Eat this, drink that: Costumes, Cake Boy, BBQ

Pumpkins at the Dane County Farmers’ Market in Madison, Wis.
Pumpkins at the Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison, Wis. WBEZ/Louisa Chu
Pumpkins at the Dane County Farmers’ Market in Madison, Wis.
Pumpkins at the Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison, Wis. WBEZ/Louisa Chu

Eat this, drink that: Costumes, Cake Boy, BBQ

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Pumpkins at the Dane County Farmers' Market in Madison, Wis. (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

Saturday, October 27

I can’t even tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to this: I’m judging the Bucktown Kids and Pups Costume Contest at Red Door restaurant with my dog, Kiba! We’ll be joined by our friends Supreme Lobster fishmonger Carl Galvan and CS magazine Dining Editor Lisa Shames. Our chef friend Troy Graves is creating special hot dogs and pup-sized burgers for the event and a portion of those proceeds will benefit the amazing Red Door Animal Shelter. (There’s no relation between the restaurant and shelter!) Red Door shelter rescues cats, dogs, rabbits and the occasional chicken or duck. Please save the date for the shelter’s wonderful annual Gift Bazaar and Famous Cookie Sale. Plus you can easily donate now. Admission FREE, food and drink additional.

Sunday, October 28

The Green City Market Junior Board presents their second annual Halloween Harvest Ball at the Ravenswood Event Center benefitting the Green City Market’s Link card program and other programs that educate shoppers on local, seasonal eating. Costumed chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists will serve seasonal food and drink using the Market’s farm products. Admission $75, $65 for Friends of the Market

Monday, October 29

Chicago Foodways Roundtable presents French pâtissier and British celebrity chef Eric Lanlard, aka Cake Boy, in The Making of a Pastry Chef: The Journey from Childhood Passion to Apprenticeship to the Heights of the Profession at Kendall College. Lanlard will speak and sign copies of his newest book Tart It Up!: Sweet and Savoury Tarts and Pies. Pleasant House Bakery will make two pies from Tart It Up!: pork and cider pie (page 77) and butternut squash and mushroom pie (page 67) available for pre-order by October 26 only. This event will be recorded for WBEZ’s Chicago Amplified. Admission $3; FREE for Kendall students and staff with ID, pies $10.

The Illinois BBQ Alliance presents Autumn Smoke, a dinner by 10 of our state’s top pitmasters, at The Warehouse at Carmichael’s. Join IBBQA to eat, talk Q, drink craft beers, and raise funds to fight breast cancer. The menu includes Chicago hot links injected with chile de árbol BBQ sauce by Barn & Company’s Gary Wiviott; smoky pumpkin and bacon soup by Brand BBQ Market’s Sweet Charity Smith; pulled pork on pretzel slider rolls by Chicago Q’s Lee Ann Whippen; smoked salmon by Smoque’s Barry Sorkin; triple brisket sandwich with KC Burnt Ends by Sweet Baby Ray’s Dave Raymond; smoked meatloaf by Uncle Bub’s Mark Link; caramel bread pudding with bourbon sauce by Real Urban BBQ’s Jeff Shapiro; biscuits and banana pudding by Lillie’s Q’s Charlie McKenna ; and peach cobbler by Honky Tonk BBQ’s Willie Wagner — and much, much more. Admission from $35 for IBBQA members to $50 for dinner and 1 year membership.

Wednesday, October 31

Happy Halloween! What are you giving out this year?