At Chicago's Cariño, the Coffee Is Brewed to the Last (Duck) Stock

The Latin-inspired tasting menu at Cariño starts with a wooden spoon topped with tortilla crumble and salsa verde jelly and ends with chocolate ganache and a quenelle of hoja santa ice cream, but what takes guests from savory to sweet on the 14-course journey goes beyond a typical palate cleanser. “I like pastries and coffee as a transition, something to warm guests up and let them know dessert is coming,” says Chef/Owner Norman Fenton. For his pre-dessert, Fenton was inspired by Mexican churros and café de olla. To lend even more savory richness to the spiced Mexican coffee, Fenton decided to brew it using stock made from duck neck and back bones. He roasts the bones until caramelized and brings them to a boil with vegetable scraps (he prefers red onion and cilantro), coriander seeds, and white pepper before letting the stock simmer for 12 hours. He strains the liquid and combines it with the café de olla ingredients (coffee, piloncillo, cloves, anise, and Mexican chocolate) over low heat for an hour (recipe). It’s strained again, seasoned with salt, topped with pasilla chile espuma and dust, and served with a churro decked out with foie gras, yellow raisin gel, Oaxacan mole, freeze-dried raspberries, and anise hyssop. “While you’re eating the churro, the fat from the foie washes in your mouth, and the residual texture silkens the acid of the coffee,” says Fenton. “It’s a tactile experience that bridges your palate from savory courses into dessert.”