When Michael Morowitz and I began the Local Beet, we agreed that we would always act like a real publication. This has meant maudlin Thanksgiving posts, holiday time gift issues, and of course, the year-in-review specials. It’s taken until today, however, to do something required of all major players. Declare someone a wunderkind. With his wide eyes and dangling earrings, Jew-hop background and manic energy, we can safely call Cleetus Friedman the wunderkind of local food, right?
We met up with Cleetus about a week ago. Cleetus is about to open City Provisions Deli, a local and organic-focused neighborhood deli, butcher shop, and grocer. It was me and Local Beet local wine advocate, Wendy Aeschlimann, as well as my daughter about to take up a beat on her high school paper. After about an hour poking around the forthcoming store, and asking Cleetus a bunch of locavore questions, we let Cleetus get back to work starting up his deli (his staff was in the midst of busily filling a catering order when we were there). I asked my daughter if we could declare him our first Local Beet wunderkind. The aspiring journalist told me that she would have probed a lot deeper into Cleetus’s motivations. What made the man who was making this deli possible. She made good points, but for Wendy and I, we just liked seeing all the voids City Provisions Deli seemed to be filling.
I mean Cleetus told us about filling a big void that we did not even think about him filling when we went into the preview. Noodge about any Chicago foodie about gaping voids in Chicago food, and they’ll kvetch about a the lack of good Jewish deli. However, despite its name, we did not discover that City Provisions will sell ten-inch sandwiches, nor are they hiring any of those classic waiters as sour as the pickles. He’s not making that kind of deli. He is, however, filling a void for great deli food. Like the the already haled Mile End in Brooklyn or Internet sensation Kenny and Zukes in Portland, City Provisions promises to re-invent the deli with our kind of sensibilities. Like he uses Dietzler Farms for his briskets. The pastrami gets treated in-house from a smoker that Barry Sorkin at Smoque outgrew. He makes his own pickles. From cucumbers harvested by local farmers. I expected Cleetus to fill a void when packing local lunches. I’m really stoked to see this other void he seems to be filling.
I got pleasantly surprised that there’d be more deli than I thought in the Deli. I got another nice surprise when I saw that the City Provisions would also try to fill a huge void for good butchers. We locavores really struggle with the fact that nearly all meats comes to the market frozen. It’s not the freezing that bothers us. It’s the fact that it’s too often frozen when we need it. We also know that the quality of butchering for local meat can at times be suspect–although this has improved much in recent times. We want to see a case of meat broken down from an in-house side. City Provisions plans to buy sides of animals that will be butchered in-house, and sold fresh. Moreover, Cleetus promised us that they would practice whole animal meatery, using the less popular parts in their kitchen for pates, headcheese, terrines, etc. An active butcher of locally-raised, sustainable meat, in a neighborhood store — hopefully, the first of many to come.
Even though you can find quality local goods at several stores and farmer’s markets around town (my vivacious wife will sell you Tomato Mountain items at many a-farmer’s market), City Provisions looks to join other lead local food sellers, such as Cassie’s Green Grocer and Southport Deli, in selling artisan, local, shelf-stable products. When we visited, his shelves were starting to fill with staples from our friend Lee Greene’s Scrumptious Pantry, and City Provisions’ house-labeled honey made from hives at Heritage Prairie farm. And as much as good local cheeses can be found at places like Pastoral or Marion Street Cheese, we’d like to see more of our favorites from Wisconsin. City Provisions will sell hard-to-find cheese such as Willi Lehner’s Bleu Mont Dairy’s bandaged cheddar. Nordic Hill Creamery butters, Nicole’s Crackers, Rod Marcus’s Rare Tea Cellar’s teas and Crop-to-Cup Coffee are more treats, making the void for local specialities appear that much smaller.
In the same vein, City Provisions will focusing on stocking local booze made by North Shore Distillery (IL) and Death’s Door (WI), as well as Chicago beer. For wine he offered up a mantra of organic, sustainable, biodynamic. On the other hand, the void for local wines remains, and Wendy, especially, hopes that Cleetus can fill that one.
Cleetus carries over City Provisions’ environmental concerns to the store itself, which is wrapped in ceilings made from recycled materials and carbon-neutral flooring, and features shelving and eating space made with reclaimed wood from a local barn, as well as a re-purposed the farmhouse table that provides display space. Cleetus proudly mentioned a pending “GRA” certification for the deli. (Sure, it looked nice, but my thoughts kept on drifting to the house-made pastrami.)
City Provisions opens its doors on September 3, 2010. With so many needs being met, we look forward to tasting what’s there to make sure.
City Provisions Deli is located at 1818 West Wilson Avenue in Chicago. They can be reached at 773.293.CITY (2489). We do not yet know the Deli’s hours.
PURPLE ASPARAGUS’ SIXTH ANNUAL “CORKS & CRAYONS” BENEFIT
Foodies, Families and Farmers get together for a good cause
Chicago, IL – July 28, 2010 – Purple Asparagus, Chicago’s non-profit organization at the forefront of promoting healthful eating for children at home and at school, holds its Sixth Annual Corks & Crayons Benefit at Uncommon Ground, 1401 W Devon Ave, Chicago, on Sunday, August 29th from 4-7pm. Foodies old and young will come together once again to celebrate the joys of family meals and healthy eating.
The event, run by Pivotal Chicago, will include a mini farmers’ market sponsored by Harvest Moon Organics farm, kids fun on the Dolores Kohl Education Foundation’s StoryBus, music from Old Town School of Folk Music artists, a raffle, and a silent auction for bidding on gourmet treats, getaways, and more. Guests will enjoy selections from Uncommon Ground’s kitchen, Candid Wines, Templeton Rye cocktails and craft beers from Three Floyds. Attendees will also be able to tour the certified-organic green roof atop Uncommon Ground where the restaurant grows some of the produce on its menu.
Tickets for “Corks & Crayons” are $55 for member adults (non members $60), $22 for young adults ages 13 through 21 (non members $25) and $12 for ages 5-12 (non members $15). Kids under 5 are free. Tickets can be purchased via credit card at www.brownpapertickets.com or by check payable to Purple Asparagus sent in care of Melissa Graham, 1824 W Newport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657.
Purple Asparagus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization at the forefront of promoting healthful eating for children at home and at school. Founded in 2005 to bring families back to the table by promoting all the things associated with good eating, Purple Asparagus is currently leading “Growing Healthy Kids,” a consortium of 30 plus organizations working in the schools to improve child wellness. The organization is also a key partner with Share our Strength and Healthy Schools Campaign to effectively implement the Chefs “Move to Schools” program of the White House’s “Let’s Move” initiative. For more information about the event and Purple Asparagus membership, visit www.purpleasparagus.com.
It’s been almost a year since the Illinois legislature passed S.B. 99, intended to make commercial composting viable in Illinois. Prior to the passage of this act, Illinois required a commercial food scrap composting facility to obtain a pollution control permit, an arduous and financially prohibitive process. The bill amended the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to remove food scraps from the definition of garbage so that now Illinois treats food scrap composting in the same manner as landscape composting, allowed in the state for years. To read more about the legislation, click here.
Despite the passage of the bill, the dream of commercial composting for residential purposes (i.e. curbside composting found in cities like Portland, OR) is still just that, a dream. Given the financial climate, it would be very difficult for a businessperson to raise the funds to build a composting facility available to the general public and the City just doesn’t have the resources to fund one at this time.
Given this reality, any Chicagoan wanting to reduce their organic waste that heads to the landfill will need to explore small scale, home-based composting systems. About a year and half ago, Michael Morowitz had asked me to prepare a down and dirty guide on these systems for The Local Beet. At the time, I was having my own composting struggles so I begged off. Fifteen months later, with my electric composter churning away and my worms fat and happy, I think I can provide a brief introduction to the realm of urban composting. I’ll also explain how to tap into the more expert worm wranglers and compost keepers for more knowledgeable advice.
To start out, I want to make it perfectly clear, I do no outdoor composting. We live in an old rowhouse a few door down from Ravenswood, the el, and Metra. We’ve had rat problems in the past, including one that nuzzled its way through crumbling brick outside our back door, glided down what must have been a rodent slide, and peeked its way through the gap in our laundry room cupboards. Seeing this, we called our contractor who removed said cupboards and found no rat, but three tiny dead mice babies. Sealing up the hole, replacing the cabinets, we seem to have been rodent free (knock on wood) since then. But I will do NOTHING, not one thing, to attract any of these critters to my back yard. If you’re looking for advice on compost piles, rack composting systems, solar composting devices, or the drums that require turning, look elsewhere, I’ve got nothing for you.
What I can tell you is how we, as a family of three who eat at home regularly, have diverted most of our food waste from the garbage to the compost bin.
The High Tech
Almost two years ago, I ordered the Nature Mill electric composter. The marketing materials suggested that this machine could do it all. Not only would it churn vegetable and fruit waste into finely ground compost, but it could take on meat and bread scraps (two no-nos for the worm and outdoor compost bins). My first disappointment transpired when I opened the box and realized the size of it. The Nature Mill people suggest their machine will fit under the sink (a replacement for the garbage disposal). In fact, it does fit in a standard under the sink cabinet as long as you don’t plan to open it up, which is how you add the scraps. Okay, small impediment. I located it downstairs in our laundry room, set it up according to the directions, and began adding our waste.
The first week or so, all seemed to be a go. But then, it began to stink. Reviewing the instructions, I realized that the mixture needed balancing so I added some baking soda and sawdust pellets and it evened itself out. Feeling confident, I then decided to add the protein that I was assured it could handle. About a half a cup of shrimp shells (spent from making stock) were tossed in with veggie waste and coffee grinds. Within a day, the stench emanating from the machine could knock you back. Note to self, no more animal protein.
A few more weeks went by and it seemed to operating smoothly until it wasn’t. The machine shorted out. I called the company and they replaced the control panel and everything seemed fine, that is until the couscous incident. Along with vegetable waste, baking soda, sawdust, coffee grinds, I added a whole mess of cooked couscous left over from a DIY Couscous table that Purple Asparagus organized for Lab School. I’m not sure what happened but within a week or so, I found these little tiny seeds (or so I thought) clinging to the interior sides of the bin. They didn’t concern me that much at first, until they started to multiply. For those of you who know your bugs will realize that these multiplying seeds weren’t seeds at all, but maggots.
Vowing not to be beaten by the machine, I cleaned out the machine with a mask covering my mouth and nose and gloves on my hands. I started it up again, but something that I did in cleaning must have damaged the apparatus, and the machine wouldn’t churn. Harumph. I gave up for the time being.
A few months later, I put aside the maggots from my imagination and called the company. Unfortunately, at this point the warranty had expired. After some sweet talking and firm talking, they finally offered to sell me another at cost (allowing me to upgrade). Hoping that I wasn’t throwing good money after bad, I agreed.
It arrived, I unpacked it, I set up the culture, waited two weeks (a step not explained in the first manual) and it seemed to be working. Until it wasn’t. Another call to the company, another package returned, and another composter sent. This was last year.
Fast forward to today, after all that headache, it’s working. Situated in our kitchen, it churns a few times a day. We fill it with fruit and veggie scraps, an occasional bread crust, balancing this all with a judicious amount of baking soda and coffee grinds. With a pretty deep well, we divert a large percentage of our daily food scraps to our Nature Mill so despite the effort and cost involved, I do think that it was worth it. I also do know that the company, a new one, did work to improve their product and their manual, so that us first-generation owners probably worked out a lot of the kinks for them. If you’ve got the resources and want a simple composting with less ick factor this may be the way to go.
The Low Tech
In between all of the hassles we endured with the Nature Mill, friend and author Tim Magner, gave Thor his book Earl the Earthworm Digs for his Life, which inspired the little locavore to ask for a pet worm (along with his sports jerseys and Wii games) for his 5th birthday. Ordering a worm ranch from Montana with a 1000 red wigglers, we started our experiment with vermicomposting.
A far easier process (with just a bit more ick), we have a large green perforated rectangle that sits another rectangular box slightly bigger than the first. We lined it with newspaper scraps, dumped the worms with the accompanying castings, and covered them with a bunch of food scraps and another layer of shredded newspaper. I closed up the hard cover of the box and we waited. A few weeks later, most of the foodstuffs had been processed into soft brown bits and the newspaper soaked through. Our little red friends wriggled in and out of the shreds. I added more food and more newspaper and covered it back up. Things were going very smoothly. The bin emitted no odor and it was a pretty easy to maintain. As it got warmer, things got a little dicey as we saw some little flies around the box, both in and out. I pulled out my used copy of Worms Eat My Garbage, which recommended covering the bedding with a thick sheet of plastic. Once I did that our bug problem ceased.
The worms are pretty easy to maintain. I feed them every other week, allowing my food scraps to rot a little in a compost pail that I keep under the sink (apparently it’s easier for the worms to work through partially decomposed foodstuffs). Quarterly, I need to drain out the worm poop that accumulates in the bottom tray. Cutting it with lots of water, I pour that as a fertilizer in our garden. While there’s a bit of ick factor involved in the worms, once you get over it they are actually rather easy to handle.
Over the course of these two years in these adventures, I’ve learned a few things about worm wrangling and compost keeping. Here are my top 5 tips.
1. Always maintain a balance between browns (paper, coffee grinds, sawdust, wood pellets) and greens (most everything else). Otherwise it will stink.
2. Keep out the protein, fats, and bread. After my shrimp shell incident, I keep the animal protein out of my compost. Otherwise it will stink.
3. With your worm bin, make sure the food waste is always covered, at least by shredded newspaper and preferably with a thick piece of plastic. Otherwise, you’ll get flies.
4. Be patient especially at first. With either the worm bin or the electric composter, don’t put in too much waste to start. Otherwise it will stink or you’ll get flies.
5. Make sure to chop or tear your organic matter into small pieces, it’s easier for both the electric composter and the worm bin to process the waste. The longer it takes, the more likely it will stink.
Since this is more a story about composting than a guide, I have a few resources for those of you wanting to find more detailed information on composting.
In Chicago, there’s no one who makes composting more fun than Stephanie Davies of Urban Worm Girl. With her school programs and Worms and Wine events, Stephanie makes composting fun and easy. She sells what has to be the most attractive worm bin, deep green and shaped sort of like a pagoda.
In the suburbs, you can find the grand dame of the garbage heap, Kay McKeen and her organization SCARCE.
The bible on vermicomposting is Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof. Anyone starting out with worms need to have a copy of this book.
Editor’s Note: Alana Cuellar of Chicago Tomatofest has provided us with this great guide to heirloom tomatoes that you can find around Chicago markets right now.
I distinctly recall the very first time I tasted an heirloom. It happened a couple summers ago at Frog Holler organic farm near Ann Arbor, Michigan. I volunteer to snip salad greens and thin carrots, sometimes earning a free meal. One warm day, lunch featured a reddish gold, pumpkin-fat behemoth, fresh from the tomato patch. The incredible shape and color took me aback. I found my first heirloom. Though I did not know the variety we ate, I remember its perfect balance of tart and sweet flavor, rich juiciness, and tender flesh. The other tomatoes I had eaten suddenly did not compare. I was hooked. What made these tomatoes so good?
The farmer explained that heirloom tomatoes are “open-pollinated”, that is, pollinated by natural means (wind, insects, etc.). Heirlooms develop without genetic engineering or controlled modifications. As a result, the daughters of an open-pollinated plant are always slightly genetically different from the parent and, naturally, promote biodiversity. Despite genetic evolution, the hefty fruit we ate that day had more in common with the tomatoes eaten a hundred years ago than the supermarket kind I had been eating all my life.
However, heirloom tomatoes do have traits that make them challenging to grow, especially for commercial farmers. For instance, heirlooms take longer to ripen, are more susceptible to blight and disease, find themselves more difficult to stake and keep organized, and, once ripe, do not last very long. Nonetheless, maintaining the correct conditions (and growing heirlooms that are suited to the local climate) makes all the difference for these sensitive fruits. Farmers preserve heirloom varieties by preventing cross-pollinating with other varieties. These are the tried and true tastiest, ones that people know and love, and continue growing year after year.
Genetically modified tomatoes, the ones found in standard produce sections across America, have been bred to avoid these undesirable traits: they are often smaller than the irregular, bulbous heirlooms, and rarely have any of the beautiful heirloom variation in color. The standard coloring and sizing make them easily recognizable for the supermarket shopper, simplifying their sale. Growers also genetically modified tomatoes for durability. The test tube created tomatoes with thick skins and harder, drier flesh for easy transportation. Who cared about when taste when you could avoid crushing or bruising. Convenient though they may be, these tomatoes are nearly unrecognizable shadows of their ancient ancestors when it comes to taste and texture.
I decided to try some of these famous varieties, and visited the Green City Market to stock up on as many as I could. Thanks to Nichols, Kinnikinnick, and Green Acres farms, I conducted a taste test, to see if the differences between heirloom varieties were noticeable to an untrained palate. The results were pretty incredible—each fruit definitely had a specific consistency and flavor.
Here they are, for your information and complete with gorgeous photographs by Julia V. Hendrickson!
Cherokee Purple
This dark fatty was tender and juicy, with a subtly sweet, earthy flavor. Cherokee Purple tomatoes are one of the most susceptible to blight and disease. The name of this tomato belies its origins—it is said to have been grown and preserved by the Cherokee nation hundreds of years ago. The color is an incredible dusky purple and has that classic heirloom shape. 8-9 in. diameter.
Amish Paste
A weirdly named variety, this bright red fruit was curiously elongated. It was not the best one eaten fresh (which was how I sampled it), but a fellow tomato enthusiast at the GCM said they are great for canning and making sauces. I could definitely see that—the consistency was a little harder than some of the other tomatoes we tried, but the flavor was bright and delicious. 5 in. in length, 3 in. wide.
Green Zebra
True to its name, this tomato is bright green with fair yellow stripes when ripe. It is very juicy, though not as tender as the larger heirlooms we tasted. It has a bright, lemony flavor (one tester compared it to the taste of kiwi). Chef Mark Mendez uses this variety in his BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato) sandwich at Carnivale! 3 in. diameter.
Brandywine Pink
This was probably the most beautiful of all the tomatoes in the taste test. It was a fair pink with green tinges on the “shoulders.” Unfortunately, this one was not quite ripe, and did not have the expected flavor. After reading up on it, I learned that the Brandywines in general are some of the most beloved heirlooms, and the pink seems to be especially popular. It has said to be one of the oldest Brandywine varieties with a complex, rich and sweet flavor. Make sure it is soft before you taste it, to be sure that it is ripe! 7-8 in. diameter.
Nyagous
This was another strangely dark tomato, about the same size and spherical shape of the Green Zebra, but similar in color to the Cherokee Purple. It had a similar flavor to the Purple, but a not as sweet and rich. Apparently, this variety was introduced from Russia several decades ago. There were two Nyagous varieties that we sampled here: the Russian Black and a mysterious, unnamed second one with reddish skin and green striations on the sides. They tasted identical. 3 in. diameter.
Black Cherry
These little cherries were unbelievably delicious. They had an earthy, rich flavor that tended to be sour, rather than sweet. About the size of an average cherry tomato, they would be incredibly good in any salad. 1 in. diameter.
Red Pear
These were the most precious tomatoes I had ever seen. They looked like little gnomes, perfectly pear-shaped and leaning against each other for the pictures we took. They were sweet, juicy, and brightly reddish orange. 1 in. length, .5 in width.
Striped German
This tomato was by far my favorite out of the bunch. It was another thick, juicy monster, with tender flesh and beautiful orange to red color. What shocked me about this tomato, grown by Green Acres farms and affectionately referred to by the sales people as “Mr. Stripey,” was its sweetness. At times, this was more like eating a ripe peach than a tomato. I ended up dismissing the salt, pepper, and olive oil with which we had been sampling the others, and eating it plain. It was delicious. 8-9 in. diameter.
Editor’s Note: Sometimes (most of the times) you shop for your food, sometimes you find your food. Our world abounds with edible products, from weeds, I mean greens. like purslane and lamb’s quarters to berries and especially exotic and interesting fungi. In our first installment of “There’s Food in Them There Hills” our Forager, Eric May finds some of those mushrooms around his Michigan home.
Fungal Abundance
Foraging for Mushrooms in Western Michigan
The whirring of annual cicadas fills the air and monarchs flitter about the garden. The table is piled with voluptuous peaches and tomatoes. It’s the time of the season we around here call “deep summer”. It’s the time when the land is expressing itself in ripe displays of abundance. Edible mushrooms are popping up in spectacular numbers. Mushrooms are actually the fruiting sexual organs of unseemly vast and complex organisms that primarily exist as networks of silky webbing called mycelium which are embedded in decaying organic matter. Fungus for much of its lifespan is invisible to our immediate sight. The mushrooming season started somewhat slowly this year with an unseasonably hot spring which was not suitable conditions for a fruitful morel harvest. In central Illinois I found flushes of blown out and rotting morels in mid-May. There was almost nothing to speak of growing here in Saugatuck, Michigan. I would find sporadic and isolated oyster mushrooms through June as well as a few non-edible, but ethnobiologically significant species such as reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) and Amanita muscaria. Last summer, being on the cool and damp side, yielded an earlier season for chicken-of-the-woods and large flushes of oysters. This summer has been hot and of recent, quite damp. So finally, early last week, the woods blossomed in a brilliant display of fungal fecundity.
I have been mushrooming for only about two years. My good friend and fellow cook, Mikey Henderberg has been at it for awhile and my inner nerdy science kid was definitely intrigued by the far out curiosity of the specimens he’d haul in from the woods. It wasn’t until I tasted my first batch of deeply savory and earthy sautéed hen of the woods mushrooms that it actually occurred to me that I could go out and find my own free gourmet shrooms. Its really the perfect hobby for me, a crossroads of my interests in culinary exotica, poking around the woods, and my aforementioned fascination with biological taxonomy. I am incredibly fortunate to spend my summers in Western Michigan on 120 acres of pristine virgin mixed forests and sand dunes. Collecting wild mushrooms is unfortunately illegal in Cook County and surrounding counties, so I’d be out of luck if I didn’t migrate north in the summertime.
As for this year’s mid-summer cast of characters: its always the chicken of the woods, aka sulfur shelf (Lactiporus sulphureus) that first piques our interest in scouring the woods for other things. In general, we play it fairly safe when gathering mushrooms for culinary purposes, avoiding cap and stem mushrooms with gills, which comprise the majority of mushroom species including most of the seriously poisonous ones. We stick primarily to polypore funguses, which release their spores from pores rather than gills. Many of these mushrooms grow in easy-to-identify shelf- like clusters on dead or dying wood. “Chicken” is the perfect beginner’s edible mushroom forage as it is dead easy to identify with its neon yellow and orange coloration and otherworldly polyp- like appearance. They grow on dead hard wood, typically already felled trees. They can be common on cut logs or stumps and can be found in suburban lawns and even in city parks. This mushroom has an intense, umami rich flavor but a texture that is rather dry, especially as it matures. Young specimens are knobby and yellow, the orange color develops as they age. These young tender mushrooms are most desirable for eating. In older specimens you can trim away the more tender outer growth and save the woody interior for stock. Like most wild mushrooms, I like to prepare them simply by sautéeing them in butter with coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, eaten on toast. The dry flesh of the chicken mushroom benefits from a splash of cream, wine, or liquor in the pan. We also throw them in soup stocks or thinly sliced in miso soup. Vegan friends of mine love a chicken-of-the-woods noodle soup. We have had pretty good luck this season so far.with this mushroom. Another co-worker, Erin, who knows the greater area around here and its woods quite well hauled in a bounty of probably about ten pounds of tender young growth earlier in the week.
Boletes are cap and stem mushrooms that release their spores from sponge-like pores from the underside of their caps. There are very few, if any, reported findings of poisonous boletes in the Eastern states, which makes them a safe bet for foraging to eat. It is a diverse and expansive family of mushrooms, the most famous of which is the king bolete, also known as the porcini or cep, one of the most esteemed and expensive culinary mushrooms. I have found only one king bolete so far in my foraging career up in Northern Wisconsin. But this year around here a wide variety of boletes have been popping up and I’ve been collecting them and cooking them up. I have found numerous chestnut boletes (Gyroporus castaneus) which have a buff colored cap that flips from convex to concave as it ages. I’ve found that boletes are quite delicate mushrooms that are also enjoyed by the many critters of the woods. So, while I’ve found them in ubiquitous numbers, many times they are nibbled upon or past their edibility prime. These chestnut boletes, in particular, take on a bitter, medicinal taste in older, drier, and concave specimens. The very young little guys have deep flavor that goes a long way, I have prepared them mixed with more mild species. I also have found red capped boletes (Boletus rubellus), which have a pronounced color as to their namesake. The undercap has an olive green to yellow color that bruises blue with even a faint touch. They are quite psychedelic looking after having been handled and sliced up. These mushrooms are quite delicious with a sweet flavor that yields a minerally aftertaste. Again, I saute these and eat them simply. When trying new mushrooms, I skip butter and use a more neutral light olive oil. Once I become more acquainted with their flavors I may eat them with a fried egg, in an omelet, or tossed with pasta. I tend to pair wild mushrooms with mild ingredients to let their flavors shine. Stronger mushrooms can stand up to the tang of finely grated hard cheeses. A few days ago I made an astonishing discovery deep in the woods of a freakish new-to-me specie of bolete, the old man of the woods (Strobilomyces floccopus). These guys stand on tall stems and have a very dark, shaggy, almost primordial look to them. I recognized them from my field guide immediately and knew that they were edible. Like other boletes, they cook up somewhat on the wet side. Their grey flesh bruises almost black and when sliced up and cooked they take on an inky appearance. Their flavor is actually of the more subtle in my adventures cooking various new boletes.
As much as I love cooking and eating mushrooms, the thrill is in the discovery- finding diversely eccentric fungal fruits which may provide a rarified eating experience back in the kitchen. Its looking like a great season already, Mikey just pulled in basketful of fresh oysters. As the season matures, I will report my findings. I anxiously await seafoody lion’s mane mushrooms and my favorite of all, deeply savory and wonderfully textured hen-of-the-woods mushrooms.
Eric May is a Chicago-based artist and the head chef of Ox-Bow School of Art and Artist’s Residency in Saugatuck, Michigan. He directs a nonprofit gallery in Chicago’s Noble Square neighborhood called Roots & Culture. www.ericchristophmay.com
Editor’s Note: Abby is a family friend working this summer in Italy on a farm and at a farmer’s market. It is not her first experience serving local food. For several years, Abby has worked at the Oak Park Farmer’s Market. For many years, she did not eat meat, even going vegan for a few years. Abby started eating meat shortly before leaving for Italy. Soon thereafter, she had the chance to face her meat. Abby agreed to let us publish her account of facing your food (even if she could not face it directly). You can read more of Abby’s Italian adventures at http://carrotsoup.wordpress.com/.
So, today, I helped Giovanni kill an agnello, or baby lamb. I don’t really know how I am supposed to feel about this, but honestly, all I feel is grateful. Grateful that an animal gave up its life for us and just grateful in general. So Giovanni picked a male lamb, tied its legs and carried it to a room in the casaficcio where they slaughter the animals. I was too scared to look it in the eyes so I pet it and stood behind the table where I could only see its back and behind, not the face. Giovanni made two cuts in the jugular, it began to bleed, and the blood went into a bucket. It only needed to bleed for around a minute before it started gagging and jerking around. It gasped for another minute or so, and then the breathing slowed and eventually stopped. The whole process took around 3 minutes, very fast, very painless. Sarah said we took the cowards view by not looking it in the eyes, and I regret not looking at it from the front, because if you are okay with eating meat, you should be okay with killing it, and I was too nervous to look it in the eyes while it died, so instead I listened to it die. After it died, I went around to look at it, and I thanked it.
The minute it stopped breathing, Giovanni made a small hole in the leg, inserted a small hose and pumped the agnello with air, stretching it like a balloon to get the skin to detach from the muscle. He slit down the stomach and around the groin and began to pull the skin off. He cut off the feet and then attached giant hooks into the arms and hung it from a chain on the ceiling. I helped to peel the skin off and take out the insides, and I held its heart. it was still pulsing, not beating, but it was warm and moving and just holding its lungs and heart and stomach and liver was so…I don’t know how to describe it. It was very real and very connected. I got warm blood on my hands, I felt the still moving organs, and I heard the sound of dying.
The meat we eat is so de-animalized. All you see is a hunk of steak or a piece of chicken or just something. You don’t know what you are eating and you are so very disconnected from where your food comes from, from the animal that sacrificed its life for you. Are you thankful? Are you knowledgeable? Are you anything? For us, that meat is just another meal, just another piece of food.
For example, they had rabbit for dinner tonight, which no, I did not eat, and I saw the whole rabbits sitting skinned in the kitchen. The meat we eat actually comes from a real animal, from something that was alive a short while ago, an animal who gave itself up for us. I just feel so appreciative right now, so grateful.
Doing this today really meant a lot to me, and as most of you know, I’ve had a weird past with meat, being a vegetarian for 6.5 years and a vegan for 2 years. I just recently, like literally 3 weeks before I left for Italy, began to eat meat again. I’m only doing farm raised organic, which is everything here. I’m glad I got to take part in this because it’s helping me understand, well, a lot. I apologize to all you readers, which hopefully there are some! But I just can’t describe this.
Well, tomorrow, when we have 30 PEOPLE for dinner, I don’t think anyone will appreciate our meal of agnello as much as Sarah, Giovanni, and I will.
As many of you already know, early last month, I went to the White House for the launch of the Chefs Move to Schools Initiative. On a day in June that felt more like August, approximately 600 chefs, cooks, and culinary instructors descended upon our nation’s capitol, toured the year-old garden and sweated through our “whites”. Much has been written on the event in the press and the blogosphere, mostly rah rah pieces just a breath away from puff, with an occasional tempered assessment. It was my intent to post on the event soon after my return, but a number of other commitments gave me a legitimate excuse for procrastination. Procrastination led to percolation and finally, I’ve gotten around to writing up my view, an unvarnished one of Chefs Move to Schools.
The Chefs Move to Schools program is part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s anti-obesity campaign. The Let’s Move campaign seeks to spread its fingers into society in several directions: early childhood, food deserts, physical activity, and, of course, schools.
The “Chefs Move to Schools” program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, intends to pair chefs with interested schools in their communities “so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools’ dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices.”
I had advance knowledge of the program from friend Rochelle Davis, executive director of Healthy Schools Campaign, who’d told me that Sam Kass wanted to create a chef corps for schools. So I was unsurprised to receive the email from Let’s Move announcing the program in early May. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to find myself invited to the launch.
Living dangerously, I flew in the morning of the event after a late night catering. My turbulent flight, canceled once, arrived at 9, only an hour prior to the opening of the gates. I was impressed by both the humility and humanity of Marcus Samuelson who waited patiently in line with the rest of us at the head of the long snaking line down the street.
Making it through security, two check points and some finely tuned metal detectors was a thrill. Being one of the first through the gates, I took a leisurely stroll through the garden. As the sea of white chef coats, dotted with a few pink, denim, and even a tie-dye one, rolled in, we were escorted to the orderly formation of seats in the hot sun of the south lawn.
Given that the sun was beating down on us, the presentation, thankfully, was brief. Chef Sam Kass provided an introduction to his East Wing boss. The first lady then presented an example of her view of a successful chef/school partner: Each of the two halves described their experience. After FLOTUS’ conclusory remarks, the event ended and we departed.
And this is where my story begins.
Obviously, given what I do, I am very supportive of the First Lady’s initiative. Childhood obesity, hell, obesity in general is a scourge that our country can’t seem to shake. The repercussions from this condition are wide-ranging – increased health care costs, decreased self-esteem, and just generally making us an unhealthy society. This being said, why am I not as gung ho about the Chefs Move to School program as many of the other blogging participants? I have a few concerns.
It’s been two month since the program was announced and a month after the launch and it still is not clear what it means for a chef to “adopt” a school. Are we looking at the Jamie Oliver-Food Revolution model or Alice Water’s Edible Schoolyard? How much time is a chef expected to volunteer? How will the schools and chefs be paired? How is the USDA recruiting schools? How does an initiative like this work in districts like Chicago, which is comprised of 100’s of schools?
Since signing up through the USDA website, I’ve only seen one email from the powers that be – one that passed along a request from Epicurious for chefs to demo at the Daley Plaza farmers’ market. It does seem that with all of the resources at the USDA’s and First Lady’s disposal, that we would have received some direction by now.
On the positive side, the lack of direction from the Let’s Move initiative on this program should allow individual schools, districts, and individual chefs to create programs that work best for their communities. But this does require more effort and time from the individual chefs, which leads me to my second concern.
Without a clear understanding of what it means to adopt a school, how can a chef make a firm commitment to participate in the program? The brief description found on the USDA’s website seems to imply that it would like chefs to both improve the food served in schools AND provide nutrition education. From my experience of working in the schools for the past 5 years, to do even one of these two would require a significant commitment of time and resources. It’s a pretty big ask even if funding were involved. But the USDA and the White House have requested that this all be done on a volunteer basis.
Chefs are a busy bunch. They work hard, long hours and it’s hard to believe that many would be able to fit in the many hours that Chefs Move to Schools really requires. From my research, it appears that the inspiration for this program came from Slow Food’s Edible Schoolyard and New York City’s Wellness in the Schools, both of which are sophisticated and well-funded. There are other models as well including Art Smith’s Common Threads and Gracie Cavnar’s Houston based Recipe for Success. I am hoping that when some direction comes from the White House/USDA, they recommend chefs seek out organizations like these in their communities, ones with the resources, connections, and institutional knowledge to help chefs effectively work in the schools.
Here in Chicago, we’re doing just that by co-convening a meeting with Share our Strength and Healthy Schools Campaign where participating chefs will learn about the new nutrition standards that will be in effect in the coming school year and CPS’ Go for the Gold partnership with Healthy Schools Campaign, to help individual schools meet the gold standard of the U.S. Healthier Schools Challenge. They’ll also hear from organizations, like mine, about working in the schools either as individuals or within the context of another entity. We don’t want to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm, but instead help translate that enthusiasm into effective action. I also hope that it will encourage some of the chefs to work in some of the more underserved communities, which leads me to my final concern.
The USDA has not stated how chefs will be partnered with schools. The website states that it will “pair chefs with interested chefs in their communities.” But what does a community make? In Chicago, is it the city or is a neighborhood? If the latter, from looking at the map, there will be plenty of chefs for the north side, but there are very, very few on the south and west, neighborhoods that coincide with the greatest need for nutritional assistance. Yet again, these communities will be underserved. Unless the USDA makes some attempt to equitably divide the resources of the Chefs Move to Schools, it will only serve to perpetuate social inequities.
On the subject of social justice, I was a bit surprised to see that the USDA has allowed private schools to sign up for the Chefs Move to School program, at least one of which in Chicago has a tuition that ranges from between $22,000 (for JK) to $35,000 for high school. When I posted an informal poll on my facebook page, many suggested that regardless of tuition, all kids should be taught good nutrition. Agreed. However, I do feel that private schools, especially one with ample resources, shouldn’t be looking for volunteers through this program. Certainly, if a chef has a personal connection to this school, the story is different. For example, I founded a wellness committee for my son’s school, another Chicago private school; nevertheless, I view that as fulfilling my volunteer commitment to his school, not as part of the Chefs Move to Schools. With close to 700 public schools in CPS, I feel strongly that the resources of Chefs Move to Schools should be used to support those schools, especially because the infrastructure of the program is supported by our tax dollars.
Obviously, the intent behind the Chefs Move to Schools – getting new creative ideas from food service professionals – is excellent. I’m sure with a little consideration of these concerns, the USDA, the White House, and individual communities can address them. So I ask you readers, how would you deal with my criticism of the program?
Summertime Market, Douglas, Michigan
If you’re like me this summer, you will find yourself camping, renting a cottage near a lake, or otherwise spending time in the relative wilds of idyllic, small-town Midwest America. In West Michigan, particularly, Saugatuck, Douglas, Fennville, Holland and South Haven, I’ve found that the opportunities for eating and drinking local, even on vacation, seem endless.
In fact, I think that it’s even easier to “eat local” in West Michigan than in Chicago – after all, it is the home base of many farms that serve the Green City Market and other Chicago-area markets. In Chicago, eating local mostly entails going to a farmer’s market on a designated day. But, in this part of Michigan, you can:
• Go to a farmer’s market
• Visit a roadside stand that sells produce
• Visit a winery
• Visit a fruit farm and pick your own fruit (or take advantage of the “we-pick” option at most fruit farms)
• Patronize restaurants that serve local food or drink
• Buy directly from a farm
Here is a truncated list of many local purveyors. There are many more.
Farmer’s Markets
Eighth Street Farmer’s Market (Downtown Holland)
Wednesday & Saturday, 8 am – 4 pm
May 12 – Nov. 27
Saturdays only, Nov. 28 – Dec. 11150 W. 8th Street
Holland, MI 494423
http://www.hollandfarmersmarket.com/
This is probably one of the larger markets in the area. In addition to produce, vendors sell bread, jam, flowers, cheese, eggs, and honey. In particular, it’s a great source for cheap canning produce. Look for (or ask) vendors if they have bushels (usually off to the side) of not-quite-perfect produce that they’re selling for cheap. For three years straight, I’ve sourced roma tomatoes for canning – at incredible prices – from the Eighth Street Market.
South Haven Farmer’s Market
Wednesdays and Saturdays, 8 am – 2 pm
546 Phoenix Street (in Huron Street parking lot behind Dyckman Park)
South Haven, MI
http://www.swmichiganfun.com/SHFM/home.html
Selling flowers, berries, seedlings, produce (conventional and organic), baked goods, jams, USDA beef and honey.
Fulton Street Farmer’s Market
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 8 am to 3 pm
May to Christmas
1147 E. Fulton Street
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 454-4118
http://www.fultonstreetmarket.org/
Providing locally grown produce since 1922. 100% certified homegrown produce. Also sells crafts, bread, meat, honey, flowers, maple syrup, eggs and prepared foods.
Roadside Stands/Berry Farms/U-Pick
45 acre berry farm with “U-Pick/We-Pick” berries and attached farm market featuring strawberries, red and black raspberries, blueberries, peaches, prepared foods (try their hot sauce) and some local vegetables, including peas.
Lyon’s Market
6831 124th Avenue (corner of Blue Star Highway & M-89, just off Exit 34 on I-196)
Fennville, MI 49408
(269) 543-4360
Seasonal fruit and vegetables (especially berries); Sherman’s ice cream
Dutch Farm Market
Open 7 days, 9 am – 6 pm
July 4 through Labor day, open 8 am – 7 pm
6967th 109th Street (I-196/109th Ave, Exit 26)
South Haven, MI 49490
(269) 637-8334
http://www.dutchfarmmarket.com/index.html
Seasonal fruit and vegetables (especially berries).
The Summertime Market
7 days, 9 am – 7 pm
176 Blue Star Highway (near the bridge)
Douglas, MI 49453
http://www.summertimemarket.com/
This is the Green Grocer of Saugatuck/Douglas/Fennville. True adherents to the eat-local philosophy, nothing is sourced from more than 30 miles away, and signs are posted near each product identifying the mileage from the source. In addition to produce, they sell Hilhof Dairy certified organic milk, Grassfield’s eggs & chickens, grass-fed beef, artisan cheese, including Evergreen Lane’s goat cheese (served in Chicago restaurants), Salt of the Earth breads (try the seedy salt version), Palazzolo’s gelato, bottled artesian water, beans, grains, pasta and canned goods — all local.
Krupka’s Blueberries
2647 68th St.
Fennville, 49408
Phone: (269) 857-4278
Email: ckrupka857@aol.com
When blueberries are in season, Krupka’s is a great place for U-pick.
Crane’s Orchards
See description under “Restaurants” section below.
Evergreen Lane Farm & Creamery
1824 66th St.
Fennville, MI 49408
(269) 543-9900
http://www.evergreenlanefarm.com/index.html
Tom & Cathy Halinski have been known for their organic apple orchards, but recently, they’ve become known for something wildly different — their artisanal goat cheese. Their goat cheese is made from the milk of LaMancha goats that are descended from a show line of goats celebrated for their outstanding dairy production. The two different products, though, create a symbiotic relationship on their farm, as the goats help to fertilize the orchards.
Vineyards and Winery
The approach to Fenn Valley down 64th Street from M-89 reveals what’s to come: patch after patch of sprawling land lined with vineyards. These vineyards, situated in wild grassy sections of land with verdant vines growing haphazardly, seem comfortable in their casual Midwestern setting, and immediately appear different from their upscale, perfectly-trimmed cousins in Napa. Located on a picturesque stretch of hills nestled in between orchards and a horse farm, Fenn Valley is worth a stop, especially to try winemaker Doug Welsch’s ice wine, cabaret rosé, and Edelzwicker (which is an Alsatian-style blend of white wines meant to be drunk young). As with most Michigan wineries, the tasting is free.
Fennville VineyardsRestaurants
Crane’s is nestled amongst the Crane family’s fruit farms, and includes a restaurant, takeout pie pantry, and “U-Pick” orchards. The restaurant – really best for breakfast – looks like a vintage apple storage facility and is filled with antique Americana knick-knacks. Kids love this place. The pie pantry is known for its fruit pies, but don’t miss the apple cider donuts and fresh baked apple butter bread. The orchards have a corn maze, in season, for kids. In the fall (Crane’s busiest season as the apples are a big U-pick attraction), there are hay rides as well.
Salt of the Earth
114 E. Main Street
Fennville, MI 49408
(269) 561-SALT
http://www.saltoftheearthfennville.com/
Salt of the Earth is located in the former space of the über-local and seasonal restaurant, The Journeyman, on M-89 in downtown Fennville. Salt of the Earth carries on The Journeyman’s mission, albeit in a less vigorous and more casual fashion. Pizzas still rule, as does anything prepared in the restaurant’s work horse, its wood-fired oven. Still a worthy place to eat, especially in that it gives local beer and wine their just due. Try the Bowers Harbor Semi-dry Riesling (or anything offered by Bowers Harbor on their wine list).
Everyday People Café
11 Center Street
Douglas, MI 49406
(269) 857-4940
http://www.everydaypeoplecafe.com/
If you’re vacationing in Douglas/Saugatuck/Fennville, it’s almost impossible not to eat at the always-packed “EPC.” Although best known for its casual fine dining, EPC’s best-kept secret is its varied, reasonably-priced wine list. Co-owner/chef Matt Balmer is a passionate and knowledgeable wine aficionado, and he puts a lot of effort into compiling his restaurant’s wine list. Although packed with inspired options from all over the world, Matt is known to twist the arms of some local wine producers and get them to release precious bottles for sale at EPC. Recently, that includes wine by Left Foot Charley, L. Mawby’s fantastic méthode champenoise sparkling wines, and rieslings by Bowers Harbor.
Buy Directly From A Farm
I hope you find the hidden gems of West Michigan to be as exciting as I do. If you visit and find anything worth sharing, such as a tiny roadside stand, more exotic produce farms (exotic from what’s usually sold at market), or meat and cheese producers that sell to the public (especially meat and cheese suppliers), please feel free to share with us here at the ‘Beet.
Editor’s Note: As market shoppers know, seasons can flow week to week. All that asparagus is pretty much gone. Those sour cherries or apricots here now will be fleeting. The primary season of canning tomatoes and putting away potatoes is far away; it does not mean you should not continue to make plans for eating local later. Our updated guide is below.
Even with our Market Locator on the fritz, we are sure you find markets this time of year. There are at least 100 markets within the Chicago area, and if you cannot make it to a market, you can find local food at Green Grocer Chicago, the Dill Pickle Co-op or Chicago’s Downtown Farmstand. Eat local now. Eat local later too. Here’s some ideas for having what’s in season now, then.
We present this early season guide for a couple of reasons. Firstly, mostly, it is never too soon to think about eating local later; it does not take years of locavorism to know that times go lean for long periods around here. Preserve food now to ensure you can continue to eat local. Secondly, and nearly as key, many of the early season foods take well to preserving. Not only do peas take well to freezing, it almost makes more sense to freeze your pea purchase as peas lose their vitality very quickly. And peas are not the only thing like that. We have listed below the mostly likely crops you will find in the market this time of year with our favorite methods for preservation. Note, our more detailed primer and resource for Making the Most of the Seasonal Bounty (which is geared more to late season actions) can be found here.
Peas
Freeze – Have your friends ever tasted a fresh shelled pea. It’s an advertisement for our lifestyle. We also know that there is plenty of value in freezing peas. As with most vegetables, the peas need to be blanched, or quickly cooked in boiled water, before freezing. Note, when we say peas, we mean shelling or English peas. You can find good success freezing sugar snap and snow peas, but since we like those type of peas best raw, we’d rather keep those around to eat now.
Radishes
Pickle – Crisp radishes take to pickles, and all sorts of cuisines have radish pickle recipes. You cannot go wrong with a “quick” pickle which can be little more than shredding plus salt and a few hours. We also love Korean style radish pickles with tons of hot pepper.
Strawberries
Freeze, jam, dry, booze - The first bountiful fruit of the season takes well to all methods of preservation, although we warn that frozen strawberries usually throw off a lot of liquid upon thawing. We also advise that if you dry strawberries you still store the finished product in the freezer for long distance. You can make many fine types of booze with your strawberries, especially if you have too many squashed ones. Leah Zeldes shows a good way to do it on LTHForum.
Rhubarb – UPDATE: At the start of July, rhubarb is mostly gone from the markets
Freeze – Melissa’s covered this one already
Salad Greens – UPDATE: At the start of July, the season for salad greens is waning as lettuces do not grow well in hot, hot weather. Get your greens now.
Stock/Soup – There can be a lot of lettuces or similar crops like rocket around this time of year. You may not get to as many salads as you want. Can anything be done with those browning leaves? We believe in making vegetable stock from your odds and ends, and things like lettuces can be just fine as stock builders. We also know, from the skilled hands of Chef Paul Virant at Vie, that lettuces make fine soups. You’ll make dreck if you freeze lettuce, but you’ll be pleased if you freeze lettuce soup.
Other Greens
Freeze – Since greens like kale, chard, turnip and mustard are rarely eat raw, freezing matters little to their use. A little blanching and there’s something for time ahead. Now, spinach you can make a salad, but it freezes well too.
Asparagus – UPDATE: Little asparagus left by July
Pickle – Michael informed us of the limitations of frozen asparagus. So, we advise finding a nice pickling recipe to extend the asparagus moment.
Kohlrabi
Store – I was not sure, without a CSA presently, if we’d have kohlrabi this season, but convinced by a good market price, we picked some up today. The best thing to do with a kohlrabi. Nothing. Actually, this bane of subscribers is much tastier than expected, one of the sweetest members of the cabbage family. We like kohlrabi raw and cooked. We just do not feel you need to be in a hurry to eat your kohlrabi. Kohlrabies will store for a very, very long time in your fridge. If the skins turn a little black, don’t worry because you peel it. Do not ignore kohlrabi. Just wait for the right moment.
Beets, carrots, turnips
Eat now – These are all root cellar fodder, but this is not the time of year to put these things down. It’s hard to find too much of a root cellar now, and the version of these crops out first deserve to be eaten as is.
Please share with us your efforts to eat local later. Also, let us know if we can help you make do for later.
New! – Cherries
Freeze – Since sour cherries are almost always used cooked, freezing matters little. The only question, pit now or pit on thaw.
New! – Apricots
Dry, fruit leather – The question really is, can you ever have enough apricots to put away. Our local crop is never huge because it’s a fragile endeavor for farmers. They’d rather put the land to use for peaches. Then, when those few apricots show up, they’re so delicious, who wants to forsake eating them. Apricots can be preserved many ways including jamming and the other ways peaches are preserved, but we all know that drying takes full advantage of apricot’s intense flavor. Unless you use sulfates, your home dried apricots will turn dark. So.
New! – Onions
Eat Now – More and more onions are coming into the markets, but summer onions are eat now onions. In fact, you should keep your summer onions in the fridge.
It’s time to bid farewell to spring. Rhubarb, strawberries, and asparagus are on their way out, blueberries, summer squash, and raspberry moving in their place. But before spring has vacated entirely, I’m going get some into my larder. I picked up two delicious looking pounds of asparagus in my first installment of Harvest Moon Farms CSA and I’ll think that I’ll make some more pickles.
I can’t claim the idea for adding chartreuse to my brine – that came from Sepia, used as a garnish in a delicious Bloody Mary enjoyed on Mother’s Day. However, since I don’t have access to Andrew Zimmerman’s recipe file, I had to come up with my own version, which will be a nice addition to our Father’s Day Bloody Marys. Not a drink for the little locavore, but it will make papa locavore rather happy.
1/3 cup Chartreuse
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 1/3 cups white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 sprigs tarragon
1 pound asparagus, trimmed to fit into the jar
Measure the first 5 ingredients into a saucepan. Heat until boiling and then simmer until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Sterilize the quart jar in boiling water for 10 minutes. While the jar is still hot, fit the asparagus stalks into it and add the tarragon. Pour over the pickling liquid and seal. Process in boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool in a relatively dark place. Use after 2 weeks.
Last month, we finished lambing season here at Rivendell Farm. It always happens in May. That’s because we let the rams and the ewes play together in December, and five months later, most of the ewes have produced twins. 
Most of the sheep on the farm are hybrids — primarily with varying amounts of Suffolk (with black faces) and Dorset (white-faced) breeds. But we also raise purebred Tunis sheep – a bit more on that later.
We pasture our sheep all year long – they run free, play with each other, and wander over a large field. We do finish them off on barley, which you can see growing in the background beyond the trees. On the farm here, we do our best to subscribe to organic principles, although we haven’t bothered to fill out the onerous paperwork to be certified organic.
This is a recently-shorn Tunis ewe with her newborns. Note her red face. Tunis is a rare breed (from Tunisia, hence the name), which some people say has a finer flavor than more common hybrid sheep. Diet can have an important impact on flavor, too, which is why our sheep are pastured on natural grass (and the sheep do a great job of adding their own natural fertilizer to the grass). The Tunis babies are reddish, but as they grow up, their fleece will turn white.
When it’s breeding time, we have to separate the Tunis ewes and ram from the others.
This ewe has given birth to two new lambs within an hour or so. That’s her water sac hanging out her rear. It’ll drop off shortly. But it won’t remain in the pasture long. That what the turkey vultures are for.
We used to overwinter all the sheep in the barn, but they do quite well out in the pasture all year ‘round. They have lots of grass to eat, and their heavy coats protect them from the chilly winter weather.
We had 179 lambs this year – more than we expected – about one for every 3/4 acre of our farm. We’ll let you know how they do as the summer moves on. 
This little guy, a Tunis, is about an hour old, and still wet. Mom wandered away as we got close for the photo, but she’ll be back to nurse him (or her) soon.
In several months, most of the lambs will be sent off for processing. We may save a few of the females, to replace some of our older ewes we’ll have to cull, who just aren’t functioning as well as mothers as they used to.
The ones we eat ourselves are processed by any of several local butchering places, all about 25 to 40 miles from here (Camden, Michigan). The ones that go into the commercial chain are processed at Wolverine Packing in Detroit.
So, that’s life on Rivendell Farm these days. The horses help plow the fields, the goats provide us with lots of milk, the solar panels provide us with lots of electricity, and the sheep seem happy. Life is good.
When our days were shorter, we still needed local food. We put together a list of Midwestern markets open during the fall and winter. As our days lengthen to its fullest, we can find our local food a lot closer. Still, it’s often worthwhile to get out and find your local food a little more away. As we noted last time, we travel for more food than found in our Chicago area markets, and we travel for foods not found in our markets at all.
Look especially for products not prevalent in Chicago markets:
We always enjoy getting out and about anyways. Why not make it a roadtrip for local food. You owe to your pantry.
Here are some places within driving distance where you find outstanding markets or shops focused on local foods, listed roughly in order of distance from downtown Chicago:
Elburn, IL – Depending where you live in the Chicago area, the Heritage Prairie Market in Elburn is hardly a roadtrip. Still, for me, once you cross Randall Road, you’re in the country, and that makes an outing here a road trip. Farm market open daily. You would think that the all the best brats come from Wisconsin, but there’s some pretty good ones in Elburn too at Ream’s.
Milwaukee, WI – There’s some keen farmer’s markets in Milwaukee. You can find the nifty Asian vegetables grown by Hmong farmers that you don’t see in Chicago area markets. One of our favorite neighborhoods in Milwaukee is Bay View on the South side, and one of the things we love best about this part of town is the South Shore Farmer’s Market right up against Lake Michigan. Another source for local foods in that part of town is Natural Outpost. They well-label their locavore ready stuff including these products.
South Bend, IN – In the stack of Local Beet articles never posted, is our compare and contrast between the South Bend Farmer’s Market and the American Countryside Market nearby in Elkhart, Indiana. For now, we’ll tell you that one of these is roadtrip worthy and the other one is in Elkhart. When you visit the South Bend market, make sure to save tummy room for the in-market diner.
Madison, WI – The Dane County Farmer’s Market is arguably the best farmer’s market in the USA, and is worth the trip for many reasons like cheese, cheese, and cheese, although there is so much more to the market. A lot of people, Local Family included love the spicy cheese bread. Wait, that’s more cheese…
Urbana, IL – We like our home state’s college town, although not quite as much as we love Wisconsin’s Madison, and we like the market at Urbana a lot, although not quite as much as we love Madison’s. If that’s seems like not a fully fair comparison, know that the Urbana market is pretty expansive. Since it’s in central Illinois, you’ll find produce from climates much warmer than Chicago (or Madison). Yes, you can have local English walnuts. The peaches are here a lot sooner.
New Glarus, WI – We never tire of the Brewery tour and tasting, but we also try to make time for the Swiss inspired sausages from Hoesly’s Meats.
Monroe, WI – We are willing to maintain local “ownership” of Roth Kase cheese even if the money these days now flows all the way to the Emmi Group in Lucerne. After all, we can still spy on the operations from the windows at the Alp and Dell Cheese shop. We find bargain prices for Roth Kase cheeses there too, but we also find bargain prices for many of area cheeses. Look especially to the freezer case for the best deals.
Paoli, WI – It does not take a long drive from downtown Madison to be in the sticks, and Paoli seems a lot further away from Madison than it really is. You’d also be surprised that this small town supports a shop dedicated to local foods. It is especially deep on local meats and fermented items.
Sheboygan, WI – Go for award winning brats.
Kalamazoo, MI – Roadfooders go to Kalamazoo for donuts and beer.
Detroit, MI – The whole Local Family finds Detroit surprisingly attractive to visit. There is the time machine quality to the place, and there is the entire Eastern Market complex. Added bonuses include low cost hotels (try Priceline) and some of the best Arabian food in the US. There’s even casinos. Saturday – 7 AM – 4 PM
Ann Arbor, MI – When we think foodie roadtrip, we think Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor. Do the Tour de Zing–visit the Roadhouse, Bakery, Creamery and Deli over the course of a day and you also get a T shirt. If you cannot bring home thousands of dollars worth of local goodies, you are not trying. Go also for Michigan grown dried beans. A good selection can be found at the Sparrow Market just around the bend from Zingermans. The Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market runs Saturdays 8 AM – 3 PM.
Two Rivers, WI – Local locavores should head here to see first hand, the operations filmed by MikeG’s SkyFullofBacon productions and get themselves some lake fish.
Toledo, OH – Stretching the definition of roadtrip, Toledo has Tony Packo’s dogs and pickles and a year round Saturday market. 9 – 1 PM
When you hear the restaurant name “The Signature Room at the 95th“, most people in the food business think about the phrase “tourist trap.” And it is no joke; we get a lot of tourists from around the block to across the globe. It is unlikely that the phrase “one of the largest restaurant buyers at the Green City Market” comes to mind. The reality is that you will find more locally grown fruits and vegetables in my ninety-five story kitchen than you will tourists in the dining room. After our first introduction, courtesy of my good friend Paul Virant at Vie Restaurant, Rob Gardner from The Local Beet inquired about how it is possible for us to plan and buy so much local produce.
As a chef, I have had the pleasure of a few incredible work experiences in Chicago. Call it the luck of the Irish, if you will, but I was a prep cook in kitchens that sourced local produce in the 1990’s – years before this practice was on the industry radar. Fortunately our local farmers grow great vegetables in conjunction with the all mighty and benevolent Mother Earth, a practice which has enabled them to sell a superior product. The Chef’s who source local will all agree that this produce looks better, tastes better and is often more affordable.
Now I have always been the type of guy who enjoys a visit to the outdoor market. Every week I would walk through the farmers market in Federal Plaza and pick up interesting stuff both for the sake of learning and cooking in my kitchen at home (I am a Printer’s Row resident). The items made with fresh, local ingredients tasted better than anything from a grocery; the carrots crunchier, the radishes more flavorful. So when I inherited my kitchen in the clouds six years ago, we immediately began to purchase directly from the farmers at the markets in the area. My goal was to provide a superior product to our diner. Regardless of whether or not they were having a side of whipped potatoes or a plate of mixed greens, it should be the best vegetable they had ever eaten. In my journey through the market that first season as banquet chef, I discovered that Green Acres Farm grew an incredible golden zucchini. The first ratatouille I made with that zucchini was phenomenal; the color popped a brilliant gold and was so dense and meaty that Anton Ego would have drooled over it. While everyone loved that ratatouille they didn’t see it again for a long time because Bruce Sherman at North Pond would buy every last zucchini from Green Acres hours before I could make it to the market each week.
Since I knew that I would never wake up earlier than Bruce, I had to call in reinforcements. Over the next few seasons I carpooled with Paul Virant, met as many farmers as humanly possible and earned some street credit at the market. Eventually, after we purchased produce for a few seasons to supplement the core menu and create monthly specials, the farmers and growers began to remember my face. I was welcomed each week by the voices of enthusiastic merchants looking to sell me the “best eggplant” and the “juciest apple.” On the day that I had to hail two cabs to transport my fruits and vegetables back to the Hancock building, I knew that I had made my mark.
I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to thank Paul Virant for the countless times he drove me back to work with my fresh market items (imagine two grown men in a RAV4 sandwiched between crates of squash and flats of fresh berries, and you will see why it is so important to show my gratitude). In the summer of 2007 I was promoted to Executive Chef of The Signature Room and immediately began contracting directly with the growers for more and more items. It was logistically smarter to quit hailing cabs twice a week and establish a regular delivery system. We presently purchase 100,000 pounds of fresh produce, meats and cheese from local farmers in a five state area.
And just in case you were wondering, I have earned some growing power with Green Acres for that highly coveted golden zucchini. In fact, when the summer squash are abundant in the market stalls, be on the lookout for Chef Pat’s Golden Eight Ball Zucchini grown only by Green Acres farms and bred especially for stuffing in a cheesy, 80’s kind of way. That right readers – with a little bit of dedication and 30,000 pounds of produce purchased annually, you too can have a squash named after you.
Grilled Michigan Asparagus (with asparagus bread and truffled egg salad)
The Signature Room at the 95th
John Hancock Center
Executive Chef Patrick Sheerin
Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, thinly sliced
20 spears asparagus, washed, peeled, stems removed
Ingredients for Asparagus Bread:
* Please allow 24-hours to prepare
¾ cup shredded asparagus bodies, cut off tips and discard
¼ cup spinach, wilted, sautéed
1 whole egg
1 Tbsp honey
½ cup canola oil
1 cup flour
1/16 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Method for Asparagus Bread:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place asparagus, wilted spinach, egg and honey in a blender. Puree until smooth, slowly add canola oil into the mix. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry and pour into a shallow greased and floured brownie pan. Bake approximately 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature, slice thin and let dry out in an oven with a pilot light overnight.
Ingredients for Truffled Egg Salad:
3 whole hard boiled farm eggs, peeled and minced
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp cup minced truffles
touch of black truffle oil
chives
salt and pepper
Method for Truffle Egg Salad:
Combine all ingredients and reserve for service
Ingredients for Truffle Vinaigrette:
5 whole shallots, roasted-soft
½ cup sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp black truffle peelings
4 oz black truffle juice
1 whole Portobello mushroom-gills from the underside only
1/16th tsp Zanthan gum (find at whole foods)
1 cup canola oil
¼ cup black truffle oil
Method for Truffle Vinaigrette:
Combine the shallots, sherry, truffle peelings, truffle juice and gills in a blender. Add the zanthan gum and drizzle in the canola and truffle oils to emulsify. The mixture should pour like a sauce.
Method for Service:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the 20 asparagus spears in the oven. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and warm for 4 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 degrees and place the bacon slices in the oven until dry and crispy.
Plating:
Spread egg salad on the bottom of the plate, place the bundle of asparagus on top and garnish with crispy bacon and asparagus bread crumbles.
Read more about Chef Sheerin and asparagus
Editor’s Note: Last year while mingling around various Chicago farmer’s markets, I learned that the markets happened from the generous support of Country Financial. That my locavore habits were underwritten by a downstate insurance company*, anxious to help their farm customers as well as bring their name more in focus in a recently re-entered Chicago market. Last year I talked with visitors to Chicago from San Francisco and Boston. Both commented on the quality and quantity of our markets. It takes a lot to make these markets happen, including some great dedicated staff. It also takes the financial backing of Country Financial. By stepping in with some backing, we can all enjoy a vigorous market scene.
I had never heard of Country’s financial support of the markets, nor did I even know that corporate sponsorship helped make the markets possible. I felt that if I did not know about Country’s sponsorship, others did not. And I thought others should know. I asked some people at Country if they would be willing to let the readers of the Local Beet know about their actions. They were happy to contribute this piece. Let us know if you have any questions on Country Financial’s market support, and we will be happy to try to address them.
The days have grown longer and sunshine brighter. Cyclists and seagulls have emerged from hibernation, and baseball fans await the Crosstown Classic—spring has officially come to Chicago, but the celebration isn’t complete without the kickoff of the Chicago Farmers Markets.
Beginning May 13 and running through October, the markets bring more than 70 vendors into the city. These local farmers sell fresh fruits, vegetables, bread, cheese and flowers in more than 20 neighborhoods.
This seasonal treat wouldn’t be possible without the support from Country Financial. The Country story began in Chicago in 1925. Imagine the city as an agricultural empire of food processing and shipping. It was here that Country first opened its doors to protect Illinois farmers from losses resulting from fire and lightening.
The seeds sowed that day continued to bear fruit. Since then, Country has become the No. 1 insurer of Illinois farmers and further deepened its connection with these men and women who feed the world.
In 1960, Country relocated downstate to Bloomington to better connect with its small town and suburban client base. However, the company’s ties to the city remained unbroken. Thanks to these firm roots, Country reaffirmed its windy city connection in 2007 by extending its insurance and financial services to Chicago residents.
When presented the opportunity by the Mayor’s Office of Special Events to sponsor the Chicago Farmers Markets, Country leapt at the chance. Here was an event unifying the company’s unique history by bringing together Chicagoans and neighborhood farmers. At the markets, Chicago residents can meet their farmers and purchase fresh, locally grown food directly from them.
“We have a history of supporting local farmers and giving back to the community. The Chicago Farmers Markets allow us to do both, which is amazing,” says Mike Fisher, Chicago District Director of Agency for Country. “Our financial representatives attend the markets, greet neighborhood residents and encourage them to support the dedicated vendors.”
As if delicious, locally grown produce wasn’t enticing enough, market patrons receive added benefits like a sustainable canvas bag to carry home their market treats each week. The bag is branded with the winning design from the annual Country bag design contest.
Standing-room-only crowds flock to Daley Plaza every August for the Country Chef Challenge. Celebrity chefs gather the market’s freshest ingredients, roll up their sleeves, and create simple, nutritious dishes in just 30 minutes. Shoppers not only can cheer on their favorite chef, but they also take home new recipes and techniques for turning their bagfuls of abundance into tasty, flavorful meals.
Country serves 1 million households throughout the United States including the farmers who feed the world. Through agriculture, its employees and Chicagoans alike share a common bond. Whenever they bite into a fresh apple or fill their cars with gas, they’re participating in agriculture. Nowhere is this bond stronger than at the Chicago Farmers Markets.
*Correction – We originally referred to Country as a bank. They are and insurance company, which provides financial services such as retirement planning, college education savings, trust management and investments. They are not a traditional bank in that they offer no saving/checking accounts.
Most of us recall the summer of 2009 as the summer that never was. With cool temperatures and lots of rain, it seemed more like an extended spring than a balmy summer. Many predicted that the unusually cold and rainy conditions would be catastrophic for the grape crop. In the upper Midwest, grapes need as much typical summer weather as possible to properly ripen (one of the many reasons why some think making wine in the Midwest is a futile endeavor best left to the insane). According to Tom Zabadal, grape specialist with Michigan State University Extension, Michigan’s wine grape crop endured the lowest number of “growing degree days” (days where the temperature is above a minimum threshold) in 14 years. Doug Welsch, winemaker for Fenn Valley Vineyards, described 2009 as “one of the most difficult years to grow wine . . .” Luckily for growers in Southwest Michigan and below, a warm fall extended the season and allowed growers to delay harvest as long as possible to take advantage of this additional unexpected heat.
Bottling wine at Chateau Grand Traverse/Photo by Steve Sadler
Now that many wineries have begun bottling their 2009 white wines, it is a good time to assess the effect of not-so-optimal weather on the 2009 vintage. Many wineries claim that the end-of-summer warm-up helped to edge these grapes to near-perfect ripening. A common word used to describe the 2009 vintage is “acidity” or “crispness, “ as many believe that cold conditions contributed to making a crisper, more acidic wine. Here is a round-up of wineries that have released their 2009 white wines and the reports on the effect of the growing season on these wines:
Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar (Fennville, MI) reports that colder-than-normal conditions were a challenge in 2009. Winemaker Doug Welsch said that one bright spot to 2009 was the sunny and warm weather in late August and most of September, which allowed Pinots, Chardonnay and Riesling grape varieties to ripen in near perfect conditions. These warm ripening conditions developed the fruit character to its full potential, resulting in wines with robust varietal fruit character and slightly higher acidity. Despite the cool growing season, Fenn Valley, located in relatively warmer Southwest Michigan, is optimistic about their red wines. The extended warm weather throughout the fall allowed them to delay harvesting many red varietals until early November. As a result, Fenn Valley believes that their red wines have more color and complexity than those of the last two vintages. It has released its Edelzwicker, a white blend of 60% Traminette and 40% Riesling, “True” Chardonnay, which is entirely fermented in stainless steel and has seen no oak, and Pinot Grigio.
2 Lads (Traverse City, MI) released its ‘09 Riesling, Pinot Grigio and Rosé of Cabernet Franc. 2 Lads echoes Fenn Valley, noting that their 2009 season white wines offer crisp, fresh acidity with lovely fruit and floral notes.
Chateau Chantal (Traverse City, MI) has bottled its 2009 Select Harvest Gewurztraminer, and completed its Riesling trials (the process by which they blend Riesling from different vineyards to create the Riesling that they believe best characterizes their wine). The Detroit News has reviewed Chateau Chantal’s 2009 Pinot Grigio, and noted that it is “crisp and dry and packed with fruit,” and “breathed a sigh of relief that the infamous, cold 2009 vintage was not a total bust for Michigan.”
Left Foot Charley (Traverse City, MI) released its 2009 Pinot Grigio, Murmur (semi-dry blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, and Traminette) & Rosé wines.
The 2009 Pinot Grigio bottled by Bowers Harbor (Traverse City, MI) was recently named “Wine of the Week” by Detroit News. Despite the “trying” “cold and rainy” 2009 growing season, it was reviewed as tasting deliciously crisp, showing mandarin orange, grapefruit, lime and pineapple on the mid-palate. It was recommended that the wine be paired with seafood.
Black Star Farms (Suttons Bay, MI) just finished bottling its 2009 Sur Lie Chardonnay. Black Star describes 2009 as a “good growing” season, and say that this non-oaked chardonnay is medium-bodied with lots of ripe pear, apple and citrus.
Despite early angst that the 2009 growing season would produce less and lesser wine, it appears that it will be a great vintage for zippy whites. Some wineries, like Fenn Valley, have held pre-release tastings of the 2009 wines. Have you tried the 2009 vintage yet? Have you spotted any of these wines in Chicago? If so, please post here!
