Farm to Table, Part II

So, yesterday was my first time on a farm where they measured their greenhouse space in terms of acreage, rather than sq feet.

Floralane Produce is a year-round operation that combines very high-tech methods - color-specific LED lighting, compressed peat, CO2 emission recycled from the boiler stack - with Mennonite family tradition, to produce some of the best-looking tomatoes I've ever seen, and LOTS of them.

​More to come, showing how these little jewels end up on some of the best-looking plates in the region…

Farm to Table, Part 1

Not exactly a farm, but a fitting way to start this project off.
​
I was pleased to attend the annual "Blessing of the Nets" service in Port Burwell last week, hosted by Martin's Fish Market and officiated by The Reverend Robert Clifford of the Trinity Anglican Church.

The Blessing marks an unofficial start to the fishing season, although some hardy souls start as soon as the water is clear enough of ice.

No matter my own religious beliefs, I found it very moving to be among a close-knit community on a FRIGID day to observe a ritual prayer for safe harbor, smooth waters and a bountiful catch, in the rich tradition of fishermen going back to the humble men who were called away from their nets to become 'fishers of men.'

According to the official Provincial web page:Commercial fishing is part of Ontario's heritage and culture. Many towns, such as Port Dover and Port Stanley on the Canadian shores of Lake Erie, were founded because of commercial fishing activities.Today, the towns of Kingsville and Wheatley Harbour are home to some of the largest commercial freshwater fish processing centres in Canada.

Furthermore, as of 2011 (The latest Canadian census), Ontario commercial fishers

• caught nearly 12,000 metric tonnes of fish (about 26 million pounds)
• hauled in a catch with a dockside value of more than $33 million
• contributed $234 million (Canadian) to Ontario's economy
• processed and sold fish to food stores and restaurants in Ontario, the U.S. and around the world

The fish might go all over the world, but IMHO the best way to enjoy it is at one of the many fish-n-chips stands or trucks that line the Lake Erie coast during the warmer months, or fresh from your own grill.

I look forward to heading out on the water soon and tracing the path of some fresh Lake Erie perch or pickerel from the net to the table. Stay tuned!

Food and TV again....

I love food and TV, and really adore great food TV. I've found three great Canadian examples so far, more to come I'm sure.

Chuck and Danny's Road Trip is a buddy show that features two Montreal chefs, Chuck Hughes and Danny Smiles, as they travel across Canada by RV and discover local (sometimes unusual) ingredients and the interesting (sometimes unusual) folks who gather, prepare, hunt and create them. Kelp Gin cocktail, anyone? 

After two days of exploring the local food scene, they invite all the people they've met back to their campsite for a feast. The show is heavy on adventure and personality, light on traditional "stand and stir" cooking-show shots, and more info about the ingredients and many of the recipes can be found on their website.


Next, imagine a show with many of the features you like about "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" - small restaurants with lots of personality, local charm, great backstories and friendly cooks - and substitute a charmingly nerdy, regular Canadian guy in place of, y'know..... "Guy."  The B-roll entrance shots typically show the flannel-clad host strolling up the sidewalk and walking into the restaurant rather than roaring up in a red convertible with his bleached tips wagging in the breeze.

John Catucci hosts "You Gotta Eat Here!" and the title is basically the theme of the show. Actor/comedian Catucci visits family-friendly eateries and local diners with great dishes and nice people and makes you want to visit each and every one. Fortunately, on the website, you can search by location for the restaurants that have been featured on the show. 

Bonus feature:  Catucci often has to adjust his glasses in the kitchen sequences, so I can relate.



A small startup network called Makeful is the new Canadian home of "Three Chefs, One City." This is a slower-paced, more thoughtful show. Each episode offers an exploration of a major city through the stories of three top rock-star chefs in that area. It's not 'try this at home'- more like a way of touring an exotic destination (episodes feature Rio, Paris, Hong Kong, etc) through its high-end culinary scene. Think Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" but sans Bourdain's penchant for late-night streetmeat. Definitely not as proletariat as YGEH! but thoughtful and accessible in its own way and exquisitely photographed.

Farm-to-Table Photo Project

A few years ago I helped my chef friend John MacPherson develop a pilot for a TV concept - In Season - which featured John going out into the field to hunt, gather, and harvest fresh, seasonal ingredients, and followed him back to the kitchen where he put it all together for a great meal. 

The narrative arc of a chef fishing, hunting and foraging for THAT DAY'S MENU made for good TV with strong visuals and a great payoff at the end. 



For busy restaurateurs, of course, consistently acquiring seasonal, local ingredients is more complicated, and involves a lot of people. 

I've always thought that the real story of how great local food gets from "farm-to-table" - and the people along the way - would make a terrific photo story, but as a lifelong suburban kid I wasn't sure where or how to start.

Now, years later, I find myself in Ontario's Waterloo Region, home to three bustling cities - Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge, and four big agricultural townships. The restaurant scene in these burgs is very robust, and 'farm-to'table' isn't just a buzzword. With 1400+ farms within the Region proper, and over 4500 farms in the greater central Ontario area, "farm-to-table" is a reality even in modest brewpubs and family-friendly eateries.

I also have found some amazing local people who share a passion for the Region's local food and restaurant scene. 

Local Line, a tech business founded by Cole Jones, helps local producers, distributors, retailers, and of course, restaurants, find each other. Cole responded almost immediately to my email with a hearty welcome to the region and offered to help me make connections to get the project started.

Andrew Coppolino is a local food writer for CBC and the creator of Waterloo Region Eats, which has quickly become my go-to resource for local restaurants. Andrew met me for a beer at Abe Erb, and when I asked him "Where would be a good place to start?" he pointed to the floor below us. The owner of this brewpub sources his own chicken and pork from livestock he buys at the start of the season.

FoodLink is a non-profit that advocates for local food and helps consumers find what they're looking for. The site contains a massive amount of content in blogs, recipes,  events and a searchable map that allows users to search by the ingredient they want. Anna Contini responded immediately to my email and we'll be meeting soon to figure out ways to work together.


The first shoots for this project will be happening soon, and I'll be sharing updates as we go. Stay tuned!

How do you know when a move is really real?

When you have a new library card!

😁

You Know You're in Canada When.... (The first in a series)

When you enter a big municipal recreation complex, in this case RIM Park  - you know, field house, fitness, etc, open to the public - and find this:

And then as you walk around the joint, you realize this rink is only the first of FOUR full-size rinks in the building, and all are BUSY (hockey games and practices, figure-skating, etc -no rec skate, no disco music, no foolin around).

Oh, and it's the home of the Waterloo Wolves. GO WOLVES!

OK, The weather and the CRACK

So, a little background…

Some of you know that I drive a 2003 Ford Explorer that I absolutely LOVE. 

My stately 14-year old truck has only 134,000 miles on her, and I have babied her inside and out and under the hood, fully intending to get to at least 250,000.

One small point of pride - the 2001-2005 Explorers have a defect in the material used for the rear lift gate - a hardshell plastic panel just below the glass - that is notorious for developing a crack down the middle with age and rapid temperature changes. My Miss Dora, however, has been crack-free -- until the Canadian winter started in on her.
We had a few days of single-digit (Fahrenheit) nights, followed by a relatively balmy day where the temp got above freezing - so I hit the car wash - and heard an audible pop from the rear of the vehicle as the warm wash started. DAMMIT! I immediately knew what it was….

Found a supplier for a replacement panel, and a video for DIY, and it looks pretty straightforward - but this will have to wait until Spring.