Food In The Hills

A U T U M N|W IN T ER 2013

Wood oven wonders Why food hubs matter Good things for baby A contemplative kitchen

Grow Your Own Salad

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The meaning of local We at Food In The Hills have been waving the local food banner for about three years now, and in that time the idea of consuming food grown and produced in our metaphorical backyard has expanded from the mantra of a few committed foodies into conventional wisdom embraced by farmers and politicians alike.

But while we, the local consumers, have been reaping the benefits of neighbourhood farmers’ markets and seasonally focused restaurant menus, the bureaucrats have been playing catch up, and a quiet but fervent debate has been taking place over what exactly we mean by the term “local food.”

It all started when Jay Klausen, chef/ owner of Bistro Burger in Alliston, received a registered letter from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency last April. The CFIA was responding to a complaint that Klausen’s menu described his beef burgers as “locally” and “naturally” raised when the meat was sourced about 160 kilometres away in southwestern Ontario. The agency gave Klausen 10 days to change his menu or face a fine as high as $50,000.

Klausen, who is committed to using food produced nearby, including trout from Manitoulin Island, potatoes from Shelburne and flour milled in Schomberg, buys the beef for his burgers from Field Gate Organics, a federally inspected organic farm in Zurich, Ontario.

But the CFIA defined “local” as originating within 50 kilometres or within the same local government unit or adjacent government unit (i.e. municipality). As well, the agency defined “natural” as food “produced through the ordinary course of nature without the interference or influence of humans,” a restriction that pretty much excluded all farmed or cultivated food products.

Meanwhile, as Klausen was taking his case for unfair persecution to the media, the Ontario government had already retabled Bill 130, The Local Food Act. It defined “local” as any food grown in Ontario.

Then in May the CFIA revised its definition. Now it says “local food” is food grown within your province or 50 kilometres beyond provincial boundaries.

So that, apparently, is that. And Jay Klausen is off the hook. But there are still a lot of unanswered questions. What if your product, say chocolate chip cookies, contains local flour, butter and eggs but the chocolate, vanilla and sugar come from Mexico? Can it be labelled “local”?

And the agency’s definition of “natural,” a descriptor that these days is loosely attached to everything from granola bars to frozen yogurt, remains ludicrously archaic. All of this is confusing for consumers and producers alike. The good news is that “local food” is an idea whose time has come.

For us at Food In The Hills, there is no confusion. “Local” has always meant food grown, processed or prepared here in the Headwaters region. It is our mandate to promote and celebrate the region’s purveyors and producers of good food. We have always known what “local” means. Now it’s up to the policymakers to get it straight.

cecily@inthehills.ca

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a taste of our autumn issue

how does your garden grow?

38 | Backyard Vegetables There’s more to gardening than flowers and shrubs. Many homeowners are planting peas in perennial beds and training tomatoes on trellises to produce fresh, healthy food for their families. And

trina berlo

they’re discovering that vegetables are beautiful too. Cecily Ross reports.

21 | All Fired Up The aroma of wood smoke seems to make everything taste better, whether it’s bread, steak or pizza. Emily Worts visits three intrepid cooks to see why so many country folk

wood fired ovens 6

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pete paterson

are all fired up about outdoor ovens.

pete paterson

good for you

15 | Eat More Kale It has an intimidating reputation, but properly prepared sturdy kale is delicious as well as good for you. Jennifer Clark explains.

more seasonal specials

always on the menu

The Case for Food Hubs | 28 What are food hubs and why do we need them? Wayne Roberts and Lori Stahlbrand report.

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

Baby Love | 33 Making your own baby food is as easy as ABC. Julie Suzanne Pollock explains.

Cooking with Matthew | 46 Chef Matthew Jamieson of Orangeville’s Forage restaurant whips up a spicy lamb curry with cucumber raita.

East Meets West | 50 Sandi and Norman’s contemporary Mulmur kitchen is a study in mindful design, by Cecily Ross.

Digest | 12 A collection of food news and trivia from around the world.

Eggplant Index | 56 Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Solanum melangena.

What’s Cooking Calendar | 58 Headwaters’ food events this summer and fall.

Best Bites | 62 Homemade roasted red pepper soup from Jelly Craft Café in Shelburne.

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™

volume 3 number 2 | autumn winter 2013

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 web manager Valerie Jones Echohill Inc.

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writers Jennifer Clark Matthew Jamieson Julie Suzanne Pollock Wayne Roberts Lori Stahlbrand Emily Worts copy editor Janet Dimond events editor Janet Dimond

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photogr aphers Trina Berlo MK Lynde Pete Paterson

advertising sales Erin Woodley Sarah Aston Roberta Fracassi

food st ylist Jane Fellowes

advertising produc tion Marion Hodgson Type & Images

illustr ator Ruth Ann Pearce www.coloveration.com cover Garden salad by Jane Fellowes and Pete Paterson

to advertise Erin Woodley 519-307-0769 erin@inthehills.ca let ters Letters to the editor are welcome; email cecily@inthehills.ca

advertising deadline The advertising deadline for the Spring|Summer issue is Friday, April 11, 2014 subscrip tions Subscriptions are $11.30 per year (includes hst).

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

We acknowledge the assistance of the OMDC Magazine Fund, an initiative of Ontario Media Development Corporation.

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

Loaves and Wishes

We’ve Got You Mad & Noisy Brewing’s newest craft beer is all about bad puns and good taste.

This summer’s offering is called Sunny and Share, a nod to the ’60s singing duo, but also a reference to the beer’s yellow, orange honey colour and the fact that it comes in a 625 ml bottle that’s big enough to “share” with a friend. If you’re not in the mood for sharing, never mind, at a breezy 4.5 per cent alcohol go ahead and drink the whole thing yourself. Billing itself as “a farmhouse ale with a peel,” Sunny and Share is steeped in lemon and orange peel giving it a tart, refreshing taste, perfect for summer quaffing.

Made in the style of a Citrus Saison, a Belgian French beer traditionally brewed by farmers, it has a sweet and spicy earthiness that makes it particularly food friendly, the ideal accompaniment, according to the brewmaster, for Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. Or try it with grilled peppercorn steak, crab cakes or grilled sausage.

Mad & Noisy Brewing is part of Creemore Springs Brewery’s Craft Beer Exploration Series. Last year’s release was an India Pale Lager called Hops and Bolts. (Sigh.) Both are available at the Creemore Springs Brewery in Creemore or at an LCBO outlet near you. www.creemoresprings.com

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Fifteen years ago, Nick Saul took over the operation of a small Toronto food bank located on the bottom floor of a public housing development in one of the city’s poorest neighbourhoods. Today it is a thriving “community food centre” with gardens, kitchens, a greenhouse, farmers’ markets and a commitment to make good food accessible to everyone. The Stop: How the Fight for Good Food Transformed a Community and Inspired a Movement, written with Saul’s partner, Andrea Curtis, is the story of that journey and of Saul’s commitment to what he calls “a new politics of food.” He believes that because food brings people together, it has the power to fundamentally change society.

By treating the marginalized and the poor with respect and dignity, by involving them in the growing, preparation and sharing of a good meal, The Stop treats food not as a commodity, something to be bought and sold, but as something “imbued with cultural, social, health and environmental significance.” The Stop is an invaluable manual and an inspiration to everyone who believes in the power of good food.

The Stop

by Nick Saul and Andrea Curtis (Random House Canada, 3013) is available at your favourite independent local bookstore.

Crunchy Granola Named for Bolton baker April Hodgson’s purple kitchen where she began perfecting her allnatural cereals and cookies, The Purple Kitchen’s hemp and hazelnut granola shown here is just one of three delicious flavours. Like the others – fruit and nut, and nutfree – April’s granolas are made with care and attention and zero preservatives. The nut-free option is a particular favourite for allergy sufferers. “The idea to sell these products,” she says, “began with some store-bought granola and the notion that we could do better.”

April is also a benefactor of Palgrave’s certified kitchen where she now prepares her granolas as well as her cookies (blueberryshortbread and ginger), gourmet marshmallows (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate) and caramel popcorn.

She uses local organic ingredients including flour milled at K2 Milling in Tottenham. The Purple Kitchen’s granola (and cookies) is available at Rock Garden Farms and at the Brampton farmers’ market, or you can order it online. www.thepurplekitchen.ca 왗

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digest real food “If you use honest to goodness ingredients, you will end up with a superior product.

There’s a reason why industrial food lasts forever: it has to. It has to have a shelf life (the only life it actually has), and survive being transported in all temperatures and conditions. Finally, don’t ever think industrial food will use even “good” ingredients.

There’s a thing called the Triple Bottom Line: where it’s good for the economy, for the farmer/producer, and good for the community. That’s not in their definition of what’s good for the Single Bottom Line: profit.”

From an article on making doughnuts in Mother Earth News by Sue Van Slooten. June 2013. www.motherearthnews.com

cream of the crop “I just want to ask us all to reflect a little bit on our experiences of local food. If I think about a time before it was conscious to me that I was eating local food or not, I can remember being really very excited in the summer when August would come, because that was the time when we could get corn.

We could get Ontario-grown corn. We would go to pick up – or my dad would pick up on the way home from his office –local corn at Mr. Topper’s farm in Richmond Hill.

That was his name, and he was just north of Elgin Mills. We only ate corn in August. We didn’t eat corn any other time of the year. I don’t even know if it was available in stores, but certainly my father had a complete prejudice about Ontario corn: that it was the best-tasting corn, and that’s the only corn we should eat.”

Hon. Kathleen Wynne speaking in the Ontario Legislature April 9, 2013.

the poop on manure “Fertilizing crops with cattle manure can lead to better soil quality than when synthetic fertilizer is used, recent research indicates. The use of cattle manure in the study led to greater soil fertility by encouraging higher microbial activity, and the researchers suggest that it could potentially improve soil’s ability to cope with periods of difficult growing conditions.”

From Science for Environmental Policy, June 2013. www.europa.eu

far and wide “The average food item in Toronto travels 4,500 km from field to table. That has a huge impact on our environment.

They say a third of greenhouse gases and pollution are connected to the way we move food from field to table. When in every province in the country there’s an explosion of diet-related illness: diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity. That’s what you get, all of those things, when you treat food as a pure commodity.”

From an interview with Nick Saul of The Stop published in The Hill Times. May 2013.

no bees, no peas “According to Whole Foods: ‘One of every three bites of food comes from plants pollinated by honeybees and other pollinators. Yet, major declines in bee populations threaten the availability of many fresh ingredients consumers rely on for their dinner tables.

‘To raise awareness of just how crucial pollinators are to our food system, the University Heights Whole Foods Market store [Toronto] temporarily removed all produce that comes from plants dependent on pollinators. They pulled from shelves 237 of 453 products – 52 per cent of the department’s normal product mix.’

Freaky, right? At least we’ll still have chili-cheese Fritos.”

From an article by Holly Richmond at www.grist.org.

June 2013.

the feminiz ation of farming “‘Sharing power with women is a shortcut to reducing hunger and malnutrition, and is the single most effective step to realizing the right to food,’ said the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, while urging world governments to adopt transformative food security strategies that address cultural constraints and redistribute roles between women and men.

‘Family agriculture has become gradually feminized, with men frequently moving away from the farm in search of work. Yet the women, who increasingly face the burden of sustaining farms and families, are too often denied the tools to thrive and improve their situation – on and off the farm.’”

From a report on Gender and the Right to Food presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. March 2013.

every thing’s bet ter with but ter “Everybody dies, there’s no avoiding it and I do not believe for one second that butter is the cause of anyone’s death. Overeating maybe, but not butter, please.”

Norah Ephron in Newsweek. August 2009.

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can’t stand the heat “The oven is one of the most energyintensive appliances in your home so use it mindfully. When you turn it on, cook more than one dish to maximize the heat. And try not to use it too often.”

DUFFERIN TOWN & COUNTRY FARM TOUR Saturday, September 28

Sarah Elton interviewed for Fiesta Farms. April 2013.

local food aid “The food aid reform act … would eliminate previous requirements that food assistance be grown in the U.S. and transported on U.S.-flagged ships. Advocates say the changes would deliver aid up to 14 weeks faster and reach an estimated two to four million more people… “‘You have to order the food in the midwest, it gets put on a ship, it can go 7,000 miles to the other side of the world, put onto trucks, and then moved into the famine or emergency zone,’ Andrew Natsios, a professor at Texas A&M University, testified. ‘If the food is bought locally, you avoid the 7,000-mile food chain.’”

From The Guardian. June 2013

more than rarebit “As a visitor to the principality, I have been taken aback by just how Welsh Welsh food, currently is. Compared to other parts of Britain, the ethos of modern British cooking, of using local Welsh produce in Welsh dishes, seems to have penetrated way beyond the obvious foodist venues. Some of this, the presence of cawl, faggots, Bara Brith and Welsh cakes on menus, is a matter of long-standing tradition, perhaps. But the near ubiquity of Perl Las cheese, Penlon and Tomos Watkin beers, the emphasis on Welsh beef and lamb on menus, seems like a newer phenomenon – as if food is part of what, for the past two decades, has been a wider (soft, cultural) resurgence in Welsh national pride.

Food, it seems, is just another way that the Welsh assert their national identity.”

From Word of Mouth food blog by Tony Naylor. www.theguardian.co.uk 왗

SEE FARMING AS IT HAPPENS! This year, the tour will take you to the centre of Dufferin.

See working farms - animals, agricultural production in action, participate in educational activities, talk to farmers and learn how food on your table is grown.

On location - food booths and local produce for sale

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1-800-332-9744

519-942-0984

GROW LOCAL • BUY LOCAL • EAT LOCAL autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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Not just because it’s good for you and the planet, but because it tastes great too | by jennifer

photos pete paterson

c l a rk

1 Dinosaur 2 Curly 3 Red Russian

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k ale, k ale, k ale!

Spicy Kale Chips A kale article wouldn’t be complete without this recipe, especially because kids absolutely love them. ingredients 1 bunch kale 2 tbsp olive oil Juice of ½ lemon ½ tsp turmeric (optional) ½ tsp cumin (optional) ½ tsp dried chili peppers (optional) Couple pinches of sea salt prepar ation Preheat oven to 275°F. Wash kale thoroughly and let dry. Remove leaves from stem. Tear each kale leaf into 6 or 8 pieces.

Place kale, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings into a bowl. Mix together with your hands, gently massaging the kale with the oil, lemon and seasonings, until evenly distributed.

Once considered a mere filler in CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) boxes, kale has moved well beyond its “Oh no, not more kale!” stigma. That’s because it is now recognized as one of the healthiest of all greens. Indeed, as an excellent source of vitamins K, A and C, and with impressively high levels of antioxidants and sulfurcontaining phytonutrients, kale packs a serious nutritional punch.

Along with other members of the Brassica family, which includes cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli, kale has been linked to cancer prevention. Including kale in your diet helps reduce cholesterol levels (especially when steamed), and aids in the body’s natural detoxification processes. To

top it off, kale is excellent for your eyesight.

Bottom line: eat more kale.

Despite its recent gain in popularity, kale has been cultivated in North America since the 17th century when it was brought over by English settlers. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the most widely consumed green vegetables in Europe, particularly in colder climate countries, due to its ability to withstand a hard frost.

There are three main varieties of kale: curly, dinosaur and red Russian. They vary somewhat in appearance as well as taste and texture, but all are equally nutritious.

Some people consider kale solely a cooking green as its leaves can be too tough to eat raw, especially when it is older. But believe

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Lay kale out on a cookie sheet. Place in oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes (turning the chips halfway through) until they are dry and crispy.* Let cool. Stores in fridge for up to a week. Makes about 5 cups. * Note: Cooking times may vary considerably according to the variety and freshness of kale you use, so check frequently as it bakes.

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k ale, k ale, k ale!

“Kale is my best friend.

I eat kale salad. I put kale in my smoothies, kale in my soup. Kale, kale, kale!” al anis morisset te

it or not, you can massage raw kale until it is tender enough to serve in a salad. Start by lighting a candle to set the mood. Then wash and pull the leaves from the ribs of a bunch of kale. Combine the leaves with a couple pinches of sea salt and a tablespoon of olive oil, and massage it into the leaves for a few minutes until the kale feels softer and has turned a brighter shade of green.

Or simply toss the torn leaves with salad dressing and let them sit for at least an hour.

The oil and vinegar will gradually tenderize the leaves. You can even leave dressed kale overnight in the refrigerator and it will soften nicely – unlike other dressed salad greens – without becoming mushy. Another reason to eat more kale.

And here’s one more. Kale is very popular with farmers and gardeners because it takes up so little room in the garden and can be harvested from the same plant all season long. Amy Ouchterlony, who operates Fiddle Foot Farm with her partner Graham Corbett, recommends waiting until a kale plant is well established – almost two feet tall with about eight to ten leaves, probably by late June – before harvesting. At that point, you can begin snapping off some of the bottom leaves. Be sure to leave the growing tips at the top, and your kale plant will continue producing right through until winter. It’s easy to eat more kale.

As Amy says, “This is one of those crops that really extends our local growing season.” In fact, this vegetable’s flavour

actually improves and sweetens during frosty temperatures as the plant stores energy for winter in the form of sugar.

Amy, who has walked through a foot of snow to harvest kale on many occasions, says even when the leaves are frozen, you can let them thaw and they are as good as

tip The best way to keep kale looking fresh, or to bring wilted leaves back to life, is to store it in the fridge with stems submerged in a jar of water.

Change the water daily.

fresh. In fact, if you want to preserve kale for later months, throw the whole plant into the freezer and snip off leaves as needed.

So the moral of the story really is: eat more kale. It’s extremely good for you and it maximizes our local growing season. In the words of Canada’s first lady of song, “Kale, kale, kale.” 왘 For more information, visit www.eatmorekale.com Fiddle Foot Farm will be selling kale at the Orangeville and Creemore farmers’ markets for the rest of the season. www.fiddlefootfarm.ca Born and raised in Caledon, Jennifer Clark is co-ordinator of Eat Local Caledon and operates a small catering business.

recipe on nex t page 18

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Kale, Potato and Goat Cheese Frittata Maria Durso, former owner of Flapjacks in Caledon, showed me this method for making frittata.

The kale is my addition. ingredients ¼ cup oil 1 medium onion, sliced 4 medium potatoes (preferably purple or blue potatoes), cubed 3 cups kale, stalks removed and chopped into bite-size pieces Couple pinches of salt Freshly ground pepper 1 ⁄ 3 cup goat cheese (chèvre or feta), crumbled 6–8 eggs prepar ation Place oil in a 10-inch ovenproof sauté pan and cook onion and potatoes in oil over medium heat until slightly browned and tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add kale and cook until just wilted.

Evenly distribute vegetables in the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and add the crumbled cheese.

Lightly beat eggs. Add eggs to pan and lower heat. Cook slowly, stirring frequently until eggs begin to set and the frittata is firm except on the top.

Place pan under a hot broiler until the frittata browns lightly.

Remove pan from the oven and let cool slightly.

Place a plate over the top of the pan and invert the frittata onto it.

Serves 4.

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Always made-from-scratch delicious: the Veggie Sandwich

Kale Caesar Salad

Open Breakfast and Lunch Monday to Saturday LLBO 177 Broadway, Orangeville

This healthy twist on a classic is my friend Rich Miller’s family recipe.

519-307-1258 piasonbroadway.com

ingredients 1 large bunch of kale ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard 2 tbsp lemon juice ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

5 cloves garlic, crushed 1 egg 5 anchovy fillets 5 strips of bacon (optional) 2 tbsp butter 2 cups bread cubes, dried Freshly ground black pepper

prepar ation Rinse kale thoroughly. Tear leaves into small pieces and spin dry. Refrigerate until crisp (about 1 hour).

Mix olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and 3 cloves of crushed garlic in a large bowl and whisk thoroughly.

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Bring small pot of water to a boil and put egg in for 1 minute. Remove egg and cool under cold running water. Crack egg into mixing bowl, and again whisk everything until well blended.

On a cutting board, dice anchovies and mash into a paste with a fork. Mix anchovy paste into bowl and whisk until well blended.

Fry bacon until not quite crisp. It should be soft, not brittle. Cut into ¼-inch pieces.

In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat, and stir in 2 cloves of crushed garlic.

Mix in bread cubes and stir constantly until bread is browned, being careful not to burn.

Add more butter as necessary. Let cool.

About an hour before serving, toss kale and dressing in a large salad bowl. Let sit in fridge for an hour to soften the kale leaves.

Just before serving, add browned bread cubes (croutons) and bacon and toss again lightly.

Serve on salad plates and top with freshly ground pepper. Serves 4. 왗

photos pete paterson

Nothing says loving like something from the oven, especially when it’s out of doors | by emily worts

Each week Matthew Flett pulls 90 loaves of sourdough, 30 slabs of focaccia, numerous loaves of batard and dozens of his infamous dirt bomb doughnuts from his outdoor wood-fired oven to sell at Creemore’s Saturday farmers’ market.

The Mulmur resident says he loves cooking outdoors. For him, baking is always a primal experience, but in the open air the experience is even more intense. 왘

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all fired up

“You’re not in a little cave, there’s no real technology. It’s just you and the fire,” says Matthew. “This is the way it used to be.”

Outdoor bake ovens, once a mainstay of pioneer life, are gaining popularity among rural home cooks and professional bakers alike, who have discovered that preparing food in an outdoor oven can be a fascinating and rewarding experience, as well as a challenging one.

Matthew built his first oven, called a cob oven for the adobe-like mortar used to make it, with materials sourced from his property – mainly river clay, straw and sand. But after two years of intensive use, he realized he needed an upgrade. He built his next oven from a Forno Bravo kit (fornobravo.com), which uses high grade insulation and fire-

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

proof bricks. He covered the entire surface with an acrylic coating called Jewel Stone, and had his partner A li add artistic embellishments such as a ceramic gecko scurrying away from the oven door. This oven is still working well, and Matthew is already dreaming of a sister oven to stand beside it.

“The popularity of outdoor ovens is really gaining momentum,” says Alex Chernov, owner of StoveMaster (stovemaster.com), an Orangeville company that specializes in building masonry heaters.

He says outdoor bake ovens now make up about half his business. He attributes the growing trend to the slow food movement, and to an age-old human fascination with fire. “People are looking into the preparation of food that takes more time and is more

thoughtful,” says Alex. “They are looking at more natural ways of cooking.”

Lavender residents Anna Hobbs and Byron Beeler built their outdoor cob oven themselves two years ago with the help of a few friends, neighbours and some unconventional building materials, like the dog food can inserted at the back of the oven to act as a vent. Despite such homespun elements the oven’s ornate iron door, sourced from Quebec City, elevates its simple design.

“If anything, it’s a conversation piece,” says Byron.

Now the couple enjoys nothing more than debating whose recipe for Nova Scotia brown bread tastes best when pulled from their outdoor oven. They each had different recipes for the traditional bread when they

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Baker Matthew Flett (left) built his wood-fired oven himself from a kit.

A few of the dozens of loaves Flett bakes each week.

married. And both have been rigorously tested in the Quebec-style outdoor oven.

Anna included them in a family cookbook she recently wrote for their five children and six grandchildren.

The outdoor oven, like their brown bread, has become a family tradition. Byron has always loved baking bread with his daughters, and now they get to share this experience outdoors perched at the top of Lavender Hill with endless rolling hills as their backdrop.

Alan Hibben, another Mulmur culinary enthusiast, was inspired to build an outdoor oven after taking a cooking course during a trip to Italy. “It’s been a learning experience,” he says.

“I’ve had more than my share of

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all fired up

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Byron Beeler and Anna Hobbs bake a traditional Nova Scotia brown bread.

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disasters. It’s a matter of trial and error,” he says of his outdoor brick oven, which he had custom built by StoveMaster outside the back door of his Mulmur Township weekend retreat. “I usually take a good-sized bottle of wine outside. You do need a fair amount of lubrication for the process.”

For Alan the challenge is cooking everything evenly. Unlike a barbeque or open fi re, an outdoor oven doesn’t cook with actual flame, it uses the retained heat from a long burning fire.

“I’m constantly moving things from back to front and from side to side. It’s a lot of real time input,” says Alan. “It’s a complicated system, but when the food comes out people say, ‘Oh, my god!’ ” Steaks are his favourite preparation, and

he claims they taste just the way they do in Tuscany, where high-temperature cooking means medium-rare steaks have a perfectly seared crust.

“The interesting thing with the steaks is the temperature is dramatically different just three inches off the hearth where the grill sits,” he says as he places his steaks on a grill and then into the oven. But once he finds that sweet spot the steaks are cooked in a matter of minutes.

Cooking in an outdoor oven is a very personal experience. Each oven is as different as the cook who prepares its fire.

As Matthew Flett says, “You have to build a relationship with your oven.”

Once an oven is demystified, seasoned cooks take advantage of the varying stages

www.soulyve.ca continued on nex t page 24

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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Clay Bake Oven Brown Bread

Live Music Every

This is Anna’s version of an old Nova Scotia recipe. ingredients

prepar ation

2 cups boiling water 1 cup rolled oats 4 tsp sugar 1 pkg yeast ½ cup molasses 1 tbsp shortening, melted 2 tsp salt 5 cups all-purpose flour

In large bowl, pour boiling water over rolled oats. Cover and let stand 1 hour.

Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in ½ cup lukewarm water. Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy. Stir yeast mixture, molasses, shortening, salt and remaining 3 tsp sugar into rolled oats. Stir well to combine.

Stir in flour. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Transfer to a large greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free location until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

FRIDAY, SATURDAY Build fire in bake oven, allowing about 2 hours for oven to heat and wood to burn down.

Punch down dough. Divide into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a loaf. Place each loaf into a well-greased loaf pan. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise until double in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake for about 40 minutes.

Remove from pan to cooling rack immediately. Brush top with butter. Wait – if you can – until it has cooled to eat.

Makes 2 loaves.

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(If using a conventional oven, bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes.)

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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all fired up

Pizza Margherita This classic pizza tastes even better when it’s pulled crisp and sizzling from a wood-fired oven.

of heat by cooking different things at different times, all from one firing. Pizzas are cooked on the hearth in a 650°F oven.

High heat is great for searing meats, large roasts or browning vegetables. Breads, smaller roasts and casseroles come next as the oven temperature gradually drops.

Sweet desserts, cookies and granola work well with lower heats. The dying heat of the oven can also be used for baked beans left in overnight or for dehydrating the season’s bounty of fruits, herbs and vegetables.

During market months Matthew lights his fire on Thursday nights. After five hours of burning he jams the door closed, leaving the coals to rest overnight. Two or three hours before he is ready to bake, he shovels out the coals. His oven is ready when the temperature drops to 500ºF. This is the ultimate in slow food, when it takes all night for the oven to reach the perfect heat. “It’s way out of whack

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

but it’s all a part of it,” he says. “To make a 90-second pizza takes five hours.”

As for the cost of building an outdoor oven, that depends on the type you choose and how much of the work you do yourself.

“We are down to about $140 for a loaf of bread,” jokes Anna Hobbs.

It might seem difficult to justify all that sweat and expense for an oven that only gets fired up a handful of times a year, but the rewards are priceless, worth more than a loaf of bread or perfectly seared steak. Cooking outdoors is an experience that connects us to our food, and to one another. 왗 Emily Worts is a freelance writer and caterer based in Creemore. For more information, aficionados recommend a tiny gem of a book, Build Your Own Earth Oven

by Kiko Denzer with Hannah Field (Hand Print Press, 2007).

ingredients dough 1 package active dry yeast 1¾ cups unbleached (approximately) all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting ¾ cup warm water, divided 1 tsp salt ½ tbsp olive oil topping 1 (14- to 15-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice 2 large garlic cloves, smashed 2 tbsp olive oil 4 basil leaves plus more for sprinkling ¼ tsp sugar Pinch of salt 6 oz (175 g) fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

Alan Hibben bakes his pizza at a searing 650ºF.

Pulse tomatoes with juice in a blender briefly to make a chunky purée. Cook garlic in oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until fragrant and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée, basil and sugar and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until thickened and reduced to about ¾ cup, about 40 minutes.

Season with salt and cool.

prepar ation Stir together yeast, 1 tbsp flour, and ¼ cup warm water in a large bowl and let stand until surface appears creamy, about 5 minutes.

Build fire in bake oven, allowing about 2 hours for oven to heat and wood to burn down.

Temperature should be about 600ºF. (If using a conventional oven, place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 500ºF.)

Add 1¼ cups flour, remaining ½ cup water, salt, and oil and stir until smooth.

Stir in enough flour (about ¼ cup) for dough to begin to pull away from side of bowl. (Dough will be slightly wet.)

Do not punch down dough. Dust with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined pizza peel or large baking sheet. Pat dough out with your fingers and stretch into a 12- to 14-inch circle.

Knead on a floured surface, lightly reflouring when dough becomes too sticky, until smooth, soft, and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball, put in a bowl, and dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, about 1¼ hours.

Spread sauce over dough leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange cheese on top. Bake until dough is crisp and browned and cheese is golden, about 8 minutes in outdoor oven, 15 minutes in a conventional oven. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve. 왗

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illustr ation ruth ann pe arce of colover ation.com

FOOD HUB

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

A Palgrave kitchen and a Hillsburgh

producers

farm are both evolving into thriving livestock

centres where local food and local folks can get together vegetables

by wayne roberts and lori stahlbr and dairy

Food F d the Case for f ubs H Food hubs – central locations where goods and produce can be aggregated, processed and shared with consumers and institutions – are key to the success of the local food movement.

Each week during the school year, students and staff at the Palgrave Public School dig into a lunch of fresh, healthy food. On a recent Thursday this past June, the $5 “healthy crunch” salad bar featured an array of lettuce, carrots, zucchini, orange slices, sweet potato quesadillas and strawberry cupcakes. If the season is right, much of the food is grown down the road at Palgrave’s two-year-old community garden (known as The Farm) and on the grounds of the nearby United Church. And because, like most elementary schools in Ontario, Palgrave’s has no kitchen facilities, the food is prepared by volunteers at the Palgrave Community Kitchen, a certified facility located in the church’s basement.

To local food enthusiast Barb Imrie who, with the help of a United Way grant, helped make Palgrave’s dream kitchen a reality in 2009, the school salad bar program is just one of many benefits she hopes to bring to her area through the creation of a thriving community food hub. “What we have,” she says, “is a community kitchen that grew into a community garden, a community farm and now a community hub.”

Meanwhile, over in the Town of Erin near Hillsburgh, the Everdale Environmental Learning Centre has, since the 1990s, been evolving into a community food hub of a different stripe. The working farm is also a registered charity owned and run by a board of directors. Its stated aim is not

fruits

consumers

hospitals

homes

schools

businesses

food hub

cl assrooms

gardens

stor age

kitchens

continued on nex t page

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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food hubs

just to grow food, but to educate the public and new farmers, and to build bridges between rural and urban interests. To that end Everdale runs training programs for young organic farmers, hosts children from kindergarten through high school, and runs workshops designed to get the general public excited about organic farming.

Funding comes mainly from grants and donations, though some revenue is raised through Everdale’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program

Facilitating a wide-ranging combination of life and employment skills, personal support, healthy eating, and togetherness is what turns a commercial kitchen into a hub. which distributes fresh produce to about 200 people in the area and as far away as Toronto. Like Palgrave’s Imrie, Everdale board chair Wally Seccombe sees community as the driving force behind the hub. He talks about a “virtuous circle” in which courses on home preserving and cooking lead people to buy more vegetables so they can prepare and share with family and friends. “A hub only works if it’s local and multipurpose,” says Seccombe.

The food hub concept, which is gaining traction throughout North America, holds the solution to a problem that continues to bedevil the local food movement, and that is lack of infrastructure. How can local growers, farmers and artisans aggregate, process, market and share their goods?

How can they get what they grow and produce from their fields and home kitchens to the consumer’s dining table and local institutions? Food hubs are the missing link in the local food chain.

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

But food hubs come in many shapes and sizes, and usually evolve in response to the size and needs of the community. On the one hand – in sharp contrast in terms of scale to the Palgrave and Everdale efforts – there’s Toronto’s FoodShare. The 28-yearold nonprofit organization offers programs in nutrition, school lunches, workshops, markets, food boxes and much more, reaching 155,000 children and adults in the city every month under the rubric of “good healthy food for all.” How food hubs will evolve in smaller rural communities like those in Caledon, Erin and Dufferin is difficult to predict. An exact definition of a food hub is hard to articulate, says Eat Local Caledon’s Karen Hutchinson. “We’re in the first generation and nobody knows where it’s going.”

Still, in the Headwaters region, facilities like the Palgrave kitchen and Everdale are gradually evolving into places where local food and local folks can come together.

Community hubs like these, as well as the existence of a growing network of weekly farmers’ markets throughout the region and retail outlets such as Creemore’s 100 Mile Store, demonstrate that interest in some kind of central facility is growing. “Right now, in Caledon,” says Hutchinson, “we don’t have a location for a hub,” which she feels should ideally be located on or near a major highway so it is easily accessible to farmers and consumers alike.

For Imrie, one of the most important functions of a food hub is reaching out to the community and educating people about the benefits of local food. In addition to the healthy crunch salad bar program, Palgrave’s certified kitchen acts as an incubator for local food businesses, providing caterers and local food entrepreneurs a place to nurture and perfect their businesses in the kind of state-of-the-art facility required by law.

Orangeville’s Kierstyn Eric spent two years using the community kitchen

Barb Imrie, who helped start the Palgrave Community Kitchen in 2009, hopes it will go on to become part of a thriving community food hub.

An exact definition of a food hub is hard to articulate, says Eat Local Caledon’s Karen Hutchinson. “We’re in the first generation and nobody knows where it’s going.”

to perfect her shortbread cookies and build a customer base. Today she is the proud proprietor of Wicked Shortbread, a retail outlet on Broadway in Orangeville. (wickedshortbread.com).

Every October the Palgrave kitchen holds a traditional fowl supper serving area residents turkey with all the trimmings.

Then there’s the annual Senior’s Harvest Lunch at the Bolton library, which the kitchen caters. Once additional funding comes through, the community kitchen plans a series of cooking workshops called Food For Thought. And for one week in

July, the kitchen and The Farm hold the Dirt to Delicious kids’ cooking camp. All these events are doing their part to help raise awareness about eating locally and sustainably. But Imrie admits that as a food hub Palgrave is just getting started.

“What’s missing,” she says, “are the farmers.” Even though The Farm runs a small CSA with about 53 subscribers, and in past years they have taken produce grown in the community garden to the Caledon farmers’ market in Bolton, “We still need to have a place where local growers can sell their food,” says Imrie.

continued on nex t page autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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food hubs

Professor Alison Blay-Palmer, director of the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems in Kitchener-Waterloo, describes food hubs as “networks and intersections of grassroots, community-based organizations and individuals that work together to build increasingly socially just, economically robust, and ecologically sound food systems that connect farmers with consumers as directly as possible.”

Blay-Palmer sums up nicely what Barb Imrie calls “the field to fork connection.”

Hutchinson, co-founder with Imrie of Palgrave’s Community Farm, compares

by leaps and bounds. Under the tagline “Growing the business of local food,” the province’s Greenbelt Fund seeks to address the distribution problem by funding initiatives aimed at getting more local food into long-term care facilities, universities and colleges, schools and hospitals.

But critics say the organization ignores the part hubs play in the social health of communities, seeking only to link regional aggregators with existing large distributors.

Still, one of the Greenbelt’s initiatives is an online marketplace (a cyber food hub if you will) at Ontariofresh.ca where producers

So while providing infrastructure to local farmers and businesspeople is a vital part of what hubs do, an equally important role is to engage people. hubs to public libraries because “they welcome people who take out a book on cooking one week, then one on gardening the next and on business startups the week after that.”

As Blay-Palmer sees it, hubs are not just part of the food industry supply chain, they are part of what she calls a “values network.”

So while providing infrastructure to local farmers and businesspeople is a vital part of what hubs do, an equally important role is to engage people who feel isolated or lack skills in nutrition and cooking. Facilitating a wide-ranging combination of life and employment skills, personal support, healthy eating, and togetherness is what turns a commercial kitchen into a hub.

The Ontario government has jumped on the local food bandwagon with the recent introduction of the Local Food Act, a somewhat symbolic effort to raise awareness about the issue by, among other things, declaring the first week in October Ontario Local Food Week.

Despite all the hoopla local food still represents only about 5 per cent of all food sales, even though demand has grown

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

and consumers can connect. It features such postings as a food truck operator in Waterloo looking for a supplier of local potatoes and a cherry producer in Norfolk County with bulk sweet cherries for sale.

Neighbouring Simcoe County has undertaken a study into the viability of creating a food distribution hub there, one that would aggregate and distribute regional produce throughout the county and beyond. The study won’t be completed

Food hubs are the missing link in the local food chain. until September, but Hutchinson speculates that Simcoe County, a diverse agricultural region, home to, for instance, the Holland Marsh, would like to establish itself as the Ontario Food Terminal north.

George Schrijver, a consultant on the project, says he is not at liberty to release

details, but he admits the OTF is one model for the proposed Simcoe hub, which he describes as a “commercial enterprise, not socioeconomic.” He also says, “It’s not going to be virtual. There’s going to be a place.”

Where that “place” will be has not been decided, but preferably near a major highway.

The three main objectives of a food hub in Simcoe County, according to Schrijver, are “one, to provide prosperity for local producers; two, to provide an opportunity for the consumer to access local food; and three, to expand opportunities for middlemen to buy and sell local products.”

In his mind, social benefits will accrue as a spinoff from the economic benefits, but they will not be built into the plan.

Could such a hub ever be in the cards for Headwaters? Or is the area better suited to a network of small community hubs like Palgrave and Everdale? For her part, Imrie looks forward to a time when Palgrave will be a destination, a place where farmers and foodies “have some place to come together, where producers can bring their food to store it or process it, to sell it or share it.”

And the community is catching on. The healthy crunch salad bar has proved so popular, that with the Palgrave kitchen’s help, two other area schools plan similar programs this fall. Everdale is also expanding its efforts all the time, and thanks to the work of groups like Hutchinson’s Eat Local Caledon, the area’s farmers’ markets continue to thrive.

Different hubs for different communities, but all committed to the same goal.

“There’s no one model, nor should there be,” Hutchinson says. As with the Palgrave community garden she helped establish, food hubs like fresh veggies are best when they’re organic. 왗 Formerly manager of the Toronto Food Policy Council, Wayne writes food books and speaks about food policy. Lori Stahlbrand, a former CBC Radio host and founder of Local Food Plus, is working on a PhD on sustainable food systems. They collaborate on many projects including a marriage.

Samuel Grime enjoys his ďŹ rst taste of solid food.

photos pete paterson

y Get your little one off to the best possible start with fresh, organic meals prepared at home | by julie suz anne pollock ě™˜

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

33

baby love

Sweet Potato and Lentil Purée ingredients 3 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced ½ cup lentils (red, green or yellow), washed and drained Water Plain, high-fat yogurt or milk (optional) prepar ation Steam or bake the sweet potato. Boil lentils in a shallow pan of water until tender. Let cool. Purée the potatoes and lentils, adding water to achieve the right texture, very thin for babies under 8 months. (Older babies might like cooked rice mixed into this.)

Spoon purée into ice cube trays, cover and freeze immediately. Place frozen purée in labelled freezer bags and return to the freezer.

To serve, heat quickly and let cool to room temperature. Stir in yogurt or milk, if desired.

We spent the first year of our son’s life in a Costa Rican village. Each week two young farmers trucked fruits and vegetables down from the mountains to sell along the coast. We’d stand in the road outside our house choosing from the colourful bounty – sweet potatoes, avocados, watermelons, bananas, cantaloupes, carrots, cabbages and Costa Rica’s sweet, small apples.

Those farm-fresh truckloads were the basis for our son’s first small meals when, around six months old, he seemed ready to tackle the whole messy business. Even the first thin purées were amazing to him.

Banana mash was a favourite. He licked applesauce from his little ceramic spoon.

We fed him iron-fortified cereals – finemilled rice, barley or oats – thinned with boiled water. And when he showed no signs of allergies, we carried on with proteins (beans, yogurt, chicken, tofu, fish) and fats

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

(olive oil, butter). Making baby food at home seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

But to many parents “baby food” is something that comes out of a bottle or jar.

The idea of making it themselves seems complicated and inconvenient. These days, thanks to some well designed gadgets, it’s a lot easier than you’d think. And, if you’re using fresh organic ingredients, the payoff is knowing your baby’s food is as pure and wholesome as can be.

Melanie Grime, a nutritionist at Harmony Whole Foods in Orangeville who has studied holistic nutrition, even made formula for her two sons, Benjamin, 5, and Samuel, 6 months, mixing organic goat, cow or soy milk with vitamin supplements.

“Anything you buy that is packaged is loaded with sodium, sugar, or chemical preservatives to keep it sitting on the shelf,” she says.

Melanie suggests starting around six months with organic vegetables and fruits.

Apple and Quinoa Mash-up ingredients

3 sweet apples, peeled, cored and diced 3 tbsp quinoa Water

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prepar ation

Book your table tonight.

Steam or boil the apples until tender. Let cool and mash by hand. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Combine apples and quinoa, thinning with water to desired consistency.

millcroft.com | 1-800-383-3976 | Caledon, ON

Spoon mixture into ice cube trays (one ounce each) and freeze immediately.

To serve, heat quickly and let cool to room temperature.

Makes several small meals.

“They have all the nutrients babies need.�

Begin with watery, textureless purĂŠes, and introduce one new ingredient at a time so you can identify the source if there are any signs of allergies or digestive disorders.

Somewhere around eight months babies are ready for small amounts of protein (egg, meats, fish, poultry, tofu, legumes). A few weeks later, they can try dairy products like yogurt or fresh cheese and then fats such as olive oil or butter. Until the child shows dexterity in eating, it is best to purĂŠe, mash

Photo Credit: Carolyn Doukas

two great reasons to dine with us

82 main street, erin phone 519.833.1121 www.bistroriviere.com

792 forks of the credit road, belfountain phone 519.927.9219 www.belfountaininn.com

continued on nex t page autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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baby love

Don’t know what to make for dinner?

Find recipes galore from the pages of Food In The Hills and from blogs by local foodies.

The Simple Egg Th ingredients 1 fresh egg Dollop of yogurt or mayonnaise Finely-ground pepper (optional)

Here’s a taste of the online menu, including two recipes for all that zucchini you just can’t give away.

prepar ation

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Steam or hard boil the St egg Mash by hand to fine egg. consistency. Add a dollop of consist yogurt or mayonnaise and mix well. If your baby ba likes new tastes, try adding a bit of pepper. Serve with toast fingers and fruit. whole-grain toa Makes one meal for an older baby.

A moist bread that combines zucchini and maple syrup.

Could it be more Canadian! From Cooking with Pia

Curried Le Puy Lentil Salad with Carrots and Currants A sweet, crunchy, nutritious salad from Daphne Randall’s Edible Tulip blog.

Sour Dough Bread Cathy Bray of Hungry Hollow in Erin presents a step-by-step sour dough breadmaking video.

Baked Zucchini A quick and easy dish to prepare ahead of time, and great for a crowd.

From Windy Field Farms

foodinthehills.ca 36

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

or strain most foods, but older babies love to handle soft finger foods such as toast, cheese, fruit or teething crackers. For some babies rich or spicy flavours – garlic, pepper, mild curries – are exciting, but many prefer bland fare. Little by little, babies’ meals become more complex until they are sharing at least part of the family meal.

When Heather Boston of Orangeville became a new mother, she knew homemade food would be healthier for her daughter Sydney, but she couldn’t face the extra work. “I was unsure of what I was doing and took the easy route on baby food,” she says, looking back. But she soon began to feel peer pressure from other mothers. When her son Calum was born, she decided things would be different.

She bought a small food processor and each week steamed or baked batches of vegetables and fruits, puréed them, froze the purées in ice cube trays, later turning them out into labelled freezer bags. “You take frozen cubes of two or three different foods, heat them up together and stir,” she says.

A favourite with Calum was a combination

of sweet potato or squash with green or red lentils.

And while we introduced cereals early with our son because they are nutritious and easily digested, not everyone agrees with this approach. Melanie says, “Babies don’t produce the enzymes needed to break down grains.” This can sometimes lead to allergies and intolerances later in life. She recommends whole, gluten-free options such as quinoa instead of commercial cereals that often contain added sugar.

She stresses organic homemade food is best for baby, but her advice is to put the guilt away if money or time is an issue.

“Make the best choices you can to get the proper nutrients,” she says. “You can’t be perfect. Go for the 80/20 rule.” That’s 80 per cent organic, whole ingredients with some forgiveness for the other 20 per cent.

And as Heather says, “Keep it simple.

I learned you don’t make fancy recipes for babies.” 왗 Julie Suzanne Pollock is a Mulmur-based writer and editor.

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Many local homeowners are discovering happiness can be as simple as a patch of soil and veggies they grow themselves | by cecily ross

B

Before Owen and Amanda Vulpe moved to Erin two years ago, they grew fresh herbs and pots of cherry tomatoes on the fire escape of their downtown Toronto apartment. They realized wherever they could find a patch of earth they could grow good things to eat. Today, the owners of What’s Cookin’ Kitchen and Catering have the luxury of a half acre of land behind their village home, and they are making the most of it. 왘

pete paterson

continued on page 41

Amanda and Owen Vulpe have dubbed their backyard vegetable garden ‘the great experiment.’ autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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trina berlo

Sara Hershoff harvests peas. “You grow food,” she says. “It’s never occurred to me not to.”

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

back in your own back yard

In five raised beds Owen and Amanda are conducting what they have dubbed “the great experiment.” Now in its second year, Owen says their biggest successes have been with green beans, carrots, cherry tomatoes and three varieties of potatoes. The 31-yearold chef is passionate about the process. “Of course, I have always known where potatoes come from,” he says. “But until you reach into the ground and pull one out of the earth, you don’t really get it.”

Owen is just one of a growing number of people, young and old, who have discovered that the ultimate local food is what you grow in your own backyard. In its 2013 “Winter Garden Trends Report,” the U.S.-based Garden Writers Association anticipates an 11.3 per cent increase this year in the number of people growing their own food.

Spurred in part by the burgeoning slow food movement, U.S. first lady Michelle Obama’s White House kitchen garden, and economic necessity brought on by the financial crisis of 2009, the growing interest in neighbourhood vegetable plots in the Headwaters region and elsewhere is reminiscent of an era when Victory Gardens planted in backyards and empty lots contributed to wartime food shortages.

That campaign resulted in over 5 million gardens and foodstuff production exceeding $1.2 billion by the end of the Second Word War. But it wasn’t just the economic benefits of gardening that mattered. Getting citizens out of their houses and into their gardens was considered a way of boosting civil morale during troubled times.

Today, as we enter a new millennium and a world of breathtaking technological change, the simple and timeless practice of planting, growing, harvesting, and eating food we have grown ourselves is surely as beneficial to the soul as it is to the body and the pocketbook.

Creemore resident Sara Hershoff has been growing vegetables in her small backyard for more than two decades, in part to feed her husband and three sons, now aged 17 to 22, but also because as the child of back-to-the-land parents, gardening is in her blood. “You grow food,” says Sara.

Why grow your own?

For the satisfaction What could be more gratifying than knowing you have the ability to feed yourself? What greater pleasure than harvesting food you have grown yourself?

A Peel Health certified kitchen operated by the Palgrave United Church Rent the kitchen for canning, preserving, baking or hosting events

For the environment The more you grow your own food, the smaller your ecological footprint will be. By reducing the amount of food that has to be shipped sometimes thousands of miles to supermarkets, you’ll contribute to lower amounts of smog.

For the taste The shorter the distance between the garden and the kitchen, the fresher your vegetables will be.

You will be amazed at the difference.

For your health Gardening is great exercise and a proven stress reliever. As well, the veggies you grow yourself deliver more nutritional value than produce that has been sitting on store shelves.

For your pocketbook A head of lettuce can cost as much as $3. Three dollars’ worth of seed will keep you in salad for an entire summer. And if you freeze or can some of your veggies, you’ll save money all winter too.

TURKEY DINNER Saturday, October 5, 4:30pm Featuring local food and farms Tickets at the door starting at 4pm Eat in or take out $15 Senior, $20 Adult, $10 Child, $17 Take Out

PALGRAVE PIE BEE Friday, October 4, 9am to 12pm Learn to make delicious pies

A FRESH APPROACH TO LUNCH Volunteers Appreciated Healthy Lunch Program at Palgrave Public School Volunteers needed Wednesdays and Thursdays, starting September 2013 Food handling training provided

Cooking Creating Community Caring for Creation Palgrave Community Kitchen Palgrave United Church 34 Pine Ave, Palgrave 905-880-0303 info@palgravekitchen.org palgravekitchen.org

continued on nex t page autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

41

pete paterson

back in your own back yard

Garden Veggie Boil-up Owen’s simple summer meal in a bowl is the ultimate comfort food. The quantities of ingredients are approximate and can be changed according to taste. ingredients 1 tbsp salt 2 lbs mini red or white potatoes 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into chunks ½ lb green beans, trimmed and halved 4–6 tbsp butter Salt and pepper to taste prepar ation Fill a medium pot with cold water. Add a tablespoon of salt and the potatoes.

Bring to a boil.

Once potatoes are about half cooked, add carrots. When carrots are almost cooked through, add the beans and continue to cook until beans are tender and potatoes can be broken up with a fork.

Drain and stir in butter with a wooden spoon, using the spoon to coarsely mash the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. Serves 4.

“It’s never really occurred to me not to.”

And she does it these days more out of habit than necessity, but also for the pleasure of watching things grow. Indeed, her backyard is a cacophony of vegetables and flowers.

Swiss chard fl irts with daisies, dill and basil snuggle up to goutweed. Leaf lettuce pokes up between the flagstones. Cilantro runs rampant, while runner beans climb a webbed trellis.

“I’m not very systematic,” Sara says of the jumble of raised beds and trellises in the small lot behind her village home. “Sometimes I grow vegetables just because they look nice.”

Her response to poor performers is to banish them. “I like resilience. I like volunteers, the things that grow in the cracks.”

But the haphazard jumble of plants and flowers in her garden belies a method that is not as mad as it looks. Making the best use of her limited space is one issue that determines what goes where. “Think roots and leaves.

Think high and low. Think of when they’re ready,” she says, summing up her planting strategy. “I plant carrots next to lettuce to maximize space, because one grows up and the other grows down.” Cucumber vines climb up a homemade tripod because sending them up takes up less room.

Asthetics are also a consideration.

“I plant purple leaves next to green, and feathery plants next to broad-leafed ones because I like the contrast in colour and texture.” Basil, peppers and tomatoes share space in what Sara calls her “pizza garden.

It’s weird, but they just go together,” she says. “They like the same conditions.”

Years of experience mean growing vegetables is second nature to Sara, while Owen is still learning by trial and error.

His goal is to perfect what he calls “the culinary sisters” – carrots, celery and onions.

These three simple vegetables, he says, are at the heart of French cooking. “I have to have those.”

Both admit gardening is hard work, but agree the rewards far outweigh the effort involved. “Big food,” says Owen, “has fooled us into believing that growing food is difficult. But it’s not. All you need is soil, water and seeds. It’s unbelievably simple.” 왘

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Good Things Continue to Grow at Ontario Natural!

Now you can get Ontario grown goodness all year long. Flash frozen within hours of picking, Ontario Natural’s line of seasonal organic fruit and vegetables are ďŹ eld fresh and harvested at the height of the growing season.

2 New Products Now Available!

pete paterson

RadishRadicchio Salad with Caper Vinaigrette This is Sara’s adaptation, using good things from her backyard garden, of a Yotam Ottolenghi salad recipe in his best-selling cookbook, Plenty (Chronicle Books, 2011). ingredients sal ad 1 small head Boston lettuce, torn, washed and spun dry ½ head escarole, torn, washed and spun dry ½ head radicchio, core removed and thinly sliced 3 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle 1 bunch radishes, cleaned and cut into half-moon slices 2 cups semi-dried tomatoes (see recipe) 2–3 tbsp capers

Miller’s Dairy is a 700 acre da y and dairy a d crop c op ope operation at o just outside the village of Creemore, Ontario. The farm is home to Jalon Jerseys, a 100% purebred herd, consisting of 120 milking cows and an equal number of young stock for replacements.

2%, 1% and Skim Milk Whole Milk and Chocolate Milk 10%, 35% Cream coming soon

705-466-2525 7280 Simcoe County Rd #9 Creemore

www.millersdairy.com 44

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

dressing 1 garlic clove, crushed 1½ tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice ½ tsp caper brine 1½ tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp grapeseed oil Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Semi-dried Tomatoes ingredients 5 plum tomatoes 8 sprigs of thyme 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt to taste prepar ation

Tear lettuce and escarole leaves into large pieces and place in a large bowl or platter. Add radicchio, green onions, radishes and tomatoes. Measure out capers into a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 275ºF. Quarter tomatoes lengthwise. Place skin side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place thyme sprigs on top.

Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt.

Stir together garlic, lemon juice and caper brine, then gradually whisk in olive and grapeseed oils until dressing is well emulsified.

Just before serving, pour dressing over and toss gently.

Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle capers on top. Serves 4.

Roast for 1½ hours or until semi-dried. Discard thyme and cool tomatoes before using. 왗

prepar ation

Food and agriculture are the roots of life‌ Build relationships with farmers you can trust.

Broadway Farm’s Market promotes healthy eating by buying our meats directly from local producers.

Experience the taste of eating fresh from the farm.

FRESH FREE RANGE TURKEYS will be available for Thanksgiving. Please pre-order to avoid disappointment.

A family owned Farm Market experience.

12506 Heart Lake Road, Caledon, Ontario (905) 843-9225 www.broadwayfarms.com

eatatforage.com | 519 .942.3388 162 First St in Orangeville

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cooking with Matthew by matthew jamieson

C

amb urry L I’ve always loved lamb. It was the first dish I ordered at a restaurant while spending a month in Istanbul when I was 16. I had lamb kabobs and will never forget it. Lamb curry warms me twice, once as I’m cooking it and then again when I eat it. I like to use many traditional French techniques to make this classic Indian dish.

Before I start I prepare the mise en place. The phrase, which means “putting in place,” refers to the setup, preparing all the ingredients – preheating the oven,

46

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

cubing the meat, chopping the vegetables, measuring out the liquids and dry spices.

This process helps me get into the mood by imagining the final outcome. Then I can proceed with gusto. It also means I do not have to stop and assemble items during the cooking process.

Another classic French technique is the mirepoix. Sautéeing chopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in oil over low heat until they are soft and aromatic will add body to any soup or stew. With the curry, I like to

Everything in its place, Chef Matthew Jamieson gets ready to prepare his favourite curry.

reserve a few chunks of vegetables to add later for texture and colour.

I use a lean leg of lamb and preheat the pans before adding the oil to reduce the oil’s tendency to smoke. I then add the cubed lamb to the hot oil, making sure it browns well on all sides. I try not to have any of the spices overwhelm the others, which means it’s important to taste and adjust the seasoning as you go. And I like the sauce to be a little thinner than for a beef stew.

The trick is to cook the lamb so it holds

Wine you can trust at a price you’ll love.

photos pete paterson

Did you know? You can make wine of

its shape without falling apart. I think this dish is great to eat any time of the year. Every time you make lamb curry, the more fun it becomes. 왘 Matthew Jamieson is chef/owner of Forage Restaurant in Orangeville.

award-winning quality at a fraction of the cost of premium store bought wines.

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519-940-4111 41 Broadway

recipes on nex t page

www.winexpertorangeville.com

A cheerfully cosy café in the heart of Alliston serving light, delicious fare, made from scratch with fresh, local ingredients.

29 Victoria St West, Alliston 705-434-9900

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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cooking with mat thew

Lamb Curry ingredients 2 lb boneless leg of lamb ¼ cup vegetable oil 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 2 medium onions, roughly chopped 2 tbsp garlic, chopped 1 tsp mustard seed ½ tsp chili flakes (or to taste) ½ cup white wine ½ cup flour 3 cups hot chicken stock 2 tbsp ginger, chopped ½ tsp ground cloves 1 tsp each ground cinnamon and coriander 1 tbsp cumin 1 tsp turmeric ½ tsp allspice 1 tbsp curry powder prepar ation

왘

3

1

Preheat oven to 325°F. Trim fat from meat and cut into ¾-inch cubes.

4

Heat a heavy braising pan on medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add mustard seed and chili flakes. When seeds start to pop, add ½ cup white wine to stop the cooking. Set aside.

48

Serve with basmati rice, warm naan bread, mango chutney, cucumberr raita (recipe at right), or prepared lime pickle. Garnish with chopped candied ginger and chopped opped cilantro.

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Add remaining oil to braising pan and brown lamb well on all sides over mediumhigh heat.

2

Sauté carrot, celery, onion and garlic in vegetable oil without browning.

5

Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Cucumber Raita ingredients 1 la large unpeeled English cucumber, ccoarsely grated 2 cu cups plain whole milk yogurt ¼ ccup (packed) chopped fresh mint or cilantro o 1 ts tsp ground cumin ¼ ttsp plus pinch of cayenne pepper Pinch of salt Pin pprepar ation Wrap grated cucumber in paper W tow and squeeze dry. Whisk yogurt, towel mint or cilantro, cumin, cayenne and min salt in medium bowl to blend. Add cucumbers and toss to coat. Season cuc to taste t with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Sprinkle with cayenne and serve.

Spr

6

Add chicken stock and stir until thickened.

We serve and sell premium, top-quality, great-tasting beef. Always tender and juicy. Always hormone and antibiotic-free.

Try our new line of delicious glutenfree pork and poultry products.

Call or e-mail to order.

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

Find us at your local farmers’ market.

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

7

Place lamb, sautéed vegetables, chopped ginger and all other spices in the heavy braising pan with the mustard seeds. Mix well. Cover pan and place in preheated oven for 1½ hours or until meat is tender but not falling apart. 왗

Bryan Davies Photography

150 Mill Street in Creemore www.chezmichel.ca 705.466.3331 Wednesday to Sunday lunch and dinner Private catering for small groups

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Minimalism and material comfort come together in a transcendent country kitchen | by cecily ross

N

Norman Wolfson and his artist wife

Artist Sandi Wong perches on a Shinto temple-inspired stool in her contemporary country kitchen.

photos mk lynde

Sandi Wong like to describe their nine-year-old weekend getaway perched high on a ridge on the western edge of Mulmur as “an Asian cowboy house.”

When they told local architect Jamie Pearson that was what they wanted, he admitted the request was a first for him, says Sandi. “But he pulled it off.”

And indeed, the 3,000-square-foot is home is both rustic and zen, a tip of the hat to its rural setting and to Sandi’s Eastern roots. The open concept design contains the kitchen, dining and living areas in one seamless, airy space that is emphatically modernist yet warm and inviting too. This yin and yang is echoed in the way the sleek countertops, in understated honed slate, contrast with the reclaimed hemlock floors taken from a local barn, their provenance still visible in the square nail holes and worm tracings.

A trio of Shinto temple-inspired stools sidles up to a gleaming stainless steel island. Cherry kitchen cabinets, nearly devoid of detail, provide a serene backdrop that almost seems to disappear. This absence of adornment is deliberate. “Because the house is open concept, we wanted the kitchen to be as uncluttered as possible,” says Sandi.

The expansive sliding doors leading onto the deck are reminiscent of Japanese shoji screens. The wide overhanging eaves covering a wooden walkway flanking the courtyard garden give the impression of a Buddhist monastery. But views over the rolling forests and fields of the Headwaters countryside are emphatically native.

Back inside, the simple construction of the dining room table, fashioned from an immense ash beam by local woodworker Steve Vipond, and stained almost black, is offset by the pleasing curves of black Gunther Lambert wooden chairs. The overhead light is a classic 1940s George Nelson bubble lamp.

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e ast meets west

Both Norm and Sandi are enthusiastic home cooks and entertain frequently on weekends. “This is a great entertaining house,” says Norm. “We progress through the house. Everyone congregates in the kitchen at first. Then onto the deck for cocktails. We move to the dining area to eat and end up in the living room in front of the fireplace for dessert.”

On this particular Sunday afternoon, Norm is preparing one of his signature

dishes, a mushroom-roasted-red-pepper risotto. “I love making risotto,” he says, “because it’s so meditative. I find all that stirring very calming.”

Meanwhile, Sandi pulls a tray of roasted pears from the wall oven to the right of the kitchen island. “Look,” she says clearly delighted. “They’re perfect.” And they are, caramelized around the edges and redolent of the ginger marmalade she has been basting them with at regular intervals.

This is the first time she has prepared this dessert, a concept she invented that involves, in addition to the roasted pears, homemade ginger cookies and ginger ice cream. “I’m calling it Ginger Heaven,” she says.

As their guest sits down to enjoy this unexpected feast on a summer afternoon, a cool and soothing breeze wafts through the wide open doors from west to east and back again. 왘

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Family Owned and Operated Since 1966

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

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 Top left: Weekend chef Norman Wolfson.

Bottom left: A porthole view of the outdoor dining area.

Above: The open-concept kitchen and dining room make entertaining a breeze.

by award-winning chefs

Come see us at the farmers’ markets

. . . . . .

Wednesday Inglewood 3:30 to 7:00 June to Oct Friday Sherway Gardens 8:00 to 2:00 May to Oct Saturday Orangeville 8:00 to 1:00 May to Oct Also available at the farm by appointment.

No Sunday calls, please.

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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e ast meets west

Sandi’s Ginger Heaven This trio of roasted pears, homemade ginger cookies and ginger ice cream is true nirvana. ingredients

Norman’s Mushroom-Roasted-Red-Pepper Risotto

54

ingredients

prepar ation

4 tbsp olive oil 1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup good white wine (at room temperature) 1 large onion, chopped 1½ cups arborio rice 3 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade), warmed ½ cup roasted red peppers (store-bought is fine), skins removed, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup butter 1 ⁄ 3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Chopped chives

Sauté mushrooms and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil.

Remove from pan and deglaze pan with 2 tbsp white wine. Set aside.

cookies ¾ cup butter melted 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg ¼ cup molasses 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp ginger ½ tsp cloves ¼ cup sugar

Add remaining wine over low heat, stirring until absorbed by the rice.

roasted pears 3 Anjou or Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and halved lengthwise 1½ tbsp ginger jam or marmalade 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted Pinch of salt

Add warmed stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding more. When all stock is added and rice is al dente, stir in mushrooms and deglazed pan juices. Stir in red peppers and season to taste with salt and pepper.

ice cream 1 pint organic vanilla ice cream, softened 1½ tbsp ginger jam or marmalade 1 tbsp candied ginger, finely chopped

Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Add Parmesan and stir gently. Garnish with chives and serve immediately. Serves 4.

garnish ¼ tsp cinnamon Mint leaves

In a large pot, heat remaining olive oil and lightly sauté onions until translucent. Add rice (and more oil if necessary) and sauté with onions for two minutes more.

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Share in the weekend fun at our events and festivals!

BANTING DAYS November 12–17 HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS November 30 prepar ation pr For 2014 events check our website for updated information

co cookies In a medium bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar and melt egg until smooth. Stir in molasses.

In another an bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, baki cloves and ginger. Add to molasses mixture to form a soft dough.

Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Form dough into walnut-sized pieces and roll in white sugar.

Freeze for at least 30 minutes or up to a week.

Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 24 cookies. pears Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange pears cut side up on parchmentlined baking sheet. Mix jam with melted butter and salt, and brush ½ of mixture over pear halves.

Roast pears for 10 minutes. Turn over, brush with remaining jam.

Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Set aside and allow to cool. ice cream Mix softened ice cream with ginger jam and chopped ginger until evenly blended. Place in freezer for a least 1 hour.

Place a cookie on each of six plates. Top with a pear half and a scoop of ice cream. Garnish with mint and a dusting of cinnamon. 왗

For more information call 705-435-1787 or visit www.allistonbia.com

i the in th Villages of

Farmers’Market

E Every SSaturday t d until til th the end d of October Mill Street & Victoria Street | Alliston | 8am – 2pm

DAVE’S BUTCHER SHOP Aged beef, Ontario lamb, veal, pork, meat pies, fruit pies Alder Street Mews, 75 Alder St, Unit 4, Orangeville www.davesbutchershop.ca 519-415-MEAT (6328)

The Globe Restaurant Fine dining in 19th century surroundings

***** Lunches • Teas Dinners

***** Reservations (705) 435-6981 Closed Tuesdays In Rosemont, Hwy. 89, east of Airport Rd.

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

55

the eggplant index Aubergine, a.k.a. eggplant n. the purple egg-shaped fruit of a tropical Old World plant, which is eaten as a vegetable Oxford English Dictionary

Not all eggplant are created purple.

From left to right: Thai eggplants (green), Italian and Sicilian (purple, white), Chinese (long, thin), Turkish and Ethiopian (scarlet, green).

aliases To the British and French, eggplant is known as aubergine. Other names include brinjal, melongene and Guinea squash.

beaut y

rel ations

cooking

A member of the genus Solanum, eggplants belong to the nightshade family of vegetables, which also includes potatoes, sweet peppers and tomatoes.

Botanically it is considered a berry.

It can be roasted and puréed, grilled, baked or stir fried. Because of its mild flavour and spongy texture, eggplant often acts as a backdrop in dishes with more assertive flavours. It is the centrepiece of such Middle Eastern and European dishes as baba ghanoush, moussaka and ratatouille. It is widely used in Indian dishes such as bharta (eggplant curry).

nutrition Eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fibre, bone-building manganese, vitamin K and magnesium, as well as heart-healthy copper, vitamins C and B6, folate and niacin.

health benefits Eggplant is considered a brain food because it contains powerful antioxidants that protect cell membranes in the brain from damage.

It has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol, help prevent cancer and alleviate rheumatoid arthritis.

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Prized for its beauty, the North American rican i eggplant is pear shaped – with glossy, sy deep purple skin and cream-coloured flesh.

bit ter Prior to the 18th century, eggplant was less popular than it is now due to its distinctly bitter taste. It was also mistakenly thought to cause insanity, leprosy and cancer. Newer, milder varieties have redeemed its reputation.

sweating Some cooks like to slice and lightly salt eggplant 30 minutes before cooking. This reduces the natural bitterness and lowers the water content, making it absorb less oil.

history Native to the Indian subcontinent, the first known record of its cultivation was in 5th-century China. It was introduced to Africa in the Middle Ages and then brought to Italy in the 14th century, eventually reaching the Middle East where it has become a staple of that cuisine. Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading growers of eggplant.

shapes and sizes Eggplants vary in size from 12–25cm long to 6–9cm long. Colours vary from white, yellow-green, reddishpurple to dark purple, and variegated red, orange or green with white.

Lesser known varieties are red, pink and yellow. It can be egg-shaped, round, or long and slender. 왗

Food In The Hills magazine is published in May and August. It’s available in restaurants,

A U T U M N|W IN T

ER 2013

specialty food stores and markets throughout the hills.

A contemplativ

0133 201 20 R 2013

Grow Your Ow

ME MME IIN G|S U M SPP R ING

But between issues there’s plenty more to keep you cooking, including our new online advertising feature

ders Wood oven wonmatter s Why food hub baby Good things for e kitchen

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for diners wanting to explore and savour the very best that Headwaters restaurants have to offer.

vest Sharing the harken Farmgate chic ding A Caledon wedhen kitc a to e Od

Rhapsody in

Rhubarb

A U T UMN|W I N T

E R 2012

cation A culinar y edu dom etarian wis

Veg

A wilderness

lunch

Country pubs

Just click on the Dining Out link at www.foodinthehills.ca to view a region-wide map of select area restaurants, each linked to its own listing page.

Apple Challen

ges PM 12-08-08 10:28

Like us www.facebook.com/FoodInTheHills facebook.com/ Th www.facebook.com/FoodInTheHills FoodInTheHills Th Follow us twitter.com/ eH H www.twitter.com/FoodInTheHills H FoodInTheHills eH www.twitter.com/FoodInTheHills

While you’re there, check out new recipes from our bloggers, up-tothe-minute listings of local food events, profiles of local producers, and stories and recipes from past issues. Nominate your candidate for Best Bites in the hills. Or just send us a note – we love to hear from you!

foodinthehills.ca

For print and online advertising information, contact Erin Woodley at 519-307-0769, erin@inthehills.ca

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what’s cooking in thec ahills lendar of food happenings fundraisers september 6

oc tober 20

oc tober 5

Wine Pairing Gala Evening East Wellington Community Services hosts a four-course meal paired with the perfect wine to complement every aspect of your dining experience. Chance to win fabulous prizes in the “uncorked” raffle. 6–11:30pm. $125. Cutten Fields Club – Guelph, 190 College Ave E. Proceeds to EWCC. 519-833-9696. www. eastwellingtoncommunityservices.com .com

Empty Bowls Buy a bowl, fill a bowl, take a bowl home to help fight hunger.

Enjoy soups created and donated by local chefs from fresh ingredients, and then keep the donated handmade bowl to remind you of those who don’t have enough food.

Seating times 11:30am–2pm and 3:30–5pm. $35, reserve. Alton Mill, 1402 Queen St, $3 Alton. Contact Ann Randeraad at 519-938-2092. www.altonmill.ca

Local Harvest Palgrave Turkey Dinner Can you smell that turkey already? Enjoy tasty local foods from local farms. Tickets at the door starting at 4pm. Eat in or take out.

4:30–8pm. Adults $20; seniors $15; children $10; take out $17. Palgrave United Church, 34 Pine Ave, Palgrave. 905-880-0303. www.palgravekitchen.org

september 15 McVean Farm Picnic and BBQ Q Explore the diversity of McVean Farm fresh vegetables, mushrooms and honey, with meat, cheese, biodynamic wines and organic brews, farm-fresh teas and local juices from local farms and artisans.

Hands-on workshops, kids’ activities and entertainment. West side of McVean Drive at Dunegrass Way, Brampton.

Proceeds to FarmStart. 519-836-7046. www.harvesttable.ca

festivals community now – september 1 SummerFeast Experience wonderful culinary creations at some of Headwaters’ finest restaurants at extraordinary prices. Each participating restaurant will offer a dinner menu, and in many cases both a lunch and dinner menu, at “prix fixe” rates. The Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association, 519-942-0314. www.thehillsofheadwaters.com

september 8 Feast of Fields Pick up your napkin, wine glass and gift bag, and stroll among our local celebrated chefs, farmers, vintners and brewers.

Your senses will be instantly tantalized by the delicious organic creations you’ll experience. Visit the marketplace filled with organic products from noted artisans.

1–5pm. $100. Cold Creek Conservation Area, 14125 Concession 11, King Township.

905-859-3609. www.feastoffields.org

oc tober 19 Albion Hills Community Farmstock See what’s growing and enjoy local food and farm fare, music and entertainment.

Sample fresh produce and prepared foods from “dirt to dessert.” 3–9pm. $20 online gets you 5 food vouchers or $20 at the door (4 food vouchers).

Albion Bolton Fairgrounds, 150 Queen St S, Bolton. Call 647-981-6281 or visit www.albionhillscommunityfarm.org to reserve your food pass.

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autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

september 22 september 7 Mono’s Big Day Out A community celebration showcasing the best of life in Mono, featuring great local food by Mono chefs, a local farmers’ and artisans’ market, local musicians and artists, a display by the Heritage Committee, botanical walks, silent auction, kids’ activities including a talent showcase. Starts at noon at the Mono Community Centre. monosbigdayout@gmail.com. www.facebook.com/monosbigdayout

Carrot Fest Fantastic food, u-pick carrots, music, hands-on farm workshops, kids’ activities, harvest games and more. Rain or shine (just like farming!). 11am–5pm. Free. Everdale Organic Farm, 5812 Sixth Line, Hillsburgh.

519-855-4859 x102. www.everdale.org

Join us at the 24th Annual

fairs september 28 Annual Salamander Festival Belfountain hosts this day of tasty local food, farmers’ and artisans’ market, live entertainment and a kids’ eco zone. Hop over to the conservation area and meet real river critters and live animals. 10am–3pm.

905-670-1615 x285. www.creditvalleyca.ca

Get ready to ride the Zipper! Headwaters’ fall fairs will soon be in gear all over the region. Bring the family for a day of food, homecrafts, competitions, entertainment and best of all, fun!

august 30 – september 2

feastoffields.org 905.859.3609

Orangeville Fall Fair www.oaseventcentre.ca

september 13 – 15 september 28 – oc tober 31 Downey’s Pumpkinfest Tons of fun and thousands of pumpkins!

Bring the family for wagon rides, kids’ activities, entertainment, corn maze, build your own scarecrow and more.

Weekdays $7; weekends and holidays $14; family rate (2 adults, 3 children) $63.50. Downey’s Farm Market, 13682 Heart Lake Rd, N of Brampton. 905-838-2990.

0. www.downeysfarm.com

•••••••••••••••••••

Shelburne Fall Fair www.shelburnefair.com

september 20 – 22 Bolton Fall Fair www.boltonfair.ca

september 20 – 22 Grand Valley Fall Fair www.grandvalleyfallfair.ca

Erin Fall Fair www.erinfair.ca

november 1 – 10

Terra Cotta Country Store’s Buzzfest 2013 Celebrate talented foodies and artisans connected by their passion for nature in this festival on the banks of the Credit River. 11am–5pm. 119 King St, Terra Cotta. 905-877-2210. www.terracottacountrystore.ca

Royal Winter Fair www.royalfair.org

Chefs, Farmers, Wineries, Breweries, and Artisans come together to give you the ultimate "Organic Food" event.

Come and join, won't you?

oc tober 11 – 14

oc tober 5 & 6

Feast of Fields

SUNDAY SEPT. 8TH 2013, 1-5PM

openings New Community Kitchen in Amaranth A new certified community kitchen has opened at the Township of Amaranth Municipal Office. The kitchen can be rented for full or part-days by contacting Jessica Kennedy at 519-941-1007. 왘

COLD CREEK CONSERVATION AREA in the Township of King

••••••••••••••••••• Tickets Sales: www.feastoffields.org feastoffields@gmail.com 905-859-3609

Visa, Mastercard, Interac accepted. continued on nex t page autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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ORANGEVILLE FARMERS’ MARKET KNOW WHERE IT GROWS

what’s cooking in thec ahills lendar of food happenings classes Everdale Organic Farm Courses in August and September include:

august 28 Sheep: Caring for a Small Flock, 9am–noon. $45

september 14 SPIN Farming, 9am–noon, $45

september 28 Seed Saving, 10am–4pm, $85

Saturdays 8am to 1pm May 11th to October 26th Orangeville Town Hall

To continually research and source innovation and improvements in pet nutrition and offer these products to our customers.

NOW we bring you PRIMAL Freeze Dried and Frozen Raw Diets - human grade and organic living food for optimal nutrition!

Check it out at www.primalpetfoods.com and get valuable coupons at http://primal.ly/CCjoin

Grooming ORANGEVILLE 705-440-1907 ORANGEVILLE - 47 Broadway 519-942-8187 ALLISTON - 113 Victoria St W 705-434-3311 60

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

Palgrave Pie Bee Learn to make delicious pies and help prepare pies for community events at this free bee held by the Palgrave Community Kitchen. 9am–noon. Palgrave United Church, 34 Pine Ave. 905-880-0303. www.palgravekitchen.org

Courses are held at Everdale. 5812 6th Line Erin, near Hillsburgh. 519-855-4859. www.everdale.org rg

tours

orangevillefarmersmarket.ca

Since 1994 Our Mission has been:

oc toberr 4

september 21

september 14

Bees and Biodiversity in Decline Information Session Ever wondered why bees are so important to ecosystems? Learn more from the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association and the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) during this free day of Q & A, kids’ bee-related activities and vendors. Horizons Event Centre, 633421 Hwy 10, Orangeville (behind Mono Plaza Mall). Call the Mono Mulmur Citizens’ Coalition at 519-925-2107 or email info@monomulmur.com.

Discovering Mushrooms Join renowned naturalist and environmental consultant Bob Bowles to forage for wild mushroom and learn what species are edible. Bring a basket. 10am–1pm. $10, register. Dufferin South Simcoe Land Stewardship Network, 705-435-1881 x23. www.dufferinmuseum.com

september 28 Dufferin Farm Tour This self-guided driving tour will stop at a beef farm, dairy farm, horse facility, sheep farm and elsewhere to experience rural life in Dufferin. Meet the farmers who grow your food, enjoy farm-related activities, displays, local produce, all for a non-perishable food donation or cash 519-942-0984. Go to www.thehillsofheadwaters.com/ farmtour for more info and to print your passport.

farmers’ markets Headwaters’ finest, freshest wares are available throughout the fall. There’s one almost every day of the week. Check websites for special events at each venue.

saturdays until oc tober 26

thursdays until oc tober 10

Orangeville Farmers’ Market 8am–1pm. Next to the Orangeville Town Hall. 519-942-0087. www.orangevillefarmersmarket.ca

SouthFields Village Farmers’ Market 3:30–7:30pm. SouthFields Village Public School, 110 Learmont Ave, Caledon Village.

fridays until september 27 saturdays until oc tober 12 Creemore Farmers’ Market 8:30am–12:30pm. Station on the Green parking lot. 705-794-8943. www.creemorefarmersmarket.ca

saturdays until oc tober 12 Caledon Farmers’ Market 9am–2pm. Albion Bolton Community Centre, 150 Queen St S, Bolton.

905-584-2272 x4286. www.caledon.ca/farmersmarket

saturdays until oc tober 26 Alliston Farmers’ Market 8am–2pm. Mill St and Victoria St. 705-435-1787. www.allistonbia.com

wednesdays until oc tober 9 Amaranth Farmers’ Market 4:30–8pm. Amaranth Municipal Office, 374028 6th Line. 519-941-1007. bogi@execulink.com

wednesdays until oc tober 9 Inglewood Farmers’ Market 3:30–7pm. Village of Inglewood. 905584-6221. www.eatlocalcaledon.org

thursdays until oc tober 17 Shelburne Farmers’ Market 3–7pm. Besley Country Market, Victoria St. www.shelburnefarmersmarket@gmail.com

Erin Farmers’ Market 3–7pm. Erin Agricultural Society Fairgrounds. 519-833-2808. www.erinfair.ca

fridays until oc tober 11 Rosemont Farmers’ Market 3–7pm. Orange Hall parking lot, beside Globe Restaurant, Hwy 89. pam@pamssoaps.com

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

conferences november 25 Headwaters Food Summit Headwaters Communities in Action presents the second annual food summit and trade fair. Further details September. www.headwaterscommunities.org 왗

ORANGEVILLE FAIR Labour Labou abou ur Day Day y Weekend We eekend Aug 30th A 30th & 31 31st, 31 t S Septt 11stt & 2 2nd d

This Year’s Theme

“Old Thyme T Th h me C Co Country o n nttr Fair” F Homecraft Displays and Livestock Shows NEW THIS YEAR: Eat Local Farmers Market, Pinto Horse Show, National Barrel Racing Association Horse Show, Pleasure Driving, Miniature Horses, Lawn Tractor Pull, Blacksmith Demonstration, Beer Tent - Food and Music, Eagles Tribute Band on Saturday Night, Church Service at 10am on Sun, Sept 2

See our website: www.orangevillefairgrounds.ca for a schedule of events and times

Don’t Miss this 4 Day y Celebration of Local Agriculture!

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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best bites Jelly Café’s Roasted Red Pepper Soup

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Jelly Craft Bakery & Café 120 Main St. East Shelburne 519-925-1824 www.jellycraft.com

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 foodinthehills.ca.

autumn winter 2013 | food in the hill s

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best bites

photo pete paterson

Acco Acco ord din ng to Bee e th thov oven en,, “O en “Onl nlyy th thee pu p re in n heart eart can mak ea akee a go good od sou oup. p.”” If tha p. h t’ ts thee ca th ase se,, th then e Lorri-i-An en A n Ga An Gard rdin rd iner in er,, ch er chef ef at Shel Sh elbu el bu urn rne’ e s Je e’ J lll y Cr Craf aftt Ba af ake kery ryy and d Caf afé, é hass é, a he h ar a t of pur uree veg veege geta geta abl blee sttoc ock. k. The caffé k. feat fe a ur at u es e a diff fe fere r nt veg re eget ettab etab a lee sou oup p ev e er ey dayy in a chu da hunk nkyy or smo nk moot oth ot h ve vers rsio rs io ion. on. “I m ma ake t em th m alll mys ysel elf,f,f,”” sa el says y Lo ys orri-i-An Ann. An n “W n.

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We proudly carry fresh, certiďŹ ed organic produce.

Eat Fresh for Better Health!

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 perennials and owering mums.

We proudly carry antibiotic- and hormone-free meats.

We carry frozen organic meats. We also have a selection of fresh antibiotic and hormone free beef, pork, lamb and chicken from Liberterre and Beretta Family Farms and fresh organic chicken from Yorkshire Valley Farms.

Livestock raised within Canada. Canadian Angus Rancher endorsed.

Owned and Operated for 30 Years

501 Queen Street South in Bolton | www.gardenfoodsmarket.com | 905-857-1227

Creemore Farmers’ Market Saturdays 8:30am - 12:30pm Victoria Day to Thanksgiving The Station on the Green, 10 Caroline St East

creemorefarmersmarket.ca

Caledon Farmers’ Market Saturdays 9am - 2pm June 8th - October 12th 150 Queen Street South, Bolton

caledon.ca/farmersmarket

Alliston Farmers’ Market Saturdays 8am - 2pm May through October Mill Street, Alliston

www.allistonbia.com

Inglewood Farmers’ Market Wednesdays 3:30pm - 7pm June 12th - October 9th Village of Inglewood, 15596 McLaughlin Rd.

eatlocalcaledon.org/farmers-markets/ inglewood-farmers-market

Amaranth Farmers’ Market Wednesdays 4:30pm - 8pm June 5th - October 9th Amaranth Municipal Office 374028 6th Line

bogi@execulink.com

Orangeville Farmers’ Market Saturdays 8am - 1pm May 11th - October 26th Next to Town Hall, Downtown Orangeville

orangevillefarmersmarket.ca

Shelburne Farmers’ Market Thursdays 3pm - 7pm May 30th - October 17th Besley Country Market, Victoria St.

shelburnefarmersmarket2013@gmail.com

Rosemont Farmers’ Market Fridays 3pm - 7pm June 21st - October 11th Next to Globe Restaurant Hwy 89

pam@pamssoaps.com