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Who makes the best cookies in the area? Sure, you want to defend your Grama's honor, but our votes go to Toni Tamm and her crew at Cookies by Design! And longtime food guy, lifestyle expert and entrepreneur Ross Sveback brings his high level of sass to Foodie Friday.

Opening a restaurant is tough. Closing one is heartbreaking. We hear some revealing thoughts and emotions from Chef Michael Larson, who is tee'ing up his newest shop, "Parella," for a mid-June start in Calhoun Square. And what makes a finance guy decide to switch it all up and move into the food world, let alone with his own "on-a-stick" creation? Ryan Gasca reveals the motivations behind his new venture and creations.

Some leftover beer flavor with guest Matt Kenevan from The Beer Dabbler and The Growler Magazine; and Mike Mitchelson, marketing and operations mastermind behind St. Agnes Baking Co. We jump into St. Agnes Baking's new gig on the Delta concourse, rev up for tonight's Beer Dabbler, dabble a little ourselves with free foodie publications like Foodservice News (of which Mitchelson was editor of for a hefty number of years) and The Growler, and finally we now know Kenevan's cheap beer pick. Have a listen and crack a beer! Cheers!

What is YOUR favorite go-to hangover food? We learned the answer to that question, and many others on a laugh (and beer) filled Foodie Friday, with Lydia Haines, Co-founder and VP of Everything at Bauhaus Brew Labs in NE Mpls, and Dan Schwarz, Co-founder and CEO of Lift Bridge Brewery in Stillwater. Beer Lovers, Unite!

We love it when our guests are a treat, and they bring treats! Meggie McCauley joined us from Cookie Cart, a non-profit in North Minneapolis that teaches kids in the area life skills through the medium of cookie baking. George Atsidakos is the proprietor of Minneapple Pie, one of the Twin Cities finest mobile food vendors (and we mean that sincerely!); and his partner at Minne's Diner in Rogers is Jackie Dusosky, who gave us the lowdown on one of Rogers, Minnesota's favorite dining spots - and soon to be the home of what BT is referring to as the "Juicy Fletchy" Burger. You'll have to listen to learn more!

Cookbook author Robin Asbell and Loon Cafe Executive Chef Brian "SkiDad" Turner.

Wow, what a cool cross section of foodies! President and founder of your three Red Cow eateries, Luke Shimp. Chef Bill Bruhl, visiting Minnesota from Duke's Waikiki restaurant in Honolulu. And musician and guitar master Billy McLaughlin, who provided some great insights regarding food on the road.

Bienvenue à Cuisinomane Vendredi! The absolutely charming Emilie Caillat, proprietor of Le Town Talk Diner and Drinkery, tells us about growing up in Marseille, working on The Eiffel Tower, moving to MN thirteen years ago and, as of seven months ago, fulfilling her childhood dream of having her own bistro!

Lively and engaging talk with two notorious children from Minneapolis Foodie Family Royalty: John "The Fixer" Mihajlov from the Parasole group; Bill Kozlak, Jr., from Jax Café; and also well-loved chef JP Samuelson, who's now working on the 'other side of the fence' as Minnesota representative for D'Artagnan Gourmet Foods. We get into the running of a third generation family establishment with Jax Cafe in NE Minneapolis, evocative food memories from large families and how they shaped our guests' current places in the foodie scene, as well as digging into what working an outside, 9-to-5 gig is like for a kitchen maestro. Memories of salmon loaf, Sunday dinners, fast eating out of necessity - all sprinkled with many hearty laughs. A super engaging talk!

Wow! Two amazing guests - "Bizarre Foods" host Andrew Zimmern, and "Blue Zones" founder and author Dan Buettner. The politics and morality of food, living longer and healthier, and how we can all get there.

Stimulating conversation! Delicious food at the hands of Krista Aspinwall, who along with her husband, Steve, is the proprietor of Velvet Bees Gourmet Honey Butter. And the founder of Kill Kancer, Mary Beth Mueller, wants to make us all healthier by encouraging better eating - and it all comes with a rock and roll undercurrent. The episode is filled with great stories and a lot of love.

Guests this week are Molly Herrman, owner of Kitchen in the Market and Tastebud Tart Catering, and Paul Frantzich, founder of non-profit organization Feed Them With Music. Discussing everything from Florida living, to how music can fill bellies; from the daunting world of fish, to what chefs do with their night off; from enlisting musicians to a larger cause, to the City Pages Best Of Food & Drink categories. Fill your Friday with some foodie fare!

A couple of firsts as we introduce pizza-centric foodie and our first cocktail-centered foodie with guests "Pizza Pete" Campbell, owner of Red Wagon Pizza Company and Pip Hanson, drink director at Marvel Bar. We dig into the details of Japanese bartending, the perfect pizza flour, mentorship in the foodie world, the devising an especially crafty cocktail, and how pizza is the language we all understand. Two very thoughtful people who REALLY appreciate and thrive in their respective worlds.

Guests this week on Foodie Friday are Chef Sameh Wadi, co-owner of Saffron restaurant and World Street Kitchen as well as author of "The New Mediterranean Table" and Bill "The Wine Guy" Coy of Paustis Wine Co. and wine writer for Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine. We talk about spins on ancient Arabic recipes, wine pairing and education, measuring in handfuls, making wine approachable and Middle Eastern crockpots. Hilarious conversation with really knowledgable foodies! Enjoy!

Another fresh edition of Foodie Friday with guests Danny Klecko, CEO of Saint Agnes Baking Co. and Jason DeRusha, co-anchor of "WCCO This Morning" contributing editor and food & wine columnist at Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine (Not to mention a James Beard Award finalist!). We talk evocative bread memories, Bloody Marys, new TV adventures, James Beard Awards, and the not so terrible task of eating your way across the Twin Cities.

Guests this week are Tami Cabrera, owner and proprietor of Muddy Paws Cheesecake, and Laura Michaels, Managing Editor at Foodservice News Magazine. We discuss entrepreneurship and cheesecakes of all varieties (obviously). We also get an insider's look into the food & hospitality world, and find out that things in boxes are guilty pleasures indeed!

Guests are Larry Brenner, owner of Vino in the Valley and Nate Beck, owner & proprietor of Natedogs! A hilarious episode with two sincerely fun guys talking about the makings a good hotdog, Midwest wine, the end of Modern Cafe, how it takes a village to build a food or wine brand, and find out if #ChristineNumber3 is goin' viral. Intriguing conversation with some good ole' local boys. Enjoy!

Newest Foodie Friday podcast comin' in hot! Guests Barb Abney of Go963MN, formerly The Current, and Nicky Metchnek, Event Sales Director at Create Catering & The Dining Studio. We talk the foodie travesty that is Peeps Milk, Minneapolis-St.Paul Magazine's seemingly controversial March cover, REAL Cincinnati Chili, and what it's like to manage sales for a busy dining & catering outfit. Extremely entertaining stories all around!

Joining us are Mecca Bos, food writer and blogger for City Pages (SHE'S got a good job); Rebecca Illingworth, proprietor of Tinto Cocina + Cantina in Uptown Minneapolis; and trumpet player, landscape designer and 'food dad' Stephen Kung, who is preparing for a family trip to China!

Guests Marcus Dorn, co-owner of Darby's Pub, Brian Turner, Executive Chef at The Loon Cafe, and Bick Smith, video producer and proprietor of Gangsterland Coffee chat with us about the North Loop and Warehouse District neighborhoods. They also share their thoughts on the 1930s gangster scene in St. Paul, and how that inspired a line of locally roasted coffee.