Hen of the Woods & Other Finds, OP Farmers' Market

Hen of the Woods & Other Finds, OP Farmers' Market

Cruising the Oak Park Farmers' Market last Saturday, I stopped fast at Hardin’s when I spotted this:



That’s a big damn bag of mushrooms for $8.00. I’m guessing maybe 14 oz or more.

Now, I usually get my wild 'shrooms from this Justin Wilson-looking dude who sets up at Nichols:



And he had some nice-looking Hens, too...



..., but at a buck an ounce, there was no contest – I headed back to Hardin’s (this grower, who also sets up at Green City, has no signage; at OP, he’s on the inner ring, southeast corner):

Back home with my big bag of fungi, I immediately broke them up, brushed them off, and cooked them in some Irish butter:



With some Red Hen rye and Macintosh apples from Stibbe’s, a fine Fall breakfast. The mushrooms had a toothsome, almost seafood-like consistency, not the least bit rubbery (though they may appear to be so), with lots of musty, woody notes:



In addition to finding these excellent mushrooms at the market, I also had the pleasant surprise of running into Bridgestone and his Swedophone kiddies, fresh from breakfast with MikeG and spawn at Depot Diner:



Unrelated to food, later that day I “discovered” this cool old Fritz Langy/Art Deco nuclear accelerator on the Elmhurst college campus. Check out the scram switch in the washroom of the place – to alert employees of imminent nuclear meltdown.





Overall, a day of exciting finds.

Hammond

When does the farmer's market peter out there? We are moving to Oak Park next week. (We've been away from Chicago for about 12 years!)

teatpuller wrote:When does the farmer's market peter out there? We are moving to Oak Park next week. (We've been away from Chicago for about 12 years!)

Last market day is Oct 27: http://www.oak-park.us/farmersmarket/

Are you a dairy farmer?

David Hammond wrote:

teatpuller wrote:When does the farmer's market peter out there? We are moving to Oak Park next week. (We've been away from Chicago for about 12 years!)

Last market day is Oct 27: http://www.oak-park.us/farmersmarket/

Are you a dairy farmer?

I was, for a little while.

Very excited to see Sitka Salmon Shares at the Oak Park farmers market this morning!

Oh, and if you go by today get a gruyere and prosciutto croissant from the vendor on the south side - amazing!