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Best Rides at Cedar Point Amusement Park!

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If you ask someone what are the best rides at Cedar Point you’ll no doubt receive a long list of answers. That’s because Cedar Point is a thrill seekers playground!

No exaggeration; whenever I put a trip on the books to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio, I start getting nervous and anxious!  The reason being, I know that I’m going to have to put my big girl pants on to face my fears and conquer some serious roller coasters.  I have yet to experience an amusement park that measures up! Cedar Point has the best rides out of any park I’ve experienced in the past.

Cedar Point’s Skyhawk: Kiss the Sky!

I’ve been getting anxiety from Cedar Point ever since I was a kid riding their first wooden roller coaster, the Gemini; I vaguely remember screaming “this is wicked” as a child! Pure FUN! I’ve only seen the park improve and get more daring!

Cedar Point consistently lands on yearly lists as one of the best amusement parks in the country and the world!  It’s hands down the best in the Midwest!  If you’re an adrenaline fanatic, this is the place for you; there’s a collection of 70 rides, including 18 roller coasters!  No worries if roller coasters are not for you, there are beaches, a 164-acre water park, live shows, and lots of entertainment for young kids. 

  • Ride Warrior in training

I’ve been bringing my son ever since he was a toddler.  They have a nice arrangement for parents called Parent Swap;  one parent waits with the kids while the other parent rides, once the first parent’s ride is complete, the other parent rides immediately.

CEDAR POINT FUN STATS

Have you been yet?  If not, add it to your summer or fall bucket list!

Their roller coasters are record breakers!  For example, The Valravn set the record for the world’s tallest, fastest and longest dive coaster!  Steel Vengeance, their new coaster for 2018 has been labeled a hyper-hybrid as world’s first steel-on-wood coaster standing over 205 feet tall with a 90-degree initial drop down to the earth, almost 30 seconds of airtime (the most on any roller coaster on Earth!  Don’t even get me started on Top Thrill Dragster which takes you from a standstill to 120 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds, then sprints up a 90-degree incline to 420 feet in the air!  It’s no wonder Cedar Point is named the roller coaster capital of the world!

Cedar Point Hotels

My family and I have stayed at a number of hotels surrounding Cedar Point Amusement Park. However, we get the most bang for our buck, whenever we purchase one of the resort packages offered by Cedar Point for a group of 4.  In this package, you receive a parking pass, four starlight tickets for Friday entry after 4 pm, four tickets for Saturday, and a two-night stay in their resort.  We usually stay at the Cedar Point Express Hotel about two miles away from the park.    The cost of this package varies depending on the time of year you visit.  Of course, summer is peak season so the cost is more but it’s still a great deal.  You can design the package that most fits your needs.

On our last trip, we checked into the hotel then headed right to the park with our Friday evening starlight tickets.  We were able to cover quite a bit of the park and rode many of our favorite rollercoasters several times!  In addition, if you stay in the Cedar Point resorts you get admitted to the parks one hour earlier than the general public.  Pro Tip:  Be sure to list the rides open during the early admission hour and hit the ones towards the back of the park, these will most likely have the longest lines later in the day.

Best Rides at Cedar Point

I’m all about the thrill, so when I say best rides at Cedar Point, I mean best roller coasters! Here’s my top 5 list of favorite coasters in the park.  Do not miss these!

Maverick

The Mavericks is arguably the most fun coaster in the park!  You seriously feel as if you’re riding a bucking wild horse!

The Maverick

Top Thrill Dragster

One can’t make a list of the best rides at Cedar Point without including Top Thrill Dragster; its 17 seconds of pure adrenaline!  I can’t get over how smooth this ride is even though you’re going from a standstill to 120 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds.  It’s tough standing in line watching others ahead of you.  It definitely feeds the fear.  The anticipation is the worst!  I was worried that my friend Robea was going to bail but she conquered it!  I’m still proud of you Robea, lol!

MILLENNIUM FORCE

Even though I’ve ridden the Millennium Force countless times, I have to again convince myself to ride it each year.

Last year, I even held my hands in the air as we went over the first drop.  The very thought of that has me thinking no way am I doing that this year!  I’m back at square one again.  This coaster is my main source of anxiety!  I think because it only has a lap bar….I’d like for it to have a lap belt, lap bar, overhead bar, duct tape, and anything else that will secure me in the seat!  It’s such a fun ride and ranked as one of the world’s best steel coasters!

VALRAVN

I recommend riding this coaster in the front row.  It’s worth the extra wait in line…..That dive is no joke!  You linger for what feels like an eternity before you take it though….just adds to the excitement!  I loved this one!

Valravn was introduced in 2016, breaking 7 world records including tallest and fastest dive coaster!

MAGNUM XL200

This coaster debuted in 1989 and it’s still one of my favorites!  I’m always in pain after laughing the whole ride!  It’s just an exhilarating ride and the drops tickle like crazy!

New Cedar Point Rides

For 2018, the park unleashed its new coaster Steel Vengeance.  Branded the hyper-hybrid, it’s the world’s first steel-on-wood hybrid roller coaster to stand over 200 feet tall.  It’ll be top of the list when we visit this year.  Who knows maybe my top 5 list of the best rides at Cedar Point will change after I ride it!

Cedar Point is a great place for families.  I hope that you get the opportunity to visit in the near future.  As always let me know your favorite part in the comments!

Where to Eat in Sandusky, Ohio

Our family tradition involves capping off our weekend with Sunday brunch before hitting the road.  Always on the lookout for hidden gems, I was ecstatic to discover Bates Farm Kitchen!

I loved everything about this restaurant!  When we walked in we were greeted by smiling faces who were happy to see us!  You can see right into the kitchen where your food is being prepared.  The farm-to-table restaurant utilizes the chef’s garden grown herbs, garlic, tomatoes, and produce from other local farm’s.  They don’t use silverware, glasses, or dishes.  Instead, their plates, utensils, and cups are corn-based compostables.

The food came out hot and was delicious!  One thing to note is everything is prepared to order and the food is brought out as it’s completed.  There aren’t any food warmers here, so some will get their dishes before others.

I can’t recommend this place enough; make sure you stop in before leaving Sandusky.

For other fun things to do in the Midwest click here!

Cupcakes & Cocktails at Give Me Some Sugar

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In my opinion, spending time cooking and baking with friends and family is one of the best ways to bond and create lasting memories.  I often smile as I reflect on the good times of the past where I’ve prepared a meal in a group setting; it’s amazing the kind of random conversations that pop up.  You learn a lot about people!

A baking class at Give Me Some Sugar located in Chicago’s Roscoe Village neighborhood would be a great place to bond with friends or your kids while learning to up your game in the kitchen.  I had a ball during a recent evening of Cupcakes & Cocktails hosted by April Lee AKA The Tipsy Housewife!  She even prepared some of her incredible appetizers for us to enjoy!

Give Me Some Sugar Baking

The classes are for people of all experience and levels, so don’t worry if your baking skills need work, you’ll be warmly welcomed! Lessons include cake decorating, French Macaron, donut making, cookie decorating and cupcakes.  There’s even a Retro Dessert class, what the heck…lol, as long as it doesn’t include any Jello-O molds, I’d check it out!  Parents, they offer summer baking camps during July and August!

Give Me Some Sugar is the perfect spot for hosting parties, girl’s nights, or other fun occasions.  Did I mention all of their classes are BYOB?!!  That just raised the fun meter about ten levels! Lol, I know I’m corny.

Chef Korab

Chef-owner Jerry Korab has an extensive resume in baking and pastry.  Also, he’s just a nice guy!  I appreciated his enthusiasm for us being there and also his patience in teaching.  Let’s face it; we were a group of women enjoying wine while trying to learn to pipe rosettes, stars, and flowers.  A lot was going on!

Chefs Jerry Korab and April Lee Chefs Jerry Korab and April Lee

I think that I did pretty good with my creations.  These babies weren’t just pretty though….they were AMAZINGLY delicious!   The flavors were lemon blueberry with raspberry buttercream frosting and Michigan cherry with chocolate ganache frosting.  I devoured a couple at home and took a few to the office the next day to share.  It was unanimous….Chef Korab has mad skills, and the cupcakes were delicious!

So the next time you’re looking for a fun experience in Chicago, head over to Give Me Some Sugar in the historical Roscoe Village neighborhood.

Things to Keep in Mind

  • Gluten-free diets can be accommodated (please give 48 hours notice)
  • There’s free street parking y’all!
  • BYOB

Chicago Supper Club: Celebrating Local Farmers and Small Businesses

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I won’t soon forget the memorable dinner I enjoyed with the Chicago Supper Club. Everything from the concept and passion of the chef down to the execution of the dishes created excitement in me for sharing with others this unique dining experience.

Chicago Supper club is a farm-to-table pop-up dinner party that celebrates local farmers and small businesses of the Midwest.  Chef and owner Samantha DeMichael, a Chicago native, is passionate about befriending farmers and educating others on the source of their foods and knowing what’s on their plate. She started the farm to table dining experience in December 2017 after working at local farms and markets for the past four years.

Chef DeMichael adheres to a Paleo lifestyle which emphasizes healthy living by avoiding processed foods, refined sugars, gluten, and dairy; although she did state that she’s flexible on the dairy as long as she knows the source of the milk and cheese (Yes, Cheese FOREVER!!!!). Each dinner course except for desserts is created around the paleo lifestyle.

The Supper Club meets twice a month at secret locations throughout the Chicagoland area. My dinner was at Homestead on the roof, a lovely space!  So many pretty details were arranged on the table.

I was able to enjoy the dinner along with 15 other beautiful blogger babes.  The evening began with flowing wine and conversation.  The setup and information provided prior to the dinner had me eagerly looking forward to the courses to follow.

Crudités with sweet pea hummus  Crudités with sweet pea hummus

Course #1

Growing Home crudités with Mick Klug sweet pea hummus

The vegetables and hummus were a nice start.  I gotta say that….the sweet pea hummus was incredible. I never knew that I could savor sweet peas so much!  Great produce from these two farms!

Growing Home’s farms are the first and only USDA-certified organic high-production urban farms in Chicago.  Their .87 acres of farms are located in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood; they service areas within a 20-mile radius. Growing Home Farms are doing great things for the Englewood community; be sure to check out their website!

Mick Klug farm located in St. Joseph, Michigan focuses on providing sustainably farmed, hand-harvested, quality fresh fruit and vegetables.

Course 2

Mighty tomato tart with yellow beefsteak tomato jam

This tomato tart was sensational!

Mighty Vine Tomato Tart      Photo courtesy of Lexi Holden Mighty Vine Tomato Tart      Photo courtesy of Lexi Holden

Let me tell you if you’ve never tried a Mighty Vine Tomato; YOU ARE MISSING OUT!  I’ve been a crazy tomato fanatic all my life and all tomatoes aren’t created equal.  I eat Mighty Vine’s tomatoes like candy!

Mighty Vine’s tomatoes are sustainably grown in the Chicagoland area and picked and at local markets within hours. You can surely taste the difference.  They’re so sweet!

Course 3

Spring chicken (Finn’s Ranch, Buchanan, MI) with caramelized onion and rosemary parsnip purée and Mick Klug asparagus

Spring Chicken from Finn's Ranch in Buchanan, Michigan     Photo courtesy of Lexi Holden Spring Chicken from Finn’s Ranch in Buchanan, Michigan     Photo courtesy of Lexi Holden

As delicious as it was pretty.  The rosemary parsnip puree was phenomenal

Course 4

Mick Klug Strawberry & Rhubarb compote Tres Leches Cake

Although I’m not much of a rhubarb fan, I have to admit that this strawberry & rhubarb compote was quite tasty with the cake.  There was one extra piece of cake, and I happily accepted and split it with the person sitting next to me.  I could’ve eaten it all by myself though.

Strawberry & Rhubarb compote Tres Leches Cake Strawberry & Rhubarb compote Tres Leches Cake

The evening and dinner were fantastic and a reminder to me to be more mindful of what I put on my plate and in my mouth.  We often fall into a habit of convenience when eating, and I know at least personally that I need to do better. Either I had no idea, or I’ve never paid attention to the urban farms located within the city of Chicago.  There are many healthy local options here.  I was very impressed as I walked away from this dinner.

I asked Chef DeMichael what she wanted her diners to take away from this experience and she replied:

“Support local, know your farmers, and where your food is coming from.  It’s very important, and it tastes better. Many will argue that healthy eating is too expensive, but maybe we should start asking why things are so cheap!  The thing is it isn’t that expensive….it’s very affordable. Sustainability is the new black.  It’s here, important and what we need to focus on!

Well said, I certainly have taken notice!

Be sure to check out the Chicago Supper Club website to purchase tickets for the next pop-up dinner party.   Chef DeMichael also does private events.

The Chicago French Market: A Must See

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The Chicago French Market hosted a Spring Soiree, fittingly on the first day of spring, where attendees were allowed to sample and taste from their 30 plus artisans and purveyors.  The Soiree was my first visit to the market.  All I can say is WOW, well I could say more, lol.  I’m so excited about this place and I can’t wait to return.  I declare it a MUST for anyone living in or visiting the city of Chicago!

Located in the Ogilvie train station in Chicago’s West Loop, the Chicago French Market is the city’s only year-round indoor Market allowing continued access to fresh, local artisan products while supporting local farmers.  Visitors have a variety of choices of produce, sweets, wines, fresh flowers, seafood, baked goods, sandwiches, espresso, and meats to name a few.  I was pleasantly surprised at the assortment of options.

The market’s 30 plus vendors were all hand selected because of their passion and high-quality products.  The best of Chicago and surrounding areas, mostly family-owned businesses, entrepreneurs, and skilled purveyors.

The market, open since 2009 is operated and managed by the Bensidoun family, the largest market operator in and around Paris since 1953.  In addition to the Chicago French Market, the family operates nearly 100 open-air and indoor markets throughout the U.S. and Europe.

I’m kicking myself for missing out on this gem all of these years.  Chicago never ceases to amaze me!  I’m discovering new things to love about this magnificent city every day.  I swear I’ll never run out of material to share.  Put the Chicago French Market on your list!

The Spring Soiree allowed VIP access to all the vendors. My dreams materialized!  My partner in crime for the event was Chicago Chef April Lee otherwise known as The Tipsy Housewife (she’s an amazing chef and person, check out her blog for incredible food and cocktail recipes)!

After check-in, our first stop was at the bar where I got a glass of Malbec; it was a long day at the office, lol! Now I’m ready!

Perusing the map was a bit overwhelming at first glance as I wanted everything STAT (I ate a light lunch in preparation)! The following are a few highlights and favorites.

Our first food stop was Aloha Poke Co. I was already a fan of Aloha Poke’s Revival Food Hall location.  If you haven’t tried their poke’ bowls, I encourage it.  The ingredients are fresh, and the combination of textures and flavors are delightful.  We had their Crunch Bowl with marinated tuna, tempura crunch, edamame, scallions, cucumber, jalapeno, spicy aioli, tobiko, and sesame seeds.  I wanted a bigger bowl of this!

We then moved on to Lito’s Empanadas, a new market vendor.  Their empanadas are described as Argentinian style as they use a cured wheat-based dough.  This technique allows for all of the cooking mechanisms to work without absorbing a lot of the oil as opposed to using a corn base, which soaks up the oil.  Perhaps you, like me have noticed that some empanadas look more brown and oily than others.  You can truly taste the difference!  The dough was fantastic! I planned on circling back and purchasing some to take home to my family but ran out of time;  I’ll be heading back for these empanadas!

Ahhhhh Spring!   The flowers at Les Fleurs were a welcome sight and gave me all kind of good spring feels on a frigid day.  Les Fleurs provides beautiful floral arrangements for every occasion along with plants, jewelry, home décor, as well as French themed seasonal gifts.

The custom, hand-tied bouquets start at $25!

Les Fleurs Les Fleurs

Before the event, I received a map and list of all the vendor participants.  I was very excited to see Da Lobsta listed and was looking forward to one of their lobster rolls.  I often see their food truck parked at different locales throughout the city.  The lobster rolls are soooo good.  There was plenty of lobster stuffed inside.  That bun though, I must say that I’m a bit obsessed!

Da Lobsta:  Lobster Roll Da Lobsta:  Lobster Roll

Another favorite was the pastrami bites from Bebe’s Kosher Deli.  I admit, I ate more than one sample…couldn’t help myself.  The pastrami was amazing, and I’m not really into pastrami.  I truly need to stop saying what I don’t like or care for because I’ve changed my tune on quite a bit of food.  I guess I’ve just been going to the wrong places.  Or I didn’t know what I was doing when I cooked certain things, lol.  I’m just keeping an open mind now with a clean slate regarding foods I previously didn’t like.  Except for okra…no way will I ever like that stuff!

Bebe's Kosher Deli:  Pastrami Bites Bebe’s Kosher Deli:  Pastrami Bites

Bebe’s uses high-quality ingredients to create their recipes passed down from generations.  All of the Kosher meat comes Romanian which I learned is a big deal in Chicago!   Romanian makes all of their kosher meats fresh, in-house.

Next stop was Wood Fire Counter for some comfort food.  We tried the gumbo mac and cheese.  Yum, I enjoyed the spices and flavor of this. The pasta texture was on point too.

Wood Fire Counter's Gumbo Mac N Cheese Wood Fire Counter’s Gumbo Mac N Cheese

On to cheese sampling at Pastoral.  With a reputation for high quality, Pastoral Artisan Cheese Bread and Wine offers artisan cheeses from America and around the world.  Their cheese is incredible!   Anyone else in love with cheese as much as I am?  I don’t know if there’s anything that can make me give up cheese.  In addition to cheese, Pastoral has a selection of small production wines, hand-crafted, cheese-loving beers, and freshly baked bread along with accompaniments. Their gourmet baskets would make great gifts!

Charcuterie from Pastoral Charcuterie from Pastoral

Be sure to stop by Firenze during your visit.  New to the market, Firenze brings you authentic Italian street food as found in Florence, Italy.

Pictured below is the Prosciutto Mozzarella: Schiacciato Bread, Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Arugula, Truffle Cream, Olive Oil, and Balsamic Glaze. YES!!!  Fresh and delicious!

I could only eat ¼ of my sandwich.  I took it home to finish the next day and it was still just as good.

Spotted more pastrami, this time from Fumare Meats and Deli.  Theirs is a Montreal Style pastrami; cured and natural smoked brisket peppered and slow-cooked daily on site.  Another good choice!

Dessert lovers will enjoy the variety of sweet treats offered such as the crepes from Flip Crepes.  They’re gluten-free too!  I had the Nutella, yum!

There’s a nice collection of spots selling handmade chocolates, tarts, candies, gelato, and donuts to name a few.  Your sweet tooth will indeed get satisfaction here!

This is but a glimpse into the many offerings at Chicago’s French Market in the West Loop.  Told you it’s a must-see.  I could go on and on…I ate a lot more than I mentioned here.

I hope that you get the opportunity to spend some time here.  You won’t regret it!

Aspire Company: Together, We’re Better

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In today’s world, we’re bombarded with information and stories on a daily basis.  If you’re on social media, the information can be overwhelming at times.  Oftentimes the stories we hear can be a source of sadness and anxiety.  We may even have to remind ourselves of the good in the world.

During my life, I’ve met some remarkable individuals who made a lasting positive impact on myself and others; people who went out of their way to show kindness and serve others.  The world is full of individuals like that; people who care and find happiness in helping others.  Many times these stories go untold in favor of more sensational news. My goal is to spread the wonderful works of these individuals.

Aspire Coffee Works

I’d learned of Aspire Coffee Works from a fellow blogger who mentioned to me that she’d set aside a day to volunteer with them. She informed me of the work that they do for those with disabilities, and I quickly requested additional information.

My team members Bruce (left) and Dan My team members Bruce (left) and Dan

Growing up, my parents owned two foster care homes for adults with intellectual disabilities.  We lived with the residents in the homes, and they became a part of our extended family, so the Aspire programs are close to my heart.  I was excited when she virtually connected me with them.

The Aspire Coffee Works program is a dynamic partnership between Aspire and Metropolis Coffee Company.

Aspire
Founded in 1960, Aspire takes the lead in providing unwavering service and support to children and adults with developmental disabilities, their families, and the Chicagoland community.  Their goal is to build inclusive communities in the workplace while demonstrating that individuals with disabilities can be productive and successful members of the workforce.   They serve nearly 1,000 children and adults annually with passion and heart.

Metropolis Coffee Company:  
Recognized as one of the nations top roasters, Metropolis Coffee Company, has a reputation for consistently supplying excellent coffee.  The success of their award-winning coffee is firmly established in their principle belief system.

“Our coffee aesthetic is rooted in the belief that great coffee comes from a line of respect beginning with the farmers and their respect for their land. We, in turn, respect the farmers by paying fair prices for their harvest, and respect our customers by taking great care in the roasting roasting and brewing process. Respect is at the core of our coffee philosophy, and taste is paramount.”

— Metropolis Coffee Company

We surely could use more businesses like Metropolis! These two wonderful companies were meant to come together!

Through the Aspire Coffee Works Program, adults with disabilities on the Aspire Coffee Works team work side by side with employees of Metropolis Coffee Company at the roasting facility in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood.

I appreciated getting to know some of the other workers and volunteers during my time there.  Something that stood out during the day was the happy and energetic work environment! I had a great time with my team! Bruce and Dan were good at showing me the ropes and making sure that I did things correctly. Other team members were Tori who’s been helping out at Aspire since 2015 and Julia who’s been with them for a year and a half.
We prepared the coffee packaging, weighed coffee beans, sealed, and labeled the bags in preparation for shipping.  The hardest part of the day for me was mastering the sealer!  Grrrrrr

The consumer upon receipt will know the name of the packager, the date of roast, and batch number.  The best part about Aspire Coffee Works coffee is knowing that 100% of proceeds from the sale of the coffee goes back into the Aspire programs.  I drink a lot of coffee, knowing that I’m making a difference while doing it is a great feeling!  Metropolis coffee is delicious!

Learning about the many success stories that have come from the program truly warms the heart!

Bridgette's story is one of many success stories from the program Bridgette’s story is one of many success stories from the program

One such story is that of Bridgette.  She was enrolled in Aspires Independent Living program when she’d heard of a job opportunity at Aspire Coffee Works.  Thinking of it as her dream job, she applied and was hired.  She excelled so much after her training that Aspire partner Metropolis hired her exclusively to work on their staff as a production assistant. Bridget is doing everything it takes to live independently and is living proof of the value of programs like Aspire and Aspire Coffee Works.

You can support Aspire and Aspire Coffee Works in numerous ways.

  • Volunteer
  • Spread the word.  The more people that know about the Aspire programs, the more growth potential for the organization.  It also affords others the privilege of volunteering.
  • Donate
  • Purchase Aspire Coffee Works Coffee; 100% of proceeds go back into the Aspire programs. You can drink amazing Metropolis coffee and help change lives.  I met a couple of businessmen touring the facility who stated that hey supply Aspire Coffee for their office employees.  My family and I are enjoying it at home.  You can purchase it here

I can’t wait to volunteer again with Aspire, I had a wonderful time! Please share the word about this organization.  Our support makes a difference!

Maple Sugar Time in Indiana Dunes

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Each year the National Park Service hosts the Maple Sugar Time event marking the beginning of maple syrup season.  During this prime time of year, temperatures at night are below freezing and the days are sunny, making conditions ideal for maple tree tapping.  At night the sap goes back into the roots of the tree preventing freezing, expansion, and cracking of the bark.  During the day the sun pulls the sap back up into the maple tree for tapping.  Scroll to the bottom for instructions on tapping a maple and making syrup.

The National Park Service hosts the event at Chellberg Farm.

Chellberg Farm once belonged to Swedish immigrants Anders and Johanna Chellberg, who arrived in Northwest Indiana in 1863.  They purchased the 40 acres of land to establish the farm in 1869 and added forty additional acres five years later.

The property contains a sugar grove that the family began tapping in the 1930’s for maple syrup production.

The farm stayed in the family until 1972 when Carl Chellberg sold the property to the National Park Service making the national lakeshore the only National Park Service unit that makes maple syrup.

Chellberg Farm Chellberg Farm

Did you know the world’s supply of maple syrup all come from Northeastern North America?  Quebec and Vermont lead in production.

Maple Sugar Time takes attendees on a visual tour of maple sugaring and gives a glimpse into how it’s evolved over the years. From the Native Americans to the pioneers, and on into modern methods.

I spotted a Mother Wilma’s Marshmallow Factory food truck supplying hot drinks as we were walking up to begin the tour.  Of course, we stopped…priorities!!! This food truck makes everything from scratch using local and organic ingredients. My husband and I each got a gourmet hot chocolate with maple marshmallows.  I was an instant fan and will be following them to see where they pop up next.  A nice treat to enjoy during our tour as it was a wee bit chilly outdoors.

TOUR

Our Ranger Tour Guide Our Ranger Tour Guide

At the onset of our tour, we were made aware of the effects that climate change is having on the maple tree.  Research data indicates that the trees are migrating north because it’s getting warmer here.  The maple sugaring season has been starting earlier than it did some 40 years ago and the duration has lessened by 10%.  Groves can migrate some 60 miles per century.  Maple trees drop seeds that are carried away by wind and animals. If the seeds find a suitable environment, the maple tree grows and thrives.

Some of the things that we can do to slow down this process include:

  • Using Alternate Fuels
  • Recycle
  • Use Earth Friendly Products

Time to try some of the sap from the tree.

The sap was so clear that I wasn’t sure if I was tasting water or maple sap.  It wasn’t sweet at all.  I learned that sap from the tree is 99% water and only a small portion turns into syrup.  It takes 40 gallons of sap to get 1 gallon of maple syrup. The sugar content is about 2%, after the boiling process the content is 66% sugar; you then have pure maple syrup.

The following is an evolution of getting the maple sap to syrup.

Native Americans discovered maple sap.  Since it has the consistency of water, it is believed that they mistook it for water seeping from the maple tree and cooked with it, leading to the realization of its sweetness.  They used fire, wood, clay pots and rocks.  The rocks were heated in the fire and then used to stir the sap eventually boiling out the water.  That had to be the longest process!

Pioneers had it much easier, using kettles to boil the sap, however, it still took a very long time.  Plus you had to deal with all of that smoke in your face.  The pictures below are tools that were used around the 1850s.

As time went on more thought went into the wounds placed in the trees.  The hole can be a small as 5/16 of an inch.  Ideally one doesn’t want to make too big of a hole in the tree because the bark of the tree is a protectant much like skin is to humans, therefore, smaller holes keep the tree safe from harm.

We next visited the sugar shack which was warm and full of steam.  The sap inside is boiled down the same way the Chellberg family did it.  This boiling method allowed for a much quicker evaporation of water.  The fire box under the pan permits more heat and eliminated smoke; it’s also energy efficient. I received a nice steam facial while in the sugar shack, lol!

Fun Fact:  Lighter colored syrup is more expensive.  It’s called fancy syrup.  Corrugated pans are used to allow the sap to get closer to the fire producing a faster boil.   The longer the syrup boils, the darker it becomes.

The Maple Sugar event was enlightening as well as a lot of fun.  I knew absolutely nothing about maple tapping or the process of making syrup.  Both my husband and I gained a greater appreciation for the product and the work that goes into supplying it.  Now I understand why it costs a bit more in stores.  Especially considering that the alternative is made up of mostly corn syrup.  Afterward, my husband stated that we’re only buying pure maple syrup henceforth.  No more pancake syrup consisting of mostly corn syrup.

Chellberg Farm is open to the public during festivals, demonstrations, and ranger-guided tours. Check the Ranger Guided Program Schedule for days and times.

Making Homemade Maple Syrup

  1. You’ll need a maple tree at least 10 inches in diameter.
  2. Collect the Sap:  You will need a drill, spile, tubing, and a large container.  When the time is right, drill a hole 1 and 1/2 inches into the tree.  Use the spile and tubing to direct the sap from the hole into the container  Gather about five gallons of sap to make a pint of syrup.
  3. Boil the Sap:  Unless your stove has an excellent vent fan for all the steam, it’s recommended that you boil the sap outdoors using an open fire, propane and gas grills or fryers.  When your syrup reaches 219 degrees Fahrenheit you have maple syrup.

Maps showing the projected migration of the sugar maple tree Maps showing the projected migration of the sugar maple tree

Chicago Restaurant Week Recap: Discovering New Favorites

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The 11th annual Chicago Restaurant week has come to an end and boy was it a fantastic time with over 370 restaurants participating this year!  Although the name indicates a week, the celebration of the city’s magnificent cuisine is actually 2 weeks.  This year, for the first time ever, the event lasted even longer, as it was extended three days to coincide with Chicago Theatre Week, allowing theatergoers to enjoy two defining aspects of the Chicago cultural experience-award winning dining and amazing theatre.

During Restaurant Week, participating restaurants offered diners prix fixe menus starting at $22; allowing the opportunity for patrons to get a true feel for the establishment.

Choose Chicago did a fine job generating buzz for the culinary event through their promotions. It surely contributed to me getting into the festive spirit!

In times past my co-workers and I usually went out for a few lunches during Restaurant Week, but it was pretty much business as usual for us. We didn’t give much thought to planning or consider the intent of the 2-week event, in fact, we usually ended up at one our old favorites where we’d eaten many times over.

This time was extremely different for me as it was my first Restaurant Week since I’ve launched my blog. To say I was eagerly anticipating it would be an understatement.  I carefully planned my schedule, whereabouts, and dining companions.  I believe this made a world of difference. I celebrated this year as it was meant to be and I shall henceforth be VERY EXTRA every Restaurant Week to come, lol!

In addition to indulging in amazing cuisine, there are added benefits to participating in Restaurant Week.  Let’s face it, after the holidays’ people like hibernating for the remaining days of January and on into February.  It’s like pulling teeth to get us out of the house sometimes…I mean it’s cold and snowy!  It can, therefore, be particularly slow for restaurants. Restaurant Week is a good incentive; the prix fixe menu gives the consumer a lot of bang for their buck, and it encourages people like me to get out and to try new places.  This hopefully leads to us becoming regular patrons while creating more restaurant business and revenue during a, particularly slow season. It’s a WIN-WIN.

The following are my highlights from the week; it was my first time dining at each of the eateries.

1.  BAR SIENNA

Located in ‘Restaurant Row’ in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, Bar Sienna is the establishment of Top Chef Alumna Fabio Viviani, who I’ve been a fan of and following since watching his season of Top Chef. Although I’ve been to his dessert bar Bombolini connected to Bar Siena, I hadn’t tried the restaurant.    When my husband mentioned wanting Italian, I suggested Fabio’s restaurant. To my surprise, he immediately declined, asking “why would you want to go to Fabio’s restaurant!?!?” He was imagining 80’s romance novel model and ’I can’t believe it’s not butter” Fabio, lol.

Chef Fabio Viviani, Photo Courtesy Bar Siena Chef Fabio Viviani, Photo Courtesy Bar Siena Bar Siena Interior Bar Siena Interior

After clearing up the confusion, he was down for checking it out.  Italian Street Food inspires Bar Siena’s menu, and all dishes are made from scratch.  Our reservation was for Saturday during brunch.  Side Note:  on the weekends you can only get brunch or dinner.  We ordered the roasted meatballs, shaved butternut squash salad, avocado toast, and short rib hash.

My standout was the short-rib hash. The hollandaise sauce was light with a remarkable flavor. The short ribs were seasoned well and tender. The avocado toast was also tops!  We finished off our meal with a salted caramel Bombolini, or Italian donut. I had no guilt indulging in that! The environment was also comfortable; the trees with lights on the branches gave the space a nice feeling of warmth which was much needed considering that it was bitter cold outside.

2.  ELLA ELLI

Located in the heart of Lakeview, the gorgeous and elegant, Ella Elli is ideal for an intimate date night or catching up with your girlfriends.  The dome booth that our party sat in gave us a feeling of having a private room.  There was no need to raise our voices in conversation as the sound in the booth was crystal clear.  The atmosphere set the tone for the remarkable meal that followed.  I think that we ate the whole restaurant week menu plus a few a la carte items. Let me just say that I will be a regular here!

For my first course, I’d chosen Steak Tartare with Parmigiano-Reggiano and pumpernickel. If you’d have told me this time last year that I’d be eating steak tartare with a raw egg on top I’d have told you “get outta here! No way would I ever eat that!” At the start of my blogging, I decided that I’d experience and try everything within reason. I’m so happy that I’ve taken on this determination because I’ve developed a love for cuisine that I never would’ve given a second thought to in the past. The steak tartare was delightful, and the pumpernickel bread was a great accompaniment. My second course was a Lamb Scottadito with Herbed Yogurt and Harissa. Fabulous! I finished off with the apple bourbon cake with buttermilk ice cream and roasted apples. Let me just say that I could eat this cake daily! It wasn’t overly sweet, and all of the flavors were amazing together!

In addition to my courses, I was able to taste my companions’ dishes; I don’t think you could go wrong here! The braised oxtail rigatoni with whipped ricotta and fried rosemary was wonderful, and the Burger Au Poivre with St. Andre Triple cream, watercress, cornichon was on point. The sauce that accompanied that burger was epic!!! Do yourself a favor and get over to Ella Elli QUICK!

3.  FIFOLET CAJUN & COCKTAILS

The Infamous Marie Laveau The Infamous Marie Laveau

Named after the legendary blue lights which float above the bayou in Lousiana, Fifolet, is the place to go for New Orleans cuisine.  The restaurant’s located in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.  I’m in love with Cajun food, and when I was planning my week Fifolet was the spot for which I was most excited!  You get a true feel for New Orleans when you walk through the door.  The cozy fireplace and shimmering chandelier was a welcome sight!  My friend Robea and I started off with the cocktails, Infamous Marie Laveau and Voodoo Punch.  We were both impressed, especially with the Voodoo Punch.  I usually steer clear of punches because I find them overly sweet but this one had a nice balance.  They serve all the Cajun dishes I’ve grown to love.  There were so many things that we relished during our meal.

Shrimp & Grits Shrimp & Grits

I’d return just for the blackened shrimp Caesar salad. It was incredible with a nice kick, and the flavor of the catfish-caesar dressing was perfection. We also favored the cornbread and the shrimp and grits. The grits were among the best I’ve had! So creamy and savory. The fried green tomatoes with the house-made giardiniera are also a must! We finished off our meal with a couple of tasty beignets! Nice vibe, jazz, and service here! Will positively return.

4.  EMA

Ema:  I think we picked the coldest day of winter to venture out for lunch at Ema in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.  All of the frigidness melted away once I stepped into what seemed like summer.  My mood immediately lightened, and I’d forgotten how cold I’d been just minutes before.  Ema is fresh and light and perfect for when you can’t take the brutal Chicago weather anymore, and you want to feel like you’re elsewhere.

I was ecstatic for Ema for a couple of reasons:

  • Mediterranean is one of my favorite cuisines
  •  I love CJ Jacobson from Top Chef!!!! I was so stoked when I got the opportunity to meet him at First Bites Bash!   Ema showcases his lighter style of California cooking.  Again we selected EVERYTHING off the restaurant week menu and to be honest; I didn’t feel overly stuffed or guilty after eating so much.  The food is filling but not heavy.  We feasted and enjoyed every minute of it.  The Fattoush salad, falafel, lamb kefta, chicken kefta, toasted almonds with garlic and olives, and crispy potatoes were all excellent.  I highly recommend this restaurant!

In summation, Restaurant Week was a success, and I can’t wait to see the creativity that next year brings.

Hopefully, you’ll get the opportunity to visit some of these places.

As always, let me know your favorites!

Ivy’s Bohemia House: Preserving Family Food Traditions

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Ivy’s Bohemia House offers an eclectic, from scratch menu in a cozy home-like setting. The charming restaurant situated in downtown Chesterton sits inside what was once a 2-story home.  Quite fitting since the cuisine that chef and co-owner Amy Mackiewicz creates, centers around her memories growing up in a household where cooking was constant.  Everything was made fresh and from-scratch!  In fact, Amy recalls envying the Twinkies and potato chips that her peers were enjoying after school.  Her after-school snacks consisted of homemade butterscotch parfaits and homemade pretzels (seriously?!!?  I would’ve LOVED that!)

She now realizes how lucky she was and continues the fresh, from-scratch traditions at the restaurant.

Wayne and Amy initially were running a successful personal chef and catering business in the area when they decided to expand after ten years.  The small expansion they envisioned for food preparation turned into a full-service restaurant!  The growth and reception have gone far beyond their anticipations!

The idea for their restaurant was to provide a constantly evolving menu of fresh, quality cuisine with a focus on Eastern European foods rare to the area, such their golumpkis, and Polish sausage.  Their Polish, which already had a loyal following when they opened the restaurant, is an authentic, garlic-based Polish sausage, prepared using the recipe that once belonged to Amy’s great-grandfather from Poland.

Polish Platter:  Polish Sausage, Sauerkrat, Pierogis Polish Platter:  Polish Sausage, Sauerkrat, Pierogis

In addition to continuing family traditions, they desired to make old-school sandwiches like the Cubana and Reuben in a way that distinguished them from others by making everything fresh, including roasting and preparing all of their meats in-house.  I tried the Cubano and whatever they’re doing; they’re doing it right!  It was tender with a nice flavor.

The Cubano with house made tortilla chips The Cubano with house made tortilla chips

Wayne is also very proud of the Reuben sandwich.

“Basically, if someone from New York City comes in and tries my Reuben, I want them to say ‘that’s a good Reuben!’”

— Wayne Sydni, co-owner of Ivy’s Bohemia House

What makes a good Reuben?

Roasting your corned beef, slicing it the right way, using good quality bread and cheese.  It’s weird that it’s so simple, but all of the ingredients must be good.  I believe preparing our meats makes a big difference……Two people visiting from New York came in for a meal, and I had them try the Reuben and give me their honest opinion. They both were happy with it.  That let me know that my Reuben is good. -Wayne

Hmmm….I’ll have to try the Reuben next time.  My husband loves Reubens.

Vegetarians will find a nice variety of options on the menu as Wayne has been vegetarian for the past 27 years.   The falafel vegetarian hummus plate is fantastic!

Vegetarian Falafel Hummus Plate Vegetarian Falafel Hummus Plate

The dinner menu changes every week.  Every Friday and Saturday there are an additional five special items on the menu, and at least one is vegetarian.

When visiting on the weekends, you’re strongly admonished to try one of the specials.  They consist of Amy’s creations from that which inspires her during the week or her cravings.

She enjoys the challenge of producing meals from whatever ingredients she can get her hands on; it pushes her to persist in mastering her craft.

Gnocchi Gnocchi

I also learned during my visit that Wayne and Amy have a line of salsas and sauces that they sell in the restaurant as well as the local European Market.  The sauces include marinara, pesto, barbecue, and hot sauce.  Wayne makes all of the hot sauces for their line with hot peppers sourced locally.

Both Amy and Wayne were both very warm and easy-going during our discussion.  It’s wonderful to see that they seem to be doing what they love.  Reflecting on our conversation brings a smile to my face and prompts me to recall my childhood memories centered around food

I remember my dad making homemade candy with us every Friday night.  He always wanted to make his rock candy or peanut clusters.  I wasn’t a fan of the rock candy (it tasted like rocks, lol) but I loved the peanut clusters and the thoughts still warm my heart.

Pastry selection; Wayne is peeking out from the back Pastry selection; Wayne is peeking out from the back

It’s amazing the feelings and thoughts that food stirs in us.  It was a joy listening to Amy reminisce about preparing dishes with her family. Her recollections go back so far!  She stated that as soon as she could turn a crank she was making Polish!

How fortunate for us all that she’s sharing the heart and soul of her family with us in her delicious dishes.

Hope you get a chance to stop by and taste for yourself!

Tell me what you enjoyed about your visit in the comments!

Charcuterie Board: Everything You Need to Know

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Seeing as I follow a lot of restaurants and foodies on my social media channels, it’s common for me to see charcuterie boards in my feed.  Almost as much as latte art!  It seems that everyone is as obsessed as I am with them.  I enjoy eating off of them but I only recently learned the essentials of how to make a charcuterie board.

DIY Charcuterie Board DIY Charcuterie Board

In case you’re wondering, charcuterie, pronounced shahr-koo-tuh-reee is a French term meaning cured meats.  Back in the day, they were at every party or gathering…we called them meat and cheese boards, lol!

Don’t dare call it that today!  People love to correct you and say “you mean charcuterie board., dahling!”…..I know they don’t really sound that way but that’s what I hear, lol.

I feel that they just like saying the word charcuterie as do I.

I’d learned the components of a great charcuterie board when I had an evening out with author and entertaining and lifestyle expert Maureen Petrosky.  Perhaps you know of her from her frequent lifestyle and hosting segments on the TODAY Show.

Old Town Social

Old Town Social


Lifestyle Expert Maureen Petrosky

Me and Lifestyle Expert Maureen Petrosky


Jack Daniel's Whisky

Jack Daniel’s Whiskey Tasting

She showed us all how to up our hostess game when entertaining guests.  She emphasized not being intimidated when it comes to hostessing guests.  One doesn’t need to be a chef to put together an impressive spread.  What I most appreciated about the information was that she didn’t make you feel like you had to break the bank to entertain.  Just be creative!

When my mom subsequently planned a movie night at my home for herself and some friends, I thought it the perfect opportunity to use what I learned to create a nice charcuterie board for the evening.  However, my mom refused to say charcuterie and pretty much made fun of me for calling it that.  So it was a meat and cheese board that evening!  Well, it was delicious, and we devoured it.  Side Note:  My mom is always making plans for my home and then informing me of it.  I find it funny (if you knew my mom you’d understand, she’s a riot!)

My evening out with Maureen was hosted at Old Town Social in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood.  She’d beautifully styled the space with gorgeous table arrangements and fresh flowers, all sourced from local providers.

Guests started the evening off with hors-d’oeuvres and cocktails created by Maureen using Jack Daniels whiskey.  They were quite good, my favorite being the Tennessee Mimosa: Sparkling wine, rosemary, whiskey, and OJ. I wasn’t aware that Jack Daniel’s had a variety of cocktail recipes on their website.  Good information when you’re planning your next party!  We followed the cocktails with a whiskey tasting and a discussion on pairings.

Following the tasting came what I was most excited for; Maureen was going to share her secrets and teach us how to do a charcuteries board justice.  She created a variety of boards for us to nibble on at our tables.  The meats she used were all smoked in-house at Old Town Social.  We enjoyed a selection of Coppa, Lonza,  Finnocchiona, Toscano, and Soppressata.  The crackers and jam were also made in-house from scratch.  The strawberry jam was eye-rolling good!  It consisted of strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar.

Basically, the perfect charcuterie board needs to have representation from several categories.
Fortunately, we were all provided us with a cheat sheet so that we wouldn’t have to recall these by memory after having several cocktails.

MUST HAVES ARE:

  • HARD MEATS: Cured Hard Salamis, Pepperoni, Sopressata, Chorizo, Saucisson Sec
  • SOFT MEATS:  Soft Sausages (duck, pork, chicken, rabbit, lamb), Paper Thin Sliced Prosciutto, Jamon Serrano, Jamon Iberico, Pate or Terrine, butter (black truffle)
  • THE SAVORY AND TANGY:  Mustards (Dijon, stone ground), Horseradish, Pickles, Pickled Veggies,
  • THE SWEET:  Jams (fig, apricot), Chutney, Candied Nuts, Dried Fruits, Fruit (grapes, cherries, pears, apples), Dark Chocolate, honey
  • THE CHEESE:  Fresh Cheese (Fidre Di Latte, Burrata), soft-ripened cheese (camembert, brie), semi-soft cheese (Friulano, Havarti), firm cheese (Piave, Spillembergo, aged provolone, Crotonese), hard cheese (Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano), veined cheese (gorgonzola, stilton, blue cheese)
  • THE TRANSPORT:  Crackers, Baguette, Ciabatta, Bread Sticks, Toast

Here’s my creation! This board was so inexpensive to make. I found the majority of my ingredients at ALDI and the jams came from Rise ‘n Roll, an Amish bakery located in Valparaiso, IN.  Entertaining without breaking the budget is GOLD!  They’re also easy to throw together at a moments notice!

Are you a charcuterie lover?  Tell me what would go on your board in the comments!

Check out a few other recipes here

Jack Daniel's Swag from our gift bags Jack Daniel’s Swag from our gift bags

The Tipsy Housewife’s: Bean, Greens, and Proteins Recipe Challenge

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Chicago Chef April Lee AKA The Tipsy Housewife recently challenged me along with a group of other fabulous females to create a healthier recipe using ten ingredients or less.  One oil and salt did not count towards the total ingredient number.

I readily accepted the challenge, and then I thought the better of it.  Considering that I’m not a food blogger and I blog about other people’s food; I wondered what I’d gotten myself into!!!

I contemplated the company I was in and the intimidation set in….I mean I was going up against bloggers named The Speedy Spatula, Bon Appeteach, and The Kitchen Wife, for goodness sake, lol.  Also, The Tipsy Housewife’s recipes are amazingly delicious!  When I made her lasagna soup a few months ago, my son went nuts and tried to eat the whole pot on the first night.  I had to BAN him from the kitchen so that we could have leftovers for the next day!

For this competition, I knew that I had to step up to the plate (hey I did a pun!)

It took me several weeks to come up with my dish!  I had so many things going through my head before I finally decided on shrimp as my protein.  Shrimp should’ve been a no brainer…… I LOVE shrimp.  I regularly prepare them to top my salads along with brown rice.  I never get tired of that combination, so I settled on incorporating that into my dish.  I could do a healthy bowl of some sort.  The bean was the next challenge.  I love my chickpeas, but I wanted to think a bit outside of the box.  My son and I both enjoy snacking on edamame.  They’re so good, and they have a good amount of protein, I knew that was the bean for me.

Next, I needed to figure out a way to include spiciness into my dish, considering I love all things spicy.  The spicier the better!  I admit my initial sriracha drizzle was too HOT!  I’d deadened my tastebuds trying to mess around with that.  There was no way anyone but me would’ve enjoyed my initial efforts.  I decided to go with a chili lime hot sauce for the drizzle instead of sriracha to tone it down a bit.

The following is my completed entry.  A Shrimp protein bowl with a sweet and spicy drizzle.

Click here for a link to all of the recipe entries.

Hope you enjoy!

Shrimp Protein Bowls  Shrimp Protein Bowls

Ingredients

  • 1lb Raw Shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 3 Cups cooked Brown Rice
  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • 1 Bunch Broccoli, washed, dried, and cut into medium florets
  • Four garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons chili lime hot Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Honey
  • Salt
  • Olive Oil

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425
  • Mix Shrimp with 2 tbsp olive oil and two garlic cloves, add 1 tsp salt, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
  • Prepare Brown Rice according to package directions.  You want 3 cups of cooked rice
  • Cook the edamame according to package directions.
  • Wash and thoroughly dry the broccoli and red pepper.  Cut the broccoli into medium florets and the red pepper into strips.
  • Toss broccoli and red pepper with 2 tbsp olive oil, the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves, and a tsp of salt
  • Put the vegetable on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 10 minutes or desired tenderness.
  • Mix: ½ cup of low sodium soy sauce, 3 tbsp hot chili sauce, and 2 tbsp of honey in a bowl and set aside.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan.  Lay shrimp in the pan and cook until pink and opaque; about 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside
  • Pour the hot sauce mixture in the saucepan the shrimp was cooked in and stir making sure to gather up the bits of garlic left over from the shrimp.  Continue stirring until sauce thickens.

Filling the bowls

  • Add ¾ cup of brown rice to the serving bowl
  • Drizzle the desired amount of sauce over the rice.
  • Line the top with roasted broccoli, red pepper, edamame, and shrimp
  • Top with cilantro
  • Stir & enjoy!

Optional:
You can also top with wonton chips for a little crunch

Choose Chicago’s First Bites Bash: A Foodies Paradise!

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Restaurant week officially got underway with the kickoff event First Bites Bash, held at Navy Pier’s Grand Aon Ballroom. This affair is a paradise for foodies and in my opinion, the best way to get your Restaurant Week activities started.

It’s well known that Chicago’s food scene is off the charts!  With so much variety and amazing cuisine to select from, it can prove difficult choosing where to dive in first.

First Bites Bash puts 60 of the city’s most celebrated restaurants and chefs in one place so that you can try a bit of everything and hopefully plan your Restaurant Week food tour based on discoveries.

I had reservations at three restaurants already in place, but I purposely saved a few spots for new encounters during First Bites Bash.

Me and Boka Executive Chef Lee Wolen Me and Boka Executive Chef Lee Wolen

The event was produced by Choose Chicago and hosted by Boka Executive Chef Lee Wolen.  Originally hailing from Cleveland, Wolen has a stellar culinary resume.  Under his helm, Boka restaurant has maintained their Michelin Star status for the past four years.  He was most recently nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes in 2016 and 2017.

I was excitedly looking forward to the event which drew well over a thousand hungry food lovers.  Sidenote:  A year ago when I started my blog First Bites Bash was on my radar, but I was just getting my feet wet and decided against going.  I made a goal at that time to build up my blog, and when the event came around again, I’d be ready to attend and cover along with media.  I met that goal this year by being granted a media pass to cover the event.  Therefore, this event was a celebration of how far I’d come with my blogging as well as my food loving Festivus (small milestones excite me!)

Upon entry, attendees were given maps and menus to seek out anything that piqued their taste buds.   There was something for every palate;  seafood, desserts, steak, tacos, wine, beer, spirits…you name it.  No one should have left hungry!

In preparation, I only ate soup for lunch.  I was ready!

I did a good job hitting up pretty close to everything.  Some of my favorite bites from the evening in no particular order were:

  1. The Forest Mushroom Tacos from Barrio:

The flavors of white truffle garlic crema, cotija cheese, gruyere frances meshed together so well! I did not miss the meat. These tacos are on their restaurant week menu for lunch and dinner. Don’t miss out on them.

Forest Mushroom Tacos from Barrio Forest Mushroom Tacos from Barrio

2.    River Roast’s House Made Sausage with Braised Lentils:

I gobbled this dish up before capturing a picture and was too distracted discussing how dang delicious it was. I did manage to get a picture of Chef Cedric Harden and his team though, lol. Take my word for it. This restaurant is worth a visit during Restaurant Week.

Chef Cedric Harden (center) of River Roast and the crew Chef Cedric Harden (center) of River Roast and the crew

3.    Cajun Shrimp station at Tavern on Rush.

They’re offering a dinner pre-fix menu with two options of surf and turf during Restaurant Week. That’s a great deal!

Tavern on Rush's Cajun Shrimp Tavern on Rush’s Cajun Shrimp

4.    Fred’s at Barney’s New York’s Smoked Nantucket Bay Scallop Shrimp Station.

They were fresh bites of heaven!

Smoked Nantucket Bay Scallops from Fred's At Barney's New York Smoked Nantucket Bay Scallops from Fred’s At Barney’s New York

5.    Cindy’s Marinated Scallops:

They had a nice punch of acidity. Wow!

Cindy's Marinated Scallops Cindy’s Marinated Scallops

6.    The Stracciatella from Ema’s!

OMG, I stood there, ate one plate and grabbed another! Bonus that Ema is the restaurant of one of my favorite Bravo Top Chef alumni CJ Jacobson.

7.    Veruca Chocolates

Their assortment of chocolates held me up for a bit!  The bourbon ganache made me close my eyes as I chewed….it was divine!

8.    The Smoked Beets from Boka.

I’m a fan of anyone who can make me enjoy beets.

Boka's Smoked Beets Boka’s Smoked Beets

9.    Chocolate Sachertorte from The Berghoff.

Always one of my favorites!  Although it’s not on the Restaurant Week Pre Fixe menu, their red velvet cake is and it’s delicious!!!

Chocolate Sachertorte from The Berghoff Chocolate Sachertorte from The Berghoff

10.    Untitled Supper Club’s Foie Gras Mousse

Hudson Valley foie gras, apple butter, chestnuts, spiced pumpkin seeds, ciabatta, sage.  I can’t wait to check out this underground spot!

Foie Gras Mousse from Untitled Supper Club Foie Gras Mousse from Untitled Supper Club

There were even appearances by special guests from the Chicago based NBC series Chicago Med.

Chicago Med's Yaya DaCosta and me Chicago Med’s Yaya DaCosta and me

A memorable moment during the night was chatting with the good people from the Greater Chicago Food Depository.   I learned a bit about their fight against hunger and their Food Service Training Program.  This 14-week program is offered at NO COST for accepted applicants.  I plan on following up with them to learn more about their work and share it with all of you.  They’re doing great things!  A portion of the proceeds from the event went towards supporting their efforts, $10,400 to be exact!

Overall a fantastic evening with an abundance of amazing food to indulge in.  I left with an overwhelming excitement for all of the festivities I’d planned for restaurant week.  The diet will have to wait until February!  Hahaha

Hopefully, a glimpse into the preparation for Restaurant Week will move you to get out and try places and cuisine new to you.

If you find a new favorite, let me know in the comments!

Visit One of Chicago’s Oldest Restaurants

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The Berghoff Bar The Berghoff Bar

In today’s world, a restaurant that remains in business past its first year is worthy of congratulations! Reaching the average restaurant lifespan of 5 years is praiseworthy; ten years, successful!

What do you say about a restaurant that’s been in business over a century, surviving challenging periods in history such as prohibition, the Great Depression, world wars, and the recession?

The Berghoff, one of Chicago’s oldest restaurants, has been in business under the same family’s ownership for over 120 years.    DANG, that’s quite impressive!!!!

The natural thought goes to what’s their secret?

Herman Joseph Berghoff after receiving the first liquor license issued by the city of Chicago after prohibition ended. Herman Joseph Berghoff after receiving the first liquor license issued by the city of Chicago after prohibition ended.

A LITTLE HISTORY

Founder Herman Joseph Berghoff, a native of Germany, opened The Berghoff as a small saloon in 1898, to serve his Indiana brewed beer.  When the national prohibition threatened to shut down his thriving business, insight prompted him to begin brewing and serving the legal near beer which contained less than 0.5 percent alcohol.  He also wisely expanded his services and turned The Berghoff into a full-service restaurant.

After Prohibition ended The Berghoff was the first establishment to receive a liquor license from the city of Chicago.  That tradition continues every year.

Over a century later here I am dining at the restaurant located at 17 W. Adams, the location since 1913.  Old world vibes abound as it appears nothing has changed.  The rich history of the building is fascinating with much remaining from the 1800s; the bar room and recently refurbished bar, paintings, murals, stained glass, fixtures, and the floor to name a few.  Pictures of the Berghoff family and historical moments throughout the years line the walls.  It has a certain warmth.

Prohibition-era advertising of Bergo soft drinks Prohibition-era advertising of Bergo soft drinks Until 1980, Berghoff waiters operated on the Old German system of coins. Until 1980, Berghoff waiters operated on the Old German system of coins.

Visitors from Europe Visitors from Europe

Oh, the memories that this restaurant must hold for families who’ve been dining here for years and generations!  As the older generation passes on, the younger generations keep the family tradition alive by continuing to celebrate milestones, and achievements here.  I wonder if my grandparents ever dined here?  This place reminds me of them.

One can’t help but respect the obvious hard work and dedication of the family.

“I can go into the dining room, especially in the fall and see 3 or 4 generations eating at the table. This place has a lot of history. It also does more things fresh than any other place I’ve worked in my life. For a restaurant of this size, you wouldn’t think to be the case.”

— Chef Matt on what makes The Berghoff unique

Lower level seating Lower level seating

FOOD

I was invited to a special food and historical presentation hosted by The Berghoff; therefore, I was able to sample a wide variety of dishes.  Chef Matt shared some of his favorite dishes from the menu.  We started off with appetizers.  Holy smokes the pretzel was huge; soft and chewy with a great flavor!  Salmon and Rock Cakes and tasty Wisconsin Cheese Curds coated in a chickpea wasabi sauce followed.

Entrees came out next:

Butternut Squash Lasagna, Stuffed Sole, Seared Scallops, and braised short ribs.  I enjoyed every bite but a few stood out more:

1.    Butternut Squash Lasagna:  it tasted like fall and reminded me of everything that I loved about the season.  I suddenly was looking forward to the change of seasons.
2.    Braised Short Ribs:  tender and full of flavor and savor.  They reminded me of the meals my mom would make. Hearty, satisfying, and seasoned to perfection.  Nothing was remiss.

Next out, the desserts:  Chocolate Sachertorte, Red Velvet Cake, Blueberry Cobbler with vanilla ice cream.  Oh boy, where do I start?  I guess I have to discuss the Red Velvet Cake.  You see, I never order Red Velvet Cake when I go out.  I’ve been disappointed way too many times.  This red velvet cake was superb.  So moist….and that cream cheese icing, incredible!  Wow!  I will order Red Velvet at the Berghoff from now on!

These brothers have been running the in-house bakery for 30 years! These brothers have been running the in-house bakery for 30 years!

I could feel the food love!  My feelings were validated when the chefs came out to speak with us.  Chef Matt spoke with great passion and excitement about his dishes.  He truly enjoys cooking and puts his heart and soul into his creations.  The goal is to capture what makes people happy with family oriented, relatable meals.  Chef Javier was pleasant and quieter.  I gathered that he prefers to not be in the spotlight.  I admired him coming out to speak with us despite that.  He put his foot in those desserts (that means they were fantastic, lol)! We also received a visit from fourth-generation owner Peter Berghoff. The evening was a treat.

Sometimes, when I attend hosted dinners, I miss important points discussed because there’s a great deal of activity and information to process (that’s why I usually record the experience and conversations). However, I never miss or forget the feelings stirred whether good or bad.  My insides were excited and joyous throughout the dinner due to a number of reasons.  I was touched upon hearing the staff express their affection for the Berghoff family with remarkable warmth.  They had a contagious enthusiasm for the restaurant as well.  The employees have been here for over 25, 30, 40 and 50 years! One employee moved to the East Coast from Chicago and now commutes from the East Coast because of the mutual love between employer and employee.  I didn’t get the feeling that this was just a job to them.  Numerous times it was stated that everyone there were part of big family.  I believed them.

“When I came in and started doing the marketing and digital media for The Berghoff, their primary concern to my surprise wasn’t how to turn more profit…Their primary interest was how do we make sure our employees are recognized for what they do? How do we ensure that we keep this building up and running and our staff going so that our staff will never have to worry about anything……”

— Sabrina Medora, Marketing

TOUR

I arranged a subsequent tour with Chef Matt to get a glimpse of goings-on behind-the-scenes in the 40,000 square foot space. I guarantee if you met him, you’d adore him.  I found him quite funny. He’s just a down to earth guy relishing in what he does.  I think he’s a jokester too…hmmm.

Chef Matt Chef Matt

There’s an abundance of activity within these walls. The multiple kitchens in the restaurant are designed for heavy production.

Our first stop was Chef Matt’s main working area.  Here is where he braises pot roasts, oxtails, short ribs, beef, and lamb shanks anywhere from 3-5 hours; prepares all of the stews, soups, sauces, corned beef, turkeys, and roast beef.
Another area in close proximity is full of potatoes waiting to be peeled, steamed, and sliced cold for the homemade chips and mashed potatoes.  If you’ve haven’t tried the chips yet, make it a point to get them!  They’re the best I’ve had.

There’s also a full-service in-house bakery where all of the bread, cakes, and pastries are made and an in-house butcher shop for all of the meats.  You don’t find many restaurant kitchens like this nowadays.

The restaurant has a full-service in-house bakery The restaurant has a full-service in-house bakery

I took a peek around the pantry; it was pretty empty!  I couldn’t believe how small and empty it was.  A restaurant of this size serving thousands of plates a week has a pantry consisting of mostly flour, condiments, and spices.  That’s because everything is fresh; something the restaurant prides themselves on.

The Berghoff Cafe

In the basement level of the restaurant lies The Berghoff Café where you’ll find everything from burgers, panini, and classics, to ramen and Poke.  The cafe is where Chef Matt takes more liberties and creates pretty much anything he wants.  He stated that his favorite dish in the cafe was poke, so I had to try it.  I too became addicted.  One week I went 3 times for poke on my lunch; it’s that good!

I’m so glad that I took this tour because I hadn’t fully grasped the magnitude of what goes on here!  I’m also grateful to have been gifted with The Berghoff family’s cookbook containing their family history and favorite recipes after the tour.  My son and I recently prepared a few recipes from the collection; they were amazing!

So what did I learn about the secret of The Berghoff’s success:  Well it looks like they’re still doing things the way they did in the beginning. Serving well prepared from scratch meals in a warm familial environment.  In another word, consistency!

I hope that you will experience a piece of history by visiting this institution.

Have you visited The Berghoff?  Leave me a comment about your visit.

A few facts about Chef Matt

  • He’s been in the industry for over 47 years and executive chef for 37 years.
  • If he wasn’t a chef he’d be a lawyer
  • He enjoys building things.  At the time of the interview, he was in the process of building a tiny house.
  • He’s crazy about poke, so much so, he ate it for 6 weeks straight losing 30 pounds as a result…the weight loss was a bonus.
  • He named his two ducks Cheese and Quakers!  OMG! hahaha

Ishmael has been employed at The Berghoff for the past 25 years.  He's known as the Mayor of the lower level Ishmael has been employed at The Berghoff for the past 25 years.  He’s known as the Mayor of the lower level Main level dining Main level dining

Carlyn Berghoff’s Shrimp Martinis

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I was recently asked which family recipe passed down from prior generations was my favorite to prepare?  I admitted that I don’t have any family recipes that were passed down to me.  While I have many cherished memories, the thought of not having anything from my grandparents and great-grandparents in the form of recipes made me sad.  Especially since my grandparents loved to prepare everything from scratch and I can still taste their specialties.  I wish that I had that piece of them.  I’d make sure to keep the tradition going even though I don’t cook much at home.  I  mostly lack time and motivation.

After a tour of The Berghoff restaurant in Chicago, I was gifted with a cookbook containing a collection of the family’s history and recipes.  A gift of motivation…..I resolved that I’d take the time to prepare the dishes along with my son.  It would be another thing for us to bond over.

Looking forward to the time we’d have together during his winter break and my vacation time, I’d set aside a day for us to prepare two meals from the cookbook.  Donovan, my son, is 17 years old now and will soon be a high school graduate so I know big changes are on the horizon.  I’m NOT ready!!!

On the day we’d scheduled to prepare dinner, his friends invited him, unbeknownst to me, to hang out at an indoor trampoline park.  I later found out that he declined the invitation because he was cooking with his mom.  My heart was beaming!  It meant so much that this was important to him and he was looking forward to our time together too.  He even shared our activity and pictures on his Instagram story!  That’s a big deal.  He’s picky about his social media, lol!  He’s not ashamed to be home cooking with his mom on the weekend.

A glass of wine is part of my cooking prep! A glass of wine is part of my cooking prep!

I told him that we should make this a tradition to cook together on December 24th each year and he told me to not get too ahead of myself, lol.  He said, and I quote “ok, mom, now you’re getting like dad….too emotional, let’s just have fun!”  hahahaha, I guess that I was being a bit too extra!

Our shrimp martinis were so easy to make and incredibly delicious!  In fact, the wine sauce was so good, Donovan, was scooping what remained out of the saucepan and just eating it.  We both agreed that we could put that wine sauce on everything! My husband gave both meals his seal of approval too!

Thanks go out to the Berghoff family restaurant for sharing this wonderful cookbook full of your family memories with me and helping me create my own.

Shrimp Martini

Mashed Potatoes
4 large Idaho potatoes
½ cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

White Wine Sauce
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) salted butter; softened
Ground white pepper

Shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
16 medium-size shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped, or lobster may be substituted
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnish

Make the mashed potatoes:  Peel and dice the potatoes.  Place in a medium-size saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a simmer, and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove from the heat and drain.  Using an electric mixer, whip the potatoes to a thick puree with the half-and-half, butter, salt, and pepper.  Set aside the potatoes in a warm place until ready to serve.

Make the sauce:  In a 1-quart saucepan, heat the white wine over medium heat and simmer until reduced by two-thirds to 1/3 cup.  Add the heavy cream and continue to simmer until reduced again by half to about ½ cup.  Remove from the heat and gently whisk in the butter, a little at a time, until thickened.  Season with white pepper, and set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.  This recipe makes about 1 cup of sauce.

Make the shrimp:  In a 10-inch skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add the shrimp and sauté until tender and almost cooked through.  Add the chopped garlic and sauté for another minute.  Do not allow the garlic to brown or burn.  Remove from the heat immediately.

Assemble the martinis:  Divide the hot mashed potatoes among eight martini glasses.  Place two cooked shrimp on top of the potatoes in each glass and drizzle each martini with 2 tablespoons of the wine sauce.  Garnish with the chopped chives and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Revolution Brewing: Fresh Tastes Better

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My friends and I are always down for meeting up at a local brewery to relax and catch up or just goof off.  Even on those nights where I just want to be a bum at home, you can probably get me to leave the house by dangling a brewery carrot.  My husband used to be known for not doing anything outside of the house weekday evenings after work and Sunday evenings.  He preferred to take it easy at home.  I went so many places without him!

Thankfully, he’s off the couch and out the house more.  Oftentimes, you’ll find us hanging at a local brewery, having a beer with friends.

If you told me that we’d be this way years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you.

We just get happy, cozy, feelzzz at breweries and pubs.  It’s so easy to lose track of time.

Our favorite hangouts essentially have good beer, but then there are factors beyond the beer that keeps you coming back!

Revolution Brewing’s production facility and taproom located in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood is a delightful spot for gathering, unwinding, and relaxing for hours.

They’ve laid out their German Beer Hall inspired taproom as if to say “welcome, come on it! There’s plenty of room so stay awhile!

Backstory

Safety First!  It was HOT under these goggles!  Safety First!  It was HOT under these goggles!

Named one of the top 50 craft brewery companies in the United States, in 2015, Revolution Brewing is the largest independently owned brewery in Illinois.  They opened their brewpub in Logan Square in 2010.  The production facility and taproom where I got a behind-the-scenes peek opened in 2012. A noteworthy fact that I learned during my tour is, Josh Deth, the founder actually trademarked the name Revolution, the logo, Anti-Hero, Bottom Up Wit, and Eugene Porter in the late 90’s, over 10 years before he opened the brewpub.  Talk about having vision!

They’ve experienced tremendous growth in the seven years since opening.  Just 2 years ago they produced about 65,000 barrels of beer a year.  They should hit about 100,000 barrels by the end of 2017 with distribution in Indiana, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York City, Wisconsin, and most recently Michigan

I gained so much insight from my behind-the-scenes peek at operations; now I’m a beer know-it-all…..NOT!

Here are a few things though that I learned from my tour with Quintin:

Beer is made up of 4 basic components:  Water, Malt, Hops, and Yeast.

  • Malts: Supplying flavors like toast, toffee, caramel, chocolate, and expresso, malts are essentially the baker of beer.  The roasting time of malts determines the intricacy of flavor with darker roasted malts providing more complexity.
  • Water: The milled malts are steeped in hot water like a big bag of tea.  The grain is then separated from the liquid.  Revolution provides a second use for their grain waste by supplying it to local farmers for cattle feed. After separation, the liquid is then moved to the brewer’s kettle to boil and sanitize while hop additions are added at different points of the boil to give beer varying characteristics.
  • Hops:  Revolution uses pelletized hops instead of the leafy format.  Experience has shown them that the flavors and aromas of these hops are more even, concentrated, and easier to measure, producing a more consistent product.  Many perceive hops as only bitter, however, you also get tropical fruits, citrus, pine, grass; a lot of flavor and aromas aside from bitterness.  There’s so much room for creativity.  After hops are added, the liquid goes through a process in the whirlpool.  The finished product is called Wort; a sweet sugar water.  You get the sweetness from the malt and flavor and aroma from the hops; it’s just not beer because it doesn’t have alcohol or co2.  It needs to ferment after that.  That’s where the yeast comes in.
  • Yeast:  Fermentation begins when yeast is pitched into the wort in the fermentation tank.  The yeast eats the fermentable sugar and produces CO2 and alcohol.  After fermentation, the temperature is lowered so that the yeast goes to sleep and falls to the bottom.  The co2  is then released out of tanks….We now have BEER!

The beer is now ready to be packaged and consumed.  Got all of that?  Are you ready to make your own beer?

I’ll just keep drinking Revolution’s beer, they’re the experts!

Kegs are available for purchase Kegs are available for purchase

Packaging
The cans are loaded, rinsed, and hit with a bit of nitrogen before heading to the filler head where 300 cans a minute are filled with beer.  All Revolution beer is canned.  Quintin stated that cans are like mini-kegs and they keep the air out more than capped bottles which over time seep air.  They’re also 100% opaque so they keep the light out.  Light struck beer tastes skunky.  Have you ever taken a swig of skunky beer? Not pleasant.
I was always under the impression that all canned beer had a bad taste, so I asked Quentin why that was so.  He explained that cans got a bad stigma in the past for a couple of reasons:

  1. Metallic flavor was common. That no longer is an issue as today’s cans are higher quality and lined.
  2. Breweries used to put products that they thought were inferior in cans, therefore, people associated cans with cheap beer.

After the beer is canned the production date is applied by laser and the beer is now ready for distribution.  Revolution only uses companies with refrigerated trucks to distribute their beer ensuring freshness up to delivery.

Mural by artist Won Kim of Bridgeport, IL Mural by artist Won Kim of Bridgeport, IL

For me as a customer, I know why I love Revolution but I asked Quintin what he enjoys about working for Revolution Brewing and here’s what he said:

“Revolution is a fun, progressive company that takes care of their employees.  Everyone has been here for years and we’re like a big family.”

Happy employees treat customers well.  Well treated customers are happy and loyal.  Happy employees and happy customers make a fun environment. A formula for success. It’s no surprise that Revolution has experienced tremendous growth over the past several years.

Another thing that I appreciated from what Quintin shared was that Revolution supports others in the brewery community by drinking their products and paying their brewpubs visits. In the blogging world, we have a hashtag #communityovercompetition which basically means there’s room for everyone so let’s encourage and support each other to succeed.  I like that Revolution Brewery believes in that.

They certainly have a loyal follower in me!

My appreciation for the company, product, and people behind the curtain was greatly enhanced by my tour.  A true gem!

Make sure that you pay them a visit!

The production and tap facility are located at 3340 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago

Or visit the brewpub at 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago

Some things to keep in mind in regards to the production facility and taproom:

  • Free first come first serve tours are offered for up to 30 people and you get a free beer.
  • Private tours are also available:  $50 for the tour and $5 per head.
  • The taproom is family friendly even on weekends.  I saw a stroller in the taproom during my visit, lol.  Doesn’t get any more family friendly than that!
  • The only food you’ll find here is good old salty popcorn.  Is it just me or are beer and popcorn perfect together?  If you need more than popcorn to stave off the hanger or bigger problems you can bring in your own food or order from the menus that they have in the taproom.
  • Closed Mondays and Tuesdays…opened Wednesday-Sunday

Spend a Day in Valparaiso, IN: Discover History, Cuisine, and More

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Valparaiso, a vibrant city, located in Northwest Indiana, provides many things that you’d find in bigger cities while still maintaining the small town feel that I love.  It’s a great destination for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle while still having plenty of options.

This post documenting a day that I recently spent there barely scratches the surface of everything the city has to offer.

Note:  Before I get too far into the post let me just address my windblown bicycle hair.  Yes, I’ve seen it, and I know it’s crazy!  Back to the post now.

A stroll through the charming historic downtown presents easy access to wineries, a brewery, creative shops, cultural eats, a park, and theatres.

Fun Fact:  Orville Redenbacher made his home and built his popcorn empire in Valparaiso.  Each year the city draws over 50,000 attendees to its annual Popcorn Festival where over 250 arts and crafts booths and food vendors line the streets.  There’s also live music at various stages throughout the downtown during the event.   The festival takes place in September of each year.

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of touring cities by bicycle so the city’s newest addition, Zagster Bike Sharing got me excited.  I couldn’t wait to test the bikes out. There are eight bike stations throughout the city.  Three are within the downtown area, three are near Valpo University, and an additional two located a mile and 2 miles outside of the city.

I had quite the squad accompanying me on this all day venture.  My friend Carol hates sweating, and Becky hadn’t ridden a bike in over ten years.

After mapping out our day’s stops and mileage, we decided to meet downtown to pick up our bikes.

I was just excited that everyone showed up after receiving my itinerary the previous night. Although it’s impossible to see and do everything in one day, I like to pack in as much as my friends and family will let me get away with!

After getting through the confusion of communication through text messaging and lack of coffee, we were off to our first stop 2.5 miles away.

Dagger Mountain Roastery
Dagger Mountain coffee sources coffee beans from regions all over the world to roast at their facility in Valpo.  The roasting facility is located in a beautifully renovated storage garage.   Note: They don’t offer cream or sugar as they want the natural flavor profiles of the coffee to shine through.  If that’s not your thing, I recommend that you get a latte.  I had the Miel:  a shot of espresso, steamed milk, local honey, and cinnamon, the flavors blended so well together.

Porter County Musuem Porter County Musuem

After finishing our coffee break, we took the slow scenic route towards Porter County Museum. The bikes were comfortable in my opinion and made for an easy ride.

Porter County Museum
Confession:  This was my first visit to the museum, and although I’ve lived in Porter County for five years now, I knew very little of its history.  I welcomed the lesson in history from our host volunteer.   A few things that I learned:

  • Porter County is named after Commodore David Porter (only 1% of porter country residents know that) originally from Boston, he was a naval hero of the War of 1812.  The city of Valparaiso was named after Valparaiso, Chile where he exhibited bravery in war.
  • Built in the 1860’s the mansion that houses the museum originally was built for the sheriff.  Jails attached to the sheriff’s residence were common practice back in the day.  The jail is still here. Petty criminals and drunks were mostly jailed in the facility.

There are two levels of the museum with many surprising displays and details.  I especially enjoyed the room where noteworthy women who’ve lived in Porter County in the past were showcased.

The museum is Free to visit, however, donations are gladly accepted.

Our knowleadgable volunteer guide schooled us on Porter County Our knowleadgable volunteer guide schooled us on Porter County

Our next stop was at Furin for lunch.

Furin Japanese restaurant is a new addition to the Valparaiso food scene.  They serve classic Japanese and modern rolls, sashimi, ramen, and udon just to name a few.

We ordered a variety of bento boxes as well as sushi rolls which were reasonably priced for lunch.

I’ll have to go back to check out the ramen; it’s my favorite comfort food and I’m pretty picky. I’ve already returned for an additional sushi fix.

I was looking forward to our next stop at Four Father’s Brewing for beer flights!  I’d worked up a sweat bike riding, and a cold refreshing brew was calling my name.  I’d even forgone having a beer at Furin in anticipation of our visit.  My friends didn’t follow my lead and proceeded to drink their beers in my face during lunch! Whatever, lol!

We got back on the bikes for the 1.1-mile ride to Four Fathers Brewing, well, at least 3 of us did, lol.  It was at this time that we lost bicycle Carol…she decided that it was too hot and therefore she was driving.  Haha, she lasted as long as she could!

Major Fail…..Four Fathers was closed!

We switched up the itinerary and headed 1.3 miles to Ogden Gardens instead

Ogden Gardens is a 4-acre floral display area showcasing annuals, perennials, rose gardens, shrub beds, and many varieties of trees. The Japanese Garden has trails, streams ponds; a tea house and koi pond for visitors to enjoy.  It’s beautiful and peaceful.  We spent a great deal of time there among the serenity and colorful beauty.

Now back to Four Fathers for a nice cold flight….We lost another bike rider;  Becky!

And then there were two……..

Beer Time!……….NOPE!  Four Fathers was still Closed….I really couldn’t believe that we made the same mistake twice.  Maybe the heat was getting to us, it was actually quite funny at this point…at least to me it was!

We rode back into the downtown for a tasting at Misbehaving Meads, more exploring, and some shopping.

Misbehaving Meads is one of 2 Meaderies in the state of Indiana.  They craft everything on site and release around 48 Meads annually.  A few interesting facts about meads are:

Mead Tasting Mead Tasting

  • Meads aren’t classed as beer or wine but are in their own class like ciders.
  • They’re fermented with three basic ingredients: honey, yeast, and water
  • Meads may be the oldest alcoholic beverage on earth

My favorite from the tasting was Zasparilla.  Great stop!

There are many unique shops to peek into while visiting downtown Valpo.  Lifestyles has always been a favorite, but there’s an abundance to choose from.

Now finally, time for…..Beer!

If you don’t recall anything else, just remember Four Father’s taproom doesn’t open until 4 pm.

It was my first visit to this brewery.  I lit up when I saw the popcorn machine and then to find out that it’s made with bacon grease, Yes!   They also offer other light snacks like pretzels, nuts, and jerky.  I liked the feel of the taproom and the personable staff.  The flights are also very generous, and boy is their beer strong.  I don’t know where to begin when discussing the craziness that ensued here! We all had a great time and it was worth the three trips!

Needing food after visiting Four Fathers we stopped in at Main & Lincoln.   I’m in favor of any restaurant that allows you to park at the counter to watch the skilled choreography that happens in the kitchen.

Becky and I split the ribeye; it was so tender and well seasoned!  I don’t generally go for steaks often, I’m more of a seafood lover.  I’m glad I switched it up,  I plan on bringing the husband back here.  The oysters and calamari are also good choices.

Main and Lincoln is open Monday-Friday at 5 p.m. for dinner.

By this time, the day was catching up with us and we were exhausted!   I had 2 additional stops on the tour that my friends squashed, lol.  You can’t however, end a day in Valpo without stopping in for a sweet treat at Designer Desserts.  I did make it there!  So many delicious flavor combinations make one go a little crazy!  My standout was the Double D:  chocolate cake swirled with peanut butter and Butterfinger pieces, then swirled on top with chocolate and caramel fudge sprinkled with Butterfinger pieces, and chocolate covered pretzels….heavenly!

It was a nice end to a memorable day.

This was only a glimpse into the many offerings of Valparaiso.  There’s much more to do and eat!  It’s a wonderful city full of great people! The location makes it an easy day trip from Chicago or Southwest Michigan.  Maybe even stay a few days to explore!

Have you been to Valparaiso?  What are some of your favorite things to do?