Home Baking in America, Chicago Style

Even before the timer had gone off, the aroma seemed restlessly eager to escape the shackles of the oven. The smell, via every opportunity available, found its way to those who awaited its arrival. The rich steamy flavor of apples, with hints of freshly ground cinnamon and nutmeg, felt more like a piece of heaven than a golden brown pie. About half a dozen of us stared at this piece of artistry, quietly hoping someone would lead the way.

It was my first class at Sur La Table in Chicago. Located on Walton Street, one of the finest streets in downtown Chicago, this store is a must visit for anyone hunting for merchandise pertaining to the kitchen and home. Of course, I was here for a very different reason — I was attending Baking Basics: Perfect Pies and Tarts, a class deemed as one of the most popular classes offered by the store.

The instructor, a veteran baker, was meticulously sharing his special heirloom recipe, while most of us scrambled to note his every word of wisdom. With confidence born off decades of experience, he sliced the different varieties of “good cooking” apples (granny smith, Macintosh, golden delicious) and tossed them into a generous scoop of sugar mixed with nuances of lemon juice, giving life to the flavors. He assembled the mixture onto a prepared pie dish and draped it with a pastry round (dough prepared with flour, water and shortening), fluting the edges with perfection. In testament to the dough’s softness, the instructor gently formed steam vents with the curved edge of a serving spoon.

The Pie
Right out of the oven, the tender-crisp apples in the pie, awash in sugar and cinnamon, perfectly complemented the wonderfully flaky crust. Although seemingly simple, served with a plain scoop of vanilla ice-cream, this hands-down creation was one of the best I’ve ever eaten. In the words of the great Leonardo Da Vinci — “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Apple pie is perhaps the most quintessential of all American desserts, but yet it is far from being the only sweet concoction. Traverse around the United States, and you will discover a plethora of regional delights each having their own timeless appeal. These local treasures might include a warm cranberry duff (upside down cake) encountered on a chilly New England night, a dried apple stack cake (layered cake) served at an Appalachian home, or a Pecan pie at a Thanksgiving meal in Southern America.

Just Good Baking
These “homespun” delights take us back in time and conjure images of baking traditions in the tiny towns of old-time America: wooden butter paddles, seasoned baking tins, butter churners and blue-tinted mason jars.

Home baking has always been an integral part of American life. Be it soft, gooey chocolate-chip cookies for your new neighbor, a funeral pie for the bereaved or simply some irreverently decorated cupcakes to raise funds at a Bake Sale, the American dessert is a symbol of warmth and hospitality — made as much for giving as it is for eating.

For those who aren’t familiar, a funeral pie is a raisin pie prepared for family and friends at the wake of a funeral. As our instructor mentioned, this pie can be made at any season and can be prepared a day or two before the funeral. He adds, “there is a pie for every occasion — mincemeat and cranberry for Christmas, pumpkin and pecan pies for Thanksgiving.”

Cupcake Madness
Delighted with our enthusiasm and as a special gift for the holiday season, the instructor decided to teach us how to make cupcakes, which were initially not part of the day’s agenda. These miniature cakes are prepared using regular cake batter and baked in individual cup shaped moulds or muffin pans, lined with fluted paper cups.

Each of us had a cupcake to decorate. Taking cue from my childhood art class, I put my unfettered creativity to work. I placed the cupcake on the palm of my hand, spread a luscious layer of chocolate frosting and delicately embellished it with chocolate sprinkles and a heart-shaped biscuit. It was barely a few seconds and I had wolfed down my arty creation. So much for the fruits of patience being sweet!

Ready-Made Treats
In the little time that had, we made the regular vanilla cupcakes, but if you’re looking to taste some cherished cupcakes, I recommend a visit to Swirlz Cupcakes in Lincoln Park area of Chicago. This homey store has some of the best cupcakes in town and I recommend the Banana Nutella cupcake with cream cheese frosting for anyone wishing to munch on these tiny morsels bursting with color, texture and sweet-tasting ingredients. As a Chicago insider, I urge anyone in the area to visit Sweet Life at Water Tower Place on the Magnificent Mile of Michigan Avenue. This tiny dessert counter has the best German chocolate cupcake in town. Topped with a melt-in-your-mouth frosting and chocolate curls, these are irresistible.

Speaking of miniature desserts, shortcake is another favorite of mine. This tender, moist cake seems to have originated with American colonist’s appreciation of a Native American dish concocted with wild strawberries pounded into corn bread. I recall the time I had ordered the Strawberry shortcake at Grand Lux Cafe in Chicago. This round spongy cake topped with dollops of fruit and softly whipped cream is ideal company on beautiful summer afternoons in Chicago, and I would religiously drop by at this plush restaurant between one of my shopping escapades.

Americans are ingenious in the way they prepare delicious desserts using fresh fruits. From betties, cobblers, pandowdies, crisps and slumps there is as much variety, as the opinions on how to make them.

pple brown Betty, a popular fruit creation is an old-fashioned dessert that dates back to Colonial American time. The Betty is a baked pudding made with layers of sweetened and spiced fruit and buttered bread crumbs, and an optional splash of sherry. Legend has it that since it was a quick dish which could be made even while on trail, which was important when people took ages to get to places in horse drawn wagons.

Another American delicacy prepared using fruity ingredients is the “cobbler.” As you would guess, this baked fruit dessert has a “cobbled” like biscuit-like topping and a filling of juicy summer fruits like peaches, apples and blueberries. The filling is accentuated with hints of ginger or vanilla and some lemon juice. Promising an untold delight in every bite, this dessert finds itself on the menu for potluck dinners and family picnics during the summertime. A sure relish for dessert gobblers!

Whether it is freshly baked brownies cooling on the windowsill, or chewy fragrant cookies enjoyed with a glass of milk, traditional American sweetmeats can be prepared with minimal fuss, and consumed with even more ease.

While the dessert spread in America might has been enriched over the years, old time favorites like the ubiquitous cookie evoke wonderful memories which we can never outgrow.

Savoring the ‘American Pie’: NY vs. Chicago vs Cali

An ancient seduction: flat bread slathered with olive oil, garlic and herbs has been a staple food around Europe as far back as the 6th Century. However, the modern pizza as we know it was invented in the 19th century in Italy, just a few years prior to its advent into the U.S.

In 1889, Raffaele Esposito, a famous pizzaiolo (pizza maker), prepared a pie for her highness Queen Margherita with colors of the Italian flag: red (tomato), white (cheese) and green (fresh basil). This innovative “pie” was a royal hit and was subsequently named after the Queen. Now you know why the “Pizza Margherita” finds itself leading the list on almost every pizza menu.

Despite its introduction in the early 1900s, the Americans gastronomical craze with this soul-satisfying pie grew manifold only after World War II, when war veterans stationed in Italy created a nationwide craving for the “Italian dish” they had devoured abroad. Pizza soon took its place next to American favorites like hot dogs and French fries and pizzeria chains mushroomed across the country, with a similar enthusiasm Queen Margherita had inspired long ago.

Despite its origin in the land of the Azzurri, pizza has amassed a following of gargantuan proportions in the U.S. Be it the ritual midnight treat for cramming students, the day when Dad cooks dinner, the answer to a family social, or a food chaser for pint lovers — whatever the occasion, a slice of pizza is only a wish away.

Today, the pizza is a battlefield for pizzaiolos to get creative — to add everything from smoked Gouda to broccoli to satisfy a country crazy for pizza. But, no two cities in the U.S. have fallen deeper in love with this soul satisfying pie than New York and Chicago. So who makes the best pie? I tested it out:

After years of listening to tales of “pie” perfection, I had finally meandered my way to the legendary Lombardi’s Pizzeria in New York. The aroma wafting off the steaming flatbread was unlike any other I had encountered. The scent of the yeasty crust, adorned with ripened crushed tomatoes, and the evening autumn breeze danced up my nostrils, relaxing my tired soul.

Lombardi’s in New York was the first U.S. pizzeria and was opened in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi. He was a Neapolitan who migrated to New York, settling in Little Italy in Manhattan.

Coming back to Lombardi’s pizza pie — when it arrived on the table, it showed signs of a coal oven pie — a delicately charred chewy outer crust, which tapered to a thin soft middle, slicked with sweet mozzarella ooze, dollops of rich, fleshy tomato sauce and smatterings of basil and choice toppings (mushrooms and bell pepper), all coalescing into the perfect work of art.

Just like a New Yorker would do it, I squeezed the folded crust (it is the fold factor that gives the New York cachet) into my mouth, while the copious amounts of oil, attributed to the fresh mozzarella cheese, ran down my elbow. For the time being, I assigned the extra dose of calories to short-term memory loss.

True to its form, every bite lived up to its expectations. For fans of thin pizza there’s nothing comparable to Lombardi’s. For a food aficionado like me, this felt like the meal of a lifetime.

So famous was the charm of the pizza that back in the day everyone wanted a “slice.” Thus was the transition of a pizza from a sit down meal to throngs of people popping in and out of pizzerias for a single “slice.” In fact, pizza makers accommodated this need by making several different flavors into just one pie (I’ve seen 8 different types of toppings on one single pie!).

Just like the myriad of toppings on a single pie, the country has developed an array of pizza styles, segregated primarily by geography. For example, the stiffest competition to New York style pizza is the Chicago deep dish pie, the makers of which tout it as the nation’s finest. Unlike the Big Apple’s thin crust, the Windy City style is “BIG” (very American!) on base and toppings — a thick crust pizza that rides up the sides of a deep dish pan and can be tackled only with fork and knife.

For deep dish pizza, Chicago offers a cornucopia of choices (traditional, delicious Chicago-style pizzas can be found at Giordano’s, Gino’s East, Pizzeria Due and Lou Malnati’s), but as a traveling pizza fan, I whittled a huge list down to a select few.

I decided to stop by Pizzeria Uno or more famously Uno’s — where owner Ike Sewell pioneered the “Chicago style” deep dish pizza Midwesterners rave about. (Uno’s has a large number of franchises around the country today, but none are as good as the original.) As I waited patiently for the “Spinoccoli” (a deep dish style with a combination of spinach, broccoli, chunky tomato, mozzarella cheese and sprinkles of roasted garlic), I marveled at the lively banter ricocheting between smiling waitresses and hungry customers. One could see the raw expression on the faces of eager customers, awaiting the delivery of their favorite pie.

When the pizza arrived, I noticed the mozzarella cheese topping was replaced with a spread of tangy tomato sauce and herbs. Apparently, the cheese takes a backseat and is placed at the bottom of the crust. You can choose a pie layered with ingredients of your choice, ranging from meats (such as sausage, pepperoni) to veggies (like broccoli, green peppers, jalapenos, mushrooms, olives, spinach and onions) and a final coating of the tomato sauce. If you like to go simple, you can get the simple cheese version, which comprises of just cheese (a definite belt buster). The Chicago pie is delicious, filling and like nothing else in the country!

While the competition between New York’s scrumptious slice and Chicago’s deep dish delicacy continues, the West Coast comes in with a yet another ingenious variation.

With its progressive and cosmopolitan attitude, the West Coast has inspired the “California style pizza,” which uses exotic topping combinations like artichokes, bean sprouts, guacamole or shrimp, derived from diverse cuisines like Thai, Mexican and Caribbean.

California Pizza Kitchen is the hallmark of the California pizza style and has locations all around the U.S. Glancing at the menu, I realized the joint serves some rather eclectic fare — Mango Tandoori Chicken pizza, Greek pizza and Thai Chicken (most popular) pizza among others. Being a vegetarian, the Wild Mushroom pie was tried — cremini, portobello and shiitake mushrooms combined with fontina and mozzarella cheeses and a wild mushroom pesto, to create an utterly divine dish. Those with less intrepid palates can try the tamer options such as the Five Cheese & Fresh Tomato or the Fresh Tomato, Basil and Garlic.

There is vast landscape between the four time zones of America, and each region seems to create its own style of pizza. For example, St. Louis, Missouri has its distinct style where they replace the mozzarella cheese with “provel” — a cheese made with a medley of cheddar, Swiss and provolone. The typical pizza is cut into three- or four-inch squares instead of the conventional triangular slices.
The pride of New Haven, Connecticut is the “Apizza” — a pizza bianca or white pizza where the tomato sauce is substituted with mozzarella cheese, garlic and herbs.

If you venture down south, you will come across the Southwestern style pizza where the pizza is prepared using regional favorites like tangy salsa, green chillies, jalapenos and chorizo (pork sausage).

With people all over the U.S. taking a piece of the pie and re-inventing it, it is evident the pizza has become an integral part of the American diet. And what better way to get it to the masses than delivering it right at their doorstep, with a 30-minute guarantee. In 1960, the free delivery service was introduced by Tom Monaghan and his brother who bought a pizza joint called DomiNick’s in Ypsilanti, Michigan (now known as Domino’s). The service was an instant hit amongst those looking for a spontaneous scrumptious solution to their food cravings. Today, the delivery incentive is no longer proprietary and everyone from mom-and-pop shops, to large chains like Papa Johns, Pizza Hut and of course Domino’s offer this service — further immersing the country into this on-going love affair.

In the end, thick or thin, crunchy or chewy, hot or not — a pizza satisfies like no other. In its myriad incarnations — pizza is a food as flexible as strings of mozzarella cheese. What began as simple bread has evolved into an everyday favorite meticulously crafted from scratch, arousing a perfect tingle of your taste buds.

New York famous pizza joints:

Lombardi’s: 32 Spring St, New York, NY 10012, Tel: 212-941-7994,br>Di Fara: 1424 Ave J, Brooklyn, NY 11230, Tel: 718-258-1367

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria: 19 Old Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, 718-858-4300

Chicago’s famous pizza joints:

Pizzeria Uno: 29 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611, Tel: 312-280-5120

Giordano’s: 730 N Rush Street, Chicago, IL 60611, Tel: 312-951-0747

A Scoop on Chicago’s Best Ice Cream

On a sweltering summer afternoon, nothing epitomizes pleasure better than an ice cream cone melting in your mouth. A bite of this creamy and unadulterated frosted fantasy, cold enough to give you a brain freeze, brings back happy memories of childhood.

Whether your cravings are satiated with a single scoop, or nothing hits the spot till scoop number three, Chicago offers you a host of places to indulge in this enjoyable summer ritual.

At Scooters Frozen Custard, they understand life can be simple as chocolate and vanilla, or as complex as coffee cognac and black raspberry swirl. Denser and creamier than regular ice cream, Scooter’s offers homemade frozen custard prepared fresh everyday. You will be mightily surprised at the permutations of interesting sundaes, aka “concretes,” which can be prepared using more than thirty varieties of toppings and flavorings like butterfingers, gummy worms, cookie dough, bananas and more. Their “cool” flavors change daily, so you can never be totally sure what is available. Try the Chocoloreo — a blend of vanilla custard drizzled with chocolate syrup, cookies and cream — Heavenly! 1658 W. Belmont Ave.; 773.244.6415

For good old fashioned “American” ice cream, you can visit either Original Rainbow Cone on South Western Avenue or Margies Candies in Bucktown. Both usually have lines stretching well beyond their entry doors. At Original Rainbow Cone, the fruit of patience is sweet, and nothing comes sweeter than this “rainbow cone” invented 80 years ago. This kaleidoscope of colors has five flavors: chocolate, strawberry, pistachio, Palmer House (cherry vanilla teemed with nuts) and orange sherbet, all heaped one over the other. Individually they might seem prosaic, but believe me, when skillfully arranged, one on top of the other, they taste divine. Owing to the popularity of the rainbow cone, the store introduced the rainbow ice cream cakes, which can be the perfect addition to any celebration. Other sweet delights available in store include smoothies prepared using seasonal fruits. 9233 S. Western Ave.; 773.238.7075

At the much-adored Margies Candies, the authentic ice cream sundaes are served in gargantuan clam-shaped bowls. At this quintessential store, the same 1940s neon sign at the entrance and interiors decorated with vintage china dolls, silk flowers and old newspaper clippings welcome visitors. The servings of handmade ice cream are enormous, but if your sugar cravings still aren’t sated, you can bag some candy to go. Either way, you win! 1960 N. Western Ave.; 773.384.1035

Summer is the ideal time to visit Bobtail Soda Fountain. Outdoor seating under the blue and white canvas, while teasing the sun with a concoction to repels the heat, brings its own pleasure. At Bobtail’s, one lick of the “Lakeview Hopper” flavor will find you going back for more again and again. This hand mixed chocolate ice cream infused with Jack Daniels will surely make you happy!

Bobtail’s doesn’t just churn out ice cream for adults (the alcohol is not enough to give you a buzz). There is also a whole lot of gourmet ice for everyone, and on any evening, it’s a common sight to spot people of all generations — young mums with their critters, chatty teenagers, men from the bar down the street and older couples, all at Bobtail’s for the same reason — to enjoy a scoop of their favorite ice cream. The “soda jerks” who serve customers claim the seasonal flavors are by far the most exotic. In the summer, there are flavors like peach and mango, whereas in the fall they have pumpkin and cinnamon. Whatever you fancy, this classic ice cream parlor will whet your palette with its impressive roster of flavors. 2951 N. Broadway; 773.880.7372

Justifying its name, Sweet Occasions and More on Damen Avenue is the perfect surprise for your sweet tooth. Housing a selection of Wisconsin ice cream, this joint has some really creative flavors like Heaps of Love, Zanzibar and Rainbow Sherbet. One taste and you will find yourself staring at the bottom of your cup before long. If you’re with a child, get him the “Superman,” a creamy blend of vanilla ice cream with fruit flavoring made up to look like the superheroes costume. For the lactose intolerant, the store has special soy-based ice creams. Other sweet treats include smoothies, milkshakes and hard candy. But what truly elevates the experience at Sweet Occasions and More are the famous Grandma cakes, available in mouth-watering flavors like German chocolate, red velvet, lemon with raspberry filling, chocolate espresso, among others. 4639 N. Damen Ave.; 773.293.3080

Eat Cold Stone Creamery’s icecream and you will be blown away. Yes, it is a chain and found most places, but they still really do have amazing ice cream (and it would be remiss not to mention them!). The most thrilling part about ordering at Cold Stone Creamery is watching the “artist” sculpt your decadent treat from his chest of ingredients on a “cold marble stone.” Before you start enjoying a mouth watering creation, you have the simple task of choosing from a short list of more than 30 ice cream flavors and more than 50 toppings. Once this is done, you have an even harder task of choosing a cup size– which in Cold Stone language translates to Like It (small), Love It (medium) and Gotta Have it (large). Try Founder’s Favorite — a bestseller in store and usually recommended when you ask for assistance. The sweet cream ice cream teemed with pecans, fudge, brownie and caramel is a sensual delight. Other interesting items on the menu include Cookie Doughn’t You Want Some, Strawberry Shortcake Serenade and Cookie Minster.

I’ve saved my favorite for the end — Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop and Fountain. If you’re looking to indulge in pure sin, head to this old fashioned store, located on Michigan Avenue (right next to Water Tower), which offers a tempting assortment of sundaes. A store favorite is the Strike it Rich sundae made with vanilla and almond ice cream. You will need an iron-clad willpower to forego the sundaes and settle for the hot and cold drinks like White Frappe Classico or Chocolate Hazelnut Hot Cocoa. You can either enjoy the dessert inside or grab a seat on one of the outdoor tables. Either way, seating choices will be the last of your worries while you wait for your decadent delight. Go along with a special someone and ask for one dessert and two spoons. 830 N. Michigan Ave.; 312.337.9330

There’s never a time in the day when you can say no to ice cream. So while in Chicago, why settle for the standard supermarket fare when the Windy City is home to some of the best “iced” creams. Whether perched on a park bench or ambling down a sidewalk, ice cream in one of its myriad incarnations — ice cream cake, floats, sundaes or ice cream sandwiches are always the perfect companions. So feast on your favorite flavor — before the sun beats you to it!