Locally Grown

I'm a chef again. I spent a good 10 years of my life working with food, and then left the business for about 5 years to experiment with other jobs.
This time around I've got a far greater appreciation for the culinary arts, and I'm constantly learning about new trends.
It seems these days that there is a strong movement towards returning to the fundamentals. Those that know me well will often here me talking about Auguste Escoffier, the father of modern cuisine. He revolutionized cooking in his day, and to this day we follow almost all of the techniques and systems that he put down at the turn of the last century. One of the basics of his philosophy was the use of locally grown product for maximum freshness.
In Saskatchewan this is difficult, and what I perceived to be a difficulty too great to be overcome has always kept me from even attempting to shop for local foods.
Researching them today however, I've discovered that not only is it possible to source great local product in all seasons in Saskatchewan, but there is a strong and vibrant community devoted to just that! I've posted a link on my links list to "Home for Dinner", another Saskatoon based blog with a focus on great cuisine with locally produced ingredients.
I just discovered it today, and suffice it to say I'll be visiting this site a lot more.
One of the sources that the author mentions is of course the Saskatoon Farmer's Market, which I've always taken great pleasure in visiting. I can always find something new and exciting to bring home and mess around with from the Farmer's Market. The last interesting thing that I brought home from the market was a pile of sunchokes, that I roasted with thyme, olive oil and garlic.