Local Food Festival at the FamilyFarmed Expo

By Megan Tempest in Food on Mar 15, 2010 4:00PM

Sonat Birnecker of Koval Distillery

Aqua Ranch sampling their sweet basil vinaigrette...so good we could drink it out of the bottle.

Bron\'s Bee Company, producer of a delicious raw buckwheat honey that goes great on toast.

\"Fooditude\" - a new show teaching \"Tweens\" nutrition, cooking, gardening, and cultural appreciation.

Irv and Shelly\'s Fresh Picks, local organic food delivery. Only about $25 for a huge box of fresh produce, delivered right to your door.

The gang from Hannah\'s Healthier Cookies, sampling what I\'d call \"the perfect cookie\". Seriously, their stuff is good.

River Valley Ranch Kitchens. Have you tried their 5 Cheese Garlic Spread? Extremely indulgent, but well worth it.

The University of Illinois Extension getting the crowd comfortable with various large bugs and spiders.

Testa Produce, distributor of local sustainably grown products

Ever contemplated the logistics of raising your own chickens in the city? Or wanted advice on how to enjoy local and organic food without wrecking your budget? If so, last Saturday’s Local Food Festival at UIC Forum, part of the 3-day Family Farmed Expo, was the place to be. The expert-led workshops included topics like “Drinking Farm to Glass”, offering tips on choosing beverages that sustain the community, and “Local and Organic Eating on a Dime”, demonstrating how to eat healthy organic food on a budget. The lively “Backyard Chickens” workshop featured a panel of inspiring chicken keepers sharing secrets to raising urban chickens (a legal practice in Chicago), including choosing the right breed, construction of pen and coop, and appeasing your weary neighbors with fresh eggs.

Also on hand were local chefs, including Gayle Gand, Rick Bayless and Paul Kahan, performing cooking demos and an impressive group of local food producers and retailers sampling and selling their products.