ronnie_suburban

North side-ish . . . a few I like: Vanille Patisserie 2229 N Clybourn Ave Chicago, IL 60614 (773) 868-4574 Bittersweet Pastry Shop & Cafe 1114 W Belmont Ave Chicago, IL 60657 (773) 929-1100 Sweet Mandy B's 1208 W Webster Ave Chicago, IL 60614 (773) 244-1174 Lutz Cafe & Pastry Shop 2458 W Montrose Ave Chicago, IL 60618 (773) 478-7785 Rolf's Patisserie 4343 W Touhy Ave Lincolnwood, IL 60712 (847) 982-9400 And in the northern 'burbs Sweet Memories Bakery 1852 1st St Highland Park, IL 60035 (847) 432-1025 Bakery on Elm 1162 Wilmette Ave Wilmette, IL 60091 (847) 251-7602 Three Tarts Bakery Cafe 301 Happ Rd Northfield, IL 60093 (847) 446-5444 =R=

The author is Dennis Ray Wheaton, who, if I'm not mistaken, is the lead restaurant reviewer for Chicago Magazine. It is a great piece and makes me unhappy that their content isn't available in real time, on-line . . . although, I can understand the reasoning behind that decision. =R=

We're bringing our son, who is 8. He will be my wife's responsibility =R=

From the Phil Vettel review ChefGEB mentioned above: Alinea plays to perfection Congrats to the entire Alinea team! =R=

Damn! There goes my plan to assemble an away team and storm the fridge =R=

Wow! That is a beautiful-looking dish. Thanks for sharing. =R=

August 17, 2005... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Tropical melting pot...Donna Pierce explores the roots of Brazilian cuisine, which extend far beyond the recent proliferation of churrascarias. The skinny on fresh herbs...in another Prep School installment, James P. DeWan provides a tutorial on the preparation of fresh herbs. Packing them in...Bill Daley reports on the successful marketing of wine "6-packs" by some of Chicago's major grocers. Tasting notes are included. White hot, yet cooling...in a special to the Tribune, Chris McNamara explores white sangria and its growing popularity. Several recipes are provided. Sweet corn...Bill Daley with a useful guide to what is arguably the best produce of late summer. Eating responsibly made easier...Renee Enna with a favorable review of The Real Food Revival: Aisle by Aisle, Morsel by Morsel by Sherri Brooks Vinton and Ann Clark Espuelas. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Innovative pickling, canning techniques are Vie's signature...Jennifer Olvera spends some time with Vie's chef/owner Paul Virant and explores his passion for canning and preserving foods and how that passion has become an innate part of his cooking style. New products just keep on coming...Denise I. O'Neal taps into the ever-flowing stream of new product releases and glimpes -- even if she doesn't directly point it out -- manufacturers' eternal struggle for retail shelf space. New name, old favorites for Vernon Hills restaurant...Denise I. O'Neal reports on the newly-revamped and recently-opened Philly G's of Vernon Hills (formerly Gilardi's), and a few other of the week's restaurant happenings. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk with her weekly round-up of the week's events in food, including happenings at I Gemelli, Coco Pazzo, foodlife, Park Grill on the Plaza and Viand. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: Citrus sings...with the help of some experts and local chefs, Laura Bianchi sings its praises. Food and wine classes...a comprehensive listing of upcoming area food events, tastings and classes; broken out by day. ===== And last, but certainly not least, in this week's installment of Chicago Magazine's Dish...Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby plug the September issue of Vogue in which food guru Jeffrey Steingarten raves that Chicago is “'the most exciting American city in which to dine.'” ===== =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.

So far, we've been really pleased with the goods we bought at the Dane County Market. The bi-color sweet corn was really amazing; sweet and tender. It was comparable to the the great, late-August corn we usually get from Indiana. The shallots, scallions, and garlic (I bought about 5 different varieties) have been outstanding too. Last night I quickly sauteed the oyster mushrooms with some of the scallions and garlic. They were delicious, tender and aromatic. We also had the chard, wilted in some rendered Hungarian-style bacon fat and duck stock -- amazing stuff. Additionally, I made a gratin of kohlrabi and cauliflower that was as good as any I've ever turned out. We don't have much of our stash left. Tonight I intend to make the squash blossoms (stuffed, battered and lightly fried) and the fingerling potatoes and that should pretty much clean us out. After that, it'll be back to my local farmers market where the goods are decent but where only about half of the vendors sell goods which people can actually eat =R=

Actually, before reading this article, I'd heard of at least one Illinois winemaker, Lynfred Winery, in Roselle, IL. But I had no idea how many wineries were actually operating in our fair state until now: Has anyone tried any Illinois wines or visited any Land-of-Lincoln wineries? I cannot remember ever having tried any Illinois-produced wines. With only 1,000 acres of land devoted to grape growing, I expect that the best places to source these wines is at the wineries themselves and that retail distribution is limited or non-existant. The grape state of Illinois =R=

LOL! I was just getting to that. Definitely a fun piece. =R=

Well, I finally made a trek to the Dane County Farmers' Market and I can say is . . . Wow! I was blown away by the scale of the market, which extends all the way around the city block that surrounds the Capitol building in Madison, WI. There were several hundred vendors; all with goods either grown or made in WI. Here is a bit of what we saw . . . At around 9:00 am, the crowd was filling in but still fairly light. Squash with blossoms intact. Oyster Mushrooms Goat cheeses from Capri Cheese. Live Dwarf Chili plant Purple sweet peppers Sweet mini red peppers. "Flying Saucer" peppers; hot Habanero cousins. Hot Chili peppers Apples . . . a reminder that fall is just around the corner. By around noon, the crowd was 6-deep around the market. Of course, we had a great time. I was pleased, not only by the variety of goods but the depth as many items were represented throughout the market. Aside from what you see pictured above, there were several bakeries as well as many fish, poultry and meat vendors too. There were also lots of wonderful flowers, but those pictures aren't for this place. I was surprised how many folks seemed to be simply drifting around the market without any intention of buying anything. That made getting around a little harder than it would have been but I completely understand why this market draws visitors the way it does. By late morning, the crowd was dense. I can see where dealing with that crowd could be a big burden as a local. Still, between the hours of 7 and 9 am, the market was wide open. I'll try to post a bit about some of the items we purchased as I cook my way through the week. And, I figure that around here, no one really needs any captions to identify the pictures but if there are any questions, I can try to answer them =R=

Wow, RagallachMC! I've eaten a lot of food today and that run-down is still making me hungry. My mouth is literally watering at the mention of the crispy risotto with chicken livers and spring peas. That sounds so good! =R=

Moderator Note: The above post was split off from the Cleveland, summer 2005 thread to begin this new one. Thanks, edsel, for the report. I'd love to hear more about this place =R=

Well, you inspired us; we're having sushi for lunch today. =R=

Regarding the documenting of these types of meals (and others), Janet Rausa Fuller has an interesting piece in today's Chicago Sun-Times: FYI, the "Marty" in the above quote none other than our own yellow truffle. Picture this: Haute cuisine as theater =R=

I love Solly's (and Kopp's). Thanks for the mouth-watering reminders of just how much. When you eat at Solly's you fully comprehend the beauty of the excessively wonderful buttered burger. =R=

Perfect timing! I'm heading up to Madison this weekend. I'll be sure to stop here and check it out. =R=

Damn! That is an amazing shot. That really looks delicious! =R=

Or, do you go another route? I was thinking that maybe some specific Chicago-style food items are among our city's 7 wonders, like the Italian Beef sandwich or the Chicago-style hot dog. Of course, on that note, perhaps Superdawg is one of Chicago's 7 wonders. Interesting query. =R=

I don't take notes or photos, so I personally cannot answer that question. But as a lover of food, analysis is always part of the process, whether I'm dining at Alinea, chowing down at The Wiener's Circle or eating my own cooking. For me, the meal at Alinea isn't cerebral, it's sensual. Absolutely. Sharing the experience at Alinea -- course by course -- with one's dining companions is a large part of why dining there is so enjoyable. It's fun to compare reactions to each course. And the courses aren't served in such rapid-fire succession that discussion isn't possible. Service is comfortably paced, which lends itself to interacting not only with one's tablemates but also with the staff. =R=

August 10, 2005... From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section: Brownie points...Bill Daley reports on how to maximize one's cooking class experiences via, you guessed it, advance preparation. As he explains, you'll need to bring more than a shiny red apple to impress these instructors. Strategies for coping with fare at the fair...Robin Mather Jenkins provides some nutritional guidance for those attending upcoming county and state Fairs who cannot live on funnel cake alone. Chillin' out...Bill Daley with some useful information on how wines are best enjoyed in the hottest part of the summer season. Tasting notes are included. 2005 Cooking School Guide...Brian McCormick compiles the Tribune's useful, annual list. Heirloom tomatoes...Joe Gray with a timely guide to what are arguably the season's best offerings. Getting the most from season's corn harvest...Donna Pierce tells it like it is. New corn varieties deliver sweetness...Robin Mather Jenkins details some new arrivals on the scene. ===== From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section: Picnic prep...preparation maven Sandy Thorn Clark provides some useful tips, as we head into the final part of the season. Missed the carnival? Then consume the next best thing...Leah A. Zeldes reveals which local restaurants are turning out imaginative variations of our favorite carnival treats. Debugging sweet corn...Sandy Thorn Clark consults an "expert" who actually brings her own ears of corn into the W Hotel and requests that the chef prepare them for her. Stephen Bezazian takes home local chili prize...Denise I. O'Neal with her weekly rundown of some of the week's food highlights. Tastings around town...Celeste Busk presents a list of the week's upcoming food events, featuring happenings at Wicker Park Brew Pub, Geja's, 10 Pin Bowling Lounge and Rhapsody. ===== From today's Daily Herald - Food section: Doughboy doling out the presents for his 40th birthday...food editor Deborah Pankey previews the Chicago stop on the Doughboy's 40th birthday tour and some other local happenings in food. Stone fruit takes the heat out of summer's dog days...Annie Overboe with some fresh ideas on how to prepare the stone fruits of late summer. ===== From the Chicago Reader...What's New section...reviews of Kuma's Corner, Fan Si Pan and Meztiso. ===== And last, but certainly not least, in this week's installment of Chicago Magazine's Dish...Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby dish out the news that Carson's Ribs will soon undergo a multi-million dollar reorganization which will include a strategic alliance with Boston Blackies. ===== =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.

The Newburgh idea is a good one. Unfortunately, it wasn't ideal from Chicago because the earliest flight out of Chicago on Sunday the 18th is scheduled to land in Newburgh at 12:57 pm, a half hour after the event starts. When you factor in the drive, that's a fairly late arrival. Also the fare differential was only about $35. My flight into Newark lands at about 9:30 am on the 18th, so even with a delay (I've learned to factor those in lately), I should be able to get to the event on time. =R= Edited to add: It's official! I just paypal'd my admission to the event.

I know the PBJ is no longer on the menu, but unless I missed something, this is the only time in 10 pages I've seen the word "fun" on this thread. Are people having fun? ← We had a blast. I wouldn't have gone back otherwise. For some people, the idea of spending 4-5 hours with one's loved ones/friends, eating course after course of inventive, uniquely imaginative and delicious food (paired caringly with over 15 wine and spirit selections) while seated in a purposefully comfortable throne in a strikingly beautiful and comfortable space (complete with secret door), while being waited on by a world-class team of knowledgeable and good-humored staffers is the very definition of fun. Freaks! I say those folks are all freaks!! =R=

What's the SOS event at Tribute - there isn't anything on their website about it. ← The link found in this eGS Calendar entry will take you to some information about the event (scroll down a bit). But please, let's try to keep discussion about upcoming events out of the forums. However, if we're reporting on events we've attended, that's not a problem. Thanks =R=

I've booked my flight and will be attending. I'll sign up officially, asap. =R=