UChicago Bite Issue VII: Winter 2018 by Bite Magazine

dear foo d ie s & fr i en d s We are so excited to share with you the Winter 2018 issue of Bite Magazine! With winter coming to an end soon (we hope so, at least), this issue looks forward to the warmer and sunnier days to come. As in every issue of Bite, we are constantly looking for new eats and new discoveries, while appreciating the community that brings us together and recognizing the origins of the food we consume. Within the pages of this issue, we explore more of the community that surrounds us, eating our weight in barbecue from the South Side (15) and spending time at Maxwell Street Market (17). You’ll find that we’ve created recipes for the best forms of comfort food while it’s still cold out — from katsuobushi udon (22) to different variations of kimchi that cut down on the traditional fermentation process. In our reviews, we look to foods that come from all over the world, with dumplings at Qing Xiang Yuan (4), as well as internationally-inspired plates from Proxi (6). As you read through these pages, we hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it!

the editors 1

bite | WINTER 2018 BITE | WINTER 2017

table of contents 3 Beatnik 4 Qing Xiang Yuan 5 Janik’s cafe 6 proxi 7 Maxwell street Market 9 The changing food scene 10 driven by design 13 photo essay: donut fest 15 tour de barbeque 17 a day in dakar 19 a carnivore’s dilemma 22 katsuobushi udon 23 rose and pistachio turkish delight 24 mirror glaze cake 25 quick kimchi 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, KAREN XU, 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, FIONA GASAWAY, GABBY LUU, GIOVANNA DECASTRO, grace peguese, JENNY KIM, julia rose camus, MARIA XU, michelle zhou, nora bradford, sarah larson, YARRA ELMASRY

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REVIEW:

BEATNIK by// AMANDA WILSON photos // JULIA ROSE CAMUS

neighborhood

West Town pRICES

$$$ dISHES TO TRY

Rabbit Arepa Smoked Baba Ghanoush

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The “New World meets Old World” theme of the newest restaurant from the Bonhomme Hospitality Group (Celeste, Black Bull, Fulton Market Kitchen) has resulted in one of the coolest spots in Chicago. Open just since the beginning of September 2017, Beatnik is well past the growing pains typical of young restaurants and has settled easily into West Town. While the “New World/Old World” vibe is not new, Beatnik pulls it off with particular success; the ambiance, the décor, and the food all pay homage to the theme without feeling the slightest bit gimmicky. The dining room has two distinct areas: the first, an archetypal Parisian café with black and white tile flooring, taper candles in ancient candelabras crusted in layers of wax, and a 50’s style soda fountain as a bar, and the second, a luxurious bohemian palace, with brightly cushioned couches, tropical foliage in each corner, and grand opera-esque chandeliers. This extensive design rests inside the shell of the building, which resembles an abandoned warehouse, dark boarded walls and exposed overhead pipes just visible enough to have been purposefully curated, rather than a mere oversight. The prevailing vibe is a mingling of Bohemia, South America, and the Near East that exudes cool. The menu is divided into “Mezze” (small plates from $7-$19) and “The Feast” (large plates from $36-$95); pick a few small plates and 1-2 large dishes for a true experience of all the restaurant has to offer. As far as small plates go,

Beatnik serves generous portions. The Rabbit Arepa comes with a large fistful of luscious braised rabbit atop a hearty arepa – a Colombian/Venezuelan snack made from a thick round of fried corn flour dough – cut nicely by a very savory liver crema and bitter lemon-dressed frisée. Black garlic, less piercing but more intense than regular garlic, adds complexity, and sweet fig balsamic-drizzled pomegranate seeds add brightness to a quality Smoked Baba Ghanoush. Each of the Feast items is designed to impress: the Whole Fish, a Mediterranean sea bass, comes with both the head and the tail still attached, and the 45oz Aged Bone-In Ribeye arrives on an ornate Victorian-era silver platter. Sticky-glazed lamb ribs and neck, the fattiest, most succulent part of the animal, are served as Roasted Lebanese Style Lamb. Sides include warm roti (get it while it’s hot because, sadly, it is not made in house), a fresh garbanzo bean salad, and standout pistachio tzatziki, a tangy yogurt-based sauce, which brings the entire platter together. Dessert does not disappoint. Order the Turkish Coffee Affogato; subtle mascarpone and cardamom ice cream in a bath of bitter espresso and pungent cinnamon and cloves justifies the late-night caffeine intake. The staff is personable and accommodating, and they encourage diners to hang out in the adjacent industrial-style bar after finishing the meal. Do it. Luxuriate. Bask in the cool.

REVIEW:

QING XIANG yuan by// NIKITA COUTINHO photos // MARIA XU

Nestled close to the heartland of Chicago’s Chinatown, Qing Xiang Yuan was not a difficult establishment to find. Yet we got the impression that diners had not simply wandered in, but aware of QXY’s stellar reputation, had sought it out specifically. Following a surprisingly short waittime, especially considering it was a Saturday night, we were lead towards the main dining area. With simple white lighting, wooden tables and chairs, and lengthy mirrors that extended across the walls, the decor was understated but classy. Only minor hints of red and gold were visible, a rapid departure from the palette we had come to expect from restaurants in Chinatown. The sheer range of diners was also notable. Seated around us were young families, work colleagues, senior citizens and college students – signaling the wide appeal of QXY. Upon being seated, we were each offered an iPad menu and asked to make selections. We were pleasantly overwhelmed by the choice of meats, from the standards like pork, shrimp and chicken, to more thrilling options like lamb, clam, mackerel and sea whelk. We also loved how they were paired, with subtle accompaniments including dill, leek, coriander and bolder choices in zucchini and peppers. Deliberations were also in order the over the form our dumplings should arrive to us in, whether boiled, fried, steamed or frozen.

Cautioned away from the latter and encouraged to experiment with our choice of meats, we settled for boiled clam and pork dumplings, and fried leek, pork, and shrimp dumplings. Although we had hoped to experiment with the sea whelk, it had unfortunately run out earlier in the day. The clam and pork dumplings arrived first. A heap of puckered pale packages that looked remarkably like standard dumplings, we were disappointed with the lack of plating effort. Their taste however, was sublime. There was a distinct seafood edge that paired well with the pork. A delightful dash of liquid, perhaps a broth, contained within each dumpling was surprisingly wonderful. Next to arrive was the leek, pork and shrimp dumplings, half of which were white and the other half green. Plated on porcelain, thankfully they were arranged in more artful manner. The quality of the pork and shrimp was better than in any other dumpling we had tasted in Chinatown and the addition of the leek and broth was welcome. Both set of dumplings were greatly enhanced by the chili and soy sauce. Our only grievance was that dumplings came in sets of 12 and 18, which given our small party, limited our ability to experience some of the other dishes. Though we left without being able to sample a greater range of QXY’s offerings, we were comforted knowing that it’s only three Red-Line stops away.

neighborhood

Chinatown pRICES

$$ dISHES TO TRY

Leek, pork and shrimp dumplings

reviews Reviews

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Janik’s Café offers a variety of allday-breakfast and diner food - or as they describe it themselves on their website, “where breakfast met lunch and had a little brunch” - in Wicker Park for a reasonable price. Inspired by classic Americana, crossed with the South-American roots of the owner, and sprinkled with a rather lovely full-size bar menu, this warm and welcoming eatery is a simple and great-value diner, perfect for any brunch or hungover comfort food. Immediately when you walk in the door, you’re greeted with a beautiful waft of home-cooked breeze from the open kitchen in the back corner. Styled and arranged almost like a home kitchen and dining arrangement, the warm pastels and open brick walls lined with various posters and photos makes it feel more like your own home than a restaurant itself. The kitchen is built into the restaurant floor, and the wide variety of intoxicating smells and sounds embeds itself into the ambience and very experience of the restaurant. The food takes pride in the mantras of simple, fresh, and cooked with love. It’s everything that you would expect from a classic American diner; waffles, omelettes, eggs Benedict, burgers, etc. cooked with an almost motherly

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attention and love. Yet, amongst it all, a variety of South American influences and inspirations are intersected to give a more diverse and unique touch; everything from chorizo plates to quesadillas to various other specials (check out the enticingly titled ‘South of the Border’ section on the menu). Portions are generous, prices reasonable, and everything comes on a big platter with an even bigger smile – by // NICK Ogilvie photos // GRace peguese just as it should be. There’s also a fullsize and reasonably priced drinks bar, if that’s also what you’re looking for. There’s a certain joy in having things that are just done well, that are just done at a certain level where you can tell someone cared about the thing before you, and that feeling courses through the food at Janik’s. Within an ever changing community with an even more rapidly changing surface, Janik’s has provided a somewhat consistent bedrock for the local community over the last 6 or so years of its existence. It’s a truly lovely little epicenter of not just good wholesome food, but of this particular facet of Chicago life. It’s really the perfect place for all day breakfast, brunch, or for pounding 20 dollar margarita pitchers with your friends before midday on the weekend whichever takes your fancy.

REVIEW:

JANIK’S CAFE neighborhood

Wicker Park pRICES

dISHES TO TRY

Belgian Waffle Combo

REVIEW:

proxi by// ANDY HUFF photos // ANGELA FUNG

neighborhood

West Loop pRICES

$$ dISHES TO TRY

Black pepper pork

The first thing I noticed upon entering Proxi was the music. They played songs from all over the world; one second would be afrobeat, the next Latin dance pop. Throughout every song, however, was a driving bass drum that made it feel cohesive. The food was the same way, the dishes came from all over the world, but they were held together by common, excellent cooking techniques. Located at the east end of restaurant row, Proxi focuses on international street foods, elevating them into fine dining dishes. The restaurant very clearly caters to Chicago’s hipster demographic with its pervasive dance music and trendy decor, but the atmosphere feels natural alongside the food. The moderately sized space feels almost cavernous with its floor to ceiling mirrors and windows, allowing much of the restaurant to be illuminated by natural light. As for the food, Proxi truly succeeded when playing with lots of different flavors. The first dish we ordered was a tuna in a coconut milk and lime sauce with lemongrass ginger sorbet. It had a strong acidic flavor that faded into an aftertaste of ginger. I was initially skeptical of the pairing of sorbet and tuna, but it was so refreshing that it made me wonder; should we have been eating tuna like this all along? It was a perfect summer dish that I’d be happy to eat all year long. The least successful dish of the night, in my opinion, was the octopus in fava bean hummus. The octopus was very well

cooked with a crispy skin and soft insides. However, while Proxi’s best dishes married numerous favors together, the intense umami of octopus masked all other flavors. The dish was a bit one note, albeit a very pleasant single note. The last savory dish was my favorite, the black pepper pork. The dish came with a bowl of pork, julienned apples and carrots, house made sriracha, and hoisin sauce, along with butter lettuce to make lettuce wraps. While the dish was possibly the most conventional of the night, there is absolutely something to be said for great execution, and this was executed nearly perfectly. It was all at once rich, sweet, and salty with a hint of tartness, without ever feeling overwhelming. I ate the whole dish in about three seconds, and almost ordered another portion. Finally, there was dessert. Both of the desserts we tried were a bit on the savory side. Personally, I am a big fan of savory elements in my desserts so I greatly enjoyed this choice. The better of the two desserts I tried was a Mexican hot chocolate ice cream with a horchata foam and strings of a salty fried dough on top. The horchata foam give the dessert an initial rush of almond flavor, leading to salt, dark chocolate, and cinnamon, with a pinch of umami flavor. It was a great textural repurposing of the classic Mexican flavors. Because of its bold flavors, great technique, and fun atmosphere, I suggested Proxi to my family coming to visit Chicago, and I recommend it for y’all too. Enjoy!

reviews Reviews

6 6

REVIEW:

Maxwell Street Market by// Moyo Abiona photos // Jenny kim

The Maxwell Street Market has been a Chicago staple for over 100 years. The flea market has attracted an incredible array of businesses selling just about anything— clothes, old records, housewares, and of course, food! The photos I’d seen online showed patrons packed tightly together, Hispanic dancers in embroidered dresses, and my personal favorites: close-ups of enticing dishes. Readied with these images and expectations, I was more than excited to take the trip to this previously unknown gem. As we entered the market, my mind racing with the pictures of sunny days and lively attractions, the first thing I noticed was the emptiness. I’d expected the hustle and bustle of a large crowd, but there were less than 100 people along the market. Perhaps we’d arrived too early (10:45am). Nonetheless, task #1 was finding food, and we quickly identified Manolo’s Tacos towards the end of the market. There was a relatively long line at Manolo’s, most

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likely because it was the only spot for hot food. While waiting in line, we watched the assembly line preparing the orders, starting with freshly-pressed tortillas. Next to the tortillas were trays of meats, salsas, and mole, and a flat-top grill where slim blocks of cheese were melted and placed inside the tortillas. The scents of the different ingredients marinating in the chilly air was rich and promising. Another promising thing was the price: $6.50 for a chicken quesadilla and a steak taco, with generous portions of meat and cheese. The nutty flavor of the slightly charred tortilla elevated the rest of the chicken quesadilla, which tasted a little salty and lacked the heat I’d hoped for. The steak was a little dry, probably because of the weather, but it was well-seasoned and complemented the tortilla. Bottom-line: check out Manolo’s tortillas! Before leaving the market, we spoke to the two business selling food products: Botanas Bahena and Villa’s Nuts and

Candy. Botanas Bahena is operated by a father-son team, and has been at the market for about nine years. They feature an array of spices, nuts, dry peppers, and crunchy and sweet snacks. Confession: I bought a one-pound bag of gummy bears…for $4! At Villa’s, which has been coming to Maxwell for 19 years, there was a similar range of products and also specialty candy confections, like dipped pretzels (2 for $1). Definitely try their honey sesame pecans and check them out online. Did the Maxwell Street Market meet my expectations? Not quite, but I certainly didn’t leave disappointed. I was expecting a scene teeming with life, and in the end, that’s what I got: an authentic, nonromanticized kind of life. I will certainly visit again, probably in the summer and closer to noon. And I’ll visit without lofty, picturesque expectations, but with an appetite to explore and create images of my own.

address

800 S. Desplaines St. pRICES

Free Admission Times

Sundays, 7am-3pm

Reviews reviews

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he state of the dining scene in Chicago is constantly changing and is somewhat hard to keep track of; each week new eateries open and different ones close. In the fanfare over grand openings and limited-engagement pop-ups, it can be more difficult to notice the quiet shutterings taking place. Some restaurants leave behind a Facebook post, while others just don’t open their doors the next day. Occasionally, such as with Grace, this ends with a quick and public implosion. The abrupt fin of Grace sealed a yearlong period of closings that left no stone unturned: Chicago institutions, first-wave innovators, and critically acclaimed restaurants all experienced a notable thinning of the ranks. Green Zebra opened in 2004 in West Town, serving up sophisticated small plates of vegetarian and vegan food; one eye-catching item on their last menu was a ‘Scarlet Beet Poke,’ with mandarin oranges, wakame seaweed, macadamia nuts, and avocado mousse. Their entry into West Town preceded most of the trendy restaurants that call the neighborhood home today. The chef-owner, Shawn McClain, by // JOE pointed at fiscal sustainability and an overcrowded market as the reason for closing: “I’d be lying if I said it was anything other than economics….The sheer number of restaurants in Chicago has a great impact on all of us, and thus makes it unsustainable for some of us.” West Town, formerly of cheap rent, is now one of the epicenters of the Chicago food scene. Rents have only gone up for the past ten years, driving lower-margin eateries out of business. Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE), the restaurant company behind locations such as Ramen-San, Beatrix, Naoki, and Mon Ami Gabi, announced in September 2017 that its restaurant Tru would close. At the time of its closure, Tru had a Michelin rating of 2 stars: it was the next entry in a long chain

of 2-star restaurants that have failed to stay in business around Chicago, such as the veritable Charlie Trotter’s or the Graham Elliot Bistro, which closed for a complete reconcept. The dining experience was defined by luxury; it only served a prix fixe menu, complete with a caviar option. There was fine art on the walls and a chef ’s table in the kitchen. In an interview with Chicago Magazine after Tru’s closing, the founder of Lettuce Entertain You, Rich Melman, explained the closure by saying “It was time. I don’t think I want to be doing 4-star dining in the future...I think Chicago needs places like [super high end-restaurants] Everest and Alinea-but not more than five or six.” Even before this closure, in 2014, LEYE closed another of their Michelin starred restaurants, L20. At the time, Melman was more clear about the reasons behind the closure, stating in an interview that “(L20) has never been a moneymaker for us.” At the same time, LEYE has continued to open more locations in a lower price range, restaurants where the average customer might spend $35 on a meal. These closures are certainly DONAHUE notable, taking place under the umbrella of an extremely successful company; one of the main advantages with this type of structure is that general business, administrative, and legal costs can be distributed. Individual restaurants, such as Green Zebra, suffer the full burden of these with no ability to distribute the time spent on them.Larger companies can also retain and shift front-of-house and kitchen staff, lessening the challenges associated with finding and retaining labor. This capacity becomes especially important in a tight labor market, which the industry is experiencing at the moment. Ultimately, the current trend will flatten out and the scene will return to balance; but for the moment, it may take some time before the closures can be tallied up.

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CHANGING food scene

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design

DRIVEN BY

by Parker Mee

features

“ T

One of the intangibles of a restaura something which a restaurant seemin

he biggest focus of any restaurant is, of course, the food. But the atmosphere and design aspects of any establishment is crucial to the dining experience of its guests. In the suburb of Winnetka, Mino’s opened their doors to me to discuss the specifics of the non-food aspects of restaurant creation. In a former gas-stationturned-car-repair, Mino’s wanted to capture the industrial roots of the building in which they now reside. Mino’s specifically repeats cast iron motif, purposefully tying the restaurant to its roots as an industrial station. The building has stood in the town for over 50 years, becoming somewhat of a city stalwart. Searching for a

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new design focus, Mino’s decided to combine the mid-20th century industrial design with a modern European aesthetic. In doing so, Mino’s maintains the old city relic connecting the new restaurant to the surrounding community. The clean, minimalist aesthetic is created through a series of calculated decisions on the part of the owners. The usage of the original concrete floors, ground down to reveal the grainer portions, then finishing with a thick lacquer coating, generating a clean, functional basis for the restaurant. Mimicking the duality between old styled sensibility and a modern, clean vision, Audrey Fosse, owner of Mino’s and University

ant is ambiance, ngly either has or does not.

of Chicago alumna (‘92), noted that their chef had been trained in classical Italian techniques. “We wanted the menu to be like what you would get at a trendy trattoria in a suburb of Rome.” Mino’s made the design decisions necessary to create an image familiar to what is expected while forging a new identity all the same. One of the intangibles of a restaurant is ambiance, something which a restaurant seemingly either has or does not. This seemingly impenetrable feature of a dining experience appears to be highly dependent on lighting. As I was led around the restaurant, I asked specifically about the choice of fixtures and use of lighting, and Audrey pointed out the blinds as integral in the creation of the light levels they desired. They are able to block out the afternoon sun, ensuring a comfortable temperature, but are easily moved to open the space and provide a view the quaint town. The fixture choices were varied, and Audrey noted “I wanted to ensure that the light

fixtures weren’t the same but followed a similar design aesthetic.” While enjoying my tour, the future plans for the restaurant were outlined to me. “We’re going to be keeping the original light posts from the gas stations and using them to light the patio seating we will be adding when the seasons start to change,” I was told. Future landscape strategy was also detailed, including plans to incorporate the nearby park into the environment, as it often hosts events and has place for guests to play bocce. Mino’s is endeavoring to create a new neighborhood hotspot, a place for the community to convene, relax and celebrate. “It’s like Cheers,” jokes Audrey. While talking to the bartender, he noted that “I have people come in two or three times a week and there is a real relationship.” He continued, saying that while he had worked in Chicago’s food scene for a little over four years, the environment in Mino’s was the best he had ever encountered.

features

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DONUT FEST JANUARY 28th CHOP SHOP Photos by Nora Bradford features 14 Reviews

TOUR DE BARBECUE By Wendy Zheng Photos by Alden Herrera

hicago Delta style barbecue is found exclusively on the Southside and is notorious for its rib tips and links smothered in sauce served with fries and white bread. This type of barbecue came from the Mississippi Delta during the Great Migration. Today, many places on the Northside use gas rotisserie smokers and serve a variety of cuts, like pork butt and brisket. However, most Southside Delta style shops utilize an aquarium smoker, a natural wood burning tempered glass chamber with a chimney that was created in response to the Great Chicago Fire and open pit barbecue.

This low and slow smoking over a wood fire imparts a beautiful smoke ring and bark, as well as complex fruity undertones. As the Northside chose higher costing cuts, rib tips (“meat candy”), the usually discarded bits from a trimmed St Louis-style rib, and hot links, spicy pork sausages made out of scraps, have become the Chicago Delta’s staples and are often times the only things on the menu due to their low price, tenderness, and marbling. As a Georgia native, I was initially skeptical of Chicago style barbecue, but after one gorgeous Saturday afternoon, consider me converted to a “small tip/link hot” fanatic.

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Last was Honey 1 BBQ, an unassuming takeout storefront on 43rd with my personal favorite rib tips of the day. The ratio of bark to smoke ring to meat created a gorgeous contrast of textures and flavors that was further enhanced by their signature tangy honey sauce. The sausage had a discernible char that complemented its heavily spiced flavor. The fries were also crisp and fresh, making them an absolute delight to drag through the puddle of sauce at the bottom of the container. Serious Eats deemed Honey 1’s rib tips “wonders,” and I wholeheartedly agree.

Our next stop was Uncle J’s Bar-B-Que, a small takeout store on 47th with pork, turkey, and beef tips. We got a half BBQ chicken dressed with the usual fries and sliced white bread, but that’s where the similarities to Lem’s end. While the chicken was juicy and smoky, the sauce itself was slightly too sweet, similar to a spiced ketchup. However, for an entire half chicken for 7.50, I would still turn to Uncle J’s before Nando’s any day.

Our first stop was Lem’s Bar-B-Q on 75th, a family owned takeout-only shop opened in 1954, with both the largest aquarium smoker in town and a captivating neon green and orange sign. For two in the afternoon, the place was surprisingly packed, yet our order was done in approximately two minutes. The rib tips were juicy with a nice charred bark, while the hot link snapped cleanly and shined with heavily spiced flavors. However, the real standout of the small mountain of food was the sauce: balanced, complex, and pleasantly tart. The owners of Lem’s once said, “If you don’t see a stack with smoke coming out, that’s not real barbecue”, and Lem’s certainly delivered, as I left with a lingering scent of charred pork fat and a stain on my shirt of what could be my favorite barbecue sauce ever.

I highly recommend eating a tip/ link combo as soon as possible. The majority of Southside barbecue joints have remained black owned family businesses despite accelerated gentrification. Not only do these takeaway shops preserve Southside Chicago’s rich culinary culture and history, but they also excel in orchestrating smoked rib tips and hot links, tangy sauce, fresh fries, and the quintessential slices of white bread into a beautiful meat symphony.

features

UN JOUR Ã&#x20AC; DAKAR

A DAY IN DAKAR

BENN YENDOO CI DAKAR 17

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EVERY MORNING, BY: ALAN YANG Residing upon a peninsula at the westernmost point of mainland Africa, Dakar is the site of the University of Chicago’s revived attempt to bring a Civilizations program to the continent south of the Sahara. The capital of Senegal, Dakar is the helm of arguably the most stable government in West Africa. The city has been a critical port throughout Senegambian history, but its contemporary status finds roots in the French colonial period, including the 19th century, to when the city was established as capital of French West Africa in 1902. During this time, Senegal developed an economic dependence on its peanut industry. Under the leadership of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegal strategically navigated its way to independence and maintained its close ties to France. While the embrace of aspects of French culture is evident throughout, Dakar has also maintained the rich culinary fabric of Senegalese traditional cuisine. As a student in this new program, I have had the opportunity of living with a relatively well-off Murid family in the neighborhood of Mermoz. My host family speaks both French and Wolof, the traditional language of Wolof people and the most prominent language spoken among the urban Dakarois. As such, I speak of my dining experiences as representative of a more privileged demographic. That being said, to navigate a day in Dakar is to navigate a truly cosmopolitan city and vibrant food scene.

I have woken up to our host Mama setting out petit-déjeuner for my roommate and me. The breakfast staple is pain au chocolat: half a baguette filled with Chocopain, a Senegalese chocolate peanut spread. This is served alongside a mug of hot tea or instant coffee. Fellow students have cited a minor variation using Nutella. If I am leaving early from my homestay, I can also find Chocopain filled pain au chocolat at local corner shops, known as boutiques. Here, I usually ask for brioche instead.

FOR LUNCH,

I dine at the café of the West African Research Center (WARC) or at home, depending on the day. Lunch is a traditional meal, often considered the most important. At home, I have eaten variations of ceebu jën or yassa served in communal bowls set on a rug in the family’s courtyard. At WARC, the women-run kitchen serves a Senegalese dish alongside a European dish each day. By pooling cash with a friend, I usually have one of each. The traditional menu cycles home-cooked dishes as well as others such as suppa kanja, an okra stew. The European menu runs the gamut of spaghetti Bolognese to lentils with beef to vermicelli. Occasionally, lunch is accompanied by sweet drinks such as bissap, derived from hibiscus, or bouye, derived from the baobab. Sweet tea, attaya, is traditionally served after.

STUDY ABROAD DAK AR, SENEGAL

DINNER,

eaten at home, features traditional and non-traditional dining options from poulet yassa to goat to minced ground beef with egg: a formula consisting of various proteins, accompanied by onion sauce, that rotate around baguettes, rice, or potatoes. Usually, my roommate and I dine at a table with the women and children, while the men eat in another room on the ground. Indeed, it is hard to concisely capture the vitality of Dakarois cuisine. From its fresh seafood, to its penchant for sweets, to the people who love sharing their culture, Dakar and its food scene cannot be ensconced by oversimplification and disregard for its complex history. Instead, I implore you to learn Wolof, practice your French, and discover what this unique city has to offer your palette instead.

“ TO NAVIGATE A DAY IN DAKAR IS TO NAVIGATE A TRULY COSMOPOLITAN CITY AND VIBRANT FOOD SCENE. “

Features

A CARNIVOREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DILEMMA

BY ELI HARTER PHOTOS BY MICHELLE ZHOU

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I’m a carnivore; nothing satisfies me more than a Texas style pulled-pork sandwich or a gourmet burger at a gastropub. Yet, I am also human, aware of all the health, climate, and ethical concerns that plague the entire industry. Ingenuity has long been harnessed by creatives to tackle the big problems of science, but the food industry is also a big problem that deserves at least as much cutting edge innovation.

What options are there really? The impossible burger is already well known. Its creator, Impossible Foods, cares a lot for its product, and their decision to cater towards restaurants rather than directly to consumers ensures their alternative meat is given the treatment it needs to shine. For those who are not as familiar with the product, here is a quick summary. Impossible Foods uses plant substitutes to molecularly construct the texture, composition, and flavor of meat. Their so called “impossibly” fake meat has three principal parts. Tastewise, scientists on the team have burned bits of beef to trace each aroma and flavor down to a molecule. This gives impossible meats one of the most complete understandings of the molecular process of cooking protein. They use these aromas and flavor molecules to find structurally similar complements in the plant kingdom. Impossible Foods’ principle innovation is their lab-grown heme, the ironcontaining center of hemoglobin in blood and myoglobin in muscles. Impossible Foods use yeast with integrated soy genes to produce a leghemoglobin, the plant complement to hemoglobin. Together with potato and wheat proteins, coconut oil, xanthum gun, and heme, the impossible burger

has all the appearances and textures present in the AllAmerican staple.

Where do you get it? I had the privilege of trying the impossible burger at Umami Burger in the West Loop. I spoke with Doris Ortenberg, the manager at this location, about the challenges and opportunities the Impossible Burger offered them. The first thing she noted was the challenges of cooking the synthetic meat. Due to its lack of connective tissue, an impossible patty cooks in half the time as a traditional burger does. This prevents the Impossible burger from having a range of cooking temperatures, it’s pretty much medium well all the time. The most surprising challenge, however, was cheese. “It needs cheese,” Doris explains, “the fat from the cheese helps complete the burger which is bland on its own.” Here’s the problem, harder cheeses have higher melting points. This limits Impossible Burgers versatility. Cheddar, for example, will melt well after the burger has become a brick. For the Umami rendition, the impossible burger is prepared with good old fashion American Cheese. One of the main incentives for restaurants to cater Impossible Foods is that it provides the chef a chance to showcase the invention in their own unique way. I learned from Doris that Impossible sends a team of representatives to teach each restaurant or chain proper preparation and care for their synthetic meat. “They want to be sure their baby is being treated right,” Doris clarifies. Umami Burger’s unique touch on the impossible burger is to use two smaller patties. This solves another major problem with the impossible meat, the burgers do not hold together. Every rendition I have tried has flaked and broken into many pieces. While the Umami Impossible Burger was not perfect, the two patties decrease the total surface area. The small individual patties are less prone to falling apart and result in a more cohesive structure.

Recipes Features recipes

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What were our impressions? There were three of us in our party, and fortunately, we each had very different perspectives. Together, we ordered the Manly Burger, the Impossible Burger original, and the vegan version on lettuce. All the food was delicious; especially the variety of sauces including garlic aioli, jalapeño ranch, and the spicy diablo. The star was the umami house ketchup which brought an additive savory acidity from a quality tomato reduction with the mild saltiness or a beef jus. My palette was well prepared for house fries and an impossibly good burger, and I wasn’t let down. My impossible burger was complemented perfectly by the brioche bun and crisp lettuce. The American cheese did wonders to bring life out of the bland synthetic meat base. The vegan burger was too plain to be good, and did not have the bonus of tricking the brain into thinking it was meat due to the obvious compensations to achieve this vegan component. Doris had warned us that the vegan version was just too incomplete to encompass a proper meat-free burger experience, which was reflected in the product. Michelle, the talented photographer of this piece, set forth her thought on the impossible burger. She believed it was the perfect cheat for the transitioning vegan or vegetarian, but it just was not intended for her. If you have that uncontrollable crave for a juicy burger, the impossible burger provides the ethical version of a hall pass. While I was eating, I really did feel like I was eating a burger. It was only after my plate was clean that I realized something was off. I was not satisfied. The impossible burger tricks the brain by capitalizing on the sensory system’s recognition system. The synthetic burger remained an elaborate trick, even if it was a delicious one. I still believe it has a long way to go to be a proper replacement. Meat is delicious because of its complexity. The Maillard reaction provides a battlefield of reducing sugars, amines, and caramelizing lipids. The browning a stove-top burger is not just because heme is reacting with sugars; each of those reaction produces a unique flavor and aroma from thousands of possibilities. This is why steaks have a more robust flavor when they are dry-aged, or why barbeque remains a cultural phenomenon. The power of meat comes from the variety of ways it can be deconstructed whether by smoking, braising, or grilling. The impossible burger is just not there yet. At the end of the day, the Manly Burger stole the limelight. It was the perfect burger. Buttery brioche coalescing with savory beef. The burger quite literally melted on the tongue, and the chewy bacon added a layer of concrete texture. Most strikingly, the Manly burger’s meat ties all the ingredients together. With the impossible burger, on the other hand, the ingredients have to make up for the blandness of the burger. Nevertheless, Impossible Foods have done something incredible. For the first time, vegans and vegetarians have a burger that feels and tastes like a burger. The development is not over yet, Impossible Foods and the alternative meat industry has a long way to go.

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Udon is a thick, wheat flour noodle originating from Japan. Best served in hot noodle soup form, Udon can be elevated by a variety of different broths and toppings. Katsuobushi broth, in particular, is made from kombu—dried kelp that lends many Japanese dishes their quintessential umami flavor—and Bonito flakes, which come from dried and smoked Skipjack tuna. The choice of toppings is endless, but this recipe opts for the classic soy-marinated egg and soy-pickled mushrooms, in addition to fishcakes, Enoki mushrooms, and Chrysanthemum greens, which can be found at most Asian markets. This recipe may take some extra preparation, but it is worth the effort for a bowl of comforting goodness this winter season.

apple + Butternut squash bruschetta BY PARKER MEE PHOTOS BY ANGELA FUNG Departing from summer leaves distinctly fewer choices for starters. As the time for watermelon, slaw, and grilling ends, I was left get: not knowing a solid starter for get-

Katsuobushi Udon

togethers. I came across a recipe for a butternut squash and apple BY ALYCE OH bruschetta on W h i t n e y B o n d . PHOTOS BY SARAH LARSON com. I adapted some of the spicing suggestions and ingredient proportions and really enjoyed the results. It’s a

do:

get: For the Broth: • 1 ½ cup water • ½ cup of shiitake mushroom • 4 cups water • 2 large strips of kombu • 1 cup bonito flakes • Kosher salt, to taste do: • Soy sauce, to taste For the Soy-Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms: • Caps of ½ cup of shiitake mushrooms • 1 ½ cup water • ½ onion • ⅓ cup sugar • ⅓ cup of light soy sauce • ⅓ rice wine vinegar For the Soy-Marinated Eggs: • 4 eggs • 1 tbsp sugar • 6 tbsp hot water • ¾ cup soy sauce • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

For the Noodles: • 4 packages of udon noodles For the Toppings: • 1 bunch of Enoki mushrooms • 1 bunch of chrysanthemum greens • 1 package of fish cakes • 4 soy-marinated eggs • Soy-pickled shiitake mushrooms • 1 bunch of green onions, sliced • 1 sheet of nori, cut into thin strips • ¼ cup bonito flakes Serves: 4 Preparation Time: Overnight Cook Time: 20 minutes Recipe for soy-marinated eggs and soy-pickled shiitake mushrooms adapted from Momofuku

1. To prepare the broth, steep one large strip of kombu in 4 cups of water overnight, or for at least 8 hours. 2. To prepare the soy-pickled Shiitake mushrooms, Serves: 8 soak piecesthe ofmushrooms bruschetta in 1 ½ cups of boiling water in a for 15 minutes. Preparation Time: bowl 25 min Then, remove the mushrooms from the bowl, Cook Time: 20 min pull out the stems, and return the stems to the water. Let them continue to steep overnight. 3. Take the mushroom caps and slice them into strips. In a small pot, combine sugar, light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and mushroomsteeped water. Heat until sugar is dissolved, then add in mushrooms. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove the mushrooms from the sauce and store in a container until needed. 4. To prepare the soy-marinated eggs, bring a large pot of water to a boil. When boiling, add in 4 eggs and cook for 7 minutes. Shock the boiled eggs in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes, then remove the peel. 5. In a bowl, combine the sugar with hot water. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then mix in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Add eggs into the soy sauce mixture and allow to marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours. Before serving, cut each egg in half. 6. To continue preparing the broth, pour both

the kombu and mushroom-steeped water into a large pot and heat on medium. Add the second strip of kombu in, as well. Just before the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and remove the kombu. Add in the Bonito flakes and allow to steep for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 7. Strain the broth through a paper towellined strainer then return to the pot. Season with salt and soy sauce, to taste. Keep the broth simmering on low heat. 8. In another large pot, bring water to a boil. Add in the Udon noodles and cook according to the instructions on the package. Strain the noodles, rinse with cold water, then distribute into serving bowls. 9. To prepare the fish cakes, Enoki mushrooms, and chrysanthemum greens, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add in the fish cakes and cook until tender. Remove the fish cakes from the water and add in the Enoki mushrooms. Cook until just tender, then remove from the water. Turn off the heat, and use the same water to blanch the Chrysanthemum greens for 30 seconds. 10. To assemble the Udon, pour the broth into the bowl with the noodles. Add your desired toppings, including the green onion, nori strips, and Bonito flakes. Recipes

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Rose and pistachio TURKISH DELIGHT BY ANALIESE BATCHELOR PHOTOS BY YARRA ELMASRY

Even if you have not yet had the chance to taste this mouthwatering delicacy, an introduction that you will never forget, the mention of Turkish delight may evoke cheerful nostalgia. Many a childhood was enriched by reading tantalizing descriptions of this treat in C.S. Lewis’ iconic novel,

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This confection of sugar and starch originated in the former Ottoman Empire, and one of the oldest known shops to make this sweet opened in Istanbul in 1777. Variations of these tasty morsels are found around the world, including in Egypt, Brazil, Greece,

and Bulgaria. The Turkish lokum is flavored with rosewater, lemon, or mastic crystals, and can also include pistachios, chopped dates, dried apricot, and nougat. Here is an all-natural, beef-gelatin free recipe, for this enchanting, classic dessert. It is the perfect gift to be shared with friends!

get: • 17.64 oz. granulated sugar • 4.4 oz. cornflour, plus 2 tbsp to dust • ½ tsp cream of tartar • 1 tsp rose water • A few drops of Watkins all natural red food coloring • 3.5 oz. pistachios, roughly chopped • 2 tbsp icing sugar • 1 tbsp vegetable oil for greasing Serves: 36 cubes Preparation Time: 30 min Cook Time: 50 minutes

do: 1. Bring sugar, cream of tartar, and 20 fl. oz. of water to a boil. Over a low-medium heat, whisk cornflour and 7 fl. oz. of water into a paste. 2. Whisk paste into the sugar mixture until smooth. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon, until boiling. 3. Lower the heat, and stir constantly for 50 minutes. Add rose water, pistachios, and coloring. 4. Pour into a greased, rimmed tray. Leave in a cool, dry place to set (20 minutes). 5. Cut into cubes, and toss together with icing sugar and cornflour to dust. 23

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Get: For the crust: • 2 cups chocolate graham crackers • 1 tbsp instant espresso powder • 4 oz. butter For the cheesecake: • 24 ounces cream cheese, room temp. or warmer • 1 ⅓ cup sugar • ¼ cup cornstarch • 2 tbsp instant espresso powder • 2 eggs • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla • ½ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream

For the mirror glaze: • 1 ½ cups water for boiling • 8 cups of cold water for gelatin blooming • 1 ½ cups sugar • 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk • 15 gelatin sheets • 26 oz. of white chocolate • gel food coloring Serves: 10 slices Preparation Time: Overnight Cook Time: 4 hours

do:

Mirror glaze cake

BY RACHEL WEINBREN PHOTOS BY FIONA GASAWAY

The saying used to be “you are what you eat,” but with this mirror glaze cake, you can actually see yourself in what you eat! The beautiful coloring and magical shine make it the perfect treat for a surprise birthday party or an elegant event, but making the glaze is so much fun in itself, giving you perfect opportunity to spend an afternoon baking with friends! Try adding streaks of color if you are brave, or make a few cakes for a tiered look. Taking pictures of yourself in a cake is quite the experience, and the glaze dries over the cake in just a

few minutes before you can start digging in. Watching it drip over is mesmerizing, and the texture is one unlike any other cake topping. Did we mention the cheesecake? Sweet and delicious on its own, this cheesecake is not only a chocolate and coffee heaven, but the taste of Bailey’s Irish Cream gives it even more of a unique flavor. The chocolate crust adds texture and chocolatey goodness, while the cheesecake is smooth and delicious. Add the glaze on top for a beautiful topping as well as amazing photographs!

For the cheesecake: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Crush graham crackers into fine pieces, add instant espresso and pour into a bowl with melted butter. Once the graham crackers become wet with butter, press into the bottom of a springform pan. 3. Bake for 8-10 minutes and let cool. 4. While cooling, mix together the cream cheese, vanilla, eggs until smooth and add in the sugar, cornstarch, espresso powder. 5. Pour in the Bailey’s and mix thoroughly. Pour over the crust. 6. Place springform pan in a larger container filled halfway with water (a water bath) and bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. 7. Remove from water bath once cool. Let freeze completely, for at least 15 hours. For the mirror glaze: 8. Add water, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk to a pot and let boil for 1 minute. 9. Meanwhile, place the gelatin in 8 cups of cold water and let it bloom; let the excess liquid out and stir into the pot. 10. Place the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and pour the liquid over the chocolate, letting it sit for 2-3 minutes while the chocolate melts. 11. Use an immersion blender to blend the liquid into the chocolate, producing as little bubbles as possible. Use a sieve to remove bubbles from the liquid. Using an immersion blender, add food coloring to the glaze until you reach the desired color(s). 12. Place the cake on a dish you do not mind getting glaze on. 13. Once the glaze is at 90-95 degrees, pour it over the cake! recipes

QUick kimchi BY PAIGE RESNICK PHOTOS BY GABBY LUU Kimchi is certainly the most important and most misunderstood staple of Korean cuisine. Often thought of as just a side dish, kimchi comes in hundreds of varieties and is eaten at most every meal, sometimes making up the entire meal itself! Kimchi is typically made of fermented vegetables, traditionally stored in jars underground for weeks, months, or even years to create that delightfully salty, sharp, umami flavor. The fermentation process harnesses the power of salt, bacteria, cold temperatures, and a lack of oxygen to break down and preserve the vegetables. Not everyone has the time to let their kimchi ferment for all of winter quarter, so here are a couple recipes that achieve the same complexity in only a day or two.

get: • 5 cups water • ½ cup kosher salt • 1 head of napa cabbage (approximately 2 lbs) • 4 garlic cloves, peeled • ½ tbsp ginger, peeled and sliced • ½ yellow onion, peeled and sliced • 2 tsp honey

• 3 tbsp fish sauce • 4 tbsp white vinegar • 2 tsp granulated sugar • 5 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)

Classic Kimchi

Preparation Time: 30 min Cook Time: 1-2 days

do: 1. Bring the water and salt to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Stir to make sure the salt has dissolved. 2. Cut the off the bottom end of the cabbage and discard. Remove the leaves of the cabbage individually and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and pour the boiling water on top. Let sit for 10 minutes. Stir, and then let sit for 10 more minutes. 3. Drain and rinse the cabbage with cold water in a colander. Set aside. 25

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4. Place the garlic, ginger, onion, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, honey, and chili flakes in a blender and puree until the mixture is somewhat smooth. 5. Toss the cabbage in the pureed chili mixture (you may not need all of the chili mixture, use enough until all of the cabbage is coated). 6. Place in a tupperware container or jar, seal the lid tightly, refrigerate for 1-2 days for best results. Can refrigerate for up to 10 days. Enjoy!

Water Kimchi (Nabak kimchi) get: • ¾ lb napa cabbage leaves • 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) • ½ asian pear • 3 scallions • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 4-5 slices of ginger • 5 cups water • Salt Preparation Time: 25 min Cook Time: 1-2 days

do: 1. Cut the off the bottom end of the cabbage and discard. Remove the leaves of the cabbage individually and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place the cabbage in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt and toss to evenly mix. 2. Cut the pear and scallion into 1 inch pieces. Add to the bowl with the cabbage.

3. In another large bowl, combine 5 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Place the chili flakes in a tea strainer and let it soak in the water for 10-15 min. 4. Pour the broth over the vegetables and transfer into a tupperware container or jar. Refrigerate for 1-2 days. Enjoy! Inspired by a recipe from Korean Bapsang

get: • jalapenos • soy sauce • white vinegar • sugar

Preparation Time: 10 min Cook Time: 1-2 days

do:

Korean Pickled Jalapenos (Gochu Jang-Ajji)

1. Fill a tupperware container or jar with sliced jalapenos. 2. Fill about ¾ of the container with vinegar, ¼ of the container with soy sauce, and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar. Mix. Seal tightly 3. Let sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Enjoy! This recipe does not have very strict measurements, so don’t be nervous about messing up! Inspired by a recipe from Cynthia Kim recipes

bite | WINTER 2018