Have you taken advantage of the so-called Roadkill Bill yet? Me neither. It’s the law that went into effect at the beginning of the year that allows furbearer license holders to take roadkill for food and fur. Previously one would have had to have hunted or trapped all their game. Interested but just don’t know where to start? Me too.

Perhaps a nice hog butchering class might be more your speed. There are a couple this week alone.

I highly recommend listening to Who Killed Lard in advance, last Friday’s fascintating Planet Money podcast.

Wednesday, January 11

Soup & Bread at The Hideout this week benefits Lakeview Pantry, with soups from MANA Food Bar, Peasants’ Plot Sustainable Farm, Eat My Words blogger Gillian McLennan, Stephanie Beyne, Soup & Bread Cookbook editor Alison True, and at least two more surprise soups. And, as always, there will also be freshly-baked bread.

The Appetite for Design dinner at Sepia, hosted by the Chicago Architecture Foundation, features a guided tour of former 1890s era print shop, then dinner served in the new private dining space.

Getta Polletta, a new meatball food truck, serves a pop-up dinner following an in-depth tasting tour of Koval Distillery.

Saturday, January 15

The Butcher & Larder, Chicago’s first locally sourced whole animal butcher shop—and dare I say most beloved—features a pig butchering demo by head butcher/owner/and Michelin-star winning chef Rob Levitt, with 10% off his masterful cuts following.

Chinese New Year dumpling making and a family-style dinner at Hing Kee Restaurant includes a presentation on Chinese New Year traditions, stories by the president of the Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute, Z.J. Tong. Chinese New Year is coming, January 23, the Year of the Dragon!

Have an event recommendation? Please email me here. Thanks.