Latest news with #Daisies
Eater
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
A Revved Up Chicago Gourmet Returns in 2025 With a NASCAR Dinner
As Chicago's street festivals struggle, Chicago Gourmet is swinging for the fences in 2025 and leaning into the city's passion for sports. Organizers have announced a battery of events, including a dinner on the NASCAR Chicago Street Course with food from the chefs behind Bar Siena, Daisies, and Piccolo Sogno. Chicago Gourmet takes place annually each summer, with many of the city's best chefs and the country's most popular wine producers gathering at the Grand Cru in Millennium Park. Over the years, the event series has transformed. COVID forced it to reduce its footprint at the park while focusing more on ancillary events such as the Hamburger Hop, which crowns the city's best burger. Those tickets will go on sale in July. This year, the fest's theme, Step Up to the Plate, puts sports front and center, attempting to inject some excitement for fans. Lord knows, even with Pete-Crow Armstrong, that Chicago sports teams haven't been inspiring lately. While the Grand Cru will still take place on Saturday, September 27, at the Harris Bank Rooftop near Millennium Park, there are new events such as the aforementioned NASCAR dinner, which will take place on Wednesday, July 2, ahead of the third annual Chicago Street Race on Sunday, July 5. Diners will eat a five-course meal at the start/finish line in what organizers bill as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But what if it's a success? We'll see how 2025 goes. Tickets, $250, are already for sale online. The chef lineup consists of Fabio Viviani (Siena Tavern, Bar Siena, Bombobar), Joe Frillman and Leigh Omilinsky (Daisies), Tony Priolo (Piccolo Sogno), and Steve Maak (Levy Restaurants). Then, on Friday, July 25, a lineup of chefs will be at the ballpark for Game Day Gourmet at the Crosstown Classic in concert with the Cubs' and White Sox's interleague games in July at Rate Field on the South Side. It's a hot dog competition to see whose upscale spin on a wiener will reign supreme. Chefs will be tasked with zhuzhing special Duck Dogs, a duck fat-infused frank made famous by the Duck Inn. Participating chefs include Duck Inn's own Kevin Hickey, Frontier and Ina Mae's Package Goods' Brian Jupiter, and Mirra's Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir. Win or lose, rain or shine, folks who shell out the $250 per ticket will get to sample the specialty sausages from a suite overlooking the game. Tickets are available for purchase online. Finally, Jackie Robinson may not have strong ties to Chicago, but Major League Baseball's first Black player is celebrated around the country. His No. 42 is retired by all teams, and all players wear the number during MLB's annual Jackie Robinson Day. James Beard Award-winning chefs Erick Williams and Damarr Brown of Virtue will host a tribute dinner to Robinson on Wednesday, August 20. A cocktail reception will precede a three-course dinner. Marqueal Jordan & The Wachezaji will provide the music. Tickets cost $225 per person and are available online. Proceeds benefit Virtue Leadership Development and the IRA Educational Foundation. Sign up for our newsletter.
Eater
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
George Wendt Was a True Chicago Food Ambassador
For years, Chicago-born George Wendt was one of the faces of the beer industry thanks to his legendary role as Norm Peterson, everyone's stoic yet lovable lager-loving bar regular on the '80s TV comedy Cheers . Wendt enjoyed a long career in Hollywood and also served as an ambassador for Chicago, extolling the virtues of its food scene as one of the core members of Saturday Night Live's Superfans, the merry band of friends — which included the late Chris Farley — united by their love of Polish sausages, pork chops, and da Bears and da Bulls. Wendt, a Beverly native who moved in 1985 to LA, died on Tuesday, May 20, at his home. He was 76. As Superfan Bob Swerski, Wendt would use an exaggerated Chicago accent to make outlandish claims, like on an episode of SNL when he said Chicago was the 'birthplace of the baby back rib.' The portrayal wasn't a stretch from Wendt's true persona. Scott Goldstein, owner of acclaimed Logan Square restaurant Daisies, has deep ties to Chicago's comedy community, including Second City, where Wendt emerged in the 1970s. Goldstein, who lives in California, recalls a 45-minute conversation in 2021 with Wendt where the two debated how much it would cost to ship sausages to LA from Chicago's beloved Paulina Market. Goldstein reviewed his conversation from four years ago: 'I looked back and he ordered Weisswurst and wieners,' Goldstein texts. 'He was the best, the kindest, most humble true blue Chicago.' Sausages were vital to Wendt. Goldstein said he enjoyed talking about nuances, such as the differences between Polish sausages like kabanos and kielbasa. In 2011, Wendt made it a point to visit Hot Doug's encased meat emporium in Avondale, which shuttered in 2014. WGN's Marcus Leshock brought him to the stand where he met owner Doug Sohn, and the two immediately exchanged loving glances before staff brought Wendt a foie gras dog. In 2014, the two appeared in a short video where they battled in the style of old kung fu flicks. Wendt hilariously chastised Sohn for closing his restaurant, which meant the end of a lifetime of free sausages for anyone with a Hot Doug's tattoo. The implication was that Sohn was breaking his promise by closing. The 'fight' resulted in a draw, with Wendt saying at least he tried. Sohn says making the video is 'one of the great moments' he had at the restaurant, recalling standing across from Wendt and watching the fight being choreographed. Sohn famously says he opened Hot Doug's after a friend had a tragic sausage experience: 'One day a friend of mine had a bad hot dog, and now I'm filming a kung fu battle with George Wendt,' Sohn texts. 'Life is funny. RIP, George.' Like Pope Leo XIV, Wendt was a South Sider and a supporter of the White Sox. He loved baseball. Harry Caray's owner Grant DePorter on Tuesday posted a photo of two of them at the River North restaurant. Chef Pat Sheerin, formerly of Trencherman in Wicker Park, posted a photo of Wendt's visit during the recording of a podcast. Likewise, Glenn Fahlstrom, proprietor of Fahlstrom's, a shuttered seafood restaurant in Lakeview, posted a photo of a Wendt visit. Wendt's death has even softened Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. Wendt's role on Cheers linked him to Boston. When Top Chef spent 2014's Season 12 in Beantown, Wendt made a cameo and judged a Quickfire Challenge where contestants had to make a delicious bar snack. Chef Katsuji Tanabe, who has opened restaurants in Chicago, also appeared on that season. But despite that Boston connection, there was no mistaking Wendt's love for his hometown. And his hometown loved him back. George's Deep Dish in Edgewater, one of the city's best pizzerias, features a special pie, Wendt's Barstool, on its menu. There's nothing fancy with the ingredients: Italian sausage, Italian beef, and giardiniera. It was supposed to be a limited-edition item that started in January, coming off the menu in March. But owner George Bumbaris says he's been too busy prepping to open a second location to take it down. The new Harwood Heights location will debut on Thursday, May 21: 'I have a feeling it's going to be a permanent part of the menu now,' Bumbaris says. Sign up for our newsletter.
Time Out
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
This outrageously decadent stuffed croissant will be available in Chicago for a limited time only
Milk Bar is making a splash in Chicago. The iconic New York-based dessert shop helmed by Christina Tosi opened its first Chicago store in February on the first floor of The Hoxton hotel in the Fulton Market District. Now, Tosi is teaming up with Daisies pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky to create a limited-time croissant that will satisfy your sweet tooth. The Bake Sale Croissant will be available only at the Daisies café in Logan Square starting Thursday, May 1 at 7am all throughout the month. The croissants are first come, first serve, so you'll want to get in line early. Stuffed with chocolate chip cookies, funfetti sprinkle cookies and a chocolate fudge brownie, the collaboration is the stuff of culinary dreams: the treat is topped with malted vanilla mousse, mini cookies and a colorful dash of rainbow sprinkles. Can you think of anything more decadent? What's more, a portion of proceeds from the Bake Sale Croissant sales will benefit Cookies for Kids' Cancer, an organization that funds research for pediatric cancers. Who is counting calories when your purchase helps support kids? 'We're beyond excited to be teaming up with Christina Tosi and Milk Bar—who I've long admired—for our Daisies Croissant Collaboration series,' said Omilinsky in an official statement. 'This collaboration is all about flavor, creativity and indulgence, and we had so much fun dreaming up a croissant that brings that signature Milk Bar magic to life.' This isn't the first crave-worthy collab that involves Daisies. The team previously created the now famous Chicago-style hot dog croissant with the Wiener Circle a while back. Omilinsky and partner Joe Frillman are also responsible for the Dill-Co pickle croissant that made the waves on social media to celebrate Wilco's 30th band anniversary in 2024. And who can forget the chocolate puck croissant collaboration with the NHL and the Chicago Blackhawks?
The Sun
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
What viral ‘Dubai chocolate' is REALLY doing to your body – from hyperactive kids to gut health nightmare
THE viral Dubai chocolate bar has taken the UK by storm sending many chocoholics into a major frenzy. And to keep up with the demand, several shops are stocking dupes of the popular pistachio-flavoured treat. 6 But an investigation by The Sun has discovered some retailers producing this " luxury" chocolate are actually using cheap ingredients, along with additives and emulsifiers linked to poor health. Additives and emulsifiers are ingredients used in ultra-processed foods to stop them going "mouldy", giving them more shelf life. The Dubai chocolate bar is milk chocolate with a gooey filling that consists of a thin, shredded pastry called Kunafa - a Dubai dessert - mixed with pistachio cream. It's taken off worldwide, but the original was first sold by the UAE-based FIX Dessert Chocolatier in 2022. The bars are hefty in weight and can also vary in flavourings as long as it contains Kunafa. Now, retailers across the UK - both large and small - are copying the recipe. But at what cost? Martin Giles, owner of Daisies, a chocolatier in Belfast, said: "Kunafa – the fried filo pastry that gives the shredded wheat type middle of Dubai chocolate - would mould too fast for mass production so the imitation bars come full of additives and emulsifiers and milk powders. "They're all ingredients that good chocolatiers don't touch." Teddie Faulds, founder of Sweet & Wild, agreed that Dubai Chocolate was "conveyor belt fast food". She said: "Generally speaking, cheaply produced ingredients come from farms using high volumes of pesticides to maximise crop production." Kevin Rail is a health coach, nutrition specialist and personal trainer who has tried the real thing in Dubai and says it's "radically different" from supermarket versions here. He said: "A lot of 'Dubai-style' chocolate is mass-produced elsewhere and slapped with premium branding. "If you're paying more than 35 AED in Dubai or roughly £7 in the UK for a 100g bar, it better list raw cacao or non-alkalised as its primary ingredient. "Real Dubai chocolate doesn't hide behind emulsifiers." 12 COMMON ADDITIVES Dietitian Maria Dow's guide to a dozen common additives: Nitrates and nitrites (E249-252): These preservatives include potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate and are found in cured meat, such as bacon and ham, to give a salty, cured flavour and protect against food poisoning. MPs have called for a ban after they were associated with bowel, breast and prostate cancer. Nitrates also occur naturally in vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli and spinach but in safer, much less concentrated quantities. Sunset yellow (E110): This is found in jellies, sweets, chips, biscuits, cake decorations, soft drinks and instant noodles and is one of the artificial colours that comes with a warning from the Food Standards Agency. It is a chemical compound and therefore harder for your body to break down and can lead to hyperactivity in some children. Ascorbic acid (E300): A naturally occurring additive that is another name for vitamin C. This is actually good for us. It is found in fruit juices and dried fruit, such as raisins, and is used to prolong shelf life. Curcumin (E100): Another naturally occurring additive which gives salad dressing, sauces and frozen curries their yellowy orange colour. It derives from the spice turmeric and has anti-inflammatory benefits. Aspartame (E951): A man-made sweetener used to replace sugar in sugar-free drinks and foods, especially puddings. Some people experience headaches and joint pain from it. Sorbitol (E420): Found in sugar-free mints, sweets and milkshakes, this is a sugar alcohol six times sweeter than sugar. It can cause gut and digestive problems in around one in ten people. Saccharin (E954): Another sugar substitute found in sweeteners, this is extremely sweet and safe if eaten in small quantities. Lecithin (E322): An emulsifier found in mayonnaise, smoothies, chocolate and ice cream used to mix oil and water-based ingredients. Not harmful, but too much can cause an upset tummy. Shellac (E904): This glazing agent is used to give food like chocolate a shiny finish. It can be natural or synthetic and provides no nutritional value. Monosodium Glutamate (E621): Better known as MSG, this flavour enhancer stimulates taste bud receptors. A small proportion of people have reactions of headaches, sweating, heart palpitations and numbness in the face and neck. Xylitol (E967): A natural sugar alcohol found in plants, fruit and vegetables and used as a sugar substitute in chewing gum, sweets and toothpastes. It is recommended in amounts up to about 50 grams daily but can cause diarrhoea in some people. Xanthan gum (E415): This is a natural additive produced from sugar and molasses and used as a thickening agent and emulsifier. In quantities contained in food, it should not lead to side-effects. Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist in the UK, says emulsifiers have become a "focus of emerging research, mostly in animal models or lab-based human gut simulations". "Some studies suggest that certain emulsifiers like polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose may disrupt the gut microbiota and contribute to low-grade inflammation when consumed frequently and in large quantities," he said. The author of Unprocess Your Family Life says, however, that it doesn't matter where you get your chocolate from - it's still a "treat". "The key nutritional concern is less about where it's made and more about how often and how much people are eating it," he tells The Sun. "All these bars, regardless of origin, are high in sugar and saturated fat and designed to be moreishly addictive, so portion and frequency are what matter most. "Even some of the original Dubai bars contain additives……they may be handmade or positioned as premium products, many still include emulsifiers to maintain that signature gooey texture and stop ingredients from separating especially if the product is being exported. "So while there's a perception that these are 'cleaner' or more natural, that doesn't always hold up once you check the label." E-numbers decoded Selfridges sell a Dubai Chocolate (Bateel bar) that has a high cocoa content (44 per cent) but still uses emulsifiers, additives, milk powder and flavourings. Even independent chocolatiers marketing artisan products are jumping on the bandwagon and imitating taste through dozens of bizarre ingredients. Sweet Tree by Browns in London has produced a 600g, £11.99 bar with almost 40 ingredients. They have a "shelf life" of 180 days thanks to a list of emulsifiers (e-numbers) that stop it going off. Cocoa and Paper in Leighton Buzzard, which describes its products as "specialised and handmade", makes a pistachio and kunafa bar costing £14.98 for 220g online. Rob notes that it contains potassium aluminium silicate (E555), used as a carrier for colours, and colourants like titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxides (E172), quinoline yellow (E104), and brilliant blue (E133). Rob says: "These ingredients have been the subject of safety reviews in recent years. Sweet Tree statement Sweet Tree chocolates are produced in strict adherence to UK and EU food safety regulations, ensuring that all ingredients, including emulsifiers and soy lecithin, are safe for consumption. We take transparency seriously, and all ingredients are clearly listed on our packaging, in full compliance with UK food labelling laws. The use of soy lecithin in our products is standard in the industry and helps maintain the texture and stability of the chocolate. While soy lecithin is derived from soybeans, the trace presence of hexane from the extraction process is minimal and falls well within the safety limits set by food safety authorities. There is no evidence to suggest that food-grade lecithin presents any health risk when consumed as part of a balanced diet. We are committed to providing high-quality, safe products and take great care in sourcing our ingredients from reputable suppliers who meet the highest standards. Any concerns regarding food safety should be addressed based on scientific evidence, and we stand by the safety of our products. "E555 is a naturally occurring compound used as an anti-caking agent and colour carrier. "While currently approved, it contains aluminium, which is known to accumulate in the body and has raised some questions about long-term exposure, though again, in food, it's used in very small quantities. "E171 has been banned in the EU since 2022 for use in food, based on a precautionary principle due to concerns around nano-particles and genotoxicity which is its potential to damage DNA. "While the evidence isn't conclusive and the amounts used in food are small, the concern is enough that regulatory bodies are recommending caution. "E104 and E133 are still approved for use in the UK, but some studies, particularly in children, have suggested that certain synthetic colours may contribute to hyperactivity or attention issues in sensitive individuals." The chocolate bar comes with a health warning that it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". Cocoa and Paper owner Elisa Lionetti said the e-numbers in her product were only because of the "paint" used to decorate them. "As a responsible, small business owner I feel I need to list all ingredients of the whole product for the wellbeing of my customers," she said. Granted, chocolate isn't known for being 'good for you' - but the real stuff does, in fact, have health benefits to the heart, brain and mood. But milk chocolate usually contains too much sugar to have the health benefits of good quality chocolate. The Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate Pistachio & Kadayif contains a whopping 815 calories in the total 145g bar - it's empty calories, because there are zero health benefits to this sugar-laden bar. The bars made by Sweet Tree, Cocoa Paper and Selfidges all contain soy lecithin. "Soy lecithin isn't inherently harmful and is widely considered safe," says Rob. "You can find it in lots of everyday foods. "However, its presence does reflect the level of processing, which is something to consider if we're comparing these bars to the more artisanal or 'fresher' versions that some Dubai chocolate brands claim to offer." What's clear is that most people are likely already consuming e-numbers, additives and emulsifiers if they buy chocolate bars in the UK. "I probably wouldn't single out any one additive as inherently dangerous, but I do think these are good indicators of a highly processed product. "If you're indulging occasionally, there's no harm in either version. "But if these bars become a regular habit, then the nutritional profile, high in sugar, saturated fat, and engineered for maximum appeal, matters far more than whether it's made in Dubai or the UK." The Sun has approached Selfridges and Lindt for comment. 6
Axios
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Chicago without the crowds
New Orleans has Mardi Gras. We have St. Paddy's Day! After all, one of the greatest scenes in film history was shot in the middle of the famous parade. Zoom in: Here's a list of St. Paddy's celebrations for foodies, families, teetotalers and more. For the diehards (and us!) My colleague Moyo will brave the throngs of green Saturday (so you don't have to) and board the St. Patrick's Day Clover Cruise on the First Lady. The two-hour cruise starts at 10am and includes two drinks, corned beef sandwiches and, of course, a front row seat to the river dyeing ($179). We'll take plenty of photos, so don't forget to check our Instagram! The classics The South Side Irish Parade (free) gets a lot of attention, but let's not forget about the Irish American Heritage Center on the Northwest Side. They go all out for the holiday with music, dancing, food and plenty for the kids at 11am Saturday. ($15 in advance or $20 Saturday). Party from sunrise to sundown at The Shamrock Crawl, which includes breakfast and a T-shirt. Saturday 8am-8pm in Wrigleyville. (Tickets start at $59) Close to the fun but not too close Before all hell breaks loose downtown, take a free walking tour Friday at 1pm. It ends with happy hour at an Irish Pub. (Free) Secure a prime viewing spot at Beatnik on the River for a table of 10 people, plus two bottles of booze and St. Patrick's food specials! ($1,000) Impress at the party Daisies has a St. Paddy's assortment that will definitely impress your host or guests. It includes a corned beef and cabbage rye, Irish cream & Guinness and chocolate-malt "pot of gold" croissants and iced shamrock sugar cookies. ($35) Kickin' it in the 'burbs Pull up a seat for St. Charles' annual parade at The Graceful Ordinary for corned beef, classic Irish coffee and their "Greener Pastures" cocktail. The next day Nurse the hangover — or just have a refined day — with Afternoon Tea prepared by Bittersweet, including Irish soda bread, clams casino with Guinness cream and shamrock macarons. ($105)
