When You Need a Cool Change
Some tips to keep your local food fresh on a scorching market weekend
Keeping Produce Cool in a Heat Wave (Again)
Sounds like it’s going to be a hot one this weekend. But we’re in the middle of peak local food season and you don’t want to miss a thing. So it’s time to re-run the “keeping stuff cool in a heat wave” article that Local Food Forum first ran last year.
I learn a lot from my mistakes — a good thing because I make a lot of them. One of them is what I call “The Instant Peach Compote Incident.”
I haunted the DuPont Circle Farmers Market in Washington, D.C. for some time before we moved to Chicago 11 years ago. One Sunday about 20-ish years ago, I drove the four miles from our apartment. It was a very hot summer day (though “very hot” and “summer” are rather redundant in D.C.).
It was peach season and I bought a big bag of beautiful fruit. But the car, sitting in the sun during my market stroll, was like an oven. Though I went max on the air conditioning and scooted home as quickly as I could, the peaches had actually cooked, and my bag contained nothing but a big, soggy (and pretty expensive) mess.
Here are the key ways to learn from Bob’s Blunder:
Shop early on hot days. The forecast temperature at 7 a.m. Saturday is 75 degrees with a Real Feel of 77 (says Accuweather); at noon, 85 with a Real Feel of 95. Vendors do their best to keep produce cool, but heat is not a friend to produce, especially when it is very ripe and/or delicate.
If you have insulated bags, use them. They keep the cool in and the heat out.
Bring cold packs, especially if you have a long walk or bike ride home, or have to put your fresh food in a hot car. (Or if you are an omnivore, buy some meat. Meat can only be sold frozen at farmers markets in Chicago, the rest of Cook County and many other regional jurisdictions. A frozen roast will surely keep the rest of your purchases nice and cool. And you can put it on your wrists to chill yourself out if you get a bit overheated.)
Bring an insulated bag with cold packs? You get an A+.
One other tip that isn’t totally heat-specific: Bring hard-sided containers if you’re buying delicate items such as berries, cherries or cherry tomatoes. These are the kinds of items that can easily get smooshed in a tote bag. You might get a few funny looks when you whip out the Tupperware, but you’re the one who’s going to get that beautiful food home in perfect condition.
This Weekend’s Chicago Region Market Schedule
Friday, July 22
Back of the Yards Farmers Market, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m, 940 W. 50th Pl., Chicago
Lake Bluff Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon, Village Green
Lake Zurich Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., 200 S. Rand Rd.
Mundelein Farmers Market, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Park St.
St. Charles Indoor Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to noon, Baker Memorial Church
Schaumburg Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 190 S. Roselle Rd.
Saturday, July 23
Aurora Downtown Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, Water St. Square
Batavia Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, N. River St. betw. Wilson and Spring
Brookfield Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 8820 Brookfield Ave.
Crystal Lake Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Depot Park
Deerfield Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Park Ave. betw. Jewett Park & Hazel
Division Street Chicago City Market, 7 a.m. to noon, Chicago
Downers Grove Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 5001 Main St.
Downtown Evanston Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m, University Place and Oak Ave.
Edgebrook Farmers Market*, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Central & Hiawatha, Chicago
Elk Grove Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 901 Wellington Ave.
Englewood Village Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 58th and Halsted, Chicago
Garfield Park Neighborhood Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 135 N. Kedzie, Chicago
Glenview Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, 1510 Wagner Rd.
Grayslake Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 201 Center St.
Green City Market Lincoln Park, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1817 N. Clark, Chicago
Green City Market West Loop, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 115 S. Sangamon St.
Homewood Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., Martin Ave. betw .Ridge & Chestnut
Horner Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2741 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago
Huntley Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m.,11704 Coral St.
Kankakee Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, S. Schuyler and Merchant
Mercado de Colores, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 4345 W. 26th St. Chicago
Naperville Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon, 200 E. 5th Ave.
Northcenter Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., 4101 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
Oak Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m, 460 Lake St.
Park Forest Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to noon, 152 Main St.
Palatine Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 137 W. Wood St.
Park Ridge Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 15 Prairie Ave.
Plant Chicago Farmers Market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Davis Square Park
61st Street Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., Chicago
South Chicago Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 9000 S. Mackinaw, Chicago
South Loop Farmers Market Printers Row, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 632 S. Dearborn St., Chicago
Streator Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, 200 N. Park St.
The Lincoln Park Farmers Market, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., 2001 N. Orchard, Chicago
West Humboldt Chicago City Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 3601 W. Chicago Ave.
Winnetka Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 510 Green Bay Rd.
Woodstock Saturday Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m, Historic Woodstock Square
Sunday, July 24
Bronzeville Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4700 S. King Dr., Chicago
Buffalo Grove Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 951 McHenry Rd.
Glenwood Sunday Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Glenwood Ave. betw. Morse & Lunt, Chicago
Hyde Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 54th St. & Old Lake Park Ave. West, Chicago
Independence Park Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., W. Irving Park Rd. & Hamlin, Chicago
Jefferson Park Farmers Market, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 4818 N. Long, Chicago
Logan Square Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3107 W. Logan Blvd., Chicago
Mount Prospect Lions Club Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., Northwest Hwy. & Main St.
North Park Community Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5510 N. Christiana Ave., Chicago
Pilsen Community Market, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., 1811-25 S. Blue Island Ave., Chicago
95th St. Farmers Market, 8 a.m to 1 p.m., 1835 W. 95th St., Chicago
Roscoe Village Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon, 3149 N. Wolcott, Chicago
Skokie Farmers Market, 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 5127 Oakton St.
The Dole Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 401 Country Club Rd., Crystal Lake
Wicker Park Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1425 N. Damen Ave., Chicago
Have a great weekend and support your local farmers!