Food and Entertaining
Sustainable Practices: Do your foods uphold your commitment to the planet?
By J.C. Carroll
Jul 6, 2008, 21:02

(NC)-Canada is a place of great fortune when it comes to the quality and quantity of its fruit and vegetables-and now that we are in peak growing season, there are ample amounts of locally grown produce for us to enjoy.

With such abundance, it's worth knowing more about which farmers and organizations, and even which brand names are committed to sustainable growing practices.

The focus for food sustainability is usually on produce and meats-and yet responsible practices should also be applied to the sauce ingredients that bring these foods to life.

Some sauce brands do go the extra mile. Heinz, for example-a company well known for its ketchup, chili sauce and barbecue sauce-reports that its products are indeed, made responsibly.

Management points out that since the big, red, vine-ripened tomato is the gold standard for its condiments like ketchup- the Heinz corporation has now become the world's foremost supplier of all-natural tomato seeds. Six billion Heinz seeds are delivered to farmers annually-and these are higher-yield seeds.

Higher yields per plant represent an important environmental benefit: farmers can produce far greater quantities of tomatoes with the same or lower amounts of water and fertilizer. In addition, the company's work in sustainable agriculture also includes collaborating with suppliers worldwide to implement water conservation initiatives.

"In particular, our drip irrigation methods in North America, Europe, and Australia, deliver a steady supply of moisture close to the ground resulting in slower evaporation and lower water usage," says Scott Makey, agriculture manager for Heinz Canada, based in Leamington, Ontario.

"And drip irrigation is just one way we are working to preserve this natural resource." Heinz calculates a savings of nearly 3 million cubic meters of water from their global manufacturing facilities over the past two years.

So if responsibility is on your mind this growing season, here are some fresh and tasty summer treats you can serve and be proud of:

The Ultimate Veggie Dip: Blend sour cream, cream cheese, and Heinz Chili Sauce with your favourite herbs and spices.

Healthy Hearty Salsa: Combine coriander, fresh lime juice and jalapenos with Heinz Chili Sauce.

The Ultimate Kid's Sauce: Thick, rich Heinz Ketchup is an ideal dip for green beans, broccoli, carrots, corn, or any other veggies your kids are reluctant to eat.

Savoury Mushrooms: Sauté 500g of sliced farm fresh mushrooms in butter until soft. Add 4 tablespoons of HP Sauce and continue cooking until most of the moisture has disappeared. Makes a tasty topping for steak.

Sweet Onion Topper: Place sliced onions in foil with a generous splash of Lea & Perrins. Close up the foil and cook on the grill to make a tasty burger accompaniment.

Zesty Salad: Add Lea & Perrins to your favourite Caesar salad or in place of balsamic vinegar, or straight up as a "low carb" salad dressing.

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