Students who regularly eat lunch provided by their schools are more likely to be overweight and have higher levels of cholesterol than those who eat meals brought from home, a Michigan study found.
Students who regularly eat lunch provided by their schools are more likely to be overweight and have higher levels of cholesterol than those who eat meals brought from home, a Michigan study found.
There's no smoking inside Illinois restaurants. But what about outside, or around back? You're likely to find a number of the waitstaff and kitchen crew puffing away. Forty percent of the people employed in the food and beverage industry smoke -- nearly twice the national average, according to 2000 U.S. census numbers
There's no smoking inside Illinois restaurants. But what about outside, or around back? You're likely to find a number of the waitstaff and kitchen crew puffing away. Forty percent of the people employed in the food and beverage industry smoke -- nearly twice the national average, according to 2000 U.S. census numbers
Upscale bakery and sandwich shop chain Panera Bread on Wednesday said it will post the calorie count of food items on its menu boards at stores across the country. Expecting to have the numbers on the boards by April, Missouri-based Panera would be the first national fast casual restaurant chain to make such a widespread move. Yum Brands, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, will post the information in all of its company-owned stores by Jan. 1, 2011.• Panera Bread: Product nutrition
• Nutrition guides for other chains
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Federal prosecutors have filed charges against a sushi chef and a Santa Monica restaurant accused of serving illegal and endangered whale meat.
WHEATON, Ill. -- A DuPage County couple from TV's "The Biggest Loser" will be on hand when a big push to fight obesity kicks off this weekend in Wheaton.
What, you may well ask, is Irish food? “The Irish used to have a very rich, complex food culture, but that was hundreds of years ago,” says writer Coleman Andrews. In The Country Cooking of Ireland (Chronicle Books, $50), he’s collected and refined more than 225 recipes, documenting both a historic and an emerging Irish cuisine. Both are pretty far from Chicago Irish fare.• Photos: Faux-Irish foods in Chicago
• Colcannon
• Irish Nachos
• Digging in: Blog for foodies
At the Chef's Table: Claire and Fern think I spend a little too much time in the kitchen. For my 6-year-old daughter and her cat, there isn’t enough time to wait on food that requires 10 steps.
Swap Shop: With St. Patrick’s Day only one week away, it’s the perfect time to answer recipe requests for Corned Beef and Cabbage from B.V. of Chicago, for a cake made with Baileys Irish Cream and Irish Coffee from J.M. of Park Ridge, and for a hot toddy from C.P. of Arlington Park.
To Bill Kurtis, the Chicago broadcaster and grass-fed cattle rancher, the Family Farmed Expo, opening Thursday at the UIC Forum, is “a kind of Bedouin market, where you can go from one stall to the next, with great smells and great information. It’s a chance to look farmers in the eye.”
Is it any wonder Americans are jittery about their food? So much so that when the Associated Press recently ran a recipe for traditional spaghetti carbonara — with a barely cooked egg — e-mails poured in.
Whipped: In the past year, I brought deviled eggs to two different potluck gatherings. They stood out on the table like bright, beckoning eyes, surrounded by baked dips, layered Mexican creations, chips, pretzels and hummus plates. Partygoers were excited and eager. The eggs disappeared fast.
Culinate: When you pull a rutabaga out of the ground, it looks gnarly, all feathery roots and floppy leaves. Topped and trimmed, however, it’s just a plump root vegetable, cream-colored at the bottom and a blushing purple on the shoulders.
Diehard coffee lovers might find Quaker’s hazelnut-flavored oatmeal appealing. My first thought after trying the new variety: Oat-no.
Chef Jim Hoveke of Ben Pao, 52 W. Illinois, covers Chinese cooking basics, from ingredients to equipment, at a 10:30 a.m. class on March 20; $35 includes lunch. Hoveke will demonstrate steamed dumplings, Shanghai noodles and Mongolian beef. (312) 222-1888.
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
5464 N. River Rd., Rosemont
Michael Mondavi, eldest son on Napa Valley wine legend Robert Mondavi,
joins chef Randy Waidner for a dinner built around Oberon Napa Valley
Wines at 6:30 p.m. Monday; $100. (847) 928-9900.
Hoping to lure restaurants to the lakefront and bring in revenue, the
Chicago Park District board is expected to sign off Wednesday on
allowing alcohol sales at its two new harbors being built near Navy
Pier and at 31st Street. The plan also opens the door to more restaurants going up on park district land, as early as this summer, park officials say.
The skyrocketing cost of chicken wings is causing restaurant and tavern owners to raise menu prices on the popular item and threatening to put some out of business.
The skyrocketing cost of chicken wings is causing restaurant and tavern owners to raise menu prices on the popular item and threatening to put some out of business.
McDonald's is testing oatmeal. The test in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Southern California follows the dish's introductions at other chains, including at Starbucks Coffee in 2008. McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal sells for about $2.
Tootsie Roll products -- including Dots, Fruit Rolls and Vanilla Midgees -- are being labeled nut-free, the Chicago-based candymaker said Thursday. New labels will make clear their nut, egg and gluten-free status.
If you've been to a Wendy's restaurant lately, you may have wondered, "Where's the beefsteak?" Big and juicy all-American tomatoes are in such short supply that customers have to make a special request to have one slapped on top of their hamburger. Bob-O-Rino's sub shop in Portage Park is taking drastic measures to combat soaring tomato prices. "Instead of whole slices, we are giving half slices, so I don't have to raise prices," said the sub shop's owner, Bob Jacobson.Left with egg on its face, Denny's has apologized for its commercial joking about the Irish Potato Famine.
As far off as warm weather seems, there’s reason to take heart. Maple syrup season is upon us, and it’s among the very first signs of spring. The art of making it and, above all, eating it has been upended as artisanal producers get involved and chefs use the ingredient in unusual and savory ways. The best news: Illinois is one of at least 17 states to produce the sweet, amber delight.• Potato Pancakes with Maple-Horseradish Sauce and Smoked Whitefish
• Sweet-Spicy Glazed Spare Ribs
• Digging in: Blog for foodies
One of the items served Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives' cafeteria came all the way from Chicago. Well, not the actual meal, exactly -- the recipe. Congressmen munched on a public school lunch of chicken-vegetable jambalaya, jalapeno cornbread and cucumber salad created by a team of six culinary students from Tilden High School.
Lee Greene takes a dainty floral-print saucer, a pair of colored glass tumblers and a package of cookies from her backpack. Greene piles the cookies onto the plate and begins to tell me the story of the two sisters in Tuscany who make the cookies. Greene loves a good story. She loves good food, too. Both are at the core of the Scrumptious Pantry, her line of artisanal foods made by farmers and little-guy producers in Italy.
Food Detective: Christians are well into the lenten season, marking the life, death and resurrection of Christ by fasting and abstaining from certain foods, most notably meat. I can recall my Catholic grade school days, when we sacrificed a burger or a piece of chicken for Long John Silver’s, frozen fish sticks or boxed macaroni and cheese on lenten Fridays. “But why?”
Swap Shop: "Irresistible" describes the results of recipe requests from B.L.C. of Crystal Lake for “anything” made with oranges — but, specifically, orange smoothies and an orange pound cake — and from S.D. of Chicago for authentic Sauerbraten.
Food Blogga: Last week when my nieces from Rhode Island were visiting, I asked the 9-year-old what she would like for dinner. “Do you have any macaroni and cheese?” she asked. “Sure, I’ll make you some macaroni and cheese,” I said, and began assembling the ingredients on the countertop, including pasta, milk, butter and cheese. She looked confused. “Where’s the box?” she asked. “I don’t use the kind that comes in a box. I’m going to make you macaroni and cheese from scratch,” I said.
Quick Cook: I’m all about food that can multitask. As in, if I’m going to put the effort into something, I want it to be not just a dinner, but a building block for other meals later in the week. That was the inspiration for this ridiculously easy caramelized onion recipe. Spend about 10 minutes active time making a massive pot of these caramelized onions, then use them as the basis for meals throughout the week.
Movie magic will be the toast of Tinseltown on Oscar night, and what better way to bring the festivities couch-side than with a cocktail inspired by this year’s nominees.
Al’s Soup Kitchen International, founded in 1984 by Al Yeganeh, was said to be the inspiration for the Soup Nazi character on the “Seinfeld” series. His inadvertent television career aside, Yeganeh seems to be living up to his mission — “To make the best soup in the world!”
March 4: Roll with it: Hands-on sushi class, 7 to 10 p.m., Flavour Cooking School, 7401 W. Madison in Forest Park; $70. (708) 488-0808.
Yancy Hicks got his start in the fast-food industry at McDonald's, flipping burgers and frying fries. Then in 2008 he won $1 million in the Illinois lottery. So what did he do? He bought a fast-food restaurant. "I've spent so many years working for somebody else," the 50-year-old
Grand Crossing resident said. "Now I get to work for myself. It's a big
difference."Dale Welch recently walked into a Starbucks in Virginia, handgun strapped to his waist, and ordered a banana Frappuccino. He says the firearm drew a double-take from at least one customer, but not a peep from the baristas.
When Oprah Winfrey asked her former personal chef what he wanted for his 50th birthday, Art Smith's first thought was a new treadmill.
MIAMI -- When Oprah Winfrey recently asked her former personal chef what he wanted for his 50th birthday, Art Smith's first thought was a new treadmill.
MIAMI -- When Oprah Winfrey recently asked her former personal chef what he wanted for his 50th birthday, Art Smith's first thought was a new treadmill.
GUATEMALA CITY -- Coffee industry leaders say world supplies are growing tighter as demand grows.
GUATEMALA CITY -- Coffee industry leaders say world supplies are growing tighter as demand grows.
Johnny's Fine Foods of Tacoma, Wash., is recalling French Dip Powdered Au Jus in 6 ounce bottles and French Dip Powdered Au Jus in 1.1 ounce foil packets, because it may be contaminated with salmonella.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Kentucky bakery that makes Girl Scout cookies is pulling some batches of its Lemon Chalet Cremes because people have complained of a foul smell and taste.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Kentucky bakery that makes Girl Scout cookies is pulling some batches of its Lemon Chalet Cremes because people have complained of a foul smell and taste.
Tree sap on the rise is another sign of it: Spring is more than just a small light at the end of a snowy tunnel.
Tree sap on the rise is another sign of it: Spring is more than just a small light at the end of a snowy tunnel.
Art Smith was clearly, uncharacteristically frazzled. But minutes later, the man who has cooked for Oprah, the Obamas and Lady Gaga laid out wooden platters of charcuterie, chunks of aged cheese, hand-painted bowls of pickles, dried fruit and nuts, an assortment of flatbreads and heavy blown-glass tumblers of chilled water. “I think it’s just rude to go to a fancy chef’s house and not get fed,” he said.• Photos: At home with chef Art Smith
• Iris Davis’ Buttermilk Fried Chicken
• The Smith Family's 12-Layer Chocolate Cake
• Digging In: Blog for foodies
Food Detective: Chicago restaurateur Almaz Yigizaw wants to bring more to the table than just a taste of her Ethiopian homeland. Starting this month, the owner of Ethiopian Diamond in Edgewater and the new Ethiopian Diamond II in Rogers Park will offer hand-washing ceremonies — an ancient rite performed before and after partaking in her country’s famous family-style meals.
At the Chef's Table: Brussels sprouts are a winter treasure. Rich in beta-carotene, folate and vitamins, they are an antioxidant powerhouse. Unfortunately, this vegetable also is under-utilized and probably intimidating in some way.
Swap Shop: Mix-and-Match Spiced Mousse Minis, created in the kitchens at McCormick, are amazing solutions for at-home entertaining. You provide the spiced mousse and additional ingredients buffet-style. Let your guests be creative and layer their mousse with their favorites.
Media Watch: Martha Stewart is making everyday food faster and easier this month, spinning off her “Everyday Food” magazine into a second cookbook and an iPhone application that offers recipes, daily dinner ideas and automated shopping lists. The app, called “Martha’s Everyday Food,” lets iPhone and iPod touch users access thousands of recipes from the magazine.
Culinate: So far in 2010, I have been in a pretty serious food rut. For a while cooking just wasn’t bringing me the solace it usually does, but I’ve cooked my way back into the kitchen. Cooked and pickled, actually. These quick pickled red onions were made to accompany hamburgers but also make a great, if bracing, snack.
Cheap Healthy Good: OK. I want y’all to hear me out here. This is gonna sound weird. However, this Sardine Avocado Open-faced Sandwich is quite delicious. You still with me? OK, good. Whereas mayo-based salads can taste heavy and dull, this dish is kept fresh and lively by the cider vinegar, parsley and lemon juice. Seasoned correctly, it’s an excellent alternative to tuna fish sandwiches.
Chef Geoff Rhyne of SugarToad, 2139 Citygate Lane, Naperville, unravels the mystique of unami during a cooking class at 11:30 a.m. Saturday; $40. (630) 778-8623.
Eno at the InterContinental
505 N. Michigan
Wine manager Israel Morales (above) walks guests through a session on
port, sherry and dessert wines during the next ENO-Versity class at 7
p.m. Monday; $25. (312) 321-8738.
Two Chicago chefs have been named to a select group: semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Awards for "best chef." Jean Joho, of the restaurant Everest, and Paul Kahan, of Blackbird, are
among 20 chefs nationwide up for the award, to be announced in May.BRUSSELS -- The European Commission on Monday proposed that EU governments commit to a global ban on fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna by 2011 saying overfishing is fast depleting stocks of the species.
A cheese sculptor will be carving Niles' skyline — including the Leaning Tower YMCA — in cheddar on Saturday and Sunday.
• Photos: The Cheese Lady's creations
PARIS -- French exports of expensive Champagne and cognacs suffered a record drop last year as people drank less and switched to cheaper brands in the U.S. and Britain, its biggest foreign markets.
PARIS -- French exports of expensive Champagne and cognacs suffered a record drop last year as people drank less and switched to cheaper brands in the U.S. and Britain, its biggest foreign markets.
Cameras can’t get enough of wedding cakes. From the Food Network’s immensely popular “Ace of Cakes” to WeTV’s
“Amazing Wedding Cakes,” starring Chicago’s own Cakegirls, the
fascination for all things fondant-covered and quadruple-tiered has
never run deeper. And thank goodness for that, say wedding cake designers, whose
industry hasn’t come through these tough
economic times completely unscathed.• Photos: How much is this wedding cake?
• Fussing over fondant worth it
• Digging In: Blog for foodies
• Photos: Making fondant from scratch
Fondant is a funny thing. The pliable covering on many a wedding cake can be chewy, tricky to work with and — as one pastry chef admitted to me — “not the first thing I would choose to eat.” Which is why Janet Lee and Nicole Chibnik, proprietors of the year-old Flour Cake and Pastry, opt to make their own, a rare thing in the wedding cake business.
After a slurp or two of Delano Crawford's Supa Zuppa gourmet brews, a guy might forget a lot: the wretched, condensed, canned glop he’s eaten forever, his worries and even a skilled soupmaker’s last name. When I ask Dion Antic, co-owner of Bagel on Damen, who’s responsible for blowing my mind with a vegan, curried, butternut squash and Granny Smith apple soup at his new shop, Antic says, “This guy [Crawford] sneaks in the back during construction. Lots of people come in with promises, so you think, oh great. But we taste his short rib beef barley, and we’re like, ‘We’ll take everything.’ ”
Food Detective: Stanley’s Fruits and Vegetables, 1558 N. Elston, is as well-known for its fresh, eat-it-today produce as it is for the penny-pinching customers who can swarm a grape pile and spend 20 minutes picking through it. That farmers-market-meets-parking-lot carnival experience at the store has grown with the addition of a mega potato chip-making machine.
NEW YORK — February? In the Beard House kitchen, it was June. Josh Adams’ crew left Chicago before he did; they packed a truck with equipment and local ingredients, and took a road trip to Manhattan. Adams, chef-owner of June in Peoria Heights, flew from Chicago to New York. Destination: Beard House, 167 W. 12th.
One for the Table: As usual, I’m the salmon swimming upstream as far as weight is concerned. While everyone is vehemently burning calories and lowering carb intake en route to shedding the weight they gained over the holidays, I’m nonchalantly trying to make up for what I lost.
Shopping Smart: What will the food world be like in 2010? We’ve just concluded our 2010 Consumer Panel Survey, and it’s all about you the consumer. It’s all about being smarter, healthier — and getting older. Food stores take their cues from their customers, and if our results are any indication, this year could be a big wake-up call.
Swap Shop: Rustic Italian Tomato Soup — perfect with crusty bread — from June Hamilton of Chicago, and South of the Border Tomato Bean Soup from Red Gold, makers of tomato products, are Swap Shop solutions for B.T. of Chicago, who is seeking unusual homemade tomato soup recipes.
With a little help from Martha Stewart, Anthony Bourdain wants to expand America’s notion of food porn. Bourdain, the celebrity chef whose habit of slinging strong opinions and foul language has earned him a culinary bad boy rap, this week launches a no-holds-barred satellite radio program on Sirius XM’s Martha Stewart Living Radio.
Outta the Box: Eggplant pizza — the combination might sound odd, but the flavors are perfectly in sync. Leavened bread is the base of this clay oven-baked, Indian-style vegetarian pizza.
Common Threads hosts its fifth annual World Festival — and celebrates founder Art Smith’s 50th birthday — from 6 to 9 p.m. March 1 at Soldier Field, 1410 Museum Campus; $250. More than 70 chefs will cook at the bash, including Rick Bayless, Ming Tsai, Michelle Bernstein, Jimmy Bannos Sr. and Jr., Gale Gand and Stephanie Izard. Info: commonthreads.org.
HotChocolate marks its 5th anniversary with a craft beer dinner at 6:30 p.m. Monday to benefit Share Our Strength; $150. Joining chef Mindy Segal (left) are chefs Paul Kahan, Michael Kornick, Rick Bayless, Bill Kim and Paul Virant, and breweries including the Chicago-based Piece Brewery and Revolution Brewing Co. (773) 489-1747.
