I Scream for Ice Cream

Rainbow Cones with my friend Lara

Ice Cream is of course THE favorite treat of summer. If you don't live in Chicago, you might not be aware of the ultimate in ice cream treats. The Rainbow Cone.

This delicious treat has been a Chicago favorite for nearly 85 years. This south side institution credits its growth to its location - near many old cemetaries. Families visiting the cemetaries on Sundays would stop by Rainbow Cone for a sweet treat. I have yet to visit the actual Rainbow Cone operation, but have been a fan purchasing it for the last several years when I've visited Taste of Chicago.

What makes the Rainbow Cone so special? It's layers! There are 5 flavors of ice cream nestled atop the cone:

1. Chocolate
2. Strawberry
3. Vanilla (but not just any vanilla - this is Palmer House vanilla complete with cherries and walnuts)
4. Pistachio
5. Orange Sherbert

 For those of you that missed this treat at the Taste and don't want to head to the South Side, stop by their new retail location at southeast corner of State and Lake.

If you have yet to enjoy a Rainbow Cone, what's stopping you?!

Soothing the Heat with a Smoothie

It's hot in Chicago this week. REALLY hot and humid to boot. It's tough going and I've found myself being a little bit more cautious with what I'm eating, opting for lighter fare that won't hold me down.

I do love to make smoothies and came across a clipping from Real Simple (one of my fave magazines) a few months ago with some fabulous smoothie recipes. This Spiced Pumpkin Smoothie recipe is definitely worth sharing:

Ingredients

• 1 cup ice
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon honey
• pinch of ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Place the ice, milk, pumpkin puree, honey, and nutmeg in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth and frothy.

Diners, Harleys & Burgers

A juicy burger with swiss & mushrooms!

Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Authentic diners. You might not think the two go hand in hand, but in Bedford, Ohio they most certainly do.

I remember visiting the Harley Diner, a historic 1946 dining car located inside (yes, you read that correctly) a Harley dealer when I was a young lass. My Dad is a diner aficionado and as a family we sought out diners near and far. This little gem was practically in our backyard so we visited it with some frequency. The dining car resembles an original train car, an earlier structure than its more "modern" stainless steel offspring. There are 4 booths and a handful of seats at the counter. The interior has beautifully restored wood. There is something special about sitting in a booth, and watching the guys grill up your burger and it doesn't hurt that the food is pretty tasty.

#1 Diner fan - my Dad

Even stranger than having a diner in a Harley dealership, was the addition of a boutique that sold (almost exclusively) Betsey Johnson clothes in the 90s. I loved this place and maybe that's why I always wanted to visit the diner, because I knew I'd probably be coming home with a funky new item for my wardrobe. Sadly the boutique has since closed to be replaced by Harley gear galore, but I'm happy to report the food was much as I remembered it and sharing the lunch with my Dad was all part of the experience.

Celebrations and Sweet Treats

Can you ever have too much of a good thing? I'm a sweet kind of gal but I have to say I may be doing a detox after a weeklong celebration with Jonno.

There were sweet breakfasts at The American Club in beautiful Kohler, Wisconsin (creme brulee french toast and white chocolate raspberry waffles were both decadent delights).

 

Cupcakes galore. I used a recipe from my Martha Stewart Cupcakes cookbook and made 36 rich (and beautifully decorated) yellow buttermilk cupcakes with buttercream frosting.

 

And celebratory cakes at Carnivale (3 tiered ice cream cake!) and The Southern (deep fried twinkie and peanut butter bread pudding).

Good food and great celebrations all around! Now I just need to get back to my farmer's market visits and start a little bit of the dessert detox.

Picnic in the Park

Erin, Lara & I enjoy our Monday eve picnic

My favorite part about summer in the city? Picnic time! My friends know that I love to picnic. I have the gear to prove it (blankets, citronella candles, plates, baskets, etc.) and some trusted recipes to boot. A picnic is romantic and is a lovely way to bring friends together.

Erin's delish caprese salad

Milenium Park is just a short walk from my place and offers up unbeatable views of the city, and world-class music. I try to go as often as possible. I'm hoping to make it my official home away from home this summer.

Not Always a Success in the Kitchen

As much as I love cooking, I have to confess that I'm not always a success in the kitchen. I guess that's the beauty of cooking - you give it your best and if it doesn't work you toss it. It's certainly a disappointment, because I want everything I make to be delicious. The worst part is? The dishes. If it's good I can deal with the dishes, if it's been a failure I have to toss/eat the mess and then to the dishes to boot.

This afternoon I happily shopped for ingredients at Whole Foods to make a pesto pasta salad and Gazpacho Madrileno. The pesto for the salad was delish, the pasta is a different story. Cooking for a celiac (who even warned me to purchase quinoa pasta), I bought brown rice pasta. Very starchy. Kind of mushy. Pasta salad will be OK, but I can't guarantee it will be my best effort. Gazpacho tasted good but was not the lovely red color I was accustomed too. I should have kept the base, but instead added water like the recipe called for (not good).

Have you had any failures in the kitchen? Don't be afraid to share...it will help ease the pain! Any recommendations for gazpacho and better wheat-free pasta are also helpful.

Going Local in Asheville, NC

Out to dinner in Asheville

I'm a big fan of Portland, OR. It has an independent and artsy energy, beautiful landscapes and a dynamo local food scene. I'd heard that Asheville was a smaller, southern Portland. In many ways it was just that. There is a bold creativity in this community of just over 80,000. In this city there are 9 local breweries (their tourism bureau boasts that 50 local beers can be enjoyed on any given day). That's pretty impressive. There are over 250 independent restaurants in the downtown area. 250?! Isn't that amazing? Walking in the downtown it was one place local place after the next. This truly is a foodtopian society where slow food is king.

Asheville, is as their trademarked slogan boasts "any way you like it". There is a little something for all sorts of folks - retirees, foodies, hipsters, hippies, families, artists, culture...the city's strict code for independent businesses breeds diversity.

View of downtown Asheville

One of many spectacular views at the historic Biltomore Estate

My unforgettable egg dish!

In my few days at Asheville I did get to enjoy a few dining experiences (though not nearly as many as I would have liked) and my favorite has got to be Tupelo Honey Cafe. After a recommendation from a friend on Facebook I went not once, but TWICE. It was that good! I loved my goat cheese grits with pinto beans, cured bacon, eggs and salsa. The biscuits that come with the meal were warm, soft and unforgettable. Coffee was strong and I couldn't stop the refills from coming. I'm not a big fan of going back to restaurants (I like to try new things and of course boast of my adventures) and especially not within such a short period of time, but this place warranted a second visit!

The Inn at Biltmore lunch

Although I didn't get to see the inside of the historic Biltmore Estate (I was there for a conference on family business) I did get to see it's beauty from the outside and visit the beautiful Inn at Biltmore Estate they've created on the property. I had the chance to hear about the Vanderbilt's story first hand from one of the property's owners and how they have carried on the estate's traditions and beauty into the 5th generation as a family business. If you have the opportunity to visit Biltmore and of course the city of Asheville, I would highly recommend it!

Look at the beautiful view that the Biltmore boasts!