Culinary Historians of Chicago
WINTER 2001
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NEWSLETTER OF THE Culinary Historians of Chicago |
WINTER 2001 |
For the second summer in a row, CHC volunteers Susan Ridgeway, Amy Ridgeway and Wanda Bains raised money for the CHC Scholarship fund by working at the annual Carson Pirie Scott Community Day.
Carson stages this yearly coupon book day as a community service for scholarships and not-for-profit organizations. In brief, volunteers attend the event at any Carson store and sell $5 coupon books -- which benefit customers (who can save up to $50 on purchases) and the volunteers and their organizations. Susan Ridgeway says that only three CHC volunteers raised $250 this year and the more volunteers the more funds. For example, "The CHC scholarship fund now totals $1,500, and if we had 25 volunteers we could double the fund in one day," she says.
Ridgeway urges CHC members to look for the spring 2002 announcement of this event in the mail and to please consider volunteering. "Next year is CHC's 10th anniversary," she says, "and doubling the scholarship fund would be a worthwhile way to celebrate it."
Thanks to CHC's co-sponsor, the Chicago Historical Society, which donates meeting space for the Saturday morning programs, CHC members can mark their calendars in anticipation of on the following Saturday mornings at the Chicago Historical Society, 1601 North Clark Street:
Meetings are subject to change, so please consult your monthly e-mail meeting notices for final information.
In August meetings resumed with An American Food Spy in Moscow, presented by Catherine Lambrecht, a frequent visitor to the USSR from 1977 until 1990, and an occasional visitor since then. Her work with her father -- importing and distributing optics from Russia and Central Europe -- resulted in permission to maintain apartment-office space in Moscow. Rather than spend her time with the international community in Moscow or eating in expensive restaurants, Catherine visited private homes (often purchasing ingredients and preparing dinners), had guests over for dinner constantly, bought street food and shopped at farmers' markets with locals.
Her program described the change in food and markets from the former USSR to present-day Russia based on observations made during recent visits. In addition to being an active member of CHC, Catherine is president of the Illinois Mycological Association, a master gardener and food preserver with the University of Illinois Extension in Lake County. She repeatedly has been named champion in the Pies Division of the Lake Country Fair.
Chicago Suds
According to Skilnik, the brewing industry had enormous influence on Chicago's economic, political and social development, and his talk focused on The Golden Age of Brewing, Prohibition, the Capone era and the closing of the last historic Chicago brewery. He also introduced a representative from a contemporary micro brewery, John Freyer of Three Floyds Brewing LLC in Munster, Ind., who discussed the company's operations and offered samples of their beers.
Copies of Skilnik's book were available for sale at the program and may also be found on Amazon.com and through the author's website CLICK HERE.
Beyond Pizza
Chef Palaggi started art at the American Academy of Fine Arts of Chicago and taught art in Florida, but the culinary arts triumphed and in 1995 he opened Palaggi's in Beverly with his father, Salvatore. When his father passed away in 2001 at the age of 96, Mario was asked to come to River North by his childhood friend, Frank Hamer, and be a partner in the new Palaggi's Ristorante at 10 W. Hubbard. After his talk, CHC members and guests sampled Palaggi's favorite recipes.
Afghanistan's Culinary Treasures
Afghan food has dishes in common with Persian cuisine.At his restaurant, specialties include Afghan favorites such as chicken kabobs, kadu (sauteed pumpkin), ausbaki (scallion-stuffed dumpling with spicy yogurt and meat sauce), subzi (spinach with fluffy rice), lemony, carbonated Afghan iced tea, and firnee (chilled cornstarch pudding topped with pistachios). Following his talk, CHC volunteer Barb Olson served Afghan dishes she had prepared using Mr. Qazi's recipes.
Putting on the Ritz
These bits of culinary evidence can come in the form of recipe pamphlets issued by food corporations, or out-of-print cookbooks. For example, Nancy Ryan picked up a copy of A Book of Practical Recipes for the Housewife, published in or before 1948 by Chicago Evening American, Chicago Illinois. The book yielded additional treasures stuffed between its pages: an early cookie recipe pamphlet issued by the Pillsbury Company; four handwritten recipes (one for Billie's Brownies and one for Perfect Chocolate Fudge, one for Christmas Candy and one for Grape Jelly); a Jelke's good luck vegetable oleomargarine recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits printed by the John F. Jelke Co., Chicago; and a newspaper clipping for Today's Hand in Bridge -- well, not very culinary. But from this unsophisticated book it's very clear what women were cooking and serving to their families -- and their bridge clubs -- in the late 1940s. The cookbook details methods for "Pasteurizing" milk, and has blank pages at the end for readers to add their own recipes or recipes appearing daily in the Chicago Evening American. the cookbook also suggests, among other tips for the housewife:
"To Remove Stains
Grease: Saturate French Chalk with benzine and paste over spot. Lay a blotter over the spot and rest a warm iron on the blotter for half an hour. Remove the iron, dust off the chalk and the spot should be removed.
Perspiration: Try weak solution sodium hydrosulphite and wash in water. If material is nonwashable the stain is hopeless to remove."
The Chicago Historical Society, co-sponsor of the CHC, will provide a space for our culinary finds.
AT THE CHICAGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
January 13
February 9
March 16
April 20
May 18
June 15
July 20
August 17
September 14
October 12
November 16
December 14
In September, Bob Skilnik presented Chicago's Beer Connection, a program that focused on the city's largely overlooked 150-year brewing industry and traditions. Skilnik is author of The History of Beer and Brewing in Chicago, 1833-1978, a graduate of the Chicago-based Siebel Institute of Technology, the nation's oldest brewing school, and is currently working on Volume II of his history.
In October, Chef/Partner Mario Palaggi of Palaggi's Ristorante, presented Italy, Chicago Style. a lively discussion of Italy's impact on the city that goes far beyond pizza. Chef Palaggi's family, originally from Calabria, Italy, has been involved with the Chicago restaurant community for 75 years. He learned about Italian cooking as a boy working in his family's South Side grocery stores and restaurants. Among these family operations was a tavern at 76th and Ashland where food -- but not drink -- was served free.
In November, Abdul Qazi, owner of Kabul House Restaurant in Skokie, presented Out of Afghanistan, an exploration of the proud culture and culinary history of a now war-torn land. Mr. Qazi (pronounced Kawzee) left Afghanistan in 1979 after the Russian invasion. He had just finished college and was a teacher and he left behind a large extended family. He arrived in Chicago in 1985 via Pakistan Italy and Canada. By his estimates about 150 Afghan families, or about 500 people total, live in Chicago.
Let Them Eat Caviar, was the topic and taste (yes, samples were served) of the December meeting where Robert W. Sullivan and Rachel Collins discussed the history, sturgeon (and other fish) species, and processing involved in the production of imported and domestic caviar. Sullivan is president of The Plitt Company, a Premium Seafood company founded in 1916 in Chicago. Plitt seafood is found in the kitchens of Tru, Spago, Spiaggia and Joe's Stone Crab restaurants and in Fox & Obel Food Market. Rachel Collins is vice-president of Collins Caviar company, a firm she started with her mother Carolyn in 1993. Collins Caviar produces caviar from the roe of trout, salmon, sturgeon and whitefish. Both Rachel and Carolyn are informed about global fisheries regulations and work with scientists and organizations dedicated to sustaining these resources.
Coffee: Stretch material with spot over a bowl and pour boiling water through it from a height of two feet.