Summer ends and fall begins and it’s high time I said a few good words about our terrific Oak Park Farmers’ Market. I’ve had loads of fun at the market this season, sampling an incredible selection of locally grown heirloom tomatoes, binging on some of the sweetest, juiciest peaches I’ve had in years, and gorging on perhaps too many scrumptious muskmelons.
I’m happy to say that so far this year, I haven’t missed one single Saturday, which means I was there right at the beginning for those incredible Japanese (Kabura) turnips from Sandhill Organics, where my good friends Matt and Peg Sheaffer consistently grow some of the most beautiful vegetables you can imagine. Gorgeous beets in a variety of colors, a stunning selection of tomatoes, and an altogether incredible array of unusual items are not to be missed. Best of all I’m assured by Matt that a second harvest of those wonderful turnips should be ready in another week or two.
Of course, I have to mention Nichol’s Farm which has been at our market for as long as I can remember. Here, too, you can always count on an enormous selection of items, striking to behold, whether it’s strawberries in the spring, tomatoes at summer’s end, or the dazzling selection of potatoes, as well as apples, which are available right now. And if there’s any left, be sure to stock up on the Italian easy-peel (and mild) garlic. It’s my all-time favorite, and you won’t be able to find garlic like this at the grocery store. There’s none better.
Did I say apples? It’s Honeycrisp time! And if you haven’t tried one of these incredible apples yet, it’s the perfect time and reason to get to the Farmers’ Market and awaken your senses. And that’s just what Honeycrisps do. And I don’t use the word “incredible” loosely. Developed from a cross between a Macoun apple and a Honeygold by University of Minnesota researchers in 1960, Honeycrisp apples were introduced commercially in 1991 and are fast becoming the most adored and desired apple in the world. Known for their explosive, clean crispness and pure, sweet-tart taste, together with a mouth-watering juiciness and firm texture, Honeycrisps have the remarkable ability to keep in your refrigerator for up to six months with no apparent loss of its outstanding qualities.
In the inaugural edition of the Better World Report, published by the Association of University Technology Managers, a nonprofit group dedicated to bringing academic research to people around the world, the Honeycrisp was named, along with the V-Chip, the Habitrol nicotine patch, and even Google, as one of the “25 Innovations That Changed the World.” The report credits the Honeycrisp “with almost magical properties that marries sweetness sought by some and tartness touted by others, described as “explosively crisp,” with flavor and texture that preserve well over time. On May 24, 2006, Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed legislation designating the Honeycrisp apple as the official state fruit of Minnesota.
The Oak Park Farmers’ Market is located at Lake Street and Elmwood Avenue and will be open Saturdays from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. thru Oct. 28. You still have six weeks left. Bite into an explosive Honeycrisp, and awaken your senses.