Lisa Futterman – Page 9

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

Liqueur Escubac re-imagines an Old World drink for modern tastes

June 12, 2018 at 3:30 p.m.

A friend recently texted from the liquor store, asking, "What in the heck is Escubac and how do I drink it?" Drawn to the handsome bottle and contemporary geometric label,...

Use thyme from the garden to make a boozy iced tea lemonade.

Harvesting your herb garden’s full potential for summer cocktails

June 10, 2018 at 10:35 a.m.

Farm to table: a lovely concept, an overused phrase. But garden to glass? That we can get behind. Summer cocktails call for fruity juices and sparkling mixers to wash down...

Spray-on flavor? Cocktail aromatics change up your favorite drink

June 11, 2018 at 9:54 p.m.

Aaron Wisniewski has always been obsessed with flavor. To express that obsession, he started a small company that manufactures edible fragrances intended for use in cocktails and cooking. "I want...

Masala Chai Flip at the Violet Hour uses tea-infused rum as its base. Added to it are cream, demerara syrup, allspice liqueur and egg.

Teatime goes boozy as the leaves infuse cocktails

June 11, 2018 at 7:02 a.m.

Don't be surprised to find the regulars at Wicker Park's recently opened Queen Mary huddled around a teapot this winter. Tea cocktails, are, well, hot, and Mony Bunni, one of...

From Jade Sotack, head bartender at Wassail in New York, Summer of Rambo is a spin on a classic Pimm's cup, subbing sidra (Spanish cider) for the usual ginger soda.

Cider cocktails offer a sparkly alternative for cold weather quaffing

May 31, 2019 at 1:43 p.m.

Hard cider consumption is on the rise in the U.S. as thirsty bar and restaurant (and ballgame and liquor store) patrons increasingly order the crisply sweet alternative to beer and...

Lots of purple Italian plums lend tart flavor and contrasting texture to a sponge cake.

Capturing essence of seasonal fruit with Polish desserts

May 31, 2019 at 1:42 p.m.

At a recent potluck, my friend Aggie presented a tender apricot cake and the plate was quickly emptied. Left wanting more, I begged for the recipe so I could attempt...

Orange peel, herbs, some sugar and a little vodka for fortification are macerated with wine for a month to make vin de maison.

Perfect summer sipper: vin de maison

June 15, 2018 at 10:55 a.m.

Imagine, if you will, the perfect warm weather cocktail — low in alcohol, fruity, just a touch sweet, with a bit of a bubble. You've just conjured vin de maison....

Scofflaw's off-menu Swizzle #3, pictured with a swizzle stick, teams gin, passion fruit syrup, Lillet Blanc and lime juice.

The swizzle is the drink of summer

May 31, 2019 at 1:42 p.m.

C'mon and swizzle it, just a little bit. When hot weather drives you to drink, be sure to make a pit stop at the swizzle. Unlike most cocktail genres, the...

Brush up on your Negroni skills (be that making them or drinking them) with Gary Regan's new book. Pictured: the Mela D'Alba cocktail, made with Laird's apple brandy.

Easy, impressive twists on the classic Negroni

June 15, 2018 at 3:10 p.m.

It's hard to imagine a 150-page book devoted to a single cocktail — until you realize how many stories there are to tell about the Negroni, a classic drink made...

Filipino flavors are hot — and a simple vinegar-based adobo can turn them into a crowd-pleaser at your table.

The grill goes global with a Filipino barbecue

June 15, 2018 at 4:12 p.m.

When Chef Joaquin Soler lights up his grill, he's likely cooking up flavors from the Philippines (the season's hot food trend) — inspired by something mom used to make. Soler,...

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