Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Restaurant: Huntington Prime


















Early in his career, Chef Michael Bowe recognized that the best produce was local produce, picked shortly before it arrived at his kitchen. While teaching at the Mountwest Cooking and Culinary Institute in Huntington, Chef Bowe began to develop his plan to open a restaurant where menu options were based on local foods.
Two years ago on February 5, 2010, he opened Huntington Prime in renovated space in downtown Huntington. The town has lauded his efforts so strongly that he opened up additional seating in the penthouse in August after renovating a closed restaurant space there as well. Now providing seating for about 90 with another 15 at the two bars, the place is usually hopping. Space is also available for catered affairs in the Penthouse.

Sunday Brunch is served from 10:00-2:30. Monday through Friday Huntington Prime is open for lunch from 11:00-2:00. In addition, dinner service is Monday through Saturday from 4:00 to 10:00.

Upstairs in the penthouse, cocktails are supplemented with live piano music provided by Mike Campbell, and Sean Parsons from 10:00pm-1:00am on Saturdays. In additional Dustin Murchevsky provides acoustic guitar music at other times.


Chef Bowe is joined by a well-seasoned team with Jared Bradley as Chef du Cuisine. Cheri Godfrey is Executive Pastry Chef with wonderful cakes on view to tempt.


Other head staff includes Adam Riazi as Wine Director, Michael Yankavitch as Front House Manager, Keelan Shepherd as Bar Manager, Russ Lewis as Acting Sous Chef, Marty Emerson as line worker. There is a total of 32 staff to provide excellent service to the diners.

Chef Bowe explained that much of his meat comes from Nelson’s in Mason County, his rainbow trout from J L Foods in Wilson Mills, much of his produce from Fish Hawk Acres as well as Floyd’s Produce in the local farmers market. Herbs are grown in a nearby Huntington back yard garden by Graham Rankin. In addition, Michael is planning to install a greenhouse in his back yard to produce peas, lettuce, patty pan squash and heirloom tomatoes

I asked a diner about his choice to eat at Huntington Prime. The gentleman was entertaining two guests from out of town and they said the meal was one of the best they had ever had. The local man indicated he ate at Huntington Prime at least twice a month and rated it a 9 on a scale of 1-10.

Good enough! Time to go eat!



Huntington Prime

910 4th Avenue

Huntington, WV 25701

304-697-1113 reservations suggested

http://huntingtonprime.com/

chefmikebowe@gmail.com

Thursday, February 23, 2012

What’s growing in February?


When I visited the Boxcar Market I asked a lot of questions since there are some people in my town (Huntington) who would like to start a similar local foods market, maybe not as complete a grocery as Boxcar is, but some of the concepts are similar.

When I was asked if we had settled on our suppliers yet I had to report that it is still being worked out. Her next question surprised me: Are you getting any of your produce from within your town?

Well, not expecting to, small garden areas, hilly terrain,etc etc etc……and her answer was Why not?

She sent me to Truly Living Well who operates several growing centers but the one I visited was the Wheat Street Garden close to Auburn Avenue. Located within view of downtown Atlanta, this 4 acre parcel provides vegetables and fruit to individual purchasers, CSA members, local stores and restaurants.

Several staff members are assisted by volunteers.


The greenhouse provides a climate controlled area for seedlings. Seeing the amount of greens in various stages of growth reminded me that we in West Virginia do not enjoy the more temperate winters that Atlanta does, but these raised beds can be worked as low tunnels and the results would be similar spectacular.

The Living Well site has ample parking, a covered picnic area with sinks for warm weather classes,
several storage areas, the greenhouse, and some fun areas as well. This is a wonderful use of an abandoned land parcel that any urban area has in abundance. We can do this!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Is your vinegar made from petroleum?

YUK! My recent tater salad could have fueled my car! Well not really, but I wonder just how many petroleum based products I'm eating on my salad!

From Reuters
: May 18, 2009
Heinz re-affirms its commitment to use only 100 percent all-natural
ingredients in its popular Distilled White and Apple Cider Vinegar, offering
an alternative to petroleum-based vinegars

PITTSBURGH, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Not all vinegars are created equal -- and
not all are created with natural ingredients. In fact, vinegar can be made
from either natural ingredients, such as corn and apples, or artificial
ingredients, such as petroleum.
According to a recent survey*, this is proving
important to more than 70 percent of vinegar users looking for all-natural,
high-quality ingredients when making salads or salad dressings. In response,
Heinz is re-affirming its commitment to use only natural, sun-ripened corn and
fresh apples -- never petroleum -- in its popular Heinz Distilled White and
Apple Cider Vinegar.


The majority of vinegar users (89 percent) said they didn't know that their
vinegar could be sourced from petroleum, while 79 percent indicated that if
they discovered their vinegar was sourced from petroleum, they would switch to
an all-natural vinegar. With no current requirements to disclose ingredient
sources on labels, many consumers may not be able to tell how their vinegar is
made.
That's why Heinz is taking steps to raise the level of consumer
awareness about all-natural vinegar choices and proudly proclaiming that Heinz
Distilled White and Apple Cider Vinegars are always 100 percent all-natural.

Read the whole press release
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS132551+18-May-2009+PRN20090518

Japanese Tuna Terrine by Sedona Cantina & Tapas

Japanese Tuna Terrine. Fresh avocado in lime juice with sashimi grade tuna in a Japanese (soy,ginger, wasabi, rice wine vinegar, cilantro) ceviche style marinade. It is then layered, starting with avocado, in a terrine mold and pressed with a brick overnight.
Then, you pop it out, top it with a wasabi cream sauce, and, ENJOY!!! (on rice crackers or egg roll crisps)


Sedona Cantina and Tapas is located in Fayette County:

Turn at the light for fayetteville off of 19. Go straight through town until you get to the stoplight. Continue straight through light on Court st. (also Rt. 16 south) and we are about 1.5 miles out of town on the right.

You too can find other unique restaurants in West Virginia, by going to Wvfarm2u

Monday, July 20, 2009

Chef Brian Ball's take on a traditional Mexican dish

Chef Brian Ball's take on a traditional Mexican Fish Taco was divine:

First he started with a basil infused white tortilla chip

Then he took a granny smith apple slaw and put it atop the basil infused chip

Sandwiching the slaw with another chip
Adding the seared Tuna atop the "taco"

Adding the aioli (aioli: is made by slowly whisking oil into egg yolks and garlic. )

The finished product with sprinkled coriander seeds...a tantalizing taste bud fiesta!!





Sunday, July 19, 2009

According to the National Culinary Review: Local is the New Organic



"Chefs are increasingly finding product within 150 miles of their venue" by Laura Taxel.

'It's a fundamental axiom among chefs that to make great food, you need great ingredients. As a measure of freshness and qulity, local has become the new gold standard. So chefs around the country are increasingly turning to products sourced from artisan producers and small family owned and sustainably operated farms located within 150 miles of where they cook.

Noting this shif, the American Farm Bureau, based in Washington, D.C., included farm-to-table cuisine on its list of top food trends for 2009, and local produce earned the No. 1 spot on the National Restaurant Association's most recent "What's Hot" chef survey...'
Laura Taxel, The National Culinary Review. July 2009

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