Wednesday, May 9, 2012

2nd Annual Pastoral's Artisan Cheese, Bread, & Wine Festival Part I

The Chicago French Market is just so much fun.  Rows of incredible specialty food items that bring me right back to Paris...and to so many other places around the world.  Charlie came across the 2nd Annual Pastoral's Artisan Cheese, Bread, & Wine Festival hosted at the Chicago French Market so obvi I was in.  Pastoral happens to be where all of the cheese from my wedding came from...Pastoral + French Market = EFF YESS. 

The first booth we cam across was Harczak's.  Mmmm delicious sausage and prosciutto.


 This was Saigon Sister's booth. TOFU in all of these different dipping sauces.  The one in the plastic bowl in the middle was marinating in this awesome Asian spicy marinade.  It was super good.  Not going to hear that from me very often.  


 The cheese samples were ridic...



 This blue cheese from Rogue Creamery is making me drool right now.


Vermont Creamery had a delicious goat/cow milk cheese blend that had the consistency of melted brie but without the heat.  It was TO DIE FOR.

Milton Creamery & Marcot Jersey Creamery...

From Milton Creamery...their Prairie Breeze Cheese...


I mean.  Go Marcot Jersey Creamy go Marcot Jersey Creamery GO. 


 I didn't realize I was a complete and utter toffee LUNATIC until I tried Sweet Margy's Toffee Confections.  They let me try one of each...dark and milk chocolate.  I couldn't decide which was my favorite so I tried them again.  These ladies were so nice.



 Check out Creminelli's delicious, artisan meats...



 Sour Puss Pickles pickle just about anything.  I loved the pickled beats.  NOMS.

This many bees in one place is almost enough to make me faint.  I don't love bees.  I love honey.  Necessary evil I suppose...


 Presto Cafe & Grill had a beautiful spread of Mediterranean delights.


 Mmmm...more sweets.  Whimsical Candy had samples of this awesome Nifty Nuggat.  Rich's Chocolates and Candies wanted to have customers sample their s'mores truffles...so they made the filling of the candies in a bowl and then served little spoons of it.  Pretty dang smart if you ask me.


 Castleton Crackers and Zingerman's Creamery were the perfect pair...


 ...yummy crunchy crackers with out of this world tangy cream cheese.

Wisma had a beautiful display of dips.  We went home with the Spicy Chili pepper one.

 I couldn't find Charlie and then found him at the meats...shocking...

I mean, a bowl of chocolate chips?  Why not.  Thanks Pastries.

Delightful Pastries had a BEAUTIFUL display of macaroons.  When I was in Paris, my Dad let me go venture off on my own.  I got on the train and stumbled across a bakery.  That is where my love affair with macaroons began.  Yum.

 I don't even know who this vendor was but I RESPECT their serving size of fresh avocado.

 Ok this was just the first room of vendors...I'll put up another post of all the other treats I tried.  YES THERE IS MORE.  Did I mention this was FREE?!?!?  Yup.  Chicago is that awesome.  Stay tuned and stay hungry!

5 comments:

  1. Pretty sure you mean macarons.

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    1. Whoa! You are totally right...thanks for pointing that out! :)

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  2. Oh, wow, am I jealous! That all looks fantastic. There's a cheese festival down at Pike Place Market that's pretty good, but doesn't compare to what you've got. Can't wait to see the other pictures!

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  3. I need to find a festival like that, it looks like a lot of fun tasting different kinds of cheese

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    1. It was SO much fun! Chicago has lots of fun foodie events like this :)

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