Mini-Getaway meets Foodie-Filled-Weekend

Happy Sunday!

I keep reminding myself that I have tons of things that I want to post and then time keeps slipping away! Thus, now I'm playing a little bit of catch up!

Last weekend I escaped Oakville/Toronto for a mini getaway to Kemptville, ON to visit my darling friend, JP! (I'm searching for a photo of us but I think it's on my external hard drive... stay tuned - I WILL find it!) JP and I have been friends for about 10 years now and we met while our younger brother's played baseball together.

**UPDATE** I found the photo!

 JP, along with his amazing (!) sister, Gianna, and I became friends because we were always at games together and it was just nice to have someone to talk to who wasn't an adult.

Gianna and I at her birthday a few years ago

Needless to say, our brother's are no longer baseball teammates but we've all kept in touch over the years. This past February, JP moved to Kemptville and for months now we've been talking about me coming to visit. Well, my dears, last weekend I ventured and had the most amazing weekend ever!

What was originally just going to be a weekend of us hanging out really turned into quite the 'foodie' weekend. JP is very lucky to live within a very short walking distance of two Farmer's Markets. One is a community project where local farmers all contribute produce and the proceeds go to charity! Saturday morning we headed out to visit this market while on the grand tour of Kemptville and the man who runs this stand was so nice! Not only was he full of information about all of the produce but I even left with a free veggie to try. I don't know if you've ever seen a kohlrabi, but it's definitely a bit of an intimidating thing at first glance.

Photo from More Chic than Shabby

Kohlrabi has been described as the German turnip and I'm hoping to try it this week! I will let you know how it all goes! Look at some of the other gorgeous things that this market has to offer!

Purple beans!?!?! I've never seen these before!

On Sunday, before heading to the train station to come home, JP took me to a second market that was absolutely massive! It runs late on Sunday afternoons and I have never seen so many stands at a market ever! I, being a little depressed that I was going home, didn't take any photos but I will tell you that I bought some very delicious classic shortbread (that DEFINITELY made the sad train ride home a little less sad) as well as the most wonderful crab apple jelly!

Beyond visiting and touring Kemptville, I was also spoiled and got to check out Merrickville too! Merrickville has some lovely lochs that I was really hoping to see in full action but unfortunately we only caught the end of some loch-esque movement. Regardless, I was a happy camper:

Yay, that is one happy gal!

I'm hopeful to go back and visit again soon (hopefully I'll be asked to come back!). I hope that you guys all get a chance to scope out the local farmer's markets wherever you go! I'm telling you, those farmers are some of the most amazing people that I have ever met. Plus, you can't go wrong with actually knowing who is growing your food, where it comes from and what the best ways to cook it is! Trust your farmers! They know a whole heck of a lot!

And on that note, this gal is off to bed! I hope you all have an amazing week filled with delicious food!

Happy Cooking!

tamara

A New Favourite Cookbook!

I'm completely aware that this post will not contain a recipe but I just couldn't resist posting. I was wandering through Costco today when I came across the most wonderfully amazing cookbook! It's Williams-Sonoma's Cooking from the Farmers' Market and I fell in love instantly (and not just the gorgeous cover art)!

As most of you know from previous posts, I absolutely LOVE farmers' markets, especially in the summer! All of the different produce and baked goods and amazing farmers just make it such an enjoyable experience. This cookbook takes all of the great qualities of a farmers' market and shows you how to make tons of variations on dishes while using these ingredients! Most importantly it's focus is on fresh, local and organic ingredients which I have definitely tried to start using more of. Whether it's homemade pasta or ice cream, it's such a pleasure to be able to pronounce absolutely everything that you're eating without needing to Google anything!

There are a few things that I want to try from this cookbook right off the bat: Beef and Sweet Potato Stir-Fry, Golden Cauliflower Gratin with Capers (though I may omit the capers), Mixed Garden Bean Salad with Shallots, Warm Beans with Lemon Vinaigrette and Blueberry-Vanilla Panna Cotta.

Tomorrow is Market Day at my house where I will most likely be heading over to the Burlington Mall Farmers' Market where some of my favourite vendors are. I have been discovering new ingredients, like the candy cane beets that I used to make a beet salad (check back for a post about those soon) and so many other delicious things. Hopefully, I will find some things to start trying these amazing things from this cookbook. I'll keep you posted! Maybe I'll bump in to some of you there (and by there, I mean... here!)

Happy Weekend and Happy Cooking!

Tamara