Archive for 2010

On Friday, December 10, Slow Food Chicago is celebrating Terra Madre Day with garden tours and planting. Beginning at 1:00 p.m., folks will converge in the African Heritage Garden in North Lawndale, adjacent to our preSERVE garden project. The event will entail an introduction and tour of our preSERVE project and an introduction of Slow Food International’s extensive garden works in Africa. 

Introductions will be followed by garlic-planting in the preSERVE garden, weather permitting. All the while, attendees will be warmed with hot cider.

 The event is free to attend, though capacity is 30. RSVP is required and can be made by emailing Jennifer Sandy at slowfoodpreserve {at} gmail(.)com.

Sunday, December 5
2:00 – 3:00 pm
La Creperie (2845 N. Clark Street)

Join us on Sunday, December, 5th at 2:00 pm at La Creperie (2845 N. Clark Street) to discuss “My Life in France” by Julia Child. Please RSVP to sfchicagoevents {at} gmail(.)com if you’d like to participate.

About the book:

Julia Child single handedly awakened America to the pleasures of good cooking with her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her television show The French Chef, but as she reveals in this bestselling memoir, she didn’t know the first thing about cooking when she landed in France.

Indeed, when she first arrived in 1948 with her husband, Paul, she spoke no French and knew nothing about the country itself. But as she dove into French culture, buying food at local markets and taking classes at the Cordon Bleu, her life changed forever. Julia’s unforgettable story unfolds with the spirit so key to her success as as a cook and teacher and writer, brilliantly capturing one of the most endearing American personalities of the last fifty years.

Slow Food City’s Edge (a sister chapter of Slow Food Chicago in the suburbs) is having its Harvest dinner on Sunday Nov. 7th. The event is $15.

It will be held at Garfield Farm, an 1840’s working farm just off of Rt.38 just west of Heritage Prairie Market before you get to LaFox Road. Start time is 4 p.m. We will tour the farm first then follow with pot luck including the Red Burbon turkey. We have a guest speaker Bill Shoemaker from the University of Illinois research station who will talk about developing a wine grape for Illinois and give out small samplings of his research.

Any one from Chicago can join us just go to our web site slowfoodcitysedge.org for details and tickets are available directly here.

James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Deborah Krasner will be joining us on Friday, November 5 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. for some tastings from her latest cookbook, GOOD MEAT: The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat. She will be available at the event to talk about the cookbook and tastings. Autographed copies of the book will be available for sale.

The event will be at the Western Springs, IL home of Slow Food Chicago president, Amy Cox, who has been tasked with preparing the evening’s meal.

You’ll enjoy a four-course tasting menu plus wine pairings courtesy of Moet Hennessey USA.
Cost is $45.00 per person and space is limited to 18 guests. This event will sell out, so act quickly to ensure your spot! Directions to Amy Cox’s home will be emailed to confirmed guests.

Click here to purchase tickets.

The menu:

First
Pasta Putana Fettuccini with Local Bacon, Prairie Fruits Farm Fresh Chevre, Local Greens and Toasted Walnuts — pg. 225
2010 Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc – Chile

Second
Roasted Gunthrop Farms Rabbit with White Wine and Black Olives — pg. 275
2007 Chandon ‘Carneros’ Chardonnay

Third
Red Wine-Braised Beef Pot Roast with Porcini, Rosemary & Cloves — pg. 107
2006 Newton ‘Unfiltered’ Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley

Dessert
Pig Candy — pg. 228
Peanut Brittle with Bacon and Red Pepper Flakes
Domaine Chandon Riche

About “GOOD MEAT”…

“GOOD MEAT” is devoted to helping cooks find and cook grassfed and pastured meats that are responsibly raised and humanely processed. Such meat is full of flavor, is much healthier for humans and the environment, and is available in every state direct from farmers who raise it. Over 200 great easy-to-cook recipes show how to cook lean meats from nose to tail with delight and pride.

About Deborah Krasner…

Deborah Krasner is a CCP (Certified Culinary Professional) and the author of the James Beard Award-winning book, THE FLAVORS OF OLIVE OIL, which was also a finalist for the Jacob’s Creek International Food Media Award. In addition, she is the author of four other books, including the IACP Award Finalist KITCHENS FOR COOKS. She has written for such magazines as Eating Well, Real Simple, Wine Enthusiast, Vegetarian Times, Parade, Bon Appetit and Food&Wine, She has taught numerous cooking classes at Sur La Table and Cookworks stores, and has also taught at Macy’s De Gustibus and The Greenbriar Symposium for Professional Food Writers. A celebrated kitchen designer, she designs kitchens coast to coast. She created a notable kitchen for celebrated cookbook author Marcella Hazan, and helps make great kitchens for serious home cooks.
Click here to purchase tickets.

Over the next 30 days, we want to add as many voices as possible to our powerful network of changemakers demanding a just and healthy food system.

If you join now, your donation of $25 or more makes you a member of Slow Food USA and Slow Food Chicago. We offered this reduced Fall membership price throughout the month of October, but because of its dramatic success in building our community, we’ve decided to continue the special for a bit longer.

Why become a member?

Slow Food Chicago is part of the Slow Food USA network of 200+ chapters. Your membership directly supports funding national and local projects. We want YOU to be part of our active community and introduce you to the growing numbers of people in your local community who care about the values and principles of Slow Food.

BECOME A MEMBER HERE

Please join Slow Food Chicago as we welcome Elaine Weiss, author of the book Fruits of Victory: the Woman’s Land Army of America in the Great War to Chicago for a series of presentations about these pioneering, Progressive era women who broke stereotypes to combat food security as male farmers went off to war. As a sponsor of her visit, Slow Food Chicago invites you to attend one or several of the events happening Tuesday October 5 thru Thursday October 7, 2010.

On Thursday, October 7th, take a step back in time as chef Jeannine Wise prepares a harvest lunch much like that which the Land Army women would have enjoyed circa 1918. Local foods grown and prepared by women will be served. Lunch is at the Stevenson Center in Libertyville, IL.

The series is designed to spark conversation about food security issues today and how women can once again band together to insure safe, affordable and healthy locally grown food for all the citizens of Illinois.

We hope you will join us and be part of the conversation.

For a list of events and to register, go to www.stevensoncenterondemocracy.org/wla.html

The First Annual TomatoFest Closing Event

COME ONE, COME ALL FOR THE CULMINATION OF TOMATO SEASON!
ANNOUNCING THE FIRST ANNUAL TOMATOFEST CLOSING EVENT
TO BENEFIT SLOW FOOD AND preSERVE

Date: September 26

Time: 1:00-3:30

Where:  Custom House Tavern,  500 S Dearborn

Information:  312-525-0200

Cost:  $25.00 at the door

Join us at CUSTOM HOUSE TAVERN as some of Chicago’s most passionate farm to table
establishments participate in a great event marking the close of tomato season. Each chef
will prepare a dish inspired by the classic BLT.   Attendees will sample the delicious offerings
as well as sipping delicious, tomato friendly wines.
Proceeds will benefit preSERVE, an arm of Slow Food Chicago, which helps to provide
farm fresh produce via urban farms to under-served neighborhoods.
There will be two winners named selected by popular vote (that’s you) and a critic’s choice
selected by a panel of celebrated foodies.

BLT BONANZA EVENT PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE: OSTERIA VIA STATO, KITH & KIN,
CITY PROVISIONS, GREEN GROCER CHICAGO, SIGNATURE ROOM AT THE 95TH
and CUSTOM HOUSE TAVERN

On Tuesday, September 28, come meet some of our 2010 Terra Madre delegates while Slow Food Chicago’s Amy Cox puts on her guest-bartending apron to mix up a seasonal cocktail behind the bar at Prairie Fire (215 N. Clinton). All tip money received will support grants for local food producers to participate in the 2010 Terra Madre sustainable food conference in Turin, Italy.

Each Tuesday evening at Prairie Fire, Chefs Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris invite one or more of their friends in the “good, clean, & fair” food community to serve as guest bartender, mixing a signature drink for a deserving cause. The drink Amy will be mixing for the evening is a Caramel Apple Martini, made with Seedling Orchard cider, house-made caramel sauce, and North Shore Distillery vodka.

To complement the exclusive cocktails, Chefs Stegner and Bumbaris will prepare seasonal appetizers including house-made Mint Creek Farm pork sausage with sauteed local apples.

Location: Prairie Fire
Address: 215 N. Clinton Street, Chicago
Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Date: Tuesday, Septemeber 28, 2010
Cost: No charge to attend. Attendees pay for their own drinks and apps.

Join your voice with ours in support of Logan Square Kitchen

LSK is a small green business dedicated to being an economic engine in Logan Square as a shared use / rental kitchen used to launch food businesses.

October 11, 2010

Hon. Richard M. Daley
Mayor
City of Chicago
121 N. LaSalle St., 5^th Floor
Chicago, IL  60602

Dear Mayor Daley,

On behalf of the Slow Food Chicago Board, a volunteer run not for profit organization that supports Chicago residents’ access to good, clean, fair food, I am writing to request your support for the Logan Square Kitchen.  It has been wrapped in red tape for over a year, a little green business struggling in a terrible economy.

This is a LEED Gold facility, dedicated to helping small food businesses get started.  It’s the kind of new green business in the new green economy that so many politicians speak about.  It’s an asset to our City, and your support will insure its work in making our economy, our environment and our food system stronger and more sustainable.

LSK’s original Zoning determination in March 2008 classified it as a restaurant.  As an innovative business, LSK does not neatly fit into any one category, but restaurant was the best description – and is the one upon which owners Zina & Nick Murray invested their life savings.

Subsequent to an inspection for its liquor and PPA licenses, LSK has been reclassified as a banquet hall with parking requirements it cannot fulfill.   Now, not only are Liquor and PPA licenses not being granted, but its Food Retail Establishment license is in jeopardy.

LSK now waits for a slot on the Zoning Board of Appeals, and I ask you to support its request to have its original determination as a restaurant be reinstated.  LSK has not changed its original business model, and is only requesting that the City keep its word.  LSK is a business model that could be repeated in many neighborhoods in need, revitalizing our economy and food system.  Please support this innovative business that will serve our City well.

Sincerely,

Amy Cox

Leader, Slow Food Chicago

www.slowfoodchicago.org

Cc: info {at} logansquarekitchen(.)com

Title: Launch Party for a charitable cookbook: The Flexitarian Cookbook
Location: Mercadito -108 W Kinzie St
Description: Come celebrate the launch of The Flexitarian Cookbook, a new charitable cookbook whose proceeds benefit two nonprofit organizations: Yoga Bear, which provides free yoga for cancer patients, and Slow Food USA, which helps lobby for healthy lunch options to be available at underfunded schools. The event will be held at Mercadito, Wednesday, September 29, 6 to 8:30 p.m., for more information please go to: http://flexpartychicago.eventbrite.com
From 6PM to 8:30PM
September 29th

Flextarian invite