Is there anything more delicious than a warm, sunny day...the kind with puffy, white clouds and a slight breeze to cut the heat? I would have to say that today was made much more enjoyable thanks to my lunchtime trip to the Farmer's Market.
A colleague and I snaked our way through tall buildings and stoplight crossings, under the L tracks, to the center of the Loop and the Farmer's Market they hold for downtown workers, etc. at Daly Plaza in Chicago. It is hilarious to experience the juxtaposition of the construction noise, the police officers directing traffic, the hard and cold building facades, and the professionally attired (and somewhat sweaty) women and men browsing the farm stands, meandering through the flower and herb displays, tasting cheeses and honey and cherries driven into the city, early in the morning, by the dedicated (and also sweaty) farmers, their children, and their employees.
I just took a bite of my first fresh apricot of the season. It's sweet and tart and dripping with juice. YUM! It tastes just like summer. Today I also picked up blackberries and raspberries and cherries and peaches...and a lone cucumber. We'll enjoy these until Sunday, when we'll start the process all over again at our neighborhood's much smaller, intimate and laid-back market, aptly named the Wicker Park Farmer's Market. On Sunday I'll get freshly baked scones and just-picked baby lettuces, and organic cauliflower and carrots of many colors, and some raspberry vinegar and fresh mushrooms and maybe a bouquet that includes snapdragons and sunflowers. And whatever else looks good and helps me feel connected to the land outside the city. It all tastes amazing, and it changes every week.
Being a Sweet means appreciating the flavors of summer, as fleeting as they are.
