Last weekend, my husband Eric and I met a few friends at the Green City Market in Chicago for a tour with Greg Christian, renowned chef and owner of Greg Christian Catering. We are grateful Greg took the time to share his passion for organic food and knowledge of sustainable agriculture. Thanks to him, we went away with a better understanding of local farmers who strive to bring fresh food to the dining table.
This amazing outdoor shopping experience is located on Clark Street north of North Avenue. Each Saturday and Wednesday through October 16, over 60 local farmers, food artisans and florists will gather for what USA Today calls one of the top 10 farmer’s markets in the US. Many of the market’s vendors are committed to producing fresh, organic foods via sustainable farming practices. The outdoor attraction draws a wide variety of people-- some looking for good food at reasonable prices, while others are focused on organic foods. Either way, city goers and suburbanites alike will enjoy the fresh air market, shopping, tasting, and entertainment of live folk music and cooking demonstrations.
Although Greg’s tour was short, it opened our eyes to farmers who care about their product. He explained that meat sellers are raising free-range animals fed natural diets without hormones and other chemicals. Fruit and vegetable sellers, he said, are growing their food sans herbicides and pesticides through crop rotation techniques. He also explained how they utilize and reuse water through extensive filtering systems designed to keep water use at a minimum. Vendors talked about how they prefer to sell local in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions wracked up by transporting to faraway states or other countries. Even Greg, a caterer devoted to serving healthy food and reducing his environmental impact, spoke about how he purchases from these farmers and designs his menus around seasonal fruits, vegetables and other ingredients.
The sights and smells were amazing! Mushroom vendors tents were piled high with morel, portabella and other mushroom varieties, lamb and beef farmers carried fresh cuts of meat, vegetable farmers displayed baskets of handpicked spinach, tomatoes, asparagus and every type of sprout you could imagine, from bean to sunflower. Florists, cheese makers and bakers were packed with people waiting in line for a bouquet, block of fresh cheese and fresh bread and pastries. One vendor even brought flats of wheatgrasswith the earth still clinging to it! When offered a freshly juiced shot, we had to have it.
Armed with a deeper appreciation of organic food and farming practices, Eric and I set out to walk the circuit again. This time, our mission was to taste the food, enjoy the music and take in a demonstration or two. We started with a fluted paper cup filled with hot, melt-in-your-mouth donuts rolled in cinnamon and sugar, immediately followed by a just-off-the-griddle crepe stuffed with cheddar cheese and fresh chives. Eric ordered a cheeseburger made from free-range, grass fed beef. The burger, bursting at the seams with organic sprouts, tomatoes and fresh homemade cheese, looked tempting and smelled just as good. Keeping to my vegetarian diet, I opted instead for a Rosemary flatbread topped with grilled asparagus, onions and fresh goat cheese. Drizzled with olive oil, this unassuming nosh was the perfect compliment to a cool raspberry spritzer.
After stuffing ourselves, we picked up a few things for a salad and caught the tail end of a cooking demonstration. With a decent sized bag of spinach and a handful of radish sprouts we walked back towards the car, both glad that we had discovered this special place called Green City Market. From the fresh food to the tasty treats and outdoor entertainment, it was the perfect way to spend the day!
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