Equally well known as Jerusalem Artichoke, the humble sunchoke is not, in fact, a type of artichoke at all, but rather the edible root of a variety of sunflower, in the Daisy family. The sunflower is native to North America; indeed, when Lewis and Clark ran low on food, they were said to have eaten sunchokes given to them by Native Americans. And during WWII, sunchokes became known as the poor man's vegetable because they grow so prolifically, are easy to cultivate, and store well. They became so closely associated with WWII-time sustenance and difficulties in France, in fact, that many of the wartime generation there still refuse to eat them.
   Today considered gourmet, more than 200 varieties of sunchokes are grown.

Good News Community Kitchen
773.262.2297

Back in 1983, the Good News Community Kitchen (GNCK) was formed, simply, as a ministry to serve just a few meals each week. Today, more than 30 (secular and non-secular) organizations and 2500 volunteers join together to help serve over 50,000 hot, nutritious meals each night in the Rogers Park location.  More recently, GNCK has formed the POWER advocacy group - People Organized to Work, Educate and Restore-in order to help make the "North of Howard" neighborhood safer, to increase access to affordable healthcare, and to train beneficiaries in living-wage construction jobs. To learn more: Good News Community Kitchen

Of the many types of crustaceans, certainly the clawed "Maine" or American lobster is one of the most familiar. These cold-blooded carnivorous invertebrates are largely nocturnal and live on the sea floor where, when threatened, they can travel (backwards!) at speeds over 10 miles per hour. They continue to grow throughout their lives by molting - losing their shells and growing new ones-and actually increase in fertility over their up-to-100-year lifetime. Take that, Viagra!
    The largest documented lobster weighed in at 44 lbs. when trapped off the Canadian coast back in 1977, though colonial settlers reported crustaceans measuring five to six feet long. Until the mid-19th century, lobster was considered peasant food here, even used as fertilizer by Native Americans; Colonial-time indentured servants insisted in their contracts that they could not be fed lobster more than three times per week.      Today's debate is an ethical one and revolves around the issue of whether lobsters actually feel pain. But keep in mind these voracious crustaceans eat their prey - crabs, fish, etc. - very much alive. Of course they also eat their own discarded shells...
    But we're covering lobsters this month because many in this country only associate them with summertime. The warmer summers are actually not the best time to eat these delicacies - or rather, not the time when the meat is at its succulent best. While any time of year is a delicious one, lobster meat is at its sweetest in the colder months when the waters are chillier, the shells harden and the meat really flavors up.
    And as lobsters are never inexpensive, it's important to utilize the whole animal when we cook them, not simply the tail, claws and knuckles. Much like its close relative the shrimp, most of the intense and characteristic flavor can be found by processing the head, too. This is the basis of the classic bisque or sauce Americaine that pervades much of lobster cookery.
    At the restaurant right now, we're serving brown butter-roasted claws and tails with organic carrots and a sweet spiced coconut lobster curry sauce. Come on in and see what I'm talking about...

River Valley Ranch began in 1976, when Eric Rose sought to produce the finest fresh (and local) mushrooms. Since then, the operation has grown considerably, thanks in large part to the input and assistance of son, Eric.  Today, River Valley not only produces (year round) those finest quality button, cremini and portabella mushrooms, but a new licensed processing kitchen allows the Rose family to offer delicious pickled products as well. One of the original vendors in the Green City Market, River Valley Ranch attends most market days.
River Valley Ranch