There is a primal satisfaction in lighting a fire and cooking outside once again in early spring after a long, cold winter. Winters here in the Great Lakes region can be bitter cold and heavily snow-covered. The days are short and the nights long. As the days start to lengthen, the snow recedes and we [...]
Duck, Duck, Goose – Duck Fat Poutine
So sometimes, it's just for fun. We took the duck rillette we had saved after our smoked duck breakdown and decided to to use the fat to oven-fry Yukon gold potatoes and top with the shredded duck. So that's duck, duck. We just had to come up with the goose to complete the childhood game. [...]
In Praise of Beer
I love beer. I love the caramel toasty notes of a rich American amber. I love the coffee and chocolates of a well-crafted stout. I love the citrusy floral notes of pale ale. I love the varieties, the possibilities, the potential. I love that you can smoke the malts and make a beer that tastes [...]
Smoked Duck Pot Pie
We had the great fortune of receiving a gift of several whole smoked ducks. We decided to take one and break it down. First, we quartered the whole duck and placed it on a bed of Granny Smith apples and celery with thyme and cup of water in the oven at 350° for about 2 [...]
Of Cabbage Rolls and Inspiration
Culinary touchstones inspire new creations. Savoy cabbage in the crisper drawer. Excess stuffing from a stuffed mushroom cap appetizer. A pork tenderloin. The memory of stuffed cabbage rolls. Cabbage leafs boiled and then filled with a small serving of minced meats and seasonings exist in countless cultures across the globe. The Polish immigrants to Chicago [...]
Great Lakes Cuisine 