Peter Glatz

Steak cooked to a perfect “medium” PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ My two favorite avocations are music and cooking; I have found that camping at music festivals in Bertha Bus, my mobile kitchen, gives me the perfect opportunity to enjoy both. Over the years, as my meal preparations have become more elaborate and time consuming, I […]

King salmon with blueberry sauce. PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ Fish can be a beneficial component of a healthy diet. Fish are the major sources of long-chain omega-3 fats, are high in protein and low in saturated fat. Evidence suggests that eating fish or taking fish oil is good for the heart and blood vessels. The […]

Carl Blake, right, talks pig with Maldaner’s chef Michael Higgins. It seems that of late my life’s journey has been taking some pretty unexpected turns. The latest fork in the road has me rolling down a hilly two-lane highway in Bertha Bus, my kitchen on wheels. My chef friend, David Radwine, and I had spent […]

The author in his bus preparing a post-workout breakfast for his CrossFit group. PHOTOS BY GINNY LEE A week after my wife, Julianne, died, I received an invitation to have lunch from her editor at Illinois Times, Fletcher Farrar. It was at this meeting that he brought up the possibility of my daughter, Ashley, and […]

Justin Richardson, chef at The Garden I slow my car to 25 mph as I drive into New Berlin. I’m on a mission to check out rumors about a young chef who is serving amazing food in the back of a gas station. I first heard the buzz about this restaurant last summer but I […]

Stagiaire Peter Glatz with Chef Iliana Regan Every year Food & Wine magazine devotes its July issue to the “Best New Chefs in America.” This prestigious list is the result of a months-long selection process based on nominations from food writers, restaurant critics and incognito visits by Food & Wine editors. Nominees must have been […]

Steak with chimichurri My most memorable dining experiences have ranged from the bizarre to the sublime. When I travel, I try to seek out and immerse myself in the local food and music culture. What makes a meal memorable might be the quality of the dish or the uniqueness of the surroundings. My wife and […]

Swiss chard with raisins and pine nuts. PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ Of all the plants in my vegetable garden, I have a special fondness for Swiss chard. Unlike asparagus, which makes an early spring appearance and then quietly goes to seed, or Brussels sprouts, whose tasty orbs do not come to maturity until the fall, […]

Korean short ribs and veggie skewers ready to grill. PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ Some people are security seekers. I have friends who always drink the same brand of beer or wine and order the same familiar foods such as steak, fried chicken or cheeseburgers. Other people are thrill seekers. They are the ones who try […]

Asparagus “rafts” on the grill. PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ During college, I spent my summers farming with my wife’s grandfather – her “Papa” – on his organic produce farm. Every evening, weary, sore, and satisfied from a true hard day’s work, we were rewarded with Nana’s sublime suppers. Nana was a farm cook. She did […]

Mark Hartstein, chef/owner of Watson’s Shack & Rail in Champaign. PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ I’ve been a lover of Buffalo Hot Wings for decades: chicken wings fried or broiled, tossed in butter and hot sauce, dipped in blue cheese or ranch dressing. I was expecting something similar the first time I tasted Nashville Hot Chicken. […]

Arancini di Riso. PHOTO BY GEORGE CHERNILEVSKY/WIKIMEDIA.ORG Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish that is cooked in broth until rich and velvety yet slightly firm and chewy. In Italy, risotto is most often served as a primo, or first course, or as an accompaniment to a meat course. Cooking risotto is like making love. […]