Chicago Tomato Fest: Buy a Sandwich, Build a Garden

By Carrie Becker in Food on Aug 20, 2010 3:20PM

Photo Credit: Damien Casten

Kicking off this Monday, August 23rd and running through September 19th, the second annual Slow Food Chicago Tomato Fest will be celebrating heirloom

tomatoes highlighted in one of our favorite classic sandwiches - the BLT. Across the city local Chefs and restaurants have pledged to support our delicious local heirloom tomatoes, in the height of the tomato season, in the name of raising funds for preSERVE, a community garden in North Lawndale, one of Chicago’s “food deserts.” Uncommon Ground, Custom House, City Provisions, Green Grocer and Osteria Via Stato have made the pledge and will be serving up their interpretations on the classic BLT by donating fifty cents for each sandwich sold.

Slow Food Chicago, Candid Wines and the Chicago Honey Co-op continue the tomato goodness with the big Tomato Fest event on September 9th at the Co-Op and potentially an end of fest fundraiser at Custom House on September 26th.

So “buy a sandwich” and help “build a garden” before tomato season passes us by.

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