More changes and excitement Around the Sound.

The samosa experiment went swimmingly - Robin brought them over from Rocky Raccoon Cafe (see Anne Hardy's "Where to Eat in Canada") - twice - on Thursday and they sold out both times. We'll have these regularly now - vegan filling, lightly fried then baked - just heat them through at home. Try them with Robin's ever-expanding collection of chutneys or Laura's thai tipping sauce, and watch for more exciting RR foods in the store.

Chris Blakely has moved on to his greenhouse and market garden and we wish him all the very best. We'll still be bringing in produce from Pfenning's and other places, focusing particularly on Ontario produce in keeping with our commitment to local food. In that line, we're excited to have (while they last) carrots freshly dug in Williamsford, parsnips from Leith and potatoes from Dornoch!

Kelsey is getting up even earlier to keep up with your wonderful appetite for her delicious bread. Because you have different favourites, we were thinking perhaps we should settle on a routine - Sunflower Oat and Ancient Grains Thursdays and Multigrain Sourdough and Walnut Okara Fridays and Rustic Italian every day. That sort of thing. Any thoughts?

Probably the most exciting change for spring is that we knocked out an interior wall in the back (many thanks Ron). My office is gone but it's replaced by a beautiful bright space for the new products and fresh produce of spring.

Mark next Saturday, March 28th on your calendar - Brenda from Forsyth Farms will be barbecuing lamb - marinated steaks, sausage, etc - for you to sample. There may be other guest barbecuers too from 11:00 to 2.

Around the Sound is open Thursday and Friday from 10 until 7 and Saturday 10 until 4 or when the customers have had enough visiting.
972 1st Avenue West - the same street as the library.
aroundthesoundfood.com
519-416-3663

See you there
Anne

As always, there are new products at Around the Sound. This week the specialty is Manomin wild rice, organically grown by an Ojibway owned and operated cooperative on Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation near Dryden, Ontario.

Remember that the best selection is early in the week and early in the day. Brenda brings pies, pods, soups and fresh lamb for Thursday. This week the pies are chicken, lamb and tortiere and there are fresh lamb steaks, a leg of lamb and loin chops. Winston brings fresh fish on Thursday and Kelsey arrives with fresh baked bread every morning.

This week seems to be chicken week in our house. Last night's roast chicken stuffed with Kelsey's Rustic Italian bread was today's (and tomorrow's) sandwiches. My favourite easy chicken dish is a skinless breast spread with a mixture of Johannes's yogurt and Laura's lemon sage mustard, sprinkled with bread crumbs and baked. Sooo juicy and good.

We're always watching for new products, so keep thinking. We'd like local herbs, fresh and dried, dips and spreads and spelt based or gluten-free muffins and cookies. Cooked items must be prepared in a public health-approved kitchen, and the more local ingredients, the better for everyone.

Looking ahead, we're doing some renovations at the back to get ready for the bounty of the summer season. My office will go, but the children's area will stay with new surprises.

Late-breaking news - we're "in talks" with Rocky Raccoon and the Williamsford Pie Company about carrying curries, samosas and pizzas. Mmmmm.

Around the Sound Local Food Market is open Thursday and Friday 10 to 7 and Saturday 10 to 4. We're at 972 1st Avenue West (the best street - the Library, the Tom Thomson and now us!)
aroundthesoundfood.com
519-416-3663

See you there.
Anne

Thanks to all of you who joined us to celebrate our 28th day in business. The producers really enjoyed meeting you.
Now you know your food comes from real people!
They are your neighbours - proud of the work they do to bring you the best quality food they can.
We'd like to be the first place you choose to shop each week. From your breakfast bacon and eggs, cereal and honey, to the bread, cheese, soup and fruit for your lunch and the meat and potatoes for dinner - we'd like to be your grocery store.
What could we add to Around the Sound that would bring you back to do your regular weekly shopping?
Let us know, and if we can find a local(ish) source, we'll give you a dozen eggs as a thank you.
One reality of local, small scale food production and distribution is that every product is not available every week. Seasons change, animals and plants don't grow on command, and weather, health, schedules and vehicles give us challenges. Rainbow eggs and butter tarts will be available every other week. Fresh fish will change with supply. Kelsey will continue to perfect new bread recipes as she gets ready to open her new bakery in Oxenden. We hope that every day you'll find healthy, delicious food you enjoy in our store.
This week you can eat what Obama ate when he visited Ottawa! Saugeen Country yogurt pots du creme were served at the presidential lunch, and you can enjoy this organic Grey County yogurt in two sizes from the glass-front cooler.
Join us and Grassroots Organics at the Health Fair, free at the Bayshore this Saturday from 10 to 3.
Of course you'll visit us first at Around the Sound, Thursday or Friday 10 to 7 and Saturday 10 to 4.
See you there.
Anne
aroundthesoundfood.com
519-416-3663

Please remember to join us Saturday, February 28th to celebrate our 28th day in business and meet some of our farmers and producers. Free shopping bags from Farm Credit Canada as long as supply lasts (you tax dollars at work!)and free samples of our delicious products.

Now this week.
Winston has brought us fresh pickerel and rainbow trout. He'd love feedback from anyone who has tried his bison, wild boar and cranberry sausage, or bison, wild boar and blueberry sausage, both flavoured with apply brandy.It's on my "to try" list this week.

Claire should be in on Saturday with more of her rainbow eggs. We have the last of her lavender crop until summer, so if you've been hesitating, wait no longer.

Kelsey's multigrain sourdough has been flying off the shelf - try it with a little organic almond butter.

Chris has chard, sweet potatoes, arugula, spinach, avocados and his own daikon radish sprouts - every one of them on both the nutritious and mm-mm good lists.

If you recommend a producer or suggest a product that we can source locally to carry in our store, we'll give you your choice of anything in the store that comes in a jar or bottle!

See you Thursday or Friday, 10 to 7 or Saturday 10 to 4 at Around the Sound Local Food Market, 972 1st Ave West, 519-416-3663, www.aroundthesoundfood.com

Anne

Saturday February 28 will be the 28th day we've had our doors open. We've invited the farmers and producers to come along and meet their customers. There will be free samples all day, and some giveaways and prizes too, so please join us.

We've had a new farmer join us, so in addition to the choice Charolais from Bob Emerson's farm, we have grass-fed beef from Cathy Miller's Over the Moon Farm.

In her words:

"My farm is on the Beaver valley, just above Kimberley. Everything I grow is organic; if I have to buy feed, I get it from Walter's Falls Mills, but they have mostly been fed organically. The cattle get to go outside when they want, and they haven't received any antibiotics or hormones."

A potroast waiting in the slow cooker can be a great welcome after a good ski day, and we have the onions, garlic, carrots and canned organic tomatoes too.

There are lots of cuts in the freezers, so just ask if you don't see what you want.

In the dairy department, we have Saugeen Country Yogurt and some Pine River cheeses now, as well as the chevre plain or with dill or garlic flowers, and the feta and pecorino from Markdale.

As you've noticed, the Ontario organic produce is slowly disappearing, but Chris is making judicious choices about bringing in a good variety of imports to fill in the gaps. As soon as we can have local, we will, and by next winter we hope Grey-Bruce has local storage for our own roots and frozen vegetables.

We're looking forward to seeing you this week and every week, from 10 to 7 Thursday and Friday and 10 to 4 on Saturday. Join us for our 28th day celebration on the 28th

Anne
Around the Sound Local Food Market
972 1st Avenue West
Owen Sound
519-416-3663
aroundthesoundfood.com

I promise I won't fill up your inbox, but I left out an important invitation.

Sean McGivern of Desboro Organics and Saugeen Specialty Grains is holding an Open House at his mill this Saturday from 10 until 4.
Here's your chance to see how your flour is milled and your cereal is puffed!
He's offering samples of local food and 10% off everything in his store - just a 1/4 mile south of Desboro.

Sean and the farmers of the Grey Local of the National Farmers Union have been terrific mentors to me, and I'm very grateful for the mutually supportive community that's growing up around local food in this area.

Enjoy!
Anne

Even if you're cooking for one, you can treat yourself to delicious local food from Around the Sound.

We sell eggs in half dozens and rainbow trout as single fillets. Our pork chops are one or two in a package, and we have small packages of premium elk sirloin or beef tenderloin. Brenda makes her tourtieres in individual pods you bake yourself, or Axel's individual lamb pies are already to heat and eat. Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets - buy them one or two at a time as you need them.

Thanks to Vicki for her prize-winning salad, good for one, two or a dinner party.

Fresh arugula salad made with market arugula, thinly sliced ripe firm pear, shredded parmesan cheese with a very light dressing- lemon infused oil is nice. Add some fresh crunchy bread with bread dipper and it is summer instantly instead of winter.

WoolDrift Farm's pecorino could be used in place of the parmesan, and Kelsey's Rustic Italian is the perfect bread and freezes well for another day.

If you're looking for something special for Valentine's Day, perhaps a pheasant, glazed with apricot hot pepper jelly and served with braised leek and bok choy.

Or rainbow trout accompanied by some organic noodles tossed with some mustard greens and a little sunflower or olive oil.

Or maybe it's time for a winter barbecue. Choice Charolais rib steaks or a T-bone brushed with maple or citrus barbecue sauce.

Finish the dinner with one of Brenda's wild blueberry or pecan tarts.

Or take home a frozen apple or peach pie from Soundview Orchards and bake it yourself.

And nothing says love like a little bit of chocolate - organic, fairly traded and handmade.

We're open Thursday and Friday from 10 until 7, and Saturday 10 to 4.

See you then at Around the Sound Local Food Market, 972 1st Avenue West.
www.aroundthesoundfood.com

Minus 9 may be "warmer", but I still suggest you start with some hot soup. Brenda Forsyth has made us some chicken soup with homemade chunky noodles. Or make your own with Stuart's tomato garlic herb sauerkraut as a base, adding carrots, barley and, for carnivores, a little smoked pork or kielbassa.

Marketside's four flavours of signature flatbreads are a great accompaniment. Try adding chevre topped with cold smoked Atlantic salmon or apricot hot pepper jelly.

Kelsey's fresh baked breads are just the start of a delicious sandwich. How about chevre with garlic flowers or dill, Grassroots' all-beef summer sausage and buttery Boston lettuce or fresh broccoli sprouts from Chris' greenhouse?

For a hot sandwich, start with an elk or bison burger, or an elk, lamb or pork sausage. Toppings? chili sauce, sage mustard, citrus or 'Ol Smokey barbecue sauce, or for the adventurous - look in the fridge for the Pickle Guy's WOW Wasabi sauce.

A taco beef, tortiere or cajun pork pie "pod" is just right for lunch - at home or on the go.

On the side, try a few of Laura's pickled beets or Ken's Super Dills or Firekraut. Or make your own coleslaw with shredded cabbage, red and green, grated carrots and celeriac (celery root) and a dressing of cider vinegar and sunflower oil.

Still want just a little something? A dish of organic apple sauce, warm or cold, and one of Trudy's baked treats will keep you smiling until dinner (supper?).

Send me your favourite "Local Lunch" and if I use it in the newsletter, you can have anything in the store that comes in a jar!

See you soon.
Anne

The best start for a cold winter day is a great local breakfast from Around the Sound.

Here are some menu options from our store this week.

Puffed cereals from Sean McGivern's "guns of Desborough" include spelt, kamut and gluten-free basmati rice and millet. Apple currant granola from Rising Sun is great with milk or yogurt.

Hot cereal more your style? We have organic oats, and Windy Hill's hot cereal blends like Early Rise and Cremo. Organic cane sugar can sweeten it up.

For the bacon-and-eggs types, we have both - as well as sausages in pork, lamb and elk. The eggs are organic - large Omega 3 from Beckers, or medium (the girls lay smaller this time of year!) from Grassroots for only 2.50 with any other Grassroots product. What about an omelette with locally smoked trout or salmon?

The toast on the side can be any of the Rising Sun breads - like Cranberry Sunflower Oat or Ancient Grains and Flax. And on the toast - grape jelly from Annan grapes, cinnamon or cherry flavoured honeys or local apple butter.

If you miss the Groundhog Day pancakes, you can make your own with Grassroots' multigrain or buckwheat mixes. Of course Uncle Richard's maple syrup is the perfect topping, but if you're feeling adventurous, try some maple or honey butter and Raspberry Drizzle, made with Triple Sec.

A glass of Filsinger's apple cider, hot or cold, will finish the meal.

Then relax and read the paper over a cup - or two - of locally roasted coffee - all fair trade and organic. Back Eddies makes several popular blends, or try Kemble Mountain's "Around the Sound" blend, made with me in mind -"bold with nuances of spicyness and fruit."

And you can sleep in - Around the Sound doesn't open until 10 a.m.

Thursday and Friday, 10 - 7; Saturday 10 - 4

The most delightful things arrived in the store on Thursday.
Rainbow eggs! From Claire Smith's rare and heritage hens, these eggs range from a delicate shade of blue to almost mahogany. They are almost too beautiful to eat, but they have rich yellow yolks and are full of all the nutrition of quality eggs. Claire also grows lavender, and sachets and bouquets are gracing our front foyer.

A new check-out counter arrived too, made from the roof boards of the Harrison Park Pavilion, salvaged and re-built for us by Curtis Buckler. His wife is Laura, who creates the lemon ginger marmalade that Hazel Lyder of the Downtown Bookstore recently called "the best marmalade I've ever eaten!"

Some beautiful pork chops and sausages from Gord and Nancy Brown in Chatsworth are now available in the store, and Robert Emerson has added beef striploins and filets as well as family size packages of ground beef.

For those who want to continue to enjoy poultry that has access to the outdoors, may I recommend Grant Robertson's column about a government decision against a Grey county farmer, the only full-scale organic turkey producer in Ontario. Consumers have power to affect these actions.

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