Fall is by far my favorite time of year. The crisp air, leaves crunching beneath my feet, and, of course, being stuffed like a sardine next to other fans at University of Iowa Hawkeye football games.

Growing up, I didn’t often get a chance to tailgate at Kinnick but we always did our own version of tailgating at home. Of course, you can’t watch a football game without a big spread. And, honestly, I don’t think of anything sweet when I think of tailgating. It’s all about the savory treats. When you need a break from brats and burgers, here are two recipes for your next tailgate:
— HEATHER

Savory Beer Bread

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

• 1 1/2 cups cold light beer

• 1 cup pork sausage, browned and drained

• 6 ounces cheese, such as chipotle cheddar

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.

In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients (up until the sausage) and whisk together. Add the beer and fold in gently until just mixed. Spread half of the bread dough into the greased pan. Spread out the pork sausage on top. Add the remaining dough and spread evenly. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then invert onto a cooling rack. Make this the day before and store in the fridge until you are ready to slice and reheat. The day of the game, heat up your grill or broiler. Slice up the beer bread and top it with slices of your cheese of choice (we like chipotle cheddar). Grill/broil until
the cheese completely melts and the
bread is toasty.
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer

Jammy Brie Wheel

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 1 wheel of Brie

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup jam, such as raspberry jalapeno jam.

Caramelize onions the night before the game and store in fridge. Place Brie in a ceramic dish or in an aluminum foil covered pan. Top with jam and caramelized onions. Cover with foil and place over a hot grill or in a 350 degree oven. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until Brie melts. Serve with buttery crackers.

I spent many a summer in my grandparents’ garden helping weed and pick the beautiful Iowa bounty. I can’t say I enjoyed it one little bit, but every mosquito bite and sweaty brow was worth it once I got to their strawberry patch. I loved crouching down ever so gently among the tender plants and hunting with my hands for the perfect berries. Two strawberries for my bucket; one strawberry for my mouth. Yes, my mouth was red-stained after every time in the patch. I am not ashamed. If you have ever eaten and strawberry straight from the picking, you would understand.

My grandmother, being a stellar baker, used our strawberry pickings for many tasty items – strawberry jam, strawberry pie and strawberry shortcake. The latter was by far my favorite. My grandma’s moist and crusty biscuits paired with sweet and juicy strawberries, topped with a dollop of whipped cream were pure taste bud heaven.

I realized the other day that I had never attempted to make strawberry shortcake in my adult life. I set out to remedy this atrocity.  While I no longer have access to a strawberry patch, it was definitely high time to start my own shortcake tradition. I decided I would do a twist on the traditional recipe. In my kitchen Strawberry Shortcake became Vanilla Bean Scones with Basil Strawberry Sauce and Maple Almond Whipped Cream. This rendition of the traditional is a little less sweet but just as tasty. I think my grandma would approve.
— HEATHER
Vanilla Bean Scones with Basil Strawberry Sauce & Maple Almond Whipped Cream

Basil Strawberry Sauce

• 1 pint strawberries, quartered

• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Combine the first two ingredients and stir well. Add basil and stir gently.
Allow the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow time for the sauce to develop.

Vanilla Bean Scones

• 1 vanilla bean

• 1 cup milk

• 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing

• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 3 tablespoons baking powder

• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice open the vanilla bean and scrape
out the beans into a small bowl. Pour milk and cream over top and set aside. Allow to sit for at least
15 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a paddle attachment for your mixer, or working with your hands, combine the flour, salt, sugar and baked powder in a large bowl. Add the butter and combine until it is the consistency of cornmeal and there are still small pieces of butter.
Add the vanilla bean mixture and mix until just combined, being sure not to overmix.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 10 times to bring the dough together. Roll out the dough to 3/4-inch thick. Cut out 2-inch rounds and place on an ungreased cooking sheet.Continue this process with gathering and rerolling the scraps until all the dough is gone. Brush the tops
with cream.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown. While the scones are cooling, prepare the Almond Maple Whipped Cream.

Adapted from Gale Gand’s “Brunch!”

Almond Maple
Whipped Cream

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (sour cream can be substituted)

• 1/2 tablespoon almond extract
• 3 tablespoons real maple syrup

Combine all four ingredients in a large bowl and whip until the ingredients thicken and begin to shine.

Life is filled with so many regrets. Breakfast should never be one of them. On my first visit to Bluebird Diner in Iowa City, I was in the mood for something savory. The variety of omelets on the menu all begged for me to order them. But something at the bottom of the menu caught my eye and wouldn’t leave my brain for days to come.

Four magic words: Cinnamon Roll French Toast.

I tried to talk sense to myself, “You don’t need a batter-grilled cinnamon roll for breakfast. You always order sweet things. Walk away you fool!” So I stuck to the omelet.

The Godfather omelet is made of three fluffy eggs filled with melty mozzarella, house-made Italian sausage and topped with zesty marinara sauce. It was a combination I’d never considered for breakfast before and completely satisfying and delicious.

I had a great breakfast in a charming restaurant and was happy. But the French toast haunted my dreams. So I made another trip to Bluebird, this time for the Cinnamon Roll French Toast.

Was it delicious? Yes. Did it knock my socks off? Not necessarily. The cinnamon roll held up nicely and wasn’t overly doused in custard but I wanted it to be a little more. It was decadent but not decadent enough. I wanted more gooeyness. I wanted piles of whipped cream. I wanted to feel like I had just sold my soul to the sugar devil.

From the glittery blue vinyl chairs to the long counter where you can sit and sip your coffee, the Bluebird Diner offers great food in a classic diner setting. The menu takes diner fare to another level at decent prices. Plus, they don’t limit themselves to breakfast. The Bluebird Diner also has full lunch and dinner menus.

As for me, I was happy to get a taste of the savory and sweet. And don’t worry, I sold my soul to the sugar devil a long time ago.
— ANDREA
DETAILS: Bluebird Diner, 330 E. Market St., Iowa City; Tuesday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., closed Monday; (319) 351-1470; www.thebluebirddiner.com

I have to admit I have never been to the Iowa State Fair before. But, I will definitely be going back. It is any hungry person’s dream. Vendors of more types of food than you could imagine line food row. I did learn one trick. Bring someone with you and share. That way you can try more foods without getting full too quickly.

My first stop was at Elie’s Stable for some sweet potato fries. If I had my choice, I would always choose sweet potato fries over regular. Surprisingly, these weren’t very greasy and the paper boat was not see-through by the time I had found my way to the bottom. The fries came with a maple crème dipping sauce. As if the sweet potato fries weren’t “sweet” enough. This sugary sauce was different, but not something I used for every bite.

I needed another snack so I wanted to find something a little bit different, something I can’t find anywhere else. Of course, the two themes of fair food are fried and on-a-stick. If they can fry it or put it on a stick, they will. For something a little exotic, I tried fried pineapple-on-a-stick. It was still juicy, cool and sweet in the middle with the delicious batter fried coating to top it off. They put a sweet glaze frosting over the top that I didn’t think did much for the appearance, but gave the snack an extra load of sugar.

While in line, I could not help but notice the number of turkey legs that kept passing by me. One woman had a turkey leg in one hand and her 3-month-old baby in the other — both the same size. Then a group of young men walked by, each with a leg in hand. I had to try one. The turkey legs smelled good, but looked intimidating. All were about the size of my arm.

Like a savage, I took a bite and it wasn’t long before I threw my fork down and just started using my hand. That’s acceptable at the fair, right? The smoked turkey leg exceeded my expectations. It was a generous portion of meat, definitely worth the money. It also took the prize for the most napkins used. I made three trips for napkins before my turkey leg was buried in a mountain of greasy paper.

So being at a fair, I figured I had to try a classic: the corn dog. Compared to everything else I was devouring, I didn’t care too much for it. It was average. They were crispy, but a bit burned for my liking, and not as greasy as I was anticipating.

Another popular item I had to try was the fried Twinkies. Now, I don’t normally like Twinkies, but I love fried Twinkies. Judging by the long lines, I’m not the only one. They are sweet, but not too sweet, fluffy and a size that fills you up without sending you into a sugar coma. Next time, I want to try one with chocolate sauce or whipped cream. Mmmmm.

To add to the list of calories I was inhaling, I also tried the cup-of-cookies, a beef po-boy sandwich, a Polish sausage and scoped out the pork-chop-on-a-stick. All were great and filling and worth trying. Going into this challenge, I thought all the fried food would make me feel sick. But actually, it was not that bad. Plus, outrageous food is just part of the fun of the fair.
— BRITT

THE BILL
Sweet Potato Fries, $3
Fried pineapple, $4
Turkey leg, $8
Corn dog, $4
Fried Twinkie, $4
Cup-of-cookies, $4
Po-boy sandwich, $7
Polish sausage, $4
Pork chop-on-a-stick, $6
Admission, $10
Parking, $10

What do you think of when you hear the words “supper club?” A sneeze guarded salad bar, dim lighting and piles of foil-wrapped baked potatoes are just a few images that come to my mind. This type of dining experience may seem antiquated, but there are loads of supper clubs in small towns across Iowa that live up to, and sometimes exceed, our expectations.

Rainbow Supper Club is just such a place. Tucked back on a county road in Anamosa, Rainbow Supper Club has been around since the 1930s when it was a gas station. It reopened in May with a fresh coat of paint and some tried and true recipes.

Don’t worry. They still follow the cardinal rules of supper clubs — that people need pea salad on their iceberg lettuce and a baked potato isn’t right unless accompanied by quarter cup servings of butter and sour cream.

The exterior is unassuming, but the new owners have made a really nice space inside. The interior is completely refurbished with a low key, contemporary design. Next to the dining area is a long, welcoming bar that leads to outside seating.

Rainbow serves exactly what you’d expect from a supper club: simple seafood, steaks, chicken. Nothing too fancy. Just solid comfort food.

The Paradise Shrimp were a nice find. Five large and meaty black tiger prawns were lightly fried in a tempura batter and topped with a sweet tropical sauce and pecans. The entree was a step above the other traditional menu items. And on the side? A good ol’ foil wrapped baked potato.
I recommend Rainbow for a sheer kick of nostalgia. The prices aren’t cheap — ranging from $10 to $30 for one or two diners — but the food is solid and the salad bar has plenty of pea salad to go around.
— ANDREA

Chad Ginther, 37, Cedar Rapids
Owner @ Bigg Daddy’s Dogs

This week it’s a bit of stretch calling this feature “InTheKitchen,” because technically you don’t have a kitchen, right?
Bigg Daddy Dogs is actually a mobile food unit, otherwise known as a push cart. I always wanted my own restaurant after spending several years working as a manager of various food venues. One day my Mom called me up after watching a news segment on the food cart business and it got me thinking this would be a nice way to ease into owning my own place.

What’s available at “Bigg Daddy?”
We offer a Philly cheesesteak sandwich made with Italian beef, sautéed onions, green peppers, cheese whiz (this is how they do it in Philly), nine-inch Johnsonville brats and Chicago hot links — a spicy pork sausage. These come with
the classic condiments along with a southern influence I encourage everyone to try at least once called “Southern Mild Chow Chow” — a combination of cabbage, mild pepper rings, jalapeños and cayenne seasoning.

Do you have a lot of regulars or more new customers enjoying the novelty of lunch from a cart?
I offer a buy eight get the ninth one free punch card which has helped with repeat business. A couple customers will come to me for chili cheese dogs three to four times a week. I have a pretty steady flow or newcomers. People visiting downtown for a special meeting or event are always surprised to see me set up in Cedar Rapids and really appreciate the convenience.

How do you get your name out?
I’m participating in the Taste of Downtown this week and have been at the farmers’ markets all season long. Both are great ways to get my name out to those that might not know about me. We have a lot to offer downtown, just a matter of getting people to stop by and discover what’s here. The markets are fantastic revenue generators which helps me through the winter months.

Your family is always on site, helping you. How have they helped you build your business?
My family has always wanted to see me succeed, and helping out with the business has been proof of that. My wife, son, parents and nephew are all there doing whatever they can do to help. My son has been known to play the harmonica at the markets, chatting it up with customers. Everyone does whatever it takes to help.

What are your long-term goals?
I’d love to open up my own restaurant downtown but will keep the mobile cart going strong. It’s so unique to our community. I’d hate to give that up. The goal of an actual restaurant is looking more
and more like a realistic goal for me which is an exciting next step.

What’s your favorite part of your job?
The people make my job fun and unique every day. Whether they actually buy from me or not the fact that people will stop by, make small talk and thank me for choosing to be downtown is a great feeling.
— QUINN

IOWA CITY – With the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones ready to battle for annual football bragging rights, the rest of the student body is ready to battle for annual burrito bragging rights at Panchero’s Mexican Grill. Locals and students will ring in a new University of Iowa school year with dollar burritos from 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 24 at 32 S. Clinton St.

The promotion pits students from Iowa and Iowa State universities in a head-to-head burrito bonanza that poses the challenge: Which school can draw the largest turnout at its respective Panchero’s location? As part of the competition, dollar burritos will be simultaneously sold at both the Clinton Street restaurant and at Panchero’s in Ames at 1310 S. Duff Ave.

 Z102.9 FM will broadcast live from the event as Panchero’s will give away free t-shirts to the first 800 people at the restaurant. While the promotion has remained a staple of University of Iowa students’ back-to-school routines for the past four years, 2010 marks the first year they will go head-to-head with the Iowa State student body for chance to proclaim burrito supremacy.

The Taste of Downtown, returns from Aug. 7 to 14, with specials at restaurants and pubs located in downtown Cedar Rapids. Just ask for the Taste of Downtown special.

Find details on specials and participants at the Information Booth at the Downtown Farmers’ Market located on 4th Avenue and 3rd Street during the August 7 market, or just click here.

Here are the participating businesses and their specials:

Austin Blues
(All specials also include one medium drink)

M. – Rib Tips & French Fries

Tu. – Smothered Steak Sandwhich & French Fries

W. – Mexican Fiesta (Loaded Burrito, Loaded Nachos,

Walking Taco, or Taco Potato)

Th. – Hamburger or Cheeseburger & French Fries

F. – Fried Food Frenzy – Jumbo Popcorn Chicken Basket, Cheeseballs, & French Fries

Best Western Coopers Mills
(All specials also include coleslaw & one roll)

Evening Only Specials: $8.99

Su. – Shrimp Dinner & baked potato

M. – Meat Loaf w/ whipped potato

Tu. – Beef Burgandy over fettuccini noodles

W. – Stuffed Pork Loin with whipped potato

Th. – Fried Chicken with french fries

F. – Fish Fry, choice of potato coleslaw, roll all you can eat

Sa. – 8 oz. Choice Sirloin Steak & bake potato

Big Daddy Dogs

$1 off any 2 hot dogs, brats, phillys, or hot wings

Blue Strawberry
(All specials also include a free brownie)

Sa. – Signature Smoked Turkey Panini

Su. – Signature Smoked Turkey Panini

M. – Southwestern Chicken Wrap

Tu. – Southwestern Chicken Wrap

W. – Classic “Not Just For St. Pattys’ Day” Reuben

Th. – Classic “Not Just For St. Pattys’ Day” Reuben

F. – Grilled Chicken Avacado Panini

Sa. – Grilled Chicken Avacado Panini

Coopacabana

Miller High Life Week – $1.75 – Bottles All Day

Other Bottle Beer – $2.00

Happy Hour – 3pm – 7pm

Bomb Specials – All Week

Deb’s Ice Cream & Deli
(All specials also include House Chips & Fountain Drink)

Signature Sandwiches – $5.00

1. The “Downtowner” – Made w/ Ham

& your choice of cheese paninied on your choice of bread

2. The “Uptowner” – Made w/ Turkey, sliced Granny Smith apples, Apple Jack cheese

& Homemade Apple butter on your choice of bread

3. The “Crosstowner” – Made w/ Smoked Turkey and our homemade Golden Sauce along with

Havarti cheese on a golden Croissant.

Dublin City Pub

Sa. – Guinness Pints – $3.00

M. – 1/2 club + soup or salad – $6.99

Tu. – Taco Salad, Chix or Beef – $4.99

W. – $2.00 Drafts/$6.00 2 Topping 9′ Pizza

Th. – Buffalo Chix Rollup – $6.99

F. – Fish & Chips Basket – $6.99

Emil’s Deli
(all specials also include one drink and two sides)

M. – Ham & Turkey Wrap – $5.50

Tu. – Lasagna – $5.50

W. – Chicken Cordon Bleu – $5.50

Th. – Philly Steak – $5.50

F. – Gyros – $5.50

Little King Deli
(all specials also include Chips & 20 oz. fountain drink)

Cuban Sub – $6.99

Chicken Pesto Ciabatta – $6.99

Philly Steak – $6.99

Made Rite West

Brats – $1.49

Chili Dogs – $1.39

Mr. Beans

“2 After 2″ – 2 Tall Latte’s for the price of 1 from 2pm – 4pm

Red’s Public House

“Big Hot Dog Platter w/ a Big Beer”

Homemade 20 inch Hot Dog Bun

Topped with hot dogs and your choice of spicy chili, cheese sauce, tomato, kraut, pickles, onion.

Also includes French Fries & 24 oz. Beer. Served from 5pm until 9pm.

Normall Price: $12.25 & Special Price: $6.00.

Shawn Ryan’s Irish Pub

2 for 1 Drinks from 10am – 1pm

Sub King Deli
(All Specials also include one Regular Drink)

M. – Jumbo Tenderloin with Fries – $6.50

Tu. – Taco Salad – $5.99

W. – Cindy’s Choice of Sandwhich with Chips – $5.99

Th. – Bacon Swiss Chicken Filet with Fries – $6.75

F. – Pizza Day – 2 Slices of Pizza – $5.00

Teeghan’s Ice Bar

Domestic Bottles of Beer – $1.75 & Well Drinks – $2.50

The Coffee Emporium
(All specials also include chips & drink)

M. – Wrap – $6.50

Tu. – Pita – $6.50

W. – Panini – $7.00

Th. – Wrap – $6.50

F. – Deli Sandwhich – $5.00

The Flying Wienie

All Day Specials (All include Fries & Drink)

D.P. (2 dogs) – $8.25

1/2 Beef – $5.95

Gyros – $7.95

After 5pm

Buy 1 Gyro & get 2nd 1/2 price

Ribs Sampler – $5.95

Ribs Dinner – $10.95

Ribs Rack – $19.95

The Prairie Soup Company

M. – Grilled Cheese Sandwhich & Creamy Tomato Basil Soup – $6.50

Tu. – Smokey Chicken Quesadillas – $5.00

W. – B.L.T. Wraps – $4.50

Th. – Sub, Chips & Drink – $6.00

F. – Tuna Melt Panini – $6.50 whole/$3.50 half

Toocans

Half Price Jumbo Drink Bones – Everyday from 4:30pm – 10:00pm

M. – $5.00 Bottomless Beer Cup (Starts at 9pm)

Tu. 2 for 1 Drinks (All night)

W. – $2 Cherry Bombs, Bottles, & Wells

Th. – Free Mixed Drinks (Starts at 9pm)

F. & Sa. – No Cover, Half Price Jumbo Drink Bones, & 2 for 1 on entire drink menu. (4:30pm – 10:00pm)

Zins

Sa. – Farmers’ Market Prix Fixe – Four Course Special Menu -

Each item will feature at least one item purchased that morning at the Downtown Farmers’ Market.

Each course will have three choices for a total of 12 items. – $20.10/person

Su. – 2 Brunches for $20.10

Tu. – $2.01 Grain Belt – Zins is Iowa’s Grain Belt Headquarters

W. – Smoked Prime Rib Dinner & one glass of Charles Krug Cabernet Sauvignon – $20.10

Th. – Bring Your 2 Best Buddies to Lunch Day – 3 Lunches for $20.10

F. – $20.10 Bottles of wine (anything normally priced less than $40.00

Sa. – A Great Start or a Great Finish

2 Nibbles & 2 Signature Cocktails – $20.10

or

4 Chocolate Desserts & 4 Tastes of Essencia

(Chocolate Bread Pudding & 2 Other Special Chocolate Desserts) – $20.10

*tax is not included in the price of items shown above*

Derek Perez, 39, Iowa City
Owner @ El Bandito’s

Where did you learn to cook?
Most of my background in cooking comes from my mother. She learned a lot of her cooking from my father’s side of the family. She’s German; he’s Mexican and Italian. I always have been a big fan of my family’s Mexican food. I thought I’d try to use some of that influence to make this restaurant. I learned from her, but also, I used to own 126 with my brother and his wife, and the chef there taught me a lot about cooking.

This place seems like a big change from 126.
Yeah, maybe in terms of the atmosphere, and the price point is lower here. But focus there has always been making sure that the food is extremely good, and I try to make sure that happens here, too.

What’s your favorite thing on the menu here?
My favorite thing would most likely be the tacos, any of the tacos, because they’re so fast. That’s what I grab and I eat. But there’s not one thing that I’m unhappy with. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t put it on the menu.

Are you a flour or corn tortilla person?
It depends on what the meat is. My family always cooked with flour tortillas — that’s what I always ate when I was growing up, so that’s what I’m inclined to say is my favorite. I’ve been lucky enough to find a really good tortilla maker in West Liberty, and those are just perfect for what we do.
— ANNE

DETAILS: El Bandito’s, 327 E. Market St., Iowa City; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, (319) 358-2836, http://elbanditosiowacity.com

There are so many bars and restaurants hidden in the nooks and crannies of downtown Iowa City that it’s a little overwhelming to decide which one to try next. Through the journey of this column I’ve barely made a dent. But with my intrepid Iowa City lunch buddy, we recently checked another one off the list.

Quinton’s Bar & Deli is located right next to The Englert Theatre on East Washington Street amid plenty of downtown hustle and bustle. It takes up a sliver of the row of historic buildings and the interior is a little dark, well worn and comfy like a college bar should be.

Quinton’s is actually a chain with locations in other college towns like Lawrence, Kan., Madison, Wis., and Columbia, Mo.

I’m told that the must have at Quinton’s is the soup and half sandwich. There are many exciting sandwiches to choose from. But they’ve also added a huge selection of hamburgers.

Considering it was 90 degrees out that day, a warm bowl of soup didn’t seem like the way to go, so I got a decadent cheeseburger instead.

All of the burgers are made with fresh local beef and are expertly crafted. I had the bacon and avocado burger with cheddar cheese. I was a bit leery of the liberal use of mayo, but I went for it anyway.

The mayo blended into the background among the bold flavors of bacon and smooth creaminess of the avocado and was a perfect touch. It was a delicious cheeseburger grilled just right. I also got an order of perfectly crispy French fries and to balance out the indulgent carbo load, a salad on the side. As a general rule salads automatically cancel out my French fry and cheeseburger guilt.

Price wise it was a fairly average lunch ­— about $15 with the fries and salad and tip. Not cheap but very appropriate for the quality and abundance of food. The soups will have to wait for a much cooler day, but now I have a reason to look forward to fall and a
return to Quinton’s.

— ANDREA