tavogels

Thanks to all for the helpful responses!

I need to get a thank-you gift for a boss who went above-and-beyond to cover for a pleb (me) on vacation. Thought about a nice bottle of wine, but heard "inside info" that BOSS' drinks of choice are jack and diet coke and rum and diet coke, drinks about which I know nothing other than what their eponymous names suggest. Anyone have good ideas for liquors besides good ol' fashioned Jack Daniels and/or Bacardi White (no disrespect to them intended) that are a little more "upscale" or, perhaps put better, a little more "gift worthy"? I'm ok with taking BOSS a little out of his/her comfort zone if it's worth it, but if folks think there's no sense improving on a good thing, I'll stick to the basics. Thanks in advance for all replies!

I live in the Chicago area and it is available here. Got some last week....and returned home to a 4-day power outage! Needless to say, it never got baked. I'm hoping to get some more this weekend and give it a try.

Reviving an old thread to see if anyone has ever tried these: http://www.darefoods.com/usa-en/products/c...nal/index.shtml Do they stand a chance in comparison with Mallomars? I have relatives back east this weekend acting as cookie mules for me (bringing back Social Teas, rainbow cookies....hopefully Thomas' Toast-R-Cakes) and as there's limited luggage space, I don't want to waste it on 'inferior' product! THanks in advance....

I'm happy to 'third' Bittersweet. I live in the suburbs, where there is a decided lack of fine bakeries, and driving to Bittersweet is always a great treat. I wouldn't say they (or really any Chicago bakery I've been to) have a large pastry selection specifically, but I think they have a very nicely varied selection of offerings. Cookies (fancy and homey ones), cakes, tarts, breads....They do have macaroons, that I know for certain, and they are nice....not overly sweet. The vanilla iced tea is great, too. Another place I'm surprised no one has mentioned is Vanille Patisserie. It is a much smaller shop than Bittersweet, but I think you'd like it. They do not have as many 'homey' treats...you won't find any brownies there. The owners used to work at Payard in Manhattan....so the shop has much more of a French patisserie feel to it. Mostly small fancy tartlets with multiple components...the kind of stuff even most eG people would only do for fancy occasions or as a challenge. More like what you'd find in the Dorie Greenspan/Herme books. I like going there when I've cooked a special meal and want to make dessert just as special but don't have the time. They have macaroons and they also have very good croissants, some say the best in Chicago. Last place....Sarah's Sweets. I've never been to the store--my husband usually picks out a selection of sweets to bring home. Based on what he's chosen (and let's just say that he's well trained to bring home a wide selection of representative offerings--he knows I'll ask him a ton of questions!), I'd say they are more of an American style bakery. They do have macaroons. Anyway, those are my favorites! http://www.bittersweetpastry.com/ http://www.vanillepatisserie.com/ http://www.sarahscandies.com/

Is this the same thing as leaf lard? If so, I was talking to one of the butchers at Mike's Meat Market in Villa Park and asked if he could get me some. He said they don't display it in the case, but with some notice they could get it for me (they get the whole pig and butcher it there). In fact, he said they sometimes feed the kidney fat to the birds!! I realize that may be further than you'd like to go, but they are very willing to accomodate at Mike's. Nicest butchers I've ever dealt with.

For pastries, try Fauchon and Petrossian. Petrossian has really good cannele.

Does millionaire shortbread count? I've never had it here in the states, but it was a favorite of mine when I lived in Scotland for a bit. http://www.sprow.co.uk/dump/ I can't vouch for the recipe, but if you scroll down to the middle of the page there's a decent pic of what they look like.

We actually got all our vegetables from Angelic Organics this year (home of Farmer John). Our boxes have been stuffed full all summer and the variety has been great. We've had fennel, kohlrabi, beets, cabbage, lots of heirloom tomatoes, tons of really sweet carrots, a mixed greens bag every week (with interesting stuff, not just red or green lettuce)....and kale almost every week, it seems (my least favorite). One thing that is nice is the 'swap box'. Many weeks I've swapped my kale out for something more interesting....You can also buy a fruit share, which we did this year as well. The fruit is not grown on their farm, but it has always been very good and nicely varied. They are very committed to what they do and welcome visitors....our homeschool group went there on a field trip and they did a great job teaching the kids about organic farming principles.

Since you're looking to get coffee, you might want to try a place called Blue Max in Forest Park. It's a fairly new place and very easy to miss, as it's in an old house on a residential street. They have a pretty good selection of nice, light meals and some really nice homemade muffins, etc. (the corn muffin is my favorite). The best part, though, is their coffee...really really good. They are a small place, so they don't have the following that Intelligentsia has, but I really think their coffee is in the same class. Downside is that it would be a hike for you, I suppose, but they are pretty kid friendly (I think there is a little play area). Looking forward to your blog...I moved here from NY almost 3 years ago but with 4 kids I haven't had the chance to explore a lot of the areas you're heading to. It's nice to have someone do the legwork for me! http://www.bluemaxcoffee.com/

We moved from Chappaqua about three years ago, and the first thing I did when I saw your blog was search for pictures of Rocky's! Thank you!!! I am not exaggerating when I say that every Sunday morning my husband and I talk about how much we wish we could grab a sausage, egg and cheese on a roll from there along with a good cup of deli coffee (we live in the Chicago suburbs now--the only time I get a good breakfast sandwich is when I make it and I can never buy rolls or sausage patties that are just *right*). And the Village Meat Market....such great stuff! I know it's not what most people think of when they think of that place, but I so miss their homemade rainbow cookies! So, the only thing your blog lacks is a pic of a good NY pizza and garlic knots (we preferred Mario's over Pizza Station)!! Then I can just come here and heighten the longing by looking at pictures of what I'm craving and can't have! Anyway, thanks for all the pics...I have to head back to Long Island in a few weeks for some family stuff and now I'm thinking I may have to detour back up to Westchester to visit old haunts! P.S.--as far as Clinton goes, I used to always get a kick out of it when I saw him in town. The last time I saw him, he was walking on a spring morning. After he got in the car and left, I saw a handful of people that appeared to be regular passersby with backbacks, bags, etc. pull little earpieces out--I assume they were all Secret Service. It was kind of strange and interesting at the same time to see how they all just blended in like you and me. ETA--There are pizza pics! I just hadn't gotten thru the whole thread yet (hey, I've got 4 kids, it's hard to keep up). THank you thank you!

Along those lines, the Jamison's have a recipe for baked creme brulee french toast in their breakfast book. It's very good (and decadent)...since a lot can be done ahead, it's great for holiday brunches.

OK, here's a really basic question. Are there different instructions for preparing the pan depending on the kind of cake being made? In other words, are there certain cakes for which the pan is never greased....and certain ones where it is always greased? And what about greased AND floured? I ask b/c I tried to make a babka for the first time today. Usually, whatever I bake, I just butter and flour the pan without even checking the recipe. This time, though, I followed instructions exactly...the recipe said to just butter the pan...so I diligently buttered every nook and cranny, even though the bundt pan was already nonstick. It was a complete disaster....stuck everywhere and came out in two halves. I was really surprised...with a stick of butter and 12 egg yolks, plus how well I buttered the pan, I thought there would be plenty of fat and it would slide right out. The kids were happy to pry it out with spoons, but the cake was so delicious that I'd really like to make it again as a gift for a friend. Any words of wisdom?

Moved away from Westchester about 2 years ago, so I've not been to this place recently...but I think they've been around a while, so they likely haven't changed much. I moved before WF came to the area, so I can't comment on how the selection compares. Versus what was available in the area before, this place was certainly a noticeable step above average. It's a bit of a drive for you, but Katonah's a nice town.... Katonah Beverage Barn 24 Woodsbridge Rd. (Route 117), Katonah 914-232-7842 Edited to add: Here's a link I just found...never been to the other places, but it offers a start. http://www.nycbeer.org/westchester/stores.html

Thank you, Jan. I forgot about that website. Here's the link. http://www.americastestkitchen.com/Recipe/1244.shtml Link doesn't work. Sorry about that...guess you do need to register. It's worth it, though.

Cooks Illustrated has a delicious macaroon recipe that calls for cream of coconut. I typically don't eat coconut macaroons, but this recipe turned me into a believer. I just checked the website to see if I can link it, but it seems you need a subscription to access the recipe. If you're interested, and someone can inform me as to recipe posting etiquette, I'd be happy to put it up here.

<loud smacking of hand on forehead> Chicago. Sorry. Guess that disclosure would have been helpful....

I've recently moved to the area-- have found a couple decent-enough bakeries for coffee cakes and other midwestern "standards". What I'm looking for, though, is a bakery that sells really good French or Viennese pastries-- the kind of stuff that is way too labor-intensive to make at home regularly. If the western 'burbs is too ambitious, recommendations in the city would also be appreciated. Many thanks!