Wanderlust and Words

“We live with mystery, but we don’t like the feeling. I think we should get used to it. We feel we have to know what things mean, to be on top of this and that. I don’t think it’s human, you know, to be that competent at life. That attitude is far from poetry.” – Mark Strand  Local News  Saskatoon’s Core Neighbourhood Youth Co-op is accepting orders for wooden garden boxes.  Jane’s Walk Saskatoon is organizing virtual and/or self-directed walking tours for Jane’s Walk 2021 on May 1.  Bread   A depression and a dictatorship in Portugal shaped its bread , transforming local grains and loaves to a nutritionless industrialized product. “Just as it is intertwined with Portugal’s political and economic history, bread has also mapped human progress and it survives as we survive. Bread can be as fragile as our own democracies, as Portugal’s grains have proven. I only hope that after years of austerity, the country looks towards a brighter future, full of much better b...

Local News The Night Oven Bakery  now has apple cinnamon flax bread on Sundays. I highly recommend it fresh from their oven with a good smear of  Kitako Lake Honey , seriously the best honey I’ve ever eaten. Other Night Oven options include cinnamon raisin sourdough on Mondays and granola sourdough on Wednesdays. Not forgetting the olive bread on Fridays - one of my favorites. Fruit & Biscuits  Over the past 4 years, Pablo Salvatierra has visited 15 countries and tasted nearly 300 different kinds of fruit . Salvatierra, who used to buy all his produce from the supermarket, has gained a new appreciation for the superior taste of homegrown fruit and fair commerce.  Britons love biscuits (aka cookies) – and so do I! But their history surprised me . Did you know that medieval Muslims invented the fig roll as a health food? Digestive biscuits were invented to relieve an “epidemic” of flatulence among Victorian gentlemen. In the 1920s, there was a biscuit for every occ...

Local News  The Western Development Museum’s Boomtown Café is now selling frozen pies, cookie dough, and cinnamon buns for you to enjoy at home. Phone or email to pre-order. “When Amy Jo Ehman looks at family, history, politics and current events, she sees stories that can be told through food .” On the Farm Millet, buckwheat, wheat – giving these precious grains a better future . In the Kitchen  “To chop garlic and ginger is to declare solidarity with ten thousand generations of cooks and shamans and doctors, with the fullness of human history, with the essence of cooking both for sustenance and health . Which is why, I suppose, a mother's kitchen smells so good.” The history of mason jars and canning – from John Landis Mason’s patent for screw-top lids in 1858 until the present: “You see these moments in American history; whether it's World War II or the counterculture or the pandemic, canning always comes back .” 5 edible plants to pick and eat : ox-eye dai...

Local News The Saskatoon Farmers' Market Co-operative on Koyl Avenue had strawberries from Raina's Organics this week - yum! Ayden Kitchen & Bar is holding a 4-course dinner with cider pairings from Crossmount Cider on Sept. 15. Call 306-954-2590 for a reservation. I've posted a list of nature and environmental programs for Saskatchewan kids from pre-school to grade 12 on EcoFriendly Sask . In the Kitchen “Sourdough is this one space where we all agree, as a society, that microbes are helping us do wonderful things .” Here’s an article outlining the science behind sourdough bread: from how it works to tips on the caring and feeding of your starter (how much water, type of flour). A chef takes cooking lessons for kids online and teaches them to make dinner, which presents some unusual challenges : “Chef Pascal," she says, "can you please slow down? My cat got out and I need to go grab him." How many cookbooks do you own and how do you us...

Local News  Broadway residents (and other organic vegetable lovers) will be pleased to hear that Our Farm will be back in its usual spot on Broadway and 8th Street (parking lot of St. Joseph’s Church) starting Saturday , July 3 , and right through until Oct. 3 . Pick up local, organic vegetables and other products from 8 am to noon. You can also shop online starting July 2 . I’m looking forward to finding out how the store works as sometimes they run out of something I really wanted. (This week's photos were  taken at past Our Farm markets and do not reflect current social distancing requirements that Our Farm plans to implement.) SaskOrganics is offering a webinar on fostering biodiversity on farms from 9:30-10:30 am , July 10 . The Local Kitchen is offering youth cooking classes this summer for ages 8-12 and 11-14. The Prairie Lily riverboat is back in action. Join them for a white wine tasting from 7-8:30 pm , July 8 . City Perks and Sparrow are slowly ope...

Local News  kwayeskastasowin wahkohtowin: A 2050 Food System Vision for Treaty Four Territory is a semi-finalist for the Food System Vision Prize.  Don’t miss the Khorasan (kamut) sesame flax sourdough from The Night Oven Bakery (Mondays only). It’s so good!  So is the lemonade made from real lemons at the Prairie Ink Restaurant .  Products & Ingredients  (Yikes! This is not part of my weekly purchases.) Sales of Kraft macaroni and cheese were up by 27% in April over last year. “Chicago cheese salesman James L. Kraft was awarded the first patent for processed cheese in 1916.” His first big customer was the US Army that bought 6 million pounds of processed cheese in World War I. Kraft macaroni and cheese debuted in 1937 and sales are still strong at over 7 million boxes a week .  I hadn’t realized there were so many kinds of soy sauce . This article outlines the different varieties as well as when and how to use them.  An Edmonton student is apply...

Local News  Purple wheat , used by Saskatoon producers in bread and vodka, has its origins in the Ethiopian highlands. Ingredients & Dishes  Unity in diversity: “Ethiopian injera is sourdough, Indian dosa is sourdough, Sri Lankan hoppers are sourdough, Sudanese kisra is sourdough. Technically speaking, any fermented bread made between roughly 3,700 BC and the invention of commercial yeast in the 1800s could be considered sourdough, too.” And you don’t need to be a man – or a techie – to make great sourdough , without an instruction manual. From an Aztec remedy for intestinal parasites to today’s home gardens – scarlet runner beans have traditionally been grown by small-scale farmers and gardeners. This has helped to maintain local seed diversity and preserve higher genetic diversity . Food for Thought “ Small to medium scale farms are the cornerstone of local food systems. If farmers’ markets disappear, these farmers lose market access and economic stability...

Farmers’ Markets in a Time of Covid  Farmers’ markets play such a key role in connecting local farmers and producers with consumers. The National Farmers’ Union issued a letter of support for farmers’ markets and other direct sales during the Covid 19 crisis. I was thrilled to get my shipment of goodies from the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market on Saturday. What a great job they’re doing at transitioning into a virtual market. BC farmers’ markets are also going online, but they’re receiving government assistance . Too bad that’s not available in Saskatchewan. Some farmers’ markets are making an effort to stay open in outdoor locations. The outdoor market where I shopped in Quillan , France, has introduced a one-way circulation system with one entrance and two exits. Only 100 people can be in the market at any one time, vendors are 8 meters apart, the physical area has been disinfected, and customers are not allowed to touch the product. Moss Street Market in Victoria has asked ...

Local Happenings  Head out to Black Fox Farm & Distillery on Wednesday nights for live music, cocktails, and a tour. Each week will feature a new cocktail. Plan ahead and reserve your spot for wreath-making classes in late November and early December. Spice up your week with chili peppers from Grandora Gardens – from mild, to medium, to off-the-scale. Recipes  Here’s an unexpected way to make bread pudding by putting the bread and milk through the food processor (and then adding figs and walnuts). Food for Thought Whole Foods has announced their top 10 food trends for 2020 , including new nut butters and vegan spreads, fruit and vegetable flours, foods from West Africa, and non-alcoholic drinks. If you’re interested in France, I highly recommend A Bite-Sized History of France by Stéphane Hénaut and Jeni Mitchell. Starting in prehistoric times, the book links food and history in a series of short anecdotes. You’ll find out why we should thank Cha...

Local Happenings  The Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre is holding its  annual community barbeque at the Garden Patch from 3-7 pm , Aug. 14 . There will be facepainting, games, and family activities. Recipes  Here are some interesting takes on how to dress up a baked potato . A topping of slow-cooked leeks or wrapped in seaweed and roasted sounds good to me. Food for Thought  The strange science inside your sourdough uncovered in Belgium’s sourdough library : “What is clear is that sourdough starters, and the bread made with them, represent human manipulations of the evolution of microbial communities. We channel the growth of particular members of these communities by raising or lowering the temperature of our dough, by feeding starters more or less frequently, and by giving them different kinds of flour.” Eating and drinking in Africa’s largest slum – in pictures. “Not only do these ‘compostable’ bowls not actually biodegrade, they end up...

They were selling everything from olives, lettuce, and honey to dresses and brightly-coloured plates at Collioure's Wednesday market . I purchased 4 enormous slices of bread. My current favorite is walnut. The artichokes are in season and they’re huge! And the local strawberries are delicious. I would have loved to buy some of the brightly-coloured plates and bowls. Some of the vendors had their dogs with them – now that wouldn’t be allowed in Saskatoon!

Bakeries abound in the Chartrons district of Bordeaux. But one of them is very special. For over 250 years, the bakers Au Pétrin Moissagais have been making bread and baking it in a wood oven built in 1765 during the reign of King Louis XV. The recipe remains unchanged as well. Following a Gascon tradition (Moissagais refers to residents of Moissac in Tarn et Garonne) of only buying bread every two weeks, the bread is made with a thick crust to keep it from drying out. They use their own yeast culture, adding no preservatives. The stone-walled bakery is filled to the brim with loaves of every shape and size (walnuts, stone-ground grain, baguettes, large and small rounds). This is bread with flavour and body to savour on its own or with cheese and other toppings. But it doesn’t end there. The bakery also sells croissants, cakes, and pastries of every possible variety. At the back of the bakery is the oven, which is still used to bake three-quarters of their products....

Canning Class, Jan. 19  Learn how to can berry jams and a simple tomato sauce at the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre from 12:30-3:30 pm , Jan. 19. Workshops at Intuitive Path Superfoods, Jan. 21-22  This month’s focus at Intuitive Path Superfood workshops is Healthy Digestion: Jan. 21, 1:30-3 pm – Probiotics 101 & Fermentation Jan. 22, 2:30-3 pm – Mind-Body-Food Jan. 22, 3-3:30 pm – Mind-Full City Centre Food Co-operative Town Hall, Jan. 24 The City Centre Food Co-operative is hosting a town hall to find out more about their community’s retail food needs and to get the community’s help in shaping their Pop-Up Produce Market. The Town Hall is scheduled for 6:45-9 pm , Jan. 24, in the City Park Collegiate library. Herb Garden Class, Jan. 27  The Glen at Crossmount is hosting a workshop on growing your own herbs from 1:30-3 pm , Jan. 27. Taste of Italy Wine Class & Tasting, Jan. 27  Learn about and taste Italian wines at the Gl...

Food & Wine Pairings, Jan. 20  Saskatoon Co-op Liquor is offering a three-part series on wine and food pairing s with the first session on Jan. 20. Freedom Food, Jan. 26  Find out how you can participate in addressing food insecurity through Freedom Food boxes and community fridges at D’lish at 7:30 pm , Jan. 26. Bring a food item to swap or donate. There’ll be live music. Check out the story behind the Martensville Free Pantry . Cocktail Class, Jan. 26  Join LB Distillers for instruction and tasting of three cocktails and a tour of the distillery on Jan. 26. Saskatoon Sourdough Chef Simon, who offers a wide range of cooking classes in Avalon , is now making and selling sourdough bread. His next bake will be on Jan. 13 . Follow Saskatoon Sourdough on Facebook to find out when they’re ready to purchase. Try Vegan this January Veganuary is designed to inspire and support people to go vegan for the month of January. The website includes a vegan star...

What a view from a shopping mall parking lot! Canning 101, Aug. 17 CHEP Good Food Inc. is offering a canning workshop from 6-9 pm , August 17. Space is limited. Call 306-655-4575 ext 232 or email stefanie@chep.org to register. Ethical Eats! Mystery Box Challenge, Aug. 17 (Regina)  Chef Jenni and Chef Mariana Brito will be participating in an outdoor cooking competition using local, fair trade, and organic ingredients on Regina’s Scarth Street Mall, Regina, Aug. 17. YXE Farmers’ Market Anniversary, Aug. 20  Help the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market celebrate its 41st anniversary on Aug. 20. Dinner with Chef Francis, Aug. 23  The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market is hosting a dinner with Chef Rich Francis on Aug. 23. 7 Steps for Composing Your Salad like a Chef “Salads often double as dumping grounds. Half a head of romaine from a week ago? In. Some kale? In! Cherry tomatoes? Get in there! Celery? In! Chickpeas? In! Curry powder? In she goes!  But our Test Ki...

Eat, Think, Vote, Mar. 14  The Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership, in collaboration with the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market, is hosting Eat, Think, Vote at 7 pm , Mar. 14. Participants will have a chance to sit with the candidate(s) of their choice for an informal discussion of food security. All political parties have been invited. Zak Organics I’m looking forward to trying Saskatchewan-grown and -produced Zak Organics , a crunchy pea snack in 3 flavours: smoky BBQ, garden herb, and sea salt & lime. They’re currently available online or at SaskMade Marketplace. Understanding Clementines  I ate a lot of Moroccan clementines when I was in Wales, so I was interested to read about the history of citrus fruit , all of which have evolved from the mandarin, the pomelo, the citron, and possibly the padeda. Organic Canadian Wineries  Here’s a useful list of Canadian organic wineries . Bake Bread While You Sleep  This is a very different way to make brea...

Taqueria Mexicana opened this weekend at the Saskatoon Farmers' Market Building a Better Future, One Tasty Donut at a Time New Community Youth Development Corporation (YDC) wants to start a take-away café, partially run by their students and providing instruction in commercial cooking and sheltered employment and they're asking for our help. This is one of the tastiest Indiegogo campaigns ever. You can receive great perks such as a donut named after you in a flavour of your choice, 10 jars of homemade preserves, a Christmas baking package, a gourmet Italian feast, etc. As part of their fundraising campaign, YDC is attempting to enter the Guinness Book of World Records with a 20-foot-long donut. YDC is a finalist in Affinity Credit Union’s Business for Good Social Venture Challenge. The winning enterprise will receive $50,000 in addition to the money raised on Indiegogo . Raw Dessert Workshop, Nov. 14  Heather Hedivan and Kalyn Smith will teach you how to make raw H...

Nepal Earthquake Relief Fundraiser, Sept. 12 Lama Dorje will be speaking at a fundraising vegetarian dinner and slideshow to support Nepal after the earthquake on Sept. 12 at the Avalokitesvara Temple. Tickets must be purchased before Sept. 9 . Eat Think Vote, Sept. 14 The Saskatoon Food Council and CHEP Good Food Inc. are hosting a meeting with the four candidates for Saskatoon West from 6:30-8 pm , Sept. 14, at Station 20 West. Candidates will be asked for their positions on healthy school food, support for new farmers, and zero hunger in Canada. YXE Street Food Festival, Sept. 19  There will be over 20 food truck vendors, an artisan market, beer garden, and music at the second annual YXE Street Food Festival from 11:30 am – 9:30 pm , Sept. 19, at River Landing. Regional Grain Production Local wheat and flour are gaining momentum in the northeastern United States : “We’ve been suckered down this long, increasingly narrow chute that you’ve got to have wheat that’s ...

Vegetable Lasagna, Prairie Harvest Cafe Prairie Harvest Café  We had a lovely supper on Prairie Harvest Café ’s outdoor patio last week. The vegetarian lasagna and the gnocchi were topped with housemade ricotta (optional) and equally delicious. Fun de Lentil Contest If you love lentils, you’re in luck. For the month of June, three local restaurants are highlighting lentil dishes as part of the Fun de Lentil Tour and Contest . Calories is serving a vegetarian, Persian-inspired lentil and quinoa dish with sour cherries and dates. I tried the Lentil and Polenta Fries at Prairie Harvest Café and they’re great. Ayden’s is also using lentils in one of their dishes. Lentil Fries, Prairie Harvest Cafe Urban Agriculture  If you’re interested in establishing an urban agriculture operation, read this interview with Jared Regier, Chain Reaction Urban Farm , as he talks about some of the questions he set out to answer before establishing his business. Fruit for Th...