Celebrate National Soup Month and National Baking Month at Delightful Pastries

January is National Soup and National Baking Month. One might not think of going to a bakery for homemade soup, but Delightful Pastries at the Chicago French Market offers a complete menu of both sweet and savory goodies. Warm up with a selection of delicious homemade soups. Stop by for a complimentary tasting of its two gluten free offerings: Butternut Squash Soup with purely of roasted butternut squash and chicken broth or Split Pea Soup with pea, potato, carrot and bacon. Other soups include homemade Clam Chowder with clams, potato, bacon and cream, Chicken Noodle, and Beef Mushroom Barley Soup with beef, barley, carrot, onion and mushroom. All soups this month are only $3.50 a cup. Soups choices rotate daily. 


One of the reasons you may choose to buy from a bakery rather than purchase packaged baked goods is that you want to believe that the ingredients are pure. You can be sure at Delightful Pastries as it has built its reputation on fresh, made-from-scratch cooking using family recipes without preservatives or other fillers. "We believe that every customer deserves the best quality food just like we make them at home." said partner Robert Hawryszczuk. Delightful Pastries is highlighting several of its baked goods this month. Start the year off sweetly with yummy cream puffs -- January 2 is National Cream Puff Day. Other January specials at Delightful Pastries include pistachio and other shortbread specials on January 6 for National Shortbread Day and mini and full pie specials (apple, pecan and more) for National Pie Day on January 23, Chocolate Cake on January 27, National Chocolate Cake Day and buttery croissants on National Croissant Day, January 30. 

Delightful Pastries is located at the Chicago French Market, 131 N. Clinton St., Chicago; 312-234-9644.

Evanston's Oceanique Restaurant Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Sustainable Seafood Wine Dinner In association with Shedd Aquarium's Right Bite Program

Oceanique Restaurant, 505 Main Street, Evanston, Illinois (847-864-3435), will host a special 25th anniversary wine dinner on January 16 at 6:30 p.m. in association with the Shedd Aquarium's "Right Bite Sustainable Seafood" program.
The dinner will feature a six course menu starting with Tarte Flambé, followed by Japanese Breakfast - Lightly Smoked Organic Arctic Char paired with 2011 Dourthe "La Grande Cuvee" Sauvignon Blanc - Bordeaux, France; Roasted Main Pemaquid Oysters with spinach, Pernod and Parmesan paired with 2007 Brooks Winery Riesling - Willamette Valley, Oregon; Mutsu Apple Sorbet, Wild Florida Cobia with turnip, and Chanterelles in a Port-Pinot Noir sauce paired with 2011 Domaine Benoit Raclet - Moulin-Á-Vent - Beaujolais, France; and Warm Raspberry-Blackberry Tarte with Canela ice cream paired with 2009 Chateau les Rouques - Loupiac - Bordeaux, France. 

The price is $85 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. Visit www.oceanique.com for additional information.

About Shedd's Right Bite Program

Eating fish is good for you. Eating the right fish is good for our planet. That's why Shedd is committed to promoting sustainable seafood.
What exactly does "sustainable" mean? It means choosing fish species that are bountiful. Your seafood choices can have a big impact on the health of our waters worldwide, and we're here to help you help our planet. Read on to discover why there's a commotion in the ocean, what Shedd is doing about it, and what you can do, too. 

Understanding sustainable seafood can be confusing, especially when you need to know how or where the fish was caught. Shedd wants to make your life easier, so we created the Right Bite wallet card - your quick reference guide to environmentally friendly seafood. Simply download a Right Bite wallet card, keep the card in your wallet, on your fridge, or in your purse, and use it when choosing seafood.

The Right Bite wallet card is color-coded for easy reference. The "Best Choices" list is green. These fisheries are in great shape; the populations are healthy, the catch methods are environmentally friendly, or the farms are well-managed. The yellow fish fall into our "Good Alternatives" list. These seafood choices are doing fairly well, although there are still a few concerns with the fishery. The red "Avoid" list consists of seafood choices that absolutely need a break. These fish are either overfished or are fished in a way that causes a bunch of other critters to be caught, too.

About Oceanique 

Oceanique, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2014 (February 5, 2014), is one of the Chicago area's finest and most acclaimed restaurants, serving contemporary French-American cuisine in a beautiful, new dining room. The restaurant is owned by Chef Mark Grosz and his wife, Renée André. The Pastry Chef is Abel Garcia and the Wine Director is Philippe André. The bar area has been expanded and features a new small plates menu to accompany the fine selection of wines, craft beers and artisan cocktails. Guests are encouraged to enjoy a casual meal in the bar area or enjoy the full à la carte and dégustation menus in the dining room. The bar even includes a communal table to encourage single dining or groups. 

Oceanique serves dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday and from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sundays. Valet parking is available and all major cards are accepted. A private room is available for group events. For more information or to make reservations, please contact Oceanique at 847-864-3435 or visit the website at www.oceanique.com.

# # #
 

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Right Bite Sustainable Seafood
&
25th Anniversary Dinner

Tarte Flambé

Japanese BreakfastLightly Smoked Organic Arctic Char

2011 Dourthe "La Grande Cuvée" Sauvignon Blanc - Bordeaux, France

Roasted Maine Pemaquid Oysters Spinach        Pernod      Parmesan

2007 Brooks Winery Riesling - Willamette Valley, Oregon

Mutsu Apple Sorbet

Wild Florida CobiaTurnip     Chanterelles   Port-Pinot Noir Sauce

2011 Domaine Benoit Raclet - Moulin-Á-Vent - Beaujolais, France

Warm Raspberry-Blackberry Tarte Canela Ice Cream

2009 Château les Rouques - Loupiac - Bordeaux, France

 $85 per person
(excluding tax & gratuity)

# # #

Come to Chicago French Market for Three Kings Cake January 4 and be made king/queen for the day!

Saturday January 4
Three Kings Cake (Galette)
12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Complimentary

Several lovely family customs are associated with Epiphany. It is on Epiphany that the Christmas crèche is finally completed, as the figures of the three wise men at last arrive at the crib. In many families, the wise men are moved a bit closer to the crib every day from Christmas Day until Epiphany (January 6). Recalling the gifts to the Infant Jesus, many families exchange small gifts.

Three King's Cake (or bread) is closely allied with the traditions around the Epiphany. This date commemorates the visit the Three Wise Men made to the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. A time-honored custom in France, this bread is served, garnished with the "jewels" of fruit and nuts. Usually a small clay or porcelain doll or bean is baked inside. The person whose cake contains the trinket is made king of the feast. Come enjoy this French tradition and receive a piece of cake to see if you become the king or queen for the day.

Bello Tea celebrates tea traditions this January at Chicago French Market

The National Tea Association has dedicated the month of January as National Hot Tea month and Bello tea is ready to celebrate!  January is the perfect time to try something news. Bello Tea is offering a complimentary tea tasting 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Wednesday and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. 

Hands-on Matcha Green Tea Experience - Great Mid-Day Energy Pickup.  

The elaborate and refined Japanese tea ceremony is meant to demonstrate respect through grace and good etiquette. Experience an abbreviated authentic tea ceremony at Bello Tea to learn and expand your knowledge of Matcha.  The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called chanoyu or sadō, chadō. The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called otemae .  This interactive demonstration and tasting gets you involved. Bello Tea explains how to prepare Matcha and you'll do it yourself. Matcha classes are $6 per person and available 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Bello Teat at the Chicago French Market has seating for three people at a time. Reservations are recommended.

Would you like to win a blender bottle?   Enter the drawing by telling Bello Tea what your favorite Bello Tea product is.  Winners will be notified at the end of January.  No Purchase is necessary.

Good luck. January 31 is Chinese New Year's and Bello Tea is inviting you to celebrate. Stop by its booth at the Chicago French Market and pick up your red envelop. In Chinese and other Asian societies, a red envelope or red packet is a gift which is given during holidays or special occasions with wishes of good fortune, health and happiness. See what surprise you have in store.