No matter how local we want to be, some things we like to eat and drink will never come from here. For the food and beverage snob, there will always be the allure of things that have come from exotic lands, far away. But you can still be a virtuous snob, in your own way.
Shade-grown coffee trees on the island of Réunion. This is the traditional and most environmentally-friendly method.
(Photo by user Anne97432, Wikimedia)
All’s fair in coffee and chocolate
The classic luxury goods—coffee, tea, chocolate, vanilla, spices, etc.—have to come from warmer climates. We have no choice but to import most of them. They have been classics of international trade since intercontinental has been possible.
I wrote a little bit about Fair Trade in the last installment, but it is with these luxury goods that certification becomes really important.
According to the Fair Trade Certification organization , TransFair Canada, the system is set up to ensure, in the product’s country of origin:
- Fair compensation for their products and labour
- Sustainable environmental practices
- Improved social services
- Investment in local economic infrastructure
Buying fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate, vanilla and spices creates positive economic pressures on countries of origins and the international companies that do business with them to do the right thing for their people and their environment. So instead of wondering if your chocolate bar contributed to slave labour in the Ivory Coast, or your morning cup of coffee has destroyed tropical rainforest, you can indulge yourself without losing sleep (unless you fall victim to too much caffeine).
Fair trade goods are available in Ottawa from specialty boutiques and small local chains, as well as from larger coffee chains and supermarkets.
When you buy your gourmet goods from local operations, you further support both our local economy and the diversity of our local independent business culture. Plus, in the case of coffee, buying beans that have been roasted locally just makes more sense—there’s simply no substitute for freshness!
The hard stuff
When it comes to alcoholic drinks, Canada offers lots of good choices in fine beer, wine and spirits. I say “choices” because at least in my case, I like to try tastes from all over the world. Keeps life interesting.
Beer is the easiest drink to source close to home. We do beer well in the country, and the mix of English, French and other European cultures ensures lots of different styles. Plus, our system of using interchangeable Industry Standard Bottles for many brands allows for environmentally efficient reuse (which is better than recycling glass). Ottawa’s newest microbrewery even makes a point of sourcing as many regional and organic ingredients as possible.
Wine, while not as deeply ingrained in our culture, has come a long way. Many Ontario wines can now stand up beside similar imports, and varieties such as riesling, pinot noir, baco noir and cabernet franc seem to do especially well here.
Let’s not forget Canada’s boozy contribution to the dessert course.
(Photo by user Chensiyuan, Wikimedia)
The most important thing to remember, when you by Ontario wines, is to always look for the VQA or Vintners Quality Alliance certification. You’d be amazed how many “Ontario” wines actually carry the fine print “cellared in Ontario from domestic and imported wines”. That’s right, they’re not local. And in my opinion they don’t taste that great either!
Finally, there are spirits. Canada will always have its classic,rye, but we also produce some interesting vodka and other specialty drinks that are worth checking out.
And that’s the whole point. We may not make the best of everything in the world, but we do have some high-end products that we can be proud of. Keep Canadian drinks on the consideration list, and at least your hangover will be a patriotic one.
