The last week of culinary school coincides with me flying home to Ontario and in just a few weeks changing my lifestyle dramatically. Back to a farm-where the soil will speak to me again. Food will still be my central focus though, it being the main topic that goes through my head on a daily basis.
Just before our last tests a few of my classmates and I visited Terra Nova Rural Farm, a pocket of land in Richmond that is protected from threatening suburbia along the coast. The gardens there are for school programs, community gardening and the food bank. The garlic was growing tall and purple broccolini tempted us to eat it. Our host (a chef and farmer), gave us a wild edible tour and let us try his vodka soaked ground cherries, rooibos kombucha, thistle wine, apple cider and dandelion wine. Delicious fermented goods!
The visit was much needed therapy for myself and the rest of the group. It reinforced in me the need to have a connection with the land and the food we eat. The wheels are turning…I want to find a way to show people the importance of food. I want to show people how to grow it, how to cook it, how to appreciate it. All with time…
