Madelyn goes to market

sometimes i get stuck in my northwest-side-of-chicago bubble and forget what a different world it can be south of roosevelt. last month, i visited two farmers markets on the south shore. i was reminded that as nice as it is to have so many farmers markets nearby on the north side, this exercise in trying to visit as many markets as possible has really shown me so much more about chicago.

my first south side attempt was to the lawndale farmers market. my handy guide said that this market wouldn’t end until the october 15 but there were no stands to be found anywhere in the vicinity of ogden and central park ave. so, i moved on.

next stop – south shore farmers market on jeffery blvd. this trip turned out to be a cultural experience in and of itself. this was not your typical farmers markets full of yuppies or hippies. it was a market to provide affordable produce to people in the area. they were giant bags of potatoes and apples and greens of every kind… mustard green, chard, collard greens, turnip greens, beet greens. in hindsight i wish i would have picked up a few kinds to do a green tasting or something, but i left with a single butternut squash for a meal i was making for my parents who were in town that weekend. maybe next year i’ll learn. i will, however, share the recipe i made for the dinner with my parents because it’s a great fall dish that i’ve made several times. it’s a little time consuming for a salad, but it’s hearty and has always been a crowd pleaser. i can’t take credit for the recipe… it’s from gourmet and it’s delicious. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Warm-Pumpkin-Salad-with-Polenta-and-Candied-Pumpkin-Seeds-105581

the next day, i went with my dear friend, anitra, to the hyde park farmers market which stood in stark contrast to the south shore market. this had so many high-quality, artisanal booths. it gave me so many ideas for dishes to try. there were tons of apples and apple cider, beautiful eggplant varieties (see pics below), a mushroom vendor with oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, trumpets and many others. there were also several bakeries that made wonderful pastries and breads. i left with a jug of apple cider also for dinner with my parents. i was on a kick to make apple cider sorbet that tastes as good as black dog’s, so this would be my first attempt. it turned out pretty well and was super easy… but of course, not nearly as flavorful as black dog’s version. below is the recipe i used.

visiting a few of the south side farmers markets was well worth the trip. if you’re looking for cheap, fresh produce go to the south shore market and for high-end, artisanal produce, hyde park is fabulous.

apple cider sorbet
ingredients:
6 cups unpasteurized apple cider
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons strained fresh lemon juice

directions:
in a large saucepan combine the cider, the sugar, and a pinch of salt and boil the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to about 4 cups. stir in the lemon juice, strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and chill it, covered, until it is cold. Freeze the mixture in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

South Shore Farmers Market
location: 7045 S. Jeffery Blvd.
hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, June thru October

Hyde Park Farmers Market
location: S. Harper Ave. & E. 52nd Pl.
hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, June thru October