Category Archives: fast food

Super cool no-stick MasterPan has kickstarted

A company called Masterpan is out to change your cooking habits. Their live Kickstarter campaign for the new MasterPan collection began on August 31. And after using the samples we received  for a couple of weeks, we admit to being impressed.

The pans are heavier than you expect for a non-stick pan. Each pan has a large heavy steel disk on the bottom which, when preheated for two minutes, actually distributes the heat across the entire area of the giant square pan. It minimizes cold corners and edges. The nonstick coating seems thicker and sturdier than others we’ve used. And the lid fits all of the pans, so you can steam something for a little bit and then brown it on both the flat surfaces and the grill surfaces.

Masterpan grilled potato wedges
Masterpan grilled potato wedges

One night I decided to challenge the pan to produce some crispy potato wedges. I was delighted to find that five minutes in the microwave for a couple of very large red potatoes got them just soft enough to slice into thick wedges. Then, using an absolute minimum of oil – we use a pump mister for our olive oil – I distributed the wedges around the three sections of the pan. Then I noticed they weren’t quite cooked through, so I put the lid on the pan for five minutes and got them just tender enough. The soft-rubber-edged seal makes the lid fits closely and thus creates a good head of steam to hurry the cooking along.

Took the lid off and continued cooking to end up with crispy potato wedges with those appetizingly brown grill marks on them. Sprinkled half of them with chipotle chili pepper and garlic salt, the other half with just garlic salt, and applied the oil mister a couple more times. Really delicious and crispy and not oily in the least. And I didn’t have to turn the big oven on – a problem in our small kitchen, which heats up outrageously when the oven is on. We are always looking for good ways to avoid that, especially in the summer.

MasterPan breakfast
MasterPan breakfast

Made a beautiful breakfast the last two mornings. Four minutes for a potato in the microwave. Meanwhile, steam as much fresh baby spinach as you can fit into the grill side of the 3-section pan. Throw a few drops of water or olive oil in first, then put the leaves in and cover it. After the potato is squeezably soft, grate it (thin slice the peels, too). Open the skillet lid, remove the spinach to your plate. Mist the 3 sections with olive oil, throw the grated potato in the grill section and one of the flat ones. Cook a few minutes – it will brown delicately – and then break an egg into the third section. You can cover to steam the egg a bit, or you can flip it over. Voila. You have fresh steamed spinach, hash browns and an easy-over egg, all from one pan, in under 10 minutes. This is simplified cooking, people.

Masterpan grilled chicken n veg - more challenging than breakfast
Masterpan grilled chicken n veg – more challenging than breakfast

We love the heaviness, the close-fitting multi-pan lid, the multiple cooking options (grill, flat) and, for a single person living alone, the small divided sections do actually help control portion sizes – as long as you stick to that much. Get yours now during the MasterPan Kickstarter campaign. And, just for fun, here’s their cute promotional video.

Gluten-free veggie-rich muffins now at Costco

Garden Lites choclate veggie gluten-free muffin
Garden Lites choclate veggie gluten-free muffin

While we know how important they are to celiac disease and other sufferers, gluten-free baked goods have in the past mainly made us look elsewhere for treats. But we agreed to try a few samples from Garden Lites because they were also said to be rich in vegetables.

So glad we did. The chocolate zucchini edition tastes pretty rich as well as feeling almost as good in the mouth as a flour-based muffin might. A little less so for the Blueberry Oat version, but still very enjoyable. We ate

Nutrition in Blueberry Oat version
Nutrition in Blueberry Oat version

them straight out of the freezer – heating is recommended to bring out the best flavor – as mid-morning stave-off-starvation snacks. Both were definitely satisfying as regards both taste and to feeling virtuous about the nutrition. Vegetables are the first ingredients listed on all their versions (e.g., zucchini and carrots are first in the list for the chocolate one).

Garden Lites has just introduced these to Costco in the Midwest in boxes of 20. Keep them in the freezer. They’re individually wrapped so no worries about re-sealing the package after opening. Happy to recommend them as healthier satisfying snack alternatives.

What is “rich” food?

Taste of the Danforth
Grilling makes most meats taste richer. Taste of the Danforth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Richness. How do we experience that in regard to food? What does it mean to say a food is rich? The dictionary says the word relates to a multitude of qualities besides possessions (wealth). Something rich is said to “have high value or quality, or to be well-supplied or endowed.” How about a food rich in history? Potatoes, for example. The seven-year-long Great Famine in Ireland in 1845. Or tomatoes – carried from South America in the late 16th century to all parts of the world and once thought to be highly poisonous.

But, no, that’s not what we mean when we say a food is rich. Perhaps the grapes are rich – have high quality and thus can produce the best wines. Yeah, but that’s more about the qualities of the grapes and not so much about taste, which is what we’re mainly talking about in a cookbook (which I happen to be working on and which inspired this post).

The dictionary goes on. “Magnificently impressive, synonym: sumptuous.” Oh, yeah, I can see that applied to a lot of dishes – Beef Wellington (filet of beef wrapped in pastry), anyone? Or “vivid and deep in color.” Yes, a rich red tomato. A deep, rich browned crust on your ribeye. Okay, we’re getting there.

Merriam Webster continues, “having a strong fragrance.” Yes! Think about fresh-baked bread. About the aroma of pot roast on a cold winter’s night. Rich, for sure. Here’s one: “having abundant plant nutrients.” Okay, although we do use the phrase rich in nutrition – and perhaps strict vegans might use it in that sense – vitamins are not usually what we’re thinking of when we speak of the richness of a meal. Here’s one: “highly seasoned, fatty, oily, or sweet.” Indeed, this meaning is often used pejoratively – “That’s too rich for my blood,” someone will say of a dish loaded with butter or sugar or one sitting in a pool of rich wine reduction.

English: Crème brûlée prepared using a torch.
These are BIG dishes of lush creme brulee – but the browned-sugar coating isn’t rich enough yet.

And the last few from the dictionary: “high in some component” – again, this leads us to think of non-taste-related phenomena such as, for example, cholesterol, though we could use it to refer simply to taste itself. I like the mystery and subtlety of this definition: “meaningful, significant.” Yes. I can feel this one when I speak of a meal that is rich – including taste and sensation but layered perhaps with some emotion like love, happiness, contentedness. Another one, “lush” seems suitable for rich, silky, creamy foods like ice cream or crème brûlée.

And finally, “pure or nearly pure” could refer to the intensity of a single flavor, as in soup base that is rich with beef flavor or a dessert composed of several items (e.g., crust, filling and topping), all flavored with lime, or with vanilla.
And then there’s umami, the so-called “fifth taste.” Discovered after centuries of belief that there were only the classic four: salt, sweet, sour and bitter.  Umami is defined generally as “savory, related to lip-smacking, rich tasting.” How about some triple-cream brie cheese? Surprisingly, people of good will today still disagree as to whether umami is a legitimate classification. But why not? It fits. It’s a concept missing from the other four, so it makes sense as a category. But I doubt it will ever have the rich, multilayered connotations of the “r” term. I mean, “rich” even feels umami on your tongue, doesn’t it?

Early 2015 restaurant news – burgers, soup, salumi and more

Acadia's new featured wagyu beef 'shroom burger
Acadia’s new featured wagyu beef ‘shroom burger

Acadia, 1639 S. Wabash in the South Loop, recently launched a new version of the Acadia Burger, one of the bar menu’s most popular items. The 6-ounce wagyu, brisket and chuck burger, created by Chef Ryan McCaskey, is topped with a mushroom ragout and Gruyere Grand Cru cheese and served on a sesame bun. It’s served with pickled cauliflower and hand-cut fries seasoned with house-made lemon pepper seasoning (containing over 20 ingredients) and foie gras butter. Sounds like a fascinating combination – and the fries look cooked just right.

The previous version, based on Burger King’s Stacker, was recognized as one of Chicago’s best burgers by Thrillist, TimeOut Chicago, Zagat and others. Acadia expects the new version to be just as well-loved. McCaskey said the new version “was inspired by my family eating at Hardee’s on the way to my grandmother’s house in Iowa as a kid.” Clearly, the wagyu beef and Gruyere cheese alone push it several notches beyond the inspiration. To inspire yourself, check it out at http://www.acadiachicago.com/.

Quartino's house-made salumi
Quartino’s house-made salumi

Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar, 626 N. State St., invites you to help celebrate its 9th anniversary on Tuesday, January 6 at its Annual Wine Bash. From 7 to 9 pm, $25 at the door gets you samples of some of Quartino’s most popular regional Italian food and wine specialties like pizza, Chef Coletta’s house-made salumi, Polenta Fries, Veal Meatballs, and more. To drink, either rosso or bianco Antica wines or the restaurant’s famous White Peach Bellini (Prosecco and house-made white peach puree).

“The evening will highlight many of the items that have been on our menu since day one in 2005,” says Executive Chef John Coletta, “and that are still some of our customers’ favorite dishes.” Head up to the second floor when you get there (social media #LateOnState).

Kanela Breakfast Club’s loukoumades

Kanela Breakfast Club (locations in Old Town, Lakeview and Wicker Park) welcomes power breakfast meetings with free wi-fi and complimentary parking .  NATIONAL SOUP MONTH – all month any guest who donates a canned soup or non-perishable food item will receive a complimentary order of Kanela’s signature Loukoumades (Greek doughnut, lemon honey syrup and toasted walnuts). Donations will be made to a local food pantry. Not valid with any other offer or promotion, one per person.

National Blueberry Pancake Day – Wed. January 28. Every order of Kanela’s signature blueberry pancakes comes with a free first cup of Julius Meinl coffee. One per person.

 

Compass Bar, 433 W. Diversey in Lincoln Park, is now serving brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brunch items range in price from $3 to $11 and features items like the breakfast pizza,

Bloody Mary with Rhinelander Lager

classic breakfast, omelettes, French toast and more. $6 mimosas and $8 bloody marys made with CH Distillery Peppercorn Vodka. Pair with a 3 ounce Rhinelander Lager bottle for an additional $2. The complete menu is available HERE. The Compass regular menu specializes in wood-fired pizzas and beer lovers choose from 180 bottled and 20 draft options.

Go North to Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Michigan

Ever been to Northern Michigan? I just went there for the first time recently, and I can tell you it’s beautiful country. It’s a delightful place to escape from Chicago’s intensity for a bit. Happily, there’s a cool resort – owned and operated by the Chippewa and Ottawa Indian tribes – near Traverse City that’s got everything you need for a real retreat. It’s called Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.

Three golf courses – all respectably difficult – grace the property. The outdoor pool has its own food service (in season). The fully equipped health club is huge – 100,000 square feet – and includes five beautifully maintained indoor tennis courts, two indoor pools and two hot tubs open early to late, a full fitness center with machines, weights and classes, and a childcare center called the Cub House.

Also, on premises you have three restaurants (read about Aerie here) and a whole little avenue of shopping pleasures. MudPie offers delightful gifts and fun fashions and accessories. Dylan’s Candy Bar has a host of sweet treats and fun little gifts for kids. Tumbleweeds carries toys and games for kids of all ages. Plus there’s an American Spoon shop with fabulously creative jams, sauces, and more.

Plus, you can always visit the Turtle Creek Casino down the road if you’re one who enjoys gambling. Plus you can visit nearby National Forests – Huron-Manistee, sample good food in Traverse City (Amical), visit lighthouses and wineries. You will not be bored.

By the way, this part of Michigan is about to receive millions of dollars for repair and resurfacing highways and byways. So if you’ve ever been in this area and run into some difficult traffic or roads, you should find smoother sailing soon.

Don’t take the highway up there. Rather take the scenic route up Route 31 (the trip is seven-ish hours) and stop in one or two of the little lakeside towns (starting from closest to Traverse City): Frankfort, Manistee, Ludington, Muskegon and Saugatuck are all charming places to get a meal or a drink. Crowded in the summer, but still fun to see even off-season.

It was my first time in Northern Michigan – and I’m hoping I’ll be back again soon.

 

Byron’s – hot dogs at the White House

MrPresident3by5
Byron’s owners Mike & Ann Payne with the POTUS
Only he-men dare!
Only he-men dare!

Did you know the owners of a Chicago legend, Byron’s Hot Dogs, were invited to serve their fare to the President and First Lady at the White House? Yep. Theirs was one of only four restaurants chosen to participate in a picnic-on-the-lawn back in 2011. Byron’s represented the entire Midwest. You go, Chicago Byron’s!

The picture is of the Lord Byron burger – a quadruple burger with cheese on every patty.  Mustard, relish, onion, lettuce, cucumber, green pepper, tomato, pickle and celery salt. Hot peppers on request.  Owner Mike Payne said this was the burger featured on Chicago’s Best television show on Channel 9 – where they asked him to eat one on screen. He couldn’t finish it. Mike said they sell a surprising number of these giant concoctions. Are you up for one? Byron’s also offers normal-sized dogs, burgers and a pretty tasty veggie burger, all with fresh veggies to your taste. Good fries, too. Two locations: 1701 W. Lawrence – the bigger store with lots of indoor seating, and 1017 W. Irving Park – limited stool seating plus an outdoor space that’s heated in winter. Order ahead online.