Blue(s) pig and fig

I love Chicago in the summertime. The weather here can be a bit, well, difficult, so I rarely mark the start of the summer by the first 90 degree day or the first brat off the grill. Summer starts at the Chicago Blues Festival, and even though I wore a sweater and a jacket and was still cold, summer began last night.

On my way to the festival, I stopped by Pastoral to pick up a sandwich, to be eaten picnic-style as I enjoyed the sweet sounds of the blues. I selected my favorite, the Blue Pig 'n' Fig. I must have had blues on the brain; it didn't occur to me that I had created a pun in sandwich form until taking my first bite - Serrano ham, Aderkase Reserve blue cheese, fig and black tea preserves, dijon mustard, greens. Bold flavors, great music.

Today I participated an entirely different kind of summer kickoff, Murph Day at Windy City Crossfit. I signed up with some friends/colleagues/fellow crossfitters, primarily because of the promised pig roast at the finish line. 1 mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, 1 mile run. 66 brutal minutes, but it's hard to complain on a day like today. Blue skies, sunshine, Pimm's cup, pork. Perhaps Murph Day, like the blues festival, will become part of my weekend tribute to the start of summer. 

Sweet home Chicago.