Ultimate Italian Minimalism: Cacio e Pepe

One of the endlessly fascinating things about Italian cuisine is how a few simple ingredients can come together to make an unbelievably rich, flavorful dish. No where is this more apparent than with Cacio e Pepe, which literally translates to "cheese and pepper" in English.

It has a mere four ingredient (pasta, cracked black pepper, pecorino cheese and butter) and is the pinacle of Italian minimalism. The starchy pasta water brings the butter and cheese together into a velvety sauce, and the fresh-cracked pepper offers a sharp dimension of heat.

Sadly, I don't see Cacio e Pepe on too many Italian menus in Chicago. I'm not sure why this is?

I recently had dinner at Davanti Enoteca on Taylor Street and was pleasantly surprised to see this dish on the menu. Between myself and my two dining companions (my Dad and brother), we ordered a second order of Cacio e Pepe before the first one was even finished. It was that good.

A few years ago, Anthony Bourdain dedicated an entire episode of No Reservation to the Roman way of life. The first stop on his Frederico Fellini/La Dolce Vita-inspired visit to Rome? A local neighborhood place specializing in Cacio e Pepe (begins at around the 2:30 mark).

When I finally conquer one of my cooking resolutions of 2012 - making fresh pasta - Cacio e Pepe will be the first pasta dish I plan to tackle.

What other dishes do you think best embody ultimate Italian minimalism? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Ciao e buon appetito da il Drunken Goat!

Cheese Dispatch: Humboldt Fog

For avid readers of the Drunken Goat and for those that know me well, there's no question that cheese is one of my favorite things to eat. (Look no further than past blog posts such as Delice de Bourgogne Seduction and Why the Drunken Goat? for a brief taste of my cheese obsession.)

When asked what my last meal on earth would be, my answer is almost immediately a sprawling cheese plate with assorted cow, sheep, goat and buffalo milk cheeses and a crusty, chewy loaf of freshly-baked bread. And considering that it is my last meal on earth, there will most certainly be wine present, as well.

A mature piece of Humboldt Fog well into the aging process. Gorgeous
image from Tastings Gourmet Market.

One cheese that would undoubtedly make "the last meal on earth" cheese plate would be Humboldt Fog. Humboldt Fog is a mold-ripened goat cheese from Cypress Grove Chevre, a creamery located in Humboldt County, California.

It is a tangy and creamy chevre with a signature ash vine in the middle. The cheese's ashen features are known to mirror the fogginess of the northern California terrain of Humboldt County.

Depending on where the cheese is in the aging process (young, ripe or mature), Humboldt Fog takes on a unique flavor profile with increasing levels of complexity as the cheese ages. It pairs well with earthy flavors such as mushrooms, as well as sweeter accompaniments such as honey, pears and apples. It is a versatile cheese that can be served as an appetizer or as a decadent dessert course. As for wine and beer pairings, I like a bright Sancerre or an IPA.

One of the other things I love about Humboldt Fog is that Cypress Grove Chevre is a wonderful entrepreneurial story that took shape long before artisanal goat cheese became mainstream. The video offers an interesting and beautiful look at the creamery's early beginnings:

The Drunken Goat will feature this blogger's favorite cheeses as part of a recurring Cheese Dispatch series.  Have any cheeses or pairings you'd like to see featured on the Drunken Goat? Leave me a comment and let me know.

My Childhood Menu

Earlier this month I had the unique opportunity to eat at Next for its childhood menu (more on that in my Magic of Childhood post). Ever since, I've been thinking about the favorite meals and treats of my own childhood. If I were shaping the Childhood menu, what would be on it?

Fish and Chips at Next Childhood. Far more
glamorous than the fish sticks of my childhood,
but both equally delicious.

While some of these dishes, like the macaroni and cheese, were captured beautifully at Next, everyone has their own meals that defined their childhood.

In retrospect, my childhood menu would look a little something like this:

• Macaroni and cheese out of the blue box (also known as Kraft Dinner). To this day, this is still a staple in my pantry.
• Grilled cheese and Campbell's tomato soup. Especially great with generously buttered bread and extra cheese.
• Lipton's Noodle Soup and Ritz crackers, each with a smear of cream cheese. My mom would make this for me when I was sick, and I still keep a box of noodle soup around for when I'm feeling under the weather.  
• Fish sticks with ketchup and mayonnaise dipping sauce. Loved it as a kid, but probably wouldn't be caught dead eating it today. 
• Yodels (frosted, cream-filled cakes). Ditto.  
• Swedish fish. Still one of my preferred movie theater treats.
• Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls. Haven't had these in years, but I have no doubt they'd still be great on a Sunday morning. 

If you were writing the childhood menu, what would be on it? 

The Classics - Part 3: Beef Bourguignon

As I write this, my West Loop condo is filled with the smell of a slow roasting, bubbling dutch oven of beef bourguignon. With the temperature in Chicago hovering around 20 degrees, I love having something warm and comforting like this stewing slowly throughout the course of a lazy Sunday.

Like other classics covered on the Drunken Goat (roasted chicken and salad lyonnaise), beef bourguignon is surprisingly simple and relies of a few staple ingredients and techniques.

Also known as beef Burgundy (its place of origin), beef bourguignon is essentially french peasant food focused on braising the beef in red wine with vegetables, garlic and herbs. Frankly, I'm a fan of any recipe that requires an entire bottle of red wine!

There are many different recipes for beef bourguignon, some more complicated than others. I like this recipe from The Barefoot Contessa, which calls for braising pan-seared beef in a base of thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, garlic, onion, carrots, thyme, beef broth and an entire bottle of wine. Towards the end of cooking, add in mushrooms sauteed in butter and frozen pearl onions. The recipe calls for 90 minutes in the oven at 200 degrees, but I recommend letting it braise for at least 2 hours and then another hour on the stove. This will ensure the meat is absolutely fork tender.

Today I'm serving the beef bourguignon with a side of buttered egg noodles seasoned with fresh ground pepper, chives and parmesan cheese (an unexpected and wonderful idea from my lovely dining partner). However, it's also great with a simple starch such as mashed potatoes, rice or crusty, garlic-rubbed sourdough bread.

Happy winter comfort food eating from the Drunken Goat.

The Magic of Childhood

Wagyu jerky, truffled oreo, apple-brandy leather
nutella snack back and homemade funyun.

Last Wednesday night I visited Next as it entered its final month of service for Childhood. In the coming weeks, Next will shed its menu and transform into another persona, the famed Ferran Adria restaurant ElBulli.

But last week, it was still about being a kid. The menu was inspired by Chef Grant Achatz and Dave Beran's childhoods in the Midwest in the 1980's, but it had universal elements that kids of all ages and generations would appreciate and relate to.

What I remember most about the meal was the simple details. The fact that Star Wars and Doogie Houser, MD theme songs played as we ate. The sweet note from Mom and folded paper towel in the lunch box. Having to patiently wait for my marshmallow to toast on the fire. The excitement of the unknown - be it opening a present or exploring a winterly forest (complete with the smell of pine and the crunch of leaves.)

It was a whimsical dinner unlike any other I've ever experienced. It made me ache for being a kid again, and a part of me was sad to return to the world where the email is relentless and time seems to pass faster with every new year.

 A most delicious forest. 

Achatz and Beran put it best:

Wonder. Excitement. The feeling of the world unfolding before you in unexpected ways. Discovery. And even fear of the unknown and the future. 


There is a nostalgia we all carry for childhood innocence and naivete. As we grow older, too often we lose the sense that our lives are magical. 


Eating at Next was a reminder about the importance of keeping life magical.

Winter Comforts at the Slurping Turtle

As I've noted in a recent blog post ("Falling Back"), one of the best things about winter is taking comfort in hearty and soothing food. Nowhere is this more apparent than at the Slurping Turtle, a new Japanese comfort food restaurant in River North specializing in dumplings, sashimi, bincho grill and noodle soups.

Take comfort in this bowl during
Chicago's deep freeze. 

Given its proximity to Hubbard Street "to be seen" type places like EPIC (and my natural aversion to these places), I was skeptical at first. However, this all changed upon walking into the warm, inviting and casual restaurant.

The large communal table anchored the dining room and despite the 20 foot-plus lofted space, it wasn't overly noisy. The staff was laid back but attentive, and the wine and sake list was affordable and varied.  

I order shumai at most Japanese restaurants (they are a favorite), and the steamed pork and shrimp shumai at The Slurping Turtle were among the best I've had in the city, especially with a dash of spicy dipping sauce.

The bincho grill plates were small, leaving ample room to sample several types of meat and fish over the course of the meal. We had seared tuna and scallops, both of which were cooked perfectly and enhanced further with the lingering flavor of the charcoal and wood bincho grill. (Interested in learning more about the bincho grill? Check out this great video from Grub Street in which The Slurping Turtle's Chef Takashi Yagihashi explains this traditional japanese cooking method.)

The noodles, although difficult to share, are a must. We tried the Slurping Noodle with tiger shrimp, napa cabbage, fish cake and cilantro. Sharing soup is always a messy endeavor but certainly well worth the effort in this case.

I'm looking forward to going back to the Slurping Turtle in the dead of winter when I can settle in with a fragrant saki flight and a steaming bowl of noodles. While many Chicagoans tout the greatness of deep dish pizza during the winter, I'd argue that the type of meal served at The Slurping Turtle is just satisfying and warming (if not more so). With many vegetarian, seafood and grilled options, it's also lighter comfort food for the post-holiday winter months. Unfortunately, this does not include the Slurping Turtle's duck fat fried chicken dish, which I've heard is as decadent and addicting as it sounds.

In Appreciation: Blackbird

On a frigid January night several years ago, I had one of my first truly amazing dining experiences in Chicago. I was relatively new to the city and was more focused on getting to know my new home through its various bars, more so than its acclaimed restaurants. I guess we all go through those phases.

As it so happened on this night, I received an unexpected dinner invitation from an old friend who was in town for a few days. He recommended we meet at Blackbird. At the time, I remember thinking how the West Loop seemed light years away from my comfortable and familiar north side confines.

Blackbird's gorgeous and understated dining room.

As is the case with friends who you haven't seen in ages, we had a lot to catch up. Lives, loves, careers, families. The high-points, the low points. We sat at the bar in Blackbird's elegant white dining room and caught up for hours.

I remember drinking champagne, eating wild boar, sipping on a west coast seafood chowder and winding the meal down with a luxurious cheese course. I remember the invigorating feeling you get when you pick right back up with an old friend after many years out of touch. I remember the attentive, knowledgeable, unpretentious and wonderful staff.

Most importantly, I remember realizing how much of Chicago there was to see and taste and how much I had been missing. It was a perfect evening, and the first of many special meals I've been fortunate enough to experience. It was also the official start of my love affair with eating out in Chicago, and I'm happy to report that I've returned to Blackbird many times since this first visit.

Earlier this week, Blackbird received a coveted four star review from the Chicago Tribune's Phil Vettel.  Congratulations to Chef Posey and the entire team on this much deserved accolade. Blackbird is truly one of Chicago's treasures that is consistently a beautiful, flavorful and exciting dining experience.

2012 Cooking Resolutions

When it comes to cooking, 2012 is looking to be an ambitious year for the Drunken Goat. Like anything in life, it's easy to get into a routine. There are standby recipes and dishes I come back to time and again. Roast chicken, salmon & spinach, a quick and easy pasta dish are all in frequent rotation (as is the midweek call to Butterfly for sushi and seaweed salad).

This time of year, people like to set ambitious resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight or stop hoarding emails. Ok, maybe that last one is just mine (I can't help it if I'm a digital hoarder).

So what do I want 2012 to hold in terms of food? Of course, there will be eating out (that's a given). But when it comes to cooking, there are a few aspirations I have for the year ahead.  

Image courtesy of Real Epicurean. 

Homemade Pasta: Daunting, messy and time-consuming? Sure thing. Delicious and often worth the work? Absolutely. In a perfect world, I'd move to Italy for a few months and learn the craft of pasta making. Until then, I guess a few winter Sundays hunkered down in my West Loop condo will have to do.

Authentic Asian: Doing more experimenting with Asian flavors and cooking techniques has long been a goal of mine, but truthfully, I've always been a bit intimidated. However, this recipe for shrimp and cilantro shumai from Mark Bittman changed my view and made me think, "Maybe, just maybe, I can make this work."

Soufflé: What's all the fuss about anyway? Something about collapsing egg whites?  Let's give it a shot.

Baking Fundamentals: I've had some impressive baking failures in recent years. In the pre-2004 era, my Dad (a longtime Yankees fan) always remarked how the Red Sox found "absolutely spectacular" ways to lose games. From salty cookies to muffins as dry as the desert to icing that slides off cupcakes, I've found some absolutely spectacular ways to fail at baking. 2012 will be the year I bond with my Kitchenaid and begin appropriately measuring flour and considering ingredient temperatures (both of which I now understand are fairly critical when it comes to baking).

Check back for periodic updates on how the Drunken Goat is tracking against these goals. One thing is for certain: there will be an epic souffle fail blog post in the future.

And finally, good luck to you on whatever goals, resolutions, hopes or aspirations you may have for the coming year (whether food related or not). Cheers!

2011: A Year in Eating

December is always a time for year end lists. Best albums. Best songs. Best concerts. Best new restaurants. Best desserts. Best new bars. It seems like there's a list for everything.  

This got me reflecting on the best things I ate in 2011. But, how to rank? How to compare an appetizer or one simple ingredient to a full entree or ten course prix fix? So in no particular order, the best things I ate in 2011: 

Fresh Brazilian starfruit
plucked right from the tree. 

• The delice de bourgogne cheese plate at Maude's Liquor Bar. Absolute decadence. It was the dish that spurred me to launch The Drunken Goat Dispatches in May, and I'm still in love. 
• The deluxe focaccia at Avec, with taleggio cheese, ricotta, truffle oil and fresh herbs is salty, savory and more addicting than a Big Mac.  
• An authentic Brazilian fish feast prepared by the lovely people at Salto das Nuvens, a small, waterfall-side restaurant, bar and resort located in the Matto Grosso state. It was like being on an episode of No Reservations.
• Fresh starfruit picked off a tree (also in Matto Grosso) and eaten. Nature's sweet tart.  
• Mom's stuffing at Thanksgiving. So incredibly simple (bread, onions, celery, stock and pork sausage) yet delicious and flavorful. The memory of Thanksgiving leftovers is still lingering.  
• Served with crisp sourdough bread, sea salt, parsley and red onion jam, the bone marrow at Longman & Eagle is savory and rich.  
• While I love the cheese and charcuterie at The Purple Pig, the olive oil poached tuna with lima beans, fresh herbs, red onion and vinaigrette is still the dish that I keep thinking about. 
• Fetucine a la Pasquale at my family's favorite restaurant, Pasquale's Osteria in Norwalk, Conn. Homemade pasta, shrimp, ham, asparagus, tomatoes, fresh basil in a garlic red sauce with a touch of cream. It's ultimate Italian comfort food made by Pasquale, a former Vatican chef (more on that in a future post).   
• The lobster roll at B&G Oyster in the South End of Boston served just the way I like it: heaping mounds of lobster, slightest touch of homemade mayo, herbs, S+P, on a butter toasted roll. 
• I'm still blissed out from The Lair of the Minotaur burger at Kuma's Corner. The brie, pancetta and bourbon poached pear made the burger worth the wait...and the calories.    
• The cheese cart at Tru. An unpasteurized heaven on wheels.   
• The hen at Graham Elliot: a savory and memorable dish that embodied fall with every bite.

What was your favorite dish or dining experience in 2011? 

Falling Back

The clocks have fallen back, the turkey has been eaten and the leftovers devoured. The cold Chicago wind is howling and rattling apartment windows. It's before the deep freeze of winter, and the buzz of the Christmas season is just starting to take hold.

This time of year, I always fall back to those things that are familiar and comforting. They are my winter traditions (but are great any time of year actually)...

It's coming.

...Roasting chicken on a Sunday. Braising short ribs for hours. Stocking up on soups, stews and sauces for the cold months (when going to the grocery store is simply not an option). Hunkering down in a cozy, candlelit wine bar. Entire weekends spent cooking and under blankets. Sipping whiskey. Reading a book in a weekend. Baking things both savory and sweet. Eating the same dinner you had as an eight year old (Campbell's tomato soup and grilled cheese). Not worrying about that summer detox diet.

When you consider this, a Chicago winter doesn't seem so daunting (at this point).

Blogger's Note: I reserve the right to completely revoke this blog post come February.