A Culinary Tour of Chicago!
I‘m so exited to share this little recap with y’all. I have partnered with Cracker Barrel Cheese to bring you a series of culinary + entertaining ideas all around.. you got it.. cheese! Specifically, Cracker Barrel’s delicious cheese (the Vermont White Cheddar? oh my gosh, my new fave + the Jalapeno has my hubs on a serious cheese kick). I’ll be sharing recipes, cheese pairing tips, cheese plating ideas, and more. The partnership kicked off with a wonderful trip to chilly Chicago where we truly “ate our way” through the city. P.S. Here’s a little coupon for you! Hurry hurry!
Learning + Tasting
We visited the Kraft Innovation Kitchens and the lovely team taught us the basics of cheese making, cheese judging, and we got to taste all the delicious varieties. Their chef put together a cheese plate (bottom left below) for us to try our hand at pairings. My fave? The white chocolate + cheese.
Chicago Culinary Treasures
We visited some of the most amazing restaurants in Chicago! First up was the restaurant of Top Chef Season 4’s winner – Stephanie Izard – The Girl and the Goat. Â I highly recommend it if you’re in the city. It was absolutely delicious.
We also visited (and loved) Vosges Haut-Chocolate, Ing., Haute & the Dog, Webster’s Wine Bar….I told you, a culinary tour!
Pairings & Styling
The final day was a delightful brunch and food styling session by Laura Bednarski. I truly loved this portion as food styling is something I dabble in on a daily basis here for you on the site! We also played with various pairings created by the chefs. Get ready, because I was tucking away lots of tasty little ideas to share with you in the coming months.
Brunch was held at The Boarding House (the ceiling was full of wine bottles on the bar floor and beer bottles on the dining floor). It was incredible.
We had a truly amazing time. I learned so much and will soon be getting in the kitchen to create some tasty dishes for you!
Are you a cheese lover too? What’s your favorite kind?! Â Any tips or ideas you’d like to know about cheese pairings, tastings, etc?Â
Photography:Â Todd Rosenberg/Cracker Barrel (except for Girl + Goat set) | Disclaimer: The trip was provided by Kraft Cracker Barrel but all opinions are my own. I love cheese.Â
Looks like such a blast. I’m a huge cheese fan! You do have an awesome job but you are also an awesome humble person. ;)
Hi Melissa! You’re so sweet. THANK YOU!
I too love cheese! And am planning on having my birthday dinner at Boarding House!
Oh my GOSH! I would LOVE to be in Chicago and be able to have my birthday dinner at Boarding House – that gallery wall? Amazing!