Who's Hungry? Magazine | No 1

judith mara | Editor and Writer

Judith has worked with Stephen for the last six years and helped to lead the editorial concept and execution of Who’s Hungry?™ magazine. An award-winning former creative director for major ad agencies such as Leo Burnett and J. Walter Thompson, Judith penned “Weather Permitting” and literally hand wrote “How We Did It.”

ian law | Design

Ian designed every aspect of Who’s Hungry?™ magazine with meticulous attention to detail and typography, and helped turn static images into an interactive experience. His award-winning design work has been featured in the pages of Print, Cre ativity, How, PDN and Graphic Design USA.

Deirdre O’Shea | Production Director

If you have worked with Stephen Hamilton, you’ve worked with Deirdre. Drawing on 15 years of expe rience in managing photography studios, Deirdre has a hand in nearly every aspect of Stephen’s business. She’s been instrumental in organizing the magazine’s shoots, sourcing ingredients, and always keeping production on schedule.

janet rausa fuller | Writer

Janet is the former food editor of the Chicago SunTimes. A two-time James Beard Award finalist, she created the paper’s food news beat and won a Peter Lisagor Award for consumer reporting for her story on the city’s changing restaurant scene. For Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, she reported on the elusive world of mushrooms, and tested the recipes that accompany the story. When she’s not cooking for her two daughters and husband, she’s snacking.

kate bernot | Editor and Writer

A freelance food writer and editor, Kate Bernot has contributed to NBC’s The Feast, Chicago Sun-Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and Serious Eats Chicago, and was just named the dining critic for RedEye and the editor of BlackboardEats Chicago. She helped develop the editorial vision of Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, and wrote about mustard plants, liquid nitrogen cocktails, and chef Sarah Grueneberg’s pasta for this inaugural issue.

steve dolinsky | Writer

Since 2003, Steve has been the recognizable face of ABC 7’s “The Hungry Hound,” filing reports on the best eats in Chicago. He has also appeared as a guest judge on “Iron Chef America,” as a contribu tor to “Unique Eats,” and serves as one of the Acad emy Judges for “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.” For Who’s Hungry?™ magazine, Steve tracked down the greatest pizza pies worth traveling the country for.

a special thanks to : Paula Walters, Tom Hamilton, Andrew Burkle, Raymond Barrera, Josephine Orba, Kim Hartman, Micah Melton, Craig Schoettler, Ruth Siegel and CeCe Campise

LETTER FROM STEVE

Culinary culture is always present in my studio, even when the cameras are put away. From discussions around the lunch table to visits from chefs and farmers, I’m always curious about the stories other people tell through food.

Each story in this magazine has been a personal opportunity for me. It’s a chance to take new, beautiful photography, and a chance to learn about people and places that fascinate me, from mustard plants in Napa Valley to mushroom foragers in Chicago.

This magazine has been a dream of mine for a long time. Its purpose is to bridge the worlds of food and photography, to blend my passion for both and share that enthusiasm with a wider audience. Together, the images and stories represent my reflections on a food-focused life.

Of course, there’s a hefty dose of fun in here, too. You’ll find behind-the-scenes looks at how our stylists make magic in the studio, as well as recipes and restaurant recommendations from top national food writers.

The beauty of the digital platform is that it allows me to keep this content fresh. The stories in this magazine reflect the bounty of spring, with its promise of new growth and adventure. It’s a heady, intoxicating season, and an appropriate theme for our first issue.

I hope this magazine is as much a joy for you to read as it has been for me to conceive. Flip the pages, dive into a story, and ask yourself, “Who’s Hungry?™”

STEPHEN HAMILTON

CORNER STYLIST’S

Moss as Muse

Prop styling brings a table to life, setting the mood for the meal ahead. Paula Walters, a professional stylist for more than 20 years, was given only one cue for this place setting: spring moss.

To capture the rich and varied green tones of moss without using the actual plant, Paula chose cruciferous vegetables that have similar visual appeal. The vintage and Asian props evoke a Zen garden, where moss commonly grows in quiet, shaded spaces. To recreate this for your table, group similarly colored bowls of varying heights and diameters, fill them with water and a base of clean stones, then add rich, cruciferous vegetables. The beauty is in the fresh simplicity.

paula walters

K-Y LIQUID

This gel, normally stashed away in nightstand drawers, can be used to bind food crumbs together.

OIL–ABSORBING SHEETS

These cosmetic blotters are normally used for touching up oily skin, but they can also help reduce shine on moist meats or cheeses.

POLIGRIP DENTURE CREAM

If it’s strong enough to hold Grandpa’s teeth in place, it’s also strong enough to stick ingredients together when stacked on a sandwich. BY STEPHEN HAMILTON of the BAG

Stephen Hamilton keeps his subjects as natural as possible, using real food and fresh ingredients. But even the best dishes may still need some enhancements to make them shine on camera, which is why food stylists have entire kits of jars, bottles, and tools to help them bring out the ingredients’ beauty. Here, a few of the curious surprises that might spill from stylists’ bags…not from their medicine cabinets.

THE ART of the PIZZA PULL

by KATE BERNOT

The best food photography evokes a visceral reaction. All five senses are engaged, creating a nearly palpable desire to dig in to the dish. When photographing a pizza, it’s the pull of melted, gooey cheese that makes our mouths water. But achieving this is no easy task; it requires a knowledgeable stylist, a complex rig set-up, and some magic from the photographer. Click on the buttons to the right for a peek at our methods.

THE PULL

It’s not the model’s hand that holds the slice in place.

THE CRUST

Baking preparation and technique are the keys to the pizza’s blistered, crusty edges.

THE CHEESE

Precision styling makes the cheese look stretched and piping hot.

THE STEAM

It takes a bit of machinery to create this fresh-from-the-oven look.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

GREAT PIZZAS

by

STEVE DOLINSKY

1. PIZZERIA BIANCO, PHOENIX, AZ

Obsession isn’t something you want in ex-girlfriends or IRS agents, but when it comes to the guy making your pizza, all bets are off. Every night (after you’ve waited in line or had a few drinks in the college campus-like house next door), you’ll see Chris Bianco all by his lonesome behind the counter, just a few feet from the mouth of his beehive-shaped wood-burning oven. It’s here where he forms every crust by hand, topping it with bits of mozzarella he’s made himself, sausage that probably came from New York and herbs he probably picked himself from nearby, resulting in a pizza with a beautiful char and chew.

2. GREAT LAKE, CHICAGO, IL

Nick Lessins looks up to Chris Bianco, so what does that tell you? For starters, he makes every pie himself, always working alone, and his long-fermented dough is the stuff of dreams – it results in a crust –and a cornicione, or lip—with a beautiful structure and a one-of-a-kind tang that has just the right amount of salt. That’s quite an achievement, considering he uses a regular electric oven to bake his four types of pizzas. The waits can be interminable – there are just four tables – and don’t even bother asking about delivery or reservations.

Portrait by Todd Rosenberg Photography

3. PIZZERIA MOZZA, LOS ANGELES, CA

Nancy Silverton is to dough what Lance Armstrong is to cycling: both have a mastery of their skill set. But where Armstrong relies on his legs, Silverton relies on her innate ability to tease the best out of yeast, flour and water. She honed her skills in Europe and as the founder of La Brea Bakery and Campanile in L.A, then teamed up with a guy named Batali to open Osteria Mozza as well as a pizzeria right next door. Where some pizzaolas might venture into creamy burrata or spicy sausage, Silverton would rather use earthy chanterelles and peak-ofthe-season squash blossoms to grace her pizzas. One thing you can’t deny: the crusts here are ethereal.

4. MOTORINO, NEW YORK CITY, NY

I have to admit, I was dubious about Motorino, hidden away on a street in the West Village. Sure, the location was charming and the room was tightly packed with folks from the neighborhood, but surely this had to be just another pizza joint that was getting too much press by virtue of being located in New York (having started in Brooklyn). Boy, was I wrong. The crusts – nicely blistered and puffed on the outer edge – were full of flavor and mildly salted chew, with a great complexity so rare among New York pies. The brussels sprouts and pancetta version was particularly memorable.

5. FRANK PEPE’S, NEW HAVEN, CT

Any Yale Bulldog worth his/her Ivy League education knows that the war of dough and cheese between Frank Pepe’s and Sally’s Apizza is one of New Haven’s longest running and most beloved battle royals . I think the edge goes to Pepe’s, primarily for their massive oven that’s the length of a school bus and constantly loaded up with coal, producing incendiary temperatures that render the oddly misshapen pies with a killer crust. Be sure to try at least one white clam pizza; it’s a true mark of East Coast pizzography.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

A Texas girl at heart, Sarah Grueneberg is the executive chef at Michelin-starred Spiaggia restaurant in Chicago, and was the runner-up on the most recent season of Top Chef. Working with mentor Tony Mantuano, Sarah has continued his tradition of authentic, elegant food inspired by the ingredients, language, and people of Italy.

what’s the worst sin committed by americans cooking italian food?

Cooking pasta first with unseasoned water and then pouring the sauce on afterwards. Marry the pasta and the sauce together by cooking the pasta with the sauce [in a sauté pan].

what three items are always in your home fridge?

how has your cooking evolved over your career?

My career started in Houston, Texas, with Creole, Cajun, and Texas cuisine. I really focused on the farms, game meat, and Gulf Coast seafood. Then, when I moved [to Chicago], it was Italian. I really tried to learn and study and be as well educated on Italian cuisine as I could. I fell in love with it, and that really became my choice of cuisine.

how did top chef fit into that?

On Top Chef, you realize that these judges have seen everything, and the dishes that I might love to make and that I believe in so much aren’t enough to wow them. You have to start forcing yourself out of your comfort zone. I want to keep looking for other ingredients [that are] out there that I can integrate into my style.

what’s the best bite of food you’ve ever had in italy?

Wow, there’s been so much. Probably the eggplant parmigiano in Rome at Grano Restaurant. I was like “Holy Shit.” I realized, “Wow, this has been made incorrectly my entire life.” It’s made without bread crumbs, and not a ton of cheese. I do it now at the restaurant when eggplants are in season and people just rave about it.

Parmigiano-Reggiano, no-fat Greek yogurt —I eat that daily—and kombucha. I’m on a big kick with kombucha. I just bought twelve jars the other day.

if you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a marine biologist or archeologist, but I don’t know that that’s still true. I love history, and I tie my love of food together with the history of Italy, so maybe I’d be a historian.

This squid ink tagliatelle with spot prawns and coconut was the first course that Sarah Grueneberg prepared on the Top Chef Season 9 finale.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

by KATE BERNOT

MUSTARD VALLEY

While the grapevines sleep and the days gradually become filled with more sunlight, the vineyards of Napa unfurl a blanket of lush greens and golden yellows. It’s early spring, and it’s mustard season in the Valley.

The Biblical parable of the mustard seed speaks to the enormous power of one of the world’s smallest seeds. From a dot the size of a pinprick, a mustard plant can grow nearly nine feet tall, cascading down the mountains and hills of Napa in a blaze of brilliant yellow. But no one understands the potential of the mustard plant like Napa’s winemakers, who rely on the black mustard plant for much more than just its chartreuse blooms.

Three months after the last of the autumn’s rains, long after the last grapes have been plucked from the vines, the first shoots of mustard spring from between the rows of brittle, empty grape branches. Winemakers know that these plants are as crucial to their grapes’ health as proper rainfall or rich soil; they help the grapevines absorb nutrients and water, repel damaging nematodes, and prevent soil erosion. While the grapevines slumber, the unseen roots of the mustard plants work quietly beneath the earth.

California vineyards began to plant mustard as a cover crop at the turn of the 20th century, but the plant has an even longer history in The Golden State. Locals tell the story of Father Junipero Serra, a Spanish priest who came to the coast in the 19th century as a missionary. As he traveled north across the sparsely populated expanse, he scattered Spanish mustard seeds behind him on the path. When the Franciscan made his return trip the following year, he needed no map, simply following the bright swath of the blooming mustard flowers. (continued on page 22) BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY RUTH SIEGEL

While the grapevines slumber, the unseen roots of the mustard plants work quietly beneath the earth.

Most of you don’t think about making your own mustard from scratch. Why not? It’s actually easy if you are willing to wait a couple days. The main ingredients are mustard seeds or powder and liquid (water, beer, wine, cider, vinegar). You let that soak for a day or two, then add your seasonings. Done.

mustard seeds

There are three primary types of whole-grain mustard seeds: yellow/ white is the mildest and used mainly in American-style mustards and for pickling; brown, which is zestier and used in European-style mustards, for pickling, and in Indian cooking; and black, which is also used in Indian food. (Black mustards seeds are interchangeable with brown.)

mustard powder

Is nothing more than ground mustard seeds. The most common brand is Colman’s and is a blend of brown and white seeds.

whole-grain beer mustard (makes 16 oz.)

1/2 cup brown or black mustard seeds, 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds, 3/4 cup dark beer, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Click to view complete recipe »

dijon-style mustard (makes 10 oz.)

2 cups dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis), 1 large onion, finely chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 4 ounces mustard powder, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

Click to view complete recipe »

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON RECIPES BY RUTH SIEGEL

Now, those blooms guide not Spanish priests but tourists and photographers, who flock to wine country in January, February, and March to witness the hills’ transformation. For vineyards, the mustards’ annual arrival is a sure portent of spring, enriching the soil before the Merlot and Malbec vines snap to life for another season. The mustards’ deep roots cling to the earth, preventing soil erosion while improving water penetration.

For organic and biodynamic winemakers especially, mustard is worth its weight in gold. The plants give nitrogen and other beneficial nutrients back to the soil, reducing the need for chemically-based fertilizers. The plants’ leaves and flowers also create an Edenic refuge for birds and insects that eat harmful species among the grapes. In a seemingly wild burst of vine and flower, an entire symbiotic ecosystem silently pulses, one plant supporting the other, each playing a natural role in a delicate relationship.

A platter of cured meats, tiny spring vegetables, hard-boiled eggs and capers is the quintessential companion to just about any type of mustard. BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY RUTH SIEGEL

Of course, most people have no opportunity to witness this silent cooperation. Mustard reaches them in its edible form: the seeds left whole or crushed, bruised, or ground into a paste that adds a familiar tangy flavor.

More than likely, this mustard did not come from a vineyard, but it could have come from the same plant, the Brassica nigra. The raw seeds come to life with just the addition of salt, vinegar, and sugar, lending a spicy and sour counterpoint to richer meat dishes, and subtly coaxing the nuances out of lighter vegetables when whisked into vinaigrette.

two mustard cornish hen (makes 2 servings)

2 small lemons, 1 Cornish hen (about 1 1/2 pounds), 3 tablespoons apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper

Click to view complete recipe »

facts for cooks

1. Cooking mustard significantly reduces its pungency.

2. Mustard adds flavor to dishes without adding fat or sugar.

3. Mustard seeds can also be fried or toasted and added as a garnish.

4. All parts of the mustard plant are edible, not just the seeds. Mustard greens are exceptionally tasty.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY RUTH SIEGEL

MEET VIOLETTE

by KATE BERNOT

No liqueur captures the ethereal color and fresh, fleeting bloom of spring like crème de violette, a spirit distilled from violets. From its lavender hue to its kiss of botanical flavor, it captures the promise of the season in a glass.

It’s a favorite ingredient at The Aviary, Grant Achatz’s futuristic temple of cocktail wizardry. The Aviary is a place where bartenders are not bartenders, or even mixologists—they are chefs. Executive chef Craig Schoettler uses a splash of the violette in a sake-based cocktail whose creation is as magical as spring’s first blooms. Give the complex recipe a try, or use crème de violette in a most classic cocktail, The Aviation.

violette recipe (makes 1 drink)

Creator: Craig Schoettler

violet sorbet

3L water, 20g fresh violets, 250g crème de violette, 30g super neutrose, 400g sugar, 5g salt, 10 sheets gelatin

passionfruit foam 225g passionfruit juice, 50g sugar, 1.5 sheets gelatin

Click to view complete recipe »

classic recipe (makes 1 drink)

Creator: Samuel Kinsey

2 oz gin, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 2 tsp maraschino liqueur, 1/4 oz crème de violette

Click to view complete recipe »

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

WEATHER PERMITTING

by JUDITH MARA

The only thing less predictable than spring weather is what will be the first offerings found at farmer’s markets across the country. Our advice is to grab what you can. Young, tender vegetables need little work or seasoning and they can be prepared in a myriad of colorful ways.

RADISHES

Radishes are the first full-sized root vegetable to appear at farmer’s markets in spring. Classic radishes are red but Watermelon radishes and French Breakfast radishes sell out faster these days because of how pretty they look and how mild they taste. They pair perfectly with spring lettuce and herbs in a salad.

“REAL” BABY CARROTS

Do not believe for one second the carrots labeled “baby” in the supermarket are true young carrots. They’re not. True baby carrots are typically long, slim, tender, and very sweet. More and more markets are carrying heirloom varieties that come in a rainbow of colors such as white, red, purple and yellow.

ASPARAGUS

Easily the most universal spring delicacy available at farmer’s markets. The most common asparagus are green, shown here with their stalks peeled. You’ll also find white asparagus, which are preferred in Europe, and purple varieties are also becoming popular. Wild asparagus are rarely available at farmer’s markets; you’ll just have to hunt down your own.

Beet shoots are beets that are only a few days old, yet they already pack a powerful, earthy flavor. Pea shoots can be different young parts of a pea plant. They can be the actual “sprout” of a pea plant, or the choice leaves and tendrils picked off the pea vines. All pea shoots have an enchanting, fresh pea flavor. Mix a variety of shoots together with mild mustard vinaigrette for a simple salad. See recipe on page 23.

PEA AND BEET SHOOTS STEPHEN

RAMPS

The popularity of wild ramps reaches near hysteria in areas where they are foraged. Also known as wild leek and wild garlic, they have a distinct garlic odor with a pungent onion flavor. Use to top pizza and salad, or toss in scrambled eggs. Many chefs serve ramps sautéed, pickled, or charred with grilled meats.

BABY BEETS, ASPARAGUS AND CARROTS

One easy farm market treat is to gently steam a combination of small spring vegetables, let them chill, toss with a bit of sea salt and serve as crudités. Perfect to dip into a warm bagna cauda sauce of olive oil, butter, anchovies and garlic.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON

Mushrooms might not be the first food that comes to mind when thinking about spring produce. Yet some varieties are as much a harbinger of spring as fiddlehead ferns and strawberries. From morels in the East and Midwest to porcini in the West, it’s mushroom hunting season, whether in your backyard or at the farmer’s market.

Morels to Chanterelles

by JANET RAUSA FULLER

It’s spring, the season of earthy deliciousness. To Iliana Regan, a Chicago chef and forager, April brings visions of morel mushrooms. “As soon as there’s any kind of sign of warmer weather, I start dreaming of them,” says Regan, who hosts monthly dinners to showcase her bounty of fungi and other wild foods.

In the winter months, coastal California’s cool valleys are able to sustain hardy varieties such as black trumpets, hedgehogs and yellow trumpets. But it is spring’s gentle warmth and moisture that usher in the wild mushroom hunting season across the country.

Morels, those fabulously meaty, cone-shaped specimens, come first and in full force, particularly in the Midwest. From there, as spring turns to summer, the foraging fun really begins: porcini out West; pheasant back, wood ear, lobster and yellow feet elsewhere; more hedgehogs and black trumpets in the East; and, later, chanterelles and maitakes.

“Then the wheel starts again,” says Connie Green, owner of the Wine Forest, a Napa purveyor of wild mushrooms and other edibles.

Mushrooms being the mysterious creatures they are, the fun is fleeting – four-week bursts here, six weeks there, and not always in the spot you last found them, or where you expect them to grow. Last fall, Regan spotted the unmistakable shaggy lion’s mane mushroom “on Fifth Avenue, right in the middle of Brooklyn, on an oak tree.” (continued on page 42)

“Mushrooms are strange things. They have minds of their own,” says Bill Russell, author of “Field Guide to the Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic.”

sautéed morels

Morels are a perfect companion to ramps, spring peas and pea shoots. After cleaning the morels, sauté in a little brown butter, then add a dash of salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add blanched peas, and top with fresh pea shoots.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JANET RAUSA FULLER

pasta with mushrooms (makes 4 servings)

The thrill of the hunt is only part of what enthralls mushroom lovers. The mushroom’s symbiotic relationship with the organisms around it is endlessly fascinating. Mushrooms grow underground from spores, feeding off tree roots while in turn feeding them, until the “fruit”—the part we see—is ready to push forth and disperse its spores. And the wheel starts again.

And there is the umami factor, the socalled fifth taste. Mushrooms often are described as meaty and earthy; some taste nutty, even buttery. The chicken of the wood mushroom, some swear, is chicken-flavored. The quirky candy cap mushroom “has a profound maple flavor,” says Green. “It’s magnificent.”

12 ounces bucatini, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 10 ounces beech or other small mushrooms, 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, salt and pepper, 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving Click to view complete recipe »

With any foraged mushrooms, it is necessary to rinse them with water to remove dirt and grit before cooking. Store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator; Green likes to spread them out on a sheet pan, under a towel, to dry them out a bit more.

There are thousands of species of mushrooms, waiting to be found both at the market, on the forest floor, and even on Fifth Avenue. Happy hunting.

wild mushroom tart (makes 4 servings)

pastry

1 sheet puff pastry (thawed), 1 egg (beaten) filling

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 ounces fresh morels or ½ ounce dried morels (soaked in boiling water, drained and rinsed; reserve ¼ cup soaking liquid), 4 ounces beech, chanterelles, maitake or other mushrooms (slice larger varieties), salt and black pepper, 2 tablespoons minced shallots, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, 2 tablespoons sherry, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

Click to view complete recipe

Wild mushrooms can be found at farmer’s markets, green grocers, online and, of course, in the wild. Some varieties previously found only in the wild are now being cultivated year-round. If you’re new to foraging, go with an expert who can identify edible from the poisonous. Here’s a list of popular and/or prized varieties that chefs love to show off:

black trumpet (wild).

A common late-summer variety in the Midwest and East, it grows in Western coastal forest areas all winter.

chanterelles (wild).

Prolific in the West and Pacific Northwest starting in September through nearly the end of the year. They can be found in the Midwest and elsewhere in July and August.

hedgehog (wild).

A winter mushroom in the West, these grow in the summer and fall elsewhere.

lobster (wild). These start around July in most areas and can continue into October on the West Coast.

maitake or hen of the woods (wild and cultivated).

A chef favorite in late summer and fall in the Midwest and East. They don’t grow wild west of the Mississippi River, though they are now commercially cultivated.

matsutake (wild). Considered a crown jewel of the mushroom world by the Japanese. These are scarce in the States, found only in the Pacific Northwest and Maine starting in September.

morels (wild).

Synonymous with spring and most abundant in the Midwest, their season starts in April and can run into June. Dried ones are readily available in markets.

oyster (wild and cultivated). Commonly found in late summer and fall, though certain types grow in the spring out East. One of the easily to grow commercially.

porcini (wild).

The West enjoys a short stretch of these in July, and foragers in the Midwest and East will find them in later summer. Dried ones are readily available.

wood ear (wild).

Clusters of these ear-shaped mushrooms grow widely in the East in early summer. Dried ones are common in Asian markets.

maitake (hen of the woods)

Maitakes have gained increased popularity because of their earthy, chicken flavor. In Japanese, Maitake means “dancing mushroom,” because the lore goes, whoever found it would dance for joy.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON | RECIPES BY JANET RAUSA FULLER

Deconstructing a shot from Stephen Hamilton’s The Restaurant Project

by JUDITH MARA

favorite dish

Pickled Pork Loin Tartine with Whipped Feta and Plums

Restaurant Telegraph, Chicago

food stylist Carol Smoler

prop stylist Paula Walters HOW WE DID IT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN HAMILTON