Ask a Chef: Tory Miller, Where Should We Eat in the Madison Area?

by JBF Editors on August 23, 2012

We asked 2012 Best Chef: Midwest winner Tory Miller of L’Etoile in Madison, Wisconsin, for his top restaurant picks in the Badger State's food hub.

Late-Night Dining

Natt Spil

“No sign on the door, local DJs every night, wood-fired pizzas, and great bartenders—everything you need after a long shift.”

Quintessential Wisconsin Cooking

Culver’s

“Go for the frozen custard, cheese curds, and butter burgers. When you say Culver’s, you’ve said it all.”

Family Dinner

Ha Long Bay

“Every Monday I go here with my son, Remy, for a taste of Vietnamese, Lao, and Thai cuisines. My order goes like this: AP10, PH8, LS7.”

Date Night

Tornado Club

“An old-school steakhouse with delicious food and classic... Read more >

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Recipe: Oyster Shooters with Tomato, Lime, and Chilies

by Anna Mowry on August 22, 2012

Executive chef Andrew Hebert, who works under the auspices of Jody Adams at Boston's Trade, says the inspiration for these restorative seafood shooters came from his mentor. "When Jody was 16 and traveling in Guatemala, she was turned onto a vibrant and spicy seafood cocktail called vuelve a la vida ("return to life" in English). It's famous in the region for curing hangovers and pleasing the palette, but to me it screams summertime, and I love the balance of sweet and sour." At Trade, Herbert makes a miniature version with Island Creek oysters from nearby Duxbury, packing them with tomato juice, ginger, serrano chili, and citrus into a single slurp. When you need to jump start your palate—or yourself after a rough night—these little spark plugs will do the trick.... Read more >

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Recipe: Banana Pudding Panna Cotta

by JBF Editors on August 21, 2012

When Daniel Doyle and Katelyn Selin of Charleston's Poogan's Porch set out to produce a refined take on banana pudding, they started by tinkering with a standard panna cotta recipe. They boosted the richness of the base by adding cream cheese, then blended it with sliced bananas that were cooked in earthy brown sugar, butter, and bourbon. After several hours of chilling, the team completed their modern interpretation with garnishes of white chocolate foam and banana bread dust. At home, you can simply serve the pudding with vanilla wafer cookies or shortbread for your own version of this reimagined Southern favorite. 

Get the recipe here. 

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Six Bitters to Have on Hand This Summer

by JBF Editors on August 20, 2012

During these most idle of summer days, we need a damn good reason to abandon our towels and mindless reading. A nicely mixed drink is one acceptable excuse. To ensure that our August libations are of the low-effort, high-reward variety, we turned to Brad Thomas Parsons—author of the JBF Award–winning Bitters: A Spirited History Of A Classic Cure-All With Cocktails, Recipes, And Formulas—for suggestions for unconventional bitters that will add instant pizazz to whatever we're sipping poolside. - The Editors

Bartenders love to describe bitters as the salt and pepper of the bar, but I like to think of them as an entire spice cabinet of liquid seasonings. They play a pivotal role in bringing balance to well-made cocktails, and every serious home bar should have three essential bitters on hand: Angostura, Peychaud’s, and an orange bitters. While this trio will allow you to craft a multitude of classic and... Read more >

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