Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

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June 24, 2011 By cheryl

Thistle (McMinnville, Oregon): The Best of Oregon

There have been many questions since the return to New York following a short book tour and road trip, idyllic and beautiful, along the lush green coast of the Pacific Northwest.

The burning question hasn’t been, “How did your readings go?” Mind you. Rather, the first question that slips out as soon as politely possible is: “OK, where did you eat?”

This being a somewhat book-centric trip — thank you Seattle and Portland for organizing such lovely A Tiger in the Kitchen soirees! — the time for restaurant-hopping wasn’t plenty. Among the several restaurants I did sample, though, one firmly sunk its chompers in me and hasn’t let go: Thistle, a deliciously charming little spot in McMinnville, Oregon, that manages to out-Brooklyn the wave of recent trendy Brooklyn restaurants branding themselves as farm-to-table havens.

After raving like a lunatic about this Oregon restaurant that that serves up amazing hyper-locavore Americana — all made with ingredients from neighboring farms (and a co-owner’s mom’s garden sometimes) — that could put many of its big-city counterparts to shame, I felt a little vindicated yesterday when I learned that The Oregonian had named Thistle its 2011 Restaurant of the Year (in the entire state of Oregon) this week. As soon as the smug joy subsided, however, I needed a Thistle fix.

So, out came the photos and the reverie began…

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Locavore, Oregon, Restaurants, Tales From the Road Tagged With: Bacon, Chinook, Emily Howard, Eric Bechard, Fried Egg, Gnocchi, Iowa, Lance Armstrong, Locavore, McMinnville, Mustard, New York City, Oregon, Parsnip Cake, Pickles, Pig, Pork, Portland, Potato, Salmon, Stinging Nettles, Terrine, The Oregonian, Thistle, Willamette Valley, Wine Country

July 6, 2010 By cheryl

Green (Deviled) Eggs & Ham


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If it’s been a little quiet on this blog, well, there’s been good reason.

There is the issue of this book, you see. A book editing deadline, to be precise. After following my various exploits while traveling and researching “A Tiger In The Kitchen,” you’ll be patient, I hope, as I wade my way to the finish line later this month. The blog, with all its death-defying bread baking, restaurant explorations and virtual lunch dates, will be back to normal in no time, I promise.

In the meantime, however, there are things that can prod the bloggery back to life.

In this case, that would be a carton of green eggs, large, pert and in the loveliest shade of pale sage. The moment they were spied, said carton was whisked off the table at the Brooklyn Heights farmers market and ferried home for further inspection.

What to do with these green eggs? I immediately thought of the deviled eggs a talented artist friend, Moses Hoskins, recently served up for lunch …

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Poultry, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: Araucana, Artist, Brooklyn Heights Farmers Market, Brown mustard, Cayenne pepper, Chickens, Chile, Curry powder, Deviled eggs, Dr. Seuss, Food Network, Gordon Dahlquist, Green eggs, Ground pepper, Ham, Iowa, Mayonnaise, Moses Hoskins, New York City, OK Harris, Poultry, Relish, Rexcroft Farm, Salt, Sam, Soy sauce

September 14, 2009 By cheryl

Terzo Piano: Where Chicago Is The Art


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Terzo Piano is a restaurant that literally makes your heart skip a beat the moment you walk in.

With its high ceilings, crisp, white furniture, spare decor
and wall of glass windows providing a sweeping view of Chicago old and
new, it’s the embodiment and reflection of the city’s stunning Mies van der Rohe-infused skyline.

On a clear day, when light is pouring in, sending angular shadows shooting across the pristine, gleaming furniture, the space is just breath-taking. This restaurant, which just opened in the Art Institute of Chicago’s modern wing in May, truly does the city justice.

All of this, of course, combines to set some incredibly high expectations for the food itself.

But that, it turns out, is another story.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Chicago, Italian, Restaurants, Tales From the Road Tagged With: Aoili, Art Institute of Chicago, Bacon, Berlin Wall, Brioche, Brussel Sprout Leaves, Caper, Chawanmushi, Chicago, Custard, Frittata, Goat cheese, Greenville, Indiana, Iowa, Italian, Japanese, Kalamata Olive, La Quercia, Lake Erie, Locavore, Marengo, McWethy Farm, Michigan, Midwestern, Mies van der Rohe, Mint, Nichols Farm & Orchard, Norwalk, Nueskes, Palmyra, Perch, Rushing Waters Fisheries, Sheep's Milk Cheese, Squash, Terzo Piano, Three Oaks, Tony Mantuano, Wisconsin, Wittenberg

July 27, 2009 By cheryl

Cornbread (And One Comatose Baker)


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Baking a bread every week can teach you many things.

Don’t overbook yourself. Take things slow.

This week, making cornbread for the Bread Baker’s Apprentice challenge reminded me of yet another thing that’s applicable to life in general: Get enough sleep.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Bacon, Baking, Bread Tagged With: Bacon, Bread Baker's Apprentice, Ciabatta, Cornbread, Cornmeal, Flour, Iowa, Peter Reinhart, Thanksgiving

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