Want free dessert? And want to give something back to the community? This Tuesday and Wednesday only, get a free vegan dessert from Native Foods Cafe. (Dessert offer only redeemable with the purchase of an entree, side and drink.) If the housemade lemon blueberry bar pictured at right isn't already swaying your lunch or dinner plans, Tuesday and Wednesday are also Native Community Days. A portion of profits on Tuesday, May 8 will benefit the Puppy Mill Project and Wednesday, May 9 profits will benefit Namaste Charter School. Click here to find a Native Foods location near you, or email to suggest a non-profit organization near and dear to your heart for upcoming Native Community Days.
Not everyone is dreading the NATO Summit later this month. Magnolia Bakery, 108 N. State St., is celebrating it, in fact, with a special "NATO Cupcake."
As special cupcakes go, this one is pretty humdrum, though. It's just a standard vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and blue sprinkles, wrapped in a shiny blue wrapper. It's $3, available now through May 25.
Ever find yourself wishing you could have access to cupcakes 24-7? Soon, you can. Sprinkles cupcake bakery officially announced it will be installing a "Cupcake ATM" outside of its Chicago store on Walton sometime this summer. Seems too good to be true, right? Freshly baked cupcakes, even after the bakery is closed? Sprinkles announced the concept back in March, but without disclosing the ATM's location. It has now been confirmed that the 24 hour cupcake dispenser will be appropriately making its home right outside of the 50 E. Walton store location. This will be the first Sprinkles ATM to call Chicago home, while the cupcake chain's Beverly Hills outpost debuted one (pictured) earlier this year. Try to contain your excitement, please.
Yesterday I brought a pie to work. I joked with a co-worker that this was the most "corporate" thing I've ever done.
Truth is, this wasn't about office politickin'.
This was about my having woken up to groggily check my email and see that Bang Bang Pie Co. had opened their doors just over two weeks ago. And I needed an excuse to buy a whole pie.
Strangely, it's a cake--specifically, the Caramel Cake, which I first got a good look at over at Lottie and Doof a few years back. This cake makes an impressive potluck contribution with its buttermilk and caramel flavors, but it's not the prettiest-looking car at the dealership, as it were. Is it a cake? A weird meatloaf? Gravy-covered bread? Who knows until you take a bite.
So if you're looking for opportunities to make a decent-looking cake, World Kitchen sponsors a Luscious Layers baking class this Saturday morning; if cakes are not your bag, Delightful Pastries will be teaching a class on piemaking Saturday afternoon; if you'd rather eat and not do the work, the chefs of the French Pastry School host a tour of the facilities plus how-to demonstrations of candies, sorbets and other baked goods while you scarf down croissants and pastries. And if the bread isn't your thing, the Gluten- and Allergy-Free Expo runs this weekend in Lombard.
Scott Harris knows a trend when he sees one. The mastermind behind the Francesca's empire will be opening three outposts of Glazed and Infused, a gourmet doughnut chain, next to CTA stations in the next couple months. I got an opportunity to sample some of the wares, and commuters are in for a treat.
Glazed and Infused will launch with around 20 varieties of yeast and cake doughnuts, with a focus on higher end ingredients like single-origin chocolate and hazelnut praline. The mix offers your classics like chocolate glazed, apple fritter and old fashioned, but also includes confections such as a banana-salted caramel and crème brulée-filled bismark. Prices will be between $2.75 and $5.
Fed Up sponsors an all-dessert benefit tonight for helping to eradicate food deserts through the work of Fresh Moves at Greenhouse Lofts (2545 W Diversey; event begins with a VIP reception at 7pm; general admission opens at 8pm; and event ends at 10pm). Fritz Pastry, Hoosier Mama, and Sweet Miss Givings are among the many attendees. Food desert expert Mari Gallagher will also be making remarks. Tickets $55-75; note that they will not be sold at the door.
Next may get all the press these days, but Alinea still has a few tricks up its sleeve. Like, you know, making a Willy Wonka-esque edible balloon out of apples.
If you're tired of all the lovin' going on today or if you're just a natural Ebenezer Scrooge at heart, Alliance Bakery has the cookie just for you. If the phrase "It's not me, it's you" or "Eat your heart out" is more fitting to you this holiday, head on over to Wicker Park and pick yourself up a few of these. And if you haven't overloaded on sugar by that time, stop by The Boundary and continue the trend in your own cookie decorating experience from 4-11. Cookies and beer. Yum!
e.Leaven Food Company, a combination deli and artisan bakery, has been bringing joy to the mouths of River North at its Ontario Street location since 2009. Now it's hitting the streets with a brand-spanking new food truck that hosts such treats as an Aji-Braised Short Rib Piewich, their signature Macarons, and a unique Cake in a Cup dessert.
The Garfield Park Conservatory (300 N. Central Park Ave.) is holding a few chocolate-themed events in the coming days in preparation for that day that occurs two days after Lincoln's Birthday.
The Chemistry of Chocolate (this Wednesday, 6-7:30pm; $5) is an opportunity to learn more about why chocolate smells and tastes the way it is from a chemistry point of view; Blommer Chocolate Company's Melissa Tisoncik will be on hand to give you the skinny.
From Bean to Bar (this Saturday, 10am-noon; $20) takes you through the journey of how a cacao plant is groomed for a life of living in heart-shaped boxes (and sometimes having to endure forced marriages with peanut butter, nuts and fruit).
Logan Square Kitchen was packed this weekend with local artisans selling cream puffs, macarons, croissants, chocolates and other treats. Miss your chance to gorge yourself? Here are a few standouts worth tracking down.
Like a lot of smart people, Starfruit Café's mobile truck is getting the hell out of Chicago for the winter. To thank Chicagoans for a very successful maiden voyage, the truck will be circling the city with free treats on Nov. 11 before it departs for Los Angeles.
You can track the Starfruit truck by following them on Twitter (@StarfruitCafe). The truck has plans to return "once Old Man Winter retreats." So... June?
Wilco is teaming up with Garrett's Popcorn for a special music/popcorn tin combo--namely, a CD copy of their newest album The Whole Love paired with a specially designed tin of Garrett's awesome caramel/cheese corn. A portion of the sales will be donated to the Hull House Association.
Join the Viaduct Theatre this Wednesday night for a fundraiser complete with music, a fully stocked cash bar of drinks and let's not forget the best part, dessert! Chicago's purveyor of punk rock pastry, Bleeding Heart Bakery has made a donation of sweet treats to the cause, with the night's proceeds benefiting A Sail with Courtney and the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research. Local dramatic writer, Nic Wehrwein has put together a night that will feature the Chicago debut of Wehrwein's play, Anything and Always, which will be read by up and coming Chicago actors, Will Allan and Rebecca Buller. Written while in his second year as a MFA student at the University of New Mexico with Shepard Sobel, Anything and Always is a piece about love, loss, and how to cope when the two collide. So come on out to support a good cause, imbibe in some drinks and indulge in dessert. You won't regret it. Event runs from 7 p.m. to midnight with the reading beginning at 8:30 p.m. Donations welcome and encouraged. The Viaduct Theatre is located at 3111 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60618. (773) 296-6024.
Registration for the seventh annual Bucktown Apple Pie Contest is now open. The contest takes place in Holstein Park, 2200 N. Oakley Ave., from 2pm to 5pm on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Even if you're not a baker, you can come check out the 150 entrants, try some of them, and also enjoy music and kid-friendly activities like face-painting and pony rides. (Adults can probably ride the ponies, too.)
Contest registration is $20, and for the first time there will be a separate professional division; whole pies from the pros will be available for sale from $25. All the pies will be judged by a panel of expert pie tasters -- including Gapers Block's food editor, Robyn Nisi -- on appearance, filling and crust, and overall flavor.
Yeah, it can't hang out with me on the weekends and get brunch, but it's a blend of creamy, spicy goodness that hasn't lasted long at my house: Trader Joe's recently laid its cards out on the table with its Lemon and Triple Ginger Snap Ice Cream. I don't want to tell you how to live your life, but this concoction, which incorporates its Triple Ginger Snap cookie with a lemon ice cream, is pure bliss definitely worth trying, with bits of crystallized ginger, sweet lemon, and generous chunks of spicy cookie. Four measly dollars buys you a quart; four additional dollars will buy you the backup quart that will cover up for the first one you ate in record time. I just want to help you plan.
Tonight will be the final turn of the Oprah knife in my back: the last rerun of her final season will be broadcast on Channel 7. Jimmy Kimmel Live will begin airing an hour earlier starting Monday; he's been popping up all over town to promote the move.
To prepare myself for this change to my nightly television schedule, I surrounded myself with one of O's favorite things--Graeter's ice cream, a Cincinnati-based product that recently made its way into the local market. Their "French Pot" method means only a few gallons are made at a time, which shows in the quality of the product--a carefully made, creamy delight. I sampled a few pints over the course of these past weeks of Oprah, as I endured the unbearable two-part finale special, the final Nate Berkus room makeover, and a Peter Frampton and Shaun Cassidy special. I needed something to get me through the final chapters, and Graeter's stepped to the plate.
I'm uptight about my ice cream. I don't like fruit-and-chocolate-mixed varieties, and I'm normally not a fan of solids in the actual ice cream, e.g. nuts, cookies, and particularly chocolate, which always has a chalky, grainy quality that I can't get past, even if the ice cream itself is delicious. However, I was very impressed with the Black Raspberry Chip flavor that I sampled. The chocolate was in the form of fine, flavorful shavings that held their own in the tangy, creamy dark purple ice cream it accompanied. I'm always trying to find a good vanilla--Graeter's was a strong contender. I even tried Oprah and Stedman's favorite flavor, a competent Butter Pecan.
Tonight, as Oprah takes to the stage for the rerun of the final show, I will be tearing into a pint of Graeter's Strawberry, the last of my sampling experience, and closing out a television era. Living my best life was never this tasty.
To celebrate the grand opening of the second Crumbs bake shop in Chicago, there will be a cupcake giveaway today (8/31). 1,000 cupcakes will be passed out at the newest location (134 N. LaSalle St) beginning at noon. Later this fall, Crumbs plans to open three more locations in the city. So come celebrate the opening and get yourself a cupcake, before there are only the "crumbs" left.
Those of you following the Chicago foodie scene may already know about Nice Cream's recent struggles with the Chicago Department of Public Health. Despite this puzzling and unexpected set back, Nice Cream owner Kris Swanberg isn't sulking away, but is taking a stand and has launched a Kickstarter champaign to help her raise the money she needs to remain in operation. While the initial goal of raising $5,000 has already been met, the more help the better. Plus, with 46 days left in the campaign for continued production of delicious ice cream, and a minimum donation of $1, there's really no reason not to support the cause. So be "nice", donate now.
Even though Western Avenue was full of long delays due to broken traffic lights, making the trip up to Evanston slower than if I had just walked there, I made a trip to Edzo's for a much-anticipated lunch this past Friday. I ordered the burger and fries as my eyes darted around for the display board of shake specials. Sensing that I was there for serious business, Edzo himself suggested that I order the speculoos shake, a recent add to his menu. What is speculoos, you ask? It's a peanut butter-like spread that reeks of cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of caramel. In cookie form, speculoos are known as Dutch Windmills or Lotus Biscuits (which you can find on Delta Airlines flights--they're also sold in Walgreens); in shake form, speculoos is pure genius. You can find jars of speculoos spread at Fresh Market or Meijer stores; however, I decided to order it online (it's known as "Biscoff Spread" in some circles). I can't thank Edzo enough.
Did you or someone you know enter this year's SugarSlam 2011? Yes? No? Maybe-so? Either way, vote for your favorite entries here. Why? Because voting is pretty boss. And those who did enter will love you for it. Miss Bake&Destroy and CM Punk himself will probably love you for it too. Bonus! Voting ends next Friday, July 22. Hop to it!
Flirty Cupcakescelebrates its first birthday tomorrow by giving away 1000 cupcakes--among them their newest concoction, called the Flirtini--a lemon and pink champagne-flavored cake filled with gin-soaked fresh strawberries and topped with strawberry buttercream--on the plaza at 205 North Michigan starting at 8:30am, with trips later on at the Merchandise Mart and Harpo Studios. Alcohol and cake is always the best way to celebrate a birthday, amirite?
Like Sweethearts, candy corn and egg nog, Peeps are without a doubt Easter's standard one-and-done seasonal confection. We bite the head off, maybe do a funny experiment and then we're basically good for the rest of the year. That doesn't stop chefs from trying to make them, you know, more edible though. Today, the Tribune threw down the gauntlet and put three of Chicago's finest to the test. What did they come up with? Some actually pretty good sounding stuff. Grahamwich concocted a Peep ice cream and Nutella sundae and they'll be serving it on the menu for the next few days. [Tribune]
In the midst of a stack of work, several nights spent on the computer writing until three in the morning, and a pile of laundry not unlike the mashed potato sculpture that Richard Dreyfus lovingly sculpted in Close Encounters of the Third Kind sitting in the corner, I took the time to write a letter. Nothing too imperative to many, but it's a growing concern of mine: Brach's has gotten rid of its Easter "Mellowcreme Pets" candy. I need to know if it's coming back.
Today is a blessed day in the donut-loving community--Paczki Day, the Tuesday before Lent. As we've said before, a few of the hot spots for picking up these delights are: Delightful Pastries (now in Old Town & the French Market in addition to their original 5927 W Lawrence location); Bennison's in Evanston (1000 Davis); Oak Mill Bakery (several locales in the burbs and city); and if you're feeling sinister, Dominick's (you don't need an address for that, do you?).
Now that you've recovered from Valentine's Day, I hope you're preparing for March 17--and what better way to do it than with a still seasonally inappropriate (yet widely anticipated) Shamrock Shake from McDonalds! If you can't bring yourself to stumble through the golden arches but still want the thrill of a mint-vanilla shake, we've got your recipes.
In this month's Bon Appetit, frequent Iron Chef America judge and perennial long hair aficionado Andrew Knowlton has a run down of the 10 best candy-inspired desserts across the country. A few standouts on the list: an Almond Joy ice cream sandwich in Atlanta, a brownie tart with salted caramel ice cream in Las Vegas and a chocolate-peanut butter candy bar with buttered popcorn ice cream in Miami. Of course, any "Best Of" list about, concerning or evening mentioning desserts wouldn't be complete without a selection from Mindy Segal's Hot Chocolate. He could have picked anything on the menu, so he picked Thoughts On a Peanut Butter Cup. Read the full list here.
Chicago may have hit cupcake overload, but still: you can't beat free. Sprinkles Cupcakes will be offering free preview samples of their new flavor, German Chocolate, on Tuesday, January 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. -- three days before the flavor officially hits the store's shelves. Complimentary drinking chocolate will also be served, so chocolate-loving cheapskates: rejoice. Then be sure to RSVP.
If you're facing down a two, three or even four (gah!)-day week before the long weekend of eating, you might think the instinct is to cut down the sugar, butter and flour before the main event. In my opinion, the buildup to any holiday is far better than the holiday itself. Make it work. I'm a fan of buying something good and simple that is made by the hands of other people. It doesn't have to be expensive (seeing as you're probably flat-ass broke this week); Panera (picture above) has a nice little selection of goodies; but if you're really intent on making something fast and cheap from what you've already got around the kitchen, I recommend quickbreads. Two personal favorites of mine is a carrot/banana bread that is easy and delicious (shouldn't I be using carrots for more noble means? Hell no) and a chocolate chip/banana bread that also rocks my palate. If you're going to spend the week looking at the empty desks of your coworkers and playing Angry Birds, you may as well treat yourself to some snacks as well.
'Tis the season of Christmas cookies -- at home, in the office, at parties. It's hard to resist them, but sometimes we all just crave something just a little less waist-expanding.
For the Healthy Schools Campaign's 2010 Cooking Up Change gala, culinary students at Simeon Career Academy created a cookie that we won't feel guilty about popping in our already-full bellies this holiday season. The event, a cook-off, challenges students to create a healthy lunch or a healthy cookie using using the same nutrition requirements, ingredients, and budget constraints that schools have to contend with. Below is the recipe for Simeon Career Academy's winning dessert, Thyme-Scented Lemon Cookies:
I was the MVP of my Thanksgiving dinner party--not just because I arrived on time and sober, but because I brought a pear-apple-cranberry pie from Hoosier Mama that was an incredibly tasty way to end the meal. If you're looking for holiday glory, you can reserve a Christmas pie online now for pickup between December 22-24.
Sure, this once humble creature has been enjoying unprecedented fame thanks to a certain Top Chef darling and her newish West Loop restaurant. But delicious preparations of goat and its by-products can be found all over town, including a range of sweet treats.
For goat-on-the-go, pick up some goat milk caramels at Fox & Obel (401 E. Illinois St., 312-410-7301). The high-end Steeterville grocer carries varieties made by San Francisco-based Happy Goat Caramels as well Paris Caramels' crunchy-sounding but instantaneously addictive goat caramels with buckwheat.
For a cooling treat, take a stroll in Ukrainian Village and stop for goat cheese cashew caramel gelato at Black Dog Gelato (859 N. Damen Ave., 773-235-3116). But be sure to call first. The goat cheese gelato is not always on the menu, and when it is, it goes fast.
Or sweet teeth. You'd better have more than one if you're going to survive the Andersonville Dessert Crawl, a 24-stop tour of the neighborhood's restaurants, cafes, bakeries and shops on Sunday, October 3. Choose from the Sugar Route, the Spice Route, or hit up both with the Everything Nice Route.
Pick up your passport at the Swedish American Museum at 2 p.m., then take the next three hours to stuff your face with sweets from Terry's Toffee, In Fine Spirits, Big Jones, Ceres' Table, The Coffee Studio, and more. Advance tickets are $25 for one route, or $40 for both routes; for more info, call (773) 728-7552 or click here for tickets and a full listing of participating venues.
Fall has certainly made its presence known in Chicago this past week and I welcomed it with open arms. The changing of seasons is one of my favorite things about living in the Midwest - with a new season comes a new beginning and, new food. This year, I've been embracing the beginning of fall with pumpkin candles, warm soup and apple crisp.
This recipe is great because it's incredibly easy and, most often, I have all of the ingredients at home so I don't have to make a special trip to the store. Here's the recipe so you all can properly ring in the new season. What's your favorite way to enjoy fall?
Apple Crisp
4-6 tart apples
8 graham crackers, finely chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
Peel and slice apples (The Chopping Block has an amazing apple peeler) to fill a 9x9 pan 3/4 full. Melt the butter and stir in the finely chopped graham crackers. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Spoon the mixture over the sliced apples and microwave on high for 12-15 minutes or until the apples are tender.
From your days as the 5th grade class Picasso to that late night last week when you proudly showed off your gravity defying leaning tower of nachos to your roommates and the house fish, you've always had a knack for making things look and taste good.
Now is your chance to take those skills public. Southport Grocery, already known for their delectable cupcakes, is opening the menu up to its patrons by hosting a cupcake contest.
You can submit your idea on Facebook or Twitter now through August 24th. The winning idea will be hand picked by Southport Grocery's bakers and developed into a recipe where it will then be featured in the restaurant's bakery case for the entire month of September. Not enough? The winner will also receive a dozen of their winning cupcake.
I've sampled quite a few cupcakes in Chicago -- Sweet Mandy B's, Molly's, Flirty Cupcakes, More. I can't say I've ever had a bad cupcake but More is, without a doubt, my favorite. The fun, creative ingredients and recipes they use make each cupcake unique and delicious. And the hard work and love put into each recipe comes through in every cupcake.
When I learned that More is going to make their cupcakes mobile next month, I was ecstatic. I don't find myself in its Gold Coast neighborhood very often, which means I don't get to eat nearly as many of their cupcakes as I'd like. I've had Flirty Cupcakes when I'm in need of a sweet fix to get me through the afternoon. But the cupcakes, in my opinion, are mediocre - too much frosting and not enough flavor. More, on the other hand, has me hooked. Some of my favorite flavors: BLT, Salted Caramel and Strawberry. They also have Basil and Goat Cheese and Truffle Popcorn cupcakes that I've been dying to try.
I didn't know that in 1984 President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month, nor did I know that the third Sunday of July is designated as National Ice Cream Day.
But the clever folks at Go Roma did, and today the Go Roma at 848 N. State St. is offering a complimentary scoop of their gelato to patrons who purchase an entree.
So if you're downtown today and have a hankering for vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, burnt caramel or cappuccino gelato (plus lemon sorbet), you now know where to go for a free scoop!
No plans for this Saturday night? Why not beat the heat with something chilly, delicious...and free!
The new Kenmore Live Studio in River North is hosting a preview event for the upcoming Chicago Luxury Ice Cream Festival. Local ice cream makers ("micro-creameries") will be on hand to show off their flavors, and Chicago baking celeb Michelle Garcia (Bleeding Heart Bakery) will be giving a baking demonstration in the studio. Additionally, live music will be provided by Liquid Soul.
The event lasts from 7:00-9:00 p.m. this Saturday, July 17. The baking demo will begin at 7:30. For more information, visit facebook.com/kenmore or call (312) 265-0871. The Kenmore Live Studio is located at 678 N. Wells.
The first day of summer brought with it a scorching hot evening. It took about seven seconds before I was incredibly uncomfortable on my walk home from a delicious fallafel sandwich at Sultan's Market last night. As I was walking down Clark Street, I passed about four frozen yogurt places (I figure one per block) and while I was tempted, I had a specific destination in mind. Yogen Fruz is my go-to place when I need something sweet and refreshing.
As I rounded the corner onto Belmont at 10:30 I noticed people huddled outside the frozen yogurt shop and thought, that can't possibly be the line. It was and, yes, I waited.
As I was waiting in line I felt like everything was right with the world. It seemed perfect that on the first day of summer nearly every frozen yogurt place I passed was overflowing with sweaty, smiling Chicagoans. There was no complaining of the heat or the long line - everyone was simply enjoying the evening. I tried to take it all in because I know that as the weeks go on, we'll forget to appreciate nights like this.
Something about last night reminded me of the first day the ice cream man made his appearance each summer when I was a kid. Tonight, on my way to volleyball, there's a strong possibility I'll stop by Berry Chill, another favorite of mine. What's your favorite place for a summer treat?
One of the great treats about wandering the city is the unexpected finds that suddenly crop up and invite you in to engage with them. When the treats you find are literally treats, as in the form of a delicious pie - well hell, even better.
This past weekend's Takin' It to the Streets festival in Marquette Park was chock-full of speakers, bands and events that made the plodding trip down Kedzie Ave to 67th St. well-worth the journey. As with most festivals, the food vendors ranged from the overly priced and ramshackle to perfect, summer outdoor fare, this time brought to Marquette Park by the BBQ Seitan from the great folks at Soul Vegetarian. In the midst of all these food vendors though, one stood out amongst the others, and brought forth the question what else may be waiting to be discovered on the Southwest Side.
The booth for Imani's Original Bean Pies was set up to offer these homemade Navy Bean pies either by the slice, personal pie or full pie. Unfortunately, they weren't offered in bulk. The pies have a soft silkiness and buttery crust that make for a perfect texture, and with a rush of nutmeg and a delicate sweetness that isn't too sweet, Imani's Bean Pies recall the best homemade desserts from one's childhood. Interestingly, these pies aren't commercially available, but instead are available online as fund-raising vehicles for Your Child Care, a child care service and school on the Southwest Side. Imani's Bean Pies allow one to not only indulge in pie, but also to do good deeds while doing so. Thank you Imani's Bean Pies.
Chicago has seen an influx of cheerful frozen yogurt chains from Asia. This season brings something new from Taiwan: shaved ice cream from Cloud 9. Brother-and-sister entrepreneurs Kenny and Gawin Tsai, with the help of the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago, have opened a shaved-ice-cream spot in Lakeview. The IJ clinic helped with Chicago's red tape, leaving Kenny and Gawin free to concentrate on the Taiwanese ice cream, also known as Xue-Hua-Bing. They offer a few flavors each day--currently including vanilla, mango, strawberry and chocolate. They're also quietly testing red bean and green tea, which they let my family sample the night we went in to check it out. The vanilla was refreshing, but held no surprises. The mango had a nice tartness, and the green tea had a bite. The ice cream, made in house, is naturally low in fat; it's not made with as much sugar or cream as traditional ice cream. It comes out of Cloud 9's freezer in a disc-shaped block, and after being shaved by machine, it lands in soft layers in a bowl. Like cotton candy, it looks larger and denser than it actually is. The toppings, too, are low in sugar. The fruit syrups contain no added sweeteners, and cut-up fruit, nuts, sprinkles or chocolate syrup are available as well. Each heaping bowl of snow ice is served with a plastic fork, the better to grab the flaky layers with. And, while at first it might seem flaky and ice cream don't belong in the same sentence, by the end of the summer I think many Chicagoans will find they enjoy ice cream in flakes.
It's a frappuccino miracle! After 15 years of existence, the iconic Starbucks beverage is moving up to the level of the rest of the coffee giant's drinks by becoming fully customizable.
Starting May 4, Starbucks locations across the country will be serving what's called the "However You Want It" Frappuccino. Options for the coffee-based beverages will include choice of milk and syrup (including sugar-free syrups and syrup combinations), and the coffee-based drinks will be available in regular or decaf, double or triple strength.
Believe it or not, this introduction (which does, in fact, mark the 15th anniversary of the frappuccino's invention by baristas in a Santa Monica Starbucks) required some significant retooling of the way frappuccinos are mixed. The coffee bases and frappuccino mix syrup (which is what makes the frappes frothy) are separated from the milk and available in different incarnations, making it possible to have a low-sugar, decaf, or non-dairy blend in more flavors than previously available.
Paradox of choice got you down? Chad Cruz, manager of the Gold Coast's Chicago flagship Starbucks, recommends trying the strawberry crème frappuccino (now with all-natural strawberries) with soy milk. Personally, I'm a fan of any of the double-strength coffee blends, especially with whatever syrup is seasonal. But you don't have to take my advice, or Chad's; go ahead and try one "however you want it" starting May 4.
Chicago has a lot to offer hungry tourists, besides the chance to eat a watery hot-dog from the vendor next to the Wendella Boat Tour dock as you cruise the Chicago River. A self-guided Cupcake Crawl is available from Chicago Bites food bloggers Tammy Green and Bridget Houlihan. Their e-book maps out public transportation to different bakeries and includes coupons, hours and prices.
Or skip the cake and go straight for the chocolate. Chicago Chocolate Tours leads two-and-a-half hour strolls through the South Loop, Lakeview or Michigan Avenue (and shorter tours of the new French Market) to meet some of the city's best chocolatiers.
Chicago Food Planet offers walking tours of the Near North and Wicker Park/Bucktown neighborhoods. These tours take about three hours, with stops at restaurants, specialty grocers and, to help keep your energy up, ice cream shops and bakeries. In addition to discovering mom-and-pop shops around town, you'll also learn about neighborhood history and architecture.
Entering its second season is Fork and the Road bike tours. This year the women behind Fork and the Road, Dimitra Tasiouras and Sharon Bautista (a Drive-Thru contributor), will lead samplings of diner specialties, dumplings, Eastern European cuisine, or Mediterranean restaurants and shops, among other tours of eateries, all of them off the beaten path. (No Italian beef or deep dish pizza.) Each ride is about 16 to 20 miles, which sounds worse than it is. The guides ride at a leisurely pace, and each stop offers a chance to rest and refuel. Tours always start at a location near a bike-rental shop, so even those without wheels can take part.
Of course, if deep dish is your thing, there are tours of local pizza purveyors. Slice of Chicago offers a deep-dish walking tour, and Chicago Pizza Tours will show you the city "one slice at a time" and through four different styles of pizza (deep dish, thin crust, stuffed and neapolitan).
When your guests show up this summer, show them there's more to do than hang out at Navy Pier or the Mag Mile eating franchised food stuffs and fighting the crowds.
So you've heard of wine and cheese pairings, and maybe even wine and chocolate pairings. But tequila and chocolate? Not so much.
Until now.
Chicago's own fine chocolate emporium, Vosges Haut Chocolate, has teamed up with Corzo tequilas to show the world that blue agave and cacao are a match made in heaven.
Vosges' Armitage flagship has a liquor licencse, and has been offering wine and beer tastings for some time, as well as selling bottles of wine. This new relationship with Cruz will bring a tequila pairing to their summer menu, and the shop will offer appropriate chocolate bars along with bottles of each mark of the fine tequila-silver, reposado, and añejo.
If you'd like to take part in this celebration of two of the New World's greatest culinary treasures, you needn't wait any longer. Tonight, Vosges Lincoln Park hosts a special ticketed event where the public will be able to try lots of delicious confections (along with complementing tequilas) first-hand.
951 W. Armitage. Tickets are $40; call 773.296.9866 to reserve your spot.
Yes, you can make homemade marshmallow peeps. OK, you can make homemade marshmallow sorta-looks-like-a-peep if you close one eye and squint. The piping technique needed to make peeps look like actual peeps was beyond my capabilities, but if you don't mind eating irregular peeps, then have no fear you can do this! This recipe is easy, fun, and cheap - so cheap you probably have everything you need in your kitchen right now!
We were lucky to be at Mitsuwa earlier today. In preparation for the Hina Matsuri (girls' festival) on March 3rd, Mitsuwa had a large variety of Japanese sweet rice-based desserts for sale. The market does have a constant supply of many mochi (sweet rice cakes), but the selection today was much better, and they did not appear to have sat in the freezer for too long, as many of the usual selection unfortunately are. We picked up a couple of things--kashiwa mochi, sakura mochi and goma dango (small, ball-shaped rice cakes on a stick, with black sesame glaze).
Kashiwa mochi is a smooth sweet rice cake wrapped in a (sometimes salt-cured, other times fresh) oak leaf. Inside the cake is red bean paste. The ones we picked up have red bean paste with miso, which adds a nice savory dimension. It's a bit funny that the market brought kashiwa mochi for the girls' festival, because it's traditionally associated with the boy's festival, which is on May 5th, but hey, I'm certainly not complaining. Unlike sakura mochi, which features an edible leaf, the oak leaf wrapper of kashiwa mochi is usually not eaten. I'm not sure why this is--perhaps the oak leaves are a bit tough to eat.
Hoosier Mama Pie Company (1618 1/2 W Chicago Ave.) has come up with a new way to reward their Twitter followers: every so often, they'll put a pie in their "TweetiePie Pie Safe" and tweet a password; if you're one of the first six customers to give them that password, you'll get a slice. Today's pie was an lovely, mild coffee cream pie with a chocolate-lined crust and loads of whipped cream on top.
Tabasco, probably the most well-known red pepper hot sauce, was invented in 1868 by a Maryland-born banker living in Louisiana. Since its creation, it's been used to spice up almost everything, from scrambled eggs to barbecue to cocktails. It nevertheless surprised me to discover recently Tabasco pie at the Water Works Visitor Center location of non-profit First Slice Pie Café (163 E. Pearson Street, 312-202-1227), which opened earlier this winter.
The Tabasco pie was originally available only to First Slice subscribers and by special order, but it is now available by the slice. Built from a thin, buttery crumb crust, cinnamon defines both the densely gummy custard filling and the feathery light cream topping. The hot sauce emerges later; it takes an extra second to feel the faint tickle of red pepper in the back of the throat.
At $3 per slice, the Tabasco pie is a cheap thrill in the best sense. It is also available at the original First Slice Pie Café location at 4401 N. Ravenswood, 773-506-7380.
Not all cupcakes are created equal. Chicago may be saturated with these cute confections, but I discovered one stand-out on a recent early morning visit to Swim Cafe in West Town. Swim's Horchata Cupcake takes as its inspiration the beverage made usually from ground rice, almonds, cinnamon, sugar and water or milk popular in Latin America and easy to find at Mexican outlets in Chicago. Moist cinnamon vanilla cake with a medium density supports a smooth, gloriously gooey swirl of horchata frosting. And it's vegan to boot. Served on a plate garnished with orange slices and delivered with a fork and knife, why not a cupcake for breakfast?
Swim Cafe is located at 1357 W. Chicago Ave., 312-492-8600.
Beard Papa, a Japanese bakery chain that specializes in cream puffs, opened in the basement of the Block 37 mall today. My hubby, who had been there earlier, reported that there was a pretty long line of (mostly East Asian) customers snaking out the door.
I'm among these Asians who have been anxiously awaiting this day. With all the financial trouble that Block 37 was reported to be in, I'd been growing a little pessimistic. But no more--it's finally here!
Hubby brought back a chocolate-covered, custard-filled cream puff, and it was delicious. (Sorry, no pictures, because, well, I already ate it. Update: here's one in the Flickr GB pool, thanks to KidItamae.) The shell is crunchy, the chocolate is actually chocolate-y, and the custard is soothingly smooth. It's a good thing I don't use the Red and Blue lines any more--otherwise, I'd find it difficult to resist the temptations when changing trains there: you'd pass the bakery as you transfer from one to the other.
I heart twitter and cupcakes ...and love when those two come together. I spotted this tweet Sunday around 10:50pm from Bleeding Heart Bakery and got so excited!
Nothing like a good cupcake deal to banish a case of the monday's!
For those of you who might be looking for a twist on the tradition for the upcoming Turkey Day, here's a sweet potato recipe that's not topped with marshmallows. I made this baked custard when we did our last backyard grilling of the year, a few weeks back. We slowly roasted a big, fat sweet potato on a cooler corner of the grill, and instead of making this ginger yam/sweet potato salad that we are addicted to, I made it into baked custard. The sweet potato can be baked in the oven, of course--it can even be microwaved or boiled, though the latter two methods just don't compare to the slow-roasting on charcoal when it comes to earthy sweetness.
The New Yorker's latest food issue gives Chicago's Lutz Cafe a shout-out in an article on "spit cake," or Baumkuchen. To make this "king of cakes," a baker must brush layer upon layer of batter onto a spit, creating an elaborate ring of cake that looks like the inside of a tree trunk when sliced. According to the New Yorker article, the cake is so hard to make that it is only sold during the holidays at Lutz, and it sure isn't cheap.
Patient Hoosier Mama pie fans spilled out onto Chicago Avenue on an unseasonably warm mid-November Saturday afternoon. With the line extending outside and past the picture window of the cozy West Town retail space, proud owner Paula Haney asked waiting customers what inspired them to stop in on this day of all days. No common thread emerged from the varied answers that could account for the day's exceptionally brisk business. Simply, word continues to spread that Haney and her quickly growing team are crafting outstanding pie. Now there is another reason to indulge in their creations: Ruth & Phils Gourmet Ice Cream.
Starting this week, customers eating in the Hoosier Mama shop can get their slices of pie à la mode, while folks carrying out pie can bring home pints of Ruth & Phil's French-style ice cream. Alison Bower, owner of the Lincoln Square-based ice cream company, yesterday offered free samples of two flavors to the long line of pie fans: Madagascar vanilla bean and sour cream-cinnamon. Both flavors offered an exceptionally smooth mouthfeel and reserved sweetness which made them natural accompaniments to pie. Now it is almost impossible to imagine Hoosier Mama's double-crusted bourbon- and vanilla-infused pear pie without the headiness of Ruth & Phils vanilla ice cream, or the traditional apple pie minus the spicy tang of the sour cream-cinnamon.
I've been in a cranberry rut lately with my desserts, so yesterday in preparation for a dinner with friends, I hit went online for inspiration and something without berry or crumble in the name. Right away I found it, at one of my favorite sites, 101 Cookbooks: Beeramisu, or tiramisu made with beer. (follow the link for the recipe.) Fall is always a good time for cooking with beer. Especially something like Beeramisu, which doesn't require a lot of prep time or ingredients.
After two trips to the grocery store, one to double the amount of mascarpone I'd initially bought, I began to assemble my dessert. When I popped open the bottle of beer I realized there were going to be three kids eating with us, so I decided it would be best to boil the alcohol out of the beer. I made a mistake with the beer. I didn't want to buy a six pack of stout or porter, so I bought Grimbergen, thinking it would be sweet and spicy enough. But when it came time to pour the beer over the lady fingers, I added a shot of coffee, as the recipe says to. I thought I could skip the coffee, and perhaps with a darker beer I could have, but not with a Belgian blonde.
Since tiramisu, or Beeramisu, doesn't need to bake, it's a quick dessert to make. I layered lady fingers with the beer-coffee mixture poured over them, alternating with a creamy blend of mascarpone and whipped cream. When I served it I worried that my lady fingers looked a little dry, but my 6-year-old dinner guest assured me that, no, those lady fingers looked soggy. They tasted soggy, too. In the end it was hard to actually distinguish the beer taste, but the dessert was a hit. My husband even ate a spoonful at breakfast this morning. Next time, I'll try a richer, darker beer and leave out the coffee, for a more beer-thentic experience.
If you're like me and daydream about buttercream, chocolate ganache, and anything with a buttery, flaky crust...and are a borderline-might-actually-be-a twitter addict then you need to add these sugarcoated tweeple to your follow list ASAP. Tweets about delicious treats maybe not be as good as eating them but they are titillating -- it's dessert foreplay, if you will.
"What possessed you to make your own candy pumpkins?" -- I've been getting this question a lot over the past few days as I talked about writing this piece. The only answer I have is because it sounded fun ...and it was fun!
My original plan entailed making candy corn but as my sugary adventure progressed, I felt taking the leap into candy pumpkins was way more impressive--and I enjoy being impressive. The recipe is exactly the same for candy corn if you chose to go that route.
Last night, I did something that proves that I've lost all sense of adventure and surprise: I bought my own birthday cake--a beautiful one from Sweet Mandy B's, with seashell-shaped frosting around the border. Oooh. So pretty.
All I need is a glass of skim milk and I'll be good to go.
This brought up a question--what the are BEST birthday cakes? Homemade? Bakery made? A package of Dunkin' Stix ate with a cup of coffee?
Threadless.com's shirts are so cute, sometimes you just want to eat them up. In fact, many people have -- by turning their favorite designs into cakes.
It's not just for fun, either -- it could be for profit, too, if you enter the Threadcakes contest this summer. From June 15 (ie, yesterday) until August 3, you can submit photos of your own Threadless shirt-based cake to the contest for a chance to win a Threadless 12-Month Club membership, "tons" of Guittard chocolate and a Charm City Cakes prize pack. There are two categories -- 2D (just the design on the cake) and 3D (the design is the cake) -- and you can submit as many cakes as you want. So read the rules, sign up and get to baking!
Starfruit, the frozen kefir cafe, is opening a second location in Lincoln Park on Thursday. The grand-opening will have a live DJ and activities for kids served along with the kefir smoothies and parfaits. And, on Thursday only, each kefir purchase comes with a free topping. For Chicago parents facing a day with bored kids at home waiting for their teachers to finish filling out report cards, a little face-painting and frozen-treat outing might soothe a lot of pre-report card angst. The cafe is at 2142 N Halsted Street.
If you're like me (meaning, you have little to no self control when it comes to sweets), you've been guilty of making an emergency run to Whole Foods not for organic wheat germ or Acai berries, but for one of the way-inappropriately sized Carol's Cookies sold in their bakery. (Toffee Crunch is my fave.) Recently, I learned Carol's has been making these half-pound beauties in the Chicago area since 1979 - the year of my birth. Coincidence? I think not.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Carol's recently put out a call asking loyal fans to submit ideas for the company's next cookie flavor. (Yes, the winners get free cookies. Stick with me here.) To participate, visit Carol's Web site or join the new Facebook fan page, "Carol's Cookies Giant Cookie Club." The contest starts June 1 and runs through Aug. 12, 2009.
After reviewing all entries, Carol's bakers will select the top five flavors and spend four weeks perfecting the recipes at the Carol's cookie factory. The five finalists' recipes will be judged on Sept. 15, 2009, at the Carol's factory by Carol Goldman (yes, the Carol), and foodies Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, Marc Shulman of Eli's Cheesecake, Bryant Keil of Potbelly's Sandwich Works, and restaurant critic Sherman Kaplan from WBBM AM 780 radio.
The winner will receive a year's supply of free cookies, as well as virtual applause from the online universe. Oh, and the champ also gets to be guest baker for two days at Carol's Cookies Highland Park bakery. The runners-up even get some cookie dough. So what more can I say, people: Cookie it up!
The queasy period of spring, when we don't know if a heat wave or a blizzard is waiting around the corner, has ended. I put away my winter boots just this past week. It felt great. So great, in fact, that I decided to pick up some annuals for my porch.
I made it to Adams and Sons, a Humboldt Park garden supply that is housed in a deceivingly small building--as I wandered around (for way too long) checking out row after row of plants and gadgets, I got hungry and realized that Tipsycake was only a few doors south. And that it was open. I took a break from my overwhelming petunia shopping.
When the bakery opened a few years ago, Tipsycake was known for its Lamingtons, an Australian treat that is a square of white cake with a layer of raspberry jam and coated with chocolate and flaked coconut. Perhaps they're the answer to our Hostess Sno-Balls: reportedly they're as common as donuts Down Under. For good reason, a pile of Lamingtons still dominates Tipsycake's daily offerings: they're awesome. I was concerned that the chocolate would have a Ding Dong-esqe waxy coating, and instead it was a blessedly thin layer of (real) chocolate glaze. The flavors are not overwhelming but it made me wish I could seven more of these, even if they don't look like the delight they actually are.
I went back to the flower place and was able to figure out the color scheme for my potted impatiens in seconds. I credit the cake.
Hoosier Mama Pie's Paula Haney will share the ovens today with cooking personality Bertha Mason. The pair will be making mock apple pie -- which isn't an April Fool's joke at all, but a Depression era cost-cutting classic -- at the store, 1618-1/2 W. Chicago Ave., from noon to 4pm. Stop in for a taste and a laugh.
Perhaps in time for the warm weather that's due any day now, another Korean frozen yogurt shop is rolling into town. Red Mango, which has set up shop in Evanston and Naperville, has a cheery HELP WANTED sign covering a storefront window on Clark Street, just above Diversey--probably at the exact latitude in the city's grid system as YoBerri, a few short blocks away on Halsted Street. Last year, after the suburban locations opened, both Time Out Chicago and Chicago magazine named Red Mango the best probiotic frozen treat. Now we have to wait and see which will arrive first: the "fresh" and "bright" frozen yogurt or the fresh and bright spring we're waiting for.
Vosges has their "Green Collection" for Spring available now in their boutiques and on line.
The collection includes:
Ellateria - Indian green cardamom + dark chocolate + white poppy seeds
Kaffir - Thai kaffir lime + fresh coconut + dark chocolate
Kayoko - Japanese macha green tea + white chocolate + cherry blossom petals
Buddha's Leaf - Malaysian pandan leaves + dark chocolate + cocoa powder
Green Truffle Collection, $28-$42
Vosges is also making great strides in eco-conscious production. Their shipping department uses air-filled bags that are made from 100% post-consumer waste and are biodegradable as opposed to styrofoam peanuts. Vosges manufactures their products using 100% renewable energy and heir boutiques in Chicago, New York and Las Vegas run on 100% renewable energy as well. Catalogs are printed with paper from a mill in the USA that is 10% post-consumer waste and certified for sustainability.
So you can feel good about all that chocolate you snarf down.
Vosges
951 W Armitage
520 N Michigan (North Bridge Mall)
I am as big a fan of the bacon in dessert trend as anybody can be. I've consumed chocolate-dipped bacon from Bleeding Heart, bacon candy bars, bacon-maple cupcakes from More, bacon-fat gingersnaps, and bacon brittle; I've made bacon-fat truffles (thank you, Schwa, for giving me your recipe) and bacon baklava. The last four items in this list were all consumed at a Baconalia party.
But I have a little secret: my favorite sweet involving a pork product doesn't involve bacon at all. It involves chorizo.
Coco Rouge is already well-known for their Carnassier bar, using maple-cured bacon. I prefer their Andalucia bar, which has been out for some time, but hasn't received the same attention. The base of the bar is a bittersweet chocolate with Aleppo pepper; in the chocolate, there are bits of honey-sweet toffee studded with small morsels of chorizo. The overall effect is mostly sweet, with an occasional burst of smoky, savory sausage. The pepper used in the chocolate is a terrific counterpoint to the chorizo. I'm not sure sausage would work in many of the other desserts where bacon can be used (sausage baklava?), but in this case, the combination is perfect.
When one leaves the friendly confines of Cook County, what sorts of Chicago cuisine can they encounter in the outside world? And how does it measure up against what we know so well? Read this feature »
Want free dessert? And want to give something back to the community? This Tuesday and Wednesday only, get a free vegan dessert from Native Foods Cafe. (Dessert offer only redeemable with the purchase of an entree, side and drink.) If the housemade lemon blueberry bar pictured at right isn't already swaying your lunch or dinner plans, Tuesday and Wednesday are also Native Community Days. A portion of profits on Tuesday, May 8 will benefit the Puppy Mill Project and Wednesday, May 9 profits will benefit Namaste Charter School. Click here to find a Native Foods location near you, or email to suggest a non-profit organization near and dear to your heart for upcoming Native Community Days. 
Not everyone is dreading the NATO Summit later this month. 
Ever find yourself wishing you could have access to cupcakes 24-7? Soon, you can. 
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Yeah, it can't hang out with me on the weekends and get brunch, but it's a blend of creamy, spicy goodness that hasn't lasted long at my house: Trader Joe's recently laid its cards out on the table with its Lemon and Triple Ginger Snap Ice Cream. I don't want to tell you how to live your life, but this concoction, which incorporates its Triple Ginger Snap cookie with a lemon ice cream, is pure bliss definitely worth trying, with bits of crystallized ginger, sweet lemon, and generous chunks of spicy cookie. Four measly dollars buys you a quart; four additional dollars will buy you the backup quart that will cover up for the first one you ate in record time. I just want to help you plan.
Tonight will be the final turn of the Oprah knife in my back: the last rerun of her final season will be broadcast on Channel 7. Jimmy Kimmel Live will begin airing an hour earlier starting Monday; he's been 
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Even though Western Avenue was full of long delays due to broken traffic lights, making the trip up to Evanston slower than if I had just walked there, I made a trip to 
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