Chicago Foodies

Dinner of the Week Photo Contest

Some of you might be making traditional family recipes, ethnic feasts, unique haute cuisine, mac n' cheese with sumthin-sumthin... no matter what it is we'd love for you to share a photo with us. Let us know any of the details and you could win a prize. This week's prize is a 10-pack of MBerry. That's the Miracle Fruit which changes sour to sweet. See a prior post about flavor-tripping!

Email your photos directly to us. Good Luck!

(photo is me torching some tenderloin tips-sous vide)

Food in the Movies: French Toast

There are a number of great food movies but so many more great scenes with food. Kramer vs. Kramer is probably best known for the ice cream scene but the movie starts and ends with french toast. The closing scene of Big Night is very similar in illustrating family bonding through food but what makes Kramer vs. Kramer work better is that though we don't all come from the Big Night chef culture, food is simple, universal and can be –should be– cooked and shared by anyone, given a little practice.

Drink of the Week: Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron (Not Summery, But Superb)

It's never too late to post about the best beers to tip back this summer.  A great place to start is a recent beer I tried that wowed me, Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron.  I recently tried this one at Guthrie's Pub in Wrigleyville, the cozy neighborhood bar with a great tap, warm yellow light, and every board game you grew up playing with your brother or sister.  Guthrie's also boasts an outstanding tap, usually featuring several outstanding American microbrews, and a few quality pints from the U.K., Belgium, and Germany. 

The other night I visited with some friends and was surprised to see the Dogfish tap, with its traditional seaweed green color in a shark shape. My heart skipped a beat, thinking that it might be the cherished 90 Minute IPA, rarely seen on tap around here.  Seeing the Palo Santo instead was highly unexpected but welcome. I'd had it before in bottles but never really on tap.The friendly bartender, Mark, poured it into an 8 oz snifter glass.  Given this beer's 12% potency, that makes sense.  It contained a thick head that started white but quickly turned brown, never thinning.  The color was a deep, dark brown, like shoe polish. 

Raw Food Raids in LA – "I Still Can't Believe They Took Our Yogurt"

Then, guns drawn, four officers fanned out across Rawesome Foods in Venice. Skirting past the arugula and peering under crates of zucchini, they found the raid's target inside a walk-in refrigerator: unmarked jugs of raw milk.

"I still can't believe they took our yogurt," said Rawesome volunteer Sea J. Jones, a few days after the raid. "There's a medical marijuana shop a couple miles away, and they're raiding us because we're selling raw dairy products?"

Drink of the Week: Jala-luiah! Jalapeno Inspired Cocktails

In the world of cocktailing, there are many ingredients that are no-brainers when it comes to mixing: fresh juices, fruits, sours, spices, etc. But when it comes to mastering the art (something I hope to one day accomplish. Hey, it’s a life goal…), thinking outside the box is welcomed and applauded.

 

What’s my latest obsession? My new fave? My inspiration? The new love of my life? The last thing I think about before bed and the first thing I think about in the morning (normal…)? Cocktails infused with jalapeno, cayenne, and other peppers. I know, I know – it’s not “new.” How was I so unaware that there was a whole world of pepper-inspired-inbibing going on?!

Vegetable Soup 70's PBS Show...

Paulie's Pasture – Fresh Pastured Chicken

A special welcome to our sponsor Paulie's Pasture. They are a local free-range (actual free-range, not just access to) poultry farm and have raised their chickens to be the best available: grass-fed, no chemicals, no engineering, no over-crowding, no antibiotics. Most importantly, you can taste these differences.

A true small and local business, you can pick up the birds directly from the man. Chickens are available every two weeks so get a couple for the freezer.

Pastured poultry pickup is ad hoc to keep gas consumption to a minimum. Pay in advance to reserve your chickens to ensure that everyone who intends to pick up their free-range poultry, is able to do so. Pick up is typically Saturdays between 1pm & 3pm at various locations.

Each kitchen-ready bird is hand-raised and butchered on premises in an eco-friendly and ethical manner and runs $13.  

Paulie's Pasture is offering a special arrangement for Chicago Foodies who want to become involved with insuring the future of clean local food sources: Reserve 15 chickens (for only $12 each, total of $180), let friends and family know where they can get their great chickens from, when they reserve their 15 chickens, you will receive a Holiday turkey (pastured of course) for FREE, a $70 value.

Note this offer is only for the first 30 individuals who share our chickens.

email:  ptsoule461@sbcglobal.net
Twitter:  PauliesPasture
phone:  630-877-7372
Blog:   Sustainable Independence... Starts with your Food

U.S. Cattle Raised on Chicken Manure?

I am perfectly comfortable eating things like glands and fat. I eat fish skin. I even eat corn smut, and other molds and fungus. Spores can be good! But when I hear that U.S. cattle are being fed chicken manure I take pause.

The practice of feeding cattle chicken poop was actually banned in 1967 but in 1980 the ban was reversed. When the mad cow epidemic was in full tilt the FDA again considered a ban because, and this gets better, the chicken poop can contain cow proteins which then lead to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow). But they did regulate the feed so the risk was all but eliminated... thus they still allow for chicken shit in cow's food.

Are Chicago Chefs About to Get REALLY Competitive? Here Comes the Michelin Guide.

Chicago has always seemed to be a nice town for food. Chefs are more comrades than cutthroats, at least many of them. That may change when the Michelin Guide comes to town. Forget the brand name 3-star news. Simply, who gets included and who doesn't will be a burr under every head chef's saddle. I would think kitchen staff will start jumping ship, looking to "work at a Michelin-starred restaurant".  If chefs have quit the business, gone OCD, even one killed himself... how far-fetched is it really?

I went through a phase eating at ranked restaurants and it did serve as a kind of bucket-list to accomplish but in all honesty, I was able to get as much enjoyment from places that weren't 'listed'. That said, having Michelin breathing down everyone's necks may help drive decor, wine lists, service, and food to new heights. You can't beat the motivation. It also might be a draw to aspiring chefs. In the words of Eric Ripert from a New Yorker article,

“Most of us very young cooks were aspiring to be one day a three-star chef,” Ripert told me. “Very few of us were aspiring to have a bistro.” But when Ripert joined Le Bernardin, in 1991, Michelin did not yet have an outpost in New York, and there were no plans to open one. “I remember sometimes chefs here, especially the French ones—and even some American ones—we were a bit frustrated that we will never be judged by Michelin,” Ripert said. “But at the same time we were a little bit, like, more relaxed because obviously the Michelin puts pressure on chefs and restaurateurs to be excellent.”

Pour Drinks & Eats - Lakeview's Primo Patio

We Chicagoans have an unequivocal obsession with outdoor patios and rooftop bars – from the swanky Loop hotspots to the neighborhood 4-table patios, we’ll take ‘em all. One patio that really nailed the outdoor ambiance we yearn for is Pour Drinks & Eats in Lakeview. Located on the 3300 block of N. Ashland, Pour has a cocktail menu that that is dressed to impress. Spiked lemonade muddled with strawberries and basil topped our list – but one can’t go wrong with a cocktail menu loaded with infusions of ingredients like basil, brown sugar and Cava. 

Roscoe Village Burger Fest...This Weekend!

Summer grilling or winter comfort, burgers are a food for all seasons, and they never go out of fashion. This weekend you can see the Gin Blossoms, 10,000 Maniacs, and eat a lot of burgers!

Formerly known as the Belmont Arts and Music fest, The newly renamed Roscoe Village Burger Fest will run 12-10pm on Saturday & Sunday at the Belmont and Damen intersection.

Live music both days and a wide variety of burger vendors is a scrumptious choice for Chicago summer fun.

Sample burgers from Goose Island, Select Cut, John's Place, Village Tap, The Bad Apple, and Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro.

Consumption highlights include: The Bad Apple offers up hormone-free all natural beef from New York, Village Tap is likely to serve cajun veggie or bacon and egg steak burger, and don't forget to try the Goose Island burgers, which may be topped with either a goat cheese croquette and onion marmalade or stilton cheese and roasted garlic cloves. Delicious!  - Here's the link to the website.

First They Came for the Cigarettes... Then they came for the Soda.

I hate diet soda but I love Coca-Cola. There I said it. There are few wines that I would take at any given moment over a fountain Coke. I refuse Pepsi. I also love Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb and in a sinful way crave Strawberry Nehi. I guess I'm biased but I'd rather have more calories than mystery-sweetener-substitutes.

I am all in support of legislation that would regulate diets in school. I think it should frankly be a core part of early education. I don't necessarily extend that regulation to our everyday lives. That said, here is a lovely chart that shows the caloric consumption after adding a 'sugar tax' to sugar-sweetened beverages. It seems like a Diet Soda subsidy.

Here's a link to the USDA study and here's the chart from the Business Insider. More after the jump.

 

Drink of the Week: Smoked Salmon Vodka

In case you thought bacon vodka was not extreme enough,some enterprising Alsaskans have invented smoked salmon vodka, which is, yes, fish marinated in vodka.   I tracked down the Alaska Distillery's website, and they also make ultrapremium vodkas with names such as Permafrost and Frostbite.  Neither of these other brands happen to be menthol-infused, incidentally.  Flavored vodkas made by Alaska Distillery include birch syrup and rhubarb.

Hunger 101 – Managing Resources in Cook County

The Chicago Food Bank has an interactive introduction to hunger – Hunger 101.

Zymurgy Magazine's Poll: America's Best Beers

The magazine Zymurgy surveys their readers to rank the best beers and breweries in America with some Some midwestern favorites made the list. I was glad to see Bell's Two-Hearted at #2 and recent addition to the Chicago market, Stone Arrogant Bastard and IPA at #3 and #6, respectively. I can't say I've had anything from #1 ranked brewery, Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. out of Texas, but their Ugly Pug schwarzbier sounds right up my alley.

Notables: Bell's #7, Goose Island #21, Three Floyds #23.

Check out the full list here.

Foodies, what are your thoughts?

How To Make Your Grocery Store Better – Ask For Grass Fed Beef!

This is a no-brainer. As we all know, groceries like Dominick's and Jewel have customer service counters. One of the things you can do there is put in a paper request for a particular item. I've asked for lactose-free ice cream among other things. Here is one suggestion to make the store truly better.

Ask them to give you the option of grass-fed beef. Currently this is NOT an option. It's healthier, lower in cholesterol. Pastured beef is more ethical. It's more sustainable and it simply tastes different. I won't even say it's better, just different. Why shouldn't we have another option in the meat case.

It takes a minute and it would be a great addition to our most commonly attended chain groceries.

What else are they missing?

Puglia Food Products: Olive Oil, Capocollo, Wine, Cheese and Seafood

Crystal Cun is spending the next year in Italy studying at the University of Gastronomic Sciences. She recently traveled to Puglia (the heel of the boot) for a one-week school field trip. For more information, you can check her blog at Lady Parmalade.

Though some time was alloted in Puglia for activities not requiring mastication, the bulk of the trip was spent at food production sites, restaurants and agricultural lands. I realize that this must sound like the best foodie vacation ever, but eating rich foods nonstop for a week is not as pleasant as it may seem. Some of us had the added stress of documenting the trip in detail because there is a paper and presentation required after the stage. By the end, we were all thoroughly sick of cured meats, cheeses and each other. A few people actually became ill, though I cannot say whether this was due to food poisoning, general infection, or the stress of traveling and eating from 9 am to 1 am every day. My advice for anyone who goes on these trips is to ingest plenty of fiber and choose your roommate carefully. 

Moving on to the actual food. Puglia's dry, sunny climate makes it difficult to grow many crops, but the hardiness of olive trees in times of drought has resulted in their widespread cultivation. The trees dot the Puglian landscape with their graceful, twisted trunks and branches, akin to a pair of ballet dancers. We were told by one farmer that the trees twist according to the Earth's rotation, and that olive trees planted south of the equator would twist in the opposite direction, similar to the rotation of water draining from toilets. This is a romantic idea, but since the Coriolis force has been shown to have a tenuous effect on toilet water, I am somewhat doubtful of the tree-twisting claim.

 Still, the trees are majestic to behold, knotted and gnarly, reminiscent of the baobab tree in The Little Prince. The one pictured above actually belongs to a Russian who admired the unique shape of its trunk. So, he bought the tree for €5,000. In return, he gets to keep the olive oil milled from the olives of this tree, which comes to 10-15 liters of oil per year. He also comes to visit his tree annually. If you are interested in owning a piece of Italian real estate and having a lifetime supply of olive oil, you too can invest in one of the 50,000 available trees for the low price of €500-1,000 by contacting Olio Cazzetta.

What Would Wolfgang Puck Make for an Ambassador?

Stolen from Politico:

WOLFGANG PUCK is in town from Beverly Hills to cook for YOUSEF AL OTAIBA, ambassador from the United Arab Emirates, where more U.S. Navy ships are ported than any other foreign country. The ambassador (who was G’town classmates with Norah O’Donnell and knows the Morrells) hosted 14 young Washingtonians for dinner and convo at his McLean home, followed by Game 7 (and a life-size Kobe) on his 103-inch TV screen. What Puck whipped up: 1) terrine of foie gras with toasted brioche, seared foie gras with cherry chutney, and mousse on apricot tartlet (Riesling, Hirtzberger, “Singerriedel,” Austria 2004); 2) seared wild salmon with cucumber raita and sweet pea puree (Chardonnay, Littorai, “Mays Canyon,” California 2006); 3) risotto with porcini mushrooms (pinot noir, Clos De Tart, “Grand Cru,” Burgundy 1995); 4) veal Milanese (Barolo, Oddero, Italy 2000); 5) slow braised Kobe short ribs and grilled Kobe New York (cabernet sauvignon, Beaulieu Vineyard, “Georges de Latour,” Napa 2001); 6) strawberry shortcake, chocolate raspberry soufflé and peach cobbler (Grüner Veltliner Eiswein, Anton Bauer, Austria).

2010 Taste of Chicago Map of Restaurants

Here's the official Restaurant Guide! Click on it to view it at a larger size.

Sargassum Seaweed – Floating Islands & BP

In addition to America, Columbus was one of the first to bring back reports of the Sargasso Sea. In the middle of the ocean is an area of water that's surrounded by opposing currents. It results in an enormous stagnant, elliptical pocket that is 2 million square miles in area. Think of it as liquid land. The currents deposit on to it. Until recently it's been mostly seaweed and has always been a refuge for turtles, a migratory stop for eels among other species, and a source of literary fascination. Sargassum seaweed gets its name from this sea. It's the seaweed that's also found floating in the Gulf of Mexico.

One of the tragedies of the BP spill is that the 'floating land' is bearing a significantly larger brunt of the ecological impact. Mucked up seaweed floating around in the gulf doesn't get the reaction that oil-soaked marshes do, but in a way it's 'land'. It has an indiginous population that have evolved to match the brown seaweed color. Sargasso seahorses, pipefish, file fish, anenomes, crabs, shrimp. Butterfish, and hake use the seaweed as breeding ground.

The organisms and species that use it are consumed by what we consume. It is the ecosystem. It is part of our food chain. When you see piles of rusty seaweed on the news, this is what it is. It is our food.

The biggest irony is that Mitsubishi is working to develop biofuel from seaweed. While we are dealing with fossil fuels that work in spite of our ecology. The Japanese are trying to develop fuel that works because of it. From the Sunday Times UK, From 2005 (!)

Haitian Peasants vs. Monsanto

On June 4th 10,000 Haitian peasants burned corn donated by Monsanto. Ana Jones at the Huffington Post has an article about it. They cite Farmer Leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste of the Peasant Movement of Papay first hand. Right or wrong, here are his reasons why they chose to do this.

• Hybrid seeds are a poison gift. They don't reproduce, and therefore cannot be shared among a community. Haiti does not yet view seeds as a commodity like the US does. These hybrid seeds threaten the cultural fabric in Haiti because they break the cycle of food sharing.


• Jean-Baptiste believes that Monsanto has taken the opportunity of the recent earthquake in Haiti to intentionally introduce the seeds and destroy Haitian agriculture, creating a dependency on Monsanto each season for new seeds.


• If the Haitian government accepts Monsanto's seeds, rather than trying to build a system of food sovereignty, the Haitian farmer will become a day laborer, working for industrial farms. This would completely transform the economy to an industrial system instead of working to support farmers through a local economic system.

Next GINeration Cocktail Challenge at Old Town Social

When it comes to concocting the perfect cocktail according to industry standards, I’ve never seen myself as much of a pro. But when it comes to crafting a cocktail that my girl friends will drink, I opt in as quite the connoisseur.  (In other words, I’m pretty good at adding enough ingredients to make the drink taste delish, but not great at bringing out the true essence of the liquor being used).

So when I was among the food and drink writers lucky enough to participate in the 2010 Next GINeration Cocktail Challenge (hosted by New Amsterdam Gin), I decided to go into it with an open mind, and hope to come away with new insights for crafting the perfect cocktail.

Glacier Ridge Animal Farm

It was Father's Day and on the way back from our trip to the Midwest Renewable Energy Association seminar we stopped by the Glacier Ridge Animal Farm  in Van Dyne, Wisconsin. Here we encountered the most exotic animals we've ever seen in the Midwest - peacocks, porcupines, llamas, miniature horses, bison, and ostriches. Walking around we enjoyed feeding the animals from the docile deer to the somewhat-scary bison. Speaking to the farmer... we learned that meat from the bison and ostriches are available for sale (talk about being close to one's food chain! One moment you're feeding the animals, next you're buying the meat). Rest assure the peacock is off limits (only bison and ostrich meats).

The Lorax – Sustainable Seuss...

I'm always amazed when people don't know this Seuss book. If you haven't read it, read it. If you won't read it, at least watch it. Bear with the musical numbers but realize that this was a prediction. Considering all the eco-impact of the unchecked/unregulated growth of business, it's appropriate.

The truffula trees are sargassum seaweed.

Paella Parade – El Coto De Rioja

This Thursday the 19th from 6-9pm experience the Paella Parade at Whole Foods featuring Spanish wines and paella and more from among others... Mercat a La Planxa, Province, Socca, Emilio's Carnivale and more on the rooftop at the Lincoln Park Whole Foods. Mention 'Chicago Foodies' at the door for $30 admission ($10 off at the door) or purchase online at Fanfueled.com

The Greatest CupCake Ever!

Max and Benny's custom Stanley Cup Cake... Hoist that!

Mullen's Apple Sauce – Like Apple Pie in a Jar.

A few months back, Jim Mullen offered us a sample of Mullen's Applesauce feeling confident that we'd like it. Sure enough we did. The tag “Like apple pie without the crust!” is honesty in advertising. The sauce is chunky with pieces of apple, a taste that evenly mixes tart lemon juice with earthy spices, sugar, and salt. With each bite I was brought back to fond childhood memories of Thanksgiving apple pie and family dinners where I enjoyed apple pie a la mode, the sweetness of ice cream melding with apples and cinnamon. As more Americans worry about what is really in their food, it is refreshing to taste a product that has no additives or questionable ingredients.  

Beer Review - Stone IPA and Cho Sun Ok

So, I'm a big beer fan that's been laying low for a while due to what I hope is a temporary ailment.  My doctor restricted my diet in the following manner: no spicy foods, coffee, chocolate, or alcohol - everything I like.  It seems as if I'm relegated to a diet of water crackers and Aquafina.  Yet, before my confinement to food jail by my primary care physician/judge and executioner, I had a pleasing culinary experience, bringing together two "off limits" menu items, beer and spicy food.

Stone Brewery hails from Escondido, CA, near San Diego, and is known for making bold, in-your-face, west coast style beers.  The hops they use are usually bountiful, and the beers rich in color and translucent.  The high quality of their products are the reason that Stone arrived in Chicago to great fanfare in April, with a week's worth of kickoff events at various bars and restaurants, even Lincoln Park Whole Foods.

Homemade Limoncello - A Toast to the Ladies

If you have ever been to Italy, chances are, you’ve had the joy (call it as you wish) of tasting the legacy that is limoncello. In my first visit to Italy, we were introduced to the phenomenon as an after dinner digestive drink – served chilled, and in a tiny glass. Instantly falling in love with the sugary liqueur, we set out to find the nearest liquor store. Upon entering, we explained to the owner that we were unsure what type of Italian liquor that we (all girls) might be able to handle, but that we really loved the taste of that “lemon stuff” we had at dinner.  After laughing at us for a few minutes (not that I blame him), he showed us the many options of limoncello that were at our disposal. After an evening sitting out on our tiny balcony in Lido, Venice – sipping our new found cup (okay, bottle) of joy - we were in love.

To take my adoration a step further, I recently came across an article on ImbibeMagazine.com on how to make your very own limoncello, from the comfort of your own home. Within hours I had all of the ingredients needed, and one of the best "cooking" experiences of my life is now underway.

Food & Wine Benefit for Education

The Illinois Education Foundation will host their third annual Food & Wine Tasting on June 11th at the Chicago Illuminating Company. Chef Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia and Chef Paul Virant of Vie Restaurant will prepare a multi-course progression of food and wine for event patrons. In prior years, both the event pictures and the reviews  have been nothing short of fantastic. I expect this one, if possible, to top the past two years. Chef Zimmerman is a culinary visionary who blends unique ingredients with those on menus across the world. Some of the more noteworthy and surprising items are coffee with flat iron steak, frog’s leg beignet with watercress soup, and black olive honey paired with octopus. Ingredients at the restaurant are fresh and change seasonally.
 
While one can acknowledge that Chefs Zimmerman and Virant are incredibly skilled, the highlight of the night will be the recent success stories of Illinois Education Foundation (The IEF) scholarship recipients. A non-profit started by a group of social entrepreneurs who had a strong interest in helping Illinois students to help themselves. The IEF’s main mission is providing community college scholarships to low-income, high-potential high school graduates. It is, however, more than just an organization that offers scholarships. Focusing on a holistic approach, the IEF combines financial assistance with the supportive services of mentoring and tutoring necessary to help students rise from one who has potential to someone who is successful. Take a look at the IEF website for a complete description of their mission, programs, and information on the June 11th Food & Wine event.