Gastronomical Sovereignty

The Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up Week #39

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Tue, 21 May 2013 04:02:00 +0000

Good day my darling readers!

This past weekend I was in Victoria for a visit. Uh, yeah. Why do I live in Toronto again? The entire trip was just jam packed (and I do like me some jam!) with friends and beaches and patios and fresh air, free of smog and noise pollution and smokers. It was glorious! I can do mail art sitting at the bar in Victoria without receiving strange "WTF?" glares; I can wear stockings and look like I belong in the city; Flip flops are considered appropriate footwear in fine dining restaurants. Yup. I love my island.

But it was also good to see what I've left behind. In a good way. As spectacular as Victoria is, it's also important to leave your comfort zone. Try new things. See new places. Meet new people. Like a plant, a person can only grow as much as their environment allows. If they don't get a new pot, they become stagnant and will eventually wilt. And I'm not talkin' about B.C. pot, either. Though, the same could be said for that too.

This link-up is to encourage fresh food production, consumption, activism, and awareness.

Please feel free to link up posts containing:

CSA collections;
Farmer's market treasures;
Home grown/raised hauls;
Recipes that feature fresh fruits and veggies that are seasonal to your area or feature local, sustainably farmed meats, eggs, and dairy;
DIY projects and tutorials for: gardening, storing and/or preserving fresh, real foods, composting market scraps, raising chickens in your back yard, small living, etc...

You may link up to 3 posts in a given week that you haven't shared here before by using the linky tool at the bottom of this post. Please make an effort to click on any of the linked up posts and say hello by leaving a comment for your fellow fresh food communitarians and/or leave one here to tell us what you've shared - because we know how much we all love comments!

And lastly, please include the button below or a simple text link back to this link up in the post(s) you share:

I want this blog hop to feature you as well as help each other come together to form a resource of good food ways for one another. In order to be featured on the monthly features - which includes a highlight on your post here on the last Wednesday of the month as well as tweets, facebook page "like" and posting, and being added to the Fresh Foods pinterest board - you must have a text link back or button displayed in your post or on your blog. If you don’t link back to this post I can’t feature you.

Secret Recipe Club: Crepes a las Vegetables

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 20 May 2013 04:02:00 +0000

Hello my darlings and happy Secret Recipe Club Reveal Day!

I love to stuff things! ...And who doesn't, really?

Peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, tacos, chicken, potatoes, squash, zucchini, stockings, sleeping bags, faces, vaginas, err... heh. Inappropriate, Kristy. Inappropriate.

Basically, if you can shove a bunch of good things into another, I want to be a part of it!

It's even better if whatever you're stuffing has a soft, tender cakey like consistency. Like crepes! Flat, delicious little devils!

Crepes can be an elegant AND fun way to transport stuffing to mouth. Not sure what to do with that pulled meat? Or extra fruit? Or leftover pesto and chicken? Stick it in a crepe! Refinement city, population you dude!

White Lights on Wednesday was my SRC assignment this month and that's exactly what I did. Julie and I have more than a few things in common, some of which include an appreciation for clean sheets, Monica-like organizational habits and bread infatuation to name a few. Oh yeah - and we stuff things. Namely, crepes.

Julie's recipe for vegetable crepes was simple and made for a nice light dinner with a good dose of veggies which I supremely needed. For some reason the sauce didn't quite work out for me - not sure what I did wrong. But even without the sauce, they were still highly enjoyable and an excellent way to use up some veggies that are just coming into season now. And there ain't nothin' wrong with that!

Now... Go stuff it!

What are your favorite things to stuff?

Dine Out Alone: 5 Tips for Successful Creative Entrepeneurship

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Fri, 17 May 2013 04:02:00 +0000

Good Friday to you my little monkey butts!

Today I'm at Handmadeology with an article on thriving as an independent creative enterprise! Starting up your own company (aka dining out alone) isn't as scary as you might think. Okay, that's a lie. It totally is. I'm uber freaked out. But if I can do it, so can you.

Table runner - Woodpile, in Smudge / Pollen / Spruce by: Skinny laMinx

Swing by, say hello, and read my article, Dine Out Alone: 5 Tips for Successful Creative Entrepeneurship. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts!

Have a great weekend! I know I sure will - Victoria here I come!!!

The Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up Week #38

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Wed, 15 May 2013 03:55:00 +0000

Happy Wednesday my darlings!

It's official! Camping season is ON! All the major parks in Ontario opened up this weekend and let me tell you - I'm about ready to dig out the tent and BBQ and tarps and playing cards and beer cozies and get out there! I'm totally pitching a tent over camping (if you know what I mean) - and that means camping meal planning!

As I learned after our first camping trip years ago, keeping camping meals simple is key to camping fun. They should be delicious, nutritious(ish) and easy to put together. I often make vegetarian chili or prepare blue cheese bison burgers ahead of time so it's just re-heat and serve! Do you camp? How do you camp? What are your favorite camping dishes?

This link-up is to encourage fresh food production, consumption, activism, and awareness.

Please feel free to link up posts containing:

CSA collections;
Farmer's market treasures;
Home grown/raised hauls;
Recipes that feature fresh fruits and veggies that are seasonal to your area or feature local, sustainably farmed meats, eggs, and dairy;
DIY projects and tutorials for: gardening, storing and/or preserving fresh, real foods, composting market scraps, raising chickens in your back yard, small living, etc...

Peaing All Over the Place (Even in the Risotto)

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:05:00 +0000

What up, bitches! (and by bitches, I mean super amazing lovely loves!)...

I'll be honest... No shame in it... Not at all... I have a small bladder.

Seriously. I pee more often than most people, I think. Tea goes right through me, I rarely make it through a movie without hitting pause and I regularly have to get up to piddle in the middle of the night.

In fact, when John and I go camping I have to sneak out of the tent in the middle of the night with our piece-of-shit-wind-up flashlight and duck behind the tent in the bush, hoping the entire time that a cougar or bear doesn't have the very same idea as I do at that very same moment.

When John teases me about it I often blame the fact that I wear tights and that they constantly cinch and push on my stomach.

...Though I suppose that doesn't apply whilst camping.

Yes. I pee a lot. But I also drink a lot of tea. And water. And wine. And bourbon. And even a cosmopolitan or brown cow from time to time. So of course I pea a lot! Better to be extra hydrated than dehydrated, I say.

TMI?

Speaking of pee, how about peas? They're rolling into season right now and there really isn't anything much better than fresh shucked sweet peas from the garden. Unless of course, you have fresh shucked fava beans from the farmer's market. Yes. The other day I had both of them in my fridge so I jumped (or knowing my bladder, waddled) into the kitchen to make a Spring has sprung risotto with my two favorite seasonal legumes.

I fondly remember sitting on my parent's back deck growing up shucking peas and the klunky rolling sound they made in the tupperware bowls as we dropped them in. I think we ate more than we saved. Funny, I had that same issue this past weekend, sitting in my living room, plucking the little green gems out of their shells. Tasty little fuckers.

Spring Pea & Fava Bean Risotto

(printable recipe) - serves 6.

Ingredients:

1 C Fresh Shelling Peas.

1 C Fresh Fava Beans (see preparation instructions here).

1 C Arborio Rice.
1 C Parmesan Cheese, grated.

2 Shallots, thinly sliced.
2 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced.

3 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.

3/4 C Dry White Wine.
5-6 C Chicken or Veggie Stock, well heated.

Fresh Parsley, roughly chopped.
Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

On a medium-low heat, melt 2 Tbsp of butter in large pan and add shallots and garlic, season lightly with salt. Saute 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add rice, stirring until grains become slightly clear and golden on the outside, approximately 2 min.

Gently pour in the wine, stir well, and allow for absorption by the rice and evaporation of the alcohol.

Next ladle in enough stock to just cover the rice mixture and allow for a low simmer, stirring fairly regularly to avoid burning and encourage creaminess. Continue adding further ladles of broth as it gets absorbed, again only as much as is needed to cover the rice.

This will continue for roughly 30 mins, or until rice mixture is creamy and has reached the desired texture. You want it to be soft and oozy but still hold it's texture and not be mushy.

When you figure you've got about 5 minutes (one more covering of stock) left, stir in the peas.

Once it has reached the desired texture dump in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, fava beans, about a Tbsp of butter, and a good dose of pepper. Stir well.

Oh yes. Eat.

What do you think, TMI?

Do you have any childhood food memories? What's your favorite Spring ingredient? Have you had fresh fava beans? Worth the effort of shelling them? Peas?

Swallow - Wines of Portugal Annual Grand Tasting

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Sat, 11 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

...And taste I did!

Yes, good friends - today I am at Swallow with an article about my fabulous afternoon at the Art Gallery of Ontario for The Wines of Portugal Annual Grand Tasting.

When I got the invite I was all, "Wine? Good! Food? Good! Art? Good!!!" Obviously.

Come say hello and indulge on fine Portuguese wine - I sure did.

Goodbye GFC & Google Reader!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Fri, 10 May 2013 04:02:00 +0000

It's true, my darlings! After much thought and consideration, I'm deleting GFC off my blog as of June 1. Why would I do such a thing?? Especially when Blogger is deleting Google Reader in only more month after that?? What kind of bitchy whore am I that doesn't want her darling readers to hear about her semi-relevant life?? Well, while I have no control over Google Reader, I do have control over the way my blog looks. And I think GFC not only cheapens it, but it is very quickly becoming irrelevant.

GFC was once a useful tool that bloggers and blog followers alike could utilize to follow their favorite blogs and gauge the popularity of others. However, with the elimination of GFC from non-Blogger blogs a while back and the disproportionate follow rate between blogs who host a ton of giveaways that require a GFC follow and those who don't, I just don't see the point. It's an outdated system that I think Google really should have cancelled, rather than the reader.

My blog is not about popularity (unfortunately, neither is my life). It isn't about how many followers I can rack up on my side bar. Nor is it about monetization (though I could use more). It's about engagement. Connection. Interaction. I love talking with you and GFC really doesn't facilitate that the same way a good old fashioned comment or email does.

So I'm doing away with it - for your good as well as mine. We can exist without it! We're bigger, better and closer than that! I really don't want to lose you (obviously) so to continue to receive updates from my blog:

please take a moment now to follow me on Bloglovin. It will only take a second and you can do it super quick before you forget.

And of course, you can always find my updates & connect via:

I hope you'll stick around! And if anyone has a great suggestion for an alternate reader, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Making Garnish: Kind of Like Making Love (Scratch Celery Salt)

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Thu, 09 May 2013 04:05:00 +0000

Good morning sugar faces!!

...Or should I say salt faces? Either way, both fit the bill for today's post!

Making garnish and flavor enhancers from scratch is all about sweetness. Not sweetness like the flavor, rather sweetness like the action.

I don't think I'm being clear, here. Maybe beer o'clock came early today.

Let me try again: Making my own garnishes and flavor enhancers is a lot like making love. Both require a particular amount of attention, a giving of generosity and care, a gentle yet firm hand, a certain level of creativeness and a bit of fore and after thought. And in this case, some kind of rimming.

...Plus they only take a moment or two to do - wills a good 'un for the garnish, not so much for my sex life.

Unlike sex, however, when you make your own garnish, you'll want to eat the end results.

Unrelated - making your own garnish also means it's fresh. And we all know fresh tastes better. And you get to avoid all those pesky flavor and color additives and modifiers and preservatives that are often found in store bought versions.... Okay, maybe it's not entirely unrelated.

Scratch Celery Salt

(printable recipe) - will give you a whack of rims!

Ingredients:

1/2 C Celery Seed.

1/3 C Maldon Sea Salt (very flaky, tender and will dissolve on contact).

1 Tbsp White Pepper.

What to Do:

Place all the ingredients into a deep mortar and pestle or do in a couple separate batches if yours isn't huge.

Bash. Real good. Until all the seeds and salt have become small and granular.

Pour into a clean jar with a tight fitting lid and store in the cupboard for up to a couple of months. Rim or season drinks and food at will. I like to use my own celery salt on my own Canadian Snackin' Caesars.

Do you make your own garnish? Flavored salts or sugars or marinades or condiments? Was this post too much? Did I go too far? Or am I hilarious?

The Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up Week 37

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:02:00 +0000

Happy Wednesday darling loves!

Welcome to The Fresh Foods Link Up, Week #37! This is our first link up for the month of May which means there's a whole lot of good stuff going on! And by good stuff, I mean Spring! SPRING I tell you! If April showers bring May flowers, then we will indeed have some pretty amazing harvests coming into season and I can't wait! But more than that, I can't wait to see what you have for us this week - share on my friends!

This link-up is to encourage fresh food production, consumption, activism, and awareness.

Please feel free to link up posts containing:

CSA collections;
Farmer's market treasures;
Home grown/raised hauls;
Recipes that feature fresh fruits and veggies that are seasonal to your area or feature local, sustainably farmed meats, eggs, and dairy;
DIY projects and tutorials for: gardening, storing and/or preserving fresh, real foods, composting market scraps, raising chickens in your back yard, small living, etc...

I want this blog hop to feature you as well as help each other come together to form a resource of good food ways for one another. In order to be featured on the weekly highlights - which includes a highlight on your post here the following week as well as tweets, facebook page "like" and posting, and being added to the Fresh Foods pinterest board - you must have a text link back or button displayed in your post or on your blog. If you don’t link back to this post I can’t feature you.

Post Cinco De Mayo (The Canadian Way): Snackin' Caesars

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 06 May 2013 04:05:00 +0000

Happy Monday my loves!

...And possibly, happy hangover. Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo - as any good tequila lover knows. I spent most of the day lounging on my front steps mowing these and reminising about what it used to be like to have an outdoor space to relax in. Now, I'm chillin' 90's-music-video-style with a beer on the front steps of the townhouse and dreaming of backyard gardens and the peace and quiet only an 8' fence, on a tree-lined side street can provide.

Right. Cinco de Mayo. Focus.

If you're like me, you've managed to down one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, four, more, eight, uhhhh, six? Sleep. Now. Ugh. Another? Ack.... And now you're in some serious need of some serious remedy.

I give you, the Canadian Snackin' Caesar.

Now, if you know me at all, you're aware of my abhorrent distaste for all things nationalistic. I take deep seeded issue with nationalism and anything patriotic. But that's a whole other black hole of a blog post. Point is, these bad boys are specific to Canada and have got me out of bed after a night of libation hazy tomfoolery more than once. In fact, they're a dear and welcome necessity.

What makes them so Canadian? The secondary ingredient - Clamato juice. As far as I'm aware, you can't get the stuff outside our country. Essentially, it's less viscous tomato juice with spices and clam broth. It's fantastic. Mix it with vodka (or gin, if you're feeling adventurous), some flavorings and a stellar garnish and you have yourself the quintessential Canadian hangover cure. Not to mention one tasty little snack.

Seriously. If you've ever wanted a drink, you want one of these.

The Canadian Snackin' Caesar

(printable recipe) - serves 2.

Ingredients:

4 Oz. Vodka or Gin.

Mott's Clamato Juice.

Splash of Pickle Juice.

Sriracha Hot Sauce.

Worcestershire Sauce.

2 Tbsp Fresh Grated Horseradish*

1/2 C Celery Salt (recipe coming soon), in a shallow bowl.

White Pepper.

Fresh Lime Wedges for Garnish.

Ice.

Optional Garnish: Pickled Bean, Celery Stalk, Cube of Cheese, Pickles, Pepperoni Stick, Chicken Wing (cooked), Pickled Pepper, Clam on Toast (cooked).

What to Do:

Gently wet the lip of the glasses with a bit of water and then, making a small slice in one of the lime wedges, drag it across the lip of the glass. Dip the glass in the celery salt and turn in a couple of circles to ensure even coating.

Add 2 Oz. of vodka or gin to each glass, followed by a nice pump of hot sauce, a good few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and the horseradish. Gently muddle the mixture with a wooden spoon.

Fill the glasses with ice. Add the Clamato juice, a splash of pickle juice and top it all off with a sprinkle of white pepper. Garnish with another lime wedge with a slit to hold it on the edge of the glass and any other garnish your imagination can concoct. I like to make mine into a snack: cheese, gherkin pickle, pepperoni.

Bottom's up!

*A word to the wise: Grate fresh horseradish in a well ventilated area, keep clear of eyes and do so in small batches. Don't be fools like we were and grate the mother of all horseradish roots in your basement apartment - that shit could be a chemical weapon. It's way worse than onions. Way worse.

How was your Cinco de Mayo? Any good hangover cures? Ever had a Caesar?

A Week in the Life

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:30:00 +0000

...life could be worse.

Lounging on the front step with Taras Grescoe's new book, Straphanger - a compelling and intensely interesting geographical deconstruction of the influence of and our dependence on the automobile and cheap oil - and why we all ought to be straphangers. Corona and sun.
Sausage Party, anyone? Wvrst Sausage Hall's selection of tasty, tasty sausage. Chase it down with number 5.
You know it's Spring at the St Lawrence Market when...
Lounging beach side at Sugar Beach in downtown Toronto.
Being self employed means having one of these at 2PM, if I so desire. Dry out with number 2. (...haha, number 2).
The things you do when you're procrastinating work.
Dinner: Fresh Spring pea & fava bean risotto. Recipe coming soon...
Enjoying the view of Toronto Island.
A new and on-going obsession: Washi Tape & stamps I ordered from Pretty Tape for mail art.

Are you on Instagram?

The Wednesday Fresh Foods April Round Up

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:05:00 +0000

Good morning my loves! Happy May 1!

As promised, this post is intended to feature YOU - all our fantastic and gloriously talented good food linker uppers!

You guys astound the shit outta me (and make me very, very hungry) with how talented and creative and intelligent you are. I love seeing what you're all up to every week and even if I don't get around to commenting as well as I should, you keep on coming back. And that's what this post is all about - your loyalty. Your loyalty to my humble little link up and to real food. I dig it.

For the month of April you all supplied me with ample reading and drooling material. Choosing which posts to feature was quite the process. But I won't complain - keep on sharing your local, seasonal, real food & small living posts - like any decent consumer, I want more. More. MORE!

...And hopefully you do to. I hope you all take a bit of time when you can to click through to the other linker-uppers contributions and comment on their posts. The entire point of this link up is to make space for real food lovers to connect. I understand we're all busy and our time is precious - let's spend a little bit of it making sure everyone knows just how appreciative & appreciated we all are.

You deserve it.

And now, speaking of YOU - on to you! Features for the month of April, in no particular order yet numbered from left to right include:

10 Ways with Swiss Chard via Home Grown Montessori.
Bring on the Greens via Clean Eats, Fast Feets.
How to Start Garden Seeds Indoors via Montana Solar Creations.
How to Eat Real Food: Get Ready! via Real Food Eater.
A Salad Dressing Tutorial via Life Less Hurried.
20 Ways to Avoid the Toxins in Plastic via Small Footprint Family.
Community Garden via Living in the Green (Emily).
Building Up a Real Food Pantry via Granny's Vital Vittles.
Kale and Spinach Pesto via One Organic Mama.
My Garden: Seeds I've Started via Prudent Living - On the Home Front.
The BEST Way to Cook Rabbit via NorthWest BackYard Veggies.
My Favorite Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Cheddar, Pickled Turnips, Shredded Vegetables, and Hummus via Farm Fresh Feasts.
Green Eggs and Ham via Nourishing Passions.
Veggie Basics: What To Put In There via My Sister's Pantry.
What's In a Winter CSA 2 via Salted Plates.
Time to Make Doughnuts via The Auld Grey Mare.
Doomsday Preppers Volume 2 via My Lamp is Full.
Yummy Recipe: Homemade Pita Bread via Don't Waste the Crumbs.
Plant an Espalier Tree Today via Living in the Green (Franz).
Yogurt with Poached Rhubarb and Almonds via Suited to the Seasons.
Chocolate From a Farm? via Suzy Homemaker.
Two Big Reasons to Eat Seasonally & How to Actually Do It via Don't Waste the Crumbs.
Real Food Defined - How to Lose Weight Eating Healthily via That's What I Eat.
Earth Day Tip for VlogMom: Plant a Garden via Frugal {Local} Kitchen.
How to Make Strawberry Pallets via NorthWest Backyard Veggies.

WOW! That was a lot of features! I chose 25 based on the fact that my template collage designer thingy can do up to 25. Fair enough, yes? What do you think about this round up? Would you like to see more? See less? Hear why the selected posts made the cut?

Related: Would you be at all interested in participating in a Fresh Foods Blog Hop Recipe Swap? Kind of like the Secret Recipe Club - you'd be assigned a blog, you make something from their website and we all post on the same day. The thing that makes it different from Secret Recipe Club is we'd have guidelines that your blog must be real food/small living/etc... slanted or focused. What do you think?

NOW: Want to share your real food and small living experiences? Maybe one (or two) of your posts will make it onto May's feature line up! Let's find out, shall we? Come back next Wednesday for the Fresh Foods Link Up - I look forward to seeing you and everything you have to show us! See you then!

Cinco de Mayo: Sriachi Fish Tacos

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:05:00 +0000

Good morning lovelies!

Anyone who's found themselves in the compromising situation of having me cook for them knows I like my citrus. It's glorious and acidic and really makes just about any dish pop.

Recipe a little flat? Not sure what it needs? Add some fresh (and I do mean fresh; those little plastic lemons at the grocery store filled with acidic yellow juice are not fruit) lemon, lime, grapefruit or lime juice and listen to it hum. It'll be music to your taste buds' ears. If tastebuds had ears.

Which is why I love Cinco de Mayo so much. It's a welcomed citrus assault on the senses - Bam! Kapow! Whack! Zlnonk! Splat!

Other treats you can serve up for Cinco de Mayo:

Corn on the Cob with Lime Chili Chive Butter

Fresh Corn Cakes with Tomato & Goat Cheese Salsa

Fire Roasted Salsa Verde

Salsa Fresca

Scratch Guacamole

Knock it all back with a traditional lime margarita or even better yet, a RaspberryLOVE Margarita! Either way, you get a crap ton of citrus and a whole lot of tequila... Just how I like it.

Cinco de Mayo is thought to be the Mexican army's victory over French forces in the state of Puebla in 1862. In Canada, it's an excuse to drink tequila, eat spicy Mexican food and celebrate each other. Either way, it's a good reason to mow down on these fish tacos.

I know I've made fish tacos before, but how you dress a dish - the spices, the accompaniments, etc.. make it into a whole other beast. And I like beasts. Heck yeah.

Cinco de Mayo Fish Tacos

(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 Filets of Red Snapper.

1 Lb. Fresh Tomatoes, chopped.

1/2 Small Red Onion, peeled & diced.

1 Red Chile, finely chopped.

Small Handful of Fresh Cilantro, chopped.

1 Avocado, thinly sliced.

1/3 Red Cabbage, shredded.

12 Organic Corn Tortillas.

Few Tbsp of Sriracha.

2 Limes for juice.

2 Tsp Smoked Paprika.

Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

In one bowl, gently toss the avocado in the juice of one lime and a little sprinkling of salt and pepper.

In another, mix together the tomatoes, onion, chile, cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Set both aside to absorb the flavors while you cook your fish.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat with a couple splashes of olive oil. As that heats, season the fish well with salt and pepper on both sides and a little sprinkling of smoked paprika. Once hot, place the fish in the pan, skin side down if it has the skin on it, and sear for 3 minutes. Flip. Continue to sear for a further 2-3 minutes or until fish is moist, flaky and cooked.

As the fish cooks, heat another pan over medium-high heat. Gently toss the tortillas in the pan and heat for 20 to 30 seconds, flip, repeat, and wrap in a clean towel to keep warm until served.

Serve with wedges of lime, Sriracha, extra cilantro if desired or a bit of sour cream, tomato mixture, marinated avocados and fish.

Eat.

Are you making or doing anything for Cinco de Mayo? Do you like citrus as much as I do? Tequila?

Giveaway Winner: Smoothe Operator

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:15:00 +0000

It's official!! We have a winner!

Thank you all so much for participating in Smoothe Operator's - Natasha Oliver & Erin Saccomano - giveaway to help raise awareness about their eco-food fundraising campaign! It's been a huge success thanks to your help and super fun for me to get to host them!

I'm looking forward to supporting the crap out of them once they open their smoothie food truck. Partly because I think everything they are doing is just top notch but mostly because I love me a good smoothie. And I'll bet these chickas make a damn good smoothie.

Ladies - you are an example and something for us all to aspire to. You're making real change in your community and you deserve everything wonderful and spectacular that comes your way.

Right! The winner! ..... drumroll please......And the super fantastic mason jar cup and matching straw, "Lettuce" Party Tote & I'm a Smoothe Operator Sticker goes to....

Samantha Knight

"I love how they love the environment as much as I do! The ladies seem like complete badasses, which is also rad."

...you're also kind of a badass Samantha!...

Congratulations Miss! I will be in touch shortly to get your mailing information.

To everyone else - you are all badasses in my opinion and I'm so proud to know you! So I say thank you again, for participating not only in the giveaway but also for engaging with me here in this space. I couldn't do it without you...

...Well, I guess I could. But that would be a bit sad, wouldn't it?

Best. Giveaway. Ever. (You can win!)

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:02:00 +0000

Good morning my loves!

I have some very exciting news for you today that I think you're going to dig!

Smoothe Operators - Natasha Oliver & Erin Saccomano - are peddling their cute little butts off for a fundraising campaign to open their own smoothie truck in Southern Ontario that will feature locally sourced, seasonally available ingredients, by the most environmentally conscious and sustainable means possible.

Dude - they're going to fuel the on-truck appliances with solar and super-cool bike-power. How cool is that?

Plus they utilize vegetable puns better than anyone I've ever met. You have to see it to believe it. This kind of social & environmental consciousness and wicked smarts need to be supported. And after you've heard all my ranting about Ontario being "Onterrible" for real food solutions, these gals are a couple of chicks I can really drink up! Bring on the koolaid!

If you aren't sold yet... How about THIS:

It's their belief that by leveraging relationships with local farmers, community gardens and advocating the “grow your own” movement, they can service the needs of Smoothe Operator as a business entity, as well as meet, and exceed the health needs of their customers and communities. They make this possible by:

Primarily sourcing seasonal, locally grown, organic produce from local farmers to make the most delicious smoothies & juices.
Fueling the truck with old vegetable-oil, or deep-fryer oil from local restaurants, otherwise known as bio-diesel.
Reconnecting people with their food by offering a blend-your-own-smoothie discount by using one of their super-cool bike-powered-blenders.
Fostering a sense of community through their incentive to grow-your-own-garden and they will blend the crap out of it. (Ok, maybe not the crap, but definitely all the good stuff!)
Implementing a no-waste policy: returning all pulp & scraps back to the soil, as well as serving up their delicious concoctions in fully biodegradable and/or reusable containers.
Supporting local businesses by carrying independent, third-party snacks & treats to “pear” with your drink.

We can all get on board with that, right? I thought so! And just to entice you a little bit more (not that you need it because YOU are also super friggin awesome) Natasha, Erin and I are hosting a giveaway!

One lucky person will win probably the most amazing kit I have ever seen in my life:

A Mason Jar Cup + Straw Combo, I'm a Smoothe Operator Sticker and - wait for it - .... a "Lettuce Party" Tote Bag! Can you just SEE yourself at the farmer's market or stolling down the street on a warm Summer day with that swag?? I totally can!

TO ENTER:
* Contest open to Canadian & American mailing addresses only.

We want to get these fine ladies more action than would be typically accepted for someone of their moral standing - so you gotta share, share, share their campaign!

Tweet or Facebook their campaign to your followers as many times and as often as you like! Easy peasy! Then leave a comment here telling me your favorite thing about what they're doing!

Every share gets you a new entry which means the more times you tweet or update - the more chances you have to win win win! You only have 3 days - so get on with it! Mention, share, tweet - let's get these chicks the money they need to make a REAL difference in our neighborhood! Spam the crap outta your following - it's only for 3 days, they'll get over it.

MAKE SURE you include them on the shares - Twitter (@Smoothe_Op) or FB (Smoothe Operator) so we can follow up with your entry. Follow the links above to do so. You can't be entered to win if we don't know you've done it!

Now, while liking and following them doesn't get you extra entries, but it DOES make you so much cooler. And who wouldn't want to keep up with what these amazing women are up to?! They're the shit.

Also, visit their Indiegogo Campaign! They have tons of amazing updates, videos, photographs and incentives for anyone who contributes to their cause. We talk a lot about real food and whether it's accessible or not - now is your chance to join the movement and do something great. Let's do it together! haha..."do it together".

Giveaway closes Sunday Night at 11:59AM.

Winner will be announced Monday morning.

Happy Sharing!

The Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up Week #36

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:30:00 +0000

Hello Fresh Food Linker-Uppers!!

So Earth Day was on Monday. More than 6 million Canadians joined over 1 billion people in over 170 countries to celebrate our planet and the bounty it gives us... I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it.

I'm all for environmental awareness - especially in relation to our food system - and utilizing days like this as catalysts for change, but I'm curious - do events like Earth Day or Earth Hour tokenize environmentalism? Do people turn their lights off for the obligatory hour in the evening, or hang out in the park drinking Pepsi-Cola while connecting with nature and they feel like they've done their part? Or does it encourage people to make real change?

And when massive global corporations are the main sponsors behind these events - Toyota, Sobeys, banks, electronics manufacturers - does it cheapen the experience and the message? I like the idea of Earth Day and Earth Hour, etc... it's a great concept. But does it do anything?

Next Friday I'll be posting a collection of link-up features for the month. Will your post be featured? I don't know. But probably. You're awesome. Make sure to get your posts in over the next 2 Wednesdays and swing by then to see if you've been one of the feature Fresh Foods posts for the month of April!

Now, onto the link up!

This link-up is to encourage fresh food production, consumption, activism, and awareness.

Please feel free to link up posts containing:

CSA collections;
Farmer's market treasures;
Home grown/raised hauls;
Recipes that feature fresh fruits and veggies that are seasonal to your area or feature local, sustainably farmed meats, eggs, and dairy;
DIY projects and tutorials for: gardening, storing and/or preserving fresh, real foods, composting market scraps, raising chickens in your back yard, small living, etc...

Secret Recipe Club - Bourbon-Soaked Cherries Tiramisu

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Happy Monday my darlings!

Have you ever over-dosed on caffeine? It sucks. It sucks real hard and real bad and not at all in a good way.

Yesterday I had a french press of Timmy's coffee when I got up, 2 tea pots of green tea at brunch and then a London Fog afterwards at a business meeting.

I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking.

I'm ordinarily a tea kinda girl. I have a couple cups of green tea in the morning and I feel pretty good. When I go camping, I like coffee. But that's because I put half a bottle of bailey's in it.

But yesterday I just inhaled the stuff. Not the baileys. The coffee. And the tea. And all the caffeine that came with it.

Let me just say - too much caffeine = a whole lot of shaking. From the inside out. Nausea. Heart pounding. Spacey brain drain. Aching, dry eyes. Dry skin. Awful, awful dehydration. I felt like I had the worst hangover ever combined with a second degree sunburn.

Blech. Never again. Never. Again.

Something I will do again? Make bourbon-soaked cherry tiramisu. And then eat it all.

Seriously - this is was one of the sexiest things I've ever made. Nay, one of the sexiest things I've ever put in my mouth. Ever.

If you like tiramisu (coffee, booze, cake, cheese, cream) - who wouldn't? ...you're gonna just die with bourbony-cherries tucked inside.

I'm pretty sure I literally orgasmed over this dessert. Literally. Whoever said food wasn't as good as sex obviously hadn't had this... Or has had really, really good sex.

Special thanks to my Secret Recipe Club assignment, Canela Kitchen, for making it first. Her cherries weren't boozy, but they were the only ones I had access to. Cherries don't come into season for a couple more months and I happened to find one last extra jar of these ones in the back of my pantry. Score. I also soaked my biscuits more than she did so I doubled the coffee. And as an effect, doubled the booze. Obviously.

...Just don't eat it after you've drank a carafe of timmy's, 2 pots of tea and a London Fog.

Cherries Tiramisu
(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 C Cold, Strong Coffee.
6 Tbsp Orange Liquor (I had Triple Sec).
400g Lady Finger Biscuits.
250g Marscapone.
300ml Whipped Cream.
3 Tbsp of Sugar.
Large Handful or two of Bourbon Soaked Cherries (you could use fresh), pitted and roughly torn.
4 Tbsp of Good Quality Dark Chocolate, grated.

What to Do:

Get 4 to 6 clear glass cups (depending on size) out of the cupboard, or one medium sized baking dish.

Put the coffee and booze in a bowl.

In a larger bowl, whip together the marscapone, whipped cream and sugar.

Now, dip the lady fingers, one at a time in the coffee/alcohol mixture for about 3-5 seconds each, and lay in the bottom of each cup (or along the bottom of the baking dish).

Spread half the cheese/cream concoction over the soaked fingers and top with the cherries, reserving one for the garnish of each serving of tiramisu.

Repeat the dipping of lady fingers, followed by the cheese/cream and top with grated chocolate and cherry garnish.

Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 3 - 24 hours.

Eat.

Have you ever OD'd on coffee? Other drugs? (..careful here - anything you say may be used against you in a court of law)..

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tuesday Talent Show; Full Plate Thursday; Foodie Friday.

Swallow - South Africa’s Mulderbosch Does Lunch at Auberge de Pommier

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:19:00 +0000

Good morning my loves!

It's a busy week on my little blog, evidently! Today I'm at Swallow - a Toronto based food, booze and pop-culture e-magazine.

Last week I attended an event at the luxurious Auberge du Pommier for an afternoon of South African wine and food. Want to see what it was like? Check it out here.

How great is my life?! See you at the par-tay!

The Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up Week #35

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 03:30:00 +0000

Good morning my lovelies and welcome to week #35 of the Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up!

It's official - we've finally managed to find a new CSA in Toronto that lines up with our ideals! After breaking up with our original one in Victoria, I was doubtful of finding one here that could fulfill all our fresh food needs. However, after much searching, I discovered Cultivate Toronto - local, seasonal, organic and within 15 minute transit distance for pick up. They get all their produce from volunteer back yards, front yards and the roof top of a food shop here called The Big Carrot.

That being said, John and I just decided last night not to go with them. It's a tough decision but we're going to go the farmer's market route this season. I love a good CSA, but it's a lot of money up front and I'd really like to meet some of the farmers around here. It's gonna be good - and I'll be feeling better about the food we're supporting, procuring and eating. So stoked! It's gonna be a good growing season, I can just feel it!

As I collect some farmer's market treasures, you'd better believe I'll be sharing my fruitful finds with you! Now... Onto the link up!

This link-up is to encourage fresh food production, consumption, activism, and awareness.

Please feel free to link up posts containing:

CSA collections;
Farmer's market treasures;
Home grown/raised hauls;
Recipes that feature fresh fruits and veggies that are seasonal to your area or feature local, sustainably farmed meats, eggs, and dairy;
DIY projects and tutorials for: gardening, storing and/or preserving fresh, real foods, composting market scraps, raising chickens in your back yard, small living, etc...

You may link up to 3 posts in a given week that you haven't shared here before by using the linky tool at the bottom of this post. Please make an effort to click on any of the linked up posts and say hello by leaving a comment for your fellow fresh food communitarians and/or leave one here to tell us what you've shared - because we know how much we all love comments!

And lastly, please include the button below or a simple text link back to this link up in the post(s) you share:

Top 10 Lessons I've Learned as A Social Media Manager

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:50:00 +0000

Hello my darling lovelies!*

Those of you who follow my little blog know that I officially founded my own social media company - ohksocialmedia - one month ago. I specialize in consulting and coaching services, community management, content writing and development, crowdfunding design and execution, SEO and blog based website design. I also take pictures. And while I've been involved with social media for the last few years, this past month has been quite enlightening.

The following is a list of the Top 10 Lessons I've Learned As A Social Media Manager. I hope it will aid you in your digital marketing strategy – new or old. Fingers crossed. Here we go...

There is no such thing as “a day off”. Your clients, your business, your crises. If something goes wrong there is no one else to fix it. Emergencies, client panic attacks, self panic attacks, equipment malfunctions – it's all on you. And it doesn't run on a Monday to Friday 9-5 clock. That being said, I work in my Pjs most days, go the gym during off hours, 4:30PM is wine time and I very rarely wake up to an alarm clock. Life could be worse.

Time management is key. You must be incredibly disciplined and organized with very good time management skills. If you can't manage your own time, you certainly can't manage anyone else's.

Coffee.

source

Pinterest is useful for more than just pretty photos. There are other strategies to grow your online social presence and you really ought to use them. As per usual, engagement is key. And while we're on it – double check the links of your re-pins. You're engaging not only with your clients' clients, but everyone whose pictures you pin. Make it count.

Your own content is as vital to your business as that of your client's. Schedule time to update your own social media accounts. Not only does it showcase what you are capable of – particularly when no one is paying you – but it leads to new contacts. Plus you can find some pretty cool shit.

Integration is important but that doesn't mean you should connect all your accounts. While similar, Facebook is a very different medium than Pinterest which is very different from Twitter which is very different from Google+ which is very different from LinkedIn which is very different from Etsy which is very different from Instagram which is very different from a blog and on and on and on. While you definitely want links of all your social accounts on each of your active platforms, you don't want all of your accounts updating the exact same content at the exact same moment.

source

Ask. And then ask again. Finding clients and making connections when you don't work for a large company can feel like an uphill scramble. But ask. Ask individuals and companies for advice. Ask if they need social media support. Ask ask ask. No one can say yes if you don't give them the opportunity.

Get out of the house. Coffices are your friend. So are the sunshine and fresh air. Brush your teeth while you're at it.

Know the tools of your business and stand behind them. You have specific ways of doing things for a reason. Be open to the idea of modifying and evolving them should a better opportunity present itself, but don't “go-without” just because you're trying to be nice or are worried about a sale. You need to do the best job you can for your clients – if they're serious about their digital marketing campaign, they will understand that.

Not everyone wants you to work for them. And that's okay. Because some people will. Businesses usually either “get” that they need social media, or they don't. While it's useful to explicate what you can do for them and why it's valuable, don't waste your time trying to talk someone into why social media is the new most important thing this side of the sun in the entire universe for their brand. You can waste thousands of hours entertaining someone that would be better used connecting with entities that are serious about your business. And theirs. They're not just wasting your time, they're wasting their own as well. Be up-front and honest; expect the same.

source

What do you think? Have you found any of these lessons in your experience? Disagree with mine? Or do you have a few to share that aren't listed here? Let's be social!

*Warning: This post is not at all food related and will not tantalize your hunger muscles... Read at your own peril and potential social media success.

(Politically Incorrect?) Quinoa Egg Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Happy Monday morning my darlings!

I know, right? Worst. Title. Ever.

But seriously, I couldn't figure out what to call it. It is what it is - quinoa. egg. dish.

It is also a supremely satisfying veggie-friendly simple supper that was D-vine! That's right. It's light, airy and yet total comfort food.

Speaking of quinoa, have you heard all the kerfuffle around this super food? If not, read this or this or this or this or this.

The gist: Quinoa falls into the same politics as fair-trade food. Fair trade does no one any good except the affluent first world consumer. It makes us feel like we're helping out "those poor farmers" in the 3rd world, yet what it really does is entrench their economies - and by extension, means of living & often quality of life - on 1st world whims and tastes. Moreover, it makes whatever the product - coffee, chocolate, quinoa, etc... - much too expensive for the average grower to buy him or herself, thereby extracting local and traditional ways of eating and nutrition, forcing them further into poverty. And of course, to even get certified or obtain some form of protectionism - such as fair trade or organic - farmers need to be able to meet certain criteria. This process is incredibly expensive and timely, so it really only minimally benefits a particular class of farmer; The poorest of producers don't even get the chance to qualify - again, forcing them into more poverty.

So, after all that, now I give you a recipe with quinoa. What are your feelings on the subject?

Quinoa Egg Dish
(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 Pastured Eggs, soft boiled.
1 C Uncooked Quinoa, soaked and rinsed if necessary.
1 C Chicken or Veggie Stock.
1 C Water.
1 Tsp Cumin.
1 Lemon for Juice.
1 Medium Sized Butternut Squash, peeled and diced.
Half an Onion, peeled & sliced.
Couple of Sprigs of Rosemary.
1 Batch Kale Chips.
Half an Apple, cored and diced, tossed in half of the lemon juice.
Small Handful Shaved Pecorino Romano (or similar salty cheese).
Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar.
Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees F and lightly spray a baking pan with non-stick spray.

Toss the squash, onion and rosemary in the pan with a good helping of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Make sure all the squash pieces are good and coated. Arrange as best you can as one layer in the pan and roast in the oven 20 - 30 minutes or until squash is fork tender. Shake the pan a couple of times during cooking to get a bit of color on those bad boys. Remove from the oven and set aside.

As the squash roasts, place the stock, water, cumin, big pinch of salt and half the lemon juice in a medium sized stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to low to simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

In a jar, shake 1/2 C of olive oil, 1/4 C of balsamic vinegar and a good helping of salt and pepper. Taste - adjust accordingly. You want the dressing to be slightly more acidic than you think.

Now assemble! Discard what's left of the rosemary sprig and crumple the kale chips into the waiting squashy onion mixture along with the quinoa, apple and cheese. Toss with a few Tbsp of the emulsified dressing. Place the eggs along side and serve.

Eat.

Seriously - how do you feel about quinoa? The politics or the food?

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Scratch Cookin' Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Cast Party Wednesday; Whole Foods Wednesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; What's In The Box?; Simple Lives Thursday; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fight Back Friday; Foodie Friday.

The Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up Week #34

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:52:00 +0000

Happy Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up to YOU!

This week I have no features for you but for good reason: Last week we had an absolutely stupendous suggestion by Suzy @ suzyhomemaker. Because of the amount of time it takes each week to put together features, I'm going to save them for one big post at the end of the month. So keep coming back, share your posts and tune in on the last Friday of every month to see if your post made it into my top link ups for that month!

This link-up is to encourage fresh food production, consumption, activism, and awareness.

Please feel free to link up posts containing:

CSA collections;
Farmer's market treasures;
Home grown/raised hauls;
Recipes that feature fresh fruits and veggies that are seasonal to your area or feature local, sustainably farmed meats, eggs, and dairy;
DIY projects and tutorials for: gardening, storing and/or preserving fresh, real foods, composting market scraps, raising chickens in your back yard, small living, etc...

You may link up to 3 posts in a given week that you haven't shared here before by using the linky tool at the bottom of this post. Feel free to click on any of the linked up posts and say hello by leaving a comment for your fellow fresh food communitarians and/or leave one here to tell us what you've shared - because we know how much we all love comments!

And lastly, please include the button below or a simple text link back to this link up (the post, not the blog's main page) in the post(s) you share:

To pick up or deliver... THAT is the question

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:30:00 +0000

Good morning my darlings!

I'm in a bit of a pickle. And I know that I've said in the past that if you're in a pickle, you should pickle - but today I just don't think that will fly. Or marinate, if you will. Which is why I'm coming to you... I need your advice.

In Victoria we were involved with an excellent CSA program.

For those of you who don't know what CSA is, it stands for community supported agriculture. The short and dirty of it is that you purchase a share in a farm usually ranging anywhere from $28 - $60 per week depending on the allotment, and you get a fresh from the farm box of their harvest. Some are veggies only, others do fruit and veg, and others still do eggs, dairy and meat. It's a method of procuring your food in a way that forces your creativity in the kitchen (try re-inventing turnips for the 7th week in a row in the middle of Winter!) and let's you know how, who and where your food is coming from.

BTW - while week 7 of Winter turnips suck. Big time. Weeks 1 - 6 of farm fresh Summer tomatoes more than make up for it. Oh and the pumpkins! The Fall pie pumpkins! My friends - unless you've had a brand spakin' new organic pie pumpkin, you haven't lived.

It's kind of rad. And by kind of, I mean super duper fantastic fucking awesome.

Right - now that we're all on the same page, in Victoria we were involved with an excellent CSA program. It was entirely 100% local, 100% organically grown, and 100% in season. They also delivered right to our door. They'd leave one box and take away the old one. And they never failed to amaze me with all their fresh, inspiring, incredible produce. If you're out that way and are interested in a CSA program, check out Saanich Organics.

My problem: I'm having difficulty finding a CSA in Toronto that both delivers and is entirely locally organic.

They're either:

A. Totally local and organic - but they don't deliver. Toronto is a big mother of a city and it's a lot of time and effort to get to their pick up locations sans vehicle. Sure, you can get good quality real food here - but you need a petroleum and big-oil big-ass footprint to access it. Not to mention an entire afternoon out of my work schedule.

or

B. Partially local and organic & partially imported and organic - and they deliver. I know buying organic produce means less chemicals in the planet so at least it's something... But what about the fact that it costs more in refrigeration and transport emissions to move foreign organic produce than it does conventional? Does less pesticides and herbicides trump both big-oil and more CO2 in the atmosphere? Not to mention the fact that I don't know the labor conditions on the plantation that my bananas would come from. PLUS, isn't it just patronizing and further perpetuating the "3rd world"'s reliance on "1st world" whims and tastes? But it's easier than having to pick it up myself.

I'm at a cross-roads. In Victoria I espoused the ideals of eating locally, organically and in season. And I still do. But I don't have all the leisure time I did there. I'm much busier in a much larger city now. I just don't know what to do.

So my question, dear friends, is this: What is the right answer? Which program do I register with? Blind localism, as I've mentioned before, is dangerous. But so is blind organicism (is that a word?) for the reasons I listed above.

Maybe this is my time to step up - walk the walk, really. Or in my case, walk to the train to the bus to the walk the walk. And back again. In Victoria it was easy. Eating the way I both prefer and value is a way of life there. Here, it's a niche and it's spread out. Far and wide.

...What should I do?

This post is linked up with What's in the Box; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; Whole Foods Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Simple Living and Eating; Fresh Bites Friday;

The Wednesday Fresh Foods Link Up Week #33

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:23:00 +0000

Good morning lovelies!!

I have a cold. An awful, dreadful cold. So I don't have much to say right now except that I'm going back to bed as soon as I post this. Any remedies you can suggest? What makes you feel better when you're sick? Ick.

Last week we had some pretty incredible posts. If I wasn't about to keel over, I'd have features for you. I'll get on top of it for next week. Thank you all so much for being so incredible and taking the time to showcase your posts by contributing to my little link up. Spread the word, friends - let's share our good food community with others.

Now let's get this party started!

This link-up is to encourage fresh food production, consumption, activism, and awareness.

Please feel free to link up posts containing:

CSA collections;
Farmer's market treasures;
Home grown/raised hauls;
Recipes that feature fresh fruits and veggies that are seasonal to your area or feature local, sustainably farmed meats, eggs, and dairy;
DIY projects and tutorials for: gardening, storing and/or preserving fresh, real foods, composting market scraps, raising chickens in your back yard, small living, etc...

Smoking is Good For You

noreply@blogger.com (Kristy Gardner) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:51:00 +0000

...Or so this city would have you believe.

Everyone smokes in Toronto! Everyone!...

Okay, maybe not everyone. But compared to Victoria, it might as well be!

I know, I know. You're likely very sick of listening to me ramble on and on and on about pining over Victoria and moving to Toronto and the differences between them. Last one. I promise. Or at least, I promise to do it less.

Like smoking! People should smoke less. In Victoria, nobody smokes. Or at least those that do have the basic decency to hide it lest they be shunned from the island. Cigarette butts go in the garbage. And patios are blissfully fresh with nothing going in my mouth except the drink I ordered. More or less.

Yeah.... People still smoke on patios here. They also throw their butts and half smoked cigarettes on the ground. They think nothing of lighting up in front of children or in cars and they wonder why I have to speed past them like a bat out of Hell when I get stuck walking behind them, inhaling their ef'n second hand smoke.

I apologize if you're a smoker and you're reading this. You have as much right to smoke as I have a right not to - so please don't make me. Go ahead - give yourself lung cancer but again, please don't give it to me. And for the love of everything that is good and beautiful in the world - PLEASE put your butts in the garbage. It's funny how if I tossed a bag full of trash on the ground, I'd likely get berated and beaten. Why is it okay to let someone throw tiny wads of cotton and paper all over our streets and parks? It's not - I tell you. It's not okay. It's just not.

Stop smoking!

....Unless of course, you're smoking fish.

Now that's my kind of smoking! I don't have a smoker myself nor do I know how to do it. If you do, do tell! So when I saw some smoked fish at my local fish monger the other day, I had to get some. Mmmmm, mmmmm! Pair that rich fish with a little crisp apple and seasonal greens and you've got yourself one happy Kristy!

Unless you light one up after dinner... In which case, you'll have someone to answer to. Dear smoker, meet Mr. fist. Or Mrs. Fist. Or Ms. Fist? ....Hm.

Smoked Trout & Granny Smith Salad
(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients for Salad:

20 oz. Smoked Trout, skin removed.
6 Large Handfuls of Fresh Salad Greens, washed & well dried.
1/2 Granny Smith Apple.
Juice of 1/2 Lemon.
1/3 C Slivered Almonds, toasted.
4 Quail Eggs.
Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Ingredients for Dressing:

1 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar.
Juice of 1/2 Lemon.
Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Bring a medium sized pot with water and quail eggs to a boil over high heat. As soon as it hits a rolling boil, turn off the heat, cover and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and place eggs in an ice bath. Once cool to touch, carefully peel the eggs and slice in half. Set aside.

As the eggs cook, measure the dressing ingredients in a mason jar, seal with a tight fitting lid and shake shake shake. Taste. Add more salt, pepper or vinegar if necessary. It should be slightly more acidic than you think you want it and seasoned well. Set aside.

Next, core and matchstick the apple. Using a mandolin is very useful here. If you don't have one, slice and slice again to make thin "matchsticks", as uniform in size and shape as possible. Toss in the lemon juice and set aside.

Now assemble! Place the greens in a large bowl - or pull a Jamie Oliver and use a cutting board - and drizzle with a few Tbsp of the emulsified dressing - don't add too much dressing or your leaves with be heavy and oily. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently and gingerly toss the greens with your hands. Work in most of the almonds, apple and trout, topping with the greens and a sprinkle of each ingredient. Place cooked and peeled eggs on the side of salad. If you have some fresh herbs handy like parsley or dill, roughly chop a bit and top the leaves with them.

Serve on its own for a light meal or as a side for something meaty and delicious from the BBQ.

Eat.

Do you smoke? Cigarettes, fish or otherwise? Have any strong feelings on the subject? What drives you bat shit crazy?

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; Scratch Cookin' Tuesday; Cast Party Wednesday; Whole Foods Wednesday; Fugal Days, Sustainable Ways; What's In The Box?; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Simple Lives Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fight Back Friday; Foodie Friday;