James Norton
@jrnorton.bsky.social
Editor of Heavy Table (@heavytable.com), author of Lake Superior Flavors, generally in pursuit of tacos. Writes The Cookbook Test every Sunday morning: (https://thecookbooktest.substack.com)
I literally just got Borderlands from Hank Shaw - that may be a really good fit. Likewise the José Andrés cookbook for World Central Kitchen...
November 7, 2025 at 3:25 AM
I literally just got Borderlands from Hank Shaw - that may be a really good fit. Likewise the José Andrés cookbook for World Central Kitchen...
Just bought a staggering amount of top tier Midwestern meat and cheese at Eastside Food Co-op for a book talk tonight at the Gaylord Public Library at 6pm. STAGGERING. It's all gonna be good, but cracking into a new vintage of Rush Creak Reserve is always a highlight.
November 6, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Just bought a staggering amount of top tier Midwestern meat and cheese at Eastside Food Co-op for a book talk tonight at the Gaylord Public Library at 6pm. STAGGERING. It's all gonna be good, but cracking into a new vintage of Rush Creak Reserve is always a highlight.
Tasting notes: Door County Coffee cherry pie coffee - shockingly, SHOCKINGLY restrained. Bit of cherry comes through w/ cream and sugar. Palatable. American Ginseng Whiskey from Great Northern: real herbal bite / brightness to it. Almost "pre-bittered." The perfect cocktail case must exist.
November 6, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Tasting notes: Door County Coffee cherry pie coffee - shockingly, SHOCKINGLY restrained. Bit of cherry comes through w/ cream and sugar. Palatable. American Ginseng Whiskey from Great Northern: real herbal bite / brightness to it. Almost "pre-bittered." The perfect cocktail case must exist.
this year’s crop of home-grown pumpkins is in SERIOUS TROUBLE
October 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
this year’s crop of home-grown pumpkins is in SERIOUS TROUBLE
the Scandinavians have rights we Americans haven’t even dreamed up yet
October 25, 2025 at 6:10 PM
the Scandinavians have rights we Americans haven’t even dreamed up yet
I take for granted how all-around decent and basically tasty Cub doughnuts are. Cub was closed today so we grabbed doughnuts from Holiday instead. Instant compost. Absolutely inedible. Would love to know how they do it.
October 20, 2025 at 3:37 PM
I take for granted how all-around decent and basically tasty Cub doughnuts are. Cub was closed today so we grabbed doughnuts from Holiday instead. Instant compost. Absolutely inedible. Would love to know how they do it.
Reasonably sure that I just had the best fish and chips of my life here in Bayfield, Wisc. at Hoops Fish. The whitefish was swimming in Lake Superior this morning, now perfectly fried, firm and flaky and moist. Good lord.
September 22, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Reasonably sure that I just had the best fish and chips of my life here in Bayfield, Wisc. at Hoops Fish. The whitefish was swimming in Lake Superior this morning, now perfectly fried, firm and flaky and moist. Good lord.
As an antidote to my highly annoyed sushi review in this morning’s newsletter: went to Saji-Ya in Saint Paul for lunch. Their sushi lunch special ($16, pictured below) was superb - simple, elegant, skillfully prepared. Nothing wacky, just capably executed standards. Loved it.
September 19, 2025 at 7:15 PM
As an antidote to my highly annoyed sushi review in this morning’s newsletter: went to Saji-Ya in Saint Paul for lunch. Their sushi lunch special ($16, pictured below) was superb - simple, elegant, skillfully prepared. Nothing wacky, just capably executed standards. Loved it.
Got out to Indian Kitchen in St. Paul last night. Long wait for food, world’s most forgettable name. Terrific, delicious dishes with subtle layers of spice. Clearly the kitchen takes its time because they’re doing it right. Will absolutely return!
September 19, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Got out to Indian Kitchen in St. Paul last night. Long wait for food, world’s most forgettable name. Terrific, delicious dishes with subtle layers of spice. Clearly the kitchen takes its time because they’re doing it right. Will absolutely return!
Biscuit Day at Casa Dilley-Norton. A pretty good day!!
September 17, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Biscuit Day at Casa Dilley-Norton. A pretty good day!!
If you haven’t watched “3 Days of the Condor,” tonight is the night to fire it up. One of the best thrillers of any era, just a crisp, streamlined adrenaline rush. RIP Robert Redford.
September 16, 2025 at 1:05 PM
If you haven’t watched “3 Days of the Condor,” tonight is the night to fire it up. One of the best thrillers of any era, just a crisp, streamlined adrenaline rush. RIP Robert Redford.
Plus, I made some food to share with you guys: Cuban Chicken Pie and a really delicious coconut squash curry that'll be exactly the thing you need when fall (inevitably) returns in a few weeks. 3/4
September 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Plus, I made some food to share with you guys: Cuban Chicken Pie and a really delicious coconut squash curry that'll be exactly the thing you need when fall (inevitably) returns in a few weeks. 3/4
Also tomorrow: killer interview with Shane Oporto and his partner Sarah McDonough from the newly revived Dark Horse in Lowertown, Saint Paul. Story by @tangledupinfood.bsky.social, photos by Joshua Feist. Plus details on the upcoming Level Up barista event here in Minneapolis. 2/4
September 11, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Also tomorrow: killer interview with Shane Oporto and his partner Sarah McDonough from the newly revived Dark Horse in Lowertown, Saint Paul. Story by @tangledupinfood.bsky.social, photos by Joshua Feist. Plus details on the upcoming Level Up barista event here in Minneapolis. 2/4
I don't post much about Heavy Table because, frankly, I am tired out from editing and writing. But tomorrow's newsletter has a terrific interview with Ben Wu from Red Coral coffee, who is doing delicious work in Longfellow. Story by @jeannelakso.bsky.social, photos by Becca Dilley. 1/4
September 11, 2025 at 8:40 PM
I don't post much about Heavy Table because, frankly, I am tired out from editing and writing. But tomorrow's newsletter has a terrific interview with Ben Wu from Red Coral coffee, who is doing delicious work in Longfellow. Story by @jeannelakso.bsky.social, photos by Becca Dilley. 1/4
Orange Cat v. Sunflowers. Smart money is probably on the cat.
September 8, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Orange Cat v. Sunflowers. Smart money is probably on the cat.
Homemade pasta night!! Always worth the effort, at least in terms of praise from the kids, who legitimately seem to like it more than the dried stuff
August 31, 2025 at 11:05 PM
Homemade pasta night!! Always worth the effort, at least in terms of praise from the kids, who legitimately seem to like it more than the dried stuff
Lunds (on Hennepin) makes fresh mozzarella every Monday?! What the hell? The cheesemaker gave us a still-warm sample, which rules. Quite good!!
August 25, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Lunds (on Hennepin) makes fresh mozzarella every Monday?! What the hell? The cheesemaker gave us a still-warm sample, which rules. Quite good!!
BEHOLD the State Fair mega-post! 75 freakin' items, 8,900 words, assessments without fear or favor, a dash of satire, spiritous beverages, interviews with the new foodsmiths… holy hell, we were busy. Bon appetit and happy hunting! heavytable.substack.com/p/the-2025-m...
August 22, 2025 at 1:24 PM
BEHOLD the State Fair mega-post! 75 freakin' items, 8,900 words, assessments without fear or favor, a dash of satire, spiritous beverages, interviews with the new foodsmiths… holy hell, we were busy. Bon appetit and happy hunting! heavytable.substack.com/p/the-2025-m...
Enjoying “War of the Worlds (2025).” Fun to watch Ice Cube adlib a whole script! Great use of stock footage and drop-down menus! Makes a strong and compelling case for ordering stuff from Amazon, too, which I definitely needed to hear more about.
August 5, 2025 at 3:33 AM
Enjoying “War of the Worlds (2025).” Fun to watch Ice Cube adlib a whole script! Great use of stock footage and drop-down menus! Makes a strong and compelling case for ordering stuff from Amazon, too, which I definitely needed to hear more about.
Minneapolis-St. Paul people: me and my son Joe will teach a "Buttermilk Breakfasts" class at bakehouse in SLP on Aug. 9 - we will share recipes for killer biscuits and pancakes. Class is aimed at a kid + an adult (or kids + adult), lots to taste and do! gatheringsbybakehouse.square.site/classes
July 17, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Minneapolis-St. Paul people: me and my son Joe will teach a "Buttermilk Breakfasts" class at bakehouse in SLP on Aug. 9 - we will share recipes for killer biscuits and pancakes. Class is aimed at a kid + an adult (or kids + adult), lots to taste and do! gatheringsbybakehouse.square.site/classes
If you forced me to pick a favorite taco style, I’d go with al pastor. And if you made me pick a favorite al pastor, it might be the tacos at Tromperia el Zac in Saint Paul. Great crispiness to the meat and tortillas, rich, full flavored pieces of meat, ideal topping proportions.
July 7, 2025 at 7:16 PM
If you forced me to pick a favorite taco style, I’d go with al pastor. And if you made me pick a favorite al pastor, it might be the tacos at Tromperia el Zac in Saint Paul. Great crispiness to the meat and tortillas, rich, full flavored pieces of meat, ideal topping proportions.
Carne adovada burrito with red chile sauce at Duran’s Station in Albuquerque - holy moly, such a deep, smoky, complex flavor. Really good, also unlike anything I’ve tasted before.
June 24, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Carne adovada burrito with red chile sauce at Duran’s Station in Albuquerque - holy moly, such a deep, smoky, complex flavor. Really good, also unlike anything I’ve tasted before.
Tried a date shake for the first time while driving through Death Valley. Is it the best shake? It may be. Little chewy sweet fruit nuggets scattered throughout vanilla ice cream - astoundingly good. May be a California-dependent thing though.
June 21, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Tried a date shake for the first time while driving through Death Valley. Is it the best shake? It may be. Little chewy sweet fruit nuggets scattered throughout vanilla ice cream - astoundingly good. May be a California-dependent thing though.
Calentao con Huevos (Colombian breakfast) at Maria’s Cafe. Sausage, egg, arepa, delicate beans and rice - really satisfying. Not shockingly, the coffee was also stellar.
June 11, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Calentao con Huevos (Colombian breakfast) at Maria’s Cafe. Sausage, egg, arepa, delicate beans and rice - really satisfying. Not shockingly, the coffee was also stellar.
We wrote them up in the Green Line Checklist, and we'll profile the owner in an upcoming newsletter. Just top-notch stuff all around. heavytable.substack.com/p/green-line...
June 9, 2025 at 12:49 AM
We wrote them up in the Green Line Checklist, and we'll profile the owner in an upcoming newsletter. Just top-notch stuff all around. heavytable.substack.com/p/green-line...