The Berghoff Restaurant in Chicago, in business for an amazing 107 years, remained popular through era after era of American life. Through years of changing values and mores Berghoff's remained stable and family-run, serving classic dishes that rose to perfection under the hands of the ever-watchful family. Sharing the family's secrets (creamed spinach and apple strudel will never be the same again), Carlyn and Jan Berghoff will have you cooking classic dishes with perfection. And if you want to organize a party, these are seasoned pros who also have a chapter on parties, complete with ideas and menus, tips and timing, and, of course, decorating the party table.
This is a restaurant book in the perfection of the recipes, but it is a family story with family-style recipes. Carlyn and Jan are also free in their admiration of the chefs who worked in Berghoff's through the years and liberally give credit to those talents. There are 150 of the restaurant's most popular recipes, classics such as Berghoff Rye Bread, Wiener Schnitzel, Berghoff Steak Salad and German Potato Salad. But the Berghoff family moved with the times and there are contemporary recipes such as Shrimp Martini, Grilled Vegetables with Red Pepper Aïoli, Brie and Raspberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Asian Pear and Chicken Salad, a Pesto Turkey Salad. Many of these recipes are de rigeur on Christmas, and though inauthentic recipes have abounded through guesswork, these are the ones that will lift the Christmas feast to new heights. The recipes include informative sidebars.
Part of the pleasure of this book is to make that perfected dish, but there is equal joy in reading an account of American history as expressed through a restaurant. Told in a conversational tone, but with historical detail intact, the reader feels part of a hard-working American family establishing a foothold in America with beer products that gave rise to a saloon. To conquer the obstacles of Prohibition a great restaurant was born. Serving the classic dishes of their native Germany, the restaurant remained popular despite the challenges of the Great Depression, the rationing of World War II.
There is color photography throughout as well as historical photos through the years, our favorite being the jam-packed Berghoff Cafe bar right after the repeal of Prohibition The steins are lifted high.
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