Recently, Goose Island revamped and unveiled a radically new menu. With its emphasis on small plates and heirloom meats, this inevitably draws comparisons to the Publican. As a fan of both restaurants, I would opt for Goose Island if you are in the mood for quality fare that is still accessible, while the Publican is a little more upscale and rigid in its demands on diners.

On my most recent trip, I opted to try the duck chili burger, a mammoth burger topped with duck chili, jalapenos, red onion and a fried egg. The duck chili was rich and laden with meaty shreds of duck, and my burger was cooked to a juicy medium-rare. This was accompanied by a German-style red potato salad, dressed with a delightfully grainy mustard rather than mayonnaise. (You can also choose chips or fries.) Other items on the menu include diverse offerings like a pulled pork sandwich, andouille sausage and ceviche. I was also pleased to see that the fish tacos were still on the menu, though only as a small plate offering. Bring back the fish taco dinner, please?

Goose Island provides ample descriptions of their beers, and additional aid is readily available from your server if you have questions. Our server was very warm and knowledgeable as I queried him about the source of the walleye in the fish & chips. We managed to snag a table for 8 without a problem on a Saturday night, but you can score some Open Table points if you plan ahead.

For the education-minded beer aficionados among us, I recommend earning your M.B.A. (Master of Beer Appreciation) at Goose Island. This is a card that lists 45 beers produced by Goose Island, by season. Each beer you drink will result in a credit earned, and at the 15 and 30 credit marks, you will receive a free growler "for home study." Completion of all 45 credits will result in your name inscribed on a plaque at Goose Island and access to events like the Goose Island MBA Reunion.

The brewpub is also the site of some of their brewing operations, with tours of the brewery available on Sunday afternoons at 3 and 4:30 pm. This is also a fun activity to do with visitors, though you should call well in advance because the tours sell-out quickly. For your efforts, you will be given a crash course in beer brewing, be privy to the secrets of Goose Island's brewing operations, receive an attractive Goose Island pint glass, and sample six of the beers in season. (Hint: if you sit in the last row, oftentimes the leftover beer will make its way toward you.) This is by far the best $5 I have ever spent.

Goose Island Brewpub (Clybourn location)
1800 N. Clybourn
(312) 915-0071

Cafecito is a small cafe tucked inside the HI Hostel building, and their claim to fame is their Cuban sandwich, anointed the city's best by TimeOut Chicago. They also offer an impressive display case of baked goods, pastries and side salads. The cafe itself is bright and cheery, with couches for lounging and a danceable mix of Cuban, Puerto Rican and Dominican tunes in the background. This tends to attract a coterie of hostel travelers, students and cubicle dwellers. Aside from its proximity to the Loop, Cafecito is right next to the Auditorium Theater, making it ideal for a quick pre-theater dinner.

The cubano sandwich itself is a work of art. If you have time, I highly recommend watching the video detailing all the work that goes into it. Like a master architect, proprietor Philip Ghantous carefully layers roasted pork, ham, swiss, pickles and mustard between perfectly pressed bread. The pork is marinated in a mojo of garlic, cumin, oregano, sour orange and lime. Wrapped in butcher's paper and cut conveniently into triangles, the sandwich arrives piping hot, fragrant with meat, and oozing with melted cheese. All this will set you back a mere $5 + tax. I would love to try the ropa vieja or chimichurri sandwiches, but thus far, I have been unable to tear myself away from ordering the cuban. Maybe next time.

For the vegetarians among us, Cafecito is still worth investigating. The Jardin sandwich, featuring jalapeno hummus, eggplant, roasted peppers and mozzarella, elevates the classic vegetable panini to new heights. For a classic tomato, basil and mozzarella combo, the Margarita sandwich is also a great bet. I have yet to try the namesake coffee, but the hot chocolate is excellent. If you are in the mood for other sweets, you can grab a crisp churro dusted with powdered sugar. Ask for a small thimble of caramel on the side.

On my most recent trip, I noticed that Cafecito was now offering shakes ($3.50). I tried a mamey shake, which was creamy, thick with mamey, and lightly sweetened, a great refresher on a warm summer day. The passion fruit shake was excellent as well, with a tarter edge. Other tropical flavors include guava, guanabana and tamarind.

[image/LTHforum]

Cafecito
26 E. Congress (at Wabash, inside the HI Hostel)
(312) 922-2233

Now, as for the place:  near Damen and Webster, a stone's throw from the Kennedy Expressway, the Bristol, which does not take reservations, had us go upstairs to wait.  The first thing I noticed was that there wasn't a packed crowd on the bottom floor waiting for a table.  What they did was had us wait upstairs, in a spacious layout where we had lots of room to spread out while we ordered a wine and appetizers.  

We had plenty of time to decide, as we did not get a server for roughly ten minutes, and when she came by she asked to hold our credit card, something I don't see often at a restaurant.   For my wine I ordered a Provence rose, and I had an appetizer of head cheese with horseradish mustard and what looked like beans.  My wife ordered duck fat fries (ode to Hot Doug's, perhaps?) with housemade ketchup and aioli.  The duck fries were decent, though it is hard to mess up fries.  I preferred the head cheese (do I hear Publican?), which I thought was delicious on its own.  Not knowing how long it would be before I saw a server I asked for the check.  

For our dinner (ode to Avec--pardon the capital "A"), we ordered a series of dishes worthy of sharing in tightly packed quarters.  The English Pea Crostini (thanks also to Avec) with feta and lemon was good, but probably could have used more feta, and it wasn't as good as Avec's.   The apple salad with manchengo was good, though I guess the expectation was set high for this dish, which was decent but not memorable.  It was actually the bone marrow, served inside cross-sections of bone, out of whichyou had to scoop it, that excited me the most.  The delicious fatty marrow was paired with shallot jam and parsely, and its distinctive taste was fun to indulge in.     The flatbread on the menu also brings back flashbacks of Avec.

As it was summer, I paired it with a delightful Moschofilero, a Greek white wine=).   Kudos, by the way, for their wine list specializing in unusual grape varietals, which again reminded me of Avec's wine list.   The most memorable part, though was the homemade Nutter Butters that were much better than the real thing, served with a chocolate "saboyon", called a fondue but perhaps more like a pudding, complete with a sea salt touch.  I wanted to stick my tounge in the glass to get every last morsel out.  I paired it with an acceptable glass of tawny port.

Service overall was good in the surprisingly noisy and packed-yet-orderly downstaris, in contrast to the sparse-but-chaoitic upstairs waiting area.   As we were watching the dishes being served the Bristol's $18 halibut seemed more appealing than the small $35  (but excellent) serving at Publican.

Critics, from Chicago Social to Phil Vettel's two stars, gushed about the place, but I guess as excited as I was to go here, didn't quite get all the hype once I arrived, and maybe that's because I didn't order the "monkey bread".  This restaurant seems to borrow heavily from Avec, but nonetheless, the key word is value in these tough economic times, where there are far too many overpriced restaurants,in Chicago, and I expect to be back someday.  Case in point: As we were watching the dishes being served the Bristol's $18 halibut seemed more appealing on a dollar-for-dollar basis than the small $35  (but excellent) serving at Publican.   And if you live in Bucktown it certainly is a bonus.

The Bristol
2152 N. Damen
773-862-5555

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Nuevo Latino Cooking class w/ Carnivale's (702 W Fulton) chef Mendez! $25 includes 2 hr course, samples, mimosas & micheladas. RSVP 7/11 12pm

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Jamba Juice has Buy One, Get One Free Smoothie coupon to celebrate the summer! Expires 7/1 http://is.gd/1pZXZ

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Halsted Tastes Better Bastille Day celebration on 7/13 6-9pm (Halsted & Aldine). $25 adv tickets, $30 at door http://is.gd/1tSDO

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FREE BBQ Bacon Cheddar Roast Burger (whew, that's a mouthful) with soft drink purchase at Arby's. Coupon valid thru 7/13 http://is.gd/1tXmh

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Lobster Festival at Shaw's Crab house (21 E Hubbard) daily thru 7/31! Enjoy 3-course lobster boil and lobster specials galore for $34.99

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Happy National Hot Dog Month! Celebrate at Brasserie Jo (59 W Hubbard) with $1 dogs from 5-7pm everyday in July!

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Unhealthiest Drinks in America. Which ones are OVER 2000 calories?! YIKES. http://is.gd/1r49j

Then there is Trader Joe's and Aldi (Aldi Nord owns Trader Joe's), where either selection or quality may suffer.  Places like Costco favor a bulk buyer.  I have not yet been to Urban Fresh, but, from what I hear, it's Jewel items at Fox and Obel prices.

Enter City Fresh Market, on the corner of Devon and Kedzie Avenues, across the street from a kosher fast food joint.  Same tomatoes at $.99 per pound, great selection of deli meats and cheeses that are both delicious and affordable, USDA choice fresh meats priced fairly, and whole fish delivered daily.  The other day I bought two whole white basses for under $4 - no kidding.

The owner is from Serbia, and he maintains his affinity toward the Balkan classics and Eastern European staples, such as ajvar, letcho, pickled tomatoes from Bulgaria, cured meats and sausages, probiotic fermented dairy products.  The deli has a dozen types of feta ranging in origin from France to Armenia.  The selection of booze is intresting:  wines from all over the Balkans, many types of Sliwowitz,even Nemiroff wheat vodka from Ukraine.

The team manages to operate in a fairly small space, runs a bakery on-site, and, despite its ethnic appeal, has created a full-pledged supermarket, where one can buy a lot and spend little.  You can very well see the growing success of this business as longer and longer lines form at the registers.

The fact is that there are plenty of stores like City Fresh in Chicago.  Some may bear "Carniceria" or "Fruteria" in their names, some will be called "Sklep", which is Polish for store or shop, and not all of them are necessarily good or successful.  They also often are not in places like Lincoln Park or Bucktown.  But these joints are fun, and their eclectic choices offer new recipe ideas and force customers to explore, apart from just saving money. 

Quite a few of these markets have the word "Fresh" in the title, so pay attention.  And grab a free newspaper in Romanian or Macedonian on the way out.  You can have some fun deciphering it, or read it front to back, if you know the language.

I truly believe that American coffee drinkers are no less capable of appreciating espresso than our Portuguese or Italian peers. Many of us already drink lattes, an American invention but espresso-based nevertheless, on a daily basis. 

When it comes to drinking espresso by itself or with small amounts of milk (cappuccino, café cortado, espresso macchiato), there is a common notion of these drinks being too bitter, too harsh or, my favorite, too strong.  No one can explain to me whether “strong” refers to the beverage’s body, flavor, taste or amount of caffeine.  Whatever it is, many of us out there use large amounts of latte to disguise the elusive “strong” quality of caffé espresso.

On the average, two ounces of espresso contain about 40 grams of caffeine.  One 8-oz cup of drip coffee contains about 300 grams.  Do the math and calculate caffeine content for two ounces of drip.  Yep, almost twice as much as the bitter stuff.

At present, there are very few coffee shops in Chicago that produce a quality cup.  Micro-roasters Metropolis and Intelligentsia deliver the best espresso-based beverages in town, hands down.  I purchase freshly roasted beans from either shop, though more often from the latter as my office is very close to their two locations in the Loop.

Stella Espresso Company, located on a less exciting block of Edgewater, is a newer shop and I would put them as number three on the list.  They use Intelligentsia beans and know their way around the equipment, which is a lot more important than many baristi think (yes, I use Italian plurals, call me pretentious).

The bottom line is that in most places - coffee shops, restaurants, cafés – espresso is indeed too bitter, too harsh and too strong.  By "strong" I mean caffeine content, which often skyrockets when a barista lets the water run through the coffee puck for two minutes and produces five or more ounces of “espresso”, which at that point should be called something else.

Good coffee shops in Chicago, as in other cities, are a rarity, but that shouldn’t mean we have to keep drinking Starbucks mass-produced cappuccino, masquerading bad coffee flavor with vanilla syrup.  Espresso was born in Italy, but perfected and refined right here, on the Northwest coast of the United States.  And there are easy ways to replicate this refinement right here in the Windy City.

This dish was inspired by the brie-stuffed french toast at Carriage House (Ithaca, NY). It is a fast, simple recipe that depends on the quality of its ingredients. I try to pick up fresh strawberries and challah bread, and top it off with real maple syrup. You can substitute another type of bread, but I've had great results with using eggy, absorbent challah. Feel free to use different kinds of fruit (mulberries? peaches?), or to dust the plate with some powdered sugar. The end product is a glorious intersection of sweet and salty, fruity and cheesy. This is one of the recipes I mentally file in the "Looks Impressive with Little Effort Expended" category. Who says you can't produce your own restaurant-quality brunch fare?

Challah French Toast with Brie

2 eggs
1/4 c milk
dash cinnamon
6-8 slices of challah (depending on the size of your loaf)
4 oz brie, sliced
8 oz hulled strawberries, sliced
Maple syrup

1. Beat the eggs, milk and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.
2. Lightly grease a non-stick pan and set the burner to medium-low. Dip two pieces of bread in the egg wash and place them in the pan. When the bottoms begin to brown, flip them over. Place a few slices of brie on top of one piece of bread. Stack the other piece of bread above it to form a sandwich. Continue cooking until cheese has melted and both sides are golden brown.
3. Cut sandwiches into diagonal wedges. Top with strawberries and warm maple syrup. Serves 2.

For those unfamiliar with the miracle fruit, it is a berry of West African origins, and eating one temporarily changes the way you perceive tastes. Most strikingly, it will transform sour and acidic items into something sweet. For instance, lemons will now taste sugary sweet. To maximize your utility with the fruit, berries are commonly eaten at flavor tripping parties, where you can test the effects on an assortment of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, etc. The fun part is in discovering foods that now suddenly taste better or different. Berry + vinegar? Berry + bacon??

If you are leery of ingesting mysterious African berries with perception-altering properties, be assured that this is perfectly safe (and legal). Eating a berry causes the protein miraculin to bind to your tastebuds, which induces sweetness when it comes in contact with acids. There are no dangers associated with eating miracle fruit, according to Dr. Linda Bartoshuk at the University of Florida’s Center for Smell and Taste. In fact, the miracle fruit may even be good for your health! The berries are extremely popular in Japan as a weight loss device. Cafes catering to dieters have sprung up, selling tart low-sugar items in conjunction with the berries.

Additional reasons to throw a flavor tripping party:

1. You are concerned that your friends may be getting scurvy.
2. Telling people that you'll be "flavor tripping tonight" tends to raise eyebrows.
3. It is time to clean out your refrigerator.

I procured my berries from Miracle Fruit Man, which is based in Florida. They pick their berries fresh to fill orders and FedEx the berries on that day, packed in dry ice. My order arrived as promised with 2-day shipping, and I kept the berries in my freezer for a couple more days until the party. To defray costs, I asked each of my guests to pitch in $5 to cover the cost of the berries. I provided plenty of food to start with, and people were also asked to bring random items that they thought might be interesting with the berry. In the end, we had everything from apple to zucchini.

For an added twist, we made a batch of grapefruit juice cupcakes with goat cheese frosting. Yes, you read that correctly. The idea was to create a tangy, slightly sour cupcake, which would taste appropriately sweet after eating the berry. The goat cheese would taste like a cream cheese frosting.

Now, does it actually work? It turns out that there is a right and wrong way to eat the berry. (Directions are included with the package.) I instructed everyone to place the berry in their mouth, remove the seed inside, and move the fruit's flesh around for 2 minutes, before chewing it up and swallowing it. Ideally, you want to evenly coat as much of your tongue as possible with the pulp. Otherwise, you can end up with patches of untreated tastebuds. The miracle fruit itself is fairly pleasant, akin to a tart cranberry, unless you accidentally bite into the seed, which results in some bitterness. On average, the flavor trip will last for an hour or so.

The effects are immediate, and after eating the berry, we made a beeline to the bucket of lemons. As billed, the lemons were sweet, though you could still feel your mouth puckering. It was unanimously agreed that the limes were the best, and tasted like a delicious limeade. Salt and vinegar chips tasted sweeter, as did oranges, grapefruit and kiwi. Grapes, cherries, bananas and apples tasted about the same. The raspberries tasted like raspberries. The snozzberries tasted like snozzberries. There was not much of an effect on the vegetable items either (bell pepper, radish, zucchini). I drank a small cup of cider vinegar, and though my nose wrinkled at the smell of vinegar, the drink itself was inoffensive, sort of sweet and tangy.

I found that the diced onion underwent the most interesting transformation. It tasted like...nothing. Or maybe a mild jicama. The sting and potency of raw onion had completely disappeared, but you could still smell it. It was a very strange sensation. The kick in other spicy foods was similarly muted. A vinegar-based hot sauce was now fairly mild. Salsa verde which had been extremely spicy had become pleasantly comfortable, and the acidic tomatillo puree was sweeter. Horseradish was much less pungent. Unlike my last Seder, I could eat spoonfuls of it without coughing. For good measure, we also had a bottle of Campari, a notoriously bitter liqueur. After the berry, the Campari tasted...pretty terrible, as it did before. For entertainment purposes, I encouraged other people to drink the Campari by telling them it was now sweet.

As for the goat cheese cupcakes, these were a bit of a disappointment. Before the berry, they tasted like an overwhelmingly cheesy biscuit. And after the berry, they still tasted like an overwhelmingly cheesy biscuit. For the frosting, we used a tub of goat cheese spread, which then tasted like cream cheese, but not cream cheese frosting. Maybe it would have been better to top the cupcakes with lime-goat cheese spread?

Having extolled the safety of the miracle fruit above, I should mention one potential danger of flavor tripping: downing all those lemons and limes can wreak havoc on the lining of your esophagus. My throat was definitely burning a bit by the end of the night. It's a good thing I didn't end up drinking the pickle juice.

At any rate, let me know if you throw a flavor tripping party of your own! I'd be interested in knowing what raw garlic and olives taste like under the influence.

To avoid the elbow-to-elbow crowds, I stopped by the Taste a little after the weekday lunch rush, at 1:30 pm or so. I was able to buy tickets in minutes, and never had to wait to buy food. This was a vast improvement over last year, when I showed up on a weekend afternoon, during the Stevie Wonder concert.

I recommend scanning the list of vendor booths beforehand, and jotting down ones to target. This year, the item with the greatest Whiz-Bang appeal is definitely Garrett's Popcornsicle, or a caramel & cheese popcorn ball flash frozen in liquid nitrogen. You can see the liquid nitrogen steaming off of your popcornsicle for a minute or two after receiving it. The popcorn ball itself is crunchy, cold and refreshing on a hot day. It will set you back 6 tickets.

Here we have the taste portion of Vermillion's cumin-dusted fries with date chutney. These were piping hot, well-seasoned with cumin and salt, and the date chutney complemented the fries nicely. At two tickets, this is one of the best deals you can get at the festival.

Sabor Latino's pork and banana dumpling (4 tickets) was unfortunately a miss. The dumpling was a squishy, fried mass, with turmeric and some other spices reminiscent of Indian cooking, but I couldn't really detect any banana or much pork flavoring in the contents. Taste of Chicago has never been known for its health benefits, but the dumpling was overly salty and greasy, and I put it down after a few bites.

At this point, I'd spent my strip of tickets and was ready to leave. In general, Taste of Chicago is optimal for afternoon grazing, trying restaurants which are normally too far to reach (Rainbow Cone?), and people watching on the lakefront. If you'd rather not make a meal out of fried objects on sticks, eat lightly beforehand and bring a group to split items with.

Taste of Chicago 2009
Columbus Dr, between Monroe & Balbo
June 26 - July 5, 11 am - 9 pm
Free admission, tickets are sold in strips of a dozen for $8

Cantonese-style congee at the VIllage, was really wonderful. Cantonese congee has very fine and broken down rice grain. The flavor is clean and completely that of 'rice'. the roast duck added a pronounced depth that never got to the point of richness. It was terrific. Compared to other stewy/soupy comfort foods like Goulashes, Nehari or Chicken Soup it's very light yet remarkably hearty.

Recipes are quite simple. It's really water and rice porridge. Wash the rice and set it up with a rough ratio of 8 cups of water to 1 of rice. Towards the end add your 'other' ingredients. Popular add-ons that may complicate things include eggs and cornstarch... I think that cornstarch as a thickener may be considered cheating... not sure though.

In Chicago you can find good congee many places. It's a traditional dim-sum option and should be cheap. Furama on the northside does it and there should be no shortage of options in Chinatown.
When you see the big glutenous bowls... go for it.

But if you're in NY go to the Village
:
Congee Village
100 Allen St. (near Delancy)
New York City
212-941-1818

The two main tenets of the urban foraging counterculture are as follows: 1) it’s a shame to let good food go to waste, and 2) fruit tastes best when it’s free. You can invest energy into getting to know your neighbors to share in their bounty, or join a fruit-swapping alliance if you have an abundance of peaches and would like to trade them for pears. Or, you can look for “public fruit,” or fruit that is overhanging on sidewalks, alleys and other public lands, which can legally be picked by anyone.

Scanning Craig’s List one afternoon, I spotted a post for free mulberries. No time to pick them and tree is making the birds drunk, so come by and make use of these berries, it said. Clearly, it was time to put my primeval foraging skills to the test. This is how I ended up standing beneath an outstretched mulberry tree on Monday afternoon, pondering the best way to scale a story or so up the trunk.

After spending an hour or so craning my neck and stretching skywards, I must say that the urban forager lifestyle might not be as glamorous as I’d hoped it would be. I was hot, sticky, and my bag seemed to be filled a pitiful amount. To add to my frustration, the ripest fruit is the closest to falling off the tree. It seemed as though each time I reached for a ripe mulberry, it would perversely fall off the branch before I had a chance to pluck it away. I commend farmers and gardeners who do this sort of thing full-time; it is hard work. Also, I have developed a new appreciation for low-hanging fruit. By the end, the soles of my shoes were completely stained purple with mulberry juice, and my hands looked like a Rorschach test.

All right, so was it worth the work? In the end, I netted about two pints of berries, which is a pretty good deal for an hour of labor. Plus, I could revel in the satisfaction of living off the land (whereby "land" I mean "inner Chicago"). The mulberries were juicy and a little tart, akin to blackberries but milder in flavor and without the seeds. The directions I found online suggested soaking them in water for half an hour before use. This seemed to flush out any remaining insects on my berries. Apparently, unripe mulberries are slightly hallucinogenic, so it is best to avoid those. It was also suggested that you remove the berry stems before usage, but I decided this would be more trouble than it was worth and left all the stems intact.

Mulberries have a fairly short shelf life, keeping for only a few days if refrigerated after picking, so I tried to use them asap. Some of them went into in a yogurt and granola parfait the next morning, where they added some pep to store-bought strawberries and yogurt. The rest went into a mulberry tart. I was a tad disappointed in the laid-back flavor of the mulberries in this tart, so perhaps they would be better paired with something bolder, like blueberries or orange. At any rate, fruit still tastes sweeter when it is free, and I'd be willing to go back for another batch.

The mulberry tree will continue to fruit all summer long, and in case you are wondering, several large branches do hang over the fence on a public alley...

So, what do you get for your hard-earned $18? For starters, your hot dog wiener has been replaced with a delicate, slow-poached sausage of lobster mousse. The bright yellow is not mustard, but a vivid saffron-ginger sauce. In lieu of onions and a dill pickle spear, we have leeks and a cucumber spear. The entire ensemble is topped with cherry tomatoes and slices of green pepper, and served on a hefty potato bun. A Chicago-style hot dog this most certainly is not, as it does not evoke the bold, in-your-face chutzpah of the classic Chicago dog.

I shudder to think of hapless tourists who may come away from this meal thinking that they've tried a Chicago hot dog. Rather, the lobster dog is the snooty, refined great-aunt of the Chicago hot dog, the one who tells you to go to Vail since the skiing is poor in the Midwest. They both display understated elegance, make spending in excess feel great, and leave a bit of a mess on your hands when they are gone.

While you're here, other tasty diversions include the Kobe beef sliders and the 3-composition bruschetta. The sliders come atop buttery brioche buns, drizzled with a bright, black peppercorn sauce and topped with microgreens. The bruschetta is presented in three crocks, featuring mushroom, heirloom tomato, and bell peppers paired with three cheeses. The topping:bread ratio was a little generous, but when we ran out of bread, our server happily brought us additional slices.

All in all, an excellent spot for a business lunch or a pre-theater outing.

Lockwood
17 E. Monroe St (in the Palmer House Hilton)
(312) 917-3404

Gary Wiviott Fire Starting Tips from Edible Chicago on Vimeo.

Pick up French cooking tips from Cafe des Architectes chef Martial Noguier's demo Saturday 6/13 at 10:30am

For Twitter Followers Only: Bodega Wine Tasting on 6/16 at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba (2024 N Halsted) offered for $20! Apps included!

Top Chef Masters next Wed Graham Elliot Bowles to compete against Dufresne, Elizabeth Falkner & Suzanne Tracht. Rick Bayless will be on Ep 3 week after next, 6/24. Art Smith on 7/22 episode.

Sweet and salty news! Garrett Popcorn fans - it's coming back to the Mag Mile http://ow.ly/dvUs

Farmers Market at MCA started 6/9 - every Tues thru 10/27 9am-4pm. Swing by the museum for Free Tuesdays admission too! http://is.gd/VocV

Stretching that dollar this week? We hear ya. Behold, some of Chicago's best bites for under $3.99! http://bit.ly/LJBOa

Restaurant.com has a new 80% off code (PRESENT). $25 gift certificates are now only $2! Remember to check restrictions before purchase.

One could ask the same question about Top Chef Masters. Would we be better off watching these award winning chefs shooting the shit making/having lunch? Or is it more interesting to watch Hubert Keller cook dinner in a shower?

So I've always liked Top Chef because the talent was pretty awesome. The relative unknowns in the first season actually were impressive in the kitchen. Subsequent seasons brought sous chefs from noted restaurants and executive chefs from lesser known restaurants. They all seemed to really know what they were doing.

When I saw teasers for Top Chef Masters with Chicago Chefs like Rick Bayless, Graham Elliot and Art Smith I was really excited. Knowing that they'll be joining other chefs including Wylie Dufresne (who seems to spend a ton of time already on the show) Cindy Pawlcyn, Roy Yamaguchi, Hubert Keller and Anita Lo... I was intrigued. But when I heard they were restricted to the old microwave-in-a-dorm-room type gag, I was disappointed.

Did I mention they are all top notch? But when Hubert Keller is doing his Cosmo Kramer impression and cooking in the shower, I get distracted. I know it's a contest. I know that it's for charity. But still, it's kind of like watching Olympians sprinters run in one of those burlap-sack races.

...of course 'll watch another episode, (tonight Graham Elliott, Wylie Dufrense, Suzanne Tracht and Elizabeth Falkner!!!) even though they're all restricted to food from a vending machine.

Years have gone by and on my never ending search for “junk” food that isn’t junk, I’ve happily rediscovered Pirate’s Booty and four new flavors; Barbeque, Bermuda Onion, Sea Salt and Vinegar and Carmel.  As a huge fan of Sea Salt and Vinegar chips I was the most excited about this flavor.  The vinegar flavor however was a bit too strong for my liking.  Conversely I felt the barbeque flavor was just a bit too weak. 

The Bermuda Onion was probably my favorite and very reminiscent of a Funion.  For the sweet Pirate’s Booty the Carmel flavor really hits the spot and tastes similar to Cap’n Crunch or Corn Pops.  After trying all the flavors I still enjoy the Aged White Cheddar the best but its nice to know that there are some new healthy, tasty options in the snack food isle.  You can get Pirate’s Booty in Chicago at Whole Foods or online at Pirate's Booty.

The wine had a crisp minerality and gravelly finish, with flavors of peaches.    I did quite like this wine, but the $32 I paid would have been something I would have rather spent on a wonderful Grand Cru Riesling or Gewurtztraminer.  At $20 I would have felt that the wine offered some value, but unfortunately the price was a bit too steep.  Although I appreciate the fact that it is a heavier wine, it could have used a bit more spunk for the price.  

Next Wednesday at 6pm join Napa's Swanson Vineyards winemaker , Chris Phelps and Chef James Wescoe at Ember in the Westin for what sounds like a great event. The food sounds lovely, from the pike to buffalo and boar and the white truffle-honey on the ice cream. The pairings sound great as well beginning with the Oakville Napa Rosato before dinner and finishing with a wonderful sweet dessert late-harvest Semillon.

There are a few seats left but I'd jump on this if you're interested – it's a great value.

Call 312-321-7140 for tickets. Full Menu below...

Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Golden Pea Tendrils
Napa Valley Pinot Grigio 2007

Cast Iron Seared Great Lakes Pike
Toasted Quinoa, Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
Oakville Napa Chardonnay 2008

Roasted Rack of Wild Boar and Buffalo Tenderloin 
Sweet Corn and Apple Wood Smoked Bacon Succotash
Tamarindo Sauce
Oakville Napa Merlot 2009
Oakville Napa “Alexis” Cabeernet Sauvignon 2005

Warm Peach Cobber
Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream, White Truffle Honey
Napa Valley Late Harvest Semillon2002

My mental-mansion has a giant steel oil drum torch-cut into a long silly grill. But these are at least neat looking. The Vikings, Webers, Aussies, etc. all kind of look the same.

Now it's likely just the franchise owner's (Mirabile Investment Corporation) sentiment but how many people can split those hairs.

At least it isn't the typical vulgar character omission from their "Angus Burger" sign. But I digress.

While BK might try to divorce themselves from this lousy PR situation, they also seem to have divorced themselves from Global Warming as well.

Climatecounts.org gives them a big ZERO on their scorecard. To see what that means look at the link.

I have always like Burger King because they have tried new things. Maybe it's that they're forced to take more risks to try to match McDonald's but their Veggie Burger was a great menu item and way back they were ahead of the game when they switched their fry oil to all-vegetarian.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that while they haven't publicized their efforts to win over every .org on the net, they do have methane emissions and Global Warming on their radar. But then again, I'll be paying closer attention now.

Wine Fest at the Chicago Botanic Garden 6/6 & 6/7 starting at noon. Sample from a selection of 250+ wines, gourmet food etc. http://is.gd/Ppr6
 

Fuku Fridays at Ra Sushi (1139 N. State), starting 6/5. Score a 12oz Sapporo beer for 1c if Fukudome hits a home run! http://is.gd/PpdJ

Free burgers & wine at Cellar Rat (1811 W. North) on 6/6 from 2-5pm http://is.gd/Ply4. Chicago Reader's 08 pick for best wine selection http://is.gd/PlB0

One SixtyBlue (1400 W. Randolph) has a rotating lineup of $4 brews w/ $4 juicy burgers every Thurs 6-10pm. Try the $10 dessert sampler too!

Mark Your Calendar! Baconfest Chicago: October 25 @ Logan Square's Stan Mansion http://bit.ly/baconfest

Great list of the 2009 Free Days at Chicago Museums: http://budurl.com/ChiMus

Gourmet Magazine launches GourmetGuestList.com, described as an "Evite on steroids". Users can plan events, menu, share recipes & more!

Bottomless clam bake at Fulton's (315 N. La Salle) 6/2, 7/7 & 8/4 for only $22 5-8pm. Oysters, shrimp, clams, sides & beer! http://is.gd/MCu0

Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E. Chicago) hosts Tuesdays on the Terrace for jazz & $19 prix-fixe dinner at 5:30pm http://is.gd/MtT7

I love the idea. The more I read the better it sounds. The process has been reinterpreted by this guy who not only is a nuclear physisist (which I don't think I even spelled right) but his day job is as the Deputy Director of GEOSCAN, an agency that monitors global disasters and crises... this man is like a Tom Clancy character who, on the side, is out to save vodka.

Now let me say that I felt the pricepoint, packaging, uniqueness of the message and the scientific explanation of the product are all compelling. So much so that my semi-blind tasting pitts it against Belvedere and Chopin... two steady super-premium favorites. I would like to have included Ketel One and Finlandia, the former as a frame of reference as it's my martini vodka and the latter as a stellar vodka that sits just below top-shelf – in my opinion. But since I don't have a cabinet filled with vodka I'm making do... and frankly 3 vodkas are enough for my tasting purposes. I did leave out my flavored Skyy and my home made flavored vodkas.

Bring it on! Chopin is potato vodka, Belvedere is rye and Oval is grain. I'm not sure which grain. The two Polish vodkas are 80 proof while the Austrian Oval is 84 proof. It has something to do with the structuring. It only works at 48, 84, and 112 proofs. While Oval is an award-winning vodka it is for the design of the packaging and not the flavor.

The first sip of a vodka should be soft but not like water... I don't know if I buy the word 'soft' quite that way. It's a far more 'neutral' sensation than soft. It gives way to the initial 'alcohol' bite that all vodkas have. That bite comes so quick that non-vodka drinkers do miss that initial flat feel. Oval has more bite than the other two. Belvedere has the least. It's pertinent to note that vodka drinkers appreciate that bite and the extreme softness that the super-premiums tend to go after is not always desired.

I feel that, especially when mixed, vodka presence is demanded which might be while I do like Ketel One with a twist. The finish is the other big telling area for vodka but the time in between is what initially gave me pause with Oval. It stays bigger on your palate than the other two. It's sweeter and has a very nice rich character that leads to a bigger finish. It is a bit higher on the % so it might mean some spice in the throat but really not much. I will try this alongside Finlandia and Ketel later to see how different it might be. Keep in mind that while it's a higher price than Finlandia I do consider Fin to taste beyond where it prices out.

Expecting Oval to be as soft and delicate as Belvedere is going to disappoint. But for a fuller experience it delivers. Going back to it I find myself appreciating it's sweetness, spice and bigger finish. Going back to Chopin I am amazed at how mild it is.

These tastes are all straight. One reason I don't order either of these super-premiums in cocktails is that I find they get lost. I also enjoy the mix of tonic with a fuller vodka. Oval would be a welome mixer. I'm out to get a bottle of Ketel... next up a head-to-head martini contest.  I might have a new favorite martini vodka. I should invite some friends over.

Recipe follows...

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 teaspoons (or more) chilled whipping cream
1 egg white, beaten to blend

Filling
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/2 cup blackberry juice
1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon finely chopped Mint
Blackberries

Preparation

For crust:
Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Using on/off turns, blend in butter until coarse meal forms. Add 4 teaspoons cream. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap and chill at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold overhang in, pressing to form double-thick sides. Bake crust until golden, pressing with back of fork if crust bubbles, about 18 minutes (small cracks may appear). Brush inside of hot crust twice with egg white. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, cream, yolks, and eggs in bowl to blend well. Mix in blackberry  juice, mint and lemon peel. Pour filling into warm crust. Bake until filling is slightly puffed at edges and set in center, about 30 minutes. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Preheat broiler. Place tart on baking sheet. Cover edge of crust with foil to prevent burning. Sprinkle tart with 2 tablespoons sugar. Broil tart until sugar melts and caramelizes, turning sheet for even browning, about 2 minutes. Transfer tart to rack. Cool until topping is crisp, about 1 hour.
Push tart pan bottom up, releasing tart. Place on platter, garnish with Blackberries and Mint, if desired, and serve.

Not only that but you need to book a hotel, airline tickets and transportation to the out of the way restaurant, not to mention pay for the meal and tip!

So, what do you do when you can't make the date you get if you're lucky enough to get a table? Sell the reservation? Naaaah. That's so California.

Well someone is selling their reservation on Ebay and that someone sure enough is from California.

No. There are no takers yet.

The BBC article corroborates this method of getting the blood. Unfortunately the title and slant of the article sensationalizes it by playing the vampire angle too much.

Granted it's what Chadians call the dish but in reality, it's a very traditional way to subsist off of a herd animal.  From the BBC article

"It's actually an excellent source of nutrients, especially for children," said Robert Johnston, a nutritional specialist for Unicef in Chad.

"Blood pudding and liver have been used in other countries to promote high-protein intake for families who don't have daily access to meat."

 Imagine a sustainable meat product. That's what the headline should be.

I think I've found my calling in Hearty Boys, though.  I'm a big fan of HB Home Bistro, though I unfortunately missed my chance to eat at the old Hearty Boys.   Currently most of their energy is spent on hosting team building exercises in the kitchen, as well as catering and even taking a course on hosting a cooking show.   Thankfully they have, since February, been hosting brunch.  Unfortunately I waited until now to discover it.

Their menu features, as all brunch places should, a mixture of sweet and savory items.  Some of the items featured included peaches and cream French toast sticks with lavender sugar as well as maple couscous with honey, berries, and lemon zest.

I was in more of a savory mood, so I tried a Greek lamb burger, delicious with its lamb gamey-ness, topped with red onion "jam", feta, and garlic aioli off to the side    It was served on a rosemary foccacia bun (complete with sprig of fresh rosemary) and accompanied by polenta fries which were crispy and quickly devoured with the aioli.

My wife had Breakfast Shepherd's Pie, stuffed with scrambled eggs, topped with sage breakfast sausage, hash browns, a biscuit with strawberry butter, as well as "country" gravy, which I commonly refer to as chicken gravy.

The lone negative I had was with a Bloody Mary "flight".  The regular Bloody Mary I ordered was good, the beef broth Bloody Mary was interesting, but the clamato Bloody Mary was profoundly disappointing.

Though it's too early to tell, it looks like I've found my brunch spot for now, and I definitely plan on being back.

Hearty Boys
3819 N. Broadway
773-244-9866

Here are this week's highlights from Chicago Foodies on Twitter...
Follow us on Twitter (@chicagofoodies)!

Former Top Chef contestsants, Radhika Desai and Antonia Lofaso will be doing cooking demos this weekend by the Green City Market in Lincoln Park. More information about the Top Chef tour can be found here: http://thetour.bravotv.com/ 

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Prior to this evening, this picture by Edgar Degas is pretty much the context I had of the spirit, and considering that the Viridian absinthes are all over 60% alcohol it begins to show how I was starting to feel by the end of the evening.

Here's the deal with absinthe. There is a by-product of distillation called thujon. This was the hallucinogenic substance which is the active ingredient of legend. Based on actual product testing which T.A. Breaux, among others has performed, and wikipedia verified, original bottles of absinthe had little-to-no actual thujone. Considering the alcoholic content and easy-to-drink nature of the product, the woman in the picture could simply be really cockeyed-drunk. This doesn't mean that there were no absinthes with actual amounts of thujone. Their conclusion is that  out of the range of products from that time frame, very few of them actually had either significant levels of the substance, or even any at all. Breaux explained that  properly distilled grand wormwood leaves all the thujone in the mash. It shouldn't even make it into the bottle. Lucid has no thujone.

Now when this was explained with a powerpoint deck, lists of ingredients, and personable lawyer, Jared Gurfein, what else could the Feds do? With no thujon, there was nothing illegal. They reversed the ban. Fair enough.

On to the fun part. Absinthe is neat in many ways.

There's a myth to it but more importantly it has a sort of ritual, complete with a special glass and spoon. Forget your pimp-cup, any truly addictive thing needs a spoon... even legal things, like the Slurpee with that straw-spoon... I digress.

The absinthe glass has a ball at the bottom that serves to measure the amount of the pour. You then place the perforated spoon across the glass, pop a sugar cube atop the spoon and drip water into the glass until it reaches the height of the cut marks in the crystal. You see a meniscus of alcohol form and thin out until it finally is virtually gone.

As the water mixes it disturbs the herbal essential oils in the absinthe and the green transparent liquid turns opalescent. The addition of water also amplifies the scent which is a wonderful anise, fennel, almost minty herbaceousness (spell check that word!).  I was a bit skeptical, not being a big fan of Ouzo or black licorice for that matter. However as I started sipping it I really did enjoy it. It's not a sluggable drink, sips really do the trick and are misleadingly refreshing... you can get really bombed on this stuff. The quality herbs have a distinct soft mouth-feel which seems very smooth and almost more pronounced on the sides of your tongue. Sipping absinthe straightaway was a very potent proposition and reminded me very much of grappa. Given that one of the absinthes had a neutral spirit made from grapes, I may have been thinking grappa going in. Lucid uses sugar beets as the alcohol source.

Skipping the sugar the second time, (and third... I liked it better without the sweetness) I tried the Nouvelle Orleans and La Clandestine. The latter is a swiss version that's very clear and not as herbal. The finishing herbs not only add flavor but the lend the green color. The Nouvelle Orleans is T.A.'s signature absinthe and was really wonderful. I tasted them before getting the skinny and it really has a noticeable richness. Having only tried this limited selection, it was hard to really gauge but I had an easier time identifying herbal flavors and since I was one drink in, everything started to get better.

The absinthe "drink" itself is the way to go. All it needs is water. With the classic cocktail making its rounds in town, the absinthe and water fits right in. Its potency is up there. The flavor is unique and complex. It is an arguably older drink than the sazerac but as it's not really a cocktail there should be no rivalry. It has a very wonderful unique quality and while it might not be for everyone, it's worth a taste before getting to the suggested mixers which use it. Here's a link to some ideas. I haven't tried any of them.

Next time I see it behind the bar I will definitely be ordering it again.

A special five-course gourmet dinner inspired by music hand-picked from two of the nation's most celebrated music critics. WBEZ's Sound Opinions co-hosts Jim DeRogatis, critic for the Chicago Sun Times, and Greg Kot,  critic for the Chicago Tribune, will select five albums as the basis for a gourmet five course meal. Chef Efrain of Chicago's community dining project Clandestino will create five dishes based on each album. Plus wine will be expertly paired for each course by Chicago's Candid Wines.

Money raised helps support Sound Opinions and Chicago Public Radio 
(A portion of this amount is tax deductible)

When: FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH AT 7PM
$250 per person.
Come as you are. Seating is limited.
Dinner will be held at an undisclosed atypical dining location.
Sign up now!

 Traditionally, Rioja producers have aged their wines in old oak barrels for a number of years, followed by more years of bottle aging, a style that was brought over from Bordeaux in the late nineteenth century.  One extreme example is Marques de Murietta, which released its 1942 red gran reserva in 1983.   

Today many winemakers in Spain are quicker to bring their product to market for a number of reasons, including, perhaps, profit motives and a desire to comply with top critics and follow a more international style of more fruit-forward preferences.  Lopez de Heredia tends to stand defiant in light of that trend, and it just released its 1991 Vina Tondonia Grand Reserva red (after eighteen years), and its white Grand Reserva being sold by the winery on its website is from 1987!  I have read much about Lopez de Heredia's whites, though for some reason I have had a hard time finding where to buy a bottle.  Even on line, it takes a bit of time finding someone who carries them.

Anyway, I did finally find some.  The 1999 Vina Gravonia, carried by Wine Styles on West Belmont, is an interesting Rioja, made in old American oak barrels (as is traditional in Rioja), having spent four years in barrel and, of course, several in bottle prior to release.   The grape varietal is 100 percent Viura (also known as Macabeo in other parts of Spain), and it has flavors of orange peel with a fino sherry finish.   This may be one of the most unusual whites out there, and it has flavors that are not typically seen in a white in any variety, a factor attributable to their aging process.  Even the color has a hint of orange, reflecting in part its oxidization process.

Lopez de Heredia continues its style of winemaking in light of mixed reviews by critics, but it has an enthusiastic band of supporters who know that these wines will withstand the test of time and succumb to pressure from the industry.    Many wines, particularly from Spain, tend to have gimmicky labels, the likes of which you will not see if you actually visit Spain and try to bring wine back, and while many are good, some tend to be engineered to the tastes of Americans. 

Time will tell if these new styles will continue to remain popular, but as for Lopez de Heredia I am confident that these wines will withstand many years of aging in bottle.  

I was in Binny's one day looking for Rene Mure Muscat from Alsace, and unfortunately they were sold out.  The man behind the wine counter did point me to a Spanish muscatel with what he said were similar characteristics.  

The Jorge Ordonez Botani, which he suggested, comes from the Malaga region, which is on the southern coast of Spain.   The area is primarily known for sweet wines, including those from the muscat grape as well as Pedro Ximinez, used also to make sweet sherry.  

Selling for $18.99 at Binny's East Lakeview location on Clark and Wellington, the wine exhibited characteristics of grass, melon, lime, and a hint of spice.  I used it to pair with crab cakes, asparagus, and roasted tomatoes.  It went well with the crab cakes and asparagus, but it really complemented the roasted tomatoes, playing off the acidity and enhancing the melon flavors in the wine.

In keeping with the locavorism mentality, Whole Foods has adroitly named their take-out stations after local neighborhoods. You can pick up a sandwich at Wicker Park Subs, design a pasta bowl at Taylor Street Italian, and grab noodle soups and tempura bowls at the Chinatown asian fusion station. I grabbed a pork al pastor burrito from the Pilsen Tacqueria station, which was filled with a generous amount of flavorful meat, rice, beans, guacamole, veggies and salsa. After commenting on the tostones, the guy behind the counter even threw a couple pieces into my burrito for me to sample. For the vegetarians out there, they also offer an excellent chipotle lime tofu filling, and the beans and rice are entirely vegan. My hefty burrito was delicious and filling, and rang up at a cheaper-than-Chipotle $5.99 + tax. I can see why executives at last week's NRA show were concerned about the threat of supermarkets and their foray into restaurant meal replacement.

Next up, the Lincoln Park gelateria. With free samples available, this is by far the most popular station in the "food court." A number of classic flavors (chocolate chip, peach, pistachio) were offered, but the ones that caught my eye were the pineapple-basil gelato and blackberry-merlot sorbet. The sorbet was a tart and refreshing on a sunny day, with hints of red wine. The pineapple-basil gelato was even better, with distinct bits of pineapple accompanied by the herbal whiff of basil at the finish of each spoonful. It was a mind-blowingly cool cognitive dissonance.

To put the cherry on top, Whole Foods offers outdoor seating. As we indulged in dessert, the placid, sage-green waters of the Chicago River beckoned below us, as happy kayakers and ducks paddled past.

Whole Foods Lincoln Park
1550 N. Kingsbury St (and North)
(Just a block south of the old location)

I have been dying to go to Publican since it first opened last fall, and I finally was able to pursuade my wife to visit.  For starters, the place is gigantic, with huge ceilings and room for many diners, many of whom will be seated on long communal tables.   I almost felt like I was visiting one of those suburban style mega-restaurants like Maggiano's or the Cheesecake Factory.    Running over a half hour late, surprisingly we were able to be seated, although apparently at the expense of the group waiting to eat behind us.

To start out I had a nice English bitter ale, which was a great, food friendly drink to start out and served in a pint glass.  The very rustic sourdough bread served on the side was a nice touch.      We started out with the halibut served with a greens.  At $35 it was pricey but very moist and not drowned in a broth like many restaurants seem to prefer.    My one complaint is that at that amount, we did not get very much halibut, and the going rate for the  fish is not quite so expensive that it needs to be marked up so high.

Another one of our first items was the duck hearts, and there were lots of the tasty little snacks in the relatively low-priced entree.  I wanted to have beef heart, which appeared on the online menu at the time of our visit, but unfortunately they made a change. (I haven't had beef heart in eight years.)    Still, the duck hearts were fantastic, and though something like heart may turn a lot of people off it is one of those things I would recommend trying once.

Next we had the burrata --an amazing cheese delicacy consisting of a slightly firmer mozzarella membrane on the outside and somewhat of a softer mozzarella/cream mixture on the inside. 

We followed up with a boudin blanc, which was a combination of  what I remember to be as veal and pork.  The sausage over the mustard didn't need the mustard, as it stood well on its own.  This was followed by a giant sweetbread that is known as the "heart" sweetbread as opposed to typically smaller "throat" sweetbreads, also very tasty, but I was particularly fond of the spiciness of what we were served.

Toward the end of the meal I ordered an Oude Boon Gueze, a type of Belgian lambic that is made from a blend of lambics that do not contain fruit.  In other words, only ingredients such as  wheat, hops, and malt typically are included, and the beer has a sour taste much like the more traditional unsweetened fruit lambics.

One of our favorites was the curried pork belly, in all its fat, was a succulent and thick strip that we devoured.  I believe this was an influence from Blackbird, which has carried the pork belly entree on its menu for years.

We ended the meal with a yummy waffle served with pear and honey butter, and we were gently reminided that a table was waiting for us (which was understandable, given that we were initially late in such a crowded place).  My overall impression was this is a very place worth coming back to (hopefully) many times over.    Having said that, the pricing was all over the place, and it also would have been nice to have our waiter be more attentive to our needs.  It would have also been nice to have the plates explained to us in more detail.    Publican is a unique experience that gives people an opportunity to try some unusual things they can't find elsewhere.

Publican

845 W. Fulton Market

312-733-9555

The premise of word-of-mouth marketing is simple: happy customers are your best ad. This free army of marketers breaks the relationship between money and marketing, and gets the word out about your products much more effectively than traditional advertising ever could. Besides, the new reality is that your brand is what Google and Yelp say it is. But how do you motivate people, particularly happy, complacent people, to talk about you in a way that is authentic? A panel of industry executives presented their past forays into social media marketing and offered advice on the best uses of these tools.

Margie Myers spoke about Dunkin' Donuts and the company's use of Twitter. When the company first began using Twitter in May of 2008, they searched carefully for someone who understood the Dunkin' Donuts brand, and who could be original, engaging and funny in less than 140 characters. The key, Myers said, is to select your Twitterer with care, then get out of the way. Above all, be comfortable with uncertainty. In many ways, social media is antithetical to corporate principles, which tout polishing every word and waiting for authorization from higher-ups. However, the upside to social media is tremendous: a direct, unfiltered connection with customers.

Brad Wahl of Krystal (a burger chain in the southeast US) began by explaining that the best way to get people talking is to have them tell a story that they already love. Krystal offers small steamed burgers that are generally eaten in multiples. Since customers have been bragging for years about how many Krystals they can eat, the company decided to harness this energy into an eating competition, the Krystal Square-Off. This resulted in a huge number of fan-generated YouTube videos, Tweets and other buzz. To further interact with customers, Krystal inducts customers into its Hall of Fame and puts their photos on Krystal packaging. Though I've never tried a Krystal, I'm already tempted to drive the 400 miles to the nearest location (Sterling, KY) if it'll help me get into the Hall of Fame.

Billy Dec (Rockit, Sunda) weighed in to give some hometown flavor. He likened social media to his experience as a doorman at a club at age 19. Using the relationships and following he built through that position, he was able to open his first nightclub at 22. For his latest venture, Asian-themed restaurant Sunda, Dec traveled across the Asian continent and documented the trip. The resulting video presents Sunda in an interesting way, and allows the public to decide for themselves what to take away.

For all the success stories, it is easy to think of instances where viral word-of-mouth went horribly, horribly wrong. In response to a question on what to do if a problem takes off, Myers noted that you should develop thick skin and judge on a case by case basis whether a response is needed. Wahl added that oftentimes your customers will come to your own defense by posting counterarguments online.

And for those who are unconvinced of Twitter's longevity, Myers urged the audience not to sit back and ignore social media opportunities. "Twitter is just another channel, a new thing in the toolbox. Brick and mortar stores didn't go away with the appearance of e-commerce and TV shopping. The water cooler keeps moving, and you've got to follow the customers."

I tried what they call "Rosie's Mambo Italiano", a combination of prosciutto, taleggio cheese, grilled scallions, roasted red peppers, and basil on a rosemary flatbread.   It was a truly outstanding (and filling) culinary delight.  They offer a choice of delicious homemade potato chips (although somewhat fishy tasting, not sure if this was the intent) or a side salad with a choice of such dressings as champagne-herb vintagrette or roquefort with cognac and black pepper.

My wife had the "Just Jack", which was  turkey with tomato, butter lettuce, and Monterry Jack cheese on brioche bread, also very good, though I did prefer the Mambo Italian. 

This place fulfills a much needed gap in good lunch food that the neighborhood needs.  I find the celebrity names for the sandwiches, such as "The Elton John" and "The Judy Garland", a bit over the top, but nonetheless a better way to get customers to relay what they want to order in light of some complex combinations.   Hopefully there will be enough of a market to sustain this:  sandwich prices are a bit high between $8 and $12, but I found them worth the extra cost.   In the meantime I'll be happy to get the word out.

Wally & Agadors

3310 N Halsted Street

773-325-9664

I had never seen Bayless cook before, on Iron Chef, PBS or otherwise, and was impressed at the amount of food history he packed into a 45-minute demo session. For those of you who love reality cooking shows, Bayless will also be competing on Bravo's Top Chef Masters (alongside Art Smith and Graham Elliot Bowles), which debuts on June 10 at 9 pm.

For this demonstration, Bayless created an old favorite at Frontera Grill, grass-fed flank steak marinated in salsa with fresh corn tamales and grilled knob onions. Though the menu at Frontera Grill changes every month, this dish is a constant staple. The salsa rojo recipe is also available online. Some Bayless thoughts on Mexican cuisine follow below:

On tomatillos: "The most useful vegetable for salsa is not a tomato, which doesn't even begin to capture the brilliance of the Mexican kitchen. No, when the Spanish arrived in Mexico in 1519, people would have been eating tomatillos. The two vegetables are actually not that closely related, and are about as close as say, a tomato and an eggplant, or a tomato and tobacco...If you work in foodservice and you're using canned tomatillos, you need to get a new job, or reform your boss."

On nomenclature for fresh and dried plants: "Just like the US has different names for fresh and dried fruit, in Mexico, dried chilies have different names from fresh ones. We have grapes in one hand and raisins in the other, plums when they're fresh and prunes when they're dried. Except the prune industry is trying to rename themselves the Dried Plum Board, but I refuse to stop using the term prune. Anyway, it's a jalapeno pepper when fresh, and a chipotle when dried. Chipotle actually means 'smoke-dried chile,' because it was the first chile force-dried in pits with a low smoldering fire."

On the utility of banana leaves: "You're probably used to seeing corn husks used to wrap tamales, but in southern Mexico and on the Gulf-side, banana leaves are used to wrap tamales. You can get a pack of frozen banana leaves and store them until you need them. Plus,they double as inexpensive table decorations, and you can use them instead of doilies. Normally I'd tie this tamale together with kitchen string, but if you want to go Martha Stewart, you can use a strip of banana leaf to tie it instead."

On his education in Mexican cuisine: "There's no school for learning Mexican cooking, so I spent 5 years traveling every state in Mexico. The Mexican culture is very family oriented, so if your grandmother makes salsa a certain way, you have to make it that way too. I learned from everyone's grandma, and because I had no allegiance to any one method, I was able to pick the best from the best."

On the future direction of Mexican cooking: "That's easy, it will be become more Mexican. Much like there's red-checkered tablecloth Italian restaurants serving spaghetti and meatballs, and then there's high-end regional Italian like Spiaggia. It's funny that we are so much more familiar with regional variation in Italian cooking, and Mexico is a country right next to us. Though, you can see American influences in Mexico as well. In the Yucatan, they are beginning to use fruit in salsa and calling it 'American salsa.' You can also get nachos in Mexico City with pumped American-style nacho cheese. That is definitely a technology borrowed from us."

Cuvee Frederic Emile usually retails for around $50 a bottle, and is difficult to find, though some locations (Howard's Wine Cellar and Andersonville Wine and Spirits) stock it.    I ordered this particular bottle on line, and I have to admit that it took me a while to really understand what makes this wine special; in fact, I was expecting something more powerful the first time I tried it.   The one thing I did notice is that the wine needed to be out of the bottle for some time and served above roughly 50 degrees to show it's true power.  (White wine, in general, tends to be served too cold, but that's another story.)

Though Alsatian Riesling is typically dry, Cuvee Frederic Emile is extremely dry and very restrained, yet with a long, concentrated finish   You swirl your glass and not much comes up on the nose, but what makes this wine superb is the exceptional balance .   The terroir is limestone, and you can taste the stoniness and minerality. 

Trimbach's subtlety is evident in its label, which has not seen an update since the 1960s.  With marketing-friendly labels and names designed to make you remember the wine, Trimbach concentrates on making good wine instead of gimmicks.

As I entered the labyrinthine halls of McCormick Place, a sea of color-coded name tags marked each of the (70,000+) registered attendees. The most prominent were exhibitors (blue) and the backbone of the convention, restaurant/foodservice representatives (red), with a smattering of distributors (yellow), lodging (orange), press (green) and affiliated (purple) attendees like students. Next, hundreds of booths vied to attract my attention, with all manner of flashing lights, food displays, and dancing mascots. The crowds were particularly heavy at the Anheuser-Busch booth, where several beers were available on tap.

The NRA show is essentially one-stop shopping for restaurant operators, offering everything from accounting systems to zesters. Start-up enterprises pitch their new ideas (like this pasta twirling plate), while established corporations reinforce and update their branding. Most exhibitors hail from out of state, or serve national audiences, but there were a few local Chicago businesses hawking their wares. Manny's Deli was presenting a selection of deli meats at their booth, while Tilted Kilt was, shall we say, presenting a different kind of meat. A section was devoted to products from Great Lakes region states, showcasing a wide variety of Wisconsin cheese and Michigan apple products.

One new product that caught my eye was the Rational Self-Cooking Center. If the NRA show were the Olympics, the Rational Self-Cooking Center would win the gymnastics all-around medal. With one piece of equipment and the touch of a few buttons, you can prepare a piece of steak to the perfect amount of doneness, bake a souffle or a baguette, make french fries, and chill or warm plated food until the appropriate serve time. The Self-Cooking Center continuously checks and adjusts for cooking time, temperature and humidity, while automatically detecting the size and type of product placed inside.

Skeptical, I stepped toward the tray of samples and picked up a piece of popcorn chicken. It was piping hot, with crisp breading on the exterior and juicy meat in the center. It was hard to believe that this wasn't fried, but had instead been prepared in a "CombiFry" basket entirely without fat. Still unconvinced, I next went for a biscuit, which was of appropriately tender consistency, light and fluffy. In other words, there's something to be said for having your food cooked by an artificially intelligent machine.

As a blogger, I was also on the look-out for any and all innovations in social media marketing. Enter JitterGram, a new service that enables businesses to send text message promotions to mobile phones. In another demonstration of the fading power of print media, you can simply show the merchant your phone, rather than clipping out paper coupons. Moreover, the results are in real-time; you can immediately broadcast a happy hour special or a newly-opened table on Saturday night. JitterGram was founded in January of this year, and has been gradually expanding their network from their New Hampshire base. I will be curious to see where they are a year from now.

Photos (clockwise from left): Organized microbes from Sani Professional, flatware display from Thunder Group, fresh Mexican ingredients from Rick Bayless demo, Rational Self-Cooking Center unit

Concurrent with the tasting party, a silent auction was taking place with a wide variety of goods and services. You could donate funds to purchase art supplies for Toylend, or bid on a tour of Napa Valley that included a bottle of wine signed by Mike Ditka (one of only 30 produced). Other items included framed Picasso sketches, White Sox tickets, bundles of restaurant gift certificates and other themed packages ("6 Date Nights," "Mother's Day").

There were too many excellent dishes presented last night to recognize everyone, but here are some of the highlights. If the Great Chefs Tasting Party were a high school graduation:

Most Likely to Save the Planet:
Cafe at the Ritz Carlton, Confit of Gunthrop Farm Pork Belly, Rhubarb Compote, and Heirloom Radish Salad

Most Likely to be a Millionaire:
Carnivale, Ropa Vieja

Most Creative:
Foodlife, BBQ Beef Brisket with Coca-Cola

Most Dependable:
Chicago Firehouse Restaurant, Steak with horseradish sauce and creamed spinach

Most Intelligent:
Lockwood, Scallops 3 Ways: brown butter, lime, toasted almonds, golden raisins

Class Clown:
Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, Spicy lobster cocktail and crabmeat avocado shooter

Best Looking:
Coco Pazzo, Seared duck breast with oyster mushrooms, radicchio, pancetta and aged balsamic

Most Athletic:
Cyrano's Cafe on the River Walk, Trio of ostrich pate, pork rillette, chicken liver mousse

Mr. Congeniality:
Lao Beijing, Seafood dumplings

Most Likely to Make a Splash: Melting Pot, Chocolate fountain, cheddar cheese fondue

Most Spirited:
Osteria via Stato, Assorted dessert display (of gargantuan proportions)

Most Likely to Stay Forever:
Trattoria 225, Fresh mozzarella wrapped in proscuitto and basil pesto

Most Likely to Leave Town and Never Come Back: China Grill, Spicy Beef & Scallion Dumplings

Most Unique:
Saloon Steakhouse, Buffalo satay skewer with black sesame

Most Talented:
Tallulah, Spicy Maine lobster deviled egg with microgreens

Best All Around:
David Burke's Primehouse, Mou Shoo beef in pancakes, grilled ramps, pea tendrils, roasted garlic & chilies

[Photo: UCP]

Lately, HB has embraced the mysterious world of Dutch cooking.  Despite having been to the Netherlands I am hard pressed to identify a Dutch specialty, other than maybe their pancakes, their beer (Heineken, Amstel, and Grolsch) , and cheese (Gouda and Edam).    Chef Joncarl Lachman has enthusiastically thrown his Dutch roots into the kitchen by setting HB apart with its unusual offerings.

My first course was called zaanse mosterdsoep, a  mustard soup with carrots, celery, onions and chicken broth with candied bacon on top.  It was a light, refreshing spring soup.    My wife's course was snert, which is a Dutch split pea soup with duck sausage, potatoes, celery, and onions.

For my main course I had a delicious duck sausage a l'orange on top of white beans, orange peels, and served with ramp pesto and dijon mustard.   The bratwurst-like duck sausage's fat was a great counterpart to the acid in the white beans and orange peel.

My wife's main course was comfort food a la gourmet:  the "hb lamb burger" on pretzel bread, which was served with tomatoes, onions, and brie cheese and served with truffled french fries and garlic mayonnaise.     The fries were good but the truffle oil thing is a bit overdone in restaurants, since truffle oil typically is nothing more than chemicals that mimick the smell of real white truffles.

The dessert was a pana cotta with lavender and black currant, a pleasant course, though Trattoria Riccardo in Lincoln Park is my gold standard for Pana Cotta (and very hard to beat).

HB Home Bistro is beyond a nice little neighborhood hangout--it sets itself apart with its unique menu items and offers a cozy setting with fantastic food and helpful, knowledgeable, yet unpretentious service.

 Portugese wine tends to stump people a lot:  the grape varietals and regions are unfamiliar, and sometimes the low prices of Portugese wine causes people to assume the quality is lacking.

One recent find was from In Fine Spirits in Andersonville, called Berco de Infante Reserva 2007 and it goes for .  It is from a region called Estremadura, on the Atlantic coast of Portugal where the land bulges out slightly.    The wine has a nice acidity, not unlike Italian wines, and is composed of the Castelao and Aragonez grapes.  It is a medium bodied red, purplish in color with notes of dates and prunes.  It goes well with lamb and poultry.   Best of all, it normally retails for under $10.

http://www.unthinkfc.com

Despite living in Chicago for almost five years I never managed to eat at Mia Francesca's flagship location.  I tried Francesca's at Bryn Mawr in Edgewater a couple times, and the food was quite good.   The Francesca name appears to have branched out, and it piqued my curiosity to do some digging:   I counted seventeen restaurants on their web site, thirteen of which are conveniently located in the suburbs.

Our server, Felix, was very peppy and somewhat over-the-top, but in a good way, and not too pushy.  I was impressed by his ability to handle our table without writing our orders down.   He was very knowledgeable and eager to help.  Our waters were filled up frequently as well, an acrobatic exercise given the lack of distance between tables.

My starter, paired with a nice Montelpulciano, was a generously-portioned Carpaccio con Carciofi, served with tomatoes, artichokes, capers, and mushrooms.  The raw sirloin was only lightly dusted with olive oil and what they said was Parmigiano Reggiano but it looked and tasted different for some reason.    This was nice and light, not too oily or cheesy (although I love oily and cheesy).

The main course was a Ravioli con Spinaci, which was spinach-filled with a four cheese sauce mixed with tomato.  It was also delicious and the sauce was nice.  My wife's Gnocchi alla Bavosa was decent, though not quite as memorable, served with a tomato basil sauce, and with mozzarella, olive oil, and parmesan.  

Dessert we had the tartufo cappucino, a giant-sized, rich delectable chocolate -cappucino mousse dish that left us pining for more.

Prices are very reasonable at Mia Francesca, and the place is worth the wait.    Though I can think of more memorable Italian food in the same price range, its crowd-pleasing entrees are great for those who like a mixture of old-school Italian-American as well as more authentic Italian.

Mia Francesca
3311 N. Clark
773-281-3310

Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers
301 East North Water Street, Chicago

COCKTAIL RECEPTION
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
SILENT AUCTION
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
DINNER
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m

The oceans have long been credited with inexhaustible supplies of seafood, but a combination of industrial-age fishing techniques and a burgeoning human population has wiped out many fish stocks to levels of commercial extinction. Bottom-trawling, or dragging a net across the seafloor, essentially destroys and levels hundreds of square miles of seabed each day. Dynamite and cyanide are commonly used to stun reef fish (grouper, Napoleon wrasse); it is estimated that a square meter of coral reef is killed for every reef fish caught. Meanwhile, people have been consuming more and more seafood, from the newly affluent Chinese to the explosion of all-you-can-eat shrimp and crab specials at American chains like Red Lobster.

Grescoe introduces the concept of trophic numbers, a way to classify levels of the food chain, ranging from 1 for plankton and plants to 5 for large predators like lions or humans. Generally, eating closer to the bottom of the trophic scale is better for the environment. In a whirlwind tour around the world, Grescoe follows the supply chains of the globe's most popular seafood dishes. The bad news is, once you know the story behind that plate of pan-roasted monkfish, you will feel compelled to never eat it again. The good news is, there are plenty of alternative seafood choices which are both better for the environment and better for your health. Some of the species highlighted follow below.

Bluefin Tuna (trophic level 4.4)
Though the word "tuna" tends to evoke cans emblazoned with "chicken of the sea," the bluefin tuna could not be further from that image. A ferocious torpedo-shaped hunting machine, the bluefin can grow up to 15' in length and sprint at 50 mph. Unfortunately, the bluefin tuna is now the ocean's ultimate cash cow. Once plentiful, Atlantic bluefin stocks have declined by 90% over the past four decades to feed the demand for bluefin sushi. And despite efforts by conservationists to limit the number of bluefin caught, you can still pick up a bluefin nigiri breakfast (including the prized toro) for a mere $15 in Tokyo. Meanwhile, the long-lived tuna species (yellowfin, albacore and bluefin) tend to be dangerously high in mercury. Tuna is also commonly caught using longlining, which snags sharks, swordfish, seabirds and turtles as bycatch.

With that knowledge, I would rather cross tuna off my list of things to consume. Another option: non-longline-caught skipjack tuna (marketed as "light tuna") is low in mercury and relatively plentiful in oceans.

Shrimp (2.6)
Shrimp farming takes place in some of the world's poorest countries, and the industry has left indelible destruction on the scale of the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Like large poultry and swine operations, shrimp ponds are treated with heavy-duty chemicals including antibiotics (to prevent disease) and piscicides (to kill any competing aquatic life). The resultant pollution causes disease in natives, destroys groundwater and wipes out the livelihoods of neighboring farmers and small-scale fishermen. The effects extend to distant consumers as well; some people who believe they have allergies to shellfish are in fact reacting to antibiotic residues in farmed seafood. Wild shrimp, on the other hand, are usually caught with bottom-trawlers. For every pound of shrimp caught, another ten pounds of unwanted, dead fish are thrown overboard.

What, then, is the conscientious shrimp-lover to do? Examine your purchases very, very carefully. If the shrimp on display glisten unnaturally or taste soapy after cooking, they have probably been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, a suspected neurotoxicant. Wild-caught shrimp are undoubtedly better for your health, but exert a huge environmental cost. That leaves only a few stocks of northern shrimp, pink shrimp and spot prawns in Canadian and northern US waters which are considered sustainable choices.

Other Good Alternatives:
Oysters and mussels (2.0) are farmed without chemicals and help clean the oceans. Small schooling fish like herring (3.2) and sardines (2.6) are low in toxins and relatively abundant. Jellyfish (2.0) have proliferated in recent years due to climate change and overfishing of top-level predators. Trout (4.4), arctic char (4.3) and barramundi (4.4) are farmed in non-polluting, contained inland systems. Farmed tilapia (2.0) and catfish (3.8) are herbivores, so they do not diminish the net supply of protein, and buying domestic products reduces the risk of antiotic residues.

When buying seafood, you should be able to make an informed choice with 3 questions. Was the fish farmed or wild-caught? If wild, what ocean did it come from and what port did it land in? How was it caught (trawl net, hook and line)? If farmed, was it farmed domestically or overseas? If overseas, in which country? Shedd Aquarium provides a handy, wallet-size card that lists recommendations for purchasing seafood. I've printed one out to carry as a reference guide. But in the end, all the knowledge in the world won't help you if your grocer, fishmonger or server does not know the source of their products. If you find someone knowledgeable and willing to answer your questions (Dirk's and the Fishguy come to mind), support their business with your purchases.