Washington Post published research on wine and climate changes. Some excerpts seem dire: "Napa Valley vintners wonder if cabernet sauvignon will be sustainable in the long term. Meanwhile, hybrid grapes gain favor in other parts of the country because they require fewer chemical treatments than European vinifera varieties. Some of these are new varieties developed to be hardy in severe winter conditions and northerly climes." They won’t be in wide distribution any time soon, but they might be the future, which is the here and now in Iowa vineyards.
Booze stocks are in a stupor. Barron’s said so. Gen Z in large part has turned to other buzzes than alcohol. Berkshire Hathaway, however, took a $1 billion position in Constellation Brands which imports Corona, a Mexican beer worried about tariffs. Non alcoholic beers now account for 10% of beer sales. Athletic, a non-alcohol beer, outsells every beer brand at Whole Foods.
Weekend deals
• Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines) has all you can eat fish and shrimp Fridays through Good Friday, $15.49.
• Table 128 (220 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines) features a Saturday tasting menu including braised beef short rib ravioli with egg yolk, house-made ricotta and truffle; Midwest lamb chops, bean and broccolini salad, pickled raisins; and a warm chai bread pudding with dulce de leche and salted caramel ice cream. $58.
• Heavenly Asian (225 Fifth St., Valley Junction) has an all day Friday sale on orange chicken served with soup, crab Rangoon, egg roll and rice. $14, available for dine-in and phone carry-out.
• Fresh Thyme's (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) has a sale on Coho salmon fillets at $4.99/pound, Sumo tangerines at $2.99/pound and snow crab clusters at $7.99/pound through Tuesday.
• Fish Fry Friday specials can be found at Machine Shed (11151 Hickman Road, Urbandale), Red Lobster (3838 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines), Cracker Barrel (11701 University, Clive), all Jethro's, all Hy-Vee Market Grilles, all Palmer's, The Station on Ingersoll, Pelican Post (265 50th St., West Des Moines), and Bevy’s Tavern (1300 50th St., West Des Moines).
• Brenda Trang offers a fabulous Friday buffet every Friday at Vietnam Cafe - Merle Hay Mall Food Court, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., $18.95.
• Bawarchi (6630 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines) has Friday - Sunday specials on paneer kebabs, chicken curry and goat curry.
• Mickey's in Yale (217 Main St., Yale) has hot beef sandwich lunches and all you can eat fish dinner specials today.
• Chicago Speakeasy (1520 Euclid Ave., Des Moines) offers BBQ beef and marinated roast beef sandwiches on special for Friday lunch.
• 801 Chophouse (801 Grand Ave., Des Moines) offers Sunday supper specials that deliver deep discounts on filet, prime rib and red king salmon dinners.
• Tito’s Lounge (3916 N.W. Urbandale Drive, Urbandale) now has brunch on Fridays as well as Saturdays and Sundays.
• Court Avenue Brewing Company (309 Court Ave., Des Moines) hosts Saturday and Sunday breakfast buffets for $23.99.
• Friday night is paella time at Purveyor (505 E. Grand, Des Moines, officially, but really on E. Fifth), real Valenciana paella.
• Wendy's Fry Days mean free fries Friday with a purchase.
• Maxie's Supper Club's (1311 Grand Ave., West Des Moines) Friday special is chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes - $16.95 all day. They also have prime rib dinners on Friday and Saturday for dinner only, $30-38.
• Irina's Steak and Seafood (650 S. Prairie View Drive, West Des Moines) has a beef Bourguignon Sunday special for $28.
• Chicken Heat (1101 Army Post Road, Des Moines) offers $1 wings of Friday.
• Aldi has a sale on chicken wings at $2.49/pound and carrots at 99 cents/2-pound bag Through Tuesday.
• Fareway has deals this week on Bibigo frozen dumplings and appetizers at $2.50 a package, St. Louis spareribs at $2.99/pound, fresh rainbow trout at $11.99/pound and $2.99 six packs of Guinness with $20 in meat purchased.
• Fresh Thyme (2900 University Ave., West Des Moines) has a week long sale on cauliflower at 99 cents/pound, mini watermelons at $2.99 each and snow crab clusters at $9.99 cents/pound.
• Price Chopper stores have sales on strawberries at $1.99/pound basket, red, black and green grapes at $1.49/pound and butter for $3.99/pound through Monday.
• Westown Tap (3530 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) offers $12 flatbreads on Fridays.
• St. Paddy events, with bagpipes and drums, take place Saturday at Magee’s Irish Pub, Ankeny and Mickey’s Irish Pub, Waukee
• Andy Classen / Tanner Taylor Duo play Louie's Wine Dive (4040 University Ave., Des Moines) on Sunday at 5 p.m.
• The El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill on EP True Parkway has live music from The Juan and Only on Friday from 6 p.m. Willie James Shay plays Sonny’s Pizza Bistro Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Church fish frys are held Fridays in the Des Moines area at:
St. Boniface Catholic Church: Fish fry every Friday from March 7 – April 11
All Saints: Fridays from 5–7 p.m.
• Basilica of St. John: Fridays from 4:45–6:30 p.m.
• Christ the King: Fridays from 5–7 p.m.
• St. Ambrose: Fridays from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
• St. Anthony: Fridays from 5–7 p.m.
• St. Joseph: Fridays from 4:30–7 p.m.
• St. Mary of Nazareth: Fridays from 5–6:30 p.m.
• St. Theresa: Fridays from 5:30–7 p.m.
Other fish fry locations:
• SS John and Paul in Altoona
• Our Lady's Immaculate Heart in Ankeny
• SS Peter and Paul in Atlantic
• St. Patrick in Audubon
• St. Elizabeth Seton in Carlisle
• Sacred Heart in Chariton
• Assumption Church-Granger (K of C) Fish Fry 5:30-7 p.m., 1906 Sycamore St., Granger
— Jim Duncan, jd91446@aol.com |
