Food and Art
Our Food, Our Stories, Season by Season
Food and Art PRESERVING THE BOUNTY GARDEN PARTY ON THE GRILL DRINK YOUR VEGETABLES
,.&& + a& & +( "% (&&.'"-" ,a",,.
From the Good Earth by Amelia Levin
LE AN I N G S H ED FAR M PEPPERS:
The Heat is On
24
edible chicago | Summer 2012
Top Left: © 1 125089601/shutterstock.com; Top Right: © ® Michele Pautasso /shutterstock.com Bottom Right: © Meischke/shutterstock.com Bottom Left: Gavrila Bogdan/shutterstock.com
Bright, red bells. Little, red zingers. Twisty, turvy capsaicins of all shapes, sizes and names. Waxy, purple tomatillo orbs wrapped in leafy shells. When Dave and Denise Dyrek of Leaning Shed Farm show up with their first batch of hot and sweet peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos, you truly learn the definition of the term “summer bounty.” It’s the pepper party at their Green City Market stand come June and July in Chicago; endless rows of bins and wooden crates overflow with a sea of colors, textures and, soon to be, tastes. The funky, funny and exotic names of the more than 20 pepper varieties and more than 70 tomato varieties, tell the story of what has become a very passionate, complex heirloom and seed saving farm business. Eight years ago, Dave and Denise bought their 30-acre farm in Berrien Springs, Michigan, a couple of hours outside Chicago in the Southwest region of the state. At first, it was just a weekend getaway from their home in Humboldt Park. “We loved the area and the beaches,” Dave Dyrek says. “Though we didn’t buy the place originally to farm, we did have a big garden. It was 30 x 30 feet the first year, and it got bigger every year. Then, one day we were laughing that we didn’t even go to the beach the whole weekend, we were just gardening.” In early 2009, Dave Dyrek hit what he jokingly calls his “mid-life crisis,” officially selling his heating and air-conditioning business to farm full-time. Denise helps Dave with the farming while continuing her job as a Beverage Director for the Hilton in Chicago. For both, it was a lifestyle change—a move from the hustle and bustle of urban life to a calming one filled with nature, birds, trees and even a pastoral Concord grape orchard. “At the same time, I’ve never worked so hard in my life,” Dave says. “But I love it.” Though the couple started with tomatoes, Dyrek considered peppers as the next logical step. “I couldn’t believe the varieties out there,” he says. “Sometimes it’s a hard sell because many people don’t know what to do with the different kinds, other than the simple green bell peppers.” Denise Dyrek, an avid cook, often comes to the aid of regular shoppers, offering preparation tips, salsamaking advice and other recipes. When it comes to choosing the peppers, “I’m
trying to humor myself,” Dave chuckles. “I first I told myself I would never grow a green bell pepper, but looking into it, I saw there are a thousand different varieties of green peppers. I tend to go through the seed catalogues to see what humors me. I’ll look at a picture, read the description, and if it looks funky and comes with an unusual or unique flavor I’ll give it a try. We want to grow the kinds of peppers you can’t get all year long at the local grocery store.” The Dyrek’s bell peppers—in red, green, yellow, orange, and purple—tend to sell the best for their sweet, juicy crunch and approachability. But above all, the Dyrek’s remain committed to heirlooms. While they source many of their unique seeds from the Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom varieties, they also have their own “seed saving” methods of sourcing from friends, family, community members and even chefs. In one case, a friend “smuggled” an Aji Amarillo chile seed out of Oaxaca, Mexico. Another time, nearly 15 people at the market asked for the Melrose pepper, a local variety native to Melrose Park, Illinois some 50 to 60 years ago when an Italian immigrant brought the seed overseas. After some digging, Dyrek found the seed and was able to grow it. “They’re a little elongated and close in shape to the Anaheim, but red, thin-walled and usually used for frying.” “One of my favorites right now are our pimento peppers,” Dyrek says. “We grow different kinds of pimentos, but they look like smaller bell peppers, are typically red, and are the sweetest pepper you could ever imagine. The sheep nose pimento is my favorite—I like to slice them raw for salads.” This season the Dyreks grew a regular green tomatillo in addition to their popular purple and tiny yellow varieties, which, along with their many tomato varieties, make for a rainbow of salsa options. “Our Mexican strain tomatillos, which Frontera bought last year, start out green and turn yellow when they ripen,” Dyrek says. “They are so sweet you could eat them raw if you wanted. The green ones taste great when roasted and blackened and blended with other chiles, cilantro and garlic.”
Are you a hot pepper fan? Chaising Chiles, Hot Spots Along the Chili Trail gives readers an inside look at both the future of placebased foods like the pepper and the effects of climate change on agriculture through the lens of an heirloom chili pepper. From the farmers who cultivate this crop to the cuisines and cultural traditions in which peppers play a huge role. Perspectives by authors Kurt Michael Friese, Kraig Kraft and Gary Paul Nabhan. Clesea Green Publishing.
Southwest Michigan is known as the “fruit belt,” with its plethora of apple, cherry and pear trees, vineyards and super-sweet vegetables thanks to a mild climate that usually avoids the harshest hitting snows and freezing temperatures typical of the Midwest. The hot, less-humid summers are a perfect incubator for peppers and tomatoes, which appreciate plenty of direct sun and high temps, Dyrek says. The Dyreks start their pepper seeds under heat lamps in the greenhouse in March. After three to four weeks, they move them to larger pots and then plant the whole lot outside when the chance of frost has passed, typically mid-to late-May. There, the peppers www.ediblechicago.com
25
continue to grow, shielded in black plastic to lock in heat from the ground, and nourished by irrigation lines running through the fields. In terms of harvesting, peppers present a greater challenge than other produce; they’re ready at all different times, so it takes a watchful eye and precise palate. “Some might be done in 72 days, others in 95 days,” Dyrek says. “Everything I grow I test in the field. Some of the peppers stay green, others turn red. If I wait an extra two weeks on the bell peppers, they ripen to a brighter red and taste a lot sweeter. Maybe the habaneros will be just one bite. But my lunches are in the field.” Leaning Shed Farm is certified by the Food Alliance, an organization recognizing sustainable farmers, and the Dyreks use organic methods to farm, which means no pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals. They use old school crop rotation, composting, and crop diversity (planting cucumbers, apples,
pears, peas and other fruits and vegetables) for natural soil-nitrogen development.
has since partnered with Dyrek to grow more this year specifically for his shop.
Perhaps it’s Denise Dyrek’s career in the hotel food and beverage industry, their love of good food, or their personable, overtly friendly approach that has kept their market stand constantly abuzz with regulars—both athome cooks and professional chefs. Dave and Denise have developed many relationships with local chefs who are eager to try their exotic peppers and tomatoes for their dishes. Their restaurant clientele is impressive: Alinea, Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, Graham Elliot, Henri, Lockwood, Big Jones, MK, Karyn’s on Green, Elate, Sepia, Primebar, Boka and many others.
Sean Sanders, chef/owner of Browntrout in North Center is also a regular Leaning Shed pepper buyer. “I use all of Leaning Sheds’ produce, especially the peppers all summer,” Sanders says. “I love how many varieties Dave and Denise grow. Towards the end of the summer, we’ll take a bunch of his small Thai chiles and make hot sauce to use throughout the year. We’ve also made a roasted corn, lime and poblano soup, and I have used his dehydrated Padron chile powder to form a crust for blackfin tuna with shaved sunchokes, arugula, fried capers and a dill seed vinaigrette.”
Chuy Valencia, the former chef/partner of Chilam Balam, has developed a special collaboration with Leaning Shed. Last season, he gave the Dyreks an heirloom chocolate habanero seed that Valencia’s family (originally from Mexico) had been growing in the San Francisco area since the 1970s. “This is really our pride pepper,” Dyrek says. “It looks just like a chocolatecolored bell pepper and it’s one of the hottest habaneros, used for may different sauces, but particularly Mexican sauces like moles and suizas.”
The dried, ground pepper idea came about a couple years ago when Denise experimented with a dehydrator as a way to preserve leftover produce for wintertime use. She’s since created her own spice line using dried ramps and garlic scapes, white knob and sweet candy onions, strawberries, and Tobago peppers—small yellow chiles from Trinidad that look like habaneros, but with more pungency than heat.
A little goes a long way with this earthy, rich pepper. “All habaneros, if you can catch the taste before the heat kicks in, have their own flavors,” Dyrek says. “Some have a slightly citrus taste, others have a little sweetness.” Rob Levitt, owner of the Butcher & Larder, “bought bushels of Anaheim peppers last season to use in a new sausage. It was the best sausage I ever had,” Dyrek says. Levitt
Dirk’s Fish & Gourmet Shop Chicago’s source for the freshest sustainable fish and seafood, delivered and cut daily. Simply the best fish for your money! As seen on T.V. “Chicago’s Best” Sushi. Lunch or Sushi: to go or eat in Party platters, sushi trays, homemade soups, salads, desserts Free Saturday grilling demos 12:00 until 3:00 2070 N Clybourne Ave Chicago, Il 60614 773.404.3475 www.dirksfish.com
26
edible chicago | Summer 2012
One man’s “mid-life crisis” has created a passion for peppers in kitchens all around Chicago. The heat is on and Dave Dyrek is the guy to thank. For more information: leaningshed.com.
ec
Amelia Levin is a local food writer and 10$+.ƫ+"ƫ0$!ƫ.! !*0(5ƫ.!(! /! ƫChicago Chef’s Table, a collection of recipes from *! .(5ƫćĀƫ+"ƫ0$!ƫ %05Ě/ƫ !/0ƫ $!"/ƫ * ƫ restaurants. She is a new member of the .!!*ƫ%05ƫ .'!0ƫ 1*%+.ƫ+ . ċ
3DVWXUH5DLVHG7HQGHU7DVW\ 1DWXUDOO\-XLF\ Chicago area or on-farm pick-up
Caveny Farm Heritage Poultry Monticello, Illinois www.cavenyfarm.com
Seasonal Sustainable Local Photo © jokihaka/shutterstock.com
Food and Art PRESERVING THE BOUNTY GARDEN PARTY ON THE GRILL DRINK YOUR VEGETABLES
,.&& + a& & +( "% (&&.'"-" ,a",,.
From the Good Earth by Amelia Levin
LE AN I N G S H ED FAR M PEPPERS:
The Heat is On
24
edible chicago | Summer 2012
Top Left: © 1 125089601/shutterstock.com; Top Right: © ® Michele Pautasso /shutterstock.com Bottom Right: © Meischke/shutterstock.com Bottom Left: Gavrila Bogdan/shutterstock.com
Bright, red bells. Little, red zingers. Twisty, turvy capsaicins of all shapes, sizes and names. Waxy, purple tomatillo orbs wrapped in leafy shells. When Dave and Denise Dyrek of Leaning Shed Farm show up with their first batch of hot and sweet peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos, you truly learn the definition of the term “summer bounty.” It’s the pepper party at their Green City Market stand come June and July in Chicago; endless rows of bins and wooden crates overflow with a sea of colors, textures and, soon to be, tastes. The funky, funny and exotic names of the more than 20 pepper varieties and more than 70 tomato varieties, tell the story of what has become a very passionate, complex heirloom and seed saving farm business. Eight years ago, Dave and Denise bought their 30-acre farm in Berrien Springs, Michigan, a couple of hours outside Chicago in the Southwest region of the state. At first, it was just a weekend getaway from their home in Humboldt Park. “We loved the area and the beaches,” Dave Dyrek says. “Though we didn’t buy the place originally to farm, we did have a big garden. It was 30 x 30 feet the first year, and it got bigger every year. Then, one day we were laughing that we didn’t even go to the beach the whole weekend, we were just gardening.” In early 2009, Dave Dyrek hit what he jokingly calls his “mid-life crisis,” officially selling his heating and air-conditioning business to farm full-time. Denise helps Dave with the farming while continuing her job as a Beverage Director for the Hilton in Chicago. For both, it was a lifestyle change—a move from the hustle and bustle of urban life to a calming one filled with nature, birds, trees and even a pastoral Concord grape orchard. “At the same time, I’ve never worked so hard in my life,” Dave says. “But I love it.” Though the couple started with tomatoes, Dyrek considered peppers as the next logical step. “I couldn’t believe the varieties out there,” he says. “Sometimes it’s a hard sell because many people don’t know what to do with the different kinds, other than the simple green bell peppers.” Denise Dyrek, an avid cook, often comes to the aid of regular shoppers, offering preparation tips, salsamaking advice and other recipes. When it comes to choosing the peppers, “I’m
trying to humor myself,” Dave chuckles. “I first I told myself I would never grow a green bell pepper, but looking into it, I saw there are a thousand different varieties of green peppers. I tend to go through the seed catalogues to see what humors me. I’ll look at a picture, read the description, and if it looks funky and comes with an unusual or unique flavor I’ll give it a try. We want to grow the kinds of peppers you can’t get all year long at the local grocery store.” The Dyrek’s bell peppers—in red, green, yellow, orange, and purple—tend to sell the best for their sweet, juicy crunch and approachability. But above all, the Dyrek’s remain committed to heirlooms. While they source many of their unique seeds from the Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom varieties, they also have their own “seed saving” methods of sourcing from friends, family, community members and even chefs. In one case, a friend “smuggled” an Aji Amarillo chile seed out of Oaxaca, Mexico. Another time, nearly 15 people at the market asked for the Melrose pepper, a local variety native to Melrose Park, Illinois some 50 to 60 years ago when an Italian immigrant brought the seed overseas. After some digging, Dyrek found the seed and was able to grow it. “They’re a little elongated and close in shape to the Anaheim, but red, thin-walled and usually used for frying.” “One of my favorites right now are our pimento peppers,” Dyrek says. “We grow different kinds of pimentos, but they look like smaller bell peppers, are typically red, and are the sweetest pepper you could ever imagine. The sheep nose pimento is my favorite—I like to slice them raw for salads.” This season the Dyreks grew a regular green tomatillo in addition to their popular purple and tiny yellow varieties, which, along with their many tomato varieties, make for a rainbow of salsa options. “Our Mexican strain tomatillos, which Frontera bought last year, start out green and turn yellow when they ripen,” Dyrek says. “They are so sweet you could eat them raw if you wanted. The green ones taste great when roasted and blackened and blended with other chiles, cilantro and garlic.”
Are you a hot pepper fan? Chaising Chiles, Hot Spots Along the Chili Trail gives readers an inside look at both the future of placebased foods like the pepper and the effects of climate change on agriculture through the lens of an heirloom chili pepper. From the farmers who cultivate this crop to the cuisines and cultural traditions in which peppers play a huge role. Perspectives by authors Kurt Michael Friese, Kraig Kraft and Gary Paul Nabhan. Clesea Green Publishing.
Southwest Michigan is known as the “fruit belt,” with its plethora of apple, cherry and pear trees, vineyards and super-sweet vegetables thanks to a mild climate that usually avoids the harshest hitting snows and freezing temperatures typical of the Midwest. The hot, less-humid summers are a perfect incubator for peppers and tomatoes, which appreciate plenty of direct sun and high temps, Dyrek says. The Dyreks start their pepper seeds under heat lamps in the greenhouse in March. After three to four weeks, they move them to larger pots and then plant the whole lot outside when the chance of frost has passed, typically mid-to late-May. There, the peppers www.ediblechicago.com
25
continue to grow, shielded in black plastic to lock in heat from the ground, and nourished by irrigation lines running through the fields. In terms of harvesting, peppers present a greater challenge than other produce; they’re ready at all different times, so it takes a watchful eye and precise palate. “Some might be done in 72 days, others in 95 days,” Dyrek says. “Everything I grow I test in the field. Some of the peppers stay green, others turn red. If I wait an extra two weeks on the bell peppers, they ripen to a brighter red and taste a lot sweeter. Maybe the habaneros will be just one bite. But my lunches are in the field.” Leaning Shed Farm is certified by the Food Alliance, an organization recognizing sustainable farmers, and the Dyreks use organic methods to farm, which means no pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals. They use old school crop rotation, composting, and crop diversity (planting cucumbers, apples,
pears, peas and other fruits and vegetables) for natural soil-nitrogen development.
has since partnered with Dyrek to grow more this year specifically for his shop.
Perhaps it’s Denise Dyrek’s career in the hotel food and beverage industry, their love of good food, or their personable, overtly friendly approach that has kept their market stand constantly abuzz with regulars—both athome cooks and professional chefs. Dave and Denise have developed many relationships with local chefs who are eager to try their exotic peppers and tomatoes for their dishes. Their restaurant clientele is impressive: Alinea, Frontera Grill/Topolobampo, Graham Elliot, Henri, Lockwood, Big Jones, MK, Karyn’s on Green, Elate, Sepia, Primebar, Boka and many others.
Sean Sanders, chef/owner of Browntrout in North Center is also a regular Leaning Shed pepper buyer. “I use all of Leaning Sheds’ produce, especially the peppers all summer,” Sanders says. “I love how many varieties Dave and Denise grow. Towards the end of the summer, we’ll take a bunch of his small Thai chiles and make hot sauce to use throughout the year. We’ve also made a roasted corn, lime and poblano soup, and I have used his dehydrated Padron chile powder to form a crust for blackfin tuna with shaved sunchokes, arugula, fried capers and a dill seed vinaigrette.”
Chuy Valencia, the former chef/partner of Chilam Balam, has developed a special collaboration with Leaning Shed. Last season, he gave the Dyreks an heirloom chocolate habanero seed that Valencia’s family (originally from Mexico) had been growing in the San Francisco area since the 1970s. “This is really our pride pepper,” Dyrek says. “It looks just like a chocolatecolored bell pepper and it’s one of the hottest habaneros, used for may different sauces, but particularly Mexican sauces like moles and suizas.”
The dried, ground pepper idea came about a couple years ago when Denise experimented with a dehydrator as a way to preserve leftover produce for wintertime use. She’s since created her own spice line using dried ramps and garlic scapes, white knob and sweet candy onions, strawberries, and Tobago peppers—small yellow chiles from Trinidad that look like habaneros, but with more pungency than heat.
A little goes a long way with this earthy, rich pepper. “All habaneros, if you can catch the taste before the heat kicks in, have their own flavors,” Dyrek says. “Some have a slightly citrus taste, others have a little sweetness.” Rob Levitt, owner of the Butcher & Larder, “bought bushels of Anaheim peppers last season to use in a new sausage. It was the best sausage I ever had,” Dyrek says. Levitt
Dirk’s Fish & Gourmet Shop Chicago’s source for the freshest sustainable fish and seafood, delivered and cut daily. Simply the best fish for your money! As seen on T.V. “Chicago’s Best” Sushi. Lunch or Sushi: to go or eat in Party platters, sushi trays, homemade soups, salads, desserts Free Saturday grilling demos 12:00 until 3:00 2070 N Clybourne Ave Chicago, Il 60614 773.404.3475 www.dirksfish.com
26
edible chicago | Summer 2012
One man’s “mid-life crisis” has created a passion for peppers in kitchens all around Chicago. The heat is on and Dave Dyrek is the guy to thank. For more information: leaningshed.com.
ec
Amelia Levin is a local food writer and 10$+.ƫ+"ƫ0$!ƫ.! !*0(5ƫ.!(! /! ƫChicago Chef’s Table, a collection of recipes from *! .(5ƫćĀƫ+"ƫ0$!ƫ %05Ě/ƫ !/0ƫ $!"/ƫ * ƫ restaurants. She is a new member of the .!!*ƫ%05ƫ .'!0ƫ 1*%+.ƫ+ . ċ
3DVWXUH5DLVHG7HQGHU7DVW\ 1DWXUDOO\-XLF\ Chicago area or on-farm pick-up
Caveny Farm Heritage Poultry Monticello, Illinois www.cavenyfarm.com
Seasonal Sustainable Local Photo © jokihaka/shutterstock.com
