Angie Quaale can now add published author to the many titles the 91原创 gourmet food store owner has held.

A vocal champion of the farm-to-table movement has taken her passion for food 鈥� and the dedicated men and women who produce it 鈥� and made a four-seasons sampling guide to all the bounty the Fraser Valley has to offer.

She titled the book Eating Local in the Fraser Valley: A Food Lover鈥檚 Guide, Featuring Over 70 Recipes from Farmers, Producers, and Chefs.

Featuring more than 70 locally-inspired recipes as well as 100 culinary destinations, Eating Local in the Fraser Valley is not only a celebration of Quaale鈥檚 passion for local food and community, but also a way to connect us to the farmers, producers and chefs that bring food to our tables each day.

鈥淚t took 18 months to create this book. I鈥檓 so excited to finally see the finished product and I鈥檓 really happy with it. I hope the producers are happy with how I told their stories. There are a few in the book that don鈥檛 even know they are featured,鈥� said Quaale before the book launch on Sunday.

The intent of the book is to celebrate the people and food they produce right here in the Fraser Valley.

鈥淢y hope is that people leave the book in their car and use it as their guide to go on day trips, exploring farms and wineries and restaurants from all over the Fraser Valley,鈥� she said.

鈥淪pend a day touring Abbotsford or use the guide book to do a wine or beer crawl. Find your next favourite spot to have a picnic, to buy your produce or get your fish or meats.鈥�

And what better way to launch it than to have food and recipes from the book served at the party.

It was a full house at the book release on Sunday at Quaale鈥檚 Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store. Several of the chefs featured in the book, including Ignite Caf茅 chef Dan Trites who served up the recipe he has featured in the book.

Also in attendance at the launch was the book鈥檚 photographer Ric Ernst and illustrator Kate Slater.

Random House Publishing approached Quaale about writing the book.

Knowing her connections in the food industry and her passion for promoting eat local, they felt Quaale was the best person for the vision they had to celebrate food being made in the Fraser Valley.

鈥淚t was a crazy time in my life when Random House approached me. I had only been a councillor at the Township for a little while and had just moved my store to its new location six months prior. But then I thought, 鈥榟ow could I not take this opportunity?鈥�

It was really important to Quaale that the book explore all four seasons of growing from root vegetables in fall to blueberries in summer.

Some of her favorite stories to tell in the book came out of 91原创. Like the story of Peter Breederland, the agricultural pioneer who took a risk and became the first in Canada to grow gojiberries in Aldergrove.

Her favourite photo in the book is of two cranberry farmers in Fort 91原创.

Her favourite recipes in the book are ones passed on from generation to generation, like that of Sandee Krause鈥檚 birds鈥� nest cookies. The recipe for the cookies, which are filled with homemade jam, was shared with her by her grandmother. She now makes them for her kids and grandkids and sells them at the Krause Farms鈥� bakery at Christmas time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 these kind of connections with food that simply make us feel good,鈥� Quaale said.

All 70 recipes are 鈥渙ld school family recipes that anyone can make, with easy ingredients,鈥� she notes.

Some personal touches in the book include a painting her mother made of colourful cartoon-like produce.

鈥淔ood brings people together. That鈥檚 how I grew up. My family always sat down at the table every night for dinner. That鈥檚 when we communicated. My mom didn鈥檛 always serve a fancy meal. Sometimes it was just grilled cheese.鈥�

So, Quaale says, break some bread and connect through food.If there is one message she wants to get out through the book, it is the difference it makes to a farmer when you buy directly from them.

鈥淔armers don鈥檛 do what they do to get rich. They work super hard and do what they love. So when you buy local from a farmer you are supporting their family. People need to understand the power in their purchases.鈥�

Eating Local in the Fraser Valley is available to purchase on Amazon, Chapters, as well as Well Seasoned, Bonetti Meats and many other local food producing locations.