Ignite The Conversation: A Exploration Into Chicago-style BBQ

Podcast

We’ve all heard of the classic BBQ styles from regions like Kansas City, Memphis or Texas-style. But what about Chicago-style BBQ?

From Rib tips to Hot Links to Mild Sauce and more, Chicago Chef and Pitmaster Dominique Leach of the Black-Women-Queer-Owned and award-winning restaurant Lexington Betty’s Smokehouse, plus the 2023 winner and the current reigning “MASTER OF ‘CUE” of the Food Network’s Hit Show BBQ Brawl , is making it her mission to further define this unique style and put it on the map in 2024. And she’s calling on a few more experts to help! Continue reading

History of American Pies … and Illinois is well represented!

Presented by Catherine Lambrecht (Image by Catherine Lambrecht, too!)

Podcast

Pies are as American as pizza is American: we took a great idea, adapted it to our needs and ran with it. Our ancestors used what they had available locally and made the most from it. You might be thinking that pies are just for dessert, but for our American ancestors, they were often considered survival food. Sometimes, they ate pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner for months at a time. Continue reading

Eat, Drink and Be Merry: The History of Food and Hospitality in Lake County, Illinois

YouTube, part one from January 5, 2023
YouTube, part two from January 19, 2023
Podcast playlist of complete and individual sessions

The Lake County History Symposium is an annual gathering of people interested in the history of Lake County, Illinois. Professional, amateur, and student historians offering presentations based on their original historical research using primary and secondary sources. Continue reading

Eat, Drink and Be Merry: The History of Food and Hospitality in Lake County, Illinois

YouTube, part one from January 5, 2023
YouTube, part two from January 19, 2023
Podcast list of complete and individual sessions

Libertyville —- Bess Bower Dunn Museum will host its Eighth Annual Lake County History Symposium on ‘Eat, Drink and Be Merry: The History of Food and Hospitality in Lake County,’ presented via Zoom on Thursday, January 5 at 7:00 PM and Thursday, January 19 at 7:00 PM. Zoom link free due to a grant from USG.    

The Lake County History Symposium is an annual gathering of people interested in the history of Lake County, Illinois. Professional, amateur, and student historians offering presentations based on their original historical research using primary and secondary sources. Continue reading

From ‘Peanut Weddings’ to ‘Beef Stands’: The Socio-Culinary History of Chicago’s ‘Italian Beef’

Podcast

Italian beef sandwich from Al’s Beef in Chicago, a picture courtesy of Dominic Armato.

Italian Americans have contributed a considerable number of portable fast foods to regional and local cuisines around the United States, some of which have become extremely popular at the national level. One such food which, despite its frequent discussion in recent food-related media, has remained very much a local dish is Chicago’s ‘Italian beef’. Continue reading