Pencil This In: The First Soup & Bread Of 2013; Stout Fest At Quencher's

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 2, 2013 6:20PM

Soup's On

The first week in January means that Soup & Bread is back for another season of hearty soups, amazing bread and fundraising opportunities for local charities. This season kicks off 5 p.m. tonight at Hideout with WBEZ food blogger Louisa Chu and cooks from Swim Cafe, Milk & Honey, La Sirena Clandestina, and elsewhere. This year's Soup & Bread will be a bit different as each week's soups and volunteers will be working on a specific theme—tonight's is "green." Publican Quality Meats is providing the bread for the entire series (there will be a gluten-free option available courtesy of Rae Lynn Hill) and proceeds from tonight's launch will benefit Casa Catalina food pantry in Back of the Yards. (1354 W. Wabansia)

Stouts

Quenchers' annual Stout Fest began Tuesday and it's running through the end of the month. They'll have 24 stouts on tap in two tasting series (the second begins Jan. 15) with stouts including Revolution Brewing's Very Mad Cow, Sixpoint's Diesel Stout, Green Flash's Double Stout and Port's Santa's Little Helper, as well as some surprises. Quenchers has separated the stouts into four groups; the sixth beer in each group is free. But they're in limited quantities, so get there early if you want to go beer Buddha on the menus. (2401 N. Western)

If you have an event for inclusion in "Pencil This In," please contact Tankboy (for A&E-related listings), Anthony (for tastings, dinners and food and drink-related events) or tips[at]chicagoist[dot]com.