Omnivore - Palm-sized pralines from Ratio Bakeshop

Checking out the Grant Park Farmers Market on its next-to-last Sunday

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The Grant Park Farmers Market finishes up for the year this Sunday, Dec. 22. It will resume in April. I hit the market, almost directly across from my home, last week and ran into Chris Flores (above) of Ratio Bakeshop. I interviewed him last summer when he first went into business.

I got a praline as big as the palm of my hand, a croissant filled with goat cheese, and an over-sized regular croissant. The two croissants - buttery, crispy, and chewy - were state-of-the-art. The praline, lumpy with pecan halves, was an exercise in total excess. I can’t get it out of my mind.

I also bought my usual container of green sauce from Zocalo and some radishes, collards, and apples from other vendors. I pan-fried a pork tenderloin, deglazed the pan with the green sauce and scattered radish slices atop the sliced meat. I used more of the radishes in a dish of tofu with kimchi amd a few collards.