Eatdrink #46 March/April 2014

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario 

FREE 

№ 46 • March/April 

eatdrink 

2014 

www.eatdrink.ca 

Merging 

Contemporary 

& Traditional at 

Bradshaws 

in Stratford 

FEATURING 

Tuscano’s Pizzeria & Bistro 

Veramente Artigiani in London 

North Moore Catering 

Quality, Craft and the Discerning Taste of 

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra (The River Room/Rhino Lounge) 

London’s Small-Batch Coffee Roasters 

• Fire Roasted Coffee Co. • Hasbeans • Kingfisher Coffee Co. 

• Las Chicas del Café • Locomotive Coffee 

ALSO: Samuels Boutique Hotel in Goderich | A London Fish & Chips Roundup | Grain Power

A delicious new season 

springs to life 

in STRATFORD 

Stratford salutes spring with the annual Swan Parade. Experience sweet 

tastes on our newest adventure, the Maple Trail. Or take a guided trek 

foraging for wild leeks and fiddleheads. Bring some friends and join 

master chefs at a GE Café Chefs Cooking Class. Savour spring’s 

flavours in Stratford. 

MARCH 

6 Stratford Chefs School Teat to Table Dinner Series, Monforte 

on Wellington 

20 Craft Beer Dinner Series, Mercer Hall 

22-23 Spring Foraging Weekend, Puck’s Plenty 

23 GE Café Chefs Cooking Class – Robert Rose, Canadian Grub to Go, 

featured on Chopped Canada 

29 Savour Stratford Tasting – Cider & Cheese, The Milky Whey 

APRIL 

3 Jack de Keyzer – Dinner Concert, Foster’s Inn 

5&6 Swan Parade Weekend – family fun and food 

6 GE Café Chefs Cooking Class – Yva Santini, Pazzo Taverna 

17 Craft Beer Dinner Series, Mercer Hall 

27 GE Café Chefs Cooking Class – Lora Kirk, Ruby Watcho, Toronto 

visitstratford.ca @StratfordON StratfordON

Authentic 

CULINARY 

EXPERIENCES 

FROM FARM TO TABLE, LONDON'S CULINARY CULTURE 

IS COOKING WITH LOCAL FLAVOUR 

www.londontourism.ca/culinary 

TOURISM 

tourismlondon 

@tourism_london 

LONDON 

C A N A D A

eatdrink 

 

inc. 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

Think Global. 

Read Local. 

Publisher 

Managing Editor 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca 

Contributing Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

ethicalgourmet.blogspot.com 

Social Media Editor 

Advertising Sales 

Finances 

Graphics 

Writers 

Photographers 

Copy Editor 

Website 

Printing 

eatdrinkmag 

@eatdrinkmag 

Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Michael Bell – finance@eatdrink.ca 

Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy 

Jane Antoniak, Darin Cook, Donald D’Haene, 

Jill Ellis-Worthington, Dave Hammond, Bryan 

Lavery, Christie Massé, Chris McDonell, Kim 

Miller, Allan Watts, Rick Weingarden, Kym Wolfe 

Steve Grimes, Bruce Fyfe, Terry Manzo, 

Stray Light Photography 

Kym Wolfe 

City Media 

Telephone & Fax 519 434-8349 

Mailing Address 

Sportswood Printing, Straffordville ON 

525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 

Always 

More 

Stories 

Online 

eatdrink.ca 

Read every issue online, 

no matter which device you prefer. 

Every Page • Current Issue • Back Issues 

Plus! 

New Stories Only Online 

such as our series on 

Local Farmers' Markets 

and 

Why London Loves Remark 

Plus! 

© 2014 eatdrink inc. and the writers. All rights reserved. 

Reproduction or duplication of any material published in eatdrink 

or on eatdrink.ca is strictly prohibited without the written permission 

of the Publisher. eatdrink has a circulation of 15,000 issues 

published six times annually. The views or opinions expressed in the 

information, content and/or advertisements published in eatdrink 

or online are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily 

represent those of the Publisher. The Publisher welcomes submissions 

but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. 

OUR COVER: 

Bradshaws proprietors Carrie and 

Jeremy Wreford were creatively 

photographed in their Ontario Street 

store in Stratford by Terry Manzo.

contents ISSUE № 46 

MARCH/APRIL 2014 

12 

16 

20 

24 

30 

50 

56 

FOOD WRITER AT LARGE 

8 A Thirst for Small-Batch Coffee Roasters 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

RESTAURANTS 

12 Not Just for the Halibut! Jane’s Picks for Fish and Chips 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

16 Veramente Artigiani at Tuscano’s Pizzeria & Bistro in London 

By CHRISTIE MASSE 

20 Jess Jazey-Spoelstra: Quality, Craft & Discerning Taste 


CULINARY RETAIL 

24 Merging Contemporary and Traditional at Bradshaws 

By JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON 

SPOTLIGHT 

30 Samuels Boutique Hotel and Bistro 


IN THE GARDEN 

36 Never Too Many Tomatoes! 

By ALLAN WATTS and RICK WEINGARDEN 

NEW & NOTABLE 

38 The BUZZ 

KITCHEN DESIGN 

44 When an “Old” Kitchen Is the Goal 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

WINE 

48 Local Biodynamic and Organic Wines 

By KIM MILLER 

BEER MATTERS 

50 Hybrid Beers: Those Marvellous Mutts 

By THE MALT MONK 

THEATRE 

53 Donald DISHES on Theatre: Success Is Its Own Reward 

By DONALD D’HAENE 

BOOKS 

56 From Scratch: Inside the Food Network 

by Allen Salkin 

Review by DARIN COOK 

COOKBOOKS 

58 Grain Power 

by Patricia Green & Carolyn Hemming 

Review by CHRIS McDONELL 

THE LIGHTER SIDE 

62 Another Emerging Wine Region! 

By KYM WOLFE 

36 

58 

NEW 

COLUMN! 

THE BUZZ 

53 

GRAIN POWER 

Bestselling 

Authors of 

Quinoa 

Revolution 

Over 100 Delicious gluten-free 

Ancient Grain & Superblend Recipes 

PATRICIA GREEN 

CAROLYN HEMMING 

38

navigate 

№ 46 | March/April 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 7 

LAMBTON 

SHORES 

great 

SARNIA 

CENTRAL 

& POINT 

LAMBTON 

EDWARD 

ST.CLAIR 

RIVER 

DISTRICT 

TO 

TIMES 

TOURISM 

SARNIA-LAMBTON 

LET US GUIDE YOU THROUGH 

OUR VACATION PLAYGROUND! 

in 

Lambton 

County 

“Fun in the Sun” 

Marilyn Hearn 

March 8-30, 2014 

Lambton Heritage Museum, Grand Bend 

call or click for your FREE travel guide and map 

also available at southwestern ontario visitor centres 

1.800.265.0316 

www.tourismsarnialambton.com/EatDrink

8 www.eatdrink.ca 

№ 46 | March/April 2014 

food writer at large 

A Thirst for Small-Batch Coffee 

Roasters and Other Independents 


The emergence of London’s smallbatch 

coffee roasters emphasizes 

the passion that exists for 

fairly traded, environmentally 

responsible, and ethically sourced coffee 

beans. The astounding growth of the 

burgeoning coffeehouse/cafe niche in 

the intensely competitive coffee market 

dominated by Starbucks and Tim Horton’s is 

nothing short of remarkable. 

Lately there has been an unprecedented 

increase of upmarket cafés that are part 

grab-and-go café, part bakery, and part 

casual dine-in restaurant, some of which 

are licensed. The quest of coffee drinkers for 

artisanal, small hand-batched roasts with 

diverse flavour profiles is unmatched. It has 

been recently suggested that in addition to 

its other well-documented effects, a cup of 

coffee will improve your memory. 

Hasbeans is operated by the hospitable 

Smith family, who have been Covent Garden 

Market merchants for more than 125 years. 

Their coffee business continues to be 

hands-on with 

Paul (third 

generation), 

Debbie 

(fourth) and 

Joel (fifth). 

While 

promoting 

the distinct 

qualities that 

each coffee 

bean develops 

in its natural 

environment, 

Hasbeans’ 

stalwart 

owners and 

Joel McMillan, 

Hasbeans 

Fire Roasted Coffee Café 

staff have become a Covent Garden Market 

institution for their fair trade offerings and 

personalized service. Hasbeans’ handselected 

and imported coffees are offered as 

both green (raw) and roasted coffee beans. 

The Little Red Roaster was initially opened 

in 1995 and operated by former restaurateurs 

Anne and Archie Chisholm of Anthony’s 

Seafood Bistro. The Wortley Road location 

became a local institution and was the 

original café in what became a chain of 

independently owned franchises. Kendra 

Gordon-Green purchased the venture in 

2002, adding several franchised Little Red 

Roaster locations in the downtown core, 

most notably at the Covent Garden Market 

and at the Central Library. 

Entrepreneur Dave Cook started The 

Fire Roasted Coffee Co. in 2006. He had 

been roasting his own coffee beans in his 

garage, and launched Fire Roasted Coffee 

as a Saturday business at the Western Fair 

Farmers Market. Cook took over as owner 

of the market operation two years later 

and began to build his business portfolio. 

More recently he opened a flagship café 

(and his complementary business, Habitual 

Chocolate) in a renovated heritage building 

at King and Talbot streets. Just last month 

Cook opened another satellite Fire Roasted

GCW Custom Kitchens & Cabinetry Inc. 

and Maple Leaf Prime 

proudly present 

A B ig 

Italian 

Kitchen Party 

cinque chef 

cinque corsi 

cosi tanti sapori 

(so many flavours !!) 

Your ticket is a chance to win 

a fabulous ....Moto Scooter 

(valued at $3,900) 

generously donated by: 

Charity Gala 

Thursday April 3, 2014 

London Convention Centre 

50 

$ 1 37 . ea 

Tickets and information please contact: 

Lindey McIntyre, Executive Director 

www.bethanyshope.org 

519 858-HOPE (4673)



location in Wortley Village, in premises 

formerly occupied by The Little Red Roaster. 

Cook leverages his expertise, networks 

and knowledge in order to shape a strong 

and enabling environment for social 

enterprise. Cook’s core business belief 

embraces the philosophy of supporting and 

mentoring people committed to sourcing 

quality products and invested in their place 

of origin. In the interest of global justice, Fire 

Roasted Coffee has established direct trade 

with producing countries to benefit the 

producers in a more substantial way. 

Fire Roasted had supplied coffee to the 

nearby Black Walnut Bakery Café but that 

affiliation recently came to a halt. Cook 

approached Gordon-Green of the Little Red 

Roaster to give Fire Roasted a sustained 

presence and a higher profile in Wortley 

Village. Cook realizes that this location might 

have a limited shelf-life, as there are plans to 

expand Home Hardware into that space in the 

future. In the meantime, he views the Wortley 

Road location like a pop-up restaurant where 

he is able to create a different niche and new 

identity in the neighbourhood. 

Patrick Dunham, the former general 

manager and lead roaster for The Fire Roasted 

Coffee Company, presided at the Western 

Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market location 

for six years. Working alongside Dave Cook, 

Dunham traveled to coffee farms learning all 

aspects of the coffee business from roasting 

and cupping to selling. 

Dunham went to work as a sales manager 

for Imperial Coffee in 

February 2013. Wilson and 

Mandy Etheridge, owners 

of the Black Walnut Bakery 

Café, approached Dunham 

to partner with them in 

setting up Kingfisher 

Coffee Company as a 

wholesale coffee roaster 

and business. The Black 

Walnut Bakery Café built 

its reputation specializing 

in organic fair trade coffees 

and teas, seasonal soups, 

savoury quiches, bread, 

scones and squares, salads 

and light meals. 

Mandy explained that 

they were looking for a 

niche that they felt was 

absent in the marketplace. 

“Unfortunately we could not find what we 

were looking for. It seemed our only option 

was to create our own one of a kind coffee 

roasting company.” This coffee roasting 

company would not only service the café, but 

would also provide coffee to other business 

and individuals around the city wanting the 

same characteristics in their coffee. 

Kingfisher’s mandate is to provide high 

quality coffee blends that are roasted in 

London and ethically sourced. The company 

caters to the individual needs of customers 

and its policy is to demonstrate transparent 

community involvement. Kingfisher 

roasts coffee beans in small batches and 

then blends them to achieve tastes and 

complexities that Dunham tells me cannot be 

found in single varietal options. 

Sisters Maria Fiallos and Valeria Fiallos- 

Soliman operate the coffee micro-roaster, 

Las Chicas del Café, on Exeter Road, which 

Mandy Etheridge 

& Patrick Dunham, 

Kingfisher Coffee Co. 

Maria Fiallos & Valeria Fiallos- 

Soliman, Las Chicas del Café 

opened in 2005. The Fiallos 

family has been defined 

by coffee for generations, 

starting with their greatgrandfather 

on the family’s 

coffee plantation in Las 

Sabanas, Nicaragua. The 

family was forced to flee 

Nicaragua in the 1980s 

during that country’s civil 

war, finally settling in 

London, Ontario in 1988. 

The sisters’ parents were 

eventually able to return to 

Nicaragua and re-establish 

the family’s coffee growing 

tradition with their 

mission of “quality, tradition 

and responsibility.” 

Today, plantation workers


Locomotive Espresso at 

Pall Mall & Colborne 

hand-pick, sun-dry 

and manually bag 

their annual harvest 

of dense, flavourpacked 

beans and 

send them to London 

to be roasted. 

Charles and Jill 

Wright recently 

opened Locomotive 

Espresso in a building 

that has been a 

neighbourhood variety 

store for 45 years. 

Locomotive baristas 

have received strict training in Pilot Coffee 

Roaster’s Toronto espresso laboratory. Pilot 

took top honours in this year’s Roast Magazine’s 

annual Roaster of the Year competition 

saying, “Pilot’s exemplary marketing practices 

and dedication to offering quality coffee — 

evidenced by its education practices and construction 

of a state-of-the-art coffee-tasting lab 

— propelled the company to a win.” 

Locomotive Espresso opened its doors 

mid-February, looking to fill a growing worldwide 

thirst for local, 

independent coffee bars 

serving the highest quality 

beverages. Its direct 

trade beans will be featured 

along with other 

“visiting” roasts from 

similarly skilled roasters. 

Locomotive is located at 

the corner of Pall Mall 

and Colborne at the 

railroad tracks, in the 

former Helen’s Variety. 

More and more, it 

is worth embracing 

independents and small-batch artisanal 

coffee roasters. These types of businesses 

provide core commitments to quality, 

relationships and hands-on service. The 

coffee trade appears to be further inspired 

to leverage economies with social enterprise 

and environmental responsibility by their 

conduct, rather than driving profit by how 

they market themselves. 

BRYAN LAVERY is a coffee drinker. 

EXPERIENCE 

DOWNTOWN LONDON 

519.663.2002 | www.downtownlondon.ca 

123 King Street @Downtown_London DowntownLondon



restaurants 

Not Just for the Halibut! 

Jane’s Picks for Fish and Chips in London 

By JANE ANTONIAK | Photos by BRUCE FYFE 

You’d think that in a city called 

London, with a Thames River, a 

Covent Garden Market and a Victoria 

Park, people might know a thing or 

two about serving up England’s favourite treat. 

You’d be right, but in this London, you can also 

look to the Dutch, Greeks, Albanians, Algerians and 

Canadians for a selection of some of the finest fish ‘n’ 

chips available — crispy battered halibut, haddock and cod 

alongside chips, coleslaw, tartar sauce and lemon slices. Just don’t 

call these places “chippies” — they have so much more to offer! 

The Original 

By all accounts, Kipps Lane Fish & Chips 

is the longest continuously owned and 

operated (by the same family) fish and chips 

shop in London. The late John Arp emigrated 

here from Holland and bought a failing take- 

Archie’s 

Seafood 

Restaurants 

out pizza and fish shop on Kipps Lane in 1972. 

The Arp family built a loyal following for their 

ultra clean and cheery premises, hand-cut 

halibut, and cooked-to-order, lightly battered 

and crispy fish and chips. Lovingly known as 

the “Codfather,” John devoted most of his life 

to serving fish to Londoners. 

Daughter Jacqueline Arp, now runs the 

shop for the dinner run Tuesday to Sunday. 

“This is my tribute to my parents. They opened 

this when I was a little girl. Running this place 

helps to keep their memory alive,” she says 

while wrapping white boxes in newsprint for 

take-out. There is seating for about a dozen 

but ninety percent of the business is take-out. 

The menu now includes seafood poutine, 

scallops, chowder and more, but it’s the 

halibut which continues to bring in customers. 

Good Friday orders are sold out two weeks 

in advance. Loyal staffers Terry Gurnett and 

Lorrie Emery come in daily at noon to prep 

the same way John Arp did — making tartar 

sauce, coleslaw and chowder from scratch. 

“We are small but mighty,” smiles Jacqueline. 

“Our customers are our friends.” 

www.kippslanefish.com 

1050 Kipps Lane, London 

519-673-6606 

Jacqueline Arp with staffers Terry 

Gurnett (left) and Lorrie Emery


The Biggest 

With four locations, 

Archie’s Seafood 

Restaurants sells 10,000 

pounds of Alaskan 

halibut a month. Huge, 

whole, frozen halibut 

are processed by longtime 

staffer Chan Dieu, 

who expertly hand cuts 

4-ounce fillets. Known for 

its family-friendly dine-in 

atmosphere with a nautical 

theme, wood paneled walls 

and consistent offerings, 

Chan Dieu & Tony Arroyas of 

Archies hoist huge frozen 

halibut, which are hand-cut 

into 4-ounce fillets, battered 

(below) and deep-fried 

Archie’s is a hit with seniors, young 

families and everyone in between. It 

even offers a drive-thru. 

Alain and Donna Arroyas opened 

the first location on Wharncliffe Road 

28 years ago. He emigrated here from 

Algeria. Donna brought her love of fish 

and chips from Newfoundland. Together 

they built the business that now employs 

100 people and is operated by their son, 

Tony. Their daughter Nicole is a wellknown 

and talented pastry chef who 

supplies pies and desserts to Archie’s 

from her own shop, Petit Paris. The 

family also owns Auberge du Petit Prince 

restaurant (there is halibut on the menu 

there, too). Expect large portions and 

unsalted hand-cut chips from Huron 

Chief, potato producers 

in Grand Bend. Tony says 

he’s trying to help keep 

things healthy by letting 

customers apply their 

own salt. We did, and 

everything was delicious! 

www.archiesseafood.ca 

1146 Commissioners Road 

East, London, 

519-680-1144; 

153 Wharncliffe Road 

South, London, 

519-438-8287; 

1173 Wellington Road, 

London, 519-668-2060; 

1348 Huron Street, 

London, 519-659-3100 

Try Our NEW Grilled Seafood Menu Items! 

ENJOY 

Authentic 

Greek Wines 

& Beer 

OPEN LATE! 

SUN & Holidays 11–9 

MON−SAT 11–11 

EAT-IN OR 

TAKE-OUT 

572 Adelaide Street, London 

519-434-6736 

www.mykonosrestaurant.ca


The Unique 

Every Tuesday and Friday, a Deluxe Fish ‘n’ 

Chips at Irene’s Seafood Grill on Wellington 

Road South comes served with creamy, 

smoky, hearty Albanian Bean Soup. Luan 

Jonuzi took over the former Irene’s Seafood 

21 years ago as a new arrival from Albania. 

The soup is now so popular that people 

now phone ahead or request it frozen for 

later pick-up. The soccer player turned 

restaurateur has energy to spare, and it 

shows in the newly renovated dining area 

and in his menu (he’s added such items as 

grilled fish in tarragon sauce). Luan loves 

to serve crowds of young people who often 

request Bloody Caesars with their fish. He 

also caters to a loyal following of seniors 

looking for a cozy getaway for their weekly 

meal of lightly battered Alaskan halibut, 

haddock or cod. Luan believes in generous 

helpings along with friendly service. He can 

be seen cooking through an open window 

and he often pops out of the kitchen to 

greet people. His enthusiasm is evident in 

the jumbo take-away deals such as family 

dinners that include seven large pieces of 

halibut, double fries and double salad for 

$56. Take your kids and their grandparents. 

Have yourself a glass of wine. Everyone will 

be happy. Especially Luan. 

315 Wellington Road, London 

519-439-6121 

At Mykonos, Heidi Vamvalis 

serves up fish and chips, as 

well as Greek cuisine 

At Irene’s Seafood Grill, 

Chef/Owner Luan Jonuzi 

delivers generous helpings, 

along with friendly service 

The Atmosphere 

Some people are surprised to hear that when 

Bill and Heidi Vamvalis started Mykonos 40 

years ago on Adelaide Street, it had been a 

fish and chip shop since 1951. “We had fryers 

where the bar is now and three tables,” recalls 

Heidi. “Fish is still a staple on the menu.” Now 

halibut and chips at Mykonos comes with 

a side of Greek salad, a basket of bread and 

house-made tartar sauce. The meaty halibut 

has a delicious crispy coating. The cod has a 

rich, full flavour. All of it goes very well in the 

romantic, Greek island themed setting which 

includes candle-lit tables, clouds painted on 

the ceilings and strings of lights along the 

blue walls. With a glass of wine and a hug 

from Heidi, a trip to Mykonos is a perfect date 

night or a place to relax over an extended 

fish and chip experience, which might also 

include calamari and baklava. 

www.mykonosrestaurant.ca 

572 Adelaide Street, London 

519-434-6736 

The Pub 

We’d be hard-pressed to find a pub in London 

that doesn’t offer fish and chips. What we like 

about The Waltzing Weasel is that fresh beer 

is served with the beer-battered haddock and 

halibut. The beer in the batter changes daily 

depending on the whim of the bartender. With 

18 drafts on tap that makes for some interesting


fish. Flaky and piping hot, 

served with both malt and 

white vinegar on the tables, 

fish and chips at the Weasel is 

a great “local” experience. 

www.thewaltzingweasel.com 

1324 Adelaide St. N., London 

519-663-9194 

Other Notables 

Walker’s Fish and Chips 

on Wellington at Horton, 

and Robbie Walker’s in 

Sherwood Forest along with 

HeyDayz downtown are all 

owned by the same group 

and offer three different 

presentations on popular 

fish and chips. Walker’s, a long-time London 

original, has changed hands but remains at the 

same downtown location with black & white 

awning. The Sherwood Forest location is takeout 

only and serves families in the west end. 

HeyDayz is geared to hungry students and pub 

crawlers looking for some late-night food. 

Enjoy the “local” experience, at 

The Waltzing Weasel 

Well Served! 

We salute these hard 

working and dedicated 

purveyors of comfort food 

for maintaining — some 

for decades — quality 

food which has satisfied 

generations. Whether 

your fish and chips comes 

wrapped in newspaper, 

with bean soup or Greek 

salad, consider yourself 

well-served in this London. 

We’ve taken this British 

classic to new levels. 

JANE ANTONIAK is an 

eatdrink writer as well as Manager, 

Communications & Media Relations, King’s University College, 

Western University. Her favourite fish ‘n’ chips can be found at the end 

of a rod, caught in Lake Shebandowan, northwest of Thunder Bay. 

BRUCE FYFE is a regular contributing photographer to eatdrink. 

He is also Librarian, Weldon Library, Western U. Bruce was impressed 

by the 68-pound halibut he photographed in Archie’s freezer. 

Introducing... 

Pleased to 

feed you. 

1288 COMMISSIONERS RD W, LONDON • 519.601.3300 • byronfreehouse.ca



restaurants 

Veramente Artigiani 

at Tuscano’s Pizzeria & Bistro in London 

By CHRISTIE MASSÉ 

W 

hen travellers 

reminisce about 

their most 

memorable dining 

experiences abroad, it is common 

to hear praises over the gems upon 

which they stumble while straying 

from the downtown tourist track. 

Having lived through this exact 

cliché during my recent sojourn 

in Milan, I am familiar with the 

thrill of accidentally discovering 

authenticity. Following a 

number of uninspired meals at 

overpriced Americanized tourist 

trap “ristoranti.” I finally got to 

experience the most delicious 

cliché imaginable; a meal with 

handmade artisan levains, pastas, and 

pizzas, and wines to complement every 

flavour, all for a fraction of the prices I’d 

been paying and with triple the ambiance. 

This sought-after experience can be found 

at Tuscano’s, a family owned and operated 

pizzeria and bistro found off the beaten 

path on Oxford Street, right across from 

Fanshawe College. Tuscano’s offers a great 

Tuscano’s is conveniently located on Oxford Street, 

right across from Fanshawe College 

dining experience without facing traffic, 

parking wars, or the event congestion that 

sometimes fills our streets. 

As Bryan Lavery, eatdrink’s Food Writer 

at Large, mentioned in the last issue’s 

article, “Has ‘Artisan’ Lost Its Meaning?” 

the term artisan comes from the Italian 

artigiano. In a food world often driven by 

buzz words, Robert and Shannon Donati 

prove that artisanal 

food is alive and well 

in London, not by 

following trends, but 

by maintaining the 

quality and standards 

to which they have 

always subscribed. 

They have been in the 

business for 22 years, 

beginning with Little 

Rocky’s Pizzeria on 

Dundas, and have 

Anthony Donati and Dani 

Woods are flanked by Robert 

and Shannon Donati


invariably held quality as their highest 

priority. Luckily for London’s diners, the 

couple denotes quality with old world 

methods, fresh ingredients, handmade 

products, and small batch production 

— the very definition of artisanal. In 

this truly family-run business, Robert’s 

80-year-old mother even joins the 

kitchen crew on a regular basis to hand 

make their gnocchi, Nona-style. 

Shannon not only holds her post 

as co-owner/operator, she is also the 

restaurant’s skilled and dedicated 

pastry chef, beginning each day with 

from-scratch bread, pasta, and dessert 

preparation, only to switch gears and 

tend front of house for dinner service. 

Her desserts might seem familiar in 

description, but stand out amongst 

competitors in creativity, skill, and 

presentation. Items such as sticky toffee 

pudding, flourless chocolate cake, and 

tiramisu cheesecake recalibrate your 

impression of how these somewhat 

common items can and should taste. 

The same can be said of other menu 

items as well, all of which are mindfully 

developed and executed by the 

restaurant’s Chef Dani Woods, assisted 

by Sous Chef Mike Kerslake. For example, 

the local beet salad featured during 

Londonlicious sells itself, with the spinach 

and goat’s cheese accompaniment 

garnished with candied pecans and dried 

cranberries. The orange-maple brûlée 

dressing ties all of these compliments 

together with an unanticipated love tap 

to the taste buds. The savoury and sweet 

flavour notes perfectly support each other 

in this dish, as well as on the goat’s cheese 

and grape pizza. 

Another Londonlicious feature, worthy 

of the regular menu, the pizza’s sweet 

grapes, caramelized onions, and roasted 

garlic are countered by the salty goat’s 

cheese, crispy prosciutto, and specially 

sourced Galati mozzarella. This pizza is 

finished with a vincotto drizzle. Vincotto 

(cooked wine) is an artisanally produced, 

dark, sweet grape must reduction, which 

they get from Jill’s Table. The Galati cheese 

was specially chosen following a tour of the 

Windsor factory. Another family business, 

the Galati Cheese Company creates allnatural 

whole mozzarella as well as a 

selection of other cheeses. The tomatoes, 

Tuscano’s offers a wide selection of pizza toppings, available 

on regular or thin crust, in small or large sizes 

Pastas are all house-made 

Shannon Donati prepares a variety of desserts daily 

which are picked and then packed within 

four hours, were specially selected as well. It 

is clear, based on the team’s articulation of 

all aspects of the restaurant, from the menu 

to the DIY (though you would never know it) 

fine contemporary décor, that every minute 

detail is given serious contemplation before 

being settled upon. 

Following training from Chef Steve James 

at the London Training Centre, Chef Dani 

(who happens to also be the girlfriend of 

Shannon and Robert’s son Andrew — it truly 

is a family affair) has fully embraced her 

passion in the kitchen. She thrives in creating



Chic and modern pizzeria decor, with a casual bistro atmosphere 

features Thursday through Saturday, making 

vinaigrettes and sauces, and braising meats 

using only the right wines for the task. “We 

give you the best quality we can for the fairest 

price,” explains Robert. Appetizers range in 

price from $4.50 to $12, and the individual 

mains don’t exceed $16. “We never cut 

corners and we always try to do better,” adds 

Robert — words of a dedicated and passionate 

restaurateur. 

Robert oversees every aspect of the 80-seat 

restaurant and takes care of much of the 

business side, but seems most at home 

working behind the bar. After introducing me 

to my new favourite red wine, an Argentinian 

malbec that is featured in their house-made 

sangria, he explained to me that they purchase 

through an agent as opposed to buying 

through the LCBO. This allows them to carry 

estate wines, of which only 10 to 15 000 cases 

are produced, all available 

by the glass. I enjoyed a grillo 

as recommended to me by 

our attentive server, Amy. 

The grillo is an Italian green 

grape varietal, which presents 

itself as a crowd pleaser. It is 

dry with medium acidity and 

would appeal to the riesling 

lover and the pinot grigio 

crowd alike. The beer drinker 

can expect to see Cracked 

Canoe, Rolling Rock, Hop 

City products, Moose Head, 

and the Italian Berretti. Fresh 

A cozy corner nook 

drink features are created in 

season, such as strawberry 

lemonade using Heeman’s 

strawberries, to be enjoyed 

on the spacious 24-seat 

patio, which opens in May. 

As I swirled and sipped, 

I caught the sound of the 

blues playing through the 

speakers and enquired 

about the (spot on) choice 

in music. This was the 

influence of their children, 

Andrew, Rebecca, and 

Anthony, all of whom 

are very involved in the 

restaurant as well. Both 

boys take care of many of 

the odds and ends while 

Rebecca, a student, serves part time. Robert 

says, “We’re only scratching the surface here.” 

They plan to build a bright future for their 

children at the restaurant, setting them up to 

one day take over the family business. It’s a 

business worthy of London’s attention. 

Tuscano’s Pizzeria & Bistro 

1579 Oxford Street, London 

519-452-3737 

www.toscanoslondon.com 

monday–thursday: 11 am–10 pm 

friday & saturday: 11 am–11 pm 

closed sunday 

CHRISTIE MASSÉ is a Stratford Chef School graduate, a 

local chef, and food consultant. For enquiries, call 519-494-1061.


Eat in or take out 

Dining 

Guide 

Hasbean’s 

International Bakery 

Kleiber’s Deli 

Manito’s Rotisserie 

& Sandwich Shop 

Nate’s Shawarma 

Petit Paris 

Sebastian’s 

Seoul Seafood Shoppe 

Tanakaya 

Taylor Sue’s 

Thai Delight 

The Little Red Roaster 

The Market Deli 

The New Delhi Deli 

The Piping Kettle Soup Co. 

The Rice Box 

The Salad Bowl 

Waldo’s Bistro On King 

Affordably Fresh, Friendly & Local 

Market Hours 

Monday to Thursday: 

8am — 6pm 

Friday: 8am — 7:30pm 

Saturday: 8am — 6pm 

Sunday: 11am — 4pm 

coventmarket.com 

/coventgardenmarket


restaurants 


Quality, Craft & Discerning Taste 

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra is the entrepreneur behind North Moore 

Catering, The River Room and the new Rhino Lounge 


Photos by STRAY LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY 

North Moore Catering was born 

out of a longing. Jess Jazey- 

Spoelstra was working at Walkers 

in Tribeca, corner of North Moore 

St. and Varick St. (7th Ave), in Manhattan. 

Disenchanted with the catering at her 

wedding, Jazey-Spoelstra had an epiphany, 

and decided to launch a catering company 

instead of a restaurant. She and her 

husband Harmen, along with general 

manager Sandra Doyle-Holden, set about 

building North Moore’s status as one of the 

city’s foremost caterers almost entirely on 

word-of-mouth. 

Jazey-Spoelstra is a natural communicator 

with her finger firmly on the culinary pulse. 

Like any effective entrepreneur, she has a 

particular charisma and an innate gift for 

training and mentoring skilled staff that can 

communicate her vision and deliver it with 

finesse. 

When Jazey-Spoelstra was offered the 

restaurant space at Museum London for 

The River Room, she and Harmen were 

initially reluctant. However, the room and 

the facilities were the proper fit for a caterer 

with Jazey-Spoelstra’s entrepreneurial vision 

and creative talents. The River Room quickly 

became a success. 

Her latest project is the upscale Rhino 

Lounge Bakery and Coffee Shop, in the 

premises previously occupied by the gift shop 

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra and her husband Harmen Spoelstra 

in the new Rhino Lounge within Museum London. 

Photo by Jesse Gibb 

at Museum London. The café is named after 

Tom Benner’s White Rhino sculpture that has 

stood watch on the grounds of the museum 

since 1987. There are plans to place patio 

tables on the well-manicured front lawn and 

guests will also be able to sit by the beautiful 

pond on the west side of the Museum. 

Jazey-Spoelstra’s sophisticated design 

sensibility is reflected in all her projects. 

It is about delivering elegance, and 

paying attention to detail. Smoky crystal


chandeliers, with dozens of multifaceted 

hanging crystals, and custom-made black leather 

banquettes set the tenor. Designed to be multifunctional, 

the space can be repurposed for 

special and private events. 

The in-house scratch bakery is set to showcase 

pâtisseries, pies, croissants, handmade doughnuts 

and hand-rolled bagels. Pastry chef Michele 

Lenhardt’s chic dessert offerings include goat 

cheese cheesecake, cherry and lemon tarts and 

her signature chocolate pâté. The café will be 

licenced and the kitchen will turn out grab-and-go 

sandwiches, paninis, and charcuterie, and there are 

plans to make tapas available on Thursday nights. 

Jazey-Spoelstra focuses on providing innovative 

and cutting edge food experiences combined with 

extraordinary service which is her hallmark. She 

does not source products from the standard food 

suppliers but instead selects each food item to 

ensure quality and freshness at each event. 

She has a penchant for adding her own signature 

style by reimagining food styles and cultures. 

“Quality has always been my number one priority, 

even if it means that my prices are higher than 

some competitors. At caterings, we still cook all 

the food fresh on site with a portable kitchen. 

Everything is made from scratch and if we can’t 

keep our standards because of budget constraints 

or venue constraints, then we won’t do the event.” 

Most ingredients are sourced locally whenever 

possible, but some iconic staples 

such as smoked salmon, caviar, 

bagels and cream cheese are 

express-shipped by courier from 

the famed Russ & Daughters in 

New York. This is a testament to 

Jazey-Spoelstra’s desire to bring 

nothing but the best to her client’s 

table. 

Last May, Jazey-Spoelstra 

invited me to the River Room to 

sample Russ & Daughters hand-sliced smoked 

salmon, which is only available once a year (the 

year prior it wasn’t available at all). The coldsmoked 

Gaspé Nova is a primal experience due 

The array of North 

Moore Catering photos 

on these pages can be 

likened to Jess Jazey- 

Spoelstra’s entrepreneurial 

achievements. 

Like any successful 

caterer/restaurateur, 

she has a particular je ne 

sais quoi combined with 

an innate talent for mentoring professional staff 

who can communicate her culinary vision and 

deliver it with aplomb and finesse. Both the range 

and execution are impressive.



to the combination of the fattiness of the 

fish and the mild smokiness. She served this 

delicacy with double hand-whipped, eat-itby-the-spoonful, 

scallion-cream cheese and 

proper hand-made chewy bagels. 

We also sampled the complex and 

sensual mouth feel of Osetra caviar 

from sustainably raised Californian 

sturgeon. On another occasion 

she invited me to sample some 

new dishes. Well, nobody in this 

city does bone marrow the way the 

River Room does — oh, the deep 

and satisfying pleasure of eating 

pure rich hot bone marrow. 

Speaking of Russ & Daughters, 

Jazey-Spoelstra told me about an 

independent documentary called 

The Sturgeon Queens. Its recent 

release was timed to coincide with 

Russ & Daughters centennial this year. 

The documentary features an extensive 

interview with two of the daughters for 

whom the lox and herring emporium was 

named. One hundred-year-old Hattie 

Russ Gold and her sister, 92-year-old Anne 

Russ Federman, both share anecdotes 

that encapsulate the Jewish immigrant 

experience: “hard work, humour, romance, 

and a little tsuris (aggravation).” Other 

participants include the fourth generation 

family members who operate the shop 

today. The film also features 

Herman Vargas, aka “The Artistic 

Slicer,” longtime employee, now 

manager, who represents the new 

wave of immigrants behind the Russ 

& Daughters counter. 

North Moore caters cocktail 

parties, weddings, post-wedding 

brunches, dinners at your home, 

corporate events or any other 

occasion that requires a caterer. 

Past events have included cocktail 

parties with guest lists of 1500, as 

well as intimate dinner parties. 

“We are a full service catering 

company that takes care of the 

rentals, linen selection, floral, decor, 

backdrops, head table decor, wedding cakes 

and favours,” says general manager Sandra 

Doyle-Holden. “We assist with timeline, floor 

plan and planning. We take great pride in 

everything we do and do our best to ensure 

every event is perfect.”


presents 

North Moore Catering 

519-697-2560 

Venues: The River Room / Rhino Lounge www.theriverroom.ca; 

Museum London www.londonmuseum.on.ca; Mercedes London; 

Farhi Farms; Civic Garden Complex www.london.ca/civiccentre; 

Centennial Hall www.centennialhall.london.ca; Michael Gibson 

Gallery www.gibsongallery.com; Children’s Museum www. 

londonchildrensmuseum.ca; The Grand Theatre www. 

grandtheatre.com; Fanshawe Pioneer Village, Fanshawe Conservation 

Area, Old Century Barn. 

Rhino Lounge Bakery & Coffee Shoppe 

Museum London, Ridout Street North 

519-850-5111 

monday–sunday: 9 am–5 pm 

thursdays: 9 am–9 pm 

The River Room Café 

Museum London, Ridout Street North 

519-850-2287 

www.theriverroom.ca 

monday—friday: 9 am–4 pm 

sunday for brunch 

The River Room is also open evenings for private dining events. 

Hope 

made 

delicious 

APRIL 23 

BRYAN LAVERY is a well-known chef and eatdrink’s Food 

Writer at Large. 

in partnership with 

Reservations Recommended 

List of Participating Restaurants at: 

www.atasteforlife.org


culinary retail 


Merging Contemporary & Traditional 

at Bradshaws, in Stratford 

By JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON 

Photos by TERRY MANZO 

Shepherding a century-old 

business through economically 

challenging times could be a 

big challenge, but Jeremy and 

Carrie Wreford are up for it. In fact, the 

couple is actually enjoying the process 

of modernizing a venerated retail icon. 

Starting as a fine china and crystal 

shop, Bradshaws was founded in 1895 

by John Bradshaw. The Wreford family 

took over from three generations 

of Bradshaws in 1975 when Bill 

and Gordon, Jeremy’s father and 

grandfather respectively, purchased 

the store. 

Progressing beyond their roots is 

how Jeremy and Carrie are updating 

the store. “Reassessing lines in the 

store is a continuous process,” explains 

Carrie. “Making sure we have the right 

assortment of products is a constant 

evolution.” 

Part of that evolutionary process has 

involved adding jewelry to the store’s 

stock and deleting some items that have 

gone by the wayside over the years. “If 

1 — Proprietors Carry & Jeremy Wreford 

2 — Authentic Models Sky Hooks 

3 — Railway Spike Knives 

1 

2 3


we’d just continued as a crystal and china 

store, in this marketplace we’d be in very 

big trouble,” explains Carrie. “It’s just not 

in demand the way it used to be.” 

Choosing to add the Pandora Jewelry 

line was “the best decision we ever 

made,” according to Carrie. It is now 

their best selling line, and customers 

who come into the store to buy 

bracelets, charms and watches notice 

the wide array of other products and 

become Bradshaws shoppers. 

Besides having an innate understanding 

of the business, having grown 

up with the Bradshaws’ heritage, Jeremy 

brings his experience as a set designer 

in the film industry. He has a great feel 

for what works visually for displays and 

the store in general. Carrie worked in the 

Roots Canada head office as a graphic 

artist, so her strength in marketing is 

paying off for Bradshaws. 

Maintaining their offerings of quality 

kitchenware is an emphasis for the 

couple. Presently, Emile Henry and 

Le Creuset are top-sellers, but the 

continuing trend toward home cooking 

and entertaining has convinced them 

to look at adding more to feed the 

growing demand for distinguished 

products. With an open concept design 

of kitchen/living room spaces the norm 

in contemporary houses, home cooks 

don’t want ugly pans and worn tools on 

display for all to see. “We stock items 

that look good and are very functional 

when you buy quality,” says Carrie. 

She adds that more people are following 

the European habit of “buying once and 

having it (cookware) forever.” This is a 

motto that the Wrefords can get behind, as 

they “curate” all the cookware and kitchen 

4— Michel Design Works Soaps & Lotions 

5 — Umbra Venus Jewellery Stands 

6 — Pottery Canoes by Susan Robertson 

7 — Hand Bookends by Indaba 

8 — Bodum Bistro Blenders 

4 

5 

6 

7 8



9 

9 — Menu Jewellery Trees 

10 — Bohemia Crystal Hand Made Glass 

11 — Belvoir Fruit Farms Cordials 

12 — Once Upon a Tree Serving Boards & Bowls 

13 — Assorted Salad Bowls; 14 — Turkey Hill Maple Syrup 

11 

12 

10 

items sold at Bradshaws. Admitting that 

they have “an embarrassing amount of 

cookware,” the Wrefords love to cook, 

and many of their personal favourites are 

offered at the store. 

Travelling extensively, the couple 

use their trips as research and for 

professional development. “In Paris 

or London, or wherever we travel, we 

are always going to culinary stores. Or 

when we dine and something is served 

in a vessel we really like, we take note,” 

says Jeremy. 

Though the core of Bradshaws will 

always be its Ontario Street store, 

according to Carrie, the duo knows that 

the world is quickly moving toward 

web-based shopping. In September of 

last year, they launched their online 

store. “This is a huge opportunity to 

service our current customers and gain 

new ones instead of opening more 

(bricks and mortar) stores,” says Carrie. 

“This will be a big push for us.” 

Recognizing that the introduction 

of Wal-Mart and Target into Stratford’s 

retail mix will change its complexion, 

the couple emphasizes that whether 

customers are once-a-year visitors from 

13 

14


Bradshaws 

129 Ontario Street, Stratford 

519-271-6283 

www.bradshawscanada.com 

JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON leads the talented team of 

communicators at Write.On Communications, and she loves to write 

about life’s great joys, like food, drink and shopping. 

the U.S., folks from southwestern Ontario 

that visit during the theatre season, or 

locals who stop in weekly, providing 

excellent, personal customer service is 

top of mind for the Wrefords. “There are 

lots of places where you can go and buy 

a knock-off, but the shopping experience 

is very important and we want to give our 

customers the best experience they are 

going to have.” 

15 

TERRY MANZO is a Stratford-based photographer with a diverse 

and impressive client list. www.terrymanzo.com 

Meats & So Much More! 

15 — Breville Espresso Machines 

16 — Quality Serving Tools, Utensils & Gadgets 

Hormone & Drug-Free Beef, Pork, Bison & Lamb 

100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table 

16 

We are your London outlet for Metzger Meat Products, 

The Whole Pig, Blanbrook Bison Farm and Lena’s Lamb, 

with sauces and spices from The Garlic Box, Pristine Olive, 

Stonewall Kitchen, and Traditional Portuguese Sauce. 

Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market: Saturdays, 8am–3pm 

226-376-6328 • erin@saucymeats.com 

Anything Grows 

SEED Co. 

www.anythinggrows.com 

See us online or at The Western Fair 

Farmers’ Market — Every Saturday 

Over 600 varieties of SEED

Ontario focus. European Style. 

INN | RESTAURANT 

Each Beer Dinner features 

samples from the brewery, 

paired with a 4-course 

chef-inspired menu. 

Limited seating. 

Meet the brewery reps and 

talk about craft beer! 

BEER 

Dinner Series 

4 Courses — $60 each 

Book all 4 nights in advance for $200 

Jan 16 – Lake of Bays 

Feb 20 – Muskoka 

Mar 20 – Silversmith 

Apr 17 – Beau’s 

P 

DININ 

great for 

CHRI 

PAR 

NO room 

BRUNCH • LUNCH • DINNER • EVENTS 

104 Ontario Street, Stratford | 519.271.92 02 | www.mercerhall.com 

Get up-to-date info on our series of exciting events! fb.com/mercerhall twitter.com/MHResto

136 Ontario Street 

Stratford, Ontario 

tel. 519.272.2828 

See more Easter 

treats online at 

chocolatebarrs.com 

Holiday hours: 

Open evenings ’til 

8 pm all Easter 

week long. Good 

Friday: closed. 

Open Easter Sat. 

from 8am to 6pm. 

Stratford 

is more 

than 

great 

theatre ...



spotlight 

History & Hometown Values 

Samuels Boutique Hotel and Bistro, in Goderich 


Photos by BRUCE FYFE 

Goderich’s newest boutique bistro The results she has achieved would make 

and hotel, Samuels, is named both Samuels proud to have their names 

after local men who worked attached to the enterprise. Samuel Bisset 

in the production of salt, milk 

and ice cream. Owner 

Kim Burgsma, with the 

help of her husband 

(and contractor) Hugh, 

transformed picturesque 

dairy farmland on the 

Maitland River just north 

of Goderich into a property 

with a lovely 14-room 

contemporary boutique 

hotel. Now, three years 

later, Burgsma has grown 

the culinary offerings at 

Samuels to include casual 

fine dining, sushi nights 

and culinary classes with 

Goderich native and Fanshawe 

Chef Scott Baechler 

College Chef/instructor Scott Baechler. 

Kim Burgsma, chef/owner of 

Samuels Boutique Hotel 

Photo by Glenn Hubbers (www.hubbers.ca)


and his family produced award-winning 

dairy products on the land for 70 years 

in the 1900s. The Burgsmas transformed 

his former silos into their unique home. 

Inspired, they then bought an adjacent 

former banquet hall and transformed it 

into a single hall hotel, with half the rooms 

facing the river — in fact you can walk 

to the banks and enjoy fishing or hiking. 

A Garden Room, which was originally 

Colborne Public School — a two-room late- 

1800s school — became a breakfast room 

with exposed brick walls juxtaposed with 

Nevada Red walls and stone accents. It is 

now Samuels Bistro, with full service dining 

and seating for 28. 

The other Samuel was Samuel Platt, who 

is credited with discovering salt in Goderich 

in 1866. The result was that Sifto became the 

town’s main industrial employer; the mine 

head can be seen from the hotel. Guests can 

hike to the Goderich harbour for a closer view 

or to enjoy a famous Lake Huron sunset. 

Continued on page 34 ... 

Every tastefully decorated room is accessible and has 

a gas fireplace, and some have Jacuzzi tubs. A secondstorey 

Schoolhouse Suite (below) has two bedrooms, full 

kitchen and a large balcony.



Dine 

• Shop • Stay • Play 

Enjoy Ontario’s West Coast 

40th SeaSon june 25 - Sept 6, 2014 

grand bend’s historic 

1.877.862.5984 

blythfestival.com 

Box office opens April 1 

“Country Dining 

at Its Best” 

19-81 Crescent Street, Grand Bend 

Across from TD Canada Trust 

519-238-5515 

BREAKFAST ~ LUNCH ~ DINNER ~ CARRY OUT 

www.grandbendschoolhouse.ca 

Private 

Room 

Available 

The Perfect Place to Celebrate t


2013 Paint Ontario Best in Show painting by Donna Andreychuk 

PLAN TO ATTEND 

Canada’s premier juried show & sale 

of representational art 

March 8 to 30 

LAMBTON HERITAGE MUSEUM 

8km south of Grand Bend 

Open 11 am to 5 pm daily 

Seasonal Hours 

Always Closed Monday 

Reservations Recommended 

519.238.6224 

42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend 

www.finearestaurant.com 

Named one of Ontario’s BEST 

“Destination Restaurants” 

PaintOntario.com 

Grand Bend Art Centre: 519-872-7824 

Also during March, enjoy the 

RETURN OF THE TUNDRA SWANS 

Visit the museum to learn about their annual migration 

A Fresh Take on Tradition 

Come for dinner 

or a romantic getaway 

on the Huron Shore 

Stylish German Cuisine 

Distinctive Accommodations 

Join Us for our 

Spring Wedding & Event Fair 

the last weekend in April! 

Re-Opening 

Weekends 

in APRIL 

www.hessenland.com 

“Evidence that you don’t have to be in 

a big city to create great things!” 

— The Globe & Mail 

527 Main Street, Exeter 519-235-3030 

30 min North of London • 20 min East of Grand Bend 

30 min West of Stratford 

www.eddingtons.ca 

RR #2 Zurich ON 

Hwy 21, north of Grand Bend, 

1 hour from London 

519-236-7707 or 1-866-543-7736


Continued from page 31 ... 

Bringing International Experience 

Home to Goderich 

Samuels has recently joined Ontario’s 

Finest Hotels, Inns & Spas. Every room has 

a gas fireplace. Some King Riverside suites 

have Jacuzzi tubs. All rooms are tastefully 

decorated and are accessible. A secondstorey 

Schoolhouse Suite has two bedrooms, 

full kitchen and a large balcony with a view 

of Goderich and the sunsets. This is where 

Chef Baechler offers culinary classes in the 

winter and spring. Baechler has over 20 years 

experience as an executive chef in international 

five star hotels across Canada and 

the world, 

including 

Rimrock in 

Banff (the 

only five 

diamond 

in Western 

Canada), 

The Four 

Seasons in 

Whistler, 

and 

Fairmont 

in Dubai. 

Most 

recently, 

while 

teaching at 

Fanshawe, 

Baechler 

Diners are seated in the newly renovated Garden Room 

(above), with its Nevada Red or exposed brick walls or, in 

season, on the Patio Café (below). 


1 

2 

3 

Fifty percent of the Samuels Bistro menu changes 

seasonally, with a creative use of local products and a 

love of seafood apparent. Examples (above) include: 

1 Coconut Curry Prawns with Basmati Rice 

2 Seafood Chowder with Scone 

3 Apple Crumble Tart


was part of Culinary Team Canada, winning 

top honours in Europe. Baechler says that 

Samuels’ small size creates the perfect 

balance. “I am a Goderich boy, it’s a great 

untapped destination, and people who live in 

Goderich work hard to protect that.” 

Baechler says he was drawn to Burgsma’s 

love of gardening and culinary. “Over the 

summer we have a full farmers’ market in the 

downtown core. It’s simply the place to be. 

Kim and I are hoping to do a dinner together 

at some point, so keep an eye out,” he teases. 

Burgsma is the chef at Samuels and it’s 

a job she clearly enjoys and excels at. Her 

playful approach with local Perth Pork 

Products results in such items as wild boar 

ragu and sweet candied bacon in fennel 

salad. Burgsma’s apple crumble pie made 

with Arva Four Mill flour is light and flaky. 

In season, she makes peach and berry 

pies. Fifty percent of the menu changes 

seasonally. She also loves seafood and 

features large shrimp in her chowder and 

in her coconut curry prawn with basmati 

rice. Samuels serves VQA wines and is fully 

licenced. The Bistro Garden Room can also 

be used for private functions and meetings. 

“I’m careful what I choose to put on the 

menu,” says Burgsma. “Small is not bad.” 

Clearly, she loves her sense of place and 

its history. The family has lived on the site 

for 33 years and daughter Holly Dalton is a 

local photographer. “It’s a beautiful area we 

have here.” 

Burgsma has also teamed up with another 

Goderich restaurant, Thyme on 21, offering 

guests a Culinary Adventure which includes 

a two-night stay, and dinners at both 

locations. Given the skills of Thyme’s Chef 

Terry Kennedy, that sounds like a delicious 

get-away. 

Trust... 

Taste... 

Award-Winning 

PRIME 

BEEF 

Burgers 

Quality... 

It’s True! Spring is around the 

corner and it’s time to plan 

your BBQ season! 

Also watch for new creations for the BBQ 

throughout this spring and summer. 

. 

Samuels Boutique Hotel 

34031 Saltford Rd, Goderich 

519-524-1371 

www.samuelshotel.ca 

JANE ANTONIAK has covered Huron County for eatdrink 

magazine for five years. She is also Manager, Communications & 

Media Relations, King’s University College, Western. 

BRUCE FYFE enjoys culinary photography for eatdrink. He is 

a Librarian at Weldon, Western University. 

Open six days a week. 

Hensall, Ontario 

Just off Hwy 4, 45 minutes north of London. 

Available in London at 

Saucy: Meats & So Much More 

at Western Fair Farmers’ Market 

on Saturdays! 

www.metzgermeats.com 

519-262-3130 

Local Beef • Pork • Lamb • Poultry 

Specialty European Meat Products



in the garden 

Never Too Many Tomatoes! 

Time to Get Started on Your Tomato Garden 

By ALLAN WATTS and RICK WEINGARDEN 

Nothing beats the flavour of a fresh 

picked tomato. Fresh heirloom 

tomatoes are so good, I am no 

longer tempted by any grocery 

store offerings—at any time of the year. 

Savour the flavour of the tomato while 

they’re in season. Out of season, the best 

way to enjoy tomatoes is in your own 

homemade sauces, either frozen or canned. 

These are welcome memories of summer in 

the middle of winter! 

With so many varieties of tomatoes, how 

can you choose? For best flavour look for 

heirloom seed varieties. You will not end 

up with the perfect, unblemished, round, 

tasteless tomato that grocery marketing has 

presented for years. What you sacrifice in 

looks you make up in flavour. 

Heirlooms 

What is an heirloom? An heirloom is 

pollinated naturally, and its seeds come up 

true unless cross-pollinated by bees. Some 

types, with names like Violet Jasper, Mortgage 

Lifter, Black Krim and San Marzano, have 

been passed down through generations. The 

diverse selection now available is exciting. 

Just a few years ago many of these varieties 

were almost forgotten. 

If you want to experience these tempting 

fruits at their best, you can grow them 

yourself. Each type offers a unique, delicious 

flavour profile. You can save your own 

tomato seeds for next year. Like peppers 

and eggplants, tomatoes are self-pollinating. 

But to avoid cross-pollination you will need 

to plant them with at least 50 feet between 

varieties — if you have the space. 

Colour 

Colour is another variable. There are 

beautiful reds, dark reds that are almost 

black, yellows, oranges and even green 

striped. There are different nutrients in each 

Red Cherry 

Black Krim 

Mortgage Lifter 

Beefsteak


colour so the best choice is to eat them all! 

A colour mix also adds beauty to your food. 

Remember, we eat with our eyes, too! 

Varieties 

There are four main categories of tomatoes: 

beefsteak, mid-size, paste and cherry. Choose 

beefsteaks for the perfect bacon and tomato 

sandwich (just add mayo). Mid-size are a 

great salad size, paste offers the best texture 

for sauces, and cherries are ideal for braising, 

salads and snacking. 

For a continued supply of tomatoes look at 

maturity dates. Some varieties ripen earlier 

than others. Stagger maturity dates so they 

don’t all show up at once! This will also 

extend your tomato harvest season. If you 

find tomatoes labeled “determinate,” they are 

a bush variety. Determinates are also good 

for growing in containers. When you see 

“indeterminate” the plants grow more like 

vines and will need support. Indeterminates 

will produce fruit until frost brings them down. 

The Tomato Needs … 

Tomatoes like full sun, 6 to 8 hours a day. 

They require good soil; whatever soil you 

have, add compost and composted manure 

to ensure a well-drained, rich, open soil. Give 

them space to grow. Two feet apart is ideal. 

If your space is limited, consider container 

gardening. Use a large deep pot and a 

container soil mix with added composted 

manure. To finish the container, underplant 

your tomato with salad greens, Swiss chard 

or beautiful edible nasturtiums. 

What to Start Soon 

If you want to grow tomatoes, peppers, 

melons, onions or eggplants from seed they 

are best sown indoors from late February 

early March. To start seeds indoors you 

need to create an environment suited for 

seedlings to grow. Light, temperature and 

humidity are variables that are important 

to manage for best results. A south-facing 

window offers good light, but for these sunloving 

plants and for good healthy growth, 

invest in a grow light. 

If you want just a few plants, they are 

available from retailers mid-May, but don’t 

plant them outside until after the last chance 

of frost, usually May 24th. Heirloom varieties 

can be found at farmers’ markets. 

Fresh picked truly means growing your 

own, and it’s worth it! Whether you grow 

Roma 

Sungold Cherry 

Indigo Rose 

Brandywine 

your own from seed or purchase a quality 

heirloom plant, the value is incredible. And 

did I mention the flavour? 

RICK WEINGARDEN and ALLAN WATTS own 

Anything Grows SEED Co. (www.anythinggrows.com). They can be 

found at the Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market on Saturdays, 

and at various gardening events around the region.



The BUZZ ... new and notable 

The 2014 London’s Local Flavour Culinary 

Guide is hot off the press. A project by eatdrink 

magazine for Tourism 

London, the guide 

provides a rich overview of the 

city’s breadth of exciting dining 

and shopping opportunities. 

The guide goes out to Ontario 

Travel Centres, London’s Tourism 

Information Centres, and major 

entry points to the city, such 

as the London International 

Airport, the VIA Rail station, the 

London Convention Centre, the 

Downtown London office, as well 

as at dozens of local businesses, 

libraries and the farmers’ markets. It’s 

also available online, with links both 

on the Tourism London website and 

the eatdrink site. For information on 

outstanding local restaurants, culinary 

retailers, and our farmers’ markets, there is 

no more comprehensive resource available. 

Get your copy; it’s a keeper. For a view of the guide and more, go 

to www.londontourism.ca/culinary 


LONDON’S 

Local 

Flavour 

20 

14 

Restaurants • Culinary Retail 

Farmers’ Markets • Food Festivals 

londontourism.ca 

Local 

Flavour 

Served Here 

London’s Garlic’s of London and La 

Casa are both celebrating 20 years in 

business. Marienbad and Chaucer’s 

Pub will be celebrating their 40th 

anniversary this June. Heartfelt 

congratulations all around. 

Wen Bei Li’s Chinese Five 

Fortune Club Restaurant and 

arts and culture centre is expected 

to open in early March at the 

southeast corner of Richmond and 

King Street. The cuisine will be a 

combination of Yunnan, Sichuan 

and Guizhou influences. 

The Japanese-inspired Sakata 

Bar and Grill has opened in 

the premises that Blue Ginger 

previously occupied on Richmond Street. 

SINCE 1819 

AT THE 

ARVA FLOUR MILL 

6 

Days 

a 

Week 

Closed Mondays 

Local, Artisan & Natural Products 

from producers such as The Garlic Box & Gunn’s Hill Cheese 

Local Natural & Certified Organic Frozen Meats 

Beef • Poultry • Pork • Bison • Water Buffalo • Deli Meats 

Wild-caught Salmon, Halibut, Scallops & Tuna 

Coffee • Tea • Frozen Wheatgrass Juice 

A Variety of Gluten-free Products 

OUTLET 

Local Cheeses • Certified Organic Frozen Vegetables 

Gourmet Sauces • Olive Oils • Preserves • Natural Soaps & Skincare Products 

2042 Elgin St, Arva ON • 519-601-6456 

www.arvamillhouse.com


Meals on Wheels will be holding their annual event, called 

“Walk for Wheels,” at Covent Garden Market, upstairs on 

the Mezzanine on March 28th from 2-4 p.m. 

The Covent Garden Farmers’ Market operated by 

Christine Sheer is London’s only 100% producer-based 

market. This means that every vendor at the market sells what 

they grow, raise, bake, and preserve themselves. For more info 

about The Covent Garden Farmers’ Market, including recipes 

and special events, go to the farmers’ market blog, at 

www.coventgardenfarmersmarket.com 

UpFront at the Market, in the southwest corner of Covent 

Garden Market, and Café One on Richmond Street both 

closed in February. 

and gluten-free options. The focus is on flavour, not heat, but 

home-made hot sauce is available. 561 Southdale Rd Unit 9c., 

226-663-8452 

The Curry Garden Restaurant has relocated. It is now south 

of King Street on Richmond in the premises formerly occupied 

by Los Comales. The Asian Buffet is relocating in the 

premises formerly occupied by the Curry Garden Restaurant. 

The 2014 seed season has started. Rick Weingarden and 

Allan Watts, from Anything Grows SEED Company, 

a permanent vendor at the Western Fair Farmers’ & 

The new brain child of The Wolfe Brothers, “Rock Au Taco,” 

next door to the Early Bird Diner, is serving up delicious and 

authentic tacos and Mexican cuisine, ice cold cervezas, and 

smooth tequila. www.theearlybird.ca 

The Root Cellar, an organic café, bakery and juice bar in 

Old East Village is expanding into the neighbouring premises 

at 621 Dundas Street. The cafe is an offshoot of On the 

Move Organics, a local company that unites people to local 

certified organic food producers through its home delivery 

service, its operations at Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ 

Market, and the Dundas Street café. When completed this 

spring the dining room will have tripled in size. In warm 

weather diners will be able to enjoy the sidewalk patio. 

www.fb.com/TheRootCellarOrganicCafe 

Locomotive Espresso opened their doors mid-February 

and is looking to fill a growing worldwide thirst for local, 

independent coffee bars serving the highest quality 

beverages. Locomotive is located at the corner of Pall Mall and 

Colborne (at the railroad tracks), in the former Helen’s Variety. 

Los Comales, known for its Mexican and Latin American 

food, has reopened for casual dining or take-out with delivery 

to be offered in the future. It offers many vegetarian, vegan 

www.davidsbistro.ca 

ALWAYS 

a 3-course 

prix fixe menu 

option 

432 Richmond St. 

at Carling • London 

London’s Celebration Destination 

31 

Lunch Weekdays 

Dinner 7 Nights a Week 

1 York Street 

(just West of Ridout) 

519-672-0111 

Continental cuisine – with a 

contemporary twist! – and Tableside Cooking. Baby Grand Pianist Nightly 

From an amazing Caesar Salad to flaming coffees, Complimentary On Site Parking 

Michael’s makes your celebration an event. www.michaelsonthethames.com 

MICHAEL’S ON THE THAMES


Artisan’s Market on Saturdays, have hard-to-find seeds 

and organic sprouting seeds available year round. With 

a larger space, anything grows has expanded into other 

categories: bird feeders, gloves, potted arrangements, 

flower bulbs, sprout growers and hand-weeders, just 

to name a few. This spring, enjoy the Anything Grows 

advantage: A choice of five great seed suppliers — along 

with their favourite gardening supplies — all available in 

one spot. Whether you are a discerning veteran gardener 

or an enthusiastic beginner, get the seed varieties you’re 

looking for quickly and easily. www.anythinggrows.com 

STUNNING VIEWS 

EXCELLENT FOOD 

AMBIANCE GALORE 

CAFÉ OPEN TUES TO FRI, 11–4 

SUN BRUNCH, 11–4 

OPENING SOON! 

AVAILABLE EVENINGS 

for Private Dining, Weddings, Corporate Events, 

Anniversary Dinners & Birthday Parties 

at MUSEUM LONDON 

theriverroom.ca | 519.850.2287 


Hope made Delicious. A Taste for Life Participating Taste 

restaurants open their doors on Wednesday April 23rd and 

donate 25% of the evening sales to AIDS Service Organizations 

in the community. Support the men, women and children in 

your community by going out to dinner. A Taste for Life serves 

the regions of Perth, Huron, Oxford, Elgin, Lambton and 

Middlesex counties. Monforte on Wellington will be joining 

Molly Blooms and Foster’s Inn in Stratford this year. 

www.atasteforlife.org/london.htm 

Chef Brian Magee will be opening FLAVURS Artisan 

Kitchen & Bar in the premises formerly occupied by Smoke- 

N-Bones on Wellington Road South at Southdale. The locallysourced 

menus will find inspiration in updated versions of 

globally inspired street food. FLAVURS will serve breakfast, 

lunch and dinner. 

Owner Jim Agathos’s The Dancing Greek (formerly the 

Huron House) has closed. Agathos’s grandson Zack is 

opening the Icarus Resto Bar in the premises formerly 

occupied by the Coffee Culture on Richmond Street. The 

Mediterranean-themed restaurant will have an open kitchen 

and is expected to open in late March or early April. 

Food Trucks 

Last year London City Council agreed to get public feedback 

on a proposed program to allow new-style food trucks. The 

current bylaw was drafted to deal with catering trucks, hotdog 

carts and other vendors that have traditionally been confined 

to private parking lots and special events. 

The City has revised their initial food truck plan, and 

proposed a much less restrictive version that balances 

the interests of stakeholders and encourages a vibrant 

street food experience for the public. However, there are 

restrictions. There is expected to be a 25-metre buffer zone 

separating food trucks from existing restaurants. They 

will also be required to stay clear of schools, which have 

healthful-food guidelines. 

In the meantime, an impartial food truck advisory review 

panel made up of volunteer representatives (based on 

London’s Urban Design Peer Review Panel) is being formed to 

Enjoy a FREE Tasting Experience 

Freshly milled extra virgin olive oils 

from our award-winning producers, 

sourced directly by Olive-Me. 

Discover 

Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Bar YOUR Favourites! 

1570 Hyde Park Road • Unit #7 • London 

519-471-OLIV (6548) • www.olivemeco.com 

Private 

Tasting 

Parties 

Gift Boxes & Custom Sample Packs 

Make the Perfect Corporate Gift 

or Wedding Favour. 

custom labeling is available. 

Over 

50 

Lab-Tested Olive Oils 

Varieties 

with full chemistry analysis


provide expert opinion and recommendations regarding food 

truck strategy in London. 

In addition, the panel will be charged with encouraging 

culturally diverse and original menu offerings, and 

endorsing the promotion of healthy eating. Vendors would 

be encouraged to be innovative and consider focusing on a 

variety of nutritious, seasonal, fresh and local ingredients. 

At the moment it appears that there will be no selection 

criteria based on proposed menu offerings, business plan, 

innovation, and level of vendor experience or overall impact 

to London’s food truck/street food culture. However, it is too 

early to try to define what that culture should look like, and 

consumers will ultimately determine its future and success. 

Out-of-Town 

Chris and Mary Woolf have returned to St. Marys. Little 

Red’s Pub and Eatery opened in mid- February, at 159 

Queen Street. The Woolfs always made a trip to the former 

Woolfy’s well worth the drive. www.woolfys.com 

Paint Ontario is a project of the Grand Bend Art Centre 

and runs March 8–30. This 18th annual juried show of 

representational art is a competition, an exhibition, and a 

sale, and is being held in the Lambton Heritage Museum 

in Grand Bend. www.paintontario.com 

Chef Gus Merkies from the Schoolhouse Restaurant in 

Grand Bend has introduced a new menu and added a Prix 

Fixe dinner menu. He will also be participating in the second 

annual Arts, Eats and Beats weekend featuring local artists, 

chef-inspired eats and live music, in May. 

www.grandbendschoolhouse.ca 

LONDON ARTISTS’ 

STUDIO TOUR 

May 2, 3 & 4 

www.londonstudiotour.ca 

Contact: Beth Stewart 519 668-6743 

“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed 

Ethiopian cuisine ...” — Bryan Lavery, eatdrink magazine 

The Hessenland Country Inn reopens for the weekends in 

April, with their annual Spring Wedding and Event Fair 

the last weekend of that month. Hessenland, famous for Chef 

Frank Ihrig’s innovative German-style cuisine, is located along 

the shores of Lake Huron between Bayfield and Grand Bend, just 

outside the hamlet of St. Joseph. www.hessenland.com 

Chef/Owner James Eddington advises us that his 

Eddington’s of Exeter restaurant will be closed March 9–24 

for renovations. Selected by the province of Ontario as one of 

our best “destination restaurants” in the Days Out Ontario 

program, Eddington’s has long been satisfying appreciative 

diners with seasonal menus using local producers, and is well 

deserving of this honour. Exeter is a pleasant 30-minute drive 

north of London. www.eddingtons.ca 

While the past few months of severe winter weather have put 

a damper on things for a number of restaurants, Rich Hunter 

of The King Edward pub in Ilderton reports especially brisk 

business, in part due to their proximity to an excellent snowmobile 

trail. Glad to hear it, Rich! www.thekingedward.com 

• Vegetarian 

Options 

• Takeout 

• Catering 

• Reservations 

Recommended 

ADDIS ABABA Restaurant 

Tues–Fri 5–1pm • Sat 12–1pm • Sun 2–1pm 

465 Dundas Street 519 433-4222 

www.tgsaddisababarestaurant.com

Your love of all things Italian begins at 


Stratford 

The Bakery at Pazzo closed in mid-February. The owners 

of Pazzo are looking forward to unveiling a brand new Pazzo 

experience this April. 

Rundles has announced that it will be open for its 37th season 

from May 23 to September 20, 2014. www.rundlesrestaurant.com 

The Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival, 

usually held in September, will take place earlier this year, on 

the weekend of July 18–20.,This has become one of Ontario’s 

largest food festivals, and celebrates local cuisine, talented chefs 

and passionate food producers. www.savourstratford.com 

The restaurant and lounge are now open at The Bruce. The 

hotel will be opening May 24th. The Restaurant is open for dinner 

Thursday through Saturday at 5:00 pm with the last reservation at 

9:00 p.m.; The Lounge is open late night. www.thebruce.ca 

There’s always a lot going on at Mercer Hall. The Craft Beer 

Dinner Series continues, with Silversmith on Mar 20th and 

Beau’s on April 17th. Includes a 4-course chef-inspired menu 

& four 10 oz. craft brews! Limited seating, meet the brewery 

reps and talk about craft beer. www.mercerhall.ca 

Savour Stratford Tutored Tasting: Cider and Cheese. 

Sample some of the newest offerings from the LCBO, perfectly 

paired with a selection of exciting cheeses. The Milky Whey 

Fine Cheese Shop, 118 Ontario Street. Saturday March 29, 

Celebrating our 20 th Anniversary 

481 Richmond Street, London 

519.432.4092


2014 themilkywhey@rogers.com www.themilkywhey.ca 

Craft Beer Dinner Series: Taste and learn about some tasty 

local craft beer. Keith from Beau’s All Natural brings his 

knowledge and love of beer to the long tabled dinner of 4 

courses paired with 4 craft brews. Mercer Hall, 104 Ontario 

Street. Thursday, April 17 2014 www.mercerhall.com 

Take a self-guided taste of maple delights at various food 

shops and restaurants on the Savour Stratford Maple Trail 

this spring. More info at www.visitstratford.ca/mapletrail 

GE CAFÉ Chef Cooking Class Series is back. Join celebrated 

chefs in the kitchen for an exclusive hands-on cooking 

experience. Pairings of alcoholic beverages are served with 

each lunch. Take-home recipes are included. Overnight 

packages are available and tickets can be purchased online at 

www.visitstratford.ca/gechefs 

From the Field 

to Our Kitchen to 

EST. 1996 

Your Table 

Local Ontario Ingredients 

Non-GMO • Organic Lines 

Canning Classes 

Wedding Favours & Gift Baskets Available 

London, Ontario 

519-680-7912 • surelyhomemade.com 

fb.com/eatdrinkmag 

twitter.com/eatdrinkmag 

Our readers want to know, so send us info about your 

culinary events, fundraisers, and regional news. We’ll print 

as much as we can, and there is no charge for this service. 

With BUZZ in the Subject line, send to: 

editor@eatdrink.ca. 

Express Lunches | Intimate Dinners | Dietary Needs Accommodated | Ample Free Parking 

bistro & caterer 

46 Blackfriars Street, London | 519-667-4930 | www.blackfriarsbistro.com



kitchen design 

When an “Old” Kitchen Is the Goal 

Keeping your kitchen design consistent with the rest of your home 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

Old Castle Renovations specializes in 

old house — and century home — 

renovations and 

restorations. 

“Your home is at the centre 

of your family’s life,” says 

Old Castle President Mike 

Hodgson. “And the kitchen 

is the centre of your home.” 

Over 80% of the houses 

Hodgson renovates are 

50 to 120 years old, which 

brings unique challenges. 

Many homeowners are not 

looking to plunk a modern, 

minimalist kitchen into 

their traditional home. They 

want a consistent style that 

enhances the look and feel 

of the rest of the house, but 

of course they don’t want 

to sacrifice the benefits of 

contemporary technology 

and equipment. Cast iron 

and galvanized plumbing 

needs to be replaced, jacking, 

levelling and underpinning 

of foundations is sometimes 

necessary, and plenty more, 

and that’s before addressing 

the other important issue 

of what the final project will 

look like. 

“Building modern kitchen 

amenities into an old or 

historic home without 

disturbing its original 

architectural integrity is one 

of the most difficult tasks 

in a home renovation,” says 

Hodgson. “We seamlessly 

incorporate these technologies 

BEFORE 

1960s renovation 

A wall oven, the height of fashion when this century home was 

renovated in the 1960s, went out of favour for awhile. While large restaurantstyle 

ranges are centrepieces in many modern kitchens, this microwave/ 

double oven combo works beautifully in this traditional space.


A built-in dinette with inviting curves fits perfectly at 

the head of basement stairs, with the half-wall making 

a vast improvement over the railing that was there 

previously. Millwork matching the cabinetry finishes 

the look, and under-seat storage drawers are accessible 

from the ends of the bench. A ball-footed pedastal table 

with a beautifully simple top eases access to the seating 

and custom-made damask-covered cushions reflect the 

cabinet and wall colours. A rustic pendant light, Persianstyle 

carpet and simple drapes and wall accents add 

character and charm to this inviting corner of the kitchen. 

into your older home without destroying its 

irreplaceable identity.” Repairing or replacing 

period mouldings, recreating historic casings 

to match existing woodwork, refreshing 

antique hardware ... all can be critical to the 

result. “It is possible to enjoy the comfort and 

modern conveniences while living in a period 

dwelling,” says Hodgson, who confesses this 

work is his passion. “Alternatively, we have 

modernized the look of many older houses 

into open, free-flowing environments that 

maximize the use of space.” 

Understanding the challenges involved 

in any renovation, and working to minimize 

those, is Hodgson’s responsibility. But 

before that begins, he first needs to get 

the contract for the job. A free in-home 

design consultation is part of the process, 

and Hodgson is glad to offer this to anyone 

exploring a kitchen or home renovation, but 

® 

CLEAN THE WORLD 

No Chemicals • Safer • Faster • Easier • 519-859-2508 

Lynn Grushka, INDEPENDENT ENJO CONSULTANT



Black and White is a timeless design 

motif, but in an older home, a slightly 

softer palette proves more fitting. The 

off-white low-sheen paint on the cabinetry 

contrasts effectively with the deep grey 

quartz countertops buffed to a high gloss. 

A white subway tile backsplash bridges 

the two surfaces effectively and adds a 

further textural element to the space, 

as do the placement of just a few glassfronted 

upper cabinets. A family-friendly 

hardwood floor completes the classic 

combination of materials. 

The cabinetry features a simple profile and 

appropriate brushed nickel hardware. The 

dishwasher and cooktop hood are tastefully 

concealed, letting small but elegant details 

such as the arches above the “barely there” 

cooktop and double sink (mimicked in the 

island’s open shelving) shine. The large 

corbels that define the two work zones are 

the grandest statement in the room, but 

they too are tastefully discrete in style, as 

are the small flares in the countertop edge 

that parallel the corbels. 

Crown moulding not only looks good in its 

own right, it can also mask the variances in 

ceiling height and crooked walls that are 

so common in older homes. Craftsmanship 

is key to disguising the issue rather than 

highlighting it with unseemly gaps.


he encourages homeowners to take the lead 

initially. “If you are interested in renovating 

your kitchen, buy yourself a binder and start 

filling it with ideas. You will be amazed how 

quickly the style you are looking for comes 

together, followed by a wish list. Once you 

have the style and your wish list in hand, the 

next item on your list will be the budget.” 

A work-area needs analysis and 

establishing a budget are key to developing 

a proposal. How much to spend is the 

big question for most homeowners, and 

Hodgson encourages them to consider 

how long they intend on living in their 

home, and how much they can reasonably 

expect to get back when selling the house. 

Once the homeowner is comfortable with a 

figure, the detailed kitchen design process 

can begin. “There is nothing to gain by 

giving a client a design that they cannot 

afford,” says Hodgson. 

If everything is a go, then complete site 

measurements are taken and a design 

development with 3D renderings is 

completed. Product selection consultations 

ensue, and before any work begins, 

itemized project costing ensures everyone 

is on the same page. Expectations are 

clearly laid out, and while unforeseen 

issues can crop up, particularly when 

renovating an older home, the goal is “no 

surprises.” Hodgson is frank. “Be prepared 

for your life to be interrupted during this 

process,” he says. “But remember what the 

goal is, and it will all be worth it in the end.” 

Hodgson includes a gallery of past 

projects on the Old Castle website (www. 

old-castle.ca), and each have their own 

story. The kitchen shown in this article is 

in part a restoration of work that was done 

over a century ago. This Old North London 

home “suffered” a 1960s renovation, 

but Hodgson talks excitedly about the 

inspiration he got seeing the original 

blueprints for the home, first built for one 

of the Blackburn family, founding owners 

of the London Free Press. “They were 

beautiful,” he says earnestly. It is clear the 

past is important to him. 

CHRIS McDONELL is the publisher of eatdrink. His binder 

of ideas for his 50-year-old kitchen is getting dated. 

Featuring specialty foods, kitchenwares, 

tablewares, cooking classes & gift baskets. 

115 King Street, London 

519-645-1335 www.jillstable.ca 

London’s 

Kitchen 

Renovation 

Specialists 

Kitchens 

Bathrooms 

Large Additions 

Victorian Restorations 

519.860.9640 

www.old-castle.ca



wine 

Biodynamic and Organic Wines 

Discover them in Ontario 

By KIM MILLER 

It seems as though the technological 

age may have come full circle. As a 

society we are looking back to our roots 

in many different areas of our lives. 

We seem to be more aware of the cycles of 

nature and the importance of taking care of 

our planet. In the realm of viniculture, three 

grape producers in Ontario are certified 

to sell organic wines and two are able to 

market their wines as biodynamic. 

To be certified ‘organic’, you must prove 

that your farm is free of synthetic pesticides 

and preservatives, chemical fertilizers, 

hormones, antibiotics and genetically 

modified organisms; demonstrate the 

humane treatment of animals and the 

preservation of ecological integrity; and 

maintain and record these practices for 36 

months prior to certification. In addition, an 

application for certification must be made 

15 months before you intend to market your 

first wine. 

If that doesn’t sound complicated enough, 

there are five different certifying bodies in 

Ontario to choose from. Each is recognized 

by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and 

certifies all kinds of products, not just wine. 

Oddly, our three wineries are each certified 

by a different agency. 

Southbrook Vineyards green commitment includes using sheep 

for weed and bug removal in the spring and early summer 

Fruits o;f the vine, at Frogpond Farm 

Frogpond Farm Organic Winery 

This renowned Niagara-on-the-Lake 

property was the first winery in Ontario to be 

certified organic. The producers chose to be 

represented by “The Organic Crop Producers 

and Processors.” Frogpond’s tagline is 

“Harmony in nature is the prerequisite for 

truly authentic wine.” It’s obvious they take 

this mantra to heart — they have 

been Bullfrog-powered since 

2006, using 100% green electricity 

which is produced by wind and 

low-impact water power. 

Southbrook Vineyards 

and Tawse Winery 

The next two wineries are certified 

as both organic and biodynamic. 

One must first be certified as 

organic before transitioning 

to biodynamic. Biodynamic 

farming was the brainchild of 

Rudolf Steiner, the father of the


Waldorf Schools. Biodynamic farming is 

practised in over fifty countries worldwide. It 

encompasses all of the properties of organic 

farming, and then some. 

Biodynamics takes organic farming to 

the next level. The whole farm is treated as 

a living entity and holistic ecosystem, from 

the rumbles of the earth beneath to the 

stars far above. Biodynamic farmers track 

the movement of the stars and the moon to 

determine when to sow and when to reap. 

In Berlin, Germany, in 1927, Demeter 

International became recognized as the one 

and only governing body for biodynamic 

certification worldwide. This organization 

is named after Demeter, the goddess of the 

harvest in ancient Greek religion and myth. 

Both Southbrook Vineyards and Tawse 

hold dual certification. They’ve earned two 

different Ontario organic certifications, 

and also hold worldwide designation for 

biodynamic farming. 

Southbrook Vineyards is a sprawling 

150-acre estate in Niagara-on-the-Lake, 

owned by Bill and Marilyn Redelmeier. 

Their mission statement is “To make the 

finest wines possible in a respectful, local, 

light-on-the-land fashion.” Their organic 

certification board of choice is “Pro-Cert 

Organics.” Southbrook has the distinction of 

being the first wine estate in Canada to earn 

both organic and biodynamic certification 

for vineyard and winery back in 2008. 

Southbrook has been awarded LEED® 

Gold certification for its buildings, grounds 

and activities, including the creation of a 

bioswale with native wetland plants to break 

down pollution from stormwater draining 

off the access road and parking lots. 

And yet another first for this scribe: 

Bioflavia. It is an Organic Red Wine Grape 

Tawse Winery, from the 

vineyard endposts 

Skin Powder considered new and innovative 

on the market. This product is an excellent 

source of antioxidants required for the 

maintenance of good health. It was featured 

on the Dr. Oz show and is made and sold 

right here in southern Ontario. All the health 

benefits of red wine in powder form in a jar, 

with no alcohol! Wait a minute ... 

Tawse Winery’s organic certification 

was provided by Ecocert. With winemaker 

Paul Pender at the helm, Tawse has won a 

bedazzling number of prestigious Ontario 

wine awards, including 2011 Winemaker of 

the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards. Maybe 

this is because Pender treats the whole farm 

as a single living organism. Composts are 

specially prepared for each crop, herbal 

teas are added to the soil, and the activity of 

his farm is aligned to that of the earth, the 

moon and the stars. And it works! Organic 

and biodynamic wineries are consistently 

winning more and more medals in the 

international wine community. The quality 

of the product speaks for itself. 

Consider reducing your carbon footprint 

by enjoying organic and biodynamic wines 

grown right here in Ontario. 

Frogpond Farm Organic Winery 

1385 Larkin Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake 

www.frogpondfarm.ca 

Southbrook Vineyards 

581 Niagara Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake 

www.southbrook.com 

Tawse Winery 

3955 Cherry Avenue, Vineland 

www.tawsewinery.ca 

The view from the back of Southbrook’s 

LEED-certifed building overlooks the vines 

KIM MILLER lives in London with her spouse and two children. 

This is why she studies the many attributes of wine...



BEER MATTERS 

beer matters 

Those Marvellous Mutts 

The Wonders of Hybrid Beers 

By THE MALT MONK 

At a favourite craft beer oasis 

recently I was presented with a 

prime sampling of what I had 

been craving for a while. It was a 

hybrid style not often seen on tap and it hit 

the spot! It also got me thinking about this 

whole genre of beers, which do not get the 

esteem due them nor enough exposure in 

the local craft brew market. Many ale purists 

pass these styles by, the same way a mongrel 

dog is shunned by pedigree fanciers. For my 

tastes the hybrid beers are wonderful mutts 

that just need an opportunity to become a 

best of breed winner. 

Hybrids are beers that, unlike Kim Mitchell’s 

dilemma, don’t make you “choose between 

lager and ale.” They are both. Some were born 

out of necessity, some from fine tradition, 

some the result of brewer innovation. Hybrid 

beers sometimes have lager character with 

ale flavour, and sometimes ale character with 

lager flavour. In any case, they are in a unique 

niche that straddles the line between the two 

macrocosms of the beer universe. Hybrid 

beers can be a good choice for beer drinkers 

who like the flavour of big ales but not the 

sharp character, and for ale drinkers who 

want a smoother alternative which drinks 

well in a sitting. 

Let’s look at what makes hybrids 

so special, avoiding an eye-rolling 

microbiology lesson. Simply put, a 

hybrid is the result of changing either 

the traditional brewing method for a 

given style, or the type of yeast used 

in an ale or lager recipe. Lagers have 

a process which requires a long cold 

secondary fermentation and a coldtolerant 

yeast. Ale is brewed at warm 

temperatures and uses yeast which 

performs best at warm temperatures. 

It is finished in a warmer environment, 

and ready sooner than lager. This 

gives it some wonderful fruity tastes and 

aromas, but also a sharp and distinctly fresh 

character. Lager’s cold fermenting and long 

cold conditioning gives a mellow rounded 

brew with malty-earthy character and no 

fruity aroma. So, when a brewer pitches 

warm fermenting ale yeast at cooler lager 

temperatures or pitches a cold fermenting 

lager yeast at warm temperatures, or cold 

ages an ale or warm conditions a lager, we 

get hybridization and a beer which displays 

elements of both types of beers. 

Some common hybrids in the lighter 

end of the genre are Kölsch, cream ale, and 

American pilsner. Kölsch is a cold lagered 

German pale ale made with Pilsner malt. 

Cream ale is a North American innovation —a 

golden ale is cold fermented or pitched with 

a hybrid strain of yeast. American pilsner 

is listed as a hybrid in the style guides but 

from my perspective it is just a debasement 

of Czech pilsner that uses gristed corn and/ 

or rice adjuncts. The local craft beer market 

has a number of examples of these the 

lighter hybrids but not the darker, more 

robust hybrids. My preference gravitates 

to the darker, more substantial side of 

the hybrid genre. One of these darker 

hybrids is the copper coloured historic 

brew from the Dusseldorf region of 

Germany called Altbier. The other is 

“California common” aka “steam beer.” 

Both are among my preferred pub quaffs 

because they are balanced, flavourful 

and drink wonderfully alone or paired 

with a wide variety of foods. 

Altbier is a long time favourite and I have


written about the style’s origins at length here, 

so I won’t dwell on that aspect as much as the 

character of the style, and a wonderful 

sub-class called sticke alt. The word 

“alt” means old in German, so 

altbier refers to an old style of beer 

that traces its origin to the days 

before lager brewing in Germany. 

Alts are amber ales, from the use 

of Munich malts. They have a bit of 

rich complexity in their malt profile 

similar to a Dunkel but with distinct 

nut-like earthy flavours. Alt is 

usually dry finishing and has a good 

amount of bittering hops, with some 

examples showing relatively potent 

hopping. This is essentially an amber 

ale fermented cold (with hybrid 

yeast) and cold conditioned (aged) 

like lager — thus the mellow malty 

flavour, yet dry and hoppy. A firstrate 

quaff and very easy drinking. 

Commonly available examples are Duckstein 

Alt, Beau’s great Festivale Alt, True North 

Copper Altbier and Creemore’s excellent 

Collaboration Altbier. 

A variation called sticke or “secret alt” is 

bigger and bolder in flavour and strength. 

It was historically called a secret beer 

because it was usually an exceptionally good 

batch of Altbier the brewer held back for 

himself and friends. Later it was released 

to customers (only twice a year) but the 

recipe was “secret.” Sticke alt is altbier on 

steroids, originally a brewer’s mistake in 

using too much malt and hops, sticke alt is 

a more intense dose of all the traditional alt 

facets — full-bodied, well-hopped, perfect 

balance between bitterness and nutty-malty 

sweetness, strong notes of chocolate and 

toasted grains, deep copper colour with 

complexity of an ale, aromatic hop aroma 

and the heading of a pilsner, yet the clean 

dry finish and sturdy body of an Oktoberfest 

marzen. It is to amber ale what bockbier is 

to lagers. I love this beer style and buy up 

all I can when it is available. We have only a 

couple of sticke altbiers made domestically 

— Beau’s Festivale Plus (which is a 

superbly balanced malt bomb) and Les 

Trois Mousquetaires S.S. Sticke Alt from 

Quebec — a highly-rated beer available in 

limited quantity once a year. 

Sun–Tues 11am–midnight, Wed/Thurs 11am–1am, Fri/Sat 11am–2am


For even more intense sticke altbier tastes 

there is a “dopplesticke.” A double altbier 

brewed to imperial strengths (8–9% abv) in 

small batches (comparable to a Dopplebock 

lager), this rare hybrid brew usually is not 

available except through import. Too bad — I 

think it would give a lot of imperial ales some 

major competition in this market. 

Finally we come to another North American 

hybrid — “steam beer” or California common. 

This style was the result of necessity and pioneer 

brewer innovation, born in the era of the 

California gold rush when lager was the new 

rage and the frontier lacked the ice, cold water 

and cold cellaring to make lager properly. 

Frontier brewers used large open fermenting 

pans to cool the beer wort quickly to pitch 

the heat-intolerant lager yeast. Lots of steam 

escaped from these pans. They then fermented 

the lager yeast at warm temperatures and aged 

it at warmer temperatures. This warm aging 

made a very effervescent brew with profuse 

carbonation that gave the beer a large frothy 

head. It was also well hopped to cover some 


of the nasty tastes in frontier water. The style 

was almost defunct until resurrected by modern 

west coast craft brewers. The new crafted 

variation of steam beer genre is referred to as 

“California common” and was pioneered by 

Anchor Brewing of San Francisco. 

Generally, crafted steam beer is light 

amber to copper in colour, lightly fruity, 

moderately malty with firm hop bitterness. 

The malt character is usually toasty and 

caramelly. Hop qualities feature woody, rustic, 

minty discernment. Medium bodied, malt 

pronounced with clean crisp pilsner character 

which finishes fairly dry with a hop bite. Has 

both ale fruitiness and lager malty complexity 

and clean crispness. Steam beer is underinterpreted 

by local craft brewers and that is 

our loss, but there are some good examples 

available. The prime examples are Anchor 

Steam — the benchmark of the style and my 

personal go-to session brew — and Flying 

Dog Old Scratch (sometimes seen on special 

order). Recently, I’ve added Kingpin Steam 

Beer from Northwinds Brewery to this list. 

Malt Monk’s Taste of the Month 

Northwinds Brewing Kingpin Steam Beer 

— This Collingwood microbrewer 

has been impressing me with a 

steady output of solid offerings. 

The latest is their rendition of the 

steam beer style called Kingpin. I 

sampled this recently on tap and 

was impressed enough to order a 

couple because it drank well and it 

filled a craving I have for the style. 

Believe me, it pairs well with smoky 

barbeque and sharp cheese. This is 

a light amber beer with a big frothy 

white cap — hints of fruit in the 

aroma, medium bodied, toasty-caramel malt 

is well balanced with woody hops, 

mildly complex with a crisp dry 

finish and hop bite. A very decent 

representation of the style. I’ll order 

it any time I see it on tap. 

THE MALT MONK is the alter ego of D.R. 

Hammond, a passionate supporter of craft beer 

culture. He invites readers to join in the dialogue at 

maltmonksbeerblog.wordpress.com/


BEER MATTERS 

theatre 

Success Is Its Own Reward 

Donald DISHES on Theatre 

By DONALD D’HAENE 

“ W 

hy don’t you do awards 

for professional theatre 

in London?” a Toronto 

director asked me two 

years ago. I informed him 

that, “One theatre would be nominated in 

every category!” He then suggested some of 

our amateur theatre groups should consider 

moving into professional waters. “Then they 

wouldn’t get any awards!” I joked. 

But since then there has been some 

movement in that direction. Tempting 

Tree Theatre Collective debuted its first 

professional production Reasons to be Pretty 

last month, and A Missing Link Theatre 

Company (AMLTC ) has their sixth on the 

boards (Billy Bishop Goes to War at the 

McManus Studio until March 8). 

Rick Kish told me he started AMLTC 

“to create opportunities for members of 

Canadian Actors Equity Association to work 

in London.” Luckily for us that, while some 

might think his company is a ‘bridge too 

far’, Kish assured me the company is also 

within reach of non-pros. It “was designed 

to bring together pros and non that want to 

experience the way a company works under 

professional union standards.” 

When I asked Kish if he felt he’s had the 

support of his peers, he assured me he had. 

“Over 55 community members, including 

artists and volunteers ranging from 15 to 75 

years, have found AMLTC within their reach.” 

Kish has also had the encouragement 

of The Grand Theatre, the granddaddy of 

professional theatre in London. “They have 

been very supportive of 

this initiative and really 

want us to succeed!” 

Encourage your competition 

... now that sounds like a great motto! 

And so I spoke to The Grand Theatre’s 

Artistic Director Susan Ferley, who is in the 

middle of 

her 13th 

season at 

the helm. 

I asked 

Ferley 

the secret 

of her 

success 

— besides her evident positive and 

supportive spirit. “I guess the secret is there 

is no secret. Stay curious, stay tuned to your 

community, keep listening.” 

How does Ferley keep challenging herself? 

“I love what I do. I want to keep learning and 

growing as a human being and as a theatre 

artist.” 

As for next season she promises “There 

will be laughter, there will be music, 

there will be drama.” That formula is 

probably another secret to her success. 

It is showcased this season with two very 

different shows on deck. 

The drama Other Desert Cities (February 

18–March 8) is intriguing. A daughter returns 

home to announce she is about to publish 

a memoir that will reveal a family secret.


Wanna bet something’s going to hit the fan? 

The script was written by the creator of the hit 

television show Brothers & Sisters. 

Then a local favourite 

follows: The 25th Annual 

Putnam County Spelling Bee 

(March 18–April 12). Can you 

spell H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S, as in 

musical comedy? Ferley did 

flag it as perhaps a bit racy for 

children. (Okay, I’ve passed 

that along Susan, but I’ll bet 

that will only help sell tickets!) 

Six young people in the throes 

of adolescence compete for 

the spelling championship 

of a lifetime. Overseen by 

grown-ups who have barely 

managed to escape childhood 

themselves, these charming 

overachievers learn that 

winning isn’t everything and 

that losing does not necessarily 

make you a failure. 

I guess that’s a metaphor for another 

secret to success, whether amateur or 

PortStanley 

FestivalTheatre 


SEASO N 

BOX OFFICE: 519.782.4353 

www.portstanleytheatre.ca 

SUBSCRIBE 

&SAVE! 


professional — risking failure, hoping for 

success and learning a ton along the way. 

I’d like to shed 

some light on a new 

up-and-coming 

star on the horizon 

who is doing just 

that. A lot of people 

throw around 

superlatives as part 

of an introduction 

nowadays. Yes, 

I am stating 

Londoners are 

famous for being 

easily impressed. 

Personally, I 

have found a few 

producers stand 

out. They are the 

ones who receive all 

the press, because 

they are good at 

what they do. 

Although Trish West has only three oneact 

shows under her belt, and all under the 

umbrella of other organizations (such as the 

London One Act Festival at the McManus), 

she has proved herself a quick study with 

her upcoming show Skin Deep (April 2–5). 

Certainly she’d be the first to admit she has 

learned a ton by performing in a number of 

shows over the past six years. 

“I started by writing down my objectives, 

goals and dreams. Then I asked questions 

of individuals who have produced shows 

successfully, and watched how other 

productions caught my attention on 

Facebook, social media or by word of mouth.” 

West has worked overtime to reach high 

school students in the area, and encouraging 

them to contribute art works that will be 

displayed in the gallery of The ARTS Project 

where her show will be mounted. West was 

able to arrange sponsors for the exhibit, 

which echoes themes found within her play. 

Notwithstanding awards, and professional 

or amateur status in whatever degree, 

success is one’s own reward, and something 

we all can celebrate. 

DONALD D’HAENE is Editor of donaldsdish.ca. Twitter @ 

TheDonaldNorth and email: donalddhaene@hotmail.com.


TICKETS START AT JUST $25.95! 

MARCH 18 TO 

APRIL 12 

TITLE SPONSOR 

3M CANADA COMPANY 

ARTISTIC FRAUD OF 

NEWFOUNDLAND’S 

PRODUCTION OF 

THE 25 TH 

ANNUAL 

PUTNAM 

COUNTY 

Spelling Bee 

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY WILLIAM FINN, 

BOOK BY RACHEL SHEINKIN, CONCEIVED BY REBECCA FELDMAN 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL BY JAY REISS 

APRIL 22 TO 

MAY 10 

BY ROBERT CHAFE 

BUY 

TICKETS 

TODAY 

519.672.8800 | GRANDTHEATRE.COM 

BRING A GROUP OF 10 AND SAVE 20%! 

PHOTO BY PAUL DALY



books 

The Culinary Arts 

From Scratch: Inside the Food Network 

by Allen Salkin 

Review by DARIN COOK 

We live in an age where 

watching cooking shows 

could take up more of a 

person’s time than actually 

cooking. Originally, the culinary arts 

referred to the skill and artistry that went 

into cooking real food; now we have the art 

of showcasing the culinary arts through the 

media. And no entity has done it with such 

gusto and success as Food Network. 

The history of Food Network since its 

inception in 1993 is chronicled in Allen 

Salkin’s book From Scratch: Inside the Food 

Network (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2013, $29.50). 

The book starts out by stating: “Somehow 

Food Network captured an audience that did 

not know that it wanted twenty-four hours a 

day of food television. Then, having roped in 

the early adopters, the network figured out 

how to create an even bigger audience. Food 

Network is not single-handedly responsible 

for the ‘food revolution,’ but it took what was 

happening in some food-forward pockets of 

the world … and delivered it to everybody.” 

It is interesting to note that the concept 

was not the brainchild of 

passionate chefs, but rather 

executives making strategic 

decisions to cash in on the 

rise of specialty cable stations, 

following in the footsteps of 

CNN, MTV, and HBO. The 

businessmen behind its 

creation were not epicureans, 

and it took some imaginative 

searching to come up with a 

cast of TV-friendly chefs that 

could pull off hosting their 

own shows. 

Robin Leach, already 

famous for Lifestyles of the Rich 

and Famous, was drawn in 

as a recognized 

personality to 

host a food-related 

talk show. The earliest food expert, 

David Rosengarten, was hired for a regular 

show called Food News and Views. Salkin 

writes that Rosengarten’s “marriage of fine 

cuisine, ego, and vaudevillian showbiz 

schmaltz would set the tone for what viewers 

experienced of the network in its early years.” 

Certain individuals were making it obvious 

that “chefs had the kind of big personalities 

and charisma that could lead to show 

business careers.” 

Emeril Lagasse, a chef with some renown 

in New Orleans, was an early import to host 

a show called How to Boil Water. This first 

show was not dynamic enough to fit with 

the larger-than-life persona of Lagasse, but 

it didn’t take long for Emeril Live to come 

along, which proved to be a turning point 

for the network by mixing variety shows 

with live cooking demonstrations. In the 

book there is a strong focus on Lagasse, who 

was the first chef to get a million dollar TV 

deal. The demise of Lagasse’s 

ten-year run on Food 

Network was instigated by 

the executives’ need to keep 

up with the changes in food 

programming with shows 

that ventured outside the 

studio kitchen. 

In fact, cancelling shows 

and changing with the times 

were all part of the behindthe-scenes 

business of the 

network. Before becoming a 

money-making machine with 

food as its fuel, there were 

Allen Salkin


early financial troubles. Yanking the cord 

on the channel was on option during many 

ownership changes in the first three years 

of production. But sticking with it resulted 

in 2007 revenues near $500 million, and by 

2012 the network was estimated to be worth 

$3 billion. 

A string of business leaders came in to 

guide the station to success. Most were 

interested in using food as a business 

catalyst, not as a way to make a mark in 

food culture. But that mark was being 

made nonetheless, due to the dedication 

of some staff on the lookout for the next 

big thing to stretch the boundaries of food 

programming. Quirky shows that strayed 

from the standard fare started appearing 

in 1999, like the kitschy Iron Chef out of 

Japan that developed a cult following, and 

Alton Brown’s Good Eats, a smart, offbeat, 

slapstick approach to food education. The 

ratings for Iron Chef alone were double those 

of the Food Network average, and after this 

success the executives decided to use more 

entertainment food shows rather than the 

traditional “dump and stir” format normally 

associated with cooking shows. 

Food Network was also an early adopter 

of mixing internet and television with a 

25,000-recipe library webpage available 

by 2004. Sharing recipes with the audience 

brought them even closer to the extended 

family that was growing all the time, with 

household names like Rachel Ray, Jamie 

Oliver, Paula Deen, Anthony Bourdain, 

and Ina Garten. This sense of family was 

spread further when competition shows 

were introduced as a way for anyone to 

send in an audition tape and earn on-air 

time as a culinary personality working 

alongside cooking superstars. It is both 

these types of seasoned chefs and amateur 

home cooks who can, from scratch, get 

inside Food Network themselves, because 

this media juggernaut continues to provide 

opportunities for culinary personalities to 

rise to fame and fortune. 

DARIN COOK is a freelance writer who works and plays in 

Chatham-Kent, and keeps himself well-read and well-fed by 

visiting the bookstores and restaurants of London. 

Join Us for Our 

Spring Special 

4-course 

Rajalicious Dinner 

$ 

29 

Express Lunch? 

Fine Dinner? 

Romantic Dinner? 

Family Dinner? 

Take-Out? 

Delivery? 

Gift Cards? 

Good Food? 

Excellent Service? 

Reserve Now! 

Corporate Meetings | Multimedia Projector | Private Events 

519-601-7252 

428 Clarence Street, London 

www.rajafinedining.ca


cookbooks 

Grain Power 

By Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming 

Review and Recipe Selections by CHRIS McDONELL 


GRAIN POWER 

Bestselling 

Authors of 

Quinoa 

Revolution 



While definitely on trend 

themselves, there is no doubt 

that sisters Patricia Green and 

Carolyn Hemming have also 

been catalysts in the popularization of the 

once obscure grain quinoa. The authors of 

Quinoa Revolution (2012), which followed 

Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood 

(2010), were bestsellers that have helped 

make quinoa almost ubiquitous today. The 

“Quinoa Sisters” are back again with a new 

book. Grain Power allows them to broaden 

their recipe selection utilizing a wider range 

of “healthy and delicious gluten-free ancient 

grains.” The results are as promised 

For those who years ago embraced oat 

bran as a cure-all for the things things that 

ail us, in particular our battle with “bad” 

cholesterol, you’ll be glad to know that 

Green and Hemming still endorse oats 

as one of the “superfoods” at the heart of 

the 100 recipes in Grain Power. Amaranth, 

buckwheat, chia, kañiwa, millet, sorghum 

and teff — and of course quinoa — round 

out the core list of ingredients, and there are 

clear, straightforward instructions for how to 

purchase and cook all of them. I was also glad 

to see the authors encourage looking for Fair 

Trade brands. I need to interject that this is no 

earnest-but-bland approach to 

cooking and eating healthily. 

The basics of getting nutricious 

grains into your diet, such 

as a Creamy Slow-Cooked 

Steel-Cut Oats, harkens back 

to my grandfathers’ breakfast 

of choice, but touches such 

as the addition of pure 

vanilla extract and the use 

of a slow cooker accentuate 

the flavour and convenience 

factors. The Breakfast section 

of the book is actually quite 

a lively one, with interesting 

variations on crêpes, waffles 

and granola (you 

saw that coming) 

and dishes such as 

a Prosciutto & Kale 

Kañiwa Frittata 

with Romano 

Cheese that could 



easily be served for lunch or dinner as 

well. Lush photographs of most of the dishes 

also serve to inspire, and small but significant 

variations are frequently added, helpful for 

accommodating personal tastes as well as 

utilizing what is in your pantry. The book is 

also well indexed, for similar purposes. 

An enticing variety of appetizer, lunch 

and dinner recipes are featured — see the 

following recipes for examples — and it 

is easy to imagine some of these ancient 

grain recipes becoming family favourites. 

(I can also imagine readers adapting some 

of their own recipes to utilize these grains.) 

Convenient one-skillet dinners and whole 

meal suggestions — with lots of comfort 

foods — are included. My biggest surprise 

was how the Desserts section of the book 

really shines. The Chocolate Torte is a rather 

decadent example —yes, please!— but there 

are also lots of simpler cookie, square, muffin 

and brownie recipes that have great appeal. 

No one is advocating desserts 

as a key to healthy eating, 

but for those with diet 

restrictions that so often have 

to pass on treats, and those 

who believe every step in the 

right direction is a good idea, 

there is a plenitude of great 

recipes here. 

CHRIS McDONELL is the publisher 

of eatdrink. He likes quinoa. 

“The Quinoa Sisters” Patricia Green 

(left) and Carolyn Hemming


Recipes from Grain Power © 2014 by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming. Food Photography by Ryan Szule. Food Styling by Nancy 

Midwicki. Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari. Published by The Penguin Group. All rights reserved. 

Cheddar Cauliflower Amaranth Soup with Sherry & Thyme 

Enjoy this savory soup with a sprinkle of chives across the top and 

crusty bread or artisan crackers on the side. Cooked and puréed 

amaranth makes a luxurious and creamy soup and also provides 

additional nutrition. 

Serves 4 

1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed oil 

1 cup (250 mL) chopped onion 

1½ tsp (7 mL) chopped garlic 

4 cups (1 L) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock 

2 cups (500 mL) peeled diced Yukon gold or red 

potatoes 

2 cups (500 mL) cauliflower, chopped into 1–inch 

(2.5 cm) pieces 

1/3 cup (75 mL) amaranth seeds 

¼ cup (60 mL) sherry 

2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh thyme 

1 cup (250 mL) 1% milk, or milk substitute 

1½ cups (375 mL) shredded reduced-fat aged 

Cheddar cheese 

½ tsp (2 mL) salt (optional) 

Freshly ground black 

pepper to taste 

Sliced chives to garnish 

(optional) 

• Reserve 1 cup (250 mL) of cooked potato, 

cauliflower and ancient grain mixture 

after cooking for 20 minutes and before 

puréeing. Add it again after the remainder 

of the soup has been puréed to make for a 

chunkier version. 

• If you don’t have amaranth on hand or 

want a change of flavour, an equal amount 

of quinoa seeds or 2 cups (500 mL) of 

precooked sorghum grains are great 

ancient grain alternatives. 

1 Heat a large saucepan 

on medium-low heat. 

Add the oil and onion. 

Cover and cook for 

about 7 minutes or until 

the onion is opaque. 

2 Stir in the garlic and 

heat for an additional 

minute. Stir in the stock, 

potatoes, cauliflower, 

amaranth, sherry and 

thyme. Bring to a 

boil, then reduce to a 

simmer. Cover and cook 

for 20 minutes. 

3 Purée with an 

immersion blender or 

in small batches with a 

standard blender until 

smooth. Stir in the milk 

and cheese. Add salt (if 

using) and season with 

pepper as desired. Heat 

until cheese has melted. 

Serve topped with 

chives if you wish.



Oven-Roasted Herb Chicken over Tangy Apple & Cabbage Quinoa 

Ancient grains, together with the fragrant aroma of herbed chicken, tart apples and 

crisp cabbage, make a well-rounded meal that is familiar, wholesome and so tasty. 

Serves 6 

ROASTED HERB CHICKEN 

1 roasting chicken (3 to 4 lb/1.5 to 2 kg), trussed 

1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme or 1 tsp 

(5 mL) dried thyme 

1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced garlic 

1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed or vegetable oil 

½ tsp (2 mL) salt 

TANGY APPLE & CABBAGE QUINOA 

1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed or vegetable oil 

½ cup (125 mL) chopped yellow onion 

1 cup (250 mL) low-sodium chicken stock 

½ to ¾ cup (125 to 175 mL) water 

½ cup (125 mL) quinoa seeds 

4 cups (1 L) shredded red cabbage, ½ inch (1 cm) 

wide 

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and 

sliced ¼ inch (5 mm) thick 

½ tsp (2 mL) salt (optional) 

Pinch of freshly 

ground black 

pepper 

2 Tbsp (30 mL) 

brown sugar 

2 Tbsp (30 mL) red 

wine vinegar) 

1 Preheat the oven to 

375°F (190°C). Dry 

the chicken with 

paper towels and 

place in a roasting 

pan. Divide the 

thyme and garlic 

into four parts and 

push under the 

skin to cover the 

breast and legs as 

evenly as you can 

(or put them into 

the cavity). Rub the 

skin with oil and 

season with salt. 

Roast, uncovered, 

for 15 minutes. 

2 Reduce the temperature 

to 350°F 

(180°C). Cover and 

roast for an additional 

30 minutes. 

Remove the lid and 

bake, uncovered, 

until the leg will 

move freely and the 

juices run clear, 15 

to 18 minutes per pound. Remove from the oven, 

cover and keep warm. 

3 To make the quinoa, heat a Dutch oven or large 

saucepan on medium-low heat. Add the oil and 

onion and cook, covered, for 5 to 7 minutes, until 

onions start to become tender. Stir in the stock, 

water and quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce to 

a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Lay 

the cabbage, apples, salt (if using) and pepper 

on top of the cooking quinoa (don’t stir). Cover 

and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or 

until the apples and cabbage are tender. Stir 

in the brown sugar and vinegar until sugar is 

dissolved and evenly distributed. Reseason with 

additional sugar and vinegar if desired. Remove 

skin and serve hot chicken over the quinoa with 

apples and cabbage.


Chocolate Ancient Grain Torte with Raspberry Chia Sauce 

Dessert powered with omega-3 nutrition, protein and plenty of vitamins and 

minerals. Sorghum provides the base for this rich chocolate torte. Top it with 

the raspberry chia sauce for a soul-satisfying dessert. 

Serves 6 

3¾ cups (925 mL) water 

1¼ cups (300 mL) sorghum grains 

1⁄3 cup (75 mL) unsalted butter, melted 

1 large egg 

3 large egg whites 

¾ cup (175 mL) lightly 

packed brown sugar 

½ cup + 2 Tbsp (155 mL) 

sifted unsweetened 

cocoa powder 

2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla 

extract 

¼ tsp (1 mL) salt 

RASPBERRY CHIA SAUCE 

1 cup (250 mL) fresh or 

frozen raspberries 

¼ cup (60 mL) white or 

organic cane sugar 

1 Tbsp (15 mL) chia seeds) 

1 Bring the water and 

sorghum to a boil in 

a medium saucepan. 

Reduce to a simmer 

and cook, covered, for 

60 minutes. Remove 

from the heat, drain, 

then cool (the sorghum 

should be very tender). 

2 Lightly grease a 9-inch 

(23 cm) springform pan. 

Cut a piece of parchment 

to fit the bottom and 

lightly grease the 

parchment. Preheat the 

oven to 350°F (180°C) 

with the rack in the 

center position. 

3 Place 3 cups (750 mL) 

of the cooled sorghum, 

melted butter, egg, egg 

whites, and brown sugar 

in a blender. Purée until 

smooth and no large 

GrainPower-InteriorPress.indd 193 

pieces remain. Transfer 

batter to a medium 

bowl and whisk in cocoa, vanilla and salt. Pour 

batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 

minutes, until the center is no longer liquid but 

still moist. Cool the torte for 2 hours. 

4 To make the sauce, mash the raspberries with the 

back of a fork in a shallow bowl. Stir in the sugar 

and chia. Let set for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. 

GRAIN POWER 

Bestselling 

Authors of 

Quinoa 

Revolution 





5 Cut torte into desired servings and serve with 

chilled Raspberry Chia Sauce. 

• This torte is also terrific with 1½ cups (375 mL) 

each of fluffy cooked millet and quinoa in 

place of the sorghum. 

2013-09-19 2:19 P



the lighter side 

Another Emerging Wine Region! 

By KYM WOLFE 

Willow Springs Winery’s Vidal Ice Wine 

As a young adult in Northern 

Ontario, the only “regional” wine 

I remember drinking was homemade 

vino that someone had liberated 

from their parents’ basement. I couldn’t 

tell a merlot from a shiraz, but I did know 

whose dad made the best wines. Even if it 

was free, given a choice I’d take a bottle from 

David’s house over Sergio’s any day. But if I 

were buying … well really, who would take a 

bottle of Ontario wine to a nice dinner party? 

It seems that as my palate was maturing, 

so was Ontario’s wine industry and as an 

adult I’ve discovered the joy of fine wines 

made close to home. I had already toured 

Niagara, Prince Edward County, Pelee 

Island and Lake Erie North Shore when I 

read about Ontario’s newest emerging wine 

regions north of Toronto. When I realized my 

sister and I would drive through some prime 

wine country on our girls’ getaway, we had 

to plan our road trip accordingly. 

We drove through the Oak Ridges Moraine 

north of 

Toronto, 

and 

dropped 

by Willow 

Springs 

Winery. 

Lovely 

countryside 

setting, literally 

minutes 

from the 

north edge 

of the GTA. Perfect place for a wedding, with 

a villa by the spring-fed pond where the wedding 

party can stay. After being sidetracked 

by visions of our kids’ future weddings, we got 

back to the task at hand — the wine! 

During the impromptu tour and tasting we 

learned that Willow Springs was the first VQA 

winery in the region. And that the Testa family 

has a long history of wine making, dating back 

centuries to its roots in Italy. No one can tell us 

whether the Testa patriarch who purchased 

the land when he immigrated to Canada knew 

that the terroir of the moraine made it an ideal 

place to plant his grapevines. Whether it was 

an informed or an instinctive decision, it is 

clear now that it was a good one, as confirmed 

by the silver medals its Vidal Ice Wine and 

Merlot garnered at the 2012 Royal Agricultural 

Winter Fair. We left with a bottle of Sauvignon 

Blanc in hand and quite enjoyed it that 

evening while sitting on the deck by the lake. 

Fast forward to our drive home a few days 

later. Our wine stock now depleted, we were 

happy to stop at Magnotta Winery, just north 

of the 401 in Vaughn. We were disappointed to 

learn the winery’s closest vineyard was actually 

in Niagara peninsula (hardly an emerging 

region!) but that let-down quickly paled when 

we began exploring. Magnotta’s flagship store 

is worth a visit just for the visuals, from the 

Italian-villa styled courtyard to the paintings 

and sculptures indoors. The winery’s label 

designs are based on their artwork, prompting 

us to play “find the inspiration for this label,” 

as we tried to match the wine bottles with the 

paintings on the walls. 

Magnotta is like a mini-LCBO, offering 

180 different wines. The winery imports raw 

materials from around the globe to make 

custom blends, including from the family 

vineyard in the Maipo Valley in Chile. One 

claim to fame: Magnotta was the world’s 

first producer of sparkling ice wines. Some 

spirits, like the ice grappa and brandy, are 

produced from its ice wine and icewine 

grapes. Not content with being a globally 

recognized winemaker, Magnotta also has a 

brewery and a distillery. 

A few samples later we were on our way 

with a Special Reserve Gewürztraminer, 

white Zinfandel and another Sauvignon 

Blanc stashed in the trunk. After all we still 

had a weekend to enjoy, and two hardworking 

husbands at home who deserved a 

special treat! 

KYM WOLFE is a London-based freelance writer who 

always enjoys a good road trip and a good glass of wine.

Fresh 

from our 

award-winning producers and mills 

to your table 

The 

Pristine 

live 

Tasting Bar 

— Quality You Can Taste — 

Over 60 Fresh Extra Virgin Olive Oils, Fused (Agrumato) & Infused Olive Oils, 

and Aged Dark & White Balsamic Vinegars 

462 Cheapside Street (@ Maitland) | London 

519-433-4444 | thepristineolive.ca

Presented by: 

‘NUFF SAID. 

JUNE 20–22, 2014 

FRI 4PM–10:30PM | SAT 12PM–10:30PM | SUN 12PM–5PM 

WesternFairDistrict 

@WesternFair 

#LDNBeerBBQ

Eatdrink #46 March/April 2014

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?