This week in food events: Stinkhorns, soup and more

This week in food events: Stinkhorns, soup and more

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(WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

How about you call your mom to remind her for once its Passover and Easter this week? Non-observant? Join me at Soup & Bread Wednesday—or plan ahead and get tickets now for the Ground Up Chicago Spring Fundraiser at Spacca Napoli next Monday. Wherever you go, in the voice of my mom, “Just eat!”

Monday, April 2

The Illinois Mycological Association (aka Mushroom Club) presents “Stinkhorn Mushrooms (and a Little Bit About Morels)” by mushroom expert Dr. Michael Kuo. Please note that the Club meets this month at the Lake Katherine Nature Center and Botanic Gardens in Palos Heights. “As usual, if you have any mushroom questions or found a fungus you want help identifying, bring it along and we’ll help,” say mushroom clubbers. (Because you don’t want to text a cell phone pic from the emergency room, says me.)

Chef Paul Virant hosts the first of three Preservation Kitchen book release dinners at Vie. Get the very first look and taste of the highly anticipated book with a five-course dinner, wine pairings, signed copy, and even jar of housemade jam—all benefitting the DuPage Medical Group Charitable Fund. Paul wrote Preservation Kitchen with Kate Leahy, also author of the A16 and upcoming SPQR cookbooks. (No cookbook ghostwriting, ghostcooking, and especially no ghostcanning around here.)

Tuesday, April 3

Re-Thinking Soup at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum kitchen presents “Disaporic Soup” with speaker Anthony Joseph. “Experience how food is often at the nexus of the intersection of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and national identity, and how through the act of eating, notions of belonging are affirmed or resisted” with Joseph, “one of the UK’s most exciting and innovative voices, poet, novelist, musician, and lecturer”.

Virant’s one and only Preservation Kitchen book dinner at Perennial Virant, benefits Green City Market. Check out the menu—from fried Brunkow Cheese curds with pickled pepper vinaigrette to caramel ice cream with brandied figs and whole wheat shortbread here.

Wednesday, April 4

I’ll be serving up a surprise soup at Soup & Bread at The Hideout! Joining Longman & Eagle and a host of other fine soup and bread slingers, the second to last S&B of the season benefits the St. Vincent food pantry and the breakfast program at DePaul this week. 

Thursday, April 5

Drink free beer with your friends and be art at The Act of Drinking Beer with Friends is the Highest Form of Art at the Smart Museum of Art. Members of BBU, “the four man Chicago-based group of rappers”, will serve as your guest bartenders. 

Friday, April 6

Celebrate not only National Caramel Popcorn Day but also Chicago’s 175th birthday. “Visit any Garrett Popcorn Shop on April 6 and receive a complimentary treat size serving of CaramelCrisp®. The Windy City celebration begins at 11 a.m. and continues for 175 minutes through 2 p.m.”

Observe Passover at Manny’s with the classics, but also made-to-order matzo pizza.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi finally opens here at Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema. (And of course, now you’re craving sushi. In Chicago check out Arami, Katsu, or Mizu—the last rec the favorite of the chef of the Consul General of Japan.)

Saturday, April 7

Still don’t understand how drinking beer is art—or how any food or drink is art? Get the curator’s tour of “Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art” back at the Smart Museum. Stephanie Smith, the museum’s Deputy Director and Chief Curator, will lead the tour presented by Chicago Foodways Roundtable.

Sunday, April 8

Hop on the “Adult” Easter egg hunt by Longman & Eagle, benefitting the UIC National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. The hunt starts at L&E but look for egg hunters throughout Logan Square. First team back wins a gift basket, but every team’s a winner with a shot of Cabin Still whiskey included.