From its bold brews to its delicious baked goods and the definite "down-homeyness" of its proprietors and staff, there is nothing common about The Common Cup. more ›

The illustrious French macaron: those little cookie sandwiches that aren’t quite cookie and aren’t quite sandwich. Macarons have a finer-than-eggshell thin crust, a chewy inside and are typically consumed in precisely one and a half delicious bites. The Parisian pâtisseries have secrets that we will never know (it probably has something to do with their above-quality ingredients), which gives their macarons that much more of an Mmmmm! factor. But Paris is far, and expensive, so we had our hand at making our own. more ›

There are a lot of sweets consumed around Valentine's Day, including pastries. The shared kitchen space Logan Square Kitchen (2333 N. Milwaukee Ave.) is hosting a pastry market from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. tomorrow. Pastries, confections, preserves and other treats from Floriole, Nice Cream Co., Katherine Anne Confections, FIG Catering, B-True Bakery and other participants will be available for purchase. If you're the kind of person who waits until the last moment to get your beloved some doghouse roses, consider this alternative instead. more ›

A few weeks back in the Friday Buffet, Laura posted a notice about a special that SushiSamba Rio was running for brunch. We’d been there a couple of years ago, but that was for a sushi and booze-laden lunch. A touch skeptical about their brunching abilities, we braved the blizzard and ventured north this past Sunday. more ›