Nonpareil Food Magazine Spring 2013

VOLUME I ISSUE II

SPRING 2013

nonpareil

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FOOD MAGAZINE

photo by // andrea rummel

Editor in Chief Angela Qian Managing Director Jenny Swann P.R. Ma'ayan Malter treasurer catherine lee Design Hyeong-sun Cho, Jenna Dorfman, David Huang, Rachel Jackson, Elisa Li, Jenny Mao Contributors Ben Fleisher, Kerry Gibbons, Avi Molder, Chris O’Meara, Frank Qian, Matthew Raigosa , Nick Rekenthaler, Andrea Rummel, Sarah Runkel, Margarita Sokolova, Tananya Thamthieng, Sherry Tseng, Michael Wheeler, Holly Zaharchuk Editors Kay Li, Avi Molder, Julian Spergel, Sherry Tseng

Dear readers and eaters, Anyone who has been to the West Loop neighborhood recently can tell you that molecular gastronomy is having a moment in Chicago. In a city that plays host to such culinary powerhouses as Alinea, Schwa, and Blackbird, it seems that everyone is clamoring for their next helping of deconstructed dishes and unpronounceable ingredients. Amidst all of this fuss, it simpler, heartier fare appears to have fallen out of favor. Who wants to eat something as blah as a sandwich when you could be eating yuzu foam? These days, simple food seems to have earned a reputation for being boring at best and often downright unpalatable. But as much as we may be surprised by the creative twists of molecular gastronomy, let’s be honest--no one really craves “passionfruit dust” at the end of the day.

In our busy lives, sometimes simple food is exactly what we need. After all, nothing takes the chill out of a frosty December evening quite like a comforting bowl of creamy mac and cheese (pg 25), and there is no better way to begin a crisp fall morning than tucking into fluffy stack of golden pancakes (pg 18) and a bottomless cup of coffee. But with so many mediocre sandwiches and disappointing burgers, it’s easy to forget how great simple food can taste.

In this issue of Nonpareil, we’re on a mission to breathe new life into some staples that you may have dismissed in favor of more exotic fare. Straightforward food doesn’t have to be repetitive or boring. With a few creative touches and a little time at the stove, you can easily transform everyday college fare into something truly special. We’ll show you how the old and familiar can be transformed into something unexpected and exciting and help you remember why these satisfying dishes earned a place in your heart in the first place--like the best lovers, food is full of surprises.

Of course, there are some nights when even the easiest recipes seem a little daunting. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there as well. Whether you’re craving burgers or ramen, we’ll point you to some great Chicago restaurants and shops that celebrate the time-honored tradition of simple food done right.

We hope you enjoy the second issue of Nonpareil!

Happy eating, Nonpareil

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 FOUNDER'S LETTER 2 THE PROTEIN BAR 3 EASY BAKED DONUTS 4 DMK BURGER VS KUMA'S TOO 6 PROFILE: MAX CHAOULIDEER 8 LITTLE GOAT, 'LOTTA FOOD 9 LAYS 10 SLURPING TURTLE VS. WASABI 12 HOW DO YOU RAMEN? 14 AN INCOMPLETE GUIDE TO CHICAGO DONUTS 16 TWO GOURMET GROCERY STORES 17 ADVENTURES IN COOKING 18 BROWN BUTTER BROWN SUGAR BUTTERMILK 19 PANCAKES 20 GHIRARtDELLI 21 THE LAMBURGER 22 PUPPY CHOW 23 FIG NEWTONS 24 FENNEL AND GOAT CHEESE 25 MACARONI AND CHEESE letter from the editort

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the

protein bar [photographs from // theproteinbar.com]

a 21st century revamp of the business lunch spot by nick rekenthaler

A

contributor

fter repeatedly passing this place during my internship lunch breaks, I finally succumbed to the allure of its slick marketing. From its cleverly named drinks (i.e. “Wrigley Peeled”) to its pristine white décor and crackerjack motto of “We Do Healthy… Healthier,” The Protein Bar does just about everything right.

The Protein Bar is a 21st century upgrade of the quick business lunch spot. The company has seven locations sprinkled about Chicago and one additional location in a West Chicago suburb.

Menu items include breakfast bowls, lunch bowls, salads, burritos (referred to as ‘bar-ritos’) and blended drinks. As an added bonus, the nutrition facts are prominently displayed and the service is quick. The restaurant is competing against other trendy metropolitan eateries such as Pret à Manger and Hannah’s Bretzel, but rather than try to emulate the chains’ European-chic atmosphere, The Protein chooses to highlight its protein-heavy menu.

During my internship, I met friends at the restaurant on two separate occasions. The place was packed on both visits, but we never had to wait more than five minutes to get our food. The first time I ordered the Southwest Salad, which came in an attractive transparent bowl and included chicken, black beans, avocado, tomatoes, cheese, a mildly spicy dressing and (of course) quinoa. Although it was a little salty, everything tasted fresh and the flavors meshed

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together well. As an added bonus, the 470 calorie salad carried 39g of protein, which succeeded in making me feel full rather than suffed. However, making a reasonably healthy salad taste good isn’t much of a challenge. I was much more concerned about the low-cal Ivy Bar-rito.

But The Protein Bar’s creation pleasantly surprised me.

Although it didn’t quite equal Chipotle, the chicken pesto parmesan ‘bar-rito’ didn’t suffer from the usual half-thecalories-for-half-the-flavor trade-off. In fact, with the addition of a little housemade hot sauce, the quinoa-filled ‘barrito’ packed quite a flavorful punch.

One of my friends has already frequented the restaurant almost thirty times, and though I haven’t reached this level of fandom I would actively revisit the restaurant if I’m in the area. Reducing the price and salt content would earn this place 4.5 stars for its quick, healthy food and genius design.

If you happen to be in Chicago around lunchtime, make a stop at The Protein Bar for a healthy and filling meal.

“the protein bar does just about everything right”

consensus: 3.5 +.5 for the ‘shtick’ = 4/5 photos from www.theproteinbar.com. Used with permission.

easy baked donuts adapted from King Arthur Flour written by Kerry Gibbons Sunday mornings just became infinitely better thanks to this quick and easy baked doughnut recipe. (I may or may not have eaten three in one sitting, no shame.) A doughnut pan is needed but it’s a worthy investment (and just imagine all the different variations you could make!). The crumb of these doughnuts is a little coarse, but the exterior bakes out to be nice and crispy, and these really do taste just as good as any other fried doughnut. Top ‘em off with this silky chocolate glaze, pour yourself a big cup of coffee, dunk, and enjoy. You deserve it.

Servings: 6 Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes Degree of difficulty: Easy

ingredients For doughnuts: 1 cup all-purpose or cake flour ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons buttermilk or yogurt ½ teaspoon vanilla

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

will be quite brown on top.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients

7. Remove doughnuts from the oven and remove from the pan.

Allow them to cool completely on a rack.

3. In a small separate bowl, beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until foamy 4. Form a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into the indentation; stir until just combined 5. Butter or grease the doughnut pan and fill each mold half-full 6. Bake the doughnuts for 1012 minutes. When done, they’ll spring back if touched lightly and

For chocolate glaze: ½ cup powdered sugar 1 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon milk or water 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

8. While doughnuts are cooling, combine the powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a small bowl.

9. Whisk milk and vanilla extract into the sugar and cocoa mixture, continuously whisking until silky smooth.

10. Dunk doughnuts top-first into the glaze.

11. Enjoy, and try not to eat them all at once.

review

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[photographs from // theharrisesofchicago.wordpress.com, urbnexplorer.com, burgertouratlanta.blogspot.com, gochicago.about.com]

DMK BURGER BAR VS KUMA’S TOO [written by // ben fleisher]

DMK Burger and Kuma’s Too are the good and evil twins of upscale burger restaurants in the Chicago area. Deciding which is good and which is evil, however, is up to you. Do you prefer decent fries and exceptional sauces or an unusually good fried potato burdened with only decent mustard? Do you like a thicker burger patty, cooked to order, or a thinner piece of meat cooked expertly to middle rare? Most importantly of all, do you prefer metal or rock? I firmly believe that so long as you make sure to find the one that’s right for you, you can’t go wrong with either of these fantastic places.

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DMK Burger and Kuma’s Too are the good and evil twins of upscale burger restaurants in the Chicago area. Deciding which is good and which is evil, however, is up to you. Do you prefer decent fries and exceptional sauces or an unusually good fried potato burdened with only decent mustard? Do you like a thicker burger patty, cooked to order, or a thinner piece of meat cooked expertly to middle rare? Most importantly of all, do you prefer metal or rock? I firmly believe that so long as you make sure to find the one that’s right for you, you can’t go wrong with either of these fantastic places.

The décor at both restaurants differed significantly. DMK Burger felt like a cross between a dive and an upscale bar. Even at three in the afternoon (the earliest my companions and I could get seated) the interior was very dim, with tinted windows keeping out the bright sun. A few giant words plastered the walls. Yet despite the slightly cramped interior, the restaurant roared with conversation. The rock music set a lively and upbeat tone for the entire experience. Despite the loud music and conversations, one could easily hear a friend over the din.

At Kuma’s Too, the inverse was true. The first thing that struck me was the forceful metal music that barely allowed conversations to continue under it. The interior was much lighter than DMK, even though we were seated around eight p.m. Pictures of metal albums sat on the orange walls, slightly overpowering the senses. Both Kuma’s and DMK were packed when we entered, even though we were eating at strange times—always a good sign of the food to come.

At DMK I indulged in the #2, a grass-fed patty with onion strings, Amish blue cheese, and chipotle ketchup with a kick. The fries came topped with slightly melted parmesan cheese and a side of truffle cream sauce. I ordered a “Goatsnake” at Kuma’s: a combination of herbed goat cheese, corn relish, lemon vinaigrette, and red onion strings. The fries originally came with ketchup but I received jalapeno mustard on request. At both restaurants my friend ordered drinks, a lemon blueberry soda from DMK and a beer at Ku-

ma’s, and claimed both were, “I don’t know, good I guess.” Both menus had a wide selection of creative burgers, mac and cheese, and extensive drinks.

But at DMK the fries were merely fried potatoes. There was nothing special to distinguish them from the countless other French Fries I’ve eaten.

The truffle cream sauce, however, more than made up for the dull fries. The creamy flavor meshed perfectly with the crispy potato. It provided a sweet note against the sharp Parmesan and pepper sprinkled on the fries.

At Kuma’s the fries were above average—I couldn’t place the exact oil they were made with. It shifted the emphasis away from the salt or pepper and into wondering about the delightfully playful third element hiding in the background. The jalapeno mustard was only fine, with too strong a bite. The sharpness of the mustard itself didn’t allow the jalapenos anything other than a small aftertaste.

Both burgers immediately drew my attention to the bun. DMK opted for a soft and light bun that added a delicate touch to the patty. The meat itself was thinner than at Kuma’s, and lighter (a mere 5 oz. against Kuma’s 8) but it had a robust beef flavor. All together, the toppings blended perfectly with the meat, the crispy onions diluting the strong cheese, the ketchup providing a slightly spicy background for the other flavors. Unfortunately the toppings on my burger were lopsided. When the patty only had cheese and ketchup, the Amish blue was overpowering. Still, with the onion strings, each bite was heavenly.

At Kuma’s the bun was a little more forceful—chewy with an egg white glaze. The burger itself was a thick patty, cooked medium rare to order. The waitress brought it out with the top bun off, exposing a mound of spread cheese, relish, and fried onion strings. The meal looked quite formidable, yet I found myself able to finish once I tasted the first bite. The flavor of the goat cheese found a gentle balance with the fried onions. The vinaigrette peaked through every few minutes, providing a delightful acidic note to the complicated performance. Unfortunately, I couldn’t detect the corn relish on the burger, but it provided a wonderful tangy flavor to dip my fries in.

Both DMK and Kuma’s Too subscribe to the philosophy that a hamburger should be dressed up like a steak. Being a native Texan who prefers a simple patty cooked over an open flame, I have always been skeptical of this approach. But after dining at both, I’m convinced that there is a place for a fancy burger in the world. The bottom line is that when choosing between DMK and Kuma’s, one can’t really go wrong. The bigger mistake would be not to indulge in either of these places.

review

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profile

max chaoulideer

[written by // jenny swann ]

While many students choose to celebrate their 21st birthdays by going to a bar and ordering their first legal drink at midnight, fourth-year philosophy major Max Chaoulideer chose to toast the occasion in a slightly more unusual fashion: by roasting an entire adult pig. The experiment went so well, in fact, that he roasted two more hogs on the quad later that year with the help of the University of Chicago Culinary Club.

It should come as no surprise, therefore, that Chaoulideer freely admits, “Meat is my passion.” In addition to the enormous pan he used to roast the suckling pigs, his apartment also sports a meat grinder and a separate refrigerator for aging and drying his home-cured sausages, guanciale and bresaola.

To supply his “meat addiction,” Chaoulideer routinely makes trips to Grant Park Packing, a wholesale meat packing operation where placing an order is as simple as strolling into a warehouse and pointing at what he wants.

Chaoulideer began his culinary experience at UofC during O-Week his first year when he threw an informal welcome dinner for his dorm mates in their tiny Blackstone kitchen. After this successful first foray into college cooking, he resolved to begin preparing dinners for his friends on a weekly basis. His ambitions quickly outgrew the confines of his cramped Blackstone setup, so he upgraded into the slightly more spacious IHouse kitchen with the help of some graduate students.

Once he found an apartment with a suitably large cooking area, Chaoulideer moved the entire operation off-campus. As word of his culinary experiments spread, Chaoulideer’s weekly dinners began to grow in size and popularity.

Costing a mere $10 per person, each meal served an average of 25-30 guests and sometimes fed parties as large as 50 people. All told, Chaoulideer cooked about 60 of these dinners over a period of two years with his roommate serving as sous chef. Those lucky enough to attend the suppers were treated to a rotating menu of diverse kitchen experiments ranging from homemade pizzas to 15-hour meatballs and Vietnamese pho soup.

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Like many accomplished chefs, Chaoulideer began his culinary education at home, cooking traditional Persian and Iranian dishes alongside his father.

But Chaoulideer’s culinary passion didn’t fully take root until he took a gap year between high school and college. During this time, he participated in the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) program, studied wasps in Bangalore and had his first formal cooking experience in a patisserie in Berlin. It was this concentrated blend of rich cultures and experiences, Chaoulideer says, that had the greatest impact on his culinary style.

Of course, no great meal is complete without something to sip on, and Chaoulideer has you covered in that department as well. He began brewing his own beer in his Blackstone room during his first year, and today he mixes his own cocktail bitters. Currently, his favorite combination is a mixture of fig and a type of herb called fenugreek. When he’s ready for someone else to play mixologist for a change, Chaoulideer heads to the Wicker Park hotspot The Violet Hour, where he will be working next year. If you’re in the neighborhood, Chaoulideer recommends the Coffee Aye-Aye, a port-based drink that includes coffee simple syrup, scotch, bitters and a whole egg.

But although Chaoulideer is passionate about food, he has no interest in pursuing a career in the culinary industry. After his stint at the Violet Hour, Chaoulideer plans to attend graduate school to study philosophy. In the meantime, he’ll leave the professional work to the chefs at some of his favorite Chicago restaurants: Longman+Eagle (he recommends their duck egg confit hash and $3 whiskey tastings), Avec, or Chaoulideer’s frequent watering hole and former employer, Z&H. Ultimately for Chaoulideer, what it all boils down to is taste. “I’m obsessed with flavor,” he laughs. Whether he’s adding it to food or campus life in general, it seems that people are more than happy to come back for a well-seasoned second helping.

[photographs by // elena hadjimichael]

feature

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[photographs by // holly zaharchuk]

LITTLE GOAT, ‘LOTTA FOOD

Sherry Tseng, Michael Wheeler & Margarita Sokolova

We kid you not, the Little Goat is the pork is tender and toothsome, the accompanying hoisin sauce makes everything just too salty. The ginger maple dressing on the bok choy coleslaw adds

On the first pleasant Sunday afternoon of the quarter, we ventured a peppery tartness, but the salad itself out to this West Loop diner. Should you could benefit from some restraint as choose to follow in our footsteps, bring well, as the amount of dressing comsome patience along. The two-hour wait bined with the hoisin sauce causes the time was only made tolerable by Little underlying pancake to lose its crispiGoat’s attached café-bakery, where we ness. However, the dish isn’t a complete had cappuccino and coffee cake. By the letdown: the salad is refreshingly light, time we were seated in the sunny dining the dressing is a wonderful blend of area, we were good and ready to chow sweet, sour, and spicy, and there is great textural contrast. down.

Last, but certainly not least,

The Little Goat might be the less formal sibling of Chicago’s famous we had some excellent fish tostadas, accompanied by the house’s signature Girl and the Goat, but its quality does not suffer as a consequence. The eatery goat chili. Simplicity made both of these dishes shine. The judicious spicing and puts a wildly creative spin on classic diner fare, as evidenced by its high-class unusual crispy chickpea accompaniment underscored the goat-y flavor of stock: Reubens with kimchi kraut (!?)

If you’re in the mood for a classic the chili, making for a satisfying but not with a kick, the BBQ pulled pork sand- overwhelmingly rich cup.

Like many of the dishes we tried, wich is your ticket. The sauce is a perfect the fish tostadas were on the heavy balance of smoky and tangy, and was complemented well by the house slaw. side, even by diner standards. The The only misstep with this dish was the deep fried tostadas were topped with fried whitefish, and in turn by a creamy large size of the bun – the texture of the bun worked beautifully but the size chickpea coleslaw with shallot aioli. All delicious, but too much stick-to-youroverwhelms. Over-portioning might be a lesser evil than leaving your diners ribs stuff in my/our opinion.

After taking everything into conunder-served, but the Little Goat’s serv- sideration, the Little Goat serves a darn ings are consistently big and heavy. good lunch, if you have the appetite and

The delicious pork belly pancakes were no exception to this. While the patience to get through it. magic.

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BY TANANYA THAMTHIENG

L A Y S With its low humidity and rising temperatures, spring is the perfect time to leave campus for a trip to the beach or an outdoor picnic.

And what picnic lunch is complete without a big bag of crispy potato chips? Unfortunately, making your selection of this summertime staple can be surprisingly difficult. Overwhelmed by the wall of brightly colored packages, you might be tempted to rely on an old tried-and-true

option. But why settle for another bag of plain potato chips when there are so many interesting new options to choose from?

Frito-Lay produces some of America’s favorite snack brands including Doritos, Fritos, Ruffles, Cheetos, Sun Chips and Lay’s. The company’s products control about 59% of the savory snack-food market in the United States, and the company produces a staggering

number of flavors. The Lay’s brand alone currently boasts over forty types of chips and they are continuing to expand their offerings. Earlier this year, the company’s “Do Us a Flavor” contest allowed customers propose new varieties of chips using social media. After sorting through the suggestions, the company selected and manufactured chips in Sriracha, Chicken and Waffles, and Cheesy Garlic Bread flavors. After

another round of sampling and voting, the Cheesy Garlic Bread variety came out on top. This unusual flavor will be on sale until the end of the year, and the other two runner-ups will be available until the end of the summer.

From new classics to old favorites, here’s a handy guide to help you navigate the snack aisle:

CHICKEN & WAFFLES

SRIRACHA

FLAMIN' HOT

BARBECUE

This flavor is a very interesting mix of sweetness and saltiness. Some other chip varieties keep sweetness to a minimum, but Chicken and Waffles boasts a bold, unmistakably syrupy taste. This is perfect for fans of traditional chicken and waffles or snacks that mix sweetness with a little salt, such as chocolate covered pretzels. If you don’t enjoy mixing dinner and dessert, you might be better off trying a different flavor.

Perhaps the most exotic of the three flavors, these chips are a perfect blend of spicy, salty and sweet (think BBQ or Honey Mustard flavors mixed with a dash of chili). The chips are slightly sweeter than original Sriracha sauce and the spiciness takes a little longer to kick in, but don’t be fooled: if you’re eating a lot of these chips you’ll want to have a drink close at hand.

Great for those who like spice. These chips will do the job if you are a fan of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos or jalapeño flavored snacks. These Flamin’ Hot chips are spicy but also have a little sweetness to round out the flavor. Warning: these can be habit-forming, so you might want to start with a small pack.

B

BALSAMIC SWEET ONION

For those who like a little sweetness in their savory snacks, this flavor has a slightly sweet taste and a hint of onions. A note of caution: If you pick this chip you might also want to pack some mints.

c

CHEDDAR & SOURCREAM

This flavor is suitable for those who prefer a sour taste.

The buttery tang from the cheddar and the sour cream is stronger than the sour cream and onion flavored chips, but the cheddar is an interesting twist. If you’ve had cheddar ruffles, these chips will taste somewhat familiar.

CHEESY GARLIC BREAD As the contest winner, the Cheesy Garlic Bread flavor must have gotten something right. These chips can’t quite measure up to the flavor and texture of real garlic bread, but it still may be worth a try. The savory chips have a cheesy richness and a spicy garlic aftertaste, so those who like Lay’s Sour Cream and Onion chips will most likely enjoy this unusual variety.

If you like barbecue flavored anything, then these Lay’s are the perfect chip for you. They taste like a plain chip dipped in barbecue sauce, but you won’t need to eat them with a stack of napkins.

le

Chipot

CHIPOTLE RANCH

There has been a lot of hype about chipotle recently and these chips are creamy with a touch of tang. These are great eaten on their own, but they would also be tasty with vegetables and dip.

GARDEN TOMATO & BASIL This unusual flavor is unexpectedly addictive and a must-try. The basil flavor gives the savory snack an interesting spin and the garden tomato adds a sweet aftertaste to balance out the spice. review

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slurping t I think we can all agree that instant-ramen is one of the greatest boons to college-student kind.

It embodies both the great convenience of water-boiler cuisine, being available within moments at the touch of a button and for the measly cost of a few dollars, and the warm comfort of slurping a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup prepared with love. Professionally prepared ramen does its best to replicate these feelings.

In regards to the first, it is an accessible foodstuff, rarely pricey and easy to slurp; in regards to the second, a well made ramen fills you with a mixture of satisfaction and delight, the soft, inviting feeling of being curled up in a blanket, sipping soup on a cold day.

So, in order to bring the word of Chicago ramen scene, I ventured forth to Logan Square’s Wasabi, and the to Loop’s Slurping Turtle. A nice big bowl of ramen at either comes to about $14. They also both incorporate a small dish menu to accompany the meal.

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Though they take different approaches to serving their regular fare, both Wasabi and The Slurping Turtle additionally offer bitesized meat and vegetables on a skewer to munch on. From that point, they begin to diverge.

Wasabi, just a block from the subway stop in Logan Square, is, in a word, cozy. The ceiling lamps give off a soft, orange light, and the room is done mostly with dark wood and leather, while the bricks of the walls remain exposed. In addition to ramen, the offer a wide variety of sushi, mostly by the piece, various noodle dishes, an assortment of regular appetizers, and, as mentioned before, what they list as skewers. In the style of the izakaya, almost like a Japanese tapas bar, these skewers are maybe two bites apiece. Mostly grilled, each skewer is exactly what it claims to be, very simple in flavor and tender in texture.

Their ramen, however, was truly sensational. I had the spicy garlic miso ramen, and it knocked me

off my feet. The broth was just spicy enough to be engaging, but not so spicy that I lost my ability to taste the rest of the dish. The noodles were firm and the meat fell apart in my mouth.

These elements are all good, but even they pale in comparison to the egg. Resting atop the bowl of ramen there is a half of a softboiled egg, and it was incomparable. Moments after biting into it, the egg simply dissolves. The yolk melts away onto your tongue and just hints of the creamy texture remain. Their major offerings all contain meat, but they offer a selection of fishless sushi, for those who never quite found the raw fish scene enticing, and sometimes, as a special, they offer a vegan ramen as well. The dessert was nice: a few different flavors of mochi, and some scoops of ice cream, but nothing terribly remarkable. The servers were all very well informed, and the food arrived just the right temperature.

Slurping Turtle, from the mo-

ramen face-off

g turtle vs. wasabi written by avi molder

ment I set foot inside, came off quite differently. While it is clearly catering to a different sort of crowd, Slurping Turtle presents a more upscale experience, with chrome and smooth white on the walls, and some of the tables are set in a loft in the front of the restaurant. Despite the more upscale presentation, the goal remains simple, to create a comforting, inviting experience. To begin the meal, they offer both a selection of “tapas”, and the bowl of silky tofu that my party shared, which lived up to its name. The

ramen gave a strong performance.

Both my meaty Tonkotsu ramen and my friend’s vegetarian Tofu Mushroom bowl of soup had flavorful broths, and the noodles were well cooked, but neither had any particularly grand oomph. The small bites there fall under the title “Bincho Grill.” They had the same general concept as those of Wasabi, but the beef skewer that I had was extremely well cooked, though perhaps a bit on the salty side.

On the sweet side, the dessert we had was rather unique. Chef

Takashi, the owner, is renowned for his creative flavor combinations and experimenting with his food; and the macaroons we had embodied that philosophy. The raspberry-wasabi and the caramel-soy varieties were tantalizing with unfamiliar, but exciting flavors.

I would recommend both of these restaurants for a night away from Hyde Park, especially for those who like a vibrant meal.

review 11

HOW DO YOU

RAMEN?

[written by // angela qian]

The week I moved into my first apartment, I went to the grocery store and asked a worker, a jovial and paunchy middle-aged man, where the noodles were. “sWhat kind of noodles?” he asked. “We’ve got all sorts. Pasta, Asian noodles, imported brands…oh, but you’re probably looking for like, instant ramen, aren’t you?” He gave me a knowing smile. “College food.”

And pointed me to the aisle with the instant ramen.

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[photographs from // twinsapart.com]

One of the quintessential instant foods associated with college students with their penchant for late-night study, quick-and-easy meals, and lack of nutrition, instant ramen has made for itself a huge consumer market worldwide.

Estimates reporting that by 2017, instant ramen will have sold 154 billion packs globally. There are so many brands it’s impossible to count, and the instant noodles aren’t limited to old-fashioned Maruchan ramen (a brand of ramen looked down upon with scorn by those that consider themselves true ramen connoisseurs), but have expanded to udon, soba, cup noodles and bowls aside from the traditional noodles-in-a-bag.

So with all of this for their claim to fame, it’s hardly surprising that the store worker, seeing a college-age girl standing a bit lost in the grocery aisles, would assume that I was looking for the classic student instant food.

But he was mistaken in thinking that instant ramen is not on a par with other, non-instant noodles. College students and foodies have gotten creative with their ramen, getting into debates over brands, cooking methods and mix-ins, making what could be just another three-minute pack of dried noodles and powder into real, hearty, steaming, and, yes, nutritious, meals.

Take Eric Cho, a thirdyear in the College who lives off-campus without a dining plan and frequently makes instant ramen. His favorite brand of ramen is Shin ramen, a very popular Korean instant ramen brand, liked for the thick and tasty quality of their noodles—a significant cut above Maruchan’s—and the spicy, warming flavor of the soup base. Cho has developed quite a system for cooking his instant ramen.

First, he boils the water.

For Cho, the classic ramen-eater question of whether or not the powder ought to be put in the broth first is scientific: putting the powder into the water after it has boiled is an indispensable step, as the powder raises the boiling point of the water and so the noodles are cooked better.

Occasionally, Cho throws in dried anchovies, dried kelp, or hot peppers to make the broth even more flavorful. Then he lets the broth boil a few minutes longer, tasting it to see when it reaches its optimum flavor, after which he puts in the noodle package and eggs, even with a frozen dumpling or two for more heft to the meal, and boils everything for another three-point-five minutes before eating. Cho reports an average of ten minutes to cook the ramen, which is above the instant three-minutes that the fastest ramen promises, but the heartiness, flavors, and different elements of his jazzed-up ramen meal make it worth it. Occasionally, he adds, if he is still hungry he will mix in rice with the leftover ramen broth too.

Cho also does not limit himself the ever popular ramen noodle, but also recommends other instant noodles made by Nong Shim: one a noodle served with no broth, and another a seafood-flavored, slightly spicy, thick, flat noodle.

Kimberly Han, a second year in the College who lives in the dorms, has her own spin on making ramen healthier. She enjoys the Shin ramen brand of cup noodles, which is very convenient for her to make in her dorm room, and uses a water boiler to heat water for the cup. After she has let the noodles cook in the cup for about five minutes, she removes the grease from the top layer by draining the noodle of their broth, and putting the sauce mix into the dry noodles, afterwards adding more boiling water. Han notes that she sometimes adds kimchi for added nutritional value, and because kimchi strengthens the flavor and smell of the soup when boiled with the ramen broth before the noodles are added.

Also concerned with the health aspect of instant ramen, Katherine Capuder admits the appeal of instant ramen is definitely in its versatility and ease to prepare, but she tries to avoid eating it too often because of its lack of nutrition. Her favorite brand is a lesser-known ramen brand called Mama, and particularly their shrimp tom yum flavor. To add some variety to her ramen, she adds an egg, Sriracha sauce for extra spiciness, or the occasional extra drizzle of sesame oil. Capuder also admits that she eats other instant meals semi regularly, such as Lean Cuisine, for convenience’s sake, although she really enjoys cooking and baking for herself when she has the time.

The students at the University of Chicago are not alone in their ramen-improving habits, and various sites have aggregated content regarding the best brands of ramen and the best hacks, ranging from adding pickled shallots or switching out the broths.

Another trick is to keep the instant ramen powder and make fried rice with the flavor packet for seasoning.

The varieties and possibilities are seemingly unending—and there is no way that instant ramen can be considered “just” instant ramen anymore. Although it is true that occasionally one might make a plain mediocre noodle-and-soup instant meal out of noodles, consumers are increasingly adding more and more creativity and variety into the increasingly diverse brands and types of instant noodles.

Which leaves you, the reader, with just one simple question. How are you going to eat your ramen?

feature 13

that which we call

a donut

by any other name would taste as sweet an incomplete guide to chicago donuts

by andrea rummel

14 nonpareil | spring 2013

[photographs by // andrea rummel]

do-rite donuts old fashioned donuts WHERE 11248 S Michigan Ave, at the corner of Michigan and 113th. Take the Metra south to Kensington/115th St. WHAT A quick train ride away, Old Fashioned is actually easier to get to than Glazed and Infused, and is (in my opinion) ten times better. This place is my personal favorite: it opens early (at 6 a.m.) and you can watch the donuts being made so you always know they’re fresh.

I couldn’t imagine a more perfect donut. The cake donuts are particularly delicious–lightly glazed but not too sweet, crispy and cracked on the outside but dense and moist on the inside. There are vanilla and chocolate donuts, cream-filled donuts, donuts dripping with caramel, and then there are the apple fritters. As big as a plate, Old Fashioned’s apple fritters are said to be the best in the city. A half-dozen donuts and an apple fritter will cost you $7-8. Try the coffee, or settle down with a carton of cold milk to enjoy your donuts before heading back to Hyde Park.

glazed and infused WHERE 813 W Fulton Market, a short walk from the Morgan Green Line stop. 939 W Armitage Ave, the Armitage Brown Line stop.

WHAT Open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., the Armitage location also offers late night hours (open until 2 a.m.!), Glazed and Infused is a sure bet if you’re jonesing for a donut after noon when the other North Side locations may have run out. Unfortunately, this also means that you don’t know if your donut is hot out of the oven–it may have been sitting in the case for a few hours. There’s a lot to be said for variety, though. Check out the Maple Bacon Long John (topped with a whole strip of bacon), the blueberry cake donut or an apple fritter.

WHERE 50 W. Randolph Street, between Dearborn and Clark.

WHAT Slightly more spacious than the Doughnut Vault, Do-Rite puts out tables and chairs when the weather is nice so that customers can enjoy an early-morning coffee and donut outside. They open at 6 a.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. on weekends, and stay open until the donuts run out. I’ve never encountered a line longer than a few people. Do-Rite serves a variety of classic and more exotic donuts.

Along with the standard buttermilk old-fashioned and glazed donuts, they also serve a candied maple bacon donut, PB&J, lemon-pistachio and other unusual flavors. Although Do-Rite doesn’t carry the best donuts in my opinion, you can’t beat the variety or the location and there’s rarely a wait at the door.

dat donut

WHERE 8245 S Cottage Grove Ave, just off the 4.

WHAT Open 24/7 and easily accessible by the 4, Dat Donut is another good South Side option. Like Old Fashioned, they have a wide variety of classic yeast-raised and cake donuts, but nothing fancy. Except for the Big Dat, that is. Imagine a donut with a hole the size of a saucer and the heft of a half-dozen smaller ones. This is definitely a donut to share, or take home as leftovers. Dat’s donuts keep well, so they’ll still be delicious after a few days.

the doughnut vault WHERE 401 1/2 N. Franklin Street, at the corner of Kinzie and Franklin, just north of the river and Merchandise Mart. A short walk from the 6.

WHAT Almost literally a hole in the wall, the Doughnut Vault opens at 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. on weekdays. Be sure to get there early, because the line is around the corner by 9:15 and when the donuts run out, the vault closes.

Cash only. These donuts are good. The buttermilk old-fashioned are the best I’ve had–crisp on the outside but dense, nutmeggy, and melt-in-your mouth on the inside-- and the glazed donuts (chocolate, vanilla, and chestnut) are huge and wonderfully light. The gingerbread stacks–three donuts in one–are simple but delicious cinnamon sugar cake donuts. What the Doughnut Vault lacks in variety it makes up for in flavor, and they also offer daily specials like Birthday Cake, Carrot Cake and Almond. The coffee’s great too.

features feature 15

Two Gourmet

W

[written by // holly zaharchuk]

hile the Loop seems to be populated exclusively with designer clothing boutiques, upscale restaurants, swanky hotels, and flashy glass office buildings, Chicago’s foodies and gourmands come for gourmet grocery stores Fox & Obel and Pastoral.

Fox & Obel opened its doors in 2001 with the purpose of creating a worldclass gourmet food market in Chicago.

Inspiration drawn from old European markets pervades both the atmosphere and product selection. Its shelves are stocked with the finest rices, pastas, salts and preserves; its cases are a collage of charcuterie and the finest cheeses, whole fish and beautifully marbled steaks, pastries and breads.

The freezers and refrigerators are full of high-end gelatos and ice creams, natural soft drinks and a selection of organic frozen dinners. Nearby, the selection of craft beers and small-batch wines composes a palette of varied flavors, aromas and styles to complement the market’s specific food products.

Throughout the store are placed colorful displays of fine candies and homemade truffles, fruits, vegetables, honeys and mustards to create the complete vision of a European-style market for American epicureans in Chicago.

Less than a mile’s walk away, southeast across the River, is Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine. This location, the second of four in the Chicagoland 16 nonpareil | spring 2013

area, opened in 2007 with the simple mission to offer “small batch, high quality, hand-crafted products sold in an intimate environment with the most attentive and thoughtful service”1. The general offerings are composed of wine and craft beers, a myriad of cheeses, charcuterie, artisanal breads, exquisite chocolates, unique olives, mustards and preserves; the list, however, belies the care taken in its selection. The wines are chosen not only for their flavor and aroma, but also with a consciousness of the wineries’ production methods and their sourcing practices for grapes; the cheeses are a collection of Europe and America’s finest small-batch, unique offerings. The handmade, artisanal charcuterie selection is carefully chosen to offer both traditional and modern cured meat combinations. In addition, they sell gorgeous picnics for two. All this is thoughtfully presented to Pastoral’s customers by an attentive, helpful, and amiable service staff, which itself is a defining feature of the experience.

In addition to grocery items, both Fox & Obel and Pastoral offer such café items as gourmet sandwiches and salads, and both provide catering services.

Although the two seem quite similar, they differ uniquely in their attempts to bring gourmet foods to Chicago. Fox & Obel is decidedly a market-place for high-end, global products, with the express purpose of providing a one-stop-

shop for the Chicago gourmand. Pastoral focuses on the trifecta of cheese, wine, and bread, around which their product selection revolves. While the products found in both groceries are sourced from all over the world, both with a certain European flair, they cater to different customers: Fox & Obel to the gourmand looking for an endless, global variety, and Pastoral to the foodie interested in small-batch offerings with sustainably produced, locally sourced ingredients.

For example, the cheese offerings at Fox & Obel are certainly gourmet, but they’re meant to showcase products from several different regions of Europe and the US. In other words, their cheeses are chosen in order to offer any and every home-gourmet the opportunity to discover the best of the world’s cheeses. By contrast, Pastoral’s selection is gourmet in the sense that all of its cheeses are hand-crafted, sourced from sustainable farms and creameries, and chosen by the fromager in order to compose a unique collection. The charcuterie offerings at both stores can be distinguished in this same vein.

This is not to say that the cheeses and charcuterie at Pastoral are inherently superior to those at Fox & Obel; it’s a matter of what you are looking for.

On the whole, Fox & Obel is comparable to a scaled-down Whole Foods, but with a focus on the gourmet rather than the wholesome or organic. Pasto-

Grocery Stores ral is more intimate in its relationship with its products, and thus necessarily more limited in its scope. Unless you subsist entirely on cheese, bread, and wine, Pastoral is not the place where

you want to do your weekly shopping. and high quality products, would more Whereas Pastoral is an excellent choice than fulfill the Chicago gourmand’s for the most unique, thoughtful selec- grocery shopping needs. tion of specialty food and wine, Fox & Obel, with its virtually unlimited scope 1www.pastoralartisan.com/about

clockwise from top left: Fox & Obel, Fox & Obel, Pastoral, Fox & Obel, and Pastoral

[photographs by // holly zaharchuk]

feature 17

ila das

h c en

[photographs by // frank qian]

[written by // matthew raigosa]

[this article was written on a Rick Bayless Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Recipe from Rick Bayless: Fiesta at Rick’s © 2010, W.W. Norton & Company]

Not having enough Mexican in me, I decided to go back to my roots and make enchiladas—and

not just enchiladas, but vegetarian enchiladas, to suit a special someone in my life. I also wanted the meal to be as authentic as possible; hence, most of the ingredients in the recipe are native to the New World. And, like every dish that I create, I wanted to include one or two special ingredients that are either interesting in themselves or will be used in a fresh, new way, and these enchiladas were made with butternut squash.

These enchiladas turned out great. A few jalapeno seeds in the tomatillo sauce gave it a nice kick that, at the same time, doesn’t knock your teeth out, and the vegetables gave the enchilada a lightly sweet flavor, which complemented the spiciness. The butternut squash definitely stood out, giving the enchiladas a slight savory, nutty flavor.

But the most important flaw to address was some of the enchiladas falling apart. In order to counteract this, the tortillas should be heated up first, then dipped in oil, with the excess oil allowed

to drip off so that the tortillas don’t get too wet from the tomatillo sauce. Furthermore, I could not fully distinguish the turnips in the dish, mostly because of the sweetness of the dish. And while I do not think that this dish needed salt, some people might like to add a little bit of salt when cooking for added flavor.

Depending on how spicy you like your food, you may want to either leave all the seeds in the sauce or remove them before you puree it. Removing them should give enchiladas a level of heat that even a child can eat, but leaving all the seeds in the sauce might give it enough heat to boil your insides. Also, one of the most important ingredients in this dish is the Chihuahua cheese, so don’t substitute for it or leave it out don’t like good flavor, or want to offend Mexicans. This dish could also be garnished with enchiladas with cilantro and sour cream.

I hope you enjoy it, but don’t enjoy it too much or your might grow an unruly moustache and be forced to wear a sombrero.

adventures in cooking 18 nonpareil | spring 2013

[photographs from // google images]

BROWN BUTTER BROWN SUGAR

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

You too, were perhaps once tricked into buying an ‘As Seen on TV’ item called the “Perfect Pancake.” This specially designed pan claimed to effortlessly cook a perfect pancake, no skill necessary. As you might guess, this device soon oozed, undercooked, and super-stuck its way into the trash can.

Yes, I was naïve then, and maybe I’m still naïve now to think that a perfect pancake is out there somewhere. On my search for this elusive creature I’ve tried more than half a dozen recipes, and the closest I’ve found is one from the popular cooking blog Smitten Kitchen. Using that as my starting point, I played around with some of my favorite flavors to see if a bit of tweaking could improve this already

fabulous recipe.

For my adaptation I was aiming for a savory, full-bodied taste, so I worked with ingredients that have strong flavors. Brown butter is the secret to making gloriously savory baked goods, and brown sugar likewise gives recipes a more dramatic taste, with hints of caramel. You’ll find that the little lumps of brown sugar in the pancake batter will melt as the pancake cooks, creating unique, flavorfilled bursts. The end result of all this is a delicious, fluffy pancake with hints of a wilder side. As for whether or not it’s really the perfect pancake – well, you’ll just have to try it out for yourself!

Sarah Runkle

INGREDIENTS

Yields about 10-12 large (five-inch) pancakes.

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned • 3 tablespoons brown sugar • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 3 cups buttermilk

INSTRUCTIONS

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1. To begin browning the butter, place a small saucepan over medium to medium-low heat. Cut the butter into tablespoonsized slices and place it in the bottom of the pan. Using a small whisk or a fork, whisk constantly at a medium speed.

2. The butter will soon begin to bubble and froth. Keep whisking, watching for small specks of brown forming at the bottom of the pan. When the brown specks are widespread and the butter has a nutty aroma, immediately take the pan off of the heat and pour the butter into a bowl. This whole process should take less than five minutes. Cooking past this stage will lead to burnt butter, so be careful!

3. Add the brown sugar to the brown butter and mix with a fork, forming a moderately thick mixture. Let this cool while you prepare the dry ingredients.

4. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl and mix well. Remember to spoon the flour into the measuring cup, rather than scooping with the measuring cup!

5. Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract.

6. Measure the buttermilk in a liquid measuring glass, then pour into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in the egg mixture until well distributed. Add the butter-sugar mixture and stir again.

7. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing only slightly. Make sure to leave lots of small flour lumps, as that’s what makes these pancakes fluffy. Break up large brown sugar lumps with a fork.

[photographs by // jenny mao]

8. Heat a pan over medium to medium-low heat. The pan is ready if drops of water start to dance over the surface of the pan when you sprinkle them on. Add enough butter to coat the bottom of the pan.

9. Pour the batter, using a bit less than half a cup of batter for each pancake. Flip the pancakes when they are a bit dry around the edges and have bubbles forming on top. The pancake will be done when both sides are golden brown.

10. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy. To make this treat even more savory, use dark maple syrup and add some smoked bacon on the side.

recipe 19

ghirardelli

[written by // aneesa sonawalla]

[photographs by // aneesa sonawalla]

20 nonpareil | spring 2013

Tucked behind the Topshop on Michigan Ave sits the Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop.

The store’s atmosphere has a “ye olde ice cream shoppe” feel, with the addition of a few modern touches such as sleek marble counters and chrome tables in the rather undersized seating area set apart from the bustling main shop. Even on a chilly Saturday afternoon, the place was packed.

Thankfully the staff worked efficiently and I had barely finished taking in the store before I found myself facing the polished wood and marble checkout counter. The extensive menu boasts a wide selection of sundaes, shakes, floats, ice cream flavors, pastries and hot foamed drinks. The hot cocoa and chocolate croissants looked especially promising, but today I was on a mission for ice cream sundaes.

I decided to give their classic hot fudge sundae a shot, but gave it a small twist by swapping out some of the vanilla ice cream for a scoop of rocky road. My two friends also ordered sundaes in Midnight Reverie and Mint Bliss Intense Dark flavors. After placing our orders, the three of us were given a table number card on a stand and were hustled off to the overcrowded seating area.

After ten minutes or so of stalking tables, we finally settled down and our ice cream was delivered just a few minutes later.

These guys certainly know how to present a sundae. The pictures on the menu had made ordering a difficult enough decision—everything looked so perfectly decadent—but as soon as we saw the layers of fudge and ice cream topped with a towering pile of whipped cream, it seemed like we had made some good choices. Once we dug into the sundaes, though, I was disappointed to find that the ice cream didn’t quite deliver. Shockingly, the chocolate scoops were the least notable of all the varieties we ordered. I expected something much more decadent from a company that is famous for its chocolate, but instead it tasted like any old chocolate ice cream out of a carton. The vanilla and rocky road proved a little better: they were creamy but not too sweet, and the marshmallows and nuts in the rocky road complemented the chocolate ice cream very nicely. While I enjoyed these flavors, my favorite ice cream was the mint chocolate chip, hands down. The mint had a subtle, cool aftertaste, and the chocolate pieces were the kind of high-quality semi-sweet chips that Ghirardelli is known for. I wish I could find a carton of this stuff in a grocery store.

Overall, the toppings far outshone the ice cream itself. The whipped cream on all three sundaes was light, fluffy, and not overwhelmingly sweet, and each sundae came with its own unique topper.

Midnight Reverie was peppered with bittersweet mini chocolate chips, the Mint Bliss was crowned with a dark chocolate square, and the classic hot fudge was sprinkled with perfectly toasted almond pieces. The fudge, though, was definitely the best part of the sundaes. If nothing else, the hot fudge was a testament to Ghirardelli’s expertise in chocolate, and chocolate alone. As sweet and rich as a melted down Ghirardelli square, the fudge lining the bottom of each sundae matched the dessert’s theme: milk for the classic, dark for the Midnight Reverie and peppermint-infused for the Mint Bliss.

All in all, I was underwhelmed by my experience at this ice cream shop. Since Ghirardelli makes such fantastic chocolate, I naturally expected their ice cream to be equally creamy and rich. Instead, the disappointing sundaes seemed overpriced and left me thinking that the chocolate company should stick with what they’re truly good at. If you’re looking for a convenient place to get a sugar fix while shopping downtown with friends, this spot is a decent but somewhat pricey option. Stop in and try some of their quality chocolate, but I would not recommend making a special trip to Ghirardelli for their ice cream alone.

All in all, I was underwhelmed by my experience at this ice cream shop. Since Ghirardelli makes such fantastic chocolate, I naturally expected their ice cream to be equally creamy and rich. Instead, the disappointing sundaes seemed overpriced and left me thinking that the chocolate company should stick with what they’re truly good at. If you’re looking for a convenient place to get a sugar fix while shopping downtown with friends, this spot is a decent but somewhat pricey option. Stop in and try some of their quality chocolate, but I would not recommend making a special trip to Ghirardelli for their ice cream alone.

the lamburger

a classic barbecue staple

[written by // michael wheeler]

There are few things more enjoyable than a cookout with hot food and cool drinks on a beautiful sunny weekend. Now that spring is finally here, grab some buddies and let grilling season begin!

Hot dogs, brats, fish, veggies, and an endless parade of barbecued meat are some popular spring grilling choices, but regardless of the time of year, the old-fashioned hamburger always reigns supreme.

Here I present to you a great new take on this classic barbecue staple that is guaranteed to liven up any outdoor event.

Stay hungry, my friends!

[photographs by // andrea rummel]

GET 1 lb ground chuck 1 lb ground leg of lamb (or any ground lamb) 1 red onion salt to taste Kebab spice mix (optional) your choice of condiments 6-8 buns DO 1. Mix up the ground chuck and lamb in a big bowl. (Hands work best!)

2. Dice the red onion and mix it into the meat thoroughly. Add kebab spice mix (optional). Do not add any salt at this point; it will suck the juice out of your meat and make for a tougher burger.

3. Once the meat is homogeneous in color and texture, gently shape it meat into patties. Pack them loosely and form them with a soft touch for tastier results. Keep the patty size relatively consistent for equal cooking times: to do this, use a kitchen scale or just keep them about the size of your palm. Refrigerate for a maximum of one to two days, or for long term storage keep them in the freezer.

4. Now cook ‘em up! Get out that charcoal grill or that fancy gas model, and heat it up to medium high. Toss the patties on, and immediately season each one with a generous pinch of salt. Flip after four or five minutes—there should be nice grill marks on the meat. Flip again after another three minutes.

5. Cooking times vary dramatically based on your type of grill, so to check for doneness either cut into the patty with a knife or press down gently with a spatula. If the juice that runs out is red, give the burger a flip and cook for a few more minutes. If the juices run clear, the burgers are done.

6. Take the patties off the grill and serve on top of the buns. Add additional toppings and condiments to taste.

{

makes 6 servings takes varying times

} recipe 21

puppy chow

sweet, powdery goodness

[written by // aneesa sonawalla]

Puppy chow, muddy buddies, monkey munch—this quick and easy snack might not have the most appealing of names, but I can guarantee that the first time you make it won’t be the last. The simple base of Rice Chex makes for an infinite number of variations: peppermint bark, cake batter, cookies and cream, red velvet, s’mores, creamsicle, and (perhaps my favorite) salted peanut Nutella, to name a few. If you don’t believe me, just look for puppy chow boards on Pinterest. You’ll be drooling before you know it.

No matter how you decide to twist it, you’ll only need about fifteen minutes of actual “cooking” time before your puppy chow is ready for late-night study sessions, between-class snacking, and general diet-ruining consumption. The best part is that since the recipe is no-bake, you won’t need anything more than a couple bowls, a Ziploc bag, and a microwave before you have an entire container of sweet, powdery goodness in front of you. Be careful, though—this stuff is addicting. You’ve been warned.

[photographs by // aneesa sonawalla]

GET 9 cups toasted rice cereal 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (optional) Replace 1/3 cup peanut butter with 1/3 cup caramel sauce.

Replace 2 cups rice cereal with 1 cup M&Ms, Oreo pieces, roasted peanuts, marshmallows, crushed candy canes, or Reese’s Pieces.

Replace peanut butter with Nutella.

Use white chocolate melting chips (or vanilla almond bark) instead of semi-sweet chips.

Add ½ cup sprinkles.

DO 1. Measure Chex and any other dry additions (Oreos, peanuts, etc.) into a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, peanut butter, and chocolate chips in 20-second intervals, stirring mixture after each interval until everything is fully melted and smooth.

3. Pour the melted mixture over the cereal. Gently toss until all dry ingredients are well coated, being careful not to crush the cereal as you mix.

4. Measure powdered sugar into a large (one gallon) Ziploc bag. Add coated cereal and shake it up until all spots of melted chocolate have been covered with powdered sugar. The puppy chow is now ready to serve! Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

22 nonpareil | spring 2013

{

makes 9 cups takes 15 minutes

}

[written by // holly zaharchuk and jenny swann]

Fig Newtons are deceptive. You tell yourself, hey, it’s okay to eat half a sleeve of these, they’ve got figs in them so they’re good for me, right? It’s not like I’m eating cookies or anything… But really, beneath this personal dialogue in your head, part of you is saying um, you need to calm down with the Newtons, alright? These are cookies.

The homemade version here is more honest with you, that they are, indeed, a cookie – but you won’t care, because they taste so much better than the ones from the grocery store. They taste similarly to the Newtons you know and love, except tat the outer cookie layer is softer and more luscious, the fig filling is subtler in its sweetness, and the whole effect is made more aromatic with the perfume of orange zest. That is to say, they taste a heck of a lot better. The dough is very very soft, so it must be handled delicately, and refrigerated overnight. You can get away with making the dough in the morning and letting it chill for about 8 hours until the evening, which is what I did.

fig newtons GET 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature 1/4 c sugar 11/2 tbsp honey, divided 1/8 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Zest of 1 orange, divided 2 egg yolkst 1 c all-purpose unbleached flour ~1 tbsp orange juice 3/4 c dried black Mission figs 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce dash of cinnamon DO 1. In a medium bowl, cream together the ingredients, beginning with butter and ending with 1/2 the orange zest, using only 1 tbsp of honey, for around 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time until combined completely. Sift in the flour, mix until streaks of flour are distributed evenly throughout the batter, then add 1 tbsp orange juice and continue to mix until a homogenized dough forms. If the dough seems too dry, add another squeeze of orange juice. The dough should be very soft and sticky, like chocolate chip cookie dough.

2. Place the finished dough onto a sheet of floured plastic wrap, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

3. To make the filling, combine the figs, applesauce, cinnamon, and 1/2 tbsp honey in a food processor.

Pulse until the mixture is homogenous and there are no chunks of fig remaining. You may need to add some orange juice to this to thin it out.

4. For a homemade pastry bag, take a gallon-size plastic bag and place it a tall drinking glass, with

soft, delicate cookies

one of the bottom corners pointed downward and folding the top of the bag over the rim of the glass.

Scrape the filling into the bag, directing most of the filling down into the corner of the bag, then, pinching the highest point of the filling with your hand, fold the sides up over, squeeze the filling down farther into the corner, and release as much are as possible. When you’re ready to fill the pastry, simply cut off the corner with a pair of scissors, and you have a DIY pastry bag.

5. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with buttered parchment paper.

Working in batches and a lot of flour on your surface and rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/4 inchthick rectangle that’s about 6 in long. Trim away the excess dough and reserve for the next batch. Pipe a 1 inch-wide, 1/4 in-thick line of filling down the center, then carefully fold one side of the dough over the filling, followed by the other. You’ll now have a pocket of filling surrounded by dough that looks like a Fig Newton. If the dough gets too soft while you’re working with it, just pop it in the freezer for a couple minutes to chill it quickly.

6. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes, then cool completely before cutting into Fig Newton sized cookies.

[photographs by // holly zaharchuk]

{

makes 24 cookies takes 60 minutes

}

recipe 23

fennel and goat cheese

toasted sandwich

adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s caramelized fennel salad

[written by // chris o’meara]

Fennel is terribly underutilized, and this sandwich makes use of fennel’s complex flavors and texture. Paired with goat cheese, dill, garlic, and a hint of lemon, this sandwich might seem as thought it were trying to incorporate too many flavors, but somehow everything comes together wonderfully.

As fennel is low in sugar, it isn’t truly caramelized. Instead, this recipe utilizes a simple fennel seed caramel which you toss with the fennel bulbs. Both the thickness of fennel slices and cooking times are fairly important: you want the fennel to maintain a slight firmness to prevent a woefully mushy sandwich.

The fennel is the star of this sandwich, but the goat cheese is perhaps the more essential ingredient. Make sure to use a nice chèvre, the fresher the better. If at all possible, chèvre fraiche is ideal, although it can be difficult to find. Everything tastes better on toasted bread, and the best toasted bread is boule brushed with olive oil and toasted in a skillet,though sourdough also pairs well in this particular sandwich. Be sure to make more than one, because two sandwiches are barely enough for one person.

{

makes 2-3 sandwiches takes 13 minutes

24 nonpareil | spring 2013

get 2 fennel bulbs 1.5 tbsp butter 1.5 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp sugar 3/4 tsp fennel seeds salt and pepper to taste 1 clove of garlic 1.5 tbsp minced dill 1/2 tbsp minced fennel leaves 1/2 lemon, zest of 3 oz goat cheese 4 -6 slices of bread, toasted DO 1. To prepare the fennel bulbs, slice off the root and the fronds. Remove any tough outer layers and cut the each bulb lengthwise in 1/2 inch slices.

2. In a large frying pan or skillet, melt the butter and oil on high heat. When the butter begins to foam add half of the fennel slices in a single layer, making sure not to crowd the pan. Without stirring, let the fennel fry for three to four minutes, or untilbrowned. Flip the funnel and cook for another two to three minutes.

3. After the fennel has been cooked, remove it from the pan along with any excess oil. Then add the sugar and fennel seeds over high heat, with plenty of freshly ground pepper and salt. Wait until the sugar has melted, about a minute or two, then add the fennel cook in the caramel over medium low heat for two minutes. Stir the fennel to ensure even caramelization. Remove from heat.

4. To make the sandwich, spread a thick layer of goat cheese over one slice of toasted bread. Sprinkle half of the chopped garlic, dill, and fennel leaves. Zest the lemon directly over the sandwich, and place the fennel slices directly on the goat cheese, overlapping them sligthtly to create a thick layer. Top with another slice of bread.

}

[photos by // kristin lin]

[written by // kerry gibbons]

There are very few things more comforting than macaroni and cheese. And while it’s easy to resign yourself to microwaving Easy Mac, cooking a big pan of homemade macaroni and cheese is not only infinitely more delicious but also far simpler than you may think. While some may prefer a recipe using all cheddar or even (gasp) Velveeta, I prefer a blend of extra sharp cheddar, Gruyere, and parmigiano reggiano.

The Gruyere and parmigiano add distinct notes of nuttiness and salt that make this macaroni and cheese more earthy and complex. This is a dish where the cheese takes center stage–no need for trendy add-ons like bacon bits or caramelized onions. The secrets to this recipe are the sprinkling of nutmeg for some spice and the creamy béchamel sauce base, which makes reheating a breeze. If you want, feel free to grate some more cheese on top of the bread crumbs and tomatoes. And when in doubt, always add more cheese.

macaroni and cheese

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

gourmet style [photos by // tananya thamthieng]

get Kosher salt Extra virgin olive oil 1 pound penne rigate 1 quart milk 8 tablespoons butter (divided) 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 12 ounces extra sharp cheddar, grated 6 ounces Gruyere, grated 2 ounces parmigiano reggiano, grated 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 large fresh tomato 1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

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makes 6-8 servings takes 60 minutes

DO 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit 2. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling, salted water.

Add the pasta and cook until just under al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Drain the pasta.

3. While the pasta is cooking, heat all of the milk in a small saucepan over medium low heat, but don’t boil it. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming on top.

4. In a separate large (4-quart) pot, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter and add the flour. Cook for two minutes, whisking constantly. While still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute more.

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the three cheeses, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked penne and mix well. Transfer mixture to a 3-quart baking dish.

5. Slice the tomato into medium-thick slices and arrange on top.

6. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and mix with the panko breadcrumbs; sprinkle the mixture on top.

7. Bake macaroni and cheese for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni has browned on top. recipe 25

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