New Seasonal Menu Items Debut at Elske

Elske is a modern American restaurant with Scandinavian influence in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. And almost everything touches the wood-fired hearth at Elske, but especially during the fall and winter months. Check out highlights to their new season menu options:

Food

Hearth-smoked carrots will be used in a variety ways on the menus including the soft scrambled eggs with smoked carrots, and chicken confit.

Fruit and veggie trimmings are smoked overnight and then steeped for a savory 'tea' as a small course on the tasting menu. The tea is paired with a rye bread cracker with mushroom and marigold.

Whole roasted squash and pumpkins will be pureed and picked up with butter to make a sauce for the 'culurgiones' dish. The culurgiones are little dumplings filled with smoked mozzarella (also smoked over the hearth) and potato.

Drink

GLÖGG: The cold months bring the return of the Elske glögg. It's their version of the traditional warm wine drink served in Scandinavia. The glögg is a mix of tart red wine, port, baking spices and aromatics, and a little orange. It is steeped for an hour and finished with a splash of brandy and a little sugar. It is paired with a thin, spiced gingersnap.

SCHNAPPS: Made in-house with a fall and winter update. Seasonal flavors include pear, smoked apple, and maitake mushroom.

All photo credits: Carolina Mariana Rodriguez