Pro-chef ingredients are waiting to shine in your holiday entertaining at the CU Winter Farmers Market. Whether you are preparing a chef’s table or challenging your friends to culinary masterpiece showcases, local producers are bringing your next inspiration to the market this week!

Highlights for TLC’s Thanksgiving shopping

Specialty Mushrooms

Flyaway Family Farms and Middle Fork Mushroom Company both provide a wide range of specialty mushrooms to elevate all your mushroom containing classics. We especially love using sauteed oyster mushrooms with other local ingredients to make stuffing! The best part? sautéed mushrooms can easily be frozen to add to dishes all Holiday season. Looking for inspiration, check out this recipe for pan fried oyster mushrooms.

Local Charcuterie Standouts

Take the pressure off a perfectly timed turkey by providing an amazing spread of local “grazing”. National award winning cheeses from Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, a sampling of seasonal honey from Second Nature Honey, summer sausage from Allison Centennial Farms, crackers & baguettes from Central Illinois Bakehouse will all star on TLC staff boards this holiday season!

The Best Fresh Veg

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without veggie dishes! Skip the old, bitter veg at the store and experience the amazing flavor that our local farms have spent the year crafting for you. Winter roots and lettuce are especially great right now! We love honey glazed roasted carrots and roasted beetroot salad for sides.

Table Decor

Don’t forget the visual feast to accompany your meal! Vendors like Delight Flower Farm will be stocked with all sorts of beautiful flourishes to add to your table spreads.

Dessert

There is always room for more dessert, right? Vendors like Wild Mustang, How I Roll Bakeshop, F & T Cupcakes and Niece’s Pieces Brownies will give you every excuse to eat dessert for every meal (cinnamon rolls are a breakfast food right?).