Black bean chilli. PHOTO BY NURI VALLBONA/TNS When my Illinois Times colleague David Hine asked if I would devote a column to chilli in advance of the Super Bowl, my response was, “Sure, as long as I can spell it with two lls.” But truthfully, writing about chilli is something I’ve both wanted to do […]
Food columnists
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Spirited holiday desserts
Meyers rum. Desserts that include infusions of alcohol have been traditional for centuries. Perhaps because historically, celebrations were rare occasions for bountiful food, especially sweets and strong drinks. These days, for better or worse, celebratory occasions aren’t the only times many of us have the opportunity to overindulge. Regardless, the holidays (including but not limited […]
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Slow Food Springfield St. Louis brewery tour
A batch of Pale Ale rolls off the line at the Schlafly Bottleworks brewery in Maplewood, MO. PHOTO BY HUY RICHARD MACH/TNS For as long as I can remember, St. Louis has been a beer town. And for most of that time, St. Louis was a one-brewery town. Anheuser-Busch ruled the roost; even sighting a […]
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Make your own sausage
“Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made.” –John Godfrey Saxe Nineteenth century American poet/lawyer Saxe’s quip is still commonly used, though less elegantly phrased – and not just about lawmaking. We wince, shrug and say, “You know, it’s like making sausage….” Everyone understands that the rest […]
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Drinking shrubs
Chef Michael Higgins of Maldaner’s restaurant with many shrub options. PHOTO BY DAVID HINE Would you like to drink a shrub? I’m not talking about drinking bushes you might have in your yard, but a class of sweet/sour beverages that is centuries old. But shrubs are enjoying a renaissance these days in restaurants and other […]
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Midwest supper clubs
Supper clubs. They’re a blast from the past that are struggling to compete with national chain restaurants even as they’re experiencing a renaissance with a resurgence of customers that love their retro-cool. They’re an iconic Midwestern tradition. Supper clubs share certain characteristics. However, each is uniquely individual, a reflection of its location, local owners’ taste […]
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Ratatouille
PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ Ratatouille got me my first new kitchen floor. I’m not talking about the 2007 Disney movie but the classic French vegetable stew (pronounced ra-ta-TOO-ee) that gave the movie its name. We’d moved into our historic farmhouse a month before. Farm kitchens are usually envisioned as large, warm and welcoming, but the […]
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Chicken, local
PHOTO BY BRANT SANDERLIN/TNS “Hi, Mom! Hey, how much do chicken wings cost at the store? Some guys are coming over tonight to play cards, and I want to make hot wings. I’m going to have to get them at the grocery store, ’cause the farmers market isn’t until Saturday.” It was my son, Robb, calling from Vermont. […]
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Contrast
Niche in St. Louis PHOTO COURTESY www.facebook.com/nichestl In June I ate a multi-course meal at Niche, one of St. Louis’ most highly acclaimed and innovative restaurants. Each course was beautifully presented, some components having been delicately placed with tweezers. Niche and its owner, Gerard Craft, and executive chef, Nate Hereford, are so committed to using […]
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National Farmers Market Week
“This is incredible,” I said to Lindsay Record. Record has long been a driving force in the Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA), a primary proponent of local, sustainable farming. I’d called Record after scanning the schedule of local events celebrating National Farmers Market Week, which runs from August 2–8. “Isn’t it great?” Record replied. “More and […]
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Summer lunches for kids, part two
PHOTO BY PETER GLATZ Pizza muffins “There’s never anything to eat in this house!” The above comment was made by all three of my kids at various points, and it never failed to irritate and befuddle me. Nothing to eat? Seriously? We had a pantry full of food, as well as multiple refrigerators and freezers. […]
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Summer lunches for kids
PHOTO BY Beentree/WIKI Recently I was asked if I had any suggestions for kids’ lunches during the summer. It’s not the first time I’ve been asked that question and probably won’t be the last. But without information on things such as childrens’ specific ages and eating habits it’s a tough question to answer; even tougher […]
