Drive Thru

Friday Foodporn: Green City Market

2013-05-17T08:10:34Z

Image by Renee Rendler-Kaplan from the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool. FYI, the outdoor session of the Logan Square Farmers Market begins Sunday (10am-3pm, Logan and Milwaukee).

Lillie's Q Bucktown Scheduled to Reopen Mid-June

2013-05-16T20:51:22Z

Lillie's Q Bucktown, the BBQ restaurant that became prey to a fire in March, is scheduled to reopen mid-June. When they do reopen, they may be reopening as champions -- McKenna and his team will compete in the whole pork shoulder category at the Memphis In May World Championship Barbeque Cooking Contest, the "Super Bowl" of BBQ competitions, this weekend. Until then, Lillie's Q fans can get a portion of their craving's satisfied at the Lillie's Q outpost inside the West Loop's Chicago French Market (131 North Clinton Street). Follower them on Twitter for updates. PS. BBQ trivia - Lillie's Q is named after Chef Charlie McKenna's grandmother, Lillie.

Should You Grow Vegetables in Chicago Soil?

2013-05-15T20:45:09Z

Recently I caught the green thumb. There is something so rewarding about growing your own plants. Germinating the seed, watching the fruition of life day-by-day, and then devouring the fruits of your labor. I decided to use the space in my new backyard to grow a humble vegetable garden. I ordered some organic seeds and began the process. As my babies grew and demanded a bigger space for their roots to spread out , I began to dig up my patch of dirt and check out the soil. Uh-oh. It looked like a family picnic was buried in my yard. I pulled out a small action figure, a broken plate, a tennis ball, piece of a Frisbee, shards of beer bottles, bricks and countless rocks. After talking to a gentleman with some knowledge on the subject at a local grow store and realizing my soil was battling the elements, I had some doubts if I wanted to even grow my plants in the ground. I have heard some paranoia on the subject of growing in Chicago soil based on its industrial past, heavy car traffic and its old, ever-changing landscape. It was suggested that I could get my soil tested to see if I had any harmful chemicals residing within. In a study by the University of Illinois (2011), 10 gardens across Chicago grew lettuce and tested the crops for traces of the element lead. In most gardens the levels of lead was not a health concern. But I was still worried. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University suggests testing your soil "for heavy metal and nutrient levels at least every two years. Certain chemical elements occur naturally in soils as components of minerals, yet may be toxic at some concentrations." After I dug up a soil sample (6-8 inches deep) from my plot, I headed to Stat Analysis in the Tri-Taylor area, a laboratory capable of testing my soil. If you do test your soil, it is up to you to choose which elements to check for at the lab. I tested my sample for arsenic and lead, which can be harmfully prevalent in many urban soils. Both of these elements are #1 and #2 on the Priority List of Hazardous Substances on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). But don't be too paranoid, trace levels of arsenic and lead occur naturally in all soils and it is impossible to grow plants completely free of either. You just don't want abnormally high levels. A down side to testing your soil is the process can become very expensive. When you run a "comprehensive" soil test Stat Analysis charges a base fee (of $40) then an additional $10 for every other element after that. A wide analysis of everything in your soil can become costly. Most urban growers are concerned with "heavy metals," especially arsenic and lead; some studies [PDF] suggest the elements cadmium and barium may also be prevalent in urban areas.

When in doubt, bust the pots out.

If growing in the soil is not worth your time, money or labor -- screw it! Save your money and just grow in some containers, whether hanging or on the ground. It is a easier way to control the soil and nutrient intake of your plants. But I dug up my dirt and want to put my plants in the ground, dammit! When you do receive your analysis from the lab, don't be overwhelmed by all the numbers and abbreviations. It will include the some helpful information like the acidity of your soil (ideal pH levels should be around 7), the levels of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in your soil (your plants favorite nutrients) but also the levels of special elements you tested for. All elements on the sheet will be measured by parts per million (PPM). Which simply means for every million 'parts' of soil by weight, there is 1 part of the chemical being measured. This is where things are sketchy, because there is no health-based standards in the United States when it comes to the amount of metals in community gardens. Hence its just us urban growers trying to find a medium of tolerable exposure. The recent study from Cornell University discuss using EU (European Union) standards and suggest "tolerable lead levels should be around 400ppm and arsenic around 20ppm." If you are below or near the medium level, congratulations! This is good news -- your exposure to these chemicals is at a normal level and nothing to cause alarm. But if your chemical levels are substantially higher (like mine were), let's have a chat. Don't freak out.

A Short History of Toxins

Lead is a metallic element found everywhere in the human environment, especially since industrialization. Although it was quite useful as a gasoline and paint additive, it has no physiological use in humans. From neurological effects to miscarriages, high exposure can negatively affect our health in a number of ways. In a background study from Washington State University, (Peryea, 2001) lead in home garden soils was found to usually originate from paint, gasoline, insecticide and industrial fallout. For us Chicago-based growers, be cautious if your home was built before the '70s (lead-based paint wasn't banned until 1978). Flaking or chalking of lead-based paint can create rich dusts that may have fallen in nearby soil. Lead concentrations are higher in soils near heavily used roads; as Peryea states, "oil companies used lead in their gasoline up to 1995 when it was banned nationwide. Seventy-five percent of all lead particles were emitted from exhaust pipes decades ago [and] now may be settled onto nearby soil." Our friend Mr. Arsenic is everywhere in our environment as well. Be cautious if you live in an industrial area, one with smoke stacks, since arsenic and lead are released as a gas during the combustion of fossil fuels. Peryea believes this is a red flag if your garden is within 1 mile of "existing or former smelters, fossil fuel-fired electrical power plants, or cement manufacturing facilities." He also suggests to avoid self-contamination by avoiding "use of railroad ties, telephone poles, pressure-treated wood and previously painted wood to build your [garden] beds because they contain chemicals that can migrate into soil." Plants are very good at taking elements and nutrients out of the soil -- that's what roots do. However, the relationship between soil and plant varies so much, it is impossible to predict accurately how much of the element a plant will actually absorb.

Still Making Use of Your Soil

My home garden is in a rough spot. Not only is it near a main intersection, it is also a stone's throw away from highway 90. And to make matters more interesting, I live in a old building which was built in the '70s and I couldn't rule out lead-paint flaking. But I wasn't going to give up the cause. My soil contained slightly more arsenic and lead than EU standards recommended. But, there are still plenty of preventative measures to combat slight contamination of your soil. If your soil is highly contaminated (like three times the standard PPM), maybe you shouldn't risk growing food in the ground. Anytime you can use fresh soil rather than the soil that's already there, its far more favorable to work with. Don't make the rookie mistake I did by tilling your soil immediately. Professor Peryea suggests getting rid of those first 2 inches of your soil, which could be the most contaminated parts. Tilling the ground may actually make it worse, "by distributing the more contaminated layers of soil evenly and deeply." Another great alternative, is making a raised bed for your garden. A raised bed is simply an elevated extension from the ground, made out of virtually any (non-toxic) material to simply put some distance between your ground soil and the base of your plants. In the Chicago study, which surveyed some community gardens growing leafy vegetables such as lettuce, "use of raised beds significantly reduced lead levels and therefore less potential risk of lead ingestions from plant uptake." Raised beds simply give your plants' roots more room to work with, which can reduce the absorption of the more funky stuff laying deeper in your soil. Another suggestion is growing several fern plants around your garden area. These preventative plants are good at soaking up contaminants out of the soil. Through the process of phytoremediation, lead and arsenic can be absorbed through the plants roots into the leafy fern leaves where the metals are stored. These plants act as leafy sponges. You then can simply cut the leaves off which, will help reduce the chemical levels in your dirt. Even if your soil is below the average tolerance level of metals, wear gloves when interacting with soil, or always wash your hands after dealing with your garden to reduce exposure to the chemicals. Do not touch your face and stop children from playing in the soil since they are more susceptible to health risks.

Reaping the fruits of your labor

When you have finally cared and nurtured for your soil and your crops finally grow, remember to thoroughly wash or peel your vegetables to limit your exposure to chemicals. The contaminants will wind up on the outside of your crop, the parts that were exposed or caked in soil. The best way to limit your exposure is to select vegetable crops that are less likely to have contaminants on or in their edible parts. If metals are a concern in your garden, you could consider growing only fruits or vegetable fruits, such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash or peas. Chemicals in the ground are more likely to be absorbed by the leaves of the plants. When dealing with leafy plants (lettuce) or root crops (carrots, potatoes), remember to wash your crops thoroughly. These crops are simply more likely to be exposed to harmful chemicals. You could always peel away the outer layers of the vegetable or consider throwing away the outer leaves of your head of lettuce or cabbage. In any case, it is better to be cautious than to be ignorant of what may be absorbed in your vegetables and eventually put into your body. Although the ground in my backyard seemed to be a battleground of human litter and metallic chemicals, I'm still confident that I can grow a safe vegetable garden in my Chicago soil. By testing my soil, completely getting rid of the old soil, tilling in organic materials (soil and compost), and making a raised bed, I am no longer worried about what veggies I grow in my garden.

For more information on urban gardening:

• Cornell University Guide • (Peryea) Growing on Arsenic and Lead Soil

Ready for Beer Bingo?

2013-05-15T14:00:00Z

What with Chicago Craft Beer Week kicking off tomorrow and what looks to be our first string of three 70+ degree days, we didn't think you needed more excuses to find an adult beverage on the patio of your choice, until this popped up in our inbox. Yep, you read that title correctly, a game of beer bingo is popping up in Lincoln Square starting today. All you need do is stop into one of the establishments listed below, pick up a card and play on. • The Bad Apple, 4300 N. Lincoln Ave. • The Grafton, 4530 N. Lincoln Ave. • DANK Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave. • Fountainhead, 1970 W. Montrose Ave. • Brew Camp, 4639 N. Damen Ave. • Bottles and Cans, 4109 N. Lincoln Ave. Five in a row vertically, horizontally or diagonally will win you a custom pint glass with original artwork by Sarah Morton, and bragging rights that you sloshed your way through all of 60625. Bonus: they have a handful of other prizes should someone fill out the entire card -- a "blackout" as it were. As always, first come, first served. Check out the bingo card and more details online and support one of Chicago's best beer-friendly neighborhoods.

Jeni's Ice Cream to Open Lakeview Store

2013-05-13T15:56:19Z

Although pints of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams have been available in select shops in Chicago for a few years now, we can confirm the rumor that Jeni's is set to open a scoop shop at 3404 N. Southport Ave. in Lakeview. While you'll be able to pick up the same pints to go, you'll also be able to get a cup or cone, and sample all of the flavors in the case like gourmet ice cream lovers in the Columbus, Ohio area have been enjoying for years. Unfortuantely we can't confirm when you'll be able to satisfy your sweet tooth, but we'll likely give you the results of a taste test when it opens!

Gapers Block's Top Picks From Wine Riot 2013

2013-05-12T15:34:45Z

Over 24 booths set up shop at the Great Hall in Union Station last weekend for Wine Riot Chicago 2013, the "all access pass to hundreds of new wines," pouring one ounce portions of their best poison. Gapers Block "reluctantly" joined the crowd for an evening of sniffing, swirling and tasting. Inevitably there was more tasting than swirling which somehow lent itself to a night that ended in late night salsa dancing with the "King of Mambo" and crashing college house parties. (What, didn't it say riot in the title?) Below are our top picks to add to your list. Most can be found or ordered at Binny's Lincoln Park (1720 N. Marcy Street). Reds 2008 Marques de Caceres Crianza($12) -- Spain, Rioja, Rioja Alta This Rioja never disappoints me, and even at the tail end of a wine tasting, i.e. a dead palette, it's still good and a beauty for the price. If you like your reds more fruit forward, go for the younger 2009. If you like your reds a little older and wiser, try this guy. 2010 Hess Select Treo Winemaker's Blend ($17) -- USA, California I'm a fan of blends. Maybe because I like unity for all, or maybe because I think that the joining of two or more things makes them stronger than the original. (Bad marriage reference??). This one is 45% Merlot, 37% Syrah, 14% Petite Sirah, 2% Malbec and 2% Mourvedre. (Okay, really weird marriage reference.) Starts off like a Cab; finishes like a Syrah. If you like your reds to squeeze you dry, this one might be too soft for you, but if you like unity in diversity, this is a good call. 2010 The Divining Rod Cabernet Sauvignon ($17) -- USA, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley The name is worth a thumbs up, and it's a great starter red. Not too dry, not too fruit forward, middle of the road. And FYI, nothing's wrong with being middle of the road. 2011 Creation Pinot Noir ($29) -- South Africa, Walker Bay After my run in with "The Max" at last year's wine riot , I fell in love with South African wines. They are nothing like the fruit forward, cherry bursting Californian's we've all grown to love/or hate. When I saw Pinot Noir on the label I knew I had to see if two loves had converged into grape juice awesomeness. No wedges were knocked off in the process, but I'd buy this bottle for a nice dinner party. It was well balanced and subtle yet robust enough to stand next to any older wine. Whites 2011 Simply Naked Pinot Grigio ($9.99) -- USA, California There's nothing spectacular about this unoaked Pinot Grigio, but it's easy to drink and $10 bucks a pop. Keep it simple. 2011 The Seeker Sauvignon Blanc ($13.99) -- New Zealand, Marlborough I always give a Sauvignon Blanc coming out of New Zealand first dibs and this one, with an awesome name to boot, was a good SB at a reasonable price. It was also devoid of that familiar SB tartness with a softer yet still crisp palette. 2010 Lynfred Winery Seyval Blanc ($16.25) -- USA, Illinois This local wine has a nice clean feel to it with both grassy and stone fruit notes -- part SB, part PG, part Riesling -- it's that wine you want to drink on a summer patio when you will be drinking all day. 2011 Hugel Riesling ($22) -- France, Alsace I dislike a sweet Riesling as much as I dislike a group of North Shore teenagers jumping on the 10:30 Brown line likes it's a field trip bus. (Yes, this happened.) This Riesling was dry, almost as if it were a SB disguised as a Riesling. (Everything opposite of a North Shore teenager.) The region Alsace is the reason. It's a steeper price than I would buy for a Riesling but worth the penny if you have the budget. Also another good patio or byob dinner white. Bubbly NV Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 50 Prosecco ($11.99) -- Italy, Veneto It's hard to go wrong with any Processo in my book. Like the poster girl for summer, this one is cheap and easy. Get this for your next rooftop party and stop buying that other stuff. Photos courtesy of Second Glass

Interview: The Reader's Beard Award-Winning Mike Sula

2013-05-10T14:58:17Z

In the food industry, few accolades are as meaningful as a James Beard Award. It's the equivalent of an Academy Award or in this case, a Pulitzer Prize. This year's MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award went to The Reader's Mike Sula for his wonderful article Chicken of the Trees, our boy's "annual jihad" against urban varmints fucking with his rooftop garden, and his revenge not sweet but savory. Sula took home the much deserved award after having been nominated twice prior. His writing being at this extraordinary level at least two other times, as they say at the Oscars, "It's an honor just to be nominated." And it is -- but it's even better to win. Three, apparently in this case, is the charm. I caught up with pal Sula to talk to him about emboldened squirrels and more. First off, congratulations. When I finished reading the article I knew it was Beard worthy. Loved the graphic as well. Coincidentally the daughter of a chef buddy of mine had recently told me of trapping and eating her first squirrel somewhere in the wilds of Connecticut -- so I sent the link to them bragging about my friend Sula. For the record, your friends and fans are extremely proud of you. Thank you kindly. I'm humbled by the goodwill of both friends and strangers. Staggered, really. People always talk about the chummy, collaborative atmosphere among Chicago chefs, but at its heart that's really true of the food community in general here. I know going into it you were very low-key, so much in fact that your friends had a small surprise gathering to honor you with their sincere best wishes just in case it was a threepeat. Win or not, we wanted you to know you're a world class journalist in our eyes. So now that you've won, how if at all do you think this will change things? Things were different this year in the sense that the party helped take the anxiety out of the run-up to the awards. I was slightest bit jaded too after losing twice before. The cliché that "it's an honor to be nominated" is certainly true and it feels great up until the point that you lose. As hard as you try to put on a brave face, I can't deny that it stings when it happens. Going into it this time I was relaxed and almost unconcerned. I felt like I'd won already, since the party was organized as a mock awards ceremony -- which, as the winner of the Gold Bond Award for the Freshest Junk, you know very well. I hope Gapers Block gives you a chance to explain why someday -- you'd probably get a product endorsement. Doubt that's gonna happen. It would make for an equally great graphic though. One thing that began to change even before the awards was that I'm going back to writing more features. For most of my career at the Reader I was primarily a feature writer. Restaurant reviewing was a means to explore the city and stay active between stories. I'll still be reviewing restaurants, but stepping back just a bit to write more narratively, which was what I did primarily ever since I started there. Your job, eating out on someone else's dime and writing about food, would be a dream come true to so many, myself included. Of course that's an outside perspective. What's it really like? Run down your week for us. I spend most of my days sitting at my laptop writing and procrastinating. But at night I'm eating out three to five times a week. Whenever possible I try to get out to the further reaches of the city and suburbs to explore underexposed restaurants and stores. That's how I started writing about food, but the necessity of blogging for the Reader every day made that exploratory time ever more precious. I like nothing more than just driving around aimlessly in the middle of the day and pulling over when something catches my eye. I once spent a year or so eating at every Harold's Chicken Shack in the city. I eventually wrote a story about it [PDF] but in the process I found about a dozen other stories and restaurants. Give us a little background. How'd you get started writing? Were you always food obsessed or did that come later? How'd you end up at the Reader? I've always been interested in food and cooking. But my first journalism job was as the music editor for a now defunct weekly in Pittsburgh. I really started out writing features and profiles about everything under the sun. I moved to Chicago in 1995 with a girlfriend who'd been hired as a staff writer and from that moment on all I wanted to do was write for the Reader, which offered maximum freedom to its writers. I started freelancing and got hired as an editorial assistant, and eventually I was writing so much that they made me a staff writer. We had a restaurant critic at the time but I noticed a gap in our coverage. I saw this wealth of food culture in the city that not many professional journalists were covering. There was Monica Eng at the Trib and that was about it. I began exploring all these little mom and pop places with very specific niche clienteles as a way to find stories. I started writing about them both narratively and critically, and eventually I was writing about food almost exclusively because there was just so much good material. What most interests you in the current food scene, and what least interests you? I've always been most interested in people that make and distribute food outside the margins of what's generally acceptable to the establishment -- in our case the bureaucratic morass set up by the City's departments of Health and Business Affairs. Food is a basic human right and I'm always most sympathetic to the person who is willing to do whatever it takes feed themselves and others; the eloteros* who get harassed by the cops, the househusbands selling bacon and sausage out of their home kitchens, the garage taquerias, the basement distillers, the raw milk runners. It's a challenge to write about them, though, because exposure can mean disaster. I like specialists. I'm bored to death by dilettantes. Nothing fills me with dread like having to go to some cavernous River North parade ground with pizza, sushi and tacos on the menu. You forgot Caesar salad and creme brulée. Who/what inspires you? I have a core group of friends who are experienced and intrepid eaters. They're my chief inspiration. Any plans on writing a book? There's some talk, but it's too soon to say anything. I didn't know you were a musician but I met one of your ex-band members at your wedding. Do you find any similarities with music and writing? Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what? "Musician" is a charitable word. I played guitar in a punk rock band called -- oof -- Citizen Pain. Our most popular song was about a giant, sentient man-eating fern. We were fairly reviled in Pittsburgh. But we liked it like that. I suppose I write like I wrote songs back then. Occasional bursts of inspiration, bracketed by long periods of hand wringing and head banging. I'm usually too neurotic to listen to music when I write. But if I do it's probably something droney and repetitive, like the Spacemen 3, Sigur Ros, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. On the other hand, if I'm cooking I like to crank stuff like Black Flag and the Misfits. I've been on a Slayer binge since Jeff Hanneman died. Ballpark how many restaurants you've eaten at in the course of your career. Oh man. Math. I have piles and piles of menus in my office. It's an untenable mess. A fire hazard. But the truth is, not enough. There are always places I wish I could go to, or go back to, but I'm too busy going places I have to go to that I end up regretting. Boo-hoo, right? That's a first world complaint about the best job in the world. I've gotta ask. Last meal, what would it be? I'd start with a bottle of George T. Stagg and finish with a giant bowl of spaghetti carbonara. Ah yes, food fit for the gods. * Eloteros: street cart purveyors of sweet corn topped with assorted condiments most often: butter or margarine, mayonnaise, chile powder, grated cotija cheese and lime aka heart attack in a cup (or on a cob). ~*~ About the Author: Alan Lake has been a professional chef for nearly three decades and has won numerous awards, professional competitions and distinctions. He's mainly consulting now, setting up projects like kitchen design, menu development, hiring and training staff, research, etc. He's also been a professional musician most of his life and coined the term "Jazzfood" to describe his "solid technique based upon tasteful improvisational abilities" and views his food as he does his music.

Friday Foodporn: Macarons

2013-05-10T08:47:27Z

Image by vintage everything from the Drive-Thru Flickr Pool.

A Vegan Overthrow

2013-05-08T19:16:37Z

The chefs at Next went on a ingredient heist at a few of their favorite restaurants for their upcoming vegan menu, which begins today and runs through late August.

Indian Mangoes Return

2013-05-07T15:17:41Z

Patel Brothers, 2610 W. Devon Ave., received its shipment of Kesar mangoes from India this past weekend. They're $24.99 per dozen, and there aren't many cases left. Be sure to have the case opened up and checked for bad fruit: they've traveled a long way, and these are very delicate mangoes. Their creamy, almost pudding-like flesh bruises easily, reducing the fruit to pulp. Delicious pulp, but still. Indian mangoes were first imported into the US in 2007, thanks to some sharing of nuclear know-how. Prices have fluctuated over the years, bouncing between (typically) $25 and $35 depending on crop yield and import volume. The grocer who helped me fill out an unblemished case of Kesars told me Alphonso mangoes will arrive this coming weekend. If you're only going to pick up one case -- and at these prices, I wouldn't blame you -- those are the ones to get. Alphonsos tend to be more floral than Kesars, and more of a clear example of how different Indian mangoes are from the New World varieties we most often see in stores.

A Big Night for Izard and Kahan at the James Beard Awards

2013-05-07T04:30:20Z

Tonight was big for several Chicago restaurants and chefs at the annual James Beard Foundation Awards. Paul Kahan (pictured) took home the Outstanding Chef award for his work at Blackbird, Stephanie Izard of GoatWorld (can I just call it that now?) was named the Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region, and The Aviary took home the Outstanding Bar Program award. Additionally, the Reader's Mike Sula received the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award for his "Chicken of the Trees" piece, and WBEZ's Nina Barrett won the Radio Show/Audio Webcast category for "Fear of Frying: Culinary Nightmares." Among the nominees this year were Jimmy Bannos, Jr. of the Purple Pig, Dave Beran of Next, Topolobampo, Spiaggia, and The Violet Hour.

Hash It Out

2013-05-06T15:48:46Z

Wicker Park's Hash has all of the ingredients for brunch success: an inventive menu centered around a breakfast favorite, comfy prices, and a lot of local flavor. Their namesake offerings, a selection of six different hash brown-centric plates, come in two different sizes and draw inspiration from the neighborhood's eclectic population: the "Ukie" features pork sausage and kraut, while the "Humboldt" includes fried plantain and a choice of chorizo or meatless "soyrizo." This is the sort of thoughtfulness that I find inspiring and exciting in menu planning: while sometimes I eat out to escape my surroundings (e.g. sushi in the Midwest; I dig it frequently), I have a special place in my heart for restaurants that successfully embrace their location and its roots--especially in a city as densely diverse as Chicago. The restaurant space itself is open and homey, full of retro patterns and natural light that encourage lingering over your cup of coffee (Dark Matter, one of my local favorites). The easily-customizable menu sprawls across the back wall in chalk script, and counter service is--in my experience--quick and friendly. Delivery is also available! Hash 1357 N. Western Ave. 773-661-2964

Big Delicious Planet Gets 4-Star Green Restaurant Certification, Launches Kickstarter Campaign

2013-05-06T13:59:09Z

Last month, Big Delicious Planet Catering and Canteen became the first caterer in the country to be awarded four star Certified Green Restaurant status by the Green Restaurant Association, and only the third restaurant in Chicago to achieve a four-star rating. "We've been in business 19 years, and in 2011 we moved into a building with geothermal heating and cooling," explained Big Delicious Planet founder Heidi Moorman Coudal. "There is so much waste in the food industry, so when I learned about Green Restaurant certification, I looked at the requirements and started making changes." Those changes included such things as switching to a green pest control company, installing appliances with Energy Star ratings, and composting. The Green Restaurant certification system awards points for meeting standards in energy efficiency, sustainable food, water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, use of recycled and bio-based disposables, chemicals and pollution reduction, and furnishings and building materials. "We've contracted with a composting company to compost every scrap of food in our building, including proteins. And we have a biodiesel service that picks up our used cooking oil," Coudal said. In all, Big Delicious Planet was graded on 97 categories and given a point rating on each, in an evaluation process that can take eight to 10 weeks. Restaurants must score at least 300 points to receive a four-star rating; Big Delicious Planet scored a point total of 378.71. Only two Uncommon Ground restaurants have scored better in Chicago, earning 399.75 at the Devon location and 445.51 at the Wrigleyville location.

2-, 3- & 4-Star Certified Green Restaurants in Chicago

"I was actually pretty shocked that we got four stars," Coudal said. "My goal was to reach three stars, and then continue making changes to reach four." She was surprised by the weight placed on some of the categories. "You can get seven to 10 points for having an Energy Star steamer. There are a lot of appliances on there," she said. Meanwhile, "On-site food production only counts as one point, which is kind of surprising. We grew 70 varieties of herbs and veggies last year." In 2012 Big Delicious Planet built an urban garden in the lot next to its West Town kitchen and canteen, and is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to transform the lot into a new urban garden that will open to nearby schools, Girl Scout troops and other kids' groups who are interested in learning what it's like to work in a garden and grow food from seed to harvest. Among the rewards for backing the project are tickets to Big Delicious Planet's annual Summer Solstice Eve party June 20 and tickets to a four-course farm dinner in the middle of the existing garden. The campaign, which seeks $15,000, ends May 26. Going green has not been a cheap process for Coudal. "In order to be green, you're paying more for disposable goods, like take-out containers and compostable dinnerware." But despite the cost, she plans to continue making Big Delicious Planet even greener. "In the long run, having a hand dryer in the bathroom will cut down on our paper waste."

Friday Foodporn: Terrapin Sundae from Margie's Candies

2013-05-03T07:35:14Z

Image by Lucy Rendler-Kaplan from the Drive-Thru Flickr Group.

More Booze For Chicago: Wine Riot Returns

2013-05-01T16:20:43Z

This could've been a story on why Chicago has a drinking problem, but I didn't want to add to the negativity that Rachel Shteir started. We don't need to add "alcoholic" to the list. It was only last week that Chicago was indulging their whiskey side with Whiskey Fest that Wine Riot, the multi-city wine tasting event on steroids, returns to Union Station for more in all that is good and right in the world of fermented grapes. Over 250 wines from across Illinois and the globe, including California Shiners (Napa Valley's largest China exporter, huh?), The Diving Rod (a new wine from the Mondavi folks) and 90+ Cellars, private label high rated wine if you will, will be available for tasting at this part wine-tasting, part social networking event. Highlights for 2013 include: -- Wine Cocktails - Quady Winery will be mixing tasty elixirs made from handcrafted, small batch California Vermouth and Moscatos. -- Bordeaux Wines - Learn the storied history of France's most famous wine region and taste these amazing, reinvented, small production wines. -- Loire Valley - Taste your way down France's Loire River, through Sauv Blancs of Sancerre, red wines of Chinon, and the tasty and affordable Muscadets wine wines, perfect with seafood. -- Languedoc - Uncover France's worst kept secret; the red and white wines of Languedoc are outstanding and super affordable. -- Bubbly Bar - All Champagne is bubbly, but not all bubbly is Champagne. Taste every major kind of sparkling wine from five countries. Food will be available ($5-$10 average) from local vendors to soak up the tannins, and what is a alcohol fueled event without a photo booth. There are three opportunities to snag a ticket. Prices for Wine Riot are $60 and all wine is included in the ticket price. Visit the official Chicago page for tickets and more information and download the app beforehand to keep track of all the wines you like - because you know the positive correlation between memory loss and wine consumption, right? Opening Night: Friday, May 3rd, 2013: 7PM to 11PM Riot 1: Saturday, May 4th, 2013: 1PM to 5PM Riot 2: Saturday, May 4th, 2013: 7PM to 11PM The Great Hall at Union Station, 500 W Jackson Blvd #107 Photos courtesy of Second Glass