Eat Hard to Find Local Cheese (and more)
Fromage fanatics, let alone locavores clamor greatly for one cheese in particular (leaving aside any general clamor from bootleg real Camembert and that kinda stuff). I'm talking the 2007 American Cheese Society Grand Champion of Cheese; the Midwest's own Raclette from the Leelanau Cheese Company of Michigan. Well, courtesy of a well-traveled source, Marion Street has it now. Rich and creamy with the intensity and complexity of an aged raw milk product. Get there.
Want more cheeses? Today was the day for retailers to poke and prod the wares at the 2008 American Cheese Society shindig in Chicago. I know some folks from Marion went with their wallets open. Check in with them to see what they got.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Eli's Cheesecake Lecture Series Update
My wife and I have been well enjoying the weekly lecture series at Eli's Cheesecake on sustainable entrepreneurship. Last Thursday, Lynn Peemoeler talked about her experience in food policies including urban gardening, starting farmer's markets and eliminating food desserts. The schedule has changed for this week. Instead of organic farmer, Stan Schutte, it's heritage poultry raiser, John Caveny.
He will speak from 1-2 PM. Eli's is located at 6701 W. Forest Park Drive, Chicago, which is not too far from Harlem/Irving.
He will speak from 1-2 PM. Eli's is located at 6701 W. Forest Park Drive, Chicago, which is not too far from Harlem/Irving.
Labels:
Events
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Iron Chef + Iron Chef Summer Squash Recipe
You think I'm bitter about my lack of reference in the CTrib's Sunday front pager on eating local [ed., won't give one that one up, huh?], what about the lack of notoriety I got for breaking the Paul Virant Iron Chef news. My sole blog scoop! Anyways, in anticipation of seeing my favorite local chef (although these days he's ably challenged by so many others, especially Rob at Mado) on a forthcoming epsiode of Iron Chef, my wife and I have have taken to recording and watching the week's episodes each Sunday on TV Food Network. We had more reason to catch this week's episode because it featured the judging of Chicago food writer and woman of the world, Louisa Chu.
Would we watch Iron Chef America but for the inclusion of people we know? Probably not. We barely watched it until we learned of PAUL VIRANT IRON CHEF CHALLENGER. Still, we now watch regularly. Flat out, it's not close to the original. Sure, you cannot duplicate the camp value of that one, from the giggling ingenue du jour to the What's Up Tiger Lily voicing to the older woman judge whose varied titles include soothsayer. Still, we miss many features of the original.
Foremost, the competing version of Iron Chefs contain competing versions of what it means to be a secret ingredient. It seems that secret is not quite as secret in the USA version. This is apparent in the USA version. As soon as the bell rings, the chef-testants know what they are doing. Contrast to the original where there was a true sense of improvisation. You could literally see them thinking and planning their meals. The rules in our version specify five dishes. In the real version, you never knew how many dishes the chefs could create. There were episodes where the chefs could barely manage two dishes. My wife and I like watching what the chefs create on the US version; how they treat the ingredients, and especially, the techniques employed. We watch mostly because it is the best cooking show on the station. It is not, however, as challenging or as riveting.
Our other complaints are mostly of style. The original's opening montages, the overly dramatic introductions of the histories of the Iron Chefs and the biographies of the challengers is not duplicated in the least. Moreover, the upstart version misses the rivalries, contrived or not (I say not) running through the series: the Ohta Faction, traditional vs. modern, redemption of family honor. Nothing against Alton Brown, who brings some wit and food expertise to the program, but he cannot come close to Dr. Yukio Hattori who could whip out some obscure culinary tidbit out of his tush. Finally, the US version excludes one of the key moments in the original, the over-the-top voice-over descriptions of the prepared dishes. My wife and I watch, but we know what we are missing.
Beyond the inclusion of Ms. Chu, this week's episode hit home for the localvore, summer squash. The judges and commentators maligned the vegetable, but anyone eating local about now is happy to get recipe ideas. Not to give away too much if you have not seen the show yet; one dish really appealed to me, zucchini in a harissa-spiked vinaigrette. I made my version last night.
4 smaller zucchini (think about six inches)
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of Aleppo pepper
5 (or so) beads of allspice
1 lemon
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. From the small end, cut in 2; from the fatter end, cut in 4--if your squash is fatter cut the whole thing into fourths.
Bring a pot of salted water to boil, add the zukes, cook for about five minutes until tender.
Crush the garlic, Aleppo pepper and allspice, then salt and pepper, add the juice of one lemon. Let the flavors mingle and the pepper hydrate.
Combine the cooked vegetable with the dressing. Pour only a bit of olive oil over. It should taste bright and spicy.
Would we watch Iron Chef America but for the inclusion of people we know? Probably not. We barely watched it until we learned of PAUL VIRANT IRON CHEF CHALLENGER. Still, we now watch regularly. Flat out, it's not close to the original. Sure, you cannot duplicate the camp value of that one, from the giggling ingenue du jour to the What's Up Tiger Lily voicing to the older woman judge whose varied titles include soothsayer. Still, we miss many features of the original.
Foremost, the competing version of Iron Chefs contain competing versions of what it means to be a secret ingredient. It seems that secret is not quite as secret in the USA version. This is apparent in the USA version. As soon as the bell rings, the chef-testants know what they are doing. Contrast to the original where there was a true sense of improvisation. You could literally see them thinking and planning their meals. The rules in our version specify five dishes. In the real version, you never knew how many dishes the chefs could create. There were episodes where the chefs could barely manage two dishes. My wife and I like watching what the chefs create on the US version; how they treat the ingredients, and especially, the techniques employed. We watch mostly because it is the best cooking show on the station. It is not, however, as challenging or as riveting.
Our other complaints are mostly of style. The original's opening montages, the overly dramatic introductions of the histories of the Iron Chefs and the biographies of the challengers is not duplicated in the least. Moreover, the upstart version misses the rivalries, contrived or not (I say not) running through the series: the Ohta Faction, traditional vs. modern, redemption of family honor. Nothing against Alton Brown, who brings some wit and food expertise to the program, but he cannot come close to Dr. Yukio Hattori who could whip out some obscure culinary tidbit out of his tush. Finally, the US version excludes one of the key moments in the original, the over-the-top voice-over descriptions of the prepared dishes. My wife and I watch, but we know what we are missing.
Beyond the inclusion of Ms. Chu, this week's episode hit home for the localvore, summer squash. The judges and commentators maligned the vegetable, but anyone eating local about now is happy to get recipe ideas. Not to give away too much if you have not seen the show yet; one dish really appealed to me, zucchini in a harissa-spiked vinaigrette. I made my version last night.
4 smaller zucchini (think about six inches)
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of Aleppo pepper
5 (or so) beads of allspice
1 lemon
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. From the small end, cut in 2; from the fatter end, cut in 4--if your squash is fatter cut the whole thing into fourths.
Bring a pot of salted water to boil, add the zukes, cook for about five minutes until tender.
Crush the garlic, Aleppo pepper and allspice, then salt and pepper, add the juice of one lemon. Let the flavors mingle and the pepper hydrate.
Combine the cooked vegetable with the dressing. Pour only a bit of olive oil over. It should taste bright and spicy.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Night Local Reigned - Green City BBQ - CLARIFICATION
Department of Whoops
A few nights ago, I raved about the annual Green City Market BBQ. I mentioned in my report how much food I consumed. On LTHForum, Ronnie Suburban confirmed my belief that the fete provided more fare than last year. I believe that food induced coma rattled my mind and weakened my reporting abilities, forcing me to rely too much on stringers, i.e., my daughters.
Any reported sightings of Chef Dean Zanella of 312 Chicago, a locavore chef if the city ever had one (and even more notable for his zero waste and recycling efforts); were mistaken and any reporting that the awesomely cute kidz hawking ice cream at the 312 stand were related to Chef Zanella was also mistaken. Those said kidz went with 312 pastry chef, Kim Schwenke. They do resemble their dad. It's just that their dad is not Dean Z.
Vital Information regrets its errors and blames all on the vast amounts of items he was forced to ingest.
A few nights ago, I raved about the annual Green City Market BBQ. I mentioned in my report how much food I consumed. On LTHForum, Ronnie Suburban confirmed my belief that the fete provided more fare than last year. I believe that food induced coma rattled my mind and weakened my reporting abilities, forcing me to rely too much on stringers, i.e., my daughters.
Any reported sightings of Chef Dean Zanella of 312 Chicago, a locavore chef if the city ever had one (and even more notable for his zero waste and recycling efforts); were mistaken and any reporting that the awesomely cute kidz hawking ice cream at the 312 stand were related to Chef Zanella was also mistaken. Those said kidz went with 312 pastry chef, Kim Schwenke. They do resemble their dad. It's just that their dad is not Dean Z.
Vital Information regrets its errors and blames all on the vast amounts of items he was forced to ingest.
Labels:
corrections,
Events
Monday, July 21, 2008
Great Local Event
I've been way remiss in not posting this earlier.
For more information and ticket purchasing go to here on the Seventh Generation Ahead web site.
The Oak Park Micro Brew & Food Review, produced by the Downtown Oak Park Association and Seven Generations Ahead, features tastings of 50 craft beers from 15 local microbreweries from across Illinois.
Sample beer from the most skilled craft brew masters. Eat organic food from Oak Park restaurateurs and local farmers. Listen to roving musicians and participate in festive activities that will delight and entertain. Enjoy the new Marion Street shopping area. Admission is $35 and can be purchased at sevengenerationsahead.org.
A VIP pre-event celebration will be held at the new "green" Marion Street Cheese Market, and will include a select craft brew and cheese tasting, a tour of the new facility and its green features, and a welcome from brewmaster extraordinaire, Pete Crowley, president of the IL Craft Brewers Guild; tickets are $65 and include the VIP event and the Oak Park Micro Brew & Food Review.
For more information and ticket purchasing go to here on the Seventh Generation Ahead web site.
Labels:
Events
Favorite Product Watch
Found in Local Markets Recently
- New potatoes - Fox & Obel, Green Grocer
- Gunthrop Farms smoked ham - Fox & Obel
- Trader's Point Creamery - Orchard Trio Yogurt (specifically Orchard Trio) - Green Grocer
These are the types of foodstuffs that make it good to be a locavore.
Labels:
deli and chaucuterie,
Markets (not Farmers),
Veg
Eat Local Orange Juice
Well, there are many locavores that can wake up each morning with a refreshing glass of orange juice from oranges grown within their local area or local foodshed. If your oranges are out of season, you can even use some stuff you put away in your freezer. OK, that aint us here in the Chicago area. Anyone around here abiding by a local diet, whether a 100 mile radius or my more expansive Big 10 Conference, will not find oranges. Here, local orange juice?
Last night I had the chance to speak to a small group of people on my favorite's of topics, eating local [ed., you would like the chance to talk about the media issues, but no one's giving you that platform, right?]. As I am wont to do in such talks, my first bit of advice to the crowd is the way to starting eating local is to not eat local. In other words, don't make yourselves nuts eating local. If you want a glass of orange juice to start the day. No sweat.
An audience member last night, though, instinctively hit on one of my favorite themes. If you cannot eat it local, eat it as-if local. She talked about making her own orange juice. How different the amount of juice one gets when squeezing her own oranges compared with opening a carton, but this juice, her juice satisfied her more, and as we both agreed, came with the lack of packaging one associates with local. We further agreed that juice oranges, even those found up North, tended to be more flavorful oranges than the standard supermarket oranges and surely more flavorful than the standard supermarket orange juice. Good points all around. Then, another audience member added another good juice point. We used to know juice glasses as tiny glasses. We drank a standard portion in three ounces. It made sense, the amount of juice obtained from DIY squeezing. That's what it was supposed to be. So, I say. Go ahead, drink juice. Make it as-if local by squeezing it yourself.
Another key message (I believe) about eating local (beyond don't make yourself nuts) is that local is an imprinteur, a roadmap. Way more than organic, I find the word local, well not so much the word but the sussying out via label reading and other research, leads to the type of food that matters to me. Firstly, it leads me to food made with respect for the things that matter to me such as humane animal husbandry and good environmental practices. Secondly, it leads me to food made with care, artisanalship, quality, things together that equals what matters most, deliciousness. The corollary of this message becomes then, if it cannot be local, look for products that have the traits of local. Take my morning coffee. I would not survive, period, if I looked for local coffee. I do survive, however, on coffee that is fair trade (or better) and organic. Roasted by local companies like Blue Max, all the better.
Tomorrow morning, have a nice, small, glass of orange juice, secure in your knowledge that you are a locavore.
Last night I had the chance to speak to a small group of people on my favorite's of topics, eating local [ed., you would like the chance to talk about the media issues, but no one's giving you that platform, right?]. As I am wont to do in such talks, my first bit of advice to the crowd is the way to starting eating local is to not eat local. In other words, don't make yourselves nuts eating local. If you want a glass of orange juice to start the day. No sweat.
An audience member last night, though, instinctively hit on one of my favorite themes. If you cannot eat it local, eat it as-if local. She talked about making her own orange juice. How different the amount of juice one gets when squeezing her own oranges compared with opening a carton, but this juice, her juice satisfied her more, and as we both agreed, came with the lack of packaging one associates with local. We further agreed that juice oranges, even those found up North, tended to be more flavorful oranges than the standard supermarket oranges and surely more flavorful than the standard supermarket orange juice. Good points all around. Then, another audience member added another good juice point. We used to know juice glasses as tiny glasses. We drank a standard portion in three ounces. It made sense, the amount of juice obtained from DIY squeezing. That's what it was supposed to be. So, I say. Go ahead, drink juice. Make it as-if local by squeezing it yourself.
Another key message (I believe) about eating local (beyond don't make yourself nuts) is that local is an imprinteur, a roadmap. Way more than organic, I find the word local, well not so much the word but the sussying out via label reading and other research, leads to the type of food that matters to me. Firstly, it leads me to food made with respect for the things that matter to me such as humane animal husbandry and good environmental practices. Secondly, it leads me to food made with care, artisanalship, quality, things together that equals what matters most, deliciousness. The corollary of this message becomes then, if it cannot be local, look for products that have the traits of local. Take my morning coffee. I would not survive, period, if I looked for local coffee. I do survive, however, on coffee that is fair trade (or better) and organic. Roasted by local companies like Blue Max, all the better.
Tomorrow morning, have a nice, small, glass of orange juice, secure in your knowledge that you are a locavore.
Labels:
Eat Local,
Eat Local Challenge
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Kudos of the Day
Department of Expected and Unexpected
The man known far and wide as Eat Chicago has two new family members and a third on the way. Congrats to him and Petit Pois (or is that Cookie). What took you so long!
The woman whose surname dictated her career path, Cassie G, collects another honor; this one from Chicago Magazine's new Best of issue for her green entrepreneurship. Way to follow destiny.
The guy with the roving camera freelances in an unexpected spot and helps spread the fame of Chicago's best restaurant. I assume the next Sky Full of Bacon short will be on Spike TV.
I knew Marion Street Cheese would have a fine collection of local cheeses* in their new store. I learned that it was a lot more snazzy than I imagined during the whole wait for the open thing. Now, I find that this place already makes, what I believe to be the best danish in the Chicago area. I am going to have to scrounge around the vital information piggy bank and commission David the Hat Hammond to write an ode to this pastry as I do not have words to fully describe. Let me at least leave you with these words of encouragement: made with Zingerman's cream cheese.
*VITAL CORRECTION - I reported the other day that I found no BleuMont Dairy products at the newly expanded Marion Street Cheese. Well, I was WRONG. I was there yesterday and they had the bandaged cheddar.
The man known far and wide as Eat Chicago has two new family members and a third on the way. Congrats to him and Petit Pois (or is that Cookie). What took you so long!
The woman whose surname dictated her career path, Cassie G, collects another honor; this one from Chicago Magazine's new Best of issue for her green entrepreneurship. Way to follow destiny.
The guy with the roving camera freelances in an unexpected spot and helps spread the fame of Chicago's best restaurant. I assume the next Sky Full of Bacon short will be on Spike TV.
I knew Marion Street Cheese would have a fine collection of local cheeses* in their new store. I learned that it was a lot more snazzy than I imagined during the whole wait for the open thing. Now, I find that this place already makes, what I believe to be the best danish in the Chicago area. I am going to have to scrounge around the vital information piggy bank and commission David the Hat Hammond to write an ode to this pastry as I do not have words to fully describe. Let me at least leave you with these words of encouragement: made with Zingerman's cream cheese.
*VITAL CORRECTION - I reported the other day that I found no BleuMont Dairy products at the newly expanded Marion Street Cheese. Well, I was WRONG. I was there yesterday and they had the bandaged cheddar.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
What's In Season Now - July (Everything!)
The Only Guide to Seasonality That Matterstm
It's Good to Be a Locavore!
I told you at the start of July that it was not time for an update seasonality guide (June guide here). It's time. What's in season now at Chicago area farmer's markets, local superstore's like Cassie's Green Grocer, Johnny welcome to the party, come latelies, like Fox & Obel; Irv and Shelly's Freshpicks. Everything. The burden of local now is to eat everything one acquires. At this time, there's a lot in season. Unless your guide's talking grapes, it has a chance as being as accurate as the one below.
Ending Soon
If you want to eat these, eat them soon, they won't be around much longer: cherries sweet and tart; some lettuces, snow peas.
Limited Window
Get these now: apricots have been around for a few weeks; they won't be around much longer. Certain types of plums, like the metheny may already be gone by the time you read this. Things like carrots and zukes and potatoes will be here for a long while, but them in tiny versions, well them's the time to get them. Now. Related, now you may also find squash blossoms.
Other things early
Garlic's pretty ossified now but onions are still in their soft stages. Look for Vidalia-ish (store in the fridge) onions as well as immature versions of other onions. Green garlic may be gone, but garlic scapes are around.
Stoned on Fruit
In the Chicago area, we are lucky enough to be near the SW shores of Michigan, some of the primest territory for growing stone fruits. The breezes over the lake keep things just warm enough, while the existence of cold brings extra sweetness to the fruits. Look for early versions of peaches and nectarines--I have not seen white versions of either yet. Mentioned above, apricots, cherries, plums. With plums, various varieties will be around for ages, with the Stanley and the like not get going until the fall.
Uncommon Fruits
The benefits to shopping local is access to items that will not find their way into grocery stores. In our fruit aisles you'll find currents and gooseberries and tayberries. Try, try, try. See here and here for a gooseberry ideas.
Common Fruit
Hard to imagine with all of the summer fruits in season that now is also the season of the apple. Several varieties of apples come to fruit now; now, when you think you should just be munching a peach. Summer apple varieties tend to have a few things in common. Most, if not all, are quite puckery in the mouth. They tend to be soft and are often (typically) used for sauce. Most importantly, they are not apples to keep. In selling me a few apples today (for a daughter who somewhat unexpectedly* had a taste for apples) Lloyd Nichols warned me that they would only last a few days.
All the Rest of the Fruits of the Season
OK, don't forget the raspberries (black, red and golden), blueberries, and blackberries around now. Theses berries will peter out for a bit then will reappear into the fall.
All the Rest of the Vegetables
Can I name everything in the market these days. Maybe. Maybe because this is the time of year it's all here. All you think of as summer produce at least: tomatoes (the ones now are mostly grown in hoop houses or early varieties of cherries); eggplants, cucumbers, hot and sweet peppers, summer squashes, sweet corn, cabbages, green beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, chard, collard greens, fennel, celery, beets, and the dreaded k word, kohlrabi (which we took to calling jicama in our house, especially after we realized we really liked it!).
Mushrooms/Herbs
As always, there's River Valley with their organically cultivated mushrooms. I have not seen any wild mushrooms of late, although someone, somewhere must have some chantrelles. You should find plenty of fresh herbs in your market.
Speciality Vegetables
Oh, there's more baby. Kinnikinnick Farm at Evanston and Green City; Green Acres at the Tuesday Federal Plaza market as well as Green City and Evanston; Farmer Vicki's Genesis Growers at Oak Park and Green City; Sandhill Organics at Oak Park; Henry and his farmstand at Evantson; Nichol's Farm all over the place; these guys will have plenty more things than I thought of tonight. It's good to be a locavore.
Coming soon: the melons, heirloom tomatoes, more types of potatoes, more types of peppers, okra, fresh (shelling) beans. It's good to be a locavore.
*One of the things that warms my local heart is the ability of my kidz to never tire of apples.
It's Good to Be a Locavore!
I told you at the start of July that it was not time for an update seasonality guide (June guide here). It's time. What's in season now at Chicago area farmer's markets, local superstore's like Cassie's Green Grocer, Johnny welcome to the party, come latelies, like Fox & Obel; Irv and Shelly's Freshpicks. Everything. The burden of local now is to eat everything one acquires. At this time, there's a lot in season. Unless your guide's talking grapes, it has a chance as being as accurate as the one below.
Ending Soon
If you want to eat these, eat them soon, they won't be around much longer: cherries sweet and tart; some lettuces, snow peas.
Limited Window
Get these now: apricots have been around for a few weeks; they won't be around much longer. Certain types of plums, like the metheny may already be gone by the time you read this. Things like carrots and zukes and potatoes will be here for a long while, but them in tiny versions, well them's the time to get them. Now. Related, now you may also find squash blossoms.
Other things early
Garlic's pretty ossified now but onions are still in their soft stages. Look for Vidalia-ish (store in the fridge) onions as well as immature versions of other onions. Green garlic may be gone, but garlic scapes are around.
Stoned on Fruit
In the Chicago area, we are lucky enough to be near the SW shores of Michigan, some of the primest territory for growing stone fruits. The breezes over the lake keep things just warm enough, while the existence of cold brings extra sweetness to the fruits. Look for early versions of peaches and nectarines--I have not seen white versions of either yet. Mentioned above, apricots, cherries, plums. With plums, various varieties will be around for ages, with the Stanley and the like not get going until the fall.
Uncommon Fruits
The benefits to shopping local is access to items that will not find their way into grocery stores. In our fruit aisles you'll find currents and gooseberries and tayberries. Try, try, try. See here and here for a gooseberry ideas.
Common Fruit
Hard to imagine with all of the summer fruits in season that now is also the season of the apple. Several varieties of apples come to fruit now; now, when you think you should just be munching a peach. Summer apple varieties tend to have a few things in common. Most, if not all, are quite puckery in the mouth. They tend to be soft and are often (typically) used for sauce. Most importantly, they are not apples to keep. In selling me a few apples today (for a daughter who somewhat unexpectedly* had a taste for apples) Lloyd Nichols warned me that they would only last a few days.
All the Rest of the Fruits of the Season
OK, don't forget the raspberries (black, red and golden), blueberries, and blackberries around now. Theses berries will peter out for a bit then will reappear into the fall.
All the Rest of the Vegetables
Can I name everything in the market these days. Maybe. Maybe because this is the time of year it's all here. All you think of as summer produce at least: tomatoes (the ones now are mostly grown in hoop houses or early varieties of cherries); eggplants, cucumbers, hot and sweet peppers, summer squashes, sweet corn, cabbages, green beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, chard, collard greens, fennel, celery, beets, and the dreaded k word, kohlrabi (which we took to calling jicama in our house, especially after we realized we really liked it!).
Mushrooms/Herbs
As always, there's River Valley with their organically cultivated mushrooms. I have not seen any wild mushrooms of late, although someone, somewhere must have some chantrelles. You should find plenty of fresh herbs in your market.
Speciality Vegetables
Oh, there's more baby. Kinnikinnick Farm at Evanston and Green City; Green Acres at the Tuesday Federal Plaza market as well as Green City and Evanston; Farmer Vicki's Genesis Growers at Oak Park and Green City; Sandhill Organics at Oak Park; Henry and his farmstand at Evantson; Nichol's Farm all over the place; these guys will have plenty more things than I thought of tonight. It's good to be a locavore.
Coming soon: the melons, heirloom tomatoes, more types of potatoes, more types of peppers, okra, fresh (shelling) beans. It's good to be a locavore.
*One of the things that warms my local heart is the ability of my kidz to never tire of apples.
Labels:
Fruit,
Seasonality,
Summer,
Veg
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Night Local Reigned - Green City Market BBQ
Once upon time, an erudite culinary historian and linguist with the nom de Internet of Antonious stormed around LTHForum reminding us that the proof was not IN the pudding but rather in the eating of said pudding. Mr. B would agree then, if he attended last night's Green City BBQ that the proof of local came not in the local pudding but in eating said putting, although really we did not have pudding we had cheesecake made from local goat cheese (my pals at Eli's) that was like pudding and sweetened farmer's cheese from Fox & Obel that was pudding-ish (as was the filling in the Spring/Green Zebra/Custom House ravioli). This night was a very worthwhile celebration of all things local, and nothing could convince you more, the local food offered.
Really, this fete has been recorded as the homage du porc, but unlike last year where literally (about) every other stand offered a take on pig belly, I found pork not quite as prevalent. It was more, I believe, the year of the sausage: bunny weiners from Blackbird/Avec, a locavore version of the Chicago hot dog from Four Seasons, a newly emancipated chef at the Peninsula making a foie gras Polish saw-sage; clever square breakfast sausage "sliders" from Iron Chef-testant, Paul Virant's Vie, and my favorite, the Greek flavored pork sausage from Mint Creek Farm served by Prairie Grass Cafe.
I stuffed myself on encased meat. So stuffed, that well past mid-day, I have had nothing to eat beyond coffee (fact: we anticipated this yesterday and cancelled our planned Shabbos "Southern Night*" dinner in light or our need to eat spa food for a bit). Stuffed aside, my favorite foods were not the sausages. For all the efforts of all the chefs, the things that impressed me the most were the La Quercia ham and the sustainably caught hot smoked whitefish from Plitt Seafood. Perhaps because I am so stuffed still, ultimately it was not even the food that most made the night.
The closest I've come before to meeting someone who has inspired so much envy and admiration in me was when my wife and I kinda, sorta intermingled with the sister of Gus Hanson in Las Vegas. Last night I got to meet and schmooze with the most hated one herself, the Washington Island dwelling Martha Bayne. Of course where would I find her, but hanging out with the Death's Door Spirits people. For me it was a chance to meet Martha and also meet, in person at least, my editor at the CTrib, Colin; for one daughter it was the chance to chat up Dale Levitski in the potty line. The real celebrities of the night, the farmer's were in abundance. Look there was Mr. Nichols and Nick and Chad were both espied. Beth Eccles of Green Acres looked very happy as did the Heartland Beef people (why not it tasted delicious). And if the farmers were tops on the list of market heroes, and there were reporters with the best of beats; and chances to meet the Top Chef (and I swear I saw someone who looked like the man with the culinary boner, Andrew); there were also chances to meet with many more top chefs like Bayless and Zanella (fact: your kids are cute AND look a lot like you) and Carrie can't say your last name and Sarah who must just be proud of it all (all except Virant who was face deep in flames) and finally all the bedrock foodies of the city, especially the crew from LTHForum.com. We all got a chance to eat our local. Get your tickets early for next year's event.
*Planned dinner included local collards slow-cooked with local smoked turkey from a Wisconsin farmer; summer squash casserole, pickled beets, etc.
Really, this fete has been recorded as the homage du porc, but unlike last year where literally (about) every other stand offered a take on pig belly, I found pork not quite as prevalent. It was more, I believe, the year of the sausage: bunny weiners from Blackbird/Avec, a locavore version of the Chicago hot dog from Four Seasons, a newly emancipated chef at the Peninsula making a foie gras Polish saw-sage; clever square breakfast sausage "sliders" from Iron Chef-testant, Paul Virant's Vie, and my favorite, the Greek flavored pork sausage from Mint Creek Farm served by Prairie Grass Cafe.
I stuffed myself on encased meat. So stuffed, that well past mid-day, I have had nothing to eat beyond coffee (fact: we anticipated this yesterday and cancelled our planned Shabbos "Southern Night*" dinner in light or our need to eat spa food for a bit). Stuffed aside, my favorite foods were not the sausages. For all the efforts of all the chefs, the things that impressed me the most were the La Quercia ham and the sustainably caught hot smoked whitefish from Plitt Seafood. Perhaps because I am so stuffed still, ultimately it was not even the food that most made the night.
The closest I've come before to meeting someone who has inspired so much envy and admiration in me was when my wife and I kinda, sorta intermingled with the sister of Gus Hanson in Las Vegas. Last night I got to meet and schmooze with the most hated one herself, the Washington Island dwelling Martha Bayne. Of course where would I find her, but hanging out with the Death's Door Spirits people. For me it was a chance to meet Martha and also meet, in person at least, my editor at the CTrib, Colin; for one daughter it was the chance to chat up Dale Levitski in the potty line. The real celebrities of the night, the farmer's were in abundance. Look there was Mr. Nichols and Nick and Chad were both espied. Beth Eccles of Green Acres looked very happy as did the Heartland Beef people (why not it tasted delicious). And if the farmers were tops on the list of market heroes, and there were reporters with the best of beats; and chances to meet the Top Chef (and I swear I saw someone who looked like the man with the culinary boner, Andrew); there were also chances to meet with many more top chefs like Bayless and Zanella (fact: your kids are cute AND look a lot like you) and Carrie can't say your last name and Sarah who must just be proud of it all (all except Virant who was face deep in flames) and finally all the bedrock foodies of the city, especially the crew from LTHForum.com. We all got a chance to eat our local. Get your tickets early for next year's event.
*Planned dinner included local collards slow-cooked with local smoked turkey from a Wisconsin farmer; summer squash casserole, pickled beets, etc.
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