Our industry has been hit incredibly hard by this pandemic, which is now in it’s 7th week of lockdown. The results of a recent Restaurants Canada survey are in, and the findings are deeply worrisome. One out of every two independent restaurants say they are worried they might not survive the next few months. The latest announcement about rent relief, although welcome by small business owners, has not been popular with all landlords. And truthfully, even paying only 25% of your rent is a hardship when your business has been forced to close, and your revenues are zero.
The most recent survey results from The Canadian Federation of Independent Business shows that even those businesses that remain open are seeing their revenue drop by more than half. With only 21% of independent business in Canada fully open at this time, we are feeling very grateful at the Red Apron to be one of the really fortunate few. The same survey showed that most businesses would need to see their revenue return to 75% of what would be ‘normal’ to even make it worthwhile re-opening, meaning that 75% of the ‘normal’ revenue is what is required to cover the costs of being open.
The government has facilitated a $40,000 loan for small businesses, but paying expenses with no revenue in sight means small business owners are racking up debt with no idea of when, or if they might be able to start earning money to repay the debt.
The Federal and Provincial governments are doing their best to help steer us through this crisis, and I appreciate their efforts and intentions. That doesn’t make it any less stressful for those small business owners who are trying to make decisions on the future of their businesses without a crystal ball to guide them. Premier Ford’s announcement yesterday did not offer up any clarity.
And still, with all of that uncertainty and despair, I see these same small business owners stepping up to do what they can to help their community. Chef Joe Thotthungal from Restaurants Thali & Coconut Lagoon is working with The Community Foundation of Ottawa to cook thousands of meals for those in need in our community, using out of work cooks from the industry who are volunteering their time to help with this effort.
Our own efforts to provide meals through Parkdale have resulted in more than 1600 meals going to our community to serve people living in rooming houses, seniors who are shut in with no family support, and women in shelters, through organizations like Cornerstone, and Somerset West Community Health Centre. If you would like to contribute to this effort you can donate here.
Staff from SWCHC picking up meals to distribute to the community
So what’s needed at this time to make things feel a bit better? How about a bowl of comforting soup and a delicious grilled cheese sandwich? For some reason this childhood combination always makes me feel better.
Classic Tomato Soup (available in our retail store)
Ingredients:
2
tablespoons canola or olive oil
1
medium onion, chopped
2
cloves garlic, minced
12
large tomatoes, chopped and (peeled & de-seeded if you prefer)
2
tablespoons sugar
½
cup water
4
sprigs thyme
¼
cup heavy cream
2
tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and continue to cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Add tomatoes and sugar. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add water and thyme. Simmer for about 25 minutes.
Remove sprigs of thyme. Puree the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender. If you prefer a fine soup, you can pass through a sieve. If you prefer a more rustic soup you can puree until chunky. Pour soup back into the pot. Warm gently. Stir in the cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Best Ever Grilled Cheese
For the best ever grilled cheese sandwich I encourage you to study this video from the movie Chef, starring Jon Favreau.
If your mouth doesn’t water watching this clip then you are not ‘grilled cheese worthy’ and you should make yourself a peanut butter sandwich. The key elements for a good grilled cheese are white bread (sourdough is fine), butter is essential, and the oil stops the butter from burning. For cheese, you’ve got to go with your favourites. I’m a fan of sharp cheeses, so my favourite grilled cheese would include aged ‘Iles aux Grues’ cheddar, and because I’m all grown up now, it would also include a sliver or two of Mountainoak Black Truffle cheese – both of which we carry in our retail store.
Hang in there, stay strong and most of all, be kind, especially to small business owners who need your support now, and even more so when this is all over.
One thing I have observed about this difficult time, is that those who are staying at home are turning to activities that we can’t normally find time to do, like cleaning, gardening, and cooking. My guess is that you will see many more people planting vegetable gardens this year and if you have tried to buy flour or other basic ingredients in the grocery stores, you will notice that the shelves are bare.
Bread baking is becoming a national sport with people making their own sourdough breads and starters. You can order starters online from places like Almanac Grains, or try your hand at making one yourself.
If you looking for something a little more adventurous you can try your hand at making cheese. Glengarry Cheesemaking is a great source for recipes, equipment, tools and cultures. I suggest you start with something simple like yogurt, or ricotta, neither of which require any special tools or equipment. Once you have mastered those, you can progress to something a little more challenging like mozzarella!
My personal passion of late has been making fresh pasta. I’ve been experimenting with different grains from Almanac Grains which can be ordered for pick up curbside at Dominion City Brewery.
My recent effort utilized a new tool called a cavatelli board, that yielded this beautiful looking pasta, made using a combination of 00 Durham and Emmer wheats.
If you are looking for inspiration, we carry a number of beautiful books in our store which can be added to your delivery order. The most recent addition is Chef Lynn Crawford’s Farm to Chef. This beautiful book follows the seasons providing recipe ideas using local and in-season ingredients. Lynn owner the popular Toronto eatery called Ruby Watchco, where her format features a fixed price daily four course menu, focused on seasonal and local ingredients. Her approach to cooking and eating is very similar to ours which is why we are big fans of her business and her cookbooks.
Since we are serving up Fried Chicken this week, I’m sharing a link to Lynn’s recipe for Buttermilk Fried Chicken. To go with that delicious chicken, let’s celebrate one of the first vegetables of our local season. Below is Lynn’s Recipe for a Raw Asparagus Salad.
Serves 4
Lemon Herb Yogurt
½ cup (125 mL)
plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons (30 mL)
lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5 mL)
grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon (5 mL)
thyme leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL)
flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL)
chopped chives
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
Raw Asparagus Salad
1 pound (450 g)
asparagus, trimmed
4 cups (1 L)
frisée leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL)
extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
To Serve
¼ cup (60 mL)
shaved Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons (30 mL)
toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon (15 mL)
finely chopped chives
Make the Lemon Herb Yogurt
1. Place yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, thyme, parsley and chives in a blender and process until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Prepare the Raw Asparagus Salad
2. Using a vegetable peeler, slice asparagus spears lengthwise into thin ribbons. Place in a large bowl and add frisée, olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Spoon Lemon Herb Yogurt onto a chilled serving dish. Top with asparagus- frisée mixture, then with Parmesan, pine nuts and chives.
The weather is warming, the tulip, crocus and daffodil buds are pushing their heads out of the soil, and it rains almost every day, so it must be spring! It was hard to notice that it came on March 19th, because it was just a few days after we went into full lockdown. But like it does every year, spring did come.
In a few weeks the trees and grass will start to green, and we might even see a flower or two. The days will get warmer, and longer. It’s hard not to feel optimistic when this transition is taking place.
Easter itself is a celebration of spring. For Christians Easter is associated with the resurrection of Christ. The Pagan ritual of Spring Equinox is a celebration of change and renewed life. Throughout history, spring is celebrated in many ways. In Northern India, Hindus celebrate Holi by wearing white and throwing coloured powders at each other. Thailand celebrates with a giant water fight. In Japan the appearance of the Cherry Blossoms in late March and early April is cause for celebration. And in Ottawa, we have typically celebrated spring with our Tulip Festival in May, which will be a bit different this year, but the tulips will still bloom.
So how can we celebrate spring during this time of isolation? My first thought is we can get out into our gardens. If you are fortunate enough to have a small yard, there is always work to do cleaning up after the winter. Maybe this year you can plant a few extra tulips? A number of places, like Brecks, will deliver the bulbs right to your home. If you don’t have a garden, you can plant the bulbs in pots in your home.
If you have been thinking about a new bike, there is no better time to order one from one of the local cycle shops. You can choose the bike of your dreams and have it delivered or made available for curb-side pick up. The Cyclery and Joe Mama’s are both fulfilling orders and offering repairs and tune ups.
There is always a good Spring Cleaning! I don’t know too many people who really enjoy cleaning, and these days there are a lot of us who contract out that task to someone else. But what better time to give your home and garage a deep clean? Make your grandmother proud of you and get down on your hands and knees and give your house a good scrub. Turns out there are lots of websites out there with step-by-step instructions on how do do it properly.
To help with your Spring Cleaning we are carrying the Lemon Aide counter cleanser and dish soap in our retail store, and these items can be added to your delivery orders too.
Finally, you can teach yourself something you don’t know. My sister taught herself how to repair her dishwasher by following YouTube videos. I know a number of people who are teaching themselves how to bake bread from scratch. Our good friends at Almanac Grains are offering their heritage grain flours for delivery by Canada Post or pick up at Dominion City Brewery and their website is full of great recipes including this one for sourdough bread.
This is a great base sourdough method which, once mastered, can be adapted to include other heritage flours.
Mix starter and water with fingers until starter has mostly dissolved and mixture is frothy.
Step 2
Mix in flour with your hands just until it is well incorporated and there are no dry pockets of flour. Dough should feel slightly sticky, but not overly wet or sloppy. Add additional flour or water if needed. Let rest, covered for 20-30 minutes.
Step 3
Sprinkle salt evenly over the surface of the dough. With wet hands, dimple and pinch in salt to mix evenly, gently squishing and folding the dough in on itself, while trying to avoid tearing the dough (if dough seems stiff, now is a good time to add a small amount of additional water.) Let rest, covered for 20-30 minutes.
Step 4
Gently stretch and fold the dough over itself four times, rotating 90 degrees after each fold. Repeat four sets of stretch and folds every 20-30 minutes.
Step 5
Allow dough to rest, covered, at warm room temperature for a total of four to eight hours until it has a slightly domed top, visible bubbles on the surface, and has increased slightly in volume (in a clear container, dough should have evenly dispersed bubbles throughout)
Step 6
Gently ease dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into desired shape and place into proofing bowl or basket, lined with a generously floured towel, or directly into greased loaf pan. Allow to proof, covered, at room temperature for 1-3 hours, until visibly increased by 25-50% in size and the surface of the dough springs back slowly when poked.
OR
Place in refrigerator to proof overnight (8-16 hours), remove from fridge immediately before baking.
Step 7
Preheat oven and baking vessel (if using) to 500 degrees for 30 minutes.
Turn out shaped loaf onto crumpled parchment paper, score with a bread lame or sharp knife, and carefully transfer into hot baking vessel (lifting the edges of parchment like a sling.)
Immediately reduce temperature to 475F and bake, covered, for 20 minutes.
Remove lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until desired colour is reached, and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Allow to cool for at least one hour before slicing.
We could all use a little good news and it’s out there, you just have to dig for it. In our own little world, we will have managed (by Thursday this week) to donate 1000 dinners to our community to help those in need through our partnership with Parkdale Food Centre. We feel very proud of this accomplishment because we achieved this at a time when the world was changing daily. Our team has worked incredibly hard to feed our customers, so it wasn’t easy to squeeze out an additional 1000 meals for donation, but we did it! The food has gone to organizations like Cornerstone Housing for Women, and Somerset West Community Health Centre, to name a few.
Similar initiatives have popped up in our community, led by a Restaurant Industry which has been devastated by this Pandemic. Over 800,000 restaurant industry workers have lost their jobs but some of them still find a way to give back to the community.
Jo-Ann at Marcie’s Cafe has a go fund me campaign that will allow her to cook for the community in need. Chef Jo Thottungal at Thali Restaurant has also partnered with the Ottawa Community Foundation to provide meals to our community, using chefs from Ottawa’s many closed restaurants to cook meals for those in need.
One of our clients was inspired by our efforts to feed our community, and wanted to donate to these efforts. It gave us the idea to create a page where others could donate too. If you choose to make a contribution to these efforts, we assure you that this money will go ‘exclusively’ towards providing meals through our Parkdale partnership – providing food to those in need in our community.
There are many other great examples of people in our community doing good things for each other. Even the smallest thing can be a big help at times like this. For example;
Check in on neighbours to see if they need help. The elderly or those with very young children might be struggling to get out for groceries. If you are healthy and able you might be able to run an errand or two on their behalf.
Order in dinner from your favourite restaurants. Many of them are starting to offer take away meals. They need your support right now. Edible Ottawa has created an excellent list of local businesses that need your support right now.
Support those on the front lines with meals and gift cards. For those providing front line services and support and working hard during this pandemic, finding time to shop or cook can be a real challenge. We have been overwhelmed with people buying food for others, like the client who is picking up 50 meals and 50 cookies this Saturday to deliver to the respiratory care ward of one of our Ottawa Hospitals. It’s a beautiful thing to bear witness to.
Give blood. We all have it and we can all spare a little.
Leave messages of hope and positivity. Whether it’s a picture in your window facing the street, a joke left on a billboard or signpost, or a message of love painted on a rock, there are so many ways to leave little ‘Easter Eggs’ of hope for people to find.
And finally, during this desperate time, look for the good things every day. They are there, in abundance.
I will be honest with you, my friends. Operating a business during this time is like tip toeing through a minefield. The landscape changes daily, as to human emotions. The vast majority of us that believe that if we can continue to be kind, patient, and careful, we can get through this.
We are all having to learn new habits, and resist the urge we have to connect both physically, and emotionally with those we encounter.
At this time where what the people of the world need is a ‘hug’, we are being told not to touch. In those moments where we crave the company and companionship of others, we are told to isolate. When the thing that will soothe our anxiety is movement, distraction, and interaction, we are forced to stay home, avoid parks, and stay out of the gym.
People are being ticketed, warned, fined, chastised, shamed, and confronted. I understand the reasons why, but believe a more considerate approach might be as effective – a soft-spoken word, or a bit of patience, a kind reminder. Some people are becoming quick to jump to the wrong conclusion out of fear. Last week we were accused of ‘serving customers food to eat in our store’ (not true), ‘not caring about our community’ (not true) and ‘not taking any precautions to protect our staff and customers’ (also not true).
Yesterday I was in line at the grocery store and I asked the young woman who was serving me if people were ‘being nice’. Unfortunately she said ‘not always’, which made me sad. But she was cheery, and pleasant and helpful and I thanked her for keeping her spirits up and finding it within herself to still ‘be kind’.
‘Being Kind’ makes all the difference. You can take any difficult, challenging, and frustrating situation and make it 100 times better with kindness. I waited on hold for 3 hours this weekend with my bank. I needed an error resolved and I would have had every right to be frustrated. When I finally got through, the exhausted agent was so grateful that I was ‘kind’ that I knew that she had spent the entire day being yelled at. I asked her how she was doing. We chatted for a few minutes about how difficult times are and I wished her a speedy end to her shift. It took very little energy on my part and made her very long day a tiny bit better.
There are little things we can do to help ease the tension. Limit time on social media and news. I check in 3 times throughout the day, following only local news sites reporting facts, and checking in with Ottawa Public Health for advice and updates.
I am trying not to engage in conversations that are related to the epidemic. It’s OK to tell friends, family and coworkers that you would prefer not to discuss it. Keeping busy helps, and we certainly are busy here at the Red Apron.
For me, flowers help and many places, like our good friends at Bloomfields in the Glebe, are delivering to your door.
The Peace Room is offering guided meditations and workshops online, and asking us all to join them this Saturday for a worldwide meditation. Many other fitness and yoga services are offering online options for both group sessions, and one on one.
And bake cookies! The smell alone will make you feel better. You don’t even have to eat them if you are worried about your waistline. You can leave them on the doorstep of your friends and family members like a little ‘cookie hug’.
Follow this link to a recipes for cookies, loaves and bars we baked over the holidays a few years ago! You can let out your creative energy decorating some of them for Easter, which is just around the corner!
Decorating Inspiration – Easter is just around the corner!
We are all struggling to manage our lives knowing that every morning we wake upon our reality might be different than it was the day before. As I write this it is Monday March 23, we have completed a full week of ‘Social Distancing’ and it impacts everyone differently.
Social Distancing at work for Group Photos!
For most of us it’s about breaking habits that personally I am finding hard to break. How do I stop myself from hugging a friend or loved one I haven’t seen in a while, or shaking the hand of a new acquaintance? How do I step back from a conversation, instead of leaning in so I can truly connect with another person. How will all of this impact how we deal with each other after this crisis has passed?
We have also learned over the last 10 days who the true ‘essential’ workers are in our community. First we must acknowledge front line health care workers for their dedication in putting the needs of the community ahead of their own, and in many cases the needs of their families. I am also cheering daily for those behind the scenes working on treatments and vaccinations. It can’t come soon enough!
Robin loading the car to deliver 100 meals to Cornerstone Home for Women
Those serving peoples who cannot fend for themselves like Karen and her team at Parkdale Food Centre and the team at Cornerstone Housing for Women, are essential. Delivery drivers like those bringing produce to grocery stores and business like ours, and those delivering meals to your door like are dear friends at GopherIt Deliveries are essential. Our farmers, growers and producers that are delivering to us, and in some cases to your door, are essential. If you are looking for lists of restaurants, farmers, and other local food business that are delivering to your door, Edible Ottawa is doing an amazing job of letting our community know how they can eat well and Support Local!
The food industry workers that do everything from deliver produce, stock the shelves, cook prepared meals, ring you through the check out, and delivery to your home are the new Super Heroes of this crisis and I can’t even imagine what things would be like right now without that entire group of often poorly paid and historically under-appreciated people. I hope that one of the positive outcomes of this crisis is that we reconsider how we ‘value’ people who do work we deem unimportant, but now know is essential.
At the Red Apron we continue to sanitize, sanitize, and sanitize constantly throughout the day. We have a client sanitization station set up inside our doors, allowing clients to sanitize their hands and their carts before shopping.
We have expanded our delivery days to include Monday and Friday for items from our retail store. Our drivers are sanitizing the vehicles before and after their route, and their hands before and after each delivery. We must INSIST that our customers leave a cooler or rubbermaid bin on their front porch for the driver to leave the food in. We don’t want any face to face contact at the door, please.
Our fridges and freezers are well stocked and our team is working hard to cook food for our customers, but also to satisfy a commitment we made to Parkdale Food Center. Starting last Friday, we are delivering 100 prepared meals to Parkdale (and their partners) every day or two, until we reach 1000 meals.
Baby Robin loading up the car for Parkdale
When we talk about Super Heroes, our team is full of them. Baby (pictured above) is one of the most amazing humans I have had the pleasure to know, let alone work with. At the ripe old age of 26, this incredible woman has worked her way up through our organization to the role of Sous Chef. She started here during her last few months of high school, and worked here while she studied cuisine at Algonquin college. She runs a team of 8-12 people at any given time, and if you didn’t know better, you would swear she has been doing it for 20 years. She is wise, calm, kind, tough, and and totally on top of all situations, all the time.
We have received tremendous support and positive feedback from our customers. They check in with us regularly to see how we are doing and if there is anything we need. We are fine, staying positive, and doing well. If you are looking to help in any way, what I suggest is consider buying a gift card for someone in need who might be unable to get out and would like to to take advantage of our delivery service.
This week’s recipe is for Soup. There is nothing more comforting to eat during difficult times than a hearty bowl of home made soup
Apple Butternut Soup
This recipe works well with most winter squashes including pumpkin, acorn, turban, buttercup, pepper, etc.
Ingredients:
Olive oil or canola oil
1 medium
white onion, diced
2 cloves
garlic, diced
1 large
Butternut Squash
4 large
apples
4 cups
or vegetable chicken stock
1
Bay leaf
1 tablespoon
brown sugar
2 tablespoons
Butter
1/3 teaspoon
curry powder, or to your taste
1 pinch
nutmeg
1 cup
whipping cream
Salt and pepper
Directions:
1: Cut butternut in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a greased baking sheet and bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until tender. Let cool and remove meat and mash with a fork.
2: Peel and slice apples and toss with melted butter and sugar. Place in 375 degree preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until they start to caramelize. Let cool.
3: Sauté onion and garlic in oil until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add butternut puree, apples, stock, bay leaf, curry, nutmeg and mix well. Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer. Simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
4: Add cream and remove from heat and cool. Blend in batches in a blender until smooth. Add more water/stock if necessary to achieve the desired consistency. Re-heat until warmed through and serve.
This 19th century nautical term was used to tell the crew to get ready for a big storm. For some reason, it seems like a good term to use right now for what’s going on in the world. For most of us, we have never lived through anything like this and it’s really hard to know how to feel and how to appropriately respond.
We want our customers to know that we are taking the threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) seriously and would like to share with you our strategy for staying healthy and open so that we can continue to serve you nutritious, delicious, locally sourced, seasonal and organic food during this difficult time.
Our service is important, and in some cases essential to many people within our community and we will remain open for regular business hours. Should this policy change we will update our customers by email and on social media.
Our fresh meal and delivery service will continue. We want to remind you that you can have items from our retail store delivered to your home. Deliveries are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and we need to receive your order the day before your desired delivery day.
Our location at 564 Gladstone is implementing the following steps in accordance with the recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
We have advised our staff to stay at home for 14 days if they have recently travelled outside of Canada, even if they are not experiencing any symptoms, if they have been in close personal contact with anyone who recently returned from one of the Group A & B risk zones, regardless if symptoms are present, if they believe they have contracted the coronavirus or they are exhibiting any symptoms of the coronavirus or if they have come into contact with someone who has been exposed to the coronavirus, even though they have not travelled to any of the listed risk zones.
Within our space we are taking the following precautions:
Increased hand washing and sanitization including hourly sanitization of all equipment, door handles, counters, tables, chairs, shoping baskets and workspaces.
Daily sanitization of our delivery vehicles.
We want to ask customers who are ill, showing symptoms, or who have been exposed to the virus, to please stay home and take advantage of our delivery service, leaving a box or cooler on their front porch.
Our freezers after Saturday
Our store has been busier than ever with clients putting a few extra items in the fridge and freezer. We had a full team working an extra day on Sunday so we could re-stock our fridges and freezers after being cleaned out on Thursday-Friday and Saturday.
Working hard on Sunday to restock the Fridges & Freezers
Our delivery service continues and we are taking many precautions to maintain the health of both our team, and our customers. We are keeping our clients updated by email and social media of the precautions we are taking, and will continue to use those tools to update on any changes, as they arise. Please subscribe to our email at the bottom right of our web page, or follow us on Facebook (The Red Apron) or Instagram (@redapronyummm).
But like every big storm, this too will pass and when it does it will be interesting to see what we will learn from this. As longtime proponents of the support local/buy local/eat local movement, we feel strongly that access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food (Food Security) is an important priority for everyone in the world today. As borders close, and movement of people and things slows, having the ability to feed ourselves is the thing that is going to make us feel most secure. Being able to feed ourselves while supporting our community (farmers, growers, producers & small local food businesses) is going to make our community stronger, safer, and able to weather this storm.
We are trying to build a list of all the independent food business in Ottawa that need our support and can help us get through this by providing nutritions, delicious and nourishing foods during this time, while still putting money into our local economy and keeping as many vulnerable people employed. Small business and their employees rely on their customers so they can pay rent & utilities, and put food on their own tables. We know that these businesses are taking the necessary precautions to keep their people safe while making great food, as are we. So far our list includes the following business.
We have a lot of family owned bakeries in Ottawa that are still producing bread and other baked items that can be sliced and frozen for later use. Our friends at True Loaf, just across the street, and Black Walnut Bakery, just a short drive from Orleans are both still open & producing. Check their websites for hours and get there early, as they are selling out most days.
Myro & Isaac at Black Walnut Bakery in Cumberland
Many of our small family owned business are getting hit hard, but some are offering meals ‘to-go’ so call ahead or check with the online delivery services to see who is still serving. You could also support them by purchasing gift cards to use after this passes.
We want to remind you that small craft breweries like Dominion City will deliver to your home, as will most many County wineries and distilleries like Kinsip and Rosehall Run.
Since you might be at home with time on your hands and mouths to feed, I am re-sharing a series of recipes I created for just this situation. You can feed a family of four for a week with these ingredients, these recipes, and one chicken. You might even have leftovers!
Feed a family of 4 for a week with one chicken
Shopping List
7-8 pound
pasture raised Ferme Rêveuse chicken
3 medium
onions
3-4
red peppers
Small bag
baby spinach
2 medium
sweet potatoes
3 medium
potatoes (Yukon gold or russet)
1 large
carrot
1
bunch of kale
1
whole leek
2 cups
frozen sweet peas
1 large
Spanish onion
1 bunch
green onions
2
ripe avocados
2
lemons
1 cup
frozen corn kernels
2 heads
garlic
1 knob
fresh ginger
3 cups
organic brown basmati
1 small package
organic whole-wheat penne or ziti
250 ml
whole cream (whipping cream)
½ cup
grated Parmesan
4 cups
grated cheddar
500 ml
sour cream
8
soft corn tortillas (or soft wheat tortillas)
1 large (750 ml) can
diced tomatoes
1 large (750 ml) can
organic white beans
1 small (450 ml) can
organic black beans
1 large (750 ml) can
organic chickpeas
1 jar (500 ml)
mild salsa
Herbs and spices including: cumin, chili powder, mild curry powder, fresh thyme, fresh cilantro, fresh oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper
Sunday – Cook Chicken/Make Stock
Whole Local Chicken (7-8 lb) – Organic or Hormone & Antibiotic Free
1
Onion, peeled & quartered
1 head
of garlic, peeled
1 medium
carrot, peeled, large dice
1
celery stalk
1
thyme branch
2
bay leaf
1 teaspoon
salt
Directions
Cover the chicken cold water in a large stainless steel stockpot and bring to a boil. When the water comes to a full boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and skim off the gray foam that rises to the surface. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, bay, and salt.
Cook gently on simmer for 1-1.5 hours until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken, and when cool enough to handle remove all the meat & wings. Put the carcass and the wings back in the pot and continue to simmer on low for another 2-3 hours or more, until the broth tastes rich and is a light golden color. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth or fine sieve. Return the stock to pot and simmer on high to reduce to 2-3 litres. Refrigerate the chicken meat.
Allow the stock to cool completely; skim the fat and promptly refrigerate.
Cook 3 cups of basmati rice per instructions on bag.
Monday – Curried Sweet Potato & Chicken Stew
oil (canola or olive)
2 medium
onions, peeled and diced
1
red pepper, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon
fresh ginger, peeled & grated
2 cloves
garlic, peeled and minced
½ can
diced tomatoes diced (reserve juice and remaining tomatoes for another recipe)
1 small can
coconut milk
1 cup
organic canned chickpeas, drained & rinsed
2 cups
chicken stock
1 tablespoon
curry powder
1 large or two medium
sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed (1 inch cubes) and cooked until just tender (sweet potatoes could be cooked in the chicken stock)
cooked meat from one chicken breast, cubed
½ bag
baby spinach leaves.
Salt, to taste
Sauté onions in a large saucepan on medium high heat until soft. Add Red Peppers, and cook until peppers wilt. Add garlic, ginger and curry powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add tomatoes and coconut milk and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add chickpeas, 1 cup of chicken stock, chicken and sweet potatoes. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and more curry powder to taste. If the stew is too thick, thin with remaining chicken stock. Before serving, toss in spinach leaves.
Serve on steamed rice (follow directions on bag) and garnish this dish with chopped green onions, cilantro & avocado.
Tuesday – White Bean, Kale & Potato Soup
Olive oil
1 medium
onion, diced
2 cloves
garlic, peeled & minced
1 can
organic white beans (rinsed & drained)
1 bunch
kale (rough chopped)
3 medium
potatoes (peeled, cubed )
1 liter
chicken stock
diced meat from one chicken thigh
Juice from can of tomatoes
Fresh time & oregano (1 tablespoon each, chopped)
Sauté onions & garlic in soup pot in 2 tablespoons of oil. Add kale and cook until wilted. Remove from pan. Put potatoes, chicken stock, tomato juice in the soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low until potatoes are tender. Add white beans, chicken and herbs and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add back kale & onion mixture and test for seasoning. Add salt to taste and serve.
This meal would be best served with crusty bread. The soup can be garnished with fresh chopped parsley and grated cheese on top.
Wednesday – Pasta, Chicken, Pea & Leek Casserole
2 tablespoons
butter
1 whole
leek, cleaned and sliced thinly (white and light green parts only)
1 small package
organic whole wheat penne or ziti, cooked, rinsed in cold water, and drained
250 ml
whole cream (35%)
1 cup
green sweet peas (frozen),
½ bag
of baby spinach leaves
meat from one chicken breast (cubed),
½ cup
grated Parmesan
1 cup
grated cheddar
salt & pepper to taste
Melt butter in a saucepan. Sauté the leeks until soft. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Add peas, season with salt & pepper. In a large bowl mix together cooked pasta, cream/leek mixture, peas, chicken, cheddar cheese & spinach. Transfer to ovenproof casserole and top with parmesan. (Everything up to this step could be done one to 2 days in advance.)
To serve: Cook at 375 until warmed through and top is golden brown.
Thursday – Layered Chicken Tacos
Olive oil
1 large
Spanish onion, peeled & sliced
1 large
red pepper, seeded & sliced
½ can
diced tomatoes, rough chopped (reserve juice for another recipe)
meat from chicken leg and thigh (shredded)
2
green onions, diced
2
avocados
juice of 2 lemons
1 package
small corn tacos (fresh),
1 cup
frozen corn kernels,
1 cup
organic black beans drained & rinsed
cumin, chili powder
2 cups
shredded cheddar cheese
500 ml
sour cream
1 jar
mild salsa
Heat oil in a sauté pan and sauté onions and peppers until caramelized. Add shredded chicken meat and season with cumin, salt & pepper. Remove from pan and set aside.
Heat more oil in pan and sauté green onions, tomatoes, corn kernels and black beans. Season with chili powder and lemon juice.
Layer ingredients in a 9×12 inch baking pan, starting with bean mixture, chicken, salsa, sour cream, tacos – at least 2 layers, finishing with tacos, thin layer of salsa and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until warmed through.
Slice avocados and drizzle with lemon juice & oil. Season with salt. Serve with Tacos.
One of the things I love to do is cook with my family & friends. As a chef, it’s an opportunity to pass on knowledge to others in a fun way that gets them engaged. When preparing a big meal for a group it’s also a way to lighten the load by enlisting the help of others.
Cooking with family and friends in Italy this past summer
There are so many reasons that cooking with your family, especially with young children, is beneficial to their health and wellbeing. Most people, especially young children, don’t really understand how food impacts their health, both mental and physical. When we fuel our bodies with nutritious foods, we perform better at work, in school, in sports, and in life. Cooking with your kids provides an opportunity to transfer knowledge at the same time.
Pasta making at home with Brooke
In many homes, cooking is the responsibility of one person, often the mother. I love to cook, so this isn’t a chore, however anyone who has cooked for others day after day knows that you are not always given the credit that you deserve for taking time from your other activities to feed your family well. Involving the rest of the family in the process gives them an appreciation of the importance of the task of cooking, and allows everyone to feel that they are contributing to the process in a meaningful way. In our home we always make a point of thanking those that helped create the meal before we ‘dig in’.
In a world that is inundated with screen time, social media, and other activities that ‘disconnect’ us in physical ways, cooking together is an important ‘offline’ social activity that provides room for important conversations to happen. It also teaches important life skills that will carry your young people through their life. Sending my kids ‘out of the nest’ with the ability to grow food, cook for themselves and feed others, is one of my greatest accomplishments as a parent. I know they will never be dependent on someone else to feed them and will always appreciate the importance of those who grow, raise, cook and serve our food.
If you have picky eaters in the house, involving them in the cooking process goes a long way to opening their minds and their mouths to new flavours and textures. Most children will at least taste something they had a hand in cooking. It also helps teach them to respect food, and the people that prepare it. Furthermore it helps young children develop skills such as: using sharp tools; being cautious around heat or flame; measuring; reading; sorting; developing their touch, taste & smell senses. The list goes on….
Finally, cooking with friends & family has taught me patience. As a young, busy, and often overwhelmed mother I didn’t have patience to work with others in the kitchen. My goal was just to be as efficient as possible and get a decent meal on the table quickly! Now I enjoy the benefit of taking time, allowing others to contribute in a meaningful way, listening to their ideas and suggestions, allowing them to make mistakes and learn. It has undoubtedly made me a better person.
One way you can easily cook for and serve a family or group that might include picky eaters and people with allergies and intolerances is to create a ‘bowl bar’. We recently served a group event this way, as the group was looking to bring an element of creativity to their noon day break. We sent them a ‘composed lunch salad’ that they could build themselves. Ingredients were lined up along the buffet, and included grains, greens, roasted vegetable, chicken, two sauces and crispy garnishes. Participants got a bowl, and were able to pick and choose the items they wanted to include in their bowl. It was a tremendous success.
A new book that we are selling in the store, ‘Bowls – Vibrant Recipes with Endless Possibilities’, by America’s Test Kitchen, will provide lots of inspiration for creative and nutritious meals, that can be served in this manner.
Our recipe for the week is for a composed salad that I made this past weekend while cooking with friends & family for brunch. I have to admit that I stole the idea from my good friend Calrly, the mastermind behind the Urban Element on Parkdale.
Bulgur, Butternut & Blueberry Salad
1 cup
of Bulgur, cooked per directions and cooled (you could substitute faro, quinoa, or any of your favourite grains
1 small
butternut squash, peeled, tossed in oil, then roasted until tender (you could substitute yams, delicata squash, acorn squash, or any winter squash)
1 cup
fresh blueberries (you could substitute dried cranberries)
apple cider vinegar (or white balsamic or sherry vinegar)
1/4 to 1/2 cup
good quality olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Wisk ingredients together.
For the presentation, I used a large wooden platter but you could layer in a bowl or on a tray. Start by mixing the cooked bulgur with a small amount of the dressing. Spread that as a base layer on the platter. Toss the arugula with the remaining dressing and arrange over the bulgur layer. Then place the cooked squash on, under and around the greens. Crumble the cheese over top and garnish with the nuts. A good twist of freshly ground pepper and a sprinkle of finishing salt will finish it off. Serve with tongs. This salad could be arranged on individual plates.
At the Red Apron, our values and guiding principles are both simple and complex. We believe that the ingredient is the key. Nutritional labels tell you what you are eating in the form of calories, fats, proteins, and carbs, but tells you nothing about where or how the food was grown, and who might have been exploited along the way. It provides a false sense of security and very little insight into how healthy the food you are about to eat is.
When Health Canada and the USDA found melamine in Baby Formula in 2008, that product had a nutritional label. Nutella lied about the sugar in their spread, and were sued. Both of these products had a Nutritional Label. My opinion about Nutritional Labels tell you one thing mainly – that the food was made in a factory, probably far away from the source of the ingredients, and the consumer.
Let’s look at an example. When the Red Apron makes Pizza for our Pop Up Pizza nights (next one scheduled for March 13, from 5pm – 8pm), we make our sourdough crust using ancient amber wheat from Against the Grain farms, and top it with items like Ontario Goat Cheese, Seed To Sausage Speck, Organic Le Coprin Mushrooms, etc. On a nutritional label, this pizza might look exactly like a fast food pizza in terms of fats, carbs, calories & proteins. But in your body, from a micro nutrient level, and in terms of the care and attention to growing, milling, curing and cooking – there is no comparison.
Preparing food for people to consume is a relationship of trust. When you grow, raise, cook food, and serve your customer directly, you have been entrusted with their health and well-being. The farther we get form the grower and producer of the food, the less trust we should have in the product
Micheal Pollan, in his revolutionary book ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’, (which I would encourage every person to read) said ‘Shake the Hand that Feeds You’. These are wise words to live by, and a principle that guides our business. Our relationship with our growers, producers, and suppliers is ‘tight’ and based on trust.
The creator of the Fogo Island Inn, Zita Cobb, a truly inspirational person, got it right when she created the Economic Nutrition Label. When you spend money at her Inn, she tells you how those dollars are impacting her community in terms of food, labour, etc and how those dollars are benefiting the local economy, her province, Canada, and the rest of the world. This is meaningful information that helps consumers make informed buying decisions.
We have just reordered a book that we thoroughly enjoy, called ‘Real Food, What to Eat & Why’. In this book, Nina Planck dives deep into the conversation about why you should care about where your food comes from. A huge supporter of local farmer’s markets, Nina explains how ancient foods like beef, grains and butter have been falsely accused, while industrial foods like corn syrup and soybean oil have created a triple epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
A rebuttal to dietary fads and a call for the return to old-fashioned foods, Real Food’s message is consistent with Red Apron’s guiding principles.
Since we are talking pizza, let’s build one right here. In our retail store we occasionally sell our house made sourdough ancient grain pizza dough – frozen. You can thaw and use this as your base. Some of our local bread bakers will sell you their dough frozen and unbaked. If you are feeling adventurous you can try your hand at making your own. There are so many beautiful grains to choose from including Almanac Grains heirloom varieties available at the Ottawa Farmer’s Markets. You can find lots of recipes on the internet.
*Note: Sourdough breads are so much healthier than yeasted breads and crusts.
Pizza Toppings
There are so many to choose from and it really boils down to what you like. Our favourite are:
Tomato sauce, roasted mushrooms, goat cheese, mozzarella, truffle oil drizzle, fleur de sel
Cream (whipping), caramelized onions, arugula, shaved parmesan, ‘Seed to Sausage’ speck or prosciutto , olive oil drizzle, fleur de sel
Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil, fleur de sel – a kids favourite
The important things to remember are 1) get your oven as hot as possible. Preheat to a temperature of at least 500 degrees. 2) stretch your dough carefully, using your fingers, and place it on a baking sheet or pizza pan on a base of cornmeal or flour so it doesn’t stick 3) don’t get too crazy with the toppings. A thin pizza needs thin toppings so a little goes a long way. If you overload on toppings you will have a soggy crust.
Cook your pizza for 7-10 minutes but keep your eyes on it. You want bubbly cheese and a charred crust for flavour. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes before cutting and serving so that the toppings can ‘set’ on the pizza and it’s cool enough to eat.
And if this sounds like too much work, join us on March 13 to kick off March Break. Dine in or call ahead to take out a delicious, nutritious, thin crust sourdough pizza made using ancient and nutrient dense grains and local toppings!
