The City Vegetable

Cold Lentil Summer Salad!

2011-05-30T18:56:00.012-05:00

After a very hot NYC Memorial Day weekend which included playing in a backgammon tournament (I lost), getting a sunburn (my first of the season), and a few boozy brunches (duh), all I wanted for dinner on Monday night was a light and healthy summer meal. On a day where you don't really want to be slaving away in the kitchen, this lentil salad is easy to prepare and a great base recipe to experiment with all summer long. Enjoy!

Cold Lentil Summer Salad
1 bag of brown lentils (you can use the French lentils if you're fancy)
3-4 medium tomatoes
1 shallot
1 small yellow onion
1 can black olives
1 bunch cilantro
1 package of feta cheese

Summer Vinaigrette
Rice wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
Minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
Cracked black pepper and sea salt
1 tablespoon of Sambal or Tabasco hot sauce
Dash of olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard (Maille is the best)

1) Sort the lentils (watch out for rocks) and cover with water in a large pot. Boil until soft (but not too soft - we're not making soup here). If you want even more flavor, cook these in a veggie or chicken stock.

2) While the lentils cook, put together all the ingredients for the vinaigrette (season to taste) and set aside.

3) Dice the tomatoes, shallots, onion, black olives, and cilantro and mix together with the vinaigrette. While the lentils cook, the onions and tomatoes will take on the flavors of this yummy sauce.

4) Relax, blast the AC, read the Post.

The more FETA, the BETTA'

5) Once the little lentils are done, mix them into the veggies, crumble Feta cheese on top, & stick it all into the fridge to cool.

Enjoy with a nicely sliced hard boiled egg and a red wine spritzer (don't hate).

Dumont, Au Revoir

2011-03-14T20:30:00.014-05:00

Goodbyes are so hard, but they hurt much less when you're sitting at a table full of bloody marys, huevos rancheros, french toast and friends. Sunday's brunch was a temporary farewell to Sir Clancy, who is traveling to the fair midwest for a 6-week run in a play about female scientists (there should be more of these, by the way), so a brunch was in order to send him off properly!

Dumont, a cozy and perpetually crowded joint in Williamsburg, serves up delicious comfort food (think Gruyère mac and cheese, fluffy omelets with feta and roasted pepper, classic burgers with homemade pickles, roasted beet salad) and may have the most perfect backyard garden ever. Thus, it's always crowded. If you're going during prime brunch or dinner time, reservations should be made. And once you're in, you'll see why it's the perfect spot to spend a few quality Sunday hours, for a quick hello or a long au revoir.

Warm french toast with blackberries.

SYRUP! (hopefully, real maple from Vermont)

The reason for brunch, Sir Clancy

Brunch people! LZO

Naveen, always keeping it classy.

2011-03-06T19:04:00.012-06:00

After a long rainy Sunday inside my new Brooklyn apartment (which I am officially in love with) I ventured out to the market, got soaked, and decided to cook some real fancy pants food.

Growing up, I hated beets. I thought they tasted like dirt. And I still think they taste like dirt, but now I really like them. Does this mean I am officially old or I've acquired a taste for dirt? I'm fine with either one.

Anyway, I decided to do a simple roast of the beets and incorporate the beet greens as well and add it all to a fresh arugula salad. I'm hoping all these fresh veggies will make spring arrive in NYC faster.

Roasted Beets and Marinated Beet Greens

4-5 medium sized beets, sliced into 3-inch chunks (save beet greens for later)
Half a small shallot
Juice of one lemon
Whole grain spicy mustard
Olive oil
Arugula
Goat cheese crumbles
One Soft boiled egg

1) Make a vinaigrette with lemon juice, finely chopped shallots, mustard and olive oil. You will use this for both the salad dressing and to marinate and roast the beet greens

2) Drizzle the beets with olive oil and some lemon juice and roast at 350 for about 45 minutes (or until fork tender). You can peel them after roasted - the skin will come off easily.

3) While the beets are roasting, dice the beet greens and add to the vinaigrette. Let marinate until the beets only have about 10 minutes left in the oven and add the greens (and vinaigrette) to the roasting pan. They will get crispy and caramelized and totally delicious.

4) When beets are done, peel and chop and add to your arugula. Top with chopped soft boiled eggs, goat cheese and remaining vinaigrette. Wish for spring.
Gratuitous Rufus shot = always ok.

Spaghetti Squash Soup with Green Apple

2011-01-17T20:02:00.008-06:00

Yeeeahhh, I'm back! So what, who cares? It's so cold outside, that I now make it a goal to stay inside as much as possible - which means, BLOGGING!

Tonight, I decided to experiment and update my old spaghetti squash recipe with the addition of green apple and man, was it a hit. The tartness of the apple plays well with the richness of the squash and I promise, this will warm you up when it's 12 degrees outside. You could make this with regular butternut squash as well but it's just not as fun as spaghetti squash (which is such a weird vegetable, if you really think about it). Enjoy!

Ingredients:
One large green apple
One spaghetti squash
Chicken stock (or veggie)
One yellow onion
Sage, chervil and ancho chili for flavor
Red pepper flakes
Curry powder
Smoked salt

1. Heat over to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise. (This takes a lot of muscle so BE CAREFUL.)

2. Fill a baking dish with about an inch of stock, add red pepper flakes, curry, and sage. Place the squash, cut side down, into the stock and place in the oven.

3. Bake for about 35 minutes. (most people would take the seeds out but I really love squash seeds so I left them in for a little pop of flavor)

4. While baking, finely dice the green apple and onion and saute until soft (add salt and pepper).

5. At 35 minutes, if the squash "flesh" is soft, crank that oven up to 450 and turn both sides of the squash over onto their backs, to roast. This helps give the squash a little brown color and rich flavor.

6. Once done cooking, add to the saucepan with onions and apple, add the cooking liquid to the pot (add more if you feel like you need it) and use an immersion blender to blend the soup. Add more seasonings, to taste.

7. Cook for another 10 minutes, until thick, spoon into bowls and serve with a dollop on sour cream.

8. Once done, you'll feel a lot like this guy. He's taken the "stay inside" pledge with me too.

Mustachio.

2010-05-02T19:11:00.006-05:00

It's no secret to my friends, that I love a man with some good solid facial hair. Beards and mustaches = I am a fan. So I really love Upton's Naturals Fake Meat products. I mean, look at that packaging. It may be fake meat but the mustache is all reaaaal. (wait, what?)

Upton's is based in Chicago and specializes in Sietan - essentially wheat meat - protein made from wheat gluten, which if you're really resourceful, you can make yourself. Learn HOW. Just try and tell me this doesn't look appetizing.

So with my wheat meat, I make a "scramble" of onion, shitaake mushroom, and seitan. I liked this pretty pic of the mushrooms. I could eat mushrooms all day.

And here is the finished product. With a little cheese on top, it was quite delicious and really took about 10 minutes to make. I also sprinkled bacon bits over the dish (not really!)

Check out Upton's mustache pics and their recipe blog for inspiration. Oh and more great mustache pics here too.

And let's get a close up on that gorgeous facial hair.

Tomato Vodka Hummus

2010-04-20T10:47:00.001-05:00

I recently became the lucky recepient of a Fox & Obel gift certificate. For those of you who don't know what this place is - it's magical and Chicago's answer to New York's famed Dean & Deluca (must fine food shoppes always have 2 names?) Fancy foods line the walls and crowd the aisles and on this day, I may have spent hours there, deciding the best possible way to spend my F&O money.

Once home, I decided cooking for myself was boring so I invited some friends over to share in my gourmet loot. The dish I decided to put out while people arrived was hummus, and I utilized my exotic new Tomato-Vodka Mustard to flavor the bean spread.

Made in Napa Valley

And my favorite flaky French salt.

And the finished product, which doesn't even need a recipe, it's so easy. Put the following in a food processor: 2 cans of Garbanzo beans (chickpeas if that's your thing), the juice from one lemon, olive oil, mustard, salt & pepper, cumin and blend. It was enjoyed.

Later in the night, we started a congo line but that's for a different blog.

Fox & Obel
401 East Illinois Street
Chicago, IL 60611-4319
(312) 410-7301
www.fox-obel.com

Chicago French Market

2010-04-13T12:13:00.004-05:00

View from the taxi. Photos by Javier Ayala

As a celebration of the nice weather last week, friend Javier planned a "secret lunch outing". The 4 of us headed out around 12noon, weaving through tourists and side streets, blindly following our leader Javier, until we hit the Water Taxi platform. The $2.00 ride is totally awesome and you can ride it all the way down to Chinatown (yep). This is a recommended activity.

We hoped off at the Madison stop and walked over to the new Chicago French Market, which is less French and more Grand Central Station, but still cool. Numerous food stalls line the large indoor space, selling everything from fresh fish and olives, to Italian gelato and freshly fried Belgian taters. I had my first "raw" meal (a lifestyle promoting the consumption of un-cooked, un-processed, and often organic foods as a large percentage of the diet) at food stall RAW. and while it was good, not cooking your food comes at a price...

My $13 raw burrito. The raw sour cream was made out of cashews.

Samples get me every time!

From Raw's web site: "...RAW. food stewards, Carole Jones and Polly Gaza, find it important to incorporate 100% organic raw vegan food into one’s diet and celebrate the taste of the whole food in its natural state without altering or diminishing the nutritional content.

While this certainly tasted good and I'm all for healthy food consumption (most of the time), eating exclusively raw food seems a bit extreme, not to mention labor-intensive and possibly annoying to those you dine with (oh and expensive). But I still recommend tasting it, and RAW. is a good place for that.

The cheese stall sold cheese encased in wax, to look like a beer. I want this. It's not raw.

Chicago's French Market
131 N. Clinton
312.575.0306
Mon - Fri: 7am - 7:30pm
Saturdays: 8:30am - 6pm

Digital Dish #14 - Is This For Real?

2010-04-13T09:06:00.003-05:00

Looking to spruce up your springtime music collection? Download Mr. Vinyard's latest Digital Dish HERE.

Chinatown Birthday

2010-03-28T15:07:00.009-05:00

Friend Kate (and occasional "Voice of Meat" on this very blog) celebrated her birthday this weekend with a group dinner at Phoenix in Chinatown. Not only is Chinatown a short 10-minute bus ride down Cermak for me, but I feel strongly that, at least within my group of friends, C-town is majorly underutilized. I was happy to join the birthday girl and friends on this outing.

The birthday girl and her stylish man, Desi, sparking like a new pair of diamond earrings.

We had a private room with this awesome "Lazy Susan", which to me, looked like a giant hamburger bun. Lazy Susan is such a weird name for this device but we all agreed, we each need one of these on our tables at home.

Everyone ordered Mai Tai's, which were extremely tart but a hit. I stuck with Tsing Tao, my fav Chinese beer.

Carmen's hair looked awesome.

Dumplings. Delicious. I didn't get a pic of the crab rangoon but it was a favorite for most at the table.

More mai tais.

The crew, lazy susan'ing. We ordered family style - Kung Pao Chicken, Broccoli and Beef, Sweet and Sour Pork, Crispy Tofu with Spicy Salt, Veggie Fried Rice, & Veggie Lo Mein. (check out Chris in this shot, super excited for the eats)

The Crispy Tofu with Spicy Salt was interesting - the exterior was crunchy but the tofu itself was extremely soft. I loved it. Others, not so much.

Post-Phoenix we headed to Joy Yee's Noodles for some bubble tea.

This was my first bubble tea shake with tapioca pearls and I have to say, I am now a fan. Their jelly-like texture and mild flavor were oddly addictive. This was banana-coconut with green tapioca.

Micah is probably the #1 fan of my blog so here he is for all my readers to see. This is what success looks like.

Leaving Chinatown, we saw this amazing piece of cartwork (artwork that appears on the exterior of the car). I wish they had added "I'm just hanging out" below Garfield.

Later that night, we celebrated Earth Hour at Kate's apartment by lighting candles and turning off all the lights from 8:30 - 9:30. It was romantic.

The city, as seen on my trek home from the Ashland Pink Line Station. A nice view and perfect end to a great night. Happy birthday Kate!

Phoenix Restaurant
2131 S Archer Avenue
Chicago, IL 60616
312-328-0848
ChinatownPhoenix.com

Joy Yee's Noodles
2159 S. China Place
Chicago IL, 60616
312-842-8928
JoyYee.com

In Pictures: Mexico

2010-03-21T20:45:00.009-05:00

This was my brother's one souvenir purchase. His Mexican wrestling name is La Pinata. I know.

Chicago's own La Pasadita in Cozumel! Who knew!

The bloody finger really helps illustrate the point.

My new friend, Roger the Rooster, Coconuts bar's mascot.

Jackson loved the grasshopper made out of palm leaves.

Um, my dad. Yeah. Super cool.

Fresh shrimp ceviche, super limey.

The fresh catch, soon to be served to awaiting patrons. Note the t-shirt worn by the fisherman.

Can't beat that cloud-free sky.

Fresh flash-fried red snapper.

Kayla and Kevin's double birthday celebration.

Habanero salsa - SUPER hot and made with vinegar. It left your lips tingling long after a bite.

The lovely Veronica cooked us all dinner one evening...

...and here are the results. Amazingly good.

I wish Campbell's sold this in the US - zucchini flower soup!

Yep.

Mariachis doing "El Rey" in honor of Peen's dad.

First stop after getting off the plane...

I was envious of the colors in Cozumel, houses, murals, walls - it's very bright.

Cheap Eats: Curry Fava Bean Soup with Tomatoes

2010-03-21T17:48:00.007-05:00

On my weekly trip to El Guero, my local Mexican grocery store, among almost an entire aisle of dried beans, I saw a small bag of what looked like yellow lima beans. The label said "Habas" and a few cups set me back $1.08. While I wasn't sure what exactly these were, I couldn't beat the price and I've yet to meet a bean I didn't like. They went into my cart.

Back home, a quick google search told me these were fava beans. Score! I'd eaten fresh fava beans on a trip to Portugal once, but never prepared them dry and wanted to stretch these for meals during the week, so I decided on a hearty spring soup. Really, this colorful dish walks the fine line between winter and spring, just like our crazy weather this weekend.

Curried Fava Bean and Tomato Soup with Arugula "pesto"

One large white onion
2 cups dried fava beans "habas"
2 Tbsp tomato paste
One large can diced tomatoes
2-3 cups stock
2 cloves garlic
One cup corn
One cup petite peas
Curry powder, salt & pepper, red pepper flakes, horseradish powder
Crumbled cheese for garnish

for the Arugula "pesto"
2 cups Arugula
2 tbsp Mayo
Olive oil
Garlic
Water

arugula garnish

1) Soak the fava beans in a bowl of warm water for 1-2 hours. You can skip this step but the beans will take longer to cook.
2) Bring stock to a boil, add the Favas!
3) Dice onion and saute until translucent, add peas, corn and garlic. Cook until tender.
4) When beans begin to soften, add the onion mixture to the pot, along with extra stock, diced tomatoes and the tomato paste. Let simmer for 20 minutes, until the flavors meld.
5) Add spices, simmer 5-10 minutes longer
6) For garnish - combine arugula and ingredients in food processor and pulse into desired consistency is reached.
7) Ladle into bowls and let spring begin!

Dinner Last Night: Taco Lettuce Wraps

2010-03-09T10:04:00.001-06:00

After a successful trip to the vet for my main man Rufus, I celebrated by whipping up a batch of these soy meat lettuce wraps. Oh so easy and healthy, it made me miss my mom's "taco night" dinners. And for the meat eaters out there, these can easily be adapted to satisfy even you with real ground beef!

Soy Meat Lettuce Wraps
One package Lightlife Soymeat Crumbles (I've tried many versions of fake "ground beef" in my time and this is my fav)
One small onion
One small tomato
One package taco seasoning (old school style)
Cumin, salt and red pepper

1) Saute the onion until translucent, add the chopped tomato and cook until just tender
2) Crumble the soy "crumbles" into the pan, cook until warmed through
3) Add the seasonings
4) Scoop into beautiful butter lettuce cups, add chopped black olives, salsa, cheese and of course, sour cream

Legendarny Smaks - Kale Chips & Spicy Garbanzos

2010-03-03T11:33:00.004-06:00

LA Blogger Smitty is back again with this mouth watering healthy (yay!) treat. Take it Smitts...

And now for some delicious snack foods that would have sent your 6-year-old self running for the hills in search of the nearest bag of Cool Ranch Doritos -- kale chips and spicy roasted garbanzo beans!

It is an amazing fact of life that olive oil, lemon juice, and salt (plus some spices, if you get the urge), will make just about anything delicious. Especially when roasting things. The sooner we embrace this, the better.

First example: Kale!

All you need for your kale chips is:

One bunch kale (very easy to find at your grocery or farmers market this time of year)
Olive oil
Sea Salt
A couple of lemons (fresh off the tree in your front yard if you have one, and if you don't...move to California! then you will)

1) Remove the stems from your kale leaves, and toss them in a large bowl with a couple of tablespoons olive oil and the zest of 1 lemon to coat.

2) Place the leaves in a single layer of a roasting pan and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast at 250 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until leaves are crispy.

3) Remove from roasting pan and transfer to paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Serve as a snack or as an appetizer at a dinner party -- the salty, lemony crisps will be gobbled up faster than you can say "greens are good for you!"

Next up: Garbanzo beans!

This recipe is a modified version of the Fried Garbanzo Beans they serve at The York, a great bar on the east side of LA. At the York, however, they fry their garbanzos (yes, in a fryer like french fries), and while those are delicious, I prefer my slightly healthier roasted kind.

For this one you'll need:
Large can garbanzo beans
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Cayenne pepper (I like to supplement with chili powder and cumin too)
Juice of 2 lemons

1) Drain and rinse the garbanzos, then toss them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, cayenne, and some chili powder and a bit of cumin if you like. (I don't measure the spices, but I'd say about a 1/2 tsp each salt, cayenne and cumin, and I use a bit more of the chili powder just for color).

2) Transfer to roasting pan, and roast at 350 for about 45 min or until the garbanzos look nice and toasty like below.

3) Transfer garbanzos to a bowl and mix with the lemon juice and a bit more salt and cayenne. Eat them as-is for a snack, or add them to salad. Enjoy!

Chile Chili

2010-02-28T20:34:00.006-06:00

It seems like, as the winter marches on, I only want to eat soup or stews. That's it. Screw salads, toss out the sandwiches, forget nachos (yeah, I said it) and just give me a steaming bowl of hot deliciousness. But I've found myself bored with my standard vegetarian chili recipe. It never seems to have that intense flavor that I want so I took a trip to my local El Guero, and picked up a bag of dried pulla chiles. The small red chile has a sharp bite and before rehydrating, you'll want to chop off the stem and shake out the seeds, which contain the real heat, unless extremely hot inedible food is your thing.

I found that the addition of real chiles in my chili, really took my standard bowl of tomatoes and veggies over the edge (that's a good thing).

Pulla Chile Chili

one bag pulla chiles (about 12-15 chili pods)
3 stalks celery
3-4 cloves of garlic
small 8oz can of tomato sauce
a couple squeezes of tomato paste
one small onion
one can of black beans
one can of corn
cumin

garnish: crushed Saltines, chopped cilantro, sour cream, and lots of chedda' cheese!

1. Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles. (careful - don't touch your eyes or face until washing hands. the heat stays with you)

2. Place chile pods in boiling water, seasoned with veggie or chicken stock, salt, cumin, celery, chopped onion & garlic and tomato paste

4. Boil for about 15 - 20 minutes and puree in food processor, until chiles and onions are soft

5. Pour mixture into large saucepan, add corn, beans, season to taste and serve! (If mixture is too thick, add stock until you reach the desired consistency)

Mystery Vegetable

2010-02-24T09:22:00.001-06:00

LA blogger Smitty here with a vegetable challenge

Can you name this vegetable? I bought it at the LA farmer's market the other day, but I can't remember the name of it. The lady at the stand told me what it was, but the name was at least 3 syllables and impossible to remember. She said I could chop it and put it on salad, or I could roast it, and that it would taste like celery. Well, tonight I chopped it (looks like an apple when you chop, only there's no core) and roasted it and I can't say it tasted like celery -- more like a radish crossed with a zucchini. Anyway, take your guesses in the comments!

Armando in the Kitchen

2010-02-22T20:10:00.005-06:00

Name: Armando
Age: 29
Occupation: Lover
Resides in: Ukie Village, Chicago

1. Fav restaurant in Chicago - brand spankin' new or an old stand by:

Kuma's Corner. I'm 2/3 through their burger menu and the make your own mac n cheese isn't too shabby either. Oh yeah, did I mention their beer list? I already know which burger is next on my list. Led Zeppelin will be conquered soon!

2. If you could have dinner with any chef or food personality, who would it be and where would you go?:

Lidia Bastianich. I get excited every Saturday morning because I love watching the cooking shows on PBS. I considered Rick Bayless but he seems kinda corny, although certainly the food would be terrific. Lidia, on the other hand, seems cool and would be fun to hangout with in the kitchen. My exposure to Italian cuisine is minimal at best. Lidia's Italy is a great show and make me curious about trying more Italian food. Also, importantly she always pairs wine with all of her meals. It would be awesome just to hang around her kitchen drinking wine and listening to records while she makes dinner.

3. What hasn’t been battered and fried that you think should be?

Yes Please! Hmmm, I have to think about this one. Fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches sound pretty freakin' amazing or how about a piece of chocolate cake. Could be lovely, don't you think? I have a feeling someone somewhere in the world may have already tried either though. Too bad The Prodigal Son had to go and burn down.

*Footnote* The Prodigal Son was a great dive bar in Lincoln Park that had free baskets of bacon on Wednesday nights. They also allowed you to bring in any food you wanted and would drop it in their deep fryer for you.

4. What’s in your freezer that you should have gotten rid of 2 years ago?:

I have an open bag of corn in my freezer that I brought with me to my new apartment. I'm throwing it out right now. I swear.

5. What's the one food item in your pantry you can't live without? For instance, Ranch dressing or perhaps Nutella.

Almonds, a handful goes a long way and they're good for you.

6. Do you think the CTA should add a snack-car to each train?:

No way, I don't think I could eat with the stench of pee in the air.

7. Speaking of, what was your favorite childhood snack?:

Homemade flour tortillas with butter. So nice. Thanks mom.

8. It's the year 2042 and our new robot government has insisted that we all eat the same breakfast every day, day after day. What would you choose?

McGriddles, I rarely get them but they're a treat. I would be totally happy with a McGriddle every morning.

9. What is your favorite comfort food meal? We’re talking wintery-cozy-belly-filling goodness here.:

Without a doubt, grilled cheese and tomato soup. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. I guess I know what's for dinner tomorrow. I make my grilled cheese with caramelized onions and avocado. I prefer my tomato soup creamy with chunky tomato bits, and topped with Parmesan cheese.

10. Give us the Rodney Dangerfield of veggies - what vegetable doesn’t get the respect it deserves?

Brussel Sprouts. I just had them for the first time a couple of years ago. I was thoroughly impressed. Sauteed with garlic and butter made them very tasty.

10. And finally, is Dippin' Dots really the ice cream of the future?

No thank you, I'm not interested.

Easy Mary

2010-02-09T20:57:00.003-06:00

On this snow-covered evening, use this photo from a recent trip to Easy Bar as inspiration to get you through the blustery week in one piece. Secret ingredient: Barbecue Sauce. It's amazing. See you at brunch.

Easy Bar
1944 West Division St
(773) 227-4644
easybarchicago.com

Spaghetti Squash Soup

2010-02-09T20:22:00.004-06:00

Most people enjoy spaghetti squash for the fun spaghetti-like strands that are contained inside of the large football-shaped gourd. I mean, it is The Fun Squash! But in this soup, you puree away the spaghetti threads and focus on the flavor of this winter vegetable. I have to say, I even impressed myself with the high level of deliciousness contained in this simple soup. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Soup
One large spaghetti squash
Olive oil (I used truffle olive oil - thanks Peen!)
Curry Powder
Chicken or vegetable stock
S&P
Sour cream and green onions for garnish

1) Split the squash in half (the long way), scrape out the seeds and drizzle with olive oil.
2) Fill a baking pan half-way with water, place the squash in the pan (meaty side up) and roast until soft - about 45 minutes - at 400 degrees.
3) Once soft, scrape out the spaghetti interiors. Add squash, stock, curry, and seasoning to a large pot and puree with an immersion blender.
4) Boil until you're happy with the flavor.
5) Finely chop up the green onions and mix with sour cream. Add as a delicious garnish and enjoy!

Squash, post-roast.

The finished product, with green onion-sour cream garnish

Jenny is known as the "Fun Girl" so this meal was inspired by her!

Turkish Delights

2010-02-08T16:18:00.005-06:00

In the process of transferring old photos off my old camera, to save for posterity, I found some real gems from my trip to Istanbul, Turkey with my friend Lindsay and her (Turkish) family in 2008. The country was beautiful, the people were generous and the food was absolutely amazing. I'd eat a Turkish breakfast - olives, white cheese, tomatoes, and fruit - every day for the rest of my life.

Zeytins! Olives! They were everywhere and this made me happy.

In the amazing spice market(I could live there), you could shave pieces off from these towers of pistachio candy.

The spice market! The sellers there are very smooth, using lines like "You are so beautiful, for you, I charge only 10 lira!" on every woman who walks by. You can also bargain in these markets - in fact, it's expected.

Breakfast - olives, cheese, jam and bread. Not pictured: the strongest coffee you've ever had.

This was a little cafe right off the jelly-fish filled Bosphorus, the winding river that separates Europe from Asia. Freelance fishermen caught fish off of the bridge, and sold them directly to the restaurant. They then chop off the fish's head, grill it and serve it on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and lemon juice. And that's all they serve. Talk about fresh, Uncle Turan was proud to bring us here.

Coffee in Turkey is strong, thick and will give you the shakes. Those who wish for less of a caffeine buzz should opt for the tea, which is just as prevalent. Here, I went for an artistic shot while on a bargaining break in the Grand Bazaar.

We did a lot of this.

Turkey had some amazing snack food advertisements. America should take note and step up their game.

Bacon Cupcakes #2

2010-02-02T21:15:00.011-06:00

Alright folks, we've got the recipe! Enjoy and if you attempt to make these precious treats, please let us know how it goes!

(recipe courtesy of Meghan Brasuell via Shannon Dedman)

Chocolate Bacon Guinness Cupcakes
Makes 18 cupcakes

CAKE:
and it begins

1 cup Guinness (or another dark Stout. But I say stick with the original)
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweeted cocoa powder
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tbsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 pound crispy cooked bacon (save the grease. yep.)

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Bring Guiness and butter to a simmer in large saucepan. Add cocoa and whisk until smooth.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Beat together eggs and sour cream in a different bowl (yes you need a lot of bowls for this project), add Guiness and beat until fully mixed.
5. Add flour mixture to the egg/Guiness bowl and beat briefly on slow speed.
6. HERE WE GO. Add the crumbled bacon but save 1/4 cup for later.
7. Fold batter until completely combined, fill lined muffin tins with the batter and bake for 20-22 minutes.

FROSTING
Yes, please.

2/3 cups butter
2 tbsp. bacon grease (YES I SAID IT)
2/3 cups cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup Guinness
1 tsp vanilla

1. Melt butter, stir in bacon greasem then the cocoa until smooth
2. Add Guinness, add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating smooth each time you add more
3. Stir in vanilla and chill slightly until thickened.
4. Frost it up!
5. Sprinkle finished cupcakes with bacon bits.

Um, enjoy. I feel guilty just typing this out. Let us know how your preparation goes bacon-breath!

Chocolate Bacon Guinness Cupcakes

2010-01-26T21:32:00.006-06:00

At our weekly staff meeting last week, one of my lovely coworkers brought in a tray of what looked like chocolate cupcakes. As we all descended upon the tray like a pack of hungry wolves, we discovered these were not your regular run-of-the-mill choco cupcakes. They were topped with and filled with bacon, and another key ingredient was the masterfully rich chocolate brew - Guinness! I must say, these were a delicious way to get through a staff meeting.

I've asked for the recipe. Only time will tell if she'll give up all her choco-bacon secrets to you, my dear readers. To be continued...

Cheap Eats: Salsa Verde Enchiladas

2010-01-26T20:03:00.008-06:00

Ah the tomatillo - the weird green tomato-like vegetable (fruit?) that comes encased in a sticky husk - how I love thee. Tart and cheap, you make a really good salsa!

The humble and underutilized tomatillo was my inspiration for this very green dish. These salsa verde enchiladas are healthy, delicious and cheap! It cost me about $15 to make 5 servings of this Tex Mex inspired dish so put away that credit card and get in the kitchen!

Salsa Verde Enchiladas
5-6 large tomatillos (if you can only find small ones, 10-12)
1 shallot
2 jalapenos
Bunch of cilantro
Whole wheat tortillas
Cheese of your choice - I used mozzarella and goat cheese because...yummy
Small can of tomato sauce
1 cup of corn
2 cups of black beans
1 cup of mushrooms
1 small yellow onion

1. Remove the husks from the tomatillos, wash and place in boiling water. Split the jalapenos, remove the seeds (unless you like hot hot hot sauce) and place in the water as well. Once the veggies are soft, add to food processor (blender if that's what ya got) and blend with cilantro and raw shallot.

Before.

After.

2. For the filling, chop small onion and cook under tender (salt to taste!) and add mushrooms, corn, tomato sauce, black beans, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Cook until reduced and all veggies are soft.

3. Fill whole wheat tortillas with the filling, add cheese, roll up and place in a baking pan.

4. Cover with salsa verde, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 until bubbly and delicious.

5. Garnish with some Hot Chile and Lime Takis, my new favorite corn chip snack, as discovered at my local Mexican grocery, El Guero and slices of avocado.

It is easy being green.

Dreas' Morsels

2010-01-24T21:04:00.003-06:00

Name: Dreas
Age: 28
Occupation: Greek God of Music
Resides in: Ukie Village, Chicago

1. Fav restaurant in Chicago - brand spankin' new or an old stand by:

I am gonna have to go with Pizano's on State St. It's my favorite pizzeria in the city and pizza has always been my favorite food so it's a natural choice. Their deep dish and thin crust are consistently on point. My usual Pizano's meal, which happens to be veggie friendly, consists of a deep-dish "Mark's Special" (sliced tomatoes, basil, fresh garlic) and the Portobello appetizer. Their deep dish, which some people find similar to Lou Malnati's, has a thick and flaky outer crust while the rest of the pizza is actually quite thin by Chicago deep dish standards. I really like that balance. Oh yeah, and on Valentines Day they will make you a heart-shaped deep dish if you request it. (Honorable Mention: Kuma's Corner)

2. If you could have dinner with any chef or food personality, who would it be and where would you go?:

If the personality was cooking too, I'd say Rick Bayless in Oaxaca.

3. What hasn’t been battered and fried that you think should be?

Marshmallows. Add some cinnamon then proceed to dip in chocolate. It's probably been done but I haven't seen or tasted it. Deep fried Smores?

4. What’s in your freezer that you should have gotten rid of 2 years ago?:

Amy's Frozen Tamales Verdes. I really don't know why I bought these in the first place because the only tamales I eat usually come from Claudio. They've been in my freezer for almost a year but the expiration date actually says they're "Best By Sept 2010" so I guess I'll leave 'em in there.

5. What's the one food item in your pantry you can't live without? For instance, Ranch dressing or perhaps Nutella.

This changes frequently, but right now I'd have to say Milk and Honey Pumpkin Spice Granola. I usually eat it in the morning mixed with cereal, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and a banana. It's seasonal, sweet, and (kinda) good for you.

6. Do you think the CTA should add a snack-car to each train?:

My only dining experience on a train is riding on Amtrak from Grand Rapids to Chicago. That's like a 4 hour train ride, so my standards were lowered because of an overwhelming sensation of stomach hunger (pronounced stow-match hohn-ghur) so I got a hot dog and a beer. I don't see myself consuming anything on the Blue Line because the average duration of my usual ride is 15 minutes which means I would just wait until I arrived at my destination. Alex also mentioned a good point in that there is always an abundance of left-overs on CTA trains, so if stomach hunger strikes again, I won't be left unfed.

7. Speaking of, what was your favorite childhood snack?:

Everything? I ate a lot of food throughout my childhood. Often times I just combined multiple foods found in the kitchen to create new snacks. One of the more memorable snacks entailed slicing a bagel and melting string cheese on it. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this. At some point, I got fancy and starting adding tomato sauce too. (Honorable Mention: My Mom's Spanakopita)

8. It's the year 2042 and our new robot government has insisted that we all eat the same breakfast every day, day after day. What would you choose?

I guess I kind of answered this one a little earlier, but I would chose: fresh granola, add cereal, add fruits (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas) and there you have it, breakfast of champions! (Honorable mention: Sausage McMuffin)

9. What is your favorite comfort food meal? We’re talking wintery-cozy-belly-filling goodness here.:

I love that feeling. Some of my favorite comfort foods include a good soup to start with (preferably with pumpkin or squash), a nice side of baked mac n' cheese or garlic mashed potatoes, country style green beans (with bacon, onion, and black pepper) or maybe some grilled asparagus, and then a nice protein such as applewood smoked turkey with bbq sauce or a tender beef filet. After reading that, I realize this would be a huge meal, but you could basically pair any combination of the above and I'd be happy.

10. Give us the Rodney Dangerfield of veggies - what vegetable doesn’t get the respect it deserves?

Cauliflower. I recently went to an Indian Buffet in Ann Arbor (MI) and found myself curiously drawn to a dish that I initially thought was some sort of seafood, but soon realized it was pan fried cauliflower with awesome spices. I really liked the unique texture.

10. And finally, is Dippin' Dots really the ice cream of the future?

No. iCream is the ice cream of now and the future. It's also a candidate for the worst name for a restaurant ever. Seriously, do yourself a favor and order "The Guy From Florida" (white chocolate ice cream, cream soda flavor, Nutella) with raspberries. Easily the best ice cream I have ever had.

State and Lake: A Lunch In Photos

2010-01-20T20:53:00.005-06:00

Walking into State and Lake, the new American restaurant located on the ground floor of the fabulous Wit hotel, one is enveloped by warm tones of dark wood and (maybe it's just me) drawn to the long curved bar, which sits in the center of the space, and creates a feeling of rustic sophistication. Even more so, the food echoes this feeling of high-class comfort and really, the pictures below speak for themselves.

Heirloom tomato "carpaccio".

A delicate crab omelet

Lobster. Roll. Surrounded by Old Bay chips. Yes please.

State and Lake
at theWit Hotel
201 N. State
312.239.9400
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Corn Chowder with Crispy Leeks

2010-01-15T19:47:00.010-06:00

In the dead of the Chicago winter - when going outside must be a strategic effort involving how many layers to wear and which snow boots to put on, when temperatures barely break out of the teens and you seriously consider paying the neighbor's kid $20 to come walk your dog, when a move to Florida, or hell, even Alabama sounds appealing...there's nothing better than inhaling a big bowl of soup while sitting under a wool blanket. For this particular chilly evening, we wanted something hearty, creamy and filling - a real meal - and corn chowder fit the bill. It's easy, semi-quick and relatively healthy so when you realize we have 3 more months of this season, whip up a pot of this and tell winter to go to hell.

Corn Chowder with Crispy Leeks and Roasted Tomatoes
3 cups corn (frozen or fresh off the cob)
1 large potato
2-3 shallots
Veggie or chicken stock
One leek
3 small tomatoes
Cream, half and half or whole milk
Olive Oil
Red pepper flakes

1. Since roasting the tomatoes will take the longest of all the prep work, start off by slicing them thin, drizzling them with olive oil, and topping with salt and pepper. Roast in the over at 450° for 30-45 minutes or until shriveled and a bit charred.

I had no idea Tomato Knifes existed but they do and they're amazing. Best purchase ever and highly recommended.

Before and after.

2. Slice the potatoes and shallots and saute until soft. Add the corn and stock and bring to a boil.

3. Add cream or milk to taste and use an immersion blender or potato masher to smooth out the texture of the soup a bit, until it looks like this:

4. Next up, the fun part - frying things! Slice the leeks into quarter sized rings (the white and light green part only - the dark green stalks are too tough to eat) and immerse into water to clean thoroughly. Leeks can be very sandy so don't skip this part.

Tupperware Art.

5. Heat your oil, enough to cover the leeks fully, in a saucepan and when it starts to smoke a bit, turn it down and add the slices of leek. Fry until they begin to get golden brown, then quickly remove from the oil and place on a papertowel. (fyi, wait until the oil is completely cool to dispose of)

Fun with Frying. Salt after you pull them out of the oil.

Crispy, salty, and delicious.

6. Finally, dish your creation into bowls, garnish with pieces of the roasted tomatoes (their tart-sweetness goes well with the corn and cream), red pepper flakes, crispy leeks, a little cheese if you wish and enjoy.

Best when shared with friends...

...but not for dogs.

The Return: Alex's Morsels

2010-01-13T21:43:00.006-06:00

Name: Da Peen
Age: 28
Occupation: Ba-a-a-arber with a bacon sized ego
Resides in: Ukie Village, Chicago

1. Fav restaurant in Chicago - brand spankin' new or an old stand by:

The old standby for my family and I is definitely Nuevo Leon. It's pretty much...da bomb. I could eat their beans and tortillas everyday. Mexi in the house!! The new restaurant in Chicago that we tried with our friends from D.C. was Nightwood. This place is super fresh and everything from the gooey mozzarella appetizer to the blueberry gimlet to the fresh trout and the port paired with fresh baked desserts, was just delicious. I'm falling in love all over again just typing about this joint. Da Peen is definitely representin' Pilsen here.

2. If you could have dinner with any chef or food personality, who would it be and where would you go?:

I would take that dude with the beard that lost in the last season of Top Chef. Shannon...I need some help with his name. Anyway, he was super sweet and he had a tattoo of a pig because he loved bacon so much. I would take that dude and we would go to Pequod's Pizza and get a 5 dollar personal lunch pan pizza with Canadian bacon and share some Old Style. [Ed. Note - it's Kevin Gillespie, my personal fav and gnome look alike. Nice pic]

3. What hasn’t been battered and fried that you think should be?

I would really like to take a tamale, put some mole in it, batter it and fry it up. I think that sounds tasty .

4. What’s in your freezer that you should have gotten rid of 2 years ago?:

I'm not at home but I'm sure that I have some Breyer's Vanilla Bean circa the last decade. Also...Shannon's retainer.

6. Do you think the CTA should add a snack-car to each train?:

I usually find quite an array of snacks left behind from fellow dwellers in the city... Cheetos, half bottles of pop, and peanuts. However, I think peanuts and beer would be a nice addition, especially on the red line near Wrigley.

7. Speaking of, what was your favorite childhood snack?:

Kudos bars. My mom would NEVER buy me snacks for my lunchbox ...like she would give me marshmallows or cereal but when I was lucky - KUDOS BARS!! I still buy those bad boys once and a while.

8. It's the year 2042 and our new robot government has insisted that we all eat the same breakfast every day, day after day. What would you choose?

Dunkin Donuts coffee (even 2 year-olds have to drink at least one medium cup), followed with 2 eggs over easy with bacon. Yes that's right, our government has declared bacon to be the antioxidant of all antioxidants. In addition, one-half of an english muffin and one piece of raisin toast with tangerine juice and 7 grapes on the side.

9. What is your favorite comfort food meal? We’re talking wintery-cozy-belly-filling goodness here.:

Sausage, potatoes, and cabbage: basically one huge sloppy mess of goodness slopped into a bowl. You must have this accompanied by a nice warm loaf of french bread with butter. This is delish.

10. Give us the Rodney Dangerfield of veggies - what vegetable doesn’t get the respect it deserves?

Jicama. I love me some jicama. Maybe it's a fruit but it's used with a lot of dessert. I can eat that stuff plain. I see it on salads. My favorite way to eat it is with a hint of lime and salt. Like...I just cut it and eat it and it's like heaven. Word.

10. And finally, is Dippin' Dots really the ice cream of the future?

Yea, bacon-flavored Dippin' Dots - it's good for you.

Pilsen Window Shopping

2009-10-07T08:57:00.007-05:00

Last Sunday, some friends and I decided to make a day of it in the lovely neighborhood I call home, Chicago's Pilsen. We took a trip to the National Museum of Mexican Art to see their Day of the Dead exhibit. The museum is free, comes highly recommended, and has an amazing gift shop!. After looking at beautifully made (and a bit morbid) shrines to those who have passed on, we headed to Halsted and 18th, the edge of the East Pilsen Gallery district. The neighborhood was hosting the 39th annual East Pilsen Art Walk, with open galleries, wine and cheese and special deals for all the browsers. While most of the art was way (way!) out of my price range, we took in some really creative pieces and enjoyed our day of window shopping.

A new friend, the art gallery courtyard cat.

Post art-browsing, we walked over to Simone's on 18th Street, to grab a cocktail and a bite. Being inside Simone's is like living inside a pinball game - large glass light fixtures made out of old bottles, creatively sized seating, and bright colors really make this a treat for your eyes, as well as your stomach. The order of mixed empanadas (banana and black bean, spinach and artichoke and chipotle chicken) came with a side of maple aioli that was surprisingly great.

To top that, their cocktail menu is full of exotic flavors and mixtures. Cocktail menus with ingredients ranging from mint syrup to jalapeno-thyme infused pickle brine = my kind of place. Some drinks worked - some did not but one that caught our eye was cleverly called "Breakfast For Dinner". Created with Ketle One vodka, tomato water, sage syrup, salt & pepper rim with a bacon garnish, we had to order it. Take a look...

I may or may not have eaten that strip of bacon...anyway, I expected a saltier cocktail, more akin to a bloody mary but it was a little on the sweet side and could have benefited from a bit more sodium. I did enjoy the creativity of the drink and hope to head back to Simone's soon to try more of their interesting drink concoctions. Ranging in price from $7 - $11, and only $6 on Mondays, these are not Roof prices, and left a bit in our pockets for that next gallery run.

*Photos by Javier Ayala

National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 W 19th St
Chicago, IL 60608
312.738.503

Simone's
960 W. 18th St.
Chicago, IL 60608
312.666.8601

Tigercity Dinner Party

2009-09-29T11:40:00.006-05:00

Smitty is back with another dispatch from LA, and hanging with our boyfriends in Tigercity! This looks like the perfect dinner party...if only I could have attended. From the looks of the pics, the night was a blurry one, which is normal when Tigercity is in town. Take it away Smitty.

Last week, our friends Tigercity spent a whole week in the fine city of Los Angeles, and in between all the rock shows and the whiskey, they even found time to make their hosts a delicious dinner, courtesy of chef Andrew and grill master Joel.

Here's what was cooking:
• Grilled Salad of radicchio, endive, romaine and fennel with olive oil, lemon juice, fresh grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper
• Grilled asparagus with a sauce of garlic, wine, shallots, butter and lemon juice
• Trout fillets with homemade salsa -- grilled poblano, serrano, jalapeno peppers, sesame oil, olive oil, soy sauce and garlic.

Chef Andrew prepares the salad

Radicchio, endive, romaine and fennel on the grill

Grilled salad

Grill master Joel tending to the asparagus

Dinner!

The party's done, the plates are cleaned

Cheers to the City Vegetable!

TC at the Viper Room

The Mean Beef in Montreal

2009-09-21T08:57:00.009-05:00

I was recently in Montreal for a quick 2-day business trip and was delighted to discover a beautiful, European-feeling city full of sharply dressed Canadians and gorgeous old buildings. We stayed in Old (Vieux) Montreal, which is exactly what it sounds like - the oldest and most classical part of the city, lined with cobble stoned streets that wind around the historic buildings, creating a picturesque maze of trendy shops and restaurants.

Our first night in the city, we headed to Mechant Boeuf - which roughly translates to the "Mean Beef" - for a hearty meal, and I hoped, some poutine. I had heard of the famous Canadian dish of gravy, cheese curds and french fries but never had the pleasure of trying it myself so this was a goal for the evening ahead.

As we approached the restaurant, the cow's head on the side of the building gave the restaurant away and we walked in to find a large space with a trendy feel - a large waterfall on the back wall, deep red lighting, a ceiling of windows and a friendly DJ who goes by the name DJ Fake Jake.

The view from our table. I wonder what sort of interesting exchanges the people who live in those apartments have seen down below.

A beef-decorated waterfall wall.

DJ Fake Jake kept the party going well after our food was gone.

So...while the rest of our meal was hearty and delicious, the only item I felt was photo and blog worthy was this delicious pile of poutine. Mission accomplished! Yes, this was beef gravy (when in Rome...) but I didn't care! The delicious mix of salty gravy and creamy cheese curds was enough to sell me on poutine as my new favorite comfort (junk?) food. I think I consumed 2 more orders of the good stuff over the course of my stay in Quebec, and I don't regret a single bite! Now, I'm on the hunt for poutine in Chicago - any leads?

Mechant Boeuf, Bar*Brasserie
124, rue Saint-Paul Quest
Vieux-Montreal, QC H2Y1Z3
514.788.4020

Vegetarian Challenge 2009: Chris Loses on Day 4 to a Tuna Sandwich!

2009-09-20T18:10:00.008-05:00

Sooooooo. A few weeks (months) ago, I posed a challenge to my dear friend Chris Daniels* to eat vegetarian for one week, and one week only. Chris, the heartiest meat-eater I know, gladly took me up on the challenge and here, I am finally getting around to posting some of his reflections (we're going to get deep here people!). This took so long because Chris and I are both extremely busy (drinking). Enjoy...

*Last name changed to protect Chris' privacy.

Day 1:

Now were cooking....oh actually no I'm not. These foods are raw! Except the eggs and toast I had for breakfast. Lunch as you can see is vegetable sushi which they call "snack pack". hmmm....interesting. I should have saved the avocado ones for last.

And Fresh fruit.

By now my body might start to notice 1 key ingredient
missing from all these food items. Can you guess what it is......?
That's right! Jack Daniels!
No joke just spilled all the soy sauce on my shirt. Has nothing to do
with the diet change.....or does it?

1 day down. Stay tuned for day 2.

Day 2:

Breakfast: 11:30 AM

Now it's getting interesting because I'm beginning to see what the vegetarian goes through in regards to "Menu Choices". Don't think I needed quotes there but what the heck "right"? So today I was a wee hungover. I mean probably a 5 on the 1-to -10 scale but traditionally this has been "THE" meat meal in my life. The hangover meal.

But I think I made a very good choice because I had a bean burrito from Taco Bell (see picture).

I thought it odd that it already had those two bites in it but man I was freaking hangover hungry and all bets were off so I ate it as is. Now this is a seriously underrated American meal. $1.59? My meat eating eyes had just never considered it an option before. Now it was the "ONLY" option. It's funny because I now think if it was as hard as it is to get meat as it is to get veggie options on any given menu, people would probably eat less meat. It's all about numbers.

Lunch: 2:30 PM (Chris time is different than other people time)

Vegi Pot Stickers
Vegi Rice Bowl

I'm now realizing that if you put soy sauce on anything, it's going to taste better. If I was given the choice of giving up meat or salt, I think I'd pick meat. I loves me some salt.

So this lunch was good. Not much to write about though I s'pose.

Day 3:
Chris sent me no reflections because he is a busy executive but promised no meat was eaten.

Day 4 and A Meat-eaters Vegetarian Conclusion:

So the streak ended at four full days. I wronged a lot of people (well not a lot) by thrashing my way through a heavenly tuna fish sandwich….sounds kind of anticlimactic I know. In the beginning of the endeavor I envisioned a nice big juicy Italian beef in all its spotlighted glory as my prize at the finish line….but no, I settled for a freakin tuna fish sandwich from Subway, exactly 14 hours short of the finish line. Oh well - easy come, easy go I suppose.

Actually it wasn’t meat I craved so much on my fast from carnivorous things, it was just a general lack of menu items to choose from in general. I like almost all the same things that most vegetarians like. I just figure hey why not throw a little meat on the experiment.

I think the real issue at hand is the morality issue - how often we eat it and where our meat comes from in this country. The process of force feeding countless animals things which we wouldn’t let our house roaches eat much less the animals we intend to eat, is really a tough pill to swallow even for the fiercest of meat eaters. And yet a meat eater I still is….

I honestly think we would have less vegetarians (at least the ones who only do it for health reasons) if we had BETTER, more humanely produced meat to choose from. More organic choices at more reasonable prices perhaps? Maybe, but for now I guess the word of the day is moderation. For me at least. I don’t think I’ll ever completely give up red meaty fun, but I think my arteries could probably use a vacation or two from sausage world.

And I never claimed to get along with Will Power.

Liquid Gold

2009-09-17T11:13:00.004-05:00

After a particularly grueling workday, my officemates (yes, mates) and I head to Tavern at The Park for a post-sitting-at-our-computers-all-day cocktail. Yes, Tavern at the Park is a bit on the pricey side but they pour the perfect dirty martini (with blue cheese olives) and once you've had the best, it's just hard to go back to Oldtimer's.

In addition to the classic dirty martini, they offer an array of other creative specialty cocktails - from gimlets and margaritas to the 20-Sixtini - Mandarin Vodka, Vanilla-infused simple syrup, Blue Moon beer, authentic ginger beer and edible gold. Yes people, GOLD. I think $12.00 is a small price to pay to drink this valuable metal! And the name of the drink, as you may have figured out, shows their support for the 2016 Olympics landing in Chicago. No matter your opinion of the 2016 Olympics arriving in Chicago(the CTA would really need to step it up), the drink is creative and did I mention, golden?

In addtion to a cocktail, we usually munch on an order of "Straws and Strings" - basically, a large plate of paper thin onion slices and potatoes, fried to golden (ha) perfection, and served with truffle aioli and spicy ketchup. The price on this delicacy? $6! Add in the steakhouse like atmosphere and cozy booths, and all the sudden this trip to Tavern at The Park seems like a bargain! (or this is what we tell ourselves). See you there.

Tavern at The Park
130 East Randolph Street
312-552-0070
tavernatthepark.com

Keen-Wah (Quinoa For You)

2009-09-08T17:41:00.007-05:00

Finally, LA-guest blogger Smitty is back with stories from her recent trip to South America and a recipe for that elusive grain, Quinoa. Say it with me, Keen-Wah. Enjoy!

A few months ago, I took an amazing trip to Peru, Bolivia and Chile with my friend (and Shannon's Brooklyn roommate) Tamara. We went on a 3 day Jeep tour to the high plains and the salt desert in southwestern Bolivia; an amazing magical journey that took us to lagoons, hot springs, volcanoes, geysers, a surreal desert landscape littered with giant boulders (Dali's desert) and the largest salt flats in the world (Salar de Uyuni). And every now and then in between these breathtaking vistas there would be small towns quite literally in the middle of nowhere which made me wonder -- what do these people do all day? Answer: raise goats and farm quinoa.

Apparently quinoa was a staple of the Incan diet, and it thrives at high altitudes which made it perfect for growing in the Andes. Quinoa is a grain that is very high in protein, so it's great for all you vegetarians out there who need to get your protein fix but want to eat something other than beans! Trader Joes shoppers may already be familiar with quinoa, and actually I had started experimenting with cooking quinoa before I went to Bolivia because I found boxed quinoa at my local TJs.

Here's an easy recipe for quinoa with black beans and cilantro:

1) In large pan, heat some oil, add a chopped onion, sautee until it begins to soften.

2) Add 1 box Trader Joe's quinoa (it's important to note that most boxed quinoa is pre-rinsed, however if you buy quinoa in bulk or from a nature market you'll need to soak it for a few hours and strain to remove it's natural coating which is somewhat bitter), 2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp ground cumin and some salt and stir. You cook quinoa like rice, 2 parts liquid to 1 part grain. I like to use vegetable stock to give the grains more flavor but you can use water if you prefer, and now's the time to add your liquid and bring to a boil.

3) Cover, reduce to medium, and simmer until quinoa is almost tender, 10-15 min.
4) Add 1 can rinsed black beans, 1 cup green peas (blanched if fresh, or thawed if using frozen peas), and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Cook until liquid is fully absorbed.
5) Transfer to a bowl and garnish with more chopped cilantro and crumbled feta or cotija cheese. Delicious!

And here's some non-quinoa-related Bolivia pictures. More are here. Highly recommended!

Fancy Tuna Melt

2009-08-23T21:01:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite hearty sandwiches to bite into after a long day is that ole' stand by, the tuna melt. The fact that cheese and tuna, which by all means shouldn't taste good together, combine so effortlessly to create a protein-filled grilled cheese, is so wrong that it's right. I like to fancify this humble sandwich up sometimes though - with exotic (oh la la) cheeses and heirloom tomatoes. I say there's nothing wrong with putting a bit of a new twist on an old classic. Try this version, I think you'll like it.

2 slices, whole wheat bread
Heirloom tomatoes
Feta Cheese
Chihuahua cheese, thinly sliced
1 can of solid chunk tuna
Celery Stalk
One small white onion
Dijon mustard
Mayo
Dill
Salt & Pepper

1) Mix together the tuna, mayo and mustard (to taste), diced celery pieces, and a few pieces of diced onion. These are raw, so trust me, don't overdo it.
2) Line the bread with the tuna mix, add sliced tomatoes, feta cheese and top with a thin slice of Chihauhua (cheese, you weirdo). Season with salt and pepper
3) Toast in the over for 15 minutes or so, until the bread is crispy and the cheese is perfectly melted.
4) Enjoy your fancy comfort food.

Abuelo's = Awesome

2009-08-23T20:52:00.007-05:00

While Abuelo's Grand Opening wasn't quite as exciting as a Macy's Glamorama party, it was a great day when I saw this new restaurant, half a block from my apartment and right across the street from the Damen stop of the Pink Line, open up for business. About a week after, I stopped in for a pre-Lollapalooza bite.

The meal started with chips, served with thick fresh green and red salsa, which were both a bit different from the other local taquerias in the area. The chef also brought out a delicious little amuse - stewed pork on chips, with pickled red onions. Different but also delicious. The green salsa was heavy on the cilantro, which works for me. (sidebar: do you know that genetically, some tongues interpret cilantro to taste like soap. Weird.)

Then came burritos, chilaquiles and tortas galore! Above, you'll see my roommate's vegetarian burrito, served with a side of jicama slaw. By his accounts, it was quite good (and large - only $5.50 for all that), and you'll notice that there was some thought put into the nice presentation.

Because I am a breakfast enthusiast, I went with the chilaquiles, which was invented as a smart(delicious) way to use up stale tortillas. This version came with fresh tortillas chips, a lovely green sauce, a fried egg, and beans. I think I like this dish because it reminds me of what I usually make for breakfast on the weekend - eggs with anything else I have in the fridge. It just works and it worked for Abuelo's too.

Next up, Peen's steak torta: also huge, also cheap. The best part, according to her, voice of meat, was the grilled green onions, cebollitas, layered throughout the sandwich. All in all, a hearty success.

So at Abuelo's - the food was great and very affordable, but they've also taken great pains to have a (for lack of a better word) cute interior. No offense to the other taco joints in my hood, I love you still too, but decor was never your strong point. Painted in reds and yellows, with clever art and National Geographic covers lining the walls, the look is more cafe than taqueria. Free wi-fi and flat screen TVs tuned to soccer games will hopefully bring the crowds in as well, but the food, if this meal was any indication, will keep 'em coming back. See you there!

2007 S Damen Ave
(at Cullerton St)
Chicago, IL 60608
312.733.0329
Open Mon - Sat, 7am - 9pm
Closed Sundays

Maxwell Street Market

2009-08-23T17:25:00.011-05:00

The Maxwell Street area in Chicago has a rich history as a bustling metropolis for Russian, Italian, Greek and African American immigrants, and at the turn of the century, became know for its large open-air market where anything and everything was sold. Over the years, the market has grown considerably smaller and moved locations many times, due to the impending dominance of UIC in the neighborhood. But every Sunday morning, hundreds of vendors still setup shop - and for a culinary-enthusiast like myself, a trip to the Maxwell Street Market is pure heaven.

The majority of the vendors we saw this Sunday, we're actually peddling food, made on the spot. Many of the stands sell tacos, tortas, and other Mexican delights. Here we found a stand that deep fried little papusas (round dough) and sliced them open to make a sandwich. You pick the filling.

I had to get a shot in of Peen's Warriors shirt, just because it rules. WARRIORS!!!

And this was quite the treat - a mushroom and Chihuahua cheese quesadilla with all the fixings for $2.00! Each stand has a few tables where you can rest your weary shopping legs, and the best part, usually a few homemade salsas to taste.

A handful of masa gets pressed into the shape of a tortilla, and grilled to perfection.

The scene on the street.

Grilled corn.

There were many sellers of dried fruit, nuts, and various spices. Here we see dried Jaimaica flowers.

More sauces for tacos.

What looks like tree branches at this spice stand, is actually cinnamon bark.

Maxwell Street Market
Desplaines Street and Roosevelt Road
640 W. Roosevelt Road

Fake Mexi Meat! Muy Super!

2009-08-16T19:06:00.006-05:00

In the heart of Little Village, a neighborhood even more southwest than Pilsen, there lies a vegetarian paradise. Anyone who knows me, knows of my cravings for fake meat - Boca Burgers, Soyrizo and Tofurkey - I can't get enough of the stuff. It's not that I even necessarily think that these treats taste like real meat - they don't and that's not the point. It's that they easily give a vegetarian something extremely hearty to chow down on, while simultaneously expanding our options for yumminess. I am, to say the least, a fan.

So I was so happy to find El Faro, on the corner of 31st Street & Pulaski - a Mexican restaurant that serves fake "chicken", "ham", and even "steak" alongside the real stuff. This is a place for everyone and can easily solve the "where to go to dinner" dilemma for a half-vegetarian couple!

We started out with some jamaica flower water, and an order of molletes - toast with beans and cheese. I've apparently been making and enjoying molletes for years, I just never knew what it was called.

Then, on to the main course, Peen represented the meat eating people of the world by ordering 2 carne asada quesadillas, which were, according to her, quite delish. Her face says "oh yeah."

I had a fake-steak taco and a Cuban torta - which came with fake ham, fake bacon, fake steak, a fried egg, mayonnaise, avocado & tomato slices and queso. Um yes, it was a lot of food, but I enjoyed every last bite of it. And was super full. I think that fake meat may expand once it hits your stomach...

Lailah, also on team vegetarian, enjoyed a trio of tacos - soyrizo, fake chicken and fake steak. She loved the soyrizo version so much, she ordered an extra one and gave me her leftover "chicken".

El Faro also has breakfast specialties - pancakes and chilaquiles, and an entire portion of the menu dedicated to healthy juice drinks. So really, regardless of your preferences for meat or no-meat, any fan of Mexican food can be happy at El Faro. This place...brings people together!

Something is so funny.

Hee Hee.

Fake meat causes the giggles.

Texas Vegetarian Feast

2009-08-10T12:27:00.012-05:00

Every time I come home to Dallas, my mom has my fab Aunt and Uncle, Pat and Sheila and their kids over for a big cook out. This one, just happened to be vegetarian. We decided to do a meal of appetizers and it was a doozy. I wasn't even hungry the whole next day...yes, I over ate. But that's what you do when you're home eating mama's cooking right?

This was a pesto panzanella salad. We grilled ciabatta bread, cherry tomatoes, and fresh plump balls (heh) of mozzarella, tossed with pesto and then garnished the dish with grilled avocados. Apparently, if you get an avocado that isn't quite ripe, grilling it is a good way to soften it up. It worked here.

Sheila brought these bite-sized rye toasts, which had were toasted in the oven to crispy goodness and had olives and Bac-O Bits in the cheese mixture! Yes, fake bacon bits. Amazing.

Sticking with the appetizer theme, we prepared a large Caesar salad with homemade low-fat Caesar dressing. This one is actually delicious and the secret ingredient is anchovy paste - with other components of the recipe being plain yogurt and lemon juice. That's all I can divulge at this time, as my mom closely guards all of her recipes.

Corn, Mexican-style. After charring the ears on the grill, we slathered them in a mayonnaise-lime juice sauce, sprinkled with red pepper and Queso Chihuahua. My specialty is making otherwise healthy vegetables, like corn, really fattening and delicious.

Homemade hummus rounded out the "meal" of appies. I don't hold it against my mom that this recipe actually came from the Rachael Ray magazine, because it's actually delicious - with a lot of Tahini, lemon juice and red pepper.

And for my last trick, I will turn this...

...into this! Grilled potatoes and zucchini with roasted tomato and goat cheese dip. You can't go wrong with some sort of crispy potato and a delicious dip. Enjoy the recipe below. It's sure to be a hit at your next Texas Vegetarian Feast!

Crispy Potatoes with Roasted Tomato & Goat Cheese Dip
2 pounds new potatoes
Red pepper or Cajun seasoning
Olive oil
2-3 pounds tomatoes
2 small logs of Texas goat cheese
Foil-lined pan

1. Slice the tomatoes thin, place on the foil lined sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt (lots) and pepper. Roast at 350 for 1 hour or until nice and caramelized.
2. Cube the potatoes, coat the bottom of a baking sheet with olive oil (lots) and toss the potatoes in the oil. Season heavily with red pepper or Cajun seasoning and S & P. Roast on high (400 or so) until crispy and golden brown.
3. Combine the roasted tomatoes, goat cheese, & 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and serve with the tots!

Texas, the brand

2009-08-10T12:23:00.005-05:00

When I was down in Dallas last week, visiting my mom and preparing for my 10-year high school reunion, we took a trip to the local grocery store to stock up on grillables. Wandering up and down the aisles of the massive store, I began to notice a trend in the food marketing. Big declarations of "Texas Grown!" or "Go Texan!" or even "The Beer From Here!" rang out at me from the shelves.

I just don't see that many "Illinois-style" potato chips at my Chicago-area grocery store.

Flavors From Texas!

The beer from here! McKinney, TX's very own beer - Franconia.

Go Texan!

Texas watermelon. Also from the USA.

Peanut brittle, proudly made in Ruby, TX

Texas Style!

Cheesecake-on-a-Stick

2009-07-28T13:10:00.002-05:00

Yes, I have died and gone to heaven. At a recent wedding party here in Chicago (held at the lovely A New Leaf event space), we were served a variety of delicious bites from local caterer, Food For Thought. The favorite of the evening was the Cheesecake-on-a-Stick, served "thoughtfully" (ba dum dum!) in a square of grass, with real dirt! Not only did the presentation "wow", but the cheesecake, covered in a chocolate shell, was rich and delicious. Hands down, some of the best passed party food I've had in a while.

You can see someone doing the YMCA in the background here.

Food For Thought
500 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
P: 312.572.7234
info@fftchicago.com

And with that, I'm off to my 10-year high school reunion in Dallas. Hope to have some BBQ and southern food updates for you upon my return!

*Photos by Javier Ayala

Vegetarian Challenge 2009

2009-07-27T14:10:00.006-05:00

My dear friend Chris, consummate meat-eater, preparer, and appreciator, has agreed to participate in The City Vegetable's Vegetarian Challenge '09. For one week, Chris will only eat vegetarian - that means no ribs, no steak and definitely no duck-fat fries! Check back next week for what's sure to be an interesting post by Chris, on his week of vegetable joy. (ps - I'm not doing this to prove a point or anything. It's really just for my entertainment)

Old Timers: For Sure

2009-07-24T14:59:00.006-05:00

In Chicago's Loop, a neighborhood full of fancy hotel bars and chain fast food restaurants, Old Timers Bar is refreshingly cheap, divey, and full of a character all its own. Bar stools, booths, and cheap beers are their specialty. Just don't order a dirty martini - this is a whiskey and PBR joint - and I like it that way.

Old Timer's
75 E Lake St
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 332-3561

Being Witty at theWit

2009-07-23T09:29:00.021-05:00

My work team was invited to the chi-chi Grand Opening of theWit, the trendy new hotel located at the intersection of State and Lake, that has been making waves with it's fabulous rooftop bar, Roof. The opening night consisted of tours of the various properties within the hotel - the Spa, the two restaurants, State and Lake and Cibo Matto, the Screening room, and of course, Roof. The food was artistic bite-sized portions of some of the dishes available at the hotel's restaurants and the drinks, from cucumber mojitos to vanilla infused vodka cocktails, showed the creativity of the 'tenders manning the property's many bars. Oh, and did I mention, everything was free? Photo recap of one fabulous night below...

One of two avian-inspired chandeliers, hanging in the grand lobby. The super high ceiling really gives the room an air of sophistication and creates a great "wow" moment when you enter the hotel.

We were taken up to the 26th floor to see some sample rooms, and they were are all extremely well-done, trendy and spacious. Here, sir Javier is lounging on one of the rust-colored chaise lounges in the double suite.

This is Screen, a 40-seat mini movie theatre. You can rent it out for everything from corporate presentations to Super Bowl parties. The plush reclining seats were the epitome of comfort, and popcorn and wine (is there a better combination? I don't think so) was served while we saw a short sample movie on the big "Screen".

Now we get to the good stuff. The food started out with a seafood bar.

Crab claws, pre-cracked so all the fabulous party attendees didn't have to put much effort into eating the succulent meat.

Ceviche shooters.

These crudite cups were a favorite of ours. Consisting of asparagus, patty pan squash, baby carrots, and broccoli with a delicious (and I'm sure, fat free!) dressing in the bottom of the cup, this was a creative way to serve veggies and dip.

Caviar!

The presentation was gorgeous - an all ice bar (I felt like I was at that ice hotel in Iceland) with flowing vodka cocktails and all-you-can-eat caviar. Yes, please.

Now, to the dessert bar. Nothing gets me going like mini-desserts! These were pannacotta cups with orange gelee.

And mini lemon meringue pies. Delicious and cute!

Next up, to Roof! Waiting in line for the elevator...I think Javier was doing the robot.

Once again, I can't get over this view.

Fun times, had by all.

Summer people! (with cucumber mojitos)

Cheap Eats: BEANS

2009-07-21T15:18:00.014-05:00

I often get teased for my love of beans. That's right bean-haters, I LOVE beans! Healthy, tasty, and filling, the humble legume is one of my go to foods and if you're on a budget, a friendly-on-your-wallet meal. One can refry beans, make them into a dip, hummus or the filling for a taco, create a soup or puree, or even form them into patties for a healthy vegetarian burger. But this City Vegetable usually just sticks to the basics by making a big pot of well seasoned beans from scratch. Sure, I'll use canned beans in a pinch but that's not quite as rewarding (or delicious) as making your own. Gather 'round and I'll tell you my secrets...

Go to your local grocery store - preferably Pete's, and buy one large bag of dried beans. I usually go for black or pinto beans, but by all means, if you see a bag of pigeon peas, go wild! You can usually get 10-12 servings for around $3.00 - a super steal. Now that you've secured a bag of beans for only a few bucks, you can start infusing them with a flavor, all your own.

Mama's Beans
One large bag of dried beans
One large white onion
One large tomato
2-3 cloves of garlic
One stalk of celery
Olive Oil
Chicken or vegetable stock
Cilantro
Cumin, Red Pepper, Salt & Pepper
1 or 2 chipotle chilies, with a few teaspoons of adobo sauce, for an ever so slight smoky flavor (optional but recommended, you can get these canned at most grocery stores)
**secret ingredient***A few splashes of Italian dressing

FOR GARNISH(the more, the better):
One Avocado
Diced pickled jalapenos
Cotija or Chihuahua cheese
Cilantro
Tortilla crisps

1. Rinse and soak the beans overnight in a large pot of lightly salted water. If I forget to do this, I often soak my beans while I'm at work. It just helps them cook faster.
2. Drain beans, add to pot of vegetable (or chicken) stock and bring to a boil.
3. Add diced onion, tomato, celery and garlic. No need to precook - they will cook with the beans. If you're using the chipotle chilies, finely chop these as well and add to the pot.
4. Bring to a rolling boil and cook until the beans are soft. This takes some time.
5. Read a book or watch Access Hollywood.
6. Add your seasonings and continue to taste during the process. Adjust the liquid level depending on your preference. I usually like to leave a little liquid so that the beans are a bit soupy.
7. Add chopped fresh cilantro and a few tablespoons of Italian dressing to the pot.
8. Serve and garnish with any or all of the above listed accoutrements.
9. Ask your bean-hating friends to taste the dish and watch as they love it! Boo-ya!

Dinner Party Disaster

2009-07-20T21:24:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Kate (also City Veg contributor and "Voice of Meat" for this blog) recently bought a brand spanking new condo in Humboldt Park, and decided to have a few friends over for a summer dinner party. Well, what started out as fun for all, ended with one broken heirloom, 7 years of bad luck and possibly, a few broken hearts. (OK, I'm exaggerating about the broken hearts...or am I?)

The food itself was great, and Kate, ever the hostess, even did vegetarian because she knew my non-meat ass was joining.

Kate and Walter, enjoying the company.

We started out with this simple and classic salad - mesculan greens, fresh, blanched green beans, and new potatoes with a simple vinagrette. It is easy being green!

Tim really wanted that cheers from Hannah.

The main course was a recipe that Kate got from her brother (culinary goodness must run in their genes). For lack of better words, I'd call this Eggplant Roll-up. It was simply eggplant, sliced thin, stuffed with cheese, rolled up, dipped in batter, pan fried, covered in red sauce & mozzarella cheese and baked until crispy. Phew! Ok so maybe it's not so simple, but hearty vegetarian comfort food at its best. To go along with the meal, Kate also had HOMEMADE BREAD. Yes, it was amazing.

You may be wondering where the disaster came. Towards the end of the meal, somehow (I blame Desi), one of Kate's fancy-pants heirloom bowls got knocked off of the side table and shattered. As the pieces of ceramic were being cleaned up, I decided to shake things up a bit and knocked over Kate's mirror in the bathroom - shattering it into tiny shards of sharp glass. Yes, I am an amazing dinner guest and yes, I am now expecting 7 years of bad luck. But this, my friends, was a small price to pay for a great dinner with great company. See you all in 7 years!

Oops.

Walter was so broken-hearted by how the night unfolded, he hit the bottle.

Abuelo's Opening in Pilsen

2009-07-17T11:38:00.005-05:00

New restaurant alert! Right across the street from the Pink Line Stop at Damen (and conveniently located one block from my apartment), Abuelo's is opening at the end of July. It's not like my neighborhoods needs another Mexican food restaurant but I am excited nonetheless. While they were loading in building materials last night, I took a quick sneak peek into the restaurant and saw a very modern space, decorated with National Geographic magazines and various album covers, making me wonder if this isn't going to be your standard taco shop. More to come soon...

The Well-Traveled Palate

2009-07-14T16:22:00.007-05:00

I took another trip to the Chicago Downtown Farmstand last week, and found that they were featuring locally made items from Kamdar Plaza on Devon Avenue. I was glad to get to try some items from the uptown Indian grocery store, as a trek from Pilsen to Devon without a car, isn't exactly a quick one. (I do need to try to get there in person soon, as I just accidentally spent an hour on their web site, and I'm sure could kill a few hours in the actual store.)

So while at the Farmstand, I picked out some Chappati, a light Indian flatbread, a container of parsley-heavy tabouleh and a tub of hummus. All I needed for a perfectly light dinner.

When I got home, I was upset to realize that I had no cheese in the fridge. Basically, as a rule, I need cheese in everything I eat so I had to remedy this right away. But the grocery stores next to my apartment only sell Mexican cheeses, so I ran out and picked up a container of Cotija cheese. Crumbly like Parmesan, it's similar in flavor to Feta and adds a nice saltiness to any dish.

So with the Mexican grocery store and Cotija as my inspiration (I was thinking tacos), I put together a hummus and tabouleh flatbread sprinkled with Cotija. A little Mexican, a little Indian, and a little Middle-Eastern - it was a multicultural meal to please the most well-traveled of palates!

Cauliflower Soup with Blue Potatoes

2009-07-13T15:45:00.005-05:00

When I first moved to Chicago from NYC, one of the things I missed the most was walking down to Union Square and picking up a bushel of vegetables to fill my coffers for the week. I of course checked out Green City Market, which was great in terms of variety and products offered, but I found it to be expensive. I was used to heading to the market with a crisp $20 and coming back to my little apartment with enough food for a few meals. I found at the Green City Market, my $20 didn't stretch quite as far.

Which is why I was happy to discover the every-Thursday Daley Plaza Farmer's Market. This was closer to what I had loved in NYC - $2 for a head of cabbage, two bags of fresh from the ground lettuce for $5.00, $2 for a fennel bulb, 1 pound of red and blue potatoes for $3, $1 for the largest head of cauliflower I've ever seen, and my splurge for the day - $5 for a carton of tart red currants.

I knew that with that large head of cauliflower, I would make a soup. Soup in the summer can seem weird but with the mild weather we've been having in Chicago, I knew it would work out just fine. And to add some texture and I hoped, color, to the soup, I decided to add in chunks of these fabulous blue potatoes. Just look at the color here!

Cauliflower Soup with Blue Potatoes
One large head of cauliflower (or 2 smaller ones)
Vegetable(or chicken) stock
2 cups of chopped blue potatoes
Olive oil
Ground Sage and celery salt
Salt and Pepper
Mozzarella cheese and diced pickled jalapenos for garnish
Immersion blender

1. Clean and cut up the cauliflower. Use both the florets and stalks.
2. Add to a pot of vegetable or chicken stock and bring to a boil
3. Cook until tender, add the potatoes and continue cooking until the potatoes are soft
4. Season with sage, celery salt, salt and pepper
5. Place your immersion blender into the pot and blend the soup until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, get one! Kidding...kidding. Just blend the soup in a regular blender or food processor
6. Serve with mozzarella cheese, diced pickled jalapenos for a bit of a kick and drizzle with olive oil

I was actually hoping that the potatoes would turn the soup a light blue color, but alas, they did not. I think next time I'll add more blue potatoes and see what we get...all in all, a delicious and not entirely out of place summer soup.

Daley Plaza (100 N - 50 W), North of Washington
Weekly: Every Thursday
From: May 14, 2009 to Oct 15, 2009
7 am - 3 pm
As soon as I start to see heirloom tomatoes here, I will let you dear readers know.

Spicy Bok Choy with a Fried Egg

2009-07-08T11:14:00.002-05:00

After my weekly pilgrimage to the South Loop Whole Foods, I ended up with some organic bok choy, sweet red onions, grape tomatoes and various containers of soy meats. I decided to make these items work into a healthy little meal. I grabbed my grill pan and a bottle of sambal (I go through about one a week. I think I'm a prime candidate for an upcoming stomach ulcer) and got to work.

Before I started though, I decided to make some art with my head of bok choy. I am such an artiste!

Spicy Bok Choy
One head of bok choy, washed
Olive oil
Sambal paste
Rice wine vinegar
Celery salt, pepper, and cumin

1. Heat your grill or grill pan, and coat with olive oil (a thin layer) and a few tablespoons of sambal. Careful, a little of this hot stuff goes a long way.
2. Slice the bok choy into grillable pieces, place on the grill and LEAVE
3. Check for grill marks. If there, flip and WAIT
4. Season with celery salt and pepper
5. When the bok choy is grilled to your liking, remove and dress with any of the leftover sambal (which should now be a bit caramelized) and a few splashes of rice wine vinegar.
6. Enjoy with a fried egg (runny yolk style) and various other grilled veggies.

Simple, classic, and healthy.

Runny egg-yolk close up. glumuymmmgumymymy (this is the noise I imagine a runny egg yolk to make)

It Came To Me In a Dream...

2009-07-06T14:50:00.001-05:00

This, is a romantically-lit screenshot from my future dreams.

It's the dessert sampler at downtown's Trattoria No. 10. Delicious, nutritious (?), and sweet to the max, this chef's selection included chocolate-orange panna cotta, elephant ear crisps, tiramasu, chocolate covered strawberries, profiteroles with Valrhona chocolate sauce, apple crisp with vanilla-bean ice cream, fruit and a flourless chocolate cake. The only way this could have been better, is if they had thrown in a few Pocky sticks.

So 8,543 calories and a sugar-rush later, I decided that the dessert wasn't even the best part of the meal. I heartily recommend Trattoria for classic Italian food with a twist and of course, leave room for dessert(s).

Odds 'n Ends

2009-07-06T10:50:00.004-05:00

The City Veg spent July 4th suffering through a bad bout of Bronchitis and let's just say I am totally caught up on all episodes of America's Next Top Model and The Next Food Network Star. I also had a lot of time on my hands to browse some of my favorite food sites and here are some highlights:

• Serious Eats tries Bobby Flay's Plantain Shoestring Fries. While I've never had a freshly fried plantain, I am a fan of the prepackaged salty plantain chips you find at your local bodega. Don't judge. [Serious Eats]

• Chicagoist gives a shout out to tonight's Iron Cupcake Challenge, held at Veranda Greek American Taverna. The theme is tropical. I'd prefer the theme be chocolate, vanilla creme, caramel and strawberries but I'll take what I can get. [Chicagoist]

• The new all-the-rage site, Fancy Fast Food, takes fast food meals and turns them into the stuff of fine dining dreams. Peep their Dao Mi Noh Chow Mein (Fancy Domino’s Pizza). This is genius. [Fancy Fast Food]

• The Amateur Gourmet slaves over some Michael Jackson Tribute cookies. These would have been amazing to bring to the Michael Jackson Tribute Party I went to on Friday night. [The Amateur Gourmet]

• Sham'on! Matt Bites creates a gorgeous photo project in honor of Skillet's Bacon Jam. [Matt Bites]

• The Girl Who Eats Everything was in Korea eating...well, everything! Her gorgeous photos make me want to book the next flight to Seoul. (and those awesome Korean Airline commercials). [The Girl Who Ate Everything]

• Grab Your Fork explores the burger craze in Sydney. [Grab Your Fork]

Rufus Gets A Treat From Precious Pup

2009-07-01T13:45:00.001-05:00

In honor of my dog Rufus' 2nd birthday, my coworker, who just happens to own a wonderful little store - Precious Pup, Dog Boutique and Barkery - in Hobart, IN, brought in a birthday treat for Roo. I couldn't get a shot with Rufus and the special birthday gift because he literally scarfed it down in about .243 seconds. Here he is chillin', post-treat. He's all, "more please!" And take a look at this...

No, this isn't for humans! But...if you were really hungry, or accidentally mistook this for a mini-cupcake and gobbled it down, do not fear! All of the pet treats at Precious Pup are made with human grade ingredients, which means you could eat 20 of these and feel just fine. If you want to stock up on these cute treats (for your dog...) and more, head on down to Hobart, just over the Indiana-Illinois border, and tell them Shannon sent ya!

Precious Pup
Dog Boutique and Barkery
220 Main St
Hobart, IN 46342-4449
(219) 947-7711

Park Grillin' It

2009-06-30T11:42:00.003-05:00

Last week, I had a business dinner at the the Park Grill in Millennium Park. The restaurant, situated in the shadow of the famous reflective Cloudgate sculpture (better known as The Bean), cooks a contemporary American cuisine, and offers indoor and outdoor dining. Because of the humidity, which had carried over into the early evening, we opted for the indoor experience.

The decor inside is very traditional and expected - deep wood and warm colors in a large space arranged around an unlit fireplace. Basically, it looks like a nice restaurant - nothing too exciting there. But then again, I tend to gravitate towards flashy! But let's move on to the important part here...the food.

The meal began with a hearty bread basket, served with creamy unsalted butter with an olive tapendade accompaniment. The two together, although I wouldn't automatically think to pair them, was delicious. The butter cut some of the salt out of the olive salad and I think I ate way too much of this, before my meal actually arrived.

Hummus. It can be so...bland. But just look at this plate! It was not only pretty but had some real substance behind all of its good looks. Topped with a hint of cayenne, it even had a little bit of a bite. A favorite for The City Veg.

Another beauty here - this was a beet salad with candied walnuts, watercress, and a goat cheese dressing that was really more like a foam. Ever since Marcel's season of Top Chef, I've been anti-foam, but this actually worked with all of the other textures on the plate. Sidenote: I used to absolutely despise beets. Now I love them. Discuss amongst yourselves.

We also ordered the Kobe burger, which you can see at the top of this post, and I'm told by my meat-devouring dining companion that it was quite good, along with a side of roasted mushrooms and onions. The dinner was good but overall, pretty standard. It's the perfect place for a business dinner in fact, and a post-dinner stroll around Millennium Park, can not be beat.

Tangent alert:
While perusing the offerings at Park Grill, I noticed a small logo at the bottom of the menu: "Produce Provided By Midwest Foods". I was intrigued. I looked them up and found a really well done web site with the tag line of "supplying the freshest produce to the finest kitchens". Not knowing much about produce distribution, it's a fun web site to click around on. Check it out. You can even see the "special" produce that is in season right now - which includes Pea Tendrils, Patty Pan Squash, Thai Eggplant, Mangosteens, Passion Fruit and more.

So Proud of You!

2009-06-29T11:31:00.010-05:00

The 2009 Gay Pride Parade was yesterday, here in Chicago, and it was a doozy. It seemed like the entire city of Chicago was out to show their support and while supporting, also drinking heavily. It made for a fun day with a lot of love in the crowd from random strangers and made me proud to be living in a great city where a massive event like this is well organized, heavily promoted, and well attended. We watched floats sponsored by everyone from WGN (what up Tom Skilling!) and the Illinois Lottery, to KISS FM (Drex, I love you) and PFLAG. As the parade was ending, our tummies began to growl and we went on the prowl...for food.

After a few missteps into packed places that couldn't seat our large group of 10, Greg recommended Wilde and off we went. We were seated right away and I proceeded to eat one of the greatest bar meals I've had in a long time.
Wilde describes itself as an upscale Irish bar & restaurant and I think that's a pretty accurate description. The dark wood interior is cozy yet spacious (irony!) and the menu is comfort food, to the max. The walls are adorned with portraits of Oscar himself and quotes like "Love and gluttony justify anything". I couldn't agree more. And on this particular day, as busy as they were with all the revelers from the parade, the service was still spot on. Wilde, I think I love you.

Peen and I shared an order of Potato Pie "Rissoles" - cheddar and onion deep fried potato cakes served with spiced ketchup. These...were amazing. They were basically croquettes - perfectly crunchy and not overly greasy. Anything that contains potatoes, cheese and includes the word fried, works for me, but these were incredibly well done.
4 of us (40%!) or our group ordered one of their signature dishes, the old stand by, fish and chips. Flaky and again, not overly greasy, this hit the spot. I was sure to dress mine up with plenty of malt vinegar and dug right in.

I regret not getting a photo of Wilde's onion rings - THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD - but they were eaten too quickly! Please just go and order these as soon as you can.

Finally, on the way out, bellies full of food and pride, we were given a sample of this little delicacy: Salted Caramel Cupcakes from Pheobe's Cupcakes. This cupcake was life changing. The frosting was whipped so it was extra light and airy, and the combination of the rich sugary caramel with the light sprinkling of sea salt on top, made for a heavenly bite.

Browsing their web site, it seems like they also have more creative flavors for their little bundles of joy - White Peach Bellini, Cotton Candy and even Breakfast Cupcakes - which are Maple soaked Buttermilk Cake with a Maple Butter Frosting topped with Crispy Bacon.

After all this food, I rolled myself into a cab and headed back down to Pilsen. All in all it was a great day, made even better by the sharing of some amazing food, with some amazing people.

Wilde
3130 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 244-0404

Phoebe's Cupcakes
3327 N. Broadway Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
773.868.4000

First Photo by: Javier Ayala

Summertime Jam Out

2009-06-29T10:48:00.002-05:00

Check out this jamming summer Digital Dish playlist, put together by my super-rad friend Chris. I'm really enjoying YACHT.

CLICK HERE to download.

I've Made It!

2009-06-24T14:07:00.005-05:00

The Printed Blog is exactly what it sounds like. A hard copy newspaper, compiled of the "best and the brightest" from the Web.

Here, I'll let them describe it: The Printed Blog is the world's first daily newspaper comprised entirely of blogs and other user generated content. The result is a revolutionary newspaper that reads like a wed feed - yet can still be enjoyed on the train or spread across the breakfast table, for an uninterrupted, pleasurably tactile experience.

I say all this to tell you that my Shaw's In The City post was featured in the most recent printed blog - Volume 1, No. 16 - Gold Coast Edition! So farewell dear readers - I'm off to celebrate at Disney World! With champagne and rainbows! But I won't forget the little people, who have made it all possible! (sacracsm...just in case you can't tell)

You can download the edition I was featured in HERE. Scroll down to the last page. And look for more from the editors of The Printed Blog at a newsstand near you!

UPDATE: The Printed Blog just announced it is ceasing publication. Ha. Oh well...there goes my big break!

Ribfest Recap

2009-06-24T09:18:00.003-05:00

What's that you say? Orange is good color on me? Why, thank you!

I picked out this lovely poncho to wear to the opening morning of Ribfest, an annual Rib cook-off and fundraiser that takes place in Chicago's North Center neighborhood and is sponsored by the North Center Chamber of Commerce.

My friend runs the company that puts on this behemoth ribcage-celebration festival every year and I had been recruited as a member of the "key staff". This means I got to wear a headset and use a walkie talkie. Awesome!

So Saturday morning started off rainy. We weren't sure how attendance would be affected. But soon enough, after the gates opened at NOON, people started to trickle in (although none were wearing such a cool poncho as moi), and begin to eat, drink, watch the bands and vote for their favorite ribs. As the day and weekend wore on, the sun came out and there were thousands upon thousands of people congregating on the few blocks that made up the festival area.

Because this festival is hosted within Chicago city limits, all of the rib vendors participating have to be licenced and accredited restaurants so this is not a mom and pop BBQ cook off. In addition to ribs, there were vendors selling everything from Greek Salad and Gyros to frozen cheesecake. And at the end of the day on Sunday, the fan favorite for BEST RIBS, as voted by attendees of the festival, was Cordis Brothers Supper Club! Any restaurant that calls itself a supper club, is good in my book!

This booth sold bacon-wrapped hot dogs and Lindsay could not resist Mr. Dog. I think they're getting married this weekend.

Vegan Ribs from De.li.cious Cafe, a new vegetarian restaurant in the neighborhood. These were so good! Made from seitan, they were grilled and crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Slathered in BBQ sauce, I recommended these all weekend to patrons.

And they gave out free fake mustaches with their vegan ribs. Who doesn't love a good mustache?

The winning ribs from Cordis Brothers!

My favorite meal of the weekend was a Greek Salad on a lightly grilled pita, covered in Feta Cheese Dressing. Yes - Feta. Cheese. Dressing. Why didn't I think of this?

All in all it was an amazing, exhausting and successful weekend. It felt good to be part of a great team of people who worked together to create and manage a huge city festival with little to no problems and some delicious results. Sign me up for next year!

Calling all Cooks!

2009-06-23T15:26:00.005-05:00

Ever wanted to be on TV? Like being put in awkward situations for potential humiliation? Love food? Now is your chance! Click the image for more details. Oh and see you there!

Feast de Padre Mexicana

2009-06-22T11:50:00.012-05:00

Because I don't have any family in the Chicago-land area, I offered to help Peen cook up a father's day feast yesterday. In honor of the Mexican rapper's dad, Peen and I hightailed it over to Pete's, which is still a magical place (yes, I realize I am a huge loser for calling a grocery store magical), and picked up all the fixins for a major Mexican BBQ.

10 pounds of Carne Asada - check. 6 pounds of tomatillos - check. A bottle of tequila - duh. Then we picked up Roo, drove south and got to work.

At Pete's, they always have samples at the deli or women sampling in the aisles. Samples rule! One of the samples we tried on Sunday was a sour cream dip with cilantro. We decided to try to recreate it as a dip for our tacos and other goodies. It's so simple but sure to be a hit at your next Mexi-function. Check it:

Pete's Cilantro Crema Dip

Finely chop a LOT of cilantro and white onion. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir it all together.

Simple and delicious, it needs to be put on a taco stat!

It Is Easy To Be Green Tomatillo Salsa

This is my own recipe for a tart and slightly spicy green salsa, that you can use as a sauce for enchiladas or as a standard salsa for your chips. Enjoy the recipe. This is the first time I'm sharing it publicly...

8-10 large tomatillos, husked and sliced into quarters
One large jalapeno, cut into strips and deseeded
One large shallot
A LOT OF CILANTRO
S&P

1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the sliced jalapeno and tomatillos
2. Once the tomatillos are soft, drain and place in a food processor (or blenda')
3. Blend with the shallot (raw), chopped cilantro and salt and pepper

This is best warm and if you want to add some richness to it, throw in a few tablespoons of butter! ARHGHERHHAGHRHRG yum.

Guaco-loco

Next up, the homemade Guacamole! Here's an easy recipe for those who love eating green

2-3 large avocados
One small tomato
One shallot or small red onion
Diced Cilantro (again)
Pinch of Cumin
Splash of tequila (note: secret ingredient!)
Salt

1. Basically, chop everything up and mash it together! How's that for one-step cooking?

Grilled Chile Relleno

I love chile relleno but I don't love the stone in the gut feeling of eating THAT much cheese, and oh also...it's deep fried. So we did a slightly healthier take on the popular dish that everyone loved. I will definitely be making this again.

4-5 Poblano Peppers
5 strips of Quesadilla or Monterrey Jack cheese
Cumin
Salt and pepper
Olive Oil

1. Coat the peppers in olive oil, slice in half so that each side is like a cup or boat
2. Fill with one slice of cheese and sprinkle with cumin and salt and pepper
3. Grill until the skin is charred and the cheese is extra melty and delicious

Gramma's Spanish Rice

That's right - this rice is so cool, you have to wear shades while you cook it. Here's a quick and delish recipe that would make any abuelita proud!

One bag of white rice
One can of crushed tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
One large yellow onion
Can of chicken or vegetable stock

1. Slice and dice the garlic and onion, add to a saute pan with the rice.
2. Cook the rice, onions and garlic with olive oil for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. When the rice puffs up a bit, that's when you know to add the cooking liquid.
2. Add stock, heat until simmering, cover and cook until the rice is done.
3. Even better, leave the burner on very low and let the bottom of the rice get a little crispy (like bim bim bop)

I realized that I didn't get any photos of the meat. (again...10 pounds of it). This wasn't on purpose, as Peen did a lovely grilling job but I guess I overlooked it - like a true vegetarian.

Smitty's Summer Risotto

2009-06-18T20:17:00.005-05:00

Please welcome back too long gone LA guest-blogger, Smitty - here to enthral you with tales of a summer meal gone right!

A few months ago, I came home from the farmers market with some beautiful fresh mint and an unbelievable bag of fresh shelled peas, and the next day happened to stumble across this recipe on one of my favorite design blogs (which, by the way, rarely has recipes).

I couldn't believe my luck that I had just picked up the exact ingredients to make this lovely dish, and I knew I had to try it right away, which I did. Ever since then, I'd been craving this dish because it is completely delicious and addictive. Please make this dish immediately and add it to the list of recipes you can make off the top of your head. You'll make a lot of friends this way, trust me.

Pea, Mint and Feta Risotto

1 ½ cups Arborio rice
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine
½ cup crumbled feta
½ bunch mint, leaves torn
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1. Start by boiling 3 cups of water, then add the mint, peas, garlic and some salt. Blanch the ingredients (about 3-5 min, just until the fresh peas are soft or, if frozen, the peas are cooked through), remove from heat and let cool. Remove 1/4 of the peas and torn mint leaves to use as garnish. Puree the remaining peas, mint, garlic and water in a blender and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook the onion until soft, then add the rice and stir until the rice is coated.

3. Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and cook, stirring frequently, until the broth is absorbed. Continue to add broth 1 cup at a time (keep stirring so that it doesn't stick to the pan). After you've added 3 cups of broth, taste the risotto -- it should be al dente but if it's too crunchy add 1/2 cup more vegetable broth and the wine to taste. Then add the pea/mint puree and cook until it is absorbed and the risotto is at the desired texture. Taste to see if it needs salt (if you're like me, it will need salt).

4. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately, using the remaining pea and mint, crumbled feta cheese and cracked black pepper as garnish. Enjoy the deliciousness!

I Twitter Tha Fool

2009-06-17T10:07:00.003-05:00

Hello Dear Readers-

I've given in to the newest of the new internet programs - Twitter!

Follow me there for even MORE of my hilarious musings on my food obsession.
twitter.com/cityvegetable

(Random pic of my favorite creepy salt and pepper shakers. They will be very disppointed if you don't Twitter with me)

(Miss) Cleo's

2009-06-16T22:10:00.000-05:00

After a long day of helping a friend move into a new apartment, we all headed to Cleo's on Chicago Avenue. Located across the street from one of my old stand-bys, High Dive, Cleo's is the oft overlooked bar/restaurant that not only pours a good beer, but has great food. With a friendly unpretentious staff, and two locations both near Wicker Park, I wanted to give a shout out to what may very well become my new "old stand-by" (especially since I've heard their Sunday Brunch Bloody Mary Bar is quite the smorgasbord). Here are a few shots from our post-move snack-down.

The view from the bar.

A Greek salad with French Fries. On the menu, it's listed as the Vegetarian Salad. This is an example of why vegetarians aren't always skinnier than their meat-eating counterparts.

Cleo's offers a variety of thin crust "personal" pizzas. We enjoyed the fresh basil and goat cheese pie. Truly a tummy filler.

Cleo's
1935 West Chicago
312-243-5600

2nd location at:
2048 W Armitage Ave

And don't forget Miss Cleo

Spicy Buffalo Tofu with Mushrooms

2009-06-08T19:43:00.003-05:00

I'm addicted to the South Loop Whole Foods. So much so that I took 2 buses - each way - so I could go to the Whole Foods salad bar on Sunday night. You know how some people crave a big juicy steak? Well, I crave salad bars. Ummm hmmm.

So on this trip, (after using the CTA Bus Tracker to keep my OCD in check) I discovered Soul Gourmet's Spicy Buffalo Tofu, made by chef Rahtsiyah Wolfolk. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE love love buffalo wing sauce - but not the actual wings. This was right up my alley! I ignored the $5.99 price tag (are you seeing a theme here?) and when I got home, whipped up a spice-ified vegetarian feast.

These were my secret salty ingredients - pickled hot peppers, lemon juice (just a tad), and pickled garlic.

The end result - spicy, salty, hearty and totally worth the evening on the CTA.

Spicy Buffalo Tofu with Mushrooms
Soul Gourmet's Buffalo Tofu nuggets
1 package of white button mushrooms
One small onion
Juice from one-half of a small lemon
Blue cheese for garnish
Hot pickled peppers (save one for garnish)

1. Dice and saute the onions in olive oil. Add chopped mushrooms, lemon juice, pickled peppers, and diced pickled garlic
2. When onion is translucent, add the package of Spicy Buffalo Tofu, sauce and all
3. Saute until heated through
4. Serve and garnish with cheese and pepper!

Whole Foods - South Loop
1101 S. Canal St
312.435.4600
From Pilsen, take the Damen bus to Roosevelt
Wait....take the Roosevelt bus to Canal

Local Schmocal

2009-06-07T19:25:00.004-05:00

Chicago's Downtown Farmstand is right around the corner from my office. It's such a gem - a storefront right in the middle of the busy loop, which stocks only local ingredients. They define local as food made or grown no further than 250 miles from Chicago. And while it can be expensive, depending on what you pick out, if you feel good knowing you're supporting local businesses and farms, then this is the place for you. Just get out the credit card! (I'm like the anti-Suze Orman)

In addition to the local produce and frozen goods, each month they also feature meals from a local ethnic businesses and this month features, spinach pies, spanakopita and other Greek specialties.

On my last trip to The Stand (that's what the cool kids call it), I picked up a bag of fresh arugula, two Wisconsin cheeses, whole-grain pita and Spicy Olive Bruschetta from River Valley Ranch in Burlington, WI. I whipped it all together into a healthy meal for me and my dining companion for the evening, Ms. L. Ozgunay (otherwise known at The Tornado).

Here is the end result of my localvore shopping trip - a toasted pita bread with Spicy Olive Bruschetta and an Arugula Salad, with Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar and Blue Cheese, dressed with Lake Shore Dressing. And below, find my recipe for Lake Shore Drive Dressing, because I must say, it was really, really good.

Lake Shore Drive Dressing:
The Spice House's Lake Shore Drive Seasoning
Olive oil
Lemon Juice (fresh squeezed please)
Dijon Mustard
A few minced green olives
Salt and Peppa'

Whisk all ingredients together and do NOT be shy with the Lake Shore Seasoning. This is the main flavor base for the dressing and gives it an herby, green flavor. Enjoy (locally!)

I'm on a ROOF!

2009-06-03T21:06:00.009-05:00

For months, I had heard rumors of a chi-chi rooftop bar opening right next door to my place of employment. The closer the opening date got, the more excited my coworkers and I got. We needed a little glamour at the end of our long days!

And sure enough, Roof, located on the 27th Floor of the new Wit Hotel, does not disappoint. Barely open a week, I've already been there twice!

Open most nights until 2am (yes!), the impeccably designed lounge serves a menu of small plates and an arsenal of creative cocktails like a Pimm's Cup and Hibiscus Margaritas, at around $12 a pop. All in all, not bad for what is essentially a hotel bar. The food menu ranges from a platter of house cured lemon olives to a mushroom and goat cheese flatbread pizza. The food prices range from $5.00 to $16 - again, very reasonable.

And the VIEW - it can not be beat. I'll see you at Roof. I'll be there most nights.

The view from the north west side of the lounge, of the classic corncob buildings and Chicago river. Quite magnificent. You can also sit in the back of the lounge for a south east view, which in the evening, is even more fabulous.

Here's a little taste of the crowd at Roof. I mean, can you get any more glamorous!!!?

The grilled artichokes covered with melted mozzarella (I think). Very simple and very delicious. Artichokes at their best.

The cheap plate - $5.00 for a heaping bowl of huge olives. Have you ever seen pinkish olives like these?

And in honor of my blog post title, here's a link to my favorite video of the moment - I'm On A BOAT

Roof
201 N.State St.
(312) 467-0200

Spring Pasta with Baby Arugula and Two Cheeses

2009-06-02T21:12:00.005-05:00

Recently, I decided to rent out the extra room in my apartment so tonight, I set up a few appointments to show it to potential renters (future roomies!). I needed the place to look clean and cozy, and I whipped up a batch of spring pasta, to fill the apartment with the lovely smells of a home cooked meal.

Spring Pasta with Baby Arugula
Whole Wheat Rotini
10-15 Stalks of Asparagus
One Tomato
1-2 Cups of White Wine
2 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard (Grey Poupon preferred!)
Juice from 1 Lemon
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
A Few Handfuls of Baby Arugula
Sprinkle of Feta Cheese
Olive Oil and Rice Wine Vinegar
Soy Bacon (optional but recommended!)

1. Boil water and cook the rotini
2. While pasta is cooking, add chopped tomatoes, asparagus, white wine, mustard, and lemon juice in a sauce pan. Saute until the asparagus is just soft.
3. Add the cooked pasta to the saucepan, add shredded mozzarella and mix until the cheese begins to melt.
4. In a mixing bowl, toss arugula with olive oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
5. Serve the pasta on a flat plate and dress with the arugula salad.
6. Sprinkle with feta cheese and crispy soy bacon
7. Eat awkwardly with potential new roommate (kidding!)

Lao Sze Chuan's Cabbage

2009-06-01T21:00:00.001-05:00

Lao Sze Chuan, sister restaurants to both Lao Shanghai, and Lao Beijing in Chinatown, is known for authentic Sze Chuan cooking, and a menu like an encyclopedia. But before I even got to the menu on a recent trip to the Chinatown institution, we were served this dish of spicy pickled cabbage, dressed with what I think was shrimp paste. It is my new favorite starter (do not worry, I will not call this an amouse bouche) and on its own, is worth a trip down to Chinatown.

A Day With Pete

2009-05-21T08:26:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, on one of the hottest days in Chi in recent memory, Peen and I decided to grill out at her dad's place. To load up on succulent veggies and for Peen, juicy steak, we headed over to Pete's Fresh Market, about 6 blocks west of my place. (Side note, check out the picture on the main page of their website. I'm pretty sure that the lady has a crop-top and belly button ring)

Pete's is HUGE, super clean, has anything you could want, and best of all, is really affordable. It's a local chain with 6 area locations, many of which are on the Southside. My recommendation for local readers - do your grocery shopping at Pete's. I mean, just take a look...

Legumes. Lots of them!

Queso Fresco, Queso Ranchito, Queso Cotija, Queso de Quesadilla - a queso lover's dream.

Yes, this is their citrus section and yes, you could do cartwheels in this place.

Peen's namesake drank - the Juego de Pina! Pineapple juice for all!

After our trip through Pete's magical mart, we headed south to Calumet City, Illinois and set up shop in Peen's dad's backyard. Rufus ran around, happy to have a yard of his own and we got to work on the food. First things first, drinks! I whipped together a Pear and Cilantro Margarita. It was delicious and dare I say it...beautiful. (brought a tear to my eye) Here's the recipe for those adventurous mixologists at home:

Pear and Cilantro Margarita
2 cups of tequila
1 cups of lime juice
1/2 cup of Cointreau
splash of soda water
1 pear, sliced
A handful of cilantro leaves
Ice

1. Wash and trim the stems off the cilantro
2. Cut the pear into slices
3. Mix everything and blend until frosty
4. Enjoy outside with BBQ

Veggie kabobs and margaritas. A perfect day, all thanks to Pete!

Cooking With Chayote

2009-05-19T20:18:00.004-05:00

I bought a "soup vegetable packet" on my last trip to El Guero #3, my local Mexican grocery store. I'm trying to save money and nothing is better for that than whipping up a big pot of soup and living off of it all week. Boring? Sometimes. But friendly on the wallet. So anyway, the veggies included in this soup starter were a half of a cabbage, 2 carrots, one stalk of celery, a bunch of parsely and cilantro, an onion and something I had never seen before. See exhibit A below.

The vegetable above is a Chayote. It reminds me of an old man who lost his dentures. A few clicks on Google and I found out that this is a type of squash or gourd, and popular in Costa Rica and Mexico.

When putting together my cheap soup, I cut into the chayote, which looked like a green apple on the inside, chopped it into small pieces, and boiled it with the rest of the vegetables. Once cooked, it tasted like a cross between a potato and a bitter apple. I don't know if I've found my new favorite vegetable but hey, trying new things is always exciting to me. Thanks chayote!

Mr. Chayote, chilling with the Pilsen spice blend that Carmen got me for a house warming present.

Shaw's In The City

2009-05-19T20:09:00.001-05:00

Shaw's Crab House is one of those Chicago restaurants that I had always wanted to try. I heard its name in the same sentence as "you gotta go" more than once. So I made a trip there on a recent Wednesday night, on the look out for crab legs and oysters.

When you enter Shaw's, you are greeted by a Maitre'd and either taken to your table in the main, formal dining room, or given the option to sit at The Oyster Bar - a much more casual room to the left of the main entrance. Because tonight was all about indulgence, we chose the formal dining menu and were guided into a large yet welcoming room, full of rich wood and deep reds. Very country club with a twist.

We proceeded to eat our way through the wonderful seafood menu with nary a complaint, outside of some shaky service from a waitress that we decided must have been new. Overall, a classic seafood meal, delicious in every way. But don't forget your credit card - this meal, especially if you like crab legs, will set you back quite bit. I say take your parents here the next time they're in town and see if you can get them to foot the bill. (Kidding, Mom!)

Who says you can't have a bloody mary with dinner? Especially if they come garnished with a huge shrimp! Lindsay, take note.

Our first starter (that's right, there were two) was a blue crab & artichoke dip, which arrived perfectly scorched on the top. Looking back, we probably could have done without this but what the hell! It was tasty but it's hard to go wrong with cheese, artichoke and crab.

Our 2nd starter - the classic cold seafood appetizer. Oysters, crab meat, and more shrimp - this tower of seafood, made me want to eat all of my food from a tower. Maybe one day...

The main event, although it may look puny, was a half-order of Alaskan King Crab legs. A lot of delicate meat was hidding in these claws, and with that, I was officially stuffed.

Shaw’s Chicago
21 E. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL 60611
312-527-2722

Mexican Food Delights

2009-05-15T17:03:00.015-05:00

A few highlights from my recent trip down to Cancun, Mexcio (with none other than the Mexican-rapper, Peen)...

THE RESORT

We ate a lot (a lot!) of food at the resort we stayed at and they did not mess around. Fresh guacamole was always on the menu. My dream.

A plate full of fresh salads - romaine with an avocado dressing, nopalitos (cactus) salad with red onion and a light vinagrette, cucumbers with cilantro, carrot slaw, and my favorite - a lightly pickled red cabbage salad. Very very delicious.

CEJAS

This outdoor seafood restaurant can be found downtown, or centro, on the interior of a large flea market. Shrimp cocktail and calamari abound! This was my order or garlic shrimp. The veggies and rice were forgettable but the shrimp - oh the shrimp! Fresh, salty and most importantly, garlicky. I saw garlic shrimp on almost every menu in town.

A crab empanada. This was very fishy tasty, with little threads of crab, but was better with lots of salsa and lime.

Spanish Wal-Mart

That's right, we did it. We went to Wal-Mart. But only because it was 10PM on Mother's Day evening and everything else was closed! It pretty much looked like a regular old Wal-Mart, with some new and exciting products. One of these being Plantain Sunchips. I wonder if these will ever arrive in the US.

I saw Hawaiian Pizza advertised all over the place! In our hotel room, on the sides of buses, in this Wal-Mart. Peen said it's because people want meat on their pizza and ham is a cheap meat so this makes the Hawaiian pizza a nice option for those watching their pennies. But I don't know...any Mexicans have some insight for us on this trend?

La Parilla

This is where we went to see Mariachis - who will perform songs table side using violins, guitars, horns and a strong singing voice, for a fee. We probably spent $75 on Mariachis this night, entertaining Peen's mother with songs from her homeland. It was definitely a highlight.

This little girl was enjoying the music as well.

What swine flu? While we saw very few people wearing masks the entire trip, each restaurant did seem to have their own little bottle of hand sanitizer at the tables. Here's La Parilla's version. Better safe than sorry I guess.

Perico's

Perico's is a large restaurant located in Downtown Cancun and a favorite of Peen's family. The bar stools have saddles on them, the waiters play jokes on you and the menu is large. My kinda place. Being Mother's Day, we started off with a toast...eh...a shot of tequila...to honor moms everywhere! The tomato juice chaser was perfect.

The meal started off with a basket of chips and bread - served not with salsa but refried beans and red pepper butter.

Here is our waiter, Vazquez. As you can see, he was very talented and earlier in the night, he balanced 12 stacked glasses on his head. Seriously, Cirque du Soleil, here he comes. I love him.

The joke was on us...

The perfect margarita. Because of the swine flu scare, Perico's was only serving the buffet, and the place was empty by 8pm. They hadn't ordered enough food because of the decline in tourism and locals hanging out downtown. An interesting side effect of the flu hysteria.

Captain's Cove

After a huge meal of seafood at Captain's Cove, we all had Mexican coffees. The preparation for these was elaborate - heating of the sugared rim, flaming Kahlua, melted ice cream, cinnamon - it's all a blur. But it was quite delicious and a sweet sweet way to end the last meal in Cancun.

A flan double take.

Adios!

2009-05-08T23:15:00.003-05:00

I'm off to Mexico for a little beach R&R. Look for an in-depth taco report next week!

Lao Shanghai

2009-05-04T21:22:00.002-05:00

On a recent rainy night, I made the trip down to Chinatown, on a late night hunt for soup dumplings, also known as Xiǎolóngbāo. Slurping on the savory pouches of goodness sounded like the perfect way to end the day, so a quick drive around the Cermak and Canal intersection lead us to Lao Shanghai. Part of Tony Hu's restaurant group (along with Lao Sze Chuan, which I went to last week! Look for that post soon...), Lao Shanghai's windows are decorated with press clippings and yelp recommendations. We ducked in out of the rain and started on our Shanghai journey.

The mean started out with a Tsingtao, a Chinese beer, brewed since 1903. Light and mellow, it went well with the salty meal.

The stars of the evening, the soup dumplings. The waitress suppressed a laugh when I inquired about a vegetarian version, so when in Rome...the pork balls on the inside of the thin dumpling skin were surrounded by the savory soup filling. Comfort food at it's coziest. I wondered how they were able to get the soup inside of the dough and apparently, they cover the meat filling with a layer of soup gelatin, which melts into actual soup when steamed. Genius!

Braised Pork Belly in Preserved Bean Curd Sauce, which was almost like a plum sauce, in that it had a little sweetness to it and was nice and thick.

The old stand by - vegetable lo mein, with slivered onions, bok choy and charred noodles.

And with that, the two of us slipped off into the rainy Chicago evening, bellies full and minds wandering with thoughts of exotic places. For now, this is the next best thing.

Lao Shanghai
2163 S China Pl
(312) 808-0830

Mole de Mayo!

2009-04-29T19:33:00.006-05:00

I wanted to give all of my Chicago City Veggies a head's up about a super festival this Saturday, taking place right down the street from moi! It's Mole de Mayo: a Mole Cook-Off and Outdoor Festival and takes place this Saturday, from 12 - 7pm, at the intersection of 18th Street and Paulina.

Not only is my PBS girl-crush, Alpana Singh, going to be in attendance, but my friends at FIG Catering and Nuevo Leon - who are both located right in the neighborhood - will no doubt be impressing the festival attendees with some fancy mole!

Unfortunately, I'm stuck driving Dorothy to the Cubs game (don't ask) or I'd be there right at noon, ready to taste test the versatile Mexican specialty sauce. This sounds like something you don't want to miss!

South America Greek Salad

2009-04-27T22:12:00.001-05:00

Guest blogger Smitty here. I recently took a vacation to Peru, Bolivia and Chile and I promised City Vegetable I'd take some food pics. As an aside while I get those posts together, just wanted to share a pic of this nice little Greek salad I had in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. They used 2 leaves of the iceberg lettuce as the bowl to hold all the Greek salad goodness. Delicious, beautiful and refreshing - perfection! More to come!

Katherine and Jon - Morsel Time

2009-04-27T19:51:00.004-05:00

Katherine and Jon - 2 Peas in a Pod
Ages: Classified
Occupation: Also Classified
Resides in: Additionally Classified...kidding, Evanston

1. Favorite band with some sort of food in its name:
Smashing Pumpkins... pre-reunion, before Billy totally ruined the name.

2. Give us your favorite vegetable and how you like it prepared:
Spinach - Sauteed or as a salad

3. If you could only eat 1 flavor of ice cream for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Mint Chocolate Chip baby!

4. Favorite food show:
Does "The Deadliest Catch" count... LOVE me (KTK) some Crab! [ed. note - creative and yes, it counts!]

5. Please describe your ideal 2 am drunken feast:
Burritos (if they're from Arturo's) or Pancakes and... French fries :)

6. Favorite steak-house side dish:
Garlic Mashed potatoes with lots of pepper

7. If you live in Chicago, give us your favorite restaurant here in
Chi-town. If not, share with us the number one spot in your city:
So, we'll go with King Crab on Halsted Street, BUT we know it will be Kuma's as soon as we go there!

8. How do you take your coffee?
With a bit of French vanilla cream

9. Top 3 condiments:
• Horseradish (KTK only)
• Spicy mustard
• This wicked Mango Salsa from Costco!

10. How do you like d'em apples?
Apple pie a la mode!

A Cubs Rap

2009-04-26T22:18:00.007-05:00

Finally! A post from my favorite rapper, Peen, in honor of the Cubbies and the wonderous world of stadium food. She starts it off, Wesley Willis style...

This is a rap dedicated to my favorite past time
Cubbies baseball kick-starting up my spring rhyme (hit it Brendan)

It was opening day...9th year in a row
Cold, rainy, and dreary but I was there 4 sho

We start every year at 9am sharp
Mimosa's, Bud Lights, and bloodies 'til they took off the rain tarp

Clark and Addison is where the drunken feast erupted, at 36 degrees
Two Old Style's apiece and nachos with jalapeños and of course pump cheese

It's getting really cold by the second inning,
I get two more beers...why? Because the Cubs are winning!

Wrigley's got a new pretzel and I hear it's 4 lbs in weight
We opted for the hawt dawgs and more beers (maybe a mistake?)

It's about the 5th inning and Lindsay cannot feel her hands
I cannot feel my face so we opt for more Wrigleyville shenanigans

Sluggers is where we head for skeeball and to watch the rest of the game
Had more beers and put in a Phil Collins request cuz the crowd was lame

Cubbies slam the Rockies, 4 to zip!
This was a prime opportunity for another food/drink trip

Hopped in a cab north to grab some more dranks and can barely see
Order up two large Stella's, garlic fries, and a BLT

I eat the same...I drink the same...and it's always crappy weather,
This is most of what I remember but each year it gets better.

There was a lot of all-American cuisine consumed and a lot of baseball lovin'
A lot of of Cubbie high-fives and a ton of beer chuggin'

What more could you want from this day every year?
Come with next time - and buy me a beer!

Spaghetti (Organic Sprouted-Wheat Pappardelle Pasta) and (Soy) Meatballs

2009-04-23T20:39:00.005-05:00

After a long, long, long (long) week at work, I needed to refuel myself with a hearty bowl of comfort food. And what's more comforting than a big steaming plate of spaghetti and meatballs! Or in my case, Organic Sprouted Wheat Pappardelle Pasta with Soy Meatballs! Ha!

You might be wondering what exactly sprouted wheat pappardelle is. Pappardelle is an extra-wide fettucini, and sprouted wheat pasta is essentially a super wheat pasta.

Makers of sprouted grain pastas claim many health benefits for those who choose to pick the (usually) brown noodles - from weight control to protection against heart disease. I don't know if these health claims are true, but I do know that the sprouted wheat pasta is delicious - thicker and a bit chewier than traditional pasta, it adds a heartiness to any dish.

So with one trip to Trader Joe's and a can of diced tomatoes, you too can eat like a hippie!

Organic Sprouted Wheat Pappardelle Pasta with Soy Meatballs
Large can of diced tomatoes
One bag of Trader Joe's Sprouted Wheat Pasta
One bag of Soy Meatballs
Two cubes of Dorot Frozen Garlic
Two cubes of Dorot Frozen Basil
Onion Powder
Red Pepper Flakes or Kirmizi Biber
Mozarella cheese for garnish
Olive Oil

1) Bring water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for 6-8 minutes.
2) While the pasta is cooking, combine the tomates, garlic, basil, soy meatballs, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper in a saucepan. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

3) Combine with pasta and sauce, cook for 1 minute
4) Plate, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with mozarella cheese

Close-up of the Dorot frozen garlic and basil cubes. I am obsessed with these and think they're genius.

Amazing!

Allison's Morsels

2009-04-20T20:33:00.006-05:00

Enjoy the morsels of my Texas lady and oldest friend, Ms. Allison:

Allison
Age: 27
Occupation: Aesthetic Laser Saleswoman Extraordinaire
Resides in: Dallas, TX

1. Favorite band with some sort of food in its name:
Oh Lord……Shan, throw me a bone...the Cranberries?

2. Give us your favorite vegetable and how you like it prepared:
Squash - fried of course

3. If you could only eat 1 flavor of ice cream for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rocky Road

4. Favorite food show:
Iron Chef America

5. Please describe your ideal 2 am drunken feast:
Chicken fried steak with cream gravy, hand cut French fries and fried okra

6. Favorite steak-house side dish:
Loaded baked potato

7. If you live in Chicago, give us your favorite restaurant here in
Chi-town. If not, share with us the number one spot in your city:
Toast, the one that serves alcohol :)

8. How do you take your coffee?
Cream and 1 sugar

9. Top 3 condiments:
• Miracle Whip [ed note: you're so southern!]
• Ranch Dressing
• Worcheshire

10. How do you like d'em apples?
Baked with cinnamon and sugar!

Be Back Soon

2009-04-16T21:52:00.002-05:00

It's been one of those weeks and I'm ashamed that I haven't been able to share any food lovin' with you all. But I'm off to Dayton, OH for my fabulous friend Dawn's wedding so you know you'll see a wedding food recap soon. In the meantime, Rufus is keeping an eye on the site so don't piss him off...

Dream Food Alert!

2009-04-08T20:17:00.004-05:00

I randomly ended up at Dunlay's on Clark and Wrightwood on Saturday night. As I sat in a cozy booth at the lively bar-restaurant, perusing the menu, I immediately honed in on this dish:

You may wonder what you're seeing here. It's home-made crisp potato chips, charred a bit on the edges(oh yeah), covered in bleu cheese bechamel (um yes), fresh bleu cheese crumbles (yay) and Tabasco sauce(yowza). It was heaven on a plate.

Dunlay's
2600 N. Clark Street
773.883.6000

City of Vegetables

2009-04-08T16:26:00.002-05:00

Artwork by Anthony "Anchovie" Diaz

Frango Time

2009-04-07T19:39:00.003-05:00

There is a hidden gem on the 7th floor of Macy's on State Street. No I'm not talking about Rick Bayliss' Frontera Fresco, although I am obsessed with his tortilla soup. I speak of the little known Frango Cafe. Yes Frango, as in the old Chicago go-to, the Frango Mint.

Frango Mints originated in Seattle in the early-1900s but in 1929, the then Marshall Field's on State Street, bought the company and began to produce the chocolate mints on the 13th Floor of their store. So now, 6 floors below where the classic was made, many years ago, you can eat at the Frango Cafe. I'm such a sucker for things like that!

Frango Cafe has cozy booths (which will be an entire chapter in my "things restaurants should have" book), filling plates of delicious sandwiches and salads, and affordable prices. If you're downtown, and sick of Potbellys or Chipotle or Gold Coast Dog (holla!), head over to Macy's, ride the chocolate-express elevator straight to the 7th floor and get ready for a surprisingly delicious meal! (and all you Marshall Field's lovers-Macy's haters, don't let a little grudge get in between you and some yummy lunch)

These are seriously my favorite chips ever. Besides Cool Ranch Doritos...

I order this every time I go - a filling Greek Salad. The only thing missing is a few anchovies.

A classic club with a heaping of coleslaw

Frango Cafe
111 N State St.
(312) 781-1000

Davey K's LA Morsels

2009-04-06T20:33:00.005-05:00

David Kobzantsev
Age: 20-something
Occupation: Actor/Burger Slopper
Resides in: Los Angeles, CA

1. Favorite band with some sort of food in its name:
Um, Shiny Toy Guns? Yeah, little kids eat shiny toys all the time - then choke. Jeez! I'm failing this thing already.

2. Give us your favorite vegetable and how you like it prepared:
Brussel Sprouts - shredded, sauteed, salt, pepper. Duh-lish-us!

3. If you could only eat 1 flavor of ice cream for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Mashti Malone's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream. It's like God came down to earth and churned it himself.

4. Favorite food show:
Julia Child. God bless her little heart. I cook just like her! Bottle of booze in hand (and mouth) at all times.

5. Please describe your ideal 2 am drunken feast:
Moi-Drunk? No way...! Honestly, I don't like to eat when I'm drunk. Seriously- when it's that point in the evening, I just want to be loved. Hold me.

6. Favorite steak-house side dish:
Lobster mashed potatoes. Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. I'm salivating.

7. If you live in Chicago, give us your favorite restaurant here in
Chi-town. If not, share with us the number one spot in your city:
Well, let's face it Shan: When we all lived together in Chicago we were poor starving college kids. That being said, Chicago wise, Demon Dogs hands down. I could never love another wiener. Hot Dog! [ed. note - R.I.P.!]

LA Style: Koi - best sushi and sashimi ever. Even though the door guy there is a $%%^&@@! [ed. note - Remember when we went there and the best celeb sighting was Mark Cuban!!]

8. How do you take your coffee?
Coffee!? Yah Right. Green Tea all the way baby!

9. Top 3 condiments:
• Jalapenos
• Pickles
• Pumpkin butter from Trader Joes (yes, I am a pregnant woman in disguise.)

10. How do you like d'em apples?
Green, sliced, inside a cinnamon raisin peanut butter sandwich with honey - grilled to gooey perfection.

Weird Menu Item of the Day

2009-04-04T17:43:00.006-05:00

Take a look at this delivery menu, found in my door today, from El Ranchito. It may look like your standard Mexican delivery joint, but upon closer look, check out what you get with any order of $30 or more...

A Free Gallon of Milk! Totally Random. Next time I need milk for my coffee, maybe I'm ordering from El Ranchito...

Tigercity loves Fake Gold

2009-04-01T10:34:00.004-05:00

For all my NYC readers out there (hi Clancy!), don't forget to check out Tigercity tomorrow night at the Highline Ballroom. They killed at the Double Door last Saturday night so don't miss it. And check out the interview I did with them last year about tour food and Chi!

The First Pour

2009-03-31T18:22:00.006-05:00

You may have been following along on Carmen and her friend Carlo's brewing adventures, here, here, and here. Well, this is the pay dirt people. The FIRST POUR of Carmen's dry-hopped IPA (which still doesn't have a name?).

Popping the cap.

Here we go.

The perfect color.

Great head.

Her first born.

Fridge fulla beer.

Thanks for the great photos Carmen.

Pat and Sheila's Morsels

2009-03-30T21:09:00.005-05:00

My handsome aunt and uncle, Pat and Sheila Fitz, are feisty foodies and wonderful chefs, so it only seemed natural that they would submit a Morsels for me. Enjoy!

Pat and Sheila F.
Age: Let's just say mature
Occupation: Too many to list
Resides in: McKinney, TX

1. Favorite band with some sort of food in its name:
The Light Crust Doughboys, a classic purveyor of Texas Swing. Very similar to Asleep at the Wheel. Fun,fun,fun.

2. Give us your favorite vegetable and how you like it prepared:
Root Vegetables roasted in butter, olive oil, horseradish and salt & pepper. Simply fabulous.

3. If you could only eat 1 flavor of ice cream for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Rocky Road from Wild about Harry’s in Dallas, Texas.

4. Favorite food show:
Without a doubt, Anthony Bourdain. He combines a search for great and unusual food items with super personality and visits to exotic locations. Great fun.

5. Please describe your ideal 2 am drunken feast:
The last time we saw 2 AM was getting up to visit the bathroom, but we get the point. This situation requires old fashioned comfort food. Our favorite is the breakfast combo at the Waffle House. This great entrée includes a waffle, 2 eggs, bacon, sausage, wheat toast and great hash browns with onions and cheese. [ed. note - If any place deserves its own museum, it's the Waffle House. Check it out HERE.]

6. Favorite steak-house side dish:
Bob’s Chophouse in Dallas has a signature side that is served with every entrée. A very large cooked carrot. You won’t believe how great it tastes with a delicious prime steak

7. If you live in Chicago, give us your favorite restaurant here in
Chi-town. If not, share with us the number one spot in your city:
This question requires three answers.

The best meal we ever had was a 13 course tasting menu at The French Laundry in Yountville, California. This unbelievable experience lasted 3 ½ hours. You need to bring a large satchel of cash to participate, but it surely is an outstanding way to spend an evening.

For pure elegance, nothing beats the French Room at the Hotel Adolphus in Dallas. They provide outstanding French food and wine with the most impeccable service you will ever experience.

Our favorite hangout is Ricks Chophouse in McKinney, Texas. The best bar staff in the world, with great food and drinks. A super way to spend the cocktail hour.

8. How do you take your coffee?
Brewed cup by cup in a Senseo coffeemaker with a foamy finish served with Hazelnut Coffee mate.

9. Top 3 condiments:
• A slice of sweet Texas 1015 onion
• The BBQ sauce from Hoggy’s Pit in McKinney, TX
• Mango Salsa (served over fresh salmon)

10. How do you like d'em apples?
Baked apples covered with vanilla bean ice cream.

Sawa's Old Warsaw Polish Style Smorgasbord

2009-03-24T20:20:00.012-05:00

On the way to a co-worker's baby's 1st birthday party in Brookfield, we got a little lost and ended up driving right by Sawa's Old Warsaw Polish Style Smorgasbord. Not only do I love perogis, but I could tell, even just by looking at the outside of the joint, that it would appeal to my inner-grandma. Also, there were some old peepaw's chilling outside the restaurant on a couch. So cool.

So after the party, we had to pop in for a look-see and a few drinks at the cozy bar. The Smorgasbord part of the deal looked and smelled amazing - a dozen prepared salads, perogis by the bushel, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut...it went on and on. It was hard to pass up the food but I'll be back...oh yes, I will be back. The perogis will be mine!!! Who's with me!?

You feel like you're at grandma's house - if grandma had a full bar and poured Zywiec

The gorgeous scene in one of the dining rooms.

Anyone who wants to come with me, please leave your overalls at home. Sorry!

Steak 'N Egger (and hashbrowns and bacon and toast and...)

2009-03-23T20:55:00.015-05:00

Bright and early on Saturday morning (like, 9:30 am! On a Saturday! I can't sleep in anymore. I think this means I'm old?) my tummy began to growl. RRRooooaaauuuuggggerrrl. So we decided to drive down Cermak about a mile for some diner food at the always open Steak 'N Egger. I'm a fan of Hollywood Grill on Ashland and North, but it was time to find a new place, in my 'hood.

The slogan at the tiny grill on this industrial part of Cermak is "We may doze, but we never close". At least they're honest!

Steve ordered the 2-2-2-2, which means 2 pancakes, 2 eggs 2 sausage patties, and 2 strips of bacon. Btw, they also have the 3-3-3-3. I'm hoping they add a 6-6-6, in honor of Slayer. And being that I'm trying my hardest to eat healthy, I did a mushroom and cheese omelette made with eggbeaters (yes, those creepy egg substitutes. no, I don't know what's really in them).

2-2-2-2 = 8?

Pre-condiment-ed

Post-condiment-ed. Ketchup AND hot sauce AND pico de gallo

Acting cool at the Egger

Bottom line, if you're looking for 24-hour hearty cheap eats, with character and friendly waitresses, this is your place. I think next time, I need to investigate the scene at 3 am. I have a feeling it would be a bit different, considering the large sign in the front of the eatery that reads "Unruly behavior of any kind will not be tolerated". Anyone with me?

PS - We encountered this car-artwork on the way back from food. Simply amazing.

Cayce's Morsels

2009-03-23T20:15:00.003-05:00

Enjoy the morsels of gourmet chef Cayce!

Cayce M.
Age: 23
Occupation: International Woman of Mystery (Yeah Baby, Yeah!)
Resides in: splits time between Lincoln Park and Gold Coast

1. Favorite band with some sort of food in its name:
Recently I saw the Queen of Blues, Koko Taylor, and I’ve really gotten into raw Cacao Powder – it’s a super food with lots of magnesium and other good stuff (admittedly I was at Kingston Mines – not so bad after a few). B.B. King, makes me of summertime BBQ’s – but I only have passing interest. Diana Ross and the Supremes, their name reminds me of Lemon Chiffon Pie or something lush and tasty!

2. Give us your favorite vegetable and how you like it prepared:
I’m on a really big Jicama kick right now. It’s really versatile. I like to dice it and mix it with pear chunks, celery, cranberries, lime juice, a little mayo, a dash of ginger, cinnamon, and S&P. I had it tonight in some homemade chicken fajitas. The jicama was mixed with lime juice, thin cut strips of mango and red onion to nest atop the chicken. It’s also really good with watermelon, fresh mint, lime, olive oil, S&P, and small bits of mozzarella. Weird I know, but oh so good!

3. If you could only eat 1 flavor of ice cream for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I agree with my brother on this one – unfair question. I love “Superman” from Kilwin’s (I don’t know who else has it); it’s bright blue, pink and yellow with a light fruity taste and turns your mouth blue! Also, the ginger ice cream that I made a few holiday seasons ago with bits of crystallized ginger. I just seriously patted myself on the back there, oops!

4. Favorite food show:
I have a morbid fascination with the BBC’s You Are What You Eat. They take how ever many pounds people are overweight or eat in a week and find ways to create visuals – like 115 pounds of butter shaped like a person. I also like Anthony Bourdain because he’s such a badass. He’s like a rock star: sex, drugs and beating snake hearts!

5. Please describe your ideal 2 am drunken feast:
Mmmm, whatever I feel like at the moment that I can easily access.

6. Favorite steak-house side dish:
Hands down #1 is sesame green beans, from Rosebud Steakhouse. They’re the tits – for reals. #2 is probably mashed potatoes, or really thin waffle cut potato chips/fries.

7. If you live in Chicago, give us your favorite restaurant here in
Chi-town. If not, share with us the number one spot in your city:
The Original Pancake house! I get the Dutch Baby almost every time I go. But for more upscale Sweets and Savories. The dining room only seats like 30-40 people. The food is high quality, still not cheap but it’s not gonna set you back the way a trip to Alinea or Chucky T.’s (Charlie Trotter’s) might.

8. How do you take your coffee?
Toasted Almond large coffee with milk and sugar from Dunkin’ Donuts. I get it with cream once a month because it’s too good and I usually feel like taking a nap afterwards – ironic, no?

9. Top 3 condiments:
• Fresh mango salsa (the texture is more like pico de gallo – very fresh)
• Mustard (stone ground Dijon mustard is my fave)
• Lemons – anything with fresh lemons

10. How do you like d'em apples?
Again, I side with my broham. There’s just nothing like mom’s baked apples with a bit of maple syrup and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.