Food & Drink

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 […]

Grilled Vegetable and Fresh Goat Cheese Sandwiches PHOTOS BY ASHLEY MEYER It’s hot outside and, as much as I love to cook, these days I will do almost anything to avoid turning on my stove. Here are some of my favorite tips for eating real while keeping cool. Stocking up your freezer with cooked grains […]

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 […]

The Mill, a retail store and education center, was modeled after the original Hodgson Mill. PHOTO COURTESY HODGSON MILL Earlier this month I was searching out local ingredients to include on the menu for a fundraising dinner. I was surprised to learn that Hodgson Mill is located in Effingham, just 75 miles southeast of Springfield. […]

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 […]

Black bean salad PHOTO FROM ISTOCKPHOTO.COM With the warm summer weather comes weekend cookouts and busy schedules. These hearty vegetable-packed and protein-rich salads keep in the fridge for up to five days and are perfect for light weeknight suppers or busy weekday lunches. Not only are these salads delicious and satisfying, they pack a hefty […]

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, […]

genHkids’ mobile food pantry at MacArthur Park Apartments. PHOTO FACEBOOK.COM/GENHKIDS There are a lot of things about cooking that makes it hard. I try to be very conscious of not calling recipes or menu plans “easy,” because they never really are. Even the simplest recipe is not technically easy; making anything from scratch requires certain […]

PHOTO BY DAVID HINE The first farmers market day is one of my favorite days of the year.  For me it signifies that summer has finally arrived. The glorious, slightly wild flavors of the market’s first few weeks compel me to strip away any extraneous flavors or richness and look for ways to prepare the […]