November begins a season marked by many home-cooked meals, for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas and Chanukah, and finally New Year’s Eve. Before the snows blow in, get out and, for a change, enjoy some food and drink somewhere other than your own home.
1 Wines in the Wild (Brookfield Zoo) Enjoy wine amidst the (caged) wildlife, with a silent auction and “animal ambassadors” (we’re not sure what that is, but we’re game… Ha, get it?) November4
2 Festival of Barrel-Aged Beer (UIC Credit Union 1) We’re beginning to realize just how varied the world of beer can be, and barrel-aging brews in different woods as well as previously used barrels opens up whole new dimensions of flavor. November 3-4
3 Truffle-Making Class & Koval Tour (Koval Distillery) Get all the ingredients you need to make truffles under the guidance of some of Chicago’s premier confectionists, and while candy-making you can enjoy a Koval cocktail (spirits pair well with chocolate!) and tour the distillery. November 15
4 Food & Beverage Forum (Chicago Athletic Association) An in-person event gathering food and beverage industry leaders to “connect, reignite relationships, exchange ideas, and learn through collaboration.” November 16
5 Duck Sel Fifteen-Course Culinary Experience (Location announced 24-48 hours in advance) Michelin-starred chef Donald Young creates “contemporary American cuisine with a Midwest flair”; if you need a special dinner during the holiday season, this is it. November 17
Dining and Drinking Editor for Newcity, David also writes a weekly food column for Wednesday Journal in Oak Park and is a frequent contributor of food/drink and travel pieces to the Chicago Tribune, Plate Magazine and other publications. David has also contributed chapters to several books, including Street Food Around the World, Street Food, and The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. Contact: dhammond@newcity.com
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Dining and Drinking Top 5: November 2021 As of this writing, these Chicago events are still scheduled for November; check the respective websites for updates or changes and for COVID requirements requiring masks, social distancing, and vaccination status.
Dining & Drinking Top 5: November 2022 To quote Ezra Pound, “Winter is icumen in/Lhude sing Goddamm/Raineth drop and staineth slop/And how the wind cloth ramm/Sing Goddamm.” Sure, you can look out the window at the gathering clouds and sing Goddamn, or you can make the best of a chilly situation by venturing out to eat, drink and enjoy life while you can.
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Dining & Drinking Top 5: June 2023 Warmer weather means more festivals and outdoor food events, so put on your sunblock and your feedbag and start enjoying the foods of summer in Chicago.
Dining & Drinking Top 5: February 2023 T.S. Eliot was wrong. February is the cruelest month: wet, gray, cold and generally not so much fun. Still, there are entertaining options, and here are five of them.
Dining & Drinking Top 5: March 2023 March is the month that starts us tentatively thinking that maybe, just maybe the cold weather is over and warm spring is on the way. Well, we shall see, but one thing for sure is that there are, indeed, some cool things to do (and eat, and drink) in March.
