Harvest Market

[I am out of town and scheduled this blog to post. It is a direct copy and paste from the Downtown Neighborhood Association’s press release about this week’s Harvest Market.]

For Immediate Release
Date: August 11, 2008

Salon Couture & Mirai Corn

Elgin, IL- This Thursday, August 14, from 10am – 2pm one can come and receive the “Couture” experience at the Downtown Elgin Harvest Market. Salon Couture will be offering complimentary chair and hand massages, as well as giving out a limited amount of sample products. Salon Couture partnered with Aveda in order to provide high performance botanically based products for their guests and environmentally friendly products for our planet. Salon Couture is located at 176 E. Chicago St. For more info call 847-488-1465 or go to www.saloncouture.biz.

Then from 2pm – 6pm continue treating your back with Landin Chiropractic Care. They will perform spinal screenings that day on whoever would like them and they will also have free chair massage to anyone over 18 years of age. They will also bring a pair of bi-lateral scales that people can stand on to determine balance in weight bearing or not. So come out for an educational and fun time! For more info call 847.888.3131 or go to www.chirolandin.com.

Highlighted Harvest Market Vendor of the Week: Twin Garden Farms
You may not have heard of Harvard IL based Twin Garden Farms, but you might have heard of their “Mirai”corn, which means “future is coming” and “taste”. Their corn is known for its sweet taste that you could eat it raw if you wanted to, and most do when they are trying it for the first time at the market for a sample. But then again it should taste good, with 15 years spent developing and patenting this special corn. How is it different from other corn? It has less starch and more sugar, which helps it cook faster (only 2-3 minutes). It is also guaranteed to last 7-10 days in your fridge with the husks still on. Also because it is so tender it requires being handpicked! Twin Garden Farms also sells natural honey and will be selling fall vegetables like squash later in the season.

The Downtown Elgin Harvest Market is held every Thursday, now through September 25, featuring everything from fruits, vegetables, bunch flowers, delicious jams, healthy gourmet dog& cat treats, breads, pies, muffins and scones, to free range meats and eggs, cheese, olives, hummus, spices, pickles, olive oil, honey, and Mirai corn all displayed in an open-air market like venue. The market is held at the Civic Center parking lot at the corner of E. Highland and Douglas Avenue, near the Post office and City Hall, and is open 10am - 6pm.

The public is invited to enjoy a great season right in the heart of our community. All merchants interested in an application to be at the market on a weekly basis can call the Downtown Neighborhood Association at 847.488.1456, go to www.downtownelgin.org, or stop by the office on the first floor of the Elgin Tower Building, at 2 Douglas Avenue in Downtown Elgin.

Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin is a volunteer-based, non-profit coalition that represents the interests of individuals and organizations with a presence in Downtown. The Association’s purpose is to foster a center of activity and ensure economic stability for the heart of Elgin through historic preservation, communication, education, promotion, and economic revitalization. If you are interested in more information on how to be part of the Downtown Neighborhood Association or would like to volunteer please contact the office at 847-488-1456 or visit www.downtownelgin.org.

Tags: DNA, Downtown Neighborhood Association, Elgin, farmer's market, food, Harvest Market, IL, Illinois
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Elgin Bike Clinic & Harvest Market

The bike clinic today at Harvest Market was fantastic. Thank you Stephen Pickett (Bicycle Garage) for doing it, and Paul Bednar (Elgin Parks & Rec) for coming up with the idea.

Downtown Neighborhood already posted a great blog post complete with photos (including one with the back of my head). Click here to read it!

Harvest Market was good too. Honestly, I was very surprised at how low the prices are! I am used to farmers’ market food costing a significant amount more than grocery store food. I got a loaf of bread for $4, which is what whole grain bread costs at Jewel (not on sale). I also got 5 mini-cucumbers for $1, and hummus for $4. I came home and toasted some of the bread, sliced a cucumber and carrots and celery, then threw it all on a plate with some cherry tomatoes and olives. Yum, yum, yum!

Tags: DNA, Downtown Neighborhood Association, Elgin, food, Harvest Market, IL, Illinois
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Elgin Bennigan’s will stay open

Have you heard about hundreds of local Bennigan’s restaurants locking their doors overnight, never to open again? Well have no fear, the one in Elgin is open and staying open. Apparently it’s a franchise–click here to read all about it.

It’s not my favorite restaurant of all time, but they will make any sort of veggie burger you ask for and the desserts are great, so I’m glad we aren’t losing it.

Tags: Bennigan's, Courier News, Elgin, food, IL, Illinois, news, vegetarian
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A trip to Geneva

A week or so ago I trekked out to Geneva to eat at Urban Grille. I’m not going to do a full review of the place for one reason–I didn’t like it! My meat-eating dinner partner disagreed, so maybe it’s just not good for vegetarians. I ordered a panino that was mediocre in taste but high in price. The side salad was only greens and dressing, yet they managed to make it taste terrible. I can recommend one thing though–fried pickles as an appetizer. Yum!

After eating we visited Kane County’s most visited forest preserve–Fabyan. That made the whole trip worth while. Enjoy the photos.

Tags: Fabyan Forest Preserve, food, Geneva, Illinois, Kane County, restaurant, Urban Grille
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Elgin’s Ribfest on Memorial Day

Although I don’t eat ribs, I still checked out Ribfest on Monday. Check out my photos and videos! Also, click here to check out Ape of Wrath’s set of photos from the Fox Trot that went on earlier that morning.

Here are kids playing in the water at Festival Park:

Here’s a quick scan of the crowd:

Here are kids riding on a fun train:

Tags: beer, clown, drinks, Elgin, Festival Park, food, fountain, IL, Illinois, kids, Memorial Day, music, park, Ribfest, ribs, train, video, water, youtube
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In the Neighborhood

In the Neighborhood Deli & Cafe opened in April and is at 185 N. Edison. (Between Highland and Larkin. I think Dominoes used to be there.) Click here for their website, and here for lots of cool info on the place and an interview with its owner from Beep.

The Good Shephard

Now this is my kind of place: lots of healthy and vegetarian options, cheap prices, some serious Elgin pride, and outdoor seating.

Creamy chicken artichoke soup

Each sandwich is named after an Elgin school or institution. I had the “Good Shephard.” Also, each sandwich costs $6.50. Now that’s what I’m talking about!

The Kimball

When I was there I saw the cutest thing: The mother of a kid who looked to be around 3 years old ordered the kids’ meal. The restaurant worker asked the child–not the mother–what he would like for his “side,” a cup of fruit or chips. (This kid chose the fruit!) Then they brought out a treasure chest and let him pick a small toy. The mother sat down at a table and the child sat at a miniature kids’ table next to hers, flipping through a picture book while eating his fruit cup. I have never seen a restaurant treat a 3-year-old with more respect.

My only complaint about the place is that everything comes in disposable containers. I know they want to be convenient and fast, but that is so so bad for the environment. Even if they recycle the containers, it doesn’t compare to reusing plates and glasses, etc.

Tags: children, Elgin, food, fruit, Illinois, In the Neighborhood Deli & Cafe, kids, panini, sandwiches
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