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RESTAURANTS • RECIPES • WINE • TRAVEL
The Return to Flavour How “Eating Local” Is More than Just a Matter of Good Taste
Walker’s Fish & Chips
A London Tradition Issue • September
FORAGER FOODS in Bayfield
Savour Stratford this September 20th & 21st! Set in the heart of Stratford’s beautiful garden district, Savour Stratford celebrates our renowned chefs, the 25th Anniversary of the Stratford Chefs School and the best of Perth County’s culinary artisans’ creations. Two heady days of tastings for you to savour the best cuisine of the season! Come wander an authentic fall farm market. Sample a true Perth County BBQ along with local craft brews and inspired Ontario wines. Enjoy concerts and an arts fair like no other. Sunday we invite you to York Street Tasting* where over 35 local chefs and alumni of the Stratford Chefs School will be paired with the cream of the crop of Perth County farms. A bucolic afternoon of al fresco sampling of gourmet creations, Ontario wines and craft beers complimented by sweet live jazz whilst lounging under tents set upon historic York Street. Could you imagine a better weekend?
www.fallforstratford.com/eat * ticketed venue, $55 per adult, limited capacity. Call 1-800-561-7926 for tickets
CONTENTS
6
FOOD WRITER AT LARGE
The Return to Flavour How “eating local” is more than just a matter of good taste. By BRYAN LAVERY
KITCHENS
Copper is Cookware for Kings The pros and cons of beautifully charming copper cookware. By ANN McCOLL LINDSAY
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NEW AND NOTABLE
The BUZZ
Compiled by CHRIS McDONELL
ELGIN COUNTY BUZZ
BUZZ
It’s Harvest Time Compiled by DEBRA BAGSHAW
32 34
RESTAURANTS
Walker’s is a Tradition to Savour Walker’s Fish & Chips in London. By MELANIE NORTH
SPOTLIGHT
Foraging is Now Easier in Bayfield Sam Gundy has found a niche with Forager Foods. By JANE ANTONIAK
SEASONAL RECIPES
What’s Up, Doc? Carrots! By CHRISTINE SCHEER
TRAVEL
Chianti Culture in Casks Traditions and living history in Panzano, Italy. By ANN M C COLL LINDSAY
40
COOKBOOKS
Screen Doors and Sweet Tea by Gordon Ramsay Reviewed by JENNIFER GAGEL, with Selected Recipes
WINE
Bounty from Prince Edward County By SHARI DARLING
45
BEER
What’s Brewing in Craft Beer Culture By THE MALT MONK
eatdrink
™
RESTAURANTS • RECIPES • WINE • TRAVEL
A Food & Drink Magazine Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario
eatdrinkmag.net
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» Register and receive a monthly email with a link to the free digital edition — more recipes, photos, stories and links. » A virtual magnet for all things culinary — find restaurants, read reviews and much more. Publisher & Advertising Manager Chris McDonell chris@eatdrinkmag.net Office Manager Cecilia Buy Telephone & Fax 519 434-8349 Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 News & Feedback editor@eatdrinkmag.net Contributors Bryan Lavery Melanie North Jane Antoniak Shari Darling Christine Scheer D.R. Hammond Jennifer Gagel Chris McDonell Darin Cook Ann McColl Lindsay
Editorial Advisory Board Bryan Lavery Chris McDonald Cathy Rehberg Copy Editor Melanie North Graphic Design & Layout Hawkline Graphics graphics@eatdrinkmag.net Website Milan Kovar/KOVNET Printing Impressions Printing St. Thomas ON
Copyright © 2008 eatdrink™, Hawkline Graphics and the writers. All rights reserved. Reproduction or duplication of any material published in eatdrink™ or on eatdrinkmag.net™ is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the Publisher. eatdrink™ has a circulation of 10,000 issues published monthly. The views or opinions expressed in the information, content and/or advertisements
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NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
Crunchy Carrots & Tasty Tomatoes By Chris McDonell
I
t was more than 25 years ago when I first resonated with the “Think Globally, Act Locally” slogan, so I am absolutely thrilled to see the related “Eat Local” concept becoming so mainstream. Granted, many have embraced the wisdom of eating locally grown, seasonal produce for reasons other than a concern for social justice. As Bryan Lavery outlines in “A Return to Flavour,” there are myriad valid reasons why “local food” movements have gained traction. Similarly, The Malt Monk notes that beer drinkers are enjoying the local brewing culture. Shari Darling highlights wines from Prince Edward County, our province’s newest wine region. (Although I hear that Huron County has all the ingredients nec-
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essary to usurp the title. That would be exciting!) Christine Scheer, who always offers great seasonal recipes, shares ideas on what to do with the freshly pulled carrots on our front cover. The “Eat Local” excitement is more than a trend. Look for details in the “Buzz,” but eatdrink is looking forward to being at Savour Stratford on the September 20-21 weekend and at the City Farming Project’s annual Tomato Fest in London on September 21. If you want to help celebrate local culinary culture, or just eat some delicious food, please join us.
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issue twelve • september 2008
FOOD WRITER AT LARGE
The Return to Flavour How “Eating Local” is More than Just a Matter of Good Taste By Bryan Lavery
L
ike many people, I started to learn about the importance of local food at a young age by visiting the Royal Winter Agricultural Fair, farmer’s markets, farm stands and a variety of small town fall fairs across Ontario. These experiences left an indelible impression on a young urbanite. They were the first opportunities that I had to get in touch with our local food heritage. “Good things grow in Ontario” — that’s the message Foodland Ontario wants consumers to remember when they go food shopping. It’s a catchy jingle and I recently realized how effective it is when I heard the children of one of my colleagues singing it while at play. After 30 years, Foodland Ontario continues to be a successful promotional program that helps raise consumer awareness and demand for Ontario food products in stores and in restaurants. By promoting and identifying the characteristics of quality Ontario products, Foodland Ontario’s message communicates a vital Ontario food advantage: flavour. This campaign works with all agricultural sectors and builds on the importance of supporting farmers and purchasing fresh, locally grown, quality produce. It also concentrates on the more understated message of trust. When I say trust, I refer to the confidence we place in independent Ontario farmers, in their crops and products, in food safety, and in their contribution to the fabric of Ontario’s food culture and economy. In 2006, 95 of principal grocery shoppers recognized the Foodland Ontario symbol and demonstrated a partiality to purchase Ontario produce. The most significant marketing term for food this past year is the word “local,” now entered in the popular lexicon as a brand for freshness, sea-
sonality, sustainability and quality. The definition of “local” is open to wide interpretation depending on whom you are talking to, but is generally recognized as food grown or produced within a certain radius such as 50, 100 or 150 miles. The term “local” may also be seen from a more conceptual perspective of micro climate and naturally recurring geographic boundaries, as well as referring to an area that grows food for a specific population. Rose Mary White is a farmer, environmentalist, food security activist, project manager and co-founder with Dr. Kathleen McCully of London, Ontario’s three-yearold City Farming Project. Dr. McCully is the City Farming Project’s director, an avid gardener with a commitment to the environment and a long time advocate of accessible healthy food for low income Londoners. The City Farm Project is a sustainable organic farming co-operative and mentorship program that is comprised of over 60 skill-sharing community volunteers and 10 consulting faculty members from the University of Western Ontario. Rose Mary White is a staunch believer in social justice and our entitlement to nutritional integrity and food sovereignty. Food sovereignty, simply put, is our right to control and define what we eat and how we gather food. Many influences helped shape Rose’s ethics and ideology over the years. One of the catalysts that awoke her to the issue of our right to food sovereignty came while accompanying her children on a school trip to see where food originates. The initial surprise was that the destination was a supermarket, not a farm. This led to a second surprise: there was no Ontario produce or fruit available in the supermarket. When I asked Rose to define local, she
september 2008 • issue twelve
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told me that it was anything that traveled less than one hour. But Rose, like me, also believes that we are just beginning to define what local means. Some critics of “local food” movements maintain that eating has evolved from a question of survival to a declaration of elitist principles. Rose Mary White believes, however, that existing food systems and the economic leverage of agri-business, factory farming and megacorporations that dominate the marketplace are instrumental in driving the cycle of famine, depriving certain populations of sufficient food to ensure survival. Like many ethical food movements, Slow Food has attracted its share of detractors, with the movement’s ideals and initiatives striking some as inaccessible and too cerebral. Simply put, Slow Food is a movement that promotes “the right to taste” through its understanding of gastronomy related to politics, agriculture and ecology. Slow Food
and other ethical culinary advocates have helped to popularize the term “local” in their quest to alter consumer behaviour by bringing attention to, and encouraging consumers to think about, the politics of eating locally. Global instability, dependence on other countries, and intelligent economics are among the many good reasons to promote a sustainable local agricultural sector. The term Slow Food is really refers to a few key principles that most people already know about and practice, at least sometimes. I first heard about Slow Food while attending a culinary program in a small town near the Adriatic Sea in Italy, seated with other chefs from Ontario and Quebec in a state-of-the-art culinary amphitheatre. I had gone to increase my knowledge about the local culinary specialties of Emilia-Romagna. What I took away from that experience was so much more. In addition to learning how to make the unique regional specialties and
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developing an appreciation for the locally produced artisanal products, I gained invaluable insight into their culinary traditions. At the same time, I discerned real similarities in food culture, values and philosophies between this traditional Italian cuisine and our own Southwestern Ontario regional gastronomy. Although I was inclined not to serve a tomato out of season in my restaurant, the terms “local” and “seasonal” suddenly had a political connotation when I went into a grocery store and saw less expensive genetically modified California strawberries competing with local strawberries at the height of strawberry season. But the “eat local” movements have gained considerable momentum. Even our local supermarket chains are taking notice and have begun to change their buying strategies in an attempt to make space in their produce aisles for more local seasonal fruits and vegetables. Of course, this is the logical alternative to grocers being handcuffed by
year-round contracts with large wholesale distributors, often thousands of miles away. Yet, as happy as this change in direction makes many of us feel, the reason behind this shift in strategy, I suspect, is not purely altruistic or a response to consumer demand. As fuel costs continue to rise to unprecedented heights, the price of processing, packaging, refrigeration and transport of food to local markets becomes less attractive for retailers. Buying and eating “local” makes more sense not only to the consumer but also to the retailer. Add this to the increasing preference and status that consumers attach to local food, and we can see what has contributed to the success of the “local” movements. Statistics show that grocery store shoppers consider the quality of the produce as most important to them in their choice of supermarkets. Consumer studies also indicate that 50 of women and 39 of men have changed supermarkets based solely based on the consistency and quality of fresh produce.
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Today we depend on a small number of crop species for human nutrition; less than 30 plant species provide 95 of the world’s sustenance. In the past century, 300,000 plant species have become extinct. Since the beginning of the 20th century, North America has lost 93 of its agricultural products. Europe has lost almost 85. An important benefit of local food systems is the encouragement of multiple cropping and the growing of a variety of species and cultivars simultaneously, as opposed to the prevalent commercial practice of large scale single crop plantings. Multiple cropping is the practice of growing two or more crops simultaneously in the same space during the same growing season. For example, a farmer may grow tomatoes, onions and marigolds in the same field. The marigolds repel some pests, reducing or eliminating the farmer’s reliance on com-
mercial pesticides. There is now an interest in reviving and cataloguing the forgotten flavours of heirloom varieties. Heirloom is a term now commonly used to describe a cultivar that has been handed down from one generation to another. Cultivar refers to a plant variety with particular characteristics that has been created or intentionally selected and maintained through cultivation, and when propagated retains its unique attributes. This year London gardeners bought 3,000 organic heirloom tomato plants from The City Farming Project. These plants were started from seed in a donated greenhouse. Farming on three acres of land that people initially didn’t think had any intrinsic value, and in several backyards, the project cultivated 42 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and a wide variety of other vegetables. These almost
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Enjoy fabulous Heirloom Tomatoes at London’s Tomato Fest, September 21.
forgotten tomato varieties are now available at the Covent Garden Market, Western Fair Market, Sullivan’s Old North Market and some of the best restaurants in the city. On Sunday September 21, the City Farming Project will host their annual Tomato Fest at 1350 Wharncliffe Road. The City Farming Project invites everyone who has a prized tomato to be judged by a panel of tasting experts. There will also be a competition of tomato dishes created by local chefs Paul Harding from The Only on King, Wade Fitzgerald from Garlic’s of London,
David Chapman from David’s Bistro, Ian Kennard from Willie’s Café and Joan Brennan from Elegant Catering, along with some surprise culinary guests. The entry fee for this worthy event is a donation of $10. It is interesting to understand why what I call “the return to flavour” has happened. As varieties of fruits and vegetables continued to narrow to only a small number that were considered the most marketable, an interest in reviving homegrown heritage products occurred. In southern Ontario, even local field tomato production was cut in half in
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the late 1990s when it became difficult to compete with low-cost foreign imports and the more lucrative greenhouse varieties that obtain a better price for export. Fruit and vegetable varieties were discarded by big growers, food processors and the fast food restaurant industry because they were not commercially viable. They did not ship well, store well or conform to size, shape, texture or colour standards set by the industry. Many of these heirloom varieties have started making their way back into seed catalogues, local farms, home-based and community gardens and on restaurant menus. The members of the City Farming Project, independent farmers, home and community gardeners and local chefs have in many ways helped to lead this movement in London, not only with a multitude of heirloom tomato varieties but also with various other cultivars. The trend is also helped by consumers’ growing concerns about food safety as recent recalls of imported products like tomatoes, spinach, and sprouts have shaken consumer confidence in products grown by agribusinesses. The inclination to purchase and eat local products has helped resuscitate farmers’ markets and farm food stands as an alternative to grocery store retailers. Still, many of us shop at the local supermarket, where the idea of one-stop shopping, convenience, premium selection and predictable customer service is an expectation that has been firmly entrenched in our consciousness. The evolution of the supermarket in Canada is an interesting story. In Ontario, Loblaws operates under many banners and store formats, including the newer Superstore brand, and seems to be at the forefront in responding to consumer demand and maintaining customer loyalty. When Loblaws opened its first store in Toronto in 1919, they presented a new way of grocery retailing, combining self service with cash and carry. Shoppers no longer had to wait for clerks to retrieve products from behind store counters. There were plenty of naysayers, but within a decade the chain grew to 70 locations. In 1949, Loblaws led a new wave of mod-
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ernization with its “healthfully cool” air conditioning in a new “super market” format that featured “magic carpet” doors that opened automatically for shoppers. In the post war boom of the 1950s, the “super markets” increasingly enlarged to offer more product selection with correspondingly larger parking lots to accommodate their shoppers. Loblaws became a Canadian institution. Pundits have long predicted that the conventional supermarkets, as we know them, are in a state of decline. We can already see some evidence of this in the popularity of boutique food markets and upscale specialty neighbourhood markets such as London’s Sunripe Marketplace and Remark Fresh
Market. This summer, however, Loblaws launched their “Grown Close to Home” tagline and campaign with great success. The advertising, featuring Loblaws’ Executive Chairman and Marketing spokesperson Galen Weston, includes both national and local television spots, print and website promotional material as well as instore signage and product tastings. “The folks who bring you President’s Choice buy more Canadian produce than anyone else in the country,” extols Weston. The television ads show a folksy Weston strolling through real farmers’ fields and orchards alongside the regional people who work the land. These large scale farmers who supply the chain in bulk were cho-
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sen for these ads because they already had long-standing relationships with Loblaws. Some critics suggest that by jumping on this bandwagon, it is just another way for national grocery chains to monopolize the marketplace. It should be said, however, that we are one step closer to the ideal model to which the purists subscribe, by at least buying regional Canadian produce over the imports. During the peak of the Canadian harvest season, Loblaws offers 150 to 180 produce items in Ontario and Quebec stores. The new campaign has about 500 growers supporting the effort across Canada. Before this promotion came into effect, Loblaws is reported to have purchased $750 million of Canadian produce last year. This amounted to roughly a quarter of their total produce purchasing. This year, Loblaws is hoping to increase their produce sales by a further 10, and the “Grown Close to Home” focus is intended to support this sales growth. In August, local stores marketed and featured a variety of samplings that included regional peaches, pears, apples, blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, watermelon and cantaloupe. The coordinators of the Upstairs at Loblaws/Superstore community kitchens, many of them well-known local chefs and accomplished cooks, provide a nationwide program offering group and private cooking classes, as well as a variety of programs aimed at children. These coordinators have been offering cooking demonstrations and samplings featuring “Grown Close to
Home” fruit and vegetables. Mike Venton, Loblaws’ Senior Vice President of Produce says, “Buying Canadian is good for the economy and good for our farmers.” A survey commissioned by Loblaws this past July revealed that 86 of approximately 1,000 Canadian respondents agree that, given the option, they would prefer to buy Canadian produce. I predict, in the not too distant future, the celebrity farmer and producer will have an even more pronounced profile, resulting in an increased influence in reforming the local food systems. Food enthusiasts are now following farmers, the way they follow celebrity chefs. Menus identify the provenance of products, farms and farmers. Things are changing. But here is the good news: the more things change the more they stay the same. We still have the farmer’s markets, fall agricultural fairs, food festivals, farm stands and independent farmers a short distance outside of the city. The Tomato Fest hosted by the City Farming Project on September 23rd is a way to connect with one of the local food movements, meet some farmers and chefs and taste some really flavourful tomatoes. BRYAN LAVERY is a well-known local chef, culinary instructor and former restaurateur. As eatdrink’s “Food Writer at Large,” Bryan shares his thoughts and opinions on a wide spectrum of the culinary beat.
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KITCHENS
Copper is Cookware for Kings By Ann McColl Lindsay
A
t one point, as the swift River Sor control of cooking times and temperatures. cuts through the mountains in It transmits heat evenly so that food bubLanguedoc, its rushing waters probles at the edge of the pan to the same vide forges with power to heat maleable degree as it is bubbling in the centre. One copper sheets that will be formed into of copper’s negative features is its propencookware for the top chefs of France. sity to interact with just about everything. Wedged between the sheer rock face of the Contact with the air causes oxidization and Montagne Noire and the Sor, the village of discolouration of its attractive glowing finDurfort has harnessed its natural resources ish. Salt water is corrosive. Acidic foods to become a centre for manufacturing cop- form a chemical reaction with copper that perware for 500 years. The great kitchen of results in a metallic taste, discolouration of the French Kings at the Palace of Versaille food, and the release of harmful toxins. would have gleamed with rows of Leave tomatoes, wine or lemon-based saucepans, sautés and stock pots made in sauces in an unlined copper vessel and this picturesque town on the edge of the Sor Valley. The name, Durfort, means hard, strong, hallmarks of professional quality copper. It is smelted from the mountain’s ore in village forges, using methods and tools that have remained unchanged over the centuries. Artisans use a heavy tilthammer to shape the pliable metal into classic cookware shapes. We drove up the hillside to witness this whole process in the studios and workshops that turned out to all be closed for the sacrosanct two-hour French lunch break. One of the original coppersmith’s houses has been turned into a museum, with a sign on the door that promised exhibits of older kitchenwares and videos explaining how the copper is manufactured. Thankfully, the stores surrounding the town square remained open, displaying the same wares that are in closed museum and workshops. Whether you come intent on acquiring a coveted piece of cookware or just as an interested tourist, an understanding of the properties of this pricey metal will add a dimension to your visit. Copper reacts immediately to the The town of Durfort, France has been a copperware manufacsource of heat, allowing maximum turing centre for 500 years.
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When faced with shelves of dazzling store displays, narrow your choices to suit your needs.
they will form a green scum. Therefore, you can not safely cook in unlined or badly scratched copper. Tin was for many years the first choice for lining, because tin melts quickly, bonds easily and conducts the heat at as fast a rate as copper. But it can wear off if abused and re-tining is a vanishing art these days. One of our friends, who grew up in India, remembers an itinerant tinsmith wandering from house to house with his charcoal brazier and pot of tin which he would melt and swirl into her mother’s copper cookware. The list of tin-
smiths in Ontario who provide this service is dwindling. Today, linings are generally the more durable nickel, stainless steel or silver. Stainless would not be my first choice since it is a slow heat conductor and negates copper’s main virtue. Unfortunately, silver is prohibitively expensive, making a cookware only affordable for kings. Cleaning presents a challenge. That seductive copper glow turns black when heated, or even as it just collects dust on the kitchen wall. Some less expensive decorative pieces come coated with a clear lacquer
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displays, narrow your choices to suit your needs. A pretty mould makes a maintenance-free kitchen souvenir. If you intend to prepare a succulent boeuf bourguignon, you’ll need the thickest, heaviest weight casserole with forged iron side handles for ease of lifting. Because this good quality is ruinously expensive, we started our collection in English street markets which offer old saucepans with the Understand the properties of copperware. While ideal for many different initials of the original owners purposes, it is not perfect for cooking everything. stamped on the sides. that keep an eternal shine. If you apply Although the lining may be worn, I can at heat, this coating will turn black forever. least own a bit of history. Use acetone and a soft cloth to remove the Over the years, our collection has been lacquer, much as you would take off nail narrowed down to a useful batterie de cuipolish, then clean regularly. A cut lemon sine that can serve as a copper buying dipped into a dish of salt works as well as guide. A double boiler with a porcelain commercial products. insert makes a handsome addition to a bufWhen faced with shelves of dazzling store fet, holding sauce at the correct tempera-
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ture in its water bath. An au gratin is perfect for heating and presenting cheese-topped vegetables, a flambé pan adds drama to rolled crepes on special occasions. None of these pieces need to be of the heaviest quality as they are rarely subjected to the rigours of intense heat. We did invest in a thick sauteuse that David uses for making curries and his yearly ratatouille. My most frequently used piece is an unlined copper egg beating bowl. As the beaters brush against the copper, a slight amount of acid is released, helping the egg whites to rise and stiffen. Preserving pans are also unlined because the melting point of tin is lower than the boiling point of sugar and copper keeps the berries bright for jams. A friend brought me a copper Eiffel Tower cookie cutter back from Las Vegas, the modern Versailles where wealthy kings still buy copper. ANN MCCOLL LINDSAY is a London-based writer and an inveterate world traveller with her painter/photographer husband David Lindsay. For 30 years, they owned and
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Time and usage add to the charm of copper pots.
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NEW AND NOTABLE
The BUZZ Compiled by Chris McDonell
T
he 2nd Annual Stratford Garlic Festival will be held on Saturday, September 13. The festival showcases local Ontario garlic and garlic-related foods and crafts. A fun day for the whole family, with local growers, cooking demonstrations from well-known chefs such as Antony John and lots of garlic samples (try some garlic fudge or a garlic shooter!), with entertainment throughout the day with music by local musicians such as Ali Matthews. Hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Stratford, the cost is $5 or $12 for a family. Location: The Stratford Fairgrounds, 20 Glastonbury Drive, 9 am-4 pm. For more info go to www.stratfordgarlicfestival.com. Stratford is devoting the weekend of September 20-21 to the Savour Stratford Culinary Festival, celebrating over 150 years in the art of slow food while the renowned Stratford Chefs School, marks its 25th Anniversary Alumni gathering. Savour Stratford will be set in the heritage district of York Street and in the heart of Stratford's beautiful garden district, where renowned chefs and the best of local Perth County food artisans will celebrate together to create two days of tastings and the savouring of the best cuisine of the season. On Saturday, September 20, over 35 food makers will create a one-of-a-kind outdoor
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farmers' market set along the banks of the Avon River. Local artisanal cheeses, breads, preserves, sausages and meats combined with fresh local fruits and vegetables will entice gourmet food lovers. The best local artists and craftspeople will compliment the day devoted to featuring the best of Perth County. Up the hill, legendary Perth County pork will be sizzling on outdoor Bar-B-Qs all afternoon long with free outdoor concerts by county musicians. On Sunday, the York Street Tasting (limited tickets, $55, 1-800-561-7926) will pair over 30 locals and alumni of the Stratford Chefs School with Perth County farmers to create a bucolic afternoon of al fresco sampling of gourmet creations, Ontario wines and craft beers to the sounds of jazz under marquee tents set upon historic York St. Confirmed guests and chefs include: Paul Finkelstein from the Food Network Canada's "FINK�; Neil Baxter, from the Food Network Canada's “Chefs School" and Chef de Cuisine of the Stratford Chefs School and Rundles Restaurant; Anthony John of Soiled Reputation and the Food Network's "Manic Organic"; Margaret Webb, author of Oysters to Apples; Ancaster Old Mill Chef, Jeff Crump; Ultimate Food for Ulitmate Health Author Mairlyn Smith; and Food Sleuth and renowned food writer Marion Kane.
.O STRANGERS HERE *UST FRIENDS YOU HAVE YET TO MEET
september 2008 • issue twelve
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The culinary festival is a not-for-profit collaboration of the Stratford Tourism Alliance, the Stratford Chefs School, Slow Food Perth, Perth County Visitors' Association and Canadian Organic Growers. Go to www.fallforstratford.com/savour for more information.
addition, Ann will gladly share information on how you too can have “fresh from the garden” salads until the snow flies. On October 21, Soups will be led by Diane O’Shea, who was inspired by a recent trip to Switzerland and the 100th Congress for the International Federation of Home Economics. Diane will prepare a soup adapted from one that farm families make when taking
McCully’s Hill Farm, just outside St. Marys, is hopping, with the Farm Market retail store bursting with fresh produce. October weekends will feature special events, including the Great Canadian Pumpkin Toss, horse-drawn wagon rides through the colourful sugar bush and into the barns to see the livestock. More information coming soon. Check the website at www.mccullys.ca. The Friendship Centre and St. Marys Farmers Market are conducting a series of creative food sessions designed for fun, developing new tastes and learning more about the foods grown, prepared and available locally. The next session is on Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 7-9 pm. Fall Salads will feature organic farmer and St. Marys Farmers Market vendor Ann Slater, who will introduce less common fall greens such as Chinese (Napa) cabbage, escarole, arugula, radicchio, and endive along with the more familiar lettuces, spinach, and mixed green salads. Ann will provide ideas, recipes and samples for pairing her fall greens with other seasonal fruit and vegetables such as pears, apples, carrots and turnips in delicious and refreshing fall salads. In
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Savour Stratford September 20 & 21st, 2008 Set in heritage York Street and in the heart of Stratford’s beautiful garden district, celebrate our renowned chefs, the 25th Anniversary of the Stratford Chefs School and the best of local Perth County food artisans. Savour and taste the best cuisine of the season.
Saturday & Sunday September 20 & 21 The Best of Perth County • Saturday morning Farmers’ Market • Arts and Crafts Fair • Perth County BBQ • Outdoor Concerts
Sunday, September 21 York Street Tasting* • Over 30 local chefs paired with Perth County farmers to create gourmet creations • Ontario wines and craft beers • Jazz artists and more *Ticketed venue, $55 per Adult, limited capacity Call 1-800-561-7926 for tickets
www.fallforstratford.com/savour THE STRATFORD CITIZEN
The Sunnivue Farmstore Organic Meat and Produce
OPEN EVERY SATURDAY Until December, 10am-5pm
HOME DELIVERY Please call for more info.
Organic Vegetables & Herbs Fresh-Cut & Dried Flowers Beef, Veal & Pork Eggs & Beeswax Candles Home-Made Bread & Buns Maple Syrup, Honey & Jam All Subject to Seasonal Availability
Here’s one of the many ways to Sunnivue: Take Richmond St. to Elginfield and turn left on Route 7. Continue to Ailsa Craig and turn left in the middle of
town on Queen (which becomes Petty St.) Turn right on New Ontario Rd., a short distance outside of town, and drive about 1 km. to Sunnivue, on the left.
www.sunnivue-farm.on.ca
519-232-9096
Stratford is more than great theatre. “I made a delicious discovery: Stratford has a culinary obsession. And, for me, finding what I call a ’food town’ is a rare and magnificent thing ... You’ve got a place that feeds all the senses. I savour Stratford’s every delectable moment.” — Marion Kane, Food Writer (Dish: Memories, Recipes and Delicious Bites) www.marionkane.com
WWW.FOSTERSINN.COM
111 D o w n i e S t r e e t , S T R AT F O R D 1- 8 8 8 - 7 2 8 - 5 5 5 5 Just steps away from Theatre
l e z t i Schn the
HOUSE
Schnitzel POUNDED DAILY
Fresh Homemade Variety of Schnitzels Rouladen • Vegetarian • Seafood
107 Downie Street • Stratford (Next door to the Avon Theatre)
519-275-3266
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SHELDON RUSSELL CHEF/PROPRIETOR
34 Brunswick Street in Stratford behind the Avon Theatre keystonealley.com Reservations 519.271.5645
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The BUZZ
Continued from Page 17.
cows up into the mountains to pasture, featuring assorted vegetables, fresh herbs, cream and cheese. In another venue, she will make a cold strawberry soup that is easily frozen and perfect for holiday entertaining. Both sessions will be held at The Friendship Centre, 317 James St. S, St. Marys. Cost
issue twelve • september 2008
is $15 per session, and advance registration is required. Call Allyson at the Friendship Centre at 519-284-3272, x 639 or Cherie Thompson from the Farmers Market at 519229-8575. The King Edward in Ilderton has a new wine list, with more focus on Ontario VQA wines. Also new: a wine feature board, highlighting weekly specials. The Wilberforce Inn in Lucan will be closed until September 26. Proprietors Irene and Tony Demas are touring Croatia, France and Greece, visiting wineries and gathering new ideas for their fall menu. In the heart of London’s Wortley Village, the well-received Black Walnut Bakery Café has completed an expansion, with seating in the room formerly occupied by the kitchen. The kitchen has doubled in size, allowing for more goodies by midSeptember, including the return of the much-praised house-made pizza.
Fair Trade Organic Coffee Hand Crafted Pastries 134 Wortley Road Wortley Village
519.850.2253
Tomato Fest 2008, hosted by the City Farming Project takes place Sunday, September 21, at 1350 Wharncliffe Rd. Tomato competitions, a fantastic Chef “Cook-Off” and some surprise guests, and a bargain with a suggested entry fee donation of $10. Directions: On Wharncliffe Road S., watch for the Weldwood Antique sign, just past the Bad Boys store, south of Southdale Rd. Blue Ginger Lounge and Grille is offering a “Learn to Roll Sushi” Night on Wednesday,
Katafnéa Ka
“A little out of the way, A lot out of the ordinary!”
519-455-9005 Lunch 11 to 3 (7 days a week) Dinner 5 to 10 (Wed to Sun) Breakfast 9 to 12 (Sat & Sun)
2530 Blair Rd, London Diamond Flight Centre
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October 8. Learn to roll their signature appe- music; and (10) Canadian Harvest Night tizer “Fire and Ice,” or create your own Sushi (Nov. 13) with fiddler music. with their chef. Reservations at 519-434-5777. The price per person, each evening, is $75 plus taxes and gratuities. Reservations Heart-Links invites you to their 6th Annual can be made by calling Felipe Gomes at 519-435-0616. Dinner & Live Auction, Saturday, October 18, 2008, at Tony's Banquet Hall, 2520 Trafalgar St. Auction preview and cash bar SLOME (Skills London Middlesex Oxford begin at 6 pm, Dinner at 7 pm. Tickets are Elgin), a career exploration organization $50.00 (tax receipt for $25 provided) and for high school students, is conducting a are available from Rosemary at 519-642Pastry Challenge on Saturday night, 2995 or Anne at 519-686-3804. Funds raised help support Heart-Links and their part“A fabulous new restaurant ners in Peru. NOW in Komoka” OPEN Aroma Mediterranean Restaurant has begun its 2008 International Fall Harvest Series. For 10 consecutive Thursday evenings, Aroma is featuring 10 prominent food and wine destinations from around the world. Each Night includes five dishes, five wines, a talk from a wine connoisseur, a menu pairing explanation from the Executive Chef and live entertainment. The harvest journey will begin in the Middle East with (1) a Hebrew Harvest Night, (Sept. 11) with Israeli wines, cuisine and live Yiddish music, followed by: (2) Portuguese Harvest Night (Sept. 18), with Fado music; (3) Spanish Harvest Night (Sept. 25) with Flamenco; (4) Italian Harvest Night (Oct. 2) with Opera; (5) Australian Harvest Night (Oct. 9) with sounds of Australia; (6) Argentina Harvest Night (Oct. 16) with Tango; (7) South African Harvest Night (Oct. 23) with African Music; (8) Greek Harvest Night (Oct. 30) with Greek Bouzouki music; (9) French Harvest Night (Nov. 6) with French Accordion “A sacred place where we celebrate life and each other with joy, warmth, good food and drink.”
www.mykonosrestaurant.ca
— London Free Press
Upscale Food in a Casual Atmosphere OPEN 7 DAYS a Week
Jefferies Rd, Komoka NLR (lights @ Vanneck & Jefferies Rd)
--
mykonos restaurant and takeout Garden Patio Open Daily
Bringing
GREECE to
London for Over Years
30
e Original Home of th We Host Parties • From to • We Know How!
English s & Chip
Fish
adelaide street, london
-- Monday-Saturday: am-pm • Sunday: am-pm
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issue twelve • september 2008
November 15. Judge the delectable delights of high schools from across the Thames Valley Region at the Spencer Leadership Centre, 551 Windermere Road, London. Tickets are $25. More info at 519-672-3499 or www.localboard.on.ca.
Justin Wolfe has been promoted to Sous Chef at Garlic’s of London. Chef Wade Fitzgerald also passes on news that he has a variety of heirloom tomatoes on September’s menu, thanks to the gardens of the City Farming Project.
The Alex P. Keaton has a new chef, Matt Allen, who is featuring local ingredients in weekly fall food specials to complement a new pub menu. This is also a place where you can ask your server about which beer goes well with your menu selection. As well, you can also enjoy Beats and Eats, the silky smooth textures of DJ Sope's incredible collection of rare jazz, stylistic hip hop and ultra sweet mixes on Thursdays and Fridays.
The Rail Bar & Grill opened to brisk business two months ago in Komoka. Owned by Chef Chris Meloche, formerly of JJ’s Bistro and the JLC, and Chris Wesley, the restaurant’s railway theme is accentuated by artifacts from the Komoka Railway Museum. Casual but with a somewhat upscale menu featuring local, fresh ingredients. 22425 Jefferies Rd. at Vanneck, 519-474-7245.
The Best Western Lamplighter Inn & Conference Centre, home to Smitty’s until sometime next month, has undergone a massive renovation to create a beautiful new restaurant and lounge. Word has it “behind the scenes” is just as impressive, with a state of the art kitchen now in place.
The Optimist Club of Middlesex-London will hold its 6th annual Lobsterfest on Saturday November 1 at the Thames Room, Education Centre, 1250 Dundas Street, London. The event features fresh, live lobsters flown in from Clearwater Seafood of Nova Scotia along with a full beef buffet of salads, potato and dessert. Live East Coast and
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Jambalaya is Jump-upWorld Cuisine — From MILD to WILD Vegan Selections available 646 Richmond Street, London
519-858-2000
www.jambalayarestaurant.com
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contemporary music by The Back Alley Orchestra of Toronto. Kiss the cod and have a great night in a casual atmosphere. Tickets are $55 per person or $30 for those who prefer not to have lobster. Contact Don Collyer at Londex@sympatico.ca.
mine Rice. For dessert: coconut ice cream with banana wonton and tropical fruit salsa for dessert. Reservations are required (519238-6224). Cost is $62/person plus tax and gratuity. Check www.finearestaurant.com for details about future events this fall.
Dinner Revolution, “the make, take and bake” service for those pressed for time, continues to offer Organic Selections this month, along with its regular lineup of dinner entrée options. Free assembly is also available. The organic meat is provided by Field Gate Organics.
Choco-Licious, a new chocolate and specialty food shop, opened in August in Parkhill, creating an increasingly interesting strip of locally owned stores in the community north of London. The initial response has been exciting. Owned and operated by Cauline Watters of Delaware and her family, Mark, Paula, Brandy and Dustin Watters along with their spouses, the family business features a delicious line of sweets, Rootham’s salad dressings, dips and other condiments and jams. There are also treats for four-legged family members, with uniquely shaped dog biscuits dipped in doggie-safe “chocolate”. Located at 243 Main St., right next to Sharon’s ladies wear shop, making for a perfect one-two combination for those on a road trip. 519-294-0200.
In a final salute to summer, Grand Bend’s FINE, A Restaurant, offers a Hawaiian Luau, on Friday, September 19. Chefs Erryn Shepard and Ben Sandwith’s tropical menu which includes crab pot stickers, grilled baby back pork ribs with Hawaiian style BBQ sauce, Sesame Tempura fried Big Eye Tuna, Grilled Pineapple sorbet, Macadamia nut crusted lamb chop with coconut shrimp and Papaya Spiked Jas-
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Downtown London’s Best Kept Secret A relaxing atmosphere, a site overlooking the Thames River, the elegance of a Baby Grand and Golden Plate Award-winning maitre d’extraordinaire Jack DiCarlo and staff have made Michael’s on the Thames one of the finest dining rooms in London. With tableside cooking, flambéed desserts and coffees, the restaurant specializes in continental cuisine. Private Rooms Perfect for Bridal Parties and Rehearsal Dinners Group-set Menus to Suit Any Budget Affordable Lunches - Monday to Friday Open for Dinner Every Day 1 York Street (Just West of Ridout, Only 2 blocks from the John Labatt Centre)
519-672-0111
www.michaelsonthethames.com Pianist Tuesday to Sunday Evenings Plenty of FREE Parking Gift Certificates Available
Celebra ting
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YEARS of Exce lle Ser vice nt
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issue twelve • september 2008
The Black Dog Pantry, a fine food shop located next door to The Black Dog Village Pub & Bistro in Bayfield, is the home of cookbook author Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh. She has published 8 cookbooks including Simply The Best: Food and Wine from Ontario’s Finest Inns, New Celtic Cooking and A Year in Niagara. She opened the pantry last July and it has met with a welcome response from locals and cottagers looking for cheeses, oils, vinegars, coffees, teas, pastas and rice, items often hard to find outside of major centres. Sloan-McIntosh works side by side with her sommelier husband, Ted McIntosh, who operates the pub and bistro (www.blackdogpubbistro.ca).
for Italy’s Fumanelli Wines. $100 per person, for five courses with wines. Menu details are at www.littleinn.com/events. For a romantic weekend getaway, the Inn also offers twonight Gastronomy packages that include à la carte dinner on Friday, Winemaker’s Dinner on Saturday and hot country breakfasts each day. Reservations at 1-800-565-1832. The Author Dinner Date will be held November 14. Enjoy a 4-course dinner at while being entertained by two engaging authors. Andrew Pyper, author of The Killing Circle and a second author as yet unconfirmed, will join you at your table for questions and book signings. Dinner event tickets are $55 and are available from The Village Bookshop (519-565-5600). Special room rates are available for that evening.
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The Little Inn of Bayfield has begun its Fall 2008 Winemaker’s Dinner Series. Chef Joseph Watters has designed specific menus for the events which occur most Saturday nights in the fall. Sommelier Darren Erb has 10 of Niagara’s top winemakers lined up to host an evening, with one evening for his own favourites, and another
Does your business or organization have news to share? Don’t forget to be part of creating the buzz. Email interesting local culinary news to: editor@eatdrinkmag.net CHRIS MCDONELL is Publisher of eatdrink.
september 2008 • issue twelve
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ELGIN COUNTY BUZZ
Celebrate the Harvest Compiled by Debra Bagshaw
N
othing captures the feeling of autumn and the traditions of Elgin County’s agricultural areas like fall festivals. Clovermead Bees & Honey celebrates with tons of family fun related to honey, plus a maze made of Chapman’s Honey Plant, during the Honey Harvest Festival, Saturdays in September. Visit www.clovermead.com for details. Rush Creek Wines is holding its 12th Annual Harvest Festival on the September 20-21 weekend. Enjoy wine and cheese sampling, “Cobblestones Country Emporium” with the artwork of Shelley McVittie, horse drawn wagon rides, a corn maze and live entertainment. You can even bring a glass of Rush Creek wine. Go to food to cook on their barbecue as you enjoy www.rushcreekwines.com for details.
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Ferguson’s Produce invites you to bring old clothes and create a scarecrow at their 14th Annual Scarecrow Festival every weekend in October, including Thanksgiving Monday. They also have an “Eat Fresh, Buy Local” themed corn maze, corn stalks and straw bales for decorating, face painting, pumpkins and refreshments. For information, contact 519-631-6589. Heritage Line Herbs has a full day of activities planned for the Fall Festival and Herb Sale on Saturday October 4. Garden tours, demonstrations, wagon rides, pick your own pumpkins and gourds, food samples and barbecue are available. Heritage Line also has a new cookbook, Cooking with Herbs, so this would be a great opportunity to learn, taste, buy some herbs and take the cookbook home for fall cooking inspiration. Their website is www.heritagelineherbs.com.
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Empire Valley Farm Market features the ‘Stop N’ Go’ Corn Maze, with 10-foot-tall roads of corn. They also have autumn produce, everything you need to make salsa, and can supply you with their very tasty salsa recipe. Visit www.empirevalleyfarms.com for more info. Shutters on the Beach has impressed Port Bruce residents and beach visitors alike this summer. Their menu includes burgers and dogs prepared with attention to quality and detail that puts them a cut above the usual. There are also some alternative dining choices, such as yellow perch pan-fried in herbed butter, Seasonal Greens Salad (greens with cherry tomatoes, candied walnuts, cranberries, goat cheese and honey-mustard vinaigrette), plus a fabulous homemade blueberry crisp. Owner-Chefs Cynthia and Jonathan Collins are both graduates of Le Cordon
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Bleu Paris in Ottawa and worked stints at the Prime Minister’s residence. Diners are also treated to live jazz music on Fridays. They plan to stay open year-round. For more info, visit www.shuttersonthebeach.ca.
nearly finished and will be ready for next year. She notes, “Our last six weeks are filled with fresh local produce, meat, baked goods and local artisans. Customers are coming from as far away as Guelph to enjoy our friendly atmosphere and great range of produce.”
The Horton Farmer’s Market in St. Thomas continues to attract loyal customers and new fans, and will be open until November 1. Sharon Little, market manager, reports that the new indoor market building is
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DEBRA BAGSHAW is the Editor and Publisher of Relish Elgin magazine and can be reached at: editor@relishelgin.ca
Celebrating all that Elgin County has to offer! Home & Garden Food & Dining Arts & Recreation In Print & Online
www.relishelgin.ca Summer edition now at businesses throughout Elgin County and online.
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issue twelve • september 2008
RESTAURANTS
Walker’s is a Tradition to Savour By Melanie North
F
ive years ago, restaurant manager Rob Pouliot bought a London institution. Walker’s Restaurant and fish & chips have been synonymous for over 60 years in London. “I wanted to be self-employed and started looking into Walkers,” recalls Pouliot. “I realized it was fish & chips.” Originally from New Brunswick, Pouliot had spent many years in London managing restaurants and wanted to open something of his own. When former owner Jeff Duncan decided to sell his Wellington St. and Sherwood Forest Mall locations, Pouliot stepped up. He bought the Wellington location and, nine months later, the Sherwood Forest store, which re-opened as Robbie Walkers Fish & Chips. Pouliot says it has been a work in progress these last five years. Trying to make the right changes, yet keep the restaurant the same, has been a challenge. The décor still has the flavour of a diner, but at the Wellington loca-
tion where we chatted, he has recently taken out the centre row of booths and replaced them with tables, making it easier for large parties to gather together. Booths remain against the wall and at the front, and by the window is a counter with stools where you can eat and survey the streetscape, while a large Betty Boop doll overlooks the corner tables. Most critical to the ambiance: the place is bustling. The menu, according to Pouliot, was an adventure. While he wanted to keep it the same, for financial reasons he was compelled to add a few items for non-fish lovers. Currently, he has seven different kinds of poutine, and ten different burgers. Pouliot is constantly tinkering with the menu because he wants to “deliver the best.” He tests items, gets feedback from staff and customers, and if it isn’t up to scratch it comes off the menu. And everything here is made from scratch. Yes, real
Walker’s has offered traditional fish and chips for over 60 years.
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The vibrant interior evokes a folksy charm and style well suited to the menu.
bacon is fried on the premises for your Caesar salads. “It’s easy to buy ingredients and product from suppliers,” says Pouliot, “but when you put down a plate of fish or a dessert in front of someone, and they say ‘Wow,’ well, that’s important to me.” Pouliot realized early on that people have high expectations of their food at Walkers, “so I started getting passionate about fish. There is nothing between the fish and its coating. No dough, just simple. It’s about the integrity of the food and we work hard to be the best.” Walkers may not have the ideal location or great parking, or a large space for that matter, but what it does have is dedicated customers and great fish and chips. On a Tuesday, the place was packed and Pouliot pointed out a few couples who regularly show up on a specific night of the week for their fish dinner. “The great thing about Walkers,” he says, “is that anyone working here, anyone in the kitchen, they all believe that a plate of fish is not just a plate of fish. We are not fine dining, we are not fast food. What we do, we do it well.” Walkers offers halibut, haddock, cod or pollock fish and chips and a variety of
seafood sides and starters such as breaded clam strips or shrimp. If you prefer, the burgers are charbroiled, all beef quarter pounders—just beef, no fillers. Add a fantastic hand-blended milkshake (I can personally recommend the creamsicle ’shake). It’s made with hard ice cream, syrup and fresh milk, the final ingredient to a great dinner. MELANIE NORTH is a seasoned communications professional with experience in broadcast TV, corporate video, website development, communications strategy, writing and editing. She can’t cook, but loves to eat!
Walker’s Restaurant 223 Wellington Street, London 519-439-7921 monday to saturday, 11am-8pm sundays, 3pm-8pm Robbie Walker’s Fish & Chips 1225 Wonderland Rd N, Sherwood Forest Mall 519-657-1684 open daily from 4pm-9pm www.robbiewalkers.com eat-in, pick-up or delivery available.
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issue twelve • september 2008
SPOTLIGHT
Foraging Now Easier in Bayfield By Jane Antoniak
T
he image of a person out foraging for food may seem like something from long ago—yet the concept has vibrantly come to fruition in Bayfield in the form of a new shop: Forager Foods. Owner Sam Gundy, former innkeeper of The Little Inn and co-owner of The Ritz Café in Bayfield, has parlayed the ancient skill of foraging for food into a shop concept for discerning market customers who appreciate fresh, regional products that are typically unavailable in standard grocery stores. Forager Foods opened last May on Highway 21 near the main entrance to Bayfield. Gundy’s concept has met with a strong, positive response from locals, seasonal cottagers and tourists. His small shop provides a wide variety of fresh meats, poultry, cheeses and produce along with frozen “gourmet-to-go” items concocted with help from his brother, Ben Gundy, who is also Executive Chef at Jacobs & Co in Toronto. Typical in the butcher counter on a given day are marinated beef and sausage kabobs, seasoned pork medallions, wagyu beef burgers and a variety of sausage, chicken and beef cuts. Frozen foods include pastas and sauces, pot pies, stews and curries, all made with items from the shop. The Gundys, with help from Sam’s wife
Forager Foods has been warmly welcomed in Bayfield.
Sara, stock the shop with traditionally grown foods from the region and beyond. Many products are also organically grown and all come directly from the farm gate and from producers Gundy has met in his many years of working in the food industry in Huron County. He then further prepares the products into tasty, ready-to-grill products that he dispenses with handy cooking tips, typical of a man who has spent most of his life working in a kitchen. “The access to local foods was key,” says Gundy. “Huron County and the surrounding communities are Ontario’s most productive agricultural region. Out of here comes a tremendous amount of livestock, poultry, market produce and dairy products. I got the idea to open the store when I noticed, while working in restaurants, that the dishes with local products were the most interForager Foods Owner Sam Gundy, although only 30 years old, has years of food industry experience in Huron County.
september 2008 • issue twelve
esting to clients—and they asked the most questions about those dishes. I watched that trend and decided that a shop could meet those needs for people who also enjoying cooking at home with the best ingredients.” When Gundy isn’t in the shop he is on the road, travelling to his favourite suppliers such as a Mennonite market producer in the Benmiller area or to Metzger meats in Hensall. He travels regularly between Grand Bend, Goderich, Seaforth and Stratford as well as sourcing artisan cheeses from Ontario and Quebec. Gundy stocks more than 20 cheeses and prides himself in being able to pair cheeses with other foods similar to the way a sommelier would pair wines. His goal is to offer a cheese program, with training for serving staff, to local restaurants. “People understand that good food is all about the ingredients,” says Gundy. “If it is grown well, with care being taken, then it is good for the body.” The Gundys are part of a new group of younger food entrepreneurs in Huron County. Sam was recently named to the “Top 30 Under 30” by the Ontario Hosterly Institute for promoting hospitality in the province. And now that he has just turned 30, and has also decided to raise a young family in his hometown of Bayfield, he says he is ready to push his interest in food to new levels. “It was a little risky to try this new solo venture,” he admits, “but I am at the point in my life where I can work hard, and it is fun. It is inspiring to meet the suppliers— they are so passionate about what they do—and I love to reflect that passion in the foods we sell.” Forager Foods 2 Main Street, Bayfield 519-565-4866 www.foragerfoods.ca Open daily, year round. JANE ANTONIAK is a former TV, radio and print journalist who lives in London and enjoys spending summer near the water with her partner, children and friends. She operates Antoniak Communications, providing media and public relations consulting.
FALL 2008
Winemaker’s Dinner Series Chef Joseph Watters has designed Five-Course Dinner menus for each of these special Saturday nights at The Little Inn. Top Niagara winemakers host most evenings, with one night for Sommelier Darren Erb’s own Niagara favourites, and one for Italy’s famous Fumanelli Wines. Sept 13 Angels Gate Winery Sept 20 Flat Rock Cellars Sept 27 Darren’s Conundrum: Our Sommelier's Favourite Niagara Wines 100 per person, Oct 4 Fielding Estate Winery courses with wines. Oct 18 Henry of Pelham Menu details at Oct 25 Chateau des Charmes www.littleinn.com/events. Nov 1 Pelee Island Winery Reservations Required Nov 8 Rief Winery Nov 15 Vineland Estates Winery 1.800.565.1832 Nov 22 Fumanelli Wines Nov 29 Peninsula Ridge Estate Winery
Chef Joseph Watters, as seen on the cover of the Summer Issue of eatdrink magazine.
Main Street, Bayfield ON www.littleinn.com
A Real Country Inn... In a Heritage Village... On a Great Lake.
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SEASONAL RECIPES
What’s Up, Doc? Carrots! By Christine Scheer
C
arrots are such a friendly and easy vegetable. Everyone loves their crunchy texture and sweet flavour, and with their super food status—they are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds—who can, or would want to, resist their charm? This is the time of year to enjoy your fill of this ancient Asian vegetable. With locally grown carrots in abundance, you will certainly notice a difference in flavour and freshness from the weary overwintered and lack-lustre crop left from last year. When shopping for carrots, your best opportunity for freshness is to find them at your local Farmers’ Market. Choose those that are firm, smooth and brightly coloured. The deeper the orange colour, the more beta-carotene is present in the carrot. Quite often, carrots are sold with their tops on as an indicator of their freshness. This is wonderful, as the tops are also edible, but when it comes to storing your carrots for a longer period of time, remove the green tops. They steal moisture from the carrot itself and if left on will cause the carrot to wilt and wither prematurely. Carrots also should be stored away from apples, pears, potatoes or any other fruits or vegetables that emit ethylene gas, as it will cause them to become bitter. If you are buying organic carrots, it is not necessary to peel them before you eat them. If the carrots are conventionally grown, however, you should definitely peel them, as the skin will have absorbed any chemicals or pesticides applied to the soil. Ditto for all root vegetables, actually. Carrots make a quick snack, and an easy addition to many dishes—grated on top of a salad, or grated as a salad themselves, with a few raisins and nuts tossed in for good measure. Their natural sweetness
adds dimension to many sauces, soups, muffins and desserts. It makes good sense for us to find ways to include this super nutritious vegetable in our daily diet. Here are a couple of recipes to make it easier.
Spiced Carrot Soup This easy soup combines the zingy flavours of ginger, lemon grass, and fish sauce, key flavours that have made South East Asian food so popular. 2 Tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh ginger, peeled and minced 2 hot peppers, seeded and minced (I used jalapeño, but you can choose a hotter one if desired) 2 stalks lemon grass, dried parts peeled off, root cut off, stem smashed to release flavour, and then cut into 2-3 inch lengths 6 cups (1500 mL) carrots, peeled and chopped 4 cups (1L) chicken or vegetable stock 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce ½ cup (125 mL) natural peanut butter 2 cups (500 mL) coconut milk Salt and pepper, to taste Pinch cayenne pepper
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¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh cilantro ¼ cup (60 mL) roasted peanuts, chopped
GLAZE ½ cup (125 mL) 35 cream 8 oz (250 g) dark chocolate (50 -70 cocoa), chopped
1 In a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, hot pepper, and one of the lemon grass stalks. Cook for another 3 minutes. 2 Add carrots, stock, and fish sauce to pot, bring to the boil, and then lower heat to medium-low, cover and let cook until carrots are soft, about 10 minutes, depending on how large the pieces of carrot are. 3 Remove the pieces of lemon grass, and transfer soup to the bowl of a food processor, or use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth. Return to pot and whisk in peanut butter and coconut milk. Let soup simmer with the second piece of lemon grass immersed in it. 4 Taste the soup and season accordingly with salt, pepper, and cayenne. 5 Serve soup sprinkled with chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro. Serves eight.
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1 Heat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. 2 In a medium size bowl, sift together the flour with the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. 3 In another, larger, bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until pale yellow. Beat in the sugar, and then slowly beat in the oil, and finally the vanilla. Stir in the carrots, apple, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and dark chocolate chips. Stir in the dry ingredients, stirring just until thoroughly mixed. 4 Scrape batter into prepared bundt pan, and bake for approximately 50-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, and then invert onto wire rack to cool completely. 5 Meanwhile make glaze: In a saucepan set over medium high heat, bring cream to
Chocolate Carrot Cake Carrot cake is always a huge hit. This is a twist on the classic, adding iron rich dark chocolate, crunchy and healthy walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Sure to be a hit with any dark chocolate addict. 2½ cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour ½ cup (125 mL) cocoa powder 2½ tsp (12.5 mL) baking powder 1½ tsp (7.5 mL) baking soda 1 tsp (5 mL) salt ¼ tsp (1.25 mL) nutmeg 1 tsp 95 mL) cinnamon 3 eggs 1½ cups (375 mL) granulated sugar 1 cup (250 mL) canola oil 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla 2 cups (500 mL) grated carrots 2 cups (500 mL) grated apple ½ cup (125 mL) walnuts, chopped ¼ cup (60 mL) pumpkin seeds ¼ cup (60 mL) unsalted sunflower seeds 1½ cup (275 mL) dark chocolate chips (or 1 250 g package)
the boil, remove from heat and stir in chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly, and then pour over cooled cake. Makes one cake, serves 12-16. CHRISTINE SCHEER is a chef who lives with her family on an organic farm. She currently runs the Oakridge Superstore cooking school. Her passions include using seasonal, local ingredients and teaching children how to cook. You can reach Christine at: dolwayorganicgarden@sympatico.ca.
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issue twelve • september 2008
TRAVEL
Chianti Culture in Casks By Ann McColl Lindsay
I
n a dining room 500 meters up in the hills near Panzano, some of Italy’s finest achievements in ceramic art, wine production, food and film-making synthesized for us around the table. We were paying guests at Villa le Barone, owned by the Della Robbia family since the 16th century and set among vineyards that produce its own Chianti Classico label. The proprietor, Duchessa Franca Visconti Viviania Della Robbia had married into the branch of the aristocratic Visconti family that had produced Luchino Visconti, the director of one of my favorite films, Death in Venice. Over the dining room table, a delicate iron chandelier hung from a wreath of porcelain lemons, grapes, and clusters of green leaves, the work of an earlier Della Robbia, famed for his ceramics. That evening our host, S. Guerrieri, poured the first glasses of the current year’s Le Barone, to accompany a refreshingly light pasta
dish in an uncooked sauce. When we asked to meet the chef, he introduced us to his wife, Norma. She was proud to explain how to chop the fresh tomatoes, shred leaves of basil, cut little squares of buffalo mozzarella, add a sprinkling of parmesan and olive oil, toss it all in a large pasta bowl then tip in piping hot, strained pasta, which melts the cheeses and blends the flavours. When I asked permission to write her recipe in my small food and drinks journal, she beamed and offered to make a few more of her specialties. The next evening, her son Fernando proudly carried a large round platter directly from the oven to our table. His mother wished us to see her famous ricotta tart intact. It was not the customary openfaced quiche, but a delicately formed envelope of light pastry completely sealed, with concentric circles of pastry decorating the
The Italian countryside.
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top. The filling was as light as the crust, containing the Italian staples: ricotta cheese, eggs and cubes of prosciutto. Fernando poured a pleasant dry white from the Arezzo region, Santa Vittoria. Norma must have spent all afternoon in the kitchen to produce her Italian version of coffee cake, presented on a rectangular silver platter. The thick coffee cream is layered between very thin slices of liquored genoise sponge. A geometric arrangement of whole roasted coffee beans decorated the top of the cream. As we discussed films and food with our host over espresso, he produced one of the only 20 bottles of vinsanto made at the villa that year. He compared it appropriately to bride’s tears— sweet and pure. He explained that, unlike commercial bottles, the contadinos on private estates do not use additives to hasten fermentation. To produce these 20 bottles, they had sacrificed enough grapes for 80 bottles of wine. We thought it was worth it.
When Fernando discovered our interest in the Barone wine label, he made a generous offer the next morning after breakfast. “Would you care to go down under the villa into our cellars?” With every stumbling step along a stone tunnel, we shed a century, descending through time into a cool, musty chamber. The antique wine press in the corner had been powered by man and bull for many generations. The second chamber held
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A Chianti vintner (above) carries on the centuries-old tradition in a private Italian cave. A clay amphora and wooden barrel (left) are functional relics. Outdoor cafés (below) further enhance exquisite Italian dining.
ceiling-high 136-hectolitre tanks in which the grapes first ferment. About March, they go into the 13 barrels lined up in the third chamber. We asked the wine steward how long he had been in charge of the cellars. “All my life.” He had been born on the estate. His father had made the wine before him, his grandfather before that. They take the long view here. I tried to pin him down to a North American time line. “How long has wine been made on this estate?” “Always, forever. There never was a time when the grapes were not here.” He knew a more dramatic answer lay in the next underground chamber, where 12 amphora sit filled with the estate’s dark green olive oil. He lifted a wooden lid, dipped in a spoon and handed it to us. My tongue was silenced by a mouthful of Italy. ANN MCCOLL LINDSAY is an inveterate world traveller and a frequent contributor to eatdrink.
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issue twelve • september 2008
COOKBOOKS
Screen Doors and Sweet Tea Review by Jennifer Gagel
H
ere is a perfect recipe to extend the languid feel of summer: sit out on porch, sip a Mint Julep, and keep good company with Martha Hall Foose’s Screen Doors and Sweet Tea: Recipes and Tales from a Southern Cook (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2008, $37.95). Foose grew up on the Mississippi Delta, amid rhythm ‘n’ blues and fried chicken. She left the South to become a chef of the world, starting by attending École Lenôtre pastry school in France, later ranging as far as Africa and Thailand. Homesickness returned her to the Delta to open Bottletree Bakery and, later, Mockingbird Bakery. As the executive chef of the Viking Cooking School, she teaches home cooks accessible Southern cuisine. “All in all, this book is about my home, and I know no better way to tell its stories than through food,” she writes. “Recipes for collard greens and black-eyed peas capture our superstitions, but trust passes them along … The unadorned perfection of home-grown tomatoes paired with delicate lady peas is just one way for me to explain this place—and I guess myself, too.” The South is rich with history and embodies entertaining and down-home hospitality—so too does this book. Luscious pictures showcase the people and places, and the anecdotes convey rich local colour. Foose is a wonderful storyteller. In her recipe for Cantaloupe Daiquiris, she tells us, “The courtyards of New Orleans offer a haven from the heat. Shaded and mossy, planted with sweet-smelling Confederate Jasmine, they’re like Mrs. Venable’s arboretum in Suddenly Last Summer. She had her
trusty secretary deliver a daiquiri every day at five. The musky sweetness of the melon, married to the brightness of the basil and mint, suspended in an icy slurry, will cool an afternoon down to the slow simmer of twilight.” Part of what makes these recipes so accessible is the plethora of tips in the margins. She explains that okra will darken if slow cooked in cast iron, and that blue cheese is easy to crumble in a plastic sandwich bag. She also gives great serving ideas, freezer tips, substitutions and plenty more. She may be a professional chef, but she is as welcoming to the home cook as a Southern lady would be to her guests. “The slow simmering of my gumbos mimics the pace of our speech down here,” notes Foose. I had never tried to make gumbo before, or cooked with okra, but the simplicity of the Chicken and Okra Gumbo stood out. Okra juice is sticky; an accidental splatter of it on the open cookbook and those pages were almost glued shut forever. But other than the okra-glue mishap, the gumbo was extraordinarily easy to make and had none of the ‘ropey’ consistency Foose warns of with okra. This dish could easily be as personal to you as the South is to Foose with the addition of some favourite seasonings. Blue Cheese and Pecan Bread is a quick bread, requiring no yeast or rising, but the savoury, full-flavour of the round belies the ease of preparation. “Present the hostess with a bottle of wine and this bread,” Foose suggests, “and you will most likely be invited back.” The biggest hit for my guests was the
september 2008 • issue twelve
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Darkness on the Delta cake. This no-bake, flourless cake pops into the freezer upon completion, and pops out beautifully—sure to impress company. Foose decorates the cake with stars of confectioners’ sugar, a fitting beautification for this simple and stellar cake. The recipe is versatile enough that you can change the flavourings; I omitted the nutmeg and bourbon, adding mint extract instead to accentuate the cool creaminess melting on the tongue. The recipes are fabulous, but what will have you returning to this book again and again is Foose’s warm charm. She is the best of Southern hospitality personified.
Cantaloupe Daiquiris
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A Courtyard Concoction Serves 6
1 cantaloupe, seeded, peeled, and finely diced ½ cup sugar 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp chopped mint leaves 1 Tbsp chopped basil leaves 1 cup light rum 4 cups crushed ice
1 In a large bowl or food storage bag, combine the cantaloupe, sugar, lemon juice, mint, and basil. Let the melon macerate in the refrigerator until very soft and juicy, JENNIFER GAGEL began her love affair with food as a child, about 2 hours. cooking for a family of food lovers and fickle eaters under the tutelage of her two European grandmothers. She works 2 Meanwhile, chill glasses in the freezer. for the London Public Library, where she scours the cook3 When ready to serve, puree the melon mixbook section to plan her next culinary adventure. ture in a blender or food processor. Add Recipes courtesy of Martha Hall Foose, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, Clarkson Porter/Publishers, 2008.
what’s
cooking upstairs
the rum and ice, and blend until slushy.
COOKING Classes
For Novice & Experienced Cooks. Kids Classes Too! OXFORD REAL CANADIAN SUPERSTORE
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825 Oxford St. E. Mies Bervoets -- 1205 Oxford St. W. Christine Scheer 519-641-0932 Vegging Out at Blackfriars, Tuesday, October 7, 7-9 pm A Moroccan Wedding Party Wednesday October 22, 6:30-8:30pm Chef Zakia Haskouri shares a traditional Moroccan wedding, with Sample Blackfriars Bistro’s favourite vegetarian dishes with Chef Betty Heydon. Roasted Buttercup Squash & Caramelized Fennel music, dresses, Moroccan tagines, teapots and teacups. Feast features a Lasagna with a rich cardamom cream & roasted root vegetables; Oven Salad Platter including spicy carrot, roasted eggplant with basil & balRoasted Portobello Mushrooms stuffed with artichokes, sun-dried samic vinegar, marinated shrimps and spicy Mediterranean olives; a tomato and pine nuts on a Barley & Wild Rice Risotto with mouth-watering Pastilla (spicy chicken, layered with onion, smoked gouda; Caramelized Vegetables in a mild Thai Red almond & cinnamon, wrapped in phyllo and baked); phylloThese are Curry; and Mango & Dried Apricot Studded Quinoa with wrapped Ladyfingers filled with almond, raisin & cinnaexamples of the toasted coconut garnish. $30 mon, dipped in honey & served with fresh Mint Tea. $30
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we’re offering this 3040 Wonderland Rd. S. Maya Clarke 519-668-7440 1740 Richmond St. Rebecca McIntosh 519-673-5326 fall. Book early; It’s Soup Season! Thursday, October 23, 7-9pm Hands-On: Roll Out The Sushi! Tuesday, Sept 23, first come, first Chef Paul Krohn, owner of Amici Italian Ristorante, 6:30-8:30 pm (16 person limit) served. Chef John Hong will introduce you to three of the trendiest, shows how to warm up with crowd-pleasing soups. His soultastiest forms of Sushi: Futomaki (large rolls), Kappamaki (thin satisfying selection includes a scrumptious Onion Gratinee with rolls) and California-Maki (inside-out rolls). Learn the art of making Romano Cheese; a rich, creamy Roasted Pumpkin & Swell Bell Pepper sushi, including preparing seasoned sushi rice, creating unique arrange- Soup; and a delicious nonna (grandma) inspired Chicken Ditali (thimble ments, and traditional sushi secrets & etiquette. And you’ll enjoy your pasta) Soup. We’ll complement the soups with a savoury Quick Rise creations with a spicy Wasabi Soy and Sliced Marinated Ginger Onion Loaf, followed by a delectable Cherry Mascarpone Crumto maximize your taste experiences. $40 ble for dessert. $30 Register by phone am-pm Mon-Sat at Loblaws: --- Ext. or Superstore: --- Ext. For more info and the full schedule, go to the websites, under “Community Rooms.”
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Blue Cheese Pecan Bread For the Hostess
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ cup sugar 1½ tsp baking soda 1½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 4 Tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut in ½inch pieces, chilled 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup) ¼ cup chopped pecans 1½ cups plus 1 Tbsp buttermilk 1 large egg, beaten Freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 2 In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture looks like oatmeal. Add the cheese and nuts, and toss to distribute in the flour. Make a well in the center and add 1½ cups of buttermilk and the egg. Stir with a sturdy spoon until you have a shaggy dough. 3 Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently to bring together. Form into a slightly flattened 6inch round. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk and sprinkle with pepper. With a serrated knife, cut a shallow X in the top of the loaf. 4 Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF and bake for 35 minutes, or until the loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a wire rack. Makes one 8-inch round loaf
Oven Chicken and Okra Gumbo I Got Work to Do Gumbo
2 lbs okra, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds 1 medium onion, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 (14.5-ounce) can peeled whole tomatoes 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste 6 ounces tasso or smoked ham, diced 1 quart chicken broth Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 cups cooked white rice
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1 Preheat the oven to 250ºF. 2 Combine the okra, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and tomato paste in a large roasting pan. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour or until very tender. 3 Remove the foil and add the chicken, tasso, and broth. Return to the oven and bake for 1½ to 2 hours, or until desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper. 4 Ladle the gumbo into bowls and spoon a little rice into the centre of each one. Serves 8 to 10
Darkness on the Delta Cool Bittersweet Dessert
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped ⁄ cup whole milk ⁄ cup plus 1 Tbsp granulated sugar Freshly ground nutmeg 1 large egg yoke 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp Bourbon Unsweetened cocoa powder, for serving Confectioners’ sugar, for serving 1 Put the chocolate in a large bowl. Set aside. 2 In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, ⁄ cup granulated sugar, and a little nutmeg to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and remaining 1 Tbsp granulated sugar. Slowly whisk in half of the milk mixture. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens; about 5 minutes. Do not boil. 3 Pour the hot mixture over the chopped chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the butter a little at a time, and then add the vanilla and Bourbon. Whisk until the mixture is very smooth. 4 Spray a 6-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, and line with plastic wrap. Scrape the mixture into the pan and smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours. 5 When ready to serve, invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Dust with cocoa and confectioners’ sugar. Serves 8
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WINE
Bounty from Prince Edward County By Shari Darling
P
chardonnays, pinot noirs and cabernet rince Edward County is Ontario’s newest wine region with more than a francs. On August 28th, I judged in the ArteVino 2008 Wine Awards in Belleville. dozen wineries. What I like most is This competition, part of an event that also that this place is still small and quaint and celebrates art, evaluates and rewards the winery owners are available and wines of Prince Edward County (PEC). approachable. Each winery has its own I was blown away by the chardonnays character or is run by characters. grown and vinified here, mostly those Ed Neuser, for example, operates fermented and aged in oak. The Waupoos Estates Winery, with wife Rita chardonnays are as great as those grown Kaimins. Ed is not a CEO-type sitting in and fermented in the Niagara Peninsula. his office and allowing part-time tour Pinot noir is also coming up in the guides to introduce you to the wines. ranks, and there are many worth tryHe is a farmer who loves his vines and ing. The wines are showing layers of who sits at the tasting bar to deal flavour and good structure. directly with tourists and customers. PEC cabernet franc is a red variety God forbid you walk into the vineworth purchasing, as well. The yard and pick a grape. He will not wines have surprisingly forward hesitate to yell and tell you to “get juicy berry character and good the hell out of his vineyard!” body. The region’s growing season is During the judging, the wines as long as that of Niagara. Most of were categorized under seven the vineyards are close to Lake styles. Wines scoring 90 or higher Ontario and therefore benefit received gold medals. Vintages from its cool summer breezes. The with scores of 88 to 89 took silvers, cool breeze travels through the while those with scores of 86 to 87 vines and keeps the grapes from received bronze. ripening too quickly. Wines are Rosehall Run 2006 Rosehall able to develop a good balance of Vineyard chardonsugar and acidity. nay took the top Norman Hardie 2007 County Pinot Noir (above) won a The warm breezes scoring white wine that come from the Gold Medal at the 2008 ArteVino Wine Awards. Sand(90 plus) this year. banks Estates Winery (below) won two Silvers and a lake in the winter Norman Hardie Bronze Medal. have not been 2007 county pinot warm enough, noir achieved top however. This scoring red (90 region does experiplus). ence colder winters Even if you canthan those of Niagnot travel to Prince ara. Some wine Edward County for growers have lost wine touring, you vines to winter can experience the damage. wines by calling or But even so, wine emailing the winergrowers and makies and having the ers are still producwines delivered ing outstanding
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right to your door. Each winery will let you know what award winners are still for sale or what new wines they have to offer.
issue twelve • september 2008
SHARI DARLING is a member of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada and author of Orgasmic Appetizers and Matching Wines (2008) and Harmony on the Palate (2005). She can be reached through her website: sophisticatedwino.com.
ArteVino 2008 Wine Award Winners All entrants were from Prince Edward County, Ontario
Gold Medals Aromatic Whites Oaked Whites Light Reds Full Bodied Reds
Huff Estates 2007 Riesling Off Dry Rosehall Run 2006 Chardonnay Rosehall Vineyard Norman Hardie 2007 County Pinot Noir Oak Heights Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc
Silver Medals Oaked Whites
Light Reds
Full Bodied Reds
Huff Estates 2006 Lighthall Chardonnay Rosehall Run 2006 Chardonnay Closson Chase 2006 Beamsville Bench Chardonnay Sugarbush Vineyards 2007 Gamay Bergeron Estate Winery 2007 Gamay Noir Bergeron Estate Winery 2007 Pinot Noir Sandbanks Estates Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc Sandbank Estates Winery 2007 Baco Noir Rosehall Run Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (
Bronze Medals Unoaked Whites
Aromatic Whites Oaked Whites Rose Category Light Reds
Full Bodied Reds
Sugarbush Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay Black Prince Winery 2007 Chardonnay The Grange Of Prince Edward County 2007 Trumpour’s Mill Estate Chardonnay Oak Heights Winery 2007 Covert Hill White Carmela Estates 2007 Pinot Gris Huff Estates 2007 Pinot Gris Rosehall Run 2007 Sullyzwicker Rosehall Run 2007 Riesling Huff Estates 2006 South Bay Chardonnay Huff Estates 2007 Rose The Grange Of Prince Edward County 2006 Trumpour’s Mill Gamay Noir The Grange Of Prince Edward County 2006 Pinot Noir Rosehall Run 2006 Pinot Noir Rosehall Vineyard Black Prince Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc Black Prince Winery 2006 Bella Vigne Leon-Millot-Foch Thirty Three Vines 2007 Cabernet Franc Rosehall Run 2006 Cabernet Franc Carmela Estates 2006 Cabernet Franc Estates Cabernet Franc Huff Estates 2006 South Bay Merlot Sandbanks Estates 2006 Marechal Foch
No dessert wines received gold, silver or bronze.
september 2008 • issue twelve
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BEER
What’s Brewing in Craft Beer Culture By The Malt Monk
I
am departing from my routine of beer style focus in order to talk about the craft beer industry. Some emerging trends may dictate what we will be drinking in the coming decade. Brewing history has taken some surprising twists and turns due mainly to coping with brewing taxes, technology and distance. Today, it is the beer culture evolution and its demand which drives changes in brewing. Who could have guessed, while sipping on their ice cold Budweiser in 1980, that in less than two decades North America would have over 2000 small independent and local breweries brewing every style imaginable? Independent local craft brewers are now making 10 million barrels of craft beer yearly. Who thought the demand for upscale import beer would expanded the LCBO’s import list from approximately 20 imports to the hundreds it now stocks? Canada’s beer culture has changed. It’s upscale, its affluent and it wants good beer.
National Brand Beer Is Out, Fresh Local Micro Brewed Beer Is In North America’s large established corporate national brewers have seen their long time flagship brands’ sales slump. This has precipitated mergers and acquisitions as well as a focus on the “budget beer” and “fad beer” market. Meanwhile, local independent macro and microbrewers have been gaining market share at between 2 to 5 a year in the last decade and in some local markets, craft beer sales take 15 market share. People have discovered that fresh, traditionally crafted beer tastes better.
Micro Brewing Discovers the Humble Lager Well, actually a rediscovery of traditional lagers and other German beer styles. After focusing on traditional ales for two decades, craft breweries seem to be rushing to get a traditional or intensified crafted lager into production. In the US, some of the most popular Micro brews are now lagers such as Brooklyn Lager and Anchor Steam. In Canada, we are a bit ahead of that curve due to our long tradition of pioneer Lager brewing in south central Ontario. Craft brewers like Creemore were first on line with traditional lagers but now brewers like Grand River Brewing, Lion Brewery, King, Brick, Nickel Brook, Great Lakes, Robert Simpson and others now offer an array of traditionally styled Helles, Viennas, Bocks, dark lagers and Pilsner craft lagers. Beer drinkers have responded by buying it up.
Import Beer Expansion Canada’s maturing beer culture has been constantly expanding demand for world class imported beer. Driving demand is the beer fancier’s desire to taste the “original” brewer of a famous style or brand of beer and to satisfy a taste for a wider variety of traditional European styles and big tasting US Micro beers. The LCBO now has vastly expanded its standard available import beers but has also added seasonal rotating offerings of a dozen or so non-standard imports four times yearly. Demand for wider import variety continues and I wonder if the LCBO will allow some private importers to fill the niche for these beers in kegged draft form. I see this as a large growth area in the coming years.
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Craft Beer in Cans Expands Demand for Better Beer The only real problem with cans is their stigmatization by beer geeks. When cans are mentioned, beer geeks get a visual of Homer Simpson slamming a Duff or Animal House’s Bluto Blutarski shot-gunning a Blue Ribbon and crushing the empty can against his forehead. To the committed beer geek, cans are for baked beans, not fine ales. Well, even the beer snobs have been outpaced by new container technology which offers a lightweight can that is absolutely inert to the beer, fully sealed from gas leak and 100 effective at preventing light-struck (spoiled) beer. Microbrewers are taking to this new can and the result is promising because their beer can have wider distribution and remain in good condition. With wider market exposure, the craft brewing industry will flourish.
Corona-Clone Burn-Out The big corporate brewers are working new marketing niches that they create with advertising. Light beer, dry beer, ice beer, beer slush, beer with Red Bull’s guarana rush ... What will be the next mass-market fad? Expect to see a lot of pale adjunct, mass-produced lagers with vaguely Spanish-sounding names in clear, silk-screened bottles that contain lime, citrus or other tropical fruit essence. The bottom line: these marketing fads never endure and the big guys cannot stave off the inevitable swing to local crafted real beer. If you want these gimmicks, the soft drink industry has them covered. The new beer culture wants flavourful real beer, not marketing hooks.
issue twelve • september 2008
saw the emergence of the brew-on-premises pub and restaurant and the craft beer bar where you see a variety of tap handles with every kind of import and local micro beer. Franchise restaurants and pubs that offer customers limited choices of only commercial national brand beer will soon become passé. The emerging “beer bistro” trend offers a variety of craft and import natural beers, matched to compliment meals and even ending up in the innovative cooking. Proprietors will compete for the upscale craft beer clientele. Great beer cafés and pubs such as the King Eddie in Ilderton or M.E. and Suzie’s in Port Stanley will become a lot more commonplace.
Lower Alcohol, Full-Bodied “Session” Beers Craft beer veterans will attest that when Micro brews exploded on the scene, there was a trend to big bold style with big maltiness and alcohol to boot (in the 7-10 ABV range). Imperial porters, stouts, IPAs and strong ales ruled the roost for some time but as the first wave of micro beer fanciers mature, they’re finding they don’t like the after effects of a session of “big beers.” Big sugar and big alcohol can lead to big headaches. So there is a trend towards lighter alcohol beers but with full micro crafted taste. Even with temporary setbacks such as tax increases on beer and speciality malt and hop shortages, the craft brewing industry continues to expand. This is in direct response to sustained and growing demand for good taste and quality. The future for local craft brewing, from here, looks bright.
The Beer Bar/Brew Pub Becomes a THE MALT MONK is the alter ego of D.R. Hammond, an Cultural Institution Back in the late 1970s and early ’80s, if you wanted a fresh draft brew it meant going to a smokey tavern where a single national brand ale and lager were sold by the tray full of 10-ounce glasses. The mid-’80s and ’90s
industrial consultant by day and a passionate supporter of craft beer culture. A home brewer and an active reviewer and consumer of craft beers for as long as he cares to remember, D.R. can be found anywhere there is a celebration of the traditional craft brewing art and good food.
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“More than a visit...An Experience!”
“We would like our guests to have a unique dining experience, like no other in the city, with a focus on attention to detail from start to finish. My philosophy is that in order to have great food you must start with a great product. At Auberge, we strive to be as consistent as possible and use as many local products as we can. We prepare our food in-house and everything is made from scratch. Our dining rooms are comfortable, elegant and inviting. You will feel like you have stepped out of London and arrived in France. Bon Appetit!” Executive Chef/Owner
Nicole Arroyas,
Auberge Experience Cuisine Open Monday-Saturday from : am Located downtown at - King Street, London (at Maitland) Free Parking
unique private dining rooms inspired by cities in France to accommodate - people Fireplaces Enclosed year-round veranda Outdoor patio Business meetings: wireless internet, projector and screen
-- www.aubergerestaurant.ca
Take-out boxed lunches from $ Lunch starting at $ Afternoon Tea Dinner starting at $ • Affordable Wine List & Reserve Cellar Wines • Prix fixe & Tasting Menus • Vegetarian options • Diet Requests Accommodated • Traditional French food