Appetizers:fresh vegetable platter including (my favourite) jewel-toned heritage “cherry” tomatoes. Homemade dill dip.

Pepperettes (lean & mean) -everyone loves them -especially the guys

Beverages – watermelon slush (with or without vodka); iced sun tea

On the spit – Ontario cornfed prime rib of beef

New potatoes with parsley; green and yellow beans; corn (off the cob)

grilled peach melba for dessert (with homemade honey icecream and raspberries from my neighbor)

Notes: Most foods were grown & purchased in Elgin County, Ontario. Vegetables & fruit come from McSmith’s organic farm, Ferguson’s Produce and Port Stanley Fruit farm.

Pepperetes and beef from Farmgate Market

Herbs from my garden or my neighbor’s.

The celebration begins long before the BarBQ. When I buy local, it begins with the smiles of producers as we (together) admire the sight,smell colour,heft… well the beauty of that particular food. “Grocery shopping” this way is NOT a chore; its a joyful experience. Meeting the farmer becomes meeting a friend and I always learn something new.

Seasonal, local produce is picked at its peak and there is nothing to compare or compete with that kind of freshness.