Culinary Day

Today's adventure started at Merchandise Mart. I attended a much anticipated knife skills class at the Chopping Block (http://www.thechoppingblock.net/). I've started to cook more lately, but realize that I am sorely lacking some basic skills. I also hate to do prep work and I thought that if I was more comfortable with my slicing and dicing skills I'd be more willing to get in the kitchen and cook. I was also looking forward to purchasing a big girl knife. The class did not disappoint. I learned all the basics from how to select and care for a knife to how to julian a carrot. Most importantly, I learned how to cut an onion - finally! The instructor used to work for Food Network and Bobby Flay so that earned her some cool points. What I really love about the class is that you get the opportunity to try out many different varieties of chef's knifes and see which one works best for you. I learned that I really like the Japanese Global knives because they are light weight and slice like a dream. After the class I purchased a Global knife for $80. This is a bit of an investment, but a good knife will list you forever if you care for it properly. I got the kind with the little scallops on the edges because these make it harder for veggies to stick to the blade when you cut. I also picked up a dough cutter/veg scraper to make for easier gathering.



After the cooking class I headed to Xoco (http://www.rickbayless.com/). Xoco is Rick Bayless's third restaurant and is focused on street food. It's meant to be a place to grab a quick lunch. The menu consists mostly of tortas, but damn are they amazing. I had the special of the day which had pork belly and bacon on it. All the ingredients are of the highest quality and so fresh that I wanted to moan while eating my sandwich. I thought I'd have to wait, but it looks like the hype is gone and I was seated immediately. It's counter service, but they have a really good seating set up so customers aren't left standing waiting for a seat. I highly recommend this and will most certainly be returning.



Okay, third stop on my adventure was seeing Alice in Wonderland in 3-D. I really enjoy going to an afternoon movie by myself - something I rarely do. The movie was a visual feast, but I would have expected nothing less. So, on to my final stop - Drinks Over Dearborn (http://www.drinksoverdearborn.com/). This is a liquor shop that I've wanted to check out for a while. They have the perfect selection of liquor, beer and wine. I was really impressed by their selection of bitters and wines under $10. I picked up a few craft beers and a bottle of Hum which I plan to partake in tonight. I'm definitely going to make this my new stop for stocking up on supplies. All in all, a damn good day filled with a lot of firsts. Stay tuned for my next adventure -it promises to be a wet one...