I’m on the hunt for Omaha’s best chili. No team this time around, just me, taking people’s recommendations and heading to different restaurants around the city to try what’s out there. I’ve tried two chilis so far (and have several more on the horizon.) This one was from last weekend, when Matthew and I ventured over to Vinton Street and had lunch at Louie M’s. Their chili has a thin texture, with plenty of beans and hunks of ground beef, plus the option to get a sprinkle of cheese and raw onion on the top. I’ve been surveying readers for their favorite chili (that isn’t made at their home) and if you have a thought of where I should go, send it my way via email or in the comments over on Facebook. I’ll share more chili research in the coming weeks. 

Last week, Matthew and I gave a talk about our book, “The Better Half,” in Bloomfield, Nebraska, at a great little event space, antique store and clothing store there called The Hive. Finding little gems like this one was the whole point of the book, so it was particularly nice to be able to add a new favorite spot to our list. We had a wonderful dinner topped off with the dessert you see above, a mashup of apple cobbler and cheesecake topped with salted caramel. Bloomfield local, and excellent baker, Ali Baldwin made the dessert. You can follow her baking adventures at her Instagram (trust me, it all looks as delicious as this dessert was. I ate the whole damn thing.)