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• Minnesota's Own Nero

I was biking back from the office on the Midtown Greenway, when I ran across this young woman selling not just lemonade (or its instant equivalent) but four different aguas frescas, including lemonade, horchata (a sweet milky drink made with rice), and agua de tamarindo. (I can't remember what the fourth was, but my guess is jamaica, a sweetened hibiscus tea.) I had a glass of the tamarindo, which had just enough sweetness to balance to tartness of the tamarind. On a hot summer day, it hit the spot - and at 50 cents a glass, it's a steal. At local restaurants, it can cost three times as much.

The stand is on the Midtown Greenway bike and running route, which runs east-west through south Minneapolis, just east of 5th Ave., and just south of 29th St. The young woman told me that she's there from noon to 6:30 every day. (Or was it 12:30 to 6 p.m.?)

Speaking of good deals, there are still a few seats left for the Rake/KBEM World Flavors dinner tonight from 6-8 p.m. at the Bulldog Northeast. The menu includes a foie gras meat ball on fried wonton with flying fish eggs; deconstructed shrimp cocktail; a pyramid of cobb (salad), entree of salmon filet with marinated fingerling potatoes, summer vegetable and herbed vinaigrette, a Bulldog cupcake for dessert, plus three pints of beer, all for $35 (plus tax and tip). I hope you can join me; click here for reservations.

**This was a great success; thanks to all who attended and enjoyed the fabulous food and drink offerings.**