Highland Park News

A Spanish delight

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:58:24 -0500

My husband had the good fortune of hosting Luis, a Spanish exchange student, during high school, and his family had the good sense to preserve their relationship for decades. As a result, I found myself in the kitchen years ago with Luis’s mother, Carmen Lucy. Clad in an American flag apron, she taught me how to make Tortilla Española; working together we sliced potatoes and simmered them gently in olive oil. While I had never cooked anything in such copious amounts of oil, I was delighted to discover the resulting dish is not at all greasy. Ever since Carmen Lucy …

New book brings top chefs’ food to any table

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00:31 -0500

Plenty of folks would shy away from coaxing even just one recipe out of their favorite restaurant chef, but Chicago food writer Amelia Levin collected 59 such recipes for her first cookbook, Chicago Chef’s Table (Lyon’s Press, 2012). “I started by reaching out to as many chefs as I could, assuming that not everyone would be able or would want to contribute. But actually, most did,” Levin explained. In her kitchen in Chicago, the Highland Park native edited each recipe, ensuring the order of ingredients matched the instructions. In some cases, measurements had to be changed. “Restaurants use a lot …

Calendar

Thu, 24 May 2012 06:30:01 -0500

The Highland Park News welcomes items for the Community Calendar, School Digest, Newsmakers and other sections. Items must be received a minimum of 10 days prior to publication, earlier is better. E-mail to drock@pioneerlocal.com, fax to (847) 599-6902 or mail to Diana Rock, Highland Park News, 1225 N. Tri-State Parkway, Suite 520, Gurnee, IL 60031. Business Highland Park Chamber of Commerce invites business people to participate in monthly networking events. Call (847) 432-0284 or visit www.chamberhp.com First Wednesday Group meets 7:30 -9 a.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. Women’s Group meets 8-9:30 a.m. on the third Thursday of …

Chef stays true to red, white and blue

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:06:00 -0500

When the American flag flies proudly on days like Memorial Day, Chef John Lane weaves the nation’s favorite color combination into many of the foods he makes. For his Memorial Day weekend menu at The Perfect Dinner in Oak Park, Lane will make plenty of pies and tarts colored by fresh red raspberries, blueberries and white cream cheese mousse. But he’ll also make something more out of the ordinary for the special day: red, white and blue pulled barbecue pork sandwiches. Patriotic eats “Memorial Day is a super American holiday,” Lane said. “Hard-working people are given a chance to relax …

Foods of the 28 NATO countries: Go Hungary

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:04:29 -0500

In the same way I’d hope summit participants will be able to enjoy a Chicago-style hot dog or quintessential Italian beef sandwich while they are in the Windy City, I want to embrace the spirit of NATO in my home kitchen. Here’s how.

Highland Park calendar for May 17, 2012

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:17:39 -0500

The Highland Park News welcomes items for the Community Calendar, School Digest, Newsmakers and other sections. Items must be received a minimum of 10 days prior to publication, earlier is better. E-mail to drock@pioneerlocal.com, fax to (847) 599-6902 or mail to Diana Rock, Highland Park News, 1225 N. Tri-State Parkway, Suite 520, Gurnee, IL 60031. Bazaars/Rummage Sales St. John’s Rummage Sale will be held from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. May 19 at 1235 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette. The event will feature a snack bar. Call (847) 251-1730. Business Highland Park Chamber of Commerce invites business people to participate in monthly networking events. …

Thank Mom with breakfast in bed

Sun, 06 May 2012 10:44:01 -0500

Even in the hands of the most capable chefs, a perfectly balanced dish can be elusive. Sour, bitter, salty and sweet are in constant opposition, but these basic elements of flavor can work in unison to elevate the essence of a dish to new heights. Motherhood is a little like finding the harmony between divergent flavors in a single dish. Children are complicated little creatures and mothers channel their inner chef every day in their attempt to create a sense of balance at home. Children can quickly become bitter, but deft mothers know just how much acid and sweetness are …

Highland Park calendar forMay 10, 2012

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:22:00 -0500

The Highland Park News welcomes items for the Community Calendar, School Digest, Newsmakers and other sections. Items must be received a minimum of 10 days prior to publication, earlier is better. E-mail to drock@pioneerlocal.com, fax to (847) 599-6902 or mail to Diana Rock, Highland Park News, 1225 N. Tri-State Parkway, Suite 520, Gurnee, IL 60031. Bazaars/Rummage Sales St. John’s Rummage Sale will be held from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. May 19 at 1235 Wilmette Ave., Wilmette. The event will feature a snack bar. Call (847) 251-1730. Business Highland Park Chamber of Commerce invites business people to participate in monthly networking events. …

Easy dishes kids can make for moms

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:36:39 -0500

She’s one hot mama. But cookbook author Beth Aldrich thinks all moms are hot moms. The Wilmette-based lifestyles coach believes every mom can stay healthy while enjoying food, and she provides helpful recipes to do so in her new cookbook, Real Moms Love to Eat: How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight and Feel Fabulous (New American Library, 2012). The cookbook was released in January. Two of the featured recipes, No-bake Brownies and Hot Moms Quesadillas, are simple enough for kids to make. “These recipes have very few ingredients and are easy to prepare. They are almost …

Derby delight fuses with Cinco de Mayo

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:32:02 -0500

For years, I’ve helped dear friends pull together Kentucky Derby-inspired fare for a party celebrating the annual run for the roses. Benedictine tea sandwiches, Henry Bain sauce, Burgoo burgers, and pimento cheese toasts are standard fare at any derby party, but this year’s race — on May 5 — is more than hats and horses. Cinco de Mayo is a day to celebrate all things Mexican in the United States; it is a day when tortas and guacamole and margaritas reign supreme. What is a cook to do? Culinary conundrums can befall the most fearless cooks, but cilantro does not …

‘A hearty appetite’ from Hadassah

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:50:47 -0500

With two successful cookbooks in its past, the North Boundary chapter of Hadassah has published a third, B’te Avon III, Tasteful Treasures from North Boundary Hadassah. The book, which took three years to produce, was officially introduced at the Fall Fashion Show in November. “This one is geared for young singles, brides who want traditional Jewish recipes as well as modern ones,” said Jan Katz of Deerfield, who co-edited the book along with Judi Steinberg of Northbrook and Sharon Rosenstein of Morton Grove. “We tried to make this one more modern,” added Steinberg. “With fewer ingredients and recipes with quinoa …

Highland Park calendar for May 3, 2012

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:28:00 -0500

The Highland Park News welcomes items for the Community Calendar, School Digest, Newsmakers and other sections. Items must be received a minimum of 10 days prior to publication, earlier is better. E-mail to drock@pioneerlocal.com, fax to (847) 599-6902 or mail to Diana Rock, Highland Park News, 1225 N. Tri-State Parkway, Suite 520, Gurnee, IL 60031. Business Highland Park Chamber of Commerce invites business people to participate in their monthly networking events. Call (847) 432-0284. Highland Park Networking Group meets on the first Wednesday of the month and the Women’s Networking Group meets on the third Thursday of the month. Call …

Antiques+ Modernism Winnetka Show Kick-Off

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:10:01 -0500

On March 13, The Woman’s Board of Winnetka Community House launched its celebration of the highly anticipated Antiques+ Modernism Winnetka show with a private party at JPMorgan Chase in Chicago. Hor’doeuvres and cocktails were served as Committee Members, Sustainers and Members of the Board of Governors from Winnetka Community House viewed the JPMorgan Chase Art Collection, one of the oldest and most extensive corporate art collections in the world. Antiques + Modernism Winnetka commences with a Preview Party featuring a cocktail buffet reception from 6:30-9:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 18 at Winnetka Community House. Admission is $125 if purchased in …

Extra virgin olive oil — nectar of the gods

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:05:43 -0500

With olive oil stores sprouting like daffodils in spring and a plethora of online sources, food aficionados in the Chicago area have been discovering the exquisite taste of genuine extra virgin olive oils.

Highland Park calendar for April 26, 2012

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:01:04 -0500

The Highland Park News welcomes items for the Community Calendar, School Digest, Newsmakers and other sections. Items must be received a minimum of 10 days prior to publication, earlier is better. E-mail to drock@pioneerlocal.com, fax to (847) 599-6902 or mail to Diana Rock, Highland Park News, 1225 N. Tri-State Parkway, Suite 520, Gurnee, IL 60031. Business Highland Park Chamber of Commerce invites business people to participate in their monthly networking events. Highland Park Networking Group meets on the first Wednesday of the month and the Women’s Networking Group meets on the third Thursday of the month. Visit www.chamberhp.com or call …

Herb bouquet: Plan now to season food year-round

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:36:02 -0500

Rather than carry a traditional wedding bouquet made up of roses or lilies, I carried an armload of culinary herbs down the aisle with me. No, I wasn’t worried that the chicken at our reception would need a little last-minute herbal addition. I was simply delighted by the symbolic meanings behind fresh herbs. My bouquet contained yarrow, lavender, sage and thyme; these common garden herbs signify a love to last, luck, wisdom and courage. I armed myself with a garden metaphor on my wedding day and today I line the front steps of my bungalow with colorful pots filled with …