In the deep south, at the Apalachicola River basin in the Florida panhandle, and the Okeefenokee Wildlife Refuge at the Florida-Georgia line, white Ogeechee tupelo trees grow. They blossom about 10 days every year. There are other locations of lesser tupelo gum trees, but here there be treasures. This is the source of the most … Continue reading Tupelo Honey
Spring is here and the birds are returning. It’s a short migration, as the crow flies. Just a few hops away from downtown Libertyville Metra station, finches and warblers alight for crumbs. Keep your eye on the sparrow. With so much hustle and bustle, I can’t keep track of them all coming or going for … Continue reading Birdy’s Coffee House
Duck…duck…duck… DONUT! Spring has me feeling a little daffy. Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Duck Donuts. “The Maple Bacon is so good that I want to take a bath in it. This has just the right amount of sweetness. I’ve never had bacon on a donut before Duck Donuts. The … Continue reading Duck Donuts
The Wild Roaster is on the loose. She’s brewing the best hot coffee at winter festivals. She’s serving homemade, fresh-baked goods at farmer’s markets. She calls the Lake Cook Metra Station in Deerfield her home, and she welcomes us all for a spin of Smooth Jazz, because it’s nobody’s Whiskey Business but ours, and we … Continue reading The Wild Roaster
It was Saturday, but we had two for the time. A crossover, a mashup, it’s two for the show. Three to get ready and four to go. Never for the money, always for the love. Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Hahn’s Bakery x Graham’s 318 Coffee House. “The Mixed Berry … Continue reading Hahn’s Bakery x Graham’s 318 Coffee House
There are countless ways to dine. Besides the conventional, guests can have food cooked tableside or on their table, they can cook their own food, meals can be enjoyed under simulated thunderstorms, or food can be playfully tossed into open mouths, with everyone agape in amazement. I have but I don’t want any more. I … Continue reading Sushi Station
When the pressure is on, some fold up like a cheap lawn chair. Others spring to life. Danny Trejo endured pressures, obstacles and challenges. And that’s putting it lightly. But he crushed them all, his gentle smile always warm and welcoming. His new cookbook, Trejo’s Tacos, details his inspiring life story and offers 75 authentic recipes … Continue reading Trejo’s Tacos
It’s almost time for Mardi Gras. I don’t want your tacky beads or tchotchke souvenir tall glasses. Show me your Coffee and Chicory; and, while you’re at it, let me see your Beignets. If my aim is true, then I must point the way to Cafe Du Monde. “Hey, Joe. You wanna give it a go?” … Continue reading Cafe Du Monde
“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.” —Albert Camus Every year, the day after the summer solstice, I feel a little sadness. Why? Because the days are getting shorter. Every year, the day after the winter solstice, I “rage, rage against the dying of the light.*” What? The … Continue reading Clark & Sheffield
(Needle drop.) Germany! Beer! Sausage! Mustard! Sauerkraut! Oktoberfest! Christkindlesmarkt! Coffee. (Vinyl scratch.) To all other coffee purveyors, Achtung! Scroll down to see more photos and read more about Tchibo Coffee. “Mmm…the Dark Roast is nice and strong. Oh, this is delicious. I really like this black. I’ve actually never seen this before. I need to get … Continue reading Tchibo Coffee
The Simple Luxuries 