Saturday at 10 AM at Kendall College (900 N. North Branch), the Chicago Foodways Roundtable presents Chef Louis Szathmáry and “The Bakery” Restaurant, a talk by Barbara Kuck on the Hungarian immigrant who founded the longtime Chicago institution. $3.
Pastoral will be serving free duck foie gras on homemade crostini at both its Lakeview (2945 N. Broadway, 11 AM-7 PM) and Loop (53 E. Lake, noon-6 PM) locations this Saturday in an impromptu celebration of the city’s repeal of the foie gras ban–never mind that the repeal doesn’t go into effect till later this month. This may be your last chance to taste the forbidden liver while it’s still forbidden; after that it’s just controversial like before.
The Drinking and Writing Brewery celebrates American Craft Beer Week with the second annual Beerfly Alleyfight, a “tri-pairing” of beer, food, and art, Saturday from 1-5 PM at Rock Bottom Brewery (1 E. Grand). Ten home brewers will bring a beer and food pairing, and a local artist will “interpret” each entry “in an ass-kickin’, alleyfight way” in a boxing ring. The artists include Neo-Futurists Jay Torrence and Diana Slickman, dancer Mindy Meyers, potter Marla Seibold, and the musical duo Twang Bang.
The annual Rare Breeds Show at Garfield Farm Museum, near Geneva, is Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM. This year it features Don Schrider of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, who’ll lead a seminar on rare chicken breeding and selection Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM ($20, reservations required). At the show itself, owners of rare breeds like fainting goats (pictured), Babydoll Southdown sheep, and miniature Hereford cattle will show and discuss their animals. $6 adults, $3 children under 13.
The Chicago History Museum’s Exploring Chicago’s Yeast Side: A History of Beer, a boat tour with Berghoff beer provided, is Sunday from 6:30 to 9 PM, leaving from the Chicago Line Cruises dock at North Pier, 465 N. McClurg Court. $45 ($40 members).
Sunday from 4-7 PM at Weegee’s (3659 W. Armitage), mixologists and Slow Foodies Allen Katz and Bridget Albert host Slow Food Chicago’s benefit “Consider the Cocktail,” “a slow celebration of the repeal of Prohibition.” During an evening of “fine drink, long tales, and festive camaraderie” (plus hors d’oeuvres), they’ll give a talk and demonstration on our country’s contributions to the art of imbibing. Proceeds go to Slow Food USA. $50, reservations required.
Tours of the Rick Bayless Organic Garden—a mix of traditional and raised beds, containers, and indoor garden spaces on three adjacent Bucktown lots—begin Wednesday, 6:30-7:30 PM. Bill Shores, who manages the garden, will discuss the chef’s outdoor kitchen, commercial organic vegetable garden, and worm composting systems as well as what’s in season now (salad greens). Additional tours are scheduled for June 11, July 16 and 23, August 13, and September 10. E-mail for reservations and address. $20.
Zinfandel Advocates and Producers is holding a tasting with wineries including Gnarly Head, Peachy Canyon, and Rancho Zabaco at the Mid-America Club Tuesday from 6:30-8:30 PM. $45.