Mike Petrucelli
mikepetrucelli.bsky.social
Mike Petrucelli
@mikepetrucelli.bsky.social
Food writer, editor, reader, aging nerd.
November 30, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Follow me for more pro tips for the home table. #thebear #thanksgving #homecooking #midwestlife
November 27, 2025 at 3:48 PM
This is where I post from if you even care.
November 15, 2025 at 4:01 AM
The bar when I put $20 into the Touchtunes on November 10th. #galesofnovember #edmundfitzgerald #thewreckoftheedmundfitzgerald #midwestlife
November 10, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Weird result to a first test of making clear ice cubes more than one at a time via @alcademics method. This weird glacial up thrust or whatever resulted in a tumbler length large (mostly) clear cube.
October 19, 2025 at 8:37 PM
October 19, 2025 at 1:28 PM
September 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Pasteurizing local blueberry puree for a blueberry sour. Getting close to temp.
August 24, 2025 at 10:07 PM
As I have mentioned previously, my basil is going nuts. I have made plenty of pesto. I have now resorted to putting it in cocktails. So gin basil smash. Local folks, if you need basil, hmu.
August 24, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Herbs are going nuts in the garden with the sun and then the rain. Tonight, @petrucellia.bsky.social and I had chicken meatballs with fresh basil, oregano and parsley from the garden with fresh tomato sauce. Good stuff.
August 22, 2025 at 1:33 AM
August 21, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Harvested some of my hop cones today. Drying half and using the rest to wet hop a pale ale. This is new this year. We’ll know in about a week if it’s any good.
August 21, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Tonight’s @sbcubs.bsky.social fireworks reflected on Union Station and Studebaker.
August 20, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Turned out to be a great night for @southbendcubs baseball. I make it a rule no matter to eat the novelty food at a place (eg the Derek’s Rusty Blaster at The Yum Yum Shoppe in North Liberty). The Cubs are doing an opponent-themed burger stunt all season and tonight is the @crkernels Corn Burger.
August 20, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Coworkers have been bringing in stuff from their gardens and I ran across a couple eggplants left behind (because of course because yecch, eggplant. Full disclosure: I haaaaate eggplant).
August 20, 2025 at 12:54 AM

Looking up a gin basil smash recipe to use up some basil on this #secretfriday and I ran across this Blueberry Fizz by accident. Recipe adapted from Conniption Gin, which I cannot get here. If you like citrus, Tanqueray Rangpur lime gin or New Amsterdam.
July 30, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Hit exhibits for Tom Torluemke at the Chicago Cultural Center and the Raqib Shaw Paradise Lost exhibit @artinstitutechi.bsky.social. Ended the day at the Pierogi Festival in Whiting, Ind.
July 28, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Speaking of coolers, on the corner of East 95th Street and Escanaba Avenue a woman was selling tamales out of a cooler set on a card table. Tamales sold out of a cooler in a random location are by default the best ones you will ever eat. They made a fantastic Sunday breakfast.
July 28, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Whirlwind Saturday. Lunch at Calumet Fisheries in Chicago and brought home some smoked sablefish (aka butterfish). It started to rain so apologies for the less than stellar photos of the Blues Brothers Bridge. If you go, you’ll want to buy everything so bring a cooler.
July 28, 2025 at 7:41 PM
What a great Memorial Day weekend. I was able to brew beer, make some killer pizza, watch the Indianapolis 500 in person, and grill a fantastic steak on my Monday off. There’s a reason for that.
May 27, 2025 at 2:56 AM
I had many but I still have my two favorites! Even bust ‘em out and take ‘em to work sometimes.
May 20, 2025 at 12:07 PM
One of the easiest drinks I’ve made in a while: The Horsefeather (recipe via Liquor.com). Ounce and a half of rye, four ounces ginger beer (I used W Mixers ginger beer) and four dashes Angostura bitters. Squeeze a lemon wedge in there and stir.
May 11, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Honestly a beer glass that refills before you take the last sip is the kind of Sisyphean task I can get behind.
May 11, 2025 at 6:27 PM
When you’re out foraging for breakfast and you see homemade donuts being sold out of a truck in a parking lot, you buy the donuts. #donuts #ilovedonuts #midwestlife
May 7, 2025 at 6:35 PM
May 5, 2025 at 1:42 AM