Earlier this week I had a near coronary, not from my excessive consumption of butter and my beloved whipped cream as some might suspect, but from the horrific realization that July is almost over. We are hitting the halfway point of glorious summer. By the weekend we will be beseiged by dreadful “back to school” advertising and Christmas ribbons and tchokas will begin littering the aisles at your local Wal-Mart and Costco!
This transition weekend is one of the busiest at The Good Earth. We are hosting our popular annual “seafood supper” designed to mimic an “out -East” church supper with a little more finesse. This year’s event will be even more authentic as Chef Ross Midgley who is “over-summering” with us lends a hand. He’s a true Maritimer having spend his formative years in charming PEI and having trained at the famed Canadian Culinary Institute in Charlottetown. He’s got the “cred” no doubt to offer us some serious advice on what we are offering.
To add to the fun we are also hosting our second “Baby Mortadella Bocce Tournament”. Our lovely “flight attendant” Annette Hayes is in charge of setting up the round robin affair. Chefs Michael Pasto (yes, you nailed it — of Italian heritage) and Patrick Engel (believe it or not 1/2 Italian blood coursing through his veins) have designed a great Italo-Canadian themed menu for the affair. We have secured the musical talent of Andrew Marmorella who promises to add to the ambiance with some good Italian songs to help set the mood. Everyone is a winner at this event BUT…only one team can take home the coveted trophy…a baby Mortadella!
As if this isn’t enough for everyone, we happily embraced the invitation from Anita Stewart, the founder of Cuisine Canada and the number 1 cheerleader for Canadian cuisine in all its diversity to join in the fun of Food Day Canada.
What is Food Day Canada you may ask yourselves? Quite simply put it’s a great excuse for chefs across this great nation of ours for an annual mid-summer celebration where we share Canada’s rich culinary heritage, our delicious northern bounty and the best managed food system on the planet.
Food Day Canada is the time and place for Canadians to share their food and their stories with each other while leading other nations in cultural diversity, food ethics, magnificent flavours … and fun!
Being the “smarty pants” types that we are, we decided to go one better than the “100 mile” diet types and offer our “10 yard” Food Day Canada offering. Come out this Saturday to our bistro and enjoy our Good Earth Grilled Peaches (plucked quite literally from the trees next to the winery and cooking school), Pingue Prosciutto (from arguably the best prosciutto purveyor this side of Italy!) and Upper Canada Cheese (from our friends in Jordan) on a bed of Good Earth garden greens from our kitchen garden tended with care by the entire Good Earth team — from our feline rodent patrollers, Basil, Nigel and Squirt, Chef Patrick who seeds the beds every week to ensure a steady crop of yummy tender greens and winemaker Dre who regularly battles the weeds and curses the lone hop plant that we can’t bring under control!
If you can’t come down and join us this weekend, jump on the bandwagon and celebrate Food Day Canada your own way…whether in your back yard at the BBQ, a beachside bonfire, a campsite in the wilderness or at a restaurant in your ‘hood! Thank you farmers and producers across the country for a GREAT reason to celebrate! Bon appetit!