Chef Bruce of Bruce & Matt’s Kitchen shares recipes and news from his popular dockside eatery.

Watch this space for fresh organically-infused notes from Bruce and Matt’s Kitchen coming soon!

(Yes, he really did promise us recipes!)

Known to some as Sue Earle of  Duck Creek Farm, our “Ducky” checks in occasionally to get fresh with us and keep us abreast of the farmy scene on the island.

You can join in by becoming an author too, or simply tell Ducky what you think by commenting on what she’s written.

To see more from Ducky click here!

These are interactive online maps. High-speed users will benefit easily, but those on dial-up can download the map in

PDF format once, to avoid wait times.

Think you know Salt Spring?
Brenda’s maps are full of interesting surprises:

* click to see  Active Farmland on SSI
* click for locations of Local Food Producers & Sellers

Thanks Brenda, we think these maps are great.

What to you think? (to let Brenda know, just leave a comment below!)

Specifically, the locally grown purple onions  that Melanie and Paul present so beautifully in baskets at the market — these are gems I savour with all my senses.  I leave them whole for days so to enjoy the glorious shape, the dry papery texture of the skin, rich shades of earthy burgundy. I wait until I have plans that honour them – not just a part of a melange of flavours, but as the cherry on top.

And when it’s time, the crisp outer skins crack and peel in layers, revealing a royal purple jewel bursting with energy — shiny and celebratory!  When I slice it in half,  sheer thin layers of purple alternate with thick white flesh that thicken toward the centre and root, to the white-flamed core.

I slowly caramelize onion slices in a cast iron pan, adding mushrooms later as a topping to, well, just about anything.

Anything with onions works for me, but I am grateful for the reverie these purple pearls awaken in me!

Which is your favourite onion?

Salt Spring Cheese Company, Spicy Chili Goat Feta.

We love this one for its unabashed fiery red quality heat-punctuated feta twang.  A fine example of artisanal cheesemaking best eaten while wearing cowboy boots.

Oh I wonder which local cheese will appear next?

Carrot Couple

Yesterday we found just one coupled pair that stayed wrapped around each other.  I love these!

Chorus Line Carrots

We harvested 90 pounds of carrots today!

Some of the carrots were HUGE enough to feed a family, even big enough make a one-carrot soup (for 4!)

It was carrotty fragrant, too, and what makes me really happy is the abundance of worms – all sizes, and all over. It’s a sign of good soil, and those tangible signs are good for the soul!  About half the harvest was imperfect – signs of other life forms enjoying them too.