|  Over the last week or so of everyone’s back to school preparations, I’ve been noticing a lot of coverage about school lunches and the dilemna of what to send with your kids. I didn’t realize this was such a problem – I’ve been out of school myself for quite some time and don’t have any kids in the system, so I didn’t realize how complicated a task making a lunch could be.
The biggest problem seems to be nut allergies, specifically to peanuts. So many kids are allergic – in some cases deathly so – that many schools have banned all peanut products from their premises. This includes peanut butter, a great, low cost protein source that together with jelly has been an iconic staple of school lunches for generations of Canadians. Continue reading Solving the peanut-free school lunch problem 
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 took advantage of the recent long weekend to spend a few days in the Kawartha region of Ontario. The village of Lakefield was our principle destination – and the highlight of our weekend a visit with our friend Jennifer MacKenzie. Jen and her husband, Chef Jay Nutt, own Nuttshell Next Door, a cafe in downtown Lakefield. Continue reading Checking out the local cafe
 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?  Eggs are a Canadian breakfast staple. They’re also popular at other mealtimes and as ingredients in countless recipes. But do you ever wonder how eggs are made and where they come from?
I had the chance to find out first hand a couple of weeks ago during a visit to an egg farm north of Guelph, Ontario. Owner Len, who farms together with his wife Brenda, runs this typical Ontario egg farm of about 128,000 hens that produce approximately three million eggs per year. Continue reading A visit to a Canadian egg farm  Cows grazing on hillside pastures are a stereotypical – if often true – image of Switzerland. The Swiss are proud of their mountains and their pristine Alpine countryside. They’re also pretty serious about promoting homegrown food products.
One of the country’s leading supermarket chains, Co-op, sells a line of branded Swiss food products – milk, yogurts, meats, cheeses and more – that promotes sustainable mountain farming. Continue reading Retailer supports sustainable farming | |
