TRACEABILITY

It’s an ‘in’ word with respect to food these days: “traceability.” Can you trace where your food comes from? Because that leads to a whole set of significant questions –
- was it grown in a way that is healthy for you and your family?
- was it grown in a way that is healthy for the planet ?
- did the farmer and/or workers receive a decent return?
- if an animal or marine product, was it raised/caught/killed with respect for the creature?
- is it unnecessarily processed? unnecessarily packaged?
- how much energy was consumed simply to get the food from where it was produced to your table?
They are important questions in this new world where sustainability is a must.

A recipe:
Put to soak a small handful of dried leeks (Thomas helped an older friend in Haida Gwaii this summer prepare her winter garden. He came back with an armload of leeks, onions and kale). Add the last of the dried mushrooms (Valdez Island, just across the narrows from our winter moorage on Gabriola).
Take one new potato, grown by a friend. Chop and sauté in a bit of sunflower oil. (We’re not sure about the sunflower oil. At least it says “Product of Canada,” and it’s not as likely to be genetically modified as in corn oil or canola.) Add the leeks and mushrooms, saving the soak water for soup stock.
Beat six eggs (a gift from Fran and Beau of Feel Good Farm, Porcher Island, across the Skeena mouth from Prince Rupert) and scramble with the potato, leeks and mushrooms. Add some grated cheese (made by somebody’s Swiss grandmother up in Telkwa).
Top with yogurt (homemade), black pepper (???) and alfalfa sprouts (grown on La Sonrisa, from Mumm’s Seeds, Saskatchewan). http://www.sprouting.com

Of course, we are much more fortunate than most people. But, you get the picture! Enjoy!

Sara's garden
Collecting mushrooms
Fran's chickens - on Feel Good Farm
Our delicious traceable meal