Say hello to the best fruit dip ever with our Easy Fruit Dip recipe. Ditch the added sugar from marshmallow fluff, and incorporate some local honey for sweetness. Add cubes of pound cake, pretzels, or graham crackers to a variety of your favorite berries and fruits to create a tasty fruit and cheese board. It’s great for parties any time of year.
What Kind of Fruit Should You Use for Your Fruit Dip?
Though you can use anything your imagination desires, for a classic cream cheese fruit dip like this one, some of the best fruit to use are small berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. You want to make sure that you’re not putting something too mild in the dip that will just get overwhelmed by the flavor. However, don’t neglect some larger, more savory fruit like pineapples, mangos, guava, or apricots.
Using a hand mixer on the high setting, whip until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Add your favorite fruit and enjoy. Add some fruity flavor to your dip by adding 1/4 cup of your favorite berries, macerated and incorporated into the dip.
Recipe and Plating by Star Laliberte Styling and Photography by Keith Recker
The Milkshake Factory, a family-owned and operated ice cream and chocolate shop in the South Side since 2003, began as a single storefront before growing to 11 locations around the Greater Pittsburgh area. They are now on the precipice of franchising but want to do so in a way that only adds to what their family — Greek immigrants who settled in Lawrenceville in 1913 — started more than a century ago.
The virtues of Pittsburgh (hard work, attention to all the details, and a keen but humble eye on the future) make it easy to understand why so many major, long-lived brands originated here. Think Heinz, Isaly’s, PPG Industries, and Duolingo, just to name a few. Pittsburgh embraces — and rewards — the fearless entrepreneur. And there’s always room for one more.
Milkshake Factory Goes National
“Our family started as chocolatiers,” said Chris Edwards, co-founder of The Milkshake Factory. “We lived above the original shop on 52nd and Butler Street. When my mom brought me home from the hospital, she took me straight to the chocolate factory. Everyone who worked with us was like family.”
His mother, Dona, was the driving force behind the shop. She would eventually take over the day-to-day operations of what is now The Milkshake Factory. While the chocolate shop had been a staple in the community since the 1970s, it wasn’t until they began their milkshake happy hours in 2003 that things started to shift.
Dana Edwards, co-founder and CEO of The Milkshake Factory, had this old family photo of a giant milkshake with their grandfather and great-uncle. It was behind the counter in the original shop. “I started thinking about this. Chocolate, as a business, is seasonal,” he said. “Why don’t we do ice cream in the summer when it’s slow and see what happens?”
I Scream, You Scream…
The photo became a jumping-off point of inspiration. If they were going to make ice cream, it was going to be special. Unique. “We went from a chocolate shop that served milkshakes to a milkshake shop that had chocolate,” said Chris. What started with spinning a few milkshakes eventually exploded into 55 different flavors at one point. “We thought milkshakes were sort of this novelty and it just grew from there,” added Dana. “We loved to see people smile when they left here.”
And it was those smiles that kept them motivated to innovate with new and exciting flavors. “Growing up in a Greek family and in the food business, everything was about flavors,” said Dana. “Our family is all about the food.” She lfeels inspired in her own kitchen as she cooks and has countless conversations with Chris about when and how to push the envelope on flavors. “The science behind this is complex,” she said. “We understand balance and quality. That is at the heart of what we do.”
The Perfect Sip of Milkshake
With thousands of shakes developed or tried, and adding vegan options into the mix, some could say Dana is obsessed with perfecting the milkshake. But she says she’s just invested in her family’s legacy and product. “The goal is always to take a dessert that people love and find out how we can accomplish it as a milkshake. The quality level, and the bar, are high,” she said. Sourcing from local farms, aerating their own ice cream, and creating community through food has always been something near and dear to their hearts, as well. It’s that attention to detail that drives their business.
Naturally, it was only a matter of time before celebrities like Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise made it a stop along their way one fateful day when they were in town. “That was our first time experiencing the power of the celebrity,” said Dana. “Knowing that everyone wanted to try what Katie Holmes had eaten that day put us on the map,” she said.
Spreading Milkshake Factory Nationwide
Since that first South Side location more than two decades ago, the family has ramped up their efforts and has now decided to take a leap into the world of franchising. This decision wasn’t made lightly, and it was actually their mother Dona’s last business decision prior to her death in late 2022.
“She set the foundation, and now we are taking it to new heights because of her dedication,” said Chris. “To be able to showcase Pittsburgh in this way around the country is truly exciting.” The Milkshake Factory is partnering with Franworth, one of the top franchisers in the country. “They said they have never seen a company more poised to take this on,” added Chris.
“We didn’t set out to build a franchise,” said Dana. “Our team went out to build a successful business and be a part of our neighborhoods and communities. We just realized that this is our next phase,” she said.
They are still going to be operating all of the locations in Pittsburgh and futures franchise will be utilizing the product that Dana’s and Chris’s teams develop. The headquarters will remain in Pittsburgh and their goal is to see the smiles stretch across the country with each new location. “We are a family business and that is what we will stay.”
Story by Natalie Bencivenga / Photos courtesy of Chris and Dana Edwards
TABLE contributor Dan Gigler meets Fig & Ash founder Cory Hughes. In spite of (or because of) the demands of his second restaurant, Fat Cat, and the soon-to-open Deutschtown Deli, a full conversation about life and food ensues.
Sitting in a North Side coffee shop in a green hoodie, palming a warm chai latte on a damp April day, with a scruffy smile on his face, it’d be hard not to characterize chef Cory Hughes as a man in full.
Consider the evidence in favor: Despite opening during the peak-pandemic time of fall 2020, his restaurant, Fig & Ash, was met with immediate acclaim and has quickly become indispensable in the Pittsburgh dining scene and a keystone in the renaissance of the East Ohio Street business district.
He gushes with pride over his 22-year-old son, Brandon, a Marine Corps corporal, stationed at Camp Lejeune. He and his wife Kate, a nurse specializing in electrophysiology at AGH, have celebrated their successes with epic eating tours in some of the country’s most elite restaurants in New York and California–Eleven Madison Park, The French Laundry, and Atelier Crenn, among them. They have a gorgeous new home in Ben Avon.
He’ll concede he’s a little tired — “I feel like I’m passing myself going in both directions,” he said — but that’s only because of his second East Ohio Street restaurant, Fat Cat, and a third, Deutschtown Deli, in the works. This is a guy who is clearly living his best life.
A Troubled Past
Yet, by his own admission, this is also a guy who is probably lucky to be alive. “Twelve years ago, I walked out of the ACJ [Allegheny County Jail] with no possessions, no money, and a 450-credit score.” It was January 22, 2011. The Steelers were playing the Jets at Heinz Field with a trip to the Super Bowl in the balance. Mr. Hughes was blotto in a jail cell, drying out. “I only knew we won because I remember hearing the other inmates stomp their feet, and cheer,” he said.
He’d been picked up by police, the culmination of a prolonged bender that included losing his job at one of Pittsburgh’s top restaurants.
“I was a total garbage head–it was always a mixture of booze and pain pills and uppers,” he said.
“Right before that, everyone was trying to help get me sober. Brian Pekarcik fired me from Spoon. I love this man with all my heart. And I talk about this with love. He fired me from Spoon as his sous-chef. And during the firing, he had a speakerphone going with his sister and some other people that were trying to do an intervention right there in the office, so that I would leave Spoon that day and go right to treatment. Wasn’t ready. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later that it just came to be my last day out drinking and using was that AFC Championship game.
“At that point, I was getting divorced. I was asked not to come home anymore. And I was just slowly secluding everyone out of my life. I was sitting in ACJ. And like, how did this happen? Three years prior, I was having Grub Street write articles about me in New York City. And here I am with like nowhere to go.”
An End.. Or Beginning?
That could’ve been the beginning of the end of his story: instead, it was the end of the beginning. “That’s kind of where I had my moment of clarity,” he said. In his own words, he went to work. Not to a job, but on himself. “I just dug in,” he said, and faced painful truths with the help of a 12-step program.
“At some point, you got to hold up the mirror and ask why? Why is this happening? Why am I doing this to myself? Why is this my fault? Instead of blaming everyone else. It’s hard. But I got through that with a fantastic support group. I’m still involved in that 12-step fellowship today. I sponsor people, I have a sponsor. I’ve always said the hardest industries to stay clean in are restaurants and construction.”
A New Start
With a lot of help, he built himself back up. After an extended period away from restaurant kitchens, he dipped his toes back in, slowly at first. He’d go on to work for Parkhurst Dining Services and Six Penn. In an interesting twist, given his personal connection to that 2011 AFC Championship game, he’d regularly be on the catering crew for the Steelers annual training camp in Latrobe. He ultimately landed a coveted position as the executive chef at Google’s Pittsburgh campus.
Then came Fig & Ash, the instant East Ohio Street sensation that was a lifetime in the making. It continues to evolve and improve, which he credits to Chef de Cuisine Jennifer Walsh and Executive Chef Chris Shuplock.
“They’re killing it right now. They’re constantly bringing me dishes to taste,” like a goat cheese schmear with a quinella fig jam, as a recent example.
The Next Chapter
Fat Cat, the next Hughes effort right next door to Fig & Ash, is a laid-back sibling restaurant with live music and a menu of gourmet “stoner-food-meets-kids-food.” To wit: “Like, we’re doing a hot dog mac and cheese, but with house-made gemelli, smoked Calvita and house-made kielbasa instead.”
A block or so away at 401 East Ohio, Chef Chris Kweder will run Deutschtown Deli, where “old-school sandwiches” will be the features. “I’m talking about pastrami on rye, Reubens, and clubs. The only chefly spins we’re going to do over there is our pickling program. We’re gonna be pickling vegetables. We’re gonna be pickling eggs. By the register, I envision one of those giant glass jars full of pickled eggs. Or habanero-cinnamon or turmeric and ginger pickle spears with your sandwich. It’s going to be phenomenal.”
And phenomenal is an apt word to describe the current state of things for Mr. Hughes.
“When I first got sober, if I had put together a list of my wildest dreams and expectations, I would have sold myself short on every single line in that list,” he said. “I could never even possibly have dreamed or imagined the life I have today. What actually happened in my life was far better.”
Summer is here, and Pittsburgh restaurants across the city have embraced the season with some exciting new menu items. From refreshing salads to thirst-quenching drinks, see what these eateries are cooking up for the warm-weather period.
This North Side restaurant, focused on veggie-forward dishes, recently added three new items to its summer menu: potatoes tostones dressed in Dijonnaise; roasted zucchini with romesco sauce, merguez sausage, saffron Calasparra rice, and braised Swiss chard; and charred summer lettuces tossed in Caesar dressing with chicken terrine, green lentils, roasted tomato, and pickled egg.
Located in Zelienople and Lawrenceville, Burgh’ers Brewing is bringing back their popular fried goat cheese balls. They also offer a monthly Fast Food But Better Burger special. August’s burger is the Big Mac, but better!
What else is Burgh’ers cooking up? A new location at The Highline in the South Side. They are working to open the third restaurant by the end of the month, and will be debuting a new menu with that opening.
Pair patio season with a glass of wine and Fish Nor Fowl’s new Whole Charred Branzino. The dish is made of charred eggplant purée, zesty lemon gremolata, and topped with a crispy fennel salad.
Cool off this summer with The PA Market’s house-made paletas (popsicles) and festive cocktails. The Do You Take Mexican Credit Cards? features high rewards of tequila and mezcal, while the That’s My Juice Popper is crafted with State Side Vodka, Aperol, Combier Pasteque Watermelon Liqueur, house-made melon-mint-cucumber syrup, and fresh lemon juice. Don’t miss the No Worries, It’s not a Soggy Bar, made with banana and mango cordial, pineapple juice, orange juice, and coconut cream.
Take a trip with Tako’s new Red-eye from Oaxaca cocktail. The beverage features reposado tequila, smokey mezcal, elderberry, honey, and a pop of lime zest.
After securing their liquor license in September of last year, Bae Bae’s Kitchen now offers four types of beer on tap — two Japanese brews alongside two local ones — as well as wine, and Asian-inspired cocktails. One of the more popular selections is their Soju Cocktail (a new flavor is offered each week) and the Lychee Martini, made of 3 Bitches Vodka, Lychee Syrup, Lemon Juice, and Chambord.
Check their website each week to see what Bae Bae’s is offering as the current special. Most recently, they featured Korean Fried Drumsticks. Bae Bae’s Facebook page includes insight into the happy hours and joint pop-up events the restaurant holds regularly.
Colorful and seasonal fresh items pepper Square Cafe’s summer offerings. Try the Tofu Muffuletta, made with zesty seasoned tofu, house-made zucchini, and vegan cheddar cheese on freshly grilled sourdough. Or the Figgy Grilled Cheese, toasted sourdough with melty Brie, fresh mozzarella, cheddar, Swiss, caramelized onions, and fig jam. Crisp salads are also available along with a variety of specialty egg benedict dishes.
Executive Chef/Partner Jessica Bauer has added some great new summer dishes to Altius’s summer menu, like the Wild Alaskan Halibut entree, a Footprints Farm Pork Belly appetizer, and a Strawberry Pretzel dessert made of a pretzel butter cake, cream cheese mousse, strawberry gelee, strawberry cremeux, pretzel tuile, and strawberry pretzel crumb.
Alongside favorite lunch offerings, discover new favorites at The Commoner. Soup and salad options go beyond the ordinary with their Cauliflower Soup with pumpkin seed oil and roasted Tomato Soup topped with fried garlic and Spanish olive oil. Add a Manchego & Tomato Grilled Cheese or a Manchego & Speck Ham Grilled Cheese. Heartier items include a stacked Grilled BLT made on red fife sourdough with confit tomato, arugula, bacon, and Fontina cheese; the Confit Tuna Tartine made with olive tapenade, caper mayo, mixed herbs, and grilled artichokes; and The Commoner’s Mac and Cheese, made with Point Reyes Tomme and white cheddar and an option to add pork belly or blue crab.
Sip on something fresh with Shorty’s summer-inspired cocktails. Tequila fans may enjoy the La Flama Blanca made with El Jimador Blanco Tequila, coconut syrup, fresh lime, and Cholula hot sauce, or the Marg Under Pressure, which is batched on draft with Hidden Still Agave Spirit, agave syrup, and fresh lime.
For those seeking frozen cocktails, try Shorty’s Cherry Limeade, crafted with cherry vodka, fresh lime, lemonade, and demerara sugar or the Carmaldazed Apple with Disobedient Apple Brandy, caramel vodka, apple cider, and caramel.
Now open for Saturday brunch, find this Bakery Square eatery is serving up a Brisket & Egg Bowl. A delectable mix of brisket, crispy potatoes, dippy eggs, roasted carrots, Spanish rice, guacamole, and queso fresco.
Utilizing local, farm-to-table products, Eighty Acres Kitchen & Bar’s new expanded menu features new summer items, including grilled jerk shrimp taco with mango salsa and jicama slaw, Logan Family Farm skirt steak gyro, and sesame encrusted tuna with jicama-cabbage slaw, ramen noodles, mandarin oranges, and soy ginger vinaigrette, among others. Don’t miss their seasonal craft cocktails or the upcoming four-course beer dinner with paired brews from Sobel’s Obscure Brewery.
Offering breakfast, brunch, and lunch, Sally Ann’s has paired up with local ice creamery Millie’s for an invigorating summer drink. The Millie’s Cold Brew Affogato is crafted with Cold Brew coffee and Millie’s Chad’s Vanilla ice cream.
Guests dining at 40 North this summer can expect something new every day. The restaurant relies heavily on produce coming from PA farms, so the menu changes daily.
The menu changes several times a week at scratch kitchen Fig & Ash. Check out what the North Side restaurant is serving ahead of time by checking out their offerings online, or simply stop in for a surprise.
On July 11, an open sign quietly clicked on in Regent Square. With the lights illuminated, Rockaway Pizzeria owner Joshua Sickels’s second restaurant, Hemlock House, officially debuted.
Initially, Sickels planned to move his pizza shop from White Oak into the former Map Room space. But after checking out the kitchen, he realized it was much too small for what he needed to make his pizza. Thus, the idea for something completely distinctive was born.
Sickles and his team set to work on Hemlock House last fall, with the plan to open in March. However, permitting and liquor license delays put a hold on the launch. Hemlock House still doesn’t have its liquor license, but Sickles felt they couldn’t wait around for it to open the restaurant. For now, in lieu of the license, Hemlock House is partnering with local beer and liquor places for extended pop-ups inside the establishment.
Even with the soft opening, Hemlock House has been receiving a steady flow of clientele. Sickles believes this is for two reasons: Regent Square residents are excited to have somewhere new to dine — “For a long time, the neighborhood has only had a few places that people have been frequenting,” Sickles tells TABLE Magazine. And, because Hemlock House is different from anything else in the area, “maybe even, I’d argue, Pittsburgh in general,” he says.
Half of the small space is taken up by the vintage-looking bar area, with music and pop culture photos and memorabilia donning the walls. In fact, music has a strong presence in Hemlock House — Sickles is a musician when not in the kitchen — and guests may find the speakers playing tunes that are a bit more obscure, with the volume a bit louder than the average restaurant.
“[Hemlock House] is not just a restaurant,” Sickles explains. “We’re trying to cultivate an atmosphere where if you have a friend coming into town and you want to hang out somewhere that’s a bit dark and fun, a dimly lit room to have some drinks in; you could spend 2-3 hours here and not even realize it’s been that long.”
The food, however, is more elevated than the dive-ish atmosphere would suggest. The menu, featuring the tagline “Irreverent Food & Cocktails,” is home to Farrotto alongside steaks and kielbasa corn dogs. Sickles and his head chef, Michael Allison, crafted the menu the way an album would be created without being “weird for the sake of being weird.”
“At first we wanted to do fun and creative bar food, but when you take a look at the menu, it’s much deeper than that,” Sickles said. “Pittsburgh doesn’t need another sports bar or beer and french fry joint, although there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Instead, Hemlock House is serving the city of Bridges a punk rock fine dining experience.
There are only a short few weeks before it’s back-to-school time and the perks of summer wind to an end. (Bye-bye summer Fridays…) So, get the most out of these final days by exploring the city to its fullest and checking out one of the following Pittsburgh events.
Grab some lawn chairs and settle in for a family-friendly evening against the backdrop of South Side’s riverfront. For the month of August, Chamber Music Pittsburgh presents free, live local music during its Just Summer series. First up is the Latin jazz group Hugo Cruz and Caminos.
Quantum Theatre presents “Hamlet,” August 4 through 27, 2023. Photo by Heather Mull.
Quantum Theatre kicks off its latest season with a performance of Shakespeare’s classic, Hamlet. The show runs until the end of the month, with a special pre-show reception on August 10 featuring curated food and wine pairings. Discover more about the performance in this Q&A with Quantum’s Artistic Director Karla Boos.
Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, August 11 to October 29
It’s back: the brilliant display of sculptures and lights that take over the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium at summer’s end each year. In honor of the establishment’s 125th anniversary, 2023’s Asian Lantern Festival theme is World of Wonders, with a new option to drive through the event on special nights.
For many, the primary attraction of Barrel & Flow Fest is festival-exclusive beer collaborations with Black breweries, artists, and small businesses from across the country. Local 2023 lineup highlights include Mack Brewing with Kingfly Spirits and Ur Friend Charles, Warcloud Brewing and Burgh’ers Brewing, DOPE Cider House and Threadbare Cider, Black Frog Brewery and East End Brewing, and Goodlander Cocktail and Arie Cole. But these few only scratch the surface of an extensive collaboration list with over 75 one-of-a-kind beverages brewed specifically for Barrel & Flow.
For those who would rather skip the booze, Barrel & Flow also offers over two dozen food vendors, ranging from vegan Jamaican food to barbecue, plus spots for artists to sell their creations, live painting, and multiple festival stages to keep the good vibes flowing with music from both DJs and live musicians.
DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh takes guests off-land for a unique edition of its ongoing city tours. During a 90-minute boat cruise on the Monongahela River, DOORS OPEN doesn’t just show parts of Pittsburgh. They detail how the river impacted the growth of the city.
See what other events we’re excited about for the month of August.
Story by Jordan Snowden / Send your events tips to jordan@tablemagazine.com
Tomato pie is a savory and delicious dish that’s a favorite among many. With its simple instructions and easy-to-find ingredients — fresh tomatoes, basil, and a flaky crust — this tomato pie recipe is an easy switch up your usual routine (and is sure to impress)! Hit the farmers market, or your own garden, grab your apron, and in no time you’ll have a mouthwatering pie.
What’s so Special About Cherry Tomatoes?
Cherry tomatoes have a sweetness and juiciness that packs a lot into a small package. Their small size means that even commercially grown varieties can be left on the vine longer, leading to more sugar content than other tomatoes. While most are sweet, varieties like Black Cherry carry a smoky or tangy note and those like Sungold lean heavily into a fruity sweetness.
Like a Virgin and Material Girl were two of the top-performing songs by ’80s Queen of Pop, Madonna. This music icon not only set the standard for the dance-pop genre, she helped pave the way for a less “narrow-minded” approach to women’s sexuality. Her popularity continues to thrive on controversial, provocative lyrics, fed by a rebellious personality that has been celebrated by women for over three decades. Saddened to hear of her recent health scare and disappointed in the postponed North American tour dates, we’re keeping this legendary pop star’s inspired cocktails in our 2023 Summer Concert Cocktail round-up. Shake up the eleventh and twelfth cocktails in our series, and raise your glasses to wishing Madonna a healthy return to the stage!
Like a Virgin White Cosmo Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ oz Absolut Mandarin Vodka 1 ½ oz Absolut Lime Vodka 1 ½ oz Cointreau 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice 5 oz white cranberry juice Long lemon twist (about 6 inches long) and a maraschino cherry, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
Add the vodkas, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and white cranberry juice.
Shake until chilled.
Pour and strain into 2 martini glasses.
Garnish by taking long lemon twists to glass rims and then sit the maraschino cherry on top of the twist.
Material Girl, Golden, Glitter, Ginger, Appletini
INGREDIENTS
2 oz Tito’s Vodka ½ oz green apple simple syrup (recipe below) ½ oz ginger simple syrup (recipe below) 2 oz fresh pressed apple juice 2 dashes ginger bitters 1/8 tsp Gold Edible Luster Dust
INSTRUCTIONS
Add ice and vodka to your cocktail shaker.
Add in the apple juice, green apple simple, ginger simple, ginger bitters and luster dust.
Shake until chilled.
Strain into your cocktail glass. The luster dust will settle to the bottom of the glass so you may want to serve with a pretty-cocktail stirrer.
Green Apple Simple Syrup
INGREDIENTS
½ cup sugar ½ cup water 1 large or 2 medium Granny Smith apples
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small saucepan, add the water, sugar, apple peels, and apple core, and set to medium heat.
Allow to simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Turn the heat to medium-low, allowing the syrup to simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Do not stir them during the simmering.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature.
Strain using a fine mesh strainer into a container. While straining, do not press on the peels or core.
Refrigerate. This Green Apple Simple Syrup will last for a minimum of 2 weeks as is in the refrigerator or if you add a tablespoon of vodka or rum it will last longer.
Ginger Simple Syrup
INGREDIENTS
½ cup sugar ½ cup water ¼ cup ginger, peeled and grated
INSTRUCTIONS
In a small saucepan, add the sugar and water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat and add the grated ginger. Allow mixture to steep, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes.
Strain your syrup using a fine mesh strainer to remove and discard all solids. This Ginger Simple Syrup can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks, or if you add a tablespoon of vodka or rum, it will last longer.
Recipe by Sarah Cascone / Styling by Anna Calabrese / Photography by Dave Bryce / Story by Star Laliberte
Quantum Theatre presents "Hamlet," August 4 through 27, 2023. Photo by Heather Mull.
Vengeance, ambition… a ghost? Quantum Theatre begins its 2023-2024 season with a rock ‘n’ roll-infused retelling of one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays: Hamlet. Running for the month of August, Quantum invites guests to the historic Carrie Blast Furnaces site for a performance melding the past with the future.
Throughout the month, the theatre will present different viewing experiences, including the Quantum Quaff, where a preshow reception will feature thoughtfully curated wines and food pairings, and Quantum on the Couch, where following the performance, Psychiatrist Dr. Manuel Reich will host a discussion on the psychological issues raised in Hamlet and the play’s characters.
Ahead of the initial show, TABLE Magazine chatted with Quantum Theatre’s Artistic Director Karla Boos about the relevancy of Hamlet in the modern day.
Why did you choose to open the season with Hamlet?
I’m making works that have long daunted me — if I don’t climb this mountain now, when? And I knew that I’d gather amazing people around me, some of whom go back to my earliest days with Shakespeare; some really fresh new talents, and together we’d climb it.
Why should people see this classic, tragic play now?
I think that after all we’ve been through (and are still going through, creaking, splitting, necessary societal change to address global problems), we need great art, great thinking that has endured, more than ever. And we need to sit together and have common experiences of it.
For those who have never been to a performance at Carrie Blast Furnaces, what can they expect?
An amazing monument to our past and future, weirdly at the same time. An ability to marvel at something we once built, and find it animated and full of meaning for the present.
Hamlet Carrie Furnace National Historic Landmark, August 4-27
Peach season runs from July to September, so make use of these peach recipes while the goodness lasts! Head to your local markets and grocery stores to find the farm-fresh stone fruit that makes summer so special. Maybe you enjoy them baked into a decadent dessert. Or maybe you’d rather serve them sliced up in a refreshing salad, or blended into a scrumptious cocktail. To peach their own, after all! Whatever you prefer, you’ll find no shortage of peach recipes here to satisfy your cravings.
Let peaches and prosecco help make your summer a delicious one. Our Peach Bellini Tart is decadent, with a dense tart base and not-too-sweet peaches lining the top. This tart does take a bit of time to make but the product is so worth the wait that you’ll be making it for every picnic.
Who doesn’t love salsa? This kid-friendly recipe is a delicious way to get your kids in the kitchen. The sweet and spicy flavors of the peach and corn salsa are not only deliciously enjoyed as a snack atop tortilla chips, but are also great condiments with grilled fish, chicken, or pork.
One bite of this Peach and Ricotta Pizza, and you’ll be hooked. The unique combination of flavors is both sweet and savory. Juicy peaches add a refreshing twist to the creamy ricotta cheese, while the crispy crust complements the soft texture of the toppings. Impress with this recipe at your next summer gathering.
We take advantage of round, donut peaches to craft a plate full of Peach Donuts. These donuts are soft and fluffy, packed full of peach flavor. Plus, a sweet glaze on top recreates the donut you know and love with a fruity twist.
Late summer peaches, blended with fresh mint and the nutty warmth of bourbon whiskey, take the stage. Leveled out with a smooth, sweet vanilla simple syrup, this peach bourbon cocktail brings out the best flavors of summer and fall, making it perfect for between-season drinking.
A beautiful way to celebrate one of summer’s favorite fruits in a simple yet luxurious way is our Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone and Honey recipe. Once peach season passes, feel free to try grilled plums…or pineapple. Or create your own mix of fruits.
Need a quick and easy dinner option that won’t leave a mess in the kitchen? Our Simple Pork Chops and Peaches take just a sheet pan to make a juicy, succulent product. You’ll even learn to make your own delicious balsamic and orange juice dressing to drizzle over top.
Who knew quinoa could be so good? We did! That’s why we pair it with diced, fresh peaches, chickpeas, cucumber, and red onion for maximum deliciousness. You can even add your own customizations to this salad such as grilled chicken, feta cheese, or your other favorite veggies.
Combine farm-fresh berries and peaches with this easy, crowd-pleasing flatbread recipe. Along with chèvre cheese and prosciutto, feel free to sprinkle in a fresh blackberry or blueberry, too.
Brighten your usual salmon dish with the addition of sweet roasted peaches and a savory tomato sauce. You’ll get the most flavor out of this beloved seafood when you let the peaches infuse into the salmon. It may just become your new weeknight dinner go-to.
Crumbly buttermilk biscuit chunks are layered into this colorful summer salad. Sink your teeth into bites of juicy peaches, radicchio, baby arugula, English cucumber, shredded ricotta salata, and a red wine vinegar dressing.
Who doesn’t love pulled pork at a summer cookout? Upgrade your pork game with a sweet BBQ peach sauce that adds a little kick of spices. Needless to say, you’re never going back to your old recipe.
The combination of naturally sweet peaches and hot honey is simply meant to be. Our Editor-in-Chief Keith Recker makes an Easy Hot Honey Peach Galette that turns anyone into a professional baker.
Gazpacho in the summertime whenever peaches are ripe and ready is a treat for any hot day. Fresh cantaloupe and juicy peaches blend with savory elements of garlic, shallot, balsamic, and chili flakes.
A cocktail that utilizes farm-grown produce basks in a flavorful outcome. This smash uses peaches and blackberries from your local market as well as your favorite bourbon and ginger beer.
For cocktail and mocktail lovers alike, this Peach Basil Bellini can be made with sparkling white wine or sparkling mineral water. Plus, you’ll learn to craft a basil simple syrup that you can use in other beverages.
