Minnesota Hot Dish with a Caribbean Twist — Vegan style
Quickly mash equal parts of peeled, soft-boiled yams and potatoes, saute with some butter until mixed well, stir in 1/4 cup small diced pineapple chunks or ripe banana’s, then a bit of chopped green onion, cilantro and roasted cumin powder. Maybe a 1/4 cup of white flour to thicken the mix, and bake in a buttered glass dish at 350F for 45 minutes.


Caribbean Coconut Crusted Walleye
Most people who come from the Caribbean would not actually eat or prepare this meal (not because it is a new and unique fusion cuisine dish) but simply because there are too many time-consuming steps in the preparation. Most would be more content preparing their freshwater fish — Tilapia, Walleye, Guabine, Causcarube, Seven Colors or Mamatata — in a simple curry sauce with a side of freshly grilled roti (East Indian styled Wheat Flat Bread) or a medley of boiled root vegetables (yam, taro, cassava, sweet potato, eddoes, and tania) slightly sauteed in a tablespoon of salted butter.

Paper over the windows doesn’t necessarily mean this classic restaurant at 2005 W. Superior St. in Duluth’s friendly West End is closed for good, but the word on the street is that it has been closed for a few months and will stay that way. (It was included in the “Breakfast in Duluth” post 10 months ago.)

This was the last of four Jim’s Hamburger locations in Duluth. Jim Overlie was the founder, opening the first one in 1937. I think the West End location opened in the 1940s. Overlie sold in 1985 to Dick and Mary Christensen. Dick died in 2000 and Mary died in 2006. Their son Denny took over ownership.

Other Jim’s Hamburger locations were at:
502 E. Fourth St. (closed in 2005)
414 W. Superior (closed in 1995)
502 E. First St. (closed in 1982)

The Canal Park Brewing Co. has the beginnings of a website now, it is expected to open this summer, construction is underway and Wagner Zaun Architecture’s designs look like this:

Is anyone else losing patience with media references to “unseasonably warm” temperatures? This is a record-busting winter on all counts.

Case in point, Little Angie’s: “Opulent Ice House Coming Soon: December 9 Until Thaw!” High-end cocktails to be offered in a lounge made of ice blocks. But today I noticed the piled shards of melting ice scattered around the enclosure. They just couldn’t get the thing built.

For more ranting about the Duluth climate-change experience, including a couple of photos, please see my latest Nature of Modern Life blog post.

(And, yes, it would seem that the joke is on me. Winter is here today. Gone tomorrow? We’ll see.)

• The sign is up at Tycoons Alehouse and Eatery and a New Year’s Eve opening is planned with Cry on Cue playing.
• The Zeitgeist Arts Café is opening for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Jan. 1. Signature drinks including bloody Marys made with bacon-infused vodka will be available. In step with the brunch at the café is a new series of Saturday morning family movies at Zinema 2. The first one is 1979′s The Muppet Movie on Jan. 7 at 10:30 a.m.
• Ledge Rock Grille in Larsmont has a new Carribean menu on Thursday nights.
• The old Italian Village in West Duluth is now Gannucci’s Italian Market. It has expanded into the neighboring space and now includes a pizzeria. (See below.)

Did Kenny Wong’s go out of business, or is it changing to a new format? They had some great food there, and as a former employee, I’d like to know what’s going on!

UPDATE: Tycoons opening date is still unknown.