AC Summer Market Highlights

One of the morning market sessions featured Andrew Szeto, a Wakefield-based skateboarder, woodworker and videographer for Canada’s coast guard (which he admits is a wild and amazing ‘day job’) who makes gorgeous, functional art from old skateboards that, as he put it, “would otherwise go into the landfill.”

Szeto chatted about his journey from California skateboarder (his parents moved to the state when he was in high school), to getting a Master’s in Environmental Engineering, to starting a clothing company, to learning woodworking. He also outlined how he has grown his woodworking business through social media, often documenting the process behind creating his products.

Soundtrack to your Summer with Ben Cooper

Over the lunch hour, award-winning musician Ben Cooper returned for another session of music dedicated to ‘the sweet sounds of summer past,’ playing such hits as Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” King Harvest’s “Dancing in the Moonlight,” and The Temptations’ “My Girl.”

Never Buy Salad Dressing Again

The Summer Market included a great session from Chef Russell Weir who provided three recipes for summer salad dressings (recipes included below).

With the hot temperatures and abundance of fresh produce and herbs available, making salad dressing is easier than ever.

Chef Weir, the executive chef of Algonquin College Food Services, is a fan of high-quality, local ingredients and believes in a simple, honest approach in order to highlight ingredients.

Here are the recipes shared by Chef Russell. Enjoy!

Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh thyme, chopped
1 bunch fresh rosemary, chopped
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsps honey
2 tbsps Dijon mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until emulsified.
Cover and store up to two weeks in the refrigerator

Raspberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1 pint fresh or frozen raspberries
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsps honey
½ bunch fresh thyme, chopped
½ cup raspberry vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until emulsified.
Cover and store up to two weeks in the refrigerator

Quick Parmesan Ranch Dressing
Ingredients:
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tbsps lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup mayonnaise
2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsps honey
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsps water
Method.
Place all ingredients in a blender and mix using the pulse function.
Cover and refrigerate for up to two weeks

Gelato 101

Guests were treated to the history of gelato with Nina Agostini, demonstrating how she makes makes her famous gelato at Farinella, a local Roman-style pizzeria. Agostini, who trained to be a gelato-maker in Rome, took participants through the process of making the delicious delicacy, saying “I feel like gelato is this mystical little land…no one really knows how it’s made or what goes into it.”