Hello all readers! If you haven't seen, I am currently taking a break from the blog. I am still writing; except, I am not posting. I am trying to exercise my hand writing skills opposed to what I can do with a keyboard. More updates, and posts, are soon to come...
The power has gone out. My daylight hours are limited, so I must get busy. The puff pastry now must be made one day in advance. My habit of working into the star & moon hours wasn't in the cards tonight. Time is something I should start working with... I will let the picture do the rest of the talking.
A cloud of gloom was over my head today. I unpacked. I slept. And, I even watched the same movie twice. Somehow, leaving Chicago always puts me in this stooper. However, leaving Chicago can also bring back some balance. I can finally get some peace and quiet. I can relax. The city's hussle and bussle can get to a person. The thing is, they won't realize how restless they are until they leave.
Once we got settled back in, we slipped right back into our regular routine; library and coffee. They were making apple cranberry chutney today at Respite. It smelled like Christmas. The cinnamon and caramelizing aroma that the apples and cranberries gave out were enough to make a person fall in love. My mom and I were inspired. We were going to go home and re-create this same food sensation. We went home and made buttermilk pancakes with apple & golden raisin chutney. It was like apple pie.
When I first got into the kitchen, I remembered a story a friend had told me earlier today. She said ants were starting to invade her kitchen. Due to the spring moisture and warmer temperatures, this wasn't that shocking to her. "They come every year. You just have to get rid of them before your home becomes their home." She said these little black bugs were starting to push it too far this year. They were crawling on the stove! She said she starting stomping on them with paper towels, she had to put all of her food in bags and containers, and yesterday...she even brought out the Borax. The goal was to scare them out of the place. She put some under her trash can, by the oven, and in small openings. As of this morning, no more horror ant stories have been talked of. But after school today, she saw 3 ants! I could see this story on the cover of Time Magazine, "When Ants ATTACK!" So, the moral of the story is - watch out for those ants.
The idea of ants was quite a scary image. So, I proceeded with the pancakes & chutney not thinking about it. To start, it was chutney time! Out came the golden raisins, Granny Smith apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, and flour. Everything was combined and set on the stove to cook. The pancakes were now ready to be prepared. I knew my family and I would want some for the next few days plus tonight, so I made four batches. There were to be trays upon trays of pancakes! My special ingredient was nutmeg. When the batter was ready, I carefully dropped cup fulls onto a hot pan. I decided to use oil in the pan instead of butter (it tends to brown to quickly). Burning, crackling, spitting butter isn't pleasant to smell, nor feel when it splats and burns your arm. The oil turned out to be perfect. Unlike the butter, the oil wouldn't splatter everywhere when you pour a little more in the pan every 8 pancakes or so. Sometimes when you add a little too much oil, your pancakes will turn out like doughnuts. The sheet trays of pancakes turned out to be delicious with the apple & golden raisin chutney. Some other great combinations with the pancakes is banana & chocolate, cinnamon & raisin, and of course, maple syrup.
It has been a month since my last visit to this one-of-a-kind city, and my feelings still remain the same. Nothing beats what this Second City offers. Driving in from snowbound Michigan into 70 degree Chicago definitely reminded me just how much I love this place. We drove in around 11; the plan was to arrive just in time for lunch. Lincoln Square, where we would be meeting up with my dad, was the first destination. The car was in need to get unpacked as well. Once everything was out, we took a second to wind down. My dad had discovered a new hot-spot grocery store this week that he wanted to take us to first thing. Once he said the words pizza, kale, and close by - we knew where lunch would be. We arrived after driving through their grand-opening traffic, and then parked on the rooftop. The view was SPECTACULAR!
The store was called Mariano's. You step on an escalator when you first walk in, completely blinded by what is really there. But then, you turn. The words ORGANIC, FRESH, & PRODUCE are screaming at you. The first thing I spotted was mangoes, my favorite fruit. This was a good sign. Although we weren't there for grocery, we figure we would buy a few things to make dinner. Cherry tomatoes and fresh basil (which we found in their Herb Center) entered the cart. Around the corner, there was a bakery. Except, something caught my eye before we could grab a baguette. A few things actually; there was a bucket fill of luscious colored kale, coconuts, and the gold medalist: SUGAR CANE. Yes, that's right; they had freshly cut stalks of rare, nutritious (well, compared to other sugars), soon-to-be liquid gold juice. These were my kind of people! Also, near the produce, they had spices, freshly roasted coffee beans, regular beans, chia seed, all kinds of quinoa, all kinds of tea, and more. I picked up some delightfully delicious cardamom; I think I am going to use it in the Easter Brunch I am planning. A few steps away, there was some olive oil & balsamic vinegar for tasting. There was Garlic-Infused Olive Oil, Rosemary Infused Olive Oil, Citrus Balsamic Vinegar, Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar, Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar, and more. Can you just imagine vanilla bean ice cream and roasted strawberries with CHOCOLATE balsamic vinegar?! Mmmmm... After a few tastings, we got to the bread. There were loaves upon loaves. It was like a European bakery dream. They had just about every kind of rustic loaf you would ever be looking for. For example, there was Sourdough, Rye, Marble, Cinnamon Raisin Walnut, and more. They even made little crisp cookies from thin slices of bread sprinkled with lots of turbinado sugar; we got the raisin pecan crisps, which were made from the Cinnamon Raisin Walnut.
We continued to roam around looking for the perfect place to stop for lunch. My brothers and dad got BBQ, while my mom and I ordered a Margherita Pizza to split. We ordered, then were able to watch them roll out the dough, design with sauce and cheese, then place in their wood burning oven. We ate it fresh only a matter of minutes later. Continuing to look around, we found a new grocery for cheese. They had at least 10 different kinds of blue! Let me not forget the bakery section that is so big it will blow you away. They literally had everything! Unless your vegan (which is deeply respectable), I can't see why anyone wouldn't like this. My brother and I decided that if we could pick out anything to order we would get the chocolate covered cannolis filled fresh to order with ricotta, orange zest, and chocolate chip filling. That is exactly what we did. The shells were crispy & crunchy with a thick coating of decadent dark chocolate on the outside, and the filling was creamy and rich like a sea salt caramel. It was complete bliss.
Past the bakery section, you will find Tastes of the World. It contains individual sections on the food of countries all around the world. They had sections on Rome, Naples, Mexico, Japan, France, and more. The rest of the store was filled with your basics. Some of the things on the shelves weren't too deliberate like the Taco Bell Dessert Kit & Corn Syrup Caramel Ice Cream Bars (after seeing this I was ready to walk out the door, have people ever heard of a thing called respecting your body?!), but the majority of the items focused on organic and local when possible. There was at least 10 different kinds of flours to choose from, and more than a dozen pure can sugar options. They even had sorghum (a sweetener much like molasses popular in the South). Local creameries were also carried here. The Caramel Chocolate Almond Ice Cream was calling me in! Even if you weren't looking to buy anything, this store provided LOADS of inspiration for future recipes.
Once we got back to the car, I immediately opened the cannoli box. I wanted for my brother to join, so he could have his fresh as well. We took our first bites while the rest of the world disappeared. Chocolate & pastry cream are a combination enough to put you over the edge. When you throw a cannoli shell around it, you will be in heaven. I wasn't even upset to share this with others. It was such joy, I was happy to let anyone who wanted a bite experience it. I am now looking into starting up a cannoli shop: the answer to world peace.
The little kitties that we were of course went back to the house to take our cat naps after all that food. We all went to the baseball field in the park; I sketched by the trees while the boys played catch. The sun re-charged us. We regained some energy then went back at it. Our next adventure was coffee and the beach. It was at least 75 outside, so offering any ideas to not go outside would of been absurd. Baker & Nosh, more of a bakery than coffee shop, was our first stop. Although we walked away empty handed, their food smelled, looked, and ,from a past memory, tasted amazing! It would of been a great place to go for breakfast or lunch. They also offer classes in their building. (It is set up into a few sections: a bakery, a cheese section, and a classroom.) On their sign, it mentioned they were offering a class that teaches you how to make your own bread. How awesome is that?! I know that is a very American remark, but I am saying it in the sense that I really believe everyone should learn to make their own bread. It is a life experience everyone should have in their lifetime. It is right up there with seeing New York City's skyline. Inside of the bakery, along with all of the breads & baked goods, was a painting of sticky buns. The artist clearly has talent in more than just exceptional painting. She has good tastes in food.
"Sticky Buns" by Pamela Michelle Johnson
We winded up going to a coffee shop on a cute corner in Lincoln Square. I wasn't paying that much attention however to the coffee. There was a candy shop next door: Amy's Candy Bar. The tourist in me, although I am from Chicago, got chocolate ice cream in a sugar cone. I was ready for the beach after our treat stop.
View from Montrose Harbor Bird Sanctuary
Coffee was in our hands and we were off. It was beach time! However, we ended up going to a beach alternative. I like to call it The Rocks, but the correct term is Montrose Harbor Bird Sanctuary. (This sidewalk that coasts over at least a few miles goes farther than Montrose, that is just the section we ended up staying at.) The sky was studded with clouds and the sun was shining warmth on us like the middle of summer. As we walked, sketched, and drank our coffees, we had the Raisin Walnut Crisps. They were our popsicles on the shore.
I must mention, we also had a foreign friend, Koh, with us the whole day. He was an exchange student a few years ago from Japan, and he now lives in Chicago. He has become like a member of our family. He loved the beach just as much as we did. I am pretty sure he liked this next stop too. It didn't hit his home of Japan, but the flavors we discovered were a little closer than what you would usually find in the US.
As we drove home from the beautiful Lake view, we stopped in Little Vietnam. My dad loves a bakery in the area called La Patisserie P, a Vietnamese bakery with a French twist. Koh & I went in with him to get some goodies. They had a great section of Vietnamese treats! We walked out with some Coconut Buns to try something different.
Dinner was on our minds only 60 minutes later. We ended up not getting the cherry tomatoes and basil, so we went with the only other option known to any local Chicagoan: Deep Dish. Lou Malnati's was on the menu. The cornmeal crust will always be the best way to go in my mind. The thick layer of melted mozzarella, and the tomato sauce. I am making my own mouth water. Writing this, I think I am convincing myself to get another piece. I will be back tomorrow with more Chicago adventures.
The day started off with chickpeas. Other than the crazy wind & bright sunshine outside, I had a pot of chickpeas starring me in the face. I have been soaking them for three days now. I think they are starting to feel neglected. I am planning on making hummus, but spring break has brought out the laziness in me. Here's my thought process: I'd rather not eat than have to clean another dish. Let me not forget to mention the aroma these smelly chickpeas let off. You know when you open a trash can that is stuffed to it's full capacity? That's what it's like with the pot of chickpeas. I am going to wait a few days to make this hummus.
The regular routine was followed once again. Coffee and dessert (a new surprise!) were the first stop. Respite, a coffee shop in Douglas, MI, carries a beautiful array of homemade goodies. The bread pudding was the tempting treat of the day. As you can see in the picture, caramel bread pudding is not something you can pass up. Just look at the whipped cream - who doesn't want a spoonful of that?! Every rich bite was fully savored. Thank you Respite!
After our coffee break, books were waiting to be checked out at the library. I picked up a new book titled A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes by David Tanis. The book contains "incomparable recipes" as Alice Waters would say. I agree. Here are some sample menus:
dinner for a tuscan Green Lasagne with Greens Fried Artichokes and Potatoes Castagnaccia
slightly all-american Sliced Tomatoes with Sea Salt Corn, Squash, and Beans with Jalapeno Butter Blueberry-Blackberry Crumble
feeling italian, part 1 Cherry Tomato Crostini with Ricotta Fresh Shell Beans with Sage and Garlic Nectarine and Raspberry Macedonia
Sorry David Tanis, I didn't list any of the meat to help the health of the planet. Every dish sounded fabulous, but the Lavender Honey Ice Cream on the too darned hot, alors! menu took the cake. This book is marvelously fresh - A MUST READ!
Sweet Caramel Bread Pudding at Respite
Saugatuck Sunset
Who needs vacation when this is right out your front door?
The Spring Break routine has been set in action: wake up, go get coffee, head to the library, have lunch, then head home. I am starting to see the same people day after day after day. Not that it's bad or anything, but the routine can throw you into a bit of a time warp. Crane's even was revisited today (this is my third time mentioning it!). Luckily, the Apple Butter Bread made everything seem like new. Besides going for coffee and the library, the kitchen was waiting for a chef to step in and cook something. This break has made me a little lazy unfortunately. I even had a slice of the Banana & Chocolate Cream Pie for breakfast. Today, I think I am going to work on making some hummus. I love it with a fresh baguette. I made the bread this morning, so I think it is time I get started on the chickpeas. The first step is extremely easy considering all I have to do is soak the beans overnight. Once I do that, I think it would be good for me to head outside, explore nature. The sun is out and the temperatures are rising. I am seeing some lovely compositions & colors happening. I'll bring my sketchbook.
Hi, I'm Zoey, a baker by day and a painter by night. This is the insiders journal to all my explorations. Feel free to learn, discover, and unravel yourself into the world through these writings.