Nothing says summer eating quite like watermelon. The kid in me remembers camp cookouts that always ended with a juicy slice of watermelon and a handful of paper towels. The arrival of seedless watermelon in markets (yes, there was a time when that was not a thing) put an end to the seed-spitting contests, but […]
Summer is not the season to spend cooped up in the kitchen. The backyard and beach beckon, the sun is up through the evening and most seasonal ingredients taste so good to begin with that you don’t even need to waste time jazzing them up with excess preparation and cooking. Instead, try this lineup of […]
This is a new cocktail with our own Westwood twist. We started with rye bourbon as a base and realized the ingredients could be manipulated to suit other base alcohols with amazing results. The original name for the drink was “The Dude,” in reference to the Big Lebowski. We as a whole were not thrilled […]
Nobody wants to be the guest who brought the boring potato salad that’s left sitting barely eaten on the buffet table when the party’s over. Up your barbecue game with one of these unexpected side dishes that showcase summer’s best flavors. Prepare for lots of recipe requests — and a guaranteed invitation to next year’s […]
I love the versatility of risotto. It can be simple or complex depending on the ingredients added to the basic recipe. Risotto can be the star and the main course of a menu or it can be a simple first course followed by a dish that requires little time like a veal scaloppini or a […]
Betsy Simson, former creative director at Leo Burnett then owner of the very popular Corner Cooks cooking school and Jerry’s casual fine dining restaurant in Winnetka, was constantly being asked by her children and their significant others to write down her recipes in order to easily share them. Rather than just jot them down, Simson […]
While we did not originate this cocktail, it is one that we revived in the area. The recipe is pretty straight forward but it is the specific liquor, liqueur and ginger beer that set it apart from others. We have told many a guest that if they use other, and in particular, inferior products, it […]
It all started when my friend Rachel brought her Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake to a church social. It was moist, it was delicious, it was pretty … it was perfect. All of my girlfriends loved this little cake and were delighted when Rachel shared her recipe. So, over the next year, no matter where I […]
Anyone can open a great bottle of wine or pour an amazing craft beer, but it takes a true artist to design and mix a perfectly balanced specialty cocktail. These five Chicago bartenders are at the top of their game, using exotic ingredients (some you’ve probably never heard of!) to whip up masterpieces in a […]
If you follow Chrissy Teigen on Instagram, then you know that her love for food is no joke. The model/TV personality and her husband John Legend, who are parents to 3-year-old daughter Luna and their 1-year-old son Miles, are always cooking something incredible. After countless comments rolled in on each of Teigen’s deliciously engaging social media posts asking for […]
