Peter Glatz

Preserving food was vital for survival before modern refrigeration, especially for milk, which was plentiful in the summer but scarce in winter. About 8,000 years ago, a method was devised to ensure milk could be stored for the cold season: it was curdled using either acid or rennet, and the resulting curds were then preserved […]

Two decades ago, I attended an outstanding performance by the Derek Trucks Band at Tipitina’s in Uptown New Orleans. The evening’s most enduring memory, however, wasn’t the music – it was a late-night culinary discovery. Stepping outside for air, I was drawn by an irresistible aroma to a man selling noodle soup out of the […]

The period spanning the early 2010s to the early 2020s saw a significant shift in the restaurant industry, driven by growing consumer interest in ethical and sustainable food, which in turn boosted demand for more plant-based menu options.  Dan Barber’s The Third Plate, published in 2014, envisioned a future in which vegetables moved to the […]

As I emerged from my late adolescence into early adulthood, I harbored dreams of traveling the world. But like the derailed plans of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, my hippie-inspired dream of backpacking through Europe had to be put on hold. Marriage, children and the practical demands of paying off student loan debt […]

I am a staunch supporter of family farms and sustainable agriculture, and I prefer shopping at small, local businesses over large corporations. This deeply held belief is why the sight of an Amazon package on my porch inevitably triggers a sense of guilt. The Amazon box symbolizes my struggle to uphold my values in a […]

Growing up in a middle-class Chicago suburb during the 1950s and 60s, my family’s life was comfortable, though not lavish. My father, an art school graduate, became a commission-based salesman when he realized he couldn’t support his young family as an artist. Consequently, vacations were beyond our means, and except for our weekly Saturday outing […]

Farro, an ancient and increasingly popular whole wheat grain, offers a delightful nutty flavor and chewy texture. This versatile grain is available in three forms: whole grain, which is the most nutritious but requires longer cooking; pearled, with the bran removed for faster preparation; and semi-pearled, where the bran is partially removed. The earthy and […]

My late wife, Julianne, and I were undergraduates at the University of Illinois in Champaign when we married. During our first year of marriage, while living in a mobile home on the outskirts of Champaign, we engaged in a fundraising pie-making marathon. This event supported the U of I Concert Choir’s concert tour of Puerto […]

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 […]

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 […]