COMMUNITY
But how did we get here? How did we get to this place where farmers can’t afford to farm, and, increasingly, people have a hard time affording food? The price of oil plays a role for sure, and industrial agriculture’s unsustainable nature has reared its head. But more than anything, its because we’ve moved too far away from self-sustenance, from that era where most everyone had a garden, or a farmer next door, and pickle jars in the cupboard. Along the way industry tricked us into believing food was cheap and plentiful, with an almost limitless supply. The problem is, if we are no longer able to afford fuel, then we will no longer be able to afford the way we farm, and drastic changes will have to take place with untold consequences for the masses.
And you thought I was an optimist… Ok, so we’re not there yet. People aren’t starving en masse on the streets of Charlottetown. But either way, it’s time we take a good long look at the way we do things, because it can’t be done this way forever, and not for much longer either.
Thankfully though, some people are starting to take the matter into their own hands. Some people are trying to get ahead of the curve, and do things right for a change. The Maplethorpe Cafe in Bedeque is one of those places.
I was introduced to Diana Linder, owner and head chef at Maplethorpe, at the recent “Taste our Island” awards, presented by the PEI AADAPT Council. The AADAPT Council is a local, federally funded group that’s charged with helping farmers make more money from their product, be it through efficiency, added value, or better practice. The Maplethorpe won top prize at the awards for its efforts to serve and promote local food.
Shortly thereafter, myself, two friends and Barb MacLeod from AADAPT met at the Maplethorpe for dinner. It was a Friday night and the place was packed (packed being full to the 30-person capacity). We were immediately greeted by Diana and shown to our table. We were then immediately shown our wine for the evening, Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon. It was one of only a few non-local items we put in our bellies, but it was organic. The menu at Maplethorpe was simple that night; steak, pork, salmon, chicken and veggies with tofu were the main courses. The appetizers included mussels, soup, and salad. Deserts included bread pudding, a fruit plate and carrot cake among others. Maplethorpe charges one price—$19.95 for three courses, an excellent deal.
The food was good, very local and organic. In fact, there was a card on the table that listed all the suppliers including Medallion Smoked Salmon, and Spring Willow Farms among several others. The Linder’s themselves are certified organic growers, supplying their own kitchen with eggs, chicken and several fruits and vegetables. It was well worth the twenty bucks and I was deeply comforted in knowing a good portion of that went directly to the person that grew the food.
The Maplethorpe Cafe is setting an example we should all follow. I know it’s a bit contradictory to be preaching about the price of food, and pending doom, then turning around and writing a column about dining out, but restaurants aren’t going away any time soon. If every restaurant did it the same way Maplethorpe does, we’d be a lot better off. And maybe we’d start doing it that way ourselves.