Laura Levy Shatkin – Page 2

Shrub, a tart syrup made from fruit and vinegar, punches up your drinks to professional quality. Make the Boogie Night, pictured, with Chicago mixologist Adam Seger's bottled magnolia shrub.

Made from summer fruit, shrub adds oomph to homemade cocktails

April 7, 2019 at 9:14 a.m.

Just as mustaches and beards have experienced a renaissance with the cocktail crowd, so has shrub, the tart syrup made from fruit, sugar and vinegar. The tangy elixir, which dates...

Fresh ginger steeped in a simple syrup creates a powerful drink enhancer. Use it to make your own ginger beer, left. Drink it as is, sans booze, or spike with vodka for a Moscow mule.

Homemade syrups to boost your summer cocktails

April 7, 2019 at 9:13 a.m.

Next cocktail party, surprise your guests with an array of colorful and tasty home-infused syrups. Personalizing cocktails is within reach with a bit of prep time. Of the three main...

New York steak with roasted red pepper-chipotle sauce. Food styling by Lisa Schumacher.

Sauces to start grilling season

May 31, 2019 at 1:40 p.m.

Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer and reward for surviving the ups and downs of fickle spring weather. Dig out your grill tools, put out the patio chairs...

From left: The Dog Day Afternoon goes scarlet with Aperol. The Second Wind subs curacao and coffee liqueur for tonic and lime. And the cucumber rosemary picks up fresh and aromatic notes. (Lisa Schumacher/food styling.) <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/recipes/sc-food-0508-drink-gin-and-tonic-twists-20150504-story.html">Find out how to make them. </a>

3 refreshing twists on a gin and tonic

June 16, 2018 at 5:59 p.m.

I can't think of any drink that shouts spring louder than a tall, icy gin and tonic. The classic G&T gets tweaked regularly by the new array of gin styles,...

Miso paste flavors a soup base that can be changed up myriad ways. This version features napa cabbage and shrimp. (Food styling by Corrine Kozlak)

Unlocking the potential of miso

May 31, 2019 at 1:39 p.m.

My taste buds hop to attention when a tiny lacquer bowl is set down prior to our favorite Japanese meal. It's delicate and soul satisfying miso soup, familiar yet mysterious....

The tingling bubbles of Champagne lend their romance to a cocktail laced with fruity aromas. (Styling by Lisa Schumacher)

A Champagne cocktail to tickle your valentine

June 16, 2018 at 2:38 a.m.

Nothing says Valentine's Day like the pop of a cork before mixing up a love-laced cocktail. The bubbly will do more than tickle your tongue and perhaps tantalize your heart....

A classic hot toddy gets updated in Bridget Albert's version, the Warm Mitten, with the addition of pear brandy and apple cider.

Update the hot toddy to cure the winter blues

June 16, 2018 at 5:21 a.m.

There was a time when a hot toddy recipe actually came from a family doctor. In the cold of winter, it wasn't unusual for physicians to prescribe a cup of...

Roasted Brussel sprouts with dried cranberries, right, and butternut squash tzimmes provide brightly flavored contrasts to laktes. Food styling by Lisa Schumacher.

Hanukkah side dishes to lighten the meal

May 31, 2019 at 1:36 p.m.

Hanukkah has nearly arrived, and we all know that means it's time to figure out what else to make along with the latkes. It's customary to eat foods fried or...

Fresh cranberries add zing to a cocktail that can take the place of a squeeze of citrus.

Festive cranberries add zing to a cocktail

August 18, 2019 at 12:52 p.m.

It's a happy time for the humble cranberry. Not only does it radiate joy with the most gorgeous crimson color, it also has hit new heights of popularity as we...

2 whiskeys from Great Lakes Distillery

June 17, 2018 at 6:11 a.m.

Perhaps the leaves changing colors correlate to the brown color of our fall spirit choices. We feel the chill in the air, grab a sweater, light the fire and reach...

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