Eat your veggies: early Fall at the Dane County Farmers' Market.

Hey Madison, it's been a while. I left the country for 2 weeks on an amazing multi-continental adventure (a week in Barcelona, then a week in Israel). The jet lag was rough, and getting back to reality has been harder than I expected. But what better way for me to get back in my groove than to eat some veggies? In Wisconsin, this time of year is all about veggies, veggies, veggies. For me, that means Dane Country Farmers' Market trips and some pretty awesome boxes from my Harmony Valley Farm CSA.

My haul from the market was pretty typical: green onions, napa cabbage, and some gouda from Farmer John's Cheese (Yup, that's the guy whose cow I milked. He told me that she's pregnant. Mazel tov, Faith!). After my shopping, what I discovered downtown that was a fun surprise: a local food fest, including an enormous, stilt-walking corn:

Just hanging at the Wisconsin State Capitol with my new corn friend (and HER corn friend… look at the tiny one in her hand).

I also checked in with the Willy Street Co-Op booth, where I found myself in a bit of a pickle.

I never thought I'd get to say THIS phrase on by blog twice in one year, but…
#pickleselfie.

Once I had my mandatory ridiculous photos taken care of, it was time to head home and pick up the CSA. The most surprising thing in the box was this hairy, curly, finger-like root vegetable:

And the award for ugliest vegetable goes to… celeriac!

My to-do list for the week: figure out how the hell to cook it. I'm thinking soup.

Eat your veggies, folks!

Farmers' Market trip: summer salad edition.

Realizing that we hadn't gone to the Dane County Farmers' Market in quite a long time, my friend Tonya and I ventured out for some Saturday morning shopping. Despite the chilly wind, the market was packed, and I left with an awesome haul:

Broccoli, lettuce, mini cukes, a beefsteak tomato, and sweet cherries.
Yum! Time for summer salad.

Then, off to brunch at Mickey's Tavern. A delicious morning!

A wise lunch at The Green Owl Cafe.

I have lived in Madison for just under two years, and The Green Owl Cafe was one of the first places I fell in love with, for many reasons. It's Madison's only vegetarian restaurant, so as a veggie myself, I was immediately drawn to the place. Their menu is full of interesting concoctions and their desserts are out of this world (ahem, chocolate lava cake, anyone?).

Last Saturday, I met up with the Jones family (Scott, Elysha, Abby, and Clementine) and Cory for some vegetarian goodness. I was the first one there and feeling a bit sleepy, so I started off with a nice French press coffee.

A great way to perk up on a Saturday.

True to their name, the restaurant is decorated with trees and owls, and their kiddie cups are owl-shaped. Abby just turned four, and even though she just got a big girl bed, she still enjoys a good kiddie cup.

Abby just loves her owl cup! 

Alright, one more. It's cuteness holding cuteness.

And now, for the food! The Green Owl Cafe uses soy, tempeh, fruit, and other substitutes to create unique dishes in the style of classic meat-eater meals. They have many vegan options, and they can convert most of their vegetarian dishes into vegan dishes.

My personal favorite on their menu is the TLT with avocado (that's tempeh, lettuce, and tomato), but I decided to try something new: the BBQ jackfruit. The jackfruit is simmered in barbecue sauce to create a vegan alternative to a pulled pork sandwich.

I opted for the side salad and caesar dressing. Everything was lovely!

I forgot to take a picture of Cory's Bloody Mary, which would have been a nice shot as well. Oh, and baby Clementine totally should have been photographed (she was pretty busy snuggling).

And for any bikers who may be reading this: bring your helmet and Bicycle Benefits sticker in to The Green Owl Cafe on a Sunday for a free drink (oh, and I recommend the mimosas).

Good old vegetarian fun at one of my favorite places in town? A perfect start to a weekend.

Why I love Willy Street.

In my three weeks of residency in downtown Madison, I have already come to love the Williamson Street ("Willy Street") neighborhood. It's free-thinking and artsy with a crunchy granola after-taste: totally my scene.

Willy Street is full of some lovely kitschy wonders:

Mannequin legs on a balcony (look closely).

I'd say I've been to the neighborhood 4 or 5 times already and I always find something smile-worthy to see. I joined a local stitch-n-bitch (knitting group) last week and they meet at Mickey's Tavern on Willy Street. It's a welcoming bar with an efficient waitress and cheap, delicious food:

Tonight's dinner at Mickey's Tavern: veggie burger wrap with chips and dip. Delicious!

I have gathered that Madison in general is a very vegetarian-friendly city. This is a new concept for me after going to college in Cincinnati where they worship meaty chili and growing up in Charlotte where pork barbeque steals the show. It's nice to see a veggie burger wrap on the menu. Also, I love Madison's abundance of local restaurants instead of boring chains. I really like to support local businesses, and I get the impression that Madisonians agree.

I like you already, Willy Street. I expect you to produce some fond memories.