food

In this episode Jonathan, Darren and William deep dive into all aspects of food and menu planning, from taking stock of what you have, too deciding how many meals you are planning for - it can all be so daunting but with the tips, tricks and even ‘Jon’s 6 step plan’ you’ll save time, waste less and eat better!

This week "The Edible Valley Podcast" delves into the tactics supermarkets use to entice you to increase your grocery bill. We discuss a few key ways you ensure every penny is spent wisely, and you stay on target with you grocery list.

With the rise in popularity of online shopping, the Edible Valley takes a closer look at grocery ordering + delivery services. For this newest innovation in how we procure our food-stuffs, we dug a bit beyond the surface to reveal some interesting observations and a few unexpected (and uplifting) findings.. 

You asked ,we reply!
A long time listener of The Edible Valley Podcast asked for tips on stir-fry’s. We took the opportunity to dig right in and discuss our favourite aspects and elements of this family classic. 
Stay tune for an upcoming video of this podcast.

In today's episode, we discuss the pros and cons of dining both with, and without companions. Does it affect the experience? The food? The enjoyment? Listen in for Jonathan's, William's, and Darren's various takes' on the matter. 

  As Darren undertakes the new challenge of improving his diet and losing a bit of his newfound Covid weight, Jonathan and William offer their ideas and support as they all discuss what exactly is a diet, and what is a healthy approach to dieting. 
   It’s an illuminating conversation on how to keep your health and well being in mind while improving yourself!   

  In this episode we discuss how the ongoing pandemic and its related restrictions are affecting the food industry, from restaurants and providers, to our own kitchens.
  It's not all doom and gloom, as we dig for some positive takes, and discuss ways we can all help keep the restaurant industry strong in this time of uncertainty.

Welcome to the Edible Valley Podcast. This is Episode 178, and today we are with Sharon Janzen from Alderlane Farmhouse Bakery. Sharon grew up in Vancouver and always had an entrepreneurial flair, spending a lot of her time making and selling things—starting with sling-style baby carriers, which she made and then sold across Canada.
Then she moved to Thetis Island, as her husband got a new job at a children’s camp. Sharon decided to start experimenting with baking and selling cinnamon buns, thus laying the groundwork for the future Alderlane Farmhouse Bakery.
In 2000 she moved to Vancouver Island. After gaining more baking experience, she saw an opportunity to sell goods from a wicker basket in the schools and businesses throughout the valley. She started by placing a basket in the staff room at Miracle Beach Elementary and Black Creek Elementary, where teachers and staff paid for goods using the honour system. She then quickly moved on to selling at offices, car dealerships, and dentists, operating the entire business just out of the back of her Volkswagen Jetta. 
Word of her delicious baking spread throughout the valley, and people started asking Sharon if she was at any farmers’ markets. In response, she scaled up her business and started selling at the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market. Her husband, who is a crucial support, retrofitted her equipment with wheels so she could operate efficiently and continue to grow her business. 
We have a lot to share with you about this incredible story of Canadian entrepreneurialism. Edible Valley is very proud to introduce Sharon Janzen. 

 
On this episode, our guest Diane Jackson moved to the valley four years ago from Vancouver where she met her partner Andrew who along with Diane also had a huge passion and desire for a simpler way of life and to farm, they set out creating a list of things that needed to get done, starting with moving here and it is a list they continue to use today. But Diane's passion for all things local and farming can be traced much further back to her time in Toronto where she trained as a sommelier with the international sommeliers guild, …..armed with this knowledge and passion she went on to open a successful casual fine dining restaurant in Flesherton, an all season town of 800 people in rural Ontario. 
But after many happy years she heard her province of BC calling her home and moved to Osoyoos where she was a sommelier before eventually heading home to Vancouver where she met Andrew and started her plans for what we now know as Fitzgerald Farms. 
 
If you wish to learn more about the Farm here are a few easy way to contact Diane
Address:  Fitzgerald Farm 
                6499 Fitzgerald Road
                Courtenay BC, Canada
Facebook: Fitzgerald Farm
Email: dianejackson22@gmail.com
Phone Number: 250-485-2487

How lucky are we?! We got to sit down with The Comox Valley Canning Company to discuss canning and preserves with the exuberant and vivacious owner, JJ! Let's talk about the bounty and harvest of everything good about the Valley and harnessing it in a jar for later indulgences! 

What a great time we had talking to the owners of Tidal Cafe! Kurt and Blythe Reimer were exuberant, enthusiastic, and gracious guests on this episode the Edible Valley. Their passion for the Valley, good food, and building community bursts forth in everything they do. It's impossible to not get swept up in their energy and dedication to their craft!
 
Facebook: Tidal Cafe
Instagram:Tidal Cafe

 With the easing off on Covid-19 restrictions, people are returning to their daily and weekly routines, including dining out. Jonathan and Darren discuss the process of returning to the restaurant industry under these new conditions, and also touch on what they’ve been doing in food during the closure.