Personal Green City Market Tour Followed By Brunch at Prairie Fire

Join Prairie Fire (215 N. Clinton St., Chicago; (312) 382-8300) chef, Sarah Stegner, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 16 for a personal tour of Green City Market (1750 N. Clark St., Chicago) followed by a family-style "communal" market brunch 11:30 a.m. at Prairie Fire.
The menu will feature Mint Creek Farm lamb, Genesis Growers eggs and greens, and Three Sister's Garden polenta. Guests can enjoy family-style:

• French Toast from Crumb with Tim Burton's maple syrup and fresh seasonal fruit topping.
• Sliced Mint Creek Farm Lamb Sausage with summer herb remoluade, served with grilled veggies and Capriole Farm goat cheese.
• Crisp Polenta Cake with poached farm egg and summer vegetable relish, topped with Maple Creek Farm bacon.
• Coffee and tea.

$18.50 per person-price excludes tax, gratuity and alcohol beverages.
Guests must provide their own transportation.
Meeting spot: GCM info booth.

The brunch will also feature special guest Heather Lalley, author of The Chicago Homegrown Cookbook of which she spent a year interviewing Chicago chefs and farmers-recognizing the tremendous commitment in creating wonderful, fresh, farm-to-table food. Lalley's book can be purchased at Prairie Fire's market brunch for $30.

Stegner is a founding member of Chicago's Green City Market-a weekly venue for Midwest sustainable farmers. Green City Market draws hundreds of thousands of shoppers annually, making it Chicago's largest market and among the few sustainable markets in the country. Prairie Fire and Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd.; Northbrook, Ill.; 847-205-4433) are proud to support Green City Market and local sustainable farms, selecting the freshest ingredients to reflect the season.

About Chef Sarah Stegner
Two-time James Beard award-winner, Sarah Stegner, is co-chef and co-owner (along with George Bumbaris) of Prairie Fire and Prairie Grass Cafe. This Evanston, Ill. native grew up in a family devoted to food, thus setting the foundation for her passionate and successful career as one of America's most respected chefs.

Stegner graduated with a chef's certificate from the Glencoe, Ill. Dumas Pere Cooking School. She went on to build her prestige reputation at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Chicago, establishing her friendship with now business partner, Chef George Bumbaris. Even through her impressive award-wining history, Stegner remains modest and passionate about using the best seasonal ingredients to be found.

Photo of Sarah Stegner (shown above) available in high-resolution.
Photo credit: Cindy Kurman, Kurman Communications, Inc.

Green City Market opens May 14

In case you missed it, Green City Market and Nichols Farm are featured in the May issue of Real Simple magazine. Kurman Communications secured the placement last August. Just goes to show you how long in advance the magazines work! Kurman's leader Cindy has been on the GCM board for nine years!

Now in its 10th year, Green City Market reopens on Wednesday, May 14th in Lincoln Park, with a lineup of ways to explore spring's fresh produce. At 9:30 AM, two "Savor the Seasons" events – one with chefs Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris (Prairie Grass Cafe), the other with North Pond's Bruce Sherman – showcase salad-tastings. And at 10:30 AM, Carrie Nahabedian (Naha) gives a cooking demo. Also opening for the season is Edible Gardens, the market's farm-at-the-zoo educational project for kids (10 AM–1 PM). Green City Market runs Wednesdays and Saturdays (7 AM–1:30 PM; Lincoln Park between 1750 N. Clark St. and Stockton Dr.).

On Saturday, May 17th, the market will hold a rally for local sustainable farming featuring GCM board members Bill Kurtis is Master of Ceremonies and celeb chef Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill, Topolobampo) will be joined by other board members and Mayor Daley. Other like organizations are invited to participate! Activities include live entertainment, a kids' parade and the ceremonial cutting of the world's largest organic carrot cake (9 AM–noon at Green City Market in Lincoln Park just north of North avenue between Clark and Stockton, www.chicagogreencitymarket.org).

If you're up for joining in the rally, the celebration is geared to all who support the Market's mission; Chicago organizations are invited to host tables with their information and encourage their members to attend. Don't miss this great exciting expression of sustainable community to support a cause we so fervently support!