It seems like there are more food festivals than ever. Not just the biggies, in places like Aspen, South Beach and Pebble Beach, but also regional events that bring together local artisans. Chocolate, however, transcends frequency and inclement weather. In three weeks, chocolatiers from as far as California and Maine are going to be bringing … Continued
If your morning ritual involves bagels, cream cheese and some smoked salmon, prepare for a jolt. That’s because a new Lakeview store is not only curing all of their fish in-house, they’re also making some pretty creative spreads to go along with their bagels.
Abe Conlon wraps a sticky rice dumpling (which were dangled from a tree!) at last year’s Taste Talks food festival in Palmer Square. He is nominated for a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes for his work at Fat Rice. This May, Chicago lays claim to the James Beard Awards for the … Continued
One of Chicago’s landmarked buildings has a stunning new look, and its crowning feature is a light-filled garden restaurant. The 3 Arts Club was built just over 100 years ago, but now, with a furniture and design store giving it new life, it seems the restaurant is attracting as much attention as the sofas and chairs.
Rarely found in your better izakayas and non-sushi slinging restaurants here in America, today we’re talking about one of Japan’s more unique creations. First, I head to Osaka, Japan to discover the origins of an almost unknown savory pancake called okonomiyaki. Then I bring a sample from Tsukiji Fish Market on Chicago’s near West Side to share with … Continued
There are dozens of Italian restaurants in Chicago, but only a small percentage go that extra mile and make all of their pastas in-house from scratch. A new restaurant in the West Loop is committed to hand-making everything, including one pasta dish that has become a personal favorite.
On this show, I headed to the Florida Keys, straight to the source, to taste stone crabs fresh off of the boat, at Keys Fisheries. Then Rick Bayless and I were joined by NPR’s Wait Wait….Don’t Tell Me! host Peter Sagal, who overcame his food fears and now lovingly calls them crab popsicles.
Once you get past the narrow counter and the make-shift seating arrangements, Bunny, the micro bakery, is a gem of a bread shop. Named for the owner’s childhood nickname, it really puts bread in all its forms front-and-center.
A TV crew from NHK Japan followed me around on my exploration of Osaka, and they filed this super long (by TV standards) report, which aired on their national network. Loved the sound effects and pop-up graphics, combined with semi-odd music, which made it feel like a video game; no surprise, I guess, from the … Continued
After a successful group trip to Cuba a few months ago, I’ve decided to organize just one more. This time, we’ll be taking no more than 22 people, and I just heard over the weekend that 25% of the spaces are sold already. We depart October 29 and come back November 5. I realize Cuba … Continued
Chicago lost the men behind such beloved institutions as Uncle John’s and Lem’s last year, which leaves just one veteran pitmaster still tending to his beef and pork with a critical eye. You’ll find him in the kitchen every day, among the sounds of burning wood and busy meat cleavers.