Leave it to the Canadians to create something magical out of a frozen grape. Like the frigid denizens of St. Paul, who celebrate the negative windchill with an annual Carnival, the home of Canada’s icewine industry makes the most of a barren season by eating and drinking with gustofor two weeks every January. The epicenter of … Continued
With the Cheeseheads coming to town this weekend to face the Bears, it will be an EMMENTAL order to keep them all well-fed. Mainly BRIEcause they all have such high standards when it comes to curds. Wanna know what really gets my GOAT? The notion that the yahoos from the Fox GRUYERiver Valley have … Continued
So many flat screens, so little space at the bar. Sports fan or not, much of the city will be, ahem, a little preoccupied this Sunday, from noon until 3 p.m., watching Da Bears. If your plasma isn’t working, and you want to socialize with your fellow Bears fans, check out the screens, beers and … Continued
We could all use a little bit of warmth this time of year. God knows I’m afraid to see my People’s Energy bill this month, since I’ve been cranking the thermostat. Thank goodness our city is loaded with all kinds of Eastern European gems, where they worship borscht as much as they doburek. The gut-filling foods from … Continued
While we usually reserve this space to recommend things we think are worth eating, this week, we’re turning to a favorite cold-weather remedy that’s drinkable: hot chocolate. As a kid, my experience was limited to Swiss Miss (with water, thanks Mom). But today, several pastry chefs have their own box of pre-measured mix that you … Continued
All week long, we’ve been re-running some of our favorite Top 5 lists from 2010. Today, it’s all about lemongrass and galangal. It’s also going to be my final post for 2010. I’m taking next week off, and will be back here January 3. Look for one more video post next week, as Justin Kaufmann … Continued
We’ve all been guilty of baking something from a box at one point or another. I have to admit, I made my fair share of Duncan Hines while in college, and as a result of having kids, I’ve worked from the back of a Nestle’s Tollhouse package on more than one occasion. But Katrina Markoff … Continued
One of the signs of a strong local food (and spirits) community is the frequency local artisans are featured on menus. In Chicago, Death’s Door (Door Co.), Koval (Chicago) and North Shore (Lake Bluff) have established themselves as the premier, small-batch distilleries in the Midwest. Their gins, aquavits, eau de vies and vodkas have been making regular appearances on Chicago’s finer cocktail … Continued
I was walking along the Embarcadero in San Francisco earlier this week, and spotted a familiar sign on the side of one of the enormous piers that juts into the harbor. It said simply “New American Chocolate” and next to it, “TCHO.” Then I realized I had just read a huge profile about the company in last week’s Dining … Continued
If you’re at all a fan of Tampopo – and I mean the seminal cult film about the quest to create the perfect ramen shop – then you’re going to really appreciate the tiny restaurant of the same name on the city’s far Northwest Side. The owners named it after the movie, afterall, and even though they’re Korean, they … Continued
Stephanie Izard may have single-handedly made goat cool, but whether you give her credit or not, the lean meat is starting to show up in some unlikely places. Most recently, at the Burger Bar(formerly known as the Urban Burger Bar) on Clybourn – right across the street from the gleaming new Apple store – they … Continued