What is it about a charred crust on a margherita pizza, a steaming, judiciously sauced bowl of linguine Bolognese or a fragrant and bright salsa verde atop fish that always keep us coming back for more?

Earlier this week, ICE President Rick Smilow returned from Chicago for the second time this year. Always having a keen eye out for culinary trends, he reported back to DICED on some of the most notable restaurants, chefs, and meals he encountered. In Part I of his report he talks about some of the restaurants’ classic foods and new variations he encountered. Next week, Part II will be devoted to one restaurant, Alinea.

The Jones family farm near Huron, Ohio, works exclusively with chefs and provides some of the most sought-after vegetables and herbs in the industry.

Everyone loves a good sandwich.

Tomorrow, Farmer Lee Jones of The Chef’s Garden will be at ICE to discuss his transition from commercial agriculture to artisanal farm.

Ah, la France. Rolling hills, valleys of vineyards, row upon row of grapes in the French countryside. Nowhere else in the world does wine have such a reputation, and from nowhere else are wine names so cryptic and confusing.

Looking for a fun and interesting culinary class? ICE offers more than 1,700 recreational classes each year. Here is a round-up of some of the classes happening this month:

I absolutely love bread. I could eat it for every meal. And it’s seemingly simple to make: Flour + Water + Yeast = Bread. However, when I picked up my new class binder, in preparation for the start of Module II, I became a little anxious.

Last month marked my 10th year at ICE — sometimes I wonder where all the time has gone!

Yesterday, ICE Alumni Hall of Achievement inductee Marc Murphy returned to his alma mater to give students, alumni and members of the general public a demonstration of the food that has made him famous.