Have you ever visited the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve (FABR)? If not, I'll tell you what you're missing. The FABR is nestled between the city of Brockville and Gananoque along the St. Lawrence River, and expanding north to include many small towns like Merrickville, Westport and Verona. The area is rich in heritage, culture, culinary experiences and a bounty of local flavours.
Local Flavours is a FABR initiative showcasing the intimate relationship that the region's producers have with the land. According to Dave Bull of the Local Flavours office , they are in the process of developing a culinary trail appropriately titled "Savour the Arch". Until then, one can wander the countryside visiting small town markets, artisan bakers, cheese makers and chocolateirs, local retailers, restaurants, bed & breakfasts and attend one of many local festivals and events.
In the village of Balderson, Ontario, be sure to visit the cheese shop located inside the original cheese factory, founded in 1881. The building contains the original cheese store, Sweet&Savory Bistro and Pastry Shop, and Village Treats (homemade chocolates and fudge) and interesting gift shops.
Moving South to the historical village of Lyndhurst, home of the oldest bridge in Ontario made from local sandstone, stop at Wendy's Country Market to take home a taste of the county. This market is filled with only local products from seasonal produce to honey, eggs and a variety of meats. Enjoy a cup of hot apple cider while you shop.
Mrs. McGarrigle's Fine Food in Merrickville, Ontario is an artisan producing 13 mustards, 10 chutneys and preserves. One can also attend demos, tastings and cooking classes. The cooking classes are very popular and have been offered for eight years. Some classes feature local producers like Beau's Beer and Chef Thomas Riding of 'Just Wing It'.
This region boasts many farmer's markets in almost every town. The 'Frontenac Farmer's Market' in Verona, just north of Kingston, operates almost year-round from the second Saturday in February to the third Saturday in December and is supported and run entirely by it's own members. Kathy Edgar, a member of the market states that, "One of the biggest things we pride ourselves on - is the fact that we are all local vendors producing local goods - practically everything has to be homemade, produced, grown and harvested by a member of the market." The market is at it's busiest during the summer and fall with it's bounty of produce, but during the winter you can find a wide variety of meats, preserves and baked goods.
Throughout the region, there are events and festivals for every season and every palette! August is the busiest month for foodie festivals. Brockville hosts 'Ribfest' by turning the entire downtown area into a BBQ with saucy ribs, pulled pork and smoke everywhere. If country music is more your style head to the Athens Cornfest and take a walk down the main street. Aside from the obvious feast of corn, there are delicious corn fritters sold at a table outside the local bakery. When you think you've filled your bag with enough fritters to take home, double your order! Lyndhurst holds and old fashioned turkey fair and Perth's Garlic festival is not to be missed. There are countless events in practically every town and village, the list goes on and on.
If you need a place to rest your head while exploring the arch, there is a long list of country bed and breakfasts, hotels and inns. If you're looking to stay in the city, Brockville's own Brockberry Cafe not only serves up dishes using local products, but also has suites available for a more unique visit.
All of these places to visit and ways to savour the arch are listed with 'Local Flavours'. For updated listings you can visit their website at www.localflavours.org. There are an endless number of culinary experiences in the region and many communities working together to create these experiences for both locals and visitors. The people living in the Frontenac Arch Biosphere can be very proud of what they produce locally. Janet Campbell, award winning owner of Mrs. McGarrigle's Fine Foods says, "Organizations like Local Flavours really do bring local producers to the forefront and provide a lot of visibility for otherwise 'invisible' small producers. Once people taste the quality of what is grown or produced in their own backyard, as opposed to in factories, they see and taste the vast difference in quality and are 'hooked'." There are no factory farms in the region as the arch strives to become healthier and more sustainable. The Arch is an incredibly diverse area that will surely delight both visitors and locals with it's unique flavours and outstanding quality.
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