Lamb Stew and a guide to Chicago weekend fun

MANY PEOPLE SEE MARCH AS HEADING INTO SPRING. And indeed, March 20 is the first official day this year. But the reality here in Chicago and many places elsewhere can be quite different. Lately, we’ve been craving warming comfort food. In recent weeks, we’ve made Kimchi Chicken Soup, Valerie’s Split Pea Soup, Polish Hunter’s Stew, Shepherd’s Pie… March also being the month of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re currently thinking fondly of Irish Lamb Stew. Continue reading “Lamb Stew and a guide to Chicago weekend fun” →

Happy holidays from Blue Kitchen

THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED THIS WEEK. We’ll be back next week with a new recipe. In the meantime, enjoy celebrating the holidays deliciously.

Notes from the Upper Peninsula

WE WERE ON THE ROAD LAST WEEK, not in the kitchen, a long overdo revisiting of Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. Fall colors were everywhere, as were signs about places closing soon for the season—end of October or even earlier. Like the wonderfully weird Mystery Spot. Continue reading “Notes from the Upper Peninsula” →

On the road in Canada

WE’RE ON A ROAD TRIP, to Toronto, then Montreal and then looping back home. We are of course eating well, but nothing to share here right now. See you soon!

Closed for the holiday

NO RECIPE THIS WEEK, but we’ll be back with one next Wednesday. Happy fourth of July—enjoy the long weekend!

Feasting in the Twin Cities

No recipe this week. Just a little food for thought after visiting two lovely side-by-side cities this weekend.

The Diner, George Segal, Walker Art Center

EVERY TIME WE VISIT MINNEAPOLIS AND ST. PAUL we seem to love the two cities more. This being a food blog, we’ll start by saying we ate well everywhere, nothing as basic as what would likely be served at George Segal’s “The Diner” at the Walker Art Center. Continue reading “Feasting in the Twin Cities” →

Feasting our eyes (and our bellies) on a Detroit weekend

No recipe this week. Just a little food for thought from a short road trip.

WE WERE IN DETROIT LAST WEEKEND, visiting our daughter and her boyfriend. As always, it was a feast on many levels. And in many places. This Anthony Bourdain mural is in Flint, Michigan. It was painted in 2019 by Krystal Cooke and was commissioned by Rodney Ott, owner of the Loft bar below it and a big fan of Bourdain. Continue reading “Feasting our eyes (and our bellies) on a Detroit weekend” →

Seasons greetings from the chef

BLUE KITCHEN IS CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS. We’ll see you soon. Wishing you a joyous season and a happy, healthy, prosperous new year.

On the road yet again—Columbus, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky

APPARENTLY, WE REALLY LIKE ROAD TRIPS. Just got back from yet another one, first to Columbus, Indiana, and then to Louisville, Kentucky. Columbus, a small city of about 49,000 people, is the improbable home to a collection of modernist architecture by some of the leading international architects of the time. It has been called the sixth most architecturally-important city in the US. Louisville is home to bourbon, of course, and to beautiful, varied neighborhoods tucked into rolling hills. Both cities are home to friendly, smart people and sooo many good places to eat. Hi-Five Doughnuts, a woman-owned shop, was our last stop on the way out of Louisville, heading home. And those doughnuts were among the best things we ate. No recipe this week—we’re still recuperating. Please stop by next week.

On the road in hilly Cincinnati

WE ARE TRAVELING, A FUN LITTLE ROAD TRIP through Detroit, Flint, Michigan, and now, Cincinnati. It’s our first time here together and we are absolutely smitten. Amazing food, cool, friendly people, beautiful architecture, and hills, hills, hills. We hope to be back next week with a recipe. And for the record, this is not a picture of our transportation.