Well my favourite time of year as arrived and my favourite holiday of the year is just around the corner, Canadian Thanksgiving on Sunday 7 October. Today my friend C.P. and I went to the farmers market in Blackburn Hamlet area and then to the Orleans Fruit Farm which use to belong to the Oblat Fathers it is now part of the National Capital Commission Green Belt around the Capital. Lots of pumpkins and squash and apples and other root vegetables. Also bought some lamb from the Albé Farm in Alfred and from the farmers from Cumberland, all little agricultural villages around the Capital region. The biological, organic and other labels on natural feed for animals with no hormones or chemicals is the big sale point. There is a great demand for natural products and also now Gluten Free breads and other pastry items. I bought a bread made this morning, it was still cooling made from Chickpea flour. I also found a Puglia bread which is the sort of bread I use to buy in Rome, nice crunchy crust and good tasting. I got some white and purple carrots and purple potatoes. I also found a greyish blue or Prussian blue Pumpkin, I have never seen anything like it and the farmer also had white pumpkins. All these farming areas East of Ottawa are mostly French speaking families, Franco-Ontarians who have lived there for centuries. You also get a lot of recipes from them if you are not sure about cooking certain items. I also bought Turkey and cranberry sausage, Duck sausage, Lamb Tourtière and Lamb paté.
Lovely weather sunny and blue skies at 15 C. It was chilly this morning at 2 C. almost freezing point.
Today's pumpkins
the children of Cerberus guarding the wine.
Lovely weather sunny and blue skies at 15 C. It was chilly this morning at 2 C. almost freezing point.
Today's pumpkins
"children of Cerberus" -- LOL! At least they're guarding the important stuff!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try a Canadian thanksgiving - to see what it is like and how it is different than in the States. Thanksgiving is THE Amercian holiday, more so than Christmas, as everyone celebrates it more or less. How does it compare to Canada, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteInteresting question, that would be a post in itself and I may do one to explore the origins of Thanksgiving in Canada. Historically it is not related to pilgrims or founding of country. It is basically a harvest festival related to thanking the Deity for our good fortune at the end of the agricultural season. Since turkeys are not native to Canada, in the old days people ate roasted game and meat pies made of deer meat. Hunting season coincides with Thanksgiving. Also the natives did not figure much in the holiday. Let me research it and I will do a post on it.
DeleteI had fun too. But you're a bad influence on my buying habits. I'm going to make a list the next time I shop with you!
ReplyDeleteCP