Wood-grilled octopus with fennel and red onions (Htapodáki sti schára), Taxim
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: For me, this octopus dish was all about texture. While I had high expectations after everything I’d heard about this Wicker Park restaurant, chef David Schneider still blew me away by managing to eliminate every ounce of rubberiness from the octopus. It was almost closer to a firm crab meat, unlike any octopus I’ve ever tasted. The smokiness from the grill seemed to evoke the essence of Greek cuisine, with the well-caramelized fennel, onion, and peppers adding aromatic depth. Even a couple of my friends who were octopus-shy enjoyed their bites! The dish was in good company with smoky eggplant dip, fried cauliflower, and other excellent savory and sweet plates, but it remained the star of the meal.
Arches and light fixtures inside TaximCocktail with Greek grape brandy, honey, and lemon, served warm
The details:Taxim, 1558 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.
Since I’m often asked about what culinary school was like, I’m periodically re-posting “flashbacks” from the blog I kept during my certificate program at Le Cordon Bleu (2009–10).
Starting to prep a dish at my station
First, a couple classmate shout-outs: Will, who took the photo above, went on to open an awesome barbecue joint in Roselle called Smokin’ Will’s, if you find yourself in the northwest suburbs.
And Stu, who helps save the day in this particular story, has since started his own business, specializing in artisanal pickles and bloody mary mix, so go check out the gorgeous website and buy some!
Now, the story…
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later: a night in the kitchen when it seemed like everything that could go wrong did indeed go wrong (all my fingers are still intact, however, so at least I did that much right). It started out fine — we were making our last two sauces, chicken velouté and sauce tomate…So we prepped everything for the sauce tomate just fine, adding carrots, onions, and salt pork to cook down before putting in garlic and deglazing the pan with red wine. Then we were supposed to put in diced tomatoes and tomato purée, but there wasn’t enough purée to go around, so everyone improvised a little with the tomatoes. Tie the string of the sachet of herbs around the handle, and the tomato sauce is good to go for at least a half-hour of simmering.
Or so I thought. I started the roux for the velouté — it was supposed to be a blond roux — and somehow the heat got really high and the roux got really brown, really fast. It started to char and smell terrible. The new Chef came over and said flatly, “That’s ruined. Start over.” I got flustered at this point, just because I didn’t expect to screw it up that badly, so I rushed into the dishroom and tried to clean the pan off before the roux adheres to it any further. But of course, it was way too hot to put water on and started sizzling like crazy. I dumped the roux in the trash, which also started smoking, and set the pan down, hoping it would magically cool itself. I eventually got most of the roux off, and went back to the burners.
Then it got worse. While I was gone, Stu and Tony informed me, my tomato sauce got scorched. Big time. Again, not sure how the heat turned itself up, but I looked into the pot and saw a black mess of vegetables, the bottom layer completely glued to the bottom of the pan, with the sachet melted in the middle. And did I mention that the string to the sachet kept unwrapping a bit and dipping down into the burner, causing it to catch on fire? This probably happened at least three times — I kept putting it out with my towel. So new Chef sees this little sauce disaster and just goes, “Just scrap tonight. It’s not going well for you.” Then, thankfully, she showed a kinder side: “But if you’re really careful, you can scrape the top part (the part that wasn’t burned) off, add water to it and save it.” I attempted this, transferring the salvageable part into another pot, and it worked out alright, though I had way less yield that I did before. I took the ruined pot into the dish room and started scrubbing — it was my fault, so I should be the one to scrub the pan. Then, just for good measure, I splattered a black, greasy mix of pork fat and burnt tomato all over my apron. Doubt that’s coming out in the wash.
Struggling to pull it together, and keeping my tomato sauce on VERY low heat, I set to starting my velouté over. Stu gave me his extra roux, which was very helpful, so all I had to do was whisk in chicken broth. New Chef (who had grown accustomed to checking on me by this point) told me when my sauce was the right consistency and had me show it to Chef in the other kitchen. “Just a hair thick” was all I got, so that worked for me. Then my small amount of tomato sauce went through the food mill to show Chef, who evidently was only checking for consistency and thankfully would NOT be tasting what I’m sure still had a generous helping of burnt flavor. He was in a rush, so I got a “very good” before he sent me on my way. After all that!! So I guess of all the nights to go horribly wrong, this one was a decent choice.
Table full of Crucial Detail designs, with the designer’s hand
For my second Fête event this weekend, I had the rare chance to tour the Crucial Detail studio, led by designer Martin Kastner. He’s best known for designing breathtaking servingware for chef Grant Achatz’s Alinea, Next, and Aviary. His beautiful vessels are meant to translate Achatz’s innovative cooking techniques into each dish’s aesthetic presentation on the table. In a discussion moderated by Columbia College professor Kevin Henry, Kastner discussed how his work lands at an intersection of food and design.
Kastner grew up in the Czech Republic and started a career as a castle blacksmith. After marrying an American and relocating to her home country, however, he realized he was essentially unemployable (not too many castles here). It was then that he first explored design, wanting to be more personally expressive rather than retracing the creative steps of others. He also ended up helping his wife at a bakery many mornings and was intrigued by dough as a material, which planted a seed in his mind to think more critically about food.
In the late ’90s, Kastner received an email inquiry from Achatz completely out of the blue. Achatz had found Kastner in a web search for designers in the Midwest, which only returned a few dozen sites at the time. Kastner’s first project for Achatz was the Tripod, designed to serve an ice sphere that stood up on three legs when placed on the table, then collapsed into a lollipop-style stick when the diner picked it up. From there, the rest is history. Kastner went on to tell some of the stories behind his designs, many of which I’ve been fortunate enough to experience at Alinea and Aviary.
Martin Kastner describing the Antenna piece with moderator Kevin Henry
Ceramic glazes in the studio
Kastner describing the Porthole, Squid, Petals, and other designs
Martin Kastner describing the Antenna piece with moderator Kevin Henry
For example, the Porthole. It’s in use at Aviary and is likely Kastner’s most famous design due to a recent Kickstarter campaign that hit 10,000 orders within its first week. It was designed for a time-based cocktail that infuses ingredients over a longer period, so that with each pour, the drinker should be able to taste and see the difference in the drink. “The goal is to drive behavior,” Kastner said, so that the intended drinking process would be clear enough to the customer to not need further guidance. Interestingly, when the Aviary team first conceived this slow-infused cocktail, they originally envisioned serving it in a teapot, but Kastner suggested that it would be much more effective to have it visible through a sort of window, and to somehow enclose the drink in a marine environment (like a porthole). The vessel got a huge response, and I can attest that it’s a gorgeous, dramatic presentation, as seen in the close-up above.
Also in use at Aviary are trios of Petals (seen at right above). They were designed to serve small bites in multiples, but still leave as small a footprint on the table as possible. They also needed to have the ability to preheat and pre-chill the vessels, since as Kastner put it, “food is a time-based medium.” When I saw the plates hit the table at Aviary, I noticed that they were elegant and multi-leveled, but never considered the amount of space they took up on the table, or their differing temperatures. While I’m sure that lack of awareness was exactly the point – for the experience to be seamless and the focus to remain on the food – it makes it that much more meaningful to know what’s really behind these designs.
Table full of Martin Kastner’s designs
Antenna assembly instructions
Ceramic glazes in the studio
Ceramic glazes in the studio
Kastner delved into the story of the Antenna as well, which I immediately remembered from my meal at Alinea. The idea came from Kastner’s frustration with the inefficiency and clumsiness of bites being presented on a skewer, but then having a knife and fork alongside the plate too. His solution was this single, streamlined, provocative utensil. “When that lands on the table, people stop talking,” Kastner said. It’s dynamic, since it moves around in the air, and the chef can play with textures, flavors, and sound in a unified way. Most fascinating to me, though, was his explanation that it also allows the chef to have precise control over which part of the dish hits each area of the mouth. Pretty awesome.
“I never expected to be in this culinary freak show that I’m in,” Kastner admitted, laughing, but embraces it as a specialty in which he’s found great success. Kastner stressed that it’s the satisfaction of finding the right solution, both in form and in function, that really keeps him motivated.
Servingware in the works for Wolfgang Puck’s newly renovated SpagoGlazes in the studio
Chicken sandwich from Pecking Order, butterscotch praline donut from Firecakes, and La Vida Rose cocktail from Longman & Eagle
Last night, I was thrilled to attend the kick-off event for Fête, the first food and design festival of its kind in Chicago. Fête is also distinctive in its curation: Fête’s founders, which represent past and present editors at Tasting Table, Daily Candy, and Time Out Chicago, are well-positioned to understand what’s really trending in the city’s dining and cultural realms, and it showed immediately when the creative four-day line-up of tastings, seminars, and tours was announced. A night market was a great way to open the festival, with an impressive list of chefs and artisans offering both edible and non-edible wares.
However, when you pack a market with that many outstanding vendors – including pop-ups from two not-yet-open-but-already-buzzed-about restaurants – you should expect a lot of people. With a line around the block to get into the building and attendees squeezing shoulder-to-shoulder between booths once inside, I don’t think the space was quite equipped for such a barrage, even with two floors. But, inconvenience aside, there was so much to savor. I loved my chicken sandwich from Pecking Order, with juicy, Filipino-style fried chicken and slaw, and was talked into buying their homemade banana ketchup as well (I have a soft spot for artisanal condiments). I was also able to support Lillie’s Q, who recently suffered a fire in their main Bucktown location, by picking up another bottle of their matchless barbecue sauce. And Firecakes, one of the newcomers to Chicago’s gourmet donut scene, definitely delivered with its butterscotch praline donut, creamy in the center with crunchy praline bits atop its sticky glaze. I’m a little sad I didn’t get to try anything from Mott Street or Parson’s Chicken and Fish, the two aforementioned pop-ups, but I’m planning to get the full experience of both restaurants once they open. My ticket also included two cocktails from Longman & Eagle and a glass of Virtue Cider, all of which were lovely to sip as I walked around.
I’m attending two more Fête events this weekend, and will share those on the blog soon as well. But for now, check out more photos of the night market below.
The chandelier-lit space at Room 1520, which was quickly packed on both floorsRoosters, banana ketchup, and more from Pecking OrderArray of barbecue sauces from Lillie’s QIndia-sourced jewelry from Luxemi
Dark & Stormy cupcakes with rum cream cheese frosting and lime zest
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I made these cupcakes for a dear friend and coworker’s birthday this past week, in honor of a cocktail that we love to drink together. If you’ve never had one, a Dark & Stormy combines dark rum and ginger beer (or ginger ale, in a pinch), and is usually garnished with lime. I figured that these flavors would translate well into a cupcake, and through a bit of Googling, discovered that I wasn’t the first to have this idea. I went with the recipe that represented the two primary flavors with two distinct batters: one darker, with fresh ginger and molasses, and one lighter, with rum and citrus (I subbed in lime for lemon to stick with the traditional garnish). I finished the cupcakes off with cream cheese frosting – with more rum, of course – and a little more lime zest on top (the recipe called for crystallized ginger, but I’ve found that to be a little harsh for the less ginger-enthused, and the zest is more colorful anyway). I was very pleased that the cupcake really did seem to capture the cocktail. The cake stayed moist throughout, the cream cheese added richness, and all the flavors married together well. I got a lot of positive feedback from my coworkers too! You’ll find more photos of the baking process below.
Cupcake ingredientsLots of lime zestDark ginger and light rum battersBoth batters are inFresh out of the oven and ready for frosting
Maple pancakes with meyer lemon custard, Indian sugar brûlée & citrus rind conserve, JamShrimp, grits, hunter gravy & tasso, Carriage House
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I had two excellent brunch dishes this week, and they were different enough – apart from their color scheme, apparently – that it was too difficult to choose a favorite. On the sweeter side, these citrusy pancakes from Jam were like a light lemon crème brûlée with a maple foundation from the cake itself. The toasty sugar and candied rind added great crunch…and don’t even get me started on the bacon-sausage I ordered on the side (that’s right: sausage made from bacon). I think I liked these even better than the decadent chocolate ones I featured from last year – and I also promise that Jam has more than just pancakes!
On the savory side, these shrimp and grits from Carriage House, which I first visited during Restaurant Week, were just the classic I was hoping for. The head-on shrimp were nicely cooked, the grits were creamy, and the gravy didn’t skimp on smoky, meaty flavor. I was also satisfied with the portion size, especially since we couldn’t pass up a little skillet cornbread on the side (I still can’t figure out their secret, but it is delicious).
I fight the sweet vs. savory battle on every brunch menu. Savory usually wins, so I’m glad that in this case, I can call it a tie.
The details:Jam, 3057 W Logan Blvd., Chicago; Carriage House, 1700 W Division St., Chicago.
I’m often asked about what culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu was like, back in 2009–10, and since I kept a (long-winded, diary-esque) blog during my time there, I thought it would be fun to re-post snippets here from time to time.
One of my first few nights in our culinary school uniform
Also, this week, one of the friends I made during culinary school was named a finalist to become the next host for Check, Please (good luck, Flavia!), which of course got me reminiscing about our many nights cooking in the same kitchen.
So, straight from the blog, here are a few memories from my very first week of the 9-month program:
“I came into class a little late, having gone to floors 3 and 4 before determining that the kitchens were on floor 2. And of course, I had no clue how to tie my cravate. In the handbook, it’s an 18-step process, and apparently it’s a half-windsor knot, for those of you who actually tie neckties. Fortunately, most other people didn’t know how either and came to the kitchen with their cravate in hand like I did.
From the moment I stepped foot in the kitchen, I knew the chef was trying to scare us. His gruff voice coupled with a shaved head and dark goatee made him someone you did NOT want to mess with. Before he began covering material for the first class, Food Safety and Sanitation, he went on about how tough the industry is, and what is and isn’t tolerated in terms of hygiene, cleanliness, and appearance. He did teach us how to tie our cravates — and berated a girl for wearing flip-flops by calling her a hippie for the rest of class — along with reminding us that we could wear NO nail polish or fake nails, that our hair had to be INSIDE our hats, and that we had to be clean and smell good, whatever that required…”
“On day 3, it was time to actually cut things. Right before the break between sanitation and culinary class, Chef wrote two headings on the board: “Bleeder tally” and “faint score”. Yuck. A little ominous, don’t you think? We all realized that yes, people WOULD cut themselves, and yes, that can sometimes lead to fainting. I was just praying I wouldn’t be the first one to do so! Before we touched the knives, Chef demonstrated everything for us … After showing us his impeccable 1/8″ x 1/8″ x 2″ allumettes and dices using onion and carrots, it was time to let us loose. We all gathered our materials and washed our vegetables, but then the room fell nearly silent as each of us became completely focused on measuring with our rulers and cutting as precisely as possible. Though at first I had trouble cutting straight, I finally ended up with a decent brunoise of potato! (That means tiny 1/8″ cubes.) I started a carrot, too, but didn’t get very far. And even better, I didn’t cut myself — nor did anyone else, for that matter…”
Dramatic re-enactment of my lessons in knife skills
“[Two days later] was the very first time we had to present what we’d made for Chef to taste — now I know that look of fear on the Top Chef contestants’ faces when Tom Colicchio is about to taste their dish! It’s slightly terrifying. First, I presented Chef with my vinaigrette, which I wasn’t super confident about but wanted to get his opinion so I could go back to the potato purée. He checked the consistency with his tasting spoon, swirled it around a little, and told me it wasn’t homogenous enough and that you could still see too much oil. Then he tasted it and concluded that it was also a little too acidic. “Whisk it more and bring it back.” So the first critique wasn’t too bad; it could have been far worse, I’m sure. I whisked and whisked and whisked, and added a little sugar, only to bring it back and have him tell me it was a little too oily, but otherwise fine. I’m sure I’ll get used to his evaluations, but I’m a little nervous to see how harsh he gets as things get more complex!
Then Flavia brought up our potatoes soon after for Chef to taste. Basically, he told us they were cold and lumpy. So we first put the bowl over a hot water path, whipped it more, went back and forth. Then we realized they weren’t going to get hot enough that way, so we transferred them directly into a saucepan and heated them, put them back in the bowl, added more butter, salt and milk, more whipping, and so on. The next time we served them to Chef, at least we made sure that he couldn’t tell us they were cold! He still didn’t think they were smooth enough, but let us go with it. There it was, our first big moment of approval and getting to proudly eat the fruits of our labor.”
Trio of pickles: Charlie’s peanuts, sichuan eggplant, and ginger lime cauliflower
Why it’s this week’s Best Bite: I’d been anxious to try this restaurant for months now, totally intrigued by the idea of blending Portuguese, Macau, and other global street-food influences, and further convinced by the owners’ other ventures – much-lauded underground dinners and irresistibly delicious nuts that are beloved at my neighborhood farmers’ market. Perhaps predictably at this point, I was so blown away by the whole meal that I couldn’t pick just one best bite. I loved my cocktail, sweetened by vanilla and tamarind with a licorice kick from star anise. I loved the colorful trio of pickles, giving eggplant, peanuts, and cauliflower a new sweet-and-sour character. I loved the potstickers, with an eye-catching lattice of crispy dough still holding them together on the plate, and the silky, spicy pumpkin soup. There was enough going on in the fat noodles and Portuguese chicken to keep my palate constantly engaged, and the serradura dessert’s dreamy guava-banana layers made for spoonful after spoonful of happiness.
We did pass on the eponymous fat rice dish, which can be ordered as a prix-fixe meal with soup, vegetable, and dessert, so I already have a built-in excuse to go back. If you go, plan to arrive as close to the 6 p.m. opening time as possible (or even join the line that forms beforehand) to avoid long waits in the already crowded space.
Callan Club, with rum, tamarind, vanilla, and star anisePumpkin soup with tofu, mushrooms, fried bread, and calamansi picklePork and shrimp potstickersFat noodle with X.O. saucePortuguese chicken with mussels, mild curry, parrano, coconut, and chorizoSerradura dessert, with guava, banana, sweet cream, and cookie crumb
The details:Fat Rice, 2957 W Diversey Ave., Chicago.
This is part of a series of posts about my vacation to Portland, Oregon, in late February 2013.
West coast oysters, Andina
This post is a bit of a catch-all, to cover the rest of the great food that didn’t fit into any of the other posts. We knew we had to experience a few food carts, which are a big part of Portland’s dining culture, and got to try an Indian naan wrap, a savory gourmet waffle, British chips with curry sauce, and Nong’s khao man gai, the simple Thai dish that came up in our research again and again. And the latter lived up to expectations: humble poached chicken, rice, and sauce, prepared with enough love and meticulous care to turn into something extraordinary. Happy hour and fresh seafood were two other must-dos; those endeavors resulted in boldly delicious Peruvian food and the best cioppino I’ve ever had, respectively. An incredibly decadent bread pudding was a pleasant surprise with our beer flight one evening – it helped that my favorite desserts include caramel, chocolate, or coffee flavors, and this one nailed all three. We also took the suggestion of my beautiful and talented friend by indulging in a biscuit swimming in staggeringly umami-rich vegetarian gravy at Gravy, and also made a few meals out of their fantastic smoked salmon hash.
Mixta Nikkei causa with Yukon Gold potato, spicy tuna and crab salad, and crispy breaded prawn, AndinaBread basket with three sauces, AndinaCioppino, Cabezon Restaurant & FishmarketVeggie wrap, Taste of India food cartSignature dish from Nong’s Khao Man Gai food cartABC waffle with arugula, bacon, camembert cheese, and fig jam, The Gaufre Gourmet food cartChips with curry sauce, The Frying Scotsman food cartCaramel mocha bread pudding, Deschutes BreweryBiscuit with vegetarian gravy, GravySmoked salmon hash, Gravy
This is part of a series of posts about my vacation to Portland, Oregon, in late February 2013.
A quote on the chalkboard wall at Beast – words to live by!
Brunch at Beast
As I said on Twitter, I would consider this the best overall brunch experience of my life. I knew going into it that a four-course brunch (yes, that’s four courses) from one of my favorite chefs on Top Chef Masters would be nothing to scoff at, but there was so much else that came together to make the atmosphere extra-special. Both brunch and dinner at Beast are completely seasonal and change weekly based on that week’s market, so the prix fixe menu that’s posted outside the door is your first glimpse of what you’ll be eating, with no substitutions allowed. While I realize it isn’t for everyone, it probably goes without saying that I am always excited to eat this way. Although Chef Naomi was in Miami for the weekend, her staff treated us 24 or so diners with the utmost care, ushering us in right at 10 a.m. and meticulously plating each course in the open kitchen that comprised nearly half of the intimate space. In the other half, two large communal tables were filled by a collection of food-lovers from all over the country. Speaking of those fellow diners…in a fun coincidence, the party next to us was a couple from the LA-area and their two daughters, both of whom happened to be Northwestern alums, and the older of whom was even in my graduating class! Once we started to recognize each other and talk through our mutual friends and connections (with a little help from Facebook), it became even more startling that two people with so much in common just happened to be seated together at brunch all the way in Portland. Beyond that, it was just a delight to be around so many other foodies – including this one, with an extensive knowledge of food in most major cities and a great Twitter presence – and sharing the experience with people who wanted to soak it in the same way, iPhone-photo-snapping and all (no doubt this restaurant has inspired its own Portlandia sketches).
Of course, the food itself was equally excellent. To begin, the bacon-topped claufoutis was airy with lovely apple flavor – I tried to savor each spoonful, but I’ll admit that it went quickly. The hash combined so many of my favorite savory brunch ingredients that I felt as if they’d read my mind: duck, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, broccoli, mushrooms…a mixture that was rich, balanced, and all-out delicious. Next up was a plate of three outstanding (and very different) cheeses that were paired with greens so flavorful and nicely dressed that we could barely stop talking about them. And finally, I now dream of wrapping up every brunch with a smooth, ultra-dark chocolate stout cake cloaked in more chocolate and topped with gold-leaf-flecked chantilly cream. If this is what Beast’s morning meal is like, I’d love to go back someday for a six-course dinner, and make a few more new food-fanatic friends.
Northern Spy Apple clafoutis with soft whipped cream and maple-glazed baconBeast hash with duck confit, heirloom broccoli, maitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, poached farm egg, and hollandaiseSelection of Steve’s cheeses (cow, goat, sheep) with Groundworks organic greens and citrus vinaigretteDark chocolate stout cake with crème chantilly
Toro Bravo draws crowds for its imaginative tapas, so we had to see what the hype was about. We got there right as the restaurant opened for dinner and claimed a seat at the kitchen counter, which was a fun way to see how some of our food came together and listen to the expedite process and general flow of the kitchen. I was genuinely impressed by most of our dishes, and understood why this place had developed a strong following. The boquerones, for example, were treated as exactly the salty delicacy they should be, served atop piperade with such depth that it felt like it had to have been simmering on a grandmother’s stove all day. I was also a little obsessed with the baked polenta, which was basically the best qualities of a cheesesteak and creamy grits rolled together into one. Great cocktails and attentive service as well.
Octopus a la planchaRadicchio salad with green olive toast and manchego vinaigretteBoquerones with grilled bread and piperadeBaked polenta with roast beef, peppers, and onions
