Even though it’s hot today, it’s both literally and figuratively fall. As soon as you get those few days of crisp weather and chilly nights, any subsequent heat wave can be dismissed as “Indian summer,” which is totally racist, by the way, and we should stop using it.
Technically, a warm period cannot be termed Indian summer until after the first frost, but screw that, we’re schvitzing like no one’s business anyway.
Despite - or because of - all this, Uncommon Ground is holding a “fall pear dinner” tonight from 6pm to 10pm, in conjunction with Seedling Farms and benefiting Slow Foods Chicago. In fact, we just called and they still have spots open at 5, 5:30, 8:30 and 9, so that six o’clock thing was a total lie. We like this kind of dinner, where it’s simply a special menu available for anyone dining at the restaurant, and not some sort of rigidly scheduled event. This evening, $37 (inclusive of tax, tip, and donation to Slow Foods!) will buy you:
• Seared Scallop, Spiced Butternut Squash Puree, Tasso Ham Chip, Spicy Pear & Kerner Sauce
• Asian Pear, Fresh Fig, Manchego Cheese, Marcona Almond & Mizuna Salad, Black Pepper Sherry Vinaigrette
• Duo of Duck (pulled confit leg & seared breast) Housemade Gorgonzola Gnocchi, Wild Mushrooms & Ginger Pear Sauce
• Bosc Pear Clafoutis, Pear Gelato, Argmanac Syrup & Plum Brittle
An additional $15 will cover wine pairings, and given the value of the dinner and the low price for the pairing, we say, go for it. But call soon because those time slots, like this weather, won’t be around forever.
Uncommon Ground [MenuPages]
Uncommon Ground [Official Site]
Seedling Farms [Official Site]
Slow Foods Chicago [Official Site]
[Photo: a pear-adox? [Cicero Fonseca/flickr]
