More to come through Nordstjernan, on Scandinavian Day, South Elgin along with the magic evening of singing and crayfish in the best of company through SACC Chicago. For now, here's surely the gastronomic highlight of the season in Chicago -

Håkan Thörnström at Kendall College
..healthy cooking and eating habits are part and parcel of the Scandinavian and Swedish heritage. On October 10 evidenced by Chicago Sister Cities’ “Taste of Göteborg” with Michelin-starred Göteborg chef Håkan Thörnström visiting Kendall College in Chicago to prepare a five-course gourmet meal together with students. Recipes and more to come through Nordstjernan… Link to Thörsnströms restaurant: http://thornstromskok.com/ The College, www.Kendall.edu and www.ChicagoSisterCities.com

It’s no wonder that some of the world’s most celebrated chefs today hail from our region in Europe’s north: it’s simply returning to our roots, finding what’s available now and making the most of it with a limited amount of ingredients in a way that’s healthy for the body, the community we live in and the environment.
The grassroots foodie movement sweeping the world is known by many names -farm-to-fork, farm-to-table, slow food - but at the heart is a growing respect for fresh local ingredients that are harvested and distributed sustainably. In Scandinavia, where importing fruits and vegetables was not only a necessity but also much of the time cost-prohibitive the trend is nothing new. Here, serving what works seasonally in a creative combination of marinated and naturally preserved condiments or side dishes, dates back to when fresh fruits and vegetables were not as easily accessible as they are now.

Thörnström's menu for the evening on Sept. 10:

1. Cured marinated salmon
2. Fried scallops with purée of Jerusalem artichoke infused with Matjesill, browned butter and spicy red bell pepper compote.
3. Confit of halibut with chanterelles, bacon and Swedish pickles.
4. Matured crème of goat cheese with cauliflower, black truffle and croutons.
5. Cinnamon fambéed apple with sorbet of lemon, honey and yoghurt served with with a vanilla crust.

All served with domestic wines, a Riesling from Willamette Valley and a Marimar Torres Pinot Noir from Russian Valley