Yalumba Wine Dinner at Prairie Grass Cafe

Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, IL 60062; 847-205-4433) will be hosting the Yalumba Wine Dinner 6:30 p.m. Thursday October 11.  The sumptuous dinner, presented by Schaefer’s, welcomes guest Louisa Rose, Chief Winemaker at Yalumba Winery.   The cost is $85 per person, all inclusive.  Reservations are required; please call Schaefer’s at 847-677-9463 to make reservations.

Prairie Grass Cafe chef and co-owner, Sarah Stegner attributes much of her success to her philosophy of using fine dining cooking techniques to produce approachable, casual food.  Quality ingredients are most important as evident in her efforts in co-founding Green City Market and supporting local sustainable farms.  Sarah brings that philosophy to Prairie Grass Cafe and along with chef and co-owner, George Bumbaris, has prepared a four course dinner menu presented with pairings from Yalumba Winery.

The appetizer course will be served family-style and offer guests Pizza with Italian Sausage, grilled onions, peppers and mozzarella cheese,  Baked Feta Cheese with spicy banana peppers and tomatoes and Crab Cake with grapefruit avocado and cucumber salad with citrus butter paired with Pewsey Vale Riesling 2011. The next course will feature Mixed Greens with seasonal vegetables and shaved parmesan with balsamic vinaigrette paired with Hill Smith Estate Chardonnay 2010. For the main course, diners will have the choice of three options: Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with creamed spinach, Ancho Marinated Skirt Steak served over mushroom ragout with caramelized onions or Crispy Half Boneless Chicken served with mashed potatoes and warm pesto green bean salad.  Wine pairings will feature a choice of Yalumba “Patchwork” Shiraz 2008 or Yalumba “The Signature” Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2006.  Finally, the dessert course will offer Warm Chocolate “Muk Muk” Cake with vanilla bean Creme Anglaise.  Dessert will be paired with Yalumba Museum Reserve Antique Tawny Port, coffee and tea also will be served.

About Louisa Rose
Louisa Rose stepped into the role of Chief Winemaker at Yalumba in 2006, taking over responsibility for all the wines of the Barossa-based Hill Smith family.  In October 2008, Louisa was named “Winemaker of the Year” by the prestigious Gourmet Traveller WINE Magazine. 

About Yalumba Winery
Yalumba was founded in 1849 by Samuel Smith, British migrant and English brewer, who had brought his family to Angaston seeking a new life. After purchasing a 30-acre parcel of land just beyond the southern-eastern boundary of Angaston, Smith and his son began planting the first vines by moonlight. Samuel named his patch "Yalumba" – aboriginal for "all the land around." Five generations and 160 years later Yalumba, Australia's oldest family owned winery, has grown in size and stature, embodying all that has made the Australian wine success story the envy of winemakers the world over.

About Prairie Grass Cafe
Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd.; Northbrook, IL.; 847-205-4433) supports Chicago’s Green City Market and local sustainable farms, selecting the freshest ingredients to reflect the season. Prairie Grass Cafe currently serves lunch Monday - Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and dinner Monday - Sunday; Tuesday - Thursday 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Monday and Sunday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Prairie Grass Cafe also serves brunch Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays 9:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Light fare is available in the bar Monday through Friday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, please call (847) 205-4433 or visit www.prairiegrasscafe.com.