There are only a handful of charitable events I get involved in each year, and each of them deals with eradicating and alleviating hunger. I’m excited to announce the 25th annual Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation® is coming back to Chicago August 14th at the Navy Pier Ballroom. This year’s lineup is a … Continued
The city of Highwood isn’t shy about its marketing efforts. Every September they pack the sleepy downtown with vodka and tomato juice for its annual Bloody Mary Fest, and this week, for the second year in a row, they’re kicking off Inferno Fest. The event happens on Wednesday the 17th, from 4 to 9 p.m. … Continued
I’ve been a huge fan of 5 Rabbit beer ever since I first tasted the clean, refreshing, passionfruit-infused 5 Lizard line about a year ago. The brewery – based in Bedford Park on the city’s Southwest Side – was founded two years ago with the goal to create Latin-inspired beer that matches perfectly with boldly-seasoned, … Continued
Today is the last day you can enter for a chance to win a trip to Chicago for a massive, pork-centric weekend, courtesy of the National Pork Board. It’s all part of an effort to help consumers refine their entertaining skills this summer. The all-inclusive trip for a winner and a guest will be July … Continued
Over the course of many years in the business (about 18, give or take) I’ve accumulated a number of cookbooks. Sometimes, they flood in, like during the Fall drive to get publicity before the holidays. Other times, it’s a trickle, like right around now. But I’ve come to the realization that, while I do love … Continued
LOS ANGELES – If you think the fried beauty above looks good enough to eat, don’t worry, there’s a lot more like it coming to Chicago. Rich Labriola, the self-titled Chief Doughboy of the Chicago bakery bearing his name, is partnering with the venerable Stan’s Donuts of Westwood, CA, converting the former Skewerz space in … Continued
ASPEN, CO – There is always so much to see, taste and experience at the Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen, it’s hard to know where to begin. There are always two, distinctive programs – one for consumers, the other for the restaurant trade. It’s the latter I tend to focus on, since those … Continued
Ever wonder how some restaurants last a lifetime, and others can’t seem to make it past their 2nd birthday? As part of DePaul University’s continuing Lincoln Park Community Research Initiative, I’m going to try to find out for myself tonight. I’ll be leading a roundtable with the restaurateurs that somehow continue to make places like … Continued
I rarely get to go back to restaurants for a second or third time, due mostly to my schedule and constant – some would say frenetic – task of filing four stories per week for ABC 7. But every now and then I get to make a return visit, and it was with great pleasure … Continued
Every year, during the National Restaurant Show, seats are tough to nab in Chicago – at least downtown, where most of the visitors stay. Forget about holding a private event – most private dining rooms are booked by publicists, restaurateurs and manufacturers, hosting their clients and VIPs over the weekend. On Saturday, I got to … Continued
You could do just fine with a visit to Sauce & Bread Kitchen in Edgewater, and stick to the sandwiches. Or, if you were in a hurry, grab some of the hot sauces, maybe a bottle of chow chow (relish) and a loaf or two of the homemade bread. But you would certainly kick yourself … Continued