Love Local Food - Summer 2018

Summer 2018

Build a Stunning Summer Grazing Board with YES!Berries

Try this beautiful Layered Devilled Egg Pasta Salad

Summer’s Favourite Food Pizza!

Try this White Bean & Vegetable Pizza

from Egg Farmers of Ontario

from Ontario Bean Grower

The Plural of Asparagus is Delicious!

Take a look at how Barrie’s Asparagus is growing goodness!

Editor Gillian Rees

Food Director Brittany Stager

Art Director David Rees

Copy Editor Tanya Naumann

Graphic Designer Ben Pavey

Contributors Nicole Gingrich Shannon Godelie Stacey Sage

Published by Real Food Creative, a division of REES + STAGER INC. The Coach House 379 Queen Street South, Kitchener, ON N2G 1W6

Contribute

Want to write for us? Submit your article or blog ideas to Gillian Rees, gillian@lovelocalfood.ca.

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Cover photo by Kelly Neil of Bacon and Baileys. To see more of Kelly’s work visit her on her blog, Instagram, and Twitter.

2 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Summer Lovin' | EDITOR’S LETTER Ah, Summer in Ontario. What’s not to love?

Patio season. Cottage weekends. Beach days. Road side farm stands. Pick your own berries. Backyard gardening.

And an absolute abundance of fresh, beautiful fruits and veggies to devour while still warm from the sun.

Although we can eat local all year long, summer makes it so easy, many people end up buying local by happy accident, and that’s ok! But for those of us who hunt for the Foodland Ontario signs, who have personal relationships with our favourite stalls at the farmers’ market, and who search social media for the first signs of fresh asparagus, summer is a time to celebrate!

In this issue we offer you some light and easy recipes, recommend unique, locally made summer wines, brews + ciders, get the A, BEE, C’s from a local honey farm, and show you how to prepare a colour and flavour packed grazing board for your next patio party.

There’s a ton of great stuff in here!

So whatever your summer plans involve, find a way to work in a visit to a local farm or market, and make the easy choice to fill your fridge and plates with locally produced, farm fresh food. Grown right here in Ontario.

Eat local. Eat well!

Gillian Rees | Editor To contact the team, email gillian@lovelocalfood.ca

|

Follow us @lovelocalfoodca

SUMMER 2018 3

Contents

4 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Featured 12

The Plural of Asparagus is Delicious!

Stacey Sage

28

Loving Local Restaurants

Shannon Godelie

32

40

48

Build a Stunning Summer Grazing Board Brittany Stager

Life on Martin’s Sweet Farm Stacey Sage

A First Taste of the Farmer’s Market Karina Flores with The Sassy Tomato

Recipes 18

Tempeh Quinoa Power Bowl

Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen

20

Grilled Zucchini & Watermelon Salad

Brittany Stager

22

Layered Devilled Egg Pasta Salad

Egg Farmers of Ontario

24

Red House Curry

Brittany Stager

26

White Bean & Vegetable Pizza

Ontario Bean Growers

52

Pancakes with Strawberry Rhubarb

The Sassy Tomato

58

Mini Fruit Tarts

Ontario Berries

Articles 6

Summer Sips for Patio Season

Shannon Godelie

8

The Oxford Cheese Trail

Shannon Godelie

16

Ontario Tempeh

Shannon Godelie

38

Thank a Greenhouse Grower

Gillian Rees

44

A Local Connection to Condiments

Shannon Godelie

46

Perfectly Pair Your Summer Meals

Stacey Sage

54

Summer Cookbook Selections

Nikki Gingrich

60

Availability Guide SUMMER 2018 5

s p i S r e S u m m Season for

Patio

Beer Sommelier | Maddie Maynard

Maddie Maynard is a Prud’homme certified beer sommelier who fell in love with beer while working in the food and beverage industry. Although Maddie’s focus in the last few years has been on butchery, her love for all things beer created the need to work in the beer world. Around the same time, she discovered the wonderful relationship between beer and food. The culinary program at George Brown College gave Maddie the opportunity to learn about the relationship between food and beverage and the importance of it. Maddie is passionate about writing and reading about beer as well as the exciting relationship it has with food. Maddie’s current favourites are porters and ESB’s but loves most other styles as well.

HEAD TO THE LOVE LOCAL FOOD BLOG FOR MORE SUMMER BEER SUGGESTIONS

6 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Profits and Nomads Gose

Canuck Pale Ale

Profits and Nomads Gose made by Collective Arts Brewery is a deliciously refreshing, slightly sour wheat beer, coming in at 4.5%. Generally Gose’s are slightly sour, fruity and made with coriander and sea salt, which mellows out the tartness in the beer. Profits and Nomads is a fantastic beer to enjoy throughout the summer because of its easy-drinking and refreshing qualities. This one is a great addition to any wonderful summer BBQ! If you are looking for a great pairing with this beauty, try some chicken skewers marinated with lime juice and zest, onion, salt, black pepper and a hint of cayenne, cooked on the grill. The combination will bring out the sea salt and fruity flavours in both the beer and the chicken.

Canuck Pale Ale by Great Lakes Brewery is a very citrus fruit forward pale ale that is a whopping 5.2%. This thirst quencher has notes of grapefruit and tropical fruits such as mango and pineapple. It is light gold in colour and has a slight haze. There is definitely a reason why this brew is great for the summer months; it is a super refreshing and crushable beer, that doesn’t put you out due to the lower alcohol content. This delicious beverage pairs wonderfully with a variety of cheeses such as slightly sharp cheddar, soft goats cheese, apricot stilton and a lovely mild brie. This is one that is easily enjoyed throughout the summer!

by Collective Arts Brewery

by Great Lakes Brewery

Summerweiss Tropical Wheat

by Muskoka Brewery

Summerweiss Tropical Wheat by Muskoka Brewery is a wonderful slightly hazy, peach and apricot coloured beer with tropical fruit aromas. The mango, passionfruit and peach aromas directly represent the flavours in the wheat beer. Coming in at 5.3%, this wonderful and easy drinking beer is a must-have summer beverage! One of my favourite pairings to enjoy while drinking this gem would be pork marinated in jerk seasoning and thrown on the BBQ. The slight heat of the jerk spice is calmed by the tropical fruit flavours in the Summerweiss. Such a delicious beer to enjoy with friends and family on a warm summers night!

FIND MADDIE ONLINE AT BEERX.CA, AS WELL AS ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM. SUMMER 2018 7

New Hamburg Bright

#TryTheTrail

The Oxford Cheese Trail

Woodstock

Ingersoll Salford

by Shannon Godelie

Oxford County represents the best of both worlds: urban communities full of life, entertainment, and commerce; and, rural areas that are rich in natural resources, history, and farming.

As the home of Canada’s dairy capital, Oxford County is also home to 24 deliciously curated stops across Oxford County. These tasty locations each feature a local cheese, dairy product or other cheese related offerings for visitors to experience.

wander museums, try decadent chocolate and of course, go home with oodles of mouth-watering cheese. The Oxford Cheese Trail offers curated itineraries for the family, for a romantic getaway or for a weekend spent touring with friends.

Celebrating Oxford’s rich dairy heritage, those who travel the trail can take part in cheese factory tours,

Meet some of Oxford’s world-renowned cheese makers in our digital tour of the county.

8 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Bright Cheese, Bright, ON

Bright Cheese Bright, ON brightcheeseandbutter.com The beginning of Bright Cheese and Butter dates back to 1874 when a group of local farmers decided to establish a cheese factory to turn surplus milk into cheddar. Over 140 years later, they are still producing award-winning cheese at their 1800s factory in Bright, Ontario. To this day, Bright Cheese is well known for its all natural, naturally-aged cheese made with 100% local milk, including aged cheddars, Asiago, Colby, Monterey Jack, feta, Havarti, and delicious squeaky curds.

Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese Woodstock, ON

Gunn's Hill Aritsan Cheese, Woodstock, ON

gunnshillcheese.ca Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese is an artisan cheese plant that specializes in crafting cheeses using top quality milk from the family’s farm across the field. The cheeses produced here are unique although you can taste the Swiss influence from techniques and recipes owner Shep Ysselstein learned while making cheese in the Swiss Alps. Gunn’s Hill offerings include 5 Brothers, Oxford’s Harvest, Tipsy, Handeck, as well as fresh curds each Friday. Visitors are welcome to visit and experience the area, learn about dairy farming and local agriculture, book ahead for a tour and of course, enjoy delicious cheeses.

SUMMER 2018 9

STOCK UP ON DELICIOUS LOCAL CHEESE TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE CHEESE BOARD AND BE SURE TO #TRYTHETRAIL YOURSELF!

Local Dairy Products

Mountainoak Cheese

Ingersoll, ON

New Hamburg, ON

localdairy.ca

mountainoakcheese.ca

For over two decades, Amarjit Singh and his family have been producing high quality, artisanal, local and all natural dairy products out of a historic cheese factory. Though it is located in Ingersoll, the unique products created on-site have been inspired by a varied and international world of cheeses.

Local Dairy Products offers 20 vegetarian products including yogurt, cultured butter, ghee and several cheeses including Oaxaca, paneer and Chihuahua.

Sample their products with a stop by Tremblett’s Independent Grocer, Ingersoll Foodland, or Dairy Capital Cheese Shoppe.

The van Bergeijk Family moved to Canada in 1996, after studying at the renowned cheesemaker’s school in Gouda, Holland, and running their own dairy farm. They focused on the art they had always loved: farming and making artisan cheese.

Today, Mountainoak Cheese is a modern, state-of-the-art processing plant that allows the family to continue the tradition of greattasting, high-quality, Gouda-style cheeses made with fresh milk from their own dairy cows. They have 18 flavours of gouda, including Black Truffle, and Celery, as well as their award-winning Farmstead Premium GOLD.

Also Try. . .

Upper Thames Brewery

| Woodstock, ON |

upperthamesbrewing.ca

Tap into delicious craft beer at Oxford County’s only craft brewery. With several house brews and a few guest taps each week, there’s always a new way to enjoy a pint. This brewery uses exclusively local ingredients, perfectly pairing a charcuterie board with local cheeses to suit your crisp flight of craft beers.

Take this taste of Oxford home and grab a growler on your way out the door.

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and Prize r G

Gr

!

250

$

o cer y St o r e Gif t C a r d

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2018 at 8:00 PM ET Host:

@LoveLocalFoodCA

Moderator:

@BrittanyStager

Hashtag:

#LoveLocalFood

RSVP:

http://bit.ly/LLFTwitterParty

PRIZES* COURTESY OF: • Appleflats - Summer picnic prize pack

• Asparagus Farmers of Ontario - Gift basket of Barrie’s Asparagus Farm products • DelFrescoPure® - Grocery store gift card and DelFrescoPure® swag (Cooler bag, YES!Berries apron, recipe cards, water bottle and portable battery charger) • Egg Farmers of Ontario - Fry pan, devilled egg carrier, oven mitts, whisk, apron, cookbook, tumbler, and spice cards • Mushrooms Canada - Make it with Mushrooms apron, a paring knife and oven mitts • Ontario Apple Growers - A basket of silicone bakeware pieces, tea towels, an apron and some literature • Ontario Bean Growers - Recipe books, a strainer, a can opener and beans • Ontario Turkey - grocery tote, apron, water bottle, notebook, golf shirt and some recipe booklets • Ontario Pork - Commercial grade meat thermometer, pair of oven gloves, baseball hat, small squishy pig, two magnets, pen and pig-shaped sticky note, an assortment of recipe cards and cooking information

® R

SUMMER 2018 11

Interview by Stacey Sage

Every year I look forward to asparagus season. For me, it’s the start of summer and having fresh Ontario-grown food readily available. As a minimalist, I keep things simple when it comes to preparing asparagus at home. A little salt, pepper and oil are all my spears need before hitting the grill. I also love to steam, blanche and add fresh, crisp asparagus to salads. It adds colour and all kinds of fresh, earthy flavour. Be sure to pick Ontario asparagus up this spring before it’s all gone, and don’t forget to thank your farmer.

12 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Q& A

YOUR FARM STORY

Q. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US HOW YOU BECAME INVOLVED IN FARMING? I’m Tim Barrie from Barrie’s Asparagus in Kitchener, Ontario and I was born into asparagus farming. Both my father and grandfather were asparagus farmers. We sell fresh asparagus to restaurants and retailers locally.

Q. IS YOUR FARM GENERATIONAL? We are a 4th generation farm that originally started with cattle and blacksmithing. We have been growing asparagus for four generations now.

At one point, my grandfather was the largest asparagus farmer in Ontario, growing 100 acres in Alliston, Ontario.

Q. DO YOU HAVE KIDS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN YOUR ASPARAGUS FARM? Yes, I have four children who have all worked on the farm at some time or another. My wife is also very involved, it’s a true family business.

Q. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT YOUR FARMING JOURNEY? We also have 45 wholesale products that we offer through retailers and restaurants. These products are made with any bi-products that come from harvesting.

No part of the asparagus spear is wasted in our process.

We work with 15 partners locally including Rootham.

We have also sold thousands of jars of our Grandpa Homer’s pickled asparagus and make Spud’s Finest Ontario Kettle Chips, made from potatoes grown in Alliston, Ontario.

SUMMER 2018 13

We also have the Black Smith and Bean Coffee Company on the farm and partner with St. Jacob’s Eco Cafe. We ethically source our coffee directly from a farm in Columbia.

Q. WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY ON YOUR FARM LOOK LIKE? During asparagus season, starting anywhere between April 26 and May 26, depending on the weather. We harvest the asparagus daily, 7 days a week. We start harvesting at the crack of dawn and this continues throughout May and June.

We have been making asparagus tortilla chips for over 5 years, which you can find at Borealis in Guelph and Kitchener. And any of the crushed up chips found at the bottom of each bag are used for Borealis’ mac and cheese dish, again limiting any food wasted.

We also have another business on the farm called Lily Pure Naturals. Dehydrated asparagus is used as the exfoliant in this all natural soap. $0.25 of each bar goes to the Brain Tumour Program at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital.

We also grow 1 acre of organic heritage rhubarb, which is harvested in May & June (the same time as asparagus) and comes from translating each year.

ABOUT YOUR FARM Q. TELL US ABOUT YOUR FARM (IE: SIZE, LOCATION, AGE, ETC) Barrie’s Asparagus is located at 1236 Kings Road, on the edge of Cambridge and Kitchener.

Once the asparagus is taken from the field it goes right into the bag within 24 hours. Seconds aren’t sold because all of those pieces are processed for our other products, which we snap (not cut), when harvesting. It is a very labour intensive process and we hire most of our staff from the local community.

If we see frost, we have to wait 3-5 days before harvesting again, but our customers are used to this happening at least once per season.

We have one tractor pulled machine that holds 9 staff and an electric charged machine that holds one person. We are always looking for ways to innovate our processes.

“We support our community in every way we can. We give back, we hire customers’ kids, we use the local hardware store - it all goes back to our community.“ Q. WHAT’S THE ONE MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOUR FARM THAT CONSUMERS WOULD LOVE TO KNOW?

Q. WHAT DO YOU GROW ON YOUR FARM?

Food Factory featured Rootham’s Barrie’s Farm Asparagus Smokey Antipasto last year. This is a great way to view how we harvest our asparagus and how Rootham’s makes this Guelph-made antipasto.

We grow asparagus and organic rhubarb and also rent some of our land to a local hay farmer. We also have beehives next to the spring fed pond that we gather honey from regularly.

After tweeting Chris Hadfield, I received a call from him, saying he was on his way to the farm! He spent 45 minutes with me and then Tweeted that Barrie’s Asparagus was a destination farm to visit.

The farm is 124 acres with 60 acres of that being bush.

14 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

FARMING Q. WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT FARMING? Everything! It’s my life. The customer interactions and the fact that I get to work with my family are the best. My kids and wife are involved in the business and my Dad is also involved. It’s a true family business, and our customers are part of the family.

Q. WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE OF FARMING? There are so many different areas to improve on and we are always trying to make our farm more viable. More and more people care about eating local, minimizing their carbon footprint and eating healthier. It’s great to be able to support all of those causes.

EDUCATING CONSUMERS Q. WHY SHOULD “BUYING LOCAL” BE IMPORTANT TO ONTARIO CONSUMERS? When you buy local you support the same people that go to school with your kids, play soccer and hockey with your kids and it’s a great way to give back to community we live in.

We support our community in every way we can. We give back, we hire customers’ kids. We use the local hardware store for our farm supplies, which also goes back to our community.

Q. IS THERE A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT FARMING (OR YOUR PRODUCT) THAT YOU’D LIKE TO DEBUNK? Asparagus is a very labour intensive crop. It’s part of the lily family and comes up in early spring, every year just like tulips.

On average, once planted, the crop will yield up to 20 years. It’s not a crop that has to be planted every year because it’s a perennial.

A BIG THANKS to Tim of Barrie’s Asparagus for taking the time to share your farming story! If you’d like, follow along with Tim’s musings on

Q. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE WAY TO USE ASPARAGUS AT HOME?

Twitter @BarriesAsparagus

Tossed with Garlic Box roasted garlic sea salt and grilled.

SUMMER 2018 15

Ontario Tempeh

– Closer to home than we thought!

by Shannon Godelie

For a long time, meat has been considered a major part of the Canadian diet. Growing up, it seemed so many families would have meat for breakfast, meat for lunch and meat for dinner almost every day! Over the years Canadians have started to not only reduce the amount of meat they were eating, but some were becoming vegans - cutting out all meat, including dairy, honey, eggs and other animal-derived products.

While the carnivorous diet is a way of life for my dad and sister, my mom and I have never been big meat eaters. At a young age, I decided that meat was simply not something I required to enjoy mealtime and was totally vegetarian for about 7 years. While I still enjoy mostly plantbased meals, I’ve reintroduced meats into my meals - for me, it’s all about balance.

16 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

That being said, veganism has always intrigued me. So, when I sat down with the Love Local Food team to talk about editorial articles, I expressed interest in writing an article on the vegan diet. As my research into meat alternatives such as tofu, tempeh or seitan began, my storyline took a turn for the better when I discovered a local tempeh producer that we had no idea existed right in our backyard, Henry’s Tempeh.

Joining the local food movement and working to meet the growing demand of tempeh in Ontario, Henry’s Tempeh in Kitchener have put themselves on the map with their nutritious and flavourful tempeh products.

Tempeh is a highly nutritious soybean product originating from Indonesia and is popular throughout Asia. As an excellent source of protein for vegan and vegetarian diets, tempeh is now also becoming increasingly popular in North America.

Using only locally sourced, certified organic soybeans, Henry’s Tempeh works directly with Konzelmann Farms in Wyoming, Ontario to source the finest soybeans. Konzelmann Farms is a 2,000-acre fully certified family-run organic farm that grow spelt, soybeans, black beans, corn, and oats. With this partnership, and growing industry demand, the future looks healthy for Ontario tempeh!

Why choose tempeh?

Tempeh has twice the protein of tofu, making it a great plant-based source of protein for any diet, including vegan and vegetarian diets. Tempeh’s fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of dietary fibre, and vitamins and the soy carbohydrates in tempeh become more digestible as a result of the fermentation process. Plus, it is delicious!

How to store tempeh Fresh tempeh, in the unopened vacuum sealed pouch, can be kept in the refrigerator (2 – 4°C) until the bestbefore date stamped on the package (4 months from manufacture). Once the package has been opened, the tempeh will generally keep well for several days, provided it is stored in a sealed container and in the refrigerator. Frozen tempeh keeps well for several months.

How to enjoy tempeh Typically, tempeh is eaten cooked and can be marinated, grilled, grated, stir-fried, pan-fried, toasted, baked or steamed. Henry’s Tempeh comes in five flavours, all of which are high in protein, gluten-free, vegan, and a product of Ontario!

Try tempeh in the tasty tempeh quinoa power bowl on pg 18! It’s drizzled with a dreamy lemon tahini sauce and is a healthy meal packed with vegan protein.

Henry’s

met Gour

Tempeh

Journeying from BC to Ontario to Indonesia and back, Henry’s Tempeh has quite the story to tell. Current co-owner Paul, spent 3 years living in Indonesia, learning the language, providing aid relief after experiencing earthquakes, and learning all about tempeh and making it a staple in his diet. One day, he stumbled across a job posting with a tempeh company in his hometown of Kitchener and the rest is history! Taking over from the original ‘Henry’ in 2012, now-owners Paul, Jason and Phil expanded to a new facility in 2016, but still smile when loyal customers call and email looking to speak to ‘Henry’ all these years later. We love that all employees still respond to the name, without ever correcting a caller. Head to their website to read the full history, it is heartwarming and fascinating!

FIND HENRY’S TEMPEH ONLINE AT THEIR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AND DON’T FORGET TO LOOK FOR HENRY’S TEMPEH IN WHOLEFOODS, GOODNESS ME! AND ANY FARM BOY LOCATION! SUMMER 2018 17

18 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Tempeh Quinoa Power Bowl

PREP TIME: 45 MIN. | COOK TIME: 35 MIN. INGREDIENTS 3 tbsp tamari 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp sesame oil

METHOD 1. Tempeh: In a glass baking dish combine the tamari, garlic, sesame oil, and olive oil. Whisk to combine, then place the tempeh strips in the dish to marinate. Let sit for at least 15

1 tbsp olive oil

minutes, then flip pieces and marinate for another 15 minutes.

250 g tempeh, cut into strips

The longer they marinate, the better! When ready to bake,

1/4 cup tahini 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp garlic powder 3-4 tbsp water Large (9 oz) sweet potato, cubed

preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove strips onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes per side.

2. Tahini sauce: Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, salt, and garlic powder. Add water 1 tbsp at a time to thin out.

3. Sweet potato: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking

4-5 cups raw kale

sheet with parchment paper. Toss the sweet potato cubes in

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced

olive oil, then bake for about 35 minutes, flipping the pieces

1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked 1 cup black beans

halfway through.

4. Kale: Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add the kale and sauté until it has cooked down and the edges become crispy.

Add a generous pinch of salt to season.

5. Mushrooms: Heat up 1.5 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Add about ½ of the mushrooms and cook until browned. Add salt and pepper to season. Repeat with the other ½ of the mushrooms.

6. Assemble the bowls: Amongst 3 bowls divide the quinoa, black beans, mushrooms, kale, sweet potatoes, and tempeh.

Drizzle with the tahini sauce before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

SUMMER 2018 19

Grilled Zucchini & Watermelon Salad

by Brittany Stager

PREP TIME: 15 MINS. | COOK TIME: 8 MIN. INGREDIENTS Dressing 1/4 cup olive oil Juice of one lemon 1/4 tsp salt and fresh cracked pepper

METHOD 1. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Set dressing aside.

2. Preheat grill to high. Brush zucchini slices with olive oil. Grill until nicely charred and softened, about 3 minutes per side.

Salad 2 medium green zucchini, cut lengthwise

Remove and let cool slightly.

3. On a large platter, or 4 individual plates, arrange grilled zucchini

into 1/4-inch thick slices

and watermelon. Sprinkle with peas, crumbled feta and basil

2 medium yellow zucchini, cut lengthwise

leaves. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

into 1/4-inch thick slices 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 1/2 cup fresh peas, blanched 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese Garnish: fresh basil leaves

20 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

SUMMER 2018 21

This layered devilled egg salad is sure to be a showstopper at your next picnic or summer gathering.

Packed with lots of fresh veggies, protein-rich turkey, bowtie pasta, and topped with classic devilled eggs, this impressive main dish comes together in just 30 minutes. The creamy dill dressing is a fresh and flavourful addition that ties it all together.

PREP TIME: 30 MINS. | SERVES: 6 INGREDIENTS Devilled Eggs 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise 1/4 cup light mayonnaise

METHOD 1. Devilled Eggs Carefully scoop yolks into a small bowl. Set whites on a serving plate, cover and set aside. Using a fork mash the yolks. Add mayonnaise and mustard and mash until

1 tsp dry mustard powder

blended. Stir in chives, salt and pepper. With a small spoon

2 tbsp finely chopped chives

mound yolk mixture into whites. Sprinkle with paprika.

1/8 tsp each salt and pepper Paprika Creamy Dill Dressing 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the salad.

2. Dressing In small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the salad.

1/4 cup light mayonnaise 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp dijon mustard 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper Salad

3. Salad In a large bowl toss cooked pasta with ½ of the dill dressing. Place pasta in bottom of large glass serving bowl or trifle bowl. Layer in peppers, onions, asparagus, tomatoes, turkey, cheddar cheese and Romaine lettuce.

Arrange devilled eggs on top before serving. Serve remaining dressing on the side.

2 cups bowtie (farfalle) pasta, cooked and cooled 1 each red and yellow pepper, diced 1/2 cup red onion, roughly chopped 1 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces, blanched 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup pre-cooked turkey breast, cut into cubes 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

22 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Tips: • If dressing is too thick for your liking add 2 tbsp of milk to thin it out.

• For a different flavour profile try cooked ham instead of turkey.

• Swap out the pasta for an additional 2 cups of Romaine lettuce for a low-carb option.

• This salad can easily be portioned out and assembled in individual salad bowls for a quick family meal.

L

g

e v D i l l e d d e r e E y g a

Pasta Salad SUMMER 2018 23

Red Hous

by Britta

ny S tage r

urry eC

24 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

If you’ve visited uptown Waterloo, Ontario, chances are you’ve come across a beautiful red brick bistro, appropriately named Red House. Owned and operated by Chef Dan McCowan, Red House is one of my favourite places to get a curry bowl in all of Kitchener-Waterloo! From lamb to vegetarian, the rotating curry bowl special is just one of the reasons I frequent this amazing restaurant. Lucky for me Chef Dan makes and sells jars of his mouth-watering curry directly at the restaurant or at other fine KW retailers including Vincenzo’s, Chelsea Market, or Dana Shortt making it easy for me to replicate the deliciousness at home! So next time you’re in our neck of the woods make sure you grab a jar so you can enjoy a bowl at home.

PREP TIME: 10 MINS. | COOK TIME: 25 MIN. INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 lb Ontario chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 1/2 yellow onion, diced 1 large red pepper, julienned 1 cup snow peas, ends trimmed 1 can baby corn, drained

METHOD 1. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and cook 5 minutes. Add onion and cook another 2-3 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.

2. Add red pepper, snow peas, and baby corn. Cook 2-3 minutes or until veggies are tender-crisp.

3. Pour in 1 jar of Red House Curry Sauce. Reduce heat and

1 jar Red House Curry Sauce

allow to simmer 5-10 minutes, or until sauce is

4 cups cooked jasmine rice

heated through.

Garnish: Squeeze of lime, fresh cilantro, and toasted naan

4. Divide cooked rice among 4 bowls. Top with curry. Serve hot with a squeeze of lime juice, fresh chopped cilantro and a toasted naan on the side.

SUMMER 2018 25

White Bean & Vegetable Pizzas PREP TIME: 10 MINS. | COOK TIME: 25 MIN. INGREDIENTS Dressing 4 individual-size pizza shells 3 tbsp olive oil 1 leek, halved lengthwise and chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups fresh spinach, stems picked off 1 cup white pea beans, soaked and cooked or canned in water: drained and rinsed 8 sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced 8 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add chopped leeks and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and continue to sauté slowly for 5 more minutes. Do not brown.

3. Remove from pan and set aside.

4. Turn heat to high and add spinach to pan. Cover and cook spinach just until it wilts (about 1 minute). Remove spinach from pan and rinse in cold water. Gently squeeze leaves to remove excess water. Set aside.

5. Brush pizza shells with 2 tbsp olive oil. Spread one quarter of the mozzarella cheese evenly over each pizza shell. Next, layer spinach leaves over the mozzarella cheese and top with white beans and sun-dried tomatoes. Finally, layer the leek and garlic mixture and sprinkle each pizza with Parmesan cheese, chives and oregano. Bake approximately 10 minutes.

26 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

SUMMER 2018 27

28 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Lo

The Root Cellar, London, ON

LOVING LOCAL RESTAURANTS

by Shannon Godelie

Throughout the province, locally-inspired chefs are making their mark on

ocal the culinary culture of

their region. We’ve pulled

together a peek at some of our favourite restaurants

who are championing the farm-to-table movement.

SUMMER 2018 29

Ottawa, ON The Albion Rooms Nestled inside the Novotel Ottawa hotel, The Albion Rooms boasts a relaxed atmosphere, with friendly service and exceptional food.

Executive Chef Jesse Bell has curated a menu that celebrates Ottawa Valley’s producers and local suppliers, while also incorporating nearby Quebec’s regional flavours. Looking for a stand out dish? Order the charcuterie board and you won’t be disappointed! This build-your-own style board let’s you choose from various meats and cheeses to create your own local-centric tasting adventure.

Play Food & Wine Taking a look at another of Ottawa’s tapas style restaurants, Play Food & Wine in the ByWard Market offers small plates that are big on local flavour. With a focus on sustainable and seasonal ingredients, Ontario duck liver, local goat and succulent pork belly are among the menu items brought in from area farmers. Each dish has a suggested wine pairing and with an extensive wine list from around the world, you’re likely to find a sip that’s perfect for your palette. But, for a more regional companion, pair your meal with a pint of Ottawa’s Kichesippi Brewery’s Heller Highwater, or Vankleek Hill’s Beau’s Lug Tread.

Two Six Ate Sharing a philosophy that we can get behind, Two Six Ate focus on making food inspired by local, fresh, sustainable products. Found in the heart of Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood, they bring Italian flavours to life with locally-sourced ingredients. With a smallplates menu, you can easily sample a number of dishes, just make sure the arancini is one of those plates! Made with smoke Hubbard squash, pickled ramps and beet aioli, this is a local treat designed to tantalize the taste buds.

Kingston, ON Juniper Cafe Found in The Tett Centre For Creativity and Learning, Juniper Cafe claim to make “the finest locally prepared food around” and it’s easy to see why.

Sourcing the finest ingredients from local farms and local business when possible, they credit the area farms and producers alongside menu items, making it easy to see where your food comes from. In fact, over 80% of the ingredients on Juniper’s menu are sourced from local farm and food producers yearround which is always cause for excitement!

Juniper Cafe, Kingston, ON

Harper’s Burger Bar

Play Food & Wine, Ottawa, ON 30 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

This gourmet burger bar is all about local! Harper’s beef burgers are hand crafted with 100% beef from Tweed, Ontario’s Enright Cattle Co. Looking for an alternate to beef on your burger? Order chicken, turkey, pulled pork, chickpea, or grilled fresh herbmarinated portobello cap to satisfy cravings. If you’re looking for the perfect brew to down with

your burger, look no further than Bath, Ontario’s MacKinnon Brothers Brewery! The farm-based brewery offers a variety of beers that rotate on Harper’s taps.

The Ivy Restaurant Housed in a former inn and idyllically set right along the shores of the St. Lawrence River, The Ivy Restaurant offers a wonderful dining experience.

Head Chef Robert Gobbo has created globallyinspired menus made with locally sourced food.

The menu celebrates local food options, including artisan cheeses, seasonal vegetables, local meats, craft beverages, and more.

The Springs Restaurant The Springs Restaurant continues to be a favourite among locals, serving up fresh, regional and innovative cuisine. Seasonal ingredients from local suppliers are complemented by local brews and live music from area musicians. Pair your meal with a crisp lager from London’s own Toboggan Brewing Co. The Springs Restaurant, London, ON

The Ivy Restaurant, Kingston, ON

Restaurant Ninety One

London, ON The Root Cellar An organic restaurant in London, Ontario’s Old East Village, The Root Cellar serves farm-to-fork fare and prides themselves on their commitment to the community. With a mission of “discovering the plenitude of our local foodshed, supporting sustainable agricultural practices, and working cooperatively” they source organic food first, and go local whenever possible. They even promote each of their local producer partners, listed and linked on their website.

Located in North London at Windermere Manor, the team here are passionate about turning the landscape outside their doors into refined delightful dishes. Sourcing ingredients from area producers and plucking ingredients straight from the kitchen gardens, Restaurant Ninety One puts local on the plate in a flavourful and creative way. Try their Ontario braised lamb shank with sweet potato and lemon mint yogurt.

CHECK OUT OUR LOVE LOCAL FOOD BLOG FOR MORE LOCAL RESTAURANT SUGGESTIONS IN A CITY NEAR YOU!

The Root Cellar, London, ON

Thee Albion Rooms, Ottawa, ON SUMMER 2018 31

HOW TO BUILD A STUNNING

a z r i G n g r e B o m a m rd u S

by Brittany Stager brought to you by DelFrescoPure® 32 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Summer.

It’s a time for casual patio dinners and impromptu backyard parties.

A time for friends and family to converse over refreshing beverages and delicious food. A time for you to pull out all the stops as a host or hostess and impress your guests with a stunning grazing board!

What’s a grazing board you ask? It’s one of the hottest trends to take over Instagram, and it’s no wonder why; overflowing with colourful fruit, flavourful cheeses, cured meats, crunchy nuts, tasty spreads and more, a grazing board is the perfect way to welcome guests to your get-together.

While there’s no definitive way to put together a grazing board, here are some things I like to consider.

SUMMER 2018 33

The Tools

1

Just as important as the food itself is the board. Depending on how many guests you are hosting the board might be big or small. If a large live edge board (like the one we used from Once Upon a Tree) isn’t in the budget, try arranging several smaller boards or platters. Small serving bowls are also a good idea for things like the condiments and spreads. Don’t forget the little forks, knives and spreaders!

2

Variety

Variety is key when it comes to building the perfect grazing board! Not only do you want a variety of foods, you want a variety of textures and flavours. Meat, cheese, fruit, spreads, pickles, jams, chutney, salsa, crackers and nuts are just a few common items I like to include.

You can even dress it all up with some fresh herbs like rosemary and mint!

3

Think ‘Bite-Sized’

There’s nothing worse than trying to one-bite an item that really should be consumed in two, so keep everything bite-sized. Plus guests are going to want to try a little bit of everything and you don’t want them to be too full before dinner.

4

Prep Ahead of Time

Build your boards and then place in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Don’t let charcuterie stand for more than two hours. Keep cut up meats, cheese, fruit & veggies in the fridge to allow for quick and easy replenishment.

5

Quality

If you are going to put the time in to building a stunning board, make sure it’s filled with quality products (that means no cold cuts or string cheese!). Look for locally produced foods that are unique to your area. Speciality supermarkets are a great place to shop local, as they carry a variety of local artisan products.

34 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Ou r Favou rite Items FOR YOUR GRAZING BOARD

Maple Wood Serving Cheese Board Carefully handcrafted from soft maple sourced from Northern Ontario this artisan cheese board is a beautiful way to showcase local Ontario cheese & treats!

Buy here

Hammered Tin Bowls These small ceramic bowls with a rustic hammered tin rim are perfect for all your grazing boards accompaniments, like nuts, olives and dips.

Buy here

4-Piece Stainless Steel Mini Cheese Set There’s a knife for every purpose in this set, featuring a parmesan knife, cheesy knife, presentation knife, and spreading knife.

Buy here

SUMMER 2018 35

Strawb

erry Sa lsa. Clic k for

recipe

Strawberry Compo

36 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

®

. Clic y e n t Chu Spicy Strawberry

r re k fo

e cip

ote. Click for recipe

SUMMER 2018 37

O

iD d y

t an a e ou

o t a m o io T

r er? t n i a nt this w

Greenhouse Grower Thank a

by Gillian Rees

®

38 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Did you realize that Ontario is home to over 2,500 acres of greenhouses?

Over 220 farming families are dedicating their time, love and efforts to providing us with great tasting, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers and strawberries (and more) 12 months of the year.

Ontario Greenhouse growers use some pretty innovative processing techniques which allow water and nutrients to be recycled within the greenhouse. Hydroponic technology, computerized climate control and integrated pest management (using good bugs to eat the bad bugs) are all utilized in order to ensure that the vegetables you eat are fresh and nutritious, all while taking care of the environment.

Many growers also employ bumblebees to naturally pollinate tomatoes and pepper crops.

TAKE A PE EK OW YES! BERR ARE IES GRO WN A GR IN EEN HOU SE!

AT H

Know your Farmer

Growing Hydroponically

We wanted to get up close and personal with a Greenhouse Grower, so we reached out to DelFrescoPure® to find out a little more about their particular operations and niche products.

DelFrescoPure® uses modern hydroponic techniques to recycle and purify their water through a high-tech water treatment process. They have a closed recycling system which results in virtually no contamination of lakes or any water streams, and since they do not use any soil to grow their crops, there is less runoff or degradation of soil. Outdoor farming uses more water, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Hydroponic growing means a stronger, more controlled environment.

DelFrescoPure® prides itself on their ability to adapt to customer requests and consumer trends. We love that they grow baby bell peppers, baby eggplant and mini cucumbers, there is something so delightful about grabbing a pepper or cucumber as a quick snack. No cutting involved, they are a great addition to my lunch box!

They have made a recent addition to their grow schedule — greenhouse STRAWBERRIES! I can indulge, guilt-free, all winter long, knowing that these tasty little gems were grown within the province. Check out the sweet strawberry spread we did with them on page 36.

Industry Pioneers Being pioneers of the greenhouse industry, Carl Mastronardi’s family (he is their President and CEO,) have been at this for more than 60 years. His family’s commitment to freshness, taste and quality keeps DelFrescoPure® invested in the latest and most innovative technology in the industry. Carl is a firm believer that you must truly love what you do in order to succeed in any environment.

Integrated Pest Management DelFrescoPure® uses an array of beneficial insects to minimize or eliminate other harmful insects which drastically reduces the need to spray their crops.

They also use bumblebees in their greenhouses to pollinate their plants, how cool is that?

If I’ve learned anything, it is that with greenhouses we are able to grow produce at exponential yields compared to traditional farming. This method of growing allows Ontario to grow in safe and all economic conditions in order to supply quality produce to our large population.

So, as the saying goes, “If you ate today, thank a farmer!” And we do!

CHECK OUT THEIR BEAUTIFUL WEBSITE FOR A LIST OF ALL THE TASTY, ONTARIO GROWN PRODUCTS THEY OFFER, PLUS SOME EASY, DELICIOUS RECIPES! WWW.DELFRESCOPURE.COM. SUMMER 2018 39

by Stacey Sage

FOUNDED IN 2014 BY LESLIE AND HEATHER MARTIN, MARTIN’S SWEET FARM COVERS 100 ACRES NEAR THE VILLAGE OF CAMPBELLVILLE, NESTLED IN THE HEART OF HALTON REGION.

H

igh school sweethearts from Listowel, the couple decided to start farming after spending more than a decade in the corporate world. After a long search they settled on the perfect property and took possession of in May 2014.

The farm is over 165 years old, and Heather and Les are lovingly restoring it to its former glory to support and sustain their bees. It took a lot of hard work and a large investment, but they feel it has been worth it.

40 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

SUMMER 2018 41

BEES AND TREES = HONEY AND MAPLE Every year, Les and Heather tap 1,000 maple trees over 30 acres and manage 120 bee hives that house between 40,000-50,000 bees.

Their honey is never pasteurized and doesn’t need to be because honey is naturally antibacterial.

True to the name, this sweet farm produces 100% pure and natural honey and maple syrup. They also blend their honey and maple syrup together making their signature maple honey which is used to sweeten a number of other products.

Along with the maple trees and beehives, Heather and Les grow hay and clover for the bees and do a complete crop rotation regularly to rejuvenate the soil.

These hard-working farmers have also planted a few hundred fruit trees on their property.

42 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

MARTIN’S SWEET FARM SPECIALTIES: In addition to their many exciting honeys, you can purchase other goodies from The Sweet Farm.

You can buy their locally made products at various locations around Ontario, or direct from their website.

Canadian Crunch Maple Honey Toffee

Body Scrub

Maple Honey Mustard Glaze & Dipping Sauce

Natural Deodorant

Hot Coarse Maple Honey Mustard

Lip Balm Soaps

Maple Fudge Honeysticks Spicy Maple Honey Beeswax Candles Body Butter

HOW MUCH HONEY ARE WE TALKING? Typically, each hive will produce about 100 pounds of honey, but half is left for the bees to survive the winter, so roughly 50 pounds is harvested from each hive. Last year, honey production was down because of the overly wet summer. Fingers crossed for a warmer, dryer season this year!

WHY BUYING LOCAL MATTERS TO HEATHER & LES “There’s the obvious environmental reasons to buying local; you aren’t contributing to wider global issues with trucking and shipping.

It’s fresh, which might be less of a concern with something like honey than produce, but it’s also from someone you can know, someone you can visit, allowing you to understand what goes into making and producing the product. And any time you are buying local food products, you are contributing to a more sustainable food supply system.

Buying from local farms keeps farmers producing which means we all have a better chance of preserving and protecting our local food sources for when we need them.”

At Love Local Food, we couldn’t agree more!

GET YOUR HONEY HERE! Visit Martin’s Sweet Farm online at facebook.com/ MartinsSweetFarm to keep up-to-date with everything happening at the Sweet Farm.

Some Sweet Facts about Bees & Honey Bees live on pollen (their protein source and larvae feed) and nectar.

Boxes are harvested as they fill up in July, August, September and sometimes in October.

Weather dependant, beekeepers open hives in late March or early April.

Bees live in a well-oiled ecosystem. Every bee has a specific job to do, and every bee works.

They care for and defend the hive and they live and die together.

Bees produce honey right away, but the bees have to be given a chance to build up their brood, so no collection is done for a few months.

By June, honey supers (boxes on top of the hive) will start filling with honey.

By July the first harvest is typically collected.

Bees aren’t typically aggressive by nature. They want to do their jobs and get on with their day.

If Heather or Les ever get stung, it’s usually by accident.

SUMMER 2018 43

on to A Local Connecti

s t n e m i d Con

by Shannon Godelie

From pickles to preserves, Ontario has a lot of great condiments to complement mealtime!

Whether you’re topping your burgers or garnishing a charcuterie board these Ontario companies have you covered. Check out some of our favourites!

Lakeside Packing HARROW, ON Pickles + Preserves Specializing in pickles, pepper products, sauerkraut, pasta sauces, salsa, relishes, pickled beets, canned tomatoes, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, olives, pickled beans and asparagus and specialty condiments, Lakeside Packing in Harrow, Ontario does it all! As 4th generation “pickle people” Lakeside Packing still uses traditional methods to provide quality products to customers in Canada and to 14 countries globally!

Hot Mamas ORILLIA, ON Jellies + Mustard Based in Orillia, Ontario, Hot Mama’s lives up to their name! Their flagship product, Red Pepper Jelly, brings the heat to mealtime, entertaining and snacking. Each of their products is made with the Scotch Bonnet Pepper, a combination of homegrown peppers and peppers imported directly from Jamaica, where GranMama

44 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

first developed the recipe. After years of success, Hot Mamas has now expanded their product line to include spice rubs, BBQ sauces, spicy ketchups and mustards, hot sauces, spicy dessert drizzlers and a whole lot more!

Front Road Market ST. WILLIAMS, ON Preserves Blueberry Hill Estates is a high bush blueberry farm estate that operates a fruit winery and farm market on location. Their estate-made jams, jellies, salsas and pickled goods are a true taste of Norfolk Country! Open seasonally from May until September, the farm market carries fresh blueberries, vegetables and baked goods, while the preserves are available year-round. Among the most popular preserves are their blueberry honey, maple syrup, pickled asparagus, garden relish and blueberry jam.

Wild Oak Homestead ALMONTE, ON Sauerkraut First generation farmers Sarah and Michael have a goal of feeding their community in

the Ottawa Valley through sustainable organic farming. Wild Oak produces naturally fermented veggies, made without preservatives or vinegars, for healthful and delicious sauerkraut’s and ferments. Some of our favourites? Try their spicy krautchi, carrot kraut-chi, and crimson kraut, along with their brown mustard and pickled garlic.

Greaves NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON Jams + Marmalades Greaves began making pure oldfashioned jams, jellies, marmalades and condiments in 1927, using only the finest fruits, vegetables, sugar and spices. Today, Greaves remains a family-owned business and makes over 35 jam and jelly preserves! And while a larger facility was needed for their growing production needs, they continue to sell from their original retail storefront location in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Busters Barbecue VERMILION BAY, ON Wild Blueberry BBQ Sauce Handmade in the northern Ontario community of Vermilion Bay, Busters Barbecue still makes its sauces the same way it has been made for the last 20 years. Naturally sweet, using the blueberries foraged in the previous summer, these award-winning gluten-free sauces offer distinctly Canadian barbecue flavours with a blueberry twist.

Ranging from sweet to spicy, there’s certainly a sauce for everyone!

Have you tried one of these local condiments?

TELL US YOUR FAVOURITE WAY TO SERVE THEM ON SOCIAL MEDIA! BE SURE TO TAG @LOVELOCALFOODCA.

French's Ketchup LEAMINGTON, ON Tomato Ketchup Stepping up to the plate when Heinz pulled their growing contract, it’s only fitting to include French’s Ketchup on our local list!

Perhaps best known for their mustard, French’s is producing ketchup made from Leamington, Ontario’s tomatoes. With strong belief that local is better - their mustard uses Saskatchewan mustard seed - it made sense for French’s to partner with the self-proclaimed Tomato Capital of Canada.

Dennis' Horseradish DELHI, ON Horseradish, Relish, Mustard + Seafood Sauce Owned and operated by two neighbouring farm families, Dennis’ Horseradish is the product of five generations of hard work, high-quality Norfolk County soil and dedication to self-improvement. Offering 8 different products that are as fresh, simple and natural as possible, each jar is as unique as the horseradish root itself and is sure to tantalize your taste buds.

The Best Dressed TORONTO, ON Salad Dressings Developed after tasting her first Caesar salad, owner and founder of The Best Dressed, Diane Gladstone knew she had a winning salad-flavour on her hands. Since expanding her market of eager family and friends to Toronto’s upscale food markets, The Best Dressed has taken her product line from the flagship Caesar to 5 salad dressing flavour offerings.

With no added preservatives, additives, MSG, cholesterol, and a gluten-free stamp of approval, these salad dressings are truly for everyone.

SUMMER 2018 45

Perfectly pair your

summer meals

wine sommelier with the help of a

by Stacey Sage

Chief Sommelier Fred Gamula

For over twenty years, the Prince of Wales wine list has been the personal passion of Chief Sommelier Fred Gamula. Fred offers insight into the artful blending of food and wine, providing guests of Noble Restaurant with an unforgettable experience. Since graduating from George Brown College as a certified sommelier, he has sampled many wines in his travels to France, Italy and California, though remains an avid supporter of Ontario wines. 46 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Photos courtesy of Vintage Hotels

Vintage Hotels offers an unparalleled dining experience.

Each dish is a celebration of local Niagara products, finessed to create truly tantalizing appetizers, main dishes, and desserts. But, beyond the plates, what distinguishes Noble Restaurant is their dedication to exceptional service. One of the champions of delivering a refined dining experience is Fred Gamula – a colourful character who knows his wine and adores his customers.

Niagara-on-the-Lake’s self-proclaimed ‘Wine Guy’ Fred Gamula, Wine Sommelier with Vintage Hotels’ Noble Restaurant gives us local pairings for your summer feasting. Cheers!

Cave Spring Riesling Dolomite 2016 This ideal summer sipper includes grapefruit, tangerine and peach/ apricot notes. It’s lively acidity makes it perfect for aperitifs, appetizers and light fish.

Flatrock Pinot Noir 2016

Creekside Rose 2017

This medium bodied pinot boasts notes of cherry and strawberry.

A nice touch of oak to gives this wine depth and structure. Pair it with chicken or fish hot off the grill.

This mostly syrah rosee is fun, fresh and juicy. The colour is pretty too! Perfect with appetizers and salmon on the grill, this wine offers raspberry and strawberry flavours with some citrus notes.

Wine & Noble Dining at Noble Restaurant this season? Summertime calls for a perfectly grilled steak and a glass of red. Fred highly recommends Four Diamond Star Nobel Restaurant’s 20 ounce signature steak paired with Henry of Pelham Cabernet/Merlot 2016.

BOOK YOUR TABLE AT NOBLE RESTAURANT TODAY! SUMMER 2018 47

48 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

M

y name is Karina Flores Chienda and I was born and raised in Lima, Perú

and now reside in Ontario, Canada.

I have made it my mission to share my passion for better tasting food by exploring Ontario and making our communities aware of the natural resources and local products that we have. “The Sassy Tomato” stands for my Latina sassy personality and the tomato represents the importance of fresh and real ingredients.

It all started while living abroad in Italy in a little town called Castellanza. There, just around the corner of my Pink house, I discovered my first farmers market.

It was a lively and busy place—the marketplace was loud from the interactions between the vendors and customers. As I walked around, farmers would hand me samples of their fruits, vegetables, and cheeses for me to try, exposing me to such a variety of flavours!

These vendors eventually became my friends, they knew me and they knew what I liked to purchase week by week.

I didn’t really speak Italian but I found I didn’t need to — food was our universal language.

That’s when I realized, the power of the local food connection. For the first time in a really long time, l felt that I was eating real food.

And I was in love!

SUMMER 2018 49

I

t seemed like it was never coming, but the frost has melted away and Spring is finally here!

And with Spring, comes the long-awaited and anticipated Farmers Market season.

For me, this is the most wonderful time of year. The days are longer, sunnier, and everything is greener!

We’ve all had our fill of fermented foods, canned tomatoes, and hearty stews from Ontario’s fall and winter harvest.

And now we are ready for fresh fruits and vegetables to grace our dinner table.

Spring really just gives us a taste of what’s to come, first with the first harvests of the season: Asparagus and Rhubarb. Perhaps, not the most popular vegetables but I’ve developed quite the appreciation for them and you may too!

F

rom the first week of the market, you really start seeing the abundance of produce just grow.

Every week, the vendor stands fill up more and more. You start to see peas, lettuce, cherries, beets, beans, and strawberries join in the asparagus and rhubarb.

It’s a little bit bittersweet at times because you have to say goodbye to vegetables and fruits as their season passes.

But it’s also what is amazing about shopping local. You learn to appreciate the season and what comes along with it. You become more thankful and grateful for the food that graces your plate.

It really reminds you of what we had been missing during the winter months and it just makes you embrace it all the more!

50 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

T

here is nothing like the summer farmers markets. All the farmers and vendors come out to proudly showcase all their hard work for the season. You always know who are the real farmers and not just sellers, because they will proudly talk to you about their products and their farm!

I often spend a good amount of time at each vendor stand, talking about the week’s harvest, recipes, and topics surrounding food and the environment.

To be honest, it’s my favourite thing about the market, well next to getting some really juicy and delicious tomatoes.

Farmers markets are not only a place to get my groceries for the week but they are my social space.

The farmers and vendors have become my friends and I look forward to seeing them every week.

Asparagus, I’VE FOUND, IS A GREAT TRANSITION VEGETABLE. YOU STILL ROAST THEM, SIMILAR AS YOU WOULD WINTER VEGETABLES BUT CAN ADD REFRESHING NOTES WITH CITRUSES LIKE LEMON JUICE AND LEMON ZEST.

One of my favourite markets is the Waterdown Market. May 26th can’t come quick enough! I can’t wait to see friends like John from Park Road Bread, Pat from Baba Link Farms, and Michael from Eastern Woodland Tradings Co. I also look forward to discovering new markets this year like the Hespeler Village Market, Evergreen Brickworks Market, The Village Market, and the Sorauren Farmers Market!

I have a feeling that it’s going to be the best season yet!

Rhubarb, IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A TRICKY VEGETABLE, BUT IT’S ONE THAT CAN ADD AN INTERESTING TWIST TO CLASSIC RECIPES LIKE PIE! MY FAVOURITE IS PAIRING UP RHUBARB WITH FRESH STRAWBERRIES TO CREATE A SWEET & TANGY PIE FILLING.

IN NEED OF SOME ‘LOCAL’ INSPIRATION? TRY OUT MY RECIPE FOR PANCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY RHUBARB AND ONTARIO MAPLE SYRUP ON PG 52.

SUMMER 2018 51

Pankcakes The Sassy Tomato's

with Strawberry Rhubarb & Ontario Maple Syrup

52 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

PREP TIME: 20 MIN. | COOK TIME: 15 MIN. INGREDIENTS Pancakes 3 ripe bananas 2 farm fresh eggs (Murray’s Farm Eggs) 1 cup oat flour (Ground Oats) 2 tbsp of my Homemade Nut Milk 2 scoops vanilla cricket powder (Coast Protein) 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup ground golden flaxseed

METHOD Pancakes 1. In a bowl whip the banana until it’s smooth with little visible chunks, add the eggs one by one and whip into the banana mixture.

2. Add the oat flour, flax seeds, cinnamon and protein powder and mix until the dry and wet ingredients are combined.

3. Add the baking soda, powder, and yogurt to the mix.

4. Heat a pan over low-medium heat and coat with some

1/4 cup clobbered goat yogurt (Monforte Dairy)

coconut oil. Once warm, drop ¼ cup size scoop of the

1 tsp baking powder

batter and cook until golden and then flip.

1 tsp baking soda Strawberry/Rhubarb Compote 2 cups fresh Ontario strawberries (if frozen, thaw the berries first)

5. While your pancakes are cooking, you can make the compote and yogurt crème fraîche frosting.

Strawberry/Rhubarb Compote In a small pot add combine the rhubarb, honey and water.

1/2 inch-thick rhubarb slices (half a pound)

Bring just to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook just until

1 tbsp water

rhubarb is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat;

1/4 cup Ontario honey (Pinecreek Honey) 1 tsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

mix in berries, vanilla and nutmeg. Simmer until the sauce forms the desired thick consistency, then add the lemon juice and turn off heat. Set aside to chill.

Maple Walnut Butter Yogurt Crème Fraîche 1. In a small bowl add all the ingredients (yogurt, maple

Maple Walnut Butter Yogurt Crème Fraîche 1 cup clobbered goat yogurt (Monforte Dairy) 2 tbsp maple cinnamon walnut butter (Jewels Under the Kilt) 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (Pine Creek Honey or

butter, and honey) and mix—that’s it! So quick and simple!

Then just serve on a pancakes on a plate and topped with a spoonful of whipped cream and compote. You can add some bee pollen and fresh berries for some aesthetic appeal and extra touch of yumminess.

Snyder Farms Maple Syrup)

CHECK OUT THIS RECIPE AND MORE AT THESASSYTOMATO.CA AND BE SURE TO FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @THESASSYYTOMATO.

SUMMER 2018 53

Love Local Food’s

Summer Cookbook Selections

by Nikki Gingrich

In the French Kitchen with Kids

by Mardi Michels From the prolific blogger behind eat. live. travel. write comes a new cookbook for parents and children of all ages. Forget the fuss and bring simple, delicious French dishes to your kitchen with Mardi Michels as your guide. In this book, Mardi shows that French food doesn’t have to be complicated. The result is an approachable cookbook featuring recipes tailored for young chefs and their families. With helpful timetables to plan out baking projects, as well as tips on how to get kids involved in the cooking, this book breaks down any preconceived notion that French cuisine is too fancy or too difficult for kids to master. From savory dishes like Omelettes, Croque-Monsieurs or Steak Frites to sweet treats like Profiteroles, Madeleines or Crème Brûlée, readers will find many French classics here.

Vegan Comfort Classics

by Lauren Toyota From YouTube sensation Lauren Toyota, Hot for Food, this cookbook is a fun take on vegan comfort food that’s saucy, sweet, sassy, and most definitely deep-fried. Featuring more than 100 recipes Lauren shares her favourite recipes and creative ways to make things like Philly cheesesteak, fried chicken, and mac ‘n’ cheese, all with simple vegan ingredients, all while sharing personal stories and tips in her engaging and hilarious voice. The result is indulgent, craveworthy food - like Southern Fried Cauliflower, The Best Vegan Ramen, and Raspberry Funfetti Pop Tarts - made for sharing with friends at weeknight dinners, weekend brunches, and beyond.

54 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Feast

by Dana VanVeller and Lindsay Anderson Two friends. Five months.

One car. Ten provinces.

Three territories. Seven islands. Eight ferries. Two flights.

One 48-hour train ride. And only one call to CAA. The result, over 100 incredible Canadian recipes from coast to coast and the Great White North. Lindsay and Dana have brought together stories, photographs and recipes from across Canada with more than 80 contributors — including farmers, grandmothers, First Nations elders, and acclaimed chefs —have shared over 90 regional recipes, with Lindsay and Dana contributing some of their own favourites too. You’ll find recipes for every meal time from Barley Pancakes, Yukon Cinnamon Buns, and Bannock to Spot Prawn Ceviche, Bison Sausage Rolls, Haida Gwaii Halibut and Maritime Lobster Rolls; and also recipes for preserves, pickles and sauces, and a whole chapter devoted to drinks.

Toronto Eats

by Amy Rosen The farms, forests, and lakes that surround Toronto are invaluable resources for local and sustainable ingredients (and a good bit of foraging, too). Following on the heels of the bestselling cookbook, Toronto Cooks, the highly anticipated Toronto Eats is a multicultural book of the city’s countless cultures from Mumbai chili crab to okonomiyaki. Boasting over 100 signature recipes from 50 of the most talented toques, as well as their stories.

Best of all, the recipes are designed with the home cook in mind and can be re-created with ease. The world really can appear on a dinner plate.

SUMMER 2018 55

The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant PlantBased Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons

by Laura Wright The creator of the award-winning blog The First Mess, Laura shares over 125 seasonal, plant-based, and beautifully prepared healthy recipes. This book presents a visually stunning collection of recipes highlighting the best each season has to offer, and as a whole, demonstrate that plantbased wellness is both accessible and delicious. With recipes for every meal of the day, like Fluffiest Multigrain Pancakes, Meyer Lemon Romanesco Glow Salad, and Eggplant “Bolognese” Pasta, and desserts like Earl Grey Tiramisu, The First Mess Cookbook is a must-have for any home cook looking to prepare nourishing plant-based meals. toques, as well as their stories. Best of all, the recipes are designed with the home cook in mind and can be re-created with ease. The world really can appear on a dinner plate.

Firehouse Chef: Favourite Recipes from Canada's Firefighters

by Patrick Mathieu The Firehouse Chef is an account of Waterloo firehouse chef Patrick Mathieu’s culinary experience as a Canadian firefighter, preparing meals for his fellow firemen that have kept them well-nourished for over 15 years. With original recipes, as well as contributions by chefs from firehouses stretching from Newfoundland to British Columbia, this is a book that gets what it’s like to prepare meals for households on the go. A team of firemen is just like a family, and The Firehouse Chef is sure to spark some new ideas in your own home with sizzling recipes such as; Old South Classic FireHouse Pulled Pork; Cauliflower Steaks with Salsa Verde; Yukon Elk Chili with Chocolate and Cinnamon; and Thai Drunken Noodles.

56 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

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SUMMER 2018 57

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e v D i l l e d d e r e E y g a

Pasta Salad 58 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

Mi ni

Fruit Tarts PREP TIME: 10 MIN. | SERVES: 18 INGREDIENTS 18 frozen mini tart shells 1 pkg vanilla instant pudding 1 cup cold skim milk 3/4 cup thawed whipped topping 1-3/4 cups mixed fresh Ontario berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, blackberries, cranberries, etc)

METHOD 1. Bake the tart shells as directed on package.

Cool completely.

2. Beat the pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in the whipped topping; spoon into tart shells. Top with the fresh Ontario berries.

3. Sift the icing sugar over tarts.

2 tsp icing sugar

SUMMER 2018 59

Availability Guide See when Ontario fruits and vegetables are in season !

Fruits

Apples

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

Apricots Blueberries Cherries

JUN

AUG JUL

AUG

JUL

AUG

SEP

Crabapples JUL

AUG

JUL

AUG

Grapes

AUG

Muskmelon

AUG

SEP

Nectarines

AUG

SEP

Peaches

JUL

Plums Raspberries JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

SEP

AUG

SEP

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

Pears

MAY

JUN JUN

JUL

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

JUL

AUG

SEP

Strawberries

60 LOVE LOCAL FOOD

NOV

OCT

Currants

Watermelon

OCT

DEC

SEP SEP

Gooseberries

Strawberries (day neutral)

NOV

JUL

Cranberries

Rhubarb

OCT

OCT

NOV

DEC

Vegetables Artichoke Asian Vegetables

JUN

Asparagus

MAY

Beans Beets

FEB

MAR

AUG

SEP

OCT

AUG

SEP

OCT

APR

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV NOV

Bok choy

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

Broccoli

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

Brussels Sprouts Cabbage

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

Carrots

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

JUN MAY

Cauliflower

JUN

Celery Corn Cucumber (field) Cucumber (greenhouse)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

NOV

JUN JUN

JAN

JUL

SEP

DEC

OCT

NOV

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

NOV

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

AUG

SEP

OCT

Eggplant JUL

NOV

DEC

Garlic

JAN

FEB

Leeks

JAN

FEB JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

Lettuce (greenhouse)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

Mushrooms

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

Onions (cooking)

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

DEC

Lettuce (assorted)

Onions (green) Onions (red)

JAN

FEB

MAR

Parsnips

JAN

FEB

MAR

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

SEP

APR

Peas (green)

JUN

JUL

Peas (snow)

JUN

JUL

AUG

JUL

AUG

Peppers (field) Peppers (greenhouse) Potatoes

JAN

FEB

SEP

OCT

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

SEP

OCT

Pumpkin Radicchio Radishes

MAY

JUN

JUL

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

Rapini Rutabaga

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

Spinach Sprouts

JAN

FEB

MAR

Squash

JAN

FEB

MAR

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

Sweet potatoes

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

MAY

JUN

JUL

MAY

Tomatoes (greenhouse)

MAR

APR

MAY

NOV

DEC

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

NOV

DEC

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUN

NOV

AUG JUN

Tomatoes (field) Zucchini

AUG

MAY

Summer squash

DEC

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

SUMMER 2018 61

SUMMER 2018 | lovelocalfood.ca

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