Stories by Meredith Francis

Though the warm, sunny days of Chicago’s festival season are behind us, there is still foodie fun to be had as the temperatures drop this winter. We’ve compiled a list of food events that we’ll update as winter goes on.

TikTok, Boom, which premieres on WTTW and PBS as part of Independent Lens on October 24, explores some of the controversy surrounding the popular social media app, including privacy issues, mental health ramifications, and lack of transparency around content moderation.

Heifa Odeh, creator of the food blog Fufu's Kitchen, has a new cookbook out called Dine in Palestine, which has traditional dishes as well as Palestinian-inspired recipes with creative twists. She shares her story and her recipe for flafleh mahshi bil burghol, or bulgur stuffed peppers. 

Ahead of this weekend's Chicago Marathon, take a brief look at the history of long-distance running in Chicago, including the story of how a swing bridge interrupted the very first marathon in the city. 

Did you keep up with the headlines? Take our September News Quiz.

Autumn is here. Celebrate with festivals featuring apples, beer, cider, wine, and more, all coming to the Chicago area in October as the weather turns cool along with the leaves changing color. 

A program called Pilot Light brings food education into the classroom. But it's about more than nutrition or cooking lessons. One Chicago Public School teacher shares her experience with using food as a dynamic teaching tool.

Writer and muckraker Upton Sinclair was born on this day 144 years ago. He was a prolific writer and political activist whose most notable work, The Jungle, had a transformative impact on the meatpacking industry in Chicago and nationwide. 

An ongoing exhibition at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in Skokie tells the story of how a unit of artists, engineers, and other soldiers deceived German troops using inflatable tanks, weaponry, phony radio calls, and other artistic effects.

Apples, tacos, and plenty of Oktoberfest celebrations are just some of the food events to look forward to in September.

Jessica Pamonicutt is the owner and executive chef of the catering and pop-up business Ketapanen Kitchen, which specializes in indigenous ingredients and cuisine––a focus that is currently rare in Chicago and the rest of the United States. 

Chef Jessica Pamonicutt shared this recipe for traditional Menominee wild rice and berries, which was historically served at ceremonies and feasts.

Chicago's Greektown may be a smaller community than it was several decades ago, but the owner of neighborhood mainstay Nine Muses Bar and Grill says it's still the place to go for authentic Greek food. He shares his restaurant’s famous Village Salad recipe – which involves a little bit of “measuring from the heart.”

If you like garlic, corn, ribs, sangria, and much more, there are a variety of food events in and around Chicago this August.

Mead is one of the world's oldest alcoholic beverages. The owner of a meadery in Beverly shares insight on mead flavors, offers tips for those who are hesitant to try the beverage, and talks about what makes mead so environmentally friendly.