Food Routes

.
You may have heard about it or read about it... the Essex County Federation of Agriculture was planning a map with farms and food producers on it and the "Buy Local" map is finally here!

From their website:

The highly anticipated brochure is available here and gives consumers a way to find local fruits, vegetables, meat and more. Consumers may discover there is also locally produced flour, popcorn, cheese, milk and honey. Visit your local library, town hall or visitors bureau to pick up a high quality pamphlet.

We were in desperate need of this and other cities have had these maps for years, so I am glad that it is here. The only problem I have is that producers had to pay to be included so it is still not a complete map.

Check out the Windsor Star coverage of the map:

• http://www.windsorstar.com/Health/Local+food+People+craving+this+info/1497532/story.html
• http://www.windsorstar.com/News/local+maps+available/1547195/story.html

Pick up your "Buy Local" map today and plan a fun day trip with the family!
.

News & Kudos

.
Bootleggers are back at Walkerville Brewing Company but supplies are limited so hurry in. I do not know for sure whether the bootlegger is the same as the growler (1.89L for $17)...

The veggie stand at the corner of Walker Road and 42 is now open. I love this because I work nearby and can stop in on my way home. Last year they had organic asparagus from Chatham and their signs say Leamington tomatoes so the bounty has begun!

Also, I mentioned the All Canadian Wine Championships that happened on Thursday and some of our local wineries did very well in the competition. The website is not updated yet, so we cannot share all of the winners but here are some that we know of:

• Aleksander Estate Winery - GOLD: '07 Baco Noir, GOLD: '07 Cab Franc (available this summer), BRONZE: '08 Chambourcin (available end of May)
• Sanson Estate Winery -
  

I am a big fan of Baco Noir and love Aleksander's take on this french grape. I am sure that if you enjoy red wines that you will love it too.
.

Get Grillin' with 'Gus

.
Asparagus is in season and there are loads of great recipes out there to try. The bigger grocery stores do not always carry local asparagus, even though it is in season here and now so be sure to check the tag. Alternatively, look for the fresh bundles at roadside stands, at the market ($2.99/lb) and at Sanson Estate Winery ($4/lb, $7 for 2lbs).

Even thought the weather does not always cooperate, we have had the BBQ going a lot and I am sure that you probably have too. I picked up asparagus at the winery this week so on Saturday night we enjoyed Schinkel's Ball Parks on the grill along with grilled asparagus. Here is the recipe:

• Trim the hard part of the asparagus; try snapping it for a natural separation of the stalk or just grab the whole bundle and chop off the bottom inch or two
• Using a peeler, take off a think layer of skin from just below the crown to the base (I just did the surface and got the extra leaves off)
• Put the asparagus in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt; toss this around to cover well
  
• Put the stalks right onto the grill and cook over medium heat until they brown very slightly; turning every minute or so
• Depending on the thickness of the stalk, you will need about 5 minutes for thin and 10 minutes for very thick asparagus

Keep an eye on your veggies so they do not burn and you will enjoy the great taste! So convenient too.
.

News About Nuts

.
At the "Made in Windsor" show on Saturday I was fortunate enough to be set up next to the only food vendor, C'est Bon Gourmet Nuts.

Naturally I had to try their free samples after having the delightful smell of candied nuts fill the air for the morning. I had the Candied Pecans and they were delicious. I purchased the 220g bag ($8) to take to my niece's birthday party and everyone raved over the taste. Considering how expensive regular pecans are in the store, I thought the price was great.

Here is a list of what they carry:

• Candied Pecans - Fresh Pecans coated with sugar and cinnamon. “Always a favourite”. Available in Snack Size 110g / Regular 220g / Sharing Size 440g/ Mini Packs (10 40g packs)

• Candied Almonds - Fast becoming our new favourite. Fresh almonds with a sugar and spice coating. Available in Snack Size 135g / Regular Size 270g / Sharing Size 540g/ Mini Packs (10 50g packs)

• Sweet Heat Deluxe Mixed Nuts - A little sweet and a little heat mixed with premium quality mixed nuts; cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, pecans, peanuts and dried cranberries. Available in Snack Size 135g / Regular Size 270g / Sharing Size 540g

• Hot Peanuts - Hot, smoky and spicy peanuts....great with a cold beer. Available in Snack Size 135g / Regular Size 270g / Sharing Size 640g

C'est Bon is located in Belle River and currently only sells via phone or through their website but hope to start targeting local stores soon. In the meantime, they offer free delivery to Windsor, Tecumseh and Belle River if you spend over $20.

Friendly service and a delicious product. You would have to be nuts to not try these!
.

And the Award Goes to...

.
The All Canadian Wine Championships was created in Windsor in 1981 to showcase and create a competition for Canadian wines.

Join this public wine tasting of hundreds of wine from across Canada, including our own local entries!

The event takes place at the Caboto Club (2175 Parent Avenue) on Thursday, May 14th from 7:00pm to 9:30pm. Tickets are $30 each or $25 for groups of 8 or more.

Contact Danielle at (519) 985-2656 for more information.
.

The Round Up

.
There are going to be loads of events coming up to cover and hopefully I will not forget any.

Do not forget to check in with the events calendar as I cannot write about everything that is happening (June will be packed!). Also, check out my updated website:

mylocalfoodblog.com

We had a meeting for WECSA last night at ShopEco in St. Clair Beach. This great store offers loads of green products and many are from Canada; those products are marked with Canadian flags on the front of the shelves (love that idea!). Be sure to visit them soon or wait until the summer when they will be moving to Walkerville!

By the way, Windsor Essex Community Supported Agriculture (WECSA) now has a few openings if you are interested in growing and sharing natural produce. Families are welcome and there is no experience necessary.

.