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Current Events:

click for full calendar

Past Events:

Chef Dinners:

These six-course dinners showcase the seasonal food at its best, the wonderful ingredients in our store, and the talents of Chef John, Eric, Justin, Stef, and Hillary.

Reservations recommended 507-424-0080

Seatings at 6pm and 8:30pm. $65 person 

More menu details as the date nears

 

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Dinner on the Farm

complete with music,

Bus, tours, tastes, libations

click for details

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There's more to morels

thursday May 17

Five Course Chef Dinner featuring the wonderful local morel mushroom.  Get your mushroom fix tonight.

Details to follow.

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Wine & Cheese Excursion to the 2012 Minnesota Cheese Festival

Sunday June 3

We’re offering a culinary excursion starting at ZZest Market, with a catered “brunch and bubbly” tasting on the way to the Festival and a “sip and savor” light lunch on the way home. The wine tastings will be orchestrated by ZZest, only using products that are available for purchase at the Market. Food will be prepared by ZZest chefs, ensuring a celebration of flavors and perfect pairings as you travel to and from the Festival. "

read more

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Italian Cooking Class with Antonio
Monday April 23

Chef / Instructor Antonio Cecconi will show you the preparation of a multi-course dinner and you will enjoy the fruits of the labor (details to follow). During this special evening of entertaining food preparation, participants will have the opportunity of tasting featured wines for sale, samples from the recipes prepared, and also get an insight about some of the cultural background that developed into actual regional food styles. To complete the experience, ZZest will have total access to ingredients needed for recreating this feast at home. Antonio 's book will be available for autographed purchase. Students also get special discount on any store purchases that evening.

Reservations and pre-payment required.  Tuition and dinner $75. Full payment needed to reserve space. Class size limited to 20.  Call soon.

507-424-0080

Cancellations: $50 refundable with confirmed cancellation at least 10 days prior to class. Refunds for cancellation less than 10 days before class only if the space fills. Full refunds if class is cancelled.

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Grape Beginnings Trade Show
For foodservice industry employees only

Mon April 2, 4-7pm
 

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Art Show
Mon April 9, 5-9pm

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Raclette Tasting
Thursday March 15, 5pm - 7pm
 

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Eat your Heart Out Valentine's chef Dinner

Tuesday Feb 14

Amuse Bouche

1st
Wild Arugula And Mixed Greens Salad
25 Year Sherry Vinegar / Marcona Almonds / Olives / Olio Verde / Manchego

2nd
House Smoked Scottish Salmon
House Crème Fraîche / Pickled Green Beans / American Hackleback & White Sturgeon Caviar / Caraway Rye Cracker

3rd
Seared Togarashi Crusted Ahi Tuna
Sea Urchin And Lobster Sauce/ Crisp Radish And Watercress Salad

Intermezzo
Blueberry Sorbet/ Johnston Honey
Thyme Oil

4th
Pan Seared Duck Breast
Magret From Au Bon Canard / Turnip Puree / Mustard Greens / Sarsaparilla Jus / Wild Fennel Pollen

5th
Venison Leg Steak
Mushroom Confit / Sweet Potato / Blackberry Gastrique

6th
Lil Moo Vanilla Tart/ Port Raspberries/ Caramel Lace

 

Fall Comfort at ZZest

Chef Dinner Showcasing the Bounty of Fall

Thursday November 17

2 Seatings 6PM and 8:30pm

Call for Reservations 507-424-0080

 

1st

House Cured and Chef Selected Charcuterie with pickled musings

2nd
Roasted Alaskan Sable Fish with Wild Mushroom Confit/ Spiced Baby Carrots/ Pepin Heights Apple Cider Reduction

Intermezzo

3rd
Pan Seared Local Quail with Roasted Au Bon Canard Foie Gras/ Vanilla Infused Sweet Potatoes/ Micro Chive and Preserved Plum Gastrique

4th
French Roast Venison Leg Steak/ House Potato Gnocchi/ Pomegranate Molasses/ Gremolata/ Marcona Almonds

5th
Market Cheese Course with Chef Selected Accompaniments

6th
French Chocolate Pear Tart with High Road Pear Port Ice Cream

October is National American Cheese Month

Denver, CO (September 15, 2011) — The American Cheese Society (ACS) has announced the launch of American Cheese Month, an annual celebration of America’s diverse artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheeses, and the farmers, cheesemakers, distributors, retailers, cheesemongers, chefs, and educators who bring them to the table.  read more...

also see the micro site AmericanCheeseMonth.org

Italian Cooking with ZZest #2

Monday Nov 7  6-9pm

He's baaack! Learn more cooking techniques from Chef / Instructor Antonio Cecconi.  You will help prepare a multi-course dinner and enjoy the fruits of your labor (details to follow). During this special evening of entertaining food preparation, participants will have the opportunity of tasting featured wines for sale, samples from the recipes prepared, and also get an insight about some of the cultural background that developed into actual regional food styles. To complete the experience, ZZest will have total access to ingredients needed for recreating this feast at home. Antonio 's book will be available for autographed purchase. Students also get special discount on any store purchases that evening.

Reservations and pre-payment required.  Tuition and dinner $75. Full payment needed to reserve space. Class size limited to 20.  Call soon.

507-424-0080

Cancellations: $50 refundable with confirmed cancellation at least 10 days prior to class. Refunds for cancellation less than 10 days before class only if the space fills. Full refunds if class is cancelled.

Italian Cooking with ZZest

Monday Oct 17  6-9pm

Get away from Monday Night Football and join Chef/Instructor Antonio Cecconi for an evening learning about and preparing a full, multi-course, Italian dinner, including pasta making (of course you get to eat it!).  Students get special discount on any store purchases that evening. Details to follow.

Reservations and pre-payment required.  Tuition and dinner $75. Full payment needed to reserve space. Class size limited to 20.  Call soon.

507-424-0080

Cancellations: $50 refundable with confirmed cancellation at least 10 days prior to class. Refunds for cancellation less than 10 days before class only if the space fills. Full refunds if class is cancelled.

Meet the Cheesemaker

Thursday October 13, 5-8pm

 Meet Cheesemaker Keith Adams from Alemar Cheese and his award winning Bent River Camembert.  Keith will have samples, pairings, and recipe ideas.

Smoke & Beers!

Wednesday Aug 31  6-9pm

Enjoy a multi course dinner of pork, beef, and fish, right from our own smoker, and a selection of special beers.  A great way to say goodbye to summer.

no reservations

ZZest on the Patio

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

It can't snow forever (can it?).  Let's get outside and enjoy a warm summer night (??) and some great food (!!). 

Five courses of food that is local and seasonal.  This menu is still under consideration, but examples of previous events are listed below.

St John's Block Party, July 8 & 9

ZZest is the premier event sponsor of this wonderful neighborhood get-together.  Click the poster to enlarge.

Click here for the St John's Block Party Website

An Evening on the Bayou

The "Big E," Chef Eric Austin, will be our guest chef for a Creole evening at ZZest.  His Chef training in New York, France, Italy, and Amsterdam,  as well as his New Orleans background,  at Commanders Palace and Brennan's, will be featured in this authentic (that is, not the Minnesota version) 5-course Creole Chef's dinner.

An Evening on the Bayou

With Guest Chef Eric Austin

Thursday March 3, 2011

Amuse bouche

Chef E’s NOLA Tasting Trio

Featuring Louisiana Gumbo,

Big Easy Jambalaya

& Bayou Crawfish Étouffée

 

Taylor Farms Oyster Showcase

on the Half shell & COLLINS CAVAIR

·       Grey Goose Vodka, Meyer Lemon & Pink Peppercorn Granita/  SMOKED CAVIAR

·       Pickled Ginger & Wasabi Granita/ TOBIKO WASABI CAVIAR

·        Fried Oysters with Remoulade MANGO Caviar

 

 

Blackened Ahi Tuna Nicoise

FINGERLING POTATOES/ pickled green beans/caper berries/ pomodoraccio tomatoes

 

 

Boudin of TURDUKEN

Grilled cippollini onions/ au bon canard foie gras/ nardin smoked anchovy and cornbread stuffing

 

 

Sorbet

Jeni’s grapefruit hibiscus

 

 

Spiced Lacquered Pork Belly

On stone ground grits, oyster mushrooms, sautéed green beans, with brandied crawfish cream & rock Shrimp

 

 

White chocolate Bread Pudding

Banana foster caramel/ Jeni’s banana ice cream/ bacon peanut brittle

 

 

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 St. Valentine’s with ZZest

Saturday February 12, 2011

 

Amuse bouche

Caviar

 

1^st

Scallop Ceviche/ citron Vinegar/ Peppers & Chive/ Caraway rye Crackers

 

2^nd

Frisee Salad/  crunchy egg/ Lardon/ Red Onion/ Parmesan/ pancetta vinaigrette

 

3^rd

Crostini 2 bites:

DUCK RILLETTE/ROBIOLA CHEESE/APRICOT ALMOND JAM

ITALIAN PROSCIUTTO/

PECORINO FOGLIE DI NOCI

BALSAMIC JELLY/ LUCERO OLIVE OIL

 

4^th

Seared Chilean Seabass/ saffron consommé/ risotto cake/ shaved fennel salad

 

Palate refresher

 Lemon Sorbet/ basil oil / pink peppercorn

 

5^TH

Braised Beef short rib/ roasted mushrooms/ sweet potato truffle puree/ peppercorn and beef reduction

Chocolate Dessert

 

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New Year’s Eve with ZZest

Friday December 31, 2010

 

Amuse bouche

House cured Gravlax/  caraway cracker/ crème fraîche/ pickled red onions

 

1^st

Warm fresh pulled mozzarella/ Osetra sturgeon caviar/ chive & white balsamic vinegar/ micro greens

 

2^nd

foie gras mousse/ dressed mix greens/ marcona almonds/ blueberry gastrique

 

3^rd

pan seared day-boat scallops/  Jamón Ibérico de Bellota/ black garlic aioli/ asparagus & truffle paste finish

 

4^th

grilled rock lobster/ pappardelle pasta/ tomato saffron broth/ caramelized fennel/ tarragon

 

Palate Refresher

Riesling poached pear sorbet & Prosecco float

 

5^th

Ras el Hanout braised pork belly/ French green lentils/ roasted cipollini onions & pomegranate molasses

Dessert pastry collection

 

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