Get Fresh Blog

June 30, 2010
Local Food Challenge: Root Cellar & Niagara Grocery

Local Challenge by Caprina Valentine | Comments (0) Tags: basil, peppers, squash, tomatoes —

The Root Cellar, Saanich

Last Wednesday, Eliabeth and I explored The Root Cellar (1286 McKenzie at Blenkinsop). (See her previous post.) What I loved about the Root Cellar was that, while most modern grocery stores center around processed, packaged foods, they focus almost exclusively on fresh produce. The only processed food was of the original variety: dairy. No crackers, chips, cakes or pop here!

Patty Pan Squash from Local Vantreight Farms

After a tour by very knowledgeable produce manager Phil, I purchased some lovely little Patty Pan Squash from Vantreight Farms, sweet tomatoes from Sunwing and a FULL bag of other fresh produce all for $22. (I bought raspberries too, which barely made it home and what did was quickly scarfed up!)

Niagara Grocery, James Bay

“This is what a corner store should be,” Elisabeth says and I would have to agree. We visited Niagara Grocery on Wednesday, but I was back Saturday to load up with a zucchini, orange and green peppers from Sunwing Farm; an artichoke from Seabluff, too beautiful to resist; and a kholrabi (a new one for me). Strawberries were also on special. Oh yeah, and they make Happy Planet SLUSHIES ($2.50)!

Spaghetti Siracusani

I knew I wanted to cook something with the incredibly cute Patty Pan Squash, which to me look like a vegetable mirror of lemons and limes. I only came to know the name of this dish after I found it roughly matched what I was planning to do… It turns out Siracusani is a region in Italy known for its squash pasta.

Ingredients

GROCERY LIST:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 small tomatoes, chopped
2 cups patty pan squash, quartered
1 green pepper, sliced thin matchsticks
1 orange pepper, sliced thin matchsticks
2 tbsp fresh basil
2 tbsp fresh oregano
1/4 package of spaghetti (125 g)
some grated Parmesan cheese (Paradise Farms, Nanaimo)

Cooking

COOK: Heat oil on medium and sauté onion until they soften (3-5 minutes). Add garlic, sauté until fragrant (30-60 seconds). Add diced tomatoes and 2 tbsp more olive oil; simmer 10 minutes until tomatoes fall apart. Add peppers, patty pan squash and oregano, simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste in the final few minutes. Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water for 8 minutes until al dente, strain, stir with 1/2 tbsp of butter until melted, then mix noodles with sauce. Serves 2-3.

June 29, 2010
Kids Cook Local: Raspberry Jam

Kids Cook Local by Elisabeth Bond | Comments (0) Tags: berries, jam, preserves —

Kids Cook Raspberry Jam

It’s been slim pickings for sweet toast toppings around our house lately. We ran out of all our winter pantry items at the end of March and have been waiting to begin restocking.

With the arrival of the first BC berries we decided to get a jump on our jam stockpile and preserve some of that yummy, ripe red goodness. We’ve always been lucky to have Nana around when it comes time to do our canning. I have to admit that I’m not the best guide as I lack a bit of confidence in the “canning” area. So….like many modern moms I went to YouTube for inspiration. We were lucky enough to stumble upon Jonathan Wallace (well, I have to admit the title Raspberry Jam and Gin sort of caught my attention). When I saw some of his other recipes such as: elderflower wine, nettle tea and fruit leather I knew he was the jam guide for us. We all sat down for the 8 minute tutorial and couldn’t believe how easy it all was.

There is really only 3 ingredients needed: raspberries, sugar and lemon. No need for pectin as the raspberry seeds have a sort of natural pectin/thickener that is released as they soften while cooking plus the sugar acts as a preservation. Now…I’ve always been very conscious about sugar consumption and am loathe to take such perfectly ripe fruit and taint it with SO much sugar, but….this is the kids project and they want a fun, easy and tasty treat. We’ll work on some reduced sugar recipes our next time around.

the ingredients

Raspberry Jam Ingredients

Make it
1. Load up with some fresh, BC raspberries, sugar and lemons (we used one lemon and one lime as that is what we had available). We bought 1/2 a flat at the Root Cellar.
2. The measurements are quite simple – the sugar will be half the weight of the berries.
3. Weigh your berries. We went with a half recipe this time around so we could keep a bunch for fresh nibbles. 1kg.
4. Weight your sugar. 500 g.
5. Wash citrus fruit and grate rind. Set aside.
6. Juice citrus fruit. Set aside.
7. Previous to all this, we put our mason jars in the dishwasher on high setting to sterilize and boiled the tops for about 5 minutes. Not sure if this was necessary but it felt like the right thing to do.

making raspberry jam

Making the Jam

Cook it
1. Dump berries into large saucepan with the grated citrus rind and juice.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Add sugar and stir well.
4. Bring to a simmer and stir often. Keep scraping down the sides and mixing all the froth back into the mixture.
5. Watch for the mixture to get really frothy on the top, this is a sign of the thickening action. Takes about 10 – 15 minutes.
6. Take a spoonful and drop onto a small plate or bowl. Let sit for a few minutes to see if the jam is setting up.
7. Remove from the stove.

Reducing the berries

Can it
1. Set out clean, steralized mason jars and a funnel.
2. Scoop the jam mixture into the jars.
3. Seal the jars.

Eat it
1. Cut some slices of fresh bread. Toast and spread butter and jam on them.
2. Enjoy the sweet, sticky goodness. Have another piece!

Stay tuned…for the bonus *adults only recipe, Raspberry Gin coming a bit later in the week.

June 27, 2010
Get Fresh at the Root Cellar

Get Fresh Now by Elisabeth Bond | Comments (0) Tags: berries, mushrooms, tomatoes —

Last Thursday, Caprina and I stopped in at the Root Cellar to see “what’s fresh and local?” The place was bustling with a fun, upbeat vibe and happy murmurs of shoppers enjoying the vast selection of produce. I tend to feel a little giddy being in a room filled with fresh, ripe food. It’s as if the live essence of each plant is still humming away waiting to be picked up and enjoyed at its ripest. We tracked down Phil (known by the family as the ‘Produce Ninja’) who was kind enough to take a few minutes away from his busy schedule to share a bit of fresh dirt on some local picks.

Morel Mushrooms

These morels come from the central BC area, mostly around Kamloops. They are often found where there have been forest fires. Many mushroom lovers have been expecting a bountiful harvest after the big fires of 2003. They arrive in the spring and are supplied by individual mushroom hunters. Morels are meaty in texture and nut-like in flavour. Phil advises not to mask the flavour, but enjoy by sautéing with some garlic and butter.

Greens from Vantreight Farms

Vantreight Greens

The Root Cellar is a big supporter of Vantreight Farms as they can be sure to get year round fresh produce grown in their greenhouses. They carry a great variety of lush organic greens at incredible prices – green and red leaf, romaine, sorrel, swiss chard and kale. They also have sweet little pattypan squash that are best eaten when they are relatively young and tender. They are a good source of magnesium, niacin + vitamins A and C. My favourite way to eat these – scoop out the flesh and fry it up in a little oil, with garlic, grated carrot, salt+pepper and some fresh basil. Pop all this back in the little shells and bake for about 30 minutes. Serve with fresh parmesan. Tasty!

Prolific Produce!

Produce

Other fresh picks: BC pod peas, Pearl onions and French Breakfast Radishes from Vantreight Farm, Cucumbers from Rage’s Farms in Port Alberni.

It’s Berry Season!

Fresh Berries

Hurray, fresh + local berries have arrived. The Root Cellar has strawberries (Dan’s Farm in Central Saanich) and BC raspberries (Bergen Farms in Abbotsford). I picked up a half flat of raspberries in preparation for our “Kids Cook Local” feature coming up on Monday (Psst…there is an extra special adults only feature attached to this week’s post!).

Local Tomatoes

Tomatoes

These tomatoes are so gorgeous and tactile, I couldn’t help but to fondle them a wee bit. Most of the heirloom varieties are grown at SunWing on Oldfield Rd. The Root Cellar is also carrying a new variety called Caramba. These are also members of the heirloom family and known for their firm texture (are excellent served sliced with some fresh Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese from Fairburn Farm). Fruit is ripe when green on the outside and red on the inside.

We both left with our respective bag and basket full to overflowing with fresh, local produce and were both amazed at the incredibly low cost. Eating meals planned around fresh, local fruits and vegetables is a healthy and affordable way to go.

The Root Cellar is located at: 1286 McKenzie Avenue (at Blenkinsop). They are open every day from 8:30am – 7pm. Find out more at www.therootcellar.ca.

June 24, 2010
Local Food Challenge: Moss Street Market Mushrooms & Sprouts

Local Challenge by Caprina Valentine | Comments (1) Tags: lettuce, mushrooms, sprouts —

Moss Street Market

This past Saturday, Jun 19, I explored the Moss Street Community Market (open 10 am to 2 pm) at the corner of Moss Street and Fairfield Road. Very well supported, this market offers produce vendors, arts and crafts, tasty snacks, music and kids fun.

I picked out some lovely Shitake Mushrooms ($5) and assorted sprouts ($3) from Jacob of Salt Spring Sprouts, where the five owners live off the land and also grow 11 varieties of beans, nuts and seeds. (I also bought an energizing sprout wrap for later snacking.)

Moss Street Market

Most of the other produce stalls were offering salad greens. I chose a beautiful head of Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce ($3.50) from Saanich’s Haliburton Farm (also in our Get Fresh Guide).

I took this home Sunday, without the time or means to gather other groceries, so this was a true Black Box Chef’s Challenge, cooking with whatever else was in the fridge at home.

The “What’s in the Fridge” Stir Fry

Stir Fry Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:
6-10 mushrooms
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 onion
3 carrots
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup peanuts
1/2 soy sauce
ground beef

PREP: Quick rinse the sprouts in cold water and drain on a paper towel. Dice half an onion. Peel and chop 3 carrots . Mix soy sauce, ground ginger and 2 cloves finely minced garlic.

Cooking Stir Fry

COOK: On medium-high, fry ground beef until pink/red starts to fade. Add sauce mix and onion and fry until onions begin to soften. Once beef loses all pink, add in carrots and peanuts (if not pre-roasted), continue stirring. Use 1-3 tbsp sesame oil as needed, to start off the pan and add along the way for non-stickness. Once carrots are soft, throw in sprouts and cook until bright.

Alternatives: Make it with chicken or pre-marinated tofu. Or go completely veggie, using any combination of the above with bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and/or bok choy.

Simple Asian Side Salad

Asian Side Salad Ingredients

MIX DRESSING:
1 tbsp honey
t tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp orange juice
t tsp sesame seeds

Toss dressing with a 1/2 head of lettuce, leaves shredded. Garnish with orange slices. Optional garnish: crispy fried Chinese noodles. Enjoy!

Beef Stir Fry with Asian Side Salad

June 22, 2010
Kids Cook Local: Pancakes with Local Strawberries!

Kids Cook Local by Elisabeth Bond | Comments (0) Tags: berries, strawberries —

Landon, Finn, Daniel and Kyle: kids cooking local

On the Friday prior to our kids cooking day, we loaded up on fresh, field strawberries from Russel’s Farm (just off the highway between Duncan and Chemainus). Flats are about $31 but we opted for a large punnet ($3.99/lb) knowing we wouldn’t have time for any preserving this weekend. We zoomed through Cowichan Bay on our way around the Duncan area and stopped at True Grain to say “hi” to our friend Joerg (the baker) and pick up a bag of Vancouver Island grown sifted wheat flour. We had an extra 1/2 hr before we had to catch the ferry back home so we took Lakes Road from Duncan on the hunt for more local produce. We were very excited to stumble upon Nick who produces “Chemainus Sausages” from beef and pork raised just down the road at Westholme Farm. We chose some pork breakfast sausages as well as chorizo for our weekend BBQ. They are best known for their bacon – double smoked dry cured, so you know we’ll back to try this next. You can find Chemainus sausages at the Market on Millstream, Ambrosio and Fairways but its always fun to make the trip and buy it direct.

It’s Saturday morning and by 9am the house is full of boys. It’s Finn’s 10th birthday and Kyle, Landon and Daniel have already arrived by boat and bike. Finn and Kyle are keen to get cooking so they can get outside and practice their “ollies”.

Pancake ingredients with fresh strawberries

Make it
1. Measure out flour (2 c), butter (2 tbsp), milk (2 cups) (buttermilk is the best. We didn’t have any so we just added some yogurt to our milk), baking soda (1 tsp), sugar (2 tsps), salt (1/4 tsp), 2 eggs and vanilla (1 tsp).
2. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl.
3. Break eggs into another bowl.
4. Melt butter and then pour into egg mixture with milk and vanilla.
5. Slowly mix wet and dry ingredients.
6. Slice fresh berries for your toppings.

Cook it
1. Warm up a cast iron skillet to med-high and melt a bit of butter.
2. Spoon pancake batter onto the skillet.
3. As batter bubbles and air holes pop, and edges begin to brown, flip the pancakes.
4. When second side is golden brown, they are ready to eat.

Eat it
1. Serve with breakfast sausages or bacon.
2. Top with melted local honey or maple syrup and fresh berries.
3. Enjoy!

Thanks Finn, Kyle, Landon and Daniel for the delicious breakfast!

June 17, 2010
Bonus Local Food Challenge: Chorizo Sausage

Local Challenge by Caprina Valentine | Comments (0) Tags: chorizo, sausage —

Galloping Goose Chorizo with asparagus and apple in a lemon honey reduction

Yesterday I blogged about Galloping Goose Sausage Co.’s nummy Curry Sausage. Last night I cooked with their Chorizo (shore-eez-zo) and it was delicious. Galloping Goose Sausage Co., if you didn’t catch yesterday’s post, is located in Metchosin. Their Chorizo (offered fresh/uncooked or smoked) is a peppery pork sausage, spiced with garlic, oregano and fennel. The moment I cut into it, I was infatuated with the beautiful fragrance. I had been in a bit of a funk all week, but halfway thru prepping this meal, a calm settled over me. I hope you enjoy cooking it as much as I do.

Chorizo Sausage with Asparagus & Apple in a Lemon Honey Reduction

Ingredients

Ingredients:
1 package Galloping Goose chorizo sausage
12 asparagus spears, chopped
1 apple, any sweet variety
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon
3 tbsp honey
olive oil for frying

Galloping Goose Chorizo Sausage

Prep: Pre-thaw the sausage in the fridge or quickly in the microwave. Chop the asparagus spears into small 1/2 inch lengths, starting at the tips and working towards the stalk, stopping when they become woody (about half way). Peel and slice the apple. First zest, then juice the lemon, removing seeds. Mince 2 cloves of garlic. Slice the uncooked chorizo sausage into fat rounds with a sharp knife, being careful not to squish them.

Cooking Chorizo with Apples and Asparagus

Cooking Chorizo with Apples + Asparagus

Cook: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a hot pan (medium-high), add sausage and cook, turning occassionally, until beginning to brown, 7-10 minutes. Add garlic, stir in until fragrant, 1 minute. Add lemon juice to somewhat deglaze the pan, stir and add lemon zest and honey. Stir well and bring to a boil until liquid reduces by half. Add the apple slices and simmer 2 minutes. Add asparagus and simmer for another 6 minutes until bright green and tender, stirring entire mixture.

Serves 2-3. Suggested: double sausage, asparagus and apple to serve 4.

Giving credit where credit is due: I have to say I was inspired by Gino D’Acampo’s recipe on BBC Food.

June 16, 2010
Local Food Challenge: Searching Metchosin

Local Challenge by Caprina Valentine | Comments (3) Tags: curry, sausage —

Searching Metchosin

I was going to name this post “Getting Fresh in Metchosin,” as I had high hopes for myself finding farms and produce in our neighbouring district known for its rural, farmland nature. When I mentioned to mom about picking up some Galloping Goose Sausage, she said, “Once you have Galloping Goose Sausage, you’ll never go back… no other sausage compares.” So that was set and I was on my way, with one other place to stop (Metchosin/Seabluff Farm, recommended by co-blogger Elisabeth). I figured I would come across more farms along my way, over the rolling hills of Metchosin.

The Route

Sooke Road towards Victoria, right on Kangaroo, left on Lindholm, right on Happy Valley Road, left on Metchosin Road, connecting back to Sooke Road in Colwood. Do the route in reverse if coming from Victoria. To make a day trip of it, pack a picnic with family or friends and visit Witty’s Beach!

First Stop: Galloping Goose Sausage Shop

Galloping Goose Sausage Shop

The mouth-watering aroma of smoked ham emanates from the Galloping Goose Sausage Co.‘s storybook wood cabin as I walk up the path. I arrive at the same time as a neighbourly ham and rib delivery from farmer Tom Henry down the road. The stark white flesh is instantly recognizable and the connection is made: these pieces come from an animal that was once living and breathing. I choose Curry, Moroccan and Chorizo sausages, at $8 per frozen package (each containing 4 big honkin’ sausages), wrapped in simple butchers paper.

Galloping Goose Sausage Co.
4484 Lindholm Road, Metchosin
Phone: 250.474.5788

Second Stop: Seabluff Farm aka Metchosin Farm

Owner Fiona at her Seabluff Farm Stand

I turn onto Wootton, towards the sea, driving to the end of the road, where a gate marks Seabluff Trail. The Seabluff Farm Stand (open April 1 thru Sept 6) sells a wide variety of healthy seedlings at very reasonable prices. I meet the owner, Fiona, who is a verifiable green thumb… she knows her botany like I know webwork. I buy a yellow pepper plant and a lettuce mix (no full grown produce to include in this week’s recipe).

Metchosin Seabluff Farm
542 Wootton Road

Exploring Metchosin

Witty's Beach, Wildflowers, School House, Church, Metchosin Centre, Pioneer House

I drive along the main roads again, looking for farms. A plant nursery, more places selling seedlings (already have 4 tomato plants growing in the greenhouse this year). Seems like there are many private hobby farms, but none with signs saying “Farm” or “We’re open for business.” I stop at Witty’s Beach to provoke some nostalgia and when I get back in the car, modern life clatters in… it’s 4:30 and I’ve got to get a package to the post office by 5! My farm hunt is over for today. A tad disappointed and a little guilty, I hit the grocery store. Still mindful, however, I choose BC local green onions and baby bok choy to complete my meal…

Quick Curry Sausage Curry! (Like Run Forest Run!)

Curry Ingredients

1 bunch green onions, chopped
bag of baby bok choy (8-10 heads), chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cilantro, chopped/torn small
1/2 cup jasmine rice
1 package (4) Galloping Goose curry sausages
1 can coconut milk (thick cream only)
1 tbsp curry paste
1 lime, juiced

Prep: Wash and chop 1 bunch green onions, several baby bok choy, mince garlic, chop cilantro. Carefully, with a sharp knife, slice uncooked sausages – ya don’t want ‘em squirting out of their casing! Boil water for rice.

Cooking Sausage Curry

Cook Rice: Heat a pot to high with a little water, add rice and 1 1/2 cups boiled water. Bring rice to a boil, stir once, then cover with a tight fitting lid and turn to low for 15-20 minutes until rice absorbs all water. When done, remove from heat, fluff with a fork (should be sticky) and re-cover with lid until ready to mix with curry.

Cook Curry: Scoop thick cream only from can of coconut milk (Thai Kitchen brand) into saucepan, heat to medium-high. When it starts to simmer, whisk in 1 tbsp curry paste (you’ll only need this much, because the sausages are curry-spiced). Once oil separates, add sliced sausage and garlic. Stir gently to coat, allow to simmer, stir to keep from sticking. When sausages begin to brown, add juice of 1 lime to deglaze pan. Fold in baby bok choy and green onions, heat through until bok choy goes bright green. Stir in rice and, finally, cilantro. Serves 4.

Sausage Curry

A word about convenience.

This weekly Local Food Cooking Challenge is helping me realize how accustomed we have grown to convenience. Having food available almost 24/7, whereas local produce is not as readily available as I would like. Each week, I set high expectations for myself: cook one meal a week with local ingredients. But this Challenge isn’t just about cooking with what’s fresh locally, it’s about having fun, doing my best and enjoying the process. See ya next week!

June 14, 2010
Kids Cook Local: Lamb Burgers!

Kids Cook Local by Elisabeth Bond | Comments (0) Tags: burgers, lamb, salad —

The scene: A family BBQ way back in the early spring as Finn finished his last bite of burger.

“How did you like you Lamb Burger, Finn?” Lucas (his uncle) pipe’s up.
“Huh? What do you mean? I thought it was just a ‘normal’ burger!”
“Nope that was lamb. What do you think?” Lucas responds.
“Wow, that was really good. I guess I like lamb now!” Finn replies.

For our meal this week we decided to try the lamb burgers again as it’s spring and that’s one of the freshest meats around. We popped into Slater’s on Cadboro Bay Rd. and talked to them about their lamb. We bought ours frozen as we would be on the road doing errands for another couple of hours, but you can buy a larger quantity fresh with a phone call a day ahead. The meat comes from Hertel’s in Port Alberni where they source from Island raised lambs.

We did a little hunt and gather throughout the day and mapped out our food route in combination with the other errands we had to run. After Slater’s we popped into Wildfire and purchased some sprouted wheat buns. The wheat used to make these is island grown and comes from Tom Henry out in Metchosin.

Make it
1. collect fresh + local ingredients to your liking. We gathered buns from Wildfire Bakery, lamb from Slater’s, cucumbers + tomatoes from SunWing Greenhouse, greens + sprouts from SunTrio farm and herbs and edible flowers from our garden.
2. finely chop garlic and herbs (rosemary or mint are really nice)
3. mix in with ground lamb and add some sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Cook it
1. turn BBQ on (with the help of parents / safety first!) and let warm up
2. form ground lamb mixture into patties with your hands
3. place the patties onto the grill
4. prep up salad, burger toppings and buns while the patties are grilling (approx. 7 minutes per side)
5. cut cheese slices (Finn used Natural Pastures Garlic and Herb Verdelait for us while he opted for the more familiar and favourite “orange” cheddar) and put on the patties

Eat it
1. dress up your bun with all your favourite fixings. We mixed some mint with mayo and mango chutney and that was divine! Finn went traditional with ketchup, mayo and fresh lettuce.

A delicious Sunday family night meal made by Finn for his parents. Thanks Finn!

June 11, 2010
Get Fresh with Local Pizza & Beer

Local Food Profiles by Caprina Valentine | Comments (0) Tags: basil, beer, mushrooms, pizza, tomatoes —

Local Pizza + Beer

Thanks to all who participated in our Facebook Question of the Week, “What’s your favourite pizza?”

Who doesn’t love a great slice of pizza washed down with a tasty pint of beer? And on a Friday, of all days! We asked Pizzeria Prima Strada and Driftwood Brewery, here in Victoria for their faves.

For Tomato Basil Fans

Pizza Margherita @ Prima Strada (Photo by Deddeda Stemler)

Prima Strada’s classic Margherita fits the bill, with fresh tomato, local Fairburn Farms Mozzarella Di Bufula, fresh basil, and sea salt. (More about the Mozza later…) Jason, the Wizard of Wort as he’s known at Driftwood, recommends their White Bark beer, a Belgian-style Witbier. “The citrusy, perfumy White Bark would be a good match with the licorice acidity of a tomato basil pizza.” (Tip: drop a fresh slice of orange in for an extra splash of citrus.)

Make it at home with tomatoes from Sun-Wing Farm, basil from the garden (seedlings available at SunTrio) and Mozzarella di Bufala available at the Market on Yates or other specialty grocery stores. (Village Foods in Sooke stocks it!)

For Potato Rosemary Fans

Although Prima Strada doesn’t currently offer a potato pizza, if you make one at home with BC Grown potatoes, pair it with Driftwood’s Farmhand Ale. “A slightly tart, clovey and low in bitterness, Driftwood’s Farmhand Ale, a Belgian-style Saison, pairs very well with the earthy, resinous flavors of a potato and rosemary pizza,” Jason says.

For Mushroom Fans

Funghi Pizza @ Prima Strada (Photo by Deddeda Stemler)

Try the Funghi Pizza at Prima Strada, which pairs well with Driftwood’s signature Ale: “A hallmark style of the Pacific Northwest, our Driftwood Ale is more hop focused than our other Belgian styles. The citrusy, melon fruity hop character makes a nice foil to the earthiness of a creamy mushroom pizza.”

Prima Strada Staff Faves

We also had to ask Cristen at Pizzeria Prima Strada, what are some of their staff faves: “We have 3 favorite pizzas that are not on the menu, but could easily be ordered: The Mambino, a Bambino with chilis, garlic and oregano; Marg with olives and Marg with olives and fresh arugula. Both deceptively simple, but ones we eat every day without fail. Have to say the Driftwood Ale (we pour on tap at both locations) pairs well with both pies, but really well with Mambino!”

More about that Mozzarella Di Bufala…

Happy Livestock = Healthy People (Photo by Deddeda Stemler)

Pizzeria Prima Strada makes almost exclusive use of Mozzarella di Bufala, produced by Natural Pastures Cheese Co. from the milk of Fairburn Farm‘s Water Buffalo herd. The livestock are grass fed on the farm in the Cowichan Valley, which has remained pesticide and herbicide free for the entire 120 year history of the farm.

Pizzeria Prima Strada is located at 230 Cook Street (in the Village) and also with a new location just opened last month in the Rock Bay neighbourhood at 2960 Bridge Street.

Driftwood Brewery‘s Ale is on tap at the Pizzeria, as well as available at many other local establishments and liquor stores.

June 9, 2010
Local Food Challenge: James Bay Market & Pesto Pizza!

Local Challenge by Caprina Valentine | Comments (3) Tags: basil, peppers, pesto, pizza, tomatoes —

My Bounty from the James Bay Saturday Market

Meet & Greet at the Market

Behold, a much wider variety of things, though still not the plethora one sees at the modern supermarket. (Does anyone grow bananas on the island, even in a green house? If so, call me!) I did an initial reconnaissance of the offerings: more than half were hand crafts, with the remaining 40% being fresh island grown produce: bingo! As one vendor said, “grown in real dirt.” (I had to chuckle, then worry… what else would vegetables be grown in? Some sort of space age soylent green like substance? Well, ok, other than petrochemical fertilizer..?)

I purchased some Pender Rouge lettuce (grown on Pender Island) and dandelion bitter greens ($3.50) from Old Country Seeds man Jeff Wright; 5 huge vine-ripened tomatoes ($5) and a bag of 5 mini cucumbers ($3) from Gamboa Greenhouses, who also grow their produce for BC Hot House in Cobble Hill; a yellow pepper and basil plant from SunTrio Farm in Saanich (in our Get Fresh Guide); and two varieties of garlic ($1), green bunching onions ($2) and some Lemon-Orange marmalade ($5) from Golden Maples Farm in Cassidy, north of Ladysmith.

Real People, Real Stories & Sharing a Dirty Lumberjack

Golden Maples Farm’s Jam Lady, as she’s known, wearing a bright and sunny yellow and white checkered frilly smock and white heart shaped sunglasses, shared her signature offering with me: maple syrup! Tapped from their own Broadleaf Maple trees in Cassidy, they participate every year in the well known Maple Festival put on by the Francophone Society. This is where I purchased the Lemon Orange Marmelade (hold on the maple syrup for now), but she was kind enough to share a secret drink recipe with me called the Dirty Lumberjack: 1 tsp maple syrup (hers is divine), 1 tsp Kahlua and 1 oz of Vodka. Yum!

I took all this marvelous bounty home and decided to make a Pesto Pizza and side Green Salad for my boyfriend and the folks for dinner last Saturday.

Make the Dough

Whole Grain Pizza Dough

Put 2/3 cup warm water in a bowl and carefully drop in 1 tsp of dry yeast and 1 tsp of sugar. Stir gently once and allow to stand in a warm place, with a tea towel draped over the bowl for 5 minutes. Once foamed, add a pinch of salt, stir in a 1/2 cup of olive oil and work in 2 cups of flour. Once the mixture becomes doughy, roll out onto a flour covered surface and roll gently to form a ball. Sit back into a lightly oiled or floured bowl, covered for 60-90 minutes until it rises to twice its size.

Make the Pesto Sauce

Pesto Ingredients

Blend 2 cups cilantro, 3 tbsp walnuts, 2 cloves garlic and 1/3 cup oil in the blender. (You may need to double this recipe to allow enough material for your blender to blend well, but then you’ll only need half for the pizza sauce. Use the rest for pasta or on scrambled eggs.)

Homemade Pesto - YUM!

Prep the Toppings & Dress the Pizza

Don’t forget! Now is the time to pre-heat your oven to a hot 425 degrees! Thinly slice two tomatoes and half a pepper, pick 10-15 basil leaves and crumble a 1/2 cup feta cheese. Once the dough has risen, roll out onto a floured surface again and knead lightly. Spread into a circular shape with the ball of your hand; at this point you can either roll out with a rolling pin or hold in the air, punching under it and stretching the dough out to the desired circular size. I used a 14 inch round deep dish pan. Poke the dough with a fork all over or use one of those nifty dough punching roller gadgets. Spread the pesto sauce onto the pizza crust. Layer veggies onto the pizza, then cheese and finish with a sprinkling of cracked black pepper and sea salt. Pop it into the HOT oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese bubbles and golden-browns lightly on top.

Pesto Pizza and Salad

Make Side Salad while the Pizza is Cooking

An optional step. Finely chop the the small head of lettuce and bitter greens, slice two mini cucumbers into thin rounds (leave the skin for extra nutrients if it’s grown organically and does not have the wax coating). To make the dressing, mix 1 tbsp walnut oil, 2 tbsp marmalade and juice of one lemon. Mix the dressing first with the sliced cucumbers and handful of pecans (roasted or raw), then stir gently with the greens.

Slice up the pizza and serve with side salad. Enjoy!

Pesto Pizza and Side Green Salad

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