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Back in the spring, I wrote a post about an Ontario farmer who is experimenting with growing edamame this year.
Edamame is a succulent soybean that is popular in Asian cuisine. Currently virtually all edamame consumed in Canada is grown in Asia, which means there could be a market opportunity for Ontario farmers to begin growing the crop here. This is what led farmer Jason Persall, a fourth generation farmer who markets a line of 100 percent Canadian oils, wine vinegars, soya sauces and cooking wines under the Pristine Gourmet brand, to trial different varieties on his Waterford-area farm. Continue reading Ontario edamame ready for harvest!  We’re in the middle of prime fruit and vegetable season. The heat and sun of the summer bring with them roadside stands, farmers markets and local food stores brimming with fresh, Ontario-grown produce. I, for one, as someone who supports local food production and values Ontario’s farmers, am in my element as I’m revelling in the seasonal bounty of our fields.
But this season also annually gives new life to the ongoing debate about whether or not we should be using crop protection materials in our food production. Earlier this summer, a U.S. activist group released its yearly list of fruits and vegetables they say consumers should avoid because they contain the highest levels of pesticide residues. Continue reading Reports on pesticide residue may be misleading  I make no secret of my love affair with chocolate. In fact, as someone born in Switzerland, I sometimes feel like it’s my cultural duty to my heritage to ensure that my blood flows as chocolate-brown as possible.
So, given that background, the thought that products like Nutella and Fererro Rochers might soon be considered locally grown makes my chocolate-loving heart beat just a little bit faster. Continue reading Chocolate as a local Ontario food?  It’s been almost a week since I had the chance to visit an Ontario berry farm at the height of strawberry season…and since I’ve been travelling, it’s been hard to find time to get this blog post put together. But better late than never…and certainly before the end of strawberry season! Continue reading A visit to Springridge Farm
 Ok, so I couldn’t resist a lame attempt at berry humour but I hope you’ll look past that and read the rest of this post.
I’m the proud owner of two quarts – ok, just over one by now – of fresh Ontario strawberries that I picked up at Fraberts Fresh Food in Fergus. I’ve been craving them since I read a tweet by @EatingNiagara yesterday talking about having the chance to taste the first of the strawberry harvest and I knew one of the only places likely to carry them in the Guelph-Wellington area was Fraberts.
Continue reading The berry first of the season – strawberries, that is  I’ve already talked about my love for fresh Ontario asparagus in a post a couple of weeks ago…but it’s still in season and I’m still enjoying!
Tonight I combined it with another favourite – Ontario pork – and ended up with a delicious meal. It was surprisingly easy to make and great to grill on the barbecue, which was a must for me in today’s heat. Continue reading Tasty and delicious asparagus pork tenderloin  My husband and I went to the movies on Friday night – and during the ever longer pre-movie showcase of commercials and ads, I was quite pleasantly surprised to see one featuring the Holland Marsh and Ontario farmer Jason Verkaik.
Verkaik owns Carron Farms near Bradford, where he grows a wide variety of vegetables, although specializes in carrots and onions. It was Carron Farms that hosted the Eastern Canada Farm Writers Association for their annual meeting last month, and where we had the chance to learn a bit more about the Marsh, a wonderfully fertile area only 40 minutes north from down town Toronto.
Continue reading Ontario’s Salad Bowl – at a Cineplex near you! | |
