Every fall I remember what it was like to come as a child to this place that’s been my home for almost 30 years: the venerable Spaulding Orchard farmhouse. It’s the first home my husband a]]> Untitled Document At last week’s Old Capitol Farmers’ Market, one question was on everyone’s lips: “Isn’t this weather great?” Everyone w]]> Untitled Document For decades, German-Americans were a dominant group in Illinois. Waves of German immigrants flocked to the Midwest in the 1840s and 1850s, and nowhere was that more ]]> Untitled Document Easter was a big deal when I was growing up. There were the church services, which for a number of years included a sunrise play at Lincoln Memorial Garden, dir]]> It’s a sure bet that every year around this time, I’ll be pulling Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Soups from my cookbook shelves. There’s just something so right about vegetable-ba]]> The fairgrounds are bustling in the days before the Illinois State Fair opens, and no location is busier than the culinary division in the Hobby, Arts, and Crafts Building. On Friday is cleaning and s]]> If you squint, the barren fields around the little homestead outside of Atlanta, Ill., north of Lincoln on I-55, could look a bit like the North Pole — at least when they’re co]]> For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved fireplaces. Gas-burning fireplaces may be better than nothing — wonderful for people who can’t or don’t want to deal with a]]> It's time we had a little talk. Warning: It's about something that has negative connotations and that some folks think is disgusting, but we're all adults here, right? We need ]]>  The sweet-sour vinegary smell hit me as soon as I got off the school bus. I wrinkled my nose, wishing I could get back on the bus and go someplace – anyplace – else. Nana was making ]]> It used to be “the lumpy woolen sweater of the food world” according to an article in the New York Times last February. It’s true that for those of us who can remember the 1960s and ]]> By the time you read this, it’ll be over. With luck I’ll be stretched out in a lawn chair, cold iced tea in hand, enjoying my house and yard, which will be in better condition than they ha]]> Americans think of braised dishes – those delectable concoctions of long-simmered ingredients surrounded by, but not submerged in, liquids – as quintessentially American or (primarily West]]> Recipes that call for lots of garlic are always best when they’re made with new crop garlic, which is making its first appearance at farm stands and local farmers markets. New crop garlic’]]> Untitled Document From the outside, St. Anthony’s looks like hundreds of other small churches built in the 1950s and ’60s: simple design, blond brick, win]]> Q. I wondered if I could get some input with a dish I'm trying to replicate. Did you ever try the tenderloin sandwich at the [now closed] Sportsman's Lounge? The tenderloins ]]> Most vegetables are suitable for grilling, though there are a few delicate exceptions. Densely textured vegetables usually need to be partially or wholly cooked before grilling, and all shou]]> Except for 1985, when the Chicago Bears won Superbowl XX, and in 2006 when they lost Superbowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts, I’ve never much cared who was playing. For me, the Superbowl is usua]]> What does grilling bring to mind? Brats, burgers, or steak? Chicken or shrimp? But most vegetables are good for grilling, too.For omnivores, grilled vegetables can be the focal point of the meal, an a]]> What does it takes to make a good cook? Among things I’d list would be knife skills — the ability to slice, chop and dice with accuracy and speed. Planning and preparation are ]]>