Food takes centre stage at the Local in Stratford
Community centre offers yoga, with a free side of breakfast through innovative program
STRATFORD— Would it surprise you to know that there are six food banks in this city of 31,000 known for theatre, tourism and fine dining?
Would it hearten you to know that this same city is home to one of Canada’s five community food centres? Would you like a slice of leek and ricotta tart? It’s being served this April morning at the weekly wellness breakfast at the Local Community Food Centre. It’s topped with pickled red onions and has a dollop of cottage cheese and a wedge of cantaloupe on the side.
“We’re trying to find that territory between healthy and delicious,” explains the Local’s director Steve Stacey.
People arrive at 8 a.m. to do a gentle, 30-minute yoga class with Lisa Stacey, Steve’s wife, a registered yoga teacher who works in cancer support. The meal is served from 8:30 to 9. The crowd looks pretty ordinary, but appearances are often deceiving. Who among them is hungry, living off ramen and Kraft Dinner, unemployed, stretching a pension or fixed income, hovering near the poverty line on minimum wage, escaping the isolation of eating alone or simply a yoga enthusiast?
The wellness breakfast is free, but there is a donation box for those who have a few bucks to spare.
This inclusiveness suits Steve Stacey just fine: “It means we’re creating a dignified space that everyone can enjoy — and certainly people who are struggling can benefit the most.”
The Local is a place for people to grow, cook, share and advocate for good food. It’s a model created at the Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto that has since rolled out in Perth, Stratford, Regent Park (Toronto) and Winnipeg thanks to Community Food Centres Canada.
As Stacey puts it: “We’re here to work with people to come up with approaches to food security that aren’t just about handouts. We’re here to empower everyone to cook great food.”
The Local launched in November 2012 in a former farm-supply space. It offers three drop-in meals — Monday’s family-friendly community dinner, Wednesday’s seniors’ lunch and Thursday’s wellness breakfast. It also has community kitchens, cooking programs for kids, adults and pregnant/post-partum moms, a greenhouse/communal gardens, a community advocacy office and a warehouse to redistribute large-scale food donations.
All of that is free, as is a free summer barbecue for Food Day Canada. A monthly bluegrass brunch is served at cost.
Although it distresses Stacey that there is so much need here, he’s relieved that there is so much help.
“People don’t want to see hunger on their watch. People don’t want to see people struggling around food in a community that’s known for food.”
The Local’s first community meals chef, Jordan Lassaline, a Stratford Chefs School graduate, is now the revered baker at Revel Caffe.
Derek Barnes took over the part-time job in November, although he’s more of a home cook who doesn’t like to be called “chef.” He does make “world-inspired street food” out of a 1966 Airstream trailer for his Wicked Pickle food truck business.
That explains the “Mexican pickle” on today’s tart. Red onions have been pickled in rice vinegar, water, garlic, oregano and salt.
Barnes describes his cooking at the Local as “comfort food — healthiest version” and points out the mandate is “to try to get people to eat a little healthier than they normally would or could.”
Working with several volunteers and a small budget, Barnes builds most meals around donations and rarely serves the same meal twice. He loves it when people at least try his food “and can communicate why they liked or didn’t like it.”
Stacey, for his part, has analyzed the local food scene from multiple angles. He wrote Stratford Food: An Edible History in 2014 and is an active member of Slow Food Perth County.
In his five years in Stratford, Stacey has watched the food scene evolve from the fine dining that put it on the map to something more accessible.
“I think there’s a culture of food here that I’m now happy to say is inclusive. It just seems like great food isn’t something reserved for high-end, fine dining anymore. It’s something that’s definitely being enjoyed by everyone.” Thaw pastry crust, transferring to glass pie plate if desired, and pre-bake as per package instructions. Cool.
Trim leeks. Discard dark green parts. Quarter white and light green parts lengthwise. Slice crosswise as thinly as possible. You need 6 cups (1.5L). Wash leeks.
In large, non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium. Add leeks. Cook, stirring often, 15 to 20 minutes until very soft, reducing heat if needed so leeks don’t brown. Season with salt and pepper. Cool15 minutes.
In large mixing bowl, stir together ricotta, eggs and herbs until smooth. Stir in butter and leeks.
Pour leek filling into prebaked shell. Bake in preheated 350F (180C) until filling is set, puffed and golden at edges, about 45 minutes.
Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or cold with hot sauce, if desired.
Makes 6 to 8 servings. jbain@thestar.ca