Bertolli…Into the Heart of Chicago

June 25, 2011May 8, 20167 Comments

It’s been a while since I posted . But I assure you I have been pursuing all things culinary and creative in my down time from Coco Cooks. My posts from my extensive travels the past month now are all up on Black Atlas. So come explore Vienna, Austria and Indianapolis, where I attended the Indy 500 , with me. Here is the link to all my videos and posts.Or check out my You Tube Channel.

Thankfully my good friend Marie over at Proud Italian Cook is looking out for me and making sure I take time and smell the roses. She was invited by the good people of Bertolli and the Zocalo Group to experience the best of Italian food in Chicago and asked them if I could come along. It was truly magical day with Marie and several other fellow Chicago Food Bloggers. There was so much to capture, I thought a video would be the best format. Thank you Bertolli and Zocalo Group.

Here are the some of the fellow bloggers that participated:

Proud Italian Cook

Whats Cooking Chicago

He Sipped She Sipped

French Foodie Mom

Veggies Cakes and Cocktails

Rhymes with Spoon

Chicago Hidden Gems…Old Chinatown

March 3, 2011May 8, 20165 Comments

This will be the first in a series of posts I will explore from time to time called Chicago Hidden Gems. This series will have a affordable inspirational, culinary and travel angle .

Today I showed a dear friend around to my some favorite spots only we could appreciate. We decided to have a weekday Dim Sum lunch (average tab $15-$20 a person) at Phoenix , and then explore Wentworth Avenue, otherwise known as Old Chinatown. Admittedly, I don’t get to that part of Chinatown often but love a hidden little cookware store called Woks and Things. Affordable and huge variety. I left with a Dragon shaped garnish cutter ( suggested uses as cakes, garnish, vegetable cutouts) and the tea cups featured above for $1.25 each ( suggested uses for tea, soups, amuse bouche, starters, mini desserts, spice bowls). We then crossed over to the East side of the street and found Ten Ren Tea and Ginseng shop, one of the oldest and venerated tea havens in Chinatown, let alone Chicago. This is for hard core tea lovers who seek exceptional teas, beautiful ceramics, and a helpful educated staff. Don’t come here for adulterated artificial flavored teas. Amongst the copper tins and boxed teas, I choose a smoky and rich Lapsang souchong (Lap Sang Soo Chong at $17.00 a pound (suggested uses drink, tea smoke fish , chicken, or pork) along with boxed sets of Oolong, and Rose teas .The beautiful tin cannister to store my smoky goodness was an additional $5.75.

Finish your promenade with a stop by Hoypoloi, and Uncommon Gallery and revel in great American based art finds like the prints of Dr. Seuss. And then grab a hot or bubble tea from the younger hipper St.Alps Teahouse .

And there is a great Far Eastern interlude in a corner of Chicago some are too timid to explore in depth. There is a lot waiting to be discovered in Chicago.

Marx Foods Iron Foodie 2010… And A Local Event for Chicago Sears Chef Challenge

November 1, 2010November 2, 20107 Comments

Those that know me well, know I’m totally am not into whole popularity contests I see going on the food blog world.So many contests lately are based on who can rustle up the most votes rather than actual merit. There I said it and but it’s really a pet peeve of mine. However there are some challenges and contests that genuinely appeal to me , and that I would want to do just for the pure joy and creative outlet it provides. When I saw this email announcement from the Foodie Blogroll for an Iron Foodie Contest with Marx Foods, I said I so want to do this! So here is Step One, which is to answer these questions:

Why do you want to compete in this challenge?

I believe I answered this above. But an Iron Foodie Challenge from Marx Foods is right up my alley. I have entered several Marx contests before and love their offerings of premium meats, poultry, and pasta. It’s been a while since I did anything with them but this challenge is calling my name. Iron Chef with Marx Ingredients. Oh yes! I have the creativity for this one. Bring it on.

Limitations of time/space notwithstanding, whose kitchen would you like to spend the day in & why? Julia Child, Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, James Beard, Marie-Antoine Careme, or The Swedish Chef?

Marie-Antoine Careme, bien sur! I love history and even more so food history. That’s what sets me apart from the average blogger, in that I know who he is. Check out my peach souffle I made for his Birthday. I can see my myself time travelling to work with the first Celebrity Chef who cooked for kings and heads of state. To toil in the kitchens with him and construct elaborate piece montees, souffles and the vol au vents which he invented by the way. Of course as a time traveller I would know he would meet an early end from all that carbon monoxide he inhaled in those non ventilated ancient kitchens. But of the palaces we would see and and the education I would get. Yes that’s who I would want to work with for one imaginary day. I would probably have to disguise myself as a man, but a girls got to do what she’s got to do.

What morsel are you most likely to swipe from family & friends’ plates when they aren’t looking?

The olives. They should never go to waste. And bits of crispy skin.

Sum your childhood up in one meal.

A seafood feast of lobsters and Dungenesee crabs. I was very spoiled and my mother encouraged and indulged my tastes.

The one mainstream food you can’t stand?

Peanut Butter repulses me. I get sick just smelling it.

So step one is completed. I do hope I get chosen among the lucky 25 bloggers to compete.

In other food news….

If you are in Chicago this week,you should check out the Sears Chef Challenge Grand Championship on November 4th. Along with the competition, a canned food drive benefiting the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation will also take place during the Sears Chef Challenge Grand Championship. They are also encouraging attendees donate products when they arrived at the Kenmore Live Studio. Here are the details:

Chicago’s own Le Cordon Bleu Chef Mark Maassen will be competing to win an additional $10,000 to donate to a local Chicago food pantry charity for an overall donation of $20,000, as well as a full kitchen renovation from Sears. Maassen will face New York-based Chef Alex Dino on Nov. 4 for the Championship round of the Sears Chef Challenge after defeating 22 other chefs in previous rounds of the Sears Chef Challenge competition.

The competition is free to the public and attendees will be able to view the cook-off as well as experience and taste the food. In addition, those who will not be able to attend the event will still be able to view it by streaming the competition online at www.SearsChefChallenge.com.

Kenmore Live Studio
678 North Wells (Huron & Wells)
Chicago, IL 60654
312.265.0871

And last but not least,your chance to enter Black Atlas’ contest to meet Marcus Samuelsson and attend the Red Rooster opening is ending soon.

Art Wine Project at Three Peas Art Lounge

September 21, 20101 Comment

I love to promote my adopted home town Chicago. In fact I feel more an affinity for this city in which I lived in for a decade than my true Hometown , Washington D.C. It was love instantly and Chicago really is my type of town. Chicago leaves you wanting for nothing culturally and food and wine wise. So its with pleasure I want to introduce you to a favored spot of mine. Three Peas Art Lounge. You may remember Three Peas Art Lounge donated their space for Stir It 28. Small and cosy in South Loop, Three Peas mission is to “support artists ‘ in atypical formats”.

Last week Maya and Chrishon invited me to their Press event to launch the Art Wine Project. I love these young ladies as they boldly have combined a gallery and social spot in an innovation setting. Keeping the innovation going they have created the Art Project. Three Peas now has private label wines featuring specially commissioned art work on their labels byHebru Branltey and Krista Franklin. There are two varietals , a 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon featuring Hebru Brantley’s work and a 2010 Riesling featuring Krista Franklin’s work. I sampled both and they are excellent. When you purchase a case you get a signed print of the artwork.Individual bottles will be available for retail as well. The Art Wine Project installation actually runs from August 7- September 30. So there is still time to see these artists great works.

Here’s a clip about Hebru who tells me he makes a mean Macaroni and Cheese. Anytime you want to stop over to Coco Cooks come on over Hebru!

I will be taking a tiny break for a few weeks. But I may drop in with a post or two if time permits. Thanks for reading.

Various Pickled Peppers and Scuppernong Fail… Ideas for Meatless Monday

September 4, 2010September 7, 20105 Comments

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Food Blogs are full of culinary success stories. Few of us own up to our failures. As you know I’m on a canning kick this summer,but have failed miserably with my confitures. Now my pickles have been exceptional! No jam or jelly I have attempted this year has set properly. Yes I used pectin and still fail. I don’t know about you but the thought of remaking and reprocessing doesn’t appeal to me at all. A peach brown sugar /balsamic jam turned into a lovely glaze for pork and chicken. So not a complete fail. I read one high brow blogger in her air of superiority claim

Pectin was for the timid…

Well color me timid, because if it doesn’t work with pectin, its not going to work for me without pectin. And some fruits need that Pectin push more so than others due to natures genetic makeup.

I find my inspiration to blog from the grocery aisles , travels,dining out, and markets. I saw these ugly yet beautiful Scuppernongs in the new market around the corner. I have always been fascinated with name Scuppernong. It resounds in my mind and I can’t place the origin. Scuppernong are a form of muscadine that’s prevalent in the Southern states, particularly North Carolina. Wines and jellies are common culinary applications . Scuppernongs have thick skins and seeds, but yield plenty of juice. After mashing , cooking , and straining, my beautiful golden jelly did not set. They still sit sealed , as I wonder what to do with them. Perhaps a pate fruit? I hate waste.

I have had some success over the past month. They are proving popular as I give them away to friends.

I love pickled onions. And I love heat. Playing around with various peppers I came up with the this great pickle to use atop sandwiches or serve up with greens. Use your imagination.

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Pickled Onions and Peppers

* I’m not exact giving measurements , as that would depend on your batch. But this roughly makes 6 pint jars. Vary your peppers according to taste and heat sensitivity.

2 large red onions, sliced
2 Habenero Peppers
6-7 Serrano
2 Cubannelle or other sweet pepper
2-3 whole all spice
1 teaspoon hot mustard seed
4 cloves fresh garlic sliced into slivers
1/4 cup Coarse Kosher Salt
White Vinegar

Slice your peppers. Leave the seeds in the Serranos, but seed your Cubanelles and Habenerros.
In a lidded food grade container, place your sliced onions, and peppers.
Cover with salt and add water to cover.
Let soak overnight in the refridgerator.
Drain salt water off the onions and peppers.
Sterilize jars and lids.
Heat White Vinegar and all spice to a boil.
Pack the onions and peppers tightly with some garlic slivers for each jar.
Pour hot vinegar solution over the vegetables leaving slight head space.
Cap and Seal.
Process for 10 minutes in a water bath.
Let flavors settle in jar for at least 2 days .

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This recipe follows the same principle as above. I was walking with my friend Beth last week at the Logan Square Market and knew I had to pickle these babies. I added fresh basil and local Wisconsin garlic to the mix. Pickled whole, they will be beautiful on and Antipasti or relish tray for the heat lover.