Save the date for our first Great American Cooking Expo
I know the leaves have barely started falling from the trees, but I bet you're thinking about the holidays already.
You're not yet figuring out what to wrap for Uncle Steve or put under the tree for Bobby, but instead are probably wondering what you'll serve for Thanksgiving dessert or what appetizers will leave your cocktail party guests begging for the recipe.
Have we got the event for you! The Daily Herald along with WineStyles and Viking Cooking School invite you to the Great American Cooking Expo Nov. 14-16 at Harper College in Palatine.
At the expo you'll be able to wander among 100-plus vendors and enjoy samples from some of the area's top restaurants, try gourmet products from area manufacturers, sip wine and beer from national producers and watch cooking demonstrations on two stages.
The event kicks off Friday, Sept. 26, with a fondue focus as Viking Cooking School Culinary Director Christopher Green presents three interpretations of this fun dish. More details will be provided as the date gets closer.
The event costs $25 if you preregister at thecookingexpo.com; you must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets on-site cost $35. Hope to see you there.
Coffee for a cause: Families in the suburbs can make a difference in the lives of children in Latin America via a new donation program through Market Day.
Starting next week, Market Day, the Itasca-based food fundraising company, will donate a portion of the sales from CupFull coffee blend to Coffee Kids. This nonprofit organization in Latin America creates education, health care, micro-credit and other community-based programs for coffee farmers and their families.
CupFull, a medium-roast blend ground from Arabica beans, will be among the 160 food items offered through Market Day's fundraising program. You can buy the beans, $12.99 for two, 12-ounce bags, through local schools, religious groups or at Market Day/Sara Lee outlets or online at marketday.com.
Perfect pairs: Wine and cheese make wonderful partners, don't get me wrong, but every once in a while it's fun to shake things up with a cheese and beer course. Here are some pairings complements of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board:
• Apple or pear cider beers offer a tart and fruity complement to a creamy, earthy Brie.
• The slight hoppiness of a mild pilsner balances the flavor of a creamy, buttery Fontina.
• The essence of coffee in a thick, bold stout stands up to sharp cheddars.
• The nutty flavors of Provolone are enhanced by a rich, malty oatmeal stout or porter.
• Hints of sweet milk in a buttery parmesan perfectly contrast with a hoppy Scotch ale.
• A fruity raspberry or cherry lambic offsets the full, piquant flavor of blue cheese.
For more ideas, head to wisdairy.com.
Feeding the Bears: Bears fans, that is.
Wildfire Restaurant, 159 W. Erie St., Chicago, hosts the Taste of the NFL Charity Brunch Sunday, Sept. 28, before Kyle Orton and the crew meet up against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The meal will feature recipes from the new "Sunday Night Football Cookbook." In the book you'll find Bears tight end Desmond Clark's Garlicky Baked Chicken Breast as well as Beef Short Ribs With Red Wine Vinegar Sauce and two others from West Town Tavern chef/owner Susan Goss.
The book costs $27.95 and can be found just about everywhere books or sports-related items are sold. The brunch, which also features a chance to mingle with past and present Bears players, copies of the book signed by John Madden, a raffle and silent auction, will set you back a bit more than that. Tickets cost $70 with proceeds benefiting Greater Chicago Food Depository. Call (312) 787-9000.
- Deborah Pankey
• Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at (847) 427-4524, food@dailyherald.com or c/o Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006.