We’re taking a break from our regularly scheduled feature this week, to bring you some of my favorite images from the summer. Unlike fall and winter, when we try to rationalize how splendid a bowl of squash soup or roasted root vegetable looks, this time of year, food just looks better. It’s sunnier; colors … Continued
The Green Flash brewery isn’t known nearly as well as its fellow California brewer, Lagunitas, but this San Diego-based brewery is still producing some hoppy beers worth a look. This week, Michael Roper says their “Hop Head Red” is a red IPA that’s a bit spicier than normal, but if you’re into hops, then this … Continued
(Videography by Todd Rosenberg) A few weeks ago, I offered up my Top 5 French Fries in Chicago, and realized I had completely forgotten to mention one of the best in town. The problem is, like many of the culinary kiosks at the Chicago French Market in the West Loop, they tend to be … Continued
While summer is typically the time to drink rosé, over the next week or so, it’s time to get in touch with your feminine side. The first-annual “Real Men Drink Pink” breast cancer awareness campaign kicks off later this week, and yours truly, along with some other fellas, are drinking and toasting in an effort to raise awareness … Continued
There are so many charitable causes throughout the year in Chicago, it can be hard to choose which ones to support. Honestly, for most people, it’s because the cause is close to their heart or they have some other personal connection. I choose a few organizations each year to get involved with, but I … Continued
I thought I had heard it all. But after my g.e.b. incident, and what just happened to me a half hour ago, I’m starting to think hospitality is under siege in Chicago. I knew I had hit the jackpot last week, after I called Schwa on a whim. I was trying to get a … Continued
This week, Michael Roper is turning to a lager, but not just any lager, mind you. This one contains rye, which isn’t seen as often as you’d think. It gives this beer – Hoss – from the Great Divide Brewery in Colorado, a hint of spiciness and keeps the alcohol level relatively low. Hope you … Continued
At first glance, it looks like a mound of something your 16 year-old cousin would throw together after a late-night run through a fast food drive-through lane. But poutine is revered with almost religious fervor in the Canadian province of Quebec. And while the Olympic team might not be training on it this week, … Continued
Ivan Yeh Hapless Intern Despite being a lifelong city dweller, I have always loved experiencing the countryside. For me, there is something romantic about living in a house surrounded by family members and farm animals, tending to one’s own crops with an idyllic landscape permanently etched in the background. To date, staying at my … Continued
When you think of St. Louis beers, your mind probably wanders instantly to the behemoth, Anheuser Busch. But this baseball-obsessed city also has a great little brewery called Perennial Artisan Ales, where they’re producing a Belgian-style beer that The Hopleaf’s Michael Roper is really fond of this week. It’s only 5.9% alcohol and features … Continued
It felt, for just a moment, as if I’d been back on the water near Kittery, Maine, chowing on fresh seafood, barely dressed with mayo and stuffed into lightly-toasted hot dog buns. Or was it simply a Northeastern version of skägen, the prized appetizer in Stockholm, Sweden, which marries slender, cold water shrimp with … Continued