Jim, don't let the ankle-biter miss the chance to see the Nature Center while you're there - she will love the butterfly room, as well as the play area on the bottom floor.

Have fun, guys!

Mhays wrote:Jim, don't let the ankle-biter miss the chance to see the Nature Center while you're there - she will love the butterfly room, as well as the play area on the bottom floor.

Have fun, guys!

thanks for the tips.

Hi everyone,

The hubs and I RSVPed for the event, but just discovered my mom is coming in from out of town tonight, staying for the weekend. She would love to be able to go to this, but we already emailed Laura from Green City and got a response that they are at capacity, no more spots available.

Long story short, did anyone originally RSVP that can no longer attend? My mom would happily and gracefully fill in for you!...

Thanks-

Beth

Take her, if you can't wheedle your way in, worst thing is she orders a crepe and shops the market.

I'll be there, too...hoping to get there around 9:30. I look forward to seeing LTHers.

Wow, what a turnout! Luckily, folks were well mannered or there might have been a pork riot. A pork tasting stampede in Chicago following too closely on the heals of the governors's impreachment would surely loose our bid for the Olympics!

Seriously, I have tasted Gary's ribs before but never his pulled pork. It was out of this world. As he said it was his first rodeo and it sure seemed he started at the top. One of my farmer vendor friends said that they were told that they had taken over 400 reservations. Lest anyone be mad that it was too crowded, the purpose of the event was really to promote the market and bring awareness to the fact that these vendors are there twice a week, all winter. They need our support.

Excellent food all around. I was especially impressed by Gary's pulled pork, Bayless' soup, the black beans, the Publican's pork confit bouillabaisse, the rolls from The Bristol (and the meat also), the black bread sandwiches, the pate,..I guess everything!

Gary - thank you for bringing some sandwiches out to the waiting area. This was very classy and well appreciated! Great work.

Wow! What a turn-out! I don't think anyone was counting on that kind of attendance. I hope the well-deserving folks who sell their goods the market made a few new fans today. People were literally lined up 5-6 deep at the various tables and it was hard to even move. As we left at about 10:45, the museum people downstairs weren't letting anyone else come upstairs because it was just that crowded.

At one point, from within the throng, I held my camera above my head and clicked off a blind shot which, I believe, tells most of the story . . .


Green City Market Snout to Tail Event

Can anyone spot G Wiv in this shot?

=R=

Boy was it packed. Here are a couple pics:

Gary/colleen/Alan's pulled pork sandwiches:




Bayless plating pozole (pozole sadly missing):



We were still hungry for pork, so we headed over to Hot Doug's after the GCM to fill our tanks:

Calvados-Infused Duck Sausage with Sauce Moutarde, Grand Marnier-Pork Pate and Truffle
Balsamic Cream


Smoked Portuguese Chourico with Saffron Rouille and Iberico Cheese


Thuringer

ronnie_suburban wrote:Can anyone spot G Wiv in this shot? =R=

There he is! To the right of the pigloons with a light on his face! What do I win?

It was a little too crowded for me to stick around, but I'm glad I came. Mmm, free pig!

Favorite comment overheard:

"Can you believe it? All these famous chefs here, and the best thing by far was from some guy I've never heard of who wrote a cookbook that isn't even out yet."

We were also still hungry for pork, so we headed to Lao Sze Chuan to celebrate YourPalWill, and promptly ordered all sorts of pork dishes, including $2-extra ma po tofu and stewed pork belly with sour pickle, which was a notch above even their usually empyrean heights.

This is a compliment; I think if the pork offerings were dry, uninspired, or minuscule at GCM, there would have been no need or craving for further pig. But somehow, pork begets pork. Even after the most generous portions offered at the marketplace (and there were actually leftovers at the end of the event at most tables!), there was still room in the imagination and stomach for more. The LSC afternooncap also reinforced for me that Tony Hu should have been at the market and have a standing invitation to all top-level pork tasting events around the city. As much as the board favorites trend towards beef, chicken, and shrimp at LSC, his staff handles pork just as gently and inventively, and would probably turn some of the other chefs (and participant tastebuds) on their heads.

Gary, Colleen, Chris, and Alan were remarkably calm, gracious, and friendly to all amid the bustle. Their pulled pork was the single most savory and truly piggy presentation I sampled, and the pickled onions were a touch of genius. The portions they were serving were more like the kind of thing you'd get from a loving relative at a family picnic. Bravo all around. My second favorite was the Carnivale chickpea and chorizo stew (thanks to Kennyz for pointing this one out, and for the doughnut sample; there needs to be a pork version of the Luther Burger).

The planning behind this was obviously skilled, with both chefs and organizers stepping up to over-deliver on portion size and number, and no dumbing down of flavors or offerings. The only downside was that many circulating vegetarians and regular market shoppers seemed completely flummoxed by (and openly clucking at) the central porgy,* and it was difficult for some of the vendors to get their coolers in and out of the space. On the collaboration front, was there discussion of openly using the market products as ingredients, offering some kind of incentive for Snout to Tail signer-uppers to shop at the stands, etc., interspersing the sales and presentation tables, inviting vendors to speak or participate in presentations or demonstrations? I know these may have been impractical but will be curious to hear how the camps did interact from an inside perspective.

I was wowed, and am very grateful, that such an event was offered gratis to RSVPers. Even though it's great marketing for the participants, the quality and generosity was above and beyond what is usually expected at a free-to-the-public tasting. Good people, good food.

*[pork orgy]

ronnie_suburban wrote:At one point, from within the throng, I held my camera above my head and clicked off a blind shot which, I believe, tells most of the story . . .


Green City Market Snout to Tail Event

Can anyone spot G Wiv in this shot?

=R=

And there we are...

We (me and RomanticCynic) had a good time, took some photos too...

Another view of the crowd:


My favorite of the event, the bouillabaisse:


And for best presentation:

Despite our "reservations" my wife and I found ourselves, like several others, in a make shift holding cell for a while before we could visit the chefs and the market yesterday. The greatness of the event can be summed by my wife's statement later in the AM, "It really seemed worth the wait." Who did not like all that [can't say porky goodness 'cause it's banned in 2009] stuff. Still, I would be quite remiss if I did not post/point out that the as fun as it was to get free food from so many of our city's finest chefs, the event was still about the Green City Market and its vendors.

Two seconds into my mouthful or Sarah Stegner's black beans ("made with bacon") I knew I'd be buying those said black beans, from Three Sisters Farm. My delight at Three Sisters went higher when I found out about them finding out that their property contained pecan trees. Who knew. What I do know is that the pecans grown north, in Missouri are especially sweet--nothing like taxing a plant with harsh weather to produce good fruit, so I expect these to be especially good too.

The fresh chevre that ably stands up to freezing from Prairie Fruit Farms was as good as anything else I put into my mouth yesterday. I grabbed at the chance to buy.

Listen, there was enough local food for sale yesterday that a few of the vendors could not fit into the room, they instead had to run the entrance hall. The Green City Market will convene twice a month through April. I hope everyone comes to shop the market without all the pulled pork and other things to taste.

Mandatory quibble: In order to reach my quota of always have to "say something", I do want to register one small, itsy bitsy complaint. The event was advertised as "nose to tail". Beyond some pork belly, I do not think I found much in the way of fifth quarter or other lesser used cuts in the dishes. While I enjoyed everything I ate, I would have loved to have been challenged too.

Vital Information wrote:Two seconds into my mouthful or Sarah Stegner's black beans ("made with bacon") I knew I'd be buying those said black beans, from Three Sisters Farm.

Apart from Gary/Colleen/Alan's excellent pork, the one aspect of a dish I really enjoyed was Prairie Grass's lard-y black beans. Smooth, tongue-coating and meaty-flavored.

As always, it's fun to go to these events and run into so many people you know and still meet so many new ones.

Cynic's Lover wrote:

I'm still in too much of a daze from the pig riot to comment beyond saying that I think yesterday's fare was the best free food I've ever had, but thanks for sharing pictures, Cynic's Lover et al. I was about a foot too short to get anything but a few shots of sweaty backs. Thinking back to yesterday, being at Snout to Tail was kind of like being at a rock concert...rock stars and all.

GWiv, you may hold your head high. Think about the award winning chefs in the room and you outperformed many (and in my opinion all) of them.

My only complaint is we brought lil' AS and while she was a trooper, it was hard to deal with her in the crowd since she can't walk. She did love all the dishes, though. She especially liked the chickpeas from Bayless' pozote (sp?).

Oh, it was free. Imagine getting that talent in a room for free.

Congratulations to G Wiv for a dish that stood out in an event full of true standouts.

Santander wrote:My second favorite was the Carnivale chickpea and chorizo stew (thanks to Kennyz for pointing this one out, and for the doughnut sample; there needs to be a pork version of the Luther Burger).

Absolutely. As delicious as Gary's pulled pork with pickled onion was, it would have been better stuffed inside a slightly hollowed out Beograd donut. I'm serious.

While not as scientific as a double-blind tasting by a dog, my three year old and eleven month old sons definitely preferred Gary and team's pork to all other comers.

Agree with others that the black beans were outstanding. Actually, everything we had was great. We got there a bit later in the morning due to the youngest's nap schedule and, while we did have to wait a little while to get in, the crowd had thinned out quite a bit compared to what is seen in the photos and it was not all that chaotic, even with the two kids.

The Notebaert has always been the museum that our older son has referred to as "that museum with the big polar bear" or the "museum with the butterflies," but yesterday afternoon he asked me if we could go back soon to the "museum with the pork."

I enjoyed the event, in spite of the crowds. but i see a serious problem that no one else has mentioned in having these special food related markets. that is, in none of the many emails i got from the green city market in the last few months did it say-'you can't shop this market(at least not after 10:30), unless you have rsvp'd for the event, and, by the way, reservations will fill up at least a week before the market." after i had left the event i tried to talk to the doorkeepers about letting in people who just wanted to shop. but they had to wait in the same long line with everyone else. i dont know for a fact that by 11:30 or 12 they were still checking names or just letting people in slowly to prevent crowds. but these lovely tasting events are going to play havoc with people who just want to get in and out and shop. does anyone know whether the line remained rsvp'ers only to the end??? justjoan

Matt wrote:The Notebaert has always been the museum that our older son has referred to as "that museum with the big polar bear" or the "museum with the butterflies," but yesterday afternoon he asked me if we could go back soon to the "museum with the pork."

Priceless.

LTH,

First Big Rodeo and what a rodeo it was, attendance at maximum, and then some, a wonderful turnout for the Green City Market on a cold Chicago morning. It was an honor to be included in the Snout to Tail event, and a real team effort on our part. Myself, Colleen, MsWiv, Clair, Emily, Alan Lake and John Bubala. With Alan and John's knowledge of past similar events, combined with Colleen's incredible organizational skill, helping to make our participation in Snout to Tail smooth, seamless, tasty and professional.

I didn't get a chance to taste everything, but would agree Prairie Grass Cafe's sausage with lardy beans wonderful along with Publican Bouillabaisse, Carnivale chickpea and chorizo stew and Tallullah & Eve's pulled pork, in particular the apple butter/grainy mustard mix slathered on the rolls.

An interesting fun day, a opportunity to talk about the upcoming Low & Slow, chat with LTHers and experience the Green City Market Snout to Tail from an entirely different perspective than typical.

Thanks to all for the kind words, I was proud to be part of team Low & Slow and thought we acquitted ourselves quite well for our first big event.

Enjoy,
Gary

Vital Information wrote:Mandatory quibble: In order to reach my quota of always have to "say something", I do want to register one small, itsy bitsy complaint. The event was advertised as "nose to tail". Beyond some pork belly, I do not think I found much in the way of fifth quarter or other lesser used cuts in the dishes. While I enjoyed everything I ate, I would have loved to have been challenged too.

There was no obvious snoot or fried curly tails, but I'm guessing there were multiple parts of the pig harvested to make Vie's pate, Carnevale's chorizo, etc.

A quite fabulous event.

For the record: Yesterday was 100% Gary's food and bbq-billities that you enjoyed. I merely provided some tech/logistical support for my friend and not a pinch of salt more.

justjoan wrote: i dont know for a fact that by 11:30 or 12 they were still checking names or just letting people in slowly to prevent crowds. but these lovely tasting events are going to play havoc with people who just want to get in and out and shop. does anyone know whether the line remained rsvp'ers only to the end??? justjoan

They were just letting people in slowly to prevent crowds. By that time, they had completely given up on the well-intentioned but poorly executed rsvp list. Luckily for me, when I just want to shop, I get to the market at 8AM. That'll be before the tasting crowds, thankfully. I agree that for others, who just want to get some shopping done later in the morning, the tastings might be a turnoff. Maybe they'll find a bigger room next time.

Hassles, waits, and all - this was still a fabulous event.

Kind of mixed reviews as far as I was concerned.

Gary's crew turned out the highlight of the morning(this was the main reason we made the trek int the city).

However, the event came off as pretty disorganized from the perspective of the madhouse that ensued once the food was being served. No flow, or organization, just a mish mash of lines, and very little room to navigate the room. The RSVP "list" was of little use, and seemingly not neccesary based on my observations.

We did tried the offering from Vie, and their sausage, and other items on the plate were very good. Other than that we all tried Gary's crews pulled pork, and slaw dish, and it was excellent. However we gave up on this event after that, and departed quickly at 10:45 to head to our other planned meals of the day(Sun Wah for a great lunch, and Cajun Connection for an equally great dinner).

Overall a good experience, and we are glad we made the trip in if not simply for seeing some other LTH members I have gotten to know a little, and to try the couple of items we managed to get. It was a pleasure as always.

I was also glad to find out one of the CSA meat vendors is from out in Ottawa, and I plan on making some purchases from them in the near furture.

Here is a picture of Gary serving his great sandwich:

I agree with most of the comments that have already been made. This was a great event, but the organizers seemed completely overwhelmed by the massive turnout. I'd suggest to them that holding events of this magnitude in their present space is probably not the best idea they have ever had. Holding chef-focused events like this to bring attention to the market is a great idea, but I think until they get a better winter location, they should limit them to the time they are outdoors in the park.

Having said that, I bought some eggs from Mint Creek farms, which turned into a wonderful omelet this morning as well as some egg papperdelle from the Pasta Putana girl. I'll probably have that tonight.

There were so many people crowding the chefs' tasting tables that it was hard to take decent pictures. Here are a few of the ones I took that were good enough to show.

Sarah Stegner & George Bumbaris - Prairie Grass Café


Paul Virant and the Crew From Vie


Team Low & Slow

Congrats Gary! I showed up around 10:30 and the place was jam-packed. I made a beeline for Gary's station to say hi and to sample the excellent open-faced pulled pork sandwich. Just wondering how much you cooked for the event, and my sympathy/empathy for smokin' out in the cold. I've done a bunch of cooks in similar weather, but I've moved the WSM into my garage and kept the overhead door partially open. Whiskey helps.

I wasn't in crowd management mode, and skeedaddled in short order, after picking up 2 excellent mini ciabattas from Bennison's ($1/each), plus eggs ($5) and chicken necks and backs ($1.50/lb.) from TJ's. Really nice seeing Stevez, David, and pigmon, too.

El cerdo es bueno!

Grace

stevez wrote: I bought some eggs from Mint Creek farms, which turned into a wonderful omelet this morning

Me too, and I also had a wonderful slow-cooked omelette this morning with a little truffle salt, and a toasted day old Bennison's baguette. There's really nothing like fresh-from-the-farm eggs.