A Tour of Hidden Gems

On Wednesday I met up with a new friend, Sybil. I had learned of her via her own blog called 'Eastern Passage Passage' (see: http://crittersnus.blogspot.ca/ ). I came across her blog when I was initially researching areas around Halifax in which to live and ended up going back to it a few times to read more.

This is what her blog is about (in her words): "In 2009 I retired and suddenly moved from the home and life and friends I knew to a new home in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia. "It's an adventure" I told my friends. I am not sure if I am running TO something or AWAY from something. Old age ? Boredom ? Not sure. But I'm here and this blog will be about my life here. This latest "passage" in my life will be spent in Eastern Passage."

Isn't that great? On her blog, she posts about various 'adventures' she has in Eastern Passage and in other areas throughout Nova Scotia with her friends and her two dogs. It's quite fascinating actually.

We ended up talking over email for a few weeks and decided to meet once we arrived. We met on Wednesday and she took myself and my daughter on a scenic tour of the area. Here are just a few of the things that we did...

We started the tour by visiting the Cow Bay Moose and then made our way out to the Surfer's Boardwalk. We learned many new things about the landscape, rocks, and frogs.

We then made our way out to a special 'Secret Beach' and spent a lot of time collecting rocks and various shells. There were quite a few surfers out but we didn't get to see any actually catch a wave. Maybe next time!

Aaaaaahhh! What's that? Oh it's just a crab. It wasn't alive though. Whew!

Our next stop was to the Rainbow Haven Provincial Park, a beach. We had lots of fun here. My daughter loved sneaking up to the waves and then running away from them before she got wet. We'll have to go back another day to spend some time in the water or to make sandcastles in the sand.

Back in the Passage we headed out to Shore Rd for a different view of things. This one is just a short walk from my house!

Wasn't it just the most beautiful day? It couldn't have been any better.

There were quite a few shells at this spot. My daughter went a little crazy and started herself a collection. I think we'll be filling the house with many different varieties of shells in the years to come.

You know what I love about Nova Scotia? I love that there are wild flowers growing everywhere. It makes everything look so beautiful.

Our last stop was at Hartlen Point (also in Eastern Passage). This would be such a great place to sit and have a picnic. I think we'll have to do that soon actually...

Isn't it great how every ocean front view is completely different from the next? Most of them were only just a few kilometres away from each other, but yet each provided their own perspective.

All in all, we had a wonderful afternoon. We saw many things that we wouldn't have known about otherwise and learned a lot about the area's history. Believe it or not, all of these stops were no more than 10 minutes away from my home.

Thanks for the hospitality Sybil!!

Alderney Landing Wednesday Market

Yesterday my daughter and I ventured out to the new Wednesday market at Alderney Landing in Dartmouth. Alderney Landing is one of the two areas people get onto the commuter ferry between Dartmouth and Halifax. What I have learned is that the ferry is actually part of the transit system - one regular bus ticket or use of the monthly pass will get you on it. Not bad, eh? I thought that was pretty cool anyways.

At the Landing there is a Saturday and now a Wednesday Farmers' Market. I haven't been to the Saturday market here yet (sheesh - give me a chance! I've only been living here a week!) but figured I'd check out the Wednesday one to pick up a few things. There weren't many vendors but it was still worth the trip. Apparently the biggest day is the Saturday (which is typical of most markets).

The main vendor on site was Noggins Corner Farm. From the Annapolis Valley, they had a large variety of items on hand. Another vendor told me that it looks like they'll be a permanent fixture at the Landing very soon, which means they'll be there every day. That's great news for me because with just a short drive I would be able to pick up fresh produce whenever I want. I think I'll need to drive out to the valley and visit this farm though - I'm intrigued! From looking at their website I learned that they have 175 acres of orchards in which they grow 52 varieties of apples, pears, plums, peaches, and raspberries. In addition to that they also farm 80 acres of sweet corn, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, peas, and peppers. Wow!!

Our haul for the day included a bunch of rhubarb, some broccoli, carrots, asparagus and snap peas. I also got some haddock from Evan's Fresh Seafood as well.

While we were there we visited the library at the same time so we also had some books in our haul. I love to read, especially before bed, and have been dying to check out the library and get a few books to read. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone!

The only downside to the market - I had to pay for parking... Oh well, now that I know my way around I should be able to put in a small amount and make my way in and out quickly.

Once we got home I realized that the haddock was the first seafood that I had purchased since our arrival to the East Coast. Woot! I kept it simple for dinner though - just cooked in a bit of butter with salt, pepper and lemon/dill seasoning. It was delicious!

Because there was still some fish (and potato) left over from yesterday I ended up making fishcakes for dinner tonight. Fishcakes are extremely simple - I used equal amounts of fish and mashed potatoes (around a cup and a half each) and mixed in one egg that had been beaten. I seasoned with salt and pepper and then made patties. I like to refrigerate them at this point because it helps them stay together.

To fry them it's important to make sure that you are using a very hot pan and some oil. If the pan isn't hot enough then the patties will just end up absorbing the oil and becoming soggy. A hot pan is what gives you crispy cakes. Fry on both sides until cooked through. Top with tartar sauce or ketchup.

Fish cakes can be made with any leftover fish - salmon, lobster, cod, etc..

My Clothesline

I absolutely love drying my clothes outside. At my old house I had two retractable lines that went between my shed and the fence. At this new house I have a 'real' clothesline, a real traditional one. Was I excited? Yes! Of course I was!

Why do I love using a clothesline? Well, the main reason is because it's free. It's not just that though, I find it very relaxing to be outside putting my clothes out and then later when I take them down. I love that the sun and the wind are doing all of the work and that it keeps my clothing from shrinking and reduces wear-and-tear. Another bonus is that my clothes smell good.

After being out on the line I typically put them in a dryer for 5-10 minutes just to fluff them up and kill any spiders or bugs that may have gotten into them. Instead of using dryer sheets I use dryer balls, and not the popular blue plastic ones; I use these BaaLLS - http://baalls.com/. I love them - I've had them for over a year now and they're still in perfect condition. Who needs the extra chemicals from those dryer sheets? Yuck!

The only recurring issue with drying clothes outside is is whether or not to put our underwear out for public viewing out there.... I don't. What ends up happening is that I have all of our other 'whites' drying on the line and the underwear drying from within the basket in a pile. By the time the rest of the clothing is dry the underwear are still damp. It's an issue that I deal with every time.

The solution? I bought a folding drying rack yesterday. With that rack I'll be able to put the clothes on the line and then hang the underwear on the rack on my deck, out of view.

Look at that! I put it all together all by myself! Yeah, I'm not a very handy person so I was pretty proud of myself for doing it. Here it is (below), without underwear, but with extra towels that didn't fit on the line. If I'm not willing to hang my underwear out on the line, do you really think I'd post pictures of them on my blog? Don't think so! LOL

I took those pictures yesterday. Today was different.... We had a pretty large rain storm with high winds and at one point when I was in the kitchen I heard a bang on my deck and when I looked outside I saw that my clothesline had completely broken off the tree it was hooked up to. I was sad. 

Looks like my husband will be installing a new clothesline for me...and quickly! I'm going to go off and cry in a corner right now (insert sad face here). Not really, but you know what I mean.

Sigh...

I'm Back!!

Wow - has it really been 2 weeks since I last posted anything? Sheesh!

Well, I suppose that I 'have' been just a little busy these days. We moved out of our home in London on June 15th and then eventually moved into our new home in Nova Scotia on the 21st. Since then we've been busy unpacking, painting, shopping for furniture, etc.. We're not done yet, but we're slowly getting there.

The process was really hard. It wasn't so much the move itself, but what it did to my health. Eating out every day is not something that I enjoy AT ALL. After a few days of that I really started to feel sluggish, tired and depressed. I longed to have my kitchen back and to be able to cook my own (real) food.

Thankfully I was able to do just that as of the 22nd. I didn't make it to any Farmers Markets that day, but managed to get a few things at the grocery store. Good news is that they had local strawberries for just $2.99. I keep telling myself 'baby steps,..baby steps..' It'll take a while before I find all of the local markets and producers in the area. On Saturday, however, I did pick up a few things from Taproot Farms right here in Eastern Passage in the Emma's Restaurant parking lot and it looks like there is a Wednesday market in Dartmouth that I'll try and check out this week. I'll be sure to do blog posts on each of them very soon.

Since I was able to cook my own food again I've seen my energy levels go up quite significantly. This morning, for instance, I threw in some kale into my morning smoothie. We've also eaten a lot of strawberries some salad. Mmmm...fruits and vegetables!!! It's amazing how you really start craving them when you go without for a few days.

That being said, we did indulge in a small treat today. We had to buy a couch for our living room and made our way out to the Bayers Lake Business area in Halifax to see what they had at The Brick. On our way there I spotted 'Susie's Shortbreads' shop from the corner of my eye. I have been following them on Twitter for a while and knew that I had to go and check it out. My daughter had no problem with that. I knew she wouldn't mind!

It took a while for us to decide what we were going to get but we eventually settled on the Peppermint Patty cupcake. It was delicious! On our grey and dreary afternoon it managed to lift our spirits somewhat. We got back on track again after our 'treat'; we had a salad for dinner.

Next time we visit I'll have to give their shortbread cookies a try. They looked pretty darn yummy!

Eating Real, Being Real in Nova Scotia

Did you notice the title of this post? Do you know what that means? Yup - that's going to be the new name for my blog.

The time has come to close the chapter on Southwestern Ontario Foodie and open a new chapter with my family. On Friday we leave London, Ontario to make our way out to Nova Scotia to start a new life in the Halifax area. We're excited, we're anxious, we're happy, we're sad. There's a range of emotions in the house, but mostly we're looking forward to the future.

It still doesn't feel very real to me though. I can't wrap my mind around the fact that by next week we'll be living in a different province. We've lived in various cities over the last 15 years (Sudbury, Guelph, Burlington, Waterdown, London..) but a move to somewhere outside of Ontario seems so..I don't know..can't explain it.

Leaving London will be hard. We lived here for 6 years and made many great excellent friends that we've gotten really close to. We're also going to be leaving a home that we love. I'll be very sad when we say our final goodbyes. That being said, however, we have a lot of things that we are looking forward to -- we're going to live in a great house that's minutes away from the ocean, we'll make many new friends, we have tons of new adventures ahead of us, and most of all, we'll be together as a family. Lots of good stuff coming our way.

Over the next few days you'll start seeing changes on the blog - the new name will appear as well as some cosmetic changes. The new address will be changed to eatrealberealns.com too! Hopefully I don't lose anything and that everyone gets redirected if the old address is typed in. I'll have my fingers crossed in the hope that nothing goes wrong.

If you're following me on Twitter my handle will change from @swontariofoodie to @eatrealberealns

Well, I guess that's it for now. Wish me luck and stay posted for my return to blogging soon! I'll still be posting recipes and will be writing about my visits to various farms and markets. However, in addition to that there will be more DIY posts (i.e., laundry detergent, bug spray, etc..) and other posts about the adventures that we have in the great outdoors too (hiking, biking, fishing, etc..). It's all very exciting!

Foodland Ontario Calendar - June (Strawberry Breakfast Parfait)

Well,....this is going to be my (almost) last post as Southwestern Ontario Foodie...my next post will be my last. Don't worry though - I'm not going anywhere. Well, actually I am...but what I mean is that I'll still be blogging, just under a new name and from Nova Scotia. My next post will be an announcement with the new name and some reflections on the last 3 years and the future.


I think it's appropriate that this post is about the Foodland Ontario Calendar June recipe. How much more local and Ontario can this be?

Anyways, the recipe for this month was Strawberry Breakfast Parfaits.

I make these parfaits quite often actually with various fruits and topping. They're great for breakfast and also as a snack at work. In fact, I often make them right in a mason jar and bring it along with me to eat at my desk.

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain Greek Yogurt
• 3 tbsp Ontario maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups sliced Ontario strawberries
• 1 cup whole grain granola

In a small bowl, combine yogurt, maple syrup and vanilla.

In each of 4 parfait or large wine glasses (or mason jars), place 1/4 cup sliced strawberries, 2 tbsp granola and 1/4 cup of the yogurt mixture. Repeat layers once and top each with 1/4 cup sliced strawberries.

When I made this recipe I didn't follow it exactly. I only needed one serving, not four. When I make mine I put a spoonful of yogurt mixture at the bottom, a layer of strawberries and then a layer of granola and then repeat.

Delish!

**If you wish to view the online version of the calendar you may access it here: http://www.foodland.gov.on.ca/english/calendar/2012/index.html

**If you'd like to view my previous blog entries for the 2012 and 2011 calendar click on the 'Foodland Ontario' label on the left side of the page or view them by following this link: http://southwesternontariofoodie.blogspot.com/search/label/foodland%20ontario

Covent Garden Market Calendar - June (Ontario Strawberry Shortcakes)

Strawberry season is now if full swing! They're everywhere!


For this month's Covent Garden Calendar Recipe is a traditional Strawberry Shortcake (but with a twist).


To find strawberries at the Covent Garden Market your best bet is either inside at Havaris Produce or Doris Produce for strawberries from Heeman's or at the outdoor Thursday/Saturday market from Joyce Farms.

While at the market the chef on hand 'happened' to be sampling the strawberry shortcakes from the calendar. What a coincidence, eh? Kinda nice that I was able to get a sneak peak and was able to compare his results to mine (hint - his biscuits turned out better than mine).

Biscuit Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups flour (from Arva Flour Mill - yes, they've been at the outdoor market!)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes (from Fieldgate Organics or Smith's Cheese)
• 1 cup 10% cream (from Fieldgate Organics)

Heat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients until the mixture resembles crumbs (I used my food processor for this step).

Stir in cream, all at once, until just combined. Dump mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead six or eight times to bring it together. (mine was really 'damp' and needed quite a bit more flour)

Roll out to about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into rounds with a floured biscuit cutter. Place on prepared baking sheet and place in hot oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. (I think I rolled mine out too much, which resulted in thinner biscuits.

Strawberry Topping Ingredients

• 2 lb fresh Ontario strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced (from Joyce Farms)
• 1 tbsp fruit sugar (caster sugar)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 8 to 10 medium fresh basil leaves (from Havaris Produce)
• 1 cup 35% cream, whipped (from Fieldgate Organics)

In a large bowl, gently toss the strawberries with the sugar and lemon zest. Let sit at room temperature about 30 minutes.

Just before serving, stack the basil leaves on a cutting board and roll them into a loose cigar shape. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice across the roll to make a fine chiffonade of basil.

Gently stir into the strawberry mixture.

Spoon the berries onto split biscuits; top with whipped cream.

**to make your own whipped cream, simply put the whipping cream into a bowl and whip to your heart's content until it thickens (I just use my stand-mixer). For flavour I add vanilla from a vanilla bean and a little icing sugar.

Overall the recipe was quite nice. The whipped cream was perfect and the strawberries had a great flavour. The 'twist' of the lemon zest and basil was a great addition. I was disappointed, however, in my biscuits...they were thin and were not fluffy. I don't know if it was because I rolled them out too thinly or because I had used whole wheat spelt flour instead of all-purpose. Either way it was still good.

Sadly this will be my last Covent Garden Market Calendar recipe.. Since we're moving I won't be able to visit my favorite market any longer. In fact, tomorrow I will post my last Foodland Ontario Calendar recipe as well. And you know what? After that I'll announce my new name (and address) for the blog and then watch out! The blog will be totally revamped and there will be many, many great posts coming on the way!!

For an online version of the Covent Garden Market Calendar see this link: http://www.coventmarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/2012-Market-Calendar.pdf  


For other blog posts about the Covent Garden Market (and the calendar) see here: http://southwesternontariofoodie.blogspot.com/search/label/Covent%20Garden%20Market