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 […]
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 […]
Calling all chocolate lovers! Indulge your Valentine with these mouthwatering fudge recipes, straight from the fudge capital of the U.S., Michigan’s Mackinac Island. Although fudge wasn’t invented on the tiny island, more than 15 fudge shops call Makinac home and have helped make the decadent delight synonymous with vacation there. Mackinac Island is small — […]
My job is SO HARD. Recently I was asked to judge the third annual Cheesy Noodles Mac N’ Cheese Contest for charity. The nerve! But seriously, I was honored to accept, especially given the beneficiary. Held at Max’s Restaurant & Deli in Highland Park, the fabulous culinary competition benefitted StandUp for Kids Chicago, a nonprofit […]
We all know that vegetables are good for us, and that most of us definitely don’t get enough of them. Health.gov recommends a minimum of five servings a day, but what does that translate to in real life? Servings are typically measured by the half-cup and cup — for most vegetables, a half-cup is one […]
It’s Sangria Day and what better way to celebrate than with a pitcher to share with friends and family? Here’s a few recipes from around the web that look beautiful and taste just as great. 1. Spiced White Wine Sangria This Sangria is spiced with star anise, cardamom and cinnamon that makes this winter drink […]
Don’t let the cold get you down. A new cookbook from Fig & Olive, one of our favorite Oak Street haunts, has arrived just in time for the inevitable hard-core winter weather. Sure, I’d rather be sitting on their lovely terrace, enjoying a beautiful bouillabaisse and sipping a dry Tavel rosé, but we all have […]
Try this delicious winter dish, which is typical of Basilicata in the south of Italy. Nancy Brussat‘s blog is a great source of fabulous Italian recipes and great writing about her journeys in Italy and the beginnings of Convito. A hearty red wine, like Gattinara by Travaglini, one of Convito’s favorites ($34), would be perfect […]
When the late, great Eli Schulman first opened the legendary Eli’s The Place for Steak in 1966, he hadn’t yet created the signature dessert that would long outlive the restaurant itself. It wasn’t until the late ‘70s that Schulman himself developed that über-creamy and delicious cheesecake — featuring a butter-cookie crust — that has become […]
Plunging temperatures and the season’s first snowfall make me want to hibernate under eight or 10 blankets and practice my favorite brand of mindfulness — I am one with the couch. Ohm. The only catch is that winter weather makes even the sportiest of us loath to exercise. My solution? Ultra-healthy dinners, which means minimized […]
