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dear foodies & friends It is with happy hearts and loudly growling stomachs that we present to you the Fall 2019 issue of Bite Magazine! Yes, this is the fall issue, despite the fact that it has already snowed (on Halloween, no less!) and is regularly below freezing, but we hope that these next pages brighten your chilly days and help you get ready for winter! As always, join us on this journey to explore some new culinary delights and distract yourself from the impending weather. If you’re looking for some new and homey culinary experiences, check out Susie’s Noon Hour Grill (8), D’Amato’s (9), or Transylvania Grill (10) for some hard-hitting homemade food complete with one-of-a-kind dining experiences. If you wanted to spice up your grocery shopping experience, look no further than Grocery Store Eateries (14), our guide on where to run errands and enjoy a delicious meal. Or, if you’re itching for some fresh, high-quality seafood that you can’t find at the local store, be sure to visit a South Side Chicago staple, Market Fisheries (6), a historic fish market with unique selections that you can’t find anywhere else in the city. While you’re at the grocery store, pick up some ingredients for some show-stopping recipes; you can introduce your guests to the wonders of Pomegranate Molasses (12) and homemade Duck Confit (21). As you turn through these pages, we hope you enjoy reading it (and drooling over the pictures) as much as we enjoyed creating it! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram (@uchicagobite) with all of your epicurean adventures!
the editors 2
bite | fall 2019
table of contents 4 Rooh 6 market fisheries 7 chicago diner 8 susie’s noon hour grill 9 d’amato’s 10 transylvania grill 11 a history of brunch 12 pomegranate molasses 14 grocery store eateries 16 got milk? 18 Burlap, Barrel, and Black Urfa Chili: One Man’s Venture to Demystify the Spice Trade 21 duck confit 22 cauliflower hummus 23 sourdough waffles 24 Gribenes and Schmaltz on Toast 26 Traditional vs. Vegan Kimchi Jjigae Editor-in-Chief Melanie Wang Managing editor OLIVIA XIONG creative director suhasni singh blog editor alyce oh communications director michelle zhou programming DIRECTOR michelle gao designers elaine wan, emily her, Felix gonzalez, frances schaeffler, jihana mendu, octavia zhou, QINGFENG CHAI, sophia koock, yolanda yu writers ben miller, daniel simantob, ed schmeltzer, emily kang, evan williams, henna nam, ian resnick, kate kaplin, lily mansfield, lily levine, maya Osman-Krinsky, michael shen, paige resnick, seth markow, veronica chang, wendy zheng photographers angela sha, ANGELA FUNG, angelina torre, cameron lam, grace peguese, jerry cao, lina hajnal, octavia zhou, shreya Minama Reddy COVER PHOTO Angelina torre
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REVIEW
ROOH
BY ED SCHMELTZER PHOTOS BY SHREYA MINAMA REDDY
>> NEIGHBORHOOD WEST LOOP >> PRICES $$-$$$
>> DISHES TO TRY
KASHMIRI LAMB RIBS JACKFRUIT KOFTA WHOLE SEA BASS
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bite | fall 2019
I have to say, going into this review, I was excited. Never a good way for a reviewer to be—after all, in my opinion, it is our job to give you at least a vaguely accurate account of how a restaurant is. Excitement can change that for the better or for the worse. Stepping out of the cab to the West Loop, however, I couldn’t help but be excited. After all, Indian is one of my favorite cuisines—it can run the gamut from warming and hearty to light and airy, from intensely spicy to smoky and sweet. It has incredible variation and breadth that I’ve taken great joy in discovering over the years. Of course, the worst thing is that I can’t find any in this bloody city. Maybe it is just me and I am not looking hard enough. I’m a busy man, after all, what with all my…erm…midterms and stuff. In any event, when I heard about Rooh in the pitch meeting, I jumped on it. Rooh describes itself as “Progressive Indian Cuisine”—taking bits and bobs from regional cuisines all over India to make up its fancy-trendy menu. This train crash of words—fancy-trendy—unfortunately does a lot to describe Rooh, from the décor to the food itself. Rooh’s décor is perfectly nice— heavy on the worn wood, burnished brass, colorful murals—but ultimately it lacks the ambiance, personality, or sense of style that a restaurant like Pasteur or Pacific Standard Time has. The music, similarly, is firmly in the “Hey! We’re Trendy!” Camp: unobtrusive but lacking in verve. I do know, however, that most people don’t
go to restaurants for the design sense. So, let us move on to the actual purpose of this trip—the food (and drinks). My party started with two cocktails—a Kashmiri Kahara and The Crawford. Both of these cocktails, I must say, definitely started the night off right. The Kahara, served in a beautiful painted teacup, was exactly what I like in a cocktail. It was not too sweet, rippling with sour undercurrents, as well as hints of cinnamon and cardamom. It was a perfect cocktail for a bitterly cold night—warm and inviting. The Crawford was also excellent—bright citrus cut with a heavy hit of smoky mezcal, balancing sweet, sour, and smoky wonderfully. We were seated after around a ten-minute wait at the bar—reasonable, in my mind, due to the fact we had a party of six. Menus were distributed, and we decided upon the following dishes: Small Plates Poppadom Avocado and Edamame Papdi Chat Beetroot Murabba Asparagus Pepper Fry Kashmiri Lamb Ribs Duck and Apricot Kulcha Large Plates Jackfruit Kofta Butter Chicken Whole Sea Bass (Patrani Machi)
The first to come were the poppadom— light, crispy crackers served with tomatillomango, cilantro, and chili-peanut chutneys. The chutneys were fantastic, especially the chili-peanut—it struck an excellent balance of spicy and sweet. However, for what they were, the poppadom were definitely overpriced, considering in many Indian restaurants they are either free or under two dollars. The first dish we received was the avocado chat. Citrusy and remarkably filling, the dish had a silky richness lent to it by the inclusion of the avocado. It was definitely one to share, but was a solid way to start the meal off, if not mind-blowing. Rooh’s next offering, however, left a far more lasting impression. The Kashmiri lamb ribs were truly excellent—a spicy, savory crust coated the pull-apart tender ribs, creating a wonderful variation in texture. The richness of the lamb was cut with a bright, sour raita sauce. It was a fantastic way to start the meal. Next up was the beetroot murabba—a croquette made of beetroot, peanut, and goat’s cheese. The murabba was good, with a robust beetroot flavor as well as shocks of salty goat’s cheese and a low-level background spice—enough to just tingle the tongue. Despite this, however, it did not elevate itself beyond simply ‘good’—it just didn’t have the textural variance and contrasting flavors of the lamb ribs, for example. Luckily, our next dish—the asparagus pepper fry—did. Salty, peppery and crisp, the asparagus pepper fry was an exercise in how to make vegetables
exciting. The asparagus was cooked to al-dente perfection, and the buttery, peppery emulsion that clung to it was a wonderful flavor booster. For the last small plate, we received the duck and apricot kulcha. This dish was loaded with duck on a pillowy flatbread, yet the duck consistently failed to shine through. Somehow, it was overpowered every time by the apricot and masala that it was served in, despite duck’s strong, gamey flavor. Unfortunately, unmemorable. With that, we had finished with the small plates and began moving on to the mains. Something of note here—our reservation was a late one (10:00 PM). By then, the restaurant had run out of a few dishes, and that was ok. We were probably the last table of the night—this happens. However, initially, we had ordered some naan breads to come with our mains. Rooh ran out of naan. Naan is a basic tenet of an Indian meal—how do you not have enough to last through the night’s service? I was singularly unimpressed by this turn of events. Rant out of the way, we received the first of the mains: butter chicken. The chicken in this dish was absolutely amazing. It was perfectly cooked—tender and flavorful, with a smoky flavor lent to it by the tandoor grill. Absolutely stunning. However, the ‘butter’ element—the gravy that the chicken was served in—was unfortunately disappointing. It was almost cloying in its sweetness—instead of enhancing the chicken it was served over, it simply masked the wonderful, smoky flavors on exhibit in
the chicken. Luckily, our next main was much more interesting. The Jackfruit Kofta was a fascinating introduction to jackfruit, putting its surprisingly dense, meaty flavor on full display in a milder, spinach sauce. It made for a wonderful vegetarian option, and a dish definitely worth ordering and experiencing in its own right. Finally, we received the sea bass—what was, for me, the highlight of the meal. The bass was cooked to tender, flaky perfection, with the natural flavors of the fish enhanced by the subtly sweet, herby sauce. The skin was crispy and salty, providing a wonderful contrast to the sauce and the fish itself. This is the dish that I’d return for. Ultimately, Rooh is a good restaurant, just not a great one. The food will leave you satisfied by the end of the meal. However, the food is like the décor. It bleeds together, with few dishes that truly stand out. Most have at least some distinctly noticeable negatives. I had high expectations, I must admit. And, to be fair to Rooh, it did fulfil some of those expectations. However, it did not fulfil all of them, and where it stumbled, it fell. I have to say with a heavy heart, therefore, that sadly, Rooh is not worth the money. I wanted to love it—I wanted it to be the sort of place I could come back to, to show people when they have never had Indian before what truly great Indian food could be. The search continues, I guess.
reviews
5
>> NEIGHBORHOOD ENGLEWOOD
>> PRICES $
>> DISHES TO TRY
GET ADVENTUROUS AND TRY SOMETHING NEW! GUMBO PARTY, ANYONE?
Hop on the Red Line and a short trip later to 69th, you’ll find yourself steps away from Market Fisheries, a historic family-run fish market. Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall off of the I-90 expressway, Market Fisheries offers seafood butchered to order, unique frozen selections, barbecue meat, fresh poultry, and Andouille sausage from New Orleans. From beautiful crab and lobster, to catfish and alligator, Market Fisheries really has it all and at incredibly reasonable prices. Market Fisheries was founded in 1957 in the midst of the Great Migration, catering largely to people from the South that did not have the same access to ingredients they were used to, such as blue crabs, crawfish, rainbow trout, and more. Since many of these items are imported, they come to the market frozen. That’s a fair trade, however, for the ability to purchase unique ingredients that are still of high quality. The market is a South Side staple, an old school fishmonger that serves
a loyal customer base that has included Curtis Mayfield, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, and other legendary Chicago musicians. This history greets you through framed pictures and newspapers when you walk into the one-room market, which is now run by the original owner’s son. Before you shop, plan ahead. It helps to know what you want when you walk in as there is not much time or space for browsing. Grab a number when you’re ready, because even on the crowded Saturday morning we went, the line moved incredibly quickly. Despite the brisque experience, the staff is friendly and attentive, making sure your order is exactly what you want. Market Fisheries is known as the Gumbo Headquarters of Chicago since they carry all the ingredients necessary to make it; I was tempted to give preparing gumbo a try, though quickly realized that my family’s gumbo recipe serves 12 people at a minimum and really can’t be pared down. Instead, I opted for jumbo
REVIEW
MARKET FISHERIES BY EMILY KANG PHOTOS BY ANGELA FUNG
shrimp, something that I could easily compare to products purchased elsewhere. Fresh shrimp (or, more accurately for the Midwest, previously frozen shrimp) should be slightly sweet, firm, and have no ammonia-like scent when raw. The jumbo shrimp from Market Fisheries really delivered: I lightly sauteed them with butter and garlic, and the end result was mild, sweet, and perfectly tender when cooked. Compared to the frozen, uncooked shrimp purchased from a chain grocery store, the shrimp from Market Fisheries had a much better texture and sweeter taste. They were also only about $10 for a pound. All in all, it’s clear why Market Fisheries has thrived for over 60 years despite the difficulties corporate grocery chains tend to pose to family run institutions. With lovely service, unique selections, and more than reasonable prices, Market Fisheries is my new go-to for seafood. Gumbo, anyone?
References: Chicago’s Best. “Chicago’s Best Seafood: Market Fisheries.” YouTube. 26 February 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKyZz5lm4IU Market Fisheries. “History of a South Side Institution and the Mecca of Southern Style Seafood.” Facebook, 2 July 2019, https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/SpecialtyGrocery-Store/Market-Fisheries-111480558915268/.
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bite | fall 2019
REVIEW
CHICAGO DINER BY EVAN WILLIAMS PHOTOS BY CAMERON LAM >> NEIGHBORHOOD BOYSTOWN >> PRICES When I walked into the Chicago Diner at 7pm on Friday, I was ushered through the kitchen to the winterized back patio, a heated tent filled with other customers. The patio felt secret— a vibe only enhanced by access through the kitchen. When the wait staff hollered my name into the heated air, I walked back through the kitchen, receiving a nod from the cooks. I was in for a treat. Seated in a red-cushioned metal chair, I glanced over the menu hungrily. Meat Free Since ’83, the page boasted; here, vegans and omnivores alike gather for feasts. When my waitress, Meesh (who draws smiley faces on receipts), approached, I requested the pierogi quesadilla (an odd cultural fusion, to be sure), sweet potato fries, and the best milkshake she had. Meesh obliged. My food came swiftly, despite the trainstation-busy feel of the dining room. On a plate, the quesadillas were fanned out like a hand of cards; the sweet potato fries, crisped and asymmetrical, protruded delightfully from a tin cup, and the milkshake (peanut butter cookie dough) sat, concrete-thick and frigid, before me with a weak-looking, plastic straw. My family is Polish. Our reunions are chockablock with authentic pierogies, the recipes passed from the ancestral hands of Eastern Europe. Though its cultural identity was disguised by a tomato-basil tortilla, nothing was amiss. The sauerkraut snapped just so, not too firm, not overcooked; the mushrooms provided a chewy, meat-like texture; the mashed potatoes filled out the shell, not lacking in the least for having no dairy
in their constitution. The sour cream provided for dipping was also, despite its non-dairy composition, full-bodied and subtly flavorful. As a Midwesterner too, my gustatory nostalgia is heavily punctuated by any form of fried potato and that dipping staple, ranch dressing. The sweet potato fries, leaving a greasiness behind in their tin, crackled crisply. The ranch, which— and I cannot emphasize this with enough excitement—was also dairy-free, would put the farmhands of Hidden Valley to shame. With a density just short of sour cream, it coated the fries without running too much. Its flavor, much to my liking, was heavier on the dill than most commercial brands, giving me the feeling of fine(r)-dining-pizazz while maintaining the populist, dollar-store roots I tie to my childhood. The milkshake, having remained firm and chilled while I basked in my pierogiinduced glow, welcomed me kindly into the dessert portion of my meal. Dairylovers, fear not the vegan milkshake. Dairy-thickness be damned, my cheeks were sore when I’d finished it. The peanut butter dominated, allowing a cookie crumb and chocolate crescendo to bubble up; by the bottom of the shake, the chocolate ruled in thick fudge-like drops, the whipped cream melting into and saturating the last bits of cookie dough. If ever you find yourself hungry for a vegan pub experience, a smiley-face receipt, or a cholesterol-free milkshake to rival the best dairy delight, hop on the red line, get off at Addison, and go say hey to Meesh and the gang at Chicago’s oldest plant-based establishment.
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>> DISHES TO TRY PIEROGI REUBEN MILKSHAKE
reviews
7
T
he phrase “phone eats first” hits a little too close to home for me. My hastily taken, badly lit photos of food are not for clout or *aesthetics*, but more so to serve as visual reminders and a catalog of the flavors, sounds, and experiences associated with meals. However, my experience at Susie’s Noon Hour Grill stressed how it’s the interactions that make a meal unforgettable, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this grounding, reassuring reminder. I first wanted to go to Susie’s because of the namesake herself; Susie is a petite eightythree-year-old Korean grandma with a back brace who single handedly is the restaurant owner, the chef, the sole waitress and busser - a prime example of a one person show. I initially anticipated that I would feel the hospitality of my own grandparents’ kitchens immediately upon walking into her restaurant; however, I couldn’t have been more wrong. The restaurant is extremely intimate with around 20 seats, so when Susie immediately exclaimed at us to “get out” after we walked through the door, our group of four and the rest of the crowded restaurant were completely taken aback. Wanting to respect her wishes and boundaries, we gathered outside the restaurant to work through our confusion of what had just happened, and we concluded that I had
wrongly brought in an empty container of some pretty mediocre mac and cheese from the farmers market next door. After my friend went back in to ask if there was anything we could do to remedy the situation, Susie explained how bringing outside food into her restaurant not only poses a safety hazard, but also is outright disrespectful, saying “Other restaurants might let you do that, but just know, they’re crying inside.” Susie knew what worked in her restaurant, and her unapologetic, no-BS attitude was a refreshing reassurance that this was her domain and that she called the shots. After we apologized profusely, Susie gratefully allowed us to sit down for a meal, if and only if we did not take photos on the DSLR. However, despite the lack of pictures (other than our discreetly taken phone shots), my brunch at Susie’s holds the title of my most memorable meal in Chicago thus far. Susie remarkably does every single task herself and serves one table at a time at her own pace (i.e. takes a party’s order and cooks it before moving onto the next), so come in expecting a homey experience, as we probably waited around forty five minutes for our meal. The decoration inside further exaggerates the nostalgic feel, as the calming classical music,
the houseplants in reused containers in the windowsill, the altar of fruits overhanging the vintage Pepsi cooler, and the photo of who I assume are her grandchildren over the stove make you feel like you’re eating in a close relatives’ living room. However, the food is really what ties it all together, as the hearty portions of incredibly tasty “diasporic” fusion cuisine perfectly emulate what an immigrant grandparent would cook for their American born grandchildren to combine both their heritage and their newfound surroundings. My bulgogi kimchi cheese omelette with hashbrowns and toast was an overflowing plate of delicately fried eggs filled with generous portions of tender bulgogi, indulgent mozzarella cheese, and tangy kimchi complimented by a side of perfectly crispy hash browns that all melded together beautifully and filled me with warmth. The rice served with the already carb heavy dish of japchae, the little Spiderman tupperware holding the gochujang for the bibimbap, and the small mountain of kimchi bulgogi fried rice all served as a reminder of Susie’s generosity and hospitality and made the meal utterly remarkable. Despite my lack of photos, I will always remember my meal at Susie’s Noon Hour Grill with the utmost clarity due to her admirable no-nonsense attitude, heartwarming service, and delectable food.
REVIEW
SUSIE’S NOON HOUR GRILL
BY WENDY ZHENG PHOTOS BY LINA HAJNAL >> NEIGHBORHOOD ROGERS PARK >> PRICES $
>> DISHES TO TRY BULGOGI CHEESE KIMCHI OMELET WITH HASH BROWNS AND BIBIMBOP 8
bite | fall 2019
REVIEW
D’AMATO’S >> NEIGHBORHOOD WEST TOWN >> PRICES
$
>> DISHES TO TRY ITALIAN SUB SAUSAGE PIZZA
When you first walk into D’Amato’s Bakery, you are greeted by the comforting smell of freshly baked bread, the indifferent glares from the women working behind the counter, and the panicked realization that this is a cash only establishment. Then you ask a man in line wearing a navy blue adidas tracksuit, his hairy stomach spilling out of the cinched waistband, where the nearest ATM is. He doesn’t respond. He needs his bread. Nothing else matters at the moment, not the two newborns at home, not the gambling debt owed to Jimmy, and especially not a first year college student with Jewish curls spilling out of his beanie who has wandered too far from home. The building itself looks as if the Italian flag was folded into a bakery and placed on the corner of North May and West Grand in West Town. Its green awning wraps around the corner, with a white and red Arial font sign and phone number printed across it. The interior features white tile, burnt orange and red walls, and wood finishings. The menu is written in chalk above the sales counter, divided into sections: Pizza, sold by pan and slice, and subs, sold in 10” and 12” sizes. Two display cases line both walls. One holds baguettes, loaves of delicious bread from the morning, and fresh baked goods like cannolis and truffle cakes. The other holds chocolates and various types of cookies, as well as the pizza; baked in large pans Sicillian-style; square cut, predominantly dough, small layer of sauce, healthy layer of cheese and topping. The selection is limited and dependent on availability, so arrive before 1 o’clock to secure a slice or two. If not, you may be left bartering with the rest of the neighborhood regulars
BY IAN RESNICK PHOTOS BY LINA HAJNAL
for entire pans, 16 slices each, wrapped in brown parchment paper, cloaked in the indelible perfume of yeast and flour. The order is simple and straightforward. Do not stray. It will be hard to get out over the loud banter of the line behind you and the impatience of the cashier, but do not be afraid. Say it with me: “Two slices of sausage pizza and a 10-inch Italian sub.” Maybe add a coffee brewed from the giant brass espresso machine perched on the counter, leaking brown onto the tiles below. A morning fast is required for such a large quantity of food, but trust me. It’s worth it. The pizza will come room temperature, with nuggets of sausage nestled into mountains of browned cheese. This is an anomalous case where the cheese, sauce, and sausage is simply a vehicle for the bread, a refreshing alternative to Chicagostyle deep dish. The sub is just another way to taste the bread, flaky and chewy, with the salami and capicola providing an added touch of flavor. D’Amato’s is the perfect place to kick off a day of self loathing, in the best sense of the term. You are left alone to indulge in large quantities of bread and cheese, sat, if you’re lucky, at the single table against the front window which sits a tenuous three, crying to yourself or your friend about your essay on Foucault and the panopticon. Frank Sinatra plays on the overhead speaker, lulling you into a leavened trance. The food is simple, nostalgic, and filling, perfect for a cold Chicago day and a hangover. The ambiance is equally hostile and homey, as if you’re a fly on a wall in an Italian-American home kitchen, complete with black and white family portraits and a drunk uncle. A lunch at D’Amato’s is an oxymoronic experience, both disorienting and comforting; the perfect weekend excursion for a curious UChicago student who enjoys lyrical jazz, bread, and the unexpected--but especially bread.
reviews
9
REVIEW
TRANSYLVANIA GRILL BY BEN MILLER PHOTOS BY JERRY CAO
>> NEIGHBORHOOD IRVING PARK >> PRICES $$
>> DISHES TO TRY
MITITEI CIORBĂ DE BURTĂ 10
bite | fall 2019
In the height of Autumn, mentions of Transylvania tend to evoke frightful images of dark forests filled with lurking vampires. The mountainous region of Romania that brought us the legend of Dracula is known for its dense woods and imposing castles, and less so for its gourmet food. But beyond the world of Bram Stoker and gothic novels, Transylvania boasts a proud culinary tradition, one conveniently available to sample at Chicago’s own Transylvania Grill. Transylvania Grill is a recent addition to the Northwest Side’s Irving Park neighborhood, a traditional hub of Eastern European and Balkan culture in Chicago. Tastefully designed with maps of Romania and a massive photo of one of Transylvania’s iconic castles, the restaurant is brought to life by its warm and dutiful staff, who make up for mild language challenges with affable and attentive service. The restaurant’s clientele seems to be drawn primarily from the area’s Romanian community, as evidenced by the free-flowing Balkan conversation that bounces around its walls. On a brisk and windy day, nearly every customer in Transylvania Grill was sipping from a bowl of ciorbă, a sour soup regarded as one of Romania’s national dishes. Building off a creamy base, the soup’s trademark tang
comes from a mix of garlic, vinegar, and sour cream, the latter of which Transylvania Grill serves on the side so each customer can add however much suits their taste. The restaurant serves ciorbă with beef and vegetables, but instead look to their most traditional variety: tripe. Dense without being excessively chewy, the buoyant and earthy tripe bursts with broth at every bite. For a main course, go for Transylvania Grill’s take on another of Romania’s culinary staples: a casingless beef and pork sausage known as mititei. Four sizable sausages come with each order, flavored with black pepper, garlic, and coriander and served with piping hot fries. The mititei are pink and tender in the middle but charred and gritty on the outside, a powerful juxtaposition of textures that is heightened by the sharp acidity of the mustard served alongside the dish. Irving Park is a bit of a trek to get to from Hyde Park, and the rich, heavy, and meatfocused menu of Transylvania Grill is frankly not for everyone. Vegetarians and vampirehunters will both be disappointed. But for those willing to make the trip, you can look forward to a unique cultural experience that showcases much of what Romanian cuisine has to offer.
A HISTORY OF BRUNCH abridged
Artisanal and luxurious. Pedestrian and laidback. Sunday mornings have become synonymous with brunch, in its many forms and variations. From the pomp snobbery of upper-class English hunting groups, to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood stars, to the rise of the modern working woman, brunch has evolved to match an ever-shifting cultural and demographic landscape. Here are five key stages:
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BRITAIN, HUNTING, AND THE CHURCH: A HOLY TRINITY
In its less than humble European beginnings, brunch was both a social meal and a cornucopia of indulgence for those able to afford it. With some opining it a quirky twist on the traditional gathering after Church on Sundays, or a Jewish family meal for leisurely mornings, it ultimately served as a sneak-peek into the upper echelons of society. In its early days, brunch was a social gathering of the late 19th century British aristocracy. Gentlemen and ladies would dine together to replenish their energy and satisfy their appetites after spending the morning hunting. These decadent and lavish spreads combined breakfast and lunch, featuring delights such as chicken livers, sliced cheeses, eggs and port wine.
WINDY CITY OF GLITZ AND GLAMOUR
As a stopover train station between LA and NYC, Chicago quickly rose in popularity with movie stars. Throughout the 1920s and 30s, actors and actresses alike would spend Saturday nights in the Windy City. With most restaurants closed on Sunday, hotels quickly caught on to this trend, and places such as the Pump Room at the Ambassador Hotel began playing to the upscale crowd. The glitz and glamour of these stars and starlets popularized brunch for America. With the glamour also came the beginnings of boozy brunches, as the elite often snuck in morning cocktails around Prohibition.
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POST-WAR, TIMES ARE CHANGIN’
From there, brunch exploded in popularity, especially after the end of the Second World War and the start of the decades that came to define a nation. As America experienced its own social and cultural movements, brunch came to reflect these changing demographics. Declining church attendance led to Sunday mornings becoming a time to relax with friends and family. Married women had also entered the workforce and welcomed Sunday brunch as a break from the hectic balancing act of home and career. Brunch was beginning to have the makings of an every-man’s meal. Among the middle class, the stigma surrounding day-drinking also diminished, continuing brunch’s transformation from refined snobbery to egalitarian respite.
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1980S: MORE WANT NOW
As America hurtled towards the end of the millenium, brunch continued to be both a quintessential hangover cure and morning-after meal, complete with day-drinking. Yet, something else began to transform the palate of brunch: mass consumption, America’s new zeitgeist. Chains like Denny’s and IHOP spearheaded the Midwest, representing a fast, cheap and simple meal. Meanwhile, crowds of artists, bohemians and hipsters lounged through New York’s Upper East Side, flocking to both diners and lavish buffets that harkened back to brunch’s upper-class origins.
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BRUNCH AND THE CITY
With continued pop culture prominence thanks to shows such as Sex and the City, or the flood of drool-worthy photos on Instagram, brunch has permanently pervaded today’s cultural mainstream. The variety of brunch is as equally spread as today’s demographics: within Chicago alone, you can find everything from decadent spreads at The Lobby at The Peninsula, to Soho-chic hangouts at The Allis, to hearty cafeteria-style meals at Valois. So what are you waiting for? Grab some friends and start brunching. by illustrations by VERONICA CHANG QINGFENG CHAI features
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POMEGRANATE MOLASSES
BY DANIEL SIMANTOB PHOTOS BY SHREYA MINAMA REDDY
Pomegranate molasses, also referred to as pomegranate concentrate, has sat on the shelves of Middle Eastern markets and pantries for years; however, it has only recently made its introduction into Western households. Not to be confused with blackstrap molasses, pomegranate molasses forgoes the clawing sweetness of its namesake and instead, offers a tart and fruity addition to braises, sauces, drinks, and more. Made from boiling down pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon, pomegranate molasses is used in traditional dishes such as Iranian Fesenjan and Syrian Muhammara, but is versatile enough to work with more than just Middle Eastern flavor palates. Pomegranate molasses can elevate both sweet and savory dishes, such as these two recipes for spare ribs and shortbread cookies.
ORANGE CARDAMOM SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES GLAZE cook
prep 15 minutes 1 hour 20 minutes makes 20 cookies
GET For the cookies: 1⁄2 cup white sugar 1 cup butter (2 sticks) 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 oranges 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract 1⁄2 tsp salt 1 tsp cardamom For the glaze: 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar 1 tsp water or pomegranate juice 1⁄2 tbsp + 1⁄2 tsp pomegranate molasses Optional: Slivered almonds 12
bite | fall 2019
DO
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1⁄2 cup white sugar with the zest of 2 oranges. 2. Add softened butter to sugar and orange zest. Cream together either with a hand mixer, stand mixer, or by hand with a whisk. 3. Gradually add flour and combine until flour is fully incorporated and there are no longer any white spots. 4. Add vanilla extract, salt, and cardamom and mix to combine. 5. Seperate the dough into 2 equal sized portions and use your hands to roll out two logs of the cookie dough with a diameter of about 2 inches. Transfer the logs onto individual sheets of plastic wrap and wrap them covered. If dough if too soft to shape, place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes or until firm enough to handle. 6. Chill cookie dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour or until firm. 7. Once chilled, preheat your oven to 300° F. 8. Remove cookie dough from plastic wrap and cut into 1⁄2 inch slices. 9. Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. 10. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove and allow to cool. 11. While cooling, combine powdered sugar with water or pomegranate juice until a thick paste forms. Once combined, add the pomegranate molasses and stir until combined. 12. Once cookies are chilled, add a small medallion of glaze to the center and top with sliced almonds.
SPARE RIBS WITH POMEGRANATECHIPOTLE BARBECUE SAUCE
20 minutes 2.5 hours makes 4 servings prep
cook
GET 1 rack of spare ribs (2-3 lbs) Note: Remove silverskin on the underside of the ribs before cooking by running your knife underneath and then peeling it back. You can also ask your butcher to do this when you purchase the ribs.
For the sauce 7 chipotle peppers in adobo 1 1⁄2 cup pomegranate juice 1⁄2 cup soy sauce 2 tsp worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 1⁄2 cup ketchup 1 tbsp light brown sugar 1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp apple cider vinegar For the rub 1 tbsp salt 1⁄2 tbsp black pepper 1 tsp brown sugar 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika
DO
1. Preheat oven to 300°F. 2. Place ribs on an 18’’ x 13’’ baking sheet. 3. Combine seasonings and apply liberally to both sides of the ribs. Pat in to make sure they stick to the meat. 4. Cover the sheet pan with an ample amount of aluminum foil. You may want to put 2 layers to make sure no steam releases. 5. Place ribs in the oven for 2 to 2 1⁄2 hours, until they are very tender but not falling apart off the bone. While the ribs are in the oven, prepare the barbecue sauce. 6. Once the ribs are cooked, remove the foil and heat the oven to 450°F. 7. Brush ribs with sauce and allow the sauce to caramelize. Flip and baste the other side. Continue basting and flipping 3-4 times, or until a nice crust develops. 8. Remove the ribs and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut individual ribs along each side of the bone and serve with remaining sauce. For the sauce 1. Add tomato paste and chiles along with the adobo sauce to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the tomato paste darkens a bit and chiles begin giving off a roasted aroma. 2. Add pomegranate juice, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, and pomegranate molasses and whisk to combine. 3. Add ketchup, brown sugar, and paprika. Whisk until wellcombined and dissolved. 4. Bring the mixture to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to low, simmer, and allow to thicken. 5. Once the sauce has reached your desired thickness, turn off the heat and add apple cider vinegar. The sauce should be thick and shiny, but not too thick as you’ll want to apply multiple coats of the sauce to the ribs. 6. Transfer the sauce to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree into a smooth, uniform sauce. 7. Set aside 1⁄2 cup for serving and use the remaining sauce to glaze the ribs. features
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GROCERY STORE EATERIES BY LILY MANSFIELD PHOTOS BY ANGELINA TORRE
For most of us, dining out and grocery shopping are distinct experiences, each being reminiscent of a completely different occasion. Often, eating out is a welcome break from the monotony of buying ingredients and cooking every day. You are not required to orchestrate the meal, only to sit back and take pleasure in your food. However, these two realities don’t always have to be so separate. Enter grocery store eateries, which combine culturally-focused shopping and dining to help alleviate the chore of grocery shopping, or even add a bit of practicality to a weekend jaunt.
H-MART. For those shopping trips where you need to fill a couple reusable tote bags with groceries for the week, H-Mart has everything you need and more. The looming neon H-Mart sign brightens an otherwise dark street, beckoning shoppers to peruse their bountifully stocked aisles featuring specially imported Asian items. If you walk in for a grocery store haul, you can revitalize yourself immediately after with a warm dumpling soup. Or, following the wise proverb, “Never shop on an empty stomach”, you can opt to head straight for the food court. Satisfy yourself with a sizzling hot stone plate of bibimbap, before venturing into the aisles filled with shrimp chips, rice cakes, fresh kimchi, dried and fresh fish, as well as other delightful products. H-Mart offers a quick and delicious meal to go with your weekly grocery shopping after a stressful day, and the unique opportunity to shop for ingredients inspired by its tasty food.
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EATALY. When you want to feel like a tourist in an Italian market setting, Eataly is the place for you. The sight of one patron browsing the carefully curated produce baskets with white wine in hand is Eataly’s shopping in a nutshell. The shelves are impressively stocked with blocks on blocks of parmesan, and olive oil from every region of Italy. The food aisles are carefully designed to delight as you enjoy a pre- or postmeal stroll. While the specialty Italian food products they sell are numerous and span part of two floors, the main business is the eateries. This is not your neighborhood grocery store. Eataly is an indulgent dining and shopping experience, not for the grocery shopper stocking up for the week.
MARTINEZ SUPERMARKET. For a casual night out, followed by picking up some snacks for a movie night, Martinez Supermarket and Grill fits the bill nicely. Upon first glance, Martinez Supermarket looks like your typical neighborhood corner store. Some of the essentials, whatever you might need at last minute notice, are available for purchase. Tucked away at the back of the store is the Martinez Grill. A sign at the register warns that during rush period, the wait can be 20 to 30 minutes. Their tacos are deliciously simple, filled with cilantro, onions and the meat of your choice. After your tacos, you can try some homemade Calabaza en Tacha, a traditional Mexican recipe for candied pumpkin. Martinez will draw you in for an easy week-night meal out, and picking up some ingredients or treats afterwards only sweetens the deal. For anyone, uniting grocery shopping and eating out can be a refreshing take on an everyday experience. Depending on your background, it could be a chance to either learn about a new cuisine or find new inspiration for some familiar ingredients. With all the benefits these grocery-eateries have to offer, it’s safe to say this genre of establishment is here to stay.
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GOT MILK? BY LILY LEVINE PHOTOS BY ANGELA FUNG Enter any grocery store and you will see boxes of non-dairy milk alternatives lining the tall shelves and permeating the cold aisles of the refrigerated section. The previous limitations of almond, coconut, and soy milk have been creatively expanded to include newer, trendier, and more nutritious milk alternatives that were not on the market 10 years ago. Flashback to 2009: the only people drinking non-dairy milk beverages are those who are lactose intolerant. At cafes, and restaurants, baristas only knew 2%, whole, or at most, skim. According to a 2018 study by the University of Virginia School of Medicine, however, worldwide sales of non-dairy milk doubled between 2009 and 2015 to reach $21 billion in revenue, while consumption of cow’s milk decreased by 13%. There are many factors that can be attributed to these numbers, including people’s increased awareness of personal health, plant-based diets, and recently, the environment. Conventional cow’s milk has at least 3 times more of an environmental impact than nondairy substitutes. This is because cows emit large amounts of greenhouse gases and require lots of land and water. Surprisingly, almond milk is not much better: it takes approximately 15 gallons of water to produce just 16 almonds, making the production of almond milk a water-intensive and environmentally-damaging process. Fortunately, these 4 tried and true milks are tasty, sustainable options that you can incorporate into your coffee, smoothies, and cereal! 16
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THESE ARE THE BEST NON-DAIRY ALTERNATIVES OF 2019: Oat milk: The most attention-grabbing of the four, oat milk has slowly ascended to become a customer favorite. It first hit the markets with the Swedish-originating brand Oatly, which has since gained a cult following for their product’s rich, creamy, and smooth flavor. While oat milk contains more carbs and calories than other non-dairy alternatives, it is normally enriched with vitamins and minerals and contains beta-glucans, which are soluble fibers that have potential heart health benefits. Additionally, this milk alternative is nut, dairy, and soy-free, with many brands also producing gluten-free oat milk.
Macadamia nut milk: Like oat milk, this nut milk is increasing in popularity and macadamias are predicted to be harvested at a record-breaking 53,500 tons in Australia this year. It is most famously associated with the brand Milkadamia, and it has the highest levels of monounsaturated fats of all the nut milks, which can lower your risk for heart disease and stroke. It is thick and creamy with a slightly fruity flavor that would perfectly complement your morning cup of coffee.
Hemp milk: Packed with plant-based complete proteins, hemp milk might be your new favorite pre or post-workout boost. Its benefits are numerous: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids lower cholesterol, magnesium alkalizes and boosts energy levels, and iron delivers oxygen to your vital systems. Even better, hemp milk is a sustainable option that does not deplete nutrients from the soil and only uses â…“ of the water that almond milk requires. It is slightly nutty in flavor, with a consistency that sits somewhere between soy and almond milk.
Pea milk: Popularized by the brand Ripple Foods, this milk is made from yellow peas and has a thick, smooth consistency and a subtle peataste. Unlike other milks, the protein content of pea milk is comparable to that of cow’s milk. The drink also contains branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which promote muscle growth and can regulate blood sugar. Additionally, it is lower in carbs and calories than other milks, making it a good choice for diabetics and health-conscious consumers alike.
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Burlap, Barrel, and Black Urfa Chili: One Man’s VENTURE TO DEMYSTIFY THE SPICE TRADE 1
1 Bakari, a farmer, holding a clove tree sprout in Pemba Tanzania 2 Left to right: Ethan Frisch, Amilcar Perreira (farmer), Juan Manuel Giron (local agronomist who works with an NGO
Alta Verapaz, Guatemala
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By Maya Osman-Krinsky / Photos by Ethan Frisch In the summer of 2017, Ethan Frisch’s mornings started with wheeling a granny cart full of one-and-a-half ounce spice jars to the post office, bantering with the employees, and returning home to his one-bedroom apartment in Queens. Ethan spent his days scooping cinnamon for restaurants and home chefs in his living room, and packaging and shipping orders himself.
3 Unripe vanilla on the vine, Pemba, Tanzania
When I spoke over WhatsApp with Ethan Frisch in October 2019, it was nearly 10pm in Zanzibar. He’d just come from a day of checking in with the farmers he works with to export cinnamon and cloves from Pemba Island, but he sounded more energized than tired. With his co-founder Ori Zohar, Ethan runs Burlap and Barrel, a singleorigin spice company and public benefit corporation that facilitates the export and sale of small rural farmers’ spices. The company reimagines the trade’s supply chains as transparent, equitable systems, rather than bureaucratic, opaque, and exploitative labyrinths. Ethan explains, “There’s a lot to be said for putting money in people’s hands and letting them make decisions.”
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Talking about his relationships with the farmers, Ethan’s voice fills with intensity. Burlap and Barrel works in thirteen countries, mostly with farmers who have never exported for themselves. Small farmers usually sell their products to local buyers, who consolidate the spice with other farmers’ products. In the process, high-quality products get mixed with lower-quality ones and the uniqueness of certain farmers’ products disappears in a huge vat. Each farmer’s contribution to the whole is small and their compensation, once the buyers take their cut, is even smaller. Burlap and Barrel’s model is to give farmers direct control over what they grow, how they grow it, how they sell it, and how they distinguish it from other products on the market. 4 Sio (farmer) holding fresh nutmeg fruit in Zanzibar, Tanzania 5 Cloves in Pemba, Tanzania
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Ethan has married his passions for food and social justice before. After a post-college stint as a pastry chef and line-cook, Ethan worked with the Urban Justice Center’s Street Vendor Project, a group that organizes mostly immigrant vendors to protect their rights. In a storeroom, Ethan found an abandoned icecream cart and with Ori, founded Guerilla Ice Cream. With bold flavors inspired by global political movements, their summer venture made food headlines, but ended when Ethan relocated to Afghanistan to work on infrastructure and local governance with the Aga Khan Foundation. Ethan befriended a father and son who ran a spice shop near his apartment in Kabul. As he learned about different local varieties of familiar spices, he started sneaking them home to New York to share with friends in
the industry. He got overwhelmingly positive feedback. Seeing that food could change the way people thought about the world, Ethan dug more deeply into the world of spices. A Tanzanian-American friend working on a coffee export project introduced him to a spice co-op in Zanzibar. Ethan later got in contact with a Guatemalan spice farmer, and then a colleague from Badakhshan, a province in Afghanistan famous for its wild cumin. Starting with these three countries, he learned how to import spices legally, built a website and a brand, and went door-to-door to New York City restaurants selling samples out of his backpack. The response was powerful. Chefs were excited to try spices, hear the stories behind the new ingredients, and explore varieties of
the product they’d never used before – the deep, smoky Urfa Pepper, the bright, spicy Cinnamon Verum, the fresh and fragrant Wild Mountain Cumin. Ethan was excited by the confirmation of the quality of his products by chefs who had access to the highest-quality ingredients in the world. This affirmation meant that in a matter of months, Burlap and Barrel expanded from wholesale to online retail, holiday-gift style. Ethan moved the company out of his apartment and increased imports from a few hundred pounds to fifteen tons of spices per year. Burlap and Barrel has graduated from granny carts and is changing how we think spices should taste, all the while taking the bitterness of exploitation out of their distribution networks.
Meet THE FARMERS
20 bite | fall 2019
Max Alta Verapaz, Guatemala Foreman on the farm
Don Rafael Alta Verapaz, Guatmala Spice: Cardamom
Bekir Bey Urfa, Turkey Spice: Urfa chilis
Macario Alta Verapaz, Guatemala Spice: Cardamom
Muhammad Ali Mmanga Pemba, Tanzania Spice: Vanilla and cloves
Rejeb Ali Pemba, Tanzania Spice: Black pepper
Bakari (farmer) holding black pepper in Zanzibar, Tanzania
BY MICHAEL SHEN prep
1 hour 30 minutes
cook
4 hours 15 minutes
makes
9 duck legs
PHOTOS BY ANGELA SHA
GET 1/3 cup salt 3 bay leaves, crumbled 2 tbsp ground black peppercorns 4-6 springs of fresh thyme, or 1 tbsp dried thyme 9 duck legs1 1-3 bulbs garlic, peeled 1-2 medium-sized pieces of ginger, roughly chopped into large chunks.
DUCK CONFIT Confit comes from the French word confire - to preserve. While historically used to refer to any sort of preserved food, it is now increasingly used to describe a method of cooking an item, generally in its own fat, low and slow. Whether you are missing your study abroad experience in Paris or looking to make a decadent dish to share with friends, duck confit is the recipe for you. Don’t have a jar of duck fat in your fridge? No worries rendering the fat from the duck legs themselves will result in enough delicious fat to submerge the legs for a low and slow trip in the oven. Once strained, the leftover fat is a gift that keeps on giving and can be stored for future use in recipes such as garlic confit, roasted potatoes, and duck fat pancakes.
DO 1. Defrost duck legs. Once defrosted, pat dry with a paper towel. 2. Begin gently poking holes in the skin and fat on the duck legs, taking care to not pierce through to the meat. This will help render the fat necessary for the confit. 3. Combine salt, bay leaves, and black peppercorns in a small bowl (include thyme if using dried thyme). Rub spice mixture onto both sides of the duck legs and brush off any excess. 4. Chill overnight in refrigerator in sealable plastic bags. 5. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 6. Get a roasting pan, cast-iron skillet, or other oven-safe container. Place duck legs 7. skin-side down into the container and add garlic cloves, thyme springs, ginger chunks, and a splash of water. Position duck legs snugly within container to allow all duck legs to be as submerged in the rendered duck fat as possible.2 8. Place in oven for 4 hours. Flip legs halfway. 9. After 4 hours, transfer duck legs to sheet pan and return to oven at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes until skin is crisp. Watch closely during this step to prevent skin from burning. 10. Serve and enjoy! 1 H-Mart on West Jackson sells frozen duck legs in packs of 3. Scale down this recipe appropriately for different amounts of duck. 2 Highly recommend adding more garlic during this step to be confit in the rendered duck fat. Personal experience has found the garlic confit to be as, if not more, popular than the duck confit itself.
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BY SETH MARKOW PHOTOS BY CAMERON LAM
CAULIFLOWER HUMMUS 10 minutes cook 40 minutes makes A snack for 3-8 prep
Cauliflower hummus. As a Lebanese professor of mine pointed out, the name “hummus” is in fact a misnomer in this case. To be technical, “hummus” means “chickpeas” in Arabic, and so the exclusion of that ingredient in this recipe would make it qarnabit bi tahini, if we were to be entirely accurate. Regardless of nomenclature, this is a spicy twist on everyone’s favorite chickpea-tahini dip. Replacing the chickpeas with roasted cauliflower allows this dip to achieve a similar texture and heaviness to that of traditional hummus, but brings out the flavor of the spices and garlic in the dip more strongly. The flatbreads that accompany it are the best way to enjoy the dip, but regular chips will suffice in a pinch.
GET For the cauliflower 1 head cauliflower 5-6 cloves garlic 1 lemon Salt Cracked black pepper Red pepper flakes 5 tbsp olive oil Parsley and paprika (for garnish) For the tahini 1 16-oz jar of tahini 1 tbsp kosher salt 1.5 tsp cumin 1 lemon 1.5 cups ice water For the flatbread 2 cups flour, plus some for surfaces ¾ tsp baking powder 2 tsp kosher salt 1 cup plain yogurt (not Greek) 4 tbsp olive oil 22
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DO For the base 1. Preheat the oven to 350F 2. Remove the leaves and stem of the cauliflower, then slice into large, thin sheets and place evenly on a baking sheet. Place whole garlic cloves strategically among the cauliflower. Generously season with salt, pepper, and red pepper, then drizzle olive oil and squeeze lemon over top. Bake in oven for 35 minutes. 3. While the cauliflower bakes, place tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and salt into food processor. Process into a thick, mud-like paste, then while processing, slowly pour in the ice water. 4. Remove the cauliflower, and add it to the food processor with the tahini mixture. Process until thick and creamy. Garnish with parsley and paprika. For the flatbread 1. Sift together dry ingredients, then add the yogurt. Mix until a solid dough-ball forms. May require kneading with your hands. Cut the dough into four even pieces, and let rest for 15 minutes. 2. On a flat, floured surface, roll out each dough-ball to about 1 cm thickness. 3. Heat 1 tbsp oil over a large skillet. Once hot, lay one rolledout ball in the pan. Cook until well-browned with black spots, about 3 minutes each side. 4. Repeat step 3 until all the flatbread is cooked. 5. Bring to a boil, stir, then add rice
SOURDOUGH WAFFLES BY KATE KAPLIN PHOTOS BY OCTAVIA ZHOU 20 minutes 10 minutes makes 4 servings, 6-8 waffles prep
cook
GET For night before 1 cup sourdough starter discard 1 cup whole milk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tbsp light brown sugar For day of 1 large egg 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 tbsp light brown sugar 1 tsp baking soda Optional Toppings maple syrup fruit chocolate chips nuts
The special ingredient in these waffles adapted from the New York Times is sourdough starter, a concoction of fermented yeast often used to make bread. In order to make the starter, you have to combine a small amount of flour with warm water and slowly “feed” it every day by adding its weight in equal parts flour and water until you end up with a bubbly, sour, and viscous substance. The bubbles are a sign of the natural yeast in the flour digesting the glucose in the flour, creating CO2 as a byproduct. Due to the fact that you are doubling the starter every time you feed it, you have to constantly throw some of it out so that your entire home does not get taken over by sourdough starter. That’s where these waffles come in! They use that discard and turn them into delicious, slightly tangy, light and fluffy waffles.
DO 1. The night before, place the starter, whole milk, all-purpose flour, and light brown sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine. 2. Cover the bowl and let it rest overnight at room temperature. 3. The following morning, whisk the egg, melted butter, and vanilla in a small bowl and add to the starter mixture. 4. Stir in the salt, sugar, and baking soda. 5. When ready to cook, pour some of the waffle batter into a preheated, greased waffle iron and cook until golden brown and crispy. 6. Serve immediately with whatever toppings you choose.
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GRIBENES AND SCHMALTZ ON TOAST BY PAIGE RESNICK PHOTOS BY GRACE PEGUESE
Once an elderly woman at Trader Joes told me, completely unsolicited, “God made fat so things would taste good.” Forget darkness, light, Adam, and Eve; fat is the most important creation. And this dish is sure going to give you a lot of it. For the people who are afraid of fat--don’t be. It brings flavor, depth, and richness, and it’s a totally free substitute for olive oil or butter. I’m not gonna lie to
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you--this dish is not something you are going to eat every day for the sake of your arteries. But it certainly is going to taste good and leave you with a jar of chicken fat to keep in the fridge for later. Big win. Gribenes and schmaltz are a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish; gribenes being fried chicken skins and schmaltz being the rendered fat that is naturally produced when you cook the skins down. Gribenes are affectionately called Jewish bacon because of their similarity to the delicious porky product, but still abiding to Kosher law. Jewish food isn’t particularly mainstream, but I think this modern take on the classic is sure to convert many (who doesn’t love crispy, salty chicken skins?! Hot take, it’s the best part of the chicken). Slapped on a piece of toast with some crisp veggies and herbs for brightness and a little lemon juice to cut the fat, this open-faced wonder tastes like a Jewish BLT. You may be wondering, where do I find a pound of chicken skin? A butcher tends to only sell chicken skin in 40-pound cases to restaurants, so for a more manageable amount it’s best to buy bone-in skin-on chicken legs (the kind with the drumstick and thigh attached). That cut of meat tends to have the most skin, and about 6 of them will yield the right amount. Just pull the skin off with your hands and save the legs for another use. I made coq au vin blanc the next day and it was delicious.
GET 1lb chicken skins with fat 1 medium Spanish onion, thinly sliced Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 slices Jewish rye bread 1 small celery stalk, thinly sliced, for garnish 2 radishes, thinly sliced, for garnish Italian parsley leaves, for garnish Chives, finely chopped, for garnish Freshly squeezed lemon juice, for garnish Flakey sea salt, for garnish
DO 1. Cut the chicken skins into ½ to 1-inch pieces. It’s fine if they are irregular, as they will cook down and shrivel. It’s easiest to cut these slippery suckers with kitchen shears or scissors, but a sharp knife works too if you have patience. 2. Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the chicken skins and turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook, removing the lid occasionally to stir and release any stuck bits from the bottom, until the skins are no longer pink and much of the fat has rendered, about 15 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until all the fat has rendered and the skins are just starting to brown, about 5 minutes further.
3. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the skin and onions are dark and crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to scrape up as much of the stuck bits as you can while cooking--you want it to be crispy, not burnt. Transfer the gribenes to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon to drain. 4. Strain all but one tablespoon of the rendered schmaltz into a mason jar or other heat-safe container. Refrigerate for another use (chicken confit perhaps?). Don’t be lazy and skip the straining--the leftover burnt bits will give the schmaltz a funky taste when you try to cook with it again. 5. Toast the bread in the pan with the remaining schmaltz until golden and crunchy, about 2 minutes on each side 6. It’s time to assemble these bad boys! Top each slice of bread with equal portions of the gribenes. Garnish with a scattering of celery, a few slices of radish, a couple parsley leaves, and some chives. Squeeze some lemon juice and sprinkle some flakey sea salt. The gribenes are just a canvas, baby. Embrace your inner food artist and give it some flare. recipes
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BY HENNA NAM PHOTOS BY GRACE PEGUESE
Tradtional vs Vegan
KIMCHI JJIGAE 15 minutes cook 45 minutes makes 4 servings prep
GET
For Traditional Kimchi 2 cups anchovy stock or water1 1 tbsp sesame oil ½ pound pork, cut into bite size pieces 2 cloves garlic 2 cups aged kimchi and kimchi liquid, cut into bite size pieces Spring onions ½ cup Korean radish, diced ½ Tbsp soy sauce ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) ½ tbsp doenjang (Korean bean paste) 2 tsp sugar
Kimchi jjigae is a classic Korean stew and one of my personal favorites— it’s easy to make, can incorporate lots of random leftovers in your fridge, and, of course, tastes delicious. Intended for sharing and served with a bowl of rice and banchan (side dishes), kimchi jjigae is my go-to comfort food—especially in the winter. Traditional versions of this dish vary, but all use older, well-fermented kimchi. Other typical ingredients include beef, pork, or seafood, as well as tofu, spring onions, garlic, and some staple Korean seasonings.
DO 1. Heat sesame oil in a medium sized pot. Add pork and sauté on medium high to start browning the meat, then add garlic and lower the temperature to medium. 2. Add diced Korean radish and cook until slightly translucent. 3. Add sliced kimchi and liquid. Increase temperature to medium high and cook for 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine two tablespoons of the anchovy broth with the soy sauce, gochugaru, gochujang, doenjang, and sugar. 4. Pour the anchovy broth (or water) and sauce mixture into the pot and bring to a boil. 5. Serve! If it tastes too sour or spicy, balance out the flavors by adding a little more sugar. 1
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I usually make a huge batch of this (5 quarts water, 5-10 anchovies, an onion (quartered), a few pieces of sea kelp, and dried shiitake mushrooms) and then freeze in individual portions. Can be substituted for an equal volume of water.
Given the state of the environment and the effect of domesticated animals on climate change, I have many friends who have transitioned to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Although I have experimented with making such a transition myself, I have struggled with giving up some of my childhood favorites—and I know I’m not alone. This recipe attempts to provide an alternative for vegan and vegetarian readers that do not compromise on those nostalgic flavors central to traditional kimchi jjigae. 15 minutes 45 minutes makes 4 servings prep
cook
GET For Vegan Kimchi 2 cups vegetable stock or water2 1 tbsp sesame oil 8 shiitake mushrooms 1 package extra firm tofu ½ onion 2 cloves garlic 2 cups aged kimchi and kimchi liquid, cut into bite size pieces Spring onions ½ cup Korean radish, diced ½ tbsp soy sauce ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) ½ tbsp doenjang (Korean bean paste) 2 tsp sugar
DO 1. (optional) I like to pan-fry my tofu until crispy and golden brown prior to starting! You could also just add later with the broth, but I think the pan-fry adds dimension. 2. Heat sesame oil and mushrooms in a medium sized pot. Sauté until softened, then add garlic. Add diced Korean radish and cook until slightly translucent. 3. Add sliced kimchi and kimchi liquid. Increase temperature to medium high and cook for 3-5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine two tablespoons of vegetable broth with soy sauce, gochugaru, gochujang, doenjang, and sugar. 4. Pour the vegetable broth (or water) and sauce 5. Serve! If it tastes too sour or spicy, add a little more sugar.
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As above, a large batch can be made and then frozen into individual portions. Just take out the anchovies!
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28 bite | fall 2019