Issuu

SAVOUR SUMMER

ON THE GRILL

15 | HUGO’S GUMMI BEAR BRATS

2022

BASKETS & BLANKETS

12 | KOWALSKI’S PACKS THE PERFECT PICNIC

CHEERS!

9 | HER SPIRIT’S RHUBARB SOUR

Before

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7 �� Radiant Recipes Kowalski’s green goddess

8 �� Cheers to Her Spirit A shot of entrepreneurship

12 �� Portrait of a Picnic Packed by Kowalski’s

15 �� Gummi Bear Brats

“SAVOUR” THE SUMMER

fter living in Minnesota for the last five years, I’ve noticed several things about the culture. My top observation is that you Minnesotans know how to do summer. It’s cold and dark for six months of the year, but after being cooped up inside waiting for the snow to melt, the second the temperature pushes forty, Minnesotans are reaching for their favorite pair of shorts. I’d call it resilience. When June hits, everybody seems to be rolling up to the lake, hopping on a boat and discussing “the cabin” left and right. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate summer. In this issue, you have plenty of ways, to “Savour” the summer. We have a lineup of five summer beers from local breweries as well as a rhubarb sour recipe made with Her Vodka for you non-beer drinkers. Keep reading to find out everything you need for the perfect summer picnic with treats from Kowalski’s. If you’re really feeling adventurous, put one of Grundhofer’s famous candy-flavored bratwursts on the grill. There are plenty of new things to try this summer. Enjoy this summer sampler of the best products local folks have to offer to help fellow Minnesotans make the most of out these glorious three months.

SAVOUR

Seriously.

19 �� Sips of the Summer Your guide to summer beers

— With sincere gratitude, the SaVour team

THE JOY OF LIVING MAGAZINE

Publisher Carter Johnson

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm

Lead Designer Gaokangzoua Moen

Marketing Director Patty Steele

Photographer/ Photo Editor Paul Dols

Production Designers Laurie Ericson Melissa McElin Zoey Nguyen Mary Peterson

Advertising Brad Solem

Editor Corinne Stremmel

DISCLAIMER: Paid advertisements appear in Press Publications’ publications, including print and other digital formats. Press Publications does not endorse or evaluate the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement. Advertising does not influence editorial decisions or content. Press Publications reserves the right to refuse, reject, or cancel any ad for any reason at any time without liability.

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SaVour Magazine connects our readers and local businesses through personal stories and compelling images. We foster shared ideas to highlight creativity, the beauty of nature and perseverance. Our mission is to humanize the economic and community impact of supporting local merchants. The majority of content is paid for by our advertisers. 4779 Bloom Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN 55110 | (651) 407-1200 presspubs.com/savour | savour@presspubs.com

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6 SaVour

742806 669261

Green Goddess Sandwiches Ingredients: 4 -

1 5-6 oz.

Slices multigrain sandwich Kowalski’s Fresh Sicilian Basil Salad Dressing (from the Produce Department), to taste bread Handful watercress Kowalski’s Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (from the Specialty Cheese Department), sliced (approx.) Peeled and sliced cucumber

4 1 1 -

Leaves (approx.) butter or Bibb lettuce Avocado, sliced Heirloom green tomato, sliced Kosher salt and freshly ground Kowalski’s Black Peppercorns, to taste

MAKES 2

Directions:

Spread 1 side of each piece of bread with dressing. Top 2 slices of bread with watercress, mozzarella, cucumber, lettuce, avocado and tomato slices; season with salt and pepper. Top sandwiches with remaining bread, dressing-side down.

Kowalski’s

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SUMMER SPIRIT by Corinne Stremmel

jersten Merila wasn’t raised to be an entrepreneur, but on a road trip to Nashville with her husband, Steve, her entrepreneurial spirit, and in a more literal sense, entrepreneurial spirits, were born. “I like the structure of my day job, but I wanted to do something different for a creative outlet,” said Merila. Merila already knew a thing or two about the liquor biz from her husband, Steve, owner of Big Wood Brewery in White Bear Lake, but she wanted to do more than a regular distillery. She wanted to give back. The company’s Half Back to Her program donates 50% of its profits to other female entrepreneurs. “We wanted to have a give back component to the brand. We wanted to give back to other women entrepreneurs and as a first-time woman entrepreneur myself, I know how hard it can be to get funding.” Merila trademarked the name “Her Spirit” and like any good beverage added “Vodka” and by 2018, Her Spirit Vodka was hitting the shelves. “I thought it was the most exciting day of my life.” Ever since, Merila has been giving back to women like her, all of whom are selected by a board of directors. That has been the best part of the business, according to Merila who knows that a couple thousand dollars can be a real game-changer for a growing business. As for the vodka itself, Merila says it’s not the kind of spirit that smacks you in the face and can be enjoyed plain or with a few simple ingredients. “Especially this time of year I’m all about summer and fresh flavors and playing with them and seeing what tastes good. I’m all about keeping it simple. You don’t need ten ingredients to make a good cocktail.” For a simple, summer cocktail, try Merila’s latest cocktail she made for us, the “Savour the Summer cocktail.”

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Rhubarb Sour Ingredients: 1.5 oz 2 oz 1 oz 1

Her Spirit Vodka Rhubarb syrup Lemon juice Egg white (don’t let this scare you, it’s just for the froth) Rhubarb Syrup: 4 cups Chopped rhubarb ½ cup Sugar ½ cup Water

Sour Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake for about 10-15 seconds. The egg white should be light and frothy. Pour into a glass. Garnish with a thin strip of rhubarb.

Syrup Directions:

Bring to a boil in a saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer and allow rhubarb to cook down (about 5 min). Strain into a bowl, pressing solids gently to extract liquid. Save the solids and serve over vanilla yogurt or ice cream!

Kjersten Merila

presspubs.com/savour 9

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COME TASTE OUR FAVORITE PICKS FROM MIDWEST VINEYARDS & BREWERIES Minnesota

Please visit websites for details on upcoming events!

Rustic Roots Winery -

Scandia, MN

Dancing Dragonfly Vineyards St. Croix Falls, WI

Belle Vinez Winery -

River Falls, WI

JULY EVENTS

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694

Big Wood Brewery

7 Vines Vineyard

Dellwood 96

WBL

Roma

Wisconsin

Willernie

Roseville

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Saint Croix Vineyards

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APPLE BAKERY, (651) 429-7202

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Kowalski’s Packs the Perfect Picnic • Pannonica Rosé Wine • Milton Creamery Prairie Breeze Cheddar Cheese • Gourmet Thyme Too Pistachio Shortbread • Velvet Bees Gourmet Honey Butter • Bosc Pears • Black Cherries • Brown Butter Rice Krispy Bars

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Paul Dols

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Angus Meat Market

Quality Food and Superior Customer Service since 1963

(651) 484-9447 angusmeatmarket.com

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2700 Maplewood Drive (On Hwy 61, 1/2 mile south of Beam Avenue) Maplewood

Flicker Meat Company is an old fashioned meat market that’s been serving the great east metro communities since 1985. Stop in and see our wide selection of steak, pork, chicken, smoked brats, and more. • Homemade shepherd pie’s • Deli sandwiches • Minnesota meatloaf • Custom select cuts locally sourced!

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www.facebook.com/Flicker.Meat.Company 14 SaVour

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2002 ½ County Rd E. East, White Bear Lake (at the corner of White Bear Avenue and County Rd E)

The

candy-flavored

bratwurst you didn’t know you needed on your grill by Corinne Stremmel

Zoey Nguyen

here are a lot of weirdly delicious food combinations out there: ice cream and french fries, chocolate and potato chips, but none quite compare to gummi bears and bratwurst. Spencer Grundhofer, owner of Grundhofer’s Old Fashioned Meats in Hugo was confronted with the candy combination when he asked his friend, Joe Berglund, a mechanic, to recommend new bratwurst flavors. Grundhofer didn’t get the answer he was expecting. “If I make them, you eat them,” said Grundhofer when his friend suggested adding gummi bears to his brat recipe. To Grundhofer’s surprise, the brats became wildly popular, even getting on the Kare11’s 10 o’clock news. The brat itself is sweet and savory from the bears which melt in the meat, creating little colorful pockets where the candy used to be. “You either love it or you hate it,” said Grundhofer. “But it’s our number one selling brat.” The brat’s popularity required over 1200 pounds of gummi bears last year to keep up with the sweet and savory demand. Gummi bears aren’t the only candy Grundhofer has considered adding to his bratwurst. He’s tried skittles and his newest creation, an oreo bacon brat. “So far that one has been pretty good. It’s got that sweet and savory combo with double-smoked bacon. That’s been a big thing now to wrap Oreos in bacon,” explained Grundhofer. You might be wondering, how does one serve a gummi bear bratwurst? Surely this isn’t a mustard and relish kind of operation. While everyone has their own preferences, Grundhofer is a bit of a purist when it comes to his gummi bear brats. Just a plain bun will do for him. The bratwurst is just that good.

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s w e r B Local by Corinne Stremmel

Paul Dols

r a & B

What’s new:

Hops & Barrel, located in Hudson, WI wants to be the brewery where you can go to just hang out. Now back to their summer schedule of events, Hop & Barrel has live music and a lot of parties lined up as well as some more unconventional entertainment like pro wrestling from Iron Heart out of St. Paul. “We’re sort of the type to try anything and see what works,” said owner Justin Terbeest. And as far as we’re concerned, beer and pro wrestling work surprisingly well.

What’s now:

For a true summer shandy, try Hop & Barrel’s Lemon Breaker, a lemon craft soda blend with a low alcohol content. The brewery sources its craft soda locally from Spring Grove Soda, making Hop & Barrel the largest distributor of craft soda in Wisconsin. For IPA lovers try the Hazy Valley, a very approachable, hazy IPA with floral

ot summer days call for a cold beer, right? When the temperatures start to climb, you might find yourself reaching for something light with a crispy, citrusy finish. That’s what we tried to embody when we set out on a cold spring day in April in preparation for this story. The Savour team set out to sample beers from five local breweries, and this is what we found: five beers that we would personally sip dockside on a clear July day. Check out our picks and summer recs from the brewers themselves. Plus learn where you can pick up beer to go. If you’d rather hang around the taproom, these breweries have plenty going on all summer long.

Consider this the only beer guide you need this summer. notes, making it just thirst-quenching enough for a hot summer day. The 5th Triple is a West Coast IPA with a palatable, dry finish with massive notes of pineapple. Lightweights beware, this one packs an 11% ABV punch.

Where can I get some?

Hop & Barrel distributes throughout northwestern Wisconsin including the twin ports of Duluth and Superior. They can also be found throughout the Twin Cities.

Savour’s summer picks:

We loved the Muchos Ojos, a Mexican beer crafted to not be overly Americanized. “We tried some true Mexican craft beer and it had so much body and flavor,” said Terbeest. New Zealand hops give off a nice lime flavor for easy sipping. “You gotta know the rules to break them,” said Terbeest on crafting our top pick.

presspubs.com/savour 19

ood

Big

Local Brews

e r B

What’s new:

Big Wood has a new location brewing just four miles away from their current White Bear Lake location in Vadnais Heights. The small English-style taproom, inspired by owner Jason Medvec’s trip to England, is TV-free and the perfect place to catch up with a friend. “We’ve just outgrown the space,” said Medvec. The brewery hopes to move in early 2023.

What’s now:

Big Wood knows how to do beer, but they aren’t afraid to step into the increasingly popular realm of seltzers. Every month Big Wood is introducing new seltzer flavors like mimosa and Arnold Palmer. As for beers, they’ve been getting into classic German beers like the Großes Holz, a crisp German lager as well as a kölsch style beer, which Big Wood serves extra cold. Medvec provided us with a little fun fact about kölsches: they were originally served to German farmers as a refreshing beverage during hot summer days. For you IPA people, try the colorfully named Jet Pack Armadillo, which has just a hint of tropical flavor.

Where can I get some?

Grab a crowler or growler from the taproom or pick up your favorite Big Wood beers at any major retailer in the Twin Cities.

Savour’s summer picks:

The Blood Orange Hefeweizen stood out to us. Maybe it was the slew of traditional German beers we tried, but this one was giving the summer flavor we had been looking for. Light and refreshing with a hint of banana and clove plus some blood orange, of course, made for another easy drinker.

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tc hfork

What’s new:

Owner Mike Fredricksen has over 180 beer styles under his belt, but he always has more ideas coming. The pre-prohibition style brewery, in Hudson, WI is known for keeping all things local: local hops, local ingredients, even local water from an onsite well. Feeling peckish at Pitchfork? Their menu includes pizza, sandwiches and German-style pretzels, plus their pizza is made with spent grains from the brewing process.

What’s now:

A hoppy coriander witbier is coming onto the scene this summer. It has a nice malty flavor that adheres to its German roots. Pitchfork will also have a classic summer Hefeweizen with notes of banana and clove. Its slight bubblegum flavor adds a bit of a twist.

Where can I get some?

Pitchfork distributes a few varieties, mainly their French Toast beer, in the Madison area, but you’ll have to check out the taproom for yourself to pick up some of Pitchfork’s beers

Savour’s summer picks:

Just wait until you hear the story behind our pick, Chicken Dog, but first here’s the lowdown on our summer selection. It’s a rich lager with a low ABV, clocking in at 4.5%. Fredricksen describes it as “malt forwarded.” Now for its name. The beer is named after a chicken Fredrickson owned that acted just like a dog. “I would come home from work and the chicken would be waiting for me in the driveway,” said Fredricksen. “It must have imprinted on me.” Like any good brewer, the oddly behaved chicken became a golden opportunity for a beer name. “Yeah my buddy was like, ‘you should name a beer after it.’”

What’s new:

Lift Bridge has officially made its way into Wisconsin. The New Richmond location is now open, but their Stillwater location, which is the oldest taproom in Minnesota, is still the place for live music, wrestling and brunches. “It’s just a fun place to come out and party,” said owner Brad Glynn.

What’s now:

Brad’s innovation team had been releasing a series of smaller, exclusive varieties of new brews. “We’re kind of known for our flagship ones like Farm Girl and the Mango Blonde, but our innovation team’s job is to pick out cool varieties,” said Glynn. The latest release has been a line of double dry hop IPAs, or DDH, if you’re a real beer nerd. The double hops impart lots of flavor with a nice bitter balance to sweet malt. Keep an eye out open for another new release called Your Car’s Extended Warranty. Lift Bridge has been trying to contact you about this one…

Where can I get some?

You can pick up Lift Bridge throughout the metro at independent and major retailers. “Your favorite neighborhood liquor store should have Lift Bridge,” said Glynn.

Savour’s summer picks:

ive

r Sire

ft B ri d g

What’s new:

Well, the whole place is pretty new. River Siren had its grand opening this May and is already settling into the Stillwater community. The brewery is home to “river views and rotating brews” according to Brian Carlson who owns the joint with his wife Harmony. Rent out River Siren’s mezzanine level or hang out on the patio and watch the boats go by all summer long.

What’s now:

River Siren is rolling out their newest beer, Sunshine Baby, named in honor of the couple’s son who passed away not long after he was born. This witbier has a light, crispy citrus vibe with notes of orange peel and coriander. Her Presence, Apparition Hazy IPA and Calm of Chaos are among River Siren’s refreshing summer beers despite their occult names.

Where can I get some?

River Siren isn’t currently distributing, but you can pick up crowlers and growlers from the taproom.

Savour’s summer picks:

We picked Calm of Chaos, a good middle-of-the-road beer. Medium hops, medium body, spectacular sipping. A combo of Centennial hops and East Kent Golding hops makes this pale ale a crowd-pleaser.

What can we say? Folks love the Mango Blonde and we do too. It’s a fruit-forward blonde ale with a light golden maltiness to it. Made with mango puree, your first sniff and sip will be straight mango bliss. It’s not overly sweet and is very refreshing. The ABV is at 4.75% so “you can have a couple if you’re sweating,” said Glynn.

presspubs.com/savour 21

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Kowalski’s

Cherry-Quinoa Salad

SERVES 8

Ingredients: 2 cups 1 cup ¾ cup ½ cup

1 tbsp.

Cooked quinoa, cooled Pitted, halved fresh cherries Peeled and seeded diced cucumber Crumbled fresh cheese, such as queso fresco or feta Zest of 1 lime Finely minced fresh mint

3 tbsp. 3 tbsp. ½ tsp. ¼ tsp.

(approx.) Freshly squeezed lime juice, to taste (approx.) Kowalski’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to taste (approx.) Kosher salt (approx.) Freshly ground Kowalski’s Black Peppercorns, to taste

Directions: In a large mixing bowl, combine first 6 ingredients (through mint). Drizzle salad with lime juice and oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss until well combined.

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LAKE ELMO MN

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