Celebrate Quebec public markets week!

Every year in mid-August, Semaine québécoise des marchés publics celebrates the festive, nourishing and unifying character of our markets across the province. This summer, the 12th edition takes place under the theme “Mangeons local 12 mois par année” (“Let's eat local 12 months a year”). It's with great enthusiasm - which I hope is contagious! - that, for the fourth year running, I'm once again donning my hat as spokesperson for this national market celebration, which runs from August 6 to 16, 2020.

Celebrating our markets

Did you know that today there are over 130 public markets across Quebec? Whether you've got a public market in your neighborhood, on the way to your vacation or on your way home from work, a stop at the market is a great way to turn your shopping into an activity, while filling your eyes with color, exchanging culinary inspiration and sharing smiles.

Semaine québécoise des marchés publics, supported by the Association des marchés publics du Québec, was born in 2008. The season of abundance, right in the heart of summer, is a perfect time to remember how lucky we are to have public markets all over Quebec, and to underline our gratitude to the farmers and gourmet artisans who come together to give us access to so many quality, local flavours.
 

Theme 2020: Eat Local 12 Months of the Year

We've put together 12 video vignettes, one a day on Facebook for the 12 days of this 12th Semaine québécoise des marchés publics, to share dozens of tips and ideas for preserving seasonal fruits and vegetables so you can enjoy them 12 months a year.

Today, many of us are aware of the multiple advantages of putting local produce on the menu, in terms of the environment, the local economy, freshness and the meaning of food whose provenance we know. And eating local in summer is easier when you're spoilt for choice at the height of the fresh local produce season. When the colder months arrive, it's still possible to buy cheeses, grains, oils and meats produced close to home, but there's a challenge when it comes to fruit and vegetables: the wide range of possibilities we have during the summer shrinks. Of course, we have a bevy of preserved vegetables in all shapes and colors to keep us happy during the winter. But for the sake of diversity, many people turn more often to fruits and vegetables that have crossed oceans and continents.

And yet, it's possible to reconcile our desire for proximity with our desire for diversity, even during the colder months, by filling our toolbox with techniques and tricks for stocking up on “transient” fruits and vegetables, those we won't find locally sourced in winter. Bored with blueberries in January? Can't live without eggplant in February? Do you miss strawberries on Valentine's Day and broccoli inspires the best après-ski soups? No problem, you can easily alternate between local fruits and vegetables available in winter (parsnips, potatoes, onions, apples, carrots...) and those you've stocked up on (cauliflower, peppers, strawberries, eggplant, zucchini...). Sharing tips and ideas for preserving seasonal flavors are at the heart of our virtual tour of the stalls. Our goal: to inspire and equip you to eat local 12 months a year! You'll see that, with a little planning, enjoying market produce from one end of the calendar to the other can be done. And it's so delicious!

As a bonus, if you listen to the capsules right to the end, you'll discover the question of the day, and by answering it below the video, you could win a copy of my new book Mangez local! A book a day, so every new capsule you listen to is not only another chance to win a book, but also to collect tips and inspiration!

Happy Semaine québécoise des marchés publics to all!

Julie Aubé is a nutritionist with a passion for Quebec flavors, sustainable agriculture and agrotourism. As the organizer of the Prenez le champ! events, she plays the role of matchmaker, bringing curious gourmets together with local producers. A trainer and speaker, she is a regular contributor to magazines and websites, as well as to her website JULIEAUBE.com. In 2016, she published the book Prenez le champ! with Éditions de l'Homme, and this summer she has just released her second book, Mangez local! with the same publisher, full of techniques and recipes for localizing your diet month by month. A small guide with big hopes of equipping and inspiring people to follow the rhythm of the seasons on the menu. Follow Julie on Facebook and Instagram.