For me, September marks the beginning of the psychological transition to the colder months. While the availability and variety of summer product is not significantly diminished by the beginning of the month, here in Chicago anything can happen - meteorologically - by the 1st of October! September's traditionally a time to appreciate the wonder of the summer products before they vanish for another 9 months. I cling to what's left of the marvelous stone fruit and melons and hope to savor corn and tomatoes for a little longer. Unfortunately, though, as the weather changes, so too does the composition and depth of flavor of the very same products that just weeks ago tasted so special.

Certain products typically return for a command performance as the weather goes mild again: baby carrots, crisp lettuces, baby beets. Others return after nearly a year's absence, pears among them. Enjoy again Bosc, Bartlett, D'Anjou and the lesser known Seckel, Forelle, Luscious, Clapp's Favorite and on and on. Branch out even more and look for one of the esoteric and flavorful heirloom varieties.

September is a great time to consider lighter meat and poultry options to complement the return of the sweet and tender vegetables. Consider the ever- popular American chicken. Have you ever tasted a bird that has spent its brief lifetime on pasture instead in confinement? There's a marked difference in the flavor of the flesh - not to mention the humanity of the methodology. The chicken tastes like chicken used to - real! To find sources for local product, search Local Harvest's website at www.localharvest.org. And for an entertaining take on industrial farming, check out the link below.

Each year, we accumulate donations through our wine program for four deserving organizations. Their inclusion on the list is based on their work to help preserve diverse food choices, contribute to the local community, support local farmers, and help create a more sustainable future. The Resource Center is one of our past recipients, and is the organization with which we're now working to recycle 90% of the restaurant's current waste.

A pioneer in urban recycling strategies, the Resource Center's approach is to tailor each program to the needs of the population it serves. The Resource Center makes every effort to employ people living near its recycling facilities, and to sell its material to local mills. It is Chicago's only non-profit recycler.

On September 12th, we're hosting a very special dinner to benefit two Indian farmers - in an effort to defray some of their travel costs to this October's Slow Food biennial Terra Madre conference in Italy.

I am often asked what impact my time on the subcontinent has had on my cooking, and I'm taking this opportunity to share some of the experience I gained there. The dinner will feature a pukka - or authentic - South-Indian non- vegetarian menu, served family-style. I plan to feature the best of the season's market product - prepared in the tradition of the little-known cooking of the Malabar coast.

Proceeds from the dinner will be distributed to Indian farmers through Slow Food. Cost for the dinner will be $130 - exclusive of tax and gratuity. Please call North Pond for more information or to make your reservation.

The Healthy Schools Campaign is a vibrant and growing non-profit organization dedicated to making Illinois schools healthier places in which to learn and work. The organization sees its work as crucial in a time when today's children, for the first time in history, are predicted to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

Cooking up Change 2006, a benefit to support the Healthy Schools Campaign will take place Tuesday, September 26th at the Stadium Club at U.S. Cellular Field, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. I'll be doing cooking demonstrations there, as will Pastry Chef Gale Gand of Tru. In addition to the demos, there will also be tastings of fresh, seasonal food, a silent auction and more festivities to enjoy.

Brent and Beth Eccles have been farming on their property in North Judson, Indiana, for the past 10 years. Beth's father farmed conventionally in the same region, specializing in Asian vegetables for the Chicago commercial market - and often driving back and forth to the city twice a day! Brent and Beth still concentrate on Asian specialties, but grow chemical-free on their farm. Brent and Beth hope to earn their organic certification one day very soon. They sell at five Chicago and metro area green markets, and supply many of the city's better restaurants with quality vegetables and greens.

For the September 11 issue of The Nation, a dozen distinguished food-world figures were convened by Alice Waters. They were asked their opinion of what single thing could change the US food system or the way Americans think about their food. Their important responses appear in the link below:

We've set up an archive of "Seasonal Chicago" newsletters on our North Pond website. So if you'd like to catch up on any newsletters you may have missed, check out the link below.