Handpicked: No Dessert Left Behind, Whole Larder Love and more

Handpicked: No Dessert Left Behind, Whole Larder Love and more

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.
Candied bacon whiskey maple cream cheese donut by West Town Bakery at Baconfest Chicago 2013 (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

Friday, June 7
76th annual Donut Day throughout Chicagoland. As I wrote last year, the holiday held annually on the first Friday of June was established in 1938 to honor The Salvation Army “Donut Lassies” who served the treats to soldiers during World War I. The Salvation Army and Entenmann’s will give away free donuts at Federal Plaza. At Firecakes Donuts receive a complimentary Old Fashioned Buttermilk donut with your purchase excluding beverages, plus 100 percent of the day’s profits will be donated to The Salvation Army. Admission FREE at Federal Plaza, at Firecakes food and drink additional and act as your donation.

Saturday, June 8
Dragon Boat Festival at the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago. Zongzi (bamboo leaf wrapped sticky rice stuffed with fillings sweet or savory) are traditionally eaten for this festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, falling on Wednesday (June 12) this year. See a zongzi making demo then taste with tea, plus listen to live Chinese music and poetry readings. For actual dragon boat in Chicagoland, we’ll have to wait until July, but there will be two races this season. Admission $8 for Chinese-American Museum of Chicago members, students, and seniors; $12 general; RSVP requested.

Sunday, June 9
Inaugural No Dessert Left Behind bake sale at Little Goat Diner. All proceeds benefit Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Bake Sale campaign. The dessert event features goods from local top pastry chefs, most notably the pioneering pâtissière Gale Gand and the elusive Butcher and Larder’s Allie Levitt, plus many talented home bakers. There will be sweet and savory cookies, brownies, pastries, pies, cakes, tarts, tortes, chocolate, and macarons; plus full bar and outdoor deck seating. Admission FREE, food and drink additional and act as your donation.

Whole Larder Love reading, skinning, and dinner at City Lit Books, Longman & Eagle, and Nellcôte. Australian hunter, gatherer, blogger, and author Rohan Anderson takes over Chicago for three events in one day. Anderson will read and sign his new book Whole Larder Love: Grow Gather Hunt Cook. At L&E’s Off Site Bar he will demo a rabbit skinning. The book dinner menu at Nellcôte: Humble Summer Broccoli & Garlic Pasta, Hare Tagine, and a seasonal dessert. Admission FREE at City Lit and Longman & Eagle, $35 dinner at Nellcôte.

Fifth annual Slow Food Chicago Pig Roast at Goose Island Street Brewery. This year featuring Duroc and crossbred hogs, raised on pasture and fed mash from the Goose Island brewery, at Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange, Indiana. Pig chefs include Big Jones’ Paul Fehribach, Butcher & Larder’s Rob Levitt, Nellcôte/Old Town Social’s Jared Van Camp, and more. Plus vegetable dish by vegetarian/vegan restaurant Handlebar’s Ryan Stevens, and dessert by Nightwood’s Sarah Mispagel. Admission $70 general, $90 ticket plus $20 donation to 2014 Terra Madre delegate fund, both include a commemorative beer glass and beer.

Inaugural Comfort Food Potluck at Comfort Station. In collaboration with Food on the Dole chef/blogger Hugh Amano, all are welcome but there’s one requirement: all food must be homemade by you and yours, based on the food you ate growing up. Thereʼs no competition. Comfort Food aims to bring all members of our community together in a forum inspired by sharing and exchange of food and ideas about food. Admission FREE, donations large or small benefit the Comfort Station to cover potluck supplies costs and accepted by jar.

Tuesday, June 11
Kinfolk Freshen Up Chicago at Greenhouse Loft. A Kinfolk magazine event with Estera Style, local and seasonal herbal cocktails and bites will be served. Plus make your own natural cleaning products at workshop stations and leave with a complete home care kit. Admission $55.

Follow Louisa Chu at @louisachu.