Food & Drink

PHOTO COURTESY BLUE APRON Cooking skills were once passed on from generation to generation through the oral tradition. The post-war years saw an increase in women working outside the home and an increasing reliance on convenience foods. My mother often served Swanson’s TV Dinners (I hated the Salisbury steak and carrots!), or a sack of […]

Gumbo with layers of flavor, “earthy, mysterious, complex.” I recently lost my wife (and Illinois Times food columnist), Julianne Glatz. When one loses his best friend of 45 years, the mother of his children, the Nana of his grandchildren, a tremendous void suddenly appears. I can’t bring her back, but I can’t let go either. […]

Drip, drip, drip . . . It was mid February. After a long, cold winter, it was the first day that hinted spring was on the way. Drip, drip, drip . . . It had been below freezing overnight, but by noon the sun was warm. I took my then-4-year-old daughter, Ashley, outside to enjoy the beautiful […]

PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ I’ve written more than once about my long-term dislike of cold cereals. Well, not actually (some) cereals as such, but the concept of putting it into a bowl with milk. The first bites aren’t so bad, the ones wherein the cereal retains at least some of its crunch. For me, it […]

Moules mariniere, mussels steamed in white wine. PHOTO BY NURI VALLBONA/TNS Athens: A ham-and-bean supper will be held at Athens United Methodist Church on Friday, September 13… Decades later, it still makes me laugh. I was in third or fourth grade at what was then Ball Elementary School. Whatever grade, it was the first time I’d […]

PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ It happens every January. After the indulgence of the holidays, I crave lighter meals. But when January’s frigid temperatures, bone-chilling winds, freezing rain, sleet and snow hit I equally crave foods that are hearty and warmly satisfying. Here are two of my favorite comfort food recipes that bridge that gap. This […]

French onion soup. PHOTO BY JENNA DEMATTIA MASTERS I’ve long been ambivalent about New Year’s Eve celebrations. My parents and grandparents always threw a party, but it was far from a drunken debacle. To the best of my knowledge, alcohol was never served. Still, silly hats, noisemakers and other celebratory accoutrements abounded. The TV was […]

Maamoul cookies PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA/USER fugzu “I know Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas, but…” I said. “Actually, we do,” replied Ali Nizamuddin. Of course. I’d forgotten that Islam teaches that Jews, Christians and Muslims are all “people of the book.” While Muslims don’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah, he is regarded as a major prophet […]

A display of Danenberger Family Vineyards wines including the 90-point rating Coup de Foudrè. PHOTO COURTESY DANENBERGER FAMILY VINEYARDS VIA FACEBOOK It’s a big deal for any wine from anywhere in the world to get a 90-point rating from respected wine publications or organizations. For a central Illinois wine to receive a 90-point rating is […]

For my money, there’s no better way to entertain during the holidays than fondue – even if you’re just entertaining your spouse and/or children. Fondue is not only delicious; it’s also a group activity, one that is low-key and relaxing. It’s even relaxing for the host: everything can be prepared ahead except for combining the […]