Local doesn't = easy

Like the title of the entry states, I've come to learn that eating local isn't easy. Well, maybe not the eating part, that has always come naturally to me. But actually acquiring locally farmed food, on a student budget, that's a different story. This got me thinking. Naturally I LOVE to cook, but what about people who don't like cooking, or if you're anything like my boyfriend, can't cook. I decided to try and find some restaurants that offer fare made with local ingredients. I found some interesting stuff.

Check out Now Magazines online entry about the topic here

I also found THIS and LOVEEEEE IT!

I always enjoy reading Toronto Life, it makes me feel like a real grown-up. All of these are great too!

P.S. Check this out while you're at it.

-Angela

Gardening

I love gardening! Being in school full-time and working upwards of 25 hours a week makes it hard to keep track of a garden. This year I kept it simple, some beans, basil, mint and parsley. The pictures at the end are of my landlady's garden. (she's retired, that'ss my excuse for my garden paling in comparison.

Happy Gardening,

   Angela

Hello Readers!!
 Please check out Kaitlyn and Joan's video on fresh farm eggs. They've cooked a meal using eggs that were laid only hours prior. Will their family notice a difference? Watch and find out!

Their Vid here:
FARM FRESH

Also, there are some other blogs about foraging that I like to follow:

Island Menu:
Here

Adventures in Local Food:
Right Here

Seasonal Ontario Food:
Right Over Here!

What are some of your favourite blogs/ blogs about foraging?

Interesting videos Po-Yu

Here are some videos about different chef's views about different ingredients and or production methods that has been controversial. Enjoy!!

Dan Barber-How I fell in love with a fish:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EUAMe2ixCI

Dan Barber-A suprising parable foie gras:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvrgD0mAFoU

Anthony Bourdain-Foie Gras Not Cruel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABeWlY0KFv8

Janet Street Porter-Ethical Foie Gras:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5c4TXfDHZY

Gordon Ramsay- Ethical Foie Gras vs Force Fed Foie Gras:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykLsoQBmM1c&feature=relmfu

Cook It Raw Japan Po-Yu

Interesting episode of No Reservations "cook it raw". Where the event Cook It Raw invites top chefs from all over the world such as chef rene redzepi from Noma, David Chang from Momofuku and much more to cook up a meal composed of multiple courses using foraging ingredients for food critics all over the world.

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE16oNXjnh4
 Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rTHYQT92kE
Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cUMRNsB59g

Food Test - Organic Chicken vs Non-Organic Chicken - Po-Yu

Organic chicken versus non-organic chicken

Purpose: To test if there was any difference between organic and non-organic chicken in the aspects of taste, texture, smell, aroma appearance and how they cook.

Thesis: The organic chicken is going to trump the non-organic ones in every category.

I went to St. Lawrence Market and purchased one organic chicken breast from Witteveen Meats; skin on bone on for $12.99/pound and the net price of $13.12. I also purchased 2 whole bone-less, skin off chicken breast (which was stuck together and only found out after purchase) for the price of $5.99/pound and the net price is $6.99.

As I was trimming the organic chicken breast I found out that the skin is thicker and tougher than non-organic chicken and harder to pull off too. After trimming the only difference I noticed were the sizes. Organic chicken seems to be a little bit bigger while non-organic chicken is smaller, but the difference was really subtle. Another subtle difference was the colour, organic chicken is “redder” than non-organic chicken.

As I was cooking it, the difference became more obvious. As soon as the non-organic chicken hit the hot pan, it shrunk like wet sponge under the sun while the organic chicken held its shape quite well. While cooking the chicken was cooking, the non-organic chicken felt softer to the touch while organic chicken was a little bit tougher to the touch. After pan searing, the chicken was then finished in a 375 oven for 5-7 minutes. (both internal temperature of 70)

After it was finished cooking, I let the meat rest for 10 minutes before cutting it. For the purpose of the taste test experiment, I didn’t put any seasoning before nor after cooking in order to get the true flavor of the chicken.

 
Non-organic chicken

 

Organic chicken

The non-organic chicken was a little bit dryer and tougher than the organic chicken, while organic chicken was a bit moister and tenderer. The non-organic chicken has that chicken flavor that we are all familiar with but the organic chicken have a completely different taste profile; it has a really subtle milky flavor. Organic chicken have a strong aroma coming from chewing the meat in my mouth while the non-organic chicken have hardly any aroma at all.

I thought adding some salt might change the result, but I was wrong, the result still stands by itself.

Conclusion: Non-organic chicken tastes totally different from organic chicken. Not saying that organic chicken tastes bad but it just doesn’t have the “chicken flavor” that we are all so familiar with, but then maybe that we are just too accustomed to the taste of non-organic chicken that we already forgotten what chicken should really taste like. Texture wise I do like the organic chicken a lot more than non-organic chicken. With the price of the organic chicken at $12.99/pound, for me as a student it is just simply too expensive. I’m sure there are more reason to purchase organic chicken than just the price such as health and ethical problems but for now, I would rather stick with the $5.99/pound chicken. 

"Wild" and Local in my Professional Life - Harris

At the conclusion of this project (and our first year in culinary school), I find myself deeply affected by the materials presented in works like The Omnivore's Dilemma and others.  It has become clearer and clearer to me that today's chef not only SHOULD but HAS TO adopt a more ethical, local, and wild mentality when it comes to food sourcing.

As this project has demonstrated, wild and fresh food is available all around us.  Whether it comes from a local ethical farm, a farmers' market, or simply through wild foraging in the city, we simply can't ignore the options presented to us for healthy, nutritious food.

As it affects me personally, this subject is at the heart of the business I want to open after school is finished.  My ideal restaurant is one that offers only local and seasonal food, avoiding mass production and extended food sourcing network chains.  Ontario and the GTA specifically offer a wide array of seasonal products as well as a tradition of food that helps bridge the gap between the seasons.  In my mind, there is no excuse for not engaging more directly with our food sourcing.  After having done this a little bit already here, I'm left with the feeling that I simply have no choice but to use local, wild, and seasonal products in my future business.

Harris