Our yard is achingly beautiful in spring – especially the mostly wooded west side. Delicate blooms of spring beauties, Dutchman’s britches, and dog-toothed violets form a carpet of white. Here and there are drifts of daffodils, patches of bluebells, stands of May apples and wild yellow violets. The sugar maple flowers form an overhead canopy […]
Food & Drink
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Making every day Earth Day
I’m somewhat ambivalent about Earth Day. It’s not that celebrating the earth is a bad idea. But one day a year – or even one week – hardly seems adequate. After all, humans are completely, totally, absolutely dependent on Gaia – Mother Earth. But I fear that too many of us, from schoolchildren on up, […]
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Free food just got fresher
From floor to ceiling, the Central Illinois Food Bank’s 25,000-square-foot warehouse on the east side of Springfield is packed with donations, ranging from traditional items like juice boxes, cereal and canned goods to the more unusual – chili-flavored lollipops, strawberry corn starch and potato chips made to taste like ketchup. In six weeks, new inventory […]
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Jamie Oliver’s Sweet and Sour Pork
Oliver says of this recipe: “OK, this is easy, but it’s a quick one, so you’ll have to concentrate and stay on the ball. Sweet and sour pork is an absolute classic and was one of the first Chinese-style dishes introduced to Britain. I’ve tried to make it fresh, light and full of wonderful […]
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Jamie is for real
Jamie Oliver is a man with a mission. In the rarified world of today’s celebrity chefs, some have attained their status because they’ve earned it with in-depth knowledge, innovative or authentic cuisine, and stellar restaurants. The best of the best spawn protégés who, under their tutelage and with their support, go on to establish their […]
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A restaurant to remember
Thin wisps of smoke from the guests’ cigarettes lazily spiral upward and hang as if suspended from the ceiling. The ceiling itself, as well as the walls, are inscribed with caricatures of regulars as well as celebrities that have dined there, drawn by the owner himself. A trickle of jazz from the baby grand piano […]
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Jacques Pépin’s les oefs jeanette
This unusual and delicious recipe for stuffed eggs served warm is adapted from Jacques Pépin’s delightful autobiography, The Apprentice. Pépin says “Our favorite egg recipe was my mother’s creation of stuffed eggs, which I baptized ‘eggs Jeannette.’ To this day, I have never seen a recipe similar to hers, and we still enjoy it often […]
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Eggscellent eggs
I’ve eaten them in Chicago. I’ve eaten them in New York and Boston and St. Louis. I’ve eaten them made with white truffle oil, smoked chilies, avocado, bacon and horseradish, tuna, and black olive tapenade, to name just a few variations. Deviled eggs – or stuffed eggs, if you’d prefer – used to be primarily […]
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Deviled Easter eggs
Hard-boiled eggs, shelled Mayonnaise Dijon mustard Cider vinegar Ground turmeric, optional Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste Red, blue, green and purple food coloring Sprigs of dill, parsley or unsprayed edible flowers or flower petals such as violets, nasturtiums, or herb flowers for garnish, optional Fill 4 large jars such as quart canning […]
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Perfect pastoral evenings
The humidity hung around us like a wet blanket. It had rained for days, and more rain was predicted for later, but right now it was merely a threat – or promise, depending on how you looked at it. It was the kind of midsummer weather that makes you want to hang out with a […]
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Clafoutis a la virant
Clafoutis is a very traditional French fruit dessert, one that falls somewhere between cake and custard. I’ve made – and eaten — them for years, but never had one as delicious as the one Paul Virant served at Prairie Fruits Farm last year. His secret is the almond flour; most versions only contain wheat flour. […]
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A proper cup of tea
Use good tea. As with all food and drink, the end product can only be as good as the ingredients that go into it. There are good quality teas sold in bags, and they’re certainly convenient, but serious tea drinkers know that the best tea can only be made with loose tea. Use one teaspoon […]
