Chi-town vs. The District

So I am very grateful to be back in the Midwest although my tune might change when winter hits. Which will probably be in a couple of weeks...But there are some things I miss about our nation's capitol.

Here's what D.C. currently has in its favor:

-Driving. Traffic circles are fun, as is yelling at inept Marylanders/Virginians confused in "the big city." Chicago drivers are going to kill me.

-Walkability. I walked everywhere in DC.

-Escalators. Stand on right, walk on left. Stand. On. Right. Damnit.

-WaPo. Chicago's newspapers are dead. And I'm actually nonplussed by Sunday's NYTimes. Do I really care about a day in Kim Kardashin's life? No. And that's what E and US Weekly is for. Although this pretty much made my initial subscription worth it.

Here's what makes Chicago so much better:

-The "L". Besides the lack of escalator conduct, I love not having to travel 500 hundred miles underground to ride the train. Daylight is a good thing. And the doors will not close on you so your "friend" can't ditch you by running quickly into the train and allowing the doors to slam in your face.

-Tall buildings. I actually prefer a nice skyline to monuments. Historical, shmistorical.

-Neighborhoods. Three words: summer block parties.

-The Bean. (Sidenote: I've talked sh*t about the Bean in the past. I'm sorry, Bean. It was undeserved. It was a small misunderstanding and, turns out, you are not the tourist trap I thought you were.) And the new modern wing at the Art Institute. If only everything was free...

And I can't get Ryan Adams' Dear Chicago out of my head.

Boozy brownies! (My first Chicago recipe)

So this was the first thing I baked in Chicago and one of the last pre-culinary school recipes. I basically made brownies and added whiskey. It was amazing. I don't have a camera yet but the above collage gives you an idea. (Collage is a funny looking word.)

Boozy Brownies

(adapted from Mark Bittman)

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, soft

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 C flour

pinch salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 C whiskey

(*technically the recipe called for 1/4 C but I got a little over zealous)

Oven to 350; grease a pan

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave. Add sugar. Stir. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, salt, vanilla.

Pour into pan and bake 25-35 minutes (depending on how much booze you added) but they should only barely set in the middle. Burnt brownies = groseness. Cool if you can avoid eating delicious smelling and scaldingly hot brownies. Consume within one day!

Welcome

This is basically a way for me to burn off the sugar highs that I will experience for the next six months while in pastry school. And a way for me to stay in touch with people without actually interacting with them. And a way to avoid becoming a troll by refusing to use technology.

Bring on the scathing commentary.