Culinary Historians of Chicago
SUMMER 2005
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NEWSLETTER OF THE Culinary Historians of Chicago |
SUMMER 2005 |
If you can't make the Turkish dinner at Cousin's on Monday, September 19, be sure to attend this gastronomic delight prepared by Washburn culinary students under the direction of the school's provost, Bill Reynolds. Cost and time to be announced.
Coming Soon -- Special culinary programs at
CHC is planning to have guest speakers at the store, in the upstairs meeting room. Cost includes speaker's presentation along with samples of the cuisine being discussed. For reservations to any of the listed programs, call Customer Service at 312-587-0648.
Tuesday, Sept. 13: History and Cuisine of Turkey: A Primer for the PBS documentary, "Hidden Turkey" airing locally on Sept. 20. The program is from 6:30 to 8 pm. Seating is limited. Chef Yashar Demir of Cousin's Restaurant is the presenter.
Free parking is at a premium here so if you can, use public transportation.
From Lakeshore Drive - Exit at North Ave. Follow to Westbound North Ave. Continue West on North Avenue to Sheffield. Whole Foods Market is on the northwest corner.
From the Kennedy Expy. (90/94) - Exit at North Ave. Take North Avenue east to Sheffield. Whole Foods Market is on the northwest corner.
From the Redline El - Get off the El at Clybourn/North Station. Whole Foods Market is 2 blocks west at Sheffield.
From CTA Bus #72 (North Avenue) - Get off at Sheffield. Whole Foods Market is on the northwest corner.
From CTA Bus #8 (Halsted)- Get off at North Avenue. Whole Foods Market is 2 blocks west at Sheffield.
In addition, the Turkish program is also being presented at Whole Foods Market - Evanston, 1640 Chicago Avenue, Evanston, IL on Monday, September 12, from 6:30 to 8 pm.
For reservations, call Customer Service at 847-733-1600.
The Chicago Historical Society has generously donated the use of the Society Conference Room for our monthly Saturday morning meetings. CLICK HERE to visit the Meetings & Events page for information on events. Members will be notified by e-mail or mail of any changes. If you would like to attend a meeting, MEMBERS and NON-MEMBERS, please reserve ahead by calling Susan Ridgeway, CHC treasurer, at 815-439-3960. Please leave your name, telephone number and the number of people in your party. Space is limited.
3/4 cup chopped onion
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 10-inch round cake pan lightly with oil. Cut a piece of parchment paper the same size, place in pan, brush again with oil, and set aside. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, then add pepper, mushrooms, and zucchini and continue to cook until soft. Drain off liquid and add oregano, and salt and pepper. Set aside to cool. In a large mixer bowl, beat eggs, milk, cheddar, Parmesan on low speed. When combined, add cream cheese in small bite-sized bits (pull pieces by hand). Put cooked spaghetti into pan. Do the same with the vegetables. Pour in the egg mixture and mix with your hands so that all the components are equally distributed in the pan. Pat down so that as much of the solids are covered with the liquid. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until firm to the touch and lightly brown. It will puff up and settle when cool. Serve immediately. Can serve on a bed of lightly sautéed fresh tomato sauce, if desired. Serves 4.
Tyler Florence interviewed Professor John T. Edge, a speaker at CHC's Grits and Greens Symposium, on the Food Network's segment on Fried Chicken. Professor Edge was also quoted in an article of the south's prolific Waffle House.
To celebrate his family, Yashar Demir, the new owner of Chicago's celebrated Cousin's Restaurant is putting on a special dinner featuring some classic dishes of his native Black Sea region of Turkey. Several of them appear in the program. Dinner is preceded by a discussion of Turkish food history and the documentary by its creators. The special menu items include:
Appetizers and Salad:
Entrees:
Desserts:
Plus: Special Homemade Turkish breads including Simit, 1 glass wine, and 1 glass Raki (liquor)
Price: $35 inclusive.
The program is hosted by the Chicago Foodways Roundtable.
Embark on the Southeastern Illinois trail to great food and divine wines along with a historical adventure, and experience life in the Heartland away from the "Windy City."
Leaving Chicago on Friday, September 23, the first stop is in the heart of Amish country for a homemade lunch fit for a king. Save room for dessert because the bus stops next at Newton's Fudge Shop where everyone gets to taste some of its supreme chocolate and other flavorful samples.
For dinner, a down home Fish Fry is on the agenda. There's nothing like fresh fish fried to perfection that's tasty and plentiful with abundant accompaniments.
Onward to the Grayville Hotel where the staff awaits the tour. After check-in, take a refreshing break in the swimming pool and meet later in the cocktail lounge for friendly socializing.
Begin Saturday with a farm tour and country art fair in Olney, famous for its white squirrels. Select your own lunch at the fair from amongst the many food booths offering local goodies. Also, keep your eyes open and your camera ready for those ghostly looking bushy tails.
Next, it's on to Carmi for a tour of the Robinson House Museum built in the
1850sand the Rhoder Doll Emporium Museum and Repair Shop.
Before the evening meal, the group is welcomed at a wine and cheese reception in a Victorian mansion. Dinner is served at Fairfield's Buffalo Country Restaurant that is known for its mouthwatering specialty menu items including the delicious noodle casserole. Local entertainment is scheduled to perform while guests relax and partake in the meal.
On Sunday, the bus meanders through the Illinois Wine Trail, taking in part of the outstanding Shawnee National Forest. One of three stops is the White Oak Winery, specializing in several fruit wines. The winery also offers traditional grape wine including Chardonnay, Seyval, Merlot and Chambourcin. Be sure to sample its signature gold medal persimmon and blueberry wines.
Lunch is served in the vineyard! Afterwards the bus tour takes one last look at the state's hill country as it leaves Southern Illinois for the flat lands making its way back to Chicago.
Cost is $320 per person, which includes deluxe motor coach transportation, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, wine tastings and 2 nights accommodations.
For single room add $75.
Checks are payable to: My Kind of Town Tours & Events and mailed to:
Tour Bus makes convenient pickup and drop-off points including downtown location.
Note: Itinerary may change slightly to accommodate guests comfortably.
Annual membership is $36.00 for individuals, $60.00 for couples, and $24.00 for students. Prices are in U.S. dollars.
Membership includes: Membership card, Newsletter, Notification of up-coming events, and Special member discounts for certain events. If you would like a membership card mailed to you, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your membership fee.
ChicaGourmets! Events:
Saturday, September 10, 11:30 am Winemaker's Dinner with Count Capponi of Villa Calcinaia Winery, Tuscany - International Brunch: French Latino Cuisine at Robert Morris College with Domaine Berthet-Rayne from Eagle Eye Imports
Saturday, September 17, The Arab Table with Author May Bsisu CHC meeting with lecture at 10 a.m. Followed by 11:30 reception and book signing - Noon Luncheon at Kendall College, 900 N. Branch St. at Halsted St. & Chicago Avenue
Wednesday, September 21, 6 to 9 pm. Foods of the Carolina's Lowcountry at Roger's Park Presbyterian Church, 7059 N. Greenview (1500 West), Chicago
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 23, 24 and 25 - Heartland Tour. See details in newsletter.
Wednesday, September 28, 6:30 pm Celebrating Chocolate! At The Melting Pot - Chicago location, with Special Guest Author Lisa Yockelson.
Saturday, October 22, 6:30 pm, The Red Shoes Murder Mystery at The Metropolitan Club
March 14-19, 2006 Spring 2006 Caribbean cruise Aboard the Seabourn Legend.
For details, cost, and reservations, CLICK HERE to go to ChicaGourmets! website or call Don Newcomb at 708-383-7543.
"South American cuisine still remains one of the world's best-kept secrets," says Maria Kijac. "Paradoxically, although South America gave the Old World a wealth of foodstuffs, it has done almost nothing to export its great cooking." Kijac remedies that through her extraordinary celebration of the cuisine, history, geography and people of South America. "South American cooking is not just the cooking of the Indians, or the Africans, or the Spaniards or Portuguese," she explains, in this comprehensive volume that is the standard by which all other South American cookbooks will be judged. "Rather, it is a magnificent blend of virtually all the cuisines of the world with the foods and traditions of the continent's indigenous peoples."
A labor of love, Kijac researched hundreds of recipes and South American lore for 15 years before she wrote this cookbook unparalleled in its depth and breadth. Filled with wonderful stories, authentic recipes served in every course on the South American table, as well as the myriad ways to cook these foods, the cookbook also includes a helpful glossary and a dictionary of South American ingredients. Kijac makes it simple for cooks of all skill levels to reproduce the 450 recipes, but most important of all, her passion for the cuisine, culture and history of her native country is contagious. It's both a great cookbook and a spectacular read.
Marketing Nutrition: Soy, Functional Foods, Biotechnology, and Obesity (The Food Series) by Brian Wansink (University of Illinois Press; $34.95 hardcover)
Quite simply this is the best book I have read on all that matters for infusing "nutrition" into consumers' shopping habits. The monograph is a superb synthesis of intelligence and perspectives from consumer research on how to get consumers to shop more healthfully. It should be mandatory reading for product developers, marketers and CEOs of food companies everywhere. Read it if you really want the story of what you eat!
Save, Save, Save. Purchase big-ticket items and get 20 percent off most regularly priced and sale priced items. If you were purchasing a skillet, set of knives, luggage, etc., you could save 20 percent off the price. Purchase more than one booklet to give mom, sister, cousin, and friends.
Also CHC has a table the day of the sale and is looking for assistance. For 2 hours you can help us in selling the coupon books or demonstrating in the housewares department to earn a bigger donation to CHC. Plan to shop for your holiday gifts on November 19 with your coupon booklet. They will be sold at meetings and mailed to each member. Call Susan Ridgeway at 815-439-3960.
Don't be shy. Assist us with this fundraiser. It's a great way to broaden your horizons.
Saturday, Oct. 15 -- Nick Maligieri - Baking from Around the World - Kendall College
Saturday, Nov. 12 -- Jennifer McLagan - Bones - Recipes, History and Myths
Saturday, Dec. 10 -- Sara Moulton of Food Network - Topic TBA
In the Works - A Turkish Culinary Event is being planned by Washburn College at the South Shore Country Club on October 1.
Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park
1000 W. North Ave., Chicago 60622
Cost per program: $10
Tuesday, Sept. 27: History & Cuisine of Tex-Mex in Celebration of Whole Foods Market 25th Anniversary.
Tuesday, Oct. 11: History & Cuisine of Morocco
Tuesday, Nov. 8: History and Cuisine of the Early American Thanksgiving
Seating is limited. Cost is $10. Chef-Owner Yashar Demir of Cousin's Restaurant is the presenter.
Meeting Information: Lectures hosted by the Culinary Historians of Chicago are nominally priced. Adults are $10.00 and students are $5.00, unless otherwise stated. Fees are collected at the door.
(Note: The Chicago Historical Museum will soon be under renovation. In the months ahead, please check the website to make sure the meeting site has not been changed due to construction.)
Food Network's "The Best Of", "Breakfast Spots", featured Ina's, 1235 W. Randolph St, Chicago, 60607, as the best place to have breakfast in Chicago. Interviewed by Jill Cordes, Ina Pinkney described one of her menu's specials - Pasta Fritta. The recipe is as follows:
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup julienne red pepper
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups julienne zucchini
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
10 eggs
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound cream cheese
3 cups cooked spaghetti
Lightly sautéed fresh tomato sauce, optional
(Recipe not tested at home.)
(FOOD NETWORK)
Do you have culinary news to share? CLICK HERE to send your item to Wanda Bain or call her at 847-882-3389. Or mail to:
Wanda Bain
33 Aspen Drive
Schaumburg IL 60194
Lights, Camera, Action!!!! A premier event is taking place on Monday, September 19. Make your reservation today for this red carpet event.
presents
A Special Turkish Dinner from the Black Sea
at Cousins Restaurant, 2833 N. Broadway, Chicago
Çoban Salata (Shepherd's Salad), Pepper Dolma, Sautéed Hamse (Black Sea sardines), Hamse with Vegetables. Muchlama (Black Sea Mountain polenta), Karadeniz Pide (Black Sea Stuffed Bread)
Kuzu Kebab (Lamb Kebab), Tavuk (Chicken Kebab), and Adana Kebab (Beef and Lamb Kebab)
Homemade Baklava and Pirinç Tatlisi (Rice Pudding in Syrup)
Time: 6:30 PM
Parking: Available for a fee in the lot behind the restaurant. Street parking is metered and limited.
Reservations: Call Catherine Lambrecht at 847-432-8255, then leave your name, telephone number and the number of people in your party or CLICK HERE to e-mail.
A trip you won't want to miss.
September 23, 24 and 25
My Kind of Town Tours & Events
Attn: Leah Axelrod
2100 Linden Avenue
Highland Park, IL 60035
CHC
Attn.: S. Ridgeway
2113 Sanborn Circle
Plainfield, IL 60544
Sunday, September 4, 4 pm Reception 5 pm 5-course dinner. Sweets & Savories, Chef-Owner David Richards with Guest of Honor Tammy Weller, President of Singles Travel International - An Overview of the ChicaGourmets! Spring 2006 Caribbean Cruise
Reviewed by CHC Member Diane Toops, New Products and Trends Editor, Putman Media
The book encapsulates insights and wisdom gained by Professor Brian Wansink, formerly, Julian Simon Faculty Scholar and professor of marketing, nutritional science, and agricultural, and consumer economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from the myriad of interdisciplinary research studies he conducted at the University's Food and Brand Lab. The very first chapter, "Secrets about food and people," provides insight as to why we, despite knowing what is good for us, choose to eat the way we do. The chapter provides a peek into the history food in America - that the U.S. Government even created a Committee of Food Habits with luminaries Margaret Mead and Karl Lewin to determine influence the nation's dietary habits. In the subsequent chapters - "Tools for Targeting, and The Health of Nations, Labeling that Actually Works, and Marketing Nutrition" - we learn how to better understand how people view healthful foods and how to enhance their perception. The book is provides invaluable insights such as - "people's perception of taste improves with a better description of a food"; influence the cook to change one's eating habits"; "skinny tall glasses fool one into believing they consumed more than what really consumed"; and "there are three types of cooks who lead trends and opinions." You'll just have to find out for yourselves - as to which category you belong to!
Kantha Shelke, Corvus Blue