Farmers Markets Include Pottery, Meat, Tiny Pies

Shoppers who come to the farmers markets in La Grange and La Grange Park for fresh fruit and vegetables can choose from a variety of other foods and goods, often with a personal story thrown into the bargain.

It Tastes Like Love

When Harriett S. Barry was laid off as a marketing executive, she stepped up her hobby of baking. And when family and friends requested more and more baked goods, she started It Tastes Like Love, and now sells homemade items every week at farmers markets in La Grange Park, Burr Ridge and Downers Grove.

Her company is at the La Grange Park farmers market for the first time this year.

"Word of mouth came from other vendors," Barry said. "They said it was a good market and very busy in the summer."

Out of work, she started baking more in her Burr Ridge kitchen. She made some three-inch-diameter pies for a bake sale for her daughter's swim team, which led to the signature item sold by It Tastes Like Love.

"They sold out very fast and people asked me where to buy them," she said about the small artisan pies she calls "pie-lettes.

"They are the next cupcakes," she said, a reference to the recent growth of cupcake-only boutique bakeries.

The varieties vary each week, including Dutch apple, banana cream, fresh blueberry, tart cherry, chocolate silk, key lime, and coconut cream, at $2.70 each.

Tracy Connelly of La Grange Park said her family likes the banana cream and Dutch apple pies. The small size lets families like the Connellys try many different flavors.

"Why people like them is because they're low commitment; you don't have to buy a whole pie. People can buy one or two of each flavor," Barry said.

Barry said her goods have no artificial colors or flavors; everything is from scratch.

"It's the kind of pie grandma would have made," Barry said. Many recipes are from her grandparents, others are original.

For $1.10 each, or six for $5, Barry also sells old-fashioned shortcake made with cream, butter, eggs and sugar. They can be eaten with berries, peaches, or "anything juicy." She says the shortcakes are slightly dry but very rich, which "enhances the berries."

The Village Potters

The Village Potters, who are in their second year at the La Grange farmers market, are a group of students and teachers from Terra Incognito—which means"earth in disguise"—a studio and gallery with locations in La Grange and Oak Park.

Their booth sells pottery related to food or the farmers market, says Barbe Asta, a teacher at Terra Incognito since 2002 and a former student.

The bowls, platters and casserole dishes for sale are lead-free and safe to use in a dishwasher.

Jake's Country Meats

For more than two years, Jake's Country Meats has sold "Pork you can trust," meat from naturally raised pigs, at the La Grange farmers market.

Nathan Robinson is the sixth-generation owner of the pig farm located in Cassopolis, MI. His son, Jake, and an eighth generation are in the wings, he said.

Robinson, with his wife LouAnn, sell fresh pork chops, cutlets, tenderloin, boneless pork roast, spare ribs, smoked bacon, ham roast, ham slice, sausages—of the Italian, bratwurst, kielbasa and breakfast link variety—and flavored pork sticks including honey ham, jalapeno and barbecue.

"We're very lean, but yet tasteful pork," Robinson said. "It's pork raised naturally. We're known for our quality of pork."

The meat is free from monosodium glutamates, antibiotics, growth hormones, nitrates and glutens.

Robinson concedes his prices are higher than those found at food chains.

"You're buying a premium product," he said.

They sell in six other farmers markets in northeastern Illinois: Downers Grove, Western Springs, Elmhurst, Wilmette, Lombard and Logan Square, in Chicago.