Here we will introduce you to the young, passionate entrepreneurs behind some of the products on our shelves. These are the people who are helping to shape the way we eat with their new and innovative products.

Mill Pond Cannery and Preserves Co.

Dave Smythe and Donna Carmichael, owners

It began with some observations, then an idea…infused with a philosophy, and firmly grounded in our own beliefs about the food we eat.  The increasingly complex and mysterious global food system was showing some frightening cracks and flaws.  The loss of heritage varieties of fruit as a result of the increasingly ‘mono-culture’ practices of large-scale contemporary agriculture.  The increasing commoditization of our food.  The prevalence of refined sugar in our diets, and the increasing use of high-fructose corn syrup in so many of the foods we eat…well, the list of observations got pretty long.

The idea…why not eat products that incorporate what’s grown in our own lush and high-quality orchards and farms?  Why not support Canadian farmers and growers? Why not get back to the ‘original’ and natural sweeteners, such as honey and maple syrup?  And Mill Pond Cannery and Preserves Company was born…

Our all-natural products include exclusively Ontario-grown produce, pears, peaches, plums, and apples, tart ruby-red cranberries, and golden honey from Ontario apiaries.  Our fruit butter is based on an old recipe, handed down over the generations.  It is time to rethink what we eat, where it is grown, and how it is made…close to home, close to perfect.
Where did you start out in the food world?

About a year and a half ago we began to conceptualize a new kind of food company, with a focus on all-natural products using 100% local ingredients.  Once we had articulated our vision and company values, we began to develop our product lines and recipes with a focus on Ontario fruit.

What inspires you to do what you do?

We are passionate about using local ingredients, as well as using traditional recipes.  We looked through many old cookbooks from the 1940’s and 1950’s, and saw that fruit butter was a mainstay in the ‘preserves’ sections of these traditional cookbooks.  The concept appealed to us tremendously, especially in view of the bounty of wonderful fruit grown in Ontario.  We wanted to work with a top-notch culinary school (Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts department at George Brown College) to help us develop our recipes, with particular emphasis on including culinary students in the development process because we think that using local ingredients needs to be ingrained in young chefs during their training, and shouldn’t be something that they ‘come to’ later on in their careers.

Why make preserves?

Our Ontario climate means that the growing and harvesting season is,  of course, relatively short and in order to enjoy Ontario fruit all year long, the best option is to make preserved products that truly reveal the flavour of the fruit and not some over-sugared product.   Our fruit butters are intended to taste like a luscious ripe fruit, so we only use three simple ingredients in our products – fruit, with a small amount of honey and cider vinegar, and then we add a touch of an interesting Canadian-grown herb.

What has been the biggest struggle or obstacle you’ve had to overcome in order to get your product onto shelves?

The biggest challenge for us has been the post-harvest handling and pre-processing of the Ontario fruit.  The food system infrastructure in Ontario has been significantly eroded over the last 20 years, as a result of tough global competition as well as consolidation of small local processors into larger conglomerates.  As a country, we have lost much of our locally-based domestic food infrastructure, and this poses a challenge for companies like ours who are committed to producing truly local products.

Happy Birthday!

Here in Canada we don’t have much in the way of food magazines, no Saveur or Food & Wine, no Martha Stewart Living or Cook’s Illustrated. No, we might not have those big glossy tomes, but we’ve got something better.

Small, independent and local magazines like Saltscapes in the Maritimes, Occasions in Alberta, Eat Magazine in British Columbia, and a growing number of Edibles popping up (like our very own Edible Toronto -recently nominated for a 2010 Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Award. Congratulations Gail!) showcase the unique cuisines of each province.

Instead of one Holy Grail that every chef, cookbook author, restauranteur & sommelier aspires to get their name into, we have many. As readers we are able to read a slew of different writers with vastly varied opinions and voices, rather than a clique of five or six patting the same people on the back month after month.

Today we want to congratulate one such publication, City Bites, the little local magazine that could. Five years in and still going strong. Through the worst era in print the world has ever seen, this little rag kept on publishing. Every few months there would be rumors of it’s demise but then you’d bump into the editor, Dick Snyder, at some charcuterie-laden schmooze-fest and he’d be all smiles handing out copies of the latest edition hot off the press.

With superlative content provided by the brilliant minds of John Szabo, John Gundy, Konrad Ejbich, Signe Langford, Malcolm Jolley, Maia Filar, Eric Vellend and many others, Dick has managed to provide this city with a magazine that speaks honestly and passionately about our food and wine scene. It is not sponsored by Hellman’s or dependent on ad revenue from MacDonald’s, and while the content may be skewed to our neck of the woods it still maintains a finger on the pulse of the food world at large.

Celebrate with Dick and the whole City Bites family tonight at the Drake Hotel. Everyone is welcome, free h’or d’ouevres provided by Hall’s Kitchen, the Drake and Madeleines, Cherry Pie & Ice Cream.

Here we will introduce you to the young, passionate entrepreneurs behind some of the products on our shelves. These are the people who are helping to shape the way we eat with their new and innovative products.

Hall’s Kitchen

Katherine Hall, Executive Chef

At Hall’s Kitchen we believe in healthy, handcrafted vegetarian foods that are made with fresh, wholesome ingredients of the highest quality and prepared without the use of chemicals, preservatives or additives. We recently launched a new and unique line of vegan soups and stews that are doing very well in many specialty food and health food stores around Toronto and the GTA. All of our soups and stews are made fresh, are GMO free, gluten free, dairy and yeast free.

Each one of our products is also carefully made by hand, not machine, and is slow cooked in small batches in stainless steel soup kettles.

Where did you start out in the food world?

I did my apprenticeship at George Brown in Toronto in the 80’s and my first job was at the Ramada Inn. I spent 3 years at the Ramada where I worked through all the different kitchen stations including saucier, garde manger, pastry, butchery, banquet service etc. After that, I took a position with The McGill Club in Toronto as saucier and soon afterwards became Chef de Cuisine for the Accor Group – a European hotel chain (eg. Novotel). With the Accor Group I had the opportunity to train in France and then held Executive Chef titles at several major hotels, resorts and restaurants in southern Ontario.

What inspires you to do what you do?

I think that the aspects of plate design, menu and recipe development feed the creative side of my personality and knowing that people enjoy eating the food I’ve worked hard to make for them, feeds my nurturing side. Being a chef is a very satisfying career for me, it always has been. With soup in particular, they are heart warming, comfort foods. When someone is sick, people will bring them soup. There is something very healing and therapeutic about a hot bowl of soup. I also like how so many different flavours can be layered together in just one soup or stew dish.

Why make vegetarian soup?

We originally started with chicken in our Bangkok Curry Coconut soup actually, but found that the shelf life was considerably less with meat than without meat. Meat can spoil quickly and to be honest, after all the processed meat scares this past year with the listeria outbreaks etc. we just didn’t want to work with meat. I’m a “flexitarian” not a vegetarian currently, but I can see  myself becoming a vegetarian in future.

Fresh vegetables are just so much cleaner and easier to work with. People can add their own meat to our soups and stews if they want. It’s a fresher way to eat in any case. And, now the vegans have some more interesting options to eat!

What has been the biggest struggle or obstacle you’ve had to overcome in order to get your product onto shelves?

I think the biggest struggle was finding the right space to set up our production kitchen. It took months to find the right space and it was incredibly frustrating! It was like shopping for your first home all over again. We finally found this great space in the west end with lots of light, high ceilings and lots of artists as well as other small food companies and caterers around. It’s the perfect creative space for me to work and get inspired!

Here we will profile people in this province who help shape the way we eat, cook and think about food.

photo by Jo-Ann McCarthur

Doug McNish, chef

This young chef used to weigh 250 lbs. before changing his diet and going vegan. Now he heads up the kitchen at Raw Aura where his entire menu is completely raw.

Where did you start out in the food world?

My first job was at a British pub when I was 16 years  old.  I really learned how to move fast and  cook basic foods like curry, gravy and sandwiches.  It was here that I fell in love with the kitchen, the teamwork involved to make sure things run properly and the utter and complete controlled craziness of a professional cooking environment.

What changes have you seen over the years in how the people you meet feel about local farmers and food?

This is such an important issue.  Now more than ever I am finding people want to learn and understand where their food comes from.  They are seeing that spinach in a big plastic bag from California with a Frito Lay label on the back is not necessarily the best thing to put in their bodies. Documentaries like “Food Inc.” and others coming out now are showing the world that our food supply is in terrible shape and we need to do something about it now!  We tend to forget that farmers have fed people for centuries. Becasue of the advent of big corporations wanting to make more money we have sacrificed not only nutrition but families that rely on us to purchase their crops to survive.

what is your favourite vegetable?

This is a two parter.  In the winter it would have to be celery root.  It is rich, aromatic and can be made into anything from a soup, salad, puree etc.  In the warmer months I would have to say black kale.  It is loaded with the good stuff we need and can be made to taste delicious with various seasonings or just steamed with a little sea salt.

grain?

Hands down quinoa.  Being vegan and lifting weights I am always looking for healthy forms of protein.  Quinoa is a complete protein, it cooks easily and quickly and can be substituted for rice in almost any recipe.

fruit?

I love apples. Being a Canadian boy its one of the only fruits that I can always find locally grown.  They are versatile in the kitchen and have great flavour and texture.

season?

Being a chef I find the most abundance in local produce would have to be September and October for vegetables like squash, turnip, celery root and radishes.

where are some of your favourite places in Ontario for food and drink?

For a cold beer in the summer nothing beats the Black Bull for its people watching patio on Queen street.  I also love C’est What on front street.  I used to work at Jump and we would frequent that bar for its local micro breweries and the occasional Absinthe.  For food there is a little cafe in Kensington Market called Hibiscus.  They serve homemade, dairy free ice creams, gluten free crepes and the best quinoa salad in the city.  You can always find me there on my day off sipping green tea and working on recipes.

the vegan chef's before shot

January harvest

Linda Crago runs Tree and Twig Heirloom Vegetable Farm in Wellandport. This winter she started posting photos of her harvest on Twitter. Beautiful green swiss chard and arugula that she was growing in January! How does she do it? Does she have some kind of veggie grow op in her basement?

No, she has an 84 foot long hoop house. Which is essentially a wooden frame with greenhouse plastic stretched over it, this frame is placed over a raised bed, giving her a garden she can harvest from all year long. “One of the keys is to have agricultural fabric. It’s a polyester fabric that floats over the bed and the crop grows underneath it. A lot of people use it to grow organically and avoid insect problems.” Crago explains. She is able to use the harvest in the CSA baskets that she sells and for restaurant orders from esteemed restaurants like Niagara’s Inn on the Twenty, Wildflower in Font Hill and Treadwell.

“The vegetables freeze overnight but they don’t die. They thaw out by mid-morning and then I can harvest.” she explains.

” They taste different after they’ve been frozen, sweeter. I wasn’t a fan of raw chard until I tasted it like this.” They may freeze at night but the house stays warm in the light of day, forcing Crago to strip down to her t-shirt when harvesting. “On a day like this, it’s 80 degrees in there. You can take a lawn chair out and sit in the sun.”

Indian Runner ducks and heritage Mottled Java hens live out their peaceful retirment in the hoop house at Tree & Twig farm

She sells vegetables and eggs from her farm and being vegetarian she makes sure her laying hens have an idyllic life. “When the chickens get too old to lay they live out their retirement in the hoop house. It has been a challenge keeping them out of the veggies though.”

Sturdy winter greens do best, she recommends planting miner’s lettuce, arugula, collards, kale and Asian greens like tat-soy. Her favourite though are the mustards, like Green Wave, Giant Red and mizuna. “In the spring when the days get warmer they sprout flowers. Beautiful yellow and white mustard flowers, they taste amazing.”

Through careful harvest each plant can continue producing throughout the winter. Taking a few leaves here and there keeps the plant intact to produce more leaves.

Just think of it, an endless supply of greens from your backyard. Spring is coming, maybe it’s time you got started on your own hoop house garden.

“People say you can’t eat local year round and that’s just not true.” she says, and it’s thanks to inspirational growers like her that we can all be locavores 365 days a year.

all photos by Linda Crago

The 84 foot hoop house at Tree and Twig Farm. City dwellers can easily make a much smaller version.

Here we will profile people in this province who have helped to shape the way we eat, cook and think about food.

Antony John, farmer

Stratford Farmer, Antony John

As the owner of Soiled Reputation, Antony, has devoted his career to organic greens and vegetables. His farm in Stratford grows all year round thanks to four large greenhouses. “Except for a few tough weeks in January and February, we’re picking all year.” he recently told Gremolata.

Those greens end up on the menus at restaurants all over the city and have sparked our current insatiable interest in fresh, organic produce.

Where did you start out in the food world?

I started out right after university, working for Tina’s dad on his dairy farm.  From there it was landscaping for The Old Prune and Rundles in Stratford, and eventually growing food for them.

What changes have you seen over the years in how the people you meet feel about local farmers and food?

I came into this at the bottom of the pendulum, where I’d get quotes from chefs like “I don’t care if it’s local or organic, as long as it’s green”.  I say pendulum because, up until the 1950’s, market gardeners in North America were respected craftsmen.  I feel that tradition is only recently enjoying a rennaissance.

What is your favourite vegetable?

I’d have to say the Romanesco cauliflower is my favourite vegetable, because it represents so much for me.  First, it’s flavour is remarkable, it stays a vibrant, life-affirming chartreuse when you roast it, it’s the best example of fractal geometry and a Fibonacci mathematical sequence in the living world, and it’s structure is a perfect visual metaphor for the connectedness and complexity of ecosystems and food webs.  Lastly, it’s only around for a few weeks, so enjoy it while you can, just like life!

farm animal?

I’ve worked with most farm animals over the 25 years I’ve been farming, and I’d have to say it’s the Holstein dairy cow

season?

Spring is my favourite season – it’s still full of potential and promise, you haven’t screwed anything up in the field yet, and songbirds are migrating back from their winter homes!

Where are some of your favourite places in Ontario for food/drink?

Perth County has some of the most productive soils in Ontario for growing food, an envious combination of clay and loam, coupled with fairly regular rains from Lake Huron. Just as in viniculture, this has a trickle-down effect into the flavour of the food. In addition, Stratford is blessed with a vibrant culinary scene, so I’m lucky and glad to eat right here!

For wine, I head to Marin Malivoire’s winery and sample (ok, hoard) his incredible wines. After that, we might go back to join him and Moira at home and cook together. Two Soils = One Passion.

the farmer as a young cowboy

gluten-free Wild Wood Veggie Burgers with Shiitake- one of the best I've had

It may be snowing in Stratford today but we’re still enjoying sunshine and clear skies in Toronto. I’m tired of braising everything, I want something light and meatless. I want a burger and a salad. After shopping at Fiesta Farms yesterday, I picked up these gluten free burger buns and a new veggie burger I want to try out. There’s also some unpasteurized clover honey from Wild Country over in Guelph, I know I want to use that in the salad. A Cortland apple, some napa cabbage and organic, heirloom New Farm carrots, here goes.

The Sunshine salad is a simple mix of veggies that are locally grown and readily available in the fall.

Ingredients

napa cabbage, shredded

carrot, grated

apple, small dice

sunflower seeds*

lime, zest and juice

plain yogurt

clover honey

Veggie Burgers go great with Sunshine Salad

Steps

1. Toss all the veggies together with sunflower seeds in one bowl
2. In another bowl combine yogurt, lime juice and zest, honey and salt and pepper to taste until you have a nice tangy, sweet dressing.
3. Toss salad with dressing.

You don’t need a recipe for the burger – just heat and serve with whatever condiments you want.

* if you are a celiac, be certain that your sunflower seeds are gluten-free before using. Sometimes nuts, seeds and dried fruit are tossed with a bit of flour before packaging.

Here we will profile people in this province who have helped to shape the way we eat, cook and think about food.

Rebecca LeHeup-Bucknell, connector

Rebecca LeHeup-Bucknell

Rebecca is the Executive Director for Ontario Culinary Tourism, in this role she is responsible for building relationships with farmers, communities, chefs, brewers, vintners, bakers and fishers all over the province. From a cranberry bog in Ottawa to a rustic lodge in Elmhirst – Rebecca connects media, chefs and producers with Ontario’s food sources.

Where did you start out in the food world?

My career with food began as a bus girl out west – in Kelowna. I moved on to be a server and then a bartender in Prince Edward County (at the Waring House Barley Room Pub), then went on to do licensee and LCBO deliveries for Grant Howes at the County Cider Company. We (Grant and I) ended up going into business and restored a 1860’s pig barn into a tasting room and retail store. I owned and operated the retail space that featured artisanal Canadian foods and unique giftware.

What changes have you seen over the years in how the people you meet feel about local farmers and food?

In my work with Taste the County in PEC from 1998 to 2008 I saw a remarkable shift in people’s interest in farming. I have seen an increase in small scale farmers that are growing heirloom varieties, growing biodynamically or organically and raising rare breed animals. I have witnessed a new wave, a sense of pride for our agricultural community, a desire for people to be more connected to the land. Now I realize this wave was not spreading just over my home County of PEC but across the province – it’s wonderful and makes me very emotional.

What is your favourite vegetable?

I love asparagus but will only eat it when it’s in season (and then I eat it almost daily!). Then the first spring greens and sweet peas follow and it really seems like there could be nothing better but WHAM! corn, tomatoes, carrots and other the other seasonal goodies come on. I guess what I’m trying to say is my favourite veggie shifts with the season. I’m really digging beets and roasted root vegetables right now.

farm animal?

The pig. I love pork. What more can I say?

season?

The fall is my favourite season – it always has been (I was born in the fall). I love the harvest season, the colours, the crisp fresh air. I will say though that I will always enjoy the fact that we have four seasons in Canada (even if I don’t like being cold!). Change is good. It makes us appreciate what has been before and what we have to look forward to come.

Where are some of your favourite places in Ontario for food/drink?

I am constantly falling further in love with Ontario. It is a diverse and interesting place to live. I do my best to NOT frequent the same places over and over again because there is so much to explore. Of course, I have a very soft spot for PEC because I have spent most of my life connected to it. Some favourites of mine include:

Bar – The Drake (T.O.) and Down the Street (Stratford)

Restaurant – Amuse Bouche (T.O.)  and Harvest (PEC)

Family dining – Buddha Dog (T.O., PEC & Collingwood)

Coffee – Ms. Lily’s Cafe (PEC) and the Dark Horse (Spadina location in T.O.)

Farmer’s Market – Stratford (during Savour Stratford)

Picnic Spot – Sandbanks Provincial Park (PEC)

Farm gate – The Good Sheppard (Niagara) & Vicki’s Veggies (PEC)

Cheese Dairy – Fifth Town Artisan Cheese (PEC)

Brewery –  Beau’s (Ottawa)

Winery – Norman Hardie and Sandbanks Estate Winery (PEC) and Stratus and Southbrook (Niagara)

Ice Cream – Mapleton’s Organic Dairy (Elora & Fergus)

Follow Rebecca’s culinary discoveries on twitter.com/OntarioCulinary

Prince Charles is pictured purchasing a bag of organic, heirloom beets as part of the Grow for The Stop campaign while touring the Royal Winter Fair recently. The campaign is one we are currently involved in promoting at Fiesta Farms.

Prince Charles buys some New Farm beets

“Nice to see the prince taking an interest in the partnership we’ve developed with The New Farm up in Creemore. In this photo you’ll notice the Prince holding a “Grow for The Stop” branded package of beets that just hit the produce aisle at Fiesta Farms this week.” says Nick Saul, the Executive Director of The Stop, who sent us the photo.

10% of proceeds go back to The Stop to purchase organic food from The New Farm for their food programs. Ensuring people who use the food banks and other food services get access to food of the highest quality.

“Just after this photo was taken,” Nick continues, “the Prince apparently tore into the bag and started in on the beets. He was overheard muttering “delicious, delicious” for the rest of his time at the royal winter fair. Camilla liked them too.”

Did any of you get a chance to see Prince Charles or Camilla during their time in Toronto? Let us know all about it. We’re big fans of his support of organic farming.