Most chefs who contribute their time and efforts to the Hope School’s annual Celebrity Chef Dinner prepare wonderful feasts, have a great time interacting with their hospitable hosts and appreciative diners, and leave Springfield feeling good about helping a worthy institution. But when Springfield native and Chicago restaurateur Kevin Boehm brought his acclaimed chef, Guiseppe […]
Food & Drink
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Apple strudel
Fresh-from-the-oven, warm apple strudel is one of fall’s greatest pleasures. Phyllo dough is fun and forgiving; a gift to anyone with pastry phobia. Keep it covered until you use it, don’t worry about minor tears, and don’t hesitate to throw out any leaves that crumble or are badly torn (there’s more than you’ll need in […]
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Harvest the fruits of the Apple Barn
Every vendor at every farmers’ market says the same thing: business drops off after Labor Day. Maybe it’s because parents are preoccupied with getting their kids back in school. Maybe it’s because even those without school-aged children participate in organizations or activities that are starting up for the year. Most likely, though, is a feeling […]
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Judging the fair culinary contest
The fairgrounds are bustling in the days before the Illinois State Fair opens, and no location is busier than the culinary division in the Hobby, Arts, and Crafts Building. On Friday is cleaning and set up. On Sunday and Monday, contestants’ entries are checked in. Tuesday and Wednesday the items are judged, then put on […]
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Pumpkin Braid
Denise Turnbull from Monmouth won last year’s Blue Ribbon Grand Championship with this recipe: 1 c. warm water 1 T. active dry yeast 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. nonfat dry milk 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 c. melted butter 1 c. canned pumpkin 2 eggs 4 1/2 – 5 c. bread flour […]
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Julianne on Julie and Julia
Who would have guessed that Meryl Streep could be a dead ringer for Julia Child? Not me. But watching Streep channel Child is a major part of the fun in the movie Julie and Julia. As Sangamo Club manager David Radwine, said, “I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn’t Julia herself up there.” […]
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Fair market value
I had mixed feelings when I learned that another farmers’ market was opening on the state fairgrounds across from the grandstand. On one hand, I’m always excited to see increasing availability of local food. On the other, the Old Capitol Farmers’ Market has been expanding since its rebirth in 1999. (The original OCFM in the […]
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(Swiss) chard rolls with chicken and mushrooms
Swiss chard is a close relative of the beet — so close that their botanical name is the same, Beta vulgaris. Swiss chard has other names, including silver beet and spinach beet. Those are more logical monikers than calling chard “Swiss,” according to Elizabeth Schneider, author of Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini. “After 25 years […]
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Turkish zucchini pancakes
Zucchini in various forms and varieties are found in cuisines around the world. Zucchini pancakes are a Turkish tradition. Every cook has his/her own variation, so don’t be afraid to add a bit more or less of the feta or any of the herbs to your own taste. The addition of walnuts is somewhat uncommon, […]
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Zucchini wars and other garden memories
We fought over them for years, my grandfather and I. Zucchini. He wanted them big and I wanted them little. And when I say big, I mean really big — at least as big as a forearm. I understood why. To Papa, it was free money. Just by waiting a day or two, those little […]
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Middle Eastern tomato sauce
This tasty tomato sauce is good not only with the pancakes above, but also served over rice or as an accompaniment to kebabs, kofte (meatballs) or grilled seafood or fish. 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 c. onion, NOT super-sweet, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced or thinly sliced, or more or less to taste, […]
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Blurring the meaning of delicious words
“Education courses teach you words that say nothing.” I heard this bit of wisdom from my music teacher, Esther Duncan, when I was a teenager. In her day, she was a legendary figure in Springfield for her feisty character, the excellence of her Lanphier choirs and her aggressive driving. After she retired I took private […]
