Crickets, Cats, Art and Authors...Chicago Part Deux

Okay, just to keep some semblance of a food blog--here is another loaf of challah and some dipping sauce I made before we left. As requested, the recipe follows below.




Challah Bread

* 2 c White bread flour
* 1 c Wheat bread flour
* 2 tb Sugar (I used brown)
* 1 1/2 ts Salt
* 1/4 c Butter
* 2 Eggs
* 1 Egg yolk
* 3/4 c Water
* 2 1/4 ts Yeast
* Sesame seeds to put on braided loaf

(make sure you save that egg white to brush the loaf with!)
This is enough to make one large loaf or two small loaves. I set my bread machine to dough cycle, braided and baked at 375 for about 25 minutes. Eat right away!!

Now that we have that out of the way--here is some more Chicago for you! As I said, I stayed in Chinatown--I tried a different restaurant every night, and I'll be honest--I made some poor dish choices. I did really, really love one version of seaweed egg drop soup from the place next door. Clear broth--very good--not your traditional fluorescent yellow variety ;) Did not take pics of the food because it was not very photogenic.

my key.

Went to Second Friday in neighboring Pilsen. My friend, Kate, and her man, Robert, had their studio open to the public along with a variety of artists and crafters. Here are the cats, quarantined to the loft, along with some of Kate's paintings.


a bowl of delicious grasshoppers.


Robert, after trying the delicious grasshoppers.


Some of Robert's stained glass work, gently blurred.


Kate's painting--this photo doesn't do justice to the color or sheer size of this piece--it's huge.


Speakers at the American Library Association Conference--there were so many excellent authors!! Here's just a glimpse, because I don't think you want to look at 30 pics of authors ;)

James Ellroy

Chicago Gay Men's Chorus

Melba Pattillo Beals (one of the Arkansas nine--incredible speaker!!)

And I had to sneak a seat on the side to see Sherman Alexie speak.

ALA 2009 was absolutely excellent--thank you so much to my employers for sending me!