We have very ripe sheep Camembert, pecorino and double cream brie for the cheese course.

Brenda just brought some beautiful fresh boneless legs of lamb.

Lamb dizi and chicken noodle soup, meat pies.

Chocolate is always welcome. We have local truffles in twos and fours, fair trade chocolate bars in plain, chili and space, green tea or cranberries and almonds, and organic bars with chunks of espresso beans, raspberries or coconut.
Or fair trade organic hot chocolate or drinking chocolate.

Look in the freezer for sweet cherries for your flaming crepe suzettes!

Wednesday, December 23 9 - 6
Thursday, December 24 9 - 6
Wednesday, December 30 9 - 6
Thursday, December 31 9 - 6

Closed December 26 and January 2.

Have a wonderful holiday, and we'll see you soon!
Anne

519-370-2333
www.aroundthesoundfood.com

Remember that Around the Sound is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week from 9 until 6.

If your house is getting full, be sure to pick up one of Sara's lasagnes or Brenda's meat pie for a quick dinner.

For the main event, there are still a few turkeys available, and pick up your free poultry seasoning package. Kelsey has brought stuffing cubes, packages of "company buns" and beautiful spelt pie crusts. There are still Jamaican Rum cakes, mince pies, Christmas pudding with rum sauce, cranberry ginger oat squares, brownies and gingerbread, if you've run out of time to bake.

Ontario potatoes, turnips, sweet potatoes, parsnips and beets are in the back room. Try them roasted in olive oil with garlic.

We have Ontario cabbage too. Try some of Ken's Wow Wasabi Sauce or Goop in your regular coleslaw recipe.

For those who were fighting over the last jar - and you know who you are - there are some more plums in. Look for peaches too, perfect on lemon frozen yogurt with a drizzle of Raspberry Drizzle.

There are pickled local plums too - a great accompaniment to meat, then save the liquid and reduce it for a great ham glaze.

Don't forget the eggs for Boxing Day brunch - nothing will be open.

Lots of samples this week, and stocking stuffers like Ontario peanuts and maple butter samplers - all marked with a red arrow. Treat the cat to local catnip in her stocking.

Meredith has brought all three larger sizes of ginger syrup - she's run out of wee jars for the "popper" size last I heard.

Just call or write if you need anything - 370-2333 - aroundsoundfood@gmail.com.

Se you soon.
Anne

If you're looking for a colourful, delicious and all-Ontario vegetable dish for Christmas, try this from my friend Lois. All the ingredients are in Around the Sound this week.

Dice an equal volume of each of turnip (rutabaga), carrot, sweet potato and parsnip into 1 inch cubes. Cover in water and boil until soft, 30 minutes or so. Drain and mash or puree, adding salt, pepper and butter to taste.

Ask us for some fabulous parsnip soup recipes - a great starter for a holiday dinner or a warm lunch with a turkey sandwich!

Shallots are in - perfect for your turkey stuffing. The good news is, our garlic farmers have planted much more for next year - the bad news is, we're down to our last 30 pounds in the store.

Mince pies are here and there are still a few fruit cakes and carrot puddings.

Just ask for cranberry sauce, relish and cranberry wine jelly. Friday the Pickle Guy is coming with more horseradish, wasabi, super dills, salsas, garlic and onion-y Super Sauce. Look for Laura's pickled beets and pickled local plums too. The Pickle Guy is also bringing more of our very popular Raspberry and Blueberry Drizzles - famously reviewed as "the best thing I ever put in my mouth".

Speaking of reviews - here is what some of our customers have said about their favourites - feel free to send along recommendations of your own any time.

"Kelsey's multi-grain sour dough bread has become the staple around our house. If you like pioneer-style, tangy and delicious bread that's especially great with dips, don't miss it! Word to the wise - get to the store early, 'cause they go quick, and for good reason!"

"Around the Sound's coriander chutney has inspired us to eat Indian food at home twice as much as we used to! Mix it with a little yogurt as a side dish for Indian curries, or just spice up some Thai food or stews with it. It's the little green jar of magic in our fridge."

"Markdale's Wool Drift Farm's Olive Meadow Sheep Cheese is sublime. Delicious on its own or on crackers. It also adds a really flavourful tang to omelettes and shakes up breakfast a little"

Remember Around the Sound is open TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY and THURSDAY next week, then Wednesday the 30th and Thursday the 31st.

See you soon
Anne
www.aroundthesoundfood.com
519-370-2333

For entertaining, gifting and every day groceries, Around the Sound will be open Wednesday 10 to 6, Thursday and Friday 10 to 7, and Saturday 9 to 5. Next week (yes, that's Christmas week!) we'll be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 to 6.

If you're still in the market for a turkey, call Sean at GrassRoots Organics - 794-4445. If it's more convenient, you can have it delivered for pickup at Around the Sound.

When I was growing up, my mother made us stay out of the kitchen while she concentrated all Christmas afternoon on the evening feast. She may have nibbled, but the rest of us had nothing to eat but candy from our stockings. In retrospect, this pretty much explains the inevitable pre-dinner domestic melt-down. Avoid this in your house with a modest mid-day slice of Sara's quiche or Brenda's tortiere or a little protein in your afternoon grazing - smoked salmon or trout, hummous and flatbread, shitake mushroom pate on slices of rustic Italian bread.

For a holiday brunch, Cathy from Over the Moon Farm near Markdale has brought pastured Berkshire pork - some ham with your green eggs from Claire!

Laurel and Laura have both brought some lovely gift packs of their delicious jams and condiments, or we can put your favorites together for you. Honey Orange Jelly with Cointreau is new, as is Mom's Apple Pie Jelly. All three sizes of Uncle Richard's maple jelly and maple butter (just pure maple syrup whipped for spreadability) are on the shelf. How about a barbecue sauce and a gift certificate for the meat?

We'll be sampling every day as usual, and just ask if you want to try something you haven't.

Meredith's ginger syrup makes a great addition to hot toddies or cool cocktails. A new stock of sparkling ciders just arrived from Finch Haven Orchards in Clarksburg - apple, apple raspberry and apple cranberry. Fair-trade organic drinking chocolate and hot chocolate in milk and dark are available in tins or stocking-friendly singles.

In the non-food department, there are locally-made beeswax candles from hand-dipped tapers to tealights. Local soap and lip balms make great stocking-stuffers. Folk Funk has earrings, necklaces and bracelets made of buttons and beads,or for something more ephemoral, look for Gypsy Funcraft earrings and necklaces made of local horsetails.

Pack it all in a shopping bag made from recycled materials, or a crocheted shopping bag - proceeds to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

For the written sentiments to tuck inside, Christy Muddle has brought beautiful winter photo cards - or remind them of spring with Marg Gaviller's wildflowers.

Call if there's anything else you need - you'd be amazed what we can find in our community. 519-370-2333

Around the Sound Local Food Market is at 972 1st Avenue West. www.aroundthesoundfood.com

See you soon
Anne

Just after I came in this morning, Claire emailed to say that her pullets had been laying and she was bringing in beautiful fresh rainbow eggs!

Kelsey brought cheddar sage bread (if it's still here at five, the last loaves are going home with me), rustic Italian, spelt sandwich loaves, and two new products - multi-grain sourdough baguette and currant Christmas stars!

If you want to stock up for the holidays, feel free to order ahead. This bread freezes very well. I suggest you slice it before you double bag for the freezer for a regular supply.

Trudy will be making assorted boxes of cookies and squares in window boxes, on a doily so you can just slip them onto your own pretty tray for an instant party.

See you soon.
Anne
519-370-2333
aroundsoundfood.com

Around the Sound will be open this Wednesday and next from 10 until 5.
Next week (the 16th-19th) we'll be open Wednesday to Saturday and we'll be open 9 to 5 on the Saturday.
In Christmas week we'll be open 9 until 6, Tuesday the 22nd, Wednesday the 23rd and Thursday the 24th.

As expected, treats have begun to arrive. Rum cakes and carrot puddings with rum sauce are going fast! Laura has brought mincemeat in 500 and 750 ml. jars, and will take orders for an un-brandied version if you're so inclined. She has also brought her popular lemon ginger marmalade, cherry jam and cherry chutney made from local cherries, apple cider jelly and a new pear jam with flecks of vanilla bean. One more treat - Black Forest Sauce, made from local cherries, brandy and chocolate!

And by Friday we'll have organic eggnog from Harmony Organic Dairy.

If you want to make your own jam, jelly or sauces, there are local cherries and red currants in the freezer - just ask.

Look for Trudy's gingerbread cookies and of course any number of cranberry condiments from Windy Hill, Trudy's Country Kitchen and Cottage Country North. Trudy will bake to order for the holidays, and Marjenny's will supply gluten-free treats.

Apple cider comes in frozen litres, litre bottles of organic cider from Filsingers in Ayton, or sparkling from Finch Haven Orchards in Clarksburg.

For those who asked (and anyone else) the Goji berries and Texas spicy venison sausage are here.

Ontario peanuts grow where tobacco was once planted, and we have little bags of Kernel's Ontario peanuts in salted, unsalted and garlic, peanut brittle and crunchy peanut butter. Look for festive cones of white chocolate Ontario popcorn too.

Gift baskets can be made to order in any size, and beautiful gift certificates (thanks again Christy!) in any denomination.

Around the Sound is still at 972 1st Avenue West, one block north of the library. Watch for our move/expansion in late January.

Call 519-370-2333 to place an order or have s put something away or deliver. Or email aroundsoundfood@gmail.com

See you soon.
Anne

Settle in because there's lots to tell you this week.

Margaret has been soaking fruit for the past six weeks for her special Christmas baking. Her moist, dense Jamaican rum cake also has port wine and sherry, with raisins, currants, glazed cherries, plums, dates and spices. Her carrot pudding, made from her grandmother's recipe, has fresh carrots, raisins, dates and currants and comes with rum sauce. Most thoughtfully, Margaret has made these in gluten-free versions too! Next week she'll bring pies made with her own pumpkin and homemade mincemeat. Supplies are limited so get your order in quickly.

If you're baking yourself, come to Around the Sound first for local, fair-trade and organic ingredients. Flour, cane sugar, sea salt, chocolate chips and cocoa, coconut, rolled oats, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, walnuts, almonds, raisins, cranberries, butter, oil and eggs. We also have Dawn's new gluten-free mixes - ask for the recipe for gluten-free shortbread made from the popover mix.

We've stocked up on Millbank cheeses for your holiday entertaining - they'll be in mid-day Friday - and yes, there will be cheese curds for all of you who have waited so patiently. We're waiting for goat cheese, but Axel has brought us a good supply of his beautiful sheep cheeses - pecorino, a new cream cheese and labneh perfectly seasoned with coriander and chiles. He's also brought lamb smokies - pre-cooked and ready to eat on a canape or in pea soup or just on its own. Trudy's golden habenero jelly and Laurel's peppery Christmas jelly are both pretty accompaniments to cheese and make great hostess gifts. Laurel's also brought a Sunshine Marmalade without grapefruit, and Honey Orange Jelly for those who like the taste but not the rind. She also has packed her popular Lady Marmalade with a pretty spoon for a perfect little gift.

Stocking stuffers? Meredith's Ginger Syrup "poppers", elk pepperettes, Finch Haven jams, Trudy's hot peppers, Cocoa Camino hot chocolate, and Uncle Richard's maple butter or jelly. And while I would of course recommend low-stress gifts like books, food baskets, Around the Sound gift certificates and local music and theatre tickets, if you do need a quick dinner before you head out to the stores, remember Brenda's soups and pies, Sarah's lasagnas, quiches and pot pies, and Laura's pizzas. For dessert, whisk together 6 tablespoons of the nutrient-rich chia seed, 2 cups of milk (or soy or almond), 4 tablespoons of organic cocoa and 2 tablespoons of your choice of sweetener. Refrigerate and it will be lovely and thick and soothing within the hour or when you get home from shopping. Or put your feet up with one of Joanne's teas or some of our local organic apple cider and one (or two) of New Moon's Ginger Snappers or their seasonal Lemon Cranberry Crunch.

Two exciting local stories in the Toronto Star last week. One was about Ken Bustin (the Pickle Guy) and his Wow Wasabi sauce - now flying off the shelves in Toronto (and yes we have still have some). The other was about Peter Sanagan, a young chef originally from Southampton who is having great success with his Kensington Market butcher shop specializing in Grey-Bruce meat. Congratulations to both!

One more thought - the Andersons have organic spruce trees if you're looking for a local Christmas tree! There'll be a flyer up in the store.

Around the Sound Local Food Market is at 972 1st Avenue West (until our expansion in mid-January). We're open Thursday and Friday 10 until 7 this week and Saturday 10 until 4. We'll be open Wednesdays too for the next two weeks and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in Christmas week.

Give us a call to place an order or arrange delivery 519-370-2333, or email aroundsoundfood@gmail.com

See you soon.
Anne

Between daily sampling at the store and the groceries I bring home, we are working our way through the delicious food in the store. This week we had Brenda's tortiere for one dinner and agreed it was perfectly seasoned. Tonight we had zesty pasta sauce from Ken (the Pickle Guy) and it certainly lived up to its name. Kelda made apple pancakes for Sunday brunch from the recipe in the new milk calender with Soundview apples, and we ate them with Uncle Richard's maple syrup. Mmmmm. Trudy has made good use of those apples too, in a Slovak apple cake just full of them.

Ontario cucumbers sold out on Thursday last week so I tripled the order, and also asked for Ontario sweet potatoes at your request. We've been challenged to keep eggs in stock so we've added another farmer - Jim Porteous. Robin's spicy chutneys are great additions to egg cookery, and Ted likes his with barbecue sauce - we have at least nine from which to choose.

A new producer arrived last week, bringing us dried oyster mushrooms, apples and pears. We have some returning favourites too. Song Sparrow honey butter will be back in the fridge this week. The Williamsford Pie Company is bringing frozen pizzas with toppings like roasted vegetables or spinach and feta. Their popular cranberry ginger oat squares, made with both fresh and dried ginger and local oats are back again too. And for ginger fans, Meredith's Ginger Syrup is amazing as tea, in lattes or cocktails, and as a sweet and spicy addition to a stir fry. And it's good for you too! Meredith will be sampling on and off through the next few weeks.

If you're entertaining, try Axel's labneh or Marketside's sun-dried tomato or whitefish pate on a slice of Kelsey's baguette. And feel free to call us and ask us to set one aside for you to pick up on your way home. We'll do that with anything in the store, or we can deliver. Last week a cstomer really wanted lemon ginger marmalade and her favourite bread and they were both out when she came on Friday. When the marmalade arrived an hour later I set one aside and Ted took it up to Valerie the next morning with a loaf of cranberry oat bread. I love having a store that can make people that happy!

Around the Sound is at 972 1st Avenue West, a block north of the library, and we're open Thursday and Friday 10 until 7 and Saturday 10 until 4 (watch for some extended hours in December!). Call us at 519-370-2333 or email at aroundsoundfood@gmail.com.

See you soon!
Anne
www.aroundthesoundfood.com

Here I stand, in the middle of the glorious work of the hands of farmers, producers, bakers, cooks and artists - now seventy-three local people and families sharing their passion with us. We are truly fortunate to have these people in our communities.

Watching the products arrive in a steady parade makes me feel like every day is my birthday. I love to watch customers share their discoveries..."Have you tasted the .....? oh-h-h-h....sooo delicious! Have you tried it with.....?" I also love hearing the producers talk about their food - how they raise their animals, how the weather affected them this year, where they get their recipes.

This week we're going to have a special treat. Meredith Cowan, winner of the Meaford Dragon's Den competition with her product "Meredith's Ginger Syrup" is going to be offering samples and conversation Thursday from 3 until close and Friday afternoon and evening. Look for ginger lattes - just one of Meredith's treats that satisfies the senses while nourishing the body.

The unpredictable weather this year has had a number of effects on our producers. Overall it has been a poor year for honey in eastern Canada, but Kelly from Chatsworth Honey says local consumer demand has meant more honey than ever is being packed instead of being shipped in bulk for commercial use. This is more secure and lucrative for the producer and you can buy your neighbour's honey for a price competitive with the grocery store honey from a mystery location. (Remember that Canada #1 on the honey label does not mean the honey was produced in Canada).

Speaking of honey, we had a wonderful visit from a grade one class at Dufferin School and they bought apples, honey and puffed cereal to make a delicious local snack. They tried two kinds of apples from Soundview Orchard and declared Jonogold to be their favourite. Look for their thank you notes on my wall, and keep an eye out for their snack recipe, coming soon. If you'd like to come for a tour or visit with your group, or arrange to have the store and perhaps some producers all to yourselves after hours, just let me know. We and they also go out to speak to classes and groups on a variety of subjects related to local food.

Back to the weather - the sunny November weather has kept many vegetables in the field, and because supermarkets buy on contracts signed months ago, many are already by-passing available Ontario food for American produce. This week we expect to have Ontario cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and Boston lettuce at Around the Sound. Local garlic is still available, and our carrots and onions are from the Mennonite growers' co-op in Kinloss.

Everything you need for great Gyros is available at Around the Sound (except for the herbs and the pitas and I'd love to find both of those locally!) Just brown ground lamb with a minced clove of garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice, and season with rosemary, marjoram, basil and thyme and fresh ground pepper. Drain off the fat when cooked and scoop into pita pockets. Top with chopped fresh tomatoes and onions and homemade tzaziki - sour cream or yogurt, pureed and drained cucumber, pressed garlic and salt and sugar to taste.

Kathy from Wolf River Farm has filled the store with the smell of Christmas - come and pick up your fresh pine boughs, swags and dogwood. If you're really on top of your seasonal preparations, pick up Around the Sound gift certificates with Christy's beautiful watercolour of the store. Everyone on your list eats!

Or order a custom gift basket - like the breakfast basket with coffee or tea, a hot or cold cereal, jam, honey or maple syrup and a gift certificate for the ham, eggs and toast!

Remember that the Festival of Northern Lights opening festivities start Friday at 6 and you can park at Around the Sound and shop after the lights go on. We'll be open at least until 8 and our neighbours in the DIA are having Moonlight Madness. Saturday is the Santa Claus parade so if you're coming from the east, shop Thursday or Friday or wait until after 1. We'll still be here, and if you call ahead we'll save your bread for you!

Around the Sound Local Food Market is at 972 1st Avenue West (until we move in late Janary!) and we're open Thursday and Friday 10 until 7 and Saturday 10 until 4.
Call us at 370-2333 if you're looking for something special, need delivery or want something set aside for you.
Email us at aroundsoundfood@gmail.com.

See you soon.
Anne

Monday I went down to Toronto for the Royal Winter Fair and it was a delight. Gale from Uncle Richard's was exhibiting there, and people were enjoying her Grey County maple products. I met a lot of people and will be bringing lots of delicious Ontario products to Around the Sound - cranberries, mustards, flavoured oils, "apple pie in a jar" and some other surprises. Of course I told everyone that if a Grey-Bruce producer brought in anything just as good, I'd be stocking the local product, so put your creative culinary minds to work.

I also tasted some delicious new cheeses - this week I'll have a medium goat cheddar, with some others to follow. We'll be sampling Millbank's brick with jalepeno peppers this week, as well as Axel's pecorino. The name of this semi-soft cheese comes from the Italian word pecora, meaning simply "sheep". It grates and melts nicely, and is delicious on spaghetti squash tossed with a little olive oil, fresh or dried basil and orgegano and fresh ground pepper. Pecorino is also perfect for the end of a meal, with pears and walnuts (look for them in the cooler) or drizzled with a flavourful honey. People have asked for Chatsworth's Autumn Blossom honey and we still have some, and I'm assured we'll soon have more Sunnyside honey butter too.

A new supply of garlic arrived from Arran Hill - remember to keep it in the coolest driest place you have to assure the longest possible storage. Or immediately chop it up and add it to olive oil or our organic butter and use it on Kelsey's rustic Italian loaf. Serve it with a big bowl of Maria's basil pasta topped with the Pickle Guy's mild or zesty sauce, or with whole wheat spaghetti with Prairie Harvest organic sauces - portabello mushroom, garden vegetable or roasted garlic. And here we are, back at the cheese again.

Sean's new hens are laying small eggs this week. In factory farms, these are the eggs that go to processors for mayonnaise, adhesives,baked goods and animal feed. Smaller local farms don't have these markets for small eggs,so we'll have them on special for you - two dozen for $4.00

New Moon Ginger Snappers are hard to keep on the shelf - try making an ice cream sandwich with two cookies and Mapleton's Organic ginger ice cream in between. MoMints with chocolate ice cream? Goldies with strawberry ice cream?

Look for the latest Small Farm magazine on the shelf in the produce room. It has a special section on seed sources and catalogues, so you can start planning for spring!

Next Friday is the opening of the Festival of Northern Lights at 6 p.m. and the Santa Claus parade is Saturday at 10. Plan to shop earlier Thursday or Friday, or park in our lot for either event, enjoy the festivities and shop afterward. We'll have Santa specials, hot drinks and samples. And remember Around the Sound gift certificates and customized gift baskets fit all sizes, tastes and budgets.

Around the Sound Local Food Market is open Thursday and Friday from 10 until 7 and Saturday from 10 until 4.
Call ahead for your bread or delivery, or email us at aroundsoundfood@gmail.com.

See you soon.
Anne
519-370-2333
www.aroundthesoundfood@gmail.com