Dining with Sharks, Dandelion Wine, and Dutch Letters

Do..doo..do...do...do..doo..do, Jeopardy question of the day: Where is the smallest Walmart in the world located?

Did you know there is a canal in Iowa? Aside from the fact that it serves no functional purpose, the canal is a nice aesthetic addition to the dutch community of Pella, IA. I am going to dedicate this blog as a travelog through the state of Iowa. Whether passing South to North or East to West, I recommend that you stop by Pella and gobble up a few Dutch letters at the local bakeries or buy a pair of wooden shoes and hike to the top of the ginormous working windmill.

If you are traveling via I-80, don't miss the former Community of True Inspiration--the Amana colonies. This former idyllic commune turned tourist mecca still serves authentic German fare and sells products all made in the colony. The Amanas are also the home to many vintners, who produce wine from 20+ fruits. To my delight they had dandelion wine, which I have been wondering about ever since I read the excellent novel Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury in the 7th grade. A sample of this weed wine proved to be quite tasty. A side note--If anyone has thoughts on communal living (good or bad?) send me an email or comment. I am very intrigued by the simplicity and community it creates, so let me know what you think.

Since I am on the topic of wine, I cannot help but tell you about this free deal I heard about today. Bill Wilson of the podcast Wine for Newbies (I will definitely post a blog about this podcast in the future) has alerted me about a FREE book available at WinesFromSpain, which he rates as a $10 value! If you are at all interested in learning about wine, Bill recommends this free resource.

Sushi in Iowa!?!? Yes, it is true and it is good : ) I give a high recommendation to stopping in Iowa City, 20 minutes from the Amanas and right off I-80. This college town is the home to several food finds. Check out the Java House to get a latte the way it shoud be made (ahem Starkbucks, are you listening?). Imagine being transported to nearest coral reef, where you can sip miso soup a few inches from a nurse shark and zebra eel. Takanami offers Japanese fusion cuisine and sushi in the heart of Iowa. The ambience blows any sushi joint in Chicago out of the water and the food rivals most of them (no one beats Mitch from Toro in Chicago).

Thought for the day: Give until it hurts.