Monday, September 5, 2011

Green City Market’s Locavore Challenge begins September 7; Prairie Fire and other restaurants offer special local Prix Fixe Menus



Every year the Green City Market challenges Chicagoans to put their money (and their local food!) where their mouths are. 

From September 7 through September 21, dedicated market-goers can sign-up to take the Locavore Challenge and pledge to eat only local food, to the best of their ability, during those two weeks.  During the Locavore Challenge, Green City Market supports their fearless locavores with variety of wonderful educational opportunities, social events and culinary inspirations.  

Those who sign the Locavore Pledge can pick up their "Locavore Kit" at the Market (Wednesdays and Saturdays). The "Locavore Kit" includes a schedule of events, locavore resources, and recipe ideas."
Dine Local with delicious, Locavore-friendly Prix Fixe Menus 

A number of some of Chicago’s top restaurants are offering Locavore-friendly prix fix menus Thursdays September 8 and 15. Participating restaurants include: 

Prairie Fire
215 N. Clinton, Chicago, IL, 60661;
312-382-8300; www.prairiefirechicago.com

Prairie Fire Featured Menu Thursday September 8, $25 – 3 Courses:(tax and tip not included)
Menu: Capriole Farm Goat Cheese with a Cucumber, Tomato, Pepper Salad
Homemade Lamb Sausage made with lamb from Mint Creek Farm with Late Summer Ratatouille and Sautéed Local Potatoes, Side of Grilled Corn, 
Homemade Ice Cream with Kilgus milk and cream and Genesis eggs over Klug Fruit Compote.

Prairie Fire’s Sarah Stegner, a founder of Green City Market, also is a judge for a culinary school pickling competition being held in conjunction with the Locavore Challenge on the 17th at the market.

Other participating restaurants:
Perennial Virant
1800 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
312-981-7070; www.perennialchicago.com

VIE
4471 Lawn Ave # 100,
Western Springs, IL 60558-1765;
708-246-2082 www.viechicago.com

Lula Café
2537 N. Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL 606047
773-489-9554; www.lulacafe.com

Nightwood
2119 S. Halsted St, Chicago, IL 6060
312-526-3385; www.nightwoodrestaurant.com

Morso
340 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 880-9280; www.morsochicago.com

Chilam Balam
3023 North Broadway Street, Chicago, IL 60657
773 296-690; www.chilambalamchicago.com


The 2011 Locavore Challenge includes:
    * Information Fair: Saturday, September 10 8 AM-12 PM featuring local food and sustainable agriculture resources from all around the region.

Urban Worm Girl www.urbanwormgirl.com   
Hull House Seed Library www.uic.edu/jaddams/hull/hull_house.html       
We Farm America http://www.wefarmamerica.com/                      
The Local Beet www.thelocalbeet.com
Share Our Strength www.strength.org                       
Purple Asparagus www.purpleasparagus.com
The Glass Rooster  www.theglassrooster.com
The Kids Table www.kids-table.com                       
Common Threads www.commonthreads.org                      
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum  www.naturemuseum.org

Other happenings at Green City Market during the Locavore Challenge:
    * A Guest Vendor Series that introduces customers to unique local products not normally found at Green City Market.  Breslin Farms is a father-and-daughter operation in its third year producing small grains and dry beans, with a focus on biodiversity and sustainability. Learn more at: breslinfarms.com  Sunny Lane Aronia specializes in organically grown aronia berries, which are high in antioxidants and other disease-fighting agents. Sunny Lane's goal is to grow the best tasting, most nutritious food while protecting the soil, water, and air for future generations. sunnylanearonia.com
    *  A Culinary Challenge for students from Chicago area culinary schools to show off their pickling and preserving talents and compete for a $500 scholarship. Final judging on September 17th at 9:30 AM. Participating Culinary programs: Le Cordon Bleu,Kendall College, Washburne Culinary Institute, the Art Institute of Illinois and the French Pastry School                 
    * A Locavore Picnic Supper, Co-sponsored by the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum,  to celebrate our accomplished locavores, introduce them to each other and further the conversation about seasonality and sustainable food in the Midwest. September 21st at Peggy Notebaert Museum.   Reservations are $30 per person.

To make a reservation for the Locavore Picnic Supper visit brownpapertickets.com

Take the Locavore Pledge.
    * Everyone who takes the Locavore Pledge will be entered in a Raffle to win a canning kit and a canning class for two from Glass Rooster.
Sign-up for the Locavore Challenge today! You can take the pledge online or at the Green City Market Information Booth on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 am to 1 pm.
Visit the Green City Market Blog for ideas, updates and stories from your fellow locavores.
 
Share your experience by leaving a comment on Got Buzz or the Green City Market blog
How often do you think about where your food comes from? Now is the chance to pledge to eat locally from September 8-22. Green City Market offers the greatest variety of locally- and sustainably-grown products in the Midwest and we're here to help you jump right in! Pledge to eat all local, all the time...well, at least for two weeks in September. Sign up below and we'll send you the Green City Market Locavore Kit that includes valuable information on how to eat locally in Chicago and the best places to shop and dine for local food.

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