Chicago Pizza Tour

I had gifted B a Chicago Pizza Tour ages ago and we finally made it out one brisk October weekend. After a couple of wrong turns from the El stop, we made our way to the group at Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta. I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about the deep-dish pizza (as Neapolitan style is my favorite) but that has to be the best deep-dish pizza I have ever eaten. The crust was not greasy at all, it highlighted the robust tomato flavor, which I’m told they get from adding nothing but salt while pounding the tomatoes to make the sauce. The mozzarella was perfectly laid over the top. We will be back.

We also made stops in CoalFire, where the 1000 degree coal-fired oven bakes your pizza in just over 2 minutes. It was wonderful getting a tour of their kitchen and watching them in action. The crust had a lovely char and the simple flavors of the Margherita pizza stood out.

We rounded out the tour with stops at RedFlame Pizza and, of course, Gino’s East. We got to watch this extremely-small, one man kitchen operation in action too. RedFlame grills the underside of the pizza on an indoor grill first, before finishing it under the salamander, where the top is broiled to melting perfection. We have actually been to this one before and I highly recommend Wednesdays for the 2 for 1 pizza special.

Gino’s East is known for their famous deep-dish pizza with a golden, cornmeal crust. By this point, we were quite full from all of the other places, but that crust did not disappoint. The crust of the Cheese and Spinach deep dish had a wonderful crunch and the slight sweet flavor of delicious cornbread. Sitting there, you could feel the history, with names scribbled on walls from customers all over the world. An excellent way to end a Chicago tour.

Fish Tacos

With the increased dependence on processed foods, the lack of home cooking, and the obesity epidemic, I was pleased to hear about the Slow Food Chicago $5 challenge. They challenged people to “take back the value meal” and make a slow food meal that costs no more than $5 per person. We decided to make fish tacos. We found frozen tilapia at Whole Foods for $2.99 and El Milagro yellow corn tortillas for just 69 cents, making it easier to stay under $5 per person. I like to serve tacos family-style, where everyone can fill their tacos with as much or as little as they want. I seasoned the tilapia with cayenne, coriander powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, coated it with flour and pan fried it. It is served alongside chopped tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and green onion. For a little more money, you could also add cheese and/or avocado.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Warm, flaky, buttery buttermilk biscuits right out of the oven. All I need now is some fried chicken. Find the recipe on Bon Appetit.

Baked Eggs with Squash

Baked eggs can be a wonderful dinner (or brunch) when you’re not in the mood to stand over a hot stove. I adapted this Food Network recipe for Skillet Eggs with Squash by sauteing the scallions with finely chopped leeks, garlic, and sun-dried tomato. After adding and sauteing the shredded squash for 7 minutes, I added some chopped fresh basil, along with a sprinkling of some parsley and Spanish paprika. Spread the squash mixture in an oven-safe dish, make wells for the eggs and drop one in each well. Finally, sprinkle the top with the reserved scallion, freshly ground pepper, and some cheese (if you like). I baked it at 375 F for about 16 minutes. Serve right out of the oven with some toast.

BBT

Nothing brings the freshness of summer home like a BLT. For a twist on the traditional, try a BBT — Bacon Basil Tomato sandwich. The juiciness of the tomato, the saltiness of the bacon, and the intensity of the basil make for a delicious sandwich. Fresh-baked herb ciabatta bread from La Boulangerie (2569 N Milwaukee Ave) is the crowning touch.

Falafel

I was so happy (finally) with this falafel recipe. The key is to use uncooked chickpeas, which are soaked for 6-8 hours. Do not use canned chickpeas because they have a high water content and you would have to add too much flour to compensate. From the texture of the blended chickpeas, you get a crispy, golden brown outside and a savory burst of flavor on the inside from the garlic, cumin, parsley, and cilantro.

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Estrella Negra – Tamales!

With decor modeled after Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), Estrella Negra at Fullerton and Western is a unique place in Wicker Park to get your Latin fix. I recommend the la Bandera Sampler — three well-seasoned house tamales (spinach-artichoke, corn, and pork) — light, flavorful, simply delicious. We’ve also enjoyed the Empanadas and it’s hard to stop eating the Sweet Potato fries drizzled with blue agave nectar.

Floriole

Once a stand in the city’s Green City Market, Floriole Cafe and Bakery opened a gorgeous brick and mortar storefront in 2010. While it can get busy at times, I think the pastries are well worth it. I’m fond of the almond croissants and the Pizzettas. If you’re in the mood for something substantial, go for the B.A.D. (Bacon Arugula Date) sandwich with an almond date spread and goat cheese on grilled yeasted corn bread. We’d have a picture if we didn’t gobble up the whole thing before I remembered to take one…

Pizzeria Serio

Pizza Margherita with Italian Sausage

If brick oven, thin crust pizza is your thing, head over to Pizzeria Serio on Belmont. Beautiful char, chewy crust… simple and delicious.