It’s officially been spring for a month now, even if the weather hasn’t always displayed the signs synonymous with this season. But despite this fact, we’re gearing up for fresh, local produce to once again be in abundance and in our kitchen.
With warmer weather also comes wedding season, which Never Enough Thyme was busy with into fall and we’re sure to start picking up with again very soon. Even with our weddings, we aim to feature many local and seasonal ingredients. Our team works well together when it comes to creating the menu, though we do sometimes banter back and forth (in a good way) to come up with new ways or favourite recipes to bring out the best qualities of the produce and meats we select.
Part of our experimenting and creating sometimes includes trips to the farms where we source our products, and one such farm is my Uncle’s in Drayton, which we love for its lack of using chemicals and fertilizers.
When we visit these places, we see first-hand all the farmers who work around the clock to bring the produce and grain in from the fields. And their willingness to share their bounty is always inspiring! My Aunt often has an abundance of cherry tomatoes and she’s always eager to share it with her family and friends.
When I think about farming and cooking, it’s obvious that the people who take on these careers need to be passionate with a desire to make something great. These people won’t make millions, but waking up and doing what you love while providing people with a memorable experience and sustainable living is part of the joyous feeling that comes with farming and cooking for a living.
I’m so grateful for all the farmers out there and the hard work they do, including my Uncle Brian and Aunt Helen who never hesitate to share and grow these wonderful ingredients for us to cook with.
These recipes were inspired by a trip we took to my Uncle and Aunt’s farm in the fall, and we hope they inspire you to cook with local ingredients as well!
Cherry Tomato, Chicken and Corn Tostada
Ingredients
- 4 whole grain flour (or corn) tortillas
- 2 cooked and cooled chicken breasts
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 1 green onion
- 1 cob corn, kernels removed
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place flour tortillas on a cookie sheet. Pull chicken into pieces, divide and put on the flour tortillas.
- In a bowl, toss the corn, tomatoes, and sliced green onion; drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss.
- Divide among the flour tortillas and sprinkle on the cheese.
- Bake in oven at 350˚F until cheese is melted and golden.
- Serve with your favourite salsa!
My Mom’s Zucchini Loaf
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups washed and shredded zucchini
- 1.5 cups cake flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ cup chopped nuts
Instructions
- Cream together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until combined.
- Fold in the flours, salt, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, chopped nuts and zucchini.
- Line two loaf pans with parchment paper and divide batter between the two.
- Bake at 350˚F until toothpick comes out clean.
Image: Keerati / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
