Top 10 Best Midwest Food Tours 2013

Food tours have become one of tourism's most requested activity and the Midwest is no different.
Whether checking out a new city, or exploring your own, learning about the cuisine of the area is a delicious way to travel.

Basically, there are two types of food tours: Ones that focus on the food itself, concentrating on the chefs, restaurants and ingredients; the other covers the neighborhood, architecture, and history while enjoying the foods of the area. If you are looking to learn about a town, historic area or neighborhood you will want to choose the second type. True foodies, gourmet cooks and potential restaurant owners may be more inclined to choose the first style.

The best way to figure out which type of tours are available is to research. A simple call, website check, or email is all it should take. Culinary tour owners and staff are eager to ensure you choose one you will enjoy and will lead you in the right direction. Tours might be dedicated to a specific food (pizza, beer, cheese, chocolate), a specific area of town, or ethnicity. Transportation is normally by walking, but in some cases it might be by bicycle or shuttle.

Click here for the Gotta Go Food Tours segment on Indy Style ~

Below are my insider's tips and (in no particular order) the list of my recommendations.

Top 10 Best Food Tours 2013

Insider tips

Wear comfortable walking shoes

Bring a camera

Extra money is good for shopping after it's over

Come hungry

Let the operator know of allergies when booking

Go in a group or with a friend for memory-making

Be open to new foods and drinks

Milwaukee

Milwaukee Food Tours

Tours: Walking, Shuttle-Brady Street, Historic Third Ward, Walker’s Point, Riverwalk/Westown, Bloody Third Ward/Bloody Mary Brunch, Bay View/Bloodies & Beers, Village of Wauwatosa, Cedarburg, Pizza Bus, Churches & Chocolates, Christmas Around Milwaukee Bakery Bus, Grandparent’s Day, Bone Appétit (dog friendly), Walker’s Point Dine Around

MilwaukeeFoodTours.com

Saint Louis

STL Culinary

Tours: Walking-Market Street Gastro, DeMun Gastro, UCity Loop, Edwardsville, Chaumette Vineyards

STLCulinaryTours.com

Savor Saint Louis

Tours: Walking-Central West End

SavorSaintLouis.com

Indianapolis

Taste Indy Food Tours

Tours: Walking-Mass Ave., Wholesale Food District, Fountain Square, City Market

IndianapolisFoodTours.com

Chicago

Bobby’s Bike Hike

Tours: Bicycle-Bikes, Bites & Beer

BobbysBikeHike.com

Tastebud Tours

Tours: Walking-Gold Coast, Sweets (Chocolate and desserts), Loop/Millennium, Magnificent Mile

TastebudTours.com

Chicago Food Planet

Tours: Walking-Gold Coast/Oldtown, Chinatown, Bucktown/Wicker Park

ChicagoFoodPlanet.com

Cincinnati

Findlay Market Tour

Tours: Walking-Customized Findlay Market

FindlayMarket.org

Lexington

Bleu plate Tours

Tours: Walking- Heart of Lexington, Sunday Stroll

BleuPlateTours.com

Bloomington

Bloomington Food Tours

Tours: Bites of Bloomington

Walking-Downtown Bloomington

BloomingtonFoodTours.com

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel, food, wine and spirits columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style, WISH8 (CBS). Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Infused 101: Shrub Cocktails with Cielo Mixologst Cory Cuff

In INFUSED, Elizabeth J. Musgrave connects the art of spirits, wine and beer with culinary and creative arts

Infused 101: All About Shrubs

A resurgence of an old-fashioned bartender staple has emerged and is catching the fast train to Trendyville. Although it sounds like a landscaper's problem, shrubs are popping up in homes and bars nationwide creating confusion with novice and seasoned drinkers alike.

What is it? How do I use it? Can I make it myself?

Initially coming into contact with shrubs at Iozzo’s, Indianapolis, I became intrigued and started researching. Shrub, which means “to drink” in its native Arabic language, is also the word origin for sherbet and syrup as well. Becoming common in the 18th Century as a fruit, sugar and alcohol drink, modern day shrubs are added to mixed drinks to create a much more intense depth of flavor. If paired properly with the other ingredients, it can intensify, highlight and broaden the flavors of the drink.

My friends at Cielo, St. Louis’ swanky rooftop modern Italian restaurant and nightspot, which sits high atop Four Seasons Hotel, were kind enough to create a teaching video. I spoke with in-residence mixologist, Cory Cuff, Certified Specialist of Spirits. Cuff also instructs Cielo’s mixology courses offered to Four Season’s guests. Topics include, Basic Mixing, Spirits & Cocktail Era, Pure Shrubbery, Advanced Bartending and Bar Managing. Cuff’s Pure Shrubbery course teaches the definition, use and types of shrubs, as well as creating and using the cordials.

Infused: In one sentence; what is a shrub?

Cory Cuff: It’s a vinegar-based cordial.

I: Do you drink it by itself or in a cocktail?

CC: All good shrubs should be able to be drunk alone. However, you want to put it with ingredients that will highlight and emphasize what you’re trying to get across. Cucumber-lime shrub? Put it with tequila: it’s a natural fit and will elevate both elements.



I: How difficult is it to make at home?

CC: It’s not difficult to make it. It’s mostly the mind frame that I am going to put vinegar in a mixed drink. Once you get over that mind frame and treat it as a cordial or another mixing element, the sky is the limit.

I: Does it have to be refrigerated afterwards?

CC: It should be.

I: Is it cooked?

CC: It is boiled with sugar. You’ll boil it for about 10 minutes and that’s what you use. It softens the bite of the acid.

I: What type of vinegar?

CC: I’ve been using a lot of Champagne vinegar and, recently, balsamic. However you can make your own vinegar or use any vinegar you want. It’s the end product that matters.

Image and video courtesy of Cielo

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her newest column, Infused at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published onGottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in M and Retired Living magazines and several newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.