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Green City Market: A Routine Visit Before Thursday's Mega-Event
Last Reminder for the Chef BBQ Includes the Extraordinary Food and Bev Lineup
A quick recap of my Green City Market visit on Saturday (September 5), as the non-profit local food organization prepares for its big blowout — the Chef BBQ fundraiser — which is coming up this Thursday (September 10).
We are still in the summer part of September, and the market photos reflect that it is still mostly peak season with a few signs of the transition toward fall.
The above photo, taken at the stand of Wholesome Harvest (Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin), shows that we are still in the midst of a bountiful heirloom field tomato season.
There are also tons of season fruit, such as these melons at the stand of Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois)...
... and summer with a hint of early fall at the stand of Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan).
And my market haul...
Cantaloupe and watermelon from Nichols... pasture-raised ground beef and eggs from Finn's Ranch (Buchanan, Michigan).... blueberries from Ellis... a superb black rye bread from Dorothy's Bakery (Chicago)... and cherry tomatoes from Wholesome Harvest.
If you missed Saturday's market, Green City in Lincoln Park has its regular opening this Wednesday (September 9) from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m... and then...
THE MAIN EVENT!
I've been a regular at Green City Market's Chef BBQ for several years, and I am always happy to promote it because it is simply the biggest and best outdoor chef-driven tasting event in Chicago. And if you aren't a meat eater, don't be put off... you can eat your fill just on the vegetarian dishes that will be on display.
But if you are sitting on the fence about buying a ticket, first check out the weather forecast for Thursday: Mostly clear, 2% chance of precipitation, high in the upper 70s (multiple weather sites concur).
But more important, the following is the list of food and beverage providers. It includes some of the region's most-esteemed restaurants and, in many cases, a rare opportunity to say hi to some of the area's best-loved chefs.
According to the organizers, "Every ticket purchased supports Green City Market's year-round work to strengthen local food systems, support sustainable farmers, educate our community, and expand access to locally grown food."
The following are borrowed from Green City Market's Instagram, because it would have taken too long to type all of these out:
BTW, for most of its history, Green City's Chef BBQ was held in July, and I swear it was, invariably, the hottest and most humid day of the year (not to mention the time when it was swamped by a lengthy summer downpour). It was first moved to September out of necessity: It had to be canceled in 2020 because of COVID, and the pandemic lingered long enough that a July event couldn't be planned. Fortunately, the first September BBQ was on a gorgeous evening, and it has been held then ever since — something for which many of us will be eternally grateful.
If you do go, look for an old guy running around with a camera. There's a pretty good chance that it will be me.
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