With store expansion comes...

Staff expansion! If you're a foodie, coffee addict, or just plain fun (and hard working) type looking for a job, let us know! Email jobs [at] zhmarketcafe [dot] com or stop by the store for an application. Come soon though, spots will fill quickly!

From Yelp

"The manager/owner is rude, sarcastic and disrespectful. I will no longer give my money to this cafe."

That is the entire review. It is the only review that "Mika A" of "Chicago, IL" has ever posted about anything ever in Chicago. They have no strong feelings about anything that has ever happened to them other than a seemingly singular experience in our store. This seems doubtful to us. We would love to know the details. This is the reason we feel people should not put a lot of faith in sites like Yelp and other review sites. Listen to your friends, visit yourself, listening to angry strangers with hidden agendas is probably not the best way to choose a delicious sandwich, beverage, bottle of olive oil, or jar of spice.

We hope everyone has an excellent day.

Food Thoughts

"An understanding of what food is and how cooking works does no violence to the art of cuisine, destroys no delightful mystery. Instead, the mystery expands from matters of expertise and taste to encompass the hidden patterns and wonderful coincidences of nature."
--Harold McGee

show you produce some love

We love vegetables here at Z&H. That said, there's no denying that we are much more likely to reach for greens and colorful produce when the greens are their leafiest and produce their brightest. With busy schedules making your produce last as long as possible at home by storing them properly is good money sense.

Broccoli -
Broccoli will last up to a week in your refrigerator. Tip, keep your broccoli heads wrapped loosely in a plastic bag in your vegetable drawer. Don't keep it in an airtight container, it will go bad faster.

Brussels Sprouts-
If the option is available, try to buy Brussels sprouts on the stalk. They will stay fresh longer on the stem, and can even last up to a month if kept in a cool, dry place. Trick, they will also last in your fridge for 7-10 days in a closed plastic bag to slow their respiration.

Chard & Spinach
Chard is best kept unwashed and dry in a sealed plastic bag or container in your refrigerator. A sturdy green like chard or kale will last up to two weeks, but more delicate greens like spinach will only last a week.

Garlic-
It is hard to use an entire head of garlic at once (not for everyone, but some) . Remember to keep them in a cool, open, dry place. Unpeeled garlic can last up to 3 months if properly stored. Trick, if your garlic starts to sprout green shoots, simply cut off the bitter green part before you start cooking.

Mushrooms-
Mushrooms can be difficult to store since they benefit from cool air circulation, but can also dry out or suffocate easily. Tip: store them in a paper bag in your fridge; they will last 3-5 days.

Tomatoes
You've probably heard never to refrigerate tomatoes and the reason is that your Fridge will rob them of any flavor. If you absolutely must refrigerate, let your tomato sit and return to room temperature before using, it will help restore any lingering flavor. Trick, if your tomato is under-ripe, try storing it in a paper bag stem side down for a few days to accelerate the ripening process. Storing them stem-side down will also help maintain that the taut skin of a healthy tomato. If your tomato is on its last leg, for goodness sake, make chutney or salsa.

file under Other Cool Stuff

Tidal Energy. Powerful, never ending, and perfectly clean.

"The Bay of Fundy pushes over 100 billion tonnes of water every tide - more than all the freshwater rivers and streams in the world combined."

www.fundyforce.ca

www.marineturbines.com

Now lets enjoy some cheese.

Crop Mob: A very cool concept

"Crop mob is primarily a group of young, landless, and wannabe farmers who come together to build and empower communities by working side by side. Crop mob is also a group of experienced farmers and gardeners willing to share their knowledge with their peers and the next generation of agrarians. The membership is dynamic, changing and growing with each new mob event."

read more about this fantastic movement here:

cropmob.org

Z&H and Kilgus Milk

We use Kilgus dairy products at the MarketCafe. They taste great and are a small scale local dairy. Here is some more information about them compared to others....

http://myfoodshed.com/2010/02/28/know-your-milk-know-your-dairy-part-2/