I’m so excited to let you know that our second Book Club book, The Ontario Table, has arrived at Culinarium. This brand new book, hot off the press, proves to be an exceptional addition to a foodie’s collection. Anyone interested in and committed to buying and eating local food, supporting small farmers, and investing in Ontario’s economy, will certainly appreciate the work that author, Lynn Ogryzlo, has put into The Ontario Table.
First of all, it’s a stunningly beautiful book. The full colour photos of food and dishes say, “please eat me.” Those of destinations say, “please come visit me.” And, most importantly, those of people smiling at the reader say, “I love what I do, please enjoy my food.” I have to admit, I haven’t even started to read the stories or recipes because I’m lingering on the photos on every page. My favourite, on page 250, is of a black plum tart. I have a long-standing weakness for plum tart that dates back some 20-plus years to a convent in a very small village in Lorraine, France. Seeing the beautiful simplicity of this tart took me immediately back to that place. My second favourite, on page 278: a serious close-up of the blueberry cheesecake. I love blueberries and I love cheesecake; I have never had them together, and I’m now on a mission to eat blueberry cheesecake in the near future.
So, what is The Ontario Table? In Lynn’s words, it’s “ a full colour guidebook, resource book and agricultural storybook wrapped together as a consumer user-friendly cookbook.” There are over 100 recipes as well as stories about farmers, regions in Ontario, and VQA wine pairings. The end of the book has a section entitled, “The Ontario Pantry”, which serves to help folks stock their cupboards with Ontario products. There is also a resource section which describes where to buy local food as well as a list of websites around the province for counties, places, organizations,and farmers markets that support buying and eating local food.
I have many things to say about a book I haven’t even started to read yet. The idea behind The Ontario Table is one that I am passionate about: local living and supporting the local economy. To support this idea, the book comes with a “call to action” which, I will offer, is so easy to attain: The $10 Challenge- “If every household in Ontario spent $10 of their grocery budget on local food each week, there would be a $2.6 billion dollar influx into the agricultural economy each year.” Next week, I’ll write again and will show you how easy this is to achieve.
Another very exciting thing that you will want to know is that Lynn Ogryzlo will join us at Culinarium on Tuesday, June 28, 7:30-9:00pm, to present The Ontario Table, give a talk and answer your questions. The official book launch is scheduled for next Wednesday, June 22, at Nathan Phillips Square Farmer’s Market. So, please stop in to Culinarium to pick up your copy any time, and reserve your spot for the Book Club event with Lynn on June 28. This beautiful book would also make a wonderful Father’s Day gift for the papa-male foodies in your life.
Until next week, happy reading and happy eating!
Jennifer
Culinarium Staffer