This week we're sharing some big news about an Alinea pop-up at Ruby Tap and a new West Allis location for the pizza shop Flower Girl & Flame. But first we kick things off with a hearty conversation about what we've been cooking lately.
As you know, winter is around the corner, and I've been trying to transform my place into a cozy chef's corner. I've been watching a lot of cooking videos online and ordering some helpful kitchen gadgets, including a kitchen scale, and I used it to make bagels the other day.
I boiled them. I made two flavors, a sesame garlic topping and a furikake topping, which is a perfect topping for bagels. I made eight of them, and they turned out so good that I ate five of them back to back; I didn't even need cream cheese. They were chewy and excellent. And the other day I made Singaporean chicken rice dish, which gives me occasion to explain to Ann what a difference having a good rice cooker can make (yes, it's better than just cooking rice on your stove.)
Ann explains the kind of cooking she's been doing lately: lots of sautes and roasted vegetables and fish. "Nothing fancy at all," she says, but it's the kind of comfort food that always hits the spot this time of the year.
"Baking is something that I find really therapeutic, too," Ann explains. She's been making a lot of cookies, sweet breads and pizza dough and pizza crust.
Ruby Tap hosts an Alinea pop-up
The wine bar The Ruby Tap, 1341 N. Wauwatosa Ave., is planning a pop-up featuring food from the chefs behind Alinea, one of Chicago's most acclaimed restaurants, as well as its sister restaurants Next and St. Clair Supper Club. They'll provide the food, and Ruby Tap will offer wine pairings.
The pop-up will occur on Dec. 11, Dec. 18 and Dec. 19, with Alinea offering five meal options (along with add-ons) for pick-up. The wine bar, meanwhile, will offer four-pack growlers. There are roasted chicken and seared scallop options that both sound great. You can order here.
Flour Girl & Flame finds a permanent home
The food trailer Flour Girl & Flame, which created a buzz this summer with its wood-fired pizzas at locations like Alice's Garden, is moving into a West Allis location.
The pizzeria will be at 8121 W. National Ave., and could be open by spring. The menu will look beyond pizzas; it'll also include breads other dishes that can be cooked on a wood-fired oven. It'll be a small place, with about 15-20 seats, and a chef's table that could be mighty inviting once people are able to safely congregate in restaurants again.
In the meantime, Flour Girl is doing a pop-up at Zocalo Food Park on Dec. 12 and 13. They'll be selling holiday horchata French toast kits.
Hear us talk about all that and more on this week's episode below.
