Category: Travel Adventures

A New Car and a Visit to The Laurent House

This is a bit of a different kind of post. It isn’t really about food though we did eat and drink. It is about a travel adventure. It is, I think, an interesting story worth sharing.

We (very) recently bought a new car. Our former car had seen many travel adventures and was letting us know that she was tired by displaying a new warning light almost daily. We bit the car payment bullet and came home with a brand new Kia Forte. Besides providing safe transportation for ourselves and the grandkids, we wanted it to be the vehicle for new road trip adventures. First we had to learn about all of its “special features.” The learning curve has been a bit steep, but we are getting there. We decided to put our still limited knowledge to the test this past weekend.

It was another oppressively hot and humid day, one of too many we have had this summer. We wanted to go somewhere far enough to feel away (and see how the car performed), but close enough to make it home before dark. Our destination also needed to be mostly indoors, because, as noted, it was hot and humid. Rockford came to mind. It’s about 70 miles away and has a few museums we have not been to. There were also some interesting dining and brewery possibilities ( see the end of this story). After scrolling through a number of museums, I came to the Laurent House. Not a museum in the literal sense, but a house designed by Frank LLoyd Wright. There were tickets available for a tour that afternoon, so off we went.

We have visited a number of FLW buildings, but this one might be our new favorite. It is a Usonian design completed in 1952. It is unique for several reasons; most importantly, it is the only home to be designed by Frank Lloyd Wright as wheelchair accessible. I also think it is unique in the fact that FLW allowed clients (Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent) to dictate their needs and wants (that was never Mr. Wright’s strong suit). The result is as FLW called it a “Little Gem.”

The home originally only 1400 square feet feels much larger. Several additions were made at the request of the Laurent Family and approved and designed by FLW. These were to create a bedroom for their adopted daughter at one end of the original house.An expanded dining space for entertaining was also added. The Laurent’s welcomed visitors from all over the world to see what FLW had created for them (many invited by the architect himself).Kenneth Laurent wanted a house that focused on his capabilities not his disability. He also wanted to be the “tallest man in the room”. One of the things that I love about this house is that all of the furniture is  the original built in and most of the movable pieces are original as well. Very few FLW homes I have seen, can claim this.

Heights of closets, tables, and chairs were adjusted to accommodate a wheel chair. Even some of the windows  were placed high so that Kenneth in his wheelchair would see the trees and plants instead of the traffic. It seems that every possible limitation was addressed and adjusted (40 years before ADA). Even the grid design of the floor(a feature of all Usonian designs) was adjusted to not catch the wheels of the chair.

The living space featured a wall of floor to ceiling windows that let in the light and showcased the beautiful simplicity of a Japanese inspired garden and pond surrounded by the third element, stone.The banquette offered a tranquil place to reflect on the beauty of nature and was used by the Laurent’s daily. Kenneth Laurent lived in the house until he died at the age of 91. Perhaps the tranquility and accessibility of this “Little Gem” prolonged his life.

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If you plan on visiting Rockford (and it is not 95 degrees and humid) here are some ideas for points of interest, food, and drink.

Find places that interest you in Rockford:  Rockford Visitor Information:

Unique Beers and friendly people: Urban Forest Brewery

Locally sourced food in an upscale environment: Green Fire

Flatbread and Winery Dogs

This is going to be about my flatbread adventures but first, I want to share the recent winery adventure that inspired these tasty meals.

We recently spent some quality time in Springfield, Illinois. Our long weekend was filled with soaking up history, all things Lincoln, and discovering a Frank Lloyd Wright gem. All of this was very enjoyable but, midway through we decided we needed a break from all this wonderfully nerdy stuff.

We love wineries and the bottled fruits of their labors. We decided that the perfect way to wind down would be to head out in search of some wine and country air. Yes, there are wineries in Central Illinois and many of them are quite good. Danenberger Family Vineyard is an excellent example. We left Springfield for our afternoon in the country ready for adventure. And an adventure it was. Urban streets gave way to two lane blacktop and finally a mostly gravel road. Just when we thought we were lost, the dust cleared and we came upon a massive compound surrounded by corn fields. This was DFV.

There was something about this place that brought us back to our days in California. Driving up to wineries that were more like farms with the exception that their fields were vineyards. Friendly folks who were happy to share their wine with us. Then there were the dogs. They were always a part of the whole experience and a welcome diversion for our sons. Winery dogs are like no other group of canines. They reign as monarchs of their kingdom. Free to run, free to just curl up in a corner and wait for a visitor. Winery dogs don’t know what a stranger is. Every new visitor is a chance for some attention and they welcome you with a smile.

We entered the cozy tasting room and sampled some of the wines. They were very nice. Beyond the tasting room there was a restaurant, Sapori Italia. The restaurant had a long counter looking out on open airy seating. Its open kitchen was small but was equipped with a custom brick pizza oven and the menu board featured some very interesting flatbreads. This was the best cue for lunch, ever. What is lunch at a winery without wine? We had tasted several very nice ones and decided to have the 2018 edition of their “Stilettos in the Vineyard” Rose. We ordered our flatbreads, took our pager, and went out to find a shady table on the West Terrace. One of the winery dogs came with us, a Great Pyrenees pup named Sully. He made himself comfortable under our table. While we enjoyed our wine,And Sully and his buddy enjoyed our company.When our pager went off Sully got up and looked at us, checking to make sure we heard it. We all headed into the restaurant to retrieve our pizzas ( by this time we were officially a table for 4). We all returned, two of us ready to eat and two of us hoping the other ones were messy enough to drop something. Note: No begging occurred only camaraderie and a winsome glance or two. The flatbreads were wonderful. Our favorite was a Caprese with Heirloom Tomatoes and Fried Basil. These lovely pizzas were the inspiration for the recipes at the end of this post. Before we get there, I want to share the rest of this amazing place.

We experienced the wines, we ate the food, we enjoyed the dogs. We thought our afternoon was complete. Then we heard music. This wasn’t being piped in overhead, it was live and it was close by. We followed it back through the restaurant and through another door into what I can only describe as a large metal barn that had been transformed into a music venue. Yes, live music was also available here (and on a Saturday afternoon).There were tables, chairs, and sofas. Guitars and other musical memorabilia decorated some of the walls. One corner even sported a graffiti wall.Pretty amazing for a winery in the middle of a corn field, in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of Illinois. Thank you Danenberger Family Vineyard, you and your wine rock.

Now for a few words about my inspired flatbreads. I used Nan for my base. It is sturdy enough to hold a lot of toppings (my guilty pleasure) and is easy to find. Even Aldi carries it. The first creation was a bit of a riff on the Caprese we had at DFV. I mixed pesto with ricotta for base. Once that was slathered on, I added some Chicken and Zucchini meatballs (another story, another time) and some chopped Roma tomatoes. My cheese of choice was a garlic and herb goat cheese. Once it was baked I topped it with chopped basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Traditional but quick and very tasty.

The second creation was a bit more adventurous and more time consuming (worth every extra minute). I made a mustard aioli (which was really just grainy mustard and mayonnaise) for my base, I lightly caramelized some onions and did the same with  sliced portobellos. Grilled skirt steak joined in as well. Finally I added a few sun dried tomatoes and finished it off with blue cheese. Once it was baked, I sprinkled on some scallions. Wonderful once again.

These are my personal adventures. I hope they inspire you to create your own. I wrote up a general recipe to guide you through the process. Consider it an open ended blueprint.

Print
Flatbread

Nan Pizzas that you can top with whatever your imagination desires. Bake in the oven or on the grill. these are the basic components.

Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 Nan Bread
Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees or heat the grill to Medium High. Lightly toast the Nan for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from the oven/grill and top.

  2. Choose a spreadable topping. Sauces like tomato, salsa, pesto, ricotta, aioli all work...there are many more.

  3. Choose a Protein. Any cooked meat, fish, or poultry, sausage, prosciutto, mushrooms, breadfruit...again, anything goes.

  4. Choose other toppings. Vegetables such as onions, squash, mushrooms, woody herbs, another protein, or whatever you have on hand.

  5. Top with cheese. Fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, feta, blue cheese, brie...the choice is your.

  6. Bake the pizza. Bake in the oven 10 minutes or so. You want the cheese to melt everything to be bubbly. Watch carefully as the edges burn quickly. If you are gilling the same rules apply and you will need to cover the grill.

  7. Gilt the Lily. Once the pizza is out of the oven, you can add anything else you would like. Soft herbs, olive oil, pepper flakes, grated cheese, greens tossed with a bit of olive oil and lemon. you can also choose to let it bask unadorned. Serve.

At Summer’s End…Corn & Tomatoes

It is the middle of September here in Illinois. Our Summer (and what a summer it was) is winding down, but isn’t quite ready to surrender to Fall. As much as I love Fall, these last summer days are quite splendid. A most recent one was everything a day at this time of year should be; warm and sunny, and best of all very little humidity.

It was a day for an outing. Nothing big or extravagant, just some time to be out in weather that we will be wistfully looking back on in a few months. We ventured out to Oswego, a small town not far from home. Like many towns in this area it was originally a farm town that has succumbed to a bit of suburban sprawl in recent years. In spite of that, there are still areas that hold on to that small town charm.

Our first stop was at Fox Valley Winery. This is a family owned winery that we have visited for many years. Father and son have been making wine using mostly Illinois grapes for longer than that. While many of the wines are sweet, there are several that are delightfully dry, and one was the perfect choice for this day.This Rose is a blend of Landot Noir, Vignoles, and Chambourcin grapes all grown in Illinois. The result is a dry rose with a lot of body and just the right amount of fruitiness. Paired with a modest cheese plate  and enjoyed on the patio it was a delightful lunch. Even though the winery sits on the edge of a semi-busy highway, the lush hedges and beautiful surroundings make it easy to tune out the occasional road noise. When the colder weather does arrive, we will move inside to enjoy another wine, Petite Pearl, in front of the massive fireplace.

As we sat and enjoyed our wine and cheese, we mused about the plan for dinner. This is Illinois corn country and having grown up here we are corn snobs. While we will occasionally try “imported” corn, nothing tastes better than corn grown close to home. This is by the calendar a little late for corn around here, but this has been an unusual Summer and we wondered if  there might be a farm stand that still had corn. As luck would have it, a quick Google search told us that there was a farm stand nearby that might be able to help us out. That led us to Keller’s.

While not quite as big as some “Farm Stands” in the area, Keller’s does offer activities and wares three out of the four seasons. Like me, Keller’s is on the cusp of the changing seasons; offering the end of the summer bounty while constructing their Corn Maze and laying out their Pumpkin Patch. The barn was in transition as well. Bags of apples (they have a Pick Your Own Orchard) and bins of gourds, and mini pumpkins shared space with corn, tomatoes and peppers.

After a quick stroll around the barn, we headed for the corn table. We filled our bag with as much as we thought we could eat at one meal (Papa Diehl’s appetite for fresh corn is somewhat of a legend). Knowing that I was going to need the biggest pot in my kitchen, I opted to round out the meal simply with some fresh tomatoes. I figured that I would decide on the protein later. With our treasure trove of corn and tomatoes it really didn’t matter. The husked corn and ruby tomatoes were things of beauty.

Here is how I cook corn: Fill a pot big enough for the corn to have some room with water. Add the corn and about a tablespoon or two of sugar. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and leave it on the burner covered for about 20 minutes (a little less time if the ears are small). Serve with butter, salt, and pepper to taste. That’s it. Pretty straight forward and it always works.

The tomatoes were so beautiful, sweet, and juicy that all they needed was salt pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

So we toasted the end of summer with another glass of the Fox Valley Rose as we ate the corn and tomatoes to our hearts content. I think that there might have been some Grilled Country Ribs (that are now in the refrigerator) on the plate, but it really didn’t matter.

When I think back about this summer, this may be one of my fondest memories; sweet corn that has just enough juicy crunch to delight the palate and the sweet and salty taste of sliced tomatoes. So simple, so fresh, so perfect.

Mama D’s Day in the Country and a Visit to Whiskey Acres

Distilleries are popping up everywhere these days. They are joining the movement that includes micro breweries and local wineries. Yes, even here in the Midwest, we have a wealth of choices when it comes to ” Artisan Alcohol.”

Several years ago you could count on one hand the number of local breweries that were around. Now, you need an App to keep track of them all, (and yes, there’s an App for that, in fact there are several). We have spent many a Saturday afternoon checking out the suburban brewery scene; going to industrial parks, old store fronts, and state of the art facilities. The adventures have been many and some of them will appear here in the future. This however, is about distilleries.

Distilleries, while not as plentiful, are opening around the area and as it turns out in some pretty unusual places. Take the case of Whiskey Acres: This distillery has been open for just over a year. and to say it’s off the beaten path is a huge understatement. It is along a country road nestled in the corn fields of DeKalb County. In fact it is located on a working farm. That seems odd until you think about what whiskey is made of. That’s right, corn and other grains are the main ingredients needed to produce distilled spirits and farms, especially farms around here have plenty of corn.20160827_143245

This is a small operation producing bourbon, whiskey, and vodka in small batches. It is one of only two “Estate Distilleries” in the country. What this means is that “from seed to spirit” all the ingredients are grown on the farm. The water used in the distilling also comes from the farm’s well.

Distilling is a labor intensive act of love. From mash to the still, barrel, and ultimately into the bottle can take years. The bourbon here is very young, but has a flavor that will only get better through the years. It has even won several awards. The “rick house” holds many barrels in different sizes all of them filled with bourbon and rye in various stages of reaching perfection.20160827_155343

The vodka is made entirely from corn and has a subtle sweetness and character that would make a pleasant cocktail but could stand up in a martini as well. Vodka isn’t aged, but it does go through the distilling process twice. Again, time and labor intensive. This “hybrid still” is responsible for creating this and all the other tasty spirits.wide angle still

This small operation isn’t going to limit itself to the typical spirits. There is some serious experimentation afoot. Whiskies made from Red Corn , Blue Pop Corn, and Heirloom Oxacan Green Corn are aging in the barrels as I write. There are also a few novelty spirits including an Apple Infused Whiskey and an  “age it yourself” corn whiskey that comes with an “oak infusion spiral.” You won’t get the depth of flavor that comes from years in a barrel, but it is a fun gift to give or receive.

So our afternoon in the country was worth the trip. We took the tour (very interesting and well done); we sampled the spirits and had a cocktail (an Old Fashion that was quite tasty). In case you want to make a day of it , you can also visit a winery (Prairie State) and a brewery (Cademon) both of which are in Genoa just a few miles up the road. There’s even a throwback restaurant in Sycamore (Sorrento’s) complete with a relish tray, a basket of crackers and enormous prime rib.

Northern Illinois has some of the richest soil in the country. While some of the corn fields are giving way to the suburban western migration, there is still plenty of farm land. There are still small country towns that have the simple charm of a bygone era with touches of the city that make them a lovely place to visit. Check them out.

 

 

Mama D’s Milwaukee Adventure

School is out and Summer Vacation is here. Working in a school related industry means that for the next few weeks I have copious amounts of free time. While my furlough will allow for lots of time in the kitchen, there will also be room for adventures outside of said kitchen. That’s what happened recently.

We decided to kick off the summer with a long weekend in Milwaukee. Many of you are saying, “Milwaukee, why?” Well, because it’s a really great city. If Chicago had a “Mini Me” it would be Milwaukee. They are both on Lake Michigan, each has a lakefront rimmed with statue laden parks and impressive museums. There are many other comparisons and I will be touching on some of them in this post. There will not be a recipe, in fact there won’t be a lot about food (though we had some great meals and spectacular dishes), but there will be a bit of beer, and even a distilled spirit or two. Yes, Milwaukee is a drinker’s city, but it is also a whole lot more. (You can explore the places we visited by clicking on the red links in this post.)

Let me start at the beginning. We stayed at the Plaza Hotel, a residence/ hotel, which meant that our room came with a complete kitchen. This little Art Deco gem is located in East Town, an area that is, of course, east of the Milwaukee River. While still considered “Downtown”, it is a grand old residential neighborhood with turn of the century houses and apartments. The housing atmosphere was reminiscent of the Gold Coast in Chicago. This was definitely a walk-able area. Short strolls took us to the lake, museums, and many lovely dining choices. It was the perfect headquarters for our adventure. We never go anywhere to just hang around our hotel however, we had places to go and sights to see.

We are Frank Lloyd Wright geeks. While I don’t like how he chose to live his life, there is no denying that the man was an architectural genius. We have been to some very interesting places in search of his work. This time we went to see his American System Built Houses which were in, for lack of a better word, the seamier side of town.

He designed these as housing for the average family. There were bungalows, duplexes, and four flats that were delivered to the site as do it yourself kits. This was pre-WWI, folks. Sadly, very few still exist. F.L.W.’s differences with the contractor resulted in the project stalling and ultimately the war made materials unavailable.IMG_1883 The block long row of models ran the gambit from hideously sided to beautifully restored. Still the Prairie Style Architecture shone through.IMG_1886

Milwaukee may be know as the Beer Capitol of America, but they have taken a leap into the distilling business as well. Long established Great Lakes Distillery paved the way, but there’s a new kid on the block (actually, a few blocks away) that is raising the standard, (no pun intended…well maybe a little),  Central Standard Craft Distillery.IMG_1918 This place is just coming up on its second anniversary and they make some darn good spirits. The best is their vodka which is made from rye. This makes it dangerously smooth and a little fruity. They take it one step further with a Coffee Vodka that is fantastic. A collaboration with the Anodyne Coffee Company (that is just around the corner), the ingredient list is rye vodka and coffee. No artificial flavors or sweeteners involved.  The Eye Opener, a concoction of this vodka, oatmeal stout, caramel, and cream was wonderful.

The crown jewel in the skyline is the Milwaukee Art Museum. It is so iconic to the city that it appears in their official logo. IMG_1900The building was designed by Santiago Calatrava and for lack of a better word, looks remarkably like a bird or maybe a sailboat (depending on your vantage point). The building itself is a work of art, but it houses a respectable collection of paintings and sculpture. The collection is decidedly American, Modern, and very approachable. Galleries are softly lit and almost intimate. There were many works by lesser known artists, but there was an entire gallery of Georgia O’Keefe, several Joan Miro paintings, and ten Marilyn’s by Warhol.IMG_1897

Picture taking was allowed and as luck would have it, admission was free thanks to Meijer’s Free First Friday.IMG_1925 In numerous trips to Milwaukee, this was our first visit to the museum…it won’t be our last (even if it isn’t free).

Milwaukee is often called “Brew Town” and rightly so. Some of the earliest breweries were founded here. Our adventure took us to the original Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery. Pabst isn’t made there any more, production happens in Los Angeles (odd isn’t it?). 20160604_122347The old brewery operation which took up several city blocks, is going through a lot of development. The brew house is now a suite hotel called, what else, the Brew House. A number of buildings have been torn down and have been replaced with apartments and lofts. The area is a major work in progress. The original corporate office building however, is still much as it was when Frederick Pabst went to work there everyday. It’s now called “The Best Place” and it is a beautifully restored tavern and beer hall that gives a very entertaining and informative history lesson along with a cold one. We were fortunate to have a former employee on the tour whose insight into working there was wonderful (“I could drink beer any time I wanted”). Actually, back then, a beer break was built into the work day.

There were many other wonderful adventures and the food is outstanding. In spite of what I do in my spare time, I do not take pictures of the food that I eat in restaurants, so here’s a brief description of the best thing I ate in Milwaukee. It was a breathtaking Lemon and Pistachio Semifreddo at Onesto, a small Italian bistro in the Historic Third Ward. My taste buds remember it very clearly.  Cold, creamy and perfectly balanced with lemony goodness and pistachio crunch. If you are ever in Milwaukee check it out, the pasta is homemade and the wine list is impressive as well.

See, I did manage to get  something about food into this post after all. Mama D is never too far away from a great meal, a great adult beverage, or a great city.