WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO, MEXICO - In what is quickly becoming a monthly occurrence, there was another food and wine festival this past weekend. But unlike events in Aspen, Pebble Beach and Las Vegas - which draw top-tier culinary talent and more winemakers than you could possibly sample in 48 hours - this one was held in Mexico, thousands of miles south of the glare of North American TV crews and "celebrity chefs." But the inaugural Food & Wine Festival in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo was remarkable for at least one thing: the organizers brought in Chicago's Mexican food major domo, Rick Bayless, and made him the headliner.

With posters plastered all over town featuring Bayless (noting his "Top Chef Masters" win rather than his connection to Frontera Grill and Topolobampo), the organizers established the event with some tried-and-true talent to attract U.S. tourists, but also filled in the rest of the schedule with Mexican chefs, tequila experts, and even fellow American chef Stephan Pyles, who plies his trade in Southwestern cooking in Dallas.

Unlike the "one ticket" events in Aspen, this was an a la carte event, offering cooking classes for $40 per person; nighttime "grazing" events ran slightly more than $100 per person.

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I've always wondered how guys like Rick Bayless find the places they're eating at and tweeting about while on the road. If you wanted to, you could simply follow his Twitter archive from his blog, which gives you a blow-by-blow rundown of where he's been. He says he only posts photos of dishes he likes, by the way. But if you didn't want to look all of that information up, there is another way.

While we sat down for an interview after one of his cooking demos yesterday at the Food & Wine Festival of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Bayless let me in on his secret. The key? Gotta be persistent with your questioning. By the way, my group had lunch at a place he found while he was down here (El Tiburon) and it was fantastic. Details in tomorrow's post.

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Can you think of a better way to spend your time and money than indulging in delicious food and drink all while giving back to those in need? Food meets philanthropy this week as Chicagoans are invited to match their generous spirit with their culinary pursuits in several charitable events taking place throughout the city. Japonais will host a fundraiser to aid those devastated by the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, while The Publican and Kendall College - teaming up with Chef Jimmy Bannos Jr. – both host events benefitting local hunger-relief and youth organizations.

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They love food - eating it, cooking it and talking about it. The 9,000+ members of LTHForum.com have selected 21 food establishments as their latest Great Neighborhood Restaurants and Resources (GNRs). Since its inception in 2004, the Chicago-based, internet chat site focuses on all things culinary, but is particularly keen on identifying small, out-of-the-way eateries with which many Chicagoans may not yet be familiar.

Over the past several weeks, members who run the gamut from four-star chefs to hot dog stand proprietors, lawyers, writers, musicians, college students and everything in between, discuss and honor places all over Chicagoland that contribute to their neighborhoods’ character by offering outstanding food, an authentic experience of their ethnic culture, and/or a welcoming atmosphere for guests.

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694 Wine & Spirits has red, white, sparkling and dessert wines available Photo By jhenryrose

After months of small changes and tweaks, the conversion is complete. In the space that used to house the Juicy Wine Company, there are now new owners and a new name: 694 Wine & Spirits .

"First of all, the biggest difference is the attitude," said co-owner Chris Dunstatter. "We're fun, upbeat people. We're not snobs. We like everybody," (which is surprising to hear, considering former owner Rodney Alex was always quick to pour a glass for himself and sit down next to anyone who would grant him an audience).

The second difference, according to Dunstatter, is they now carry local craft beers in addition to the small-allocation wines. Dunstatter says there's no mainstream beer, wine or liquor at 694.

Despite not having a kitchen,  the food being served still sounds good enough to try.

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Lamb chop casserole from Macello (photo: Joseph Storch)

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West Town Tavern book.mp3

Susan and Drew Goss (pictured) have been fixtures on the Chicago food scene for as long as I can remember. I still remember the first time I had the Dutch pot roast and cornbread at their late, lamented, Zinfandel (where La Madia now stands) in River North. At West Town Tavern, Susan still works with the seasons, making her refined-yet-rustic American food, while Drew works the front of the room, offering unique and sometimes obscure wine recommendations that always seem to go so well with Susan's food. The couple just released their first cookbook, and it's the kind of book you really want to cook from, getting the pages dirty along the way. I spoke with them this week at their home, as they pondered the warmer weeks and months to come.

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