For those of you whose sweet tooths aren’t satiated by tonight’s festivities, I have another great option for you. (I’ll keep you in suspense, though, you have to read to the end to find out about it.)
I went to visit a friend of mine who lives in Mahomet not too long ago. After the kids played for awhile, we headed to lunch at First Fruits, the newish organic market/restaurant in the old Monical’s building near downtown Mahomet. The family who owns the store has been farming in the area for several years, and I had wanted to lunch there for awhile after finding out about this new venture from their booth at the Market on the Square.
Our lunch was absolutely delicious. I had a cup of the soup of the day (mushroom) and a half of a roasted vegetable sandwich. Almost everything is made in-house; if it’s not, they’ll tell you — and they use organic ingredients as much as possible. Here’s the menu, although they have daily specials. The seating area is small, so I wouldn’t go there with a big group, but the service was prompt and incredibly friendly. It’s not difficult to tell that they take a lot of pride in their product. My only critique was the store’s lack of a proper high chair — they have one, but it’s a circa 1972 death trap and not something I would trust with a child less than 15 months old. That’s not to say that they aren’t child-friendly otherwise, they do offer a children’s meal special and have a normal booster seat.
I probably scared my friend and her child when I let out a yelp in the middle of our meal. Much to my delightful surprise, First Fruits is selling one of the most wonderful ice cream brands in the world, Homer’s. Homer’s is a landmark in Wilmette, a suburb north of Chicago. Despite its success, Homer’s has resisted the franchise craze, and the company has remained in its original location. Going to Homer’s is like stepping back in time, and so is tasting their thick, homemade ice cream. If you don’t believe me, a few others agree. Now Homer’s has come to me, and it’s difficult to contain my excitement.
If you are an ice cream lover, head to Mahomet and enjoy some Homer’s. I guarantee you won’t regret it.
5 responses so far ↓
prairiegourmet // October 31, 2007 at 1:05 pm
How does Homer’s compare with Petersen’s from Oak Park?
lbotp // October 31, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Oak Park … that’s out of my ‘hood. You stumped me on that one.
frogpink // October 31, 2007 at 8:25 pm
I second your recommendation to try First Fruits. Definitely try the pie; I have had banana cream pie and cherry pie and it is well worth the trip.
Leeanthro // November 2, 2007 at 1:20 pm
Next time I’m that way (which isn’t often) I’ll try them out.
Pie? Ooh, that’s the magic word for me.
BTW, my husband just heard the TJ’s rumor from yet another person. Sorry to keep perpetuating it. I did e-mail the company and asked them to just tell me yes or no, but they didn’t respond.
Lisa // November 2, 2007 at 4:06 pm
I’ve been meaning to go out to that little restaurant for a year now — you beat me to it! Glad to hear it’s good. Obviously, I need to get some ice cream while I’m there, as well, since I have never had Homer’s.
Leave a Comment