Roast chicken
I was first turned on to roast chicken while living in England many years ago. It was a delight to realize I didn’t have to wait for Christmas or Thanksgiving to enjoy a delicious roasted bird. Ever since those funfilled days of my youth, roast chicken, in different forms, has been a part of my menu rotation, particularly since I started cooking for a family.
Another thing that has evolved in my and most people’s consciousness over the years is the organic food movement. Although I may think about food more than the average person, I admit to still being confused and frustrated by all the health claims and warnings we are continually bombarded with. I am tired of being afraid of some foods while at the same time being skeptical of all the “drugfree,” “natural,” “organic” and “green” claims that the industrial food companies use to sell their products.
To achieve some kind of peace of mind and maintain a reasonable grocery budget, I have made a decision: I will buy local, drug-free and/or organic meat and dairy and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible. To offset the higher cost of the hormone- and antibiotic-free bird, here are some recipes that make the most of your poultry purchase.
Roast chicken is one of the easiest meals you can prepare. Keep it simple by serving it with mashed potatoes and buttered green beans and it will still feel like a feast. I like to remove the bones from the wings, thighs and legs right at the cutting board to make it kid-friendly. It also means that every single scrap of chicken-goodness makes it into the stock pot. That chicken stock combined with any leftover chicken makes the ideal foundation for Chicken and Biscuits. It is easy and guaranteed to impress a hungry crowd. Making hearty, comforting food from scratch is my idea of surviving winter.
Sources for organic/drugfree chicken in Niagara:
Pilgrim’s Drug-free Butcher: 24 Welland Ave, St. Catharines. 905-688-4447
Lakeland Meats: 1226 St Paul St. W., St. Catharines. 800-6653457 www.lakelandmeats.com
The Peanut Mill: 191 Welland Ave, St. Catharines. 905-6858848 www.thepeanutmill.com
Niagara Local Food Co-op: www.niagaralocalfoodcoop.ca