April Dining Specials "I don't cook with salt." I've heard this refrain many times from people who have high blood pressure. I picture them slurping down tasteless soups and suffering through bland steaks, and am happy for my own salt shaker at home. While this season's competitors do seem to be stronger than in past seasons, it has become increasingly obvious who are the contenders are who are here for their 15 minutes of fame. It's almost embarrassing now for most of the contestants. Anyhow much like last week's episode this one was quite a snooze slow cooker pork belly from start to finish. The shoulder is a cheap part of the pig and you can roast it. It can be cut into cubes for kabobs or casseroles or ground for sausages. The shoulder has a rich taste. Pork ribs are cheap to buy because they contain a lot of bone. This is where spare ribs come from. The ribs have some pork belly done temp on them but not enough to call them chops. Ribs are great if you grill or roast them. You can get the ribs as a joint and roast them like a rack of lamb. Possibilities include tongue on rye with onions and spicy mustard; bone marrow and snails on toast, and salt cod with chorizo and black olive. Other offerings are a mouth-watering cooking pork belly Cubano sandwich and a plentiful pulled pork with coleslaw slathered between grilled poppy-seed hard rolls from neighborhood bakery, Fleur de Lys. For the less adventurous, order the meatball Parmigiano hero; Italian cured meats with provolone picante and hot peppers, or the roast beef with crispy onions and horseradish. Thursday night the Bacon Queen will be crowned at Johnny's Hall of Fame on Court Avenue. The night features free bacon samples from 6pm to 10pm and a vote for the woman that will represent the bacon lovers everywhere as their queen. That lucky woman will not only be the Bacon Queen but win slow cooked pork belly tickets to the festival as well. Picture this: a large, airy 1500-square-foot gastro brew pub that dishes up plenty of belly filling grub, like Guiness-spiked cheese dip, buttermilk fried chicken salad and pork belly sandwiches. Yes, it's the Old Oak Tap - ready and willing to fill you up with seasonal beers and all that food comfort. In Fine Spirits is located in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Stop in the shop Saturday between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.; and Sunday or Monday, noon to 7 p.m. The adjoining bar is open Saturday, 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday through Monday, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. For more information about In Fine Spirits, or its Memorial Day menu, press here.
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