Are you in the know at Lemon Tree Grocer?

Who is happy that summer is here? Don't you like when it's 90 degrees then 50? Let's put it this way: It wouldn't be the Midwest without it!

Lemon Tree Grocer has sooo much going on this summer; that you won't want to miss out! If you check the June Newsletter it will keep you up-to-date, and don't forget our Facebook and Twitter Pages will always let you know the latest and greatest about everything!

The Produce Sale we are having right now at Lemon Tree is pretty amazing we'd like to think, and we know we keep teasing you with our scrumptious & delicious freshly baked pastries!

The point is; if you want to be in the know- you must be a fan or follower of the Lemon Tree Grocer pages! It is the only way you will get in on our contests, giveways, and last minute surprises!

Thanks for all the fans & followers out there for supporting Lemon Tree Grocer! We'll say it a million times: we wouldn't be the establishment we are without every one of you! (Now take a look at some of these yummy pics)

Would You Like Some Extra Money to Spend at Lemon Tree?

So, we're really excited for every single one of our fans, and we want to thank you for all the support you have given Lemon Tree since we've opened. You are the reason why Lemon Tree was chosen by the Downers Grove Junior Women's Club as the Local Business of the Year!!!!

How does winning some extra cash for Lemon Tree Grocer sound as a thank you? We thought you'd like that, so here's the deal: we really would like to reach 2500 Facebook Fans, and we'd appreciate your help;)

All we're asking is that you share Lemon Tree with your local friends, family, neighbors, etc that aren't already fans of the Lemon Tree Grocer Facebook Page! This way they can be as informed as you are about contests, tastings, special events, giveaways, and more! We know our fans like to share, and so do we! So, lets continue to make Downers Grove the place to be!

We want to thank everyone in advance, and can't wait to give out some extra Lemon Tree cash to help you purchase whatever your heart desires!

P.S. We hope you like some of the pictures from our "Swine, Wine, and Hops Dinner" with Ari Weinzweig!

Win Mother's Day Brunch at Zest...

Who believes their mother, sister, wife, aunt, girlfriend, grandma, (whatever she is to you as long as she's a mom) deserves some extra attention and pampering this Mother's Day?

We at Zest certainly do; which is why we're giving away BRUNCH FOR TWO! The contest is really simple, yet you only have until tomorrow to get your entry in. Write a post on our Lemon Tree Grocer Facebook wall of why you think your mother deserves to Win. It can be anything your little heart desires, and the winner will be chosen by our fans with the most "likes"

So, if you can't think of exactly what you should give to your mother this Mother's Day; at least give her a compliment on our wall. Then, you may even come out with the Grand Prize! If not, at least you took the time to write how amazing your mother is for all of Lemon Tree's fans to see!

We can't forget......Happy Mother's Day!

Fish at the Lemon Tree Grocer...or, Have You Ever Tried Escolar?

This next blog is taken from Chuck and Karen Keenley's gracious email they sent to us. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this; it truly means a lot not only to the people mentioned, yet the entire Lemon Tree staff.


Shoppers: next time you are in the store, go back to the meat/fish counter and ask for "escolar". Proving I am no know-it-all, the first time I heard the word I thought Mike and John, the 2 resident butchers, were mistaken...they must mean "escarole", a form of lettuce I do know something about having worked in a produce department about a 100 years ago.

No, they assured me, not "escarole" but "escolar", a variety of fish caught in the Pacific near Hawaii. Mike, who has been "right on" with his recommendations, told me to keep it simple (he graciously omitted the last word of that saying)- coat it with olive oil and grill it for 10 minutes. Hmm...I don't think I can mess that up!

Forward to 5:30 Saturday afternoon. I am sitting on my patio for the 1st time in who-knows-how-long, downing a couple of my favorite micro-brews, enjoying Karen's inspiration, collard greens with bacon, onion and a dash of vinegar, and savoring this wonderful fish that is moist and has a buttery flavor!

What to try next- it is a tossup between the marlin, the mahi mahi, and the escarole! We are not big meat eaters, but I can only imagine how good the steaks and chops are!

Shaun and Tim- thanks for bringing such great quality to Downers Grove!

Chuck and Karen Keenley

Lemon Tree attends the Family Farmed Expo..

Well, as some of you may know there was an amazing Food Expo called: Family Farmed that happens every year. If you haven't been, and you're a true foodie, lover of food, chef, supporter of local food vendors: you need to get your act together and attend this Expo!

People; this is exactly what Lemon Tree Grocer stands for: supporting local companies, organizations, vendors, and more! We would like to give a shout out to Square Organics who we had a nice chat with, and took the lovely picture above with as well....

So, have you ever been? There's something for all ages with cooking demos, workshops, local restaurants, tastings: it truly is a food lover's dream!

Our big adventure was learning how to work with local sustainable growers while sourcing new products for the shop..Stay tuned to find out more, and as always: thanks for being a fan of Lemon Tree Grocer!

Feel free to tweet us @LemonTreeGrocer if you have comments, or just want to say hello!

This Week's Meat Treat...

Meat Molly has a mouth watering special that you better take advantage of right now! After all, what can make you feel better than a succulent little piggy that falls off the bone after being cooked on fiery hot grill? (Yeah I didn't think you had an answer for that)

Ok, so I know its winter. Football season looks a little too yellow for my palate. The temperature hovers between -10 and +10, too cold for most grill enthusiasts. Boo hoo, boo hoo. So I started thinking… What can cheer me up?

All of a sudden, images popped into my brain. I saw juicy ribs roasting over an open fire, the flame hissing as heated fat hit the bright red coals… I saw pork. Baby back ribs. The Best! You don’t have to brave frigid temps to enjoy baby backs this time of year; and talk about a great way to get you thinking about summer.

What started all these porky dreams was a chance encounter with a slab of Niman Ranch ribs I had the other day. Joe Lessard, our fabulous chef here at Lemon Tree, asked me what I had for him to put on special that night. I had recently received some baby backs from a distributor, even though I was hesitant to buy them (it is winter after all). I told Joe about them and his eyes lit up. An hour and a half later I was shaking, literally shaking meat from the ribs!

This struck me as a bit odd. Usually when I cook ribs, it takes at least a few hours before I’m getting messy with some falling-off-the-bone goodness. After picking Joe’s brain for his secret, I found out there wasn’t any secret. These ribs are just that good. He braised them at low heat for an hour and a half and shazam! Perfection!

I’m running these Niman Ranch Baby Back Ribs on special (6.29/lb) for another week just so everyone can take advantage of the low price. Plus, these ribs are the perfect diversion from the winter blues. Trust me. Come summer, it’s going to cost you to take these babies home.