GCM Chef Bbq, tomorrow night!

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Patty

We are so excited that the big night is almost here. This event sold out about a month in advance, a sure testimonial to what a great evening it is. I look back over the years and remember when we were lucky to have a few hundred people show up. One year I was the Chair of the event when it was sponsored by Les Dames d’Escoffier, and we were lucky to have around 35 chefs. We were shocked when we heard a rumor that market founder, Abby Mandel, was calling the chefs in advance and telling them what they were serving was not acceptable. We just could not believe that if a chef wanted to serve something as expensive as soft shell crabs, which we thought quite generous, this choice would be criticized. Who would look a gift horse in the mouth? Abby, if they were serving the wrong menu! There were a few irate chefs, let me tell you. In retrospect, we all now see how far ahead of her time Abby was. Abby ALWAYS got it. All we wanted to do was throw a nice party, have some happy participants and chefs, and raise some money. It needed to go so much further than that. Now, we have evolved to what this food community is really all about. If we want a good farmer’s market, with sustainable or organic product, we all have to support it. The farmers are doing their best for us, but they need everyone to be on board, not just home cooks but restaurant chefs, caterers, even politicians are needed to smooth the path. This group of very talented chefs understands how important their role in helping to educate the public has become, this is their chance to show off their skills and they are happy to share their expertise with you. One of the coolest things about this event, is the opportunity to meet the actual chef in person. All the restaurants send their A team.

Here, one of my very favorite photos from an early bbq, NOT on Abby’s list! Below, some more real local dishes being served tomorrow and some snippets of menu items being served. We will really miss Abby at the BBQ, she was with us just last year. Her work is certainly being carried on.

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Saturday in the Old Town Shop

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Patty

I am not sure if it is the case for all small business owners, but for us there just are not enough hours in the day to get our work done. It might be that we have more work than most in that we source,
purchase, warehouse, grind, blend, mix and package our of our 400
products in house primarily by hand. Many days we struggle against the clock to get our work done, and we don’t sit down to dinner at home too many nights because we don’t actually even GET home until 8 or 9. However, in spite of this, every once in awhile you have just the best day where you just can’t believe how lucky we are to have such a great way to make our living. Saturday, in the Old Town Chicago shop was just such a day. As owners, with many, many behinds the scenes things we must do, we don’t work the floor as often as we would like. Note to self – work the floor on Saturdays, it is the most fulfilling way to remember how much you love this business! Pictured here, a very enthusiastic chef Jeff Mauro buying all sorts of spices for his new restaurant Jam, which will be at 937 North Damen. While we can not tell you about the food, as it is just about to open, Jeff is using top notch spices so we certainly foresee a commitment to quality! Can’t wait to check it out. Next, we are thrilled to wait on several International customers.

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When a staff becomes a family.

Posted on June 30, 2009 by Patty

As small business owners, there are things that frustrate us on a regular basis. Mostly wearing too many hats and not having enough time to fulfill all of our jobs in a timely manner. The rewards, however, at the end of the day, far outweigh the negatives. If you are very lucky, you get a crew that clicks and becomes its own family. This photo was taken at a baby shower for one of our Old Town crew, Madeline. The fact that even the male co-workers are in attendance genuinely show their affection for our new Mom, her baby Madison was born yesterday. (Although free drinks probably helped insure their presence!) When you have a crew that enjoys and looks out for one another, they are truly a pleasure to be around. Laughter in the workplace among employees that like each other is music to our ears. Again, like Mom and Dad, when laughter turns to silliness, we have to step in and gets the kids back to focus on work. Don’t tell our staff, but this is the scolding that makes us feel like we really are a family!

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Visiting A Farmer’s Market on Vacation?

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Patty

I admit, it might seem a bit strange to seek out a farmer’s market while on a hotel based vacation. The reason you go to a farmer’s market is to buy the fresh produce and food you are planning to turn into delicious nature-inspired dishes over the next few days. Really fresh food requires only the slightest of preparation, nature delivers things that are pretty darned tasty when they are first harvested! So what is point in admiring food you are not actually able to cook with? A good market is sooo much more than just what the vendors are selling. It is about the connection to the land, the farmers, the food community that enjoys the market, the tastes, the musicians, the children and even the dogs. The people you intermingle with in a market community will usually give you the best tourist experience a city unknowingly offers. You all have something in common, and it is easy to get the folks here to share stories, and cooking tips.

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A Fond Farewell to a Longstanding Customer

Posted on June 6, 2009 by Patty

This past Monday, June 1^st, my husband and partner, Tom, was working the Evanston shop. We rehashed the day in the evening, as we often do when working in different shops. He said his day was a pretty difficult day overall, the manager had the day off, and many Monday-is-the-day-when-everything-goes-wrong type things occurred. Then something happened late in the day to remind him of the reason we love this little business. Why we are so proud of it, and also, so humbled by the way in which our customers enjoy our products.

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Winter is Banished, Spring/Summer Full Speed Ahead – Tell Tale Signs!

Posted on May 31, 2009 by Patty

When you live in a climate which seems to have a never-ending winter, you can?t help but get excited when the first signs of Spring arrive. Signs like tulips and daffodils are obvious signs. One of my favorite signs is when the Chicago Botanic Garden announces their annual plant sale. This is one of my favorite days of the whole year, and it has become my own personal tradition.

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State Muffins?

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Patty

Recently we were playing a food trivia game. The question was what type of muffin is the Minnesota state muffin? Huh? Do we have state muffins? Well the answer was blueberry and no, alas, we do not all have state muffins. Research of state foods turns up some interesting categories, and some states are way more ambitious than others in claiming foodstuffs as their own.

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Chicago, City of 10,000 Potholes

Posted on April 6, 2009 by Patty

Los Angeles, city of the angels. Chicago, city of 10,000 pot holes. Has the same lovely cadence, but diametrically opposing images! We recently received an email from our alderman requesting our patience with pot hole repair, as the city has 10,000 pot holes which requires some time to fill in. I started thinking about this, and it seemed to me that number was, in actuality, a VERY positive spin on the number of pot holes. Indeed, upon investigating, an article in the Chicago Tribune states that the city has fixed 280,000 pot holes since December. This apparently is about 50 million dollars worth of repair. In a brilliant marketing strategy, Kentucky Fried Chicken offered to fill in these pot holes with only one slight catch…..

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