'It's no longer just potatoes': Salty dishes up stories on Island food

Salty, the Island's Food Digestwill start serving up stories on Island food starting next month.

The publication will be availablefree at restaurants, coffee shops and public spaces in five of the Island's largest communities Charlottetown, Montague, Souris, Summerside and Tignish.

The first printedition is eight pages, and offersa range of food stories, includinga winter Community Supported Agriculture project, a Charlottetown chef's experiences in China, tips onhow togetyour gardening tools ready to put away for winterand some original recipes for heirloom tomatoes.

Salty was cooked up by Shannon Courtney, who is now the editor-in-chief. She's always had a long-held desire to do a food publication,something she thinks both Islanders and visitors will find interesting.

"I mean you can look at just the scores of restaurants and the artisan food production that's happening now. It's no longer justCanadian cuisine, it's no longer just potatoes coming out of P.E.I. There's so much and it's here and it's also being exported," said Courtney.

Expects to serve more than justIslanders

She sees the publication asa great way to celebrate what's here and tell other people in the world what our Island is producing.

Future issues will also dig into deeper issues, likefood security,as well aslighter issueslike new tastes people are exploring or new restaurants opening up.

Shoestring budget

Salty is being supported through Islandadvertisers, but Courtney admitted they're bootstrapping to launch the project.

"We're relying on writers andcontributors that are passionate about this and are able to contribute their time to the publication, their volunteer time quite frankly, at this point."

Eventually Courtney hopes to make Salty a paying gig for all involved. About ten people helped put together material for the first edition, including publisher Laura Weatherbie.

Ten thousand copies of the first edition of Saltyare being printed.

The new publication's staff will be handing some of them out at Farm Day in the City on Oct. 2.

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