’Tis the Season for Holiday Dishes and Drinks
The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes a flurry of sweet flavors like gingerbread, peppermint, and eggnog. These staple comforts are amping up food and drink menus all over Chicago, whetting our appetites for merriment.
During this festive season, candy and sweets take over as the crux of most people’s collective food pyramids. We’ve got you covered for some candy sources around town. Amy’s Candy Bar, a wonderland of confections in Ravenswood is one option. This store screams “stocking stuffer” so loud you’ll need earmuffs to dim the merry noise. Some especially apropos fixtures to pick up at Amy’s this season include peppermint bark, peppermint marshmallows, and chocolate-dipped marshmallows. Don’t forget to stock up on candy bars and gummies while you’re here.
The Spiaggia and Cafe Spiaggia are both getting into the holiday spirit with some new sweets. Gingerbread macarons can now be found on every dolicini board throughout the holidays at Spiaggia, while both restaurants are serving up peppermint gelato strewn with crunchy peppermint chunks. Then there’s sister restaurant Terzo Piano, while is scooping peppermint ice cream this season, paired with chocolate fudge and chocolate crumble, along with peppermint truffles.
Gingerbread tastes best with a bit of blood, sweat, and tears mixed into the batter. Which is why the build-your-own gingerbread man dessert at South Water Kitchen is not only delicious, but gratifying. It’s not as grueling as it could be, available on the kids’ menu for the month of December, presented with housemade gingerbread men, candies, and icing.
Rather than lick candy canes the old fashioned way, you should slurp them through a straw via a hefty milkshake. Candy cane shakes are the milkshake of the month of DMK Burger Bar and DMK Burger & Fish for the month of December, made with vanilla ice cream, peppermint extract, crushed candy cane, malt powder, mint syrup, and a candy cane garnish.
Or if you’d prefer your peppermint in hot form, head to Cup & Spoon for their “Peppermint Cow” hot chocolate mixed with Jo Sno syrup. Also on deck here is a gingersnap latte, which tastes worlds better than brittle gingerbread houses.
Gingerbread goes beyond houses and men at Baker & Nosh, where heady gingerbread cookies are adjoined by moist, rich gingerbread coffee cake, available throughout the month.
In Northbrook, House 406 raises the bar on eggnog by taking it from indulgent drink to even more indulgent dessert. The eggnog creme brûlée comes crowned with an applewood-smoked sugar crust.
The doughnut lineup for December at Glazed & Infused is pretty jolly these days. There’s a Peppermint Oreo Royale, an Oreo cake doughnut with dark chocolate ganache and Oreo crumbs, drizzled with red and white peppermint chocolate ganache; a Spiced Eggnog Bismark filled with Oberweis eggnog custard and topped with cinnamon-nutmeg glaze; and Hot Chocolate Snowballs, yeast bismarks with hot chocolate filling and coated with powdered sugar.
Then there’s the made-to-order eggnog at Nico Osteria. The handiwork of Matty Eggleston, the drink contains Romagna Vecchia Brandy, Blackwell Rum, Tempus Fugit Creme de Cacao, nutmeg syrup, fresh milk, and an egg.
Happy Tasting!
Amy’s Candy Bar
4704 N. Damen Avenue, Chicago
(773) 942-6386
Website
Spiaggia
980 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago
(312) 280-2750
Website
Cafe Spiaggia
980 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago
(312) 280-2750
Website
Terzo Piano
159 E. Monroe Street, Chicago
(312) 443-8650
Website
South Water Kitchen
225 N. Wabash Avenue, Chicago
(312) 236-9300
Website
DMK Burger Bar
2954 N. Sheffield Avenue, Chicago
(773) 360-8686
Website
DMK Burger & Fish
815 Noyes Street, Evanston
(847) 424-8226
Website
Cup & Spoon
2415 W. North Avenue, Chicago
(773) 697-4421
Website
Baker & Nosh
1303 W. Wilson Avenue, Chicago
(773) 989-7393
Website
House 406
1143 1/2 Church Street, Northbrook
(847) 714-0200
Website
Glazed & Infused
813 W. Fulton Market, Chicago
(312) 226-5556
Website
Nico Osteria
1015 N. Rush Street, Chicago
(312) 994-7100
Website
