August is the beginning of the end of summer, but it’s still a month full of holidays. One of them is Single Working Women’s Week (this year July 31 to August 6). This holiday gives single working women a chance to get together and officially celebrate their unique contributions to the world. And what better way to do that than a picnic! August is also National Picnic Month – dedicated to the joys of coming together with friends and family. Everybody loves a picnic, but it sure can be a lot of work. Try something new this year by hosting a picnic potluck. It’s a great way to cut down on prep work and save money while spending time with friends. Here’s a suggested task list:
Someone bring the wine
Someone bring the cheese-cracker-salumi plate
Someone bring fresh fruit or a seasonal vegetable/salad
Tucked into two floors of a beautiful building at 1 S. Dearborn, Rosebud Prime‘s entrance is set off from the street and sidewalk by an elegant patio and a sculpted garden of lovely trees. Charming red umbrellas and crisp white tablecloths look dramatic and inviting – even from across the street – and strongly suggest you’ll be treated royally when you pull up a chair outside. The many small trees give the patio a sense of privacy that’s amazing in the middle of downtown Chicago. Inside the restaurant, it’s all warm wood and comfortable elegance.
Oatmeal brulee, homemade Greek yogurt parfait
Vanilla Crunch French Toast
Crabcake Benedict and jalapeno hash browns
Known as a power lunch location, Rosebud Prime is famous for its steaks and seafood specialties. And now they’re making it even easier to spend time with them; they recently introduced a menu of delightful breakfast items. Many are unique to Chef Anthony Reyes, including items like oatmeal brulee served with cream and dried fruits, vanilla crunch French toast made with his mother’s secret ingredient, crabcake Benedict, a yogurt-granola parfait made with super-creamy Greek yogurt from the hands of a friend-of-the-owner’s-family, and more. Chef shows his passion in Rosebud Prime’s lunch and dinner menus, and the new breakfast menu is no exception. Of course, you can also simply enjoy a fresh croissant or bagel and freshly brewed coffee if you like a smaller morning meal.
Rosebud Prime’s Morning Glory breakfast menu
Street bustle is no problem
Rosebud Prime’s big omelette
Powermongers, here’s a classy new place to have breakfast meetings. And come, all ye ordinary citizens, too. and find yourself comfortable and catered to in this prime location restaurant. Caution: If you’re looking for nouvelle cuisine, fuhgeddaboutit. These are Italian people putting good food on the table, and they do it with gusto.
The restaurant provided a meal to facilitate this review. Opinions are strictly those of the writer.
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This July 16-17 from 10am-5pm, more than 75 of the city’s most diverse artists will show off their creations at theSouthport Art Festival. You’ll see works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, jewelry, sculpture, photography, glass and mixed media. from photographers and abstract painters to live art demonstrations and booth chats with the artists. New this year the festival will be FREE to attend. That’s right free!
Beautiful art at Southport Art Festival like this ring by Devin Johnson
From live music performances by to tasty treats from restaurants in the Southport Corridor area will be serving up summer favorites. and interactive art-filled experiences. The Southport Art Festival creates a creative spirit into Chicago’s fun, funky and hip Southport Corridor.
Beyond the head-turning tunes and palate-pleasing cuisine, festival-goers will have the opportunity to corral their creativity by contributing to a freestanding graffiti wall. Children can also enjoy the youth art tent where they will be able to make clay masterpieces, color art themed coloring pages to take home. There will also be a kids carnival taking place at the festival as well, where kids can go on rides and play carnival games.
Come September, you can check out Tuco & Blondie, a Mexican spot with an American flair in Lakeview (3358 N Southport Ave). It’s 4 Star Restaurant Group‘s tenth Chicago restaurant.
“If you’re hungry, chow down. If you’re thirsty, drink up. We’ll have room for all,” said 4 Star Restaurant Group partner Josh Rutherford. “From a walk up indoor patio for grub with a view to a lively outdoor back patio scene, it’s bound to be a good time!”
It’s big, with 3,000 square feet inside and 3,000 outside, but the 250-seat Tuco & Blondie is meant to be arelaxed place where families or groups of friends can linger and laugh over drinks and a meal cooked in Chef Stein’s scratch kitchen. Like the movie that inspired the name – Clint Eastwood’s landmark film, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – Editor’s note: Do NOT watch the edited-for-television version of this movie; get only the uncut original) – Tuco & Blondie aspires to be an original classic.
Inside, exposed brick walls, an inviting bar and pops of color throughout welcome guests Outside, the bodega features a brick fireplace,an engaging courtyard and other fun aspects that will keep patrons coming back.
Planned menu highlights range from signature fajitas to what Chef Stein swears will be the “best chicken salad you will ever eat (to be named later)!” Hand-crafted cocktails inspired by The Good, The Bad and the Ugly…
“The Man with No Name,” “Angel Eyes,” and the “One-Armed Bounty Hunter.” And then there’ll be an extensive margarita menu featuring choices like the Cadillac (top shelf) and the classic strawberry, frozen or on the rocks.
Scope out the location while you’re at the festival and mark your calendar to watch for the opening.
Old Town School of Folk Music. {| cellpadding=”2″ class=”toccolours vcard layouttemplate” style=”width: 100%; direction: ltr;” ! style=”width:15%; vertical-align:middle; text-align:right; background-color:#ccf; border:none;” | Camera location | style=”border:none;” | Latitude, Longitude | style=”border:none;” | This and other images at their locations on: Google Maps – Google Earth – OpenStreetMap – Proximityrama | style=”border:none; font-size:80%;” | (Info) |} (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Square Roots Festival 2016 opens on Lincoln Ave. between Montrose and Wilson this year with two outdoor stages, two indoor stages, and over 50 acts, compliments of The Old Town School of Folk Music and the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce. Hang out at this Lincoln Square tradition and check out the unique vendors, delicious local food, and more than 30 craft beers. July 8 (5-10pm), 9 (12 to 11pm) & 10 (12 to 9pm).
There’s no official charge but donations are suggested ($10 for adults, $5 for seniors/kids, $20 for families). For more info, visit www.squareroots.org.
Ēma, just opened in the Hyatt Place at 74 W. Illinois, is a new gem in the crown of Lettuce Entertain You restaurants. Serving Mediterranean small plates – lamb, beef, lots of vegetables – meant for sharing, it’s open for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 4:00pm to 10:00pm and Fridayand Saturday from 4:00pm to 11:00pm, with lunch coming soon. Rotisserie Ēma will open in July 2016 with lunch and dinner service Monday through Friday from 11:00am to 7:00pm and Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4:00pm. Check out the menu here.
Recounting her struggles around food growing up, Dawn Lerman, author of the New York Times Well Blog series, tells it like it was in her family. Pathos. Humor. Fear. She takes them all on in her new book, My Fat Dad: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, with Recipes. The introduction, titled “Always Hungry,” opens this way:
“As far back as I can remember, there was an invisible wall that separated me from my dad, a distance that I could never completely penetrate. His closest relationship was with the bathroom scale–his first stop every morning and his last stop every evening. It controlled his moods, our days, what we were going to eat, and basically ruled our family life.”
And when you learn that her give-or-take-350-pound dad was a brilliant copywriter from the “Mad Men” era of advertising at giant agencies, first in Chicago and then in New York—and both her parents traveled a lot—the scene is set. Her stories of loneliness and hunger for love intermingle with those of good friendships and lots of opportunities to feel successful. Though both her mother and father are absent for much of her life, she finds reasons for loving them anyway. And that’s the key to a good memoir—distance from the suffering and a new perspective on the painful truths in one’s life.
The writing is clear and conversational. And when you get to the recipes, many from her Jewish grandmas, you might find yourself, as I did, turning down a lot of those page corners and hear yourself thinking, “Oh, that sounds good!” or “I need to make this right now for breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert/snack.”
If you love cooking good food, if you had a rough childhood, if you like good writing and dramatic stories, these are all good reasons to readMy Fat Dad (on Amazon in paperback or ebook).
The Father’s Day holiday is a great excuse to spend way more than you normally might on a bottle of wine. Perfect time to cook something special and blow him away with a truly unusual wine.
Comparing the effect on colour of oak aging wine. Both are Penedès region Cabernet Sauvingnon 100% varietals; on the left, a two-year-old cosecha; on the right a six-year-old crianza. As the wine matures, its colour shifts from deep purple or crimson to a lighter brick red, taking on a more graduated appearance in the glass as it ages. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
But it’s not easy to pick from among the thousands of choices. Recently our tasters—some more experienced and some less—tested five unusual wines with widely varying reactions to the color, aroma, body, taste and finish of each. These splurge wines are listed below in roughly the order of our collective favorites, along with a little story about each and the winemakers’ notes. Remember, lots of factors affect how a wine turns out. Barrels for aging are one of the many. Read more about barrels here.
Le Dix de Los Vascos ~$65 – Le Dix, meaning ten in French, was introduced in 1996 to celebrate Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)’s first ten years in Chile. Grapes for this wine are grown in the oldest vineyard at Los Vascos, 200 acres of up to 80-year-old vines planted in 100% planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. The vision of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) to expand their estate took them to South America in 1988, where they made the first French viticultural investment in modern Chile.
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Winemaker’s notes: Deep ruby red color. Expressive nose with fruity aromas of prunes, cherries and ripe raspberries followed by notes of tobacco, leather, and graphite. Ageing in French oak barrels gives the wine nice toasty notes that blend to perfection with rose and gooseberry notes and hints of hazelnuts and cinnamon. The broad range of plump tannins from the different varieties in this blend help to create a unique mouthfeel of outstanding complexity. Grape Varieties: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carmenère, 5% Syrah Acidity: 3.4 g/L – pH: 3.62 Alcohol: 14.5%
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2. Marchese Fumanelli Amarone della Valpolicella 2009 ~$80 – The classic Valpolicella is young and fresh with high acidity. Amarone is the venerable edition from this area, and the price reflects the long nurturing process required to make this wine. After the late harvest, the grapes are left to rest on wooden racks for 120 days to dry and concentrate flavors. The wine is then made with a combination of traditional and innovative techniques. The grapes are de-stemmed and soft pressed in January and macerated for 25 days. First fermented in stainless steel, the wine is then aged for 30 months in French oak barrels and a further 8 months in the bottle. Read more about Amarone here.
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Winemaker’s notes: An intense garnet red color. The wine displays typical fruity fragrances of mature cherries and wild berry with elegant hints of sweet spices, cinnamon, tobacco and chocolate. A wine of great structure that is rich, rounded, soft and velvety. A richer, more powerful yet elegant style showing lots of ripe baked red fruits. Full-bodied with firm, structured tannins. Warm on the palate, with very long finish. Grape Varieties: 40% Corvina, 40% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella Alcohol: 15.5%
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3. Bodegas Caro 2013 Cab-Malbec ~$63 – CARO was born of the alliance between two wine cultures— French and Argentine, two noble grape varieties—Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec; and two renowned wine families—Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and Nicolas Catena, both families vignerons since the 19th century. They applied their deep knowledge of the art of winemaking to the specific characteristics of Mendoza’s high altitude terroir to create a unique wine: CARO.
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Winemaker’s notes: Intense ruby color. On the nose, aromas of red and black fruit aromas, mingled with hints of mocha and spices. Evolves slowly, revealing layer after layer of elegant fragrances. On the palate, the acidity is refreshing and persistent. Well-balanced tannins contribute to the harmony and smoothness of the palate. Grape Varieties: 50% Malbec, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon Acidity: 5.18 g/L – pH: 3.7 Alcohol: 14.5%
4. Barons de Rothschild Champagne Brut Multi-vintage ~$100 – This cuvée combines 60% Chardonnay, primarily grands crus, and 40% Pinot Noir, mainly from three small villages in the champagne region of France. The Chardonnay of this champagne takes the wine into the unforgettable style of Barons de Rothschild champagnes.
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Winemaker’s notes: Strong, assertive opening that leads into a well-rounded wine—powerful yet restrained; the sign of long aging in traditional cellars. Exudes aromas of pear and nuts (almonds, fresh hazelnuts) marrying with hints of white flowers and faint toasty notes. Brilliant and clear with pale golden highlights, the very fine bubbles carry an abundant, persistent *perlage. Grape Varieties: 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir Alcohol: 12% Acidity: 7.3 g/L – pH: 3.21
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*Perlage: In a glass of sparkling wine, it indicates the chains of bubbles that ascend from the bottom of the glass to the surface of the wine. Perlage is an important quality indicator for a sparkling wine: the more numerous, the finer and the longer lasting the bubbles, the better and the more refined the wine. From the wine glossary atClicksandCorks.com.
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5. Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneuf du Pape 2012 ~$63 – The winter of 2011-2012 was cold and dry—including two weeks in February of freezing temperatures and a strong Mistral wind gusting up to 62mph that killed many buds and froze numerous old vine stocks. A cool and humid, rainy spring restored groundwater, but that summer was very dry in this region, unlike the rest of France. Two very hot weeks in August ripened the grapes so harvest of the small yield began early. Winemakers were able to bring out high concentrations of delicate tannins. Then they aged the wine 2/3 of the time in oak barrels and 1/3 in casks and wooden vats, and blended it just before bottling.
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Winemaker’s notes: Dark red, with a purple border. The nose is rich, pure and complex, with black fruits and sweet spices. On the palate, lots of roundness, with nice refined tannins. Finish is very long, with notes of black cherry and black berry, with a silky touch on the tongue. A feeling of youth and freshness emerges. The aromas given by the ageing in oak are still visible, with hints of spices and roasting, but they will be soon integrated into the wine and will make it really complex. A wine with a great cellaring potential and with an impressing aromatic expression. Grape Varieties: 44% Grenache Noir, 37% Syrah, 14% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault Alcohol: 14.5%
No matter what you call it – rum, ron or rhum – it’s a drink that, done right, can have multiple subtle layers. If you’re thinking about the cloying old standby, rum ‘n’ cola, you’re in for a delightful surprise at how complex and intriguing a good rum can taste. First, a bit of background. At the broadest level, according to the South Florida Distillers’ website, there are two distinct categories into which all rums fall: Rhum Agricole and Industrial (Tradtiional) Rum.
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Rhum Agricole
Rhum Agricole is rum produced with freshly squeezed cane juice that is typically fermented without adding any water. The fermentation process must begin within 24 hours of pressing the cane to avoid natural fermentation by wild yeasts. Rhum Agricole comes mainly from the Caribbean Islands.
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Rum Industrial
Sounds unromantic, but don’t be put off. This is the most familiar type of rum, fermented with the by-products of converting sugarcane into sugar. In the past this type was primarily made using molasses, but today it may be made with brown sugar, raw cane sugar (turbinado), panella (solid whole cane sugar), or even white table sugar. Craft distillers tend to use easily obtainable and transportable granulated sugars that are far easier to process into rum. Traditional rum makers, though, still prefer molasses.
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And these days, foodies are joining tipplers to create pairing flights-and-bites menus all over the country. In his new book, The Tippling Bros. a Lime and a Shaker: Discovering Mexican-Inspired Cocktails, mixologist Tad Carducci contends that alcohol itself is a flavor booster. Though many winemakers would vehemently disagree, Carducci writes that “since spirits have more alcohol than beer and wine, they have more of an ability to enhance the inherent flavors of the food with which they are being consumed.”
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Lovely before or after dinner Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva
We’re not here to argue, and even less so since we like that his favorite spirit to pair with food is rum. Diplomático, which makes rums of many types, including its Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva (read this post from 2010 about how to do a rum tasting plus top 7 rums – notice Diplomático is the top favorite!), agrees when Carducci suggests traditional Venezuelan cuisine to marry with the various expressions: blanco, blended, mid-age and very aged. Like wine, there’s a lot to learn about rum, and the ideas below are definitely worth trying.
Blanco. “Lighter, younger rums tend to go very well with fish and shellfish. Their salty profiles match well against the less sweet expressions. Blanco rums also pair well with leafy greens and mild fruit and vegetables. Pair with paella.
Blended. “Marry cooked fruit flavors from orange to cherries and grilled pineapple to complement the spice of coffee, cardamom, anise and all kinds of smoked meats. With a variety of beautiful tones from wood barrels and a blend will pack flavor.” Pair with coffee rubbed pork loin.
Mid-age. “More mature rums have amazing depth and layers of flavor. Those flavors can enhance everything from creamy to hard cheeses, roasted, stewed and grilled meats, nuts of all sorts, cooked fruit and, of course, chocolate.” Pair with a taqueno, a Venezuelan classic of fried cheese.
Very Aged. “Aged whiskies, brandies and rums draw beautiful tones from wood barrels that pack more flavor onto the base spirits; adding vanilla, baking spice, earthy notes, fruit character and other flavor components.”Pair by rubbing the rim of your glass with cacao powder.
Oh, how we love the orange and brown sugar notes in Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva, drunk neat before or after dinner!
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And hmm, a bottle of ancho chili coffee rub is calling from somewhere deep in a corner of the spice cabinet…
Barcelona is a warm and friendly place where many, many people speak English. So if you’re a Chicagoan on vacation here, you’re almost bound to feel comfortable right from the start of your visit. In this part of Spain, called Catalonia, besides English many Spaniards speak Catalan Spanish, a take on the language that includes influences from the language of nearby France. You’ll see the signs in the airport when you land—the top line in Catalan Spanish and the other in regular Spanish.
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Catalonia is known for many things including the lively beach resorts of Costa Brava, the Pyrenees mountains and the birthplace of surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. Barcelona, the regional capital, has an ancient Gothic Quarter, La Rambla pedestrian mall, and several beaches. Check out the distinctive architecture of Antoni Gaudí in the Sagrada Família basilica, in the colorful mosaics of Park Güell, and in dozens of private and public structures around the city.
English: Houses in Park Güell designed by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona, Spain Français : Maisons à l’entrée du Parc Güell, réalisées par Antoni Gaudi, Barcelone, Espagne (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
But two of the biggest reasons to love Barcelona are the food and drink. Particularly notable are the many wines made by several nearby wineries operated by worldwide brand Freixenet, and also the many guises of Spanish jamón (ham) to pair with your wine. Visit the huge outdoor marketplace La Boqueria and marvel at the dozens of varieties of ham on display—from huge joints on hooks to small vacuum-sealed packages of thick or thin slices. They love their jamon so extravagantly that they eat it at breakfast, lunch and dinner and have even created a tribute in the form of a tourist attraction, Jamon Experience, where you can watch videos, taste and pair 6 different types of ham.
Interestingly, some citizens of Catalonia are strongly in favor of and are working towards splitting from the rest of Spain and becoming an independent country. Let’s hope, if that happens, we’ll be able to continue enjoying all of Freixenet’s wines with our Catalonian jamón.
Have experienced happy hour at La Madia and been impressed with both food and service – and attitude. If you arrive a little before they open, and you’re standing in the street like a lost puppy, they actually open the door and let you sit down! That is the sign of a place with serious customer service goals.
Not tomato season yet, BUT… (Tomate durch Hitze mit Grünkragen. Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Now Chef/Owner Jonathan Fox and Sous Chefs Matt Reidy and Trevin VanDyke are hosting a 5-course vegetarian dinner with wine pairings to showcase the best produce of summer at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 15. The dinner will have a special focus on produce from the Green City Farmer’s Market and explore the best offerings from local and regional farms.
The Chef’s Table is limited to only 16 guests. The 5-course prix-fixe dinner with wine pairings is $65 plus tax and gratuity. Osteria La Madia is located at 59 W. Grand Ave., Chicago. Tickets may be purchased at Eventbrite or by calling 312-329-0400.
Osteria La Madia, like most places you’ll eat in Italy, focuses on great food and distinctive, delicious wines. Their Italian cuisine features house made pastas, anti pasti, salumi and prosciutto, formaggio, salads, and a full entrée selection. Pick from a generous wine list or order something cool off the cocktail menu from one of their friendly bartenders.
You won’t feel rushed. You’ll love the food. It’s a great location – open to the street in the beautiful weather we’ve been having. Just go.
P.S. Menu items include unique fire-roasted approach to pizza (chef-developed after he tasted many types in the U.S. and Italy). Carnaroli Risotto with Black Alba Truffles and Pecorino; Wood Roasted Whole Branzino with Fennel, Grapefruit and Pine Nuts; Pan Roasted Chicken with Braised Winter Vegetables, Capolini Onions, Apple, Jus; Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Acorn Squash and Fingerling Potatoes, and Chianti Braised Short Ribs with Roasted Baby Carrots, Carnaroli Risotto, and Grana Padana Parmigiano. Desserts are all made on premises, in keeping with what is seasonally available.
