Posted in In Backyards, In the Kitchen on Dec 26th, 2010
Editor’s Note: Pollie joined Not Far From The Tree for the 2010 season as our Parkdale-High Park Coordinator, with thanks to the YMCA Youth Eco-Internship Program. She did her research on ginkgo nuts and presents you with this tale of trying to harvest and prepare them, not unlike the story that Marnie Saskin shared here [...]
Posted in Events, In Backyards, In the Kitchen on Nov 10th, 2010
At our fundraiser tonight, the featured drink at the open bar (yes – an open bar!) will be The Gleaner, our signature elderberry cocktail. It all started in 2008, our first harvest season, when a great elderberry harvest from a little tree on Alcina Avenue left us with a surplus of the fruit. Elderberries can’t [...]
Posted in Events, In the Kitchen on Oct 18th, 2010
Our first public preserving workshop, “Apple Liquer and So Much More,” was a resounding, and sticky, success. Last Tuesday, October 5th, fifteen participants were delighted by the recipes, anecdotes, and wisdom from guest facilitator Michele Chandler of the Women’s Culinary Network. We chopped, peeled, and boiled … also making sure to take time graze, nibble, [...]
Posted in Events, In the Kitchen on Oct 13th, 2010
For those of you who don’t know, the annual Picnic at the Brickworks is possibly the foodie event of the year. Hosted by Slow Food Toronto and Evergreen on the amazing grounds at the Brickworks, Not Far From The Tree was delighted to be a part of this fundraiser for two amazing organizations. More than [...]
Posted in In the Kitchen on Sep 23rd, 2010
Now that autumn is officially here, many are busy bottling summer’s sunshine to pack it away for the colder months. Still many more are curious to learn the arts of cooking, canning, freezing, and drying to extend the harvest over the winter. A little birdie told me that Not Far From The Tree will soon [...]
Posted in Field Trip, In Backyards, In the Kitchen, Resources on Apr 2nd, 2010
Kathleen Macintosh has always frozen fresh, sustainable, Ontario fruit. Recently, she’s been freezing enough to provide the masses with local fruit in the dead of winter. Kathleen is the founder of Culinarium,“Toronto’s Locavore Store!”. Culinarium “showcases exceptional Ontario products and the passionate people behind them.” If you haven’t ventured in, you should. It’s a beautiful boutique shop [...]
Posted in Events, In Backyards, In the Kitchen, We'd Tap That! on Mar 24th, 2010
The culmination of our pilot program, We’d Tap That!, was an amazing day of fun, music, sap, and syrup! Held at Dufferin Grove Park Sunday March 14th, hundreds of folks came out for a taste of Toronto’s own Norway Maple syrup. Participants were invited to taste the original sap, and compare it to the final [...]
Posted in At the Market, Field Trip, In Backyards, In the Kitchen on Mar 1st, 2010
Carole Ferrari, owner of The Bus, has been kind enough to pass along her recipe for the Apple Squares she made at the year end party. I used the recipe this weekend. My apologizes, my squares don’t look as professional as Carole’s but regardless the recipe is delicious! This truly is a tasty treat!! Enjoy! [...]
Posted in At the Market, Field Trip, In Backyards, In the Kitchen on Feb 14th, 2010
Not Far From The Tree’s year-end party was the first time I had seen or heard of ‘The Local Café’. When I arrived at the party I mused on the sight of a small school bus parked outside figuring it belonged to a local resident. It wasn’t until I was outside grinding apples for apple [...]
Posted in Foraged, In Backyards, In the Kitchen on Feb 1st, 2010
Throughout the winter months, I find oatmeal to be one of the loveliest breakfast dishes. It’s warm, hearty, and delicious. The greatest pleasure of this winter morning meal is to add a few tastes of summer into the mix. When the first summer pears were ready last year, I set some aside to make into [...]
