IdaHome--FLAVOR Fall 2023

APERICENA and BISTRO D’HÉLÈNE

The Art of European Cuisine in Boise

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FALL 2023

publisher

KAREN DAY

karen@idahorem.com

editor

APRIL NEALE april@idahorem.com

features editor

HEATHER HAMILTONPOST heather@idahorem.com

art and design

JASON JACOBSEN jsngrafix@gmail.com

KALEY WRIGHT design@idahorem.com

director of operations

MARIELLE WESTPHAL admin@idahorem.com

staff photographer

KAREN DAY

cover photograph

KAREN DAY

social media

APRIL NEALE

marketing, sales, and distribution

AMBER EVE SEMPSON amber@idahorem.com

IdaHome Magazine, LLC

P.O. Box 116 Boise, Idaho 83701 208.481.0693

© 2023 IdaHome Magazine. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by the authors and contributors to IdaHome Magazine are not necessarily those of the editor and publisher. Community + Culture + Recreation + Real Estate

ON THE COVER

Fall is the season of comforting and slower food, melded flavors like Boeuf (beef) Bourguignon, a braised aromatic dish presented at Chef Danielle Christine’s North End gem, Apericena. This casual, upscale European concept centers around the love of all things food. Chef Danielle created this savory and rich classic with grass-fed brisket, red Burgundy wine, pearl onions, aromatics, and mashed potatoes, all locally sourced. Boeuf Bourguignon may have been invented in the French countryside, but it has been perfected in Boise.

CONTRIBUTORS

April Neale is an entertainment features writer and has read her work on NPR and Spoken Interludes and writes for various industry trades and entertainment websites. Neale is a member of the Critics Choice Association, Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Hollywood Critics Association, Television Critics Association, and other professional entertainment organizations.

Pamela Kleibrink Thompson is an internationally-acclaimed recruiter, career coach and animation veteran. She's been published in more than 124 different publications and is also writing children's picture books. As a career coach, she works with creative people to help them pursue their passions.

Karen Day is a photographer and the fearless captain of our fleet of pages and mighty crew. A list of her creative passions and true job description risks making her appear insane, rather than insanely talented. Her habit of climbing onto the ledge of possibility offers us continuous adventures and little sleep. All aboard!

After graduating from the University of Iowa with a master’s degree in journalism, Harrison Berry returned to Boise, where he spent eight years working for Boise Weekly, rising to the position of managing editor. His work has appeared in publications from Business Insider to American Theatre. He currently works for Boise State University.

Darby Tarantino is a wine, culinary arts, and hospitality professional with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. She holds a degree in Wine Evaluation and is a graduate of the world-renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co. Cork, Ireland. She is the owner of Enlightened Vine, which specializes in educational vine-to-wine experiences.

Dana DuGan is an editor and writer based in Hailey, Idaho. She’s been on the writing staff at Idaho newspapers and magazines. Her work has also appeared in a number of online and print periodicals. Her miniature dachshund is named for a cocktail one only partakes of once a year.

Tim Atwell is a lifelong Idahoan who enjoys writing about the fast-growing food and drink scene in Boise. He works full time as a tech writer, but you can find him on nights and weekends exploring Boise and the surrounding area. He has contributed to publications including IdaHome, Edible Idaho, and The Blue Review. Outside of writing, he loves to barbecue, roast coffee, and try new recipes.

COME

208-352-6166 • ANDERSONRESERVE.COM

INFORMATION@ANDERSONRESERVE.COM

7275 SWEET OLA HWY, SWEET, IDAHO 83670

Dear Readers,

There’s a well-trodden path for American chefs seeking the spotlight: cook at high-end restaurants, prove your talent, and create a signature eatery that reflects your experience. Perhaps, catch the eye of a more famous chef who likes your style and land a Food Network series, or become one of the acclaimed insiders who always seem to have a seat at the televised table. We all benefit from dedicated chefs who bend the rules and forge their style, especially in Idaho, where the food scene is on fire. This edition of FLAVOR celebrates these nationally known visionaries and local hero chefs who followed a passion and backed it up with natural ability and solid culinary foundations.

Our featured celebrity chef, Carla Hall, beamed at 2023's notably diverse James Beard Awards in front of a sea of new culinary genius, including Boise's KIN Chef Kris Komori. She rules the seasonal Food Network baking shows.

Our regional chef star, Aminah "Chef Mimi" Robinson-Briscoe, is expanding opportunities for all chefs of color, especially women, building connections between chefs,makers, and growers.

Danielle Christine, owner and chef of Apericena and Bistro L'Hélène in Boise’s North End, has defied naysayers and, during the problematic pandemic year, created her simple and elegant vision of European dining in a casual setting that uses Idaho-sourced bounty.

Our capital city’s past is worth remembering, and prodigal son Cal Elliott returns after nearly 30 years to breathe life into a forgotten facade downtown, honoring the traditions of the Averyl Tiner Building. The city’s only historic boutique hotel has been meticulously renovated with an upscale restaurant and latenight gastro tavern.

The oenophiles have their moment too, as Darby Tarantino expresses her appreciation for Idaho’s wine harvest and growing winery scene. We have a look at Treasure Valley breakfasts and the reasons we stand in line for them. Our photographers capture the fun at the San Inazio Basque Fest, and Man Eats Boise columnist Harrison Berry has the magic passwords to area speakeasies. Dana DuGan reveals an unusual business in Kuna, an ostrich farm building a fanbase that enjoys an alternative to beef. Finally, Tim Atwell dons an apron with Season and Taste's Christina Murray, a devoted chef who teaches culinary building blocks in a recreational working kitchen to anyone interested in upping their cooking game in a fun and convivial setting.

I play favorites with the seasons, and Fall is tops for me. It delivers us from stultifying heat and haze to crisp clarity and our appetite. It heralds the slower-cooked meals and the baked and braised dishes we've put aside during the salad days.

The new FLAVOR revels in this period of change, welcoming new tastes, faces, ideas, and energy to our collective table.

In good taste,

TAMING THE BLIND TIGER IN BOISE

Speakeasies abound in the City of Trees

PHOTOS BY JAMES SPEARMAN

By Harrison Berry

Don’t call Tiner’s Alley (1010 W. Main St. in downtown Boise) a “speakeasy”—at least not to Co-Owner, Founder, and Executive Chef Cal Elliott.

“I think ‘speakeasy’ is the most overused word,” Elliott said. “This is a legal bar. It’s hard to get a liquor license in Boise, so I think it’s hilarious that people are using the word ‘speakeasy’ when you spent $300,000 on a liquor license.”

Speakeasies rose and fell with the Eighteenth Amendment and the Prohibition Era. From 1919 to 1933, the United States banned the sale, transportation, and importation of alcohol. They made a comeback in the early 2000s, managing customer access with passwords, trap doors, back rooms, and camouflage—not to evade law enforcement, but to cultivate an air of exclusivity and invoke a bygone era. Boiseans can wet their whistles at several.

Elliott’s protest notwithstanding, Tiner’s Alley qualifies. The entrances are its unmarked alleyway front door and through the back of its sister restaurant, The Avery. Anchoring the English-style pub is a deep sense of history. Its Brunswick bar dates to 1903 and casts a blond glow over the intimate space. A fireplace, pool table, and wood paneling made from the building’s original Douglas fir floorboards add to the ambiance. The cocktail menu is a mix of classics with an emphasis on brown liquors and new hits by Cal’s wife Ashley and John “Happy” Withee. A full menu—complete with an English breakfast—complements bar staples like curried nuts and pickled eggs.

The Gatsby commits to the Roaring ’20s aesthetic. A password-protected alleyway door opens into a reading nook, where a greeter explains the rules. There is a dress code. Talking on cell phones is prohibited. No one may tell the “coppers’’ about this place. The greeter pulls a secret lever and a bookcase swings away, revealing the bar itself.

This bar earns its name in both drinks and vibe. Check out its selection of whiskeys and bourbons as well as the throwback cocktail menu. You can even order a flight of absinthes La Louche. Brick walls papered with art deco posters tell you where you are. The staff leans into the Jazz Age concept—the servers dress and talk like flappers—but the patrons set the tone, many of them arriving in period-specific threads.

At Thick as Thieves, access is through a staircase leading to a password-protected door hidden behind mirror panels. In a word, this bar is intimate. Couples hold conversation in low tones around table candles, and the seating inclines patrons toward each other, though there is some group seating in the rear of the space. A fireplace filled with stocky candles and lined with mirrors gives this bar an air of deconstructed coziness.

The menu partakes of the speakeasy’s penchant for hidden things, but with a modern twist. Alongside classic cocktails and original creations are secret drinks revealed by a keychain blacklight handed to patrons by their servers. Customers looking for something outside the proverbial box might try the Swazerac (rye, cognac, lemon, demerara, absinthe, and Peychaud’s) or the Peter Pandan (gin, pandan, lime, sherry, absinthe, and cucumber bitters).

It’s a vintage experience at Thick As Thieves.

‘INTERESTING IS NOT DELICIOUS’ Chef Carla Hall on Choosing Real Food

By April Neale

The 2023 James Beard Awards may have netted a win for Boise’s KIN, but award presenter and Chef Carla Hall stole the show in a flowing off-shoulder cream ensemble that highlighted her regal carriage, Parisian modeling experience, and genuine good cheer. Of course, that’s only a part of why we love her.

People adore Chef Carla Hall— mention her name to anyone who watches food television and see their face light up. Hall fills any space—from guest

spots on “Beat Bobby Flay” to starring on “Summer Baking Championship”—with life-loving vitality.

Hall’s innate ability to steal scenes comes from performing in children’s theater from ages 12 to 17. “I was telling my mother that I wanted to be an actress,” Hall said. She decided to instead major in accounting, but, lucky for us, this former model and accountant wasn’t feeling the numbers after she graduated college.

Though she gave it her best in the bean counting world—spending two years in

Tampa, Florida—she finally told her mom that she couldn’t do it. “It’s not me,” she said. In a bold move that gave her mother a start (if only for a moment), Carla listened to her gut and bet on herself, working nonstop for five years catering and delivering lunches before heading off to culinary school.

Now, the only beans Hall wants to count are the ones in a meal that defines the season. “For me, a pot of beans is everything with hot water cornbread,” Hall said.

Carla Hall is the Food Network go-to chef for their seasonal baking series, including the 2023 “Halloween Baking Championship.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FOOD NETWORK

Hall’s television career blossomed, playing on her quick-witted repartee and megawatt smile, and she always delivers the perfect comment to add to the conversation with warmth and confidence. These gifts were not lost on producers of ABC’s “The Chew,” where we got a bit more of Hall’s wit and wisdom on a broader range of topics. Now, in 2023, she has many business endeavors. Still, she holds fort as a viewers’ favorite Food Network judge, offering advice and encouragement on shows like “Halloween Baking Championship,” coming in September, after shepherding some notable regional bakers in “Summer Baking Championship.” Hall is staying strong at an age where many are contemplating their retirement exit plan, but how?

“I pick and choose my moments,” Hall said. “Also, as I get older, I can’t eat everything—and I love food. When I’m eating, I’m thinking about the next meal. I realized that I couldn’t eat everything. When you’re on a baking show, I take one for the team because I have to eat the good and the bad. And I will because I owe that baker standing in front of me the dignity of eating their food. But I have to plan a shake with Psyllium husk so my sugar doesn’t spike. To compensate, I will

eat plain chicken and broccoli—getting my vegetables in, so I have to be strict the fifteen-odd days I’m shooting a show. Occasionally we all go out to eat, but guarding my health is key as I get older. It’s a gift to be able to move and be active as we age. I choose good food.”

It’s hard to believe Hall has graced television for nearly 20 years, as we so fondly recall her 2008 debut on “Top Chef,” where she roomed with Chef Tiffany Derry, featured in the spring issue of Flavor.

Now Hall is creating a new restaurant, just announced in Business Journal. “I attached myself to do a restaurant at The Reeves Center in D.C.— it’ll be three years from now. I never thought I would do another restaurant. I’m excited,” said Hall.

The name of her restaurant is still in the planning stages, though Hall said that she probably has a year to figure it out. And she’s got the important part down—the menu will dwell in a space that Hall does masterfully. “I know that I will do Southern food and have a mix of everyday Soul Food and celebration dishes, made with a pantry of Soul Food ingredients from the African American and African diaspora,” she said.

Next for Carla on the Food Network is “Halloween Baking Championship,” which

Hall said will be off the charts. “We’re back in Los Angeles—the show came back to LA—and we are working with the MUD Makeup Designory department head makeup artist whose work with prosthetics is incredible—they get wild and have fun. You’ll see such beautiful things this season. And I may be an alien; I’m just saying.”

But Hall has a serious side too. Thanks to her involvement with the James Beard Foundation, the industry’s demographics are beginning to change. The foundation is now one of the most diverse professional organizations supporting cuisine creativity, which Hall values—she herself relies on word of mouth from friends and fellow chefs when she travels, but also—“I consult ‘Eater’ and the James Beard lists. We will search online, but if any place says in their description, ‘it’s interesting’ I don’t go,” Hall said.

“Interesting is not delicious. That is not a good word. I went to Virtue, Eric Williams’ restaurant, and had roasted chicken with lemon, fennel, and beans. It tasted like Sunday lunch at your grandmother’s house. Can you make a great chicken? That’s where I am. I don’t need you to turn that chicken into spaghetti or anything crazy. I need to know that you can make that chicken sing.”

Chef, best-selling author and television personality Carla Hall has been entertaining audiences with her enthusiasm for life and engaging personality for years. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE FOOD NETWORK

ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

Prep: 00:30 minutes

Cook Time: 00:75 minutes

Serves: 4

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, medium dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 stalks celery, medium dice

1 large late harvest tomato, medium dice

2 springs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

1 cup parsley, leaves only

3 tsps salt, divided

1 tsp ground black pepper, divided

2 ½ cups chicken stock

¼ cup heavy cream

2 sugar pumpkins, 2-3lbs each (or 4 small squashes such as acorn)

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• In a medium Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add onion, garlic, celery, tomato and herbs. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tsps of salt, ½ tsp pepper and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a boil, remove from heat, stir in cream and set aside.

• Prepare the pumpkins as though you were making jack-o-lanterns, cutting off, reserving the top and scooping out the seeds.

• Season the inside of each pumpkin with ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper. Ladle the soup into the pumpkins discarding the thyme and rosemary sprigs as you go. Place the pumpkin lids on each pumpkin. Roast on a foil lined cookie sheet (for easy cleanup) for 1-1 ½ hours or until tender when pierced with knife.

• When serving, scrape the roasted flesh of the pumpkin out with the ladle to get great pumpkin flavor in every bite!

What started as a backyard hobby cooking for their families, dinner parties and casual barbecues soon turned into guest executive chefs for sold-out pop-ups at some of Los Angeles’s best restaurants, regular grilling expert appearances on the Today Show, and their own show on the Food Network. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GRILL DADS

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARLA HALL

RECIPE FOR CHANGE:

Chef Aminah “Mimi”

Robinson-Briscoe

By April Neale

Despite growing up a vegetarian, Aminah “Chef Mimi” Robinson-Briscoe, a pioneer in the culinary world, is killing it. Chef Mimi has been challenging the status quo for as long as she can remember. As a Black vegetarian, she says she encountered assumptions around race and food from her peers. “I wrote this article called ‘Black Girls Don’t Eat Avocados.’ It was a snapshot of my childhood history mixed with what’s happening in the Black community regarding access to healthy foods. I brought this ugly-looking avocado, sprouts on wheat bread sandwich to school, and people would comment. ‘Oh, you’re eating like white people.’ I needed to understand why certain foods were thought to be reserved for particular races. I grew up with so many different people. We didn’t think that way in my household.”

Chef Mimi is a California Culinary Arts Academy graduate, raised in Berkeley and influenced by “Every food that you can think about,” Chef Mimi challenged elitist chefs who believed that the only fine cuisine was French. Her business savvy led to her showcasing African diaspora talent in her culinary events held on the West Coast. As a board member of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce and Diablo Valley College’s culinary and wine program, she advocates for minority-owned businesses like Dennis and Alaya White’s Hella Wines and so many more in the food industry, emphasizing the makers and growers in California and across the Western states.

“We are between Silicon Valley and Napa Valley, where the San Francisco food scene and this [agricultural] bounty makes for a culinary destination. Many BIPOC chefs and winemakers have been overlooked, including women. We’re working with the James Beard Foundation to shine a light on chefs and winemakers on the West Coast because the New York area and the South seem to get more press. We want to show off our culinary perspectives as well,” said Chef Mimi. “I’m in love with the Wachira brand, owned by a Kenyan woman, Dr. Chris (Christine) Wachira, who has an amazing tasting room in Alameda, California. Wachira is also a distributor of other Black-owned and crafted wines.”

Chef Mimi’s goals are to create a more inclusive industry that showcases chefs and winemakers that have historically been overlooked. In 2016, she created the Black Food & Wine Experience, which offers chefs and restaurateurs from underrepresented communities to showcase their culinary skills.

Born from Chef Mimi’s “Bringing It To The Table” YouTube series, the Bay Area event, like the series, was self-funded. “They were passion projects. I was shopping this [series] in 2006, but the networks weren’t looking for Black chefs cooking anything besides Soul Food. And so I put this out on my own, which led me to say, ‘How can I create an event space celebrating Black chefs, winemakers, and allies, to have discussions about what we care about?,’” said Chef Mimi.

Last year, the event held a Black and Asian solidarity dinner with ‘Top Chef’ alumni Chef Nelson German and Chef Tu David Phu, who Chef Mimi said created an exceptional seven-course meal with traditional Black and Asian ingredients. She called it a “night of learning,” which is a value Chef Mimi continues to uphold.

“I’ve connected with humans by sharing dinner, a Shabbat or Ramadan feast, and spending Hanukkah, Christmas, or even Juneteenth with people from different cultures—it allowed me to learn a lot about people and their experiences through food,” she said.

Left: Sous Chef Manny Martinez of Chandlers Prime Steaks | Fine Seafood learned from his mentor, Executive Chef Luis Flores.

Above: The array of hand cut steaks at the Chandlers Butcher Block are packaged perfectly to go.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHANDLERS

Above: Aminah “Chef Mimi” Robinson-Briscoe is the founder of the Black Food & Wine Experience. She is passionate about bringing Black culture and food together for the most amazing culinary experiences. Below: Chef Mimi and her family at the Black Food and Beverage Summit. PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS

GREAT RESTAURANTS GUIDE

SEAFOOD \\

ANTHONY’S AWARD-WINNING CLAM CHOWDER

creamy New England style, potatoes, bacon

ALASKA WEATHERVANE SCALLOPS

pan seared, sprinkled with gremolata

SEAFOOD CHOP CHOP

Dungeness crab, Oregon bay shrimp, avocado, chopped egg, tomatoes and chopped greens, fresh basil vinaigrette

DUNGENESS CRAB CAKES

ginger plum sauce & beurre blanc

STEAMED MANILA CLAMS

fresh tomato, red pepper, local Gem Pack chorizo, yellow onion, steamed in lobster broth, topped with gremolata

JUMBO PRAWN COCKTAIL

ANTHONY’S CRAB STACK

Dungeness crab, mango, huckleberries, avocado, mango-chive oil

Our menu includes Chef Reno’s daily selection of the finest fresh Northwest seafood from our own seafood company. To highlight select seasonal favorites, a daily fresh sheet is also included in our dinner menus.

SURF + TURF \\

N.W. SURF + TURF TOWER

celebrate the best of both worlds!

+ SHAKING BEEF*

+ FRESH DUNGENESS CRAB STACK

+ CILANTRO POACHED OCEAN PRAWNS

+ NORTH ATLANTIC LOBSTER SKEWERS

SNAKE RIVER FARMS WAGYU TOP SIRLOIN*

grilled to your liking, Anthony’s steak seasoning, butter, frizzled onions, Idaho baked potato, seasonal vegetables

STEAK + SCAMPI PRAWNS*

Snake River Farms Wagyu top sirloin grilled to your liking, roasted scampi prawns, fresh lemon, gremolata

OYSTERS \\

OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL

homemade cocktail sauce, cucmber mignonette

PAN FRIED OYSTERS

fresh yearling oysters, pan fried golden brown

SEAFOOD FETTUCCINE

ocean prawns, Oregon bay shrimp, Manila clams, mussels, Alaskan Weathervane scallops, vegetables, garlic cream sauce

VISIT US ONLINE!

make reservations & see full menus

APPETIZERS: Guacamole

Our house recipe topped with cotija cheese and Tajin. Served with tostaditas.

Duck Carnitas Quesadilla

Duck confit and our proprietary cheese blend. Served with pasilla sauce and guacamole.

Pork Belly and Chicharron

Citrus coleslaw, agave siracha sauce, tortillas, and salsa.

Esquites

Fire roasted corn, lime, Tajin, cotija cheese, spicy mayo, and popcorn.

Queso Fundido with Spicy Shrimp

Mexican chorizo, rajas, and our proprietary cheese blend. Served with tortillas.

Octopus Con Achiote

Tender octopus marinated with achiote spice and presented with yuca fries and chimi-pico sauce.

ENTRÉES: Tampiqueña

8oz. filet mignon on top of fajita vegetables and served with two chicken enchiladas in a salsa verde. Presented with ancho rice and refritos.

Costilla de Borrego Con Pepitas

Pumpkin seed crusted rack of lamb with potato purée and asparagus. Served with an ancho chile and tomatillo sauce.

Bone Marrow Tacos

Four tacos served with avocado, onions, queso fresco, and pico de gallo. Presented with ancho rice and black beans.

Mar Y Tierra

14oz. grilled New York & Maine lobster tail presented with Yukon potato purée and black beans. Served with an ancho-port wine reduction.

Milanesa de Filete de Res

Pan fried breaded beef tenderloin topped with asadero cheese and chipotle pepper. Served over chipotle angel hair pasta.

Scallops al Mojo de Ajo

Day Boat scallops presented in a garlic sauce. Served with cilantro rice, jalapeño, tomatoes, and sliced garlic.

Pescado Del Dia a La Veracruzana

Pan seared catch of the day served with onions, tomatoes, green olives, capers, and garlic in a tomato broth. Presented over cilantro rice.

Seafood Molcajete with Plantains

Pan roasted lobster, shrimp, scallops, fish, octopus, crab, grilled cactus, avocado, and panela cheese in a spicy tomato chile de arbol sauce. Presented in a hot lava rock molcajete.

Maine Lobster Enchiladas

Spinach, poblano chilies, and our proprietary cheese blend. Served in salsa verde, with cilantro rice and black beans.

KB BURRITOS

KETCHUM BURRITO

Chicken, steak, or pork, cheese, black, refried or pinto beans, guacamole, sour cream, rice, jalapeño and salsa.

HAILEY BURRITO

Chicken, cheese, black, refried, or pinto beans, cabbage, guacamole, roasted garlic, corn, cilantro & salsa.

BOISE BURRITO

Wild salmon, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, green chillies, & creamy chipotle.

SALADS

WILD SALMON SALAD

Salmon, spring mix, tomato, brown rice, cilantro, & avocado with a side of pomegranate glaze

QUINOA SALAD

Spring mix, quinoa, carrots, feta cheese, avocado, mandarins, cilantro and pomegranate glaze on the side.

H&G SALAD

Chicken, steak, or pork, grilled yams, romaine, cabbage, cilantro, spinach, & guacamole with a side of Salsa.

KB TACOS

FAMOUS FISH

Mahi mahi, cabbage, cabo sauce, salsa in a our tortilla with a side of limes

CHICKEN, STEAK OR PORK

Cheese, romaine, sour cream and salsa in a our tortilla.

STREET TACOS

Pineapple pork, onion, radish, cilantro, & al pastor sauce served on corn tortillas

Serving grilled chicken, steak pork, mahi mahi, shrimp and Alaskan Salmon. Think Fresh. Think KBs. So Good. So Fresh.

KB’s award-winning recipes are made fresh to order, with the healthiest,tastiest ingredients since 1993. The sauce is their secret!

2794 S Eagle Road 10 a.m.-9 p.m. M-Sat. • 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. 208-629-8553 Dine In • Curbside pick-up • Delivery kbsburrito.com

COMING SOON TO THE WAREHOUSE FOOD HALL IN BOISE

BOISE CHEF DANIELLE CHRISTINE

on Fear, Fine Food, and Following Your Dreams

By April Neale

Wild-caught smoked salmon dressed in a white wine, lemon, and dill sauce, served over jammy eggs, sweet cherry tomatoes, garden cress, and pea shoots.

PHOTO BY KAREN DAY.

Life’s curveballs can sometimes yield delicious dividends. A near-death experience forced Chef Danielle Christine to face her fear of opening a restaurant, a dream she was dissuaded from at every turn. “Every restaurant owner I have ever interacted with has deterred me from moving in that direction. Their reasoning was, don’t do it; it’s like a marriage you don’t want. If you open a restaurant, you’ll never get away from it. Those fears became mine for a very long time,” she explained.

Instead, Christine studied architecture and fine arts, eventually working at an organic Nicaraguan farm. Then, she studied nutrition and exercise science. “But that desire to open restaurants never went away,” she said. “I have been an artist from a young age, whether

that be charcoal drawing, mixed media, painting, ceramics, graphic design, web design, and more—eventually going on to study fine arts at the University of Idaho. Notwithstanding all of that, there has always been something about the art of cooking that truly brings me an unmatched source of joy.”

Christine was inspired from her early years to get into the kitchen and create meals. “Sitting down and enjoying a meal together around the dinner table wasn’t the norm. If I wasn’t the one preparing the meal, I often didn’t eat. Though I acknowledge my passion for cooking blossomed from this place of scarcity, it has become so much more than that for me.” And though cooking wasn’t the career path she initially set out toward, it found her again anyway.

“My desire to open restaurants never faltered,” Christine said.

Then, at age 26, she had a heart attack. “I was on life support, with tubes breathing on my behalf, and was just starting to become familiar with life again and what had happened. I have little recollection of that interim period. I could only think of everything I didn’t do. I promised myself that if I survived and my health was good, I would open a restaurant the next year,” Christine explained. “Contrary to popular belief, there is a period where you are conscious and still on life support after medical emergencies like this. I spent most of that time thinking about my aspirations and the dreams I had yet to accomplish. There was no path but forward from there.”

Above: Apericena is a welcoming and stylish spot to dine al fresco or tucked inside the beautifully restored old building in Hyde Park. Right: Chef Danielle Christine is Boise’s breakout chef star, with two locations now in the North End of Boise. PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

“...there has always been something about the art of cooking that truly brings me an unmatched source of joy.”

She recovered and opened Apericena, a restaurant in the former Hyde House that honors European-inspired dishes emphasizing health and organic ingredients.

But finding your people isn’t always easy. Christine loves FX’s “The Bear,” and like the fictional chef in the series, has worked hard to find those who share her vision. “I look for a more collaborative approach and people who share the same passion and values as me—not just wanting a job that you have to show up to every day, but a place that you love to come to every day. The first two years were the hardest, and people filter themselves out if they carry that old restaurant mindset,” she said.

And, despite being underestimated, Christine has harnessed her artistic background, academic studies, work ethic, and vision of epicurean dishes to propel Apericena into one of the hottest spots for Boise dining—and she’s doing it all again.

In the same neighborhood, Christine is set to open Bistro D’Hélène, a French-inspired bistro named for her grandmother in the previous Fort Street Station. “Apericena embodies real food and everything we as Americans have

forgotten about eating at the dinner table—spending time with loved ones, enjoying food from your region, putting the phone away, conversing, and mindfully enjoying a meal,” she said.

“While Apericena is a meld of European influences, what if we could create something solely French within this new space and keep the same foundations we built with Apericena? And that’s what we’re doing.”

What Christine called the “French-esque” menu is inspired by input from her friend and sous chef, Christian LaMotte, featuring dishes from the heart of France and the Mediterranean region, with a healthy dose of Pacific Northwest influence. The menu begins with a strong selection of artisanal breads and traditional spreads, followed by wide-ranging apps and mains that touch on a slew of French and Mediterranean flavors. Christine said that the menu will feature a strong charcuterie selection, small plates, and main dishes that emphasize the Mediterranean’s best flavors.

“Think comforting lobster simplissime, aromatic black truffle cavatelli, chicken vol au vent, and grass-fed filet mignon with a black peppercorn sauce,” Christine said.

Left: Along with a stellar wine list, Chef Danielle infuses tea, water, and mock cocktails with the freshest ingredients, like seasonal fruit and herbs. Right: Bruschette is generously dusted with parmesan cheese temptation, made with toasted Gaston’s sourdough with seasonal toppings.

“Apericena embodies real food and everything we as Americans have forgotten about eating at the dinner table—”

PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

While the new endeavor will certainly not be without its challenges, Christine remains committed to maintaining her vision and values. “The greatest challenges I have faced in this industry, hands down, have been my identity as a young woman who refuses to change anything about herself to fit the mold of a chef,” she said. “No matter my age, appearance, or gender, I’m determined to show other women that there is a place for them in this industry, too. And creating safe spaces for people to exist as they want is why we’ve built such a strong team.”

“I’m determined to show other women that there is a place for them in this industry, too.”

Above: Tiramisu, made with espresso and rum-soaked ladyfingers, créme, and imported chocolate. Right: Stuffed Mushrooms with garlic, spinach, parmesan, romano, toasted breadcrumbs, and fresh herbs. PHOTOS COURTESY OF APERICENA

Below: Pasta al Pomodoro, burst tomato, garlic, shallot, basil, chili de arbol, and ricotta. Bottom: Black cod, seared and served atop romesco sauce with capers and a microgreen garnish. PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

ONGI ETORRI!

is expression is used to welcome outsiders in the ancient Basque language. You hear these words o en on the last weekend of July when the Basque community comes together in downtown Boise to celebrate and share their culture. e warm summer air is lled with the aroma of roasting garlic and paella, chorizo, and croquettas, while lively accordion music accompanies colorful folk dancers and hand-ball competitions. Presiding over it all is the statue of St Ignatius, the Patron Saint of the Basque people.

Boise has the highest concentration of Basque people living outside their origin country. In 1900, Idaho was home to 2 million sheep and a Basque migration followed the industry here from northern Spain. Today, many Boiseans can trace family roots to those first immigrants.

Mark your calendar now to join 2024 festivities and taste Kalimotxo, the signature Coke and red wine drink that is guaranteed to make you feel like dancing!

PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

APPETIZERS

Garlic Shrimp

White Shrimp, Chili Flakes, Basque Cider, Parsley

Shishito Peppers

Flash Fried with Sea Salt

Tortilla de Patatas

Redskin Potato, Cage free Eggs, Roasted Red Peppers

Chorizo a la Sidra

Homemade chorizo, Basque cider, grilled onions.

Patatas Bravas

Spicy tomato, garlic espuma, Pimenton de la vera.

HOUSE SPECIALTIES

Paella Mixta

Clams, Mussels, shrimp, chorizo, calamari, Roasted Chicken

Seafood Stew

Manila Clams, Mussels, White Shrimp, Scallops, Codfish.

Seafood Fideua

U10 Scallops, Manila Clams, PEI Mussels, White Shrimp, Calamari

BEEF

Solomillo

A la Plancha Filet Mignon, Manchego Cream Sauce

Entrecotte

Grilled New York, Sliced and Garlic Basted

SEAFOOD

Trout a la Navarra

Hagerman trout, ProsciuttoGarlic Refrito, Basque Cider

Grilled Salmon

A la Plancha, Roasted Garlic, chili oil, scallion

LAMB

Braised Lamb Shank

Braised Lamb Hindshank, Rioja Demi-Glace

Lamb Chops

Boise River Lamb Chops, House Chimichurri

IDAHO, winemaking grandfather. His small and long tradition offering of drinking it as

Family

URBAN TASTING ROOM

LIVE MUSIC

Every Saturday 5pm-7pm BINGO NIGHT

Every Thursday 5pm-7pm

FALL EVENTS

CIGAR NIGHT

(in addition to bingo night)

2nd Thursday of the month

CLUB MEMBER ONLY EVENT

MALBEC RELEASE PARTY

September 23 12pm-2pm

NAMPA FARMERS MARKET

Every Saturday 9am-1pm

CALDWELL FARMERS MARKET

Every Tuesday 5pm-9pm

HARVEST In Idaho’s Wine Country

By Darby Tarantino

For me, the most wonderful time of the year isn’t Christmas—it’s harvest season in wine country. Harvest is a magical time to reflect on the year’s growing season as it comes to another end of its cycle, a time when viticulturists and winemakers get to see the fruits of their labor in action, soon-to-be bottled poetry, and more importantly, see if the weather cooperated and their yield predictions panned out. While harvest season might evoke fantasies of picking plump clusters of grapes in the vineyard—Lucy and Ethel-esque barefoot grape stomps and sampling an aging wine straight from the barrel—make no mistake, harvest season is a grueling time for winemakers. Just ask their spouses—there’s a reason they’re called harvest widows/ers.

Mornings during harvest season typically begin pre-dawn, when grapes are harvested while the air is cool, the beginning of what will likely become the first of many 16-hour days for those involved. Once the fruit arrives at the production facility,

grapes will get sorted and picked through before being crushed. This is where the magic happens. The sugars from the fruit, plus added or wild native yeast, begin fermenting and eventually become alcohol. Since red wine gets its color from the grape skins, the skins and juice will remain in contact and macerate during this fermentation process, letting the flavors and color develop with regular “punch-downs” or “pump-overs,” ensuring that the solids stay submerged in the juice. This process can last a few days, up to a couple of weeks, before pressing off the juice. White wine grapes, however, are crushed, and the juice is pressed off immediately.

Where these red or white wines will age before bottling could be any number of options: oak barrels, concrete eggs, stainless steel tanks, or an amphora. Each one imparts a unique characteristic to the flavor profile of the finished product. Unless oak is used, white wines will be bottled the following spring and are best enjoyed while the flavors are young and bright. Red wines can age in oak,

anywhere from six months up to several years. Once the wine is fined and filtered, it gets bottled. This is harvest at its most simple, of course—there is so much more that goes into producing wine. Winemakers are constantly testing and analyzing sugar levels, pH, and fermentation throughout the entire production process, not to mention the levels of sanitation the equipment goes through.

Harvest season and everything that goes into the painstaking process of wine production is truly a labor of love. I hope you’ll consider this the next time you open that bottle and feel a greater sense of kinship to that delicious grape juice you’re swirling around in your glass. Until then, drink well, love often, and stay enlightened!

Want to get in on the harvest action? There are many wineries offering unforgettable experiences this year. Our top pick is the Harvest Wine and Food Dinner with Rolling Hills Vineyards on Saturday, October 14th. For tickets and more information, visit their website: rollinghillsvineyeard.com.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROLLING HILLS VINEYARD

BREAKFAST IN BOISE

By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

Breakfast—the one meal where the news and politics are “hashed” out over coffee and bacon, with breakfast delicacies meant to unite even the most combative. It’s a meal people will stand in line for in Boise, and for good reason. Restaurants across the Treasure Valley have mastered the pig, the biscuit, the breakfast cocktail, and the egg dish, and local chefs are serving up some of the best breakfasts in the state.

PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

If you’re mad for mimosas or passionate about pork belly, discover the breakfast buzz at these local favorites.

BACON Boise, owned by John and Gibson Berryhill was established in 2011. It specializes in its namesake, serving more than 15 tons of bacon each year. Try a flight of candied bacon, maple rosemary, spicy hot, and signature Berryhill bacon with sweet chile. Other delectable treats include The MAC, which was named Best in US by Food & Wine Magazine, featuring jack, parmesan, cheddar, provolone, bacon, mushrooms, and tomatoes baked with penne. They also offer oinkless options such as the Oink-less Omelet featuring spinach, basil, red pepper, pepperoncini, capers, feta cheese, and salsa.

Big City Coffee started in a small shop in West Boise in 2001 before moving to the Linen District in 2006. For those who like to sleep in, you can still nab a farm-inspired breakfast or lunch any day of the week until 4 pm. Not just for cowboys, The Rodeo Wrap features bacon, steamed eggs, potatoes, cheese, ham, turkey and sausage, covered in country gravy and served with fresh salsa.

Biscuit and Hogs was established in 2020 in Meridian by employees of The Original Sunrise Cafe. They offer comfort food classics with descriptive titles like The Hog—two fresh eggs served with their signature pork belly bacon strips, hog style Idaho home fries, and a half biscuit smothered in country gravy.

▼ BACON Boise / PHOTO COURTESY OF BACON BOISE

▲ Biscuit and Hogs / PHOTO COURTESY OF BISCUIT AND HOGS

With a rooster perched on its sign, Capri Restaurant is a mid-century Boise icon serving up best sellers like their biscuits and gravy since the 1950s. Order it loaded with bacon, green onions, cheddar cheese and gravy. If you don’t dig the pig, opt for the veggie hash browns with broccoli, spinach, onion, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese. A second location opened in Meridian in December 2020.

Landmark Boise eatery Goldy’s Breakfast Bistro has cranked out their made-to-order breakfasts with fresh local ingredients to standing room only crowds since 1999. Goldy’s was featured as one of America’s Top 10 Breakfasts in a 2002 issue of Bon Appetit with a shout out to their Andalusian Eggs, created to recognize Boise’s Basque population—two poached eggs over Goldy’s marinara, baked with chorizo, ham, asparagus and peppers. Arrive early or expect a wait.

The Griddle has four locations in the Treasure Valley—Boise, Eagle, Meridian, and Nampa, as well as one in Winnemucca, Nevada, where it started in August, 1948. Known for superlative homemade breakfasts as well as lunches, The Griddle became synonymous with “Good Cookin.” The Griddle offers diner-style fare with a gourmet twist like Auntie Mo’s Spuds, which are freshly shredded hash brown potatoes mixed with bacon, onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers, topped with melted cheddar cheese accompanied by toast and two eggs or Dad’s hotcake—“a family recipe from scratch” served with a pure maple syrup blend made with real sugar.

Try the Monte Cristo at Joe Momma’s Breakfast Eatery, a sandwich made with oven roasted turkey, house baked ham, and Swiss cheese battered and fried to perfection, then dusted with powdered sugar and served with choices of jams. Seuss-savvy diners can appreciate the Green Eggs and Ham–house baked pit ham, fire roasted green chiles, and muenster cheese served with sour cream and salsa. Opened in 2010, Joe Momma’s was named as one of Boise’s Best Breakfasts for their Chicken Fried Steak by KTVB.

When Merritt’s opened in 1975, it quickly became a Boise favorite, welcoming diners 24/7. Though no longer open around the clock, Merritt’s still serves generous portions. Known for their massive homemade scones, Merritt’s also has old fashioned hand dipped milkshakes including breakfast flavors like coffee, banana, and tangy orange.

▼ Merritt’s / PHOTO COURTESY OF MERRITS

▲ Capri Restaurant / PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPRI

▲ The Griddle / PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GRIDDLE ▼ Joe Momma’s Breakfast Eatery / PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE MOMMA’S

BIRDS OF A DIFFERENT FEATHER Ostrich

hits the menu in Idaho

By Dana DuGan

Alex McCoy grew up in Ketchum, but he set out across the county a decade ago with a trailer to collect ostrich chicks. He was on a mission to create an ostrich farm, a concept that had its incubation while he was working in South Africa. American Ostrich Farms, the company he eventually founded, is an Idaho food success story.

Why ostriches, one might ask. It turns out the funny, longnecked and -legged birds are an untapped market that could ameliorate the environmental and health problems inherent with feedlot cattle.

“I wanted to be challenged,” McCoy said about his post-University of Pennsylvania years. “But I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I had studied a bunch of things. Eventually I went into investment banking.”

After returning to Wharton (at Penn) for his business degree, he met his wife, Lauren. “She had big-time finance equity, harder core than I was,” McCoy laughed. When the financial crisis occurred, they were safely enrolled in a three-year program at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Sitting out the crisis in school was not a bad way to manage— plus it led to work for Citigroup in global management.

It was while living in South Africa and training for the Ironman African Championship that McCoy discovered an open secret.

“In Johannesburg, I ordered the biggest piece of red meat on the menu—ostrich,” McCoy recalled. “It tasted great, and an hour later, I wasn’t lethargic like after a big beef steak. I went for a run and did 16 miles super-fast. So, I started eating ostrich.”

Interestingly, the landowning Dutch Afrikaners don’t eat ostrich. They raise it for feathers and skin and pay employees in meat. Tourists also eat it as a novelty, McCoy said.

“The biggest problem is the name ‘ostrich.’ But as a venture capitalist, you see that ideas are solutions to old problems. I thought I could be on to something,” he said.

Sustainably raised ostrich is unusually lean and healthy with three times more iron than beef—and a whopping 25 percent protein—so it is easy to imagine that it might catch on, but when McCoy returned to the States, he hit a wall.

“No one had ostrich,” he said. “I couldn’t order it even online.”

PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

So he hit the road and bought breeding stock from family farms. He came back with about a dozen birds and began building the genetics from the ground up.

“I wasn’t a farmer or a rancher,” McCoy said, shaking his head; he really has a business-trained mind with the heart of an entrepreneur. “My father and father-in-law both taught me all these skills. My one employee and I built all the fences and the paddocks. It’s been a long process. I wrote the book on ostrich raising.”

Ostriches lay between 40 to 60 eggs on average per year between April and August, which McCoy aims to turn into live birds. “There are genetic issues, such as how many live chicks a hen produces. We look at her offspring and the male and see who is healthy. It’s selective breeding,” McCoy explained. “We’re still working on it, but they lay for decades.”

But how do you sell what was never sold, nurtured, or marketed?

“No chefs are educated about it,” McCoy said. “I came from the consumer, the business end, it’s healthier and sustainable.”

Of course, none of this matters if nobody else is doing it. So, out of necessity, the McCoys built an abattoir, moved back to the Wood River Valley, and birthed three daughters.

“There’s a lot of complexity,” he said about the former, though the latter is also true. “I knew I needed to own the whole value chain. This is the right way. We treat the animals right.”

Now, McCoy has 25 employees and commutes to the farm in Kuna a few times a week where he raises a couple thousand birds, which include males separated in oversized paddocks with their own harems.

McCoy, who also sells a line of cosmetic products made from ostrich oil, is dedicated to spreading the word about ostriches. He spoke at the Sun Valley Forum a few years ago about how raising meat sustainably is one of the solutions to the climate crisis. As a result, he received a loan to continue his work with a processing facility in Kuna from the Sun Valley Institute for Resilience’s Idaho Impact Fund for Sustainable Meats.

McCoy enthuses about ostriches. His face lights up: “They have expressive body language. They speak with their feathers.”

As should we all.

Above A chance meal in South Africa led to Alex McCoy to collect ostrich chicks on a mission to create an ostrich farm. Now a family business, American Ostrich Farms is an Idaho food success story.

Below: Ostrich steaks are prepared in a similar way to filets of beef. The unique characteristics of ostrich meat allow chefs to prepare it raw, as in tartare or carpaccio. Most commonly, filets are prepared to medium rare, and burgers are best prepared no more than medium. PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMERICAN OSTRICH FARMS

SEASON AND TASTE with Chef Christina Murray

By Tim Atwell

PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

Chef Christina Murray wears her passion on her sleeve—literally, she has a salt shaker tattooed on her wrist. The salt shaker, and Murray herself, are in constant motion at the Season and Taste Cooking School in Downtown Boise. During classes, she hustles around the small, 600 square foot space, slicing golden beets into perfect cubes, tilting a cooking pan to watch a layer of vegetable oil shimmer like waves under a helicopter, and dipping her fingers into a bowl of salt to season her dishes: beef au poivre, pan seared mushrooms, and a homemade Dijon vinaigrette, to name a few.

But in an era where even simple kitchen techniques like salting a steak have been dominated by over-the-top internet influencers (think Salt Bae), Murray keeps her approach more down to earth. She focuses on teaching practical cooking skills that regular people can use at home, regardless of their skill level or home setup.

“I grew up very low income, on food stamps,” Murray said. “I teach everyone to cook without anything, because maybe you don’t have an instant pot. Maybe you don’t have a big fancy kitchen…all the knowledge that I have with my education

and life experience, I make it to where you can cut corners, but it doesn’t sacrifice quality.”

Murray knew for many years that she wanted to be a chef, but it wasn’t until after she had worked for 15 years in visual merchandising and cosmetology that she took a big leap into the culinary world. She sought out a formal education and worked her way up in the industry, fostering relationships and constantly seeking out opportunities to achieve her dream.

“I did some recipe development for a lot of businesses downtown, and then some national companies, where I just created recipes and then trained the staff,” said Murray.

When she found an available commercial kitchen downtown, she turned it into a space to share her knowledge and further foster her community. In addition to teaching cooking skills, she also uses her platform to educate people on topics including food waste, hunger, and advocacy.

“My goal is not being successful. I don’t care about the money,” said Murray. “I hate saying my goal is educating people, because that’s super cliché. But I want people to take action.”

Now, Murray has more than enough projects to keep her busy. She divides her time between teaching at the Season and Taste Cooking School, managing the downtown macaron shop The French Whisk, and appearing as Resident Chef on KTVB.

More than a way to elevate food, she uses her knowledge to elevate people. Her classes are focused on teaching techniques that can be readily applied in a home kitchen. The skills she teaches range from kitchen basics like knife safety and proper chopping techniques, to more deceptively clever techniques, like using organic waste to create a deep, flavorful broth.

Chef Murray is set to open a second location, just two blocks away from the first, in a larger space at 8th and Main. With the move to a bigger kitchen, Chef Murray will have more room, more students, and more opportunities to share her knowledge. She may have a salt shaker tattooed on her wrist to show her love for salt, but just as apparent when watching her teach is her passion for food, and for making a difference in the lives of her students.

“Everyone knows that food is medicine,” said Murray. “I want to help people with food.”

Left: Chef Murray shows how to properly pan-sear mushrooms for the best results. Center: Guest chefs like Crave Kitchen + Bar (Eagle, ID) pastry chef Rich Gardunia teach invaluable tricks and classic moves in the kitchen. Right: The author has mastered the sauce. Atwell’s skill level has markedly improved in his pan sauce game. PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

THE AVERY

By April Neale

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL ELLIOTT

By April Neale

Every big city has a past, and Boise is downright infamous. Cal Elliott—a Michelin-star chef, New York restauranteur (Rye), and Borah High graduate—returned to Idaho from a 28-year exile, which took him from Alaska to New York. He brought back a wealth of skills, experience, and a design ethos that honors his hometown.

In 2015, Elliott and his wife Ashley, who own the Little Pearl Oyster Bar, purchased the unrestored Averyl Tiner Building on downtown Boise’s historic Gem Block. “ e Avery is named a er Averyl, the Tiner family’s granddaughter whose name is on the front facade of the building,” explained Cal Elliott.

Averyl, who lives in Redmond, Washington, has the registers from when the hotel opened, and may return to Boise for the grand opening. “ is was the inspiration,” said Elliott. “We wanted to respect the building’s past.”

Now called e Avery, the hotel reminds us that restoring the past can be a better investment than bulldozing it. Elliott’s new establishment has resurrected the vision of many tough-as-nails men who fought like hell to keep the Bouquet, the building’s former occupant, going in a part of Main Street once considered the vice district of Boise.

With local developer Michael Hormaechea, the Elliotts have polished this Main Street gem into a glowing 39-room boutique hotel with rooms on the upper three oors and two restaurants on the main level, including e Avery restaurant, a ne dining establishment with a seasonal menu and Tiner’s Alley, a tavern accessed by the alley behind the hotel.

Elliott described the last few years as di cult for small business owners, and said that the renovations feel like a minor miracle. “Boise has devalued its history; it doesn’t have a historic hotel or restaurant. All the old restaurants we grew up with, like the Gamekeeper, are gone. I just thought that Boise needed something it can hang its hat on and be proud of. is building’s been here for 125 years and is now restored to what it was originally. at was my motivation,” Elliot said.

“To pay homage to what was originally

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL ELLIOTT PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL ELLIOTT

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL ELLIOTT PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL ELLIOTT

PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

there, then modernize it respectfully and thoughtfully. e rooms are gorgeous. You don’t feel like you’re in Boise. You could be in New York or even Europe.”

e clever use of space highlights the thoughtful “found objects” and preserves landmark architectural elements like the long Brunswick bar, set amongst a carefully placed and nuanced backdrop of colors, texture, and light. Ashley Elliott, a Parsons New School of Design School alum, and her educated eye has made every inch of the old girl an intriguing adventure.

With only 39 rooms, the hotel luxuriates in its intimacy, o ering diverse experiences and exceptional hospitality throughout your stay, no matter where you are on the premises. “[ e rooms] have to be intimate. And I wanted to do that with the restaurants too. I didn’t want a big vacuous space; I wanted di erent dining experiences, nooks, and little spots where you can have a new experience every time you come in. Ashley’s been a part of this project from the beginning. When I bought the building in 2015, we sat down and put together the concepts— she’s been working on the look. We want you to feel welcome whether you’re staying in the hotel [or just dining in], and everyone in the restaurant wants to know you and ensure you’re well taken care of,” Cal Elliott said.

Elliott studied at the Institute of Culinary Education, a French culinary school, and cooked with French-trained chefs and luminaries like Tom Colicchio and Diane Forley. As for the main room menu, Elliott will use the seasons to guide him. “I’m pretty classic. I want the food to t in the space, honest food. We are going to respect the seasons and [use a] lot of French techniques.”

It took 28 years in New York and opening his restaurant, Rye, on the heels of ten hard years on Alaskan shing boats to prepare Elliott to navigate the tradewinds of restaurant life. “I was in Brooklyn in 1992, and part of gentri cation, and then I fell victim to it. e short of it is I felt less like a New Yorker every year,” Elliott said. Somewhere out in the universe, those former Bouquet owners are smiling at this prodigal son’s return to Boise.

“I’m pretty classic. I want the food to t in the space, honest food. We are going to respect the seasons and [use a] lot of French techniques.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL ELLIOTT

PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAL ELLIOTT

ADD SOME SPICE TO LIFE Pumpkin Pie with Orange Zest

Zest of 1 orange

Two eggs

1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin purée

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

One tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

One 9-inch deep dish, frozen or homemade pie crust

• Preheat oven to 425 F.

• In large mixing bowl, beat eggs, stir in the pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, zest, and pumpkin pie spice.

• Pour filling into pie crust

• Bake 15 minutes.

• Reduce temperature to 350 F and add a loose foil tent over pie.

• Bake 45 to 55 minutes, testing with an inserted toothpick

• Let pie cool at least 2 hours before slicing.

• Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream with sprinkling of fresh nutmeg and cinnamon..

“The people who give you their food give you their heart.”

– Cesar Chavez

Pumpkin Pie Martini

PUMPKIN PIE? MEET THE TITO’S MARTINI.

2 OZ TITO’S HANDMADE VODKA

½ OZ HALF & HALF

1 TBSP CANNED PUMPKIN PIE MIX

(MAKE SURE IT’S CANNED PUMPKIN PIE MIX, AND NOT JUST CANNED PUMPKIN)

¹∕8 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT

1 DASH CINNAMON

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a graham-cracker-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with a small amount of freshly grated nutmeg.