Support farmers, save the environment and savour the flavour.

Words by Tonia Wilson

Sometimes I see trends as negative, since they tend to be fleeting fads. There is, however, one trend that has taken hold lately for the betterment of everyone: eating local. It seems that you can’t turn your head these days without seeing an advertisement or a chef spreading the gospel of locally grown food. We are being inculcated with an appreciation of where our food comes from, and the importance of the men and women who grow it.

The buzz words of the day are sustainability and local, and they are used to promote the idea of eating food that is grown or produced closer to home, and by methods that are less harmful to the environment. The benefits of eating locally are many: one is that your dollars stay in the region and are used to support the people within your community. It also means you have a more direct link to where your food comes from as the distribution line is shorter. This in turn means your food is fresher as it has travelled a shorter distance to get to you. Another benefit is that less pollution is created by its transportation.

There are many places where you can find local products. Larger grocery chains are starting to sell more local produce, and of course there are farmers’ markets cropping up in many communities where you’ll find loads of delicious items. If you are heading out of the city, keep your eyes open for stalls on the side of the road selling fruits and vegetables straight from the farm. If you are looking for a fun excursion you can head to a “pick your own” farm for fresh fruits, vegetables and sometimes dairy products and preserves. There is a terrific list online where you can find participating “pick your own” farms in Peel Region at www.peelregion.ca/scripts/gip/grown-farms.pl.

This year has been a difficult one for farmers as the weather has been overly dry and some areas have reached near-drought conditions. If ever there was a time to get out and support farmers, it’s now. Shopping at a farmers’ market can be fun and informative, and kids love the experience. Here is a list of farmers’ markets:

• Brampton Farmers’ Market
1 Main St. N.
• Port Credit Farmers’ Market
Corner of Elmwood Ave. and Lakeshore Rd. E.
• Sherway Farmers’ Market
Northeast parking lot between the North Queen St. and Sherway Gardens Rd. entrances.
• Mississauga Central Lions Club Farmers’ Market
Square One — Rathburn Rd. W. and Living Arts Dr.
• Streetsville Lions Farmers and Friends Market
45 Thomas St., near the Streetsville GO station

At this time of year we are still fortunate enough to have lots of available Ontario produce—winter isn’t here yet! Why not enjoy some of the last warm days with a big mixed platter of local vegetables and meats? Last Saturday morning I picked up all I needed: I popped into Elmwood Meats (on Lakeshore Rd.) to purchase my Ontario-raised meats and sausages and then went down the road to the Port Credit Farmers’ Market for some fresh veggies.

If you are wondering what vegetables and fruits are in season, take a look at www.foodland.gov.on.ca/english/availability.html. This site tells you what is available by month, and it’s a handy tool when menu planning.

As an interesting side note, Foodland Ontario awards retailers for their efforts in promoting Ontario produce, and two Mississauga stores have won these awards. One is our neighbour, John Leonardi, produce manager at the Metro store on Lakeshore Rd. near Cawthra, and the other is Michael-Angelo’s Market Place on Erin Mills Parkway.

Now for putting together our mixed grill, it’s not really a recipe per se; it’s more of a suggestion on how to put it all together. This will serve six people easily.

First, marinate your favourite meats with any fresh herbs you like along with wine, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar to tenderize and infuse with flavour. To make preparation easier, place your meats separately in large plastic freezer bags to let them get well-coated in marinade. Here are the steps I followed:

THE MEATS
4 chicken breasts
Coat with 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, some fresh red chili pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
2 rib-eye or strip loin steaks
Coat with 2 tbsp fresh sage, ? cup red wine, fresh garlic, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
4–5 chorizo sausages
(or any kind of sausage you like—no need to marinate)

THE VEGGIES
3 zucchinis
sliced in 4, lengthwise
1–2 sweet onions
sliced crosswise in ?” rings
4 red, yellow or orange peppers

1. On a hot grill, place whole peppers on the hottest spot and char on all sides; remove and place in a medium bowl, covered. Let cool then remove skin and seeds. Slice peppers into 1? pieces and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp fresh thyme or basil. Toss zucchini strips in mixture to coat and then grill until tender. While zucchini is grilling, place onions on grill and cook until softened. Tip: a barbecue basket will prevent onions from falling through grill.

3. Once vegetables are cooked, grill meats to desired doneness. Slice cooked meats into pieces and place on platter with vegetables.

4. Serve platter accompanied with a fresh salad, some mustards, olives and crusty bread (try some from La Villa Bakery on Lakeshore Rd., www.lavillabakery.com).

This is a wonderful way to make a simple meal for friends and family that helps support our local farmers and businesses.

PLEASANT PAIRING
Muskoka Brewery Mad Tom IPA
LCBO 239749 | 6 x 355 mL bottle
Price $13.50 (also available in individual cans)

In the spirit of local, I’ve chosen a fantastic beer from Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge. A friend brought this to the house a while back and it was love at first sip. Mad Tom is a beer full of flavour and aroma and is for anyone who likes beer with personality. For those who don’t know, IPA stands for “India pale ale,” which is a style of beer that generally has a higher amount of “hopping.” Hops are flower clusters from the hop plant that are added during the beer’s production. The hops give the beer its lemony tang and astringency, both great characteristics for food matching. The fruity aroma and deep, malty taste of this beer go well with all the grilled items on our platter, and allow it to stand up to the big tastes of the chorizo and steak. But the most important thing you need to know about Mad Tom is that it is a great-tasting and well-crafted ale produced by local brewers dedicated to making serious beer. Learn more at www.muskokabrewery.com.

Enjoy,

Tonia