Green City Market's Locavore Challenge Starts Tomorrow

It isn't too late to pledge to become a Locavore! Join Green City Market and other Chicagoans by committing to eating locally grown and produced foods for two weeks! The challenge starts tomorrow. Make a conscious effort to buy food from Illinois, bordering states and Michigan. Come to Green City Market's Town Hall meeting on Sept. 23 and enjoy local, prepared foods, share recipes with other Locavores and have your questions answered by the experts. Sign up at the market and pick up your Locavore kit, or download our pledge form and fax it to 773-880-1262.

Green City Market Annual Harvest Benefit

More about Green City Market... If you haven't had the opportunity to attend their annual Harvest Celebration, mark your calendar for September 13 and order your tickets now! This annual event is the swankiest of them all. The fabulous setting at the beautiful country estate and gardens of Bill Kurtis and Donna La Pietra in Mettawa, IL is only matched by the outstanding food and drink offerings by Chicago's top chefs and mixologists.

What you can expect? Chefs cooking flavorful local foods, the gardens, potager, tree house, the fire pit and the pond -- a true country feast showcasing the freshest, best tasting Green City Market products. It brings together camaraderie of the most passionate food environmentalists.

Chef participants include: Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, author/chef Gale Gand of Tru, Mark Mendez of Carnivale, Carrie Nahabedian of NAHA, Bruce Sherman of North Pond, Rita Gutekanst & Marguerite Lytle of Limelight, Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris of Prairie Grass Cafe, Paul Virant of Vie and Randy Zweiban of Province. An array of exciting one-of-a kind culinary auction packages will be offered, all in support of the Market.

This year's packages include: A weekend getaway to Kentucky featuring a farm tour and dinner at Capriole Farm, A Farm dinner at Heritage Prarie in Geneva, Il - spend the weekend in their beautiful farmhouse and invite eight of your friends for a chef prepared dinner or brunch, a VIP Table at the Green City Market Chef BBQ in Lincoln Park (pre reception for you and your guests with celebrity chefs preparing hors d'oeuvres and cocktails), exclusive chef inspired events, cooking classes and more!

Ticket levels are:
Heirloom Benefactor level - two (2) tickets at $2,500.
Heritage Contributor level - one (1) ticket at $1,000
Market Patron level - one (1) ticket at $500
Market Supporter level - one (1) ticket at $250

This is a tax-deductible contribution to Green City Market, a 501(c)3 not for profit organization, less $100 (cost of the dinner), per ticket. For more information, please call 773-880-1266 or visit here to reserve your tickets. Capacity is very limited for this special event. Reservation deadline is Friday, September 11th, 2009 or while tickets last.

Green City Market Harvest Celebration
Sunday September 13, 2009
4:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.

Gold Coast's newest addition, MORE, tempts guests to indulge in cupcakes

Cupcake lovers have long awaited the opening of MORE, a specialty retail cupcake boutique and wholesaler, which opens its doors today at One East Delaware Place. MORE is the upscale creation of charming, energetic owner Patty Rothman, who has teamed up with culinary leaders, consultants Gale Gand and Henry Adaniya. Gand, winner of the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Pastry Chef award, designed some of the recipes for the unique, extra moist cupcakes, while Adaniya developed the business concept of MORE."We wanted to create a business that was upbeat and fun, and what could be more fun than cupcakes?" says Rothman. "Not only are they delicious, but they are also small enough to fit in one hand, so we can all indulge in cupcakes and not feel so guilty."

Rothman, a successful entrepreneur and business woman, credits her number one role, as mom, for the inspiration behind MORE. After years of making cupcakes for her five children, who range from ages five to 16, she began to see greater possibilities. With the support of her close friends in the culinary world, she made the decision to open the all-cupcake boutique.

MORE offers a rotating collection of more than 50 varieties of rich, flavorful cupcakes. The collection is noteworthy for its unique savory flavors in addition to its wide variety of sweet recipes and classic favorites. The cupcake menu changes often, and includes special holiday and seasonal flavors.

Offering an extensive list of both sweet and savory flavors, MORE aims to please a broad array of customers. Rothman and her team have worked to develop all elements of their cupcakes, so as to accommodate different palates. The cupcakes showcase a combination of bold and subtle flavors, with twists such as Ganache filled chocolate, Passionfruit Poppyseed, Pink Grapefruit, and Creme Brulée. Savory flavors include Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato; Fig, Blue Cheese and Port, and a Madras Curry cupcake, which is layered with mixed berry jam, slathered with goat cheese and yogurt frosting and then garnished with puffed wild rice. Traditional flavors such as chocolate, white, yellow, red velvet, carrot and lemon are also among the 50 varieties.

"There are two types of people: frosting people, and cake people," according to Rothman. "We’ve customized the frostings to complement each cake flavor, so that both types of people are satisfied."

Joining the stellar MORE team is Executive Pastry Chef Todd Maturatai, who creates unique cupcake combinations of his own. After graduating from Kendall College, Maturatai took an internship opportunity at the esteemed Trotter’s To Go. The young chef credits the eight months he spent there in shaping his skill in the culinary arts. Maturatai comes to MORE after a five month stint as Executive Pastry Chef at Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar. With a philosophy that cupcakes are more than what meets the eye, Maturatai is enthusiastic about tackling the more challenging savory combinations.

Todd Maturatai, Patty Rothman and Liz Adamski

"In regards to developing savory recipes, I’ve worked to put my thoughts into an entirely different perspective," says Maturatai. "My creative approach is to look at everyday items and apply them to the cupcakes I create."

Showcasing this creative way of baking, Maturatai found himself dining at fine restaurants, looking at diverse ingredients for inspiration. MORE’s Caramelized Onion cupcake, which features an olive oil buttermilk cake, topped with caramelized onion frosting and candied pine nuts, is evidence this practice works.

During the planning process, with so many wonderful cupcake creations in the works, Rothman’s focus turned to store’s location and design. MORE found a home in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, a perfect fit for the chic cupcake boutique. Rothman’s vision was to transform the retail space so as to evoke the essence of a cupcake.

The store was designed by 2008 AIA Chicago Firm of the Year, David Woodhouse Architects, LLC. It is a warm and comfortable feast of the senses. Customers are immediately greeted by a glass wall filled with suspended cupcakes. The ambience is inviting with rich textures and colors, and offers, in essence, material abstractions of the ingredients like butter cream and chocolate. The store’s unique backlighting illuminates the walls, to give the illusion of frosting throughout.

Rothman expects many customers to buy cupcakes by the dozen, with a good portion of MORE’s business coming from special orders for cupcakes at private events—weddings, birthdays, bar mitzvahs and so on. Special signature packaging is available for gift giving. As a wholesaler, MORE also supplies restaurants, hotels and corporate clients.It’s no secret that cupcakes are the nation’s hottest trend. With the huge success of Magnolia in New York and Sprinkles in Los Angeles, Rothman and her culinary team are confident MORE will have the same type of impact on Chicago.

"New York has Magnolia, but we’re bringing MORE to Chicago, in every sense of the word," states Maturatai. MORE, located at One East Delaware Place at the intersection of State Street and Delaware in Chicago, is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday. For more information, contact MORE at (312) 951-0001 or send an e-mail to info@morecupcakes.com. Please visit http://www.morecupcakes.com/.

Don't miss Green City Market's Harvest Celebration at Kurtis / LaPietra Mettawa Home

It's not too late to get your tickets for the Green City Market Harvest Celebration Honoring Market Founder Abby Mandel! The event is this Sunday, September 7, from 5:30-8:00 pm at the Mettawa home and gardens of Bill Kurtis and Donna LaPietra. For those who have never been to the Kurtis home, this is a once in a lifetime chance. It's beautiful and the grounds are unbelievable. There is a dazzling lineup of chefs, and the auction items are incredible! This is Green City Market's major fundraiser for the year. For more information, and to purchase tickets online, go here.

Photo: Donna LaPietra with Green City Market Founder, the late Abby Mandel, at event in 2006.

The Harvest Celebration features chefs:
Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill/Topolobampo
Terry Crandall of the Peninsula Hotel
Gale Gand of Tru/Tramonto's Steakhouse
Kevin Hickey of Seasons at the Four Seasons Hotel
Bruce Sherman of North Pond
Brian Shustrick of Limelight Catering
Sarah Stegner & George Bumbaris of Prairie Grass Cafe
Amalea Tshilds and Jason Hammel of Lula Cafe
Paul Virant of Vie
Dean Zanella of 312 Chicago

Photo: Praire Grass Cafe Chef /Owners

Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris

Enjoy Bill Kurtis' guided tram tours around the acclaimed 75-acre grounds of Mettawa Manor in its late summer glow...through the prairie, woodland paths and along its formal garden borders.

Fantasize about an array of exciting one-of-a-kind culinary auction packages, all specially created in support of Green City Market. All proceeds benefit Green City Market, a 501(c)3 organization.

Ticket Prices are as follows:

Market Star-$5000
Market Angel - $1000
Market Patron - $500

Market Supper - $250
Go here to order tickets.



Cindy Kurman with Chef Gale Gand; Bill Kurtis with Alderman Vi Daley

Please phone the Market office at 773-880-1266 for information.

Be the first to taste MORE!

You've been craving more, and soon you'll get MORE! Owner Patty Rothman has launched the newest addition to the Gold Coast, upscale cupcake boutique, MORE (1 E. Delaware Place) that boasts a menu of more than 30 flavor varieties, including sweet and savory recipes created by pastry standout Gale Gand. The long awaited bakery will open its doors Friday, September 12.

But wait, there's more! Customers can pre-order cupcakes from MORE starting Tuesday, August 26 by calling the store at (312) 951-0001. Orders may be picked up at MORE beginning Sunday, August 31. Hours for orders are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. And yes, you can order MORE for Labor Day!

Flavors include sweet cupcakes like Passionfruit Poppyseed, Chocolate Mint and Root Beer Float, plus savory treats like Strawberry, Black Pepper, Balsamic; Caramelized Onion; and Fig, Blue Cheese and Port. MORE also has classic favorites like Carrot, Chocolate and Red Velvet. A complete menu of flavors and pricing information can be found at http://www.morecupcakes.com/ or by calling the store (312) 951-0001.

MORE's cupcakes can be ordered individually or in multiples of six. Plus, miniature cupcakes, called "Moresels," are available by special order only in multiples of 16 or 30. Moresels, however, must be ordered at least 48 hours in advance.

(Photo Credit: Tim Turner)
Root Beer Float Cupcake at MORE

Top Chef Wedding Wars - Loaded with Kurman associates

I hope that you caught tonight's installment of Bravo's Top Chef - Wedding Wars. Did you recognize the bride? Former Kurman Communications account executive Corey Smith married the handsome and talented restaurateur JP Marchetti, from Galleria Marchetti. We first met Corey when she was dating JP, then a client of Kurman. Anxious to move to Chicago from Kansas, Kurman quickly nabbed her as a senior account manager. As their relationship bloomed, Corey decided to join the ranks of the
Marchetti organization to help build the business and start a new life with JP. Well, we all know how the storybook romance played out...in living color on Bravo!

Also featured tonight as the celebrity guest chef was none other than Kurman long time friend (and former client) Gale Gand of Tru and Cenitare restaurants in Chicago. The award winning pastry chef, Gand is currently consulting with Kurman client Patty Rothman in her cupcake boutique project, More, which will open mid-June at 1 East Delaware St. in Chicago.