ronnie_suburban

*puts on moderator cap* Ok folks, let's please keep the discussion focused on the issue at hand. Carry on! =R=

I really enjoy the Columbus/Felino too. I love its chewiness and its pungent aroma. The finish is definitely more sweet than tangy. I'm thrilled that my butcher now carries it. Over Memorial Day weekend my dozen guests went through about a pound and a half of it in no time. Very nice stuff. =R=

Duck fat will be next. =R=

I did take a minor poke at this in yesterday's media digest. Of course, in this battle, the do-no-wrong city council will be fighting huge conglomerates with very deep pockets and lots of political influence. It'll be fun to watch Ald. Burke get thumped on this one. I can't believe that I'm actually rooting for trans fats in this battle. How sad is that? =R=

Going to Wrigley tomorrow for afternoon game--first time. Would love some pre and post game recommendations! Prefer good food to rowdy crowd. ← As long as you don't prefer well-played baseball, you'll be fine at Wrigley Field. Of course, that doesn't take into account the visiting team Seriously though, you might want to try Spacca Napoli in Ravenswood, which has been getting great comments on its food; especially its pizza. Not sure of their hours, but it's almost certain to be open after the game. Spacca Napoli 1769 W. Sunnyside Ave. Chicago, IL (773) 878-2420 You might also want to try Sweets and Savories, which isn't too far Wrigley Field and is between it and downtown. It's a great spot but only open for dinner. =R=

'Round these parts the good stuff runs about $3/pound. =R=

Damn, Chris. That sucks about the green mold, especially because the link you cut open looks so damned good. I'm not sure what to advise. Of course, you know what I'd do if it were me =R=

June 28, 2006... Congratulations go out to several Chicago journalists on being named Finalists for the 2006 Association of Food Journalists awards in the "Circulation over 350,001" category: BEST NEWSPAPER FOOD SECTION Carol Mighton Haddix, Chicago Tribune FOOD NEWS REPORTING Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune FOOD FEATURE REPORTING Beverly Levitt writing in the Chicago Sun-Times SERIES, SPECIAL SECTIONS & SPECIAL PROJECTS Carol Mighton Haddix, Chicago Tribune Winners in each category will be named in September. ===== From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Fried to perfection...Robin Mather Jenkins provides a terrific walk-through on how to cook "superb" fried chicken. A pairing with pluck...once you cook up that perfect batch of fried chicken, you'll need something to drink with it. Bill Daley provides some guidance in this direction, which includes tasting notes. He wants to bring juustoleipa to the world...in this special to the Tribune, Nicholas Day focuses on Finnish cheese Juustoleipa and the man who hopes to save it from obscurity. Dill...food editor Carol Mighton Haddix with a useful guide. Ayinger Brau-Weiss...Jerald O'Kennard with the Beer of the Month installment. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Ald. Burke seeks ban on trans fats...Fran Spielman reports that Ed Burke hasn't finished his attempts to have Chicago's city government intervene in what folks here can and cannot eat. Getting a Taste of Chicago...Sandy Thorn Clark previews Taste's 26th incarnation, which will take place from June 30 - July 9. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews upcoming events at Cafe 36, Salud, Le Titi de Paris, Le Passage and J Bar. Food news...Denise I. O'Neal previews the Food Network Challenge, which will take place at Taste of Chicago, which begins on Friday June 30. From the June 23 edition: Interest percolating for rare cup of joe...Janet Rausa Fuller reports on a truly rare variety of coffee being offered by Intelligentsia Roasting Works. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: Baked beans: The all-American summer side...John Anderson, chef at Adelle’s Fine American Fare in Wheaton, describes why baked beans are truly a comfort food and he provides his family's recipe for them, as well. East Dundee baker says she's up to the challenge...food editor Deborah Pankey profiles Diane Ahrens, owner of Piece-A-Cake Bakery in East Dundee, who will be competing the Food Network Challenge, taking place at Taste of Chicago, which begins this Friday. Food and wine classes...a comprehensive listing of upcoming area food events, tastings and classes; broken out by day. ===== In the June 23 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section, LTH'er David Hammond pens the 4th installment of the Beyond the Burrito series, which focuses on Veracruz, Mexico. Note: .pdf pages at the Reader's web site load slowly but they do eventually load. ===== In this week's installment of Chicago Magazine's Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby distinguish themselves as the first reporters in town who actually know the exact date on which the city's upcoming foie gras ban will take effect: August 22. ===== =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. <><><><><>

High praise from Anthony Bourdain about Chef G in a review of The Nasty Bits by Dara Moskowitz, which appears in the June 28 edition of City Pages: Nasty, Brutish, Shortish =R=

Check here: http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2006/05...-tony-bourdain/ and scroll down to the bottom pic in the series. =R=

Definitely . . . but with meat too. =R=

My experience with bacon is that a dry-cure produces very little moisture whereas a wet-cure (includes maple syrup) produces more. I've also found that even when cured bellies don't feel totally 'firm' they are usually cured through and ready for smoking. Unless the belly you're curing is exceptionally thick, 11 days should be enough. My advice would be to now hot-smoke it to an internal temperature of 150 F and call it a day. Cut a few slices and cook them as you normally would. My guess is that even if it is not perfect, it will be quite delicious. Whatever you do, do not scrap it without smoking it and cooking some up. At the very least, use this run to gain some experience and help you establish your own personal preferences. =R=

3 things: charcuterie, charcuterie and charcuterie. Seriously, beyond the cured and fresh sausages and other cured meats (prosciutto, coppa, breseola) I think breads, cheeses and wine (if applicable) are also critical. If prepared (re-heatable) foods will also be offered, that's a real bonus as long as they're top-line incarnations. Perfunctory sauces are not usually worth the price. The same can be said for average-at-best side dishes. Arancini, when they're done well, are a great find. House-made pastas (dry and fresh) would be great too. And salads, roasted veggies, cured olives etc. are always a treat when they are well-rendered. Fresh produce and meats would also be a huge plus but that kind of morphs you into an entirely different category in which it may be much harder to compete. I'd also look to Convito Italiano in Wilmette as a possible model on something like this. The place isn't exceptional but it's very good and they do offer a lot of high-quality prepared foods and good wines too. =R=

Ooh, Abra! That looks so great. I'd love a slab of it right now with some crusty bread, a few pickles and maybe a schmear of french mustard. Outstanding!! =R=

The prosciutto looks beautiful, Mark. Nice score on the slicer, too! As for the pancetta, I don't know that it will dry suitably in the fridge. I'd probably cut off the moldy spots, to prevent it from spreading (since you can't apply the vinegar solution inside the rolled area) and let it hang another week. You may want to wipe it down with the solution after you removed the moldy spots. Just my .02. =R=

Welcome tristar! Tell us about some of you favorite charcuterie and your more successful projects. =R=

I agree with Dave. My gut says to poach it, even though I have zero experience in this specific area. =R=

Abra . . . that is simply awesome! Can't wait to hear about how it turned it. =R=

Thanks, Doc-G, for the detailed info. It's much appreciated. =R=

I'd advise just stating up front what your concerns are. If the Tour is not available with the earlier seating, they'll let you know. I think someone from Alinea posted just a bit upthread that the Tour was currently averaging 3:40:00. If that's truly the case, I'd bet that a solo diner would come in under the average and the later seating would probably work out for you. As for the wines, definitely do the pairings. I wouldn't worry about not upgrading if the additional cost makes it prohibitive. You'll be well-taken care of regardless, as the wines are truly chosen to accompany both individual dishes and smaller series of dishes as well. I'm going back again next week and I am also very excited. Enjoy! =R=

Beautiful stuff, Doc-G, absolutely gorgeous. The 2 sausages seem quite different from each other, even visually. Can you describe the differences in the grinding or other elements of the technique which help to differentiate their textures? Thanks for sharing! =R=

LAZ, you crack me up. Finally, someone who feels about the same as I do regarding outdoor dining! Thanks for the additional tips, too. =R=

I'm tricky that way. =R=

snekse, try this: St. Louis threads I've also gone go back and repaired the link I provided above. =R=

. . . this is like deja vu all over again. =R=