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Market Street Joins the Craft Brew Revolution

Brainchild of two Wilmington natives, Stitch House combines microbrewery and pub

In 2016, the Brewers Association—a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers—reported that, on average, Delawareans drink 11.1 gallons of craft beer annually, good for sixth in the nation. Additionally, since 2007, the BA has tracked the number of breweries operating in each state, with Delaware’s total jumping from just seven to more than 20 in that span.

Obviously, Delaware’s beer drinkers not only support the craft industry, but with each passing year, they’re thirsty for more.

Enter Stitch House Brewery, which will give Wilmington’s Market Street its own microbrewery. Expected to open early this month, Stitch House is the product of local entrepreneurs Dan Sheridan and Rob Snowberger. The Delaware natives will join forces with Head Brewer Andrew Rutherford, who worked for more than a decade at Yards Brewery in Philadelphia.

Sheridan has been around the Delaware dining scene for quite a while, having worked at La Fia on Market Street, after which he opened Locale BBQ Post as well as the Wilmington Pickling Company. Snowberger, meanwhile, is a former Navy SEAL who also attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. The two grew up together in Wilmington and were raised by fathers who worked for the city.

The full-scale restaurant will seat upwards of 170, including 40-plus in the bar area and a back room for private dining.

“We’d talked about opening a place together for years, but Rob was the first one to see this site at 829 Market through his connections with the Buccini/Pollin Group (BPG),” says Sheridan. “When I first took a look at the building, I knew there would be a lot of work to do. Fitting out four floors to fit apartments and a huge brewpub and brewery was an enormous undertaking.” (Stitch House encompasses the first floor and part of the basement for storage, while BPG outfitted the upper two floors for apartments to lease.) 

Seating for 170-plus

That work would include months of renovations and construction on a building erected in 1909 that had served, at various times, as a coal house, ice house, tailor shop, and even a linen shop. Sheridan and Snowberger, after discovering the building’s past lives, decided on Stitch House, as a tribute to its history. The result is a full-scale restaurant that will seat upwards of 170, including more than 40 in the bar area and a back room for private dining.

“The guys at BPG told me they wanted to open up a microbrewery on Market Street, to specifically cater to all that was going on downtown, especially the huge Residences at Mid-Town Park project right outside our back door,” says Sheridan. “Once I understood the scope of that project, I went with it.”

According to Buccini/Pollin, the Residences at Mid-Town Park will feature 200 luxury studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, with a 511-space parking garage below and 12,000 square feet of ground floor retail along Shipley Street. The parking garage is expected to open this month, and the first phase of the apartments is expected to be ready in June, with the remainder finishing up over the summer.

Once Sheridan and Snowberger embarked on their new culinary journey, they quickly began scouring the area for an experienced brewer looking for a new challenge. Fortunately, they were able to woo Rutherford, a 10-year veteran at Yards.

“I was in a rut and needed a change, so I began entertaining the idea of making a move and maybe recapturing a little creative freedom in the brewery,” says Rutherford. “The guys came to me with their plan for Stitch House and we just jelled. This is a good fit and I’m really excited to see what we can accomplish on Market Street.”

Sheridan and Snowberger are ecstatic to have been able to bring on Rutherford, who put in many 18- and 20-hour days leading up to the restaurant’s opening. “The guy is a machine,” says Sheridan. “He’s super talented and we are beyond excited to have him on our team.”

Rutherford says that to start, Stitch House will fill nine of its 12 taps with house brews, including a lager, pilsner, stout, IPA and pale ale, among others. The remaining three taps will be filled with local brews, and they will only offer draft beer, rather than any outside bottles or cans.

Adds Sheridan: “Our hope is to have all the taps filled with our own beers by late in the spring, and then begin offering crowlers (large cans) to customers, so they can take our beer with them.”

Head Brewer Andrew Rutherford previously brewed for 10 years at Yards Brewing Co.

Adding a Smoker

As for the menu, Sheridan, a chef by trade, will focus on catering to the downtown lunch crowd; several sandwiches, burgers and paninis will be featured, as well as skillet dishes like dips, nachos, and even scallops and the increasingly popular sautéed Brussels sprouts. While they’re forgoing a pizza oven (found at many brewpubs), Sheridan says an on-site smoker will contribute heavily to the menu.

“I don’t necessarily want to do barbecue, because I leave that to Locale BBQ, but I do want to offer a lot of good smoked meats that will be seasoned and prepared to specifically pair with our beers,” he says. “The skillet dishes are designed for sharing and will fall into the comfort food category because we want to establish a laidback vibe here.”

The interior features murals and beer menu boards designed by Against the Grain Arts, of Wilmington, a logo designed by Snowberger’s sister, Molly, and design work by Stokes Architecture, of Philadelphia. Many of the high-top bar tables and booths were crafted by the Challenge Program, a Wilmington-based organization that offers at-risk teens the opportunity to learn life skills like carpentry and construction.

Many of the tables and booths were crafted by the Challenge Program.

Stitch House will be open seven days a week and possibly for brunch on the weekends. Sheridan says they will offer some sort of discounted parking validation at the Parking at Mid-Town garage, as well as some other Colonial Parking garages in the city. They are also looking into the possibility of offering valet service on weekends.

 

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Ogden’s Odyssey

Wilmington’s ‘Famous’ tavern owner reflects on 35 years in the bar biz

According to a July 2017 report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 7.6 million American workers were holding down multiple jobs, up 2 percent from midway through 2016. The numbers vary between those with full-time gigs and one or two side jobs and those with two and three part-time jobs.

Paul Ogden can beat those numbers handily. At 57 years of age, the Wilmington native currently runs eight bars, part of an incredible total of 33 establishments he’s owned or operated (or both) over nearly three-and-a-half decades. Some of New Castle County’s most popular bars (and most “Famous” taverns) have been successful under Ogden’s guiding hand, and that includes the recently opened Rockford Tavern, which Ogden reclaimed from the short-lived Halligan Bar.

On a recent—and rare—night off, Ogden swigged a Miller Lite at his new establishment, which occupies a cozy spot on Lovering Avenue, and reflected on his affinity for bars. “I love being here like I love being at all my establishments over the years, because I get to see so many employees and customers that have really become my extended family. This is probably my favorite spot right now, but mostly because I live just up the street and usually make Rockford my home base.”

Rockford Tavern features a new bar design—the standard style, with 17 seats, as opposed to the awkward, multi-sided rendition of the past—as well as high-top tables made from reclaimed shuffleboard tables and better sightlines for the many TVs and new stage that can accommodate six-piece bands. For Ogden, it’s just another watering hole in his long line of establishments that stretches back to 1982.

That was the year the Wilmington native began his journey in the bar biz, shortly after dropping out of the University of Delaware. Ogden first ran the Logan House for the Kelly family, and then opened his first solo project—aptly named Logan’s Run—on Maryland Avenue. He even used to bus people to and from both establishments, as a way to boost revenue and popularity.

“From the moment I started running bars, I was in up to my ears,” Ogden says. “I did everything at the Logan House—managed, tended bar, cleaned toilets—and basically had the same role at Logan’s Run. But y’know, I loved every minute of it. It was just the right career path for me. When I look back at all the places I’ve run over the years, the good times everyone had just make me smile.”

A Policeman’s Son

The son of a former Wilmington police officer—and fourth of five brothers —Ogden stayed close to his roots in the city, opening classic haunts like Legends and Bottlecaps, as well as his beloved Stuffed Shirts (currently the Washington Street Ale House). The last of those three holds the fondest of memories for him.

“It’s hard to pick my favorite bar, but if I had to, I’d go with Stuffed Shirts,” says Ogden. “You just always got the sense in that place that everyone was friends, because it had such a great neighborhood vibe to it. Heck, I made some long-lasting friendships in that place, and have even attended weddings of some former employees.”

One example: John “Howdy” Hudson, who was working the bar during a packed Halloween Loop back in 1991. It was on that night, while serving hundreds of locals, that one young girl, Georgia Shafer, stood out. She walked in without a costume, and Hudson called her out playfully, which led to conversation. Today, the two have been happily married for 22 years.

“We poured more drinks in that place per square foot than any bar in Delaware —I’m certain of it,” says Hudson, who now lives in Siesta Key, Fla. “But she comes walking in with no costume on—she had just gotten back from Hawaii—and she’s absolutely stunning. I couldn’t help but strike up a quick chat with her—after I served her a free beer, I’m sure—and we met up the next night at Legends.”

Hudson says his story is not unique. “I guarantee you we’re not the only couple that fell in love under Paul’s watch,” he says. “Stuffed Shirts was a blast, and Paul had a knack for repeating that type of fun atmosphere at all of his places. I’ll bet a lot of guys and gals met at his spots, and then got married down the line.”

Marketer Par Excellence

The Rockford Tavern, on Lovering Avenue, has become home base for Ogden, who lives just up the street. Photo Joe del Tufo

Ogden sees himself as more of a marketer than a bar owner or operator, and in 2008, he had one of his better marketing ideas when he opened the first of his many “Famous” taverns—Famous Jack’s—on Naamans Road. Ogden’s hook to get folks in the door was spawned by the economic downturn and rising gas prices.

“We actually started the $3 everything when I owned Bar 317 on 4th Street in Wilmington, and the tagline—‘Our pints are cheaper than gas’—worked pretty well,” says Ogden. “Once we started up the Famous franchise, we used it at every place and packed ‘em in. We’ve moved away from it a bit—now most beer is still $3, but wine, liquor and the good craft beers are $4. No matter what, they’re still some of the cheapest prices around.”

The same prices apply at Rockford Tavern, despite it not being one of Ogden’s seven “Famous” taverns: Joe’s, Pat’s, Tom’s, Bob’s, John’s, Tim’s and Buck’s. Drew Rivas tends bar at Rockford a few nights a week and is also responsible for the architectural updates. Rivas, who’s been working for Ogden almost as long as Ogden has been in business, says his boss’s easygoing personality and willingness to listen are keys to his success.

“You always know where you stand with Paul; he’s a real straight shooter and has some really simple rules to follow,” says Rivas. “He jokes that he’s been married to me longer than his own wife, and I guess it’s kinda true. But aside from being an honest businessman, he’s always willing to listen to the opinions of others, whether it’s employees or customers.”

Ogden’s wife, Lisa, and son Jack, 14, aren’t interested in participating in his business endeavors, and that’s fine with all three. As Ogden puts it, “My wife is the smart one, and my son has already made it clear where he stands on taking over, saying, ‘Dad, I’m not built for this.’ He’ll probably wind up being an attorney, like his mom.”

Ogden deflects credit for his long and still flourishing career. “I’ve said it time and again, but I’m really only successful because of my patrons and my employees,” he says. “They have always pointed me in the right direction and kept me on track.”

Whether that track includes more taverns is yet to be determined, but either way, Paul Ogden has certainly made himself into one of Delaware’s most famous bar owners.

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Table for Two

Date spots worth trying

The House of William & Merry

It’s rare, but when my wife and I do sneak out for a childless dinner, we like to go somewhere with a unique menu and ambiance. Owned and operated by a husband and wife team, this Hockessin restaurant boasts exquisite cuisine featuring fresh local ingredients and dishes that you won’t find elsewhere. williamandmerry.com.

— Matt Loeb, Creative Director & Production Manager

Hummingbird to Mars

This clandestine speakeasy-themed bar is located above Catherine Rooney’s in Trolley Square, accessible from 16th Street. But as any Prohibition-era watering hole should be, it’s easy to miss if you’re not looking. Press the outside intercom, venture up the narrow stairway and enter a dimly-lit Gatsbyian universe of jazz and cocktails. The intimate, period-specific bar typically features around 10 seasonal cocktails. Beer and wine are available, too, as well as food from the restaurant downstairs. Live music Thursdays-Saturdays, starting at 8:30 p.m., features some of the area’s best artists, including regular performing duo Bruce & Sam. catherinerooneys.com/hummingbird.

— Krista Connor, Senior Editor & Media Manager

Chef Tan

For many, the dinner date has perhaps become a bit stale. The standard “sit down, order and eat” dining experience borders on the formulaic—and boring.

For those willing to deviate from the ordinary, try Chef Tan’s hot pot experience. Chef Tan is a Newark restaurant specializing in authentic Chinese cuisine, which includes the hot pot, a culinary adventure becoming trendy in the U.S. It’s a communal style of eating, requiring the dating partners to cook a variety of chosen ingredients in a specially spiced broth. You can select from several starting broths that range from mild to spicy, as well as an array of vegetables, meats and seafood to cook in the broth. The flavors are as rewarding as the overall experience, which serves to push both parties out of their comfort zones, and it requires cooperation. Your cell phone will be quickly forgotten, and your attention fixated on the fun task at hand, using chopsticks to continually add and remove ingredients from the broth.
At Chef Tan, the hot pot entrée is only $29.99. Learn more about the menu at cheftan.com.

— Mathew Brown-Watson, Intern

Domaine Hudson

In terms of quality of cuisine, service and intimacy, there are few places in Wilmington that can compete with Domaine Hudson. It exudes feelings of quaint comforts and tradition, yet it’s far from staid or stuffy.

The restaurant, at 1314 N. Washington St., boasts an extensive wine list and a selection of Prohibition-era cocktails like the Sazerac and Ginger Side Car. But ultimately, it’s the menu that steals the show, with each shared plate and entrée created like a delicious work of art. The focus on details is first-rate.
While Domaine Hudson is the ideal place to celebrate Valentine’s Day, it also features “Date Night” every Thursday, with an enticing and affordable special: three courses and a bottle of wine for just $95 a couple.

Get more info at domainehudson.com.

— Jim Miller, Director of Publications

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Five Food Trends for 2018

Once again, our expert on all things gastronomic presumes to predict the future. Based on his report card for last year, we should all take notice.

Most humans who have ever walked this earth could predict next year’s food trends by looking inside the local grain silo and deciding whether the harvest was trending toward a) eating over the winter or b) not eating over the winter.

But after millennia of relative scarcity, in which mankind lived from growing season to growing season, the global food chain has given us perpetual abundance in the First World, both in calories and in the many, many ways we can devise to consume those calories.

As a result, we are subject to forecasts of our dietary future like this actual Wholes Foods prediction for 2018: “Smoothie fans are raising a glass to powders like spirulina, kale, herbs and roots for an oh-so-green vibrancy that needs no Instagram filter.” (I swear, I am this close to publishing an annual Hater’s Guide to the Whole Foods Market Top Trends Press Release.)

I can assure you that my predictions below are 100 percent spirulina-powder-free and hopefully more relevant to your day-to-day eating. That’s due in part to the fact that, in compiling this year’s list of Top Five Delaware Food Predictions, I checked in with some smart foodies from around the state, including Karen Stauffer at the Delaware Restaurant Association, Dan Sheridan from the sure-to-be-a-hot-trend-in-2018 Stitch House Brewery on Market Street, and others who will remain nameless because, OK, they’re all bartenders.

Also, see below for the report card on last year’s predictions. Spoiler alert: If I were still in fourth grade, my report card would earn me $5 from my grandpa.

Trend: Veggies on Main

Vegetables. They’re what’s for dinner.

That’s the word I’ve heard from friends who have food jobs that require them to travel the country looking at emerging food trends. (And yes, I too am annoyed that this job exists.) While beef certainly isn’t going away, a number of high-profile restaurants opening in New York and Chicago are leading with the greens … and oranges, yellows and purples from the garden.

Think “veg-forward,” not vegetarian. Restaurants like Philly’s Vedge may have elevated vegetarian cuisine, and new spots like Bad Hunter in Chicago’s meatpacking district (great name, great location for that name) are praised for menus that dive heavy into veg without abandoning meat. That’s in line with a trend predicted by both nutritionists and futurists, where dinner plates still have a protein and starch and a veg, but lead with the latter.

But are we really ready for the future? The Impossible Burger, with a patty that cooks, smells and tastes like a burger but is made entirely of plant, is inching closer and closer to Delaware. You can order one today at the Broad Street Tavern in Swarthmore, Pa., just a few miles across the border. Expect it to cross over soon.

Prediction #1: You’ll be eating your vegetables, even when they don’t look like your vegetables, as the Impossible Burger comes to Delaware.

Trend: One-Dish Restaurants

If there’s one thing that Sheridan and Stauffer both agreed on, it was that the hottest new eating spots in Delaware in 2018 probably will have fewer choices on the menu than ever before.

“The days of the eight-page menu, with 30 app options and 20 burgers, is fading away,” Sheridan says. “I love a menu that’s just two-sided.”

And while short menus have long been the norm at fine-dining locations like Domaine Hudson and The House of William & Merry, they’re becoming more common in the fast-casual space.

“The whole food hall thing, where there are a number of stands or stalls that all focus on just one thing, I think that’s going to be huge,” Stauffer says. “And Wilmington is going to get one with that food hall they’re opening on the first floor of the Hotel Du Pont.”

What’s happening at the hotel might be the future of eating, though I’m not privy enough to the plans to know if that’s coming in 2018 or beyond. Still, look for fewer choices everywhere you eat, and all for the better.

Prediction #2: The most exciting restaurant opening of the year will be in the fast-casual space, with a menu that features one item done very well (with maybe some room for customization).

Trend: The Evolution of Grocery Shopping

Headlines from 2017: “Amazon Buys Whole Foods”; “Lidl Opens in Middletown”; “Janssen’s Becomes First Delaware Supermarket to Get a Liquor License.”

What’s going on here? The way we shop for food is evolving rapidly, and the idea of what it means to be a supermarket seems to be up for grabs.

Local markets will look to improve the personal shopping experience wherever possible, especially at service counters, from the butcher to the cheese shop, thus taking a cue from high-end places that focus on that attention to detail.

But what’s up with Amazon? They bought Whole Foods and then promptly announced that AmazonFresh would no longer be delivering in Delaware, nor a host of other East Coast states. That doesn’t make sense … unless they have something up their sleeve for 2018.

Prediction #3: Amazon rolls up its sleeves and reveals the cards it is hiding up in there. Whole Foods Prime pick-up kiosks, maybe?

Trend: Market Street as Dining Destination, Part Deux

Two years ago, I predicted a Market Street boom … and there was a mini-boom for a while there. Most of the new-restaurant action shifted to Main Street in Newark in 2017, but it feels like we’re on the verge of another Wilmo surge as restaurateurs prepare to welcome all the new residents living in the soon-to-be-completed Buccini/Pollin Group apartments at Ninth and Orange. Dan Sheridan’s Stitch House Brewery should lead the way in 2018, and while I try to avoid specific predictions on restaurant opening dates, rumors of dim sum and crepes and even a cidery on or near Market have made it a street to watch.

Prediction #4: Same as 2016, restaurants may come and go, but I see a net positive five new restaurants/eateries on Market in 2018. And keep an eye on Shipley as an emerging entry point to the new Market scene.

Trend: Coffee on Nitro

Cold brewed coffee on nitro.

The best cold brew I tasted all year was a brown sugar vanilla latte on nitro from Cascade Beverage Company in Virginia. No, this is not yet available in Delaware, but the silky smooth taste of nitro cold brew is here, with open taps at the new Starbucks in the Christiana Fashion Center and the Brew HaHa In Trolley Square, but I see the trend only expanding as we move into summer 2018.

Prediction #5: Cold brew on tap. It’s what’s for breakfast.

Last Year’s Scorecard

Here’s how last year’s predictions stacked up:

1. More Eating Out of Bowls: Pokes pop up on appetizer lists around the state and don’t stop there. Watch for authentic Asian flavors in a bowl near you.

The poke craze heated up (as much as raw fish can) as the year went on, moving from appetizer menus to casual lunch spots, including two Poke Bros. restaurants on Kirkwood Highway and in Newark and the singular PoBu (a portmanteau of poke and burritos?) on Main Street in Newark. And I just attended a holiday party where our graciously gourmet host put out tuna, salmon, edamame, tobiko, cucumber and more, with rice and sauces, to create a DIY poke bar. Pokeboom!

2. Third-Wave Coffee: More quality coffee shops, increasingly local coffee production (perhaps another roastery in town?), and potential invasion by Stumptown Coffee.

No Stumptown in sight, but coffee lovers have something even better in homegrown craft coffee shops like Little Goat Coffee Roasting in Newark. (Coffee snobs, don’t sleep on the lattes. Owner Olivia Brinton, formerly a master mixologist at William & Merry, is concocting her own syrups.)

3. Breakfast for All Meals: Diners make a comeback. A new one will open, with a commitment to local, freshly sourced ingredients and breakfast all day.

We did get a new mid-county contender in The Metro Diner near Christiana Hospital, and they do brisk business. But the strongest showing for breakfast nooks comes from the south, where Egg in Rehoboth Beach was one of the hottest new restaurants of 2017.

4. Fast-Casual Takeover. Definitely on Market Street.

Not so definitely on Market Street. Still, fast-casual remains a fast-growing segment overall. See the poke craze, above.

5. Wild Boar Gets Tamed: It won’t be hard to find wild boar, ostrich and venison on menus in 2017.

A bit hard to quantify, but maybe I spoke too soon. Still, Ted’s Montana Grill has kept busy slinging bison at the Christiana Fashion Center. And Arby’s had venison sandwiches for one day in October, so … there’s your deer burger.

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In the Wake of the Fire

Damage in California’s wine country was significant, but not devastating

Having successfully returned from the area of the wildfires in Napa and Sonoma, I wanted to give Out & About readers a quick update on the situation in Northern California.

For the most part, the wineries of Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino Counties are open for business, although each area suffered damage to several wineries and vineyards. Wineries that were totally destroyed include Paradise Ridge in Sonoma and Signorello in Napa.

The destruction to the City of Santa Rosa was unbelievable. The Coffey Park area, north of center city, was decimated. Thousands of homes and businesses were destroyed, and some lives were lost.

I happen to have been right in the middle of that destruction. In fact, my group of 12 wine lovers that I had taken to tour Napa and Sonoma had to be evacuated from our hotel in the late night/early morning hours of Sunday, Oct. 8 and Oct. 9. The intense firestorm was just across the street from the hotel, where a gas station and a Kmart were engulfed. We were the lucky ones—we lost nothing and were not injured. There were wineries that were destroyed and some lost outer buildings and equipment.

The damage to vineyards, while not significant, did destroy grape vines in the Fountain Grove Appellation in Sonoma, Atlas Peak in Napa and Mount Veeder in Napa and Sonoma. Vineyards create a natural fire break because of the ample space between vines and the amount of water each plant holds. This limited the damage to most wineries in the area. It also was fortunate that the harvest was about 80 percent completed. Most of the wine was already in barrels and will have no smoke problems.

Pricing should remain strong and no price increases are expected. In fact, the best way to support the wine industry in California is to continue to buy wines from the areas that were affected.

And don’t change plans if you intend to travel to the Bay area, but do call ahead to be certain that the wineries remain open. Because of the displacement of much of the work force, tasting room hours may be cut back.

John Murray is co-owner of State Line Liquors and a regular contributor to Out & About Magazine.

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Coffee With a Kick

Newark gets its own micro roastery, Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co.

Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co., which opened early this fall on Haines Street in Newark, roasts and sells specialty coffee in an atmosphere that achieves a customer-pleasing trifecta: approachable, unfussy and quality-centered.

It’s a third-wave micro roastery and coffee shop, leaning more toward roastery—as indicated by the limited seating and little-to-no food on the menu. The space is home base for wholesale distribution in New Castle County, say owners Joe Lins and Olivia Brinton. Today, each is clutching a mug of coffee or espresso cup and they intermittently step behind the bar to refuel while discussing their new enterprise.

They would eventually like to see every fine dining restaurant within a 20-mile radius serve Little Goat coffee, Brinton says. With national daily gourmet coffee consumption up 10-15 percent from last year for consumers between the ages of 18 and 60, that would seem to be an achievable goal.

“We are really focused on the quality of the cup of coffee,” says Brinton. “And we hope that each customer that comes here for a cup will think of us when they want to buy a bag of beans.”

And people are buying, whether it’s an $8 half-pound, $14 pound or $50 five-pound bag. So far, the roaster has gone through about seven 150-pound burlap bags a month. Consumption is split evenly between café sales and wholesale distribution, which, at this point, consists of Hockessin’s The Perfect Cup Café and The House of William & Merry.

The café space at Little Goat is small and open, cozy but contemporary while avoiding industrial-style tropes. Here, you can be a purist sans pretention while still tossing around phrases like “tasting notes” without garnering eye-rolls.

“I think our goal is to make really good coffee accessible to anyone, rather than it being an unapproachable topic; you’re scared to ask questions at some places,” says Brinton.

Co-owner Olivia Brinton (right) with the Lins family: co-owner Joe, his wife Elizabeth and their children, Lola, Finnegan and Henry. Photo by Krista Connor

They diversify their selection—sourcing from different places at a time is more sustainable than having one go-to—though Brinton says they’ll typically have Sumatran and Central or South American beans year-round with a wild card like an Ethiopian bean—which is something of a special coffee anyway. A popular Ethiopian legend tells how coffee was discovered by an 11th century goat herder named Kaldi, who found his goats full of unusual energy after eating the red fruit of the coffee shrub. Kaldi tried the fruit and had a similar reaction. Hence the name Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co.

The collaboration between Lins and Brinton, who are old family friends, began to brew about five years ago. Lins, a stone mason looking to transition into something that his wife Elizabeth could be a part of, was developing an interest in home roasting. Meanwhile, Brinton, recently returned from working at a coffee roastery in Asheville, N.C., during college, had the necessary background.

They began selling wholesale coffee at farmers markets over the past year, a build-up to opening the current shop, which is in the building where the Switch skateboarding store was before it moved to Main Street. (“We kept the skateboard door handles as a tribute to them,” says Brinton). The location is prime because of the foot traffic between Main Street and Delaware Avenue.

Lins and Brinton are involved in the entire process their coffee undergoes, from its plant origin to its aromatic dive into a paper bag (featuring a hand-stamped logo), which is then displayed along a chalkboard wall advertising the roasts of that day or week. The star of the show—the roaster —sits in unassuming glory through a side door, like a heroine not yet aware that she’ll save the day. It’s surrounded by bags of green—raw, unroasted—beans awaiting their metamorphosis.

Today, Lins plans on roasting Colombian beans. The process is surprisingly simple. He stands on tip-toes and hoists a bin of green coffee beans through the drum at the top of the roaster, and pours. This Colombian coffee has tasting notes of brown sugar, sweet orange and sugar cane, according to Brinton. “And if we can get some of those tasting notes to come through after roasting, then it’s a job well done.” As with good wine, the tasting notes come from the source itself with no added flavors. This is due to terroir, cultivation, harvesting, etc. One bin even smells like blueberries.

The coffee bean roasting process takes only about 15 minutes. Photo by Krista Connor

Meanwhile, visible through a tiny porthole on the roaster, the Colombian beans are roiling like clothes in a dryer, turning brown. When they are sufficiently roasted after about 15 minutes, Lins presses a lever and a silver metal mouth spews the beans into the cooling bin.

Lins and Brinton move immediately toward the bin and their expert eyes look for “bad beans,” which means anything under-ripe or otherwise unsatisfactory. They toss out only one or two.

“We’re really proud of these beans,” says Lins. “The farmer goes through such effort, and it shows.”

Each of Little Goat’s coffees is traced back to its farm of origin. For Brinton and Lins’ own records, a laminated printout of, say, a Peruvian bean shows a photo of the farmer, exact geographical location of the cooperative and a detailed description of the region. Little Goat doesn’t actually source directly from growers because, as Brinton puts it, the small quantities wouldn’t be worth it for the farmer. Instead, a New York-based specialty green bean importer, Royal Coffee, does the sourcing and works closely with the growers.

Royal Coffee—and beans certified by sustainability auditor Rain Forest Alliance—align with Little Goat’s ethics, which is a word that comes up frequently in conversation here.

“We can’t grow coffee in the continental United States, so the best we can do is source it, as the second-most traded commodity in the world, as ethically responsibly as we can,” says Brinton.

Coffee beans before the roasting process. Photo by Krista Connor

Royal Coffee monitors labor and payment and always purchases the next year’s harvest a year in advance, so that farmers are guaranteed business. Royal also encourages community growth. For example, if a town builds a school, Royal may pay an extra $2 a pound for coffee. Likewise, Royal holds communities accountable to their projects and product.

Brinton says she and Lins apply that same sourcing ethic to all aspects of the business, down to the café sweetener and creamer for those who opt to use it. Organic dairy is sourced from Natural by Nature in Newark, and honey comes from a local beekeeper; all the perfected details come together in tribute to the one thing that matters most: That pure, unblemished green bean.

“We do spend a little more on the quality of our green beans than most places,” says Brinton. “If anything, we feel pressure to roast these beans the best way possible because they are super special.”

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Gifts With Good Taste

Here’s a smorgasbord of satisfying food and drink options that are easy answers to your gifting dilemmas

The clock is ticking, and you still haven’t finished your holiday shopping. In addition to buying for family and friends, you need presents for your dog-sitter, housekeeper, and administrative assistant. You’ve also got a stack of event invitations, which means you need to stock up on host and hostess gifts.
Lower your stress level by relying on a present that’s sure to please. Everyone needs to sup and sip. Here are a few delicious ideas.

A bottle—or more—of cheer

This go-to gift is the usual choice for the person who’s throwing the party. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of wine or a six-pack. But it’s also ideal if you know that several people on your shopping list have a penchant for a certain type of beer or a local wine.

Many area purveyors are offering special releases or packages during the season. Dogfish Head, the big daddy of Delaware’s craft beer scene, has released a 12-pack with four varieties of ales, including Sixty One, an exclusive that is a hybrid of continually hopped 60 Minute IPA and Syrah grapes. The other ales in the pack are 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA and Indian Brown Dark IPA. Look for the set at stores throughout Delaware. dogfish.com.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has released Reindeer’s Revenge, a four-pack of an American-style Belgian golden ale with flavors of grapefruit, spice, and banana. For the holidays, you can also purchase four-packs of Russian Imperial Stout and 750-milliliter bottles of Iron Hill’s special reserve selections. (Buy a case of reserves and you’ll get 10 percent off.) Iron Hill’s growler gift pack includes the 64-ounce bottle, two glasses with the company logo and a $20 gift card. ironhillbrewery.com.

Local brewers aren’t the only ones highlighting the season. Chaddsford Winery’s Holiday Spirit is a spiced red wine with a hint of sweetness, cinnamon and cloves. You can drink it warm or cold with an orange peel. chaddsford.com.

If you’re not sure what your wine-lover likes, consider a gift card from Penns Woods Winery, also in Chadds Ford. You can buy $25 to $200 cards online. They’re delivered via UPS. pennswoodsevents.com.
Frank Pagliaro of Frank’s Wine in Wilmington says many customers are buying his wine-of-the-month club memberships for friends. “That always seems to be a huge gift item,” he says. “For $149.99, you get a bottle each month and the opportunity to purchase more of that wine for 25 percent off during that month.” He expects that bourbon, rye, and Irish whiskey will be popular gift items since these categories of spirits are “on fire” right now. frankswine.com.

Don’t know whether they like Grey Goose or Tito’s? Give the mixologist in your life all the fixings for the perfect cocktail with a subscription to the Shaker & Spoon Cocktail Club. The monthly delivery is a box with three recipes and everything needed to make 12 drinks—except the alcohol. shakerandspoon.com.

Spirited weekend

If you have a serious Dogfish fan in the family, buy him or her the Spirited Weekend package offered by Dogfish Head Distilling Co. Held from Jan. 12-14, the weekend includes two nights at the Dogfish Inn in Lewes and guided tours of all the Dogfish Head properties in coastal Delaware, including Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Dogfish Head Brewings & Chesapeake & Maine. That’s not all. The package also features an exclusive bottle of Rum Casked Whiskey in a handmade wooden box, a Moscow Mule happy hour at Striper Bites (the restaurant next to the inn), a fireside chat with Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione, a mixology class, and a discount code to use on spirits at the Milton brewery. Transportation to the Dogfish Head properties is included. dogfishheadbrewery.ticketleap.com.

Winter coffee break

Gifts that go down easy aren’t limited to booze. This season, Brandywine Coffee Roasters, started by Brew Ha Ha! founder Alisa Morkides, is offering Doe Run, a limited release blend of Gustavo de Jesus Rivera Colombian micro lot and Costa Rica Cereza Roja Natural. It’s a light roast combination that will take the chill off winter mornings. According to Morkides, it’s a full-bodied blend with tasting notes of cocoa, raspberry, cranberry, and ginger snaps. brandywinecoffeeroasters.com.

The roast is also available at the Brew Ha Ha! cafés, which are now selling holiday latte drinks, including Candy Cane Latte, Frosted Gingerbread, White Mocha Matcha, and Salted Caramel Mocha. brewhaha.com.

Carnivore’s delight

For the meat-eater in your family, consider The Meat House’s Butcher’s Club Membership. The recipient will receive a choice of one to 12 options each month for six months. Selections might include filet mignon, jumbo shrimp, cowboy steaks, prime New York strip or rib-eye. If you just want to purchase a special item from the Chadds Ford shop, peruse exotic sausages made with wild boar, alligator or pheasant. themeathouse.themeathouse.com/pa-chaddsford.

You can also sign him or her up for the Stock Yards Steakhouse Club, offered by Harry & David. There are three- , six- and 12-month options. Despite the name, the selections feature more than red meat. An oven-roasted turkey comes in November, for instance, and spiral-sliced ham is the April feature. harryanddavid.com.

Local favorites

If you’re traveling during the holidays, and want to give your hosts a taste of the First State, there are plenty of options.

If you’re not going far, Grotto Pizza sells frozen, shrink-wrapped bake-at-home pizzas. grottopizza.com.
Claymont Steak Shop uses a special wrapping process for those who want to transport subs out of the immediate area. claymontsteakshop.com.

Bring your Delaware “transplant” a sub from Claymont Steaks. Photo Anthony Santoro

And both of these Delaware-based businesses offer gift cards. “They’re popular as stocking stuffers and thank-you gifts for clients and employees,” says Demi Kollias, owner of Claymont Steak Shop, which has three locations in New Castle County.

Put together a package of local ingredients, including products from Wilmington Pickling Company. You can find them at Locale BBQ Post in Wilmington’s Little Italy. (Dan Sheridan owns both businesses.) localbbqpost.com.

The pickles are also available at Janssen’s Market, which increases its supply during the holidays to meet demand. janssensfinefoods.com.

Add a box of chocolates from Govotos, which has been part of area family holidays since it opened in 1894. There is a location downtown as well as one in Talleyville. Prefer to send by mail? The shop ships orders from Oct. 1 through May 15. Gift certificates are also available. govatoschocolates.com.

There are several area bakeries that sell goods that are beloved holiday staples. Serpe & Sons Bakery in Elsmere reopened in October 2016 after a devastating fire. Once again, you can grab some Italian pastries or cookies and a slice of tomato bread for yourself. serpesbakery.com.

You can also buy Italian goods, from panettone to homemade cannoli to prosciutto, at Papa’s Food Market in Little Italy. Search Papa’s Food Market on Facebook.

Bountiful basket

Those who don’t want to DIY a gift basket can turn to the pros. In north Wilmington, Janssen’s Market is the go-to place. “Gift baskets are always popular,” says Paula Janssen, who owns the store with her

A bountiful gift basket from Janssen’s Market. Photo courtesy of Janssen’s Market

parents. But not just any gift basket. “Fruit baskets are no longer as common—very few families can eat an entire basket of fruit before it goes bad,” she notes. She says the team prefers to work with the giver to personalize a basket to suit the recipient’s preferences. It may include several pieces of fruit.
Note that Janssen’s is still the place for hard-to-find items that were once holiday staples. Picture plum pudding, fruitcake, mincemeat and stollen, a fruit bread.

Meal plan

When all else fails, there’s the gift card to the recipient’s favorite full-service restaurant. “You’re not giving just food; you’re giving an experience,” says Xavier Teixido, owner of Harry’s Savoy Grill and co-owner of Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal Grill & Saloon.

You won’t be the only one opting for an easy way out. “Each year, our gift card sales increase,” Teixido says. It helps that restaurants like Harry’s Savoy Grill offer completely digital transactions. Not only can you buy them online, but you can also send them digitally to the recipients, who can redeem them using their mobile phones. “You need a last-minute gift, you can send it to them or print it out and take it to their house,” says Teixido, who acknowledged that many people still feel more secure with a card in hand. harryshospitalitygroup.com.

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Foods that Fight Colds

Bone broth, elderberries and fire tonics are some of the weapons you can use to fend off those winter maladies

Winter is coming and with it, cold and flu season.

The 2018 Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts that Delaware will see a “mild, wet” winter that will be colder than last year (but not colder than usual). And as the temperature drops, our biological response is to crave comfort foods and drinks—those laden with carbohydrates, sugar and fat. Coupled with a decrease in activity, that does not bode well for our health.

These foods, according to Henry Long, wellness manager at Harvest Market in Hockessin, create “an acidic environment,” which decreases our ability to fight off colds and viruses and causes unnecessary inflammation.

“Most of us have real, chronic cases of inflammation from high levels of cortisol and stress,” says Long. While inflammation is a normal, healthy response to injury or infection, chronic cases can make you more susceptible to getting and staying sick through the colder months.

Before you reach for over-the-counter remedies for winter maladies, consider a trip to the grocery store. You can bolster your immune system and perhaps avoid colds and other winter illnesses with items from the produce aisle. And even if you end up catching a cold, certain foods can help decrease the length of your sickness.

For guidance on the best foods and drinks that ward off colds, we got input from four local experts:

• Liz Freeman Abel, a licensed dietitian/nutritionist and owner of free + abel, a “food + lifestyle” company based in Delaware.
• Sasha Aber, owner of Home Grown Café, Newark.
• Tricia Jefferson, licensed dietitian/nutritionist and director of healthy living and strategic partnerships, YMCA of Delaware.
• Henry Long, wellness manager at Harvest Market, Hockessin.

Color Counts

In selecting cold-fighters for your diet, go for color, says Jefferson. “We should eat a variety of colorful foods on a regular basis. They’re loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, E and zinc, among others—which protect cells from oxidation or damage.”

Adds Abel: “Pick foods that are red, orange or yellow, like beets, carrots and peppers.” These bright-colored vegetables are high in beta carotene (vitamin A) and immune boosters.

In addition, Abel says that “eating locally and with the seasons keeps your body in sync with the rhythms of nature. Our eating (in the fall and winter) tends to mirror how we’re feeling, so stick with ground-based foods that are native to this area, like leafy and root vegetables.”

Here’s a handy guide to fruits and vegetables arranged by the color spectrum:

Red – apples, red peppers
Orange – oranges, sweet potatoes
Yellow – pineapple, sweet corn
Green – kiwi, spinach
Blue/Purple – blueberries, eggplant
Brown – ginger, parsnips

Not only are these fruits and vegetables appealing to the eye, they keep our immune system healthy and productive. For example, zinc is a water-soluble vitamin that we need on a regular basis; it can be found in “pumpkin seeds, spinach, animal proteins, oysters and mussels,” says Abel.

This fall Home Grown Café, known for its made-from-scratch food, will serve two dishes that will supply important micronutrients. The first is a traditional Belgian mussel dish made with Belgian beer (which will rotate depending on what’s on tap), garlic, shallots, fresh thyme, smoked ham, whole grain mustard, black pepper and fresh lemon. The second is a perennial favorite, a vegetarian southwestern chili made with pinto and black beans, peppers, onions, tomato, Chipotle peppers, spices, tortilla croutons and jalapeño.

For those looking for an all-natural preventative, try making your own elderberry syrup. All you need are dried or fresh elderberries, water and sweetener. Clinical studies suggest that it boosts our immune status, which helps combat viruses that cause the common cold and flu. Elderberry is also known to “reduce mucus by decreasing swollen membranes,” says Jefferson.

If you can’t find dried or fresh elderberries, Harvest Market carries a bluish-black elixir made from elderberries by Areté, a wellness company based in Chester County, Pa. Have a bottle ready before the chills and aches begin, so you don’t have to consume the terrible-tasting cough syrup we’re all accustomed to.

And, if you’re feeling super adventurous, consider preparing a fire tonic. As its name suggests, this tonic is a fermented concoction taken to warm the body and act as a homemade preventative to stave off infection and colds. The standard fire tonic includes a base made of apple cider vinegar and a mix of ingredients, usually horseradish, garlic, onion and ginger. These ingredients are placed in a jar and allowed to steep for a couple of weeks. After this fermentation period the concoction is strained and stored in the fridge to keep it fresh.

Take one tablespoon daily to boost your immune system (pro tip: add a drop of sweetener to cut the spiciness). If you feel it’s not working, increase your intake up to one tablespoon three times a day.

Warming Foods

As far as foods go, everyone agreed that hot liquids are the best remedy for cold-related illnesses. Not only do they raise our core body temperature, they also stave off dehydration.

“When we consume hot liquids, we breathe in the warm air, which helps moisturize nasal passages and soothe dry, scratchy throats,” says Abel.

And there is some merit in chicken (noodle) soup as the go-to remedy for when we get sick. Plan ahead and make a chicken bone broth before the fever and aches begin.

For those new to making broth, Long recommends using a prepared chicken in order to have it on hand once you’re sick.

Set aside one-third of the chicken meat for the broth (if consuming right away) and use the remaining two-thirds for other meals. Place bones and carcass in a large stock pot and pour water over the bones to cover. Add diced onions, carrots and celery in addition to salt, pepper and spices—parsley, sage, thyme and rosemary, to name a few. Let the broth come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. For the first couple of hours skim the surface of the broth. Then allow the broth to simmer overnight. Then strain, store in the ubiquitous Chinese soup plastic takeout containers and freeze for an entire season’s worth of bone broth.

Why is bone broth recommended? Says Long: “Homemade bone broth has many healthful properties. The salt soothes the throat; the herbs contain important phytonutrients, and the broth is rich in protein.”

In addition to chicken soup, tea and tisanes (herbal teas) were the favorites among our experts. They are readily available and an easy way to get warmth into the body. Though they all have different properties, they help us to stay hydrated during the cold-weather months.

Says Aber: “I drink tea year-round. It could be because Home Grown Café carries eight different teas and five herbal teas. We also carry Baba’s Brew Kombucha (a fermented tea that’s high in probiotics) on tap.”

The following are recommended teas and tisanes from our experts:

• Echinacea is an anti-inflammatory herb that strengthens the immune system and may reduce the

length of sickness.

• Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory herb that also calms nausea. Add slices to boiling water with some honey for a simple tea made in under two minutes.

• Green tea contains high levels of antioxidants. It’s readily available in loose leaf and pre-packaged varieties.

• Licorice: Says Long: “Licorice tea is great for upper respiratory conditions because it acts as an expectorant that opens up the bronchial tubes.” Licorice is known to elevate blood pressure, so check with your primary care physician before consuming.

• Turmeric is a fat-soluble herb in the ginger family. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is an anti-inflammatory that can be mixed with honey and milk for a soothing “tea.”

Other Alternatives

Taking care of the whole body while sick is just as important as eating healthy to stave off illness. Here are our experts’ personal recommendations for what they do when sick:

Jefferson: “When I start feeling off, I head to the sauna. It’s a way to relax and clear things out of our system by raising our core body temperature and killing bacteria.” Saunas are available at the Brandywine, Central, Dover and Western Family YMCA locations and are inclusive of the monthly membership.

Abel recommends counteracting stagnant indoor air by adding essential oils like cinnamon, orange and clove, or eucalyptus to “change the air quality and ease symptoms of a cold or flu.” Go one step further and add a couple of drops to a steam bath to open up nasal passages.

Long, who just recovered from a brief cold, recommended rest. “It means taking a break and for one day out of my life, a day to watch cartoons and nap with my son (who was also home sick).”

Aber advocates for “eating less processed foods in order to reap the full nutritional benefits.” This idea is reflected in the menu at Home Grown Café, which uses whole, nutrient-dense foods versus unrecognizable ingredients like potassium sorbate, a food preservative.

We all know intrinsically when our body feels out-of-whack before we come down with the cold or flu. Instead of fearing the worst, try adding these cold and flu fighting foods and drinks to your shopping list.

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Hold the Beef, I’ll Have the Bison

We invited five noteworthy locals to sample the signature bison entrées at Ted’s Montana Grill. Here are their verdicts.

An artist, an athlete, a writer, an event planner and a community activist. Those were the five personalities comprising our guest list for what we called our first “Out & About Roundtable.”
Their mission? To try bison entrées at Ted’s Montana Grill at the Christiana Fashion Center and rate their experience. We chose Ted’s because the chain serves more bison than any other group of restaurants in the world.

Most of our guests had only ever ordered bison once or twice, and no one had eaten it on more than five occasions. Since the meat is largely a rarity in these parts, all of them looked forward to the opportunity to try it again.

The evening started with wine and introductions, followed by conversation that flowed easily from one topic to another, with lots of shared insights and laughter. But when the food was served, talk revolved mostly around the meal itself. The guests also seemed impressed by the restaurant’s commitment to environmental practices and unique sustainability standards (See sidebar).

In alphabetical order, here are our guests and their comments on the meal:

Paul Calistro
Calistro has more than 30 years of community service, including 26 as executive director of West End Neighborhood House. He is also the founder, CEO, and president of the Cornerstone West Community Development Corporation. Through both organizations, Calistro leads community revitalization efforts on Wilmington’s West Side.
What he ordered: Bison meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes and “Aunt Fannie’s” squash casserole.
Thoughts on his meal: The meatloaf was outstanding: firm, moist, great texture. Unlike many restaurants, [theirs] was not masked by sauces, but stood on its own. Honestly can say it was one of the best meatloaves I’ve ever had. If you like meatloaf you’ll love this dish. The garlic mashed potatoes were prepared nicely and again required no additional sauces or condiments. Top quality. The squash casserole was not my favorite. It was served hot, and had a good texture but seemed rather bland.
Thoughts on ordering bison again: If I was offered traditional meatloaf versus bison, the bison would be my choice, hands down. Their meatloaf surpassed even my grandmother’s secret recipe. I also tried the filet and pot roast and was impressed with both.
Other thoughts: Don’t forget dessert and appetizers. Loved the shrimp appetizer and the apple pecan crumb ice cream dessert. Gigantic portions.

JulieAnne Cross
As the co-founder and head organizer of Delaware Burger Battle, Cross is perhaps the perfect person in this area to rate bison as it compares to beef. In addition to Burger Battle, Cross has a long history of promoting a multitude of local events, often utilizing her expertise in social media and her contacts in the region.
What she ordered: Bison filet with green beans and “Aunt Fannie’s” squash casserole.
Thoughts on her meal: I enjoyed the meal. I enjoy steakhouses, and there were parts of this meal that were “lighter” than what I’m used to. A small biscuit with the steak was smart. I can eat enough bread at an Outback or Firebirds to feed a family for a week. I felt like I had a lot of [other options that] I would have chosen from besides what I ordered. Great burger selection.
Thoughts on ordering bison again: This is at least my second time having bison. I quite liked having it in steak form. Great chewing texture, and a flavor that was very similar to beef, but subtly richer and lighter at the same time.
Other thoughts: I did not get this same impression the first time I visited. Hearing about the company’s commitment to the environment—the way each restaurant operates like a non-chain establishment, with hand-picked suppliers and commitment to farmers—really sold me on this unique restaurant. I hope every guest gets to hear about the benefits of eating bison and the breed’s modern history.

Henry Milligan
Known in this area as “Hammerin’ Hank” for his impressive boxing career in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Milligan still stays fit physically and mentally, working as a personal fitness instructor by day and an adjunct professor at Wilmington University by night. He’s also an actor. In fact, Milligan might be the only person on the planet to have traded punches in the ring with Mike Tyson and lines in a scene with Robert De Niro.
What he ordered: Bison Kansas City Strip with broccoli and sweet potatoes.
Thoughts on his meal: I am a big beef eater, and this compared very favorably with some of the best steaks I have had. One small negative was that the broccoli was not great: undercooked and bland. But the rest was superb.
Thoughts on ordering bison again: I loved it, and would do it again tomorrow. Can we?
Other thoughts: The methods of operation were interesting and seemed very meticulous. I am looking forward to returning, even though it is a little out of the way for me.

Terrance Vann
At just 25, Vann has worked wonders in Wilmington’s art scene, rising to prominence with his animated and thought-provoking paintings, designs and murals. Last year he received the Delaware Division of the Arts Emerging Professional Award. In 2016 he also created the March cover for Out & About.
What he ordered: The Avalon burger with French fries. I was drawn in by the Gruyere cheese.
Thoughts on his meal: I was impressed with the quality and taste of everything that I had. Especially the jalapeno margarita!
Thoughts on ordering bison again: I was curious at first because it’s been a while since I’ve had it, so I kind of forgot what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised because in my mind I pictured it being tougher than a normal beef burger, but the bison is definitely on another level. It is a little more pricey, but you can taste the difference in the quality compared to normal beef.
Other thoughts: Seems like they put a lot of consideration into how they go about crafting the food. Everything tasted fresh and looks like there are several steps in place to ensure quality. I like how they consider the environment and the lives of the animals as a part of their mission. Great food and great service overall.

Leeann Wallett
Wallett knows about food: She writes on the subject for both Out & About and Delaware Today, where she also writes restaurant reviews. Her Out & About piece about foods that can help fight of sickness in the winter months appears on pg. 35. Wallett has lived in many areas of the country, calling the Wilmington area home for the past few years.
What she ordered: Pot roast with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans.
Thoughts on her meal: It was a lovely meal with stellar company and outstanding hospitality. I was excited to try multiple cooking techniques/preparations, since we all opted for different entrees. Not only was my pot roast great, the bison filet and the meatloaf were solid on their own.
Thoughts on ordering bison again: This wasn’t my first time eating bison, so I was excited to try a different preparation (pot roast vs. burger). I was happily surprised at how lean, tender and flavorful the meat was. It even made outstanding leftovers.
Other thoughts: My first impression was skeptical, to say the least. But as I talked with the restaurant operator and [the staff], I was surprised at how much thought went into the branding and operation. These days, you hear a lot about “sustainable” farming/ranching/cooking practices and “scratch-made” food, but those terms can be very deceiving. However, Ted’s embraces this whole-heartedly and is disrupting the restaurant industry with truly “sustainable” practices and “scratch-made” food.

Ted’s Montana Grill is the result of a partnership between LongHorn Steakhouse founder George McKerrow Jr. and media mogul Ted Turner, also a notable philanthropist and environmentalist. In 2008, they launched “The Green Restaurant Revolution” tour, meeting with restaurateurs around the country—including Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C.—to promote sustainable restaurant practices. Ted’s Montana Grill is located at 3194 Fashion Center Boulevard, across from the Christiana Mall. To make reservations, call 366-1601.

Conservation Via Consumerism

Can adding bison to the menu help strengthen their numbers?

It is estimated that as many as 60 million American bison* roamed the plains during the times of the first colonies. But reckless hunting practices in the 1800s brought the species to the brink of extinction. By 1902, there were fewer than 800 bison left in North America.

Relatively speaking, the past 15 years have been a good stretch for bison. Last year, the National Bison Legacy Act, signed by President Obama, elevated the bovid to the status of “national mammal,” where it joins the bald eagle, our national bird.

More important, however, is the fact that the past 15 years have seen the largest surge in numbers of bison since the near obliteration of the species. At the end of the 20th century, bison numbered around 250,000. Today those numbers have more than doubled.

Oddly enough, restaurants share some credit for the boost. Ted’s Montana Grill, which opened its first store 15 years ago, now serves more bison than any other restaurant chain in the world. Its operators say that by increasing demand for bison meat, they have encouraged more ranchers to raise larger herds.

The sudden rise in numbers largely support that claim, as the greatest increases of bison have occurred on privately owned lands.

Ted’s Montana Grill developed a 22-page “Sustainability Story” to provide an overview of the chain’s high standards in conservation and environmentalism. In addition to reviewing their efforts in energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction, the document also includes a section on bison.

“The ultimate cornerstone of Ted’s Montana Grill’s sustainability efforts is bison,” it reads. “Because bison are a natural part of the North American ecosystem, bison ranching can be beneficial to the natural environment. Grazing bison help promote a healthy ecosystem with roaming hooves that function as natural tractors, aerating the earth and rotating seeds. Their waste is a potent fertilizer.”

Although a cynic might dismiss these statements as “potent fertilizer” in a marketing sense, they are not exaggerations. In 2010, a study of the American bison by the International Union for Conservation of Nature argued that the animals “have a marked influence on the patterns of occurrence, distribution, and density of other species.”

“No other wildlife species has exercised such a profound influence on the human history of a continent,” the study concluded.

Those are big words for a big animal—particularly one that seemingly gets so little attention. Maybe with more awareness and more interest, the bison population can double again over the next 15 years.
Nov. 5 is National Bison Day. Ironically, one of the best ways to celebrate and promote the growth of the species may be to order it for dinner.

*Bison are often inaccurately called “buffalo” (We all know the verse from “Home on the Range”: “Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam”), but the American bison lives in North America, while the two main buffalo species reside in Africa and Asia. A small population of bison relatives called the European bison lives in isolated parts of Poland.

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Talking Turkey!

Area chefs and food aficionados share their secrets for preparing the perfect Thanksgiving meal

Generally, what words of wisdom do you have regarding Thanksgiving meal preparation for family/friends?

I would say the most important thing, if you are tasked with the preparation of Thanksgiving, is to not overextend yourself. Make them bring some sides – you just concentrate on the bird and one or two sides that you know you can handle and knock it out of the park. It is hard to please everyone at a table even if it’s friends and family, so delegate and don’t say no when they offer to bring something. That way, if they don’t like anything, it’s just as much their fault as yours.

—Daniel B. Sheridan, Chef/Owner, Wilmington Pickling Co., Locale BBQ Post, Stitch House Brewery

The most important thing is not to stress yourself out! Plan, plan, plan. Make as much ahead as possible. Breads and baked goods freeze well, so make them a couple of weeks ahead and then reheat them on Thanksgiving. Be sure to put some water in an ovenproof container in your oven so that there is some moisture when you are reheating. Think about prepping your veggies and starches a day or two ahead. Make an oven plan: count back from when you plan to sit down to eat and have a checklist of when items should go into the oven. This helps prevent the inevitable “There’s no more room in the oven!” headache.

—Paula S. Janssen, Owner, Janssen’s Market

The holidays are about spending time with family and friends. Don’t let the food take you away from spending time with them. When time and schedules permit, make preparing and cooking the meal a tradition. If that is not feasible, then try to buy the more time-consuming foods. It may cost a little bit more, but it will give you the opportunities to be with your loved ones.

—Kevin Varrasse II, Owner, Bachetti Bros. Meats, Market and Catering

Specifically, any thoughts about how to prepare a turkey? What herbs and spices have we been missing out on all our lives? What about alternative suggestions for vegetarians or vegans?

Ingredients should be as fresh as possible from any reputable grocer. I usually grab everything I need a day or two before. You don’t need too many off-the-cusp seasonings or ingredients, just a nice turkey and the vegetables you need for the sides. Herbs like thyme and rosemary go a long way and help the house smell great all day. Since I’ve opened Locale BBQ Post I’ve been smoking the turkey the last couple of years for my family and some regulars and it comes out amazing. I brine the turkey, then make sure some butter is stuffed in between the skin and the breasts, then season very heavily with salt, pepper and some of our dry rub. I usually cut the legs off the body so I can control the cook time on them separately. A brine on the turkey is definitely suggested. Don’t forget to make sure you have a drip pan to save all that great flavor for some gravy.

—Daniel B. Sheridan

Honestly, turkey is one of the easier meats to cook—don’t overthink it. Start with a good, natural bird. We sell T.A. Farms fresh, all natural turkeys from Wyoming, Del., which are delicious. I rub mine with a dry rub: Chairman of the Bird by Madison Avenue Seasonings, and leave it to rest on the counter for about an hour before cooking so that it cooks evenly. Once I put the bird in the oven with a little white wine in the bottom of the pan, I don’t open the oven door. No basting, no nothing—just even heat. Check after several hours with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh—you want it to reach 165 degrees. Also, let the bird rest for 15-20 minutes before carving so that each slice is tender and juicy!

Some things to think about if you are having vegetarians or vegans at your Thanksgiving table: There are options like Tofurkey, but honestly, I think you are better off just eating sides. Personally, I just take one token piece of turkey—for me it is all about the sides! Instead of mixing bacon into your green beans or Brussels sprouts, have them on the side to sprinkle on top. Use olive oil instead of butter in your recipes. Skip the cheese in recipes—everything is heavy enough as it is! Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

—Paula S. Janssen

I believe that poultry seasoning is the key ingredient in cooking turkeys, although many people are experimenting with fresh sage placed under the skin on the breast.

—Kevin Varrasse II

Fantastic! Anything else we should know before rolling up our sleeves?
If the thought of cooking for everyone stresses you out, let people bring side dishes and dessert. Or pick up some items at your favorite local market—put it in your own dish and no one will ever know!

—Paula S. Janssen

When mom says get out of the kitchen, just listen to her.

—Kevin Varrasse II