The good news: I spent the last half of October traveling for work and for fun to New Orleans and San Francisco.
The bad news: I’m SOOOOO far behind on writing.
The good news: I have lots of fun foodie and travel stories to write about and share, so stay tuned…
Until then, here’s a recap of the fun stuff I was up to in October:
Pumpkin Cheesecake At Adamus Restaurant
Adamus– Within the quaint Silversmith Hotel in Chicago’s downtown Loop is tucked a very cool restaurant and bar called Adamus. Through the Windy City Blogger Collective, a group of us were invited to a special dinner to check out Adamus’ new fall menu. Not only was the food great (my favorite was the artichoke hearts and goat cheese flatbread with
confit artichoke, sweet peppadews, soft goat cheese crumble and garlic cream…and I don’t even like goat cheese!!) but I also liked the various and unique vegetarian options that are offered (like the avocado reuben with house made sauerkraut, Fair Oaks Farms swiss cheese and gherkin spread). I will admit that I pretty much went to heaven with the pumpkin cheesecake with candied pecans, a buttery caramel sauce and whipped cream. Definitely check out Adamus if you are looking for something new in the Loop.
Beet Salad At Piccolo Sogno Due
Piccolo Sogno Due– Located in River North and the sister restaurant to the popular Piccolo Sogno restaurant in West Town, Piccolo Songo Due is a great spot for traditional, regional, Italian food. I loved the ambiance and it was quite packed for a Wednesday night dinner. The focus of the restaurant is on locally-sourced, handmade fare with a wine list that is extensive and approachable. Since I studied abroad in Italy, I feel like I have a little better grasp on Italian food and wine than maybe just the average customer and I have to say I really enjoyed our dinner at Piccolo Sogno Due. The pastas were definitely authentic and light and delicious. One of my favorite dishes of the night though was the beet salad (red and golden roasted beets, orange segments, Capriole goat cheese (again with the goat cheese!!!), watercress, hazlenuts and citrus). Sometimes it is nice to balance out a carb heavy dinner with a nice light salad, and that is just what I did.
Beautiful Wine Selection At Marion Street Market Oak Park
Marion Street Market– The absolutely adorable bistro and gourmet cheese and wine shop in Oak Park is a must visit. As part of a media event, I had the fun opportunity to take a trolley (equipped with on-board specialty drinks and bites) from downtown Chicago to Marion Street Market. What a fun little adventure! I loved checking out not only some of the great food served in the bistro section of the market but also getting to sample some of the many specialty and high-quality cheeses they sell and sipping on a beautiful selection of wine. The staff was so welcoming and helpful in whatever questions you may have about cheese and wine and they seriously know their stuff. What a nice reminder to be a tourist in my own city and continue to explore and find these local treasures.
The Farm To Table French Phrasebook
The Farm To Table French Phrasebook – How excited was I when the publisher of this awesome phrasebook reached out to see if I would like a copy to review? Yes please! Even though I don’t currently have a trip planned to a French-speaking destination, you know that I will make that happen soon and you can bet this handy-dandy book will be in my purse. The publisher describes the book as the following, “A comprehensive language guide for food lovers, this indispensable companion also offers a fascinating history of French eats, complete with delicious facts about the cuisines of every region from Alsace’s pinot gris to Normandy’s Pot-au-feu. This compact, beautifully illustrated hardcover gift book is perfect for tucking into your knapsack for a day of sampling gourmet local specialties, or it makes a great present for the Francophile in your life.” I couldn’t agree more and think it will be an awesome way to help me navigate my way through restaurants and markets (and ask for vegetarian items) in French….well, whatever butchered version I try to speak in!
Coffee And Desserts At Tre Soldi
Tre Soldi– Shhhhh, don’t tell Mom I ate dessert before dinner….again!!! This fantastic Streeterville restaurant focuses on all things from Rome. Not only do they have great Italian food, but I finally tried out some of their amazing desserts and coffee at an afternoon event to showcase a sweet taste of the holidays. A table full of tiramisu, cannolis, traditional Italian cookies, biscotti and much, much more pretty much put me in a tailspin to try and figure out what to actually taste (aside from wanting to try it all)! And don’t even get me started on how amazing their hot chocolate is in addition to some delicious Italian coffee. Ok, I think I’m finally coming down from the sugar high from all the great dessert options they have!
La Scuola di Eataly’s Focus On Umbria
La Scuola at Eataly– I know I’ve already written about Eataly (read more about that here) but when I was invited to come back to La Scuola to learn about the region of Umbria and indulge in the month of November’s focus on truffles, how was I supposed to say no??? Not only did I get to learn how to make pasta, it was a nostalgic visit down memory lane for me from my study abroad days in Florence when I had visited Perugia and Orvieto (both of which are located in Umbria). Definitely make sure to visit Eataly in November as they have lots of special events focused on this region of Italy, as well as some cool specials on truffles for all you truffle lovers out there. And besides, it’s Eataly after all….as if you needed an excuse to go there!
Please Note: While I was invited to these special events or to try out products, all opinions are my own.