May 18, 2012 0
First of all, apologies for not posting regularly. Farm to Table and Small Print Writing and Consulting have been busy with a large project. While I can’t release the details just yet, look for a national-level new media local food program to be announced soon.
Also, the website is in a bit of flux while I do a redesign. Pardon the mess.
Finally, look for the Farm to Table downtown culinary tours to be starting in June. Details to come soon.
May 18, 2012 0
The fine folks at kawarthaNOW offer a write-up of the soon-to-be-opened Works Gourmet Burger and Bistro. You can find it here.
According to the kawarthaNOW article:
“The ground floor of the former Trasheteria building at 123 Simcoe Street will be the new home to the WORKS. Known for their patio “garage door” enclosure – The WORKS look will transform the face of Water Street when they “open up that space” facing west toward Peterborough Square.”
This raises a couple of questions:
1. Plenty of old school P-Dot locals have stated displeasure with what the Trasheteria did with both the inside and the outside of the old Peterborough Club building. What will they think of knocking out walls and putting up “garage doors?” And what about the interior being used as a chain restaurant?
2. After getting unceremoniously hoofed from their Trent University chip-wagon location, Reggie’s Hot Grill suddenly faces “gourmet” burger competition from downtown. Big time. Do you think the bulk of Peterborough will continue to cross the river into East City for their burger fix? Or will the more convenient downtown location lure the burger-lovers? With only so many burger dollars to go around, will Reggie’s take another hit? And will this affect your burger buying habits?
I’d love to hear what you think. Share your thoughts in the comments section.
May 1, 2012 0
Giddy’up.
Colour me officially excited.
Tomorrow is the first downtown market of the year.
I’ve heard rumours of local asparagus. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for it. If i get there early enough, I’m expecting some spring greens.
This is some of the joy of the early market season… Tender first crops. And I can’t wait.
Here’s their official release:
PETERBOROUGHS DOWNTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET
Opening Day Celebrations – May 2nd 2012 – 8:30am-2pm
Louis St. Parking Lot
Beginning May 2nd, the Peterborough Downtown Farmers’ Market will be open every Wednesday between 8:30am and 2:00pm in the Louis St. Parking Lot
Right downtown Peterborough, just east of the corner of Charlotte & Aylmer streets, market-goers can find a festive and bustling market full of their favourite vendors selling seasonal produce, meats, cheese, fresh flowers, baked goods, crafts, plants to grow, coffee and lunches to go. All market products are Kawarthas’ Own and Locally Grown!
Join us for our opening day celebrations on Wednesday May 2nd and every Wednesday throughout the season. Each week, market-goers can learn about and purchase diverse local produce as it comes into season. The Downtown Farmers’ Market will also host special monthly events that feature local Chefs, samples, on-site cooking demonstrations, and innovative ideas on using the foods you purchase at the market.
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Now, a few things I can tell you — some sneak peeks from my main connection, Market Co-ordinator, Jill Bishop:
There will be some new vendors this year. Look for a Better Bite’s local flour and baked goods (incredible crackers). Two Dishes Catering will have some fresh breads, smoked meats, and prepared foods. Birds Head Hollow will be selling sprouts.
Now you know more than most folks.
Other things you should know: There are going to be some great events, such as a Strawberry Festival, corn roast, and… well… I can’t tell you ALL the secrets…
Coming soon: Monthly guest chefs. Worry not, I’ll let you know the when’s and where’s.
In the meantime, though, I’ll be heading into town first thing tomorrow morning.
And I hope to see you there!
May 1, 2012 0
The staff at the Silver Bean on opening day.
The best little café on the Otonabee opened up today.
The Silver Bean is celebrating its 10th summer this year. Open from May-October, the café is a great downtown destination for light meals, snacks, and, of course, coffee.
Now, I’m not a java guy, so you’ll have to excuse me for not giving a review of their fair trade roasts. They’ve got a good selection… And people rave about their espresso-based bevies… So, coffee-lovers, I’d say that it is safe to assume you’ll find it to your liking.
I can, however, tell you that they make a mean London Fog. Ah, Earl Grey… How I love you so…
The food at the Bean is fantastic. I lunch there frequently. I snack there even more so.
There is an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients. Everything is made from scratch. Salads, sandwiches, wraps — light but delicious fare.
If you haven’t already, get on downtown and check ‘em out. Tell them Donald sent you.
Sure, that probably won’t get you much. But it might get me the odd free cup of tea.
And, trust me, I’ll appreciate it.
Silver Bean staffer, Stephanie Wood, makes some chocolatey snacks.
Apr 19, 2012 0
Some of the daily desserts for sale at Black Honey.
I had a lovely interview with Lisa Dixon of Black Honey today.
If you haven’t heard of Black Honey before, I suggest a few things: get on down to the café district in downtown Peterborough and check out this wonderful dessert haven/coffee house/bakery; and also, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming print edition of Peterborough This Week in order to read all about this unique establishment.
While most people recognize Black Honey as a cozy café, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes – such as a catering kitchen that specializes in truly spectacular, local-based foods, as well as a bakery that produces everything from specialty breads to fine desserts to some of the best wedding cakes in Peterborough.
While the café is easy enough to find – it is plunked right in the middle of a stretch of restaurants on Hunter Street West – the bakery itself is hidden behind, in an area that is becoming home to some of the best patios in the city.
I’ve been a fan of both Dixon and Black Honey for years. I’ve eaten there more times than I can count, pick up hand-made chocolate-chili truffles on a regular basis, and make it one of my regular haunts for a good cup of tea.
Dixon’s attention to detail, artistic approach to foods, and insistence on local and seasonal ingredients, make Black Honey a place that I often recommend – both to locals and to visitors to Peterborough.
It’s going to be a pleasure to write about her and her business.
Now, one of the pleasures of writing about local food, is the fact that I get to try more than my fair share of local food products. Today, I left Black Honey with a loaf of Potato-Cumin bread under my arm – the perfect accompaniment to the leftover wild leek/bacon frittata I was having for lunch.
While I’m not going to offer a recipe for the frittata – you can find a mini frittata recipe in an earlier blog entry from last summer – I will offer up a wild leek pesto recipe that I enjoyed earlier this week. This wild leek season is only going to last another few weeks, so I may as well take advantage of sharing as many recipes as I can for it. Check out my intro to wild leeks – and a recipe for Fiddlehead/Wild Leek Quiche – from an earlier blog.
When adapting the frittata recipe, you can replace the new potatoes with potatoes from last year (available at market), replace the kale with a spring green, replace the onion with wild leeks, and omit the very unseasonable tomatoes. You may want to increase the number of eggs used.
And now…
Wild Leek Pesto
Ingredients:
1 bunch ramps, about a dozen stocks, washed well.
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of fresh, soft goat cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Procedure:
When using the pesto with pasta, I tend to reserve some of the water the pasta was cooked in. It helps lubricate the dish.
I love throwing some fried and roughly chopped double smoked bacon in with this dish. The smoky saltiness offers a great contrast to the delicate and fresh wild leek/lemon combo.
Apr 16, 2012 0
A media release from my friends at the Wednesday Market
PETERBOROUGHS DOWNTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET
Opening Day Celebrations – May 2nd 2012 – 8:30am-2pm
Louis St. Parking Lot
Beginning May 2nd, the Peterborough Downtown Farmers’ Market will be open every Wednesday between 8:30am and 2:00pm in the Louis St. Parking Lot
Right downtown Peterborough, just east of the corner of Charlotte & Aylmer streets, market-goers can find a festive and bustling market full of their favourite vendors selling seasonal produce, meats, cheese, fresh flowers, baked goods, crafts, plants to grow, coffee and lunches to go. All market products are Kawarthas’ Own and Locally Grown!
Join us for our opening day celebrations on Wednesday May 2nd and every Wednesday throughout the season. Each week, market-goers can learn about and purchase diverse local produce as it comes into season. The Downtown Farmers’ Market will also host special monthly events that feature local Chefs, samples, on-site cooking demonstrations, and innovative ideas on using the foods you purchase at the market.
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To find out more about our vendors, and to keep updated by looking up http://ptbodowntownmarket.blogspot.com , following us on Twitter – @PtboWedMarket or like us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/PeterboroughDowntownFarmersMarket
Apr 15, 2012 0
Trent Biology student, Namrata Arif, enjoys some pot-luck lunch.
Students at Gzowski College were tempted by the aromas of fresh, handcrafted foods as the Biology 2290: Plants in Society course held a series of potlucks celebrating local/seasonal vegan cooking.
“It’s a great way to wrap up the year,” said course instructor, Sara Pieper of the tasty gatherings. “We’ve been covering the role of plants on nutrition, the advantages of local agriculture on our food systems, and the origins of much of the food that we eat. How better to conclude it than by sharing a meal made up of local produce?”
While early spring doesn’t yield many options for local produce, students were creative when coming up with recipes.
“You probably don’t have to guess who suggested making borsht,” laughed Dimitri Sivak, proudly displaying his Ukrainian heritage. His beet-based soup featured plenty of local root vegetables.
“This entire course has been very hands on and practical,” said fellow student, Paola Hernandez, “and with this potluck, you can’t help but be hands on. It just makes sense to show a commitment to local foods by enjoying some of it as part of the course.”
While many of the students emphasized the environmental health associated with local, seasonal, and vegetarian diets, Namrata Arif was excited about what she learned about plants and human health. “Before this course, I didn’t necessarily eat all that healthily,” she admitted. “This course opened my eyes to a lot of nutritional information.”
Ms. Arif found the potluck to be a fun challenge. “Everything here is vegetarian, and much of it is vegan. This was the first time I had ever tried to make something like a cake without using eggs or milk. You definitely have to be creative.”
For Ms. Arif, information about food sources was transformative. “The course also introduced me to some of the environmental science surrounding agriculture and food choices. It’s challenged some of my buying and eating habits. Really, this kind of information definitely affects how you think about the food supplies and sources in our society. Everyone should be required to take it.”
Biology 2290 provides an in-depth examination of the role of plants in human society, both past and present. Topics include the development of agricultural practices through the ages, current uses of plants by humans, sustainability, and plant-based ecosystem services. The role of biotechnology on food production and uses of plants for medicinal purposes are also considered.
For more information on the course, please visit: www.trentu.ca/biology
Apr 15, 2012 0
Juliette Polito gets to the bottom of the long-debated issue: which fruit is a source of more power: the apple or the orange?
I was recently covering the Peterborough Regional Science Fair for a local media source. While doing interviews, I came upon an ultra-enthusiastic grade schooler with a most interesting project.
A little snippet from the article:
Juliette Polito, a Grade 7 student from Lakefield College School shared some of this same enthusiasm.
“I think a lot of the students here are passionate about science,” she explained. “And people need to show what they are passionate about. I think that is when their talent really shows. And it is really cool when you can bring together so many people with those same interests, passions and goals.”
Polito’s project measured the voltage produced by common fruits.
“I was really surprised at my results and by the energy that these fruits contain,” she exclaimed. “Nature is amazing, and we don’t know half of what there is to know about it.”
For Polito, the day was a great educational experience.
“I’m definitely learning things I’ve never seen before. If I didn’t already believe it, I’d sure be convinced now: science is cool!”
For the record, our local apples produced more currant than American oranges and tomatoes.
Apr 15, 2012 0
A patch of wild leeks.
Two days ago, I had a lovely interview Marcy Adzich, a local food forager and owner of Fox Hollow Wild Edibles. We were discussing some of the early spring bounty that exists for people interested in foraging their own foods. While there is not a huge amount of variety this early in the season, there are a few major finds for local foodies – notably: wild leeks (ramps), fiddleheads, and morel mushrooms. What early spring lacks in diversity, it more than makes up for in incredible taste.
During the interview, I was lamenting the fact that I didn’t have my “own” patch of ramps. Sure, Krista and I have found a few minor clumps of these delicacies in the past, but nothing, really, that we could harvest.
A day later, our luck changed.
During a lovely afternoon hike, Krista and I rounded a corner of trail overlooking a forested valley and, much to our amazement, came across a patch of wild leeks that was easily 10 feet wide.
Looking down the hill, we saw another.
Then another.
And then many, many more.
We had hit the foraging jackpot.
And I immediately started planning some delicious menus.
Now, before I get ahead of myself and start offering recipes for these wild leeks, I should explain what they are and offer some important notes on harvesting them.
Wild leeks are an early spring vegetable in the same family (Allium) as cultivated leeks, onions, and garlic. The have a huge range – growing throughout the eastern half of North America, from as far south as Georgia up to Northern Ontario and Quebec.
They are identifiable by their broad, smooth, light green leaves, often with deep purple markings on the lower stems, and a green onion-like stalk and bulb. Both the white lower leaf stalks and the broad green leaves are edible. Ramps grow in groups strongly rooted just beneath the surface of the soil.
They are also, it should be noted, absolutely delicious.
Unfortunately, they are also becoming endangered.
The problem is that they have become quite popular. And they take a long time to grow.
“They can take up to 15 years to reach maturity,” explains Adzich. “Which means that even selective harvesting can take its toll. In fact, there are bans on picking them in Quebec. And major conservation issues here in Ontario.”
Much of the problem comes from professional pickers who pick indiscriminately and sell in bulk. But even hobbyists are starting to have an impact.
Adzich understands that if she wants to continue to be able to both sell and enjoy foraged foods such as ramps and fiddleheads, it is important to both preach and practice sustainable harvesting.
“If you find a clump of ramps, take one or two,” she advises. “Leave the rest. And never, ever pick a patch bare.”
Similarly, when picking fiddleheads, it is important to pick sparingly.
“If you don’t leave at least 3 per plant, it will die. Again, pick a few. Use them as a treat.”
I’ll be touching base with Adzich throughout the spring and summer to find out what else is in season in the wild.
In the meantime, however, I should point out that she is currently selling selectively harvested ramps. You can reach her at foxhollow.edible@gmail.com
Now, a true forager never shares picking locations. I didn’t ask where her patches are, and I sure as heck am not going to tell you where I found mine. Foragers do, on the other hand, share ideas on how to prepare foraged foods. Adzich gave me a lovely recipe that I will share at the bottom of this post.
I have plenty of plans for my harvested ramps. One menu that I came up with last night looks a little like this:
Arugula with a wild leek/goat cheese dressing
Spring lamb with a wild leek and morel gravy
Roasted winter heritage potatoes with new chives
Storage apple and new rhubarb crumble with Kawartha Dairy ice cream and this year’s new maple syrup.
Arugula is available from Tall Tree Farms at Market.
Lands End Farm should have some spring lamb.
Fox Hollow Edibles will have ramps and perhaps morels.
There are no shortage of sellers of apples and potatoes from last year.
And Staples Maple Syrup have begun selling this year’s batch.
We’ll also be doing a wild leek/potato soup, some pasta with wild leeks and goat cheese, and a frittata.
Plenty of ideas.
Top of the list, though, is this Quiche recipe from Fox Hollow. I’ll be making it tonight.
Fiddlehead Quiche with Ramps
4 ramps, chopped ( bulbs and greens)
1 C fiddlehead ferns,well rinsed and trimmed
1 C milk
2 egg whites plus 1 whole egg (or two eggs)
3/4 C goat cheese, crumbled
3 T Gruyere cheese, finely grated
2 tsp grated lemon zest, optional
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, sprinkle of thyme to taste
Preheat oven to 350F. Using a refrigerated pie crust or your favorite crust recipe, tuck a rolled-out round of crust into a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing it back against the sides. Cover with foil and weight with pie chains or beans, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and foil, and use a pastry brush to brush with a bit of egg white; return to the oven for 5 minutes more, until just set. While hot, sprinkle the Gruyere evenly over the bottom of the crust and set aside.
While the crust bakes, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Clean and trim the fiddleheads if necessary, then boil them until just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain, shock in cold water, and set aside. Meanwhile, melt some bacon fat in a skillet; add the chopped ramps and saute, first the bulbs, then the greens, until tender and wilted, adding the blanched fiddleheads in the last minute.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the milk (I actually used part milk and part cream), eggs, goat cheese, lemon zest if using (I intended to, but forgot, and we didn’t miss it), salt and pepper. Stir in the sautéed vegetables. Pour the filling carefully into the prepared crust, and bake until golden brown, approx. 20 minutes. Let the quiche stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Mar 19, 2012 0
The brand new Liftlock Community Garden, located right along the Trent Severn Waterway, is one of many gardens located throughout the city. Photo credit: Jillian Bishop.
From the print edition of my Farm to Table column in the Peterborough This Week newspaper. You can find the online piece here or in my MyKawartha.com Farm to Table blog.
One hot, sunny summer afternoon last year, Peterborough Community Garden Network Co-ordinator Jillian Bishop spread her daily harvest out on the ground to photograph.
She had just carried it home from her own 10×10 community plot and she proudly wanted to document the fruits (and vegetables) of her labour before bringing them into her house.
While she was snapping pictures, an elderly gentleman came walking up the street. He stopped, amazed at the piles of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beets, beans, and greens and shook his head.
“Well, will you look at that!” he exclaimed. “Where’d you get all of those veggies?”
Bishop looked at her piles of produce and realized that she had amassed quite a feast — and this was only from one day of harvest.
“I grew it,” she replied.
Looking from her to the small front yard of her row house, he looked a tad confused.
And then the questions started.
Thankfully, Bishop is used to answering questions. She gets enough of them asked on a daily basis – both at community garden plots across Peterborough and at her Aylmer Street office.
“The first question is usually about what community gardens actually are,” says Bishop. “And the answer is that it depends on the garden.”
A community garden is parcel of land that is used collaboratively by a group of people. Usually this means that individuals have their own small plot, though in some cases people work together on one communal plot. Essentially, it is a place for people to grow their own produce.
You can find community gardens sprinkled throughout the city, often hidden away in vacant lots, adjacent to parkland, or on pieces of private property that have been donated to the Network. Each garden is unique in that it has its own rules and fees, but all of them are open to the public.
The next question usually involves reasons for using community gardens.
“Really, everyone has their own reason for getting a plot,” explains Bishop. “Some people don’t have land that they can use for their own gardens – particularly renters, condo owners, students… Others see it as a way of saving money on groceries.”
With the price of groceries continuing to go up, the ability to save hundreds of dollars in food costs is an attractive one.
“Then there are people who want to work with and learn from fellow gardeners – and we have some very experienced gardeners working on some of our plots,” continues Bishop. “Some people join in order to be part of a community of other growers. Others do it to find a connection with the land or the seasons. Some do it because they want someplace to relax and grow flowers. In the end, it doesn’t matter why people join. They all end up gaining the same benefits.”
People interested in getting a garden plot can call Bishop at her Peterborough Green-Up office 705-745-3238 (Ext. 209) or e-mail her at pcgn@greenup.on.ca. With the popularity of garden plots, you may want to consider calling soon.
In the meantime, many gardeners are currently in the planning stages for their own community plots and personal gardens. Those who start their plants from seed will need to be starting indoors in the next few weeks.
The best place in Peterborough to get local heritage variety seeds? I’d say the annual Seedy Sunday seed exchange, happening this coming weekend at George Street United Church, from 2-5pm. There will be vendors selling a huge variety of heirloom seeds, local community gardeners offering resources, advice and information, as well as a seed exchange area where participants can trade seeds or purchase some for a donation. I’ll definitely be in attendance.
While gardeners and food enthusiasts are excited about the fresh produce to come this spring, there are still some great local seasonal flavours to be had – even now, at the tail end of winter.
This week’s recipe is one of my March favourites. It makes use of these local winter vegetables. And one that is almost 100 per cent local. It is also a very quick and inexpensive winter soup to prepare.
Potato Leek Soup
1 tbsp of butter
2 cups of leeks (a very generous 2 cups, or you can add a small onion)
2 cups of diced potatoes
1 litre of vegetable or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt and course black pepper to taste
Procedure:
1. Melt butter and then cook the leeks for 5-7 minutes or until soft. If you add a few pinches of salt to your leeks at the beginning, they will sweat more.
2. Pour in the stock, add the potatoes and bay leaf, and cook until the potatoes are soft, 15-30 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf.
4. Puree in small batches in a blender – careful: hot liquids will splatter easily in blenders, so small batches are a must! And make sure the seal is tight.
5. Season to taste with salt and course pepper.
I usually garnish this soup with some cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon over top. Delicious!
