If I had to pick a large U.S. city and live downtown, Chicago would be near the top of my list. I have a soft spot for the Windy City and love visiting whenever the opportunity arises. Through work and through play I have managed to see Chicago at least once a year since moving to the Midwest. Mr. B lived in the city for several years after college and has a great sense of the streets, making it easy to navigate our way through the neighborhoods and shops. A recent business trip brought Mr. B to town and I tagged along on a quest for baby items. While my head is still spinning from the plethora of infant paraphernalia sold in baby stores, we managed to enjoy a few fantastic meals in the midst of the craziness.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, people can be particular about their pie. For some, foregoing pumpkin pie would be as unthinkable as swapping a ham for the turkey. Others cannot imagine finishing the feast with anything but a thin sliver of pecan pie. A whole different group believes that nothing celebrates an American holiday better than old fashioned apple pie. For me, I’m a lover not a fighter- all types of pie are welcome!

Are you ready to talk about Thanksgiving? Now that November has arrived it seems that everywhere I look there are images, recipes, and ideas for the upcoming holiday. Usually I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon, but Thanksgiving just happens to be my #1 favorite day of the year. Why, you ask? Because it is all about the food, of course! No gifts to give, no fireworks to dodge, and no romantic moods to create- simply a giant feast where everyone can eat, drink, and be merry. This year, for the first time, I managed to get ahead of the game and pull together an entire menu of Thanksgiving classics for you to enjoy.

Every year Halloween marks a change in the weather. The warm Indian summer days of fall give way to cold northern winds and the feeling that winter is fast approaching. A few stalwart leaves desperately cling to bare branches reluctant to join the colorful carpet of fallen leaves below. Rain flirts with snow- dancing back and forth between wet and white. I have the sudden urge to make mulled apple cider and sit by the fire. November is here.

Have you ever been to a raclette party? A fun cheese-centered meal (similar to fondue), raclette is the perfect way to spend a leisurely winter evening with friends and family. Originating over 700 years ago* in the Swiss Alps, raclette is the name of both the meal and the cheese. Traditionally the cheese is a semi-hard Swiss cow’s cheese called “raclette” (named for the French verb, to scrape) however if you have trouble finding true raclette cheese Emmentaler or Jarlsberg cheeses can be used instead. Originally, sheepherders in the Swiss Alps would sit alongside a campfire with a hunk of raclette cheese and small potatoes wrapped and nestled among the coals. Once the cheese was warm they would scrape the cheese onto the potatoes and enjoy a warm lunch in the field.