Stock Up + Spring CSA

Last night, as advertised below, Farmer Vicki presented in Oak Park. Vicki stated something that should be obvious, but perhaps is not. She told us that each week's CSA in the summer is supposed to contain too much food. In other words, put aside some of each week's harvest for the late fall, winter and early spring. Vicki also impressed on us, how good a canned peach could be when it was a local peach, picked at the peak of ripeness and canned in good time. If that was not enough to inspire me to try even harder to stay local all the time, Vicki also told us about the Florida gas chambers, how Florida oranges are picked goblin green, kept like this for ages, and the gassed when needed to look right for the market. Makes me want to give up on my citrus exception. And to help us all stay local, Vicki mentioned that she might give canning classes this summer to her CSA members. Beyond, Vicki, I am working with a LTHForum participant to set up some canning classes. Canning, freezing, drying, storing in a quasi-root cellar, now is the time to start planning how to take care of the harvest's excess.

On a different but related subject, for those like me, with bare larders, help is finally on the way. Vicki's spring CSA starts in two weeks. As she told us last night, her greenhouses are brimming with food to sell in the next 8 weeks, including tomatoes, peppers, assorted lettuces and greens. In addition, things are sprouting at her fields, and we can expect broccoli raab, rhubarb almost for sure, and maybe, maybe sugar snaps and early seasons strawberries. Like I say, if you are like me, and long for local produce (and have none left), the spring CSA is a godsend. Sign up now! For more information contact Vicki at 815 427-6617 or at genesis_growers@hotmail.com

How Do YOU Define Eat Local?

One of my confidential sources told me that Steve Dolinsky, the Hungry Hound, talked about eating local on his TV appearance today. Seems, so I'm told, Steve remarked that now that Spring has sprung, we could get back to eating local. That is good ol' California and Florida produce and none of that non-local international stuff.

Swear to god, that's what I heard.

Do I Have the Best Wife?

She wants to make some black beans from scratch, AND

She is using LOCAL smoked ham hocks AND

The ham hocks came from our freezer.

Triple happy.

Considering a CSA

One of the easiest ways to eat local is to have a share in a CSA. Each week during the growing season, you get a box of materials from a local farm. I especially note the Spring CSA from Farmer Vicki. This CSA gives you a chance to get real produce WAY before the markets open. Here's a list of CSA's from my friends at Seventh Generation Ahead:

SGA's 2006 CSA Farm Directory


2006 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farms

Serving the Chicago Area

*for more details on any farm, contact Seven Generations Ahead at 708 660-9909

1. Angelic Organics, Caledonia, IL: Angelic Organics is the largest CSA in the country, offering vegetables and fruits during the growing season and during an extended winter season. Angelic drop-off sites include 12 sites in Chicago, one in Rockford, and sites in Oak Park, Evanston, Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Elgin, Highland Park, Park Ridge, Warrenville, Westmont, and Wilmette. To get their brochure with pricing and options, go to www.angelicorganics.com.

2. Genesis Growers, St. Anne, IL: Genesis Growers, a female operated farm run by Vicki Westerhoff, offers a traditional vegetable, herb, and fruit CSA where you pay up front and receive weekly deliveries of seasonal organic produce. Spring CSA April 1 (9 weeks) for $180.00 with drop offs in Oak Park, Chicago, and Wheaton. Summer CSA will begin June 7 and last until the end of October. Two size shares will be offered - full and 3/4. Full shares will $550 or $600, depending on whether they receive farm processed products. 3/4 shares will be $375 or $425, same scenario. For more information contact Vicki at 815 427-6617 or at genesis_growers@hotmail.com

3. Green Earth Institute, Naperville, IL: Green Earth Institute is a working farm and learning center located in the heart of Naperville and offers fresh organic vegetables and herbs, grown at their farm, for shareholders from mid-June through October for pick-up at the Naperville farm location (10S404 Knoch Knolls Rd, Naperville). Full shares (weekly) and half shares (biweekly) are available for the 2006 season. Details and sign-up form are in the 2006 CSA brochure . Call Steve Tiwald at 630-664-5681 for more info.



4. Kings Hill Farm, Mineral Point, WI: Kings Hill Farm is a vegetable and fruit CSA that delivers weekly during its growing season (June-Nov) and every other week during its winter season when it accesses organic produce from farms that grow year round. Kings Hill requires weekly payments for shares, and gives customers the option of canceling on any given week if they know they will be out of town. Kings Hill requires a $50 annual membership fee, and offers “a la carte” purchases of produce in addition to its prepared shares. Pick-up locations are in Oak Park, Chicago, Lombard, and Barrington. To subscribe, contact Farmer Tom Ulick at 888 752-2301 or visit the Kings Hill website


5. Sandhill Organics at Prairie Crossing, Grayslake, IL: Sandhill Organics is located in the heart of Prairie Crossing, a nationally recognized conservation community just 40 miles northwest of Chicago. Sandhill Organics is certified organic by Midwest Organic Services Association, and offers CSA options for fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers. Sandhill CSA drop-offs are located in Oak Park, Wheaton/Glen Ellyn, Barrington, Chicago, and Prairie Crossing. To download Sandhill Organics’ brochure with pricing and options, visit their website


6. Sweet Earth Organic Farm, Wauzeka, WI: Sweet Earth Organic Farm is a female operated farm run by Renee Randall that offers organic vegetables, herbs, and fruits for CSA shareholders. Chicago Locations: Austin/Addison, Belmont/Ashland, Montrose/Pulaski, Chicago/Damen, Lincoln Park-North/Clark. Suburban Locations: Northbrook, Elgin, Evanston. For more information contact Renee at 608-875-6026 or download the Sweet Earth brochure here.

Tana shares her blog

When I started "seriously" getting into eating local, I gravitated towards sources that knew more than me. Tana was WAY ahead of me, and I've always been a secret admirer of hers. Until last week. I finally got to put my devotion in the open, getting the chance to dine with her (and also, another hero, Paul of Kiplog). Now, instead of checking her blog weekly, I'm there 3, 4 times a day (at least, I bet her numbers have gone way as I click waiting for updates). Today's guest blog, a reprint of an article by Nina Planck is worth the visit (fer sure).

Meet Farmer Vicki in Oak Park

From the folks at Seven Generations Ahead:






Bringing the Farm to Your Home
Thursday, March 23
7:30 p.m.
1131 N. East Avenue, Oak Park

You’re invited to spend an hour with farmer Vicki Westerhoff of Genesis Growers, a premier organic farm located an hour south of Chicago. Join friends and neighbors interested in fresh food, good health and social justice, to talk and learn about:

· Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) – buying a “share” in a farm and receiving weekly supplies of delicious field-fresh veggies and fruit

· what “sustainable” and “organic” mean

· the importance of supporting family-run farms, and fostering a connection to the land and those who grow our food

· details of Genesis Growers’ CSA program, and how you can enroll

The genesis of Genesis …Vicki began growing her own organic food several years ago after a long illness that wasn’t responding to traditional medicine. Dismayed at the condition of the soil and the ecology of her family’s conventionally-farmed land, she set out to heal her small section of earth. She soon saw her land come alive and her health improve! Vicki and crew grow more than 60 varieties of vegetables on 20 acres.

About the Genesis CSA … Vicki’s CSA program begins in June, with pick-up at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market. Large and mid-sized shares are available. Benefits include out-of-this-world produce, family farm visits and an e-newsletter with photos, farm news & recipes.

Come and learn more. Bring friends (and a checkbook, in case you want to enroll)!

Eat Out to Help the Community

A little e-mail I thought I'd pass along:

Subject: Share a Meal with Community Shares to benefit Housing Action Illinois


I want to let you know about an exciting event being held on Tuesday March 14, 2006 that will benefit Housing Action Illinois.

On that day, restaurants across Illinois will participate in Share a Meal with Community Shares to help raise funds for dozens of community groups working to address homelessness, domestic violence, hunger, health care and other issues facing our communities.

All you have to do is enjoy delicious food with family, friends or co-workers at one of the participating restaurants. In return, the restaurant will donate 30% of the proceeds to Community Shares of Illinois and its member organizations. As a diner, you can designate a portion of your bill to one of the benefiting charities such as the Housing Action Illinois.

So call today and make your reservations! It's an easy way to make a difference and to support valuable non-profits addressing local community needs. For more information including a list of all restaurants and benefiting charities visit: http://www.share-a-meal.org.

Community Shares of Illinois represents dozens of community organizations working to make our communities a better place to live. Member groups work to improve the quality of life in Illinois by addressing a wide range of issues including affordable housing and health care, the environment and civil rights, as well as other issues affecting women and children, people of color, working families, the disabled and poor. All member organizations will benefit from the funds we raise with this event, and restaurant patrons will be able to designate a portion of their donation to a specific organization if they so choose.

The following restaurants will be participating:

Chicago - Loop
312 Chicago (L)
Atwood Café (D)
Cyrano’s Bistrot (D)
Wishbone (D)

Chicago - North
Ann Sather (B, L)
Atlas Café (L, D)
Artemio’s (D)
Heartland Café (D)
Wishbone (D)

Chicago – South
Noodles/ 57th (L, D)
Noodles/ 53rd (L, D)
Northwoods, Flossmor (D)

Champaign-Urbana
Kennedy’s (L, D)
Milo’s (D)
Silvercreek (D)

Peoria
Rhythm Kitchen (D)

Southern Illinois
17th St Bar & Grill, Murphysboro (L, D)
El Jalapeno, Anna (D)

Springfield
Maldaner’s (D)
Tuscany (L, D)

(B) Breakfast
(L) Lunch
(D) Dinner

Bob Palmer
Policy Director
Housing Action Illinois
11 E. Adams #1501
Chicago, IL 60603
312-939-6074 x. 4 (phone)
312-939-6822 (fax)
312-282-3959 (cell)
www.housingactionil.org

Frontera or Not Frontara
Again

I last wrote about Frontera Grill over two years ago, which I believe was the last time I ate there (I think). In my last post, I asked how does Frontera stack up against Not Frontera. Or which is the superior Mexican restaurant. I concluded then, that while I liked things about Frontera, I liked Not Frontera, the neighborhood restaurants better. Some people misintinterpreted this conclusion. I am accused of simply preferring the cheap over the refined (perhaps verging on reverse snobbery). I have also been told that the kind of Mexican food I wanted could not be achieved at more expensive places, that my favored foods would loose something in their translation to Frontera. I reject both ascertations, the former on experience (just look at me digging a pricier Mexican meal here), but the latter more on faith. For I believed then, as I do now, that Frontera fails on the plate, not in the concept. I still have faith even as I walked away from Frontera again, let down.

It was the trout, trout done in the manner of chicharron de pescado, or fish heavily breaded and fried up so crispy it tastes like a chunk of pork fat. It is a common way of frying fish, not just in Mexico but in South America as well. It instictually appeals to me, and I enjoyed a lot, the version I had at Islas Marias. How would Frontera compare? Frontera uses trout from the Rushing Waters farm in Wisconsin. This should appeal to my eating local-ness (and my advocacy of fresh water fish). Regardless of the source, I think trout (rainbow), a poor choice for this dish, as the nuance of the fish gets lost in the hard fry. Yet what hard fry. This dish really failed, failed to deliver that whack of Wiv-crispness. There was no chicharron in my pescado. Everything else on my plate tasted great. I do not dismiss (at all), the pureed red beans that surely tasted like Rick’s being hanging out with the French guys, smooth and with a nice touch of butter (!). I bet there are versions of Mexican beans that contain butter, that Frontera is not being inauthentic here, but I really do not care. It worked. Well. I also liked the salad of juliened napa, with equally thin slices of pickled jalepeno hiding under the pale greens. The avocado salsa met my expecations in smoothness, complexity and heat. Of course, Frontera’s tortillas are not as good as La Quebrada, but I would have ignored that if they could have turned out a superior piece of fish (which they should).

The other dishes I sampled hit the same specrum. A trio of ceviches contained one outstanding version, Frontera’s longtime lime doused classic, with a good dose of chiles. Another of the trio, had the exact catsup mixed with orange juice flavor found in any neighborhood taqueria. With only tiny pieces of seafood, this cocktail again failed to exceed Not Frontera. The last of the trio, with nice rings or squid suceeded on an ingredient level but did not wow me on a flavor level, although one of my dining companions loved this one. On the other hand, our other appetizer lent the biggest support to my faith and hope in Frontera, bits of “Enchiladas” Potosinas.

I’m a bit lost why Bayless put in the quotation marks. This would suggest a Thomas Kelleran dish, something like but not like. Now, I am no expert on enchiladas Potosinas, having read about them here, and sampled them here. But what I had last night did not seem like enchiladas Potosinas, they were enchiladas Potosinas, complete with the red chili infused masa casing. If the filling was a bit lighter and more velvety than a street version, it did not, in my book make the dish either wrong or inauthentic. This plate succeeds on a higher level in all ways. From a garnish of spicy AND visually gorgeous shavings of Beauty Heart radishes to a fry with just a whisper of grease, oily enough to transfer taste, not so much to bog you down, here it was, a classic recipe, executed right, of the best ingredients, plated to its full advantage. This is what Frontera should be able to achieve with all of their dishes.

The Return of Eat Chicago!

One of the truism's of blogging is, if you don't write, people will not click. And if you have not clicked on EatChicago for a while, you may not realize he's back and bloggin'. Check out his take on eating in Chicago. Perhaps, like me, you will wholly disagree with his assessment on the Berghoff.

I'm in Love!

Les Dames du Boeuf

A typical Dames' night out begins with cocktails at a suitably old-school bar. Before arriving at Le Veau d'Or, for example, the group had congregated for drinks at Donohue's, four blocks to the north.

"It has to be within easy walking distance of the restaurant, because of the high-heel factor," Ms. Breslow said.

Eat Local Challenge

I am very lucky. My ability to eat local is that much easier because I have a great farmer's market in community (Oak Park). Plus, I have the job flexibility to visit the Green City Market midweek if I desire. Many people, however, cannot shop a farmer's market so easily.

A bill in pending in Congress is seeking to give others the opportunities I have. Make it easier to shop at a farmer's market. See this blog for more. (Hat tip Craig Camp).

Pigmon Covers Carne en Su Jugo

My friend Pigmon, inspired mostly by the detailed research of ReneG (cf this) or perhaps ErikM, decided to do his own reporting, that of Carne en su Jugo in and near Chicago. It it is a fantastic piece of food study. Visit the thread on LTHForum to see what he did.

Of Course the Yak was local (ya!)
The Twin Cities in February

Want to go to Minnesota in February? It will not cost too much money. With some clients in need of schmoozing and great deals—cars from $13/day on Priceline, the Condiment Queen and I took off for Minneapolis last week. We returned mostly well fed if dazed by the non-Euclidian street patterns of Minneapolis (and especially) St. Paul. These are vibrant cities with several pockets of activity, also (from the window of the rental car) seemingly well integrated communities of high and low, ethnic and student, commercial and residential. Minneapolis and St. Paul would not suggest places for repeat visits, but I feel we barely scratched the surface. I hope to return.

The trip started roughly. Of course, a good 2 or so hours of driving frustration on my part resulted from incorrect assumptions instead of standard map reading (abetted however by the failure of Budget Rental Car’s map that did not distinguish color-wise between Minneapolis and St. Paul). So, on Sunday, after taking the slow way into downtown Minneapolis from the airport, we decided to hit St. Paul—on the notion that we’d be in Minneapolis the rest of the trip. My intuition was that downtown St. Paul would be on the opposite side of the river from downtown Minneapolis or at least that the Mississippi divided these twins. Wrong. There is a good deal of Minneapolis east of the Mississippi, and there is no apparent physical boundary between St. Paul and Minneapolis (leaving one to wonder why they had to be two cities in the first place). This logical fallacy on my part kept me, for a long time, in placing us on our simple map. We had decided to visit Bread & Chocolate for a little pause gourmande, based on a nice caramel roll picture on the Roadfood.com site. And we finally arrived after several twists. All this for an OK bun, good if in the neighborhood but not worth the schlep. It did keep us in St. Paul for dinner, where we tried the Everest based cuisine of Nepal and Tibet at Everest on Grand.

After dinner, we asked the pretty Nepalese woman where the yak came from, and we got in perfect and ideal Minnesota speak, “a farmer outside of St. Cloud, ya”. I wish I had a talent for mimicry because I so adored the sound of hearing about the local yak. Honestly, I enjoyed the yak repartee better than the yak meal. The Condiment Queen thinks it was because I was uptight and in a bad mood, a combination of worry over pending meetings and deep annoyance with getting lost. She liked Everest. New to the food of Nepal and Tibet, we ordered a ton (although our overall bill was not too high). We got two types of Tibetan dumplings: steamed (momo) and fried (kothe) with filling, respectively, of veggie and ground pork/ground turkey. They come with a thick green, pretty spicy sauce (achar). The wife and I differed on which dumplings we liked better. She preferred the fried, but I found those a bit greasy. I liked the cleaner flavor of the steamed dumplings. In addition to the dumplings, we ordered a Nepali daal-bhat, a combination of meat, vegetable, dhal, rice and condiments. You pick the meat and the vegetable, and emphasizing the exotic, we got keema yak and breadfruit. Given a choice of heat, we went for the penultimate. Too hot, by a lot, or the food just did not seem to have enough other stuff too balance the chili. I also thought the spices in the ground yak tasted burnt. I did not appreciate the breadfruit, but my wife loved it. Dessert was an iffy fresh cheese in sugar syrup.

I fantasize of owning my own restaurant; perhaps one day. When it does, it will be a lot like a merger between two restaurants in downtown Minneapolis: Hell’s Kitchen and Ike’s. Hell’s Kitchen got the local and the artesian, epitomized by house made jams and bison sausage. They also make an exceptional peanut butter that comes with your breakfast toast or as a side, and squeeze in some tummy room for an order of Mahnomin Porridge, a conglomeration of wild rice, nuts, and dried fruit all tied together with delicious local heavy cream. The house breakfast appears pricy at nearly $10, but the eggs, sausage, and especially the rosti potatoes, a crisp pancake made of shredded potatoes left me feeling not the least bit ripped off, and did I mention the toast and jam? The rest of the breakfast and lunch menu (no dinner) is filled with dishes in the same spirit. After reading about they fried walleye BLT, my wife could not wait to try, and it easily met her expectations. She liked it so much she had two meals there. Ike’s, next to Minneapolis’s hallowed silver-butter steak, Murray’s fooled the hell outta me. My wife first scoped it out, and she knew I’d love it. It seemed expertly preserved, a bit of old Minneapolis left in the land of skyways. Amazingly, this place of well-worn wooden booths, oak center bar and terrazzo tile is not that old, built only in 2003. It is nearly exactly the décor I imagine for my future restaurant. I cannot comment on the food, but we liked the drinks, including the Minnesota custom of serving a small beer chaser with a Bloody Mary. We would have sampled something from the nicely priced happy hour menu, but they estopped the deals because of a Timberwolves game that night. I can say that the burgers passing by smelled good.

Our other dinner was at a place called Barbette. We got to Barbette by accident, the result of some pretty awful preparation on my part. Yes, I remembered Minneapolis was known as the only place in the USA with an authentic Sri Lankan restaurant. Yes, I had read the thread on LTHForum where GAF mentioned its passing. No, I did not bother to think of this when planning our dinner. Moreover, there were red flags, including lack of mentions in guide books and local magazines. I meant to call…Oh well, our trip to the edge of Lake Calhoun and back brought us near the sexy, French looking Barbette—more well done terrazzo! It was like dining inside an Edith Piaf song. Unfortunately, the service matched the tempo of much of her singing. The combination of handling one price fixe dinner for her and just an entrée for me for the kitchen’s new chef was just too much. My wife’s courses came out intermittingly and my dinner arrived before her entrée. The double upside, some complaining got us a round of drinks on the house and a huge tray of ripe cheeses. On top of that, the food was very, very good. We wrapped up the night with ice cream at Minneapolis’s famed Sebastian Joe’s.

The advantage of getting lost is you run into things. If you look here you can see why I decided to stop for a burger at the Ideal Diner, a hand formed not too thin good diner burger to boot. I ran into Minneapolis’s house bakery Wuollet after picking up cheesecake at Muddy Paws, liked them both. Our final meal came from the Ukrainian combo deli-cafeteria, Kramarczuk, where we got assorted sausages and dumplings (varenyky) to eat on the plane. We passed a lot that seemed worthy of stopping with more time (and maybe strolling weather). Upper Central had a bit of Da’Bomb to it, including a Patel grocery store. University across Dinkytown well into St. Paul, I believe this area is called Frog Town, was block after block of things that appeal to me, from used book stores to (a lot of ) Vietnamese restaurants. Like I say, I’d like to return.


Bread & Chocolate
867 Grand Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55105

Everest on Grand
1278 Grand Ave, St. Paul
651.696.1666

Hell’s Kitchen
89 S. 10th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55403

Ike’s
50 S Sixth St, Mpls.
612.746.4537

Barbette
1600 W Lake St, Mpls.
612.827.5710

Sebastian Joe's
1007 W Franklin Ave, Mpls.
612.870.0065

Ideal Diner
1314 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, 55413
(612) 789-7630

Kramarczuk
215 E Hennepin Ave, Mpls.
612.379.3018

Muddy Paws Cheesecake and Wuollet
Assorted locations including Hennepin in the Prospect Hill area

Play Ruckus

Dan Levy, who developed the well-recieved table game, Hubbub, has a new product. Ruckus. Check it out!

Eat Local Challenge
Better Luck Next Year

We have clearly reached the limitations of eating local in the dead of winter. Even our stock of potatoes dwindles. Yes, we do have apples, but at this point we parse them out amongst winter fruits like oranges. We use our freezer stock. Just the other night, we evoked summer wonderfully with de-frosted pesto and green beans, along with keeper 'tatoes. On the other hand, basic dishes like braised short ribs require us to sneak into some store to buy a few carrots and a stalk or two of celery. We do feel pure when we use Farmer Vicki's package of dried thyme. We cannot get by simply on local.

I always feel a twinge of guilt when I unfold my cash to purchase something non-local/outta season. Still, I channel my frustration into inspiration for future challenges. We need practice, and we need failures to know how to do better. Clearly, we need to stock up better on "base" ingredients like carrots. We also have to manage better our biggest cheats, store bought salads. Of course when I eat a beet salad prepared by a local Polish market I feel in the spirit of eating local, but next year I want to put away my own salads and salad-ish type items. January's prepared beets should be local beets. We should be able to get by.

We have two months until the start of Farmer Vicki's spring CSA. We are going to continue to "be local" these months, with our stocks and storages. We recognize this will not get us far in our daily meals. We will use the period to learn. Come next February 2, you should see a different response to getting by in the Eat Local Challenge.

Better Late Than Never (Continued)

Check out all the new reviews at Sean Parnell's great site.

"I love sitting around a table and arguing. I love that group process. I lose arguments a lot. Maybe [the argument's] over the merits of a crust-less quiche recipe -- that was the last big argument -- but I want people to argue and defend themselves. It's fun, it's healthy."

Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen's Chris Kimball in today's Sun Time's Food Section.

Eat Local Challenge Challenge Part III
Yes, we have no beets

Yes, we are still at it. Just yesterday, my wife, the Condiment Queen, diligently perused an apple to see if it was local before (not) buying. I apologize, however, for the lack of posting. And for those with ADD/AHAD, here's the short version, yes it is getting hard/we cheat by eating out.

Farmer Vicki delivered the last of her scheduled Fall CSA boxes in December. She then delivered a supplemental bag in January. She finally ran out of beets by these deliveries. Instead she delivered a mix of keeper stuff and greenhouse stuff (and of course her treats like home canned concord grape jelly). I should note that a greenhouse tomato, from a local greenhouse, is still a greenhouse tomato. Lettuce though tasted fine. By December, one cannot count on making do with the weekly delivery. I'm not saying it's all fluff at this point, but what comes can only supplement existing stocks. Ours goes down. We have several weeks until Farmer Vicki starts her spring CSA, and it will be a challenge.

What's lasting: parsnips, rutabagas, turnips. The parsnips are especially old, having come from the Oak Park Farmer's Market, but they show no deterioration. What's mostly good: red potatoes. Most weeks in the fall CSA, we got a big bag of red potatoes. We have stored much more than we have used. Most of these potatoes are fine, but a few are growing eyes. What we should have used quicker: beets. We got a lot of beets in the fall; several however, went to mold before we used them. What else looks good and bad: squashes. If nothing else, we got squashes, and we got squashes all over our storage room. Some squash, especially the spaghetti squash, did not last long. And do not forget apples. Our apples, especially the apples purchased in Wisconsin in November and placed in the coldest part of the basement (next to the wall), have lasted just fine. The problem, within the next week, they will be gone, eaten. Going forward: a challenge.

We have freezer stock, mostly frozen berries. We make smoothies. We *allow* citrus and bananas. We have both now in the house. We cheat. Farmer Vicki has provided us some excellent lettuces in her fall deliveries, but we have also bought greens from Costco and Trader Joe's. We buy prepared salads from local markets. Just yesterday we picked up a beet salad from a Polish market. I doubt they used a keeper/local beet in the salad. We eat out a lot. We are not perfect. It is a challenge.

LTHForum.com Announces Great Neighborhood Restaurants Part II

Press release below. Its hard to have a list of top restaurants based on a variety of eaters. Passionate eaters may disagree greatly on places. I have a range of opinions on the places listed below, some I love, a few I could live without. Still, what I like about the Great Neighborhood restaurant Program (or GNR in the lingo) is that it encapsulates not the best places in town, but places that inspire, places that are special and unique. It's a great list.

For more information, contact:
David Dickson (630) 399-9172, ddickson@rmcis.com
Gary Wiviott, (773) 282-3277

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chicago, January 17, 2006 - LTHForum, the Chicago-based culinary society, has announced winners in its semi-annual Great Neighborhood Restaurants program.

Winners represent an eclectic mix taking in everything from the most minimalist hot dog stand in town to the most exotic one, from a Japanese restaurant dishing up spiritual experiences in a Korean neighborhood to one dishing up homey Japanese comfort food in Lincolnwood.

Only 17 out of Chicagoland's nearly 15,000 restaurants received the award in this round of nominations. Previously, 26 other restaurants received the award. Awards are based on multiple visits by some of LTHForum's more than 1,700 registered users.

Said program administrator David Dickson, "We have two primary objectives in doing this. We want be a tool for consumers to find good and adventurous places to eat, and we want to help support deserving restaurants that many might not otherwise have discovered." He pointed out that LTHForum is an all-volunteer organization, with no financial interest in any of the awardees.

The winners, in alphabetical order, are:

Birrieria Reyes de Ocotlán - specialty Mexican - 1322 West 18th St., Chicago
Cafe Salamera - Peruvian, primarily sandwiches - 6653 N. Clark St., Chicago
Candlelite - thin-crust pizza - 7452 N. Western Ave., Chicago
Cunis Candies - ice cream - 1030 E. 162nd St., South Holland
The Elephant - Thai - 5348 W. Devon Ave., Chicago
Gene and Jude's - traditional hot dogs - 2720 River Rd., River Grove
Honey 1 - barbeque - 2241 N. Western Ave., Chicago
Hot Doug's - non-traditional hot dogs - 3324 N. California Ave., Chicago
Johnnie's - Chicago Italian Beef - 7500 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park
La Quebrada - Mexican - 4859 W. Roosevelt in Cicero, 723 S. Broadway in Aurora, and at 3818 W. 63rd St., 2906 W. Cermak, and 5100 S. California, all in Chicago
Lula Café - eclectic - 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd., Chicago
Matsumoto - Kaiseki (chef's choice, multi-course) upscale Japanese - 3800 West Lawrence Ave., Chicago [Note: At press time, Matusmoto appears to be on vacation for the month of January.]
Nhu Hoa - Vietnamese/Cambodian/Laotian - 1020 W. Argyle St., Chicago
Renga-Tei - traditional Japanese - 3956 W Touhy Ave., Lincolnwood
Semiramis - Middle Eastern/Lebanese - 4639 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago
Sweets & Savories - contemporary - 1534 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago
Tre Kronor - Swedish - 3258 W. Foster Ave., Chicago

Each restaurant was nominated by one of the over 1,700 registered members of LTHForum.com, the Chicago-based culinary chat site, and ratified by the moderators of the board based on the degree of discussion and community-wide enthusiasm from the food-obsessed participants on the site.

Sample comments leading to the awards included:
Birrieria Reyes de Ocotlán - "I like just about everything about this place: the un-assuming exterior, the kind and generous folks who run it, and the absolutely knockout quality of their birria, whether in tacos or broth... I have to say it is honestly my new favorite food. I had it about a week ago and I am constantly thinking about going again... What could be better on a snow-bound day than moist roasted goat served with goat consommé, garnished with chiles de arbol, onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime?"

Cafe Salamera - "I got back from Salamera about an hour ago and I'm already looking forward to my next trip back. This place is phenomenal. The beef empanada (filled with beef, olive, raisin, egg) had a beautiful crispy crust and moist, tasty filling. The fried pork sandwich with onions and sweet potato was amazing. Soft bread, slight taste of lime and cilantro. I put a little of the hot sauce on to make it perfect. This might be the best sandwich I have ever had."

Candlelite - "I am a long time fan of the old Candlelite, and I am happy to say that their pizza is as good as it has ever been... Excellent, wonderful, delicious. (Think I like the place?) Crisp thin crust, fresh, flavorful ingredients, real chopped garlic-important as my 'standard' pizza is sausage, garlic and onion-served hot and crisp in a casual, family friendly, bar atmosphere... The garlic fries are outstanding, the atmosphere is nice, and the rest of the food is pretty good, too."

Cunis - "A little taste of heaven... This old-style ice cream parlor in South Holland is always a sure bet if you have a taste for fresh, homemade ice cream. Their seasonal peach sundae is worth a drive and their fresh chocolates and candies are delicious... What makes a Cunis sundae great is dark chocolate hot fudge made with all the candy-maker's art... It's about the best salted pecans imaginable, and the nuts alone elevate their sundae above the rest. But also the fudge, dark and intense and winey, almost like liquid Valrhona."

The Elephant - "If you had an aunt from Thailand, this food is what she would serve if you stopped at her house for dinner... The owner, an accomplished home cook, always felt the desire to own a restaurant and in just a couple of months she is really hitting her stride. The Elephant's larb is consistently good, very herbal with a nice hit of ground toasted rice. Papaya salad is quite good as well, hand cut, nice crunch, good flavor and, if you desire, spicy hotness... The perfect ethnic restaurant: family run, well-executed food, friendly and welcoming."

Gene and Jude's - "I'm a born and bred Chicagoan and I think I've eaten at some good hot dog stands over the years, but none has been more consistently good than Gene's & Jude's... It's not trying to be anything but a hot dog stand. The young staff is friendly and efficient. The hot dogs have a great snap and a good flavor. The buns are properly steamed. The fries are real, and it's great watching them cut up the potatoes on their handy dandy manual french fry cutter... The relish provides the note of necessary sweetness that makes this hot dog a total taste symphony."

Honey 1 - "Robert Adams is a man in tune with his BBQ pit... The perfect marriage of wood smoke and pork with just the right amount of chew, toothsome, but never tough, moist flavorful meat... They also nail what I consider the perfect hot link for me. Nice and smokey, slightly dried texture with a decent crunch, and not overpowering with the seasonings... I relax here in the glow of digesting my dinner of Honey 1 tips, hot links and a couple of ribs and ponder why I, of all people, should be so blessed to have this holy of holies now basically in my backyard."

Hot Doug's - "I had, I'm almost embarrassed to admit, my first Hot Doug's experience today, and it was a true revelation... The beauty of Hot Doug's is in the offerings beyond hot dogs: the thuringer, andouille, the specials, the duck fries, and, of course, the atmosphere and ever-engaging Doug... The best damned sausage I've ever gotten at a hot dog shop. It was so good, I took a day off work and went back the next day to sample the duck fat fries... Hot Doug's is like a fine little wine shop, selecting and showcasing rare and unusual examples from the prime sausage regions."

Johnnie's - "Johnnie's has some kind of black magic in their small stand that produces Italian beef with everything just right... We tasted five beefs in one day and what struck me was the overwhelming superiority of Johnnie's. The chocolaty-brown meat (tender and full of flavor), the sauce (good notes of garlic and oregano, and not greasy), the crisp and hot giardiniera... Johnnie's grills stellar sausages on hardwood coals. Not only do these taste great, they make Johnnie's, on most days, the best smelling restaurant in Cook County."

La Quebrada - "I have not found a better tortilla in Chicago than the ones La Quebrada makes, large and thick... La Quebrada makes some exceptional sauces, the curry scented salsa India (no joke), the house warm molcajete, with roasted tomatoes and chiles and the extra spicy, one dimensional, but one brutally great dimension arbol... From the outside it looks like nothing special, certainly one of any of thousands of Mexican places around Chicago. Inside, they make the effort to make things better. Guacamole, salsas, pico de gallo are not difficult things to make, yet Quebrada coaxes the most out of these things."

Lula Café - "One of my favorite restaurants, a place that is not only a part of its neighborhood, but a creative factor in helping shape that neighborhood... The key point that impresses about Lula is that their commitment to fresh, local, and organic is very taste-able, tangible, and real. Oftentimes lip-service is paid to these words on menus and the qualities can be lost in the preparation... Lula is a no BS-bistro that chooses to highlight natural flavors. They're creative without being destructive, showing a deep respect for their ingredients."

Matsumoto - "A dinner here borders on a spiritual experience... This is a chef [Seijiro Matsumoto] who embraces his art passionately. Matsumoto provides a level of dining that demands the attention of every chef, every gourmet, and anyone who thinks about food... It's going to be extremely difficult to enjoy eating at my usual sushi haunts after eating fish of this quality. Matsumoto's ability to capture the essence of the combinations of flavors and textures was total... This was one of the great meals of my life."

Nhu Hoa - "Perhaps the only restaurant in Chicago offering Laotian and Cambodian cuisine. Those dishes, like the Vietnamese offerings, shine... It is my go-to on Argyle when I am not interested in pho. I've only had the 7 courses of beef once, but I've had the bowls of cold noodles with vegetables, meats, egg rolls, etc. many times. Likewise, I've had the papaya salad a lot, as it's one of the gosh darn best versions in town. Julie is a wonderful and warm host... The 7 (really 8) courses of beef is one of the best deals in town, even if you skip the 8th course."

Renga-Tei - "It's Japanese comfort food. Nothing fancy. Just plain good... Love the soups, tonkatsu, tempura and many of the appetizers, especially the gom-ae and agedashi tofu. I also like the Japanese Myron and Phil's feel that comes from the Japanese waitstaff and the many multi-generational tables of Japanese customers... To me, Renga-Tei is just like a neighborhood corner diner, except this neighborhood and corner are Japanese. There's a casual, everyday, family environment about the place that makes you feel at home."

Semiramis - "A casual, relaxing place with a touch more class than the other joints on the Kedzie strip... We tried batinjan moutabbal, highly smokey with a bit of eggplant back (bitter), the ultra luscious green beans (with the olive oil surely playing a co-starring role), and a meat schwarma sammy. The meat itself off the spit was very well spiced and delicious on its own, but with all the add-ins, even better... The two tables in the window would be a very nice place to while away the afternoon drinking Arabic coffee with cardamom, munching olives and pickled turnip."

Sweets & Savories - "A very friendly and well-run place, totally 'tude-free, maybe even the folks who mob Rose Angelis a few blocks away will discover it eventually... I really admire this place because they work very hard to please their customers versus other places where the passion isn't apparent... Hands down, the best Kobe beef burger (or burger in general) that I, or my friends, ever had... The tasting menu is, in my opinion, the absolute best bang for the buck in the city."

Tre Kronor - "Cute as a button without overdoing the rustic Swedish thing, down to the actual accented blonde waitresses... I've had few better breakfasts in recent memory. My smoked salmon eggs benedict was perfect, simply perfect, fluffy poached eggs, freshly-made real hollandaise, potato cubes that for once were crisped up and cooked all the way through.... Genuinely pleasant staff all seemed to be moving quickly, efficiently, and very much trying to keep people happy."

LTHforum is a Chicago-based internet chat site and impromptu dining society which has quickly grown to become an influential fixture on the Chicago dining scene, widely read by journalists and chefs eager to know what's new and what regular diners are saying about the city's restaurants. Participants, while not ignoring the city's high-profile restaurants, are particularly adept at finding small, out-of-the-way eateries that many Chicagoans may not be familiar with.

Registered members discuss everything from restaurants to recipes, focusing on Chicago but taking in destinations as far afield as Montreal, Paris, and Xi'an China. Discussions also cover cooking techniques, local sources for unique foodstuffs, and, occasional silliness, such as a recent discussion about the atmosphere on Planet Mongo when visited by Flash Gordon. The site's web address is www.lthforum.com.

Previous winners, arranged by cuisine, were:

AMERICAN
Barbara Ann's, 7617 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago - South side BBQ joint serving excellent ribs and arguably the city's best hot links.

Chuck's Southern Comforts Café, 5557 W. 79th St., Burbank - South suburban Burbank's best restaurant by a country mile, a Frontera alum dishing up high-class comfort food.

Manny's, 1141 S. Jefferson St., Chicago - Cafeteria serving old school Jewish deli classics to a democratic crowd ranging from machers to meshugas.

Moto, 945 W. Fulton St., Chicago - "Scientific" food at the far end of the cutting edge, by a chef who entered our virtual neighborhood to debate his cuisine with us.

White Palace Grill, 1159 S. Canal St., Chicago - Roosevelt Avenue 24-hour hash-slinging joint catering to a colorful mix of late night and early crowds.

CHINESE
Ed's Potsticker House, 3139 S. Halsted St., Chicago - Northern and northeastern Chinese restaurant off the beaten path in Bridgeport.

Fabulous Noodles, 4663 Old Tavern Rd., Lisle - Chinatown-quality authentic Chinese in a Lisle mini-mall.

"Little" Three Happiness, 209 W. Cermak Rd., Chicago - Outstanding Chinatown hole-in-the-wall (from which LTHForum takes its name).

Lao Sze Chuan, 2172 S. Archer Ave., Chicago - Chinatown Mall restaurant serving seemingly endless menu of Western Chinese specialties.

Moon Palace, 216 W. Cermak Rd., Chicago - Upscale Chinatown restaurant serving Shanghainese food to those who know how to dig and beg for it.

CUBAN
Cafeteria Marianao, 2246 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago - A little slice of Miami in a busy, ramshackle stand offering Cuban sandwiches and coffee.

EUROPEAN
Klas, 5734 W. Cermak Rd., Cicero - Capone-era Mittel-European fantasy Czech restaurant

Laschet's Inn, 2119 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago - Authentic German food, beer and gemütlichkeit in the old German St. Ben's neighborhood.

Podhalanka, 1549 W. Division Ave., Chicago - A hearty Polish working-man's spot, easily overlooked on fast-gentrifying Division Street.

ITALIAN
Al's No. 1 Italian Beef, 1079 W. Taylor St., Chicago - Taylor Street stand serving classic Chicago Italian beef and charcoal-grilled sausage.

Freddy's Pizza, 1600 S. 61st Ave., Cicero - Cicero deli offering housemade Italian-American dinners, sausages, pizzas and breads.

Ristorante Agostino, 2817 N. Harlem Ave., Chicago- Family Italian restaurant on west side Harlem Avenue "Little Italy."

Riviera Foods, 3220 N Harlem Ave., Chicago - West side Italian deli offering outstanding housemade sausages and sandwiches, including the "Will Special" (named for LTHForum member "Your Pal Will").

Sabatino's, 4441 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago - Sinatra-era Italian-American fine dining restaurant serving Chicago classics like Chicken Vesuvio.

JAPANESE
Katsu, 2651 W. Peterson Ave., Chicago - On an obscure stretch of Peterson, pristinely fresh and beautifully prepared sushi, sashimi and cooked dishes.

MEXICAN
Amanecer Tapatio, 573 Collins St., Joliet - Could the best and most authentic Mexican restaurant in the Chicagoland area be this tiny, very friendly storefront in Joliet?

Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, 445 N. Clark St., Chicago - Rick Bayless' River North restaurants, which pioneered authentic, upscale Mexican food in America and helped bridge the gap between Chicago's ethnic and expense-account food cultures.

Taqueria la Oaxaqueña, 3382 N. Milwaukee Ave. and 6113 W. Diversey Ave. Chicago - Pair of fine family Mexican restaurants serving outstanding freshly-made versions of classics like chicken mole.

MIDDLE EASTERN
City Noor, 4714-B N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago - Excellent Palestinian restaurant related to an adjacent meat market on the Kedzie middle eastern strip.

THAI
Spoon, 4608 N. Western Ave., Chicago - Lincoln Square Thai restaurant famous for "secret menu" of brightly authentic Thai dishes.

TAC Quick, 3930 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago - Chic Uptown Thai spot serving eye-opening authentic grilled meats and Thai curries.

VIETNAMESE
Tank Noodle (Pho Xe Tang), 4955 N. Broadway St., Chicago - Bright and welcoming Argyle Street spot serving excellent versions of Vietnamese soups such as pho and entrees.

#30#

For more information, contact:
David Dickson (630) 399-9172
Gary Wiviott, (773) 282-3277

Food Envy
Wish List for 2006

• Whether schwarma, gyros or al pastor, I want it cooked on the spit. Not in a pan; not on the griddle, and surely not like too many al pastors, cooked and then re-cooked and then re-cooked again.

• Moreover, when it sez char-grilled, I want it grilled over charcoal. Flavorizer rocks are not charcoal.

• That all my French fries (home fries, cottage fries and similar) come exclusively from fresh cut potatoes.

• And all my coffee be served in real cups. Not only is it better for the environment, it tastes superior.

• That more will be inspired to take the eat local challenge, and that we find nary an asparagus in August or a Peach in April.

• Regardless, 98% of the tomatoes served should not.

• The relish tray comes back into vogue (and all those places still with a relish tray thrive).

• Dressings are homemade.

• Pepper is fresh ground.

• I can expound just a bit more like GAF, with the eye for detail of ReneG, add some of the scholarship of Antonius (or Erik M), be as smart an aleck as Hat Hammond, and just once, be able to talk wine with Steve P. Oh, and also, maybe earn an LTHForum.com quote.

• Neither my palate nor pocketbook craves Alinea, Moto or Avenues, but I feel like I should visit at least one of these in 2006.

• But I would love to do a comprehensive assessment of Chicago’s steakhouses.

• Then, compare to Peter Luger.

• Craft, Bouchon (Vegas edition), Joe’s Stone Crab, Bastide, and perienial wish listers Chez Panisse and St. John are all places I would travel to if I could; while the places close to home I most lust are Matsumoto and Toplobopampo.

• Also, go to Vancouver to see if the Chinese food is worth the fuss. Until then, I want people to pay more attention to what I have to say about Chinese food in Chicago.

• Also, also, another thin-crust pizzathon to restore my faith in Chicago pizza and answer Pigmon's challenge.

• As a committed believer in the Czech Paradox, I plan on consuming my full of dumplings and beer even as I finally loose that 40 lbs that’s been nagging me since I broke my wrist in law school.

• Eat more Scandanavian food.

• When the Condiment Queen makes a batch of caramels, plenty are left over for me.