Margy Hooker is glad that locals are finally embracing the locally grown foods trend.

This summer, she taught four sold-out cooking classes at IPFW using fresh ingredients to make soups, entrées, sides, drinks and desserts.

“People are really getting geared toward locally grown and organic,” she says.

She encouraged her students to shop at farmers markets when possible. Buy fresh produce in season, because it will taste better and cost less, she says.

She also prefers organic items, which can cost more but typically have more vitamins and nutrients, she says.

Hooker, who has more than 30 years’ experience as a chef, owned Margy’s Café in Covington Plaza, where trucks would deliver fresh produce daily until it closed in 2001. Her family also owns Tanglewood Berry Farm on Hadley Road.

She’s been working as a caterer, consultant and event planner for the past few years and recently was hired as the general manager at Eddie Merlot’s. She’s also writing a second cookbook.

And she’ll teach two cooking classes at IPFW again this fall: a wine-tasting dinner and a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

She shared some tips for buying, preparing and storing popular varieties of seasonal produce – including the ubiquitous zucchini.

“In the summer, you can literally watch zucchini grow” in the garden, she jokes.

“I will just go out and pick stuff and create recipes.”

Berries

Check for wet or moldy berries at the bottom of the container. Refrigerate good berries for a few days, using the original container. Don’t wash them until just before using. Freeze by spreading them in a single layer on a baking sheet (don’t let them touch) and putting it in the freezer. When berries are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag, squeezing out the air.

Delicate lettuces

Choose heads that are heavy for their size, avoiding those with wilted, torn or brown leaves. Store the loose greens, unwashed, in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to four days. Rinse the leaves just before serving. If needed, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes to make them crisp again. Dry leaves with a kitchen towel or in a salad spinner. Tear large ones individually, instead of cutting them, to avoid crushing the leaves. Dress them just before serving.

Sturdy lettuces

Choose heads with fresh leaves that aren’t brown or wilted. Avoid those with large thick stems, which tend to make them bitter. (Medium stems can be removed). Store the heads, unwashed, in a plastic bag in the fridge, for up to five days. Wash just before using by immersing them in a large bowl of cold water and letting dirt settle on the bottom. Dry by shaking them gently in a kitchen towel or using a salad spinner. Remove any large roots, thick stalks or yellow or wilted leaves.

Sweet corn

Choose ears with green husks, with no signs of browning or drying. Silk tassels should be pale yellow and moist. Kernels should be plump and juicy, tightly packed in even rows. Store the unshucked ears in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours. To prepare: Pull the husk and silk off. Snap off the leaves at the bottom. For stringy silk that can’t be easily removed, scrub the ear with a vegetable brush under cold running water.

Tomatoes

Choose those that are ripened on the vine and bright in color. They can be stored at room temperature for up to three days. (If slightly unripe, place them in a sunny spot to ripen fully). Rinse and dry tomatoes before using, slicing off the stem ends. Slice or chop them depending on the recipe. To remove seeds, halve the tomatoes and squeeze each gently over a bowl. Tomatoes can be frozen whole or cut into chunks; you might want to peel them first. To peel, drop them into a pot of boiling water until the skin starts to shrivel and fall off. Scoop tomatoes out, let them cool and finish removing the peel.

Yellow squash

Buy small ones for tender seedless flesh. Look for brightly colored ones that feel heavy and firm for their size. Before using, wash them and trim the ends. Large ones can be sliced or cut into chunks for sautéing and grilling. Smaller ones can be roasted whole.

Zucchini

Select squash that are dark, firm and heavy for their size. Smaller ones will be crisper and sweeter. Store in the fridge for up to three days, wrapped in paper towels inside a plastic bag. To prepare it: Wash the zucchini, trim the ends and slice, chop or shred it, depending on the recipe. (There is no need for peeling.) To freeze, chop or shred the zucchini and put in freezer bags. Before using it in zucchini bread or soups, thaw and drain excess water.

sscarlett@jg.net