ronnie_suburban

November 29, 2006... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Comfort and joy...the Good Eating staff announce the winners of their annual holiday cookie contest and yes, recipes are included! Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale...Jerald O'Kennard files the Beer of the Month installment. Wines of Christmas yet to come...Bill Daley reports that even though many domestic Cabernets need some cellaring, there are still some strong 'drink-now' options available on the shelves for those who don't have anything on hand. Tasting notes are included. Gastronomy U...Robin Mather Jenkins takes a look at Slow Food's University of Gastronomic Science in Pollenzo, Italy, whose mission is to train epicures. Closed, sealed and preserved...Robin Mather Jenkins reports on the benefits of vacuum sealing foods and details several options for the home consumer. Here's looking at you, cookie...in this week's Prep School installment, James P. DeWan explains how to dress up your holiday cookies like the pros do. Hazelnuts...Joe Gray files this useful guide. Tradition and innovation make a sweet combination...Christina Biggs profiles Marked for Dessert, The Neighborhood Bakeshop in Libertyville. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Treasured treats...Sandy Thorn Clark profiles sisters Marilynn and Sheila Brass and their new cookbook, Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters. Savoring the flavors...Sandy Thorn Clark reports on recent meetings between Chicago-area chefs and sommeliers which provided opportunities for experimentation with new food and wine pairings. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews upcoming events at Geja's, Carlucci (Downers Grove) and Spiaggia. ===== From this week's Daily Herald - Food section: The winners of the Daily Herald Cookie/Candy Contest...the winners in each category are announced. Back-to-basics approach serves him well...in this week's Chef du Jour installment, Melissa Allen profiles chef Klaus Lotter, "executive chef at Indian Lake Resort's Sedona Grille and Masters Clubhouse in Bloomingdale." Food and wine classes...a comprehensive listing of upcoming area food events, tastings and classes; broken out by day. ===== From the November 24 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section: The focus is on eastern Europe via Chicago's south side. Michael Gebert reviews Szalas and David Hammond reviews Klas. Also provided is a list of several other spots which specialize in eastern European fare. ===== In this week's edition of Chicago Magazine's Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby preview the Juicy Wine Company, a new wine and cheese shop from Rodney Alex (Rushmore, Taste), scheduled to open in late December. ===== =R= <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you. <><><><><>

Here's a link to a thread which discusses some options in the Chicago area: Italian bakeries and delis in Chicagoland And while I do not want to discourage discussion here in any way, a quick Search on a specific ethnicity or location may also return some relevant results. Carry on! =R=

For the first time, the sausage in my Thanksgiving stuffing will be homemade. I have to say that for an improv job, the sausage turned out pretty well. Here's the recipe, in case anyone's interested: 5# fatty pork butt 3 T Kosher salt 4 T high-quality dried sage 2 T Maple sugar 1 T freshly-minced garlic 1.5 T red pepper flakes 4 t freshly-ground black pepper 1 C ice water Happy Thanksgiving!! =R=

Finally, the former Trio space has a new occupant -- Quince at the Homestead. I received this press release late last week. The new venture will feature Chef Mark Hannon, formerly of Azul in Miami, Sous chef Jeffrey Sills, who worked worked under Dale Levitski at Trio Atelier and General Manager Joe Ziomek, formerly of Trio and Alinea. Also, worthy of note is that our own Anthony Marty (aka yellow truffle) has been hired as Quince's graphic designer, photographer and web site guru . . . I have to say that this is exciting news. We've had some discussion about who might eventually take over the space and it's nice to see a seasoned team moving in. I wish the entire team at Quince the best of luck. We'll be seeing you soon! =R=

November 21, 2006... With the Thanksgiving holiday this week, the food sections are running early, so we are too! From this week's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: A classic, redesigned...Renee Enna takes a long, loving look at the iconic Sweet Potato Casserole and provides some sage advice on how to tune it up a bit. Rice and vinegar, and all the trimmings...Robin Mather Jenkins checks in with author Andrew F. Smith whose book The Turkey: An American Story dispels many myths about the Thanksgiving holiday and the turkey with which it is often associated. Celery root...Renee Enna files this useful guide. A passionate approach to chocolate...Jennifer Carnig profiles Coco Rouge in Wicker Park. A port in every style...Bill Daley explains why "the storied Portuguese fortified wine makes for perfect holiday sipping." Tasting notes are included. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: You set the table...Sandy Thorn Clark rounds up the readers' choices for what to serve with the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. Last chance for advance preparation...food editor Sue Ontiveros files the final installment of her series on how to enjoy a stress-free Thanksgiving. ===== From this week's Daily Herald - Food section: Hard sell...food editor Deborah Pankey delivers the 411 on highly underrated winter squash. Aye, Matie! Chef tries more casual fare...in this week's Chef du Jour installment, Leah A. Zeldes profiles chef Roberto Reyes of Grace O'Malley's restaurant on Chicago's South Side. Food and wine classes...a comprehensive listing of upcoming area food events, tastings and classes; broken out by day. ===== From the November 17 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section: The focus is on brewers as Nicholas Day reports on the nascient rivalry between Jonathan Cutler of Piece in Chicago and Matt Van Wyk of Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery in Flossmoor. Also provided is a listing of several other distinctive, local breweries. ===== =R= <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you. <><><><><>

Such an insightful interview in many aspects. ← Yes, Michael does great work. =R=

I don't post often here on Egullet, but I have James Falb's number if anyone is really interested. just call or email me. 440-622-5071 brian@worldsfareculinary.com. I am getting the same breed next week for making various items this winter. Cheeers, ← Thank you =R=

Thanks for the reports and the pictures. What an awesome meal that must have been. That little chunk of belly in the 3rd course looks so delectable, I can't stop thinking about it. Wow!! =R=

November 15, 2006... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Fiesta of flavor...Bill Daley explores the easy-to-apply Latin twist on the traditional Thanksgiving meal. He visits with several local chefs to get some of their more inspired techniques. He also provides some great suggestions for pairing the Latin-influenced meal with Chilean wines, in this piece: The other Americans. A tip of the hat to a timesaving tome...Renee Enna takes a look at 834 Kitchen Quick Tips, by America's Test Kitchen and passes on a few tips directly from the book. 7 steps to a successful holiday meal...in this week's Prep School installment, James P. DeWan provides a road map for a sane and enjoyable Thanksgiving experience. A helping hand for seniors...in this special to the Tribune, Susan Taylor profiles Corner Cooks in Winnetka and focuses on their program which trains folks to make quality meals in advance, for the elderly. Will vegetarians be at the Thanksgiving table?...Test Kitchen Director Donna Pierce provides some tips and insights for those who will be hosting vegetarians on Thanksgiving. Rosemary...Bill Daley files this useful guide. Hot line to holiday help...the AP, along with the Good Eating staff, provide a comprehensive listing of help sources for Thanksgiving cooking and food safety information. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: The stuff of legends...Sandy Thorn Clark visits with local chefs who share their tips, secrets and recipes for Thanksgiving stuffing. Almost there: Shop and try new products...food editor Sue Ontiveros continues her series on how to prep for a stress-free Thanksgiving. Take heart, chocolate lovers...Janet Rausa Fuller reports on a study which inadvertantly revealed that "...chocolate cuts the risk of heart attack by minimizing blood clotting." Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews upcoming events at Brookfield Zoo and Goose Island Brew Company. Food news...Denise I. O'Neal lists several restaurants in town which are offering Thanksgiving menus. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: Tyler's Ultimate Thanksgiving...food editor Deborah Pankey profiles the food network star and takes a look at his latest book: Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Anytime. Passion as a chef keeps his dream alive...in this week's Chef du Jour installment, Melissa Allen profiles Josh Humphrey, executive chef at Sam and Harry's in Schaumburg. Food and wine classes...a comprehensive listing of upcoming area food events, tastings and classes; broken out by day. ===== From the November 10 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section: The focus in on new stuff, as Heather Kenny writes up De La Costa. Also profiled are Adesso, Broadway Cellars and 20 other recently-opened spots. ===== And at Chicago Magazine's web site, you can find the entire Chefs feature -- penned by Penny Pollack, Jeff Ruby, Jennifer Tanaka, and Dennis Ray Wheaton -- which originally appeared in the November print issue. Included is their somewhat controversial list of Chicago's 50 Top Chefs. ===== =R= <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you. <><><><><>

Thanks, Michael, for the link. Those pics are amazing. Tonight should be quite the experience. I look forward to reading all about and only wish I could participate. Enjoy! =R=

I can't imagine, with the prices Whole Foods charge, that they are special pigs. I could be wreong, but this new place I found charges prices that are way above what I've seen at Whole Foods. ← I'd have to agree -- especially when compared to Niman, for example. =R=

We had an exceptional meal at Osteria di Tramonto last week. I'll admit that going in, I was a bit skeptical about the "hotel" aspect of the venture but my concerns turned out to be way off base. Once inside, Osteria di Tramonto is nothing like a typical hotel restaurant. The space is beautiful and grand and built on a scale that evokes the feeling of a downtown restaurant more than anything else. The arched brick ceiling, soft zoned lighting and copper and stainless open kitchen create a feeling that is purely 'destination.' We started off with an assortment of amuse bouche which were mostly seafood oriented. The mussels and shrimp were fantastic and the house-cured sardines were stand-out. I also thoroughly enjoyed the thinly-sliced heart of prosciutto which was served with tender, aromatic wedges of poached quince. Appetizers were equally enjoyable and my only problem was deciding which ones to try because so many of them looked great. We loved the arancini which were crispy, flavorful and immensely satisfying. The marinated beet salad was very tasty too. Calamari Fritti can often be ordinary but the use of semolina flour in OdT's version distinguished it as one of the best I've tasted. It was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and totally delicious. Needless to say, the seafood at OdT is immaculate and that resulted in a sublime version of Sea Bass Carpaccio to which our trusty, wonderful server Frederic tipped us off. We also tasted a couple other apps, which were sent out by the kitchen: warm caramelized onions and melted cheese that was absolutely phenomenal and a potato and octopus salad that was not only delicious but a fantastic study in textures. Great stuff all around. Entrees were also excellent. My wife and I split and swapped the braised short rib and the pork shank. Both were rich and satisfied completely that 'braised meat mood' that we both were in. The short rib was served atop a parsnip puree and the pork shank was accompanied by cici beans that were tender but not mushy at all. Along with the entrees, we split a side of rigatoni with caramelized cauliflower. The pasta was fantastic. I loved the golden-brown cauliflower and the robust, garlicky sauce was perfection. The wine, a 2000 Sassi Neri was a wonderful pairing for the rich, tender meats and the pasta. Desserts, which were 'on the house,' were fantastic across the board and nearly too numerous to mention. In addition to the flawless renditions of Tiramisu, Sformatto, Citrus Panna Cotta (thanks again to Frederic for the tip) and Apple Croustata which we ordered, we were also served an exceptionally creamy and tasty version of Pistachio Gelato, a completely refreshing Mandarin Granita and a Hot Pudino which was just over the top. Pours of Moscato d'Asti and Lambrusco were perfect accents for the sweets course. I am extremely excited about Osteria di Tramonto because their food is so exceptionally good and it is so close to home. It made me quite happy to see several familiar faces on the FOH side too, including the aforementioned Frederic whose enthusiasm and knowledge are simply unequalled. It also pleased me to see that management, headed up by General Manager Julie DeNotto, is not rushing to book the room to 100% capacity yet. Instead, they're taking their time ramping up, making sure they can handle the volume of business as they increase it incrementally. I loved the vibe and the atmosphere at Osteria di Tramonto, the food was absolutely fantastic and the service was impeccable. I'm with Pugman as far as my enthusiasm goes. Osteria di Tramonto is clearly going to be distinctive and a winner. =R= Osteria di Tramonto Westin Chicago North Shore 601 N. Milwaukee Avenue Wheeling, IL 60090 847 777-6570

Feel free to have the discussion here -- as long as it remains civil. I think it could be very enlightening. Carry on =R=

All the best country hams I've enjoyed looked pretty gnarly on the outside too. That meat looks absolutely beautiful, Dave. As for depth of flavor, you may want to try a longer cure. From what I've read in a few other books lately (Pig Perfect by Peter Kaminsky being one of them), 12-18 months is the ideal cure time for a ham. Apparently, that's when the complex and tasty funkiness really begins to develop. =R=

Welcome to the club! LOL! I know the feeling. Happily, the fact that most of these items are perishable keeps me from hoarding them. That's exactly how I felt and still feel. It's absolutely the best way to learn and improve your skills. Every once in a while, casings misbehave. But again, the more you work with them, the more familiar you'll become with the variables. I've probably made 75 batches of sausage since I started with this work and even now, the outcomes sometimes surprise. I often compare it to bread-baking. Both it and charcuterie are such rewarding types of cooking. Please keep us updated on your projects. =R=

The Zier's media blitz continues. Dave will be appearing on NBC-5's (WMAQ) broadcast at 9:10 am CT on Saturday November 18, providing tips for sourcing and preparing Thanksgiving turkeys. Go, Dave! =R=

November 8, 2006... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Party in a box?...Robin Mather Jenkins and Bill Daley scout out some convenient solutions and provide some great tips for doing holiday entertaining on the fly. Satisfying a hunger...Robin Mather Jenkins reports from Turin, Italy, where she attended Slow Food's recently completed Terra Madre summit. Northern exposure...Bill Daley endures the grueling task of sampling Canadian ice wines Tasting notes are included. Event celebrates black chefs and restaurateurs...Donna Pierce files a report from the Taste of Ebony event, which took place in New York in late October. Did someone say chocolate?...Renee Enna reviews 300 Best Chocolate Recipes by Julie Hasson. Council tries to cast new light on genetics and food...nutrition expert Janet Helm reports that the ". . . Illinois Humanities Council is hosting statewide 'conversations' on genetics and food, bringing together an ethicist, geneticist and food historian to objectively examine the issue from various perspectives." There's another way to slice it...in this week's Prep School installment, James P. DeWan reprises an installment from last January with another take on slicing onions. Hen of the woods...food editor Carol Mighton Haddix files this useful guide. Trader Joe's set to open off Mag Mile...Renee Enna reports that the newest area store will open this coming Friday. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Climbing out of carryout...food editor Sue Ontiveros reports on one local family's (The Schultzes) attempt to go 30 days without carryout. Find the right cookbooks for quick meals...Sue Ontiveros with a list of some tried and true convenience cookbooks, which were used successfully by the Schultzes. And Todd English provides the Schultzes with a few more tips about how best to set up a kitchen for functionality: To get cooking started, kitchen must be inviting. Also provided are copies of Mary Ann Schultz's original e-mail to the Sun-Times and the journal she kept during the project. Finalize plans, be open to some help...Sue Ontiveros continues her series on stress-free Thanksgiving preparation. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews upcoming events at Lawry's The Prime Rib, Blackbird and Vong's Thai Kitchen. Food news...Denise I. O'Neal reports on a couple of happenings at Northbrook's Prairie Grass Cafe, including a pie-making demonstration and tasting hosted by chef Sarah Stegner and her mother, Elizabeth (who makes all the restaurant's pies), and the restaurant's first annual Holiday Cookie contest. From the November 6 edition: Nothing says wine like . . . Ditka?...Janet Rausa Fuller reports on 'da coach's new line of California wines, which will be available at Costco, Binny's and Dominick's, among other outlets. ===== From the November 3 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section: Mike Sula reveals one of his favorite spots for Pho and a list of some favored Vietnamese spots is also provided. ===== In this week's installment of Chicago Magazine's Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby preview Frill, the upcoming "supper clubby spot" from Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith (aka the Hearty Boys), set to open in Wrigleyville next spring. ==== =R= <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or digester who will be happy to do it for you. <><><><><>

Thanks to molto e for sending me a link to this piece at Slate.com: Raising the Steaks - If you feed cows grass, does the beef taste better? =R=

How's it looking now? =R=

Also, is there a link to more information about the event itself? If so, can you please post it here? Thanks! =R=

Wow!! Michael, can you please post the menu asap? Also, what breed of hogs are these? Having just read Pig Perfect by Peter Kaminsky, I am very tuned into this right now. I wish I could make it to Cleveland. Will you please post a report after the event? =R=

LOL! Yes, they're working on that as we speak! =R=

Great posts and pics, Dick. Thanks for taking the time. I appreciate you posting the results of your extensive 'research.' I have to agree that I've only ever had one Kobe (and it was Australian) that was as good as Zier's standard dry-aged, Prime. But, I'd like to expand the breadth of my experience, too. =R=

From the Rules and Regulations page: =R=

Absolutely gorgeous, Moby. What is that on the outside...kale, cabbage? Please describe the preparation and recipe a bit, if you don't mind. =R=