Mason Bee Home

Herald Spring! But before spring bloomed into action, we picked up some Mason Bee buddies at the Victoria Seedy Saturday at the end of February. Instructed to wait a couple weeks until after the last freeze, we finally put up the Mason Bee Box and the little box of hibernating bees this past weekend. Cheers to happy pollinating!

Mason Bee Hatch Box

Sunday afternoon affords us a break from the rainy weather of the past week, so we head out to check out some of the Sooke Slow Food Cycle events happening today.

We make a quick stop by the new Charters Creek Salmon Habitat Restoration Centre, where Sooke old timer Elida Peers (who got the museum on its feet 20 years ago) welcomes us for a brief tour before the cyclists arrived at 1:30pm. Check it out yourself at 2895 Sooke River Road, just over Charters Creek, first drive on the right. By donation.

On our way towards Sooke centre, we stop at the Sooke Region Museum for an historical perspective on fishing and farming in the Sooke region as well as a taste of hot savory biscuits smoked in an earth oven.

Mobile Chicken Coop!

Our final stop is John Phillips Memorial Park by the ex-golf course for the displays on community supported agriculture (CSA), backyard chickens and composting, open to the public until 4pm.

Visit Sooke Slow Food Cycle for more info and 2012 dates.

Soon enough the entire class of 20 or so assembles and we begin the session with introductions: our names and favorite cheeses. My fave? Little Qualicum Falls Brie. I fell into a deep love affair with its gooey goodness ever since my good friend Brianne’s (also Bri for short, coincidence?) birthday back in February.

David guides us through the two distinct methods to make cheese, which then branch out like a family tree into the myriad of cheeses we all know and love. Fundamentally, cheese making is the chemistry and biology of casein protein interaction and separation of the curd (solids) from whey (liquid).

Cutting the cheese curds

One method is to heat milk and add a rennet tablet, derived from the lining of a cow’s calf. The rennet reintroduces enzymes that helps to “digest” or coagulate the casein protein in the milk. It forms larger curds, which we carefully cut and re-cut so the casein proteins re-knit together, after which we strain the curds from the whey and press into molds. This leads down the path to soft cheeses such as Brie (mmm!) and Camembert or salted, harder cheeses such as cheddar.

Cooking the curds to make squeaky cheese

The second method is to heat milk and add an acid – anything from lemon juice, to balsamic vinegar to acetic acid – which curdles the milk into smaller, more delicate curds. We then strain the curds from the whey using a fine mesh cloth. Cheese cloths actually don’t work that well, but David recommended a do rag of all things. It fits perfectly around the rim of a pot and closes up easily into a little sack that David knots around a wooden spoon and hangs over the pot to allow the whey to drain. The final flavor of the cheese can be directed depending on what type of acid is added (think lemon and pepper or maple balsamic).

Throughout this class, the realization hits me that cheese is really a living, breathing thing – an organism – and that, really, all food is alive, even after it’s been harvested. This is helped along by David’s affinity for his Kefir grain, which he speaks of as though it is a pet. He feeds it, takes it for walks (it made an appearance in this class after all), and sings it to sleep (well, maybe not that).

Releasing Paneer from the Do Rag

We touch on the politics of raw, unpasteurized milk. In Canada, you can’t legally sell it, but if you own your own cows, then “the nanny stays out of your barn,” so to speak. So a loophole has developed: the Cow Share, in which multiple folks claim ownership of the same bovine buddy. Some states in the USA, on a state to state basis, do allow the sale of raw milk, recognizing and certifying specific facilities that practice good animal husbandry and healthy practices. (“With freedom comes responsibility,” goes the saying.)

At the conclusion of the 3.5 hour workshop, we set about sampling some of the cheeses with fresh bread and crackers. Yum!

Tasting the cheeses

Upcoming Workshops

• Beginner Class • Sunday, April 15th, 2012 @ LifeCycles
• Advanced Cheesemaking • Monday, April 16, 2012 (6:00-9:30pm)
  Ingredients Health Food Store & Cafe (2031 Store St, Victoria)
  $35-50 Email uahub@lifecyclesproject.ca for registration
• Catch David’s cheese making workshops at one of his partner organizations…

Read other reviews of David’s Cheese Making Classes:

• Slow Coast: The traditional art of cheese making

After a wonderful Apple Day overlooking the orchard at Sea Cider, smelling and tasting all things apple, including some delicious apple pies, I was inspired to whip up something else apple! I picked up some Okanagan Gala Apples from Rootcellar on my way home Wednesday and used up the rest of my pecan stash at home, along with Island Wheat Flour and Bran I already had stocked in my pantry.

Ingredients (24 muffins)

3 cups flour
1 cup bran
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup oil
1 cup milk (or almond/soy milk)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3 medium apples
1/2-1 cup pecans; reserve 24 nice looking ones for the tops!

Make It

1. Preheat oven to 400 (convection bake)
2. In a “Dry Bowl” mix 3 cups flour and 1 cup bran
3. Add 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg and whisk thoroughly
4. In a ziplock bag, smash 1/2 cup pecans with a big spoon; add to Dry Bowl
5. In a “Wet Bowl,” whisk 4 eggs, add in 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup oil, 1 cup milk (or almond/soy milk) and 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
6. Peel, core and chop 3 medium sized apples into small dime-size pieces; mix into Wet Bowl
7. Pour wet mix into dry mix and stir thoroughly; this is a less-liquidy muffin mix!
8. Divide into 24 lined or greased muffin tins
9. Press a full pecan into the top of each muffin
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400
11. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes

Variations: You may also choose to blend half of the apple in a blender and mix into your wet mix before adding the apple chunks, or you may choose to more finely chop your apples.

2nd Annual Get Fresh with Apple Pie Contest!

Sea Cider apple orchard, looking towards Georgia Strait

Tasty eats and treats were enjoyed by all from Truffles and Ambrosia, as well as full cider tasting flights from Sea Cider. We indulged in the delicious cider marinated pork taco with apple onion salsa from Ambrosia, as well as their apple crisp.

Sea Cider Pommeau, Cyser and Pomona

apple identification and lessons on fruit tree pruning

BC Fruit Testers offered apple identification, overflowing with a wealth of fascinating knowledge about fruit tree growing conditions, physiology and genetics. Noah & Elisabeth’s apples were identified as Spartan, King and the third is likely a Cox’s Orange Pippin. I also inquired about pruning techniques, for which he insisted pruning actually be done during the period of vigorous growth (March thru July) and never in the cold, rainy season (ahem, November) when it exposes the “open wounds” to contagions and fungus. Great tips and info for next spring!

Chef Dan Hayes of The London Chef judges the apple pie contest

Chef Dan Hayes of The London Chef had a great time judging our 2nd Annual Get Fresh with Apple Pie Contest, in which we had four entrants this year. Congratulations to 1st place winner Maria Nunn for her traditional pie and 2nd place winner Renee Reese for content. And an honourable mention to second year entrant Steph Miller.

Chef Dan Hayes of The London Chef judges the apple pie contest

Chef Dan Hayes of The London Chef judges the apple pie contest

Chef Dan Hayes holds the winning pie!

Afterwards, the pies were divided up and shared amongst the crowd, while we drew our raffle fundraiser for LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project. In all, the table raised $218 towards LifeCycles.

Thanks again to all who participated! And thanks to our raffle donors: Sea Cider, Canoe Brewpub, Pizzeria Prima Strada, Pescatores & Bon Rouge, Teafarm and Vancouver Island Salt Co.

contest details:

• contest is open to anyone
• try to use as many local ingredients as possible (see links provided below for resources)
• judging will take place between 2-3 pm on “Apple Day” at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse, Sunday, September 25.
  The winners will be announced at 3pm.
• please rsvp so we know how many tasty pies will be arriving on Apple Day. Email us and put Pie Contest in the subject line.
• please include a card with your name, phone number and email with your pie entry. Let us know a little bit about your ingredients – what kind of apples did you use and where did they come from etc.

It’s going to be a great day, so come enjoy the organic orchard and join in the celebration of harvest. Taste the goodness of fresh, ripe apples in their many delicious forms. There will lots happening and plenty to sip and nibble at Apple Day.

Last year we put together an incredible basket of local goodies kindly donated by all our Get Fresh Guide partners. We will work with Sea Cider and other local businesses to create another basket of treats. Raffle tickets will be sold on Apple Day with all proceeds going to Lifecycles Fruit Tree Project. Tickets will be sold for $5 each or 3 for $10. You may donate more in support of Lifecycles if you choose! Last year we raised just over $570, let’s see if we beat that this year.

Lifecycles and BC Fruit Testers will be on hand to offer advice on pruning your fruit trees. Perhaps you have a mystery apple growing in your yard? They are available to answer all your questions regarding identifying and caring for your fruit trees. Don’t forget to bring a sample!

resources

Great places to buy local apples:
Oldfield Orchard – 6286 Oldfield Road, 250.652.1579
The Root Cellar – 1286 McKenzie Avenue, 250.477.9495
Ambrosio Markets – various locations around town Oak Bay, James Bay, Cook Street Village
Dan’s Farm & Country Market – 2030 Bear Hill Road, 250.652.9100
Apple Luscious Organic Orchards – 110 Heidi Place, Saltspring Island
Niagara Grocery – 579 Niagara Street, James Bay

Looking for some Island Grown Wheat Flour?
True Grain Mill - 1725 Cowichan Bay Rd and Mill Bay Centre

Want to make your own lard? Here are some useful tips from Chef Heidi Fink
Chef Heidi Fink – Lip Smacking Blog

Please bring your pie to Sea Cider anytime before 1pm on Sunday, Sept.25. Make sure to label it and include your contact info so we can be sure to get a hold of you if you are not on site for the judging hour. Stick around after the judging as I’m sure there will loads of delicious pies to sample! Best of luck to you all, see you on Apple Day!

Apple Day takes place at Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse on Sunday, September 25 from 11am to 4pm.
Sea Cider is located at 2847 Mt. St. Michael Rd, Saanichton.

A photo series from that day…

Moss Street Market

Radishes at Moss Street Market

ALM Farm at Moss Street Market

Jumbo Garlic at Moss Street Market

Haliburton Farm at Moss Street Market

Moss Street Market

Cucumbers at Moss Street Market

 My Haul from the Market

My Haul from the Moss Street Market

Sorry no meal photos!  I was too busy out and about enjoying the Fringe Festival to take photos of everything I made (and honestly most of it was eaten pretty well basic/plain as fresh, in-season vegetables should be appreciated).  The Cowichan Pasta (asparagus variety) was delicious, as was all it!  I had also picked up some Farmer Ben’s Eggs (Cowichan Valley) and Little Qualicum brie cheese from the Market on Yates earlier in the day, which I paired with fresh Cascadia sourdough bread and Galloping Goose Sausage for breakfasts… those I snapped a quick photo of..!

Eggs, Galloping Goose Sausage and Cascadia Bakery Sourdough

Sunnyside Eggs with melted Little Qualicum brie cheese on Cascadia Bakery sourdough

I think I’ve finally got the hang of canning. I’ve got to admit that I’ve found the whole process of food preservation a bit daunting. I’ve taken a couple of classes and read lots of blogs and books, but sometimes I get overwhelmed with the amount of fresh produce that is ready all at once and the hours it will take to process. I think it’s like making any recipe a few times. The first few times take a lot longer as you familiarize yourself with the ingredients and the process. After three or four passes, you may tweak the recipe a bit and then you get to feeling pretty pro – it tastes better and you get faster each time. I guess it’s the same with canning. I had a few mishaps a couple of years ago so perhaps that set me off on the wrong feet. Well, I’ve jumped back in both feet firmly planted on the ground and a whole slew of recipes sourced from friends and trusted food bloggers.

So far, so good. Our pantry is overflowing and now I need to start designing a new canning storage rack to display all these lovely jars of goodness. My memories of this summer will now include the satisfying “ping” of lids as they cool and seal while I’m drifting off to sleep. The sound of canning success!

I pulled out some good old cook books when looking for some canning tips and found this recipe at the back of the home preserving section. Since we had a huge watermelon sitting on the counter seemed a great way to use up all the rinds that would otherwise end up in the compost pile. Nothing wrong with that, but we eat a lot of stews and curries during the winter so we can never have enough spicy pickles and chutneys to zest things up with.

Spicy Watermelon Pickles

rind from 1 med to large watermelon
1/2 cup sea salt
9 short cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp whole cloves
small square cheesecloth (optional)
4 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar (we used 1/2 white and 1/2 apple cider)
1 lemon sliced into very thin rounds (this was a creative add-on)

Day before canning:

Wash your melon. Trim thin, dark green outer skin from rind (we didn’t do this…looks too pretty!). Cut find into 1-inch pieces to make about 14 cups. In very large bowl, dissolve salt in 6 cups of water; add rind. (add some extra water to cover if necessary). Cover and refrigerate.

Note: This recipe advised us to cut up the rind in 1″ pieces. This we did, but upon viewing other recipes I may opt for long thin slices next time around. They just look prettier in the jars!

Next day:

Drain rind; rinse in running cold water; drain. In large pot, cover rind with cold water. Over high heat, heat to boiling; reduce heat to low; simmer 30 minutes; drain. Tie spices in cheesecloth (we just threw them right into the mix). In same pot, combine sugar, vinegar, 2 cups water, lemon, spice bag and rind. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover; simmer 1 hour, stirring often; remove from heat. Meanwhile prepare jars and lids for canning. (some helpful tips here)

Discard spice bag (or just take out the cinnamon sticks if you cooked it all together). Ladle hot mixture into prepared jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space; close jars. Process in boiling water 5 minutes (although I typically do all mine for 12-15) Cool. Wait 3 weeks or so and enjoy!

This self-guided tour features ten beautiful, bountiful farms and food gardens in and around the Otter Point area. The goal of the tour is to showcase self-sufficiency and interest more people in farming and local food. Visitors will have the opportunity to see, first hand, sustainable food production systems for a variety of products, and meet the people involved.

Come see self-sufficiency in action and meet folks growing everything from fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers to raising heritage breeds of turkeys, chickens, cows and pigs. Beekeeping and fantastic value-added products are also tour highlights.

You’ll have a chance to admire the diverse range of farm buildings from historical houses, cob buildings, earth ovens and greenhouses. Whether on new or historical properties, on small or large acreages or lovingly worked by new or established growers, the Sook Farm and Food Garden Tour is a chance to see the amazing growers in your community.

Bring the family (like we did last year. It was such a great day out!) for a fun and educational event. Learn what you can grow and harvest in your own garden, check out demonstrations and purchase fresh produce right off the farm.

Tickets are $10 and free for ages 15 and under. You can pick up your ticket and map in Sooke at Shoppers Drug Mart, Peoples Drug Mart, Double D Gardens, Westburn Garden Centre, and Sooke Country Market (Saturdays 10-2). In Victoria tickets are available at Dig This and Moss Street Market (Saturdays 10-2)

Summer Snacking: Salsa, Bruschetta, Soda Bread and Local Cheeses

Summer is a time of picnics and light meals shared with family and friends.  I like to throw together a quick salsa and/or bruschetta, fresh bread and local cheese.  Soda bread recipe below, but you may prefer a traditional baguette from a local bakery.  My cheese picks this time come both from Natural Pastures: their Comox Brie and Garlic & Chive Verdelait are awesome numminess.

Traditional Salsa

1. Finely dice 1 large tomato, 1 pepper and 4-6 green onions; mince 1 clove garlic; chop 1/4 bunch cilantro
2. Mix with juice of 1 lime and add 1 tbsp maple syrup for a touch of sweet
3. Allow to rest and stir before eating

Summer Snacking: Salsa

Asparagus and Garlic Scape Bruschetta

1. Chop 1 bunch asparagus, 1 bunch garlic scapes and 1-2 tomatoes
2. Quick fry asparagus and garlic scapes in 1tbsp butter, 2-3 minutes
3. Take off heat and mix with minced tomato and basil to taste
4. Serve like a salsa on crackers or bread or toast onto bread in the oven with cheese melted on top

Soda Bread

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp baking soda
1½ cups water
2 tsp vinegar (cider or white)

Summer Snacking: Soda Bread

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF
2. Combine dry ingredients and mix
3. Combine water and vinegar
4. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix
5. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for two or three minutes (no need to overdo it)
6. Shape into a round or length (about 1½ to 2 inches thick), then place on pan
7. Dip a sharp knife into flour and cut an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf
8. Brush top lightly with oil
9. Bake 40 minutes

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Pockets

For me, summer is officially here when I see local strawberries.  It means our island weather is getting warm enough for me to bare the outdoors in a t-shirt and enjoy sitting in the shade.  While our own strawberry patch hasn’t put out yet – it’s always a month later than everywhere else – I picked up a these fresh local strawberries and rhubarb at The Rootcellar.

Ingredients: Island Wheat Flour, Local Rhubarb & Strawberries

Ingredients

Filling:
3 cups strawberries
3 cups rhubarb (3 stalks)
1 cup sugar

Crust:
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 cups butter
1/2 cup water

Making Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Pockets

Make It

1. Mix crust ingredients and allow to rest
2. Chop strawberries and rhubarb into small 1/2 inch size pieces
3. Pre-heat oven to 350˚
4. Mix fruit pieces with sugar and allow to rest
5. Divide dough into four fist sized balls and roll into flat circles
6. Spoon 1.5 cups of fruit filling into center of the flattened disc
7. Wrap edges up over the fruit, forming a pocket
8. Place prepped pockets on a lightly oiled baking tray
9. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes
10. When done, allow to cool for 20-30 minutes

I additionally made a little icing with the left over strawberry rhubarb juices – adding that sugar tends to break down, kind of “melting,” the fruit a little – and some icing sugar.  I just drizzled it lightly over top one of the pie pockets.  The other three froze well, for later enjoyment.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Pocket with Fruit Drizzle

Written and photographed by Caprina Valentine.

When I arrive, her class if full (I guess that Facebook post filled the last spot) of cheery faces, eager to learn, ranging in age.  We pass around a platter of cheese from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, Moonstruck Organic Cheese Co., pate from Choux Choux Charcuterie, baguettes from Fol Epi and super yummy quince Heidi harvested and made herself.  I fall in love with the Little Qualicum brie cheese all over again (it’s a great farm visit if you’re up island).

Heidi discusses her local food recipes and resources; we get printed hand outs to take home with us.  Sweeping her hand over to point to a large table, piled high with food, she tell us, “Pretty much everything, except the olive oil, salt and a few spices on that table was sourced yesterday on the Saanich Peninsula.” This is going to form our communal dinner, comprising of roasted asparagus crostini, garlic braised chard crostini, a Westcoast variety of Nicoise salad with pan seared salmon, garlic anchovy broccoli, roasted chicken with potatoes and a no bake cheesecake.

Heidi pairs us up, assigning recipes and floats through the room giving us pointers and filling the air with her anecdotes and laughter.  The kitchen is bustling with the sounds of chopping and sizzling and the scents of garlic, lemon, thyme, roasted asparagus and chicken. My partner Corine and I were tasked with making the No Bake Dreamy Cheesecake, using Saanich-grown wheat flour from The Roost, chevre goat cheese from Hilary’s Cheese Co. and super ripe strawberries from Oldfield Orchard.  The result was light, creamy… and dreamy… and not goatish at all!

The class paused midway, while Heidi showed the class how to fillet a salmon (from Finest at Sea) and cut up a whole chicken (from Mill Bay’s Terra Nossa).  A good tip for locavores: buy 6 chickens at a time, cut ‘em up and you’ve got a good pile of wings, drumsticks, and a dozen breasts on the cheap: about $5/lb.  We all wrapped up our plates and sat around the big table for our delicious, multi-course meal.  The asparagus crostini, roast chicken and to-die-for potatoes came out the clear winners by vote.

Chef Heidi Fink offers several Local Cooking classes a year, each featuring season-specific local foods and recipes.  You can catch her next hands-on dinner version Thursday, July 21st, 6-9:30pm at the new Cook Culture, downtown at Blanchard and Johnson ($85). Or she also has one focusing on Bountiful Berries (jams, desserts) sooner, on Thursday, July 7th, also at Cook Culture.

It’s more greens this week… a personal fave, spinach, procured from our neighbour. I know there’s a lot going around about nettles (Heidi Fink has an excellent recipe), but I wanted to bring this back to the basics. And try the different shape for myself: the triangle fold. (I usually do spanakopita layered in a pan.)

Ingredients

1 bunch spinach, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
phyllo pastry
2-3 eggs
olive oil
cheese, grated Parmesean or crumbled feta
you may also include finely chopped green onions or leeks, but one person of our party is not keen on them

Prep/Cook

1. Plan ahead with phyllo: most comes packaged frozen; be sure to thaw in the fridge overnight
2. Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium
3. Fry garlic 30-60 seconds until fragrant
4. Stir in chopped spinach and wilt until bright green
5. Turn off burner, stir in eggs and allow to set slightly, but not cook, so the mixture is less liquidy
6. Drop 2-3 tbsp of the mix into the center of two sheets of phyllo pastry and fold up in a triangle pattern
7. Place spaced apart on a flat pan and brush with oil
8. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes until golden; keep an eye on it!

It’s a great day for a picnic as I write this, so we’re taking ours into the outdoors! These are much more portable than the whole pan!

Broccoli from the neighbour

Speaking of light, it was actually the absence of it that set this post in motion. Good things can come from power outages. Last week I was mid-work on the computer and the hydro went out (I later phoned and found out a major switch had blown, leaving 10,000 Sookites without power). So I took my still-warm tea and walked across the street to check if my neighbours had power and noticed she had a handwritten sign advertising fresh, organic produce for sale.

Right under my nose, spring has sprung and we’re well blasting our way to summer in only three more weeks. Things are GROWING! I bought some wonderful broccoli (featured here), three heads of lettuce (we eat a lot of salad), and a huge pile of amazing looking/smelling spinach. Got my greens!

Oil + Vinegar Salad Dressing

Ingredients

SALAD:
2 cups whole grain pasta (kamut)
1 head of broccoli, roughly chopped
1/2 red pepper, diced
handful of pine nuts
you could also include tomatoes, olives, mushrooms; and pepitas, sunflower seeds or slivered almonds

DRESSING:
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar (balsalmic)
2 tbsp honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh oregano
you could also use fresh basil

Prep/Cook

1. Boil noodles 8 minutes; strain, pouring water into another bowl
2. Blanche broccoli in the just boiled water for 2 minutes until bright green; strain
3. Mix dressing well, then mix with salad ingredients; serve

Broccoli Pasta Salad

It is Nettle season. This is our third year harvesting and enjoying these early spring delicacies. We have come to look forward to their arrival as a harbinger of new spring growth (of the edible variety). It still amazes me that the plant so dreaded on childhood hikes for its sneaky sting on an uncovered arm or leg is now cherished and enjoyed as a healing spring tonic.

We are working with our friend and neighbour Stephanie Cottell (registered holistic nutritionist, peasant farmer and wildcrafter) to gather these high quality, spring delicacies for delivery to the new Fairfield Market this Thursday. If you don’t have a reliable source to forage for clean, unpolluted nettles then we recommend that you contact Jennifer to place your order for the first (and most potent) harvest of the season.

Nettles (Urtica Dioica):
- are a valuable source of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Beta Carotene, Calcium and Iron
- are a good source of chlorophyll
- have a very high plant protein content
- help to reduce seasonal allergy symptoms
- grow prolifically without the need for high input agricultural practices
- taste great and are very versatile

Be warned: Raw nettles produce substances that irritate the skin. Wear gloves or use tongs when handling uncooked Nettles! Once these babies are steamed, dried, sautéed or baked they lose their sting!

Helpful Hint: There is almost always a volunteer “nurse” plant growing close by to any nettle patch. If you do get a bit of a nettle sting, just look out for the leaf of the Broad-leaved Dock (Rumex Obtusifolius). Tear off a small piece and rub it onto the area of irritation. It magically soothes the burning sensation. Ah… wonderful nature!

Creamy Nettle Pasta Sauce

2 cups nettles (50 g)
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
2 cups milk, cream or combo
olive oil
4-6 large mushrooms
freshly ground pepper
pinch nutmeg

Wearing gloves or using tongs, place raw nettles into a vegetable steamer and steam for about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Chop onions and begin to sauté in a little olive oil while you crush and chop the garlic and slice the mushrooms. Add these to the onion, and sauté gently for a few minutes. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and slowly stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, and then slowly add the milk. Continue to stir as the sauce thickens. Once the sauce has thickened reduce the heat to minimum and add sea salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Using kitchen scissors, roughly chop up the the steamed nettles into the sauce, add the cooked onion mixture and give it all a gentle stir. Serve over your favourite pasta and top with freshly grated asiago or parmesan cheese.

Bon appétit!

Nettles are handpicked on our farms (Sister Moon and Jollity) on Thetis Island, BC with respect for our Earth and gratitude for her abundance.

Written by Stephanie Cottell and Elisabeth Bond. Photos by Elisabeth and Noah Bond.

We are all going to have to wait a little longer for the boom in local soft fruits and delicacies like asparagus but one BC grown item that did appear to be in abundance came in the shape of apples, which I assume have just been well stored.

Now I must admit that this foray into “local” food is rather lackluster this time around and I promise the next post will include a far greater effort on my part. Keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks for Lapin Au Vin (or local rabbit in wine…).

Anyway, onwards with the apples. I was inspired recently by a very good friend of mine called Liz Benotti and her own excellent blog called Once Upon a Tomato. In the last week she had posted a recipe for squash pie and included what looked like a fool proof recipe for homemade short-crust pastry.

So I found myself with a ready supply of BC Granny Smiths and a great recipe for pastry. What else could I make but an apple pie?! The thing is that one problem with not having lived in Victoria for a long time and living on a limited budget I don’t really have a fully stocked kitchen to work with.

Making a pie without a pie tin poses a number of problems so my alternative involved a miniature muffin tin I had bought a few months previous in order to make miniature Yorkshire puddings, as an unusual and distinctly British canapé option.

What follows therefore is my recipe for Spiced Apple Tartlets. As with many recipes these days you could trace the origins of this particular creation to a number of locations, (including my friend’s blog). I have no doubt that there are many apple tart and pie experts out there, all I can say is that these tartlets were made on Saturday and were all gone by Monday night. Their size makes them perfect for sharing and giving away (two batches of mine were gifted to friends) and this recipe makes around 24-26.

the recipe: spiced apple tartlets

Ingredients:

Pastry:
(I reduced the amount by around half from Liz’s original recipe as I knew I wouldn’t need as much. I also made this by hand as I don’t have a magimix or comparable kitchen aid).

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (local option available from True Grain Bakery)
1 teaspoon sugar
Dash of salt

1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Method:

1. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make sure it is well combined.

2. Add the butter and rub through the flour mix until you reach a consistency of small bread crumbs. For perfectly smooth pastry you want the butter to be well distributed throughout the flour mix.

3. Make sure you hands are cold and very slowly add the iced water, leaving the ice cubes behind! Mix with either your hands or a wooden spoon, adding more and more water until you have a smooth dough forming. Do not add too much water, it is best done in segments, continually checking the consistency.

4. When it is ready form into a smooth ball and place in a plastic bag and put in the fridge for at least 30mins.

Filling:

2x Medium Organic BC Granny Smith Apples (or any other cooking apple)
½ – 1 cup of unrefined caster sugar
Tsp ground ginger
Tsp ground cinnamon
Few rasps of fresh nutmeg (or ½ Tsp if using ready ground)
Dash of Vanilla extract or the seeds from one vanilla pod
A dash of either milk, light cream or water in order to ensure the filling doesn’t dry up. Add as needed.

Method:

1. Peel the apples and chop into ¼ inch or 1/2cm cubes. You want them fairly regular for presentation and smaller than you would cut for a large tart or pie.

2. Add ¾ of these to a bowl and reserve the rest for adding to the tarts just before baking (this allows you to pre-cook the mixture and keep some apple pieces uncooked for a greater depth of texture).

3. Add the sugar (the amount will change according to the original sweetness of the apples. Give them a taste test first) to the bowl, with the cinnamon, ginger nutmeg and vanilla. Mix this well ensuring the sugar is distributed throughout the apple.

4. Place the mixture in a large saucepan and heat gently, making sure the sugar doesn’t burn and the mixture remains moist. This is where the water, cream or milk would come in.

5. When this process is ready the pastry should be nicely cooled and rested and can be taken out of the fridge and rolled on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm. Once again I don’t have a suitable rolling pin, but an empty bottle of Jameson’s performed the task just fine.

6. Cut the pastry into suitably sized rounds, you can see from the image I used an old tin from Victoria’s Silkroad Tea shop as it fitted my miniature muffin tin perfectly.

7. Lightly butter the tin and push the rounds deep into the recesses. If the pastry is well rested and well made the pastry should flex and stretch without splitting.

8. Add the pre-cooked apple mixture and top with the uncooked apple pieces. Overfill the tartlets as the mixture will puff through cooking and recede almost immediately after taking out of the oven (if you want them to look full then I suggest you serve them piping hot).

9. Put the tray on the middle shelf of a preheated oven (about 375f). Keep an eye on them to ensure they just colour and the apple pieces don’t burn (they took about 20-25mins). When the pastry is nicely browned take them out and serve immediately, or leave them to cool on a wire rack.

These turned out great and were well received by all. The sweetness and spice level was just right, but you can adjust to your own tastes. I served them on their own but would go great warmed with a serving of vanilla ice cream or sweetened, whipped cream.

Try them out and let us know how you got on. All those tart and pie making experts out there should also put their two cents in. What’s your favourite pie filling? Any secrets to that perfect pastry crust?

Once again, thanks for reading I hope you are all enjoying the lovely spring weather.

Wednesday, March 23rd at 5:30pm
at Canoe Brewpub 450 Swift Street

If you missed the sold out screening at this year’s Victoria Film Festival, here is your chance to watch the film and enjoy some delicious food and drink.

Catch the dirt on local and sustainable farming practices. Meet new and seasoned farmers alike. Get the buzz on the local bee community. Be inspired to plant your own food. Find out how you can support small scale local farms. Learn more about the future of local food security.

Canoe’s expert chefs have prepared amazing organic delicacies with greens from Saanich Organics, fish from Finest at Sea and mushrooms foraged by Eric Whitehead of Untamed Feast. Enjoy a refreshing complimentary glass of Kings and Spies from Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse.

Advance tickets are $35 and $30 for Slow Food members.
Tickets are also being sold at the Cascadia Liquor Stores at Quadra & McKenzie in Victoria and in Colwood at the corner of Kelly Road and Hatley Park Plaza.

These springtime signals are clearly visible to anyone who cares to look up (or down) as they walk through Victoria. One of the hidden elements of spring, however runs deep within the trees themselves and comes in the form of tree sap. An elixir of life which flows through the internal workings of all trees, transporting energy to the newly budding flowers and fruits that are starting to reveal themselves after a long dormant winter season.

It may at first appear that this life giving liquid is reserved solely for the benefit of the trees themselves. There are, however, a number of species where the sap can be tapped for our own consumption. The famous Canadian icon that is Maple Syrup is an obvious example of this kind of propagation, but there is a simpler and easier way to access tree sap and benefit from its life giving qualities.

The Birch tree, with its often slender trunk and silver or white papery bark stands out amongst many species found on Vancouver Island and beyond. Its sap can be tapped in the middle two weeks of March (or later if Spring is taking its time to kick in), and is apparently very high in Vitamin C, something we could all use to recover from the illnesses of the winter season.

I had spotted two or three large Birch trees in my local park and had remembered a recipe for Birch sap wine I had read from a foraging and wild foods book called “A Cook on the Wild Side” written by one of my favourite English “celebrity” chefs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. While I didn’t feel that I had time for the long fermenting and racking processes that come with home made wine, I did want to access some of that vitamin packed liquid, especially as it seemed like such a simple process, with no harm coming to the tree and the benefits to myself.

So, this morning I followed the instructions presented in HFW’s recipe and selected the tree I wanted to tap. After boring a shallow (around 1/2-1″) upwards facing hole about 2ft from the base of the tree I inserted a length of plastic pipe and put the other end in a leftover jug I had used for homemade cider during the summer.

After making sure that the sap was running from the tree I left the bottle to fill for an hour or so. The sap was still running fairly freely when I returned and this short period left with about 1 1/2 cups of Birch sap sitting in the bottom of the jug. This amount suited my needs and so I made sure to plug the hole with a piece of old wine cork and pack it with mud to prevent the tree from bleeding unnecessarily and to stop any infection from getting in.

The sap itself looks quite unremarkable, with a consistency of slightly viscous water and a subtle yellow colouration. The taste is very subtle too, sweet but not too sweet, very refreshing, with a texture that coats the tongue and a subtle fragrant aftertaste.

As I mentioned earlier, my first introduction to Birch sap was through the recipe recounted in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s cook book (available through his website). If I had the time and the space I would no doubt attempt to recreate this very cost effective (and by all accounts very delicious) alcoholic beverage. For the moment I am happy just sampling this strange and refreshing liquid, straight from the tree. Besides, if it is good for the tree and provides all the energy it needs to bedeck it with the lush green foliage and blossom throughout the spring and summer months then I can only hope it imparts some of that goodness onto me.

Let us know if you have any experience with tapping tree sap, of all different kinds, and if you have attempted any of the more complex processing methods to take it beyond its initial liquid state. If you do try this yourself, please respect the tree you are tapping, only take as much as you need and ensure you leave it in as good condition as possible.

Thank you for reading, we look forward to hearing from you.

Photos and article by Gareth Clayton

Most farmers will have spent many a dark wintery night pouring over their farm plans, seed catalogues and planting schedules awaiting the last frost and signs that spring will soon be on the way. Perhaps you do the same thing on a smaller scale whether it’s for your backyard plot, community garden, greenhouse or apartment balcony. I’d like to hope that the last frost came and went last week and it’s time to get serious about the first plantings of the year. The middle of this month is a great time to get seeds going inside near a bright sunny window or in a greenhouse. (we have our tomatoes and leeks on a warming mat and they are looking very happy so far!!)

Why buy local seeds you may ask?

1. It is another way to support your local farmers. Seed saving is an important part of harvest allowing farmers to be self-sufficient and create another revenue stream.
2. Seeds from local plants have adapted themselves to the climate, soil conditions and ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest. They are more resistant to pest in our region.
3. You can connect with your local growers and seed savers. Ask questions, share information and seek advice from the very people who have experience growing these particular plants.
4. Put money back into our local economy and avoid the big companies who threaten to spread terminator seeds around the globe.
5. Save and share open pollinated and heirloom seeds to preserve local plant heritage.
6. Enjoy the best tasting vegetables grown from quality, organic and lovingly preserved seeds.

Where can you find local seeds?

Seedy Saturdays

Victoria
February 19th, 10am – 4pm
Victoria Conference Centre (720 Douglas Street)
Admission: $7, under 12 free
Get all the details on vendors and speakers here.

Sooke
February 26, 10am – 3pm
Sooke Community Hall, 2037 Shields Road (across from Legion)
More info!

Courtenay
Filberg Centre, 411 Anderton Ave (downtown Courtenay)
March 5th, 10am – 3pm
Early bird wristbands: $6 Door: $8
Visit the site!

Gabriola Island
Seedy Saturday and Spring Fair
March 5th, 11am – 3pm
More info!

Nanaimo
(Seedy Sunday)March 6th, 10am – 3pm
Bowen Park Auditorium, 500 Bowen Road
Admission: $3
More info!

Cobble Hill
March 12th, 10am – 3pm
Cobble Hill Hall, 3550 Watson Avenue
Don’t miss guest speaker, Dan Jason of Saltspring Seeds at 1pm “How to start a community seed bank”
Email for more info!

Duncan
March 26, 10am – 3pm
Mercury Theatre, 331 Brae Road
More info!

If you can’t make it to any of these island seed events there are still local seed companies that you can connect with.
Jump back to our 12 Days of Shopping Local: Seeds! to find some useful links.

Here is a quick reference list:
Seeds of Victoria
Full Circle Seeds
Old Country Seeds
Saltspring Island Seeds
Brother Nature Organic Seeds
Stellar Seeds

Happy Seed Shopping & Planting! We’d love to hear about some of your most unique purchases or trades!

On the 12th Day of Christmas shopping locally…

Well, actually the shopping is all done and now its just time to enjoy yourself. Kick back, cozy up at home with friends and family and make a toast to the season.

Thanks to all of you for your participation and support and for choosing LOCAL. We wish you all a very merry festive season full of laughter and jolly fun.

From all of us at Get Fresh! Elisabeth, Noah, Lucas, Sherry, Matthew and Caprina.