Hit the farmers market.
Throw some burgers, steaks or chicken on the barbecue.
Whip up some apple cake, berry crumble, maple fudge or Nanaimo bars for dessert.
Chill a bottle of wine.
And gulp some craft beer.
See, it's oh-so-easy to celebrate Food Day Canada in BC.
As it does every year, today's 23rd annual Food Day Canada falls on the Saturday of the August long weekend.
The timing is no mistake.
By early August, the fruit and vegetable harvest in Canada, BC and the Okanagan is abundant and farmers markets are overflowing.
Stores are full of Canadian meats, seafood, dairy, beer, wine, cider, liquor and other Canadian products.
Heck, even tap water is listed as an important Canadian food because its safe, always available and pristine.
Plus, the long weekend gives people some extra time and a festive mood to embrace buying and cooking local.
The concept of honouring Canadas farmers, fishers, chefs, home cooks, food security and sovereignty, diversity, equality and inclusion is more important this year than ever before.
US President Donald Trump's tariffs and 51st-state cracks have made us more protective and proud of everything Canadian and that includes our exceptional food and the people behind it.
As previously mentioned, participating in Food Day Canada is a no-brainer.
You are going to eat and drink anyway this long weekend, so just take that extra millisecond to make sure you are shopping, cooking, dining and celebrating Canadian.
And, then carry the delicious and nutritious habit on all year long.
The website https://www.
You can even take the pledge to shop, cook and dine Canadian here https://www.
I was positively salivating as I scrolled through the recipe suggestions on the Food Day Canada website.
After all, they ranged from grilled salmon with mustard raspberry vinaigrette, peppery-spiced steak, chipotle and apple turkey burger, cheddar parmesan poutine, pork tenderloin in blueberry sauce and risotto with bacon nuggets to maple bacon crepes, Nanaimo bars, maple fudge, summer berry crisp and Grandma Crewson's apple cake.
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There are also a bunch of restaurants in the Okanagan and on Vancouver Island supporting Food Day Canada from Waterfront Restaurant, Sunny's Modern Diner, Micro Bar+Bites and Lakehouse Kitchens Cooking School in Kelowna to The Lookout restaurant at Gray Monk Winery in Lake Country to Spinnakers Gastropub and Part & Parcel in Victoria, Pluvio and Heartwood Kitchen in Ucluelet and Locals in Courtenay.
Chef Mark Filatow from Waterfront Restaurant in Kelowna is sharing his recipe for lentil-crusted Quadra Island scallops on the Food Day Canada website at https://www.fooddaycanada.ca/
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Food Day Canada was launched in 2003 by the late cookbook author and national food advocate Anita Stewart as a day to barbecue and support Canadian beef farmers and ranchers.
It has now spread coast to coast to coast.
Stewart was promoting Canadian cuisine and Canadian culinary tourism when they were considered oxymorons.
She has been called the wonder woman of Canadian food and the patron saint of Canadian cuisine and was named to the Order of Canada for spotlighting our country's food culture.
