, so I was like, well, what else do I make? I make sandwiches, I make soups, I make, you know, so I kind of like went through my files and thought about what I ate as a kid. And like it was so freeing not to like have every recipe have to have eggs in it, you know. So Ihad a lot mo… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe

The Minnesota State Fair is more than a 12-day event - it is a full-on lifestyle choice for 12 days, and Alex Lodner knows exactly how to make the most of it. Sunday’s with Stephanie this week will feature my full State Fair Guide with picks, tops and tricks for making the most of the next 12 days at the Minnesota State Fair.Upgrade my subscription now so I don’t miss the State Fair Guide.My goal with this newsletter is to help you discover new recipes and share things I am obsessed with. I also like to create short essays about what I am thinking about from time to time. It’s like the miscellaneous drawer in my kitchen: a little bit of everything, some dribs and drabs—recipes, essays, helpful ideas, occasional interviews, restaurant suggestions, and more.What will I get as a free subscriber?As a free subscriber, you’ll receive a newsletter in your inbox every week on Wednesday with a free recipe. You will be the first to know about any new classes or live cooking events I’m teaching, podcast episodes I’m releasing, etc.What else would I get if I paid to subscribe?Great question! First and foremost, you’ll get my gratitude (I appreciate your support!!). I am a freelance creator, which means I work for everyone but no one full-time, so I pay all my own healthcare, buy my own groceries for recipes and shows, and fund my own podcast.You will also get the Sunday Subscriber email in your inbox each week. You will have access to the entire archive of posts, plus exclusive content like extra recipes only for Subscribers (there are 65 currently like this Corn Shrmp and Basil Risotto perfect for Summer), and access to Stephanie’s Dish chat. .This chat lets you join the conversation, comment on posts, and engage with other people and me in the Sunday Subscriber community. I also link all my Taste Buds Episodes, Podcasts and appearance clips on the Jason Show so if you are into what I do - its all here posted each week. Subscribing is $8/month or $60/year.Whether you are a first-time visitor trying not to waste a single bite or a seasoned fairgoer looking to level up your annual plan, this episode will help you experience the fair like an insider. Perfect for anyone counting down to the fair, food lovers chasing the best bites, and Minnesota locals who want to make the most of every precious day on the grounds. Alex reveals the must-try new foods on her list, the classics she returns to every year, and the hidden gems that still make the fair feel magical even after decades of visits. You’ll discover:* Why Tuesday and Wednesday are the smartest fair days for shorter lines* How to approach the new foods list before the most popular items get swarmed* The off-the-beaten-path favorites Alex never skips* Where to find the cleanest bathrooms, quietest rest spots, and easiest shortcuts* Which fair traditions are still worth your time, from the parade to the llama spectacle to the church dining hallsOriginal Episode TranscriptStephanie Hansen (00:00.724)Hello everybody and welcome to Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish, the podcast where we talk to cool people in the food space. And today I’m talking to my friend Alex Lodner. And Alex is someone that I feel like I owe a public thank you to. She would fill in on my radio show a lot in the times when I started going to the cabin quite a bit more and started the garden.And I have become friends with Alex over the years. And Alex is also someone that whenever we think of the Minnesota State Fair, she is someone that comes to mind. She’s a fair aficionado. She really has done a lot to help with the fair foundation. And I just am loving to geek out with a fellow friend that loves the Minnesota State Fair. Thanks to coming on the program, Alex.Alex Lodner (00:37.55)Okay, I’ll take that.Anytime, of course. My favorite subject. You knew that. You knew that when you got me.Stephanie Hansen (00:53.756)I did. I did. So let’s talk a little bit about your love of the fair and how it all started.Alex Lodner (01:01.5)yeah, so you know, the fair is kind of a crazy thing, right? It’s this insane time for twelve days. I always say that I suspend my entire personality during those twelve days because I don’t like crowds, I don’t like fried foods, barn animals, you know, all those things are not something that I normally r seek out. And it just those twelve days are just magic. You just lean in and if you do it right, I think it’s a it’s aan amazing experience. I hear a lot from people who are who go once a year with their, you know, family of five and they they can’t understand why I go an average of eight times. And I always tell them it’s a completely different experience. When you go multiple times, you’re not trying to fit everything into one day. You find your secret rest spots. You find your favorite foods that are maybe a little bit off the beaten path. We always had our sec secret little spaces where we put our blanket down and let the toddler run around andSo it’s a very different experience when you go multiple times.Stephanie Hansen (02:02.629)Yeah, I think so too. There was a couple of years where Steph, my radio partner on Weekly Dish and I recorded a podcast and we would meet out there every day and record the podcast. We got a lot of cool behind-the-scenes stories, and just the pace feels different. The fair is like it’s like a mini city that happens for 12 days in our state. The rest of the state, believe it or not, sort of comes to a silent pause.It has its own police force, it has mm people that sleep out there for weeks. It really is just like this weird microcosm of something that only happens once a year in our state, and it’s actually pretty joyful.Alex Lodner (02:48.458)Exactly. And I used to live a mile away. And so when when my daughter was little, there would be a little parade of strollers of us going back and forth from the fair. We’d go back to the house for a nap. We go back to the fair. And so it really again, when you’re right there, it’s a very different experience. And the only thing I would say is do not try to go to the Target Roseville during the twelve days of the fair. It empties out, there’s no produce.But other than that, it’s just it was always so fun to live in that neighborhood. You’re you’re just in the thick of it. It’s it’s really it’s quite a high.Stephanie Hansen (03:24.741)Yeah, yeah. When we think about the fare, one thing that people talk about a lot and I feel like I just want to address up front is expense, particularly in a year where people aren’t feeling flush with cash. it is an expense. It is an expense to go with your family of four or five. Tickets are, I think, $20 unless you’ve bought them in advance.Alex Lodner (03:47.392)At the door, yeah. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (03:49.002)And you know, food is gonna be expensive because we’ve seen food costs go up 33% in the last two years. There is a large minimum wage in our state. So yeah, it isn’t necessarily a value proposition. There are good values to be had and there are deals to be had. The blue ribbon book is probably the best thing to do.Alex Lodner (04:12.226)Fantastic deal. Mm-hmm.Stephanie Hansen (04:14.811)you get like a lot of discounts. There’s two for ones and just going on the right days. Like if you’re going on senior day or kids’ day. So without not I don’t want to lay belabor the costs of the fair because I don’t it ruins the experience, but it is a thing.Alex Lodner (04:29.88)But it’s a thing. It’s a definite it’s a definite factor. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. And again, I say we used to go every day. I understand that that’s not an easy task for most. It’s because we live so close. There’s the cost of parking, there’s a cost of just driving there from Elk River or wherever you’re coming from. I have talked to the marketing department off and on in the years about doing a a punch card or a a passport of some sort, but it’s just never really gone through.Stephanie Hansen (04:58.801)Yeah, it’s a great idea. Cause I think it fe… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stephaniehansen.substack.com/subscribe