RE-discover. RE- kindle. Re- purpose, past food STUFF

What! NO BAKED POTATO?!

John Barley-Corn

Photo from John Ernst on Old Rochester on Facebook!

John Barley-Corn/ Barleycorn/ Barleycorne

John Barley-Corn a restaurant from the past, was located at 2780 S. Broadway. For reference, it’s either Sterling Bank or Bremer, maybe both; it was a pretty big restaurant. Basically at the time it was located out in the middle of nowhere surrounded by Libby's cornfields Please note: Libby's not Seneca; I'm that old. It opened in the early '80s and closed maybe as late as 2005, but that seems like a long run. I recall it being the place to be for business lunches or ladies and though the menu was similar to all the restaurants of the day it had a few items that were noteworthy.  It also had a pretty cool atmosphere. 

It was a little difficult to gather information. I dodged quite a few rabbit holes, most notably the song, the book, and the many other pubs and restaurants called John Barleycorn. Rochester's had a hyphen and a guy that looked slightly Australian. (Note to self: find out what year Crocodile Dundee was made?) Even though there was a John Barleycorn near Wrigley Field in Chicago for years, Rochester was not an offshoot of that. It appears John Barley-Corn was part of an LLC out of Fargo, ND. LTM Limited. So there is a connection there and verified with a new friend I found on Facebook, Mark S., who used to work for John Barley-Corn. At the time, LTM also had The Cork and The Cattle Company. 

Matchbook read: Columbia Mall Grand Forks N.D. / Highway 63 South Rochester, MN

Today, there is no longer a John Barleycorn in Grand Forks near the Columbia Mall that everyone referenced. I also did not find any info on The Cattle Company. According to a blurb, if you want more information on LTM Limited, contact chuckyecheese.com Ohhhh, OK…

JBC seems to linger on in Fargo and Grand Forks. In this case, at Bonzer's (should you ever be looking for a Long Island Ice Tea.)

“Being that I have been on the hunt for the best Long Island Tea in Grand Forks... Bonzer's is the place! I'm very happy to find a Long Island Tea that reminds me of the incredible teas that the old John Barleycorn restaurant served in the Columbia Mall in the '80s and '90s. You can find those teas here! And while you're here... snag some food! Get a sandwich! Hang with friends! Relax! I'm sure you will find something here that will satisfy you and leave a lasting impression. Bonzer's... not just a pub, but a local landmark!”

What got me started on John Barley-Corn was not the Long Island Iced Tea, the prime rib, or the All You Can Eat King Crab Legs! (holy crap…) but an appetizer JZ and I ate every time we went in. Whole steamed artichoke, served with drawn butter and mayonnaise for dipping. I can't find anyone that remembers that. Mark S said he did, but I'm guessing it wasn't on the menu for very long. Anyway, my surprisingly simple recreated recipes follows. 

I asked around about JBC menu items. My friend George who was born and raised here and even older than me, told me: "We used to go to John Barleycorn on a pretty regular basis and always tried to get a table in that smaller, more intimate dining area by that huge fireplace.

The main thing I remember is that it is the first place I ever had Lavosh, and we absolutely loved it! Actually, the Lavosh at JBC was just Armenian cracker bread with the Havarti cheese. After they closed, we continued to fix them at home, and our usual is what we call the Margherita - with Roma tomatoes and fresh basil on top of the Havarti cheese. We serve it all the time for company, and it is always well received. So - we think we improved it."

Another repurposed recipe!

George also mentioned having been introduced to beer cheese soup there. He must not have made it to The Bank Restaurant, who at the exact same time JZ was making beer cheese soup so good that Billy Graham had it every time he came to town. But it was called just cheese soup for him. 

I'll be keeping in touch with George though, he remembers a lot!

There were other references to beer cheese soup as a fondly remembered favorite. Mark S. offered to give me the recipe. But beer cheese soup is for another time and from another chef. And, another blog post.  

Speaking of JZ, his memory of JBC was NO BAKED POTATO! Good gawd, can you believe it? Dinners did not come with a starch option?? Yep, it was the talk of the town, or so he heard from the diners at Bank Restaurant. I’m guessing that JBC might have succumbed at some point though I can’t confirm. But there’s just no way, in the Mid-West, could you leave that out that crucial menu decision. Baked, au-gratin, or hashbrowns? 

My friends Sandy and Sharon both noted the salad bar. I don't recall it being anything out of the ordinary, but I do totally trust their menu choices! So I may have missed out. Although, now that I think of it….eating cottage cheese off a chilled pewter plate is starting to come back to me. 

I saw that the Cork & Cleaver in Grand Forks had some pretty familiar menu items. Those JBC fans might want to look at fargocork.com, Especially the appeteasers!

So yeah, generally, in my experience, menu items that are around for so long just ain't what they used to be. So I'm not sure I'd make the drive for the Corks lavosh. But there must be something with North Dakota and lavosh. Bismark, Fargo, and Grand Forks have a restaurant, The Toasted Frog, which claims to have improved lavosh. That I might be interested in.  Check it out here, The Toasted Frog.

There was also a loving mention of Mud Pie in Old Rochester on Facebook (which is a fun FB page). And, I found out the original grain elevator part is now in Walnut Grove. So when visiting the Wilder family, look for the JBC fake grain elevator. 

Here we go, 

Microwaved Whole Artichokes My Re-purposed John Barley-Corn recipe.

Cut off stem and with a sharp knife trim the base, so artichokes sit flat. Next, make a cut across the top of the leaves, parallel to the base. With scissors, trim the leaves, so they have straight edges. Rub all cut edges with a lemon half.

To cook in the microwave, wrap each one individually in microwavable plastic wrap and set them on a round plate. Microwave for 10 minutes or until a center leaf can easily pull out. Then, remove the plastic wrap (carefully; it will be hot). Not kidding there, very, very hot. 

Serve with melted butter and mayo for dipping. As time went on, I embellished my mayo to become aioli, adding minced fresh garlic, a glut of olive oil and and a squeeze of lemon juice. My kids LOVED it. It was a big deal. I'm probably going to be forever remembered for this. *SIGH, I did so much more.