Grill master.

Last night was all about learning how to BBQ.  

Up until now, looking at the BBQ has always been like staring down a big black box of mystery attached to a tank of explosive gas - with wheels. All I knew was that raw food goes on and delicious cooked food comes off the grill. So I finally built up the courage to open the black box. WaTcH oUt 613, a grill master is born!  

 FYI:  To any readers who don’t know how to BBQ, I say it’s time to pull up your socks and learn. It's actually super freaking easy Let me spell it out for you in 10 easy steps.

1. Turn on the gas and grab a lighter!
2. Crank those knobs to high and stick that flame in, light it up and close the lid.
3. Wait. Let it get all hot and sexy in there ;)
4. While the BBQ heats up, you have some time to change out of the silk skirt and knit top    you wore to work and slip into something that says I have better taste than this right?!
5. Take this opportunity to reflect on your wardrobe and consider not dressing like an old lady at work.
6. And focus- this is about cooking food. So go ahead and toss your food onto the grill. Turning it periodically.
7. Don’t forget to close the lid and turn down the heat so your meal won’t burn.
8. Take a good look at the food wrapped in foil and using telepathy sense when your food is ready to eat. Alternatively you could always use a thermometer.

9. Then take if off and remember to turn off the gas.
10. Enjoy the delicious feast. 

11. Clean all the pots and pans you used. Oh wait, you cooked this shit on the grill so there's actually no 11th step.

Nothing out of the ordinary for this meal. I decided on a simple combination of potatoes, corn, mixed veggies and tofu.  BBQ must be one of the easiest ways to cook and eat local. 

I might have had some help. You know who you are:) 

Will I gain or lose weight?

At first glance the local diet definitely seems healthier. I haven’t had any candy, chips or chocolate. Over the last few days I have resisted fresh baked goods, extra coffees and a free fudge popsicle. On the other hand I’ve had way more nuts and butter which is certainly higher in fat. Oh, and in the absence of olive or vegetable oil, I’ ve been frying my eggs and veggies in bacon grease! It’s diabetes vs heart disease. There is only one way to truly answer this question. 

Jessie Sadler – 114lb. Let’s see what my weight will be on the 31^st. Place your bets!  Who knows maybe I will spend the month of September doing the latest Hollywood diet craze.   

And how about a recipe- with butter, cashews and bacon grease. 

 Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 Acorn Squash

¾ cup Shaved Carrot

3 green onions

1 clove garlic

1 bunch swiss chard

½ cup stinging nettle buffalo milk cheese from Canreg Station Farm

2 tbsp fresh ground wheat

2 tbsp crushed cashews

1 tsp salt

Butter

Bacon grease

Cut the squash in half; discard the seeds. Place squash cut side down in a baking pan and add ½ in water. Bake at 350 for 40-50 min. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat bacon grease sauté carrots, onions and garlic for 4 min. Add swiss chard and salt and cook until soft. Once squash is done baking stuff it with the carrot mixture then sprinkle bread crumbs and cashews on top. Dot with butter. Bake 15 min longer. Sprinkle with cheese and cook on broil until cheese is melted. Enjoy.

Surprise- I am a culinary genius.

Who knew? 

Day 1 was rough but days 2 and 3 definitely made up for it. 

Sure I have made small substitutions or omissions in recipes, but 95% of the time I am a die hard recipe follower. So it is with great pride I announce that this is truly the first time I have ever had a culinary idea without looking something up, and just went for it. BAM!

Being limited to a local diet forces you to be creative with your food. The most exciting part is where it can take you. The band the White Stripes only have two instruments because they like the creative challenge of being limited to only the tools that they have. I imagine I am riding a similar wave of creative genius.

I don’t want to call it too early but this might be my '7nation army'. 

 Cashew and wheat eggplant slices

½ cup Fresh ground wheat from Castor River Farm

½ cup Ground cashews

1 egg

Salt

1 Eggplant

Butter

Peel and slice eggplant then sprinkle it with salt and let it sit for about 1 hr. In the meantime, use a food processor to chop the cashews and combine with the wheat. Then dry off the eggplant and dip it in the egg followed by the breading mixture. Using a large pan on low to medium heat, melt the butter then cook the eggplant for 10-12 min on each side or until soft. Don’t cook it too hot or else the butter and cashews will burn. 

I used this as a side dish with some pan fried tofu with herb seasoning and raw veggies. Perfection.  

Ok I might have had some help with the fine details, you know who you are.

It starts like a French grammar lesson: Les Exceptions.

For the month of August 2012 I will endeavour to eat a 100% local diet. After much research I have managed to find everything I need within a 200km radius of my house. I use the term ‘everything’ loosely as I am immediately brought back to grade 5 French grammar class when the teacher plainly told us that all verbs fit into categories and follow their respective rules.  Except when they don’t.

So in the spirit of growing up in the 613, let me restart.

I will be eating a 100% local diet. Except when I don’t. 

The chief offenders

Alcohol- I’m not in rehab. It is my belief that the entire success of this project hinges on me consuming enough liquid courage to put my cheeky thoughts out there for you to read. I will keep it to Ontario wines with the occasional locally brewed beer. 

Coffee- Did I mention I get up at 4:30 am for work? There actually is a coffee tree, the Kentucky coffee tree that is native, albeit rare, to Ontario that grows in the 613. My dad actually ‘has 2 planted at home’ he says beaming with pride.  However, Dad’s copy of “Trees of Ontario” by Linda Kershaw also says that if the beans are not roasted perfectly the coffee is toxic. Kershaw states that cattle get sick from raw beans contaminating the water. Soooo I’ll be getting my beans from a local roastery. To anyone who wants to make some truly local coffee- my dad is your guy.

I also have some sea salt a friend brought me from France. My justification here is that it was local when she bought it and she was travelling the distance anyways. Ditto for an herb seasoning mix grown in southern Ontario by the relatives of a close friend of mine. The story goes - they were visiting her in Sudbury, gave her lots of seasoning mix and she shared the wealth.

Day 1

No honey or sugar for my morning coffee- a realization that hits me like a brick wall. I still managed to have a delicious omelette with onions and hot peppers from my hosts garden and Sudbury local garlic and eggs. Then it was a long construction delayed drive home to Ottawa. I had some veggies to snack on but ended up back in Ottawa behind schedule without enough time to make a proper meal. I was reduced to eating raw corn at my ultimate frisbee game just to keep up my energy.  Not all was lost though because I had my Ontario wine night cap and sweet dreams of tomorrows meals.