You are currently browsing the monthly archive for September 2009.
Today, I discovered something that really, really bugs me. Bad escalator manners.
What is up with Chicagoans not following the simple rule of: walk on the left, stand to the right. It is just pure craziness.
Today I was trying to book it out of the Jackson red line station to make it to class on time. I cleared the doors of the El train, successfully dodged incoming traffic walking down the platform and thought I was in the clear when I made it to the escalator. All I had to do was sprint up the moving stairs and bam! I would have made it.
But no! Idiot McRude was STANDING on the left side of the stairs and blocked my path.
“Excuse me,” I bleated quietly at first. “HEY! EXCUSE ME,” I finally belted out as I shoved my way by. He gave a disapproving grunt but I could have not cared less. He was in the wrong for standing in the walking lane. This is just as bad of an offence as driving slow in a passing lane. It is such a simple courtesy, but so many people are just too oblivious to care!
Is anyone with me?! Does anyone want to plaster the city with “WALK ON THE LEFT, STAND TO THE RIGHT” posters? I cannot be the only one!
Dev xx
While volunteering for Green City Market at Chicago Gourmet, we had a lot of people come by to try the market gazpacho and rave about the taste. The secret? Fresh, local, sustainable fruits and veggies that can be found within 300 miles of Chicago!
The ingredients: heirloom tomatoes, onions, garlic, cucumbers and fresh herbs. GCM tries to keep it less spicy to make it more appealing to a wider audience. All of the ingredients are raw and then pureed down to a smooth, cold soup. Delish!
You can find it at Abbey’s Crepes at the market tomorrow if you really liked it!
Now for a look at GCM’s tent at Chi Gourmet. See if you can make out who is on that closest billboard in the red shirt:
It’s yours truly!!! Imagine my shock and delight when I saw my silly self on a blown-up picture! What an honour! In this picture I was giving a tour to elementary school children who stopped by the market on a field trip! LOVES!
Dev xx
When you are in the hurtbox (read: hangover) or have a cold, where do you go to eat? I looked up an article online that had people from everywhere commenting on the best hangover/cold food and the results nearly made me vomit. Cheese fries?! Really? Last time I checked, dairy did not sit idly on the stomach. One reader even said she was a big fan of spicy foods!
After doing some research, it put me off food for the rest of the day until I finally was so hungry I felt even more sick. I needed a solution, and fast. Luckily for Dan, he suggested we make a stop at the Soupbox on Chicago Ave.
I was wary about the decision and a little skeptical that soup could be a cure-all, so I marched right up to the saleslady and said, “I have a raging hangover. What soup would you say is best to help cure it”?
After her initial shock, she pointed me in the direction of several vegetarian soups (I just cannot imagine the “Hearty Beef Stew” going down so well – ick!) and suggested I try the Fresh Tomato and Basil Bisque with the sourdough bread. When I brought the first spoonful to my lips I noticed how rich and fresh the tomatoes in the soup tasted and quickly excused myself to take another look at the menu.
Sure enough, the bisque was made with heirloom tomatoes and the lady said they are bought – get this – locally! You can really taste the difference and I was so excited that they got something local. I think this place would be great even if you weren’t hungover or sick, esp. since they have a massive salad bar.
Oh, and their gelato looked good, too, but I couldn’t try it this time ;-)
Dev xx
The Good:
Okay, I lied. Not just good. Great. Amazing. Mind-boggling. The best. I know most people are going to jump on me because seriously, how did I not know about this place? But forgive me, I only moved here in January and I have not had the pleasure of bouncing around to all of the haute restaurants in Chicago.
The dish you see above is Cochinillo al Asado, or roasted suckling pig. It is a typical dish in Castilla, one of the largest regions in Spain. The pig is smoky, sweet and juicy. It pairs perfectly with the rosemary white beans better than any wine and the flash-fried spring onions (fried most likely in butter and fat) retain their crispiness, adding another texture to the dish.
By far the most complex and delicious thing at Chicago Gourmet.
Stephanie Izard of the Drunken Goat and winner of Top Chef certainly did not disappoint. Her chilled shredded chicken with pumpkin vinaigrette and olive tapenade was fresh and perfect for the changing season. She topped off her dish with these, what tasted like, roasted pumpkin seeds.
My third pick is not a dish, even though there were some other mentionable things I will get to at the end. What really made me stop and thank goodness that people care about making good food is this:
Hazelnut gelato from Labriola. Like Nutella but without the chocolate and better. Much, much better. A complex gelato that does not melt instantly when it hits your tongue. Instead, it stays solid just long enough for you to roll it along your tongue and taste how buttery and assertive it is. Who ever thought gelato could be this good?
Next up, my review of the best wines!
Dev xx
Who is ready to brave the mud and the rain and join me at the Chicago Gourmet Festival!? I have the honour of helping out Green City Market at our tent and assisting with the Silent Auction.
Since I am helping out on both days, I plan to keep you all updated via Twitter (updates via Twitter pop up on the left hand side of this screen!) and with blog entries that will feature pictures and video!
Get excited, gourmands!
Dev xx
Tim and I were waiting out the rain in Richmond, IL, about to go to Richardson Farm when we ran across Dog n Sud. Colour me stupid, I thought it was cute and classic enough to try. And how bad could a burger be from a cute little roadside stop, anyway?
Well, I won’t waste your time. The burger was pretty bad. Nothing compared to the delicious, mind-blowing burgers you can get from Sunday Dinner at Green City Market. This was just another reason to keep up the Locavore Challenge for yourself year round: to avoid bad food.
So what was redeeming about this joint started back in 1963? Well, the service was great. This cute, spotted teen served us with a big smile, even though it was raining. She even came back to the car after she gave us the food to make sure everything was alright and to see if we needed anything. Can’t beat that.
The only thing that was decent enough to write home about was this crazy milkshake, taffy apple. How do you liquefy green apple taffy and put it in a milkshake? I can only imagine the Tim Gunn of milkshake creations standing over sweaty, acne-ridden burger joint milkshake mixers saying, “Make it work!” And it did.
Tim was skeptical. I was skeptical. But actually it was really good. Tart and sweet with a hint of molasses and swirled with creamy vanilla ice cream. It was a weird pale green colour but it really was an interesting flavour for fall and the only redeemable food item we purchased.
It may not be local, low-fat or hell, even normal-looking, but try it. Tell me what you think.
Dev xx
About 4 hours ago I was ankle deep in mud, wandering around a corn maze in the rain with Tim. It was chilly, raining and messy, but boy was it fun! And it was all brought to me by Richardson Farm.
In addition to having the World’s Largest Corn Maze, the farm also boasts about having a huge pumpkin patch and zipline. Upon entering the farm, I also discovered that there are gokarts; wagon rides; a little gift shop; a beautifully lit, covered picnic area; and a pen filled with goats that you can feed!
Me, feeding the very hungry (read: greedy) goats
Richardson Farm as seen from the observation deck.
Admission for adults is $11.50/person which is not bad given that you can really make a day out of the excursion to Spring Grove. You can even stay late (the farm is open til midnight) and bring flashlights into the maze, or if you are really brave, let moon light guide you along your way. There are two observation bridges in the maze that afford lovely views of the corn rows and surrounding scenery, and can also help you choose your next move.
A view from the 8' observation bridge
I am SO excited! In honour of autumn, Tim and I are headed to The Richardson Farm’s corn maze today! They have these beautiful picnic areas, wagon rides, a HUGE pumpkin patch and…you guessed it, AMAZING corn mazes! Check out the aerial view of this year’s corn maze I took from the website!
Pretty sweet, huh?! I will let you all know how it is, and of course provide pics of Tim and I stuck in the maze!!!!
What is everyone doing today and what are your weekend plans?!
Dev xx
Oh, sure, the Drawing Room boasts that it has special ice cubes that melt slower and fancy shmancy drinks made with house-made tonics, but who wouldathunkit that they also have slobber-inducing desserts?!
Well, I would have, but that is beside the point!
After you swagger down a flight of steps to get into the Drawing Room, then swagger some more to get to your assigned table, you should pull the sleeve of your waiter, bring his ear as close to your mouth as possible and whisper, “The dessert menu…please!” Okay, maybe not, but do ask to see it!
The gorgeous dessert you see above is actually a peanut creme brulee with house-made strawberry jam. Usually, when I think peanuts, I think the thick, overly sweet Reeses cup. But the custard was flavoured with a rich peanut taste that was not overpowering. The strawberry jam made me feel like I was right back in the 3rd grade but with a more haute dessert than say, a Twinkie.
One of my favourite desserts was the citrus granita with local watermelon seen in the top picture (third from the left!). It was really refreshing and had a sprinkling of purple basil that made the dish aromatic and earthy.
The ancho-chocolate cupcake (seen at the end on the right!) had an orange blossom-cream cheese frosting and was topped with candied orange zest. The spicy ancho chiles were not very prominent in the dish, but did help to bring out the chocolate better. The result was a rich and stodgy cupcake with bouquet of orange. Lovely!
The lemon-ginger gelato on the far left was a summer delight as it was refreshing, sweet and creamy!
I love Drawing Room drinks and frankly crave their champagne cocktail with bitters. But tonight, after indulging in the “Champagne Cocktail from Heaven” (that is what I like to call it!), I decided to try the Francophile made of: Pierre Ferrand Ambre, Mathilde black currant, thyme syrup and lemon. The result came to my table looking like this:
“Waiter!” I gasped, “Get the paddles!” Could this be anymore precious?! Did they really stab a spear of thyme through a lemon curl and balance it on the rim of my cocktail? Did they really make the thyme syrup themselves? And when I said to “grab the paddles”, I was only half-joking. I thought you could only get cocktails this good in heaven, which had to mean that I was dead.
Nope.
The Drawing Room is just that good. They will make you ooh and aah at everything in a setting that is unpretentious, classy and totally cool. Oh, and word to the wise. Those who have had food or drinks at the Drawing Room get FREE entry to Le Passage, a really swanky night club. Just ask the host to walk you back there and you will not regret it!
Dev xx
Quick observation: Is it just me or is it really humid outside?!
Hello, Chicago?! Ummm, it is supposed to be getting COOLER in late September…not warmer!
Who wants it to just cool down already?
Dev xx
