http://www.thequestforzest.com/ A food and travel blog. Seeking simple joys. Sharing the adventure. en-us http://www.thequestforzest.com/feed.rss MODx 2.2.1-pl josh@thequestforzest.com (Josh Tuck) josh@thequestforzest.com (Josh Tuck) http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/gO3wUZ0ecBc/ We are all on personal journeys. We spend our entire lives on this trip, creating a twisting path, dotted with mileposts highlighting events both momentous and mundane. For some this passage is easy and the destination clear. For others there are road blocks and dead-ends; frustrations that fuel a fire of doubt about ourselves and leave us confused about the purposes of our lives. The desire to surrender to an existence of no importance can become great. However, accepting that the journey is long and difficult, for a reason, can begin to bring order to the chaos. A man who knows all about the u-turns, detours, and delays of a long journey is Bill Welter. At thirty six, he has run the family bank, been forced to give that up, played golf semi-professionally, and lived as far afield as Scotland and Arizona. Today he is the owner of, and head distiller at, Journeyman Distillery. Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:15:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=129 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=129 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/BBc_WcZ5keo/ In the grey, pre-dawn light of a hot July day, the narrow wheels of a truck crunch down a gravel back road in northern Indiana. In post-war 1920’s America, The Valparaiso Home Ice Company’s daily deliveries are returning a sense of normality to life. Blocks of ice for the ice chest, cool bottles of milk, and perhaps a carton of ice cream for after dinner. These simple treats waiting in small tin coolers on porches will make the humid summer days of prohibition-era life in northern Indiana slightly more tolerable. Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:34:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=128 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=128 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/oaJURhaMpkE/ To watch Chuck Kaiser mix a batch of sourdough bread is to watch a master at work. There are no recipes, no measuring cups, and no distractions. Focused completely on his task, Chuck quietly adds dashes of yeast and scoops of salt to flour and water to create the artisinal bread he loves. He started his professional career as a chef, but a bicycling accident lead him to be a baker. He has made his old-fashioned sourdough bread for many Fort Wayne restaurants over the years, and is now in charge of all the bread making for Club Soda. Decades of long hours and hard work have taken their toll on his body, but he loves baking bread and can’t imagine doing anything else for a living. Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:53:06 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=127 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=127 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/eaJl3cgg0IE/ Even with a bad case of the flu, or possibly a sinus infection, Columbus, Ohio was a difficult place not to like. The heat was staggering and the road construction was a challenge, but with very little planning on our part, we still managed to have a great time. It wasn’t exactly what we were expecting from a capital city with a major university. A “college town vibe” was all but nonexistent and the art museum was a mild disappointment, but Columbus held a quite charming neighborhood - German Village. In it’s narrow streets we discovered excellent desserts, espresso, Bavarian food, chocolates, and tapas. Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:23:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=126 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=126 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/JgEX-RH07j4/ Saigon is one of those restaurants that satisfies a very specific kind of craving for me. There is no other place in town quite like it in terms of atmosphere or menu. For people who aren’t familiar with Vietnamese food, or the south side of Fort Wayne, it can be an acquired taste. I know that was the case for me when I was first taken there. However, thanks to its grittiness and the unusual food, it is now one of my favorite places to eat. Tue, 07 Aug 2012 21:32:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=125 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=125 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/L4Xo16M9OgQ/ After college, I was a graphic designer in the advertising industry and I lived and worked in downtown Fort Wayne. As a small town kid, the tall buildings and busy streets, served as a reasonable facsimile to what I imagined working in Chicago, or New York, might be like. I especially liked that there were local lunch spots that only “downtowners” seemed to know about. Over the course of the dozen years I spent pushing pixels in various offices downtown, many of those cool lunch spots came and went. However, one stalwart was Dash-In. Back then, I remember being unimpressed with the food. It was fine, but I didn’t understand the fuss, and I assumed people mostly went there for the great atmosphere. Today, Dash-In is under new management and subtle changes are being made to take it from being another mediocre coffee shop, to becoming something truly special. Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:23:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=124 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=124 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/CHpOL5CjZsc/ The sign above Coney Island Wiener Stand in downtown Fort Wayne reads, “Fort Wayne’s Famous Coney Dogs.” While it’s arguable that “famous” is a stretch, there can be no doubt that during it’s ninety eight year history, it has certainly become part of the fabric of Fort Wayne. The narrow building on Main Street, with it’s long lunch counter has been a silent observer to generations of people enjoying a quick, satisfying lunch. Virtually everyone from Fort Wayne has been there at least once and they all have a story about their visit. For some, it’s a once yearly trip on a cold Thanksgiving night to grab a hot dog before the annual lighting of the old Wolf and Dessauer Santa Claus display. For others it’s where they were engaged, was their second home as a kid, or simply a weekly ritual. My story begins with a shaggy haired art student who moved to Fort Wayne from Virginia in 1966. Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:44:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=123 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=123 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/p0TRZxi-8b4/ Wayne Shive has been building things his entire adult life. He started with apartment buildings and custom homes, before moving on to daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes across the country. Later, he started, and ran, an electronics manufacturing company based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Years later, he returned to Indiana and once again, founded and ran a new company; this time, manufacturing aluminum. “I’ve done a lot of things. I’m what you call a serial entrepreneur,” he says. Today he considers himself “kind of” retired, but that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to build businesses and create new things. His latest effort is named Best Boy Co., and was born out of his love of cooking hot fudge sauce, and his desire to help victims of natural disasters. Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:50:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=122 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=122 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/fw8mJAW9CEE/ Victor Espinoza is a tough guy not to like. With his soft spoken-manner, he has a way of making you feel like an old friend as soon as you enter his shop. He also has a quiet dignity about him and a clear love of everything ice cream. His story is like that of countless others who came to this country with a dream, and it’s heartening to see him rewarded with success for all his hard work. Tue, 10 Jul 2012 22:30:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=121 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=121 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/1Y8i85ftt4I/ I love my summer Saturday mornings at the Barr Street Market. I get to roll out of bed, grab my reusable shopping bags, and admire beautiful produce while drinking a coffee and munching a gourmet pastry. There is no other event in town that offers the same experience or vibe. This Saturday, July 7, is the first day of the 2012 season and, as you can tell, my anticipation level is pretty high. Tue, 03 Jul 2012 23:45:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=120 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=120 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/pjq7Ht6YMtE/ As a kid growing up in Indiana, the only thing that really cut the heat of the steamy summer months was ice cream. Where we ended up usually depended on the nature of our visit to Fort Wayne. A stop at the mall always meant ducking into Breslers 33 Flavors for a scoop of orange sherbet on a sugar cone, and then eating it as sloppily as possible by the mall fountain. If we had brought our bikes in for a ride on the Rivergreenway, I knew my reward would be a scoop of strawberry or chocolate ice cream, again on a sugar cone, from the Atz location on Tilman Road. Curiously, even though there was a soft-serve ice cream shop in our little hometown of Churubusco, The Magic Wand, we rarely went there. There was a beautiful order to our ice cream universe, except for one wild card. No matter what we were doing, or where we were in town, it took very little convincing on my part to get my parents to take me to Zesto. Tue, 26 Jun 2012 23:27:13 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=119 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=119 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/iKJ-VJgn7VA/ When I worked in downtown Fort Wayne, I rarely ate out for lunch. I preferred to pack my lunch because it was cheaper and it kept me from having to buy new pants every six weeks. Each month though, I would have to take a lunch break to drive out to the southwest side of town for a hair cut. For no logical reason, I used this regular event as an excuse to eat out for lunch. I eventually fell into a routine of heading straight to Deli 620 for a tuna salad sandwich, jalapeño kettle chips, and if there was a nip in the air, a cup of soup. It has now been over a year since I last worked downtown, or visited Deli 620, so I decided it was time for a return visit. Tue, 19 Jun 2012 21:11:24 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=118 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=118 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/ldgzuvZcJJw/ If you’ve never ventured to the south side of Fort Wayne to experience George’s International Market, you are missing out on one of Fort Wayne’s more interesting grocery stores. While the bulk of the groceries are Mexican, George’s is the only place in town where large tins of Greek olive oil, dates from the middle east, and sauces from South America can be purchased in one stop. I’m here almost weekly to pick up items for Mexican meals, or to just browse the shelves of exotic ingredients. On this visit though, I was only interested in one thing, the Mexican café at the front corner of the store. Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:35:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=117 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=117 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/F8r8GPcok3k/ Our overnight ferry from Sicily arrived in Naples at 6:30 in the morning. With our goal of Mount Vesuvius literally in sight and our backpacks securely fastened, we walked the heavily trafficked one-mile to the local Circumvesuviana train station. We only stopped for a minute to down an espresso and a Nutella filled pastry with the train workers, policia, and locals who were starting their day at this unnatural hour. We were headed to Pompeii and the volcano that was responsible for its downfall, Mount Vesuvius. Tue, 05 Jun 2012 21:35:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=116 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=116 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/SoSHMg2-AnU/ It had been a hot day at the beach. The sun made the sand painful to walk across and the wind whipped it into clouds that stung eyes and skin. The water in Lake Michigan was so cold we could barely tolerate being waist-deep in it for more then a few minutes. That’s the thing about going to the beach in Indiana in May though; the odds of it being a great experience are just as good as the odds of it being regrettable. Likewise, we know that returning to a restaurant we had a fantastic dining experience at was no guarantee that it would be amazing a second time. We had little hesitation about returning to Valley Kitchen and Bar in Valparaiso, Indiana. Wed, 30 May 2012 22:09:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=115 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=115 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/9IRXctOkcQ8/ Blaine Stuckey is like the cool cousin that you only saw at the summer family reunion when you were a kid. A little intimidating, because he was a slightly older and biger than you, which meant he could easily throw you in the deep end of the pool. Yet, cool as hell, because he always had fireworks for you in his car. When we met the towering yet jovial co-founder of Mad Anthony Brewing, he greeted us with a booming, “Guys, you don’t have beers! We can’t do this without beers!” Like that cousin, Blaine’s imposing presence was immediately offset by his generosity, gregarious nature, and infectiously positive attitude. He is a man who firmly believes in doing what you love, and is as passionate about his work as he is about his community. With a frosty Ol’ Woody Pale Ale in hand, Blaine talked with us about how they brew their beer, their focus on quality, and what he hopes is “brewing” in Fort Wayne’s future. Tue, 22 May 2012 22:52:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=114 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=114 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/9_zWJZRUTyw/ On Tuesday, May 15th, Higher Grounds - STAR officially re-opened for business. Scott Thrasher Herndon, who was the manager of the old location on the corner of Wayne and Calhoun St., is now the proud owner of this location. Wed, 16 May 2012 11:58:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=113 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=113 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/vlBFywd520c/ In 2009 I thought my coffee fanaticism had reached it’s peak. I had an Aeropress, in my opinion the geekiest of all coffee gadgets, and a brand new burr grinder. Armed with beans from Old Crown Coffee Roasters, I obsessively tweaked the brewing process for each mug of coffee I made and analyzed the results. I felt like a chemist; only without the lab coat. However, while wasting time on the internet one day, I came across a video that showed me I was nowhere near as serious about coffee as some people are. Wed, 09 May 2012 21:49:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=112 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=112 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/l8L3zOLaH2o/ I didn’t know what to expect from a dinner at The Publican in Chicago. Those in the know all agreed it was a must for people serious about food and it certainly looked enticing from the photographs I had seen. Had I known we were blithely walking into a James Beard award-winning, beer-focused, farm-to-fork restaurant, I probably would have studied the menu harder before arriving; and skipped breakfast and lunch. Mon, 07 May 2012 21:28:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=111 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=111 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/gvmv65vvRbw/ Sleeping in is one of my favorite indulgences while on vacation. It’s one of life’s free luxuries, yet we rarely do it in our day-to-day lives. It’s even more rewarding for me after a long winter of forcing myself out of a warm bed, well before dawn, five days a week, to run off a few more of those stubborn holiday pounds. Aside from the potential embarrassment of peeing the bed, a grumbling stomach is about the only other reason I get out of bed at all on vacation. On our last trip to Chicago, this lethargy nearly made me miss breakfast at the one restaurant I really wanted to visit again; XOCO. Wed, 02 May 2012 21:30:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=110 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=110 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/flIAxUoLA04/ It was sprinkling when we stepped out of the hotel that morning. We were on our way to breakfast at The Bongo Room, a place we had discovered almost by accident last year, and a few rain drops were not going to dampen our enthusiasm about returning. The Bongo Room pulls out all the stops for breakfast and gives the first meal of the day the respect it deserves. Most breakfast joints are content to serve weak coffee, limp bacon, and starchy tasteless pancakes. At The Bongo Room, quality ingredients are creatively transformed into delicious new takes on the old standards. Fueling up here is our favorite way to start a day of urban exploration. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:39:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=109 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=109 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/Afafp8RFy7o/ Just off interstate 465 on the west side of Indianapolis, down a tree-lined back road and across a narrow bridge, awaits a dining experience you can scarcely believe exists within the borders of our fair state’s capital. On a hill, overlooking grassy fields, sits a 19th century barn that is home to Trader’s Point Creamery’s restaurant, The Loft. It’s idillic country setting started to work it’s magic on us as soon as we stepped out of the car. It was a quiet evening and the air was crisp and faintly scented with the smell of fresh cut grass and wet earth. A farmhand was turning over the soil in one of the large gardens and a curious barn cat stalked us from a safe distance. We could feel our pulses begin to slow down and our shoulders start to unclinch after a day spent in the heavy traffic of Indianapolis’s north side. Although we had just arrived, it was so peaceful, dinner was becoming an afterthought. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:24:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=108 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=108 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/TUx2Y-lrlUI/ Wicker Park is my new favorite neighborhood in Chicago. More than any other area, it feels like the city’s hipster mecca. Almost everyone is under 30 and sporting Warby Parkers, Red Wings, and concert t-shirts from bands I won’t know about until two years after they’ve broken up. North Milwaukee Avenue is crammed with bars, record shops, vintage furniture stores, second-hand bookstores, “recycled” clothing boutiques, and dozens of interesting restaurants. Here, everything that is old is cool again, and no place more typifies this aesthetic than The Wormhole Coffee. Sean Wang, of Trionfale Espresso, recommended them so we knew it would be good. As soon as we saw “Est. 2015” on the door, and the DeLorean time machine perched in the back, we knew this was no ordinary coffee house. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:54:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=107 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=107 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/UKR-_-Q0QFs/ I’m going to go on the record and predict that dim sum, along with tiny pies, will be one of the next big food trends. Dim sum’s bite-sized portions, wide variety of exotic options, and affordability should make it a favorite of food enthusiasts every where. Furthermore, the relaxed social atmosphere surrounding dim sum makes it a perfect “dinner with friends” and an opportunity to share many different items. Danielle is responsible for turning me on to dumplings, and in turn, dim sum. When she was in China, she developed a taste for the basic pork dumplings which were made fresh and served everywhere. Here in the Midwest, the dim sum we had at Phoenix Restaurant in Chinatown, on Chicago’s Archer Avenue, might just be the next best thing. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:52:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=106 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=106 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/jQFEA3OJ410/ Chauncey Ness is not the type of girl who backs down from a challenge. At 25 she is double majoring in Public Advocacy and Political Science; she is getting married in three months; she volunteers at the YWCA; and this past January, she started Simply Devine Cupcakery in Huntington, Indiana. When I was twenty five, I was blowing all my money on DVDs and aftermarket car parts, drinking as many Manhattans at Club Soda as my liver could endure, and spending my weekends at my parents house doing laundry. If I had been half as ambitious and motivated as Chauncey, I’d probably be well on my way to retirement. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:31:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=105 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=105 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/MhmK2aH5K0M/ Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:46:23 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=101 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=101 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/wOuvTKwck7s/ Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:45:54 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=100 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=100 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/JF3_FoYLuUY/ Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:44:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=99 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=99 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/k1UYCz0tOe0/ On our latest trip to Chicago we were in the mood to explore some new areas of town. On a tip from a fellow Supper Club member, we hopped the blue line to Greektown. We had the names of a few recommended restaurants, but as we looked in their windows, none of them felt “right”. Most of them were trying too hard to look like Greece itself, rather then a Greek restaurant. Santorini was the last of our options and we were hoping against hope they would offer something besides fake ivy, latices, poorly rendered murals, and blue neon lights. The moment we opened their red front door, and we knew we had hit pay dirt. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:32:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=97 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=97 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/GGEw3tfPR8A/ This week we wrap up our three part video series with Gladd MD on eating a more “paleo” diet. In week one Dr. Gladd explained how the paleo style of eating can help regulate insulin levels, and how that can, in turn, start to undo the damage from eating a steady diet of highly processed food. In last weeks video we took a look at some of the foods you should and should not eat if you are thinking of eating more paleo. In our final video, Dr. Gladd shares some simply ways to start eating like a caveman. Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:59:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=96 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=96 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/3jtPZAiN_HA/ After years of drinking coffee, and talking to people in the industry, I’ve come to a realization; drinking coffee is almost always a one way street. If you start drinking McDonald’s McCafes and then switch to Starbucks, you don’t often go back to McCafes. When you graduate from drinking Starbucks to the crafted lattes of Old Crown, Firefly, or Higher Grounds, you probably only go back to Starbucks when there is no other alternative. It’s not to say that one of these options is inherently better than another; it just seems to be the trend. Once people try something better, they rarely go back to what they used to drink. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:51:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=94 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=94 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/omLmy2jqneE/ This week, in conjunction with Gladd MD, we continue our three-part video series devoted to “eating paleo”. Last week's video explained how a paleo style of eating can help regulate insulin levels, and how that can, in turn, start to undo the damage from eating a steady diet of highly processed food. In this video, Dr. Jeffrey Gladd talks about the dietary restrictions involved with eating paleo and about finding a balance to meet your health goals. In the final video, Dr. Gladd will share simple ways to start eating like a caveman. Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:17:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=93 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=93 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/YOExx91xjGI/ The worst part about vacations is that they end. As our latest trip to The Windy City was winding down, it was obvious that we needed to head for home, but we didn’t want the fun to end. Even though we were exhausted from four days of exploring the city, we drug our heals through Wicker Park, struggling to come up with the flimsiest of pretexts to stay a little longer. What we really wanted was one last terrific meal before returning to our regularly scheduled lives. Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:05:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=92 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=92 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/BzxArAibsDQ/ This week, in conjunction with Gladd MD, we begin a three-part video series devoted to “eating paleo” and what that means. I was curious to learn if this way of eating was supported with real science, or if it was just the latest in a chain of flavor-of-the-month diet fads. In this video, Dr. Jeffrey Gladd explains what the paleo diet is, how it can help regulate insulin levels, and how that can, in turn, start to undo the damage from eating a steady diet of highly processed food. In the next two videos, Dr. Gladd will explain why the paleo way of life might be right for you, and how to start eating like a caveman. Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:55:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=91 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=91 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/k5-Fhp1C-0M/ In our last article, “Pizza Italiano, Part 1”, I took you through the steps of making a simple and authentic Italian-style pizza crust. This article gets down to the business of making a sauce and preparing a couple of our favorite toppings. The sauce contains only the essential ingredients, so it can easily be modified to suit a variety of tastes. The toppings for a roasted mushroom, or prosciutto and arugula pizza, are not only quick, but authentically Italian. Required kitchen gear for these recipes is just a food processor to make the sauce, a box grater for the cheese, and a large skillet for the roasted mushrooms. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:46:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=90 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=90 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/HtV_Q4vm69E/ I recently had the pleasure of sampling a remarkably good beer that was being produced in the central Indiana town of Brazil. It’s called Clay County Coffee Stout and, in my book, it was good enough to hold it’s own against any other well known stout. The important thing to note though, is that I said, “was”. Sadly, the brewery responsible for this marvelous stout, Bee Creek Brewing, has just closed it’s doors. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:51:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=89 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=89 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/bOGzIO_ou94/ Pizza is one of those foods I, like almost everyone, have enjoyed my whole life. Growing up, Dad would make pizza from scratch a couple of times a month. I can still remember peering over the counter top and stealing a nibble of Italian sausage or shredded cheese before he would shoo me away with a wave of his spatula. Through high school, Pizza Hut was my favored greasy treat which subsequently ensured a constellation of pimples on my face for every yearbook photo. As I got older, I came to love deep-dish Chicago-style pizzas with their cornmeal crusts and chunky toppings held together with gooey layers of cheese. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:26:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=88 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=88 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/5XrHVssqulQ/ As a kid, Powers Hamburgers was one of my dad’s favorite places to take my sister and I. We loved sitting at the counter and drinking a milk shake while we watched our little square burgers being squished down and smothered in a pile of grilled onions. My dad has never met a stranger, so we’d always talk with the cooks and the other customers in the tiny restaurant. It was just one of those experiences of childhood that is seared into my brain. Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:19:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=87 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=87 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/MfNPS7LxrTk/ What you are looking at is a half-pint of Mad Anthony Brewing’s Bent Rim Black Lager. As the tagline, “Do Good. Get Bent.” implies, enjoying a pint will not only help you smooth off the edges of a rough week, but part of the proceeds will benefit a good cause. Specifically, to raise money for the bike trail networks in Allen, Dekalb, Kosciusko, and Steuben Counties. Blaine Stuckey and his partners, Todd Grantham and Jeff Neels, are all avid cyclists and their desire to one day see all these northern Indiana trail systems connected, led them to develop this fundraising plan on their own. Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:09:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=86 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=86 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/hH-z7yRaZmY/ For most of my life, I’ve not been good about drinking water. I prided myself on not being one of those people who always had a water bottle in tow. To me, all the recommendations I heard to “drink eight glasses of water a day” seemed silly. For starters, I don’t get that thirsty, and secondly, who has that much time to be constantly taking bathroom breaks? In spite of my blasé attitude toward hydration, my mom never stopped reminding me to, “Drink water.” I kept ignoring her sage advice until this January when I learned her reminder ended not with a period, but with a comma. Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:01:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=85 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=85 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/U-mJdUrmdQU/ The crazy spelling of the headline is not a drunken typo, that’s the name of a Fort Wayne bar-be-que and soul food joint that a friend of mine and I tried yesterday. I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but I have never had soul food. Lucky for me, my buddy had some Groupon coupons, and his wife being vegan, I got the call to try the place with him. Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:52:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=84 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=84 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/a21VXUgSjJQ/ It’s no accident that Caliente Cuban is beloved by it’s regular customers. Gus Rodriguez and his wife Yalili Mesa make their bread from scratch in the traditional Cuban style and slow cook pork and beef using an old family recipe. Their black bean soup, rice, tamales, and award winning Papa Rellenas are all made by hand. When you stop in for lunch, be it the first time or the hundredth time, Gus and Yalili have a way of making you feel like family. However, their warmhearted nature belies the incredible hardships they have faced on their journey from life in Cuba to running a restaurant in Fort Wayne. It seems nothing has come easy for these two. However, their resiliency is inspiring and they are determined to make a better life for themselves no matter the odds. As Gus says, “If you allow the trauma to win, you won’t be able to do anything.” Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:13:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=83 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=83 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/nF455hXEfBY/ At the end of January, we talked with Matt Nolot, executive chef of Eddie Merlot’s, about the cookbook he helped author, Eddie Merlot’s: A Journey Through Taste. It is a beautifully photographed book, packed with over 250 recipes taken directly from Eddie Merlot’s menu. Chef Nolot spent more hours then he can remember transcribing the recipes from the crib notes he uses into usable recipes for the rest of us who only pretend to be professional chefs. Chef Nolot assured us that if you can bake a cake you can cook anything from this cookbook. However, Danielle and I wanted to see for ourselves how easy, or difficult, the recipes are to follow in A Journey Through Taste. Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:26:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=82 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=82 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/WEz8qE40TnM/ When we launched The Quest For Zest a little over a year ago, our sole intent was to have a place where we could share our food and travel stories. As the months passed, we discovered there were more people then we realized doing incredible things with food in our community. Chefs, restaurant owners, bakers, and farmers all had stories to share about what they did, and the importance of eating locally. As we shared these stories, you not only read them, but also visited their stores, farms, and restaurants of your neighbors. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:50:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=81 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=81 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/wo2BcouRZQQ/ When talking about the local food movement in Fort Wayne, the chef at Old Crown Coffee is as blunt as the cast iron skillets he cooks with. In his opinion, Fort Wayne still has a lot of ground to make up. Chef Johnny Bojinoff has been cooking with locally sourced ingredients for most of his career and he is frustrated that the local food revolution has yet to take hold here in a big way. His frustration stems from a deep-rooted passion for supporting local restaurants and local food suppliers. It’s a passion that was born in his grandmother’s kitchen, forged during his time in the Navy, and refined at one of the top culinary schools in the country. Now that he is running the kitchen at Old Crown Coffee, he is determined to change notions about eating locally, one meal at a time. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:49:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=80 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=80 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/ohcwJo7ahwg/ In a restaurant genre too often defined by predictable menus, overpriced cocktails, and pretentious “old boys club” atmosphere, Eddie Merlot’s has built their reputation as an excellent steakhouse by going their own direction. This success can be attributed, in large part, to their menu. It offers familiar yet creative interpretations of classic steakhouse offerings; made with high quality ingredients, and prepared by their talented chefs. Now, virtually all of their recipes are being made available to the public in their new cookbook, Eddie Merlot’s; A Journey Through Taste. We met with Matt Nolot, executive chef of Eddie Merlot’s in Fort Wayne, to get more information on what enthusiastic home chefs can expect from this book. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:12:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=79 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=79 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/pTVdycXOfH0/ Fans of 800 Degree Wood Fired Pizza, rejoice. Chef Matt Rogers will be opening his second restaurant, 800 Degrees Three Fires, this March. It will be located in The Shoppes of Illinois Road across from Fort Wayne Acura and it is named for it’s two pizza ovens and hearth. Rogers’ syas they will feature rotisserie cooked meat and seafood, roasted veggies, and more Neapolitan-style pizzas. He is painstakingly overseeing every detail of its construction and we think this restaurant is set to deliver a dining experience unlike any other in Fort Wayne. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:32:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=78 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=78 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/nZKh86ij9uk/ When we interviewed Chef Aaron Butts of Joseph Decuis this past summer, one of the stops was the hen house on the Joseph Decuis farm. The hens were free to cluck, peck, and wander around their small barn, or the adjoining grassy field which had access to a creek. Before we left, Chef Butts gave us a few of their eggs and said we would notice a difference in taste from the supermarket variety. We scrambled them the next morning with just a dab of butter and a crack of salt; was he ever right. I felt like I was eating eggs for the first time. Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:24:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=77 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=77 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/uoTKwsxgL18/ Getting to Palermo on the island of Sicily required us to pass through the mainland port town of Civitivechia. It is an industrial city that makes few concessions for the weary traveler. Through a cool drizzle we made our way from the train station to the port along a route intended for trucks and buses rather then pedestrians. We eventually found the shuttle bus to the ferry, and after the driver’s twenty-minute cigarette break, we were at the ticket office. There, we queued up with a motley crew of gruff looking truckers and a handful of other bewildered travels. Somehow, Danielle decoded the complex ferry schedules, purchased tickets, and before I knew it we were through customs and on a boat to Sicily. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:50:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=76 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=76 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/UkOMprpzQzI/ The road of life is an unpredictable one. Hard as it can be, sometimes the best thing to do is to roll with the changes and have a little faith that everything will work out in the end. Debbie Smith and Sandra Wharton did just that when they decided to open Vanilla Bean’s Biscotti and Pastry Boutique. If they hadn’t, their talents as bakers and business women might have gone to waste and Fort Wayne would be missing out on some excellent cupcakes, cookies, and biscotti. Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:43:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=75 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=75 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/_9JRqSb3wjY/ About this time last year I was wrestling with a fussy server and scrambling to upload The Quest For Zest in time for the new year. Danielle and I were excited to see our little side project become a reality, but there were some nagging doubts in my head. “What if I run out of things to write about?” or, “What if no one reads it?” In the end, those questions didn’t matter. We had a creative outlet for two of our greatest loves, food and travel, and that’s all we cared about. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 11:26:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=74 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=74 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/LtCW6XoTIkI/ Some video footage from our stop in Rome. After being awake for nearly 24 hours (thanks to an unplanned, six hour layover in Amsterdam) we blearily hit the streets outside Roma Termini. Operating a camera on that little sleep meant I didn't get all the shots I wanted, but I suppose that's as good excuse as any to go back. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:07:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=73 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=73 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/BApR7br3Kv8/ Sometimes I have a vision of myself sitting at a little wooden table outside a small café in Paris, elegantly sipping an espresso and enjoying a decadent pastry while watching the other trendy people rush by. Clearly this is a fantasy in nearly every way. The weather will keep me indoors in Indiana for the next few months, espresso isn’t really my cup of tea, and I very rarely fall into the trendy category. However, the glimmer of reality in this daydream is that I can enjoy a decadent, European-style pastry whenever I want at Madelines Bakehouse. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:27:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=72 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=72 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/eAvsK148zwA/ Caffeine addicts in downtown Fort Wayne will soon have an old friend back on the block. Scott Herndon, the former manager of Higher Grounds Downtown, texted me this weekend stating that he will be opening his very own Higher Grounds in the STAR Financial Bank building as early as January now that he has found an investor in Jim Khorshid. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:11:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=71 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=71 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/qVJ0ZolIQVE/ I am a huge Rick Bayless fan. His cookbook, Mexican Everyday, was the first cookbook I ever received and it played a big role in establishing my love of cooking. The more I cooked from it, the more I was inspired to cook from scratch as often as possible. A recurring theme of his taco and enchilada recipes was a recommendation to make, and use, fresh tortillas. When it came to something as basic as a tortilla, I wondered, “How big of a difference could there be between fresh and store bought?” Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:10:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=70 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=70 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/chnLhp8FymY/ I felt it in Venice, but ignored it. By the time our train pulled into Florence, it was undeniable. Dull headache. Scratchy throat. Stuffy nose. I don’t know if the pace of our trip brought it on, or if it was the pervasive odor of boat fuel and polluted seawater in Venice, but I had a cold. There was no way I was going to even attempt buying cough medicine with my poor Italian. “Avete medicina orecchie per i cani?” I’d have to muscle through it with a steady diet of espresso, pasta, and very little sleep. I wasn’t about to let the sniffles ruin my time in Florence; a city where art abounds and a wide array of epicurean splendors wait. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:16:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=69 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=69 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/rCm16o3N4cQ/ When it comes to beer, I’m a terrible locavore. As far as I’m concerned, the farther a beer has traveled, the better it is. Whenever I have the opportunity to visit J.K. O’Donnell’s for a beer, I invariably order one from Japan (Hitachino Nest XH), Russia (Baltika #6 Porter), or Belgium (Westmalle Dubbel Trappist Ale). These beers are all fantastic, but my preconceived notion about the superiority of imports has led me to ignore some domestic beers that are considered so good, they’re setting the pace for brewing worldwide. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:19:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=68 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=68 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/Xj-DxgosMZ0/ In April, we wrote about our time in the “Cinque Terre” in Italy. Glancing at our notes and pictures confirmed our desire to return someday. The five little towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore were impossibly beautiful. We hiked to four of the towns and found nothing but friendly, welcoming people and tremendously delicious food. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:15:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=67 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=67 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/ZGvvqtTog_g/ When I discovered Old Crown coffee, and began brewing their beans at home, it didn’t take long for me to notice my Mr. Coffee drip brewer was no longer cutting it. I needed something that brought out the flavors of the gourmet coffees I was trying, so I purchased a cheap French press at the grocery store. Initially, the results were not great. I was getting a lot of sediment in my mug, and the coffee was either very strong or too weak. After some research and practice, I finally had a method that yielded consistently good results. If you are new to brewing with a French press, or if you are curious about moving beyond your drip coffee maker, this article should get you headed in the right direction. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:02:00 EST http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=66 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=66 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thequestforzest/~3/bo6FiQ13RK0/ A quick update on the new Higher Grounds that will be opening in the STAR Financial Bank building. When I talked with the manager of Higher Grounds Midtowne, Scott Herndon, he shared some of the ideas he is kicking around for his new business. I was particularly happy to hear he will be supporting as many local vendors as he can. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:19:00 EDT http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=65 http://www.thequestforzest.com/?id=65