Blog posting by Cory Sealey

A recent Chicago Tribune article made everyone aware that this year’s “Taste of Chicago” there will be super healthy items available for sampling, like potato chips from Billy Goat Inn, a slice of deliciousness from Eli’s Cheesecake, and the staple of supermodels the world over – apple pie with ice cream on top. This year organizers have some crazy ideas about what constitutes “healthy”. Megan McDonald, executive director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, who also thinks up is down and black is white, told the Trib, “As part of this year’s application each restaurant had to explain what its healthy item would be. “Some of the restaurants had a difficult time with this, but I say, you know, if you fry a vegetable, it’s still a vegetable.” I swear she has to be on some type medication, and it’s not for high cholesterol apparently.

More children in Chicago are overweight or are at risk of overweight than in the nation or the overall state of Illinois. (Data source: Ogden et al, 2006; Mason et al, 2006; IDPH, 2006) What type of example are we setting here? I myself cannot wait until some person is eating their diet slice of cheesecake on a stick and has a heart attack and then my taxes are paying for their medial upkeep. In my opinion, the “Taste of Chicago” should go one of two ways: First, actually have healthy foods on hand for sampling. Yes, Salads, chicken breast, complex carbs, all that stuff is yummo and can be prepared in delicious ways. The other option is to cut the crap, suspend all the spin and call it like it is, “Taste of Chicago” – Would you like angioplasty with that fried Mars bar? I could totally get behind this. Pace yourself the week before, drink loads of water, eat some leafy green salads, all in preparation of murdering you body for one day a year. We could turn it into the Mardi gras of food.

When it comes to traditions, especially food related traditions in a great food city like this, people would rather be fed comfort food than lines of bull from the Mayor’s delusional aide. Let’s hope these people use their noggins next year and hopefully we can all enjoy our samosa guilt and spin free.