berk

We've been busy freezing and pickling everything our garden has produced this year. One thing we found useful to do with all of our zucchinis (aside from a big batch of relish) was to chop them up into different shapes/sizes and freeze them. They're ready to go for mid-winter stir fries. We tried to dehydrate some of our tomatoes in the oven, and had mixed reviews. They came out mostly ok, but had to spend six hours in the oven instead of the recommended two to three. Also, we always make sure to can a couple batches of the Loan Star Salsa recipe that was posted here a while back. It's a great way to use tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro.

I just purchased tickets for the Montreal show! Can't wait!!!

Sweet - He's also playing Le National in Montreal 04/28/09. I'll be there. M.Ward is one of my favorite performers. Last time I saw him, Rachel Blumberg (former drummer for the decemberists/jolie holland/norfolk and western) was one the musicians playing with him. I hope she's touring with him again.

wicked. Thanks for the review and info. I'm looking forward to checking this place out next time I'm in Ottawa.

Visit www.sprigtoys.com "Designed for the active preschool child, our vehicle and character bodies are molded using SprigwoodTM – a durable, child-safe, bio-composite material made from recycled wood and reclaimed plastic." The toys are made from recycled materials and have little generators in them (no batteries). Basically the more you run with the toys, the more they’re charged, the more the toys do (lights light up, toy begins to play music or tell stories). My nephew has the “discover rig†and loves it. The only thing is, you need a decent amount of space to push the rig to really get it going.

I used to love our work retreats at the Wakefield Mill. Even the breakfast and lunch buffets were nice, but supper was to die for. The old chef from Henry Berger was the chef there... I'm not sure if it is still him or not.

Uh-oh, my most favorite food network cook is stuck in the Bangkok protests. I hope he and his crew make it home safely. Michael Smith's comments

I got the email on Wednesday and my ticket were delivered Friday.

The following article is fairly long, but well worth the read. It outlines how a reform of the entire food system could address our concerns with health care, energy independence and climate change. If anything, it clarifies how government policies contributed to current practices in agricultural/food business, and helps to explain rising cost of food. Enjoy! Michael Pollan's open letter to the president-elect!

Mmmmm... favorite is cayenne chocolates. Sweet and spicy heaven. I used to make frequent stops at Truffle Treasures in Westboro when I worked out that way. They are super friendly, their chocolate is delicious and there are even vegan friendly options.

Happy Birthday Sharon! Hope it was a great one!!

oh.my.god.

I also assumed everything was locally produced until I bought some peppers in the market a couple years ago and one of them had a grocery store sticker on it. I've made sure to check the signs and ask a lot of questions ever since.

Happy-Happy-Bonne Fête!

I've got oak trees. When do you need them?