Questioning the future of food may conjure up thoughts of technological innovations, unusual hybrid flavors and even soylent-like diets. But for Taste Talks co-founder, Daniel Stedman, the future of food is about slowing down and taking the time to appreciate the food on the plate. To some, his “futuristic” concept could be seen as a reversion, more of a glance into the past rather than a window to the future. However, Stedman’s desire to slow people down and bring the conversation about food back to the dinner table may be exactly what our future needs.
I was always the “weird kid” in my family.
An outlier among a group of people who were a norm of normal eaters back in the 1970’s, I was in awe of a strange funny-sounding woman who cooked things I had never seen before on the Chicago PBS affiliate WTTW.
Julia Child opened a whole new world for me. In between watching Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, I took in the great lady’s lessons about classic French technique.
I love experiencing various microcultures of big cities through walking around and taking in the vibe of different neighborhoods. The best find is coming upon a mom-and-pop restaurant with a backstory of taking a concept and making a go of it.
As I walked into the unassuming storefront of Pizzeria Deville, I was greeted by the smell of authentic dough toasting, and it brought me back to the streets of Capri and Sorrento in southern Italy. The dining area was busy for a 2pm seating on a Sunday. Guests were chatting away while a Bill Withers tune played quietly in the background.
Though we live a few hundred miles apart, both my mom and I kept busy in the kitchen this holiday season. Some of the treats we whipped up for us, some for others, and all were hard to resist. Baklava, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Viennese Honey Cake, Hungarian Walnut Sweet Bread, Sri Lankan Fruitcake…
“Fruitcake?!” You may be thinking, “Who even likes fruitcake?” You will, once you try this grandma’s recipe. But first, let’s talk about fruitcake and perhaps by the end of this article you’ll agree with me that this holiday staple isn’t deserving of it’s bad rap.
Hello, fellow Foodseum foodies! I am so excited to introduce to you my new “Food From Around the World” blog, where I can document my delicious foodie experiences that take me around the world, or, primarily, around the Greater Chicagoland area. I hope that with each post I can help shed some light on the multitude of ethnic dishes we are so fortunate to have in our great city. When thinking of food in Chicago, some might immediately think of deep dish pizza, hot dogs, or Italian beef, but the vast selection of ethnic foods available to dedicated foodies goes way beyond. From Greektown to Chinatown, Chicago is home to a “melting pot” (forgive the pun) of culinary experiences.
