Bacon Wrapped Gourmet Club - A night in Spain

The theme for the first Gourmet club meeting was: Tapas! Everyone whole-heartedly embraced the concept and came prepared with lots of wine, garlic, olive oil, and bread. The conversations were fluid and varied, the kitchen a flurry of pans and pots, the table littered with wine bottles - success!

Definitely a meeting of worthy contenders for best dish - everything from simple roasted peppers with capers, to an onslaught of black bean empanadas and proscuitto wrapped asparagus with oozing goat cheese (I'm craving one of those right now, actually), there was garlic shrimp with a heavenly garlickly oil for dipping, our equally garlicky white bean and garbanzo salad, and delightful bites of bacon-wrapped dates. I personally found the albondigas recipe to be "pork-heavy" and would make several alterations...the saffron sauce came out well, however, and they seemed to be eaten (always a good sign).

We brought a Tempranillo to share, but I'm not sure the structure was up to par with some of the pairings we had - c'est la vie, we drank it anyway!

The next meeting is likely at our house - though we'll post more pics and recipes from Tapas night...thoughts, suggestions, let me know!

What's in a name?

Help us name our "gourmet club" - here were some options....
Epicure
CGC (Chicago Gourmet Club)
The Urban Gourmet
Mangia Group
Meet and Mangia
Buongustaio (Gourmet in Italian)
Il Buongustaio Urbano
Club Cucina
Vino e Cibo (Wine and Food in Italian)
Le Bon Vivant (Gourmand in French)

We'd like to have SOMETHING to call our gatherings...leave any additional thoughts in the comments!

The Gourmet Club begins...

Several months ago, on a cold, wintry work day, Erin and I had a lengthy discussion around our desire for a "gourmet club". She has been thinking about this for some time now, found a sounding board (and core member) in me and hence...the club was born.

Here are the details from the original email - this will set the stage for you:
- Meet once a month on a Saturday
- Everyone rotates hosting, and the host picks the theme for the next month (if your place is too small to host, someone else will happily step in while you still are officially the "host")
- We will have a core group of people who are serious about committing to this (criteria = having an interest in food, and genuinely excited to spend time cooking once a month, hosting, etc.) with some wiggle room for guests (i.e., dates, others we extend the invite to on a monthly basis but who may not be up for it EVERY month)

Core Group:
Erin
Sara
Chris
Sarah R.
Bill
Amanda
Tricia
Colleen
Sarah
Orin
Ryan
Mica (and Peter)

So, it's unlikely that all of these people would agree, but say they do... That said, if everyone in agrees, we're at 11. Maybe we just pick an additional person or two. And, as mentioned, we could always invite people on a monthly basis, maybe seeing how the first few months go and what attendance is like.

Possible themes to get excited about:
- Cuisine (Italian, French, etc.)
- Secret ingredient
- On a budget (i.e., less than $10 dishes)
- Cook-off (i.e., chili)
- Inspired by a movie, song or book
- Wine/beer pairings
- Small plates

Oh, the possibilities are endless!

Our first meeting is Friday, March 5 - they're 8, possibly 10 folks attending. Stay tuned for more!

Art Institute - Free Februarys

I think the title mostly explains this blog post, which is to tell anyone (er, all 9 of you) that doesn't already know about the Art Institute's "Free February" promotion! All month you can simply walk in and stroll the halls filled with such wonders as Untitled and Untitled. I understand that you may not know exactly how to explain your art/work/painting/sculpture, but can't you at least ATTEMPT a name? In contrast, every third painting in Italy is Madonna e bambino.

Irregardless of what you see or how long you go, try to make it to the 3rd floor of the modern wing, it's the European Contemporary rooms that make me happy. Lots of color, bold shapes, random sizes... who can resist a Picasso or a Matisse? Enjoy!

Banana bread (finally)

Every time we have a mushy, ripe banana I declare "wait, don't throw it out - I'll make banana bread." I now get knowing glances and raised eyebrows from C since I have yet to make it. It's going on 5 years...This weekend, complete with 3 perfectly mushy, ripe bananas, the bread was finally made. Here's the recipe (modified from the original here)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)

1/2 cup sour cream

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 10 inch loaf pan with butter and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess. Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl to aerate. Set aside.

Combine sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in a separate bowl and beat on low until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add bananas and sour cream and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add dry mixture, and stir until just combined.

Turn batter into the prepared loaf pan, topping with the chopped walnuts along the center of the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean-ish, the top is golden brown, and the bread is pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 50 minutes to 1 hour (to keep it moist/dense, I would pull it at the 50 minute mark)

Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the bread and cool completely on the wire rack before serving. Ecco la colazione!

As you can see, ours is already nearly gone... This is super easy, a definite add to the list and delicious with all sorts of modifications - like chocolate chips, hazelnut spread or toasted pecans. Make it very fall with some cranberries and a cup of cider...I'm going to have my breakfast piece now, thank you very much!

Tuna Tuna Salmon = Love Love Lust

Went to Japonais this weekend because it's good, I love it, and our friends Mica and Peter hadn't been there in forever. Who are we to say no to raw fish? We started the night in the subterranean lounge and it was packed...like people have been hibernating and were just LET LOOSE on the city's best indoor bars. Yes, it was that packed. We were relegated to the corner of the corner near the service station (the bartender actually came all the way out and around the bar to return our tab because people were 3 deep at the bar - crazy).

After a glass of my favorite sauv blanc we were seated upstairs in a comfy banquette. Immediately we ordered the Rock and the Kani Nigiri - surf and turf, if you will. I elected myself Chief of the Rock and made everyone seared, salty slices of beef. We ordered a variety of warm dishes to appease Peter, but ultimately the main event was the (two orders of) Tuna Tuna Salmon. Honestly, it's so good - it's like my personal brand of fish candy. Here's the equation, if you're not familiar:

Sushi rice+salmon tartar+avocado+perfectly sliced tuna+wasabi tobiko sauce = deliciousness!

I am mildly obsessed and have been reminded of said obsession - now have to plan my next meal of wine and Tuna Tuna Salmon, any takers?

Toast-y Brunch

Well, we survived Mother's Day brunch this past Sunday. We wanted to get something to eat and since I'm a "new mom" of a puppy, I got to choose. I picked Toast since we've lived in LP for 8 months and have never been...it's a super popular nabe spot with 1-2 hour waits as the norm. Not happening for a girl like me who needs to eat once she starts thinking about it - especially on Sundays!

C obliged and put our name in an hour before we thought we'd be hungry, which really worked out for us and we were seated on schedule at a cozy banquette table near the kitchen. The menu is awesome, a great selection of super sweet breakfast items, savory sandwiches, eggs and omelets run the gamut from crazy to Denver...the most outlandish, yet ultimately satisfying menu item was the French Toast Orgy. I can't even tell you how strange it sounds on the menu - but it was SO good. It's 3 rectangular pieces of stuffed, soaked French toast (mascarpone and strawberry, for us) topped with vanilla yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit. It's an enormous mess of goodness.

The other item we tried was the Lump Crab Benedict - the eggs were cooked perfectly and the truffle hollandaise was amazing. The crab vs crabCAKE is up for debate, though this is a healthier option, likely. Toast makes great homefries and the potatoes are caramelized and crispy - the onions are hard to resist/share (sorry).

Julies Meinl coffee was a great addition to the meal and helped perk us up after a late Saturday night. Both effective and tasty, I plan on many future Sundays at Toast...as long as C is up to the task of putting our name in early :)

Outstanding in the Field. Out, standing in the field.

How funny are commas? This is such a different sentence when you add the comma...both are relevant to this particular post! Anyway, Outstanding in the Field is a fabulous organization that my friend Amanda clued me into. It is a group based out of Santa Cruz, CA that focuses on bringing people closer to the origins of the food that they eat. The "local food movement" combined with a unique goal to honor all the local farmers, artisans, and culinary leaders within a community that create, nurture, and prepare the food that we eat.

C and I are going to check out one of the Chicago events in August - I would encourage everyone to sign up. It's a steep price tag, but promises to be a wonderful evening: tour of the farm, unlimited wine, family-style dining on local produce/meats/cheeses, celebrated chefs, and sitting outside in August!

For our meal, Mindy Segal from the restaurant Hot Chocolate will be the executive chef. We'll be visiting the Chicago City Farm - with a great view of the city!

Bristol Fever

So, The Bristol has floated in and out of my head many times in the sense that it has come up in my life via my friends, my birthday gift, my preferred reading material, eavesdropping and various other ways too numerous to count. The most recent mention was from A-Shan and her failed attempt to go there (which is a rather annoying story and, Mr. The Bristol if you're reading, you should scold your doorman/host).

After a late lunch, late nap, and nice weather, C and I decided to head over there, despite the recent troubles A-Shan had and found ourselves faced with a quoted TWO HOUR wait. This was fine, though in comparison to the wait when I called at 8:30 (20 minutes prior) it was an additional 45 minutes. We were okay to wait, assuming it wouldn't take quite as long as predicted and fancied ourselves upstairs for a drink (or two or three).

Upstairs is like a bar/lounge with seated tables, leather benches, and a high communal table. The menu is written on a neat blackboard wall and the room is dimly lit. It reminds me of going to a friends loft party who doesn't have a lot of furniture, but it still feels comfy and you don't feel crammed in, and can find a place to perch. After chatting up the bartender (do NOT call him anything but) we learned a little bit more about the chef owners and the menu. After securing a few recommendations (and waiting an hour and fifteen minutes) we headed down to our table. We were seated at one of two large communal tables, across from 2 very politically vocal women and their mute friend. The tables are large enough that it isn't awkward, however we were rather mesmerized by the two women directly across from us who were loud and vocal about their political views, the financial situation, and cocktails.

We were now hungry, so we ordered right away, here's our menu:
Monkey Bread (a house specialty)
Heirloom Apple Salad
Braised Goat Ragu over Chitarra pasta
Bristol Cheese Burger with Duck Fat fries

I ordered a pinot noir and C had a tempranillo - both of which were great pairs for the goat and the burger. The monkey bread came first and was fabulous - buttery, soft, easy to pull apart, I absolutely LOVE the dill butter for dipping. I would have dipped my napkin in there to soak the rest up if there was any left...so delicious. Tasted like a buttery dill pickle. Following the bread was the apple salad with fresh fennel, hazelnuts, micro greens, and teeny tiny mushrooms mixed with a creme fraiche dressing. Very refreshing and highly recommended for sharing.

Our next course was the pasta - homemade and cooked perfectly al dente, the chitarra was in a goat ragu, tasted like a mix of lamb and wild boar to me with that game texture...little salty olives added texture and I really enjoyed the contrast. C was not sold on the olives...thought that the green was an odd choice for the subtleties of the dish.

Finally, the burger. The burger was amazing - I am a burger snob, so much so that I rarely order them for fear of disappointment. The bun is brioche with sea salt on top, the burger was well cooked either "pink" or "not pink" (we chose "pink"), the fries are cooked in duck fat and come complete with either house made ketchup or garlic aioli - it's my heaven on that plate. Since we were sharing everything, I had to give Chris 1/2, though I could easily have taken it down myself. Generally, I can't finish a burger but THIS burger I could and would want to. I would like to go back again this weekend to have it. I'm serious.

Overall, I was happy to finally make it there. Happy with our menu choices. Happy that the bill came to $68. Happy that they also serve brunch on Sundays. Overall Bristol=happy.

The Basil Leaf

Saturday night was f-ing cold, we were sick, and had no food in the house that was appetizing - sounds like a recipe for take-out. BUT, we ended up taking a quick cab up Clark Street to The Basil Leaf Cafe. I had heard it was a cozy neighborhood spot and that's what we needed...

We sat down as soon as we arrived, it was on the early side and ridiculously cold, and had a nice two-top in the center of the room. I mention this because I didn't feel like I was sitting on top of anyone and C and I could talk about all the other diners without hesitation!

After reviewing the novelette which is the menu, we both selected quite basic chicken options...I wanted to confirm something with the waitress so I asked her:
"The Chicken Milano - is that Chicken Milanese?"
"The Chicken Milano? Yes", she said, but with a tone that was NOT convincing.
"Great, so it's a pounded, breaded, crispy chicken breast? Does the artichoke salad come on top and then pasta on the side?"
"No, it's not crispy."
"Oh, so it's not breaded? Sorry, I was hoping it was Chicken Milanese"
"No, no, no, it's breaded, just not crispy. And, the artichokes, tomatoes and mushrooms are in the pasta"
"Ah, ok, so the pasta is mixed with the veggies and the chicken is breaded, not crispy and on the top?"
"No, the chicken is on the side."
"You know what? I'll take the Chicken Piccata. Thanks."

I guess I was confused, but apparently so was she. Regardless, the chicken piccata was tender and salty with lemon, tomatoes, mushrooms (a little unusual) and capers. C had some sort of sausage, chicken, green pepper madness that was enormous (yet, apparently pretty good). They don't make their own pasta, but did an okay job with their execution. We both picked at our meals, taking the majority home for leftovers. I think regardless of your appetite, eating the entire plate would be quite a feat - there must be at least a 1/2 pound of pasta on the plate. Even as I type that, it doesn't seem a big enough number to represent the pile of pasta.

Anyway, we skipped dessert and paid our check - it was an early night due to illness, but we did leave a full dining room. An empty bar, which was confusing to me, because it seemed warm, open and inviting in there...maybe next time we'll try their apps and have drinks at the bar. In short, it was decent and we'd go again, but it was not necessarily interesting. For someone who wants 65 options avec pasta, it's a good choice for you.

God Bless America @ 401 N Michigan

In light of the recent historic election, as well as the proximity of the inauguration, I thought I'd share an appropriately named sculpture that appeared in front of C's work a few weeks back. It's called "God Bless America" and is a truly monumental sculpture with people subjects over 25' tall!

It is a recent installation from artist J. Seward Johnson, Jr., who recreates famous works of art (paintings, photos, etc.) as life-sized statues to match the detail of the original work Check out his website for more information. During the fall, we were lucky enough to see "King Lear", though we didn't exactly know he was King Lear for a few weeks (insert sheepish grin here).

An obvious nod to "American Gothic" by artist Grant Wood, this sculpture is a larger-than-life replica of the iconic couple and pitchfork...I don't get the suitcase (which is only barely visible in the photograph here) but the look on the wife's face is the same solemn stare. Eerily close to the original.

Either way, it's very cool to have sculpture installations outside of your office. For that, 1 point for 401 N Michigan.

Birthday dinner!

Well, I hit the big 2-8 last Thursday and was coerced into eating and drinking and merry making because of it. For several days. It was wonderful.

Due to my overwhelming love of Avec, I requested that we go to Blackbird - the upscale sister restaurant to Avec. C obliged and made us 7:30 reservations...I point out the time only because when we walked in, it was quite empty. Usually, at least in my experience in Chicago, 7:30 is THE time to eat. We are generally later diners (8:30/9pm) and I've noticed that this is against the grain in Chicago. Anyway, when we walked in, we were seated at a nice banquette and our server showed up in a suit (Joseph Abboud according to the menu).

After selecting some vino, we settled in with the menu. Blackbird does that thing where they basically list ingredients: salad of endives, crispy potatoes, basil, dijon, pancetta, and poached egg. Personally, I love this, then there are less questions. But, again, I digress.

I ordered the delicious salad above (and pictured below) and Chris ordered the mussel soup.
I would highly recommend both. The salad comes in this crispy potato fortress and is stacked high with endive and mixed baby greens, sliced potatoes and herbs and topped with a perfectly poached egg. Tableside, they puncture the egg, split the fortress of potato and efficiently "toss" the salad. Every bite was amazing - I took a picture because I was so impressed - yes, I was that girl. The soup was poured in the way du jour with the contents served first and the broth poured delicately around. The mussels were plump and plentiful, though knowing C, the real winner was the broth - sweet, creamy, saffron, with a touch of shallots and wine. He mopped up every last bit of it with bread!

For dinner, I opted for a crispy cod fillet over parsnip puree and sauteed apples. It was a light, yet fall focused dish. I cleaned my plate. The fish was cooked perfectly crisp and flaky, and the hint of herbs (chervil and something I can't place!) added a freshness to each bite. C ordered the wagyu beef which was tender (though tiny) and came with a chestnut/onion thing which was unique...C loves potatoes, we should have ordered some on the side, but he enjoyed it.

The only disappointment (to me) was the dessert. I guess I was expected something with a little more depth...it was sort of like we got fried donut holes with chocolate...and ice cream. Here is there description: milk chocolate fritters with apricots, soy and rice milk sorbet.

All in all, the meal was exceptionally good - the service, the wine, the food, the atmosphere. I can see why it has the reputation it does...I know we will continue to enjoy their restaurants! By the way, when we left, the place was packed - jammed to the gills. So, perhaps all the late diners go to Blackbird?

Movember

So my friend Anna's husband (the honorable Brandon Haley) is helping save men everywhere from Prostate Cancer by participating in Movember.

Check it out - should be an interesting month!

Old Town Brasserie

In a recent game of restaurant roulette (of sorts), my friend Amanda and I both randomly selected the Old Town Brasserie for a weeknight dinner out. It was a cold, windy Chicago day (read: normal) so the thought of cozy French fare was comforting.

I made reservations easily and beat her to the restaurant. Still freezing from the cold, I went right to the table, anything to get away from the door...The dining room is bright and yellow and inviting. It was smaller than I thought it would be, but a perfect neighborhood size. The tables are set with French country plates and napkins folded like little spa robes (lapels and all).

After perusing the wine list, I had a lapse of judgment and ordered a Spanish Malbec...quite ripe and not at all what I was expecting or wanted. The waiter was quick to notice and replaced my poor choice with a French Cabernet - much better.

Amanda and I were both struggling with the menu - many interesting things and seasonal dishes to choose from, she and I decided to divide and conquer - she ordered the apple and parsnip salad with maple walnuts, I ordered a roasted beets and goat cheese salad (yes, predictable).
Her salad had this wonderful parsnip pancake - moist and dense, like a blini - that was warm and added great texture to the apples, nuts, and red leaf lettuce. The beets on my dish were minimal, but the haricot verts and crisped chevre was delicious.

Next course was difficult...I read that you should always order the "duo" on the menu...I just wasn't in the mood for steak/lamb, so I went with the roasted duck and Amanda chose the duo. I think her dish might have been superior, though for any duck lover out there, the confit was amazing and the duck breast was plentiful and cooked perfectly medium rare. The duo had braised beef and roasted lamb ribs - the lamb was too infused with rosemary for my tastes, but the beef was absolutely perfect - tender, flavorful, perfectly sauced.

We couldn't stop there so we moved onto dessert and had pre-ordered a chocolate souffle with almond ice cream. The souffle was gooey, chocolate goodness. Light and super chocolate-y. The tiny speck of ice cream that we received was unbelievable...like I can't believe that they put this miniature dot of ice cream on a plate...it was two bites (at best) and was melting fast next to the warm-from-the-oven souffle dish. Poor judgment OTB - that's like kitchen 101 stuff, right?

Regardless, we still had a great meal and I would definitely go back again...a few quick things to point out is that this is not a menu of "obligatory French". You will not see Onion Soup or Steak Frites - so don't go expecting that.

Okay, who's been there, any other major standouts?

Shame, shame, shame

So, the whole point of writing a blog is to have an outlet, a way to share things with the world...we have just completed one of life's great experiences (maybe great is a strong word)...one of life's most painstaking experiences and I have been a horrible blogger. No updates, not log ins, no responses to comments. Terrible.

I should be ashamed of myself. And, I am.

C is one of my only readers, he and my mom, but after convincing a bartender in Boston (Hi Ned) that he should read it, I haven't even posted about my most scrumptious meal at Hungry Mother, nor have I talked about loving Avec and the case of the unordered focaccia, I didn't even post to tell you about the new falafel place that I found near work that offers free samples in line (and it's only $4 for a sandwich). These are all very important food finds and I'm not sharing them...apologies. Sincere apologies.

Starting fresh this weekend, I will post more about the Chicago food scene. I will also write to Megan and let her know that I owe her a HM post - the deviled eggs alone could write themselves a few paragraphs. But, I digress...

Please stay tuned for more - big dining weekend with Cafe Spiaggia and North Pond!

Dresses As Art

As I was walking down Michigan Avenue last weekend (you know the one, the Magnificent Mile), these darling dresses started popping up in small gardens on the west side of the street. Apparently they are part of an exhibition from the International Academy of Design and Technology. They dresses are made of rather strange materials (hair, anyone?) but done in such a beautiful way that you can't help but stop and gawk.

Way to go art students - I applaud your originality. Here are a few of my favorites.

Chi-town Dish - Custom House

So, at long last, we have found an apartment in Chicago...it was sort of quick and sort of painful, the band-aid of my life right now. Luckily, it's over and I was a big girl and now I have a place to call home.

C and I started the weekend on a rainy Thursday, nearly electrocuted and drenched in the South Loop, but we made it to the Custom House. This delightfully un-trendy eatery boasts luxe booths, leather, low lighting and a menu fit for carnivores. C and I were surprised to find several braised dishes and heavy game selections on the menu, this is July, right? There were only 3 seafood dishes...one of which I had and it was delicious. Before we go there though, let's talk about how fabulous and under-rated octopus is as a dish? Octopus for me is like a little taste of heaven, I have not had any I do not like...this meal was no different as we ordered this wonderful octopus caponata with fresh roasted veggies, pine nuts, golden raisins and tasty grilled octopus. This was a great way to start off the meal, very light and delicious and made me want another 4 plates of it.

For my entree, I went w/ the Wisconsin White Perch with a crusty panko topping served with room temperature gnocchi/bacon/shallots. The smokiness of the bacon and the light, white fish were great. I would order the gnocchi as a side again and the fish made me excited to explore the world of lake trout.

C ordered from the braised meat list and went with our perennial favorite: the short rib. These short ribs were like butter-fall-off-the-bone goodness - served with two horseradish cream-filled beignets. Different. I'll leave it at that. To share we ordered the pea, pea pod, bacon, and turnip salad. It's cold, mixed with creme fraiche for a summer barbeque salad type consistency - absolutely delicious. Loved it a lot. Their other sides consisted of whole grains like quinoa and farro, to fun starches like gratin and whipped Yukon gold potatoes. If there was a vegetarian option of sides, I would have definitely gone for that. It was very tough to pick just one.

We skipped dessert, though there were some interested options. I would recommend the Custom House to anyone looking for superior service, great food, and a quiet but beautiful dining room.

Chi-town

Chicago is Fast Company's City of the Year!

How cool is that? Excited for my trip this weekend...