Chicago Foodies

Growing Power Fetes 10 Year Anniversary at New Headquarters

If you've seen Growing Power's stand at the Green City, 61st Street, or Englewood Farmers' markets, you're aware of their organic produce and friendly staff. But much goes on behind the scenes of Growing Power, an organization that developes community food systems from the ground up. For ten years, Growing Power has brought together people of diverse backgrounds for projects ranging from youth employment to hydroponic planting to vermicomposting. They hope to continue to grow for at least another ten years, and they're hosting an educational anniversary party to celebrate.

Learn to "Pickle That" at Logan Square Kitchen

Admit it: While you laughed at the Porlandia "We Can Pickle That!" sketch, you sort of love the recent attention that preserving has garnered lately. And who wouldn't? When the Chicago winter feels bleak, a bright pop of canned or pickled fruits and vegetables can add a wollop of summertime color and flavor to a dish. But these techniques are not fool-proof; at their worst, improperly preserved or contaminated foods can cause serious illness, which is why it's important to learn how to can and preserve the right way.

To that end, Logan Square Kitchen will host a Slow Food Citrus Canning workshop on Tuesday, March 6 from 6 to 9 PM. Led by Scratch Homemade's Lis David and Zvi Bar-Chaim, the evening will provide you the skills to preserve lemons and other citrus fruits, as well as a foundation for canning other foods. The lemons are purchased through Dill Pickle Co-Op and will be used to make a lemon ginger marmalade that participants can take home. Spaces can be reserved for $45 through Brown Paper Tickets.

--Kate Bernot

Perhaps the Best Valentine's Day Table Still Available

Valentine's Day is 11 days away, but tell your significant other that you still don't have a reservation, and you're likely to met with, oh, a touch of hostility. Lucky for you, Mr. or Ms. Procrastinator, an email just hit our inboxes that could get you out of this jam. Now, we're not normally in the habit of publishing every press release that we receive—believe us, they're not pretty—but every now and then we receive on that's worth sharing.

Case in point: Yusho, the newly-opened and well-received yakitori from former Charlie Trotter's veteran Matthias Merges, just released its Valentine's Day menu. The six-course menu won't break the bank, either; at $50, it's less than what many other restaurants are charging for the holiday. The dinner includes the obligatory oysters (grilled, and with caviar, mind you) as well as short ribs, eel terrine, and salmon roulade.

Judging by the crowds waiting for a table, even on the weekdays, these spots will go fast. To make a reservation, visit Yusho's website or call (773) 904-8558.

--Kate Bernot

Giants vs. Patriots: A Food Face-Off

Disclaimer: I am a huge NY Giants fan. So big a fan that I forgive our quarterback for the post-interception reaction that can really only be called "Eli Face." So big a fan that I didn't question Plaxico's decision to wear sweatpants to a nightclub (the gun is another story entirely). So big a fan that I feel affectionately about that bramble-topped landfill known as The Meadowlands.

Now that I have that off my chest, I can proceed to a discussion of the second most important part of the Super Bowl: food. If you don't care about the gridiron contest, you can at least take a vested interest in the halftime snack spread, which should ideally include a stadium made out of turkey burgers. To determine which area (New York or New England) would reign supreme in a head-to-head culinary competition, Serious Eats put together this bracket of popular football foods like burgers, pizza, and hot dogs. While I object to parts of the methodology—Citing New Haven pizza in a discussion of a team that plays in Boston? Please.—the winner is to my liking. Here's hoping someone creates a New York vs. Boston craft beer bracket to accompany this.

Have your own bone to pick with the Serious Eats choices? Vent in the comments.

--Kate Bernot

Chicago Restaurant Week Announces Participating Restaurants, But Is It Always a Deal?

Restaurant Week 2K12! Are you ready? Have you been training for months to prepare yourself for a whole week of discounted lunches and dinners? The city normally gets fairly excited about the event, which takes place this year between February 17 and 26 (a little more than a week). 200 participating restaurants offer prix-fixe lunch ($22) and dinner menus ($33 or $44), which draw in business from budget-conscious eaters or just regular folks who need the extra push to make a reservation. But are the packed dining rooms and limited menus really worth enduring for the discount? It's worth taking a closer look on a case-by-case basis.

Bittercube Bitters Rescue Blah Holiday Cocktails

Oh, Aunt Maggie's making Christmas morning mimosas....again? Nothing against the tried-and-true line-up of holiday cocktails (Tom and Jerry, anyone?), but because most people have a few days off this week, it's a great time to experiment a bit with drinks and whip up some new winter favorites. One barrier to mixing up new cocktails is the investment in alcohols and liquers, which can be a pricey move when you're not sure you're going to like the flavors. In terms of bang for your buck, bitters are a great way to use alcohol you already have, while allowing you to churn out new and different cocktails for your guests. If you want to keep it local, look no further than Bittercube, a line of small-batch, slow-crafted bitters from Milwaukee.

The Chicago Foodies 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

Because every magazine and website hawks their holiday gift guides this time of year, allow Chicago Foodies to convince you that ours is different. We promise not to endorse any brands of dense holiday bread (fruitcakes, panettone, etc.) that could pose choking hazards. We promise that these are products that we genuinely like; we bought them, and we'd be proud to give them as gifts to our friends and family. Lastly, these are gifts that could hopefully appeal to the die-hard food nerd as well as the average person with a love of good food and drinks. So unless you've already stuffed every stocking with the singing electronic Justin Bieber toothbrush on sale at Walgreens, read ahead to see what Chicago Foodies want most in our stockings this year.

Prepare for the Arrival of the Venti Pinot Grigio

Starbucks started with coffee. Then they introduced the world to Frappuccinos. Then came free wi-fi. Then the world met the autumnal force of nature known as the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). Next up: booze. The Tribune reported yesterday that next year, the Seattle-based coffee chain plans to roll out seven new stores in Chicago that will sell beer and wine alongside lattes and cake pops.

The 10 Commandments of Food Allergy Safety for Party Hosts and Guests

There are a lot of snooze-worthy holiday "how-to" lists that pop up around this time of year: How to make paper snowflakes! How to wrap a fruitcake! But Kendall College has come up with a quick, ten-point list of rules for hosting holiday parties that will accomodate and protect your friends with food allergies. As your kitchen becomes a revolving door with friends, family, kids, and neighbors, these commandments are crucial to ensure that your party spread won't endanger anyone's health.

True Life: I'm Addicted to Sweets

I've always had a huge sweet tooth - and not just for desserts. I love just about every fruit and have a weak spot for sweet and savory combos. Caramel corn and chocolate covered pretzels always win over their salty counterparts, and I always vote for pancakes and french toast in the morning. When I found myself downing sugar by the spoonful (this is an exaggeration, but not far from the truth), I knew I needed an intervention. I decided I would abstain from dessert for 5 whole days. And this is a pretty big deal for someone whose office has a candy drawer. Spoiler alert: it was even harder than I anticipated. 

Time to Buy Last-Minute Thanksgiving Turkeys LOCALLY!

Just because you've waited until now to even consider your Thanksgiving turkey doesn't mean you're stuck with a frozen Butterball behemoth. The kind folks over at Slow Food Chicago have compiled a handy list of local farmers who are still accepting orders for Thanksgiving, with options from delivery to pick-up, fresh to smoked.

The Sixth Sense of Dining: Inside the StarChefs Conference

Want to rub elbows with the nation's brightest culinary stars? The 6th annual StarChefs conference opened yesterday in New York with a star-studded roster of speakers.

The event is open only to industry professionals, however for culinary students and restaurant workers, this is a dazzling opportunity to ask questions and get your hands dirty with a workshop from your favorite kitchen god (or goddess). There is also opportunity to walk away with a dash of fame; 20 rising pastry chefs are in fierce competition to win the International Pastry Competition.

This year's theme was "The Sixth Sense: Intuition, Emotion and Experiential Evolution in Dining." Lots of fancy words, to be sure, but there is nothing pie-in-the-sky about Grant Achatz's determination to enter your psyche as a diner, as he spoke about the broadening role of food as entertainment.

The StarChefs conference is certainly smaller than other industry conferences (like the National Restaurant Association show), but the more intimate vibe allows you to dive in without feeling overwhelmed. There is a good smattering of equipment vendors, food suppliers and other merchandise to check out, but the real meat of the conference is not the Australian lamb, but the main stage presentations and workshops.

Want to hear about building a charcuterie empire? Daniel Boulud will enlighten you. Interested in making ethereally light macarons? Pierre Herme has traveled straight from Paris to guide you in an interactive seminar. Curious about the thought process that pushes a concept to a plate? Laurent Gras demonstrates visual storytelling through a fish eye and Picasso paintings.

More highlights and photos from the StarChefs conference after the jump:

Hugo's Frog Bar – Summer Desserts... It's Not Over Yet!

The Gold Coast doesn't exactly have the thriftiest of restaurants, but they do serve up a nice ambiance, especially in the summer. And nothing goes better with some impressive outdoor seating than an impressive, large dessert. But a $12 dessert? Keep reading - it's totally worth it.

Hugo's Frog Bar features a house-made strawberry shortcake in the summer that will literally make your jaw drop. A large, flaky biscuit is cut in half, filled with fresh strawberries, strawberry syrup and whipped cream, and then topped with another layer. Ask for yours with ice cream and you won't be disappointed.

Restaurant Specials: June 21 - June 27

There are many events happening for the first week of summer. Get out and enjoy the weather! Hopefully it doesn't storm all week...

Rocks: A Night of Burgers & Stone Brews

Rocks in Lincoln Park hosted a burger dinner with a Stone brewery pairing on Monday, June 6. The four-course meal featured special dishes that also incorporated Stone beer in their recipes. Their mid-west representative, Aaron Tyrell, guided us through the different beers and dishes.

Stone Brewing Company is based in San Diego county in California but their following is continuing to grow in the Chicagoland area. Their claim-to-fame is Arrogant Bastard, an IPA with lots of attitude.

The dinner began with a Stone IPA to refresh the palate. The IPA is smooth, yet hoppy. It's on the top of most IPA lover's lists because it is full of flavor and extremely refreshing.

The first course was a beer cheese dip made with a smoked porter that's made with beechwood smoked malt, similar to a scotch. The porter introduces chocolate and espresso flavors and pairs well with tangy barbecue dishes and chocolate. It's a heavier beer, but very drinkable.
The cheese dip, served with garlic bread for dipping was hard to stop eating. Not only was it made with the porter, it was also paired with the porter. The smoky flavor worked against itself nicely.

Restaurant Specials: June 14 - June 19

From celebrity servers to Father's day, there are many events that are worth attending this week.

Wednesday, June 15:

Carnivale

Attend the Casa Noble tequila dinner for $55. The event begins at 7 p.m. atCarnivale and includes a four-course meal from chef David Dworshak paired with craft tequila.

Located at: 702 W. Fulton Market

Phone: 312-850-5005

1st Annual Pastoral Artisan Producer Festival @ French Market Saturday

On Saturday, April 30, between 11 and 3 at the French Market on Clinton Street (and under the Chicago & Northwestern railroad tracks by what is now called Ogilvie Station), there will be over thirty-five artisanal producers showcasing their wares, from preserves to honey, cheese, beer, and confectioneries.    Some of my favorites include Half Acre Beer Company from the North Center neighborhood; L. Mawby, which makes an excellent blanc de blanc sparkling wine from Michigan; Brunkow Cheese, maker of the lovely brun-uusto baked cheese; and Bennison's Bakery, baker of what is probably my favorite bread in the city (well, okay, if you include Evanston).

The event is organized by Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread, and Wine, where I go to buy probably eighty percent of my cheese.   Check out their video:  

 

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.

Chicago Election Parties

First off, apparently Starbucks if giving away tall cups of coffee. They got into some trouble by offering it only to voters so now it's fair game for everyone.

Now bear in mind they are basically closing down the city this evening. Some are planning for a million people.  That should be something to see.

Tonight you can choose a party and watch the election.  Save your voting receipts they'll get you specials or discounts... Make sure they have a TV, good specials and are close to Grant Park... here are some options.