|
|
Sept. 23, 2011
Planning a locavore’s yontif
It is possible to feast locally for the New Year and for all of 5772.
MICHELLE DODEK
As the High Holy Days approach, many of us turn our thoughts to the one constant that goes with every holiday: food. For some, it is the anticipation of attending a delicious and opulent spread for a Rosh Hashanah lunch or dinner or a feast to break the fast after Yom Kippur. Others need to decide what to prepare for the holiday hospitality they will provide. Luckily, we live in a province with bounty aplenty.
Living in an eco-conscious and productive place like British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, it is fairly easy to bring the local harvest to the table. There are so many opportunities to find locally grown produce, locally caught and processed fish, as well as the necessary yontif honey, made by the very bees that buzz around you as you venture out your door. And this year, believe it or not, you can even prepare your round challot with flour milled by a man know as the Flour Peddlar from Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast, who grinds grain on a specially equipped bicycle. The festival table can be sourced from the freshest, tastiest food available in the world by tapping into local produce. One needs only to know where to go.
All around the Lower Mainland and out into the Fraser Valley, there are innumerable opportunities to procure fresh fruit and vegetables directly from the grower. In some cases, it is even possible to pick it yourself (visit pickyourown.org for more information). With Rosh Hashanah occurring late in September this year, the chance of capitalizing on a large variety of fresh produce may seem more limited, but, luckily, this year’s produce has been delayed. Our cold early summer months are to blame, pushing this year’s harvest forward by a couple of weeks, meaning that foods such as peaches, figs, tomatoes and green beans, which typically are not available in late September, may still be around. Produce that is normally past its prime in late September may still be bursting with flavor. Look for blueberries, strawberries, grapes, melons, pears and plums for fruit plates and desserts. As for vegetables, the list is extensive. Visit getlocal.org, a website resources provided by Farmfolk/Cityfolk for an exhaustive list of when local produce is available at its peak.
Of the fruits and vegetables that are special to this time of year, apples are the most significant for Rosh Hashanah. There are some excellent U-pick apple places in the valley, including the Apple Barn, which boasts an amazing apple variety that, once cut, will not turn brown. Enjoy crisp fresh apples, cider, dried apples or even applesauce to celebrate the tradition of apples and honey for the New Year direct from the apple farmer.
Hand in hand with apples for Rosh Hashanah is honey. It is another one of British Columbia’s ubiquitous agricultural products. As bees access the flowers of many crops, they transport a bit of the flavor of the flowers with which the honey becomes infused. What better way to taste a bit of our beautiful province?
Honey is a fascinating example of a kosher product made from a non-kosher animal. An interesting and complicated topic, more simply put, honey is considered to be a kosher “substance,” and is very easy to find certified kosher. British Columbia Kosher (BCK) has certified more than 49 different honeys. There are some who consider pure, unpasteurized honey to be a product that does not need kosher certification, however. You can feel good about supporting the many local ways to get honey this year, including from the many local farmers markets.
One honey vendor at the Main Street farmers market, Mike Todd of Valley Gold Bee Co., has 40 hives in his backyard and tends more than 1,500 commercially. He was happy to chat about the process of honey making and pollination and this made the honey purchase that much sweeter. Knowing exactly from where food comes and who grows or makes it enriches the shopping and eating experience.
Having consumers meet the providers of locally grown food is the cornerstone of the burgeoning farmers markets movement. At many of the outdoor temporary markets around Vancouver (eatlocal.org), Mary Anne Charles sells her father’s catch – fish flash frozen on his boat. She displays photos of her dad on his boat holding sablefish, rockfish and halibut. There are several vendors who even post how many kilometres they drove to bring their food to market, giving you a better idea of their carbon footprint and just how close by they mean when they say “local.”
For a list of a farmers market near you, the B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets has a huge list on their website, at bcfarmersmarket.org. Although the majority of the markets take place on the weekends, with many happening on Shabbat, some have Sunday hours and there are others springing up mid-week, with Wednesday being a popular day. Fresh, local, delicious food that supports food security by paying farmers directly for their labor is available almost every day of the week at one of the area’s farmers markets.
Of course, the best way to have the freshest and most accessible produce is to grow it yourself. Last year, local seed producers, such as West Coast Seeds, were bowled over by the huge demand from people wanting to get back to growing food themselves. The City of Vancouver is encouraging this practice, even permitting home owners to raise chickens, keep bees (limit of two hives) and plant vegetables on boulevards in pots provided by the city. Some of these “greening” measures may not be for everyone, but the idea of a backyard vegetable patch is tried and true and doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated.
Whatever food you choose to eat or serve during this festive season, consider exploring options that will directly support local agriculture – and your good health for the new year. Happy eating.
Michelle Dodek is a Vancouver freelance writer.
^TOP
|
|
