Ken Bustin, The Pickle Guy, has been making pickles and sauces in Grey County for 20+ years, and he has it down to a fine art. His Million Dollar Relish is my burger topping of choice, Peach and Red Pepper Chutney accompanies my curry and the Asian Sauce is a great stir-fry addition. But until this past weekend there was one product I had not yet tasted. We were having Winston's beautiful rainbow trout and I was in the mood for a bit of a bite, so I opened a jar of Ken's Wow Wasabi Sauce and put a spoonful on Ted's plate. The first word out of his mouth was "Wow!" It's a delicious creamy mayonnaise-type sauce with wasabi, horseradish, roasted garlic, mustard seed, crushed chili peppers, turmeric and curry.
The bees are really challenged this summer - they cannot do their work in the rain. But the new crop is starting to come in from Chatsworth Honey, McPhail's in Durham, and Song Sparrow in Meaford. Look for your favourite - clover, buckwheat, creamed, wildflower, flavoured, honeycomb or honey butter.
The rain and cool weather have affected everything in the field and orchard of course, but this just might be the weekend for the first of this year's garlic and apples, carrots and beans.
If the long weekend means a holiday from cooking, Bogusia's cabbage rolls, both beef and pork, are in the freezer. Or visit her at the Friday Farmer's Market or her restaurant in Meaford. Sara's Incredible Edibles is bringing us lasagnes and quiches, and Brenda and Axel are both trying their best to keep up with your demand for meat pies.
Sunday looks like it might be picnic day. How about smoked whitefish, some blanched snow peas and zucchini spears and a dip of sun-dried tomato and roasted garlic pate? A loaf of rustic Italian bread, some fresh fruit, and a couple of lemongrass and ginger sodas. And perhaps one of Trudy's chocolate chip cookies or Laura's cranberry ginger oat squares to finish off. If you're hiking or biking, almond butter sandwiches, elk or venison pepperettes, granola bars and soya nuts all pack well.
If Monday turns out to be a rainy lie-in day for you, take a cup of freshly roasted Back Eddie's coffee back to bed with you with a good book from one of our great local bookstores. When you do get up for brunch, try something new. Gooseberry jam or maple butter on some of Kelsey's cranberry oat or currant pumpkin seed toast. Or eggs with a little local summer sausage or kielbossa. Or multi-grain pancakes with fresh raspberries.
Around the Sound is open Thursday and Friday 10 until 7 and Saturday 10 until 4 at 972 1st Avenue West. Feel free to call if you want something put away for you.
519-370-2333, www.aroundthesoundfood.com
See you soon.
Anne