Abe Conlon has been a busy guy lately. In addition to his underground dinner club X-marx, he’s also been a regular presence at the Dose Market once a month at the River East Center (where he’ll be again this Sunday). On Monday, he’s leading a pop-up dinner at Hot Chocolate, teaming up with the restaurant’s pastry sous chef … Continued
Chicago was never really ground zero for seafood lovers. I remember a few years ago, struggling to come up with a suggestion or two – beyond the obvious choice, Shaw’s – for a friend who was looking for something other than Catch 35. Yet over the past two years, the city has seen more new … Continued
Cooking en papillote – or in parchment paper – has long been a preferred method of steaming fish and vegetables, while also providing a semi-dramatic tableside presentation. At Langdon Hall, tucked away in the countryside of Cambridge, Ontario (about an hour from the Toronto airport), Chef Jonathan Gushue loves to cook this way, which … Continued
Chicago’s “Little India,” also known as Devon Avenue, stretches in a long, east-west line dissecting West Rogers Park. As you drive down the street, you’ll notice most of the restaurants offer food from the Northern regions of India – Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab being the most widely represented. Yet finding the wonderfully tropical, coconut-influenced … Continued
Did you know that I have the Best Website in America? Really. I just decided that last night, and am considering putting up a big banner ad next to my name above. I’m not serious, of course. But if you think zombies and the walking dead are scary this time of year, try deciphering the … Continued
by Rebecca Zborowski Hapless Intern I feel I should start this post by clarifying that nobody loves fall and all of the food and festivities surrounding it more than I do. I wanted to like pumpkin beer – no, I wanted to love it and look forward to it all year long. But after … Continued
I guess being Jewish in St. Cloud, Minnesota had something to do with it. Why else would my dad go to such lengths to bring home this odd-smelling fish in the small jar, serve it with Rye Krisps and call it a snack? When you think about those two factors – Jewish and Minnesota … Continued
Clear corn whiskey may not have the sex appeal of an aged bourbon or rye, but Chuck Miller is hoping to change some minds. The Master Distiller of Stillhouse Distillery, in Culpeper, Virginia, has been making the rounds as of late, promoting his Original MOONSHINE. It’s an 80-proof whiskey that was developed along with … Continued
Chicago is experiencing a brewing renaissance. 100 years ago, there were dozens of breweries in the city, but after prohibition, that number dwindled to the point where they were almost extinct. Goose Island helped spur the rebirth in craft brewing within the city in 1988, and over the past few years, a number of … Continued
I had no idea pisco was so nuanced. The colorless grape brandy produced in Chile and Peru isn’t quite as popular as cachaça, but it’s coming on fast; you can learn more about it at places like ThePiscoBook.com, but you can also learn from the pros behind the bar. I did just that recently, as … Continued
Jose Garces has been getting a lot of press since he became an “Iron Chef,” but the man with Chicago roots – and a small Philadelphia empire of restaurants – still gets back to town every now and then to fire up the troops at Mercat a la Planxa, inside the Blackstone Hotel on … Continued