Grounded

Lunch sucks.  I haven't eaten a a homemade lunch in several years.  I don't even know what one consists of.  For the last four years, I've been travelling the country and eating all of my meals out on weekdays.  Eating out gets old, but it still beats a lifeless brown bag special.  The only redeeming quality of weekend lunches are that they aren't actually lunches at all, but brunches--with bacon.  Now that I find myself home for a week, what am I supposed to amiably eat at noon?  

The first step of the solution is to create a grocery list.  After much thought, I write down 'bread' and 'lunch meat.'  Sounds pretty lousy.  Great sandwiches consist of more than two cold, heartless ingredients thrown on top of each other.  I need great bread, great meat, and great condiments.  This obvious award winning combination inspires me to make my own lunch meat.  Cold cuts aren't going to cut it this time.  I need hot cuts from a slowly roasted side of pork.

Click to read more ...

Lazy Sunday

I'm in the middle of a travel triangle between Richmond, Kansas City, and LA for work.  Every now and then I get to come back Chicago to shower, and nourish my soul with the city's wonderful cuisine.  When it comes to cooking, I'm having problems figuring out what to make, because I don't want to waste my one chance at home cooking on something that could be bad.  And I'm scatterbrained from never knowing what time it is.

Lucky for me, a new farmer's market, the Glenwood Sunday Market, opened about 50m from my front door.  If this doesn't get me cooking, nothing will.  

I decide to make tonight's dinner purely from market items, so I can be a good locavore before I spend the rest of the week being exactly the opposite.  After a stroll down the street, I realize that it's too early to think.  I've been craving a BLT sandwich, so I decide to make something along those lines.

Click to read more ...