James P. Dewan

Ramen Takeya devotes an entire section of its menu to "otsumami" or drinking foods — nestled among them the Japanese street snack takoyaki. The ball-shaped snacks are made with a batter that crisps up into a golden shell while remaining creamy and soft inside. Hidden away are Chiclet-size pieces of octopus, tiny surprises in the center of each ball. Six balls are served in a red and white paper boats and drizzled with sweet and salty Japanese barbecue sauce, creamy mayo, aonori (dried seaweed) and fishy-but-in-a-good-way bonito flakes (cured fish shavings). Between the crispy-meets-creamy texture and the sweet-meets-salty flavors, it's easy to see how a refreshing beer (or soda, for non-drinkers) would pair nicely. $6. 819 W. Fulton Market, 312-666-7710, <a href="http://www.ramentakeya.com/">ramentakeya.com</a> — Grace Wong

Does your sandwich pass the eatability test?

May 31, 2019 at 9:02 p.m.

It's a better-than-even bet that if you're perusing this column, you know how to fill two slices of bread with something delicious. After all, membership in the Club for People-Who-Know-How-to-Read-But-Can't-Make-a-Sandwich...

Form the croquettes by hand into round or oblong shapes.

How to make croquettes, including one that tastes like fried chicken salad

May 31, 2019 at 9:03 p.m.

See, this is why I’m glad I’m not learning English as a second language. If I were a native Bhutanese Dzongha speaker, for example, I’d be hard-pressed to differentiate between...

Mapo tofu with ground pork, Sichuan peppercorns, and black bean chile sauce.

What you need to know before you wok

May 31, 2019 at 9:02 p.m.

Call me a stupid American (you wouldn’t be the first), but, whenever I’m cooking Asian dishes, that great Muppet stand-up comedian, Fozzie Bear, is never far from my mind. As...

Making your own food, cooking for yourself and others, can make you healthier, engage the mind and bring you joy.

How cooking for yourself can make you healthier, happier

May 31, 2019 at 9:05 p.m.

As my great-aunt June used to tell me, “Your grandfather was a bum. Your father was a bum, and you’re a bum. Get outta my house!” Reading between the lines,...

Measuring (or scaling) mistakes are probably the easiest kind to make and can result in vastly different outcomes. Best bet: Weigh your ingredients.

How to avoid baking mistakes and win the holidays

May 31, 2019 at 9:03 p.m.

What in the wide tarnation is better on a winter’s day than the smell of something sweet baking in your oven? OK, world peace, I suppose. Oh, and justice. Justice...

When your mushrooms are nicely seasoned and brown on the bottom, toss or stir them in the pan.

How to saute mushrooms to crispy, browned perfection

May 31, 2019 at 9:04 p.m.

Remember when Alice ate that mushroom in Wonderland? “What can all that green stuff be?' said Alice. “And where have my shoulders got to? And oh, my poor hands, how...

How to roast chicken under a brick — a Tuscan specialty

May 31, 2019 at 9:03 p.m.

The aspiring looters among you no doubt keep some extra bricks lying around the house, just in case. Well, blow the dust off those dusky red window smashers, for today...

Farmer Vicki Westerhoff of Genesis Growers grows many of the organic vegetables served at Cellar Door Provisions in Logan Square. For instance, the ruby red beets transformed with smoke and what must be magic by chef Ethan Pikas. Escabeche is usually a sweet-and-sour fish or meat dish, historically an Arab-influenced Spanish creation, now gone global. Pikas uses cumin, hazelnuts, garlic and fig leaf syrup to finish his gloriously smoky dish. Order a side of the bread perfected by baker and co-owner Tony Bezsylko to soak up every last jewel-colored drop of beet juice. $11. 3025 W. Diversey Ave., 773-697-8337, <a href="http://www.cellardoorprovisions.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">www.cellardoorprovisions.com</span></a>. — Louisa Chu

How to whip up a cheese souffle that won’t fall (well, it will, but that’s science)

March 12, 2024 at 12:15 p.m.

Gird your loins, Preeps, because today we're tackling one of the most seemingly intimidating of all culinary endeavors, the souffle. For many of you, given the choice between making a...

Doctor your mayonnaise with kimchi, from left, mango chutney or chipotle pepper. (Food styling by Lisa Schumacher.)

Make your mayo better — stir in all kinds of sauces, salsas, chutneys

June 1, 2019 at 12:01 p.m.

Those crafty French. Them and their crazy mother sauces. Bechamel, veloute and so on. Remember them? They're the sauces you'd never serve because they are considered bland and incomplete on...

Start thinner cuts like pork tenderloins over indirect heat, then finish for a few minutes directly over the hot coals or gas flames, where you can create grill marks while you're at it.

How to avoid meat that’s blackened outside, raw inside, and other grilling tips

June 3, 2018 at 10:58 a.m.

Because both of my parents have now gone on to their reward, I can let you in on some family barbecue history without fear of a Christmas stocking filled with...

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