Second Market
Oak Park Farmer's Market June 11, 2005
Sorry for the delay. I've been eating thin crust pizza and otherwise getting bogged down in various foodie forums.
Week two brought slight but distinct incremental changes in the market. In fact the whole point of blogging weekly is to capture these slight but distinct changes, because I think otherwise they get lost easily.
By week two, the market looks bigger. Empty spaces fill with Michigan fruit vendors who now have a crop to sell. Strawberries or asparagus. In fact if you went around to all the vendors, it was Christmas in June in Oak Park. Pretty much the entire output of the market was green or red. Of course Oak Park's premier vendor of variety, Nicholl's farm, offered a wider range of spring items. There was the first sugar snaps and shelling peas of the season. Nicholl's Farm, as they are wont, offered not just strawberries, but varietals of strawberries including "All Star," "Prime Time," "Honeyoye" and "Jewel." Amongst the other vegetable vendors, one could find the first broccoli, lotsa greens, radishes, snow peas, and these. We actually got these turnips the week before, but they are wallowing away in the fridge as I cannot decide what to do with them.
We went to a dinner last night for the group, Seven Generations Ahead at 312 Restaurant. This dinner featured dishes from Oak Park's market: a tart from Nicholl's Farm's garlic shoots and greens, roasted Nicholl's fingerling potatoes (keeper potatoes!), a dish of Nicholl's beets with goat cheese (what an advertisement for beets), another salad featuring Genesis Farm's asparagus and mizuna greens and a final salad of Nicholl's peas over lettuce. I joked that there was about $100 worth of peas on my plate given the high price of farmer's market peas. For dessert there was strawberry tarts and rhubarb cobbler and a rosemary panna cotta (which was gone by the time I got there). If you all do not believe that there is a significant taste advantage in fresh, local produce, well you should have been there last night to try.
I should digress to point out that while Seven Generations Ahead is an Oak Park based group, and the farmer's who provided the produce for the dinner, Nicholl's and Genesis Growers, are at the Oak Park Farmer's Market each week, the food itself was donated for the event by the Green City Market, where Nichols and Genesis also vend. Also, the dinner featured roast pork from Wettstein's Farm. Again, what an endorsement for non-commercial stuff. Chef Dean Zanella roasted the pork with nothing more than salt and pepper. Really allowed the natural pork flavor to shine. The pork was actually a bit leaner than I would have expected, but as I said, it was much more delicious than typical pork. Chef Zanella also served on side, the crisped up skin. Crisped up natural pork skin. Obviously, I took seconds.
OK, let me return to the market with this important note: the donuts were better this week. There was a clear layer of crisp against a softer donut, just what I like in this breed of donut.
See ya next week.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Monday, June 06, 2005
Blogging the Market
Oak Park Farmer's Market June 4, 2005 - Opening Day
Editor's Note: Three years ago (and I cannot believe it was really 3 years ago), I attempted to report weekly of the Oak Park Farmer's Market, capturing why I wanted to go each week (as well as what was there each week, which was not always the same thing). Here's an example of a weekly report. I had a lot of fun doing it, but it also became a bit of a chore. By the end of the season, I actually felt that I was not doin' the market justice. The next year, I started bloggin' the market again, but for a variety of reasons, my heart was not into it, and by last year, I was not doing it at all. I am gonna try, however, to do it this year. On one hand, I want to try to invigorate some of the things that made the summer of 2002 special for me. On the other hand, I am not gonna sit down and try and write a essay each week. I'm aiming for the something is better than nothing approach. Also, the VI family is planning a few summer excursions, including, hopefully, to Indianapolis, so I do not expect to get to every market.
On to the market:
The first few weeks of the Oak Park Farmer's Market always have a slight feeling of incompleteness to them because several vendors do not yet appear. Especially glaring, is a big space in the middle of the market where The Farm will later park their corn truck. Still, this seemed the biggest opening day I remember. The market was full of stuff already: early strawberries, the first sugar snap peas, bags of baby lettuce, turnips, mustard greens, left over keeper potatoes, asparagus, smaller beets, hot house tomatoes. One Michigan fruit vendor supplemented their meager offerings with dried fruit and another Michigan vendor brough along a full range of canned goods. Nicholls was selling tomato plants. Oak Park now has Heartland Beef. The is the local, ultra-light Beeline Honey instead of Oak Park's own Avedon famous beekeper. So, all in all, it did not seem vacant at all. One could spend a lot of money on Saturday. We did.
We pulled in three versions of the strawberries. I would say poor, OK and darn good without revealing all the vendors. Well, I will say that Mr. Skibbes near the donuts had some darn good strawberries. We picked up lettuce and argula from Farmer Vicki and Japanese turnips from Sandhill Organics. At Stovers, we got some asparagus they assured us was picked just the day before. And to show support, we got a chunk of meat, sirloin roast, from Heartland. Oh, and some cheese from the cheese people.
Local lore has it that the famed donuts need a few weeks running to get out the kinks, to perfect the recipe, but this week's donuts were plenty fine if not quite as close to the grease (i.e., had been sitting a bit too long) than ideal.
One more thing to add, the market police seem to have finally nipped the faux vendors, the vendors whose merchandise never quite seemed to match the seasonality of the other vendors and whose produce looked a bit more uniform than the other vendors. There will be no bargains this year.
See you there next week.
Oak Park Farmer's Market June 4, 2005 - Opening Day
Editor's Note: Three years ago (and I cannot believe it was really 3 years ago), I attempted to report weekly of the Oak Park Farmer's Market, capturing why I wanted to go each week (as well as what was there each week, which was not always the same thing). Here's an example of a weekly report. I had a lot of fun doing it, but it also became a bit of a chore. By the end of the season, I actually felt that I was not doin' the market justice. The next year, I started bloggin' the market again, but for a variety of reasons, my heart was not into it, and by last year, I was not doing it at all. I am gonna try, however, to do it this year. On one hand, I want to try to invigorate some of the things that made the summer of 2002 special for me. On the other hand, I am not gonna sit down and try and write a essay each week. I'm aiming for the something is better than nothing approach. Also, the VI family is planning a few summer excursions, including, hopefully, to Indianapolis, so I do not expect to get to every market.
On to the market:
The first few weeks of the Oak Park Farmer's Market always have a slight feeling of incompleteness to them because several vendors do not yet appear. Especially glaring, is a big space in the middle of the market where The Farm will later park their corn truck. Still, this seemed the biggest opening day I remember. The market was full of stuff already: early strawberries, the first sugar snap peas, bags of baby lettuce, turnips, mustard greens, left over keeper potatoes, asparagus, smaller beets, hot house tomatoes. One Michigan fruit vendor supplemented their meager offerings with dried fruit and another Michigan vendor brough along a full range of canned goods. Nicholls was selling tomato plants. Oak Park now has Heartland Beef. The is the local, ultra-light Beeline Honey instead of Oak Park's own Avedon famous beekeper. So, all in all, it did not seem vacant at all. One could spend a lot of money on Saturday. We did.
We pulled in three versions of the strawberries. I would say poor, OK and darn good without revealing all the vendors. Well, I will say that Mr. Skibbes near the donuts had some darn good strawberries. We picked up lettuce and argula from Farmer Vicki and Japanese turnips from Sandhill Organics. At Stovers, we got some asparagus they assured us was picked just the day before. And to show support, we got a chunk of meat, sirloin roast, from Heartland. Oh, and some cheese from the cheese people.
Local lore has it that the famed donuts need a few weeks running to get out the kinks, to perfect the recipe, but this week's donuts were plenty fine if not quite as close to the grease (i.e., had been sitting a bit too long) than ideal.
One more thing to add, the market police seem to have finally nipped the faux vendors, the vendors whose merchandise never quite seemed to match the seasonality of the other vendors and whose produce looked a bit more uniform than the other vendors. There will be no bargains this year.
See you there next week.
Scafuri Bakery
Scafuri is an Italian bakery in the heart of the old neighborhood on Taylor Street. And for something this old, it has recieved scant attention on LTHForum. I put it into the search engine here and only a few mentions, and really nothing of the fare--as if people *knew* about the place, but no one knew about the place. Perhaps, I can correct that.
There are two impressions one gets upon entering Scafuri. One, what, the pessimist impression, might be put off by the enormous spaces between offerings. And the Italian bread does look a bit sad. They might not get anything at Scafuri. On the other hand, the bright-siders, will notice that there are two or three pastries that are so intensely hand made, so real looking. And the Italian woman, house dress and all running the show, straight from a cameo in a Scorsee flick, makes you feel quite at home. Be an optimist.
I've only tried a few things so far, but they are all as special as they look. Scafuri makes a bunch of pastries with a very short dough, do not tell the trans fat police, but this stuff is highly delicious. As I note above, it tastes like Momma made it, not a professional baker. Inside this dough comes various packages including a light sweet cheese. I've found the "strudel" highly addictive. I note this strudel is shaped long like a strudel, but the package is not a true strudel (i.e., from filo type layers). Still good.
Scafuri is a long way from being the best (surely not the best stocked) bakery in Chicago, but should be on your short list of places to try.
Scafuri Bakery
1337 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL
312-733-8881
Scafuri is an Italian bakery in the heart of the old neighborhood on Taylor Street. And for something this old, it has recieved scant attention on LTHForum. I put it into the search engine here and only a few mentions, and really nothing of the fare--as if people *knew* about the place, but no one knew about the place. Perhaps, I can correct that.
There are two impressions one gets upon entering Scafuri. One, what, the pessimist impression, might be put off by the enormous spaces between offerings. And the Italian bread does look a bit sad. They might not get anything at Scafuri. On the other hand, the bright-siders, will notice that there are two or three pastries that are so intensely hand made, so real looking. And the Italian woman, house dress and all running the show, straight from a cameo in a Scorsee flick, makes you feel quite at home. Be an optimist.
I've only tried a few things so far, but they are all as special as they look. Scafuri makes a bunch of pastries with a very short dough, do not tell the trans fat police, but this stuff is highly delicious. As I note above, it tastes like Momma made it, not a professional baker. Inside this dough comes various packages including a light sweet cheese. I've found the "strudel" highly addictive. I note this strudel is shaped long like a strudel, but the package is not a true strudel (i.e., from filo type layers). Still good.
Scafuri is a long way from being the best (surely not the best stocked) bakery in Chicago, but should be on your short list of places to try.
Scafuri Bakery
1337 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL
312-733-8881
Friday, June 03, 2005
Market Follow-Up
The Season's First Bitter (Big) Salad
Salt, sweet, sour, bitter. Eaters tend to rejoice with foods full of the first three basic flavors. Yet, how many diners do you see, pushing themselves back from the table, satisfyingly wiping their lips and say, "boy that was bitter." I mean, how many people just winced at the word bitter? Do not fear bitter. Two of the best things to consume are dominated by bitter flavors: chocolate and coffee. And lettuce, dressing tends to tame lettuce's bitterness, but underneath that dressing is some pretty bitter stuff. At Green City Market the other day, we picked up a bunch of mixed seasonal lettuces from Growing Power, the farm located in the midst of the city of Milwaukee. I was a bit skeptical of this lettuce because Growing Power had a lot of hothouse tomatoes. They insisted though, that the lettuce came from the ground. I believe them now.
This was lettuce to tame your fear of bitterness. And of course, high advertisement for farmer's markets. I made my first big salad of the year. I love big salads. I take a bunch of items found in the kitchen, typically farmer's market produce and leftover meats, then chop it as well as my poor knife skills allow. I confess that what I love most about the big salad is just shoving all the minced stuff in my mouth like a squirrel and enjoying the way it interacts. In fact, I do not think I could eat a big salad in the company of others because the puffed out cheeks would be so impolite. OK, I am getting off subject. This big salad featured leftover pollo rostizado from Carnercia Jimenez (not the best I've had from them, too salty); Costco miracle bacon (i.e., their pre-cooked bacon that lasts for 8 months and is really, really good); Caputo's roasted red peppers, the Condiment Queen's famous tapenade (so good the chowhounditas demand it for breakfast, with goat cheese, at least once a week); and some crumbled blue cheese, with mustard vinaigrette. Oh, and that Growing Power Lettuce, at the end of the day, with all those things faded into the background. I mostly tasted the lettuce, a deliciously bitter lettuce. I finished that big salad, pushed myself away from the table, wiped my lips, smiled to no one, and said, boy was that bitter.
Additional follow up: We made the Wilmont Milling polenta last night. It took a long time, much longer than promised, but at the end of the day it was worth the wait (if you like your polenta heavy, intense and tasting like corn.)
The Season's First Bitter (Big) Salad
Salt, sweet, sour, bitter. Eaters tend to rejoice with foods full of the first three basic flavors. Yet, how many diners do you see, pushing themselves back from the table, satisfyingly wiping their lips and say, "boy that was bitter." I mean, how many people just winced at the word bitter? Do not fear bitter. Two of the best things to consume are dominated by bitter flavors: chocolate and coffee. And lettuce, dressing tends to tame lettuce's bitterness, but underneath that dressing is some pretty bitter stuff. At Green City Market the other day, we picked up a bunch of mixed seasonal lettuces from Growing Power, the farm located in the midst of the city of Milwaukee. I was a bit skeptical of this lettuce because Growing Power had a lot of hothouse tomatoes. They insisted though, that the lettuce came from the ground. I believe them now.
This was lettuce to tame your fear of bitterness. And of course, high advertisement for farmer's markets. I made my first big salad of the year. I love big salads. I take a bunch of items found in the kitchen, typically farmer's market produce and leftover meats, then chop it as well as my poor knife skills allow. I confess that what I love most about the big salad is just shoving all the minced stuff in my mouth like a squirrel and enjoying the way it interacts. In fact, I do not think I could eat a big salad in the company of others because the puffed out cheeks would be so impolite. OK, I am getting off subject. This big salad featured leftover pollo rostizado from Carnercia Jimenez (not the best I've had from them, too salty); Costco miracle bacon (i.e., their pre-cooked bacon that lasts for 8 months and is really, really good); Caputo's roasted red peppers, the Condiment Queen's famous tapenade (so good the chowhounditas demand it for breakfast, with goat cheese, at least once a week); and some crumbled blue cheese, with mustard vinaigrette. Oh, and that Growing Power Lettuce, at the end of the day, with all those things faded into the background. I mostly tasted the lettuce, a deliciously bitter lettuce. I finished that big salad, pushed myself away from the table, wiped my lips, smiled to no one, and said, boy was that bitter.
Additional follow up: We made the Wilmont Milling polenta last night. It took a long time, much longer than promised, but at the end of the day it was worth the wait (if you like your polenta heavy, intense and tasting like corn.)
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Chicago's Green City Farmer's Market
Always Gettin' Better
We missed the first couple of weeks of Chicago's Green City Market, but it took only one visit to convince me that it is better than ever. From its start, Green City has included vendors selling produce both organic and unique. That makes it a very good farmer's market. Yet, it did not stop there. Over the last few years, Green City has added several vendors offering local, organic meats such as Piedmontese style beef. And we are not talking a few chickens and a bunch of eggs. One could get bratwurst made from Illinois pork, bacon, parts including liver and kidneys, heritage turkeys, etc. More, more, more. A couple of years ago, Traderspoint, an organic dairy based in Indiana began offering their freakishly good milk and yogurt. How could they top it in 2005?
How 'bout stone ground organic grains from a water-run mill? 2005's Green City Market now has an array of products from Wilmont Milling Company (est 1840!). Grits made from white popcorn, polenta from yellow corn, even a grind made from Indian corn (also oatmeal, bread flour, rye, etc.). I found, that at $8 for 24 ounces, it was not a bad deal at all. I have yet to make it, but it looks great (and I doubt I will ever do a direct taste test with some of the mail order stone ground grits guys out there). Still, it adds to the completeness of the Green City Market.
Of course, I like my Oak Park market the best (which this year will include meat and eggs), but I like it for reasons not just food. I am most impressed with Green City.
NB: Wilmont Milling will only be at the market on Wednesdays. On Saturdays, they will be at the Indianapolis market.
Always Gettin' Better
We missed the first couple of weeks of Chicago's Green City Market, but it took only one visit to convince me that it is better than ever. From its start, Green City has included vendors selling produce both organic and unique. That makes it a very good farmer's market. Yet, it did not stop there. Over the last few years, Green City has added several vendors offering local, organic meats such as Piedmontese style beef. And we are not talking a few chickens and a bunch of eggs. One could get bratwurst made from Illinois pork, bacon, parts including liver and kidneys, heritage turkeys, etc. More, more, more. A couple of years ago, Traderspoint, an organic dairy based in Indiana began offering their freakishly good milk and yogurt. How could they top it in 2005?
How 'bout stone ground organic grains from a water-run mill? 2005's Green City Market now has an array of products from Wilmont Milling Company (est 1840!). Grits made from white popcorn, polenta from yellow corn, even a grind made from Indian corn (also oatmeal, bread flour, rye, etc.). I found, that at $8 for 24 ounces, it was not a bad deal at all. I have yet to make it, but it looks great (and I doubt I will ever do a direct taste test with some of the mail order stone ground grits guys out there). Still, it adds to the completeness of the Green City Market.
Of course, I like my Oak Park market the best (which this year will include meat and eggs), but I like it for reasons not just food. I am most impressed with Green City.
NB: Wilmont Milling will only be at the market on Wednesdays. On Saturdays, they will be at the Indianapolis market.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Why Go to Reuters Bakery Tomorrow (Saturday)
Every morning at Reuters, the fresser gets confounded with wonderful choices: multiple versions types of coffee cakes, seasonal rhubarb tarts, strudels, sweet rolls, but on Saturday morning, the choice is that much harder. On Saturday's Reuters bakes a kinda coffee cake loaf (in four varieties!). It is a yeast dough, ever so slightly dry, like a coffee cake, but overcome by various fillings like fresh blueberrys or pie cherries and topped with either icing or sugery crumbs. Slice it like bread. Toast it. But do it in a toaster oven with a tray 'cause the sugar will melt all over every thing.
Every morning at Reuters, the fresser gets confounded with wonderful choices: multiple versions types of coffee cakes, seasonal rhubarb tarts, strudels, sweet rolls, but on Saturday morning, the choice is that much harder. On Saturday's Reuters bakes a kinda coffee cake loaf (in four varieties!). It is a yeast dough, ever so slightly dry, like a coffee cake, but overcome by various fillings like fresh blueberrys or pie cherries and topped with either icing or sugery crumbs. Slice it like bread. Toast it. But do it in a toaster oven with a tray 'cause the sugar will melt all over every thing.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Ripped Off!
Lunch at Osteria via Stato
First, let me note that the Condiment Queen did not hate Osteria Via Stato quite as much as me. Second, on a dinner visit, Mr. Barolo wrote on LTHForum that he had a more pleasant experience. But I got the keyboard in front of me.
Did I mention that I hated Osteria via Stato? Aside from accusations of deliberate food poisoning, I s'pose that calling a place a rip-off is about as bad as you can say. No?
Granted, to be ripped off, one has to be willingly gullible, to expect something nice from LEY places (and I have defended them over the years), and to buy into this "more Italian" experience they were promising at Osteria via Stato. So, maybe it's my fault.
I expected to be impressed with lavish platers of attractive antipasti: vibrant salads, luscious meats. I expected the pastas to be deliciously simple, emphasizing the grain as much as the condiment, and I expected a good if small main course or secondi. Of course, based on all the hype and such, I was also expecting a price fixe menu. (I also expect in a pretty empty restaurant to not be led to a table in the corner abutting the computer, but that I remedied with a bit of vocalization.)
It turns out at lunch they do not really serve the price fixe anymore. It was all ala carte, but I made a little stink (called threatened to leave), and voila there was still a two course set deal for $19 (give or take a dollar I forget now). Should have stuck with the ala carte. Here's what we got. Two bowls of asparagus soup--I mean two bowls with a little bit of asparagus soup in them; two playing card thick slices of baked fennel; and an overdressed green salad. That was our wow-us first course. We were then allowed to pick from the pastas or entrees. I chose the "homemade" paparadelle with meat ragu, and my wife chose salmon with green sauce.
The soup was good enough, it was more a chicken veloute with a few slices of asparagus than a soup that really brought out the spring flavors, but it was very much wrong as the first thing served. The fennel tasted fine, but the way it came, so tiny, on a tiny plate, made eating it seem so joyless, and the salad, surprisingly enough was pretty bad, you would think green salad how can they do that, but it was overdressed and overdressed with a too sweet dressing. But c'mon, where was the house cured salmon I've heard about, the salumi, the proscuitto*. I've had glorious antipasti in Italy, and this felt more like what a place would give you as nibbles with a glass of wine.
And you know I am not gonna like the pasta. It may have been made in house, but I suspect it was done either with an extruder machine or an Atlas machine (if really made in house), because at the end of the day, it had none of that toothsomeness, that feel of real home made pasta. Like so much of the lunch, it seemed lifeless and joyless. And (of course) it goes without saying that it came way over sauced (and the sauce was nothing special either). My wife did enjoy her small piece of fish. I did not taste it, but visually, it did look well cooked.
Perhaps because they sensed my misery, they decided unannounced, to bring us some sides near the end of our meal. We got a polenta that was cooked well but was exceedingly bland, and some nice local asparagus that even they could not ruin.
On top of all of this, we were dumb enough to go with the bring us wine program (abet at the piker $15 option). It was an especially dumb call, cause they offered us a glass of wine with the set lunch. Instead, we got three mediocre glasses of wine. The first, a Sicilian white from Cusamano had a nice floral nose, but was vapid on the tongue. The second, a red Sicilian (Nero d'Avola) also from Cusamano was just vapid, and the third, a Puglian wine (Uva di Troia) from Santa Lucia had that bubble-gum-y taste of a bad Beaujolais noveau. We left most of the reds un-drunk.
*One of the first visual cues that things were not all they should have been at Osteria via Stato, is that when you walk in, you see a display of a bunch of the antipasti (as well as a few of the raw materials with labels of origin). I'm not gonna comment on the wrinkled eggplants, but the ham. It is displayed prominently, shown off. Yet, it is shown off in a machine slicer, actually a show-off machine slice with a vivid paint job. It's really meant to catch your attention, show off. But all I think is, who really wants to show off machine sliced prosciutto. Would not a place that aspires to what they aspire to, hand slice the ham? Is not prosciutto SUPPOSED to be hand sliced...
Lunch at Osteria via Stato
First, let me note that the Condiment Queen did not hate Osteria Via Stato quite as much as me. Second, on a dinner visit, Mr. Barolo wrote on LTHForum that he had a more pleasant experience. But I got the keyboard in front of me.
Did I mention that I hated Osteria via Stato? Aside from accusations of deliberate food poisoning, I s'pose that calling a place a rip-off is about as bad as you can say. No?
Granted, to be ripped off, one has to be willingly gullible, to expect something nice from LEY places (and I have defended them over the years), and to buy into this "more Italian" experience they were promising at Osteria via Stato. So, maybe it's my fault.
I expected to be impressed with lavish platers of attractive antipasti: vibrant salads, luscious meats. I expected the pastas to be deliciously simple, emphasizing the grain as much as the condiment, and I expected a good if small main course or secondi. Of course, based on all the hype and such, I was also expecting a price fixe menu. (I also expect in a pretty empty restaurant to not be led to a table in the corner abutting the computer, but that I remedied with a bit of vocalization.)
It turns out at lunch they do not really serve the price fixe anymore. It was all ala carte, but I made a little stink (called threatened to leave), and voila there was still a two course set deal for $19 (give or take a dollar I forget now). Should have stuck with the ala carte. Here's what we got. Two bowls of asparagus soup--I mean two bowls with a little bit of asparagus soup in them; two playing card thick slices of baked fennel; and an overdressed green salad. That was our wow-us first course. We were then allowed to pick from the pastas or entrees. I chose the "homemade" paparadelle with meat ragu, and my wife chose salmon with green sauce.
The soup was good enough, it was more a chicken veloute with a few slices of asparagus than a soup that really brought out the spring flavors, but it was very much wrong as the first thing served. The fennel tasted fine, but the way it came, so tiny, on a tiny plate, made eating it seem so joyless, and the salad, surprisingly enough was pretty bad, you would think green salad how can they do that, but it was overdressed and overdressed with a too sweet dressing. But c'mon, where was the house cured salmon I've heard about, the salumi, the proscuitto*. I've had glorious antipasti in Italy, and this felt more like what a place would give you as nibbles with a glass of wine.
And you know I am not gonna like the pasta. It may have been made in house, but I suspect it was done either with an extruder machine or an Atlas machine (if really made in house), because at the end of the day, it had none of that toothsomeness, that feel of real home made pasta. Like so much of the lunch, it seemed lifeless and joyless. And (of course) it goes without saying that it came way over sauced (and the sauce was nothing special either). My wife did enjoy her small piece of fish. I did not taste it, but visually, it did look well cooked.
Perhaps because they sensed my misery, they decided unannounced, to bring us some sides near the end of our meal. We got a polenta that was cooked well but was exceedingly bland, and some nice local asparagus that even they could not ruin.
On top of all of this, we were dumb enough to go with the bring us wine program (abet at the piker $15 option). It was an especially dumb call, cause they offered us a glass of wine with the set lunch. Instead, we got three mediocre glasses of wine. The first, a Sicilian white from Cusamano had a nice floral nose, but was vapid on the tongue. The second, a red Sicilian (Nero d'Avola) also from Cusamano was just vapid, and the third, a Puglian wine (Uva di Troia) from Santa Lucia had that bubble-gum-y taste of a bad Beaujolais noveau. We left most of the reds un-drunk.
*One of the first visual cues that things were not all they should have been at Osteria via Stato, is that when you walk in, you see a display of a bunch of the antipasti (as well as a few of the raw materials with labels of origin). I'm not gonna comment on the wrinkled eggplants, but the ham. It is displayed prominently, shown off. Yet, it is shown off in a machine slicer, actually a show-off machine slice with a vivid paint job. It's really meant to catch your attention, show off. But all I think is, who really wants to show off machine sliced prosciutto. Would not a place that aspires to what they aspire to, hand slice the ham? Is not prosciutto SUPPOSED to be hand sliced...
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Al Pastor es La Ley
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my luck in chowhounding has a lot to do with the eagle eye of the Condiment Queen. There are times, however, when I do OK as well. As we have discussed on these boards before, a good signifier to me has always been home-made-y looking signs advertising regional/obscure specialities. La Ley at the intersection of Grand and Austin has several big hand painted signs telling the passerby of their barbacoa de borrego estillo Durango (steamed lamb as done in Durango, in the north of Mexico). I've been wanting to go here for a while. And as so often the case. What took me so long.
The first thing I saw upon entering was a very robust cone of al pastor pork. I knew what to have with my barbacoa. When the CQ opened her menu, she knew what she would have (after seeing a tiny piece of paper advertising carne en su jugo). My ony decision, get the al pastor en gordita or not. With a bit of half-assed Spainish, I learned that the gorditas were hecho a mano, handmade, and I was set on lunch. Truly great al pastor. Ideal al pastor in the sense that the meat was throughly crisped up from the spit cookery, not hung to dry and fried on the griddle. The gordita was huge, like a masa sammy. The two tacos de barbacoa were just as good, the kinda fatty, near gelatonous taste that leaves your lips greasy (but in a good way).
All the stuff was enhanced by a trio of salsas, each hotter than the next. I was especially keen on one made mostly of charred jalepenos, but a thinner green sauce, and a red sauce with a strong smokey element were about as good. The carne en su jugo was not quite as complex as some I've had, but what it lacked nuance, it made up for with muscle. A very strong bowl of meat, bacon and beans. Ms. VI gave it the esteemed comment, "it does not taste like restaurant food." Unlike most carne en su jugo I have had, the meat was soft and rich instead of grilled. They had no take out menus, so I do not currently have the address or telephone number. I cannot vouch for anything else on the menu, but I was pretty blown away on this, my first visit.
After eating here, I was most interested in the opinion of Rich4, a hound rather obsessed with tacos al pastor. Well, it seems he likes the place.
Taqueria La Ley
6000 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL
(773) 385-9878
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that my luck in chowhounding has a lot to do with the eagle eye of the Condiment Queen. There are times, however, when I do OK as well. As we have discussed on these boards before, a good signifier to me has always been home-made-y looking signs advertising regional/obscure specialities. La Ley at the intersection of Grand and Austin has several big hand painted signs telling the passerby of their barbacoa de borrego estillo Durango (steamed lamb as done in Durango, in the north of Mexico). I've been wanting to go here for a while. And as so often the case. What took me so long.
The first thing I saw upon entering was a very robust cone of al pastor pork. I knew what to have with my barbacoa. When the CQ opened her menu, she knew what she would have (after seeing a tiny piece of paper advertising carne en su jugo). My ony decision, get the al pastor en gordita or not. With a bit of half-assed Spainish, I learned that the gorditas were hecho a mano, handmade, and I was set on lunch. Truly great al pastor. Ideal al pastor in the sense that the meat was throughly crisped up from the spit cookery, not hung to dry and fried on the griddle. The gordita was huge, like a masa sammy. The two tacos de barbacoa were just as good, the kinda fatty, near gelatonous taste that leaves your lips greasy (but in a good way).
All the stuff was enhanced by a trio of salsas, each hotter than the next. I was especially keen on one made mostly of charred jalepenos, but a thinner green sauce, and a red sauce with a strong smokey element were about as good. The carne en su jugo was not quite as complex as some I've had, but what it lacked nuance, it made up for with muscle. A very strong bowl of meat, bacon and beans. Ms. VI gave it the esteemed comment, "it does not taste like restaurant food." Unlike most carne en su jugo I have had, the meat was soft and rich instead of grilled. They had no take out menus, so I do not currently have the address or telephone number. I cannot vouch for anything else on the menu, but I was pretty blown away on this, my first visit.
After eating here, I was most interested in the opinion of Rich4, a hound rather obsessed with tacos al pastor. Well, it seems he likes the place.
Taqueria La Ley
6000 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL
(773) 385-9878
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
What's Interesting This Week at Caputo's
Organic "mini-watermelons". Also available at Goodness Greeness (although I do not know this place). See here for details.
Also, fish. I've been very impressed with the looks of Caputo's fish department. Right now they have whole "toto" fish. Beats the heck out of me, and sea snails too.
Organic "mini-watermelons". Also available at Goodness Greeness (although I do not know this place). See here for details.
Also, fish. I've been very impressed with the looks of Caputo's fish department. Right now they have whole "toto" fish. Beats the heck out of me, and sea snails too.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Missing Information
Cynics might suggest the lack of posting stems from two weeks of drubbing in the Phil Vettel game (e.g., review AND mother's day listings...). No, I can and will give Phil credit for his victories. Rather, I have been bedeviled by the twin demons, work and wrecked computer. Work's still there, but the computer problems have been mostly fixed (for the time being). Look forward soon to plenty of vital information:
The Czech paradox...opinions on three leading Midwest deli's; the strata of Milwaukee dining...Michigan style coney dogs and coney burgers...a like new version of the ice cream listing (with data on the superb south side ice cream gems like Gayety and Cunis)...reviews of Apple's America and the Stern's Roadfood (neither hits the sweet spot)...lunch with the big shots at Gene and Georgetti's...
Stay tuned and sorry for the missing information.
Cynics might suggest the lack of posting stems from two weeks of drubbing in the Phil Vettel game (e.g., review AND mother's day listings...). No, I can and will give Phil credit for his victories. Rather, I have been bedeviled by the twin demons, work and wrecked computer. Work's still there, but the computer problems have been mostly fixed (for the time being). Look forward soon to plenty of vital information:
The Czech paradox...opinions on three leading Midwest deli's; the strata of Milwaukee dining...Michigan style coney dogs and coney burgers...a like new version of the ice cream listing (with data on the superb south side ice cream gems like Gayety and Cunis)...reviews of Apple's America and the Stern's Roadfood (neither hits the sweet spot)...lunch with the big shots at Gene and Georgetti's...
Stay tuned and sorry for the missing information.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Bourdain and Bulli
Apparantly Tony Bourdain did a one hour program on Ferran Adria, but it's been embargoed from US consumption.A Chicago foodie got his hands on the tape though. He gives a re-cap here.
A link for people with BitTorren familiarty is provided at the end of the post.
Apparantly Tony Bourdain did a one hour program on Ferran Adria, but it's been embargoed from US consumption.A Chicago foodie got his hands on the tape though. He gives a re-cap here.
A link for people with BitTorren familiarty is provided at the end of the post.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
James Beard Food Journalism Awards
The nominees are out (via SauteWednesday). Sad to see my favorite food piece missed the cut. Anything else left out?
The nominees are out (via SauteWednesday). Sad to see my favorite food piece missed the cut. Anything else left out?
Do We Have a Winner in the (CTrib) Cheap Eats Game?
Every Wednesday right before I unwrap our Chicago Tribune, I regale (or torment depending on your mood) the family with the Cheap Eats game. Each week, the Tribune's food section publishes a "Cheap Eats" review, or shall I call it a "review". I'll leave for another rant, the heading dominated format that leaves little room for actual remarks on the restaurant, and talk today on the basis of the Cheap Eats Game. Is it a restuarant worth reporting.
Because there is one Cheap Eats review each week. And there are a lot of cheap eats in Chicago (or as noted on LTHForum, in the furthest suburbs as well.) So, each week, I wonder, could it be a undiscovered but interesting taqueria, a well regaded Persian place run by an Assyrian family from Iraq, or god dang it, That-a-Burger. What comes each week? Endless faux Irish pubs (who knew Buffalo chicken wings were so popular in Eire), corporate outposts, and best of all, corporate outposts of Irish pubs (or is that Irish pub corporate outposts?). Play along.
I cannot figger out if we have a winner this week with Let's Go Bistro in Downer's Grove. It's not faux Irish and it's not a chain (I do not think), but it is also faux French (it aint a bistro). Actually, my first thought when I saw the restaurant name was, bistros should be the domain of the main Trib reviewer, Phil Vettel. Since this is really a cafe, really a diner (so it seems), I can see it outside *his* domain. Anyway, in the bungalow this morning we split on whether this was a winner. Care to cast a vote?
Every Wednesday right before I unwrap our Chicago Tribune, I regale (or torment depending on your mood) the family with the Cheap Eats game. Each week, the Tribune's food section publishes a "Cheap Eats" review, or shall I call it a "review". I'll leave for another rant, the heading dominated format that leaves little room for actual remarks on the restaurant, and talk today on the basis of the Cheap Eats Game. Is it a restuarant worth reporting.
Because there is one Cheap Eats review each week. And there are a lot of cheap eats in Chicago (or as noted on LTHForum, in the furthest suburbs as well.) So, each week, I wonder, could it be a undiscovered but interesting taqueria, a well regaded Persian place run by an Assyrian family from Iraq, or god dang it, That-a-Burger. What comes each week? Endless faux Irish pubs (who knew Buffalo chicken wings were so popular in Eire), corporate outposts, and best of all, corporate outposts of Irish pubs (or is that Irish pub corporate outposts?). Play along.
I cannot figger out if we have a winner this week with Let's Go Bistro in Downer's Grove. It's not faux Irish and it's not a chain (I do not think), but it is also faux French (it aint a bistro). Actually, my first thought when I saw the restaurant name was, bistros should be the domain of the main Trib reviewer, Phil Vettel. Since this is really a cafe, really a diner (so it seems), I can see it outside *his* domain. Anyway, in the bungalow this morning we split on whether this was a winner. Care to cast a vote?
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Proud Papa
It was one of those rarest of days. A special day. Daddy-daughter. Solo. Actually, even rarer, it was Daddy and older daughter. We made great use of our day together. A day of great chow. A day to make Pop proud.
After dropping off Mommy and other daughter for their camping trip, we faced the first hurdle of the day, breakfast. Chinese she said, and Dad pointed the car in that direction. An unusual Saturday morning traffic jam forced us off the highway at Independence Boulevard, but it gave Dad a chance to point out all the ex-synagougues. I had been happy before with Seven Wives before, for something breakfasty, but different. It was a little hard at Seven Wives because early in the day the seem to have a limited selection.
Limited. Did I mean different, odd? The standard breakfast is pick one from A one from B. A is mostly "regular" breakfasts like waffles and eggs and B is various kinds of noodles. Nothing there sounded appealing. We decided instead for the congee combo. It is firstly a bowl of congee; secondly some soft rolled rice noodles. And did I say I was proud, the chowhoundita had two bowls of preserved egg/fish congee, although she later confessed, she did not want to know what the fish was until after she finished. While it is unglamorously served in a small styrofoam cup, the coffee that is included with the congee deal is very good. Also, the heavy lacquer furniture and artsy-fartsy wall decorations belie the low prices here.
From there we meandered up Michigan Avenue and Clark Street, talking about architecture and stuff, ending at Tower Records. (You know things have changed so much in this hood by how easy parking is.) She made me proud by seeking out (and requesting for gift) Green Day's American Idiot. What's more, the title song, especially, makes me proud that there is something around still called rock n' roll.
Not quite hungry but there, we took our first dip into the waters of Hawaiian cooking, Chicago style, Aloha Grill. We got a big old plate of fried chicken breast, very, very crisp; two sauces, the curry and the sweet katsu sauce; and a lot of rice. Our plate did not include the mac salad, which I think is a good thing. From there, we checked out the Austrian Bakery on Clark. I know it's gotten pretty good reports, and the Brilliant one raves about it, but nothing looked too good. Instead, we had a crepe and mint tea (well mint tea for Dad, crepe for daughter) at Crepes and Coffee. It is an interesting place, apparently run by some Algerians, which of course means you can get merguez in your crepe. But there are a lot of choices that especially appealed to me, with cajeta and dulce de leche and nutella and Belgium chocolate sauce (an international array of goo).
We spent a fair amount of time playing with cats at P.A.W.S, then hooked up with my parents. For more looking at orphaned animals--this time Anti-Cruelty and an early dinner at Marcello's Father and Son. Dad always likes their broasted chicken and especially their cole slaw with a strong suggestion of horseradish (cole slaw tasting anyone?) Of course, she made me proud by scarfing down a big ol' steak sammy.
All during the planning of our special day, we talked about what would be our crowning touch, dessert. And to make me quite proud, she passed, saying she had enough for the day.
Seven Wives
2230 S. Wentworth
Chicago, IL
312-842-7888
Aloha Grill Hawaiian BBQ
2534 N. Clark St.
Chicago IL 60614
773-935-6828
Austrian Bakery and Deli
2523 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
(773) 244-9922
Crepe and Coffee Palace
2433 N. Clark
Chicago, IL
(773) 404-1300
Marcello's (A Father & Son Enterprise)
645 West North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
312.654.2550
It was one of those rarest of days. A special day. Daddy-daughter. Solo. Actually, even rarer, it was Daddy and older daughter. We made great use of our day together. A day of great chow. A day to make Pop proud.
After dropping off Mommy and other daughter for their camping trip, we faced the first hurdle of the day, breakfast. Chinese she said, and Dad pointed the car in that direction. An unusual Saturday morning traffic jam forced us off the highway at Independence Boulevard, but it gave Dad a chance to point out all the ex-synagougues. I had been happy before with Seven Wives before, for something breakfasty, but different. It was a little hard at Seven Wives because early in the day the seem to have a limited selection.
Limited. Did I mean different, odd? The standard breakfast is pick one from A one from B. A is mostly "regular" breakfasts like waffles and eggs and B is various kinds of noodles. Nothing there sounded appealing. We decided instead for the congee combo. It is firstly a bowl of congee; secondly some soft rolled rice noodles. And did I say I was proud, the chowhoundita had two bowls of preserved egg/fish congee, although she later confessed, she did not want to know what the fish was until after she finished. While it is unglamorously served in a small styrofoam cup, the coffee that is included with the congee deal is very good. Also, the heavy lacquer furniture and artsy-fartsy wall decorations belie the low prices here.
From there we meandered up Michigan Avenue and Clark Street, talking about architecture and stuff, ending at Tower Records. (You know things have changed so much in this hood by how easy parking is.) She made me proud by seeking out (and requesting for gift) Green Day's American Idiot. What's more, the title song, especially, makes me proud that there is something around still called rock n' roll.
Not quite hungry but there, we took our first dip into the waters of Hawaiian cooking, Chicago style, Aloha Grill. We got a big old plate of fried chicken breast, very, very crisp; two sauces, the curry and the sweet katsu sauce; and a lot of rice. Our plate did not include the mac salad, which I think is a good thing. From there, we checked out the Austrian Bakery on Clark. I know it's gotten pretty good reports, and the Brilliant one raves about it, but nothing looked too good. Instead, we had a crepe and mint tea (well mint tea for Dad, crepe for daughter) at Crepes and Coffee. It is an interesting place, apparently run by some Algerians, which of course means you can get merguez in your crepe. But there are a lot of choices that especially appealed to me, with cajeta and dulce de leche and nutella and Belgium chocolate sauce (an international array of goo).
We spent a fair amount of time playing with cats at P.A.W.S, then hooked up with my parents. For more looking at orphaned animals--this time Anti-Cruelty and an early dinner at Marcello's Father and Son. Dad always likes their broasted chicken and especially their cole slaw with a strong suggestion of horseradish (cole slaw tasting anyone?) Of course, she made me proud by scarfing down a big ol' steak sammy.
All during the planning of our special day, we talked about what would be our crowning touch, dessert. And to make me quite proud, she passed, saying she had enough for the day.
Seven Wives
2230 S. Wentworth
Chicago, IL
312-842-7888
Aloha Grill Hawaiian BBQ
2534 N. Clark St.
Chicago IL 60614
773-935-6828
Austrian Bakery and Deli
2523 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
(773) 244-9922
Crepe and Coffee Palace
2433 N. Clark
Chicago, IL
(773) 404-1300
Marcello's (A Father & Son Enterprise)
645 West North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
312.654.2550
Monday, April 11, 2005
No Value Blog
I came across this blog, Anchored Nomad, via a comment on EatChicago. I'm not sure if there's any redeeming value, but it sure is a fun read.
I came across this blog, Anchored Nomad, via a comment on EatChicago. I'm not sure if there's any redeeming value, but it sure is a fun read.
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