Sue Z. Says

Spring is in full swing and so are farmers’ markets. Trips to the market are special dates with my grandchildren. Ever since the kids were old enough to walk, we’d head down weekend mornings to the St. Paul Farmers’ Market, where we’d eat grilled bagels with cream cheese, fresh tomatoes, and cucumbers before picking up flowers, fruits, and veggies to take home. Brats and corn-on-the-cob at the Minneapolis Farmers’ Market on Lyndale and Glenwood are another tradition (even at 6 a.m.). Luckily, that location is open seven days a week in warm-weather months. The Mill City Farmer’s Market lures us on Saturday mornings for fresh-made cardamom mini doughnuts and hot cocoa. Other stops for us include the wonderful Maple Grove Farmers’ Market and the Excelsior Farmers’ Market on Thursday afternoons.

These experiences teach the young ones about new tastes, the importance of local products, and grass-roots marketing. And, for city kids, there’s a whole new world of lessons from the growers they meet.

In restaurant news, Zahtar by Fhima at Life Time Fitness is up and running in Eden Prairie and at the Grand Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Both locations feature private-dining rooms and plenty of healthy eats on the menu.

Looking for your next party venue? Anna and Lazaros Christoforides of Gardens of Salonica New Greek Café (19 Fifth St. NE, Mpls., 612-378-0611) turn over their kitchen and restaurant to private dinner parties on Sundays and Mondays. gardensofsalonica.com

Sue Zelickson is host of WCCO Radio’s Food for Thought.