Happy Terra Madre Day 2012

I've been looking forward to this. Terra Madre Day, Slow Food's annual celebration of Mother Earth and the good, clean, fair food she provides is today and I needed no more reason to get the kids in the kitchen to help me with meal prep. We had fun. 

Paige (8) helped me with photography and both she and Cam (4) enjoyed helping with the hands-on steps for putting a meal together that consisted of Erbcroft Farms naturally-raised, free-range chicken, cauliflower from Your Local Market Co-op, and organic romanesco and fingerling potatoes from Soiled Reputation. 

Proud to say, Luann and Tim Erb of Erbcroft Farms and Antony John and Tina Vandenheuvel of Soiled Reputation are all members of Slow Food Perth County and vendors at our year-round Sunday Market. 

Between Paige and me, we took lots of pics, so I'm going to let them do the talking and keep the words to a minimum.

Rosemary's still looking good in the back yard. Perfect aromatic for our roast chicken.

Ingredients for our Terra Madre Day meal.

Paige preps aromatics for chicken - lemon, local garlic & rosemary.

Cam and I stuff aromatics "up chicken's butt".

The kids help me season the chicken - just olive oil, salt and pepper.

The chicken is trussed and put in the oven. High heat, uncovered for 15 minutes, then covered with foil and roasted at 350 degrees F for 1.5 hours. Then uncovered again and basted until golden brown - about 15 minutes longer.

Paige preps romanesco and cauliflower for roasting.

Veg was tossed with olive oil, fresh-ground nutmeg, and salt & pepper.

 Of all the pictures Paige too, this close-up of the veg was her fave.
It had a lot of "pizazz".

Cute little chubby 4-year-old hands help toss fingerling potatoes with olive oil, salt & pepper.

When chicken comes out of the oven to rest, it's time to make gravy from the drippings.

Roasted veg & potatoes are steaming, soft and caramelized.

Sitting down as a family to enjoy our Terra Madre Day meal - kids seem to enjoy a meal more when they've had a hand in making it. ;)

HAPPY TERRA MADRE DAY, EVERYONE!

#Doughvember Challenge - Day 2

Not much change is visible today but, according to this interesting and fairly concise post about How Sourdough Works, there's lots going on behind the scenes. A few hours after "feeding the starter", mixing and returning to the jar, there were some bubbles rising to the surface. A good sign, to be sure.

According to Nicole's step-by-step instructions, we should be seeing some action tomorrow. Stay tuned...

Taking the #Doughvember Challenge.

My husband loves sourdough. And, who's kiddin' who? I love me some sourdough, too.

Although I am such a big fan of #Movember, I always have trouble growing a 'stache that is anywhere near full enough to brag about.

But I've just come across a new challenge, maybe not as righteous in its intent as the Moustache campaign, but equally as fun... and I can participate. It's #Doughvember people!

Now this is something I can sink my fingers (and later, my teeth) into.

If you're interested in following along, or even digging in and trying your own hand at bread-making, check out @SaltySeattle (Linda Miller Nicholson) and @PinchMySalt (Nicole Hamaker) on Twitter. These two gals are raising awareness about sourdough baking throughout the month of November.

I do believe I am up for the challenge. I've wanted to do this for quite some time and today (11/11/11) is the day - I'm making my own sourdough starter! Follow along as I cultivate the yummy essence that gives sourdough bread it's delectably distinctive flavour. Here goes...

Day 1

As per sourdough starter instructions from the Sourdough Basics page on Pinch My Salt, I mixed 1 1/4 c. pineapple juice with 1 c. rye flour (both sourced from our local health food store, The Gentle Rain). Not supposed to expect much to happen over the next 24 hours until I get to play with the starter again, but rest assured, I'll be inspecting it often in sheer anticipation of the inevitably mind-blowing end result.

Here's how it looks at beginning of 7-day process:



See you tomorrow for Day 2 details of my foray into sourdough mastery.

Like We Need More Reasons to Eat Local

In the news this morning: "Study: Fast food marketing up, food still unhealthy" and "Trader Joe's Recalls Products with Cilantro".

What do these two stories have in common? Well, these pieces are not ground-breaking stories, but rather the latest (but not the last) in a long history of reports about the perils of fast and/or imported/processed foods.

First, only 12 out of 3000 meals offered up by today's fast food chains meets nutritional requirements set forth by the powers that be for pre-school aged children. All sarcastic exclamations aside, this is not news.

And Trader Joe's - a veritable superhero in the supermarket realm - falls prey to a supplier's concoction possibly containing salmonella-tainted ingredients. Notice on Trader Joe's website.

The more processed and longer the supply chain, the slower these issues can be identified and reported. In short, traceability suffers.

I think you all know where I'm going with this. EAT LOCAL! Locally grown, locally produced food. REAL food. SIMPLE food. NUTRITIOUS, DELICIOUS food.



Let me temper this plea with a shot of reality. This is not only advice for those of you who are intimidated by the thought of taking the plunge deep into the local food movement, but it's an epiphany I had when approaching the Slow/Local Food Movement, and was feeling guilty for not going whole-hog:

This is not an all-or-nothing proposition. The Local Food Movement is not a destination. There is no gold key that you're awarded that proclaims that you have arrived in an all-local Utopia.

Rather, with every additional dollar spent on local vs. imported, there are physical, mental, economic and regional benefits. It's a journey - an enjoyable, wondrous and very fulfilling journey on which you meet wonderful people, have simple yet incredible experiences, and share the best of your region with those you love, passing along food traditions and healthy eating habits and developing a deep and sincere appreciation for what it takes farmers, producers and artisans to create the food that we enjoy!

Happy travels!

Screaming Avocado Cafe Goes North

I was just reading the posts of fellow blogger and brother in food Steve Stacey. He is currently wrapping up a trip to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut with Chef/Teacher Paul Finkelstein and a group of lucky culinary students from Northwestern Secondary School's Screaming Avocado Cafe here in Stratford.

Checking out the pics and posts is so interesting, as it's such a departure from the way we live here in Southwestern Ontario. But as I pulled back from the up-close-and-personal view that Steve's posts allow, something struck me - these kids that are taking part in this exchange are so incredibly fortunate. And in turn, so are we as a food community.

I know this doesn't sound like the most profound epiphany, but it occurred to me that these kids are going to carry these memories with them for the rest of their lives. Their experiences will affect them, their choices and their actions in their personal and professional lives, in big and small ways.

So kudos to Paul Finkelstein, Steve Stacey, the school and school board stakeholders, and the parents of these kids, who all had a hand in making this happen.

When youth learn about food systems whether here at home in Perth County or immersed in a culture that is so radically different from our own, it fosters a deeper appreciation of the importance of food and inspires and empowers them to take control of their food.

And this bodes well for the future of the local food movement in Perth County. For all of us.

Top 10 Things to Do in Perth County Before the Summer's Over

I just read a fabulous post this morning listing the Top 10 Things to Eat & Do Before Summer Ends. The list, crafted by SG&T Contributor Tracey Paska, is dead-nuts on.

Unfortunately some of the items are region-specific, that region being Simple, Good & Tasty's home state of Minnesota. As such, I thought I'd take a stab at replicating it with a Perth County slant. Enjoy!

Top 10 Things to Eat and Do In Perth County Before Summer Ends!

1. Enjoy sun-ripened tomatoes

What does summer taste like? Freshly picked tomatoes, from farmers’ markets or straight out of your own garden, come close to capturing the essence of the season. Colorful and sweet, the flavor of these late summer fruits is worth waiting through the long winter. For a classic caprese salad, try heirloom tomatoes from Tim Creton at the Slow Food Market at Monforte Dairy (Sundays 10-2), topped with locally made Monforte sheeps milk pecorino, fresh garden basil and olive oil.

2. Eat outdoors

The next time you think about going out to eat, then really go outside and eat! Whether it’s a patio table at one of the 23 Savour Stratford-certified restaurants in Stratford and Perth County or your backyard deck, a picnic table at the local park or a picnic blanket on soft grass, there’s no dining room that can compare to sitting beneath sunny skies or twinkling stars. Need ideas for an al fresco meal? Want to purchase a meal for picnicing in the park? Try County Food Co.'s picnic items that are available especially for picnics in the park. Why not head down to the river and check out Stratford's Summer Music - on now until August 22nd.

3. Perth County sweet corn

Bodacious. Ambrosia. Triple Sweet. Asian Sticky. If you thought that sweet corn were all the same, then you’re in for a treat. It’s now peak sweet corn season and sweet corn varieties abound at farmers markets and roadside stands throughout Perth County. Grilled, steamed or boiled, with husk or without, summer sweet corn dripping with melted Stirling Dairy whey butter (available at the Stratford Farmer's Market) or Organic Meadow butter is the picture of local and seasonal food at it’s very best.

4. Seasonal ice cream and sorbet

How about some sheep or buffalo milk ice cream? It’s rich, creamy texture will win you over - available at Monforte Dairy. And if your kids are screaming for ice cream, sign them up for an ice cream and sorbet-making class at one of the Perth County Kitchens locations. Sure, you can have ice cream year-round, but doesn’t it taste so much better on a steamy summer day?

5. Local blueberries

From pies, cakes, jams and smoothies, the small blueberry proves to be a giant among summer fruits. Try a simple dessert parfait by layering blueberries, homemade granola from McCully's Hill Farm, Perth County Yogurt and a sprinkling of brown sugar. You can find plenty of blueberries from Bizjak Farms at the Slow Food Farmers Market.



6. Open-air movie nights

High humidity is like a wet blanket on daytime outdoor activities, but instead of heading to an air-conditioned multiplex, watch free movies under cooler, starry skies. The Stratford City Centre Committee presents Movies in the Square, with showings happening monthly. As part of the Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival culinary week, the City Centre Committee will be screening Disney's Ratatouille in the City Hall Auditorium on September 19th at 7pm. For a crunchy showtime snack, enjoy local peanuts, chipnuts and popcorn from Picard's Peanuts, available at their nearest location in St. Jacob's.

7. Free concerts

Crickets and frogs are summer’s natural musicians, but more lovely notes can be heard at the many musical events throughout the Stratford & Perth County. Of special note is the five-week festival of music of all genres, Stratford Summer Music. On until August 22nd, this festival offers plenty of free outdoor entertainment to satisfy everyone's musical tastes.

8. See some art

If you enjoy strolling while enjoying the creative arts, then head to the Stratford Art in the Park, on Sundays and Wednesdays throughout the summer. Also be sure to check out the Perth County Visitors Association Artisan Marketplace and the Stratford Perth Museum for interesting and diverse showcase of contemporary and traditional works of art.

9. Summer brews

With or without alcohol, Stratford and Perth County brew up some of the best tasting refreshments around. Try Stratford Brewing Company's Stratford Pilsner or one of the small local fruit wines from Estate Wineries like Birtch Farms and Carolinian Winery. For a non-alcoholic treat, visit one of Stratford's many coffee shops brewing up organic, fair-trade, sustainably grown coffee like Revel, Sputnik and Balzac's. Or visit the Slow Food Market on Sundays where you can enjoy a cup of Las Chicas coffee at the Slow Food stall or buy a pound of it at the McCully's Hill Farm stall. Finally, don't miss the opportunity to visit and learn from one of Canada's few tea sommeliers, Karen Hartwick, at Stratford Tea Leaves B&B & Tea Tasting Bar. Ask for her Ontario blend.

10. Slow Food Perth County's Pork Party @ Punkeydoodles

Slow Food Perth County presents the 2nd annual
Pork Party at Punkeydoodles
Sunday, August 15th - 3pm til the cows come home
Lassdale Farms (See map below)

Bring the whole family for a grassroots supper featuring local roast pork, as well as sweet and buttery corn on the cob, juicy heirloom tomatoes, summer-ripe watermelon and foccaccia bread baked on site in outdoor bread oven.

Slow Food members will be providing homemade BBQ sauces to go with the pork.

Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate some classic summertime flavours before the kids head back to school and summer fades into fall.

Bring your instrument to take part in the live, down-home entertainment.

This party's on rain or shine - dress accordingly!

Tickets available at Anything Grows, Foster's Inn, The Green Hair Spa, McCully's Hill Farm and the Slow Food Market (Sundays).

$15.00 Slow Food members $20.00 Non-Members Kids 10 and under: Free!

Last year was Slow Food Perth County's inaugural event and it was a barn burner - 200 guests, live music, gorgeous atmosphere and of course an all-local menu! They look forward to seeing you there for one of the best family-friendly food events in the county!

Visit their events page for this and other events. Click here for directions.

Autumn may be peeking around the corner, but for a little while longer, it’s still summer; so revel in its simple pleasures now, before it's too late.

How Do We Best Support Local Farmers?

The following is an email that I sent to Perth Wellington MP Gary Schellenberger (cc'd to Legacy Pork) in response to this press release, dated May 1, 2010:


Good morning.

My name is Laurie Knechtel. I am a resident of Perth County and a passionate member of Slow Food Perth County and supporter of our local farmers.

Yesterday, I was apprised of news that "Canada's Economic Action Plan is delivering real results for hog farmers and the meat processing sector in Ontario..." read full article here.

After reading the news, I went straight to a couple of my online agricultural networks to ask about Great Lakes Specialty Meats in Mitchell, ON. I was informed that this operation is part of Quality Meats and markets under the Legacy Pork brand, which led me to the Legacy website for more information.

On the website, Legacy makes the following claim: "All of our LEGACY Pork comes from Canadian farmers, many of which are family run farms that take extra care in raising their pigs." But they don't list the farmers they claim to support.

I understand that there is a need to protect farmers' privacy. However, increasingly these days, consumers want to know the source of their food. I personally am not satisfied with a conglomerate assuring me that their product is sourced exclusively from within our borders, be they national, provincial or regional.

My real concern comes with the $4.5 million and how that will actually benefit local farmers. Who really benefits from expanded markets? I believe the real concern with farmers is not reaching additional markets, but receiving a fair wage for their work and their product(s) in the markets they already serve.

It seems the gov't is forcing the small abattoirs out of business, claiming to support them by making available a mere fraction of the funds they require to upgrade and save their respective businesses. If allowed to remain open, these are the businesses that would truly benefit local producers by permitting them to market their own product and receive fair compensation for their hard work.

So I implore you - please do not spin this story into one that purports to help local farmers. Now and in the future, please take the time to listen to them and understand what they really need, and respond accordingly.

When dissected, this story sounds like a victory for the lobbyists in Ottawa, not the family farms of Perth County and beyond.

Respectfully,
Laurie Knechtel


Looking forward to starting/continuing meaningful conversation...