Congratulations to Rob Gardner and the folks at the Local Beet, who are celebrating their one-year anniversary removed from beta testing and are still the go-to guide for all foods and drink locally sourced. Gardner reflected on the past twelve months Monday, their 2010 CSA guide has just been released, and they were on top of it late last week with a roundup of new farmers markets popping up for the warm weather months. 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 ›

All foods sustainable and local web hub the Local Beet is gearing up for its inaugural farm dinner at Genesis Growers in St. Anne, IL Sunday. The dinner's sold out; we warned you. more ›

We all tend to follow trends now and then. Based on personal experience farm dinners are a good trend to follow, without getting dirt under the nails. more ›

• Hot on the heels of L2O's Beard nomination, Laurent Gras offers recommendations for cookware, appliances, spices and other kitchen essentials for the home cook over. The $279 brick toaster oven with convection from Cuisinart pictured above is among those listed. Also oin the list, a Pasquini Livia 90 semi-auto espresso machine ($1975 at Amazon.com). [men.style.com]
• Sun-Times food editor Janet Rausa Fuller also has some gadget recommendations, but at a more reasonable price range. [Sun-Times]
• Last week it was Pat Bruno, this week Helen Rosner casts a critical glare at Steve Dolinsky. [WBEZ, MP Chicago]

• In the wake of an article calling hamburgers "the Hummers of food," Helen Rosner lists local restaurants that source the beef for their burgers from local farms. Why Paul Kahan isn't getting his lamb from Mint Creek Farm, only he knows. [MP Chicago]
• Speaking of localvore issues, check out the expanded version of the Local Beet.[The Local Beet]
• The fine folks at Drive-Thru have been very busy this week. Chris Brunn and Cinnamon Cooper offer a couple vegan-friendly recipes; Cooper infuses vodka with her namesake spice; and Robyn Nisi made the mistake of replacing real lemon juice for her lemon ricotta cookies with ReaLemon. [Drive-Thru]

Truth be told, I agree somewhat with what Michael Morowitz wrote about the Green City Market Localvore Challenge. Morowitz wrote: more ›

Leading off with some localvore challenge items while taking inventory of the fridge and pantry for what we need to buy: more ›

• Counting down the days until we receive our copy of the Alinea cookbook in the mail. While we've been spending lots of time at the Alinea Mosaic (a perk of advance purchase), Michael Ruhlman - one of four food writers commissioned to write an essay for the book, offers a sneak preview of the books contents. It cannot come to us soon enough.
• The Local Beet has quickly become one of our favorite new local food blogs. this week they have a guide to fall and winter CSAs and local produce box drops.
• Chicago Gluttons has the most hilarious review of San Soo Gap San ever.

• Former Sun-Times Columnist Esther J. Cepeda (miss reading her) asks if Rick Bayless is Chicago's official Mexican chef at ChuffPo. [HuffPo Chicago]
• Chi-Town Daily News looks in depth at the often overlooked City Farm CSA project near Cabrini Green. [Chi-Town Daily News]
• Smoque owner Barry Sorkin is featured in a NYT article on the perils of opening new restaurants. [NYT]