Eatdrink #42 July/August 2013

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario
FREE
№ 42 • July/August
eatdrink
2013
www.eatdrink.ca
Small (& Guilty)
Pleasures
at Stratford’s
Montforte on
Wellington
and Featuring
UpFront at the Market
Truly Upfront and Personable
Railway City Brewing Company
Crafting a Brighter Future in St. Thomas
The MillHouse
Tasty Expansion at Arva Flour Mills
Celebrate
Summer!
Suggestions
for Savouring
the Season
ALSO: A Huron County Picnic Basket | Korean Restaurant & Manna Grill | COOKED by Michael Pollan

STRATFORD
your culinary escape
It's summer and Stratford sizzles at its culinary best.
Our newest culinary quest, the Bacon & Ale Trail presents
exciting bacon inspirations alongside refreshing craft brews
at our pubs and food shops. Join a local foodie guide on
a stroll for Stratford's best on Flavours of Stratford
Culinary Walking Tours.
Delve into the art of cheese making, the magic of chocolate
and candy making, brewing herbal tea infusions and
sustainable foraging with our experts on Culinary
Adventures.
Don't forget to mark your calendar for "Ontario's Best
Culinary Tourism Experience" - Savour Stratford Perth
County Culinary Festival, presented by GE Café
Appliances, September 20-22.
Come to Stratford, we love to share our food.
@StratfordON
@SavourStratford
StratfordON
SavourStratford
visitstratford.ca

Join us for these Upcoming Events…
• Festival of Arts and Crafts — July 5–7
• Kinsmen Summerfest — July 10–13
• Goderich Horticultural Society Garden Tour — July 13
• Memories Now and Then Car Show — July 20
• Celtic College and Celtic Roots Festival — August 5–11
• Goderich Triathlon — August 18
• West Coast Bluefest — August 29–31
For information please contact:
Tourism Goderich
1 800 280 7637
or visit our website at:
goderich.ca

eatdrink
inc.
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contents ISSUE № 42
JULY/AUGUST 2013
Celebrate
Summer!
12
32
16
22
28
58 56
62
food writer at large
8 A Taste for Life, and other matters
By BRYAN LAVERY
SPOTLIGHT
12 Celebrate Summer! And Savour the Season
RESTAURANTS
16 UpFront & Personable: UpFront Restaurant & Bar
By CHRISTIE MASSÉ
22 Small (& Guilty) Pleasures: Monforte on Wellington
By BRYAN LAVERY
26 Korean Hot Spots: Korean Restaurant & Manna Grill
By BRYAN LAVERY
CULINARY RETAIL
20 The MillHouse, at Arva Flour Mill
By NATALIE NOVAK
farmers & artisans
28 Crafting a Brighter Future at Railway City Brewing
By JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON
Road trips
30 Filling Your Huron County Picnic Basket
By jANE ANTONIAK
TRAVEL
35 Exploring the Great Lake Bays Region of Michigan
By jANE ANTONIAK
NEW & NOTABLE
38 The BUZZ
KITCHEN DESIGN
46 Choosing your Style and Finishes
By SUSAN ORFALD
Beer matters
50 Summer Rambling, Mondial de la Bière, and on ...
By THE MALT MONK
WINE
53 Choosing Wines for the Al Fresco Occasion
By BILL WITTUR
BOOKS
56 Cooked by Michael Pollan
Review by DARIN COOK
COOKBOOKS
58 River Cottage Veg by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Review and Recipe Selections by JENNIFER GAGEL
THE LIGHTER SIDE
62 Which Basket Case are You?
By SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD
THE BUZZ

navigate
№ 42 | July/August 2013 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
dine
& UNWIND
call or click for your FREE travel guide and map
also available at area advertisers and visitor centres
1.800.254.0316
www.tourismsarnialambton.com/EatDrink

8 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
food writer at large
A Taste For Life, and other matters ...
By Bryan Lavery
Iremember in the summer of 2003
when Sue Brooks, Fund Development
staffer for what was then the AIDS
Committee of London, called me
to pitch a fundraising initiative that was
creating a lot of excitement in Ottawa.
Brooks believed it would be successful in
London and wanted to run the idea past me
and another restaurant owner,
Colin Foster.
The concept was simple.
Brooks would promote the event
and help drive diners to the restaurants
on a Wednesday night.
We would donate 25 percent of
the before-tax tab to the agency, reach new
diners and have larger crowds than the usual
Wednesday night clientele. The proceeds
would be used to help those living with and
affected by HIV/AIDS in London with basic
needs such as food and transportation, and
to establish an emergency assistance fund.
Fast forward ten years to 2013: instead of
twelve restaurants participating in London,
there were twenty-eight in London, two in
Stratford and one in Exeter. The event now
has an established portfolio of significant
corporate and media sponsors who proudly
add their names and reputations to this
terrific event and important cause. Since its
Harvest Bucks
After a successful pilot, the Harvest Bucks
program is gaining momentum. This
initiative is aimed at improving access to
fresh produce for those in London who
need it most. The pilot project involved the
production, distribution, and redemption
of Harvest Bucks for fresh fruits and
vegetables, to increase access to and the
consumption of healthy, fresh produce.
Kim Leacy, a public health dietician
with the Middlesex-London Health Unit
(MLHU), was pleased with the results of
the pilot, which distributed Harvest Bucks
vouchers, redeemable at the Western Fair
Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market (WFFAM),
inception A Taste For Life has raised over
$550,000 and the agency, now Regional
HIV/AIDS Connection (RHAC), serves
Perth, Huron, Oxford, Elgin, Lambton and
Middlesex counties. There is still no cure for
HIV/AIDS. The number of clients needing
support and services has also grown. It is
more important than ever for A Taste For
Life to both exist and flourish.
Over the past ten years,
Brooks and I have collaborated
on events and initiatives for
important causes, and I’m
pleased to say she has never
steered me wrong. She understands
how important restaurant owners
are in mobilizing a community. Brooks has
recently returned to RHAC, and this summer
we will be making the rounds in Stratford, to
speak with like-minded and kindred spirits
in the restaurant community, to help grow A
Taste For Life in Stratford. We have a shared
passion and heartfelt belief in the event, but
far more important, we believe that the needs
of the people served by RHAC are just as critical
today as they were a decade ago. A Taste
For Life in Stratford signals to people living
with HIV in Stratford that they are not alone;
there is a network of support for them when
they need it.
to London area residents identified by
community groups as needing more
produce in their diets. I was happy to be
the liaison between Christopher Green
and Trevor Fowler of the Child and Youth
Network, Kim Leacy and the WFFAM.
Based on similar initiatives, Leacy told
the MLHU board, ``the pilot was a resounding
success for vulnerable families, the
organizations they access, and the produce
vendors at the market.”
WFFAM produce vendors and Harvest
Bucks participants Sherri and Craig Turner
say the pilot program was a great success.
“We were personally able to wait on many

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 9
of the customers that had Harvest Bucks
and found that they were happy to have
the opportunity to come to the market
and choose all the produce that they
wanted. Many said that they hadn’t
had some of the fruit and vegetables
they were choosing for a long
time and were so excited. They
came mostly with $20.00 worth
of vouchers and would have us
go along as they were choosing and tell
them how much they had left to spend. They
chose wisely, trying to make the vouchers
stretch as far as they could while also getting
their favourite things. It wasn’t just the kids
that had fun though; we waited on people
of all ages that had Harvest Bucks. They all
seemed to be amazed at how much they
got for their vouchers and also how much
The Case for Food Trucks
Modern food trucks serve a diverse variety
of healthy food options and cultural foods in
other cities. They are positioned to incubate
new businesses and become an alternativelaunching
pad for healthy, innovative food.
selection they had to choose from.”
The pilot project distributed $8,000 worth
of Harvest Buck vouchers to seven social
service organizations. From November
2012 to February 2013, $4,972 worth
of Harvest Bucks was redeemed.
The balance of the money will
be used to seed the next phase
of the program, anticipated to
start in July.
The mandate is to grow the project
by adding produce from vendors at the
indoor and outdoor farmers’ markets at
Covent Garden Market and Masonville
Market, and by identifying community
organizations interested in participating by
purchasing Harvest Bucks with their own
money or through sponsorships and grants.
There is, of course, a big difference between
the greasy-spoon chip wagon and the food
truck that serves healthy gourmet or ethnic
street foods.
I support food trucks because they
EXPERIENCE
DOWNTOWN LONDON
519.663.2002 | www.downtownlondon.ca
@Downtown_London DowntownLondon

10 www.eatdrink.ca
stimulate culinary innovation and
diversity, draw culinary tourists, provide
employment, engage community, and are
poised to become an important part of the
social and culinary fabric of the city.
Local proponents of food trucks have
concrete goals. Western Fair Farmers’
Market manager, Michelle Navackas, is
one of several proponents leading the
rallying cry. Navackas believes that one
of the principal goals is to introduce the
growing food truck industry to London in a
thoughtful and articulate way, by creating
guidelines and following best practices, so
the restaurant community can continue
to be successful and not feel threatened by
this addition to the local culinary scene.
Last month City Council proposed a pilot
project that would see operators compete
in a lottery for three assigned spots — two
along Dufferin Avenue in front of Victoria
Park, and one on Clarence Street, north
of Dufferin. The pilot was expected to
run from late June to the end of October.
Trucks, which would have to be licensed,
would be restricted fromopening during
Taste & Tour of Middlesex County
Recently, I was privileged to work on the
Taste and Tour of Middlesex with Sheila
Devost and Gavin Antill from Tourism
Middlesex. Under Devost`s guidance
Tourism Middlesex has been committed
to heightening awareness and developing
partnerships for tourism and agri-tourism
related businesses in Middlesex County. The
event was held at the Komoka Wellness and
Recreation Centre, space donated
by the Municipality of Middlesex
Centre. The tasting event was
supported by Foodland Ontario,
Local Food Connections:
Farmer/Food Buyer Networking
Event and Taste it Committee,
Libro Financial, County of Middlesex,
eatdrink magazine and ethicalgourmet.
Middlesex County is rich with emerging
culinary tourism and agri-tourism resources
and, due to the efforts of Devost and Anthill,
is beginning to benefit from a stronger
regional culinary identify. Devost and Antill
invited local farmers, producers and growers
to partner with local restaurants and chefs
to create farm-to-table tasting stations to
promote Middlesex products.
№ 42 | July/August 2013
festivals. The proposed pilot, which was
deemed short-sighted, was sent back for
revision. It looks like the program will be
expanded to include eight operators and
more designated spots around the city.
Food trucks have some advantages over
a traditional eat-in restaurant. The ability to
travel to where the customers are is a definite
plus. Generally speaking, food trucks have
lower overhead, compared to restaurants,
and require less staff. However, a food truck
is still a labour-intensive business that
requires a lot of work and attention.
Food trucks are subject to health and
safety regulations and inspections. In some
cities they are required to adhere to distance
restrictions, a buffer zone separating them
from existing restaurants. In reality, many
food trucks are providing a much healthier
alternative to fast food chains. The city
council committee recommended deferring
a decision on food trucks and specifically
instructed staff to draw up additional criteria
which will include “a more creative proposal
solicitation” and “menu consideration.”
The evening’s tasting participants
included Chef Barbara Toomer from Strathroy
P.C. Cooking School, Chef Danjiel
“Dacha” Markovic and Brian Blatnici from
Kantina, Bill Wittur of Noteworthy Wines,
The Carolinian Winery and Eatery, Golden
Leaf Winery, Elijah Richardson from Sunnivue
Farms, Amy’s Restaurant, Duke of
Sydenham, Michelle Navackas and Brittany
Coats of Western Fair Farmers’
and Artisans’ Market,
Appin Barbeque, Heeman’s,
Slegers Organic Greens, Fort
Rose Maple Syrup, Eversprings
Farms, Fire Roasted Coffee and
Habitual Chocolate. The conference
and tasting event, which was held
on May 28th and 29th 2013, showcased the
county as a whole and built awareness about
its agricultural and culinary identity. Like
many rural communities in Ontario, Middlesex
County has begun looking towards
both culinary and agri-tourism to diversify
its local economy.
Bryan Lavery is eatdrink’s Writer at Large and
Contributing Editor. He can be reached at bryan@eatdrink.ca

So Simple. Yet
№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca
...
11
Over 50 Varieties
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& Balsamic
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Enjoy a FREE
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Experience
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Earn FREE PRODUCTS through our new Loyalty Program
and use our”Flavour Tracking” system
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TASTING ROOM
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on July 13 with our
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1570 Hyde Park Road • Unit #7 • London
519-471-OLIV (6548) • www.olivemeco.com
Judges: Chef Gino from Porcino
and Missy from Olive-Me.
THANK YOU London!

12 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
spotlight
Celebrate Summer!
Savour the Season with these eatdrink Recommendations
By the editors
It is so brief now. Oh for the long
languid summers of youth, when the
days and weeks seemed to stretch so
far in front of us that Labour Day and
the return to school seemed like the distant
future. No longer, and all the more reason to
enjoy every day of summer with gusto. And
though this issue of eatdrink is full of stories
to help do just that, we thought that it was
also appropriate to get really specific as well.
What follows are suggestions for each day
of the week, particularly for July and August.
While each establishment we’ve highlighted
will provide a wonderful experience
whenever they are open, we’ve chosen a
day when we think you’ll find it especially
rewarding. Sometimes that means a stop
when things are more quiet, sometimes the
best times are when the crowds are there ...
This is a subjective list, but we are certain
that there is plenty here for everyone.
MONDAY
From July 5–14, Corelicious celebrates
London’s Downtown restaurants with
3-course prix fixe menus. Reservations are
highly recommended, and with lunches
at $15 or $20 and dinners from $25 to $35,
it’s easy to see why. Not every place is open
Mondays, but lots are. See the outstanding
list at www.corelicious.ca
The venerable David’s Bistro always offers
a 3-course prix fixe menu option, and is open
for dinner nightly, with lunch Wednesday
to Friday. Enjoy classic bistro fare, perfectly
executed, with genial owner David
Chapman, his wife Cindy and daughter
Natalie the ideal hosts. www.davidsbistro.ca
In Stratford, join Mercer Hall’s Nosh
Monday program! From 5–8pm every
Monday evening, enjoy an exquisite
series of small plates. The Chef’s choice
menu offers a variety of flavours, served
family style. All-you-can-eat for $35 or try
the snack version for $15. Reservations
suggested. www.mercerhall.com
Enjoy Happy Hour at Pasto’s Grill from
Monday to Friday, 3–6pm. Appetizers are
half-price at the bar with the purchase of
an alcoholic beverage. And for gluten-free
folks, all of Pasto’s pastas and pizzas, and
a number of desserts, are now available
gluten-free. www.pastosgrill.com
TUESDAY
Londonlicious is back, from July 19–
August 11. “Get a babysitter and call a cab…
for tonight we live it up!” Get the very best
in lunch & dinner for $15, $20, $25, $30
or $35. Make reservations and to make
it an even better day, check out the new
companion event, Beautylicious! Running
concurrently, get a beauty package for $35,
$50, $75 & $100. Get your beauty on! www.
londonlicious.ca & www.beauty-licious.ca
Garlic’s of London wears its distinction
as purveyors of inspired seasonal menus
proudly, and is deservedly busy on
weekends. Make a mid-week reservation,
and may we suggest their local and awardwinning
artisan cheeses and house-cured
meats, for a light lunch, appetizer or even
dessert. www.garlicsoflondon.com
Kantina continues to delight patrons with a
cutting edge Balkan menu that delights the
senses, and their summer menu of tapas-style
fare is a case in point. Tapas are available
every Tuesday and Wednesday, and we’d like
to be there every day. www.kantina.ca
Olive-Me & Co. is open for tastings 6 days
a week, but pick a “quiet” evening such as
Tuesday to plan a special event for you and
a group of friends. Explore over 50 different
olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and more!
See www.olivemeco.com for details.

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 13
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday nights are great chance to try
new beers at Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium
and beat the weekend rush. Many of these
beers are sold out before Friday arrives.
And don’t underestimate the kitchen. Yum!
www.pubmilos.com
The Church Key Bistro-Pub is a great spot
on a Wednesday, whether you’re looking
for a craft beer or a pub meal with flair.
The courtyard patio is a gem, spacious yet
intimate, tucked along Richmond Street.
www.thechurchkey.ca
The King Edward Restaurant & Pub in
Ilderton is running a Wednesday night
Beer & Wing promo for the summer. Enjoy
a pound of regular wings and an Ontario
craft pint (20 oz) for $15 + tax, from 6pm to
9pm. www.thekingedward.com
Grand Bend is about more than the
weekend. Get to Smackwater Jack’s and
enjoy their weekly Wednesday Grand
Bend HUMP DAY Celebration! Live music
and great food are part of the action on
the water’s edge, with boats coming and
leaving all day. www.smackwaterjacks.ca
Right on the Grand Bend beach, Sunset
House and Jalapeno’s also have a great
music night. On the Sunset House side, enjoy
casual fine dining and acoustic open mike
“sunset sessions” as part of Wine Down
Wednesday, while the Jalapeno’s Wild West
Wednesday goes electric with their nicely
spicy Mexican fare. www.sunsethouse.ca
THURSDAY
Thursday nights are great at The Springs
Restaurant just to watch the entertaining
Glenn Bennett play and have some drinks
on the patio. But as usual, there are a couple
of new items on this summer’s menu, so
a bite or two is also recommended. www.
thespringsrestaurant.com
While the Covent Garden Market is
open daily, the outdoor Covent Garden
Farmers’ Market runs Thursdays (8 am–2
pm) and Saturdays (8 am–1 pm). This is a
JULY 5 - 14
LONDON
*
$
15
OR $20
$
25 $ 30 $ 35
3 COURSE PRIX FIXE MENUS
FROM YOUR FAVORITE
DOWNTOWN RESTAURANTS!
SEE ALL PARTICIPATING
RESTAURANTS AT
CORELICIOUS.CA
*SOME RESTAURANTS MAY ONLY OFFER 2 COURSES FOR LUNCH. SEE RESTAURANT FOR DETAILS.

14 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
perfect time to get your seasonal, fresh,
and local food directly from the producers,
outside on the tented square.
www.coventmarket.com
Railway City Brewing Company
is open every day in
St. Thomas, but the staff is
frequently called to provide
their services at one festival
or another on weekends.
Call ahead to get a full tour,
as they would love to show
you around and demonstrate
the brewing process.
Samples are encouraged with
every tour!
www.railwaycitybrewing.com
FRIDAY
Eddington’s of Exeter offers an authentic
local taste for lunch and dinner all
summer, but “fish on Friday” takes on a
special meaning here. Owner/Chef James
Eddington features fresh Lake Huron
Pickerel on Friday nights, to rave reviews.
Check out Eddington’s Events Calendar for
other theme nights. www.eddingtons.ca
Stratford gets busy in the summer, for all
the right reasons, but avoid some of the
crowd by doing the Flavours of Stratford
— Afternoon Culinary Walking Tour on
Friday. The guided tour visits a selection
of unique food destinations and you will
sample generously from locally produced
culinary delights. Arrive hungry! $36/per
person, 2:30–5:30 pm, leaving from the
Stratford Tourism Alliance building, 47
Downie St. Tickets available online:
www.flavoursofstratford.ca
Masonville Farmers’ Market opens
weekly in the northeast corner of the
Masonville Mall parking lot. Primarily
producer-based, this lively market is open
from 8am–2pm.
www.farmersandartisansmarkets.com
SATURDAY
In addition to all of the regular goings-on,
Downtown London is hopping with a
series of summer festivals, with Victoria
Park a hub of activity almost every
weekend. Check www.downtownlondon.
ca for details.
Goderich is a hopping town all summer,
and most Saturdays are filled with unique
festivals and cultural activities. There has
been a massive amount of new
building since the tornado
struck two summers ago,
but the beach and sunsets
are exactly as beautiful as
Celebrate
Summer
7 Days
a Week!
they always were.
www.goderich.ca
The folks in Sarnia-
Lambton are a little
spoiled by being able
to quickly nip down to
the water at any time,
but Saturdays are still
special. For activities on the
water, Sarnia-Lambton takes full
advantage of its gorgeous beaches all
summer. Check out their vacation planner
at www.tourismsarnialambton.com for
highlights for each day of the week.
In addition to the regular lunch menu,
Willie’s Café is now offering a selection
of Brunch menu items on Saturday, from
11:30am–3pm. “Walk over to Willie’s”
and enjoy healthy comfort cuisine in the
friendly confines of a cottage in the city.
www.williescafe.on.ca
Enjoy the spacious patio at Crossings Grill
& Pub, with local artists performing on stage
every Saturday night, starting at 8pm. There
are also 32 different draughts on tap. But pace
yourself! Crossings is also open the other days
of the week. www.crossingsgrill.ca
While select vendors are open on Thursdays,
Saturdays are big days at the Western Fair
Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market. There’s
plenty of free parking but the friendly
crowd does get large, as the mix of vendors
provides an interesting and eclectic range
of treats and staples for discriminating
shoppers. Open 8am–3pm Saturdays.
www.londonsfarmersmarket.ca
SUNDAY
The Raja offers a special Buffet on
Sundays, for lunch and dinner (Lunch:
12–3pm; Dinner: 5–9pm). There are
lots of choices for vegetarian and nonvegetarians,
all presented in Royal Copper
pots and dishes. www.rajafinedining.ca

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 15
The Idlewyld Inn has two wonderful
outdoor dining settings — the Front
Verandah and the Garden Courtyard — in
which to enjoy their delightful Sunday
Brunch. Chef Jeff Fortner has taken over
the Avenue Dining kitchen, and together
with Sous Chef Ashton Gillespie, they
continue the tradition of using seasonal,
local ingredients to prepare simple, yet
elegant cuisine. www.idlewyldinn.com
Visit the Downie Street Bakehouse in
the Market Square behind City Hall every
Sunday (from 10–2) for the Stratford Sunday
Slow Food Market. The from-scratch, handshaped
artisanal and specialty breads
contain honest ingredients and great
flavour. And they also happen to be good
for you! www.goodbread.ca
The River Room recently launched a
new summer menu, and their Sunday
Brunch remains a popular option. Think
NYC sophistication with a stellar view
of the Forks of The Thames river. www.
theriverroom.ca
The award-winning Michael’s On The
Thames maintains that “Any Night Is A
Great Night For Something Special,” and
their Tableside Cooking is truly “Food With
Flair.” Open weekdays for lunch and daily
for dinner. www.michaelsonthethames.com
Blackfriars continues to offer their
outstanding Sunday Brunch, but make your
reservations early. This culinary landmark
also offers consistently creative upbeat
lunchs and intimate dinners, with ample
free parking and careful attention to dietary
restrictions. www.blackfriarsbistro.com
Savour an upscale market experience at
Ogilvie’s Food & Artisan Market. Open
Saturdays 8 am–5 pm and Sundays 9 am–3
pm, there’s something for everyone! You will
find a complement of year-round indoor
vendors and 60 more vendors at the seasonal
outdoor market. 1331 Hyde Park Road, south of
Gainsborough. www.fb.com/ogilviesmarket
Last but not least, follow eatdrinkmag on
Twitter and Facebook to make the most of
your precious summer. Enjoy!

16 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
restaurants
UpFront & Personable
At UpFront Restaurant & Bar in London
By CHRISTIE MASSÉ
Photography by Terri Low
Laughs were shared on the
sunny patio at UpFront
at the Market while
owners Jody and Josh Stall
reminisced over past and present
splendours. “It was the first time
Jody cooked me dinner. I tried to
carve her over-roasted duck, but
I just kept hitting bone. Then I
realized she roasted it upside down!”
The couple has come a long
way since the infamous “upsidedown-duck”
date that sparked
both their personal relationship
and entrepreneurial careers. The
endearing culinary disaster that set
the stage for this duo over 20 years ago is a
far cry from the dozens of ducks Jody now
roasts on a weekly basis for the Chinese
Barbeque Duck Clubhouse Sandwich. This
recent favourite also features their housecured
and smoked bacon, snug between
slices of house-made cranberry pecan
bread. Front of house manager, and chef by
trade, John Gillan swears by the Roasted
The spacious and comfortable sun-drenched patio wraps the
southwest corner of the Covent Garden Market, enhanced by
stylish awnings and umbrellas
Porchetta Sandwich, another highlight of
UpFront’s current menu. Described by Josh
as a “hearty man sandwich,” the sandwich
begins with a herb-dressed pork loin
wrapped in pork belly. It is then roasted,
sliced, and seared. Nothing is wasted as the
pan drippings are transformed into a pan
jus which tops the fresh brioche bearing
the seared pork slices. The owners pride
themselves on their creativity
and emphasis on fresh,
handmade menu items.
The original UpFront Café,
which opened in 2005 in nearby
Strathroy, was a quaint 50-seat
space in an 1867 bank building.
The Stalls were determined to
A warm modern interior offers a welcoming number of seating
options, perfect for an intimate dinner or a large gathering

№ 42 | July/August 2013
KLEIBER’S
A Downtown London Culinary Landmark
at the Covent Garden Market since 1940
The Chinese Barbeque Duck Clubhouse Sandwich
Roasted Porchetta Sandwich: Herb-dressed pork loin
wrapped in pork belly, roasted, sliced and seared, served on
a fresh brioche
Bangkok Salad: Mild white fish, pan-seared with a mediumspiced
yellow Thai curry, topped with lightly toasted
coconut, pineapple, sweet potato, cashews and mango,
dressed in a strawberry, mint and passion fruit vinaigrette
carry their from-scratch philosophy over to
their new 220-seat location — a daunting
objective. The staff utilizes the basement
prep kitchen located in the new space. This
convenient setup has reduced the anticipated
challenges that came with quadrupling their
capacity. The space, in combination with a
loyal and competent kitchen staff, allows for
all sauces, proteins, breads, and desserts to
be prepared in house. Having longtime brigade
members such as Josh’s right-hand-man
Alex and partner Vickie (joked to be the new
Anna Turkewicz’s
delicatessen and
catering have a
reputation for
personal service and
offering a large
selection of European
specialties, including
quality products from
Germany, Holland,
Poland & Switzerland
Ensure your event is a success!
For the best food and venues, call
Kleiber’s for a free catering estimate.
Civic Garden’s Approved Caterer
London’s German Canadian Club
and Polish Canadian Club Caterer
Covent Garden Market
519-495-7753

18 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
Leo’s Santa Fe
Chicken Salad:
avocado, black
beans, corn, dates,
and feta with
a peanut lime
dressing, topped
with corn tortilla
strips and lightly
spiced Cajun
chicken.
Josh and Jody),
the owners can
breathe easy
as Alex runs
the line and
Vickie bakes
the breads and
dessert items.
Vickie is famous for her Caramel Pecan Cinnamon
Buns and is now churning ice cream
alongside Jody, with plans for unique flavours
like Lemon Meringue Pie.
There is an emphasis on variety at
UpFront, which is apparent when perusing
their new brunch menu (available Saturdays
and Sundays from 11am–3pm). The menu
offers three variations on the traditional
Eggs Benedict, one of which includes grilled
black tiger shrimp, fresh avocado salsa,
and their house-smoked bacon. Other
brunch items include Hot Shot Prime Rib
Hash and Vickie’s French Toast, made with
her orange-infused brioche and topped
with a tantalizing whipped maple orange
marmalade mascarpone cream.
The restaurant also features international
dinner menus called ‘Destination Dinners’,
comprised of a three course meal with
choice of starter, entrée, and dessert. For
June they chose A Taste of Spain, including
a starter called the Matador Meatballs —
veal and beef meatballs with creamy
gorgonzola cheese on a bed of piquant
tomato sauce — and entrées including
a seafood, chorizo, and pepper packed
Paella. They offer daily specials as
well, in order to tickle their creativity
bone and to keep the variety flowing.
Josh explains, “We have specials
because we want to make something
special, not just to move a product.”
The emphasis on variation carries
over into their beverage menu, but in
choice more than price range: the restaurant
offers a flat rate on all glasses
of wine and drafts, making each drink
accessible to all clientele. This is important
to them, as they carry a beverage to complement
each dish in particular, say the Stalls.
“We value the customer’s experience over our
own profit.” Occupying a space previously
famous for its diversity on the rail, the Stalls
not only maintained the wide variety, they
actually added a tap. They want to cater to
everyone, offering both local microbrews as
well as large beer manufacturers. Josh puts it
well, “If you can’t find a beer on our menu you
like then you don’t like beer!”
To add to their already ambitious food
and beverage undertaking, the restaurant
has committed to showcasing local
independent musicians all summer during
their Steam Whistle Patio Party Series.
London’s Sweet Leaf Garret will perform
live every Sunday from 8 to 11pm. Another
example of their commitment to engage
with the community is their Starter Coupon
Booklet. This offers local organizations the
opportunity to purchase a coupon booklet
for fundraising. Vouchers for discounted
appetizers allow organizations to earn
twice the cost of the booklet and diners to
enjoy $8.00 starters. UpFront is also a proud
sponsor of our London Knights, Original
Kids Theatre Company, and the London
Lesbian Film Festival.
As Jody says, “Our food is addictive. We
just want London to try it and they will be
hooked.”
UpFront at the Market
130 King St, London
519-675-1020
www.upfrontrestaurant.com
open daily 11am–close
brunch saturdays & sundays 11am–3pm
Jody and Josh Stall
Photo by Monique Wiendels www.moniquewiendels.com

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 19
Farmers’ Market
100% Farmers ~ no resellers ~ 100% Local
The Farmers’ Market you can trust 100%
It’s our Farmers guarantee TO YOU!
Affordably Fresh, Friendly & Local
Farmers’ Market Hours:
Thursdays: 8am ~ 2pm
Saturdays: 8am ~ 1pm
Free Parking:
2 Hours Sat. & Sun. ~ 1/2 Hour Mon. - Fri.
with validation, no purchase required
coventmarket.com
/coventgardenmarket

20 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
culinary retail
What’s Old Is New Again
The MillHouse, at Arva Flour Mill, in Arva
By Natalie NovaK
Quick — where do you think of to buy
natural and organic meat, cheese,
coffees and teas, specialty condiments
and other culinary goodies?
If the folks at Arva Flour Mill have their way,
The MillHouse will soon be near the top of
your list, and health-conscious food shoppers
will beat a path to the new Mill District being
created at the north edge of London.
The Mill Store has long been a bakers’
paradise, with its offerings of locally grown
flours and milled flours, grains and other
related ingredients. The recently opened
MillHouse will hold the same appeal to
people looking for natural, organic, and
predominantly locally sourced foods for
cooking and barbecuing, all in one place.
The MillHouse, located in the recently
renovated livery stable, is the first building
to be converted to retail use, in phase one of
the new Mill District plan. The shop carries
a good selection of natural meats and fish:
a range of certified organic meat from
Field Gate Organics; water buffalo sausage,
burgers, roasts and steaks from Tenderbuff
near Stratford; fish from Hooked Inc. in
Toronto, which are caught fresh, cleaned,
portioned and blast frozen immediately.
Hooked Inc. skips the distributor,
purchasing fish directly and carrying only
Mike Matthews runs the Arva Flour Mill in much the
same way it has operated for almost 200 years.
those from clean waters and healthy stocks.
The MillHouse is owned by Bill and Brenda
Fellner. Brenda manages the store on a daily
basis, but during start up you would have
more likely found Christie Massé behind the
counter. Massé, a graduate of the Stratford
Chefs School, is a local chef and former owner
of Crust Catering & Bakery who teaches in the
culinary arts program at Fanshawe College.
She worked with the Fellners to bring in a
number of regional labels that local foodies
will be familiar with: Field Gate Organics
The Garlic Box, Nature’s Wonder Wheatgrass
Juice, Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese, Rootham
Gourmet Preserves, In A Jam and Heritage
Line Herbs, to name a few. For goods that
could not be sourced locally, Massé sought
out Canadian suppliers, going as far afield as
British Columbia for flavoured sea salts from
Vancouver Island Salt Company.
“We carry some products that you’ll
find at the Covent Garden and Western
Fair Farmers’ Markets, or specialty shops
like Jill’s Table” said Massé, pointing out
the Savvy Chef mustard, Fire Roasted and
Hasbeans coffees, Kosuma energy bars and
Pristine Olive oils. “For some people it will
be more convenient to come here, and we’re
open seven days a week.” During July and
August the store will be closed on Mondays,
returning to regular hours in the fall.
The MillHouse also carries handmade

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 21
soaps and lotions, natural bug sprays, and similar
goods by local artisans, including handcrafted
items made from recycled materials by a motherdaughter
team from Kintore.
In all, the MillHouse deals directly with 24
different suppliers, an important distinction for
shoppers who look closely at ingredients and
want to know where their food comes from.
The original homestead is the future
site of the Mill District gastro pub
The MillHouse, located in the mill’s old livery stable,
opened in February 2013. MillHouse manager
Christie Massé (above & below) sourced regional
and Canadian goods, all natural or organic. Assorted
products are shown at the bottom of the page.
The MillHouse opened in February, and Fellner
is pleased with the response to date. He has been
working with Mike Matthews who, with his
siblings Steve and Julaine, owns the flour mill and
the six acres of land that it sits on. Their goal is to
transform the property to a foodie destination,
and The MillHouse is first step in that plan. Next,
Matthews and Fellner plan to convert the original
homestead, which sits just over the footbridge by
the mill stream, to a gastropub with a patio where
diners can enjoy the scenic setting.
The homestead building is large enough to also
house a bakery, and possibly a butcher, cheese
shop or other complimentary food business.
All will be independently owned and operated,
and Fellner says there is already a lot of interest,
particularly in the restaurant.
The MillHouse
2042 Elgin Street, Arva
519-601-6456
www.arvamillhouse.com
NATALIE NOVAK is a freelance writer based in London.

22 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
restaurants
Small (& Guilty) Pleasures
at Monforte on Wellington, in Stratford
By BRYAN LAVERY
Photography by NORA CAMPS
Another renaissance of sorts is now
afoot just off the town square, in
the premises formerly occupied
by the Evergreen Terrace on
Wellington Street in Stratford. Monforte on
Wellington is a casual seasonally-inspired
osteria featuring an ever-changing selection
of artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, pastas,
salads, soups, preserves, pickles and other
signature specialties, prepared by Chef Phil
Philips and Monforte’s culinary team.
Chef Philips worked in the kitchen
at Bijou and has trained under Jamie
Kennedy. The kitchen pushes the farm-tofork
boundaries further than anything we
have experienced in Stratford, developing
a synergy between the local terroir and the
diner, inspired no doubt by the resolute
cheesemaker, Ruth Klahsen, whose deeprooted
affection for all things sustainable,
local and artisanal seems to continue to
both fortify and nourish her creative drive
and innovative
entrepreneurism.
Osteria is the
Italian term
for the most
casual and
down-to-earth
of restaurant
classifications.
Montforte Dairy Head
Traditionally an Cheesemaker Ruth Klahsen
osteria provided
embraces architect Aziza
lodging and
Chaouni, the designer of
served simple
Montforte On Wellington
and inexpensive
food and wine. In Italy, I first became
enamored with this style of restaurant
travelling through the regions of Emilia
Romagna, Molise, Umbria and Abruzzi.
The osterias I gravitated towards in Italy
were mainly located in the countryside and
were informal gathering places, often with
certain common traits: short menus, local

№ 42 | July/August 2013
and seasonal house-made specialties, and
sometimes but not always, meals served at
communal tables.
Designed by Aziza Chaouni and crafted
by architectural students from the University
of Toronto, the furniture at Monforte on
Wellington is made from reclaimed wood
and donated pallets, contributing to a
hand-crafted décor of mostly recycled and
repurposed materials. The brightly coloured
upholstered benches add a touch of pizazz
and accentuate the whitewashed walls. The
ceilings are high with interesting spiderlike
fixtures with bare bulbs and a large
picture window faces the street. The kitchen
is open to the dining room and there is a
passageway beside the kitchen leading to a
35-seat courtyard with umbrellaed tables for
al fresco dining.
The 35-seat main dining room has a
sophisticated straightforward charm with
a “We’ve got to get ourselves back to the
garden” vibe. There are two or three main
chalkboard features each day, prepared
from what is seasonal, local, foraged and
fermented. Many of the products are made
in-house or sourced from community
farms and artisans. On one visit we sat on
the terrace and the kitchen staff delivered a
pair of cheese and charcuterie boards. They
provided us with a friendly in-depth tutorial
about the provenance of each ingredient.
The rich and flavourful charcuterie
included a mound of perfect fatty cubed
pancetta, a succulent slab of savoury
headcheese (which brought back memories
of my grandmother’s kitchen), and farmer
David E. M. Martin’s pancetta served
with house-made crackers and tiny
pots of honey, mustard and red pepper
jelly. A selection of luscious, earthy and
creamy cheese on offer included Piacere
— Monforte’s own take on the classic
French cheese Fleur du Maquis and a
creamy Black Sheep rolled in vegetable
ash. True Blue, made with Sunnivue Farm’s
water buffalo milk, was firm, salty and
herbaceous. Klahsen’s philosophy is to
“use only seasonal milk from humanely
treated animals” for her cheese. The cheese
selection varies depending on availability.
I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with
both fresh cheese curd and Paridiso. A
variation on the classic Italian Taleggio, this
semi-soft, washed rind cheese has a piquant
bite. Wild leeks, sometimes called ramps,
The seasonal menu always includes two or three
chalkboard features, such as a seared trout with beluga
lentils, wild leek scapes, and radish pods (third photo
from the top). The cheese and charcuterie boards are
popular choices, augmented with hand-crafted crackers
and tiny pots of honey, mustards and jellies.
made a delicious and pungent pesto that was
the perfect accompaniment to the sandwich.
Dandelion greens with rhubarb vinaigrette,
Soiled Reputation organic greens with wild
leek vinaigrette and a silky asparagus soup
have also vied for my attention.
We loved the rich, buttery water buffalo
ice cream that can be ordered with either a

24 www.eatdrink.ca
demi-tasse of chocolate sauce
or espresso, served in artfully
mismatched bowls with melt-in-yourmouth
chocolate chip cookies.
The restaurant is BYOW with a corkage
fee of $15.00. If you order a glass of VQA
wine they might bring you a full bottle
and charge you for what you drink. The
wine selection is limited and there is
№ 42 | July/August 2013
Stratford
is
more than
great
theatre.
“This kind of brings things full circle for us.” — RK
a good selection of craft beers. They
retain a strong local focus on drinks to
keep them consistent with the kitchen’s
offerings. We loved the “Fizzy Water”
which was 50 cents a glass.
There is an area at the front entrance
that retails Monforte cheeses, Bauman
honey, preserves and other interesting
jarred goods-to-go. “This kind of brings
things full circle for us,” says Klahsen
referring to the restaurant. “For example,
when we make cheese we have leftover
whey, which we feed to pigs, which can
become charcuterie. And the same
farmer who raises the pigs grows wheat,
which we can make into crackers.”
The osteria opened in Stratford in
early April. In June, Monforte opened its
first stand-alone store in Toronto, in Liberty
Village. If you like ethical farm-totable
dining that won’t break the bank,
Monforte on Wellington, although in its
fledgling days, is well positioned to be a
hands-down frontrunner in Stratford’s
culinary scene.
BRYAN LAVERY is eatdrink’s Food Writer at Large.
Monforte on Wellington
80 Wellington Street, Stratford
519-301-7256
www.fb.com/MonforteOnWellington
open for lunch & dinner daily, 9–9;
open until 11 pm friday & saturday
7
visitstratford.ca
@StratfordON
StratfordON
7
8

№ 42 | July/August 2013
THURS 10-4 FRI 9-7 SAT 8-2
Ontario focus. European Style.
INN | RESTAURANT
Chef-inspired artisanal
food and drink featuring
local seasonal cuisine,
Ontario-focused wines &
house-infused cocktails.
NEW!
NOSH MONDAY
A series of small plates
served family-style.
All-You-Can-Eat —$35
Snack Version—$15
5–8pm, Reservations
Recommended
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

26 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
restaurants
From Kimchee to “Soup to Get Sober”
Korean Restaurant and Manna Grill, in London
By bryan lavery
The flavours and textures of Korean
food are exhilarating. In London,
Manna Grill has been a local
Korean hot-spot in its present
incarnation for over a decade. The owner
recently told me cheerfully, “I am good for
another ten.” She had been sitting behind
us partaking in a celebratory meal and
was now smiling, modelling and tapping
her toes in pair of silver sparkly sandals
that she had just “borrowed” from a guest
celebrating her birthday when I inquired
about the availability of a take-out menu.
(I often like to have these on hand as a
reference). We love the casual service,
friendly repartee and are devotees of the
fiery kimchee, kalbi (barbequed beef short
ribs) and bulgolgi at Manna Grill.
Now there is a newer kid on the block
serving delicious versions of bimim bap
(bap meaning rice) and bulgogi. Lee Chul
Wha’s Korean Restaurant at Adelaide
Street and Hamilton Road seems to have
more upscale aspirations and has garnered
great word-of-mouth in its first year.
This past spring, a gentleman who I met
while having lunch at the River Room told
me he had just moved to London from
Toronto. He asked for a recommendation for
good Korean food. I suggested the Korean
Restaurant. He later e-mailed me to say that
he and his son had ordered “the traditional
bulgolgi and kalbi which came with brown
rice and all the side
dishes … kimchee etc. It is the best
Korean food I’ve had since my adventures in
Korea. Cost was very reasonable. The other
patrons were all Korean so that speaks to
the quality of the food and service. “Gam
sa hamida” (thank you, in Korean) for your
heads up on this restaurant.”
I have been told that the most authentic
expression of Asian cuisine is often withheld
from the inexperienced non-Asian palate.
I have visited the Korean Restaurant
many times and this does not appear to
be the case. The Korean Restaurant is very
welcoming and we have had many pleasant
experiences, and the service for the most
part is deferential and accommodating.
Don’t expect your plates to be cleared
away after a meal, as this does not appear
to be part of the custom. This has provoked
a long uncomfortable silence on more than
one occasion. On other occasions we have
had fresh fruit served to us after dinner —
last summer it was delicious fresh slices of
sweet, refreshing, in-season watermelon.
Utensils for a typical Korean place
setting consist of a pair of chopsticks and a
long- handled spoon. Chopsticks are used
to pick up meat, noodles and side dishes.
Spoons are meant to eat undemanding
foods and rice, and to sip broths and soups.
At the Korean Restaurant, meals are
accompanied with banchan, a half a dozen or

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 27
so complimentary plates of traditional “side
dishes” to graze on before the meal or more
traditionally to use as condiments. Banchan
are placed in the middle of the table to be
shared communally. Typically, banchan are
served in small portions (think tapas), and at
the Korean Restaurant they are replenished
during the meal at no extra charge.
Kimchee, a mainstay of banchan, is the
fiery fermented side dish (or condiment)
prepared from a variety of vegetables,
including cabbage, radish, and cucumber,
and heated by chillies, ginger and other
aromatic seasonings. There are hundreds
of types of kimchee; taste and varieties vary
by region and seasonality. Kimchee is an
iconic staple in the Korean repertoire and it
has helped define the county’s culinary and
cultural identity. As Michael Pollan states
in his latest treatise, Cooked [Ed: reviewed
in this issue of eatdrink]: “If a food is going
to help forge cultural identity, it must be an
acquired taste, not a universal one.”
Both the cabbage and the radish
kimchee at the Korean Restaurant are
crunchy (in lesser establishments I have
often found the kimchee to be soggy storebought
versions), and I could taste the
chillies, garlic and ginger.
Besides the kimchee being served as part
of the banchan, I have sampled a version of
chap chae (a classic sweet-potato-noodle
salad), seasoned spinach, pickled radishes,
cucumbers, tofu, fish cake and vegetable
pan-fried dumplings. The perfect pork
dumplings are in the same league as the
house-made pork dumplings — which are
also browned to pan-fried perfection — at
Spring Restaurant, which serves Tianjinand
Szechwan-inspired Chinese food (at
Dundas Street near English Street).
A classic and popular Korean dish is
bimbim bap. This is a traditional dinner-in-abowl,
with freshly- cooked crispy rice in the
bottom of the bowl, topped with individual
stacks of julienned onion, carrots, zucchini,
and mung bean sprouts. A pan-fried
sunny-side up egg is served on top and is
accompanied by shredded beef. (I have also
had the egg served raw, which cooks when it
is mixed in with the ingredients in a blazing
hot stone bowl.) Bimbim pap is typically
served with a sweet and sour chilli paste
called ch’o koch’ ujang and arrives at the table
while the hot stone bowl is still sizzling. With
most meals bowls of cooked rice and guk
(soup) are served individually.
Manna Grill, which is very casual, has
a distinct Japanese influence on its menu.
The Korean Restaurant, which is more
upscale than Manna Grill, has brought in
a new chef and expanded their traditional
menu to include a variety of Chinese
dishes. Some newer dishes on the menu
have sauces that were sweeter and thicker
than expected and it is my hope that
this is not a reaction to unsophisticated
Caucasian palates. Although I have not
tried it myself, I have heard about the
hangover soup (haejangguk, aka “soup
to get sober,” first appeared in a manual
published in the late Goryeo Dynasty, 918–
1392). This version (served with pollock), I
am told, is a classic interpretation.
Korean Restaurant
170 Adelaide Street North, London
www.korean-restaurant.ca
519-642-7437
open daily 11 am to 10 pm
except closed wednesdays
Manna Grill
276 Wharncliffe Road North, London
519-439-5770
open daily 11 am to 9:30 pm
Bryan Lavery is eatdrink’s Writer at Large and
Contributing Editor. He can be reached at bryan@eatdrink.ca

28 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
farmers & artisans
Crafting a Brighter Future
Railway City Brewing Company, in St. Thomas
By JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON
In one of the area’s towns hardest hit
by the economic downturn, a little
good news goes a long way. Plant
closings and downsizing is usually the
business news of the day, but here’s a tale of
a small local company that is expanding its
operations and hiring more staff.
Railway City Brewing Company in St.
Thomas has grown substantially since
its inception five years ago. It was born
as a partnership between Paul Corriveau
and Al Goulding who began brewing two
types of beer in a small 2,500 square-foot
space. There are now four partners, six
regularly brewed beers (along with several
seasonally brewed), and by the time this is
published it will all be housed in a 13,000
square-foot renovated space on Edward
Street, “just a couple of blocks from where
Jumbo was killed,” says Corriveau. The
latter point is particularly poignant, as
Railway’s most popular brew is called Dead
Elephant in honour of the felled beast.
Initially Iron Spike Blonde and Copper
were introduced, soon joined by Dead
Elephant, Iron Spike Amber, Honey Elixir
Paul Corriveau, Matt Janes and Railway City’s brewer Zach Trynda
and Canada
Southern Draft.
Seasonal offerings
include a winter
stout and a
summer wheat
beer. Honey
Elixir is partially
made from
honey from
Windermere
Manor’s hives.
According to Brenda Brandt,
corporate sales manager, the Manor’s
Honey Stung Ale (their name for Honey
Elixir) was previously produced by another
craft brewer with inconsistent results,
“but since we switched to Railway it’s been
consistent and delicious. It’s a real draw for
our café and has been really well received.”
“We’ve grown faster than anticipated
and [the current space] has limitations
that we didn’t foresee,” explains Corriveau.
Logistical issues necessitated moving to
a larger space and adding five positions
to the current 14 staffers. Happily, the
two acres surrounding
the renovated industrial
building will allow Railway
to have an open-air patio
out front and event space
in the rear for barbecues
and car shows benefitting
charities.
As part of the company’s
evolution, new investors
were taken on and are now
active in its management:
Matt Janes oversees
operations and company
finances; Al Goulding is
in charge of retail and
packaging, and John Peart
is company president.

Cans ready for filling at the new facility
Corriveau, who handles
marketing and sales for
the company, attributes
consumer enthusiasm in
spurring this huge growth.
“Interest in craft beer has
skyrocketed. Consumers
want something different,
a unique taste and different
styles. People are looking for
something that’s not bland
or mainstream, something
that’s new and fresh made
from local ingredients.”
Using local ingredients,
such as hops grown in Elgin
County, is one of Railway’s
secrets to success. Seasonal
produce spurs new brews, like
the Blueberry-Ginseng that was
produced a few summers ago.
Ginseng is a tobacco replacement
crop, so Corriveau expects it to
appear in more recipes.
But growing the number of
offerings isn’t the end game;
ensuring their products are worthy
of their fan base is. “We want to
produce award-winning beers
and attract people to the facility to
promote tourism in this area. Craft
www.eatdrink.ca 29
beer is like wine in that way. People want
to see, taste and smell.”
So far this mission has been successful,
as Railway has consistently picked up
multiple medals at the Speaker’s Craft Beer
Challenge (Ontario Legislative Assembly)
and the Ontario Brewing Awards.
Craft beer aficionados can enjoy
Railway products in 100 restaurants in
Ontario, from Sarnia to Ottawa, (20 are
within the eatdrink readership area), and
pick them up in 200 LCBO stores. There is even one store
in Saskatchewan that has them shipped in. You can
also taste Railway beers at several events this summer,
including The Ontario Renaissance Festival, London
Beer and BBQ Show and the Great Lakes International
Air Show. Or you can tour the plant. It is open seven days
a week, but Corriveau advises that you call ahead to
ensure enough staff are on hand to help you.
Railway is beginning to offer more of their suds in
cans for easy transport to picnics, cottages and boats.
Dead Elephant and Iron Spike Blonde are
already available in cans, soon to be joined
by Canada Southern Draft. The canning
process was previously outsourced but will
now be done onsite.
So it’s a good news day
all around: craft beers
are on the rise; a local
company is growing and
there are more places
to enjoy their great
products.
Railway City Brewing Co.
130 Edward St., St.Thomas
519-631-1881
railwaycitybrewing.com
retail store hours
mon–wed: 10 am–8 pm
thurs & fri: 10 am–10 pm
saturday: 10 am–8 pm
sunday: 11 am–6 pm
JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON
is a freelance writer and chief
communicator for Write.On Communication
Services International.
www.writedoton.com

30 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
road trips
A Locavore Road Trip
Filling Your Huron County Picnic Basket
By JANE ANTONIAK | Photography by BRUCE FYFE
Who says going to the lake has to
be about going to the beach?
Our favourite road trip to Lake
Huron involves an empty picnic
basket, a cooler, a thermos, some books
and a blanket. Give yourself a few hours, a
tank of gas and follow our local foodie route.
The result? A perfect locavore picnic in our
favourite backyard — Huron County!
Head north out of London on Highway 4
through Lucan
and into Exeter.
Here you can
pick up a readymade
gourmet
pizza from Chef
James Eddington,
owner/
operator of Eddington’s restaurant. No,
he’s not in the take-out pizza business! But
he makes an outstanding pizza featuring
unique ingredients like potato slices and
caramelized onions. Everyone loves Thursday
night pizza nights at Eddington’s. And
cold pizza can be pretty great too!
In our basket, chocolate is also a food
group. Stock up at
Sugar and Spice on
Main Street in Exeter.
You can also find their
goodies at the new
Charles Street Market
in Bayfield. Cooler
required! Keep heading
north to Hensall where
we have two favourite
stops. At The Garlic Box,
look for Peach Salsa
made with fresh Ontario garlic. The tapenade
is also delicious. They sell right out of their
corporate office on Highway 4, just north of
Hensall. If it’s not office hours you can pick
up their products at Metzger Meats (our
other favourite in Hensall) on Brock Street off
Highway 83 (the Zurich-
Hensall line). Follow the
signs to Metzger’s. Turn
onto Brock Street at the
huge blue building, Ice
Cultures, where you can
buy bags of ice for your
cooler or take a tour of
their ice experience. At
Metzger’s pick up some
house-cured salami: we love the traditional
Hensall salami but for a zestier taste grab the
Jalapeno salami and some hot pepperettes.
Gerhard calls them pepperonis so that the
corporate giants don’t sue him. With eleven
smokehouses on the property, this is a meat
lover’s dream.
Moving towards the lake, a quick stop
at Jerry Rader’s
shop in Zurich
nets us some of
his famous butter
tarts. These may
not make it to the
basket! You can
also get a cup of
coffee to wash them down.
As we crest the highway and can see the
lake, we start thinking about fish. Pull into
the beautiful Hessenland Country Inn on
Highway 21 at St. Joseph, and hopefully
Chef Frank Ihrig can fill your thermos with
his signature Lakefood
Chowder made from the
Lake Huron catch of the
day. This is also a great
spot for a cold beer and a
quick stretch of your legs as
you stroll the five acres of
manicured lawns.
From St. Joe’s it’s on to
Bayfield, where we zip

№ 42 | July/August 2013
into the plaza next to
Foodland on Highway
21. Here we grab two
vital items: smoked fish
from Out of the Blue,
and a bottle of Pelee
Island Secco from the
Bayfield liquor store.
They do sell it chilled.
The
best
thing
about Secco, besides its
great taste and active
bubbles? You don’t need
a corkscrew to pop this
cork! In Bayfield you can
take a walk along Main
Street and pick up:
• Gunn’s Hill Cheese
(made in Oxford and
award-winning) at Black Dog Pantry;
• Blyth goat
cheese at
Charles Street
Market;
• and more
sweetness
than you can
imagine at
Erin Bolger’s new bakery, Pink Flamingo.
Try her pink lemonade signature flavours
in lemon squares, sandwich cookies,
buttercream cupcakes
and more. Bolger is the
author of the fabulously
fun cookbook, The Happy
Baker, and has baked
her way into our hearts
with stories of dating
and dining. On towards
Goderich now and we
stop in at the Bayfield
Berry Farm — which
is a few miles inland
(just follow the signs) — where you can
pick up house
made cherry
juice along
with berries
in season.
Nothing goes
better with
our Secco then
berries Yum.
Continued on page 34, after the Blyth Festival ad ...
Trust...
Taste...
Award-Winning
PRIME
BEEF
Burgers
Quality...
We also offer local Lamb, Pork & Bacon
Burgers, seasoned and unseasoned.
Perfect for the BBQ!
Now available in London!
Visit Saucy: Meats & So Much More
at Western Fair Farmers’ Market
on Saturdays!
Open six days a week.
Hensall, Ontario
Just off Hwy 4, 45 minutes north of London.
www.metzgermeats.com
519-262-3130
Local Beef • Pork • Lamb • Poultry
Specialty European Meat Products

32 www.eatdrink.ca
Dine
• Shop • Stay • Play
№ 42 | July/August 2013
Enjoy Ontario’s West Coast
ontarioswestcoast.ca
@onwestcoast Ontario’s West Coast & Taste of Huron
RIGHT ON THE BEACH — One Location, Two Outstanding Dining Experiences
Jalapenos
24
Tequilas!
Casual Fine Dining
• Marguerita Mondays • Thai Tuesdays
• Wine Down & Wild West Wednesdays
• Thirsty Thursdays • Fiesta Fridays
• Sizzling Saturdays (Ribs both sides)
• Sangria & Caesar Sundays
“Everything is made from scratch,
fresh to order, using local ingredients.”
— Owner/Chef Dave Giroux
A healthy alternative to fast food since 2001
A Mexican Hot Spot
85 Main Street, Grand Bend
The Sunset House: 519-238-2622
Jalapenos: 519-238-2084
www.sunsethouse.ca
Come in and get fed up!
NEW!
Sunday Breakfast Buffet
and Omelette Bar.
And try our NEW
½-pound Bagel Burger!
ON THE SQUARE
Open 7am - 4pm, 7 days a week • 68 Courthouse Square, Goderich

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 33
Eat and drink at the water’s edge.
Serving Lunch & Dinner 6 Days a Week
Always Closed Mondays
Reservations Recommended
519.238.6224
42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend
www.finerestaurant.com
Featuring the finest meat & produce from our
outstanding local farms, alongside
quality craft beers & wines.
Scan here to see our new menu!
71 River Road, Grand Bend
519-238-5556
www.smackwaterjacks.ca
A Fresh Take on Tradition
Come for dinner or
a romantic getaway
on the Huron Shore
Celebrate SUMMER with Eddington’s!
Mongolian
Grill
Thursday Nights
All Summer
starts June 27
PATIO
OPEN
NOW!
www.hessenland.com
Stylish German Cuisine
Distinctive Accommodations
RR #2 Zurich ON Hwy 21, north of Grand Bend, 1 hour from London
519-236-7707 or 1-866-543-7736
Specializing in continental cuisine, made
with local bounty + an extensive wine list!
“Evidence that you don’t have to be in
a big city to create great things!”
- The Globe & Mail
Your table awaits you!
30 min North of London - 20 min East of Grand
Bend - 30 min West of Stratford
527 Main Street, Exeter ON N0M 1S1
519-235-3030 www.eddingtons.ca

№ 42 | July/August 2013
Continued from page 31 ...
Our picnic destination is the Rotary
Park at Goderich, right by the marina. It
offers a boardwalk, beaches, shady trees
and playgrounds. But first we need to head
about five
miles past
Goderich to
Red Cat Farm,
where Sophie
will supply
us with some
delicious
European
breads made in their imported German
oven — complete with rainwater mist
infusion! The bread is extra crispy and a
meal in itself. With our cheese, fish and
salami, this is going to be outstanding!
Back in Goderich we pull into the famous
Culbert’s Bakery for some doughnuts.
We’ve
already eaten
the butter
tarts from
Rader’s so we
really need
a bit more
sugar! )
Finally, it’s
picnic time! If you find yourself wanting to
stay late to enjoy the sunset then you may
want to ease your way
back to Bayfield for a
late night respite at
The Red Pump. Not
only does it have a
fantastic patio but
the guest rooms are
spectacular.
Another great day
on the road in Huron,
and no kitchen to
clean up!
JANE ANTONIAK is the Manager, Communications &
Media Relations, King’s University College at Western and a
regular contributor to eatdrink.
BRUCE FYFE is a contributing photographer to eatdrink and
a librarian at Weldon, Western University.

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 35
travel
Beer & Spirits, Michigan-Style
Exploring the Great Lake Bays Travel Region
By JANE ANTONIAK | Photography by BRUCE FYFE
How do you know when your
collection has gotten a bit out of
hand? When you have to build
a tavern to hold it! That’s what
happened to Bill and Elaine Fournier of
Bay City, Michigan. Their love of antiques
led to Bill amassing a collection of beer
steins, which grew so large he created
the Stein Haus beer garden restaurant on
Water Street to house it. With more than
a thousand steins wired onto the walls,
hanging from the ceiling and displayed
on shelves, it’s an impressive spot. He has
another 1,400 steins in storage and he
hasn’t stopped collecting yet. “We started
with a few beer steins and it blossomed
from there,” says Elaine Fournier.
The Stein Haus offers sixteen beers on tap
and over one hundred varieties in bottles
including locally crafted, German and
domestic beers. Add a plate of delicious
schnitzel, red cabbage and warm potato
salad and you are quickly transported to
a German beer garden without leaving
Michigan. “People come here for a good,
social time,” says Elaine. The addition of
live music and a patio makes Stein Haus a
popular destination for all ages.
Bay City is not on a bay, but on the
Saginaw River (where the Fourniers
also run dining cruises out to Saginaw
Bay on Lake Huron). It’s a hip little town
Schnitzel Red Cabbage and Warm Potato Salad
The Stein Haus, in Bay City
with a lively downtown strip featuring
locally owned cafés such as World Café
International Bistro with Lebanese styled
menu items, and St. Laurent Brothers nuts
and chocolate shop where you can buy bags
of candy sure to make you feel nostalgic.
This is all part of the Great Lake Bays travel
region (www.visitgreatlakesbay.org) where
you can “tour the triangle” in your car
between Bay City, Midland and Saginaw.
A perfect stop on the route between Bay
City and Midland is Shari at The Willard
Hillton restaurant near Auburn, where
Chef/Owner Shari Smith, Executive Chef
Jacob Austin and Pastry Chef Maria Austin
have created an exciting dining experience
in “the middle of somewhere.” Don’t blink
or you will miss it and that would be a
shame. The team grow their own produce
and herbs from seed and pride themselves
on serving delicious, healthy food. “Build

36 www.eatdrink.ca
Chefs from the Willard Hillton
it and they will come,” states Chef Smith.
“I used to come to this old hotel when I
was a kid. Years later I told my realtor that I
wanted a place like the Willard Hillton. He
said, ‘It’s on the market.’”
The 135-year-old former Beaver hotel
and tavern is known to have “two ghosts
for sure,” says Smith, and her staff fully
agree. “We’d hear footsteps, when we first
moved in, and it would drive us nuts. Then
we met families who told us about the
ghosts, and guests who say they can see
them.” The so-called town of Willard (think
intersection) bills itself as Michigan’s last
ghost town. The hotel was jokingly called
the Hilton and then Shari had to add an
extra “l” to the name to avoid lawsuits.
№ 42 | July/August 2013
The dining room features classic
European cuisine. Orange harissa
shrimp, slow roasted strawberry
barbequed pork and goat cheese egg
rolls, and hickory roasted duck breast
are among the menu offerings. The wine
list is extensive. Chef has recently added
cooking classes.
After a great evening at the Willard
you’ll be looking for a place to spend
the night. The immaculate H Hotel in
Midland is an unexpectedly upscale destination
in a quaint town. This five-star
property
is owned
by the
area’s main
employer,
Dow Chemical,
which
maintains
the top floors
for their visiting
executives.
Check
out The Table
Restaurant
with its wine
room and
temperaturecontrolled
wine cellar.
The next
day it’s off
for a fullscale
taste
The dining room of the
five-star H Hotel in Midland
of Bavaria, with more chicken then you
can imagine, in Frankenmuth — located
near a popular outlet shopping centre,
Birch Run. Here you can enjoy some
“Lutheran Lemonade” at Frankenmuth
Brewery, proclaimed the oldest brewery
in Michigan by the enthusiastic manager,
Ryan Buchinger. Try a flight of craft
beers including Hefeweizen ale, Munich
style Dunkel lager, Batch 69 American
style IPA and American blonde ale. If you
have some kids along, or a DD, be sure
to try Frankie’s root bier, microbrewed
in house. You can take home a growler,
which you can get filled on Wednesdays
for only five dollars.
The brewery offers incredibly hearty
meals with fresh Bavarian style pretzel
Try a flight of craft beers, at Frankenmuth Brewery

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 37
balls served with spicy
The Bavarian Inn platter
mustard — helps to
soak up the beer! Try
the mountain high
meat loaf sandwich or
the Bavarian bratwurst.
If you have room, fit in
a root bier float.
A stroll along Main
Street is required after
this meal, and before
you even consider
tucking into dinner
— which is a must
in Frankenmuth.
Famous chicken
dinners are offered
by the two branches
kuchen recipe. “The
of the Zehnder
Three generations of the Zehnder family welcome first time you come
guests to the Bavarian Inn and Restaurant
family. Dorothy
here you have the
Zehnder, a whirling
chicken dinner. The
dervish at ninety-one, who still works next time you have the ultimate platter,”
each day, and her clan, led by son Bill and she says. It features smoked pork loin,
granddaughter Amy, operate the Bavarian sauerbraten, bratwurst and schnitzel.
Inn and Restaurant. Their cousins operate The Bavarian Inn is celebrating its 125th
Zehnder’s Restaurant across the road. To anniversary and has grown into a large hotel
put this phenomenon into perspective: complex with multiple swimming pools,
the Bavarian Inn serves 600,000 meals water slides, games rooms and gift shops.
annually! Dorothy has her own popular Guest rooms are named after the numerous
cookbook and people clamour for her apple German families who still live in the area.
Aside from all the food and drinks,
Frankenmuth is an interesting community
with deep roots in the Lutheran faith. Our
guide, Herb Zeilinger (who is thrilled to
have a room named after his family at the
Inn) informed us about Frankenmuth’s rich
German history. A visit to the impressive
St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, which depicts
the history of the region through its stained
glass windows, is worthwhile. All in all, it’s
a fun weekend getaway within a few hours
of the border crossing at Port Huron.
www.visitgreatlakesbay.org
JANE ANTONIAK is a culinary travel writer for eatdrink.
She is also Manager, Communications & Media Relations for
King’s University College, Western.
BRUCE FYFE is a regular contributing photographer to
eatdrink. He is also a librarian at Western University, London.
Zehnder’s Restaurant

38 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
The BUZZ ... new and notable
The latest word on local chefs, restaurants, farmers’
markets, food shops, and culinary events. Send tips
to blavery@eatdrink.ca and follow us for up-to-theminute
news on Facebook and Twitter.
There is nothing like “dining al fresco” when the weather
really heats up, and London has superb outdoor dining. There’s
a very strong café culture in the city, with a diversity of outdoor
culinary experiences for everyone. In the summer, you can enjoy
dining at a sidewalk café, in a secluded courtyard setting, under
a pergola, or on a roof top patio or charming side-street terrace.
London city staff continues to study how best to turn
curbside parking spots into seasonal outdoor patios for
restaurants and bars across London, an opportunity that
is available downtown again this year. The Early Bird
and Kevin and Denise Greave’s Jambalaya were part of
the successful initial pilot last year and are up and running
again this year. It also seems likely that boulevard patios
will expand into Old East Village. Restaurateurs and some
politicians hope it will help invigorate Dundas Street, one of
the core’s critical stretches of commercial properties.
Downtown, Gregg and Justin Wolfe of The Early
Bird diner and Rob D’Amico and Dave Lamers of Abbruzi
Ristorante, and in the Old East, Jeff Pastorius of The Root
Cellar are all proponents of the city looking at fresh alternatives
for boulevard cafes, such as placing tables and chairs against
their buildings and constructing pedestrian boardwalks that
would wrap around the sidewalk (in a parking space) as other
cities have successfully done. Restaurateurs like Long Phan of
Tamarine by Quhyn Nhi would like to see the buses moved off
Dundas Street to accommodate boulevard patios.
Across the street from Tamarine, Joe and Sheryl Duby
of Blu Duby are putting the final touches on their sidewalk
patio as we go to press.
Chef Danijel (Dacha) Markovic of London’s Kantina
Restaurant scored a victory in the ninth round of the
Discovered Culinary Competition at Nella Cucina in Toronto
and is now steps away from winning a cooking experience of a
lifetime in Spain. Markovic moves on to the semi-finals of the
event, a two-day match pitting 16 chefs from across the country
on July 13th and 14th. Four finalists will compete for the grand
prize: an all-expenses paid trip to spend a week cooking at a
Michelin-star rated restaurant in northern Spain.
Uber-restaurateur/caterer Jess Jazey-Spolestra of The River
Room Café and Private Dining and North Moore Catering
is in the planning stages for the Rhino Café in the premises
previously occupied by the gift shop at Museum London. Jazey-
“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed
Ethiopian cuisine ...” — Bryan Lavery, eatdrink magazine
growers & creators of fine lavender products
DISCOVER
Steed & Company Lavender, part of a
45-acre horse farm just outside of Sparta
INDULGE
in our unique handcrafted lavender products
ESCAPE
in the wonderful scent and
calming powers of lavender
519-494-5525
47589 Sparta Line, Sparta
buds@steedandcompany.com
Open Wed-Sat 10-5; Sun 12-4
Mother’s Day through Christmas
www.steedandcompany.com
Afternoon
Music in the
Lavender
July 13-14 & 27-28
Lavender Fairy
Festival
August 10
• 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

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 39
Spolestra recently hired Chef Jamie Craig, formerly of the
Stone Willow Inn (Wildstone Bar & Grill) in St. Marys.
Chef Jeff Fortner has taken over the helm in the kitchen at
Avenue Dining at the Idlewyld Inn. Diners know Fortner
from stints at Blue Ginger, black trumpet, The Hunt
Club and, most recently, The River Room.
Habitual Chocolate and Fire Roasted Coffee’s new flagship
café downtown at Talbot and King Street is slated to open late
July. Pastry Chef Michele Lenhardt, formerly of The River
Room Cafe and Private Dining, Black Walnut Bakery Café
and Agora at The Art Gallery of Ontario, has been hired by
Dave Cook as a chocolatier and baker at the new operation.
Fresh n’ Wolfe is the new fresh, healthy, and fast brother of
The Early Bird. Opening soon, it will be serving up sandwiches,
paninis, soups, salads, smoothies and similar fare. Located in the
front portion of the former Nite Owl. “Come in on your break
from the office and grab yourself something great, and to go!”
says proprietor Justin Wolfe.
Byron Freehouse will be opening in mid-late summer.
Owners Kathryn Banasik and Robbin Azzopardi are
describing this new venture as “bistro meets sports bar with
simplified food prepared in the freshest way possible, using
locally sourced ingredients.” The sixty-five seat ``local``
will have a fifty seat patio. On Chef Joshua Sawyer’s menu
expect to see such signature items as Grilled Fish Tacos, Thai
Curry, Steak and Frites and Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
Just down the street, Mark Kitching of Waldo’s on King and
partner Mark Navackas are opening a new restaurant in
Byron in the premises formerly occupied by Dar’s Diner, to be
known as Waldo’s in Byron.
Ilderton’s Rich and Deb Hunter made a bold decision to make
The King Edward’s patio smoke-free this year. They also
started offering a variety of beer flights, with five samples for
only $8 plus tax. Since their taps are typically split 50/50 between
Ontario craft beers and British Isles selections, you can do an
Ontario flight, a UK flight, or a mix. www.thekingedward.com
World Tailors is a group of courageous women from around
the world who make World Cooks aprons, sold in London,
Ontario. They come from refugee camps in the mountains
of Nepal, small villages in Africa, cities in South Korea and
Afghanistan, and islands like Fiji, among other places.
www.worldtailors.ca/our-story/
London’s first “Food Truck Rally” is slated to coincide with the
opening weekend of the annual Western Fair, September 6–8.
Eldon House is the ideal place for afternoon tea, served Tuesday
through Sunday until September 1st. Enjoy traditional scones
with locally made jams and butter, served with a variety of
delicious teas on the elegant lawn of London’s oldest residence.
Reservations recommended. (481 Ridout St. North, 519-661-5169)
London’s
Celebration
Destination
FOOD WITH FLAIR!
Every Night Is
a Great Night
for Something Special
VOTED
• Best Fine Dining
• Most Romantic
• Best Atmosphere
30
Tableside
Cooking &
London’s Best
Caesar Salad
Lunch Weekdays
Dinner 7 Nights a Week
1 York St. (just W of Ridout)
Ample Free Parking
Baby Grand Pianist 6 Nights a Week with Reservations
www.michaelsonthethames.com • 519-672-0111

40 www.eatdrink.ca
Corelicious London is back. This local culinary initiative
showcases downtown London restaurants exclusively.
Enjoy a delicious three-course prix fixe menu at an amazing
downtown restaurant! This promotion will run from July 5th
to July 14th. www.corelicious.ca
Londonlicious has been a success over the past several
years, with participating restaurants completely booked with
reservations. Londonlicious returns this summer from July 19th
to August 11th. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience an
array of three course prix fix menus from diverse restaurants
for the amazing price of only $20, $25, $30 or $35 per person. A
three-course meal is to be chosen from a select menu at each
Now
Open!
LOCAL, NATURAL & ORGANIC MEATS,
SEAFOOD, CHEESES, OILS, SAUCES & PRESERVES
MILLHOUSE: 519-601-6456
MILL STORE: 519-660-0199
www.arvamillhouse.com
www.arvaflourmill.com
2042 Elgin St, Arva ON
“Just 3km North of Masonville”
№ 42 | July/August 2013
restaurant. Price does not include applicable taxes, alcohol or
additional menu items. Reservations are highly recommended.
www.londonlicious.ca
Bill & Lisa of Noteworthy Wines are pleased to introduce
Grady Vineyards, their latest California supplier, and will be
hosting a private tasting event for licensees and restaurant
owners on Tuesday, July 23 from 6:30 pm to 11:30 pm. To RSVP,
call Bill at 519-914-1204 or email info@noteworthwines.ca.
Signatures! A Taste Test of London’s Best raised over
$10,000 to help people living with Parkinson’s disease across
Southwestern Ontario. Signatures featured a diversity of local
restaurants, eateries and catering companies at the Budweiser
Gardens, offering their most popular dishes for all to enjoy.
Denise Duncan, Job Developer, WOTCH Community Mental
Health Services, would like to connect London restaurants to
qualified and hard working individuals. They offer on-site job
coaching and in some cases employers are eligible for wage
subsidies to cover training. D.Duncan@wotch.on.ca
The Covent Garden Farmers’ Market has a great variety of
vendors and products, from meat (bison, elk, lamb, beef, and
pork) to baking (artisanal bread, scones, muffins, gluten-free,
and decadent treats). The Covent Garden Farmers’ Market is a
producer-based market operated by Christine Scheer and
has remained food- and farm-focused. For more information
about The Covent Garden Farmers’ Market, including recipes and
special events, please go to the farmers’ market blog, at www.
coventgardenfarmersmarket.com. Also, check out the Covent
Garden Market’s new website: www.coventmarket.com
Festa Italiana is one of London’s marquee events and also
one of the city’s liveliest and most anticipated festivals. Each
year the popular event attracts over 35,000 attendees from
across Ontario. Organizers are proud to share and showcase
all that is Italian. The market square at the Covent Garden
Market is transformed into an Italian “piazza” for a three-day
celebration of Italian culture, cuisine, music, and dance on
August 23 to 25th. www.festaitaliana.ca
Colombian Festival will be held at Covent Garden Market
on July 20th, 11:00 am–11:00 pm.
Upbeat Lunches | Intimate Dinners | Dietary Needs Accommodated | Ample Free Parking
bistro & caterer
46 Blackfriars Street, London | 519-667-4930 | www.blackfriarsbistro.com

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 41
A Festival of Poland, to be held at the Covent Garden Market
on September 7th, is pleased to announce that Olenka And
The Autumn Lovers will be performing at this year’s festival.
Ten Up Sushi has reopened in Old East Village with a new
menu that includes sushi and a wide selection of Chinese
offerings for eat-in, take out or delivery.
The Chi Hi is getting ready to open at 791 Dundas St (beside
True Taco); the restaurant will serve bánh mì. This sandwich
is a creation of French colonialism in Indochina, combining
ingredients from the French (baguettes, cold meats, and
mayonnaise) with indigenous Vietnamese ingredients, such
as cilantro, chilli peppers, and pickled carrots.
Speaking of True Taco, Luis Rivas and family are putting
the finishing touches on their new location called True Taco
“Authentic Comedor Latino” at 739 Dundas.
All ’Bout Cheese is the latest business to expand from the
Western Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market (WFFAM) and
transition to its own stand-alone retail outlet. Rick Peori has
been retailing cheese at the WFFAM since 2006. All ’Bout Cheese
will still be in the WFFAM on Saturdays but the new shop (across
the street) will operate Tuesday to Saturday. There also are plans
for a take-out lunch menu and cheese-making classes.
Miki and Agnes Hambalek from Taste of Hungary at
the WFFAM will be opening a butcher shop/deli next to All
’Bout Cheese. The Taste of Hungary features take-out and
sumptuous Hungarian-inspired food specialties. Agnes, a
professional baker and pastry chef, is a well-known caterer.
WFFAM vendors Theo and Gerda Korthof recently
opened the very successful Artisan Bakery , just a block
west of All ’Bout Cheese.
Western Fair Farmers and Artisans’ Market’s Bliss Gluten-Free
vendor Shari Blanchard has returned to the Masonville
Market this season. Blanchard has utilized her over 25 years of
food service expertise to innovatively create gluten-free, dairyfree,
and refined sugar-free treats from revised recipes which
she in turn handcrafted from scratch. Other WFFAM vendors at
the market include Burdan’s Red Cat Bakery, Leamington
Produce, Jake’s JCJ Apiaries, Edna’s Lorimer’s Adventure
Produce and Anything Grows.
The Healthy Eating, Healthy Physical Activity (HEHPA)
initiative of the Child and Youth Network has been supporting
the Westminster Working Group since 2011. HEHPA works to
promote changes in physical behaviour and eating habits to
promote healthy, happy living for children, youth, and their
families. By coordinating with the Westminster Working
Group, grassroots community projects can be created. These
projects can be executed on a small scale, to have big impacts.
HEHPA supports the Southdale Farmers’ and
Artisans’ Night Market to help bring fresh produce and
a sense of community to the Westminster neighbourhood,
which has been identified as a food desert. This means that
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there is no grocery store located in the neighbourhood and
no local transportation that will take a resident directly to
a grocery store. The access to healthy food greatly impacts
the health of a neighbourhood and it is on that note that
the Southdale Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market was formed.
The Westminster Working Group wanted to make a local
food hub where neighbours could meet and shop. The
Westminster Working Group will be operating the
Southdale Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market every Thursday
from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm during August and September in
the parking lot across from Paramount Fine Foods. This
community-driven night market helps the residents to know
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that their efforts within their own neighbourhood can be an
influence on the lives of many.
The Raja is London’s elegant Indian food hot spot, where the
traditional cuisine and gracious service are a suitable match
for the well-appointed decor. To make dining even more
pleasurable, Raja is now offering a 4-course RAJALICIOUS
Dinner for $29. The first course: Crispy papadum with 5 dufferent
chutneys; 2nd course: appetizer or soup; 3rd course: main dishes
served with rice, vegetable and Naan bread; 4th course: choices
of desserts. www.rajafineding.ca
Local Food Feasts catering is a social enterprise business
that evolved from Local Food Skills, inspired by a passion
and commitment to local seasonal food. The Local Food Skills
program provided by London Training Centre is free to
people exploring jobs or careers in food. This full-time threeweek
program provides skills training, industry certifications
and learning experiences from farm to fork, including
fundamental culinary skills, foodservice styles, growing,
harvesting and retailing food at a farmer’s market. Revenues
from caterings go entirely to support the Local Food Skills
program. www.localfoodfeasts.ca/html/video.htm. Visit
their new website www.localfoodfeasts.ca
Strathroy Farmers’ Market is one of the area’s oldest open
air farmers’ markets and has operated since 1861. The market
takes on Market Square behind the town hall in Strathroy
on Saturdays from June to October 26th. The market (open
8am–12 noon) is a member of Farmers’ Market Ontario.
Ogilvie’s Food & Artisan Market is the latest addition to
the culinary scene with a complement of year round indoor
vendors and an additional 60 vendors at the seasonal
outdoor market. There is a large patio with landscaped
gardens to sit and relax while enjoying the market experience
in London`s north west. Ogilvie’s is located at 1331 Hyde Park
Road, south of Gainsborough. There are additional parking
spaces at The Crossings just under the railway overpass.
Open Saturday 8 am–5 pm and Sundays 9 am–3 pm.
Pepper Tree Spice Co. (formerly Hyde Park Spice) announced
the opening of their second location at 223A Colborne Street, Port
Stanley. Thanks to its ongoing success over the past three years

№ 42 | July/August 2013
at the WFFAM, sharing over 300 organic spices, herbs, seasonings
and artisanal blends, Pepper Tree has been patiently waiting for
the right opportunity to grow again. To date the response has
been overwhelming to their organic, natural, additive-free, saltfree
and gluten-free products as well as their line of gourmet
organic oils and condiments. www.peppertreespice.com.
Yoda Olinyk is the chef, owner and sole proprietor of Yoda’s
Private Catering. After working in various restaurants in
London, St. Marys and abroad, this past spring she left a position
at The Only On King to devote herself full-time to her catering
business. Her kitchen/storefront is now open at 161 Ross Street,
St Thomas. In addition to catering, Yoda’s offers locally-sourced
Pre-Made Meals, available for pick-up Tuesday–Saturday, or for
delivery to London and area. Contact yodathechef@gmail.com or
visit www.letyodacookfor you.com.
FreshFest is a celebration of local farmers and the food they
grow, presented in partnership with area chefs, vintners
and brewers. The signature food event started in 2009 and
each year has included an evening of delectable tasters, live
music, culinary workshops and fundraising events in support
of the CASO Railway Station in St. Thomas..
For FreshFest’s fifth anniversary, the evening tasting
experience returns this year with more music plus two more
days for a three-day festival, July 19th to 21st. The FreshFest
Weekend will be a collaboration of good eats and good fun
with partners the North America Railway Hall of Fame
(CASO Railway Station), Horton Farmers’ Market and
Elgin County’s “Savour Elgin.”
FreshFest Friday Tasting Event showcases local
food, culinary conversation at workshops in the “Waiting
Room,” and the sweet welcoming refrains of Don Durkee
& Tom Stark, Shuug and the Temporary Men’s pleasing
blend of “County Music” and a surprise not-to-be-missed
headliner. Friday July 19, 5:30–11 pm at the CASO Station.
Horton Farmers’ Market Morning — Enjoy a FreshFest
breakfast and other special events at Horton Farmers’ Market,
Manitoba Street, St. Thomas, Saturday July 20, 8 am–12 noon.
The Sheridan Band is celebrating their 10th anniversary
with a CD release and a FreshFest Saturday Boardwalk
Party with their high-energy Celtic music. The evening
also includes an Elgin County Pie bake-off and auction, BBQ
dinner, cold refreshments and sweet treats from the bakers of
Elgin County. Saturday July 20, 5:30–10 pm at the CASO Station.
Savour Elgin Culinary Mystery Tour — Load up the car
with your children or friends, take a trek to the country where
our food is grown, and follow your map on one of three Savour
Elgin Mystery Tours. Friday July 19 to Sunday July 20.
Chef Ian McGill has stepped down as Chef of London’s Braywick
Bistro to head the kitchen at Backstage in Stratford.
Eddington’s of Exeter is open for lunch all summer long,
with a new seasonal menu getting rave reviews. Gourmet
Pizza is served Thursday nights, and fresh Lake Huron Pickerel
on Friday nights, but check out their Events Calendar for
upcoming theme nights. www.eddingtons.ca
Your love of all things Italian begins at

№ 42 | July/August 2013
Featuring specialty foods, kitchenwares,
tablewares, cooking classes & gift baskets.
115 King Street, London
519-645-1335 www.jillstable.ca
SUNDAY BRUNCH
11am−2pm
PATIO
Now Open!
Sun–Tues 11am–midnight, Wed/Thurs 11am–1am, Fri/Sat 11am–2am
The 7th Annual Stratford Garlic Festival takes place Saturday
September 7 & Sunday September 8. Celebrity Chef presenters
include Elizabeth Baird (Canadian Living), Rose Murray
(author/chef), Emily Richards, and Chef Darryl Fletcher
(Chef D-TV). Enjoy garlic braiding workshops, garlic growing
presentations, Ontario Garlic Market, and a celebrity chef
competition (chefs TBA). For more info, including the extensive
musical lineup, go to www.stratfordgarlicfestival.com
Chef Bryan Steele and Sommelier Peter Lavoie have
invited some of their favourite wineries from around Ontario
to The Prune Restaurant for a Winemaker’s Dinner
Series. Dinners will complement the wines three boutique
wineries, from Niagara (Pearl Morissette Niagara
Vineyards on Friday, July 26), Erie North Shore (Muscedere
Vineyards on Friday, September 20), and Prince Edward
County (TBA). For more info, visit theprune.com/events.php
or call 519-271-5052 and ask to speak with Peter.
The Prune has also started a Plates and Grapes evening
every Thursdays starting at 7:30pm. Food ranges from $10-$15/
plate, while wine ranges from $5/3oz, $10/6oz. For weekly
menus, visit theprune.com/plates-grapes.php
Congratulations to former Stratford Tourism Alliance
Culinary Program Development Coordinator Danielle
Brodhagen on her new position as the Director of Product
Development at Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA).
Flavours of Stratford — Two guided walking tours
present locally produced culinary delights from unique
food destinations and passionate artisans. Morning tours
run 10:30–1:30 pm. Afternoon tours run from 2:30–5:30 pm.
Conclude with a custom sandwich and sample of craft beer
or wine. $36/person, Wednesday-Sunday during July and
August. www.visitstratford.ca/attractions
Monforte Savouring Sundays — Join Monforte foragers
on an edible journey discovering seasonal foraging with a
sustainable focus. Monforte Dairy, 49 Griffith Rd., from 11
am–1 pm. $25/adult & $12.50/child.
Enjoy a VQA winery tasting paired beautifully with a selection
of Monforte Artisanal Cheeses. Monforte on Wellington, 80
Wellington St., from 2-4 pm. $25/adult & $12.50/child.
Gather for a Forest-to-Table Adventure: a four-course
Sunday dinner featuring locally foraged finds, handcrafted
cheeses from Monforte Dairy and Ontario VQA wines. $50/
adult & $25/child. Enjoy foraging on its own or continue
savouring Sundays with Monforte at the Wine & Cheese
Pairing and during a dinner that features your own foraged
goods. Savour all three for $100/person. Tickets can be
purchased online at www.visitstratford.ca/attractions
Participate in making fresh artisanal cheese and tour
Monforte Dairy with esteemed cheesemaker Ruth Klahsen.
Monforte Artisanal Cheese Making continues with a tasting of
several varietals of Monforte cheeses. $25/person. Monfore Dairy,
49 Griffith Road. www.visitstratford.ca/culinaryadventures
The annual Flavours of Perth Pork and Corn Supper BBQ
features local summer fare, famous steam engine cooked corn

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 45
on the cob and mouth-watering pies for dessert. Bid on your
favourites in the World Famous Celebrity Pie Auction! This
Stratford Perth Museum fundraiser is held at Shakespeare
Optimist Hall from 5–7 pm. www.visitstratford.ca/attractions
Take Time for Tea — Refresh and relax on the spacious back
porch of the Ambercroft while enjoying exclusive English
“Cream Tea,” featuring homemade ginger scones, lemon curd,
empire biscuits and three specially selected teas. 25$/person at
3–5pm 129 Brunswick St. every Tuesday for the months of July
& August. www.visitstratford.ca/attractions
Stratford enthusiasts guide you on the Pubs, Pilsner &
Spirits Tour, a walking pub crawl through Stratford’s Victorian
downtown. Sample four Ontario craft beers as you hear about
the spirited side of Stratford and the tumultuous brewing history
of Perth County. $25/person. www.visitstratford.ca/pubstour
Experience ancient rituals and learn about Herbal Infusions
for your Health. Taste the local flavours of herbal teas that will
calm, stimulate, build immunity, detox and heal — a guide to
blending selected herbs as you create your own signature blend
to brew at home. $75/person. Stratford Tea Leaves, 433 Erie
Street. www.visitstratford.ca/culinaryadventures
Candy Chocolate Barr’s Candies invites you into the kitchen
to explore the techniques of hand crafting a favourite candy
recipe in an exclusive custom designed workshop. No licking
the spoon! After learning the candy maker’s secrets hands-on,
indulge yourself in a take away selection of favourite candies
and chocolate treats. $75/person. Chocolate Barr’s Candies, 136
Ontario Street. www.visitstratford.ca/culinaryadventures
Join seasoned forager Peter Blush in Foraging for
Wild Edibles as he searches for wild edible plants and
mushrooms along southwestern Ontario’s Avon and Thames
River Trails. Learn how to identify, harvest and, most of all,
cook and taste these delicious wild delicacies. $30/person.
www.visitstratford.ca/culinaryadventures
Venture downtown to indulge in a Savour Stratford Culinary
Trail. Sample your way along some of Stratford’s finest
artisan shops, pubs and restaurants on the Maple Trail,
Bacon and Ale Trail, or the Chocolate Trail. $25/trail.
www.visitstratford.ca/savour-stratford
Mark your calendar for the award-winning Savour Stratford
Culinary Festival, presented by GE Café Appliances
September 20–22, 2013. Celebrity chefs prepare innovative
tastings, stroll through the outdoor farmers and artisans
market, enjoy live music and more! www.savourstratford.com
facebook.com/eatdrinkmag
twitter.com/eatdrinkmag
Our readers want to know, so send us info about culinary
events, fundraisers, and regional news. With BUZZ in the
Subject line, send to: editor@eatdrink.ca.
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№ 42 | July/August 2013
kitchen design
Choosing your Style and Finishes
From Classic to Old World, From Traditional to Cutting Edge
By SUSAN ORFALD
The first step in renovating
your kitchen is the
design plan, as discussed
in previous issues of
eatdrink. Selecting your appliances
is important in this step. The next
consideration is selecting the style and
the finishes for your space.
What style appeals to you? Is it
traditional, transitional, urban, country,
contemporary or modern? It is important
to take the style of the house into
consideration and to make selections
which accentuate and complement the
architecture and details of the home.
The floor is an important aspect. Thought
needs to be given to how it flows into the
rooms adjacent to the kitchen. Also, think of
the floor in terms of your lifestyle. Is there a
pool outside the kitchen area where people
will be going in and out with wet feet?
Whether you have small children or pets
might lead you to make particular choices.
The top selections for kitchen flooring
are hardwood, cork, tile and natural stone.
Hardwood works well with open concept
designs in terms of flow between rooms.
It is resilient, warm on the feet, and works
This Country French style kitchen has a mix of maple, cherry and
pine wood, a concrete floor, granite countertops and a stucco canopy

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 47
with almost any style of cabinetry. The
drawback is that it can scratch and dent;
but it has longevity, as it can be refinished
over time.
Cork is as comfortable as it is cushiony,
and is renewable and sustainable since
cork is harvested from the bark of the cork
tree and does not harm or destroy the
Comfortable cork flooring compliments the
cabinetry in this Traditional style kitchen
tree itself. Similar to hardwood flooring,
cork can be pre-finished in the factory, or
urethaned on site after installation.
Tile or stone flooring are practical in
terms of durability. They come in many
sizes and configurations, and lend
themselves to different styles. They can
be heated from below, which makes them
much more comfortable to stand on. Tile
can be hard on one’s legs if standing on it
for any length of time.
The floor is a sort of “back drop” for
the rest of the kitchen. If I am selecting
materials for a whole house, I often
start with flooring so that it has flow, or
coordination, from one room to the next.
The most prominent finish selections
to consider are the cabinetry. I advocate
selecting styles and finishes that have
longevity, rather than being trendy,
as a well designed and constructed
kitchen should last 30 years or longer.
You may choose to change the hardware
or countertops after some time, but a
well thought out design is an asset to a
sustainable, long lasting kitchen.
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№ 42 | July/August 2013
English Country style, with porcelain tile floors & concrete countertops
In a traditional kitchen, styles such as
Country French, English Country and
Classic incorporate wood cabinets. Maple,
cherry, oak, walnut, pine or mahogany
are popular choices. Poplar or maple
woods, combined with a medium density
fibreboard, are typically used when the
cabinetry is to be painted. Often different
woods are used within the same space to
create more of an “unfitted” kitchen or the
look of accent furniture pieces.
Finishes can be anything from clear
lacquer coats to a variety of finishes with
glazes to create furniture that looks well
worn, with sheens that range from a 10 degree
(or flat) to a 90 degree high gloss. The same
options are available for painted finishes.
Select solid colours for a more urban look, or
antiqued, glazed and distressed
finishes for a traditional space.
For distressing, cabinetmakers
create wear marks, worn edges
and other indentations to give
the appearance of a well loved
antique piece of furniture which
has been well refurbished.
Finishes can influence the overall
atmosphere of a kitchen, from
classic, refined and upscale to
comfortable, relaxed and casual.
There are many different door
styles to consider as well. For a
traditional setting, the most common
styles are a solid wood raised
panel door, or an inset panel door,
which combines a flat panel with
a solid wood frame. For a more
ornate design, applied mouldings can also
augment a door style.
In a transitional kitchen, the door style
and finishes tend to be simpler.
A “shaker style” is very flexible, and can
take on many different looks depending on
materials and hardware. Inlays of different
woods or metal can be added to doors
or other elements of a kitchen to create
different styles or looks.
In a more contemporary setting, it is
more common to use veneers, as the doors
are typically flat and more conducive
to veneers. Veneers are available in all
previously listed woods, as well as bamboo,
sycamore, anigre (an African hardwood)
and others. Many exotic woods are offered
in veneers. Figured woods give the wood
a “flamed” look. There is also
a wide selection of laminates
available for contemporary
kitchens. Newer laminates
include textured finishes that
give the appearance of wood
grain.
For hardware (handles, knobs,
pulls), chrome, brushed nickel,
brass, antique brass or pewter, oil
rubbed bronze or black finishes
are available. I often refer to
the hardware as the jewelry of
the cabinets. It is usually the
last accessory to be selected.
Bamboo veneer cabinets, hardwood floors
and a granite countertop

№ 42 | July/August 2013
In traditional kitchens you may choose
more than one style or finish. Metals can be
combined in a kitchen, in the same the way
that different finishes can work together.
Another big decision concerns the
countertop. There are many choices available.
The most popular are granite, quartz, wood,
marble, concrete, solid surface acrylics,
stainless steel, tiles, and laminate. Choices in
countertops are very personal. You may like
more of a solid or sand look, larger stones or
chips yet very uniform, or a flowing, textured
multi-coloured and patterned look — like
a piece of art. Selections like this can really
make a statement in your kitchen, or be
subservient to other materials in the kitchen.
If you are choosing granite or marble, I think it
is important, especially if there is movement in
the stone, to see the slab in it’s entirety.
Most importantly, when deciding on
your selections, take into consideration the
dynamics of the cook and people using the
space and how they will use it, as well as what
is practical, what you like and what you will feel
comfortable in for many years to come.
A Shaker style painted kitchen with walnut hardwood
floor & granite tops with marble backsplash
SUSAN ORFALD is an Interior Designer with Hutton
Bielmann Design Inc.
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519.455.3830
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50 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
Beer beer matters
Sundry Summer Beer Sojourns
Mondial de la Bière, in Montreal, and on ...
By The Malt Monk
The first major beer expo of the
summer season, Mondial de la Bière,
has wound down in Montreal and
been rolled away for another year.
The twentieth anniversary of what is arguably
Canada’s premier craft beer celebration did
not disappoint. One hundred and twenty
exhibitors presented over four hundred crafted
beers from around the world, including the
big gun micros from the U.S. and Canada.
It was great sampling fine artisanal ales in
the boisterous camaraderie of beer loving
brethren — and some of the best samples
came from Canada. Also very impressive were
the artisanal beers from Italy and Brazil, where
craft brewing has taken off in a big way. Having
a VIP pass helps in beating the line-ups in the
crowded main areas of the Palais des congrès,
so you can sample all the gold medal brews
and local terroir. Here are the results of artisan
brewing exhibitor competition:
Platinum Medal
• Gigantic Brewing Co. — End of Reason Belgian
— strong ale, U.S.A.
Gold Medals
• Cervejaria Bodebrown — Bodebrown Wee
Heavy — scotch ale, Brazil
• Le Saint-Bock — Malédiction — sweet stout,
Quebec, Canada
• Schneider Weisse — Aventinus — Dunkel
Weizenbock, Germany
• Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. — Burnt Rock
Vanilla Porter, Canada
• Cervejaria Colorado — Colorado Guanabara —
Imperial stout, Brazil
• Dieu du Ciel! — Solstice d’Été — fruit infused
Berliner Weisse, Canada
• Brasserie de l’Abbaye de Brogne — Brogne 6.5
— Abby Blonde Ale, Belgium
• Muskoka Brewery — Twice as Mad Tom —
Double IPA, Canada
• Le Cheval Blanc — Red Ale américaine —
American Red Ale, Canada
• Hopfenstark — Berliner Alexander Platz —
Berliner Weisse, Canada
• Boquébière — Hopkins Porter Fumé — Smoked
Porter, Canada
World-class artisanal beer and local Quebecois
cuisine is well worth the jaunt to
Montreal. I’d recommend a trip to the 2014
Mondial to any dedicated craft beer enthusiast.
Here’s hoping some of these medalwinning
beers will make appearances in
local craft beer establishments this year.
Photo © Olivier Bourget

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 51
Barrel Aged Beers
Barrel aged beers seem to be in vogue with
local craft brewers. Wooden wine and
liquor barrels are full of many flavourful
and aromatic compounds and tastes that,
when added to beer, create another level
of depth and complexity, and round out or
mellow the beer’s character. Some recent
notable examples:
Summer LCBO
Summer seasonal releases are arriving at the
LCBO and they show great promise with a
fine line up of international crafted brews hitting
the shelves in June. Most of these beers
have scored 80 or better on the beer rating
sites. Some notable must-tastes include:
• Mikkeller Canadian Dream (320697)
• Abbaye des Rocs Blanche Des Honnelles Strong
Belgian Wheat Ale (318907)
• Ommegang Iron Throne Blonde Ale (336032)
Niagara Craft Brewing
Another early summer junket took me to see
the two newest craft breweries in the heart
of Niagara wine country — Niagara Oast
House Brewers and Silversmith Brewing
Company — both conveniently located
on the old Niagara Stone Road that runs
through Virgil and Niagara-on-the Lake.
Both had impressive small batch brewing set
ups, which augurs well for the production
of cask-conditioned ales. Oast House had a
new release of Bière
de Garde (strong
Belgian farm house
ale) as well as a new
Smoked Irish Stout
and a delicious
Summer IPA —
all unfiltered, all
natural, flavourful
and unique.
Nothing beats sampling well-crafted beers
fresh from the brewery.
Silversmith had a new pale ale which
really got my attention — massive apricot
and pear tones with earthy hopping, very
cidery. Schwarzbier was fresh and roasty but
unfortunately the new Oyster Stout was still
in the conditioners. I will return to sample
this one. After tasting some of these two
talented brewers’ new releases I believe they
have great potential. Both have sampling
rooms and retail stores at the brewery, but
• Flying Monkeys Matador Cedar Aged Double IPA
• Cameron’s Obsidian, a rum barrel aged Imperial
Porter
• Nickel Brook’s “Old Kentucky Bastard”, a Bourbon
Barrel aged Imperial stout
• Radical Road’s Canny Man, a barrel aged Scotch
“wee heavy”
• and most recently, Bush Pilot Brewing Company’s
Barrel aged “Stormy Monday” Barley Wine.
• Howe Sound King Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen
(333138)
• Charlevoix Dominus Vobiscum Saison(333146)
• Nøgne Ø Saison (322578)
• Le Trou du Diable Shawinigan Handshake (322552)
• Brooklyn Brewery Sorachi Ace (322537)
• Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel (325738)
• Scaldis Blonde Triple (327601)
• Les Trois Mousquetaires Hopfenweisse (333468)
• Cuvée des Jacobins Belgian Lambic Ale (318758)
you can keep an eye out for their products at
craft beer pubs and the summer beer fests in
our area.

52 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
Taste of the Month
The Niagara region is not only a new hot bed of
artisanal brewing, I have long maintained that
the craft brewing studies and pilot brewery at
Niagara College were responsible for many of the
good changes throughout the provincial craft
beer industry. Niagara College craft brewing
grads and instructors have had a major impact
on the Ontario craft brewing
culture — expanding the
industry with style diversity,
innovation, repeatable
quality and new craft
brewing operations. In
keeping with this trend, a
new leading edge brewing
consortium involving
Niagara college brewing
personnel recently
collaborated to form Bush
Pilot Brewing Company.
Bush Pilot Brewing is the
brainchild of Roland and
Russell artisanal beer aficionado Vlado Pavicic
in collaboration with Niagara College brewing,
local crafters and famous brewing artisans
from around the globe. The concept is to have a
celebrated brew master design a special brew and
oversee its production at local craft breweries
in collaboration with local brewing artisans,
creating a series of exceptional one-off brews. (A
permanent brewery is in the plans.) The focus will
be on big, unique, barrel-aged craft brews.
Bush Pilot’s first offering was designed by
the legendary Danish craft brewer Anders
Kissmeyer, of Nørrebro fame. Stormy Monday
is a fruited-spiced barley wine aged in Calvados
barrels. A profusion of natural adjuncts are
used in this brew — star anise, bitter orange
peel, cocoa, cinnamon, dried fruit (quince,
apple, dates, raisins, figs), real vanilla beans,
cardamom, juniper berries and local maple
syrup are combined with several select malts
and hop varieties. At first blush this sounds like
flavour bomb overkill but consider that it was
Bush Pilot Brewing Company’s outstanding
first offering is Stormy Monday barley wine
aged for over seven months in barrels sourced
from Domaine Dupont, France. The barreled
batch was brewed at Niagara college and a non
barrel-aged batch was brewed at the Nickel
Brook brewery in Burlington. Then they did a
60/40 blend and bottled it. The results I sampled
were phenomonal, and gave me this impression:
My sample decanted dark
opaque brown ale into the
snifter; when held to light
this is a beautiful hazed
ruby color. Two-finger
tight-pored tan cap lasts
and laces (a rarity in barley
wines). The operative word
for delineating this beer’s
character is complex and
layered. The aroma is rich —
spice, dark fruit, succulent
fruit, herbaceous tones,
cocoa, layered malt aromas
— amazing. Overkill? The
flavour tells the tale — from the front side to
the middle to the finish this ale is complex. The
palate is assaulted with a host of flavours from
piquant to subtle — spices, fruits, malts, herbs,
wood, vanilla, cocoa, hops, sweet, bitter and
various impressions caused by these flavour
amalgams — some new aroma or taste keeps
emerging as the brew warms — this holds great
promise for what cellaring will do for this big ale.
This is big brash barley wine meets spiced ale
meets barrel aging — complex verging on chaos.
An ambitious first offering for this brewing
company. I’m told they have a second offering
in the works — a barrel-aged Doppelbock called
“Norseman.”
Bush Pilot will be the one to watch for truly
unique barrel-aged brews.
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/

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 53
wine
Suggestions for Al Fresco Occasions
Choosing Summer Wines, as the Host or the Guest
By Bill Wittur
As summer kicks in, we shift
our cooking and partying
activities to the great
outdoors. And many of us will
pull out a slab of meat or organize our
dinners without giving a thought to the
wine we’ll have with it. This is a shame,
because it’s important to remember that
wine and other drinks play a number of
important roles when it comes to getting
the best from your summer foods.
The greatest challenge today is working
your way through the intimidating ‘wine
wall’ at liquor stores. What to choose?
Red or white? Does a higher price always
mean a better wine? What locations
should I choose? Or varietals? Or should I
just stick with a blend?
Wine Picks for Summer Grilling
In a second, I’ll leap ahead and look at
some unique wines, but will remind
everyone of the wine and food pairing
basics that are (with a few modest
exceptions) universal: red wines with
red meat; lighter wines with lighter foods
(e.g. salads, cheeses, appetizers and so
on); dessert wines that are as sweet as (or
sweeter) than the food.

54 www.eatdrink.ca
However, if you want to explore some of
the nuances of truly enjoying a good bottle
of wine with your meal, consider some of
the history associated with wine and
food consumption. The ‘Old World’
makers knew how to build wines that
worked with food. Consumption wasn’t
conspicuous: it had purpose.
Wines were made with a delicate
balance in mind. Vitality (wine talk
for acidity) had to be keen enough to
help wash away any dried or smoked
products. Lighter wines with fruity
tastes gained from the saltiness and
spiciness of preserved foods. Fruit
and body were in high demand, but
didn’t have to overpower the foods
of the day, so they didn’t have to be
‘maximum body’ wines.
Many of our outdoor culinary
efforts are a direct translation of
these Old World sentiments, so it
should come as no surprise that there are
many wines — from places all around the
world — that fit the bill for adequate pairing.
The key is to offer a versatile selection.
№ 42 | July/August 2013
Build A Versatile Selection
Versatility speaks to trying to make most
people happy most of the time (despite the
adage that says otherwise). Every person
enjoys different nuances of wine and
the key is to find a small collection of
products that will satisfy the broadest
audience possible. As a host, you’ll
be praised and you’ll save on time,
anxiety and reputation.
Key considerations with versatility
include wine style (i.e. blends vs. pure
varietals along with the colour or
sweetness level), your audience and, of
course, price points.
The List
Let’s start with a few reds. One of my
favourites is BC’s Pétales d’Osoyoos
(LCBO product #276741, $24.95). This is
a classic “Bordeaux blend.” They take
the best of grapes like merlot, cabernet
franc and cabernet sauvignon; a touch
of petit verdot and malbec; and a healthy
oaking period (20 months). The result is a
beautiful, lush purple wine with deep plum
and tannins that will go with almost every
meal that has a red meat component to it. If
you feel like splurging, I highly recommend
the bigger sibling, Osoyoos Larose (LCBO
#626325, $45.95).
A good pick for an old-world wine is
Zantho Fine Wine’s St. Laurent (LCBO
#315556, $15.95). This is an extremely versatile
wine that goes well with a wide array of
outdoor foods, including your best red meats,
but also chicken, pork and even smoked
salmon. St. Laurent is a grape variety that
many of us haven’t heard of, but it has
similar properties to pinot noir, one
of the classic French grapes that are
perfect with most foods. It has more
body, fruit character and this wine in
particular has a great, long finish.
Because it is getting harder to find a
pinot that’s less than $20, St. Laurent
makes a perfect substitute.
Finally, you’ll need a solid red
to carry you through the evening
once the meal is done. Continue
with either of the wines above or, to
save on budget, consider Beringer’s
California Collection Cabernet
Sauvignon (LCBO #113001, $9.95).
At this price-point, the wine is

№ 42 | July/August 2013
surprisingly decent and will prop up
the evening as the sun wanes.
Moving over to the whites, we have
a favourite from a relative newcomer
called Smoke & Gamble (S&G), from
Dover Vineyards. The S&G White
(LCBO #345637, $17.95) is essentially a
chardonnay, but is modest with the
volume of oak. It delivers a subtle,
crisp and clean taste that is on the
dry side, making it a wonderful
companion to most of the lighter
items in the summer diet.
Another pleasant surprise from
Ontario is the White Palette wine
from 13th Street (LCBO #207340,
$14.95). This is a gentle white blend
of a number of grapes, focusing on
riesling and sauvignon blanc. If you
happen to barbecue a Margherita pizza,
this wine will be a great match.
Finally, for those looking for something
a little different, but who also have
price in mind, go to South Africa.
This country is one of the oldest ‘New
World’ producers and chenin blanc
is one of its signature products. KWV
makes a fabulous Chenin Blanc
(LCBO #18689, $9.45) that will keep
most white wine fans coming back
for more.
A Little Less Civilized?
If you’re planning a trip out in
the woods and getting away
from the world, remember that
bottles are at risk of being passé.
That’s right. Look for alternative
packaging in order to avoid the
embarrassing situation caused by
shards of broken glass everywhere,
a lost corkscrew or the awkward
heaviness of a load of bottles back and forth.
Boxed wine, wine in cans or tetra paks,
or wine in smaller volumes can help you
enjoy what we all set out for this time of
year: Canada’s great outdoors.
Roasts | Chops & Steaks | Tenderloin | Ribs | Sausage | Bacon & More!
BBQ TIME!
Prefer to Pick Up? Visit Our Farm!
37871 Dashwood Road, Dashwood ON
At the farm, 9–4 daily, cash or cheque only please.
Online ordering with FREE DELIVERY
www.thewholepig.ca
Phone Orders: 519-851-3327
OR Phone Orders: 519-237-3255
Meats & So Much More!
Great local
BBQ Meats
& Sauces
Hormone & Drug-Free Ontario Beef, Pork & Lamb
100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table
BILL WITTUR is passionate about food, wine and fuelling
conversations about both. He lives in London and operates
Noteworthy Wines, a private wine agency and partnership
focused on delivering unique, value wines from around the
world. bill@noteworthywines.ca
We are your London outlet for Metzger Meat Products,
The Whole Pig and Lena’s Lamb, with sauces and spices from
The Garlic Box, Pristine Olive, Steed & Co. Lavender,
Stonewall Kitchen, Hot Mamas and the
Hot Saucy
counter with jerks, rubs, mustards & aioli.
Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market: Saturdays, 8am–3pm
519-615-0633 • saucyco@gmail.com

56 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
books
COOKED
A Natural History of Transformation
by Michael Pollan
Review by Darin Cook
Michael Pollan probably knows
that many good things come
in trilogies. His latest work
completes a three-book food
journey he started in 2006 by following food
from its origins in nature and agriculture
with The Omnivore’s Dilemma, to the effects
it has on our bodies with In Defense of Food.
Pollan has now written Cooked: A Natural
History of Transformation (Penguin Press,
2013, $29.50) to show us that the preparation
of food, the stage in between coming from
nature and going into our bodies, could
be the most vital link in the food chain.
His previous research took him to farms,
feedlots, and McDonald’s, but the legwork for
Cooked started and ended in his own kitchen.
Along the way, he got help from bread bakers,
barbecue pit masters, beer brewers, artisanal
picklers, and cheese makers.
About experimenting in his own kitchen
Pollan writes: “Handling these plants and
animals, taking back the production and
the preparation of even just some part of
our food, has the salutary effect of making
visible again many of the lines of
connection that the supermarket
and the ‘home-meal replacement’
have succeeded in obscuring, yet of
course never actually eliminated.”
Cooking is a primal activity, using
the fundamental sources of plants,
animals, and fungi with the core
elements of fire, water, air, and earth
to create everyday culinary works of
art. Pollan’s wish is that we embrace
these sources and elements as a foundation
of sustenance in our own kitchens.
The elements actually provide the
backbone of the book’s four chapters: Fire,
Water, Air, and Earth. Cooking with Fire
takes Pollan to the barbecue pits of North
Michael Pollan
Carolina where
he gets his
hands into whole
hog barbeque with legendary
pit master Ed Mitchell. Chopping bellies,
loins, shoulders, and skin used in barbeque
preparation, he works so frantically to
prepare barbeque sandwiches for ravenous
crowds that he finds himself covered in pig
oil at the end of the day. He even suggests
the elegant concept of terroir, used mostly
in reference to wine, can apply to a pulled
pork sandwich, because the sense of
history that North Carolina has put into
what real barbeque is all about is tasted in
those sandwiches.
The chapter on Water gets him into
soups, sauces, and stews — dishes that
combine multiple ingredients in a pot to
simmer in a bubbling liquid. Quite the
opposite of roasting a single joint of meat
over a fire, cooking with pots, casseroles,
and tagines allows for a marriage of
ingredients which become unified with a
braising liquid to create new flavours. The
same can be said about the magic
of bread making. The chapter on
Air informs us that along with
yeast, water, and flour, a loaf of
bread consists of 80 percent air;
it is the magical ingredient that
allows bread to rise and the air
pockets in bread are where the
flavour and aroma reside.
There is even an evolutionary
theory uncovered by Pollan
called “the cooking hypothesis”, which
claims that modern homo sapiens
evolved from early ancestors only after
they discovered fire, started cooking
food, were able to quicken their digestive
processes, and had excess energy for brain

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 57
development. Pollan writes, “Cooking in
effect takes much of the work of digestion
outside the body, using the energy of fire in
(partial) place of the energy of our bodies
to break down complex carbohydrates and
render proteins more digestible.” Before
the invention of food cooked over fire,
our primate ancestors spent most of their
day expending energy by chewing and
digesting raw food.
The Earth chapter is about the fermenting
and pasteurizing processes used to preserve
all sorts of food — sauerkraut, tofu, pickles,
cheese, beer, and yoghurt. Fermentation
originally occurred in the ground, graduating
to crocks made of earthenware which are
“really just earth once removed, cleaner and
more portable perhaps, but otherwise the
same basic idea.” Fermentation is also known
as cooking with cold fire as there is no actual
heat involved but foods like cabbage and
grapes can be “cooked” with bacteria and live
cultures into sauerkraut and wine.
Pollan ends the book with brewing his
own beer because “all four elements were
represented in the beer-making process.
The barley is first cooked over a fire; the
grain is then boiled in water; and the beer,
after fermentation, is carbonated with air.
Beer is the complete four-element food.”
Above all, Pollan is interested in
informing us how his research is good
for our health and he does rail against
pre-packaged, industrialized food as
being detrimental to our well-being. He
urges that “to cook for the pleasure of it,
to devote a portion of our leisure to it, is
to declare our independence from the
corporations seeking to organize our every
waking moment into yet another occasion
for consumption.” Pollan believes that
building our own meals from scratch is
important, interesting and worthwhile, and
that every meal is a piece of artistry and
alchemy that nourishes us. He writes: “It is
the very allusiveness of cooked food that
appeals to us, as indeed that same quality
does in poetry or music or art.”
Darin Cook works and plays in Chatham-Kent and
regularly contributes to eatdrink.
Join Us for
LONDONLICIOUS!
July 19 to August 11
Owners Tim & Laura Owen
and Chef Andrew Wolwowicz
310 Springbank Drive, London (between Wharncliffe & Wonderland)
Open Monday–Thursday for lunch & dinner until 10 PM.
Open Friday & Saturday for lunch & dinner until 1AM. Closed Sundays.
519.657.1100
www.thespringsrestaurant.com

58 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
cookbooks
River Cottage Veg
200 Inspired Vegetable Recipes
Written by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Photography by Simon Wheeler
Review and Recipe Selections by Jennifer Gagel
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is
a British chef and television
personality, writer, farmer,
educator, and campaigner for
sustainably produced food. In the late 90’s he
settled at River Cottage and began a journey
of ecology, economy and sustainability.
Through the course of seven cookbooks and
a handful of television shows, he’s farmed,
fished and foraged for his dinner to show the
rest of us how it’s done.
Though he’s not a vegetarian, he advocates
the consumption of less meat and fish. “Just
ask yourself if you, or anyone you know, might
be in danger of eating too many vegetables,”
he quips in his latest book, River Cottage Veg.
Referring to himself as a “notorious carnivore”,
Fearnley-Whittingstall has long campaigned
for the ethical and sustainable treatment of
animals raised or caught for food. He is trying
to change the way we treat our food animals,
eliminating factory farms and fishing quotas
that needlessly waste catch.
In this book and an accompanying
television program, he challenges himself to
a whole summer without eating meat or fish.
Rather than finding ways to replace meat he
sets out to make vegetables shine. This is an
all out embrace of the fact that delicious food
can be made without the usual slab of meat
dominating the plate. Without the meaty
spotlight, meals are more likely to consist of
small, complimentary dishes similar to tapas.
River Cottage Veg is the result of the
author’s evangelical mission to change
your life. “Changing your prime culinary
focus from meat to veg will require a shift in
attitude - but not, I would argue, a very big
or difficult one. It’s true that if you eschew
meat and fish, you have to look at other
ingredients with fresh eyes. You have to
take a new,
more creative
approach to
them. But once you become accustomed
to cooking vegetables as main meals it will
soon seem like the most natural thing.”
One third of the recipes are vegan and are
marked as such. Many of the rest could be
revised to be vegan with a few substitutions,
mainly for butter and eggs.
Photographer Simon Wheeler has worked
with the author on several River Cottage
books. Every recipe has a picture of the
finished dish, or at least one variation of it,
as Fearnley-Whittingstall offers different
takes on many of the recipes.
Ideas for vegetable dishes have been
borrowed from all over the globe. There are
curries from South Asia where much of the
food has always been vegetarian. The chilies
stuffed with beans are Latin-inspired with
cilantro, cumin and hot smoked paprika
bringing out the best of the beans. The
middle-eastern flavoured tahini dressing is
the star of the zucchini and green bean salad
and would make an excellent dressing for
many vegetables.
River Cottage Veg is more than just a
cookbook. It is a passionate statement about
the state of the modern food system and its
pitfalls. It is a challenge to all of us to make
conscious choices about what we consume
and what those choices mean to the world
around us. And as luck would have it, more
veg on our plates is delicious and good for
us too.
Freelance writer JENNIFER GAGEL works as a research
assistant at London Public Library, and as a business process
consultant at Cunningham MacGregor & Associates. Contact
jennagagel@gmail.com

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 59
Recipes courtesy River Cottage Veg: 200 Inspired Vegetable Recipes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Appetite by Random House, May 2013, $29.95)
Tahini-dressed zucchini and green bean salad
Serves 4
For the tahini dressing
½ garlic clove, crushed with a little
coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons light tahini (stir the jar
well first)
Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
Juice of ½ orange
½ teaspoon clear honey
Sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the salad
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium zucchini (about 14
ounces/400 g), sliced into 1/8-inch
rounds
Sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper
Juice of ½ lemon
1 fresh red chili, seeded and finely
chopped
About 4 ounces/125g green beans,
trimmed
4 good handfuls of salad greens
12 to 18 oven-dried tomatoes (optional)
A handful of mint, finely shredded
(optional)
1 To make the tahini dressing, put the
crushed garlic into a small bowl with
the tahini, lemon zest and juice, orange
juice, honey, and a grind of black pepper,
and stir together well. The dressing may
thicken and go grainy or pasty, but don’t
worry. Just thin it down by whisking in a
little water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get a
creamy, trickling consistency. Finally, gently stir in
the olive oil. Taste and add a little more salt and
pepper if needed. The dressing is now ready to
use.
2 For the salad, heat the olive oil in a large
nonstick frying pan over fairly high heat and
cook the zucchini slices in batches, tossing them
occasionally, for a few minutes until tender and
browned on both sides, transferring them to a
bowl once cooked.
3 When all the zucchini are cooked, season
generously with salt and pepper, add the lemon
juice and chili, and toss together well.
4 Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Tip in
the green beans, return to a boil, and blanch for
1 minute. Drain, and then dunk in cold water to
refresh. Drain again, pat dry with a clean kitchen
towel, and toss the beans with the zucchini.
5 To assemble the salad, spread the salad greens
in a large, shallow serving bowl and scatter over
the dressed zucchini and beans, tomatoes and
shredded mint, if using. Trickle the tahini dressing
generously over the whole lot and serve.
ED note: Oven-dried tomatoes are a cinch and can
be used in so many dishes. Preheat the oven to
450ºF/230ºC. Slice as many tomatoes as you like
in half lengthwise, from core to tip. Toss with
salt and pepper to taste and enough olive oil
to coat. Lay cut side up on a baking sheet. Bake
until beginning to caramelize, 20-35 minutes,
depending on the size of tomato used. Serve
warm or refrigerate for later use.

60 www.eatdrink.ca
Chiles stuffed with beans
Author’s note: I like to use fat, mildly piquant,
poblano chiles or piquillo peppers for this dish. But
if you can’t get hold of stuffable large chiles, you
can use small red or yellow bell peppers instead.
Serves 6 as a starter, 2 or 3 as a main course
6 large, fresh poblano chiles
1 tablespoon canola or olive oil
2 or 3 shallots or 1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 ounces/150 to 200g fresh, ripe tomatoes
1 (14-ounce/400g) can beans, such as borlotti,
pinto or lima beans, drained and rinsed
A bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the garlicky yogurt (optional)
6 tablespoons/90g plain full-fat yogurt or sour
cream
½ garlic clove, crushed
1 Preheat the broiler to high. Lay the chiles on
a baking sheet and broil, turning from time to
time, until the skins begin to char. Leave until
cool enough to handle, then carefully peel away
the skins, taking care to keep the chiles whole.
Cut around and remove the stalks and a flap of
flesh to form a “lid”. Carefully scrape out all the
seeds and membranes from inside the chiles
and lids, and tip out any juice.
2 Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Heat the oil in
a frying pan over medium-low heat, then gently
sauté the shallots and garlic until soft, about 10
minutes. Slice the tomatoes in half and grate
their flesh straight into the pan, holding back
the skin. Simmer for a minute or two to reduce
slightly. Remove from the heat.
3 Add the drained beans to the pan and coarsely
mash some of them with a fork so they break
up a little - don’t over do it, you want plenty of
them to stay whole. Add the chopped cilantro,
cumin, and paprika, mix well, and season
with salt and pepper to taste. Carefully stuff
the mixture into the chilies and top with the
lids. Lay the stuffed chiles in a lightly oiled
ovenproof dish and bake for 20 minutes.
4 While the chiles are in the oven, combine the
yogurt with the crushed garlic and some salt
and pepper, if serving, and set aside.
5 Serve the stuffed chiles hot, with a spoonful of
garlicky yogurt if you like, and a crisp, green salad.
ED note: Don’t worry if not all your lids survive the
scraping out process. The bean filling toasts up
nicely where exposed.
№ 42 | July/August 2013
Roasted eggplant “boats”
Author’s note: This is a really simple but delicious
way to cook eggplants. Usually I serve them with
fresh mint and yogurt, but I’ve also tried smearing
them with a little homemade pesto, which is lovely.
To make a meal of them, serve alongside a simple
couscous salad, or just a green salad and some hot
flatbreads.
Serves 2 to 4
2 large eggplants (about 1½ pounds/700g)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 or 3 pinches dried chili flakes, or ½ to 1 large
fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for trickling
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
4 to 6 tablespoons/65 to 90g thick, plain full-fat
yogurt, plus about 8 mint leaves, shredded,
or 2 to 3 tablespoons pesto.
1 Preheat the oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Cut the
eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a small,
sharp knife, make a series of deep slashes
diagonally across the flesh, going about twothirds
of the way into the flesh, but not right
through to the skin. You want to end up with
6 to 10 slashes, ½-inch/1 to 2cm apart in each,
depending on the size of your eggplants.

№ 42 | July/August 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 61
2 Mix the garlic and chili with the olive oil.
Hold one eggplant half in your hand and
squeeze it from side to side so the slashes
open up a little. Spoon some of the garlic
and chili oil over the eggplant with a
teaspoon, using the back of the spoon to
work the oil down into the slashes. Repeat
with the other halves.
3 Put the eggplant halves, flesh side up,
in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and
pepper, then trickle over a little more olive
oil - there should be little or no unoiled
flesh showing on each eggplant half. Roast
for about 50 minutes, or until deep golden
brown and completely tender.
4 Leave the eggplants to cool slightly. Serve
them hot or warm, either dabbed with
yogurt and sprinkled with mint and a
touch more salt, or smeared with a little
pesto.
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Crossings

62 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 42 | July/August 2013
the lighter side
Which Basket Case are You?
By SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD
With the long sultry days of
summer upon us, the tingly
allure of a day at the beach or a
road trip often beckons, usually
presenting itself as a spur-of-the-moment
notion to take advantage of good weather.
No matter who you are or where you’ve
lived, you likely have a picnic tradition:
perhaps childhood memories of a special
sandwich or the European habit of happily
spreading lunch out on a blanket anywhere
at all. Strong feelings exist around food and
as a result there are numerous picnic styles
— archetypes, if you will — that you may
recognize either in yourself, or in the person
you with whom you are dining al fresco.
The Picnic Masters — The person who
packs this lunch is definitely a find. (And a
kind hello to my brother if he’s reading this!)
A lightweight insulated bag unzips to reveal
tiny goat cheese tartlets with sundried tomatoes
and a chilled sangria made from crisp
local cider with fresh blueberries nodding in
the decorative jar; obviously, these people
never forget glasses. Blushing Muscat grapes
in tidy pre-cut bunches, precision-cubed
watermelon and ice cold potato salad vinaigrette
(mayonnaise might spoil) appear next,
followed by a tiny angel food cake. There are
triangles of toasted pita and a crock of homemade
hummus (dusted with rose paprika) for
those who are merely peckish.
The Hunger Gamer — This style is
sometimes seen amongst campers. Food has
to be provided — and it is — but the entire
affair has a kind of grisly desperation about
it. Tins of strange and odd smelling stews
may appear (politely decline anything with
a German Shepherd’s profile on the label)
and often utensils may be overlooked or just
deemed unnecessary. I once had a boyfriend
who brought a camping stove to our picnic
and went on to further impress me by gently
boiling quail eggs for a Salad Niçoise; however,
when he nimbly decanted the same egg
water into mugs for our tea (“saves time and
you’d never know”) I knew this particular
episode of Brideshead
would not be revisited.
The Romantic —
This style of eating
differs from The Picnic Master’s in its nod
to history and tradition. These are the softfocus
people who actually own wicker picnic
baskets with matching cutlery in the lid. They
can often be seen wearing large brimmed
straw hats, a vintage thermos flask looped
through two fingers. Cold cooked chicken,
tortière, crusty bread they purchased along
the way and fresh figs or raspberries will
be unpacked onto a cheery cloth. There’s
a lot of effort in this style — and never any
children. If done properly, onlookers assume
that someone on staff at Downton Abbey has
lovingly packed the whole thing up for them.
The Desperado — We’ve all been there.
In an effort to get out of the house, dull and
boring items of food are quickly assembled
and stowed into that old fashioned cooler
that lies waiting in the basement, chuckling
darkly to itself as we forget year after year that
it takes three burly men to lift it before there’s
even anything inside. Eerily flat peanut butter
sandwiches will soon float desperately in the
bottom — this cooler also leaks — amidst
bruised apples, granola bars that no one
really liked in their packed lunches either and
some cans of no-name cola that are poised
to explode. The sandwiches will be ritually
disposed of at a nearby bin (unless someone
feeds them to the seagulls, which never ends
well). Thank goodness for the french fry shack
where piping hot and reliably toothsome chips
can be purchased and sprinkled with salt and
malt vinegar. Harmony is restored once more.
Whatever style you choose to embrace,
be sure to take advantage of this fleeting,
golden time of year — because even a store
bought sandwich will taste far superior if
eaten under a willow tree..
SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD is a freelance writer who also
works in the London Public Library system. She lives in London with
her teenage sons and a floating population of dogs and cats.

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