Soup + banchan = Korean comfort There are three things I crave when the weather is as cold as its been this week in Chicago: 1. Matzo ball soup, to satisfy my inner child. 2. Pho, to provide not only a steaming, clove/cinnamon/star anise facial, but also a beefy broth with vermicelli noodles. 3. … Continued
Rick Bayless will return to the 10th annual Good Food Festival and Conference (photo courtesy familyfarmed.org) Lovers of locally-sourced food rejoice! From March 13th-15th, FamilyFarmed.org’s Good Food Festival and Conference returns to Chicago. This year’s event will be held in the UIC Forum, at 725 Roosevelt Road. In its 10th year the festival promises participants … Continued
Classic poutine at SuWu in Montreal Click below to hear my report from Montreal on “La Poutine Week,” an annual bacchanal of all things covered in cheese curds and gravy.
Otoro nigiri at the Fish Market in Yaizu City I realize today is a day when people are supposed to express their love for other people. At least that’s what Hallmark and your neighborhood flower shop hope you’ll do. But I’m using today as an excuse to write a short note to my new love: … Continued
Congratulations to Carolyn Markov, of Lombard, IL, who is going to be joining my group in New Orleans next month along with a guest. Over the course of the contest, which began in early January, Markov logged an impressive number of raves – well over 100 – including tons of great tips and pictures; it … Continued
What interesting timing. The day before I’m going to announce our winner in the RaveNOLA contest to join my group of merry eaters and drinkers, the prestigious Tales of the Cocktail comes out with its list of seminars for the annual drink conference in the very same city this summer. This year, they’re adding some … Continued
Stephanie Izard’s Little Goat Diner has been open for about a year, while the bakery next door, Little Goat Bread, has been the workhorse, pumping out all of the breads for her restaurants and serving Stumptown coffee first thing in the morning. They’ve also opened a second branch at The Chicago French Market, with a … Continued
Gyutan (beef tongue) grilled over binchotan at Dateno Gyutan in Sendai SENDAI, JAPAN – What’s not to like about a country where they love to get tongue? The sentiment is primarily limited to northern Japan, in the Miyagi prefecture, and the city of Sendai, about 200 miles north of Tokyo (but only 1 hr. 30 … Continued
Sitting at Bar Pastoral’s cheese counter is pretty sexy. There are dozens of special Valentine’s Day dinners going on next week, but for my money, I’m just as happy sipping a sparkling rosé while noshing on a runny Brillat-savarin or a salty manchego (with quince paste and Marcona almonds of course). While most places put … Continued
Enjoying my second bowl of the afternoon at the Ramen Museum. Yokohama, Japan – I was expecting a “Noodle Hall of Fame” or a “Best of the Broths” lineage. I had no idea the Ramen Museum in Shinyokohama (the “new” part of Yokohama) about 30 miles from central Tokyo, would actually serve the stuff. I … Continued