Friday @ 5: A cocktail to kick off the weekend

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Posted by Lauren Viera

The past few days’ warmer climes are a dead giveaway, but for those who prefer to celebrate by the book: Spring officially begins Sunday.

(If you’re annoyed by the fact that this column so often begins with a reminder as to what holiday or season is on the horizon, apologies. Let it be your constant reminder to drink in season, just as you should eat in season.)

More important than the fact that yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day, or that a certain day this year marks the 244th anniversary of the invention of soda water, the start of spring gives us permission to polish off our brown liquors and move into lighter territory (think gin, tequila, light rum). True, bourbon remains an excellent transitional spirit to be enjoyed in the months warming up to Derby Day in early May, but toasting the equinox deserves a bit more effort.

That said, go out. Yes, this column primarily encourages staying in and trying your hand at drink recipes. This weekend, go out. Yes, in the rain. (It’s part of spring, after all.) Sit somewhere with windows that have the capacity to open up to the elements, even if it’s too cold to do it just yet. Allow yourself to daydream about temperatures that reach into the 60s. No — the 70s. We’re almost there, folks.

This is the cocktail you should drink while you’re waiting: The Soiled Dove at Bangers & Lace (1670 W. Division St., 773.252.6499).

Comprised of silver tequila, dry sherry, agave, lime and grapefruit juice, it’s served in a Collins glass with ice (it’s been a long time since you had a tall drink, no?) and is finished with bitters and black salt. As for that added salt: Don’t let the mention of it conjure images of rock salt-strewn sidewalks. We’re past that now.

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$22 lunches, $33 dinners at Chicago Chef Week

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Posted by Phil Vettel

Ready for another week of affordable, multi-course meals at top Chicago restaurants?

Heck, yeah. 

Chicago Chef Week is underway, running through Saturday, during which some 52 restaurants will feature three-course lunches for $22 and three-course dinners for $33.

It sounds a bit like Chicago Restaurant Week, doesn’t it? Same prices, and indeed, some of the same restaurants. This week is a bit shorter and has far fewer participants, but you’ll still be able to dine at the likes of Avec, Big Jones, Bistronomic, Boka, C-House, Cibo Matto, Green Zebra, Hearty, Mana Food Bar, MK, Nana, Nightwood, Perennial, Sable, Sepia, Sola, Terzo Piano, Veerasway and Zealous.

You can find all the participating restaurants, and make online reservations, at the Chicago Chef Week website. Clicking on individual restaurants will link you to their respective sites, but as of this morning, very few had bothered to post their Chicago Chef Week menus. Think of it as the thrill of anticipation.

 

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Chicago chefs pair with farmers at Localicious festival tonight

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Posted by Monica Eng

Chicago chefs from more than a dozen restaurants, including Old Town Social, Big Jones, Osteria Via Stato, City Provisions, will pair up with local farmers and local brewers and vintners to present Localicious one of the tastiest and sustainable food fests of the year. Tickets are $75.

The party is part of the Family Farmed Expo, a three-day event of workshops, discussions and lectures that finishes Saturday with the family and foodie-friendly Good Food Festival at the UIC Forum (725 W Roosevelt Road).

Dozens of farms will have booths for those who want to shop around for a CSA subscription this year, top Chicago chefs–including Stephanie Izard (pictured right), Bill Kim, Paul Kahan and Paul Virant–will present cooking demos and local food authorities will present workshops on everything from keeping backyard chicken and canning to gardening and whole animal butchery.

Author and Weston Price Foundation founder Sally Fallon Morell (interviewed by the Tribune here) will give a lecture on healthy traditional diets at 9 a.m.

Food festival tickets are free (for kids under 12) to $35 for all access including the Fallon lecture if you buy them before Saturday. Adult tickets to the festival alond are $10.

Photo: Alex Garcia/Chicago Tribune

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INDYCAR: Dragon To Run Thursday With Chevy Power

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INDYCAR: Dragon To Run Thursday With Chevy Power

Not sure what the legal ramifications will be but Dragon Racing and Katherine Legge is “scheduled” to be on track Thursday morning with a Chevrolet engine.

Not sure what the legal ramifications will be but Dragon Racing and Katherine Legge is “scheduled” to be on track Thursday morning with a Chevrolet engine.

Chief steward Beaux Barfield confirmed Wednesday that Legge will be allowed to begin her rookie test at 8 a.m. and have 90 minutes of running in Jay Penske’s car. It’s also possible Sebastien Bourdais could make it out later today to complete his refresher course.

What happens to Bourdais and Legge after that remains to be seen because Dragon and Lotus are embroiled in a contract dispute.

Penske is suing Lotus for $4.6 million and wants released from his contract and Lotus supposedly wants a monetary settlement from the son of the 16-time Indy 500 winning owner.

INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard has been serving as moderator between the two for the past week but couldn’t be reached for comment.

From a competition standpoint, the ideal situation would seem to be for Penske to drop his suit, Lotus to release him and Bourdais and Legge allowed to be powered by Chevy the rest of 2012.

Then Lotus could possibly add a second car to Keith Wiggins’ HVM team for the remainder of the season.

There had been rumors that Roger Penske would step in and form a new team with his son to make sure he got to run on May 27.

But, in an email, Penske rejected that notion. “Dragon will run,” he said.

Robin Miller brings 40 years of experience to his role as SPEED.com’s senior open-wheel reporter, and serves as a frequent contributor to SPEED Center and Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain.

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$22 lunches, $33 dinners at Chicago Chef Week

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Posted by Phil Vettel

Ready for another week of affordable, multi-course meals at top Chicago restaurants?

Heck, yeah. 

Chicago Chef Week is underway, running through Saturday, during which some 52 restaurants will feature three-course lunches for $22 and three-course dinners for $33.

It sounds a bit like Chicago Restaurant Week, doesn’t it? Same prices, and indeed, some of the same restaurants. This week is a bit shorter and has far fewer participants, but you’ll still be able to dine at the likes of Avec, Big Jones, Bistronomic, Boka, C-House, Cibo Matto, Green Zebra, Hearty, Mana Food Bar, MK, Nana, Nightwood, Perennial, Sable, Sepia, Sola, Terzo Piano, Veerasway and Zealous.

You can find all the participating restaurants, and make online reservations, at the Chicago Chef Week website. Clicking on individual restaurants will link you to their respective sites, but as of this morning, very few had bothered to post their Chicago Chef Week menus. Think of it as the thrill of anticipation.

 

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$22 lunches, $33 dinners at Chicago Chef Week

Posted on by

Posted by Phil Vettel

Ready for another week of affordable, multi-course meals at top Chicago restaurants?

Heck, yeah. 

Chicago Chef Week is underway, running through Saturday, during which some 52 restaurants will feature three-course lunches for $22 and three-course dinners for $33.

It sounds a bit like Chicago Restaurant Week, doesn’t it? Same prices, and indeed, some of the same restaurants. This week is a bit shorter and has far fewer participants, but you’ll still be able to dine at the likes of Avec, Big Jones, Bistronomic, Boka, C-House, Cibo Matto, Green Zebra, Hearty, Mana Food Bar, MK, Nana, Nightwood, Perennial, Sable, Sepia, Sola, Terzo Piano, Veerasway and Zealous.

You can find all the participating restaurants, and make online reservations, at the Chicago Chef Week website. Clicking on individual restaurants will link you to their respective sites, but as of this morning, very few had bothered to post their Chicago Chef Week menus. Think of it as the thrill of anticipation.

 

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