Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, Ontario


(download)
Saturday farmers' market and community skate at the Evergreen Brickworks.

Williams Orchards, Fonthill, ON

(download)
Road trip out to the apple stand.

Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls-Queenston-NOTL, ON

(A lovely fall Sunday afternoon made even better by a long drive along the Niagara Parkway + added side adventures with my family.)

(download)

Heritage!

(download)

Trails!

(download)

Food!

(download)
Water!

This ends what is essentially the briefest possible synopsis of Leaf Beaten.

Nelles Manor & Ontario Fruit - Grimsby, ON

-23

Nelles Manor, built between 1788-1798. One of the few houses of this vintage to survive the War of 1812.

(download)

Sweet plumbs, Bartlett pears, McIntosh apples, grapes, nectarines from the Grimsby Farmers Market: Will not survive the week. (I'm making crumble! And maybe apple jelly.)

Eating: Jam Today.

(download)

Spiced Fig and Pear Jam & 3-Citrus Marmalade with my good friend Jackie K.'

("The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday - but never jam to-day.")

Eating: Ontario Beets, Two Pecks, Pickled

(download)

Pickling beets is a near-annual event in my house, something my Dad and his buddies do almost every year. The beets they use always come from the Port Colborne Farmers Market and are well-known as the best you've ever tasted. (These jars only come out at special occasions.) This year I asked if I could help, and they obliged! Mine were the tenderfoot jobs: Cutting the tops and bottoms off of the raw beets, watching the pots so they don't boil over, peeling the skins, and of course post-pickling clean up.

But I also learned a lot. (There are four pecks to a bushel, and 2 pecks to a half bushel.)

And now have two small jars of my very own.

Eating: Thai Cold Spring Rolls

-29
I droped by the Canadian National Exhibition (Aka the Ex!) on route to a Toronto FC game on Saturday.

Although the food building at the Ex is mostly famous for its donut hamburgers, one dollar sausages, beaver tails and deep fried cola, I also found these naturally gluten-free vegetarian tofu cold spring rolls at the thai food booth for only two dollars. They were each bigger than my face. Lets just leave it at that.

-27

Also: Sports.

 

Eating: Socca!!!

-4
Socca is the best food ever.

It's naturally gluten free & vegan. Also: It's what is for dinner. Also: Effing delicious. Also: Chickpea flour is super cheap & always in my pantry.

Hike: Ball's Falls Conservation Area - Lincoln, ON

-21

Natural Heritage:

(download)

Built Heritage:

(download)

Cultural Heritage:

(download)

Chocolate:

(download)

The four pillars. Enroute to my hometown, I decided to take a pit stop at one of my favourite places to hike as a kid.

-13

I also ran into this group of kayakers, the sort who when they see this:

(download)

Think "Let's run the falls."

More on Ball's Falls at Ontario Trails

And at the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority

Farmers Market, Welland, Ontario

(download)

I bought a bunch of leeks for soup, and a bushel of applies to make all sorts of things with.

Niagara Wine Tour: Beautiful Ontario

(download)

Took the long way home from Niagara to Toronto, stopped in at a few wineries along the way.

Ask me some time just how much I love Ontario.

Move It + Dom Pérignon + Field + Boat Shoes

(download)

The Move

(download)

 

The Celebration

(download)

Field Trip

Photo
Papa's Boat Shoes

 

Adventure: We Have Pies, Honey.

(download)

Heritage farm tour.

-18

Homemade quinoa vegetable soup. (A beautiful day can still be chilly.)

After the Storm

-30
-28
-25
-27
-29
-24
-23
-26
-22
-21
-20

Frye Copper Erin Oxfords - Part II

-14

The jury is still out on my Frye Erin Oxfords. I love the simple capped-toe style, but they seem a bit lengthy. I take a size 8.5-9 and the 9 is about a quarter of an inch too long to say they fit well.

-15

As for the quality: Well, I'll let you know. I'm less than impressed with the soles, but they may hold out better than I predict. This is my first pair of oxfords, there is definetly a learning curve or two for me to travel.

-13

For now: Leftovers.

Oh Canada Wild Rice!

-12

As per The Plan, I picked up a cotton sack of On Canada Wild Rice to try at the Metro near my work. It is gathered and roasted locally, in Keewatin, Ontario.

-11

It comes with a small recipe book, including with nutritional info and cooking instructions.

Wild rice is low in fat and high in protein, lysine (an amino acid) and dietary fiber. It is a good source of potassium, phosphorus, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. And importantly for me it is also gluten free!

It takes longer than traditional rice to cook, about 1 hour in total, but it was well worth the wait.

-8

Incidently, it is also delicious! I served the wild rice with yellow thai curry and fresh greens. Wild rice is roasted, like coffee, and has a rich, nutty flavor. It's texture is a lot like long grain traditional rice, even though wild rice is biologically not related to traditional rice. Even my extra-picky partner gave wild rice a thumbs up!

-7

After dinner I took Bismarck out for a walk. We chased this gaggle of Canada Geese out of the road.

-10

Oh Canada!

Back to my Quiet Life

Oatmeal

Hot oatmeal and cool sun.

-6

Bachelorette

I'm going to a bachelorette party tonight. As an offering to the lady-goddesses, I'm making my famous vegetarian jello shooters.

-2

Bring to boil:

1 cup Pomegranate Juice

1.5 tsp Agar Agar powder

1/4 cup sugar

Stir until dissolved.

-3

Remove from heat, add:

1 cup vodka of choice

The vodka should be stored in the freezer for best results.

-1

Pour into shooter cups, place in the fridge.

Let set, abou 1 hour.

-4

Prepare thy stomach with gluten-free gnocchi.

Have a good night :)

The Plan: OH CANADA! Wild Rice

Picture_7

I spotted a cotton sack of OH CANADA wild rice on the shelf of my local Metro. I was looking for quinoa, so passed it by, but I regret it now.

I've read about wild rice as an imporant First Nations food resource, and about wild rice related artefacts from an archaeological perspective, but never considered tracking the grain down to try!

I will report back.