Looking for a new happy (and chatty) hour?
Common Roots Cafe offers happy hour with food-friendly discussion
Plus three other food events to consider.
August 7, 2019 at 8:08PM
Conversation about local foods and regional farming makes many of us happy, so it's good planning that Common Roots Cafe (2558 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., 612-871-2360, garden@commonrootscafe.com) will host Harvest Happy Hours, which combine samples of new seasonal menu items, happy hour specials plus discussions on a variety of food-friendly topics.
On Aug. 8, Bertrand Weber, director of the culinary and wellness services for the Minneapolis Public Schools, will speak about their school lunch program (farm-to-table, kitchens in the schools, more). Drop by the free event from 6-7:30 p.m.
Other Twin Cities food events to consider:
Mastering the market
How fast can you cook a magnificent dish? Chef Andy Vyskocil of La Voya Brasserie and chef Adam Randall of Caribbean Smokehouse will demonstrate on Saturday when they compete, first racing through the Minneapolis Farmers Market to find ingredients, then preparing them over 30 minutes, to be presented to the hungry judges. Stop by the cooking challenge at 10 a.m. (312 E. Lyndale Av. S., Mpls.). Free.
A food truck roundup
You'd better be hungry if you head to the St. Paul Food Truck Festival, with its 40-plus vehicles on Aug. 17 from noon-10 p.m. (you can eat all day long!). Find sushi burritos and meat pies among the options at Mears Park in Lowertown St. Paul. New to the festival this year are 18 food trucks, with offerings from Belgian Liege-style waffles to Thai street food. The festival includes craft beers and wines, games and live music. Proceeds benefit Feed My Starving Children.
From the woodlands
Leave your hiking boots and walking stick at home. No foraging is required for diners to enjoy the annual Northern Foragers dinner on Aug. 22 at Cosmos restaurant. Executive chef Timothy Fischer, a serious forager himself, will deliver a six-course meal with surprise ingredients in both the dishes and cocktail pairings (pickled chanterelles! crayfish! elk tenderloin! elderberry-spruce ice cream!). Dinner with beverages is at 6 p.m. at Cosmos (Loews Hotel, 601 1st Av. N., Mpls., 612-677-1100). Tickets are $110 per person (tax and gratuity not included); make reservations via OpenTable at tinyurl.com/yyep3fla.
The 23rd installment of the beer fest will take place Oct. 12 at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis.
