Nation's top restaurant letting out a few secrets in garden tour
Want a behind-the-scenes look at the country's top restaurant? Join the School of the Chicago Botanic Garden for an unforgettable evening with chef Rick Bayless at Frontera Grill. The Chicago restaurant in May was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation, the country's culinary equivalent of the Academy Awards.
Bayless, who also hosts PBS' "Mexico One Plate at a Time," will open his family's organic kitchen garden for a tour given by his professional gardener, Bill Shores. The 800-square-foot plot not only supplies fresh herbs and vegetables to their restaurants but also serves to test new plant varieties.
After the garden tour, the group will head to Frontera Grill for lunch created using some of the herbs and organic vegetables from the garden. The tour costs $186 and leaves the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 2 and will return around 3:30 p.m. (847) 835-5440.
Cranberry creativity: Thanksgiving isn't the only time to enjoy cranberries. To encourage consumption year-round, the folks at Ocean Spray have launched their first Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest.
The contest seeks original cranberry creations using the small, tart red wonderberries, and the top recipe will win $25,000.
Recipes must be original, use a minimum of ½ cup of any Ocean Spray product (beverages 1½ ounces), and fall into one of the following categories: beverages, snacks and appetizers, salads, main dishes, side dishes, desserts and baked goods. Recipes will be judged on creativity, use of product, taste, overall appearance and ease of preparation. Entries must be postmarked by Aug. 23 and received by Aug. 31.
Four semifinalists will be flown to New York City in early November for a final judging. The finalists will receive a trip for two to the Big Apple, a year's supply of Ocean Spray products and have their recipe featured on Oceanspray.com.
Complete details online at www.oceanspray.com.
Melon mania: Summertime and watermelon were meant for each other. The juicy fruit cools you down on hot days with every bite.
If you want that refreshing flavor without the hassle of carving up a 10-pound melon, grab a glass and try a Midori Citrus Cooler. In a cocktail shaker, combine 4 ounces melon liqueur, 3 ounces fresh grapefruit juice, 1 ounce fresh lemon juice and ½ ounce simple syrup (a solution of equal parts sugar and water). Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass and top with club soda.
For a crowd, increase the recipe six-fold and mix it in a pitcher. Add club soda at service.
Nutrition info in espanol: The Latino Nutrition Coalition is expanding its consumer outreach effort by offering a bilingual educational shopping guide at Jewel Food Stores this summer.
The pocket-sized Camino Mexici guide is aimed at helping Latinos eat and drink in healthier ways. It will be distributed at stores as well as health fairs and street festivals.
"Latinos in the U.S. face different food choices and activity levels than those they are traditionally accustomed to," said K. Dun Gifford, president of Oldways, which developed the Latin American Diet Pyramid. Gifford said lifestyle contributes to alarming rates of obesity and diabetes among Latinos.
Congratulations to three local students who will attend culinary school in the fall with the help of scholarships from the Illinois Restaurant Association's ProStart Program.
Kevin Imhof of Schaumburg will attend top Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Brian Schreiber of Streamwood is off to Kendall College in Chicago and Angelica Rangel of Woodridge will attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
Morton's The Steakhouse recently added $160,000 to the association's scholarship fund, the largest one-time donation. The association this year will award a record $438,150 in scholarships to students pursing post-secondary education in foodservice and hospitality management programs.
Maybe we'll see these kids in Chef du Jour one day.