Lately, I’ve been on a pickled vegetable kick. This may have been sparked my most recent visit to Big Star, a Wicker Park (Chicago) “honky tonk” bar, serving a great assortment of beer, whiskey, and tacos. The sounds of Nashville and Bakersfield (a genre of country music developed in the mid-to-late 50s) fill the bar. … Continue Reading
I’m more of a savory than a sweets kind of person (well, except for dark, dark chocolate). But, it is Thanksgiving, which is not complete without a pumpkin pie, in this case, a kabocha squash pie. This is a fairly traditional pumpkin pie, albeit with a few twists. I made a ginger snap crust, instead … Continue Reading
Always keeping my eyes open for new types of greens, I was excited to find sea asparagus (aka salicornia, glasswort, pickleweed, sea beans) at my local grocery store (i.e., Safeway) of all places. I’m pretty certain that I’m the only one who buys sea asparagus/beans. People often stop me at the grocery store and ask … Continue Reading
Love all types of soups and stews, especially on a brisk day in the Windy City. If you are searching for an easy and hearty stew, look no further. This is a Catalan staple, and rightfully so. Traditionally made with spinach, although I think you can play around with other types of greens (kale, … Continue Reading
Did you know that there are 5,000 types of cultivated potatoes worldwide and approximately 200 types of wild species and subspecies? Me either. These days, you’re lucky to find anything beyond the usual suspects (Yukon Gold, russet, red-skinned, Idaho bakers, etc.) at most grocery stores, which, instead, choose to stock their shelves with, for example, … Continue Reading
