It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Landmark Center gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in St Paul, MN is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Harriet Island Regional Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Meritage or visit Burbank Livingston Griggs Mansion, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in St Paul, MN, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in St Paul, MN understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in St Paul, MN 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
MN cannabis requirements clash with hemp lawsMinnesota hemp businesses have to be licensed starting in October. However, it’s impossible to meet the requirement to include license numbers for all businesses involved in producing the products from seed to sale when other states don’t require the same. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard explains the conundrum facing business owners.The ...
Minnesota hemp businesses have to be licensed starting in October. However, it’s impossible to meet the requirement to include license numbers for all businesses involved in producing the products from seed to sale when other states don’t require the same. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard explains the conundrum facing business owners.
A new cannabis complication is numbing the excitement of people hoping to launch with new licenses in the coming weeks and months.
Hemp hardship:
St. Paul Cannabis has stayed afloat for 2.5 years by selling hemp-derived THC drinks and edibles.
David Mendolia is on the road to adding a retail marijuana license, but hopes to keep one foot in both worlds.
"We want to continue to offer all the things that we've been offering that are customer favorites, that people really like," Mendolia said.
A couple of problems stand in his way, though.
Hemp businesses have to be licensed starting in October and the Office of Cannabis Management recently shared the rules for sales.
Labels will have to include most of the same information required on cannabis products.
Label losers:
But Mendolia says it’s impossible to meet a requirement to include license numbers for all businesses involved in producing the products from seed to sale.
Hemp is federally legal, but other states don’t license hemp producers and Minnesota hasn’t issued licenses yet.
"That is to say, if I receive the license tomorrow, all the product in the store is currently illegal," said Mendolia.
A spokesperson for the Office of Cannabis Management told FOX 9 the law is the law.
Nobody would be allowed to sell products without the right licensing and the right labeling.
Mendolia’s hoping for a quick fix to the rules so he doesn’t have to destroy all his inventory and start over.
"That's just that the state's not going to do that," he said. "The industry is not going to let the state do that."
Middleman added:
Sourcing hemp from out-of-state will become pretty expensive under the new licensing law.
Patty Gilk has stocked three Jes Naturals stores with the best hemp-derived products she can find at the best prices across the country.
But in October, she’ll either need to buy a distributor’s license at $10,000 a year, or find a middleman with that license.
"It would significantly reduce the number of products we can offer our customers," Gilk said. "Or make them so costly we couldn't be competitive."
Tax talk:
Just about everybody in the industry is also concerned about the increased cannabis tax, which applies to marijuana and hemp-derived products — even non-intoxicating CBD.
It goes from 10% to 15% starting in July.
On Juneteenth, the Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota, gathered to honor a history of resilience."They had a rhythm in Rondo, it had a different vibe than any other place in the city of St. Paul," said Marvin Anderson, director of the Rondo Center of Diverse Expression.Once home to a thriving Black community, Rondo was upended by ...
On Juneteenth, the Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul, Minnesota, gathered to honor a history of resilience.
"They had a rhythm in Rondo, it had a different vibe than any other place in the city of St. Paul," said Marvin Anderson, director of the Rondo Center of Diverse Expression.
Once home to a thriving Black community, Rondo was upended by the construction of Interstate 94 in the late 1950s. Hundreds of homes and businesses were demolished to make way for the freeway, displacing countless families.
"I-94 totally destroyed the Rondo community. It was a complete and utter devastation of the businesses, the social institutions and cultural institutions," Anderson said. "A lot of our stories, our journeys, are filled with pain."
Anderson's family was directly impacted by the construction.
"It was a devastating event for my family, and when I left here I had never gone back to the home I grew up in," he said.
For Allison Williams, her parents witnessed first-hand what it was like to watch the construction.
"I remember stories of my mom, when she was a newly-wed. They came out and stood and watched the bulldozers tearing up what used to be their neighborhood," Williams said.
But this year's Juneteenth celebration was a reminder that Rondo's spirit could never be broken.
"Our values in Rondo were timeless, just like the values that people learned on the plantation. They've lasted for 400 years," he said. "How did we survive in America unless we had a set of values that we were able to transmit to each other? That's what sustained us here, our sense of who we are and where we came from."
The event featured speakers from four Rondo families, reminding the next generation what their families had to go through and how they have stayed resilient over time.
"With memories of the elders of Rondo, they are translated to the imaginations of the youth of Rondo," he said.
The event was an opportunity for those in attendance to reflect on how far the neighborhood has come since the I-94 construction. Anderson hopes the Rondo neighborhood can grow with the proposed plan to build a land bridge over I-94 to reconnect the neighborhood that was torn apart by the construction.
If you would like to be a part of preserving this rich legacy, there are plenty of upcoming events in the neighborhood, like Rondo Days in July.
Click here for a list of Juneteenth events in the Twin Cities.
Ray Campos is a multi-skilled journalist at WCCO-TV.
NWS confirms 2 tornadoes in northern MNAt least 14 tornadoes were spotted as severe storms swept across Minnesota on Monday. The National Weather Service confirmed on Wednesday that two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Cass and Crow Wing counties as a result of these storms.The BriefThe National Weather Service has ...
At least 14 tornadoes were spotted as severe storms swept across Minnesota on Monday. The National Weather Service confirmed on Wednesday that two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Cass and Crow Wing counties as a result of these storms.
The National Weather Service has confirmed two tornadoes touched down in Minnesota during severe storms that swept across the state on Monday.
Alexa Hansen sent FOX 9 video of this reported tornado on East Gull Lake Monday afternoon.
Local perspective:
The National Weather Service confirmed two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Crow Wing and Cass counties on Monday afternoon.
The first tornado, with peak winds of around 100 mph, tracked 11.5 miles from Casino to Gull Lake between 4:21 p.m. and 4:43 p.m. A video submitted by Alexa shows what appears to be a tornado moving near East Gull Lake on Monday afternoon.
A second EF-1 tornado, also with 100 mph peak winds, touched down minutes later in Merrifield, traveling 10.9 miles from 4:45 p.m. to 5:12 p.m.
There were no reported injuries or deaths from either of these tornadoes.
A survey crew confirmed the preliminary EF-1 rating after assessing damage in the area. An EF-1 tornado is characterized by wind speeds between 86 and 110 mph.
Storm damage was reported in parts of Crow Wing County, including downed trees and damaged buildings in cabin country near Pequot Lakes and Nisswa.
Dig deeper:
Severe storms hit the majority of Minnesota on Monday evening, bringing intense rain, strong winds, lightning and large hail.
From those storms, 14 tornadoes were reported across the state, including in Nicollet and Otter Tail counties. The NWS has only confirmed two tornadoes as of Wednesday morning.
Survey crews are continuing to assess damage in the area. The NWS will release more details when available.
Sky FOX 9 flew over parts of Crow Wing County Tuesday after a reported tornado Monday night blew down trees and caused damaged to buildings in cabin country near Pequot Lakes and Nisswa.
The Source: This report uses information from the NWS and previous FOX 9 reporting.
After opening his concert Tuesday night at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor told the crowd of about 12,000: “Minneapolis. It’s great to be back.”But a few songs later, the 77-year-old corrected himself and then told a great story about Minnesota guitar maker Jim Olson. Back in 1989, Olson heard Taylor was going to be in town to play a benefit show and managed to get one of his guitars into Taylor’s hands. “I haven’t put it down since,” Taylor told t...
After opening his concert Tuesday night at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor told the crowd of about 12,000: “Minneapolis. It’s great to be back.”
But a few songs later, the 77-year-old corrected himself and then told a great story about Minnesota guitar maker Jim Olson. Back in 1989, Olson heard Taylor was going to be in town to play a benefit show and managed to get one of his guitars into Taylor’s hands. “I haven’t put it down since,” Taylor told the crowd, looking down at his six string. (Olson, he added, was in the audience Tuesday.)
That’s the kind of night it was at the X. With the mild manner of a retired Presbyterian minister, Taylor played a two-hour set of some of the gentlest popular music of his generation. His voice has retained much of its warmth, in part because he’s never been about power, but rather intimacy.
As such, Taylor gave the show the feel of an intimate club gig on a breezy summer evening. The crowd certainly helped matters by sitting in quiet rapture, applauding and cheering only at appropriate times. Yeah, the occasional fan would yell “We love you James” or “You’re kicking ass, JT” between songs, but even Taylor didn’t seem to mind.
For the first part of the show, Taylor played a series of songs about traveling, including “Wandering,” “Walking Man,” “Stretch of the Highway,” “Mexico” and “My Traveling Star.” Between numbers, he chatted with the crowd, offering plenty of dad jokes along the way. He also poked fun at his age, showing the crowd the comically oversized set list he was reading from and offering to take out his teeth after he took off his jacket.
Taylor also took time throughout the show to introduce the members of his All-Star Band, a group of seasoned musicians that aren’t household names, but have played with plenty of them over the decades. Among them was bassist and Minneapolis native Jimmy Johnson and Taylor’s son Henry, who has been singing backup in the band since 2021.
Kate Markowitz, Dorian Holley and Andrea Zonn joined Henry and provided some gorgeous harmonies for the main attraction. The rest of the band, too, gave Taylor plenty to work with and even occasionally rocked out — well, as much as Taylor rocks out — on songs like “(I’ve Got to) Stop Thinkin’ ‘Bout That” and “Up on the Roof” (a song Taylor’s pal Carole King co-wrote for the Drifters). After the latter, Taylor told the crowd “No Kings, except Carole” and earned some of the biggest cheers of the evening in the process.
It's a pinch-me kind of moment following last night's James Beard Award ceremony at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago: Chef Karyn Tomlinson of St. Paul restaurant Myriel took home the award for Best Chef: Midwest, and Bûcheron, Adam and Jeanie Ritter's French-American-yet-indelibly-Minnesotan restaurant nestled in south Minneapolis, took home the award for Best New Restaurant. (In the whol...
It's a pinch-me kind of moment following last night's James Beard Award ceremony at the Lyric Opera House in Chicago: Chef Karyn Tomlinson of St. Paul restaurant Myriel took home the award for Best Chef: Midwest, and Bûcheron, Adam and Jeanie Ritter's French-American-yet-indelibly-Minnesotan restaurant nestled in south Minneapolis, took home the award for Best New Restaurant. (In the whole country, that is!) Not to mention that the TPT series Relish, hosted by chef Yia Vang, won a Beard media award in the category of Lifestyle Visual Media, and U.S. Rep Angie Craig won an Impact Award for her efforts on the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act.
Maybe the Beard Foundation is on a hot streak of recognizing the female chefs who've been steadily anchoring the Cities' scene for years on years, considering chef Christina Nguyen of Hai Hai's win for Best Chef: Midwest in 2024, followed by Tomlinson's this year. What you might mistake for subtlety in Myriel's food is actually unbridled reverence for the earth itself, and all that grows and walks on it: It's beef shank atop white beans and watercress; it's glossy green stalks of asparagus in ramp butter; it's lard-crust apple pie. We're glowing for you, Karyn! To quote Lizzo, another daughter of Minnesota, about damn time, and to quote my colleague Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, who wrote this when Tomlinson was named a Beard semifinalist for the fourth time this year:
"I’m kind of mad about this, to be honest, because Tomlinson should have won this any of the last four years. There seems to be some vibe that she’s so nice, she’ll patiently wait forever for her turn. And I say: This is misogynist glass ceiling bull hockey. Tomlinson is a brilliant chef, as we all knew when she was cooking at dearly departed Corner Table, and when she was the first woman to win the big Cochon pork butchery and cooking contest. Since the minute it opened, Myriel has advanced the culinary arts in terms of sourcing, delicacy, warm and kind hospitality—why? Tell me why she hasn’t won already? Sorry to end this on a downer but: I am not prepared to settle for a world where women are penalized for being damn near perfect, smart, and heart-led. Hooray for Karyn Tomlinson—now, now, now!"
They heard you, Dara. As for Bûcheron, so much joy for this exceptional team of people running this exceptional restaurant, headed by Demi alum Adam Ritter in the kitchen, roasting turnips with bone marrow and poaching octopus for Bolognese, and Jeanie Ritter in the front of house, conjuring a warm, thoughtful, unpretentious experience for anyone who steps through the door. I have to quote Dara again here, writing about Bûcheron's tortellini in acorn broth:
"The flavors of the dish are subtle, elusive, fascinating: woody, but fresh, like an aged wood-cask sherry, but without any sweetness or alcohol. Paired with mushrooms and celeriac, the bowl of pasta in broth is really a whole symphony of earthy tones, like music made primarily for bassoon, and then, in a novel counterpoint, the familiar wheaty flavors of the fresh pasta come across as a sweet and light, fluty top note." And the Beard goes to the acorn broth.
As for Relish: Chef Vang, seems you were made for television as much as you were made to fire pork chops and Hilltribe grilled chicken on the line. Biggest kudos to producers Brittany Shrimpton and Amy Melin and the whole team of people who make Relish happen; it's truly a gift to this community and the many characters who make our scene what it is. Long live public television. Rep. Craig, keep on keeping on and supporting family farmers and rural communities—the work gets more important by the day.
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