What is our Culinary Expectation of Locavoire...

Yesterday while hiking on the North Shore Mountains with a good friend of mine, we were discussing the lack of marketing or branding of great local food products. You have to admit that we live in the great province of BC. This province has so much sustainable products right in our back yard. From the oceans to wild life to the incredible fruit orchards and farming yet we don't really feel that anyone really markets this to the public.

I live out in the Fraser Valley so I have seen an abundance of local farms that have some incredible products to sell locally. I eat out all the time and not just in the valley but in Vancouver, the North Shore, Tofino and Victoria checking out new food concepts and seeing what other Chefs and Proprietors are doing. Do we advertise that we use local products? Do we get passionate about telling people that they are eating something from our own back yard. Eating locally is not only an agricultural act, but also a deep seated one - it brings alive connections to the place, to the people who grew it, to the season and to the cycle of life.

So as we start to descend from our hike and our discussing on the lack of focus in the marketing of local products Todd Pocklington my great real estate friend comes up with a great new buzz word  Locavoire:

Loca = Local         Voire = Sight

meaning: using all locally produced food supporting local food products and economy.

So get on the program of being a Locavoire.

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES; NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSES

Kale
Kale is the curly-leaf version of collard greens.
Both have a flavor that's earthy and rich, and maybe
even a little bit sweet. Tear or cut the leaves off the central stalk, which is too tough to eat. Then fully cook the leaves to enjoy this body-detoxifying food.






Arugula
Antioxidant-rich arugula can be mildly peppery
or downright spicy (taste a leaf to find out how much).
Though it's too delicate to cook, it can be added to hot foods to wilt on contact or served fresh in salads. Sprinkle arugula leaves over a hot cheese pizza, or stir chopped arugula into soup before serving to add a unique peppery flavor.




Swiss Chard
Until recently, it was rare to see chard (pronounced charred) with stems and veins in colors other than white or red. But markets now offer chard laced with beautiful pink, orange, and yellow stems as well. This leafy green can be chopped and used the same ways you use spinach in soups, casseroles, salads, and sautes.

Bonus: Chard contains an excellent amount of
heart-healthy potassium and fiber.



Watercress
This delicate green typically is used in salads to add a hint of peppery tang, and it is sometimes used more like an herb than a salad green. The thin stalks and small, round leaves contain a lot of sulfur, which helps purify the blood and build healthy skin and hair cells. Try it in sandwiches and casseroles.

Eating your Greens will help regulates blood clotting and also helps protect bones from osteoporosis. Dark leafy greens help prevent and possibly even reduce atherosclerosis by reducing calcium in arterial plaques. They are a key to regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthitis and may help prevent diabetes.

The Cost of a Wedding in 2013...

Those of you that are just starting the process of trying to budget your wedding in this up coming year here are some numbers of what an average Canadian wedding costs.  Last year in 2012 the average Bride & Groom spent around $23 330 this was based on an average 150 person wedding. This was up from the previous years from
$20 129.

Now that seems like a whole lot of Cake...  here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay:

Average budget breakdown based on anticipated costs:

Venue = $9,255
Honeymoon = $5,470
Rings/Bands = $2,470
Photographer/Videography = $2,206
Bridal Gown = $1,847
Decor/Florist = $1,343
DJ/Musicians = $1,247
Transportation/Limo = $753
Cake = $584
Jewellery = $483
Hairstylist = $467

Guest Favours = $452
Bridesmaids’ Dresses = $428
Stationery = $384

Now to avoid all the extra stress your going to feel planning this BIG event you should budget 5% of your total budget for a "just in case" fund because you never know what might happen.

If you have decided that your also going to pay for a honeymoon remember to budget for that as well. The average actual cost of a wedding in Canada, including the honeymoon, is $31,110.

So before you go ahead with all your big dreams and grandeur plans sit down and take the time to make a budget and really go through the numbers so that you stay on track and avoid any of the stress. Really figure out what are the most important things to spend that money on, what are you & your guest going to remember 20yrs from now? Will it be the photo's or great food that everyone raved about or the guest favors that most of the time are not usable or end up being left by the guest. Use your budget wisely and be smart.

Happy Planning!

 

 

 

 

Super Foods

What is a super food? They are described as food with multiple disease fighting nutrients and high in antioxidants. They include most fruits and vegetables as well as yogurt and salmon.
Here are a few examples that are easily incorporated into your daily diet.

Sweet Potato
The women of Okinawa, Japan eat a purple sweet potato they call Imo at every meal. Rich in beta-carotene and boasting 150% more antioxidants than blueberries, it can be simply incorporated into any diet. If you can't find Imo, orange sweet potatoes pack a similarly healthful wallop. Bake them as you would regular potatoes for something a little different for dinner.

 


Turmeric Tea
You usually see the yellow spice turmeric, in Indian curries, giving them their characteristic color. Studies have shown that turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that can help fight cancer.
Bring four cups of water to a boil.
Add one teaspoon of ground turmeric and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour into a cup, add honey and/or lemon to taste.

 

Cinnamon
In ancient times it was used as currency and once considered more precious than gold. Cinnamon is one of the world's oldest known spices. Studies have shown that it helps lower cholesterol, helps regulate blood sugar and is high in nutrients such as manganese, iron and calcium.

 

Quinoa
Regarded as a sacred food by the Incas, quinoa provides a wide range of vitamins and minerals. This seed contains more protein than most cereal grains (22 grams per one cup/250 milliliters uncooked quinoa) and is considered a complete protein because it contains all eight of the essential amino acids we need for tissue development. It also is gluten free.
Cook and cool then add fresh vegetables for a great salad.

Shallots
Shallots are more subtle in flavour than onion or garlic, and they do not cause bad breath. Eat them raw or cooked till tender.
Shallots have prebiotics (they feed good bacteria that exist in your system), that encourage the growth and function of "good bacteria" that live in our digestive tract.

 

 

Is Buying Organic Food Worth It?

If you’re trying to get to the bottom of all the current arguments about whether organic food is better for you, the first thing you might consider is just arming yourself with some facts.

What Makes that Orange Organic?
Maybe a better question is to ask is, what is not organic?If the product in your hands is labeled “natural,” “free-range,” or “hormone free” – you are about to purchase something that isn't organic. These are just food labeling terms, and law does not regulate them.What the law does regulate is the certification program that allows something to be called “certified organic.” Products bearing that organic seal are required to be grown, harvested and processed following certain standards. These standards include strict limitations on amounts of residues of antibiotics, hormones and pesticides. They also must not be treated with synthetic pesticides, or ionizing radiation. (They can, however, be treated with naturally occurring substances that repel pests.)So, let’s say you actually do have a certified organic product in your hands. If you buy it and eat it, is it better for you than its counterpart that was cultivated using conventional means?

Does Organic Food Have a Higher Nutritional Value?

There is no definitive answer to this at the present time, other than a few supporting studies reporting that organic fruit and vegetables have slightly higher levels of vitamin C, as well as trace minerals. The term “higher” is relative, however. The differences are so slight that it is arguable as to whether a diet of only organic foods would provide a benefit.Organic produce does have a much higher healthful impact on our environment, though. Organic methods of farming pay attention to the health of the soil, emphasizing the return of organic matter to it, as well as preserving local and heirloom varieties of fruit and vegetables that would otherwise disappear.Consequently, if you follow the thought process that the environment influences your health, you can agree that eating organic is better for you – even though it may not necessarily be more nutritional for you.

Why is Buying Organic so Expensive?
While the argument about whether organic food is better for you rages on, you can decide right now if you like the idea of consuming less chemicals from conventional fertilizer and pesticides, as well as supporting production systems that are less impactful to the environment. If that’s the case, organic food is a choice for you. If your like me, I’m still on the fence about this whole organic thing and I just can’t pay the price to go all organic. The sale of Organic products has grown quickly in the last few years. Since 2010, the Organic Trade Association estimates that sales of organic food have increased 12 percent, to $12.4 billion. And not everyone buys organic for the health benefits. Some people choose the green sticker for social or economic reasons. Others simply think the food tastes better. But if you’re buying it solely for health reasons, I think that your money is probably better spent elsewhere.

Polish Buttermilk Rye Bread

When I think of rye bread I used to think of heavy dark bread like a pumpernickel, but after looking around at some bakeries, I noticed that not all rye's are created equal.  So I googled rye bread and found a ton of variations, light rye, sourdough rye, dark rye, and German rye.  I have worked with other bread before, the usual suspects, focaccia, brioche, pizza, and lavash to name a few.

The recipe that I tried was a little different, it used buttermilk and a 3 to 1 bread flour to rye flour to create a light coloured, not dense bread.

So I rolled up my sleeves and got to it.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast (not rapid rise)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups rye flour
• 6 cups Bread flour

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl or bowl or a stand mixer, add all ingredients and mix well. Knead on low 7 minutes in mixer or 10 minutes by hand. 
2. Transfer to a large greased bowl. Flip the dough to grease the bottom and cover with oiled plastic. Let rise in a warm place until doubled. 
3. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Punch down dough and form into 2 oblong or round loaves. Place on prepared pan, cover with oiled plastic and let rise until almost doubled. 
4. Brush risen dough with egg whites for a shiny crust or plain water. Make 4 diagonal shallow cuts  in the dough and bake 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature on an instant-read thermometer registers 190-195 degrees. Cool on wire racks.



What I got was a delicious bread that was hearty but not tough.  A compliment to any sandwich.

Whiskey Oak Smoked Prime Rib Fingers

These ribs are gigantic, Fred Flinstone-ish, but the flavors can be quite subtle. The whiskey soaked oak wood chips do not pack the same punch as a hickory or cherry. Big wines can overpower the hours of slow-cooked flavor, so the wine I choose was one with plenty of fruit notes and moderate tannins to bring out the best flavour of my ribs.

 

The Ribs

These ribs were smoked for about 4 hours at 225 in a Bradley smoker. I spritzed them every 1/2 hour with apple juice for the first 3 hours then mopped them with a homemade BBQ sauce for the last hour of cooking (if you are going to use some sauce for dipping, set it aside to avoid cross contamination). The internal temperature should be at least 140.
I served them with a simple mixed veg salad drizzled with a nice olive oil and a sprinkling of Kosher salt.

The Vino

When you spend all day  meticulously tending to your smoker, you have some time to think about and decant a wine that will go well with your ribs.  I went with the Young & Wyse Cabernet Sauvignon.  Blackberry, blueberry, and cassis with a cedar and tobacco finish.  I love wines from Osoyoos.  If it was a warm summers' eve I would give their Pinot Gris a try. The stone fruit, citrus and summer herbs would pair well.