Jim Felger, Baker 1943-2016

Jim Felger, Baker 1943-2016

We lost one of our best friends on Saturday.   Jim Felger, the person many of you met at our special baking events, passed away Saturday evening.  Our grief is beyond words.

Jim and I met at the meeting to establish the Sandstone, MN farmers' market.  As the meeting was ending, I asked Jim if he would be willing to help me with my yeast breads (or yeast flops as I used to call them).  "Sure, sure, sure......" was his response.  I can't tell you how many times I heard those words from Jim over the next decade.  "Sure, we can make some coffee cakes."  "Sure, I can help you with your bread."  "Sure, sure, sure...."  Jim was always willing to try something, do something, help with something. 

Last year, Jim and I created a new pumpkin yeast bread.  Maybe you had some here last Fall.  It became a popular item at the Farmers Market in Pine City where Jim was a vendor each week.  When I suggested trying to create it, Jim's response:   "sure, sure, sure!"  Our recipe was pretty good.  But then Jim tweaked it (a couple of times).  Then it was really good.

A value can't be placed on what Minnesota has lost with Jim's passing.  There are very few 'old time' bakers left.  As grocery store 'thaw and bake' commercial products have expanded, most small town and independent bakeries have closed.    After his dad passed away, as the oldest son, Jim ran the bakery with his mom Stacy - Stacy's Bakery in Sandstone.  The place where Twin Cities Live filmed the fruitcake one year.  And for the next 2 weeks, Jim made 5400 pounds of fruitcake.  He said it nearly killed him....luckily for us, it didn't.  Later, Jim and Lois opened Jeffrey's Bakery in Hinckley (across the freeway from Tobie's)...named after their son.  Jim was also stepdad to Lois' 3 sons.  After Jim 'retired', he worked at Tobie's (you'll find Jim's xxxxx, or Stacy's xxxxxx, or Felger Family Fruitcake there), and Chris' Foods in Sandstone. 

When Jim worked at Chris' Foods, he always had a Saturday morning shift.  After the farmers market, I would meet there for lunch.   I'd ask, "Jim, what did you make this morning?"   Here's a lesson for all you folks who have trouble getting things done.  Jim would answer with something like (and remember, he was about 68 years old then):  80 dozen dinner rolls, 40 loaves of 8 kinds of bread, 6 kinds of bars,  packages of 12 kinds of cookies, plus making the dough for the afternoon shift (because it was only noon after all).  Let me just say that Jim helped me with my 'baking efficiency'.

Jim was a 4th generation baker.  It would be hard to describe the details of all of the skills that are implied in that statement.  When you learn at the hands of your mom and dad, skills that have been passed down from generation to generation, recipes that have been tweaked to perfection, with a standard of quality and detail that seems to be disappearing with each passing year....then you get a small sense of what Jim Felger carried in his DNA and what we will never experience again.

Our baking events with Jim were very popular.  Often, people lined up early...especially to get a handmade almond coffee cake or poppy seed ring.  I hope lots of you had a chance to speak with Jim when you were here....to understand what a kind and gentle soul he was.   I NEVER heard Jim say a bad word about anyone...EVER. 

A few people always said, 'oh, I'll try that next time."  Foolish thinking.  When Jim made something, I tried it right now.  I've had at least one of everything Jim has made over the last 10 or more years and I don't regret a single calorie.  I've learned that sometimes there is no 'next time'.  What I wouldn't give today for 1 bite of Jim's prune strudel....maybe the most delicious thing I've ever eaten (and luckily many of you were skeptical about prunes, so I always got one for myself).

Jim's baking ability and his kindness were phenomenal, but didn't come close to his artistry.  I told him often (and I am so glad I took the opportunity every time) that I believe he is the premier baker in Minnesota.  You don't bake for over 60 years if you don't love it - and Jim loved to bake every single day.  His knowledge was priceless.  His artistry was beyond spectacular.  On our Christmas cookie plates, I always put some of my cookies and some of Jim's cookies.  I usually put mine on the bottom layer...because who would want to cover up a single one of Jim's gorgeous cookies.

My favorite stories are about the people who took home 1 dozen cookies and were going to 'make my own.'  Yup, we heard it all the time.   Then the honest ones (but more often their spouse) would come back and tell me that they took home that plate of cookies and spent an entire day trying to make something that looked just like it.  The spouses reported that their spouse ended up with  lots of disappointment and feelings of inadequacy.   I can understand.  You can't expect to be able to do what was really the culmination of 4 generations of knowledge and experience on a Sunday afternoon.  Jim would have helped anyone who asked.

"Always use butter."  Never skimp on ingredients.  I can't tell you how much Jim spent on butter.....I've never actually worked with 50 pound blocks of butter....but Jim did....all the time.   You can't make delicious baked goods when you use the artificial ingredients that you find in all the commercial baked goods today.  If it tastes like chemicals, it's because it is chemicals.  If it tastes like butter....well then you know what to buy.

Have you had a Sally Ann cookies?  Houska (mmmm....cherry houska).  Grandma's Christmas bread?  I've had some of these plus hundreds more of Jim's creations.  I can't believe I'll never taste a product of his hands....ever, ever again.

Jim had been under the weather for several months.  So much so that he didn't feel like baking.  That's a pretty amazing statement all by itself.  But Saturday evening, he went to his baking bench, turned on the oven, took out the flour and sugar....to make one of his special creations.    That's where Lois found him....at peace near the baking bench. 

We will miss him forever........

Book Signing and Dinner at Agra Culture

Richard Dobson

Often we venture out to find dining away from the food wasteland of the northern burbs.  Wednesday evening we fought traffic and headed to Edina.  Our friend, Richard Dobson, had a book signing at Barnes & Noble at Galleria in Edina.  Entitled "Power Your Career: The Art of Tactful Self-Promotion" we anticipated and left with a few tips on engaging peers, vendors and customers from his new book.  Here at Marianne's Kitchen we make a point of learning our customer's names, thanking them and engaging in conversation as time permits.  That is why the kitchen is the communication center of everyone's home; it's where you talk and listen.  Tactful sharing is always good.

Agra Culture offers a 'made for you' healthy menu.  Similar to Marianne's Kitchen you order at the counter, find a place to sit and the food is brought to you.  It's an interesting combination of industrial and legacy design features dominated by large tables which undoubtedly become multi-party during busy periods.  A visit to their web site indicates locations in Uptown and at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in addition to Edina.

We ordered a Harissa Chicken Sandwich and Chicken Tacos with brown rice.
Our own Marianne's Kitchen's Harissa is more traditionally seasoned, infused with cumin and coriander. We might give them a sample. The idea of fresh food is great but we like a wider range of flavors plus freshness.  One of the wait staff asked about our meal and confirmed that the harissa was weakly flavored.  The sandwich and the tacos were $9.50 each.  The portions were small.  We left considering more food elsewhere.  It would be a great place to try for breakfast.

Our original intent for dinner was Mozza Mia just down the street from Agra Culture.  We'll make a point of visiting soon.

New Mexican Venue in the Neighborhood :)

Chilaquiles

 She said...
: ( in the neighborhood.  Tried the new, family-owned 'upscale' Mexican restaurant.  Way too salty.  My dinner was cold.  Worried when I saw 2-3 staff looking into a vat of salsa and scooping as if they were looking for something.......   The prices were fine for the size of the portions....but couldn't eat the portions without having a salt-induced stroke.  : (

He said...
I really try not to be negative...but this was not good.  The new venue had a very professionally produced menu with scores of options, all the standard variants of beans (probably from a can), rice, tortillas, bad sauce, bad tomatoes,  etc.  Chilaquiles is my go-to choice in these cases.  I should have simply gone.  While the presentation was OK and the verde sauce offered promise it was so over salted that I simply had to leave the plate three quarters uneaten.  The tomatoes were mushy hard, the lettuce should have been tossed two days ago and the quacamole was likewise over salted.

There were many people working but no one seemed particularly focused on food quality or customer service.  I would give the new venue, *********, a solid 1.5 star performance (out of five), simply not good and not worth a re-visit.  That being said, this has been a mild and pleasant January here in the midwest.

New Roseville Pizza Venue

Pizza Luce - Roseville

Visit #1 ...  we always visit places multiple time

Mostaccioli...not as delivered

She says...

He says...

Was so hopeful,  now SO sad,  Food at the new Pizza Luce was REALLY BAD!   (so, the 'burbs are still a dining desert)

After several attempts to visit the new pizza/pasta venue we visited on a Tuesday event.  Often I'm looking either for a 'good taco' or 'a slice of good pizza' and we debate 'fast' options.  Walking in I noticed a 'to go' display of pizza by the slice.  It looked much like pizza by the slice at the now gone (appropriately) and neighboring Z Pizza...like it's best time was far gone.  This was a warning.  My thought was to depart but you have to try new options. Pizza sounded good but I was turned off by the 10" price at $14.99 especially after viewing the 'to go' options.  I settled on the Focaccia Katrina with Goat Cheese, a featured appetizer.  Accompanied with a generic red sauce it was overall, unremarkable. My partner ordered the Mostaccioli.  Once in a while when I head up north to the cabin I get some sort of Stouffer's frozen pasta and stick it under the broiler and then ponder why I eat such fare.  Bottom line was that the Mostaccioli was a major disappointment, sort of Stouffer's-like, and that's not good when the goal is properly prepared pasta, a featured sauce and mozzarella cheese appropriately melted.  The server visited our table numerous times without any apparent intent or training.  When offered our comments on the meals the server responded "I'll tell someone."  OK, I guess. We'll give it another try in a couple of months when they have their sea legs in order.

Big Marina Deli

On a recent evening, we pondered where to have dinner.  Big Marina Deli is always a favorite (across the street from Stanley's in North East).  We wondered if they had encountered any difficulties in the current politically charged environment because they serve a large Muslim population, have 'Halal' info in the front window, and clearly have names which many people seem to fear, like Mohammed.

We don't know.  But on this weeknight evening, we were the only customers for most of the hour we spent enjoying the always-delicious food.  Chef Adel greeted us warmly as we entered and thanked us many times for coming in...both as we entered and as we were leaving.  

This is our go-to place when we can't think of anywhere else to try.  It's always worth the drive....just for the hummus and the eggplant salad if nothing else.  I think I could survive on those 2 items every single day.

But, of course, there are the ribs....and the okra.....and the taboulleh.....and the potatoes and greens.....and various other meats...and the perfect spicing on every dish...and the fabulous baklava...and on this night, a banana, too (I miss the

Sunshine Cafe-they always served a banana)...maybe I had the banana because I was thinking of how welcoming they had been when I ate at their cafe.

This night was no disappointment.  The food was all fabulous and, gee, no line at the buffet!  We watched some soccer on the big screen TVs, shared the dining area with the staff (since there weren't any customers to serve), and had a wonderful time.

After a hard day of serving others, it's always a welcome change of pace to enjoy the great food (prepared by someone else) with wonderful flavors and spicing at the Big Marina Deli.  Hope we see you all there sometime soon.

Yup, I was freakin'...

Yup, I was freakin'.....

I've managed to avoid 'corporate food' for days and days and days.  But it's Sunday night, I've been baking for hours, I need to make a quick grocery store run because I have run out of yeast...

Okay, I'll grab a quick veggie sandwich, mail my overdue letters, and hit the grocery store.

So, I thought I'd go to that place that wants me to be 'freaked'.  Well, I was, but probably not the way they wanted me to be.

The sandwich picture on the wall is so....ummm....artsy.  Overflowing with ingredients....so full the bread doesn't even close.

 

Then, food reality.

As I've said, "texters" are no longer able to carry on human conversation.  My hypothesis was supported in the following exchange.  

I walk up to the counter:

Young man: "What can we get for you?" (or whatever the exact line is that they're trained to say) 

ME:  "A veggie sandwich and a regular size soft drink."

Situation becames hopeless.

Young man:  "What?  What kind of sandwich did you want?" 
 
Me:  "A veggie."
 
Young man:  "What?"
 
Me:  "A veggie."

Young man turns to his co-worker

Young man:  "Where's that on the register?"

Co-worker:  "It's a number 6."

Young man:  "Where's that on the register?"
 
Co-worker points.  

Young man pushes the key.
 
Young man:  "Do you want anything to drink?"
 
Me:  "A regular sized soft drink."
 
Young man:  "Do you want regular or large?"
 
Me:  "Regular."
 
He rings in the total (which is when I realize that Marianne's Kitchen is cheaper than the 'freakin' place), hands me the change and walks away without giving me a drink cup.

Ah, but he has priorities.
 
As I grab my sandwich (and my own drink cup), I settle in for 5 minutes of time off my feet.
 
He has his own plan.  He's in charge of filling the chip racks.
 
Fabulous strategy.....go in the back, take out 5 bags of chips, carry them to the front of the store in your armpits, lay them on the floor, kneel on the floor and text your friends. (oh, but look up each time to make sure your manager/coworkers don't see you)
 
Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.

Hilarious!!!!!

It was great entertainment while I ate my ingredient-less sandwich.  Unlike the beautiful picture, I can't see any ingredients when I unwrap the sandwich.....just a piece of kinda squished bread.  I don't look inside anymore, because frankly, then I might really 'freak'.

Last time I had one of their sandwiches, I actually brought it back and weighed the meat and cheese just to see because I couldn't believe how little was on the sandwich.  The meat and cheese together were less than 2 oz. 

You know, I love colorful things you can see through....like stained glass windows.  But I never thought about it as a way to observe meat.  So thin I 'freaked'.   I've never thought about see-through meat.

So, once again I know why I avoid corporate food places where teenagers are in charge.   They may carry chips in their armpits and set them on the floor so that they have their hands free for texting.

The corporate places have all raised their prices....they are more expensive than we are....and we actually put VISIBLE meat and cheese on your sandwich....that you can't see through.

My recommendation:  save some money, come to Marianne's and get a reasonably priced sandwich full of fresh ingredients and topped with sauces that we make here.  ....and we never stock the chip rack using our armpits : )

Bonnie's

Bonnie's Cafe....like any small town cafe....only on the Green Line

Bonnie's Cafe

As some of you know, I'm a researcher by trade.  More than 30 years of designing research studies & evaluations, developing research protocols and instruments, designing large databases, and analyzing data sets big and small.  My most current research gigs are in rural health.  So, between traveling to small communities across America and having a farm near several small communities in Minnesota, I've eaten at my share of local cafes.  Amy's in Sandstone, Nichols in Pine City, etc. plus places in Afton, WY (an arch of elk antlers greets you as you enter town), little places in Tennessee-where you can always get some sweet tea, places in IA, WI, MS, UT, ID, MT, rural CA (not quite like being in LA-the city, not the state).  But it's rare to find many local cafes with that small town feel around here (maybe the Columbia Heights Flameburger or Magnolia's in St. Paul).



So, this morning in my quest to again avoid anything close to corporate food and to give some

support to another family business, it was off to University Avenue and Bonnie's Cafe.

Entering Bonnie's is like stepping back in time--I think it reminds me of a place in Wheaton or ???? (my pal and rural health traveling partner Jill could probably remember---we had lots of mosquitos the night we walked around town and she ran out of shampoo--oh, yeah, that town).

Green painted booths, 12 inch square floor tiles, and a beautiful row of green padded diner stools.....gotta love 'em!!!

This is the place to get a small town cafe breakfast...so that's what I ordered. 

  Two eggs over easy and hash browns--but with a twist---Polish sausage, and an English muffin instead of the standard white or wheat toast (I always get the Polish at Magnolia's, too).  Yup, it was just what I imagined....except the Polish was scored on 1 side and grilled so it was crusty on the outside and juicy on this inside---an interestingly presented as 2 arches on the plate.  

The best parts of the experience were:  Mia, my server, who was cute as can be, friendly, and excellent at her job; the mix of customers was a melting pot of humanity; a small town meal on the Green LIne; and of course, I spent one more day NOT eating anything that was breaded, came from a deep-fat fryer, or was reheated by a teenager : )

This is not a meal you should have very often....it comes mostly from the 'tan' food group....but that's all part of the small townish experience.  

Bonnie passed away 2 years ago, so one of her daughters is running the place.   It's great when a family member can pick up the torch and continue a family tradition.

If you came from a small town, haven't been back, and miss the local cafe....stop in at Bonnie's and relive your history.