Food

At some point in your life you’ve probably had to tolerate pork and sauerkraut, or another similarly perplexing “good luck” meal, on the first of January. Read on for a little insight in to the wisdom behind several New Year’s culinary traditions. more ›

Looking for lady love? You'd better move fast because the city's only remaining full-time nightspot for the lesbian community - Stargaze - will be closing its doors for good following its New Year's Eve celebration Thursday evening. more ›

As if Healthy Food closing wasn't enough, now a diner for which we hold fond , well, we have memories of the place from when we lived up north. Anyway, it's closing tomorrow. Standee's (1133 W. Granville) was not offered a renewal of their lease, which has caused much hand-wringing among Loyola co-eds and other underage drinkers, fans of weak salty coffee and greasy food, people who can recite the lyrics to early Tom Waits records from memory and photographers who can't resist a killer looking neon sign as subject matter. The news also prompted the starting of "Save Standee's" (which we now can't find) and "Close Standee's" Facebook pages. more ›

Other media have been charting their favorite restaurant openings of the past ten years. Here at Chicagoist, we’ll let them have it and instead stick to the standard year-to-year review of what we thought were the top stories surrounding local food and drink. There’s been a lot to write about the past twelve months. In our four years covering food and drink for the site, this has arguably been the most rewarding year on the beat. more ›

The Chicago chapter of the Restaurant Opportunity Center scored a small victory last week in Andersonville, after the owner of Ole Ole agreed to meet with organizers over what workers say are nearly $200,000 in owed back wages. Jose Oliva of ROC told the Community Media Workshop that "it's an extreme case of what we call customer-subsidized wages," with front of the house staff working almost entirely for tips, and back of the house staff going weeks, if not months, without being paid. "I actually think they count on that," Oliva said of workers that get frustrated and quit. more ›

Today through Wednesday, we're counting down the top 9 stories of 2009 according to the Chicagoist staff. more ›

Dear Megan, more ›

We were running around finishing Christmas shopping Sunday when we found ourselves near the Gage. Dirk Flanigan's Michigan Avenue tavern makes quite possibly the best poutine in the city, teeming with cheese curds and rich elk ragout. It's a hearty dish that requires a hearty beer to match. We weren't in the mood for an Imperial IPA, but our first two choices were 86'ed. By process of elimination, Harpoon Brewing was the recipient of our thirst and food pairing skills. more ›

Well, its definitely that time of year again where all the whiz-kid foodie-insight folks predict what will be the biggest restaurant food trends of 2010. The National Restaurant Association polled over 1,800 chefs nationwide to create their list, among them are important but also predictable ones (locally grown produce and meats, sustainability, farm-branded ingredients, etc). But, there are also a few quiet, slow growing trends that have not become as rampant as the 'bacon-in-everything' trend. Mini-desserts, nutritious kids' meals and gluten-free/food allergy meals seem like viable trends, but will they make it to your plate? more ›

It's getting close to New Year's Eve. There are some of you reading who want to dine out on one of the busiest party nights of the year, but are waiting until the last minute to reserve a table. Normally we post a few options for you. This year, however, we may have gone overboard. more ›

The role of nutrition in the treatment and prevention of chronic disease is undeniable. During the 2008 presidential debates Barack Obama emphasized this fact. He urged the nation to save money by “paying for a dietitian for people to lose weight, as opposed to paying for the $30,000 foot amputation.” The American Institute of Cancer Research pinpoints healthy weight, physical activity, and diet as the best protection against cancer. Likewise, the American Heart Association preaches diet and lifestyle as the two crucial elements to preventing cardiovascular disease. more ›

Last Friday we wrote about Half Acre's limited release Imperial stout, Big Hugs and that, according to Half Acre's Gabriel Magliaro, the beer is "a 9.5% thug of a stout that boasts a ton of raw flavors that you can experience for yourself." Magliaro was not kidding. more ›

The Illinois Department of Corrections has found itself on the wrong end of a lawsuit due to its supposed over-reliance on soy protein in prisoner diets. The department started serving "soy-enhanced" items in 2004 as a way to cut costs. more ›

Large buffets and family dinners are a major part of the holiday season. But let's say you aren't going home for Christmas. Maybe you don't celebrate the holidays. Or you're part of a family that doesn't want to cook. Maybe you had your painstaking Christmas dinner ruined by the Bumpus' dogs and wind up with the rest of the family in a Chinese restaurant ordering a Peking duck where the head's removed at the table with a cleaver. more ›

Iin his review of Eivissa from June, Anthony praised the Old Town tapas hotspot's service and reasonable prices, especially the cocktails. He also had reservations about Dudley Nieto's merging of traditional tapas with some of the more ridiculed aspects of the molecular gastronomy movement like foams. But Nieto's resume, especially the number of restaurants he's worked at around town, nearly rivals Geno Bahena for Happy Feet. more ›

• Today: Acradia Brewing "Ale-vangelist" Jim Javenkoski will be hosting a tasting of the Battle Creek, MI brewery's English-inspired ales at Provenance Food & Wine's Logan Square location (2528 N. California, 773-384-0699) from 5-8 p.m.
• Saturday: In Fine Spirits is hosting a holiday wine tasting from 3-6 p.m. in the wine shop (5418 N. Clark).
• Saturday: A reminder about the Empty Bottle's farmer's market from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Everyone has their own Christmas traditions but in my family there are two things from my far removed Italian heritage that are true staples -- the antipasto plate and fresh cannoli. We prefer to create our own versus the pre-made plate but are not opposed to a little help from experts. more ›

Just in time for that drunk in your life who's picky about beer, Half Acre Beer Company is releasing a monster Imperial stout called Big Hugs. We'll let Half Acre's Gabriel Magliaro explain: more ›

• As proof that the pen is mightier than the sword, or at least strong enough to have the Illinois Department of Agriculture overreact to Mike Sula's article on underground meat purveyor E&P Meats, Frontera Grill had to throw away 80 pounds of bacon after an IDA inspection. E&P is also ceasing operations. [Food Chain]
• Alan Richman names his 10 best new restaurants in America. The Bristol makes the list. [GQ]
• To Kiss the Cook shares her recipe for Kitchen Sink Farafelle [To Kiss the Cook]

After about a year of cooking exactly the same Brussels Sprout recipe (which is delicious) we needed some variety. We wanted to keep the combination of bacon and sprouts, which is delectable, but add in something new - and preferably cut the cooking time down from the hour-plus that roasting them requires. more ›

• Nacional 27's monthly cocktail class focuses on libations crafted from champagne this evening from 5:30-6:30 p.m. learn how to make an "Apertif 27" (Cava, Elderflower liqueur, bitters 27, passion fruit juice) and the "sparkling holiday mojito" (rum, rosé bubbly, pomegranate, hibiscus bitters, muddled mint and lime) while also enjoying passed appetizers. (325 W. Huron, 312-664-2727, $20)
• Cityscape's (Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 15th Floor, 350 W. Mart Center Dr.) "Vino with a View' wine tasting event is free from 6-8 p.m., but you'll need to RSVP in order to attend. RSVP here.
• Peak Organic is the featured brewery at Dunlay's on the Square this evening from 7-9 p.m. Enjoy $6 flights of Peak Organic ales and menu items where Peak has been included in the preparation. (3137 W. Logan Blvd., 773-227-2400)

This week we encountered the heavenly concoctions of a humble West Town bakery known as La Farine. Owner Rida Shahin has been inconspicuously supplying some of Chicago’s most beloved restaurants for years. This October he finally opened up his modest Chicago Avenue storefront to the public. more ›

The wild thing about Wild Pug’s first anniversary is that it probably shouldn’t be happening at all, especially in this tepid economy, but bar owners Steve Milford and Brian Wells basically told naysayers to go pug themselves, and with a little hard work and ingenuity, the cozy Uptown gay bar is now celebrating one year in business. Milford and Wells are accustomed to doing things their own way. In 2004, they opened Crew—one of only a handful of gay sports bars in the country—despite lingering doubts from some that the gay community would not patronize a sports-themed establishment. Five years later, Crew is one of the most popular gay bars in the city. more ›

For fans of heavy malted or high gravity beers, this is the harvest season. Whether you're slipping into sweats, socks or even (ugh) a snuggie, or bringing a heavy beer to a BYOB resto, if you apply yourself you won't have to drink the same beer twice. more ›

The holidays mean parties, and (if you're smart) parties mean a punchbowl. As a host, who wants to spend the latter part of the evening rooting around in the pantry trying to figure out how to make a palatable drink from the vodka, peppermint schnapps and diet tonic water that are leftover after the "good stuff" is gone? Not us. No sir, a punchbowl is the way to go. It requires a little setup time, but once it's prepared you can back away and concentrate on mingling. more ›

We love tasting menus and family style meals. In fact, we think this is a great way to sample a chef’s talent but also learn more about wine pairings. At a recent trip to TRU, the sommelier paired one of the most complex, multi-personality Sauvignon Blancs we have had in a long time. The 2006 Movia Sauvignon Blanc was paired with a sautéed sable in a brown butter sauce. Every sip with every bite seemed to change and all in a good way. This is definitely a ‘Wine Wednesday’ pick to mull over a few different small bites. more ›

• Sheffield's annual Christmas cookies and beer pairing takes place this evening at the Beer School bar from 7-10 p.m. They'll be pairing cookies with various beers, including Southern Tier's Pumking and Great Lakes Christmas Ale. (3258 N. Sheffield)
• Nacional 27's Adam Seger will be the guest bartender this evening from 8 p.m. until closing at Fulton Lounge (955 W. Fulton). Seger's doing the hard holiday pimping of his Hum Spirit with $7 "you call it" Hum cocktails all night long.
• Registration opens today for World Kitchen's Winter 2010 calendar of events at Gallery 37 center for the Arts (66 E. Randolph). We've included a . each class costs $30, to RSVP call 312-742-8497, visit the World Kitchen website or buy tickets directly at the box office from noon-6 p.m.

Over the summer Tammy Green of Chicago Bites wrote up a week-long series of Chicago neighborhood dining tours for friends visiting Chicago that included a cupcake stop on every route. The response from Green's friends and Chicago Bites' readers was so overwhelming that Green began to consider the options of writing another guide. However, thinking such an endeavor would be a daunting undertaking, Green instead decided to focus on one subject: cupcakes. more ›

Our trip behind the scenes at C-House with Pastry Chef Toni Roberts was just so much fun that we had to give you another look. We spent about an hour watching her work, and we took pictures of everything that looked interesting. Rather than the usual "food pron," most of these are more about the day-to-day work of a busy kitchen; breaking down ingredients, cleaning prep stations, visiting the walk-in coolers, filling out forms. The organization needed to keep a high-quality establishment going seems pretty daunting to an outsider. more ›

) for $31; wine pairings bring the cost to $49. more ›

With a name like "poutine" it's easy to assume that the diner staple of French fries, cheese curds and gravy is French in origin. You'd only be off by about 3,390 miles. The origins of poutine (pronounced "POO-teen") began, as most great creations, as a happy accident. The most often cited story: a Quebecois named Fernand LaChance was asked to pair the three ingredients together at the behest of a customer. LaChance replied, "ça va faire une maudite poutine" ("it will make a damn mess"). The fries tend to be medium cut so that they're soft inside while crisp outside. gravy is typically chicken, turkey or veal with a solid pepper note to it. We prefer our poutine with a sharp cheese curd, like cheddar. more ›

So what is the straight skinny on taking a daily multi-vitamin? Are they really worth it? more ›

Last week we wrote about the closing of one of the city's oldest restaurants, Healthy Food Lithuanian Restaurant. Tomorrow is the final day Gina Santoski will be open to the public. We stopped by Saturday to pay final respects with a meal that can only be described as epic. more ›

• It's dinner and a show this evening at Brasserie JO (59 W. Hubbard). Guests this evening will be treated to traditional French Christmas carols courtesy of students from LaSalle Language Academy at 7 p.m.
• Epic (112 W. Hubbard, 312-222-4940) opens today. Helmed by chef Stephen Wambach (most recently the corporate chef for Laurent Tourondel’s acclaimed BLT Restaurants) with rock star pastry chef Christine McCabe (Charlie Trotter, Gabriel Viti), Epic will focus on contemporary American cuisine with a French influence. Think hamachi with artichoke, blood orange and Meyer lemon and seared halibut with caramelized cauliflower and hazelnut emulsion.

The Magalitsa pig, also known as the "curly haired hog," is a breed of pig that originated from Hungary and the Balkans known for its thick wooly coat. The meat from a Mangalitsa pig is also rich in fat and is reputed to have a flavor and texture similar to Wagyu beef. In gourmet circles Mangalitsas have eclipsed mulefoots as the new trendy pork. more ›

Let's put this to bed for the weekend, shall we? We're tired from last night. more ›

If you watch television you're sure to run across the archetype of the "cool dad:" the father who stumbles into middle age futilely trying to relate or stay relevant to his kids by adopting their slang and diving head first into their hobbies only to come across as the bumbling buffoon they fear becoming most. Usually you find the "cool dad" in drug awareness commercials, but actor Ty Burrell plays the role perfectly in the role of Phil Dunphy on the ABC comedy "Modern Family." Then there's the other "cool dad," who really was cool back in the day. He smoked, drank, trolled for some strange on the weekends, probably met his wife at some boozy last call at Green Mill one Sunday morning, settled down, had kids and now allows himself a chuckle or three whenever his teenage kids act out, thinking "Yeah, I remember my first beer." more ›

Following up on yesterday's profiles in Time Out Chicago and the Tribune on the return of Dale Levitski to the kitchen at Sprout comes this little bit of information. In an effort to give diners a feel for the dishes on Sprout's $60 prix fixe menu, Levitski has launched a project called SproutCrowd, a multisource platform for Sporut's customers to offer Levitski feedback on menu items, quality of their dining experience and whether a $60 prix fixe menu is too pricey, too cheap or just right. more ›

• Stephanie Izard can't call her restaurant the Drunken Goat, due to copyright issues with the cheese of the same name. Say hello to Girl & the Goat, with a planned March opening [Dish]
• The Purple Pig passed inspection (alliteration: it's fantastic!) and is planning a late December opening. [Purple Pig Twitter]
• Also going through the pains of construction and acquiring city permits is the planned deli for Cleetus Friedman and City Provisions Supper Club. Deli cases have been ordered; Alderman Eugene Schulter lifted a moratorium on liquor licenses allowing City Provisions to apply for two liquor licenses; and they'll have a ground breaking date hopefully soon [Inbox]

• Tonight's the big night: our reader meetup at Sheffield's from 7-10 p.m. There really isn't anything bigger in town happening and it is totally worth braving hypothermia, frostbite and windburn to travel to our meetup. If you absolutely have to be somewhere else...
• There's a Bordeaux Matchmaking meetup this evening starting at Y Bar (224 W. Ontario St.) To RSVP visit bordeauxmatchmaking.com.
• Over at Jbar at the James Hotel (610 N. Rush St.) Time Out Chicago's Kevin Aeh is hosting an Ugly Holiday Sweater Party starting at 8 p.m. Watch the stylish don their worst Cosby and holiday-themed sweaters as complimentary appetizers from Primehouse chef Rick Gresh are passed around.

Last Saturday we visited the newly opened and packed-to-the-gills downtown French Market at 131 N. Canal. Here are some photos from our trip and apologies for the quality of some, as we used our iPhone. more ›

Tipping - it’s been one of the great controversies of American dining for years and years. Hundreds of articles have been written about it, every waiter/waitress memoir contains an extensive section on it, and organizations have been formed to oppose it. We could write about 100 rants related to tips and service, and we probably will. Today’s rant takes on an old-fashioned rule of dining: how to calculate the tip. more ›

Time Out Chicago's Julia Kramer has an illuminating profile on Dale Levitski and the road he's traveled, from being a Top Chef runner-up to landing at Sprout in Lincoln Park. When an article begins with a chef being served for non-payment of rent, you know it hasn't been all bread and circuses. A sample quote: more ›

We were all set to our selection this week. Then we went to Sheffield's for their Life & Limb release party last night and our original writeup was shot right the hell out of the water. By God do you need to brave slick streets and foul weather — life and limb, some might say — to drink this beer. more ›

We are big fans of the Greek influence --- Gyros, Saganaki (ok, we know this was invented in Chicago) and ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’ What we didn’t think we would be so thrilled about is Greek wine. more ›

• There are a handful of Russian Imperial Stouts that are better than Three Floyds Dark Lord. Surly Darkness is one of them. Tonight Rodan (1530 N. Milwaukee Avenue, 773-276-7036) is tapping a keg of Darkness. It won't be around long.
• A reminder that this evening the Hideout host the release party for the Soup and Bread Cookbook from 5-8 p.m.
• Vinci's December wine dinner will feature selections from Huntington Wines. The dinner costs $45 per person and starts at 7 p.m. (1732 N. Halsted, 312-266-1199)

Last week we put out a call for readers to send their health and nutrition related questions to our new staffer for health, nutrition and food policy related-issues, Megan Tempest. more ›

We hope to see a ton of you tomorrow night, canned goods in hand for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. But the great thing about giving is that you more you give, the better it feels. Especially when you get a little back in return. more ›

Sad news out of Bridgeport this week as Healthy Food Lithuanian Restaurant (3236 S. Halsted, 312-324-2724) will serve up its final kugelis on December 15. We placed a call last night to owner Grazina "Gina" Biciunas-Santoski, who confirmed the closing. "I just feel the time is right to retire," Biciunas-Santoski said. more ›

The worlds of farmers markets, indie rock and cheap beer collide when the Empty Bottle hosts its inaugural farmers market on December 19 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Twelve local vendors will be selling everything from homemade preserves, handspun wool and organic herbs, while Bottle staff spin tunes and pour drinks. Among the participating vendors are Videnovich farms, Tomato Mountain Farm and Earth First Farms. more ›

• Life & Limb, the highly anticipated brewing collaboration between Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione and Sierra Nevada's Ken Grossman, receives its official launch party at Sheffield's tonight at 7 p.m. Life & Limb is a 10 percent ABV dark ale brewed with barley grown by Grossman at Sierra Nevada's Chico, CA brewery, and pure maple syrup from Calagione's family farm in Massachusetts. The two breweries took the mash from that and brewed a 5 percent beer called "Limb & Life." Both will be available for tasting this evening, as will some of each breweries more experimental beers. this would be a great primer for our reader meetup Thursday.
• Binny's South Loop has a reserve champagne tasting this evening from 6-8:30 p.m. featuring luxury cuvees Roederer Cristal, Dom Perignon and more! Also included will be sparklers from the U.S., Spain and Italy. Gourmet cheeses will be paired with the champagnes.

Now that the temperatures have dropped and the snow has started to fall, different kinds of cocktails are needed to revive our flagging spirits. Here at Chicagoist cocktail labs, winter cocktails have always been our favorite, and this concoction is no exception. more ›

Getting adequate vitamin D is easy: simply remove all clothing, defy recommendations to use sunscreen, and stand outside soaking up UV rays for about 15 to 20 minutes. Poof! You’ve got more than enough vitamin D than you need for the day. more ›

We like bleu cheese salad dressing but never quite enough to warrant purchasing a bottle. This meant we enjoyed it while out to eat or not at all. But that changed when we saw how simple it was to make. We were browsing through Get Cooking by Mollie Katzen (which we reviewed here) and found the recipe: 1 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese. A head of iceberg lettuce and a few turns of the pepper grinder and we were sitting down to a classic iceberg wedge with bleu cheese dressing. (Wondering what the heck to do with all of that leftover lowfat buttermilk? We made the American Heart Association's Irish Soda bread with it from the AHA's cookbook.) Instructions in the captions. more ›

For those of you who, like our own Tankboy, have been frustrated by Big Star's seating policy and early kitchen closings (which we'll discuss in our review of the place later this week), here's a consolation prize. Big Star's takeout window opens today at 4 p.m. Be warned: like everything else Big Star does, the takeout window is cash only. [via] more ›

One of the biggest things happening in the world of brewing these days is collaborative brewing. Bell's and De Proef just released their team-up. Three Floyds has worked with both Mikkeller and Dogfish Head. Tomorrow night Life & Limb, the collaborative beer effort between Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada, will be given a proper launch at Sheffield's. Chefs are even making beer with craft breweries. Chris Pandel of the Bristol brewed a sahti with Goose Island, and need we remind you about Paul Kahan's trip to New Holland? more ›

• For the vegetarians among us or if you just want to eat lighter during the holidays when your waistline can suddenly increase 3 inches, Now We're Cookin' (1601 Payne, Evanston, 847-570-4140) is having a cooking class focusing on tasty meat-free dishes for the holidays tonight from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Cost is $55.
• one sixtyblue's "Monday Night Flights" series will focus on Italian reds this evening, with seatings at 6, 7, and 8 p.m. in the restaurant's Blue Bar. The six-wine sample is paired with menu items from the restaurant's bar bites menu. cost is $47, reserve your spot on the "What's Happening" page of one sixtyblue's website. (1400 W. Randolph)
• Now is the time to start reserving your seats for New Year's Eve dinner at Geja's Café. this year the popular Lincoln Park fondue spot is hosting three New Year's Eve seatings at 5:00, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Included in the four-course dinner is a cheese fondue appetizer, salad, lobster, shrimp and beef entree, Geja’s famous flaming chocolate dessert fondue and champagne. To reserve your spot, call 773-281-9101. Reservations are taken from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily until all slots are filled.

Women, Infants and Children (commonly known as “WIC”) is a state-run supplemental nutrition program funded by the USDA. WIC serves infants and children under the age of five and pregnant and postpartum women who are at nutritional-risk. The menu of services provided by WIC includes nutritional counseling, breastfeeding support, health screenings and referrals. WIC has long provided vouchers for the purchase of cereal, juice, milk, cheese and eggs, as well as dried beans or peanut butter. As of this October, after decades of stagnancy, WIC finally expanded its food package to include fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. more ›

President Obama's first White House state dinner would have made headlines last week even before a couple of socialites deep in debt and desperate for the spotlight crashed it. The antics of Tareq and Michaele Salahi overshadowed the menu created by noted superchef Marcus Samuelsson (pictured above at Chicago Gourmet 2009), (the link will take you to the menu, in PDF format) in honor of Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh. For the dinner Samuelsson incorporated fresh herbs and vegetables from First Lady Michelle Obama's White House garden. more ›

We like: Twisted Oak 2006 Calaveras County *%#&@! more ›

• Friday: The House of Glunz's annual champagne, sushi and caviar event takes place this evening from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sushi will be provided by Sai Café, Carolyn Collins Caviar. This event tends to sell out so call 312-642-3000 or visit the House of Glunz website to RSVP.
• LUSH Wine & Spirits' West Town location is now open at 1412 W. Chicago Ave.
• Saturday: If Anthony's photo essay of Toni Roberts's dessert plating didn't have you wanting to go to C-House, maybe their $25 High C Holiday brunch will. This prix fixe brunch menu includes your choice of two cocktails between "The Rudolph" (vodka or tequila, tomato juice, fresh horseradish, lemon juice and tobasco); "From the North" (a soothing mix of red wine, vodka, port, cloves, orange zest, accompanied with cinnamon sticks); "Winter Wonderland" (bourbon, heavy cream, egg whites, and nutmeg); "The Poinsettia" (sparkling wine, cointreau, and cranberry juice). All mimosas, bloody marys and sparkling wines are being sold for $5. (Affinia Chicago Hotel, 166 E. Superior, 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Reservations recommended).

Whenever we order a dessert from a talented pastry chef, we marvel at the complexity and beauty of the final product. Ingredient after ingredient, brushed and balanced and sauced just exactly right, over and over again. How do they do it?? more ›

• Congratulations to Ryan Poli of Perennial (pictured). His black truffle gnocchi made Food & Wine's list of ten great dishes under $12. [Food & Wine]
• Good Luck to 12-year-old Mike Smyth of New Lenox. He's in Denver today showing off his bacon hot popper burger for a panel of judges including Food Network's Robin Miller as one of the finalists for Red Robin's National Kid's Cookoff. Vote for Smyth here. [Southtown Star/Sun-Times, Inbox]
• We're sure if Ruth Reichl had to define Chicago street food, the adjectives she might use are "endangered" and "limited." [Mother Jones]

• Artist and interior designer Diane Schroeder's latest exhibition is on display at the Tasting Room at Randolph Wine Cellars. Free passed appetizers will be served from 6-8 p.m. (1415 W. Randolph St., 312-942-1212).
• A reminder that Chicago's French Market (aka the MetraMarket) opens today at 131 N. Clinton.
• Rick Bakas from St. Supéry winery will be at Binny's South Loop (1132 South Jefferson Street) for an in-store tasting of his Napa Valley estate grown, biodynamic wines from 3:30-5 p.m. The tasting will also serve as a tweetup (use the hashtag #stsupery to follow). And say hello to our new wine and cooking class correspondent Carrie Becker whether you're at Binny's or on Twitter. RSVP by calling 800-942-0809 x 23

Winter means soup and not some mamby pamby soup. We want something filling that will leave us satisfied but not feeling guilty. This corn chowder did the trick. We found the recipe in Get Cooking by Mollie Katzen - the same place we got our bleu cheese salad dressing recipe and our weekday chicken recipe. (And no, we have no connection to Ms. Katzen; we just like the simplicity of the recipes in this book and the suggestions on how to modify the recipes.) Unlike a lot of chowder recipes, this one is not heavy - it's hearty, but not heavy. The only fat comes from the two slices of bacon and the milk/cream (of which there is only half a cup). We hope you enjoy! more ›

Who says tech in Chicago is in a rut? Quick on the heels of Groupon's cool $30 million in VC funding comes Foodie, the little iPhone app that opens the doors of the city's elite restaurants to anyone with an appetite for great dining experiences. And for once, yours truly was on the cutting edge of a new social trend. more ›

Now in its third year, the à la card Chicago deck, a series of coupons good for $10 off dinner at 52 area restaurants, is probably its strongest edition yet. 21 new restaurants made the cut, including Chicagoist favorites Takashi, Taxim, Nightwood, Juicy Wine Co., the Gage and Honky Tonk BBQ. more ›

It's December, which means that the focus is on winter ales for "BotW." This week's selection was suggested by Local Beet editor Michael Morowitz at mado's mutton dinner last month. mado's a BYOB establishment, which allowed Morowitz and I to trade samples of our beers. Specifically, a pour of my Malheur Dark Ale in exchange for his Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza. This is a sweet spiced ale that contains all the flavors associated with Christmas: sugar plums, figs, raisins and hot buttered rum. It paired as well with all those mutton dishes than the Malheur and at 9 percent ABV, you drink a bottle of this and you'll be all lit up like a Christmas tree. more ›

What's a wino to do in a down economy? Drink cheap wine! And we say "cheap" in the most deserving way. more ›

The Trib is reporting that the local burger bar chain has filed for Chapter 11, which allows the company to keep operating while it reorganizes its business. We've always had a soft spot for the River East outpost and its cramped old school atmosphere. Damn good chili and, of course, hamburgers, especially when paired with a mug of the house beer. The kind of place where newspaper reporters like Ben Hecht might have occupied a barstool in days gone past. But, much as the biz of dead tree rags is ailing, so are restaurants. Here's hoping Blackie's manages to hang on. more ›

• Want to learn how to wield your chefs knives like a pro? the Chopping Block's knife skills class is their most popular course. With this class you'll learn how to mince, dice, slice, sharpen and maintain your knives to their peak efficiency. (4747 N. Lincoln, 773-472-6700, 7-9:30 p.m., $45)
• Rebar at the Trump International Hotel and tower (401 N. Wabash, 312-588-8114) weekly champagne table takes place in the lounge's VIP area from 5-7;30 p.m., hosted by sommelier Steven Lee. Cost is $50
• Decorate your own Christmas cookies at Beijo de Chocolat (3334 W. Foster Ave., 773-267-0138) from 6-8:30 p.m. attendees will receive a sozen sugar cookies to decorate and get to enjoy mulled cider. Cost is $20.

Last week, we visited the newly-opened DMK Burger Bar. A joint venture of Michael Kornick (mk) and David Morton, DMK aims to provide upscale burgers and accoutrements, made with grass-fed beef and a lot of wit and charm. While the experience had a few minor bumps, they are moving along through their opening jitters quite nicely. more ›

Received word from Dill Pickle Food Co-Op Board President Billy Burdett that the Logan Square-based food cooperative will open this Saturday at noon. Co-op members will receive a 10 percent discount all weekend and volunteers will be available all weekend to sign up new members. more ›

Soup and Bread mastermind Martha Bayne sent out an e-mail blast today announcing the completion of the Soup and Bread Cookbook in time for the holidays. Bayne and book designer Sheila Sachs will be throwing a book release party next Wednesday at the Hideout from 5-8 p.m. more ›

In the upcoming weeks you're going to be seeing some new bylines all over the site as we bring aboard the new staff that we called out for a couple months ago. Over here at the food and drink side of Chicagoist, we thought there would be no better way than to have our new correspondents jump in the fire. more ›

• The BIN School series at BIN 36 will focus on holiday entertaining. Specifically, BIN 36 Wine Director Brian Duncan and chef John Caputo will offer stress-free tips on all things champagne, food and entertaining for the holidays. (339 N. Dearborn, 6 p.m., $48)
• For you late lunch takers, Chicago's Downtown Farmstand's sweets fest is running from noon until 2 p.m. daily through December 23. Indulge your sweet tooth with an assortment of holiday treats from a different local bakery and meet the bakers. (66 E. Randolph)
• the Tuesday prix fixe menu at D.O.C. Wine Bar Lincoln Park (2602 N. clark St., 773-883-5101) features Thai Mussels with Spicy Coconut Milk, Snap Peas, and Crispy Wontons; Pan Roasted Duck Breast with Bok Choy Rice; and Ginger Carrot Cake. each course is paired with a select wine for a total cost of $30.

With its vibrant color and pleasantly tart flavor, the cranberry is a festive addition to our holiday meal traditions. This is the time of year where fresh cranberries are thriving at their nutritional peak. more ›

Sometimes we find ourselves with a random assortment of ingredients. Some are leftover from other dishes and some we find ourselves wondering why we bought in the first place. But always we prefer to create something with these ingredients rather than see them go wasted. The result is a meal or side dish that we may even repeat. As we looked at some of our random ingredients on hand, we decided to record our experiment. All notes are contained in the captions. Enjoy! more ›