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Holiday Recipes: A Rosemary Potato Tart With Rustic Tart

November 8, 2017UnisonRecipes

Chicago pie company Rustic Tart has been enriching the lives of locals for some time with its delicious selections. We at Unison were delighted to work with owner Stephanie Lock this summer for our Summer Pie Story (featuring an amazing blueberry tart), so we made sure to bring her back for a fall collaboration using Rustic Tart’s Ready-to-Roll Dough.

Stephanie started Rustic Tart as a subscription-based pie company that offered two fruit pies a month during the growing season. As her business grew, she heard from more and more people that they loved the pies, but were too intimidated by the idea of making the dough to try baking on their own.

As Stephanie says, “[s]o I turned my focus to the dough, developing Ready-to-Roll Dough and leading classes here and there. The handcrafted all-butter disks of frozen dough, which come in sweet and savory varieties, are designed for the home baker and cooks, for making pies, tarts, quiches and pastries. You could even make a pot pie! Found in grocers’ freezers (Whole Foods, Plum Market, Publican Quality Meats, Standard Market, Sunset Foods Highland Park), Ready-to-Roll can solve all your dough-making problems.”

Backed by Midwestern savvy passed from one generation to the next, Rustic Tart has become a great resource for all things pie, offering everything from Ready-to-Roll Dough to recipes, how-to web videos and pie classes in and around the Chicagoland area.

Enjoy the Rustic Potato Tart!

Rustic Potato Tart
adapted from David Tanis’ Savory Potato Tart

Dough:
1 package Rustic Tart SAVORY Read-to-Roll Dough™, defrosted and rolled to 12-inches in diameter.
Line a 9-inch pie plate with the rolled dough and refrigerate.

Filling:
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup crème fraîche
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

For the egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cream

Place oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 375ºF.
Slice potatoes as thinly as possible, using a mandolin or sharp knife.
Put potato slices in a large bowl and add crème fraîche, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic and rosemary.
Mix well with hands, making sure all slices are coated and well distributed.
Add potatoes to chilled dough in even layers making sure to not leave any of the crème fraîche mixture behind.
Gently fold dough over itself and the filling.
Brush dough top lightly with egg wash.
Bake for about an hour or until the filling is bubbling and the dough is browned.

Essentials for Your Modern Thanksgiving Table

October 31, 2017November 1, 2017UnisonGet Inspired

Thanksgiving is a great time to begin new traditions. Keep the best elements of the season alive — togetherness, family, friends — but with your own modern spin. The holidays are a perfect time to revamp your table, and we’ve selected items that embody the idea of modern + timeless — beautifully made and designed products you can have confidence in.

The Modular White Vase gives your table the beauty of a floral arrangement without overwhelming it. Reflective clear and white glass in a modern rectangular form that’s substantial enough to handle a knock from a passing plate, but not in danger of leaving no room for entrées.

You have to feel it to believe it. Medaillon dinnerware is gleaming, German-crafted porcelain that is not only dishwasher and microwave safe (for easy cleanup and reheating of leftovers), but also scratch and wear-resistant.

A tablecloth not only protects your table from scratches and stains, but also lends elegance to your presentation and can tie it all together. The Garland Wine Tablecloth is made from Portuguese cotton sateen and features a striking digitally printed take on a floral pattern, designed by Chicago artist Stephen Eichhorn. Stain-resistant and machine washable, it’s a beautiful and practical addition to your holiday table.

We’ve paired these elements with a Burgundy Linen Napkin (have some fun with textiles via the contrasting cotton sateen of the tablecloth and strong linen weave of the napkins), a modern Chrome Silver Napkin Ring, and Eve Chrome Flatware, for the perfect combination of traditional and modern.

holiday table layout — White Windsor Table + Chairs

Take the opportunity this year to create your own traditions. Whether it’s finding a table setting to start creating memories with, or even a poem you like to read ever year — traditions are one of the things we value most. It’s never too late to start one that will be valued for years to come.

Q+A With Chicago’s Metric Coffee

October 25, 2017October 27, 2017UnisonFeatured In

Unison neighbor Metric Coffee has been brewing unique, well balanced, and clean coffees since 2014. We’ve recently teamed up with them for a fall giveaway, and wanted to learn a little more about the coffee shop we visit every day, so we chatted with Matthew Steinbrecher — Manager of Metric West Fulton & Workshops Educator.

Q: How did Metric get started?

A: Metric Coffee Co. started in 2014 as a shared project by co-owners Xavier Alexander and Darko Arandjelovic. After purchasing a vintage German Probat roaster, the two began roasting out of a Humboldt Park garage, and soon moved into our current location on West Fulton Street. It didn’t take long for the company to grow, as our work with chefs, restaurants, and cafes in the region quickly drove our wholesale accounts; since 2014 the company has grown to fourteen people.

Q: What are the advantages of your West Fulton location?

A: Since we were already occupying our current space on West Fulton, it made sense to put our first cafe location within our headquarters. Doing so not only provides visitors a direct view of the entire operation, but allows the cafe to become a ‘test lab’ of sorts – what is happening up front is a direct reflection of the work being done in back, with new offerings constantly coming in.

The space certainly presents some unique challenges; as any visitor to the cafe knows, it’s a small space. It forces our team to work efficiently and creatively to maximize our space while providing what we’d consider one of the most sincere, hospitable, and excellent coffee experiences in a city flush with quality coffee. The cafe tends to function largely as a grab-and-go operation for the working crowd along the Fulton corridor, but we love it when folks are able to stay a while and engage a little further.

Q: You actually offer coffee workshops, like how to brew better coffee. How did these come about, and what are you hoping to offer in the future?

A: Offering public workshops and classes was integral in opening our space up to the public.

The premise of the Home Brewing and Espresso workshops is simple – how do the different variables at play come together to form the final brew that we drink? How do we talk about what we taste, and how did we arrive at that? Coffee and espresso preparation can easily be seen from the outside as unnecessarily complicated, frustrating, and maybe a little pretentious. I love breaking it down in a way that is easy to understand. For the more experienced crowd, we can get into the specifics of coffee extraction and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) on the numerical level. It all depends on who is participating and what would actually be useful to them in a home setting. being able to teach these workshops is something that brings me a lot of joy, and I love sharing the tools to understanding coffee available to others.

Down the line we’re looking to bring back our weekly coffee cuppings, Home Brewing workshops taught in Spanish, latte art classes, and more roasting tours and demos.

Q: What makes Metric different?

A: Here at Metric West Fulton we take an incredible amount of pride in making amazingly delicious coffee as approachable as possible. Both Gabby and Connor, the wildly skilled (and kind) baristas on the cafe team, take a great deal of initiative in helping me shape our offerings, constantly refining our ways of working and preparing drinks. Being a part of the Metric team allows us to witness the huge amount of work it takes to bring coffee from seed to cup, which only makes us do what we do (as one of the final steps in the chain) with care and close attention. I like to think that we tend to the social life of that product — watching it play out into the daily lives of our neighbors, friends, and partners.

Don’t miss the Unison + Metric Coffee Fall Giveaway! Enter by November 12, 2017 to win an array of coffee products from Unison and Metric.

How to Welcome a House Guest: Hosting Ideas for a Guest Room

October 18, 2017October 19, 2017UnisonFeatured In

Hosting has been a part of humanity’s global culture for millennia. Everyone wants their home to have a comfortable space for a guest, so we’ve selected our favorite items to make a house guest feel at home and taken care of.

First things first:

A bench provides both function and comfort. Your guest can drop their bags on the modern and stylish Mesh Gray Bench. With its striking but subdued pattern that goes well with any decor, this solid pine bench will withstand the test of time. We suggest the Natural Nido Basket as an attractive and easy way to store extra blankets or pillows underneath. Speaking of which…

Wool Blankets + Chambray Stone and Flannel Indigo Bedding — Jackson Gray + Jackson Blue Wool Throw Blanket, Chambray Stone + Flannel Indigo Pillowcase

Minnesota-woven wool from one of the last vertical woolen mills in America, which means these blankets are made entirely in the mill, from raw cotton to finished product. They’re machine washable, fade resistant, and the best part? Wool is an active material which reacts to changes in body temperature, so it will keep your guest warm when they’re cold and release heat when they’re hot.

The pillows are the Unison Chambray Stone and Flannel Indigo, both made of 100% Portuguese cotton and guaranteed to make anyone staying overnight want to cozy up to them.

But what about a quilt?

Unison and Inn at Longman & Eagle Quilt — L&E Solid Navy/Gray Reversible Quilt

What better way to welcome your guest than with unique and cozy bedding. Made of 100% cotton and reversible from navy blue to light gray, this quilt is warm enough for winter and cool enough for summer. If you’re in Chicago, then this has an extra benefit, as it is an exclusive Unison collaboration with the city’s iconic Inn at Longman & Eagle.

And finally:

Nightstand for a House Guest — Canal White Table Lamp, Gather Vase, Grid Tray, Braun Black Classic Alarm Clock, Tri White Side Table

The essential nightstand. Imagine dropping your bags after a weary day of travel, sitting on the bed and seeing cheery flower cuttings and a glass of water (or whatever you prefer), already waiting for you. Bring the look together with an appropriately sized tray and add the final touch with a classically elegant table lamp for easy nighttime reading.

Bring sophistication to the table with the Canal White Table Lamp. The Canal has an elongated dome, adjustable shade, and metallic finish to provide just the right touch of style. We love the Gather vase collection for its simple lines and thin but durable design. They’re the perfect size for a side table or nightstand accent. The Grid Tray pairs a classic Unison pattern with form and function, as maintaining a tidy table with it is a breeze. The table itself? Modern design, minimal footprint. Save space and look chic with the Tri Side Table (available in white or black).

There it is! Pick your favorites and check “cozy guest room” off your list.

Fall Recipes: In the Kitchen With Last Ingredient

October 11, 2017October 11, 2017UnisonFeatured In

Paige Adams from the food blog Last Ingredient is no stranger to Unison. She’s shared her pizza on the grill with us, fruit infused water recipes, spring salads, and sensational Easter recipes that can be made all year round.

Now she’s paired Unison cook and dinnerware with cozy recipes for fall. Her weekend takeover of our Instagram yielded some beautiful photos and delicious dishes, including Sweet Potato Poblano Soup, Acorn Squash Salad, and a Pear & Almond Tart. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Poblano Soup

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, roughly chopped
1 poblano pepper, deseeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1-1/2 pounds), peeled and diced
3 cups vegetable stock
Chopped cilantro, pepitas and yogurt for serving

1_Soup — Featuring Epicurean Non-Slip Cutting Board + Falcon Black Enamelware Prep Set

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Stir in the poblano peppers, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and stock. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

Soup Prep — Featuring Cookut Black Dutch Oven, Little Big Trivet, Oxford Stripe Navy Linen Dishtowel

Carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender to puree. Return the soup to the saucepan to reheat. Divide into bowls and top with cilantro, pepitas and drizzle with yogurt.

Acorn Squash Salad

Serves 4

For squash
1 acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For dressing
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

For salad
5 ounces mixed baby greens
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Cut off the top and bottom of the acorn squash. Halve it lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Thinly slice the acorn squash and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange the squash slices in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Roast the squash for 25-30 minutes until tender.

Salad Prep — Featuring Epicurean Non-Slip Cutting Board + Galvin Copper Serve Set

While the squash is roasting, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until fully combined.

To assemble the salad, toss the squash, mixed baby greens, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and goat cheese with the dressing.

Pear & Almond Tart

Almond Pear Tart — Featuring Galvin Copper Serve Set, Graphite Linen Napkin, Grace Gray Dinner Plate

Makes one 10-inch tart

For crust
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for work surface
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For pears
3 cups water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 Bosc pears, peeled

For almond filling
6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
3/4 cup slivered blanched almonds
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
Confectioners’ sugar for serving

For the crust, pulse the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the yolk and vanilla extract and mix until the dough forms. Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Almond Pear Tart Prep — Featuring Dash Stripe Navy Linen Dishtowel

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the tart shell for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

For the pears, bring the water, lemon juice and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the pears, reduce the heat and simmer until the pears are tender, about 15 minutes. Let the pears cool in the syrup. Slice the pears in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and stem and cut crosswise into thin slices. Press the pear halves to slightly fan out the slices.

For the almond filling, mix the butter, almonds, flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract in a food processor until smooth. Spread the filling into the tart shell. Place the fanned pear slices on top. (It helps to use an offset spatula to keep them together.) Bake 45-50 minutes until the almond filling is set and golden brown. Cool the tart on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

See more from Paige at LastIngredient.com!

#ArtinUnison: Chad Kouri Talks Color, Minimalism, and Lena Horne

October 3, 2017October 3, 2017Unison#ArtinUnison

This month’s #ArtInUnison spotlight is on Chad Kouri. Chad’s artwork has been featured in the Unison catalog numerous times. His brilliant use of color and form caught our eye and we approached him to design some items for the Unison collection. We’re thrilled to be highlighting him this month.

Originally from Michigan, Chad lives and works in Chicago. He is an active participant in the Chicago arts community, and his work has been exhibited everywhere from San Francisco to Weimar, Germany. His Chicago exhibits include the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Hyde Park Art Center, and Johalla Projects.

Q: What are your favorite aspects of minimalism?

A: I love how something simple can be very profound. I have a quote from my high school band director running through my head often: “Simple isn’t easy.” That was more than 15 years ago, but it still means so much to me. I really respect a restrained and simplified presentation whether it’s music or performance or visual art. It’s so easy to just keep adding and adding. It takes a lot of courage to live with simplicity of any kind. I’m still working towards being more minimal, not only in my aesthetic but my lifestyle as well. It’s a lifelong practice!

Q: Your work is so incredibly colorful. Do you choose your colors mostly on instinct, or is it a very thought-out process.

A: I think a lot about color. What colors mean to us. How they are read and interpreted. How specific colors are present in our everyday lives. I’m constantly capturing photos, reviewing swatches and looking for color combinations or standalone hues that can be compelling and powerful. For example, I use yellow often in physical spaces and digitally as a visual palette cleanser when presenting my work. Even my print orders get shipped in a yellow bag. The goal is to simultaneously clear and focus your mind on what you are about to see. But all the color theory and thought is mostly in the background when it comes to the art-making process. One color typically leads me to another as I build compositions. I only use paint out of the tube or existing colored paper in my work, so as to not create something that feels unfamiliar and foreign. It’s further reassurance that my work can be in line with the world around us and not something that feels other-worldly.

Q: Who would you call your top 3 artistic influences?

A: Oh man…this is impossible to answer. I’m a minimalist in application but a maximalist in process so I’m looking at TONS of different stuff all the time. If I had to pick right now, I’d say I’m looking at a lot of work at the intersection of non-traditional photography and architecture right now. Erin O’Keefe and George Byrne come to mind. But any artist that is unapologetically themselves really draws me in. I feel this happening in music more than anything else. Thelonious Monk, Lena Horne, and George Clinton are fierce historical examples of this, but recently Chicago’s South Side singers and MCs are doing it for me. Chance the Rapper, Jamila Woods, NoName, to name a few. Of course, I’m looking at masterworks often as well… Ellsworth Kelly, Josef and Anni Albers, Bridget Riley, Sol Lewitt, Ettore Sottsass, Carmen Herrera, McArthur Binion and Ray and Charles Eames to name a few.

Q: You’ve cited jazz as being a part of your work — how does that tend to show up in your pieces?

A: In all sorts of ways, honestly. Most directly, I have a body of work I call Jazz Movement Studies which started a little under ten years ago. These works act as graphic glyph-like representations of sounds I hear at Avant-Garde and Free Jazz sets that I frequent in Chicago. Growing up playing alto saxophone, I was very familiar with jazz standards that most people know. When I moved to Chicago, there was (and still is) this whole scene of people “playing out,” which means playing sounds that are outside of the traditional tonal structures of a song. Making this work helped me digest and find comfort in the dissonant sounds I was hearing in clubs and on records that friends were suggesting. Now, for me, that kind of music almost has a medicinal property.

Outside of that, I relate my entire practice to that of a jazz musician. I develop and collect a toolbox of colors, reference images, compositions, and concepts—just as a jazz musician collects melodies, scales, and chord processions. When it’s my turn to make something new, I chop everything up and assemble something from the pieces. It just happens to be a visual composition rather than an improvised solo.

Q: What about your style aligns with the Unison brand?

A: I appreciate that Unison’s overall simple and color-driven catalog of objects don’t need to be screaming in order to get your attention. There is also a sophisticated playfulness to Unison’s aesthetic that I admire. We are obviously looking at some of the same stewards of our practice and share a common goal in finding an aesthetic that is both modern and timeless.

Find out more about Chad on his website, and stay tuned for more #ArtinUnison features!

Our New (Locally-made) Wallpaper Is In!

August 17, 2016August 18, 2016UnisonMaking Modern

You’ve been asking for it. The wait is over. Our new locally-printed wallpaper comes in a range of blacks, whites, grays and metallics. The patterns – from tiny flecks to full-on grids – go with any living space. Put it up in eight easy steps and pick your level of intensity. What will it be? All four walls or just one for an accent?

Built around simple black, white and metallic grid patterns, our new wallpaper collection, designed by Unison co-founders Robert & Alicia, aims to be as versatile as it is easy on the eye. Just one more part of our ongoing commitment to simple, modern style.

Working with the team at Artisan Handprints is amazing. Having been in the business of hand printed wallpaper for more than 40 years, we knew their level of expertise was going to shine. It doesn’t hurt that they carry the Midwestern spirit of working hard while maintaining a high level of craftsmanship right here in our hometown of Chicago.

Our Lattice Gold Wallpaper uses the clear base and actual crushed metals to achieve the gold luster that shines on the matte black surface. Their solvent inks, also made in the USA, evaporate in the drying process, leaving only the color pigments behind.

The team at Artisan Handprints is incredible. For each design, the paper is set up and then the ink is poured by hand on the screen. Each 30 feet of wallpaper is printed within a matter of minutes while the paper is fed under the screen and then dried before rolling up. This company is a perfect example of using industry standard technology and equipment alongside old fashioned printing techniques that have stood the test of time. That is just one of the many reasons why we chose this collaboration.

Already purchased Unison wallpaper? Are you curious if you can really do this yourself? Watch our simple step-by-step video on how to hang it.

It’s Marbleous! Father’s Day Event + DIY Marbling How-To

June 20, 2016UnisonFeatured In

At our recent Father’s Day Store Event: It’s Marbleous! we demonstrated the technique of marbling using nail polish as a quick and easy way to customize almost any household item, including mugs, coasters and office supplies. With endless color combinations and items to marbleize you’ll find this technique is your new go-to for a great gift idea that won’t disappoint.

Follow along below for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own marbled creations at home!

What you’ll need:

nail polish (pick your favorites!)
bamboo skewers or toothpicks
plastic container filled with water (deep enough submerge the items you want to marble)
parchment paper
painter’s tape

Step 1: Pick the items you’d like to marble. I suggest anything with a fairly smooth surface: ceramic, plastic or even cork seems to work well.

Step 2: Tape off the sections of your item that you don’t want marbled with painter’s tape. Here we decided to make a striped pattern.

Step 3: Choose the nail polish colors you would like to use, I recommend 3-4 to get a nice range of color. Pour nail polish into the container filled with water, the polish should sit on the surface of the water. Using the bamboo skewer, gently pull the polish through the water to get your desired pattern.

Step 4: Carefully dip your item into the water making sure to fully submerge the area you want to marble. Pull item out of the water and set to dry.

Step 5: Let dry for 10-15 minutes, or dry to the touch. Remove the painter’s tape and you’re all set!

Unison Staff Picks: Think Spring!

March 4, 2016UnisonFeatured In

Unison employees each chose two Spring products from our catalog that they are really crushing on.

Discover their favorites here — and get to know a little more about the people in our office and store that love sharing modern home designs with you!

Eric Janke, Sales Representative

Omaggio black salad bowl

I love the generous size and shape of this bowl – great for salads to come to life, especially combined with the Hammershoi wood salad servers. Both casual and smart, all in one.

Plant Pedestals by Areaware

These have a terrific shape and design that will give your plants a layered place to live, a subtle place to stand out. It is multifunctional, you can use it for a selection of your favorite products too.

Erica Lubetsky, Production Designer

Cabana Sprinkles Bedding

The Cabana Sprinkles Bedding package offers a clean, modern look with a fun pop of color. I love how this pattern play serves as an ode to the neo memphis trend while remaining versatile for the bedroom. The mix of horizontal and vertical stripes in a classic black and white color combination paired with a hint of playfulness from the sprinkles makes this item a must have for any customer!

Omaggio Mini Vases

As a lover of all things mini, I couldn’t think of a more perfect addition for my home. These vases are finished with an organic yet modern stripe featured in 3 colorways, and just the right size for a small bud. The best part is that they come as a set of three, so you don’t have to stress about picking your favorite color!

Robert Segal, Co-Founder/Designer

Kera Bath Accessories

I love the combination of ceramic and cork. It is very modern and natural at once with these materials. This is also our first full bath set we are offering. Finding a set with all components looking good as well as functioning well can be a struggle to find. Kera achieves these both.

Two Hands Black Basket

Beyond a laundry basket, it’s function has endless possibilities. It can hold blankets, logs, magazines, toys and even in necessity a great toddler washtub while traveling! The Two Hands Bucket was Konstantin Grcic’s first design with Authentics from 1996. It has proven to be a lasting and iconic design.

Ryan Lodge, E-Commerce Manager

Square Black Waste Basket

I like clean and simple. The Authentics trash can is exactly that. Clean lines and minimal design and it is made of a durable polypropylene material.

Logan Graphite Towels

Logan towels are also a perfect fit for my aesthetic and the comfort and quality is fantastic, 100% organic cotton crafted in Portugal. I can’t imagine stepping out of the shower into something else.

Bright and Airy SF Loft

January 14, 2016UnisonFeatured In

Take a look at Homepolish.com designer Savannah Grace Metcalfs loft and see how she styled the Unison Grid blanket and throw pillows. Click here for a home tour through this amazing loft. Thank you Savannah!

Stitch Black Throw Pillow, Grid Black Knit Blanket, Harvest Black Throw Pillow