Anita Stewart

The University of Guelph has appointed its first Food Laureate. Anita Stewart, an expert on food and Canadian cuisine will serve as the University’s food ambassador, providing advocacy and leadership and promoting initiatives.

“This historic appointment is a significant step towards strengthening U of G’s reputation as ‘Canada’s food university’.” said president Alastair Summerlee.“We are known internationally as the place for food research, teaching and technology, but our contributions to the culinary life of Canada need to be more widely touted. Having a Food Laureate will allow the University to engage people across the country and strengthen our profile and support.” 

As the Founder of Cuisine Canada, Stewart’s Mission Statement is to “actively promote the growth and study of our distinctly Canadian food culture.”

In Chambly, Unibroue has set up Fourquet Forchette, an interpretation centre featuring not only the beer of Unibroue, but also the early foods of Québec. 

This recipe, originally printed in Flavours of Canada, is perfect for a cold winter day.  Any wheat beer can be substituted for the Blanche de Chambly.

Hearings into the "Northern Gateway" pipeline are underway.   I would hope that this article, originally published in my last book, Anita Stewart's CANADA, will shed a little more light onto the discussion.  

***

From the boreal forest to the tundra; from the Prairie grasslands to Ontario’s Carolinian woodlands, Canada is stunningly rich with flora and fauna. Bio-diversity is our most valuable heritage. With 71,000 species which have been scientifically described and another estimated 69,000 * species yet to be named and classified, it becomes crystalline that the protection of our ecological heritage is absolutely paramount.  These raw materials are the building blocks of future crops, both food and medicinal.  As plant breeders head to the original cradles for the landraces of the particular crops with which they are working, so too, will future biologists come to Canada.

For the First Nations, the rhythm of life was in the harvest and the attitudes towards it.  The notion of ‘oneness’ with the earth and its gifts was embedded in Aboriginal belief long before contact, predating the modern concept of “eco-systems by millennia. For the Nuu-Chah-Nulth people of coastal B.C their physical reality was transposed into their culture. “All things are related and interconnected.  All things are sacred.”

What a New Year's gift!  Being appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada is an extraordinary honour.  

The citation reads " Anita Stewart: For her contributions as a journalist, author and culinary activist and for her promotion of the food industry in Canada."   Joe Friesen wrote a great piece on a number of this year's appointees in the Globe and Mail. 

The Order of Canada itself was "Established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Order of Canada is the centrepiece of Canada’s honours system and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country. The Order of Canada’s motto is DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM (They desire a better country)."   

Amanda Sage is an exceedingly creative and very proud Canadian.  

One of her Queen's University profs, Clarke Mackey, Head of Film and Media,  described her by writing. “Amanda is THE most exceptional student I have ever had in 20 years at Queen’s. She is willing to take extraordinary creative risks with a confidence and clarity that is very unusual for one so young.”    

She calls her musings 'brainflow' which best describes how easily she shifts gears from writing magical children's books (she has her own print house named Wonderpress) to film, photography and her latest big project Kickass Canadians where she profiles men and women who, for her, are making a difference.  In her own words: "I launched kickasscanadians.ca because I know a lot of inspiring Canadians and wanted to share their insights and experiences with the world. Everyone you’ll read about here has a unique perspective, talent, drive and generosity that makes our country a better place to be."  It was a great privilege to be interviewed by Amanda and when I view the roster she has on her site, it's pretty humbling. 

Not that I mind the testosterone ... actually it's quite life-giving...but the Ontario Food Terminal is far more than a bunch of guys selling produce. It's the largest fresh produce distribution centre in Canada. In 2009, the team there, led by a government appointed board and managed on a day to day basis by a mere 38 people, handled 960,958 TONS of fresh fruit and veggies. The OFT's cold storage facility @ 80,00 square feet is the largest on the continent.

It may be the  Flying Monkey Hoptical Illusion…or one of the other 18 beers/ales on tap at the new Kitchener location of Borealis.  Or it may be the Barrie Brothers asparagus-corn chips with house made salsa or my absolute Borealis favourite, their BBQ’d pulled pork sandwich.   But last year,  after only a week of unlocking the doors for business, there are a whole cadre of ‘regulars’.  And that was even before the grand opening.

When I first started scribbling (literally) about food in the early 1980s the only winter salads were ones made from cabbage and grated root veggies. We did warm potato salads studded with crisp bacon and stewed canned tomatoes with onion and a bit of sugar. But that was about it. I have nothing against cabbage or coleslaw but I do love my greens.

This little piggy really DID go to market … then this little piggy came home to the farm…Max and Vicki Lass’s Church Hill Farm, near Stratford, Ontario.   They raise heritage breeds including Large English Black pigs, which are known for their talent as mothers. WIth origins in the 16th and 17th century England, they were used to clean upthe windfalls in the apple orchards which flourished across the countryside.

Studded with pungent lavender, these crepes may be made well in advance of your brunch. They make a spectacular dessert as well.