I don’t like change. I’m not talking about coin change; I’m talking about adapting to something new. We experience change every day in the weather or what we eat or which undies we are wearing. (I like changing underwear; it is so refreshing. Don’t you think?) I do okay with daily changes but unexpected changes …
Potatoes Au Gratin…More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys
I am so happy it is October!!! September was exhausting and more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Wait…is a barrel of monkeys fun? Some monkeys are aggressive so there might be some tension in the barrel maybe even some poo throwing. So pretty much anything sounds better than a barrel of monkeys. If you …
Chicago Gourmet 2014
Chicago Gourmet has become my Christmas. I have started to look forward to it like no other time of year and I count down the days like a child with an advent calendar. Just like the holidays, I can’t wait to sample all of the delicious foods, see familiar faces and there is always anticipation …
Now Playing in My Kitchen: Big Fork and Pasta
My brain seems a little frazzled right now. I’ve eaten a lot of really great food these last couple of weeks and now I am trying to get back into the swing of my own kitchen. I keep waiting for someone to present me with a menu, put it on a small plate and do …
Slow Food South Shore Sunday Supper: Heritage and Heirlooms
“Slow down, you move too fast.” Do you know that song from Simon and Garfunkel? It kept going around my head this weekend when I learned about something new…slow food. No, I don’t mean food that at one point was slow like a snail or turtle. The definition of slow food is “food that is …
Living the Dream: Food Network in Concert at Ravinia
I’ve been burning the candle at both ends lately and just wanted to take a nap. So I stretched out on my belly and all of a sudden I was having the craziest dream. I was at Ravinia (the oldest musical festival park in the US) in Highland Park, IL. I knew I was dreaming …
Mercat a la Planxa: New Fall Dinner with Chef Jose Garces and Chef Cory Morris
I’ve been waking up in the morning and there has been a chill in the air. The leaves are starting to turn and the calendar says the first day of fall is less than a week away. As with every turn of summer to fall, my mind starts to think a little bit about the …
Fortune Fish & Gourmet Chicago Seafood and Specialty Show 2014
It is the middle of September and most of the kiddos are back in school starting a whole new year of learning. I thought why should the kids have all the fun! (Besides the fact that they are kids and that is what kids do!) My friends at Fortune Fish & Gourmet in Bensenville, IL …
Mod Mex & Mod Mix 2014
Driving up to Kendall College on Saturday morning, I knew that it was going to be a great day. The sun was shining and unseasonal briskness of the morning made it a perfect day to sit and learn about Mexican Cuisine at the second annual Mod Mex event hosted by Chicago’s very own, Rick Bayless. …
Balls To the Wall
Balls to the wall. That saying has a different meaning for a lot of people. If you are an athlete, it probably means you are doing your best and pushing yourself. If you are like me, it means it is time to start canning!!! Every summer around Labor Day, I start pulling my Ball jars …