Media Digest for the week of January 21, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Fat: Daring new book salutes a misunderstood nutrient...James P. DeWan explores the new book Fat, in which author Jennifer McLagan reports that the "best computer projections generated by fat researchers reveal that a low-fat diet may add a mere two weeks to our life . . ." Several recipes from the book are provided, as are some Sources for hard-to-find ingredients, which are covered in the book. Comparing breakdowns of different animal fats excerpts an informative chart from the book.

Bill Daley: Wines to ring in Year of the Ox...Mr. Daley reports on what local experts recommend pairing up with 7 dishes that are traditionally served at Chinese New Year celebrations.

Health watch: Agave nectar offers a sweet alternative...in this special to the Tribune, Zak Stambor reports that agave nectar may provide some limited nutritional advantages over refined sweetners.

Appetizing memories...Joe Gray files a brief, favorable review of Marcella Hazan's latest book, her memoir, entitled Amarcord—Marcella Remembers.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Waste not (want not)...in this thoughtful piece, which was inspired by current global economic conditions, LTH contributor Leah A. Zeldes explains how tough times can inspire resourcefulness and creativity in the kitchen. A couple of applicable recipes are provided, including one from Zeldes' grandmother and another from Doris Wagner's Dining During the Depression, which is cited in the piece.

Botox in a bowl...Lisa Donovan checks out a few locally-served versions of Bird's Nest Soup, which is reputed to be a powerful elixir.

Lower your food bill while prices rise...self-described SupermarketGuru Phil Lempert provides some fairly obvious advice for keeping food costs down.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the January 15 edition:
Toledo tries to reinvent itself with solar energy...Dave Hoekstra reports that even as Toledo tries to shake off its rust, local icon Tony Packo's remains a constant.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of January 21, 2009

From the January 22 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

Black Noodles and Other Delights...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula tracks down local sources for the cuisine of the Shandong ren (Chinese-Koreans or in this case Chinese-Korean-Chicagoans), including a wildly popular and somewhat mythical Korean-ized Chinese noodle dish known as cha chiang mian.

Comfort in a Pot...brief reviews of "thirteen Asian noodle joints," with submissions by the aforementioned Sula, as well as fellow LTHers David Hammond and Kristina Meyer.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's edition of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby report that the Terragusto team will debut a second restaurant this coming Friday. The dish duo also interview Paula Haney, proprietor of Hoosier Mama Pie Company. Among other topics, Haney discusses the upcoming, March opening of her company's first retail store, which will be located on W. Chicago Avenue.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

At the time of this entry, TOC's new content for the week had not yet been posted at their web site. Please, check back later for updates.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

Eat your way to prosperity with Chinese New Year menu...food editor Deborah Pankey lists a few dishes that are said to bring prosperity in the new year and provides several recipes from Ying Stoller, "a Gurnee resident who grew up in Harbin in China's northern Heilongjiang Province," and author of Ying's Chinese Cookbook, Authentic but Simple.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

In this installment of Booze Muse, Ernest Barteldes reports that Brazilian cachaça, which is gaining popularity in the U.S., is no longer just a poor man's drink.
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Media Digest for the week of January 28, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Flavor first...Emily Nunn profiles Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, and takes an in-depth look at the couple's newest book: The Flavor Bible. A couple recipes from the book are included, as is this side bar: Food matches made in heaven.

Malbec's star turn...Bill Daley asserts that if you're not already a fan of this distinctive, Argentine red, you will be soon.

Prep School: Hollandaise...in this installment, James P. DeWan provides background and instruction on this 'mother' sauce. A recipe is provided, as well as a list of sauces that are based on hollandaise: The hollandaise family.

How to drink an avocado...in this special to the Tribune, Jeremy N. Smith touts ". . . sinh to bo, a sweet, rich, satisfying avocado shake," which is popular among the Vietnamese immigrant community.

Calendar...Elizabeth Schiele previews the week's upcoming events in food.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Tony's kind of menu...LTH contributor Louisa Chu chronicles her time shooting No Reservations in Chicago last August with Tony Bourdain. The Chicago episode will air on Monday February 2 at 9 pm CT on The Travel Channel.

80,000 to feed...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller reports on how Levy Restaurants' chef and vice president Ron Krivosik is gearing up for the Super Bowl, where he'll be in charge of the food. A recipe for Blue Crab Dip is included.

Going whole hog...Lisa Shames reports on the growing popularity of offal at area restaurants, including Vie, Mado, The Bristol and The Publican. Included are a couple of applicable recipes and a shopping guide. Also provided is Offal for first-timers.

Sunchoke brightens winter pantry...Lisa Donovan provides some background on Sunchokes and a recipe, which incorporates them.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news can be found here.

From the January 27 edition:
McDonald's same-store sales recession-proof...Cheryl V. Jackson reports that McDonald's seems to be weathering the current economic downturn, via menu rationalization, among other strategies.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of January 28, 2009

From the January 29 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

What's New...this week's Reader focuses on some newer spots, with early reviews of the new Trader Vic's and La Trattoria del Merlo by LTH contributor Mike Sula, as well as a review of Farmerie 58 by Anne Spiselman.

New Too...brief reviews of 10 additional new eateries, with contributions by the aforementioned Sula, as well as fellow LTHers Gary Wiviott and David Hammond. Martha Bayne files as well.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's installment of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby report on an upcoming line of chocolate shoes from Rieko Wada, a graduate of the French Pastry School.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Aping Achatz...Jordana Rothman reports on the attempts by 3 "renegade chefs" out of New York to duplicate the Alinea - Per Se Mentor Protege Dinners. Good luck with that.

Three-way...Heather Shouse reports on what 3 area restaurants are currently doing with sausage.

Hot sauce: Songbird...David Tamarkin touts this new cocktail from Brad Bolt at Bar DeVille.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

At the time of this entry no new, locally-originating content had been posted at the Herald's web site this week.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Bowling for Eats: A few tips for catering your Super Bowl party...in this week's 'new look' New City, LTH contributor Mike Nagrant identifies some of his favorite places around town to pick up great grub for a Super Bowl party.
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Media Digest for the week of February 4, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Fish on ice...in this special to the Tribune, Monica Kass Rogers goes inside the world of ice-fishing. Several related recipes are provided, as are these resources for Finding ice-fishing guides, a brief synopsis of the Rules on the ice and this blurb about Ice-fishing derbies. Also posted a list of a few Area shops to call for lake fish.

A foodie wish list for President Obama...Monica Eng rounds up several local opinions about what President Obama can do to help improve our national food situation.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

A touch of class...Lynne Marek surveys the local wine education scene. Included is a list of several places around town that offer wine classes.

Don't be chicken -- use it all...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller explains the benefits of buying and using whole chickens, as opposed to parts. Included is a streamed video, in which Vie's sous chef Nathan Sears demonstrates breaking down a chicken. A couple of chef Sears' recipes are also provided.

Mexican Coke: It's the real thing...Lisa Donovan taps into a beverage that many LTHers have been praising for years.

Doughnuts with an edge...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant takes a look at -- and taste of -- some of Kirsten Anderson's wares at Bite Cafe. A list of venues where they can be purchased is also provided.

Glenview laid foundation for food experiences...in this week's At the Chef's Table segment, chef John Bubala gives a tip of the toque to his North-Suburban roots and explains how his childhood food experiences influenced him professionally. And yes, he even mentions the "Bomber" at Spiro's, which is legendary.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news, compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the February 2 edition:
Valentine Day less sweet on Saturday...Cheryl V. Jackson explains that even though it's extremely convenient for diners, restaurateurs don't do as well when Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday, as it does this year.

Something to sink your teeth into at Martini Park...Ms. Jackson reports on the new menu roll-out at this Loop outpost.

From the January 30 edition:
Packin' a lot of meat: Bacon explodes into Internet phenom...Kara Spak takes a look at this viral internet phenomenon.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of February 4, 2009

In this week's Chicago Reader:

The Rogers Park & West Ridge Issue - Restaurants...reviews of over 90 restaurants in these 2 North Side neighborhoods -- sorted by ethnicity -- with contributions by LTH contributor Mike Sula, as well as fellow LTHers Gary Wiviott, David Hammond, Rob Lopata, Kristina Meyer and Michael Morowitz. Martha Bayne and Kate Schmidt also file.

The Rogers Park & West Ridge Issue - Bars...the intrepid Kate Schmidt checks out a dozen bars in these featured neighborhoods. It's tough work but someone's got to do it.

Valentine's Day Dining Specials...several brief, blurb-style reviews of local places that have noteworthy VD offerings, sorted alphabetically.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby report on yet another New York eatery that has set its sights on the Chicago market.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Climate Change...Heather Shouse (apparently taking a break from her expert analysis of Tony Bourdain's divorce) and David Tamarkin recap how current economic conditions have affected the local restaurant scene. Please note that some inaccuracies -- most of which seem to have been corrected -- have been found in this piece.

The hot seat...Paul McGee of the Whistler endures the inquisiton this week.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

Suburban moms hope for shot at cooking show...food editor Deborah Pankey profiles a couple of local women who have aspirations of trading in their ordinary lives for a shot at fame.

'Lady Dee' brings the South home at Mint Julep Bistro...Lisa Ackleson profiles and interviews Diana "Lady Dee" Davenport, chef/owner of the Mint Julep Bistro in Palatine. Davenport's recipe for Southern Style Tomatoes is included.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Sweet on Senegal: Café Senegal brings West African cuisine to Chicago...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant checks out West African Café Senegal in Rogers Park.
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Media Digest for the week of February 11, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Romance on a budget: A Valentine menu for all...Renee Enna advises on how to celebrate Valentine's Day without breaking the bank. Some additional specifics can be found in Setting the stage. Several recipes are also provided.

Dinner at Home: Pudding for 2 occasions...JeanMarie Brownson provides some background and a couple of different recipes.

Bill Daley sees red: Pairing wine with short ribs...Bill Daley asks a few industry pros for guidance on this seasonal pairing.

Marketplace: Chocolatier Rieko Wada opens a new shop...Renee Enna reports the details on this new, Schaumburg outlet.

Bookshelf: "Ten," by Sheila Lukins...food editor Carol Mighton Haddix files a brief, favorable review of the newest release from the food editor of Parade magazine and co-author of the famed "Silver Palate" cookbooks.

Beer of the month: Edmund Fitzgerald Porter...Jerald O'Kennard files his monthly missive.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Ironclad love...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant explains why cast iron cookware is so beloved among cooks in the know -- both pros home-cooks. Also provided are instructions for seasoning cast iron.

Anchors aweigh! Fish soup unchains passion...Lisa Donovan investigates the Sopa de Viagra at Taste of Peru in Rogers Park.

Making hapless cooks happy...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller checks out FixMyRecipe.com, which is a help web-site geared toward novice cooks.

Flourless cake always in fashion...in this week's At the Chef's Table installment, Ina Pinkney extols the virtues of this classic dessert. A recipe from Ms. Pinkney is provided, as well.

Restaurants offer creative perk for V-Day...the aformentioned Ms. Fuller provides a list of local spots that will provide offbeat Valentine's Day offerings.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the February 7 edition:
Peanut product recalls hit Kmart, Fannie May...Sandra Guy and Cheryl V. Jackson report on some local implications of this national recall.

Wal-Mart eyes 12 Chicago 'food desert' sites...Sandra Guy reports on Wal-Mart's renewed efforts to gain a foothold in the Chicago market.

From the February 5 edition:
'09 gloom for Kraft, Sara Lee...times are tough all over, even for these 2 local food giants, according to Cheryl V. Jackson.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of February 11, 2009

From the February 12 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

Peruvian Pollo, Plus . . ....in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula provides an in-depth look at Chicago's first Peruvian polleria, D’Candela Restaurant on North Kedzie.

Sudamericano...brief reviews of several spots in town that offer South American cuisine. Contributions here are penned by the aforemetioned Sula, as well as fellow LTHers Gary Wiviott and David Hammond, among others.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's installment of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby check in with Alan Shikami at Shikago, who's doing just fine -- thank you very much -- after the recent, somewhat sudden departure of his brother from the business.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Smackdown: Pho...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant surveys the Pho scene in town and names his favorite rendition, as well.

Save this restaurant...David Tamarkin says that this Rogers Park eatery needs our love.

Oeno files...Tamarkin assays the 2006 garnacha from Las Rocas.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

My love affair with brownies...food editor Deborah Pankey confesses her not-so-secret love. Several recommended recipes are provided.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Guy Talk: Turns Out, Five Guys Got Nothing on Wendy...the aforementioned Nagrant throws a bit of cold water on the smoldering fire of enthusiasm that's been building in some quarters for Five Guys.
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Media Digest for the week of February 18, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Perfect pancakes: Strategies to make the hottest hot cakes ever...Bill Daley heads north (up to Wilmette and Winnetka) to discuss the art of the pancake with Carla Connett, owner of 2 northshore eateries that are known for their pancakes. Also consulted are noted baking expert Dorie Greenspan and Chicago's "Breakfast Queen," Ina Pinkney. Several recipes are included. In a companion piece, Daley explains that pancakes are A Shrove Tuesday tradition.

Stevia is the new sweetener in town...in this special to the Tribune, Zak Stambor reports on the roll-out of this new sweetener, which is not without some controversy.

Recipes lost to Katrina resurface with new cookbook...Bill Daley reports that the Times-Picayune is publishing Cooking Up a Storm, a volume of recipes that were previously lost to Katrina.

Sip a bit of history with Chateauneuf-du-Pape...after providing some history on this Southern Rhone product, Bill Daley explains why "More Americans need to get acquainted with this red wine." Some tasting notes are provided here: Signaling the potential.

Butterfinger with caffeine generates some buzz...in this special to the Tribune, Chris McNamara checks out the new Butterfinger Buzz.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Out of Africa...Rachel Finn reports that the "Cuisine of the African diaspora [is] woven into the fabric of Chicago's neighborhoods." Provided is a list of local spots where some representative dishes can be found.

Take a dip into the exotic flavors of dukkah...Lisa Donovan explains why this mix of nuts, seeds and spices is so delicious, and identifies a few places around town where it can be found. Although she never specifically mentions it in the piece, dukkah is said to have its origins in Egypt.

Good times, by the gallon...Seth Schwartz previews FitzGerald’s Annual Jambalaya Cookoff, which will take place on Monday and is now in its 15th year. A recipe from a previous year's winner is included.

Kraft, Sara Lee push products for penny-pinching shoppers...Cheryl V. Jackson reports on how some local food conglomerates have positioned themselves for the current economic situation.

Thin mints slimming down a bit...Kara Spak reports that, seemingly due to the lousy economy, there will be fewer Girl Scout cookies per box this year and that some of the cookies will be smaller than in previous years, too.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the February 17 edition:
Rocker Chrissie Hynde not lovin' McDonald's...Stefano Esposito reports that this aging rocker has teamed up with PETA to urge a boycott of McDonald's.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of February 18, 2009

From the February 19 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

The Fever for the Cure...in this week's Reader, Anne Spiselman profiles Brad Schlieder, the general manager at A Tavola, whose current obsession is house-cured olives.

Real Italian...brief reviews of 16 spots in town where "authentic regional" cuisine can be found. Filing here, in addition to LTHers Mike Sula and David Hammond, are Martha Bayne and Kate Schmidt.

Straight Dope Chicago: Who invented Italian beef, and why can't you get it outside of Chicago?...in this installment, Cecil Adams provides some fascinating information about one of Chicago's most beloved culinary gems.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's edition of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby report that Mr. Beef's owners have refinanced and will not go out of business. They dish duo also give a well-deserved shout out to The Local Beet, which is the newest brainchild of LTHForum co-founders Michael Morowitz (eatchicago) and Rob Gardner (Vital Information).

The Frog and the Prince...Dennis Ray Wheaton checks out Sugartoad in Naperville, which is helmed by Jimmy Sneed, a protégé of the late Jean-Louis Palladin.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

The artisan: Rida Shahin...David Tamarkin profiles this biologist-turned-bread-baker who will soon open his re-located (originally in Palatine, now in West Town) La Farine Bakery to the public.

Restaurant Week best bets...Julia Kramer previews this event, which begins on Friday.

Bag it: [me] & goji...in this week's installment, Heather Shouse touts this granola-based snack, which is " . . . the brainchild of two Northwestern grads and a Swede."

The beer geek: Mahr’s Bräu Ungespundet-hefetrüb...Heather Shouse praises this microbrewed lager, which is available at The Map Room, among other places.

Hot sauce: Wizzo...David Tamarkin touts this libation from bartender Johnny Costello at Tiny Lounge.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

Spice it up for Mardi Gras...food editor Deborah Pankey provides background information and recipes for some dishes that are typically part of Mardi Gras celebrations.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Spicy Smackdown: Turning up the heat in the South Loop...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant compares and contrasts 2 South Loop newbies: Curry House and Chutney Joe's.
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Media Digest for the week of February 25, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Let the chips fall . . .in this special to the Tribune, Monica Kass Rogers reports that while a large variety of uncoventional chips are available on a retail basis, they're expensive. So, she lays out some tips for making them at home. Included are several recipes. Additional guidance is provided in Veggie chip how-to's and Useful tools for making chips. In Tasting designer chips, Renee Enna provides tasting notes for several retail varieties. Relatedly, Emily Nunn files a brief, favorable review of Crunch! A History of the Great American Potato Chip, by Dick Burhans: A book with snap.

Don't wait to open that special bottle of wine...in this week's Uncorked, Bill Daley asks readers to let him know what wines they plan to open -- especially those that are "currently unobtainable, thanks to Illinois law" -- for for 'Open That Bottle Night,' which is coming up on February 28.

How to peel and cut up winter squash...in this week's installment of Prep School, James P. DeWan provides some useful, easy-to-follow, tips and an applicable recipe.

Culinary conference brings out the best in chefs...in this special to the Tribune, Rick Asa recaps last week's American Culinary Federation's Regional Chef of the Year competition, which was held Saturday at Elgin Community College.

Tips brewing at Coffee Fest...Monica Eng recaps last weekend's event, which was held at Navy Pier.

Calendar, Drink Events...Elizabeth Schiele previews the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Daily bread...LTH contributor Leah A. Zeldes reports on the recent resurgence of bread-baking, which is being fueled, in part, by current economic conditions. In addition to a couple recipes, a useful sidebar about measuring flour is also provided.

Handheld treat hard to beat...Lisa Donovan checks in with a few places around town that serve empanadas.

One pot, layers of flavor...Chris Macchia, chef at Coco Pazzo, takes up the pen in this week's At the Chef's Table installment and shares his recipe for Braised chicken thighs with salt-cured olives.

Media watch...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller rounds up the week's food-media highlights on the web, on the tube and in print.

Assorted food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the February 20 edition:
130 high-end restaurants join dining stimulus plan...Jordan Wilson previews Chicago Restaurant Week, which is currently taking place in town.

From the February 19 edition:
You want ketchup with that? 3's the limit...Cheryl V. Jackson reports that McDonald's has imposed a two-packet limit on ketchup at its restaurants and that other restaurants are taking similar measures in efforts to cut costs.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of February 25, 2009

From the February 26 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

What's New...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula scouts 3 newer spots: Meatloaf Bakery in Lincoln Park, Fontana Grill in Uptown and Chicago Curry House in the South Loop.

New Too...brief reviews of several additional new spots in town, with contributions from the aforementioned Sula, as well as fellow LTHer David Hammond.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's edition of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby check out Café Bella on West Fullerton, where the owner, Hector Peña, has no previous restaurant experience but the chef, Cesar Casas -- a buddy of Peña's -- has an impressive pedigree.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Pan shops...David Tamarkin files this primer of Mexican pastries, and lists some Chicago bakeries where they can be found.

The hit list: Cheap wine...David Tamarkin recommends 5 bottles of wine that are each under $20.

The hot seat...chef Gilbert Langlois of Chalkboard straps in this week.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

Her specialty: 'American comfort food with a little twist'...Lisa Ackleson profiles Lisa Westergaard, chef at Honey Café in Glen Ellyn. A recipe from chef Westergaard for Brown Rice Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette is provided, as well.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Haute Cuisine: The fashion and the food at Tocco Pizze e Arte...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant checks out this Wicker Park eatery, where style trumps substance.

Big Cheese: Organic School Project gets unhealthy...Meaghan Strickland mixes a little guilt into her recap of the recently held Mac ‘n’ Cheese SMACKDOWN charity event.
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Media Digest for the week of March 4, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Stocking up...with National Nutrition Month in mind, Emily Nunn relays what several noted authors are recommending to help create healthful pantries.

Some related pieces are also posted:

Dawn Jackson Blatner's healthful pantry

Mark Bittman's healthful pantry

Realistic tips for healthful cooking and eating

3 healthful recipes
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Finding the right wine for Ethiopian spice...in this week's Uncorked, Bill Daley checks in with some local winefolk to get opinions about this pairing. Tasting notes are included.

Play incorporates foodways into its exploration of Arab-Israeli conflicts...in this special to the Tribune, Nancy Maes checks out The Arab-Israeli Cookbook, a new play at the Theater Mir, co-directed by a Jew and an Arab. A recipe for Fattoush is included.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Stink-a-licious...Brian E. Clark checks in with several regional cheese-industry folks to learn about pungent cheeses. A list of 10 cheeses that "pack a punch" is also provided.

Loving the lentil...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller checks in with Kristine Subido, chef at Wave restaurant, to learn about the glories of lentils. A couple of recipes are provided.

Make meat the sidekick...Ms. Fuller files a review of the upcoming book (due out in April), Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet, and profiles its authors, Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the February 27 edition:
Former Sun-Times, Channel 7 food critic James Ward dies...Kara Spak files this obituary.

Trotter pulls out of restaurant at Gold Coast hotel...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller reports that CT will not open a restaurant at the Elysian Hotel, as originally planned.

From the February 26 edition:
Restaurateur wants you to take time for dessert...Cheryl V. Jackson reports that Big Bowl has ". . . revamped its dessert menu, incorporating more Asian flavors, and shrinking the sizes and the prices."
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of March 4, 2009

From the March 5 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

Backstage at Moto...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula takes an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at Moto during a typical Saturday night service.

In the Neighborhood...brief reviews of 10 additional restaurants in the Fulton Market area. Submissions here are from the aforementioned Sula, as well as Martha Bayne and a few others.

From the March 2 entry of The Food Chain:
Kristina Meyer on Amira's Trio...LTH contributor Kristina Meyer swears that even though she laid her rep on the line during a less-than-stellar meal at this North Side eatery, she's still convinced that Amira can again deliver the goods, as it did when she first ate there.

From the February 26 installment of The Straight Dope:
Why can't we have a public market like Cleveland's?...inspired by a recent trip to Cleveland, Mike Sula asks the burning question, which Cecil Adams attempts to answer.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's installment of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby report that Grant Achatz & Co. are looking for retail space in Lincoln Park or Bucktown and that chef Kendal Duque is leaving Sepia to start his own venture.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Linked in...Heather Shouse files this primer on Polish sausages.

Blasts from the past: 1972
Nostalgic looks at Dave's Italian Kitchen by David Tamarkin and Café Bernard by Julia Kramer.

Three-way...Tracy Evans finds out what they're currently doing with sauerkraut at Vie, Blackbird and fRedhots and Fries.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

At the time of this entry there was no new, locally-originating content posted at the Herald's web site this week.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

My Favorite Things: Oprah Diet Edition...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant gleefully lists some of his current food and beverage favorites.
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Media Digest for the week of March 11, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Take comfort with Irish foods...with St.Patrick's Day coming up next Tuesday, Bill Daley reports that even with some contemporary updates, Irish cuisine still has that traditional and comforting appeal. Several applicable recipes are provided, as is this list of Four Irish-cooking classes in Chicago and the suburbs, filed by Joe O'Donnell.

From wine glass to canvas, painter explores the visual meaning of terroir...in this week's Uncorked, Bill Daley profiles artist Matthew Lew, whose chosen medium is wine and who ". . . is usually more interested in where the wine comes from than how it tastes." An additional sidebar profile of Mr. Lew is also provided: About the artist. In a related piece, Mr. Daley reports on the most recently-chosen artist whose work will appear on the Chateau Mouton Rothschild bottles.

The original 'bad boy' chef chats about food, and his new reality cooking show on NBC...Monica Eng interviews notorious hot-head chef Marco Pierre White, who has thrown his toque into the reality tv ring with The Chopping Block, which will debut on March 11.

Marketplace: Hoosier Mama Pie Co....in this special to the Tribune, Susan Taylor checks out the Hoosier Mama Pie Company's new retail shop from noted chef Paula Haney, which is set to open this Saturday in Ukrainian Village.

Calendar...Elizabeth Schiele previews the week's upcoming events in food.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

A slice of home...Maureen O'Donnell goes back to her roots, as her mom shares her methods for making Irish soda bread. A couple of recipes from the elder Ms. O'Donnell are included, along with a photo set.

Island flavors of callaloo hit home...Food Detective Lisa Donovan investigates this hearty soup, which is named for the Caribbean green with which it's made.

Raise a pint -- or fork -- to Guinness specials...with St. Patrick's Day coming up next week, food editor Janet Rausa Fuller lists some locally-offered specials, which incorporate the famed Irish stout.

Spicy-sweet Irish sauce is the real McCoy...Dave Hoestra checks out Thick Hot Irish Sauce -- aka THIS -- which is made locally.

Lose your fear about cooking the whole fish...in this week's At the Chef's Table installment, Gary Baca -- chef and partner at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab -- assures us that there's nothing to fear. Chef Baca's recipe for Dover sole with brown butter sauce is included.

Sox, Cubs not cutting prices...with the start of the MLB season about 3 weeks away, Kevin Allen reports that neither the Cubs nor the Sox currently plan to lower concession prices at their ballparks this year, even though teams in many other cities will.

Indy enters race for chocolate and wine supremacy...byline-less profiles of Indianapolis' Endangered Species Chocolate and Chateau Thomas Winery.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Assorted food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of March 11, 2009

From the March 12 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

The Golden Goose...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula chats with Tribune columnist Mark Caro about his new book, Foie Gras Wars: How a 5,000-Year-Old Delicacy Inspired the World’s Fiercest Food Fight, which Sula describes as "smart, fascinating, and hilarious."

The Luxurious Liver...brief reviews of 11 restaurants in town that serve foie gras, with submissions by the aforementioned Sula, as well as Martha Bayne and Kate Schmidt, among others.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's edition of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby provide an early, favorable scouting report on Sunda on W. Illinois.

Bring Your Own (Budget) Bottle...Kim Conte -- with help from a couple wine experts -- assesses the recommendations made by several local retailers, when asked to pair budget selections with the cuisines served at nearby byo's.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Silent partners...Julia Kramer, Heather Shouse and David Tamarkin profile some of the heaviest-hitting silent partners in Chicago's restaurant and bar scene.

The hit list: Cheap bar food...David Tamarkin recommends 5 spots where it can be had.

The beer geek...Heather Shouse touts the Red Eye Coffee Porter from Ebels of Warrenville’s Two Brothers Brewing.

The hot seat...Tony Priolo, chef of Piccolo Sogno, faces the heat this week.

Save this restaurant...LTHer Mike Gebert says that CJ's Eatery in Humboldt Park needs our love.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

Speedy spuds: Potatoes fit into fast meals...food editor Deborah Pankey provides some tips and recipes.

Culinary nods keep on coming for Mado's husband-wife team...a byline-less profile of married couple Rob and Allison Levitt, who own and operate Chicago's Mado Restaurant.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Beef Bailout: Mr. Beef must be kept in place...Meaghan Strickland covers one fan's efforts to grow support for this endangered Chicago icon.
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Media Digest for the week of March 18, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Fish farms are the way to meet our growing seafood appetite, say proponents...Bill Daley reports that not only is aquaculture here to stay, it's expanding into unlikely geographical areas. On that note, he visits Bell Aquaculture in Redkey, Indiana, where yellow perch are raised: Indiana farm helps answer the world's growing appetite for seafood. Also posted is some information targeted at helping consumers make the Best 'green' seafood choices. Several applicable recipes are also provided.

Two new microbreweries open in Chicago...in this special to the Tribune, Jane Ammeson profiles Half Acre Beer Company in Lincoln Square and Metropolitan Brewing in Ravenswood. Also posted is an explanation of how Half Acre Beer Co.'s name came to be.

Waking up to the 'sleeping giant' region of Languedoc...Bill Daley checks out this often-overlooked region in France, which produces a number of high-quality, affordable wines. Tasting notes are included.

Squash risotto stirs up comfort...in this special to the Tribune, JeanMarie Brownson extols the comforting virtues of risotto and provides a recipe, as well.

St. Peter's cream stout...Jerald O'Kennard files his Beer of the Month installment.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews some of the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Forget 'dinner' . . . what's for dessert?...Misha Davenport profiles food lover and pie baker Patricia Kalember, who's currently appearing in Don't Dress for Dinner, at the Royal George Theatre. Also posted is a description of one of Kalemeber's signature pies, Kentucky bourbon pie. Several recipes are provided, as are Reviews from the cast and crew of Kalember's confections.

Where's Mr. Beef? Still here...Lisa Donovan profiles Mr. Beef, which has been in the news lately because of the highly topical financial situation they are in. Owner Joseph Zucchero is interviewed.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Assorted food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the March 17 edition:
Slurpin' o' the green: Separating facts from blarney...Kara Spak profiles McDonalds' elusive (and highly-overrated) Shamrock Shake.

From the March 14 edition:
City shuts down Heartland Cafe...Leeann Maton reports the details.

From the March 13 edition:
Bennigan's fights its way back...Cheryl V. Jackson reports that the 150 S. Michigan location has re-opened -- just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

Sox Park's new top dog...Lisa Donovan reports that Vienna Beef will replace Best's Kosher, which folded last year, at U.S. Cellular Field.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of March 18, 2009

From the March 19 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

Changing of the Guard...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula takes a look at Cafe des Architectes, where chef Martial Noguier has recently taken over the kitchen. Anne Spiselman visits One SixtyBlue -- from which Nougier recently moved on -- now helmed by Michael McDonald.

In the Neighborhood...brief reviews of 12 additional restaurants in the Gold Coast neighborhood, with submissions by the aformentioned Sula, as well as Martha Bayne and a host of others.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's installment of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby provide a brief tease about Tony Mantuano's upcoming restaurant. The Dish Duo also pose 5 questions to MK himself, Michael Kornick.

Dining Out: Men in White...Dennis Ray Wheaton profiles chefs Jerome Bacle and Michael McDonald, who have recently taken over the kitchens at Courtright's and One Sixtyblue, respectively.

Odyssey: Feast Of The Belly...Graham Meyer reports his findings after a blind tasting of several artisanal bacons, which are available around town.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Get schooled...Kris Fedor rounds up a bevy of Chicago-area cooking classes.

BYOB
Bottle, rock it...Heather Shouse, David Tamarkin and Julia Kramer pair their favorite byo spots for cuisine with expert advice on what to drink at those places.

Pro picks..."The city's top sommeliers, brewmasters and booze experts dish on what they tote to their favorite BYOBs."

The TOC guide to Chicago's BYOBs...Kris Fedor, Heather Shouse and Jessica Johnson collaborate on a comprehensive, interactive Google map of liquor stores that are near more than 200 BYOB spots.

BYOBers behaving badly...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant gets the dish from industry folks who've seen some astonishing behavior.

Saved by the bottle...David Tamarkin explains a few ways to enjoy great byo wines at restaurants with solid cellars of their own, even after paying the corkage fee.

Cost clues...a brief price and buying guide for many of the beverages mentioned in the Special BYO section.
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The artisan: Paula Haney...Julia Kramer profiles the Mama behind the Hoosier Mama Pie Company.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

On a budget? Beef makes cents on your menu...food editor Deborah Pankey reports on how beef can be incorporated into home menus economically.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Crawling to the South Side: The calm before the St. Paddy’s Day storm...Katie Fanuko details the prep at Keegan’s Pub in Beverly, the day before the 31st Annual South Side Irish Parade.

Duck Soup...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant recaps last week's appearance by author Mark Caro in support of his new book, The Foie Gras Wars.
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Media Digest for the week of March 25, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Molasses' complex flavor brings new dimension to savories as well as sweets...in this special to the Tribune, Monica Kass Rogers touts the complexity and versatility of this under-used ingredient. Also provided is a guide to Buying Molasses and a list of foods in which molasses is The magic ingredient. Also detailed are the differences between molasses and sorghum: The scoop on sweet sorghum. Several recipes that incorporate molasses are also provided.

Kneading bread: Science backs up an ancient technique that's as relevant as ever for today's cook...In this installment of Prep School, James P. DeWan explains the relevance, importance and ease of kneading. A recipe for basic French-style bread is included.

Carmenere grape reaches for stardom in Chile...in this week's Uncorked, Bill Daley spotlights this increasingly popular grape, which has become a signature in Chile, where many other highly-regarded varietals are also grown. A buying guide, including tasting notes, is also included.

Jewish group subsidizes Shabbat gatherings...in this special to the Tribune, Susan Taylor profiles Birthright Israel NEXT, an organization that "...pays up to $400 for participants to host Shabbat meals for friends—Jews and non-Jews alike—and to create meals that may or may not be Jewish-inspired."

Grain and lentil-based salads help us transition from winter into spring...JeanMarie Brownson cites the seasonal significance of these nutrtionally beneficial salads. Several recipes are provided.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews some of the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Get your gear on...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller chronicles her visit to the International Home and Housewares Show at McCormick Place, which wrapped up yesterday. In More than small plates, she cites a trend in downscaling. A couple of photosets are also provided.

Dog days at the ballpark...Lisa Donovan reports that with the dissolution of the Best's Kosher brand, neither Chicago ballpark currently offers a Kosher sandwich -- although, there are plans to possibly do so at Wrigley Field.

Fry this -- French fries at home...in this week's At the Chef's Table installment, Carol Wallack of Sola writes about her award-winning Parmesan Truffle Fries, and provides a recipe for them, as well.

Chicken joint 'mobbed'...Kara Spak reports on the larger-than-anticipated crowds that recently descended upon El Pollo Loco's new Summit location.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Assorted food-industry news, normally compiled by Denise I. O'Neal, can be found here.

From the March 23 edition:
Obama fave Spiaggia up for top restaurant honor...the aforementioned Fuller rounds up the local connections in the 2009 Beard Award nominations, which were announced at a breakfast at Frontera Grill this past Monday.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of March 25, 2009

From the March 26 edition of the Chicago Reader:

Best of Chicago 2009 - Food & Drink...The Reader publishes their annual list of Chicago area's best food and drink opportunities. Categories include Bang for Your Buck, Bread, Buffet, BYO, Cheap Mexican Restaurant, Coffee Drink, Dessert, Dim Sum, Diner, Doughnuts, Place to Eat If Someone Else Is Paying, Japanese Restaurant, Late-Night Eats, Microbrew, New Restaurant, Place to Take a Toddler, Vegan Nosh, Vegetarian Restaurant, Wine List and Wine Shop for Tightwads. In each category, The Reader staff make one choice and the readers make another. On the staff side, submissions are made by Beard Award-nominee -- and LTH contributor -- Mike Sula, as well as fellow LTHers Gary Wiviott, David Hammond and Kristina Meyer.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's installment of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby profile André Christopher, proprietor of the newly-opened Grocery Bistro on West Washington.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

The cooking issue
Perfect imitations...Julia Kramer, Heather Shouse and David Tamarkin adapt recipes for several popular dishes from Chicagoland's top restaurants.

Lessons at Mixteco Grill...Rod O'Connor chronicles his shaky time spent in the kitchen at this Ravenswood hot spot.

Stage at Bittersweet...Heather Lalley gets so inspired during her stage, she enrolled in culinary school.

Cooking at the Bristol...Michael Austin learns the hard way that working in the kitchen is painstaking.

Kitchen accomplished...Kevin Aeh lists several kitchen tools he considers essential, along with places where they can be purchased.

Light reading...the Get Staff provides brief reviews of several health-oriented cookbooks.

Size matters...Liz Plosser takes a look at few devices designed to help eaters manage their portion sizes.
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The hot seat...chef Ryan Poli of Perennial is featured this week.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

Quality, freshness at heart of Sapore chef's Italian fare...Lisa Ackleson profiles and interviews Giacomo Parisi, chef and owner of Sapore Trattoria in Lake Zurich.

Here's your chance to learn from the best...food editor Deborah Pankey previews an upcoming, 2-day baking workshop at The French Pastry School that will feature 2 of Spains top pastry chefs: Francisco "Paco" Torreblanca and Oriol Balaguer.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

The Fearless Mr. Foss: Unlocking the man at Lockwood...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant profiles and interviews chef Phillip Foss of Lockwood in the Palmer House hotel.
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Media Digest for the week of April 1, 2009

The owners of La Pasadita have announced the acquisition of 20 local Chicago Taco Bell outlets, with plans to open 10 more over the next 2 years. "Chicagoans love Mexican food in all different forms, and we are happy to provide it." Owner Jose Jimenez feels it is a good fit because "nuestro negocio es todo acerca de proporcionar a las personas con una experiencia culinaria mexicana de calidad, y no todo el mundo le gusta una buena carne asada."
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Tony Bourdain and Martha Stewart go public with what has been rumored for so long - food world is rocked. "We have been secretly in love for years, but our publicists insisted that going public would hurt our careers. But, you know, one of the things Martha and I share is a willingness to go out there on a limb, and be who we are without apology. If it bugs you, go f**k yourself," shared Bourdain.
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David Burke plans to open a Vegan outpost in Chicago in late 2009, called David Burke's Prime/Minus.
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In a disappointing development, Slow Food International has announced that they copyrighted the phrases/words, "Eating Local," and "Localvore" in 2001, and are planning to exercise their rights under the copyright. According to our sources, the rumor that they have retained the law firm used by the RIAA is completely untrue, but a number of writers and bloggers have received cease and desist letters. Can't we all just work together?
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K-One Clinic of Harwood Heights is featuring a special promotion for LTHForum.com members. Half off all services, including colonics and other services that I will not mention here, lest I offend some of our more sensitive readers. Contact the clinic for more details.
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Following his recent nomination by the James Beard Foundation, we've learned that Chicago Reader columnist Mike Sula was offered the job of Food Editor with the Chicago Tribune, which he promptly turned down. While we cannot say for sure, we are given to understand the Mike turned his nose up at a major city paper as offering a "dead end job in a dying business." Sula is rumored to be working on a number of projects, including a major multimedia collaboration with world-renowned author and barbecue expert, Gary Wiviott. How does that guy find the time to do all this?
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David Hammond was sighted at every restaurant and food-related event in Chicago on a recent Spring weekend, and no one else noticed. So sorry, David. We are pulling for you.
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A two-minute video spot, depicting LTHForum.com moderators eating Low and Slow BBQ as prepared by Professor Gary Wiviott, mimicking the Padma Lakshmi Hardee's commercial, is now playing continuously on PETA's website. Said PETA spokesperson Alicia Silverstone, "If watching those people lick BBQ sauce and rib juice off their ankles isn't enough to put anybody off meat, the movement has no hope at all."
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Surimi breakthrough: major Surimi (AKA artificial crab legs) provider Amalgamated Seafood Products just announced a Vegan version of Surimi. This from their spokesperson - "We believe this bridges the final gap between those who want the benefits of an artificial seafood product that is pleasing both to the eye and the palate, without the bother of actually eating seafood or anything even remotely related to any animal." In reply to a question as to what exactly is in this version of Surimi, the spokesperson replied that it is a secret recipe, but they will provide certification from the International Vegan Council shortly. "You just have to trust us on this. We believe our track record makes it clear we would never mislead the public as to what they are eating."
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In response to continued queries, the publicist for Heston Blumenthal released this brief statement: "While we cannot provide information on the exact composition of any of the dishes produced in our kitchen, we can state without equivocation that no human parts, byproducts, or products are used in any of our dishes, nor were any humans harmed in the creation of these dishes, if you discount some of the crimes against the palate perpetrated while testing new dishes." Strangely enough, a number of other famous chefs, including Homaro Cantu, Grant Achatz, Wylie Dufresne, and our beloved Michael Carlson, issued identical statements a short while later. When contacted for comment, Ferran Adria is reported to have replied with a sneer, though observers did notice large stocks of fava beans and chianti in his kitchen.
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In a related story, ARA has announced the appointment of Homaro Cantu as Executive Chef for their School Cafeteria Division. In a joint statement with ARA, chef Cantu expressed how this was the culmination of a life-long dream to change the way Americans eat, and what better way to do so than by "helping to form the palates of America's youth." He also promised that there would be some new and different menu items presented shortly. At the request of the LTHForum.com moderators, we have emailed a question to Cantu about whether we should expect to see Road-Kill Raccoon on cafeteria menus. No reply has been received as of this update.
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Serial restaurateur Jerry Kleiner is planning to open mini-restaurants within selected restaurants. The concept was explained to a reporter from the Chicago Tribune. This is in keeping with Kleiner's objective to provide a fresh and full experience to every diner by giving them the opportunity to have multiple, different dining experiences at the selected restaurants. For example, a diner at Marche might find a Tapas Bar along with a line of Flamenco dancers on the way to the rest room. The diner may choose to leave their table and dine in the Tapas Bar spontaneously, or take different courses in different restaurants within the main restaurant. In the interview, Kleiner admitted that there were some details still being worked out, but he felt this concept would make dining out much more of an event. His inspiration was a combination of a mall food court and Disney World, as in both places he found the variety and choice offered exhilarating, and he wanted to offer something similar. The deal was sealed one evening in the men's room when it came to him how much dead time there was while away from the table, and decided this could address that gap.
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In another new concept, award-winning chef and restaurateur Charlie Trotter has announced Trotter en Place, his new take on the underground restaurant phenomenon. A very talented team of Trotter's kitchen staff, so described in the announcement, will be opening a restaurant with no phone, no signage, and no fanfare, in an undisclosed location. The press release does suggest it may be an industrial building of some sort, and will be in Chicago, at least some of the time. Trotter en Place will operate at varied and unpublished hours, providing a prix fixe meal that diners must purchase and pay for before being seated. No details will be provided to diners other than the price before the food is delivered. The only other information provided about this operation were that prices would be in the range of what one pays at Trotters, it would be BYO, and once the place started to fill up, they would close it down and move to a new location. We were unable to reach Trotter for comment, as all of the phone numbers we have for the restaurant and corporate HQ were constantly busy for the 8 hours we tried to call them. Strangely, when we attempted to contact the marketing firm listed on the release, Madoff & Sons, the number had been disconnected.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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April Fools Day edition!

Media Digest for the week of April 1, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

The finishing touch...Judy Hevrdejs provides "Timely tips for meeting the Passover dessert challenge." Also included in Ms. Hevrdejs' multi-piece feature are Tips for perfect holiday cakes, Passover desserts make fitting finale for the holiday and Resources for kosher foods. Several recipes are also posted.

Testings: Brownies! Which cookbook has the best recipe?...Renee Enna slaves over a hot stove, testing brownie recipes from several cookbooks, so you won't have to. A recipe from her favorite of the lot -- which is a bit of a surprise -- is also provided.

Add Spanish flair this Passover...not suprisingly, Bill Daley completely snubs Mogen David and recommends several Spanish, Kosher-for-Passover wines. Tasting notes are included.

Housewares Show: Cooking tools and gadgets we love...Cindy Dampier and Elaine Matsushita recommend several of their favorite new items, previewed at the recently-completed International Home + Housewares Show.

The color purple: Disease fighter...in this special to the Tribune, Janet Helm explains why purple foods are believed to be so beneficial from a heath perspective. Also provided are Quick tips for purple foods and a recipe for Purple kale and white bean soup.

Old Style returns to the joys of kraeusening...in this special to the Tribune, Chris McNamara reports that Old Style -- now owned by Pabst Brewing Company -- has re-initiated this more expensive and time-consuming brewing method.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews some of the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

All this for $18 . . . and this, too...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller checks in with Hugh Amano, the former executive sous chef at Uncommon Ground and author of the Food on the Dole blog, to see if it's "...possible to throw a dinner party for six on an $18 budget." It turns out that it is, and the menu and shopping list are included. In Compromise, cut corners to scratch out two meals, Ms. Fuller lays out all the adjustments that were needed to meet the $18 goal. Several recipes from the meal are provided, as is a brief sidebar listing other foods and beverages that can be had for $18 or less. In this related piece -- Two blogs on budget cooking easy to digest -- Ms. Fuller identifies 2 blogs (neither one local) that focus on budget cooking. A sidebar lists a few others.

A hearty dish for hardy folk...Lisa Donovan investigates scrapple and in particular, the renditon being turned out at The Publican.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage.

From the March 31 edition:
McDonald's starts program to reduce pesticides in potatoes...Cheryl V. Jackson reports the details of this new initiative.

From the March 29 edition:
Pages for readers to digest...Dave Hoekstra reports on this offbeat group which, for 10 years running, has gathered once a year for an edible books show and tea. This year's installment takes place tonight at 6 pm at Columbia College.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of April 1, 2009

From the April 2 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

What's New...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula scouts Markethouse in the Doubletree Hotel in Streeterville and Tocco in Wicker Park, while Anne Spiselman reports on her early experience at Tapas Valencia in the South Loop.

New Too...brief reviews of 10 recently-opened spots in town, with contributions from the aforementioned Sula, as well as Kate Schmidt, among others.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's installment of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby chat with Ashley Galliart, co-owner of the brand-new, technologically-savvy Luscious Layers Bakery in Bucktown.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Hot property...Heather Shouse rates several Chicago neighborhoods on the quality of their food offerings in the grocery, cheap eats and swank spots categories.

Three-way...David Tamarkin checks out what The Bristol, Sikia and Topolobampo are currently doing with goat.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

13 must-haves for less than $30, no foolin'...food editor Deborah Pankey recaps some of her favorite finds at the recently completed International Home and Housewares Show, which took place at McCormick Place.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Food & Drink section:

Stantz-ing in Line: Dan Aykroyd visits the South Loop...Katie Fanuko trails Dan Aykroyd, who was recently in town to promote his new brand of vodka.
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Media Digest Addendum for the week of April 1, 2009

From the April 2 edition of the Chicago Tribune:

Ballpark food: What's new...Phil Vettel previews the upcoming changes to the food offerings -- can you say 'build-your-own- burrito?' -- at both Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field.

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The Media Digest is currently on vacation in Memphis eating BBQ. Please, check back later for this week's updates.

Thanks,

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Media Digest for the week of April 8, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Easter ham: What to buy, how to carve...in this multi-piece feature -- and special to the Tribune -- James P. DeWan tutors on the ins and outs of this seasonal culinary tradition. Included are information on Finding the perfect ham for Easter dinner, details about Carving the ham, step by step and an answer to the question Why is it called curing?. Also provided is Ham glam: Rubs, glazes add personal touch, in which Mr. DeWan details some of the benefits of these outer coatings and instructions on How to use a rub or glaze. Several applicable recipes are also provided.

American craft brewers inspired by Belgian-style sour beers...in this special to the Tribune, Zak Stambor reports that several domestic brewers -- including a few local ones -- are paying homage to a Belgian style they really appreciate.

Grant Achatz: The culinary wizard shares his secrets...in this special to the Tribune, Susan Taylor recaps Grant Achatz's appearance and demo last week at Now We're Cooking in Evanston.

Gale Gand is sweet on 'Brunch'...Monica Eng chats with Gand about her new book, Brunch! 100 Fantastic Recipes for the Weekend's Best Meal, and more.

Egg epiphany: A lunch in Bordeaux leads to a new wine pairing perspective...in this installment of Uncorked, Bill Daley explains how an experience in Bordeaux changed his perspective on pairing eggs with wine. A recipe for Baked eggs, Burgundian style is included.

In the kitchen with Les Dames...Bill Daley briefly blurbs the newly-released In the kitchen with Les Dames.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews some of the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Easter 'HAM'...Paige Wiser, with some help from a few unabashed fans, touts Spam as a replacement for ham on Easter. Relatedly, food editor Janet Rausa Fuller reports on what wine expert Natalie MacLean would pair (via MacLean's web site) with ham and Spam.

An exercise in egg size...Lisa Donovan investigates the practical differences between egg sizes.

Taste Test: Which one is the matzo with the most?...Mike Thomas reports the results from this 3-person tasting panel, which sampled 6 varieties of Passover matzoh.

Pabst brews old fave...Dave Hoekstra reports that locally-owned Pabst will increase their push of Primo beer, a brand that Pabst owns and which was highlighted during Hawaii's inaugural ball, back in January.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news can be found here.

From the April 7 edition:
3 Chicago foodies go stove-to-stove on 'Top Chef Masters'...the Sun Times staff reports that 3 local chefs -- Rick Bayless, Art Smth and Graham Elliot Bowles -- are scheduled to compete on this Top Chef spin-off, which will debut on June 10 on Bravo.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of April 8, 2009

From the April 9 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

Shot of Malort, Hold the Grimace...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula checks out what 6 local mixologists can do with this polarizing spirit. Recipes from the participating barkeeps are also included.

Lounges and bars where mixologists rule...brief reviews of 8 places around town where quality cocktails can be had. Submissions here are from the aforementioned Sula and fellow LTHer David Hammond, as well as Kate Schmidt and others.

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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

Dish is on vacation this week.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

It's the 2009 Eat Out Awards, which include The Critics’ Picks, The Readers' Picks and a Eat Out Awards photo gallery. In the Critics' section, picks are made by Heather Shouse, David Tamarkin and Julia Kramer.

Wait lifting...David Tamarkin names a few recession-proof favorites and suggests less crowded but worthy alternatives for each of them.

The artisan: Brian Duncan...Tamarkin profiles the driving force behind BIN 36 and A Mano.

Three-way...Julia Kramer checks out what they're currently doing with ramps at mk, Spacca Napoli and The Signature Room.

The beer geek...Heather Shouse recommends both the Sofie and the Juliet from Goose Island.

The hot seat...chef Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia straps in this week.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

A handful of ways you can enjoy hard-cooked eggs...food editor Deborah Pankey provides several seasonally-relevant suggestions.

Great palates gather to celebrate French gastronomy...the aforementioned Ms. Pankey gets chef Patrick Beach's take on the annual Les Amis d'Escoffier dinner, which was held recently at the Hyatt Regency Woodfield in Schaumburg. Beach, the director of the culinary program at Harper College in Palatine, was one of only 99 invited guests. Also chronicled is the recent profile of Le Titi de Paris at spatulatta.com.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's newly-launched Newcity Resto site:

Chicago’s Best New Chef: The votes are in...LTH contributor Mike Nagrant analyzes the results of New City's recent poll of 60 responding food-industry professionals.
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Media Digest for the week of April 15, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Versatile kitchen twine can be a culinary lifeline for the savvy cook...in this special to the Trib, Amy Scattergood sings the praises of kitchen twine. A recipe for bacon-wrapped pork loin with roasted apples is also provided.

10 unsung superfoods you should be eating...Julie Deardorff relays this this list, which appears to be provided by Mary Russell, director of nutrition services at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Tips for how to incorporate these foods are also provided.

Geneva hot-sauce maker can take the heat...in this special to the Tribune, Chris McNamara profiles Geneva resident Joe Leicht, who has -- in his free time -- developed an award-winning line of hot sauces out of his kitchen over the past 8 years.

Beer of the Month: Capital Brewery Maibock...Jerald O'Kennard files his monthly missive and recommends this seasonal brew.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews some of the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Breakfast after dark...Seanan Forbes checks out how a few local chefs are incorporating comforting breakfast fare and traditions into their non-breakfast menus. Several applicable recipes are provided.

Shelling out egg safety...Lisa Donovan reports on the growing usage of pasteurized eggs in both restaurants and retail. Ina Pinkney explains a few of the benefits.

Home cooks, it's time to get your game on...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller previews a few cooking competitions, one of which will take place at the upcoming NRA Annual Expo.

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news and happenings can be found here.

From the April 14 edition:
Six foods that are definitely good for you...Monifa Thomas lists 6 foods that nutrition experts consider to be beneficial, health-wise. There are no real surprises here but some interesting background information is provided.
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Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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Media Digest Addenda for the week of April 15, 2009

From the April 16 edition of the Chicago Reader's Restaurants section:

What’s That Herb?...in this week's Reader, LTH contributor Mike Sula profiles noted ubran landscape specialist Michael Loran Hansel (he's so hot right now ), who recently helped cultivate the offerings at Piccolo Sogno.

Mangia, Mangia...brief reviews of 11 near-west-side Italian eateries, with contributions from the aforementioned Sula, LTHer David Hammond, Martha Bayne and Kate Schmidt.
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From Chicago Magazine's on-line Dining section:

In this week's edition of Dish, Penny Pollack and Jeff Ruby chat with Emmanuel Abidemi, partner of Iyanzé, a West African eatery in Uptown that opened earlier this week.
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From this week's Time Out Chicago - Restaurants & Bars section:

Greening the system...with Earth Day coming up next week, Julia Kramer reports on the eco-friendly practices already in use in Chicago's dining scene.

Cooking the books...brief reviews of newly-released cookbooks from local chefs. Heather Shouse checks out Takashi’s Noodles by Takashi Yagihashi and David Tamarkin previews The ¡Salpicón! Cookbook: Contemporary Mexican Cuisine, by Priscila and Vincent Satkoff.

Oeno files...David Tamarkin assesses Domaine Félines Jourdan’s 2006 Picoul de Pinet.
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From this week's Daily Herald - Food section:

Chef keeps an open mind about life, food, trying new things...Lisa Ackleson profiles and interviews chef Patrick Joyce of 545 North Bar & Grill, in Libertyville.

Tips for growing a bountiful vegetable garden...food editor Deborah Pankey checks in with Botanic Garden horticulturist Rick Belding for these timely tips.

Woman shares her success for keeping off the weight...Don Mauer files a brief, favorable review of Simply Too Good to be True, by nutrition authority Annette Sym.
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Posted this week at NewCity Chicago's Newcity Resto site:

Historic Meal: Sopping up cultural morsels at Ethiopian Diamond...Chris Chandler checks out the food and the history behind it at Ethiopian Diamond.
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Media Digest for the week of April 22, 2009

From today's Chicago Tribune - Good Eating section:

Hard times call for in-house wines...Bill Daley reports on the recent, surging sales of low-priced wines. Tasting notes are included.

Health Watch: Food blogs...in this special to the Tribune, Zak Stambor provides a snapsnopt of the rapidly growing nutrition blog scene, and lists a few blogs that local nutrition experts recommend.

Dinner at Home: Streamlining Singapore noodles...in this installment, JeanMarie Brownson provides some background on this cuisine, as well as a couple of recipes.

Bechamel sauce made easy...in this edition of Prep School, James P. DeWan explains the ins and outs of this essential, milk-based, "mother" sauce. A recipe is provided.

Marketplace: Phoebe's Cupcakes opens in Lakeview...Susan Taylor provides a preview.

Drink recipes add punch to Derby Day...with the Kentucky Derby just more than a week away, Renee Enna rounds up a few recipes for Derby Day cocktails, one of which is the traditional Mint Julep.

Calendar, Drink events...Elizabeth Schiele previews some of the week's upcoming events in food and beverage.

Also from today's Tribune:

Price of Italian mineral waters to get bloated...Phil Vettel reports that with a punitive, 100% tariff about to be imposed (in response to a tariff placed exported U.S. beef), more than 60 Chicago restaurants have banded together to lobby against the duty's implementation, which is scheduled to go into effect tomorrow.
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From today's Chicago Sun Times - Food section:

Contain yourself by growing your own produce...Lisa Shames provides an array of timely information on growing your own produce. Included in the multi-piece feature are:

What to grow? Ten to consider trying

Pick a pepper, in which a few sources for seedlings are provided.

Gardener's resource guide

. . . and if things go well, recipes for Summer tomato pasta and the Mojitonico cocktail.

Ballpark food on steroids...in this 'dog bites man' story, Lisa Donovan (along with AP) reports that ballpark food is not particularly healthy.

Take some diet books with a grain of salt...food editor Janet Rausa Fuller reports on the American Dietetic Association's realistic take on 29 diet/nutrition books currently on the shelves.

Sea salt is key to sweet crepes...in this week's At the Chef's Table installment, chef Dominque Tougne of Bistro 110 provides his insights on crepes and shares his recipe for Crepes Bretonnes.

It's time to go bowling for beets...LTH contributor Cynthia Clampitt provides some historical background information about beets, as well as a recipe for Borscht Muskovskaia (Moscow-style beet soup).

Tastings around town...previews of some of the week's events in food and beverage. Additional food-industry news and happenings can be found here.

From the April 20 edition:
McDonald's to unveil new burger...Cheryl V. Jackson reports on the upcoming roll out of McDonald's Angus Burger, the first new burger they've added to their regular menu in several years.
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<><><><><>
Updates from some Chicago media outlets, which do not 'go to press' on Wednesday mornings, will be added to this thread as they become available.
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