Midwestern Food - What is it? June 8, 2019

Culinary Historians of Chicago presents:

Midwestern Food—What is it?

Presented by Abra Berens, chef, farmer, author



Saturday, June 8, 2019
10 a.m. to noon
At Louis Weiss Memorial Hospital (Auditorium, lower level)
4646 N. Marine Drive (at Wilson), Chicago

FREE PARKING: USE OPEN LOT ON SOUTH SIDE OF HOSPITAL
(Signs will say “Permit Parking” and “Doctor’s Lot” but it’s OKAY for YOU to use on this Saturday!)
FREE STREET PARKING ALSO
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: CTA BUS #146 stops directly in front


It is true that we are a region known for steak houses, pizzas and pot roast, but what exactly is Midwestern food? Could it also be a dinner at Alinea? Is it the German chocolate cake made by Stephanie Hart’s Brown Sugar Bakery on 75th St? Is it the melting pot that gives us Cornish pasties from Michigan’s upper peninsula, as well as the roast duck from Chef Kelly Cheng Sun Wah?

Abra Berens, author of Ruffage: a practical guide to vegetables, believes Midwestern food is more than meat and potatoes. As a former farmer and current chef at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, MI, she knows that the Midwest has deep and diverse food traditions.

Join Abra as she argues that the Midwest has deep-rooted food traditions while simultaneously being open to an ever growing and evolving food scene. Copies of her just-published book, Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables will be available for purchase and signing.

BIOGRAPHY: Abra Berens started cooking at the storied Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, MI. She then went on to train in the garden-focused kitchen at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland. In 2009 she co-founded Bare Knuckle Farm in Northport, MI, where she farmed and cooked for 8 years. She then left for Chicago to open the café at Local Foods. In 2017, she returned to Michigan to join the team at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, where she combines her love of farms and restaurants to create one-of-a-kind dinners celebrating the best of Southwest Michigan’s diverse agriculture.

Cost of the lecture program is $5, $3 for students and no charge for CHC members or Weiss faculty and staff. To reserve, please e-mail your reservation: [email protected]

http://www.culinaryHistorians.org

Podcast on

Midwestern Food - What is it?

Presented by Chef Abra Berens

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From 2008 until mid-2013, Culinary Historians programs were recorded by WBEZ via Chicago Amplified. Since then, we have recorded our programs hosted on soundcloud.

You can find a list here.

We are also on:
Google Play
Apple Podcast
rss feed
RadioPublic
SoundCloud
Spotify
Stitcher

These run the length of an introduction plus presentation with questions, but no food samples.

So can one download these and listen to them without being on the computer? I've never tried, having always listened online, but it seems that it should be possible.

Cynthia wrote:So can one download these and listen to them without being on the computer? I've never tried, having always listened online, but it seems that it should be possible.

I stream stuff off the internet all the time, listening via headphones or speakers on my desk.

The mp3 file of Midwestern food is 46.2 MB hosted on soundcloud and running for at least an hour. The wav file I keep for archival purposes is 415 MB (it is kept private on soundcloud).

My default setting on these podcasts does not allow a straight download. Rarely I have changed the setting, because someone wanted a copy on their drive of themselves or of a loved one. Most when presented with the file sizes go with mp3.

Using the rules of three, I have two other locations I store these podcasts, so hopefully they won't disappear by one fickle move.

I'm sure there are more sophisticated users who can advise better what to do.

Regards,
Cathy

Yeah -- I stream them on my computer, as well. I was thinking it would be nice to be able to download them and listen on my cell phone while on a driving trip. (I have a minimum-date cell plan, to keep costs down -- so streaming on the road wouldn't be a good option.)

I actually kind of figured that it wasn't something one could do, but I figure it's always good to ask. So I'll just keep on listening online, when I have the time.

Cynthia,

My reply is like the blind leading the blind. I am hopeful someone else can advise better how to make it work the way you wish.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cynthia,

You can download them.

Put the Stitcher app on your phone. Search for 'Culinary Historians of Chicago'. Hit the '+' button the make it one of your favorites. Go to each individual show and 'download' is one of your options. When you are in the car, go to your 'favorites' and the shows will be there available to listen to.

***** Be sure your phone is in airplane mode. If your phone is not in airplane mode, Stitcher will by default stream the show rather than play the show from your download.

Wow -- thanks lougord99 -- that's great. It should keep me happy and well informed for hundreds of hours of driving!