Quebec/Atlantic Canada Ingredient Sources Topic

[chromedome]

I'm going to be opening my own restaurant soon (a month or so), just outside Saint John, New Brunswick. Like most chefs of my generation I have an ideological attachment to using local product whenever possible, so I've been trying to track down suppliers for interesting ingredients. It hasn't been easy, and was not made any easier by being on the other side of the country.

In the Vancouver and Western Canada forum, there is a popular thread addressing this very subject. Over here, though, I have only found threads focused on specific items in specific places. So I says to myself, "Self...we need one of those for my end of the country."

So here it is, folks: your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a knowledge base for Quebec and points east. Want to find something? Post a question. Found something you want to share? Post it here.

To start the ball rolling, I'm going to offer up a producer of duck and related products in Cormier Village, up Moncton way. They are called La Ferme du Diamant, and they were hard to track down...no website, and the telephone isn't listed under that name. You can reach them at 506-532-5579, or find them at the Dieppe farmer's market. They sell duck (whole and in parts), foie gras, confit and rillettes, and a variety of French-style charcuterie.

You're welcome.

[merlin]

I remain in Edmonton Chromedome so am unable to contribute to your topic but please permit me to hijack it for a moment to wish you all the best in your venture.

I intend to head back to the Maritimes in the next year or so for a visit and hopefully will get to see some pals who live in "surf city"...that is what they joking referred to Saint John...if we do, we'll look you up too.

[Ben Hong]

What will be the name of your resto and where will it be located? I am 40 minutes away.

[freddychef]

Good Idea....I thought of how to put this together but I'll just jump in. In each province half the fun I have had when working has been sourcing out local resources for professional and personal use. Each province has an abundance of sources from beef to wine to cheese. So here are some ideas that people may wish to look into. I have not included all the links or url's but just a list of things I've encountered......

Here is Newfoundland climate, economy geography and culture have often dictated a limited base for supplies. Recently though there has been an upsurge in local products that are found in local supermarkets, farmers stalls and at the source, on the farm. In St. John 's a first stop to locate suppliers of local goods could be a small store called Food For Thought. This store run by Nancy Maher has turned into a hub of sorts where one can locate other food stuffs. Nancy can help you source out local vegetables (organic and not depending on the definition), local beef and lamb suppliers, mycology hunters, and the like.

For local beef you could try Windy Meadows farm in The Goulds for Angus beef that is hormone, free (windymeadows@nl.rogers.com) Rushmere farms for lamb, chicken and duck. For local vegetables there are a few stalls set up in Churchill Square selling local veg as well as salt, fresh cod, seal and lamb.

Across the province you'll find local honey suppliers, vegetable markets and the like.

In Nova Scotia, Sweet Williams for sausages in Stewiacke, The Austrian Smokehouse in North River for double smoked bacon, various cheese suppliers including Ran-Cher Acres for goat cheeses(www.rancheracres.com) Green Dragon for mushrooms and fallow deer. In the Tatanmagouche area there is a local food guide put. Try getting in touch with Tatamagouche Local Foods Coalition.

For dry supplies in New Brunswick there is Dolphin Village in Dieppe---they offer a wide range of dry goods , cheeses, and other supplies that you may not locate.......I have to stop here to watch hockey but there are a lot of other sources that I will have to think of...freddychef

[freddychef]

A few more sources..Aspy Bay, Dingwall, NS,Bay Enterprises, Malagash, NS, Shandaph in Merogomish, NS all for oysters. There use to be a guy in Englishtown as well but I cannot remember the name. Of course there are Malpaques in PEI but I no longer have a source

Halifax Farmer's market website has a lot of sources for local vegetables, meats, diary and specialty products(halifaxfarmersmarket.com).

In PEI, same thing, the Farmer's market on saturday offers a wide range of food stuffs from the island. I remember reaaly great rye bread, local sausage from out Montague way.http://www.gov.pe.ca/af/agweb/produce/markets.php3......only decent link.....

Georgetown bakery in St. John's artisanal breads, Julien's in Halifax.

St John's NB farmer's market

Tatamagouche farmer's market (www.farmersmarkett.com)

La Boulangerie Aucoin in Cheticamp for Artisan breads Really try to get there early while going hiking for the chocolate croissants..

Auntie Crae's in St. John' for (www.auntiecraes.com) some local jams and berries.

Bidgood's store in The Gould's in NL for ALL Nl products including moose, seal, rabbit, caribou.(www.bidgoods.ca).

The Dutchman's Farm for artisanal cheese in Economy NS. The Devil's breath is an interesting waxed blue cheese.

Patrick Mathey in Iles de Madeleine for sausage, proscuitto (also at The Jean Talon Market in Montreal).

Tatamagouche creamery for butter.

The Pork Shoppe in Denmark, NS

Various vineyards and wineries, Jost Grande pre in NS, Rodriquez in NL....

Holdanca Farms for free range meats, chicken, beef and lamd...maybe goat as well.They are in wallace bay as well as in the area Linden meats for local beef.

Foxhill cheesehouse (www.foxhillcheesehouse.com)..really like their old cheddar.

In Maitland Ns there is a big supplier of herbs...Riverview. I have used them in many places and last year we use alot of herbs and micro greens from them for various occassions.....trying to think of smoke houses and I knew a couple down around sT John, NB, Wolfhead smokers.com around Letang... Kim Dormaar (sp?) in PEI, Willy Krauch is still down around tangier, NS....so a lot of places to have a look at...freddychef

ps--the place you mentioned is that a restaurant as well. I heard of this place but cannot remember the name that was outside moncton or St. John that specialized in Acadian style food???

There are a lot of local honey and dairy producer's as well.....freddychef

[Ocean's Edge]

Thanks freddychef, I'm new to Newfoundland, and your suggestions are going to be a great help! I've been slowly trying to souse out good resources.

Now if someone could tell me if there is a chance in heck of my finding Copha, or a similar product anywhere in Atlantic Canada - or even Toronto, I'd be grateful. My Aussie recipes are just crying out for it, and I don't know if they'll let my husband ship it into the country.

[chromedome]

Thanks freddychef, I'm new to Newfoundland, and your suggestions are going to be a great help! I've been slowly trying to souse out good resources.

Now if someone could tell me if there is a chance in heck of my finding Copha, or a similar product anywhere in Atlantic Canada - or even Toronto, I'd be grateful. My Aussie recipes are just crying out for it, and I don't know if they'll let my husband ship it into the country.

←

Wow, hydrogenated coconut oil...I can feel my arteries hardening, just typing the words!

I'll check around, anyway, and see what I can find. Chances are, if it's available in Canada we can find a way to get you some...even in Newfoundland (haven't been back since '82, so I'm long overdue...).

[Ocean's Edge]

My husband found a U.S. online source I could order it from, but if I could find it in Canada, even better. I'm not sure how sticky customs would be about shipping it across the border.

[prasantrin]

Not Copha, but you might want to try West Indian/Caribbean markets in your area if there are any. There definitely should be some in TO.

You might even want to try an East Indian grocery store. They often carry products from the West Indies, as well.

[Markian]

For local raw milk cheese in NB, La Bergerie aux Quatres Vents in Saint Marie de Kent and for goat's milk cheese - try Aux Fond Des Bois also in NB.

Beausoleil Oysters are pretty darn special too!

If you like smoked salmon, Wolhead Smokers just outside of Saint George NB is some of the best!