Mid-September, at Maple & Ash in Chicago, we were at a dinner celebrating the release of a new book, “Coming to My Senses” by Alice Waters of Berkeley’s legendary Chez Panisse. Of her experiences with the Spanish tortilla, Waters said, “The first time I had one in Spain, when I was a teenager, I was […]
You know by now that eating seasonally and locally is great for your wallet, your health, and the environment. Plus, it’s that much more exciting to eat your favorite produce after the long wait for its peak season. There’s no signifier of autumn that stimulates my senses and my appetite more than seeing heaps of […]
You know by now that eating seasonally and locally is great for your wallet, your health, and the environment. Plus, it’s that much more exciting to eat your favorite produce after the long wait for its peak season. There’s no signifier of autumn that stimulates my senses and my appetite more than seeing heaps of […]
The turn of the seasons always brings a flurry of frantic restaurant activity to Chicago, and this year is certainly no different. A whole new slew of restaurants has appeared — from rustic to gourmet, counter service to 4-star hospitality — and the real question is, where do we eat first? Open for Business: Beatnik […]
Fall is around the corner, which means it’s just about time for a few of our favorite flavors of the year, from apples and squash, to pumpkins and pecan pie. The only thing better than a table full of the aforementioned? One that is decorated with the perfect wine pairings. To help ensure your wine […]
Most of us start the morning out all wrong — a quick cup of Greek yogurt, a furtive granola bar from your child’s backpack, or (shudder!) a Frappuccino concoction — and ignore the oft-proven fact that, yes, breakfast is definitely a meal that deserves more attention than you’re giving it. You’ve just fasted for eight […]
Just in time for fall (and football!), Blue Plate Catering‘s Executive Chef Randal Jacobs shares a hearty Lobster Verde Chili recipe filled with lobster, white beans, green chilis, charred corn and cilantro, perfect for a weeknight dinner or gametime meal. If you’re having people over to watch the Bears or your favorite college team, make it […]
MANY PEOPLE HAVE their “million-dollar idea,” the vision of something that will forever change not only their lives, but also the lives of countless others. Sean Wittenberg and Bryan Boches, who grew up next door to each other in Corte Madera, had such a thought with their on-the-spot mercury-testing technology for harvested tuna. PHILOSOPHY The […]
Chicago is Pizza Central, my friends. Grab a slice. Just got back from a trip to NYC, and I must say, they’ve got nothing on Chicago pizza. Here, we embrace all styles, from Rome and Naples to Detroit and the Quad Cities. Whether square, round, oblong, deep-dish or thin-crusted, wood-fired or grilled, all forms of […]
Though they’re currently surging in popularity, oysters have been a part of the Chicago dining experience since before the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. In mid-19th-century Chicago, the biggest and best-known restaurants in the city were in hotels, like the Tremont Hotel and Sherman House. The menus at these hotel-restaurants followed the French tradition: Dishes […]
