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.

Things to Remember in the Dead of Winter

The truth is I started this post at least three weeks ago and I've been adding a bit here and there always too busy enjoying the summer to actually finish the writing.  So now I'll just start at the end and work backwards.... The scene above was at one of my favorite locations in Halifax... The Seaport Farmers Market and the event, this past Sunday, was called the Incredible Picnic organized by many to showcase local chefs, restaurants and...most importantly... local producers.  And before I take you through some of the actual fruits and vegetables I'll be craving in January, I thought I'd share some highlights of the picnic.

What Makes a Green Salad Great?

We all have differing views on what makes a great green salad.  Some, like my Honey favor crunchy lettuce, like romaine hearts, and consider other salad greens ... well...

It's Really Spring in Nova Scotia

How could I not be excited...it's finally sunny, the forsythia and magnolias are in bloom! But the thing that really has me grinning from ear to ear and melts my wintery heart...Spring has hit the farmers markets!!!

Fiddleheads are here - a sure sign of the season.

And right along with them... gorgeous red rhubarb, tender beet greens and green garlic. And the rest of this week's markets (Seaport and Historic Brewery Markets each have their appeal) delights that made their way home with me....including the pretty red carnation for Mother's Day at the Historic Brewery Market.
More skirt steak from Getaway Farm because we can't wait for me to make this Asian Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak again. It was awesome! Lamb chops from Wood 'n Hart Farm and fresh sage leaves from Riverview Herbs will bring to life the recipe I saw in the NY Times this past week. What would a trip to the market be without a stop at Julien's for a chat with Barb & Nathan, pain chocolat (needed for energy to put away the food), brioche for Sunday morning French Toast made by my Honey...(next best thing to Montreal or Toronto challah) and Good Hearth bread for some grilled cheese and smoked turkey (from Sweet Williams Country Sausages) sandwiches.
If you don't show up at the Seaport Market before 10AM, you'll miss out on my latest addiction... sinfully divine Chocolate, chocolate cookies. Think of your favorite chewy brownie and double the pleasure and you're not even close to how good these taste!
Now I'm off to flip through some of my new cookbooks that focus on the seasons and see what I can come up with for the tender beet greens, baby green garlic and rhubarb...probably not for the same recipe, though!

What's your favorite Springtime local score?

Cooking Catch-Up

I don't want to leave you with the notion that I didn't do ANY cooking while I was sickly... I just made simple dishes I didn't have to think about... dishes (most of which, I didn't have the energy or desire to photograph) or write about. But they were delicious and I thought, now that I'm feeling more like myself, I'd share.

First recipe, a trip to the market on Wednesday to pick up pork ribs from Getaway Farm. I had a lot of recipes bookmarked, but ended up making one from my childhood - and why is it that those are the ones that we crave when under the weather... that and the "I can make this in my sleep" kind of recipe that takes little work and smells wonderful while you're waiting? As for the photo... it's an old one, probably not even for this recipe, but it's close and I didn't take any this time around.

Grandma Dolly's BBQ Ribs

I also was lucky enough to score a hanger steak which got to marinate for quite a while before I even had the energy to grill.

Marinated Hanger Steak with Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese over Romaine Hearts & Chef Craig's Awesome Vinaigrette

A stop at The Fish Shop and a chat with Peter about what was the freshest... so cod fillets it was and finally a chance to use the sweet potato panko crumbs I've been talking about since back in January I told you about the tip I got from Peter

Sweet Potato Panko Crusted Pan Fried Cod

It took a while to actually get my hands on some. Ella, who used to be a NY lawyer, bakes delicious breads for Rock Island Bistro as well as as "Spice of Life Artisan Foods" at the Saturday farmers market crowd uses left over sweet potato bread for crumbs and doesn't always have any on hand at the market. The recipe is a well used one, mostly for haddock and plain panko crumbs but even better this way.

Another find from Peter... the gorgeous scallops at the top of the page. They'd be great tossed with your favorite pasta, but we just had them as a tapas dish with crusty bread from the market - perfect for sopping up all that sauce.

Roasted Scallops with Rosemary & Thyme

Even sickies can whip up a delicious plate of Cajun Pasta that requires very little effort (i.e.... no recipe to speak of). This one used up some extra farfalle from an earlier dish (the Chicken Pollo in Sherry Cream Sauce), a couple of handfuls of cremini mushrooms, a smoked andouille sausage from Sweet Williams Sausages, sauteed in some olive oil until the mushrooms are golden, toss in a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach thank goodness for greenhouse farming at Riverview Farms - all from from the market plus a glug or two of white wine and another handful of grated Parmesan cheese. And... voila!!!

I thought I'd share this one with Claire of Chez Cayenne, this week's host for Presto Pasta Night. If you have a great pasta dish, you can share it too. Just send your entry to cdmcculloch7 (at) gmail(dot)com and cc ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com . As for supper tonight... I think, more pasta, perhaps the Lazybones Marinara in the freezer with some sauteed mushrooms.

Montreal & Jean Talon Market

I can't believe that it's more than a week since I was in Montreal visiting my younger daughter and was lucky enough to catch a typical Montreal Snow Storm - the kind I remember from growing up there. I always loved the first one. Everything is truly white and reminds me of those snow globes you shake and see the perfect winter wonderland. That's my angel on the right, early in the snowfall with her BFF, Dana. It was fairly early in the day on Monday and well before the streets were totally covered in snow with snowbanks up to ones knees. Long before traffic slowed to a snail's pace. And, our trip to the airport to head back to Halifax, usually under 30 minutes, took well over an hour... but I digress.
In the middle of the storm, Sharron and I went to the Jean Talon Market. My memories are usually of summer and a glorious glut of tasty goodies. All those open air aisles and aisles of produce are now filled with Christmas trees.
Even though most of the produce vendors are now indoors - shops that ring the market all year long, sell all sorts of deliciousness (the one above sells wonderful pates, cheeses and so much more of the very French "deli" fare I miss most...
plus other tiny restaurants selling all sorts of ethnic fare, like these Merguez sausages on a bun (our first "snack" of the visit).
The indoor market naturally has produce stands, but it also has so many glorious shops that sell everything from fine pastries -
French, & ethnic beauties, like these Middle Eastern delicacies above that have everyone drooling even before the big purchase... if you can choose just one, that is.
There were several cheese vendors or fromageries as they're called in Quebec, inside the main market, plus at least 2 around the outdoor stands. Another thing I crave.
Just look at the presentation of this feta.

The kitchen supply store has every wonderful gadget imaginable. I should have bought the microplane for shaving chocolate that had holes in the shape of tiny gingerbread men. No photo, I was too busy trying to figure out if there was room in my luggage... the answer...not this time around, but next time I'll plan appropriately.
Back to food... several butchers, a couple of fresh fish & seafood vendors (good thing we now have Getaway Farm for beef and The Fish Shop at the Halifax Seaport Market or I wouldn't have wanted to come home) and just look at the variety of these stunning mushrooms.
One thing that always impressed me about the Jean Talon Market is, not just the presentation, but the little plates of cut up fruit & vegetables to taste. Look how beautifully the oranges are arranged! And, true, the indoor vendors are not purely local farmers, everything is wonderful. I was smiling all the way home in the blizzard! But I'm not done yet...
Milano's Supermarket is definitely the place to buy anything Italian in Montreal. It's huge!
Just look at this window display of pastas (by the way, this week's Presto Pasta Night is being hosted by Kirsten of From Kirsten's Kitchen to Yours, and it's the last one of 2010! Let's make it awesome... I already have mine in mind... and send the link to kirstenmlindquist (at) gmail (dot) com with a cc to ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com).
And back to Montreal... don't you love our main course... puff pastry tart with fresh-from-the-market spinach & king oyster mushrooms & fresh goat cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Do you have a special place "back home" that you like to visit?

Dieting is Never Hard with Fresh Local Ingredients

Last weekend, I shared my great score from the Halifax Farmers Market, so I thought I'd share some of my tasty, easy to do meals. And the emphasis is on "EASY". When you use fresh ingredients - and I'm talking, within a day from purchase, it's amazing how intense the flavor is. It's also amazing fresh they are even later in the week. Normally, after a couple of days in the fridge, the greens are wilting and, I'm ready to start craving...well...just about anything else!

But fresh mixed greens and herbs from my friends at the market, mean that every bite is fantastic and unique and needs so little to make each mouthful pop. The salad above, served with grilled lamb steak (this recipe has been a standard here since before I first posted it in 2005) from Wood 'n Hart, was just drizzled with a little good olive oil, a spritz of lemon juice, some freshly ground pepper and grated Parmesan cheese.
These seared scallops, served over the wonderful sauteed flowering mustard greens from Ted Hutton Family Farm, (just a little oil and some chopped green garlic) was all drizzled with Citrus-Balsamic Glaze, which may not be totally South Beach Diet friendly, but a little bit goes a long way and it's packed with flavor. So good, in fact, I used it as a baste for roasted salmon served with roasted cherry tomatoes and asparagus.

Oh...the skirt steak...gobbled up within hours of my last visit. I'm already counting down to this Saturday to see what I can find.

Awesome Trip to the Market - Green Garlic is Here!

It really is too lovely here today to spend much time indoors, writing ...but I did have to share my bounty at today's Farmer's Market trip. After a long winter of mostly root vegetables it's wonderful to see all the green.
And I have been envious of all my foodie blogger friends who have been flaunting their green garlic - Katie of Thyme for Cooking - especially you, and thanks for sharing some great recipes for me to try out this week - including this gnocchi recipe for Presto Pasta Night and (since I'm doing without pasta this week, this Asparagus & Bacon Quiche that will still be delicious sans crust and bacon (just temporary - South Beach Diet Phase One prevails).
Just check out this beautiful chive flower on my spectacular bunch of chives. The green garlic and chives got me so excited, I don't even remember which farmer brought them to the market.

The next bunch of exceptional greens comes from one of my favorite market vendors - Ted Hutton Family Farm, with Ted always willing to give a little lesson on what's unique and interesting, and more important, whether or not to cook them or eat them raw in a salad.
How about these glorious mustard greens that are already starting to flower and are perfect for sauteing with a little fresh garlic and grated ginger root and a splash of soy sauce or balsamic vinegar.
This mizzuna is a wonderful mild green, great to mix with other spicier greens, but this particular bunch is 28 days old and, according to Ted, has a little more kick to it. Toss with a little lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and it's a great salad on its own.
And for those days when I can't decide which taste of greens I want, his bag of mixed greens is a perfect choice.
For stir frys, Ted always has a variety of Yukina Savoy- Asian cabbages, and actually, I'm not sure which variety this is, but I know it will be wonderful - it always is.
Check out this bunch of oregano - so aromatic, so perfect for all the salads I'll be making and to go with some of the fish I picked up at Mike's Fish Shop .
Fresh sea scallops
Salmon fillet, grilled with a spritz of lemon and chopped oregano -perfection!
Smoked Mackerel - I couldn't resist it. Imagine a salad with some. And, of course, what would a trip to the market be without something fantastic from Getaway Farm (this time skirt steak, which won't be pretty enough for a photo until it's cooked) or Wood "n Hart (last week's lamb loin steak was so terrific, I had to do it again...perhaps this time I will even take time to photograph it before wolfing it down.
Last but not least...free range organic eggs...and now I'm off to enjoy the weather.

Easy Long Weekends in Nova Scotia

Long weekends are always nice, but particularly wonderful when the sun is shining and the temperatures are warm...and even better if great road trips are only minutes away. The difference between living in Toronto and heading out to for a country-side adventure is all about the time it takes to get there...and the ocean, of course (That's Queensland Beach above).

This weekend was the Annual Indian Point/Mahone Bay Mussel Festival and under an hour from Halifax on the loveliest ocean route, passing quaint fishing villages, artistic centers and lots of beaches (at least 10) along the way. The Lighthouse Route is my favorite day trip, as you can see here. You are in the country, on windy country roads within 15 minutes of downtown Halifax and the views are spectacular - Atlantic Ocean view on the left and lakes and mountains on the right. But I digress and you check out my earlier raves by just doing a search here.

Saturday was an attempt to spend the day at Queensland Beach, but the winds blew us toward a more sheltered picnicking spot down the road.
And yesterday it was a jaunt to Mahone Bay to participate in the Mussel Festival and for a lunch of delicious mussels. Frankly it was hard to choose - every restaurant was selling them and every restaurant had at least three options. We ended up at the Gazebo Cafe (a charming spot with lots of patio space and lots of wonderful dishes) and ate some Spanish styled with Chorizo and, my favorite, these Provencal with shrimp in a Pernod cream sauce.
Today is still a lovely day, and to give us some quick energy...or rather, energy quickly...I made this tasty

Asparagus & Cheese with Spicy Walnut Pesto Omelet

with local asparagus - here at last!

I'm not sure where our adventures will take us today, but I am sure it will be wonderful.

First Beach Day 2010

We were all so excited! The sun is shining brightly, the temperature hit 18 degrees C/64 degrees F so, what do hardy Nova Scotians do...we head for the beach. Okay, not quite true, because Queensland Beach on the Atlantic Ocean today only had a few other foolhardy people. That's my son-in-law, Ezra, pretending it's shorts weather, Boaz, & Dov and their mommy (my daughter, Joanna) are huddled together. The stay...a record five minutes. Just long enough to get everything out of the cars and then back in again.

Check out the awesome cooler basket that held all my President's Choice Goodies. This time it was filled with some spectacular wins at the market: Ran-Cher Acres, goat cheeses & curds; That Dutchman's Farm Dragon's Breath Blue and wasabi gouda; El Gallo Mexican Food's awesome guacamole and corn tortilla chips; Pamela McPherson's red pepper hummus and naturally some fantastic bread products from Julien's Patisserie - baguettes, olive foccacia and...for dessert...pain chocolat. The fruit (juicy pears) and peanut butter sandwiches for the little ones was provided by their parents.

In the end, we packed up and headed down the road to a playground in Hubbards and had our picnic without the wind.

That's Dov, heading straight to his favorite - guacamole and chips.
And Boaz, scarfing down a peanut butter sandwich so he could go off and test out the slides And that's Poppa (AKA my Honey) helping Dov keep up with his big brother.

We had a lovely time, and I'm already planning the next picnic. What's your favorite picnic food?