FARM

Eating well on the road can be a challenge if you don't do your homework. I’ve been away quite a bit this summer. One trip took me to Alberta for my baby brother’s wedding. Following the celebrations, my hubby and I took a little road trip around Alberta. We covered quite a bit of ground in the 4 days that we had to explore. As I haven’t spent too much time in my adult years in Alberta, the big question was: where should we eat? A month or so before we left I quizzed a friend of Amberley’s who is a real foodie and who also went to school in Alberta. She made some wonderful suggestions but the one that I really feel the need to share is Farm, located in Calgary.

We had only one night in Calgary and after checking out their website (http://farm-restaurant.com), I knew it was the one restaurant on this trip that I HAD to try. Their whole philosophy is that they use local suppliers, they are inspired by the foods produced in Alberta and they work with farmers who care for their animals and the land. Sounds right up my alley! I was stoked! The only problem is... when you have really high expectations for something, it’s really easy to be disappointed.

Well, I won’t keep you in suspense. It was a marvelous experience and actually went above and beyond any expectations that I possibly could’ve had. Here’s how it all went down:

We rolled into town and basically drove right to the restaurant. We weren’t hungry but we wanted to check the place out and then spend a bit of time getting our bearings in this sprawling city. We entered the small restaurant and were greeted by the friendly, young hostess. Even though it was a Tuesday, she said that it would be very busy and that she couldn’t guarantee us a table but that she could save us a spot at the bar. The bar is a countertop that surrounds the open kitchen. Even better!

Returning a couple hours later having worked up an appetite, we were seated at our spot at the end of the bar with a full on view of the kitchen. I was in culinary heaven! My husband, JM, started with an Amber's Lunch Pail Ale and I sampled their made-in-house iced tea. I ordered the Crispy Duck. JM ordered the Silver Sage Strip Steak and the house pickles. We then sat back and watched, with great interest, the bustle of activity coming out of the small kitchen. We were perched right in front of the guy in charge of desserts and cheese plates. It took all self-control not to simply reach over and snatch up a morsel of cheese or two.

The drool must have been pooling on the countertop or something but for reasons unbeknownst to us, the chef noticed us and announced that he felt that we had been waiting too long and that something must be done. We certainly didn’t feel that we were waiting too long, however, I was never one to argue with someone thrusting food in my direction! 

To start, a round of drinks came to us. “Are you having iced tea?” My response, “Well... I can drink!” (As in alcohol.) “What do you like?” “Wine. Red.” Our server, a charming blonde Betty Boop lookalike with a 50s style hair do, dark penciled in eyebrows and bright red lips, promptly brought over the wine list and recommended a red that would complement my duck. Don’t mind if I do! 

Then the sous-chef brought both JM and I the market salad of the day. It was a salad of baby romaine with a mix of lightly sauteed mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes in a dill vinaigrette and topped with pine nuts. It was lovely! 

Market Salad

Soon after came our main courses. JM’s steak was cooked to perfection and accompanied by chimichurri sauce and herb crème fraîche as well as roasted potatoes and shallots. My duck was served, perched on a bed of micro greens with an asian inspired vinaigrette. It was topped with crispy shoestring potatoes and surrounded with a moat of Thai peanut sauce. Soooo good.

The Crispy Duck

During the course of our meal, the chef came over several times to check on us and describe the various dishes to us. He was very friendly and obviously passionate about he was doing. He apologized that we had to wait- even though, like I said, we didn’t notice. He explained that their kitchen, which was quite small, that they only had 6 burners & 2 ovens but that even so, he doesn’t like his customers to have to wait more than 15 minutes for food. The pace that he and his kitchen staff were pumping out amazing, quality dishes that were just as delicious as they were beautiful was nothing short of miraculous. I really enjoyed watching the interplay between the various staff. Although they were super busy, they were all smiles and genuinely seemed to be having a good time in that tiny kitchen. I guess that’s how you know you’re cut out for the restaurant business, your ability to handle stress with grace and humour!

Macarons

After dinner, I headed off towards the back of the restaurant where there was a full on cheese shop. I wasn’t really in a position to stock up on cheeses but it was fun to have a look! When I returned to my seat, I arrived to house-made macarons. Being a self-proclaimed connoisseur of the French macaron (as in I’ve eaten more than my fair share of them), I can assure you, they were tip top! John and I decided that we would share a dessert and have a coffee and just linger a bit to draw out this experience that we were so thoroughly enjoying. The coffee was in a French press. Made to order in our own little bodum. We had the chai carrot cake with vanilla bean icing that was garnished with a pistachio brittle. Yes, it was really as fantastic as it sounds. 

Chai Carrot Cake

As we were getting up to leave, the chef came over again wanting to ensure that we had enjoyed ourselves. He reiterated that it was so important to him that we not only enjoy the food but the experience. We thanked him profusely and assured him that we were so grateful and overjoyed. I let him know that that we had been looking forward to eating here for a while now. I explained that I was particularly interested in their establishment because of their dedication to using local suppliers and knowing where their food came from. He was happy to hear that we were of the same ilk as he not only seeks out local food for the restaurant but also at home. It was one of those happy, feel good moments that you really don’t want to end. But it did. 

Earlier in the evening, we had assured our server that we really didn’t feel like we had been made to wait and that we didn’t feel deserving of all the special attention. She mused, “I’m not sure why he has singled you two out, but I’d say: LET IT RAIN!” And that we did! It was such a great evening. It will go down in my books as one of my most memorable meals. And like the good chef said, it was just as much about the experience as the food. 

I have a feeling I will soon be spending a lot more time in Calgary. There is a food scene that needs to be explored in more detail. And if you are ever in Calgary, you must eat at FARM! I insist. You may not be the pet of the chef on that particular night, but you won't be disappointed!

'O Glorious Summer of Cheese

I have not been wanting for cheese this summer. In fact, I’ve been cheese rich! It has been a wonderful and gluttonous time. Cheese, I’m convinced, is the real fast food. You just slice it, slather it or pile it on some crusty bread, cracker, fruit, pie or eat as is and you are good to go. You have a delicious, gourmet treat that takes no time at all. Satisfying not only because of its flavour but has the requisite protein and fat to fill you right up!

In my quest to eat not only delicious but ethical cheese, I have gotten to know the fine folks at the Lendrum Ross farm who produce some fantastic cheeses. While in Whitehorse back in June, I stopped by the Fireweed Market (http://fireweedmarket.yukonfood.com) to load up on their cheeses before heading back north. I went early as I had been warned that they sell out quickly! I picked up some halloumi, feta, chèvre as well as some goat yogurt fudge. 

I had heard about their halloumi before but I was finally going to taste it for myself! In anticipation I bought two pieces. One I shared with with my friend Amberley, who I often stay with while in Whitehorse. We sliced it into squares and fried it in olive oil then squeezed lemon juice over it with salt and pepper. It was delicious! We started out by putting it on a lovely market produced olive bread but quickly discarded it, opting to eat the cheese on its own. Anything else would just be filler! It reminded me of a cross between saganaki and cheese curds. It had the fried crispiness and flavour of saganaki but the squeek of cheese curds. 

On the second halloumi eating occasion, I casually offered some to my small step grandchildren assuming that they wouldn’t be interested in such a thing. I quickly had to ration it out as they chowed down with reckless abandon. I eventually had to cut them off all together. Whatever feelings of guilt I suffered about my inability to share quickly wavered as I devoured the last slices. 

The beauty of the chèvre was that is was mild and spreadable and tasted so wonderfully fresh. I was still skeptical that the kids would be interested in it but after spreading it on some crackers, which I then sprinkled with salt and freshly ground pepper, I couldn’t keep it coming fast enough. I was a little more willing to share this go around just because I had more...

The feta was used mostly to add some tang to some delectable summer salads, which was good because that meant that a little went a long way. Mmmmm...

In addition to the goat cheese of the Lendrum Ross Farm, I came across Moonstruck Organic Cheeses (http://www.moonstruckcheese.com). This small farm/cheese maker is located on Salt Spring Island. They make homemade free range cow’s milk cheeses that are certified organic. According to their website, they have a small herd of about 25 cows. I would love to visit them one day!

In the Yukon, you can purchase their cheeses from Riverside Grocery (http://www.riversidegrocery.ca), Whitehorse’s go-to store for just about anything. It’s been around for years and as they claim, “If we don’t have it, it’s not worth having!” They carry a wide range of products and any trip to Whitehorse includes a stop at this unique little gem of a store. But I digress...

White Grace, Savoury Moon, White Moon, Ash-Ripened Camembert, Farmstead Feta are just some of Moonstruck Organic Cheese products  that I have enjoyed. If I had to pick my absolute fave, it would be the Baby Blue. It even won a bronze medal in 2008 at the First World Jersey Cheese Competition on the Isle of Jersey. It just might be the perfect cheese! You can read more detailed descriptions of their cheese on their website. So glad that I am able to get my hands on these fantastic products.

Ash- Ripened Camembert on the left & Savoury Moon on the right. Oh so good!

While on a recent vacation, I admit that I did eat some cheese whose ethicality (is that a word?!) was unknown to me but I’m assuming that due to its mass-produced nature that it could not possibly be ethical. I didn’t feel guilty. It’s difficult to control what types of food you will have access to when you are traveling. What I did observe, however, was that the small farm produced cheese that I have become accustomed to eating is a far superior product. Mass-produced cheese is bland, uninteresting and feels like you are eating plastic. Really? What’s the point? 

With a renewed sense of enthusiasm for small scale produced cheese, I got my hands on a feta making kit and some rennet and ordered up some goat’s milk. I’m taking cheese making to the smallest scale of production. I am going to try and make it myself. 16L of goat’s milk. 8L for mozzarella. 8L for feta. Yikes! Just don’t mess up...

Goat's milk awaiting its transformation into cheese.

Birthday Menu

Wow… that was sort of cruel. I put out a teaser for an upcoming post and then I disappeared off the face of the earth for a month. Well, as you know, life has a way of getting really busy from time to time and sometimes things have to go to the back burner for a bit.

In any case, I’m pleased to report that I’m still embracing the ethical omnivore lifestyle. I just haven’t had the chance lately to report on it. It seems like going back to tell you about my birthday menu might be a little too far in the past but I will anyways because we had some great food! 

At the party were 15 or so good friends. It was pretty casual. It was supposed to be a BBQ and although we used the BBQ to prepare some of the food, we were confined to house because it was snowing! Yes, snow on May 18^th. It was first in my life time!

Here was the menu :

Appetizers

Hummus with Organic Que Pasa tortilla chips

Goat Cheese & Sun-dried Tomato Terrine served with crackers

Main Course

Marinated Moose& Veggie Kebabs

Moose Burgers with all the fixings

Alaskan Scallop Skewers

Tabbouleh & Chickpea Salad

Spinach Salad with strawberries, almonds and a poppyseed dressing

Vegan Potato Salad

Dessert

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Goat Cheese & Sun-dried Tomato Terrine or as I like to call it: Delish!

Not a bad spread… So you may be thinking, why on earth would you want to go through the trouble of preparing all that food on your own birthday? Just to be ethical? No actually, I have often prepared dinners for friends on my birthday because one of the things I love about cooking is making things for others and giving them joy. Many of my friends who are avid cooks do the same. Plus, you can be guaranteed you’re going to eat well! Being ethical was just an added advantage. I did mention to dinner guests who I know have been following the blog that it was ethical but most of them were none the wiser and would not have been able to tell the difference anyways! One particular guest, who has an aversion to eggs, was delighted to finally be able to eat a potato salad because it did not contain eggs.

So, going through the menu, I fully admit that I took lots of short cuts with this meal. I’m a normally “from scratch” kinda girl but I did not want to work too hard! It was my birthday afterall! So yes, the hummus was store bought although I jazzed up the presentation by transferring it to another dish and adding some garnish.

The goat cheese appetizer is a fabulous dish that can be made the day before. It comes from the Whitewater Cookbook series. I will add these books to my book listing in the Food for Thought post. There are several wonderful dishes in all three of these books. This particular recipe is found on page 28 of Whitewater Cooks At Home. You line a dish with plastic wrap and put down a layer of softened goat cheese-unripened. It says in the recipe to beat until fluffy and smooth. What I did was soften the cheese slightly in the microwave, which made it easily spreadable. After putting down the first layer, put on a layer of pesto (I used store bought), chopped up sundried tomatoes, some chopped, fresh basil and parsley then add another layer of the goat cheese. Wrap it in the plastic and refrigerate to firm up. When firm, unwrap and place it on a serving plate, garnish with a balsamic vinegar reduction, toasted pine nuts, capers, a basil chiffonade, kalamata olives and cherry tomatoes. Simple! See, you don’t even need the recipe. Serve with baguette, toasted pita, crackers, etc.

For the main course, we marinated cut pieces of moose steak several days in advance. We just used a random kebab recipe from the internet and threw in a few extra ingredients. I wish I had kept it because it was a gooder… Loaded up some skewers with the meat, peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc. and cooked them on the BBQ along with some moose burgers. I don’t tend to keep recipes for burger seasonings so sorry, nothing to share. For the burgers, we got the local bakery to make up some fresh buns, which made them extra nice.

The scallops were purchased from Frisky Fish in Whitehorse and came from a small bay in Alaska. I tossed them in olive oil, lemon zest, garlic and s/p. Much like the mozzarella cheese from the cheese making workshop actually. Then I skewered them and cooked them on the BBQ. Yummy!

The Tabbouleh and Chickpea Salad was a new recipe. It came from page 43 of the Whitewater Cooks book. It’s the first time I’ve ever used bulgur and I was very pleased with the results. It's a yummy recipe full of flavour with ingredients like chickpeas, green olives, feta cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and herbs and spices. I used a The Farmstead Feta from Moonstruck Organic Cheeses from Salt Spring Island. The only change I made from the original recipe with that I reduced the amount of vinegar by about half as I was worried it would be too acidic with the lemon juice and vinegar. It was great!

The spinach salad was very straight forward: spinach leaves, sliced strawberries, toast almond slivers and a homemade vinaigrette with dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, s/p, poppyseeds and grapeseed oil.

The vegan potato salad was from this website:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/02/vegan-potato-salad.html

Check it out! It’s called Creamy Fingerling Potato Salad. However, I didn’t use fingerlings. I just used baby potatoes. I also didn’t use quite as much shallot as in the recipe. The other change was that I didn’t use Yukon Gold potatoes for the dressing. I just took a few of the baby potatoes and mashed them up, skin and all. It was very good.

Now for dessert: Pineapple Upside Down Cake -one of my favorite childhood cakes. This recipe is from my momma. I figured that this cake would be good because you don’t necessarily need ice cream to go with it. Luckily I had some organic butter from Avalon dairy. When you need a buttery taste, margarine just won’t do. I ran out of regular flour so I substituted in some spelt flour, which made it soft and dense. I used local eggs and unsweetened almond milk instead of regular milk. It was delish!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Melt 1/3 cup butter into a 9 to 10 inch pan. Sprinkle ¾ cup of brown sugar over the melted butter. Place drained, canned pineapple slices on sugar mixture. Maraschino cherries may be placed in centres of pineapple slices, if desired.

Mix together:

                1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

                ½ teaspoon salt

                2 teaspoons baking powder

Cream:

                2/3 cup butter

Gradually blend into butter:

                ¾ sugar

                2 eggs

                1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat until fluffy.

Add dry ingredients alternately with:

                2/3 cup milk

Spoon onto pineapples in pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes. Invert on serving platter. Remove pan after a couple minutes.

It was a great night. In fact, I was so busy having fun that I only took one photo. It's all I have to accompany this post. Oopsy! Until next time, which hopefully won't be too far away!

Fire up the BBQ, Summer's a coming!

Spring has sprung. Yeah, I know it's May 11th. But around here it only has JUST begun to feel like winter might actually end. It has been unseasonably cold ever since... well, as long as I can remember. The amount of snow still on the ground is much too much for this time of year. The ice in the river hasn't even broken yet. Despite the weather, all the seasonal businesses in our charming little tourist/mining town are starting to open up and the summer people are arriving. They must be in shock. However, it is a happy reminder that it is indeed May! 

My birthday usually falls on Victoria Day weekend, which is a week away. May Long is the weekend that the trees begin to bud. It is also the weekend that many people typically put in their gardens in these parts. I just can't see either of those things happening yet. The weather... an endless topic of conversation... 

Let's get to the point! The good news is summer is on its way. What better way to welcome her than by firing up the BBQ! What have I been craving the most over the past couple months? Pizza. Lucky for me I have a nice ball of goat mozzarella, which I have been zealously hoarding the past week just waiting for the perfect opportunity to consume. How can I rectify the need to BBQ and the need for pizza? EASY! BBQ pizza.

BBQ pizza or grilled pizza is perhaps the most authentic form of Italian pizza you can get without actually having a wood-fired brick pizza oven. Imagine: Crispy, slightly charred thin crust, chewy on the inside. Oh yeah. Don't be intimidated by throwing dough on the grill. It's easy! I've been making this recipe for years and it's always a hit.

Fresh off the Barby!

Grilled Pizza

Serves 4-6

First, make crust:

1. Dissolve 2 ½ tsp. of quick rising yeast in 1 ½ cups of warm water. Give it a little stir. I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer, with the paddle attachment on a low speed. 
2. As soon as you can see that the yeast is frothy and alive, add 1 1/2 cups of flour and mix in. 
3. Add 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil. 
4. Gradually add one more cup of flour. 
5. When your dough starts to get thick, swap out your paddle to the dough hook. Let your machine do the work, gradually adding a bit more flour as needed. 5 minutes or so. 
6. I like to finish my dough by hand, kneading for a couple more minutes on a floured surface. 
7. Form it into a nice ball. 
8. Lightly oil the surface of the dough. Place in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a dry towel. 
9. Let rise for an hour while you prepare the toppings. 

The following are your must-have toppings:
Olive oil
Thinly sliced garlic
Grated Mozzarella Cheese
Thinly sliced tomatoes
Sliced bocconcini

You can make a nice simple pizza just like that or you can add other toppings too. Last night I added artichoke pieces and kalamata olives. Other times I have added a bit of meat to the above list, like moose pepperoni. The key is to try and not have too many things going on on your pizza. Remember, you just need a scattering of each ingredient. We are going for Italian pizza, not North American fast food pizza!

Putting it all together:
1) Pre-heat your BBQ to a medium heat.
2) Dump your dough onto a cutting board and cut into 4 or 6 pieces. 
3) Hand stretch your dough. Shape is not important. It’s rustic! You want it to be quite thin though, no more than 5 mm.
4) Brush olive oil liberally on both sides of doughl.  Lay your pieces of dough on a baking sheet. 
5) Place dough on the grill. You may have to do your pizza in batches depending on the size of your BBQ. However, only cook one side of your dough at this point. Grill for about 5 minutes or until bottom begins to golden and is getting grill marks. Rotate dough 90 degrees for grill cross marks.
6) Remove dough from the grill. Put it back on the baking sheet with the cooked side facing up.
7) Add toppings to the grilled side of your pizza. Here’s the order I like:

My fave local beer!

       -lightly brush with olive oil
       -scatter slices of garlic
       -lightly sprinkle with grated mozzarella
       -scatter on tomato 
       -scatter on other toppings 
       -end with slices of fresh mozzarella aka bocconcini
9) Return pizza to the grill. As the bottom of your dough is cooking, the ingredients will heat and the cheese will melt. If the bottom of your crust is crispy but your cheese is not yet melted, you can transfer your pizza to the upper rack until the cheese begins to bubble.
10) Remove from the grill, slide onto a cutting board, chop up into pieces, arrange on serving platter and sprinkle with a basil chiffonade. Serve with a glass of wine or your favourite beer!

A few words on basil:
-Fresh basil is a lovely way to finish off your pizza. Prepare and sprinkle over top just before serving. If you prepare it any sooner, it will wilt.
-Sure you can just chop up your basil but making a chiffonade is equally easy and classes up any dish!  How to make a basil chiffonade:

http://howtocook.casaveneracion.com/how-to-make-basil-chiffonade/

-If you don’t have any fresh basil but you want that basil flavour (as was my situation last night), sprinkle some dry basil over your toppings before your pizza goes back on the grill.

Next post teaser:
So as I mentioned, my birthday is coming up in a week or so. I’m having a party! In discussing the menu with my significant other, he suggested that it might be impossible to have an ethical meal. What?! Sounds like a challenge... and a great opportunity to try out some new recipes!

Goats Do Roam

I am very excited about the thrilling weekend I have just had! I traveled to Whitehorse where I finally got to do a much anticipated cheese making workshop on Saturday. Then on Sunday, I visited the goat farm, the Lendrum Ross Farm, which produced the milk. It was an “udderly” fantastic weekend! Hardy har har! Not only was I opened up to the  intriguing world of cheese making, not only did I stuff myself full of the most delicious cheese I’ve had in recent memory, not only did I get to cuddle the most adorable little creatures ever to roam God’s green earth, I met some kind-hearted, knowledgeable and welcoming kindred spirits in my quest for ethical eating. 

The cheese making course (offered through Yukon College) was expertly instructed by Tina Ratay, a farming partner of the Lendrum Ross Farm. Tina is a foodie, chef, cheese maker extraordinaire. During the course of our workshop, she explained the history of cheese making, the chemistry behind it and the process of making cheese from farm to table. We then made mozzarella and paneer. She also showed us different ways to present and eat the cheese.

Cheese making is surprisingly a lot easier than you may think. You can make paneer that is ready to eat in a matter of minutes with 2 ingredients. Mozzarella takes a bit longer but is quite straight forward. The recipes that we used in the course originate from number of different recipes that Tina has taken bits and pieces of and perfected. Tina also showed us how to add different flavours to the mozzarella by kneading or rolling different spices and seeds into the cheese. Add the end of the class we had a cheese feast! I did not hesitate to lead the charge to the table or go back for seconds!

I was very interested to learn that the flavour of the cheese actually comes more from the cultures used rather than the type of milk. The mozzarella had no hint of "chèvre" in it. In fact, the average person would not be able to tell that the mozzarella was made from goat's milk as opposed to any other type of milk. What you would be able to note is that it is unlike any run of the mill cheese in its freshness and lack of processing.

Formed mozzarella balls in the foreground.
Flatten mozzarella sprinkled with Za'atar
(a Middle Eastern spice mixture)
about to be rolled.

Brined Mozzarella

1. Heat 4L of milk in a sterilized stainless steel pot.
2. Dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid into 1/4 cup cool water.
3. At 13 degrees Celsius, add citric acid mixture to milk, stirring in an up and down motion until well incorporated.
4. Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of liquid rennet into 1/4 cup cool water.
5. At 30 degrees Celsius, add rennet mixture to milk, again stirring in an up and down motion.
6. When the solution reaches approximately 38 degrees C, you will see a separation of curds from the whey. Turn off heat. Note: The curds are the solids. The whey is the milky liquid.
7. Scoop curds into a bowl.
8. Press curds into manageable sized balls, squeezing out as much whey as possible.
9. Heat a small pot of water with about 1/3 cup of coarse salt.
10. Drop in the balls of cheese. The water level should just cover the balls of curd.
11. When the water reaches 60 degrees Celsius, remove balls again squeezing out as much whey as possible.
12. Return balls to salt water and continue heating.
13. When the water reaches 74 degrees Celsius, the balls of curd will be soft. Pull and stretch the balls until glossy and smooth. 
14. Form the balls into desired shape and drop into a pan of cold water, place pan in fridge and let them sit until firm. 
15. Dissolve 1/2 cup of coarse salt into 1 litre of cold water in a large jar. Add the finished balls of mozzarella and brine for 8 hours, shaking from time to time. 
16. Remove balls from brine, and allow to dry uncovered, on a plate for 8 hours (refrigerated). After 8 hours, flip over and dry other side for 8 hours more. At this point, the balls can now be used immediately, wrapped for future use or even frozen for further into the future use. Simply refrigerated, the cheese will last 3 weeks or more. You can also skip the brining step and enjoy the mozzarella fresh. It will slice but not shred easily and is like bocconcini.

Mozzarella marinated in olive oil, garlic & lemon zest. Yum!

Mini Mozzarella, Basil & Cherry Tomato Skewers.

Various flavoured mozzarella. Some with seeds, others with
Za'atar.

Paneer

1. Heat 4L of milk in a sterilized stainless steel pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. 
2. When at a boil, turn down the heat and add 3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. The milk should curdle at this point. If it doesn’t curdle, add some more vinegar tablespoon by tablespoon until it does. 
3. Spoon the curds into a cheesecloth lined colander. 
4. For making a pressed paneer, lay the cheesecloth and curd bundle onto a cutting board, put the ends of the cloth to one side and cover with a plate and add a weight on top, pressing the curd into a patty. Tilt the cutting board so that it drains into a sink. Unwrap curd and cut into slices. It can be used in stews and curries, fried or eaten fresh. It does not last longer than a day or two even if refrigerated.

Pressed Paneer

There are several online resources and books should you choose to try it out on your own, however, I would greatly recommend taking a class. It was very beneficial to have an expert in the room, readily available to answer any and all questions as you went! I will certainly be procuring some vegetable rennet and goat's milk in order to re-create this at home.

You may recall me having mentioned the Lendrum Ross Farm in a previous post. They are the Yukon’s only (as far as I know) goat farm and fabricators of goat cheese. Tina has worked with them for a number of years. When I first contacted Brian Lendrum to ask about the availability of their cheese and to enquire about cheese making courses, he invited me out to the farm to meet the goats. After signing up for the cheese course and knowing the specific dates I would be in town, I contacted him to take him up on his offer. 

On Sunday, on my way back up to Dawson, I stopped by their idyllic little farm located on Lake Laberge. Brian, whom I had only previously corresponded with via email and Susan, who I had met the day before at the cheese course, were gracious and enthusiastic hosts. 

Baby goats hanging out.

Upon arrival, they took me straight away to see the herd. It was a beautiful spring day and the goats were mostly lounging in the sun outside their shelter. In the past couple of weeks, the majority of the goats had had their kids. There were 27 little babies, frolicking, sleeping, playing, calling out to each other, chewing their cud, and trying to get a little milk from momma. The dozen or so adults were equally enjoying the pleasant weather. I haven’t spent too much time around goats but what instantly struck me was their huge personality. They are smart, playful and fiercely individual. I was smitten. I loved holding and petting the sweet little babies as Brian and Susan answered my millions of questions. After awhile, the whole lot of them headed out to the hills for an afternoon stroll.

After spending some quality time with the goats, Brian and Susan showed me where and how they milked the goats. They do it all by hand! Then they showed me the rest of their farm. They also grow organic vegetables for market and keep chickens. Later they took me to the cheese making kitchen. What is especially impressive is that Brian and Susan live off the grid. They have solar panels and occasionally a generator for all their power needs, which include an electric fence! 

Then we went in for coffee and lemon bars and chatted about several topics: raising chickens, raising pigs, ethical food, goose rillettes, France, teaching, gardening, living off the grid, hunting, farmer’s markets, Dawson. Before I knew it, over 2 hours had passed and it was time for me to get on the road. Not, however, before Susan loaded me up with several kale recipes and French books. It was a delightful afternoon, one that I will cherish forever. 

I know I’m gushing a bit here. But really! Who knew that at the end of that little dirt road that I’ve passed on the highway so many times before, never thinking twice of, would have opened its doors to me and unleashed such a degree of magic and inspiration. Ever since, I’ve found myself dreaming about quitting my job and taking up goat farming and cheese making. Now, I know there’s a lot more to it than what I could possibly take in in the space of a couple hours. It is not easy work. But it is so important. For those who farm sustainably, humanely and with such love, my respect and admiration is huge. I look forward to returning soon. Thank you.

Goats heading off for a walk.

Food for Thought, Version 2.0

I’ve only begun to educate myself about our current food system and related issues over the past 5 years or so. It started when I went to culinary school. I admit sheepishly that before, I was happily ignorant to what was going on in the world of food, you know, except for the eating of it! In culinary school, they really didn't delve too much into the food system either but that's where I first caught wind that not all was hunky dory. I was 30 years old and astonished that I really had no clue.

So what I have I done in the past 5 years? Well, not a whole lot. Read a couple books, watched a few documentaries. Felt some guilt. And then it sort of faded away... 

I don’t know what changed in me most recently but I know when it happened. I was browsing Netflix and came across the documentary Vegucated. I gave it a whirl. Vegucated is a decent flic but it didn’t really present any information that I didn’t already know. What it did do, once again, was challenge me to question my attitudes and eating.

What was the difference this go around? Well, I think it was that I was finally ready. Like many things in life, you can’t force yourself to do something until you’re ready. You can quit smoking a hundred times but you won’t be successful until you’re ready to do it. Making a big shift in life requires a huge effort and dedication, especially at first. I realized that it was finally time. I had to stop making excuses, stop living a lie. It was time to carefully examine my own practices and make a plan to do my part, big or small, to change a system that I believe to be inherently wrong. It is a process and I am far from having it all figured out but the more I get informed, the easier it gets. 

I wanted to compile a list of books and films that have influenced me to change the way I look at food. Now just because I have watched a certain film or read a certain book does NOT mean that I prescribe 100% to what its author is putting out there. I am simply looking to enhance my knowledge and understanding of the world. By exposing myself to as much information as I can, I am able to take from it what I want, form opinions and make decisions on issues that I deem to be important.

This list is by no means complete and is not listed in any particular order. I'm sure I have forgotten many titles. I will continue to add to this list as I remember or as I come across new material (or new to me material). Feel free to make recommendations!

Books of Interest:

The Green History of the World: The Environment & the Collapse of Great Civilisations 
by Clive Ponting

The Atlas of FOOD: Who Eats What, Where and Why 
by Erik Millstone & Tim Lang

The 100 Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating 
by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon

Becoming Vegetarian: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Vegetarian Diet 
by Vesanto Melina & Brenda Davis

Gwich’in Ethnobotany
by Alestine Andre & Alan Fehr

Celebrate Yukon Food Seasonal Recipes 
compiled by Fireweed Community Market Society

The Boreal Herbal: Wild Food and Medicine Plants of the North 
by Beverley Gray

http://www.borealherbal.com

The Boreal Gourmet: Adventures in Northern Cooking 
by Michele Genest

http://borealgourmet.com/about-the-boreal-gourmet-cookb/

Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health 
by William Davis

The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat 
by Loren Cordain, Ph. D.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life 
by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp & Camille Kingsolver

http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com

Whitewater Cooks: pure, simple and real creations from the Fresh Tracks Café

by Shelley Adams

http://www.whitewatercooks.com

 Recipes I've tried and loved: Hungarian Mushroom Barley Soup (p.25), Tabbouleh & Chickpea Salad (p. 43), Whitewater Veggie Burger (p.52), Torta Rustica (p.66), Pad Thai Fried Noodles (p. 68).

Whitewater Cooks: at home

 by Shelley Adams

 http://www.whitewatercooks.com

 Recipes I've tried and loved: Goat Cheese & Sun-dried Tomato Terrine (p. 28), Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette (p. 38), Cool Sesame Miso Noodle Salad- half the rice wine vinegar and lime juice! (p.48), Karen's Roasted Potato & Fresh Mint Salad- half the oil & salt (p. 49), Roasted Vegetable Salad (p. 58), Cedar Planked Salmon with Maple Soy Glaze (p. 108).

Whitewater Cooks: with friends
 by Shelley Adams
 http://www.whitewatercooks.com

Videos of Interest:

Food Inc. 

http://www.takepart.com/foodinc

Food Matters

http://www.foodmatters.tv

The Future of Food

http://www.thefutureoffood.com

Fast Food Nation

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/fastfoodnation/

Vegucated

http://www.getvegucated.com

The Real Dirt on Farmer John
        http://www.angelicorganics.com/ao/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=148&Itemid=182

Hungry for Change

http://www.hungryforchange.tv

Gary Yourofsky- Best Speech You Will Ever Hear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6U00LMmC4

Graham Hill: Why I’m a weekday vegetarian (Ted Talks)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUJD3sGppUo

Ann Cooper talks school lunches (Ted Talks)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSTZ6AdQdwk

Dan Barber’s foie gras parable (Ted Talks)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvrgD0mAFoU

Vegan Style

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ubOaIhlRX0

Carb Overload

You know, I didn’t take on the whole “ethical omnivore” thing in order to lose weight. I took it on as a life choice specifically for moral or ethical reasons. I did assume, however, that because I would be eating more locally sourced food and that I would be more informed about my food that the food would be of a much better quality and therefore better for me. I had hoped perhaps there may be some weight loss benefit along the way. 

Well, I’ve gained 7 pounds in the last month. Of course, there are lots of other factors involved. I’ve been busy at work. I haven’t exercised as regularly as I normally do. I haven’t been planning my meals. I’ve been drinking regularly. Blah, blah, blah. 

I should say that I am a prolific dieter. I’ve dealt with the battle of bulge since I was a preteen. I know exactly how to lose weight. I’ve been losing and gaining weight for years. I say this facetiously of course. It’s not something that I’m proud of. It is what it is. And it’s something that I’m constantly dealing with. But whatever, I’m over weight but I’m not morbidly obese. I have no health-related issues. I have low blood pressure, good blood sugar, excellent cholesterol. Really, if a few extra pounds is my biggest problem in life, I’m not doing so bad.

That being said, there is a weight range that I feel most comfortable in and before I started eating ethically and I was on the top end of it. Now, I am out of that range so I’m not feeling too good about it. As I do anytime it’s time to get serious about my eating habits and health, I look back to what I have been consuming. How did I get here? Is ethical eating to blame?

I’ve been on several diets throughout my life but I have found a way of eating that works for me when I can muster up the will power to keep it going. When I’m being "good", I eat a diet of predominantly lean protein, low-fat dairy, lots of veggies, berries, fruit and healthy fats like nuts, olive oil, etc. I try to avoid the usual culprits: alcohol, refined sugar, fatty proteins and starchy foods such as potatoes and most grain products. 

Generally, I have found that eating foods high in carbohydrates such as wheat and other grains do not help me lose or maintain weight. They make me feel bloated and lethargic. Whatever full feeling they might give me is always temporary. What gives me a lasting feeling of fullness is when I consume some protein with whatever else it is I might be having. Protein has been a little lacking in my life lately.

It’s become blatantly apparent that ever since I began eating ethically, I have devoured whatever carbohydrate (aka wheat product or the like) I can get my hands on: bread, pita, naan, crackers, granola, popcorn, potatoes, tortilla chips. Perhaps because I’ve deemed them ethical, they are suddenly okay in large quantities? 

Another observation, because I haven’t been eating dairy products and I've been eating limited meat, I’ve been replacing those items with foods that contain more carbohydrates and less protein than their less ethical counterpart. 

Example 1
I used to consume:
Dairyland 1% Milk (1 cup)
110 Calories
Fat 2.5 g
Carbohydrates 12 g
Protein 9 g

Now, I consume: 
Blue Diamond Sweetened Vanilla Almond milk (1 cup)
90 Calories
Fat 2.5 g
Carbohydrate 16 g
Protein 1 g

Example 2
I used to consume:
Oikos Traditional Greek Yogurt-Coconut Vanilla Flavour (150g)
160 Calories
Fat 4.5 g
Carbohydrate 18g
Protein 11g

Now, I consume:
Amande Cultured Almondmilk Yogurt-Coconut Flavoured (170g)
170 Calories
Fat 8 g
Carbohydrate 23g
Protein 3g

Example 3
I used to consume:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (4 oz)
128 Calories
Fat 2.5 g
Carbohydrate- nil
Protein 23g

Now, I consume:
Original Beans in Tomato Sauce (1/2 cup serving- approximately 4.4 oz)
140 Calories
Fat .5g
Carbohydrate 28g
Protein 7g

I think you get the point. I’m consuming way less protein than I used to. I am replacing the protein with carbohydrates. The carbohydrates are often in the form of added sugar. Whatever carbohydrates they may be, they are going straight to my ass! 

Oh yeah, there are still the other 3 factors which have contributed to my recent weight gain: lack of exercise, excessive socializing (beer = carbs) and lack of meal planning. The lack of meal planning is a biggy. I do much better when I have a plan. Eating on the fly has probably been a key reason that I’ve resorted to eating so many bread products, crackers etc. They are easy and accessible.

Hmmm, I could blame ethical eating as the reason behind my recent weight gain but in reality, that’s a bit of a cop out.  Truth be told, in the past month I was basically allowing myself to eat whatever I wanted as long as no tortured animals were involved. Not a great long term strategy... Whether a food is ethical or not, there are calories to be considered! 

Like everything in life, it’s all about balance. As you can probably guess, balance has never been my strong suit. I’m an extreme kind of girl. In any case, my goal for the next couple weeks is to get off my butt, cut down on the beer, get organized with my eating and seek some balance in life. Summer is on its way after all!