Taste - Fall 2014

AST

ChiCagO's sweet side NIAGARA'S FOOD BLOGGERS

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TODAY MAGAZINE

At home with Olivier Jansen-Reynaud

FURNITURE

MODERN &

COMFORTABLE

LIVING

PERFECTLY

PLACED

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Cover Story

ONTENT

50

PUBLISHER Rev Publishing Inc.

Q&A with the man who gave the world the Crookie.

A Matter of Taste 9

CHICAGO

14

WINE RATINGS

19

MEET NIAGARA’S BLOGGERS

24

KITCHEN TOOLS

PRESIDENT & CEO Daniel A. Pasco SALES REPRESENTATIVES Madeline Dimperio David Gibson Michael Koval Brianne Lunn David Mace Alexandra Mills

OLIVIER JANSEN-REYNAUD

The candy capital of the world.

Some of the world’s best wines.

Local food expert, Tiffany Mayer, baker extraordinaire, Fabiola Gabriel and foodies, Natalie Spagnol and Marc Hodges.

Take your cooking skills up a notch with these handy gadgets.

Master Craft

EDITOR Megan Pasche

27

AMARONE

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Tina Lanzillotta Lacey McBane

31

BUTTER IS BEAUTIFUL

37

LOUISIANA CUISINE

45

HOT CHOCOLATE LOVE AFFAIR

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Tabitha MacDonald Rachel Bertrand IT/WEB DEVELOPER Justin Soungie CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lynn Ogryzlo, Sandra Ozkur, Evan Saviolidis, Jill Tham CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS A.J. Harlond TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL 905.356.7283 or 1.877.888.2825 WEBSITE todaymagazine.ca

facebook.com/RevPublishingInc @revpublishing www.revpublishing.com Taste Magazine is published by Rev Publishing Inc. All opinions expressed in Taste Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of Taste Magazine, it’s employees or owners.

Reasonable care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is as up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Taste Magazine for any errors, omissions or comments made by writers or interviewees that are contained herein. Furthermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this magazine is not the responsibility of Taste Magazine. All unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs submitted are assumed to be intended for publication or republication in whole or in part. The right to alter, edit or refuse photos and/or manuscripts intended for publication is assumed. All unsolicited material submitted to Taste Magazine are submitted at the author’s risk. Manuscripts and or photographs intended to be returned must be accompanied by sufficient postage. Taste Magazine does not assume any responsibility for any claims of our advertisers and reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

Italy’s traditional big, red wine.

Become a butterista.

A look at an internationally influenced culinary culture.

Searching the globe for the best hot chocolate.

From the Ground Up 57

GROWING YOUR OWN HERBS

60

FORAGING FOR FOOD

Thyme for some sage advice.

Learning to live off the land.

Recipe Book 63

FAVOURITE RECIPES

Some of our favourite fall recipes.

Food for Thought 72

FOOD FACTS & HACKS

Interesting food facts & handy guides to make life easier and tastier.

About Town 79

PERFORMANCE AUTO GROUP

80

WAYNE THOMPSON

82

TODAY’S PEOPLE

Celebrating 50 Years.

Making a difference in Niagara.

Out and about at Niagara events.

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t s e t e e w s e th n o e c . a h l t p r ea Written by Lynn Ogryzlo

Matter of taste

, o g a c i Ch

it

didn’t all start with the great fi re of Chicago (1871), but when candy factories burned to the ground, the people of Chicago fought back with a vengeance.

Chicago is the candy capital of North America and it’s easy to see why. Here is a short list of candies that were invented in Chicago: Baby Ruth, Big Red, 3 Musketeers, Bit-O-Honey, Jelly Belly, Junior Mints, Mar’s Bar, Milk Duds, Milky Way, Oh Henry, Snickers, Butter Fingers, Tootsie Rolls, Whoppers, Malted Milk, Wrigley’s Gum, Juicy Fruit Gum, Fanny May Chocolates, Cracker Jack, M & M’s, and Vosges Haut-Chocolat.

Before the great fi re, there were 46 candy companies in Chicago. After the great fi re, there were 69 candy companies that quickly grew to more than 1,000 by the early 1900’s.

“

EVERYONE LOVES CANDY, IT BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN AGES, R ACES, RELIGIONS AND BACKGROUNDS… When prohibition (1920-1933) hit and Chicagans could no longer drink, they turned to candy – yeah, they did! Schlitz Brewery quickly converted their taverns into candy and soda shops.

Bars closed and ice cream shops and candy parlors opened in their place. They were places to socialize and feed Chicago’s insatiable sweet tooth. Beer companies, unable to manufacture lager, turned to making chocolate and candy. Brewing ingredients like malt

made its way into milk shakes and candy popularizing malted milk balls. Americans turned from liquor and got their fi x instead with confections – who would have guessed?

Today Chicago is considered the Candy Capital of the World, with new candy companies opening and the preservation of the nostalgic brands as well – thank goodness.

There are artisan candy crafters the likes of Margie’s Candy, Garrett Popcorn, Spin Spun and Terry’s Toffee. Small, personal and proud, family run candy companies like Jelly Belly’s – yes, Jelly Belly’s are still family owned and operated boasting six generations still manufacturing in Chicago along with large manufacturers like Bloomers. Bloomers is considered by many to be an American chocolate institution. The factory is downtown Chicago and on production day the streets of Chicago are fi lled with the mesmerizing aromas of melting chocolate. “It makes you want to jump out of your skin the smells are so exciting,” says Terese Lang McDonald, founder and owner of Candyality.

And Terese should know, she is the candy queen of the sweetest place on earth. Candyality prides itself on carrying North Americas greatest collection of retro candy. Inside the 2,000-square foot store are thousands of bulk candy items including 21 colours of M & M’s to 30 flavours of Jelly Belly’s including their newest flavour, Draft Beer. If that wasn’t dizzying enough for a candy lover, they have Chicago’s only Black Licorice Bar. While red licorice is relegated to the bulk bins, Terese claims, “a true licorice lover is only interested in black.” She stocks black licorice from Germany, Australia, America and other far reaches of the world in flavours like anise, molasses, malt and the one she just can’t keep in stock, Dr. Pepper.

I walked into Candyality and fi lled my stash-bag with my favourites. I’m a traditionalist so there was red licorice whips, chunks of thick milk chocolate and squares of chewy caramel; all the things I love most. To my surprise, every purchase comes with a personality profi le. That’s right, Candyality is creating personality profi les based on the candy you like to eat giving credibility to the old adage, you are what you eat.

So who am I? I have a durable personality and a matter of fact approach to life, I’m a force to be reckoned with and am super loyal. While I thought the assessment is pretty accurate, Terese laughs “We’re more connected to Willy Wonka than Albert Einstein, but people love it and we’re all having fun with it.”

Terese talks with passion about the history of candy in Chicago.

“Everyone loves candy, it bridges the gap between ages, races, religions and backgrounds. It’s a huge part of Chicago’s DNA, past, present and future.” But when she’s asked about the future of the candy industry she replies, “I’m only a candy personality reader not a fortune teller.”

We all agree that Chicago’s candy future is bright and brimming with new levels of sweetness. If you stay at The Ritz Carlton Hotel you can order candy via room-service and it will be delivered by The Candy Man. The Candy Man, dressed in a candystriped jacket, will come to your room with a traveling candy cart stocked full of candy invented in Chicago.

If candy is part of Chicago’s DNA, then Frango Mints is embedded into every cell. Frango Mints are a brand of chocolate truffles invented before World War II, widely popularized by the Marshall Field department store and now produced and

distributed by Macy’s, including Chicago’s own historic Macy’s on State Street. It’s a long lineage of quality mint chocolate. Chicago is not only home to retro and historic candy manufacturers but creative and modern candypreneurs as well. Spin-Spun is an all-natural confections company that specializes in one fat-free, gluten-free, nut and dairy free treat: cotton candy. Using organic sugar and either organic or natural flavours, founder Seth Bankier spins the treat in nearly 20 flavours including bacon salt, salted caramel, lemon-coconut, and truffle oil. Because Pin-Spun is all natural, the candy floss is all white, a bit boring if Seth didn’t use brightly colored, nontoxic glow sticks as cones. The glow sticks have strings tied into their ends so that candy lovers can wear them as necklaces after they’ve finished their cotton candy.

A Chicago tradition for more than half a century (yet still considered a newby by Chicago’s candy standards) is Garrett Popcorn.

This gourmet popcorn is popped in small batches in old-fashioned copper kettles. You can get fresh popcorn from their little shops that are scattered throughout the city and for your convenience, at the airport departure gates.

You must try The Chicago Mix. It’s a blend of their crispy caramel and cheese corn. Ask for it and they blend it right in front of you – a scoop of one and a scoop of the other, shake the bag and – you got it! All ingredients are natural, buy it in their collectable tins from small sizes all the way up to a gallon! Yeah, I know what you’re thinking but I guarantee, one bite of this gourmet popcorn and you’ll be going for the gallon!

As a chocolate lover I have to say that chocolate is definitely the beating heart of Chicago’s candy culture but don’t take my word for it. Go to Chicago and taste your own delicious experience. Take a tour with Fern Bogot of the Sweet Home Chicago Treats Tour. I did, she’s amazing!

Stay at The Peninsula Hotel, they have the city’s only weekend Chocolate Bar (www.chicago.peninsula.com) offering everything chocolate from delicious martinis to truffles, crepes and of course, decadent hot chocolate. There is a hot chocolate list at Hot Chocolate Restaurant the size of some wine lists and the windy city is home to many chocolate tours.

Valerie Beck of Chicago Chocolate Tours (www.chicagochocolatetours.com) is the best chocolate tour company. She is full of historical and educational information for every dark morsel you’ll put in your mouth. She is also founder of the Chocolate Travel Club (www.onwardandupwardtravelclub.com), leading groups to other chocolate destinations around the world like Paris, New York and Montreal once you’ve graduated from Chicago.

Vosges Haut-Chocolate (www.vosgeschocolate.com) is a premium chocolate company owned by Katrina Markoff. The impressive 64,000 square foot, sterile white, spanking clean, Gold LEEDS certified chocolate temple houses a chocolate innovation laboratory, a fl avours apothecary and a production facility crafting 150,000 pieces of chocolate a day by a staff of 200 for nine boutiques. It’s enough to give any chocoholic an attack of the sweet kind.

Oh yeah, besides candy and chocolate Chicago has amazing architecture, museums, distinctively different neighbourhoods to explore

and an excitingly delicious food culture. It’s all the great stuff you do in between exploring their sweet side. As I put this story to bed I’m munching on the last Turtle in my bag – and yes, Turtles were also invented in Chicago, the sweetest place on earth.

For Lynn Ogryzlo’s food tour of Chicago go to http://www. pinterest.com/ontariotable/food-tour-of-chicago/ Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at www.lynnogryzlo.com.

How to Get There DR IVE: 8 hours from Niagara, 9 from Toronto TR AIN: Amtrak: Direct 4-hour train from Toronto to Chicago AIR : Porter Airlines from Billy Bishop Airport: 1 hr 45 min flight.

Air Canada from Pearson Airport: 1 hr 30 min flight TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 11

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10

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NOVEMBER

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 STIRSDAY

Strictly Hip | 4 PM – 8 PM FOOTBALL | 8:25 PM – 11:30 PM DJ Nicholas Picholas | 10 PM – 2 AM

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DECEMBER

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 STIRSDAY

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5

Pauly & The Goodfellas | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Virginia Wolfe | 10 PM – 2 AM

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Janice Mitchell | 1 PM – 5 PM Pauly & The Goodfellas | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Virginia Wolfe | 10 PM – 2 AM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11 STIRSDAY

Strictly Hip | 4 PM – 8 PM FOOTBALL | 8:25 PM – 11:30 PM DJ Nicholas Picholas | 10 PM – 2 AM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12

Serieux | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Dianne Ryder Band | 10 PM – 2 AM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13

Sara Dell | 1 PM – 5 PM Serieux | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Dianne Ryder Band | 10 PM – 2 AM DJ Nicholas Picholas | 9:30 PM – 1 AM

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 STIRSDAY

Soul Express | 4p-8p R&B FOOTBALL | 8:25-11:30 DJ Nicholas Picholas | 10p-2a DJ

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19

Orient Express | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Dal Bouey | 10 PM – 2 AM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20

Andy De Campos | 1 PM – 5 PM Total Eclipse | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Dal Bouey | 10 PM – 2 AM

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26

Sound Parade | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Lady Kane | 10 PM – 2 PM

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27

Kathy Carr | 1 PM – 5 PM Sound Parade | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Lady Kane | 10 PM – 2 AM

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31

Orient Express | 1 PM – 5 PM Sherrie Gold & Overdrive | 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM Serieux | 10 PM – 2 AM

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Evan’s

Ratings Ratin gs gs Wine Rating Evan Saviolidis is a Wine Tasting Challenge Grand Champion, Journalist for Canada’s largest wine magazine: Quench, Instructor for The Canadian Association of Professional Sommelier, and teaches wine appreciation courses in Niagara at WineSavvy. For complete information, please visit www.evanwinesavvy.com.

100 POINT SCALE 95-100 = Outstanding 90-94 = Excellent 85-89 = Very Good 80-84 = Good 75-79 = Drinkable 70 & under = Below average

CANADA RED 92 Angels Gate Winery Mountainview Pinot Noir 2010, Beamsville Bench ($24) For this price, this wine immensely over delivers. Concentrated and ripe, there is loads of plum, cassis, cherry, black tea, spice and vanilla which carry onto the long finale. Suave tannins allow another four years of aging. Mushroom risotto and lighter game fair will be a marvelous pairing with this beauty. (ES) 91 Pondview Bella Terra Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered 2012, Four Mile Creek ($34.95) Being a big fan of the 2010 version of this wine, I was hoping that the 2012 rendition would be just as glorious; well, it is! Fullbodied, yet elegant, 14.3% alcohol wine doles out the blackberry, cassis, violets, raspberry, mocha, mint, roasted herbs and graphite qualities. The tannins are still forceful, so hold for two years and then drink until 2022. (ES) 90 Rosehall Run The Certain Ratio 2012, Ontario ($29.95) The grapes for this Meritage were sourced from PEC and Niagara. The ratio is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 21% Cabernet Franc. Full-bodied, concentrated and layered; the tobacco, dark cherry, plum, olive, spice, mocha and vanilla flavours are underpinned by loads of ripe, yet unobtrusive tannins. It should age well for the next eight years. (ES) 90 Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Niagara Peninsula ($55) A personality of sweet fruits: plum, cassis and raspberry melds with savoury elements à la herbs and tobacco. New oak adds cocoa, vanilla and spice to the mix, creating a complex wine. Medium to full body, the tannins will allow cellaring until 2020 and possibly beyond. Pick your favorite cut of steak to enjoy with this impressive homegrown Cab! (ES) 90 Redstone Syrah Redstone Vineyard 2010, Lincoln Lakeshore ($39.95) The Syrah grapes for this wine were planted back in 1999, as part of the Thomas and Vaughn winery, and where the Redstone winery is being built. An explosive perfume of pepper, raspberry, cassis, plum, cherry, tobacco and oregano leads into a weighty palate stuffed with red and dark fruits coated with cracked black pepper.

(ES) 89 Reif Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve 2012, Niagara River ($21.95) This tasty Franc is a terrific follow-up to the equally delicious 2010.

Full bodied, there is red currant, cassis, raspberry, anise, cocoa, herbs, tobacco, cola and graphite. The medium acidity, ripe tannins, round texture and long finish will ensure five to six years of cellaring. That said, you can also pop it open tonight and serve with a grilled veal chop topped with a herb infused demi-glace. Excellent value! (ES)

89 Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Cabernet Franc 2012, Niagara-on-the-Lake ($21.95) This biodynamic Cab Franc includes 12% Merlot. There is a deep ruby colour and a complex combination of raspberry, cassis, plum, violets, cinnamon, roasted herbs and tobacco. Balance is the mantra on the palate, with moderate alcohol, good body, considerable length and ripe tannins. Enjoy this lovely wine over the next 5 years. (ES) 89 Domaine Quelyus Pinot Noir Réserve du Domaine 2011, Niagara Peninsula ($45) This new winery project is a partnership of 12 Quebec businessmen. Smartly, they have hired the ever talented Thomas Bachelder, who also produces top Pinot, under his own label, from Burgundy, Oregon and Canada. Mid-weight, this refined Pinot exudes cherry, raspberry, plum, spice and earth. The tannins are soft and the acid fresh, making for a food friendly match with duck magret or a pork terrine. (ES) 88 Norman Hardie County Pinot Noir 2012, Prince Edward County ($39) A cherry explosion encapsulates the plum, earth, rose and clove flavours in this medium bodied Pinot. There is admirable density and persistency as well as a soft texture. Drink over the next three years. As a side note, I had a chance to try a barrel sample of Norm’s premium ‘L’ Pinot Noir. It is a truly magnificent wine which will easily score in the low 90s when released later this year.

87 Cave Spring Cellars Cabernet Merlot 2011, Niagara Escarpment ($15.95) For the price, this is quite a tasty drop! Plum, spice, cherry jam, vanilla and cocoa meld with a pleasing green edge on the palate.

Mid-weight, supple tannins and a flavorful finish make for enjoyable drinking. (ES) WHITE 92 Exultet Estates The Blessed Chardonnay 2012, Prince Edward County ($40) It is safe to say that owner/winemaker Gerard Spinosa is making the best Chardonnay in Ontario as this is the 4th consecutive vintage of this wine to capture the gold medal at the Ontario Wine Awards. Luxurious, it pumps out loads of buttered popcorn, hazelnut, cream, mineral, banana, pineapple, red apple and spice. There is excellent length, medium acidity and enough stuffing to evolve over the next five years. (ES) 89 The Grange of Prince Edward Riesling 2012, Prince Edward County ($15.95) Superb value without a doubt! The petrol, lime, honey, lilac, smoky minerals, white pepper and grapefruit are supported by an intense mid-palate. The finale is long, and the balance between acid and residual sugar is beautifully achieved. Drink over the next 3 years.

88 Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay 2012, Beamsville Bench ($28.75) Yes, there is oak, but it is kept in check by the fruit, producing a mix of caramel, honey, vanilla, peach, pineapple, citrus and TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 15

sweet apple. Medium to full body, there is sound acid and a lengthy aftertaste. (ES) 88 Ravine Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Niagara ($28) Lime, gooseberry, nectarine, white grapefruit, herbs and minerals weave around a medium body and crisp personality. It is linear with very good length and is perfectly suited for a grilled vegetable salad topped with goat cheese or chilled seafood tower. (ES) 87 Burnt Ship Bay Pinot Grigio 2013, Niagara Peninsula ($14.95) I will preface this rating by saying that, as a general rule, I am not a fan of Pinot Grigio. That said, this PG is an absolute joy to drink!

The pretty bouquet of banana, peach, honey and flowers give way to fresh apple, mineral and spice on the refreshing palate. Put a good chill to it and enjoy this summer/autumn on the patio or with grilled fish drizzled topped with lemon. (ES) 87 Ridge Road Estate Pinot Gris 2013, Niagara Peninsula ($15.95) No thin, acidic Pinot Grigio here; rather, this is a flavorful, ripe style, made in the Alsatian model, featuring peach, white flowers, spice, cream and apple. The medium body, density and finish make for a delicious drop of Gris. (ES) 86 Union Gold 2011, Niagara Peninsula ($13.95) A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauv Blanc and Gewurz. Midweight, there is oak aging here, which adds vanilla and cinnamon to the peach, pear and apple qualities. The palate is slightly creamy at first, then the refreshing acidity weighs in on the finish, culminating on a caramel note. Well made, well priced and ready to drink.

Pair with roast chicken or halibut. (ES)

AUSTRALIA 91 Nugan Estate Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz 2012 ($26.95) Here is something new: an Amarone-styled wine from Australia.

Full-bodied and fruit driven, the plum, blackberry, black cherry, raisins, cocoa, vanilla, anise and eucalyptus carry from the nose over to the palate, where fresh acidity, firm tannins and a long finish join the mix. The price is right, especially considering that the Italian versions of comparably cost double. Drink over the next decade. (ES) 89 Peter Lehmann Layers Red 2011, Barossa ($17.95) A definite crowd pleaser! From a cool vintage comes this GSM plus Tempranillo blend. Dark plum, sweet cherry, strawberry and raspberry mesh with the oak flavours of vanilla, cocoa and spice. Rather full bodied, the texture is soft, and there is very good length. Ready to drink, preferably with boeuf bourguignon or lamb chops. (ES)

AUSTRIA 88 Winzer Krems Sandgrube 13 Grüner Veltliner 2013 ($12.80) For under $13, this wine is a rock solid value as well as a great primer for those who haven’t experienced the joys of Grüner.

Spice, apple, grapefruit, white peach, white flower and bell pepper are built on a crisp, food friendly frame. Try with sauteed shrimps with lemon or grilled vegetables drizzled with balsamic/olive oil and topped with chèvre. (ES)

GREECE 89 Domaine Gerovassiliou White 2013, Epanomi ($22.95) This is a 50/50 blend of Malagousia and Assyrtiko, the famous white grape of Santorini, which has now been transplanted all over Greece. By blending the two, the exotic aromas of Malagousia find a home with Assyrtiko’s mineral driven, crisp personality. Peach, honey, white flowers, crushed rock and spice are all in play. Splendid length and ready to drink. (ES)

USA RED 94 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Napa Valley ($139.95) I tried this wine five times over the period of one month, and every time the wine scored the same. Powerful, concentrated, intense, rich and layered were but some of the descriptors I used. Full bodied, the dark fruit comes at you from every direction, followed by mint, violets, cinnamon, cocoa and vanilla. Needless to say, the finale is super long, and there is a boat load of tannins which will ensure three decades of aging. (ES) WHITE 92 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay 2012, Napa Valley ($45) I have become a big fan of this wine since winemaker, Laurie Hook, has toned down the oak level. Still full-bodied and full of flavour, the peach, pineapple, honey, apple and toast on the nose meet up with banana cream pie and spice on the long finale. Drink over the next 5 years, preferably with a salt and pepper grilled salmon filet or chicken breast topped with a jalapeno/tropical fruit salsa. (ES) 90 Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc 2012, Napa Valley ($22.95) As the label denotes, this is a dry Sauvignon Blanc (with the addition of 13% Semillon). Furthermore, it is an aromatic beauty with nectarine, verbena, gooseberry, lime, fresh herbs and minerals.

Lengthy on the finish with refreshing acidity. Ceviche and fresh water fish were made for this food friendly bottling. (ES)

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MATTER of TASTE

food bloggers meet niagara’s

TIFFANY MAYER, FABIOLA GABRIEL & NATALIE SPAGNOL BY: JILL THAM

EATING NIAGARA FOOD BLOGGER WITH A SOCIAL CONSCIENCE

“T

here is nothing better than the sense of pride you feel time in the kitchen as I would like to, but I wouldn’t change it for when sitting down to a good meal that you have pre- the world,” she states.

September will be an important time for Mayer as with it comes pared yourself,” states food blogger, Tiffany Mayer. Mayer began her blog, Eating Niagara, in 2009 when job cuts at her the release of her first book, “Niagara Food: A flavourful history of newspaper prompted her to take an interest in the internet. “At the peninsula’s bounty.” In her book, Mayer has compiled the history first, I approached my site from a journalist’s perspective, but over of our great region. The book highlights Niagara’s key players and retells their tales of the birth and struggle of Niagara’s agriculture time it became more of a personal outlet,” she states.

Although Mayer grew up inspired by her mother and Oma’s love and wine industry. “It was an honour to be asked to write Niagara’s for the kitchen, Mayer first became interested in cooking while story,” she states.

As Mayer takes in the success of her book release and enjoys the employed as an agricultural journalist. Shortly thereafter, Mayer began taking cooking classes and binge watching the Food Net- love of her daughter she will continue to amuse us with tales on her work. “Food is a passion of mine, it just made sense to blog about it.” blog while planning her next move.

Eating Niagara is chockfull of stories of the wonderful people that grow the bountiful harvests of the Niagara Region and with WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT? ideas of the many ways that people can eat locally. Mayer tells tales “The Supper Market in Niagara-on-the-Lake is an experience all ranging from foraging for garlic mustard roots to the pleasure of re- on its own. That is how community comes together over food,” ceiving each season’s first basket from Sexsmith Farm in Ridgeway, states Mayer. “My favourite chef is Adam Hynam-Smith from El a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

Gastronomo Vagabundo Food Truck. If I were on my death bed I What are the important staples that Mayer keeps her fridge would want him to make me my last meal.” stocked with? “If you have potatoes, eggs, and kale you are set,” she says. She loves cooking with chives and has a secret collection of WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FOOD FLOP? hot sauces stashed around the pantry. “I love anything with heat,” “Those are usually ones I don’t use a recipe for and I am just she states. “One of my favourite foods is potato latkes – it’s not trying to wing it. Since becoming a vegetarian, I have lost my glamorous or sexy, but I love them in the winter.” touch for barbequing meat. I can grill a mean asparagus - If that Mayer’s passion for food and agriculture has grown into a demakes up for it.” sire to help those in need. She founded the “Garden of Eating,” a volunteer initiative that collects unwanted residentially grown crops from participants and donates the fruit to local food banks. WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP? “I started the initiative in 2009 and it has remained a food warrior “I love fruit stands and farmer’s markets because I tend to find the grocery store uninspiring,” Mayer states. “I love looking in interthing,” states Mayer.

If you are the type that finds the kitchen a daunting place, then national food and health food stores, such as Dinh Dinh Asian Mayer encourages you to take a course or pick up a copy of “The Joy Foods and The Peanut Mill Natural Foods Market in downtown of Cooking.” “It is a book everyone should have. When I became a St. Catharines, for things you won’t find at a chain grocery store.” vegetarian I realized what a great resource it is,” says Mayer. “So, find a simple recipe and give it a whirl.”

When Mayer gets down to work in the kitchen, there is one thing that gets her blood boiling. “A dull knife is my pet peeve,” she laughs adding, “My husband goes through a lot of band aids.”

This year, Mayer became a mother for the first time. She is realFor more information visit izing that the newborn stage can be hectic. “I don’t spend as much www.eatingniagara.com | www.thegardenofeating-niagara.com

LET THEM EAT CAKE

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reen thumb, number cruncher, the Midas touch or jack different kinds of heirloom tomatoes I planted this summer,” of all trades. All great idioms, but what term would de- Gabriel states.

Shamecake is full of step by step photos of Gabriel’s baking, scribe someone who is an accomplished baker? If one making her recipes easy to follow for even the most novice of does exist, it would suit Fabiola Gabriel to a tee.

Gabriel, a chef by trade, started her website Shamecake: the bakers. “I wanted my site to be a place for learning and sharing good the bad and the ugly; adventures in baking, after friends and whatever funny events happen,” she states. Her user friendly site family kept nagging her to cough up her recipes. “I believe in takes the guesswork out of baking. Gabriel will not only have you cooking at home, experimenting with food and sharing it with in stitches with her humour, but she will inspire you to break out others, so I thought it would be good to blog about my good and a set of mixing bowls.

Gabriel recently left her job at a bustling restaurant, with a debad adventures,” says Gabriel.

When Gabriel’s parents gave her the advice to pick a career manding 60 hour work week, to focus on her long time goal of that would make her happy, she thought of cooking. “I liked to owning her own business. “I’d love to do something with bread. It cook with my mom and I knew I could make a career out of it,” involves a lot of patience, but making bread is such a basic heartstates Gabriel, who excelled in the culinary program at Niagara felt way of creating something so substantial from almost nothCollege earning herself a “Red Seal.” “Things just snowballed ing,” she says. “The undeniable smell, texture, and taste makes it all worthwhile.” from there,” says Gabriel.

In the meantime, while Gabriel explores new business opportunEach time Gabriel has worked in a restaurant setting, her coworkers and bosses saw her in the same light – the baker. “I ities and chronicles her adventures in the kitchen, her family and hated baking at first, but then it grew on me and I realized I friends will continue to bask in the love and warmth of her baking. was good at it,” she says. Gabriel was never formally trained While her dream is to one day spend her time crafting glorious in baking, nevertheless she is a prime example of natural talent. loaves of crusty bread, Gabriel is content, for now, to let them eat Although she has proven she can work as a team in a fast cake – her famous cheesecake to be exact. paced restaurant, she isn’t pleased when her work space becomes crowded or unorganized. “I hate when people start cutting my WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FOOD FLOP? grass, so to speak,” she laughs.

“I am really bad at anything that is a quick bread. I can do it, but it Gabriel finds inspiration for new recipes from Niagara’s pros- always makes me scared. You can’t overwork the dough.” perous agriculture. “I love Niagara in the summer because when something comes into season you try new recipes with it,” she WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT? states. “I’ve made a tomato cobbler and it’s a great year for as“Toi in St. Catharines and Garrison house in Niagara-on-theparagus, but no one wants to hear about asparagus,” Gabriel says.

Lake are up there on my list.”

When Gabriel saw cherries at the farmers market she went back to Station One Coffeehouse, where she is currently the baker, with one thought; when life gives you cherries make cherry pie. WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP? “My favourite place is the Grimsby farmer’s market and VG Meats “I love to bake with fruit,” she adds.

Experimenting in the kitchen is an important aspect of bak- in Stoney Creek,” states Gabriel. “The coffee shop I work at, Station ing for Gabriel. While she uses a lot of natural foods and gluten One Coffeehouse, sells local cooking oils and purchasing local free options, she loves to cook with alternatives and substitu- products is very important to me.” tions such as maple syrup, coconut sugar, and cinnamon. This year, she became a new homeowner and planted her first garTo read more visit den. “I’m looking forward to making tomato sauce with the four www.shamecake.com TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 21

FROM FARM GIRL TO FOOD NA·RC

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Spagnol and Hodges work with simple ingredients. “I can’t live h the foodie. They host dinner parties, read about nutrition and fads, attend food events, watch cooking shows, without basil and there is so much you can do with just salt and drink properly paired beverages and sample all types of pepper,” states Spagnol. When going to a dinner party, Spagnol trendy food. Where does the creativity and drive come from for never leaves the house without her kale Caesar salad and eggplant the average foodie? In the case of this particular foodie, the in- parmesan. “The eggplant parmesan is my mom’s recipe – she gets full credit for that,” she says. spiration came quite naturally.

In the kitchen, just as in life, Spagnol expects a great deal of Hailing from Niagara Falls, ON, Natalie Spagnol appears reserved, but underneath her sweet exterior lurks the Food NA·RC. turbulence. “You can’t come up with a recipe unless you fail,” she Get her in the kitchen and she is a force to be reckoned with. Her says. “Today I made granola and burnt the first batch, but with blog, Food NA·RC: Food is our drug of choice, that she created with some trial and error, the second batch came out perfect.” Spagnol her partner, Marc Hodges, is certainly a tribute to her talent in warns new foodies, “You can’t get discouraged when you try a new the kitchen. Her no guff approach has garnered her a feisty repu- recipe and it is completely awful.”

To inspiring chefs, Spagnol stresses the importance of reading tation in the food blogging world.

As a young girl, Spagnol spent her days climbing trees to pick the recipe over in full before starting the cooking process. “I hate fruit and playing in the chicken barn of her grandparent’s farm in prepping ingredients ahead of time because it creates a ton of little Niagara-on-the-Lake. Her maternal grandparents owned Stewarts dirty bowls, but it is necessary to ensure you have all the ingredients.”

Purchasing fancy equipment and gadgets is not important drive in restaurant, also in Niagara-on-the-Lake. “It was a family style drive in restaurant,” says Spagnol. “They served burgers and when following Food NA·RC or experimenting on your own in roast dinners.” Growing up around these strong culinary influences the kitchen. “I use a $20.00 blender from Walmart,” she states.

Although Spagnol currently resides in the big city, her playhas given her a solid foundation in and around the kitchen.

Spagnol is quite the food blogger junkie. She not only has her ful and down to earth approach to blogging and being a diehard own blog, but reads and follows a plethora of other food bloggers, foodie goes to show, you can take the girl out of the farm, but you the majority of which focus on clean living. Spagnol and Hodges can’t take the farm out of the girl. live by the 80/20 rule. “We eat healthy 80% of the time and treat YOUR WORST FLOP? ourselves 20% of the time,” says Spagnol.

Food NA·RC, a play on their first names, is more than just a “I have flops all the time! I made this cauliflower soup once, it turned compilation of tasty recipes, it will educate you on the do’s and out inedible. Marc ate it anyway, but he pretty much eats anything.” dont’s of cooking food and kitchen etiquette. From food storage WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP? to wine pairings, her website is a wealth of knowledge. Their site “When I go home, we go to Lococo’s. I think it is a fantastic reeven features friendly competition in the form of dinner parties. source for local people; My grandma lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake, With a Master’s degree in Art History, Spagnol has spent the so we hit up local food stands like The Fruit Shack.” past eight years as a curator of an art gallery. She recently left that career and accepted a position with the head office of Canadian Im- WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE RESTAURANT? “I really like the Yellow Pear Food Truck and if someone asked me perial Bank of Commerce, in hopes of expanding her skill set and to go to the Bleu Turtle, I would never turn them down for brunch.” keeping her and Hodges in High Park, their favourite little hamlet in Toronto. “I have apartment style appliances and little counter space,” says Spagnol. Although Spagnol describes the lack of space her biggest pet peeve, she doesn’t seem to let it deter her from finding ways to make apartment living food friendly. “Our balcony is covered in plants such as tomato, basil, thyme, oregano, and mint,” To visit Food NA·RC go to says Spagnol. “We make do.” www.foodnarc.ca

er to there is a positive answ clients benefit?” Only if is always, “how will our offered to our clients. cial Ltd. our first question ed into our thinking and At Goodman Brown Finan ess practice be incorporat y: both value affinit busin t or al instan referr an gy, had ct, strate but upon meeting that question will any produ different backgrounds s under management. uced below come from sing huge blocks of asset like it.

The two principals introd helping clients over amas care. That’s the way we nships over revenue, and demand a high level of who base integrity over profit, relatio client a small be a boutique firm, with Ultimately, We are and will always tool. it. a like only s is client ology our that’s the way the next level, but techn as And just as important, to take client service to is to make that process in the latest technology directions, and our goal In 2012 we are investing client and advisor, in both communication between few a client service is about take e meantime, pleas as possible. a call and let’s talk. In the regular, effective and easy you would like, give us ds like the type of firm If Goodman Brown soun ael.

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Brock Univer d Financial Planne Institute Astrid graduated from Astrid also holds the Certifie the Canadian Securities finance and accounting. r (FMA) and Fellow of majoring in economics, ial Management Adviso ent Manager (CIM), Financ (CLU), Canadian Investm to the table for the ise expert and nce brings years of experie (FCSI) designations. rative approach, while ry since 1993, and now and is known for her collabo financial services indust She has worked in the and respond to client needs has a strong ability to elicit investment benefit of her clients. Astrid implementing customized service. and tive ing innova design uality, ching, providing high-q who has been resear and sensitive facilitator two decades.

Astrid is an experienced and business clients alike. and professionals for nearly ual s, individ owner her ss for s busine s, small long term benefit Fellows — plans for individuals, familie m solving has resulted in er of the Academy of portfolios and financial rd approaches to proble g Council and a memb of Canada. al, detailed and straightforwa the Niagara Estate Plannin ial Advisors Association Her ability to use practic is an active member of and Advocis, the Financ sional endeavours, Astrid serves on the Welland e of Financial Planners In addition to her profes sity Women. Astrid also of the Canadian Institut er Univer of memb tion a also Federa is e. She Canadian y, and a member of the Canadian Securities Institut er of the Toronto CFA Societ time for Heart Niagara.

Astrid is an Associate Memb ittee and volunteers her d Gifts/Endowment Comm Hospital Foundation Planne

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achieves CLU problem is the one that elegant solution to any in the belief that the most keeping things simple, decades Michael’s passion is for exity. business and nearly two the least amount of compl e in the financial advice decad planning, a ial during the desired results with financ nsense approach to dge has been hard earned iate his pragmatic, no-no g of their That kind of practical knowle gs with a new understandin ement roles. Clients apprec meetin manag in from mostly away , in the news media times clients have walked “easy to talk to.” Many and describe Michael as legislation, strategies of communicating. latest way the clear with el’s date Micha result of to stay up-tofinancial situation as a matched only by his drive clients’ interests first is of His commitment to putting with only the 30 hours them. in 2005. Not satisfied and products that will serve Planner (CFP) designation (CLU) in 2012, which the Certified Financial Chartered Life Underwriter earned ation, He tion. design ing educa continuous a tax- and estate-plann eted compl He believes strongly in ssfully succe development, he families. required annual professional business owners and their cial as Michael works with Canada.

Club. will be particularly benefi Advisors Association of 13 Niagara Platform Tennis Advocis, The Financial President for the 2012m tennis (“paddle”) at the Michael is a member of been elected as the club’s g vegetables, and platfor growin ing, garden and is honoured to have enjoys When not working, he a Falls Sunrise since 2004, Niagar of Club Rotary of the He has been a member Rotary year.

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n e h c t i K Tools

BY LYNN OGRYZLO

“WHO DESTROYED MY BUTTER!” Yes, I tend to

get a little over excited when it comes to food, especially when I see a glob of guck where a beautiful pound of fresh creamy butter once sat. It happened in one of my cooking classes. A recipe called for three tablespoons of butter so someone took the tablespoon and scooped three crater size holes in the top of a beautiful pound of butter.

Now what? What was I to do with it now? It was ruined!

Yet, right next to the pound of butter was a measurement card.

This little tool, the size of a recipe card, holds the correct measurement for tablespoons, cups, ounces, grams and milliliters. Just hold it up to your pound of butter and slice 3 tablespoons off the end of the pound at exactly where the three-tablespoon mark indicates. Your recipe will be perfect and so will the pound of butter.

It’s that easy.

You can buy a good, sturdy butter measurement tool at L’Escoffier Kitchen Emporium at Niagara Restaurant Supply in St. Catharines along with lots of other quality tools for the kitchen. When I was there I asked Maggie Hildebrand for the 5 most popular kitchen gadgets today and she replied, “mostly people are going high quality, useful items instead of faddish gadgets.”

Good quality knives and bakeware top the list of good quality items that people are buying. “Le Creuset, cast iron bakeware and knives are making a comeback,” says Maggie. A good quality knife will outlast its owner and many times, they’re handed down in families. Because food connects us all, using your grandmothers’ kitchen knife is like holding your grandmothers hand.

When it comes to knives, iconic Canadian food writer, Elizabeth Baird agrees. Her little pairing knife is her most precious kitchen tool. “I bought it in Nova Scotia. It has a pointy end and is easy to keep sharp. It’s multi-purpose so I can pick out the eyes of potatoes and slice tomatoes like a breeze.”

But with a good knife comes the ability to use it. Many useless tools seem to be trying to compensate for a lack of knife skills.

Gadgets like onion choppers, egg slicers and avocado guillotines are attempts to make cooking tasks quicker but are no match for a good knife and some skill.

My one exception to the knife rule has to be a mandolin. It’s the one tool that would do the job of slicing thinly and evenly better than a knife regardless of all the skill in the world. With this little tool you can julienne peaches for a salad, slice potatoes presinto French fries and carrots into matchsticks. For elegant pres entations, a mandolin can ultra-fine julienne most vegetables and when deep-fried, make impressive garnishes on any dish.

Knowing the right tool for the job makes kitchen life so much easier. It’s no wonder fewer and fewer people are spending time in the kitchen when, without some of the proper tools, working on an inspiring recipe turns out to be a challenging and frustrating experience.

Take for example a Silplat baking liner. Just one rubbery cookie sheet liner costs about $50 a piece; gasp if you wish, but I had one and it lasted me well over 10 years. This little baking liner guarantees perfectly baked goods from fish to cookies and it amazingly doesn’t transfer flavours from fish to cookies. I actually wore mine out and since then I’ve bought inexpensive liners ($19 - $29) and not only do they not work as well, they only lasted a year so I’m back to the better quality liner. Maggie is right, there is no substitute for good quality.

Proper kitchen tools are an investment in time and flavour and will save you money in the long run but not everything will cost a lot of money.

You can buy a rice cooker for as little as $40. It’s an inexpensive and indispensable little electric pot that saves time and makes me look good every time I use it. I fill it with water and rice, a drop of olive oil, I may add a bouillon cube, salt and some herbs. Then I turn it on and walk away. It not only cooks rice perfectly every time, but it will keep it warm until I’m ready for it.

Dinner’s become so easy; I always make twice as much rice as I need. Leftover rice can be stuffed into peppers and tomatoes, works well in soup or makes my family’s favourite fried rice an easy task.

You can be really creative with a rice cooker using broth instead of water and throw in some vegetables half way through the cooking time. They’ll be cooked al dente by the time the rice is done.

A few years ago I was determined that no one would ever pick basting bristles off my pastry again. That’s when I discovered

silicone-basting brushes. They’re ultra soft so they won’t pull or tear the tender surface of a roasting bird or puff pastry, yet they’re sturdy enough to stand up to wiping oil around a sizzling skillet.

The brushes are completely sealed underneath and designed with the specific purpose of ensuring no loose bristles.

Next time you’re working in the kitchen don’t underestimate the significance of good quality kitchen tools in the processing of putting a great meal on the table. They play a supporting role in the reputation of a great cook. You don’t need a kitchen full of expensive culinary paraphernalia to do the job, but a simple set of good quality tools that serve you best.

10 p o T s ’ n n y L s l o o T n e h K i tc

#1 KNIVES: You can’t cook very much without cutting things up so a good set of knives is essential to any good cook. Buy one at a time and only buy what you need for your style of cooking. #2 CUTTING BOARD: I am a huge fan of wooden cutting boards, they have memory and work with knives for highly efficient cuts every time. Buy a nice thick one and oil it often to keep your investment from cracking.

They’re also thin enough to reach into tall containers like zesting lime for a carafe of Margaritas. #6 V-SHAPED PEELER: Forget the strait edged peeler, this one won’t take off your fingers and will do the job of smoothly peeling carrots yet will also master monster jobs like winter squash and giant sweet potatoes. #7 MESH STRAINER: It strains pasta and berries, clarifies soup and broth and doubles as a steamer. It’s multipurpose and saves space in the kitchen. #8 WHISKS: A good whisk will give you command over the delicate jobs like whipping eggs for omelets, crafting velvety aioli or silky custard for crème brûlée. I also use it for mixing (sifting) dry ingredients. #9 IMMERSION BLENDER: fantastic for taking pots of vegetables and whipping them into a luscious soup. Takes the place of a blender but with more ease and less mess to clean. #10 CHAMPAGNE STOPPER: Last but certainly not lease essential kitchen tool is my champagne stopper. I love bubbly wine and this will allow me to open a bottle and keep the bubbles intact for a few days if necessary – although I haven’t tested it. My champagne never seems to last that long.

Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at www.lynnogryzlo.com.

#3 PEPPER MILL: There is no substitute for fresh cracked pepper at the dinner table and there is no substitute for a good pepper mill that will grind pepper into consistently fine or coarse dust. #4 SILICONE TOOLS: These are for the baker in the family.

From spatulas to basting brushes or baking liners, silicone is the new tool that is ultimately more efficient than traditional tools and heat resistant. #5 MICROPLANE GRATER: Go ahead, throw out that big square box. These graters are precise, sharp and perfect for precision zesting and grating anything from nutmeg to Parmesan.

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MASTER Craft

AMARONE GRAPE TO THE BITTER END B Y: LYNN O G R Y Z L O

o the naked eye it’s a seductive mix of black chocolate and burnt cherry. Close your eyes and swirl it; vinous aromas dance together like caramelized, plum stew, autumn leaves rustling beneath your feet, newly tanned leather and black chocolate covered raisins.

With the fi rst sip it luxuriates across the tongue with masses of black and red fruit, velvety layers of plush chewy tannins, vanilla bean, tobacco and toasted nuances that linger long. Like magic it excites the palate with mouthwatering anticipation and it drowns the soul with fulfi lled exotic pleasures - this is Amarone at its best.

Amarone is Italy’s traditional, high-alcohol, big red wine made from grapes dried in the sun.

The traditional trio of grapes is Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella. These blockbuster black grapes are the last grapes to be harvested in the sub-wine region called Valpolicella. Leaving them late allows them to access every last drop of the season’s sweetness.

Once harvested, the grapes are left to dry. The process is called appassimento and translated loosely means ‘withering’. Where they are left to dry are called “fruittai”. It’s a special well-ventilated area that prevents the deterioration of the over-ripe harvest. As the grapes lay in the fruittai for approximately three months or more, the drying process reduces the yield by 20 to 35% with some premium producers choosing to reduce by a whopping 50%.

Appassimento is similar to shriveling grapes into raisins. By the time they’re ready to be pressed, the shriveled grapes are concentrated in flavour, ultra sweet and because of the cool climate, they have a core of great acid for superior agelessness.

The resulting wines are often referred to as passito wines and this loosely translated means ‘raisin wine’. Wines produced by the appassimento process can be sweet wines but more and more the process is being used to produce full-bodied dry wines, the most famous being Amarone.

It’s the most celebrated wine of the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. Veneto is a beautiful place to grow grapes; it boasts breathtaking scenery, expansive lakes, rivers that unwind through vine-covered hillsides, dotted with terra cotta rooftops. Verona, the centre of Veneto is rich in culture and architecture from the ancient Roman and Renaissance eras; it offers a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

Amarones can be aged for several years before they’re released and are available in a variety of styles and prices. Higher end Amarones are often aged in-house for at least five years or more before release.

Generally speaking, Italian Amarone is best served on its 10th birthday or later.

Most of the vintages on the LCBO shelves are 4 to 6 years old and while they are certainly drinkable, there is a great case to be made for patience. While, it’s difficult to watch any bottle sleep in the cellar, on the upside, you probably wouldn’t be able to afford a fully mature Amarone at 10 to 12 years of age anyway. So buy them now and lay them down, be patient and resist the temptation to sample how it’s maturing.

To fully appreciate the evolution of Amarone, buy 12 bottles, drink one now and lay the rest down. Open one each year and taste its progress. Italian Amarone is a long journey from vineyard to glass but well worth the wait.

Amarone is a collector wine among aficionados. That means beyond the LCBO General List and Vintages categories, you’ll also fi nd one-time offerings and rare vintages through Ontario wine agents. Ontario wine agents can tell you what is available now, what is coming and can also source a special vintage for you.

In it’s simplest form, Amarone fl avours are a cross between a rich Vintage Port and a complex Hermitage. In Veneto’s principal sub-regions, Bardolino, Breganze, Colli

“LIKE MAGIC IT EXCITES THE PALATE WITH MOUTHWATERING ANTICIPATION AND IT DROWNS THE SOUL WITH FULFILLED EXOTIC PLEASURES THIS IS AMARONE AT ITS BEST.” Euganei, Valpolicella and Soave, produce a broad range of traditional wines on relatively poor, minerally soils. Yet these soils are especially conducive to making big, complex, sophisticated wines; Amarone wines.

Here are a few to try…

Villa Monteleone 2010 Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico is as sexy and supple as an Amarone gets. It’s a sophisticated yet very limber lady, deep ruby black in colour with a brick rim. Dense aromas and flavours of black chocolate raisins, walnuts and delicate spice with a tangy, dry-yet-fruity, full body. The Villa Monteleone cellar produces about 45,000 bottles of all types of Valpolicella, my favourite is this Amarone because it’s a departure from the traditional blockbuster Amarones. Just simply stunning and will improve even more with further cellaring.

Casari 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. This one is painstakingly crafted with a 30-day maceration period followed by a cool and long fermentation. It’s left to mature for three years in stainless steel vats, one year in both small French oak barriques and large Slavonian oak barrels and eight months in bottles before leaving the winery. This flashy red pushes all the buttons, deep colour, strong toast and vanilla aromas from the French barriques, sweet velvety fruit flavours and a luscious texture with enough acidity to keep it refreshing on the finish. It’s a beautiful wine that has a long life ahead of it.

Tomassi Il Sestante Amarone della Valpolicella. Only the best and most mature clusters are selected to dry on small open racks by the cool breezes of the autumn and winter weather (five months). At Tomassi they call this, “active lethargy” because the grapes appear to the naked eye to be lying very still yet inside changes are taking place that will completely transform the grapes flavours, aromas and structure. Flavours of black licorice and prune unfold gently into its complex, supple character bringing out black berry flavours that are just deliciously balanced with acidity and tannins.

Luigi Righetti 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Like other Amarones Righetti blends Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella grapes that have been hand selected, dried for four months, crafted in large oak barrels and left to rest for the mandatory five years maturation period before it leaves the cellars. You can look forward to rich flavours of cooked figs and raisins, hints of anise and sweet spices, it’s an elegant Amarone with a lingering finish.

A beautiful wine to pair with the last of the years barbecued threefinger thick steaks. The 2010 Righetti shows great promise and it’s a great bottle to lay in the cellar for the next seven to ten years.

Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.

Where to find it…

Villa Monteleone 2010 Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico ($83.95) Available through The Small Winemakers Collection including a ra0re 2008 vintage (Geoff Townsend, 416-463-7178).

Luigi Righetti 2010 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico ($31.40) Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is only available by the case through The Small Winemakers Collection (Geoff Townsend, 416-463-7178).

Tomassi Il Sestante Amarone della Valpolicella ($39.95) Available through the LCBO General List.

Agent is Tandem Selections.

Casari 2009 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico ($37.95) Available through the LCBO General List. Agent is Profile Wine Group.

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 29

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MATTER of TASTE

BUTTER You’ve heard it before, “ butter will kill you and broccoli will save your life”. But culinary icons like Julia Child, Chef Michael Smith and Martha Stewart have always believed that butter is beautiful. Now that the heat has refocused on margarine, butter has never been more fashionable; nor has the opportunity to rediscover it, been more rewarding. >>

BY: LYNN OGRYZLO

A

ll around the country, butteristas like myself have discovered something new to excite our palates; artisanal butter, produced in small quantities, from natural ingredients by small-scale producers around the world.

I was first smitten by the butter bug years ago at the Savour Stratford Festival. In a region dominated by agriculture and influenced by the Stratford Chefs School, it’s no wonder Savour Stratford is one of the top food and wine events of the country. Among the duck confit with sauvignon blanc, the Berkshire pork with merlot, chef Jonathan Gushue formerly of Langdon Hall bravely and simply served house butter on fresh baguette. That’s right, just plain bread and butter!

However, there was nothing plain about this; one mouthful and I was instantly taken aback. The fragrant, creamy, rich, almost nutty, salty flavours began to luxuriate across my tongue and I swooned over the mouthful of sweet, creamy, decadence.

Gushue’s butter had the cleanness of a crisp Riesling, the brightness of crème fraîche, luxurious legs of a voluptuous chardonnay and the tender sweetness of a Chantilly cream. Flavours danced from sweet cream to heavenly vanilla and an almost nutty finish – almond perhaps.

This might sound like the language of oenophiles or perhaps cheese aficionados. But it isn’t. It’s the new talk of butteristas; people who travel for artisan butters, single butters that are made from one herd, others that reflect a regions terroir, complex flavours from the fermentation of cultured butter and compound butters that absorb the flavour of their aromatic ingredients.

Butter is a dairy product churned into a spread, yet all butters are not alike. Like wine, butter has many flavour compounds – over 120 of them to be exact from fatty acids to dimethyl sulfide.

What this means is that all butters take on their own characteristics. But in order to show terroir or distinctiveness, it must begin with a pure, high quality ingredient – of which the majority of Canada unfortunately, does not subscribe to.

In Canada we’re surrounded by a sea of commercial butter made with the milk of the high yielding, low fat Holstein cows. And why not? Canadians are obsessed with hating fat, but here lies the first problem. Canadian cream is a skinny 35% compared to the European 48% and it’s the butterfat content in cream that seduces us into loving butter. So how can our butter compare when we’re starting with inferior raw ingredients?

A simple butter tasting will reveal everything you ever wanted to know about buying good tasting butter; but it isn’t an easy tasting to organize. You can find imported French butter in Quebec and Belgian butter in Ontario, but butter doesn’t seem to spread itself across the country very well. For example you’d never find a pound of British Columbia’s delicious Foothills Creamers Butter in Ontario or a Quebec Lamothe Cremerie butter in Saskatchewan.

Living in Southern Ontario I organized a butter tasting with what I could find around me. I found one butter in my area for the tasting, a few more in Toronto at specialty food shops like Whole Foods and Galati, a few more at Premier Gourmet in Tonawanda, New York and one just down the street made in house by Peller Estate Winery Restaurant.>>

“IT ’S TH AT SI M PL E .

IN FACT, M A K I NG BUT TE R IS SUCH A BA SIC SK IL L TH AT A SI X-YE A R- OL D C A N M A STE R FROM FR E SH CR E A M, A JA R A ND SOM E E L BOW GR E A SE .”

Taste Test

These butters were tasted blind at room temperature to encourage them to release as much flavour as possible. They were rated out of a 10 point scale, 10 being the highest score (scored on aroma, flavour, body and price) UNSALTED BUTTER PRESIDENT’S CHOICE NORMANDY-ST YLE, CULTURED BUTTER , ONTARIO | 26% FAT. BIO ORGANIC MADE BY FROMAGERIE L’ANCETRE, QUEBEC | 27% FAT. LURPAK, AN IMPORTED BUTTER FROM DENMARK | 35% FAT. PLURGA , (RED WR APPER) AN AMERICAN MADE EUROPEAN-ST YLE BUTTER | 35% FAT. ORGANIC MEADOW CULTURED, UNSALTED BUTTER FROM GUELPH | 26% FAT.

Rated: 10 Rated: 10 Rated: 8 Rated: 8 Rated: 6 Rated: 5

LIFE IN PROVENCE, FRENCH IMPORTED,

AOC butter | 36% FAT.

L ACTANTIA . MY COUNTRY, SWISS FL AVOURED, CULTURED UNSALTED BUTTER | 26% FAT.

Rated: 4 Rated: 10

SALTED BUTTER HASTING’S WHEY BUTTER FROM STERLING CREAMERY, STERLING, ONTARIO | 27% FAT. PELLER ESTATE WINERY BUTTER, ONTARIO D’ISIGNEY BURRE, FRENCH IMPORTED, AOC BUTTER | 38% FAT.

Rated: 10 Rated: 10 Rated: 8

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 33

J

ason Parsons, Executive Chef of Peller Estate Winery Restaurant in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake is an Englishman by birth and grew up eating Normandy butter. Admittedly, the butter of his adopted country pales in comparison so he decided one day to make his own.

For traditional table service, Peller Estate Winery Restaurant serves up rich icewine butter in place of the traditional bread dippers of flavoured oils and bold vinegars. Made by executive sous chef Maurice Desharnais, it’s simple heavy cream that goes into the machine and is whipped beyond ‘stiff peaks’ into the separation stage where the cream turns into butter and separates from the buttermilk.

It’s that simple. In fact, making butter is such a basic skill that a six-year-old can master from fresh cream, a jar and some elbow grease. Think about it, anyone who has ever over-whipped cream (yes you have – admit it!) has unwittingly made butter.

No jars and elbow grease at Peller, not even wooden butter churners, but slick stainless steel efficient equipment 10 times the size of a household electric mixer. As the milk begins to separate it becomes a real messy job as the solid bits begin to slosh against the watery buttermilk and splashes all over. The entire process lasts approximately 15 minutes and you have butter.

Next Chef Moe as he’s called by the kitchen staff, drains away the buttermilk (uses it for baking and making crème fraîche) and squeezes out every last drop with his hands creating big balls of butter that go into ice water to firm up. The ice water is now littered with blobs of hand squeezed butter and he reaches for a shaker of salt and a measuring cup with a reduced icewine that now resembles a dark, molasses-like liquid. Chef Moe takes each hunk of butter and puts them on a cold marble slab, presses it out flat and drizzles it with salt and reduced icewine. Then he kneads it like a blob of bread dough to mix the flavours before it’s put into a brick mold and refrigerated. Home made butter will last a few weeks in the refrigerator.

Butter is fat and fat is notorious for picking up flavours and odors of foods around them (ah, some of you are remembering an unpleasant experience?). But butters ability to absorb flavours is not always a bad thing. Chef Parsons uses it to his advantage by making icewine butter.

Compound or infused butters can be found at many restaurants from garlic and herb butter to truffle or coffee butter. In fact most aromatic foods can be infused into butter with great results such as chocolate, vanilla, citrus and even peppermint!

When butters absorbing abilities are unwelcome or that oxidized skin appears when you’ve left the butter out for a few days, it can be disappointing. But I’ve found a simply brilliant solution to keeping butter fresh and spreadable; a butter bell.

Years ago, my good friend Magdalena Kaiser-Smit introduced me to this new culinary tool when she moved back to Niagara-onthe-Lake from a decade long career in the USA. I finally found one in a little kitchen shop in Richmond, BC and for the inexpensive price of $10, I bought 6 of them to bring back to Ontario for family and friends. You can easily find them in kitchen shops in Niagara today.

It’s a simple concept. Put soft butter inside the crock which is attached to the underside of the lid. Fill the bottom with cool water and put the butter filled top into the crock. The water seals the butter, locking in its freshness. You can leave the butter bell on a kitchen counter for up to three weeks and know that you’ve got fresh, spreadable butter whenever you want it.

The most flavourful of all butters is cultured. The equivalent to reserve wines, cultured butter is simply fuller, richer butter with a tangy finish. The cream has been soured and allowed to ferment or “ripen” at room temperature prior to ageing in the refrigerator. Like making crème fraîche, bacterial action develops fuller aromas and flavours that carry over into both the butter and buttermilk. From this you can make the most amazing buttermilk biscuits that are the perfect host for a smear of fresh, delicious cultured butter.

Many high-end chefs tend to overlook butter because of its simplicity, but not any longer. New Executive Chef at Langdon Hall, Jason Bangerter is also a believer in good butter and maintains the tradition of house-turned butter, spilling the buttermilk into his pastries, the results are decadent.

The likes of Bangerter and Parsons are showing that simplicity counts in customization and bragging rights and why not? Logically speaking Canadians shouldn’t be making the best tasting butters, but a quick look at the butter tasting notes, proves otherwise.

LYNN O GRYZLO

IS A FOOD, WINE AND TRAVEL WRITER , INTER-

NATIONAL AWARD WINNING AUTHOR AND REGULAR CONTRIBU TOR TO

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Louisiana Cuisine A modern day mélangÉ of flavours.

b y: Lynn O g r y z lo

ALLIGATORS

outnumber people by 10 to 1 in Louisiana”, says Jeff Richard of the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

As I step out of the van onto the natural marshland of Grosse Savanne Eco-Tours in Bell City, Louisiana, I find myself carefully surveying the ground for alligators. I’m on a food tour of Louisiana and I’m hoping I will be eating more of the food than will be eating me.

The truth is, alligators are naturally timid and fearful animals making them more afraid of humans than we are of them. “The chance of winding up eaten by an alligator or even bitten by one”, explains Jeff, “is extremely rare”. But humans eating alligators?

“Tastes like chicken,” laughs Jeff as we’re munching on Gator Bites at Randol’s in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Navigating a Louisiana menu is like being dropped into a foreign land. The area was settled by Nova Scotia Acadians then ruled by the Spanish and European French before Napolean sold to the Americans. Regardless of who ruled the land, the area was rich with trade and wealthy aristocrats who imported African cooks that had to please their masters by cooking the foods they liked. But no matter how hard they tried, African ingredients would always find their way into the ruling cuisine with dishes like Gumbo, Jambalaya, Boudin, Ètouffée, Pistoulette and Fricassée.

The French Canadians, or Cajuns as they were known, were hunters, trappers and fishermen. Their cuisine was rustic, one-pot meals like Fricassée, Boudin and Ètouffée, but most of all, they contributed the Cajun Trinity of yellow onions, celery and green bell peppers that replaced the traditional French mire poix of celery, onions and carrots.

Creole cuisine on the other hand is a mélange of culture, music and food from all influences that include not only Spanish, French, African and Acadian but also the German bakers and Italian canners who came later. It was the Italians who put tomatoes into a can that is now the identifying ingredient between the two styles of cuisine. Tomatoes were only used in Creole cooking, so if Gumbo is tomato based, you will know it hails from Creole roots. If the Gumbo is roux based, it is Cajun.

Back at Randol’s we chowed down on bowls of Gator Bites, Jambalaya, Corn and Crab Bisque and fresh oysters. Randol’s is not only a restaurant but a seafood distribution company so the seafood is especially fresh.

The Corn and Crab Bisque was creamy rich with spicy jalapenos, sweet corn, lightly sweet crab and layers of flavours that filled the palate.

Jambalaya, the southern version of a Spanish paella was both creamy and sticky with paprika spiciness and various textures of meat and seafood that soothed the soul and comforted the psyche. Giant, salty oysters were squirted with Tabasco sauce and sucked off their shells to slither down our throats. They were glorious. One was so large I had no choice but to chew only to discover it was harbouring a tiny pearl.

In Lake Charles, Steamboat Bills serves up a mean crawfish Ètouffée. The concept is based on smothering, a popular culinary technique brought by the French Canadians. The bottom two-thirds of a wide bowl are filled with rice and over top they smother the rice with a thicker than normal stew filled with seafood. In Steamboat Bills case, it’s loaded with the most popular fish in the south, crawfish.

You can find crawfish fresh in season (February to July) and farmed throughout the year. The sweet shrimp-like white flesh can be found everywhere and in everything. Hackett’s Cajun Kitchen is a Lake Charles institution serving up crawfish boudin. Boudin looks like sausage but is really stuffing in a casing.

White rice is a major crop in Southwest Louisiana and at Hackett’s only Louisiana rice makes it into their boudin. The cooked rice is mixed with parsley, diced meat (could be pork, any type of seafood, alligator and even liver). To this they add the Cajun Trilogy and a secret blend of spices.

“THE CORN AND CRAB BISQUE WAS CREAMY RICH WITH SPICY JALAPENOS, SWEET CORN, LIGHTLY SWEET CRAB AND LAYERS OF FLAVOURS THAT FILLED THE PALATE” Hackett’s is a simple little shack and the most unlikely place to inspire anyone to stand in line for hours, but the people of Lake Charles, Louisiana do. They all come looking for boudin made fresh every morning by Hackett’s Boudin Masters.

I ate a lot of Hackett’s boudin. The crawfish boudin is light, silky and buttery with the sweet flavour of crawfish in every bite. The Spicy Smoked was rich and robust with mouthwatering savoury flavours that filled my mouth and travelled right down to my toes!

Oh yum, amazing flavour experiences.

While rural Louisiana prides itself in traditional comfort dishes, New Orleans forges forward with cutting edge international cuisine – a modern day mélange of flavours.

French was and still is the strongest culture of all cultural influences and that’s why in New Orleans there is a French Quarter and not a Spanish Quarter. It’s here you’ll find the official donut of Louisiana, Beignets. These square, French-style donuts with no hole in the middle are piled high with icing sugar are served warm, soft and billowy. What makes these donuts ultra light is that they’re made with choux pastry so when they’re fried, they rise with steam not yeast. The best Beignets in all of New Orleans can be found at Café du Monde. If beignet perfection wasn’t

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LYNN OGRYZLO’S SHORT LIST OF WHERE TO EAT AND WHAT TO SEE IN AND AROUND NEW ORLEANS. enough Café du Monde pours mountains of powdered sugar over three beignets that you wash down with a warm cup of café au lait while street vendors serenade you with blues and jazz – a great New Orleans experience.

Ralph’s on the Park is recognized in Bon Appetit for it’s fine cuisine, I’ll remember it for it’s surprising flavour combinations like Peanut Butter and Jam Foie Gras. It creams lusciously in your mouth after which the seared Mahi Tuna turns the sweet appetizer juices on my palate to earthy, rich, serious pleasure.

Being the party town, New Orleans has their own unique style of daiquiri. They’re like slushies with alcohol or as I overheard on the street, like a “7-11 slushie with booze”. You can get frozen daiquiris in a big gulp cup on almost every street corner. Fat Tuesdays in the new Riverwalk Outlet Mall boasts a wall of slushie machines, all churning different coloured and flavoured slushies – or no, they’re daiquiris! You can choose from dozens of different flavours and because you never really know how much alcohol is in them, they tend to sneak up on you. And yes, you can buy one and walk around anywhere sipping on a really cold, frozen, alcoholic drink. I wondered why this daiquiri shop was in a shopping mall instead of a nightclub but then, I’m living proof that alcohol really does encourage the shopping spirit.

So the early French Canadians were the first to settle the land that is now Louisiana and New Orleans and we brought with us delicious dishes that hold dear today but they have given back with Tabasco. That’s right, the one and only Tabasco factory is on Avery island just outside New Orleans and well worth the trip to the welcome centre for Tabasco ice cream, Tabasco chocolate and Tabasco sauces in over 30 different flavours.

Louisiana has an international culinary culture steeped in the ages and wrapped with southern charm. It’s a place where they love nothing more than to offer Canadians a taste of their own past.

Restaurants Luna Bar & Grill lunabarandgrill.com, Lake Charles Steamboat Bill’s on the Lake steamboatbills.com, Lake Charles Randol’s Restaurant randols.com, Lafayette Mr. B’s mrbsbistro.com, New Orleans Cafe du Monde cafedumonde.com, New Orleans Ralph’s on the Park ralphsonthepark.com, New Orleans Le Foret leforetneworleans.com, New Orleans

Activities Vermilionville vermilioville.org, Lafayette Mardi Gras Museum swlamardigras.com Tabasco tabasco.com, Avery Island McGee’s Landing mcgeeslanding.com, Henderson Creole Nature Trail creolenaturetrail.org Grosse Savanne Eco-Tours grossesavanneeco-tours.com Preservation Hall preservationhall.com, New Orleans

Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.

Langlois School of Cooking langloisnola.com, New Orleans Riverwalk Outlet Mall riverwalkneworleans.com, New Orleans

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“ THE CER EMONY WAS TO PICK UP THE TINY COFFEE SPOON A ND STIR SLOWLY. THE SULTRY LIQUID SWIR LED BROWN A ND WHITE LIK E VELVET.”

I have a love affair with chocolate that has lasted as long as I can remember. I don’t eat the

candy bar kind you find at the check out aisles, but the good quality stuff. I can give you names of some of my favourites; Vosges, Torres, Godiva, Ghirardelli and Valrhona. I don’t really mind if it’s brittle and dark or liquid and spiked, I just love the flavour of really good chocolate and the satisfying experience I get from savouring it very slowly.Everywhere I go around the world I look for different chocolate experiences. I remember the Bicerin I swooned over in Torino, Italy. The region that brought us Nutella has decadent coffee houses. Walk into any one of these ancient, posh establishments with their 14-foot, rich, gold embossed ceilings, opulent mahogany trim and lustrous mirrored walls with gleaming brass accents and you know you’re somewhere special. On one occasion I was served a Bicerin, a hot, layered chocolate drink.

The way it was explained to me was that dark, bittersweet chocolate is reduced down in giant copper pots for almost 6-hours. This black, pudding-thick chocolate was the bottom third of the drink. The middle layer was a double shot of espresso and the top was a slightly sweet, frothy cream. The reduced chocolate was so thick the espresso didn’t penetrate it. Served in a glass cup you could see the three beautiful, exciting layers. The ceremony was to pick up the tiny coffee spoon and stir slowly.

The sultry liquid swirled brown and white like velvet. Take a sip and you are seduced by strong coffee-like chocolate as you feel your body succumbing to the Bicerin’s vampish charms.

That was my greatest chocolate experience and that was 20 years ago. Just recently I was meeting a friend for coffee. Val works across the street from a chocolate shop, SOMA Chocolatemaker on King Street in Toronto. Guess where we met for coffee?

I walked in and looked at the blackboard. Top of the menu of chocolate drinks was a Bicerin. The experience wasn’t as ceremonial as the Bicerin in Torino, but it was a fabulous drink!

On my next visit, I’m trying their hot chocolate and gelato drink.

Just last year I spent Christmas in London, England. I’m seduced by the European Christmas markets and London’s was spectacular. I strolled the market listening to soft holiday music while looking at the specialty food and craft booths lined up and down the roads. Our hands were wrapped in woolen gloves; we could see our breath and the dampness reached down to our bones. My favourite way to enjoy this was with a hot mug of hot chocolate spiked with Bailey’s. There was something very addictive about the two flavours together and the experience of being warmed and comforted by layers of thick chocolate on a wet, cold December London day.

Back home in the thick of a Canadian winter, I continued to make my hot chocolate and Baileys. I discovered the better the chocolate the better the drink and don’t even think about buying a Bailey’s substitute. I used up all my Ghirardelli powdered chocolate so switched over to a tin of Whittard Luxury Powdered Chocolate. It just took the experience over the top, when I close my eyes I’m back in Hyde Park strolling the Christmas market. I can almost hear the Christmas music playing in the background. >>

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I remember the time I visited the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory in San Francisco. Walk in and the air is soaked with strong chocolate aromas intermingled with vanilla, caramel and sweet cream.

The aromas are so seductive and suggestive; I could have bought every piece of chocolate in the entire store. As I walked along the boardwalk away from Ghirardelli the wind blew my hair across my face and I realized my hair smells like chocolate – woah! I started to smell the rest of my clothes they all had a strong aroma of the dark stuff - I was one walking chocolate bar! To a chocolate lover, life doesn’t get much better.

“

TA K E A SIP A ND YOU A R E SEDUCED

BY STRONG COFFEE-LIK E CHOCOL ATE AS YOU FEEL YOUR BODY SUCCUMBING TO THE BICER IN’S VA MPISH CHA R MS. In Paris, France there is a little café on Avenue de la Motte-Picquet named Pain et Chocolate. Simply translated it means, bread and chocolate, two foods to live by and yes, I visit it often. There is outdoor seating and in the winter you’ll find a blanket on each chair to ward off the damp cold winter air. The hot chocolate here is a secret recipe handed down through the owner’s family.

She won’t say what is in it but a large cauldron of hot chocolate is brewed each day and when it’s gone, it’s gone. I always go in the early afternoon. It’s a magical drink, lighter than any other hot chocolate I’ve fallen in love with but layered with complex nuances of almonds, spices and vanilla that fade in and out. It’s simply a stunning and classy drink.

In Chicago, I visited a restaurant named after my favourite drink – Hot Chocolate. Pastry chef, Mindy Segal makes my alltime favourite Hot Fudge Milanos. No words can describe what happens when you bite down on these soft, tiny cookies. In your mouth, they transformed into chocolaty, buttery silk that slithers across your tongue and down your throat with paralyzing lusciousness and electrifying euphoria. After 15 of these delicious tidbits there was no achy feeling in the pit of my stomach, just sunshine and delight radiating from within – ahhh, I could keep eating. Mindy Segal has real talent. That’s when I discovered her Hot Chocolate Menu.

Yes, a menu like a food menu or wine list, Mindy has a hot chocolate menu with 7 different ways to enjoy a steamy cup of cocoa. After a long and agonizing conversation with the Chocolate Sommelier over the merits of which hot chocolate would be best on a warm but almost rainy spring day, he surprised me with a fl ight of all seven!! My board included the following hot chocolates: Malted Vanilla, Medium, Mexican, Black & Tan, Dark, Chai and Half & Half.

As we enter this beloved season of hot chocolate, vow not to sip the empty calories of those dark, hot, faux drinks. Instead, find yourself some good chocolate, Callabaut or Ghirardelli and melt it slowly in a pot with whole milk. Whip it with a hand-held milk frother and taste. Now start to blend your own magical cup of irresistible chocolate. Add a drop of vanilla, a spill of Bailey’s or a sprinkle of vanilla sugar. Happy Hot Chocolate Season!

For a full description of these mind-blowing chocolate drinks go to my blog at The Ontario Table website. Lynn Ogryzlo is a food, wine and travel writer, international award winning author and regular contributor to REV Publications. She can be reached for questions or comments at lynnogryzlo.com.

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WHETHER CREATING FAMOUS DESSERTS OR DELVING INTO NEW TERRITORY THIS CROOKIE DOESN’T CRUMBLE.

s

weeT & Avoury

BY MEGAN PASCHE I PHOTOS BY A.J. HARLOND

Chef Olivier Jansen-Reynaud, owner of Clafouti Patisserie et Café in Toronto, made mouths water all around the world when he dreamed up the Crookie, a hybrid dessert which is comprised of one of his authentic French croissants fi lled with creamy double stuffed Oreos. It was an idea that quickly took the culinary world by storm after Chef Olivier came up with the idea for a chef challenge he was participating in. He posted a picture of his creation on the Internet, and it went viral, with newspapers, websites and television shows from as far reaching as Australia wanting a piece of the Crookie action. When they did a feature on it on LIVE with Kelly and Michael, Kelly Ripa commented that, “she needed some alone time with her Crookie.” Chef Olivier’s small bakery on Queen Street West is still the only place you are able to find the original Crookie, but you’ll also find an array of savoury items there including breakfast items and a variety of croissant sandwiches.

Q& A with

CHEF OLIVIER JANSEN-REYNAUD

Just recently, Chef Olivier has launched his newest project in Niagara Falls, where he and his wife, Veronica Rudan, have opened up Marilyn’s Bistro and Lounge, a casual Mediterranean dining restaurant that is perched on the top floor of the Tower Hotel, offering diners a spectacular view, great ambiance and delicious food. This new endeavor channels the glitz and glamour of Marilyn Monroe, while still offering a casual dining experience to both locals and tourists alike.

I recently caught up with Chef Olivier to chat about his background, his viral success with the Crookie, and his latest exciting endeavor in Niagara Falls.

“…CREATING BEAUTIFUL MEALS FROM SIMPLE INGREDIENTS LIKE IN THE OLD DAYS, NOT OVER COMPLICATING RECIPES, HAVING A GOOD TIME SEEING FAMILIES ENJOYING, CHATTING AND LAUGHING…”

MEGAN PASCHE: Can you talk a bit about your culinary background?

OLIVIER JANSEN-REYNAUD: “My parents owned restaurants and cafes in France, so you could say I was born in a kitchen.

My father moved to Canada when I was young and at the age of 11 I came to live with him. I spent my childhood in kitchens in restaurants he owned from Kelowna to Victoria. I learned from all the chefs we had working at the restaurants.”

MP: Is there someone in your career that stands out as a mentor?

OJR: “I worked with Daniel, a friend of my father. He had a small French restaurant in Victoria, and we were basically four people: two in the kitchen, and two in front, but the restaurant rocked. He was so good and old fashioned with his food and always in control. Even on the craziest nights he always treated us with respect and it showed in his food.”

MP: What made you decide you wanted to be a chef?

OJR: “Seeing chefs creating beautiful meals from simple ingredients like in the old days, not over complicating recipes, having a good time seeing families enjoying, chatting and laughing: creating joy was a key factor.”

MP: How do you stay educated on new food trends?

OJR: “I go to the grocery market everyday, working or not, I walk the aisles, look at the new prepared foods that are coming to consumers, I try not to rely too much on magazines because once it’s in a magazine the next trend is already on its way. I spend a lot of time in local ethnic neighbourhoods; I think people create trends not chefs.”

MP: Do you have a cooking philosophy?

OJR: “I try to keep it simple and fresh. I respect the work of all the hands that brought us the food in our kitchen from the farmer’s hand harvesting the vegetables, to the driver who brought it, to the fishermen in the Arctic ocean spending long nights netting salmon. With one dish there are hundreds of people involved so always respect their work.”

MP: Is there a moment in your career you are most proud of?

OJR: “Feeding my kids since they were small. My career has enabled me to show them where food comes from, for example, that fish comes whole, and then you have to fi llet it, it is not already on ice pre portioned. We grow a garden that they help

plant. I love seeing them helping in the kitchen at home because I know they will pass it on to their kids and on and on.”

MP: Do you have a favourite ingredient to use?

OJR: “I spent six months in East Asia, and I loved all the flavours that they use in their dishes, from Madras curry to Kafir leaves.”

MP: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

OJR: “The smiles at the tables during service and the camaraderie in the kitchen during sometimes hard times.”

MP: Do you have a favourite kitchen gadget?

OJR: “My knives and a rotor thin blade knife I picked up in Singapore.”

MP: What kind of meals do you make at home?

OJR: “Always different, always fresh and simple. If I am not working, we always eat together when we are at home. If I work, I prepare the meal ahead of time.”

MP: If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?

OJR: “I would be painting, which I do sometimes.”

MP: What would be on the meal at your last supper?

OJR: “My mothers mashed potatoes, endive salad, shallot vinaigrette and thick slices of fresh cooked ham.”

MP: Can you talk about the Crookie and how the idea for that came about?

OJR: “On a day off I got a call from a reporter friend of mine in Toronto, he was doing an article on hybrid desserts and one of his chefs had dropped out so he asked me to come up with something quickly.

My wife said you are good at croissants and kids love Oreos, so she worked on the name and I worked on the methodology, she said croissant… cookie…Crookie, so then the Crookie was born. The story was printed and we started selling them at Clafouti. The week after I posted a picture of it on social media and it just went viral. All the news organizations from the U.S wanted to feature it: ABC news, The Today Show, Time Magazine, Good Morning America, Global News, The Daily Mail and several more.”

To get a taste of Chef Olivier’s food, check out…

CLAFOUTI 915 Queen Street West, Toronto (clafouti.com)

MARILYN’S BISTRO AND LOUNGE 6732 Fallsview Boulevard, Niagara Falls (niagaratower.com)

MP: Can you talk a bit about Marilyn’s Bistro, and how you went about developing the menu for this restaurant?

OJR: “We starting talking about the menu and decor last fall, we felt we needed a new restaurant in Niagara that would not only appeal to the tourist but also the local clientele. We want tourists to feel like locals when they come to Marilyn’s as opposed to looking at the tourist clientele as one-time customers.

The menu is inspired by many flavours of the Mediterranean from Italy to Greece to Southern France. We are keeping it simple and fresh, with bold flavours. We try to use as many local ingredients whenever possible on our menu depending on the season, our wine list also reflects the region with a large Niagara selection.”

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s b r e H

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THYM E FOR SOM E SAG E ADVICE By: Megan Pasche Cultivating your own herb garden is fairly easy, even if you aren’t blessed with the greenest of thumbs. The best part is, herbs can be grown either outdoors in the garden, or indoors, in containers. As long as you have a space where they can get approximately five hours of sunlight a day. You can start your plants from seedlings, which are very young plants that you can transport into your garden or container, or you can buy seeds, which are cheaper, but take longer to grow. >>

from the GROUND up

g n i w o r G

your

O

nce you have all your herbs planted, you’ll need to water them at least once a week, or whenever the soil is dry to the touch. Almost all the plants will grow new leaves, as long as you don’t pick the stems completely bare. Fresh herbs can be used directly in food, provided you rinse them first. You can also pick them, and store them for later by either drying or freezing them. To air dry herbs, you cut the stems where the soil is, and hang upside down in bunches, and let them dry for about one or two weeks. Once they are dry, you can take the leaves off the stems and keep them in an airtight container for up to a year. If you decide to freeze your herbs (the benefit of which is that they retain more of the “freshly picked” flavour), you can do this by placing the picked herbs directly into freezer bags, then just unthaw when you need them.

BA SIL : This can be added to salads, sandwiches and wraps in its raw form, or it can be cooked into soups and sauces, chopped onto pizza or pesto. You harvest basil by clipping the upper leaves first, only taking a few leaves from each stem at a time.

PA R SLEY: This takes a little bit longer to grow them other herbs, but when it’s finally ready, you can use both the leaves and stalks for salads, soups and in various Mediterranean inspired dishes. You harvest parsley by cutting the outer stalks that are just above the ground, which helps the plant continue to grow.

ROSEM A RY: It is often easiest to start this particular plant from a seedling, as opposed to just buying the seeds. This plant can get overwatered easily, so just remember that rosemary likes soil that is a bit on the drier side. It is easy to harvest, and you can do so by just cutting the pieces off the stem as needed. It has many uses in food, as well as a healing herb.

THYME : This is another herb that is easier to start from a seedling as opposed to seeds, and like rosemary, it prefers drier soil. To harvest, you can cut pieces off the stem as you need them, and it is great to use as flavour in soups, stews and in meat dishes.

DILL : Another herb that prefers drier soils, dill is great for using as flavouring in fish dishes, on potatoes, in dips and in salads. You can harvest it when the plant is at least 12 inches tall, and you should never harvest more than 1/3 of the leaves at one time.

MINT: This is a plant you will want to keep in a container, otherwise it may take over your whole garden. You can pinch off the sprigs as needed, and mint can be used in salads, desserts, in drinks, and more, as it is quite versatile.

SAGE : Sage can be harvested by picking off the leaves as you need them, and is great for use in numerous dishes including roasted meats, in butter or other sauces, and in pasta. It can also be used for teas and in other herbal remedies.

CHIVES : This is one of those plants that can be eaten from top to bottom. The bulbs taste like a milder version of an onion, and the leaves can be used in salads, and various other dishes. To harvest, you can cut the leaves off with scissors, but make sure to leave about two inches at the bottom.

CIL A NTRO : This plant can be a little fussy, and does not like the hot weather. If the soil gets to hot (generally above 75 degrees), the plant will go to seed. To make the best use of it, make sure to prune frequently for immediate use or storage. When harvesting cilantro, you can either wait until the plant gets about 6 inches high, and then remove the outer leaves with scissors, or you can wait until the plant is fully grown, and pull the whole thing from the soil to use all at once. Cilantro, an acquired taste, can be used in salads, wraps, and lots of Mexican recipes.

1. If you herbs are indoors, regularly rotate them in regards to the sunlight, so they don’t just grow in one direction.

2. Make sure you have containers that drain appropriately to avoid water logging the roots.

3. Plant herbs according to water preference, for example, rosemary and thyme both prefer dry soil, so keep them together.

4. Clip the herbs back regularly. If the herb starts to flower, that is a sign that they are not being clipped back enough.

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FORAGING for

FOOD

BY SANDRA OZKUR

FOR AGING:

to wander in search of food or provisions.

The word conjures up images in my mind of the Stone Age, when people wandered in search of food. In modern times foraging has been reduced to selecting red apples or green ones in the supermarket. But there are a growing number of people who choose to embrace what nature has to offer and have taken up foraging as a pastime, and a way to supplement their diets with organic and natural plants.

M

any people are now keenly aware of the correlation between what we eat and the state of our health. Industrialized food production has stripped our foods of necessary nutrients and filled our bodies with toxic chemicals. One free and natural alternative is to get out in nature and find edible plants that can provide nutrient rich and organic food sources right where you live. Foraging outdoors is good exercise and a natural stress reliever. It is a calming and enjoyable outing for both adults and children and an opportunity to reconnect with nature and the ecosystem that surrounds us.

Niagara Culinary Tours is a company owned by Steven and Kimberly Lovelace. They offer tours with the goal of helping you to “walk, eat and embrace your inner foodie.” They organize tours that bring people in touch with unique food experiences throughout Niagara.

Our experienced guide, Peter Blush, met our group at a pre-determined wooded area. As we hiked through the woods, he pointed out the edible plants and shared his expert knowledge with us. He told us that it is not enough just to know which plant species are edible. A successful forager also needs to know the habitat of specific plants in order to efficiently locate them. Knowing what time of year to pick and what part of the plant to eat is equally important. The entire plant is not always edible; on some plants you eat the leaves, while others have edible flowers, fruits, berries or roots.

We identified many potential plant species, but many were not yet in season for picking. We saw May Apples, Trout Lilies, Burdock, Coral mushrooms, Bear’s Head mushrooms, wild garlic, sumac and wild ginger. We sampled cattail hearts, wild leeks and ginger root. To find these plants you must have a keen eye and know where and when certain plants will appear. Each plant has an optimal time when it is ready for picking, such as mushrooms, which appear right after a rain. As a novice forager, you can start right in your own backyard. I foraged around in mine and found dandelions and wild grape leaves just behind my house.

It was a fun and invigorating hike. I learned a lot about plants and why people are interested in this pastime. The tour attracted people from all over Ontario and I was keen to know why they came. I asked Nicole and her mom Rose Marie Maciel, from Oakville, why they were interested in foraging. Nicole replied, “My friends are all into holistic living. In my dental practice I see a real connection between diet and the state of your teeth. What you eat really affects your health, so we have personally become dedicated to a more holistic lifestyle and want to eat foods that are nutrient rich and sourced from organic, responsible and sustainable sources.”

Adam Goetz, a professional chef and owner of Craving Restaurant in Buffalo, came for both business and pleasure. He told me, “I have a cult following at my restaurant. I have a list of people who are always on standby just waiting to hear what exciting things I have sourced for the menu. I have a network of local organic producers and they supply me with ultra fresh food as it comes into season, then I create a menu around the item.

I was interested in learning more about wild food that I could incorporate into my cooking.”

BE SURE TO DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE HEADING OUT TO THE WILDERNESS ON YOUR OWN. HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES THAT SHOULD BE FOLLOWED WHEN FORAGING FOR FOOD IN PUBLIC PLACES:

• Dress appropriately for the weather and be aware of your surroundings.

• Be absolutely certain about the identity of any plant before you eat it, for there are many poisonous look-alikes that can be fatal.

• Don’t pick endangered species, it is unethical and may be illegal.

• Never take more than you need, and never take all the plants in any patch.

• If extracting roots, leave enough root behind so as not to kill the plant.

• Never pick from areas that may have pesticides, fertilizers or industrial contamination.

• Never collect in nature reserves, for they are protected areas.

• Be as unobtrusive as possible and never leave litter behind.

• Always wash and clean the plants thoroughly before eating.

When the hike was over we had a nice cup of herbal tea at Neob Lavender Farm and sampled some of their homemade products.

We then headed to Southbrook Winery for a tour of this organic and biodynamic winery. The assistant winemaker explained their biodynamic farming practices and introduced us to the resident sheep and goats, whose grazing helps maintain the vineyard. He then guided us through a tasting of several organic wines as they were paired with each course of the meal.

The meal was prepared on site by the Yellow Pear Food Company. Yellow Pear uses organic products exclusively and operates the only solar powered food truck in Canada. They served a wonderful crème brule with local raspberries paired with Framboise dessert wine, a perfect ending to the perfect day! niagaraculinarytours.com

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PREP TIME: 5 minutes COOK TIME: 15 minutes SERVING: 2

miso MAPLE SYRUP SALMON Recipe courtesy of Chef Olivier Jansen-Reynaud

Ingredients • 1 1/2 tablespoons yellow miso paste • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar • 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil • 2-6 ounce centre-cut salmon fillet with skin on • Sriracha hot sauce optional

DIRECTIONS

1.

Place oven rack about 6 inches from heat source, preheat oven broiler.

together miso paste, rice 2. Whisk vinegar and if applicable hot chili sauce in a bowl. an oven ready skillet with 3. Brush vegetable oil.

each salmon fillet with 5. Brush miso glaze. Place skillet under the preheated broiler and cook until the salmon is cooked through and the top is browned, about 8 minutes. each fillet from the pan, 6. Remove separating the flesh form the skin, discard skin.

salmon skin down in the cold 4. Place 7. Serve with quinoa and vegetables. skillet, place over medium heat and cook until salmon skin starts to sizzle, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove pan from heat.

By Lynn ogRyzLo

beer makes it beTTer When I say ice cream floats, your mind probably goes to root beer or cola, but think again. Beer adds a whole new dimension to your favourite frothy bubble drink. Fruity beers and chocolate stouts are already in the dessert category so go ahead and pour them over a scoop of ice cream. A general rule of thumb is two generous scoops of ice cream in a tall glass and fill to the top with beer. Beers that work well are fruit beers, beers that have a bit of sweetness to them and beers light on the hoppy flavours. Try these beer and ice cream combos for an end of summer treat!

1.

2.

3.

Pour Wellington chocolate milk Stout (LcBo# 380477, $9.95) from Prince edward county over salted dulce de leche ice cream for a rich, caramely hit to the earthy chocolate beer. another great combination is coffee ice cream for an intense mocha chocolate hit. the bottle is 750 mL meaning you have enough for about 4 floats – party time! the blend of Shock top Raspberry Wheat (LcBo#381194, $12.95/6-341mL btls) and apricot ice cream is just sheer brilliance! if you can’t find apricot, first look for an artisan ice cream maker. if you can’t find anyone who makes apricot ice cream in your area, look for peach as a suitable substitute. it’s a sweet, dreamy combination.

Waterloo dark ale (Beer Store $2.35/473 mL can) over French vanilla ice cream. the beer is light in hops so allows for the vanilla to infuse into the beer flavours. any other light to dark beer with the absence of strong hops will work well for a dreamy vanilla hit to your favourite brew.

Ingredients

DIJON & LIME

LAMB

CRUSTED ONTA R IO

R ACK OF L A MB with Minted Heirloom Tomato Salsa PREPARATION Salsa This recipe is extremely simple, and with all the varieties of heirloom tomatoes out there, you can create a beautifully colourful salsa. Just place all the fresh garden ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and add your lemon juice and vinegar. Blend together then season with salt and pepper. This recipe can be altered according to what you are serving it with. For flat breads and prosciutto, just replace the mint with fresh chopped basil, or for fish leave the mint out and replace the tomatoes with orange and grapefruit segments.

• Ontario lamb rack • Grainy Dijon mustard • 1 lime juiced

SALSA • 2 cups of heirloom tomatoes, chopped • 1 red onion, chopped • ¼ red pepper, diced • ¼ yellow pepper, diced • ½ TSP minced garlic • 1 TBSP rice wine vinegar • ½ lemon, juiced • Chives • Scallions • Cilantro • Chopped Fresh Mint • Salt and Pepper

Lamb Start off by rinsing your lamb under cold water to wash away any surface impurities, and then dry the surface with a disposable paper towel.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. On your stovetop, heat a frying pan up with a tiny amount of oil and season the lamb with salt and pepper.

When oil is hot, place the lamb rack flesh side down and sear until golden brown, then flip and repeat on the other side. When golden brown on both sides remove from the frying pan and place in a roasting pan, and put in the oven for 10 minutes (for well done, add some time.) While that is cooking blend the grainy Dijon mustard and lime juice with a pinch of salt. After the ten minutes pull the lamb out of the oven and slather the mustard blend evenly over the top. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes. When done remove from oven and roasting pan and place on a cutting board to rest for 4 minutes. This is so the juices don’t all run out when you slice it.

A great accompaniment with this dish is maple sweet potato puree, which is very easy to make. Just bake the sweet potato dry “as is” in the oven until soft, cut in half, and scoop the yams out and puree with butter, maple syrup, salt and pepper.

Recipe courtesy of Mark Longster Executive Chef at the Pillar and Post

Place some sweet potato puree in the center of your plate.

When the lamb has rested you can carve it and fan it around your potato, then top it with your salsa. Enjoy!

maple crème

ALMOND CR ACK LE WITH

The subtle sweetness of maple really adds a nice touch to this baked custard.

This is a lighter version of the original crème brulee dessert, using half-andhalf cream and milk, but with a satisfyingly creamy end result. The step of burning the tops of the desserts is skipped, since a maple coated almond crackle adds that signature crunchy top layer.

almond crackle INGREDIENTS • •

1.

1/3 cup 3 Tbsp

sliced almonds pure maple syrup

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and grease it well.

the foil with the almonds 2. Sprinkle and then pour the maple syrup over top, stirring just slightly. Bake this for about 18 minutes, until the syrup is bubbling vigorously. Let the crackle cool completely and store at room temperature until ready to serve.

To serve, peel the foil away from the crackle and break into pieces to use.

maple crème INGREDIENTS • • • • • • •

1.

1 ¼ cups ¾ cup 2 3 cup 2 tsp 5 1 pinch

half-and-half cream milk pure maple syrup vanilla extract egg yolks whole egg ground cinnamon

SERVING: 4 (6-ounce)

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 325 F. Arrange 4 6-oz ramekins or other baking dishes in a larger dish with sides that are at least the height of the ramekins.

all of the ingredients together 2. Whisk and pour them into the prepared ramekins.

3.

Pour boiling water around the ramekins, so that the water comes up to about two thirds.

the crèmes between 35 and 4. 45Bakeminutes, until they are set around the outside but still jiggle a bit at the center. Allow the custards to cool in the water-filled pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove them from the water to cool to room temperature before chilling for at least 4 hours.

To serve, break the crackle into pieces and place them on top of the crèmes immediately before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Anna Olson TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 67

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LAST MINUTE

Preservations I N S T E A D O F T H R OW I N G O U T T H E L E F T OV E R F O O D I N Y O U R F R I D G E B E C AU S E Y O U A R E N O T S U R E W H AT T O D O W I T H I T, why not get creative and look at the art of preserving food? You can use almost anything in your fridge to make a wide variety of chutneys, jams and condiments, ensuring leftover foods don’t go to waste. We’ve started you off with three different recipes here, but there is a whole wide world of preserving out there, so check out wellpreserved.ca, foodinjars.com and punkdomestics.com for more recipes and inspiration. >>

TODAYMAGAZINE.CA 69

This recipe makes five to six 1 quart jars and can be used right away but improves when aged a week or two. Delicious with all kinds of food but it is especially good with pork chops or pork roast.

4. Put canning jars into boiling water for 5 minutes. Transfer eggplant and oil to canning jars and seal.

NOTE : The best way to peel tomatoes is to scald them first with boiling water for 30 seconds and then peel them. Wear gloves!

recipe courtesy of Madeleine & Irene Holmes

TOMATO, ONION & APPLE CHUTNEY

recipe courtesy of shockinglydelicious.com

INGREDIENTS: 6 quarts Tomatoes, peeled and sliced 3 lbs Onions, peeled and sliced 3 lbs Apples, peeled, cored and sliced Coarse salt 2 cups Sugar 2 cups White vinegar 2 tbsp Pickling spice (in spice ball or cheese cloth)

DIRECTIONS: In a non-reactive container (stainless steel, glass or plastic), place 1 layer of tomato slices, 1 layer of onion slices and 1 layer of apple slices. Sprinkle approximately ½ tsp of coarse salt on top of the three layers. Repeat the three layers and salt again. Continue layering until all the tomatoes are used.

Then cover and let stand overnight (no need to refrigerate).

Next day, drain as much liquid as possible then place in a heavy bottomed stainless steel pot on the stove. Add the sugar, vinegar, pickling spice and bring to a boil while being careful not to let it stick. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions and apples are soft, stirring occasionally.

While the mixture is simmering, check to make sure that it is salty enough. Once the apple and onions are soft, remove the spice ball (or cheese cloth) with the pickling spice and discard the spices. Put the chutney into sterilized quart jars and seal them. Let them cool and store in a cool place.

BING CHERRY JAM INGREDIENTS: recipe courtesy of jamieoliver.com

AUBERGINE EGGPLANT INGREDIENTS: 4¼ cups 4¼ cups 3 tbs 2¼ lbs 1-2 tbs 1-2 4 cloves 1 cup 1 cup

Water White wine vinegar Kosher salt Eggplant Dried oregano Red chili peppers, sliced Garlic, coarsely sliced Sunflower oil Extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS: 1. Combine water, vinegar and salt in a pot.

Bring to a boil.

2. Remove the green end of each eggplant.

Slice in half lengthwise, then cut across into 1/2” slices. Cut slices into 1/2” batons. Add to boiling brine for 3 minutes. If they float, keep re-submerging them with a spoon.

3. Combine oregano, chile, garlic and both oils. Drain eggplant and add to oil mixture.

Toss well.

4¼ cups 4¼ cups 3 tbs 2¼ lbs 1-2 tbs 1-2 4 cloves 1 cup 1 cup

Water White wine vinegar Kosher salt Eggplant Dried oregano Red chili peppers, sliced Garlic, coarsely sliced Sunflower oil Extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS: 1. In an 8-quart pan, combine the cherries, lemon juice, sugar and butter.

2. Over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, heat the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the entire contents of the pectin pouch. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Skim off any foam. Stir in the almond extract.

3. To prevent the jam from separating in the jars, allow the jam to cool 5 minutes before filling the jars. Gently stir the jam every minute or so to distribute the fruit. Ladle the hot jam into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp cloth.

Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings. Process half-pint jars in a 200F (93C) water bath for 10 minutes, pint jars for 15 minutes.

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Food THOUGHT for

FUN, BIZARRE & INTERESTING FOOD FACTS, FEARS & CURES.

+ =

POUND CAKE.

+

+

The original recipe called for a pound each of butter, eggs, sugar and flour.

A Spoonful of sugar…

Hiccups are a common occurrence after digestive disturbance; a hiccup is an involuntary spasm of the diaphragm.

The trick when trying to cure them is to interrupt your breathing pattern, or to distract yourself enough that your body begins to focus on something else. There are many different tricks to try if you are stuck with a case of the hiccups: • Take a spoonful of sugar (try placing it on the back of your tongue where the “sour” taste buds are. It will overload the nerve endings.) * Drink or gargle water. * Take deep inhaling breaths until you can’t any longer. * Hold your breath (or breathe into a paper bag). This will increase the carbon dioxide in the bloodstream and your body will become more concerned with getting rid of it then with the hiccups.)

Ripe cranberries bounce like rubber balls.

While some fears may seem intangiable they are very real to those who suffer from them.

Here is a sampling of some of the tastier ones‌

Chewing gum while cutting onions can help a person to not produce tears.

Ketchup was originally created as a drug, not a condiment.

There are 7,500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world.

Honey is the only edible food for humans that never goes bad (recently it was found in an Egyptian tomb and it was still edible)

Natural Remedies to There are numerous herbs that can help ease gas and prevent bloating. Some of these include ginger, fennel, cinnamon, oregano and peppermint. It is best to get the benefits of these directly from the food you eat as opposed to a supplement.

CURE BLOATING Probiotics can help with digestion and reducing gas. Numerous foods contain probiotics including yogurt, kefir, tempeh and sauerkraut.

FOOD for THOUGHT

FOOD PHOBIAS

ARACHIBUTYROPHOBIA fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of one’s mouth.

ACERPHOBIA fear of sourness.

MYCOPHOBIA fear of mushrooms.

CONSECOTALEOPHOBIA the fear of chopsticks.

THERMOPHOBIA fear of hot things.

ALEKTOROPHOBIA fear of chicken.

wine dry whiTe

sweeT whiTe

rich whiTe

spArkLinG

LiGhT red

medium red

White table Wine Sauvignon Blanc grûner Veltliner Pinot grigio albariño

chardonnay Roussanne marsanne Viognier

download at today-magazine.com/PaiRing

St.Laurent Pinot noir zweigelt gamay

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pAir food

Sparkling Wine champagne Prosecco cave

Red table Wine tempranillo Sangiovese grenache merlot

foods To mATch boLd red cabernet Sauvignon aglianico malbec Syrah

desserT

Late Harvest ice Wine Sherry Port

food

TimetoTossit how LonG your food wiLL keep in The freeZer or The pAnTry

Pantry

LUNCH MEAT

FISH

BREAD

PEANUT BUTTER

1-2 MONTHS

2-6 MONTHS

5-7 DAYS

6 MONTHS

GROUND BEEF

BEEF STEAKS

CEREAL

RICE

3-4 MONTHS

6-12 MONTHS

1 YEAR

1 YEAR

WHOLE CHICKEN

BREAD

CANNED GOODS

SALAD DRESSNGS

1 YEAR

1 YEAR

1 YEAR

1 YEAR

FRESH VEGETABLES

FRESH FRUIT

JAMS/SYRUPS

PASTA

1 YEAR

1 YEAR

1 YEAR

2 YEARS

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BUFFALO’S FAMOUS CULINARY CREATION TURNS 50

W

HEN YOU HAVE ONLY A SHORT TIME TO SPEND IN BUFFALO

(e.g. you have a few hours to burn between flights, or you’re busy because you’re the President of the United States) chances are you’re going

to

order

chicken

wings.

And while our city offers enough invigorating, profound, one-of-a-kind experiences to fill every second of an extended stay – many

of

them

outlined on these very pages – there’s a reason why wings reign supreme.

More on next page » ERIC FRICK

OUR BLOGGERS CHOOSE THEIR FAVORITE WINGS CHARLIE FASHANA

BAR BILL » East Aurora

“This place is a small but legendary part of a great southtown. You’ll be enamored by the cozy atmosphere, charmed by the staff, and delighted by the care that goes into the preparation.

But once the food arrives you’ll likely pay no attention to those graces!”

KATIE KRAWCZYK

DUFF’S » Multiple locations “The wings are not too meaty with just the right amount of crunch, and you can get them any way you want, whether it’s texture (regular, crispy, extra crispy) or flavor (mild, mild-medium, medium-hot, hot, super hot, death, and Armageddon) – not to mention a couple of specialty flavors.

The fries are thin and crispy, the bleu cheese is the right consistency and flavor, and you can even grab a few other Buffalo eats, such as beef on weck.”

JAY JOSKER

DWYER’S PUB » North Tonawanda

“Dwyer’s Pub is king of the wing. With upwards of 30 different sauces, including Wasabi Plum and Strawberry BBQ, they’ve got the cure for every craving.”

KATIE McKENNA

GABRIEL’S GATE » Buffalo

“The ‘Gate’s’ wings are a perfect combination of size, sauce, flavor and crispness, and if you’re a true heat-seeker like I am give the Suicide Hot with Cajun Dry Rub a whirl.

Just be sure you have a cold beer on stand-by to put out the flames.”

The Original Recip IN GR ED IE N TS

• 24 Chicken Wings (ABOUT 4 LBS.)

• Salt (OPTIONAL) ck • Freshly ground bla er pepp • 4 cups vegetable or corn oil • 1/4 cup butter or margarine ce • 2 to 5 tsp. hot sau

• 1 tsp. white vinegar

e

DI RE CT IO N S

joint. arate each wing at the 1. Cut off tips and sep te. tas h salt and pepper to 2. Sprinkle wings wit pot. avy he t fryer or large 3. Heat oil in deep-fa and gs win the lf ha d ad When it is quite hot, ntes, stirring occasio cook about 10 minu and crisp, wn bro n lde go are ally. When wings in well. remove them and dra gs and repeat process. t 4. Add remaining win r in saucepan; add ho Meanwhile, melt butte egar. sauce to taste and vin wings and mix well to er 5. Pour hot sauce ov u Cheese Dressing and cover. Serve with Ble celery sticks.

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ABOUT Town

A MATTER OF TASTE 50 Years of Performance Auto Group If you live in Niagara, chances are you have purchased a vehicle from Performance Auto Group. The company is deeply rooted in the business landscape of our region. As the Niagara community has grown and changed, Performance Auto Group has evolved in kind and, this year, celebrates its 50th anniversary.

It all started in 1964: two friends, Cam Champion and John Mann, who both had a passion for sports cars, decided to parlay that interest into a business. They had just finished travelling through Europe together following F1 Racing and visiting European automobile factories.

Cam Champion notes, “It was an interest in sports cars and racing that led us to opening our car business.”

Upon returning to Niagara in 1964, these long-time friends opened Performance Cars on a little lot on Lake Street offering brands such as MG, Triumph, Jaguar, Lotus, and Sunbeam.

While John and Cam have spent the last 50 years expanding and growing their business, it has been because of the more than 400 fulland part-time employees who have supported their journey.

John Mann notes, “We have been very fortunate over the years to have hired the right people at the right time. Our business is all about people, and we have very good people working for us.”

Performance has done a great job creating worthwhile opportunities for employees wanting to remain in Niagara. These jobs include retail sales, service, parts; collision and paint repair;

vehicle restyling; management; accounting and administration; human resources; marketing and communications, including graphic design, photography, videography, digital media, and web technology; and the list goes on. There are opportunities in so many areas.

Performance is preparing for the future everyday in not only constantly updating their facilities, but in making sure that the employees who will be taking over the company when the founders retire will be committed to holding up the same level of customer service.

Rein Knol, one of the current Vice Presidents of Performance says, “Consumers are very knowledgeable about the vehicles they are buying. So what Performance has put into place is what we can control the most, which is the experience.”

For 50 years, Performance Auto Group’s business model has embraced a customer for life philosophy. “We have guests to whom we have sold their very first car, then the first car for their kids, and so on as their needs change,” states Mann, “We have had customers for life, and that’s what we look to do.”

The future for Performance Auto Group is unlimited. With many good things happening in Niagara and within the automotive industry, Performance will continue to adapt, change, grow, and contribute, always delivering on its slogan, “for people going places.”

WAYNE THOMSON:

HELPING TO BUILD UP NIAGARA

W

ayne Thomson has been involved in local politics since he was 29 years old; he was the youngest councilman at the time, most of the others were in their 60s and 70s, and since that time, he’s spent over three decades actively involved in local politics. He spent 14 years serving on city council and 17 years as mayor of Niagara Falls. He serves on numerous boards, two of which include Niagara Falls Tourism and the Human Resources Committee for the Region of Niagara.

During this time as mayor, Niagara Falls saw huge growth in many areas: the casino opened up in 1995, creating jobs for hundreds of people, the Scotiabank Convention Centre went from dream to reality, and the McBain Community Centre was built. Wayne Thomson is an individual who has had a major impact on the growth and prosperity of the City of Niagara Falls.

We recently caught up with Wayne to chat about the upcoming election, how Niagara Falls has changed, and of course, what lies ahead for the city.

TODAY MAGAZINE: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE YOUR BIGGEST POLITICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS THUS FAR? WAYNE THOMSON: “I had a dream, and the dream was to create year round permanent jobs in tourism in Niagara Falls, and it included a casino, a convention centre, a people mover…I personally worked the last 20 years on all of these issues. When the casino opened, the people who operated it at the time said it was without exception, the busiest casino in the world. Now we have two casinos, the WEGO system, the Scotiabank Convention Centre, which have all been a tremendous boost to the area.”

TM: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHANGES YOU’VE SEEN IN NIAGARA FALLS? WT: “Prior to 1995 when the casino opened, there were no high rise hotels, and within the last two decades, we have probably 30 high rise hotels, from 30 stories up to 59 stories, each one of them creating jobs. I think that was a wonderful period to be involved in local politics and personally, am extremely proud of the transition that took place.”

TM: WHAT WILL YOUR PRIORITIES BE IF ELECTED FOR CITY COUNCIL THIS UPCOMING TERM? WT: “I’ve always been one who has been extremely conscious of the financial situation, so that certainly will be a major priority, watching the budget. A lot of people don’t realize that Niagara Falls is probably one of the most fortunate municipalities in Canada because as a result of the two casinos, we now get a percentage of revenue and last year, the City of Niagara Falls received 21 million dollars from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. That is about one quarter of our total budget and gives us an opportunity to do things like fi x the roads, upgrade our infrastructure, etc. I look forward to being involved in the next four years to take make sure that this community is a spectacular place to live because of that.”

TM: WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE FUTURE OF TOURISM IN NIAGARA FALLS? WT: “The tourism industry is the main thing I’m involved in right now, and the objective is to lengthen the stay by building on what we have. I think one of the things I am most excited about is the fact that the City of Niagara Falls, the Niagara Parks Commission and the private sector owners are now working extremely close together to market and to come up with new and unique ideas on how to attract people to the area. We have so many wonderful, exciting things here in the entire region.”

TM: WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BEING A CITY COUNCILOR? WT: “After 35 years, I am running for city council again…I certainly enjoy my involvement and work at it every day. I get a tremendous amount of satisfaction and enjoyment out of it. It’s not just the large projects like casinos and commercial developments that make the difference…from a personal point of view, I go into work and I hear from people who have a cracked sidewalk, or they didn’t get their garbage picked up, or the snowplow didn’t come by, all kinds of little things, but people call, and I have the wonderful opportunity to help them, and every day I drive home, I can feel good about the fact that very positive things happen on a daily basis.”

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PEOPLE TODAY’S

1

2

3

5

4

6

7

GNCC BUSINESS AFTER 5: 1.Brianne Lunn, Anna Balla & Sherri Madden CABINET MINISTER’S LUNCHEON 2. Joseph DiLibero, Mayor Jim Diodati & Alex Mills 3. Left to right: Jim Diodati, City of Niagara Falls Mayor; Joanne Campagna, Chair of the Buffalo-Niagara Partnership CAN-AM Council; The Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of National Defense; Jeff Cairns, President of Charlesway Corporation Limited; Kithio Mwanzia, Interim CEO and Director of Policy & Government Relations, Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce.

SHADES OF SUMMER 4. Left to Right Back Row - Rob Golfi, Sue Golfi, Marino Tonan, Modesta Tonan, Nora Coccia and Marco Coccia.

Front Row – Jorge Vazquez, Sarah Vazquez 5. John & Brenda Hendricks, George Lepp 6.Cindi LoForti & Jansin Ozkur 7. Juliet Dunn & Katherine McLaughlin

Photos from GNCC Business after 5 taken by Brad Demers

Introducing the all-new 2015 C-Class.

The path to extraordinary is often the path of more resistance. But it can lead to great things, like the all-new 2015 C-Class. Learn more at AllNewC.ca Be the first to see and experience the C-Class in full panoramic 3D, right now. Download our free Augmented Reality app by searching ‘all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class’ through the Apple iTunes store or Google Play.

The 2015 C 300 4MATIC™. Total Price: $45,565* + HST

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Performance Mercedes-Benz 371 Ontario Street, St. Catharines | 905-685-3838 | 1-800-567-1101 | performancemercedes.ca

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Join friends and co-workers at downtown’s new destination – Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino.

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Feel the energy in the evening and join the crowd at Niagara’s newest nightspot STIR at Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, featuring live acts every weekend and VIP bottle service upon request.

Head to the hills for a romantic weekend with that special someone at Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino.

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