Foodie Road Trip on the Shores of Lake Erie

We are incredibly blessed to live in beautiful southern Ontario, home to an amazingly diverse culinary opportunity.  There is an abundance of locally grown and produced foods in our region.  In fact, eating locally within 100 miles of our home is exceedingly easy.  The vast majority of our food is actually grown and produced much closer to home!

Cherries are in season so I decided to take a foodie road trip to the shores of Lake Erie.  Highway 3 (Talbot Trail) runs along the Lake Erie shore between Niagara Falls and Windsor.   It meanders through small little towns, home to various annual food festivals, homestyle restaurants, and quaint shopping.  There are countless orchards and vineyards, a few mushroom farms, fisheries and so much more.  The rich fertile sandy loam produces some of the best fruits, berries, onions and carrots that you can find.   It is common to see food trucks along the route especially during the summer months.   Highway 3 really is a gorgeous route with stunning eyecandy and lots to explore.

I left the house early in the morning to make a shorter version of my normal foodie run route.  This time I made a couple of stops before heading to the lake to enjoy a bit of the beautiful scenery while enjoying a cup of coffee.  The sky was so blue!  The air was already turning warm so I headed onto a couple of orchards to the east.  My stash of goodies grew with each stop!  On the way home, I stopped at the mushroom farm.  I have been buying my mushrooms from them for about 30 years!  At one time they were less expensive than store bought but now are about the same price.  The big difference is they are fresh picked.  I only bought two 5 lb boxes this time.  My final stop was at the Dutch Market for coffee and fresh baked goodies.  I came home with a lot of fresh produce - apples, plums, blueberries, green beans, strawberries and mushrooms.  I even bought a bottle of sparkling apple cider.  All-in-all it was a very successful foodie road trip!

Solway's Farm Market Just North of Wiarton, Ontario

Over the past few posts, I've shared some of the foodie highlights we enjoyed during our road trip/camping adventure in August.  If you recall, we left beautiful southern Ontario traveling through Michigan before crossing back into Ontario where the Chi-Cheemaun ferry took us to the mainland where we camped in the Grey Bruce area before returning home.  We were away for six amazingly delightful days!

The Grey Bruce area is one of the most beautiful Ontario landscapes that you can visit.  It honestly is gorgeous eye candy!  This is Indian Head Cove at Bruce Peninsula National Park.  We hiked from our campsite to Head of Trails then took Georgian Bay trail to the Grotto.  The picture was taken from atop the grotto looking south.  This spot is a popular stop for day hikers.  It's a pleasant swimming spot even though the water is rather cold.  Many bring snacks or even a light lunch to enjoy while taking in the breathtaking view.  You can hike up the Bruce Trail along Indian Head Cove, definitely a very rugged hike.  From our location where the picture was taken, we hiked over Boulder Beach thentook the Marr Lake trail back towards the campground.

Camping especially rustic camping brings a few cooking challenges but trust me, if you 'really' want to you can still prepare a gourmet meal without the use of electricity or fancy kitchen gadgets.   I recommend using break proof dishes and sturdy pots and pans while keeping in mind that less is more so make what you bring do double duty.   Even the coffee pot can do double duty to heat up sauces.  Clean-up will involve hand washing dishes outdoors unless camping in an RV.  If cooking over an open fire, soot can build up on the outside of pots and pans but it usually comes off easily with normal washing.  In most cases, rustic camping means you will be dealing with wild life who would like nothing better to enjoy a free meal at your expense.  The best course of action to deter wild life from frequenting your campsite is to keep it squeaky clean, garbage free and free of food or left over food including little bits of left over food that gets into the dishwater.  All food should be kept in secured coolers and covered plastic totes that are stored in a vehicle overnight. 

The stretch of Highway 6 between Tobermory and Highway 21 is dotted with small towns, road side stands and farm markets.  Solway's Farm Market is located just north of Wiarton on Highway 6, on the left hand side (west) heading north.  Although the building is large, it is set back from the road so quite easy to miss.  There are a couple of signs announcing the market ahead but they too are easy to miss.  This is typical of the foodie stops along this route so we flew right on by then had to do a U-turn and back track.

Solway's is well worth the stop!  Their local produce selection is good and they have a nice selection of other foods like cheeses, eggs and specialty foods (eg. jams, jellies, maple syrup) as well as handmade sausages.  They are well known in the area for their delicious baked goods.  Oh my, the homemade pies were divine!  The grandkids really enjoyed this stop, helping us pick out all the best goodies.  We made our purchases including zucchini for freezing, green beans for canning and four large coils of sausage.  Little Master A was in seventh heaven walking out with a banana in each hand stopping briefly for Grandma to take a picture of him in front of the John Deer tractors.  Meanwhile Little Miss C carefully carried the small box of cream topped tarts.  After enjoying the tarts in the parking lot we were on our way...

BeaverTails in Tobermory, Ontario

During our road trip/camping adventure in August, where we camped at Cypress Lake campground in the Bruce Peninsula National Par, we made our traditional trip into Tobermory.  This quaint little harbour village is simply delightful to stroll about on a beautiful summer afternoon.  This was our first time visiting with the grandkids so the village to on an extra sparkling charm as seen through the eyes of little ones!

When our kids were young, one of our stops in Tobermory was BeaverTails, located on the north side of Little Tub Harbour, beside the Blue Heron Cruises Ticket booth.  They have been specializing in unique whole wheat pastries stretched to the shape of beaver tails then float fried in canola or soy oil.  These delectable pastries are served piping hot, topped with butter and a choice of other toppings.

We slowly walked down the hill from the Sweet Shop to Little Tub Harbour enjoying the unexpected warm weather.    We wandered around the harbour, marveling at the crystal clear water dotted with ducks between the boats.  The kids headed up up the hill to pick-up a part for their tent so Grandma and Papa with the two little ones continued walking.  All of a sudden, Little Miss C (age 6) sniffled "I don't want to eat a beaver" which sent Master A (age 4) into immediate distress.  So here we are with two crying grandkids heading towards BeaverTails.  Trying to calm them without ruining the surprise, we quickly made our way closer to BeaverTails when Little Miss C spotted...

...the BeaverTails sandwich board outside.  Now, she is a quick little one who is an advanced reader for her age.  She spun around to console her brother with a "Don't worry A, they aren't real beavers!"  I don't think he believed her but we showed him the sign.  Through the tears a small smile appeared.

Beavertails are a delicious Canadian pastry than can be made at home.  It is more the method of cooking that gets the delicious results.  The prepared dough is quickly dredged through the hot oil on each side then fried until cooked through.  BeaverTails cooks each beavertail as ordered so they are always fresh and piping hot.  Each beavertail is about 10 - inches long, just the perfect size for sharing.

We ordered a cinnamon and sugar (pictured) and a triple trip with chocolate, peanut butter and reese's pieces (not pictured) beaver tail.  Grandma and Little Miss A, standing on tippy toes, watched the beavertails being cooked while Papa and Master C found a bench to sit and people watch while enjoying the beavertails.  Any tears were long forgotten as the grandkids eyes grew big at the sight of the beavertails.  I have the cutest picture of Master C giving the high thumbs up sign, a gesture he uses for foods he really likes.  Talk about cute!  Their parents arrived back just in time to finish off the beavertails. 

Beavertails are a must have when in Tobermory!  If you are in the area, be sure to stop by BeaverTails to enjoy a delicious, piping hot treat while taking in all the sights and sounds of this quaint little harbour village.  I'm sure you will love them as much as we do.

The Sweet Shop in Tobermory, Ontario

My gosh!  Here it is more than half way through October and I'm slacking a blogging.  This morning I just realized I hadn't finished sharing the rest of our road trip/camping adventure in August.  If you recall, we left Ontario, traveled through Michigan then crossed back into Ontario making our way to the Tobermory area where we camped for four days before making our way home.  The trip was amazing, bringing back a lot of memories of camping there when our kids were young.

We camped at Cypress Lakes annually when our kids were young.  The campground itself is very rustic with no hydro, pump water at various intervals for porting to your campsite and outhouses.  Once a trip we would take the kids into Tobermory.  Aside of the main purpose of the trip being replenishing groceries and laundry, it was always a day of discovery.  Tobermory is a wonderful little port village!  One of the biggest thrills for our kids was The Sweet Shop located at 18 Bay St S in Tobermory.

The Sweet Shop is a must stop for every kid and every adult who is a kid at heart!  This little gem still produces fine confections like gourmet fudges and brittles the old fashioned way.  Let me tell you the Canadian maple fudge is divine!  They have a nice ice parlour cream selection with enticing flavours like moose tracks, moon mist and crouching tiger.  Other types of candies not made on the premises are also available.  I was very tempted by the bacon flavoured candy but resisted.

This was a special trip for us.  We had the opportunity to see all the wonder and amazement in our grandkids eyes as soon as they walked through the doors.  Their eyes got bigger and bigger as they waited in anticipation for their ice cream cones, just like their parents' eyes did when they were young.  What wonderful memories.  Do be sure to stop at The Sweet Shop if you are in Tobermory!

Kitchen Memories Two A Collection of Recipes by The Little Schoolhouse and Museum in Tehkummah Township on Minitoulin Island, Ontario

During our great road trip/camping adventure we stayed overnight in South Baymouth, Ontario where we would board the Chi-Cheemaun ferry that would take us across Lake Huron to Tobermory.  The weather was cold and damp but we still took a walk-about before settling into our room for the night.  Across the main road from our motel we had a lovely view of the Chi-Cheemaun dock.  Scattered across Ontario there are a multitude of small, one room schoolhouses that have been converted into homes.  A few have been rescued and preserved as museums.  Such was the case with the was The Little Schoolhouse and Museum beside the motel to the north.  Unfortunately, we could only peer in the the windows for a glimpse of the past as the museum was closed.

We wandered from the museum around the motel pool ending up in the motel gift shop.  I always delight in finding community fundraiser cookbooks.  These types of cookbooks are comprised of a collection of recipes submitted by members of the community or organization then assembled into a booklet format to be sold as a fund raiser.  I was quite happy to find Kitchen Memories Two (June 2013), a collection of recipes by The Little Schoolhouse and Museum in Tehkummah Township on Minitoulin Island, Ontario.  This recipe book was compiled by residents of Tehkummah Township in support of the museum.  This really is a nice recipe book that I will be making a few recipes from!

These types of recipe books are a treasure not only from a cooking perspective but also are of interest to family historians and genealogists.  For example, several recipes in this book have the contributor's name  followed by 'sister' of so and so, giving valuable relationship connections useful in family history research.  Quite often recipes are contributed in honour of a loved one no longer living.  From a culinary perspective, these are very much home style cooking recipes.  Recipes contributed tend to be family favourites and family signature recipes, some handed down from generation to generation.  One thing I have found too, is the recipes submitted tend to use easily accessible ingredients. 

It is common for fundraiser recipe books to have one or more home canning recipes.  This can be problematic.  All home canned foods must be properly processed to ensure a safe product.  These types of recipe books seldom give the safe canning processing methods of boiling water bath (high acid foods) and pressure canning (low acid foods).  Some as in this recipe book may include instructions for unsafe canning methods such as oven or open kettle canning.  Someone following the instructions for canning meat in this recipe book could find themselves with a product that could make them very ill or possibly worse!  Another problem is ingredient omissions that would not be a problem when cooking but can be critical when home canning. 

I shudder when I see this type of thing.  Improperly home canned food is nothing to fool around with.  It really is like playing Russian roulette with your's or your loved ones' lives.  This recipe book was published in June of 2013 so there really is no excuse not to use current safe canning methods.  Honestly, I wish they would just refrain from publishing home canning recipes in these types of publications.  That being said, an experienced home canner can convert most of these recipes into safe-to- can simply by comparing them to tested home canning recipes, making the necessary adjustments then processing using the appropriate method. 

Devastating St. Jacob's Farmer's Market Fire (Ontario)

St. Jacob's Farmer's Market Fire

photo courtesy of CFPL AM 980

Coverage of the St. Jacob's Farmer's Market Fire by CFPL AM 980

This blog has always covered anything of interest food related.  For the most part, everything shared has been rather positive.  I am beyond saddened to share with you today the devastating news coming out of St. Jacob's just north of Waterloo that the St. Jacob's Farmer's Market burned to the ground in an early Sunday morning fire.  This is a huge disaster for the Kitchener-Waterloo Mennonite community as well as the general community at large.

The St. Jacob's Farmer's Market has been a must stop whenever we are in the Kitchener-Waterloo area which is quite often.  While it was famous for attracting tourists, this farmer's market was a staple for those living.  The building housed several artisan style small businesses including a couple of butcher shops and cheese shops along with artwork and some of the finest quality handmade wood furniture you could buy.  There were several food vendors selling a wide range of products including free range eggs, wild game meat, homemade sausages, bird seed, jams and other home canned foods, specialty foods and so much more.  Of course there was the locally grown produce.  There were a few small eateries to enjoy including a booth selling piping hot, freshly made mini doughnuts.  Now those were divine!  The outside of the building was surrounded by more vendors and a market farmyard.  This was the place to go! It was a foodie mecca!

This farmer's market was so much more though.  It was a community!  It was where families spent their Saturdays, where farmer's met to sell their produce and connect with other farmers and it was a way of life for many in the area.  It was their livelihood!    The demise of this farmer's market will negatively impact the local economy to a large extent.  The Amish and Mennonite community in Ontario are strong so there is no doubt the market will be rebuilt and back in operation with the support of those both locally and from afar who loved and depended on the farmer's market.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by this devastating fire.

Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro in Tobermory, Ontario

We arrived in Tobermory, Ontario just after 11:30 AM to sunny skies despite the cold, wet and windy weather of South Baymouth when we set sail.  It had been an uneventful passing over Lake Huron although it was too chilly and rainy to sit outside on the upper deck of the Chi-Cheemaun.  The waves were high due to the stormy weather although no where near as bad as they could have been.  As boaters, the rougher waters didn't bother us.   We were quite pleased to see the sunny skies knowing we wouldn't be setting up camp in the rain. 

Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro is located at 4 Bay Street in Tobermory, kitty corner from the only grocery store in town not even a block from Little Tub harbour.  To the left just out of camera range is the facade of the restaurant with a small indoor dining area but the happening dining area is outdoors.  The very friendly waitstaff are dressed as pirates acting the part right down to the lingo making this a fun, kid friendly eatery.  The licensed bar features beer (aka their house wine) from Flying Monkey Craft Brewery of Barrie, Ontario.  It's the perfect little eatery for lunch, dinner or after hours.  Oh, and dogs on leases are allowed on the grassy sitting area above the gravel sitting area making this the perfect pit stop for those traveling with man's best friend.

Outdoor sitting is a must in Tobermory!   There are amazing sights to enjoy while people watching in this quaint little port village.  Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro caters nicely to enjoying the great outdoors.   The simple wood picnic tables are painted blue and white echoing a nautical theme.  Blue and white striped dining tents provided shade from the warming rays of the sun.  The gravel sitting area is somewhat sheltered with a small grassed area rising about 3 feet above to the right just out of camera range.  A wonderful hand painted mural completed the pirate theme.

Tobermory is in bear territory so all the refuse containers are bear and racoon proof.  Visitors are encouraged to use these containers scattered throughout the village to help discourage wildlife from becoming a problem.  Shipwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro is set up with this in mind.

The Bruce Peninsula is well known for its Georgian Bay whitefish, a mildly flavoured local fish.  Shripwreck Lee's Bar & Bistro also refers to Georgian Bay whitefish as their house wine.  And rightly so!  We each ordered the two piece lunch special Georgian Bay whitefish & chips ($13.95).  The delectable whitefish was batter coated served on top of a generous portion of fries, garnished with a party umbrella for a festive touch.  It was served with a small side of coleslaw.  The presentation added to the atmosphere of fun dining with the emphasis on good, unpretentious food.  I really have to give this small, unique eatery two thumbs up.  It has fast and friendly service, good food and great atmosphere!

I just had to show a close-up shot of the Georgian Bay whitefish.  The texture is similar to that of cod but smaller flakes.  There is just a hint of wild to the flavour, hard to describe but incredibly delicious!  It was coated in batter then deep fried similar to English style fish (usually cod).  While I don't eat the batter, I do like fish cooked this way as it keeps the fish moist and tender.  Doesn't that fish look delicious?

Tobermory is on Georgian Bay.  The only main road south to Owen Sound is Highway 6, a small but very scenic two lane highway.  Scattered along this route are several roadside stands as well as a few farm markets selling local whitefish.  We normally stock our cooler with whitefish and other goodies to take home.

Carol's & Earl's Restaurant & Farmer's Market Ltd., South Baymouth, Ontario

We stayed in Gaylord, Michigan the first night of our great road/camping adventure.  The next morning we headed north on I-75 finally crossing back into Canada at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario just before lunch time.  After a few detours around Sault Ste. Marie we proceeded along the Trans Canada as far as Espanola, Ontario where we turned south for our evening destination of South Baymouth.  We had booked a room there and had reservations for the Chi-Cheechmaun ferry that would take us to Tobermory, Ontario the following morning. 

It was a cold, dreary day with on and off rain yet we happily made our way through the amazingly beautiful Canadian landscape.  It was our anniversary and having spent many a mile traveling together over the past 36 years, it was a rather fitting way to celebrate this milestone!  We arrived at South Baymouth shortly before 7 PM and decided to stop for dinner before going to the motel.  South Baymouth is in Tehkummah Township, population 406 (2011).  It is the northern terminal for the Chi-Cheechmaun ferry, the southern being Tobermory.  This is very much a tourist pass through point as thousands make the trek from Espanola through Manitoulin Island with a destination of Tobermory saving considerable time and kilometer in comparison to driving the northern route.  The town has access to the Canadian mainland during the winter months via Highway 6 as the ferry does not run during the winter months.  Essentially the town shuts down for the winter months.  We have driven through Espanola several times staying on the Trans Canada during the winter months and let me tell you, folks up there have no choice but to keep very well stocked pantries and necessary supplies on hand to get them through the long winter months!

Carol's and Earl's Restaurant & Farmer's Market Ltd., is located at 21306 Hwy. 6, South Baymouth, Manitoulin Island, Ontario.  It's on the left hand side of the road heading into South Baymouth.  The building is rather non-descript but don't let that fool you.  Through those door you will be greeted with some of the most delicious homemade pies I've ever seen.  They are made from scratch daily.  To the left of the doors is a small dining area then archways lead to the larger dining area under the roof peak (centre).  The restaurant seats 100 at full capacity.  I can't comment on the 'farmer's market' portion of their name as there were no signs of produce when we were there although I suspect that is what the two picnic tables were set up for.  As is customary with many farm stands in this area, local white fish and wild blueberries are often sold.  I sure would have loved to been able to buy some of either for the camping portion of our trip! 

We planned stopping at Carol's &  Earl's who specialize in home cooked meals for their yellow perch.  Yellow perch is a local fish, mildly flavoured and just down right delicious.  It is usually lightly coated and pan fried.  We both ordered the yellow perch dinners that came with a choice of soup or salad.  My husband ordered the homemade chicken noodle to accompany his meal.  Carol's & Earl's make all of their soups from scratch.  The chicken noodle soup was about as close to the way I make it as you could get starting right from homemade stock.  The soup was chuck full of broad egg noodles and chunks of chicken.  Served piping hot, it was a pleasant way to warm up after a chilly, damp day that was only getting colder.

The yellow perch came with a choice of mashed or fried potatoes and a side of coleslaw.  I ordered mashed; my husband ordered the fries.  We ordered a side of gravy.  The mashed potatoes were real mashed while both the gravy and coleslaw were homemade.  The mouthwatering pan fried yellow perch was delightful! 

Carol's & Earl's is a must stop at eatery when visiting South Baymouth.  Their food is delicious!  Their service is friendly, very much home style and they love to talk to their patrons.  We bought a cherry pie on the way out the door sure that it would be a lovely dessert at the campground.  We were not wrong!  Even if you don't stop for a meal, be sure to stop for a pie.  Originally the pies were made by Earl's Mom but now they are made by Earl.  Honestly, they are amazing!   If you visit this restaurant, they do not accept debit or credit cards.  I recommend carrying sufficient cash for fuel and meals when traveling through northern Ontario as many places are cash only.

Frugal Kitchens 101 - A Foodie Road Trip

The vast majority of our foodie road trips are within a 100 mile (160 km) radius of our home however, when we are in the GTA which is almost double that radius we tend to take advantage of any foodie finds.  I keep a list and have a couple of apps for finding the perfect foodie stops when traveling.  This past weekend we spent in Niagara Falls were one of our kids completed a half marathon of 22 km (13.1 miles).  That in itself was an amazing event to attend!  Prior to the marathon, the focus for her was on high protein intake but for the rest of us it was business as usual.  The marathon was in the morning so after resting for the afternoon, we enjoyed a 5 course gourmet dinner, chef's choice at Vineland Estates Winery.  That in itself will be the subject of a couple of blog posts!  My husband and I took our time coming home making several stops so we arrived home with purchases from Vineland, Dillon's Small Batch Distillery, Oak Manor, as well as rye whiskey (made with rye grain not corn), grape based vodka, grape based gin, strawberries, raspberries, peas, plain honey, blueberry honey and 92% raw cocoa with pure maple syrup.  All of our purchases were grown and produced in Canada. 

The Niagara area is rich in vineyards, producing some of the finest award winning wines there are.  The sad reality is on 20% of wines produced in Ontario are carried in the LCBO, the only place to buy wine for home use outside of the wineries.  As a Canadian I do feel this is wrong!  The LCBO owned by the provincial government and funded by our tax dollars should be supporting our locally produced wines considerably more than what they are.  The Niagara region is the place to go for superior quality grape juice as well as peaches, strawberries, and other Ontario produce.  It is a mecca of farm fresh produce stands, farm markets and wine market stores all set in the beautiful and picturesque landscape.  There are also microbreweries and distilleries in the Niagara region.

Unless I am making a specific foodie road trip where the focus is only on food, most of our road trips involve some type of food, more often than not bring home one or more foodie finds.  What we generally look for is foods grown and produced in that particular area.  We have several resources for finding these great gems!  Here are a few:

• Foodland Ontario signs - Foodland Ontario is the long-established consumer promotional program of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.   Growers and producers as well as Ontario produce sold in grocery stores are identified by the familiar Foodland Ontario green and white logo.  This helps to distinguish farm markets selling Ontario produce from those that may be selling imported produce although generally that is not a big problem.  Farmland Ontario also has free publications located at various retail outlets and farm markets throughout Ontario as well as a wealth of consumer information on their website. 
• apps -  Apps for iPad, iPhone and Android are available for finding restaurants, wineries, food trucks and various food stops of interest in Ontario.  Some are free while other cost a small amount.  Street Food Toronto is a great free app for finding all types of food stands in the GTA complete with locations, hours of operation and contact information.  Ontario Natural Food Co-op is another great free app to help find natural and organic food growers and producers.  This is really a must have app for foodie road trips!
• social media - A lot of food vendors, growers and producers are turning to Twitter and Facebook.  I follow several on both.  The nice thing about using social media is you can easily contact them directly, often getting a response within minutes and all from the comforts of your smartphone or tablet.
• GPS - A GPS either stand alone or as a smartphone app is quite useful for finding those out of the way foodie gems that may be difficult to find using only a road map.  
• word of mouth - Honestly this can be one of the best ways to find a foodie gem.  Before leaving the Niagara region our daughter texted for us to check out Dillon's which is a new small batch brewery on a service road off of Highway 403.  The thing is from the road, it looks nothing more than a large storage building and really not all that large, something we certainly would not have been looking for.  We found it only because of her.  That is the way with a lot of foodie finds much the same way I will tell someone if you want great local honey go down this road, turn right at the white house with the green shutters, go down to fourth house on right and turn in their driveway then drive up to garage where you will see the honey for sale sign on the garage side door.  There's no signage on a regular basis at the road but rather it is available when they are there.

Baked Pizza Penne

After a busy holiday season right on the heels of returning from our vacation home only a day before the holiday festivities started for us, I have been relying on tried and tested home cooked meals.  At the same time, I am anxious to try out a few new dishes always in the hope of finding that next family favourite.  The new Foodland Ontario calendar arrived just before we left in late November so I didn't have a chance to go through it.  Last week I had a chance to read through the recipes for 2013 and immediately decided to make the Baked Pizza Penne (March) for dinner that night.

The calendar specifies Ontario is several of the ingredients which is great since they are promoting our beautiful province but you can get the same results by using local produce from your are if outside of Ontario.  Both my home canned tomato products were made with Ontario tomatoes but then the vast amount of the foods we consume are grown or produced in Ontario.  A wide variety of produce during the winter months.

Reading through this recipe I quickly realized it would be very easy to modify to include your favourite pizza toppings while leave the base flavours.  I modified the recipe because as always a recipe is just the starting point and I'm a firm believer in using what's on hand.  The original recipe can be found in the calendar and on the Foodland Ontario website.  My version follows below.

The baked pizza penne just out of the oven smelled delicious and it looked very much like the picture in the calendar so I was rather pleased.  I baked it in the largest stoneware casserole dish (9" x 13") of my KitchenAid 5 piece set bought at 70% off at Canadian Tire shortly after we moved here. Canadian Tire is the store to watch the sale flyers, one day sales and clearance bins as kitchen items are often on sale 40% to 70%.  I find that the stoneware gives nicer results for most casseroles in comparison to my ancient but still very function glass casserole dishes.

I used bulk sausage in place of the pepperoni as I had some left-over from holiday entertaining that I wanted to use up.  I used home canned tomato paste and crushed tomatoes.  There is a flavour difference using home canned over store bought.  I also used organic raw coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil and used grated Guyere in place of the Parmesan as I had run out.  It was a cold, wet day with high winds that I didn't feel like walking to the store.  I omitted the hot pepper flakes and reduced the salt.

The baked pizza penne certainly did not disappoint!  It had nice mild pizza flavour and I did like the texture.  This is a casserole I would tweak just a bit more the next time I make it.  My husband said it needed more cheese to mimic the extra cheese we like on our pizza.  I thought it could have a bit strong pizza flavour.  What I really like about this recipe is the versatility!  You could use one or more meats of your choice to mimic a meat lover's pizza, you could eliminate the meat for a cheese pizza flavour and add anything that strikes your fancy as a pizza topping.

Baked Pizza Penne
modified from:  Foodland Ontario, 2013 Calender, March

1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red sweet pepper
2 tbsp organic raw coconut oil
3 c (750 ml) home canned crushed tomatoes or 28 oz store bought crushed or diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1½ tsp dried basil
1½ tsp organic granulated sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp sea salt
2 c browned mild bulk sausage
2½ penne pasta
1 1/3 c shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ c shredded Guyere cheese

Cook the pasta in boiling water 8 to 10 minutes until al dente.  Drain well and return to pot.  While the pasta is cooking chop the onion, mince the garlic and dice the sweet pepper.  Brown the sausage, breaking up the pieces well.  Drain.  Heat the oil in a deep frypan then stir in vegetables.  Cook over medium heat 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes,tomato paste, herbs, sugar, salt.  Bring to a boil then stir in sausage.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well.  Pour mixture into baking dish.  Top with cheeses.  Bake at 400°F/200°C for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Ontario Produce

Ontario is a mecca for an abundance of locally grown produce.  There are farm stands, orchards, farmer's markets and foodie events galore pretty much year round.  Even during the winter months,  locally grown Ontario produce grown in greenhouses is available in the grocery stores.  The best time to buy produce is when it is in season.  That means produce like apples, cabbage, root vegetables, onions and winter squashes are at rock bottom prices.

We returned from our fall vacation to our vacation home in Florida on October 23, a Tuesday but in reality it was into the wee hours of October 24 before we actually got home.  On Thursday, the new flyers arrived.  Oh my gosh, No Frills had 10 lb bags of carrots, beets, potatoes and onions on sale for $1.88.  I picked up one of each.  For this time of year, this really isn't the best price if you want to drive to get the produce but for an in town price it is rather good especially for the carrots and beets.  I have managed in the past to get 50 lb of potatoes for $3.99 (in store special) and they routinely go for $7.99 but No Frills doesn't carry the 50 lb bags very often.  If they do, it is usually as an in store special.

Now, I was beyond exhausted from our vacation partly due to the extensive home canning I had done prior to leaving home combined with my husband's health problems that had him hospitalized for five days just as tomatoes were starting.  I had just wound up the tomato canning for the season at over 200 jars of home canned tomato products.  The price for the carrots, onions and beets was really good though so I could not resist the sale.  Here I am, exhausted from before our vacation, exhausted from our vacation (lots of company, flight delay) so getting right back into preserving food only a day after getting home was not the ideal plan but when opportunity knocks you can bet I will answer regardless of how exhausted I am.  So for, $7.52 I ended up with 40 lb of gorgeous Ontario produce to enjoy!

Frugal Kitchens 101 - The $10 Challenge

One sure fire way to save on your food dollar is to eat local, in season produce.  The Ontario Table has a $10 Challenge: a year of eating local, an incentive by Lynn Ogryzlo, author of The Ontario Table Cookbook.  I highly recommend this wonderful cookbook!  The $10 Challenge ezine is available on her website and you can download the $10 Challenge magazine in pdf format for reading off line.   Her premise is that if every household in Ontario spent $10 a week on local food, we would have an additional $2.4 billion in our local economy at the end of the year.  Keeping our money circulating in Ontario raised those dollars to $3.6 billion and creates 10,000 new jobs.  Now this is a win/win for everyone in Ontario.

This challenge helps the average household save money by buying local.  Why buy imported apples when Ontario apples are available?  They are higher in nutrition and fresher because they have not had to travel the long distances of imported.  Buying local supports our local growers and producers, helping them stay in business and providing a good life for their families.  This in turn results in a stronger community.  Buying local means you get to meet the local growers and producers providing a stronger appreciation from where your food comes from.  It makes us less dependent on imported foods as well.

We have taken the $10 Challenge, have you?

Canning Peaches

I am in high gear doing a lot of home canning.  The produce is coming in fast, back to back right now.  I just finished up doing cucumbers just in time to start peaches.  I'm a bit disappointed this year in that we have two peach trees and a pear tree at our new home but due to a very abnormal heat wave back in March followed by heavy frosts, we won't see much in the way of fruit.  Local peaches are very small because of the adverse weather.

The kids went to the Niagara area so picked me up a bushel of peaches.  These were gorgeous looking peaches but a bit pricey ($45 per bushel) and they weren't cling free.  A cling free variety like Red Haven is a lot easier for pitting and less time consuming when home canning a lot of peaches.  However, beggars can't be choosers so I was happy to get these lovely peaches to work with.  The price simply meant making a few products that would ensure I recouped the cost and then some.  That's always the way it goes when buying produce.  In all honesty, there are some foods that you will just break even if home canning but others end up being almost free.  So, in the big picture over a year's worth of home canning there is no doubt that the savings are substantial.  Rest assured you are getting a better product than store bought, free of preservatives and artificial flavours and/or colourants.

Quite often when I am switching produce for home canning I start with something simple.  That is because I tend to work from the easiest to most complex when home canning.  I started the peaches by canning 7 - 500 ml jars of sliced peaches in a light syrup.  Don't they look gorgeous?  Now, when canning plain peaches there is a very low margin of cost savings over store bought but again you end up with a superior product.  Watch for all the nice home canned peach products I made coming up this week.  It's a peachy time...

Oak Grove Cheese Factory Limited, New Hamburg, Ontario

Southwestern Ontario is sprinkled heavily with various food venues well worth the visit.  These include roadside stands, orchards, mushroom farms, farmer's markets, vineyards, fisheries and cheese factories.  At one time the large commercial food manufacturing  plants like Dare, McCormick's and Libby's had little factory outlets on site where both their employees and the general public could get fabulous deals on foods produced at the plant.  While some of the factory outlets are no more, other factories like the cheese factories and some chicken processing plants (eg. Maple Lodge Farms) still have small on site shops open to the general public.  During a recent visit to the kids in the GTA, we made a side trip to Oak Grove Cheese Factory Limited.

Oak Grove Cheese Factory Limited is located at 29 Bleams Road East in New Hamburg, Ontario.  This is a family owned and operated business.  It was established in 1879 by the Langenegger family.  There are currently fourth and fifth generation family members working within the business that continues to manufacture cheese the same was as it was when the business was first established.  The building itself is quite large but that is because the cheese is being manufactured on site using Ontario milk.  Unlike some cheese factories, there is no viewing window in the retain store to see the cheese being made but you can take a virtual photo tour of their cheese making process on their website.

The on site retail stores of most food manufacturing factories have two things in common.  They are small, bordering on tiny and they are not fancy.  In most cases they have enough room behind the counter for one or two wait staff and room for about four customers on the other side of the counter.  Signage is generally simple, often hand written.  The staff is generally very friendly and knowledgeable about their product.

The retail outlet at Oak Grove Cheese Factory Limited is small and well organized.  A neatly organized, easy to read price list hangs on the wall facing you as you enter the store.  The price is per pound (lb) not kilograms.  The counter is simply a raised closed front counter without a display where the cheese is cut, weighed and wrapped.  The staff will cut and wrap you cheese as desired, either chunk or sliced.  Our grandkids love going to this cheese factory because they always get a free sample of cheese.  

The cheese is arranged in neatly lined rows of block cheese.  Cheeses available are:  Borgonzola, brick, brie, caraway, cheddar (medium, extra old), Swiss, Colby, cook cheese (available fall to spring), havarti (plain, dill), hot pepper, Limburger, marble, Monterrey jack, mozzarella, new bra, onion & garlic, Parmesan, Romano, cheese curd, smoked old cheddar and black pepper.  They also offer cheese trays, cheese balls and gift baskets.

We had a lot of fun making our cheese choices.  Our grandkids were beyond excited.  This is one of their favourite places to visit!  I definitely share their excitement.  All that cheese just gets the creative culinary juices flowing.  Of course I overspent a bit but this is high quality cheese well worth that little extra cost!

Pusateri's Fine Foods

As a family of foodies we often gift each other with gourmet foods.  These tend to be foods that the person would not buy for themselves but not always.  When we wed almost 35 years ago, my husband's parents still had kids at home.  They started a Christmas tradition of giving a chocolate initial to each family member along with an institutional sized container of their favourite food (eg. dill pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup).  We continued with the large sized containers of food but one of our kid's and spouse took over getting the chocolate initials.  The good news is no one picked up on giving a live piglet in a dog carrier so that was a one year only foodie gift.  Our BIL was ecstatic with the piglet for starting his dream of becoming a pig farmer.  Two more piglets joined the lone one because not knowing anything about pigs, they need other pigs for the heat to stay warm in the winter.  But I digress.  Onto my foodie gifts...

One of our kids gifted me with food from Pusateri's Fine Foods with three locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).  I'm not a shopper as in department and grocery stores unless I have to but I sure do love the kitchen and gourmet food shops!  I have not been to Pusateri's myself but after perusing their website, it is on my list of shops to visit the next time we are in the GTA.  Apparently they have in-store sushi and olive oil bars!  Pusateri's has a catalogue for convenient ordering or you can order online as well as visit one of their locations.

There were four items in the gift bag.  The tall box contained Olearia San Giorgio extra virgin, cold extracted olive oil made in Italy.   This light fruit flavoured olive oil won the Sial Calad Olive D'or 2011 gold medal as well as International Recognition Olio Award 2010 in Hamburg, Germany.  I can't wait to savour this olive oil!  The taller jar contained Corte Donda Giardiniera made in Italy.  Giardiniera is a mixture of preserved vegetables with this one being French beans, pepper, fennel, onions, cabbage, celery, carrots, sunflower oil and vinegar.  The larger squatty jar to the front contained Mint & Pistachio Pesto from Bella Cucina Artful Food of Atlanta, Georgia.  This pesto is a winner of the Outstanding Product Line in the International Fancy Food Show.  I grow a lot of mint so this will be a product I will try to duplicate.  The smallest jar was Essence of Niagara White Ice Jelly produced by the Niagara Vinegar Co.  The Niagara region of Ontario is one of our favourite areas.  It is home to many ward winning wineries.  Actually the entire region from the Niagara spanning west along the Talbot Trail (Highway 3) close to the banks of Lake Erie to almost Windsor is a mecca for small wineries, produce stands, mushroom farms and so much more.  It is a beautiful drive!  We always come home laden with a multitude of foodie finds.  Ice wine is made from grapes that are allowed to freeze on the vine then picked at the coldest moment of a Canadian winter's night.  Each frozen grape only produces a drop of icewine which explains why icewine is so expensive.  Icewine is one of the very few wines my husband will drink.

We use a lot of olive oil in our heart healthy recipes.  I will be using the olive oil as a dip for homemade breads, in pesto and in homemade salad dressings.  The pesto will be used in a sauce as well as a spread, possibly for dipping breads as well.  The icewine jelly will be used as a glaze for brie of which I forgot to mention the package of Castello Rosenborg Brie (made in Denmark) for this purpose. The giardiniera will be used as a condiment similar to pickles.  Thanks so much to the gift givers.  You know who you are.  These wonderful foodie gifts are very much appreciated!  I can't wait to visit Pusateri's the next time we are in the GTA!

Southside Cottage Grill in Oakville, Ontario

We have lived in larger cities, small towns, villages and rural but much prefer small towns of the four.  I'm very much a small town gal but I love visiting cities.  My favourite Canadian city is Toronto, Ontario along with the other cities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) like Mississauga, Oakville, Milton and Burlington.  It is just an amazing area to visit with something to please everyone from entertainment, attractions (eg. Ontario Science Centre, Canada's Wonderland), six publicly funded universities, as well as every shopping and culinary experiences you could ever want.  We were in the GTA last weekend

The Southside Cottage Grill is located at 234 Lakeshore Road East in Oakville, Ontario tucked between quaint and unique shops.   Lakeshore is a lovely street to stroll along, do a bit of window shopping and just enjoy!  Be warned to bring a lot of money though as some of the shops are on the expensive side but then it is Oakville and they can be pricey.

The Southside Cottage Grill is really a small pub and grill that offers a bit more than pub grub as well as live entertainment.  The food is quite good, reasonably priced for the GTA.  The service was excellent and very kid friendly!  We were a party of five with one being a toddler.  There is a kid's menu and they give the kiddies crayons and a colouring sheet as well.  What we really appreciated is our grandchild is only three years old and while a mature three year old, waiting patiently can wear thin.  They brought that dish out first, spaghetti with three meatballs :)

We ordered the potato shells filled with mixed cheese, bacon bits and green onion, baked & served with chipotle sour cream ($7, not pictured).  Every once in awhile I spot a menu item that I just have to try, usually because it is just so different.  So it was with the bacon wrapped hot dog ($7.50 for one, two for $10.50).  A gluten free bun is available for an additional $1.50.

Who would think to wrap a wiener in bacon?  I just had to try this culinary specialty of the house!  I substituted Caesar salad for the fries to make the meal a bit healthier but I doubt it helped much.  The jumbo all beef wiener was wrapped end to end with bacon then grilled served on a toasted bun.  The flavour combination was quite delicious.  I doubt I would make this dish at home but it would be quite easy to make should you desire to do so. 

My husband took the Canadian Shield Burger challenge.  This burger consists of a 20 oz patty topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, peameal bacon and side bacon.  It is served with the Canadian classic side, poutine made with crispy fries smothered in a three cheese blend and topped with their signature gravy.  The meal is $21 but if you can finish everything on this plate in less than 12 minutes, the meal is free.  If you conquer the Canadian Shield, you are in the “Hall of Fame” and can come back any time to enjoy another for only $16 but you are only eligible for the free meal challenge once.

In case you are wondering, the Canadian Shield Burger has been conquered but not by my husband.  He did finish the burger but not all the fries and declared himself well fed for the following week!  Here is a video of Furious Pete conquering the burger.  It is not for the faint of heart and will likely give you a tummy ache but here's proof it can be done:

The Large Marg at Big Chief Drive-in Restaurant in Wallaceburg, Ontario)

Have you ever watched Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with host Guy Fieri on Foodnetwork?  He shares the neatest little eateries he had discovered on his travels.  These are the types of eateries we love discovering when we travel as well.  Often the outside of the restaurant is non-discript and you might even be tempted to pass it by except the filled parking lot gives a beckoning come-on in a sit a spell because we serve great food.  While some have table service others have a counter were food is ordered then picked up at the counter when your number is called.  Some offer outdoor seating of some type, usually wooden picnic tables.   Some even have drive-in dining!

Big Chief Drive-in-Restaurant is located at 5001 Dufferin Ave (Old 40 Highway) just outside of Wallaceburg, Ontario.  It is a unique little restaurant offering drive-in and limited eat-in dining.  At one time they had a waitress who took your order from the comforts of your car but now you go in and order at the counter then pick up your food when your number is called.  You can sit in the drive-in stalls to eat bringing back a bit of dining nostalgia.  They are famous for their Large Marg burger consisting of a full pound beef patty, cheese, bacon and onion rings on a giant bun.  Rumour has it that the burger was named after the owner's ex-girlfriend who was large (and in charge) and while most things are best left unsaid about her she left one positive memory...the recipe for her favourate burger.  . If you eat the whole burger, you get your picture taken to be added to their hall of fame along with other brave souls who conquered the Large Marge! 

Spaghettini Bolognese

Spaghetti has always been one of my favourite dishes to order when dining out followed by steak or fish so depending on where we are dining, it tends to be one of those three entrée choices for me.  Oh, don't me wrong as I do like to discover different entrées, it's just that those are my favourites.  Besides within the three categories there is a wide variety to discover.  During our recent visit to Niagara Falls we ate at East Side Mario's on Fallsview Ave.  This is a chain restaurant specializing in Italian food.  The food is average and reasonably priced.  The restaurant is kid friendly but our service was below average.  That could have been due to the holiday weekend however, if anything a holiday weekend is the time to shine as it is a wonderful opportunity to impress new guests gaining repeat customers.

I ordered the Spaghettini Bolognese with the all-you-can-eat soup or salad and garlic homeloaf ($14.99).  Bolognese sauce originated in Bologna, Italy.  It is a meat-based sauce with a small amount of tomato concentrate.  It is not a heavy, aromatic sauce like spaghetti with meat sauce.

The East Side Mario's version was borderline bland.  It was mixed with cooked spaghetti (not spaghettini) topped with chunks of cooked tomato.  The waiter added fresh ground Parmesan cheese.  It was a nice but not spectacular dish.  Spaghettini bolognese is an easy dish to duplicate at home.  The nice thing about a bolognese sauce is it takes few ingredients.  You could easily base it on condensed soup if desired. 
amounts of celery, carrot and onion. Prosciutto, mortadella, or porcini fresh mushrooms when in season may be added to the ragù to further enrich the sauce. Milk is frequently used in the early stages of cooking to render the meat flavours more delicate but cream is very rare in the everyday recipe and only a very little would be used. According to Marcella Hazan in "The Classic Italian Cookbook", the longer Ragù alla Bolognese cooks the better; a 5- or 6-hour simmer is not unusual.[2]

The people of Bologna traditionally serve their famous ragù with freshly made tagliatelle (tagliatelle alla bolognese) and their traditionally green lasagne. It should be noted that the Italians do not pair Ragù alla Bolognese with the pasta shape spaghetti. Wider shaped pasta are thought to hold up to the heavy sauce better.

Italian Wedding Soup

Niagara Falls being a tourist area offers ample dining attractions.  We ate at East Side Mario's on Fallsview Ave in Niagara Falls during our recent visit.   East Side Mario's is a chain restaurant featuring Italian cuisine.  The average entrée costs under $20 but includes soup or salad (all you can eat) as well as fresh baked bread.  The atmosphere is quite lovely.  During our visit we found the food to be average and the service lacking.

My husband ordered the Italian wedding soup rather than salad as a starter.  Italian wedding soup is an Italian-American consisting of green vegetables, meat and pasta, quite often spinach, endive, escarole, cabbage, lettuce, or kale in a chicken based broth.  It is popular in the United States.  The meat is usually in the form of small meatballs.


The term wedding soup is derived from the mistransation of minestra mariata, the term for married soup.  However, the term married soup actually means green vegetables and meat go well together.  There are ready-to-serve cans of Italian wedding soup on the market but in all honesty, this is an extremely easy soup to make from scratch.  The soup does freeze nicely and if you are a home canner, it could be canned for convenience without all the added preservatives as well as believe it or not high fructose corn syrup. 

Coco's in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Canada

I have been fascinated with cooking outdoors as long as I can remember.  My Mom had a clunky old charcoal grill that whe would wheel out once in awhile.  After she got sick, the grill never came out.  One of the first purchases we made as newlyweds was a hibachi followed quickly by a charcoal grill just like my Mom's.  I fondly remember our first propane grill, every grill we've had since then, and learning to cooking on an open fire while camping. There really isn't a fuel I haven't used when cooking outdoors.  Our outdoor grill is used year round despite the weather.

We stopped at Coco's in Niagara Fall, Ontario Canada.  Coco's is located at 5339 Murray Street, one block from Fallsview Blvd towards the Falls.  This unique restaurant specialized in wood fired pizza and lamb.  The tantalizing smell of the smokey fire is enough to draw you to the restaurant from a couple of blocks away.  You just can't get better flavour than from a wood fire!  It has two large and quite amazing wood fired pizza ovens as part of their pizza bars.  They are spectacular.  They also have a large, custom made wood fired pit for barbecuing lamb.  The main draw really is eating outdoors on one of their patios while being enveloped in the wonderful smokey atmosphere created by the wood burning ovens and grill.

We love pig roasts and up to the last couple of years we were able to rent a pig roaster.  Well, renting pig roasters for whatever reason is not possible anymore.  I want a pig roaster!  It is really the only way to do a pig. 

Coco's had the most amazing roaster set-up.  Granted they were roasting a lamb rather than a pig but I hear they roast pig as well.   I think I got enough pictures to duplicate it.  The roaster was about six feet long, stainless steel, wood fired and equipped with a rotisserie spit.  There was a drip pan which is something not normally used with pig roasters.  This set-up gives me a good idea as to how to set-up  a roaster at our new house. 

Coco's has two wood fired pizza ovens, one for each of their pizza bars.  These were quite elabourate with colourful ceramic tile designs on the outside.  I'm not kidding, I would love to have one of these!  I am going to be looking online for building plans.  I think this design would be great for baking bread in as well. 

Wood fire imparts a unique flavour to any food being cooked.  You can bet we will be incorporating outdoor wood cooking into our new home even if we can't go a large as this outdoor wood fired oven.  Watch for that adventure coming soon as our house is officially SOLD!