Hi, I'm Amanda!

I grew up in Kitchener- Waterloo, and spent my summers in Arthur, Ontario with my dad and grandmother. It felt like two different worlds to me. The central city where I had so many responsibilities as a latchkey kid with two younger siblings. In Arthur, it was just me. A kid, at last, even for just a few weeks - playing cards with my grandma, and taking about the tomato plant she managed to keep alive this year.  The town made life slow down and I think that was my favourite part. It was sweet and patient. A sense of community that I loved being part of. Everyone knew my grandma, and I loved following her around. As I got older, I always knew I wanted to create this peace in my adult life. I chased that dream and finally moved to Drayton, Ontario in the Fall of 2022.  Since I’ve moved here, I have felt the support of this warm community the same way it embraced me as a child.

What does this have to do with Toast Ur Spices? Lemme tell ya.

During the pandemic, I lived alone in a small studio above a bookstore in Waterloo. I was lucky enough to land a work-from-home job at truLOCAL, a company that connected customers to local meat suppliers through a subscription service. I loved it and I used their products to make meals to deliver to my friends. Dropping it off and giving a wave made the world feel a little less lonely for me , and it gave me a sense of purpose to break up my day. I loved feeding them. I loved bringing local products to their doorstep. I lived for the quick wave and the hellos and I love yous through the window.

I have always loved to cook and bring joy through food. I wanted to combine my love of creating meals with the warmth I feel knowing that you will gather and enjoy the foods grown in Mapleton.

If you love sharing meals with friends and supporting local, follow me as I cook my way through the seasons!