This week in food events: Daley Plaza farmers market opens and more

River Valley Ranch oyster mushrooms at a Chicago farmers market
River Valley Ranch oyster mushrooms at a Chicago farmers market WBEZ/Louisa Chu
River Valley Ranch oyster mushrooms at a Chicago farmers market
River Valley Ranch oyster mushrooms at a Chicago farmers market WBEZ/Louisa Chu

This week in food events: Daley Plaza farmers market opens and more

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River Valley Ranch oyster mushrooms at a Chicago farmers market (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

Well. Having NATO in town is turning out to be interesting. Including the arrest of three protestors accused of possessing bomb-making equipment—which their lawyers say is actually beer-making equipment. With Chicago Craft Beer Week in full swing, our city could be the epicenter of home brew experts. Compare notes over suds, or under the Picasso at the Daley Plaza Farmers Market opener—as we take back our city.

Tuesday, May 22

Run, walk, or shuttle through Bon Appetit 2012, the third annual restaurant crawl of Albany Park and North Park, which this year features 23 participating restaurants. “[G]et your ticket, map, and ‘passport’ for the evening…Venues will provide small dishes of food and drink until 9 p.m.” 

Wednesday, May 23

Eat the roof at the Slow Food Chicago dinner at Uncommon Ground on Devon, “to help support our local farmers going to Terra Madre in Torino, Italy this fall!” The roof top farm passed apps precedes “[o]rganic products of Harvest Moon Farms and the excellent spirits from our friends at Few as well as beef and pork from Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm. Farmers in attendance to talk about their products.”

Thursday, May 24

Shop early and often at opening day of the Daley Plaza Farmers Market, which “offers fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods and other items every Thursday…until October 18.”

Cook, eat, and be beery at Chicago Craft Beer Week’s Cooking with [Top Chef Texas contestant] Grayson [Schmitz] at Logan Square Kitchen. “Beer pairings from 5 Rabbit will accompany this intimate, family-style dinner that guests will make and share together with Chef from her recipes…Ticket proceeds will support hunger relief efforts in Chicago through the [Greater] Chicago Food Depository.”

It’s easy being green at Grilling in the Garden at Goose Island Wrigleyville, which “invites you to join us in our backyard for sausages on the grill and seasonal beers. We’ll be pouring Green City Market produce-infused beers like our rhubarb saison, strawberry Belgian wit, strawberry kolsch, strawberry flanders brown and more! Proceeds benefit the Green City Market‘s Chicago LINK program, a Green City Market Jr. Board outreach and education initiative.”

Friday, May 25

Learn The Art of Fermentation at the Chicago Cultural Center. “Sandor Katz presents his new book about fermentation, culture, and community. Come share kraut, meet Sandor, hear about his new book, get a copy inscribed to you, and ask questions.”

Get a Taste of Fresh Moves, the mobile produce market, at their One Year Anniversary Celebration with “live, tasty healthy food demos, workshops of food preservation and making your own healthy baby food” and more.

Explore Feasting Across Time: Hospitality and Feasts in the Ancient World at the Smart Museum. “In this free talk, archaeologist Geoff Emberling explores a range of banquets in early Mesopotamia and asks whether these ancient feasts continue to inform politics and food in the more recent history of the Middle East.”

Saturday, May 26

Discuss Your Food Choices: Changing the World One Meal at a Time at the Wellness House in Hinsdale with “Terra Brockman, author of The Seasons on Henry’s Farm and founder of The Land Connection. Terra…is the fourth of five generations of Central Illinois farmers. [She] will discuss her brother’s organic vegetable farm, her sister’s organic fruit farm, and the ripple effects of our food choices—including the health, economic, and environmental benefits of supporting local farmers.”

Sunday, May 27

Watch a screening of Bitter Seeds at the Gene Siskel Film Center, part of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival. “Manjusha Amberwar, a young journalist, examines the causes of an epidemic of farmer suicides in India—one every 30 minutes—that includes her own father…In 2004 an American company introduced its genetically modified seeds to the Indian market, promising higher yields. Farmers tell her that the seeds require expensive pesticides and chemical fertilizers. And the sterile seeds, unlike the conventional seeds previously used by farmers, have to be purchased again each year. Manjusha follows one farmer through the disappointing season…We see the vicious cycle: annual loans from usurious moneylenders, desperate debt and the inability of farmers to provide dowries for their daughters—making the symbolism of their suicide by drinking expensive pesticides all but inescapable.”