![Two San Diego Area Farmers Markets and Vintage Shops Nearby]()
by Yvonne | Sep 28, 2011 | TRAVEL
During my trip to San Diego last May, I shared many of my culinary and shopping adventures by tweeting and posting updates to the MHK Facebook page . There was a great response and interest from readers and I was thrilled to know that many of you shop at farmers markets, many in California. What a great place for fresh, local and organic food.
I was also surprised to learn how many of you shared my love of vintage pieces, which I believe is a great way to have unique, inspiring pieces of home decor and furniture without being wasteful. One person’s junk can truly be someone else’s treasure, especially when one has a vision for old pieces recycled as new. Lots of older pieces are also incredibly sturdy and have character not often found in cookie-cutter items mass-manufactured with synthetic, perhaps toxic materials. (more…)
![Green City Chicago Indoor Farmers Market]()
by Yvonne | Mar 26, 2011 | TRAVEL
Most people don’t think there’s much to buy from a farmers market in the winter– in cold places, like Chicago.
Though it’s technically spring, it’s still cold outside. That’s why I’m glad there are indoor farmers markets like this one: Green City Market.
Last year I met Alice Waters when she signed a copy of her book, Edible Schoolyard: A Universal Idea, and I watched the number of vendors grow from a nice amount in the spring to a large number of vendors with all their wonderful, fresh summer produce in late July.
During the market’s winter schedule, the vendors are set up on two floors of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum near Chicago’s Lincoln Park.
Entrance of the Green City {Winter} Market
Beets & Large Red Radishes by King’s Hill Farm
Ostrich Eggs from King’s Hill Farm
Microgreens
Mushroom Flower from River Valley Kitchens
Apples & Chestnuts
Hen’s Eggs from King’s Hill Farm- the one in the front middle is a pale green color!
I got most of my produce from King’s Hill Farm and was totally impressed by the fact that they had not only hen’s eggs, but also duck and ostrich eggs. They’re a bit pricey ($18.00/6 eggs), but then again where in the world are you going to get ostrich eggs? They’re enormous and rare.
King’s Hill Farm
Green Thumb Manifesto, LLC
Joel Kellum, Farm Manager
19370 County Road G
Mineral Point, WI 53565
ki************@***il.com
(608) 776-8413
![Chicago’s Green City Market and Roasted Chestnuts Recipe]()
by Yvonne | Sep 27, 2010 | Fall
Saturday was a crisp fall morning perfect for heading out to any farmers’ market, even if just to take a look at all of the beautiful fall colors existing within the produce: bright red beets, crisp green lettuces, orange pumpkins, gourds from green to yellow to orange, and of course apples in every shade of red imagineable.
We needed to find locally made honey to help a colleague fight seasonal allergies and I thought the Green City Market near Lincoln Park in Chicago would be the best place to find it. The amount of vendors has swelled since the spring, the last time I was here (and met Alice Waters, where she signed a copy of her book, Edible Schoolyard). We ended up stopping at the Chicago Honey Co-op, a Sustainable Urban Agriculture Job Training and Chemical Free Beehive. They put people to work, as well as the bees, right here in the city of Chicago. Now that’s local honey.
Green City Market on the left; Lincoln Park Barn In the Zoo on the right
One of the first sights to come across were large boxes of squash and pumpkins, such as the one pictured below. What struck me about this one was how incredibly long this squash was. We put a Blackberry cell in the middle to be sure the size factor could be grasped in the photo. Amazing! Subhanallah. Must’ve been some incredibly rich black gold that squash was grown in…
I couldn’t help but be moved by the pumpkins and how many different foods I think of when I see these big, round hunks of delicious and delectable inspirations for soup, pasta, ravioli and pie. As a kid growing up, I always thought of pumpkins as something to carve, discarding the flesh and seeds as “garbage” and designing funny or scary faces on their skin with a permanent black marker, leaving them to decay after about a month of sitting outside to greet (or scare away) our house guests.
I was absolutely mesmerized at the market when I came across the Hillside Orchards stall to find what looked like sea urchins from far away. They were organic colossal chestnuts! These are so hard to find, especially those encased in what some people call Russian hats because of their furry looking shell, but beware–they are pointy and sharp and will do some damage if they come into quick and hard contact with your skin.
At the end of this post I leave you with a recipe for perfectly roasted seasonal chestnuts, a combination of my Sicilian grandmother’s way of making them, along with the suggestion of the farmers at Hillside Orchards.
Some of the largest mushrooms I’ve ever seen were to be found at the Green City Market. So many people were at this stall speaking to the vendor that I didn’t get a chance to ask any questions. I was, anyway, dreaming up a good risotto recipe using these mushrooms in the meantime.
On our way out of the market I spotted these lovely, bright red cranberries, the last box at the Ellis Family Farms stall. How could anyone miss these beauties? I asked if they were organic and the young man working honestly informed me that no, they were not ‘certified’ organic, but they were not sprayed with any chemicals, either. I appreciated the honesty. I loved the way the cranberries looked and instantly began conjuring up recipes for a cranberry sauce with apples to accompany duck or turkey; perhaps a cranberry lemon bar? Or, should I make these cranberry mini muffins?
After a quick stroll through the market (though we arrived at 12:15, 1/2 hour of searching for parking doesn’t leave you with much time to see a market that closes at 1pm) we headed over to the Museum o f Science and Industry where I got to see their small, but relevant Real Food exhibit. Mainly geared towards children, it’s still quite education for everyone to learn in really simple terms why it’s so unhealthy to eat “food” that has ingredients we can’t even pronounce.
Cappuccino Ice Cream at Piccolo Mondo
Though it may seem contradictory to be out in the cold and then crave ice cream, it is. I wasn’t craving something cold; I was craving dessert. We stopped at the corner restaurant, Piccolo Mondo, near the MSI and close to our parked car in Hyde Park (Obama’s stomping grounds).
Their desserts were mostly imported Italian ones: a chocolate cake, a dessert cake, profiteroles, etc. as well as a homemade tiramisu- made with alcohol. As for the imported desserts, since the waiters had no idea what was in them, I opted out, realizing so many Italian desserts are made with some form of alcohol. The ice cream, however, was not. Kudos to the waiter for his honesty.
Cappuccino ice cream made by a Chicago company called Al Gelato, was one of the best ice creams I’ve ever tasted. It also helps that they serve it to you in somewhat of a slab. I was nicely surprised, especially since it was a dessert for two. The cocoa powder that dressed the plate was not only pretty, but tasty when the ice cream was slided through it before entering my mouth…
Now for the Seasonal Roasted Chestnuts recipe
For any amount of chestnuts you have, you will need to soak them in water for 15 minutes.
Remove from water. Then, with a sharp paring knife, score them on the fat, protruding side, not the flat side. (to score just means to make an x type of incision).
Place scored chestnuts on a baking sheet, scored side upwards.
To an oven heated at 350º, bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tough outer shell and the thicker skin to reveal a yellowish, honey-colored chestnut underneath.
Enjoy as-is or add to soups and salads for extra crunch.
roasted chestnuts open up so beautifully
It was a wonderful day, filled with some of Chicago’s most local, seasonal and simple foods. I urge everyone living nearby to visit the outdoor market (last day is Oct. 30) and the indoor market beginning on Nov. 6. if you don’t live nearby, check out LocalHarvest.org for a farmers’ market nearest you.
Here’s information on the vendors whose produce and goods I really enjoyed:
Heritage Prairie Market (lots of great raw, unpasteurized honey, seasonal produce)
2N308 Brundige Road
Elburn, IL 60119
630.443.8253
Ellis Family Farms (fresh seasonal cranberries, apple cider and more)
4233 E. Britain Avenue
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
269.313.1871
Hillside Orchards (organic chestnuts, chestnut flour, chestnut honey, seasonal produce)
8198 Fleisher Ln.
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
269.471.7558
Chicago Honey Co-op (Sustainable Urban Agriculture, Job Training and Chemical Free Beehives)
west side of Chicago in the North Lawndale neighborhood
They have classes on beekeeping and schedule tours for groups; their blog is informative for those interested in understanding bees and beekeeping.
ho*******@***il.com
![Culinary Delights at Northeast Ohio Farmers’ Markets]()
by Yvonne | Sep 17, 2010 | Fall, Halal-Certified Products
This year during my stay in Ohio I tried to visit as many farmers’ markets and produce stands as possible so that I could get a grasp on the local food buzz- who’s who in local farming and vending and what’s the trend for organic and sustainable products.
The Tremont Farmers’ Market & the tower at Cleveland’s West Side Market located in the Ohio City Neighborhood
Boy, was I ever amazed at how much is going on in the local food scene here. People-vendors and consumers alike- are informed and active in buying local, producing local and sustaining a healthy food production environment for the future. Doesn’t that set the stage for some pretty tasty meals?
Yam & Walnut Pierogies from Posh Pierogies
I started out my beginning with a trip to Cleveland’s oldest and most well-known indoor farmers’ markets, the West Side Market. Last year I wrote an overview of some of my favorite vendors; this year I thought I would tell you about a couple vendors (including a Muslim-owned produce stall) at the market, as well as what has to be one of the best falafel sandwiches I’ve ever had.
Samah Produce is Muslim-owned and run. They sell fresh fruits and vegetables and are friendly, allowing customers to try samples of fruits before purchase. Look for them at the covered, semi-outdoor stalls 19, 21, and 23.
Ohio Concord Grapes from Mena’s Produce
Mena’s Produce was another place I stopped to take photos of these gorgeous Ohio Concord grapes, ones I grew up on and that simply must be sampled. They are so packed with flavor that no supermarket grape can compare to its intensity. These grapes are particular to the Lake Erie region due to the incredibly unique micro-climate we have here in northeast Ohio along the shore, where the air is moist and the soil highly acidic.
Now on to seriously the best falafel sandwich I’ve ever had. I have to say, I’m always skeptical of places that are touted as ‘the best’ of anything- says who, right? I ordered with regular expectations, nothing out of the ordinary. Then, with my first bite I was elated to a level of falafel happiness like never before. You see, I don’t like crunchy falafels- those that have been fried so long you can barely break into them. I didn’t know they could be cooked so well. masha’allah. And, if that wasn’t enough…there’s the sauce. They’ll ask you if you want the hot sauce (which I rarely turn down)– that just takes the already-delicioso sandwich to another level of falafel happiness.
Maha’s Falafil
1979 West 25th Street (inside the West Side Market)
Cleveland, Ohio
216.696.6999
The West Side Market
corner of West 25th St. & Lorain
Cleveland, Ohio (Ohio City Neighborhood)
Mondays & Wednesdays, 7am-4pm
Fridays & Saturdays, 7am-6pm
Now on to another small and precious gem of a farmers’ market that Clevelanders are proud about: the Tremont Farmers Market.
Apple Farmers of Woolf Farms and Posh Pierogies Stand
The Tremont Farmers Market is a five-year old weekly outdoor market located in one of Cleveland’s hip, urban centers. The market hosts space for vendors of cooked foods, local produce, purveyors of organic products and even cutlery sharpening.
Heirloom Tomatoes from Por Bar Farms
Our first stop at the market was to check out the beautiful, locally-grown organic produce. As farmer Kevin Leamer of Por Bar Farms replied when I asked him if his good were organic, it’s way beyond pesticide-free and organic. He grows the stuff himself and ensures absolutely no chemicals touch his heirloom tomatoes, peppers and berries (among other things he grows).
Organic Berries & Tomatoes at Por Bar Farms
Por Bar Farms
11136 Holshoe Rd.
Homerville, Ohio 44235
(330) 625-2121
contact: Kevin & amy Leamer
Next stop: Morning Side Farm, a lovely, bustling stand full of vibrantly colored produce so beautiful I couldn’t resist the chance to capture nearly all of it in photos. The owners were friendly and busy talking with customers about every type of produce for sale, answering questions and providing knowledge about what to do with things like the beets or kale.
Purple and Green Okra from Morning Side Farm
Organic Carrots from Morning Side Farm
Morning Side Farm
1075 State road
Hinckley, Ohio 44233
216.406.6621
Garth Proctor, Professional Cutlery Sharpener
Garth Proctor is one of the individuals that comes to market twice a month, sharpening tools in tow (those are must-see in and of themselves), ready to bring back to life things like kitchen knives, food processor blades, kitchen or sewing shears. And if you ask just about anything related to purchasing, caring for and maintaining your kitchen tools, Garth is the person to ask. He went to school for this. Yes, there is a school for this (only four world-wide), the art of professional cutlery sharpening, something that is now somewhat of a lost art.
Stop by and meet him- he’s more than happy to share what he knows. If you can’t get to Cleveland to meet him, check out his really informative website.
Garth Proctor (the man who ‘likes to sharpen things’)
ga**********@***il.com
216.262.3168
Here’s where & when you can find him in person:
Tremont Farmers Market: Tuesdays, 4pm-7pm
Lakewood Farmers Market– Wednesdays, 10am-1pm
Kamm’s Corner Farmers Market– Sundays 10am-2pm
Crocker Park Farmers Market– Saturdays 9am-1pm
Homemade PIEROGIES & 100% APPLE CIDER
I haven’t had pierogies in a very long time, so as the wonderful aroma of fried onions wafted through the fall air begging me to try one of their unique flavor combinations, I concluded I’d probably never see a yam & walnut flavored pierogie again, or at least not for a long time. The vendors over at Posh Pierogies were cooking out on an open grill, so we tried a few- 3 for $5, as an appetizer before dinner.
Delicious and unique, these homemade pierogies are worth every bite:
Posh Pierogies 330.608.0683
To drink, we were spoiled with some of the freshest, best-tasting apple cider I’ve had in years. Talk about memory lane. The last time I tasted apple cider so good was as a kid on a hayride during the fall months somewhere in the farmlands of my Ohio childhood. Now, I can’t help but think of the amazing health benefits of this drink, as well as the economic benefits to the local farmers this provided. In support of today’s local farmers, I absolutely recommend the apples and apple cider from the humble folks over at Woolf Farms, which you can find at local northeast Ohio farmers markets or by contacting them. You can also click on the link to find a complete listing of their vending locations.
Woolf Farms 330.525.5128
It does take a bit of research time to find sources of local produce and even artisanal services, which is why seeking out farmers’ markets is a great way to efficiently shop- everyone is congregated in one area for your convenience and theirs. I did this when coming to Ohio, but you can do it anywhere you visit or travel. Alhamdullilah, these days farmers’ markets are popping up all over the place.
Not feeling it’s worth your time or money? Trust me when I tell you that the flavors of the food, the people you meet and the overall experience of getting out into fresh air to eat healthy, real food, is something you’ll want to experience everywhere you go. Insha’allah.
Find a Farmers’ Market Near You
