A light honey-Dijon glaze coats tender-crisp Ontario Brussels Sprouts and Carrots. Crisp bacon, tender onion and a thin layer of melted cheese put the finishing touches on this hearty side dish.

This fall, families and individuals will trek to Orchard Hill Farm located on Fruit Ridge Line in Central Elgin to collect their vegetable share, chat with the grower and enjoy the view over the ridge. It will mark the beginning of the farm’s seventh generation as Ellen Laing and her husband take on management of the Fall Garden. Ellen chatted recently about her parents’ farm and her return to Elgin County. 

Naomi Pomeroy is a twenty-year veteran chef, owner of acclaimed restaurant Beast in Portland Oregon, and 2014 winner of a prestigious James Beard Foundation Award. Her debut cookbook, Taste & Technique – Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking, was released in September 2016. I was intrigued to check it out, having heard that Ellen Laing, daughter of local Orchard Hill Farm owners Ken and Martha Laing, had worked along-side Naomi in preparing dishes for all of the photographs in the book.

I was a little worried about including a kale salad in this book because they were very trendy for a while, and I don’t want the book to seem dated. But this is a magical version of kale salad. It has so much of what other kale salads are often missing: crisp cheese for texture, a creamy dressing for richness, and a serious kick from a strong Dijon mustard. Don’t use something like Grey Poupon here. You need to look for a brand that has some real heat, like Edmond Fallot.

Great with soups or stews, these moist golden biscuits can be made ahead and frozen.

It’s hard to beat the classic combination of berries and cream. The chocolate crumb crust complements both blueberry and strawberry variations. You could also use a graham crumb or baked pastry crust. 

A menu which incorporates a salute to St. Patrick's Day with an Irish classic, a savoury pie and a celebration of spring - Maple Crème Brulee. 

Each year when the holiday season approaches the world is filled with messages of good cheer and hopes of peace. Despite these warm, heartfelt offerings, the sounds of the season expose an inevitable rift that has been dividing us for centuries: those who love mincemeat and those who hate it.

Read the entire article below or in Relish Elgin Holiday 2015

Fall may mean back to busy routines – here are three recipes which make use of seasonal bounty and each takes less than fifteen minutes of preparation time. Berry Fool  is from the Berry Hill Fruit Farm website – a delicious and simple way to use some of the  berries you may have managed to squirrel away in your freezer.  Curried Carrot and Potato Soup is quick to prepare with Ontario potatoes, onions, carrots and garlic. Roasted Pear Salad with Chèvre  is perfect for a light luncheon or starter at a dinner party.

Read the entire article in the Relish Elgin Fall 2015 Edition