Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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A group of friends was going for brunch and invited me along. I immediately said yes, then asked the biggest question of all: "Where are we going?" The answer would make me darken the door of a restaurant I had hoped to never visit again: the Riverside Cafe.
— Robyn Nisi / Comments (2)
The August 2001 episode of "Check Please!", featuring the then-State Senator Barack Obama and his visit to the Dixie Kitchen will air on Friday, January 16 at 8pm on WTTW. The popular restaurant review show will mark its 100th episode by airing this "lost" episode. (Via Eight Forty-Eight.)
UPDATE: Here's a sneak peek at the episode!
— Gemma Petrie / Comments (5)
After filing for bankruptcy, cookie manufacturer Maurice Lenell will be permanently closing its Norridge (4474 N. Harlem) and (temporarily) shutting down its online store on Tuesday, so get in there and stock up on pinwheels while the getting's good. And before the building becomes a motherfuc*ing Costco.
— Robyn Nisi / Comments (2)
The spring listings for the World Kitchen learning series are online and registration is open. Classes about cooking with curry (Jan 24), cheese (Feb 28), and Japanese food (Mar 19) are on the bill. Most classes are $30 and will be held at the Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, 66 East Randolph.
— Robyn Nisi
Back in August, I made my first-ever visit to Ohio's Queen City, Cincinnati. Much to my surprise, I was completely blown away by the place--and especially by the chili. I can still picture the shocked look on Cincinnati Jamie's face as I scarfed down five-way after coney seemingly (okay, literally) at every Skyline and Gold Star chili parlor that we passed for three days. It wasn't until I got back to the Windy City that I discovered our one, lonely, yet exceedingly authentic Queen City chili joint. Dear Cinner's in Lincoln Square: you own me now.
— Mike Doyle
A year ago, I was excited when the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant empire opened the third outlet of their modest Wow Bao Chinese (oh, excuse me, "Asian") bun chain at the corner of State and Lake, a five-minute walk from my house. Before they came to me, I'd often walk over at their postage-stamp-sized Mag Mile location at Water Tower Place for some barbeque pork buns and "homemade" ginger ale. I'm glad my walk is shorter now. If only the prices were more reasonable for some of the most popular items on the menu, the place would be perfect. For now, my advice is simple: hold the rice.
— Mike Doyle / Comments (1)
Chicago had a lot of reasons to eat well in 2008.
— Robyn Nisi
Green City Market is closed for the holidays, but they re-open and kick off their first year round market on January 17. Every first and third Saturday through April 18, you will find Green City inside the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum , 2430 N. Cannon, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bus: 151 Sheridan, 76 Diversey - or ride your bicycle. Check their calendar for dates.
— Chris Brunn
For my final recipe, I'm sharing my Mom's sugar cookies. Since it's Christmas, I'm sure most of you are no longer baking cookies, but you can make these any time of the year. Like many of the other recipes I've shared, these aren't too sweet and they are pretty simple to make. They also freeze well. Enjoy!
— Kaitlin Olson
Incase you're not sick of cookies yet, here's another recipe. This one is from my Grandma and it's pretty great - very similar to Rice Krispie Bars and really easy to make.
Wreaths
Heat marshmallows, food coloring, vanilla and butter; pour over Corn Flakes. Wet hands in cold water and shape into wreaths, place on wax paper. Decorate with red hot candies.
— Kaitlin Olson
My German last name hides the fact that I'm a second generation Italian-American on my mother's side. And growing up, Christmas was usually spent with my mom's side of the family -- which meant meant Christmas Eve was far more important, celebration-wise than Christmas Day. Oh sure, we got our presents from Santa on the 25th, but Christmas Eve dinner was the highlight of the holiday season.
The dinner was always centered around lots of seafood; only later did I learn that it was a variation on the Feast of Seven Fishes, a traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal. By my count, we had at least that many: anchovies mixed into the breading on the stuffed artichokes; oysters Rockefeller; shrimp cocktail; fried calamari and smelts; and spaghetti with a gravy containing lobster, calamari, fresh cod (or other white fish) and baccalà (salt cod). Add to that antipasti, deviled eggs, salad, broccoli (always overcooked), scalloped potatoes, Italian sausage simmered in marinara, and whatever other dishes my grandmother, mother and aunts decided to make, and you've got quite a meal.
— Andrew Huff / Comments (1)
Half an ounce of fresh black truffles will set you back about $30 at Fox & Obel. If you're looking for that special ingredient to take your holiday dinner for two from "oh" to "Oh, yeah!" this is it.
For our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I decided to make a fantastic dinner at home. For about $100, we feasted on Humboldt Fog-and-fig crostini; mixed greens with apples, celery, toasted pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette; seared scallops and saffron risotto, both spiked with shaved black truffles; and roasted lemon-garlic broccoli. Oh, and lots and lots of wine.
Did I mention the truffles?
My point is this: We may be in a recession, but we also live in a city where ingredients like sweet, giant scallops and fresh black truffles are within reach. When the occasion calls for it, we can (and should) eat well. And for that, I am thankful.
— Mandy Burrell Booth
The Wall Street Journal reported this past weekend that more than a few cocktails are showing up on Chicago bar menus in "honor" of His Honor, Gov. Rod. The drinks at Harry Caray's and Nacional 27 are name-checked, but most concoctions seem to include some pun on "impeach," mostly through peach-flavored or -infused alcohols, which leads the WSJ to wax historical about one particular Chicago drink -- the Cohasset Punch. The story is neat, and the drink sounds nifty -- give it a whirl at your politically themed holiday party!
From the Wall Street Journal:
Cohasset Punch
1½ oz dark rum
1 oz sweet vermouth
juice of ½ lemon
½ oz syrup from canned peaches
½ oz Grand Marnier
2 dashes orange bitters
Start by putting half a canned peach in the bottom of a saucer champagne glass; then half-fill the glass with shaved ice. Put all the liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into the glass.
— Andie Cavedo / Comments (1)
Fattigmann is another Norwegian recipe and translates to "Poor Man's Cakes." A little time consuming, the dough deep fried and coated with powder sugar. These addictive cookies are a favorite in my family!
— Kaitlin Olson / Comments (1)
Hanukkah begins today, which means you need some good recipes from some Chicago culinary talents, such as Gale Gand (Tru)'s marble cake with mint chocolate buttercream frosting or Paul Virant of Vie's latkes (you can also take a look at the latke recipe from a book written about U of C's annual Latke/Hamantash Debate).
— Robyn Nisi
Rice pudding is a pretty common dessert - the recipe I have is the best I've found but what makes it special to me is the almond. Every Christmas, my Aunt brings rice pudding and puts a single almond in it. This Norwegian tradition says that the person who finds the almond will have good luck for the new year.
Rice Pudding
Boil one cup of rice in water for five minutes, drain and add some milk. Let the rice absorb the milk and add the remainder. In a separate bowl, mix sugar and eggs. Add a small amount of the hot rice to egg and sugar mixture and stir. Pour mixture into the bowl of hot rice and mix. Add vanilla and cinnamon to taste.
— Kaitlin Olson / Comments (2)
The city's best place to get cursed at while ordering hot dogs has been shut down by the Health Department. The Wiener's Circle was closed for not having hot water and storing cooked food at unsafe temperatures. Yeah, fuck you, too.
— Robyn Nisi / Comments (6)
Not really much of a story behind this recipe, I just like fudge and this is a fantastic recipe. Enjoy!
Fudge
Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper. Place ingredients below in large glass mixing bowl:
2 packages chocolate chips
2 sticks of butter
2 cups of walnuts (optional)
2 T. vanilla
Place ingredients below in large sauce pan:
4 1/2 c. sugar
1 large can of Carnation evaporated milk (1 2/3 cups)
Bring sugar and milk to a rolling boil. Cook for six minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Pour ingredients over items in bowl and stir until melted. Pour into pan and cool thoroughly before cutting.
— Kaitlin Olson
The NYT has a nice story about how to select, store and use butter in the baking process.
— Robyn Nisi
A Madison, WI-area man gets a write-up in the Wisconsin State Journal for his love of foraging for food, e.g. making his own "catnip energy drink" made of minced burdock and dandelion root. The story is truly mind-boggling when compared to how the modern forager lives: he roams floodplains and forests looking for snacks in roots and grasses while I silently complain over the ten-minute walk to the corner coffee shop to buy a muffin. He cites his south side childhood as an inspiration, "where our Italian neighbors dug dandelions and added them to the hot fat of fried bacon, heating them just to the point of wilting'." Spring's only a few months away, people.
— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)
by Linda Romero
I guess it's my imagination. But I thought I just heard my grandmother's voice
ask: "Did you make your potica yet?"
— Drive-Thru / Comments (6)
This recipe comes from my Great Grandma and is my favorite Christmas cookie, hands down. The Norwegian waffle cookie is very popular in Norway and among Norwegian immigrant descendants in the Midwest. Krumkake is made with a two-sided iron griddle; my mom still uses her Grandma's griddle and while it's falling apart, it has a beautiful design that transfers to the cookie and it still works perfectly. My mom and I make these cookies together every year. It's easier if you have two people baking because after the cookie comes off the griddle they need to be rolled immediately and the process goes much quicker with an extra person.
I prefer to eat the cookie plain, with a cup of coffee (or without). In Germany, the cookie is often filled with whipped cream or raspberry compote; I've also used it as an ice cream cone. Krumkake is very thin and (usually) hollow in the middle so they can be a bit awkward to eat - but that's half the fun.
— Kaitlin Olson
• Get a coupon for $1 oatmeal at Jamba Juice [via]
• The Stew's Christopher Borrelli loves The Meatloaf Bakery, despite the ludicrous prices.
Chicago Mag has The Bristol's Chris Pandel on the Front Burner,
• Tweet/Big Chick's INA's Ina Pinkney's take on comfort food: it's not just about the food.
• Mmm, bacon.
• And speaking of breakfast, Sky Full of Bacon checks out Shokolad, which is this week's "save this restaurant" in Time Out.
• Tales of restaurants past: Schlogl's and its literary roundtable.
• Chicago Gluttons enjoy a little Spaggia.
• Hotel restaurant news: 312 Dining Diva gets some early info about Chef Scott Walton's Market House in the Streeterville DoubleTree Inn, while Dish talks to Todd Stein, who's opening a couple places in the yet-to-open theWit in Gold Coast.
• L2O Blog gives the drummer dishwasher some.
• Edibility tells you where to get your snobby foodstuffs.
• Dining Examiner points to places to eat while holiday shopping.
• I'm a fan of Elizabites' "On the Table" series, where she shows how a restaurant's table is set when you arrive -- most recently, Province and The Publican.
Drink links after the jump.
— Andrew Huff / Comments (4)
Last week, Jill Jaracz and I tried (and posted about) some Laurent-Perrier champagne at the Four Seasons. Where, you may have asked yourself, could I try this intriguing yet pricey beverage before purchasing myself or my loved ones a bottle? Fox & Obel has you covered. They're hosting a Laurent-Perrier champagne tasting tonight, from 6 to 7pm, and $25 will get you sips off several L-P bottles, including Ultra Brut and Grand Siecle, as well as a discount on anything you purchase in the store following the class. Reserve a place here. (Or sometimes, if you just happen to pop into Fox & Obel after one of their classes is over, there are occasionally half-empty bottles that need some help before landing in the recycling bin, nudge nudge.)
If you miss tonight's session, Fox & Obel is hosting another champagne shopping event, this time featuring Egly-Ouriet, next Monday, December 22, same time and price.
— Andie Cavedo
A couple of days ago, I wrote about the Cockburn's Culinary Competition, where Kendall College students created meals using port wine. You might think, That's all fine and dandy, but how do I recreate this winning pork belly dish? Find the winning recipe--including proper plating instructions--after the jump.
— Jill Jaracz / Comments (1)
Like the hotdish recipes I shared last month, this is another very Minnesotan recipe. Look in any church or company cookbook from Minnesota and you'll find multiple Jell-O salads. Typically, I don't like Jell-O but this salad is the exception (the cream cheese helps dilute some of the slimy texture of the Jell-O).
— Kaitlin Olson
Menu for Hope, now it its fifth year, is an annual campaign to raise money for the UN World Food Programme. This event, hosted by Chez Pim, encourages donations by rewarding each $10 increment with a raffle ticket to win some amazing food related prizes -- all generously donated by food bloggers.
Take a look at the list of raffle prizes for this year. Once you have decided which prizes you are interested in, follow the instructions on the donation page.
— Gemma Petrie
This Danish recipe comes from my aunt and while I'm positive this is normally a summer dessert, my family always makes it during the holidays. Rodgrod med flode translates to red berry sauce with cream, we call it fruit soup. Another easy recipe, this is a nice (and healthier) alternative to traditional desserts.
Fruit Soup
1 ½ lb. fresh strawberries
1 ½ lb. fresh cherries
2 T. sugar
1 T. minute tapioca (add an extra teaspoon if you end up with three cups of puree)
¼ c. water
½ c. cream
Wash and pit cherries, drain washed fruit. Puree fruit in blender, this should make about 2 1/3 - 3 cups of puree. Soak tapioca in puree and cook with sugar and water in saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until boiling and remove from heat. Chill for two hours, serve with pitcher of cream.
— Kaitlin Olson / Comments (1)
Chef's Table is an event series launched last month to grant regular foodies "exclusive access and one-on-one interaction" with some of Chicago's leading chefs -- without the exorbitant price tag that would usually accompany such access. It's the brainchild of The Local Tourist and Tweating Out. Each month, no more than 30 people -- "We didn't want it to become like a lecture," says TLT's Theresa Carter -- visit a local restaurant where they enjoy wine and food in a casual, intimate setting. At the first event, held at Powerhouse, 215 N. Clinton, featured Executive Chef Jeff Mauro's re-imagining of steakhouse fare, such as butterflied colossal shrimp with vanilla creme and aged balsamic, lump crab cakes and pulled pork mini-sandwiches. The conversation was lively, both with the chef and without, and the low cost -- just $25 per person -- meant everyone got a deal compared to a typical bill there.
This Wednesday, Dec. 17, the Chef's Table will be at D.O.C. Wine Bar, 2602 N. Clark St., where Chef Andrew Easterday and Manager and Wine Director Adam Moore will mingle with the group. There were still spots available as I wrote this. Register now!
— Andrew Huff
Many of us know how well peanut butter and chocolate combine. Here's something a little different in case you've already had enough holiday cookies. I was just about jet off to Phoenix for a few days of hiking about in the Grand Canyon and wanted something homemade to eat. My backpack was about to be filled with trail mix, Clif bars and a few just-add-water dried camp meals. My brother, Jon, turned me on to an Energy Ball recipe from Christine and Tim Conners' book, Lipsmackin' Vegetarian Backpackin'. The recipe is much easier to follow then it is to keep the balls in from smashing together in a zip top bag. I ate most of mine in a hotel room at the top of the rim before hiking down. Luckily, after many hours of hiking-induced snack cravings, Jon traded me a few of his for some of my chocolaty, heavy on the raisins, trail mix.
Following the Conners' recipe, I mixed 1 cup peanut butter (I used natural peanut butter), 1/2 cup quick oats, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used tiny chips, instead of the crushed chips they suggested). I formed small balls with my hands, and rolled them in 1/2 cup coconut flakes to pick up a nice outer coating. I used unsweetened coconut, but they suggested sweetened, I presume to add a nice sweet taste to the outside. I might try a sprinkle of sugar next time since I often already have unsweetened on hand for Indian cooking. They call for it to make 16 balls, but I guessed it and didn't count. I might follow my brother's lead next time, and put them in a sturdy Nalegene food storage container to keep them in their original shape.
— Chris Brunn
I'm not sure why, but I only make Nut Roll during the holidays. There's nothing that screams Christmas about this recipe, so maybe it's because I bake more during this time of year. Either way, this is my favorite bread recipe. It has that great homemade bread taste with swirls of sugar and walnuts to add just the right amount of sweetness. This one is also from my Grandma and takes a bit of time (and patience) to make but don't let that dissuade you - the effort is definitely worth it. The loaves also freeze well, so if you go overboard and make more than you need, wrap it up and stick it in the freezer. I like it served warm with butter best, but it's also good cold.
— Kaitlin Olson
Baby, it's cold outside -- but that doesn't mean we must suffer. River North spot mk warms up customers with free hot toddies every time the temperature dips below 20 degrees. I'd say tonight qualifies.
Here's the recipe:
1½ oz. whiskey
1 oz. honey
1/3 oz. lemon
3 oz. African amber tea
Coat the bottom of a mug or an Irish coffee glass with honey. Then add whiskey and lemon juice. Boil water and add the tea bag to make hot tea. Pour the steaming tea into the glass and stir.
Commence thawing!
— Mandy Burrell Booth / Comments (1)
Morton's turned 30 this year, and to celebrate, you can get free mini cheeseburgers this Sunday, Dec. 21, at any of their locations from 5pm to 6pm. (They also have a $49.95 three-course prix fixe deal if you're interested.) UPDATE: Morton's will also be handing out complimentary steak sandwiches on Friday, Dec. 19 from 4:30pm to 5:30pm at the Wacker Place (65 E. Wacker Place) and State Street (1050 N. State St.) locations.
On the other hand, The Reader's Free Shit blog reports that only half of McDonald's downtown locations are prepared to make good on the promise of free McCafé coffee on Mondays. The others either aren't participating or can't because the new machines aren't set up.
— Andrew Huff
What could be cooler than being in culinary school and winning a trip to the Douro Valley in Northern Portugal because of your talents? Next year two Kendall College culinary students will do just that, having won the first Cockburn's Culinary Competition, which put students to the test of pairing entrees with Cockburn's Special Reserve Port.
Last Wednesday, Kendall hosted the final round of this competition, where three teams of two vied for this prize. Fellow GB-staffer Lori Barrett and I attended this event, where we got to sample Cockburn's ports and taste all three finalists' dishes.
— Jill Jaracz
I came across these at a holiday party and wanted to make off with the entire tray. Take a date, split lengthwise on one side, open it up (like a book), smear a small dollop of spiced molasses (i.e. molasses with cinnamon and cloves added to taste) over the center, and place a cube of crystallized ginger in the center, close the date and harpoon with a toothpick. This gussied-up date is far more flavorful than anything you're going to find on the dessert table, and it's a fraction of the calories.
— Robyn Nisi
My Dad used to make homemade hot chocolate for me when I was a little girl. This recipe is from my Grandma - it's quick and easy and tastes so much better than any instant hot chocolate. I like to add a little cinnamon to the cocoa mixture to give it a little extra flavor. It's also great with a shot of peppermint or raspberry liquor. With or without the extras, be sure to top with lots of marshmallows or whipped cream.
5 T. Sugar
1/2 T. Cocoa
1/4 C. Water
Mix sugar and cocoa, add water and mix. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar and cocoa are dissolved. Add milk (as much as you'd like, depending on how rich you want it) and heat until warm.
— Kaitlin Olson
Saturday, December 13 was Santa Lucia's Day. Only I wouldn't have known, if we hadn't gone to Tre Kronor--a popular Swedish cafe on Foster--for breakfast. There was a big Christmas tree with lots of golden ornaments, and everywhere on the walls were wreaths with red and gold ribbons. It was bustling as usual with tons of customers filling the dim room with happy buzz, and we were lucky to get a window-side table for two in a quiet corner. On the table was a long white candle that I didn't remember from our last time there.
When the server guy came over to take our order, he mentioned that it was Santa Lucia's Day in Sweden, which is why they had special "saffron buns" on the menu. Instead of our usual side of cinnamon roll, we decided to try a saffron bun, and ordered from the daily specials. We sipped coffee, watching young servers whisk around plates of omelets and eggs Benedicts. In a few minutes, the saffron bun (called lussekatt in Swedish) showed up--it was shaped like a flower with four petals, two of which held a raisin each. Sprinkled with a few rock sugar candy and dyed with threads of saffron, the yeasty bun was rich and moist. Although this rather bland bread wouldn't be my favorite bread, knowing that it was a traditional item associated with this specific day made it feel quite special. (It made me remember all the traditional foods of Japanese holidays in my childhood that had undoubtedly been special in the old days but my modern palate didn't particularly enjoy.)
— Yu Kizawa / Comments (1)
If you want a warm, fragrant oatmeal for a cold winter day, here you go. Days had passed since I first started thinking about what to do with the coconut milk leftover from my coffee cake. Blending it with frozen bananas and soy milk for a shake had come to mind, but before I could buy bananas and wait for summer, Vella Cafe had inspired me. I got my usual tasty brunch there this morning - spicy tofu scram with chopped tender poblanos and soy chorizo - but took quite a notice to their menu's mention of oatmeal prepared with coconut milk. After brunch at Vella, I made myself a mid-afternoon snack at home - coconut oatmeal.
For one serving, boil 1/2 cup quick oats with 1 cup water, one handful of raisins, a dash of salt, and if you have it, a shake of ground cardamom for a nice slightly floral fragrance. Cardamom and coconut are old friends, too. Heat on medium until the mixture becomes thick and tender, stirring often. (You can use old fashioned oats, instead of quick oats; you'll just need to cook them much longer). Stir in four large spoonfuls of coconut milk, about 1/4 cup, and sugar to taste and round out the coconut. Keep it on the burner until it's all warm through. Top with pistachios and coconut flakes if you've got some. Eat up and warm your belly for winter.
— Chris Brunn / Comments (2)
My favorite neighborhood restaurant I wouldn't wish on anyone. Well, at least not on the weekend. That's because Emerald Loop, the Vaughan Hospitality Irish pub on the ground floor of downtown Chicago's Jeweler's Building, is a little bit like Sybil. Just when you're ready to sing her praises, she dishes out something completely unexpected. And at times, awful.
— Mike Doyle
This recipe was always my favorite growing up. Not as sophisticated as the Red Velvet Cake, but just as good. This is a fun cookie to make with little kids - I have great memories of making these with my mom when I was younger.
Now, these cookies are still one of my favorites, but for different reasons. Buttery, not too sweet and a hint of mint make these the perfect cookie to eat with a big mug of hot chocolate (recipe coming tomorrow).
— Kaitlin Olson
Time Out uncovers a very twisted tale surrounding the surprise closure of Mantou Noodle Bar. It seems the owners of the restaurant have been subleasing the space but not paying their rent. Chef Rick Spiros had a crazy profit deal that was basically unworkable, and the owners changed the locks and hired a lawyer.
Sounds like shades of Sweet Occasions/Sweet Thang to me.
Meanwhile, this week's Time Out features their annual 100 Best Things We Ate feature. (Mantou's not in it, natch.)
— Andrew Huff
I am a big fan of Flourish Bakery Cafe, the year and a half old bakery located on Bryn Mawr underneath the red line el tracks. It's the closest bakery to me that sells real, good, crusty bread. Its bright, candy-colored interior is cheery and warm, and the cupcakes and sandwiches are perfectly good, if a little on the pricey side. Usually, I go just for the bread, though. I buy a big loaf and live off it for a few days, knowing that fresh bread is best eaten quickly.
— Dana Currier
With just two weeks left until Christmas and in the midst of the busiest party season of the year, I wanted to share some of my favorite holiday recipes. With all of the celebrations, I know I get tired of bringing the same dish every single time. So if you're looking to mix it up a bit, I wanted to share some recipes that are sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
As I began looking through my recipes, I realized there were about 10 too many for a single blog post. So, instead I'm going to give you my version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Throughout the next two weeks I will post 12 new holiday recipes. Eat, share and eat some more - 'tis the season.
The first recipe I'm going to share is a holiday classic. Passed down from my Great Grandma, this recipe for Red Velvet Cake is pretty easy and guests love it.
— Kaitlin Olson / Comments (1)
This week Half Acre Beer Company received their Federal Brewers Notice, which legally allows them to brew beer in America. Although the label has been available since August 2007, Half Acre used The Sand Creek Brewing Company, a contract brewer in Wisconsin, to brew their beer. Now they'll be able to move production in-house when they open their new North Center brewery. Their timeline for starting Chicago-based production still changes, but as The Decider reported, it may not be until February.
— Jill Jaracz
Every home cook has a recipe she thinks belongs in a cookbook. For me, it's my Polish family's holiday cookie, rogaliki. Rogaliki are brandy-spiked, nut-filled pastries topped with a light coating of sugar-dusted meringue. They're not as well-known as kolacky, but in my opinion they're far superior and better-suited for holiday cookie trays because they have a longer shelf life.
— Mandy Burrell Booth / Comments (4)
Logan Square's Golden Rise Bakery, which abruptly closed earlier this year, has reopened as Chundy's, a restaurant that is still affiliated with the former tenant. The menu is varied, with an interesting specials list--items such as chicken Biryani, vegetable beef curry and Mauritian chicken stew join standard menu items like basil chicken salad sandwiches, and chef salads. Their website is frequently updated with charming commentary. Chundy's is located at 2957 W. Diversey, and is open Tuesday-Friday 11am-9pm, Saturday-Sunday 8am-9pm.
— Robyn Nisi
I lived in Thailand for five years when I was a child. I was too young to remember too much, but one thing that has stuck with me ever since is the taste and smell of the Thai food. After our family moved back to rural Japan where we came from, everyone in our family craved Thai food horribly. There wasn't a single Thai restaurant in the city we lived in, and when my mom ran out of the packets of curry paste, a big bottle of fish sauce and bags of dried Pad Thai noodles she smuggled back from Bangkok, we just had to hunker down and wait for the uncertain opportunity for the next Thai feast. Which, of course, did not materialize for a long time. My mom and I developed a habit of looking for Thai restaurants when we visited my grandmother's house in Tokyo during school breaks, but visits were few and far between. My hunger for Thai food gradually faded. When we moved to Chicago about 15 years later in 2003, I didn't even think about all the Thai restaurants that must be around.
As it turned out, I discovered the abundance of Thai restaurants in good time, but the real surprise came when I realized that Thai ingredients are as readily available as there were restaurants. Around Argyle and Broadway, every other grocery store seemed to carry canned curry pastes, blocks of tamarind pulp, funny-shaped galangals, stalks of lemon grass, and even fermented tiny shrimps (kapi) that gives the distinctive pungent punch to many a Thai dishes. After I encountered one too many bowls of overly sweet Tom Yum Kun in restaurants, I decided to make one myself. (Tom Yum Kun, sour and spicy broth with shrimp, is supposed to be absolutely firely hot. When I dealt with the real stuff as a seven-year-old, I could only sip it carefully from a spoon. A big gulp probably would have costed me ten minutes of couging heaves.)
In my first try, I made it from scratch, using fresh lemon grass, kaffir leaf, etc. However, as is too often the case with exotic cuisines that aren't really a part of my everyday repertoire, I didn't know what to do with the remaining ingredients. I watched them darken and wither in the refrigerator with a stinging sense of guilt. So when I discovered a convenient jar of Tom Yum paste at the Tai Nam Market on Broadway, I was quite happy. Sure, the paste will be a little bit less fresh-tasting, but it'll keep longer in the fridge, and I won't have to go out to buy all the ingredients when I'm suddenly in the mood for Tom Yum Kun. (And it's a great bonus when the weather is nasty and there's an inch of slick snow-sleet coating on the streets.) To my delight, the particular Tom Yum paste I picked up, bearing "Lee Brand" was surprisingly fresh- and clean-tasting for a ready-made paste. And it's pretty versatile. I've used it for Tom Yum Kun soup, of course, but I've also used it in stir-fried noodles with a good result.
(Curry recipe using this paste after the break)
— Yu Kizawa / Comments (1)
This week the Little Green People blog on sustainable living posits the question, Should we eat our wild urban critters? So far only two commenters have weighed in, on that website at least. Elsewhere on the web, others have been throwing the idea out there for thought. Food supplies are diminishing, and our ancestors ate rabbits, pigeons, geese and squirrels. In Europe many people still eat (some of) these animals, though from farms or from the wild, not from city parks. I'm not planning to take my local diet in that direction ... but it's an interesting facet of the larger omnivore dilemma.
— Lori Barrett / Comments (1)
"The best of the year" issue of Bon Appetit (January 2009) recently arrived in my mailbox.
In the recurring "BA Foodist" column a reader from Naperville, IL asks, "What was the best restaurant dish you ate in 2008?" The reply includes one Chicago selection: #8 Sauteed Maine scallops with soba gnocchi at Takashi.
In a round-up of the best new American taverns, The Publican is listed at #9. "The long-awaited more casual follow-up to well-regarded Blackbird and Avec is finally here. The menu features lots of fish and sustainably raised heirloom pork. The restaurant also has one of the city's most diverse international beer lists."
And on the Bon Appetit website, the excellent Chicago blog Blue Kitchen is highlighted in the Blog Envy slideshow for his hazelnut rosemary jam cookies.
— Gemma Petrie
• Possibly the most useful post you'll read today: The MenuPages Guide to Making It Out Of A Tasting Menu Alive. Also applies to holiday buffets!
• The Publican has lowered its beer prices and is now taking reservations.
• 312 Dining Diva shares good news about Chicago Restaurant Week 2009, and gets the inside word on a re-concept and kitchen shakeup at Room21.
• Centerstage was prescient with this list of political hangouts. Now you know the best places in town to eavesdrop.
• Edible Chicago is looking for local culinary heroes.
• The Stew's Monica Eng gets first bites of Chickpea and Mantou in Wicker Park, and tests McDonald's latte-making abilities. UPDATE: TOC reports that Mantou is already closed, a month after it opened.
• David Tamarkin checks out Chickpea, too.
• Hopleaf's plan to buy La Donna's space for a new Mediterranean restaurant is dead, Crain's reports. (Did Andersonville really need another Mediterranean place, anyway?)
• Sky Full of Bacon profiles Paul Kahan.
• Chicago Gluttons try to conquer all-you-can-eat king crab night at Glenn's Diner.
• Yep, Lincolnwood's New York Bagel & Bialy makes the best bagels in Chicago.
• Antica Pizzeria gets Neapolitan pizza right -- it's just too bad that's all they get right.
• Can't afford to leave town? Zagat Buzz suggests a staycation.
• Decider confirms, to no one's surprise, that the Rock'n'Roll McDonald's is a tourist trap.
• Obama is not a foodie, but his wife might be.
— Andrew Huff / Comments (3)
An AP story reports fewer numbers of people are buying organic groceries due to economy woes, and interviews Cassie Green, owner of Green Grocer Chicago, who laments the sagging sales.
— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)
Researchers at Children's Memorial Hospital are undertaking one of the largest food allergy studies ever, with families in Chicago, Boston and China as their participants. The NYT reports on the many difficulties of people living with severe allergies.
— Robyn Nisi
True, that big meal of poultry, cranberries, sweet potatoes, stuffing etc. happened only a week and a half ago, but some of us may be ready for another go-round, especially if some of us had our Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's house and were not able to partake in any of the leftovers. Feeling deprived, I decided to recreate the meal, sort of, this past Sunday evening. I didn't cook a 20-lb. turkey or make umpteen side dishes; instead I focused on the conjuring up the spirit of the meal by cooking a whole bird (chicken, instead of turkey), making cranberry sauce, and preparing simple, roasted sweet potatoes.
— Dana Currier / Comments (1)
Yes, it's the season for giving yet again. And what better gift than champagne, that most sparkly and celebratory of all beverages? Yes, you could break out the Andre and a sheepish yet hopeful smile, but it's Christmas! Lexus and Best Buy and every other merchant in America would have you believe we can wish and spend this recession into the past -- so why not go for the good stuff and pick up some Laurent-Perrier this year? Or if you're really feeling flush, the 2008 Laurent-Perrier holiday gift set, featuring a magnum (i.e. the one that's "juuuuuust right") of Grand Siecle and six hand-blown Baccarat crystal champagne flutes based on a design commissioned by the champagnerie in 1965 reflecting an inversion of the bottle's shape. Thanks to the Laurent-Perrier press unveiling at the Four Seasons this past week, fellow GB-staffer Jill Jaracz and I can vouch for the fact that it is lavishly lovely -- and the champagne is good as well. More details (and the price!) after the fold.
— Andie Cavedo
The Jockey Club, a longtime D.C.-area restaurant that was once a favorite of Bogart, Sinatra and Jackie Kennedy, has been resurrected just in time for the new presidential administration, and they're hoping their Camelot-era charms will attract a certain Chicago-based power couple, as "Both Barack and Michelle are hip, urban dwellers who enjoy good food and good wine."
— Robyn Nisi
In the imaginary Alaskan city of Jewish refugees that Michael Chabon created for "Yiddish Policemen's Union," a latke was a beat officer, cleverly nicknamed after the round, flat top of their uniform hats. In our not-so-imaginary city, a latke is still what it has always been--a potato pancake. So, when the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies says it wants the best latke in Chicago, it doesn't mean they're looking for the best and greatest among our police department. They're looking for yummy potato pancakes.
Email your best latke recipe, along with a little write-up of "why this latke is the best in Chicago" to latkes@spertus.edu. If your recipe is selected by "a committee of Jewish Kitchen Divas" as the greatest, you'll be invited for a live latke battle on Sunday, December 14, against chef Laura Frankel, who spearheads the Wolfgang Puck at Spertus.
Recipe competitors get to attend the latke battle and brunch on December 14 for free, while spectators pay $45 for buffet brunch, latkes (of course!) and recipes starting at 11 am. The real show--the latke cook-off--will start at 12:30, and will be judged by Ina Pinkney (chef & owner of Ina's on Randolph) and Aaron Freeman (comedian). The slots for recipe competitors are limited. For reservation and more information, call 312-322-1757 or go to the event page.
— Yu Kizawa
Sambar is a South Indian stew that is tricky to get used to making - especially when you're not measuring. You need to get the right feel for how toor dal, the critical ingredient, helps create just the right thin, chowdery consistency. I'd been following my South Indian friend Vidya's fabulous instructions and meticulous step-by-step photos, logging my trials in a previous post, but something still wasn't perfect.
— Chris Brunn
Dale Degroff is often credited with bringing fresh ingredients back to the art of cocktails. While bartending at Manhattan's Rainbow Room, Degroff stripped their drinks of mixes and artificial ingredients and brought back honest cocktails long forgotten in the states.
Degroff recently visited Chicago to promote his new book, The Essential Cocktail: The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks. The local launch party was held at the highly appropriate Violet Hour and served five of Degroff's drinks: the East India, the Manhattan East, the Original Manhattan, the Monkey Gland, and the Cosmopolitan.
The Essential Cocktail is a definitive book with hundreds of recipes, variations, and drink histories. Best of all, the book boasts 150 full-color photographs -- a detail that is often missing from other cocktail books.
Degroff was recently a guest on the Rachel Maddow Show, where she admitted to being an "amateur, low-level, hobbyist bartender" (swoon). Degroff shared a brief history of the American cocktail and the recipe for his version of the East India. See the recipe after the jump.
— Gemma Petrie
• Where does Obama eat in Chicago? Anywhere he wants... but Sky Full of Bacon has a list of the usual suspects.
• Thank 312 Dining Diva for rounding up all the parties going on in honor of the 75th anniversary of Prohibition's repeal.
• Continuing on the Prohibition Repeal theme, Chicagoist is profiling bars that have been around since 1933 or earlier: The Drake's Coq d'Or, Schaller's Pump and Shinnick's Pub, The Green Door and Green Mill. I assume the Berghoff will be Friday's feature, with its Liquor License #1.
• Mike Nagrant is ready to crown a new masterpiece at Alinea. He also interviewed Chef Michael McDonald, formerly of Charlie Trotters, and visits the Macy's food court for Takashi's noodles.
• Speaking of Alinea, that $1500-a-head Achatz/Keller dinner was last night, and it was apparently lovely. And Alinea at Home got a nice profile in the Washington Post.
• Dish talks to Handlebar owner Josh Deth about his planned Revolution Brewing, and learns about the reopening of Tiny Lounge.
• The Reader focuses on transformations -- in restaurants and kimchee.
• It may be too cold for outdoor farmers markets now, but you can keep warm with Fruitslinger in a convenient PDF format.
• Build your own gingerbread mkSolaire home! [via]
• Mmm, gingerbread popcorn.
• David Hammond interviews Vie's Paul Virant for the Local Beet.
• Chicago Gluttons hits Habana Libre.
• Centerstage rounds up some study-friendly coffeeshops.
— Andrew Huff
You might hear the sounds of dueling champagne corks, as both Binny's Lakeview and Sam's Wines & Spirits South Loop host their grand sparkling wine tastings tonight from 5PM - 8PM. Sam's costs $50 ($37.50 for Sam's Rewards card holders), and Binny's costs $60 ($50 for Binny's card holders). Both feature over a hundred sparkling wines from all around the world: Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy, sparkling wine from the U.S., and, of course, Champagne from France.
I've been to the Binny's event a couple of times, and it's a lot of fun to sample so many different kinds and figure out which labels you prefer. Plus they'll be offering the expensive stuff, and if that's out of your price range, here's your opportunity to taste what the fuss is all about. It also doesn't hurt that you get a discount on the bubbly you buy that night. One word of advice though: Get there on time, and head straight for the big names like Roederer Cristal and Veuve Clicquot. Those tables tend to be crowded, and the supply is limited, so get it while it's available. The Cook's Brut can wait.
— Jill Jaracz
Looking for a good holiday cookie recipe? Check out the Chicago Tribune for winning recipes from the paper's annual Holiday Cookie Contest.
But what if you can't bake - or just don't feel like it this year? Chicago's bakeries can be your secret weapon for holiday parties. I surveyed friends and co-workers, asking them to tell me their favorite cookie in Chicago. Here are their picks:
— Mandy Burrell Booth
A friend of mine has been raving about the breakfast at a Guatemalan restaurant, El Tinajon (2054 W Roscoe St.), in Roscoe Village for months now. A couple of weeks ago he took a few of us there to check it out. Chips and salsa for breakfast? This place won my heart immediately.
Back up a second - I started with a cup of coffee and let me tell you, it was the best coffee I've had since I was in Mexico some seven or eight years ago. Dark, smooth and with a hint of cinnamon - I think I had about seven cups. Accompanying the coffee (and on the house) was a glass of warm rice milk - fantastic!
For breakfast I had a delicious combination of tortilla chips, eggs, onions, salsa , cheese and black beans. These breakfast nachos have become my new favorite breakfast. For those who like more traditional breakfast food El Tinajon also offers pancakes, steak and egss and a variety of omelets.
The service was really great and the prices were pretty reasonable. If you're up for an unconventional breakfast, definitely check it out.
— Kaitlin Olson
If it's snowing out, chances are you'll find me in my kitchen cooking my favorite comfort dishes. Chief among them for me at this time of year: kimchi chigae (sometimes "jjigae"), the spicy, garlicky, fizzily fermented Korean kimchi-beef stew.
— Mike Doyle
Hammond, Indiana, home of Ralphie Parker, the beleaguered boy hero of A Christmas Story, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the movie. This Saturday, as part of the festivities, kids (and adults, if they want to join the over-18-year olds) can reenact the scene where Ralphie's brother, Randy, eats his mashed potatoes and meatloaf like a little piggy. Registration for the mashed-potato-eating contest starts at 10 am at the Welcome Center, at 7770 Corrine Drive in Hammond. And remember, contestants: no hands allowed when you tuck into your plates of mashed potatoes.
— Lori Barrett
Brasserie Jo has been a culinary nemesis of mine for several years. Ever since first visiting Lettuce Entertain You's take on French casual dining for a sorely disappointing birthday dinner (things started well with a duck confit flatbread and hit an unpleasant wall with the Alsatian choucroute, a bland and boring house specialty), Jo has been on my list. Not the good list. I haven't had many bad meals in Chicago -- at least, not many from establishments where I'd been expecting better, and maybe I've taken it personally. But in a city where eating well can be so effortless, I feel like my disappointment has merit.
So I haven't been back. For over three years. I'm not great with second chances. And just recently, I got a notice about Brasserie Jo's new menu, unveiled at the beginning of November, and featuring such additions as striped bass with artichokes and a classic sounding braised calf's liver. I thought maybe things had changed. Maybe it was time to forgive and forget and forage on. Maybe I'd judged too harshly, too quickly. Or maybe not. More details on a reconciliation meal and the final verdict, after the fold.
— Andie Cavedo / Comments (4)
The anticipation ends here: Epicurious released their list of food trend predictions for 2009, and the news will make you scratch your head in some parts ("Portland (Maine) is the new Portland (Oregon)"), and stare blankly at others ("Top-Rated" is the new "Critic's Pick"). The good part is that Alinea and The Violet Hour, which got nice shout-outs in the list, are predicted to still be "in" as of next year.
— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)
I work in the West Loop, a few blocks west from the Clinton station on the Green line. Although my coworkers say that the area has much improved in terms of lunch options in the recent years, it still seems like a lunch desert when it comes to cheap, quick meals that don't come from Subway or Jimmy John's. There's a pizzeria chain that cranks out surprisingly nice, fresh-tasting pizzas, and there's an endearingly wacky greasy spoon with a toy train running around on a rail laid out overhead. (If you know the area, you know what I'm talking about.) But if you have only 15 minutes to grab something and get back to work like I do most of the time, options are limited.
So when I saw a sign saying "Italian deli coming soon" iin the window of an empty storefront across the street from the CTA headquarters, I got very excited. As I watched the store's progression from bare concrete walls and empty wire shelves to gleaming deli counter to boxes of panettone and grissini, my excitement only grew bigger and bigger. When it finally opened as San Marino Deli recently, I jumped right in.
— Yu Kizawa
If allowing corporate sponsorship/renaming rights of CTA stops doesn't whack your mole, perhaps warmer waits for the bus in the name of "experimental marketing" will...Kraft is teaming up with JCDecaux (French for "this bus shelter is very fashionable and sturdy") for an ad campaign for Stove Top this month that involves radiating warm air from ten downtown bus shelters in an effort to "bring to life the warm feeling that consumers get when they eat stuffing." Kraft will also be handing out samples of their newest feat of stuffing research, an item called "Quick Cups," at selected shelters. I'll be keeping gravy in my commuter mug in eager anticipation.
— Robyn Nisi
Local artist Lucy Knisley recently went to Alinea with her boyfriend, and drew a comic about the experience. The pupil dilation is pretty much spot on, in my experience. [via]
— Andrew Huff
In 2009, food blogging, social media and Yelp were gaining popularity, and America's revered gastronomic magazine Gourmet shuttered after 68 years in business. Former Cook's Illustrated editor-in-chief Chris Kimball followed with an editorial, stating that "The shuttering of Gourmet reminds...
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