Look Local Mississauga 3.2

Welcome to the Fall Issue of Look Local Mississauga!

There seems to be so much negative news in our world at the moment – the war in Ukraine, the after-effects of the pandemic, inflation, worries about recession, interest rates going up...

In this context, we see our role at Look Local as vitally important. We focus on the positive things happening in our local community –the amazing generosity of our neighbours, the resilience of our local businesses, and the fun things to explore and do close to home. There is so much to celebrate and be proud of, and we are happy to play a small part in spreading this news.

Enjoy this issue of Look Local!

PUBLISHER

Kristy Elik

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Jonathon Root

CONTRIBUTORS

Allison Dempsey

Anneliese Lawton

Ilana Clamp

Lisa Evans

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Tammy Mifsud

ART DIRECTORS

Sarah Noble

Jennifer Brewster

Vanessa Chong

COVER PHOTO FOOD STYLIST

Ilana Camp

For general inquiries, contact Kristy Elik at kristy@looklocalmagazine.com

For advertising information, contact Tammy Mifsud at tammy@looklocalmagazine.com

Look Local Magazine is published 10 times per year and is distributed for free at over 500 locations in Mississauga. Copies are also distributed to select neighbourhoods using direct mail.

Look Local is a registered trademark of Novavita Publishing Limited. Look Local Mississauga is published by Eloquent Editing, Writing & Proof Reading Inc. under the license of Novavita Publishing Limited.

Copyright: All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission from the Publisher is strictly prohibited.

Editorial contributions: Look Local encourages contributions of articles, recipes, photographs and other creative materials from the community. Please email kristy@looklocalmagazine.com. We reserve the right to edit materials received and can assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Select photos courtesy of Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation.

Disclaimer: Advertisements published in Look Local Magazine are supplied solely by the advertiser and the Publisher accepts no responsibility for opinions expressed in advertisements or for copyright issues with respect to them.

PRINTED IN CANADA

PUBLISHER'S LETTER ELIK

As we say goodbye to an actionpacked summer (so many amazing Mississauga festivals are back, better than ever!), it’s time to head indoors to the cozy comfort of our homes. This issue of Look Local Mississauga is packed with ideas and tips to make your fall season as spectacular as the colourful show Mother Nature puts on every year.

Although the bitter cold may be a few months away still, our days are noticeably shorter—and the dark creeps in earlier every evening. Time to assess your home’s interior lighting! We share the latest trends for light fixtures and sources, including useful energy-saving suggestions, in our Home & Garden story.

Fall’s a great time to explore new fitness regimes. If you’ve ever been curious about the practice of Pilates, you need to check out our Health & Wellness feature. We provide expert advice for novices courtesy of Kala Fletcher, founder of Quiet Bodies Pilates. Explore the mind-body connection!

Pumpkin carving is so much fun—but for little ones, it can be dangerous (sharp knives plus small, slippery hands equals much parental stress). Check out our Just for Fun activity, all about No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating.

Our Events section is jam-packed with entertaining local activities for the whole family, and if you’re more inclined to stay home, our Shop Local feature reveals cozy fall finds that’ll make you crave some hygge time.

Dessert charcuterie? It’s a thing! Simply choose your surface and build your board. In our Food & Drink story, our food writer Ilana Clamp has some delicious suggestions for yummy options your friends and family will love.

And of course, don’t forget to clip out our recipe for Pumpkin Spice Cookies, shared by our local Gold Cherry Bakery. It’s a keeper… and your kitchen will smell delicious!

Happy fall, y’all!

HERRIDGE’S MARKET YOUR HOLIDAY HEADQUARTERS

WHATEVER THE OCCASION, YOU’LL FIND WHAT YOU NEED

Thanksgiving

Get ready for a family feast! You’ll find all kinds of super fresh squash, turnip, pumpkin, potatoes and more. And don’t forget to make your home festive with garden mums, gourds and autumn décor.

Halloween

This year, Herridge’s grew an interesting variety of uniquely shaped and coloured pumpkins (creepy even uncarved!) Plus, we have lots of ghoulish gourds, straw bales and plenty of fall décor.

Christmas

As soon as Halloween is over, the store switches into Christmas mode. Arriving throughout November, you’ll find Herridge’s famous fresh greenery, swags, wreaths, and a variety of gorgeous Christmas trees.

Inside, discover indoor Christmas plants, gourmet groceries, gift ideas, home décor and more!

" Lighting brings warmth and life into a room and can animate and transform even the smallest of spaces "

— Aerin Lauder

Perhaps more than any other accessory, the lighting you choose can completely transform the atmosphere of your home. It is functional, of course, but the warmth of a bulb or the style of a fixture can create intimacy and reflect your personal style (which can change as quickly as trends do!)

Speaking of trends, what are some of the latest for 2023? According to our research, consumers are looking for open and glassless style lanterns and chandeliers that are easy to clean and that have a more modern, streamlined appearance. These fixtures also allow for the fun, vintage-style bulbs that are so popular right now. Both brass and black metals are very in vogue and many manufacturers are combining multiple metals in pieces, making the transition to other metal finishes much easier for the homeowner.

Another trend? The market is demanding low maintenance fixtures that are energy-saving, especially as we enter a downturn in our economy.

HERE ARE MORE ENERGY-SAVING TIPS:

LED bulbs have been super-hot for the past few years, and now they’re available in the vintage style everyone loves. Warm white or yellow work better in a home setting, and you want to avoid anything that resembles bright, glaring commercial lighting. Sure, you’ll pay more for LED, but they’ll last much longer and are better for the environment in the long run.

Adding dimmers to regular incandescent light bulbs is a great way to save energy. LED dimmers are required for LED bulbs and they also allow you to control the light and save energy. A 4-watt LED bulb is equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent bulb, so if you have multiple chandelier bulbs, it can be great for energy saving as well as cutting down on heat output.

SHAPES, COLOURS AND FINISHES

Open or exposed lighting is becoming increasingly popular, and round ball shapes are also something many people search for. Looking for the latest trend in finishes? Choose two-toned metal, brass, polished nickel, black and chrome. Or, soft gold lighting fixtures come in a variety of styles and designs and can bring attention to specific corners or areas of a room.

Modern retro lighting can create a unique look, particularly in the kitchen, above the dining table, or as wall lighting. Industrial styles are hot right now, and they are no longer viewed as brutal and “unfinished”. Another popular design is the vintage Edisonstyle bulbs, with their rounded cone shape, that fit in living and kitchen areas and enhance a retro/industrial style.

Bigger fixtures designed to be a focal point are also popular when placed in the centre of a room, over the kitchen island, over the dining table, or in the foyer. Balancing these with smaller fixtures keeps everything in harmony.

Whether you’re looking to make your home beautiful through light style and placement, or simply save on your electrical bill, there are many options that will not only make your living space stunning but save you some money as well. LL

TYPES OF LIGHT IN INTERIOR DESIGN

When designing a lighting plan for your home, it’s important to create “layers” of light by including several types of lighting in each space.

GENERAL/AMBIENT

This is the main source of light for a space. It fills the room with bright, balanced, even light. This usually comes from an overhead fixture centered in the room or an array of recessed lights.

TASK

Task lighting is usually bright and used in combination with ambient light. It’s extra light that is strategically placed to add focused light to a workspace, like a kitchen counter or writing desk.

ACCENT

Accent light refers to light that is more about design than function. Spotlights, track lights, and strip LEDs can fall into this category. They often shine on artwork or architectural features like high ceilings or feature fireplaces. Although accent light does fill a function, the main value is decorative.

MOOD

Mood lighting is generally soft, dim light. It encourages a calm or romantic atmosphere. Most often this is done with lamps, candles, or lights on dimmer switches.

FALL ACTIVITIES FOR THE FAMILY

BY LISA EVANS the Farm Fun on

Whether you’re picking your own pumpkin or apples, getting lost in a corn maze, petting a goat, or taking a hay ride, our region’s farms have tons of fun activities in store for the whole family.

Andrew's Farm Market & Winery

9365 10 Side Road, Milton | andrewsscenicacres.com

This pick-your-own farm is a great place to get your apples and pumpkins this fall, but aside from the produce, it’s an excellent destination for family fun. Don’t forget to pick up a yummy pie for dessert at the Farm Store.

The Apple Orchard

1668 Highway 6, Hamilton | theappleorchard.ca

With over 10,000 apple and pear trees, The Apple Orchard is a great place to pick your own fruit. There are also wagon rides, farm animals, a corn maze, retired tractors for kids to sit on, walking trails, a corn pit, and more.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park Playbarn

1219 Burloak Drive, Oakville | brontecreek.org

Located in Bronte Creek Provincial Park, this 150-year-old barn has been transformed into a play loft for kids to climb, jump and burn off some energy.

Chudleigh's Entertainment Farm

9528 Regional Road 25, Milton | chudleighs.com

Enjoy a tractor ride, visit pigs, goats, sheep, alpaca, and other animals, and enjoy the vast slides and hay bale jumps in the play area. Or, for some quiet family time, enjoy the scenic nature trail. There’s an outdoor kitchen featuring barnboard pizza’s, hard cider and more. This farm requires pre-booking.

Hanes Corn Maze

1001 Highway 5 West, Dundas | thehanescornmaze.com

This is Canada’s largest corn maze—over 20 acres of cornfields shaped into a new maze each year! Visit the farm animals on your way to the farmland play area full of swings, slides, a sandbox full of diggers, and even pedal carts. Don’t forget to visit their delicious bakery on your way out.

Springridge Farm

7256 Bell School Line, Milton | springridgefarm.com

The farm yard includes tube slides, a spider web climber, farm animals, antique tractors, pedal tractors, farm hoppers, a singing chicken show, and a wagon ride. During Harvest Weekends (Sept 17th - Oct 30th), explore the 5-Acre Corn Trail (special admission prices apply). LL

MIND BODY MAGIC

DISCOVER THE POWER OF PILATES

KRISTY

— Joseph Pilates

“Pilates develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind and elevates the spirit.”

Has your fitness routine been feeling a little stale? Or maybe you’re looking to move indoors for your workouts as fall’s chill approaches. Why not try something different? A new kind of class can make your workout feel fresh again and reinvigorate your motivation as we enter the colder months—when the temptation to conserve energy (aka couch-binge Netflix) increases exponentially.

Trying a Pilates class is an excellent way to expand your fitness horizons. A form of low-impact exercise that aims to strengthen muscles while improving postural alignment and flexibility, Pilates’ basic principles include breathing, concentration and fluidity of movement.

Want to know what it’s all about? We’ve assembled all the information a Pilates newbie needs to know to enjoy their first class, plus some answers to frequently asked questions.

Typical Pilates workouts tend to be 45 minutes to an hour long, and while you can practice in a gym or studio, you don’t have to. If at-home exercise is more your speed, or even if you just want to check out the movements before joining a public class, there are virtual Pilates options available too. Quiet Bodies has lots to choose from. “When we couldn’t be open during the pandemic, I started to offer virtual classes and found they were great for people who had never tried Pilates and wanted to get a feel for the movements,” says Fletcher.

You can do Pilates with or without equipment (Quiet Bodies does have a Reformer but many of the classes can be done with a mat only). No matter what, though, you can expect the moves to involve controlled, precise movements and attention to breath. Core work is key.

“Many classical Pilates moves focus on your core,” explains Kala, “but that doesn’t just mean your abs. The core includes the entire trunk, which is the abdominals, the hips, the inner and outer thighs, and the back.”

Many Pilates instructors mix in moves specifically meant to engage areas like your arms, glutes, and lower legs. Expect a full-body workout!

As a Pilates newbie, look for classes labeled “Classical Mat” for your first point of entry. They’ll cover the fundamentals and follow an order that helps you become acquainted with activating your deep muscles.

QWHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PILATES?

If you’re looking for functional movement—the kind that helps you move better on a day-to-day basis while doing everyday tasks—Pilates is the perfect fit for you.

Both Pilates and yoga are low-impact workouts that emphasize the mind-body connection. Both workout modalities can be done with just your bodyweight, though they can involve props as well. But it’s important to recognize their differences too— mainly, their origins.

The seeds of yoga began with meditation, and the physical poses were developed to support that internal practice. Another difference?

“Unlike yoga, there is no spiritual component to Pilates,” Kala adds, “so it’s great if you’re looking to eliminate that aspect in your fitness.”

WILL I BE SORE?

“You’ll feel your muscles burn during class, and you might be sore the next day,” says Fletcher. “Even though you may not be crushing high-intensity exercises or lifting heavy dumbbells, the mostly bodyweight routines that Pilates classes offer can be pretty intense.”

Dedicating your entire focus to even the smallest movements means that you’ll work the muscles that each exercise intends. And that means you can be dealing with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after your workout.

WHY DID KALA CHOOSE TO CALL HER STUDIO QUIET BOD -

QIES?

“When you’re doing Pilates, you can shut out the rest of the world,” she says. “You quiet yourself, so you can really pay attention to what’s going on physically and mentally.” LL

Cozy Fall finds

As the leaves on the trees start to reveal their stunning shades of orange, yellow and red, our thoughts turn to spending more time indoors. Just in time for fall, we’ve curated a list of fall cozy that will inject a little bit of warmth into those chilly autumn evenings. The best part? All are available locally!

Light up the darkness… These gorgeous candles, created by a local Port Credit artisan, are crafted using all natural ingredients without sparing any quality consideration. Made with locally sourced ingredients from different small businesses, Cole offers candles, bath bombs and soaps for your home in a wide variety of fragrances, from florals to musks to yummy baked goods.

As cooler weather approaches, our hearts look to return home as a refuge from the wind and that cold November rain. Why not give your walls some love and new life with an original artwork painstakingly created by one of Mississauga’s talented artists? Check out Lakeshore Art Trail’s upcoming show and sale, happening October 22 and 23 at the Small Arms Inspection Building, 1352 Lakeshore Road East. Local

Just in time for hockey season! Help your furry friend cheer on his or her favourite team. These adorable bandanas are handmade in Canada, 100% cotton, fit right over your dog’s collar and come in a variety of styles, sizes and colours. Best of all? 10 per cent of all sales are donated to the Canadian Humane Society.

HOTDIGGITYDOG

f @hotdiggitydogz123

Joe Sampson is a fine artist and OCA grad who specializes in painting waterscapes on either canvas or birch panel. Rock & Roll 36 x 60 painting on canvas ART lakeshorearttrail.com

Need a new spot to store all the money you just saved by shopping consignment? This Fendi Monster wallet is a little bit terrifying just in time for Halloween, while the Louis Vuitton Orange Marie Lou Wallet will add a pop of pretty pumpkin orange to your wardrobe.

IT’S OUR LITTLE SECRET CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE 94 Lakeshore Rd. E. Itsourlittlesecret.ca

Want to try creating a dessert charcuterie board like the one on our front cover? Every kind of charcuterie would look gorgeous on these stunning handcrafted boards by Wood by Julia. This company was founded by a mother/daughter team from Clarkson/Lorne Park and they are a proud partner of One Tree Planted. Choose from a variety of sizes, wood types and finishes.

WOOD BY JULIA f @wood.byjulia

On shelves November 15, 2022, The Hygge Home will teach us all how to create a much-needed cozy safe space in our homes into which we can retreat to escape the tough things going on in the outside world. Preorder yours now!

THE BOOK WARDROBE 223 Queen St. S., 2nd Floor, Robinson-Bray House thebookwardrobe.com

Do you experience chronic pain and/or tension in your neck and shoulders? This Warm Buddy Ultra Spa Wrap provides an effective combination of moist heat, aromatherapy and acupressure. Enjoy the scented blend of lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, cloves and rosemary. A natural alternative by therapists in spas for relaxation during treatments.

CRAFTED DÉCOR 232 Queen St. S. Crafteddecor.ca

Get out the yarn, felt, and googly eyes and dress up your pumpkin!

Beyond the costumes and candy, there's one other important aspect of Halloween that can't be missed: the pumpkin. And I have to be honest — even with a stencil, I can never master the perfect carving. What usually ends up on our porch is a silly-looking orange fella with triangle eyes and a toothless grin. Since having kids, I’ve become even more aware of the chaos that ensues with pumpkin carving. From pumpkin guts to tiny hands and sharp knives, it can all be a little much. While I still love a good jack-o’-lantern’, I’ve tried to find creative ways to dress up our pumpkins that are both fun and safe for the whole family.

GAUZY MUMMY PUMPKIN

If you want to completely transform your pumpkin, then try your hand at this cute gauzy mummy pumpkin. His little face is so adorable and this would go perfectly with any Halloween decor. All you need is some gauze, googly eyes, a pair of scissors, and a hot glue gun.

PAINT!

For youngsters, there’s nothing more exciting than painting something that’s not paper. You can paint a face, a spooky saying, or get creative and go abstract, the options are really endless. For me, I can’t carve Frankenstein’s monster let alone paint him – but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the pumpkin is your blank canvas.

GET OUT THE POWER TOOLS

A few years ago, I took a power drill to our family pumpkin – and the result was actually pretty incredible. After piercing holes in different sizes, we ended up with a pumpkin that looked like a star constellation. It was easy and fun, and it looked really pretty lit up on our front porch!

PLAY DRESS UP!

Get out the yarn, felt, and googly eyes and dress up your pumpkin! Make a monster family, adorable animals, or even dress up the pumpkin to look like you! Cats and bats are fairly easy - paint your pumpkin black, cut out wings and ears, eyes, and a tail and secure them on your pumpkin with hot glue. Pipe cleaners make great whiskers and pompoms can work well for a nose.

Whether you’re carving or painting this year, we would love to see your creations! Be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram @looklocalmiss. LL

On Now! Until

OCT 30

Pumpkins After Dark

Canada’s award-winning outdoor walk-through Halloween event. Featuring over 6,000+ handcarved pumpkins, this one-of-a-kind walk-through experience is the must-see event of the fall season. With classic Halloween characters, dinosaurs and dragons, movie and pop culture icons, this family friendly event has something for everyone. Live pumpkin carving demonstrations, plus fall treats and sweets

Country Heritage Park, 8560 Tremaine Rd., Milton pumpkinsafterdark.com

On Now! Until

JAN 8

Illumi: A Dazzling World of Lights

Billed as the largest light, sound and multimedia show in the world, this epic multimedia journey ignites the night with more than 20 million brilliant lights in 13 magical universes on a 600,000 square foot site, the equivalent of 10 football fields. Tickets are exclusively on sale online.

7174 Derrycrest Drive 407 and Hurontario St. mississauga.illumi.com

Every Sunday until

Lakeview Farmers’ Market

NOV 27

Now indoors and outdoors at the Small Arms Inspection Building, with live music, a cafe, a weekly Artisan Market, and more, the Market features local, sustainable, organic, and artisanal products, which provide an important source of income for local farmers, growers, producers, and artisans.

Small Arms Inspection Building 1352 Lakeshore Rd. E. creativehub1352.com

Streetsville Ladies Night

A fun evening of inspiration, education and entertainment, with exhibits featuring apparel, jewelry, handbags, makeup and skin-care products; spa services; health and fitness products; gourmet foods; and designer items and services for the home ++ plus stage demonstrations. Free Swag Bags to the first 75 visitors! 6 to 9 pm

Vic Johnston Community Centre 335 Church Street

Amacon Mississauga Rotary Ribfest

A family favourite returns LIVE with a beer garden, live music and BBQ. The $2 admission fee will be donated to The Mississauga Food Bank and other local charities. Kids are free.

Erin Mills Town Centre

Erin Mills Pkwy. at Eglinton Ave. ribfestmississauga.com inton mississauga.central@senseofhearing.ca

SEPT 24-25

Clarkson Society of Artists Together Apart

Talented artists showcase original paintings in watercolour, acrylic, oil, mixed media and more. Free admission, parking, refreshments and inclusion in a draw to win a work of art. Featured artist is Judy Moore. 10 am to 4 pm Visual Arts Mississauga 4170 Riverwood Pk. Lane clarksonsocietyofartists.ca

OCT 4-15

12th Annual Diaper Drive

Helping our communities’ littlest ones! Drop off any sized diapers or baby wipes at Impressionable Gifts & Décor. They will be evenly distributed to The Compass, Embrave (formally Interim Place) and JFJ Hope Centre. Impressionable Gifts & Décor 74 Lakeshore Rd. E. Impressionablegifts.ca

SEPT 24-25

Twas the Bite Before Christmas 14th

Annual Ladies Night Help “Fight Hunger; Feed Hope and Empower People in Need”! Enjoy an evening out with a complimentary glass of Prosecco and appetizers, silent auction, bling in a bag, a photo booth and DJ Regina. 6:30 to 10 pm The Waterside Inn 15 Stavebank Rd. S. twasthebite.ca

OCT 22-23

21st Annual Lakeshore Art Trail

The Lakeshore Art Trail returns after a two-year, pandemicimposed hiatus! 24 area visual artists will exhibit their artwork at the historic Small Arms Inspection Building. For more than 20 years, this artist-run collective art show was held out of artist studios or local businesses across Clarkson, Port Credit, and Lorne Park. This twenty-first staging of the event will for the first time bring them together. Saturday 11-5 pm Sunday 10-4 pm Small Arms Inspection Building 1352 Lakeshore Rd. E. lakeshorearttrail.com

Clarkson Village BIA Annual

Halloween in the Village

Come to Clarkson Village in your costume to trick-or-treat at local businesses and enjoy other fun family-friendly activities. Lakeshore Rd. W. from east of Southdown Rd. to Meadow Wood Rd. 10 am to 2 pm clarksonbia.com

DEC 1

MACsquerade Glam Ball ’22

After two long years away, it’s time again to dress up in your best glam look and dance the night away in support of the arts. Ticket sales start soon! mississaugaartscouncil.com

NOV 4-13

42nd Street

Check out the newly renovated Meadowvale Theatre to watch Peggy Sawyer’s rise to stardom—it’s what Broadway dreams are made of. 42nd Street leaves it all on the stage with showstopping tap dances and high energy ensemble numbers set to audience favourites like “Lullaby of Broadway” and “We’re in the Money”. Meadowvale Theatre 6315 Montevideo Rd. encoreseries.ca

Mississauga Festival of Trees

The second-annual Mississauga Festival of Trees is back to celebrate the winter season, art, food, and community! Showcasing twinkling displays of seasonal lights, contemporary tree and woodpile art installations, artisan and culinary markets, entertainment and public workshops, live entertainment, and tasty eats, Mississauga's Small Arms Inspection Building will once again be transformed into a winter wonderland of art, food, and fun this holiday season.

Small Arms Inspection Building 1352 Lakeshore Rd. E. creativehub1352.com GottaLuvButterTartFestivals  DEC 2-11

Holiday season is almost upon us, and (thankfully) we're back to full dinner tables with lots of hungry guests. After a delicious meal, you might be wondering how you can possibly satisfy everyone’s varied cravings with just one dessert? The answer is deceptively simple—why not offer a variety of flavours, textures and tastes with a dessert charcuterie?

We’ve all seen traditional charcuterie before: a variety of meats, cheeses, fruit and dips, all heaped on beautiful boards and platters. The same concept applies for the dessert course! It’s a new twist on an old tradition and the creative opportunities are endless.

Like the idea, but not sure where to begin? Here’s an easy step-by-step approach that will take your desserts from so-so to scrumptious!

Begin with a beautiful canvas

The most important element when choosing a surface to use as your serving platter is a flat surface, but otherwise you can really use any type of material, including wood, ceramic, plastic or glass. Something with an edge makes it easier to create layers and fullness. You’ll also want to think about the best size, considering the dimensions of your table to ensure guests will still have room for plates, napkins and forks if needed. Using two boards can come in handy with larger groups so that everyone can easily access all the goodies!

What’s your theme?

Here’s where you can rev those creative engines! The possibilities are endless here, but let’s start with some basics:

Is there a holiday or special event coming up? A board full of store-bought or home baked treats works well for Thanksgiving, while a Halloween bonfire is a perfect opportunity to put together a spooky s’mores board.

Why not feature one main item like chocolate, apple desserts or s’mores? A colourful candy-themed board (especially at Halloween) can dazzle guests, and even ice cream can be the star of the show when surrounded by toppings, drizzles and syrups.

Looking for a healthy option? A fruit-themed dessert charcuterie is a light, fresh approach after a heavy holiday meal.

Once you have a theme, you can hit the ground running to assemble the main items for your board. The key is to ensure that items are easy and convenient to grab—small brownie bites or tartlets would work well, but something like apple pie slices tend to be a bit messy on a board. Squares are a great alternative as they tend to be firmer and stay in one easy piece, and many bakeries sell large squares that can easily be cut into four smaller squares. While traditional charcuterie boards have items piled high, you may want to keep your dessert charcuterie board to a single layer to keep baked goods from crumbling onto each other.

You may want to bake or create homemade items for your board, but you can easily incorporate store-bought items to save time. Colourful iced cookies and lemon squares from a local bakery would look great next to your home-baked brownies, saving you hours of prep during a hectic holiday season.

Don’t forget dips

From grandparents down to the littlest kiddos, everyone loves to dip their dessert! Consider the main items on your board and then think about what taste combinations would take your dessert charcuterie to the next level. For example,

Fruit tastes delicious dipped into flavoured yogurt, melted chocolate, caramel, or whipped cream.

Dip cake squares, mini muffins and fruit bars into custard, syrup or honey.

Cookies can dip too! Try them with whipped cream cheese, melted chocolate, peanut butter or preserves.

your theme set, and your main items and dips assembled, think of the little things that will take your dessert charcuterie from good to great:

Supply small or medium-sized cocktail plates or small dessert bowls as well as festive themed napkins.

On or alongside your board, set out mini forks and spoons (pickle forks work well!) Make sure each dip has its own spoon to keep things clean.

Find fun garnishes for your board: real or faux leaves, small gourds and/or colourful Halloween candy can all be scattered on, around or under your board.

Consider labeling items on your board. You could also flag any goodies that contain peanuts or other allergens. This is a perfect activity for the kids to help with!

Sweet Ideas!

Support your local bakeries and farmers' markets by picking up one item from each location and assembling for a take on “local dessert charcuterie”.

Ask each guest to bring one shareable dessert that can be easily cut up into single servings. You could suggest squares, bars, cookies or other easy-to-divide items.

The kids (and adults!) will love a donut board! Buy a variety of flavours (try a few each from local bakeries!), cut each into quarters, and layer up on a large board. Try separating each bite-sized portion into cupcake liners to make serving even easier.

Have a bunch of mini-mason jars in the cupboard? Why not use them to make minicrumbles? Layer fruit, oats, cookie crumbles and even custard into the jars and bake (you can find various recipes online for specific directions and baking times).

Cheers to social connec tions!

Design a day to look forward to, in a place where you can do it all Embrace the power of friendship, freedom to choose your own adventure, and a level

When you enjoy a Sif ton Retirement Lifest yle,

Consider having guests create their own custom cake bowls. Pile squares of basic chocolate or vanilla cake on your board, surrounded by bowls of sprinkles, syrups and icing. Everyone can customize their personal cake bowl just the way they like it! LL looklocalmagazine.com

Learn more at Erinview.Sifton.com @wood.byjulia wood.byjulia@gmail.com 416-275-4094

It’s not officially fall without a recipe including pumpkin spice! These cookies are delicious and would make a wonderful addition to your Thanskgiving (or Halloween) dessert charcuterie board.

INGREDIENTS cups flour tsp ground ginger tsp ground pumpkin spice ground nutmeg tsp ground clove tsp baking soda tsp salt cup butter, softened cup brown sugar, firmly packed cup molasses egg tsp vanilla

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 350˚.

2 Sift flour, ginger, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, clove, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

3 Beat butter and brown sugar on medium until light and fluffy.

4 Add molasses, egg, and vanilla to sugar mixture. Mix well and scrape down bowl.

5 Gradually beat in flour mixture on low until well incorporated.

6 Press dough into flat disk, wrap in plastic and chill for at least 4 hours.

7 Roll out dough to ¼” thick.

8 Cut out desired shape (pumpkins, ghosts, leaves?)

9 Place 1” apart on parchment lined baking tray

10 Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are set and just beginning to brown

Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to 6pm Lakeshore Rd E, Mississauga goldcherrybakery.ca

OPTION Ice with Cream Cheese or Vanilla Frosting and sprinkle with cinnamon…