Eats & Drinks

Rioja Wine Festival and Chat with Bodegas Muriel Winemaker

in Eating Out, Eats & Drinks, Events, Festivals • May 15, 2015

Photo: Bodegas MurielPhoto: Bodegas Muriel Wine lovers, foodies and chefs from around the world met in Chicago on Saturday, May 2nd for the Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival. Spain’s most prominent wine region hosted its biggest event of the year in Chicago first nationally celebrated festival featuring Rioja’s best winemakers and notable U.S. chefs in the stunning atmosphere of Chicago’s iconic Union Station on Canal street. This food and wine festival showcased nearly 200 vibrant wines from Rioja, ranging from Blancos to Rosados to Gran Reservas, all accompanied by... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Rioja Wine and Tapas Festival Review

in Eating Out, Eats & Drinks, Events, Festivals • May 11, 2015

Photo: Chicago Food Girl (Nikon D90) Photo: Chicago Food Girl Wine lovers, foodies and chefs from around the world met in Chicago on Saturday, May 2nd for the Rioja Wine & Tapas Festival. Spain’s most prominent wine region hosted its biggest event of the year in Chicago first nationally celebrated festival featuring Rioja’s best winemakers and notable U.S. chefs in the stunning atmosphere of Chicago’s iconic Union Station on Canal street. This food and wine festival showcased nearly 200... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Interview with Executive Chef Tanya Baker, 2015 James Beard Award Finalist and a Rising Star in Chicago

in Eating In, Eating Out, Eats & Drinks, Events, Recipe • May 4, 2015

Most Chefs will tell you that they don’t cook for money but rather for the love of food. Executive Chef Tanya Baker of The Boarding House in Chicago is no exception. For the first year in a row, she’s a finalist for one of the food world’s most prestigious awards: the James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year Award, given to a chef age 30 or younger who demonstrates an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Healthy Pasta Cookbook Review + Free Giveaway

in Eating In, Eating Out, Eats & Drinks, Events, Giveaways • April 29, 2015

“Eating pasta can be advantageous to your health, satisfying, and economical. Pasta should be a staple in every kitchen.” I don’t know about you but healthy and pasta are my two favorite words. As soon as I received my cookbook from the dynamic Bastianich sibling duos, I knew this would be one I would not be able to put down. As an owner of more than one dozen restaurants—including Babbo, which he co-owns with chef Mario Batali—it’s... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Salero’s Spring Menu Preview Dinner

in Eating Out, Eats & Drinks • April 23, 2015

People always ask me what I love about being a food blogger. A few reasons I can think from the top of my head is that this has been an amazing outlet to pursue my love for photography and writing. I love all of the different types of people I’ve encountered paths with and find this blogging community incredibly inspiring. But one of the things I really love about being a food blogger? Being able to try new restaurants.

Evolution Fresh Juice Cleanse

in Beauty, Eats & Drinks, Giveaways, Health • April 23, 2015

It’s spring… so bring on the green! And by that I mean a bottle of cold-pressed Super Green juice by Evolution Fresh. Not too sweet with just the right amount of tang, this smoothie is packed with nutrition thanks to the fruity flavors of orange, mango, apple, raspberry and pineapple, along with a cleansing spirulina blend. Sipping on Super Green is a great way to greet or close your day, though I personally prefer it as an afternoon pick-me-up while working from Starbucks with a friend. I was lucky enough to do a 3 day cleanse with them a few weeks... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Balsamic Vinegar Pearls Recipe

in Eating In, Eats & Drinks, Recipe • April 20, 2015

I’ll be the first to admit that I love fancy anything. I love finishing touches that make my dishes extra special. My co-worker invited me over for dinner and her husband introduced me to balsamic vinegar “caviars” this weekend so I decided to re-create them myself. These little beautiful balls are a simple and fantastic way to add a touch of molecular gastronomy to your dishes since the balsamic vinegar is transformed into tiny jelly balls using agar agar and... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Haemul Pajeon: Savory Seafood Korean-style pancakes

in Eating In, Eats & Drinks • April 12, 2015

We are not so much what we eat, but what we remember we have eaten. When I was five years old, I walked in my grandmother’s front door one Saturday morning and smelled the most delicious smells coming from her kitchen. She called me to the room with those enticing aromas and placed a plate of ‘haemul pajeon’ in front of me. Then she told me to eat quickly or else it would get cold. The way the pancake disappeared in my mouth as... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Need something to do this weekend? Venetian Contessa launches prosecco line in Chicago

in Eating Out, Eats & Drinks, Events • April 9, 2015

Are you looking for something fun to do? It deals with adult beverages as well. Venetian cooking school founder and author Contessa Enrica Rocca uncorks her debut line of Prosecco this April, following its successful launch in Europe. Made from the finest Glera grapes, Enrica Rocca Prosecco is produced through delicate synthesis of sparkling winemaking traditions in a small vineyard in the Veneto. Both varieties, the classic Brut and the sweeter Extra Dry, were created in compliance with the highest standards of viticulture, resulting in a DOCG (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin)... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Best Kalbi Recipe: Korean BBQ Shortribs

in Eating In, Eats & Drinks • March 24, 2015

Photo: My dad’s perfect kalbi It’s almost BBQ season! No Korean BBQ dishes is complete without Kalbi Gui, grilled marinated beef short ribs. By definition, kalbi means “ribs,”and gui means “grilled.” You will often find these short ribs in two different cuts – the first is a flank cut, when the ribs are thinly cut (about 1/4 inch thick) across the bones and the English cut, when the ribs are separated... Share this: Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr