Fern Alley Market Farm Trophy H Pesto

Last week I bought my regular supply of spicy greens from John the salad guy at the local farmers market on Granville Island. This past week MrD and I not only munched our way through a half bag of the crisp green mouth happiness but I used the leaves instead of basil to make pesto. The spiciness of the peppery mustard greens, arugula and several other designer yum notes proved a perfect base for a walnut, rather than pine nut, pesto. I used the traditional notes of garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese for the taste and texture but to give it that Trophy H kick I added fresh ginger.
Next market day I brought John some of the pesto for him and his mom who was back working on the farm. This gentle quiet farmer or his delightful mom drives 80 K from their farm, Fern Alley Market Farms, in Upper Squamish Valley to bring Vancouverites amazing exotic greens in the top of their prime. It was a thrill to give back with some home made pesto.
Here’s how to make your own.
2 cups spicy salad greens
1 clove of peeled garlic
½ cup toasted unsalted walnuts
1 slice of peeled fresh ginger
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Add all the ingredients into a blender and work into a smooth paste
Cover in a bit more olive oil to keep the paste from losing its colour and store in the fridge in a container with a tight lid if you are not going to use it right away.
Trophy H tip # 473. Don’t just use pesto for pasta. It works perfectly as a spread on sandwiches, a base for salad dressing or soup with some zing.

Granville Island Public Market

I had thought I would be updating this week from Moncton, New Brunswick but MrD and I have postponed our eastern excursion until September. So, it’s Vancouver this week. I think it’s time for a tourist report from my favourite local market.
Having a bountiful market is a true gift I value, having lived and traveled in so many lands where food is not only scarce but definitely not of the best quality. We Canadians are blessed and fortunate. No one actually needs twenty eight varieties of organic wild game salami and twelve varieties of potatoes, but I ain’t complaining.
Granville Island Market, Vancouver’s perfect place for fresh local ingredients, is a source of many of my Trophy H dinners. Here is where I go to find wild mushrooms, game meats and spectacular sea food. Once a week I take a water taxi across to the island and do my shopping to stock up the pantry. I usually also buy an armload of flowers and a gooey cinnamon bun for MrD who stays home to run the empire while I do the marketing.
My Trophy H tips for visiting Granville Island Public Market is to go in the morning so you can be there when it opens at 9 am. I go on Thursdays. All the produce coming in for the weekend has arrived so you are getting first choice of the finest wares. The market just gets too crowded for actual shopping later when the tourists flock in to ogle our super salmon, salivate at our fat sausages and try to sneak photos of me in one of my stunning, get out of my road, outfits. Avoid the weekends and the inevitable crowds. If its not the food you are shopping for, but all that other artsy stuff, then you need to know that most galleries open at 11am.
Granville Island Public Market is a must for both the serious cook and tourists with their digital cameras and all that holiday vacationer cash to spend. It is the place for me to meet other chefs from around town. We compare notes on what is fresh and in season. We share tips and ideas. The dealers often grill us on what we plan to make with their ingredients. Sometimes we bring them tastes and recipes with our thanks.
The market has ample place to sit and relax with a cup of java and a new found pastry friend. You can eat well in the noisy packed food court or brown bag it with your finds and go outside, sit down and enjoy one of the best views of Vancouver. Mind not to feed those pesky birds.
Have a great week, my silent reader, of shopping, cooking and sharing food with friends.