Food & Drink

1 1/2 c. walnut halves 1 egg white 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 2 T. brown sugar, either dark or light 1 heaping tsp. coarse sea salt Beat egg white until it begins to froth. Add the pepper and sugar and stir until the sugar is partially dissolved. Stir in the walnuts. Turn onto […]

Pears poached in red wine, honey and spices 4 firm but ripe pears, stems attached (Bosc pears work especially well) 1/2 bottle red wine – drinkable, but not necessarily expensive 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup sugar Lemon peel and juice from 1/2 lemon 1 cinnamon stick 4 cloves Marscapone or cream cheese, optional Peel pears, […]

For the salad/per person: 1 large handful of washed and torn soft lettuce leaves, such as Boston or Bibb About 2 T. crumbled blue cheese 6-8 salt and pepper caramelized walnuts 1 – 1 1/2 ripe pears, cored and sliced Sherry honey dressing Place the torn lettuce into a large bowl. Add just enough dressing […]

The recipes in Homegrown and Handmade are simple and basic, all the better to showcase Niemann-Boehle’s homegrown products. Her tomato soup recipe calls for frozen tomatoes, but presumably fresh would work, too. She doesn’t specify if the herbs used are fresh or dried; I would double the amount if using fresh. I’d also whisk the […]

A decade ago if anyone had asked me if it was possible to grill watermelon, I’d have laughed at such a ridiculous notion. That was before I first tasted grilled watermelon at Bacaro, a restaurant in Champaign whose chef, Thad Morrow, is a longtime friend. I ordered it out of curiosity and trust in Morrow’s […]

I’ve been making this cold soup every summer for more than 25 years. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy and quick to make. There’s no cooking involved. Just cut up the ingredients, and purée in a blender or food processor. The original recipe came from the Elsah Landing Restaurant cookbook. In […]