I first learned about compound butter while living in Germany. Compound butter is simply butter to which herbs, spices, etc. are added, rolled into a log shape, and chilled until needed to top fresh bread, baked potatoes, steaks, salmon, etc. While prepared compound butters are not so easy to find in American supermarkets, Europeans can […]
The Lagunitas name is legendary among beer aficionados, and since 2014 the Chicago brewery and taproom have been thrilling locals and tourists alike with world-class beers made right here in the city, served up alongside some of the most spectacular pub grub in Chicago. The brewery is located on the near west side in a […]
Who doesn’t love cheese? I’ve had great cheeses from all over, but my favorites tend to be French. I love creamy camembert, nutty salty hard aged Mimolette, and the deep savory earthiness of blue veined brie. For us there was a bit of a learning curve, an acquiring of taste to really enjoy strongly flavored […]
I rarely pass up an offer to test premium spirits, and when asked if I’d like to try Herradura Tequilas I jumped at the chance. Founded in 1870, Casa Herradura is the world’s only remaining tequila producing hacienda, still harvesting agave by hand and estate bottling each batch using the same traditional methods they began […]
One of my earliest food memories was the discovery of a pear tree in the schoolyard way back in kindergarten. It was a sunny late fall day and as I ran through the leaves, the strangely shaped brown apples caught my eye. The sweet aroma of wet leaves and fallen fruit was too much to […]
I’ve been testing out a beautiful new baking dish from Revol that looks like a cute little pig and so far my favorite dish to make in it is a tender glazed pork loin with shallots, fresh sage and thyme. The open shape and high sides deliver moist, gentle roasting and the generous size leaves […]
People either love or hate oysters, I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone who was indifferent about them; there is just something so delightful about enjoying these briny little morsels of sweet tender flesh right out of their shells in their own natural broth. I never pass up a chance to have them, and […]
I can’t seem to get into the holiday spirit this year; no matter how hard I try I can’t get into Christmas movies or even find the motivation to set up the tree, which usually goes up the day after Thanksgiving. Something’s just different this year and I can’t seem to put my finger on […]
It is winter once again in Chicago. The harsh winds and short grey days call for comfort food and quiet reflection as we prepare ourselves for the chaos of the coming holiday season. This time of year will always make me think of the time we spent living in southern Germany; the winters there were […]
Over the last several months I have been rigorously testing some cookware from legendary French maker Mauviel, and it has totally changed the way I cook. From searing meats to simmering velvety sauces or baking perfectly golden desserts, nothing cooks like copper. Even a thick steak won’t chill a hot copper skillet, and perfectly even […]
Pastry Chef Anna Young is inspired by seasonality and nostalgia. “I try to think about not just what I like, but what our guests respond to,” she says. “Some dishes begin with a simple childhood memory – a piece of candy or chocolate.” Young discovered her love of pastry arts while studying at the Culinary […]
Chef Biggers hails from Alabama, where he grew up watching his mother prepare Chicken and Dumplins’, a Saturday favorite. While attending Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina, Biggers worked at Blossom Café as a Pastry Cook, learning the art of baked breads and pastries. Later, he served as Private Dining Chef and then […]
A Cook's Canvas 