Happy Tenth Food Day Canada

I've loved Anita Stewart for a long time.  I first chatted with her back in 2008 and was hooked on her and her projects ever since - not to mention that Anita Stewart's Canada is still one of my all time favorite books (check out my review)  So naturally, I've been following Food Day Canada and all the wonderful events around the country.  You can too.   So a big shout out to Anita and Food Day Canada's Tenth Anniversary. And this week, we're also celebrating Nova Scotian Farmers all around the province.  I thought I'd share my heavenly day with you.  But first here's a taste  of my wonderful Nova Scotia farmers & artisan purveyors from a couple of years ago.

It started at 7:00am with a trip to two markets.  First stop - the "old" market, also known as The Brewery Market or Historic Properties market.  Lots of chatting with Bill of Wood 'n Hart farms and a purchase of free run eggs, rosemary & garlic lamb sausages and a rack of lamb

 (which I'll be turning into more Spiced Lamb Chops).
Over to Costas, The Spiceman who distributes the most amazing spices from Epices du Cru.  I am out of Mexican Oregano and some of my favorite Chilles Pasilla Oaxaca.  The perfect combo for any grilling.  and finally, some organic veggies - corn, yellow beans, glorious young onions and garlic.

Time to head over to The Seaport Farmers Market for more chatting and even more goodies...like, skirt steak, chorizo sausages, Korean marinated short ribs,strip loin steaks and some chicken from Getaway Farms Butchers, baguettes, croissants & pain chocolat from Barb at Julien's Bakery, some herb and garlic goat cheese from Ran-Cher Acres.

 I even got to visit their farm a number of years ago and helped Cheryl make some cheese. On to River View Herbs for bags of fresh basil, arugula, baby beet greens and mint to add some extra pizzazz to every dish I'll make. Down the aisle, a hard choice between sword fish, haddock and salmon....  Last stop is Noggins Corner Farm for fennel root and blueberries to round out my score.

We finally got home a little before 10:00 am and wolfed down the croissants with some coffee and started to put everything away.   I was still smiling when we sat down to enjoy a snack of baguettes and goat cheese and thinking about dinner.

The truth is... life is awesome when all those local ingredients come together quickly and easily.
Dinner:

•  Cedar planked salmon glazed with Ginger Lime Thyme Jelly from my favorite zen place - Tangled Gardens in the Annapolis Valley (I've written often about my visits)  - soak the board for 30 minutes, slather some jelly to glaze and flavour the fish, grill for 15-20 minutes and you have an amazing main very delicious 
• New potatoes boiled and tossed with garlic scape & pistachio pesto right out of the freezer
• a stir fry of red onion, fresh shitakis, yellow beans and beet greens with an added dash of Boates awesome apple cider vinegar.   

As if that was not enough of a delightful Food Day Canada celebration, we just got to watch brilliant fireworks right on our balcony!

So a special thank you to all the farmers, fishermen, ranchers and artisan cheese, bread and jelly makers who work so hard to bring us such fantastic food all year long.