Nonpareil Vol II Issue I: Autumn 2013

AUTUMN 2013VOLUME II ISSUE I

nonpareilTHE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FOOD MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

index 2

Dear readers and eaters,

Welcome to the land of milk and honey, crepes and coffee, eggs of all varieties, scones, muffins, and a whole coterie of smoothies thrown in for good measure. This issue is a love letter to breakfast and brunch, and boy are we excited.

Forget granola bars eaten over the sink and bananas grabbed on the way out the door. This is an ode to long and lazy weekend breakfasts that are tasty enough to pull even the most slothful of college students out of bed on a Sunday. Whether you want pancakes like Dad used to make, sizzling skillets for all the egg-yolk-goodness you’ll ever need, or cardamom and ginger scones to replace your run-of-the-mill breakfast biscuits, everyone can find something to love about this morning meal turned food institution.

Read on for interviews with conspicuous coffee consumers on campus and innovators like Matthias Merges, the man behind Hyde Park’s new A10 restaurant. We have a round-up of the best brunches around Chicago and our usual mix of recipes both familiar and new. This is something worth waking up for.

Happy eating,nonpareil

3 How to Cook an Egg 5 Yolk 6 Bongo Room 7 Coffee Culture 9 perfect ten 11 longman and eagle 12 Spotlight on Smoothies 13 Sunda 14 The Carriage House 15 Aina Ka-kahiaka 16 Recommended Reading 17 brunch of champions 19 frittatas 20 chilaqiles 21 strawberry pista-chio crepes 22 Cardamom Ginger scones 23 Homemade Granola 24 Cinnamon Rolls 25 wheat carrot pineapple coconut muffins 26 ba-nana chocolate espresso muffins

Editor-in-Chief Angela Qian Man-aging Director Jenny Swann Trea-surer: Catherine Lee Design David Huang, Zelda Mayer, Jenny Mao, Joe Joseph, Jenna Dorfman Words Avi Molder, Dora Shang, Georgia Dix-on, Charlotte Von De Bur, Jenny Swann, Frank Qian, Kerry Gibbons, Weian Wang, Sherry Tseng, Sar-ah Recktenwald, Shayna Inzunza, Julie Khidekel, Martha Teka, Emi-ly Beltran, Julian Spergel, Aneesa Sonawalla, Michael Wheeler, Mad-eleine Burch, Shira Fishbach Imag-es Evangel jung, Frank Qian, Kris-tin Lin, Darien Ahn, Teddy Watler, Shayna Inzunza, Aneesa Sonawal-la, Andrea RummeL, Shira Fishbach

Funded in part by SGFC

3 nonpareil | autumn 2013

features 4

WHOLE

BROKEN

Heat about 1 tbsp. of oil in a medium pan (use more if the pan is not nonstick). The oil is hot enough if the pan sizzles when a drop

of water is added. Crack an egg into the pan and let it

sit for 1 minute. When the yolk is still a deep orange but the egg white has turned opaque, flip the egg with a spatula, taking care not to break the yolk. Let the egg sit again. When a spatula can slide under the egg easily, it is ready to be served.

FRIED POACHEDFill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add 1 tsp. vinegar and stir to form a small vor-

tex in the water. While stirring continuously,

crack an egg into the center of the vortex. Once the white is entirely opaque, fish the egg out with a slotted spoon and serve.

SCRAMBLED OMELETTEBeat an egg in a bowl

and pour it into a hot pan. Keep stirring the egg with a fork while it cooks. (This

prevents the egg from settling into one sheet

and gives it a nice fluffy tex-ture.) When the scrambled egg is dry and no longer runny, spoon it onto a plate and serve.

Beat an egg in a bowl. Heat a splash of oil in a pan and add in whatever vegetables or meats you’d like (e.g. spinach, ham, onions, etc.). Once the vegetables and meats have

cooked down a little, pour in the egg. As the egg cooks, lift

the edges of the sheet and tilt the pan to pour some of the egg under the edges. When the egg is mostly cooked, flip it. At this point if you’d like to add cheese to the omelette you can sprinkle some on top. When a spatula can slide under the omelette easily, fold the omelette in half. Cook each side for a little less than a minute, then plate the omelette and enjoy.

IN-SHELLSOFT-BOILED HARD-BOILED

Boil a pot full of wa-ter and gently place the egg in. After 3 ½ minutes, careful-ly remove the egg.

Crack and remove the top of the shell off

with a spoon. Eat the gooey and delicious yolk as is, or soak it up with a piece of toast.

Boil a pot full of wa-ter and gently place the egg in. Let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove

the egg and rinse it in cold water. Once it has cooled, crack and peel the shell off and enjoy.


What better way to escape the usual turkey bacon and eggs

benedict from the dining hall than a brunch trip to Yolk? It seems I’m not the only UofC student with this idea, because it’s not hard to find someone who has visited one of its three locations in Chicago and is ready torecommend their favorite dishes. Yolk’s menu boasts seven signature omelets, countless batter plates—from red velvet pancakes to Nutella crepes—and pretty much any other typical breakfast food you can name. To get a taste of the best, opt for one of the restaurant’s recommendations labeled as “Yolk favorites.”

The first dish we tried was the Croque Madame, which is a balanced blend of sweet Challah French toast and savory ham, turkey, cheese, and egg. Although it may not be the best choice if you’re not looking for something heavy, the Croque Madame is a perfect match foranyone who’s feeling a little gluttonous. Next we sampled the Califor-nia omelet, an extremely visually appealing vegetarian egg dish. The mix of eggs, cheese, and veggies creates a fresh taste that makes it easy to devour the entire five-egg dish. I ordered an omelet called “The Works,”(pretty much the “everything” omelet). The eggs happily com-pliment the saltiness of the sausage, the creaminess of the avocado, and the sweetness of the tomatoes, uniting them to deliver a generous burst of flavor once you stuff a forkful into your mouth. Although all three entrées we tried were fairly straightforward in concept, I doubt that that the average cook could successfully match Yolk’s level of deliciousness and flavor.

In addition to the main attractions, Yolk doesn’t hold back when

it comes to sides. Diners are offered a choice between potatoes and fruit (a huge pile of grapes and wedges of wonderfully sweet citrus and mel-

on) in addition to golden toast, fluffy pancakes, or an English muffin. Unfortunately it seems like everything is bigger at

Yolk, including the lines. Whether or not you’re a big breakfast eater, your stomach will definitely be growling

by the time you’re settled at a table. Yolk doesn’t take reserva-tions, so plan to bring a book to read or a friend to chat with during

the wait, which is usually 30 to 40 minutes on a busy weekend morn-ing. Even after you secure your table, the many other hungry Chica-goans who arrived before you will have to be served first. Basically, cross Yolk off your list if you’re looking for a quick meal. But although you’ll be starving by the time their signature coffee fills your cup, avoid ordering more than one dish per person. No matter hungry you are, Yolk’s enormous portions can probably fill up any stomach. My friends and I hastily requested a strawberry and Nutella crepe before seeing the size of the plates, and by the time we finished our dishes it was difficult to move our forkstoward the tasty-looking dessert.

There are two hard parts about dining at Yolk: the first is choosing a dish from their extensive menu and the second is attempting to walk to the cashier counter after consuming so much food. But once you set these difficulties aside, you’ll likely find yourself wondering whenyou’ll have a chance to return.

YOLK[written by // Dora Zhang]

[photographed by // Evangel Jung]

features 6

On a Sunday morning, the sidewalk outside The Bongo Room’s front door is typically

packed; people cluster about waiting for their name to come up on the hostess’s wait list. The crowd’s mass is deceptive, though; the wait for a weekend brunch is mercifully short compared to the expectation set by the sight of the queue. The restaurant itself is, as a whole, characterized by this commu-nity hype; the lack of reservations results in a bustling crowd of eager diners. For The Bongo Room, however, this reputation for food worth your investment in time may only be partially accurate.

Though all dishes were technically well executed and ranged from inoffensive to extremely enjoyable, they tended to suffer from the same few flaws. The sweet half of the menu’s reliance on excess often turned into an indiscriminate piling on of elements without sufficient attention to the ways in which they interacted. An order of the Ba-nanamisu Pancakes proved the worst offender on this count; piled with banana slices, mocha cream and an indiscriminate custard sauce, its taste was simply an intense and overpower-ing sweetness. The lack of variation in flavor was only compounded by the texture; the pancakes themselves were moist and fluffy, but there was no development beyond that one note.

This lack of contrast or distinct taste expe-riences proved to be a recurring weak point in The Bongo Room’s dishes. The Tenderloin of Beef and Butternut Squash Omelette was packed with tender, flavorful beef and squash,

but could’ve benefited from some injection of the unexpected, even one as simple as a grated sharp cheddar. The vanilla bean sauce covering the Apple Cranberry Brioche French Toast suffered from a similar issue in the form of over sim-plicity, though the tender, custard-like interior of the brioche did largely redeem the dish. On the note of textural monotony, the dill-smoth-ered house potatoes served alongside a great number of The Bongo Room’s savory dishes were notable sufferers of this issue; these potatoes, which arrived cold perhaps half the time, did very little break the sameness. Beyond their tangy dill taste, they had few distinguishing features in their slightly mushy, understated presentation.

However, among the variety of bland options, the White Chocolate and Caramel Pretzel Pancakes manage to stand out as a surprise star. Combining the reliably fluffy, tender texture of the restaurant’s pancakes with the rich and lively salty-sweet flavor combination of caramel, white chocolate, and pretzel pieces, this dish proved to be the most

interesting and exciting example of education

in indulgence that is The Bongo Room. Despite

the massive portion size of the dish (three pancakes

pooled in a gut-busting puddle of white chocolate and caramel sauce), the

pancakes disappeared rapidly; the contrast of buttery richness and salt proved too enticing to resist. The dish also exhibited a textural contrast missing from samples of previous pancakes in the crushed pretzel bits sprinkled between each layer of pancake.

The Bongo Room offers up a reliably, if not uninterestingly nice breakfast. The service is friendly and extremely efficient, even in the midst of the loud, bustling crowd that perpetually fills the dining room. The food, while uniformly pleasant, brings very few new things to the table. In light of the slightly higher prices and moderately lengthy wait required to get this experience, it is worth questioning whether The Bongo Room war-rants the mass of expectant patrons. Though enjoyable enough, its breakfasts and brunches are agreeably uncomplicated to the point of mediocrity.

A Basic RhythmThe Bongo Room

sticks to a simplistic approach to food,

resulting in dishes that are crowd-pleasing but

relatively boring

BY Georgia Dixon and Charlotte Von De Bur

rating

[photographs courtesy of // The Bongo Room]

visiting a number of roasters and small cafes around the city to sample different brews. Then, as second years, James and Aaron decided that it was time to share their passion with other students in the College.

Last spring, the pair successfully netted $2000 of backing from the Uncommon Fund to start the dotCross coffee project, which seeks “For coffee to be appreciated as a craft, an art and an experience.” In April the project hosted a pop-up brew bar in Harper Café. Over a hundred students and faculty sampled cups of carefully brewed java free of charge. Any donations made to the project went towards the SEED Fund, which provides aid to coffee grower communities.

For the project’s second undertaking, James and Aaron teamed up with Counter Culture Coffee to help publicize and run a cupping session at the Logan Café. These sessions, which are a little like wine tastings for the sleep deprived, allow the tasters to observe how a vari-ety of different blends change in aroma and flavor as they cool.

The duo also maintains a well-curated Tumblr (http://dotcross.

UChicago is kind to coffee drinkers: Caffeine junkies can get their fix at seven different cafes on the main quad alone, a blessing

for any bleary-eyed undergrad foolish enough to enroll in an 8:30am class. For some students, coffee is simply a crutch: a bitter brew hastily gulped down in an effort to keep them from face planting into their Econ textbook. But for third-years Aaron and James Goh, the bever-age is far more than just liquid adrenaline.

The self-taught duo approaches coffee with a dedication that is almost scientific. They trawl online forums and chat up baristas at quality cafes to find new tips and tricks for perfecting their brew. They speak animatedly about the seasonal variation of coffee beans and how it can affect the composition of a roaster’s house blend. But although the pair enjoys frequenting different cafes and sampling a wide variety of brews drawn by professionals, nothing quite equals the “sense of satisfaction that comes with drinking a cup you’ve made yourself.” So Aaron and James began to explore Chicago’s thriving coffee culture,

[photos courtesy of ShotoSnap] [written by // Jenny Swann]

COFFEE CULTURE


tumblr.com/) that features everything from coffee-related animations and infographics to articles and photo retrospectives celebrating the beverage.

Although the two value the project’s small size, they are hopeful that dotCross will live on even after they graduate. According to James and Aaron, interested students can explore the craft of coffee brewing in their own dorm room with the help of two relatively inexpensive pieces of equipment: a burr grinder (similar to a pepper mill) and an Aeropress, both of which can be purchased for less than $30 apiece online. Even though these items lack the hands-free convenience of their automated counterparts, they allow you to have more control over the final product. Ironically, the pair claims that they drink so much coffee they have now almost grown immune to its energizing proper-ties. But even without the caffeinated kick, James and Aaron Goh still find plenty of reasons to sample the beloved beverage.

JAMES AND AARON’S TOP PICKS

BEST COFFEE ON CAMPUS: Grounds of Being at the Divinity School

BEST COFFEE IN HYDE PARK: Z&H or Bridgeport Coffee

BEST COFFEE IN CHICAGO: Intelligentsia, Buzz Killer Espresso, Gaslight Coffee Roasters and Counter Culture Coffee

[photos courtesy of ShotoSnap] [written by // Jenny Swann]

COFFEE CULTURE

features 8


J: You spent almost fifteen years working in Charlie Trotter’s kitchen before strik-ing out on your own. What pushed you to make the jump from fine dining?

M: I’ve been cooking in fine dining for 25 years. Super fine dining, super refined, super intense. I kind of got into a rhythm where I knew how to do it. I knew how to do it and I knew what it took to make it happen. I wanted to challenge myself in a new way. Once you get kind of complacent or bored or you figure it out I don’t like to stay on that path. This needs to end, and I need to challenge myself to create something that can have the same kind of end result for a person in a more accessible environment. Instead of spending $400 a person and getting a great experience, there’s no reason you can’t spend $50 a person and still get the same great ex-perience. The challenge to me now was, let’s have fun with it now. I want to have fun. Not that fine dining isn’t fun, but it’s a different kind of fun.

J: So much of the food scene in Chicago right now is in the West Loop or north of the city. What made you decide to open a restaurant in Hyde Park?

M: It is, but I’m not one to follow the herd. My dad’s a graduate of the business school here and my father-in-law is a graduate of the divinity school and was the dean for a while. They used to live here and we’ve been coming down this way for the past 15 years and we were, like, “man, we love it down here.” The history, the architecture, the people, the di-versity. It’s a truly diverse community in Chi-cago where others are not as diverse and we just love that. We live in the city, we’re totally invested in it. We felt like there are a lot of moving parts that were coming together to make this a reality.

J: Can you tell me about some of those moving parts?

M: The city taking a really great lead in fo-cusing on Hyde Park and the surrounding ar-eas and the university doing the same to put the infrastructure into Hyde Park to make it compete with the Harvards and Yales and the Princetons and Stanfords. And at that point it became not a sleeper community but a place where people actually stay or will be-come a destination for

people to come to and spend time here.J: Has Hyde Park posed any interesting

challenges for you?M: The only challenges that we’ve really

faced are the real entrenched staunch con-servative group who like Hyde Park the way it is and don’t want to see much change happen. And that’s fine and we respect that and what we want to do in the restaurant is create a business that is integrally linked with the community, that hires in the com-munity, that becomes a part of the fabric of Hyde Park. We’re not like “We’re the north siders! We’re coming down to conquer Hyde Park.” We’ve already been down here. We love it. We just want to become a member of what happens. We want to offer a service that might not be provided right now and do something that’s fun and exciting and be entrepreneurs in an interesting area.

J: Tell me about your concept for A10.M: A10 is the motorway that goes from

northern Italy into southern France and it’s really inspired by our travels in those areas and other experiences throughout my life. We pick things that really resonate, and this is like when you’re at Breton at the sea and you sit down and you have this café and it opens up into the street and it’s loud and

ten

perfect

features 10

everything’s handmade and we’ve got a great bar where people come together. It’s about creating a really great atmosphere that’s ac-cessible, that’s some place you want to stay, embracing hospitality, doing a handcrafted product with care and focus.

J: Your other two projects are a cocktail bar [Billy Sunday] and a restaurant that serves Japanese street food [Yusho]. How do you choose which concepts you want to work with?

M: I’m a huge travel bug. A couple of years ago we spent a month in Iceland getting the flavor of what happens there. Most of our travels are based around food and I think that’s the way it should be. You get inspired by certain things on trips like that and there are things that really resonate in your memo-ry that bring up, like, “Ah I remember when we had that handmade squid ink pasta with the squid that just came out of the water in a bucket on the shore,” and at that’s

really how a10 came about. Thinking about those things, the handmade pastas and bas-kets and the sea and the markets where peo-ple are smelling it. How do you get that feel-ing and make it into a product. It’s like vision

and a dream and then how you’re going to make it happen.

J: One thing I’ve definitely noticed when talking to people who love food is that they are such an interesting group. Very diverse, really well travelled.

M: I think that’s because food and gather-ing at the table is the common denominator of anywhere you ever travel. That’s the beauty of it. That you can put something like this together. Some chefs are all about “this is my food, this is my cuisine, this is all about me.” This has nothing to do with me. It all has to do with who you come in with and when you sit at the table what happens And what we do is we set the table for you to have a great ex-perience. Whether it’s beverage or the cuisine or the environment or whatever it may be, whatever happens at the table with you and your guest the whole experience is elevated. That’s my mantra, so to speak.

J: Do you have plans for future projects?M: I don’t know. I love Chicago. It’s got

some great Midwestern hospitality here that you just can’t beat. You never know. It’s a lot to juggle but you only have one chance in life and if you don’t push yourself to the fullest

then you’re taking away from your full po-tential or it’s difficult to self-actualize at that point.

J: Do you have any tips for UofC stu-dents who might want to start exploring fine dining but don’t have a lot of time or resources?

M: My tip for people who want to start cooking is to start cooking. Don’t be afraid of experimentation, don’t be afraid of taking chances. It’s more about going to the store and picking up things that you may know and picking up a couple of things that you don’t know and then start playing around with it and figure it out and the quality of it. I think cooking is really about understanding raw product first and what you can do with it and what makes it essential. I like to look for the basics because that’s where the truth in cuisine lies. Put that in your mind, and then take that product and put that with another product and you start building this vocabu-lary of food and food product and technique.

J en ny swan n sits down with th e h ead ch ef of a10, matth ias m erges

Article by Jenny SwannPhotos by Kristin Lin


Don’t let the vivid green tint deter you—this

creamy vegetable smoothie tastes fantas-

tic, and it’s a great way to incorporate

more leafy greens into your diet.

This makes a great winter morning

breakfast, and the heaps of vi-

tamins and minerals will help

to keep those winter blues away.

You

k n o w

wh

at

tastes

great?

Oatmeal

with

fresh st

rawberr

ies.

You know

what’s

even bette

r? A stra

w-

berry

oatmeal

smoothie.

All of

the flavor,

with no

spoon required

. This m

akes a

n

amazi

ng, fillin

g brea

kfast an

d only

takes

five minutes

to whip up, m

ak-

ing it es

pecially

good for th

ose morn-

ings when yo

u decide t

o actually

go to

8:30 AM Global W

arming.

&

Nestled away in a remote corner of Logan Square, Longman & Eagle puts a unique twist on brunch foods, infusing many

breakfast classics with new methods of preparation and innovative ingredients. With its interior decorations more closely resem-bling an old-fashioned saloon than your run-of-the-mill breakfast diner, you might not know exactly what to expect from the menu. Lines begin forming at 9:30am on Sat-urday mornings, but luckily the wait time to be seated was almost non-existent. We also didn’t have to wait long for our food as it arrived at the table barely ten minutes after placing the order.

The first dish we tasted was the Sunnyside duck egg hash with duck confit, shallots, and Yukon gold potato, topped with a black truf-fle vinaigrette. The duck eggs were cooked very well, with the yolk maintaining a light, creamy texture without being completely runny. The two eggs blanket a mixture of duck confit consisting of pieces of shred-ded duck meat interlaced with shallots and mashed Yukon gold potatoes. The confit was seasoned well and the potatoes did a nice job of absorbing most of the extra juices from the duck meat The dish was further balanced by the addition of lightly sweet shallots and the black truffle vinaigrette. If you find your palette becoming overwhelmed by the rich-ness of the duck confit and Yukon potatoes, a simple dab of the acidic vinaigrette will in-stantly lighten up the overall taste.

Longman & Eagle also features a number of pork dishes such as the whole hog crepin-ette and tete de conchon (“pig’s head”). Both of these dishes err on the side of heaviness, particularly the hog crepinette. Unlike the duck confit, the meats in these two dishes

are much chewier and require more work from your jaw to enjoy them. While the hog crepinette may not be for the faint of heart, the tete de conchon features a balanced va-riety of vegetables to lighten the pork oils. More interestingly, this dish included a gulf prawn as part of the garnish, adding anun-expected dimension of taste and texture to the dish.

Finally, for those of us who prefer to see animals in a pasture rather than on a plate the housemade granola with blueberry yo-gurt and spiced plum and pecans is an option for you. The tart blueberry yogurt offsets the warmth of the cinnamon-spiced plum and pecans, but unlike many yogurt dishes it lacks the sweetness that many of us may crave at

those early hours. While its dishes pack a punch in flavor,

Longman & Eagle falters when it comes to diversity of offerings. Its vegetarian break-fast options are largely lacking, as many of the dishes are seasonal and many seeming-ly vegetarian dishes are laced with carni-vore-friendly garnishes like bacon fat crum-ble. Unless otherwise requested, even the potatoes are deep-fried in beef fat. In terms of pricing, Longman & Eagle also tends to be pricier than a typical brunch joint, with the average dish ringing in at a solid $13—$14. But if price is not an issue and you tend to have a carnivorous palette, Longman & Eagle is definitely worth a visit.

Redefining brunch for the carnivorous diner

[photographs by // Frank Qian]


Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2

1. In a blender, p

ut the ingre-

dients in this order fro

m bottom

to top: kale, y

ogurt, berries,

and

apple juice.

2. Blend well. If needed

, add more

liquid.

If the vegetable garden were like high school, kale would be

the most popular girl ri

ght now. People can’t stop talk

ing

about this antioxidant-ric

h leafy green, and with good

reason. While kale can be difficult to cook well

and can have a bitter flavor, w

hen blended into

a smoothie its

taste is v

irtually undetectable,

and it’s a great way to incorporate more

vegetables into a balanced diet. Yes,

the smoothie turns a lovely shade of

brown (much like the Polyjuice

Potion from Harry

Potter), but

I promise, it tas

tes amazing.

1 cup frozen mixed berries

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 packed cup washed kale

½ cup apple juice (or

another liquid)

Optional: honey

Berry-Kale B

last

Smoothies

Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 5 minutes

Servings: 21.Combine the apple juice,

spinach, apple, and avocado in a

blender; blend until smooth and

thick. Add water or other addi-

tional liquid to adjust the thickness

to your preference.

Don’t let the vivid green tint deter you—this

creamy vegetable smoothie tastes fantas-

tic, and it’s a great way to incorporate

more leafy greens into your diet.

This makes a great winter morning

breakfast, and the heaps of vi-

tamins and minerals will help

to keep those winter blues away.

1 ½ cups apple juice2 cups spinach, chopped

and destemmed1 apple, cored and chopped½ avocado, chopped

Green Goddess

Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 5 minutesServings: 2

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and smooth. Add additional milk/liquid as needed to adjust the thickness to your preference

Do you remember those infomercials for chia pets from the 1990s? Chia seeds are the same seeds used to grow those funky animal topiaries, and surprisingly, they actually taste real-ly, really good. Chia seeds are packed with good fats, and they expand in liquid, making them perfect for a

thick smoothie. The strawberry and peanut butter com-bo is just too good, and it’s great for tricking yourself into

thinking you’re drinking a milkshake for breakfast

2 ½ cups frozen strawberries4 tbsp. peanut butter4 tsp.chia seeds1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt½ cup nonfat milk1 tsp. vanilla extract

Strawberry, Chia, and Peanut Butter

Written by Kerry Gibbons

You

k n o w

wh

at

tastes

great?

Oatmeal

with

fresh st

rawberr

ies.

You know

what’s

even bette

r? A stra

w-

berry

oatmeal

smoothie.

All of

the flavor,

with no

spoon required

. This m

akes a

n

amazi

ng, fillin

g brea

kfast an

d only

takes

five minutes

to whip up, m

ak-

ing it es

pecially

good for th

ose morn-

ings when yo

u decide t

o actually

go to

8:30 AM Global W

arming.

Prep time: 5 m

inutes

Cook time: 2 m

inutes

Servings: 2

1. Place ice

and fr

ozen st

rawber-

ries at

the bot

tom of

blende

r, and

all oth

er ingr

edients

on top.

Blend

until co

mpletely

smooth. Serve

immediately

.

1 cup ice

½ cup frozen str

awberries

½ cup plain Greek yogurt

1 banana

½ cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup water (o

r another

liquid)

Optional: h

oney

Strawber

ry Oatm

eal

Spotlight on

features 12


I decided to visit Sunda at 10:30 on a Sunday morning, and although I was worried that there might be a long wait I seemed to have avoided the brunch rush. A smiling server immediately ushered us

over to one of the tables in the dimly lit main dining room, and though the lighting seemed rather incongruous with the early hour the ambi-ance itself was pleasant and accommodating. The one thing that felt a little off-putting was the volume of the music, which was less of an issue during the uncrowded morning service but would likely prove frustrat-ing for guests who intend to actually chat with their brunch buddies over a plate of mini steamed buns.

Sunda’s menu boasts both east and west- inspired dishes to give even the pickiest of guests a generous selection. The “Western Flavors” in-cluded a typical array omelets and skillets, while the “Eastern Flavors” presented similar offerings but with Asian-infused flavors and ingredi-ents. I selected a dish from each half—the Pancit Canton of the “East” and the Brie and Mushroom Omelet of the “West”—and topped off the meal with an order of Oxtail Potstickers from the Dim Sum selec-tion. The time from order to table was probably no more than fifteen minutes, but when our food arrived our waiter surprised us with a free helping of the Rock Shrimp Tempura as the chef ’s apology for the lon-ger-than-expected wait time.

The Pancit Canton consisted of a substantial portion of egg noodles

topped with “Lap Cheong” (a Chinese Sausage), crispy pork and a med-ley of Asian vegetables that certainly did not disappoint. The dish wasn’t very far outside of my comfort zone, but the integration of Asian-spe-cific ingredients, such as Bok Choy and sausage, transformed the simple noodle dish into a sweet-salty mixture whose flavors melded beautifully in every mouthful. On the other hand, the Brie and Mushroom om-elet offered more conventional brunch fare. While portions were no-tably generous, I can’t say this particular dish really showcased Sunda’s strengths. While delicious, this $11 omelet alone would probably not justify another trek up to the restaurant.

The most successful dish of the morning was the measly portion of Oxtail Potstickers. The dish doesn’t come cheap: at $16 for a plate of five, it might seem difficult to justify the expenditure. But each diminu-tive dumpling packed what felt like half a steak into a bite-sized pock-et. The dumplings were dressed in a light drizzling of a special wasabi cream that added the perfect amount of spice to the creamy and meaty blend. This salty-spicy-sweet mélange alone might be reason enough for me to return to Sunda.

First-timers should approach Sunda’s menu and offerings with caution and an open mind. The traditional brunch grub won’t let you down, but if you really want a one-of-a-kind experience from Sunda you can’t go wrong with the more innovative items on the Asian-inspired menu.

Sunda[written by // Weian Wang]

[photographed by // Darien Ahn]

features 14

SundaFollowing the recent trend of comfort-

food-made-classy restaurants, Mark Steuer’s Carriage House brings Lowcoun-try cuisine to Chicago, offering modern takes on dishes like shrimp and grits, she-crab soup and a plethora of other re-gional classics. On a lazy Sunday morn-ing post-midterms, I headed to Wicker Park to get a taste of their much-lauded brunch menu. Although I arrived a mere half-hour after opening time there were quite a few tables already filled, so be forewarned that if you’re looking to dine at a later time you’ll probably want to schedule a reservation.

The interior of Carriage House is si-multaneously rustic and hipster-ish (the latter mostly due to the plaid server uni-forms and the very conspicuously useless decorative barrel near my table) with a décor that borders on kitschy. The eager-ness to represent the Southern theme can feel a little forced at times, but the food itself is authentic and restrained. In some ways, however, there’s a little too much restraint, at least in terms of serving size. The sweet tea for example, while refresh-ingly herbal and delicately sweet, was also ridiculously pricey at four dollars for a small glass.

Similarly my order of the Mushrooms, which was around the same price as the enormous plate of Chicken and Biscuits brought to a neighboring table, was served in tiny cast iron dish the size of a postcard. Now don’t get me wrong—it was delicious, even though it wasn’t a conventional brunch offering. Topped with a sprinkling of cheese, the dish’s main feature was the eponymous grilled oyster mushrooms, which were intense-ly smoky, earthy and also surprisingly

meaty. Forget bacon, I wouldn’t mind having these mushrooms with my scram-bled eggs every morning. The grilled chicory had a similarly smoky profile as well as a fresh, peppery bite that offset the richness of the excellent grits buried at the bottom. Creamy, thick, and legit-imately gritty in texture, the grits were topped by a hefty, wiggly sous vide egg. But although eggs are usually a welcome presence on a brunch menu, in this case the richness of the yolk in addition to the creaminess of the grits made the whole thing far too heavy. The tang of the truf-fle vinaigrette did help to balance the fla-vors somewhat, though, and the freshly cracked black pepper on top lent a surprisingly strong kick to the dish.

I also ordered the skillet cornbread after a glowing recommendation from my server, and I have to agree, that Steuer’s rendition of this brunch classic is almost perfect. Baked and served in a small (and I do mean small, especially for the sev-en dollar price tag) cast iron skillet, the cornbread had an exceedingly light interi-or encased in a nice crunchy crust. The buttery bread was accompanied by a sprin-kling of fragrant fresh chives, spiced apple preserves, and a dollop of foie gras butter. The chives complimented the sweetness of the corn, but while the spiced apple preserves and foie gras butter were tasty in their own right

I actually felt that the cornbread would be just fine eaten plain.

Overall, Carriage House does an ex-cellent job with the classics, but it has yet to really reconcile the heavy-handed nature of its Southern inspiration with the refined presentation of modern cuisine. If you’re seeking soul-soothing comfort food served in a bustling hip-ster environment, then Carriage House is the place for you. And even if you’re not, well, it’s worth a visit at least once for the grits and cornbread alone.

AinaKakahiaka

Malasada:One of the best known foods that locals eat for breakfast is the mala-sada, a Portuguese confection made from dough, deep-fried in oil, and coated in sugar. You can think of the malasada as an Island cousin of the doughnut; however, the dough is lighter and the center is more airy. Rather than being eaten in the morning, malasadas are often eat-en later in the day, and it is not uncommon to see them combined with other local flavors like haupia (a coconut cream) or li hing mui (dried plum seeds). It’s a tradition for malasadas to be eaten on Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent, with people waiting in long lines at their favorite bakeries to score a box for their office or family. President Obama’s high school in Honolulu, Punahou, sells to-die-for malasa-das at its annual fundraising carnival.

Sweet bread:My personal favorite Hawaiian brunch item? Sweet bread. Although some people may believe this to be a Hawaiian creation, it was actu-ally brought to Hawaii by the Portuguese. Many of the Portuguese workers went on to become dairy farmers and worked on ranches. They would bake their bread in wood burning ovens called “fornos,” and it soon became a Hawaiian favorite. As the name implies, this bread is lighter and sweeter than your typical Wonderbread loaf. The only way to improve upon this is to use it in French Toast or Bread Pudding, but it’s hard to beat this bread just plain, warmed up with a little butter on top: a true comfort food.

Manapua:The manapua is very similar to what you may know as ta “steamed bun.” Chinese immigrants brought the concept to Hawaii when they came to the islands to work on sugar plantations. As usual, islanders have added their own flavors to the mix, with fillings including taro (a root vegetable) and a local favorite, Kalua pig. We also super-sized the original sized buns.

The Loco Moco: It’s not the most healthy breakfast option, but it’s certainly one of the most beloved. The traditional Loco Moco was created in Hilo on the Big Island post-World War II, and is made of rice, covered with a hamburger patty, loaded with gravy, and topped with a fried egg. Other local varieties of the dish have been created over the years, with ingredients including Spam—in Hawaii, we consume 7 million cans of Spam a year.

Kona Historical Society’s Sweet Bread

2 cups warm water + 2 tbsp. water for egg wash4 packages dry yeast2 cups sugar2 sticks melted butter (cooled)4 eggs + 1 egg for egg wash8 cups bread flour

1. Mix together warm water and dry yeast in big bowl. Then stir in sugar, melted butter, and eggs. Stir in 8 cups of bread flour one cup at a time.

2. Stir in up to 2 more cups of flour as needed to make a soft dough. When the dough is too difficult to stir, turn dough out on a floured table and knead in the rest of the flour for about 3-5 minutes. Add more flour if needed to keep the dough from sticking to the table.

3. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it until it has doubled in size (about 1 hour). Punch the dough down and form into 4 equal sized loaves.

4. Pinch off 7 equal pieces dough from each loaf, roll and place in greased 9-in round aluminum pans or place rolled dough balls into greased muffin pans. Let the dough rise again until doubled in size (about 1 hour) and brush with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp. water). Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes

By Sarah Recktenwald Illustrated by Teddy Watler


Recommended Reading

As M. Arthens lies dying, having been given only 48 hours to live by his friend and doctor, he searches the depths of his memory for the one taste that will let him die in peace after a life spent critiquing the food that oth-ers had placed before him. This is the premise of Muriel Barbery’s novel Gourmet Rhapsody, and to that end, she crafts some of the most succulent and intense images of food found in fiction. Through M. Arthens she explores the cuisines of North Africa, rural France, and even Ja-

pan, weaving a complementary story played out in the minds of the critic’s family and employees. Unlike most food writers, Barbery crafts a story into each taste. As the novel progresses, each memory draws out a new facet of M. Arthens’ life. His childhood trips to Morocco, for example, fill the reader’s senses with lush spices and juicy meats. Foodies will find within him a kindred spirit, a man who sees food as more than sustenance, but as art worthy of intellectual exploration.

2The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffrey Steingarten

The smart-mouthed No Reservations chef Anthony Bourdain recounts his travels around the world while filming his first TV show in A Cook’s Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal. The point of his travels (as the ti-tle might suggest): to find the perfect meal. Bourdain travels far and wide, from tasting street food in Saigon to experiencing one of the best restaurants in the world, The French Laundry in Yountville, California. He con-cludes that the perfect meal can come in many forms, like a Papaya King hot dog or a traditional kaiseki meal in Japan. A Cook’s Tour is the perfect example of a gon-zo journalism view of the food world. As you read you

start to realize that this is not so much a memoir but a lesson in self-reflection. You feel every memory involving food resurface, such as Thanksgiving dinners with crazed family, the restaurant you went to on your first date, or experiencing new flavors in a foreign land. As you relive these moments, you realize that in so many different sit-uations you’ve already had the perfect meal. Ultimately, Bourdain dismisses the idea of the perfect meal as lu-dicrous; the perfect meal, like happiness, sneaks up on you. When remembering you realize it’s the company and atmosphere that makes the perfect meal not neces-sarily the food.

A classic of the culinary essay genre, this anthology – which compiles pieces Steingarten wrote in the first ten years of his ongoing work as Vogue’s resident food critic – is a valuable addition to any bookshelf. From an examination of engineered “fat-free” fats in “A Fat of No Consequence” to the worshipful examination of traditional kaiseki-ryori in “Kyoto Cuisine” to the riveting botanical expose, “Salad the Silent Killer”, the essays contained within cover the length and breadth of the culinary world with exceptional thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and constant irreverent humor.

A Cook’s Tour by Anthony Bourdain1

3Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery

Photos courtesy of publisher

By Shayna Inzunza

By Avi Molder

By Charlotte Von De Bur

features 16

Bru

nch

of C

ham

pion

s


That there exists cafeteria food that college kids, con-struction workers, and the President of the United States alike would gather for on a Sunday morning is a funny thought; yet Valois on 53rd Street offers just that. At first glance, Valois looks like your typical breakfast specialty diner. Upon closer inspection though, it’s clear that Valois is anything but typical. There’s no cheery waitress or elu-sive back kitchen with a swinging door here: at Valois, your food is cooked right in front of your eyes and swiftly tossed, steaming hot, directly onto your tray.

From the makeshift menu proudly titled “President’s Fa-vorites,” I chose the #2 (two scrambled eggs, two classic buttermilk pancakes, and two sausage patties) and a can of grape soda. The eggs came plain—no black pepper and no elaborate garnishes—and although they were cooked for only a few minutes, they were well done, with just enough runniness. I opted to add some Tabasco sauce as I gener-ally like my eggs with a bit of kick, but otherwise these seemingly run-of-the-mill scrambled eggs easily held their own against the other components on the plate. They were simple, enjoyable, and a good side dish to the star of the meal: the pancakes.

Accompanied by two small, vintage-looking glass cups of maple syrup, the pancakes were easily the best I’ve ever had. While the cups make it easy to go overboard and drench everything in syrup, don’t—the pancakes them-selves are very, very sweet. I found this out when I made the mistake of dousing the first pancake in the thick syr-up, making every bite heavy and almost sickeningly sweet. Having learned my lesson, I put much less syrup on the second pancake and was rewarded with fluffy, lightweight layers and a heavenly cake-like texture. Even with minimal maple syrup, the pancakes were satisfying enough to stand alone as a hearty breakfast.

The only disappointing aspect of the meal was the sau-sages. Around the size of a Snapple bottle cap, the patties were slightly overcooked and required a butter knife to cut up into two or three manageable chunks. The flavor was good however, and the slight peppery bite and smoky af-tertaste balanced the sweetness of the pancakes and made up for the small portion and less-than-agreeable texture.

With the addition of a beverage, my meal came up to just $8. In line with all the other timeless elements of the restaurant (the murals of Hyde Park on the walls, the as-sembly line meal presentation, and the constant sound of clattering dishes in the background), Valois is cash-only, but given the low prices and the huge portion sizes this is hardly unreasonable. So the next time you’re looking to brunch in Hyde Park, head to Valois for great comfort food at even more comforting prices.

Much like its perfectly crispy chocolate chip pancakes, which deliver an unexpected gooey chocolate explosion in every bite, The Med is full of surprises. On the outside, the restaurant appears to be an unassuming large brick building, blending into a block full of shops and eateries. Upon entering The Med however, its charm immediately becomes apparent: the aroma of hearty comfort food fills the air; cozy wooden booths line the walls; high ceilings with sky lights brighten up the space.

The Med excels at executing brunch classics, particularly pancakes. The blueberry, chocolate chip, and sweet pota-to varieties all deliver an extraordinary brunch experience. Crispy on the outside while airy and fluffy on the inside, the chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes ooze with their respective fillings, while the sweet potato pancakes are bursting with tangy cinnamon flavors and melt in the mouth. Each order consists of three mouthwatering pan-cakes, making sharing (or eating three at once) easy.

The Mexican omelet is another Medici brunch favorite. Many of the Medici’s omelets are tasty (especially Break-fast #1 and #2, which combine options like bacon, French toast, and two eggs cooked any way you’d like), but none have the bold flavors of the Mexican omelet. Three eggs, chorizo, pico de gallo, and a wildly flavorful salsa fuse to-gether to create a truly delicious dish. Crunchy chorizo peeks out from inside the omelet and balances the softness of the eggs, while fresh salsa and melted cheese add further complexity to the flavors.

The Med’s delectable dishes are widely revered by the Hyde Park community, so it’s always bustling with people. Luckily, once inside, obtaining a table typically takes less than fifteen minutes even at peak brunch hour. For days when the brunch rush is truly unbearable though, opt in-stead for a warm spinach and feta cheese croissant from the bakery. When heated, the feta and spinach blend together and pour out of the croissant, ensuring that each bite is perfection.

Although The Med does not reinvent the nature of brunch, its offerings are highly appetizing, affordable, and definitely satisfy cravings. When in the mood for ad-venture, choose dishes like the smoked salmon benedict, Mexican omelet, or sweet potato pancakes, and prepare to brunch like a champion.

Valois TheMediciBy Martha Teka By Julie Khidekel

Illustrated by Teddy Walter

feature 18

adapted from saveur.com

tortilla españolaPREP 10 minutes

COOK 25 minutesMAKES 4-6 servings{ }

• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and thin-ly sliced• 1/2 medium yellow or Spanish onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced• 5 large eggs• 1/4 cup and 2 tbsp. olive oil

get

1. In a non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat and carefully add the sliced potatoes and onions to the oil.2. Constantly move the potatoes so that they don’t brown, cook until the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking crack all of the eggs into a large bowl and whisk the eggs until the mixture is a pale yellow.3. When the potatoes are tender, turn off the heat and transfer the potatoes and onions into the bowl with the whisked eggs. In a separate bowl pour out the extra oil and reserve for later use.4. Add about 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil back into the pan and heat over medium high heat. Mix the potatoes and eggs together and carefully pour the mixture back into the pan being sure to level the potatoes so that the top appears smooth.5. Cook the mixture until the bottom is browned, about 3 minutes. While the mixture is cooking make sure that it isn’t sticking to the pan. Once the mix-ture is browned on the bottom, turn off the heat and place a plate on top of the pan and flip the tor-tilla onto the plate. 6. Add 2 more tablespoons of the reserved oil into the pan and heat over medium high heat. Slide the tortilla from the plate back into the pan and cook for another 3 minutes or until the bottom is browned.7. Slide the tortilla onto a plate and serve warm or at room temperature and season with salt and pepper to taste.

do

One early Saturday afternoon I set about peeling and slicing potatoes and onions to take over to a friend’s place where he has a great iron cast skillet. Unknown to me at the time this is not the type of pan you want when making a frittata. Even though a cast iron skillet can impart great flavor on whatever you cook, you need a non-stick skillet or else your frittata turns into a mess of egg and filling not a browned disc like it should. A week later, I’m standing in my kitchen getting ready to turn out the Tortilla onto a plate to turn it over and I hear Julia Child’s voice in my head, “You mustn’t be afraid when flipping an omelet, you must have courage in your convic-tions.” With that in mind I quickly flip over the pan and the Tortilla smoothly falls perfectly onto the plate. If you take away anything from my experience it should be to never underestimate the power of a non-stick pan.

article and photographs by // shayna inzunza


Do you ever want something more than plain eggs for breakfast? Per-haps a craving for something with a Mexican taste, such as nachos? Chi-aquiles brings everything you love about nachos—crispy tortilla chips, melted cheese, and zesty salsa—and gives them a delicious breakfast twist. The crunchy chips and spicy salsa balance nicely with the creamy cheese and eggs. Feel free to experiment with different types of salsa and chips. This dish is perfect for a filling, late brunch. It is also great for a large crowd and provides for easy clean up with just one pot.

2 cups vegetable oil for frying1 onion1 qt. chicken broth25 6-in. corn tortillas, torn into strips2 16-oz. jars of salsa1 can Mexican style hot tomato sauce6 eggs8 oz. tortilla chips from bag2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican melting cheese2-3 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken3/4 cup sour creamcilantro and grated cheese for garnishing

get

1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil to 350°F. Stir in ¼ cup chopped onion and tortilla strips. Fry until the tortilla strips are crisp and golden brown. Remove chips and drain on paper towels. Drain ex-cess oil from skillet so only the bottom is covered. 2. Over medium heat, return tortilla chips to skillet. Add tortilla chips from bag. Stir in eggs and season with salt. Cook until eggs are firm.3. Add salsa, hot sauce, and chicken stock to eggs and chips. Bring to a light boil, reduce heat, and sim-mer for 10 minutes until thickened. Top with cheese and cook until melted. 4. Strew chicken on top if desired, cover and let stand for 3 to 4 minutes. Gently stir. Sprinkle with onion, sour cream, grated cheese, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

do

PREP 20 minutesCOOK 10 minutes

MAKES 12 servings{ }

adapted from frontera

chilaqiles breakfast casserole

article by // emily beltran &photographs by // kristIn lin

recipes 20


strawberry and pistachio crepes

PREP 30 minutesCOOK 30 minutesMAKES 2 crepes{ }

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour• 1/2 cup milk• 1/4 cup lukewarm water• 2 large eggs• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter melted• pinch of salt• 1/2 lb. strawberries• 1/2 cup sugar• zest from one orange• 3 tbsp. orange juice• 1/4 cup roasted unsalted pistachios crushed• 1 cup cream• 3 tbsp. powdered sugar

get

1. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a small bowl and add to the flour and salt. 2. Pour batter into pitcher or bowl with a lip. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 3. For strawberry filling slice strawberries thinly. 4. Cook in saucepan with sugar, orange juice, and zest on medium heat until the mixture is a syrupy consistency. 5. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes. 6. Steep pistachios and cream on medium heat for about 5 minutes. 7. Cover and chill in the freezer. 8. Once chilled add powdered sugar to the pista-chio mixture and whisk until stiff peaks form. 9. Melt enough butter on medium to cover the bottom of a skillet. Cook until golden brown. 10. Coat the pan with a thin layer of batter. Cook until the edges are light brown then flip.11. Pour strawberry filling in the middle of the crepe and fold sides over. Top with pistachio whipped cream and crushed pistachios for garnish.

do

article by // madeleine burch &photographs by // angela qian

recipes 22

adapted from the recipe “Small World Coffee’sGinger Scones with Cardamom” at marthastewart.com

ginger and cardamom scones

Just as Medici’s and Dat Donut feeds and caffeinates the denizens and students of Hyde Park, Small World Coffee serves the students and denizens of my hometown of Princeton, New Jersey. One of my favorite pastries is their sweet and spicy Gin-ger and Cardamom Scones. It turns out these scones gained a bit of fame outside Princeton; in 2007, the recipe was given to the patron saint of American domesticity, Martha Stewart, who then shared it on her TV show and website. Now you too can eat scones and drink coffee just like a real Princetonian!

I love making these in the fall as a snack, and they are quick to make, only thirty minutes. Depending on preference, you can change the amounts of cardamom and ginger to increase or decrease the sweet-spicy balance. I like lots of flavor, so I cut the crystallized ginger into big chunks and add lots of cardamom. Compared to other recipes, these scones don’t have as much butter and no heavy cream, and to make them even healthier, you can replace some or all of the sour cream with plain or vanilla yogurt. Sour cream makes the scones a tad fluffier. Serve warm or cool with your favorite warm beverage.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour• 2 tsp. baking powder• 1/2 tsp. baking soda• 1/2 tsp. salt• 3/4 tsp. cardamom pods, crushed and inner seeds ground (I recommend a coffee grinder or mortar)• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped into chunks• 3/4 cup sour cream or yogurt• 1/2 cup sugar• 4 tsp. sugar• 2 large eggs

get

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.2. Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer, a food proces-sor, or in a mixing bowl. 3. Add cardamom. Mix until combined. Add butter and mix until crumbly.4. Add ginger, sour cream or yogurt, ½ cup of sug-ar, and one egg. Mix until combined. It should be a crumbly ball of dough.5. Form 1/3 cup balls using an ice-cream scoop or hands. Place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. 6. Mix together remaining egg with a dash of wa-ter. Brush scones evenly with glaze. Sprinkle scones with 4 teaspoons of sugar. 7. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. NOTE: If you like using up all the glaze like I do, know that it will solidify into ugly, egg-y blobs after baking. Remember to cut off these blobs from the scones before serving.

do

article by // julian spergel &photographs by // kristin lin

PREP 30 minutesCOOK 30 minutesMAKES 10 scones{ }


adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com

PREP 15 minutesCOOK 1 hour

MAKES 2.5 cups{ }

vegan maple pecan pie granolaGranola is one of the simplest, fastest possible additions to your breakfast routine.

Stir it into some yogurt or cottage cheese, sprinkle it over a bowl of fruit for an added crunch, or just grab a handful and run out the door. And considering how easy it is to make your own at home, it’s nearly criminal to keep store-bought granola in your pantry.

This maple pecan pie granola packs an unexpected punch of flavor that will in-stantly make you think of warm, syrupy pancakes and Thanksgiving dessert. The ingredients are simple and healthy enough that you can happily enjoy this deceptively sweet and crunchy snack without any guilt. If you’re still looking for an extra nutri-tional kick, stir in some ground flax seed and almonds, and this granola will easily tide you over until lunch.

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or a mix of maple syr-up and agave or honey)• 1/4 cup brown sugar• 1/2 cup pecan pieces• 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil)• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon• pinch of salt

get

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare baking sheet with nonstick spray or parchment paper.2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, cinnamon, and pecan pieces.3. In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Pour over oats and stir until oats are evenly moistened.4. Spread evenly onto baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.5. Allow granola to cool completely (at least 30 min-utes) before serving. Do not cover the granola until it cools, or it will not get crunchy.

do

article and photographs by // aneesa sonawalla

recipes 24

overnight cinnamon rollsThese cinnamon rolls are a brilliant addition to any brunch. Not only are they delicious, but, because they can be refrigerated overnight, these rolls couldn’t be easier to make on the morning-of: just pop them in the oven and enjoy. This recipe makes massive, death-star-sized cinnamon rolls, and scales well: I once used a quadruple recipe as the mainstay of a 68-person breakfast. When scaling this recipe up, roll the dough to 8-inches wide by 12n-inches long, where n is the number of batches you are making. One important note: you really need high-walled pans for these rolls. They will catastrophi-cally overflow shallower dishes and ruin all of your hard work!

• 1 small potato (about 4 ounces), peeled and chopped in eighths.• 1 cup sugar• 1 1/2 tsp. salt• 4 1/2 cups flour, plus ½ cup for kneading• 1 1/4 oz. packet active dry yeast• 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room tem-perature, plus a bit for greasing the pan• 1 large egg• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon• cream cheese frosting

get

1. Boil the potato in a saucepan with just enough water to cover, for about 15 minutes or until pota-to chunks are fork-tender. Meanwhile, combine the flour, ½ cup sugar, the yeast, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix ½ cup sugar with the cinnamon.2. Drain the potato and reserve the cooking liquid. Rice the potato or mash it by hand, adding 1¼ cups of the reserved liquid and add ¼ cup (½ stick) of the butter to the reserved potato-cooking liquid and stir until it melts. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, add it to the flour mixture along with the egg.3. Knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. Add the dough to a large greased bowl, cov-er with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place (i.e. inside an oven) for an hour. The dough should be double its original size.4. Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan. Punch down the dough, then transfer it to a floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll the dough gently into an 8- by 12-inch rectangle. Spread ½ cup (1 stick) butter over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the cinna-mon-sugar mixture you made earlier evenly over the butter. Starting with the long side, roll up the dough

do as tightly as possible. Cut the roll into 12 one-inch slices and arrange the slices in the greased pan.5. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until doubled in size and very puffy, about 1 hour. At this point, you can refrigerate the cinna-mon rolls overnight to bake in the morning. If you leave them overnight, let them return to room tem-perature for 45 minutes before baking.6. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. Check in on them to make sure they brown evenly (rotating the pan at 10 and 20 minutes can help). Spread with cream cheese frosting and serve warm, in the pan.

PREP 1.5 hoursCOOK 4 hoursMAKES 12 rolls{ }

article by // michael wheeler & photographs by // andrea rummel


adapted from pastryaffair.com

wheat carrot pineapple coconutarticle and photographs by by // shira fishbach

PREP 15 minutesCOOK 20 minutes

MAKES 10-12 muffins{ }

• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour• 1 tsp. baking soda• 1 tsp. baking powder• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg• 1/4 tsp. ginger• 1/2 cup brown sugar• 1 egg• 3 tbsp. oil• 2 tsp. vanilla• 1/2 cup coconut milk (if using cow’s milk, add more brown sugar- up to ¾ cup)• 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, well drained• 1 ½ cups grated carrots• 1/2 cup raisins

get

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners or grease with non-stick cooking spray.3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and brown sugar.4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg, oil, coconut milk, and vanilla.5. In another small bowl, mix the shredded carrots with the crushed pineapple.6. Add the egg mixture to the carrot/pineapple mixture and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Over mixing will lead to tough, dry muffins!7. Add in the raisins.8. Divide between the 12 muffin tins and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick to the center of a muffin comes out dry.

do

I used to tell my parents that I didn’t see the point of baking without chocolate. “It’s a waste,” I would say, “Why would you want to eat a pastry without chocolate?”

These muffins are the answer to my 8-year-old self. They’re a guilt-free ode to wintery spices and moist crumb. With low fat and big flavor, each muffin is a little bit tropical and a little bit spicy; the best of both worlds. The carrots and coconut milk infuse each muffin with a decadent moisture and richness only comparable to the hint of pineapple and the occa-sional pop of flavor from the raisins, and the spices are a warm comfort in the bitter Chicago chill. These muffins pair beautifully with Greek yogurt, and are a perfect finale to a cozy weekend brunch. You’ll love them, and they’ll love you right back. Have I men-tioned they’re whole-wheat?

recipes 26

I’ll let you in on a little secret: calories don’t count on Sundays.

These classic banana-chocolate muffins are reminis-cent of personal banana breads, but with a coffee-fla-vored twist. The espresso subtly deepens the natural flavors of the banana and chocolate, all wrapped to-gether in moist, dense bread. I strongly recommend following the baking directions carefully. The initial blast of heat will guarantee sky-high, bakery-style muffins; each gooey, indulgent bite promises warm banana, smooth chocolate, and espresso swirl. They’re so effortlessly irresistible, and if you aren’t convinced that you need these right now, imagine them spread with butter (or Nutella). Trust me—I’ve tried both.

• 1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4 medium bananas)• 1/2 cup granulated sugar• 1/4 cup light brown sugar• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted • 1/4 cup whole milk• 1 large egg• 1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour• 3 tsp. instant espresso powder• 2 tsp. baking soda• 1 tsp. salt• 2/3 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips (regular will do)

get

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.2. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper liners or grease with nonstick cooking spray. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, sugars, milk, and egg.4. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.5. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined and fold in chocolate chips. Be careful not to over mix - you’ll wind up with tough, dry muffins! 6. Fill the cups to the brim. I ended up with 10 muf-fins and half-filled the remaining two cups with wa-ter to ensure even baking.7. Bake the muffins for approximately 4 minutes at 425 degrees F. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes until a toothpick in the center of a muffin comes out clean. 8. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

do

banana espresso chocolate chipadapted from food.com

article and photographs by by // shira fishbach

FUNDED IN PART BY SGFC

Documents

Nonpareil Vol II Issue I: Autumn 2013