book review, cooking, plant-based food, vegan food

Egg substitute all it’s Crack’d up to be?

I had no idea that eating a lot of animal products is the absolute worst of all the destructive things we humans do to endanger our beautiful planet Earth – worse even than oil burning and coal mining. See ***Notes below. So I’ve begun keeping my eyes open for ways to get more of my protein from plant-based foods.

The Crack’d squeeze pouch

When a spokesperson for Crack’d contacted me and offered to send me a sample, I had to find out: Could it actually taste like scrambled eggs? It came in handy recloseable squeeze pouches that keep a week in the refrigerator and can even be frozen. The paste is designed to look like and be cooked to taste like scrambled eggs. And compared to other vegan egg options, this one can actually be used in baking, though I haven’t tried that yet.

It took me three tries to get the paste cooked to my taste, but now I’m ready to tell you about Crack’d, the new environment-friendly egg substitute from the United Kingdom. Are you looking for small ways you can save our planet? What we eat is a bigger factor than you can imagine. Read on for more.

Astonishingly, there’s hardly any fat in this new product. Each egg equivalent is only 25 calories. Now, the pea protein from which it is made does provide only 2g of protein per 1-oz., one-egg-equivalent serving, compared to a large egg’s 6g. But the low-fat, environmental friendliness of this product could be just enough of an incentive to get us non-vegans on board. No doubt, the convenience is a draw. An equally important incentive is, of course, taste.

On my first two attempts at scrambling Crack’d, I used the same approach I’ve always used for scrambling eggs – I like ‘em soft, so that’s how I decided when to pull the substitute out of the pan. The first time, I was nervous. Added some green chilies to it in case I wasn’t 100% on the taste/texture. It tasted ok, but I wasn’t crazy about the kind-of-gooey mouthfeel. Next attempt I tried seasoning with fresh dill and eating with late-summer tomato slices. Again, ok, but the mouthfeel still felt wrong.

So I re-read the directions. Thought, Hey, I bet I’m taking them off the fire too soon! So this morning I heated up a teaspoon of olive oil, threw in some leftover cooked chopped spinach to heat up, then gave my pouch a big squeeze. Let it sit (as instructed) to cook a bit before doing anything. Then I started breaking it up, salted it a bit, and kept breaking it up and cooking for another two whole minutes. Okay, that’s better – a saucer of scrambled “eggs” with spinach, complete with (nearly) real-egg mouthfeel. But honestly, I still wasn’t super enthusiastic.

Read another review on the website theveganreview.com that did even more testing. They agreed the scrambled egg taste was a bit lacking. But they said the Crack’d “egg” did a great job in baking – cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. – and in pancakes.

If you’re looking for a small thing you can do for mother Earth, get yourself a few pouches of Crack’d and make a dessert or some pancakes with ‘em. Scroll down on the home page for some Crack’d recipe ideas. They ship them to you in a little foam cooler you can re-use for food or pet food – or as a handy foot rest. “ )

–  –  –
***Notes

A video the other day on The Daily Show (on YouTube) interviewed Michael Grunwald, author of a new book called We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate. I already knew that producing meat was very hard on the planet, but I didn’t realize how badly our reliance on it is destroying our life-giving rainforests. Cattle ranching is the single most inefficient way to produce food. Cutting forests down to create pastures for them, and all that grain we grow for them is mainly about feeding animals, not people.

The statistics are shocking. “Every year since 2000, the world has been losing about 20,000 square miles of forest,” according to Earth.org. While I know chickens/eggs don’t have the same impact as porterhouse steaks et al., we gotta start somewhere. Here’s a review of another good book on this topic, We Are the Weather: Saving the Earth Begins at Breakfast, by Jonathan Safran Foer.

 

Chicago food and drink, comfort food, desserts, gifts, holidays

New luxury in sweet treats – Chicago-based company

I love baklava, but my teeth ache just thinking about all the sugary syrup it’s usually soaked with. I don’t normally seek it out because the treat doesn’t seem worth the calorie hit – or the need to wash my hands after handling it.

But I was encouraged recently to ask, “What if I could have an even richer version of baklava, and not have to hit the sink afterwards?” Happily somebody here in Chicago has already figured this out. I was recently given a chance to sample  products from the Dar Baklava company. And I’m impressed.

Generous premium ingredients with Dar Baklava (Credit: Dar Baklava)

The cashew baklava gives you an idea of how different this reimagined version is from the usual confection. You really taste the cashews, and the ghee-rich sweet pastry top and bottom is just the right thickness. The website says each “bite” is single, but it’s so rich and delicious I try to make at least 3.5 bites out of each one. One must take one’s time with luxury, right?

The date bars consist of a fruit and pistachio filling baked inside a molded shell of delicate flaky pastry that melts in your mouth while the date-sweetened filling hits just the right sweet spots on your tongue.

The nut-rich Snacklava doesn’t quite keep me from having to wash my hands, but it sure is a rich concoction. It’s different types of nuts held together with a coating that’s just-sweet-enough to set your treat sensors in gear. And you can tell by looking that these are high-quality nuts. And that might even make you feel kinda healthy, too.

These premiums treats seem to be priced fairly. You can, for example, on the Dar website get a box of six Cashew Baklava packages (18 bites) for  $23.99. Compare that to a box of  24 Snickers Pecan full size bars ($30 on Amazon). For some, this will be special occasion, but I can’t wait to give these as gifts – and will be  sure to put myself on the list occasionally.

The Dar line of treats – sold in handsome packages like all luxury items – are manufactured by a co-packer in Jordan  and shipped to the company’s warehouse here in Chicago for distribution.

 

appetizers, brunch, Chicago food and drink, culinary news, desserts, pasta, snack foods, vegan food

Read this – whether vegan-curious or already a convert

Learning about vegan eating can be challenging. Finding excellent prepared vegan food even more challenging. I’ve got exciting news for you.  “Smash Food Lab” is here to show you the way! Acclaimed vegan chef and cookbook author Dustin Harder founded the Lab to feature a wide variety of tasty prepared vegan foods. Eat vegan hearty now – and you don’t have to know or do a thing!

Take it wherever you want in the cute Smash Food Lab carry-cooler

Right now, Smash Food Lab is offering a “Beach Bites” special. In a very cool, bright orange, zippered mini-carry-cooler you get a full selection of items packaged in recyclable containers. Each container is enough for two people – or one if you’re really hungry – everything from fruit to pasta to sandwiches.

Think about a fresh watermelon-strawberry salad – that you don’t have to clean or cut up anything for! – topped with a bit of feta cheese (vegan, of course). Or gluten-free pasta salad chock full of lovely little slices and shreds of fresh vegetables and a gently spicy flavorful dressing – I am not gluten-free and yet this was one of my favorites! Think a sandwich with barbeque-sauced tofu (looks a lot like slices of tender pork tenderloin). Or a vegan Caprese panini seasoned with pesto and topped with tomato and arugula.

The vegan potato salad had a lovely creaminess and some good fresh  veg crunch. I personally would have liked a bit more punch – maybe a touch of mustard or vinegar – but I tell you, if you were really hungry and you tried this one first, you might finish it all for yourself. So warn your companions…

The Smash Food Lab website is beautiful to behold and contains lots of good information – menus, ordering, prices and vegan recipes  Dustin gives away for free! Check out the supper club and catering services, too.

Right now the cute cooler is just for the Beach Bites* special. If you love it, tell Dustin and maybe one day he’ll offer them for sale. Then you can pick up your faves in one each time you pre-order.

And perhaps start a craze. Vegans and vegan-curious folks walkin’ down the street, recognizing each other by the bright orange mini coolers on their arms. Be sure to wave!

*There’s a dessert/snack in this package. I’m not going to tell you what it is. But if you try it, be sure to tell Dustin how you like it!

beverages, Chicago food and drink, Spanish wines, Spanish wines

Spain’s Castillo y León vineyards present fine wines

The winemakers of Castilla y León came calling on Chicagoland trade and media members recently. And  some of their vintages were so lovely! After an informative master class and tasting, the Blackstone Hotel hosted 25 tables of beautiful wines – whites, rosés, and reds in multiples of pure single grape wines and lovely blends that thrilled taste buds and made mouths water. I’ll just focus on two whose wines were among the highest among my quick rankings.

Camino Pardo, Director General of NexusFrontaura

Ms. Camino Pardo, both knowledgeable and beautiful, presented a few of her wines. She is the Director General of a project created as a partnership of two wineries, Frontaura in Toro and Nexus in Pesquera de Duero. The project focuses on the production and trading of high-quality wines with the prestigious Appellations of Origin Ribera del Duero, and Toro.

Both these wineries grow the grape varieties known for each area – Tempranillo, Tinta de Toro, and Tempranillo, Tinta Fina. And just wait until you taste these elegant, sensual wines. They are made with care to showcase their terroir and to display the kind of subtle harmony that makes tasting them remain a lingering memory.
Vineyards of NexusFrontaura

Case in point, I still recall my first taste that day of Nexus One, D.O. Ribera del Duero, 2021, Red (100% Tempranillo). The color, deep and inviting. I immediately ranked it 5 stars. The wine has not yet been priced for retail,  but I promise you, this one is worth watching.

The other two wines she was sampling included Nexus Crianza, D.O. Ribera del Duero, 2019 Red (100% Tempranillo). SRP-$39.90. And Frontaura Crianza D.O. Toro 2018 Red (Tempranillo 100%). Lovely specimens, both. Look for more of their wines on the international market under the registered trademarks Dominio de Valdelacasa, Frontaura, and Aponte. And if you visit, you can stay in their fine Nexus hotel to maximize your time there. Visit their online home at bodegasnexusfrontaura.com. You’ll feel their passion for honoring nature in their work.

And then there were the wines being sampled by Dominio del Bienamado (I looked up the translation: “domain of the beloved”). Their one white and two red wines all got 5 stars from me, both in the master class and at the general tasting. Think old vines, growing Malvasia Castellana, Verdejo, Tinta de Toro (Tempranillo), and Garnacha grapes, in beautiful vineyards surrounded by Santa Ana pine forests. I want to go, right now! They have a website dominiodelbienamado.com but it seems you can’t get into it unless you have a password or if you are a vendor and sign up with your email. But you can seek information from David Pastor Rodriguez at this email: info@dominiodelbienamado.com.

The three wines Dominio del Bienamado were sampling at this event were all stunners, none of which yet have a retail price:

Caray Billon, D.O Toro, 2022 White (100% Verdejo) – 5 stars
Caray VS, D.O. Toro, 2021 Red (100% Tempranillo) – 5 stars
Lucas Pastor, D.O. Toro, 2022 Red (100% Tempranillo) – 5 stars
The many other vineyards represented included these (among others):
The charming vintage typewriter that Blackstone Hotel guests are invited to use to send notes to loved one.
The host venue was the Michigan Avenue landmark Blackstone Hotel. During the tasting their catering folks provided a small sampling of iconic Spanish tastes like Jamón ibérico (thinly sliced aged ham) .  Delicious with the wines. And you can just sit and enjoy the beauty of the hotel lobby anytime!
bar food, beverages, Chicago food and drink, holidays

Winter fun, people! Light Up the Lake at Navy Pier

Light up your holidays at Navy Pier

Navy Pier is a huge tourist magnet for our great city. And in case you didn’t know, if you’re invited to an event at the far, far end of the Pier, or you want to stop for some food or beverages there (Middle Eastern, yogurt/icees, Chinese, etc.), you don’t have to walk all the way there and back. It’s a LONG walk.

Instead, direct your taxi/car share all the way to the farthest end  – 600 E. Grand. Then, when you’re ready, call your return taxi or Uber to pick you up there.  But this winter, there’ll be lots of interesting activities you can play along the way. Try this: Ride to the far end and walk back to see everything there is to see and do.

Navy Pier just announced plans for “Light Up the Lake 2024,” the most thrill- and chill-packed edition of its popular, Pier-wide holiday celebration yet. Kicking off on Friday, November 29, and running through January 5, this year’s Light Up the Lake festivities will include an eclectic array of immersive seasonal experiences, accented by award-winning fireworks, first-of-their-kind holiday drone shows, and millions of dazzling lights.  
Light Up the Lake 2024 Highlights:
  • Winter Wonderland Lights: Navy Pier will again transform the lakefront into a magical winter wonderland with outdoor light displays visible from DuSable Lakeshore Drive. Free-of-charge.
  • Holiday Fireworks and Drone Shows: Marvel at the wintertime spectacle of the fireworks voted “best in the country” by readers of USA Today, 9 p.m., every Saturday. Enjoy two first-of-their-kind holiday drone shows – Friday, Dec. 6, and Friday, Dec. 13, at 9 p.m. Free-of-charge.
  • Two-story Ice Slide: New for 2024, four lanes of super-fast, slippery action! Challenge your friends and family to the ride of the season. Open daily, Noon to 8 p.m. Ticketed attraction.
  • Wave Swinger: Not for the faint of heart, Navy Pier’s high-flying Wave Swinger ride will take its first wintertime soars during Light Up the Lake 2024. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Ticketed attraction.
  • Centennial Wheel: Take in the best, 360-degree views of the Chicago skyline and a wintery Lake Michigan from the climate-controlled comfort of Navy Pier’s iconic Centennial Ferris Wheel. Open daily. Ticketed attraction.
  • Axe Throwing: Back by popular demand! Bundle up, bring your friends, and experience the thrill of outdoor axe throwing against the backdrop of Lake Michigan. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Noon to 8 p.m. Ticketed attraction.
  • Roaring Bonfires at the Navy Pier Beer Garden: Toast to the holidays with family and friends against the glow of a raging bonfire while enjoying breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Saturdays, Noon to 4 p.m. Free-of-charge, with food and beverage available for purchase.
  • Visits with Santa: Santa will greet children in Navy Pier’s Family Pavilion during most Pier operating hours, November 29 through December 24. Free-of-charge. Professional photo packages available for purchase.
  • Holiday Artisan Markets: Discover and shop for one-of-a-kind gifts and décor while supporting local artisans. Saturdays and Sundays, Noon to 6 p.m. Free-of-charge.
  • Hands-on Craft Workshops: Immerse yourself in the spirit of the season with a series of holiday-themed workshops hosted by guest artists. Sundays, Noon to 4 p.m. Free-of-charge.

Go ahead, set a date for a visit. It’s fun playing tourist-for-a-day in our very cool city.

desserts, snack foods, snacks

Easter – a second chance to indulge!

We all love Halloween. A legitimate excuse to eat way more candy than any other time of the year. But, hey, Easter is our first time each year to indulge ourselves beyond our typical sugar allowances.

Take me, for example. I rarely eat chocolate – though I adore it and do keep a supply of 70% dark chocolate handy for emergencies. Still, Fannie May was kind enough to send me some samples of their Easter collection – they do seasonal confections for every holiday.

Fannie Mae Easter bunnies

Well, I was getting hungry already when I opened the lovely red-beribboned, handled white basket (Fannie Mae really knows how to package its products in beautiful bundles!). I first examined each of the three chocolate bunnies – milk, white, and dark chocolate. Ooo, what fun to give to the kids in my life.

Fannie Mae Pixie Egg

And then I saw the smaller box marked Fannie Mae Pixie Egg. I thought, well, I’ll just slice it in half – happily, they give you a clear admission as to calories for all their confections. I said, to no one in the room with me, oh, look at all that caramel. And I wasn’t disappointed when I bit into the half in my hand. I savored that creamy caramel, bite after bite, on that first half I’d cut. But honestly, the little teaser pieces of pecan embedded in the thick milk chocolate coating guaranteed I wasn’t going to stop at half.

I had to eat popcorn for dinner that night, but it was worth it.

appetizers, bar food, beverages, cocktails, fine dining, spirits, wine

Unique vibe, unusual wines, unbeatable caviar service

Celebrated early birthday and Valentine’s Day last night at the one-of-a-kind Heritage Restaurant and Caviar Bar, 2700 W. Chicago. Seeing that it’s located in the heart of Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood, you might be tempted to dismiss it. “That couldn’t be a good place for high-end menu items. It’s too far out,” you might think.

Heritage beet vodka and caviar bump
Heritage beet-infused vodka with caviar bump.

If you’re looking for super fancy, mink-coat-worthy ambience, look elsewhere, though you won’t be embarrassed no matter how you dress. But if you’re looking for tasty treats served with unique accompaniments and top-drawer caviar service in a funky, laid-back atmosphere with relaxed, cheerful, and knowledgeable servers, come out and try Heritage.

An appetizer selection encompassed a plate of hearty house-made brown bread with a small crock of butter rosette, crispy/crunchy house-made potato chips, and several thick slabs of some of the most delicious pickles I’ve tasted in a long time. Another option is a lovely 2-ounce grilled, juicy ground beef slider, topped with a tiny fried quail egg and served on a rich, tasty bun – the perfection of which begged to be spared the application of pedestrian condiments like ketchup and mustard.

Another appetizer was a unique combination of duck and crab with pickled cabbage, deep-fried in a huge egg roll wrapper. This may be  what some would call an acquired taste.

Then came the piece de resistance: the caviar service. It arrived in a  special caviar-serving device that included six small glass dishes arranged on a silvery metal carrier – five dishes filled with different types of caviar and one dish of creme fraiche.  Alongside this was a small plate with six indentations (not unlike a miniature  Passover Seder plate) that contained small amounts of: egg yolk, egg white, fresh dill, fresh parsley, red onion – all finely chopped – and some capers. We each received our own miniature pearlized spoonula for dipping and spreading the precious roe and for scooping up the accompaniments. After one of our experienced companions explained it, we all thoroughly enjoyed the ritual. A couple of us expressed that we’d not enjoyed previous encounters with caviar nearly as much.

Our servers were exceptionally gracious and good-natured. When one of us spoke of a dental issue and asked if there was some softer bread available, our server said she’d consult with the chef. She soon returned with the message the chef was making her her very own private beignet. Sacre bleu! It arrived warm, though quite late. Still it was welcome and seemed like a good substitute for dessert with its light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar topping.

When we saw another server going by with a trayful of small beautiful glasses with translucent red liquid inside and one of those pearlized spoons on top of each, we had to ask. She said it was their own beet-infused vodka with “a bump of caviar.” Of course we couldn’t resist and ordered one apiece. Caviar first – let it melt in your mouth. Then enjoy the beet-infused vodka chaser. A profoundly successful ending to our Heritage adventure. Caviar lovers, who needs dessert? – though Heritage does offer a few options.

Go see what they’re up to next at Heritage. You may be surprised and will likely be delighted.

California wine, California wines, Chardonnay, Chicago food and drink, holidays, pinot noir, Pinot Noir, red wine, rosé wine, white wine, wine

Thrill your last-minute giftees with luxury wines

Dutton-Goldfield 2017 magnum Pinot Noir

You hear from us often about the wonderful wines of Dutton-Goldfield. We love these rich and resonant Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays and more. And we’re also pretty impressed with some of the ways they’ve put together options for these beauties as  ways to gift your business associates, neighbors and  loved ones.

You can pick a pack of three different editions. Or now get 1.5L bottles and magnums for your most impressive gifts.

Need inspiration? Not sure if your giftees love reds, whites, or rosés? Gift them all 3! With Dutton-Goldfield’s Pinot Three Ways Holiday Package, your recipient will receive one of each of their Pinot Noir, Shop Block Pinot Blanc, and Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir.

Whether you’re the host or are sharing with your loved ones, their  1.5L bottles are a beautiful addition to any holiday table. These large format bottles make an exciting and impressive gift for the wine lover on your list, or hey, why not as your own well-deserved treat?! Check out their cellared library of distinguished magnums here – 10% off all magnums for the holidays.

If you’ve never given fine wines as gifts before, this is a great opportunity to share your Dutton-Goldfield discoveries with loved ones and business associates, You’ll be proud and your giftees will be thrilled.  Deadline purchase dates for timely shipping below.

Ground December 14th
2-day Air December 19th
Overnight December 20th

Blessings and joy for the holidays for you and yours.

comfort food, cooking, home cooking, kitchen appliances

Truss your bird like the pros

Got twine? That’s how most sources tell us to truss our turkey (or chicken or Cornish hen), right?

The pros tell us we really should tuck all the ends in when we roast a bird. It yields more even cooking, resulting in all the parts of the beast getting cooked to the same doneness. And preventing that prize roast from developing burnt or dried out wings and legs. And the traditional method of trussing is twining…

Forgt the twine! Roast turkey like a pro.

But for most of us, the chances of having twine around the kitchen are slim to none. To my delight, TurboTrusser sent me its nifty trussing device to try. It’s  designed to do the job for you in a snap. This little item recently won investors on Shark Tank. It hooks onto your comfort-food bird (there’s a size for chicken, Cornish hen and turkey), snagging the wings and tucking the legs close to the body. You don’t have to fight with the roast turkey or chicken to get it neatly tucked together. And you can still put your stuffing in there if you like. Plus, it stores flat so you can tuck it into any drawer ’til you’re ready to roast again.

Turkey-day approaches, people. Check out TurboTrusser and see how it works for you. Or give it as a holiday gift to your favorite home chef.

beverages, Chicago food and drink, cocktails, non-alcoholic drinks

WonderJuices are pretty tasty

Do you drink juice? I’ve tended not to drink anything much besides V8 and/or tomato juice. But I was recently invited to try several flavors of Beetology/WonderJuices. Took me a while to get to them, but it was definitely worth the wait.

Tasty – and It’s even got fiber!

Picture these flavors: Wonder Melon, Wonder Lemon, and the Beet series: Beet + Lemon + Ginger, Beet + Cherry,  Beet + Berry, and Beet + Veggie and more. Sound good, right?

First, be sure to chill the hell out of all these flavors. They seem to come alive when they’re nice and cold. Now you can use them for breakfast as the liquid in your smoothie or in a small juice glass as a shot of whatever vitamins/carbs are in your chosen flavor. And they are all just a tiny bit sweet, so it tastes kind of like you’re having a shot of dessert with your bagel or eggs, toast and bacon.

Once I discovered how refreshing the juices are, I felt maybe the rich flavors were a little intense for me. So I experimented with mixing a couple ounces of the juice with a couple ounces of flavored carbonated water. Start with half juice and half water and see if you like more of one or the other. Delicious!!

And of course the next thought in my head is, hey, this would be great as a no-fuss cocktail. They’ve done all the selecting and mixing of the flavors for you. Again, experiment and you might come up with the next cocktail sensation. I’m thinking vodka or rum with the Wonder Melon flavor (which, BTW, has a lot of fiber!); gin with the Beet + Lemon + Ginger; maybe port with the Beet + Cherry. Or mix half and half with champagne for a new take on a mimosa.

Now remember, these juices are cold-pressed, which means they’re extracted under immense pressure from fresh raw fruits and veggies.  They’re marked “consume within 5 days of opening” because they’re not pasteurized and can begin growing bacteria fasater than many things we put in our stomachs.

For a tasty cocktail, a unique smoothie, or a refreshing dessert-y drink, you can’t beat these. Prices are high (~$23/6 on Amazon), so think of them as a lovely occasional treat and an easy way to entertain guests.

Lovin' how Chicago does it!