Curry for breakfast?
We’ve always had a fondness for Thai food. When living in California, Erika whipped up Thai delicacies religiously. Since moving to Chicago, though, rare is there a meal in her kitchen that is inspired by Thailand.
Author: erikadudley
Spring in Chicago
The first two weeks at our local farmer’s market have been a parade of the fattest asparagus. The bigger, the better for us when it comes to this vegetable, in sharp contrast to how we like most of our food. This composed salad celebrates spring. …
Planting ideas at Hampton Court Palace
Some years back, half of ODB spent several weeks exploring England. After a couple of weeks in London, our first stop was Hampton Court Palace.
While built by Cardinal Wolsey, it’s most known for being a favorite of Henry VIII. After a significant disgrace, Wolsey “gave” the palace to England’s most famous king.
The king enlarged the palace to accommodate the royal company and it is now the recipient of countless visitors to see its interiors and incredible grounds.
Architectural Promise
When I first moved to Chicago, I worked to create pathways for folks who found it extremely difficult to find work in our city. It boggles the mind to see how the deck was stacked against the most marginalized of us. My office sat within …
Liberation, a paradox
On the eve of our country’s Independence Day, I, like many other Americans, find myself reflecting on what we mean by the words independence, liberty, and freedom. Just two weeks ago, we were celebrating Juneteenth. Almost a century separates these two commemorative moments (and all …
Unfolding
In 2014, I invited folks to join me for an analog-digital sensation, an Instameet. Remember those? Instead of just taking photos by yourself and sharing them in those little IG squares, you’d invite anyone who’d like to meet in person, say hello in real life, and click away in the same place creating collaboratively.
Living in such a beautiful city, I chose the Chicago Cultural Center as our meeting spot for its grand spaces, excellent views inside and out, concerts, exhibitions, Chicago history, its central location, accessible public transportation, and its exquisite Tiffany Dome.
I brought Firecakes Donuts and Intelligentsia Coffee. We are in Chicago after all.
150 people said they would join my mom and me. One person showed up.
This stranger chatted, laughed, and shared her stories. We found out that we had a mutual love of hot sauce, bikes!, coffee, travel, EATING food, and our transplanted city. She described herself as an eater with less experience in the kitchen. What she still has is boundless curiosity, persistence, creativity, a commitment to equity, and the kindest heart.
Later in our friendship and then publicly, she talked about losing her corporate job and wondering what was next.
Over the years, she often asked me for advice as she explored becoming a food professional. I said then as I say now: there are so many paths open to us. Margaret Pak started learning how to cook professionally in 2015/2016.
With her husband, Vinod Kalathil, she now co-owns a Keralan restaurant called Thattu. It was a 2020 James Beard Foundation Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in the country, 2020 Food & Wine Best New Restaurant, NYT’s Restaurant List 2023 of the 50 places in the UNITED STATES, and a 2024 The New York Times “Best Restaurants in Chicago” amongst many other accolades.
More recently, we were able to see her in action at the James Beard Chef & Restaurant Awards in 2022 where she and her team plated countless tastes of one her signature dishes.
Again, just two weeks ago, she was serving delicious seafood cakes at the 2024 JBF Media Awards. In-between, of course, there have been coffees, visits, and innumerable laughs.
Chef Pak is many things: restauranteur, small business owner, innovator, pay advocate, and storyteller. I’m pleased to say that she’s also a fantastic friend.
Here’s to pursuing our wildest dreams!
Black Garden Letter No. 3
I recently spent an afternoon with a herd of bison, up close and personal, as they grazed on the grassy plain and huddled together with their small calves. It was mind-boggling to think that they were living not far from Chicago, and some compassionate people …
Just Beauty
Today we lovingly poured our ruby-colored red drink into champagne flutes that had been purchased with my mom nearly two decades ago. We toasted our ancestors and to love as we reveled in the spiciness of sorrel. It is celebratory. We nibble on boiled peanuts …
We’ll always have Paris
We’ll always have Paris. Half of Onion Dip for Breakfast used to call the City of Lights home when she was a young, wide-eyed student soaking up every drop. This city has so much to offer from its aromatic markets, art in and out of buildings, ordered gardens, culinary gems to the best people-watching. Our roving reporter is there now and sending us images that have our mouths watering. Such a good eye, non? What are your favorite things to eat, drink, see, hear or do there?
