Going to the Dufferin Grove market has become a  regular outing around here. On Thursdays, Ella and I pick up Lina and we head to the market together.  We usually share a delicious cinnamon bun from the café and walk around to check out what’s available that week. After reading an article on Andrew Akiwenzie in edible Toronto - he sells the fish he caught himself from Georgian Bay the day before the market - I was looking to buy some fresh fish from him at the market. I also wanted to buy some flour to make crackers this weekend, and some sweet potatoes. I ended up with all that and some sprouts and a loaf of lemon rosemary sourdough.

I abandoned my original dinner plan of leftover Sheppard’s pie and made supper with my market purchases.  For dinner, we had mixed green salad with broccoli sprouts, baked whitefish, steamed broccoli and bread.  Pretty good for a last minute meal.

We’re not on a strict local diet yet - the main ingredients from our dinners are usually locally sourced and I’m making a conscious choice to buy local when I’m at the grocery store.  At times it is difficult to resist buying the strawberries and blueberries, but I’m holding out for the good stuff in the summer.  Other than that, it hasn’t been too difficult and we’re eating better than ever.  I’m definitely looking forward to spring more now that it represents a new growing season - I can’t wait to start my garden this year!

I find that whenever I’m doing something that requires extra efforts, it’s helpful to know the reasons behind it.  So on the days when I don’t really feel up to it, I can go back to my list of reasons and remember why it’s important to me in the first place.  So here they are - my reasons for eating local: 

• The food tastes better.  The berries, tomatoes, corn…they are a thousand times more flavourful when in season and freshly picked.
• I want to support the local farmers.  Instead of complaining that there’re no local produce in the stores and that farms are being turned into suburban houses, I can support the farmers by buying local - that’s the least I could do.
• It’s better for the environment.  There’s debate out there whether eating locally is always better for the environment, but I think that for the species that are native to where you live, it’s “greener” to eat local. 

From now on whenever I feel tempted to just get whatever is available at the supermarket, I can come back to this list and remind myself of the reasons I’m eating local.

Il Fornello’s annual WinterDelicious event is now on. They’re offering a three-course prix fixe menu created from Ontario ingredients. WinterDelicious ends February 13. Please check their website for details.  

If you’ve been to WinterDelicious, write a comment and tell us all about it!

Ok, so this might not be news to some people, but it’s news to me. Il Fornello has been offering a “Local Food Menu” for over six months now. Since the ingredients are sourced from local farms, the menu must change to reflect the seasonal offerings.

Currently on the menu are:

• Fresh herb goat cheese crusted roast peach on arugula + grilled red onion salad with mint Riesling vinegar dressing
• Fresh corn + cream blended with a puree of white wine sauteed cauliflower + onions with a garnish of sweet pea shoots
• Rigatoni with smoked chicken, sweet peas, caramalized onions, in a rose sauce, with fresh basil
• Thin crust pizza topped with wild mushroom bechamel, wild mushrooms, vienna style ham, broccoli + Toscana cheese
• Grilled “on the bone” pork rack served with roasted yukon gold potatoes, seasonal vegetables + a shallot, plum, baco noir compot

Mmm…delicious!

A tasting menu designed by top chefs that celebrates food and wine produced within 100km of Toronto.  The event is at Coupe Space on Queen St E on January 22. Click here for more details.

The idea of local eating is definitely gaining popularity.  I hope to see  more restaurants offering local foods on their menus soon.  If you know of such restaurant, don’t forget to login and add it to our resource map!

I learned of Fresh From the Farm when I attended the Mom2Mom Holiday Show back in November. The timing was perfect since I was introducing my daughter to solid foods and have been looking for healthier alternatives for her. To be honest, I used to be a bit skeptical of organic foods. There wasn’t any official organic certification process and it seems that people label the food “organic” and charge you twice the price. Now that there are regulations in place and more information available, I’m all for organic food – when it’s affordable. Which brings me back to Fresh From the Farm.

Fresh from the Farm is a small store that’s only open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The owners Jacqui and Tim Schmucker bring in fresh meat from small farms in Mennonite communities near Kitchener-Waterloo every two weeks. All the animals are raised in humane conditions, drug-free and hormone-free. The prices are very affordable. The only catch is that you have to order in advance.

Last week I put in my first order: 2 rib eye steaks, a whole chicken and some eggs. I picked up my order on Saturday and also bought a jar of Pinehedge yogurt. The steaks were at 1½ inched thick each and the chicken was huge. One steak was enough for both Josh and I for dinner. I just pan-fried the steak – flavourful, juicy and tender, even at “well done”. We had eggs for breakfast, roast chicken for supper, and yogurt for dessert. Everything was delicious. It felt good knowing that I was eating wholesome food.