In the early 2000s, Jon Blood headed east and got an education about fish. He returned to Minnesota and began the restaurant Sea Salt Eatery, which has since become a local, seasonal institution.
"The knowledge that he had about fish and seafood and cooking coming into opening the restaurant, I think it's kind of unparalleled," says Kait Ziemer-Davis of Blood. Ziemer-Davis is the co-owner of Sea Salt Eatery and the co-author (along with Gail Rosenblum, a retired editor and columnist) of Sea Salt Eatery: Recipes to Enjoy Year-Round.
The menu of Sea Salt Eatery offers cuisine that speaks to its Minnesota location with some fish from the region, but it also highlights cuisine from a variety of coastal areas of the US. Po Boys, crab cakes, and ahi burgers all show up on the restaurant's menu. "It's definitely a huge challenge," says Zeimer-Davis of maintaining the diverse offerings. "But it's so much fun."
The food alone might be enough to draw long lines of hungry patrons in the warmer Minnesota months, but the nearby Minnehaha Falls adds a unique natural atmosphere. "When you're sitting on the patio, you can hear the waterfall roaring," says Zeimer-Davis. "It's honestly one of the most beautiful places in Minneapolis."
Sea Salt Eatery: Recipes to Enjoy Year-Round is available at the Sea Salt Eatery restaurant as well as through the University of Minnesota Press. In the near future, the book will be available at a host of booksellers in the area.
Minnesota Reads is produced at The North 103.3 with funding provided in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
