Must Have This: Ingredient

When cooking, we find that olive oil makes it's way into a large number of the dishes prepared in our kitchen. For centuries, men and women have used it on vegetables, game and fowl. Countless of our favorite dishes begin with onions, garlic and a drizzle of oil. We love to dip bread in it, especially in restaurants. (We find those restaurants where the waiters write their name on our table in crayon to be a most guilty and most pleasurable experience) A good oil and balsamic vinegar can turn a drab bed of greens into a satisfying salad.

There are an inordinate number of varieties on the market- ranging from Extra Virgins to any number of exotic infusions to plain old Olive Oil. As many a chef will tell you, not all oils are right for all situations. Finding the right oil for each particular dish or occasion is a task we do not pretend to know anything about- we recommend seeking out the nearest specialty grocery or kitchen supply store, such as Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table (having been employed at one of these companies, and a frequent shopper at both, we can assure you that they carry an assortment of options, and if they can't help you- and they should be able to- but if they can't, they can direct you to someone who can).

Perhaps the best option, however, would be to put yourself in touch with Oil Town Oil based in Chicago. They have a plethora of choices, among which is a mushroom and sage infused offering, which we recently acquired and are currently quite enamored with. (They also have a white peach balsamic vinegar that we were pleased to gift over the holiday season. We have just discovered it is currently 15% off. A bottle for yourself and a bottle as a gift would be a wise decision)

We have only begun to scratch the surface of possible applications of the oil. We have drizzled it over steak to dazzling results. We have dressed hummus with it. Due to the incredible mellowness of the flavor, we find it's flavor less assertive than other oils might be, and as a consequence, it compliments almost anything. Our favorite use so far has been in the process of making popcorn. Instead of butter or some inferior butter substitute poured over the kernels like syrup, simply popping the corn in the mushroom and sage olive oil endows it with a delicate but delicious flavor that makes it light, healthy, and irresistible. Simply sprinkle with salt (or for a special treat, use just a bit of truffle salt- trust us, your life will change) and enjoy!

To order Old Town Oil's Mushroom and Sage Extra Virgin Olive Oil, go here.

Old Town Oil is located at 1520 N. Wells St in Chicago, IL.

Must Have This: Restaurant

When one finds oneself in the midst of an absolutely frigid downtown Chicago, as we found ourselves recently, Mexican food is not exactly the first thing on one's mind. For most people, that honored spot usually belongs to any number of expletives at the curious ability of the weather to continually feel as if the sun has lost all heat and will never never ever warm the poor wretched bodies scurrying idiotically about in the gusty trenches between buildings. Or, perhaps it is occupied by thoughts of the destination- somewhere warm and comfortable, no doubt, and probably full of laughter and chipper conversation. Or it might even just be grasping desperately at how much is on one's CTA card, and will it need a refill before this trip, and can said refill occur in time to make the next train, and... Mexican food, needless to say, may be fifth or sixth in queue. Or, heaven forbid, even lower.

And to this, we say, shame.

Mexican food, we blissfully confess, may in fact be our one sole reason for living. There are many fine things about our life- this blog intends to cover them- but truly, when the lines are drawn, we fully believe Mexican cuisine to be The Reason. (In fact, we may or may not have made a rather infallible argument -if we do say so ourself- in an entirely separate blog that offers proof of God's existence based on Mexican food) One's total happiness (or lack thereof) can be directly measured by how near (or far) one is from a Mexican restaurant.

Now we certainly understand that schedules must be kept and other tasks tended to, but we would like to stress that those things can be accomplished and Mexican food can still happen. In fact, Xoco, one of three Mexican restaurants owned and operated by the celebrity chef Rick Bayless, is made for on-the-go. And, more importantly, it is outrageously good.

Looking for something scrumptious for lunch? Try the choriqueso torta (pictured). Homemade chorizo (a sort of Mexican sausage) is layered with mild peppers and sharp jack cheese on a bun. The sandwich is fantastic on it's own, but what really sent us over the edge was the tomatillo salsa. We have been hesitant to try most tomatillo salsas, as it seems to inspire chefs everywhere to turn up the heat index (and while we do enjoy a good strong spicy flavor, we do not enjoy heat for heat's sake), but this. This particular salsa is so fresh, so flavorful, so entirely palatable, well, suffice to say, we made several trips back to the counter to procure more. (It has also encouraged a rather spirited campaign to re-create -or at least match in level of flavor- here at home)

Or, if an earlier meal is more one's speed, Xoco serves breakfast until 10AM. We had the Wood-Oven Chilaquiles (below). Unfortunately a dine-in only option, the Chilaquiles is a sort of mess of lots of delicious things- cheese, chicken, peppers, tortillas. We aren't sure exactly how to describe it other than filling and very warm (temperature, not spice, although there was no shortage of flavor). Our only real complaint about it was the fact that it came with none of the tomatillo salsa.



If one needs but a single reason to stop at Xoco, that reason is the hot chocolate. The cocao beans are roasted on-site, which we were delighted to discover, and the proof is definitely in the pudding, or hot chocolate, as it were. We had multiple varieties- our personal favorite was Mexico City Thick (but perhaps has been re-named Barcelona?). Almost a pudding consistency, this chocolate is more dessert than drink. We found it easier to savor that way- as opposed to the Aztec, which, in addition to the chocolate, is spiced with chilies. That particular drink we finished in minutes- entirely too drinkable for it's own good. And then there is the Almendrado... There are five varieties. We suggest you try them all.

Xoco is located at 449 North Clark (and Illinois St) in Chicago, IL.

Must Have This: Lip Protection

We find, as a general rule, cold weather to be somewhat of a bother. It delays travel, it causes hypothermia and any number of other inconvenient conditions. In fact, the only reasons we can find for even a mild tolerance of the cold are: firstly, cold weather does afford the opportunity to display one's sartorial flair (sandals are infinitely comfortable and we do love to wear them, but how many variations on the men's sandal are there? boots, on the other hand...); secondly, cold allows for snow, and while we certainly don't want to deal with it often, an occasional encounter is charming and pleasant; and lastly, while one can technically drink any thing at any time, wassail is only really appropriate to drink when it is cold out (and if you are uninitiated to wassail, we suggest you acquaint yourself)

On a recent trip to Chicago, we were inconvenienced as such. The city had recently seen the first major blizzard of the season (in fact, we find ourselves fortunate to have timed the trip just right so as to follow in the first storm's wake and leave before the second storm struck), and, because of it's unfortunate positioning north of 31 degrees latitude, was enjoying high temperatures of 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Never the less, we had quite a splendid trip and do thoroughly enjoy That City.

In any event, whilst trekking about the frozen streets, procuring gifts for friends and beverages for one's self, one often finds one's lips have become unpleasantly un-supple. There is a scientific reason for this, to be sure, but in life, as is often the case, we find ourselves not giving a damn why something is happening, and wishing only to make it stop. Luckily, preparation saved the day, and out came the tube of chap stick in our pocket.

We are all familiar with chap stick, alias lip balm, alias salve. There are dozens of varieties and flavors, but chief among them, as we have come to discover, is Blistex Complete Moisture. Comparatively inexpensive (as opposed to certain insect-related varieties, and outrageously over-priced -and not particularly effective, may we add- bath and body store incarnations), one can readily find these lovely little blue tubes for around $2USD. But truly, the main reason we recommend this particular lip protectant is very simple- it tastes delicious. Aside from doing a fantastic job keep our lips crack-free (and with SPF 15 for you snow-sporting types), it tastes a bit like a margarita. Now, while we could argue that the margarita is the one drink that you really can drink any time, we will suffice to ask- which of us does not want a margarita right now? Exactly.

Blistex Complete Moisture is available at many major pharmacies and grocery stores. To find the nearest location, go here.


Post Script:As a current added bonus, if you purchase Blistex Complete Moisture, one will find most come with an additional 'trial-size' stick that we find too adorable to resist. We currently may or may not have two of those trial sizes, and they may or may not have been purchased simply because we find them absolutely irresistible.