While driving through Colorado, my husband and I saw some breathtaking views of mountains. Like this one.
Beautiful mountains in Colorado…
Leena Eats: Chalkboard in Chicago’s North Center Hood
Look! An actual chalkboard at Chalkboard! Yay!
Shortly before I left Chicago, I had the pleasure of dining at Chalkboard, a slightly upscale restaurant focused on local, sustainable comfort food. Fair warning–the photos do not do the food justice. I was en route to a wicked cold during this dinner, and sort of crapped out on good photography. I had been wanting to dine here for a while, especially when I learned that there was literally a chalkboard in the dining room that listed the specials, which change daily. Holla. We started off with their scallops, one of the only mainstays on the menu. It had seared dry pack scallops, sugar cured Kalamata olives, vanilla bean “mayo”, pumpkin oil, sage and roasted walnuts.
Chalkboard’s signature seared scallops with vanilla bean “mayo” and kalamata olives.
Leena Eats: Chicago One Last Time (Cari’s Visit)
Seasoned beef short ribs @ Cho Sun Ok. Welcome to Chicago, Cari!
One of the best treats towards the end of my time in Chicago was my good friend Cari (who you might remember from this post, this podcast, or her blog) came to visit and wanted a proper food tour of the city. Cari (whom I met in grad school) normally lives in Florida and had never been to Chicago before this trip. It was a great way to say good bye to this city that I love to eat. And also a great excuse to eat my weight in food. Just saying. Read the rest of this entry »
Leena Eats: Hema’s Kitchen with the Fam!
Deep fried spinach pakoras @ Hema’s Kitchen. Sadly, the best part of the meal.
A few of my Indian cousins were in town shortly before I moved to CAlifornia, and we all met to dine on some delicious Indian food and catch up. Sadly, we were all also lazy and forgot to make a reso at our favorite restaurant, which means it was closed. Thus, we found ourself at Hema’s Kitchen, the Indian restaurant that seems to get a lot of press in Chicago. Then it was time to get our eat on. Read the rest of this entry »
Leena Eats: Fancy Pants-Ghetto McGuyver Thanksgiving 2009
My delicious (and yes, puke-free) Thanksgiving table 2009.
It is official. The husband, Nugget T. Cat and I are safely and happily living in the sunny state of California! But it was not without obstacles, that is for DAMN sure. Details on those later, but the biggest headache was our moving company, Bekins, who decided they wanted to show up two weeks late, AFTER Thanksgiving, thus raping us up the butt financially. We fought hard and managed to get our stuff the day before Thanksgiving (but not before we raided every Salvation Army from here to the ocean for plates because we thought it would NOT get here by then), but for reals? I have NEVER dealt with a more unprofessional company in my life. Do not use them. Oh yeah, and some drunk person puked on my Thanksgiving table. Hey, it ain’t a party till someone pukes. And at least they didn’t ruin the freaking delicious food. Welcome to my Fancy Pants Ghetto McGuyver Thanksgiving! Read the rest of this entry »
Gastro Fridays: Anatomy of an American Thanksgiving, 2008 (Photo Essay)
Not every great meal requires the most expensive ingredients, the most sought after red wine, or even a professionally trained chef. Sometimes, all that is needed is a motive–to bring a family together. This was one of my best Thanksgivings to date, and I hope it gives you an idea of the average components that go into an American Thanksgiving meal.
Starters: bread, roasted sweet potatoes and relish trays with veggies, pickles and olives.
Leena Cooks Thanksgiving Week: Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Mah five spice cranberry upside down cake–the bitchin’ new dessert on my kick-ass Thanksgiving menu this year.
Hey there! It is the day before Thanksgiving–what the hell are you gonna make for dessert? OTHER than the traditional pumpkin pie? And don’t even tell me you aren’t making pumpkin pie–you omit this from any of my family menus and it is grounds for cutting someone. This week here at Leena Eats is Thanksgiving week, and we’re rocking it out with the cranberry all week long, so you’re in luck. If you are in the mood for something light and refreshing, possibly a palate cleanser, check out my kick-ass cranberry sorbet with ginger and orange from Monday. If sweet and gooey is what you are after, my cranberry, apple and pear five spice crisp from Tuesday is right up your alley, especially if you rock it out with some vanilla bean ice cream (use Haagen Daas–I won’t tell). But if you want something in between, a bit sweet and a bit tart, check out my five spice cranberry upside cake, inspired by a recipe in my Chez Panisse Fruits cookbook and from this post on The Joy of Baking. Read the rest of this entry »
Leena Cooks Thanksgiving Week: Cranberry, Apple n Pear Five Spice Crisp
Hi. I’m a cranberry. Please eat me for Thanksgiving. Or, you know, urinary tract infections.
Welcome to Thanksgiving Week here at Leena Eats, where we are celebrating an American ingredient and my bitch, the cranberry. Yesterday we started off with my favorite Thanksgiving palate cleanser, a cranberry sorbet with ginger. Today I want to skip straight ahead to my favorite course and Oprah’s, dessert. Cranberry is a great fruit to use if you have non-sweet lovers coming, because it provides a nice, tart accent to any dish. Today’s recipe: cranberry, apple and pear five spice crisp. Holla. Read the rest of this entry »
Leena Cooks Thanksgiving Week: Cranberry Sorbet with Ginger and Orange
My cranberry ginger sorbet. Photos by Liz Wilson.
Ah, Thanksgiving. The FOOD holiday. I freaking love this holiday, but have never really had the chance to host my own holiday meal. This year, as my husband and I are new residents of California, and are far from family and too poor to travel, we are finally claiming Thanksgiving as a holiday of our own. Friends from around the state will be joining us as Amanda from What We’re Eating and I bust out the best Fancy Pants Thanksgiving Meal we can…in a ghetto McGuyver-style, of course, because my movers have yet to deliver my life to me, which includes 30 kitchen appliances near and dear to my heart. And my ten inch Wustoff. Sit and spin, Bekins. So in honor of my first Thanksgiving, I wanted to celebrate one of my favorite holiday ingredients, and a very American one at that: the cranberry. It’s tart, it’s sassy, and if you play your cards right, this bitch will make you damn happy. Today’s Recipe: My kick-ass Cranberry sorbet with ginger and orange. Read the rest of this entry »
Gastro Friday Guest Post: Finding Your Roots: A Tale of Transforming Food Policy into Healthy Eating Practice
This week’s Gastro Friday post is by an old college pal of mine, Marianne LeGreco, Assistant Professor in Health Communication at the University of North Carolina–Greensboro. Marianne is a passionate supporter of healthy school food programs, something you might remember me talking about in the past. Hope you enjoy the first official guest post on Leena Eats ever!! ******************************************** Author?s Note: I?ve known Leena for a long, long time ? over 10 years ? and I?m delighted to be invited as a contributor to her food blog. As someone who spends most of her time doing academic writing, I believe that blogs are an excellent way for us ivory-tower types to translate our research and service projects into more accessible and conversational writing. I hope that you enjoy the first of what I hope to be many guest spots for LeenaEats. ******************************************** As someone who studies Communication, I find it fascinating to talk about food. My day job as an Assistant Professor in Health Communication lets me talk about the relationship between food policy and nutrition practice, healthy eating on a budget, and ways to improve access to fresh and local foods. But occasionally, I also get the chance to take my skills as a ?food speaker? into the community. Recently, my service work gave me the opportunity to host a series of nutrition seminars for sophomores at a low-performing high school where I live. What follows is a tale about my work with these students, which was an experience that made all of us think differently about our food choices. Read the rest of this entry »
Leena Shops: Paulina Meat Market
Welcome to Paulina Meat Market, Chicago’s Disneyland of Meat!
Once upon a time in early 2007, I decided to start writing a little food blog. One of the first places I covered? Paulina Meat Market, a true Disneyland of Meat. (It’s a bit rough, but you can read that first post here.) Now, as I am preparing to leave this great cold city of Chicago, I felt it was time to do a proper post of my favorite butcher in the city. And maybe eat a few pounds of smoked meats. You know, in honor.
The carnivore mecca of Chicago. Genuflect now, please, or you will anger the gods of porkdom.
Leena Eats: Vegetarian! Handlebar, Visit Deux
Pub cheese with ale and a whole lot of deliciousness. Seriously. This dish would make me swing vegan for a bit!
Vegetarians always seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to dining out. Especially if you happen to live in Central Illinois, where a local Subway is a luxury, and god forbid you find one link of soy-rizo at the local grocery store. Such if the case for my friends Chris and Danielle, proud residents of a cute little town called Henry in Illinois, population 2500. Read the rest of this entry »
