Happy Halloween!

Posted by Katharine

It’s that time of the year so let’s ditch the over-priced, store-bought candy and celebrate with some super-sweet, seasonal recipes!

First up, pumpkin loaf. A friend always made this in massive quantities whenever she had her studio tour. It goes perfectly with a cup of hot apple cider on these chilly fall days. I’ve cut down the recipe to make 3 loaves (hence the odd measurements) but you can certainly adjust to suit your needs.

Sue’s Studio Pumpkin Loaf

1 3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups brown sugar

3 cups white sugar

7 free-range eggs

2 cups pumpkin

1 cup of water

5 1/4 cups flour

3 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 1/2 tsp salt

Prepare the pumpkin by halving it and remove the seeds and ‘guts’. (Tip: save the seeds!*) Bake the pumpkin in a 400 degree oven for about an hour or until the pumpkin is soft. Remove from oven and once cooled remove the skin and puree in a food processor or blender.

In a large bowl beat the eggs and add the pureed pumpkin, water, oil and sugar. In another bowl mix together the remaining dry ingredients. Stir the dry mix into the first bowl.

Grease 3 bread pans with butter and pour in the mixture until they are all about 3/4 full. Bake in a 375 degree over for about an hour. Be sure to test with a fork, if there are still gooey bits remaining leave them in a bit longer. When done let them cool slightly before removing them from their pans and placing on a rack.

* Pumpkin seeds make an awesome snack. Just rinse off any pumpkin ‘guts’ and lightly coat them in oil and salt to taste. Roast them at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until they start to look lightly toasted. Let them cool off and enjoy!

Okay, round two. I’m proud to say that I spent Devil’s night icing the most rich, moist, chocolate-y cake I’ve ever made!  You can find the recipe in this weekend’s Globe and Mail*; they’ve aptly dubbed it “bloody good chocolate-beet cake with scream cheese icing”. I picked up the beets from a local farm and threw them in to cook along with the pumpkin. They gave the cake a wonderful density and a distinct flavour. Oh, and the icing is divine! (and not as tricky as it sounds)

*Please note that there seems to be a typo in their recipe, the cake only requires 3oz of semi-sweet chocolate, not 11. Also, stick to just 5 beets, they are very flavourful when fresh and roasted. 

Our Harvest Recap

Posted by Katharine

So, we’re midway through october and it’s been a while since we’ve talked about the garden. To make up for a lack of info, let’s recap on what’s happened so far!

August brought a steady flow of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, peas and beans. The weather was a bit tricky for the tomatos and the mix of extreme heat and rain caused their skins to split. This splitting made it hard to harvest and eat them in time but when we could they tasted great!

The corn was an experience. Raccoons liked to knock over stalks only to leave a half eaten cob on the ground as evidence. We also had quite a bit of corn smut, or huitlacoche. This fungus is edible and is commonly found on Mexican menus. Regrettably, we weren’t quite adventurous enough to try it out. We can tell you that the corn that survived the fungus and critters was delicious.

The herbs continued to grow beautifully and we’re still using them now.

We have lots of squash and 3 bright orange pumpkins just about ready to go. Pumpkins are ready to pick when a the stem begins to crack or when the skin is too hard to pierce with your fingernail. Squash is usually ready by the first frost. If you aren’t sure try tapping on the plant, it should feel solid but sound hollow.

The carrots have grown to a healthy size and we were able to dig up enough to make TWO delicious carrot cakes and have many still growing. They are ready to harvest when you can see the tops of them just start to pop out of the ground. Don’t worry, they wont go bad as long as they stay under the soil so take them as you need them through the fall.

Finally, we have a healthy row of leeks that are waiting for the first frost to become soup.

We had a beautiful September and a nice start to October. We’re very happy with what we’ve been able to produce this year and we hope some of you have enjoyed some harvests of your own!

October Food Calender for Hamilton

 Posted by Grace

There are a lot of food events for October in Hamilton, which is amazing! I especially like the look of that Spooky Root and Squash soup at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market.

Stop by the Locke Street Farmers’ Market survey, they are trying to improve their market and if you live or work and hang out in the area they’d love to hear from you! (Only 6 questions).

Before heading out the door, please confirm the details of these postings by clicking on the link provided!

September 29 – October 27
Cooking Class: Beginner Teen Chefs Cooking Class
This 5-week beginner course, designed for teens, will discuss food costs, nutrition, food trends, baking and cooking techniques, food paring and meal planning. Teens will gain experience with kitchen tools and appliances while preparing and taste testing a variety of dishes using market fresh food. At the end of the five week course, teens will receive a certificate and create their own cooking zine. The Teen Chef Cooking Classes are taught by Jennifer Haartman who is a culinary school graduate with 15 years experience in the food industry and who has spent the last four summers at Circle Square Ranch as the Food Service Manager preparing hundreds of meals a day with her mostly teenage staff. Register in advance at 905-546-2424 x4366 or email sapphire.singh@hamilton.ca
Date: Thursday, September 29, 2011 to Thursday, October 27, 2011 (Every Thursday) 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 13 to 15 years.
Cost: $75.00 per person. Pre-registration required. Registration is limited, so please book early.

October 1
Kids in the Kitchen: Fall Harvest Apple Crisp
Celebrate our fall harvest of apples and oats with some warm apple crisp served with a side of yogurt with Kelly McKinney from Sprout Camp. A Classic fall favorite! And, learn a bit about World Vegetarian Day. Join us every Saturday at 10am for Kids in the Kitchen. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 1, 2011 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free

October 1
Market Fresh Cooking Demonstration: Making Meals with Mushrooms & Kale
Mushroom Man Dan Morreale is back to show us how to combine two local fall flavours (mushrooms and kale) into a delicious and nutrient packed fall entree. Join us every week as chefs, stall holders, dieticians, farmers and food experts turn market fresh ingredients, into quick, easy, nutritious and affordable recipes. All ages welcome. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 1, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All
Cost: Free!

October 2
“Pilgrimage to Freedom,” *Simcoe – Brantford – Hamilton – Toronto*
Last year, over 150 migrant workers and their allies made history by marching over 50 Km, an equivalent of 12 hours, from Leamington to Windsor, Ontario demanding justice, respect and dignity for the hundreds of thousands employed under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Programs.
This year, migrant workers and members of Justicia for Migrant Workers (J4MW) continue this pilgrimage in the form of a caravan across rural Ontario.
The caravan started in Simcoe and will end in Toronto on Oct 2nd.
Date: Sunday, October 2, 12:30 pm
Location: Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, 51 Stuart St.
Contact: pilgrimage2freedom(at)gmail(dot)com

October 5
Ancaster Farmers’ Market Pie contest!
The *Ancaster Farmers’ Market* is holding a pie baking contest!
PIE PIE PIE….who doesn’t love pie? Do you have what it takes to make the best pie? Get your favorite fruit from a Ancaster Farmers Market vendor next week, make your pie, then freeze if needed. You can bake it fresh on the *5th of October.* Bring it to the market by *3:30. Judging to take place at 4pm.* A lovely prize for the winner.
Date: Wednesday, October 5^th, 3:30-4 pm
To enter: info(at)ancasterfarmersmarket(dot)com

October 6
Little Sous Chef Demo: Free Workshop and Snack every Thursday
Register for this free workshop and snack every Thursday brought to you by Wesley Urban Ministries. Cooking in the kitchen is a great way for children to learn new words and have early math and science experiences. You will have fun making a simple lunch with your child. This one time demo is for children 3 to 6 years and their parents or caregivers. Program funded by the United Way’s From Here to the Bay Fund. Register today 905-524-4884.
Date: Thursday, October 6, 2011, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 3 to 6 years.
Cost: Free

October 8
Market Fresh Cooking Demonstration: Beef Stock from Scratch
Learn how simple it can be to prepare your own Beef Stock from scratch with Chef Marg Ann. Join us every week as chefs, stall holders, dieticians, farmers and food experts turn market fresh ingredients, into quick, easy, nutritious and affordable recipes. All ages welcome. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 8, 2011, Regular admission hours apply.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All
Cost: Free

October 8
Kids in the Kitchen: Sweet Peach Quesadillas
What do you get when you mix seasonal fruit with a tortilla? Sweet Peach Quesadillas with Chef Marg Ann! Join us every Saturday at 10 am for Kids in the Kitchen. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 8, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All Children must be accompanied by an adult.

October 13
Little Sous Chef Demo: Free Workshop and Snack every Thursday
Register for this free workshop and snack every Thursday brought to you by Wesley Urban Ministries. Cooking in the kitchen is a great way for children to learn new words and have early math and science experiences. You will have fun making a simple lunch with your child. This one time demo is for children 3 to 6 years and their parents or caregivers. Program funded by the United Way’s From Here to the Bay Fund. Register today 905-524-4884.
Date: Thursday, October 13, 2011, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 3 to 6 years.
Cost: Free

October 15
Kids in the Kitchen: Baked Kale & Sweet Potato Chips
Bake kale and sweet potatoes in the oven to make a delicious chip… like a potato chip…but different with Kelly McKinney from Sprout Camp. Join us every Saturday at 10am for Kids in the Kitchen. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free

October 15
Market Fresh Cooking Demonstration: Pumpkin Soup & Loaf
Learn how you can make good use of your Halloween pumpkin or jack-o-lantern. Don’t toss it, use it. Personal Chef Wayne Baker will make a healthy pumpkin soup and loaf. Join us every week as chefs, stall holders, dieticians, farmers and food experts turn market fresh ingredients, into quick, easy, nutritious and affordable recipes. All ages welcome. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All
Cost: Free

October 15
Rural Routes to Simpler Thyme Organic Farm
Join Environment Hamilton and Rural Routes for a tour of Simpler Thyme farm, check out their fruit trees, greenhouse, land and animals. Tickets are on sale at Bread and Roses Cafe, which is located at 27 King William St., just off James St. North. 
Please note: departure location is at the Go Station at 36 Hunter Street, platform 17. Please wear appropriate gear and bring re-usable bags for your purchases. Washroom facilities are limited.
Date: Saturday, October 15, boarding time starts 10am, we depart at 10:30 am sharp. Return time is approximately 1:30pm
Cost: $7 for adults and $5 for children and seniors

October 15
Cooking Class: Preserving the Harvest Classes
Master Food Preserver Betsy Aziz will lead you through delicious recipes and detailed discussions about canning and preserving. Get hands on experience using a hot water bath and leave with a jar of delicious preserve. Betsy received her training at the University of Wisconsin and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Womens’ Culinary Network, and culinary Historians of Canada.
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011, 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 18 years and older.
Cost: $50.00 per person. Pre-registration required.

October 20
Little Sous Chef Demo: Free Workshop and Snack every Thursday
Register for this free workshop and snack every Thursday brought to you by Wesley Urban Ministries. Cooking in the kitchen is a great way for children to learn new words and have early math and science experiences. You will have fun making a simple lunch with your child. This one time demo is for children 3 to 6 years and their parents or caregivers. Program funded by the United Way’s From Here to the Bay Fund. Register today 905-524-4884.
Date: Thursday, October 20, 2011, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 3 to 6 years.
Cost: Free

October 20
Glorious Grains (Gluten Free Cooking) Demonstration with Kate Park
Tired of the same old rice or pasta side dishes? Ever wondered what gluten really is? Come learn about gluten-free cooking and some of the unique grains available now in Canada. Free samples for all participants and a chance to speak with a registered dietitian. Please call to reserve your spot as seats are limited. Demonstration brought to you by the Hamilton Family Health Team. To register, please call 905-667-4862 x309.
Date: Thursday, October 20, 2011, 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 18 years and older.
Cost: Free Pre-registration required.

October 22
 “Sustainably Yours” Environment Hamilton is turning 10!

• Live music with special performance by Sarah Harmer.
• Cocktail-style reception by Chef and Wife Catering.
• Silent auction featuring many great items. Tables open at 7pm and start closing at 8:30pm.
• Event emceed by Councillor Brenda Johnson.
  Date: October 22, 7pm-11pm

Location: Dundas Community Centre – 10 Market St, Dundas*
Cost: $30

October 22
Kids in the Kitchen: Roll-out Roti or Chapatti (East Indian Flat Bread)
Roll up your sleeves because it is time to make roti or chapatti (East Indian flat bread) from scratch with Chef John. Prepare this simple bread as a sweet or savory snack. Join us every Saturday at 10am for Kids in the Kitchen. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free

October 22
Market Fresh Cooking Demonstration: East & South Indian Breads from Scratch
Lean how to prepare an East and South Indian flat bread from scratch with Chef John Marques. Join us every week as chefs, stall holders, dieticians, farmers and food experts turn market fresh ingredients, into quick, easy, nutritious and affordable recipes. All ages welcome. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All
Cost: Free

October 22
Cooking Class: Preserving the Harvest Classes
Master Food Preserver Betsy Aziz will lead you through delicious recipes and detailed discussions about canning and preserving. Get hands on experience using a hot water bath and leave with a jar of delicious preserve. Betsy received her training at the University of Wisconsin and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Womens’ Culinary Network, and culinary Historians of Canada.
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011, 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 18 years and older.
Cost: $50.00 per person. Pre-registration required.

October 27
Little Sous Chef Demo: Free Workshop and Snack every Thursday
Register for this free workshop and snack every Thursday brought to you by Wesley Urban Ministries. Cooking in the kitchen is a great way for children to learn new words and have early math and science experiences. You will have fun making a simple lunch with your child. This one time demo is for children 3 to 6 years and their parents or caregivers. Program funded by the United Way’s From Here to the Bay Fund. Register today 905-524-4884.
Date: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 3 to 6 years.
Cost: Free

October 29
Kids in the Kitchen: Creepy Carmel Apples (Halloween at the Market)
Our backyards are overflowing with apples right now, so what are we going to do about it? David Prychitka will show you how to dip them in organic caramel sauce, roll them in delicious toppings, and put ’em on a stick! Yeeeeah! Join us every Saturday at 10am for Kids in the Kitchen. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free

October 29
Market Fresh Cooking Demonstration: Spooky Root & Squash Soup
Kelly McKinney from Sprout camp will whip up some spooky soup using Purple Carrots & Squash. This recipe is sure to put a spell on anyone who dares to try it. Join us every week as chefs, stall holders, dieticians, farmers and food experts turn market fresh ingredients, into quick, easy, nutritious and affordable recipes. All ages welcome. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All
Cost: Free

Some Canadian food news

Posted by Grace

Bumper crop … in the city
Montreal Gazette, Monique Beaudin

MONTREAL – It is the very beginning of rush hour, and cars and trucks are speeding along busy d’Iberville St.

But in a little alley beside them, things are moving at a much slower pace.

A bumblebee languidly buzzes from flower to flower on an eggplant, and sunflowers wave in the hot breeze.

The plants are part of the Jardin du marché rue Ontario, a temporary garden that sprung up this year a block from the Frontenac métro station east of downtown. Volunteers have been harvesting their tomatoes, zucchinis, herbs, beans, and cabbages and distributing bumper-crop overflow to people living in the neighbourhood.

The garden – about 25 metres long and six metres wide – adds a splash of green to an intersection with parking lots on three of the four sides, said Marie-Ève Voghel Robert, who got permission from her local borough to close part of the alley and plant the garden during the spring.

It’s the kind of project Montrealers have been seeing more of in the past couple of years as interest in urban agriculture booms. There are chickens laying eggs at community centres, volunteer gardeners sharing the work and the harvest in 45 collective gardens across the city, and vegetables growing on top of the Palais des congrès convention centre.

Calgary schools to ban junk food in 2012
CBC News

As of 2012, all Calgary public schools will be junk food free.

No sweet, salty, or deep fried snacks will be sold on the grounds.

Chocolate bars, fries, high energy sport drinks, and even instant noodle soups are on the hit list – while muffins, fruit juices, vegetable soups and yogurt get school board approval.

Superintendent Naomi Johnson says city public schools have slowly eliminated low nutrient foods but in four months the transition will be complete.

“We have to model good behavior and part of that is to remove things that are unhealthy and we’re poised to do that in January,” said Johnson.

How Ontario’s Greenbelt is failing farmers-and the local food movement
This Magazine, Chelsea Murray 

Robert Beynon’s dairy farm sits just north of the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill, on one of the southernmost edges of Ontario’s greenbelt. It’s a small operation (40 cows, 350 acres) set back off of busy Bathurst Street. Behind his 150-year-old brick farmhouse and squat green dairy barn stretches a patchwork of bare fields, still muddy in mid-April. It’s the kind of pastoral scene city dwellers naturally think farms look like.

What those urbanites likely wouldn’t picture is what surrounds Beynon’s piece of rural paradise. Across the road, on the east side of Bathurst, sprawls MacLeod’s Landing, a 1,400-unit subdivision of looping streets and oversized homes. Houses bleed north onto former agricultural land-much of which Beynon’s family used to farm. He’d like to expand his property, but it’s boxed in on one side by the development, and on another by land slated to become a cemetery. Besides, he says, “The land’s too expensive, and you wouldn’t want to set up a bigger dairy operation next to a subdivision. Everyone loves the idea of living in the country, but they don’t really want to live beside somebody milking a couple hundred head of cows.” Later he wonders aloud, “And who wants to farm in the city when it comes down to it?”

Hi, I’m Paul and I caught your dinner: Food tracing takes off
Wency Leung, Globe and Mail

When it comes to the safety and sustainability of your food, how much do you really want to know?

Would it help, for instance, to know that Dean MacDonald caught the frozen sockeye salmon you’re planning to eat for dinner with a gill net in Barkley Sound? Or that he’s been fishing for 21 years, that his home port is Maple Ridge, B.C., and that he landed with your salmon in Bamfield on July 30? Or maybe you’re curious to know that his vessel is named Old Style, number 26622?

Guelph serving up a food swap – with a twist
Dakshana Bascarmurty, Globe and Mail

If you’re the kind of person who brings Rice Krispie squares to a potluck, a food swap – the hot new foodie event – might not be for you.

Guelph, Ont., is the latest city to organize one, a gathering at which sophisticated home cooks trade jars of mango chutney for sourdough starter at scheduled gatherings. The event takes place on Oct. 5.

The trend has taken off in the usual foodie cities in the United States – New York, Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. Toronto recently played host to the Toronto Underground Market, where dozens of chefs and home cooks sold Scotch eggs and salted caramel macaroons to the hungry hordes.

Ontario court rules against raw milk farmer
Globe and Mail, Jessica Leeder

The future of Canada’s most prominent raw milk advocate has turned sour.

Dairyman Michael Schmidt was found guilty of 15 out of 19 charges related to distributing unpasteurized milk from his farm in Durham, Ont. The verdict, written by Mr. Justice Peter Tetley of the Ontario Court of Justice, reverses a decision made last year by a justice of the peace, who acquitted Mr. Schmidt of the same charges.

Liberals propose regional economic development funds, local food legislation
Susan Mann, Better Farming

The Ontario Liberal Party’s rural platform will mean real measurable progress for the province’s rural families, says Ontario Agriculture Minister Carol Mitchell.

Called Forward Together, it’s a plan to “help rural families meet the challenges we face as we emerge from the global recession,” she says in a press release announcing the plan. 

NDP pledge to buy Ontario-grown
Susan Mann, Better Farming

Legislation to ensure the government buys Ontario produce when making food purchases and securing more shelf space at the LCBO for local wines are promises that can be found in the New Democratic Party’s rural platform.

“A New Democratic government would bring change that puts farmers and their families first,” Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath says in the rural section of their platform document. The rural portion is called ‘Change that works for rural Ontario.’

Food safety system earns Canadians’ trust: survey
Saskatchewan and Manitoba residents are the most confident; Quebec and British Columbia residents are the least
Susan Mann, Better Farming

Canadians’ confidence in the country’s food safety system has increased slightly this year compared to 2010, according to a Canadian Food Inspection Agency survey.

The survey, conducted by Leger Marketing in the spring, found that 68 per cent of Canadians gave the system a favourable confidence rating. That’s up from 65 per cent in 2010 and 60 per cent in 2008.

“Confidence in the food system comes from a variety of reasons with the top reason being that Canadians have faith in the food safety system,” it says in the survey report released Thursday.

The raw milk debate: still illegal

Posted by Grace

Here is a really great post about raw milk in Ontario from the blog Well Preserved.

Yesterday raw milk was once again outlawed and the only legal place for producers to sell their raw milk is to the Dairy Board. So the only way to buy raw milk for personal consumption is still through a cow share; you buy a share of a cow at a small farm, and they give you your share of the milk your cow produces. Sneaky.

If you want to learn more, Joel’s post on Well Preserved gives a brief history of raw milk in Ontario. Check it out! 

September Food Calendar for Hamilton

Amazing looking event tomorrow:

September 16
Sew Hungry: Food Truck Rally 2011
I hope you’re hungry tomorrow, Hamilton! Ottawa St is hosting the Sew Hungry: Food Truck Rally 2011, the first curbside food truck rally in Hamilton! Lined up between Barton and Roxborough, ten trucks will be offering elevated street food from 11am-2pm! You may recognize some local trucks which have been roaming the streets and attending events and festivals this summer, but some are travelling from out of the city.

Featuring Gorilla Cheese, The Cupcake Diner, Sweetness Bakery, Smoke’s Poutinerie, El Gastranamo Vegabundo, Caplansky’s Deli and Bonfire Catering, Waffle Wagon, Kool Jim’s Icecream Truck or Shriner’s Kettle Creek Popcorn.

Shuttle busses from McMaster, at the HSR bus stop by the Life Sciences building, buses will be leaving at 10:45am, 11:45am and 12:45pm. Buses will be stopping at City Hall at 11pm, 12pm and 1pm. A shuttle will be departing from Mohawk on the south side of Fennell Avenue, in front of the new H Wing at 10:45 am, 11:30 am, 12:15 pm and 1 pm
Date: Friday, September 16 at 11am
Location: Ottawa Street, between Barton and Roxborough

And more events happening in September! Get outside and eat good food 🙂

September 11 – October 17
Puddicombe Estate Farms and Winery Apple Festival
Take a ride on Ontario’s only wine train. We are 7th generation family owned farm. Pick your own fruit, general store, cafe, bakery, wine shop, hiking trails and children’s village. Yes starting this fall you can host a campfire party for your group. We will provide a firepit area, wood, washroom facilities, campers box with wieners, buns, condiments, marshmallows, skewers for cooking, drinks & napkins. Give us a call for details!
Date: Monday-Sundays, September 11-October 17, 9 AM – 5 PM
Location: 1468 #8 Highway, Winona, ON

September 17
Kids in the Kitchen: Lunch Time in India
Ever wondered what kids eat for lunch in India? Chef John Marques will show you how to make a simple lunch combo featuring kid-size servings of basmati rice and vegetable or fish curry. Join us every Saturday at 10am for Kids in the Kitchen. Children must be accompanied by an adult. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free 

September 17
Market Fresh Cooking Demonstration: Festialia at the Market with guest Mark Farrugia, Executive Chef, La Piazza Allegra
Festitalia at the Market traditional Italian cuisine cooking demonstration with special guest Mark Farrugia, Executive Chef, La Piazza Allega. Join us every week as chefs, stall holders, dieticians, farmers and food experts turn market fresh ingredients, into quick, easy, nutritious and affordable recipes. All ages welcome. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All
Cost: Free 

September 17-September 27
Children’s Program: Cupcake Decorating for Kids
Celebrate Cupcake Diner’s Grand Opening with free cupcake decorating for kids while supplies last.
Date: Saturday, September 17, 2011 to Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free

September 16-18
157th Binbrook Fall Fair
Farm Animals, Birds of Prey
Commercial Exhibits, Midway Rides
Live Entertainment for All Ages, Returning livestock feature this year
Gord Searle, an Alberta based Horse Clinician, will be at the Binbrook Fair.
Agricultural Education Program – some really cool programs for grade 2 & 3 classes
Date: Sept 16 5 pm – 11 pm, Sept 17 10 am – 11 pm and Sept 18 10 am – 6 pm
Cost: $7.00 per adult, Children (12 and under) free, Free parking on Fairgrounds

September 22-25
Ancaster Fair
Come visit the Ancaster Fair… games, midway rides, animals, contests and more.
Date:
Location: 630 Trinity Road, RR#1 Jerseyville
Cost: Adults $10, Kindergarten to Grade 8 $5,  Pre-school children free, Free parking on fairgrounds

September 21
The Ontario Table at the Ancaster Farmers’ Market
Lynn Ogryzlo’s newest book, The Ontario Table, is a farm resource, culinary travel guide and a beautiful cookbook complete with Ontario wine pairings. But it goes further as Ogryzlo has also used the book as an opportunity to issue ‘The Ontario Table $10 Challenge” arguing that if every household spent $10 on local food each week, it would add up to a 2.4 billion dollar annual influx into our provincial economy. Lynn will be at the Ancaster Market to sign her book, her book will be available for sale as well.
Date: Wednesday September 21^st, 3-5 pm
Location: Ancaster Farmers’ Market* – 272 Wilson St East (St John Anglican Church) 

September 24
Kids in the Kitchen: Mmm Mmm Mac ‘n’ Cheese
Home made Mac ‘n’ Cheese with secret ingredients your kids will love with Chef Marg Ann (vegetarian friendly). Join us every Saturday at 10am for Kids in the Kitchen. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Cost: Free

September 24
Market Fresh Cooking Demonstration: Fresh Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Forget the simulated cheese powder and learn to make Fresh Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Chef Marg Ann. Join us every week as chefs, stall holders, dieticians, farmers and food experts turn market fresh ingredients, into quick, easy, nutritious and affordable recipes. All ages welcome. No registration is required, but space is limited so arrive early.
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: All
Cost: Free

September 24
Market Talk & Tour: Preserving the Harvest
Take a guided tour around the market and learn how to choose fresh ingredients for making fabulous fall jams, jellies, pickles, relishes, and chutneys with Master Food Preserver Betsy Aziz. This program is free and space is limited so please register in advance at 905-546-2424 x4366 or sapphire.singh@hamilton.ca. This is a Life Long Learning Week event – http://www.aeba.on.ca
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011, 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 18 years and older.
Cost: Free Pre-registration required.

September 24
Apple Festival at Battlefield House Museum & Park
Join us for fall-time harvest fun in Battlefield Park. Pancake breakfast, games, pumpkin decorating, demonstrations, entertainment, tours of the Museum and Monument, apple goodies, and don’t forget to enter the Battlefield Bake-Off.
Date: Saturday, September 24, 2011, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: Free outdoor event. Regular admission rates apply to the museum.

September 27
Public Meeting – Why Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) is Bad Deal for Canadians.
Maude Barlow, National Chairperson for Council of Canadians will be outlining this deal, that so far, has been held behind closed doors. Barlow will speak on how this agreement will affect “buy local” policies, encourage the privatization of our water and more.
Date: Tuesday September 27^th at 7pm
Location: Hamilton Convention Centre, 1 Summer’s Lane, Albion Lane

Sept 27 – Oct 25
Cooking Class: Beginner Teen Chefs Cooking Class
This 5-week beginner course, designed for teens, will discuss food costs, nutrition, food trends, baking and cooking techniques, food paring and meal planning. Teens will gain experience with kitchen tools and appliances while preparing and taste testing a variety of dishes using market fresh food. At the end of the five week course, teens will receive a certificate and create their own cooking zine. The Teen Chef Cooking Classes are taught by Jennifer Haartman who is a culinary school graduate with 15 years experience in the food industry and who has spent the last four summers at Circle Square Ranch as the Food Service Manager preparing hundreds of meals a day with her mostly teenage staff. Register in advance at 905-546-2424 x4366 or email sapphire.singh@hamilton.ca
Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 to Tuesday, October 25, 2011 (Every Tuesday 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 16 to 18 years.
Cost: $75.00 per person. Pre-registration required. Registration is limited, so please book early.

Sept 29 – Oct. 27
Cooking Class: Beginner Teen Chefs Cooking Class
This 5-week beginner course, designed for teens, will discuss food costs, nutrition, food trends, baking and cooking techniques, food paring and meal planning. Teens will gain experience with kitchen tools and appliances while preparing and taste testing a variety of dishes using market fresh food. At the end of the five week course, teens will receive a certificate and create their own cooking zine. The Teen Chef Cooking Classes are taught by Jennifer Haartman who is a culinary school graduate with 15 years experience in the food industry and who has spent the last four summers at Circle Square Ranch as the Food Service Manager preparing hundreds of meals a day with her mostly teenage staff. Register in advance at 905-546-2424 x4366 or email sapphire.singh@hamilton.ca
Date: Thursday, September 29, 2011 to Thursday, October 27, 2011 (Every Thursday) 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
Ages: 13 to 15 years.
Cost: $75.00 per person. Pre-registration required. Registration is limited, so please book early.

Before heading out the door, please confirm the details of these postings by clicking on the link provided!

Keeping up with the food news

Posted by Grace

Right now I’m in Victoria doing some work for Slow Food Canada and Katharine is camping, so I thought I would post some recent food and agriculture news from across Hamilton, Ontario and Canada. Just click on the title to read the full article!

Raising the bar on the coffee bean
The Hamilton Spectator, Meredith MacLeod

Stephen Armstrong simply doesn’t accept that some people don’t like coffee.

He can’t relate to it. It’s incomprehensible.

He’ll find them the right coffee.

It’s only a couple of minutes into an interview with a coffee non-convert when he declares that java has 800 flavour compounds, compared to wine with 250.

What’s not to like?

“Coffee is, hands down, the most complex beverage on the planet, ” says Armstrong, 42, a man with a variety of careers in his past, who’s decided that coffee is the way he can make the world a better place through his company Speakeasy.

Ontario wines in the spotlight
The Hamilton Spectator, Dan Kislenko

A rare doubleheader this week in Vintages includes wine we discussed last Saturday and a special, relatively small one today devoted to Ontario wines.

The ‘conscious carnivore’
The Hamilton Spectator, Dan Kislenko

Ken Vanlith and Madelyn Hamilton have pretty much given up eating beef. But they haven’t turned vegan, and still enjoy a good burger or a juicy tenderloin steak.

The Grimsby couple has simply switched allegiance when it comes to their red meat of choice. Now, it’s bison. Or sometimes elk.

As owners of CottageCookout, they are trying to introduce game meats as an everyday alternative for — as their motto says — “the conscious carnivore.” And they are obviously making inroads judging from the steady stream of customers buying their products or just stopping by to sample them on a recent afternoon at the downtown Grimsby farmers’ market.

Homegrown food long-term security issue
Postmedia News, Randy Shore

The local grocery store is advertising steaks from Australia and lamb from New Zealand.

Even if that grocery store were right next door to a slaughterhouse processing cattle, there is an excellent chance that grass-fed Canadian beef would find its way to a boutique grocer in California before it turned up in a store just steps away. Ditto for local lamb. According to the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, British Columbia imports 375,000 kilograms of lamb and sheep meat a year, most of it from the other side of the planet.

I’m forming intentions as I read Food Secure Vancouver, a report on local food security by the Vancouver Food Policy Council. The report points out that we grow only 13 per cent of our market vegetables in B.C., with the balance coming mainly from California and Mexico.

Organic wine explained
David Suzuki Foundation, Lindsay Coulter

Which would you pick: a glass of wine or an endangered Burrowing Owl (they’re about the same size)?

Sommeliers taste wine seeking notes, aroma, acidity, the appearance “in the glass”, the sensations “in the mouth” and the finish. But when I planned my green nuptials over four years ago, I had more on my mind than the dilemma of red or white (and which guests could not be seated next to each other).

In Western Canada, a lot of local wine comes from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley. It’s a great vacation spot with beautiful lakes and orchards. It’s also home to rare plants and animals of the antelope-brush ecosystem (PDF file) — and a great place to grow grapes!

It’s also one of the four most endangered ecosystems in all of Canada.

Over 60 per cent of antelope-brush habitat has been lost to houses, grazing or agriculture. Today only 3,100 hectares remain, and 88 species are either gone or at risk of disappearing. When wine tasting and buying, keep nature in mind.

Toxic shrimp cocktail, anyone?
David Suzuki Foundation, Lori Petryk, RD, MSc; and David Hadley, MD

“All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” So claimed Napoleon the pig in George Orwell’s classic novel Animal Farm. Napoleon could well have been talking about the differences between farmed and wild-caught shrimp.

Much like other farming practices, traditional aquaculture goes back thousands of years. Early shrimp farmers developed a balanced ecosystem where small numbers of shrimp coexisted in ecological harmony with other fish species. This type of early fish farming could yield about 200 kilograms of shrimp per acre in a good year. Today, high global demand for shrimp has led to the conversion of rice fields, salt beds and fishponds for industrial shrimp farms. According to a report by the U.S. public interest organization Food & Water Watch, today’s corporate-run shrimp operations can produce more than 40,000 kilograms per acre. That’s 200 times more shrimp per acre than the small traditional farms produced. As with many other industrial animal-farming operations, our ability to purchase this inexpensive food comes with hidden costs to our health and the environment.

Grandma Ruth’s Peach Pepper Relish

Posted by Grace and Katharine

Ruth Snider was not the kind of woman to spend much time in the kitchen. She fed a family of six using recipes from Peg Bracken’s “I Hate to Cook Book” which gave her some more time to focus on her rather illustrious career in paediatrics. There was, however, one delicious recipe that was always a standard when we went to visit and has made it’s way through the generations.

This was the first big batch we’ve canned, everything else has been fairly small, only 6 jars or so. But we made 18 250 ml jars of this relish!

Grandma Ruth’s Peach Pepper Jelly

2 chili peppers
12 red bell peppers, finely chopped (we used a food processor)
12 large peaches (skinned, pitted and sliced)
1 tablespoon salt
2 lemons sliced, remove seeds
1 cup of white wine vinegar
6 cups of sugar

Sterilize jars.

Combine peppers, peaches, salt, lemon slices and vinegar in a large pot. Simmer for half an hour, stirring every once in while to make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot.

Remove the lemon rinds and add the sugar. Simmer for another half an hour.

Fill jars and use sterilized lids. Screw lids on with three fingers (not too tight!) and process jars by boiling them completely submerged in water for 10 minutes. Use a jar lifter or tongs to pull the jars out and let them cool completely. Listen for the “snap!” sound of the lids sealing!

The peppers we used were enormous, so we ended up using about 10 peppers to 16 peaches or so. Basically you just want the amounts of peaches and peppers to be fairly equal. As the peaches break down in the heat, the little pepper fragments cling onto the peaches. The rosy relish is beautiful in the jars. Perfect for eating with lean meat or dipping samosas, but you’ll find excuses to put it on other things.

Cost Breakdown:

Red peppers 2.6 kg $20
Peaches (about 16) $2 (We got the peaches from a distribution centre in Niagara)
Green chili peppers $0.10
2 lemons $1.49
Sugar $2.49
White wine vinegar $0.75
Salt ~0
Total: 26.83

17 x 250 ml = $1.58

Simple August Peach Jam

The same day that we made corn relish, we made pickles and peach jam. Because Katharine and I are nothing if not ambitious.

The peach jam we made was with a low-sugar pectin. What I like about low-sugar pectin is that the jam ends up tasting so much more like fruit than regular pectin. Eventually I’d like to stop using commercial pectin all together, but one step at a time!

 Simple August Peach Jam Recipe

4 cups of crushed peaches (1.5 kgs of medium sized peaches)
1 cup of unsweetened apple or white grape juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 package of no sugar pectin (We used Bernardin No Sugar Needed Fruit Pectin, $2.79)
Sugar
Butter

Sterilize jars; boil jars in water for ten minutes.

In a pot combine crushed fruit and juice and lemon juice. If you want, add ½ teaspoon of butter to reduce foaming (this seemed to work for us) and add the pectin. Mix until pectin is dissolved.

Bring mixture to a full roiling boil, stirring frequently, over high heat.

If you want to sweeten the jam, this is the part where you do it. We added 1.5 cups of white sugar, but you can add up to 3 cups.

Return to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, and boil for three minutes. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

Fill your jars. This recipe made us exactly 6 x 250 ml jars. Process by putting on sterilized lids (you should boil the two part lids before this step so that they are still warm) and boiling them in a very large pot for ten minutes.

And you have some simple, low sugar peach jam!

Opening a jar, it smells overwhelmingly like fresh peaches. The texture is nice; the chunks of peaches that didn’t quite loose their shape are soft. Lightly lemony and not too sweet, I can eat a spoonful without being overwhelmed by sugar. This is a great basic recipe and I can’t wait to taste it on some vanilla ice cream, or stirred into plain Greek yogurt.

This is our approximate cost breakdown for our peach jam:

Lemon $0.77
Peaches $5.65
Pectin $2.79
Sugar $0.50
Total: 9.71

6 x 250 ml = $1.61 per jar

Cake+Loaf bakery opens today!

Cake+Loaf Bakery is officially open for business today on Dundurn Street South. Alex and I spoke to owners Josie Rudderham and Nicole Sherman on The Grapevine last year about their support for small businesses in Hamilton and sourcing locally grown ingredients for their baking. The bakery even offers a CSB program where you can sign up for a weekly delivery or pickup of delicious baked goods.

Their space is small but very pretty. They sell Detour coffee, jams and preserves (I spied some delicious looking peach salsa on the shelf), fancy little cakes, pies, drinks (peach soda), sandwiches, breads and pastries.

Today my mom and our friend Matt had the cheddar scones, which Matt proclaimed was “the best scone I have ever eaten.” They were moist and not too dense. I had the ginger cookie ($2) which tasted heavily of molasses, which I love in baking, and was incredibly chewy and soft.

We took home a loaf of cheddar onion beer bread ($5). Let me warn you: this bread is dangerous. It is so fluffy and moist, cheesy and buttery, that before you know it 2/3 of the loaf is gone between my mom and I.

Their regular hours are 7 am – 6 pm Tuesday-Friday, and 8 am – 5 pm on Saturdays. The bakery will be open tomorrow from 8 am – 5 pm, so I suggest you check it out!