Hibernation, Hard Work, and Cheese!

My current favourite breakfast treat is Monforte Dairy’s “Labane” spread thickly on toast (Heidrun‘s Cranberry Walnut Bread if possible) with Bees Universe honey drizzled on top. It’s so delicious that getting out from under the covers on a dark winter morning feels quite worthwhile. To further reward myself for resisting the urge to hibernate, this morning I decided that I would save reading the world news for later and take a trip to Monforte’s website to read the cheese news first. Did you know that they post a weekly list of the fresh cheeses they’re making as well as the ones that are ripe and ready? Oh bliss! Such tempting descriptions: ‘buttery notes…a bloomy rind…young in age but old in soul…just starting to get creamy around the edges….’
Talk to me in February, I’m spending January in cheeseland! Julia will have a lovely selection from this week’s Monforte list on her table in the rinkhouse.
Also in the rinkhouse:
  • Marvellous Edibles will have a full assortment of meats, storage crops, and the many other good things that make them so deserving of the marvellous in their name;
  • Ali Harris and Horace will be serving up tasty rotis, fritters and more;
  • Blythe will have a great selection of preserves with beautiful new Spade & Spoon labels;
  • Bees Universe will have super smooth and creamy honey, including some with additions such as turmeric, ginger and cinnamon, and a dark smoky kind for barbeque sauces. Fresh eggs too.
  • Forbes Wild Foods will provide us with delights such as rose petal syrup, hearty basics like wild rice, and wonderfully flavourful mushrooms.
  • Kind Organics will have sprouts and salad blends to keep your winter green;
  • Country Meadows will bring olives and oil, eggs and cheese;
  • Shane will be inside with a nice assortment of gluten-free baking from DeFloured. Be sure to get some, as they’ll be away next week.
  • Last but not least for the north end of the market, there will be the Dufferin Park Bakers’ wood-fired oven breads, plus snacks and drinks for skaters and shoppers alike at the Zamboni Cafe.

Kind Organics suffered a big loss when their walk-in cooler froze a few nights ago, while it was full of the next day’s deliveries. Tamas told me over the phone, but  he wasn’t calling to lament, just to talk about his plans to make up the lost income with more hard work.

Continuing on the theme of the hard work of farming, no fish this week because high winds took down several big trees across the lane at Sean Lovell’s, blocking his access to the fish ponds. He’s been out cutting and hauling the wood away all day so he won’t have enough time to prepare fish for market.
Everdale and Pine River will be absent, as will All Sorts Acre.

Take heart chocolate lovers! ChocoSol will be back this week and alternate Thursdays through the winter. We’ll also see Shared Harvest, Plan B and Culture City.
Hope I haven’t forgotten anyone!
See you at the market,
Anne Freeman

p.s.Have you got your Loyal Eaters Card handy to bring along? If you don’t have one yet, cards are still available.
Vendors this week:
Ali Harris
Bees Universe
ChocoSol
Country Meadows
Culture City
DeFloured
Dufferin Park Bakers
Forbes Wild Foods
Kind Organics
Marvellous Edibles
Monforte Dairy
Plan B
Shared Harvest
Spade & Spoon