Theme Day: Green

Today is Theme Day on City Daily Photo and the theme, voted on by the CDP members, is GREEN.

Here are all things green from my farmers markets this past week: Cucumber, Fava Beans, Garlic Scapes, Kohlrabi, Mustard Greens, Sugar Snap Peas, Basil, Marjoram, Sage, Tarragon.

So many shades, so many flavors, so good.

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From Near Not Far

Love the Farmer's Markets!

After a rough Spring, things are finally starting to pop at the markets. Strawberries, Asparagus, early Cherries, Asparagus, Spring Onions, Asparagus, Rhubarb, Peas, and lots of greens. I'm one of the lucky ones in that - except for Mondays and Fridays - I can hit a market every day of the week between June and October. Many of them, including the Logan Square Market, go all winter now as well.

So there's really no reason for you to NOT Eat Your Veggies. (Although you can eat your chicken, pork, turkey, elk, beef, fish, lamb, goat, cheese, breads, tofu, eggs, all from the market, too!)

Market Reflections

Most of the farmers' markets are ending this week. A few - Green City and Logan Square - move indoors for the winter. This is the Tuesday Federal Plaza Market, as reflected in the nearby Post Office.

What's in Season?

Leave it those Nichols guys to get all artistic with the way they stack the sweet corn at the Green City Market. One of the guys said that it was supposed to entice people over to their stand. When I told him that I felt guilty buying the corn since it ruined up the design, he said he was going to go mess up the stack. I certainly didn't feel guilty buying the corn after getting it home and seeing the beautiful gold and white kernals (this is bi-color corn). And it's very sweet!

What's in Season?

Sometime in the last week, the farmers' markets burst into rainbows. This is just a small sample of my options at the markets.

I love how the colors of produce change with the seasons. In early Spring, there's a lot of green (asparagus, leeks, spinach, lettuce, young garlic). Later in Spring, a little color starts creeping in with radishes, rhubarb and strawberries. Then Summer hits and the colors go wild. A lot of the farmers grow heirloom varieties so we get things like purple carrots, blue potatoes and yellow beets.

The berries are starting to come in, too, now: blueberries, cherries, raspberries. Those are more difficult to take a photo of, though. They seem to disappear before I get my camera set-up. ;)

What's in Season?

Strawberries!

Actually they've been at the farmers' markets for about two weeks now. But they are just getting sweeter as the season progresses. There are almost 100 common strawberry varieties and probably more hybrid varieties. Each have their own flavor, season, and shape. The farmers are all great about letting you know which ones are sweet and which ones are tart, all you have to do is ask.

It's great to have fruit back at the markets. Soon we'll have blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Can't wait!

What's in Season?

The Farmers' Markets are in season now. I'm lucky, between the Green City Market and the City of Chicago Farmers Markets, I can go to a market for fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, cheese, and baked goods every day except Monday and Friday. It's still early so the fruit is still a little ways off. But after months of root vegetables, we're being rewarded with asparagus, morel mushrooms, and leeks galore (a perfect springtime feast). We get both green and purple asparagus (purple is a little sweeter) and I love it steamed, grilled, and just raw.