Vanille Patisserie For Father's Day Gifts

Visiting dad for Father's day? Don't go empty handed. Vanille Patisserie offers something the entire family will enjoy. Macarons, the famed Parisian confectionery delivers the essence of a dessert in a single bite. These colorful sandwich-shaped delicacies have a crunchy meringue shell encapsulating an intense burst of flavor at its creamy core.

Vanille offers a colorful spectrum of flavors, whether strawberry lemongrass in the summer or classic vanilla bean year around. No matter what the variety, Vanille never strays far from its French roots, while evolving its ever-changing flavors in new and unexpected directions that characterize the Vanille spirit of innovation.

Pickup a Vanille Gift Basket...their gift baskets are the perfect way to give the gift of traditional French pastries, packaged in design as elegant as the artisan French pastries nestled inside. An instantly recognizable statement of premier quality and good taste, Vanille gift sets include of a sampler of our highly acclaimed French macarons, positively addictive Pate de Fruit, luscious Buttery Caramel and their signature Montélimar-style Nougat bars, it will be a gift long remembered. Prices range from $40 and up for phone and in-store orders and 24 hours notice for online orders.

New summer menu items at Chicago French Market vendor Vanille Patisserie

The Bastille Day Celebration at Chicago French Market kicks off tomorrow at 1 p.m.  In addition to the French bubbly and performance by Greta Pope, market vendor Vanille Patisserie will be adding to the fun.  Vanille is introducing two new entremets by Chef Dimitri Fayard , which will be available to enjoy during the celebration. 

The Seyla features Lemon Mousse, red fruit compote and brown butter honey Bisquit wrapped in white chocolate and topped with fresh fruit salsa and baked meringue for $6.85

The Tarte aux Figue features baked Mascarpone cream topped with figs and an almond medley for $5.75

Enjoy them at the market or take a few home!  In addition to offering new menu items, Vanille Patisserie also will have a croquembouche on display and will be sampling mini cream puffs for patrons enjoy.  For more information visit www.frenchmarketchicago.com.

What's new in June at Chicago French Market!

City Fresh Market is now featuring Harczak’s Smoked Sausages (Best European Sausages).  Choose from Serbian Mild, Serbian Hot or Bosnian All Beef sausages.  Feel free to ask for a sample before you buy and you’ll see right away why it’s called “The Best”.

City Fresh Market wants to make your summer grilling easy! Check out its freshly made hamburgers & kabobs.  Also available is its fresh fish delivered daily, cleaned, filleted or butterflied at your request at no charge!

This month, City Fresh will featuring FAGE Yogurts, all flavors are only $1.99/each.




Cool off this June with Lavazza Espression’s featured drink: The Blendissimo®!

A unique coffee-based frappé that will seduce your palate with a cool blend of espresso, vanilla gelato and caramel, topped off with whipped cream.  Available in four delectable combinations:  Mocha, Hazelnut Mocha, Orange Mocha, and Caramel.

Lavazza Espression is also proud to be an international finalist in the Latté Art Competition at the Coffee Fest Chicago on Friday June 8 – 10.   Bobby Mariappuram will represent Lavazza Espression and is among 64 contestants chosen to compete head to head to produce one flawless drink to present to judges.  Judging is based on aesthetic beauty, definition, color infusion, degree of difficulty and creativity, and speed.

Oh, Olive! is celebrating Father’s Day and grilling season by offering a special on its locally grown spices, rubs and salts from the Galena Garlic Company. 

Galena Garlic Company showcases gourmet garlic’s versatility in the kitchen. For owner Laszlo Marton, “Garlic is Life.” He is involved in every step of the process, including the planting of more than 20,000 cloves by hand on two plots of land nestled in the rolling hills of Jo Daviess County in northern Illinois, an ideal location for garlic farming. Its cold winters, warm summers and rich fertile soils, in combination with the Galena Garlic Company’s organic farming practices, produce a thriving crop of garlic year after year.

The Oh, Olive! team believes these products should always be fresh and foolproof, so premium spice blends are created in small batches with every package hand-sealed.  Oh Olive! is one of only a few retailers where you can purchase these crafted spices, rubs and salts.   Choose from a wide variety at the Chicago French Market and for the month of June, purchase 5 packets for only $30.  Learn more at www.oo2go.com.




With so many great outdoor options for enjoying summer in Chicago, Pastoral came up with a great way to enjoy them even more!  Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine is now offering Pastoral Picnics for Two, a picnic basket to-go option that comes complete with everything you need to enjoy a summer outing.  Whether it’s just for two or a group, Pastoral has you covered. Choose from one of five baskets for only $39.99, and don’t forget the wine and craft beers to complement your picnic.  To order, call Pastoral at (312) 454-2200 at least 6 hours in advance.

Vanille Patisserie has just added new items to its menu!

Delight in the new Fraisier, a Banana cake with Vanille mousseline, Passion fruit curd and fresh strawberries with red glaze.  Try the new Graham, with Graham cracker streusel, homemade marshmallow, chocolate fudge ganache and graham cracker financier with Dark glaze. Or give the Paris Brest a try, with Pâte á choux, praline mousseline and candied hazelnuts. For more information on these new and delectable items, call (312) 575-9963.

March Events at the Chicago French Market

Check out what's happening this month at the Chicago French Market!

March 1, 2012 – Vanille Patisserie Dance Marathon Fundraiser

7am - 7pm
Dance until you drop! Team Vanille Patisserie will be participating in the Chicago Dance Marathon! On this day, Vanille Patisserie will donate 15% their daily sales at the Chicago French Market to the Children’s Memorial Hospital and dance alongside other participants as patient families cheer them on! Their participation in this event contributes to raising enough funds to benefit more than 146,000 children that the hospital treats each year.

March 1, 2012 – Rush hour concert with Asha & Martin Saville

4pm– 7pm FREE
Break up the middle of the day with some lunch hour music. Asha & Martin Saville will do just that by playing light rock, alternative and some R & B --The perfect way to avoid the rush hour crowd.

March 7, 2012 – Lunch Hour music with Asha & Martin Saville

11am – 2pm FREE
Inspired by musicians like Michael Jackson, Adele, and James Blunt, musicians Asha & Martin Saville will be performing a lunch hour concert at the Chicago French Market. Take a midday break and relax to their soulful tunes.

March 10, 2012 – Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread and Wine– Wine Tasting

12pm – 2pm FREE
Pastoral will be hosting their monthly wine tasting where they will feature several varieties of artisan wines.

March 14, 2012 – Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread and Wine– Beer Tasting
5pm - 7pm FREE
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Pastoral will be hosting a beer tasting where a sampling of artisan beers will be available.

March 15, 2012 – Rush Hour concert with Robin & Jenny Bienemann
4pm –7pm FREE
Creating the perfect harmony, Robin and Jenny Bienemann will be at to the Chicago French Market to perform a block of their original songs. Their quirky yet thoughtful music is sure to delight during the end of the work day.

March 21, 2012 – Lunch Hour concert with Americana musician Steve Justman
11am – 2pm FREE
Steve Justman is a collector of Americana artifacts and traditions that have spanned generations. He has been performing folk music in the Chicago area for years and is happy to share his gift with the Chicago French Market patrons. Stop in during lunch hour and enjoy a collection of traditional and popular folk music.

March 29, 2012 – Rush Hour concert with Robin & Jenny Bienemann

4pm – 7pm FREE
Stop in before your commute home to enjoy several original songs performed by Robin & Jenny Bienemann. Their combination of lyrical song-work paired with jazz guitar creates a relaxing but fun concert.

March 31, 2012 – Hop to the Bunny Train

11am– 2pm FREE
Come hop the train and travel around the Chicago French Market! The train will travel around the Chicago French Market from 11-1:30 pm, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt at 1:30 pm. Where participants can meet a very special guest: The Easter Bunny! The Chicago French Market will also be offering market-wide tastings. Don’t miss out on all of the Easter fun!

National Chocolate Cake Day

Monday, February 27, is National Chocolate Cake Day!  Let’s celebrate by partaking in the lavish and decadent dessert offered at several great bakeries and restaurant in Chicago. 

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Fleming’s is serving up their Chocolate Lava Cake every night on their dessert menu.  It’s a rich chocolate cake with a molten chocolate center of Belgian chocolate, served with vanilla ice cream and chopped pistachios.  You can’t get much better than that….

Vanille Patisserie

The chocolate lover in all of us is sure to be satisfied with upscale offerings of chocolate cakes that Vanille has to offer.  Choose from the Sofia , a chocolate mousse with vanilla cremeaux and hazelnut crisp, the Manjari , a flourless chocolate cake with a dark chocolate mousse, dark chocolate cremeaux, and dark chocolate glaze, or The Earl, a chocolate tart shell, banana caramel and earl grey tea infused milk chocolate mousse.  Each piece is only $6.65 and serves two. 

Delightful Pastries

Delightful Pastries is going the more traditional route by offering their Death by Chocolate Cake by the slice.  Layer upon layer of chocolate cake will please even the biggest chocolate fiend.  Or, for a bit more excitement, special order their German Chocolate Cake to take home and share!

Sweet Miss Giving’s

Sometimes a good ‘ole cupcake will do the trick.  Take home a dozen gooey and moist chocolate cupcakes from Sweet Miss Giving’s in original sized or mini!  100% off all their profits go to charity.  How sweet it is!

First Annual Artisan Producer Festival at Chicago French Market, April 30

Don't miss the First Annual Artisan Producer Festival 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 30 at the Chicago French Market ( 131 N. Clinton St. , Chicago ; (312) 575-0306). The no-cost event offers the chance to meet more than 35 featured culinary artisans, sample products and celebrate small batch foods, beers and wine. 

Event organizer Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine has put together an incredible lineup of more than 35 producers, featuring more than 12 cheese makers including:

Prairie Fruits Farm- Illinois

Zingerman's Creamery- Michigan

Jasper Hill Farm- Vermont

Vermont Creamery- Vermont

Visit with a variety of artisans who produce distinctive sweet and savory accompaniments including:

Seedling Farms- Michigan

Ames Honey- Minnesota

Potter's Organic Margy Crackers-Wisconsin

Bennison's Bakery-Wisconsin

Quince & Apple Handmade Preserves- Wisconsin

Half Acre Beer Company- Chicago

Goose Island Brewery- Chicago

Salumeria Bieillese- New York

Sourpuss Pickles- New York

Local Chicago Favorites:

DAS Caramelini

Sweet Margy Confections

Bennison's Bakery

Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine also is excited to introduce Sour Puss Pickles, a line of small batch pickled vegetables from Brooklyn, N.Y. Sour Puss Pickles works directly with local farms in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania to guarantee the quality and freshness of the raw ingredient used in their pickles. Product line includes ginger carrots, mustard tarragon asparagus and peppered okra for $12 per 16 ounce jar.

Here's your chance to learn how to cure meats. Chicago French Market's Fumare Meats is featuring Randy Ream from Elburn meats, who will talk about curing, smoking and cooking meat.

Canday Le Chocolatier is demonstrating the art of chocolate making and Saigon Sisters is demonstrating how to make spring rolls.

Other Chicago French Market artisans participating include Abbey Brown Artisan Soaps, Chicago Organics, City Fresh Market, Delightful Pastries, Les Fleurs, Produce Express, RAW, Sweet Miss Giving's and Vanille Patisserie.

One-stop Valentine's Day shopping at Chicago French Market

Valentine’s Day is always special and Chicago French Market makes it easy to celebrate with your loved ones. All under one roof, Chicago French Market has everything you need to say, “I Love You.”

Provo’s Village Bake Shoppe, known for its European baked goods, is offering a number of heart-shaped treats for your sweetie, including individual sized Heart-Shaped Vanilla and Chocolate Cakes, both topped with chocolate frosting ($4 each); Red and Pink Heart-shaped Sugar Cookies ($1 for small, $2 for large); Assorted Red, Pink and White Butter Cookies in heart shaped containers ($4 per box); and a set of Six Heart-shaped Kolachkis with strawberry, raspberry and cherry fillings ($6). Contact Provo’s at (312) 207-1261.

Award-winning Vanille Patisserie features a Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Box filled with assorted chocolates. A small half-pound box is $27, and the large one-pound heart box is $45. Vanille also offers Pink Raspberry Eclairs for $3.50 each. Vanille’s Valentine’s Day treats are available beginning Feb. 7. Contact Vanille Patisserie at (312) 575-9963.

Pick up fresh 8 ounce Lobster Tails ($12.49 each) or King Crab Legs ($29.49 per lb.) from City Fresh Market and surprise your honey with a romantic stay-at-home dinner. Other Valentine’s specials include 1.5 lb. Live Lobster, $10.99 each; Sea Wet Scallops, $13.49 per lb.; and Blue Diamond Shrimp, $20.99 per lb. City Fresh Market is a European market with a focus on fresh poultry, fish and grass-fed beef raised without antibiotics or hormones. City Fresh also offers a variety of other meats, fruits, vegetables, cheese and meat pies, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a selection of grocery items including olive oils, vinegars, salad dressings and more. Contact City Fresh Market at (312) 575-0230 for more specials.

Stop by Lavazza Espression for a Limited Edition Cup set based and an exclusive 2011 Lavazza calendar, centered around the Valentine-appropriate theme of “Falling in Love in Italy.” Only 200 of the Limited Edition Cup sets exist in the U.S., which includes two espresso cups and saucers, two cappuccino cups and saucers, as well as four stainless steel heart-shaped spoons. The exclusive 2011 desk calendar, shot by one of the most lauded celebrity photographers, Mark Seliger, is also included in this special gift set. Celebrities featured in the 2011 Lavazza calendar include Olivia Wilde and her husband Tao Ruspoli. This limited edition gift ($39.95) is a unique surprise for your espresso loving Valentine.

Chicago Organics is selling specialized gift baskets from NOR, a Chicago-based business that sells natural and organic gifts and everyday essentials for eco-conscious lifestyles. The gift baskets range from $28 to $116 and are filled exclusively with organic and natural specialty food, gifts and travel sets with chemical-free skincare and beauty products, plus accessory items for the home.

Les Fleurs makes it easy to catch the train and surprise your sweetheart with a special floral bouquet. Customers can purchase their flowers in the morning on Valentine’s Day and Les Fleurs can prepare them for an evening pick up. Pre-made bouquets and gifts are also ready to go. No fuss, just love on the run! Les Fleurs welcomes pre-orders and delivery. Contact Les Fleurs at (312) 463-1111.

There is nothing sweeter than saying “love” with a box of chocolate. Canady le Chocolatier features luscious chocolates packaged in one pound, half pound and petite gift boxes, constructed with hand-made Thai parchment paper imprinted with an orchid and soft green leaf design. These stunning gift boxes are made exclusively for Canady le Chocolatier’s fine line of chocolates, which includes a choice of rich dark, milk or white chocolate coating with a variety of fillings, including ganache, soft caramel and sugar cream. Contact Canady le Chocolatier at (312) 454-8700.

Delightful Pastries creates authentic European pastries made with local ingredients. Choose from specially decorated vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, three types of cakes decorated to say “I Love You” and decorated butter cookies. Pastries will be boxed and ready to go. Contact Delightful Pastries at (312) 234-9644.

About Chicago French Market
Chicago French Market is a European-inspired market offering an array of local produce, meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheese, wine, chocolates, pastas, artisan-made goods, specialty drinks, flowers, prepared meals and a seating area for customers. Chicago French Market’s diverse group of local vendors stay open year-round, six days per week, and is located within the new MetraMarket development at 131 N. Clinton St. (between Washington and Randolph Streets). Chicago French Market offers complimentary garage parking with entrances at 164 N. Canal St. and 165 N. Clinton St. for one hour or less with a minimum purchase of $20 or more (receipt required).

Please note that from January 2011 through May 2011, if traveling westbound on Randolph Street, the Randolph Street bridge is closed due to the Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project. The minor detour will reroute drivers to head north on Franklin Avenue, then west on Lake Street, to turn south on Clinton Street to access the garage. For more information, visit http://www.chicagofrenchmarket.com/. Follow Chicago French Market on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChicagoFrenchMarket and on Twitter at @ChiFrenchMarket.

Kick off the fall season with upcoming events at Chicago French Market

Frietkoten’s Belgian Beer & Fries at T.G.I.Frite-Day
Every Friday in September, enjoy Frietkoten’s Belgian frites and beer for just $7. Enjoy live music at the market from noon until 2 p.m. and 4 until 6 p.m. every Friday in September.

Watch “Kings of Pastry” and Get a Complimentary Treat at Vanille Patisserie
Bring in any ticket stub from Kings of Pastry, playing at Gene Siskel Film Center from Oct. 1 – 7, and receive one Complimentary Éclair or Croissant with any purchase at Vanille Patisserie.

Tickets for the film can be purchased through TicketMaster. General admission is $10. Student admission is $7 with school ID.

Save the Date: The Good Food Project Apple Tasting Oct. 2
Save the date for an upcoming event at Chicago French Market that brings families and eating healthy together. Kick off apple season with The Good Food Project and Chicago French Market with an apple tasting for kids. In this workshop, children learn from a food critic how to taste food like a food critic. Each child also gets to choose a favorite apple to make a slinky, and the event includes coupons to shop vendors at Chicago French Market. The event happens Saturday, Oct. 2, with two opportunities for the tasting: 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. apple tasting and workshop; 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. make apple slinkies; and 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. second apple tasting and workshop. Arrive early for tickets; space is limited. Suggested donation is $5.

About Chicago French Market
Chicago French Market is a European-inspired market offering an array of local produce, meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheese and wine, chocolates, pastas, artisan-made goods, flowers and a seating area for customers. Chicago French Market’s vendors stay open year-round, six days per week, and is located within the new MetraMarket development at 131 N. Clinton St. (between Washington and Randolph Streets). For more information, visit http://www.chicagofrenchmarket.com/.