Laura Levy Shatkin

Kusanya Cafe is the kind of place where you can get a cup of coffee, check out the community board, print a school paper or simply jump on the internet. You'll see people huddled together over papers strewn across the wood tables or someone walking in simply to say hello to the small staff. Because the nonprofit cafe roasts its own coffee on-site in small batches, don't hesitate to order that lavender iced latte ($3.49) or a plain cup of coffee. The breakfast and lunch menu is lush with references to famous musicians, like the Lupe Tabasco breakfast sandwich ($2.29). It features a thin egg patty, with melted cheese and Sriracha on ciabatta, and you can add sausage, spinach and tomato for an extra charge. The cozy and brightly lit environment is exactly where you want to catch up on some work or meet up with friends. 825 W. 69th St., 773-675-4758, <a href="http://www.kusanyacafe.org/">kusanyacafe.org</a> — Grace Wong

What’s in your bread (or vodka)? Chicago’s appetite for interesting grains is growing

July 2, 2019 at 8:59 p.m.

If you've had a sandwich at Publican Quality Meats, you've supported the local grain economy. Drank a cocktail with CH vodka? Bought a loaf of Turkey Red at Hewn Bakery...

Jesus Gomez holds his machete at Oasis Date Gardens, where he's been harvesting dates for decades.

Shake up a trip to the California desert at date palm farm

August 23, 2019 at 7:58 p.m.

Jesus Gomez has been harvesting dates for nearly half a century at Oasis Date Gardens, an organic ranch in this desert town roughly 30 miles southeast of Palm Springs. "I...

Inside a cacao pod sliced open with a machete.

A cacao tour of southern Belize — from bean to bar

August 23, 2019 at 7:41 p.m.

Eladio Pop greets me for a tour of his 30-acre acre farm with a football-size cacao pod strapped to his back and a braided reed across his forehead. "Welcome to...

Tinto de verano is made with just two ingredients, red wine and citrus soda --three if you count the garnish. Have it with simple tapas.

Spanish wine and soda drink is your end-of-summer quaffer

June 10, 2018 at 7:55 p.m.

While red wine is the main beverage in Spanish culture, and oceans of sangria certainly are enjoyed there and around the world, Spaniards are just as apt to whip up...

Sherry adds life to cocktail recipes, like this Sancho Panza, which mixes manzanilla sherry with mezcal, lime juice and ginger and sage syrups.

Sherry moves out of grandma’s cupboard and into your cocktail

June 10, 2018 at 5:18 p.m.

Expressive and seductive, sherry is in the midst of a revival. Once known as the beverage of choice by your grandmother, the Spanish fortified wine has piqued the interest of...

Grains used in making spirits impart their specific flavors, from barley (nutty) to rye (spicy) and beyond.

With the grain: What rye, barley, wheat, corn bring to spirits

June 11, 2018 at 9:42 a.m.

Grain alcohol, the stuff of ill-advised college parties, takes on a different meaning when you consider that grains are the foundations of most distilled spirits. Steeping grains — from corn...

Demerara sugar, minimally processed to keep some of sugar cane's natural flavors, is a winner in cocktails, whether used as is, front, or made into a syrup, right.

What’s that Demerara in my cocktail?

June 9, 2018 at 5:27 a.m.

Balance is the key to a delicious cocktail. When a drink is too boozy, it's tough to swallow. When it's too sweet, it can be equally hard to swallow, in...

Mary Ervin, co-owner of Ethereal Chocolates in Woodstock, removes cacao beans from a roasting oven.

Best Valentine’s Day chocolate: Bean-to-bar artisan brands

June 11, 2018 at 11:30 a.m.

In the heart of historic downtown Woodstock sits the quaint Victorian storefront coffee shop turned chocolate factory Ethereal Confections. A glance at the hand-carved sign and a seductive whiff of...

Roger Groult Pays d'Auge ages for three years and tastes of ripe pears, golden honey, pine nuts and hot apple pie.

Getting to know Calvados, the essence of fall

June 16, 2018 at 6:45 p.m.

Calvados is Normandy's glorious eau-de-vie, a beverage category that includes any fermented juice that's been distilled. While most are grape-based, this gem is distilled from the essence of fall: apple...

Diane Corcoran of Intro Chicago created the cocktail Summer in the City to take advantage of abundant basil and watermelon.

Fresh herbs, fresh cocktails: Play with your garden’s bounty

June 16, 2018 at 9:04 p.m.

Gardens are brimming over with a bounty of fresh herbs at this lush point in the summer. Make good use of them for your next cocktail party or cookout while...

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