A foray to Taste of Chicago often brings ideas on restaurants to try in the future.
This year’s Taste, which will be July 8-12, also holds what I think of as a good idea for quick work lunches in the future: Farmer’s Fridge.
Having had so many bad salads come out of a vending machine, I originally approached those of Farmer’s Fridge with a bit of trepidation. But I was very pleasantly surprised. The brand offers some pretty good salads. I like that while simple, they often incorporate items you don’t always see it salads — particularly those from a vending machine — such as radishes, avocados or my fav, sugar snap peas (a vastly underused veggie, in my opinion). They also make good use of beans, nuts and seeds, so you aren’t just eating a lot of lettuce. There’s a variety of flavor and crunch, which I like.
Farmer’s Fridge credits its container — made from a BPA- and Phthalate-free plastic — for keeping its salads nice and fresh. It sure does seem to be working.
I’ve digressed quite a bit from Taste of Chicago, haven’t I?
Anyway, Farmer’s Fridge will be one of 19 new vendors at this year’s fest. Here’s what the company says it will be offering:
- Kale Caesar Salad in a Jar: Hearty kale, crunchy romaine, funky local parmesan and hand-torn ciabatta croutons tossed in a lemon-anchovy vinaigrette all served up in a Farmer’s Fridge jar. Salads will be dressed and shaken to order.
- Watermelon Gazpacho: Bright, refreshing and subtly sweet, the Watermelon Gazpacho is finished off with a dollop of raw cashew cream for a savory contrast.
- Avocado Toast with Pickled Radish: Extra chunky avocado piled high on a thick slice of Red Hen pumpernickel bread. Garnished with pickled radish batons for a cool kick.
Once Taste is over and if you’re someone who works downtown, check out the Farmer’s Fridge vending machines. Here is a list of where the machines are.
