The Ultimate Ottawa Christmas Dinner; Sourcing Locally for your Holiday Feast
Supporting local producers and small businesses is more important than ever, especially during the holiday season. Wouldn't it be great if you could source your entire Christmas dinner from local producers? Well you can, and we'll show you how in our hometown of Ottawa, ON. With over 1300 local farms, the Ottawa region has more farms than Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary combined! This means that an all-local Christmas dinner with homegrown meat, fresh produce, homemade cheeses and dessert, cranberry sauce and even wine, is only a short drive away.
Appetizers
Charcuterie board
A well-curated holiday charcuterie board can often eclipse even the tastiest main course. The key to a great spread is a combination of delicious local cheeses, cured meats, fresh-baked bread, and the all-important accoutrements like homemade preserves and jellies, sweet honey and savoury pickles. Ottawa is lucky to be in close proximity to some great local producers, so putting together a local cheese board is as easy as eating one.
Cheese
Fromagerie St. Albert, located in St. Albert, ON, is known for its famous squeaky cheese curd, essential to any authentic poutine, but also great on their own. They also produce some amazing cheddars from sharp to smoked, plus creamy brie and camembert perfect for any holiday cheese board.
Artisan cheese-maker Back Forty Cheese, located just outside of Ottawa in Lanark County, is home to a great selection of unique local cheeses, many named after locations in the Ottawa Valley. Pick up some of their popular Madawaska, Bonnechere, Ompah or Calabogie Blue for some delicious local flavour.
Salami and sausages
The go-to spot for local cured meat is Seed to Sausage. This local Ottawa company specializes in house-made artisan cured meats created from ethically-raised, antibiotic and hormone-free pork. For the perfect charcuterie board try their saucisson sec, wine-cured beef bresaola, chorizo salami, duck prosciutto and zesty jalapeno blue cheese sausage.
Jellies, preserves, honey and pickled vegetables
Top Shelf Preserves is an Ottawa-based company whipping up tasty creations from jellies to a variety of jarred vegetables. Some great additions to a charcuterie board are their dill and garlic pickled beans, spicy pickled carrots, crab apple jelly and sriracha pickled garlic scapes.
Michael Sunderland created Michael's Dolce over 10 years ago using the culinary skills he acquired when he attended Ottawa's Algonquin College culinary arts program. His gourmet jams are his specialty, and the blueberry lavender and raspberry orange jams are great accompaniments to any mild soft cheese.
Pickling Dixie and Swallowtail Farm are two local producers selling their home-made creations through the Ottawa Valley Food Co-operative. Find delicious products like red pepper jelly, bread and butter pickles, and pickled beets.
The Ottawa region has no shortage of local honey producers. For some sticky goodness to complement savoury local cheese, try Gee Bees Honey, Simply Honey, Harvest Honey, Blue Shoe Honey, Bee Savvy Honey or True Bee Honey.
Baguettes and bread
A fresh-baked baguette - crusty on the outside but fluffy on the inside, is essential to any appetizer spread. Some great local bakeries known for excellent baguettes and breads are Les Moulins La Fayette, Moulin de Provence, Art-is-in Bakery, Breads and Sons, and Bread by Us. For gluten-free and organic options stop by Wild Oat Bakery in the Glebe.
Cocktails
When it comes to entertaining, the all-important holiday cocktails can often top the list of must-haves! The Ottawa region has some great local distillers, and with some homemade mixes and local juices, you can create a festive cocktail list that will keep everyone entertained. Apple cider martini anyone?
Liquor and spirits
Dairy Distillery is a local distiller that has created a unique vodka call Vodkow, produced using milk permeate, a milk sugar that is made as a by-product of milk production. Not only is the result a smooth, bite-free vodka, perfect for cocktails, but Vodkow is an innovative and sustainable product reducing food waste. This holiday season Vodkow has released a brand new cream liquor; the first lactose-free dairy cream liquor in Canada. Spike those after dinner coffees or create a creamy holiday cocktail on ice.
Top Shelf Distillers is another great local distillery which produces vodka, gin, and 3-year old whisky. They are also known for their wide selection of exotic moonshines. Flavours like gingerbread, maple, apple pie, butter tart, and Irish cream are sure to put a festive twist in your holiday cocktail game.
Juices and mix
When coming up with the perfect holiday concoction, be sure to include some locally-produced juices. For an apple cider martini, or hot spiked apple cider, pick up some freshly pressed apple cider from one of the Ottawa region's many orchards, including Cannamore Orchard or Mountain Orchards. Fresh cranberry juice can be found at Upper Canada Cranberries, while local pear juice can be picked up from Morning Glory Farm. If you're looking to create a truly unique cocktail, haskap berry juice from Fruits du Poirier will bring your mixology skills to the next level.
Syrups, bitters and garnishes
When crafting a cocktail with pizzazz, syrups and garnishes are key to creating the perfect recipe. Top Shelf Distillers offers a wide selection of bitters in flavours like chocolate, coffee, rose, ground allspice, lavender, mint, and peach. They also have a convenient holiday bitters 3-pack, perfect for mixing up fun drinks for the holidays.
For mixing syrups with zip, Michael's Dolce has no shortage of fun and exotic choices. With flavours like root beer, wild elderberry, ginger, and ghost pepper, your creative juices will be flowing developing cocktails with a tangy punch.
Split Tree Cocktail Co. is another great local brand providing a flavour explosion of cordials, perfect for a one-of-a-kind cocktail, or a for a soda with pizzazz. Choose from cordial flavours like ginger vanilla, rhubarb and elderflower, grapefruit, and blackberry and blackcurrant.
Every perfect festive cocktail should be garnished thoughtfully. Grab a jar of maraschino cherries from Top Shelf Preserves for your Manhattan, Old Fashioned, or fancy Shirley Temple, or add dainty edible flowers from Ottawa Edible Flowers, like crystallized violet, pansy, spearmint leaves, violets, sweet ferns, or orange marigolds.
Main course
The pièce de résistance in any holiday dinner is the all-important main course. Whether it's roast turkey, succulent beef roast, or honey-glazed ham, there's a local producer in the Ottawa region that has the perfect centerpiece for your festive feast.
The Meats
If a tender roast beef is your pick for a Christmas main, grab a roast from local Ottawa Valley Meats. Their meat is grass-fed, organic, and free-range, and they even offer free delivery for those without wheels.
For a local-grown turkey order your bird from My Favourite Farm. You can catch them at the Carp Market, Ottawa Farmers' Market at Lansdowne, or via the Ottawa Valley Food Co-operative.
Bearbrook Game Meats also has you covered for free-range organically-fed turkey, beef and pork. However, if you're looking for something a little more exotic, you can also choose from buffalo, venison, wild boar, elk, lamb, goat, quail or rabbit. Order your meats and pick them up at one of Ottawa's Farmers' markets, or get free home delivery for orders over $100.
The Sides
The Ottawa Farmers' Market at Lansdowne is the place to go for locally-grown potatoes, squash and vegetables for your Christmas feast. Conveniently located in the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne, the Farmer's market is open weekends from 9 am-3 pm in the month of December.
While cranberry sauce is a yay or nay for most, creating a cranberry sauce from locally-grown berries is always a good idea. Upper Canada Cranberries is the only commercial cranberry grower in eastern Ontario, and is located right in the city of Ottawa. Grab a bag of whole or sliced frozen cranberries (fresh are available in season), and whip up a local cranberry sauce, a perfect complement to any turkey dinner.
Adding some flavour to your Christmas meal? Spices can also be found locally, from Pickling Dixie and the Sacred Gardener via the Ottawa Valley Food Co-op. Choose from traditional favourites like sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano or tarragon.
Wine
While unknown to many, the Ottawa Region has some great local wineries. Pick up some bottles of red, white and bubbly from Vankleek Hill Vineyard, Jabulani Vineyard, Vignoble Clos du Vully or Domaine Perrault. For a wine that gives back, Carp's KIN Vineyards is a great choice, with a percentage of wine sales going to local arts initiatives, as well land stewardship and environmental projects in the Ottawa Valley.
Find out more about KIN Vineyards in our Gifts that Give Back, Holiday Gift Guide.
Dessert
With so many great bakeries, along with so many baking ingredients available from local producers, it's always important to leave room for dessert!
Ready-made Treats
Ottawa's local bakeries have something for everyone. Pick up some festive Christmas cookies from Le Moulin de Provence, Three Tarts Bakeshop, Aux Delices Bakery, or grab a DIY cooking decorating kit from Batter Up Bakery in Westboro Village.
For ready-to-go decadent desserts, stop by Les Moulins La Fayette for sinful French pastries, Art-is-in Bakery for their signature kronuts, or Quelque Chose Patisserie for French style macarons available in festive flavours like Candy Cane, Gingerbread and praliné. If you're looking for a fresh-baked pie, look no further than Red Door Provisions, Perth Pie Co., Adam Bakes, or Life of Pie.
Bake it yourself
If you love to bake, try shopping for ingredients locally this holiday season. For a traditional apple pie, pick up some apples from a local orchard like Cannamore Orchard or Mountain Orchard, and make your dough with soft white wheat flour milled locally at Ottawa Valley Grain. For a tasty fruit crisp or cobbler, pick up baking mix and blueberry syrup from Balderson Blueberries, and local frozen berries (picked fresh each summer) like strawberries, wild blueberries and raspberries from Millers Farm and Market.
Ice Cream
Ice cream is great Christmas dessert for kids, and with fun, inventive and festive flavours from local makers, ice cream could be your dessert of choice this year too.
With constantly-changing, and amazingly inventive flavours, Moo Shu Ice Cream is a great place to pick up an after-dinner pint. Choose from flavours like dolce de leche, ginger and groundcherry, black sesame, apple and miso caramel, sea salt and sea buckthorn or Vietnamese coffee. Ice cream tacos and dipped ice creams bars are also tasty options for a fun after dinner treat.
There are no shortage of traditional festive ice cream flavours at the Merry Dairy in Ottawa's Wellington West neighbourhood. Grab a pint of peppermint crackle, rum & eggnog, gingerbread, and candy cane frozen custard. For something more filling, order a Woodland Wonderland Yule Log in flavours like Boozy Dark Chocolate, peppermint crackle or gingerbread.
Known for their fantastic meter-long woodfire pizzas, Farinella in Ottawa's Little Italy provides a lighter, yet no less delicious, dessert alternative, with their authentic Italian gelato. With over twenty different flavours like mango passion fruit lime, fior de latte, espresso, cannoli, cassata, strawberry and cream, and dark chocolate orange, it'll be hard to pick just one. Vegan options are also plentiful, making it the perfect dessert choice for everyone.
After dinner
Whether it's an after-dinner espresso, a late-night tea by the tree, or diving into a box of sinful chocolate, Ottawa's amazing local producers have you covered.
Coffee and Tea
With so many great local coffee roasters in the Ottawa region, you’ll have trouble picking up just one bag! For great locally-roasted beans, stop by Happy Goat Coffee, Poppa Bean, Little Victories, Equator Coffee, Mighty Valley Coffee Roasters or Engine House Coffee. Enjoy a cup black to appreciate the full coffee flavour, or create a foamy cappuccino or creamy latte with milk from local Ottawa dairy farmers.
If tea is more your thing, pick up a blend from DiversiTea (available at the Ottawa Farmers' Market), lavender tea from McGregor's Orchard (available via the Ottawa Valley Food Co-op) or a custom blend from Perth Pie Co.
With Chaga teas (a medicinal mushroom that grows on birch trees in northern climates) as well as wellness teas that help with sleeping, digestion and cold relief, Birch Moon Wellness is the go-to tea to feel healthy inside and out.
For tasty teas tea that help give back, pick a blend of loose-leaf from Tease. Through their Charitea program, a portion of the proceeds from every purchase helps support programs dedicated to empowering women.
Chocolate
Chocolates are a Christmas staple, and Ottawa has some amazing local chocolatiers you can't do without.
Stubbe Chocolates is the oldest family-owned business in the Ottawa Valley with over 6 generations of chocolate making experience. The Stubbe family first established Stubbe Chocolates in northern Germany in 1845, and 175 years later they continue to whip up delicious chocolate creations for their loyal clientele. Pick up a boozy box of truffles in flavours like champagne, Kir Royale, Grand Marnier or Pear William, or grab some hand-crafted bars in traditional flavours, as well as unique ones like raspberry pistachio in ruby chocolate, blueberry in white chocolate, and milk chocolate cappuccino.
Hummingbird Chocolate is a local Ottawa chocolatier with some seriously creative flair. Indulge in flavours like EXTRA HOT Mayan, candied ginger, toffee nib and PB and Joy. Other great treats to pick up are cherry almond ginger bark, peanut butter cups and chocolate salami (a combination of rich fudgy ganache and seasonal spices) in flavours like fig and rosemary, and cherry brandy.
Another spot for irresistible chocolate is Perth Chocolate Works in the Ottawa Valley. Their truffles are nothing short of top notch - you can watch them being created through a glass window in their kitchen, and their scrumptious bear paws, chocolate-covered licorice, chocolate-enrobed coffee beans and sinful sweet and salty cashew caramel bark, are musts to take away.
Decorate
Whether it's a beautiful festive bouquet of fresh blooms, or some fragrant evergreens to add some holiday flair, no holiday dinner is complete without beautiful holiday décor.
For a stunning floral centerpiece pick up some fresh flowers from Ottawa's oldest florist, Scrim's. With over 146 years in the flower business in Ottawa, their experience is unmatched, and it's a guarantee they can put together the perfect creation for any holiday gathering.
If you’re looking for beautiful arrangements with natural greens and a festive flair, Blumenstudio in Ottawa's Wellington West neighbourhood is your spot. Order a custom arrangement for the table, or pick up a holiday advent wreath or wreath-making kit and welcome your guests with pizzazz.
Maison Anthea is a unique flower studio in downtown Ottawa that specializes in beautiful modern floral designs. Select from a unique centerpiece or wreath made with fresh evergreens, or opt for a non-traditional half-moon California Christmas wreath. For those with a monochromatic or neutral holiday palette, try a beautiful floral bouquet from their dry bar.
Ottawa's Farmers' Markets are also a great place to pick up fresh evergreens for the holidays. Stop by the ByWard Market or Parkdale market for table-top arrangements, freshly cut branches, strands of pine garland, or a last minute tree in any size.
