About Olive

I am a locally grown gal, passionate about really good food in the GTA west. I unearth the finest local flavours and showcase our talented artisans and farmers, proving that a refined food culture is rooted and growing in the ‘burbs. I don't receive payment from those I write about. My reward is to encourage the local food scene to reach the highest standards of quality possible, by celebrating those who do food well. I develop my recipes on my old electric range in my wee kitchen in the quaint village of Streetsville – and olive it! Love, Olive (a.k.a. Kelli Charky)

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Monthly Archives September 2015

An Apple a Day: Local Apple Season Has Begun

September 10, 2015 Posted in  Farm, Farm Market, Farmers' Market, Huttonville, Olive's Harvest of Friends No comments

Have you got a hankering for cinnamon-scented apple crisp (recipe here), served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream?

Mom's Apple Crisp

Mom’s Apple Crisp

Maybe a slice of cheddar cheese and homemade apple pie (recipe here), piled high with juicy apples in a flaky crust?

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Mark’s Apple Orchard Pie * Photo: Laura Kelly, Carl Laidlaw Orchards

Leaning toward something on the savoury side? How about a steaming bowl of apple squash soup (recipe here)?

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Laura’s Apple Squash Soup, Carl Laidlaw Orchards

or honey-drizzled apple and cheese tartine (recipe here) to enjoy with a glass of wine?

Eleonora Gattesco Roberts gattescohouse.com

Fall Fruit & Cheese Tartine with Honey Drizzle * Photo: Eleonora Gattesco Roberts gattescohouse.com

Perhaps, after all that summer indulging, you just want to sink your teeth in a freshly-picked, crisp apple.

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Local apple season has begun! Gather up your family and friends and visit an apple orchard. Visit my post, Happy Under the Apple Boughs: Carl Laidlaw Orchards, for a glimpse of what this beautiful orchard has to offer.

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Carl Laidlaw Orchards

Enjoy the fall colours, sunshine, and fresh air. Pick your own apples; come home with rosy cheeks and a bounty of apples.

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Learn the proper way to pick an apple so you don’t damage next year’s crop. Ripe apples separate easily from the stem; gently lift the bottom of the apple up towards the sky and twist gently, so you don’t remove any of the branch (and next year’s apple) from the tree. Make sure to thank the farmer before leaving.

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Thank you, Mark Laidlaw (Carl Laidlaw Orchards).

Contact your local orchard to find out what fruit is ready to pick (they ripen at different times). It’s a good idea to review their farm etiquette before visiting.

For a list of local orchards in your area, visit:

Grown in Peel: https://www.peelregion.ca/scripts/gip/grown-farms.pl

Grown in Halton: http://www.halton.ca/cms/one.aspx?pageId=19088

My local favourites are listed on my farm directory but call the orchard directly for updated hours of operation for 2015.

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