Gather friends together for potluck with a purpose
Next time you call your friends to plan a night out, stay in instead.
In an effort to raise money for global hunger, humanitarian and author Susan Skog invites people around the country to join National Dine To Make A Difference Day on Saturday, May 2.
Sponsored in part by Dining For Women, the event asks people to gather for a meal and donate to a hunger awareness group the money they would have spent eating out.
Consider these numbers: 963 million people across the world are hungry; one in six children in the U.S. isn't sure where the next meal will come from; nearly 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes every day - one child every five seconds.
Yes, times are tough and the expense of providing dinner for a houseful of people can be budget-breaking, so ask everyone to bring a dish to share. If you can't pull a dinner off this weekend, plan it for the next, or the next.
To select a domestic or global hunger group as a recipient of your donation, see susanskog.com/dinedifference.html. You and your friends will enjoy good food, good company and the good feeling you get from helping others.
Stalking the president: Asparagus might sprout in the White House garden, but that doesn't mean it will end up on President Obama's plate.
While Obama has proclaimed his disdain for this springtime stalk, the folks at RegionalBest.com hope to change his mind.
The online food market that supports small food artisans, farmers and sustainable agriculture is asking home cooks, professional chefs, gardeners and the like for their favorite asparagus recipe.
Called "Asparagus Lovers Unite for Obama!," the contest is a fun and lighthearted way to support the first lady's efforts and to bring more green to the White House.
E-mail your favorite asparagus recipe for appetizers, salads, soups, side dishes and main entrees to recipes@regionalbest.com. Recipes will be judged on taste, creativity and regional flair. The deadline is May 20, with a winner from each region announced and posted on RegionalBest.com May 30. The grand prize winner will receive $1,000 worth of farmer- and artisan-produced foods from RegionalBest.com's online marketplace.
For contest details, head to regionalbest.com.
Spring affair: Wine Enthusiast hosts its Toast of the Town, a spectacular evening of wine and food pairings at the Field Museum in Chicago.
This annual epicurean event showcases an international selection of wine and spirits and signature dishes from more than 25 of the area's top restaurants. In addition, this year's event includes a silent auction featuring gourmet experiences among other treasures; proceeds benefit The Field Museum.
Toast of the Town begins with the VIP Tasting at 6 p.m.; tickets to the exclusive tasting of reserve and estate wines cost $175. Tickets for the larger Grand Tasting from 7 to 10 p.m. cost $95. For details and tickets, visit toastofthetown.com or call (800) 847-5949.
Meet and greet: Celebrity chef Gale Gand will meet customers and sign copies of her newest book, "Gale Gand's Brunch," at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at Anderson's Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville.
In "Brunch," Gand (Food Network star, restaurateur and suburban mother of three) shares 100 recipes for such savory and sweet dishes as Goat Cheese and Chive Hash Browns and Baked Cinnamon-Apple French Toast. I trust you'll find some tempting Mother's Day ideas in the pages.
• Contact Food Editor Deborah Pankey at (847) 427-4524 or food@dailyherald.com. Listen to her discuss food and restaurant trends on "Restaurant Radio Chicago" from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturdays on WIND 560-AM.