Page 23 - 2106-17 Wilmington Visitor Guide

MUSHROOM SOUP
“We’re right next to mushroom country. Kennett Square, that’s the mushroom capital, so the quality level is high everywhere you go.
When we make our pumpkin-mushroom soup, we use local mushrooms, of course, and we use the best pumpkin products we can get. We also use local honey, and I think that’s what gives ours a little edge. It’s one of those things we can’t not have on the menu. People come in for it specifically, to take it home. It’s not going anywhere.”
Chris Peters, executive chef, The Back Burner Restaurant in Hockessin
Good Taste
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Our “Good Taste” blog
offers tips to travellers with everything from the hottest restaurant openings to the basics of where to find breakfast on a Tuesday morning. A peek:
NINE DELAWARE BURGERS
WORTH CRAVING (May 2016)
Few places put burgers front and center more than Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House and Saloon, where ground meat gets grilled at an open station right in the main dining room. Kid’s burgers are tall works of art, from the
classic Kid to the Saloon burger, which makes smart use
of local Kennett Square mushrooms.
THREE NEW (FANTASTIC) WAYS TO START THE DAY (January 2016)
Breakfast BBQ. That’s what I need more of in my life, and Locale BBQ Post doesn’t disappoint, with breakfast sandwiches topped with brisket, bratwurst
or pulled pork. But those in the know will save the smoked meats for lunch, and go with Chef Chris Baittinger’s house-cured bacon- of-the-week instead.
THE BEST THINGS I ATE THIS YEAR (December 2015)
The pork bone soup broth with mayu oil at Ramen Kumamoto: A friend called it “freaking magic,” and I can’t improve on that. The charshu (roast pork belly) is cooked perfectly, every time. The noodles are on point, every time. The seasoned seven-minute egg adds a richness you don’t know the dish needed until you taste it. And then you’ll want more.
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CRAFT BEER
“We are here in the center
of the craft brewing region, between all the ones coming up in Delaware, as well as Philly and Baltimore, all putting out wonderful beers. Dogfish Head really opened up the door for a lot of breweries in this area. We try to keep a lot of one-off beers, things that might not be available all year long. And if you have something you like, a unique beer, we can put it in a can and seal it to go. And once we seal that can, it’s good for two or three months.”
Sean Riley,
Assistant general manager, Stone Balloon Ale House
SCRAPPLE
“We got back to doing our scrapple from scratch, from local animals, in the style of the Amish — where’s it’s not a hard loaf, but it’s super creamy and delicate and mousselike. That’s the way the Amish actually do it, from the Pennsylvania Dutch down to West Virginia. We did
our research. I like scrapple that’s not so bound up and not so tight. It still gets the crispy crust, it still gets that beautiful carmelization, and you can really taste and experience the pork on the inside. We did it open face with local pepper jam, taking scrapple and elevating it, and people really enjoyed it.”
Bill Hoffman, chef and co-owner of The House of William and Merry in Hockessin
Highland Orchards
Foodies interested in local bounty (and baked goods) should seek out HIGHLAND ORCHARDS farm market in the big red barn right outside of Wilmington. Fresh fruits and vegetables are available throughout the growing season, but it’s hard to leave without one of their freshly baked fruit pies and an apple cider doughnut.
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