Seems like a made up word.
Entries from August 18th, 2010
Rare Bird Preserves
August 20th, 2010 · 1 Comment
This year the Logan Square farmers market is the biggest it’s ever been. One of my favorite new stands has to be Rare Bird Preserves. I talked to the people working the stand a few times. They make all their preserves by hand in a commercial kitchen in Oak Park.
I started out by getting these strawberry rhubarb preserves. They’re so delicious and I don’t even care for rhubarb that much, but found that it added a great tartness and countered the sweetness of the strawberry. On another visit to the market I picked up two more flavors of Rare Bird preserves: Lemon Blueberry and Peach Lavender. I sampled these before I bought them and they were so delicious. I can’t wait to crack them open and start using them at home.
P.S. Check out what these entrepreneuring young boys were selling on the boulevard next to the market:
I wonder which one of them is named Emil! ha
Tags:Chicago·farmers market·logan square·oak park·rare bird preserves
Bacon Wrapped Pineapple
August 19th, 2010 · 2 Comments
You heard me!
Bacon.
Wrapped.
Pineapple.
Oh, and they’re also dredged in brown sugar before they’re baked. These little things are like crack! This is my crack recipe of the year. Last year it was the Crack Onion Dip. This year, Crack Bacon Wrapped Pineapple. I made them for our Lost finale party and they were a big hit. And? SIMPLE to make. Try them for your next party.
Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites
From: Tasty Kitchen
1 pound Bacon
1 can Chunked Pineapple (large Chunks)
½ cups Brown Sugar
Set your oven to 375F.
Cut the pound of bacon in half. Put the brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Take a half a slice of bacon and dredge it through the brown sugar. Put a chunk of pineapple on one end of the bacon slice and roll up. Secure with a toothpick.
I put a cookie cooling rack into a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Lay the bacon pineapple bundles onto the rack.
Bake for at least 25 minutes, or until the bacon looks brown and crispy. Sometimes I pop them under the broiler for the last few minutes just to get them really crisp. But watch out – the sugar will burn!
Try to wait for them to cool slighty – only because the tasty goodness will burn your lips if it’s too hot! Enjoy.
Hub 51
August 19th, 2010 · No Comments
Greg and I finally went on our now annual lunch date. What is it with me only getting together for lunch with friends annually? It seems like that’s the schedule Olivia and I are on now too. Every year Restaurant Week rolls around and we are reminded to get in touch. Greg works pretty close to me now, so maybe we’ll be able to meet up more often. The last time I saw him was August of last year!
We decided to go to Hub 51, located at 51 W. Hubbard. I picked it because I walk past it sometimes and it has a pretty nice outside seating area that is shaded by the building, so you don’t have to sit in the scorching sun.
Of course, the day we went to lunch it rained all morning so we couldn’t sit outside anyway! Oh well.
Greg was craving the cornbread, so we started with that. It was really delicious, moist. You could see the kernels of corn. I like that in a cornbread. A touch of sweetness, but not overly sweet.
For lunch I had the Sonoma Salad, which had spinach, grapefruit, avocado, walnuts, sunflower sprouts & seeds, cranberries. Very light and summery. And it was a big serving. I didn’t finish it and I can usually plow through a salad like nobody’s business. Greg had the Build-Your-Own-Tuna Salad Sandwich. It came on a long plate with three sections. One part had the tuna salad, one had some toasts, and one had a small green salad. You’re left to assemble it yourself, however you want.
I liked the food and atmosphere at Hub 51 a lot. I’d recommend going early for lunch though. When we arrived at 11:30 there was barely anyone there, but by noon or so it was packed. Seems like a popular business lunch spot.
Revolution Brewing Member
August 18th, 2010 · No Comments
After having gone to Revolution Brewing so many times this summer, I finally became a member of the club.
My first growler was on the house. If I buy 9 more I’ll get the 10th for free.
And when we went for dinner, I got my own special mug.