Local food is a lot like rainbows. Beautiful while they last. So the asparagus was wonderful (while it lasted) and then the farmer made the less than pretty ones into asparagus bread. Carey (Chef at Noah's Inn and Chicory Common)made asparagus into soup for us - smoked tomato, asparagus and parsnip and the latest asparagus, lemon, tarragon. The Barrie Brothers turn theirs into our asparagus corn chips and new asparagus salsa (only three jars of the mild left, since we sampled it) and soon they'll have an asparagus pasta sauce.
Strawberries are in the store today, and I'll try to get them as I can (while they last). Strawberries are labour intensive and delicate, so most growers would prefer to sell them at the farm and keep the full at home. Completely understood. Check the Grey Bruce Food Link website for places you can pick your own foodlinkgreybruce.com
Spinach, radishes and early lettuces are the fresh greens this week. Kristine gave us a recipe this week in our Persephone Market Garden box - Cumin-scented Spinach - Wash, wilt, drain, rinse and squeeze a bunch of spinach. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in the same pot. stir in 2 tsp of cumin and the spinch and saute until hot. Season with lime juice, salt and pepper.
Bogusia has sent over some hand-made cabbage rolls - one of the Polish specialties from her self-named restaurant in Meaford. Laura has to keep filling up the pizzas and quiches from the Williamsford Pie Company, so you have definitely discovered how good they are for an easy lunch or supper with all these fresh salad greens. We received another case of olive oil from Rallis - the label has both his address in Owen Sound and his address in Greece. rallisoliveoil.com/ Ask for a taste.
Ingrid from Beaver River Farm and Oil Mill is back from adventures making oil in Africa (their idea of local food in the monestary where she was living was fresh monkey - but that's a story for another day). Ingrid brought us flax oil - and suggested a cucumber salad with a dressing of flax oil, a little maple syrup, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
A little bird told us that it nd was our Susan's birthday today. In her honour we've picked up a full supply of her favourite Mapleton's Organic ice cream - vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, ginger, chocolate mint, vanilla chocolate chunk and lemon and vanilla frozen yogurts.mapletonsorganics.ca Delicious on their own of course, but if you want to guild the lily, try Meredith's ginger syrup or Ken's Blueberry or Raspberry Drizzles. Of course, with ice cream goes cake, and since I met Marg of Marjenny's she now makes all our family's special occasion cakes - a feast for eye and tongue. She can make cake for special diets too - there are two beautiful diabetic carrot cakes in the store right now, and an assortment of gluten-free chocolate delights. Order ahead for just the right cake for your special occasion. marjennyscakes.com