Part 2 - Stagiaire, and Bourbon Pear - My time with the Sunday Dinner Club

Let me begin by saying that if you haven't read the previous post, then stop now, and go read to previous.  This way you get the whole picture and understand why this is such an amazing experience.

Now, let's get down to business.  I loved my meal at the Sunday Dinner Club so much that I just had to try to stage there.  There was so much passion and love, I wanted to work side by side with the folks that turned out such a great meal.  So I asked if I could stage.  Becca gave me her contact info, and we set it up.  Oh, and for those that do not know, a "stage" or "stagiaire", basically means an intern.  I observe, assist, and whatever else they ask me to do, all for no pay, but a massive amount of experience and the opportunity to be with people that have passion in their craft.  That to me is priceless.

Now, before I begin, check them out here - http://sundaydinnerclub.com and the business downstairs, Honey Butter Fried Chicken - http://www.honeybutter.com

I walked into the amazingly small kitchen, remember this was an apartment renovated into a dining experience.  Not much was done to change the kitchen.  A workspace in the center of the kitchen, a speed rack next to the non industrial stove/oven, another small workspace behind the center workspace, and another bit of work space in what I would consider a pantry space.  But this team makes magic with this space!  And that stove, look at that stove.  That thing is a workhorse!

Tonights meal was a wine dinner.  Sunday Dinner Club paired with Vinejoy - http://vinejoy.net/jkkajatt2lrummc6259h08hillmwop, to bring a night of great food paired with great wines.  How do I know they were great?  Well, because the other perk to staging with the Sunday Dinner Club is the tasting!  And the crew behind the meal tonight, Josh Kulp, Christina Cicowski, Becca, Alison, Julia, and Irma.

The menu is another brilliant creation by KITEMATH.  Check out the pictures and see if you can decipher it.  The first person wins something that you will never want to part with.

Now let's go through the menu.

First course was a Hamachi Crudo, dressed with grilled nectarines, red chillies, and mint.  The photos were taken prior to being dressed with the mint and nectarines.  This was my first photo while staging, so I wasn't sure what was going to be happening for service.  None the less, it shows a beautiful Hamachi, delicately dressed with a slightly sweet Thai chili.

Hamachi is a beautiful fish and Chef Kulp, while preparing the fish, treated it like he was treating a new born baby.  It's a delicate fish, with a very mellow, clean flavor.  Using it for crude was perfect and the dressing, not over done.  You could taste each individual flavor, starting with the fish, finishing with the mint.  And I think the mint, touching the back of your tongue is a great way to finish this.  The plating of each dish is careful and precise with being pretentious.

Now, I'm not very knowledgeable about wine or pairing it with food, however I will tell you that this first course was paired with a Thompson Vineyard Grenache Blanc.

Next on the menu-Elderflower Orange Chicken Wings, with Szechuan peppercorns, turnips, and pickled onions.  Now, before you turn your nose up with the turnips, hear me out.  They are not that bad.  They are more than the overcooked, smelly, scary root vegetable that nightmares were made of as a child.  When treated right, they are a delicious root vegetable and very versatile.

To begin with, the wings were baked for a bit, but not cooked through, then cooled.  When it came time to serve, the deep fryers were prepped, and we were ready to make wing magic. I coated the wings in rice flour(you get  a crispier crisp with rice flour), and placed in the deep fryer.  Then they were removed cooled, and given a second fry where they crisped like I had never seen before.  They developed a beautiful brown color and the skin was crisp without a thick layer of breading.  They were then dressed with fresh cracked Szechuan peppercorns, followed by a glaze of Elderflower Orange glaze.

Now, if you are unfamiliar with Elderflower liquer, check out St. Germain.  For me, St. Germain is ok, in very small doses.  I thought it came off as a very bitter, herbaceous flavor.  I was never a fan, however reducing the St. Germain with the addition of citrus, changed the flavor dramatically.  It was slightly sweet and delightfully syrupy.  This glaze hugged the wings and covered every inch perfectly.

The taste-Slightly sweet, even balanced with a nice burn from the peppercorns.  The chicken was juicy, the skin was crispy, even with the glaze, and suddenly something starts happening to your mouth.  Your mouth starts to feel a little numb.  A really cool feeling once you understand that is a natural reaction to fresh ground szechuan peppercorns.  And these were definitely the best wings I've ever had.

After glazed, the wings were dressed with a perfectly picked onion and the julienned turnips.

The wine paired for this course - Bien Nacido Vineyard Viognier.

Ahh, ok, time for a beer and a bit of bourbon to knock out the rest of the meal.

Alright, third course - Housemade Cavatelli Pasta, dressed with bacon, honey roasted cauliflower, black olive tapenade, and parsley gremolata.

Cavatelli, has an origin of Naples.  It's shape resembles a hot dog bun, but rolled on the sides.  It's made to be served with a heavy sauce, because those ridges can grab the sauce and hold more.

I've never been a fan of olives and black olives to me, should never come into play in any kitchen, so when I heard that tapenade was being served with the cavatelli, I was extremely skeptical.  But my mind may have been changed this night.  I think the combination of the bacon with the tapenade, I think took the bitterness that I find with black olives.  And when you roast cauliflower, it adds a level of flavor by sweetening up that cauliflower.  The parsley gremolata brightened up the dish.  The colors of the cavatelli reminded me of the Italian flag.

The pasta was paired with a Santa Barbara County Syrah.

This next course put me over my limit.  But the misery that I felt was well worth it!  I have to admit that I took half home, reluctantly.  The Patty Melt, yes, patty melt.  That infamous sandwich that you see on every diner menu, every family restaurant menu, and I can even remember seeing them on the menu of drugstores when drugstores had counter service.  For some reason, I was always the one to shy away from this sandwich.  As a youngster, I didn't realize that it was essentially a cheeseburger on bread, however tonight, tonight it was more than that.

Tonight's patty melt was a griddled patty of a mix of ground pork and beef.  It was topped with a Goat's milk brie from Prairie Fruit Farms(Champaign, IL), caramelized onion agrodolce(a traditional sweet and sour sauce in Italian cuisine), roasted red pepper rouille(a french sauce that consists of olive oil with breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron, and chili peppers), on toasted rye, served with charred kale.

I haven't been able to look at a cheeseburger the same after having this patty melt.  The pork complimented the beef, the agrodolce and rouille held hands as the flavors danced on the tastebuds, and the creamy brie bound everything together leaving a sweet, mellow flavor on the back of your tongue.

The charred kale were a nice addition as opposed to french fries.  When you touch heat to kale, it takes away some of that bitterness as well as makes it easier to chew and digest.  Touched with a little salt, you have the perfect accompaniment.

The Patty Melt was paired with Thompson Vineyard Petite Sirah.

Fortunately for my stomach, but unfortunately for this experience we come to the final course, dessert.  Now for some people, particularly for my Sister, the pear is her nemesis.  And I know she is not alone.  I hear people say that they don't care for the pear's gritty texture.  I won't get all Alton Brown on you, just know that all pears are not gritty, I promise.

The dessert for tonight was Bourbon Pear Upside Down Cake.  I know, pear upside down cake?  Yes, you can do something besides pineapple upside down cake and you are not violating any culinary rules by doing this.  The cake rested in a smooth layer of Anglaise(a light pouring custard, used a dessert cream or sauce).  It was topped with a bit of pecan crumble.  Even the person that dislikes bourbon would appreciate this dessert, but let's be realistic here, who doesn't like bourbon?  Well, ok, I can think of a few people, but I can overlook that.  And this was a terrific way to finish off the meal.

Dessert was paired with Bien Nacido Late Harvest Viognier.

This was by far the best experience I've had with a stage.  This was truly like cooking with friends, for friends.  The folks that came in to eat were all very friendly, not only to us, but between one another as well.  It really was like a big party, and everyone had the same interest in being there, to eat great food, and to celebrate the chance to be at the Sunday Dinner Club.  And many thanks to Josh, Christina, Becca, Alison, Julia, and Irma for giving me this opportunity and to make me feel like I was part of this family.

I highly suggest you email them, get on the list, and if you get the opportunity, eat there, it will change your idea on what dining out is.

By the way, I was able to return for a second stage, and just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the second experience rocked!  That blog will be coming soon!!

Thanks for reading everyone!!

A new beginning.

Wow, my last submission was in March?  Well, I can tell you it's been a hell of a year.  A year full of adventure and change, for the better.  It's scary and unpredictable, but you only live once, so make the most of what you have.  Now, where to start?

This year, I chose to get the most out of living in Chicago as I could.  I was trying to train for a marathon, planning travel, dining at as many new places as possible, and cooking my heart out.  Most of these I was able to accomplish.  My marathon attempt was a miserable failure, being sick, with no time, and an overwhelming feeling of doom, I had to step back and bow out.  But, one promise I've made to myself, I will run it next year and it will be the experience that I want!

Outside of running, I had changed firehouses.  Went from the South East side to the West side, which really helped my mood.  Who would've thought that just changing which part of the city you worked in would make that much of a difference.  I do miss the guys at my old firehouse, but I needed this change.

Restaurants.  I can't even tell you the different number of restaurants I've had the opportunity to dine at. And more keep popping up.  I feel very fortunate to live here, where the restaurant industry is booming and easily accessible.  Too many to list, too many photos to play catch up, so I will be starting fresh.  I can tell you that not a bad meal was had, whether I was here in Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, or any of the cities and villages I visited on my trip to Italy.

Cooking.  I've been trying to experiment.  I've done that most of my life, experiment, but what I have learned is that you need a base to learn from.  You need to know that if you want to make the best Mac and Cheese, you should know how to make a beschamel, as your base.  If you want to make the best chicken pot pie, you should know how to make a proper Veloute to fill that pie.  Hell, you should know that what you are filling your pot pie with, the sauce is called a veloute.  Then you get a feel for what you are really doing, then experiment from there.  Get the basics down, keep it simple, and go from there.  My outlook on cooking has changed dramatically, especially since I'm now a student at Le Cordon Bleu-Chicago.

I am just finishing up week 6 at Le Cordon Bleu.  There has been mostly observing, learning the Mother Sauces, because that's where it all begins.  Learning about Escoffier and Careme, learning about how and why to use a Chinois, what kind of material is best for sautee pans, roasting pans, and pots, and safety/sanitation.  It's been eye opening, but now I'm ready to put that knowledge to use.  I did whip up a roast chicken, with a glaze of creme fraiche, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper, roasted on a loaf of Italian bread, with a layer of pepperoni.  Not bad, for my first roasted bird.  But I could go on and on about what I've learned, I'm not going to, because as I said, new beginning.  Tonight is the last night of class, taking our final in Foundations 1, and I'm ready to move on to the next stage.  I'm already thinking about externship.

The Fire Service.  I've worked with many, many great people in the past.  From my humble beginnings as a Volunteer in Pontiac, moving my way up as a Medic in Morris, Firefighter/Paramedic in Romeoville, East Joliet, and Channahon.  Working in Chicago, it's been an experience,but I'd give it all up to go back to what I didn't think I really wanted.  There is something to be said about working in a firehouse with 4 or 5 guys, where you can truly bond.  Where you know the guys that are coming in from surrounding departments to help you out on your fire.  Where you can fight that fire, then when it's all said and done, you sit down with each other, have a cup of coffee, and exchange stories.  I had many, many good years in the burbs and not a day goes by that I don't think about them.  I can rattle off the names of everyone that I worked with out there.  Here, it's like I meet someone new every shift, and I can't keep the names straight.

That is just a brief summary of my Summer.  There will be more to come, like the trip to Italy, but for now, I'm going to study up a bit more for tonight.

More later, Ciao!

Humboldt Park, Gold Coast, Andersonville - A little tour.

My friends I’ve had some really good food over the past few weeks.  Nothing over the top or as some people would say, “fancy”.  No, just some really good, simple, delicious food.  Now, I really don’t like everything I eat, like some, but I want to stray away from the negative and focus on the positive.  Although some of my writing will give a good mix, because as you all know, some restaurants can serve complete bombs, while at the same time give you something memorable and delicious.  For example, I visited a small neighborhood that’s surrounded by the Hispanic neighborhood of Pilsen, the Heart of Italy.  This is still a small hold out for Italians, but is slowly being swallowed up by Pilsen because the younger generation just doesn’t want to stick around.The restaurant that I visited was Il Vicinato.  Now, from what I’ve been told, this place used to be out of this world, before it was sold within the last few years.  The atmosphere was great!  The smells were amazing!!  The bolognese sucked!  If there is one thing that an Italian restaurant should have mastered, its the bolognese.  There was not any amount of cheese that could have salvaged that plate of pasta.  However, the Pasta Arrabiata(Angry Pasta), was great, as was the Antipasto salad.  I took photos, but deleted them because I was simply uninspired by the whole experience.  Personally, I don’t think posting negative reviews are a good way of selling the culinary experiences of Chicago, but it’s also not fair for me to not get my opinion out there so you don’t make the same mistake I made.  Now, let’s get on with some good food!!

The first stop on this blog is a place that I learned about from Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.  Cemitas Pueblahttp://www.cemitaspuebla.com is in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago.  Now, Humboldt Park has a predominantly Puerto Rican population, however on a busy stretch of North Avenue sits a little gem of a Mexican dining spot called Cemitas Puebla.     The restaurants website states that this restaurant brings the best of Poblano food to Chicago, and it certainly delivers because I don’t know anywhere else in Chicago, this sandwich is served. 

A cemita is a sandwich, originating in Puebla, Mexico.  The world cemita refers to both the sandwich as well as the bun it is served on, being covered in sesame seeds and looking similar to brioche.  There are many toppings offered here, but their most famous and popular is the Cemita Atomica, so naturally that is what I went with. 
 

The Cemita Atomica is an amazing sandwich on a sesame seed bun, then layered with avocado, Pork Milanesa(breaded, boneless butterfly pork), Jamon(ham), and Carne enchilada(chile guajillo marinated butterfly pork chop).  This pork orgy is then followed by adobo chipotle peppers, fresh Oaxacan cheese, and papalo(An herb that resembles cilantro).  This was truly one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in my life!!!  I would do some damage for this sandwich.  Also, the Cemita Atomica also made Chicago magazines 50 best sandwiches list.  Go there now, don’t be intimidated by the hood, because once you cross the thresh hold of the restaurant you are warmly welcomed by those who dine there.  By the way, get the Sindral Mundet to drink, you won’t be disappointed!  

Cemita Atomica and all of it's delicious layers!!

How could you not want to put your face in this?

And wash it down with this great apple flavored drink.

Behind this counter is where the magic happens.

On our second stop, a Valentine’s Day dinner at my favorite Italian place, just off of Michigan Ave., Bar Tomahttp://www.bartomachicago.com.  Bar Toma is a pizzeria and bar owned by Chef Tony Mantuano.  Chef Mantuano is a force to be reckoned with, as having the only 4 star Italian restaurant in Chicago, Spiaggia.  He also was one of the Champions on season two of Top Chef Masters, as well as been awarded a 2005 James Beard award for Best Chef Midwest.  Chef Mantuano also has a restaurant in the modern wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, called Terzo Piano, as well as a trattoria in his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Dinner this night of Valentine’s Day was simple, salad and pizza.  The salad, such a simple piece of work, but full of flavor and texture.  The salad was their Kale salad which had young kale(also called Lacinato Kale or Dinosaur Kale, which also grows over the Winter), soft boiled egg, garlic bread crumbs, and anchovy vinaigrette.  Now, before you eww and blah about the anchovy vinaigrette, I will say this over and over.  Fresh anchovies have a much different flavor than what you know as anchovies.  They do not sit in a brine, so they are not little bits of salt.  You can even take that fishy, salty taste away from jarred anchovies by simply soaking them in some milk.  The anchovies added a bit of zing to the dressing, nothing to turn your nose up at.  In fact, I’d guarantee that anyone would like it, I’d stake a paycheck on it.

Kale Salad

La pizza that we had was not your traditional pizza.  No, instead, we went with the Pizza Caprino(goat).  Bar Toma serves traditional Neapolitan pizza, baked in a wood burning oven that sits in the middle of the restaurant.  The Caprino consisted of goat cheese, hazelnuts, leeks, Acetaia San Giacomo balsamico(a traditional Balsamic vinegar of Reggio Emilia), dates, and thyme.  The flavor of this pizza would surprise you with a blend of sweet(goat cheese) and savory(thyme), and everything in between.  The hazelnuts toasted quickly, adding some texture with an awesome flavor that you can only get by roasting a nut.  The leeks quickly caramelized in the hotter than hell oven and the balsamico brought it all together.  Ya know, sometimes you just have to step out of the norm, leave your comfort zone and try something new.  If you come and visit me here, we will go to Bar Toma and you will love it, and that is that.

Pizza Caprino

Next up on my list is Orange Gardenhttp://www.orangegardenchicago.com, the oldest Chinese restaurant in Chicago.  The sign speaks for itself and that is what first caught my attention.  There is something soothing about a cook neon sign.  It says to me, this place is a landmark and should be explored!  From the moment you walk in and get that kind of throw back feeling to the time you sit, look around and think to your self, “a group of servers are going to come out, bring a duck, chop the head off, and start singing christmas carols”, you know that what’s going to be placed in front of you will be Americanized Chinese food, but great quality food.  When I see large numbers of Chinese people sitting in a Chinese restaurant, I know I’ve made the right decision, especially a Chinese restaurant so far from Chinatown.  A brief history, as I said, Orange Garden is the oldest Chinese restaurant in Chicago.  It opened in 1924, making it a quarter of a centruy older than the People’s Republic of China.  The neon sign that attracted me here, is the oldest neon sign in Chicago and the clock on the wall has hung there since 1932.  And the owners live by the simple rule of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and that’s pretty refreshing.  The current owner is only the second owner and was friends with the original owner.  Have I sold you on this yet?  Our server, dressed finely in a white button down shirt and black bow tie was certainly to the point, but was not rude.  Service was prompt and warm.  This will be my go to for Chinese, unless I want to submerse myself in the Chinese culture.  

Dinner that night was Sesame Chicken and Szechuan Beef.  Most of us are used to incredibly over breaded and over sauced sesame chicken, but this was a perfect coating.  This is what I’d love to have coating my fried chicken.  I don’t know if they do a simple corn starch coating, but this was amazing!  It was crunchy and sweet and complimented by a protective broccoli fort.  I could’ve eaten the entire plate, however I was also very interested in the Szechuan beef.  Once again, I’ve always had the experience with americanized Chinese food as being over cooked and over sauced.  The beef was tender and full of flavor and the veggies had crunch and you could actually taste what the vegetable was!  I was amazed!  And it certainly has changed my mind on this type of Chinese food.  I still want to try authentic Chinese though.  Sesame Chicken is traditional in most English speaking countries, I can’t find anything to show that it is an authentic Chinese entree.  Sichuan beef on the other hand is very common, however the recipe seems to have been changed to fit the American palate.   Once again, go to Orange Garden for a great experience!!  And call me when you do, I’ll meet you there!!

Sesame Chicken, after breaking through the walls of the broccoli.  

Szechuan Beef

Finally!!  A short talk about The Pecking Orderhttp://www.peckingorderchicago.com, which is a Chickencentric restaurant in Andersonville.  Once again, Time Out Chicago brought me here with one of the 100 best things eaten in 2012, with the City Bird sandwich being highlighted.  All of the chicken, regardless of how it’s prepared, marinades in a sugar, tamari, vinegar marinade that gives the chicken a crispy, juicy, salty, flavorful chicken, which can be sometimes really difficult to pull off.  For those of you that would like to know, the birds used here are free range, antibiotic free.  

First on the list, the Country Bird.  One bite and you are looking for your Grandmother that always made the best fried chicken, but this is on bread and not just any old fried chicken.  It’s a fried boneless breast, complimented with gouda cheese, pimento mayo, tomato, cilantro, shaved onion salad, dressed with calamansi vinaigrette(a calamansi is a Philippine lime).  The sandwich is served on grilled pandesal bread(a Philippine yeast bread).  This was a mouthful!  Crunchy, full of flavor, juicy.  I’ve never had chicken with this flavor before.  Definitely nothing that came from your favorite Southern kitchen, but man was this tasty.  I can easily see why this made the list.  But, you also have to try the City Bird, because it’s always a competition.

The Country Bird

The City Bird is a juicy, grilled Chicken breast, with pate, Mom’s pickles, and fried egg, served on grilled pandesal bread.  This is similar to a vietnamese bahn mi.  I think with the mere mention of a fried egg, I can stop because you know it’s going to be a kick ass sandwich.  You could eat this for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner, and then you have experienced life.  As to whom was the winner, City or Country?  In my opinion, it’s the best of both world’s and a tie.  So, decide for yourself.  What I’m saying is go there, soon!!!!  Or Now!!!

The City Bird

More good eats to come my people!!  Thanks for reading and until next time!

Ciao, ciao!!

Still here.

Been in kind of a Winter is almost over funk.  But it certainly hasn't stopped me from eating.  I've had some adventures and I will be writing about them.  Between blogging and working on my Italian, Italian has been winning.  And I've had a few furloughs, so I've been a busy beaver.  But I've got photos and criticisms and I'm ready to write.  In the last few weeks, I visited Italy, Mexico, and China(not literally, culinarily-is that a word?).  So be prepared, it's coming!

See you soon!

Ciao, ciao!!

This old sign, it should tell you everything you need to know about this awesome restaurant!

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

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

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Between work and not feeling 100%,  I've taken a few days to get myself together.  During that time I've discovered a few things about my city(like the 50 best sandwiches in Chicago, thank you Chicago Magazine!) and I've had another fantastic flavor tripping meal at iNG restaurant.  So, after the Thanksgiving holiday, I will be blogging and sharing my photos.  But if you are planning to visit Chicago and you want a relaxed, fun dining experience where you are part of the action, make your reservations to iNG.  Just remember, the menu changes every 6 weeks.  I will go into detail on my iNG blog, but that's going to be a few days away.  http://www.ingrestaurant.com

If that doesn't trip your trigger, I will also be writing on the 50 best sandwiches in Chicago.  This will be quite a task, especially since for me, a few of them do not sound appetizing at all, but I will bite the bullet, all in the name of fun and research and discovering new flavors.

Happy Thanksgiving to my readers, my followers and my visitors!

Ciao ciao

Quiet moments.

Yes, it's been quiet the last few weeks.  As the seasons transition and we hop what seems like from Summer to Winter, I'm letting my body adjust to the change of seasons, temps, weather, etc.  I have a trip to NYC coming soon, and had to juggle my work schedule to help some guys do things with family and side jobs, which benefitted me.  So, I will be back into the swing of things shortly, and I will be focusing on some great Chicago eats.  I've also been hitting my kitchen a little more which is therapy to me and the fact that I can feed others, that makes me happy.  Digging through cook books and recipes that have been burning holes through my fingers has been a good thing.  Although I have a small galley kitchen, it works, for now, until I can afford to move somewhere with a larger kitchen.

So, now I ask of my readers a challenge.  Send me some recipes to try, something new, something different.  Because as the temps drop, the best way to warm my apartment is to heat up the kitchen.  So, send in your recipes and I will try them, and photo document them and post them here and on Facebook.

Looking forward to the challenge.

Ciao, ciao!

No more sugar coating.

It's come to my attention that I may be sugar coating my blogs a bit.  After a short bit of thinking about it, I discovered that I had become exactly the type of food person that I despised, one that never called out the BS and bad food that almost every place serves.  Not every restaurant has A+'s across the board, and not every restaurant is a bomb either.  So, from here on out, I will call out the dishes that suck, the customer service that sucks, and whatever else that sucks.  I will also praise the things that rock.  If I've been to a place that has totally failed as a restaurant, I won't revisit that place just to demean them and put them down.  So, from here on out, you will see an improved blog, now with photos.  My goal is still to make the descriptions vivid and real and to make you want to reach into your computer monitor to grab what I'm eating, or to be able to smell or taste exactly what I'm trying to describe.  I will also be me, when describing these meals, so occasionally I may swear, and if that offends you, well, I'm sorry, but being as passionate as I am about food, sometimes I lose my mind.  For example, tonight, I paid a visit to Hopleaf, in Andersonville.  Of course I went unprepared, meaning without my camera.  I was with a vegetarian friend, but that is absolutely something I can work with.  I don't turn my nose up to vegetarian, nor vegan fare, as a matter of fact, I love it, as long as it's well prepared.  So, after a few beers, we ordered the CB&J.  It was truly an interesting and tasty sandwich.  The CB&J was a pan fried sandwich, on sourdough.  Inside was fig jam, house made cashew butter, and raclette cheese.  Raclette cheese is a Swiss Cheese, made mostly for melting, so it was perfect on the sandwich.  The sourdough was prefectly fried, not greasy at all, like your typical grilled cheese disaster.  This was practically like it had just been toasted.  The combination of the cashew butter, jam, and cheese married into a perfect balance of salt and sweet.  If it hadn't been so dark in there, I would've take a photo with my phone of the sandwich, but honestly there wouldn't be much to photograph.  This was definitely more about the flavor than the presentation.  This sandwich came with a side of Stilton mac and cheese and house made chips.  Stilton cheese is a British cheese, that's quite pungent with a strong flavor.  There  are two varieties, the blue and the white, but the blue is the most common.  The sandwich tonight had the blue stilton, which was obvious from the first bite.  Personally, I'm a fan of blue cheeses, and I would never have expected this combination to have so much flavor.  Whomever designed this sandwich should win an award because it was an amazing combination.  And the mac and cheese, I won't say shut the front door, I will say holy balls though.  It's great because over the last few weeks, I have had some absolutely amazing Mac and cheeses!!!  And the house made chips, come on, need I say more.  You better be on your A game in order for your house made chips to be good, but then these guys season them with a salty, spicy seasoning just perfectly.

I swear, everything I say about Hopleaf was from the heart and honest.  There was nothing about this place that sucked and that is a promise.  Their beer list is extensive, even with seasonal brews and their food menu and comfortably full of you not so typical bar food, and that in itself is comforting.

I feel fortunate to live in Chicago.  I have access to amazing restaurants, top notch pubs, and some incredible night life.  Visitors to my city, please, stay away from TGI high sodium content, or Chili's or whatever other chain restaurant you may have a hankering for, please, think outside of the box and try something local.  I promise that there is nothing to be afraid of.  Visit Chicago and dine like a Chicagoan.

Chicago

I know I have the rest of my Italy trip to discuss as well as St. Louis, but I want to take a second to talk about Chicago.

It's been a bad year here, a very violent year.  I haven't seen any stats on how it's affected or if it's affected tourism, but I do here my friends discussing not coming to Chicago because of the violence.  But I want to reassure you that once you cross that magical border of I80 north of Joliet, you will not be dodging bullets.

                           

Downtown Chicago, The Magnificent Mile, The Loop, The South Loop, River West, River North, Greektown, Little Italy, The Gold Coast, Steeterville, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, etc are not bastions of gang violence.  But like any city, you still need to be aware of your surroundings.  Chicago has a booming art scene, restaurant scene, entertainment scene, craft beer, and coffee scene.  Come to Chicago, witness these things first hands, escape the downtown area and venture into the neighborhoods.  Take the El, take the bus, or take a cab and see things in Lincoln Square, stop by the Brauhaus for an Erdinger and great German food.  Maybe, stop by the Green Mill in Uptown and listen to some cool Jazz and have a cocktail at one of Al Capones old haunts.  Have a meal over on Randolph or Fulton Market at iNG, and enjoy the wonder of Homaro Cantu's imaginative kitchen staff or hit Mindy Segal's Hot Chocolate in Bucktown and enjoy her James Beard award winning food and obviously you must have dessert there.

                                       

So much to see here, so much to do, just don't be afraid to do it.  Now, I'm not saying that every neighborhood is safe, but I am pretty sure we all know where not to go.  And if you don't, then ask.  I am more than happy to send you in the right direction, and I'll even help get reservations because that's what I do.

                   
So, come to Chicago to discover that there is more here than deep dish pizza and Chicago style hot dogs.  Come and dig in and enjoy the things that are right under your nose.  Chicago is an accessible city that welcomes you.

                                       

Ciao, ciao

Cup of Local Sugar - For the Culturally Curious Traveler

Cup of Local Sugar - For the Culturally Curious Traveler

This is a link for a great company!  Something solo travelers or a small group of travelers should look into if you are looking for all of the best of what's local in a location you may be traveling to.

Ciao!

Whoa!!!!! I think I have it.

Of course, leave it to me to be slap happy, exhausted, and having to work tomorrow to finally figure out how to insert photos and resize them!  I feel like I've reached a milestone!!  I hope this makes things more interesting for people.

And by the way, I would like to thank everyone for reading!!  And please, feel free to subscribe.  I'm really interested in knowing where people are from and what your area has to offer in the area of food.  Is there anything that stands out?  Something that your town, county, state, country, etc is known for in the culinary realm?  If there is, then I need to put it in my face and write about it!!

Ok all, I'm off to bed, so I can properly perform my duties tomorrow.  Of course that's after a nice big cup off coffee to jumpstart the day.

Thanks again, and my next blog will come shortly!!!

Motivation and Direction. What the hell happened to it.

A few years ago, I could write. I could write things that would make you want to eat your computer monitor, that would enable you to smell the food that I was describing, that would make you want to go out and eat that Shiz now! But over the last few years, I lost it. I could blame a couple of people that just sucked the motivation out of me, but that would be a cop out. It's not like I've stopped eating, because I have to say, I've had some amazing meals over the past few years. Amazing would be an understatement though. On my trips to New York City, Nashville, and the local restaurants here in Chicago, they have all provided meals well worth putting in writing and sharing my experiences with you all that may not normally eat such things. Things that would make most people turn their noses up, but I could convince you to at least put just a smidge on your tongue.

Over the past few years I've converted people from eating something as simple as Veggies to what some would consider Extreme, such as Sushi. There is a wild world of food out there, just waiting for eager diners to consume. I am fortunate enough to live in a city that is on the cutting edge of food. The restaurant industry here is booming and some say it's paving the way in the US. Not bad for being land locked in the middle of the US. And I've also had the good fortune of being able to travel to New York City and experience their Restaurant scene. I've met Executive Chefs, Sous Chefs, and Pastry Chefs. It's been a truly brilliant experience.

The biggest surprise I've had was the Nashville scene. Although it's young and up and coming, it's going to be competitive. Maybe not to the level of NYC or Chicago, but it will be on the US Map of excellent foodie destinations. From the simple Cuban Sandwich from the Tin Roof, or the Fresh Soft Pretzels and Beer at the Flying Saucer to the comforting Po Boy's and Steam Pot of the South Street Crab Shack and Dive Bar, all for the casual diner. Then going a bit upscale, you have the Stuffed Peppadews at Rumba, grilled South African peppers, stuffed with Goat Cheese and Chorizo, chased with a Hard Cider with a shot of Jack Daniels Honey dropped in or the House Made Belly Ham, Mozzarella, Grana Padano, Oregano, Chillies Pizza, artfully decorated and finished off with a Farm Fresh egg placed right in the center right before being pulled out of the oven, which was prepared by Chef Tandy Wilson of City House. Chef Wilson was nominated in 2010 by the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef SouthEast. As you can see, there is so much more than Country Music and wanna be cowboys in Nashvegas!

Here we are, November 2011, and I believe I've rediscovered my motivation, thanks to some friends and a mission to help someone else rediscover their mission to write. So now, with camera in hand and a small notebook, I will begin again my love of writing and photography to go along. If you are going to nibble on your monitor, you should at least have a visual. And this that I provide will be much less expensive than Internet porn. I hope to provide what the great Anthony Bourdain has termed "Food Porn". If you see me out, I won't be one of those annoying bloggers, critical of everything, verbal about the smallest things. No, I have a genuine love of good food, and I want to share it with you in hopes that it will motivate you to maybe leave your comfort zone of Burgers and Fries and maybe try a bit of Sweet Breads or Chapulines.

Until next time....