They Weren’t Big Radishes After All
OK, I know a bit about food, but nature has a way of humbling us when we think too highly of ourselves.
I made my farmers market runs on Saturday (May 6), and one of the items on my list were radishes (they compliment salads, of which we’re eating a lot these days). Radishes are in short supply this early season, though, so I got excited when I found the above vegetable at the Jacobson Family Farms stand at Green City Market Lincoln Park.
Now, there were a couple of signs that these might not be what I thought they were. The roots were on the big side (though I’ve seen bigger radishes), and they were crowned with a bunch of huge greens, way bigger than any radish leaves I’ve ever seen. Yet the radish force was strong with this one, so I bought them, took them home, cut into one of the roots… and discovered these weren’t radishes at all.
Instead, they were baby chioggia beets with their distinctive candy striping. It’s nice when your mistakes turn out this well. These beets are incredibly sweet (served raw, at least). Hooray for happy accidents.
Home Economics Tip
One of the biggest challenges that farmers markets face is the exaggerated impression that they are expensive to shop at. Yes, when you’re buying super-fresh, healthy, delicious, sustainably produced local food, there may be a bit of a premium, but there are ways to stretch your farmers market dollars.
One of these is to buy root vegetables with their greens attached whenever possible. The greens are delicious and super-nutritious. So when you eat the roots and eat the greens, it’s like getting two vegetables for the price of one.
I wasted no time cooking the beet greens, sautéing them in a splash of olive oil with a couple of green garlic stalks from Three Sisters Garden (Kankakee, Illinois). This is a side dish that should last most of the week.
Long Division
The Division Street City Market, at the edge of downtown Chicago, opened for the season on Saturday. It is the first opening day for the Chicago City Markets, run by the city government’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), so its season is the longest of them all.
The market is open every Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon through October 28. But it opened just a few days ahead of the Daley Plaza farmers market — the flagship of the Chicago City Markets — which has its opening day this Thursday (May 11) from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Division Street is one of a number of markets served by Chicago-based Stamper Cheese, which is a regular stop when I visit this market.
And the subject of the photo above is the amazing Yescenia Mota, director of special events and permits at DCASE, who has overseen the Chicago City Markets for… wait for it… 21 years. Yescenia, who is literally wearing her support for local food in Illinois, is a founding supporter of Local Food Forum, and I am deeply grateful.
Then off to Green City Market’s flagship location in Lincoln Park, which has been drawing huge crowds since it opened the region’s outdoor season on April 1. The good news is that there has been a big upswing in the number of younger people visiting the market. The only qualm is that the stands with the long lines tend to be the ones serving prepared foods (baked goods, grab-and-go meals, coffee, etc.).
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great that these folks are doing land office business. The number of prepared food outlets at big markets such as Green City and Logan Square has soared in recent years, so much that they could qualify as outdoor food halls. But… we’re talking about farmers markets. So if you visit for the delightful market experience, please make sure to buy some stuff from the farmers!
Saturday’s market(s) haul: from left, Stamper Cheese 4-year-old cheddar and honey from Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan); and from Green City, red leaf lettuce from Wholesome Harvest (Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin); sour cherry cake from Verzênay Patisserie (Chicago); those non-radish beets from Jacobson Family Farms (Antioch, Illinois); cremini mushrooms from River Valley Ranch (Burlington, Wisconsin); and from Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois), kale, rainbow carrots and hothouse heirloom tomatoes.
Bonus Market
Ben Herrera, a friend and Local Food Forum subscriber, sent photos of his visit to Green City’s satellite market in the West Loop neighborhood. (Ben and I met a couple of years ago when he was working at this market.)
This Saturday market is located at Mary Bartelme Park, 115 S. Sangamon St., in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. The park’s centerpiece is the metal sculpture, seen above, that doubles as a fountain when the weather is warm and the plaza isn’t full of farmers market shoppers.
Natural local food isn’t just for people anymore. Treats de Cuisine, a new vendor at West Loop, is one of a growing number of vendors selling pet treats at farmers market. The West Loop market is one of the area’s most dog-friendly, not only because patrons are welcomed to bring their pups, but because there is a fenced-off dog park immediately adjacent.
Windy City Mushrooms (Chicago) is another new vendor at Green City Market West Loop.
[Note: I can’t be everywhere, so I’d love it if readers would share their photos of their local markets. Send to bob@localfoodforum.com and I’ll share them with the world.]