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Summer means the start of the best season of all … BBQ season! And this year I’m planning to kick it up a notch. How, you might ask? Or not, considering the title of this post.
Either way! The answer is the same… by turning my grill into a smoker. Of course I’ll need to learn how to do this properly and I think I’ve found just the book to help – Smoking Meat by Jeff Phillips.
An idiots guide to smoking everything from mac and cheese to pork chops and recipes for rubs, marinades and something called Atomic Buffalo Turds (jalapeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon then smoked to perfection).
If you have a smoker and are looking for some great recipes, or want to venture into smoking your meal for the frist time (like me!) then this is a great resource. And I’ve got a copy of it for you. All you need do. Follow Simply Fresh on Facebook (click here) and leave a message on the wall telling me your favorite thing to BBQ! Winners will have to live in Ottawa so that I’m able to drop off the book, and will be selected at random on Monday. Good luck and happy eating!
A couple of weeks ago I put out a call to Ottawa parents asking them about lunch time at their children`s school. There has been lots of discussion lately surrounding school lunches in areas where the food is provided, but there is more to lunch than just the actual food. It is about the act of sitting down with friends and enjoying a meal. Socializing over food and seeing it for the experience it is, rather than something you hurry through to get to the good stuff.
What I found was that most kids have about 20 minutes to eat. All kids have basic rules about not running around or being too loud. There are some schools, that in my personal opinion, are taking steps to make lunch a special time of the day. Allowing kids to move their seats so that they are eating with friends (that they are often not sitting with during class time to minimize the socialization), to talk as long as it stays at a normal level, and some going so far as to hold lunch after recess so that kids do not rush through their meal so that they can play along with several other potential benefits.
For every school that was taking steps towards a positive lunch experience there were those that were taking a step back. Some kids reported that they were not only not allowed to talk during lunch, but they actually were to sit at their desk and watch videos and television while eating instead of using the time to socialize and break bread with their peers.
For my house hold, the kid`s class is in the less positive stream. I plan to speak with her teacher. I realize there are some circumstances where the level of discipline and order during lunch may seem to be necessary, but I also feel like my child is missing out on a wonderful opportunity to bond with her friends and learn proper eating habits such as taking time out of your day to enjoy food as an event, not just a way to get sustenance.
Thank you so much to all the parents who helped me by going over my questionnaire with their kids. I hope you found it as eye opening as I did, and I encourage other parents to talk to their kids about their lunch time routines.
Looking for somewhere to spend a couple hours on Saturday that will leave you with amazing local artisan products?? Then look no further than the spring Ottawa LAFF - or Ottawa Locavore Artisan Food Fair.
Taking place this Saturday between 10 – 4, on 39 Dufferin Road – you can meet some of my very favorite foodies and artisan food producers while picking up some amazing goodies.
Word on the street is that Pascale’s and Aunite Loo are getting together to make some ice cream sandwiches at the event. Don’t hold me to it… it’s just the street talking.
Hope you make it out!
Hello there Ottawa parents… specifically those of school age children. I’m working on a little project and could use your help. I want to find out how different schools in the area treat lunch. What is lunch time like for your kids?? I have a quick set of questions that I would be thrilled if you would talk over with your kids and send me.
If you are interested in participating, just send me a quick email to simplyfresh(at)live(dot)ca with the subject line ‘Ottawa School Lunches’.
You’re the best! But you already knew that didn’t you.
** Updated ** Some pretty awesome Dad’s have pointed out that they would be keen to help to. Sorry Dad’s – this post should have been a Call to Ottawa Parents!
It’s back! This morning is the launch event for this year’s A Taste for Life. A fundraiser that sees you going to dinner while raising funds for AIDS service organizations. To date this fundraiser in Ottawa alone has raised over $1,000,000 for people in Ontario living with AIDS. Holy Molé!
How does it work? According to organizers: “on Wednesday April 25th , 2012 the people of Ottawa are invited to participate in “A Taste for Life”. This event asks restaurants from every neighborhood and in every price range to donate 25% of their gross proceeds to Bruce House, and The Snowy Owl AIDS Foundation.”
Easy peasy. Just check the website - located here - to find a list of participating restaurants. Then go on and enjoy yourself. Eating well and giving back… that’s my idea of a good time.
Festival season is starting up here in Ottawa and one of the biggest, Bluesfest, is making a major change to the way we buy beer. Yes, Millstreet will still be the official beer supplier, but now you will no longer be paying cash at the register.
Bluesfest is moving to a cash-free bracelet system this year. Think a loadable gift card that you wear.
When you are ID’d for the first time, you’ll be given a bracelet that you can then add money to. Great for those of us who don’t usually carry cash and have always wanted to pay for our beer purchases via debit or credit, though as far as I know cash will still be taken to load up the bracelet.
Yeah buddy…
This can be a bit annoying if you only plan to check out one or two shows, but overall I think it’s a pretty good change.
I’m hoping that after the festival any money still on your bracelet will be returned, because who wants to hold on to a bracelet until next year?? But I haven’t heard how they are planning to deal with this.
What do you think?
And the winner as determined by random.org is @peady! Congrats. You are going to love this book!
I’ll be in touch.
Cuss you Chocolate Milk.
I used to like you. You tasted good and you were an occasional treat I could feel good about. Sure you had as much sugar as a soda, but you had the added benefits of milk. But as I said as an occasional treat you rocked.
Look at you all tasty and stuff.
Now they are trying to sell chocolate milk as a health food. At first I laughed. But as I have seen more and more of this ad campaign it’s beginning to enrage me. Sure chocolate milk has some great things. In fact it has all of the great things that regular milk has with more sugar. And yes, those great things like the glucose that helps protein enter your cells and the carbs but that does not make it a health food.
Our society has become obsessed with parts of food. And this isn’t a rant about only eating chicken breasts and pork tenderloin. But breaking down food into its nutrients and vitamins instead of looking at food as a whole. We can’t see the forest for the trees as it were. Instead of thinking about food as a powerful experience that can bring people together to nourish body and soul, we think of it as a way of getting more protein and carbs into our systems.
Just because something has a nutrient in it, the item is not necessarily good for you.
Yes Lucky Charms might have 2g of fibre, but that does not make them the best choice for a healthy breakfast.
I’ve recently read a wonderful book that touches on the topic of dissecting our food along with the erosion of our food culture called ‘ Outside the Box: Why Our Children Need Real Food Not Food Products’ by the lovely Jeannie Marshall. It’s a really interesting read for those who have kids or don’t about a Canadian girl who moves to Italy and struggles with the world’s changing views on food as she tries to feed her young son.
The best piece of advice I’ve picked up from the book about teaching kids… and let’s face it, many adults, about how to eat healthy is to make sure you are eating a wide variety of colours. If you are eating real food (ie it didn’t come from a box) and there are several colours on your plate per meal, you will be eating a balanced diet and you can stop worrying about your vitamin C intake and start enjoying your food again.
I’ve got a copy of Jeannie’s book to give away to one lucky Ottawa reader! All you need to do is leave a comment on this post telling me your biggest food pet peeve. It can be anything – hell you can even make it up. I’ll pick a winner at random in a couple days time.
Until then happy eating and up yours chocolate milk marketers.
A huge thank you goes out to everyone involved with Celebrity Chefs of Canada event held this past Sunday at the NAC. It was phenomenal. They took the constructive (and sometimes snarky) criticisms of last year and came out with a stellar event that should make our capital region proud.
If you couldn’t make it out, you might have been following the tweets that many participants were sending out? What? You have a life? And couldn’t sit glued to your computer becoming hungry and jealous all day? Never fear! Here is a tweet centred recap of the event. And because it’s me I will mostly be recapping the most immature and odd tweets from the day. Many of those tweets are probably from me.
@simplyfresh I’m so excited that I might throw up #CCOC
@hillaryduffcu Chef @MarcLepine and @chefquangdang are up first with their geoduck clam dish! Go team! #CCOC http://lockerz.com/s/195705500
@simplyfresh Anyone else think a geoduck looks like the thing from tremors?? #CCOC
@foodieprints Umm… @chefquangdang is playing with shaft meat. Cleaning his geoduck… #ccoc@CELEBCHEFCANADA#crossingLegshttp://pic.twitter.com/fYWTkhcq
@simplyfresh Liquid nitrogen fight! #ccoc
@gadgetgirl_ca Geoduck, pronounced “gooey-duck” makes me giggle #CCOChttp://pic.twitter.com/HFalXaK2
@Ontario Culinary Up next at #CCOC is @nedbell (in his blue shoes) and @patricialarkinhttp://ow.ly/i/wQ0X their dish is featuring @ocean_wise albacore tuna
@RG_1_3 I started cooking because my mother was the worst cook in the world @nedbell #CCOC
@thegoudalife “Do what you love or give people the opportunity to do what they love and they will be fulfilled” – @nedbell #CCOC
@foodieprints Woah… @patricialarkin and @nedbell prepared 110 kg of albacore tuna for @CELEBCHEFCANADA #ccoc http://pic.twitter.com/xmqmo2cG
@foodieprints Omg…so want to share the sweet and Savour smell in the studio right now! @CELEBCHEFCANADA #ccoc
@missfish Yes! RT @paulajroy: Big shoutout to the hardworking students from ALgonquin College assisting the chefs today #CCOC
@foodieprints Next up Vikram Vij and @vtrattoria ’s Cesare Santaguida #italianMaetsIndian #ccoc @CELEBCHEFCANADA http://pic.twitter.com/LpRXuIaV
@hillaryduffcu Just left the studio. Upon re-entering, I realized just how UNREAL it smells in here. #isitsamplingtimeyet #CCOC
@thegoudalife Loving #VikramVijs‘s sense of humor. He and Chef Santaguida are wonderful together! @vtrattoria. #CCOC
@latwistedchef Grind your own spices – consider it as important as grinding your own coffee beans #CCOC #vikrimvij
@simplyfresh Adivice from Chef Vij Indians shouldn’t travel with chef knives… You WILL get pulled into the little back room of the airport #ccoc
@ontarioculinary The smell coming from @vijs_restaurant & @vtrattoria masala is unbelievable! My tummy is rumbling – I may crash the demo stage. #CCOC
@charleneBside If you’re a Canadian foodie and not at #ccoc I’m sad for you
@thelemonkitchen Here comes @michaelblackie with Patrick McMurray…I think there might be things in shells… #CCOC
@hillaryduffcu Chef Patrick McMurray has the world record for oyster shucking. Thirty eight in A MINUTE! #foodhero #CCOC
@glenfarclas30 Silver gloved shucker making everything better with bacon! @CELEBCHEFCANADA #CCOC
@missfish Did I understand that correctly? @ShuckerPaddy shucks on a puck? #CCOC #chickenfarmers
@simplyfresh Check out my wicked #ccoc program. @michaelblackie is giving me a come hither look. ‘Hey girl, wanna see me cook?’ http://yfrog.com/odurnhij
@foodieprints Susur Lee and Matt Carmichael are coming up next! #ccoc @celebchefcanada http://twitpic.com/919dy3
@glenfarclas30 Omg!! Susur Lee!! Within my reach but I will show restraint. @CELEBCHEFCANADA #CCOC
@ontarioculinary Umm lobster @susurlee style. St. Canut suckling pig, Parmesan crusted fennel lobster salad with a saffron mayo. Go ahead – be jealous #CCOC
@glenfarclas30 Chefs walking down memory lane while demoing. This reunion smells wonderful! @CELEBCHEFCANADA #CCOC
@gadgetgirl_ca Chefs Duffy & Bangerter making a dish you could do at home #CCOC http://pic.twitter.com/6377Hiaq
@boudreauk There needs to be a scratch and sniff app…this smells AMAZING #CCOC @CELEBCHEFCANADA http://yfrog.com/h4k6jqoj
@missfish Every mention of “tasty crispy bits” is bringing me closer to storming the stage. #CCOC #chickenfarmers
@thelemonkitchen Thanks Newfoundland for Chef Charles… #bestillmyheart #CCOC
@stuffedottawa @KurtStoodley you’re missing Newfoundland rabbit right now at @CELEBCHEFCANADA with Chef Jonathan Korecki & Chef Jeremy Charles #ccoc
@missfish Duck tossing at #CCOC. Don’t ask. 
#chickenfarmers
@foodieprints 
@perspectivesbsh Chef Cliff Lyness and @chefparsons demoing duck #ccoc @CELEBCHEFCANADA http://pic.twitter.com/NzEDhyEo
@paulajroy Chefs Jason Parsons and Clifford Lyness have just filled NAC studio with peach-scented smoke. It’s divine! #CCOC
@nurse_ja Michael Blackie and Lynn Crawford on last so excited #CCOC @CelebChefsCanada
@foodieprints And @michaelblackie and @chef_lynn are up! Crowd just roared. Said Crawford “why top female chef? Top Chef!” #ccoc @CELEBCHEFCANADA
@glenfarclas30 @chef_Lynn is amazing in her ADD cooking!! @michaelblackie is a great straight man 4 her! @CELEBCHEFCANADA #CCOC
@chefparsons Let the games begin, 700 guests in the next 3 hours #CCOC http://yfrog.com/hwaeuyrj
@gadgetgirl_ca Let the eating begin #CCOC http://pic.twitter.com/v5zmIGfQ
@shawnhooper Checking out the Celebrity Chefs of Canada at @CanadasNAC with @DahliaEvent. So much amazing food! #CCOC #ottawa
@cakemom2 Having a blast with my BB @CharleneBside at the #ccoc! @ANClifford - we are behaving! 
@chefbangerter Everyone wants to taste my bits..RT @stuffedottawa: I’m a lucky girl just had some of @chefbangerter‘s “custom bits” @CELEBCHEFCANADA #ccoc
@kingofcaviar Great food, wine and company at the @celebritychefs #CCOC Ottawa! Looking forward to the after party!
@paulajroy Home..happy and oh-so-full of all the delicious things I tasted and learned today at #CCOC. I expect to dream of food tonight! Thanks, all!
Nuff said.
Remember Chia pet’s?? They are back. In food form. Sort of.
Basically those same seeds that you slathered on a terra cotta pig are the next super food. By weight they pack more Omega 3′s than salmon along with a slew of antioxidants. Experts are recommending you eat about a Tablespoon a day.
But how do you eat Chia seeds? Short answer – however the heck you want. On a recent trip to the bulk food store I found them both as seeds and ground up. They have virtually no taste, and seeds have a texture that reminds me of poppy seeds.
So far I have added them to rice (while the rice was cooking). They softened up and the only difference between regular rice and rice with chia was that it looked like the inside of a dragon fruit. I called it dalmatian rice.
I’ve also added whole seeds to my bread dough and baked goods, had no idea they were in there. I can only imagine how invisible the ground seeds would be.
Finally I added them to salad dressing. Here they kept their texture, but a gain no taste, so it worked there too.
I’m not 100% convinced that I wont turn into a living chia pet, but I think I could rock that look.
