A Super Weekend Ahead

Tom and I were in Quebec City this weekend.  It’s very easy to get lost in the downtown, especially at night, twice.  Who made those streets anyway?

I told Carol we would eat in as many restaurants there as we could to get some ideas for our Fall Feast (more info on that to follow).  Our French Canadian neighbours certainly know how to put fabulous food on your plate.  One thing I noticed was that they use honey in many dishes.  I ate a pasta dish with various garden vegetables with pesto and Honey of all things.  It was wonderful.  I love pesto but the honey made for a really different taste, a subtle sweetness that took the edge off of the pesto for those who may not like that particular sharpness.

We also discovered a wonderful place which had local and organic foods.  We ate there twice.  For lunch on their sunny patio I had a warm beet salad with hard goat cheese julienned, arugula and truffle oil all topped with a poached egg.  I think there was honey in this dish as well.  For dinner there I ate the Herbed Risotto which, together with fresh herbs, had mushrooms and green shallots.  It was wonderful.   Rosemary grew in pots on the window sills.  Are more restaurants growing their own food and herbs these days or do I just migrate towards those that do?  This place has their own Bees!  On the roof!  How cool is that?  We bought a jar of their honey and I’m looking forward to using it for some unique dishes. 

The drive was spectacular as the leaves have changed much sooner than ours in Ontario.  Every bend in the road was a feast for our eyes.

On the way home we stopped at a small town gas station where they had huge, and I mean huge, bags of carrots, apples and corn kernels.  We were told they were for the deer.  I asked and in both broken languages and many hand signals the young lady there, Tom and I were able to communicate that the apples were not sprayed and an enthusiastic nod was given to me when I said “organic/biologique”.   So we bought a couple of bags for applesauce.  When we continued our drive I said to Tom how nice it was that they care so much about the deer but before I finished my sentence realized my error.  You get it, right?  They aren’t really for the deer at all.

While making Tomato Sauce yesterday I giggled to myself and thought I’d let you know that the vegetables are all roasted first, which sometimes leaves a bit of “burntness” to the tips of them that might be closer to the oven top.  If you see any little bits of blackness in your sauce that’s what they are.  I then run them through the food processor which allows me to keep all the nutritioness of the tomato seeds and peels rather than removing these like some other recipes call for. 

I added a new page to this blog named “Ingredients List” but I can’t figure out how to get it to actually be on the blog.  I’ve named it, added to it, published it, but it’s not there when I View Blog.  I don’t know, it’s frustrating. 

We ate spaghetti squash smothered in tomato sauce here last evening.  I had forgotten how much I like spaghetti squash.  Note to self: buy some at the market on Saturday.

I see the days for the week and weekend ahead should be wonderfully warm and sunny.  If you’re looking to put some deliciousness on your tables, indoors and out, this weekend please consider the following and keep in mind food such as jars of applesauce, granola, tomato sauce, salsa, and pesto also make nice hostess gifts :

Beets:  Chioggia, Reds and Golden Mix – or specify:  $3 / pound

Chard  $3/bag

Garlic  $3 and $2 each  depending on the size – please specify when ordering - thanks  

Herbs, dried:  Sage, Savory, Thyme – for your turkey stuffing  $3 / bundle of the three

Herbs, fresh:  Citrus Thyme, Dill, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Sage, Savory, Sorrel, Thyme  $2/bunch or $5/mixed bag

Kale – limited amounts – you really love your Kale   $3/bag

Onions, white, yellow  $2.50/pound  

Peppers, Alma Paprika  $4/pound  

Peppers, Sweet  $4/pound

Tomatoes  $3 pound  We’ll see what’s out there and pick what we can

Tomatoes, cherry  $4 pound  We’ll see what’s out there and pick what we can

Turnip  Purple Top White Globe, large  $3/pound

Applesauce:  (apples simmered gently with a cinnamon stick)  $4 / 500mL jar

Tomato Sauce  $6 500/mL jar:  (tomatoes, onions, garlic, sweet peppers, hot pepper, basil and/or parsley and/or oregano all grown here, organic olive oil and sea salt)  The sauce is sealed in jars and will keep for a year on the shelf.

Granola, with fruit (cherries and blueberries) $8 /500mL jar  (with pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon)

Granola, with nuts and fruit (cashews, walnuts and cranberries) $10 /500mL jar (with pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon)

Pesto  $4.50 /125mL jar (organic basil grown here, parmesan cheese, organic olive oil, walnuts, organic garlic grown here, sea salt, pepper)  I made extra last week and froze it. 

Salsa, sealed in jars  (heirloom/organic tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers, apple cider vinegar, organic lemon juice, Tomato  paste made from tomatoes grown and dehydrated here,  jalapenos, garlic, oregano, cilantro, cumin, brown sugar, paprika, sea salt)  $8 / 500mL jar

Sprouts:  $3/bag

Ancient Eastern Blend (fenugreek, lentils, kamut & adzuki)

Crunchy Bean Mix  (peas, lentils & garbanzos)

Sandwich Booster  (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard)  

Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover) 

Day Brighteners is a non-certified organic farm, where we practice sustainability and environmentally-friendly farming.  We use non-GMO seeds and products and take pride in all we do.  You are very welcome to drop by most days, but if it’s picking/packing/delivery day you take your chances on the tour.  Calling or emailing first is a good idea.  We do appreciate your business very much and would like to hear from you with any comments you have.  

If you'd like to purchase any of the above items, I'd be happy to provide them if available after our regular customers have ordered.  Perhaps you might like to be added to our Weekly Delivery List.  I send my email out every Wednesday, collect orders Thursdays and deliver Fridays (or another day convenient to us and you if you're not too close to home).  See Contact information and email or call me.  Thanks.

Until next post, have a great every day.  

Jo