“It is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy” Carp Commons Residents in Ottawa West gave thanks this past thanksgiving with notes about what they are thankful for in their life.
Enjoyed all over the world, and grown in a variety of climates, the apple has a special place in the Canadian diet as a mainstay, all year round, fruit source. It also has a special place in our folklore, medicine and history, (think Adam and Eve, “an apple a day keeps the Doctor away,” Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). With over 30 varieties grown in Canada, there is plenty of fresh, crisp, sweet apple flavour to be had!
Canadian Statistics:
- Canada has approx. 18,000 hectares of land dedicated to commercial apple farming. With farm gate sales of $160 500 000 and almost 500,000 tonnes of fruit.
- Apples are commercially grown in only 6 of our 13 Provinces and Territories: BC, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI.
- The Okanagan Valley is the main apple growing region in BC and in Ontario apples are most found along the shoreline of the great lakes.
Canadian Varieties: How many have you tried?
- Ambrosia
- Belmac
- Braeburn
- Cortland
- Crimson Beauty
- Crispin (Mutsu)
- Duchess
- Elstar
- Eden
- Empire
- Fuji
- Ginger Gold
- Golden Delicious
- Golden Russet
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Jersey Mac
- Jonagold
- Jona Mac
- Lobo
- Lodi
- McIntosh
- Melba
- Milton
- Milwaukee
- Newtown
- Northern Spy
- Paula Red
- Red Delicious
- Red Rome
- Royal Gala
- Sandow
- Shamrock
- Sinta
- Spartan
- SuperMac
- Sunrise
- Vista Bella
- Yellow Transparent
Health Benefits:
- An average apple contains more dietary fibre than a bowl of oatmeal or most brands of cold cereal.
- Eighty percent of the fibre in apples is soluble fibre, which may aid in the reduction of blood cholesterol levels.
- Apples are packed with flavonoids such as quercetin, which may assist with reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, asthma, and type-2 diabetes.
Farming Fun:
- Most apple varieties do not pollinate themselves or any flowers of the same apple variety; this requires planting at least two different apple tree varieties close to one another so that the bees can pollinate.
- The result is that apple seeds share two different gene sets, half from the tree on which it grows and half from the tree from which the pollen came. If planted these seeds would produce apples of unknown variety – wild apples.
- Farmers need a consistent variety of apple so they propagate their trees by grafting existing tree branches onto rootstock trees.
Fun Facts:
- Eat an apple 15 minutes before your biggest meal. The apple is filled with fibre and water, which will make you feel satiated sooner. As a result, you will end up consuming fewer calories.
- When making baked goods which call for the use of oil, substitute half the oil with applesauce. There will be fewer calories and no difference in taste.
- An apple is 85% water.
- During the California Gold Rush, apples sometimes fetched more than $100 a bushel because of their versatility, durability and capacity to be preserved by drying.
- Ambrosia and Spartan apples are Canadian born varieties.
Living Loving Local Recipe:
Try this delicious local recipe that our chefs are featuring this month.
The tomato owes its bright red colour to a high content of the powerful antioxidant lycopene, making it a delicious and healthy “vegetable” choice. While technically a fruit, in 1893 it was declared a vegetable so this very popular food could be taxed in the USA, and we’ve been using it in our savoury dishes ever since.
It is believed the tomato originated in South America. Today, in Canada, tomatoes are the most purchased of all our vegetables. With over 10,000 tomato varieties to choose from you are sure to find one you like!
History:
The tomato originated in South America in pre-Columbian times and eventually became a staple in the Mexican diet. But for much of its history in North America and Europe, it was considered an ornamental plant; eating it was thought to be unhealthy.
In the 1800s it started to appear in sauces and soups, but it wasn’t until the 1900s that the tomato gained full international acceptance as the popular food we know today.
Health Benefits:
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins C and A, and Folacin.
Here are four great reasons to choose tomatoes more often – Lycopene, Lycopene, Lycopene, Lycopene
- The lycopene in tomatoes appears to help with prostate health. While lycopene is available in all tomatoes and tomato products, it is much higher in concentration when the tomatoes are cooked.
- Lycopene has been linked to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
- Lycopene consumption is being studied to reduce markers of many cancers.
- Lycopene has a positive affect on blood pressure in many cardiovascular patients.
The disease-fighting power of the tomato is found in or just below its skin, but often ends up in the waste bins of processing plants. Tomato scientists at the Guelph Food Research Centre are looking at ways to mine this excellent source of lycopene and to find innovative uses for both the food industry and consumers – meaning exciting potential for a product once deemed as waste.
Agriculture:
There are more than 300 different varieties of tomatoes commercially grown in Canada.
Even though we have frosty winters, we can grow tomatoes for 10 months of the year, thanks to greenhouse growers. Field tomatoes are available from July to October. Greenhouse tomatoes are available March through December.
Greenhouse Tomatoes:
Greenhouse tomatoes are produced in most provinces of Canada. Ontario is the largest producer (64% of national acreage), followed by British Columbia (22%) and Quebec (11%).
All greenhouse-grown tomatoes are sold for fresh consumption.
Heirloom Tomatoes:
Heirloom tomatoes are generally not available in the standard grocery store, as they are often softer and don’t transport well making them hard to grow commercially. But for flavour alone, these delicious and varied tomatoes are well-worth sourcing at local farmers markets or growing yourself.
Tip:
Slicing tomatoes from the stem end to the bottom will keep their juices in better than when sliced crosswise.
Recipes:
Here is just a few of the many delicious recipes we are celebrating tomatoes with this month:
Salmon with Tomato & Olive Relish
An incredible man, on an incredible mission.
UPDATE – SEPTEMBER 2, 2020-
George completed his 100k walk! Just before George completed his 100th km at the Roxborough Retirement Residence, he was presented with a personalized Maple Leafs jersey from Zach Hyman. George has been a Leafs fan all his life and this was a very special moment.
Meet George Markow, a 99 year-young WWII veteran who wants to achieve a tremendous goal before his 100th birthday. George has challenged himself to walk 100km before his 100th birthday early spring 2021. George lives in his retirement home in Newmarket, Ontario, where there is a walking path that circles the gardens and he is determined to walk around that over 1,500 times as 15 times around = 1km.
George has faced much adversity over his lifetime, overcoming unbelievable odds to survive through the war, and to build a life filled with loyalty, determination and strength. This will serve him well to achieve this goal. The current COVID-19 pandemic, and his grandson who is a front line hero as a paramedic, has set this journey in motion.
All money raised will be donated to Medical Research Organizations, specifically Sunnybrook Research Institute (75%) and Southlake Regional Hospital Foundation Covid-19 Action Fund (25%) to support the amazing work being done today, tomorrow and for future generations.
See some of the things our residents and teams have been up to during covid-19:
Verve Senior Living • Expressions of Love
After almost three months apart from each other, Ida and Steven Staryk had a sweet reunion on Tuesday night.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Ida tells CTV News Toronto. “It was so fantastic. Missed him so much!”
The couple, who’ve been married for 57 years, had been preparing to move into a North York retirement residence in March when the COVID-19 pandemic began. Their plans were put on hold until summer, but then Ida had a fall that left her in hospital. She then had to spend two weeks in isolation prior to moving into their new home together.
“Ida and Steven [had] not seen each other since May 12,” says Carolina Gonzaga, sales and marketing coordinator at Advent Forestview Retirement Residence, which is managed by Verve Senior Living. “The fact that they’ve managed to stay together for this long, and then the hardship of being apart for three months during a time when they’re both facing challenges with their health, makes this reunion particularly sweet.”
The staff at Forestview wanted to make reuniting Ida and Steven an occasion to remember, so they planned out a few special touches, including flowers and dinner for two. They also invited a violinist along to serenade them through their meal.
“They’re actually life-long professional violinists, very involved in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra,” Gonzaga says of the Staryks. “They met in Amsterdam working for the orchestra there, and as Steven says he stole Ida away from Amsterdam and brought her to Canada. Violin is a part of their love story and a part of the tapestry of their life.”
“It was such a marvelous surprise,” Ida says of the musical performance.
“Very, very nice,” agrees Steven. “Very touching.”
The Staryks admit that there was some loneliness during their time apart, and say that they had never been without each other for that length of time before.
“Never. Very awful, very lonely,” Ida says of the experience.
“Well, the one thing we did continue, we phoned,” Steven says.
“Yes, every day he phoned me or I phoned him,” Ida agrees.
Gonzaga says it’s been difficult to watch seniors face isolation over the last few months.
“These are people that are facing all of the challenges we face with COVID-19, but they’re a lot older,” she tells CTV News Toronto. “And so the fear of not being able to see life return back to normal is more intense for them.”
Steven and Ida say they have spent the last day or so getting reacquainted at their new retirement residence. When asked by CTV News what keeps their marriage strong, Steven says it’s a “mutual outlook on life.”
“And the things that we have in common, the music, is still there,” he adds.
When asked about her feelings for her husband, Ida says “He’s the only man I’ve ever loved!”
The staff at Forestview say they are thrilled for the Staryks and are happy to have been able to provide a moment of celebration for them.
“They are just classy, lovely people. And they’re very resilient,” says Gonzaga.
“Sometimes, you get a story that just guts you and gets you excited and reminds why you work in this industry, and this is that story.”
Saskatoon berry, also called Juneberry, Serviceberry, Shadberries, Sugar Pear, and Indian Pear, is a purple fruit from a shrub or tree 6 to 16 feet high. Saskatoon berries are small, round, purple-black, edible, and sweet. They are often compared to the blueberry in terms of the berry’s size and texture but with an almondy flavor.
The berries can be eaten raw, cooked in puddings, pies, and muffins, or used in combination with other berries. They can also be dried and used to replace raisins in recipes.
Today, especially in Western Canada we most often enjoy them in pies or desserts or preserves for both sweet and savory applications.
History:
- Saskatoon berries were a staple for the First Nation people of the Northwest. The berries were enjoyed fresh, or steamed and mashed and then left to dry into a brick-like consistency. Pieces of these berry bricks were chipped off as needed and added to soups, stews, or simply boiled to reconstitute.
- Several parts of the shrub were used medicinally as well. Fruit concoctions were also used for sore eyes and stomach problems.
- Early European settlers ate the berries as prevention for scurvy and used the wood to make umbrella handles and fishing poles.
- Saskatoon berries have been a staple of Western Canada for hundreds of years and are now enjoyed both domestically and internationally.
Farming:
- The Saskatoon berry plant is a woody, fruit-bearing perennial shrub belonging to the rose family. It is a hardy and tolerant fruit species, resistant to low temperatures and drought, and grows in a wide range of soil types. Harvest usually begins in early July and lasts two to three weeks.
- There are 27 different varieties, (including wild ones), but only 5 are grown commercially. The 3 main varieties are Martin, Northline, and Smokey.
- The Saskatoon berry has not been domesticated. Every variety in cultivation was started with seeds from a wild berry chosen for its superior natural qualities. There have been no breeding programs to improve the flavor, size, or hardiness of Saskatoon berries. Only irrigation and disease control separate the cultivated berry from its wild ancestor.
Health Benefits:
Saskatoon berries have significant amounts of micronutrients. For an adult male, 100 grams of dried Saskatoon berries contain:
- 1/4 daily requirement of magnesium
- 1/5 daily requirement of calcium and potassium
- 1/2 daily requirement of iron
- 54% of the recommended daily intake of manganese
- 30% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C
- 22% of the recommended daily intake of carotene
Canadian Statistics:
- The Saskatoon berry is native to the Canadian Prairies, Northern Canada, British Columbia, Alaska, Northwestern and North Central USA.
- Commercial production of Saskatoon berries is unique to Canada where current demand exceeds supply.
- The first Saskatoon orchard was planted 25 years ago, but already the industry has grown to be the second-largest commercial fruit crop in the Canadian Prairies (largest being strawberries).
- Canada has about 900 Saskatoon berry farms covering 3,200 acres, most of which are in Saskatchewan.
- Approximately 1.1 million pounds of Saskatoon berries are sold as u-pick, and an additional 5 million pounds are used for commercial processing.
Fun Facts:
- The Saskatoon berry resembles a blueberry in size and color, but it is not a true berry, it is a tiny apple.
- Saskatoon berries contain more than three times as much iron and copper as the same weight of raisins.
- In Ontario, the plant is mostly found in home gardens as a landscape shrub. Very few Ontarians know you can eat its berries!
Recipes:
This month our Verve properties throughout Western Canada and the Prairies will feature the following Saskatoon Berry recipes:
Saskatoon Berry Compote
Rainbow Trout with Saskatoon Berry Relish
Living Loving Local at Verve this Month: Peas
The tiny pea is packed full of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Not only do they taste delicious when eaten fresh they can also be cooked, canned, dried, pureed, and even frozen.
Environmentally the pea requires less water to produce than many other sources of protein. They are a nitrogen producing plant that traps nitrogen from the air and stores it in its roots. Once the pods or beans have been harvested, the plant starts to decompose and all the nitrogen is released back into the soil, reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers for the next three to four years.
History:
Dried peas have been eaten by many different cultures throughout history. Fresh peas were not cultivated for human consumption until the 18th century.
In the 19th-century canning, technology was developed, and it became popular very quickly, for use with fresh perishables such as peas.
In the early 20th century when the process of freezing peas immediately after the harvest emerged, pea cultivation exploded. Freezing preserved not only the green color but also the nutrients.
Pea Varieties:
Peas of all types are members of the legume family. (link to Beans and Lentils LLL blog January 2020) When dried they are referred to as “Pulses.”
Fresh Pea Varieties:
Snow Peas: These peas are identifiable by their flat pod. They are completely edible, both pod and seed. Because they are not fully developed, the peas and pods are very tender and sweet.
Snap Peas or Sugar Snap Peas: These peas are a cross between garden peas and snow peas. They are completely edible. They are sweeter than garden peas, though not as tender as snow peas. They are available in late spring and summer.
Garden peas: These peas have pods that are cylindrical with a slight curve and smooth textured. The shell is too tough and stringy to eat. The peas inside are bright green, round, sweet,we and starchy. Cooking is required to turn the starch into sugar providing the sweet taste peas are famous for. Garden peas are available from spring to fall.
Fun Facts:
- When canning peas, the process destroys the chlorophyll and that is why the peas lose their bright green color.
- Botanically peas are considered a fruit as they develop from a flower, however, we eat them like a vegetable.
- Green peas are immature peas if left to mature they turn yellow.
- Peas were so popular in Europe that a Danish author Han Christian Anderson wrote the fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.”
Recipes:
This month our Verve properties throughout Canada will feature the following pea recipes: