Support street food in Toronto

If you have been following my Blog you will know that I support Food Trucks expanding their reach in Toronto.  If any of you watch the show Eat St. you will also know that in most other cities in the U.S. and other places there are many more opportunities for Street Food Vendors, while we are limited to hot dogs and french fry trucks.  While I have nothing against hot dogs and fries I would like to see a lot more variety and something of more value to your health or your money.   There are a lot of great Culinary Artists that start out with Food Trucks because they can't afford the costs of a full restaurant.  It gives them a chance to run a food business without losing their shirts.  The food industry is very difficult in Toronto.  I think it is a good thing that they are able to start out small with carts or food trucks and gain experience, have direct contact with the people that eat their food and get direct feedback and grow their clientele so when they do get too busy for their trucks they are able to expand to a bricks and morter location.   I received this email and have filled out the survey for the city.

Please fill the survey out or pass it along to friends that want to see more street food.  If you have the time and are able to show your support in person there is a link for further information in this email.

Let's get with the times and make our street food a whole lot more diverse.

Thanks..  Linda

Hello street food lovers! You're getting this letter because you wrote (and perhaps tweeted) your city councillor in support of street food at streetfoodto.com. It's been a long road since then, but we've had some success.. food trucks in parks, food carts allowed to a broader menu, and next, an unfair fee for street food vendors to hire employees is to be removed. The City has launched public consultations on street food, for changes to be made early next year. And they need to hear from you! Please fill out this survey to voice your thoughts on more carts and trucks. Attend one of these meetings (see consultation schedule) and say a few words about why you support street food. We can help you prep. Just email Jovic (howland.jovic@gmail.com) to let us know which date you can make. These are the changes we've asked for. Do you know restaurant owners who support street food? Let us know (email Jovic) so we can help them show their support.  Thank you! Darcy Higgins Executive Director, Food Forward

Canada gets more stinky cheese from the EU

CHEESE PLEASE!  There is a new Trade Deal being worked out by the Canadian Government and the European Union.  So what's all the fuss about?  More products will be able to be imported into Canada without Tariffs.  YEAH you say...  we get more stinky cheese... but there are a lot of people that aren't happy about this deal.  Mainly some of the great Canadian Cheese Producers in this Country.  A lot of great cheese is produced in Ontario and Quebec.  Monteforte Dairy is one of them, they produce cheese in the Stratford area and sell their cheeses at many local farmer's markets.  But they aren't the only ones. There are a lot of great goat cheeses and even Agropur cheese company that produce OCA cheese in Quebec.  They feel that the opening up of imported cheese to the Canadian Market will take away sales from the Canadian producers.   The government says this deal will create many jobs, but I suppose the Canadian cheese producers feel that it will also take away some of their jobs.

I am conflicted on this deal because I have been to Paris and one of my favourite cheese's that I ate there was Caprice de Deux and it has been sold at some places in Ontario but with Canadian standards it didn't quite taste the same.  I would love to see more new cheese selections in Ontario but I understand how hard it already is for Canadian producers to make a living in Canada.

There are always winners and losers in any trade deal but I suppose you have to weigh what's best for the majority of people when making decisions.   Here are some of the numbers according to the CBC.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Is it just a lot more stinky cheese?

Imports from Europe that would see tariffs eliminated include: automobiles, industrial machinery, wine and spirits, some cheeses, fish and seafood products and many others.

Here's a look at more numbers, from Canadian and EU documents and briefings, related to what both sides have called a "historic" deal:

35 million: Population of Canada.

500 million: Population of European Union.

28: Number of countries in the European Union.

$17 trillion: EU's current annual GDP, the measure of its economic activity.

$1.8 trillion: Canada's current annual GDP.

$12 billion: What the Harper government expects in added GDP for Canada annually.

$16.3 billion: What the EU expects in annual GDP gains for Europe.

$1.5 billion: Annual value of increased agricultural exports expected by Canadian producers.

$700 million: What the EU expects in annual tariff savings (and what Canada would lose in duties).

20 per cent: The government's estimated increase in bilateral trade as a result of the deal.

29,000 tonnes: EU cheese allowed into Canada tariff-free annually, up from 13,000, once fully implemented.

65,000 tonnes: Annual quota for Canadian beef in Europe, up from 15,000, once fully implemented.

75,000 tonnes: Annual quota for Canadian pork, up from 6,000, once fully implemented.

100,000: Number of cars Canadian automakers will be able to export a year, 12 times the current limit.

2 years: Extension of drug patents for brand-name pharmaceuticals.

24: Number of languages into which the agreement must be translated.

5 years: Time elapsed since initial study of a trade deal began.

2 years: Expected length of time before deal is ratified.

What do you know about Apples?

It's Apple Season 

What do you know about Apples? 

Are they a fruit or a vegetable?

Apples are a fruit. They are part of the Rose family, along with pears and cherries.

How do they grow?

Apples grow on trees. Trees grow for at least five years before they start to produce fruit.

Where do they grow?

Apples are grown everywhere throughout the US. Washington State is the top producer in the country.

When are they in season?

Apples are harvested from late September to early November, but can be stored until April.

What should you look for?

Look for apples that are firm and not bruised.

How do you store them?

When freshly picked, apples can be stored for several months. If one apple has been bruised, keep it away from the rest to stop the others going bad. They are best kept in the fridge.

How can you eat them?

Apples are often eaten raw, just as they are, or chopped up and added to sweet or savory salads. They’re also delicious cooked in desserts such as apple pies and crumbles, or made into homemade apple sauce to serve with roast pork.

Why are they good for you?

Apples are full of goodness. The skin contains lots of vitamins and minerals and almost one-third of the fiber of the entire apple. Fiber is very important in our diets because it keeps our digestive system healthy and helps keep us feeling full, so we don’t eat too much.

Did you know?

Some apple trees will grow to more than 40 feet high and live more than 100 years. Red Delicious are the most widely grown variety of apple in the US.

The US’s longest living apple tree was reportedly planted in 1647 by Peter Stuyvesant in his Manhattan orchard and was still bearing fruit when a derailed train struck it in 1866.

Seeing an apple falling off a tree inspired Sir Isaac Newton to develop his theory of gravity.

Always check the label on your

fruit or veg and remember, the closer it was grown to home, the fresher and tastier it will be!

*Info from the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation

Here's a quick recipe for a fancy and quick Apple Pie or Tart

Directions:

Cut peel and slice about 6 apples.  I like Granny Smith because they stay crisp and tart but you can use MacIntosh or Mutsu or whatever you like but the texture will change and so will the taste.

Once they are sliced drop them into a bowl with water and the juice of a lemon.  This will prevent them from browning.

When you have them all sliced and dipped in the lemon water you can then drain the water and add about a teaspoon of Cornstarch to the sliced apples and mix until they are all coated.   This will thicken up the juices from the apples as they bake.   Add a tablespoon of cinnamon.  I like cinnamon but you can add to taste.   Add a couple of tablespoons of sugar.  Brown sugar works well but you can certainly use any combinations of sugars.   Add a pinch of salt to bring out the sweetness if you like.    

Optional:  You can add cranberries or grated ginger or add more spices like cardamom or cloves or even add a bit of brandy to flavour the apples.   

If your apples are on the juicy side I would recommend sauteeing them a bit to evaporate the juices and let the cornstarch thicken the juices from the apples.

Once your mixture is ready you can either pour it into a store bought pie crust, or make your own pie crust or another great idea is to get Almond Paste and roll it out and use it as a pie crust.  *(this idea is from Brian Boytano the skater) ..   This pie pictured was made with a store bought pie crust and I crumbled the almond paste on top.   * The Almond Paste is very sweet so add less sugar to your apple mixture.    Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until golden brown.


A good idea is to get kids involved and interested in Apples by visiting a Pick Your Own Farm and getting them involved in the choosing of the apples and then you can also have them help out in the kitchen in making the Pie recipe above.   Kids will eat better if they feel they are part of the process and respect food more when they know where it comes from and feel like they are contributing to the dinner process.

Here are a couple of places in Ontario where you can go apple picking

• Chudleigh's Apple Farm - apples, pumpkins
  9528 Highway 25, Milton, ON. Phone: 905-878-2725. Farm is located at 9528 Highway 25, 3 km north of Highway 401. Open: July - Oct. daily 10 am to 5 pm; Nov.- Dec. (Friday, Saturday, & Sun.) 10 am to 5 pm. Closed Jan - Apr. Located in Milton, Ontario, Canada, about 30 minutes west of Toronto. Every year, in late summer and fall, families come to pick their own apples, and enjoy the farm-themed entertainment area.
• Green Acres Farm - Apples
  Heritage Road, Norval, ON. Phone: 905-459-4458. From Highway 401, go north on Mississauga Road to Steeles Ave. Turn west to Heritage Road. Drive north to 9266 Heritage Road. Open: daily 9 am to 5 pm.