Hey, Readers! I just received a very nice email from Bravo about today’s blog featuring Marcus Samuelsson. They sent a link so we can watch a sneak preview of tonight’s episode of Top Chef Master! Fun!! Thanks, Nicole at Bravo! http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters/videos/wearing-down It looks like it could be a nail-biter, but we all have faith in Marcus!!
Marcus Samuelsson, the NRA, and Bacardi
Marcus Samuelsson, the NRA, and Bacardi does not mean the famous chef packed heat and ordered a rum drink; instead it means all three of those combined to make a memorable weekend in Chicago! This past weekend was spent at McCormick Place attending the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show! And what a show it was. My […]
Support your local Farmer’s Markets!
It’s always exciting when Farmer’s Markets start opening in the spring and early summer. Many cities with good weather have markets open year round, but around here in the Chicago area, no one wants to set up food stands in the snow. About this time every year, the Chicago and suburban newspapers print where to find the local […]
The Hospitality and Food of the Finnish Sauna
This past weekend was unusually hot for May in Chicago. I overheard someone say that it felt like a relaxing sauna, which made me remember this cookbook by Tuula A. Kaitila and Edey E. Saarinen. I bought The Sauna Cookbook: Food for Body and Soul, several years ago and met the authors at “Finnfest,” which is an annual celebration of the Finnish […]
Cookbook Give-Away for the week of 5-24-10!
Congratulations to Ronna F. from Maryland who won last week’s cookbook, Martha Stewart’s Hors d’ Oeuvres from 1984! This week’s give-away is The Joy of Pasta by Joe Famularo and Louise Imperiale from 1983. This is a great cookbook that has recipes for fresh and dried pasta made every way imaginable, and contains one of […]
"Star of the Bar" Contest!
Yesterday, I watched my oldest daughter cook on the main stage at the National Restaurant Association Show, and today I will watch my youngest, Kara, compete for a grand prize of $5,000 in a beverage contest sponsored by Bacardi. Here is her video entry and recipe that got her a spot as one of 6 competitors in […]
Restaurant Show Reigning Hot Chef!
I am at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago this weekend, and today I will be watching my daughter Kristina on the main cooking stage demonstrating her “Tunisian Lamb Burger with Harissa Mayonnaise and Orange-Olive-Date Relish.” Last year, the National Restaurant Association (the other “NRA”) named Kristina their “Hot Chef of 2009.” She will be […]
Hog Wild! And How my Daughter Became a "Pork Personality"
Do you know how the term “hog wild” came into being? Pigs living in colonial times were so prolific they ran “hog wild” in marauding bands through the streets and fields of settlements from Massachusetts to Virginia, not only vandalizing property but creating diplomatic problems with local Indian tribes. Dutch doors were invented by New […]
