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...

I feel the need... the need to seed.

Don't get me wrong. I am loving this early spring, almost summer-like weather. The sun's shining. The birds are singing. Signs of renewal are everywhere.

Tulips, hyacinths, crocus, irises, poppies all on the verge of blooming. I'm snipping chives and oregano from my garden daily to include in meals. Prepping the soil for the growing season. but that's as far as it goes.

And here is the downfall of this beautiful weather - I want to start planting things now!

I'm not sure I can wait until May 2-4, Canada's official kick-off to the planting season, to start planting. Nurseries are open. I have big plans for the herbs and veg I'm planning to plant. The weather seems perfect for planting. My meals are calling out for fresh herbs from the garden.

I can barely hold myself back!

It's not that I have extra time on my hands but the weather just beckons.

May have to plant some seeds in containers so I can get my "mother nurture" on but bring them in at night to protect from the still present frost.

Happy Spring to all!

Digital Media 2 Market - a wake-up call

This morning, I attended the Digital Media 2 Market Conference at the Arden Park Hotel. Impressive collection of individuals who are interested and influential in the field. Great panelists who are passionate about what they do.

The exception? Me.

As a website and graphic designer, I felt it was a no-brainer that I attend. I wanted to see and hear what was happening and new in the digital field. In that regard, it may not have disappointed. However, after two full panel discussions, I decided the value wasn't there for me.

Seeing all of these panelists who are highly regarded in their fields, as well as all of the attendees listening intently, helped solidify in my mind something I've been grappling with for quite some time in regards to my career.

I don't want to build things. I don't want to be responsible for a commodity that makes millions. I don't care that the Wii sells millions of dollars worth of consoles and games. I want no part of that.

For my life to have meaning, I want o help people - directly. I want to help farmers and artisans to thrive in their livelihoods and keep them on their farms (all 1.5% of the total population). I want to help consumers reconnect around the table while supporting their local producers. I want to contribute toward the reduction of urban sprawl and encroachment on agricultural land.

Back to work.

Delightfully tasty whole wheat pancakes

In preparation for Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), and really because my kids are off for (Drive Your) Family (Crazy) Day and are koo-koo for Cocoa Puffs over pancakes, I tried a new whole wheat pancake recipe. So glad I did cuz up until this point, I had been adapting my mom's delicious AP flour pancake recipe with less than stellar results.

This recipe is Alton Brown's. What attracted me to this recipe, other than the fact that I really like and trust Alton's sense of what works, is that he is a mad scientist in the kitchen. And, as any cook who makes pancakes from scratch knows, pancakes need some good science behind them to ensure the result is fluffy and buttery.

So, to quote Shakespeare (I think), without further ado, here's the recipe:

Whole Wheat Pancakes
Alton Brown's I'm Just Here For More Food

1 cup (5 oz, 142 g) whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 T sugar
1 large egg
1 cup(8 oz) buttermilk
2 T (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to tepid
plus more butter for greasing the pan or griddle

Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the sugar. Set aside.

Whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Ladle a 1/4 cup onto a hot pan or griddle that has been sprayed with canola oil while hot. I added frozen blueberries to the tops at this point and nudged them into the cake before flipping.

Flip and cook until the pancake is somewhat firm to the touch. Remember that they will continue to cook a bit after they are removed from the heat. This makes a thick pancake--ensure the griddle is not so hot that it burns the exterior before the middle is cooked.

Happy Fat Tuesday! Of course, every Tuesday is Fat Tuesday for us - we're not fasters, by any stretch of the imagination... ;o)

Popeye should have eaten more meat

Spinach. Chock full of iron and great for building big muscles, right? Well... sorta, kinda. Spinach is a fairly good source of iron but there are a couple factors that make it a less than stellar choice for those wanting to boost their iron intake:

1. Spinach contains non-heme iron, a form that is less easily absorbed by the body than its counterpart, heme iron. The former is prevalent in vegetables and related products whereas the latter is found in animal products.

2. To add insult to injury, spinach also contains oxalic acid, which binds with iron and inhibits its absorption into the body.

So, if you love spinach like I do and want to continue eating it, take heart. The following foods help boost iron absorption, so enjoy your spinach with one or more of the following and you'll be fine:

• Meat, fish, or poultry
• Fruits: Orange, Orange Juice, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapefruit and other Vitamin-C rich fruits
• Vegetables: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, tomato, tomato juice, potato, green & red peppers
• White wine

Local spinach is a few months off yet (generally in season from May to October, according to Foodland Ontario. So for now, consider this food for thought.

Can't eat local if it's not an option

I love to eat local meat and, even moreso, I love hookin' other people up with local meat vendors. However, with the increasing and, some might argue, overly severe safety regulations that the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has been phasing in since 2005 at food processing facilities, the local option where meat is concerned is turning from reality to dream.

Mogk's Custom Killing & Butcher Shop, an abattoir southeast of Stratford, services several counties in Southwestern Ontario and is currently at risk of having to close its doors after 20 years in business. Run by Kenneth Mogk, 77 and his 48-year-old son, Butch, this abattoir is one of a couple hundred whose existence is being threatened by OMAFRA's extreme upgrade requirements.

See article from the Stratford Beacon Herald, Sunday, January 31, 2010.

If Mogk's is forced to shut down its operations, the trickle-down effect will be far-reaching. Beginning with the abattoir itself, the closure would also mean difficulty, sometimes insurmountable, for a plethora of southwestern Ontario farmers who would have to try to find another abattoir. And the trickle continues.

At the end of the line are the consumers who insist on locally, sustainably grown (see "good, clean and fair", a la Slow Food) food. The demise of this abattoir means our loss of choice. Can the government leave us with no choice, essentially forcing us to choose Maple Leaf, the very conglomerate responsible for the listeriosis debacle just over a year ago?

Only if we allow it.

We need to get behind this in a big way - activism, including public awareness campaigns, lobbying and fundraising can save Mogk's. So please, if you read this and you care (a given, at this point), please get involved. Contact Slow Food Perth County at info@slowfoodperthcounty.ca to express your interest in assisting in saving Mogk's.

Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Laurie

It is incumbent on those of us who believe in and demand not just local food, but

Twice Baked

Took some time out of my work day today to make some Orange Walnut Black Pepper Biscotti and boy, was it worth it. The subtle sweet/tang of orange zest combined with the earthy, buttery walnuts and a little peppery crunch... mmm, mmm, mmm!!!

I derive as much satisfaction from the making as the eating, and as much pleasure from the fragrance as the taste.

These babies aren't going to last long. Thank heavens this recipe requires simple ingredients and straightforward preparation.

Such a sweet and spicy treat on a cool winter's day.