Join us for a FIG Drinks Showcase

Thursday night. It's the prelude to the big show (welcoming in the weekend after the five o'clock bell rings on Friday). But this week, Thursday night gives Friday a run for its money. This Thursday, the good folks at FIG Catering bring you the [belated] launch of their beverage program, FIG Drinks. Not only will you get a peek at at the drinks program (from punch to sustainable wines), but you will get the chance to nosh on delicious food (also from FIG, score!), as well as witness a cocktail competition (or if you prefer, showdown) between the FIG beverage folks and our very own Slow Food Chicago board member, Kim Werst. Kim will be bringing her homemade rum punch with quince and pear syrup. (Hello, yum.) If all that is not convincing enough, there will also be live music as well as spun tunes and the proceeds from your ticket will benefit your faves - Slow Food Chicago! Vote with your hard-earned dollars and show some support for your local Slow Food chapter, along with some stellar local Chicago businesses, and do some good while you get your drink on. See you there!

What : FIG Drinks Showcase

Where : Salvage One // 1840 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60622 (map)

When : Thursday, March 24th, 2016 // 6pm-9pm

Cost : Your $10 donation can be purchased via Brown Paper Tickets. Proceeds to benefit Slow Food Chicago.

Slow Food Chicago Cooks for #77Proud

This past Saturday, members of the Slow Food Chicago Board participated in the #77Proud Financial Resource Fair at the Bernhard Moos Elementary School - presented by the Chicago City Treasurer Kurt Summers and hosted by LUCHA Chicago. Board members Kim, Maia, Katie, Beth, and Molly all pitched in to provide a free meal for attendees by cooking soups made with mostly midwestern and thoughtfully sourced ingredients. Heidi also brought along a few Kendall College student volunteers to help us get set up. Here are a few memories and photos from the day. 

Slow Food Chicago information table. With lots of resources for good, clean, fair food for all!

Slow Food's resource table - books on canning, vegetarian eating, and even some seed savers making an appearance.

A quick reference from the 61st Street Farmer's Market with tips on how to eat good, clean, fair food on a budget.

Resource table - including Leanne Brown's Good and Cheap : Eating Well on $4/Day.

Creamy Potato and Chicken Tortilla soups!

#77Proud participants.

Kim poses with the chicken tortilla soup!

Vegan soups represent! Maia's curried ginger carrot and Katie's spicy tomato chickpea.

A hungry participant filling up on Beth's very popular oxtail soup.

Showing off her balanced meal of soup + bread (not to mention a rad lip color)!

The soup serving line - complete with the City Treasurer!

City Treasurer Kurt Summers joins the soup serving line.

Slow Food Chicago Board Members representing their soups.

We had a few soups leftover after the event (along with some bread). LUCHA helped us get in touch with a nearby youth center for donation. 

Any leftover soup from the event was donated to El Rescate in Humboldt Park so nothing went to waste.

Feeling inspired and looking to make your own soup at home? Here are a few recipes from the day.

"Slow" Chicagoan Profile / Justin Hall of FIG Catering

We had the pleasure of talking "slow" for a hot minute with executive chef/owner Justin Hall of FIG Catering. The very nature of Justin's catering business speaks loud and clear to the Slow Food Mission of good, clean, and fair food. Check out more about Justin here. Now to the good part - here's our Chi-town foodie fueled convo. Check it out!

What would you be doing right now on a typical work day?                                                                                                                                   

As it is a Monday, lots of things going on around FIG. Ordering for the week. Cleaning up from last week and getting ready for the week ahead. Running invoices. And having our weekly meeting. An all around crazy day.

What's the best part about your job? The hardest part?                                                                                                                                       

The best part of my job is I get to do what I want every day. Cook, work with food and be around people that are passionate about the same things. The worst part is the hours. A slow day for me is 12 hours, 14 typical and wedding days are 16. Oof.

What do you think is the biggest obstacle for Chicago's food system to overcome?              

The food system in Chicago has come a long way since I moved here 16 years ago. That being said there are tons of struggles. The biggest, I believe, is closing the waste loop for all restaurants, caterers, banquet halls, hotels and home by making composting law.

What's next for the trendiest food item (all hail kale's successor)?                                          

For me the next trendiest food item is what comes into season next. I wait with baited breath through winter for asparagus and ramps, then radishes and turnips, then peas and squash...

What is your second favorite Chicago food related social media account to follow (aside from Slow Food Chicago of course)?           

Either Pleasant House or Dusek's instagram.

What wins - avocado toast or artichoke toast?                                                                       

Avocado toast, no question.

Why Chicago? If not Chicago, where?                                                                                   

Chicago is great on many levels. People, food, architecture, politics... If not here, Jamaica is next on my Google map for permanent residency (no more shit winters).

FIG Catering is located in the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago. www.figcatering.com/

Hungry for more...?! You can also follow Justin and see what the rest of the FIG team is up to on social media.                                      

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