Home At Last, but far from done.

So I wasn't entirely sure whether or not I would be continuing this goofy thing, but as it turns out, I think I'm going to keep it running. Yesterday I was twenty feet above the ground in an apple tree, smacking the last of a bunch of massive wolf rivers out of the twisted branches, when it hit me. Apples in the face really hurt. Beyond that, I also realized that a food blog really can't have a beginning or end, you just sort of have to slide in and check it out for as long as you can. When you are finished, someone else will do something twice as interesting. All you can hope for is that they check you out first so they avoid repeats.

I love food, and I'd be pretty frustrated with my life and the general state of the world without it. I'm still frustrated with the general state of the world, but at least I have something I can enjoy working with when it gets to be too much. Plus, I can help change things as best I can. The food industry needs explorers and people to help discover it's depths, I'm honored by and happy to undergo the task. I'm going to keep this blog open, sort of blogging and chronicling my experience as a developing cook in serious Canadian kitchens. And other kitchens, depending on where I end up going. I hope you all keep tabs, and see me somewhere along the way.

As a note to the wrapping up at the end of the trip, I'm absolutely bound to say it, but it's true, I thank everyone from the deepest depths of heart for their support and help along the way. This trip would have been nothing without the people in Canada, making and shaping the food culture we live in. Nowhere have I seen so much outpouring of not only respect and education, but aid, support, and awesome products for us to work with. To everyone who follows the blog, everyone we met, and everyone who had a couple kind words when it was tough, thank you so much, I can't say it seriously enough. Though I often make grandiose plans for the future when I really have no idea what lays there, I like to think I'll do this trip again in a couple years. Revisiting places to see how Canada is growing, the pace at which things are changing, and just to see the amazing people we've had the honor of meeting on the way. Cheers again and I wish you all the best in the future.

The pictures along the way are gratuitous snapshots of my experience picking apples yesterday. It's an awesome thing. I got to play monkey with an excuse for the first time in some time, and even joined up a few local farms in pressing for fresh apple juice. If you can stomach it, there is nothing like a couple glasses of fresh pressed juice while you work. The air was crisp and cool, aromas of apples floating around, and people sort of working and playing all at once, and all for the reward of pure lovely cider. It helps if you accomplish the task with ancient machinery, a basket screw press and a reconfigured grape crusher do the trick. So I now have twenty litres of fresh apple cider in my basement, which will slowly, over the course of the winter, become hard apple cider, and then with a little more goading, vinegar. I'm excited for the results and as they say, I'll keep you posted.

Much love.