An heirloom apple in Big Jones’ kitchen isn’t news in and of itself – we use almost exclusively antique apples. The one exception to this is the exquisite Williams Pride Apple, a 1987 Midwestern apple that I love for its snow white flesh streaked crimson and crisp, sweet/acid balance. Our typical stock apples are the […]
Seasons change, and so does the brunch menu!
By now you know I say this all the time, but this is my favorite time of year to cook. When fall sweeps in however, I mean it. I love the flavor of orange, and by that I mean carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, and the like. I love game associated with fall – rabbit, […]
Anatomy of a dish: Louisiana Crawfish, Garden Thyme Gnocchi, Lemon, Spring Onions
Monday morning, I was on the phone with one of the crawfish merchants in Louisiana I’ve used from time to time for Big Jones. This time, the occasion was a going-away party for one of our staff, Christa (regular brunchers know Christa) who grew up in Lafayette, LA and enjoys the distinction of being Acadian, […]
Anatomy of a dish: Char Grilled House Andouille, Hominy, Farm Eggs, Onions
When I was a boy, hominy was one of those foods I thought was flat out bizarre, something that old folks ate. I associated it with my grandparents, older aunts and uncles, people that were not like me. Not to mention that it was supposedly corn, but had a funny gelatinous texture and sweet/earthy flavor […]
Forging a More Sustainable Path
This week marked the first summit of the Chef’s Collaborative in nine years, and what a great couple of days! Chefs, producers, suppliers, and journalists were in attendance from all over the country as we had workshops, round tables, and lectures on the subject of sustainability. The Shedd Aquarium held a reception Monday evening featuring […]