My family’s preferred breakfast sausage was always Humphrey’s Market apfelwurst, made in-house. When they stopped making it almost a decade ago, I began experimenting in an attempt to recreate the original; the recipe below is the one that finally garnered my family’s approval. If you’re not inclined to make your own, the folks at Humphrey’s […]
Food & Drink
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Apfelwurst and goat cheese miniature tarts
Humble sausage is transformed into a sophisticated hors d’oeuvre for these tasty bites, which I created for an apple harvest dinner. They can be assembled a day or two ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Just pop them into the oven at the last minute and serve warm. 1 recipe apfelwurst 1 ½ […]
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Breakfast sausage with fresh ginger and sage
This recipe of Ruhlman and Polcyn’s for breakfast sausage is so delicious, you’ll wonder how you ever settled for that bland supermarket stuff. It makes a large quantity, but the recipe is easily halved. 5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder butt, diced; or substitute ground pork 3 T. kosher salt 5 T. peeled and grated fresh […]
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Man vs. good lord, my mouth’s on fire
Wednesday, watch as Man vs. Food’s Adam Richman eschews “chili” for chilLi the Springfield way. In the Springfield-based episode, taped in July, Richman visits Springfield favorites D’Arcy’s Pint and Cozy Dog Drive-In, sampling local delicacies such as the horseshoe and hot dog on a stick. The titular premise, however, comes into play when he visits […]
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Springfield’s destination diner
It’s practically a place of pilgrimage. A Mecca for food historians. Tourists flock there, not just from Illinois, but from all across America and around the globe, by motorcycle, car and by the busload. It’s the Cozy Dog on South Sixth Street. The story of Cozy Dogs — the original hot dogs on a stick, […]
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Henry’s autumn pear salad
Brockman’s recipe for September, The Fruit Moon, was created by her brother, Henry. I varied it somewhat, poaching only the peeled, cored pear to be puréed. I also skipped puréeing it separately and straining it. Instead, I put the cooled cooked pear in the blender along with the vanilla, Sherry vinegar, and mirin; and used […]
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A woman for all seasons
Terra Brockman is a busy woman. As founder of the not-for-profit Land Connection, she works tirelessly to promote “community-based food systems in the Midwest in which every farmer has the opportunity to grow food in a sustainable manner, and every person has the choice to enjoy local and organic foods.” She’s one of Illinois’ most […]
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Fried rice
Fried rice is one of those dishes that occur in cuisines worldwide that evolved as a way to utilize extras when food was such a precious commodity that nothing went to waste. When making fried rice, it’s actually necessary to use rice that’s been previously cooked and cooled; otherwise the finished product will be mushy. […]
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Easy meals to get you through the week
Eating home-cooked, healthy meals that require minimal preparation and cleanup during the week doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does take some planning and advance preparation. Slow cookers (a.k.a crockpots) have long been a wonderful mainstay for coming home at day’s end and having dinner ready, but they’re far from the only possibility. There […]
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Polenta
2 c. water or stock c. grated Parmesan, optional tsp. salt 2T. butter c. polenta (cornmeal) Heat the water or stock in a heavy pot to a simmer. Add the salt. Slowly whisk in the polenta, stirring constantly for about five minutes. Cook another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the butter and cheese, if […]
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No time to cook? I hear you.
“I know you’re not an elitist,” my husband, Peter, said to me. “But do you ever worry that you come across that way to readers?” Peter’s question arose from a conversation he’d had with one of his dental patients. This working mother of young children said she read my columns every week and really enjoyed […]
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Chicken braised with balsamic vinegar and mushrooms
One of the easiest ways to have no-fuss midweek meals is making extras for the freezer, something that works especially well with soups and stews that can handle microwave nuking. Here’s a favorite — a sort of cross between Italian Chicken Cacciatore and French Coq au Vin. The tomatoes and balsamic vinegar give it a […]
