Lisa Futterman – Page 7

Ramen Takeya devotes an entire section of its menu to "otsumami" or drinking foods — nestled among them the Japanese street snack takoyaki. The ball-shaped snacks are made with a batter that crisps up into a golden shell while remaining creamy and soft inside. Hidden away are Chiclet-size pieces of octopus, tiny surprises in the center of each ball. Six balls are served in a red and white paper boats and drizzled with sweet and salty Japanese barbecue sauce, creamy mayo, aonori (dried seaweed) and fishy-but-in-a-good-way bonito flakes (cured fish shavings). Between the crispy-meets-creamy texture and the sweet-meets-salty flavors, it's easy to see how a refreshing beer (or soda, for non-drinkers) would pair nicely. $6. 819 W. Fulton Market, 312-666-7710, <a href="http://www.ramentakeya.com/">ramentakeya.com</a> — Grace Wong

You love the magic of aquafaba, but did you know it makes luxuriously creamy cocktails?

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

There's something extra special about a foamy cocktail. Sipping a cool tart drink through that frothy, marshallow-y top layer makes you feel like a kid at the soda fountain. But...

Ovrevann Aquavit is a delicately flavored spirit with subtle hints of caraway, cardamom and orange.

Duluth-made aquavit takes inspiration, flavor from Scandinavian roots

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

In Chicago, we commonly say the weather is “cooler by the lake.” In Duluth, Minn., the expression turns to “colder by the lake.” Perched on the shores of Lake Superior,...

Pasta fagioli comes together all in one pot, with the beans, pasta and flavoring elements (like aromatic vegetables and tomatoes) cooking together.

Instant Pot is only as good as the cook who uses it — here’s how to be better

March 12, 2024 at 12:15 p.m.

Remember when there were no food processors? My mom, a “gourmet” cook before “foodies” existed, used just a blender and a hand mixer until the mid-1970s when home cooks started...

Ki No Bi is best straight from the freezer, says co-founder Marcin Miller, or in a naked martini.

Japanese distillers turn to gin, and the results are complex, aromatic

May 31, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

Gin’s worldwide popularity has recently spiked, so it’s no wonder that Japanese distillers who once expertly flooded the market with premium whiskeys are trying their hand at gin. We tasted...

Wine rescued from dumping becomes vodka and other spirits

May 31, 2019 at 4:01 p.m.

Winemakers often bleed off some juice before fermentation as a sacrifice to intensify the resulting wine and get a better concentration of color. Called saignee (literally “bleeding”), this runoff is...

Learn these 4 cocktail categories, and you can mix up practically anything

May 31, 2019 at 4:02 p.m.

In an attempt to demystify the always delightful but often murky path to cocktail enlightenment, we present four basic cocktail categories: sours, fizzes, Old-Fashioneds and three-parters. These drinks are intended...

19th-century Viennese chef Franz Sacher would be pleased, I think, by the version of his eponymous chocolate cake served at Café Selmarie in Lincoln Square. First, the top of each slice of Sacher torte is decorated with his name, elegantly written in chocolate script. Second, the cake is a real looker: Layers of chocolate cake are mortared with raspberry preserve and chocolate buttercream; the whole thing is then frosted with more buttercream and wrapped in a smooth sheet of bittersweet chocolate — firm enough to be eaten on its own, if you like, with a fork. Third, every bite is delicious. The devil's food cake is firm and pleasant, while the raspberry offers a deep berry counterpoint to all the chocolate. $4.20. 4729 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-989-5595, <a href="http://cafeselmarie.com/" target="_blank">www.cafeselmarie.com</a>. — Bill Daley

Caperitif, a forgotten aperitif from South Africa, is back after 100 years

June 2, 2018 at 1:34 p.m.

Drinking aperitifs can be a diverting hobby. You'll learn geography, culture, history, folklore and botany, all in one glass. Take for example, Caperitif, a forgotten aperitif from Swartland, South Africa,...

Kusanya Cafe is the kind of place where you can get a cup of coffee, check out the community board, print a school paper or simply jump on the internet. You'll see people huddled together over papers strewn across the wood tables or someone walking in simply to say hello to the small staff. Because the nonprofit cafe roasts its own coffee on-site in small batches, don't hesitate to order that lavender iced latte ($3.49) or a plain cup of coffee. The breakfast and lunch menu is lush with references to famous musicians, like the Lupe Tabasco breakfast sandwich ($2.29). It features a thin egg patty, with melted cheese and Sriracha on ciabatta, and you can add sausage, spinach and tomato for an extra charge. The cozy and brightly lit environment is exactly where you want to catch up on some work or meet up with friends. 825 W. 69th St., 773-675-4758, <a href="http://www.kusanyacafe.org/">kusanyacafe.org</a> — Grace Wong

Retro, super-processed and a bit ribald, cocktail weenies nevertheless delight

July 2, 2019 at 3:59 p.m.

Quite frankly, I was a bit taken aback when my editor emailed me with "How do you feel about the cocktail weenie?" as a subject line. No message in the...

Absinthe stars at Chicago bars this summer

June 3, 2018 at 12:50 a.m.

Absinthe has a frightening reputation. The mere mention of the licorice-y spirit makes bar patrons fearful of its strong flavor and poisonous notoriety. Says Charles Baker, in his 1939 cocktail...

The Jack LaLanne cocktail is a take on a mule, with C Spirit, made from fresh carrots, acting as the base. (Food styling by Mark Graham.)

Carrots in a bottle: Root vegetable spirit makes excellent earthy cocktails

July 2, 2019 at 3:59 p.m.

Moonshiners and prison dwellers will tell you (in confidence) that you can successfully make booze from just about anything. But how will it taste? Boardroom Spirits, a distillery in Lansdale,...

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