Forager Foods in London based eatdrink magazine print and online edition:
Mention in ...The Buzz
September 2008 feature article
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Fresh & News March 25th
Returning from a recent ski trip in the Italian Dolomites, our Foraging team started to think about what value really means. For some value is getting the most for your money, while others live by the standard that value is getting the best for their money. At Foragers we work hard to subscribe to the latter.
For example, one particular lunch on our Italian ski trip was at a simple mountain-top cafeteria serving reasonably priced Beef Goulash with Polenta. The dish was rich and delicious thereby giving value. Another example was the local Trentino wine we enjoyed. At 15Euro in a restaurant, the price was right for an outstanding bottle of red. Again, this in our opinion gives value.
Now, one can argue that the reason our goulash and local red wine was so good could be due to the beautiful mountain range and the company kept, and you would be correct. Experience has value too.
At Foragers, you will never see AA Prime Rib on sale for $3.99/lb for the same reason you will not find dyed orange cheddar, those products do not offer good value. At Foragers we continue to offer high quality, locally sourced products that we feel offers our customers good value for their money. See you this weekend!
Sausage of the Week
In the spirit of our trip to Italy this week we are going to be making a Sun-dried Tomato & Mozzarella Sausage. In this same spirit we will be doing our Real Italian Sausages, and since the sap is running we will preparing the Maple & Blueberry as well.
Exeter Tomato
Say goodbye to Mexican "woody" tomatoes! The greenhouses in Exeter are replanted and Foragers is taking weekly deliveries of the delicious cluster tomatoes. In fact, we are one of the few who have em' as the vast majority of product goes to the American market. Also available from the Exeter growers are the flavorina tomatoes, tri-colour peppers and cucumbers, be sure to stop by the store and place your orders for a Friday delivery for any of these products.
Maple Syrup
The sap is running which means spring has arrived. At Foragers we plan to stock maple syrup from several smaller area maple syrup suppliers. Orders are now being taken for bulk unprocessed sap to make your coffee with (instead of water). Try it, available for a very limited time.
Keep Foraging,
Sam, Sara, Bill & Jeremy
For example, one particular lunch on our Italian ski trip was at a simple mountain-top cafeteria serving reasonably priced Beef Goulash with Polenta. The dish was rich and delicious thereby giving value. Another example was the local Trentino wine we enjoyed. At 15Euro in a restaurant, the price was right for an outstanding bottle of red. Again, this in our opinion gives value.
Now, one can argue that the reason our goulash and local red wine was so good could be due to the beautiful mountain range and the company kept, and you would be correct. Experience has value too.
At Foragers, you will never see AA Prime Rib on sale for $3.99/lb for the same reason you will not find dyed orange cheddar, those products do not offer good value. At Foragers we continue to offer high quality, locally sourced products that we feel offers our customers good value for their money. See you this weekend!
Sausage of the Week
In the spirit of our trip to Italy this week we are going to be making a Sun-dried Tomato & Mozzarella Sausage. In this same spirit we will be doing our Real Italian Sausages, and since the sap is running we will preparing the Maple & Blueberry as well.
Exeter Tomato
Say goodbye to Mexican "woody" tomatoes! The greenhouses in Exeter are replanted and Foragers is taking weekly deliveries of the delicious cluster tomatoes. In fact, we are one of the few who have em' as the vast majority of product goes to the American market. Also available from the Exeter growers are the flavorina tomatoes, tri-colour peppers and cucumbers, be sure to stop by the store and place your orders for a Friday delivery for any of these products.
Maple Syrup
The sap is running which means spring has arrived. At Foragers we plan to stock maple syrup from several smaller area maple syrup suppliers. Orders are now being taken for bulk unprocessed sap to make your coffee with (instead of water). Try it, available for a very limited time.
Keep Foraging,
Sam, Sara, Bill & Jeremy
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Article from this weeks Clinton Record
Forager Foods putting local ingredients on the taste buds
By Cheryl Heath, Clinton News Record Staff
Sam Gundy wants to do the foraging for you. And that new take on a timeless idea has earned the Bayfield-based entrepreneur a nomination for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Agri-Innovation Award.
The nomination means Gundy could be presented with an award that includes a cash reward ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $150,000. But, all of that is just icing on the cake for the man who is putting the local back into the neighborhood grocery store.
A quick tour of Gundy’s Forager Foods, located in the newly created plaza on Highway 21 in Bayfield, reveals a sampling of the not everyday fare made with all local ingredients. From the exotic, like shitake asiago-stuffed organic chicken breast, to the traditional macaroni and cheese, to the increasingly popular butter chicken, Forager Foods proves small stores can carry fare usually only carried in urban centres.
Still, notes Gundy, Forager Foods emphasis is not on prepared meals, rather it’s about stocking the shelves with fresh produce, meats and cheeses that are raised and grown by regional farmers.
Most of the meats hail from Metzger Meats in Hensall while other items, like maple syrup, are found at spots throughout Huron County and beyond.
The items traveling the farthest, notes Gundy, are cheeses from Quebec, though there are a number of varieties from Huron and Bruce counties, too.
The ultimate goal? One day Gundy would like to see a new turn on the old idea of the chain store. In essence, each region would have its own Forager Foods site, carrying mainly the goods, meat and produce of its home region.
The idea of focusing on locally grown and produced goods and produce, notes Gundy, has been a long time coming. “I noticed the trend occurring two years ago and it’s just grown,” he says.
Gundy says he has heard positive reviews from customers and farmers since first opening the door of Forager Foods in the spring of 2008. Indeed, farmers often drop by his store to show Gundy their produce or introduce a value-added or niche-market product. He notes his two-dozen suppliers include an egg farmer from Zurich and fish caught in Lake Huron. “I like to call them partners because we really are all in this together,” he says.
Popular books, like the 100-Mile Diet, and the growing trend towards buying local are other economic indicators that Gundy is on the right path.
“The goal is to create a local economy and alternative location for produce and meats to get to the consumer,” he says. “People appreciate that it’s all under one roof and it’s fresh.” Knowing where the meat and produce comes from, adds Gundy, also gives consumers piece of mind.
By Cheryl Heath, Clinton News Record Staff
Sam Gundy wants to do the foraging for you. And that new take on a timeless idea has earned the Bayfield-based entrepreneur a nomination for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Agri-Innovation Award.
The nomination means Gundy could be presented with an award that includes a cash reward ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $150,000. But, all of that is just icing on the cake for the man who is putting the local back into the neighborhood grocery store.
A quick tour of Gundy’s Forager Foods, located in the newly created plaza on Highway 21 in Bayfield, reveals a sampling of the not everyday fare made with all local ingredients. From the exotic, like shitake asiago-stuffed organic chicken breast, to the traditional macaroni and cheese, to the increasingly popular butter chicken, Forager Foods proves small stores can carry fare usually only carried in urban centres.
Still, notes Gundy, Forager Foods emphasis is not on prepared meals, rather it’s about stocking the shelves with fresh produce, meats and cheeses that are raised and grown by regional farmers.
Most of the meats hail from Metzger Meats in Hensall while other items, like maple syrup, are found at spots throughout Huron County and beyond.
The items traveling the farthest, notes Gundy, are cheeses from Quebec, though there are a number of varieties from Huron and Bruce counties, too.
The ultimate goal? One day Gundy would like to see a new turn on the old idea of the chain store. In essence, each region would have its own Forager Foods site, carrying mainly the goods, meat and produce of its home region.
The idea of focusing on locally grown and produced goods and produce, notes Gundy, has been a long time coming. “I noticed the trend occurring two years ago and it’s just grown,” he says.
Gundy says he has heard positive reviews from customers and farmers since first opening the door of Forager Foods in the spring of 2008. Indeed, farmers often drop by his store to show Gundy their produce or introduce a value-added or niche-market product. He notes his two-dozen suppliers include an egg farmer from Zurich and fish caught in Lake Huron. “I like to call them partners because we really are all in this together,” he says.
Popular books, like the 100-Mile Diet, and the growing trend towards buying local are other economic indicators that Gundy is on the right path.
“The goal is to create a local economy and alternative location for produce and meats to get to the consumer,” he says. “People appreciate that it’s all under one roof and it’s fresh.” Knowing where the meat and produce comes from, adds Gundy, also gives consumers piece of mind.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Fresh & News March 11th
Our mission at Foragers is to continually source out (forage) foods from the best growers, processors and cheesemakers from Huron County and beyond. In this spirit of striving to source the best, Forager Foods is pleased to announce the acquisition of Olliffe Fine Meats of Toronto.
Olliffe is Toronto’s premiere butcher, caterer and prepared food provider located on Yonge Street bordering Rosedale at Summerhill. Stay tuned, in future newsletters we will discuss how Olliffe and Forager Foods will be working together to continually deliver the best Ontario has to offer. Be sure to stop in this weekend to either shop and say hello to Sam Gundy (at Foragers) or Ben Gundy (at Olliffe).
Glengarry Fine Cheese
Foragers has taken a supply of a pasteurized cows milk cheese called Big Brother from Ontario’s newest fromagerie located in Lancaster, Ontario.
Big Brother is a semi-firm washed rind cheese that has a very distinctive mineral flavour. Its crumbly texture is betrayed by a creamy and sweet mouth feel. Savoury and slightly salty, Big Brother would be well served with a selection of stone fruits and honey from Ferguson Apiaries available at Foragers of course!
Sausage of The Week
This week we are really experimenting with your palates. If the blueberry/maple and the lamb/mint/stilton was not enough (as it clearly wasn’t since we sold 50lb in 12 hours last weekend) then how about this weeks feature; Asian Style Red Chili and Cilantro Pork Sausage. With a little heat inherent, during recipe testing these sausages were an excellent accompaniment with rice or rice noodles and asian vegetables.
Monforte Dairy
Below is a Letter From Monforte Dairy, March 4, 2009
To Monforte’s business partners,
Thanks so much for supporting Monforte Dairy. You’ve been such an important part of our success. By now you may have heard a lot of rumours.
But here’s the inside story. We are taking a breather – the French say “réculer pour mieux sauter”—gather yourself for the next leap forward.
That’s exactly what we’re doing in 2009. We’re taking a breather, to focus on an immense new enterprise. We’ are building a new dairy – we haven’t signed the deal yet, so I can’t say more right now – and we’re going to micro-finance the new dairy on the principle of Community Shared Agriculture.
Our customers will become our investors. We’re calling it Monforte Renaissance 2010.
The goal is to create a sustainable micro-producer/dairy, with a school for cheese making and new local products to complement our cheeses, beginning with new production launching in January 2010. While that means there’s no cheese this year, each and every farmer shepherd who’s supplied Monforte with milk has committed to supplying the new dairy.
We have a new website at www.monfortedairy.com that details all the changes going on, tracks the funds raised, and announces the events we’re hosting and participating in.
This move has gained serious momentum both through the media and by word of mouth. We’d love to build on that, by linking to your website, offering you beautiful Monforte Renaissance 2010 postcards for takeaway, and easy-to-read info on our CSA model. Let us know how you’d prefer to help.
If we’re successful – and we’re confident we will be – we’re hoping this model will be repeated again and again, creating a new food culture in Ontario.
I’m truly excited about Monforte’s next stage and I’m looking forward to your support – no one knows our strengths and weaknesses better than you do.
With warmest regards,
Ruth Klahsen
Monforte Dairy Company
519.272.2193 work/home
519.721.8162 mobile
www.monfortedairy.com
twitter.com/monfortemo
Keep Foraging,
Sam, Sara, Bill, Jeremy, Ben & James
www.foragerfoods.ca
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Fresh and News - March 5
March Break is nearly upon us. At Foragers we are excited to be seeing you walking the Main Street, enjoying the March southern on-shore winds and most of all chatting with you at the store. Be sure to stop in, as the seasons change, so does Foragers and what we have fresh.
Sausage of the Week
This week our sausage making team is really excited for the Lamb, Mint and Stilton sausages, made from ground Ontario lamb shoulder. Our recipe testing this week took a little more time than usually but we have come up with another winner.
As usual we will be making our newly famous Blueberry and Maple Syrup, Real Italian, and Country Sauasages. Did you know that all of our sausages and deli meats are gluten free, you won’t find any Ritz crackers at Foragers!
Chipotle Fire Salami & Jalepeno Salami
Gerhard Metzger has been really creative over the winter introducing new deli meats and flavouring. Metzger always ages his salami the old fashioned way and that is with real time, quality ingredients and never any fillers.
Sirloin Sunday $7.99/lb
With the change in temperature today, we have decided to bring back sirloin Sundays. Sirloin is an exceptional steak for the bbq. You can marinate or simply use EVOO, salt and pepper. Be sure to ask for extra thick and bbq at high. As always give the meat some time to rest after taking off heat. We recommend that you cut against the grain, like you would a flank steak.
Keep Foraging,
Sam, Sara & Bill
Sausage of the Week
This week our sausage making team is really excited for the Lamb, Mint and Stilton sausages, made from ground Ontario lamb shoulder. Our recipe testing this week took a little more time than usually but we have come up with another winner.
As usual we will be making our newly famous Blueberry and Maple Syrup, Real Italian, and Country Sauasages. Did you know that all of our sausages and deli meats are gluten free, you won’t find any Ritz crackers at Foragers!
Chipotle Fire Salami & Jalepeno Salami
Gerhard Metzger has been really creative over the winter introducing new deli meats and flavouring. Metzger always ages his salami the old fashioned way and that is with real time, quality ingredients and never any fillers.
Sirloin Sunday $7.99/lb
With the change in temperature today, we have decided to bring back sirloin Sundays. Sirloin is an exceptional steak for the bbq. You can marinate or simply use EVOO, salt and pepper. Be sure to ask for extra thick and bbq at high. As always give the meat some time to rest after taking off heat. We recommend that you cut against the grain, like you would a flank steak.
Keep Foraging,
Sam, Sara & Bill
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)