Recent content from Lee Svitak Dean

On the Laura Ingalls homestead in South Dakota, a modern family survives the night in a covered wagon
Adventure and history showcase the homestead of children's author Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Minnesota's most prolific cookbook author is the authority on casseroles
Beatrice Ojakangas' "The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever" has been reissued, and it's just as tasty.

Book highlights 7 immigrant women who changed the way Americans see food
The author looks at our culinary past and asks, who does history remember? Not every cook gets equal billing, and that especially relates to women.

Review: 'Finding Freedom,' by Erin French
Finding FreedomBy Erin French. (Celadon Books, 304 pages, $28.)This account from Erin French, the owner/cook of the Lost Kitchen restaurant in Freedom, Maine, may be…

Marcus Samuelsson's latest book celebrates Black food and the chefs who make it
In his new book, chef Marcus Samuelsson starts the conversation about Black food.

Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson's new book offers perspective on the hospitality industry
Chef Magnus Nilsson has a lot to say in his book about the world of restaurants.

Drive-through lutefisk? A Minnesota tradition gets a pandemic twist
The American Swedish Institute has your holiday meal covered.

After 40 years and countless recipes, the Star Tribune's Taste editor says goodbye
After 40 years and countless recipes, the Star Tribune's Taste editor says goodbye.

Buck Hill ski resort in Burnsville hopes to be year-round dining destination
Owners hope that sunsets, green space and dinner will expand the seasons at the longtime ski and snowboard area.

Crepes make the morning meal delicious
Extra time in the kitchen meant an opportunity to learn a new skill.

Attention, bakers, start your ovens for the Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest
While others think of notebooks and pencils (or Zoom and computers) post-Labor Day, we in Taste have a different focus: We’re all about the cookies.…
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Bring out the brews for two virtual beer tastings
One will be for for summer brews, the other for fall ones.

The great reveal of the lip balm of the year for the Minnesota State Fair
There may not be a State Fair, but there is a lip balm in its honor.

A celebration of food, flag and each other for a flavorful July 4th
There will be fewer of us than usual at the picnic this weekend. In fact, you may be able to count everyone on one hand.…

New volumes make the 2020 James Beard book awards
Get out your notebooks. Here are new volumes to put on your wish list.

Hand sanitizer serves a purpose beyond clean hands
We all need hand sanitizer. And many people are in desperate need of food. Here's how they work together.

At 80-plus Twin Cities restaurants, takeout includes a game of 'Isolation BIZ-ingo'
The cards for the game of bingo are handed out for free, and each game has a prize of about $200 to $300 in gift cards.

Some of our favorite brunch recipes for celebrating Mother's Day
Celebrate the day with good food and, when necessary, social distancing.

Buying one of these fashionable masks will help feed the hungry in state
Ingenuity and time on their hands were the genesis of this fundraiser.

The toughest audience for James Beard award-winning chef Ann Kim? Her parents
Ann Kim has always been a storyteller. First on stage, and now in the kitchen.

The comfort of home starts with a stockpot of soup
Soup is flexible, accommodating both your preferences and your pantry.

Minnesota restaurants, bars and other venues get tax extension
Chef Gavin Kaysen got the ear of the governor and Minneapolis mayor.

Jose Andres talks about the work of World Central Kitchen and its relief effort
Chef José Andrés brought his message about feeding the hungry to the Twin Cities.

The Charlie Awards highlight 12 of the best in Twin Cities hospitality
From Outstanding Restaurant to Rising Star, the event celebrates those who delight our palates.

World renowned chef Jose Andres will visit the Twin Cities this spring
The humanitarian will tell stories from his nonprofit and more.

Minnesota will be the setting for remake of Oscar-winning film 'Babette's Feast'
Is indulgence an evil? Or is too much simplicity? These and other questions are at the core of this food-focused film.

Minnesota will be the setting for remake of Oscar-winning film 'Babette's Feast'
Oscar-winner Alexander Payne will direct.

A wonderland for the child at heart at Minneapolis' Norway House
Meander the streets of this gingerbread kingdom for plenty of oohs and aahs.

How to carve a turkey
For cooks, the pressure of Thanksgiving isn’t only about preparing the big bird. It’s also about turning unwieldy chunks of meat into portions your guests…

Hotlines at the ready for Thanksgiving questions
There are no silly questions when it comes to cooking the biggest meal of the year.
A look at Taste's playful Halloween covers through the years
The Taste section took its early poster tradition to heart.

Poultrygeist: The nightly what's-for-dinner horror, playing in kitchens everywhere
The classic tale of terror for our century (or any century, for that matter) may well be the cook without a dinner plan.

At Taste's 50th birthday, Minnesota's Beard winners party like it's 1969
The jubilee of the Star Tribune's food section offered a communal moment to savor the wonders of the Twin Cities dining scene.

Taste section reflected the way we were
For 50 years, issue after issue, Taste has offered a snapshot of our lives.

This word didn't appear in Taste pages until 1988.
This word didn't appear in Taste pages until 1988.

Remembering when the Soviet Union dropped by Minnesota for tea
The dining room was filled with TV cameras and the whole world was watching as a Minneapolis family served as host.

Overflowing tables and fake ice cream: How food styling has changed in the last 50 years
Food styling reflects the decades, just like any other trend.

For 70 years, the Pillsbury Bake-Off has changed how we cook
The annual cooking contest has not only reflected food trends, but created them.

Shortcuts with Jacques Pépin
What makes a good dish? Not necessarily the use of homemade ingredients.

In 1995, a visit from Julia Child enthralled the Twin Cities
She thrilled the crowd at Dayton's, who came to meet their TV hero of the kitchen.

A timeline of Taste throughout the years shows how we ate — and how we lived.
Year by year, page by page, Taste offered a snapshot of our lives.

Two more films with Taste Movie Night at the Heights
Two more chances to see the food-related films at the Heights Theater, in connection with the 50th birthday celebration of Taste. “The Big Chill” shows…

Decades in the making: 50 years of the Star Tribune's Taste section
From meat boycotts to recessions, low-fat diets to farmers markets and restaurants, our mealtime choices — and options — tell a story.

Help us celebrate the Star Tribune Taste section's 50th birthday
You're invited as Taste marks five decades with movies, cake and more.

A celebration dinner fit for a 50th birthday for the Taste section
Tickets go on sale Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. through the American Swedish Institute.

Celebrate Prince's birthday with a dinner in his honor
The Onyx Culinary Collective is presenting a Prince-inspired meal with vegan and purple foods at the Bird in Minneapolis.

Twin Cities baker turns poet: 'Baking saved me from being incarcerated'
A longtime baker reflects on immigration and the sometimes tumultuous world of the hospitality industry.

Step up your grilling repertoire in time for cookout season
For all but the hardiest of cooks, the grilling season is a finite experience, with 99 days to sizzle from Memorial Day through Labor Day.…

The 30 best cookbooks of the year
There are plenty of ideas for mealtime cooking in these terrific volumes.

Ruth Reichl's memoir shows the egregious excess of Gourmet magazine
A new memoir by its former editor-in-chief shines a light on the world of high-end magazines -- before the financial market tanked.

Who owns Asian food? Twin Cities chefs' panel tackles 'authenticity'
The Lynhall serves up a discussion on how best to represent food culture.

Plant-based meats find a place at the table in new book
A new book focuses on DIY meat alternatives to make at home.

An unexpected guest arrives at the dinner table of a family celebration
When a family gathered to celebrate a special occasion, the dinner table was the place to be.

Hotlines at the ready for Thanksgiving questions
There are no silly questions when it comes to cooking the biggest meal of the year. Just ask these experts.

Hotlines at the ready for Thanksgiving questions
There are no silly questions when it comes to cooking the biggest meal of the year. Just ask these experts.
All hail the new green bean casserole
The classic dish gets an update for the modern cook.

Go behind the scenes at Taste's Holiday Cookie Contest
Readers asked for a print edition of all the recipes that have won recognition in the Star Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest. Now the cookbook is here.

Noma's Nordic cuisine pioneer (and microbe lover) headed to Twin Cities
Rene Redzepi, whose restaurant frequently has been rated the world's best, brings the chemistry lab into the cook's favorite room.

Celebrate the close of summer with a Labor Day picnic
The shoulder season of picnics and dining al fresco is upon us as we shift back into autumn — and indoor — rituals.

Minnesota Instagram star's cookbook recalled for possible toxic ingredients
Concern from fellow foragers and health experts prompted the recall of "Tales from a Forager's Kitchen."

Want a crowd-pleaser at a picnic? Make everyone's favorite, deviled eggs
There's a good reason this classic dish has been a favorite for more than a century. It's good.

Ready, set, grill: 7 recipes to perk up summer dining
With 99 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there's time to explore the universe of cooking outside.

Morels and more: Tips on hunting for Minnesota's 'untamed' mushrooms
A new book on regional "Untamed Mushrooms" focuses on 13 edible ones that are easy to identify.

Minnesota's 'Sioux Chef' named one of best cookbooks at James Beard awards
The award season is upon us, a glorious time for both cooks and those who read cookbooks like novels. This year, two local books are honored.

Minnesota's female chefs cook up opportunity: 'All of us have the potential for great things'
An international crowd converges this month in the Twin Cities to lead the way.

100 women in 'Kitchen': Twin Cities textile artists, culinary pros team up to create art
A new exhibit at the Textile Center in Minneapolis highlights an innovative collaboration between female artists and women in the culinary field.

American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis celebrates beauty of '101 Bowls'
Everyone has to eat, and it's often from the humblest of objects. Artists have celebrated the form for centuries.

Chefs gather at NFL's 'Party with a Purpose'
The hunger relief fundraiser in St. Paul drew luminaries as varied as former Viking Ben Leber and Cara Mund, 2018 Miss America.

Get your party dip ready for the big game
The big game may be the draw, but you need some big spreads to feed the revelers.

A wish list for cooks: Books that broaden your kitchen
If you find delight in the kitchen, a new volume can inspire hours of pleasure. Check out these new cookbooks.

Former Chez Panisse chef praises good ingredients in new home-cooking guide
A new cookbook urges the use of the market for inspiration for the dinner table.

Christopher Kimball dishes on ethnic food and the work ethic
Christopher Kimball brings food to life on stage Wednesday in a performance at the Cowles Center. But be prepared: The audience participates.

Twin Cities cookbook author has tips for foods low in sodium, high in taste
Need help cooking your low-sodium diet? A new book simplifies the effort.