There's still time for white wine...

There is still time for white wine making class, that is.  Dan and I took one of these wine making classes at Round Barn Winery in SW Michigan (about an hour and a half from Chicago) a few years ago.  However, we took the red wine class and ended up making shiraz.  Unlike any other area wine making classes (in Chicago or in Michigan) that I have seen, you get to actually go out in the field with the winemakers, pick your own grapes and put them through the press.  At that time, you get to make some choices about some of the barrel age qualities your wine will express.  Then you come back in the Spring to bottle your wine, choose the amount of residual sugar to add back to your wine and sample some of the food and wine from the winery.  The final outcome is that you leave with 2 cases of wine and a very unique experience!

The Fall portion of these classes are taking place in the next two weeks and it looks like there is only room left in one of the white wine sessions this Sunday, October 4th.  Round Barn is also a fun stop for wine and beer tasting.

 Sign up below:

http://www.roundbarnwinery.com/winemaking_classes.php

Imperial Maple Oat Ale Limited Release

Peak Organic just announced that they have sent out a limited number of cask conditioned barrels of imperial maple oat ale (robust blend of malts, oats, and nice touch of maple at 9% abv) to select locations.  If you recall, the regular version of Peak's Maple Oat Ale was one of my favorite beers coming out of Binny's Beer Expo and an excellent choice for an Autumn seasonal beer.  Hopefully, some will land in Chicago.  I will keep my ears open.

Midwest Microfest at Park Grill

Head to this complimentary beer tasting at Park Grill on Saturday to try the best of Midwest craft beers hailing from Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. 
 No reservations required!


Featuring:


Dark Horse Brewery (Marshall, MI)


Lakefront Brewery (Milwaukee, WI)


Goose Island (Chicago, IL)


Metropolitan (Chicago, IL)


Two Brothers (Warrenville, IL)


Bell’s (Kalamazoo, MI)


Capital Brewery (Middleton, WI)


Three Floyds Brewery (Munster, IN)



The Plaza at Park Grill
South Tent

Saturday, October 3, 2009, 12-7 pm



Beer Tapping and Oktoberfest at Tonight at Piece

Piece has these informal seasonal events a few times each year to tap and premiere a new beer addition to their list.  I love Piece for both their pizza and their fantastic beer and find any evening spent there to be greatly enjoyable, so I definitely make a point to attend these events.  However, they do draw out a larger crowd than usual for a Tuesday night, so sometimes you have to wait for a table.  

I attended the summer beer release and so did a rep from most of the breweries that were represented - Three Floyds, Goose Island, etc.  They were all seated at one table and available for questions.  I love that these events aren't only about highlighting Piece's own seasonal releases, but about trying other local beers on a sampler (if you so choose).  The seasonal beer is also usually discounted by a dollar or two at the release party.

We always order a sampling of beers from a variety of breweries with our pizza and, to my knowledge, this is the only night you have this option available.  It makes for a fun and low-key evening and a chance to try beers you otherwise might not get around to (I tried Moonshine's first beer release here).  Tonight they tap their Oktoberfest beer and have a special Oktoberfest thuringer sausage pizza.  Yum.

Piece Oktoberfest Release - September 29th @8p

Piece Brewery
1923 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 
773-772-4422 

Harvest Fest at Chateau Chantal

Celebrate the Harvest at Chateau Chantal on Old Mission Pensinsula in Traverse City, MI this weekend.  Events include wine tasting and sales, grape stomping, and special events from 12-4p.  Wine tasting is open from 11a-7p.  Special cookbook memoir signing by winery founder Nadine Begin, local coffee, tea, and chocolate vendors on site.  You can also view the beautiful B&B rooms and the cellar.

Chateau Chantal

15900 Rue de Vin
Traverse City,  MI

Saturday, October 3rd,  12-4p
www.chateauchantal.com

The Only Gastronomic Beer

"The only gastronomic beer" is Ferran Adria's claim about the new beer he is producing with his El Bulli team in conjunction with Barcelona brewery Estrella Damm.  I found this tiny article about Chef Adria's new venture, called Inedit (http://www.estrelladamm.es/inedit/en/ferran-adria-beer.html; $11 for 750ml) sandwiched in the pages of the October 15, 2009 issue of "Wine Spectator."  The entire article can be found here:
"It's Not All Foam"

It seems that there is a culinary movement in chefs getting involved directly with breweries in creating their own signature beers and Ferran Adria certainly represents that this movement has touched even the highest order of celebrity chefs.  Locally, Paul Kahan of Chicago's The Publican collaborated with Michigan's New Holland Brewery this summer to come up with his own beer that was served at The Publican's August beer dinner.

Chicago Gourmet Recap

I attended Chicago Gourmet yesterday with my husband and a friend.  We arrived just in time to see Ted Allen and Maggie Daley kick off the event with a quick demonstration of an alternative Shrimp Scampi. My friend summed up the first demonstration perfectly in one statement - "less talking, more doing."  It was around this time that I also realized my camera battery was dead.  We took exactly one photo (top) before it conked out. There is Ted Allen and Fabio from Top Chef!  The other photo was taken on my friend's phone.

We left the Prizker Pavilion with the intention of getting back for another demonstration about 45 minutes later with Rick Bayless.  However, we were wooed further away than expected by the promise of a Gastropub food station, which we never did find.  We tried some good organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines from a Napa wine station.  Overall, the sales reps and vinters at this event were overwhelmingly friendly and eager to talk wine with anyone who stopped by.  There was so much going on that the lines were short and we never had to wait very long.  This is far cry from many wine tastings I have attended.  We also were able to quickly sample some food from Le Colonial, Sunda, and Red Light before making our way back to the Prizker Pavilion.

We rushed back to find the entire back of the stage was standing room only.  We could hear Rick Bayless speaking, but couldn't see anything.  This prompted Dan to go immediately to buy a copy of Rick's book "Mexican Everyday" prior to the book signing.  It was lucky that he did, since the books sold out before the signing began.  We did get our book signed and managed to get a quick photo on my friend's phone with Rick (and Marcus Samuelsson nearby), before wandering around to more food and wine stalls.

I have to say, the setup at this event was extremely impressive.  The makeshift demonstration kitchen set up on stage in the pavilion looked great and the tasting tents were thoroughly considered - floral design, lounge-style and banquet seating, even a photo booth in the Jim Beam tent.  Yes, there was liquor and beer,  too!  Three Floyd's, Blue Moon and Pilsner Urquell all had tents complete with small tasting glasses for you to keep.   My husband sampled more than a few of the mini-cocktails, but we tried to stick with wine for the most part.

We also did sit through exactly one seminar - well, not the entire thing.  We tried to attend a seminar on beer and food pairings, but it seemed more like a high school science class, with way too much time spent on molecular makeup of beer.  My husband homebrews, so it wasn't so much the subject matter that was off-putting, but I couldn't see how it related to food and beer pairings.  We ducked out after 45 minutes, hoping to sample a bit more food.  We were unable to event get close to Rick Bayless' food stall, since the hordes of people and long lines were prohibitive.  

Most of the food tents were taken down by that time, as it was nearing the end of the event.  My one criticism of the event would be the same as the one I heard coming out of last year's event - it wasn't extremely food-heavy and I had some trouble navigating the event with the giant brochure provided.  Some of the featured restaurant choices were a poor fit, such as Binnion's (Horseshoe Casino) complete with feathered showgirls standing near the stall.  However, I know there was more food there hiding somewhere...I kept seeing people pass with interesting looking dishes and desserts that I never saw at a food stall.

It was a fun event and definitely exciting to see some of the celebrity chefs hanging around, but if I ever attended again, I would spend some more time with the brochure and try to plot out the day a bit better.  It seemed like there were lots of interesting cooking demos and seminars going on and we just probably selected poorly.  There were some great and pricey wines available for tasting (the Terlato Wines International tent was a highlight) and most of the food we tasted was also pretty good.  My friend was even able to chat with the CEO of a vineyard she belongs to in Napa.  The entire event is a bit of sensory overload, with all of the food, wine, giveaways, gimmicks, etc., but totally worth the price of my Groupon ticket.  I only wish I could have attended both days.

James Beard Foundation Benefit Dinner

October 18, 2009

Join the chefs of Blackbird, avec and The Publican as well as Pamela Fitzpatrick of Fox & Obel, for a one-of-a kind benefit dinner supporting James Beard Foundation, celebrating, preserving and nurturing America’s culinary heritage and diversity

Chefs Becky Broeske, Koren Grieveson, Brian Huston, Paul Kahan and Mike Sheerin will team up to present a five-course meal. Pairings will feature Champagne Henriot, Napa Valley’s Blackbird Vineyards, Goose Island Beer Company and Three Floyds Brewing Co.

The cost is $125, tax and tip included
Reservations are required and can be made by calling The Publican at (312) 733-9555.

Weekend Food Events Around Chicago

Kind of last minute, but there are some events of 'food interest' this weekend.  First and foremost is Chicago Gourmet - a two day food and wine extravaganza.  The event includes celebrity cook demonstrations (Rick Bayless, Ted Allen, Alpana Singh), seminars, book signings, and, of course, food and wine tastings!  It is a somewhat pricey event to attend.  Tickets are $150+.  My attendance will be made possible by a Groupon sponsored coupon from about a week ago that made it possible to attend for almost half of the original price:)  I will take a camera.  Visit www.chicagogourmet.org for more info on tickets.

For those who want to get up-close-and-personal with Rick Bayless and cannot attend Chicago Gourmet, a friend just sent me an article from the "Chicago Reader" on a Frontera Fiesta and Garden Tour.  The event takes place on Saturday, September 26th, from 11:30a-2:30p and includes a guided tour through Rick Bayless' three-lot urban organic garden from which he sources some of the produce used on the menu at his restaurants.  The tour is followed by a private three-course meal at Frontera.  The price tag is $85.

Email aiwf-chicago@sbcglobal.net or call 312-661-1434 for more information on the Frontera Fiesta.

Also, catch Top Chef's Stephanie Izard at Moonshine's Rib-A-Que Smoke-out on Saturday, written about in a previous blog from this week, or check out a Fall favorite at St Alphonsus Church - Oktoberfest!  Oktoberfest is happening all weekend and features a little German music, food and beer, along with a lot of the typical street fest fare.  It's fun all the same.  Hours are as follows:

Sept 25: 5p-10p

Sept 26: 12p - 10p

Sept 27:12p-6:30pSuggested donation is $5.  St Alphonsus is located at 3000 N Lincoln Ave at Lincoln and Southport Avenues.

Another Note on Black Star Farms

I know Iron Chef Mario Batali is a summer resident of Northport, Michigan and have many reports of him frequenting the vineyards (such as L. Mawby) of the Leelanau Wine Trail in Michigan and attending various food and wine events throughout the summer.  This is a testament to my shameless snooping and chatting up the people who work in the tasting rooms.


My parents were recently at the Black Star Farms tasting room in Traverse City and struck up a conversation with the wine pourer.  He said that Mario now supplies the pizzas for the cafe at the Suttons Bay location of Black Star Farms.  I haven't been able to find any info on this development online, so this news is unconfirmed, but will certainly be stopping in next time I am in the area.  I posted an article on this blog recently from the Huffinton Post on the evolving 'foodie' culture in northern Michigan and Mario was interviewed on the topic.  

Haunted Vineyard at Black Star Farms

Though I won't be making the 5 hour trip from Chicago to northern Michigan to check it out this year, I certainly wish I could.  What an amazing idea from one of my favorite vineyards to visit - a haunted hayride on the vineyard!

Starting October 2nd, the hayride will take place at the Suttons Bay location leaving from the Hearth and Vine Cafe every Friday and Saturday in October from 6p-10p.  Pizza, wine and mulled cider will be available.  

A $25 gift certificate for use in any of Blackstar Farms tasting rooms or at the Inn will be issued to each volunteer  per evening.  

Call Jill Ryan at 231-360-0134 for more details and to sign up for volunteering. 

Black Star Farms
10844 E Reyvold Road
Suttons Bay, MI
www.blackstarfarms.com 

Metromix Beer Event at Brasserie JO

Get tickets now for October, 14th, 6-8 PM

Metromix and Brasserie JO are partnering up to bring you more than 40 beers for only $22.  Sample beers from all over the world! 

Get your tickets now at Ticket Leap: www.ticketleap.com Keyword Brasserie JO

View complete list of participating breweries.

2nd Annual Jack Daniels Rib-A-Que at Moonshine

Moonshine Parking Lot
1824 W Division
Saturday, September 26th
12p-6p

This rib cook-off, which is cohosted by Socca, is the closest thing to a Food Network style competition that you will find in Chicago.  The event includes competitors from 16 area restaurants, Chicago's Sweet Baby Ray's, and Kendall College Culinary School all putting their recipes to the test for you to determine the winner (along with celebrity judges Stephanie Izard - winner of Bravo's "Top Chef" and Chris Koetke - Dean of Culinary Arts at Kendall College.)

Moonshine will be serving $5 Jack Daniel’s Lynchburg Lemonade and Downhome Punch and $4 beer/$12 pitchers of their own hand-crafted beers from Brew Master Rev. Bob Kitrell.

Tickets are $25 in advance/ $35 at the door
www.ticketweb.com or call Moonshine at 773.862.8686

BIN 36 Fall Harvest - Blend Your Own Wine

Blend a custom wine under the guidance of wine director Brian Duncan. Includes grape juices from Hahn Estates, an opportunity to design a label, wine and appetizers
Participants may also order a case of their custom blend ($180) or a six pack ($95), which is delivered to your home approximately six weeks later.


When: October 4 : 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
RSVP required, includes lots of harvest munchies and BIN 36 wines.
Event Phone Number: 312-755-9463
Buy tickets at http://brianhalltest.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product68.html

Bacon Infused Beer - Seriously!

My friend just sent me an article about the debut of Brooklyn Brewery's Reinschweinsgebot bacon-infused beer.  I have tasted smoked beers, but never heard of one that was literally infused with smoked pork product.  Brooklyn Brewery's version is produced using some amazing process that transfers the aroma of Benton's Country Smokehouse Bacon without any of the actual fat.  Impressive!  

In a quick Google search, I came across some homebrew recipes for bacon beer, complete with step-by-step photos of bacon in the frying pan, but something tells me that in these recipes the bacon grease is somehow making it's way into the finished product. 

Brooklyn Brewery produced only 21 cases for limited distribution, so as with all good things, you will have to wait - or more likely do without.  The beer was made available during a beer pairing dinner at New York's Per Se restaurant last Friday at a cost of $350 per head.  In the meantime, check out "Beer Advocate" for a list of smoked beers that you can try for a quick fix.  

Binny's carries a complete line Brooklyn Brewery's beers that are in distribution.  In keeping with the season, I suggest Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale or Brooklyn Oktoberfest.

Drink Well, Do Good

3rd Annual Festiv-Ale presented by Half Acre Beer Company 

Friday, October 02, 2009

6:30 PM - 10:30 PM

Chicago, IL

The event, at the newly opened Half Acre Beer Company in the Northcenter neighborhood, will bring together beer enthusiasts to sample hand crafted, high end beers from over 12 of the Midwest’s finest vendors. Tickets are $50 for regular entry and $75 for the VIP reception. Included in the ticket price are all you can eat heavy appetizers and unlimited beer tastings. This event also features silent and live auctions and Towers of Beer raffles.

Proceeds to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

To purchase tickets: www.chicagofestivale.com

For more information:

Name: Liz Burke

Position: Special Event Director

Email: eburke@cff.org

Phone: 312-236-4491

Fax: 312-236-2797

Anheuser-Busch to unveil an India Pale Ale

Will craft beer lovers take the bait and try an artisanal style beer from a mainstream brewer?

Check out the article from St Louis Today - 

Why rye? Anheuser-Busch gets set to unveil an India Pale Ale

Oktoberfest at Flossmoor Station

Flossmoor Station in Flossmoor, IL will host an Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 3rd.   There will be outdoor grilling from noon until 4p with Bratwurst, Knockwurst, Bavarian Pretzels and more on the menu.  The outdoor beer menu has $4 pints of Munich Dunkel, Hefeweizen and Dortmunder.  A traditional German lunch and dinner menu specials will also be available inside the restaurant.

There will be a special bottle release of Collaborative Evil for $12 a bottle beginning at 11a.  You can get your numbered line ticket at the hostess desk upon arrival.  12 bottle limit per person.

Flossmoor Station is a just a short Metra trip on the University Park line from Chicago!

1035 Sterling Avenue
Flossmoor, IL

Also at Sheffield's...Great Lakes Brewery Beer Dinner

Sheffield’s Beer School is teaming up with Great Lakes Brewery for a special beer dinner on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 7 p.m. The four-course, German style meal will feature six beers at $60 per person. The beer pairings presented at this dinner will include the following:

• Dortmunder Gold | Reception Beer

• Elliot Ness Amber Lager | Paired with a charcuterie platter consisting of sausages (smoked bratwurst, liverwurst, wild game sausage, etc.), cheeses, cornichons, and pumpernickel/rye bread accompanied with Dusseldorf mustard.

• Oktoberfest | Paired with German beer soup.

• Grand Cru | Paired with the classic German “Choucroute” consisting of house-smoked pork loin, sauerkraut, apples, and potatoes in savory juices.

• Glockenspiel | Paired with a dessert of warm, fresh doughnut bites with XX (assorted dipping sauces).

• Blackout Stout | Conclusion Beer - guests will receive a complimentary snifter glass of this Great Lakes stout.

Starts at 7:00 p.m. at Sheffield’s Lakeview location. Call for your reservation today – (773) 281-4989.

Sheffield's Annual Octoberfest

Sheffield's celebrates Octoberfest on Saturday, September 19th from 3p-6p by serving up beer, brats, pretzels and music from the Polkaholics.  A sampling of beers will be available.


On Draft:
Great Lakes Oktoberfest
Bell's Octoberfest

In Bottles:
Paulaner Oktoberfest
Spaten Oktoberfest

On Tap in the Beer School Bar
Lefthand Oktoberfest
3 Floyd's Gorch Folch
Metropolitian Krankshaft Kolsch
3 Floyd's Munsterfes


3258 N. Sheffield Avenue, Chicago, Illinois

North Coast Brewery Tasting at the Bluebird

Sample thirteen beers from North Coast Brewery in Fort Bragg, CA at the Bluebird on Tuesday, September 22nd from 7:30-9:30p.  The beer line up is as follows:

Red Seal Ale, Scrimshaw Pilsner, Blue Star Wheat Beer, Old No. 38 Stout, Acme IPA, The Pranqster Belgian-style Golden Ale, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, Barrel Aged Old Rasputin, Le Merle Belgian-style Farmhouse Ale, Brother Thelonius Belgian-style Abbey Ale, AND a two year vertical of the Old Stock Ale: both the 2008 and 2009.

North Coast's XX Anniversary Ale, a belgian style ale brewed with agave, will also be poured.  This beer has never been poured in Chicago and is not for sale in Illinois.  

Flatbreads and snacks will be served. Price is $25 per person. Reservations are required. Email info@bluebirdchicago.com

Online Wine and Beer Notes

I am a little late in the game in joining the world of online beverage notes.  I started keeping wine notes in a moleskine journal about 3 years ago at the suggestion of a wine purveyor from Randolph Wine Cellars who felt that drinking and recording was the best way to learn.  For me, it is a bit more of an obsessive/compulsive thing that I do now as a matter of habit whenever I pop a bottle open at home.  I am a "recorder" and note taker by nature, so this practice lends itself to my personality.  However, in doing so, I have learned a thing or two about how both the taste and perception of any given wine is ever evolving and dependent on umpteen variables.  Comparing notes on the same wine across vintages or the same vintage over time is always interesting.

I was recently at an informal beer tasting at a friend's home and he was taking beer notes on his iPhone and uploading them directly to the Internet.  His friend was taking notes the old fashioned way in a journal with the intent of uploading them to the same website.  I mentioned that I keep wine notes, but am not very good with beer notes (stemming from a deep felt insecurity with my ability to identify such flavors as 'band aid' - a legitimate, albeit unsavory note).  They asked about which website I use for my wine notes, which made me realize I wasn't even aware of a site that would allow users to keep 'online notes.'  Now I am.  Here are a few:

Wine Notes:
www.logabottle.com
www.grapemojo.com
www.corkd.com

Beer Notes:
www.MyBeerNotes.com

MK Small Plate and Goose Island Beer Pairing - September 15th

Time: 6pm
Date: September 15th
Location: MK
868 N. Franklin
Chicago, IL 60610
312.482.9179
Cost: $25

Enjoy 3 appetizers paired with 3 Goose Island Beers.

Menu:

Frito Misto ( zucchini, lemon, green olives)- paired with Sofie

Frog legs, chanterelle mushrooms, leeks and fermented black garlic puree- paired with Matilda

Seared pork belly, caraway scented brussel sprouts and beer braised pearl onions- paired with Demolition

Slow Food Chicago Hosts Harvest Dinner at Socca

TomatoFest Finale-Harvest Dinner At Socca
Chef Roger Herring celebrates the end of Chicago TomatoFest (a Harvest event celebrating heirloom tomatoes) with a dinner at Socca. Chef Herring, along with other chefs from around the city, will serve bites of their Old School BLT’s featuring the last of their local heirloom tomatoes. Candid Wines will provide wine and sangria.

Where: Socca,
3301 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657

When: Sunday September 20
Time 4-7 PM.

Cost: $60 includes wine and sangria form Candid Wine

For Reservations: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/81832

Required Reading for Land Shark Lager Oyster Fest

Today's "Get Schooled" feature in the RedEye is conveniently about oysters.  Since Landshark Lager Oyster Fest is fast approaching (September 19th from 11a to 10p, 2000 W Roscoe St at Damen Ave), it is good preliminary reading for the weekend ahead.

"Get Schooled: Oysters"

Delilah's Fourth Annual Oktoberfest & Pumpkin Beer Tasting

These people know their beer.  I only have been to one Belgian tasting here back in February, but it was pretty serious stuff.

"...an Autumn tasting of all possible Octoberfest beers -- including an Ayinger Oktoberfest 5 Year Vertical, as well as all possible pumpkin beers."

Some of the breweries represented will be: Ayinger, Becks Paulaner, Spaten, Hofbrau, Summit, Goose Island, O'Fallon, Southern Tier, New Holland, Lakefront

Bottles and samples will be available.

5-9pm, No cover
Tuesday, 9/29

Delilah's
2771 N Lincoln
773-472-2771

A Little More on Peak Organic

I am pretty taken with Peak Organic's website and decided to write more about them.  It seems the people behind this brewery are quite committed to all things local, sustainable and Fair Trade.  Good Karma.  Also, for those who claim red wine is a 'health drink' because of antioxidants (I am one of those people), you will love the fact that they have a Pomegranate Wheat Ale with Acai.  If that isn't a health tonic, I don't know what is:)  Unfortunately, I only tried the Maple Oat Ale and none of their other beers when I had the perfect opportunity.  Maybe Dan has something to say about the others he tasted.  Here are some additional notes on the Maple Oat Ale from their website:

The Maple Oat Ale is brewed with Maine-grown organic oats from granola company GrandyOats and Vermont-produced organic maple syrup from Butternut Mountain Farms in Morrisville, Vermont. The beer is in support of Chefs Collaborative, the nation's leading culinary organization that provides its members with tools for running economically healthy, sustainable food service businesses.

The Maple Oat Ale is a copper-colored ale with a soft, dynamic mouth feel from the organic oats and a subtle hint of sweetness in the finish from the organic maple syrup.

Binny's Beer Expo Recap

We went to Binny's Beer Expo last night and just wanted to quickly recap a couple of highlights.  People were pretty irritated with the general lack of organization surrounding the event, but that isn't really relevant.  There was a good mix of beer distributors and brewers represented at the event and plenty of time to speak to the reps and taste a huge variety of beers.

Tracy from Metropolitan Brewery in Chicago was at the event, so we made a beeline for her first and were able to try the new Kolsch style beer that we had heard about when we visited their brewery in July before she ran out.  It is currently on tap at some of the more beer-serious bars around Chicago, including Map Room and Delilah's.

My favorite beer of the evening was an odd choice for me personally, as I tend toward hop heavy and "big" beers.  I absolutely fell in love with Peak Organic's Maple Oat Ale.  It was such a unique flavor and stood out from most oatmeal beers, which are usually stouts.  It was light in color and body and definitely had a nice oaty, malty flavor.  Also, the maple was subtle...not disgustingly sweet.  I have already asked Dan if he will pleeeaaase brew something similar this autumn.

Final topic of note - I spoke to the rep from Half Acre about their plans for the new Lincoln Square location.  I found out that they will be opening a tasting room in October!  I added my name to their mailing list, so I will post a note about it when it finally opens.

Sunday Supper: A Head-to-Tail Event at Bluprint

Bluprint will host a five-course pig dinner prepared by four leading Midwest Chefs on Sunday in an effort to raise awareness for and in support of local farms in Illinois and Wisconsin.

The evening will begin at 6pm with a beer reception courtesy of Three Floyd’s Brewing Co. followed by
dinner at 6:30pm.  The dinner is BYOB.


The chefs are:
-Sam Burman, Bluprint

-Christopher Eley, Goose the Market
-Chris Pandel, The Bristol
-Jared Van Camp, Old Town Social

RSVP required (312-410-9800) 
Cost is $40

Dogfish Head Chicha

I was looking for some beer notes today on Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale, when I happened across this item on their newest ancient ale - Chicha.  Coincidentally, the New York Times published an article on this particular release today.  Needless to say, I was completely sidetracked by this much more interesting topic.

Dogfish Head's Chicha is based on the traditional Peruvian chicha - a fermented corn beverage dating back to the Inca.  Now to the interesting part...chicha traditionally is made by chewing corn to a pulp and then spitting the mixture into a vat of warm water.

Dogfish head has stayed true to form!  Watch the video from the people at Dogfish Head on their brewing process and read the article "Chew It Up, Spit It Out, Then Brew. Cheers!" in today's New York Times.

Unfortunately, for those whose interest is peaked, you will not be seeing Dogfish Head's Chicha in the Midwest anytime soon.  According to the Dogfish Head website, "this beer is a Brewpub Exclusive beer that was released on 9/8/09 and will be available until it's gone. Due to its limited availability, Chicha is not available in growlers."

Windy City Wine Festival

September is typically heavy with wine events in both Chicago and the suburbs.  Two of the larger and more established wine festivals take place in Chicago this weekend - Old Town Crush, Music and Comedy Fest (formerly known as Wine Crush in Old Town) and the Windy City Wine Festival.  I will focus on the latter, as I attended last year and it will probably be my choice again this year.

The Fifth Annual Windy City Wine Festival takes place on September 11th and 12th in Daley Bicentennial Plaza in Grant Park.  Tickets are $25 dollars in advance (purchase by 9/10/09 online) and $30 at the entrance and include a souvenir wine glass and ten tastings, as well as entrance to various seminars and demonstrations.  Additional tasting tickets can be purchased at the festival for $5 for 10 tastings.  From my experience, you will never need to purchase those additional tastings, because many vendors never bothered to take tickets.  We also ran into a number of people giving away extra tasting tickets as they were leaving, simply because they weren't handing them in to vendors.  Maybe they will have their act together this year.

The website for the event boasts samplings of 250 wines from around the world, though your experience may vary wildly from tent to tent.  At one tent, we spoke to an enthusiastic vendor from Spain last year (the rep had actually flown in from Spain for the event) who was more than willing to let us try and discuss every wine she had to offer when she understood that we had a particular interest in Spanish wines and familiarity with the various regions.  At the next tent, the wine was suspiciously similar to Boone's Farm - and this is coming from someone who is not entirely adverse to fruit wine.  I am from Michigan afterall:)

I checked out the list of participating vineyards this year and it looks pretty good.  I am excited to see Sebastiani Vineyards, which I visited in Sonoma a few years ago, and Cline Cellars.  There are at least two local Illnois vineyards, which I haven't yet visited or tried, but are on my list.  I am happy to see Gekkeikan Sake will be there, too, as we are fans of Gekkeikan Horin. 

For more details and to purchase advance tickets, visit http://www.windycitywinefestival.com/.

The 30 Greatest Chicago Burgers

Chicago Magazine's September issue is dedicated to burgers - more specifically the best to be found on Chicagoland menus in establishments ranging from fine dining restaurants (Custom House) to taverns dedicated to the cause (Kuma's Corner).  "A Thick and Juicy Guide to Chicago's 30 Best Burgers" considers the burger in it's many forms and ranks them as follows:

1. Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook; 847-205-4433)
2. HotChocolate (1747 N. Damen Ave.; 773-489-1747)
3. Kuma’s Corner (2900 W. Belmont Ave.; 773-604-8769)
4. Custom House (500 S. Dearborn St., 312-523-0200)
5. Marc Burger (Macy’s, 111 N. State St., 7th floor; 312-781-3693)
6. Naha (500 N. Clark St.; 312-321-6242)
7. Abigail’s Bistro (493 Roger Williams Ave., Highland Park; 847-849-1009)
8. Top Notch Beefburgers (2116 W. 95th St.; 773-445-7218)
9. David Burke’s Primehouse (The James, 616 N. Rush St.; 312-660-6000)
10. Cortland’s Garage (1645 W. Cortland St.; 773-862-7877)
11. That’s-A-Burger (2134 E. 71st St.; 493-2080)
12. Bull & Bear (431 N. Wells St.; 312-527-5973)
13. The Capital Grille (633 N. St. Clair St., 312-337-9400)
14. Hop Häus (7545 N. Clark St.; 773-262-3783)
15. District Bar (170 W. Ontario St.; 312-337-3477)
16. Zak’s Place (112 S. Washington St., Hinsdale, 630-323-9257)
17. Duchamp (2118 N. Damen Ave.; 773-235-6434)
18. Small Bar (2049 W. Division St.; 773-772-2727)
19. Flub a Dub Chub (3021 N. Broadway; 773-857-6500)
20. Erwin (2925 N. Halsted St.; 773-528-7200)
21. Cross-Rhodes (913 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 847-475-4475)
22. Nightwood (2119 S. Halsted St.; 312-526-3385)
23. Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (60 E. Grand St. 312-379-5637)
24. Paradise Pup (1724 S. River Rd., Des Plaines; 847-699-8590)
25. Yoshi’s Cafe (3257 N. Halsted St.; 773-248-6160)
26. Bin 36 (339 N. Dearborn St.; 312-755-9463)
27. Five Guys (2140 N. Clybourn St.; 773-327-5953)
28. Moody’s Pub (5910 N. Broadway, 773-275-2696)
29. Epic Burger (517 S. State St.; 312-913-1373)
30. The Assembly (2570 Hassell Rd., Hoffman Estates; 847-843-3993)

Vote for your favorite on Chicago Magazine's website now and get the full story in the September issue currently on newstands.

Note: Top Notch Beefburgers also recommended by Chef Ryan Poli of Perennial in the article "Chefs' Top Cheap Eats" in the September issue of Food & Wine magazine.

What to do with a bottle of White Zin?

Recently, a large (1.5 liter) bottle of White Zinfandel appeared on my kitchen counter.  I will not go into further detail of how this bottle came to be in my home in order to protect the innocent (i.e. - my sister).  I do love rose and pink blends, but most people would agree that there is a fine line between rose and White Zinfandel.  I would say there is a wide berth. 

The bottle has been sitting on my counter now for a month. I can't throw it out (I am too frugal) and I can't regift it (I am too proud).  So I am left to come up with a creative use.  Easier said than done.

My own initial thought was to cook with the wine, others noted that this wine is probably too sugary for cooking.  I haven't ruled it out altogether, as I occasionally cook with sherry or port. 

The best suggestion so far has been to make a "pinkish" sangria with lots of fruit and even watermelon.  This is an inspired suggestion!  Thanks to the person who suggested it.  You know who you are, smartie pants. 

I thought this might be the perfect weekend to creatively disguise the wine as sangria and bring it to a party.  In searching for a recipe, I came across a Chowhound blog with the very same topic!  It was both hilarious and informative, even including a suggestion for strawberry jello using White Zin.  Below is by far my favorite recipe:

One bottle of white zin.
Two med size carrots.

Slice both carrots into medium sticks. Simmer one of the carrots in the white zin for about 5 minutes.

Throw the white zin/carrot mix out and eat the remaining fresh carrot sticks with a sauce of choice and a glass of good chilled Pouilly Fume.

Also, if you find yourself in a similar dilemma, check out the attached Chowhound article with a recipe for White Zin Jello. 

"Strawberry white merlot 'Jell-o' ... I outdid Martha Stewart"

First Oysters of the Season

Crystal and I celebrated September as the official start of oyster season by going to Shaw's at 21 E Hubbard. Shaw's has a daily happy hour Monday through Friday between 4 and 6pm where they serve 1/2 priced oysters.

Shaw's was serving 12 different brands of oysters. Six from the Crassostrea gigas and six from the Crassostrea virginica species. Unforunately, no Kumomotos (Crassostrea sikamea). The Oysters were all delicious and after 3 dozen we could have kept going had we not hit the 6 o'clock hour.

Below are the Oysters that I remember:
Wianno (C. virginica), Cape Cod Bay,
Quonset Point (C. virginica), Narragansett Bay,
Barron Point (C. gigas), Skookum Inlet, WA
Eld Inlet (C. gigas), Eld Inlet, WA
Salt Aire (C. virginica), Prince Edward Island
Coromandel (C. gigas), Coromandel, NZ

We ordered the Chef's Choice sampler (twice) so we could both taste one of each oyster. We followed that up by ordering six of the Wianno and six of the Barron Point. Though they were all good, we decided the winner of the day was the C. gigas, specifically Barron Point.

The Barron Point oysters were extremely creamy with just the right amount of mineral and salt flavor.

To accompany our oyster dinner we started with the Allagash White Ale which was good. After our beer we went with a white wine flight that was meant to pair with the oysters. The flight consisted of three wines. I don't remember the vineyards but we had a Muscadet and Fume Blanc. The third escapes me. After reviewing their online menu, I noticed they serve L. Mawby's Blanc de Blanc. Had I seen that I would have choosen that wine. Great Sparkling Winery in Northern Michigan.

I would recommend those who love oysters and those who want to be a little more adventurous to try Shaw's. I only had two complaints with Shaw's: the uncut foot of the oyster and the slow service. The first dozen and the last dozen were perfectly shucked but the middle dozen were pretty much all still connected to the half shell. The service was a little slow as it took 20-30 minutes between orders but watching the amount of Oysters those two guys were shucking I can see why and I was willing to forgive. I think to make up time they weren't finishing off the shuck. We were in no rush so during our wait we were able to sit back, talk, and enjoy our food, wine, beer, and love.

Binny's Beer Expo

Next Thursday is Binny's Beer expo at the South Loop location.  The tasting includes over 150 beers, including seasonal and specialty brews from local and international producers. This is Binny's largest beer tasting event of the year. 

$15 w/Binny's card
$20 w/o Binny's card

Thursday, September 10th, 6-8p
Binny's South Loop

Call (312)768-4400 or email southloop@binnys.com for reservations.

I also noticed that they are conveniently having a Midwestern Craft Beer sale from now through September 30th.  Check out the link below for selection and prices.  I am so happy to see that they now have Uncle John's hard ciders and a huge selection of Jolly Pumpkin beers - more than what was offered for take-out at the brewery in Old Mission.

http://www.binnys.com/pages/?pid=33615

A Good Wine for $6.99

In honor of all the parties around town this weekend, I thought I would highlight a nice value red wine that you can feel comfortable bringing to a friend's house.  I can't take credit for sniffing this one out...I leave that to the experts at Food & Wine magazine (September 2009, "California's Top Wine for $15 or Less").  Though our wine cabinet is overstocked with souvenirs from our recent trip, I couldn't pass by this Trader Joe's F&W pick last week on my grocery trip.  And the final verdict is that I loved it!

The 2007 TBD Rouge from Trader Joe's is a Zin-dominant blend and listed in the "Ultra-Value Wines: Great Bottles for $7 & Less" section of this article.  For more wine options for under $15, check out the entire article in Food & Wine magazine at
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/california-top-wines-for-15-dollars-and-less

Oink, Moo & Brew on Labor Day Weekend

The Red Canary will host a Labor Day BBQ on Sunday, September 6th.  The cost is $20 and includes BBQ, $2 domestic drafts and $3 drafts.  Since the Red Canary bills itself as a 'gastro-lounge,' those draft beers should be pretty good.  I did a quick check of the draft list and it looks like most of their noteworthy beers are found on the bottle list.  The current draft list online is very limited, listing only four draft beers - 312, Guinness Stout, Lagunitas IPA and Stella. 
http://www.theredcanarychicago.com/

In Celebration of September

I must have really poor timing.  My newfound interest in oysters started in May when I picked up a copy of Sex, Death & Oysters: A Half-Shell Lovers World Tour.  Why I decided to work up my oyster appetite by reading this book in May, the first month without an R, is a mystery for the ages.  I suppose the dramatic title seemed appropriate for summer reading.  However, oysters can be safely eaten in any month of the year, depending on their source.  The book is an anecdotal journey of one food journalist's travels around the world with the sole intent of consuming oysters and oyster culture.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes travelogues/food-logues.

I haven't abstained from oysters until September and have been enjoying them intermittantly throughout the summer.  My husband has even taken up shucking fresh oysters from Whole Foods.  However, now that prime oyster season (the prime season actually shifts from month to month, depending on the variety of oyster and the water tempurature where it is sourced) is upon us, I thought it fitting to post a couple of oyster events in the Chicago area.

"The Landshark Lager Oyster Fest," formerly known as the "Guinness Oyster Fest," takes place on Saturday, September 19th from 11a to 10p in Roscoe Village.  This event is controversial in the minds of many Chicagoans.  Some say they wouldn't dare eat an oyster in this setting, given the conditions of a street festival.  Plus, they have run out of oysters in the past, so it is recommended you attend early.  I haven't attended "Guinness Oyster Fest" since it was located on Division Street years ago and I think I only had an oyster or two.  I was there late, there were still oysters and they were a bit dried out and nothing to write home about, but all the more reason you should get there early if you are interested in actually trying any oysters.  I know I wouldn't miss it.

Shaw's Crab House hosts "Royster with the Oyster" at their oyster bar for a week in October, with a kick-off party at Goose Island on October 15th and a tent party at Shaw's on October 23rd.  Shaw's also has a daily happy hour with half-price oysters at the bar from 4-6p.  Keep in mind that Shaw's was voted "2009 Best Oysters in Chicago" by Chicago Magazine! 

Happy September.