Cheese, Cheese, Baby!

If you like cheese, you're going to love this post! For most, the art of making cheese seems a bit daunting. However, ricotta is a skeptic's gateway cheese! Not technically considered a cheese, but more of a cheese by-product, homemade ricotta is easy to make and an excellent component to many favorite dishes.

From cheesecakes to pasta dishes (lasagna anyone?), homemade ricotta is as delicious as it is versatile. Here at Woolley's, we serve our house-made ricotta cheese with our Surf & Turf Dinner (Sea Scallops and Braised Lamb Shank).

Woolley's Ricotta Cheese

2 Quarts Whole Milk

2 Quarts Buttermilk

1/2 Quart Heavy Cream

Salt to Taste

In a saucepan, combine milk and buttermilk. 

Bring to 157-degrees. 

Strain through a cheesecloth. 

Let cool, then stir in cream and salt. 

See, we told you it was easy. Whether you enjoy your ricotta in your favorite savory dish or mouthwatering dessert, you're sure to impress your friends with your newfound cheese making skills!

2011 Taste of Elegance

Join us as we cheer for our very own "Plump Chef", Peter Christenson, as he goes head to head with 14 other Twin Cities culinary legends in the Minnesota Pork Board's 2011 Minnesota Taste of Elegance event!

The 2011 Minnesota Taste of Elegance, held today at the Hilton Minneapolis, features 15 local chefs competing in a culinary competition with their own unique pork entrée recipes! Here's to hoping Chef Peter comes out on top!

While this is an invitation only event, you can order a free booklet with all 15 of the competing chef's pork recipes. Simply e-mail your name and address to mnpork@mnpork.com.

Goooooooo Chef!

Feed My Starving Children Event!

Woolley's loves to support our community, both locally and globally. We feel that by lending a hand, we can make this world a better place for not just our own families, but for our fellow citizens on this planet.

One of the ways we are able to accomplish this is through volunteer work. As you may be aware, our own General Manager/Director of Operations as well as our Executive Chef volunteered their time last year to help install an industrial-grade kitchen at the All God's Children Orphanage in Fedja, Haiti. They were actually at the orphanage when the devastating earthquake struck.

After seeing the devastation and abject poverty, the Woolley's management team decided to pitch-in while stateside and become involved with  Feed My Starving Children. Inviting all Woolley's associates who wish to participate, managers and employees work side by side to package nutritious meals that will be sent around the world to feed kids in desperate need of nourishment.

As a restaurant, we love to feed people, so it's a natural fit! It's also a great way to promote employee bonding and raise awareness about the needs of others around the world.

This time, we're hoping to kick it up a notch! We're asking our fans, guests, and friends to lend a hand and join is in our efforts. Next Thursday, January 20th, we reserved the time-slot of 2:30 to 4:30pm at Feed My Starving Children's Eagan location. We are asking you to partner with us to package meals and feed children around the world!

It promises to be a wonderful afternoon of fun, competition (which teams can pack faster), and of course giving back!

If you would like to join us for this free and rewarding event, please contact David Breen at 952.854.1010, so we can have a rough count of volunteers. We hope to see you there!

Out with the old...

...and in with the new!

No better time than New Year's to spice things up a little bit. We've got several new dishes and drinks on the menu that we're quite proud of and can't wait for you to try!

For starters, we've got Woolley's signature Swedish Meatballs. Beef and veal simmered in a rich brown gravy with sour cream, served over braised cabbage and mashed potatoes. Also, along the lines of fabulous twists on your comfort food favorites, we have a Gourmet Mac & Cheese! Aged smoked cheddar, roasted tomatoes, and crispy pancetta tossed with macaroni noodles.

We've also added back our famous, Top Sirloin, which is an 8oz. top sirloin on a bed of sauteed mushrooms and onions. We've kept duck on the menu as well. Rotating out the confit (for now!), we've added a Seared Duck Breast. Served over polenta with roasted root vegetables and slow braised leg meat in a brandy apricot sauce.

For imbibements, we've added a Blackberry Smash, which mixes Stoli Blackberi, agave, pineapple, and cranberry juices with muddled blackberries, all topped with sparkling wine.

What? You're hungry? Perfect! We'll see you soon!

This Year - Resolve to Eat Local!

Every day we hear news that paints a bleak picture, with more and more American jobs in crisis and small businesses facing increasing challenges.

That's why Woolley's is a proud member of the local restaurant organization, Twin Cities Originals (TCO). Dedicated to promoting and preserving the experience of dining at individual, independently-owned restaurants, Twin Cities Originals supports local restaurants working together to combat the onslaught of national chains.

As a member of Twin Cities Originals, Woolley's stands committed to being a good neighbor within the community of Bloomington. Travelling to perform local elementary school cooking demos, participating in Feed My Starving Children events, and even hosting FREE cooking and beverage classes, are just some ways Woolley's loves to give back to the community.

All member restaurants of TCO pride themselves on the same philanthropic-spirited community orientation. We've put aside our differences to make the Twin Cities' dining community a more diverse and wonderful place.

TCO also offers a special rewards program that's absolutely free. Sign up at any member restaurant and receive a rewards card. Present your card when dining at TCO restaurants and receive one point for every dollar spent. On Tuesdays, you receive double points. (That's two points for every dollar spent)!

Then, when you've accrued 150 points, your card is credited $10, good toward your next visit at any TCO restaurant. You can even register your card at the Twin Cities Originals' website and keep track of points earned.

This year, resolve to eat and shop locally, supporting the independently-owned establishments that make your community great.