New to Chicago and want to find restaurants that focus on locally grown food? Lived here all your life and need help finding committed business to the local food movement? Local Yolkel is a recently launched website that hopes to provide a comprehensive directory of restaurants, grocers, bakeries, caterers and cooking classes that use locally sourced ingredients. Soon the website will also include a comprehensive listing of local CSA (community supported agriculture) programs.
— Whitney Merritt /
Itinerant chefs, caterers and small businesses looking for space to test out new food concepts have multiple of options in Chicago.
Kitchen Chicago has been around for years, but they moved into a new space at 324 N. Leavitt Ave. about a month ago that is both more functional for chefs and more versatile as an event space. Their new kitchen includes two full cookspaces -- one oriented toward pastries -- as well as a climate-controlled chocolate room; there are plans to possibly add a demo kitchen for small cooking classes. Through two sets of double doors is a soaring event space: the building was once a foundry, and this huge room is the upper half of what was once flyspace for massive cauldrons of molten iron. Kitchen Chicago have kept the industrial chic look but finished it with hardwood floors, large cylinder lights and several big, rough-hewn wood tables. There's a loft space at one end that's bigger than many apartments. The room has already been used by Chef Stephanie Izard from one of her Drunken Goat dinners.
Logan Square Kitchen is new on the scene and also offers a private event space and a shared commercial kitchen, both in a small storefront at 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave. The business is dedicated to environmental, economic and social sustainability -- you can ask them what that means in practical terms at their open house this weekend, 10am to 3pm both Saturday and Sunday.
Up in Evanston, Now We're Cookin' offers a shared kitchen for professionals -- as well as a demo space that's been used by Grant Achatz among others. And Splice Kitchen plans to open a 24-hour professional kitchen in the West Loop sometime this year. According to Time Out Chicago, Washburn Culinary Institute runs an incubator kitchen in its South Side campus.
— Andrew Huff /
Event Wed Sep 09 2009
Even though Labor Day has come and gone, marking the (unofficial) end of summer, the stands at many of Chicago's farmers markets are looking more lush than they have all season. Squash and apples are starting to appear, and the peaches and berries are still abundant. The Andersonville Farmer's Market, which started just this year, has been so successful than it has extended its run through October 7th. Today's market will be held, as usual, from 4 to 8 pm. Starting next week, the market will run from 3 to 7 pm. Come on up to Clark & Berwyn to take advantage of the early fall harvest.
— Dana Currier /
Dana Joy Altman, a local food writer and former co-manager of the Green City Market, knows there are lots of people who want to cook more, using fresh foods and seasonal ingredients (and not just the masses inspired by a brand-new interest in Julia Child). To help steer people toward the best ingredients and the best way to organize their newly-stocked refrigerators and pantries, she's offering a pantry rehab service. The rehab, which is available for only the next few months, costs $1,500--but before you blanch at the price, consider that it includes groceries and new containers to store them in (you decide whether they come from Goodwill, Target or some other kitchenware source), and eight hours of learning and shopping with Ms. Altman. She'll also make sure you have the cookware and utensils necessary to prepare your healthy meals.
Ms. Altman also knows that not everyone has $1,500 for her service.
Continue reading this entry »
— Lori Barrett /
Wonder no more about which wine to serve with the gazpacho you just whipped up in your blender, or the (grass-fed) beef marinating in your refrigerator. Chicago-trained and Omaha-based Master Sommelier Jesse Becker has just launched a wine-pairing search engine and iPhone app.
The web site, which is easy to navigate using little illustrations of nearly every concievable food group, including offal, dark fish, light fish and legumes (sadly, no soup category), leads users through a series of questions about the heaviness of the food, the cooking method and cuisine. This generates a selection of wines to pair with your food, with the most "agreeable" matches in larger type. If there's a wine in the list of matches that's not familiar, you can click on the wine and get a description. For example, when I searched wines to match legumes cooked with Indian spices, one of my choices was Silvaner. WinetoMatch informed me that this is a white grape from Alsace and Germany's Franken region, and that it's usually dry, light and soft. Right Bank Bordeaux and Merlot were also good matches.
Becker and the algorithm aces at Consulting Merengue, a southern California software developer and web publisher, are already busy building updates (and perhaps a soup category). They acknowledge that wine-matching advice and charts already exist online. But theirs is the first attempt by a Master Sommelier to create such software. "Rather than developing an application which pairs a finite number of named dishes, such as Veal Parmesan or Bouillabaisse, we designed a robust software engine that pairs any conceivable dish," says Becker. The questions about weight and spiciness are the same ones sommeliers would consider when helping guests in a restaurant.
— Lori Barrett /
The Locavore app ($2.99) can tell you what is in season locally and connect you to recipes for each ingredient. It can also direct you to nearby farmers markets. Neat resource for traveling to new parts of the country or for spontaneous local shopping trips. I'm adding this to my growing list of, "Ways my life would improve with an iPhone." [via Lifehacker]
— Gemma Petrie /
Office workers around Chicago, and around the nation, who still have jobs to go to are giving up their daily $10 sandwich or salad deals and bringing lunches from home instead. And with the stylish new lunch-toting options available nowadays, they can carry their food with pride and panache. Whole Foods carries a bento-box lunch "system," on display right next to the overpriced salad bar, so you can fill the little compartments as soon as you've paid for them.
The tiffin carrier, available from Design Within Reach or other online retailers, is an even sleeker vessel. It might look like the tin pail Laura Ingalls Wilder carried to school on the Little House on the Prairie TV show, but the stainless-steel carrier is inspired by the word "tiffin," which means light lunch or snack in parts of Britain and India.
If having a stylish lunch box makes you feel pressured to fill it with healthy, sophisticated foods, there is help available.
Continue reading this entry »
— Lori Barrett /
Spring is officially here and before you know it, Farmers Market season will be upon us. I'm sure many of you, like me, cannot wait to have an abundance of fresh produce, meats, cheeses and flowers. A good friend of mine told me about Community-Supported Agriculture programs over brunch at Uncommon Ground and I immediately began researching participating farms that deliver to Chicago. During my research I came across a 2009 CSA Guide on The Local Beet, specific to Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. I'm new to CSAs, and if you are to, here's a quick overview.
CSAs are membership-based and the fee pays for regular delivery of a particular farm's harvest for the season. Prices vary depending on the length of your membership and how often you want deliveries (weekly, monthly, etc.). Whether it's produce, fruit, eggs, cheese or meat - belonging to a CSA means you'll get fresh (often organic) local produce all season. Check out more benefits of belonging to a CSA and the many membership options in the 2009 CSA Guide.
— Kaitlin Olson /
I came across a nice little list of Twitter accounts of local chefs, among them Graham Elliot Bowles (who recently broke his phone, quel drag!), Koren Grieveson of Avec (who, like Graham Elliot, recently ate at Kuma's Corner) and Alinea's Grant Achatz, who dialogues with NPR's Peter Sagal about the infamous Diet Coke commercial.
— Robyn Nisi /
Natalie MacLean, a four time James Beard Journalism Award winner, recently unveiled a new food and wine pairing tool on her website, Nat Decants. While primarily for wine-lovers, the tool also pairs beer, liquor and coffee. The vast number of foods and beverages in the database make this a useful tool to bookmark for the next time you are planning a special meal or opening a prized bottle.
— Gemma Petrie /
What isn't available from Amazon? Among the many, many things to be had with the click of a mouse is discounted food. The site offers discounts daily on grocery items (anything you could want, from coffee and coconut water to toaster pastries and toilet paper) and it also has a Subscribe & Save program, which allows you to set up standard grocery orders for delivery every one, two, three or six months. Shipping is free for Subscribe & Save orders, and free for other grocery purchases over $25 as well. The web site Dealhack also lists Amazon offers, and even breaks down the amount you save.
— Lori Barrett /
UPDATE: Sorry, folks. This was not intended to be a public event. We'll post about future public events when they occur.
If you've been considering growing your own food but are mostly interested in heirloom varieties, then The Seed Archive may be able to help you find seeds that fit your needs. It is located at 2446 South Sawyer Avenue and keeps a storehouse of viable seeds which they will loan you as long as you plant them, nurture them, and then return twice that number of seeds to them at harvest time so they can share them with others.
If you've been interested in trying to start a garden, but don't know how to sow, or germinate, or fertilize then they've got an event on Sunday February 15th that will help teach you more about what you need to know.
From 3pm to 5pm is the Swap'n'Store where you can bring seeds that you've gathered from your own plants and swap them with other's seeds, or donate them for future pick-up. 5pm to 7pm is a workshop that covers the basics about starting seeds, sowing, cross-pollinating, seed-collection, and seed storage. They'll also have some tasty veggie posole to share, but you're asked to bring your own beverage.
— Cinnamon Cooper /
Recipe Thu Nov 20 2008
Here's to anyone wondering what to serve those vegan friends you might have over for Thanksgiving.
• Heidi Swanson has posted a collection of what I am sure are solid recipes, from Thai-spiced Pumpkin Soup and Hazelnut & Chard Ravioli Salad to Cornmeal Crunch and Maple Grilled Tempeh. Even if a single vegan meal isn't in your future, her tantalizing photos of the food are worth checking out.
• VeganYumYum has lovely everyday recipes, which you could surely appropriate for Thanksgiving, with a vast collection of brilliant photos - especially their Deconstructed Green Bean Casserole.
• Post Punk Kitchen's Isa Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero chime in with tips to accomidating vegans on a traditional dinner table.
• Black Book and Chicago Tribune both plug the Chicago Diner in their lists of where to eat out on Thanksgiving.
• In my notes last year, I picked vegan options from the pages of Bon Appetit.
• VegCooking has recipes, including a tempting one that uses puff pastry sheets.
— Chris Brunn /
Cookstr, the long-awaited recipe search site, launched today. The website hosts free recipes from noted chefs and cookbook authors. The site currently allows you to search by ingredient, chef or recipe. There also handy ways to refine your search like "five ingredients or less" and "inexpensive." They are adding new content daily, so if your first search doesn't yield what you had hoped, it may be wise to check back. New features will be added over the next few months, like chef profile pages and personalized recipe boxes.
— Gemma Petrie /
With the end of the year comes hauling out your cookbooks to make That Thing with the Jello That Everyone Likes for holiday celebrations. A few places are holding classes to spruce up your cooking:
- Thanksgiving 101 Cooking Class @ Fox & Obel, Weds 11/12.
- World Kitchen: the Christmas Cookie Jar @ Gallery 37, Thu 11/13.
- A Modern Holiday Brunch Cooking Class @ Fox & Obel, Thu 11/13.
- World Kitchen: Thanksgiving Memories @ Gallery 37, Sat 11/15.
Visit Slowdown for more details.
— Robyn Nisi /
While many of us are finalizing our Thanksgiving plans, some of our neighbors are choosing between paying rent and putting dinner on the table. Demand at Chicago area food pantries is up 30% from last year. I see this first hand at the nonprofit I work for and there is simply not enough food to go around.
It seems we are all pinching our pennies lately, but if you are able to forgo that extra beer this weekend please consider donating a few dollars to a Chicago area food bank. It just takes a moment to donate online. If you can't find the cash, clear our your pantry or volunteer to donate your time. A great place to start is the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which distributes food to over 600 food banks around the city.
— Gemma Petrie /
If you're looking to sweeten your tea or top your biscuits with honey from the Chicagoland area, here are two ways to find it:
1. Check out Sweet Beginnings beeline honey, which can be purchased at the Lincoln Park farmer's market as well as at Whole Foods stores and other local shops. (via Ideal Bite)
2. Visit the Honey Locator, a website that lets you search for locations where you can buy honey from your "home state." (via the kitchn)
— Dana Currier /
Random Wed Jul 16 2008
When it's hot out like today, why not treat yourself to thick, cold vegan ice cream or smoothie? Below are some of my favorite sources.
• Karmers on Wabash in the Loop has Temptation vegan ice cream by the scoop, either on the sidewalk or inside available by asking at the counter. I hear that you can also find the locally made Temptation by the scoop at Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor in Forest Park, and Heavenly Gelato & Ice Cream in Logan Square.
• Fresh fruit smoothies at Soy Organic in Pilsen.
• Seedling blends up smoothies with the fruit they grow at Green City Market.
• Ice cold and smooth vegan shakes are at Veggie Bite in Wicker Park and Beverly.
• Chicago Diner makes some of the best vegan shakes, served in a tall glass.
• Vegan ice cream on cones at Just Indulge in Wicker Park.
• Sorbet at Ruth & Phils Gourmet Ice Cream in Lincoln Square.
• Temptation is available by the pint at the Green Grocer at Grand & Noble, W Crossings on North Avenue in Wicker Park, True Nature in Uptown, and Whole Foods in Lakeview, South Loop, and on Halsted.
And a few places I've been meaning to try:
• I've seen smoothies being made weekend days on a table out front Crespo's at North Avenue at Leavitt.
• I've heard about a new juice and smoothie shop at 2246 W. Armitage, apparently serving up wheatgrass shots and carrot apple ginger juice.
— Chris Brunn /
Chefs looking for a place to hone their recipes before opening their own restaurant, catering company or gourmet business have had basically two options: cook at home (or in their current employer's kitchen if they're lucky) or rent space and time in Kitchen Chicago, the shared use kitchen in Ravenswood where such folks as Vella Cafe and Hoosier Mama Pies got their start.
Now there's a third option: Now We're Cookin'. Tucked onto a side street northwest of downtown Evanston, Now We're Cookin' not only has commercial-grade kitchen space available for as little as a four-hour shift, but also a demonstration/event studio where you could either host a class or tape your application for "The Next Food Network Star."
— Andrew Huff /
Epicurious just came out with a "seasonal ingredient map." Before you hit the produce section, check to see what is currently in season by state and month. The map also links to recipes using each ingredient.
— Gemma Petrie /
Food additives are substances that become part of a food product by either adding them intentionally or unintentionally during the processing of food. Intentional or direct food additives are added to foods to produce a desired effect, such as to maintain freshness, improve nutritional quality, assist in processing or preparing food, or make a food more appealing by changing the color or texture. Unintentional or indirect food additives are detected in minimal quantities in the final product.
The Center for Science in the Public interest, a nonprofit educational and advocacy organization that focuses on food safety, offers a chart on which food additives are safe, which are better off avoided, and which are completely harmful. Here are the five worst culprits from CSPI's list. Keep in mind, all ingredients on the list have been approved by the FDA, but some health experts suggest we cut back or eliminate them from our diet whenever possible.
Continue reading this entry »
— Abbey Gillespie /
I’ve always got a reason to throw a dinner party, but I don’t always have the cash. We all know living and dining in Chicago is expensive, but don’t let a bourgeois obstacle like money interfere with one of life’s greatest pleasures: entertaining. Last weekend, while struggling to conjure up a cheap yet elegant dish that I could serve my nine guests, I decided to abandon my Martha Stewart complex for one night and ask for help.
The premise is simple: instead of asking a guest to bring their own dish, have them bring an assigned gourmet ingredient. Then assemble the meal according to your own discriminating standards without revealing what it is you’re actually preparing. For my frugal festivities, I made whole roasted garlic with toasted baguettes as an appetizer, wild mushroom risotto and an asparagus and cucumber salad with homemade lemon and herb dressing.
By using my suggestions for guest assignments as a guideline, the remaining ingredients should cost no more than $20. Or, if you are one of the culinary challenged, lure a kitchen-friendly friend by absolving them of their obligation to bring anything, and let them do the cooking. Mix it up with other dinner party concepts: why not try a Top Chef challenge? Ask your guests to bring their favorite ingredient and test your creativity in combining some or all of them.
— Abbey Gillespie /
House Spouse makes tasty takeout noodles at home.
The Tribune is a few weeks behind us with their guide to navigating Indian food.
Serious Eats reports that the marshmallow peep married the chocolate egg, just in time for Easter. Sounds delicious.
A bottle of water gets a classy $12 upgrade at the new Sixteen in the Trump Hotel.
It's election season, so you know there's gonna be mudslinging of an edible nature all of a sudden.
A beautiful portrait of a donut from Bennison's Bakery in Evanston. Thank you, FoodBlog.
The Flossmoor Beer Blog takes a look at the ancient history of beer.
— Robyn Nisi /
If you've been teased by last weekend's balmy weather and can't wait for the farmers markets to open, check out Green City Market's winter list. You'll find stores that carry products from Green City vendors. Green City Market opens Wednesday, May 14 at 7 a.m. in the grass at 1750 N. Clark. City of Chicago farmers markets also open in May.
— Chris Brunn /
LTH Forum has a spirited, ongoing (since 2005) debate on where to find the city's best chicken wings, with Evanston's Buffalo Joe's getting a lot of attention. Also discussed in the thread: the upcoming opening of Wingstop in Evanston, sauce recipes and cooking tips for your own chicken wing feast, and a bevy of heated, spicy opinions.
— Robyn Nisi /
Can't wait the 27 days left until the season premiere of Top Chef? The Stew posted some spoilers yesterday regarding some of the Quickfire Challenges and which hometown celebs will be making cameos.
— Meghan Murphy Gill /
•Fat/Shrove Tuesday is over, meaning our day of eating paczki is over. LTH Forum holds a celebration of the Polish filled donut, and Chicago Foodies waxes poetic on their flavorful glory.
•Chicago Gluttons gives Ferris Bueller-style props to Smoque BBQ.
•The staff of Time Out Chicago gets drunk Carnival-style in their breakroom, but still has enough focus to review the liquor. And all the rest of us working stiffs get is free coffee and the occasional donut.
•The localvore doesn't have to hibernate because it's winter: Vital Information reports that if you're willing to trek out west to the Geneva Winter Market each Thursday, you won't be disappointed.
•When at the All-Candy Expo this past fall, I had the unfortunate experience of sampling RJ's Natural Licorice. Apparently I was not alone in my opinion.
•The Tribune reports the re-emergence of heart-shaped Krispy Kremes for Valentine's Day. Drugs sell themselves, people. The decoration isn't necessary.
•If you ever owned a nice, cuddly guinea pig as a pet, don't read this.
•No wetnaps required: a Superbowl treat of buffalo wing and guacamole sushi.
•The Lunar Chinese New Year is coming, which means that the tasty food specials follow.
•As the temperatures take a dive outside, why not cozy up to a warm, comforting Sloppy Joe's? Dejamo's Distracted reviews the loose meat wonder at Ricobene's and seeks out the best online recipe.
•Vegan baked goods get props at Bake and Destroy.
•The Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence were awarded at the Grand Chefs Gala this past Friday, with Paul Virant of Western Springs' Vie taking the honor of Top Celebrity Chef. Alinea, Lula Cafe and Blackbird were also among the award recipients.
— Robyn Nisi /
We're officially in the second week of January, and you're doing a pretty good job avoiding the fatty, salty, greasy, foods that will most certainly cause the demise of your diet before St. Patrick's Day arrives. Maybe I'm just projecting my problems, because while catching up on some long overdue blog reading, I discovered this: Bon Appétit's guide to perfect French Fries with video podcast and recipes included.
And here I thought I was safe so long that I steered clear of the Hopleaf. Now I cannot stop thinking about perfectly fried thin spears of hot, greasy, salty potatoes dipped in rich garlicky aioli.
— Meghan Murphy Gill /
Event Mon Jan 07 2008
I was reading the San Francisco Chronicle a few weeks ago and came across a neat story about a Northwestern University art professor who held a seminar to talk about his Iraqi-Jewish heritage and make the foods of his childhood. The seminar, called Enemy Kitchen, was also an opportunity for the audience to talk about their perspectives on the war and the impact it has had on culture. The professor, Michael Rakowitz, will be bringing Enemy Kitchen to the Hyde Park Art Center this Sunday from 5-7pm, as part of the companion exhibit Consuming War which ends January 20 at the Center. Reservations are required. Click here to register.
— Robyn Nisi /
If you love Trader Joe's as much as I do, you know that their products can be, well, uneven. Some things are amazing, some are awful. Finally I've found Trader Joes Fans.com, a nice third-party resource for getting reviews on TJ's food, as well as recipe ideas and a forum. Finally, a place where I can gab about Three Buck Chuck other than AA.
— Robyn Nisi /
If you're a fan of farmers markets here in Chicago, you probably mourn the day when your market closes in the fall. Well, the next three months don't have to be a barren wasteland of mass produced bland thanks to Local Harvest and Churches' Center for Land and Peoples. You may not be able to get tomatoes and peas, but you will be able to find "cheese, meat and poultry, soap, syrup, eggs, honey, wool and woolen goods, raw fibers, vinegars, dried herbs, dried fruits, milled flours, fruit butters, sauces and salsas, preserves, cider, seasoned firewood.....in short, anything that a farm grows or produces from what they grow." Check the calendar for when and where to find the indoor markets and to see which locations will have cafes, electronics recycling, or serve brunch. And if you happen to be a member of a congregation that would like to host a market, or if you are a farm owner looking for a place to sell your wares, give Robin Shimer a call.
One of my favorite aspects of this is that there is no fee for the farmers to attend. Once they hit a sales baseline, they'll donate a portion of their proceeds to the Harvest of Hope Fund that provides small payments to farmers who find themselves in crisis. How can I not love good food that supports farmers during lean months to raise funds used to support farmers who can then make more good food?
— Cinnamon Cooper /
The Chicago Tribune has a great article up in their food section right now on cooking classes in the greater Chicago area. They list classes for a wide range of budgets and locations (including the suburbs). There are week long professional courses available as well as one-time engagements in your home. If you know a cook who is interested in learning something new or brushing up on seasoned skills, this resource offers some fabulous gift ideas.
I have been meaning to take the reasonably priced ($40) knife skills class at the Chopping Block for some time now. The pricier, multi-class Vegetarian Indian Cooking with Ranjana sounds quite tempting as well.
— Gemma Petrie /
Chef Mon Nov 26 2007
I spent the morning reading a profile on NY chef David Chang and his recent success in the foodie and media circles concerning his and business partner Joaquin Baca's Momofuku restaurants. It's the kind of place that seems to exist primarily on the coasts: superior worldly ingredients cooked at a high level which produces what some might call the New American Cuisine. A combination of small plates and large, communal dishes at a very affordable (almost student cheap) price, a lack of reservation options, no dress codes and chefs being cooks, servers and host, all in one.
The question I have for Chicago is this: we're in an amazing place right now for food culture -- Alinea is here, Paul Kahan's Blackbird and Avec, Hot Doug's and Kuma's Corner -- so I ask the readers, where's some really exciting high level cooking going on right now?
— Naz Hamid /
As most of us prepare to enjoy ample food and warm surroundings this week, please keep in mind those community members who are less fortunate than you this holiday season. You could donate food or money to a local food depository or volunteer your time to help serve others a warm meal.
Here are few links to local resources. There are many ways to get involved in our great city; feel free to add links to other local organizations in the comments section.
American Red Cross of Greater Chicago
Association House
Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Lakeview Pantry
Salvation Army
Second Harvest
— Gemma Petrie /
Review Fri Nov 09 2007
Not too long ago, I scored a copy of Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food to add to my small collection of cookbooks. The pages are understated, adorned with sketches of vegetables, herbs and meat. The recipes seem basic at first glance; Waters gives instructions on grilling vegetables and preparing a chicken broth. But with recipes such as Pork Shoulder Braised with Dried Chiles and Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad, Waters asserts that simple food does not mean bland food.
The recipe for Tortilla Soup is after the jump.
Continue reading this entry »
— Meghan Murphy Gill /
The current issue of Time Out Chicago is devoted to ranking the city's best pizza places. The best part of this feature is the heated debate among pizzaphiles over which crust type--deep dish or thin--revs their engine the most. GB staffers Nilay Patel and Dan Morgridge are part of Team Deep Dish, and staffer Marla Seidell on Team Thin Crust, which, of course, makes both crusts the best type of pizza. Word is bond!
— Robyn Nisi /
Drink Mon Nov 05 2007
Have you ever watched "Check Please!" and wished you could sit down with host/sommelier Alpana Singh to get some good advice on a wine selection, or ask questions about an episode of her show? A new part of the current season of "Check Please!" is a feature called Ask Alpana, an online form where readers can send her a question that could be answered on a future episode and posted online.
— Robyn Nisi /
Today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It's also a great holiday for eating apples, honey, challah, fish, and a bevy of other good things. As a gentile and foodie, the symbolism of this holiday--eating apples with honey to symbolize a sweet new year, for example--is far more interesting than the traditions I had to follow, which usually involved eating a Jello and Cool Whip concoction that was known as "Pink Stuff." If you're looking to pick up some prepared dishes, look here for some guidance.
— Robyn Nisi /
Arguably, if it's too hot to mircowave, it's probably also too hot to cook anything else and you're better served by making ice cream, or better yet, ice. But it would probably be much more interesting to spend some time in a professional air-conditioned kitchen learning how to make gazpacho or sorbet, right?
The Chicago Tribune wants to help make that happen for you, and printed a really thorough listing of Chicago-area cooking classes in yesterday's Good Eating section. The full list is here, but rest assured that the selections go far beyond Sur La Table or the Chopping Block, from the Alliance Francaise (mmmm, cheese and wine, starting at $45) to Le Dessert, where classes start from $495. (damn). If you're gift-giving challenged and surrounded by hungry friends and relatives, like me, cooking classes can be a great way to celebrate a birthday or holiday and you even get to take home some new skills (and hopefully leftovers). It beats microwaving your dinner on a Friday night in any case.
— Andie Thomalla /
I was flipping through an old Martha Stewart Living magazine this weekend and stumbled upon something I'd missed the last time I read through it. It was instructions on how to boil a perfect egg. I remember my mother telling me to boil eggs for 12 minutes, so that's what I've always done, with less-than-desirable results. The confusion in my house has always been whether or not to start timing when the eggs go on the stove or when the water begins to boil. Turns out that neither is correct.
Continue reading this entry »
— Meghan Murphy Gill /
One of the most difficult things about loving to eat is that often, eating well involves spending more money than is available. As much as a lot of us would like to indulge regularly at hot Chicago restaurants on the national radar, we tend to be tethered to spots that make it onto the cheap eats lists of local media.
Preparing food at home (for cheap) is how I save up for special trips to lavish restaurants. Two of my favorite resources for home-cooked meals that are easy on the bank account are Mennonite mainstays, More With Less and Extending the Table. The Mennonite principles of simplicity and responsible eating are revealed in wholesome bread recipes and side notes about how not to over-consume protein one sitting. Recipes usually call for less sugar and butter than you might find in other cook books, and every few pages there is a story behind one of the recipes.
Continue reading this entry »
— Meghan Murphy Gill /
I've long been fantasizing about owning a fancy chef's knife that somewhat proved my legitimacy in the kitchen. What boosted my confidence in a matter of two hours, however, wasn't the knife (although I did end up purchasing a knife, and it's a beauty). It was the knife skills class at the Chopping Block. Clearly, it's not as if I walked away from the course prepared to take on Top Chef contestants in a knife skills challenge, but the simple, hands-on instruction bolstered my feelings about my abilities as a home cook enough to send me home skipping and then giddily bouncing around the kitchen looking for any kind of produce that might possibly need dicing, mincing or chopping.
If you've been contemplating whether or not to take the class, do it. The instructor assured that, despite the course's brevity, it can change your life. If you practice what you've learned of course.
— Meghan Murphy Gill /
News Tue Jul 03 2007
While eating brunch with a friend recently, I found a hair stuck to a piece of bacon. If I was home, I'd forget about it quickly, as I'm the only one frying the bacon (and bringing it home, I might add), but obviously I'm in a restaurant, so my reaction was different. The waiter apologized and quickly brought over a replacement plate. My experience was minor compared to some of the horror scenes that city health inspectors encounter when visiting restaurants, such as parades of cockroaches, mountains of mice droppings, and poorly refrigerated or stored ingredients. An article in today's Tribune dicusses the number of restaurants in Chicago that have been permanently or temporarily shuttered due to health violations in the past year, and how to notice the warning signs of a poorly maintained eatery. Another resource you can use is the city's online database for researching inspection status of restaurants.
— Robyn Nisi /
A few weeks I sent away for "A Traveler's Guide to Wisconsin Cheese, Beer and Wine" offered by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Oh boy, do you need to get one of these things. You might wonder why you need to order it online (it's free) instead of just downloading it. Well, it's huge. The fold out map of Wisconsin is sprinkled with drawings of wine glasses, cheese wheels and frothy mugs of beer and includes an extensive listing of 139 cheese companies, wineries and breweries with directions, hours and a note about what each location is noted for.
You can get your own copy here.
— Meghan Murphy Gill /
This holiday weekend marks the start of the summer party season and for the next three months Chicagoland will be blowing up with outdoor fun.
Now, we all love our dogs, burgers, kegs, bounce-houses, and cornhole games (the family-friendly ones, anyway), but some occasions call for adding something a little different to the mix. Booking an ice cream truck just might be that good-time x-factor. At the very least it’ll make your festivity stand out from all the boozy, sun drenched clones this summer.
Imagine that jolly ice-cream-man-song ringing out from down the block, getting louder with every house it passes up, until the multi-colored truck rolls to a stop right in front of your party, already in full-swing. The look on partygoer’s faces turns from bewilderment to smiles as, amazingly, they trade their beers and margaritas for bomb-pops and choco-tacos. Everyone hooting and laughing while riding one King Hell wave of sugar high. Oh, jaded party people, I have seen this happen. And it’s a wonderful sight.
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— Bryan Delano III /
We learned about the EarthBox from a Reader article last spring, and after a little encouragement from some friends who owned a couple, we bought in. We planted three different varieties of cherry tomatoes in our first box, which operates under a pretty simple set-up. EarthBox describes that set up as
Our maintenance-free, award-winning, high-tech growing system controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden-with less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort.
I would describe it as a box with an inch deep water reservoir in the bottom. It’s not rocket science, but by gum, it works!
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— Mary Smith /
Spring is coming, or so we're promised, and with spring comes the first signs of the local vegetable harvest. If you've got an interest in supporting organic food and locally grown produce, consider joining a CSA, or Community-Supported Agriculture, program. In exchange for a yearly or weekly subscription fee, you get a box of farm-grown groceries every week. It's a great way to eat locally and support local farms. As it gets warmer out, shares start to sell out, so now's the time to sign up.
Chicago boasts a long list of CSAs, with a wide range of pick-up points across the city and suburbs. A few that I know still have shares available include: Home Grown Wisconsin, Angelic Organics (only 12-week shares), and Growing Power (which is much more than a CSA; they provide hands-on training and outreach). There are lots more; visit LocalHarvest.org to find the one that fits in your budget and delivers to your neighborhood.
— Sandy Weisz /
I used to drive across Iowa on Interstate 80 quite often, and no trip passed without a visit to a great soda fountain in the eastern edge that was located about 20 minutes off the road. I only knew about that place because of a friend's high recommendation, but for my future trips, I'll be using RoadFood.com, a searchable state-by-state database of restaurants, complete with user reviews and pictures that is a handy starting point for planning menus while on the road. While performing test searches for areas I've previously lived in, I was pretty impressed with the results -- a mix of local favorites that ranged in size and price.
— Robyn Nisi /
I, for one, find it disturbing that Red Bull isn't red! That stuff couldn't be more artificial, so why not take it the next step?
Slate has a great article up about chefs and other foodies fussing over adding artificial color to foods.
— Mary Smith /
Now that spring weather is upon us, the season of road trips has begun. Travel to unfamiliar places comes with the added bonus of finding good places to eat, and if you aren't armed with a guidebook or the ability to ask strangers where to get a good meal, you could end up sitting in a hotel restaurant, chowing on the same chef salad that you could have at the diner around the corner from your home.
Avoid that pain and heartbreak by visiting Road Food, which is a great resource for finding solid recommendations of local restaurants in every state. I performed a test search in several states where I used to live, and was extremely impressed with the results, especially the mention of an old favorite, the soda fountain in rural Iowa whose green river sodas are well worth the drive. Most listings have pictures, ratings, comments, and most importantly, menu highlights and prices.
— Robyn Nisi /
When you hear "Craig's List," your first thought is probably “free kittens,” “hot dates” or if, like me, you are a Shylo Bisnett fan, “Glory Holes,” but the free site has a pretty lively Chicago-centric food chat going on in their discussion boards. There's a little banter going on about barley right now, as well as a meringue discussion, and plenty of other interesting topics. The also have a wine section, a vegan section, and if you are in trouble with your relationship with food, an eating disorders section.
— Mary Smith /
Now that the season of Lent (the forty days preceding Easter Sunday) has arrived, you may be in search of a good fish fry place in the city, or just interested in eating fish on Fridays. Whatever floats your boat, LTH Forum has a nice thread on places to visit (with the Duke of Perth emerging as the frontrunner).
— Robyn Nisi /
Silapaahaan.com had great ambitions when it launched a couple of years ago: it "intended to be a repository of of information on ... Thai cuisine, with a distinct emphasis on ... Chicago." The site got off to a great start, and remains a useful source for Thai food fans looking for translations of their favorite restaurant's menu (assuming it's one of the six listed), or pictures of some common -- and not-so-common -- dishes, for those interested in venturing past the Traditional Favorites section but are wary of what they'll get.
The site's introduction claims more will be coming soon, including basic menu terms, pronunciations, recpies and photo-illustrated cooking demostrations. It's unclear how long ago that was written, but here's hoping the (anonymous) proprietor comes through on that promise; with the surfeit of Thai Restaurants in this city, there's clearly an audience for it.
— Sandy Weisz /
