It was officially Canada Day yesterday but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate all weekend. This is the best time of the year for Canadians. We get to drink a few beers in the sun and set off a lot of fireworks at night. Whether you’re grilling some fresh caught trout up at the cottage or roasting veggie dogs over a hibachi on a tiny downtown deck enjoy the blue skies, gentle breezes, the free healthcare and all that is great about our county.

There is so much that is great about this land, where to start?

the Tragically Hip, Stompin’ Tom, Anne Murray, Buffy Saint Marie, Alanis, Justin Beiber, the Kids In the Hall, Four on the Floor, Codco, SCTV, This Hour, Rick Mercer, John Candy, Pam Anderson, Shannon Tweed, Shania Twain, Celine Dion, Josee Chouinard, Kurt Browning, Barbara Frum (what?).

Hamilton Tiger Cats, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Blue Jays, PEI lobster, Alberta Beef, B.C. oysters, Newfie Screech, Moosehead beer, poutine, rappie pie, sugar pie, flipper pie, Vachon cakes.

Pierre Trudeau, Brian Mulroney’s chin, Jean Chretien, hockey, CFL, lacrosse, ringette, Chief Dan George, the Beachcombers, Prairie Gas, Wayne Gretzky, Mike Weir, loonies, toonies, Roll up the rim, Tim Horton’s, White Spot, Beaver Gas, Shoppers, Canadian Tire.

Farley Mowat, Margaret Atwood, Stephen Leacock, Diana Krall, Ben Hepner, Measha Bruggergosman, Great Big Sea, Ashley McIsaac, Rita MacNeil, the Trailer Park Boys, Rush, Bob and Doug MacKenzie, and oh that free health care….

Totstock was way cooler than Wakestock, edgier than Edgefest and certainly more gleeful than the G20.

It was a day packed with kids and parents happily indulging in the finest in kid-centric independent culture. Fiesta Farms was there as mainstage sponsor bringing bands like The Monkey Bunch and 11 Toes to an enthusiastic crowd.

We also hosted a tent where we helped kids plant vegetable seeds. It was fun getting our hands dirty for the common good. Special thanks to The Little Paper for putting it all together, and to Greenshift for donating compostable cups that will sit on windowsills waiting for the first signs of sprouting.

As G20 world leaders descend on Toronto to discuss a host of very serious grown-up issues, we suggest a decidedly more lighthearted approach. Fiesta Farms is the proud mainstage sponsor of Totstock. The event is hosted by The Little Paper, the publication who knows how to show parents and kids a good time.

It all goes down on Sunday June 27th, from 2:00-5:00. There’ll  be live music, children’s games and activities, story-telling & puppet shows not to mention great food all happening in Sorauren Park. The event is in support of Wabash Building Society and their ambitious vision for a new community centre in Toronto’s West End.

The event is deliberately low-tech since (as they proudly say) “you don’t need a bunch of bouncy castles, fast food and Disney characters to have a great time with your kids.” And we say, “amen!” What you will find is fabulous bike decorating, Planet in Focus kids’ films projected by bike power, P.IN.E project naturecrafts. We’ll be hosting a tent where kids can plant some fabulous veggies and herbs.

Come visit us on the mainstage to hear some of  Toronto’s best children’s music performers like The Monkey Bunch, The Arrogant Worms , Alistiar Ant.

Skip the G20 and all the madness of adult politics. Like our friends The Monkey Bunch,  we say “Power to the Little People!”

Peabody, have some more of Grandmaman's delicious Berry Surprise.

Immortalize your mother, grandmother or aunt’s most cherished family recipe by sharing it with us in the ApronStrings archive. We’ll be collecting family food traditions for a long time to come and creating an archive to share with families from all over the city, the country and the world.

By clicking on the button on the upper right of the page you can enter the Apron Strings site and watch videos with some of our favourite Toronto grandmothers as they share recipes and cooking techniques.

Then click on the “Share Yours” button and join in the fun.

Nooria

In the weeks leading up to Mother’s Day we will be putting some exciting new content up on the site.

We’ll have guest posts from talented writers Joshna Maharaj, Sarah B. Hood, Mary Luz Mejia, Maia Filar and more. They will share stories of family food and how it has shaped their tastes and techniques today.

We’ve also got wonderful video footage of Jodi Lastman with some of our favourite grandmothers. These videos are meant to give insight into different ethnic cuisines while inspiring the viewer to look to their own grandmother for one cherished recipe. Have you ever wondered what ‘garling’ is? Well you better watch & find out as it is a very important ingredient that we’ve been taking for granted for far too long.

We want to hear from you, what are your favourite family recipes? Your uncle’s roast chicken? Your great aunt’s poppyseed cake? Mom’s pot pie? Whatever it is we want to hear from you. Keep an eye on the site for a chance to share memories, tastes, pictures and recipes.

After saffron it’s the second most expensive spice in the world. It’s been with us our whole lives, in the delicate perfumes we wear, in the dripping ice cream cone and the six-layer coconut cake, even in the silky lobster bisque.

Vanilla beans are dear and because of that we want to get as much out of them as we can. Once you’ve scraped out the seeds for your recipe hold on to that pod, there are so many things you can do with it……

Infused Vodka

So simple, just drop the used pod into the bottle and leave it there to slowly release it’s vanilla love into the booze. The more beans you put in the sooner your vodka will be transformed. A Vanilla Screwdriver is a thing of beauty and the perfect drink for patio weather. Hurry up and infuse some vodka, patio season is coming!

Vanilla Sugar

White, brown or demerara sugar can be used. Simply put the sugar in a ziploc bag with the vanilla bean, zip it, shake it, forget about it for a few months. Sprinkle that vanilla sugar on cinnamon toast, a bowl of cut fruit or an egg-washed pie crust just before you put it into the oven.

Vanilla Maple Syrup

Pretty much the same idea as the vodka.

Vanilla Coffee

Pretty much the same idea as the sugar.

Vanilla Rice

Following the chef’s method of storing truffles with risotto to scent the grains, store your dried vanilla pod with some jasmine rice. After a few months make some rice pudding, then swoon, shed a tear and give your vanilla bean a smooch.

• Toronto’s west end is home to local good guys, The Stop, an organization that started out as one of Canada’s first food banks. Today The Stop has grown to be a hub for community advocacy, fighting hunger and shaping public policy across our province. On Sunday January 24^th, cozy up in one of Toronto’s most beloved restaurants, Scaramouche, for a fundraiser hosted by Executive Chef Keith Froggett. Dinner will be a delectable 4-course meal for $250 per person (including wine pairing) with all proceeds benefiting The Stop’s innovative work. For reservations, contact Danielle @ 416.652.7867 ext. 250 or Danielle@thestop.org

• Yummy Stuff will donate $2.00 from the purchase of every feature cupcake to World Vision from now until Feb.7. ”We want to do our part for Haiti.” says owner Morag Cleevely. ”The feature is a red hot chocolate cupcake with spicy chocolate buttercream. Lots of yummy cinnamon, ancho chili and cayenne!

• Eat, Drink and Give, this looks like it is going to be an incredible event. Roy Thomson Hall, Feb.9th.

“Bubbe made a kishke, she made it big and fat, My Zaydeh took one look at it and said “I can’t eat that!’ Oh Bubbe, Bubbe, Bubbe, Oh Bubbe me oh myyyyyyyy…” - Eugene Levy as Dr. Pearl in “Waiting for Guffman”

We’re looking for grandmothers who cook to be featured in content we are putting together for our website.

We want to showcase culinary traditions through online video.

Do you know an Italian nonna who makes a great eggplant dish or an Acadian grandmaman with the flakiest tourtiere?

A Korean halmoni with a flair for pork bone soup or a Jewish bubbe with the best kishka?

Let us know and we’ll send a videographer to film the whole cooking process. This will be a great opportunity to chronicle a family’s traditional recipes while teaching them to others at the same time.

Feel free to spread the word to anyone you know who might be interested. We look forward to hearing from you.

I could go for a kishka right about now.

who doesn't love a potato party!

Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus and even that old chestnut Christmas, are upon us this month and that means one thing to a lot of people. Drinking! While holiday traditions may vary from house to house, with a menorah here and a Christmas tree there, you can usually count on a fully stocked bar.

Mimosas with a leisurely brunch, a martini after a hectic day at the mall, or a festive punch at the office party, we probably drink more at this time of year than any other, so we should put as much thought and care into our cocktails as we do with the holiday bird.

The best thing a potato ever did for the world was to ferment and get us all tipsy.

Vodka is definitely the highest form a potato can take and since we’re all about Spud Love this season, we’re going to honour it.

Here are some vodka cocktail recipes, by bartender Dave Elliott, that are perfect for the upcoming holidays. Why are they perfect? Because they are simple to make, beautiful to look at and a few sips will give you a lovely glow.

Whether you’re lighting kinara candles, dreading the visit from the in-laws, spinning a dreidel or performing feats of strength – happy holidays.

And to all our Verdukkian friends – good Merlinpeen to you!).

Christmas Jones

1 oz vodka

1/2 oz strawberry puree

1 oz pineapple juice

7-Up

Build in a highball glass packed with ice

Russian Cider

1oz vodka

3oz apple cider

shake well with ice and strain into a highball glass half rimmed with brown sugar

Both of these delicious drinks will be featured at the Fiesta Farms Potato Party on Dec. 14th. Join us during 86′d Monday at the Drake Hotel for a night dedicated to Spud Love. We’ll have a DIY Holiday Card station with potato stamps, delicious frites and, of course, lots of vodka. The party starts at 7pm, see you there!

What are some of your favourite holiday cocktails? Have you ever tried to infuse vodka?

It is a great gift idea, so simple to make and wonderful in cocktails and in cooking. The flavour possibilities are endless, you can use lemongrass, ginger, chili peppers, mango, vanilla……

who doesn't love a potato party!

Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus and even that old chestnut Christmas, are upon us this month and that means one thing to a lot of people. Drinking! While holiday traditions may vary from house to house, with a menorah here and a Christmas tree there, you can usually count on a fully stocked bar.

Mimosas with a leisurely brunch, a martini after a hectic day at the mall, or a festive punch at the office party, we probably drink more at this time of year than any other, so we should put as much thought and care into our cocktails as we do with the holiday bird.

The best thing a potato ever did for the world was to ferment and get us all tipsy.

Vodka is definitely the highest form a potato can take and since we’re all about Spud Love this season, we’re going to honour it.

Here are some vodka cocktail recipes, by bartender Dave Elliott, that are perfect for the upcoming holidays. Why are they perfect? Because they are simple to make, beautiful to look at and a few sips will give you a lovely glow.

Whether you’re lighting kinara candles, dreading the visit from the in-laws, spinning a dreidel or performing feats of strength – happy holidays.

And to all our Verdukkian friends – good Merlinpeen to you!).

Christmas Jones

1 oz vodka

1/2 oz strawberry puree

1 oz pineapple juice

7-Up

Build in a highball glass packed with ice

Russian Cider

1oz vodka

3oz apple cider

shake well with ice and strain into a highball glass half rimmed with brown sugar

Both of these delicious drinks will be featured at the Fiesta Farms Potato Party on Dec. 14th. Join us during 86′d Monday at the Drake Hotel for a night dedicated to Spud Love. We’ll have a DIY Holiday Card station with potato stamps, delicious frites and, of course, lots of vodka. The party starts at 7pm, see you there!

What are some of your favourite holiday cocktails? Have you ever tried to infuse vodka?

It is a great gift idea, so simple to make and wonderful in cocktails and in cooking. The flavour possibilities are endless, you can use lemongrass, ginger, chili peppers, mango, vanilla……