Road Trip, what a way to spend a day!

ROAD TRIP!!!! Who doesn’t enjoy a day away when the weather is fine and calling us to get out and enjoy? Grab a map – which one you say – the Buy Local Buy Fresh map is a great choice for a day or half day excursion. The current edition (4^th) is accurate until 2014. For those unfamiliar with the BLBF map it is your guide to local food in Huron and Perth counties; a project of the Huron Perth Farm to Table Committee.

The Current Buy Local Buy Fresh Map

The HPF2T committee has been working together for over 10 years. It is the go-to resource for all things food in the 2 counties. Members have worked diligently to connect producers with consumers. Local restaurants were asking where they could access some local ingredients just when the local food movement was getting started. The membership of the committee made an automatic connection as they were from the Federations of Agriculture, OMAF, tourism, health unit staff, food professionals and community members with a serious interest in local food.

Their major project is production of the map. It grows with each edition. The current one has 55 stops in Huron County and 56 in Perth County. Some of the features on the map include principal categories such as baked goods; meat, fish, poultry and eggs; fruits and berries; vegetables to name a few. Additional features including tours and attractions; U-pick; seasonal sales and year round sales are also specified. Know that the map is also GIS compatible so it can be used as a guide geographically as well.

Use the map to plot your journey; find an ingredient; explore a new area for you and your family and celebrate local food every chance you can!

And if you want a recipe to use the veggies from your road trip.  A favourite of mine!

SUMMER GASPACHO

1 cup       tomatoes, peeled and chopped                 250 mL

1 cup        tomato juice                                                   250 mL

½              sweet green pepper, chopped                     ½

1 small      cucumber or summer squash                    1 small

                  such as zucchini, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons   sweet basil                                         7 mL

¼ teaspoon    salt                                                         1 mL

1 small         scallion or a few chopped chives             1 small

2 Tablespoons          olive oil                                         30 mL

1 Tablespoon            lemon juice                                  15 mL

Puree everything in a blender or process in a food processor; chill until serving, at least 2 hours.

If you prefer a more chunky soup, dice all the ingredients, chill for service.

Yield: 4 servings

Deb Campbell HPF2T