Q: Ingredient availability

[foodgeek]

What ingredients would you use more often if they were more available? Which (if any) products would you like to see produced locally so that they are more accessible? Or is finding certain items in high quality the issue?

[d.hawksworth]

In Europe I had access to plenty of wild game when in season which I really miss. You would have thought that here in BC I could get my hands on an abundance -- but NO. Everything that I serve (meat wise) must go through federal inspection and the chances of them stopping the process of inspecting a few thousand chickens, to check out 20 wild grouse is not going to happen so I've been told. I would really like them to change the way certain other products are processed, like pigs trotters for example - once they have been inspected they're useless - they split the toes and leave a gaping hole in the shin!!

As for finding fresh quality fish, this is also, well, "challenging" we don't have a fish market here - hence no day boat fishing. I remember when I first arrived back in Vancouver, going to have a look at a local seafood distributor and donning a long white jacket and hard hat, and thinking "hard hat what the #$%£ for?" So we are taken into the processing area with people peeling shrimp, tanks of mussels, crabs and then 'la piece de resistance' -- lights start flashing, warning sirens go off and this all mighty door opens up with our tour operator shouting "cover up boys were going in" I shudder, my eyes roll and focus in on trucks driving around in the mother of all freezers!! This, apparently, is when I'm supposed to be impressed. The guy shouts "it's minus 20 in here - amazing huh" I start asking about the fresh fish, later we are taken in a small room tiny in comparison to rest of the operation with a few bins of salmon, halibut and water logged sole. It took me a while to find a supplier that can find me the right stuff, but we are getting there!! I now get beautiful, fresh ling-cod - the most underrated fish on the west coast and there's a new salmon and halibut programme happening as we speak where the fish are caught and held live at sea - then brought to shore and processed a few hours before delivery so they're still in rigor mortis when we get them at the restaurant.

D. Hawksworth

[foodgeek]

Thank you for a great (and in depth) answer. :)