Farmers Market Preview

Farmers market season is right around the corner and my new commitment to working fresh veg and fruit will likely flourish or falter on the strength of the local markets. Thankfully the growing season is off to a splendid start. I did a little piece on the Spoonriver event for the Mill City Market and the outlook is simply delicious. Brief report here.

2009 Best of: Farmers Markets

The local/sustainable/thoughtful/slow food movement is in full swing and Minnesota is enjoying many of the benefits. Farmers markets are popping up all over and local food artisans seem to be gaining more an more notoriety with each passing season. It's tough to read a menu in this town without a local producer listed, and that's great, but nothing beats going straight to the source and cooking something for yourself.

The Winner: Kingfield Farmers Market

This may be one of the smaller markets in the area, but the produce and provisions are stunning. The folks that run the market bring in some nice entertainment, events and speakers and the variety of goods is awesome. You can pick up some choice produce, awesome sauces, jams and salsas as well as premium meats, cheeses and eggs. They have a little something for everyone, and the small neighborhood vibe is well represented. Plus those killer cooks from the Chef Shack are always there, providing an ideal and inventive bite to eat with less of a wait then I've observed at the also excellent Mill City Farmers Market.

Runner Up: Your Local Farmer

Nothing makes me happier then stopping by the farms on the way home from my cabin in the summer. I get to meet the folks that work so hard to produce such tasty wares and can stock up on a range of goodies including local cheese, produce, herbs and sustainably raised meat. It just sounds/feels so much better than a crowded grocery store, doesn't it?

Mill City Farmers Market: Short on produce, but still awesome

I think any farmers market, and what they stand for (local produce, sustainable practices, supporting local businesses) is awesome, but the Mill City farmers market may be the very best in the state. 

The variety of sellers and the setting are second to none. I love the idea of locally produced foods for sale in the shadow of the Guthrie. I think it's a symbol of how far the local food movement is reaching. The market made its chilly debut on May 9th and even though few sellers had produce (some good looking greens, awesome asparagus, a whole pile of fiddle heads and some good lookin' ramps) there were still lots of other great items for sale. I dare you to try and find a better gathering of local crafts, meats (including yak and rabbit!), cheeses, art and baked goods (the tarts looked awesome) in a single setting. It's the perfect spot on a Saturday to gather a great breakfast, a hot cup of coffee and all the goods needed for a killer meal.

The people who come here to sell their goods simply could not be nicer or more knowledgeable and the diversity of products is simply amazing, even this early in the season. I'll start heading up to the cabin pretty much every weekend for the majority of the growing season, so I'm glad I made it out to the opening. I was even able to buy some nice heirloom tomato starters and all the necessities for a gorgeous Mother's day feast to celebrate the woman who taught me how to love and appreciate food. 

In addition to finding some new suppliers, I was able to work in a second trip to the chef shack and finally got my hands on some fresh, flavorful and truly unique tongue tacos. The tongue was surprisingly tender, and tasted like nothing I've ever experienced - there really is no comparison. The generous piles of flavorful salsa, plump avocado and fresh cheese really rounded out what was probably the most interesting snack I've ever encountered. I doubt I'll make it a regular part of my diet, but part of the reason I love food is for the adventure. 

If you're looking to hit the shack this summer I suggest getting there early as the demand for those darn-good donuts would have given the KFC free chicken fiasco lines a run for the money, but honestly, they're wroth the wait. My mom was also nice enough to share her Thousand Hills All-Beef Hot Dog. All you need to do to this dog is slather a bit of their grainy mustard (they have a really good looking apricot and ramp mustard too!) and bacon ketchup on the perfectly toasted bun and you have an awesome snack.

Be sure to check out this market and all the other fabulous food-based fun in Minnesota, and don't forget to support our local farmers and all their great practices.

Happy Eating!

-Teddy

Warm Weather and Good Food

There simply isn't a better combination then a nice warm night and good old outdoor dinning.

Let's face it, it's been far too long since we've been able to enjoy either. Given that void, I got real excited when I read that the Chef Shack would be making its first appearance of the year at Urban Bean. Then I noticed that there was suddenly a lot of banter about the lack of street food in MN. Over the course of this week, the temperature started to rise and so did the amount of news about this event. It was the perfect storm for an awesome kick-off to summer. The combination of blog buzz, good food, warm weather, and free PRB was compelling enough to get me off my arse and out of work at the stroke of 5 to take it in.

I showed up at Urban Bean around 5:25 and the patio was already rocking. The fact that the weather was perfect seemed a good enough draw, and I was excited to enjoy my first dose of summer. There was a good line around the shack as people lined up for their Thousand Hills burgers. The sweet perfume of the coals and caramelizing beef was completely captivating, causing me to pause for a brief moment to take it in. Despite the allure, I was in the mood for something else. "Got any tongue tacos?" I asked with nervous uncertainty. The answer was a very unfortunate "no," but the disappointment was forgotten once I saw pulled pork on the board. They had a sandwich ready to roll and I gladly forked over my 7 bones - a small price to pay for some seasonal satisfaction

I make pulled pork quite a bit and I love the stuff. The chef shack's version is no slouch. The flavors are subtle enough to still appreciate the purity of the tender pork, but it also has a craveable brine-y BBQ quality that makes it totally addictive. They pile on a gingery-pickled cabbage - a serious twist on slaw - that is so deeply purple it could easily make Prince appear muted. The slaw is spiked with raisins offering a layer of sweetness that make this sandwich truly unique. Finally, a nice grilled bun offerd a final much-anticipated summer accent.

One of the best parts about eating at the shack are their kick-ass condiments. Homemade ketchup, kraut, hot pepper sauce and a number of other specially prepared options really rasie the bar. I simply threw on some sport peppers and razor thin pickles before I started in on my little summer retreat. It all went too fast, but it's hard to control yourself as you try and make up for the time lost cooped up inside all year. Thankfully the shack will make the rounds at the Mill City and Kingfield markets during the growing season. My grill will be in full effect to fill in the voids, but I still need to get my hands on some of those tacos - and those darn doughnuts!
Side note - really impressed with the crowd tonight. It's good to see all the spirited Minnesotans out to support such a fun food experience. It's awesome that everyone rallies around the people and things they enjoy given the harshness of the economic climate right now. If nothing else a nice night out with friends offers a nice temporary reprieve.

Happy Eating,

-Teddy