Here are a few items from the Tribune’s blog, The Stew:
Local cook takes 4th place in contest
Susan Cortesi of Northbrook won $2,000 and fourth place for her recipe, chicken paillards with Asian salad, in the National Chicken Council’s 47th national cook-off. The contest, held this year in Birmingham, Ala., is co-sponsored by the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association.
The contest’s top prize, $100,000, went to Michelle Anderson of Eagle, Idaho, for Thai-inspired stuffed chicken breast and slaw.
“The dish looked spectacular and tasted delicious,” said Nancy Dell’Aria, food editor of Woman’s Day magazine and judging chairman, in a press release about Anderson’s winning recipe. “It had several different textures and a delightful crunch. We knew it was a contender from the first bite.”
Recipes from all 51 contestants may be found at chickencookingcontest.com.
— Robin Mather Jenkins
What you’ll be sipping at Ravinia
Wines from Terlato Wines International will be the official pours at the Ravinia Festival, thanks to a two-year sponsorship agreement with the Lake Bluff-based wine giant.
As the official wine sponsor of Ravinia Festival, Terlato’s wines will be served throughout the park, including Ravinia’s new dining pavilion. Terlato wines also will be sold at Ravinia’s wine carts and at “grab-and-go” eateries throughout the festival grounds.
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There also will be complimentary preperformance wine tastings conducted over the summer, scheduled on June 30, July 14, July 17, Aug. 2, Aug. 18 and Aug. 31. The tastings will take place in two locations in Ravinia beginning at 5 p.m.
— Bill Daley
Bulls guard Ben Gordon has put his name on the newest energy drink: BG7 (the 7 would be Gordon’s jersey number), available at selected 7-Elevens around town. We pit it in a one-on-one taste-off with the current league MVP, Red Bull.
Bull: A taste of fizzy cough syrup with two dozen Sweet Tarts added. The oppressive sweetness lingers at the back of the tongue. This is why people mix it with vodka. It’s meant to be consumed in concert, like daiquiri mix. By itself, drink at your own risk.
BG7: Advertising itself as “White Tea Energy Blast,” there is not one molecule of white tea that we could taste. Rather, it conjures up strawberry Starburst candies. It is still quite sweet, though not to the severity of Red Bull, and a tad less sour.
Play-by-play: Gordon double pumps, shoots a 12-footer that bounces off the rim. Gordon grabs his own rebound, sneaks around the defender Red Bull and makes a lay-up underneath the basket. It ain’t pretty, not very efficient for two points, but Gordon gets the score in the end.
— Kevin Pang
The lowdown on Kobe vs. Wagyu
Confused by the Kobe, Wagyu and other specialty beef on restaurant menus? I am, which is why I was so pleased to get a lesson in the whole grading system from Paul Dojo of Premium Wagyu at his booth in the International Plaza area of the National Restaurant Show at McCormick Place recently.
Here’s the fancy, beef fans: Wagyu is pronounced WAH-gyoo; wa means Japan and gyu means beef. Kobe beef, on the other hand, refers only to beef from the Kobe area of Japan.
So as Dojo and his colleagues explain, such beef will come with a rating.
An A to C rating is the yield of meat vs. fat off the bone. A 1 to 5 rating is based on the color of the fat and the meat. (The Japanese look for the pinkest meat and the whitest fat, unlike the red meat preferred here.) A final number, from 1 to 12, is the BMS (beef marbling score).
If you’re thinking of calling and requesting the highest grade beef there is, the A5-12, know that it will cost you about $1,230 per pound.
— Monica Eng
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IN THE WEB EDITION: For more food happenings, go to chicagotribune.com/stew.