Food and Drink

Americans have a longstanding love affair with maple syrup. According to the USDA, production of the sticky stuff in the United States totaled 3.25 million gallons this year. However, it isn't the only tree syrup that's available to drizzle on your short stack or sweeten your latte. The Aunt Jemima alternatives vary, depending on the types of trees there are in a region. There's Kahiltna birch syrup made in Alaska, blue spruce pine syrup from Utah and Georgian black walnut syrup.
Go For the Food: Oozing burgers at The Nook in St. Paul, Minn.
Unlike Minneapolis with its hip downtown vibe, St. Paul is the sleepier of the Twin Cities. But its neighborhoods offer dining gems, some of which, like The Nook, are more hole-in-the-wall than chic gastropub.
Wine has sommeliers. Now, beer has cicerones
If you've been to a fancy restaurant, you've probably seen a sommelier -- those wine experts who make sure you get the best possible match for your meal. But what if you don't want a chardonnay or pinot? What if you want a nice cold beer? A new program is working to bring this same level of knowledge to the world of malt and hops by turning out batches of certified beer experts known as Cicerones.
Friday Festival: Cheese shop raises money for cheesemonger scholarship
Local cheesemonger Benjamin Roberts is raising money for a cheesemonger education fund this weekend at the two cheese shops he runs -- France 44 in Minneapolis and St. Paul Cheese Shop in St. Paul. A portion of the proceeds will go for a cheese scholarship in honor of the woman he describes as his "cheese mentor." Benjamin Roberts spoke with MPR's Tom Crann.