Cabernet & Co.

I'm not sure there are many things that make my ears perk up more then the following two words: Wine Tasting. A couple weekends ago, my Dad mentioned in passing that his favorite wine store was having a wine tasting event and sale. He shared this after we had just spent the past hour at the driving range (testing out my new sticks.) In the back of my mind I was like "What? Why did you wait all afternoon to tell me this? Yes, yes yes!"

Needless to say, we were shortly on our way to Cabernet & Co in Glen Ellyn. We paid 5 bucks (yes only $5) to receive our tasting glass and we were all set to go. When we walked through the doors we were blown away. There must have been 100-150 people crammed into this little shop. Apparently the entire town of Glen Ellyn got the memo. I mean how could you turn this down. They had 20 tables set up with 5-6 wines each...all of which were just absolutely delicious. From France to Chile and $10 to $100 bottles all regions and price ranges were on the table. I truly was like a kid in a candy store. Thank god we had to head back home for RWS or I may have drank myself sick.

Well done Cabernet & Co., I had a blast.

To name a few of my favorites that we picked up:

2003 Chateau Beausejour Montagne Saint-Emilion (Bordeaux, France)
2007 Del Fin Del Mundo Malbec (Argentina)
2009 Del Fin Del Mundo Sauvignon Blanc (Argentina)

Sprout

With the recent news that I had been offered a new job, a better job, my Dad recommended that we step it up for our April Monthly dinner. After only a minute or two on Yelp, I found that a new restaurant I had heard about was getting really good reviews. Sprout, on the corner of Fullerton and Southport, was opened by Dale Levitski (a "Top Chef" runner-up). I'm not a huge competitive cooking fan however I felt with the combo of a noted chef and good Yelp reviews, they must be doing something right.

They offer an a la carte menu, however the real deal at Sprout is the 3 course menu:

For my appetizer, I had one of their more popular dishes. The Scallop with fennel and grape. The Scallop was perfectly cooked and the sweet/savory combination was a nice light way to start the meal.

After the appetizer, we were served a "surprise" course. This little cup of shaved ice fruit juice was tart and refreshing.

Then on to my main course, I had the Rabbit with truffle, peas, asparagus, and manchego. Although I can't say that this was the best rabbit I have ever had (the dish was a little on the salty side) it was a great choice for Spring meal.

Our second "surprise" course was a funny little fruit grilled cheese. My Dad described it as strange but good. I had to take his word for it as I was served some gluten-free fruit and lettuce. Which on a side note, although the Waiter seemed thrown off by my request, the kitchen managed my allergy with grace.

Last but not least dessert. Although all the items on the menu included some form of gluten, the kitchen was happy to served me the Rhubarb dessert (with strawberries, marcona almonds, and basil ice cream) without the pastry.

Overall, I'm not sure I agree with the Yelpers giving Sprout a 4 1/2 rating, I would say that this is one the better meals I have had of late. My only complaint is that I could have done without the filming that was going on while we were there which caused our waiters to be a little slow.

Easter Lamb

The only way that I can describe the Easter holiday this year is by calling it "Phased Celebrating."

Phase 1 was the "Look at the Baby...Look at the Baby" celebration at my brother's. We had a very nice brunch prepared by my sister-in-law Molly as we watched Jack play with his new stuffed hammer toy from the Easter Bunny that made a crashing noise when you hit it against something.

Phase 2 was fun....mixed feeling about the the Church. My Dad was in complete boycott mode (I'm sure you all can think of a few reasons). My Mom was upset with the Bishops. And I'd describe my feelings as "pushed under the rug" so that I could keep the faith on the holiday to fulfill 50% of my Creaster dedication. Needless to say, one and a half of us mentally attended Sunday mass.

Phase 3 Now that the niceties of the Easter Bunny and Jesus were complete, it was time to eat. Although 70% of US families prefer Ham at the dinner table on Easter, my family going against the grain as usual and had Lamb.

The meal was insanely delicious. My Mom tends to just "make things up," however I'll do my best to describe what we had:

Lamb: My mom adapted a Bobby Flay recipe. It was so tender that I must have eaten at least 20 pieces. She served it with gravy made from the pan dripping.






New Potatoes: She baked these for about an hour with olive oil, rosemary and some kosher salt.







Asparagus: These were roasted up with some lemon zest and juice to balance out this light Spring dinner.







Wine: The meal was served with a 2002 Rust en Vrede Stellenbosch that my Dad had been saving for a while. When he had it the first time it was served with Lamb, so Easter was the perfect occasion to bring it out. It was delicious.

Marcello's Pizza

After 6 months of pretending that I could satisfy my pizza cravings with frozen gluten free pizzas...my days of kidding myself are over. I have finally found my replacement!

Funny enough, I found it 2 blocks away from my apartment. Marcello's, a "Father and Son Restaurant", located at North and Larabee offers a Gluten free menu that includes not only pizza but pasta, salads, desserts and Redbridge beer. I was so excited that a restaurant near me makes pizza and delivers...I honestly didn't even care if it tasted good. Turns out, it was amazing*. The crust was thin and crispy, the cheese gooey and the toppings fresh. Honestly this was too good to be true. My only complaint would be that the biggest size you can order is 12".

In my haste, I forgot to take a picture of this work of gluten free art. No doubt I will be ordering again very soon and will update my post accordingly.

*Please note, for those non-gluten free...the pizza cannot replace a slice of real NY pizza

Off the Wagon: Part 1

As you know from my earlier posts, I recently became Gluten-free in the latter half of 2009. I say recent because when you compare roughly 8 months eating one way to more than 28 years of another...it's seems like just yesterday. Prior to becoming Gluten-free I was for the most part a healthy eater. I opted for wheat bread, organic fruits and veggies, low-fat dairy, water instead of soda, etc. However mixed in with all that healthiness was the indulgences. Whether it was a Sweet Mandy B's cupcake or chicken fingers and fries...when presented with the opportunity to indulge, I was never the one to say no.

When I started my blog, I thought an interesting topic for an on-going set of posts could be "What would I tolerate a stomach ache for." There is a show on the Food Network called The Best Thing I Ever Ate about essentially the best things that the FN chefs have ever had. I think everyone has a list like that. Whether it's something that you grew up having, or had on a trip once...great foods evoke emotions and memories.

The title of this blog was about falling off the wagon, because in essence that's exactly what I did this weekend. I ate Gluten. Gasp! I know. I did it willingly. Twice. Sometimes you just need a mental breather. It's no different than working out for 6 months straight everyday, sometimes you just want to sit on the couch and veg. Although I have been very committed and strong with my Gluten-free lifestyle...I'm still human. I crave sugar, grease and starches just like everyone else does.

So, without further ado, I begin my "Off the Wagon" list:

1. Chicago Bagel Authority: CBA, as the locals call it, is a little bagel place on Armitage/Sheffield in the heart of Lincoln Park. This divey restaurant has created a niche within the bagel category with steamed bagels. They offer every combination of bagel sandwich known to man. And when steamed all the flavors ooze together into a delicious bagel experience. On Saturday I had a sesame bagel with turkey, avocado, tomato, cucumber, mustard and veggie cream cheese. It was everything I hoped it would be.


2. Portillo's: Again, another Chicago icon. Portillo's is a local fast food chain that specializes in Chicago style hot dogs (featured left), Italian beef sandwiches and crinkle cut fries. On Sunday I indulged in a hot dog just the way I like it...with ketchup, mustard, tomato and cucumber along with some crispy, salty fries. It was absolute heaven.


As I'm writing this post, I am clear from my stomach pain and back on the health train....and day dreaming of what will end up next on my list.

Penne w/ Sausage and Chicken

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" While some women may say shoes or handbags are the way to their hearts...I'd like to call ditto on this quote.

I love to cook and bake, but honestly, what's better than someone cooking for you in the comfort of your own home. This is the lucky situation I found myself in on Saturday night. Without prompting, my boyfriend told me that he wanted to cook for me. My quick response was "Really? Awesome."

He prides himself in his attention to details, and he really followed through:

1. I love Italian
2. I love sausage
3. I love tomato sauce
4. I require gluten-free pasta
4. I like a clean kitchen

I'm not exactly sure how he cooked this dish, but I can tell you what I observed.

Dish Prep:
1. Sauteed chicken breast (sliced and fat trimmed) with oregano, garlic powder, black pepper and set aside (cooked 3/4 of the way)
2. Sauteed Italian sausage links until brown, then sliced and sauteed until fully cooked
3. Brought a can of crushed tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, a small can of tomato paste, garlic powder, sugar, salt, black pepper and oregano to a boil, then let simmer for a while
4. Cooked pasta according to instructions

Dish Assembly:
1. In a deep saute pan, simmered a portion of the 2 meats with some sauce
2. Dropped in a portion of the pasta
3. Served warm with some grated cheese

The dish was absolutely delicious. He can cook for me anytime...and I'll of course keep you posted when he does.

Uncommon Grounds

Uncommon Grounds is a spot that I have driven past countless times...and have often thought "I should go there sometime." After living in the city of Chicago for almost 6 years, I finally made it there. The Coffee Shop/Restaurant is located in Wrigleyville on the corner of Grace and Clark. Brunch places on Sunday's are typically a zoo, but at 9am we walked right on in.

Uncommon Grounds is definitely one of those home grown Seattle type places with a "granola" type vibe. The brunch menu is small, but each item sounds appealing. Since this was a coffee place, I had to try something interesting. They offer a "seasonal press pot" that they describe a little bit bolder/stronger than their normal house blend. Currently they are offering the "diablo" that I found to be bold, but didn't quite knock my socks off. I find that everything after Peet's Coffee pales in comparison.

For brunch, my Dad and I both ordered Mexican dishes. My Dad ordered the Huevos Uncommon which consisted of a black bean corn cake, eggs over easy, ancho-chile sauce and chihuahua cheese. I wasn't certain if the corn cake was gluten free, so I will take his word on it that it was delicious. Ordering safely, I had the Chilaquiles. The friendly waiter confirmed to the best of his knowledge that it was gluten free. I can confirm that after eating, it was perfectly safe. The Chilaquiles consisted of scrambled eggs mixed with tortilla chips, chihuahua cheese, jalapenos and "home-made chorizo". It was topped with salsa verde and sour cream and served with a side of Home style potatoes.

Although no individual element blew me away, it was definitely a solid brunch experience. One of which I will try again.