I love to attend farmers' markets all over the Chicago area during this time of year. It's so lovely to walk around basking in the sight of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy, artisanal and baking products. The farmers' market also makes for a great family activity. I especially enjoy the Evanston Farmer’s Market, which happens Saturdays through November 7th from 7:30am to 1pm.
Bright and early on any given Saturday morning, my friend and I drive to Evanston (the parking is free and well organized for those who drive). I like to be there early to catch the flower vendors as fresh flowers are a great way to brighten any room. There is a good variety of vendors with the best seasonal items: pumpkins, squashes, leeks, cauliflowers, mushrooms, homemade jams, and many other goodies. Bennison’s Bakery has a great selection of bread. I’m a big fan of their seasonal apple sourdough which goes so well with jam.
Cauliflower, in its many varieties, can easily be roasted with bacon and butter for a delicious side dish.
I love to make soup out of leeks.
Of course, it's squash season right now. My favorite is the delicata squash because the skin is edible, and it has a similar flavor to a sweet potato.
If you tend to shy away from squash because you aren't sure how to cut it, look into The Chopping Block's Knife Skills Plus class which covers hard-to-cut fruits and vegetables such as butternut squash, pineapple, leeks, mango, tomatoes, oranges and avocadoes.
You'll also find pumpkins at local markets right now. These can be roasted in the oven and used as a side dish for chicken or with your choice of game meat such as roasted quail or wild boar. Of course, don't throw out the pumpkin seeds! Those can roasted with a little oil and seasoning for a snack.
There are many ways to preserve the goodness at the farmers' market right now for months to come, such as pickling. Many vegetables such as cauliflower and fennel can be pickled and enjoyed on sandwiches or burgers. Homemade pickles give your dish that extra pizazz!
If you don't know how to pickle, here's a quick recipe to try. It's from our Mix and Mingle grilling class that we hosted on our Lincoln Square patio this summer.
Pickled Fennel
2 cups rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
zest of one lemon
zest of one orange
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
- Place the vinegar, sugar, salt, citrus zest, chilli flakes and peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- Place the sliced fennel in a large bowl. Pour the hot brine over the fennel and place in the refrigerator.
- Allow to pickle for about 2 hours and up to a month in the refrigerator.
Want to learn more about the ingredients you find at your local farmers' market? Peruse our class calendar which is full of seasonal offerings to get some farmers' market inspiration.
