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The Good Food Festival & Market

The theme: The Good Food Festival & Market
The highlight: Chef Dustin Gallagher
The goodies: Camelina Oil and Terra Chips

Canadians might recognize the man featured above. Dusting Gallagher is an acclaimed Toronto Chef that currently works the kitchen of Grace Restaurant (part of my "to visit" list) in Little Italy. He also happens to be one of Food Network's Top Chef Canada contestants. He is known as the adorable one from the bunch and if I may say, rightly so. I got the chance to see him up close at a cooking demonstration at the Good Food Festival in Mississauga. He is definitely all about smiles and pleasing the crowds. I was both excited and star-struck when seeing him execute a chicken liver pate that was extremely tasty (I got to try it!), as well as meet his mom, whom he thanked for being his inspiration to become the man he is today. Kudos to you Dustin and good luck on Top Chef!

The Good Food Festival is a show featuring some of Canada's most amazing food entrepreneurs offering a taste of their best products. From wine-makers coming from the Niagara region, to farmers, cheese producers and much more, one gets to indulge in an array of tastings, demonstrations and conversations, that are worth coming for. 
Being my first time at the Good Food Festival, I was very cautious to not do a lot of impulse buying, but instead taste, review and then decide on what to take with me. That said, I was more than once tempted to buy all of the samples from the show...they were all so good. One problem I did notice is that show demonstrators were pricing items in bulk and at times did not sell them individually, something worth considering next time they are at the show.

From what I saw, there were two main products that caught my eye and my palate. The Camelina Oil from Three Farmers and the famous healthier version of potato chips, Terra Chips.

Camelina Oil is an artisan oil long touted for its rich flavour and vibrant colour. This oil has a unique pairing of Omega-3 and Vitamin E. Anyone with an appreciation for naturally nutritious foods will be captivated with the simple yet tasty nature of this oil. The oil is grown by Saskatchewan's own Three Farmers and will be available in the next few months in specialty food stores. In addition, you can buy it online straight from their website at the reasonable cost of $15/bottle. What's neat about this company, is that they added some great digital interaction with the product. Each bottle has a QR code that you can scan with your smart phone, which then gives you a number that you can enter online to see where your oil comes from, when it was produced, which farm, etc. They call this traceability....what a fantastic idea. 
From my perspective, this oil delivers on both flavour and texture. The fact that its light and not heavy at all, makes me want to drink it straight from the bottle! The people at the Food Festival made a mix of basil, garlic and oregano with the oil and had little pieces of bread to dip it in, giving its original earthy and nutty flavour a delicious taste. This week for lunch? Salads & Baguettes!

The last item on my shopping bag at the festival, my precious Terra Chips. Although I don't have quite the story on these chips for you, and neither did the show demonstrators, I will say that these chips are the only kind I eat when in need of a snack fix. They are healthy, low in cholesterol and sodium and high in fiber. They use a ton of vegetable products to make the chips, hence why they are a healthier option. I like the sweet potato ones, however they have a mix of everything, from cassava, to beets and even parsnip. Highly recommended.

So, if you ever want to get to know some of Canada's most special food entrepreneurs, make sure to check out the Good Food Festival. I believe this takes place only a few times a year.

Until next time Foodies!

Buen Provecho,
Foodies Inc.
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