Big Jones, Slow Food Chicago Look to Lowcountry for Dinner Inspiration

By Chuck Sudo in Food on May 3, 2011 9:45PM

Big Jones chef Paul Fehribach wears his culinary influences on his sleeves and they're deeply rooted in the traditions of Coastal Southern cooking. Fehribach eloquently describes the journey to his epiphany in a blog post on the Big Jones website. The Andersonville restaurant is one of the city's underrated gems. Fehribach and Slow Food Chicago have joined together to celebrate the flavors of Lowcountry cooking with a benefit dinner on May 19, beginning with a 6 p.m. cocktail reception.

The menu for this dinner focuses on "low on the hog" - the not-so-tender portions of the pig. We're talking trotters, skin, jowls, organ meats and intestines. These were the portions of the pig that slaves were given after their owners took the glory parts. An amuse of fried chitterlings, turnip and scallion slaw and rhubarb vinegar will set the tone for this dinner. Each subsequent course will incorporate a low on the hog cut int he preparation.

The cost for this dinner is a rock bottom, budget-busting $49 per person; beverage pairings are an extra $25. $10 will go towards Slow Food Chicago. A phone call to Big Jones confirmed that they have 10-15 open seats left for this dinner. You can RSVP for this by calling 773-275-5725.