Top Chefs
The Chef’s Counter at Mason Street Grill is useful for more than dining and watching the service and kitchen staff move at accelerated speeds. It’s also the setting for the Celebrated Chefs Autumn 2011 cooking series. These classes combine the skills of the chefs working for Marcus Hotels and some practical – or whimsical – cooking topics. Coming up: Brian Frakes, executive chef of Marcus Hotels, leads “Utensils Forbidden” (Oct. 29), which covers “fun and flavorful hand foods.” Mark Weber, executive chef of Mason Street Grill, is taking on “Gluten Free” meals (Nov. 5) – from blueberry pancakes to Southern fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits. (Pfister Hotel, 425 E. Mason St.). Two other classes make up this series: “Fundamentals of Pastry and Baking” (Nov. 12), and “Cooking Sous Vide” (Nov. 19). All classes are held on Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost: $29 per person or $49 per couple. Interested in signing up? Call 414-935-5942 or click here.
Tantalizing Tins
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No, 2012 isn’t really that close. Is it? OK, it is. If you’ve seen the cool tin of smartly designed coasters offering deals at local restaurants, you’ve seen CityTins. Each tin has 20 coasters (for 20 different restaurants). And each coaster gives you a $10 discount off your purchase at the featured restaurant. In addition to restaurants like Pastiche, Tess and Maxie’s Southern Comfort, the 2012 CityTin has some new recruits. They include Benelux Grand Café, Crazy Water, La Merenda and centro cafe. The 2012 tins will be available on store and restaurant shelves by November 1. You can buy yours at many venues – all three Outpost locations, Milwaukee Public Market, Beans & Barley, Milwaukee Art Museum gift shop, Blue’s Egg and Maxie’s. You can also buy them from the CityTins website. Also new this year is a Madison restaurant version, featuring Blue Marlin, Lombardino’s and Quivey’s Grove, among others.
Social Graces
As I sit at a restaurant table waiting for lunch to arrive, my elbows perched absentmindedly on the table, my thoughts turn to table etiquette. Hmm, so apparently my elbows should not rest on the table. Not ever, according to etiquetteladies.com. Other rules of table etiquette: food should cool on its own (don’t blow on it); purse, keys and sunglasses (phone, too?) do not belong on the table; when finished, do not push your plate away from you; and – the ever-popular – take food out of your mouth the way it went in. (If that bite of meat is un-chewable and needs to come out, use your fork.)
Look for Dish on Dining on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
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If you spot a restaurant opening or closing, post it on the comments section of my column, or e-mail me directly: ann.christenson@milwaukeemagazine.com
