ronnie_suburban

Wow, Chris, thanks for the instructive pictorial! That really looks delicious. As a fellow lover of gravlax -- and the ziploc bag -- I salute you. I'm looking forward to hearing about the results, but seriously, how is that going to be anything other than delicious? I am definitely going 'aquatic' next weekend with the Charcuterie. Right now, I'm doing some a little smoking (whole butt and some large belly scraps). Last night I started a cure on a slab of paprika bacon and before the weekend's out, I'll be taking another stab at breakfast sausage, which I will attempt to encase, this time around. The meat's in the fridge now, co-mingling with the seasonings. =R=

Not really a Cook-Off project per se, but since this is the usual Saturday morning fare around here, I figured I'd snap a shot and add it in. I give you salami and cheddar omelette . . . (aka eggs stuffed with cooked salami and cheddar cheese ) =R=

Thanks for the tip, Amoreena. I agree completely about paprika and bacon being a great combo. In fact, I'm going to be curing some paprika bacon of my own this week. I've never done it before but I think it's going to turn out great. =R=

Happily, Janet Fuller seems to have commandeered Pat Bruno's column this week (we can only hope that the coup is permanent) and she's penned a nice, informative piece about Trio and Henry: No more tomorrows for Trio =R=

Soul Kitchen by Elaine T. Cicora at Clevescene.com =R=

You're such a good boy; so selfless =R=

As long as I don't forget my camera, consider it done. =R=

Peter, these hours are correct. I'm feeling very mixed about Sunday. I'm looking forward to it but I also think it's going to be a bittersweet experience. =R=

Mr. Baltas, There's been a lot of chat about super-premium sandwiches and the higher prices which, naturally, accompany them. Still, I think $9 (mentioned in our banners this week) is a good price for a top-quality sandwich. If fact, that price almost seems too low to me. Can Starwich actually make a go of it charging only $9 per sandwich? =R=

← Yes, leaf lard is often cited as the best lard for pastry -- especially pie crusts. I really don't know if it can be used to make Lardo and my guess is that it's a waste to use it in sausage-making. =R=

I believe it's supposed to be the best fat from the pig -- very creamy and light in color -- and can be used for making Lardo, which is essentially cured fat, Italian-style. =R=

February 22, 2006... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Creole spirit...Donna Pierce reports on how those who've been displaced from New Orleans are still cooking for Mardi Gras this year, in spite of the distances and other challenges they face. By George, it's Madeira...Bill Daley files an excellent tutorial pertaining to one of our founding father's favorite spirits. Tasting notes are included. Jerusalem artichokes...Renee Enna with a useful guide. New books celebrate Galatoire's long history...Kerry Luft reviews 2 books which focus on this venerable New Orleans institution: Galatoire's Cookbook, written by the restaurant's general manager, Melvin Rodrigue, and its publicist, Jyl Benson and Galatoire's: Biography of a Bistro, penned by 2 loyal, long-time customers, Marda Burton and Kenneth Holditch. Remembering author Edna Lewis...Donna Pierce with a loving look at the career of the late, great emissary of Southern cooking. Full steam ahead...Joe Gray reports on the growing popularity of Caffe corretto, spirit-aided coffee beverages. Recipes are included. Chimay Cinq Cents...Jeff Boda with his Beer of the Month installment. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Tastings around town...Celeste Busk previews upcoming events at Delilah's, Va Pensiero, Flemings, Belmont Station Chicago Yacht Club, Michael and Le Francais. Mardi Gras madness...Denise I. O'Neal rounds up a few of the week's industry offerings and events, many of which focus on Fat Tuesday. And from Friday, February 17: Gotta try it: Hautest of hot chocolates...Maureen Jenkins reports on Haute Chocolat Chaud, a particularly exquisite program being offered at NoMi (at the Park Hyatt) through March 31. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: With Mardi Gras just around the corner, food editor Deborah Pankey files a couple of related pieces: Bringing Mardi Gras home and History of the Hurricane. ===== In this week's installment of Chicago Magazine's Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby (along with Deborah Wilk) report on the impending relocation of Hilary's Urban Eatery, from 1500 W. Division to 1630 W. Division. ===== =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. <><><><><>

slim jims? Not the things you use to open a car door, I take it? I'm imagining a candy stick, like taffy, or a big Tootsie Roll, or maybe some regional Chick-o-stic? Or some sweet covered in jimmies? ← Clickety =R=

I make a point of smuggling snacks into movie theatres. I take it as a personal challenge and it's become a mission of mine. Some 'rules' are just made to be broken. And ridiculous concession prices are only part of my motivation. Even if I don't foresee being hungry or thirsty, I'll bring in something just for the sport of it. And when I am in the mood for snacks, the 'official' offerings usually suck anyway. It's also become a bit of a running gag with my family -- I love to see their reactions when I finally reveal the booty. Over the past couple of years I've smuggled in Reuben sandwiches, beef jerky, cans of pop, 25-oz bottles of San Pellegrino, string cheese, bags of potato chips, slices of pizza, etc. I'll never forget the delight on my son's face when I rolled up my pant leg and pulled 2 super-size slim jims out of my sock for us to enjoy . . . yes, they were still wrapped! =R=

Thanks, youngchef, for the information. How did you happen to come by it? Are you in touch with chef Gamba? =R=

Sounds excellent, Fifi. Nice save! =R=

Jason, How long was that Salame Sardo cured? It looks sumptuous! =R=

The links to Chicago Magazine have been acting very strangely lately. Anyway, it will be located at 1112 S. Wabash. =R=

I've heard great things about Russ & Daughters over the years and friends who've ordered from Katz's have been pleased. I've had good results with Zabar's, etc. But, here's the thing: eating deli is not something which should have to be planned in advance -- especially in a huge city with a relatively large Jewish population -- like Chicago. I live in area which is particularly well-populated by Jews (Chicago's northern suburbs) yet the deli here is rather mediocre. There are a few places which do some things well but none which succeed across the board. I live very close to Max & Benny's and Max's, yet I rarely bother with either of them anymore. Kuhn's International Deli (German/Euro-style) in Deerfield turns out better corned beef than either of them. I do enjoy Once Upon a Bagel and think it's pretty good but it's still not a top-tier deli. The food and the overall selection of items is just not compelling like it is at the great places. And warm corned beef at OUaB doesn't come out of a steamer, it's nuked. I also think Kaufman's in Skokie offers a lot more good than bad. But, it lacks in its own way too. Am I pissed? Yeah, a little. But more accurately, I'm baffled. Don't people care? Do they not know what they're missing? Or can they not tell the difference between a great place and an average one? Whatever the case, there is a core group of dissatisfied deli lovers in this town who will be very interested to see what kind of fare will be turned out at Eleven Street Diner. Expectations will be high. And even if they do everything right, it'll be a tough battle. Excellence has its price and that price may be higher than most folks (non-fanatics) want to pay. I think that's why delis fail to excel in Chicago -- because to be really good, they'd have to charge more than most people expect (or are willing) to pay at a deli. This is how the deli culture has evolved -- or failed to evolve -- in Chicago. However, if the core audience is big enough and the location turns out to be right, ESD will make a go of it. Interestingly, ESD will be located fairly near Manny's, which turns out what is arguably the best corned beef in Chicago. Perhaps on that basis alone, they'll have a fighting chance since they'll be in the path of the pilgrims. And it's only a mile and a half south of the center of downtown too, which will certainly be beneficial. It's only a few blocks from my company's satellite office, so I hope to get over there and check it out very early on. =R=

I wanted to come back and redeclare my ongoing love for Prairie Grass Cafe. I've been back several times over the past few months -- for brunches, lunches and dinners -- and the food and service continue to satisfy. I just returned from having a fantastic breakfast at Prairie Grass. It's 5 degrees F outside and I have plenty of groceries -- that's how much I love it there. This morning I had a delectable plate of traditional eggs benedict. Everything about it was textbook: the hollandaise was rich and creamy, the eggs were plump and perfectly soft-yolked, the Canadian bacon was sweet, salty and tender and the sourdough English muffins were slightly tangy and perfectly toasted. I also managed to find room for one of chef Bumbaris' Ancho breakfast sausages, to which I've become addicted. The breakfast potatoes, as I posted upthread, are also amazing and completely obliterated my hash brown craving. My wife ordered the Banana Bread French Toast stuffed with Sweet Cream Cheese and topped with Candied Banana Planks. This was a massive portion of french toast made from delicious banana bread. The french toast was formed into a sandwich in which the sweetened cream cheese was the filling. Atop the beautifully sliced and plated wedges of the stuffed french toast sandwich were whole banana halves, sliced lengthwise, which had, I imagine, had their flat sides covered with brown sugar and been placed under the salamander. The net result was a perfectly wrought layer of translucent 'candy' completely covering the span of the banana half -- it was as smooth and flat as a layer of stained glass -- and completely over the top. Service, provided by Adam and crew was wonderful, as usual. As I was leaving, Dan the manager/host and I chatted about Charcuterie. A few weeks back I'd brought Ruhlman's book in to read while I ate. That ultimately prompted chef to send out a plate of delicious Duck Terrine which he had been serving that week. Wow, was it great! Today, I told Dan that I was destined to go home and make some sort of sausage, since when it's 5 out, there's not much else to do. Dan quickly replied that, on the other hand, it was perfect weather for doing some cold smoking. That's how it is at Prairie Grass Cafe -- everyone in the place knows a lot about food. That kind of passion is rare and it shows up on every single plate served at PGC. =R=

Click here to read Martin Kastner's comments about the bubbles. =R=

Where's Tony now? . . . People, places and Palates =R=

How about you? ← LMAO! =R=

Perhaps if this were proposed as the "Trotter House," chef Trotter would be more compelled to jump on board. Seriously though, since chef Trotter is so active within the Beard Foundation (he was essentially their life raft of credibility when the ship looked like it was about to sink), I wonder how likely his participation in such an overlapping, local endeavor really would be. I personally think it's going to take someone slightly outside the industry -- yet still very close to it -- to make this happen. The suggestion of Kendall College -- or some similar entity -- is good but again, this is going to require some amount of financing. I'm not sure that a college or school would be able to contribute more than gifts-in-kind (a venue, etc.) toward such a venture. I suppose that various media outlets could also be good fits for underwriting since they could basically promote the venture at no cost. But still, the first step here, IMO, is someone with ties to most or at least many of the local chefs and restaurant owners stepping up and taking the lead. If that person (or people) had enough clout, they could move forward knowing that they'd have a better than average shot at gathering momentum and followers. From there, it would simply be a matter of assembling a Board of Directors and drafting some sort of blueprint which would define the entity, establish its goals and lay out a plan to ensure its perpetual existence. =R=

So chef, are you saying that CT should take an active role in developing this? Do you think he'd have any interest in it? =R=