Food & Drink

I’m currently reading Daniel Boulud’s Letters To A Young Chef, a manual written to help neophyte chefs understand what it takes to succeed in this tough profession. Daniel Boulud is one of the world’s most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs. The book was recommended to me by Boulud’s protégé, Gavin Kaysen, who is currently my boss. […]

Juicy, delicious melons are finally making their appearance at local farmstands and farmers markets and these days a range of unique and interesting varieties are available beyond the standard cantaloupe and watermelon. While growing up on my great-grandfather’s 20-acre produce farm in Springfield we grew thousands of tomatoes each year and picked hundreds of bushels […]

During the Vietnam War, the CIA ran a clandestine sideshow in Laos. Known as the Secret War, it was the largest CIA operation in history. The CIA built an air base in the mountains of Laos from which it could launch military attacks. This base was so secret that not even Congress was aware of […]

One of my favorite books as a child was a cookbook called Fanny at Chez Panisse, written by the legendary chef and restaurateur Alice Waters. In it she chronicles her then-young daughter’s adventures growing up in what is still today one of California’s most iconic restaurants. In the first section of the book, a seven-year-old […]

My earliest grilling memory dates back to Brat Day, an annual summer tradition in the neighborhood where I grew up. Once a year my dad and I would drive to Sheboygan, nearly 150 miles away, to bring back coolers full of Sheboygan bratwurst for the neighborhood. This was back in the 60s when regional specialty […]

When temperatures soar there’s nothing so pleasing as a recipe that doesn’t require the use of an oven or stove. Enter the icebox cake. These old-fashioned desserts became popular in the 1930s as reliable refrigeration became a new reality for many American households. Essentially a spinoff of classic layered desserts like trifle tiramisu, an icebox […]

It’s been fiercely hot here the last few days, and when the sun bears down on the metal roof of the school bus that we call home, the temperature inside often tops 100 degrees. On days like these, I try to minimize putting any more heat into the bus while making dinner. These cold Asian-inspired […]

For the second year in a row, the Illinois Times 217 Black Restaurant weekend is highlighting Black-owned businesses and the delicious flavors that they bring to the capital city. This event is anchored by Springfield’s annual weekend-long Juneteenth celebration, which recognizes the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Texas received word of […]

I’ve always dreamed of opening up my own restaurant. The problem is, I’ve never liked running a business. I loved being a dentist, but I hated being a business owner. In my second career as a chef, I’ve loved the restaurant work, but I acknowledge that I’d suck at being a restaurant owner. The kind […]

The culinary centerpiece of Memorial Day cookouts is often the meat on the grill, yet sides are typically what really make the meal. The start of summer celebrations are a perfect opportunity to celebrate fresh produce and create sides delicious enough to stand on their own. Today we examine two cookout staples: potato and pasta […]