In Your Backyard – The Hidden Gems of Huron South

In Your Backyard – The Hidden Gems of Huron South

by | Apr 29, 2022 | In Your Backyard, Programming

The Huron County Library has been highlighting the hidden gems found across Huron County through our In Your Backyard speaker series and for those who were unable to attend, we will share some of those gems right here on our website! Join us as we travel all directions of the County, starting in the south.

Huron County’s southern most part, encompassing Exeter, Hensall, Huron Park, Centralia, Grand Bend, Kirkton, Brucefield, Centralia, and more, is chockfull of some of the most unique attractions around! There is sure to be a hidden gem for everyone!

FOR THE WATER LOVERS: Exeter and Kirkton each have outdoor pools, which offer swimming lessons, public swims, swimming teams and more. You can also enjoy splashing around in Hensall at the Kinsmen Pavilion and Splash Pad.

AND THE BEACH LOVERS: The southern part of Huron County stretches along Ontario’s west coast, which features stunning beaches, including at the Point Blake Day Park!

FOR THE HIKERS: Grab your hiking boots and take a hike at either the Morrison Dam Conservation Area or Bannockburn Conservation Area. Access the Ontario’s West Coast Hiking Guide to learn more about these and other hiking trails located through Huron County.

FOR THE DOGS: Looking for something to do with their furry friend? Visit the Crediton Conservation Area’s dog park.

FOR THE THRILL SEEKERS: If you’re looking for something more adventurous, head on over to Grand Bend to skydive, take in a drag race, or hop in a helicopter.

FOR MOVIE BUFFS & THEATRE-GOERS: Take in a late night move at the Starlite Drive-In or see a play come to life on the Huron Country Playhouse’s main stage.

FOR THE FOODIES: For those looking for a culinary adventure, southern Huron County is home to a number of food producers – from The Whole Pig, to Hayter’s Farms, to the Garlic Box, to Metzger’s, to Ferguson Apiaries and more!

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT: There are a number of fun activities that take place in southern Huron County – from the Kirkton Fall Fair, to the Exeter Family Day Winterfest, to the Lions Fishing Derby, downtown Exeter sidewalk sales, weekly farmers markets in Exeter’s core, the Dodge RAM Rodeo and more! Find more events at: https://calendar.southhuron.ca/default/Month or at https://www.experienceexeter.ca/community-events-2/

 

EXPLORE MORE HIDDENS GEMS:

April Spice Club – Allspice

April Spice Club – Allspice

by | Apr 20, 2022 | Programming

Don’t be confused by its name, allspice isn’t a combination of different spices! It is, in fact, the dried unripe berry of a mid-canopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America. While it is one of the most important ingredients of Caribbean cuisine, it is also indispensable in many others, like this month’s recipe, Borscht.

The Ukrainian version of Borscht normally contains sausage, lamb, and/or beef, as well as a variety of other root vegetables, and possibly apples, beans, and/or tomatoes. It is served hot with sour cream.

Show off what you made this month by sharing photos on the Huron County Library Spice Club Facebook events page or by emailing them to askalibrarian@huroncounty.ca. Photos emailed will be publicly shared by staff to the Facebook page on your behalf.

FUN FACT: Christopher Columbus encountered allspice during his second voyage to the Americas. At that time, it was found only on the island of Jamaica. 

Borscht*

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 Tbsp bacon fat
  • 2 lb beef, cubed
  • 1 Tbsp vinegar
  • 8 cups beef stock
  • 1/2 cabbage, shredded
  • 3 potatoes, cubed
  • 4 beets, shredded
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 parsley root, chopped
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 3 bay leaves
  • dill, chopped
  • sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Melt bacon fat in a large, non-reactive soup pot.
  2. Add the beef and brown.
  3. Add vinegar and stock. Simmer until beef is tender.
  4. Add vegetables, peppercorns, allspice, and bay.
  5. Simmer until all vegetables are cooked through. Remove bay leaves.
  6. Serve hot, garnished with dill and sour cream.

*Recipe from Global Road Warrior™️ by World Trade Press. Access this online database for free with a Huron County Library card to get information about holidays, festivals, culture, travel essentials, and other beneficial travel knowledge.

April Spice Club – Allspice

March Spice Club – Cumin

by | Mar 15, 2022 | Programming

The weather in March is so back and forth, it doesn’t hurt to have a warm and hearty dish – especially one that includes a hotter spice! Cumin is the dried seed of the parsley family and is thought to have originated in Central Asia, Southwestern Asia, or the Eastern Mediterranean.

This month’s recipe, pabellón criollo, is considered to be Venezuela’s national dish – incorporating several favorite foods, including shredded beef, rice, beans, and plantains. A popular variation includes placing a fried egg on top of the dish.

While the Spice Club is now full, we have shared this month’s recipe below so you can cook along from home!

FUN FACT: Cumin is sometimes confused with caraway – however, cumin differs from caraway in that it is hotter in taste, larger in size and lighter in colour. 

Pabellón criollo*

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 lb beef
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups beef stock
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 4 tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut in 3-in pieces
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 cups cooked rice
  • 6 cups pre-cooked black beans

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Cook meat with bay leaf and stock until very tender. Cool in liquid, then drain, shred, and reserve.
  2. Cook onion in olive oil until soft.
  3. Add garlic, tomato, spices, and salt and pepper to taste. Add shredded meat and set aside.
  4. Brown plantains in vegetable oil. Drain.
  5. Arrange the meat mixture, rice, and beans on a rectangular platter, making 3 stripes with the rice in the middle. Arrange plantains on the edges of the dish.

*Recipe from Global Road Warrior™️ by World Trade Press. Access this online database for free with a Huron County Library card to get information about holidays, festivals, culture, travel essentials, and other beneficial travel knowledge.

April Spice Club – Allspice

February Spice Club – Cardamom

by | Feb 23, 2022 | Programming

Looking to start your day off with a kick? Or prefer to save your sweets until after dinner? If so, this month’s recipe, Sikarni, will work for any time of the day! This Nepali dessert has a tart and sweet taste – combining the flavours of this month’s feature spice, cardamom, with cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and pistachio! Be sure to start prepping this recipe well in advance, to allow time for draining the yogurt/sour cream mixture and chilling the finished product.

Don’t like the look of this recipe? Get creative! We’d love to see what you come up with instead! While the program is now full, we have shared this month’s recipe below and invite you to follow along and join the discussions on the Facebook Spice Club event page!

FUN FACT: Cardamom has been produced since ancient times – used by the Babylonians, Assyrians, Greeks and Romans!

READING LIST: If you are looking for some more inspiration to keep adding cardamom to your recipes, check out these cookbooks from our collection.

Sikarni*

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 cups plain yogurt
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1 tsp saffron (or tumeric)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, lukewarm
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of black pepper
  • 1 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup unsalted, thinly sliced pistachio nuts
  • Whole, shelled pistachios for garnish 

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl, mix yogurt and sour cream together.
  2. Pour the yogurt mixture into a large colander with a cheesecloth liner.
  3. Allow to drain for about 12 hours.
  4. Transfer the mixture into a mixing bowl.
  5. Dissolve saffron in lukewarm cream.
  6. Add sugar, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, dissolved saffron (or tumeric), and pistachio nuts to the yogurt mixture; fold in thoroughly.
  7. Chill overnight in refrigerator.
  8. To serve, scoop a cup of chilled dessert onto a serving plate, topped with a generous amount of unsalted, shelled, whole pistachio nuts.

*Recipe from Global Road Warrior™️ by World Trade Press. Access this online database for free with a Huron County Library card to get information about holidays, festivals, culture, travel essentials, and other beneficial travel knowledge.

April Spice Club – Allspice

January Spice Club – Ground Mustard

by | Jan 26, 2022 | Programming

There is no better way to cozy up during this colder weather than with a steaming bowl of baked beans! While we all know about the brightly coloured condiment bottles of yellow mustard, the mustard plant has many more uses! Mustard seeds can also be pressed to make mustard oil and its edible leaves can be eaten as mustard greens.

The United States has a number of variations of baked beans – from the Northern New England version, which uses maple syrup for flavoring, to the Boston area, which uses molasses, to the Southern United States, which uses mustard! Mustard is to be credited for giving the southern style beans their tangy taste!

Don’t like the look of this recipe? Get creative! We’d love to see what you come up with instead! While the program is now full, we have shared this month’s recipe below and invite you to follow along and join the discussions on the Facebook Spice Club event page! 

FUN FACT: Did you know that the wild mustard plants are closely related to the radish and turnip?

READING LIST: If you are looking for some more inspiration to keep adding ground mustard to your recipes, check out these cookbooks from our collection.

Southern Baked Beans*

INGREDIENTS:

  •  1 lb navy beans, soaked
  •  1 onion, chopped
  •  ½ cup molasses
  •  ½ tsp dry mustard
  •  ¼ cup brown sugar
  •  1 tsp salt
  •  ¼ lb salted pork, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. In a non-reactive saucepan, combine onion, beans, and water to cover.
  2. Simmer for 60 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  4. Remove 1 cup bean liquid and combine it with the molasses and seasoning.
  5. Layer the salt pork and beans in a heavy baking dish.
  6. Pour the molasses mixture over all. Add additional liquid to cover.
  7. Cover the dish and bake it for 4 hours.
  8. Uncover the dish and bake it for an additional 60 minutes, until tender. Throughout the cooking process, add more liquid if needed.
  9. Serve hot.

*Recipe from Global Road Warrior™️ by World Trade Press. Access this online database for free with a Huron County Library card to get information about holidays, festivals, culture, travel essentials, and other beneficial travel knowledge.