Locavore News by Elbert van Donkersgoed
Posted: November 18, 2009
Categories: Events / News from Sustain Ontario
Perspectives on good food and farming
Wine industry hopes prince boosts sales
A little sip of Niagara wine by a princely palate could help draw international attention to the local industry, grape growers, winery owners and wine writers say. “Huge” is how wine mogul Donald Ziraldo describes the ripple effect of Prince Charles’ Thursday afternoon visit to Niagara College’s new Wine Visitor and Education Centre. The Prince of Wales toured the new centre — a $3.6 million teaching winery for students, retail boutique and educational centre for all Ontario wines — sampled some of the college’s wine and toured the vineyards of the Glendale Avenue property. St. Catharines Standard story.
Youth cooking contest lets teens shine at Royal
The Butternut Curry Cup beat the Sweet Apple Pork and the Ratatouille Stack in a fierce competition Saturday. Okay, so maybe the So You(th) Think You Can Cook? competition at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair was more friendly than fierce. So it should have been, as it pitted one 13-year-old girl against two 17-year-old guys, none of whom cook for a living, but all of whom have a passion for cooking. Toronto Star story.
Interactive cooking classes: Food for thought
The dozen or so foodies sitting in the stunning Tuscan- inspired kitchen in Hester Creek Estate Winery hush as Ned Bell takes command of the room. Bell, the owner and executive chef of Kelowna’s Cabana Bar and Grille, sharpens his knives as the attendees, including me, eagerly wait to learn some of the best tricks of the trade. Welcome to a new reason to visit the Okanagan in the Golden Mile wine region – interactive cooking classes. Canwest News Service story.
Local Food Procurement Policy and Implementation Plan – Update
In October 2008, Council adopted a Local Food Procurement Policy, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas and smog causing emissions generated by the import of food from outside Ontario as part of the implementation of the Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan. The policy demonstrates that the City of Toronto is committed to progressively increasing the percentage of food being served at City-owned facilities or purchased for City operations from local sources. Toronto Government Management Committee
From Staff Report
Ontario farm foods need local logo: report
Ontario consumers would prefer to purchase local meat, wine and produce, but are often unable to distinguish easily where a product is from, a report has found. The report, based on a survey and focus groups, was conducted by the Ontario organization OnTrace Agri-food Traceability, in collaboration with Toronto research firm the Strategic Counsel. The survey questioned 1,000 shoppers and found 41 per cent could not name an Ontario food logo or brand when prompted to do so. CBC News story
Calgary Food Policy Council to celebrate one-year anniversary
On Tuesday, 27Oct09, the Calgary Food Policy Council (CFPC) will celebrate its one year anniversary. The CFPC has achieved many milestones in only its first year, not least of which is getting food back on the Calgary political menu. Over the past year, the CFPC has launched a number of firsts for Calgary. Calgary Food Policy Council News Release.
Foodlink Receives Great Grants Award from Ontario Trillium Foundation
Foodlink Waterloo Region was recently named as one of the winners of the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s prestigious 2009 Great Grants Awards. The awards recognize charitable and not-for-profit organizations that have had an exceptional impact in their communities. The recipients were selected from over 4,000 groups from across the province. Great Grants Award recipients.
Local farmers could gain from study on processing local foods
Locally grown food could be processed and distributed in Hastings County as early as next summer. Area farmers indicated they supported the idea in a survey and now funding has been committed to find out if there are customers for the product and partners willing to help meet the demand. Stirling Community Press story.
Changes at Farmer’s Daughter
It has been a memorable experience with some good times, and some not-so-good times. I have met so many great people and have really enjoyed the time in the Kingston Road Village. People have always asked why I chose this location. It was because of my great experience with the neighbourhood at the BirchCliff Village Farmers’ Market. Why are we closing? Our lease is up soon and although we have worked very hard over the past five years to make a go of it, financially it doesn’t make sense to keep the store running. The overhead costs and factors of running a Toronto location isn’t working. We are making a few changes to simplify our retail presence, and have selected a space to open a new Farmer’s Daughter location in Orillia. Over the coming weeks we will explain the changes and offerings. Website.
London’s Covent Garden Market rides latest food trends
Ten years after it opened, the third incarnation of London’s venerable Covent Garden Market is in a good place, says general manager Bob Usher. The building is fully occupied, sales are steadily increasing and the market has found its niche as an “urban market” — a community hub that combines fresh and prepared foods, restaurants, arts, crafts and services. Usher said the market is cashing in on two growing trends — consumer demand for fresh, local food and a resurgence in the downtown core’s population. Today’s Farmer story.
Buy-local idea spreading
Lambton County has already put the buy local food movement on the map, and now it wants to update it. Locally Lambton, a Lambton Federation of Agriculture-led initiative, has begun work on a new farm guide and map expected to be printed in 2010, said committee member Chris Williamson. The 2008 version of the guide listed 34 local farms and other locations where consumers can get food and other agriculture products directly from the folks who produce them. Sarnia Observer story.
Backyard chickens called productive pets
If Windsor residents are allowed to keep backyard chickens, Canada’s endangered Chantecler chicken would be an excellent choice, Rare Breeds Canada chairman Greg Oakes said Tuesday. Chantecler hens can lay about 300 eggs a year and can be eaten when they’re done laying. They’re calm, social and bred to live in a colder climate. And Oakes said backyard livestock can work in cities. Windsor Star story.
Jamie Oliver answers your questions
Jamie Oliver, coming to Toronto this month, takes questions from Globe and Mail readers and dishes on his kitchen must-haves, simple meals for first-time cooks and why you’ll never, ever catch him at KFC. Globe and Mail story
Canada’s local-food legend
Lori Stahlbrand is pumped. She’s just back from an event that she bills as “speed dating for farmers,†a get-together that she helped organize where farmers bring their products and meet with restaurateurs, distributors and retailers. It’s an event that makes today just like every other day for Stahlbrand. There’s been lots of talk, followed by even more talk, but at the end of it all, something has also happened. More farmers are shipping more food to consumers, almost always at a premium price. Country Guide story.
AND if You Have Time
Assassination Sandwiches
The project “Assassination Sandwiches” by Tibi Tibi Neuspiel are wax sculptures of a bologna-and-cheese sandwich on toasted white bread, featuring images of assassins paired with their victims on opposite sides. Three in the series: Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth; Archduke Franz Ferdinand and Gavrilo Princip; and Martin Luther King and James Earl Ray. You can pick up copies of “King / Ray” and “Ferdinand / Princip,” at Art Moderne for $450 each. Source: Eat Me Daily. Website.