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dear foo d ie s & fr i en d s We are so excited to share with you the Spring 2018 issue of Bite Magazine! Summer is just around the corner, and we are so lucky to have had you along with us throughout this excellent year of cooking and dining in Chicago. Within the pages of this issue, we examine some of Chicago’s food staples, like italian beef (8) and seafood – unexpected in the Midwest, but certainly delicious (13). We explore a market very far away from our own – La Boqueria de Barcelona (9). We experiment with different brands of butter to see if quality actually impacts the taste of the end product (15). In our reviews, we are evoking our memories and experiences of spring, like in the lavender lemon pound cake (18) and the chantilly choux pastries (19). As you read through these pages, we hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it! We’ll see you next year!
the editors 1
bite | SPRING 2018 BITE | WINTER 2017
table of contents 3 ssyal ginseng house 4 maillard tavern 5 Tied house 6 Peach’s on 47th 7 S.K.Y. 8 ITALIAN BEEF around chicago 9 la boqueria de barcelona 12 honeydoe 13 chicago seafood 15 battle of the butters 17 soy braised bacon 18 LAVENDER LEMON POUND CAKE 19 CHANTILLY CHOUX PASTRIES 21 SPROUTED MUNG BEAN BURGERS Editor-in-Chief Karen sung Managing editor Paige Resnick creative director KATHRYN YIN COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR MELANIE WANG PROGRAMMING DIRECTOR FIONA GASAWAY designers BONNIE HU, CHRISTIE DU, evan xiang, GRACE BRIDGES, JIHANA MENDU, NORA LIN, SUHASNI SINGH, YARRA ELMASRY, YUNA SONG, YOLANDA YU writers ALAN YANG, alyce oh, amanda wilson, analiese batchelor, ANDY HUFf, DAPHNE XU, ELI HARTER, JOSEPH DONAHUE, KATiE MCPOLIN, MOYO ABIONA, nick ogilvie, NIKITA COUTINHO, OLIVIA XIONG, paige resnick, PARKER MEE, RACHEL WEINBREN, wendy zheng photographers alden herrera, ANDY ZHAO, ANGELA FUNG, eliot, zapata, FIONA GASAWAY, GABBY LUU, GIOVANNA DECASTRO, grace peguese, JENNY KIM, julia rose camus, MARIA XU, michelle zhou, nora bradford, sarah larson, YARRA ELMASRY COVER PHOTO SARAH LARSON
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REVIEW:
Ssyal ginseng house neighborhood
Albany Park pRICES
$$ dISHES TO TRY
Kongbiji jjigae
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bite | SPRING 2018
by Wendy Zheng photos BY Jenny kim
Located in one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the United States, Ssyal Ginseng House in Albany Park has been a family owned mainstay on Lawrence Avenue for twenty-nine years, a physical remnant of Chicago’s disappearing “Seoul Drive,” or Koreatown. Starting as a ginseng farm in Woodside, Illinois in 1988, and upgrading to a restaurant in 1994, Ssyal Ginseng House specializes in dishes with ginseng, a plant root typically used in Asian cuisine, such as their ginseng wine, ginseng ice cream, and most importantly, ginseng whole chicken soup, or samgyetang. The restaurant is modestly decorated except for the gargantuan medicinal jar of ginseng in the corner of the dining room and the yellow cartoon chicken on the door and silverware packaging. Although there is no music playing, the atmosphere of the restaurant is lively, bustling with the conversation between the primarily Korean patrons and the two ajummas waiting the tables. The menu options are extensive, covering the essentials like soondubu, bibimbap, and bulgogi, and those not as commonly seen like jjimdak (Korean braised chicken) and dakdori tang (Korean spicy chicken soup). We ended up ordering their specialty samgyetang with homegrown ginseng, kongbiji jjigae (kimchi and ground soybean stew), and tteokbokki. Unlike other Korean restaurants, the banchan (small side dishes) came with the main dish rather than before. The spread was impressive; the kimchi noticeably made in house and the bean sprouts perfectly salted. My favorites out of the six were definitely the fresh bok choy and cucumber salad and the radish kimchi, both delightfully crisp
and fresh. However, the banchan looked insignificant compared to the protruding stalk of ginseng and cornish hen carcass in the samgyetang. Despite its intimidating appearance, the broth tasted like a mild, yet high quality, chicken broth, with a slight medicinal flavor from the jujubes, garlic, and sticky rice stuffed in the cornish hen. The cornish hen itself was unbelievably tender, falling off the bone with the least bit of effort. After adding in the accompanying dish of salt and green onions, the soup was extremely satisfying and melded flawlessly with the mixed bean rice. Although the samgyetang thoroughly exceeded my expectations, the real standout for me was, unexpectedly, the kongbiji jjigae, a humble homely stew of ground soybeans and kimchi. Even though this version of the dish was vegetarian, the stew itself had an incredibly decadent and creamy texture from the ground soybeans, coating every rice granule with a comforting, subtly spicy, fermented flavor. The one thing that I thought could be improved was the tteokbokki as the sauce was slightly too sweet for my taste; however, I did appreciate the amount of vegetables and fish cake they mixed with the rice cake. Overall, I would highly recommend Ssyal Ginseng House for excellent renditions of Korean homestyle fare uncommonly seen on typical Korean restaurant menus. Although the number of Korean owned businesses on Seoul Drive are rapidly decreasing (158 in 1997 to 50 in 2014), a visit to Ssyal Ginseng House is a tasty introduction to Albany Park’s rich history as a center for diverse, people-of-color-owned, commercial activity.
REVIEW:
Maillard Tavern
by Parker Mee photos By maria
The creators behind Piccolo Songo and Nonnina, Tony Priolo and Ciro Longobardo, have launched their newest venture, Maillard Tavern. Maillard Tavern is a form of a love letter to the burger and other similar sandwiches. Two of the dishes we sampled were the Grass Fed Burger, a vegetarian burger, and the Sloppy Giuseppe, a sandwich with a wild boar ragu. The Grass Fed Burger utilized the Impossible Foods Burger, a burger which is made entirely of wheat, coconut oil, and potatoes. This burger was a fascinating blend of spicy and tangy, with a finishing note of umami. The addition of mushrooms, cilantro, and a chipotle mayo contributed to these exciting flavors. The Impossible Burger tastes incredibly similar to an actual beef burger. The burger would have been an incredibly good beef burger, but it was still very enjoyable as a non-beef patty. However, the Sloppy Giuseppe was slightly less impressive. While the description stated that the sandwich would be made of a spiced wild boar ragu and some crispy onions, the main drawback of the Sloppy Giuseppe was the lack of true spice to the dish. I expected a take on a sloppy Joe to have a kick or strong tomato taste, but this sandwich lacked both. The lack of spice or flavor, past the flavor of the potato bun, honestly detracted from what could’ve been a really interesting dish. While the use of wild boar had the possibility of making this sandwich something special, the lack of any true standout flavor left me wishing I had ordered something different.
xu
One of the saving graces of the meal was the duck fat Norwis fries. It would be expected that a burger place would have good fries, but the effort placed into these fries was clearly evident. They had a good crisp, but they were not overdone. Unlike the overstuffed feeling which seems to permeate the body after eating an order of Five Guys fries, the fries here had a nice lightness to them that did not linger in an uncomfortable fashion. The saltiness didn’t overpower the flavor from the potatoes or the duck fat. Overall, the fries were some of the best I’ve ever had. The cap on the experience was the milkshake. The use of not only ice cream, but also Crème Anglaise, led to one of the creamiest milkshakes I’ve ever had. While I’m not sure if it is worth the $7 price tag, this shake is incredibly delicious. Overall, Maillard Tavern is a restaurant that is trying to push into the realm of new and creative burger creation. I would assume that a burger joint’s sandwiches would be top notch, so I wanted to try their other products. Alternate dishes should be as high quality as your mainstays. While I give Maillard Tavern props for attempting something different from the rest, the Sloppy Giuseppe fell a little short when it came to the flavor profile. The delicious Grass Fed Burger, fries, and milkshakes showed the true heights of what Maillard Tavern can achieve, and I would highly suggest going and trying the food for yourself.
NEIGHBORHOOD
River West PRICES
$$
DISHES TO TRY
Duck fat Norwis fries
reviews Reviews
4 4
REVIEW:
TIED HOUSE by Amanda Wilson photos by Julia Rose Camus
Popular throughout the preProhibition-era United States, ‘tied houses’ represented breweries by only serving one company’s alcohol, thus ensuring the two were ‘tied’ together. The 115-year-old brick building on the corner of Southport and Belmont, today known as Schubas Tavern, a beloved eclectic music venue in the heart of Lakeview, used to be one such tied house. And while no longer tied to any brewery, the team responsible for renovating the dining spaces wished to preserve the venue’s heritage. After a complete demolition of Harmony Grill, Tied House has taken its place to offer an upscale prelude to a night out at Schubas. The two-story restaurant is simple and elegant, with wide floor-toceiling windows, an 800 square foot patio ideal for enjoying summer cocktails, and a fireplace painted teal to match Schubas’s accents. Chef Debbie Gold boasts a James Beard award and an appearance on Top Chef: Masters in addition to an impressive traditional French culinary background. Her French training clearly shines with dishes like Berkshire Pork Terrine and a decadent Chocolate Mousse, but it is her sophistication and restraint which makes the restaurant singular. Carnoroli Porridge, a savory oatmeal-like dish better described as a funky risotto, sits in a deep magenta beet broth with the subtlest hint of licorice. A cured duck egg yolk rests atop a square, silky potatofilled Raviolo, the singular form of ravioli; when broken, the yolk mingles with a delicately fishy dashi broth. The Short Rib is plated like a typical French dessert: a perfect rectangle of beef braised in a sticky black garlic sauce, crowned by chanterelle mushrooms so similar in color and texture to the short rib that only flavor distinguishes the two, and guarded by four “Parisian Potatoes”, essentially marble-sized fried mashed potato spheres. Don’t skip the bread and smears just because they’re not complimentary – the Seeded Rye Bread is wonderfully nutty, 5
bite | SPRING 2018
and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a wider variety of spreads elsewhere in Chicago. The Crème Fraiche and Honey Comb is a graceful crowd-pleaser, and the Green Tomato Marmalade is imbued with a remarkable smokiness. As one expects from a French chef, Chef Gold’s desserts shine, so don’t leave without ordering the Chocolate Mousse. Not only does it lay in a bed of brown butter, the mousse is also laced with brown butter, folded in just before the dessert is plated. The other desserts don’t disappoint, either. Tangy Sheep’s Milk Yogurt Ice Cream sits on rich crème patisserie (the pastry cream that fills eclairs and cream puffs) and cajeta (caramel made with goat’s milk for complexity). Dark Chocolate is an homage to the quintessential after-school snack of children in France of baguettes slathered in Nutella, here elevated with buttery toasted bread and generous flakes of sea salt. Although Tied House is one of a slew of the latest upscale restaurants on the north side of the city, it stands out for its matchless ambiance, best described as unpretentious elegance.
neighborhood
Lakeview pRICES
$$$
dISHES TO TRY
Berkshire pork terrine
REVIEW:
Peach’s on 47th by Katie McPolin photos by Kathryn Yin
neighborhood
Bronzeville
We headed out on an unseasonably warm Wednesday morning with two hours to kill before class, the type of morning I would typically idle away in my pajamas at the kitchen table by a sunny window. Only two stops down from Garfield on the Green Line, Peach’s on 47th beckoned to us like the “diner next door”: close enough to Hyde Park to offer all the convenience of home, but sparkling with the promise of a new neighborhood. Our photographer, Kathryn, hummed with excitement about the duck bowl -- a bright and unusual breakfast hash -- and a friend, Anjali, about her first bowl of grits. I was mostly looking forward to my first cup of coffee of the day. Peach’s is only about a block and a half from the 47th Green Line station. By the time we crossed the street, we could see the windows lined with families toting strollers and old friends catching up over pancakes. We asked for three hot coffees, feigning intrigue as we gave the menu the once-over (as if we had not obsessively perused it already on the train). We ordered a peach bourbon french toast to split, a duck bowl, a bowl of shrimp and cheese grits, and a plate of fried chicken with honey butter and cinnamon french toast. Unfazed, our server immediately pulled out an extra stack of napkins for us as she headed into the kitchen. As our dishes arrived, we frantically
shuffled our things to make space for our feast. Kathryn spied her duck bowl from across the room: a rich, cheesy farmer’s breakfast, complete with duck bacon (hard to find in Chicago!). Anjali’s grits were creamy and hot -- she was an instant believer. And my fried chicken, perched on a stack of soft, sticky french toast, was moist and crunchy. Our server handed us the peach bourbon french toast, placing a tiny bowl of peach compote directly in front of me. I had to stop myself from immediately scooping up all of this gloriously gooey topping, darkly sweet and rich. It is a miracle we were all able to shake our food coma and hop back on the train in time to return for 11:00 classes, but we managed with time to spare. Peach’s is a fledgling powerhouse -- the restaurant has already been featured in Condé Nast Traveler and participated in Chicago Black Restaurant Week 2018. It also boasts a successful catering service and sells their house coffee blend, available at the Hyde Park Whole Foods. Something about doubling down on french toast and hash makes you feel warm, full, and ready for the day, like finding a note from your mom inside your lunch box. Peach’s on 47th was the highlight of my day and my week, and for a breakfast spot only a Chicago mile from our campus, I know I will be returning the morning before my next big midterm or presentation.
pRICES
$
dISHES TO TRY
Peach bourbon french toast
reviews
6 6
REVIEW:
S.K.Y by Melanie Wang photos bY Michelle Zhou
neighborhood
Pilsen pRICES
$$$
dISHES TO TRY
Maine lobster dumplings Black truffle croquettes
Tucked away on a street corner of Pilsen, S.K.Y. is Chef Stephen Gillanders’ first restaurant, and it does not disappoint. Named after Gillanders’ wife, whose initials are S.K.Y., the place is welcoming and artfully designed, fitting well into the vibrant art culture that is at the core of Pilsen’s character. The entrance is simple and subtle, enticing you to enter without so much as a sign on the wall. The inside is muted and elegant, featuring mostly stone bricks and wooden tables. It provides a homey, feel-good atmosphere that fits the more casual attitude of the restaurant. This is a place to indulge in exciting food without the fuss, the frills, or the breaking of your bank account. At S.K.Y., Chef Gillanders blends together dishes and flavors from varying Asian cultures, making his restaurant much more than the typical New American dining experience that has flooded Chicago in recent years. With our waitress’s help, we settled on two, three-course dim sum brunches, and a few à la carte items for the four of us. The Asian inspiration shines through in the presentation, as brunch plates come out in small dim sum steamers, and the plated items on blue-accented white china. The meshing of different food cultures works well, as it pleases the palate and the aesthetic. The dim sum included an assortment of pastries, the highlight being the hint-of-spice cornbread
Berkshire Pork Terrine Chocolate Mousse 7
bite | SPRING 2018
madeleines that were crumbly, sweet, and incredibly moist. These were soon followed by our à la carte items: the rich Black Truffle Croquettes and the Maine Lobster Dumplings. Both items are worth the hype–as S.K.Y. transitions its menu seasonally, these are two of the items that remain staples no matter the time of year, a testament to their popularity and genius. The croquettes are balanced nicely by the frisé that accompanies them, as they cut the dense richness of the truffle and cheddar. The lobster dumplings come drenched in a lemony herb sauce, featuring a fermented green chili reduction that results in a bright and springy flavor with a pleasant spice. The unofficial star of the menu, the organic fried chicken, lives up to expectations. The crispy chicken thigh is seasoned with garlic and chili flakes, complete with a satisfyingly crunch exterior. This is all complemented by a fiery fermented habanero sauce and creamed corn, creating a balanced flavor-texture experience with just the right amount of kick to it. Each bite is a journey; first crispy, then tender, then spicy, and finally balanced by the softer, creamier corn. S.K.Y. may only be in its first year, but expect this restaurant to stick around. Chef Gillanders’ Asianinspired cuisine plays with your tastebuds and takes you on a journey of flavor culture, all nestled in the heart of Pilsen.
italian beef around chicago Chicago has three signature foods that are ineffable parts of the city’s culture: the deep dish pizza, the Chicago dog, and the Italian beef sandwich. Two of these dishes, Chicago pizza and hot dogs, are well known by name throughout the country. I had seen them in restaurants, ordered them before, and most of my friends seemed to have at least a vague idea of them. And then there is the Italian beef, a dish I had never even heard of until my admissions rep mentioned it at a presentation for UChicago. Most of my friends here also don’t know what this great sandwich is. So for all of you Chicago transplants looking to fall even further in love with this city, I have created a primer on Italian Beef. The Italian beef sandwich is made of beef which has been seasoned in garlic and herbs and cooked until its juices form into an au jus. The beef is then placed in an Italian roll. Traditionally, the beef is served with a spoonful of sauce over it, with either hot giardiniera, which is a Chicago relish of pickled vegetables, or grilled green peppers. You can also ask for the sandwich dry, dipped in au jus, or with cheese and marinara, depending on your location. For me, the classic “one beef hot” is still the undisputed best, but everybody should try their own combination to discover their favorite. The Italian beef sandwich has nebulous origins, made even more confusing by the restaurants that serve it. Most understandings of the food date to the early twentieth century, with Italian immigrants trying to make beef stretch into more meals. The first recorded restaurant to serve the dish is Scala’s Original in 1925, but everywhere in Chicago claims its origins. Even Buona, which wasn’t founded until 1981, has signs proclaiming it to be the first. Don’t let this concern you. It’s not about the original. It’s about the best. In order to provide the best guide I could, I traveled to the three places: Portillo’s, Al’s, and Buona. All have been called the best Italian beef on earth, but that’s where the similarities end for these three
BY ANDY HUFF
sandwiches. Buona was the most upscale of the places I went. To be honest, it was a bit disorienting being served an Italian beef on a plate instead of a paper bag. But they still had their Chicago bona fides. Pictures of Anthony Rizzo and Frank Thomas lined the restaurant, with Lupe Fiasco playing on the radio and Sox games playing on the TV’s. The sandwich had thick slices of beef and a roll with a wonderfully crispy crust. The giardiniera was the briniest of the bunch, and the crispy bread allowed them to substitute olives for the customary carrots, providing a particularly salty taste. Next, I hit up Al’s, a no frills spot often called the best and certainly the most widely known. Here, the focus was all on the beef. The decor is minimal and the plating is nonexistent. The sandwich was the thinnest and the juiciest I tried, causing every bite to drip with that wonderful meaty, umami flavor. The giardiniera was disappointing, however, and mostly just tasted of red pepper. Finally, I went to Portillo’s. If you haven’t been to the original Portillo’s, you should go for the wonderful Chicago dog and for the fact that it feels like a museum dedicated to Chicago pop culture. But today, I was interested in the Italian beef. It was sort of a middle ground between the other two, with a medium thickness beef, not quite wet, but certainly not dry. The giardiniera was almost all carrots and onions, and it made me wish it had a few more peppers. I really enjoyed the sandwich, but would say that if I could get one thing at Portillo’s, it would still be the hot dog. Go with a friend and share a beef and two dogs, and you will have a magical experience. Overall, my favorite sandwich was at Buona. Al’s may have had the best beef, but the perfect giardiniera and great bread put Buona over the top. All of these places serve beautiful sandwiches, and I would recommend all UChicago students to go out, try the Italian Beef, and taste a piece of their city’s history.
reviews
8
Location: La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona hours: MondaySaturday, 8am-8:30pm
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bite | SPRING 2018
La Boqueria de Barcelona
The mention of ‘Barcelona’ conjures up a myriad of images, from the historic Roman ruins, to the relaxing Nova Icaria beach, to the downright outrageous La Sagrada Familia. For all the ways Barcelona is a city of novelty, especially to someone like myself who’s never visited Europe, there is one thing about the city that is familiar and comforting: the FOOD! Though much of the food is new to me, like paella and jamon ibérico, the vastness of Barcelona’s gastronomic scene is a great reminder that, regardless of cultural differences, we all love to eat. One of the best spots in Barcelona to take a culinary tour is La
by Moyo Abiona photos By eliot zapata
features
10
Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boquería, known simply as La Boquería. Located on the famous La Rambla street, the market continues to be a must-see attraction for tourists and locals, alike. La Boquería features about 200 vendors everyday, serving some of the best fruits, meats, seafood, and sweets that Catalonia has to offer. Though the market did not officially open until 1840, records of its existence begin in the 13th century. In its earlier days, the market was most well-known for its meat and seafood offerings, which continue to be sought-after staples. Hundreds of visitors and patrons flood the passages of La Boquería on a daily basis, and are greeted by a butcher stand right at the entrance. From there, the colors and aromas lead to an array of stalls featuring sumptuous fruit (like the Vidal Pons Fruitería, which has been around since 1897), delectable chocolates and candied fruits, choice seafood like cod and squid, and so much more. There are also several restaurants that showcase the variety and flavors of Spanish cuisine by making use of the ingredients that fill the market. From home cooks to seasoned chefs, La Boquería is the go to place for high quality produce and authentic flavor. It is every foodie’s dream to be surrounded by incredible food at every turn. My eyes danced from stall to stall as I ‘oooed’ and ‘ahhhed’ like a kid in a candy store—especially since I spent
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bite | SPRING 2018
most of my time ogling the chocolates. I hadn’t heard of La Boquería before my trip to Barcelona, but I certainly won’t forget it now. My first days in Barcelona were definitely difficult. I felt lost and anxious and out of place. The market was the first place where I took a deep breath, where my spirit of adventure was first ignited. It truly felt like the first place that let me in. We desire to travel the world for many reasons: the novelty, the adventure, the escape. I want to travel because it changes my perspective of what it means to feel at home. For me, home is where the food (and the heart) is. And Barcelona definitely has my heart.
by // Joe Donahue photo from honeydoe.com
honeydoe
Anwar Jebran is certainly passionate when he talks about seeing Chicago for the first time in 2008. “I fell in love with it,” says the young PR manager when reached over the phone. “Grant Park, Millennium Park, the lake, all of it.” Ten years later, he lives in the city and seemingly doesn’t sleep, alternately working as a medical resident and a representative for the Syrian catering company, Honeydoe, which is what I’ve called him to talk about. Honeydoe started taking orders in 2016, and is run by the Jebran family. Their menu includes some Mediterranean food that is familiar to a casual eater, but it has serious depth, thanks to a family cookbook recorded by Siham Jebran. Anwar insists that the simplicity and authenticity of Honeydoe’s cooking is what has led to its success: “We get people looking for more authentic taste,” he says, noting that when Honeydoe began, an extremely large portion of their clientele was Syrian and Arab-descended Chicagoland residents. Now, almost exactly two years after opening, his top-line estimate is that about 40% of Honeydoe’s clients are non-Arab.
Honeydoe’s food is rooted in heritage, but they are working to quickly adapt to the various ways changing consumer patterns can serve them. From the first days they were open, they partnered with Uber to deliver food to events; now, they are also on Grubhub, and their website uses a streamlined Squarespace template. In the earliest days, word of mouth was integral to their rising popularity, but now they regularly run ads on Facebook and Instagram - and their own feeds are testaments to the beauty of the dishes they make. While we talk about advertising, Anwar mentions that he was surprised by the effectiveness of using “influencers” to promote the brand: “They’re so big!” When I ask Anwar what type of dish he would use to introduce somebody to Honeydoe’s Syrian cuisine, he thinks for a little and then decides: their savory pies. “They’re so cute and delicious - I would present them to a new customer right off the bat. You can come back from work and eat one and they taste amazing.” Honeydoe is currently working on selling the pies wholesale
to Chicagoland outlets like Whole Foods; some of their beautiful cookies are already distributed to restaurants around Chicago. Now that we’re talking about pies, he launches into a description of a Honeydoe signature dish, the baked beef kibbeh: “We mix cracked wheat with two layers of beef, and make a big dough that gets stuffed with ground beef, onions, and pine nuts, and cook it in the oven. It’s special to the Lebanese and Syrian regions, and so good with dips.” When I get hungry and look it up online, the kibbeh is also physically beautiful, with a geometric pattern etched into its textured surface. Honeydoe also specializes in their vegan and vegetarian offerings, and Anwar notes: “Syrian food - even compared to other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food - has lots of grains and vegetable protein in it, so naturally we have lots of vegan stuff that everybody loves, or even if you’re not - it’s just healthy.” The weekend that we talk, the company has a bunch of events to get food to: he’s a busy man working for a busy company. Signing off, I tell him that I hope he gets some rest, and he just laughs.
features
12
Calumet Fisheries fried shrimp
Calumet Fisheries smoked salmon
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bite | SPRING 2018
hicago SSeafood eafood CChicago by Alan Yang
I
magine this: sunny, eighty-degree weather, warm sand between your toes, the Atlantic Ocean gently washing over your feet, and shrimp skewers on the grill. Winter Quarter in Dakar, Senegal was truly spectacular. Over the course of my study abroad there, I must admit that I probably consumed about eight pounds of mackerel and red snapper per week. However, all good things must come to an end. Gone is the Atlantic Ocean, replaced instead by Lake Michigan and overcast skies. I am having withdrawals. In coastal Dakar, my entire diet revolved around fish. In fact, fish is the only traditionally, locally sourced ingredient in cëbujën (thieboudienne), the national dish of Senegal. It is no wonder that I was starting to crave les fruits de mer. When was the last time that you saw a mackerel at the Point? The primary commercial species in our neck of the woods is the lake whitefish. Not exactly what I am looking for. Thusly began my quest for the best places to find seafood in Chicago. My first stop was the widely lauded Calumet Fisheries. Known for a visit by Anthony Bourdain and as a recipient of a 2010 James Beard, Calumet has been smoking salmon, sturgeon, and shrimp on the South Side since 1948. An iconic shack on the edge of the 95th Street bridge, Calumet still offers a diverse array of its delicately house smoked fish supplemented by deliciously fried shellfish. Upon arrival, I ordered the smoked sturgeon and salmon, as well as a half order of fried shrimp. On a chilly April day, it truly did not matter that my hands were freezing, so long as I had my hand on my fish. Calumet sources its seafood from coastal farms, making for relatively affordable magic. Then there is Lawrence’s Fisheries. Originally operating similarly to Calumet in the 1950s, Lawrence’s transitioned
photos by Andy Zhao
to specializing in fried seafood as commercial fishing along the lakefront came to an end. Today, it places special emphasis on its shrimp and has expanded to three different location;, two south of the Loop and one outside the city in Westchester. While longevity and expansions have been prominent in Lawrence’s résumé, it has not reached the prominence or standards of the traditional Calumet. Specializing in seafood is not a commonality in Chicago’s food scene. We have the notable GT Fish & Oyster and mfk., both which have been listed on Michelin’s Bib Gourmand. Japanese restaurants here and there accommodate the craving for raw seafood by virtue of the prominence of the Japanese archipelago. There is local favorite, Ravenswood’s Glenn’s Diner and Seafood House, which has been here long before the influx of Southern style shrimp boils. Franchised Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, and Devon Seafood Grill also come to mind. While independent seafood restaurants, such as the now shuttered Ocean Cut, face major hurdles to success in the Windy City, so do traditional franchises such as McCormick and Schmick’s. After all, seafood is an expensive and quickly disappearing resource. Countries, ranging from the economically strong United States to developing Senegal, are guilty of overfishing their ports. This makes sourcing fresh and sustainable seafood, in areas such as Chicago, an extreme challenge. Transportation costs are fairly high. Consumer preferences are strong enough to keep seafood high in demand – healthier than other protein sources, lower supply compared to traditional farm stock, and the increase of pescatarians, for example. Finding seafood in Chicago will only get harder as oceans and aquatic environments deteriorate.
features
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battle of the butters the
impact
of
quality
on
taste
by alyce oh photos by grace peguese
1.
2. 3. 4.
5.
* refer to article for butter prices
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bite | SPRING 2018
As an avid baker, I have faced the conundrum experienced by modern American consumers one too many times. You know the scenario: standing paralyzed in the middle of an aisle of the grocery store, generic brand product in one hand and the fancy, organic kind in the other, as you deliberate the pros and cons of purchasing each. Sometimes, I’m willing to splurge on the pricier stuff with the blind conviction that it will make my food taste better. After all, better quality ingredients make better food, right? In an attempt to put this conundrum a little closer to rest, I decided to conduct a food experiment. The first matter of business was deciding which particular ingredient to study—a seemingly simple task, but, as I discovered, not so. The ideal ingredient to study had to be one fundamental to many baked goods—for wide applicability of my findings—and with considerable variability in brands/types and pricing. After some thought, I finally settled on good ol’ butter. Ten years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find the number of options available in grocery stores today. I tried to cover the full spectrum with the following contenders (prices may vary): 1. Land O’ Lakes Unsalted Sweet Butter $5.79 per 16 oz. 2. Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter unsalted $3.09 per 8 oz. ($6.18 per 16 oz.) 3. Plugrá European style unsalted butter $3.99 per 8 oz. ($6.98 per 16 oz.) 4. Market Pantry Unsalted Butter $3.59 per 16 oz. 5. Organic Valley Cultured Butter $5.99 per 16 oz.
The second matter of business was figuring out what kind of baked good to make. I settled on sugar cookies because they were a good baseline baked good—simple in ingredients so that the butter flavor would shine through, but would still allow me to test for a number of additional parameters— texture, coloring, spreading, etc. In making the cookies, I kept the other ingredients and methodology as consistent as possible so that there would be no confounding variables. After baking off five batches of sugar cookies using each type of butter and conducting a blind taste-test with a moderate
but representative group, I found the following: Overall, there was no visible difference between the cookies in regards to color or spreading. All came out pale yellow with a golden brown edge, similar in width and diameter. Flavor and texture, however, were a different matter. The favorite cookie among most was a toss-up between Plugrá and Kerrygold, the priciest options of the bunch. The Plugrá cookies had a pleasant texture, slightly sandy at the edges and with a fine crumb. The butter flavor was well-integrated and spoke for itself without being overpowering, and interestingly enough, had a subtle peppery nuance. The Kerrygold cookies were the most distinct in both flavor and texture. The butter flavor was particularly rich and milky, evocative of “cows grazing in a field of grass,” as one taster commented. I personally found the flavor much too heavy and lingering, particularly for a cookie, but it could serve well in a more substantial recipe like butter cake. These cookies were also the softest, and retained their softness through to the next day. The next of the group’s favorite—and my personal favorite—were the Organic Valley cookies. These cookies really packed a punch with the flavor—slightly tangier and saltier than the others, with a richness that wasn’t too overbearing. The texture wasn’t notably unique, but definitely nothing to complain about. The second to last contenders were the Market Pantry cookies. These— while lacking the buttery richness and complexity of the other cookies— were delicious in their own right. The light, almost candy-like flavor made one reminisce of the Lofthouse frosted sugar cookies of our childhoods— without the neon buttercream and sprinkles, that is. And finally, the last to finish were the Land O Lakes cookies. The butter did little else beyond serving its structural function in these cookies. They were completely flat and lacking in flavor—“dead,” even, as one taster put it. In a recipe where you want butter to shine, it wouldn’t be my top choice. All in all, it can be concluded that the type of butter you use in baked goods will result in a considerable difference in the outcome, especially when it comes to flavor and texture. Each type of butter has its own unique characteristics which you should consider depending on personal preference and also the type of baked good you are making. It is worth noting, however, that there is much more variability in flavor among the better-quality butters than among the generic ones. So do better quality ingredients make better food? This is a question that can’t be answered with just the results of one experiment alone, but when it comes to butter, I think we can unequivocally say that it’s worth the splurge.
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soy sauce braised bacon BY ELI HARTER PHOTOS BY NORA BRADFORD
I have discovered a love for slow-braised meat. The tenderness of a braised meat dish creates a complex and indescribably experience as the meat melts away, leaving a beautiful, lingering aftertaste. Unfortunately, braising takes a long time, and many find it daunting. For this dish, I have taken elements of Chinese cuisine in combination with more readily accessible goods at your local supermarket. Using soy sauce as a braising liquid adds that subtle umami to the bacon that shows even common breakfast foods can be heightened in unexpected ways. Dong Po Rou is a braised, red pork belly dish of the Hangzhou region of China. Hangzhou cuisine is known for its sweet and savory taste, and that is showcased well by the sweet rice wine and brown sugar used in this recipe. While pork belly is the principle ingredient, I switched it up and used bacon. With this recipe, I really wanted to showcase that fulfilling and layered meals are about experimentation, and that even in the spur of the moment, the components of flavor are universal.
get: • 1 lb applewood smoked bacon • ½ cup dark Muscovado sugar • 7 tbsp light soy sauce (I used Shōyu, which is a sweeter Japanese soy sauce) • ⅔ cups rice wine to taste (Japanese or Chinese varieties from the Asian section of any supermarket) • 2 cups and 6 tbsp water • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil • 5 stalks of scallion • 1 ginger root • 3 mandarin oranges • 2 bay leaves • 1 cup jasmine rice • black peppercorns • allspice 17
bite | SPRING 2018
do: For the Bacon: 1. Wash the ginger root and scallion. Cut the five stalks of scallion into 3 inch sections. Save the bottom of the stalks for garnish. Layer the stalks on the bottom of a small clay pot or saucepan, until the bottom is entirely covered. 2. Peel and slice the ginger into long slabs and place these on top of the scallion. 3. Place a handful of black peppercorns and a dash of allspice on top of the ginger, and set aside. 4. Begin to warm 5 cups of water in a large pot for blanching the bacon. 5. Cut one mandarin in half. Add 2 tbsp of sesame oil into a large pan or wok and turn to high heat. Arrange the bacon in three even stacks (3-4 slices each). Place the stacks into the pan. 6. As soon as the oil starts sizzling, squeeze one half of mandarin juice onto the bacon. Place half the orange flesh with the skin onto the cooking bacon. Squeeze the juice from the other half into the warming water in the large pot. Blanch the other half of the mandarin orange in the warming water while the bacon cooks. 7. As soon as the skin on the bacon gains a brown coloration, transfer the bacon into the warmed water. Blanch the bacon in the water for 3-4 minutes or until the water is boiling. Save the bacon fat and pan juice. 8. Filter out the water, and save the blanched bacon and mandarin orange. Redistribute the bacon into stacks with the browned bacon on top of each stack. Cut into ~4 cm squares. Stack the bacon squares into approximate cubes. About six layers total with a browned piece of bacon on top. Place the cubes onto the ginger in the small pot. 9. To the pot, add soy sauce, rice wine, and 2 cups of water. Crumble a handful of sugar over the top of the bacon. Pour in the bacon fat left aside with the meat of the mandarin orange. Make sure the stacks of bacon are not touching each other.
10. Bring to a boil with while the pot is covered on high heat. While heating, quickly combine ½ cup of sugar with 6 tbsp of water into a container and stir into a syrup. Heat the syrup in same pan that you browned the bacon while the small pot is heating. 11. Add the brown sugar syrup over the top of the bacon cubes once it begins to boiling. Make sure the syrup doesn’t burn, you want it to boil for about 3060 seconds before adding it to the bacon. 12. When the bacon liquid begins to boil in the small pot, lower the heat to low. Leave the pot covered for an hour. After an hour, check on the bacon and flip the stacks. Continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes (you can cook the rice in this time). For the Rice: 1. Pour out the water from the large pot. Wash the rice in water to get rid of the starch. Add the washed rice into the large pot. 2. Add 2 cups of water to the rice with a little salt, pepper, and bay leaves. 3. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low heat for 20 minutes. 4. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Finishing: 1. Remove the stacks of bacon from the pot. Filter the juice into the same pan you used to brown the bacon and toss the rest of the ingredients from the small pot. 2. Reduce the braising liquid in the pan for 10 minutes. You can add a pinch or two of cornstarch to thicken the braising liquid more. 3. Place 4-5 tablespoons of rice onto a plate. Stack the bacon (3 stacks total) onto the rice. Pour 3 tablespoons of reduced braising juice on top. 4. Chop the remainder of the scallion into small rings. Decorate the plate with a few slices of mandarin orange, and garnish with scallion.
lavender lemon pound cake BY RACHEL WEINBREN PHOTOS BY SARAH LARSON Start Spring off right with this lavender lemon pound cake! A sweet lemon cake with a taste of flowery lavender, you’ll be in the springtime mood with the first bite. Perfect for a tea party, dessert for a potluck, or even a sweet breakfast, this cake is versatile and tasty; lavender adds a unique flavor that many have never tried before! It can be both a subtle dessert or a sugary breakfast. The glaze is a sweet texture on the top and the additional lemon flavor makes you feel like you are taking a refreshing sip of
lemonade. Forget store-bought pound cakes or overpriced slices, and make your own in less than two hours. Not only will you “wow” your friends with the beautiful pound cake, but the unique flavor of lavender will impress them, too. Even when Chicago forgets that springtime is near and it snows in April, this cake will remind you of warmer times. Recipe adapted from: h t t p : / / w w w. t h e b a k e r c h i c k . com/2012/09/guest-postlemon-lavender-pound-cake/
do: For the cake: 1. Set oven to 325 degrees 2. Grease a loaf pan with your prefered method 3. In one bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 4. In another bowl, mix the butter until smooth and creamy. Slowly add white sugar until well incorporated into the butter. Add each egg one at a time, mixing between each egg. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. 5. Slowly add in the dry ingredients from the first bowl. After every addition of dry ingredients, add some Greek yogurt.
6. Add the lavender. 7. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 35-45 minutes until the top begins to brown. For the glaze (while the cake bakes): 8. Juice ½ a lemon and, using a whisk, slowly incorporate in the powdered sugar, adding more than the suggested amount if necessary. 9. Add some water or milk to make for a creamier glaze; the finally product should be white and creamy. Runny, but with substance. 10. Once the pound cake is cooked and cooled, transfer to a beautiful plate and add the glaze on top before serving!
get: For Pound Cake: • 1 ½ cups flour • ¼ tsp baking powder • ⅛ tsp baking soda • ¼ tsp salt • ½ cup butter, well softened • 1 cup white sugar • 3 eggs • 6 oz (1 small container) of plain Greek yogurt • juice of ½ a lemon • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract • zest of 1 lemon • 1 heaping tbsp of dried lavender
For the glaze: • juice of ½ a lemon • 3/4 cup of powdered sugar • water or milk for glaze consistency Number of Servings: One 9x5 loaf Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
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CHANTILLY choux pastries BY OLIVIA XIONG PHOTOS BY YARRA ELMASRY Choux pastry, or pâte à choux (‘pat a shoe’ for those of us not as well-versed in French), is an incredibly versatile dough that can be used to make a variety of desserts including profiteroles, éclairs, gâteaux St. Honoré, and gargantuan croquembouches. Exceptionally buttery and eggy, these choux pastries topped with craquelin--a buttery sweet dough--and dusted with confectioners sugar are unexpectedly light, puffing up to form a golden, hallowed ball. Don’t worry though, we’ve stuffed these pastries generously with chantilly cream! Feel free to modify this recipe according to the occasion, the beauty of this pastry is its adaptability: extravagant matcha-flavored choux pastries for a dinner party, or sugared mini chouquettes for a night in. Source: Adapted from Le Cordon Bleu Basic Pâtisserie
get: For the choux pastry dough: • 7 tbsp unsalted butter • ½ cup water • ½ cup milk • 1 tsp sugar • ½ tsp salt • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 5-6 eggs*
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bite | SPRING 2018
For the craquelin: • 3 tbsp butter • ½ cup flour • ⅓ cup raw cane sugar For the chantilly cream: • 1 cup heavy cream • 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 2 tbsp icing sugar
*Depending on what brand of flour you used, for how long you dehydrated the dough, and even the humidity in your kitchen, the amount of eggs needed for this recipe will vary. Number of Servings: One 9x5 loaf Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
do: 1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Prepare the craquelin. Combine butter, flour, and raw cane sugar together. 3. Roll out mixture between parchment paper to ~2mm thickness. Reserve in freezer. 4. Prepare the choux pastry. Combine butter, water, milk, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted. Bring mixture to a rolling boil. Remove pan from heat, add flour, and stir vigorously. 5. Return pan to heat and dehydrate the pastry, stirring continuously until the dough forms a smooth ball. 6. Remove pan from heat and transfer dough into a large bowl. Mix vigorously to cool slightly. 7. Gradually combine whisked eggs into the dough using a plastic spatula, stopping to ensure the eggs are fully incorporated into the dough before adding more. 8. When the dough becomes smooth, glossy, and falls off the spatula in a ‘V’ shape, then the pastry is ready. 9. Dollop 2 tbsp of batter onto baking tray. Cut frozen craquelin with circular molds and top the choux. 10. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350ºC and bake for another 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door. 11. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. 12. Prepare the chantilly cream 13. Combine heavy cream and vanilla in a bowl over ice. Whisk to aerate. 14. Gradually whisk in icing sugar until mixture forms medium peaks. 15. Fill the choux pastries 16. Cut the top ⅓ of the choux halfway. Fill cooled pastries with chantilly cream. Replace tops and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Recipes
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Sprouted mung bean burgerS
BY ANALIESE BATCHELOR PHOTOS BY GABBY LUU
get: • 1 cup washed mung sprouts • 4 medium potatoes • ½ large onion, diced • 1 red pepper, diced • 2 cloves garlic, minced • ½ tsp turmeric • salt to taste Number of Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes
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bite | SPRING 2018
Spring heralds a lush introduction of flavors to brighten our palates. And what better way to celebrate spring than with this deliciously savory burger, incorporating the succulent taste of whole, tender mung bean sprouts. It is extremely easy to grow
your own sprouts indoors, to enjoy fresh anytime. Simply wrap mung beans in a damp paper towel, and store on your countertop for four to five days. Quick tip: mix additional raw sprouts with lime, chili, and salt, to relish as a nutrient-rich snack!
do: 1. Boil potatoes for 15 minutes, or until soft. 2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mash the potatoes 3. Mix together with mung sprouts, onion, red pepper, garlic, turmeric, and salt.
4. On a flat surface, use a ¼ cup measure to form 8 burgers. 5. Cover the bottom of a small frying pan with oil, and set to medium heat. 6. Once the oil is hot, fry the burgers until both sides are lightly browned.
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bite | SPRING 2018