The best thing I ate today - 9/29

The best thing I ate today was the brisket I made for Rosh Hashanah dinner with my in-laws.  Unfortunately, their flight was delayed which made the brisket far less delicious than it turned out, but that just means the leftovers we will eat for lunch tomorrow will be even tastier!  My Brisket recipe comes from a Ben Randall Sur La Table cooking class that my friend Elina once attended.  The secret is the savory red wine reduction sauce it simmers in for 4 hours to become fall-apart-on-your-fork.  The sauce is reduced not once, but twice!  Can't wait to eat it again, this time with the diners it was intended for.

The best thing I ate today - 9/28

The best thing I ate today was the apple crisp I made for dessert and brought to our friends' house for Rosh Hashanah dinner.  Believe it or not, this was a Weight Watchers recipe and it was delicious.  Warm, gooey and fragrant best describe this homey, fall dessert.  In the great debate of pie vs. crisp, I choose crisp.

The best thing I ate today - 9/27

The best thing I ate today was a delicious morsel from my friends at Truffle Truffle.  The win goes to a pumpkin spice caramel that I picked up at Dose Market over the weekend.  The carmel was buttery, silky and had the subtle essence of nutmeg infused pumpkin.  Basically, it was Fall in a bite.

The best thing I ate today - 9/26

The best thing I ate today was M Burger.  This has been on my burger hit list for a while and I had the pleasure of indulging with my friend Bill.  The cheeseburger was good and very enjoyable, but slightly underwhelming.  The smallish, but tasty patty was enveloped in a soft, puffy, fresh bun and topped with lettuce, pickle and a secret sauce.  I have to say...I kinda wanted more meat.  Not in the Kuma's way, but I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied.  They have a "double" option but I have never really seen myself as a double kind of gal.  Doubles are for truck drivers and professional eating contestants, not lunching women trying to shave off another 5 pounds.  I'd still eat it again, but I would probably go to Five Guys first.

The best thing I ate today - 9/25

Today I got to go to the much anticipated and very hyped Dose Market.  Dose Market is a culinary and fashion mecca for the Sunday football widows of Chicago.  For those of you lucky enough to have attended the Fancy Foods show (under the pretense of work, of course) this is basically the version that is open to the general public. Dose is basically an extravaganza for the palate where one can sample delicacies and delights ranging from chocolate truffles to lavender honey to BBQ sauce.  So, as you can imagine the competition for today's win was fierce, but goes to Truffle Truffle for their chocolate pop tart.  Layers of flakey dough surround a fudgey, creamy center.  The tart is topped with a chocolate glaze and lightly crunchy sprinkles and sensorial delight of flavors and textures.  Gotta go get another Dose!

The best thing I ate today - 9/24

A big thanks to our friends Amy & Josh for a lovely birthday dinner at North Pond.  There were many delicious dishes I enjoyed as part of our dinner.  However, the best thing I ate today was the Black Bass.  It  was accompanied by saffron-orange glased fennel, red quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes and a delicate gaspacho broth - all topped with a sprinkling of fresh dill.  The dish was flavorful, delicate and fresh.  It was a wonderful piece of fish that makes me remember why I choose to order fish....an art so easily taken for granted at many restaurants.  Kudos to North Pond for making the evening very special.  From the personalized menus to the dessert plates with our names embossed in chocolate, it is the little touches and big cuisine that score major points at this special occasion oasis.

The best thing I ate today - 9/22

The best thing I ate today was a simple sandwich at the Middle Eastern spot Chickpea.  I dined on the Dajaj - a warm pita stuffed with juciy, flavorful chunks of chicken, grilled vegetables and silky hummus.  One bite and I was transported to the Egyptian place in London I frequented while attending school there.   I am never ceased to be amazed by food's ability to transport and travel time.