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Oxford Omnivores Digest

What's Inside 3 From the Kitchen: 4 Eric “Salad Man” Tait Save the Sauce 5 Oxford restaurants offer variety of menu items 7 for Lenton season Higher alcohol content in beer?

Yes, please.

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COVER STORY: Headline....

14 From the Kitchen: 15 Alan Keller Big Dog Bouré 16

Buffalo Wild Wings breaks ground

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OOD

Volume 1 Issue 1 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF COPY CHIEF

Emily Roland Alyssa Randolph

DESIGN EDITOR

Emily Roland

LEAD REPORTER

Will Bartz

ADDITIONAL REPORTERS

Keaton Peek Alyssa Randolph Emily Roland Chris Ruple James Woodley

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Alyssa Randolph

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Will Bartz Keaton Peek Alyssa Randolph Emily Roland Chris Ruple James Woodley

COVER ART

Alyssa Randolph

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Alyssa Randolph Jour 379 | OOD 2

Higher alcohol content in beer?

Yes, please.

Senate Bill 2878, also known as the Gourmet Beer Bill, passed the House with no debate.

By Keaton Peek

S

tarting July 1, 2012, Mississippians will be able to buy stronger beer. Governor Phil Bryant signed the law that will allow the professional brewing and sale of beer with alcohol content up to 8 percent, compared to the current 5 percent limit. A group called Raise Your Pints has supported the law for over three years now. “Literally thousands of Mississippians are crossing

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into Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana to buy beer and bring it home,�

Butch Bailey, president of Raise Your Pints, said.

Something as simple as beer was causing Mississippi to lose some tax revenue.

Lazy Magnolia, a Mississippi brewery, has had to pass up contracts to make beer for other companies due to the current low alcohol content law. Breweries want to pass the law where they are allowed to make

beer with even higher alcohol content as long as they ship it out of state where it is legal.

In hindsight, this new law has the potential create business opportunities for breweries and will allow Mississippi citizens to taste new types of beer. Senate Bill 2878, also known as the Gourmet Beer Bill, passed the House with no debate.

This summer will be a great time for beer lovers and brewery owners.

From the Kitchen: Eric “Salad Man” Tait

By James Woodley What restaurants have you worked at in Oxford?

I’ve worked at Square Pizza, Proud Larry’s, City Grocery, Lenny’s Sub Shop and was the head chef at Round Table. I’ve worked on and off at Bouré for 3 years.

I think that ties them all up.

Would you recommend cooking as a profession?

Yes, but only literally if you can handle the heat and stay in the kitchen. It’s fucking knarly man. It’s crazy. It’s not for the faint of heart.

When did you start cooking?

My first job was as a dishwasher in Pickwick. Tennessee and my buddy was the head cook there. I’d be washing dishes one day and I would make some mozzarella sticks or something. I held a restaurant job until I got out of high school, but my first professional kitchen was at Bouré. I’ve worked my way around the Oxford circuit and I’m back here.

What is one of your favorite meals to cook?

Anything with tomatoes. I love man. I can eat it by itself, but my favorite meal is maybe a creamy parmesan orzo. I love to cook pork steaks, maybe some brocilini sautéed up, and maybe some tomato medley with basil chiffonade sauce for the pork steak.

What is the best thing about being a chef?

If you’re passionate about what you do, it’s the free range of creativity depending on where you work. If it’s really your thing, getting caught up in the busyness of a Saturday night or double decker weekend. I enjoy getting in that zone and pumping food out.

You know, the thrill of the fight. The worst thing might almost be that same night. The beginning and the cleanup are tough.

Those nights when it’s Monday and you’re twiddling your thumbs with nothing to do are pretty bad too.

Jour

SAVETHESAUCE

By Will Bartz

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fter 14 years of service, The Yocona River Inn burned to the ground in March 2009. The fire left patrons and the owners wondering if they would ever open their doors again. The history and legend of a humble BYOB steakhouse was not in the steak, but the sauce.

The Yocona River Inn wasn’t actually an inn. In fact, it was originally a country store and service station before it became a hidden gem in North Mississippi. The restaurant was nestled by the banks of the Yocona River near the small town of Tula, Miss. It would seem hard to pull from the typical, yet phenomenal options located on the

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Oxford’s square, but The Yocona River Inn drew in diners like a magnet.

The interior of the restaurant was cozy and sat no more than 50 diners. Bring your own bottle is a concept that added to the charm of the restaurant. Filet mignon slathered in a mysterious burgundy sauce nestled next to a bottle of Cabernet in a brown paper bag is certainly not your typical steakhouse experience.

The mysterious burgundy concoction was a secret red wine reduction sauce that became known as Yocona Sauce.

The sweet yet earthy sauce is terribly complex, but it retained a certain comfort food quality.

Rumor has it, the complexity of the sauce led diners to bribe employees for the secret recipe.

However, the recipe was never leaked.

Some may say that keeping a secret in a small Mississippi town is impossible, and that certainly applies in this case. Inevitably, the secret recipe was leaked. Former employees and locals have different theories on how the recipe first slipped into the hands of the public.

The most popular is that a cook drank too much, got chatty, and the recipe trickled into public’s knowledge.

Chef Paige Osborne is credited for creating Yocona Sauce.

Many, if not all of the sources

Original Recipe: Yocna Sauce Yield 12 Servings

Ingredients: 6 cups burgundy red wine 4 cups Worcestershire sauce 3 cups balsamic vinegar 1 cups molasses 3 bay leaves pinch of salt and pepper 1 stick unsalted butter (amount can be manipulated)

“

Do not over-heat or over-cool the sauce too long after the butter has been added. This would cause the sauce to ‘break.’

Tip From The Chef Paige Osborne

Directions:

that leaked the recipe, choose to remain anonymous. My acquisition of the recipe was no different, but I will say Maker’s Mark was involved.

If you have yet to see the recipe, you can now bring a piece of Yocona River Inn home.

Citizens from Oxford and surrounding areas made a serious effort to assist Yocona in reopening their doors. In 2010, Yocona In Exile was opened. Yocona In Exile was another former service station and grocery store. Due to an unstable economic climate, Yocona In Exile closed its doors for good later that year.

In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, mix red wine, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, molasses, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Reduce these ingredients by 1/5 of its original size. Stir occasionally.

The mixture will reduce to a thick, dark burgundy sauce and will foam on the edges when ready.

Strain sauce into a new pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in butter adding 3 small dabs at a time. Add the butter until desired consistency is formed. Sauce is ready to serve.

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Oxford restaurants offer variety Story by Chris Ruple | Map by Emily Roland Easter is often a joyous occasion for those who celebrate it.

Normally the day starts with a trip to church and ends with a full stomach. Millions of Christians throughout the world are particularly happy when Easter Sunday comes since it marks the end of the Lenten period.

Lent is a ritual recognized by many Christian communities in preparation for the anniversary of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Fasting and avoiding eating red meat on Fridays are part of the many sacrifices Christians make during Lent.

With resteraunt menu options in Oxford somewhat limited for thousands of practicing Christians on Fridays, OOD set out on a mission to find the hot spots in town for Lenton meals.

Below are our picks of the best menus for Christians on Fridays during Lent.

Another unlikely stop for a non-meat meal, Papitos’ menu includes a assortment of seafood and vegetarian sections on the menu. The most popular is the shrimp fajita.

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The Asian-style cuisine provides an impressive selection of sushi. The menu even supplies you with the comprised ingredients that make up each roll. If sushi is not the first choice, the hibachi grill offers shrimp, salmon, scallops, and even lobster. Soup, salad, or vegetable tempura is also noted as a Friday option.

This Thai restaurant offers a variety of sushi, meat-free soups, salads, and of course the crowd’s favorite, fish taco. Like Kabuki, the soups, salads, and vegetable tempura are your best bets if you don’t like seafood or sushi.

Boure’s upscale atmosphere compliments the delicious dishes. Some of the Fridaysafe meals include: the panseared tilapia, pasta jambalaya, barbecue salmon, pan-seared crabcakes, and the sautéed grouper.

of menu items for lenton season

Although Taylor Grocery is not technically in Oxford, it is a restaurant experience that has gained praises nationwide.

Grilled and fried shrimp are a tasty choice, but the restaurant has gained national acclaim for its catfish dishes.

Pizza usually isn’t the first choice when it comes to finding a meal with no meat, but SoulShine has a selection for this occasion.

Their menu is scattered with shrimp, crawfish, crabmeat, and fresh vegetable pies.

Mcallisters features its very own “Lent Menu” for the entire Lenton season, which includes a variety of different soups, including clam chowder and veggie chili. The menu also includes a couple choice nonmeat “Spuds” one of the signature meals at Mcallisters. Of course the menu wouldn’t be complete without sandwiches. Mcallisters’ Lent Menu includes the following sandwiches: The Veggie, Four Cheese Grilled, Tuna Salad and the Veggie Club.

Known for the best seafood in Oxford, the New Orleans-style deli offers a multitude of po’boys.

Catfish, shrimp, oyster, crawfish, and even alligator are the recommended favorites. Oby’s also serves seafood gumbo and clam chowder, both of which are meatfree. For the customers who don’t enjoy seafood, they have a variety of salads, Ro*Tel and guacamole dip, and a veggie wrap.

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Cover st

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tory

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Cover s

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story

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Cover story

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By Chris Ruple

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ne of the most popular hangouts for sports fans and wings fanatics will soon be coming to Oxford.

It had been rumored recently that a Buffalo Wild Wings might soon open its doors in Oxford, yet nothing was confirmed until earlier this month through a Buffalo Wild Wings Facebook group and website for employment. The group explains the restaurant will be located by the Home Depot in town and includes pictures of the construction in process. It is mentioned that hiring is taking place immediately, with the expectation of the store opening its doors in August.

Demand for a specialty wing

restaurant has been high ever sense Wing Fanatic closed its doors last year, leaving Coup de Ville as the only exclusive buffalo wing restaurant in town.

An online petition aimed towards the goal of a Buffalo Wild Wings coming to Oxford was started in hopes of proving to executives that Oxford could sustain one of their restaurants.

Jacob Juba, a sophomore finance major believes Buffalo Wild Wings will have a positive influence on the Oxford eating community.

Juba believes the new restaurant will be a boost for the local economy, as it will satisfy the demand for a quality wings and sports restaurant.

One of the main reasons it is

believed that Buffalo Wild Wings has stayed away from Oxford for so long is the town’s inability to sell alcohol on Sundays. Juba believes this may be one of the main reasons it has taken so long to get a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Oxford, as Sunday NFL football games’ visitors surely represent a large portion of the profit margin for the chain restaurants nationwide.

Even without the ability of alcohol sales on Sunday, Buffalo Wild Wings will be opening its doors in Oxford this coming fall.

For the most current information on the arrival of the restaurant, visit: http://www.facebook.com/#!/ BuffaloWildWingsOfOxford.

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From the Kitchen: Alan Keller

By Keaton Peek What restaurants have you worked at in Oxford?

I have worked at 208, Proud Larry’s, & now I currently am the grill chef at McEwens on the square.

What is your favorite gadget to use in the kitchen?

A new sharp knife has got to be my favorite tool to use.

Did you cook growing up?

I use to always cook with my mom for holidays and on Sunday’s after church.

Did you go to culinary school?

No, I finished high school then started working as a chef at Johnson Commons on Ole Miss’ campus.

What is your favorite meal to prepare?

My favorite would have to be a medium rare rib eye.

What do you enjoy cooking at home?

Probably just steak quesadillas. I love Mexican food.

How many years have you been a chef?

I have been a chef for fourteen years. I started cooking when I was seventeen and just kept with it.

What is the hardest thing for you to cook?

Nothing is hard for me to cook.

I’m just kidding, but I would probably have to say gravy.

Do you have any secret recipes?

I have a secret crab cake and wonton recipe, but I will never share it.

Let’s just say 208’s crab cakes are not like I used to make them.

Big Dog Bouré James Woodley Bouré achieved a personal record last weekend serving 2,012 people for Double Decker. All of the wait times were less than 25 minutes. Very few, if any, restaurants in Oxford have the staff or facility to accommodate this many customers.

The fine dining establishment has two branches of staff. The front of the house staff consists of the bartenders, receptionists, food runners, servers and a front of the house manager. The back of the house or kitchen staff are your chefs, dishwashers and a kitchen manager. There is also the expo position which works both front and back. There were more than 20 people working each shift. With so many different moving parts, organization is essential.

“The coordination on a busy day like Double Decker isn’t any different than it is on a slow day,” said Amber Reeves, who has worked for Bouré more than five years and is currently the front of house manager. “We have two expos: one for the back of the house and one for the front of house. They work together to make sure that everything is on the plate that should be and everything looks right.

Then, the front of the house expo puts it in the hands of a food runner or server.”

“We have a creole style to most of our dishes,” said James Branch, a frill cook at Boure. “I do burgers, steaks and salmon. Everything we serve tastes good to me, but my favorite thing to get is the pork tenderloin sandwich. For the price it’s unbeatable. We aren’t the cheapest on the square. I just think people are willing to pay a little more for the quality.”

The restaurant moved from its old location in March of last year. The new location on Square Loop is the largest restaurant on the square. Reeves admitted that there have been some “growing pains” moving to the new location, but says the transition has gone pretty smoothly.

“The reason I come is for the atmosphere really,” said John Montgomery, a bartender at Castle Hill and Bouré patron. “They have the biggest patio on the square, there is nice wood everywhere you look and it’s not a young, rowdy crowd.”

The owner, executive chef and mastermind behind Bouré, John Currence was out of town judging a corn dog contest. Currence was on the TV contest show Top Chef Masters last year and owns three other restaurants in Oxford: City Grocery, Snack Bar, and Big Bad Breakfast.

“I think Currence knows he can trust us,” Branch said. “It felt great to pump all the dishes out on time. There may be some squawking between people, but that’s just part of it. At the end of the day we know it’s a team effort and we want to be the best team in town.”

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