Mushroom hunters command my utmost respect. Their observational skills are keen, and their patience, especially during unproductive spells, is remarkable. My own forays into mushroom hunting have yielded little success. However, when a friend arrives at my door with a basket overflowing with fungi, my excitement is undeniable! Every autumn, I used to look forward […]
Peter Glatz
After the passing of his wife, Julianne (former Illinois Times food columnist), Peter Glatz decided to retire from a 40-year career as a dentist to reinvent himself as a chef at the age of 66. In his short culinary career, he has worked at Chicago’s Michelin-starred Elizabeth Restaurant, Oklahoma City’s Nonesuch (Bon Appetit’s “America’s Best New Restaurant- 2018), Savannah’s The Grey, and Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis.
Posted inFood Features
Summertime shrimp salads
I genuinely enjoy my late-life, second career as a chef at Caprae Restaurant at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery, and I want to thank all the Illinois Times readers who made the long drive to Champaign for my recent low country seafood dinner. It’s been a challenging summer, and I’ve spent many nights sweating in […]
Posted inFood Features
Chefs solve perishable produce problem
At Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery’s Caprae Restaurant in Champaign, we have developed close relationships with our farmers. It’s truly a two-way street. Being a farm-to-table restaurant, our menu is driven by what our farmers can provide for us. Often, they go out of their way to accommodate our needs. In return, if they have […]
Posted inFood & Drink
It’s a Southern thing, y’all
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my wife, our dog and I resided in our converted school bus in different areas of the country. We made an effort to shop at local open-air farmers markets whenever possible, enjoying all the regional produce. However, my wife often said, “There’s nothing better than a good Illinois tomato!” Back in […]
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A culinary journey around the world
For centuries, cooks worldwide have ingeniously stuffed vegetables, a testament to how readily available ingredients can be transformed into delicious and nourishing combinations of textures and flavors. The variety of fillings is vast, ranging from savory meats and aromatic rice to creamy cheeses and fresh herbs. Mediterranean cuisine offers dolmades, grape leaves filled with rice, […]
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Easier to make than it sounds
Panna cotta, meaning “cooked cream” in Italian, is a wobbly, silky, eggless custard-like dessert made with sweetened cream bound with gelatin. It’s one of my favorite make-ahead desserts, especially when I need to use up leftover dairy products in the refrigerator. A panna cotta is pretty easy to make, and it lends itself to improvisation. […]
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Cool beans for warm days
Growing up in the Midwest, I had to attend many potlucks. These communal gatherings often featured dishes that, to modern tastes, seem pretty bewildering. My mother, by her own admission a poor cook, regularly contributed a solid block of Philadelphia cream cheese, generously blanketed with Sau-See Shrimp Cocktail – tiny shrimp swimming in a bland, […]
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The best memories are served family style
If I had to pick my most memorable dining experiences, three would stand out. My dinner at the chef’s table at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago immediately springs to mind. Nestled within the bustling kitchen, the chef’s table offered a front-row seat to the controlled chaos and focused energy of the legendary, Michelin-starred restaurant. The tension […]
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Red peas and red drinks
Juneteenth, a commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the U.S., is a day rich in traditions. This celebration provides opportunities for community bonding, education and remembrance, ensuring that the spirit and significance of Juneteenth are passed on to future generations. Central to these celebrations are elaborate feasts where families and communities gather […]
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Spring on a plate
Having spent the past winter in semi-hibernation, I’ve returned to my job as a chef at Caprae Restaurant at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery in Champaign. I am once again living in my converted school bus next to the goat barn. I hadn’t planned on being here again. Last fall, I declared, as I have […]
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Crabcakes that actually taste like crab
On the reality TV show Kitchen Nightmares, renowned British chef Gordon Ramsay visited struggling restaurants as a troubleshooter and tried to turn them around. Ramsay would often order crabcakes because they are a simple dish that could be a reliable indicator of a restaurant’s food quality and cooking standards. He could tell if the restaurant […]
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Baking soda hacks
Our little house has a smallish kitchen, but thankfully it has a door that opens to a staircase leading to a dry basement, which I’ve turned into a giant pantry. My wife recently questioned why I keep the baking soda in the cabinet next to the stove instead of in the basement pantry with the […]
