Okay - Tuna is not a local food, I'll admit. But this one had such a great local connection and stellar credentials that I knew I had to have it in the store.
B.C. wild albacore tuna is caught with barbless hooks that do not harm other species. It is rich in omega-3 oil and selenium - a powerful anti-oxidant missing from much of our depleted agricultural land.
This particular tuna is from the family-owned canning plant belonging to Dianne and Bruce Devereax. Dianne is the daughter of Audrey Cheadle of Owen Sound Little Theatre fame.
Her words on the tuna -
"...the biggest difference between conventional canned tuna and the locally-canned product is how it's cooked. The little guys' "natural" or "raw pack" means it's cooked just once, in the can. Commercial canneries thaw and cook the fish before canning, drain off the oils, then pack it in cans with water or vegetable oil. Then they cook it a second time during processing. Double-cooking hides bruising and other flaws in lower-quality albacore. It turns the albacore a uniform white color, and allows canneries to get more meat off the fish. But there's no comparing the taste. It's such a radical difference between pre-cooked and raw pack."
We'll have regular - with only the fish's natural oil and 1% sea salt - smoked, and new tuna in organic extra virgn olive oil - all packed in 180g Canadian cans.
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For more on the tuna go to wwww.bctuna.ca.
This week the cherries, raspberries and black currants will be overflowing the produce room. Eat them fresh and freeze the extras for a taste of summer in the middle of winter.
One of my favourite summer meals is a big bowl of salad and some flatbread or baguette with cheese. Laurel at Pinestone Preserves has given us the vinegrette for the salad and now she has added the ultimate summer accompaniment to the cheese - Canadian, Eh? Beer Belly Jelly.
Laura has brought back her famous blueberry jam and has added gooseberry to our shelves.
Joanne from Back to Basics in Chatsworth is bringing in some of her hand-blended teas, and she's left us some "sniffing jars" for you. Caffeine-free green tea with organic peppermint was popular last week, but you really must smell the Belgian chocolate Roiboos.
Last week Kelsey reprised her cranberry sunflower oat bread and even brought a few sticky buns on Thursday - of course I don't think they actually got to the rack. Her bread comes in fresh every morning and you can always call to reserve some.
Kelsey and some of our other suppliers live just far enough away from Owen Sound to make the trips in to town a little less than "green". We are always looking for people who have regular routes around the region and might like to bring something in to the store in exchange for - let's say - a fresh loaf of bread? a jar of jam?
Around the Sound is at 972 1st Avenue West, just facing the river, one block north of the library. We're open Thursday and Friday, 10 until 7 and Saturday 10 until 4.
See you there.
Anne
www.aroundthesoundfood.com
519-370-2333