“More than Just Tapas” Food trends and culture in 21st-century Spain

Presented by
Blanca Valencia
Spanish Food Specialist, Cooking Teacher

https://soundcloud.com/chicago-amplified/much-more-than-tapas-food

In the last decade Spain has earned a reputation as a star of the culinary world, but this honor is not due to paella or tortilla but to molecular gastronomy. In a country so rich in regional foods, culture and products, this association is not always fair or correct. Continue reading →

Food Writing Workshop

Presented by
Andrew Smith
Food Scholar, Editor and Author

This fast-paced workshop covers the basics: query letters, writing articles for newspapers and magazines, food book and cookbook proposals, ebooks, recipe writing, restaurant reviewing, blogging, etc. It is intended as a brief introduction for those interested in entering the field. Continue reading →

American Tuna and Drinking: A Doubleheader

Presented by
Andrew Smith
Food Scholar, Editor and Author

Andy Smith, one of our nation’s most eminent food historians has so much information to dish out, that he’s going to give us a two-subject lecture, based on his latest books: American Tuna—the Rise and Fall of an Improbable Food, and Drinking History: 15 Turning Points in the Making of an American Beverages. Continue reading →

Julia’s Cats: Julia Child’s Life in the Company of Cats

Presented by Terry Burson, Author

“A house without a cat is like a day without sunshine, a pie without fromage, a dinner without wine.” — Julia Child

The world knows Julia Child as the charismatic woman who brought French cuisine to America and became a TV sensation, but there’s one aspect of her life that’s not so familiar. Soon after the Childs arrived in Paris in 1948, a French cat appeared on their doorstep, and Julia recalled, “Our domestic circle was completed.” Minette captured Julia’s heart, igniting a lifelong passion for cats equaled only by her love of food and her husband, Paul. Continue reading →

The Making of a Pastry Chef

The journey from childhood passion to apprenticeship  to the heights of the profession
Presented by
Eric Lanlard, Master Patissier

Podcast courtesy of WBEZ’s Chicago Amplified

 “The British used to fuss for hours over fancy designs, but when it came to the flavor, they’d say, “Oh, sponge will do.” That’s all changing now.”
– Eric Lanlard

Master Pâtissier and cake maestro, Eric Lanlard, is the owner of the chic London cake emporium, Cake Boy, and has changed the face of British baking.  Continue reading →