The Grand River Raceway will be the host again this year for Food Day, a growing national celebration inspired by village resident Anita Stewart.
The Grand River Agricultural Society has teamed up with the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association, Ontario Pork, the Ontario Chicken Producers, Ontario Farm Fresh, the Egg Farmers of Ontario, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Producers, and the Ontario Asparagus Board to celebrate Food Day with great eats, some frosty beverages, and local entertainment.
And Stewart said the asparagus board is working hard to provide a fresh grown vegetable in honour of the day.
“I’m hoping 800 to 1,000,” she said of the attendance she would like to see on July 31 on the tarmac at the raceway. Last year, over 800 attended.
Stewart has been promoting Canadian food and its growers for years, and also promoting local cuisine and ingredients – long before buy local campaigns began.
She has 14 cook books to her credit and has published hundreds of articles published in all major Canadian News and food publications. She broadcasts on CBC Radio One. She holds a Master of Arts (Gastronomy) and is an honourary lifetime member of the Canadian Culinary Federation of Chefs and Cooks.
Stewart helped start Food Day in 2003 as The World’s Longest Barbecue – as a way to aid Canadian farmers during the Mad Cow crisis, to show everyone that Canadian beef was safe and tasty, too. That event was a great success and now it has gradually expanded, with events being held coast to coast.
“It’s not just a barbecue any more,” she said.
Those who cannot attend are urged to hold their own local food feasts right at home. People doing that can post their Food Day menus on www.foodday.ca.
She said that becomes a win-win for everyone because in Ontario, all the producers involved in the day will contribute a donation to the Ontario Association of Food Banks for every menu that is posted. That way, people can pick up cooking ideas, and everyone benefits.
There are also benefits for those attending Food Day events, which are being held all over southwestern Ontario.
Stewart said the numerous industries coming to Elora, for example, will give guests an opportunity to talk to the people that grow their food – in a delicious way.
The admission for the Elora event is $2, and the food itself will be sold at cost. The admission fee goes to the local food bank.
Stewart said Food Day is a time for Canadians to share their food and their stories with each other. It is also a national celebration of restaurateurs, suppliers, growers, farmers, and citizens joining to show the world the depth and breadth of Canada as a culinary nation.
She is hoping that the national celebration right around the time of much completion of the summer harvest will be embraced by everyone There are over 135 events happening across Canada, with each event showcasing its unique location, philosophy, and passion for food.
This year, Food Day will honour that best exemplify Food Day’s philosophy of “local, regional, seasonal” by presenting awards in several categories. Bronze, silver, and gold awards will be presented for displaying exemplary skill, creativity and conscientiousness within a category.
Those awards are sponsored by leaders in the Canadian food industry, and will carefully reflect the spirit and philosophy of each category. Awards are divided into different categories: restaurant awards (for chefs’ menus), and citizen awards (for all non-restaurateur participant menus).
The awards include one from the University of Guelph for innovation. That national award is presented to restaurants from across Canada that approach food in a new and exciting manner with a particular emphasis on creative innovation.
A menu design might solve a problem, add creative flare to a traditionally prepared dish, or perhaps highlight an original technique. Innovation can include one ingredient in a menu, or several menu items.
Or perhaps, there’s an interesting story behind the entire menu. The award is to be a testament to a Canadian chef who is always pressing the limits of food preparation and culinary arts through bold innovation.
The Fairmont Hotels and Resorts Hyper-Local award is presented to the Canadian restaurant that redefines local ingredient sourcing. Perhaps all the items on the menu are local, or perhaps the greens were grown on the windowsill, or the bees for the honey were raised on the roof, like at the Fairmont Royal York. The award recognizes the importance of local sourcing, in terms of the economic and environmental impact, historic significance, or just for the fun of it.
The Southbrook Ontario Wine award is for the Ontario chef whose menu best exemplifies creative, conscientious wine pairing with a special emphasis on “eat Canadian, drink Canadian.”
Finally, the Anita Stewart Adaptability Award is presented by Stewart to the Food Day participant from the general public whose menu shows a particular flare for the all-Canadian trait of being supremely adaptable.
The award honours those who – like our ancestors who settled the land – chose to thrive rather than merely survive.
The event will run from 5 until 8:30pm. The raceway is located just west of the intersection of County Road 7 and 21, beside the OLG slots facility.
Other venues
Guelph and Wellington County is getting on board to celebrate Canada’s Food Day at several local venues and restaurants July 31.
On that day everyone is invited to enjoy local food at:
– Guelph Farmer’s Market 7am to noon;
– Elora Raceway 5 to 8pm;
– Artisinale Café and Bistro, Guelph;
– Borealis Grille, Guelph; and
– The Breadalbane Inn, Fergus.
As well, the Elora Farmers Market is offering complimentary passposts and farm fresh food from local vendors, all the while offering a display of alpacas.
Vendors are planning diverse offerings to celebrate on July 31.
As well, the market will present the local food bank with “market bucks” at 12:30pm, which will enable clients to receive fresh foods.
Vistiros will also have a chance to win a basket full of local foods and “market bucks” for future visits. To participate, visitors simply need to have their pasSports stamped at every booth in the market.
The market is located on Mills Street in Elora, just east of Metcalfe Street, in the downtown.
