Findlay Market

Why, oh why, doesn't Chicago have a big old food market in the European tradition? One big building filled with Butchers, Fishmongers, Pastry shops and Cheese makers all indoors with local produce vendors in outdoor stalls while the weather permits? A cathedral ceilinged cavernous building filled with the noises of families picking out good food from local vendors?

Cleveland has the Westside Market--Dan and I visit it with his brothers every Thanksgiving and get gorgonzola stuffed olives, lil smokies and Israeli couscous.

And Cincinnati has Findlay Market:

This is the parking lot side of the market, but essentially, it's a large central building (not shown here), with a collection of shops on either side of it in these amazing old structures. And there are butchers in those shops that have been in business in Cincinnati for over a century.


When I visit Cincinnati, I always make my mom go for a Findlay run, if for no other reason than to visit Silverglades--home of the best Spanish Chorizo in the Midwest. Why in a town with such a strong German history? Who knows. . . but I get two Chorizos every visit for paella back at home where you can only get Mexican Chorizo.

This time, I also bought four of the German Veal Bratts. . . nothing like 'em in Chicago.
Sometimes, I have dreams about living in the top floor of one of Cincinnati's beautiful old buildings--buying it for a song and renovating it with Dan. We would stabalize the top floor so that it could hold the weight of a rooftop garden--so that I could finally be the perfect blend of city/country mouse. And then we would go to Findlay Market every Saturday for freshly made belgian waffles and coffee, and return home with arms full of baguettes and fish and fresh produce. I'd work for Cincinnati ArtWorks and Dan would be a computer genius for some lucky company, right downtown, both within walking distance of our beautiful home.