ronnie_suburban

Great job, Chris! That finished product looks fantastic. Great definition! =R=

Thanks, Alex, for the link. Here's an excerpt from the piece: =R=

Me too. And I'm definitely going to miss his work very much. =R=

I honestly don't know. The menu only lists the price for the tasting menu, which is $85. My guess is that it varies depending on what's available, size of courses, how many bottles (and what types) of wine a party brings, etc. Last time we were in, we ordered a la carte. This time, we simply went with the tasting menu and I'm very glad we did. When you decide yourself what to eat it at a chef-driven restraurant like Schwa, the meal may end up being great but it's never as relevant as when you eat what the chef wants to serve you. When I go off on my own, I'm always worried that I'm going to miss out on something great. The chef's self-chosen canvas is almost certain to be a better and more representative one for the chef than the one you bring in for him. I felt truly fortunate to experience this progression last night, which was very different that what I probably would have chosen myself. And it was a noticeably different experience from my last one at Schwa; more nuanced and while still homey, it included many moments which were much more refined as well. =R=

I (along with a few other folks who frequent these forums) was at Schwa last night and was delighted by Chef Carlson's tasting menu. Not only did I enjoy a few favorites which I'd had before (white anchovy and apple salad, quail egg ravioli, for example), but also some new (to me) items that just blew me away. The Spring Salad was out of this world. The primary elements were fennel, strawberry and fava in an innovative variety of forms. There were fresh strawberries and a sweet strawberry puree. The bulk of the salad was comprised of raw fennel, shaved thin, which was accompanied by a puree of roasted fennel. Blanched favas and fava puree added to the delight. California goat cheese and fresh mint sent the salad over the top. Sublime. The Tartare of Prime Beef with Shaved Truffle, Parmesan and Quail Egg Yolk (with hint of celery) was a truly delectable treat. I eat beef fairly often and this was exceptional. I loved the freshness of the beautiful beef and the combination of flavors and textures. Prosciutto Consomme was a real eye-opener. It was served with a crispy prosciutto chip, a thin slice of prosciutto, shavings of melon and arugula leaves. I loved every aspect of this dish from the aromatic consomme with its rosemary front-note to the fresh and juicy melon right down to the "secret" piece of prosciutto which chef had used to adhere the demitasse to the plate. Yeah, I found it and I ate. And I'd do it again! Another new item for me was the fantastic sweetbread course. This dish was a truly inspired combination of piping-hot, crispy nuggets of sweetbreads served with warm, pickled rhubarb, arugula sprouts and Humboldt Fog cheese. Wow!! What a brilliant combination of flavors this was. It all worked so wonderfully together. This may have been my favorite dish of the night. Hard to tell though, because there were so many highlights. I also loved the Sable Fish coated with taro root puree and rolled in toasted slivers of leek. Pineapple and Macadamia (bits and puree of both) completed the presentation. I was surprised how well the pineapple worked here (that's just one small example of why Michael Carlson is the chef and I am merely the diner). The fish was immaculately fresh, light and moist -- cooked perfectly -- naturally. The dish was compelling. Its flavors created a synergy that was so much more than the sum of its parts. Wonderful balance; a fantastic dish. We also enjoyed a tremendous entree of Prime Beef that was just WAY over the top. It was cooked rare and served with veal cheek which had been braised in Moscato d'Asti, crumble of cooked egg, Taleggio cheese, summer truffles, honey and dandelion greens. This was hearty and elegant all at once. On one very basic level it was Steak and Eggs. But there was so much more to it. I savored every single bite. There was such much more (the tender, seared scallop with morels, meyer lemon and lavender, the amuses, the playful intermezzos, the chocalate cake with buffalo mozzarella, truffles with Truffle Milkshake) but the significance of descriptions really fades when you consider the glorious reality of this awesome, inspired food. Yeah, Schwa is a tough table these days but how wonderful that it's truly deserving of being one. So many places, which are not worthy in the least, have lines out their doors at all hours. Here's a gem of a place for which waiting is totally and completely worth it. My advice is to just call up, reserve a table for the next time one is available, mark the date on your calendar and just wait it out with eager anticipation. When the date rolls around, it'll feel like you bought yourself a great gift. Of course, the reservation is free. But on top of that, the fantastic, distinctive cuisine at Schwa is a great value. =R=

In lieu of fresh replies here, I'd check this thread: Minneapolis recs? =R=

I can't speak for docsconz, but I am curious after reading butterfly's post, if there is a 'standard of identity' for Spanish Chorizo or if the term is just used to generically describe any sausage. Is the inclusion of pimenton the determining factor? Are there others? =R=

Akebono, you really should see if there are any openings in the PR dept at Food Network. =R=

And I'd definitely watch! =R=

Thanks pedrissimo and Jason. I do own a vacuum-sealer, so once I open this remaining pack, I'll weigh it up and vacuum seal some mini-packs for later use. =R=

Since we've been discussing this, I finally went and checked my unopened package of bactoferm and it calls for storage at or below -17 C (which is basically 0 F), so a regular, household freezer should be fine. I keep a thermometer in my freezers and they're usually right around 0 F. I'm a little miffed, however, that the supplier would send this product out without even so much as a freezer pack or a note on the side of the box with a reminder about the contents' perishability. I send out perishable samples all the time from work and we always include freezer packs and mark the shipping containers accordingly. Here's a case where I actually bought perishable product, paid for the shipping and the same care was not provided. Not cool, IMO (literally and figuratively). =R=

LOL! It is a vortex, but meat-filled and damned tasty one! Welcome aboard! =R=

. . . and if he'd only kept his mouth shut from the outset, the foie gras ban probably never would have even seen the light of day. =R= ← To be fair, Ronnie, he never asked to be an advocate. On this he has been very very clear. He has said numerous times that he does not believe this should be a political issue, nor does he believe FG should be banned. He made a personal decision, and a newspaper reporter asked him about it. Should he have lied? I don't think it's fair to ask anyone to lie simply to accomodate the whims of other chefs. And I don't believe Mr. Trotter has any desire to see a FG ban. I think that newspaper writers are paid to write a story, and that among the simpleminded, the idea that Charlie Trotter doesn't serve FG = FG is bad. and that's disingenuous. At my restaurant I won't serve Tyson Chicken or stuff loaded with chemicals/pesticides, etc. Does that make me an advocate? Or simply someone who chooses not to deal with products I find inferior? ← I know, I know . . . but his comments really gave the "anti" foie gras camp a lot of momentum and what has turned out to be some well-leveraged credibility, too. =R=

Yes, they are made with pork. There's a whole spectrum of different types of pork sausage from dry-cured, semi-cured, smoked, raw... If you go to any sausage store/stall, they will have several different varieties of chorizo fresco (raw). Also other uncured sausages: morcilla, butifarra, longaniza, salchichas. ← So, are these considered varieties of Chorizo? If not, do the different varieties of Spanish chorizo each have different names or are the delineated in some other manner, for example: by process or region? =R=

Definitely so, John. Spanish (or at least Spanish-style) chorizo is available in a few higher-end, specialty grocers here in Chicago. It's also widely available via the internet. I'm pretty sure a few such sources are listed in the book. Nice job Rochelle -- it looks delicious! =R=

. . . and if he'd only kept his mouth shut from the outset, the foie gras ban probably never would have even seen the light of day. =R=

The fun can take place anywhere we have members like Tammy and Alex, who are willing to host and organize it! =R=

I'm just going to toss what I have left because I know I won't have another chance to make dry-cured sausage for a couple of weeks. By then, new product will have had a chance to arrive. I was misled because the packet I ordered from Butcher-Packer showed up dry (without refrigeration), so I just assumed that it was safe that way indefinitely. And you know what they say about assuming . . . =R=

It's official! I just booked my room at Weber's Inn. =R=

In my exprience at Alinea I always thought it was a seemless transition to dessert. It will be interesting to see how Chef Stupack integrates with Chef Dufresne and how a new pastry chef will integrate into Alinea. Somehow given the talent and creativity of all involved I think it will end up just fine. ← I agree, Doc. Dessert at Alinea has always felt like a very natural part of the progression. I imagine they're lining up for a chance to work with chefg and become part of the Alinea team. I'm sure they wind up with a totally top-flight candidate and I can't wait to find out who it is.

For us with no FoodSaver, is rewrapping the Bactoferm tightly and freezing it ok for long-ish (several months) term storing? ← I'm now wondering about this too because all I did was cut the edge off the packet of Bactoferm, measure out what I needed and left the packet, with edge folded over, in a ziploc in my spice basket (ambient temp). That was 17 days ago. Is this stuff no longer good? Should I just pitch it? I was under the impression that it was shelf-stable but I have no idea why. =R=

Welcome, Rob, to the eGS and to the party! And thanks for laying out your hot plate routine. That's some really useful information. =R=

I had a very pleasant experience at the new, outdoor-seating area at Kiki's Bistro last week. The seating was quite comfy and the Duck Terrine and Lamb Sausage were both delicious. Kiki's Bistro 900 N. Franklin Chicago, IL 60610 312 335-5454 Also, I wanted to mention that The Reader's 2006 Guide to Al Fresco dining appears in their June 2nd edition. =R=

June 7, 2006... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: An edge, but not cutting...Robin Mather Jenkins spends the day with Anthony Bourdain, as they go in search of a decent Chicago-style hotdog. War of the wines II...on the 30th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, Bill Daley reports that the rivalry between French and U.S. wines is as fierce and controversial as ever. Smoky sensation...in this week's Prep School installment, James P. DeWan provides some guidance on how to use your indoor smoker. Number cruncher...Robin Mather Jenkins visits with North Barrington resident Harry Balzer, who, through his company, tracks and provides statistical data on food trends. Chervil...Bill Daley with a useful guide. Mistakes yield timely reminders...Test Kitchen Director Donna Pierce stresses the importance of temperature, when it comes to food safety. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Show offers healthy items for your sweet tooth...Janet Rausa Fuller reports from the All-Candy Expo, taking place this week at McCormick Place. Wine and women...Sandy Thorn Clark tracks the ever-expanding role of women in the wine industry. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews events coming up this week at The Cadillac Room at Soldier Field, Cafe Selmarie and Vinci. Food news...Denise I. O'Neal rounds up the week's industry news, which includes a blurb about what See's Candies is doing as one of the official sponsers of the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of Pharoahs exhibit, currently on display at the Field Museum. From the June 5 edition: Mini-iceberg lettuce the next big thing?...Janet Rausa Fuller previews 'Iceberg babies,' which are currently being rolled out for the foodservice market. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: The days of wine and roses, and trees, and grass...food editor Deborah Pankey blurbs out a few upcoming wine events, some timely tips for entertaining and new pasta server that she favors. Food and wine classes...a comprehensive listing of upcoming area food events, tastings and classes; broken out by day. Varoom! Chef relaxes by riding on his motorcycle...in this week's Chef du Jour installment, an unnamed chef (pretty sure it's Mark Payne), who apparently cooks at the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room, is profiled by an unnamed reporter. ===== The June 2 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section includes their annual guide to Al Fresco dining. 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 go "One on One" (shouldn't that be "Two on One"? ) with Alan Richman, in a very enlightening interview. ===== =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. <><><><><>

Caught this blurb in today's Chicago Tribune: =R=