Chicago Italian Ice, Instead of NATO

1068 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL (between Carpenter St & Aberdeen St)

Mario's Italian Ice. Taylor street. This place is a mainstay of Chicago, and Taylor street itself. I have been coming here since I was a teenager-watching the neighborhood shed the Jane Addams Homes (a token building still holds on- there is talk of turning it into a museum...) and don expensive townhouses and trendy restaurants. I found myself there this weekend, rather than in the midst of the NATO summit protests.

Each spring I wait in anticipation for this gem to reopen (they close for the winter), dreaming of the watermelon Italian lemonade (Italian ice) with chucks of watermelon and lemon rinds. The perfect taste of summer and childhood memories. So many memories circle around this place.


I can picture the cars lined up on a hot summer night while my high school friends and I clamor to join the long queue that forms late in the evening. We are all moths trying to make our way to the brightly lighted counter obtaining the nectar, the essence of summer.

I remember heading over there for a treat after Italian mass at The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii with Don's (my boyfriend at the time) mother- a lovely Italian momma that took me under her wing to introduce me to all Italian-American- her pastas, foccacias, desserts, Italian language and expectations. She treated me like a daughter throughout, even after her son and I parted ways. I'd go over to her house and together we'd cook and she'd continue teaching me Italian as only a mother can do. She was probably the reason I dated her son for as long as I did.

I remember heading there before the fourth of July fireworks one year when I somehow convinced my family that standing amongst what appeared to be the entire city, and then some, to watch fireworks was a good idea. The line on days like that is thick, but always worth the wait. A calm anticipation keeps order- I don't believe I have ever experienced pushing or shoving even though the three lines are never very clear. It is a place where, while waitng, you can chat with your neighbor who may be from anywhere- people come from far and wide.

If you've never been, you are missing out. Go there, now~ and try a watermelon (or a peach when it is in season). And while you're there, pick up a bag of lupinis. They are a fun addition and an acquired taste, but one worth acquiring.

Here's to summer!

Banana Blueberry Bread (Recipe)

Standing in my kitchen reprimanding myself for allowing another two bananas to go uneaten before they became "baking bananas", I noticed the blueberries and I had yet to touch as well. These were still in their prime, but I knew if I ignored them long enough they too would not be saved from the compost pile. Since I am always excited to buy fruits and vegetables, but often neglect them once they arrive in my refrigerator and become just scenery to my exhausted after work or early morning bleary just searching for coffee eye, I felt that what better use then to add the blueberries to the banana bread!

Here's the down and dirty for making the bread:

Ingredients:

2 medium sized well ripened bananas
4 oz softened butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
 2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
2 teaspoons Amaretto (optional)
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of fresh blueberries


Process:

Prepare loaf pan- oil (butter) pan then flour it. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix and/or sift together in a medium sized bowl the dry ingredients, except the sugar (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt). Put aside for the moment.

In a large bowl cream together the sugar and butter. Once well combined, add the banana (you can mash it beforehand or if ripe enough, just throw it in- it will mix up just fine), eggs, Amaretto and vanilla. Mix well- I use a hand mixer, but it isn't necessary, just faster.

Stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Mix until it is combined, but don't over do it. Then fold in the blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan and place in oven. Cook for approximately 1 hour, or until the center is cooked (toothpick test method).

Let rest for 5 minutes in pan then loosen sides and place on wire rack to cool completely. (or at least as long as you can stand to wait to try it- I usually only last until it is just a little cool. The adage, do as I say, not as I do comes to mind at the moment...)

Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes (Recipe)

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (Droste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter (2 sticks) softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 ounce natural red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Icing:

4 cups of powdered sugar
8 ounces of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
2-3 tablespoons of milk, yogurt or sour cream (each will give a slightly different taste to the icing)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Directions:

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix together sifted flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a medium sized bowl.

In a separate large bowl, cream (electric mixer works well) together butter and sugar. Add one egg at a time mixing thoroughly. Then add yogurt, vanilla, and milk- continue mixing. Add red food coloring. Slowly mix in the cocoa mixture until just blended together- do not over mix. The batter will be quite thick.

Spoon batter into lined cupcake tins, approximately 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in tins for 5 or so minutes then transfer cupcakes to wire rack to cool completely.

While cooling, prepare icing.

In a large bowl, beat together until fluffy the cream cheese, butter, milk (or yogurt or sour cream) and vanilla. Then slowly add the powdered sugar until blended and smooth.

Place icing into a piping bag or a sandwich bag and cut tip. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

Store cupcakes in a sealed contact in the refrigerator- cream cheese can and does go bad if left out, even with the addition of the sugar. Better safe... This is presuming that they aren't all immediately consumed, which is a possibility.

Enjoy your lovely cupcakes.

Gingerbread Brownies (recipe)

To get into the season, I decided to make gingerbread inspired desserts. My first item was a gingerbread brownie recipe that I came across. It is quite easy and not a whole lot of mess. I should also mention it is more of a cake brownie than a fudge brownie.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder (Droste Cocoa is my favorite)
1 to 1 1/2 tps ground ginger (depending on how sharp you prefer it)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground clove
12 tbsp butter, unsalted (melted and cooled)
1/2 cups molasses
1/4 cups milk
1 egg
1 1/2 tps baking soda and 1/4 cup of boiling water
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Butter (or oil) and flour a 9 x13 pan and preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, both sugars, salt, cocoa powder, and spices. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, molasses, milk and egg. Once well mixed, add this to the dry ingredients. Combine until all the dry is mixed in. Then add the boiling water/baking soda mixture to the batter. Again, mix until well combined. Add the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until your toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool and then cut into pieces.

(the original recipe can be found here, but I tweaked it a bit to reduce the ginger and egg content).