Green City Sets Chef BBQ for Sept. 8
And a steak-and-cheese sandwich to contemplate this weekend
Green City BBQ: Hot Event, Comfier Temperatures
Two big servings of good news today from our friends at Green City Market. The first is that their annual Chef BBQ fundraiser — one of the most anticipated food tasting events on the Chicago calendar — is back again in 2022. The second is that the BBQ will be held on Thursday, September 8, marking the second consecutive year that the event will be held in early September.
For most of its history, the Chef BBQ, featuring an all-star lineup of top chefs and farm-to-table restaurants, was held in mid-July. The food and beverages were always great, but invariably the event ended up being held on one of the hottest and most humid days of the year. And occasionally there would be thunderstorms.
The decision to move the event to September 9 last year occurred because it was uncertain until relatively late in the season that the pandemic had eased enough to permit the big public event. But the move, which enabled attendees to enjoy their food and drink in the comfort of temperatures in the mid to low 70s, proved very popular.
Mark your calendars for now, as tickets are not yet on sale. Here’s the announcement that was in today’s Green City Market newsletter.
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Chicago's premier local food festival, Chef BBQ, is back for its twenty-first year, celebrating the best of the Midwest.
In a food festival unlike any other, Chicago’s top restaurants, brewers, winemakers, and mixologists provide tasting portions of locally-inspired dishes and craft beverages highlighting ingredients from Green City Market’s local, sustainable farmers. Tickets include all food and beverage available at the event; no need to purchase additional tickets once inside.
What's even more delicious? Your attendance benefits Green City Market’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission to secure the future of food by deepening support for sustainable farmers, educating our community about where food comes from and why it matters, and expanding access to locally-grown food.
Stay tuned for more info about ticket sales which are expected to go live later this month.
Steak and Cheese, Nice and Easy
If you’re an omnivore, chances are you enjoy the occasional steak and cheese sandwich. Whole cults have argued for years about which joint in Philadelphia has the best cheesesteak sandwich.
If you’re looking for taste over style — and if you abhor the idea of eating Cheez Whiz on anything — it’s really easy to make a tasty treat at home. Especially if you happen to have any leftover steak.
Last Friday evening I made a strip steak that came out really well. The leftovers were just enough for one good-sized sandwich.
So I took two slices of sourdough bread. On one side I placed slices of the steak; on the other, some chive horseradish havarti from Stamper Cheese (Chicago) topped with a sauté of spinach from Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois) and spring onions and green garlic from Three Sisters Garden (Kankakee, Illinois). Mushrooms would also make a great topping, or whatever you like.
I put both sides in the toaster oven to toast on high. Here’s what it looked like as a closed sandwich.
Dang tasty, I’ll tell you. If you don’t have a toaster oven, you can do the same thing in your regular oven at 350 degrees, but check frequently after a few minutes to make sure the cheese is melty but nothing is burned. Or you can make the sandwich and cook it in a pan or on a griddle as a grilled cheese sandwich.
Now Get Thee to a Farmers Market
Lots more open this weekend than last. ICYMI, here’s the link to Local Food Forum’s weekend market listings.
Steak and cheese!