Make a Wish at Macy's on State Street

Greetings readers! Tis the season for eating, drinking, and celebration. This week Bailey traveled downtown to Macy's on State Street for another cooking demonstration with Marcus Samuelsson. This was a very special demonstration because the Make A Wish Foundation was also there to help a very special teenage girl.

First of all, who is Marcus Samuelsson? You may have seen him as a guest judge on the T.V show Chopped, but do you know about his very interesting background? He was born in Ethiopia, but at the age of 3 he was adopted by a Swedish family. He was drawn to cooking after watching his adopted grandmother in the kitchen. He attended the Culinary Institute in Gothenburg and moved to the U.S in 1991. He soon became a head chef at one restaurant and started another at a young age. He now owns several restaurants in Chicago and New York and has received several awards for his food. He has also prepared food for President Barack Obama at a state dinner. He is a an adviser to the Institute of Culinary Education in New York and also serves on the Macy's Culinary Council.

Now a little bit about the special girl that received her wish. Her name is Sara Opsenica and she is a Chicago native. She is only 17 years old, but she has already had a great accomplishment: her Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma is in remission. Sara is very interested in becoming a chef herself one day and her wish was to be able to cook with one. Thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation, she was able to spend a whole day cooking with chef Marcus. She was his sous chef during the demonstration and she was also able to tour his Mac Burger restaurant. On to the review!

The first course was a couscous paella. This is chef Marcus' ethnic spin on traditional paella recipes. Normally paella is made with rice and can take a long time to make. This recipe is a quick alternative that doesn't skimp on flavor. The couscous had a very creamy texture, while the veggies and shrimp added some chewiness. There was also some chorizo that added a nice spice without making it too hot. Bailey thought that it was somewhat like gumbo with a creamier texture to it. Very delicious! This is a dish that you could curl up with on a cold day. The best part is that is only takes about 30 mins to make.

Cider pairing for paella: This dish has a bit of spice to it so you could go one of two ways with a cider. You could play it safe and drink a cider like Yakima Valley Dry Hopped Cider. This is a smooth cider that isn't going to butt heads with the flavors in this dish and may help level out the spice. You could also throw a party in your mouth and go for something that will complement the bold flavors in this dish with Peach Country. This is a sweet peach cider, but any cider with one bold fruit flavor would go nicely with the paella.

The second course was Swedish meatballs with carrot and apple mashed potatoes. This is one of the recipes that chef Marcus' grandmother used to make. It's a very authentic old country recipe that will stick to your ribs. The meatballs are glazed with BBQ sauce and you can use any kind you like. This way you can change the flavor a bit depending on the kind you use. The meatballs also have a nice texture because they are very soft and have other elements such as onion and breadcrumbs. The mashed potatoes offer a nice kick with fresh horseradish and apples. They are definitely not your everyday mashed potatoes and they are a great side for the meatballs. There are several really nice flavors that pop in these potatoes.

Cider pairing for the Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes: Since this dish is a bit sweet, you will want to pair it with something light and crisp. Bailey suggests either Unified Press or Uncle John's Draught Cider.

The last course was a Korean style beef short rib. This is a very simply recipe that allows the meat to marinate and soak up all the flavors before cooking. They are served with a piece of lettuce for a wrap which makes this a great finger food if desired. You can also serve them with kimchi for an extra flavor kick. The meat was very tender and the Asian style flavors were very vibrant within the meat. It does have a bit of heat in the flavor, but the lettuce does a good job of cooling it down. This recipe would be great as an appetizer for a party or as a main dish for dinner.

Cider pairing for the short ribs: If you want an extra zing and really love the flavor of ginger you could pair this dish with Angry Orchard Apple Ginger. However, Bailey would normally want something a little sweet such as Woodchuck Amber to balance out the spice.

So there you have it! Bailey was very happy she could make it to this event at Macy's on State Street to see a wish come true for a very brave Chicago teen. The food was also amazing and all of the recipes in this review can be found in Marcus Samuelsson's book: Yes,Chef. We hope you enjoyed this review and have a great holiday filled with family and food. In our next post, we will be looking back at a great summer cider as we wish for warmer weather here in Chicago.

Disclosure: I am a member of Everywhere Society and Everywhere provided me with the compensation for this post about Macy's Culinary Council. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.

Cider Boys Cranberry Road

With the fall season upon us, we start to look at some of the more seasonal ciders that appear. Last time we reviewed a cider that brought the spices of the season. This time we review a cider that promises some of the flavors of the season: cranberries. Hawke has confessed that he has a love-hate relationship with cranberries. He generally cannot drink their juice by itself as it is too bitter for him. Cider Boys brings us their cider as part of the expanding line up. This cider promised to tone down the bitterness and merge it with a good apple flavor.

Color: Upon pouring the glass, Bailey had noticed that it was a very golden cider. It has a pleasant color to it, that it quite clear. Conversely, Hawke noted that the cider did not appear to have even the slightest tinge of red to it. Both were disappointed as cranberries are a main ingredient. This aside, there was not much to take away from its color and clarity. Hawke: 4/5 Bailey: 5/5

Smell: Bringing the glass up to her nose, Bailey inhaled a sweet almost citrus flavor. There was no cranberry smell, but there was still a little bit of apple that she detected. Hawke smelled a decidedly sweet smell, with some bitterness accompanying. He surmises that the bitterness is from the cranberries. However, he could not detect them or the apples in the smell. Hawke: 3/5 Bailey: 3/5

Taste: Trying out the cider, Hawke tasted a sweet flavor, with the slightest hint of cranberry. Along with the cranberry flavor, there was also some bitterness. Hawke expected this, but it was not as strong as he expected it. Upon drinking the cider, Bailey enjoyed the sweet apple flavor. She also felt some bitter flavors, and a small hint of cranberry. Both were expecting more cranberry flavor to be present in the cider. Hawke: 3/5 Bailey: 3/5

Aftertaste: Hawke felt that the aftertaste was very short. It was mostly sweet, was a slight bitterness and really no flavors carried over to the cider. Bailey however got mostly bitter flavor, with a little sweetness. She also felt that the aftertaste was very short. This was overall, slightly disappointing as our two had thought that the cranberry flavor might appear more present here, but it sadly did not. Hawke: 4/5 Bailey 3/5

Price: 8-10. Bailey feels that this cider is good for its price, as the quality is good and there is only one main detractor from the cider. Hawke likewise felt that the cider was decent, but that there is still room for improvement. Hawke: 5/5 Bailey: 4/5

Overall: Both agreed that this cider is a decent cider. Bailey liked it, but was disappointed that there was not more cranberry flavor. Especially considering that this cider is marked as having such. She thinks that this would be a good cider for holiday dinners. Bailey does admit that she feels that this is more a sweet or seasonal cider rather than a cranberry specific cider, and that if there was more cranberry flavor present she would of rated this cider higher. Hawke feels that this cider is good, but really lacking the flavors it should have. The cider does seem to balance the sweet and bitter flavors very well however.
Hawke: 19/25 or a yellow apple

 Bailey: 19/25 or a yellow apple

McKenzie's Hard Cider Seasonal Reserve

Greeting readers! The fall season in Chicago has been lovely this year, but one thing has been missing: the perfect seasonal cider. Look no further, because Bailey and Hawke have found it! We were browsing our local Binny's store when we came across McKenzie's Hard Cider Seasonal Reserve and Bailey was curious, so she purchased it. She had never heard of this company before and was very excited for a chance to try  something completely new to her palate. This cider boasts a mulled spiciness for the fall season. Flavors include nutmeg, cinnamon, and apple goodness, Oh My! This cider has a 5% ABV and is sold in six pack bottles. It is bottled in Seneca, NY, but doesn't specify where the apples are grown or what variety they are. We are going to assume they are also grown in New York. On with the review!

Color:

Bailey thought this cider had a nice light gold hue and was very clear. It also had a few bubbles, but was otherwise unblemished. She rates it with a 5/5 apples. 

Hawke agreed that it was a brilliant gold and was very clear. He also gives it a 5/5 apples.

Smell:

Bailey took one whiff of this cider and summed it up in one word: Spices! This cider will make you think that your Grandmother is in the immediate area baking pumpkin pies. She easily detected the cloves at the forefront, then the nutmeg with its' somewhat sweet aroma, and the cinnamon was also present. All together it was lovely and she couldn't wait to drink it. She gives it a 5/5 apples.

Hawke was very surprised by the spiciness, but only because it was so wonderfully fragrant. He smelled mostly cinnamon with some clove, but not much apple aroma. Although the spices are very pungent, they are not overwhelming. He rates it with a 5/5 apples as well. 

Taste / Complexity:

Bailey eagerly took a sip and instantly started daydreaming about sitting in front of a fireplace with some nice fuzzy slippers on. There is some sweet apple flavor that complements the spices very well and keeps them from being too much, but definitely takes the back seat. All the spices are perfectly blended and it is deliciously smooth. She quickly rates this cider with a 5/5 apples.

Hawke thought that the cinnamon was the strongest flavor but the clove and apple were also there. He agreed that this cider was incredibly smooth and that the quality was very high. He also gives it a 5/5 apples.

Aftertaste:

Bailey found that the spices lighten up a bit in the aftertaste, but still hang around. She also tasted a bit of sour apple on the back of her tongue that went quite nicely with the spices. The aftertaste definitely left her wanting another drink. She rates it with a 5/5 apples.

Hawke tasted mostly the nutmeg with a good transition to a little apple flavor. He also commented that the aftertaste lingers for a decent amount of time before diminishing. He also gives it a 5/5 apples.

Price:

$8-10

Bailey was very please with this price as it was sold in a six pack of bottles. She thought that the quality of this cider was amazing and that is was totally worth it. She is planning on going back and getting a few more six packs to save for Christmas time. She rates it with a 5/5 apples for the price. 

Hawke also thought this was a very fair price especially because it is a seasonal limited release. This price is competitive with most other brands that are sold in six packs. He also gives it a 5/5 apples. 

Overall:

Bailey thinks that this cider will really please anyone who loves mulled cider in the fall, but it will also be perfect for whiskey drinkers. It has a "darker" smooth flavor that will quench the palate of a bourbon lover. The spices in this cider blend very well and the quality is fantastic. Overall she rates this cider with 25/25 apples, or a green apple!

Hawke thought that this is a cider that is more about tasting the season and not having the apples at the forefront, but he very much enjoyed it. This is the first variety of cider we have tried from this company and it was so good he can't wait to try more.  He also rates it with a perfect 25/25 apples, or a green apple!

And there you have it! The first perfect score of the fall season. We were very impressed with this cider and we hope you will be too. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy your cider!

Food Review: Chicken and Waffles of Evanston

Unfortunately, Hawke and Bailey don't spend all of their days sitting around drinking cider. They occasionally sample food as well. This time they were invited to Chicken and Waffles a restaurant that specializes in chicken, waffles, catfish and other southern home style recipes.

The Evanston location is their newest location (there are two more Chicago locations in Oak Park and the South Side) and the building itself is beautiful. Inside and out is covered with gorgeous brickwork that both Hawke and Bailey loved. Inside the restaurant there is a soft lighting and rich color. Live jazz plays on Thursday nights, but the house music was also soft and really helped complete the dinning experience.

Hawke and Bailey were promptly seated and a very friendly waitress came over. Looking over the menu, the waitress pointed out some of the popular items: The Saint which is a quarter of white or dark meat fried chicken with 2 waffles and Tonya's choice, which is 3 wings and a choice of one waffle, potato salad, or fries. Hawke opted to try The Saint with dark meat, while Bailey ordered Kisha's Creation. This is 2 fried or grilled catfish filets with a choice of waffle, grits, or rice, as well as 2 eggs done in any style. Bailey chose the fried catfish, scrambled eggs and a buckwheat waffle. She also opted to get a side of gravy.

Food arriving quickly, they surveyed the meals. Hawke's was served up with two large traditional waffles and two pieces of chicken, all on one plate with a heap of butter and two containers of syrup. Baileys was served on three plates with surprisingly large pieces of catfish and a large thick buckwheat waffle. A large portion of rice and eggs were also given, and the gravy was separate. The portions here are definitely worth the money.

The Saint

Digging into the meal Hawke found the waffles were sweet but not overwhelmingly so. They were crispy without being overdone and were not soggy at all. It went well with the syrup provided, which had a very nice maple flavor. The chicken was also very good, cooked just right. It is a traditional pairing of chicken and waffles, so it can come as no surprise that the syrup goes well on the chicken, but hot sauce is also an option. Surprisingly, there was no grease or oil that was on the chicken, despite being fried. Both the meat and the skin were done just right. Reaching over he did dip some of the chicken in the gravy that Bailey had gotten and found that the pairing was delicious. There are many different cider pairings that can be done with this meal. It is very earthy and one may want to stick with that. Hawke decided that the Grasshopp-ah Cider from the Colorado Cider Works would be a good pairing. As well, the Tieton Yakima Valley Dry Hopped Cider would also be good cider to try with this meal. 

Kishas' Creation

Sides

Baileys' meal was almost overwhelming in the amount of food that was presented. She first tried the eggs, which she really liked. They were cooked perfectly and had just the right amount of seasoning to them. The waffle was also quite good. It was very thick which Bailey almost had mistaken for two waffles, and almost had a cake-like texture to it. Despite its' size, the texture was very light, something she did not expect. Switching to the catfish, she found it to be crispy, with a rich buttery taste. Realizing that the crust was breadcrumbs and not flour, she also discovered that the catfish was not greasy at all. She was also quite a fan of the gravy. The gravy is homemade from their chicken. It is not greasy, but thick and creamy. It had a sweet peppery flavor to it. It pretty much went well with everything that was on the table. The rice was moist with a bit of stickiness to it that made it easy to dip in the gravy.

An ideal cider pairing for this meal would probably be the Woodchuck Amber or  Woodpecker Cider. Both are very standard ciders, and do not offer a lot of complex flavors. Covering up or worse, clashing flavors with a meal like this, especially the gravy, might confuse your pallet. 

Peach Cobbler

Lastly, dessert came around. This was a peach cobbler. Bailey and Hawke both found this to be delicious. It was not overly sweet as many cobblers can be. Instead it had an effective balance between sweet and tart, and was eaten very quickly.

Chicken and Waffles Restaurant offers a variety of different options while sticking to their roots. You can tell that the owners care about what comes out of the kitchen, and serving food that everyone can eat. The waitress told us that they focus on not over-seasoning or making things too greasy so that their more elderly patrons don't have to worry about diet restrictions.  Price for all the dishes was very reasonable for the quantity and quality of food served. Hawke and Bailey will definitely be eating there again, or at least getting carry out in the future. 

Food Review: Lunchtime With Takashi Yagihashi (And Cider Pairings)

Greetings readers! Summer is winding down here in Chicago, which means trying to find more indoor activities. This week, we were invited back to Macy's on State Street to review a lunch that chef Takashi created. We were so happy with the first round of lunch that we attended, we couldn't say no. For some basic info on Chef Takashi, his restaurants, and an earlier interview with him, please refer to this post: An Interview With Takashi Yagihashi All of the following recipes are in the cookbook titled "Takashi's Noodles."

For our appetizer, Chef Takashi created his version of shrimp shumai. This dish is normally enjoyed in Japanese culture as a snack or side dish. He also informed us that you can prepare shumai ahead of time and freeze them prior to cooking for a party or family gathering. They should hold up in the freezer for about a month. There are several ways to cook shumai: by frying, steaming, or baking them. These shumai were amazing! Usually when you find shumai on the menu, they come as a "envelope" with the filling concealed inside a wonton wrapper. Takashi's version is an open packet with the filling visible, which was a nice surprise. His shumai are packed with flavors of soy, ginger, and mustard. The flavors were all distinguishable and blended very well together. These shumai were cooked using a stove-top steamer set on top of a pan with boiling water and cooked very quickly. He served them with steamed bok choy.

Next up was the Chicken Yakitori. This is a very popular Japanese comfort food. These skewers are meant to be cooked very slowly to allow the meat and the sauce coating it to caramelize. Chef Takashi recommends making this dish for parties, picnics, or for watching football. They cook well on a stove-top grill or on an outdoor grill. You can even please the vegetarians by substituting tofu for the meat.  There are few words to describe how tender this chicken was. It literally fell off the skewer as Bailey was trying to eat it. The lemon and ginger juices that go into this sauce create a perfect flavor combination for comfort food, and the shiitake mushrooms add a very good savory contrast to the sweet sauce. This is a great Asian version of the good old meat and veggie skewer.  

Chef Takashi saved his best for last, Chicken Tatsuta-Age. This is his version of fried chicken, and we had heard stories about how tasty it was the last time we attended his cooking demonstration. This fried chicken is first marinated with traditional Japanese flavors and served with a savory asian slaw. Because the meat is marinated, it keeps very well as leftovers. You can also cut up the leftovers and turn it into a sandwich, this dish is very versatile! The asian slaw was very crisp and refreshing and added a nice crunchy side for the chicken. This dish is definitely not your grandma's fried chicken. It's bursting with bright flavors and the potato starch coating offers a really light alternative to the traditional American heavy batters. This also means that the coating for the chicken is gluten free. 

Throughout the demonstration, Chef Takashi was very personable and informative. He took the time to pass around some of the ingredients being used in the dishes, so that the crowd could touch, smell, and sample them. He also made sure that in between each dish anyone who had a question could ask it. If you are ever in the Chicago area, I highly recommend going to Macy's on State Street if there is a cooking demo happening. The chefs on their culinary council are amazing and it is a great opportunity to get some great tips and tricks from the professionals. 

Whew! Ok, so Hawke and I wanted to make some suggestions for cider that would go with these lovely dishes. The shrimp shumai has great flavor that would demand a light and crisp cider. You wouldn't want anything to overpower this dish. We think that Citizen Cider's Unified Press would be a good choice. You could also go with Uncle John's Draught Cider for this one. Both of these ciders are very crisp and clean without bold flavors that would clash.

For the Chicken Yakitori, you will want a cider that complements the bold flavor of the ginger and lemon. We would suggest Tieton Cider Works: Yakima Valley Dry Hopped Cider. This cider has an earthy taste that would offer a good contrast. The fact that it is a dryer cider could help contrast the acidity. If you wanted to add to the bold flavors, you could go with Woodchuck Private Reserve Belgian White. This cider has some hoppy-ness to it with a great burst of orange flavor. This cider is also only available in summer when all those great outdoor cookouts are happening.

Finally, for the Chicken Tatsuta-Age, you could go with a great ginger cider to really complement the great Asian flavors. We suggest Angry Orchard's Apple Ginger or Fox Barrel's Ginger and Black Currant Pear Cider.


Disclosure: I am a member of Everywhere Society and Everywhere provided me with the compensation for this post about Macy's Culinary Council. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own.

Bar on Buena/Uncle John's Cider

This being summer time in Chicago, it is a good time to get out and explore what the city has to offer. After being couped up for awhile due to an injury, Bailey and Hawke decided to go down to an eatery that they had both heard about. That night was also important because Uncle John's Cider was also there with some of their signature ciders. For this event Hawke and Bailey elected to try a different cider each and give a review on that one.

The Bar On Buena is a small eatery just off of Broadway that offers a fine selection of foods. If you are just going for an appetizer and a beer, their bruschesta is highly recommended by both Hawke and Bailey. Their burgers are also worth the trip. But, that's not why were here, on to the ciders!

Uncle John's Cider Mill is a cidery out of St. Johns Michigan that offers several different types of cider to choose from. Seasonal ciders include a Cinnamon Apple, Cranberry Apple, and Apple Blueberry, as well as several others.

Bailey elected to get a Apple Apricot cider. It comes in at 6.7% ABV.

Color: Bailey found this cider to have a dark gold with some carbonation, which she liked. Not exactly what she was expected though, but very pleasing to the eye.  Bailey: 5/5

Smell: Bringing it to her nose she detected a mostly overwhelmingly sweet smell which seemed to cover most of the other smells. She also detected some apple, but even less apricot. Bailey: 4/5

Taste: Bailey said the flavor of this cider was that of sweet alcohol, which again seemed to overwhelm the other flavors that were in the cider. She said that apricot is a background flavor in this cider, while the apple was a little heavier. Bailey: 3/5

Aftertaste: The aftertaste on this cider mostly consisted of a sour apple flavor. Bailey found this to be a good aftertaste as she found it to be boldly sour, while not being overwhelmingly sour as we've seen with other cider brands. Bailey: 4/5

Overall: Bailey found this to be a good cider, as the flavors were present while not being overwhelming. She does wish that the apricot flavor was more at the forefront of the cider rather than a background player.
Bailey's total: 17/20 or a green apple.

Hawke opted to try Uncle John's Apple Cranberry Cider.

Color: Hawke was pleased to find that this cider comes out a deep red, with little or no carbonation present. Hawke: 5/5

Smell: Upon smelling, Hawke detected a little alcohol smell that was at the front of the cider, beyond that, there was some cranberry and some very slight apple smell present. 4/5

Taste: The initial taste was very sharp and sour, as expected with a cranberry cider, but the cranberry flavor was very light. There was some apple flavor as well, but it was almost undetectable. Hawke: 4/5

Aftertaste: The final lingering flavors were subtle, with nothing particularly overwhelming. The main flavor that stuck around was the sour flavor, with the cranberry and apple almost nonexistent. Hawke: 3/5

Overall: This cider was about what Hawke expected it to be. It was decent, but lacking a little in the flavors of apple and cranberry. Hawke's Total: 16/20 or a green apple.

Note: As Hawke and Bailey were at a bar, they did not take price into consideration. A Search at their local liquor store puts the prices between 10-13 dollars which they both found a little high. 

25 Degrees Restaurant: A Drink Review

25 Degrees Restaurant, 

731 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL  

http://25degreesrestaurant.com/chicago/

Here at Cider Press we mainly like to keep our focus on cider, however an offer came by from Brandy, of the Bunny and Brandy Blog, to come along to a redone menu at 25 Degrees we had to go. Unfortunately, Bailey had fallen ill with the flu, so it was up to Hawke to go for both of them. Just off of the Chicago and State Red Line Stop, Hawke met with Bunny and Brandy  and they entered into a restaurant that was slightly dark, with wood paneling and red fabric along the walls.

This being Chicago Summer, the place was also open to the street with cafe dining on the sidewalk. Opting to eat inside, they were quickly given a table and a waitress came by to get their orders. Bunny and Brandy both opted to start with spiked lemonade drinks. Bunny got a traditional lemonade made with vodka, while Brandy opted for the summer blend, also mixed with vodka. After receiving their drinks, they sampled each others and decided to switch. Claiming that the lemonade was a little too tart for Bunny, whereas the Summer Blend was a little sweet for Brandy. The Summer Blend is actually watermelon, but it was not posted on the sign on the table. There was also a pomegranate drink, but Hawke did not wish to try it, citing a previous bad experience with pomegranate juice. Both Bunny and Brandy really enjoyed their drinks.

Initially, Hawke could not decide on a drink to get, as the list of drinks was quite extensive. After placing their initial order of food, which is detailed at Bunny and Brandys blog, Hawke decided on a drink called the Beam and Beer. A classic root beer float with a twist. The base of the drink was made with Jim Beam whiskey, with vanilla ice cream, then IBC root beer was poured over the top. Served on a hot Chicago day, the ice cream began to melt quickly, this was not a disappointment however as it served to better mix the float. Upon consuming the float, Hawke quickly discovered that the bottom of the float was mostly Jim Beam. The flavors do mesh well together, and provided relief from the hot Chicago weather.

Brandy, after having eaten her fill of food, had opted to try a Salty Caramel. Made with Maker's Mark, vanilla ice cream, mixed with butterscotch and topped Hawaiian red sea salt. This was a drink that made Brandy's eyes light up. Salted caramel is one of, if not her favorite treats. Upon tasting she quickly commented that the bottom of the drink was pure Maker's Mark. This did not dissuade her, and she eagerly consumed the entire drink.

Overall, 25 Degrees boasts an excellent drink variety, for a reasonable price for Chicago. If you are in the area, it is worth while to check out and see if you can find a new favorite drink on their menu.  

*Cider Press Blog was given their meal and drinks free of charge in exchange for an honest review.