With the dicey Chicago weather, it is hard to decide when the food seasons really change. If you are like me, you enjoy lots of hearty soups and comfort foods in the colder months and crave cool, crisp salads with the heat of summer. This year, I feel like the Bun and I made a lot more soups than in previous years, partly due to the fact that, with the economy being in the toilet, we’ve tried to be a little more frugal and eat out less often. We ran the gamut of recipes, from new vegetarian options to updated, meat-rich classics. Some that stick out in my mind include Cream of Asparagus Soup (garnished with a dollop of crème fraiche), Chicken, Kale, and White Bean Soup, and Old-Fashioned Ham and Bean Soup, which I updated a little by switching the white beans with black-eyed peas, and with the addition of greens and some hot sauce. If anyone is interested in these recipes, please let me know and I’ll put them on the recipe page. Continue reading
Shallots Web
What do you bring to the table?
Monthly Archives: April 2009
Brief Note on Herbs
Aaron’s mom is so good about sending little notes in the mail, and with the age of e-mail not slowing anytime soon, we always appreciate getting cards and notes from her. On occasion, however, she’ll log on to the computer and shoot a note off to us: “Hi and Happy Spring(?), I want to grow some herbs this year and need to know what to grow besides basil and oregano. You always have such tasty food and I want to learn how to do that.” Short, sweet, and to the point. My response was as such:
As far as herbs are concerned, we’ve grown quite a few over the years, with some more successful than others. I have a little time, so I will give you a run-down of our experiences for each one. Continue reading
A Weekend(+) of Eating
Thursday
This past weekend was a good long string of “food events,” which coincided with (and was inspired in part by) a visit from Christine and Charles, who are dear, dear friends. As they were driving from Pittsburgh, I made sure to have food on hand for them when they arrived. I always appreciate having a good meal after a long road trip, so I try to extend the courtesy to my loved ones. As the winter is still very much here in Chicago, I decided to make something on the heartier side. I also wanted to make something familiar to me so that I would not run the risk of a bad meal. I decided on Braised Lamb Shanks with Pappardelle Pasta, which is something that I usually only make for company. Aaron and I normally don’t eat pasta, so it is always a treat to have an excuse to whip up a big bowl of it. Christine and Chuck both seemed pleased. Paired with a small green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, you have a really satisfying meal. Continue reading
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