This was my third year covering this event and I have to admit that every year there are new perks that bring me back.
This
show celebrates Chicago’s amazing food and the chef’s who inspire us all to go
home and cook.
Nothing
better than mixing great food with fine wine and spirits and of course a double
dose of people watching.
For
the first time in 3 years, I popped in on the Grand Cru. Once you expose yourself to wines of this caliber it is
difficult to settle for anything less. Honestly, I became a wine snob in one
hour without any effort at all.
The real
excitement for me is discovering new chefs. Every year I go away with a long
list of new restaurants to try.
So what
was new?
The Purple Pig Roast
When I
was at the World BBQ Cookoff in Memphis this year, a pig roast was simply the
order of the day.
Chef Jimmy Bannos served up
roasted pork and rumor had it that he cooked
up ten, 100 lb. pigs throughout the weekend.
Thousands
of people lined up for the feed and this proved to be the most popular servings
of the show.
Design your own chocolate bar by Buick
Did
you know in a digital kitchen you can create your own chocolate bar? Enter
Buick. Pick your ingredients and they will deliver it to you in a few short
weeks.
I
can’t wait to get mine – a combination of white chocolate, lemon, bacon and
caramel. Have to admit that the combination was really delicious when I took
all the ingredients in a little cup and downed it all in one gulp just like a
shot.
It was
the show stealer I wished I had thought up.
I
sampled (sips) so many delicious drinks at Chicago Gourmet this year, I quick
counting. The remarkable thing was that most drink masters gave away their
secrets on a little recipe card. I tucked away at least a dozen.
The mixologists (bartenders who
take a culinary approach to liquor) were an artistic compliment to the chefs and
have definitely created their own big buzz in Chicago culinary circles.
John Besh: A Chef Who Knows His Burgers
One of
my favorite New Orleans chefs was the hit of the Hamburger Hop Friday night and
proved to be a audacious judge eating so many hamburgers that he was still able
to single out the winning few.
Yoshi Katsumura of
Yoshi's Cafe in Lakeview, won with
an American wagyu burger topped with Asian pear jam, panko-crusted fried green
tomato, pickle, brie, microwasabi and a smoky Asian barbecue sauce on a
poppyseed brioche bun. Can you say that all without taking a breath?
Matt Troost, chef at Three Aces (one of my favorite places on
Taylor Street), was the people's choice winner with a 50-50 mix of prime chuck
and sirloin, topped with bacon jam, aged Wisconsin white cheddar, red onion and
mesclun greens on a pretzel bun.
Their mystery ingredient? Bone-marrow salt, created by packing bone
marrow in salt for several months to let the meaty flavor permeate the salt.
Healthy Eating: Gluten Free
Many athletes
I know swear that their performance has improved leaps and bounds by going
gluten free. All I know is that when I am on a detox, I feel so full of energy because
I am not eating gluten.
I would
seriously think about eliminating gluten from my diet for good but I am totally
addicted to bread.
You
know the MO – preparing to be Italian in my next life.
The Grand Cru: Seriously, A Tequila?
Casa
Dragones is the utter magic of Bertha González Nieves, the first female Maestra
Tequilera to be certified by the Academia Mexicana de Catadores de Tequila and
recognized by the Tequila Regulatory Council.
I’m
going to have to ask my tequila friend and expert, César Mascorro Pérez, to
weigh in on this tequila because Casa Dragones has set its
status as the darling of the culinary world, with utter devotion from culinary
experts from across the world.
I have
to agree. This was one tequila that was absolutely worth it’s price tag
($250.00) but regrettably out of my budget… but I did savor the taste.
Wiskies of the World
Call
it an acquired taste. I’ve decided that I’m going to educate myself on whiskey
this year and the Whiskies of the World was my first stop.
It
never lacked for customers the entire show and honestly, I tried a few times
before I got on the inside asking questions.
Although
the blends and distilling techniques are complex, I found the rich and diverse
flavors worth the pursuit.
Stay
tuned.
Guacamole? Pass the Chicharrones
Ask
anyone in Chicago who their favorite chef is and Rick Bayless wins the vote
every time.
It’s always a full house at the opening of Chicago Gourmet 2012 when Adam Rapoport, Editor of Bon Appetit and Rick Bayless entertain the crowd… and this year with Mayor Emanuel.
Whatever you though you knew about cooking, I bet you didn’t know this one? Always deflame the onions. Running water over chopped onions will remove the sulfurous compounds so you will not cry or taste your food long after you have eaten.
Science? Hold on. Wasn’t that suppose to be Homaro Cantu’s segment on Kitchen Chemistry 101?
Bon Appetit!