WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Saturday, March 23

The Chicago Park District presents the Maple Syrup Festival at North Park Village Nature Center. If you didn't make it down to the National Maple Syrup Festival, you're in luck, you can still see the making-of from tree to syrup, and maybe if you're really lucky taste some maple sap. Admission FREE.

Sunday, March 24

Speed Rack Chicago at Cobra Lounge, like March Madness with booze and Chicago's best female bartenders, benefits breast cancer education, prevention, and research.

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Batavia-based ALDI, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods have pledged not to sell so-called Frankenfish in response to a campaign by 30 consumer and environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth.

Remember when I said Frankenfish is the new pink slime?

As a reminder, "AquAdvantage® Salmon (AAS) [unfortunately acronymed IMHO] include a gene from the Chinook salmon, which provides the fish with the potential to grow to market size in half the time of conventional salmon." The FDA says it's safe, but critcs fear a Jurassic Park-esque scenario if the genetically engineered farmed salmon ever escape into the wild.

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Friday, March 15

Can you handle this? The Good Food Festival and Conference presents Localicious at UIC Forum. Creative chef-driven restaurants paired with small family farms celebrate the local food event of the season. Plus a Sandor Katz pre-party has just been added! Meet and greet with the fermentation revivalist himself over exclusive cocktails and canapés. And remember The Kimchi Challenge on Saturday where I'll be one of the judges. Admission $75 for Localicious, $85 including the Sandor Katz pre-party, $10 Saturday Festival including the Kimchi Challenge.

Roadtrip!

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Kimchi is the new pickle! Fermentation is the new canning! So the food trend forecasters say. But in Chicago, we've  been putting up and down for years.

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At this very moment in Indiana, the one and only Tim Burton, maker of Burton's maple syrup, considered the best by Chicago's top chefs, is bottling what might become the next coconut water: maple sap. And it's not just a new food fad. In South Korea, rural villagers have been drinking what they call gorosoe for thousands of years during ritual spring festivals.

I stole a taste of fresh maple sap as it dripped from a tree last Saturday at the National Maple Syrup Festival, a benefit for the Heads Up!!! Foundation, on Burton's Maplewood Farm in Medora.

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Saturday, March 9

The Chicago Cultural Alliance presents Heritage Matters: Food, Fire & Family at DANK Haus German American Cultural Center. Germany meets Japan in this cultural demonstration event. DANK Haus makes Feuerzangenbowle (flaming mulled holiday wine) and the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society makes o-zōni (savory samurai mochi New Year soup), with interactive demos, tastings, and a conversation about family meals. This event will be recorded for WBEZ’s Chicago Amplified.

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