dsmWeekly: November 30, 2022

The fall grain bowl at Clyde's includes two halves of a picture-perfect soft-boiled egg. The vegetarian dish is also packed with protein.

FOOD AND DINING
5 Restaurant Egg Dishes Worth Trying

Writer: Karla Walsh

When I was growing up as a '90s kid in eastern Iowa, the only time eggs made an appearance on the menu was when they were served with cinnamon rolls as part of weekend brunch or perhaps in the random picnic egg salad.

But as I’ve grown, my love of all things egg-adorned has grown, right on pace with even more selections for egg recipes to whip up at home or order at restaurants. Ever since moving to Des Moines 10 years ago, I’ve been on a quest to eat as many different egg dishes as possible. Spanning the globe and featured as part of every meal of the day, including dessert, the following menu items are notable highlights that might help you reimagine what an “egg dish” can be.

● I’m a firm believer that a runny or jammy egg yolk might just be the world’s best condiment. Clyde’s Fine Diner’s Fall Grain Bowl showcases this concept at work. Atop a bed of farro, millet, roasted butternut squash, roasted oyster mushrooms, spinach, toasted walnuts and wine plumped raisins, you’ll find a jammy egg ready for swirling into the apple curry vinaigrette-tossed goodies below.

● Take a break from marinara and try Eatery A’s #12 Pizza, which comes with a layer of white sauce, sauteed mushrooms and truffle oil. As the crust crisps to golden brown in the wood-fired oven, the cooks crack an egg in the center of the pie so it can cook to a saucy medium.

● You’ve probably savored eggs scrambled into fried rice. But have you slurped up Lucky Lotus’ Soy Sauce Street Noodles? Cooked quickly over high heat in a wok, this entree includes chewy wheat noodles, stir-fried eggs, onions, broccoli, carrots and Lucky Lotus’ in-house sweet soy sauce.

● Wake up your morning egg routine with El Fogon’s Huevos Divorciados. Available any time of day, this plate fits its moniker of “divorced eggs” since the two over easy eggs are separated by rice, beans and queso fresco, and come with three homemade corn tortillas on the side. To really drive home the divorce, one egg comes covered in salsa verde and the other scores a scoop of salsa roja.

Cantus is known for their harmonies and low-voice a cappella, and have performed around the world for nearly 30 years.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND
Cantus to Perform Holiday A Cappella

As fans of a cappella, we’re looking forward to the concert by Cantus on Friday at Sheslow Auditorium on the Drake campus. The widely acclaimed ensemble, famous for their exquisite harmonies, will perform “Carols of Our Time,” which will include holiday favorites from Joni Mitchell and Sara Bareilles along with traditional carols and new works. Presented by the Civic Music Association, the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Cantus will also work with a 20-member honor choir made up of students from area high schools during an afternoon workshop. The students will then perform onstage with Cantus during the evening concert.

Find tickets here.

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND

Christkindlmarket Des Moines (all weekend, hours vary): The festive outdoor market returns this year to Principal Park Dec. 1-4, featuring traditional cultural experiences and new local makers. Visit your favorite vendors, or check out some of the stalls new for 2022. See the full list of vendors here, and check the schedule of demonstrations and entertainment here.

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (all weekend, times vary): See an updated, musical version of the classic fairytale (in which Cinderella not only nabs the Prince, but also inspires him to care about his kingdom) at Des Moines Community Playhouse during opening weekend. Check their website for showtimes and ticket prices. You may even see a familiar face among the cast. Drake student and actor Javier Anselmo performs as part of the ensemble—learn more about him in this profile from our recent Inclusion issue.

Christmas with Jim McDonough (Saturday, 2:30 p.m.): Iowa native Jim McDonough returns to the state with his 14-piece professional orchestra to perform Christmas songs and other favorites from his career at Hoyt Sherman Place. Tickets are available here.

Iowa Dance Theater performs “The Nutcracker” (Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.): See Clara and the toys come to life in the annual production of “The Nutcracker” for two nights at the Des Moines Civic Center. Click here to get tickets.

FOOD AND DINING
Indulgences for sale: Tickets are now on sale for the 13th annual Indulge event at West End Architectural Salvage Jan. 27-28. The event will feature full pours of wine and generous portions of cheese and chocolate from local purveyors, along with craft cocktails from Templeton Rye and Corralejo Tequila. New to this year’s lineup are wines from J Vineyards and a margarita and queso station from Rita’s Cantina. The full list of offerings will be announced in January. Get tickets and event updates here.

Stephen Groenenboom hand-stitches leather goods to be sold on Etsy. Photo: Duane Tinkey

SHOPPING

Meet the Makers: Stephen and Kylie of GroenHaus

Writer: James Augustus Baggett

Stephen Groenenboom started working with leather as a hobby about a decade ago. At first he cobbled together a simple wallet, followed by other leather goods, like a pair of sandals and a briefcase. Today, GroenHaus Handcrafted Goods is a thriving and growing business producing handmade leather goods and accessories, including gloves, purses, pillows and plant hangers.

Stephen and his wife, Kylie, operate the business out of their home studio in Des Moines. The name GroenHaus is a tribute to the couple’s Swedish roots: groen for green and haus for house.

After they formed GroenHaus, Kylie joined Stephen in leather-crafting, making pillows and plant hangers, and they started selling their handiwork on Etsy. “We found ourselves home more during the pandemic along with everyone else,” Stephen says. “We believe that since people were home more, they were spending a lot more time thinking about their home, which led to increased business for us. Our home goods on Etsy really took off during the pandemic and have continued to be steady.” Customers in Des Moines also can find their leather goods at Des Moines Mercantile. Read more about the Groenenbooms and their booming business in this dsm article.