Food In The Hills | Spring-Summer 2012

|S U M M E R 2012 SP R ING ING|S

Farmgate Dairies A cook’s tour of Bolton

Alton Mill wedding The Heirloom Tomato Club

Spears of Spring

Putting Headwaters on the culinary map On a snowy day in late April,

Food In The Hills editor Cecily Ross is the former food and wine editor of The Globe and Mail and author of Love in the Time of Cholesterol, a memoir with recipes.

I was lucky enough to be among more than 50 food lovers gathered in the spacious kitchen of a North Dufferin farmhouse to celebrate our love of food. The event was part of a two-day Toronto food festival, now in its sixth year, known as Terroir Hospitality Industry Symposium. Among the guests were local producers, star chefs and prominent food writers. They came from as far away as Australia and New York, Calgary and Halifax, and from as nearby as Creemore and Caledon. They came to experience the incredible richness of what I and many others are convinced is emerging as the hottest new culinary region in Canada: our beautiful, bountiful Hills of Headwaters.

A day earlier, during the same snowstorm, I attended the first Headwaters Food Summit at Hockley Valley Resort.

Food In The Hills was pleased to be one of the sponsors of this event which brought together 130 restaurateurs, farmers, food processors and policy-makers to discuss such serious matters as market opportunities and distribution systems, all aimed at making Headwaters a major food hub in the province. Chef Michael Potters prepared a locally inspired lunch, which was followed by an Eat Local Caledon food/trade fair.

At both these events, if it hadn’t been for the unseasonably late snow, I might have imagined I was celebrating in one of the world’s great culinary regions. I might have been in the Napa Valley or the south of France.

For the Terroir feast, local and visiting chefs rolled up their sleeves and whipped up such delicacies as black chicken in beer soup with Jerusalem artichokes and wild mushrooms; lamb-organ kielbasa with brassica mustard; and wild rabbit with red-tail flour pappardelle. Those of us who weren’t cooking washed dishes and peeled potatoes.

The energy in that big country kitchen was palpable. The ingredients were sourced from such local producers as The New Farm, K2 Milling, Twin Creeks Organics, Forbes Wild Foods, Best Baa Dairy, and washed down with Creemore Springs beer, wine from Georgian Hills Vineyards and sparkling cider from Spirit Tree Estate Cidery – many of whom have been, or soon may be, featured in these pages. And thanks to efforts like ours and events like these, word about what is going on up here is travelling fast.

In this our third issue of Food In The Hills, we continue to celebrate local culinary excellence and innovation. So put aside your gardening gloves and oven mitts for a while and enjoy with us the promise of spring and summer in the Hills.

cecily@inthehills.ca

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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a taste of our spring|summer issue 27 | The Alton Mill was the perfect setting for a marriage of true appetites. Set in the stone ruins under the stars, Hannah Slade’s and James Wood’s rustic summer wedding and vegetarian feast was like a mid-summer night’s dream come true.

love among the ruins

stine danielle

Liz Beatty reports.

48 | Tina and Pietro Fanzo’s quirky Mono kitchen is a treasure trove of flea market finds and sleek new equipment.

It’s also the cooking couple’s favourite place to entertain with

kitchen consequential 6

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

pete paterson

simple and delicious meals.

nanc y falconer

the heirloom tomato club

38 | Writer Nancy Falconer visits a pair of ordinary gardeners who have taken extraordinary steps to get friends and neighbours involved in preserving the culinary heritage and amazing variety of their favourite fruit.

more seasonal specials

always on the menu

The Milky Way | 14 Milk is about to get a whole lot fresher. Tim Shuff profiles two dairy farmers who have opened on-farm milk processing plants.

Off the Shelf | 10 Goodies and gadgets for those on the go.

The World According to Asparagus | 22 Jennifer Clark welcomes the first tender spears of spring with a gardener’s guide to growing and cooking our favourite veg.

Cooking With Cathy | 34 Master canner Cathy Hansen revives the lost art of home canning. Find out how to pickle just about anything.

A Cook’s Tour of Bolton | 44 There’s pizza, pasta and great food galore as Food In The Hills celebrates the culinary bounty of Bolton.

Digest | 12 Food for thought.

Morel Index | 54 All about Morchella esculenta.

What’s Cooking Calendar | 56 Food events this spring and summer.

End Note | 61 The McVean Incubator Farm.

Best Bites | 62 Léna Valiquette’s oatmeal cookies.

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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™

volume 2 number 1 | spring summer 2012

Food In The Hills is an independent, local magazine, published twice yearly in mid May and mid August. It is a sister publication to In The Hills.

10,000 copies are distributed through restaurants, inns, specialty food stores, markets and tourism locations throughout the Headwaters region. publisher Signe Ball editor Cecily Ross oper ations manager Kirsten Ball art direc tor Kim van Oosterom Wallower Design

editorial Liz Beatty Jennifer Clark Nancy Falconer Cathy Hansen Douglas G Pearce Tim Shuff

photogr aphers Laura Berman Stine Danielle Nancy Falconer MK Lynde Stephanie Ouellette Pete Paterson

copy editors Janet Dimond Susan Robb

food st ylist Jane Fellowes

web manager Valerie Jones Echohill Inc.

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events editor Janet Dimond cover Green asparagus

by Pete Paterson

advertising sales Sarah Aston Roberta Fracassi advertising produc tion Marion Hodgson Type & Images to advertise Sarah Aston 519-940-4884 sarah@inthehills.ca

advertising deadline The advertising deadline for the Autumn|Winter issue is Friday, July 13, 2012. subscrip tions Subscriptions are $11.30 per year (includes hst). let ters Letters to the editor are welcome; email cecily@inthehills.ca

published by MonoLog Communications Inc RR 1, Orangeville Ontario L9W 2Y8 519-940-3299 519-940-9266 fax info@inthehills.ca www.foodinthehills.ca www.inthehills.ca www.kidsinthehills.ca

Shown: Perfect oil infuser Resistech wine glass Aroma wine aerator

Trudeau - Stands the Test of Time - est 1889 Purveyor of quality kitchen & tableware Zoko quick pop maker, Emile Henry poterie culinaire, dishes by Sophie Conran, knives from Germany and Japan, Nespresso, Bamix immersion blender & more!

Sign up for our monthly newsletter at www.kitchentotable.com Visit us at125 Broadway, in historic downtown Orangeville 519-942-5908 spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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off the shelf Our roundup of fabulous quality items produced byy local artisans

Cutting edge boards

You’ll get a kick out of this. A fusion of ginger extracts and naturally raised honey, Meredith’s Ginger Syrup is at once the perfect pick-me-up to start the day and an ideal antidote to your fluweary woes. We like it mixed with hot water as a soothing tea, but it’s also really refreshing poured over ice with a dash of soda water.

Developed by Meaford entrepreneur, Meredith Cowan, ginger syrup can be mixed with rum or vodka for a spicy cocktail or pour it over pancakes, ice cream or yogurt.

Meredith’s own favourite recipe is the ginger latte: simply stir a tablespoon of syrup into a glass of warm milk and enjoy. Besides tasting delicious, ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, improves digestion, and boosts your immune system. In the words of its creator, “It’s gingervating!”

Available in the hills at the 100 Mile Store, Bank Café and Affairs Bakery in Creemore, and Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon. www.meredithsgingersyrup.com

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Flour power Apple pulp is the inevitable by-product of cider making. Instead of simply throwing it away, Mayfield Farms in north Brampton dries the pulp into pomace and sends it to K2 Milling in Tottenham to be ground into flour.

“We have been grinding their apple pomace for over 10 years now,” says K2 owner Mark Hayhoe. While apple flour is not the only product milled by K2, which grinds locally grown grains, oilseed meals, legumes, dried fruits and vegetables into a galaxy of flours, it’s one of the most unusual.

The fine reddish powder with a distinctive apple flavour has been available wholesale from Mayfield Farms, but now you can get it in 1kg cloth bags at Creemore’s 100 Mile Store or at K2 Milling in Alliston.

Then what? you ask. Well, according to Mark Hayhoe, it makes a tasty addition to regular flour in all your baking. It can be added to desserts like apple crumble or stirred into smoothies.

“Apple flour invites experimentation,” says Mark, “and we would love to hear of any new creative uses for it.” www.k2milling.blogspot.ca

ginger syrup and apple flour photos pete paterson

No wonder N d it’ it’s addictive ddi ti

Kurtz Millworks in Orangeville is best known for its chair rails and crown moldings, its finials and fireplace mantels. But we love these strikingly beautiful breadboards and cutting boards.

Available in an array of patterns, each one is fashioned from solid kiln-dried oak, maple, cherry and/ or beech.

The cutting boards are 1¼ inches thick and are fitted with non-slip feet making them durable and safe to use. Each one is carefully pieced together by hand in a unique pattern and then finished with a natural mineral oil to bring out the beauty of the wood grain. The finish is suitable for contact with food. Individual boards are signed by their creators.

Truly a culinary work of art. www.kurtzmillworks.com

Eat Fresh for Better Health!

Owned and Operated for 30 Years

Come in for our famous fresh produce, wide selection of organic meats, specialty foods and organic products, and visit our garden centre with its extensive selection of hanging baskets, annuals, perennials and shrubs.

We proudly carry BERETTA beef and chicken.

We carry frozen organic meats. We also have a selection of fresh antibiotic and hormone free beef and chicken.

Livestock raised within Canada. Canadian Angus Rancher endorsed.

501 Queen Street South in Bolton | www.gardenfoodsmarket.com | 905-857-1227 spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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digest

compiled by dougl as g pearce

potato power

grass fed

“The electrical flow from potatoes, long known to be electrolytes, can be enhanced by boiling them to rupture the cell walls. A battery consisting of a slice of boiled potato between two electrodes can power a small light for 20 hours, after which a new potato slice is inserted. Potato batteries can generate energy at a cost comparable to conventional batteries. Apparently banana and strawberry batteries can also be used, but their softer tissues would weaken battery structure, and the sugars might attract insects.”

“More evidence that grass-fed meat is good for you emerged recently when scientists in Ireland found that consuming grass-finished red meats from lamb and cattle, even for a short period of time, is good for your heart.

“The study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition (volume 105, issue 01), not only confirmed again that red meat from animals ‘finished’ on grass for the six weeks before slaughter contains significantly more omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids than meat from grain-fed feedlot animals, but also demonstrated for the first time that healthy consumers who ate that grass-finished meat for only four weeks showed significant increases in blood levels of omega-3s compared with those eating grain-finished red meat.”

From Hugh Daubney’s News of Diversity, in Seeds of Diversity, harvest/11. www.cog.ca

dandelion ravioli “Sherry Schie, a chef from Strasburg, Ohio, won the 18th annual Great Dandelion Cookoff in 2011 with her recipe for dandelion-squash ravioli.

Pete Dressen of Aurora, Ohio, placed second with his recipe for dandelion greens, tomato and goat cheese tarts.

Their award-winning recipes are online at breitenbachwine.com.”

From The Great Dandelion Cookoff by Lorne McClinton, in Homestead, Spring 2012. www.johndeerehomestead.com

root cellars afghan aid “Tarnak Farms is the site of the notorious al-Qaeda training camp that operated from 1997 to 2001 and sometimes housed Osama bin Laden.

“But long before Tarnak became linked to terror and war, it had a 50-year history as a government experimental farm that was fed by the Dahla Dam. The dam, originally built under an American aid program and completed in 1952, turned vast tracts of arid land in the Arghandab River valley into fertile soil. Orchards and vineyards flourished. But decades of disrepair and war resulted in a reduced ability to regulate the flow of water.

“Tarnak Farms was within Canada’s area of military responsibility from March 2006 to July 2011. During that time, Canada spent $50 million repairing the Dahla Dam and irrigation system. It also invested $4.7 million in a new agricultural research institute at Tarnak Farms, returning the site to its original function.”

From Hope Amid the Ruins by Matthew Fisher, in Canada’s History, April-May/12. www.canadashistory.ca

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“These naturally cool storage spaces – a common feature of early American homes – are gaining new favour as food and energy prices surge, and also as we discover how much better locally grown produce tastes. Whether you garden or buy in bulk at your local farmers’ market, you can enjoy fresh carrots, cabbage, beets, potatoes, apples, grapes, and more year-round if you create a space with the right temperature and humidity. You can go so far as to make an insulated room in your basement – complete with ventilation controls – or you can simply start with a barrel buried in the ground.”

From Vicki Mattern’s review of The Complete Root Cellar by Steve Maxwell and Jennifer MacKenzie (Robert Rose 2010), in Mother Earth News Guide to Growing Your Own Food, December 04/January 05. www.motherearthnews.com

From Yet More Proof that Grass-Fed is Better,

by Oscar H. Will III, in Mother Earth News Guide to Growing Your Own Food, June/July 11. www.motherearthnews.com

queen anne’s lace “The wild Queen Anne’s lace or wild carrot is a lovely member of the family.

Its roots are edible but best eaten very young as they soon get woody and fibrous. Queen Anne’s lace seeds have been used as a contraceptive for centuries.

“In modern tests, the seeds have been proven to interrupt the attachment of the egg to the placenta by blocking progesterone synthesis.

“The flowers also produce a creamy colour if used as a dye.”

From Ontario Gardener, Winter Annual/12. www.localgardener.net

peanuts “Peanut seeds are among the world’s wonders for healthful goodness. Peanuts contain more than 75 per cent good unsaturated fat and more antioxidants than nearly any other more highly touted fruit or vegetable, and – vegetarians and vegans rejoice! – higher amounts of vegetable protein than any true nut.

“Although more than 3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts, the rest of us eat a lot of them.

Forget the peanut oil, the snacks, and flavorful ingredients in our favorite dishes; last year, Americans spent almost $800 million on peanut butter alone. Even the hulls have value, finding use in products that range from wallboard to cat litter, fireplace logs, cosmetics, mulch, and cattle feed.”

From Crunch Time by Felder Rushing, in Organic Gardening, Apr/May/12. www.organicgardening.com

Family Owned and Operated Since 1966

omelet tes “Be content to remember that those who can make omelettes properly can do nothing else.” Hillaire Belloc 왗

Local Bistro | Local Flair Live Entertainment Garden Patio Revolving Menu Tues to Sat | 9am to close 1475 Queen St Alton 519 941 6121

photos pete paterson

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John and Marie Miller Their on-farm dairy promises not only a fresher product but one with more diversity and character.

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

Imagine, milk with terroir.

Two local dairy farms are about to revolutionize the way

photos mk lynde

we think about that most basic of foods | by tim shuff

Make history this summer. Walk

The first thing you notice on a

into a food market in Creemore and pick up some fresh Jersey milk in a glass bottle from Miller’s Dairy. Then drive past John and Marie Miller’s farm on County Road 9 so you can say, “That’s where my milk came from.” Or stop by Bonnie and John den Haan’s Sheldon Creek Dairy near Hockley Valley to buy whole milk direct from the farm, and meet some of the cows it came from that morning.

Simple as it sounds, neither of these things – buying milk produced by a specific farmer or fresh off the farm – has been legal in Ontario in a half century. Instead, all milk has been blended together by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) and trucked hundreds of kilometres to large processors.

Spurred by the demand for local food and stories of a growing underground market for farm-fresh milk, the DFO has launched Project Farmgate, a pilot program to help farmers begin processing milk on-farm.

The first three farms to take part are Limestone Organic Creamery near Kingston and the Millers’ and den Haans’ right here in the hills. All open this spring and for the first time in two generations, since the Ontario Milk Act established the DFO in 1965, consumers will be able to buy cows’ milk direct from the farmers, and select from a specific herd or breed of cow.

The new micro-dairies promise not only a fresher product, but one with a lot more diversity and character. Soon there will be a lot more to say about milk – about nutrients, colour, creaminess and flavour, even season.

Imagine, milk with terroir. We may soon become milk connoisseurs. It’s white, liquid proof that consumer demand for local food is making a difference not only to what ends up in our fridges, but to the sustainability of local farms and farming communities.

visit to John and Marie Miller’s farm is how clean and orderly everything is. The next thing is John Miller’s great enthusiasm and pride as he shows you around.

With 120 cows and 700 acres, Jalon Farms is about twice the size of the average Ontario dairy farm, and it’s nearly selfsufficient. The Millers grow most of their own feed with surplus to sell.

There’s a new free-stall barn, built in 2004, with computerized milking machines that monitor the exact movements and milk production of every cow. The brown Jerseys wander freely and mingle on the clean floors. They have cushioned sleeping mats and John addresses each one affectionately by name. It’s super high-tech and cow friendly.

Just a few steps away, between the new barn and the old grey one, across the driveway from the heritage farmhouse, the processing plant stands nearly complete. It’s compact, no bigger than a large house, but in every other way a full-fledged modern dairy that will soon sparkle with stainless steel equipment and sterile white walls. It is here the Millers’ milk will be piped the continued on nex t page

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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the milk y way

Milking time The Millers’ Jersey cows produce 60,000 litres a month.

How to enjoy whole milk “Just drink it!” says Bonnie den Haan, who insists that once you try Sheldon Creek Dairy’s whole milk, “with cream that rises to the top,” you won’t go back to the stuff that’s been homogenized (the process that breaks up the fat globules so they won’t separate from the milk).

Left in the fridge, whole milk separates in 10 to 12 hours. “I try to get to the jug first and pour it into a mason jar for cream in coffee, but if other family members get there first, they just drink it,” says Bonnie. The fresh cream skimmed off the milk won’t whip very well at first, but will after sitting in the fridge for a couple of days.

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short distance from the milk room, where it has been chilled in a large stainless steel tank. His cows produce 60,000 litres a month, and one day he hopes to sell it all through Miller’s Dairy. In the meantime he can sell any surplus to the DFO. John Miller has dairying in his blood.

He’s the fifth generation of Millers to farm here, and his mother grew up with a dairy on her family farm in Goderich. John’s great-grandfather, Sam Bisset, was credited with being the first dairy man in Canada to sell milk in a bottle in 1896, replacing the old practice of ladling milk into a housewife’s pitcher from a tank on the back of a wagon.

Like most small-town dairies, Bisset’s eventually closed down. Until last year, when a small on-farm dairy in Nova Scotia, called Fox Hill Cheese House, began selling whole milk in glass bottles, no farmers in Canada were processing their own fluid milk on-farm anymore. (The handful of on-

farm processors in Ontario, such as Saugeen County Dairy near Markdale or Mapleton’s Organic in Moorefield, make other milk products, such as yogurt and ice cream.)

John chose to open his dairy as a way to expand his business without acquiring more land or cows. To add cows, he would have had to buy dairy quota, which is hard to get, and expensive (more than $25,000 per cow).

The plant also provides his 20-year-old stepson, Shawn Corbeil, with the chance to stay and pursue his career on the farm. But what John seems most happy about is that he will be able to sell milk exclusively from his own herd, and that there are consumers out there who care about the milk they’re drinking.

“What makes our dairy unique is that we’re using Jersey milk,” says John. When Ontario’s milk marketing authority came into existence in 1965, it began mixing milk together for efficiency of transport and sale.

That’s when milk became just “milk” as we

now know it, a mix that’s about 90 per cent Holstein.

“All the unique milks that were on the market – Jersey, golden Guernsey, Ayrshire – all ended. This will be the first fluid Jersey milk plant in Ontario in 45 years,” John says. He notes Jersey milk is 15 per cent higher in protein and 20 per cent higher in calcium. It is prized for its fuller, richer flavour and the quality of its cream for baking and desserts.

And then there is the pride of having the Miller family name on the bottle. Pamela, Mary and Candice, the three cows on the label, are actual animals in the Miller’s Dairy herd. John has a story for each. For instance, Mary was a calf named after his mother, born on her birthday in 2001, which turned out to be her last. “She represents the roots and heritage of Miller’s dairy,” he says.

continued on nex t page

On-farm dairies in the hills Sheldon Creek Dairy 4316 5th Concession, Adjala Northwest of Loretto 705-435-5454 www.sheldoncreekdairy.ca Sheldon Creek Dairy will sell one-litre bottles of unhomogenized whole milk and yogurt in 500ml tubs from its Holsteins through its on-farm store and select local retailers. A soft opening was held in May, with a grand opening, featuring farm tours and other attractions, scheduled for June 23.

Miller’s Dairy 7280 County Rd 9, Clearview Just east of Creemore 705-466-2509 www.millersdairy.com Miller’s Dairy will sell skim, 1 per cent, 2 per cent, chocolate and whole Jersey milk in returnable glass bottles through stores and restaurants in Creemore and surrounding communities. Grand opening is Saturday, July 14, as part of the first Creemore Dairy Day.

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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the milk y way

Sheldon Creek Dairy John and Bonnie den Haan with Parnella the cow and their dog, Meg.

At Haanview Farms, the 140Holstein farm that John and Bonnie den Haan operate on 274 acres in Hockley Valley near Loretto, there is a similar eagerness to connect with the consumer.

Bonnie den Haan talks as if she’s been waiting all her life to give the world a taste of milk fresh from the cow, as if their new business venture was motivated by nothing

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more than whole milk evangelism.

“We strive really hard to produce really good tasting milk, so we’d like to share that with everybody,” she says. Bonnie likens milk to sweet corn the day it’s picked. You can taste the freshness.

Unlike most modern dairy farms, Haanview pastures its cows in the summer, so Bonnie says you may even detect a

yellow tint in the milk from the grass of the Sheldon Creek pastures: “Someone with a sensitive palate or a connoisseur of milk and butter would notice the difference.”

While Miller’s Dairy will sell through grocery stores and other businesses, Sheldon

continued on page 20

Plenty to See, Do & Taste at the Caledon Farmers’ Market

.

Saturdays 8:00 am to 1:00 pm June 2 - October 27, 2012 Albion Bolton Community Centre - 150 Queen Street South, Bolton SPECIAL June 2 June 30 July 21 August 18 September 15 October 6

The return of specialty milks A big plus of micro-dairying will be the choice to buy herd-specific and breed-specific milk for the first time since the 1965 Ontario Milk Act. It brought in a supply management system that has benefitted dairy farmers, but resulted in less consumer choice.

Previously, every dairy had contracts with local farmers, frequently specializing in particular breeds. Grocery shelves displayed brands such as Guernsey Gold or Lakeside Jersey. The Ontario Milk Act made the Dairy Farmers of Ontario (formerly the Ontario Milk Marketing Board) the province’s sole buyer and shipper of raw cows’ milk. The DFO “commingled” the milk supply for efficient transport and sale.

Today, 80 per cent of milk in Canada is processed by one of three companies: Saputo, Parmalat or Agropur, and it can be trucked for hundreds of kilometres for processing. Along the way, milk from specialized breeds is thrown into the mix, which is 90 per cent Holstein, to be processed to uniform standards. To the consumer, it’s all just milk.

EVENTS

Opening Day Celebration Canada Day Celebration Bring Your Pet Day Country Fest Harvest Celebration Thanksgiving Celebration

Caledon

Farmers’ Market

There will be fun for the entire family, locally grown vegetables, fruit, herbs & flowers, locally raised meats, fresh baked goods, honey, chocolate, crafts, artisans, and unique food demonstrations with special appearances by local chefs throughout the season.

.

Buy Local Eat Fresh For more information call 905.584.2272, e-mail: edc@caledon.ca, visit: www.caledon.ca/farmersmarket, or find us on Facebook.

6311 Old Church Road Caledon, ON L7C 1J6 www.caledon.ca T. 905.584.2272 | 1.888.225.3366 | F. 905.584.4325

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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the milk y way

Farmyard friends Iris the cow and a well-fed puss.

“Bread, milk and butter are of venerable antiquity. They taste of the morning of the world.” leigh hunt

Creek Dairy will sell direct through its own store, set to open in May, so you can buy milk from the farm on the day it’s milked and processed, even meet the cows.

Sheldon Creek’s website promises milk “like your grandparents drank, fresh from the cow … with cream that rises to the top.”

It will be whole milk in glass bottles, not homogenized, and pasteurized only enough to meet health regulations. “It’s as close to the cow as you can get and be legal,” says Bonnie.

On-farm dairies compete with the industrial food system, so you might have expected political obstacles, but not anymore. Opening a dairy is expensive and complicated, yes. Both the Millers and den Haans have spent nearly a million dollars each. Yet virtually everybody, from the DFO to industry to every level of government, seems in love with the idea of

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bringing back the local dairy.

“We’re promoting that we take care of our animals, that farming is good, that it’s good for the people, and milk is good for you. It’s a feel-good story,” says Bonnie. She describes their start-up process as two years of “endless conversation and coffee” with keen supporters.

Miller’s Dairy sailed through Clearview Township’s planning process. The project is lauded by local mayor Ken Ferguson and ecstatically supported by two local MPPs, Jim Wilson and Garfield Dunlop. After the ground breaking last August, all the local papers ran stories.

John Miller figures that 10 years ago, nobody would have cared. If the past several decades were a shift away from local food toward a big-box mentality – the market forces that drove his mother’s family’s dairy

(1784-1859)

from ‘the seer’

out of business – the pendulum is finally swinging back.

To design his plant, John hired an engineer who, it turned out, used to work for a big dairy called Alt Foods. His job was to dismantle all the small dairies as Alt took them over, then ship the equipment overseas so nobody could build a competing dairy in Ontario. Thirty years later, John Miller hired him to do exactly the opposite.

It’s ironic that today the best way forward is to reclaim what was lost in our race for the cheap and easy. John has customers calling every day asking when they can buy his milk. Of the 20 clients he has signed up – restaurants, institutions and retailers – he only had to find two. The rest came to him.

Nobody even asked the price. 왗 Tim Shuff is a freelance writer.

EAT LOCAL AND TASTE THE DIFFERENCE • all Ontario produce as in season • visit our new greenhouse for fresh cut flowers, hanger & patio plants • farm fresh eggs, baked goods • fresh baked pies • preserves, jams & maple syrup

905-584-9461 • 16930 Airport Rd, 2.5 kms N of Caledon East • Open daily and holidays

Food that makes your mouth smile.

Daily homemade baked goods, wraps, sandwiches & hot mains A la carte menu of prepared meals and trays 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Monday – Friday Catering pick-up available on Saturdays 3 Church St. S. Alliston ON L9R 1V5 705-434-1668 Malikai.Catering@gmail.com spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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The world according

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

to Asparagus From poets to politicians, hearts rejoice at the sight of the first spears of spring | by jennifer cl ark

“Let there be seasons so that our tongues will be rich in asparagus and limes.” u.s. poet anne sex ton (1928–1974)

I have never been one who likes to pick favourites, but in my heart of hearts I know spring is the season I love best. Especially the month of May, when everything looks and smells so earthy, fresh and green.

The month even tastes that way – it is the month of asparagus, after all.

Although our local climate is not suited to growing limes, Sexton’s point is a good one. After a long winter of barren fields and gardens, the rich flavour of asparagus is truly a springtime delight.

In a typical year in southern Ontario, asparagus spears will begin poking through the soil in early May. The season usually lasts about six weeks. As the weather warms, asparagus spears grow so quickly they need to be harvested every day. On very warm afternoons, you can almost see the spears grow before your eyes.

Jeff and Sharon Wilson own Birkbank Farms near Erin, the only major commercial asparagus farm in the Headwaters region.

Jeff says asparagus “is not a hard crop to grow, but it’s not easy to grow well.” And

because it grows so quickly, it is very labourintensive.

A member of the lily family related to onions, leeks and garlic, asparagus is a perennial crop that will produce for over 20 years, if it’s well cared for. Neil Morris, who has been growing asparagus for years on his property in Inglewood, tells me the most important part of sustaining asparagus production year after year is to “think below the ground.” In other words, focus on the health of the root system. This means liberally fertilizing with compost, manure and bone meal, applying mulch to suppress weed competition and manage moisture, and resisting the urge to overharvest.

After approximately six weeks of harvesting, Neil leaves the asparagus spears to grow into soft, flowing (and rather majestic) ferns with bright red berries that birds love. For the remainder of the summer, the ferns soak up the rays and replenish the nutrient and carbohydrate levels in the roots.

To grow your own asparagus, start with asparagus crowns (the base and roots of one-year-old plants), which are available at garden centres in the spring. Plant them in late April or early May, up to a month before the last expected frost date. continued on nex t page

photos pete paterson

“Pray, how does your asparagus perform?” u.s. founding father john adams

( 1735 –1826)

in a let ter to his wife abigail

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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aspar agus

Freezing Asparagus Freezing is one way to enjoy local asparagus well beyond its all-too-short growing season.

Most sources recommend blanching prior to freezing, but I have always found it makes the asparagus mushy. Neil Morris, gardener and cook extraordinaire, swears by this method: Simply cut asparagus spears into one-inch lengths. Spread them out on a tray and place in the freezer. Once frozen, put the pieces in freezer bags and use them all year round in soups, stir-fries, omelettes and more.

Curried Asparagus Soup ingredients 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 medium onion, diced 3 tsp curry powder ½ tsp cayenne pepper 3 medium potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, and cut into 2-inch pieces 1 14-oz (420 ml) can coconut Juice of ½ lemon Salt and pepper, to taste Plain yogurt (optional) prepar ation In a soup pot, heat oil on medium heat.

Add onions and sauté until soft. Add curry powder, cayenne and potatoes, and sauté for another few minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add asparagus and coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add lemon juice and turn off heat.

Let soup cool slightly and purée using a hand blender or by transferring in batches to a blender. Add salt and pepper and adjust curry seasoning to taste. If desired, serve with a dollop of plain yogurt. Serves 4–6.

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“Keep bees and grow asparagus, watch the tides and listen to the wind… and believe them if you want to live the good life.” canadian poet miriam waddington

(1917–2004)

Asparagus performs best in full sun, in well-drained, well-fertilized soil. Keep in mind asparagus ferns can grow up to six feet tall, potentially providing unwanted shade to adjacent plants, so locate them accordingly.

Begin by digging trenches approximately one foot deep and one-and-a-half feet wide.

Place the crowns one by one into the trench about a foot apart, and mound up the soil from underneath so the plant base is slightly above the roots, and the roots are fully spread along the trench. Cover the plants with only two to three inches of soil. Over the next few weeks, water well and continue covering the plants with soil until the trench is fi lled.

Soon enough, bright green asparagus shoots will begin poking through. Now comes the hard part. All sources agree you must not harvest any asparagus spears the first year after planting. In fact, some sources say you should not harvest any in the second year, either. A few even say to take it easy in the third year as well. This heroic display of willpower gives the root systems a chance to establish themselves, and greatly improves the quality and longevity of your crop.

When it is first picked, asparagus has a sweet taste. However, that decreases soon after harvest as the sugars convert to starches. So for optimal flavour, eat your asparagus as fresh as possible.

Before cooking, wash it very well. I’ve had a few asparagus meals undermined by grittiness. Remove the tough end of each spear by snapping it off at the lowest point it will snap cleanly.

I hope during this year’s asparagus season you find a way to honour this “first

Asparagus Hot Dog I know a certain avid asparagus grower who has found a unique way to enjoy homegrown asparagus with his daughter. ingredients 10 spears asparagus, washed and tough ends removed 2 pita breads 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated prepar ation Steam asparagus. Place 5 asparagus spears on each pita round. Top with ½ cup cheese. Roll up and eat like a hot dog.

taste of spring.” It could be by planting your first-ever asparagus crop, freezing asparagus nibs for months to come, making a delicious asparagus hotdog, or just sitting in the spring sun and watching your asparagus grow. 왗

“You needn’t tell me that a man who doesn’t love oysters and asparagus and good wines has got a soul, or a stomach either. He’s simply got the instinct for being unhappy highly developed.” saki ( pen name of scot tish writer hec tor hugh munro, 1870 -1916)

Born and raised in Caledon, Jennifer Clark is co-ordinator of Eat Local Caledon and operates a small catering business.

continued on nex t page

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aspar agus

Organic Vegetables & Flowers

The Ontario Asparagus Growers’ Marketing Board recommends the following methods for cooking asparagus: steaming Place in a covered steamer over boiling water for 4–8 minutes. stir frying Cut into 1-inch pieces and sauté in hot oil in a wok or frying pan for 5–7 minutes.

simmering Add enough water to saucepan to just cover asparagus, plus 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender-crisp, 2–4 minutes, depending on thickness.

oven roasting Drizzle with oil and salt and roast at 450ºF for 8–10 minutes. grilling Brush with oil and place directly over a medium grill for 8–10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

What’s Cookin’s Famous Asparagus Lasagna What’s Cookin’ in Erin is renowned for its asparagus-goat cheese lasagna, which features Birkbank Farms’ asparagus and Woolwich Dairy chèvre. Customers come in droves to purchase it, so it is best to order ahead. Store proprietor Jo Fillery has generously shared the recipe for those who want to try their hand at this fabulous dish.

Real Food, Real Fresh, Real Local 873393 5TH LINE MONO EHS

ambraighfarm.com t twitter.com/whatsgrowing

Bert Nieuwenhuis Lamb & Wool Producer Amaranth Township 519-941-0479 bertslamb@bell.net Find us on Facebook

Served at some of the best restaurants in Headwaters

Preferred by award-winning chefs

Available at these local farmers’ markets

.

Wednesday Inglewood Friday Sherway Gardens Saturday Bolton Saturday Orangeville

.

. .

Also available at the farm by appointment.

No Sunday calls, please.

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ingredients 5 lbs (2.3 kg) local asparagus 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp kosher salt ½ cup unsalted butter ½ cup flour 4 cups vegetable stock

¾ lb (340 g) Woolwich Dairy chèvre Zest of ½ lemon Salt and pepper, to taste 6–8 sheets fresh pasta ¼ cup good quality Parmesan, grated

prepar ation

assembly

Preheat oven to very hot (475–500°F).

Wash asparagus well. Snap off tough ends and discard. Cut the tip off each asparagus spear and set aside. Cut spears diagonally into 1–1½-inch lengths. (Thick spears should be halved lengthwise.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread about 1 ⁄ 3 of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch lasagna pan. Add a layer of pasta. Top with ½ the asparagus.

Toss asparagus spear pieces with oil and place on baking sheet. Season with salt and roast in oven until tender-crisp, shaking pan every few minutes to avoid overcooking or sticking to pan. Let cool.

Top with a layer of pasta, remaining sauce, the reserved asparagus tips and Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. (May be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before cooking.)

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly for 3–5 minutes. Whisk in stock and simmer until thickened, stirring constantly.

Stir in chèvre and lemon zest, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Place lasagna on a centre rack, uncovered, and bake until lightly browned on top and sauce is bubbly, about 40 minutes or so. Serves 8–10.

Repeat with sauce, pasta and asparagus.

photo stephanie ouellet te

Love among the ruins

A Caledon couple ďŹ nds harmony, happiness and the marriage of true appetites on their big day | b y l i z be at t y

For 24-year-old Caledon resident Hannah Slade, it was love at first bite.

A serendipitous lunch on a warm Sunday in June 2011, and her heart spoke. This was the one.

They bonded over cheddar-apple paninis, pub cider and the art of straw bale construction. Morally, ethically, philosophically, on food and the environment, Hannah and the objects of her affection were kindred spirits. As this young bride would discover, however, sealing the deal with her future wedding caterer would require some courting. ě™˜

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love & ruins

photos stephanie ouellet te and stine danielle

Love at first bite Hannah Slade and James Wood.

Green Salad with Spirit Tree Dressing ingredients 4 oz (100 g) baby spinach 4 oz (100 g) baby arugula 1 shallot, thinly sliced 8 strawberries, thinly sliced ½ cup sunflower seeds dressing ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 3 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp soy sauce ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil prepar ation With a hand blender or in a food processor, combine all dressing ingredients except olive oil. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in olive oil and mix until fully combined. Serves 4.

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“We said no again and again,” says Tom Wilson, who with his wife Nicole opened Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in 2009. While the couple has hosted weddings at their cidery/bakery/food shop near Cheltenham, “We didn’t feel ready.” Hannah and her fiancé James Wood planned to hold their reception at the Alton Mill. Catering offsite, explains Wilson, “was more in our five- to ten-year plan. We went so far as to find another chef for their August date. But they wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“I’m a nutritionist and we’re both vegetarian, so quality fresh local food was really important,” says Hannah. “I also loved their innovative use of ingredients, like tahini and quinoa, things just emerging into the mainstream.” James was equally enthusiastic: “I remember walking in and being hit by the sweet smell of the bakery and the rustic charm of a barn setting, warm and toasty with a light dusting of flour. It started to feel like we’d hit the jackpot.”

Spirit Tree’s philosophy and style of

food meshed perfectly with Hannah and James’ vision for their wedding. “We had in mind the intimate, relaxed feel of a dinner party for close friends and family. Nothing formal,” she says. “Just a real homey celebration for people invested in our lives and who wanted to be part of the day.”

continued on page 30

Summer Italian Pizza ingredients 1 package frozen pizza dough Olive oil ½ cup mozzarella, grated 2 oz (50 g) baby arugula 2 oz (50 g) baby spinach 8–10 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup ricotta cheese Salt and pepper to taste prepar ation Preheat oven to 450°F. Roll out dough, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with mozzarella.

Bake for 8 minutes (until crust starts to turn golden).

Remove from oven and top with greens, tomatoes, ricotta, salt and pepper, and another drizzle of olive oil. Bake again until toppings start to wilt (5–7min). Serves 4.

Become a Guest at Your Own Party An exceptional culinary experience Specially selected, locally grown, Ontario and Canadian foods inquiries@whitfieldfarms.com | 519-925-6587

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photos stephanie ouellet te and stine danielle

Once Tom and Nicole agreed to cater, the bride and groom met with them to go through their menu. Like most Spirit Tree regulars, they had their favourites – the roasted squash and pasta salad, the Out of the Blue pizza (caramelized onions, roasted potato, blue cheese and fresh rosemary), washed down with pub cider. Tom and Nicole took over from there. “They added ingredients to make dishes more special; they figured out quantities for the numbers,” says Hannah. “I think they got inspired by how in tune we felt with their fresh rural and rustic approach.”

August 29 arrived. In keeping with the day’s casual vibe, friends chipped in to set up at the Alton Mill. Hours before the ceremony, a mix of vintage china Hannah had collected from garage sales was carefully laid out for the 65 al fresco place settings within the Mill’s outdoor ruin. Horseshoes and other yard games crafted by Hannah’s grandfather were set out. Lights were strung across the stone walls. Rain was simply

ruled out, because Hannah had insisted on no tent. The look: distinctly Caledon meets Tuscany.

Hours later, bright sun with a few distant storm clouds provided a dramatic backdrop as the procession began across the idyllic pasture of Scotsdale Farm, an Ontario Heritage Trust property near Georgetown, where the ceremony was held. Hannah’s older brother Daniel Jr. and his friends led

the way, playing Down to the River on the accordion and acoustic guitar as everyone joined in.

With her father Dan Sr. at her side, Hannah appeared in a simple ethereal gown by New Zealand designer Juliette Hogan. There were no elaborate floral arrangements, no festooned white chairs – just a very happy group of loved ones gathered to share in the joining of James and Hannah. At the end, the familiar riffs of All You Need Is Love rang out across the fields.

Meanwhile, back at the Mill, things were a little less serene. The usual frenetic catering prep was underway, complicated when a food rack tipped over in the delivery truck. Happily, only the fruit pies were crushed, and Tom raced back to the cidery to make more. As with true catering pros, no one was the wiser.

continued on page 32

Mushroom and Ice Cider Pâté

TH E CHOCOLATE SHOP the Sweetest Place on Earth

ingredients 1 lb (450 g) button mushrooms, sliced 1 tbsp butter ¼ cup Spirit Tree ice cider ½ cup shallots, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup 10 per cent cream 2 large eggs 2 tbsp ground almonds 2 tbsp parsley, chopped 1½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped ¼ cup fresh bread crumbs 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper

Our handmade truffles and chocolates are created from Belgian chocolate, cream, butter, nuts and fruits.

Fudge • Candy • Custom Orders 114 Broadway, Orangeville 519-941-8968 www.thechocolateshop.ca

Chef G illes Roche C aledon Culinary Challenge W inner 2011

prepar ation Preheat oven to 300°F. In a frying pan, sauté mushrooms in butter until lightly browned. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring ice cider to a boil, add shallots and garlic, and reduce by half. Place mushrooms, shallot mixture, cream, eggs, almonds, parsley, thyme, bread crumbs and lemon juice in food processor, and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour into individual ramekins and set them in a roasting pan filled with water so water comes 2 ⁄ 3 of the way up the side of the ramekins. Bake for 45 min. Serves 6–8.

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love & ruins

Victoria Sponge Cake

Tom and Nicole opted to set up just beyond the ruin walls. Some friends roasted chickens nearby for the resolute carnivores.

Soon the Waldorf and potato salads, the cauliflower and brie quiches, the cheddar/ apple and roasted veggie paninis, and other assorted vegetarian delicacies emerged.

For dessert – butter tarts and very freshly baked fruit pies. To add to the homemade feel, Hannah, her family and friends baked treats too, including a British cream layer cake – a nod to James’ homeland. Each dish was artfully displayed on a mix of antique wooden crates amid eclectic vases of flowers.

On occasion, reality surpasses even what we idealize. Under the stars on a warm August night, surrounded by dear friends and family, with the delicate twinkle of patio lights overhead and the nearby glow of an open fire, James and Hannah fêted their union, very much in their own unique way. As Hannah reflects, “We only wish the celebration could have gone on for days.” 왗 Liz Beatty is a freelance writer who lives in Brimstone.

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ingredients

prepar ation

cake 2 cups cake flour 2 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt ½ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 tbsp vanilla yogurt 4 large eggs Milk (to loosen), 1 tbsp at a time

cake Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans for a 2-layer cake. Line bottoms with parchment paper and butter parchment paper.

filling 1½ cups whipping cream, chilled 2 tbsp granulated sugar 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced topping 1–2 tbsp confectioner’s sugar or whipped cream

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and pinch of salt.

Set aside. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla then eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. On low speed, slowly add flour mixture and mix well.

Add milk, 1 tbsp at a time until a soft dropping consistency is reached.

Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake about 20–25 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans and let cool completely, approximately 1 hour. filling Chill mixing bowl and beaters. Whip chilled cream, adding sugar, until soft peaks form.

Invert one cooled cake layer on serving plate. Arrange strawberries on top, then spread half the whipped cream over sliced strawberries. topping Top with second cake. Sift confectioner’s sugar over top, or frost with remaining whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with fresh strawberries. Serves 8.

FI N E D I N I N G. C A SUA L EL EGA N CE. H I S TO R I C CH A R M .

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S AT – S U N L U N C H 11 - 2 / T E A 2 - 4 / D I N N E R 5 - C L O S E spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

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cooking with Cathy by cathy hansen

the Practical Artof Preserving Year-round canning means nothing goes to waste roomy backyards. One of my fondest memories was watching my parents’ “postage stamp” garden being turned and planted, and ultimately producing dark red beets and juicy raspberries.

These crops stuck with me because they were the two things my mother preserved in sparkling jars to be savoured on special occasions. I had no idea how this happened, probably in the wee hours when her five daughters were tucked away. But when it came time for me to exercise my own green thumb, one of the first things I did was teach myself to create those same wonderful preserves.

That was 25 years ago. Today, my husband and I operate an organic market garden and produce a variety of canned products under the name Philosophers’ Kitchen. Mum’s pickled beets are still a favourite.

Nostalgic ideas about home canning are common. Something from another time: complicated, lovely to look at, but old-fashioned, outdated and too much work. I beg to differ.

If you can cook, you can can. Boiling-water-bath canning is done by immersing jars of food in boiling water. The basic steps are the same and can be applied to all your canning recipes.

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photos pete paterson

I grew up in a neighbourhood in east Oakville, a place with lots of kids and

Cathy Hansen is a Canadian Red Seal Chef, owner of Bernway Farm Organically Grown Produce, and Philosopher’s Kitchen in Ospringe, Ontario.

Canning Tips

Not-Too-Sweet Raspberry Jam

Canning is an all-season activity.

Plan to can local organic produce in season, but save easily stored produce for the fall and winter.

ingredients 4 cups whole raspberries, fresh or frozen 2 cups applesauce 2 tsp bottled lemon juice 3 cups sugar 1 pkg Certo Light pectin powder ¼ tsp cooking oil (optional)

Vinegar must be at least 5 per cent acetic acid for food safety.

Wear rubber-lined dishwashing gloves to protect your hands from steam and provide a better grip than oven mitts.

prepar ation

A teaspoon of vinegar in the canner will prevent a hard-water film on the jars.

When preparing jars and lids, prepare a few extra in case your yield is greater than you expect.

Processing time is always measured from the time the water returns to the boil.

When pickling whole cucumbers, take a thin slice off the blossom end to help keep the pickles crisp.

To peel large amounts of garlic, separate the cloves and blanch them in boiling water for 60 seconds, then refresh in cold water.

Drain immediately and peel. This also works for small onions.

The sugar in jams and jellies is required for a good “set.” Sugar in pickles, chutneys and salsa is to taste.

Sugar in canned fruit is to maintain a firm texture.

Rhubarb, berries, cherries and currants can easily be frozen and made into jams and spreads when you have more time.

Slightly underripe fruit contains the most pectin.

Experiment with different types of vinegar or add spices (peppercorns, hot chilies, bay leaves, mustard seeds) to create your own special pickles.

Safe food handling training available online at www.ingoodhands.ca Find many useful tips and reliable information online at National Centre for Home Food Preservation (www.nchfp.vga.edu)

Around here, we refer to canning as part of our “food strategy.” Local organically grown food is our priority, and preserving food in jars helps us to achieve a level of resourcefulness, thrift and pride that homemakers of all generations can relate to. You will be producing things you can’t buy anywhere else, often elevating humble ingredients to creative new culinary heights.

To keep the whole thing manageable, we encourage year-round canning: peaches, pickles and tomatoes in the summer; applesauce, apple butter, beets, chutneys, jams, jellies and sauces in the winter. (Jams made from frozen berries are a wonderful mid-winter project.) Spring finds us sorting out the cold storage and pickling what will not keep any longer. There is no excuse for waste when pickle brine is so easy to make.

I also think of canning as décor. Find a place to display some of your “food art.” It will spark conversation and you will find more canning friends along the way. Canning is a wonderful community event, well suited to collective cooking. But be careful how many secrets you give away. At the end of the learning curve there may be a red ribbon at the local fair for your best jar of this practical art. 왘

Combine raspberries, applesauce and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed pot.

(The pot should be at least twice as deep as the contents to allow for a good rolling boil.) Bring to a boil and stir until raspberries are broken into pieces. Use a spoon to mash stubborn ones.

If you wish, press mixture through a mesh colander with the back of a spoon to remove some of the seeds.

Add sugar all at once; continue to boil until it is completely dissolved, stirring constantly. Add pectin powder and boil gently for another 5 minutes. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface, or add ¼ tsp cooking oil to disperse the foam.

Using a metal spoon, do a gel test* to determine if the jam has reached the gel point. If not, continue to cook the jam at a low boil until the gel point is reached.

Stir to prevent scorching.

Ladle hot jam into clean, hot canning jars.

Leave ½ inch of headspace between jam and rim of the jar. Close jars, finger-tight.

Process as in steps 5 and 6 on next page.

Makes 5 half-pint (250 ml) jars. *Gel Test for Jam: Chill 2 or 3 small plates in freezer. Remove jam from heat while doing the test. Place 1 tsp hot jam or jelly on plate and freeze for 1 minute. Remove from freezer.

Surface should wrinkle when edge is pushed with finger. If not, continue cooking your jam or jelly, and repeat test every few minutes.

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cooking with c athy

1

2

Bring water, vinegar, pickling salt and sugar to a boil.

4

5

When you have all jars filled, ladle boiling brine over vegetables, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles.

36

Place jars in a 275°F oven to warm.

Remove one jar at a time from the oven.

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

Close all jars finger-tight and process in boiling-water-bath canner for 10 minutes for pints and 15 minutes for quarts. Remove immediately and let stand until lids “pop” down.

3

Place a bunch of dill, a clove of garlic, and pickling spices in each jar. Tightly pack vegetables in jar to within 1 inch of jar rim.

Return jar to the oven to keep warm.

6

After 24 hours, check seals by pressing on the tops of jars. If any lids spring back when pressed down, they are not properly sealed. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within 3 weeks. Label your pickles, including date, and store in a cool place out of direct sunlight. At this point, jar rings can be removed and reused.

Basic Equipment Pot with lid deep enough to cover jars with water at a boil • Rack inside the pot to keep jars from resting on the bottom; this can be as simple as a folded tea towel or metal jar rings tied together • Jars with 2- piece lids • Canning tongs • Canning funnel • Canning magnet • Dishwashing gloves

Introducing Sensational Fine Dining

Dilly Pickles This recipe works with pickling cucumbers and most other vegetables (carrots, beans, asparagus, beets) that you might want to pickle. Use fresh cucumbers, no more than 4 inches long. Lightly scrub and remove about 1/8 inch from the blossom end. Larger cukes can be quartered or sliced. Peel carrots and cut into ½-inchwide, 4-inch-long sticks. Cook beets and peel before placing in jars. Quantities are estimates since the size of the vegetables will determine how many it takes to fill a jar and the amount of brine required.

It is important to have the jars really hot at the time of fi lling to allow the canner to come back to the boil quickly, and prevent cracking from thermal shock.

Place clean jars containing ½ inch of water in the oven on a cookie sheet at 275°F. Remove them from the oven one at a time, fi ll with vegetables, and return to the oven until you have enough jars to process in the hot-water bath.

Now open for Dinners Tuesday - Saturday 5:30 pm to close

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The Canadian Living Complete Preserving Book

ingredients 6 cups water 3 cups white vinegar ¼ cup pickling salt 2 tsp sugar or honey (optional) 7 small bunches fresh dill or 3½ tsp dill seed 7 small cloves of garlic Pickling spices (whole peppercorns, hot pepper flakes, etc.) to taste 4 qt pickling cucumbers, or about 6 lb (3 kg) carrots, or 3 qt beans

Savour the bounty of local, organic & heritage foods!

Available at BookLore

Makes approximately 7 pint (500 ml) jars 왗

prepar ation 121 First Street, Orangeville 519-942-3830 booklore@bellnet.ca spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

37

Box Car Willie, Aunt Gertie’s Gold, Arkansas Traveller, Banana Legs, Matt’s Wild Cherry, and the curious Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter: the names read like entries from the daily racing form at the track. Yet these are just a few of the colourful monikers, rich in story, place and era, belonging to the humble heirloom tomato.

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O

How a couple of avid tomato lovers are helping preserve the amazing variety of their favourite heritage fruit

mk lynde

by nancy falconer

In love with love apples SueAnn Wickwire and Bill Mann in the garden at SueAnn’s Lavender Farm.

Once an abundant mainstay for the home gardener and market farmer, the heirloom tomato’s future is now in doubt.

A potential victim of mass production and monocultured times, varietals of its seeds are currently being preserved against extinction in the curatorial collections of seed banks around the world.

Decades ago commercial growers, wanting to standardize tomatoes for efficiency and profit, created genetically altered hybrids with thicker skins to withstand long distance shipping and extend shelf life, as well as consistent shape and colour for uniform display. Somewhere along the line, flavour fell off the truck.

“Once you’ve tasted an heirloom tomato, it’s going to make winter tomatoes in Canada taste even worse!” warns Creemorearea resident Bill Mann, an enthusiastic ambassador for heirloom tomatoes. A longtime tomato passionné who loves to cook and insists “having good tomatoes to start with makes for a better final product,” Bill used to drive out to Mennonite country for his tomatoes because he realized the taste difference “was phenomenal.”

“That’s when I got interested in growing heirloom tomatoes,” he says. After a few seasons of experimenting with varieties, Bill wanted to share his journey with the world around him, especially his neighbour and consummate gardener SueAnn Wickwire.

Together they organized a communal seed ordering scheme so they could introduce friends and neighbours to the joys of growing their own. It was locavore power in action.

Passionate about the merits of growing these historic beauties, Bill and SueAnn cheerfully proselytize to anyone who will listen. While it’s hard to resist the pair’s infectious enthusiasm, it’s really the tomatoes’ own pizazz and beauty that knocks people over. As Bill will tell you, “We eat as much with our eyes as with our taste buds.”

Bill invariably arrives at a community potluck supper bearing a rainbow platter of wildly colourful tomatoes sprinkled with olive oil and balsamic – and that’s just the prologue. Wait until you taste them. “It’s fun to watch a new discovery happen,” he admits. As one blown away convert puts it: “It’s a huge WOW!” SueAnn and Bill research and experiment endlessly with historic heirloom tomato varieties, sharing their detailed findings each January (including sugar content measured on the vintner’s Brix scale) with a growing following of heirloom converts who receive an informal order form the pair organizes. It’s their way of espousing a philosophy of “grow local, eat local, reap the joy.”

For more than six years they have been introducing the uninitiated to this wisdom and, not unintentionally, helping conserve and propagate an important part of genetic history.

“We wanted to make it easy for people who’ve never had them before to grow their own, and to get the great pleasure that comes from producing them,” says Bill, adding, “I think it’s a personal equivalent to the locavore thing. There’s nothing more local than your own garden, and the joy you get from pulling something out of your own garden.”

They’re not in it for a profit. It’s simply about sharing the good word. As Bill puts it, “What we do primarily is try to be missionaries for heirloom tomatoes. We try to do that by making access to good heirloom tomatoes easy because it’s often hard to find these heritage varieties in plant form, and it takes some artistry to grow them to a good plant from seed.”

Using their own observations and feedback from members, Bill and SueAnn make up a list of varieties in late fall. Each year, they drop a few and add new ones, trying to keep a nice mix between early and late producers, small and large sizes, and a range of colours. Members choose from the list, and Bill and SueAnn order the seeds from Canadian heritage seed houses.

continued on nex t page

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heirloom tomatoes

Seven insights on growing heirloom tomatoes

1 Don’t rush your plants. Wait till the weather warms up to put them in the ground. Usually the first week of June.

2 Give them as much sun as you can (south facing is the best).

They don’t like shade.

3

4 Don’t overcrowd them. At the very minimum, set them two feet apart in the ground and as much as five feet for some varieties.

Heirlooms are “indeterminate” in their growth pattern, which means they don’t stop growing.

5 Give them support. Cage or stake heirloom tomatoes or they’re prone to fall over. Fruit that ends up on the ground is more likely to rot.

6 Don’t overwater. Tomatoes like it hot and dry.

7 Be creative. You don’t have to have a garden to grow tomatoes.

Many varieties can be grown in blue-box-size containers. Cherry tomatoes in particular do well in planters and their fruit is easier to pick that way. Perfect for balconies and decks.

pete paterson

Build up their soil by adding organic matter in fall or spring (manure, compost or triple mix).

They like nutrition, and they need it when first hardening up.

When the seeds arrive, they pass them on to Katie Dawson, owner of Cut and Dried Flower Farm near Glencairn. In mid March Katie starts the seeds in her temperature-controlled greenhouses under perfect conditions for producing strong and healthy young plants. By the end of May, the tomatoes are 12 to 15 inches tall and ready for planting outdoors.

This year, the Heirloom Tomato Club offered 27 varieties for a total of 410 plants.

The most popular, say Bill and SueAnn, are Red Brandywine, Black Krim, Marvel Stripe, Red Cherry and Italian Heirlooom.

(SueAnn adds that Gold Medal, Green Moldovan and Kellogg’s Breakfast are also “spectacular.”)

Katie, a professional horticulturist, is full of praise for the venture. “Their little project has really grown over the years. It was Bill who introduced me to heirloom tomatoes.

He and SueAnn were way ahead of the wave

of popularity for them,” she says.

At first, Bill and SueAnn offered their extras to Katie to sell at her nursery. But over time, more of Katie’s other customers began asking for them. As a result, she has begun marketing her own assortment of heritage tomato plants, which she grows on her farm and sells at her nursery. And so Bill’s little seed of an idea is sown again and again.

Meanwhile, will people wake up to the immense differences between heirloom and commercial tomatoes?

“There’s just no comparison in taste!” says SueAnn with conviction. “If you’re a foodie, you must move towards heirloom tomatoes. You’ll get completely spoiled once you move to the heritage tomato camp.

You’ll never go back!” 왗 Nancy Falconer is a freelance writer and photographer who divides her time between southern Ontario and the South of France.

continued on nex t page 40

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes “As the season progresses,” says SueAnn, “and I have too many small tomatoes on the vines, I use this recipe for oven-roasting from Amy Goldman’s The Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to Table and freeze them in small baggies once they are done.”

Use the small varieties for this.

They collapse on the trays and the taste is deep, rich and oily after roasting for 2 to 3 hours. You can pull out a bag from the freezer and add to any dish all winter long.

KNOW YOUR

FARMER.

MEET THE COWS.

KNOW YOUR

MILK.

ingredients 4 cups cherry tomatoes 3 tbsp olive oil Sea salt to taste

705.434.0404 Visit us online at www.sheldoncreekdairy.ca Bonnie and John den Haan | 4316 5th Concession of Adjala Loretto, Ontario

prepar ation Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and toss them in olive oil.

Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake tomatoes 2 hours or more until they are soft, juicy and shrivelled.

nanc y falconer

Sprinkle with sea salt and cool. Refrigerated, they keep for about a week.

Farm-gate market offering drug-free black angus beef, bison, wild boar, lamb, chicken, pork and turkey.

Local gourmet products and seasonal produce.

Taste You Can Trust Tues & Wed 10-6; Thurs & Fri 10-7; Sat 9-5; Sun 12-4

17049 Winston Churchill Blvd, Caledon 519.927.5902 www.heatherleafarmmarket.ca spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

41

heirloom tomatoes

Resources Seeds and Seedlings Cut and Dried Flower Farm near Creemore offers about 16 varieties of organic heirloom tomato seedlings already started. 705-424-9319, www.cutdriedflowerfarm.com Solana Seeds is based in Quebec. Among other things, it offers heirloom seeds including over 200 tomato varieties. Their catalogue is only available online. www.solanaseeds.netfirms.com

Upper Canada Seeds is a Toronto-based seed house that only deals in tomatoes. It offers over 240 organically produced varieties, most of which are heirloom. They offer seedlings as well. 416-447-5321, www.uppercanadaseeds.ca note : If heirloom tomato seedlings are unavailable at your local nursery, try buying the seeds from one of the above sources and ask a grower in your area to grow them for you. It usually takes about six to eight weeks before they’re ready to “harden off” outside. They’re about 12 to 15 inches tall by then.

Books There are many books on the topic of heirloom tomatoes, but Bill and SueAnn’s bible is Amy Goldman’s The Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to Table (Bloomsbury 2008). It’s gorgeously illustrated and equally rich in recipes, portraits and the “history of the world’s most beautiful fruit.”

Education Seeds of Diversity is a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to the conservation, documentation, and use of non-hybrid plants of Canadian significance. It has over 1,400 members who together grow, propagate, and distribute over 2,900 varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs, grains and flowers. It’s a living gene bank, without which many of our heirloom varietals would be lost forever. Take a look at their website – it’s both an education and a wake-up call. www.seeds.ca

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

pete paterson

Terra Edibles has for 20 years been offering organically produced heirloom seeds of vegetables, herbs and flowers. They have a storefront (The Village Green) in Foxboro, Ont. (Belleville/Quinte area) and often have a seed sales booth at garden shows. It’s all on their website (with over 140 varieties of heirloom tomatoes) including their catalogue. 613-961-0654, www.terraedibles.ca

chef s ’ word There’s nothing better on earth than eating heirloom tomatoes fresh off the vine right in the garden, a glass of beer or wine in hand, along with a salt shaker.

As close seconds, however, here are two of Bill and SueAnn’s favourite recipes.

Heirloom Tomatoes with Buffalo Mozzarella This multicoloured salad looks beautiful arranged on a large platter. Choose tomatoes in various colours: red, green, yellow, orange. Slice and intersperse with sliced cheese and whole basil leaves.

Drizzle with good balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.

Pappardelle with Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes ingredients 5 garlic cloves ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 lb (1 kg) heirloom tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch wedges (SueAnn used 7 different varieties) ¾ cup fresh basil, torn 3 tbsp salt-packed capers, preferably Sicilian, rinsed and chopped if large 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest, plus more for sprinkling ¼ tsp hot pepper flakes Coarse salt Freshly ground pepper 1 lb (0.5 kg) pappardelle or other flat pasta such as maltagliati, cooked al dente prepar ation Heat garlic in oil in a saucepan over low heat until pale gold, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserve oil and garlic. Let cool.

Combine tomatoes, ¼ cup basil, capers, lemon zest, hot pepper flakes, and 1 ⁄ 8 tsp salt in a large bowl. Pour garlic oil and cloves over tomato mixture.

Marinate, covered, tossing occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Boil the pasta about 5 minutes before the tomatoes are ready.

(The warmth will bring out the flavours of the fresh ingredients.)

Add warm pasta to bowl and toss gently with tomato mixture.

Top with remaining ½ cup basil.

Season with pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Serves 8.

Where Cajun Meets Italian Pastas | Panko Crusted Shrimp Spicy Marinara Mussels | Stone Baked Pizzas Blackened Catfish/Chicken | Veal Scallopini Cajun Dusted Sweet Potato Fries

12612 Hwy 50, Unit 26 Bolton 905­857­0802 | theangrytomato.com spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

43

A cook’s tour

of Bolton

For many in the Headwaters region, Bolton, with its plethora of fast food outlets and big box stores, is a place to drive through on the way to somewhere else, a series of stoplights and 50 kph zones between Toronto and the verdant hills to the north.

But the food lovers among us have come to know the town (Caledon’s largest, with a population of 26,478) is home to many outstanding culinary treasures tucked amid the grocery chains, drive-throughs and dollar stores that line the main drag.

In large part, it’s Bolton’s well-established Italian community, with its respect for simplicity, fine local ingredients and expert preparation, that we have to thank for the town’s bounty. But it seems fitting too that James Bolton founded the town that bears his name by building a flour mill on the banks of the Humber River in 1794. Could he have imagined the bustling metropolis that has become the foodie destination it is today? Yes, it really is worth the drive to Bolton.

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Here, for the uninitiated, is Food In The Hills’ tour of Bolton’s gourmet highlights:

photos pete paterson

First stop has to be the incomparable Garden Foods (facing page), an independent gourmet grocery store owned and operated by the Carbone family since 1972. No matter what time of day you visit, the store is busy, busy, busy, which means a high turnover of produce, meats and fish that guarantees freshness. As much as possible in our cold climate, the store carries local produce, and there is an excellent selection of organic chicken and meats from such producers as Beretta Farms. The deli section offers an abundance of antipasto, cheese and prepared foods you won’t find at Loblaws. Indeed, it is worth a visit if only to feast your eyes upon the cornucopia of colours and choice that is Garden Foods.

One block south and a little to the east is Mercato Fine Foods (this page), specializing in rustic Italian breads. But Mercato is about way more than the bread. The pastries and gelato (23 flavours from amaretto to tiramisu) are exquisite. The selection of cheeses, pasta, olives, and specialty oils, vinegars and other bottled delights includes imported products you won’t find anywhere else. Situated in a non-descript strip mall, Mercato carries a remarkable selection of cured meats, and the espresso bar has become a popular stop for a little taste of Italy to kick-start the day. The store has great takeout and caters for both corporate and private gatherings. It’s worth dropping in someday for cappuccino and cake, or just to look around.

Garden Foods 501 Queen St South www.gardenfoodsmarket.com

Mercato Fine Foods 1 Queensgate Blvd, Units 21-22 www.mercatofinefoods.ca

Right next door to Mercato, behind an unassuming storefront, is one of Bolton’s best-kept fine dining secrets, Casamici Trattoria. The low-key sign above the storefront window belies the warmth of the traditionally appointed interior. Casamici (translated “house of friends”) has become a gathering place for family and friends to enjoy lovingly prepared traditional Italian fare. From the crisp and tender calamari fritti to the house-made rigatoni al forno, every item on the menu is prepared to exacting standards. Casamici is unembellished and unpretentious, a neighourhood trattoria for uncompromising tastes.

Casamici Trattoria 1 Queensgate Blvd, Unit 20 www.casamici.com

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

45

a cook’s tour of bolton

We serve and sell premium, top-quality, great-tasting beef. Always tender and juicy. There’s no taste like it.

We are pleased to introduce our new line of gluten-free pork and poultry products. Come in and try some for dinner tonight.

Our mobile kitchen serves smoked beef, all-beef franks and sausage on a bun, as well as peameal, egg and cheese on a bun.

Wayne Speers Orangeville 519-941-2708 waynespeers@bellnet.ca speersfarmsamaranth.ca

Join your friends at

Pete’s

for the best bagels and delightful desserts Open 24/7 Located at Hwy 89 & 124, at the east end of Shelburne

519-925-1901

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

For more casual fare, Caruso Gourmet Pizza (bottom) serves up man-size pies in the Neopolitan style, packed with cheese and loaded with fresh ingredients. A family-run business since 1980, Caruso’s out-sized pizzas come in a one-size-feeds-all format with 24 different topping combinations to choose from. Arrayed in their spectacular variety behind a glass counter, diners can order by the slice and dine in, or take out a whole pie if they wish. Whether it’s classic Calabrese, spicy Peperonata or rich Quatre Stagione, a Caruso’s pizza will feed a family of four with leftovers. And if you’re lucky enough to live in Bolton, they’ll deliver to your door. There’s plenty of parking at their new location on Queen Street next to the Albion Community Centre.

Across the street from Walmart is Bolton’s answer to fusion food with flair.

The Angry Tomato (top) offers a Cajun/Italian menu featuring such culinary eccentricities as Blackened Chicken Penne and El Diablo pizza. The Cajun fries are a local favourite and spicy is the order of the day, especially the jalapeño poppers, blackened salmon and spicy marinara mussels – pub fare with pizzaz. Customers can also buy the house-made Cajun spice mix to try at home.

Caruso’s Gourmet Pizza 212 Queen St South www.carusogourmetpizza.com

The Angry Tomato 12612 Hwy 50 South www.theangrytomato.com

Restaurant Openings in Headwaters It’s been an eventful year for the restaurant business in the Headwaters with three exciting new eateries opening their doors, and one old favourite changing locations.

For health-conscious gourmands, Naked Café specializes in fresh organic homemade sandwiches, snacks and smoothies. Fans rave about the turkey sandwich, an extravaganza of real turkey chunks, sunflower sprouts, cucumber, onion, peppers, tomato, mustard and veggie mayo on freshly baked multigrain bread. Throw in an almond latte and a pineapple-coconut muffin and you’ve got a lunch that would give Superman pause.

All for under $10.

왘

Terra Nova Public House 667294, 20 Sideroad, Mulmur www.terranovapub.ca

왘

Naked Café 256 Queen St South, Unit 2

If it’s pizza you’re after, don’t miss Baffo’s Pizza and Pasta in its new location on Queen Street just south of the bridge. A Bolton institution for over 40 years, the resto specializes in crispy crust pies and calzones with a variety of innovative toppings from the popular Baffo Special (pepperoni, bacon, mushrooms, onions, green onions and double cheese) to the exotic lobster and red peppers. Order from the menu or build your own, and don’t forget Baffo’s Pizza Party, a whopper with three toppings for $45, and that includes salad and platter of wings.

Baffo’s Pizza and Pasta 31 Queen St North www.baffos.com

Last fall, the tiny hamlet of Terra Nova in the scenic Mulmur Hills got its very own pub and restaurant.

Terra Nova Public House serves country-style pub food with an emphasis on local ingredients in a century-old building that was once the community’s general store. Chef Malcolm Muth, formerly of Mono Cliffs Inn, is in the kitchen.

Hockley Valley Resort welcomes über-chef Michael Potters (formerly of Milford Bistro and Harvest restaurant in Prince Edward County) to cabin, a 70-seat dining room with a field-to-table philosophy showcasing local fare and fresh produce from the resort’s two-acre fruit and vegetable garden.

Cabin 793522 3rd Line, Mono www.hockley.com/dining/menus/cabin

왘

For the past year, the Caledon Burger Co. has been wowing fast-food lovers in and around Caledon East with its hamburgers made from 100 per cent local beef, and fries and onion rings cooked in hearthealthy rice-bran oil. There’s lots more on the menu, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Caledon Burger Co. 16057 Airport Rd, Caledon East www.caledonburger.com

왘

The bad news is that Belfountain’s beloved The Shed Coffee Bar has closed. The good news is that it has reopened in new digs in Erin this spring, and promises to offer the same great espresso, cappuccino, fresh pastries, sandwiches and friendly service.

The Shed Coffee Bar 4 Main St, Erin www.theshedcoffeebar.com 왗

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

47

Kitchen

Consequential It’s the little things that make the Fanzo kitchen special. But it’s the big things that make it great | b y c ec ily ros s

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

Pietro and Tina Fanzo bring a taste of Italy to the Mono countryside.

I photos pete paterson

If the devil is in the details, then Pietro and Tina Fanzo’s Mono kitchen is one helluva place. At first glance, it seems like any other beautiful kitchen with its gleaming appliances, ample cupboards and polished floors. But on closer examination, Pietro’s passion for craftsmanship and Tina’s love of design elevate the space to new heights.

“This kitchen is a labour of love,” says Tina, sipping a single shot of steaming espresso. She pulls out a shallow drawer from under the kitchen island where she is sitting. A multitude of tiny slots that once held brass letters is now a repository for everything from twist ties to nuts and bolts. The old printer’s drawer is cleverly embedded in a vintage oak secretary’s desk that forms the base of the large marbletopped island. The desk in turn is attached to an antique bar table whose brass-fronted bins provide colourful storage for an assortment of grains and legumes.

“Isn’t it fabulous?” Tina enthuses, explaining the elaborately eccentric island was designed and built by Pietro in the basement of their two-year-old house. The basement, he admits, is fi lled to brimming with antiques and bits of salvage “that I

want to fi x up some day and add to the kitchen.”

The couple selected the marble island top for its bottomless colour. “We loved the green as soon as we saw it,” says Tina, tracing with her fingertip a dark vein of imperfection that meanders the length of the eight- by four-and-a-half-foot slab like a forest stream.

Other eye-catching accents include a cast iron corbel supporting a pine barn beam they found one day in a field, brought home and power-washed, then treated with tung oil. A pair of ornately carved cabinet doors graces the wall overlooking the dining area.

An antique pulley hangs from the ceiling. In the prep kitchen/pantry, an old-fashioned, one-piece metal sink and drain board provides space for washing up. “We stripped it down, took off the rust spots and painted it white,” says Pietro.

Born in neighbouring villages in Italy, the couple fi rst met in Canada where their love of food and cooking created an instant bond. “We do everything together,” says Pietro, a professional chef and, until recently, owner of the Brampton restaurant Fanzorelli’s. Indeed, dinner parties with family and friends are a favourite activity.

On this particular day, they are preparing a simple Italian dinner of spinach egg drop soup, roast chicken and poached pears (see recipes) to serve to a neighbourhood couple.

While it’s the loving details that give their kitchen its unique character, it’s the big things that make it a heaven to work in.

continued on nex t page

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

49

fanzo kitchen

The well equipped working space boasts a two-oven, six-burner propane stove with an open grill.

“You really want good exhaust when you’re grilling,” says Pietro. So he went all out and had a restaurant-quality hood built in to look like a mantelpiece you might find in a traditional Mediterranean kitchen.

“It’s really quiet,” he adds. “You’d never

50

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

know it was there.

Look closely at the floor and you can make out tiny fossils embedded in the square limestone tiles, but, says Tina of the mottled stone, “You won’t see any dirt on this floor.” The custom cabinets (with lots of drawers for storing pots and bottles) are by a Quebec company, Cabico. They are painted a soothing Farrow & Ball shade

called Hardwick White. The walls are Sherwin Williams’ Balanced Beige and the countertop is Caesar Stone in a smooth creamy Cinder.

“There is so much to think about when you’re building a kitchen,” sighs Tina. But get the details right and the result is a chef ’s paradise. 왘 continued on nex t page

...designing kitchens for people who love to cook...

KitchenArt I 20 Dawson Rd., Orangeville I 519.942.8500 KitchenArt North I 149 Wellham Rd, Unit 23, Barrie I 705.719.6712 www.cabinetsbykitchenart.ca

Get Saucy!

AT THE ANNUAL

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All in the details clockwise from top left : An antique secretary’s desk forms the kitchen island’s base. A printer’s drawer becomes storage for odds and ends. High ceilings create an airy atmosphere.

The pantry doubles as a prep area. A cast-iron corbel supports an old barn beam.

THE ROTARY CLUB OF ORANGEVILLE

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ADMISSIONN IS FREE BUT DONATIONS FOR THE FENDLEY PARK SPLASHPAD WILL BE GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED

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Fine Dining . Catering . Take Out Lunch: Tuesday to Friday 11:30am-3pm, Dinner: Tuesday thru Sunday 5pm to close, Closed: Monday

20 Dawson Rd, Orangeville 519.941.1009 www.ilcorsoristorante.ca spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

51

fanzo kitchen

Dinner Menu for Four Stracciatella alla Fiorentina (egg-drop soup with spinach) Italian Peasant-Style Roast Chicken and Potatoes Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Glaze Arugula Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette Poached Pears with Blueberry or Chocolate Sauce

Stracciatella alla Fiorentina

Southern Italian Peasant-Style Roast Chicken and Potatoes

ingredients

ingredients

4 cups homemade chicken broth or light veal broth 3 eggs 2 tbsp parsley, chopped 3 gratings of fresh nutmeg ½ tbsp semolina 4 tbsp Parmigiano, grated 1 cup spinach, cooked and chopped

6 large potatoes, peeled, cut into wedges 8 pieces chicken, thighs and breast, skin on Vegetable oil to coat ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 3–4 cloves garlic, minced ¾ cup breadcrumbs Salt and pepper

prepar ation

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Bring broth to a gentle boil.

Beat eggs and add parsley, nutmeg, semolina, Parmigiano and spinach. Stir to combine.

Lightly oil a shallow oven-proof dish.

Pour egg mixture into broth in a very gentle stream.

Do not mix or whisk.

prepar ation

In a large bowl, toss potatoes with just enough vegetable oil to coat (approximately ¼ cup), add all the parsley, half the garlic and half the breadcrumbs, toss again making sure all the potatoes are evenly coated.

Place potatoes in the oven-proof dish.

Let eggs form a raft on top of the soup, approximately 5 minutes.

To serve, break up the raft into chunks and serve with broth. Serves 4.

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

In the same bowl, toss chicken pieces with the remaining breadcrumbs and garlic.

Season with salt and pepper.

Place chicken pieces, skin side up and evenly spaced, on top of potatoes. Roast for approximately 1 hour until chicken and potatoes are golden and crisp.

Serves 4 (with leftovers).

Poached Pears These can be prepared up to two days in advance. Serve with blueberry syrup or chocolate sauce (recipe below). ingredients 6 firm pears, Bartlett, Bosc or Comice ¾ cup white or red wine ¾ cup white or red grape juice 2 oz brandy ½ cup sugar and 1 ⁄ 3 cup honey 1 lemon peel and 1 orange peel 3 cloves and 3 star anise 2 bay leaves or 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup blueberries prepar ation Peel pears, cut in half lengthwise and core.

Add the remaining ingredients (apart from blueberries), and bring to a gentle boil. Add pears and simmer very slowly for 20–25 minutes until pears are just barely tender.

Remove pears and cool liquid. Once liquid is cool, return pears to the juice and store in the fridge 2–3 days, allowing pears to infuse with the flavours of the poaching liquid.

DAVE’S BUTCHER SHOP

To serve, strain the poaching liquid and reduce until it has a syrupy texture. Add blueberries and let cool.

Fire up your grill... summer is coming!

Place a pool of syrup on 4 dessert plates and top with a poached pear, hollow side up. Fill with fresh blueberries and garnish with whipped cream. Serves 4.

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Chocolate Sauce 1½ cups dark chocolate, shredded 1 tbsp butter ½ cup sweet Marsala or 1 tbsp Grand Marnier Over a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter. Add Marsala or Grand Marnier. Stir until glossy and smooth. 왗

Bringing you the best that Ontario has to offer, with fruits and vegetables arriving daily.

We have our own line of preserves and fresh baking made on our farm.

Alder Street Mews, 75 Alder St, Unit 4, Orangeville www.davesbutchershop.ca 519-415-MEAT (6328)

OPEN: 8am to 6pm, daily from July until Labour Day.

518024 County Rd 124, north of Shelburne 519-925-6444 lennoxfarms@hotmail.com

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

53

the morel index Morel n. an edible fungus having a brown oval or pointed fruiting body with an irregular honeycombed surface Oxford English Dictionary Genus Morchella, family Morchellaceae, subdivision Ascomycotina; several species, in particular the common M. esculenta 왔

species

false

A member of the genus Morchella.

Some authors say there may be as many as 50 species of morels worldwide, though others argue for as few as three. The various species are very similar in appearance, and vary in colour and size, according to the age of the morel.

Morels are sometimes mistaken for poisonous false morels. These are distinguished by their cap which is wrinkled rather than honeycombed.

where Morels are widespread across North America, Europe and other temperate parts of the world, including China, India and Turkey.

when Unlike other wild mushrooms, morels appear in spring. In eastern Canada, they come up in early May or when daytime highs reach the mid-teens and nighttime lows are around 5°C. They prefer warm, moist weather.

miraculous In many parts of the Appalachians, morels are called “merkels” or “miracles” because of a story about a mountain family that was saved from starvation by eating them.

edible Prized by gourmet cooks for their nutty, slightly smoky flavour, morels should never be eaten raw as they contain small amounts of toxins that are removed by cooking. Even cooked morels can cause mild intoxication when consumed with alcohol.

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

also known as Morels are sometimes called “dryland fish,” (because when sliced, their outline resembles a fish), “hickory chickens” in Kentucky and “molly moochers” in West Virginia.

colourful Morel hunters categorize them by their colour: black, yellow, grey or brown. In this area, the more common big yellow morels, usually appear a week or so later than the smaller grey morels.

how Washing or soaking could ruin the morel’s delicate flavour. To remove trace amounts of soil, run them lightly under cold water. To preserve morels, let dry in a cool place for two days to a week. Store the dried mushrooms in an airtight container for up to six months.

growing conditions The best soil condition for morels is moist but well drained. If there is a dry spring, the crop is likely to be sparse.

habitat Yellow and grey morels are most often found around deciduous trees, particularly ash, dead or dying elms and old apple trees. Black morels prefer oak and poplar.

CULTIVATE in the Villlaages of

YOUR Y OU O UR UR LIFE LLI LIF

Allliston invites you and your family to share in the we eekend fun all yeaar long at our man ny events and festivals!

Music on Maain May 10-12 Battle of the Brushes June 9 RCMP Musiccal Ride June 15-16 Siidewalk Sale e July 21 Po otato Festivaal August 10, 11, 12

w w w. a l l i s t o n b i a . c o m t

The Edge Wine Bar & Grille is Orangeville’s newest choice for casual fine dining.

Located within The Headwaters Racquet Club, we are open to the public.

Where great food and music meet!

Live Music Every

Served at Better CafĂŠs, Restaurants and Fine Food Retailers

THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY featuring various local artists starting at 8:30pm

Open for dinner 6 days a week.

Reservations recommended.

Lounge is available for private functions for up to 80 people.

Tel: (519) 940-7081 Fax: (519) 938-5407 205467 County Rd 109 Orangeville (inside Headwaters Racquet Club)

519-940-1111 theedgewinebarandgrill.com

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

55

what’s cooking in thec ahills lendar of food happenings fundraisers

community

may 19, june 16

may 27

june 13

Pancake Breakfasts The Caledon Navy League is cooking up a delicious and hearty breakfast of pancakes (plain, blueberry and chocolate chip), sausages, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and juice at Bolton United Church on King St. 9–11am. $5; kids and seniors $3. All proceeds to benefit the Bolton Sea Cadets.

Belfountain Garlic Mustard and Eat Local Spring Festival Eat Local Caledon and Belfountain village are holding a festival to help eradicate the invasive garlic mustard and celebrate spring. The day includes a cooking contest, local foods and vendors, a pull contest, vegetable seedlings sale, games, interpretive hikes, animal visitors, local musicians and more. This is an ecofriendly event. 10am–3pm. Belfountain Conservation Area. 519-927-5212 x1. www.garlicmustardbusters.ca

Eat Local Dinner at Ray’s Bistro Bakery Chef Jason Perkins prepares a 3-course meal featuring local early summer ingredients. Vegetarian options will be available. Reservations between 5 and 9pm. $35 fixed price menu. 1475 Queen St, Alton.

519-941-6121, www.eatlocalcaledon.org

may 26 Moulin Rouge Dinner and Auction This fantastique cabaret-inspired evening of entertainment and great food at the Orangeville Agricultural Centre features oyster and martini bars, a buffet dinner by Gourmandissimo, open bar, charity casino, silent auction and cancan dancers. Doors open at 6pm. Tickets $195. Proceeds to Headwaters Health Care Centre. To reserve, call 519-941-2702 x2303.

july 7 Stars At The Farm Nine chefs prepare fine local fare at The New Farm. Fill your belly and rock to the sounds of hit indie band Stars. (They sold out Massey Hall last fall). 5pm. $45 concert only. Tasting station tickets sold separately.

All proceeds to Grow for The Stop, Toronto’s community food centre. 9783 Sideroad 6 and 7 Nottawasaga, near Creemore. For information and directions, 705-466-6302, www.thenewfarm.ca

august 19 McVean Farm Harvest Table Meet the farmers, savour the bounty of the fields, freshly picked and cooked over coals

by Chef Yasser Qahawish of Artisanale restaurant in Guelph. The four-course meal of local meats, cheeses, salads, desserts, wine and beer is served family-style on long wooden harvest tables at the centre of the farm. 3–8pm. Tickets $100 plus HST; farmers and kids under 12 $50 plus HST. Proceeds to FarmStart. North Brampton.

647-519-6199, www.harvesttable.ca

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june 2 Scottish Afternoon at St. Andrew’s Stone Church Come and enjoy the 2nd Annual Scottish Afternoon at St. Andrew’s Stone Church.

Scottish food, barbecue, pipers, fiddlers, dancers, all things Scottish. Self-guided tour of the restored 1853 stone church and cemetery. Learn about the area’s Scottish heritage. You don’t have to be Scottish to attend. Noon–4pm. $10; under 12 $5. 17621 St. Andrew’s Rd, Caledon. 905-584-5001.

june 23 Hockley United Church’s Strawberry Pancake Breakfast Come early. Pancakes, sausages, strawberries, whipped cream and syrup, coffee or tea. Silent auction, bargains galore. Auction closes at 11am sharp. 8–11am. Bicycle parade, live music, games, local artisans and vendors. $6; children 10 and under $4. Hockley Seniors’ Community Centre, 994174 Mono-Adjala Town Line. 905-7292887, sandra.patterson2681@gmail.com

july 14 Avening Beef Barbecue There’ll be lots of beef, potatoes, homemade pies and much, much more at the Avening Community Centre. Doors open at 5pm.

For information, 705-435-5541 x1934.

june 8 Wines of the World (WOW) The ticket price ($40) includes wine, beer, cider tastings with sirloin roast beef, cheeses and other assorted foods. A selection of over 80 wines is available.

6–8:30pm. Proceeds go to Rotary projects.

Tickets available at Migration Travel, Palgrave; Howard the Butcher, Caledon East; The Naked Vine and Foster’s Book Garden, Bolton. Caledon Equestrian Park, 200 Pine Ave, Palgrave. 416-200-3806, www.rotaryclubofpalgrave.com p g

july 28 Honeywood Beef Barbecue arbecue This annual event has become famous for its outdoor, mouth-watering, fireroasted beef dinner with all the fixings and scrumptious homemade desserts.

Celebrate its 47th year of bringing family, friends and community together. $15; kids 5–12 $5; 5 and under free. All proceeds support the North Dufferin Community Recreation Centre where the event takes place. 5–8pm. www.mulmurtownship.ca

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Become a CSA Member and enjo y fresh, local produce all season long!

festivals july 1 Canada Day Strawberry Festival U-pick and ready-picked strawberries, farm animals, live entertainment, antique cars and tractors. Downey’s Farm Market, 13682 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon. 10am–5pm.

905-838-2990.

Want to grow your own vegetables this year?

Full Share Produce Box $25/week Half Share Produce Box $30/every-other-week To sign up: albionhillscommunityfarm.org/CSA or info@albionhillscommunityfarm.o rg

july 1 24th Annual Caledon Strawberry Festival Feather-light pancakes ladled with fieldfresh strawberries and cream, a Bavarian beer garden, live music, avenue upon avenue of vintage cars, a “shop-till-you-drop Christmas in July” craft and artisan trade fair and silent auction create a full day of family entertainment to celebrate Canada’s 145 birthday. All proceeds to Caledon Agricultural Society. 10am–4pm. Caledon Fairgrounds, Caledon Village. 905-8385183, www.caledonfairgrounds.ca

KNOW WHERE IT GROWS

july 20 – 22

AT ORANGEVILLE’S FARMERS’ MARKET

Orangeville Rotary Ribfest Roll up your sleeves and fasten your bibs.

This year’s annual pork festival features the talents of six international “ribbers” and a classic car show. There’ll be lots of other food and drink, a beer tent, a midway for the kids and live music all weekend long.

Friday 4–6pm; Saturday 11am–10pm; Sunday 11am–6:30pm. Admission is free, but donations for the Fendley Park splash pad are welcome. Alder Street Recreation Centre, Orangeville. www.orangevilleribfest.com

july 21, 22 Cuisine Art at Alton Mill This celebration of food and art showcases visual, performing and culinary artists. Toonie Tastings let you sample local, artisanal and organic offerings for just $2 each. Barbecue demos feature local chefs. 10am–5pm.

Outdoor performances of Shakespeare’s Macbeth take place both evenings at 7pm.

The Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St. Proceeds support the Alton Millpond Rehabilitation Project. 519-941-9300, www.altonmill.ca

Fine Dining Casual Atmosphere on Hockley Road 307388 Hockley Rd • Orangeville 519 938 2333

Every Saturday May 5th to October 20th 8am to 1pm Orangeville’s Historic Town Hall

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Watch for the harvest issue of Food In The Hills, coming in August.

It features stories on good school food, foraging for wild edibles, how to make duck confit, and much, much more.

But you don’t have to wait til then. Between issues, our local foodies keep things cooking at foodinthehills.ca. Here’s a taste of our online menu.

Homemade Vanilla Yogurt

Anything Goes Vegetable Soup

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Whiskey Dressing

Making your own yogurt is not only easy but very economical, says Erin’s Hungry Hollow blogger Cathy Bray.

From Scratch chef Kelly Pleadwell tells you how to clean out your fridge and make fabulous soup in the process.

In her Edible Tulip blog, Daphne Randall elevates the lowly, but nutrition-packed sprout from homey to haute cuisine.

Magic Cookies

Eat Local Caledon

Master baker Sarah Hallett of Roseberry Farm created these cookies as a yummy, nutritious snack for her three sons.

Eat Local Caledon continues its updates on who’s growing, serving and cooking local – with more seasonal recipes!

You’ll also find up-to-theminute listings of local food events, profiles of local producers, and links to any of the restaurants, markets and other advertisers in these pages.

While you’re there, don’t forget to nominate your candidate for Best Bites in the hills (see page 62).

Or just send us a note.

We love to hear from you!

foodinthehills.ca

For print and online advertising information, contact Sarah Aston at 519-940-4884, sarah@inthehills.ca 58

spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

what’s cooking in thec ahills lendar of food happenings festivals continued august 14 – september 2 SummerFeast For nearly three weeks, the finest restaurants in the hills offer special menus at affordable prices. Three-course prix fixe meals are $15-$20 for lunch and $25–$35 for dinner. For information on participating restaurants, call 519-9420314. www.thehillsofheadwaters.com

june 11 $10 Friday night; $8 Saturday and Sunday; $15 per car; $2 under 14.

Caledon Fairgrounds, Caledon Village. www.caledonfairgrounds.ca

kids may – oc tober

openings june 23 Sheldon Creek Dairy Grand Opening Bonnie and John den Haan invite you to the grand opening of their on-farm dairy (see article page 14) to sample milk and yogurt fresh from their Holstein herd.

There will be entertainment, great local food and tours of the farm and dairy. Smell the fresh-cut hay, walk the pastures, watch the milk being pasteurized and bottled.

4316 5th Concession Adjala, near Loretto.

705-435-5454, www.sheldoncreekdairy.ca

july 14 Creemore Dairy Day Celebrate the grand opening of Miller’s Dairy with 50s and 60s music, food, festivities and farm tours in celebration of all things dairy. Jalon Farms. 7280 County Rd 9, Clearview (just east of Creemore).

705-466-2509. www.millersdairy.com

fairs june 8 – 10 152nd Caledon Fair Automotive power meets horsepower, dairy and beef contests, home baking and crafts, plus agricultural know-how. More than 1,000 competitions held over three days, plus a beer garden, midway rides, a truck and tractor pull Friday evening, and a lawn tractor challenge Saturday afternoon, followed by a “country hoedown” barbecue and music, and an all-breeds horse show.

HAYville HAYville is Caledon’s food and farming business incubator for youth 11–19. All events are free. Activities are held in two locations: Albion Hills Community Farm, 16555 Humber Station Rd, Caledon and Palgrave Community Kitchen, 34 Pine Ave, Palgrave. For information, contact Eat Local Caledon, 905-584-6221, or visit www.eatlocalcaledon.org/HAYville.htm may 14 – oc t 22 : Food and Farming series for Youth Every Monday evening (excluding holidays), participants meet at either the Palgrave Community Kitchen or the Albion Hills Community Farm to gain hands-on farming, gardening, cooking and preserving experience. 6:30–9pm. Register. may 25 : Going Wild in the Kitchen: Youth Cooking Learn how to harvest and cook with wild edibles. Make garlic mustard soup, dandelion root coffee, stinging nettle tea and more. 6:30–9pm. Register. may 26 : Youth Planting Join us as we plant several varieties of tomatoes and a whole slew of herbs and other vegetables. Learn the basics of vegetable gardening along the way. 2–5pm. june 11 : Youth Canning Bee with Rhubarb Make rhubarb chutney and jam, and be guided through the basics of home canning.

6:30–9pm. Register.

Let’s Get Cooking, PA Day Program Kids aged 8–12 will be busy cooking up some fun in the kitchen. The day includes learning cooking skills as kids prepare and taste delicious healthy dishes. There will also be games and activities and even some time in the kitchen garden. 9am–4pm. $30.

Palgrave Community Kitchen, 34 Pine Ave. 905-880-0303. www.palgravekitchen.org

tours june 9 Edible Wild Herbalist and folklorist Lisa Yates leads a walk to identify edible and medicinal wild plants. 9:30am at Mono Community Centre parking lot, 754483 Mono Centre Rd. $10, children free. Preregistration required, 705-435-1881.

august 18 Walking for Wildlife Enjoy a nature hike led by a Bruce Trail guide, a gourmet lunch, and feel good about helping local wildlife. Procyon Wildlife is a charitable veterinary and rehabilitation organization that relies entirely on donations. 9am–4pm. $50. Black Birch Restaurant, Hockley Valley. 905-729-0033, www.procyonwildlife.com

august 10 – 26 The Singhampton Project Chef Michael Stadtländer and French landscape artist Jean Paul Ganem invite you to one of 17 daily gastromonic garden tours.

Beginning at 1pm each day, 40 guests will visit seven edible gardens planted by Jean Paul in the forests, meadows and hills of Eigensinn Farm. At each garden, Chef will create a dish to match the concept of the creative planting. Wine pairings available.

Presented by Earth Day Canada. Tickets $275. 449357 10th Concession, Grey Highlands. 519-922-3128, www.earthday.ca/ singhamptonproject

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what’s cooking in thec ahills lendar of food happenings Calling g Youth h* from aledon and area g * ages 12–19

Join the Youth Food and Farm Business Incubator Program and gain skills in Growing, Harvesting, Value-Adding, Marketing, Selling and more For more information, visit eatlocalcaledon.org/HAYville.htm, find us on facebook & twitter, or contact us at eatlocal@eatlocal caledon.org, or 905-584-6221.

courses

farmers’ markets

june 20

It’s market season in the hills as local producers pitch their tents and present their wares, everything from meat and produce to baked goods, preserves and crafts. Check individual websites for details on special events at each venue throughout the spring and summer.

Beekeeping Discover the fascinating world of bees and apiculture. Take a tour of Everdale’s hives and see the colonies firsthand. Learn the roles and responsibilities of the queen, drones, house bees and foragers, and discuss the parts of the hive and the environmental issues bees are facing. $45.

Everdale Organic Farm, 5812 6th Line Erin, near Hillsburgh. 519-855-4859, www.everdale.org

Locations

Albion Hills Community Farm Palgrave Community Kitchen Inglewood Farmers’ Market Caledon Farmers’ Market Program of

Caledon Countryside Alliance Eat Local Caledon

Celebrating local food & farming Programs

Take a Bite Out of Climate Change HAYville – Youth Food & Farming Inglewood Farmers’ Market Who’s Servin’ Local Eat Local Dinner Series Cook Like A (Local) Chef Series Eat Local Month September 2012 Canning Bees/Workshops 2012 Farm to Table Directory For more information, visit eatlocalcaledon.org, find us on facebook & twitter, or contact us at eatlocal@eatlocal caledon.org, or 905-584-6221.

Supported by

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spring summer 2012 | food in the hill s

july 8 / august 19 Strawberry Salsa Bee / Corn-Tomato Salsa Bee Preserve some locally inspired salsa in a fun setting, and take home 5–6 jars for your pantry. Open to novice and seasoned canners alike. Noon–5pm. $25, register by email. Peel Junior Farmers’ Building, 12942 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon. Eat Local Caledon and Toronto Region Conservation Authority.

416-661-6600 x5646, JRoest@ TRCA.on.ca

saturdays, may 5 – oc tober 20 Orangeville Farmers’ Market 8am–1pm. Next to the Orangeville Town Hall. www.marketonbroadway.ca

saturdays, may 12 – oc tober 27 Alliston Farmers’ Market 8am–2pm. Mill St & Victoria St. 705-435-1787, www.allistonbia.com

saturdays, may 19 – oc tober 6 Creemore Farmers’ Market 8:30am–12:30pm. Station on the Green parking lot. 705-794-8943. www.creemorefarmersmarket.ca

saturdays, june 2 – oc tober 27 Caledon Farmers’ Market 8am–1pm. Albion-Bolton Community Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. 905-5842272 x4286, www.caledon.ca/farmersmarket

august 11 The Lost Art of Canning From pickles to jams to salsas, learn how easy it is to preserve foods in your own kitchen alongside Canadian Red Seal Chef Cathy Hansen as you help create three different canned items in this interactive workshop. Discussions include equipment, sourcing supplies, the science of high-acid canning, as well as year-round canning opportunities. Everyone gets to take home samples of the items made. 10am–3pm. $85. Everdale Organic Farm, 5812 6th Line Erin, near Hillsburgh. 519-855-4859, www.everdale.org

wednesdays, june 6 – oc tober 3 Amaranth Farmers’ Market 5–8pm. Amaranth Municipal Office, 374028 6th Line. 519-941-1007.

wednesdays, june 20–oc tober 10 Inglewood Farmers’ Market 3:30–7pm. Inglewood General Store.

905-584-6221, www.eatlocalcaledon.org

fridays, june 29 – september 28 Erin Farmers’ Market 3–7pm. Erin Agricultural Society Fairgrounds. 519-833-2808, www.erinfair.ca

sundays, june – oc tober Hockley Valley Garden Stand Noon–3pm. Hockley Valley Resort, 793522 3rd Line Mono. www.hockley. com 왗

end note Back to the Land with FarmStart

Originally from Punjab, India, the 40-something farmer lives in Brampton and drives a truck to support himself and his family. But in his heart, he wants to be a farmer as he was in his native India.

Buying land is beyond Singh’s reach right now, but thanks to FarmStart, a Guelph-based charitable organization, he and many others like him have been given a chance to devote themselves to the work they love so well. At the McVean Incubator Farm near Brampton, Singh and his family spend every moment they can cultivating such non-traditional crops as methi (fenugreek leaves), okra and kaddu (pumpkin).

The McVean Farm is situated on what is known as the Peel Plain, where the soil is among the best in the province for growing crops. The first time I set foot on the 45acre property in 2010, I was struck by its beauty. The carefully tended patchwork of garden plots and the historic 1840s double English wheat barn, one of few left in existence, constitute an island of calm in the sea of suburban sprawl that surrounds the farm on three sides.

FarmStart, which leases the land from Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, aims to provide opportunities to a new generation of ecologically-conscious farmers, in particular new Canadian farmers like Manmeet Singh, as well as young people from non-agricultural backgrounds who want to make the leap into agriculture.

FarmStart gives these budding growers access to land, equipment and infrastructure, and seed capital, as well as running workshops and mentorship programs. While the challenges facing all farmers these days are great, these new farmers bring knowledge, connections and an infectious passion that could breathe new life into an aging sector.

photo l aur a berman

Manmeet Singh has a dream.

New farmers from around the world have found a place to grow at the McVean Incubator Farm near Brampton, thanks to FarmStart, which gives budding growers access to land, equipment and mentorship.

Last year, this diverse group of 30 growers from 16 countries (including Jamaica, Poland and Zimbabwe, as well as Canada) produced more than a hundred varieties of organic vegetables, flowers, honey and mushrooms on plots ranging from one to five acres.

The project allows prospective farmers to explore and realize their dreams of working the land without having to “buy the farm” until they are ready. Farmers usually spend between one to five years learning to grow, establishing markets for their produce and getting to know the business. They learn by doing, through trial and error, co-operation, mentorship and their own hard work.

FarmStart does not necessarily make the journey easier, just a little more accessible and a lot less lonely.

I hope you will come out and experience

For more information on FarmStart, visit farmstart.ca. To purchase tickets to the 3rd annual McVean Harvest Table event, go to www.harvesttable.ca.

and support this inspiring place at our annual McVean Harvest Table and Fundraiser on Sunday, August 19. Meet the farmers, savour the bounty of the fields, freshly picked and cooked over coals by chef Yasser Qahawish of Artisanale restaurant in Guelph.

The four-course meal of local meats, cheeses, salads, desserts, wine and beer is served family-style on long wooden harvest tables at the centre of the farm. You will leave with a full belly, a sense of awe and a renewed commitment to support a vibrant future for Ontario’s agriculture. 왗 — alex maceachern

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photo pete paterson

best bites

Léna Valiquette’s Oatmeal Cookies Just off the beaten track in Caledon East, Ontario’s first certified tea master Léna Valiquette operates Tea Boutique, a “haven for those who eat well and live well.” Specializing in looseleaf teas from around the world, as well as all-natural soaps, candles and skin-care products, Léna’s shop has been described as “a little stop at Nirvana in Paradise.”

But even aficionados of a holistic lifestyle need a decadent treat now and then. Food In The Hills reader Lena Lemieux emailed us to say how much she loves Tea Boutique, where she likes to go after church every Sunday for coffee (the best Americano around, she claims) and a chat with the owner. “She always has some special treat whether it’s a muffin filled with fresh berries and nuts, healthy brownies, or the most amazing oatmeal coconut orange cookies.”

We tried the cookies and it’s true, they are amazing, made with real butter, chocolate chips, coconut, orange peel, oatmeal, pecans and cinnamon. “I use only the freshest ingredients,” says Léna Valiquette. At their best right out of the oven, try one with a pot of Tea Boutique’s Spring Pouchong for a soul-soothing midday break.

Alas, Léna declined to pass along the recipe, but she promises it will be included in her upcoming cookbook, How to Live and Eat Healthy, available at her shop this fall. 왗

Tea Boutique Emma St and Airport Rd Caledon East www.teaboutique.ca 905-584-7227

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best bites Whether it’s a veal sandwich in Bolton, a butter tart in Erin, wings at your local pub, or a chocolate sundae at the diner down the street, we want to hear about the best kept food secrets in the hills. You tell us and if we agree, we’ll reveal them right here. Submit your nominations at www.foodinthehills.ca.

Harmony Whole Foods Market and our valued local producers GOOD FOOD ~ GOOD PEOPLE ~ GOOD PLACE TO SHOP!

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