The Urban Spork realizes that how we eat and what we eat lies at the heart of who we are – as individuals, families and communities. We look for every opportunity to promote fresh, local resources, farmers markets and ingredients in the Chicagoland area.
GREEN
Napa Valley
Every time I go to Napa Valley I feel like I’ve reached one of the most beautiful spots on earth. My senses come alive – the smells, the tastes (oh, the tastes), the views, the sounds (or lack thereof) – no wonder people never leave this place!
There is so much to explore that each visit reveals new surprises and hidden treasures. Above all, the people throughout Napa Valley are what make it such an amazing place.
During a recent trip I spent the majority of my time between Yountville and St. Helena – this post contains a small sample of the many photos I took.
I ate so much that I could have easily filled an entire post with photos of food from some great spots including Redd, Ad Hoc, Mustards, Bouchon Bakery and Bottega (sorry, no French Laundry this time) – instead, I decided to share some of the less flashy, but more inspirational photos from the trip.
To me, these photos represent the real Napa Valley and celebrate the hard work and dedication of local artisans and farmers.
In fact, I continue to be amazed by the commitment throughout Napa Valley to support these local farmers and artisans – it’s inspiring and a reminder that eating locally means eating seasonally – a concept that the restaurants throughout the valley truly understand.
As you can see, there is much to behold in Napa Valley and something special about every season – in my mind, it’s always a good time of year to visit the valley!
So, where do you go to find inspiration?
Puerto de Frutos
While traveling through Argentina, I had the opportunity to visit the popular Puerto de Frutos market in the Tigre Delta – about 45 minutes outside of Buenos Aires. While the market primarily sold handmade crafts from locals living on the surrounding islands, it also had an impressive bounty from local farmers. It was great to [...]
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
For those who have been following me on Twitter, you’ll know that I recently spent a few days away from Chicago eating my way around Northern California. One place that was high on my “must see” list while in San Francisco was the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. I have only been there once before – several [...]
Weekend @ the Farmers Market
I spent last weekend in Michigan visiting farmers markets, apple orchards and even a pie pantry! While the farmers markets will soon be coming to an end, there’s still an opportunity to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Read about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and find a CSA Farm in your area. Photos [...]
Chicago Green City Market
When was the last time you went to the farmer’s market? I recently had the opportunity to swing by the Chicago Green City Market and was pleasantly surprised by how many people were there. Perhaps it was the beautiful weather that brought everyone out, but I’d like to think that most of them were there to [...]
