ThinkiNG, TastiNG, TrippiNG, AmaziNG

 You may ask yourself what this title is about.  You may not care, and have just been patiently anticipating another exciting adventure in eating.  You may currently be being held captive and  forced to read this jibberish and truly not give a rats ass of the contents here.  Whatever your motive for reading this, I do hope to change your mind and entice you to explore this true adventure in dining.  Of course, it’s not me that makes this an adventure.  The person at the center of attention here is Chef Homaro Cantu.  Now, go grab a beer, glass of wine, spirit of your choice, milk, water, or coffee and sit back while I attempt not to sound like a super fan, but to spread the word on what Chef Cantu is attempting to do.

Let’s start with a little history of Chef.   Chef Cantu was born in 1976 in Tacoma, Washington.  From the ages of six to nine, he lived with his Mother and Sister, homeless.  This experience helped him to develop a passion to fight world hunger.  He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institutehttp://www.cordonbleu.edu(Western Culinary Institute) in Portland, Oregon.  

His professional career, shortly after graduation Chef worked in nearly 50 restaurants on the West Coast until his move to Chicago in 1999.  In Chicago, Chef Cantu worked for Chef Charlie Trotter until 2004, when he set out to open his first restaurant, Moto.  And this is when Chef put himself on the map.  Although I have not had the opportunity to dine at Motohttp://motorestaurant.com(it’s just a wee bit out of my budget), I have not heard a negative review come from anyone that has dined there.  Inventive, Ingenious, Impressive, Impeccable are four of the words I’ve heard that describe an experience at Moto.  From the time you sit and are presented with your menu, an edible menu by the way to the table side preparation of cookie dough(you are given ingredients and a recipe card and you make the magic happen), you are not only getting a great meal, but a fantastic experience.  Now, in the basement of Moto is a laboratory, yes, a real lab.  I did have the opportunity to see it, and you can also if you check out youtube and enter Future Food Moto.  I couldn’t find complete episodes, but there are clips available.  In the lab, there is a centrifuge, hand held ion particle gun, helium, and liquid nitrogen just to name a few items.  All the things that make Chef Cantu, well, Chef Cantu, a true culinary madman.

Forward to 2010 and Homaro Cantu’s third restaurant venture.  There was a second, Otom, however, I don’t know much about that one, but it’s life span was short lived.  Chef Cantu’s next restaurant, iNG(Imagining New Gastronomy) was opened as a more accessible dining experience for everyone.  It was also his way to introduce the Miracle Berryhttp://mberry.us to the masses.  Miracle berries are organic, non GMO, and an all natural plant, native to West Africa.  The berry, when eaten, causes sour foods, such as lemons and limes to taste sweet.  Without getting too deep and scientific, the effect of this berry is due to what is called Miraculin.  Miraculin works by binding to sweet receptors on the taste buds.  It’s really something that you need to experience to believe.  Chef Cantu started working with the M-berry roughly 6 years ago, when a friend of a friend was going through Chemo and lost her taste buds.  When told that everything that she ate tasted of metal and rubber, it was suggested that Chef Cantu explore the M-berry.  He and his Pastry Chef, Ben Roche hit the ground running.  They experimented with everything they could, and continue to do that to this day.  They spent time sucking on tin foil and trying foods, discovering that the M-berry neutralized the metallic taste in foods.  In the process of experimentation, Cantu also began to realize that this berry could also be used to reduce the need to use refined sugars, processed and artificial sweeteners.  Chef Cantu and his dedicated staff have put together a book that you can order, buy at the restaurant or I believe it's available at Barnes and Noble, called The Miracle Berry Diet Cookbook.  Check it out, pick it up, and experiment with it.  It may change your health.

Ok, I’ve strayed from my original point of the above paragraph. but now you know why iNGhttp://ingrestaurant.com is, so you should know what iNG is.  Here you will be introduced to the M-berry and the Flavor Tripping experience.  In the beginning, the menu was only offered at the Chef’s Table, but after an overwhelming request from customers, the menu was offered to everyone and became the only menu offered at the restaurant.   The creativity contained in this restaurant is amazing and overwhelming.  Listening to Chef Cantu speak, during a recent visit, you begin to really understand what is happening in the mind of this Chef.  Below, you’ll see photos and descriptions from my last visit to iNG.  I am still working on figuring out my lighting problems, but you’ll get the idea.  And the next time you visit Chicago, make reservations or make a special trip to Chicago, just for this experience, it’s well worth the drive to experience a menu put together by a Culinary genius/madman.

Capon Puff-Feta~Nectarine~Cherry.  Served in a rich broth.  I could've eaten a bowl of these.

Lemon Drop Gin Sphere - Break that icy sphere with your spoon and you have a nice cocktail to start you off.

Pizza - Pepperoni~Kalamata~Mushroom~Fontina.  Served on a piece of charred bourbon barrel.

Venison Bratwurst - This hickory smoke filled sphere contained the venison bratwurst.

And what was revealed after the sphere was lifted?

Venison Bratwurst-Venison Brat pieces on a bed of sauerkraut~Spicy Brown Mustard~Peanuts

                                                But wait, there's more below!!!

Korean Beef-Short Rib~Lemongrass~Ginger.  This was the most tender short rib I've ever had, with rich deep flavors brought up a few levels by the cucumber kimchi.

I am sorry again for the photos.  The short rib was perfectly cooked and the color of it was equally as impressive.

Short Rib

Orange Creamsicle-Vanilla~Orange~Vodka.  And yes, after the M-Berry, it tasted just like a creamsicle.

Yogurt Parfait-Yogurt~Prickly Pear Sorbet~Granola.  Now this is something I could devour, every morning for breakfast.  It was really amazing and the flavors were bright, especially the sorbet.  If you haven't had prickly pear, I highly suggest you try it as soon as possible.

Buckeye-Peanut Butter~Chocolate~Elephant Ear.  I tried this pre M-berry and it was bloody awful!  But after the berry, it was like peanut butter ice cream, chocolate, and the elephant ear.  It was like being at an upscale carnival.

Buckeye

Fin

I urge you all to try this and see the innovation that is Chef Homaro Cantu.  This really is something to be experienced.  There is no feeling of pretentiousness here, no stuffy collars.  iNG is fun and interactive, so come here with an empty stomach and an open mind.  Oh, don't forget your camera and your smart phone because social networking while dining is encouraged, by everyone here.  So get your Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Yelp ready to roll.  And I want to see and hear about your experiences here.  I do have more photos from previous experiences, so are better and some not so much than what's above.  If you'd like to see them, I'd be more than happy to share them.

Until next time,

Ciao, Ciao

Do you Burgoo?

On April 20, 2004, an F3 tornado struck this small town in Illinois, killing ultimately 9 people, injuring 6 people, destroying more than half of the downtown area, and damaging over 100 homes.  Since then, although the mental scars remain, Utica has rebuilt, and seems to have come back with a vengeance.  The downtown area of Utica and up to just North of the Illinois River bridge has built back up with quaint businesses, bars, and restaurants.  It’s quite a scenic area and sees quite a bit of traffic with it’s close proximity to Starved Rockhttp://www.starvedrockstatepark.org, Buffalo Rockhttp://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/i&m/east/buffalo/home.htm, LaSalle Speedwayhttp://lasallespeedway.com, and LaSalle/Peru.  Utica also has a few annual celebrations, but is best known for it’s Burgoo Festivalhttp://www.lasallecountymuseum.org/programs/burgooinfo.asp.

Traditional burgoo stew contained whatever meat was donated by hunters and whatever vegetables were donated by farmers.  In Utica, it’s typically lean beef, vegetables, and spices only known by the burgoomeister.  These ingredients are combined in multiple 55 gallon pots, cooked and stirred for 24 hours over an open fire.  The result is a thick and hearty stew.  Of course, there are fables and stories about the burgoo to attempt to scare people away or dare them into eating it.  One popular rumor is that the stew is stirred with bare feet.  I can promise you, that large wooden paddles are used in this process and no one’s bare feet touch the stew.  You will want to get there early though, because the longer the stew cooks, the vegetables will start to get a bit mushy.  Of course, there are other things to do during the festival.  Take a visit to August Hill Winery and Illinois Sparkling Co. for your wine and sparkling wine needs.  Now, I’m not well versed on Illinois wines, I can say that the sparkling wines from Illinois Sparkling was really tasty.  In fact, one of their wines was mentioned in Time Out Chicago’s “100 Best Things We Ate & Drank This Year” for 2012.  Of course, I’m in the process of conquering this list, so I had to snag a bottle.  Also downtown is a great little chocolate shop, Skoog’s Pub and Grill, and Duffy’s Tavern.  And don’t forget to people watch during Burgoo, there is a distinct mix of people and it gets really interesting.

24 hours of stirring.

The end result - Burgoo!

A bit further South of downtown, in a little strip mall type thing, there is a dessert stop, Two Girls and A Cupcakehttp://www.yelp.com/biz/two-girls-and-a-cupcake-inc-utica.  Of course I had to investigate this place, for obvious reasons.  Now, if you are in Utica, I suggest you stop in a try one of their cupcakes.  Me?  Well, I may give it a second chance, but my first experience was very disappointing.  Although their customer service is great, their prices, not too bad, and the interior is fun, the cupcake was dry.  Once I hit a dry cupcake, the flavor is ruined.  As I said, I would be willing to give it a second try.  But one thing I’ve noticed about cupcake shops is the majority of their product is dry.  I’ve made better cupcakes from Betty Crocker.  This makes me sad, because God knows everyone wants a Maple Bacon Cupcake or at least a great Red Velvet cupcake, but to have a dry cupcake, meh, ruins the experience.  

Before you leave Utica, make sure you still have an appetite, because there is one place that needs to be on your list of stops, Ron’s Cajun Connectionhttp://www.ronscajunconnection.com.  Don’t be fooled by the location, this place is the real deal.  The Chef/Owner Ron McFarlain, born in Lake Charles, Louisiana and established the Cajun Connection in Utica in 1995.  Why he came here?  I don’t know, I don’t care, I just want to eat his food!  The Cajun Connection is only open Thursday - Sunday.  And you want to be here when the doors unlock, or you will be standing in line.  No reservation accepted here, because he doesn’t have to.  And if you have to stand in line, it moves fast and it’s worth the wait.  The staff is welcoming and friendly and Ron will be sure to visit your table.  The food is fast, fresh, and authentic.  On the most recent visit, we did some damage to the boudin balls.  The boudin balls are a Cajun variation on boudin blanc, which is a white sausage made of pork, including the heart and liver.  With the boudin balls, it’s left loose rolled into a ball, breaded and friend.  You can get them mild or hot, we got both and were not disappointed.  We also ordered some hushpuppies, which were small and forgettable.  For my entree, I ordered the Bubba Shrimp, Blackened Alligator, and Red Beans and Rice with Sausage.  The shrimp were perfectly fried and tasty.  The gator, was tender and spicy.  It was my first gator experience and I would definitely order it again.  Reminded me of perfectly cooked calamari.  The red beans and rice with sausage wasn’t too bad either.  If you are wanting to steer away from the sausage, you have that option as well.  Of course, we wanted to save room for dessert, and on special that night was the Banana’s Foster Bread Pudding.  Which Ron brought out to the table, poured a bit of liquor over it and lit it up.  As we sat and watched the flame work it’s caramelizing magic on the bread pudding, we nibbled on the house made, almost world famous pecan pie.  You can never go wrong with Pecan Pie, especially when it has  a hint of cayenne pepper added to it.  And the bread pudding?  Well, I’d drive from Chicago just for that dessert alone.  And to add to the meal, I had a little Abita Pecan Harvest Ale, naturally.

Red Beans and Rice, Bubba Shrimp, and Blackened Gator

Banana's Foster Bread Pudding

Abita Pecan Harvest Ale

Overall, Utica is a nice little road trip from Chicago, or anywhere.  It’s a nice day trip from Chicago.  And Burgoo, well, you need to experience this at least once in your life.  You might get hooked on Illinois Sparkling and Cajun Ron’s, but I guarantee you won’t regret it.  

A new beginning.

I'm here, I'm here!!  Between illness, travel and a death in the family, I dropped off of the face of the blogosphere, but I'm back and I'm on a mission.  I've put a lot on my plate and I hope I can pull it all off.

First, I'm committing myself to running the Chicago Marathon this year.  Next month is registration, so I'll have plenty of time to train.  That shouldn't be a problem.  That also means I'll have to dedicate more time to running, balanced with time for fun, food, drink, travel, and perfecting my Italian.

Second, I still have a list of sandwiches that I need to tackle.  I thought for sure I'd have at least half of the 50 knocked back, but so many things going on, I've neglected this task, which also lead to neglecting my readers.

Third, Time Out Chicago put out their annual 100 Best Things We Ate and Drank This year, for 2012. So if Bacon Steak, Thai Style Fried Chicken, Gateau Breton, Peanut Butter and Jelly Donuts, Moqueca, Baccala Frittole, and Kimchee Mortadella bun, sound intriguing, stay tuned.

And finally, for Christmas, I received some new cookbooks, so I'll be doing some more home cooking as well.  I'm still looking for recipes from my readers, so please feel free to share.

One last note, this coming Friday I will be taking a cooking class.  This is no ordinary cooking class, no.  This class will be held at iNG restaurant (http://www.ingrestaurant.com) and we will be using the Miracle Berry, which Chef Homaro Cantu is really making headway in bringing this magic berry to the publics attention.  We will be making a few things from his new Miracle Berry Diet Cookbook, followed by a 6 course meal.  Every experience here has been amazing, and just keeps getting better.  So, stay tuned for results, and photos.  I still have photos to post from my last iNG flavor tripping experience.

So, I thank you all for following my blog, for your comments, emails, gifts, etc, and I hope to continue to keep your attention through the following year.

Ciao, ciao

Sean