We carry some great products in the store and we like to feature them in this “Our Proud Producers” series. Here allow us to introduce you to Marinelli Pasta Sauce.
The thing about pasta sauce is it’s hard to buy a store-bought sauce that tastes as good as homemade, with locally grown ingredients, devoid of added sugars and preservatives. The reasons for this are largely economic; it costs more to produce a superior product. Continue »
When I was growing up we had 2 or three choices when it came to cheese; cheddar, Colby and mozzarella. We had cheese slices for burgers and grilled cheese, jars of Cheese Whiz for slopping on celery sticks, something called “Velveeta” and, for a real treat, the laughing cow. Almost all of these were made by KRAFT, or Black Diamond, and none of them was really inspiring. Cheese came from a factory.
Sure, we knew that were other choices out there, stinky blue cheeses, runny Brie and Camembert, goat’s milk cheeses, but these were hard to find and were for special occasions only. Certainly none of the exotic varieties were available at our corner store, and when you could find them, the packages indicated that they all came from far away lands, places where cheese making was a way of life.
The thought of a truly great cheese being made in your vicinity was almost unthinkable; leave that to France, Italy, Switzerland. The old country. Maybe Quebec, that’s about as local as it got; great wheels of the stuff churned out by murmuring monks hidden away in an enchanted monastery that time forgot.
Well, we all know that has changed. Environmental and social awareness has spread to the average consumer and is not just the concern of the voices offstage; Ontario cheese makers have moved into the centre stage and are now becoming stars of the movement. After all, the best cheese is made with organic, and locally sourced milk attained from ethically treated animals, so why wouldn’t it work? This is why artisanal dairies like Ruth Klahsen’s Montforte Dairy and Prince Edward County’s Fifth Town Cheese are leaders in the field.
Lavender Chevre
Fifth town Cheese produces some of the finest artisanal cheese available, made from hormone and antibiotic free sheep, goat and cows milk sourced from Local Food Plus (LFP) certified farms, achieving Platinum LEED accreditation under the Leadership in Energy and environmental Design.
And the bottom line for us, the average consumer? Their cheese is outstanding. Over two dozen varieties are available, Fresh cheese, washed-rind, soft ripened, hard cheese, brine ripened….there is so much more than Colby or Marble available for us now.
Pick up some fresh Lavender Chevre or some washed rind Morning Moon and save the Velveeta for Ants on a Log or these wacky Nutburgers!
Sean Brady and Bruce Green own and operate Kolapore Springs Fish Hatchery near Collingwood, Ontario, an all-natural, sustainable organic hatchery that, since 2009 has been producing some of the best trout you can find anywhere. In fact their trout is so good it is sold at many of the best fishmongers, at the finest restaurants, and was featured at The David Suzuki Foundation’s 20th Anniversary Legacy Gala, prepared by Susur Lee. Continue »
Located in Bruce Grey County, just outside the tiny hamlet of Ayton, Ontario you can find one of the oldest organic farms in Canada, Filsinger’s Organic Foods. Founded by Alvin Filsinger in 1953, this farm has stayed true to its roots over the years and has become world renown; Filsinger himself was honoured with the Lifetime Organic Hero Award in 2004 by the Canada Organic Grower’s Association, and his methodologies are studied at McGill University, The Australia Soil and Health Association as well as academic institutions around the world. Continue »
Most of us keep a few convenience items in our pantry for those nights when we’re too busy or wiped out to cook from scratch. One such item that makes for an easy supper is a simple jar of spaghetti sauce. We’re seeing more and more of these sauces being put out by celebrity chefs.
Christine Cushing offers a cognac and roasted pepper version, a fresh basil infused sauce and a porcini and chianti sauce in her line.
While Jamie Oliver offers a red onion and rosemary, and a tomato and chili, among others. How many times have you made a spaghetti sauce from scratch and put cognac in it? Or porcini? Or rosemary for that matter? Continue »
We're looking for dads and grandfathers to feature in our Apron Strings video series. If you can cook something special, let us know.
