Green City Market vs Evanston Farmers Market.

Any thoughts on which is the one to go to if you can only go to one. Or is another one even better? Living way out in the northwest burbs, farmers markets pretty much suck.

Evanston, I suppose, though it's not nearly as good as it was just a couple of years ago, before the standards were regrettably relaxed. At least the parking is cheaper.

If you have time, though, you'd be best advised to go up to Madison WI and visit the absolutely fabulous Dane County Farmers Market, proclaimed by Saveur Magazine to be one of the best in the world.

Hi- I don't think Evanston has gotten worse. They have just gotten larger, and have a lot of gluten free stuff and baked goods that they did not have before. I like the fact that Henry and his sister were allowed to move to a more convenient spot. It seems though that there are a few people that are missing this year, and in particular the family from Indiana that was at the end over near where Henry is now, and they used to have watermelon and corn and a bunch of other veggies. This year I do not have as much time to spend there though, and it could be that I have just missed them. All my favorites are still there though, including Henry and Nichols, Koenigshof's, Kublick's, Seedlings and John First. There are a few other ones that I buy from occasionally too.

Last year was difficult for most of the fruit growers, because the crop for all the tree fruit was so small. There were farmers there that had to purchase fruit from other farms because they froze out, and I think the market manager looked the other way because of the extenuating circumstances. This summer there is supposed to be a large crop of everything, and so prices should be lower too.

I've always wanted to check out Green City Market, but parking there is a pain in the but, and if I have the time, I can walk to the Evanston one, and parking there is free too. BTW- For people that have not been to the Evanston market yet this summer, they are not allowing you to park in that empty lot off Emerson. They have a towaway sign, and last Saturday I saw the infamous Lincoln towing making the rounds. Hope this helps, Nancy

I cannot compare the two a I don't go to the Green City, which is just too much of a hassle to get to from the suburbs.
However, I think Evanston is as great as ever. True, they have more stands making food to eat while you're there, which is of no interest to me, but all the farm vendors are there. Evanston is particularly strong with several local vendors of meat, and lots of people selling fresh eggs. You can get fresh butter and lot's of unusual stuff. Lot's or organic and lot's of very obscure fruits and vegetables. Last week one stand had currents and gooseberrys. Perhaps on the only weakness is the lack of some high quality cheese vendors, although I do get a fresh mozzarella there that I love.

Jonah

Jonah wrote:Perhaps on the only weakness is the lack of some high quality cheese vendors, although I do get a fresh mozzarella there that I love.

Isn't Brucknow at the Evanston farmer's market? They have some excellent aged cheeses.

Regarding parking at GCM, one-hour parking is only $5 if you arrive before 9am. Their website says this is valid on Wednesday, but it's also valid on Saturdays. Do not park illegally around the market since your chances of getting ticketed (and perhaps towed) are very high.

Hi- Yes Brucknow is there. Here is a list of the current vendors supplied by the city.

http://www.cityofevanston.org/evanston- ... t/vendors/

It looks like the vendor from Indiana that I just asked about that sold a lot of corn and melons, and was in the back near where Henry is now did not return this summer. BTW- The free canning classes being taught at the downtown market this summer, are being taught by the market manager. Has anybody been to one of these classes? They are held every Saturday at 9:00 and 11:00 at the downtown market. I got an email when this was first announced that they were looking for canning experts to help with some of the classes. I emailed the market manager, and encouraged her to post over here, and that maybe she would get some volunteers, and she never did. I haven't been able to attend any of the workshops because I have to be somewhere at 9:00 every Saturday morning, and so I have to do speed work when I visit the market. Hope this helps, Nancy

Thanks for the tip on Brunkow. I assumed they were pretty just there for the cheese that you can fry.

Jonah wrote:Thanks for the tip on Brunkow. I assumed they were pretty just there for the cheese that you can fry.

As a one-time thing, we got some unpasteurized aged cheddar from Brunkow in our Genesis Growers CSA box a few weeks ago and it was excellent. I was surprised by how good it was because I'd only had their fried/fryable cheese and didn't know what else they made.

=R=

I really enjoy both markets. I don't enjoy the price of parking at the Green City Market, the discounted Saturday parking is still $10. I have found on Wednesdays, when it is a great deal less busy, I park my car on the street and put my flashers on, which you see chefs doing too. I have been doing this for years, and have never received a ticket, not to make any promises for you. Also, for lunch on Saturdays the Green City market has so many more options. The Becker Lane porchetta sandwich rivals the best of any restaurant in the city. They also have potato chips cooked in bacon fat, and sometimes bacon cookies too, which are amazing. At the Evanston farmers market, I find that the flowers I buy from the vendor there keep at least twice as long as the flowers I buy at GCM.

Hi- I am sure that it is way out of your way, but the Oak Park farmer's market is supposed to be fantastic too. As far as markets in the NW suburbs, avoid any of the French markets. I have been to the Skokie market on Sunday's, the Glenwood market also on Sunday's, the Northfield market. the Ravinia market, the Wilmette market and the Glencoe market, and none of them compare to Evanston. If I had to pick a second choice out of the ones that I have visited, I would pick Northfield. I have not been there in a few years, but the Lions club used to give you free popcorn there on Saturdays. I think that the Glenview market is supposed to be better than average too, but I have never been there. Hope this helps, Nancy

Another place to not bother with is the Zion farmer's market (Thursdays, 11-7).
I don't know if it's the fact that it was July 4, or the earliness of the season, but of the approximate score of vendors, only two had produce; two or three were serving food, another three had packaged foodstuffs, and the rest was craftsy stuff, and not good craftsy stuff.

We recently made a trek to Evanston to check out the market there and found it to be more interesting than Green City (where we are regulars). It is great not to have to do battle with so many chefs to get the short season, limited products. I got fava beans in Evanston after the market had been open for a few hours but at 8:30 a.m. on the next Wednesday at Green City a chef bought all of them right in front of me. We also found some new and different products at Evanston's market - our favorite being papalo, a Mexican cilantro-like herb.

The Evanston market offers free parking, which the Green City market does not. You just need to get your parking sticker verified. The first hour is free anyway. I have never been to the Green City market, but I suspect that the Evanston market is cheaper too. Lots of times you can get some really good deals when some of the farmer's are ready to go home. Not all of the farmers mark their stuff down. Yesterday I went to John First's stall at 8:00am, and he had zucchini for 10 for $1, and I bet that nobody at Green City sells it that cheap.

Cinnamon Girl wrote:I really enjoy both markets. I don't enjoy the price of parking at the Green City Market, the discounted Saturday parking is still $10. I have found on Wednesdays, when it is a great deal less busy, I park my car on the street and put my flashers on, which you see chefs doing too. I have been doing this for years, and have never received a ticket, not to make any promises for you. Also, for lunch on Saturdays the Green City market has so many more options. The Becker Lane porchetta sandwich rivals the best of any restaurant in the city. They also have potato chips cooked in bacon fat, and sometimes bacon cookies too, which are amazing. At the Evanston farmers market, I find that the flowers I buy from the vendor there keep at least twice as long as the flowers I buy at GCM.

Just want to clarify that there is discounted parking on Saturday. I paid $5 this past weekend.

Cinnamon Girl wrote:I really enjoy both markets. I don't enjoy the price of parking at the Green City Market, the discounted Saturday parking is still $10. I have found on Wednesdays, when it is a great deal less busy, I park my car on the street and put my flashers on, which you see chefs doing too. I have been doing this for years, and have never received a ticket, not to make any promises for you. Also, for lunch on Saturdays the Green City market has so many more options. The Becker Lane porchetta sandwich rivals the best of any restaurant in the city. They also have potato chips cooked in bacon fat, and sometimes bacon cookies too, which are amazing. At the Evanston farmers market, I find that the flowers I buy from the vendor there keep at least twice as long as the flowers I buy at GCM.

When the weather is amenable my wife will drive me to work on Wednesdays and we stop at Green City at 7AM. I have yet to have an issue with street parking. The only downside is that some of the "farmers" sleep in or aren't yet open when the market opens.

Does anyone who went to Green city this Saturday know if any more vendors switched over to taking credit cards this year. As far as I know a lot of vendors including Nichols and Green Acres were cash only as of last year but I was wondering if any changed over to accepting credit cards using the readers for smart phones. I'm only wondering based off the convenience of not having to stop at the ATM every time before visiting the market. I'll still be there either way;)

Good question re credit card use - I know we paid for our fermented garlic (new GCM vendor) with cards and I think my friends used cards several times - my impression was more are using square, etc. but I am not certain. I really wish the Hotel Lincoln would get an ATM so it would solve this problem - or that the market would allow one of those mobile ATM units to set up.

Brunkow Cheese today had something I had never seen at the market before, you could order a Raclette. They put French bread on the grill to toast it. Then there were cheese wheels cut in half under a heat lamp. The flat part of the cheese wheel was closest to the heat, and when it got super bubbly, they took the cheese wheel off, scraped the hot cheese onto the bread and garnished with a few gherkins. It was one of the most simple, yet wonderful things I have tasted in a long time.

Cinnamon Girl wrote:Brunkow Cheese today had something I had never seen at the market before, you could order a Raclette.

I had one this morning and loved it!

Hi- Was this at Green City or Evanston? I made a really quick trip through Evanston at 8:30 this morning, and only had time to purchase some mesclen from Henry, and some asparagus from John First. Thanks, Nancy

Sorry that I did not clarify, it was at the Green City market.

I missed GCM today - so sorry now that I hear about the Raclette! We also love to go to GCM then to Perennial Virant for brunch with appropriate beverages ... it makes for a pretty perfect Saturday.

I'd also say I don't find it hard to get the more unusual produce at GCM - and I never get there early - nor do I find the prices out of line for the quality offered. I really appreciate the standards kept by the market and I'm not there for cheap deals but for great ingredients. I also think there's value in supporting good growers and paying a touch more so they can make a living and keep their farms going is a happy tradeoff in my book.