Spiaggia is known for using some of the highest quality Italian ingredients money can buy. You would expect, for example, prodigious amounts of prosecco to show up at their newly-remodeled bar. So why are they using tequila in their Aperol Spritz? It has something to do with Chef Tony Mantuano’s history in a 70s band … Continued
You can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and while the recipe will change slightly (with or without collards in the middle, delicata or butternut squash) the basic dish is pretty much intact: steamed sweet corn tamal, sour cream-infused scrambled eggs, sofrito of tomato, onions and banana peppers. Sound good? Trust me, it’s Something … Continued
Chicago’s Begyle Brewing company has been doing things a little bit differently ever since they opened, and this week’s pick is certainly part of that approach. The company is a CSB – Community Supported Brewery – much like the CSAs you find from local farms during the summer. You get a new beer every month … Continued
There are no vitamin C deficiencies this week, but a small, Lake Mills, Wisconsin brewery called Tyranena is using a little humor to create a slightly bitter IPA they’re calling scurvy. Since it contains orange peels – one of the remedies for said affliction – they’re hoping that if you have a pirate in the … Continued
Spending two years in oak, along with some Michigan cherries, Goose Island’s Madame Rose is truly a unique brew. This week, The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper urges you to go out and find some, before it’s all gone. Better yet, pick up a few extra bottles and cellar them for awhile; it will only improve with … Continued
Ever since I tweeted from Smalls about their brisket bibimbop, I’ve been having dreams about it (I know, I’m sick). It’s so obvious and yet, no one in Chicago has dared combine the rich, earthy, smokiness of slow-cooked brisket with the bold, assertive Korean chili paste (gojujang) and crisp, blanched vegetables and rice that are … Continued
We’re deviating a bit from the hops and barley theme this week, as we take a sip of a refreshing cider from the well-regarded Vandermill Brewery in Spring Lake, Michigan. This particular cider features both ginger and peach, for a light, refreshing, totally quaffable cider that is well suited to drinking with food or all by … Continued
This week’s pick comes from the Dupont brewery in Belgium. It’s called Dry Hopping, and it only comes out once a year. The unique feature is that is relies on a single hop varietal. In this case, it’s the Challenger hop from Britain. Cheers!
When I first stumbled upon The Dairy Star, after a long jag down Devon Avenue, gobbling up boti kebabs and tearing into a round of crispy dosas, it looked like just another little ice cream stand. What I didn’t realize is that this little icon has been a beacon of sweet, creamy soft serve for … Continued
This week, The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper looks to Belgium (the guy should know, his bar has more than 100 Belgians on offer) for his Beer of the Week. The Vicar Quinto comes from the Dilewyns Brewery; it’s a golden, high fermentation beer with secondary fermentation in both the bottle and the cask. It’s brand new in … Continued
I found this talk – by the owner of Alinea, Next and The Aviary – to be geeky yet fascinating. Kokonas doesn’t bother assembling a Power Point deck, he simply shares internal documents and the results of his own company’s research, in determining how they take, accept and chart reservations. It’s from the recent Welcome … Continued