Spoon Spring Magazine 2024

From Family Recipes and Nostalgic Snacks

To Locally- and Family-Owned Restaurants

MEMORY

The Editio LANE

Features Evanston favorites including...

Tag’s Bakery, Frida’s, Edzo’s, Bagel Art Cafe, Bob’s Pizza

Recipes for sloppy joes, arroz con leche, spring rolls and more!

Embrace the past, savor the present and crave the future ahead...

What’s your favorite childhood snack?

PRESIDENTS

VICE PRESIDENT

PRINT EDITORS

CREATIVE DIRECTORS

CONTENT DIRECTOR

DIGITAL EDITORS

TREASURER

BUSINESS & EVENTS DIRECTORS

Steph Shields, Steph Markowitz & Nixie Strazza

Jess Bradford

Betsy Winick & Cleo Kanter

Catherine Erickson, Gretchen Raedle & Gillian Nieh

Emily Chow

Reece Dubin & Grace Wang

Casey Grady

SPOONFEST DIRECTOR ants on a log

Liv McAllister-Nevins & Lara Weissmann

Taylor Doyle

EDITORIAL

Goldfish

Hello Pandas

Chloe Pestano Que, Emily Lichty, Maya Benjamin, Alan Guo, Lucy Hederick, Alexia Kadota-Browner, Jonathan Perkins, Chiara Dorsi, Annie Fingersh, Abby Cowan, Eden Macknin

Annie’s white cheddar mac & cheese

DESIGN

Isabelle Hauf-Pisoni, Sydney Newton, Kate Perez, Rachel Schlueter, Cammi Tirico, Lavanya Subramanian, Grace Herzog, Alicia Gu, Pat Chutijirawong, Erin Jeon, Grace Wu, Rose Kanaley

Annie’s Gummy Berry Patch Fruit Roll-Ups

CONTENT

Ashton Arjomand, Mira Brodsky, Jenna Friedman, Ellie Huppe, Julia Schnipper, Rachel Tompson, Salma Alsikafi, Mia Costa, Lulu Goldman, Libby Raymond, Cole Reynolds, Jason Stokes, Cassie Sun, Marcus Kim, Toby Goldfarb, Zoe Chao, Evelyn Ahdieh, Claire Markstein, Avalon Bookstaver, Nina Petrouski

GoGo Squeez

BUSINESS & EVENTS

Anika Dewjee, Anna Ikle-Maizlish, Mia Rhee, Natalie Wu, Saya Shamdasani, Jack Streit, Talia Winiarsky, Jaimie Walsh, Annika Subrahmanian, Maya Westra, Sarah Serota, David Sun, Alara Gul, Isabel Bhasin, Will Leventhal, Madison Liu, Mateo Garcia-Bryce

DOTS

Bun Voyage

Baking my way back to Copenhagen via cardamom bun

21 28 Discontinued Digest

Explore the realm of nostalgic forgotten foods

Arroz con Leche

Easy Cuban-style rice pudding cups for the perfect gooey cinnamon dessert

Special Saturdays

Guyanese food and culture brings together traditional Indian dishes and Caribbean spices and flavors

Letter from the Editors

AS THIS YEAR’S editors of Northwestern’s Spoon University print magazine, we are honored to present you with the nostalgic, cherished memories of our Spoon community in our latest edition, Memory Lane. We are grateful to have pieced together these meaningful pages, where each writer brings a unique, sentimental connection to food, and we are eager to finally share such amazing stories with our readers.

We invite you to join our writers as they stroll down memory lane, touring us through their food monuments with family recipes, childhood delicacies and favorite restaurants that collectively map the stories of their lives. Hopefully, you close our magazine’s back cover inspired by food’s power to create the memories that shape us all.

As two seniors in our final months at Northwestern, we took this theme to heart, visiting our favorite Evanston food spots and cooking family recipes for each other. Not only did we realize how central our food memories are from our college days, but we also experienced how foods help us carry special moments throughout our lives. No matter where our futures bring us after graduating, we will always nurture a lasting taste of what makes our Spoon community so special, indulging in the flavors of connection and nostalgia while blending old seasonings to create new memories. We hope the stories woven together in this magazine encourage you to do the same –embrace the past, savor the present and crave the future ahead.

Never Forks,

Betsy & Cleo

Print Editorial Directors

“HOW MANY GREEN beans do I need?”

“Which size wrapper should I buy?”

“What temperature should the oil be?”

The night before I cooked spring rolls, I peppered my mom with questions. I had never made them by myself.

Spring rolls are a family recipe

What I learned from cooking a family recipe in my dorm kitchen

SPRING ROLLS, SMOKE, AND SHARING

cleaning. At home, my aunts and I sat at the dining room table and wrapped the filling into a neat roll. My Po Po plopped the rolls into the fryer. She swirled them around with a pair of chopsticks and plucked them out once they turned the right shade of golden brown. My mom patted each roll dry of excess oil.

I remember spring roll days for their structured chaos. Our assembly line churned out dozens of rolls. Green bean ends dropping onto the floor. Oil droplets scattered on the stovetop. There was as much chatting as there was

nestling between my grandparents at dim sum, while my Po Po piled char siu bao and shu mai onto my plate. I remember coming home from softball practice, eating my Po Po’s fried chicken and broccoli at the kitchen counter while she asked about my school day.

My Po Po taught me that food is only as good as the people you share it with. Spring rolls are the epitome of this principle.

I was excited to cook and share my Po Po’s spring rolls with my college friends. I wanted to make sure everything went perfectly. I FaceTimed my mom at H Mart to

do? What-” My calls were interrupted by

the fire alarm. My RA rushed into the kitchen and told me to take the pot outside. I set the still-smoking pot on the ground and watched multiple fire trucks and police cars arrive.

I waited outside with other students until the firefighters turned the alarm off. We returned inside. The kitchen was foggy, the sour smell of burnt oil seeping through the dorm. I was mortified, embarrassed at my lackluster cooking skills, and sad to ruin my chance to recreate my Po Po’s recipe.

I didn’t want the 40 spring rolls to go to waste. I decided to try again. My friend suggested using a frying pan instead of a pot. I was more frugal with my oil usage and kept the temperature at medium. I gently laid a few spring rolls onto the pan. The oil started to crackle. Suddenly, I was transported to my home kitchen. I imagined my Po Po standing beside me as I browned each roll. My friends trickled back into the kitchen, and I offered them my finished rolls, grabbing one myself.

The spring rolls tasted just like my Po Po’s. The pork was salty and tender, and the bean sprouts were crisp and a touch bitter. The green

freshness, while the wrapper was flaky with a satisfying crunch.

As I ate the spring rolls with my friends and joked about my frying flub, I remembered the recipe’s value. It’s an imperfect, messy tradition that brings people together.

I may not be proud to say I set off the fire alarm. However, I am very proud to say that, even in a dorm kitchen, I carry on my Po Po’s legacy.

PO PO’S SPRING ROLLS

INGREDIENTS

- 12 oz. green beans, thinly sliced

- 12 oz. bean sprouts, thinly sliced

- 10 oz. shredded carrots

- 15-20 rice paper wrappers

- 1 lb. ground pork

- 1 lb. soy sauce

- 1 tbsp. cornstarch

- 3 tbsp. water

- Oil for frying

- Hot sauce for dipping

- Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a medium skillet. Cook ground pork with a dash of oil and soy sauce.

2. Add in green beans, bean sprouts, and shredded carrots. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Add salt to taste.

3. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Place one spring roll wrapper flat in a diamond position. Place a tablespoon of filling in the top corner. Roll up halfway, fold the sides in, finish rolling.

5. Seal the bottom corner with a drop of the cornstarch-water paste.

6. Pour enough oil in a large saucepan to cover the surface. Heat the oil on medium-high for 5-7 minutes.

7. Place 4-5 rolls in the saucepan. Use chopsticks or tongs to turn the spring rolls so that all sides are golden brown, around 1.5-2 minutes.

8. Serve with your favorite hot sauce, and enjoy!

photos by cassie sun

As someone who requires a sweet treat after every meal, diving headfirst into the bakery culture of Europe was something I looked forward to long before arriving in Copenhagen for my semester abroad. While I was fully prepared to be wowed by French croissants and Czech Trdelnik, nothing could have prepared me for my obsession with the Danish Cardamom bun, sugary enough to satisfy my sweet tooth, but not in a way that overpowers its rich, spiced flavor. Its soft and yeasty dough pairs impeccably with its crunchy cardamom-sugar topping, and I spent many mornings attempting to find the best cardamom bun Copenhagen had to offer (note: it’s at Juno the Bakery).

Upon returning to Evanston in the winter, I attempted to recreate my favorite

Cardamom bun to bring bits of Copenhagen back home with me. Once I committed to the project, I refused to be stopped by the confines of my college kitchen and its lack of proper baking equipment. I lugged a friend’s stand mixer down Sherman Avenue, special ordered whole ground cardamom seeds and utilized a hammer as a makeshift mortar and pestle.

Beyond the struggles of cooking anything in a college apartment, the buns themselves were relatively simple. Aside from the initial hourlong proof, the yeast based dough came together quite easily. After patiently waiting for the dough to rise, I rolled it out, spread the buttery cardamom filling, shaped the dough into its traditional knotlike form and let the buns rise a second time before baking.

While far more involved than picking up a pastry from a coffee shop, the smell of cardamom and butter that filled my kitchen and transported me back to my favorite bakeries in Copenhagen made all of the effort worth it.

Baking my way back to Copenhagen via cardamom bun

story by jess bradford

photos by lulu goldman design by gillian nieh

MAC N’

We sampled four types of mac and cheese that we loved as kids

ANNIE’S NEVER MISSES — and their mac and cheese is no exception. Both of us were big fans of Annie’s products growing up, and we clearly haven’t changed as 20-year-olds. It didn’t have the most intense flavor, but it had the most authentic cheese flavor of the four

NEITHER OF US grew up eating gluten-free foods, so we had several reservations about Banza’s chickpea noodles. However, we can confidently say Banza will now be a staple in our pantries. Banza offers an intense creaminess with a mature cheddar

WE’LL BE HONEST: neither of us loved Velveeta as kids, so we had many doubts about this one. The biggest standout of this mac and cheese was its perfect creaminess. Additionally, it had shell noodles, which we would both prefer over elbow-shaped

IT’S SAFE TO say we had Kraft mac and cheese countless times as kids, so we were excited to try it. Kraft mac and cheese has the perfect balance of everything: a smooth texture, but not too soft, and a sharp flavor but not

GROWING UP, OUR favorite food was mac and cheese. We liked all kinds — from Kraft to Annies. We decided to try four of our favorite childhood mac and cheeses to see if they tasted as good as we remembered.

options and tasted the best overall — and extra points for using our favorite shell noodles. The only downside was that it didn’t have the same creaminess as Banza or Velveeta. However, there is an undeniable quality about it that made it our number one pick.

flavor. The only drawback was that the texture did feel grainy, and we could tell the pasta was gluten-free, but that didn’t stop us from draining the bowl. Though our seven-year-old selves may not have loved Banza, our 20-year-old selves certainly did.

noodles. However, we simply could not justify the off-putting flavor. This mac and cheese tasted like fake American cheese rather than sharp cheddar, which was likely because it didn’t use powder. Suffice it to say we did not take a second bite.

overly intense. We thoroughly enjoyed every bite of it and finished the entire bowl. While it wasn’t quite as good as we remembered from childhood, it still hit the spot and brought us back to the good ol’ days.

AFTER THE LUNCH bell rings, young students sprint to the dining tables, eagerly unzipping their lunchboxes, ready to unveil their midday feast. For members of Spoon NU, a packed lunch carries significance beyond sustenance, symbolizing a portal to their childhood favorite snacks and nostalgia.

cheese sticks

CHEESE STICKS, OR string cheese, are a staple in freshman content team member Toby Goldfarb’s lunchbox. Because cheese sticks were easy to pack, Goldfarb brought them everywhere.

“Now I always keep cheese sticks in my dorm room fridge, and it feels like a little piece of my childhood followed me to college,” Goldfarb said.

Spoon members share favorites from their childhood backed lunches

kettle corn popcorners

FRESHMAN CONTENT TEAM

member Jason Stokes always carried a bag of Kettle Corn Popcorners in his lunch box.

“They remind me of taking trips to BJs with my mom and riding around on the shopping cart until I was way too old to ride them,” Stokes said.

alphabet noodle soup

I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER

opening my grandma’s alphabet noodle soup in my “The Little Mermaid’’ thermos and feeling the steam of savory goodness hit me. She would cook the fun little noodles in chicken soup and top the dish with her homemade preserved onion jam and yam leaves she picked from the backyard. It just brought me a sense of calm at school, no matter what.

salad w/ lemon & oil dressing

ham & cheese sandwich

MARCUS KIM, A content team, in addition to sharing goldfish with his friends, always anticipated his classic ham and cheese sandwich.

“My parents, who both worked, lived a traditional lifestyle in the United States,” Kim said. “[A ham and cheese sandwich was something they could put together in around 10 minutes brother school.”

“WHEN I WAS a strange palette. I didn’t like bread or sandwiches, but I loved salad,” said freshman BRIE team member Maya Westra. Westra’s salad always contained lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, capers and lemon and olive oil dressing.

’s note

DESIGN TEAM MEMBER

Grace Herzog’s item is not edible but holds a place near her heart.

“My mom would always put notes in my lunch box ever since I was young. When I got older and made my lunch in high school, she would still put a note in my lunchbox,” Herzog said. “ I realized that [the notes] showed how much she loved me.”

Even after leaving the nest, members of Spoon still carry lunchbox memories with them,

Easy Cuban-style rice pudding cups for the perfect gooey cinnamon dessert

IN MY FAMILY, everything from Christmas Eve to cozy Saturday nights ends in rice pudding. The thick, creamy dessert is rich and comforting, with a splash of bright color from adding a lime peel. This recipe is derived from a traditional Cuban rice pudding dish with additions from me, my mother and my grandmother.

ingredients

½ cups long grain white rice

1 ½ cups water

1 lime peel

1 cinnamon stick

4 ½ cups whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

Ground cinnamon for topping

steps

1. In a large saucepan or stock pot, bring rice, water, lime peel and cinnamon stick to a boil. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.

2. Add milk, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Alwlow to simmer uncovered until thickened but still slightly runny, for approximately one hour.

3. Ladle into cups, bowls, or ramekins and allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes. Top with cinnamon.

4. Cover with tinfoil and refrigerate for 3 to 24 hours before serving.

Are gummy vitamins also an essential part of your daily college routine? Well, I blame the Gummy Golden Age and Flintstones Vitamin Gummies for this addiction. Although gummy vitamins may subside my sweet craving in the mornings, I miss those sweet, chewy delights that I used to beg my parents to have in the pantry. Join me on a trip down memory lane as I reminisce on my favorite gummy candies and revisit the Gummy Golden Age - a time of carefree snacking and endless gummy wonders.

Do you remember feeling like royalty with an edible lollipop gem adorning your fingers? Ring Pops and gummy jewelry were the ultimate fashion statements in the Gummy Golden Age.

A nostalgic journey through childhood treats

Who could forget the classic Haribo gummy bear and Trolli gummy worm? Let’s take a moment to appreciate these gummies’ timeless charm and versatility in our snack world and movie nights.

Transport yourself back into the candy shop with gummy cola bottles. These fizzy, cola-flavored delights were a refreshing switch up from traditional gummies.

No trip down memory lane of the Gummy Golden Age would be complete without an ode to Gushers. These juicy, fruit-filled delights are tiny flavor explosions in your mouth. These whimsical gummies, shaped like the iconic Krabby Patties from SpongeBob SquarePants, allowed us to indulge in the flavors of Bikini Bottom.

In a world filled with adult responsibilities, let’s take a moment to savor the simple joys of the Gummy Golden Age. Whether reminiscing about carefree days or yearning for the flavors of the past, these gummy gems will forever hold a special place in my heart.

story by taylor doyle design by alicia gu photos by libby raymond

From my family to your kitchen, sharing the recipe that launched my family’s first Schnipper’s

WHEN I WAS in kindergarten, my dad and uncle Jon opened up the first Schnipper’s in Times Square. Their vision was simple:: their favorite dishes from childhood made to order. A few months after the opening, Food Network contacted my dad, asking him if he was willing to be a part of a series they were running on family businesses. Shortly thereafter, filming began in the restaurant. Being a family-owned business, my entire family joined for the filming. When we saw iconic Food Network personality Bobby Flay walk through the front door we all started cheering. He walked up to my dad and uncle and challenged them to a throwdown. The menu item he was

challenging? It was my dad and uncle’s childhood favorite that my grandma always made for them — the sloppy joe. Even though Schnipper’s did not win the memorable showdown, the sloppy joe quickly became the restaurant’s signature dish, and one of my childhood favorites. Here is the recipe for Schnipper’s take on the American classic:

Makes 6-8 servings. Recipe courtesy of Johnathan Schnipper.

ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds of lean ground beef

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 3 cups of Spanish onion (finely diced)

• 1 ½ cups of green bell peppers (finely diced)

• 1 ½ cups of red bell peppers (finely diced)

• 3 garlic cloves (minced)

• ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika

steps

1. Set the stove to high heat. In a large pot, add ground beef and mix well with a wooden spoon until the beef is cooked through and has rendered off most of its fat. Do not allow the beef to brown. Place a colander into a bowl and pour beef from the pot into the colander to drain off fat and liquid thoroughly. Save and reserve liquid.

2. Add olive oil and onions to the hot pot. Cook until onions are translucent and soft but not brown. Add green and red peppers and mix well. Cook until peppers are soft. Add garlic and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to moderate. Add the red pepper flats, paprika, brown sugar, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and scrape the bottom of the pot, making sure the spices do not burn. Cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add cooked beef back to the pot, leaving the fat and liquid behind. Mix very well to incorporate all the ingredients thoroughly. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, and the entire can of diced tomato with its juice. Do not add ketchup at this time. Bring to a slow simmer and cover slightly, leaving lid ajar. Simmer sloppy joe

• 1 teaspoon of dark brown sugar

• ¼ cups of tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar

• 1 12 oz can diced tomato with juice

• ¾ cup ketchup

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• Optional (martin’s potato rolls to turn it into a sandwich)

for a minimum of one hour (but it tastes better from being cooked up to 2 hours), mixing often.

5. Add ketchup and mix well. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. If the sloppy joe seems too thick, add small amounts of reserved beef liquid until the desired consistency is reached.

6. To serve, spoon a generous amount of sloppy joe onto hamburger buns. Let unused sloppy joe cool at room temperature, cover, and transfer to a refrigerator. Sloppy joe will keep for up to 3 days.

design by alicia gu

photos from johnathan schnipper

As a self proclaimed bacon, egg, and cheese (BEC) on an everything bagel expert, I present my local favorites

BAGEL FLAVOR AND sandwich possibilities are endless, making them the perfect option for time of day and revealing something for everyone it comes to the toppings fillings. The signature soft

and chewy texture of a bagel is all in the process— hand-rolled dough boiled to perfection, then baked to achieve that iconic crunchy crust and irresistible shine. While I routinely change up the restaurants, one thing remains constant: my bacon, egg and cheese on an everything bagel order. These are my go-to restaurants nearby which have perfected the BEC-making craft.

EACH OF THEIR four locations surrounding Evanston offers a different flair on their menus, but their bagels are top tier. Their BEC’s are moist and chewy, with a crisp, even shell of their homemade everything seasoning. The best part: the egg bagel base of their everything bagels. The thick scrambled eggs are folded with the bacon, and the melty cheddar cheese oozes into every bite. This sandwich is a true fairy tale!

THE THICK CRISPY bacon and squishy hot bagel is a delicious one-two punch in a mouthful. The bagels are double dipped with their made-inhouse everything seasoning, featuring a secret ingredient. This BEC combo is dangerously good!

LOCATED IN THE heart of downtown Evanston, Bagel Art Cafe’s warm and cozy atmosphere is the perfect spot to enjoy a bagel in-between classes. Their signature, and secret, is that they toast their bagels with butter before BEC assembly. Their display of bagels is a true art form, offering over 10 different kinds of fresh bagels.

NY BAGEL AND BIALY serves up true New York style bagels, 24 hours a day, every day. I trade in my BEC for their New York Breakfast, featuring a flavorful sausage patty. The best part about NY Bagel and Bialy: the backdrop of the ordering counter is the bustling kitchen, where you can watch bagels being shaped, boiled, and baked.

photos by cole reynolds

the flu, the common cold and that cough that just will not go away.

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP is abundant with hearty greens and sharp cheddar, providing a boost of vitamins and minerals to combat sickness. This beloved soup can be enjoyed as a standalone meal or as a side, bringing warmth and healing in every spoonful.

Ranking soups based on their flavor as well as how well they are able to make you feel better during a cold

REMINSCING ON DAYS of staying home from school and watching television in pajamas, a steaming bowl of soup could always nurse us back to health. Below, we have ranked our childhood favorites based on their ability to brighten up a sick day.

SANDWICHES OR A standalone dish, tomato soup is one of the most versatile soups. With its vibrant and tangy taste, tomato soup perfectly blends sweetness and acidity that delights the taste buds. With rich antioxidants and potassium, tomato soup packs a punch to any sickness.

LOADED WITH ANTIOXIDANTS, lentil soup will have you feeling better in no time. The lentils add a creamy texture, while onions and celery offer a sweet and soothing touch to the flavor. Earthy lentil soup replenishes energy, leaving you feeling rejuvenated after a sick bout.

MISO SOUP EMBODIES a timeless connection to ancestral home remedies, speaking to a legacy of resilience through its umami-rich broth and tender bites of seaweed. A cherished part of my childhood, miso soup serves as a comforting reminder of home, curing the body and soul with each sip of nostalgia.

JOURNEYING THROUGH OUR college years, we reminisce on those tender moments of childhood indulgence—days spent cocooned in blankets, nursing colds with a familiar ritual: a steaming bowl of soup.

story by marcus kim & annika subrahmanian design by rose kanaley

A PICTURE FRAME FULL OF

A roundup of different pancake styles from all around the world

THERE IS NOTHING better than waking up on a Saturday morning to the nutty smell of butter sizzling in the pan and the aroma of sugary syrup wafting through the air. Pancakes for breakfast! Invented around 600 B.C.E. pancakes are a food that has truly stood the test of time. In the past generations, different cultures have created their versions of the tasty treat, and now they are one of the most popular breakfast foods globally. Some of the most popular variations include American Buttermilk Pancakes, French Crepes, Dutch Pannekoeken and Japanese Souffle Pancakes.

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES HAVE almost a cake-like texture—soft and fluffy. They are most commonly served in high stacks drenched in butter and maple syrup, though sometimes people even fill them with blueberries or chocolate chips. Whether whipped up at home or served piping hot at a diner, Buttermilk Pancakes are a quintessential American breakfast staple.

CREPES PANNEKOEKEN

THE PANCAKES’ FLATTENED counterpart, crepes are an iconic French food often served for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Crepes are made out of a very liquidy batter that produces a thin chewy base and can either be a sweet or savory treat topped with anything from Nutella and strawberries to spinach and ricotta. The most traditional crepes are made with ham and cheese or butter and sugar.

THOUGH THEY WERE initially created by the Hawaiian restaurant “Eggs and Things” in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii souffle pancakes eventually made their way over to Japan where they became popularized. These pancakes are made with whipped egg to create a tall and fluffy texture—ating a souffle pancake is the closest you can get to eating a cloud.

photos by annie fingersh, taylor doyle, & steph markowitz

PANNEKOEKEN IS SIMILAR to crepes except that toppings go inside the pancake instead of on top. They are traditionally filled with speck and cheese, apples, and strawberries. Regardless of whether they are filled with sweet or savory ingredients, pannekoeken are often topped with a molasses-like, sugar cane syrup called stroop and a dusting of powdered sugar.

SOUFFLE PANCAKES

FRIENDSHIP AT

FRiendly’s

Friendly’s, a friends and family staple for over 80 years

“Friendly’s has a birthday song…it’s not too short, it’s not too long. If you’re good you’ll get your wishes….and if you’re bad you’ll do our dishes. Have a (happy) sound off (birthday). Happy birthday…to you!”

I heard the Friendly’s birthday song nearly every year as a kid while dining with friends at our local Long Island Friendly’s.

I can’t remember my first trip to Friendly’s; the restaurant is a lifelong staple. About ten minutes from my house sat a diner-styled location with red and blue vintage-looking seats and a stuffed animal claw machine in the waiting area.

My favorite thing about Friendly’s? Definitely not the food. I only ate there because I anticipated the dessert, specifically the mouthwatering ice cream sundaes. Friendly’s, a chain of brick-and-mortar restaurants, also had its own line of ice creams sold in stores. Even though my family always had tubs

of Friendly’s flavors in our freezer, it tasted better when served in a big bowl with toppings at the restaurant.

My favorite flavor: Rockin’ Poppin’ Cotton Candy, their signature, with pop rocks mixed in. I remember ordering a monstrous 3-5 scoop sundae including Rockin’ Poppin’, Hunka Chunka Peanut Butter Fudge and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough with M&Ms, cookie dough, whipped cream and sprinkles.

One of my favorite memories at Friendly’s is my eighth-grade farewell dinner as we all prepared to separate for summer. Not only did my friends gather for a classic meal of chicken tenders and fries, but we bonded over our ice cream and read goodbye letters to each other.

My neighborhood Friendly’s has closed down since the good ol’ days. Even as a college student who rarely goes back home, I still miss the sweet memories of times I’ve had with my friends at Friendly’s.

design by cammi tirico photo by ellie

huppe

The most iconic smashburger of Kansas City can never be topped, but I’ve found a solid Evanston stand-in

he perfectly crisp, lacey edges and luxuriously melty cheese of a smashburger frequent my daydreams, and none more so than my typical order (a double with cheese, grilled onions, pickles and ketchup) at my hometown favorite,Winstead’s Steakburgers in Kansas City. While Winstead’s, established in 1940, is certainly aging, the cracked turquoise vinyl seats and dusty neon pink lights remind me of some of the best times of my childhood. Winstead’s was a place of celebration for me; the perfect meal for the last day of school, a birthday party or a pre-prom dinner. I spent many afternoons there with my friends, sequestered in the giant corner booth lazily chatting and munching on our perfect burgers. Winstead’s is an institution of Kansas City, not only because of the nostalgic charm, but because of the superb smashburgers that, in my opinion, will never be topped. The crispy edges of the patty have been smashed on a deliciously seasoned grill, giving it that indescribable mouth-watering flavor. The bun is perfectly warmed, cheese delightfully melty and toppings are always of the best quality. Truly nothing can compare to a Winstead’s burger, but since moving away from Kansas City, I’ve been desperate to find a standin. During this search I stumbled across Edzo’s Burger Shop. Edzo’s shares that same vintage feel, though I do think it is a little more curated and intentional than Winstead’s. Their burger has that same deliciously nostalgic grill flavor, slight sweetness of the bun and caramelization of the grilled onions. However, Edzo’s, while advertised as a smashburger, was severely lacking those trademark lacey edges that Winstead’s always delivered. However, biting into an Edzo’s smashburger still brought me back to my childhood, and while nothing can ever compare to Winstead’s, Edzo’s is a solid stand-in for those times when I want a taste of home.

JUST LAST YEAR in 2023, Pepsi abruptly halted the 24-year production of Sierra Mist in order to rework their version of lemonlime soda. Starry, Sierra Mist’s replacement, emerged as Pepsi’s newest market competitor. Pepsi rebranded in efforts to attain higher portions of the lemon-lime soda market, which was long dominated by Sprite. Pepsi claims their new soda has a stronger citrus flavor and is more “crisp” than the former Sierra Mist. Nonetheless, Sierra Mist had been a reliable option for many years, and we will grieve its absence.

Explore the realm of nostalgic forgotten foods, find out why these discontinued snacks left the shelves, and most importantly, why we need to bring them back

cheese nips

LOVERS OF THESE bit-size cheddar squares were devastated from the slow departure of this Cheez-It competitor. Cheese Nips were pulled from shelves in 2019 after it was recalled from a plastic contamination. Nabisco became aware of this concern when customers noticed tiny yellow plastic pieces in the product. Due to the residue from its dough scraper that was incorporated into the production process, there were thankfully no reports of injury or illness from the cheesy snack.

choco taco

CHOCO TACO FANS went rabid after the beloved treat was discontinued after nearly 40 years. It’s hard to believe this unique taco-shaped novelty left ice cream trucks and convenience shops stunned from the abrupt disappearance. With its vanilla ice cream ribboned in fudge swirls, enclosed in a crisp waffle shell, dipped in milk chocolate, and coated with peanuts, Good Humor-Breyers axed this popular delight in 2022 after announcing their focus on other products with higher demand. Also attributed to the pandemic, they decided to reduce their product offerings in order to save costs. We continue to mourn the loss of such admired

dunkaroos

cereal straws

KELLOGG’S CEREAL STRAWS, with fruit loops and cocoa krispies as popular flavors, were a widespread childhood favorite. Cereal straws are tubes of cereal with sweetened, milky inner linings intended to be used as a tasty tool when finishing milk in cereal bowls. Sadly, cereal straws were short-lived. Released in 2007, they were discontinued only two years later due to a legal battle over their nutritional value. However, after over 80,000 signatures on a petition on Change.org, we are delighted to share that these childhood favorites returned on shelves in 2021.

RELEASED IN 1988, these singleserve packages of sugar cookies with even sugarier frosting were found in lunchboxes of school children everywhere. However, these cookies dipped in frosting, the perfect midday pick-me-ups, were discontinued in 2012 due to declining popularity and critiques of their nutritional value. But, no need to fret! In 2020, Dunkaroos returned to grocery store shelves and our hearts. You can once again anticipate this sugary delight stashed away in

story by nixie straza

After my three-yearold sister announced her need to pee midway through a walk on the Lower East Side, my parents scanned Orchard Street for a place to shuttle us for quick relief. Enticed by the orange-andpurple storefront and convenient proximity, they carted us into an unknown restaurant in pursuit of a restroom.

Welcomed by exposed brick walls, a stone fireplace and blue tiled floors, we were enveloped into the homey atmosphere of A Casa Fox — a Nicaraguan locale that would immediately become a staple for our family. My dad and I stood at the counter examining the menu, all while tostones and sizzling pans of seafood were prepared a few steps beyond, and ordered a queso blanco empanada with chipotle mayo and chips for the road.

My sister returned from the bathroom — a room she would famously compliment as “beautiful” during her introduction to owner and head chef Melissa — and the four of us tore into the steaming pocket of cheese and dough. Blown away by the serendipitous (and scrumptious) snack, we promised to return for a real dinner soon.

From age seven to fourteen, most of my Fridays, free afternoons and plenty of special occasions were spent eating black bean dip at A Casa Fox, listening to my mom and Melissa debrief the developments

of our busy lives. I rarely arrived at gymnastics practice without an empanada-filled tummy, nor did I go one week without inhaling a plate of black beans, rice and encurtido — a vinegary shaved cabbage and tomato salad akin to pico de gallo with more body — served in a signature clay potstyle bowl.

In a single year, we threw my father’s 40th, my 8th and my sister’s 5th birthdays at A Casa Fox, cementing our reliance on Melissa’s cooking for all major celebrations. It was not atypical for our family to gift bottles of her spicy picante sauce or jars of chipotle mayo to our closest friends, and I was immeasurably ecstatic when I’d receive my own stash from Melissa herself after lamenting I’d been running low.

Warm dulce de leche, a rich caramel served with dark chocolate-stuffed mini empanadas doused in powdered sugar, quelled any and all sweet treat desires. Being VIP customers meant Melissa would sneak out of the kitchen during a weekend rush, pull up a chair and quality-check our meal to ensure her sous chefs were doing her recipes justice. She’d rib my father for ordering the same Pollo Asada despite her more inventive offerings and always insist on extra chips and dessert for the table — my mother’s adamant protests aside.

If we arrived before opening hours, my sister and I were put to work rolling multicolored

bandana-print napkins around forks and knives into silverware parcels placed at every table. My first unofficial waitressing gig was jotting down people’s orders and running them back to the kitchen while offering my two cents on must-try dishes. I aided with restocking, chopping, and updating the big chalkboard menu used to display seasonal specials and learned the basics of cooking from watching Melissa riff off her Latin background.

From age seven to fourteen, most of my Fridays, free afternoons and plenty of special occasions were spent eating black bean dip at A Casa Fox, listening to my mom and Melissa debrief the developments of our busy lives.

To this day, when asked what I want for Christmas or what I need in a moment of comfort, my answer consistently includes a generous helping of Melissa’s beans. Simple yet addictive and packed with enough Strazza family history to span over ten years, this recipe pulls me back to cozy empanada evenings when time seemed to stretch and bend. With A Casa Fox long closed and my address no longer within walking distance from the Lower East Side, I bring a piece of Orchard Street to every vat of beans I make, grateful for the incidental encounter that kept us coming back for more.

Black beans from my “second home” growing up on Orchard Street

Add olive oil to a medium- large pot, preferably a Ddutch oven or Le Creuset-style, and heat on medium.

Once hot, add diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add in the cans of beans, not drained. The liquid from the can serves as the base for the sauce.

Adjust seasoning to taste, adding in cumin, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper as needed.

Cover and cook on medium low for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom doesn’t burn or stick.

Fold in the diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, oregano and cumin. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the tomatoes start to soften. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Remove from heat and serve with rice, encurtido, pico de gallo and tostones. Extra points if you add some chipotle mayo and mix it all together.

PRO TIP:

A day after cooking, add the cooled black beans and cilantro to a blender or food processor with a handful of fresh cilantro. Blend until smooth and serve with your favorite tortilla or plantain chips.

2 15oz. cans black beans

1 large onion, diced white, sweet or Spanish

2 tomatoes, diced slicer, beefsteak or large on the vine

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp oregano

1-2 tsp garlic powder

1-2 tsp cumin

Salt & pepper to taste

Eating

How Argyle Street connects Chicago residents to Asian culture and cuisine

your way through

argyl E

Right off the CTA Red Line, nestled between Evanston and Lincoln Park, lies Argyle Street, otherwise known as “Little Vietnam.” A small compact district, Argyle is most notable for its Vietnamese, South Asian and East Asian cuisine.

Danang Kitchen is a small, familyowned Vietnamese restaurant that first opened in October 2019 before the pandemic. The owner Sydney Le was originally a cosmetologist who ran a nail and spa business in downtown Chicago.

“I found that I was always thinking about my grandmother so I went back home [to Vietnam] and went to culinary school for six months,” Le says. “My grandmother passed away but I will always remember her food.”

Danang Kitchen features dishes spanning all across Vietnam. While Le incorporates dishes on the menu from her home area in Southern Vietnam, her culinary instructor taught her to cook mainly Northern Vietnamese cuisine. Yet, Danang Kitchen is best known for its

signature dish Mì Quảng from the restaurant’s namesake — Danang, the largest city in Central Vietnam.

Mì Quảng has a pork base marinated with fresh ginger root. Unlike pho, the rich pork broth is used just enough to coat the fresh rice noodles and Asian mixed greens. At Danang Kitchen, Mì Quảng is served with your choice of pork, shrimp or chicken.

“We’re proud of that recipe, it’s very unique,” Le said. “The dish is savory and packs a lot of flavor in one bite.”

Additionally, many of the recipes on the menu are inspired by her grandmother and her childhood in Vietnam. Le reminisced fondly as she described a shredded chicken dish her grandmother used to make with sticky rice: “I did my best to bring her dish back to life,” Le said.

“I named it Bang Bang Chicken to remember my grandmother who used to wake me up before school.”

Le’s grandmother would bang on her door every morning, enticing her with the smell of this recipe to wake her up for class.

While Argyle is home to plenty of authentic Vietnamese restaurants, East Asian cuisine and influence are seen around the area as well. From Chiu Quon Bakery to Korean barbeque and Tawainese boba shops, many international students visit Argyle when they crave a taste of home.

Furama is a popular dim sum spot in the area. Dim sum, or Cantonese brunch, originates from Southern China in the Guangdong district before making its way to Hong Kong.

“We cook with our heart and soul”

SydnEy

lE | danang kitchEn

“It’s pretty accurate to what the dim sum experience is like in Hong Kong,” Northwestern freshman Fio Wong said. “All the food is pushed around in carts and you point to what you want to order.”

Wong and Ady Lam, both international students at Northwestern from Hong Kong, come to Argyle to reconnect with their culture.

“Being in America is the first time I’ve been in a place where the ethnic majority is not Chinese,” Lam said. “Going to a place where I see a lot

more Asian faces is a bit more like home.”

Lam especially misses Hong Kong street food: freshly fried fish balls, garlic-fried noodles and egg bubble waffles.

“Specific dishes that I would eat on the streets of Hong Kong after YMCA swim practice or dishes that my mom cooks while we watched Kdramas evoke memories of home,” Lam said.

Family-owned restaurants in Argyle like Danang Kitchen often create menus from specific memories from their childhood. Le attributes this fact to their continued success within the Chicago community. As Chicago is an ethnic and cultural melting pot, Chicagoans are constantly on the search for food that reminds them of their hometowns.

design by catherine erickson photos from danang kitchen

“We cook with our heart and soul,” Le said. “We just try to make it better every day.”

Argyle

Grandma Henry’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip

Learn my family’s cherished recipe that reveals the secrets to making the best chocolate chip cookies ever

IN OLD LYME, Connecticut, my Great-Grandma Henry stood as the unwavering matriarch of our large extended family. Balancing the roles of a single parent to seven children and a dedicated local school teacher, she infused every aspect of her life with love and resilience. Her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, a recipe born from her blend of strength and sweetness, held a place of honor in her home. More than just a treat, these cookies were a tradition. An overflowing bag was

Ingredients

- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- 1 1/2 cups white sugar

- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar

- 4 eggs

- 3 cups all-purpose flour

- 4 cups oats

- 2 tsp baking soda

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 cups (16 oz) choc chips

Instructions

Preparation:

- Preheat your oven to 350°F.

-Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Mixing the Dough:

- In a stand mixer, add the butter to the mixing bowl, then your sugars and vanilla. Beat together on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

always in the freezer, a ritual my father inherited and passed down through our family. Every year, as nearly forty family members gathered for Thanksgiving, the joy of eating her cookies every day was a cherished highlight. Savored hot out of the oven or straight from the freezer, Grandma Henry’s cookies were a center point of my family’s most treasured memories. May these cookies fill your home with both the cozy aromas of oats and chocolate and just as much love as ours.

- Add the eggs one at a time.

- Gradually add in the flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined.

- Fold in the chocolate chips gently with a spatula.

Shaping and Baking:

- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, form mounds of dough about 2 tablespoons in size and space them evenly on the prepared baking sheets.

- Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. The centers might look slightly underbaked, but they will continue to cook as the cookies cool.

- Let the cookies cool for five minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serving: Once cooled, your cookies are ready to be

enjoyed!

Storage? Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for long-term storage. My dad grew up eating them straight out of the freezer and still does so to this day!

rich chewy

buttery

As two seniors preparing for graduation, we are bidding farewell to our favorite Evanston spots and bites

AS FOODIES FIRST and graduating seniors second, we are already feeling nostalgic about leaving behind certain Evanston restaurants. Whether it’s the ambiance, the memories or the food itself, we’re not ready to say goodbye to the Evanston food scene.

The pizza at Bob’s is unbelievably tasty with the perfect sauce to cheese ratio (and bonus points when you add truffle honey). The menu is incredibly dynamic and we highly recommend the garlic parm wings or mac and cheese. Also, MAJOR points for hosting trivia nights.

We are firm believers that Cupitol is home to the best breakfast food in Evanston, from their omelets to their juices. The atmosphere of the restaurant is conducive to both a fun brunch with friends and a cozy spot to eat while grinding out some homework.

Pono Ono is the perfect place to stop for lunch in between classes or to grab a quick dinner with friends. The ingredients are always fresh and we love the Hawaiian theme and ambiance. Jenna’s go-to is the Spicy Crab bowl, and Nina recommends the Mochiko Chicken.

Tapas is a cult classic. The atmosphere, the food, the circular tables that allow you to talk to everyone, the shared bites and the funny waiters all combine to make a great time. Order a pitcher of margaritas or sangria (or both!) and try some fun dishes! Some of our personal favorites are the farfalle, bacon-wrapped dates and goat cheese dip.

In our opinion, Le Peep is meant to be enjoyed in your pajamas. We love their classic American brunch food and abundant chicken-theme decor. It’s quirky, yet comforting and we recommend the Hen Pen for a classic eggs and bacon breakfast.

Frio Gelato is arguably the best sweet treat spot Evanston has to offer. With a wide selection of gelato, toppings and sorbet, it always cures our sweet tooth. Nina recommends the chocolate sorbet and Jenna’s go-to is cafe con leche gelato. Bonus points for being allergen-friendly!

“SPECIAL SATURDAYS” occurred once a month in my house growing up. My sister and I would wake up to delicious smells wafting from the kitchen and race downstairs to greet our grandma. I would sit on my grandpa’s lap while he led me and my sister in a chant of “We want bakes! We want bakes!” as my mother and grandmother ignored us from the next room, putting the finishing touches on our meal. As we ate the Guyanese delicacies of bakes, salt fish, corned beef, roti, egg curry and of course, my grandmother’s homemade lethal pepper sauce, I was perfectly content. I did not realize how special “special Saturdays” really were until I moved halfway across the country and had to participate on FaceTime.

Many people have never heard of Guyana, a country located in South America,a former Dutch and British colony that gained independence in 1966. Guyana is the only English-speaking mainland South American country and is part of the mainland Caribbean region.

My maternal grandparents, Randolph and Jean Subryan, were born and raised in Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, before moving to England to pursue degrees in nursing and law. My grandmother

learned all Guyanese secret recipes and cooking techniques before she moved, since cooking was a foundational piece of her childhood.

“I always remember watching my mother cook when I got home from school,” Jean said. “Me and my sisters could smell dinner before we saw it, and all rushed home to crowd into the kitchen and watch.”

When they moved to England, they were faced with feelings of isolation and fear.

“London felt very foreign. We had family and Guyanese friends nearby, but nothing was the same,” Jean remembers. “That’s why I started cooking so much.”

Jean found a West Indian grocery store near the couple’s home in the suburbs of London and has sought one out in every city she inhabits almost immediately upon arriving.

Guyanese cuisine mirrors Indian cuisine in many ways, with similar staples of curries, rice, steamed vegetables and flavorful herbs and spices. Caribbean culture also plays a significant role in traditional Guyanese cuisine, with dishes like cook-up rice and pepper pot as staples only seen in the South American country.

When I reached middle school

age, my grandma taught me and my sister how to cook our favorite childhood meals. My favorite is bakes, pillowy pockets of fried dough traditionally eaten for breakfast.

Bakes are simple to make with only flour, sugar, salt, butter and baking powder. The dough is formed into balls before being flattened into the size of a small pancake and fried. The resulting bakes are hollow on the inside with a chewy, greasy crust. Bakes are typically served with sauteed corned beef or salt fish, served hot and complemented best (in my opinion) by a dash of my grandmother’s famous Wiri Wiri pepper sauce, the native Guyanese pepper plant.

Jean and Randolph eventually found their way to the States, where they now live in San Antonio, Texas, two miles down the road from my home. My grandma continues to make bakes every weekend, as well as traditional Guyanese food for all special occasions: pepper pot on Christmas and cook-up rice on New Year. While most people may not recognize the dishes I hold so dearly, “Special Saturdays” and the chants of “We want bakes!” will always mean home to me.

Guyanese food and culture brings together traditional Indian dishes and Caribbean spices and flavors

story and photos by lara weissmann

Delve into the meaning behind St. Louis’ classic dishes

FROM GOOEY BUTTER cake to toasted ravioli, specific midwestern dishes have defined mine and Cassie’s sense of home. Just like how people in New York have their favorite spots for bagels, everyone from St. Louis, Missouri, knows Ted Drewes is the perfect fix for frozen custard on a hot summer day.. We even have a specific ‘St. Louis Style’ pizza hailing from the most popular pizza chain in St. Louis, Imo’s. The thin crust and provolone cheese may upset Chicagoans or pizza lovers, but in St. Louis, it showcases the strength of our community and shared love for food.

Toasted Ravioli

LIKE MANY OTHER culinary masterpieces, toasted ravioli exists because of an accident: it’s rumored to originate after a St. Louisian chef dropped the pasta into oil rather than water, creating a crispy pocket of meat, spinach and cheese. Usually served with a sprinkle of parmesan and parsley and a side of marinara sauce, this signature dish is an impeccable hybrid of flavors and textures.

Gooey Butter Cake

I HAVE A vivid memory of making gooey butter cake with my childhood best friend. We were making pastries and cakes for a fire department in our neighborhood with an older lady from our community. She walked us through her secret gooey butter cake recipe using butter, powdered sugar and a lot of love. The cake consists of two layers: a dense, buttery base and a rich, creamy topping. When baked, the cake develops a golden crust on top while the inside remains gooey, hence the name. Gooey butter cake transports me back to the chaos and fun of baking as a child. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion, midwestern or not.

Imo’s Pizza

AT NEARLY EVERY school event, my school would cater Imo’s instead of national pizza chains. The support and mutual adoration for Imo’s and its thincrust pizza runs so deep that any St. Louis native will insist that no visit to the town is complete without experiencing Imo’s pizza firsthand. Founded in 1964, the pizza chain boasts St. Louis food like toasted ravioli. However, it’s known for its thin-crust pizza with a provolone cheese blend. Even with over 100 Imo’s restaurants spanning Illinois, Kansas and Missouri, the chain remains a source of pride for the people of St. Louis, who will proudly gloat about it at any chance.

Ted Drewe’s Custard

WHEN I FIRST moved to St. Louis in 6th grade, the idea of standing next to the road, frozen custard in hand, with a crowd of others perplexed me. But after taking my first bite of the iconic treat, I understood the appeal — the sense of community from gathering together, often after seeing a Cardinal’s baseball game or visiting the Arch, and simply enjoying a creamy, ultra-smooth cross between soft-serve and a milkshake with the texture of gelato.

ST. LOUIS DISHES serve as more than just midwestern delicacies; they represent deeper feelings of nostalgia, comfort and a shared sense of hometown pride. Iconic St. Louisian dishes like Imo’s pizza or toasted ravs are woven into the fabric of St. Louis and Midwestern lifestyle, reminding us what we love most about the place we call home.

story by isabel bhasin

Memories of Margie’s

Why the world-famous Margie’s Candies became a staple to Chicagoans across generations

Walk through the door of Margie’s Candies’s original Bucktown location and transport a century back in time. With warm wood-paneled walls, family portraits hanging in every open crevice, and the smell of fresh caramel churning behind the counter, it is clear why this store is a Chicago treasure.

When I visited Margie’s Candies on a cold February day and saw streets filled with people boasting a creamy cone in the frigid temperature, I knew the ice cream had to be fantastic. I opted for a classic hot fudge sundae, cookiesand-cream ice cream piled high with whipped cream, peanuts and, of course, their house-made hot fudge. The mix of textures was perfect, with the crunch of the peanuts balancing out the soft mounds of whipped cream and the not-too-sweet ice cream pairing perfectly with the thick fudge.

After I ate, I sat down with Maria Gomez, the store manager, to ask a few questions. Maria has worked at Margie’s for over 25 years and describes her role as including everything from running the store to making the candy that gleams behind the glass shelf next to the entrance.

While we talked, a range of people

enjoying the store’s atmosphere surrounded us, from children no older than five devouring grilled cheeses to an older couple sharing a banana split. I felt Margie’s sentimental value to Chicagoans across generations. I asked Maria why she thought Margie’s has remained a staple in the city for years. She said while part of the store’s charm came from its highquality candy and ice cream, much of Margie’s popularity comes from time: the store has never closed nor changed.

Maria said the original owner, Peter Poulos, never wanted anything about his parlor to change. Besides his son renaming the store after his wife, Margie, everything else has remained since its founding in 1921, even now that the store’s ownership has reached the fourth generation of Pouloses. This charm has drawn celebrities from the Beatles to Al Capone and, most recently, as well as Maria’s favorite, the cast of The Bear, who featured Margie’s in their award-winning show (if you look closely, you can see Maria in the background of their shots).

But even if you’re not a celebrity, I highly encourage you to visit Margie’s Candies and see for yourself why this ice cream parlor has become a Chicago institution.

ARE YOU? WHAT FLAVOR

Reminiscing over the best bubbly drink

There is only one thing I hate about Lacroix: that they don’t make it in the U.K. Growing up in London, my family and I would come back to the U.S. every summer, and within the first few days we would make a trip to the closest Target to buy ourselves boxes and boxes of Lacroix.

reminded of days spent laying in the sun and nights spent listening to the chirp of cicadas while roasting marshmallows over an open fire. So, as a self-proclaimed addict and expert, here are my top flavors, and what your favorite flavor says about you:

AS FOR THE REST...

Released in 2008, this was the first flavor added to the original range of six and it is the best flavor, full stop. Why, though, is this flavor in French? It’s because if you’re a pamplemousse lover, you are probably at least a little bit pretentious and you are probably proud of it too.

These are two of the original flavors, and they are still two of the best. If you are a lemon or a lime, you won’t necessarily surprise, but you will never disappoint.

I had never tried this one until recently, but it is definitely now one of my favorites. It is crisp, full-flavored, and not too sweet. If you’re a HiBiscus, you’re a pleasant surprise.

Lacroix isn’t a soda, and I don’t want it sweet, but key lime has just the right level of sweetness. Key lime is that person who isn’t over the top friendly, but everyone loves to be around.

limoncello: This one is just bad, to call a friend limoncello is nothing short of an insult.

guava sao paolo pasteque (watermelon)

story by reece dubin

Evanston’s Frida Kahlo-inspired restaurant, Frida’s, creates memorable artwork in the form of food story by sarah

IMEMORIES

first stepped into Frida’s in April of my junior year of high school. While visiting colleges across the country, my mom and I set out to get our fix of Evanston’s best food offerings. Instantly, Frida’s welcomed us into a world of its own: the walls were adorned with vibrant paintings and pictures, welcoming sounds of chatter echoed around and aromatic brunch scents filled the atmosphere.

Frida’s is a brunch restaurant in the heart of downtown Evanston. The menu contains a collection of sugary breakfast sweets to sustain anyone’s sweet tooth and savory dishes that simply hit the spot. Frida’s incorporates elements of Mexican cuisine into their cooking to create the perfect morning meal.

crepes were a work of fine art: brush strokes of raspberry sauce danced across the plate with a perfect sphere of whipped cream sitting atop the crepes. An elegant sprinkle of powdered sugar completed the dish.

The flavors were even more

My first time at Frida’s, I ordered their triple berry mascarpone crepes. The dish transported me into a world of artistic expression. Like its namesake, Frida Kahlo, Frida’s menu is fit for display at a world-class museum. The

breathtaking. The crepes were light, airy and balanced by a fluffy mascarpone cream inside. A topping of refreshing berries paired beautifully with the sugary crepes.

When I returned to Northwestern during my senior

year of high school, my memories of Frida’s were too strong to resist; with my mind fixed on brunch, I dragged my dad with me to get another bite. This time, I opted for a savory choice, their breakfast burrito. Like my meal months before, Frida’s was just as mouth-watering as I remembered. The burrito was jampacked with scrambled eggs, chicken carnitas and cheesy goodness. A light pico de gallo and fresh avocado pleasently offset the decadent chicken and eggs. Unlike a typical burrito, Frida’s wrap was elegant, garnished with an orange slice and crispy brown potatoes.

During my freshman year at Northwestern, Frida’s has been a restaurant marked by colorful moments over Sunday morning brunch. Frida’s was one of the first restaurants my friends and I tried on campus together and perhaps our favorite. In my mind, there is no place like Frida’s to eat a memorable work of art while making millions of college memories.

design by pat chutijirawong

MADE FOR

TELEVISION

Four childhood TV restaurants that need to exist in real life

MAYBE IT IS the idea of getting to eat a sub sandwich inside of a New York subway car replica. Honestly, the pun alone would make this the perfect meal experience. Or maybe it’s the idea that eating a sandwich from the Russo’s shop would turn me into a wizard. Regardless, this classic New York sub shop seems like it would fulfill all of my childhood dreams and more. I’m ready to sit down with Selena Gomez and chat over a sandwich— let’s just hope it is not her brother Max’s chicken strip, peanut butter and mashed potato sandwich from season one.

SORRY JAMBA JUICE, Groovy Smoothie from iCarly has you beat. With their pickles on sticks, and quirky owner T-Bo, Groovy Smoothie is more than just a smoothie shop; it’s a lifestyle. This smoothie shop means more than its lengthy menu, which includes yams, burgers, muffins and tacos (which Carly unsuccessfully attempts to put on a stick). The shop represents iCarly’s goofy vibes that had me hooked as a kid — ostrich not included.

Chef Gigi’s

CENTRAL PERK OFFERS coffee with a side of funny comments, comforting vibes and Phoebe Buffay songs. As one of the most famous television hangout spots, this restaurant choice speaks for itself. While Rachel’s coffee might not be the best in New York, the shop’s friendly energy and fair share of iconic moments make it a no-brainer choice for a destination that needs to come to life.

WHILE CHEF GIGI‘S makes a brief appearance in the show “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” its presence is timeless. In their attempts to make a reservation, the twins are informed there isn’t an available date until Nov. 16, 2023. With this date in the past, this restaurant needs to come alive so we can learn from Zack and Cody if the long wait was worth it.

story by emily litchy

steph markowitz

My mom was a neighborhood celebrity for one reason and one reason only: this cake.

Well, actually, it’s two reasons. One is because this is the fudgiest, richest chocolate cake I have ever eaten to this day — and every single one of our friends and family seemed to agree. The other is because my mom channeled her latent artistic talents into the most vibrant icing masterpieces you’ve ever seen.

From ages one through thirteen, my mom baked two cakes for me and my brother’s birthdays. Each one is a pretty good representation of what we liked that year: mine evolved from Cinderella’s Castle to Lightning McQueen to Wicked. She even bought an R2D2-shaped pan one year during my brother’s intense Star Wars phase.

year, especially given the lure of the three secret ingredients she forbade us from revealing. She always smiled and said no, but that they were always welcome to another slice.

After removing the cake from the oven to let it cool, my dad would come in to help my mom painstakingly slice the cake in half horizontally using a cake leveler. This was her other secret: a bisecting layer of frosting to break up the chocolatey richness.

The baking of each famous cake was always an event in our house. As soon as she’d finished pouring the batter and putting the pans into the oven, she would barely start to call our names before we sprinted into the kitchen to lick the bowl and the hand mixer clean. The batter might as well have been chocolate mousse. Our hands and chins were covered.

Its richness was the secret that had neighbors and family friends asking for the full recipe year after

This ultra-fudgy double-layer chocolate cake is my mom’s best kept and most delicious secret design by isabelle hauf-pisoni

My mom was not the pie-baking, homecooked meal kind of mother. She’s a fulltime working lawyer who also managed to stay deeply involved in my and my brother’s lives. Nightly cooking did not factor into that equation. But somehow, just a few times a year, she revealed this dormant skill.

I could never betray my mom and divulge the full recipe. But here is an abridged version that will still produce an amazing chocolate cake. I’d assume experienced bakers will be able to surmise the redacted ingredients on their own. If you think you’ve figured it out, let me know. Maybe my mom will give me permission to tell you if you got it right.

photos by steph markowitz

design

HONEY, I’M HOME!

My go-to culinary itinerary when I’m home in NYC

11

KEUR SOKHNA

UP NORTH IN Harlem, Keur Sokhna, a Senegalese restaurant, is always my first meal. My mom makes sure to have it ordered and delivered, waiting for me when I arrive from the airport. My personal favorite is Thieboudienne, a hearty

THE NEXT RESTAURANT on my culinary tour is always Curry in a Hurry. Located in Kips Bay, it’s become tradition for me and my friends to pick up lunch here and

33

MEI LI WAH

NOW A POPULAR TikTok spot, Mei Li Wah stands as a beacon of culinary delight, and one my friends and I have been frequenting in the labyrinthine streets of Chinatown since 2018. heir signature pork buns honor the artistry of dim sum with their pillowy soft exterior and

A POPULAR

UNDERGROUND

spot, 212 Hisae’s is the place to be: a hole-in-the-wall Japanese fusion restaurant with affordable and tasty food, best known for its cocktails. 212’s menu features every drink you can imagine, priced at $5 and

7TH STREET BURGER

ALL NIGHTS OUT in New York somehow end at 7th Street. The flagship burger joint expanded from its first storefront on 1st Avenue to include a total of eight locations across the city, thanks to going viral online. And for good reason–7th St has some of the best smashburgers

rice platter covered with steamed vegetables and a whole fish. My other fan favorite is Yassa, a tangy lemon and onion sauce served over rice with chicken. The bold flavors transport me to Dakar, showing me I can connect with my

head over to Bryant Park to devour our feast. We share the buttery tikka masala, fiery vindaloo, smoky tandoor chicken and creamy palak paneer family style. The affordable prices make the fragrant spices

savory filling. I remember the days when they were only $1.25–now, the delicious dough pockets of barbequed pork are up to $1.75, which is still a steal. The baked pork buns’ firm exterior yields to a pillowy inside, filled with steaming meat. Though they’re famous for their pork

$6 per glass, and a round of shots only sets you back $3. While they take no reservations, be sure to get there early to secure a table–it’s first come, first serve, and on weekend nights, expect a wait. Their signature cocktails, expertly crafted, yet

and loaded fries you’ll ever eat. The thin patties wrapped up in a sweet potato bun, topped with pickles and their house sauce make a perfect meal after a night out of fun and dancing. And their loaded fries, a twist on In-N-Out Burger’s “animal fries,” are perfectly crispy on the

Senegalese origins even from thousands of miles away. It is comforting to relish in the food of my family, where meals are not just sustenance but a testament to community and culture.

CURRY IN A HURRY

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and rich flavors all the more impressive. It’s the perfect way to catch up with friends–over a delectable meal, enjoying the tasty curries and sitting outside in the open air.

buns, Mei Li Wah also has amazing dumplings. My favorite: the steamed shrimp rice rolls with a chewy dumpling wrapper topped with a savory oyster sauce. If you’re ever in New York and want to explore the renowned Chinatown, definitely add Mei Li Wah to your food crawl.

212 HISAE’S

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surprisingly affordable, toast to the vibrant spirit of the city. The perfect place to start a night out, 212 is an homage to the best New York has to offer: cheap, accessible nightlife and great cuisine.

outside but fluffy on the inside, loaded with sauce, cheese, grilled onions and a burger patty. No matter where you spend your Saturday night in New York, you’re guaranteed to be within walking distance of a 7th St. location, and it’s always my last stop on a night out.

story by chiara dorsi

story by jaimie walsh

Your new comprehensive guide to instant ramen

GOKU-UMA HAS a bit of everything – a kick to make you sweat if eaten too fast, but the spice isn’t strong enough to overpower the umami flavors with hints of garlic and kimchi. The noodles also pleasantly maintain their texture.

I CONSIDER MY elementaryschool self a true connoisseur of Maruchan Instant Ramen. The easy meal was my regular after-school snack. As I grew up, I ate fewer of the noodle cups, but, after my first year of college, instant ramen has again become a staple in my diet. To diversify my palate beyond Maruchan, I ranked and reviewed five different instant ramen brands.

HONESTLY, DON’T WASTE your time on this ramen cup. The flavors were very mellow – I couldn’t taste much miso. Instead, this cup tasted more like chicken noodle soup. Also, the chili oil added no spice and made the noodles feel oily.

ALTHOUGH LACKING A spice element, the miso flavor in Sapporo’s ramen wonderfully came through. If you were to add some veggies, protein and a soft-boiled egg, this cup could easily mimic restaurant-quality ramen!

CREATING A DECENT review for Nongshim Shin Noodle Soup

I COULDN’T HIDE

Buldak’s spice and bright red broth. While I appreciate a kick, I needed breaks and water between every bite. Using half of the spice packet may allow for better enjoyment of this cup’s rich flavor, which isn’t too salty, has hints of seaweed, and is slightly sweet.

Since its inception in 1937, Tag’s Bakery has been steadfast in Evanston’s vibrant community of small businesses. Gretchen Vetter, today’s manager of Tag’s, says her father bought the bakery in 1968, and her family has owned, managed and grown the business since. Gretchen laments that “bakeries are unfortunately a dying breed,” but luckily for the Evanston community, she and her brother kept Tag’s in their family. Although their house specialty is Florentines, Tag’s makes a range of artfully decorated cakes, tantalizing pastries, and indulgent cookies.

Florentines, thin candy-cookie hybrids made of almonds and held together by sugar, butter and honey and drizzled with chocolate, are Tag’s big ticket items. Gretchen says Tag’s has sold over three tons of these little delicacies in the last two years, and people love them because “they’re different, they’re unique and they’re addictive.”

Gretchen credits her staff, many of whom have been with Tag’s for 35 years, for supporting her and her family through the bakery business’s ups and downs. COVID was an especially challenging time, but Gretchen gladly says “[Tag’s] is bouncing back. Things are starting to get better.”

Tag’s is also known for its cookies, and smiley face cookies are a longstanding favorite. Gretchen explains, “My dad got the idea of doing [smiley face cookies] from the Smiley Face Buttons that had come out in the early 70s, back in the hippie era. He just started making them and they’ve been a popular item with the kids and even adults today.” Memorable treats like the smiley face cookies create lifelong customers, earning Tag’s its slogan: Family Tradition.

Gretchen recounts, “[Customers] say, ‘I used to get these when I was little…coming in after school.’ And they come in and…they’re married and moved out of town, but they want to come in and get something because it reminds them of their childhood.”

In true foodie form, one of my earliest memories is of Tag’s cheery yellow, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie, delicately frosted with a smiley face. Though I answer Philadelphia to the standard “Where are you from?” question, I was born in Evanston and lived here for until age five. Of my early childhood, I can most clearly recall cruising eagerly down Central Street to Tag’s with my mom and sisters, where we knew those mouthwatering cookies would be waiting for us with a smile.

Moving back to Evanston to attend Northwestern was my fullcircle moment. As a freshman living in an apartment on Central Street during COVID, I realized the bakery featured in my rosecolored childhood memories of sharing smiley face cookies with my sisters existed in my backyard. In the four years since then, I have returned to Tag’s countless times – not just for a smiley face cookie, but to indulge my nostalgia and relive happy memories with my family when I miss them the most.

Tag’s Bakery serves smiles to Evanston for nearly ninety years

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