What's Marshall King up to this week? Find out in this week's Dining A La King.

The best souvenir I brought back from vacation last month was a big hunk of uncooked corned beef.

Seriously.

A trip to northern Wisconsin and Minnesota yielded some new food finds and a return to one of my favorite places, Bulldog NE, a restaurant and bar in Minneapolis.

Last year, I had a sandwich there of corned beef braised in Surly beer on a pretzel bun with Gruyere cheese and brussels sprouts.

I still think about that sandwich.

So I asked this year if I could get some corned beef to take with me. They sold me an uncooked hunk of brisket.

I got it back to where we were staying in Wisconsin and then back to Indiana. I braised it in Surly Furious, an India Pale Ale.

Mine was less tender than the Bulldog brisket, but it had amazing flavor.

The sandwich from the trip that still lingers in my memory and on my taste buds was vegetarian. The Black Rice Burger from Pat’s Tap, a great gastropub with Skee-Ball in Minneapolis. The burger of rice and beets, with swiss cheese, arugula and pickled radishes, shows how good vegetarian fare can be.

Other cool things from the trip were the fried cheese curds, a pedal-powered pub that 14 people can ride around town and the Sweet Corn Festival in Sun Prairie, Wis.

At the fair in the suburb of Madison, Wis., you could buy a tote for $6, fill it with as much hot sweet corn as possible and have it buttered for a donation by a college student. It was fun to eat as we talked with friends.

• A follow-up on the last column about Rise Up Farms. I put collard greens in a smoothie and loved it. People can think I’m odd, but I like drinking green smoothies for breakfast. The harvests are getting bountiful. Melons, tomatoes and a lot of basil are coming out of the garden.

Reader Sara Granberg said she’s been thrilled with her CSA share from Clay Bottom Farm this summer. “Clay Bottom rocked it in this heat,” she wrote, noting that boxes provided to customers were bountiful and now include some Michigan fruit. Clay Bottom’s heavy soil and the experience of Ben Hartman and Rachel Hershberger is remarkable. It’s amazing to have options like this for CSAs in our community.

• Holy Virgin Protection Russian Orthodox Church will have its seventh annual Russian festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The food at the festival is usually wonderful, plus the event has music, dancers and tours of the church. Admission is free. Food will be collected for The Window. The church is at 61355 C.R. 21, Goshen. For more information call 807-1508 or go to www.orthodoxgoshen.org.

• Friendly Grille and Tavern was planning a grand opening event for this past Saturday at 12355 M-60, Jones, Mich. The bar is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Food isn’t served after 10 p.m. Phone: 268-858-3239

• Shortstop Inn, 112 E. Waterford St., Wakarusa, has new hours, according to the Wakarusa Chamber of Commerce. The place is smoke-free and family-friendly. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10:30 to 3:30 Saturday. Carry-out is available. Phone: 862-4639

• Midwest Kosher & Deli is open in South Bend. The Jewish deli offers a big variety of kosher foods, including corned beef, pastrami and salads. Deli trays, sandwiches, desserts and other items are available. Yoni Rennert is the president of the business at 560 W. Ireland Road, South Bend. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 8:30 to 10 Thursday, 8:30 to 4 Friday and 9 to 6 Sunday. Phone: 855-1791

Marshall V. King is news and multimedia editor and food columnist for The Elkhart Truth/eTruth.com. You can reach him via mking@etruth.com, 574-296-5805 or the Dining A La King Facebook page at www.facebook.com/diningalaking.