50km Eating Easy with Cow Op Online Market
No other holiday focuses on eating quite the same way that Thanksgiving. In a world that moves so quickly and offers so many options for fast food, taking the time to slow down and spend a day cooking for loved ones can be a treat. Especially if you’re working with farm fresh ingredients. Here are some great reasons to plan your locally sourced Thanksgiving meal early. When you support small and sustainable farms, you help to reduce the impact of industrial farming and promote the use of environmentally friendly farming methods. Not to mention vastly reducing the amount of miles your food travels. Buying locally means that more of the money you spend goes directly back into our community, creating jobs and supporting local business and farmers. Plus heritage and heirloom varieties of meat and produce typically found on smaller farms offer more flavor and unique variety. Have we convinced you yet? Usually the hardest part of sourcing local food is accessibility, and that’s where we come in! Cow-op is a co-operative of farmers and food processors in the Cowichan Valley, offering an online market for locally grown and made products. Shop from a huge selection of salad greens, vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat, dairy, bread, herbs, sauces, snacks, preserves, desserts, frozen meals, beverages, seeds, plants, soaps and more. The market is open Thursday to Monday, yearround. Follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages for tips and recipes specific to Cowichan Valley and Vancouver Island. We aggregate products from over 60 members each week at our food hub facility. On Thursdays, we either deliver your order or you can collect your order at one of our neighbourhood pickup locations from Victoria to Nanaimo. We are creating a resilient local food economy! All fresh produce is harvested to order and in your hands within 72 hours. Shop direct on Cow-op.ca, and enjoy the freshest food this island has to offer.
60 Day dry aged beef Taking orders for Thanksgiving: Sausage Stuffed Turkey Roll
An Un-Traditional Thanksgiving
Call or stop by to order!
An untraditional Thanksgiving. Does Thanksgiving really have to have turkey, stuffing and mash potatoes? I am sure for some it may. But what Thanksgiving is really about is enjoying the time with friends and family…with some food of course. This year try something different! What about a charcuterie Thanksgiving? As the weather gets cooler out come the cravings for richer fattier foods. Plus fatty foods are good for us and we need them. The brain is about 60 percent fat and therefore, needs fat in the diet. It is essential for proper neurotransmission, meaning the movement of information thru our brain. Fat is also needed to maintain flexibility in cell membranes and in the building of new brain cells and to repair damaged cells. Fats also helps to increase the speed and strength of the transmission. If there is not enough fat in the diet, then our brain is not going to be transmitting information properly. So instead of turkey that makes the brain go to sleep try some rich fatty foods instead. A nice rillette of pork cooked in duck fat. Creamy duck and chicken pate. Venison and rabbit were served at some of the first Thanksgivings and they both make great charcuterie items, and yes if you must have that turkey try smoking or brining it for something different. Do not forget about cheese rich creamy, hard or soft; cow, goat, sheep buffalo too. Remember moderation is the key or either way turkey or no turkey you will find yourself asleep on the couch after dinner.
Potatoes Cooked in (Confit) Duck Fat Courtesy Brad Boisvert, Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese
Ingredients 1.5 pounds Potatoes -Yukon, Nugget, red Potatoes 5 sprigs Fresh thyme 4 Garlic cloves smashed 3 Bay leaf 4 Tbls Salt Course 1 tsp Cracked pepper 1/2 Lemon juice and zest 500ml Duck fat (confit) Method to Blanch Potatoes In a sauce pan combined all ingredients. Except duck fat. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Strain water. Second Cooking Of Potatoes In Confit In a large, heavy bottom skillet, warm duck fat over low heat until melted. Add the balanced potatoes and place in 325 degree oven and bake until fork tender and light golden brown. Recipe can be made a day or two ahead of time and re-warmed. If making in advance store in the confit. 15
