Happy Birthday, Sis! An Unintentionally Italian Fête (Plus Pie!)

I am not Italian.  Let's be clear about it.  But I love me some Italian food (as you might already know from my near-innumerable postings about Antico Posto in Oakbrook).

My sister requested stuffed shells for her birthday, and the menu that resulted ended up being pseudo-Italian and super delicious.

I'll admit, I made the shells from the recipe on the package.  It was simple enough but tedious at the same time.  If you're not a patient person, make lasagna instead.  The first shell I stuffed was neat and pretty; I made a cannelle from the filling and gingerly placed it in the pasta.  By the time I got to the last one, I'm pretty sure I was angry and had ricotta in my hair.  My best suggestion for the shells is this: make them ahead of time, arrange them in the pan, and stick it in the fridge until about 45 minutes before you're ready to eat dinner.  Nobody needs to see you cussing out a casserole dish.  Trust me.

Now, since pasta's pretty heavy (especially the kind filled with all manner of delicious cheesiness and topped with sausage-y tomato sauce) the only side dishes I made were salads.  Grape tomatoes looked excellent at the grocery store, so I halved two pints to make a caprese salad.  Here's how it went down:

Caprese Salad a la Foodie:

2 pints grape tomatoes, halved and salted to draw out moisture (stick them in a colander over a bowl for about 20 minutes)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4-5 large leaves of basil cut into ribbons just before serving
2 Tsp. Balsamic vinegar
3 Tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
~1 Tsp. honey (maybe a little less)
Salt and pepper

Toss the mozzarella and tomatoes together.  In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, and honey with a pinch of salt and fresh-cracked pepper.  (You won't use all the dressing for this amount of salad.  Either store the remainder or use it for salad.)  Pour dressing, to taste, over tomatoes and cheese and add in basil.  Toss gently to coat and chill before serving.

I also threw together a great big romaine salad with thinly sliced hearts of romaine lettuce, quartered grape tomatoes, and a little thinly sliced red onion (which I rinsed with cold water and soaked for a while in a mixture of balsamic and water to take some of the sharpness out).

We usually go crazy with appetizers, but I wanted to do something simple this time around. We'd purchased a trio of Italian cheeses and some fruit, so I set up a little cheese board.  It featured Balsamic Bellavitano (strong, aged, nutty, with Balsamic vinegar), Parmesan SarVecchio (aged, sweet, nutty, a little caramel-y) and Asiago Fresco (a bit like Swiss, tasty but not my favorite) along with quartered black figs, sliced Fuji apple, and crackers.  Coupled with a nice Cuvee red wine and a sweet white, these snackies were an all-around crowd pleaser.

Dessert was pie (not homemade, regrettably, but darlings, I just didn't have the time!).  Also, fun fact: you can make your pie into a milkshake.  I won't go into details about why I made it.  Just know it's yummy.

Apple Pie Shake (Serves 2)

1 slice Dutch apple pie
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup 2% milk

Throw it all in a blender and blend on high until smooth.  Taste it and be amazed (I know I was).

I'm still full...I guess it was a success.

Happy Almost-Labor Day!

~AF

Recipe: Cheddar-Rosemary Braided Pizza Bread Loaf

I know the name's a mouthful, but the recipe's a snap.  And it's delicious and pretty!

Ingredients:

1 tube pizza dough (I used Pillsbury)
Fresh rosemary
Sharp cheddar
1/2 Tsp. butter, melted
Coarse-ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Unroll the pizza dough. Sprinkle minced rosemary and about half of the sharp shredded cheddar down the middle third of the dough.

3. Using a sharp knife, cut a series of slits in the outer two thirds of the dough so that they form strips perpendicular to the way the loaf will run. This is very difficult to describe without a visual, so the next time I make this, I'll be sure to post photos of the dough cutting. Frankly, it ends up looking like fringe.

4. Fold the strips over the middle, angling them slightly, alternating right-left, right-left, down the length of the loaf. When you get to the end, tuck the strips underneath.

5. Brush the top of the loaf with the melted butter and top with the remainder of the shredded cheese and a little more minced rosemary. Add some black pepper if desired.

6.

The prettiest (and first) pizza bread-thing I've ever made.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden.

As I said, difficult to visualize without pics.  I have a snap of the result though. Check back later for a bread-braiding tutorial. Because I now realize that'd be a great thing indeed.

~AF

Recipe! Farmer's Market Potatoes with Rosemary

Last time we went to the farmer's market, we picked up a whole bunch of beautiful yellow fingerling potatoes, and last night's dinner called for a little starchy goodness to go alongside.  So naturally, I threw something together with what I had lying around.  Here's what I came up with (it's easy and delicious!):

Ingredients:

2 c. fingerling potatoes, washed
1 Tsp. sweet cream butter (unsalted)
1 Tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. fresh rosemary
Salt
Black pepper (fresh-ground, as always!)

Instructions:

1. Cut the potatoes into coins, between a quarter- and a half-inch thick.

2. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat with 1/2 Tsp. butter and 1/2 Tsp. olive oil. You'll need to cook the potatoes in two batches to get them evenly golden.

3. Spread half the potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Sauté for about five minutes on the first side, then flip and sauté for five minutes on the other side.  If the potatoes aren't brown enough for your liking, continue to cook until they reach the desired color.

4. Before the potatoes finish, sprinkle a pinch or two of salt over the rosemary and chop it finely.  Place the rosemary-salt mixture in the bottom of your serving dish, along with a couple grinds of black pepper.

5. Once the potatoes are cooked, pour them over the rosemary and salt, and stir to distribute.

6. Repeat with the second batch of potatoes, using the remaining butter and olive oil to sauté.

I like to use a serving dish with a cover on it so I can just pop the lid on and give the potatoes a shake to coat them with the salt and herbs.  This side goes well with just about anything (bratwurst, portobello mushroom "burgers," actual burgers, chicken, etc...).  I dare you not to sneak a few before you serve this up.

Happy Cooking!

~AF

Oh No, You Didn't! Pork-on-Pork-on-Pretzel Roll at B&tB

Now, you guys already know how much I enjoyed my last trip to Butcher & the Burger on Armitage in Lincoln Park.  It was awesome, there was Mexican Coca-Cola, yada, yada, yada...

The burger I had this time was just as good (house prime blend with steakhouse seasoning on a split-top butter egg bun, lettuce, goat cheese, mayo, grilled onion, grilled mushroom...all ingredients that make for a soupy, delicious burger that runs down your wrist and dribbles onto your lap).  But it was my sister's sammie that surprised me the most.

She ordered the pork burger.  To me, that didn't sound all that impressive.  I WAS WRONG, KIDDIES.  I am so, so sorry for doubting.

Because this was no ordinary ground pork patty.  It was seasoned like a sausage patty.  Delicious.  Like, seriously awesome.  Add to that the bacon she ordered on top, plus barbecue sauce and cheddar?  Insane.  Delicious.  All on a pretzel roll.  It was a little country-western-Oktoberfest, and I mean that in the best way.  And it was so clean to eat.  No running cheeses or mushroom juice...what a sensible gal.

Of course we got a big ol' basket of the Kennebec fries to split, and I got the glass-bottled Coke.  And we snarfed it all before I thought to snap a photo.

I'll be back for ya in the fall, guys.  I just ate there this afternoon.  I'm already hungry for more.

Happy Summer!

~AF

Food + Art (Part 2!)

Well, kiddies, I've gone to the Park Grill yet again.  This is the...third time?  Once again, delicious.  This time there was tapenade and rustic bread, which I am so happy about.

The bread basket came with a too-small bowl of superb olive tapenade, one that tasted strongly of vinegar and Spanish olives and citrus.  I could've just eaten it with a spoon.  As you can imagine, it was gone before I could snap a photo.

Pear Salad at the Park Grill,
with Chicken

My entree was a lovely pear salad with bleu cheese, reconstituted dried cherries (the waiter never told us what they were soaked in, unfortunately), hazelnuts, and chicken (an added charge, but a wise addition).  It is because of this salad that I'm adding mesclun greens to my list of foods that you cannot eat while still managing to look classy.  Spinach stems hanging out of the corners of your mouth unless you turn every lettuce leaf into a work of origami?  Too.  Much.  Work.  And decidedly unattractive.  No me gusta.

Reuben at the Park Grill.
Anybody else hungry?

Mom finally made it to lunch with us!  She had an awesome reuben sandwich on super-toasty marbled rye, topped with a very pickle-y thousand island dressing.  It had just the right balance of meat, cheese, and kraut.  Well done, PG.  Well done.  It was served with a dill pickle spear and a mound of those excellent fries (which essentially meant I really had pear salad and french fries for lunch, but let's not get too technical, okay?).

My sis got the Grand burger again, and it was grand.  Equally as good as the last, not to worry.  You know what it looks like.  If you don't, check my last lunch-at-the-Park post.

My aunt had the spring risotto, which was lovely and creamy with a strong garlic flavor.  It was made with peas and mushrooms.  I was jealous of her lunch, I'll admit.  Especially since you could eat it and still look sophisticated (darned mesclun greens...).  I forgot to take a picture.  And I'm so, so sorry, lovies.

Our purpose in meeting at the park/AIC was to see photographer Abelardo Morell.  He's hilarious.  And so honest and upfront about his photography.  What a cool guy.  Check out his website!  His photos are fabulous!  His retrospective exhibit will be on display at the Art Institute until September 2.

I know the food photos pale in comparison to a well-executed camera obscura.  But the New York skyline rarely makes me drool...

Peace, Love, and Good Eating!

~AF

A Day At the Park (Grill!)

Hey, hey!  The Foodie's back and ready to dish on some dishes.

On the schedule today?  Pablo Picasso at the AIC, and, natch, lunch at the Park Grill next door.

Today was absolutely gorgeous.  The weather was so warm that I could go without a coat, so of course I obliged.  I could've just walked around outside for hours and hours and hours...but I'm only human.  I was getting hungry.

My aunt, sister, and I were planning on hitting the Picasso exhibit at the Art Institute, and the most convenient lunch spot for us was the Park Grill.  Last time we were there, we had Sunday brunch (chilaquiles, chicken and waffles...ringing any bells?).  Today we were in the mood for sandwiches and salads.

Turkey Pastrami Club at the Park Grill

I gravitated toward a Turkey Pastrami Club.  It consisted of turkey pastrami (as in, turkey prepared in the style of a pastrami with lots of assertive and delicious spices and that perfect, slightly chewy, peppery crust around the edges), thick-cut bacon (can I get an amen?), avocado, heirloom tomatoes, aioli, and alfalfa sprouts, all served with fresh-cut fries and a dill pickle spear.

I liked the sandwich, but I didn't love it.  The concept of pastrami-style turkey was genius, and it was very well executed.  The bacon was ah-mazing.  I love me some avocado.  But the heirloom tomato needed salt and there were altogether too many sprouts for my taste.  The fries were tasty though.

My sister had the Grand Burger, which I would choose for my next Park Grill lunch.  A juicy, well-seasoned beef patty is topped with bacon, onion straws, and cheese, plus a barbecue sauce-mayo mashup (PG sauce) that is surprisingly smoky and delicious.

Sometimes the simple choices are the best, and I wish I had gone with something a little less complex (though I hate to admit it).

Even simpler than the Grand Burger was my aunt's steak salad.  The beef was perfectly cooked and tender, served with a simple salad of iceberg lettuce and a few heirloom cherry tomatoes, all dressed in a slightly creamy dressing.

[Here I would like to apologize for my lack of specificity...I didn't take notes on the dishes and the menu online isn't up to date.]

Honey-Lavendar Crème Brûlée

Apple Galette

Dessert consisted of a honey-lavendar crème brûlée (shared between my aunt and myself) and an apple galette.  The brûlée reminded me of lemon-lavendar shortbread.  And by that I mean I loved it.  The galette was warm and flaky and topped with vanilla ice cream(!).  And it was all gorgeous.

I'm sorry if this post seems a little...lacking in pizzazz.  I'm really tired tonight, lovies, but I'll go back through and polish this up when I get a chance.

Peace, Love and Zzzzz....

~af.

The Great Ones Among Us

I've never professed to be any sort of great critic.  That definition would be highly subjective anyway.  But I know there is such thing as a great critic.  Perhaps first and foremost among critics, and especially here in Chicago, there stood only one, the legendary Roger Ebert.

Simply by virtue of my age, I am admittedly no great expert on Ebert and his work.  Through the magic of social networking, though, I've come to appreciate his wit through both Tweets and blog posts.  He was certainly one of a kind.

And it was not until today that I understood just how much I am really going to miss reading his writing.  A screenwriting student in one of my classes very nearly broke down in tears upon hearing of Ebert's passing.  The effect for me was far less immediate, but after reading a slew of touching memorial tweets by his friends, fellow journalists, and moviegoers alike, I find myself a bit choked up at the thought of his Twitter feed and his blog going silent.

He was unabashedly steadfast in his own opinions, something I feel many of us writers (both amateur and professional) find difficult to do in a world that can be so harshly critical.  If he didn't like a movie but you did, you could extol its virtues six ways to Sunday and you still wouldn't be able to budge him from his stance.  He came off as curmudgeonly and frank.  Although at first glance it seemed  a bit brusque and difficult to adjust to, his manner is one I hope to emulate (though certainly not replicate, for that would be impossible).

As a person and a personality, he was not conventional by any means.  On the anniversary of Gene Siskel's death, he posted a link on Twitter to an interview he did with Siskel on Howard Stern's show.  During the interview, he was gruff at times, humorous at others.  It was conducted during the nascent stages of his relationship with the woman he would later marry, and when Stern inquired about Ebert's relationship with someone of a different race, Ebert basically said 'So what?' (In my humble opinion, there was also a bit of a 'Screw you' implied, and if there was, I don't blame him. Because what does it really matter anyway?).  That is the one part of the interview that truly stuck with me.  It wasn't necessarily shocking; I found it respectable because of his refusal to censor himself or hide his own feelings.

That was the way Ebert conducted himself, and that was the way he wrote.  His actions were unapologetic, his opinions required no further explanation, and even though he seemed irascible at times, people still respected him.  I would imagine he loved blogging; no 'bleep' to hold him back, no one to tell him what topics were off limits...

Ebert even wrote about his own death.  An excerpt from his book, posted online after he passed and tweeted out shortly thereafter by British actor Stephen Fry, demonstrates that he approached the end with the same tenacity he exhibited in everything.  He was not afraid of it.  I'll post the link here if you'd care to peruse it.

This weekend I plan to visit his blog and truly read it, perhaps even start to finish.  I want to remember him by his writing, in all of its feisty frankness.

I'm sorry to have only realized my desire to read his writings at the moment of his death.  But someone wrote about that once, didn't they?  Ah, The Band Perry... "funny when you're dead how people start listening..."

I heard bits and pieces before, but I'm listening now.  Rest in peace, Roger.  As many have already tweeted today, The Balcony Is Closed.

Sincerely and Respectfully, A Fellow Writer:

~AF