The Farmers' Market Cookbook

Dean Tudor is a journalism professor at the Ryerson Polytechnical
Institute and founding editor of the CBRA.

While this book has no geographic appellation in its title, it should be noted that all the markets and all the recipes covered here are from Ontario (mainly southern Ontario), and many are German-Mennonite style dishes from the St. Jacobs Market and the Waterloo Market. It is certainly a useful tool; the authors have compiled some interesting recipes collected from the various vendor stalls at the farmers’ markets. All courses are covered, and each dish is credited to someone at some market. This book is not a history; there are remarkably few anecdotes on stories about the markets, the farmers, the vendors, or even the dishes. In addition to the food preparations, there is a chapter called “Market Treasures,” which is a month-by-month guide to what is arriving in the market, with some commentary and some recipes. Unfortunately, only one sausage recipe is given here; to some of us, sausages are the real market treasures. The appendix lists farmers’ markets by province (Alberta has the most, B.C. very few, Newfoundland none at all!). Still, a creditable work.