Not all produce is created equal. You can taste the difference between an anemic strawberry shipped thousands of miles from Chile or Mexico and the burst of almost candy-like sweetness from a plump, ruby-red farmers market strawberry picked just hours ago. The fleeting seasonal sweetness of stone fruit, berries, corn, and summer squash is more delicious — and more nutritious — than your average, run-of-the-mill grocery store produce available year-round.
Chef Joe Frillman of Daisies says that Chicago has a strong regional food network, with well-established farms like Mick Klug Farms and Nichols Farm & Orchard, which have been working with chefs and restaurants for decades. Frillman partners with his brother at family-owned Frillman Farms for most of his produce, and he says that farmers market attendance is higher than it has ever been.
"We're not seeing the same volatility that affects conventional produce, which has been impacted by transportation costs and tariffs," he says. "Local prices are still competitive and often provide better value."
Working with local farms also gives Frillman access to heritage and heirloom varieties that aren't available in grocery stores. "For example, Klug Farm grows Saturn peaches that would never make it into a grocery store because they're too delicate and would spoil," he says. "But we can get them and use them in a specific dish at peak ripeness. That level of quality and specificity is only possible when sourcing locally."
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