Quest for the Best Cuban Sandwich: Pekara Bakery

My grueling search for the best Cuban sandwich in Champaign-Urbana continues. In the past, I've tried (and written about) the Cubans at

• Aroma Cafe,
• the Black Dog,
• Escobar's, and
• Radio Maria.

This time around, I'll tell you about the one I ate recently at Pekara.

The bread was definitely the best thing about the Pekara Cuban sandwich—it was really wonderful. Nothing like the traditional bread used for a Cuban, but wonderful nevertheless. The Provolone cheese was nice and melty, but why do they use Provolone instead of Swiss? The ham was tasty, and it didn't overpower the other fillings. The pork, though, was hard to distinguish from the ham. It was called "Cuban pork" in the menu description, but I couldn't discern any flavors that would warrant the name. The sandwich was lacking in the pickle department, too. There were some pieces of chopped dill pickle on top of the meats, and that didn't get the job done. I want nice, thick slices of pickle on my Cuban. Condiment-wise, there were both mustard and mayo. Purists might recoil at the mention of mayo, but I love the stuff so I didn't mind it at all. As long as I can see and taste yellow mustard, I'm happy.

At $7.76, coming to a total of $8-something with tax, the price of the Pekara Cuban is steep. There's not a lot of meat on it, and they make their own bread, so I don't see why the price should be so high (the sandwich is served with a small bag of chips and a pickle spear).

Compared to, say, the Black Dog Cuban, which is piled with luscious, house-smoked meats, boasts long, thick slices of pickle, comes with your choice of homemade side, and costs $6.95? Well—the Black Dog wins that round, even though their specimen has very little to do with a traditional Cuban sandwich. I don't love their addition of grilled onions or the chipotle mayo they dress the sandwich with instead of French's mustard. But hey, those are their special twists, and I can add my own mustard, as it's right there on the bar. Traditional or not, it's a fabulous sandwich.

Next, let's put up the Aroma Cafe Cuban as a challenger ($6.95, served with your choice of small salad, fresh fruit cup, or chips and salsa). Of the two Cubans, I'd say Pekara's edges out the Aroma version, even with its high price tag. The Aroma Cuban, while very authentic in ingredients (ham, pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, yellow mustard) and preparation, can be tough to eat owing to bread that's so crunchy it's hard to bite into. The hardness comes, I think, from an overlong stay in the sandwich press.

The Escobar's version of the sandwich is splendid, but at $9 (which gets you a small salad of baby greens and also homemade sweet potato fries with homemade catsup), and in that environment, this is your fancy-dress, not your everyday, Cuban sandwich.

And if we're talking about the Radio Maria Cuban ($7, with choice of homemade side), it's sort of the same situation as Escobar's: High-end restaurant, full table service, not your bare-bones, workhorse sandwich. It's fancy! However, look at the great price on the RM sandwich, which is huge and which comes with your choice of interesting, homemade side dishes.

The Aroma Cafe version is the most authentic of all these Cuban sandwiches. None of the others is finished off in a sandwich press, and the Cuban isn't meant to be a sandwich on steroids but a workin' man's pick-it-up-and-go staple.

So—the choice is yours. Do you like a Cuban sandwich? If so, which is your favorite around town? (And, if you know of a restaurant that makes a Cuban other than those I've mentioned, please let me know in the comments.)

Samosas with Shuchi

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UPDATE 3-31-11: If you want to attend this class, there are still a few spots open. But you need to let the Asha coordinator know today that you'll be going (e-mail him), so that he can get a list to the folks at the ARC (normally there's a fee to get into the ARC, but there won't be for class-goers; thus, the list).

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Do you love the Indian snack called samosa? Want to learn how to make your own? Lucky for you, an opportunity is coming up on Sunday, April 3. Local cooking instructor Shuchi Agrawal, who writes the blog Chez Shuchi, is doing another cooking class, and this time, she'll teach you how to make the delicious stuffed pastries, as well as chutney and gen-u-wine Indian masala chai. I've made samosas numerous times over the years, and don't worry: It's easy and fun! Samosas are one of my favorite foods to eat.

This time, the class will be held at the beautiful new cooking instructional facility at the U of I's Activities and Recreation Center (ARC), so taking the class would be a great way to check out the center, as well.

And don't forget: All proceeds from the class fee go to support the work of Asha, an organization that helps children in need in India. You can learn more about Asha's work at their Web site. As a volunteer-run organization, 100% of funds raised by their various activities go to children desperately in need of housing and education.

Space is limited, so e-mail the UI chapter of Asha soon if you want a spot. (You absolutely don't have to be a UI student or be affiliated with the university in any way to attend; everyone in the community is welcome, and the support is much appreciated.) Also, note that the start time for the class will be 1:30, not 1:00 as on the flier.

Treat Yourself: Affogato at Cakes on Walnut

OK, so instead of lying on a sunny beach or sampling Cajun and Creole delicacies in NOLA (you know who you are!), some of us are stoically toiling away here in C-U during spring break. I felt we needed something to cheer us up, so I went to local bakery Cakes on Walnut to try concocting a sweet treat that I just recently found out about.

It's called affogato, which in Italian means "drowned." Is it a beverage? A dessert? Who cares? I'm here to tell you, it's one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten or drunk.

Here's how to join in the fun: Order some Jeni's ice cream, preferably in Salty Caramel flavor. Also order an espresso (I got a double, or doppio, as they call it at Cakes, which is probably why I didn't sleep well last night—but it was worth it, I promise you).

Now, normally you would get the ice cream and then pour the espresso over it, "drowning" it. At first, I tried pouring the coffee over the ice cream in the pretty bowl that the friendly and helpful counter person offered when I was trying to figure out how the whole deal would work.

However, at Cakes the doppio will come in an adorable glass that, while smallish, is also tallish. So I soon realized that the best thing is to spoon the ice cream into the glass and make your affogato that way. The ice cream kind of melts into the espresso; you can eat some of it with a spoon and also take sips of the milky coffee.

There are, of course, many flavors of Jeni's ice cream to choose from at Cakes. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the salty caramel is the best partner for the coffee. I'm sorry I didn't get a photo of the list of flavors, but as I recall, there was a chocolate fudge one that might also be great—mocha! Then you'd be getting even more caffeine, though, from the chocolate, so if you go that route, just don't plan on closing your eyes or shutting up for about 12 hours.

And there you have it. If you go to Cakes and make your own affogato, please let me know what flavor of ice cream you tried and how you liked it. But wait till the buzz has worn off, or you might find yourself leaving an embarrassingly long comment.

What does this amazing treat cost, you ask? Well, at $3.95 for the ice cream (actually a good price, as you get two scoops in a serving) and $1.95 for the espresso (or was it $2-something?), you'll spend some money on it. But think of it this way: it's far cheaper than a ticket to Cozumel!

Where else around Champaign or Urbana could we affogato? Anywhere they serve ice cream (or gelato) and espresso. The Art Mart in Urbana comes to mind. Let's do it all over town!

Many thanks to my friend Lek, who alerted me to the existence of affogato and shared a photo of a riff on it involving a doughnut and marshmallow cream. He had that little number at a cafe in Bangkok, which inspired me to try to do affogato here in C-U. Cheers, Lek!

Picadillo and Black Beans

I can still smell the fragrant spices in this dish. It's a kind of hash that, if you make it Cuban style, includes cinnamon, cumin, oregano, and clove. I've read that it's a very popular dish not only in Cuba but in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines as well.

Although traditionally made with ground beef, I used half beef and half pork. There are also onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, and raisins in the mix, and you serve it over rice. I found a great site called 3 Guys from Miami, and I used the Guys' recipe. I followed it as written, except for the substitution of pork for part of the beef called for. The Guys mentioned that this hash is wonderful served with fried plantains and black beans. I made their black beans, which were tasty; next time I must try doing the plantains, too. (You can find plantains at Chang's in Royal Plaza, by the way.)

Here are links to the recipes:

Picadillo Recipe at the 3 Guys from Miami site

Frijoles Negros (black beans) recipe

The picadillo could also be used to fill tacos or empanadas. Which brings to mind the San Telmo Carne empanadas that Manolo's (on campus) serves. The filling in those is similar, although I don't think it has olives and raisins in it. Very delicious.

On her site Simply Recipes, Elise Bauer has a recipe for picadillo (using only pork and including mangoes) that sounds fabulous and that I'd also like to try sometime. Her recipe includes the same spices as the 3 Guys version, with the addition of thyme and coriander, and it calls for a garnish of chopped almonds and chopped cilantro.

Pork Mango Picadillo recipe at the Simply Recipes site.

Make picadillo, beans, and rice, put on some music—maybe an old album by the band that Gloria Estefan used to be in—mix up a mojito, and you can live it up, Cuban style, right here in Champaign.

Irish Stout and Cheddar Fondue

St. Patrick's Day is coming up (Thursday), so I'm reposting this from the archives, in case you'd like to try a fabulous "Irish" fondue recipe.

See the bottom of this post for info on which area restaurants will be serving corned beef and cabbage this week.

Despite the fact that Saint Patrick never drank a green beer or ate corned beef in his life, Keith and I nevertheless upheld the customary American practice of making "Irish foods" in honor of the holiday. We decided to start celebrating early (this past Sunday) by making a Cheddary, stout-laced version of the classic Swiss dish.

But before we could do it, we needed to get our hands on a fondue set. I thought it would be fun to have one that was still kicking around from its heyday in the 1970s, so I called our local source for retro-hip items for the home, Furniture Lounge, but they had just sold the only one they had in the store.

Then I mentioned my quest to a friend, and before I knew it, I was the proud owner of her mother's lovely set from that era, complete with a red-enameled, Teflon-interior pot. The set's official name is the Hamilton Beach CONVERTA-FLAME Electric Fondue. It comes with a "unique" electric unit (a.k.a. a hot plate) that "thermostatically controls" the temperature for perfect fondue every time.

That's right—you put the hot plate on the stand, right under the pot, and make the fondue that way. The reason it's convertible is that it also comes with the standard holder for a can of Sterno, so you can go either way with it. We tried the Sterno method first but found that the hot plate actually worked better.Here's a great quote from the cookbook that came with the set:

Swiss folklore says that the first man to drop the bread from his fork pays for the wine. Ladies forfeit a kiss every time they lose a bread cube (no fair cheating!)

Ah, the 70s.

If you'd like to jump on the fondue bandwagon, the Art Mart in Urbana (Lincoln Square) has a nice selection of sets, and I've seen them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond in Champaign also.

Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue
From CHOW; originally published in the book Fondue, by Lenny Rice and Brigid Callinan

1 pound Irish Cheddar, grated (I used a 7-ounce package of Kerrygold "Blarney Castle" cheese and a 10-ounce package of Kraft Cracker Barrel extra-sharp Cheddar.)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarse-grain mustard (I used Dijon.)
1 1/4 cups Irish stout, such as Guinness or Murphy’s (I used Beamish.)

Toss the cheese with the flour in a bowl and set aside.

In a fondue pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and very soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the salt, mustard, and stout. Increase the heat to medium-high, stirring constantly, until the liquid boils.

Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the cheese mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until melted after each addition. Serve immediately.

Serving suggestions: Irish brown soda bread cubes; cooked garlic or chicken-apple sausages, cut into bite-sized pieces; steamed red or Yukon gold potatoes; boiled spring or pearl onions; steamed Brussels sprouts.The flavor of this cheesy concoction was absolutely fantastic. We ate the fondue with smoked brats (which I simmered in water for about 8 minutes before slicing), Brussels sprouts and broccoli (steamed), and cubes of La Brea brand whole-grain bread (available at Schnucks). And I cut up some radishes for a crunchy accompaniment.

On the the actual holiday, we're going the usual St. Pat's route, so there'll be a corned beef in the Crock-Pot. But we'll most definitely do fondue at home again, now that we're armed and dangerous. Thanks again to Jody and Bev for generously gifting us the fabulous fondue set.When I originally posted this two years ago, someone asked in the comments if I knew which restaurants were serving corned beef and cabbage on St. Pat's Day. As I find out more, I'll add a list to this post this week. That year, Houlihan's in Champaign gave it away free all day (starting at 1 p.m.), and my guess is they probably do the same every year.

UPDATE—Wednesday, March 16, 2011: Don't feel like cooking, but want to play Irish? Here's a list of  some area restaurants featuring St. Pat's Day specials on Thursday.

• The Black Dog Smoke and Ale House in Urbana is serving smoked corned beef, Irish stew, shepherd's pie, and a smoked stout and cheddar meatloaf at lunch- and dinnertime.
• The Courier Cafe in Urbana is offering Guinness-braised corned beef and cabbage with roasted rosemary potatoes and soup or salad. 
• D.G. Sullivan's in Gibson City is cooking up "kettle loads" of corned beef and cabbage and will be serving it on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m. Cú Roí, a Celtic folk band, will play on Saturday evening from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Sounds like a great excuse for a mini-road trip in the next few days.
• Farren's Pub in Champaign is serving corned beef and cabbage and Guinness lamb stew at lunch- and dinnertime.

Champaign Brunch: The Bread Company on Goodwin

Brunch offerings—Crepes, omelets, quiche, sandwiches, fondues, and more
Location—Campus (just south of Krannert Center)
Average prices—Crepes: $7.50, omelets: $8.00, sandwiches: $8.50, fondue (for two): $14.50
Atmosphere best for—Tête à têtes or smallish groups
Child friendly—Possibly
Service—Can be slow
Outdoor seating—Yes, in season there's a great sidewalk-cafe setup
Reservations—Accepted, but probably not needed unless you have a large group going

If you're looking for a new place to brunch, consider this cozy, bohemian bistro and bakery located on the U of I campus. You may remember that I reported on dinner at the BC some four years ago—I can't believe it's been that long ago that I wrote up that post. Much more recently, Keith and I have gone for brunch a couple of times, and we've enjoyed it very much. French, Spanish, and Brazilian musicians serenade you (via the stereo system!); a cozy fire, white tablecloths, and fresh flowers on the tables make you feel as if you've been transported to another country; and the food is top notch.

The BC started doing brunch just a few months ago. Sunday brunch, that is; don't try to go on a Saturday. On a recent visit, we got a table for two right next to the fireplace, which was wonderful as the weather outside was a bit frightful.

You'll find crepes (sweet and savory) and omelets on the menu as well as sandwiches, crab cakes, quiche, and even fondues (cheese or chocolate).

Here's a shot of the front of the menu, which lists the various crepes and omelets (ask what the quiche of the day is, if you're interested; it comes with fresh fruit, mixed greens, and roasted potatoes):

Flip side of the menu, describing the sandwiches, fondues, and "etc." Note that smoked salmon is on offer, in addition to the crab cakes; I think that on our last visit, smoked trout was also available.

And there is French onion soup (which you can order from the regular menu). If you're fond of soupe à l'oignon gratinée, order it here, for sure; the broth is flavorful, the onions soft, and it's topped with toasted slices of the BC's fabulous homemade bread, gooey melted cheese, and seasonings (I think it was $5.25; I had to have it both times we brunched).

On our first visit, we both ordered crepes: Prosciutto and potato for monsieur,

asparagus and goat cheese for madame.

The pancakes were light and tender and hot, the fillings scrumptious, and the crepes were drizzled with lemony Hollandaise—mon Dieu! We loved everything about them. Crepes (and omelets) come with roasted potatoes and slices of toasted bread.

On our second visit, Keith tried scrambled eggs ("Eggs to order with toast" on the menu, $4.25) and a side of potatoes ($2.00). I went with a spinach-and-feta omelet, which, like the crepes, had a drizzle of Hollandaise on it. The omelet was aided by a soupçon of crème fraîche and the standard toast and potatoes.

On both occasions, Keith ordered decaf coffee, and both times, our waiter made him an Americano, which was delicious but which took a while to reach our table. Apparently, the BC doesn't brew up regular coffee at brunch-time, which I found odd. So when Keith wanted a refill, a new Americano had to be made, which meant that his second cup of coffee didn't get to him until we were finished eating. And that with our waiter concentrating only on us and one or two other tables; I'd hate to think what would have happened if he'd been busy. A small glitch in otherwise very wonderful brunch experiences.

If you like the kind of food you see here, take yourself over to the BC as soon as possible. Don't be in a hurry and you'll have a marvelous (and tastebud-pleasing) time.

The Bread Company on Goodwin
706 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL
217-383-1007
Serving Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Web site (they have yet to put brunch info on the site, but you can see lunch and dinner menus)

You can also follow The Bread Company on Twitter and show them you love them on Facebook.

Green Peppercorn Beef with Asparagus and Rotini

I got a great cookbook from the Champaign Public Library recently, and I wanted to tell you about it. It's called Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, and it's brand-new. Do you know the chef Ming Tsai? I used to watch his show on WILL-TV when it aired on Saturdays, and I always enjoyed seeing him whip up his "East-West" specialties.

Anyway, I was raving to Keith about what a beautiful book One-Pot Meals is and how terrific, yet pretty simple, all the recipes look, and next thing I knew, I had my very own copy of the book. (I know; I'm aware that I've done nothing whatsoever to deserve this man.)

Every recipe in the book is accompanied by a stunning photo, and the recipes look to be, as advertised on the book's cover, "quick, healthy, and affordable." I've only tried one so far; it deserved not only those three adjectives but one more: delicious. Here it is, if you'd like to try it yourself (the recipe, that is, not the stunning photo; my poor attempt below will have to suffice until you can see the book for yourself).

Green Peppercorn Beef with Asparagus and Rotini
From Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm

1 pound thin asparagus, ends trimmed
Kosher salt
1/2 pound rotini pasta
5 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, any silverskin removed, sliced on the bias, 1/4-inch thick
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 tablespoons crushed green peppercorns
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, sliced thin
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce

Fill a large bowl with water and add ice cubes. In a wok, cook the asparagus in abundant boiling salted water until tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the ice water with a skimmer, and when cold, drain. Cut the asparagus into 2-inch lengths, and set aside.

Add more ice cubes to the bowl, if necessary. Return the water in the wok to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, about 11 minutes. Transfer to the ice water and when cold, drain, and set aside.

Drain and dry the wok and heat it over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, add half the beef and stir-fry until rare, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add 2 more tablespoons of the oil, swirl, stir-fry the remaining beef, and transfer to the plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the wok, swirl, and when the oil is hot, add the garlic, peppercorns and scallions. Season with salt and pepper and stir-fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Return the beef to the wok, add the asparagus, rotini and stock, and stir-fry until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the soy sauce and stir to blend. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and serve in four individual pasta dishes.

Serves 4
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As you can see, I used butterfly pasta (farfalle) instead of rotini, because I had it around. The butterflies did a nice job of trapping the sauce, just as rotini would. I also added one chopped red bell pepper to the mix for extra vegetable matter (I put the red pepper pieces into the wok after the scallions and peppercorns had cooked for a couple of minutes, and I stir-fried them for a minute or so before adding the beef, asparagus, and pasta).

I found that I didn't need the full half-cup of stock, because the beef had created quite a bit of juice of its own when it was initially cooked. So I might have used a quarter-cup of stock (Better Than Boullion beef stock).

I couldn't find green peppercorns at the grocery store and didn't feel like going to other stores to look for them, so I picked up a McCormick mixture called Peppercorn Medley, which contained some green peppercorns along with pink, white, and black ones plus whole allspice and coriander.

The mixture came in its own grinder, which worked out well; I put the grinder on the coarsest setting, which I thought would approximate having crushed the peppercorns by hand (in a side note to the recipe, Ming recommends crushing the green peppercorns on a cutting board, using the back of a heavy pan).

Finally, I must admit that I used two pots for this one-pot recipe. Yes, I could have boiled the asparagus and the pasta in the wok, but I found it easier to do that separately. I didn't find it a big deal to rinse out the second saucepan. Oh, and I didn't do the whole ice-cubes-in-a-bowl thing to cool the asparagus or the pasta. I just cooked them a bit less than specified and rinsed them with cold water in a colander.

We really liked this dish. The flavor of the crushed pepper mix is hard to describe but was very pleasing. I thought the dish might be super spicy (note that you use two tablespoons of peppercorns), but we didn't find it so. It was a little spicy, but mostly just very flavorful. I can't wait to try more recipes from the book. Potato-Crusted Halibut with Shaved Fennel Salad, anyone? Chile Pork Fillets with Garlic Brussels Sprouts? Crispy Tofu with Miso Butter and Iceberg Lettuce? Wonton Shrimp and Noodle Soup? Those are just a few of the many scrumptious-sounding (and looking) dishes that you'll find recipes for in One-Pot Meals. Again, if you want to (literally) check the book out, the Champaign Public Libary has it (just type "Simply Ming" in the search field on the CPL Web site. You can request the book online if you wish).

Jarling's Custard Cup: A Champaign Tradition Continues

Hey, everyone—it's March, and you know what that means, right? A sweet harbinger of the coming spring and summer, Jarling's will reopen for the season TODAY, March 4, at noon. So it's rainy—never mind. The temperature is supposed to be in the high 50s, which, after what we've been through this winter, will feel like a heat wave. Perfect weather for an ice cream!

As mentioned below, my favorite thing at Jarling's is the Creme de Menthe milk shake. The shake is, of course, green in color, so go ahead and drink one in honor of St. Patrick's Day if you want to. I hear that a certain fast-food chain is also doing a mint shake this month, the so-called Shamrock Shake, but do yourself a favor and indulge in the Jarling's version.

Oh, and Jarling's is on Facebook, if you'd like to keep up with the latest goings-on.

The section of this post that you see below was originally published in July of 2006. I've updated Jarling's hours, as they've changed this year. ~Lisa

Sher over at What Did You Eat did a post yesterday ("Ten Foods I Miss the Most") in which she reminisced about the custard she had when she was living in Lafayette, Indiana. Suddenly, I had a craving for a refreshingly minty Creme de Menthe milk shake, my favorite treat from Jarling's Custard Cup on Kirby Avenue. Jarling's opened in 1949 in Danville, and the store in Champaign has been serving frozen confections for 27 years now.

Stop by for an old-fashioned soda, a wide variety of shakes, malts, and sundaes, or a Snickers parfait. The waffle cones are fresh-baked daily and they have delicious frozen pies as well. Or if you'd rather, pints and quarts of your favorite flavor are always available to take home.

Jarling's is open from March through mid-November. In the fall, check out their Pumpkin Pie flavor. But don't wait that long to enjoy a sweet Champaign tradition.

Jarling's Custard Cup
309 W. Kirby Ave. (just east of Vinny's Pizza)
217-352-2273
Opening March 4, 2010
Open 12 noon to 10 p.m. daily
Become a fan of Jarling's on Facebook