The feeling of renewal and growth so dominate my images of spring that when the chirping of birds, balmy breezes and fresh scents of rain are interrupted by the frigid reality of a winter that refuses to expire, I can’t help but be disappointed.  We in the Midwest should be used to the fickleness of the seasons, but somehow slipping back to frigid weather in spring throws me every time.

However, there are only so many times winter can interrupt the arrival of spring before the bluebells poke their perky heads through the melting snow and inaugurate a stunning show of seasonal contrast. Golden daffodils and a myriad of multi-colored tulips will be close behind and mix themselves into the landscape no matter what the weather might be. Spring’s march forward never fails to vanquish winter, ensuring its own time to shine.

There was only one time in my life when I recall experiencing a full three-month season of spring.  During my freshman year at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri I was amazed to wake up every morning to temperatures that hovered pleasantly around 60 to 70 degrees with bright, sunny skies that would occasionally allow a light spring rain to serenade me with the soothing pitter-patter of rain drops falling on a vibrant green landscape.

But nothing comes for free and Missouri would inevitably punish us with the tremendous heat of its humid subtropical summer.  Here in Chicago it is the very long, freezing cold winter season where we pay our dues. I guess there really is no place in the world that offers four perfect seasons.  At least not one that I’m aware of.

As a child, the longer and lighter spring days meant we spent more time outside playing kick the can, tag and hide and seek just to name a few.  It also meant that summer break was fast approaching and swimsuits and bare feet would soon replace our winter coats, jackets and wool hats.  Sandwiched in between the holiday festivities of winter and the parties of summer, it was hard for spring to compete.  But as I have written here before, I am one who always loves that change of seasons so was excited for all the things that come with spring; a new wardrobe, the family-centric holidays of Easter and Mothers’ Day, and the promise of the freedom and independence that summer brought to a young girl in the 1950s.

One of the first days that really felt like spring to me was Easter and I always looked forward to the baked ham supper my mother served on Easter Sunday.  Sometime in the mid-afternoon she would gather us around our kitchen table for this much anticipated meal. Our family eschewed fancy restaurants which were too crowded and too expensive.  Instead we preferred a good home cooked meal with traditional fare accompanied by the occasional “new” dish. The classic Brussat Easter meal always featured a baked ham.   In fact, it is no coincidence that the special meal we serve every year on Easter at Convito looks very similar to what I grew up eating in my mom’s kitchen.  Her ham was accompanied by scalloped potatoes (our cafe serves a potato gratin, very similar) with baked asparagus. The big difference is the sauce on the ham as well as the side dishes. My mother brushed her ham with a sweet brown sugar and pineapple glaze that was popular in the 50s, whereas today Convito features a delicious honey-lavender sauce which we think is a little more unusual and exotic.

© rob warner photography 2024

Easter Ham with Honey Lavender Sauce
(8-10 people)

3-5 lb pre-cooked, boneless, sliced ham
½ cup grain mustard
½ cup honey
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon lavender

Combine mustard, honey, olive oil and lavender in a small mixing bowl.  Spread liberally over ham.

Bake in a 325° oven for 15-20 minutes per pound. Raise temperature to 350° for final 20 minutes. The ham is done when the a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 140°

My sister Karen, my mother Thelma, and I in our Easter finest

Besides being a good cook and providing us with a heartwarming Easter meal, my mom was also a brilliant seamstress, so each Easter she would hand make her three girls’ Easter outfits.  We all got to participate by helping her pick out the dress patterns and the fabric. Somehow each year she managed to whip up incredibly lovely pastel-colored dresses, usually delivered to us with a complimentary coat.  We had to be prepared for all types of weather (I remembr many a cold Easter) and the idea of wearing our everyday winter coats to cover these beautiful new outfits was not an option for any of the Brussat girls!

In later years my mother became somewhat of a designer and seamstress in her own right.  My sisters and I would encourage that talent by requesting outfits we had seen in magazines and (especially for me) the movies.  She would take us to Bostwick’s department store in downtown Janesville, WI where we would each search for patterns and fabrics that were as close as we could get to the dress or suit we had in mind.  Once home, my Mom would disappear into the sewing room at the back the house where she would make adjustments to the store patterns to better emulate our“inspirations” and deliver us items that – especially in retrospect – were truly lovely.  I especially remember the outfits that she made for me that were inspired by the clothes worn in movies by Doris Day, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and even Marilyn Monroe – beautiful dresses and formals that became a part of my wardrobe.  One of her best creations was a version of Givenchy’s black and white gown specifically designed for Audrey Hepburn in the movie Sabrina.  I loved it so much it became my very own stylish – and talked about –  prom dress.  I wish I still had it (and – more than anything – could still fit into it!)

Prom in Janesville, WI (Nancy second form right)

Prom is one of America’s most iconic rites of passage.  Even though it is not officially a holiday, it is as important a night as any in the lives of American teenagers and is woven into the fabric of the spring season.  No matter whether you’re attending or just watching a younger generation dress up for their big night out, it’s hard to miss this remarkable event.  One night each spring a gaggle of teenage couples in tuxedos and gowns blankets the suburbs and I am immediately transported back to the nervous anticipation I felt when I was young.  It was a magical night.

Granddaughter Kianna heading to Prom

Compared to the fashion and social elements of Prom food was an afterthought, but it was always a part of the conversation. Long debates about where to dine before the dance took place at least a month before.  Would it be fried chicken at the local supper club or Chinese food at our one and only Chinese restaurant?  Though our Prom meals were usually unremarkable, one year my “gang” was treated to a formal dinner party at my boyfriend’s home where we nervously sat through a three-course meal served by his very gracious and kind mother.  She was always a perfect hostess and did her best to make her nervous young guests as relaxed as possible. Memorable as it was (this was my very first “formal” dinner party), I don’t think we did much eating.  Our focus was on how we looked and whether or not our dates really liked us which were much more serious topics to us than food.

Granddaughter Neko (on right) and friends taking the subway to their NYC Prom

The word prom is an abbreviation of “promenade” which means to walk around in a formal and showy way. Its origins date back to the 1800’s when debutante balls provided the opportunity for couples to dance and display their good manners and fine fashions.  Though making a show of good manners might seem silly to kids today, fashion remains a major part of the event.  I look forward to seeing what my granddaughters choose to wear, just as I did with my daughter.  There were definite rules back in my day – formal gowns, gloves, high heels – which my daughter still followed at her Prom in the 80s.  I still remember fondly all the dresses I wore, but there are a much wider variety of looks found on dance floors today.

As a parent I saw Prom from a totally different perspective.  Photos we took every year next to a young magnolia tree just outside our kitchen door became a barometer.  Each spring another glamorous shot of my daughter Candace would not only chronical her evolution from a young girl into a beautiful young lady, but also reliably predict whether or not the Chicago spring was on schedule.  If the magnolia was in bloom, spring was coming or had arrived.  If not, we got ready for a late (and short) spring followed by a quick jump into the hot summer.

Candace ready for Prom

Before I was old enough to go to Prom and obsess over boys and fashion (not necessarily in that order), Easter is what I looked forward to most in spring.  It was not ham I thought of when I was a child, but candy. The Easter Bunny always fascinated me and my sisters, even after we became suspicious about the ability of a cute little animal to deliver all those treats each Easter morning.  As long as no one asked our parents any questions, the candy filled baskets would continue to arrive. My sister Karen even went so far as to act as the Easter Bunny in a Janesville mall during her high school years.  She would – just like Santa – hold children on her lap and give them each some Easter candy.  Needless to say, she was a very popular bunny.

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Though Convito always welcomes kids on Prom night, our restaurant never gets too crazy that night.  Rather it is Easter and Mother’s Day that require immense preparation for all of us in the restaurant business.  Both are family-centric events celebrated in big groups over festive brunches and traditional dinners.  I always make sure my restaurants do something special for customers who choose to celebrate with us, which is why we generally find ourselves packed from brunch through dinner.  Mother’s Day is particularly crazy for us.  Moms and Grandmothers are brought to Convito by fathers and children to thank them for all that they do and to celebrate another year together.  And by joining us at Convito everyone is relieved of the extensive cooking and cleaning that comes with celebratory meals.  Perhaps since I didn’t grow up dining out for these holidays, I try especially hard to create a warm and friendly experience for these special ladies, complete with a single rose handed to each Mom on their way out.

Our market also provides dishes for more adventure dads who want to prepare their own meal for mom but get a little bit of help from our kitchen.  Our side dishes are particularly popular as a supplement to whatever main course is on the grill or in the oven. One favorite salad is our Celebrating Mom Salad which features baby spinach combined with strawberries, toasted almonds and marinated red onions, and is then dressed with a peach-champagne vinaigrette we call our Bellini Dressing.  It’s great anytime, but perfect for a festive Mother’s Day.

© rob warner photography 2024

Celebrating Mom Salad with Bellini Dressing
(serves 4)

12 oz baby spinach, washed and dried
10-12 fresh strawberries, sliced
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
½ cup Champagne vinegar
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup mango chutney
½ cup peach puree
2 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Thinly slice the red onion, put in a small bowl or mason jar and cover in olive oil.  Let onions marinate at least 30 minutes (but they are even better if you make them the night before).

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, honey, chutney, peach puree, salt & pepper and whisk well.

Combine baby spinach, strawberries, toasted almonds and marinated red onions in a large bowl.  When well mixed, add the dressing and toss until the greens are well coated.

Plate individual salads and sprinkle with your desired amount of blue cheese.

*Depending on how many salads you are making, any leftover Bellini Vinaigrette may be kept in the fridge for two weeks.

Lamb is another spring food we love to feature.  Though today it is available year-round, it used to be strictly a springtime meal that coincided with the life cycle of sheep. At Convito we frequently offer a rack of lamb as a special throughout the spring as well as on other special days throughout the year.  We offer many different side dishes that are great accompaniments, but one of my favorites is couscous with mint and peas (two more items associated with spring) and it is one of the most popular of the season both in our restaurant and in the market

© rob warner photography 2024

Couscous Me Peas
(8 – 10 servings)

Salad ingredients
3 cups Israeli couscous, cooked al dente
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cups pistachios, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
2 cups arugula, roughly chopped
1 ½ cups feta, crumbled or chopped

Dressing ingredients
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup red vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon
2 teaspoons sugar
⅛ teaspoon chili pepper flakes (or to taste)
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Whisk together ingredients for dressing and set aside.

Combine couscous with peas, pistachios, mint, shallots, arugula, and feta in a large mixing bowl.

Fold dressing into the salad and taste for salt, pepper and chilis.

Serve as a side with rack of lamb or your favorite spring entrée.

Besides familial celebrations, springtime is widely considered to be the ideal fundraising season.  People have spent winter cooped up at home, so any excuse to get out is appealing.  The professional women’s organization that I belong to has traditionally held their fundraisers in the spring for that very reason.  Les Dames d’Escoffier is an international association of women in leadership in the food, beverage and hospitality industries whose goal is to nurture a community that celebrates excellence and to support the next generation of female pioneers in our field.  We currently are composed of 44 chapters in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Italy totaling over 2,500 women.

Given the nature of our organization, food and wine are always at the heart of our events, which have ranged from casual garage sales to formal dinner dances. The money we raise goes primarily to culinary scholarships and food related charities like the Greater Chicago Food Depository whose organization provides food for the hungry.

Meme Hopmayer co-chair; Linda Avery, coordinator; Jen Lamplough, president; me co-chair (L to R)

I have been co-chairman of many of our more formal grazing-dinner auctions, most of which were held at the Ritz Carlton.  The most fun I had, however, was co-chairing with Meme Hopmayer an event we dubbed Swank-A-Licious, a supper club themed dinner and auction.

Being a Wisconsin girl myself, I have eaten at many a supper club over the years.  An idea born in Wisconsin – and still thriving there – these cozy, dimly lit restaurants offer an intimate dining experience without pretension.  Their relaxed environment is complemented by an understanding that though food and drink are critical to a dining experience, they don’t always have to be the star of the show.  These local places emphasize warm hospitality, a welcoming atmosphere and familiar comfort food like beer-battered fish and a baskets of crispy fried chicken with French fries and coleslaw.  If you are ever lucky enough to wander into one of these special places it won’t take you long to realize what you are getting is not just a meal, but a tradition.

Our Les Dames evening found inspiration via two supper club books “Wisconsin Supper Club – an Old-Fashioned Experience” and “The Supper Club Book a celebration of a Midwest Tradition.”  Upon arrival our guests were greeted with the choice of a Waukesha Sour or an Appleton-tini, accompanied by Pigs in a Blanket and Rumaki. A family style dinner of Wisconsin Supper Club favorites followed once everyone was seated.  Our tables quite proudly announced their Supper Club theme with jars of Wisconsin Crock Cheese and a fabulous retro relish tray complete with the usual raw vegetables, olives, pickles, crackers and iconic red-spiced apples.  The mood was set!

Since various Dames’ restaurants did the cooking, the dishes that came next were the very best versions of classic Supper Club food I could have imagined.  Fried chicken, fried catfish and French Dip sandwiches were the entrees and were accompanied by a bounty of sides including Jell-O molds (of course) and heaps of coleslaw.  They were as delicious as they were appropriate!

Once we settled on this theme, I made sure that my restaurant would make the coleslaw.  I am very particular about the dish – as is my brother-in-law Jeff Butler – and we frequently rate and report to each other the various slaws we consume.  Whether we make it ourselves or eat it out, every slaw gets assessed.  We both like a very tangy coleslaw, so my recipe includes all the ingredients that contribute to that style: mustard, vinegar and horseradish.   I am biased, but there’s no doubt in my mind that our slaw deserved a 10 out of 10.

© rob warner photography 2024

Nancy’s 10-out-of-10 Coleslaw

5 cups green cabbage, shredded
5 cups red cabbage, shredded
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup scallions (green part only), finely julienned
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
4 tablespoons horseradish (less if your preference is less tangy)
1 tablespoon grain mustard

Combine the red and green cabbage, carrots and scallions in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk together the rest of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl to make the dressing.

Toss dressing with the cabbage mixture.  I like to let it sit for at least 30 minutes or more so the dressing can infuse the vegetables, but it’s also great to serve right away.

To add even more fun to our fun fundraiser we hired a band.  David Huizenga is a terrific keyboardist and rock vocalist who amplified the frivolity of the evening.  Singing with him was former Les Dames president, Julie Chernoff.  Their combined talent and energy got all the Dames in attendance out onto the dance floor where we spent an hour or two dancing our little hearts out – a first, I think!  It didn’t matter if you had a partner or not, this group was feeling it that night.  My son even flew in for the event which was both a surprise and a treat for me, and since my daughter is also a Les Dames member, it turned into a family affair which was right in line with the true spirit of a supper club.

Candace, Nancy & Rob @ Swank-a-Licious, May 2014

The whole wonderful event was tied up in a handsome bow with the fantastic program that our very talented member Flora Caputo designed.  Needless to say, the event was very successful – everyone had a great time and we raised a lot of money.

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More often than not, I find inspiration for food ideas when gearing up for holidays or special events.  It is those times when I am consciously seeking to discover something original.  But occasionally they come when they are not expected, which is my favorite way to get inspired.  That happened this past June when I attended a casual luncheon given by a Dames friend of mine.  She invited me and some other friends we had in common to “catch up”, but the afternoon turned into more than that for me.

Even though this wasn’t a “special” event, I knew the food would be spectacular.  Portia Belloc Lowndes is a caterer, private chef, and luxury property manager who can always be depended upon for delicious and innovative food, and this luncheon was the very essence of the spring season featuring beautiful food that emulated blossoming flowers and the lush and lively newness that spring represents. 

She served a Danish dish that I love called smørre­brød.  These open faced sandwiches use traditional Danish breads as their base then are artistically topped with various ingredients.  Portia chose light rye, pumpernickel and sunflower breads and built six different smørre­brød, each featuring a different principal ingredient: egg salad, asparagus, shrimp, chicken curry salad, smoked salmon, and beets.   These were then enhanced by complementary ingredients including wedges of hard-boiled egg, grapes, sliced cucumbers, grape tomatoes, fresh dill, scallions, watercress, micro grains and even caviar.  Each smørre­brød also featured a different spread – butter, honey goat cheese, cream cheese – that not only connected all the flavors, but also acted as the glue that held all the ingredients to the bread foundations.

Each of the six different sandwiches were lined up on rectangular plates running down the center of the table and each was a work of art. As New York Times writer R.W. Apple wrote about smørre­brød: “Leave it to the Danes, those past masters of form and color, to turn a sandwich into a still life”.   Among my favorites were one featuring smoked salmon (the Danes “gift from the sea” as they say) and another showcasing marinated beets whose blood-red color dramatically contrasted with the with goat cheese with which they were paired. 

Smørre­brød ingredients

Though there is considerable work and effort required to make these sandwiches, much of that chopping, mixing, and assembling can be done ahead of time. Right before the guests arrive the sandwiches can be assembled and stand ready to put on the table.  Another plus of serving smørre­brød is the fact that nothing else needs to accompany them. No baskets of bread, no chips, nothing.  They are the whole deal – nothing else needed.  I see them as a glorious combination of a sandwich and a salad.

Smørre­brød

You can most use your imagination and combine all sorts of different ingredients from the simple to the complex.  Below are some of Portia’s favorites to get you inspired.  (I added of few of my own)

Breads
light rye
dark rye
pumpernickel
baguette
whole grain

Spreads
cream cheese (plain or with combined ingredients)
butter
honey
hummus
mustard & mayo

Toppings
cucumber, thinly sliced
smoked salmon
canned fish (anchovies, mackerel, octopus)
cooked shrimp
hard-boiled eggs, sliced
marinated red onions, thinly sliced
fresh spices (dill, basil, mint)
hard (cheddar, Manchego, Havarti) and soft cheeses (feta, goat, Brie)
sliced pickled vegetables
salumis & hams

Arrange ingredients in any artistic and delicious manner that you can imagine!

Beet Salad Smørre­brød

Sunflower seed bread
8 oz. goat cheese, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons honey
3-4 large beets
small bunch of microgreens
1 red onion, sliced thinly
½ cucumber, peeled and sliced
bunch of watercress

Trim beets, lightly coat in oil and wrap individually in tin foil. Roast the beets in a 400° oven for 45-60 minutes, or until you can pierce them easily with a fork. Remove beets from the oven and let them sit for 15-20 minutes until they’re cool enough to handle. Under cold water, slip the skins off using a small paring knife.  Quarter beets, slice into ¼ to ½ inch slices and marinate in olive oil or your choice of dressing.

Combine goat cheese, cream cheese, and honey in a medium mixing bowl and using a hand mixer or sturdy whisk, blend until light and smooth.

Spread the honey goat cheese mixture on a slice of sunflower seed bread.  Place marinated beets on goat cheese spread, then sprinkle micro greens on top.

Arrange red onions, cucumber, watercress (or anything you like!) in whatever artistic manner suits you.

For me, that event embodied the essence of spring.  Upon entering Portia’s beautiful garden patio on a lovely, warm day we were welcomed with a cold glass of seasonal Rosé and given ample time to catch up with old friends. Eventually we sat down to a long communal table covered in a stunning flowered tablecloth where the Smørre­brød served as a brilliant centerpiece.  The whole thing – the location, the food, the people, the weather – were magical.

It was delightful to share fantastic food, to see old friends and to reminisce about good times, but what lingers for me was an image of spring that was captured that day.  I remember the afternoon as a still life of the spring season, a moment that encompassed hope and potential.  I believe great art can do that to us, whether it comes from seeing a painting or tasting a sandwich. I left with a smile on my face and a determination to replicate this lovely event by creating my own Smørre­brød (though Portia’s garden and the lovely, warm day may be beyond my control).  I count myself very lucky to have friends willing to share a little of the beauty in their own lives and inspire me to continue to explore and create in mine.