Potpourri: July 8 through July 14

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Chef Sarah Kosikowski of Sixteen in Chicago appears on July 9 at the Chicago Botanic Garden as part of the Garden Chef Series. See listing for complete details.

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Updated: July 1, 2011 1:14AM

The Fresh Flavors Cooking Demonstration

Stop by a store near you in July, for a demonstration led by local chefs who will lead a free, step-by-step presentation on how to prepare prepare Tropical Grilled Shrimp with Curried Yogurt Sauce and Zesty Lemon, Fennel & Feta Salad. For more information, visit www.thefreshmarket.com.

The Hot Dog Company, 76 S. LaGrange Road, La Grange, (708) 469-7096, hotdogco.com

In celebration of National Hot Dog Month this July, The Hot Dog Company in Downtown La Grange will feature four signature hot dogs from July 1 through July 31.  Featured hot dogs will include the BLT Dog ($2.99), Veggie Dog ($3.99), The Classic Chicago Dog ($2.99) and the Red, White and Blue Cheese Dog for America (Steamed dog on poppy seed bun topped with blue cheese crumbles, homemade buffalo hot sauce and blue and white tortilla strips; $2.99). All hot dogs come complete with a side of fries.  

Ravinia Festival New Culinary Additions for 2011

Levy Restaurants and Executive Chef Tim Radack introduce new Kosher grill cart, gluten-free items, guest chefs and more with options ranging from picnic favorites to fine dining.

Chef Christopher Kostow of The Restaurant at Meadowood (Napa Valley, CA), will appear and serve some of his signature dishes at the Park View restaurant, a fine dining restaurant, on July 16 and 17.

Levy Restaurants offers a variety of Picnic Boxes that can be ordered in advance at www.ravinia.org/store and picked up ready-to-eat at Ravinia. Picnic Box options include fresh salads and sandwiches and are perfect for guests coming in from the city or those who don’t have time to pack a picnic in advance. Reservations at the Park View are recommended and information on reservations, performance schedules, scheduling private parties and Metra train schedules is available at ravinia.org.

The Rook’s Corner Kitchen, Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel, 933 Skokie Boulevard, Northbrook, (847) 498-6500

Executive Chef Chris Dugenske’s introduces the Triple Alarm Burger, featuring a zesty trio of hot sauce, jalapeños and pepper jack cheese, which compliment the all-natural Black Angus beef, striking a balance between spicy and savory. Traditional toppings such as lettuce, tomato and a pickle as well as a side of fries complete the meal, all for only $9. “We have other hot and spicy favorites on the menu as well, like the B & B Chicken Sandwich or the Ham & Pepper Jack Panini.” 

Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe Free Garden Chef Series, Saturdays and Sundays, through Oct. 2.

More than 40 of the Chicago-area’s best chefs share their culinary expertise, preparing a signature dish with garden fresh ingredients at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. in the Regenstein Fruit Vegetable Garden Demonstration Kitchen. Summer plant giveaways (while supplies last) are an added bonus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Volunteers share information about the featured plant, which changes monthly, and encourage visitors to plant seeds or seedlings (while supplies last) to take home to their own gardens. In July, Pencil Pod Heirloom Wax Bean; in August, Garlic Chives and in September, Bronze Arrowhead Heirloom Tomato. Events include: July 9 with Chef Sarah Kosikowski of Sixteen in Chicago and July 10 with Terry & Dirk Fucik of Dirk’s Fish and Gourmet Shop in Chicago. Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Garden Chef Series is free. Parking is $20 per car; free for Garden members. For more information, call (847) 835-5440, or visit chicagobotanic.org/chef.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 960 Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, (847) 793-0333, FlemingsSteakhouse.com.

Sundays in July (July 10, 17, 24 and 31) and in August (Aug. 7, 14, 21 and 28). Fleming’s offers a three-course Prime Rib dinner at a special price of $29.95 (excluding tax and gratuity). This special Sunday dinner features twelve ounces of Prime Rib, served with a trio of sauces, choice of The Wedge, Fleming’s or Caesar salads, choice of one side dish and choice of dessert.                        

Parkview Gourmet, Inc., 121 E. Cook Avenue, Libertyville, (847) 549-0663, parkviewgourmet.com

July 8, 7 p.m., Glassology 101 Wine Class. Charley Colette, owner of Parkview Gourmet, said, “Glassology 101 is designed to highlight the importance of pairing the glass with the wine just as you pair the wine to the food.  This instructor led course is both fun and informative.”  Each participant will be asked to bring their favorite wine glass from home.  The course fee of $65 ($52 for wine club members) includes four pieces of Riedel Vinum series stemware.  Participants will learn different glass shapes, glass volumes and edge finish.  Reservations are required and space is limited. 

Sunset Foods, Lake Forest Cooking Studio, 825 South Waukegan Road, Lake Forest

July Culinary Camp for future chefs and food-curious tweens from 9:30 a.m. to noon, July 11 to July 14, Appropriate for children aged 10 to 12 years-old, the classes include a student/teacher ratio of 4:1 and can accommodate a minimum of eight campers and a maximum of 12. The hands-on series is designed to teach basic cooking skills, including reading a recipe, organizing and measuring ingredients, following kitchen safety, experiencing a variety of new flavors, filling ravioli, making a vinaigrette, kneading dough, using a pastry bag, whisking, mixing, and simple pan-cooking. Fee for all four sessions is $240. Registration required. Call Mary Kay Gill at (847) 810-0484 or e-mail: thyme@sunsetfoods.com.

Viking Cooking School and Culinary Shop, 1140 N. Milwaukee Ave., Glenview, (847) 350-0705, vikingcookingschool.com

July 17, 1 to 3 p.m., “Mother-Daughter Tea” featuring dainty tea sandwiches and sweets. Ages 7 to 12, must be accomanied by at least one adult, limit two children per adult. Cost is $59. Pre-paid reservations are required for all classes. See website for complete calendar.

Jerry’s, 507 Chestnut St., Winnetka, (847) 441-0134 or see cornercooks.com

Ravinia Boxed Dinners for Two can be delivered straight to the train for concertgoers. Just give Jerry’s 48-hours notice and they’ll prepare a meal that you can pick up on your way to the performance or have delivered to you at the Winnetka Metra stop. Dinner options include (price reflects dinner for two): The Elegant Mexican which includes oregano herb garlic and mild chili marinated chicken breast, black bean and rice salad, greens with lime cilantro vinaigrette, and guacamole with chips for $42; The Mediterranean, beef tenderloin roasted peppers and onion skewers (with vegetarian skewer options), couscous with cucumber, parsley and tomatoes, asparagus with feta crumble, and a side of hummus with pita triangles for $50 and If By Sea, grilled shrimp with pineapple salsa, poached salmon with dill sauce, pasta with herbs, tomato, breadcrumbs and lemon, and asparagus with Dijon and balsamic for $52. Jerry’s also offers an artisan cheese and bread platter for six priced at $48. Any of the restaurant’s bottles of wine are also available at retail pricing and additional dessert options can be added as well.

Kaufman’s Bakery and Delicatessen, 4905 W. Dempster, Skokie, (847) 677-9880, kaufmansdeli.com

Ongoing, in conjunction with the USO, “The Great Salami Drive,” a fund-raiser where money raised will send 1-pound salamis and other deli items to Illinois troops deployed overseas. A $5 tax deductible donation buys a “Kaufman’s Taste of Home” and includes a 1-pound salami, bagel chips, pretzels and condiments. A $45 donation will send 120 salami sticks. The salami, salami sticks and other items will be shipped by the case and distributed to troops.

Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta in Glenview, 1808 Waukegan Road, (847) 486-1777

Pizano’s new catering menu features many of its famous dishes at affordable prices and can cater your next party for 10 to 1000 people. Pizano’s pizza truck is equipped to prepare and bake pizzas on-site for a minimum of 200 guests. We cater to many small businesses, large corporations, private parties, schools and fundraisers. Pizano’s also features food steeped in Italian tradition and skillfully prepared from the highest quality ingredients. Other great dishes include fried calamari, delicious salads, chicken dishes, sandwiches plus house-made ravioli, tortellini, fettuccine and gnocchi with a variety of sauces.

Q-BBQ, 70. S. La Grange Road, La Grange, (708) 482-8700, q-bbq.com.

New Doggie Dining Menu, Bark-B-Q Menu consisting of Chicken and Carrots (small, $2.95 and large, $4.95 and available for lunch and dinner) for patrons and their pets to enjoy on Q-BBQ’s dog-friendly patio. Water is “Qomplimentary”.

Real Urban Barbecue, 610 Central Avenue #177, Highland Park

Introducing the nearly 7 lb. “Hungry Home-Wrecker Throwback Sandwich” (priced at $29.95) and not for the faint of heart—or appetite. A monstrous specially sourced bun is topped with 1.5 lbs of RUB’s house-smoked andouille sausage, 2 lbs. pulled pork, a hot shower of Texas Sauce, a pint of coleslaw, and 6 oz. of RUB’s own “Brain Buster” pickles. Eat this BBQ behemoth in less than 40 minutes and receive a T-Shirt, a free lunch, and of course, eternal bragging rights. The sandwich is also available for parties and special functions. For more information see RealUrbanBBQ.com or call (224)770-4BBQ (4227).

STOP Foodborne Illness Offers Simple Guidelines for Safe, Enjoyable Summer Picnics and Barbecues

Nancy Donley, president of STOP Foodborne Illness, the leading national advocate for safe food, is offering simple food safety tips to help prevent food poisoning as Americans plan summer picnics and barbecues. STOP’s Food Safety Guidelines for Summer:

◆ Make sure you have these essential tools: a cooler, hand sanitizer and a meat thermometer.

◆ Keep a cooler in the back of your car when grocery shopping to store meats on the hot drive home.  Always store raw meats separately from fully cooked and perishable food items.

◆ Bring hand sanitizer if you’re not going to be near a sink to wash your hands when preparing food.

◆ Use a thermometer when cooking meat. Ground meat should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees before it can be served safely. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Steaks, chops and roasts should reach an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees and “stand or rest” for 3 minutes to finish cooking.

◆ Take care to prevent cross-contamination.  Use separate cutting boards for your raw meat and other perishables and wash hands often as you prepare foods.

◆ Everyone loves leftovers, but throw them out if you don’t have a place to cool and store them within two hours of serving (or just one hour if air temperature spikes above 90 degrees).

For more food preparation safety tips visit topfoodborneillness.org. STOP’s helpline (1-800-350-STOP) helps foodborne illness victims navigate the health system to figure out what they have, where it might have come from, and what to do next.