Eatdrink #41 May/June 2013

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario 

FREE 

№ 41 • May/June 

eatdrink 

2013 

www.eatdrink.ca 

The Best Signs 

of SPRING! 

A FRESH Look at 

Seasonal 

FARMERS’ 

MARKETS 

Covent Garden Market 

Masonville 

Slow Food Perth County 

St. Marys 

Horton’s 

Goderich 

Exeter 

Grand Bend 

Sarnia 

Downtown Woodstock 

and MORE! 

AND FEATURING 

Farm-to-Table Trailblazers 

Three London Chefs, with recipes 

The Queen’s Bakery 

& Part II Bistro 

Cuisine Worthy of Centre Stage, in Blyth 

Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium 

London’s Temple to Craft Beer 

Willie’s Café & 

The Sticky Pudding 

Catering Company 

Catering to the Season 

ALSO: Stratford Coffee Shops | Lambton County’s Your Local Meat Connection | Nigellissima

SAVOUR STRATFORD 

celebrates Spring 

Tap into fresh tastes on our newest culinary trail - The Maple Trail, 

intimate tutored tastings, foraging for edible spring plants, cooking 

with Ontario’s celebrated chefs AND in June – Pork-a-palooza! 

– Stratford’s unique tribute to all things pork. 

MAY 

4 Spring Foraging, Puck’s Plenty 

5 GE Café Chefs Cooking Classes, Chef Jonathan Gushue 

11 Mother’s Day Tea & Chocolate, Tea Leaves Tea Tasting Bar 

25 Cider & Cheese Tasting, The Milky Whey Fine Cheese Shop 

26 GE Café Chefs Cooking Classes, Chef Paul Finkelstein 

JUNE 

2 GE Café Chefs Cooking Classes, Chef Nick Beninnger 

9 Long Table Dinner, Stratford Chefs School 

15 Artisinal Cheese Making, Monforte Dairy 

21-23 Ribs and Blues Festival, Pork ribs BBQ 

22 Bacon Cocktails Tasting, Mercer Hall 

23 GE Café Chefs Cooking Classes, Chef Bryan Steele 

Plan your culinary getaway 

visitstratford.ca/spring 

@StratfordON 

@SavourStratford 

StratfordON 

SavourStratford

main red 

C0 M96 Y90 K2 

white 

gradient bottom 

C13 M96 Y81 K54 

black 

RAISE YOUR FORK AND GLASS TO THE 

PERFECT PAIRING OF FOOD AND WINE. 

YOUTUBE LOGO SPECS 

Because this is where the pleasures of food and wine come PRINT together on light backgrounds with inspired on dark backgrounds creativity 

standard 

standard 

and masterful craftsmanship. From our award-winning Essex Pelee Island Coast (EPIC) 

PMS 1795C PMS 1815C 

wineries to our diverse menu of world-inspired cuisine, we invite you to taste for yourself 

WHITE BLACK no gradients 

no gradients 

C0 M0 Y0 K0 

C100 M100 Y100 K100 

why we’re the shore with more. 

watermark 

watermark 

visitwindsoressex.com | 1-800-265-3633 | | | 

stacked logo (for sharing only) 

stacked logo (for sharing only)

eatdrink 

 

inc. 

Restaurants | Chefs | Farmers & Artisans | Culinary Buzz | Recipes | Wine | Travel 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario 

Think Global. 

Read Local. 

ONLINE 

Publisher 

Managing Editor 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca 

Contributing Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Social Media Editor 

Advertising Sales 

Finances 

Graphics 

Writers 

Photographers 

Copy Editor 

Website 

Printing 

Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Cathy Spencer-Quennville – cathy@eatdrink.ca 

Michael Bell – finance@eatdrink.ca 

Chris McDonell 

Bryan Lavery, Sue Sutherland Wood, 

Jane Antoniak, Dave Hammond, 

Jennifer Gagel, Rick VanSickle, Darin Cook, 

David Hicks, Kym Wolfe, Susan Orfald 

Steve Grimes, Bruce Fyfe 

Carolyn Nesbitt-Larking 

City Media 

Telephone & Fax 519 434-8349 

Mailing Address 

Impressions Printing, St. Thomas 

525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 

Copyright © 2013 eatdrink inc. and the writers. All rights reserved. 

Reproduction or duplication of any material published in eatdrink 

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

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

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

www.facebook.com/eatdrinkmag 

www.twitter.com/eatdrinkmag 

ethicalgourmet.blogspot.com/ 

Visit 

www.eatdrink.ca 

A Virtual Magnet for All Things Culinary 

Interactive Digital Magazine, Complete Back Issues and More! 

OUR COVER: Because of the timing of 

this issue, we selected a stock rhubarb 

image to represent the seasonal bounty 

of farmers’ markets in our distribution 

area. www.fotolia.com 

information, content and/or advertisements published in eatdrink 

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

represent those of the Publisher. The Publisher welcomes 

submissions but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material.

Join us for these Upcoming Events… 

• Run Around The Square — May 12 

• The Sound of Goderich — May 14 

• Kinette Street Dance — May 18 

• Relay for Life — June 21 & 22 

• Farmers and Flea Markets — open Victoria Day Weekend 

For information please contact: 

Tourism Goderich 

1 800 280 7637 

or visit our website at: 

goderich.ca

contents ISSUE № 41 

MAY/JUNE 2013 

14 

20 

24 

46 

48 

52 

58 

FOOD WRITER AT LARGE 

10 Signs of Spring! Seasonal Farmers’ Markets 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

RESTAURANTS 

14 Farm-to-Table Trailblazers: Local Chefs & Recipes 


20 Stratford Stimulus Measures: Coffee Shops 

By DAVID HICKS 

24 The Queen’s Bakery and Part II Bistro, in Blyth 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

KITCHEN DESIGN 

30 Appliances: The Tools of the Trade 

By SUSAN ORFALD 

FARMERS & ARTISANS 

34 Your Local Meat Connection, in Lambton County 

By DARIN COOK 

44 Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers, in Niagara 

By RICK VanSICKLE 

NEW & NOTABLE 

37 The BUZZ 

CATERERS 

46 Willie’s Café and The Sticky Pudding Catering Co. 


BEER MATTERS 

48 Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium, in London 

By THE MALT MONK 

WINE 

52 California Flights & Bites: “Winecation” in Sonoma 


BOOKS 

56 Words to Eat By by Ina Lipkowitz 

Review by DARIN COOK 

COOKBOOKS 

58 Nigellissima by Nigella Lawson 

Review and Recipe Selections by JENNIFER GAGEL 

THE LIGHTER SIDE 

62 Strong, But Not Bitter 

By SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD 

THE BUZZ 

62 

30 

56

№ 41 | May/June 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 7

8 www.eatdrink.ca 

№ 41 | May/June 2013 

tidbits 

Real. Local. Food. Alleluia! 

By CHRIS McDONELL, eatdrink Publisher 

Bryan Lavery kicks off this issue 

with a welcome reminder that 

Spring is really here, as our local 

Farmers’ Markets launch 

their 2013 seasons. Asparagus spears 

are popping up at a furious rate; I 

can almost hear them wriggling 

through the earth toward the warm 

sunshine. Unless you’re lucky 

enough to have your own patch 

to harvest, get to a market and 

remind yourself what “fresh” 

really tastes like. You might 

also find some newly foraged 

fiddleheads and other “wild” 

flavours of the season. I’m also looking 

forward to some rhubarb, sweetened with 

some of this year’s maple syrup. Yum! 

Eatdrink is proud of the work we recently 

completed with Tourism Oxford. Look 

for A Taste of Oxford: The Oxford County 

Culinary & Dining Guide throughout 

the county and in your local 

Tourism office. You can also 

find it quickly online at our 

website: www.eatdrink.ca. 

You’ll see some of our favourite 

restaurants and producers and 

find plenty of inspiration for a 

road trip guaranteed to satisfy 

your curiousity and your appetite. 

Don’t forget your cooler! 

oxford 

a taste of 

The Oxford County 

Culinary and 

Dining Guide 

RestauR ants 

Fa RMe R s & aRtisans 

i nns & B&Bs 

FaRMe R s’ MaR k e t s 

FaiR s & F estivals 

Happy Spring, 

‘Nuff Said. 

JUNE 21–22, 2013 

Fri. 12pm–10:30pm | Sat. 12pm–10:30pm 

teD reaDer 

GODFATHER OF THE GRILL 

with live cooking demos 

fired straight from the grill! 

Presented by 

Girls just wanna have fun 

beer tour 

hosted by Master Cicerone 

Mirella aMato 

WesternFairDistrict 

@WesternFair 

#LDNBeerBBQ

№ 41 | May/June 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 9 

Authentic 

Culinary ExpEriEnCEs 

FROM FARM TO TABLE, LONDON’S CULINARY CULTURE 

IS COOKING WITH LOCAL FLAVOUR 

WWW.LONDONTOURISM.CA/CULINARY



food writer at large 

The Best Signs of Spring! 

A Fresh Look at Our Seasonal Farmers’ Markets 


Farmers’ markets arise out 

of a community’s need for 

producers and consumers to be 

interdependent and in close 

proximity to each other. Farm fresh 

produce, artisanal products and 

a sense of community are the big 

draws of farmers’ markets. 

Many comparative studies have 

been made of the social and physical 

environment of supermarkets and 

farmers’ markets. A new economic 

reality is that farmers’ markets 

have become the preferred foodretailing 

operation for consumers. 

Farmers’ markets are confirmed to 

be friendlier, happier, interactive, 

personal, and more educational about 

food provenance than supermarkets. 

Interestingly, more than three-quarters 

of supermarket customers arrived alone, 

while at the farmers’ markets, more than 

three-quarters of market-goers arrived in 

the company of others. 

Farmers’ markets have become an 

integral and important aspect of local 

food distribution and help strengthen 

food systems and practices. Farmers’ 

markets support the health and wellbeing 

of communities as well as 

connecting to the economical, 

ethical and social systems of 

a community. In many locales 

farmers’ markets have started 

to collaborate by establishing 

synergy, sharing operational 

knowledge, best practices, vendors 

and community initiatives. 

Seasonal Farmers’ Markets 

The eat and buy local movements 

have taken Ontario by storm, and 

there are hundreds of farmers’ 

markets dotted across the province to 

prove it. Farmers’ markets allow you to 

meet the growers and taste the best locally 

sourced produce and artisanal products: 

hand-crafted bread, honey, cheese, jam, 

butter, cider and maple syrup. It is a great 

way to savour the terroir and talents of a 

community. Here are some of this area’s 

best-loved seasonal farmers’ markets: 

London Food Bank & Farmers’ Market “Buy Local, Share Local” Initiative 

Last year the London Food Bank established enhanced 

relationships with the Covent Garden Market Farmers’ Market, 

Western Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market, and the Masonville 

Farmers’ Market. “The support of the vendors and patrons has 

been extraordinary,” says Josh Chadwick, the London Food 

Bank’s Community Harvest co-ordinator. “The market initiatives 

have been successful beyond all expectations. The goal is for 

shoppers to buy a little extra from a vendor and to then donate 

the extra to the Food Bank; further any cash donations received 

at the food bank market booth are used to purchase produce 

from the vendors at that market.” 

In the first year the Community Harvest program, 

which only worked with growers on the farm, received 

approximately 52,000 pounds of donated fruit and vegetables. 

In 2011 this number increased to 92,000. 2012 was the third 

year for the fresh food program at the London Food Bank. To 

enhance such efforts, a new exercise called Buy Local, Share 

Local encourages market patrons to purchase extra fruit and 

vegetables from market vendors and drop their donations in 

the booths located in the markets. 

The Western Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market and 

Masonville Market resulted in 10,823 pounds of food 

collected (9% of total program). This is the single largest 

non-farm donation. Combined, the Western Fair Farmers’ 

and Artisans’ Market and Masonville Market provided fresh 

food to approximately 2,060 families. 

Donations from all three markets, in addition to 

increased support by participating growers ,allowed the 

total weight of donated fresh fruit and vegetables to exceed 

125,000 pounds in 2012.


The Covent Garden Market Farmers’ 

Market offers seasonal, fresh, friendly 

and local food to you twice a week outside 

on the tented square from May 4th. Share 

the passion for locally-grown food from 

local farmers, growers and producers. The 

vendors selling at the Farmers’ Market 

are involved in producing what they are 

selling, and are happy to answer any of 

your questions. For current news, recipes 

and seasonal information about the 

farmers’ market please go to their blog: 

www.coventgardenfarmersmarket.com 

Thursday & Saturdays, 8 am to 1 pm, May to 

Christmas, weather permitting. 

Masonville Farmers’ & Artisans’ 

Market has evolved into a best-in-class, 

treasure trove of over 40 local farmers, 

artisans and food producers. It is organized 

by the Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ 

Market. You can be sure to find highquality 

seasonal ingredients and products. 

Located in North London at the southwest 

corner of Fanshawe Park Road and 

Richmond Street, next to Hakim’s Optical, 

there is plenty of free parking in the 

Masonville Place Mall lot. Fridays 8 am to 2 

pm, May 11- October. Weather permitting. 

Since its inception, Slow Food Perth 

County Sunday Market has been a hit 

and a go-to food destination. Market-goers 

appreciate the good, clean, fair principles 

of Slow Food as well as the exceptional and 

produce and artisanal products offered by 

local vendors who have a passion for their 

offerings. Stratford Market Square, then the 

market returns to The Local Community 

Food Centre for the winter. Sundays 10 am to 

2 pm. May 5th to October 13th. 

Horton Farmers’ Market is a best-inclass 

market destination that promotes civic 

pride, shapes local culture and supports the 

regional economy by providing access to 

high quality food producers, craftspeople 

and artisans. If you are looking for farm 

fresh produce and meats, homemade 

preserves and baking, as well as handmade 

crafts and artwork, the Horton Farmers’ 

Market is the place to be! They strive to 

EXPERIENCE 

DOWNTOWN LONDON 

519.663.2002 | www.downtownlondon.ca


have only local producers and craftspeople 

represented, giving you a taste and 

experience unique to St. Thomas. Manitoba 

Street, ½ block north of Talbot Street. St. 

Thomas, Saturdays. May 11th to November 

2013. www.hortonfarmersmarket.ca 

Downtown Woodstock Farmers’ 

Market is a vibrant outdoor local 

market in the heart of downtown 

Woodstock on Museum/ 

Market Square. The market 

features fresh, seasonal 

produce, eggs, meat, dairy, 

baked goods, flowers, 

plants, artisans, crafts and 

more. Museum Square and 

Dundas St., Woodstock. May 

16 to October 10th, Thursdays 

12 noon to 5 pm (sometimes later). www. 

downtownwoodstock.ca 

Nestled on the West Coast of Ontario, 

the Grand Bend Farmers’ Market 

welcomes you to a season of fresh, locallygrown 

produce. The offerings of the 25-plus 

producer-based vendor group ranges 

from organic vegetables, beef and pork 

producers to flowers, bakers, artisans and 

more. If the vendors don’t grow it, produce 

it, make it or bake it, it can’t be found at 

the market. They try to offer a varied 

selection of products drawing from 

the three counties of Huron, 

Middlesex and Lambton. 

1 Main St., Grand Bend 

(Colonial Hotel Parking Lot 

- enter off Hwy 21.) Opens 

the first Wednesday after 

Victoria Day and closes 

the last Wednesday before 

Thanksgiving. 8 am to 1 pm. 

www.grandbendfarmersmarket.ca 

The Goderich Farmers’ Market on 

the Courthouse Square is sponsored by 

the Goderich BIA (Business Improvement 

Area). The outdoor farmers market offers 

Ontario grown fruits and vegetables, 

honey, maple syrup, plants and flowers, 

some pork products and fish, baked goods, 

preserves and handmade locally produced 

crafts. Saturdays, 8 am to 1 pm. Victoria 

Day to Thanksgiving. 


Exeter Farmers’ Market is located 

on Main Street (Hwy 4) beside the Trivett 

Memorial Church. Thursdays, 2 pm to 6 

pm. Mid-May to late October. 

The St. Marys Farmers’ Market is an 

exclusively producer –based market. The 

vendors at the market are all local farmers, 

home bakers and local craftspeople. 

There will be pancake breakfasts on 

June 22, July 13, August 10 and 

September 7 and a “Souper 

Douper” day on October 

19th. Saturdays, 8 am to 12 

pm. May 18th to October 

26th, with some vendors 

staying into November. 

Sarnia Sunday Farmers’ Market 

at Sarnia Bay Marina is a fresh experience! 

Buy from the producers, farmers, fishers, 

chefs and more who offer the best in local 

food. Available products: vegetables, fresh 

herbs, meats, flowers, fruit, honey, fish, 

baking, jams/jellies, gourmet products, 

locally roasted coffee, artisan crafts, and 

more. 97 Seaway Rd., Sarnia. Late May to 

late September Sundays 9 am to 1 pm. 

Farmers’ markets have become a favourite 

pastime in Ontario’s Southwest. Petrolia 

also has an open-air market on 

Saturdays from the end of May 

to Thanksgiving. The Forest 

Farm and Artisan Market 

features local producers and 

artisans’ showing home-grown 

local produce and products 

on Fridays from 8 am to 1 pm. 

May to October 

Several new farmers’ 

markets have been proposed or 

are in the works for our area. It’s too 

early for announcements; however, we’ll 

do our utmost to keep you posted. 

BRYAN LAVERY is eatdrink magazine’s Writer at Large 

and Contributing Editor. Lavery is a long-time proponent of 

farmers’ markets and General Manager of Western Fair Farmers’ 

and Artisans’ Market. He can be reached at bryan@eatdrink.ca


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



food writer at large 

Farm-to-Table Trailblazers 

Seasonal Recipes from Three Innovative London Chefs 


London is among the hottest locales 

in Ontario for chefs supporting 

farmers and local terroir. Our chefs 

are a burgeoning group dedicated 

to creating ethical, local and sustainable 

food networks. This issue we asked three 

of London’s notable farm-to-table chefs to 

showcase one of their signature seasonal 

recipes. This trio of chefs are among the 

local culinary vanguard applying timehonoured 

traditions and trusted techniques 

yet delivering a seminal, seasonal and “from 

scratch” experience in ground-breaking 

ways. They are trailblazers for the pioneering 

and emerging culinary regionalism 

found in London. 

Andrew Wolwowicz 

The Springs’ Chef Andrew Wolwowicz has earned the not so easy 

approbation of fellow chefs with his aesthetic and attention to detail. 

Wolwowicz cooks with reverence and purpose, sourcing locally grown 

ingredients from farms dedicated to sustainable agriculture, organic 

growing practices, and ethically raised livestock. His farm-to-table 

menus are progressive, with menu items crafted from local, regional 

and hyper-seasonal ingredients and are executed with aptitude, 

innovation and flair. 

www.thespringsrestaurant.com Recipe on Page 16 

Paul Harding 

Chef/owner Paul Harding’s The Only On King is a paean to locavorism 

and farm-to-table dining. Chef upholds the rigorous demands of 

cooking an ever-evolving, locally sourced daily menu. Harding 

plays to all his strengths with a tight grasp of the tenets of terroir and 

sustainability. Chef’s culinary viewpoint and cooking repertoire 

continue to astound while drawing farm-to-table enthusiasts to the 

intimate 40-seat dining room. If you are looking to satisfy your inner 

gastronome this is the ticket. Standout brunch. Satellite location at 

Western Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market. 

www.theonlyonking.ca Recipe on Page 18 

Kristian Crossen 

Windermere Manor’s Executive Chef Kristian Crossen built a formidable 

reputation with an ethical and sustainable culinary philosophy, solicitous 

about the provenance of his ingredients and how they are grown or 

raised. Chef and his culinary team showcase a farm-to-table sensibility 

with a selection of “old favourites,” signature ingredients, and taste 

experiences that change to take advantage of the seasons. Open daily for 

breakfast, lunch, dinner and à la carte Sunday Brunch. 

www.windemeremanor.com Recipe on Page 19 

BRYAN LAVERY is eatdrink’s Food Writer at Large.


Tourism Expo & Tasting Event 

Tuesday, May 28, 5–8pm 

Middlesex Centre 

Wellness & Recreation Complex 

1 Tunks Lane, Komoka ON 

OPEN 

TO THE 

PUBLIC 

Tourism Middlesex invites you to 

sample the flavours of the County! 

Local growers, producers and featured area 

Chefs will prepare culinary delights that will 

excite your palette! 

Tickets $12 .00 in advance or $15 .00 at the door. 

Call 519-205-4952 or pick up your tickets at 

Tourism Middlesex or the 

Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market 

www.tourmiddlesex.ca 

Southwest Ontario Local Food Connection 

Middlesex 

Wellness and 

Recreation Centre 

Visit the 

Tourism Expo 

and find out 

all there is to see 

and do in 

Middlesex County! 

eatdrink 

THE LOCAL FOOD & DRINK MAGAZINE 

A special thank you goes to chef, culinary activist and writer 

Bryan Lavery — @ethicalgourmet — for his generous support and expertise!


Andrew Wolwowicz’s Wildwood Duck Salad 

Serves 4 appetizer or lunch-size portions 

Chef Wolwowicz prefers these local suppliers: 

Bistro Greens, Beets — Soiled Reputation 

Duck, Sea Buckthorn Juice — Everspring Farms 

‘Nika’ Sheep’s Milk Cheese — Monforte Dairy 

Apple Cider — Western Fair Farmers’ Market 

12 oz (approx) (350 g) duck breast 

6 whole roasted beets, peeled and cut to 

preference 

16 oven-dried cherry tomatoes 

toasted hemp seeds 

3 oz (85 g) Monforte ‘Nika’ cheese 

bistro greens 

acidulated shallots, for garnish 

8 oz (225 g) apple cider 

1 oz (28 g) sea buckthorn juice 

2 oz (56 g) fresh squeezed orange juice 

a good squeeze of a nice floral wildflower honey 

2–3 oz (56–84 g) unsalted butter, cubed and 

chilled 

TO MARINATE DUCK: 

1 Whisk together some extra virgin olive oil, a 

good splash of sherry vinegar, orange juice, 

bay leaves, juniper berries and smashed garlic 

cloves. Just know to go easy on the acids here, a 

couple splashes will do fine with about ½ cup of 

oil. Wrap in ziplock bag and place in fridge for 

six hours. 


TO COOK DUCK: 

2 Pre-heat a lightly oiled skillet 

over medium heat. Season 

duck breast and lay skin side down in the skillet 

to begin rendering off some of the fat. 

3 When skin is golden brown and starting to 

crisp up, place the skillet in a pre-heated 400°F 

oven until duck is cooked to your preference. 

Cooking about five to six minutes for a nice 

medium rare is a good general guideline. 

4 Set the duck aside to rest the juices. 

TO MAKE THE DRESSING: 

5 Place the hot skillet (with the duck fat as a base) 

over a medium low heat. Add beets, apple 

cider, orange juice, sea buckthorn juice and the 

squeeze of honey. Reduce by about a quarter 

volume, then turn the heat to low. 

6 Slowly add the chilled cubed butter, a couple 

cubes at a time, while whisking. You want to 

achieve a creamy, velvety finish. 

Season very lightly with a little coarse salt. 

TO THE PLATE: 

7 Lightly dress greens with a light acidic dressing, 

and combine with dried tomatoes. Crumble 

Nika cheese over greens and sprinkle with the 

toasted hemp seeds. 

8 Place onto the centre of a dinner plate. Assemble 

beets, along with warm dressing, around the 

greens. Slice duck breast and 

divide equally over 

the greens.


So Simple. 

www.eatdrink.ca 17 

Yet ... 

Over 50 Varieties and 

Flavours of Extra Virgin 

Olive Oils & Balsamic Vinegars 

Enjoy a FREE 

Tasting Experience 

and Discover 

Your Favourites! 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar 

TASTING ROOM 

1570 Hyde Park Road • Unit #7 • London 

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



Paul Harding’s Wild Leek Soup with Battered Fieldgate Organic 

Chicken Livers, Mad Tom IPA-Pickled Wild Leeks & Mayo 

Serves 4 

1 lb (450 g) clean wild leeks (bulb separated 

from leaf ) 

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced 

1 ½ litres (6.4 cups) organic chicken stock 

½ cup (120mL) of 35% cream 

1 cup (240 mL) dry white wine 

1 tablespoon (15 mL) unsalted butter 

1 tablespoon (15mL) olive oil 

½ tablespoon (8 mL) lemon juice 

½ tablespoon (8 mL) rice wine vinegar 

½ teaspoon (5 mL) chili sauce (srichacha) 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Olive oil 

1 Over medium heat add oil, butter and leek 

bulbs and cook until tender. Add white wine 

and reduce until syrup. 

2 Add potatoes, stock and cream and turn up to 

high. Simmer until potatoes are tender. 

3 Add leek leaves and cook on high for 5 minutes. 

4 Add lemon, vinegar, chili sauce, salt and 

pepper. In blender purée until smooth and 

pass through fine strainer. Adjust seasoning to 

your liking and serve. 

Beer-battered 

Chicken Livers 

Makes 8 

Canola oil for frying 

8 chicken livers (seasoned with salt and 

pepper) 

BEER BATTER 

¾ bottle of Muskoka Brewery’s Mad Tom IPA 

1 cup (240 mL) Arva flour 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking powder 

Salt and pepper 

¼ cup (60 mL) flour for dusting livers 

1 In a bowl, whisk the eggs, add the beer, and 

add half the flour. Using a wooden spoon mix 

the remaining flour, baking powder salt and 

pepper. Cover and let rest for about 15 minutes 

before using. 

2 In a deep frying pan add canola oil until it 

covers bottom and comes up ½ inch. 

3 Turn on medium heat. Dust each liver and 

batter. Carefully place in oil and fry until golden 

brown. Flip over and fry until golden. (Five 

minutes total). 

4 Remove from oil and place on paper towel. 

Season with kosher salt. Serve as soon as 

possible. Livers should be medium rare! 

Pickled Wild Leeks and Mayo 

Makes one large mason jar of leeks 

INGREDIENTS FOR LEEKS 

1 lb (450 g) of wild leek bulbs 

1 ½ cups (350 mL) rice wine vinegar 

2 ½ cups (595 mL) water 

3 tablespoons (60 g) kosher salt 

2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar 

1 Heat all ingredients in a sauce pot (except for 

the leek bulbs) until they come to a boil. 

2 Place the leeks in a heat-proof container. Pour 

in liquid. Let stand for one hour. Jar and process 

or use within two weeks. 

INGREDIENTS FOR MAYO 

1 cup (240 mL) home-made or good quality 

store-bought mayonnaise 

¼ cup (60 mL) finely diced pickled wild leeks 

Combine and serve. Dip the livers in the mayo!!


Kristian Crossen’s Wild Leek Soup 

with Poached Egg & Shaved Gunn’s Hill Handeck Cheese 

1 kg wild leeks, whites rough chopped, tops reserved 

700 g Spanish onion, rough chopped 

350 g Yukon Gold 

potatoes, peeled 

and rough chopped 

water, or light chicken 

stock to cover 

salt and white pepper 

500 ml 35% cream 

8 small eggs, poached 

200 g sweet butter 

200 g Gunn’s Hill 

Handeck cheese, 

shaved thin 

1 In a deep stockpot, 

sweat onions and 

leek whites in the 

butter until they 

start to soften. 

Season lightly. 

Continue cooking 

for 5 minutes over 

medium-low heat 

keeping from 

browning. 

2 Add the chopped potatoes and cover 

with water or stock. Bring to a simmer and 

cook until potatoes are completely tender, 

seasoning while cooking. 

3 Transfer soup to a bar blender and 

carefully purée until smooth. Return 

to soup pot. For a smoother soup pass 

through a fine mesh strainer, pushing 

through with a ladle. 

4 Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil 

and add salt to taste. Blanch chopped leek 

tops for 2 minutes and then transfer to an 

ice water bath. Blanch in small batches 

so as not to bring the temperature of the 

water down from a boil. 

5 Purée the tops in blender until smooth 

and pass through a fine mesh strainer. 

Reserve. 

6 To serve, bring soup to a simmer and add 

in the cream. Adjust seasoning. Add in 

leek top purée for colour and additional 

flavour. Serve immediately as colour will 

diminish quickly. 

7 Top each soup with a warmed poached 

egg and some shavings of the Handeck 

cheese. 

Enjoy 

your 

life! 

Classes starting 

Register now! 

fanshawec.ca/ce



restaurants 

Stratford Stimulus Measures 

A guide to The Festival City’s downtown coffee shops 

By DAVID HICKS 

Not only does Stratford oast the 

largest repertory theatre in the 

English-speaking world, the most 

parkland per capita in Canada, 

culinary tourism, music festivals, boutique 

shopping, and more chocolate than might 

be considered wise … it’s all walkable. 

As a result, a Stratford café culture is 

emerging. Independent coffee shops are 

differentiating themselves, and working out 

their distinct personalities. Most are fair 

trade (or in some way ethical), with organic/ 

local dairy inputs, and baking. Here’s a quick 

roundup of five cafés to try, all within a twoblock 

radius. 

Balzac’s 

If Stratford has a place to see and be seen, it’s 

through the floor-to-ceiling front windows of 

Balzac’s, on Ontario Street. This is the founding 

location of now seven locations between 

here and Toronto, and is a local landmark. 

Belle époque pressed tin abounds, there’s 

indoor seating for 40, and in summer the 

sidewalk tables are 

prized and the shaded 

back deck is coveted. 

Eye-openers are offered 

for early risers. Efficient 

counter service, five 

brews at the ready, 

espresso drinks (including 

the Café Canadien 

made with maple 

syrup), 15 bean varieties 

(available by the pound), 

and baked goods under 

glass. Also, plenty of teas 

and herbal infusions for 

caffeine moderates. 

MON–FRI 6:30am–8pm; 

SAT & SUN 7am–8pm. 

149 Ontario Street 

www.balzacs.com 

A cappucino from Revel Caffè 

The Bakery Café at Pazzo 

Last season, this extension of Pazzo Taverna 

& Pizzeria (at the convergence of Ontario, 

Erie, Huron and Downie Streets) added 

indoor seating for 16 and three sidewalk 

tables. The Euro-style bakery offers fresh 

desserts and 

baking, from 

cookies to pies, 

plus light lunches 

made from 

scratch, a salad 

bar, and picnic 

baskets. But it’s 

the polished 

copper hand-pull 

Victoria Ardino 

espresso machine 

(plus three drip 

coffees) that 

keeps the Bakery 

in the “café zone.” 

Karen Hartwick’s 

Tea Leaves line is 

Balzac’s Cathy Segeren


represented. If you have kids with you, 

the ice cream sandwiches made with 

Kawartha Dairy ice cream and three 

daily choices of cookie, will give them 

a happy buzz of their own. 

TUES–SAT 8am–6pm; SUN 8am–3pm; Closed MON. 

76 Ontario Street • www.pazzobakery.ca 

Revel Caffè 

This past winter, Anne Campion and 

her loyal Revel-utionaries shifted 

to the renovated E.G. Budd & Sons 

feed store on Market Square, behind 

City Hall. The major re-design 

yielded custom furniture from the 

renovation and preservation of 

the original painted wall signage. 

There’s a variety of seating — at counters, café 

tables and a large communal table — and the new 

deck out back will be a summer favourite. Revel 

trumps fair trade with direct trade coffee from a 

third-generation plantation in Nicaragua, via the 

granddaughters at Las Chicas del Café in London, 

Ontario. There are French press coffees and milky 

espresso drinks, but try the espresso neat — the 

crema is as it should be and the flavours hit high 

fruity and wine-y notes. In summer, the glacially 

cold infused coffee is a new experience. Lots of 

Tea Leaves on hand here too. Fresh baking is done 

behind the counter in the open kitchen. 

SUN–WED 8am–6pm; THURS–SAT 8am–8pm. 

37 Market Place • www.revelcaffe.com 

Buzz Stop 

Tucked away on York Street, Buzz Stop is the 

specialty coffee shop that kicked off the trend in 

Stratford. Nancy Hotson has been selling coffee, 

tea and cigars since 1989. She keeps 4 freshly 

ground brews for takeaway, from a roster of nearly 

50 varieties. Espresso drinks are available too. 

There are about 40 teas and a range of hard-to-get 

specialty foods, including Steed & 

Co. Lavender, The Garlic Box, and 

Jakeman’s maple syrup products. 

If your buzz of choice is a cigar, 

you’ll find the best local stock of 

Cubans, Dominicans, Hondurans 

and domestics. No seating indoors, 

but there’s a table for 4 and a pair of 

benches on her shaded front patio. 

MON–SAT 9:30am–5:30pm; SUN 10am–3pm. 

17 York Street • www.buzzstop.com 

The Bakery Café at Pazzo barista Madison Wilson 

Revel Caffè’s Anne Campion 

Continued next page ... 

Buzz Stop’s Nancy Hotson



Continued from previous page ... 

Slave to the Grind’s Heather Walker 

Slave to the Grind Espresso Bar 

Formerly Sputnik Espresso Bar, the 

new owners, Your Local Market 

Co-op, opened on March 1st. 

Heather Walker is overseeing the bar 

in this an intimate sliver of a space 

on the west block of Ontario Street. 

Among espresso drinks and two drip 

coffees, their signature drink is the 

Fully Monty Mocha with homemade 

chocolate sauce, espresso, steamed 

milk, whipped cream and chocolate 

shavings. Try Katelyn Vere’s 

expanded array of fresh baked goods 

like dark chocolate cherry muffins 

and apricot-ginger or blue cheese 

scones. Cozy seating is limited to 12, 

but a backroom overlooking the river 

will accommodate up to 16 when it’s 

redone for summer. Summer hours 

are not decided yet, but begin with: 

MON 8am–5pm; TUES–SAT 8am–6pm; SUN 9am–4pm. 

46 Ontario Street 

www.grindstratford.com 

Eat. Drink. 

Helping you entertain in 

style for over 115 years. 

DAVID HICKS is a Stratford freelance writer and 

branding consultant who believes he can quit coffee 

any time. If he wanted to. Really, it’s not a problem.


Stratford is 

more than 

great theatre. 

Bean to Barr Chocolate 

Fair Trade, Organic, and Vegan. 

Made from scratch, right here. 

Trinidad 70% • Peru 80% • Madagascar 90% 

visitstratford.ca 

@StratfordON StratfordON 

Ontario focus. European Style. 

INN | RESTAURANT 

Chef-inspired artisanal 

food and drink featuring 

local seasonal cuisine, 

Ontario-focused wines & 

house-infused cocktails. 

FOLLOW US 

for up-to-date info 

on our ongoing series 

of exciting events! 

fb.com/mercerhall 

twitter.com/MHResto 

BRUNCH • LUNCH • DINNER • EVENTS 

104 Ontario Street, Stratford 

519.271.9202 www.mercerhall.com



restaurants 

Cuisine Worthy of Centre Stage 

The Queen’s Bakery and Part II Bistro, in Blyth 


If you could find a sophisticated urban-chic cafe and 

a creative bistro with an internationally-inspired 

menu sourced 

with fresh 

local ingredients, 

and place them in 

rural Southwestern 

Ontario across 

the road from 

outstanding original 

Canadian theatre, 

would that make 

you happy? Oh, yes. 

Thank you, Blyth. 

The tiny village, 

home to the fabulous Coconut Macaroons 

Blyth Festival 

Theatre, (www.blythfestival.com) now offers visitors 

two new dining options. The Queens Bakery www. 

queensbakeryblyth.com is owned and operated by 

two Blyth couples who have introduced espresso 

shots, custom made hot beverages, soups and baked 

goods to the area, in a funky urban ambience. Next 

door is Part II Bistro, www.part2bistro.ca, the creation 

of chef/owner Peter Gusso who has 

returned home to Blyth after cooking and 

travelling through the British Isles with his 

wife Sarah. Gusso wowed the judges at the 

2012 Taste of Huron chef’s competition and 

he continues to delight customers at his full 

service restaurant. 

The two eateries complement each other 

nicely. The Queen’s Bakery offers light and 

nutritious breakfasts and lunches including 

oatmeal, chili and soups, alongside more 

sinful choices of cheeses, desserts and 

speciality coffees including liquor shots. 

Part II Bistro provides delicious and hearty 

European-style meals including lamb, beef, 

chicken, pork and veal prepared creatively 

and expertly by Gusso. It is also licenced 

and features an interesting VQA listing and 

Ontario beers, a bonus for the crew and cast 

at the Blyth Festival Theatre. Not only do 

they now have the option of big city-style 

Queen “B “ 

Specialty Coffee 

French Toast Royale 

Queen’s Bakery co-owners (from the left) 

Rick & Anne Elliot and Les & Jackie Cook

offerings, but it’s right across the street. Both 

the bakery and the bistro open early and 

close late to accommodate theatre-goers. 

“We started something we thought we’d 

enjoy going to,” says Anne Elliot, one of the 

owners of the Queen’s Bakery. “We have 

a product that people are yearning for: a 

place where they can come and sit and stay 

a while.” 

The bakery’s décor certainly leads 

to relaxation. There are a variety of 

comfortable seating options including 

cushy chairs at tables, and visitors might 

find themselves being entertained by local 

musicians who have gravitated to the 

bakery for informal jam sessions. 

The owners, Anne & Rick Elliot and 

Jackie & Les Cook, met over dancing 

lessons at Les’ dance studio. Now, they 

incorporate music into the bakery. “We 

don’t have a TV and we don’t have a clock,” 

says Les happily. “We also don’t play any 

radio stations, just the music we like.” 

The bakery promotes local food talent as 

well, offering Johnston Apiaries honey for 

sale (from nearby Goderich), Blyth Farm 

Goat Cheese from Paul Van Dorp (also 

available in London at All ‘Bout Cheese/ 

Western Fair Farmer’s Market), Arva Flour 

mill flours and oatmeal, Pelee Island 

wines, Neustadt Springs Beer from north of 

Guelph, Coastal Coffee from Ben Gingrich 

of St. Joseph’s, North Huron Mushroom 

Farm mushrooms in their soups and 

Hannah’s Maple BBQ sauce from Odessa. 

Anne and Les are the baristas while 

Jackie does the baking and cooking.



“Originally we thought 

treats and coffee,” says 

Anne. “Then it quickly 

evolved and took on 

a life of its own. We 

put out a pot of soup 

for us to eat while 

we were working. 

Well, the lunch has 

really taken off! We 

thought we’d be dead 

in the winter, but the 

opposite happened! I 

think we have given a 

lot of locals their first 

cappuccino,” laughs 

Anne. She didn’t 

even drink coffee herself before attending 

barista school in Toronto and is now a 

convert to quality hot beverages. 

Meanwhile, Peter Gusso, at Part II Bistro 

has done nothing but cook his whole 

life. The Fanshawe College culinary grad 

worked at Waldo’s with Mark Kitching and 

then took off to cook abroad in the British 

Isles more than seven years ago with 

his partner Sarah. Together, they 

gained incredible experiences and 

recipes before returning home to 

the Blyth area in 2009 for a family 

reunion. Realizing how much they 

missed their family and friends, 

they decided it was time for “part 

2” of their lives: opening their own 

culinary business. First they ran 

the Blyth Station House B & B and 

a catering business. Then, in June 

Part II Bistro Owner/Chef Peter Gusso 

2012, they opened the 

bistro. In short order, 

Gusso won the Taste of 

Huron chef’s challenge 

and has been drawing in 

Huron County fans ever 

since. 

The bistro dining room 

is casual with a modern 

flair, featuring theatre 

posters on the walls and 

large plates of interesting 

foods on the tables. Try 

his sweet chilli beef 

tacos as an appetizer or 

lunch or his mushroom 

bruschetta featuring 

Huron mushrooms. Chef also cooks with 

Metzger bacon and beef from nearby 

Hensall, Out of the Blue fish from Bayfield, 

trout from Headley farm and sausage from 

Scrimgeours in Blyth. “A lot of what I do 

features recipes from abroad with local, 

fresh ingredients,” says Gusso. He has 

some fun too, offering guests “soup shots” 

instead of a bread basket and playful takes 

Part II Bistro dining room 

on mussels by steaming them in 

Guinness. His pork spring rolls 

with a sesame lime dressing are 

scrumptious. 

The mains are large and 

impressive, especially the lamb 

osso buco which features whole 

shanks and his gigantic ravioli 

stuffed with sweet potato and 

butternut squash. 

“I’m trying to mix it up a bit,” 

Gusso says as he expertly moves 

around his small kitchen. “I 

just wanted to come home and


Mushroom Bruschetta 

Crème Brûlée 

build on this community. With Blyth being 

a theatre town in the summer there wasn’t 

any place to go out and have a nice time. 

Our first summer was much bigger than we 

anticipated and now we are really ready for 

this one.” His staff of seven includes another 

Fanshawe culinary grad, Matt Cottrill. 

Blyth is located about an hour and fifteen 

minutes north of London on Highway 

4, north of Exeter. Previews at the Blyth 

Festival Theatre start on June 11th with 

their smash hit from last summer, Dear 

Johnny Deere, featuring the story and 

music of Fred Eaglesmith. Don’t miss 

this limited run show! Eaglesmith is also 

performing a concert at the Blyth hall on 

May 25th — a rare treat! 

The regular season of five plays opens 

June 26th with Beyond the Farm Show and 

continues with Yorkville: The Musical, 

Garrison’s Garage, Prairie Nurse and 

Falling: A Wake. 

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to eatdrink. 

She is also the Manger, Communications & Media Relations for 

King’s University College at Western in London. 

Part II Bistro photos by PAINTED BLACK STUDIO 

(www.paintedblackstudio.ca)


Dine 

• Shop • Stay • Play 


Enjoy Ontario’s West Coast 

ontarioswestcoast.ca 

@onwestcoast Ontario’s West Coast & Taste of Huron 

Celebrate SPRING with Eddington’s! 

PATIO 

OPEN 

NOW! 

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 

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


A Fresh Take on Tradition 

Come for dinner or 

a romantic getaway 

on the Huron Shore 

Mongolian 

Grill 

Thursday Nights 

All Summer 

starts June 27 

Serving Lunch & Dinner 6 Days a Week 

Always Closed Mondays 

Reservations Recommended 

www.hessenland.com 

Stylish German Cuisine 

Distinctive Accommodations 

Sommernacht ’Fest 

A Celebration of Summer 

Dinner & Dance 

Saturday, June 22 

519.238.6224 

42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend 

www.finerestaurant.com 

RR #2 Zurich ON Hwy 21, north of Grand Bend, 1 hour from London 

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



kitchen design 

Appliances: The Tools of the Trade 

Reflections on Kitchen Design: Part II 

By SUSAN ORFALD 

W 

hen embarking on a kitchen 

renovation, one of the most 

important considerations is 

the type of appliances to be 

incorporated into the design. 

Ranges, Cooktops & Ovens 

One of the first questions — as it impacts the 

floor plan considerably — is whether you 

would like a range, or a separate cooktop 

and oven. If you frequently entertain and 

have the space, consider a range with an 

additional oven for cooking larger meals. 

This can also be an advantage from an 

energy conservation point of view, as you 

have an option to use a smaller oven when 

you’re just heating up a dish for a couple of 

people. 

There are many sizes in ranges and 

cooktops. The standard size is 30” (usually 

four or sometimes five burners); the next 

size up is 36” with five to six burners; and 

a 48” size typically accommodates six 

burners and two ovens in a range. There 

are larger ranges available, if you entertain 

often or are a professional baker. 

If you decide on a cooktop and oven 

independently, you must consider the 

height at which the oven should be 

installed. If located into a wall cabinet, 

lifting items out of the oven is easier 

and more convenient. The oven can be 

“banked” with other appliances such as 

a microwave oven, or a warming drawer. 

There are also “combi” ovens available that 

combine the oven, microwave, and even 

the warming drawer into one appliance. 

When a wall oven is included in the 

design, it is conducive to more than one cook 

working in the kitchen at once, as it physically 

separates the appliances. A cooktop and 

separate wall oven would also be an asset in 

a wheelchair-accessible kitchen in terms of 

working at convenient heights. 

This kitchen (above) features a sink in the island. A 

dishwasher is housed beside the sink. Opposite the 

sink, there is a 36” dual fuel range with stainless 

steel exhaust hood. Below, another wall in the same 

kitchen features an integrated fridge and a secondary 

wall oven with microwave and trim kit above. 

The kitchen 

shown to the 

left has a fiveburner 

gas 

cooktop, with 

oven built-in 

below, with 

an integrated 

exhaust unit 

above.


This kitchen has a large stainless steel fridge with ice 

and water; built-in microwave shelf; gas cooker with 

stainless steel chimney exhaust hood; two ovens built-in 

below counter; three sinks; dishwasher and (see inset 

photo) built-in wine and beverage fridges. 

You can also select a cooktop with an oven 

built below it, for a more built-in, streamlined 

look, without taking up additional wall space. 

There are a few additional appliances you 

may choose to consider in your planning: a 

steam oven, speed oven, or built-in coffee 

maker; these are all options that can be built 

into a tall cabinet. 

Electric, Gas or Induction? 

The other cooking decision to consider 

is energy: electric, gas or induction? 

Many people choose electric as it is more 

familiar, there are sleek designs, and they 

are easy to clean. However, they do take 

longer to respond to temperature, taking 

longer to heat up or cool down as you’re 

cooking. The majority of the renovations 

I do include installing a gas cooker. They 

are efficient, quick to respond to controls, 

clean and, as most people have a gas 

furnace, are not too difficult to install in a 

renovation. Many of the ranges available 

are “dual fuel,” which is a gas cooktop with 

an electric oven. 

Induction is a fairly new method of 

cooking. It uses an electromagnet, creating 

electromagnetic field and using the pan as 

the heat conductor, and keeps the cooking 

surface safe to touch. Induction cooking 

uses the minimum amount of energy as it 

senses the size of the pan, and is very quick 

Interested in Learning How to Clean Deeper & Chemical Free? 

Clean your kitchen—and EVERY room—with just ENJO & water! 

No Chemicals • Safer • Faster • Easier 

Lynn Grushka INDEPENDENT ENJO CONSULTANT 

www.fb.com/lynngrushkaenjopage 

519-859-2508 • www.enjo.ca/lgrushka



would fit up into the canopy and be 

exposed on the bottom only. 

This kitchen includes an integrated refrigerator, fiveburner 

gas cooktop with integrated exhaust hood 

above; and wall oven with microwave/grill oven above. 

to heat up. With induction cooking, your pots 

need to be steel, enameled steel, cast iron 

or stainless steel. You can test your pots by 

seeing if a magnet will stick to the bottom. 

Range Hoods 

Another major design decision that will 

affect the kitchen design plan is what type 

of fume extractor (range hood) to use. 

The simplest hoods are mounted below 

the upper cabinets, above the range. They 

may be stationary, or have a pull-out 

that activates the exhaust. There are also 

chimney style hoods that make more of 

a feature of the cooking area. Materials 

used are typically stainless steel and 

glass. Downdraft exhausts are available 

when your cooktop or range is located in 

an island. A popular choice if you want to 

bring focus to a canopy or integrated hood 

is to build in an insert. The power unit 

This kitchen includes a stainless steel french door 

refrigerator, 36” dual fuel range, chimney style canopy, 

microwave speed oven, dishwasher in the island, main 

sink in the island and prep sink at the end. 

Refrigerators 

The refrigerator is typically the 

largest appliance in the kitchen and 

requires careful consideration. What 

are your requirements in terms of 

family size? Do you have additional 

fridge or freezer space in another area 

of your home? What configuration 

is most convenient? I discuss with 

many customers the advantages and 

disadvantages of various styles and 

what their past experiences have been. I 

personally prefer either a bottom mount 

freezer, as the fridge portion is used more 

often than the freezer, or a French door 

style that has the freezer below and two 

Integrated refrigerator, double wall oven, bullt-in 

microwave shelf, electric cooktop, with slim-line 

integrated pull out hood. 

upper doors on the fridge. This latter option 

is especially convenient if the space in front 

of the fridge is limited. 

When selecting a fridge, rather 

than taking the square footage of 

the fridge into consideration, look at 

the amount and size of shelf space 

the fridge accommodates. If you are 

opening up the kitchen to a dining 

room or family room, it may benefit 

the overall appearance to have 

integrated appliances, with the fridge 

panels and hardware match the rest 

of the cabinetry. This can also be 

an asset in a smaller kitchen, so the 

fridge does not become a focal point. 

Larger kitchens can accommodate a 

hospitality area (a “servery” area for food 

and drinks), that can include a beverage 

fridge, icemaker, or wine cooler.


Other Appliances 

The dishwasher is typically located 

next to the sink for ease of clean-up, 

or close to cabinets that you will 

store the dishes in. The dishwasher 

is another appliance that I often 

recommend be integrated so that 

the panel blends in with the rest of 

the cabinetry. 

As previously mentioned, the 

microwave can be located above a 

wall oven, combined as a microwave/ 

rangehood option (if space is limited), 

in a wall cabinet built to accommodate the 

microwave, or below the counter. This is 

the least efficient place, although there are 

microwave drawers available to make this 

location more effective. 

Thought needs to be given to storage 

space for smaller countertop appliances 

such as blenders, juicers, coffeemakers, 

toasters, mixers and bread makers. 

In this age of technology there are 

even appliances that you can program 

or control from your smart phone. When 

making your selections, do your research 

This kitchen includes a stainless steel top fridge, 

bottom freezer, built-in microwave shelf, 

stainless dishwasher, 48” dual fuel range with 

two ovens, stainless pro-style hood above 

and find out which appliances are best 

for you and your kitchen design, taking 

into consideration functionality, energy 

efficiency and longevity. 

SUSAN ORFALD is an Interior Designer with Hutton Bielmann 

Design Inc. 

“I was honoured that you trusted my advice. 

Congratulations on your successful launch 

and welcome to The Millhouse! 

Now 

Open! 

7 Week 

Days 

a 

LOCAL, NATURAL & ORGANIC MEATS, 

SEAFOOD, CHEESES, OILS, SAUCES & PRESERVES 

TRUSTED ADVISOR, 

TRUSTED NAME, 

TRUSTED NEGOTIATOR, 

TRUSTED PERSON. 

Paul Kash 

Sales Representative 

office: 519.438.5478 

cell: 519.777.3895 

email: pkash@nuvistarealty.ca 

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”



farmers & artisans 

Carnivorous County Connections 

Lena’s Lamb, Franz Turkey Farms and Bluewater Beef 

are Lambton County’s Your Local Meat Connection 

By DARIN COOK 

WA recent morning commute 

took me down winding 

country roads through 

endless pastures to an out-ofthe-way 

farm in Lambton County. This was 

not your typical 

urban commute 

with start-and-stop 

traffic on packed 

roadways, but a 

rural meandering 

that reminded 

me how fortunate 

we are in this area 

to be surrounded 

by local agriculture. Coming from Kent 

County, travelling through the small towns 

of Kent Bridge, Eberts, and Tupperville, 

I wasn’t stopped by a single traffic light. 

The collection of country roads led me 

to Wilkesport, just outside Petrolia, 40 

kilometres from Sarnia. Here I met a group 

of three independent farmers who reside 

within 10 kilometres of each other and have 

combined forces to supply a variety of highquality 

meat direct to consumers in their 

community and beyond. 

Your Local Meat Connection 

was a business initiative 

started three years ago by 

the owners of Lena’s Lamb, 

Franz Turkey Farms, and 

Bluewater Beef. Each farm 

runs independently but they 

made the savvy business 

decision to showcase their 

three types of meat as a 

Lambton County brand. 

They combined advertising, 

marketing, trade show fees, 

and administrative efforts to 

help the financial side of their 

businesses in a competitive 

industry. An internet presence at www. 

yourlocalmeatconnection.com acts as a 

portal to their individual websites. (It is 

more likely that a Google searcher would use 

“local meat” rather than “local turkey” or 

“local beef” so their 

services are found 

more readily). 

Lena’s Lamb 

Darlene Pettit 

and her husband 

Dave run Lena’s 

Lamb at their 

Wilkesport farm. 

Darlene decided 

on lamb as a type of livestock that she could 

handle easily on her own when needed and 

that could be fed with peas, oats, and corn 

from their own land. Knowing that lamb 

is tried more reluctantly than other meats 

by those unfamiliar with it, she wanted to 

capture people’s attention with a quality 

product. Darlene says, “I became a farmer 

to create the right product that comes from 

our farm. Customers decide if they want it 

based on quality. When you believe in your 

product and are comfortable 

with what is leaving the 

farm, taste is where it’s at; 

you can’t go wrong with good 

tasting meat.” She generally 

sees more interest in lamb 

in urban areas, where it is 

often available at fine dining 

restaurants. She also point 

out that lamb is “a naturally 

healthy alternative” to provide 

variety in home-cooked meals. 

Dave & Darlene Pettit and family of 

Lena’s Lamb, Wilkesport


Bluewater Beef 

Bluewater Beef is a 

combination of two 

family farms near 

Bridgen. Ralph Eyre 

was raised on a dairy 

farm and foresaw a 

profitable business 

from selling freezerready 

beef products 

at farmers’ markets. 

This idea took off 

when he and his 

wife Brenda joined 

another farming 

family, Murray and Sandi Shaw, to create 

Bluewater Beef. The business model was 

aimed at scaling down the traditional 

larger sides of beef to a more manageable 

package program, geared around cost, 

cooking preference, and time of year. For 

instance, a summer BBQ package includes 

grilling steaks, burgers, and ground beef. 

The goal is to produce a quality product 

with strict feeding and breeding methods 

across both farms to maintain a consistent 

Bluewater Beef brand. 

Ralph & Brenda Eyre and Murray & Sandi Shaw and 

their families created Bluewater Beef, near Brigden 

Franz Turkey Farms 

While Lena’s Lamb and Bluewater Beef 

have both been in business for five years, 

Franz Turkey Farms has been in the family 

for over fifty years. Nikolaus Franz started 

the business in 1960 and his son, Gary, 

took over along with his wife, Theresa, 

who married into the family and became 

an integral part of the business right 

away. The third generation (daughters, 

Monika, Rachel, and Erika) is now heavily 

involved in the operations. Even the fourth 

generation, Theresa and Gary’s young 

grandchildren, ages 1 to 5, like to help check 

the barns. In fact, all three businesses in 

Your Local Meat 

Connection are truly 

family affairs, with 

the children pitching 

in with part-time 

help where they can. 

At Bluewater Beef, 

the Eyre’s have three 

teen-aged children 

and the Shaw’s have 

four. At Lena’s Lamb, 

the three younger 

Pettit children 

provide assistance 

by tending to the 

crops that feed the 

animals. 

Expanding a 

Niche Market 

The three busi nesses 

each draw customers 

to their farms in 

different ways. Lena’s 

Lamb sells from the 

farm and, given the 

unique nature of 

their livestock, often 

get requests for certain types of lambs. The 

requests may not coincide with the type of 

farm that Darlene runs, as her focus is on 

three particular breeds — Suffolk, Texel, 

and Dorset. By raising them in ways to 

nurture the quality she is looking for in an 

end product, she chooses the best in each 

breed when the time is right. Sticking to 

this process is converting people to its great 

taste. In recent statistics, only 1% of farmers 

in Lambton are sheep farmers. Darlene 

does what she can to spread the word by 

instructing her customers through direct 

marketing and posting cooking tips and 

recipes on the Lena’s Lamb website. 

While beef and turkey are not such 

small portions of the industry, Bluewater 

Beef and Franz Turkey Farms are carving 

out niches of their own. Ralph and his 

associates have held on-farm open houses 

to entertain and educate customers about 

their products. Consumers are sometimes 

far removed from agricultural realities 

and not informed enough to make the best 

purchasing decisions, but they can learn a 

lot when visiting the farm directly. Franz 

Turkey Farms draws customers by having a 

retail store on the farm in Petrolia, selling 

frozen turkey year 

round and fresh ones 

during the main 

holiday seasons. 

The turkeys are all 

processed at an 

on-site plant. Other 

The multi-generational 

Franz family have operated 

their namesake turkey 

farms for over 50 years, just 

outside of Petrolia



products like turkey pies and sausages join 

the whole birds in the store freezers. 

Chefs have taken notice of these quality 

products. All three are featured at Bridges 

restaurant in Sarnia. Chef Phil Washington 

not only cooks with the products, but 

identifies the sources in “A Taste of 

Ontario” menu. The menu descriptions 

— Bluewater Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio, 

Franz Turkey Club Sandwich, and Lena’s 

Lamb Chops — make it clear where the 

proteins come from, providing an excellent 

marketing strategy to highlight that great 

tasting local meat can be enjoyed as a 

professionally prepared meal. The three 

farmers also have a combined booth at 

the annual Fusion Food & Wine Show in 

Sarnia, where local chefs showcase their 

products in a variety of dishes. 

Two of the three meats make their way 

to London for retail consumption: Lena’s 

Lamb is sold through Saucy Meats & So 

Much More at the Western Fair Farmers’ 

Market, and Franz Turkeys can be found at 

Sunripe Markets. The bulk of beef sales are 

through the website, with most orders handdelivered 

to the customers. Restaurant 

orders and market sales round out the rest 

of their transactions. The majority of market 

sales occur at the Petrolia Farmers’ Market 

where all three work together on Saturdays 

in the summer months. 

The nexus these farmers have made 

with each other through Your Local Meat 

Connection has enhanced each of their 

businesses and created an extended family 

of farmers, allowing them to connect in 

turn with customers through farmers’ 

markets, restaurants, and home cooking. 

My drive home that day was a mirror image 

of the drive there: I passed through the 

same farmland with similar, but now more 

enlightened thoughts about how the land is 

a connection to our food. And it is farming 

families like these that bridge the distance 

between the food and consumers. 

DARIN COOK works and plays in Chatham-Kent and is a 

regular contributor to eatdrink. 

Full 

Now 

Dinner 

Featuring 

for Two 

Only $60 

Reservations Recommended 

Quick Lunch | Dinner 

Take-Out | Gift Cards 

Corporate Meetings | Multimedia Projector | Private Events 

519-601-7252 

428 Clarence Street, London 

www.rajafinedining.ca


The BUZZ ... new and notable 

The Local Food Act was reintroduced last 

month, which the province says will help make 

more local food available in markets, schools, 

cafeterias, grocery stores and restaurants. If 

passed, the Liberal government says the Local Food Act 

would, through education, encourage the growth and 

development of markets for foods grown and made in 

Ontario. It would also provide funding for collaborative 

local food projects. The act would provide funding for 

experimentation and innovation in the agri-food industry. 

Legislation introduced last month in Queen’s Park defines 

local food as anything grown or produced in Ontario. The 

Canadian Food Inspection Agency, however, says 

products can’t be label “local” unless they come from 50 

kilometers of where they’re sold. $50,000 is the possible 

maximum fine for businesses that advertise “local” products 

that don’t meet the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s 

definition of “local.” 

London City Council agreed to get public feedback on 

proposed pilot program to allow new-style food trucks. The 

current bylaw is outdated, because it was drafted to deal 

with catering trucks, hotdog carts and ice cream vendors. 

Modern food trucks serve a diverse variety of healthy 

options and cultural foods in other cities. They are positioned 

to incubate new businesses and become an alternative 

launching pad for healthy, creative food. 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. 

The London Food Truck Pilot Project community meeting 

is scheduled for May 27th. For Further information contact 

Michelle Navackas. michelle@artisansgroup.org 

Sheila Devost and Tourism Middlesex will be hosting a 

“Taste and Tour Middlesex” conference and networking 

event on May 28 and 29 at the Komoka Wellness and 

Recreation Centre. Tourism Middlesex is committed to 

heighten awareness and develop and promote partnerships 

for tourism and tourism-related businesses. They are inviting 

local farmers, producers and growers to partner with local 

restaurants and chefs to create farm-to-table tasting stations 

at an evening tasting event Tuesday, May 28, 5–8pm. 

This ticketed evening tasting event is open to the 

public and will feature some of the area’s most innovative 

chefs. Tasting samples must be comprised of entirely local 

ingredients that showcase both chef and farmer/producer. 

For more information please call Sheila Devost at 519-245- 

8951 or Bryan Lavery at 519 280-7565. 

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 

Season Opening 

MOTHER’S DAY 

May 12 

Annual 

BLOOM 

CELEBRATION 

June 22–30 

1579 Oxford St. (519) 452 3737 

www.tuscanoslondon.com


The former owner of Ann McColl’s Kitchen Shop, London 

heritage activist and food writer Ann McColl Lindsay, has 

spent the last few weeks curating the new Eldon House 

Gift Shop. Lindsay also has working on recreating the 

original Victorian herb garden at Eldon House. 

The Only On King’s Owner/Chef Paul Harding had a 

winemaker’s dinner with Nick and Nat’s Uptown 21 on 

April 22, featuring Tawse Winery. Harding is planning 

two additional winemaker’s dinners this summer. One of 

the chefs will be Michael Caballo, from Edulis (Voted 

Best New Restaurant in Canada 2012 in EnRoute magazine, 


November 2012; and Best New Restaurant - #2, Toronto Life, 

March 2013). Caballo and Harding worked together at the 

former JOV bistro several years ago. The date has not been 

firmed up, but Harding promises an epic event. 

The Only on King will also be participating in Anita 

Stewart’s Food Day Canada on Saturday August 3. The 

restaurant will offer a prix fixe menu to celebrate their local 

purveyors to coincide with Food Day Canada. Food Day 

Canada is an opportunity for all Canadians to join hands in 

one massive celebration in praise of our farmers and fishers; 

our chefs and researchers ... and, above all, our home cooks. 

30 

“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed 

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

London’s Celebration Destination 

VOTED 

Best Fine Dining & 

Most Romantic 

Restaurant 

London Free Press Readers 

& Best Restaurant 

Atmosphere 

London Community News 

Readers 

Lunch Weekdays 

Dinner 7 Nights a Week 

1 York Street 

(just West of Ridout) 

Baby Grand Pianist 

6 Nights a Week 

Ample Free Parking 

with Reservations 

www.michaelsonthethames.com • 519-672-0111 

• 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 

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

bistro & caterer 

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


Chef Erin Harris of The Cheese Poet is returning to the 

kitchen at Jill’s Table to teach two cheese classes in June. 

Learn how to craft cheese, prepare cheese-inspired recipes, 

and create the ultimate cheese board. Harris also teaches at 

The Arts and Cookery Bank in West Lorne. To learn more, 

visit their website at www.theartsandcookerybank.com. 

The Cheese Poet continues to sell the best grilled cheese 

in London, available every Saturday at the Western Fair 

Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market (WFFAM) from 10am–2pm. 

Rick Peori from ABC Cheese is opening a cheese shop on 

Dundas St. across from WFFAM in June. Miki Hambleck 

of Taste of Hungary, a butcher also at the Market, will be 

opening a shop next to Peori later in the summer. Miki is 

well-known for his popular, all-natural, no-filler sausages, 

bacon, and other delicious meat products. 

Speaking of the WFFAM, Glenda Smith (Smith Cheese) 

— a member of the family of long-time and well-known 

vendors at the CGM — and her daughter Danielle Smith 

recently opened a satellite operation on the main floor. 

Proprietor Danielle received her passion for fresh homemade 

food from her mother. The duo has been working together 

for years to create the best recipes, although their recipe 

for fresh pasta was handed to them originally by one of 

their regular Italian-born customers whose family had been 

making fresh pasta the same way for generations. 

WFFAM gluten-free vendor, Shari Blanchard, will be returning 

to the Masonville Market this season. Blanchard has utilized 

over 25 years of food service expertise to innovatively create 

gluten, dairy, and refined sugar-free treats from revised recipes 

which she in turn handcrafted from scratch. 

The Western Fair District is demolishing four buildings this 

summer, including the former Imax building, the Western 

Fair’s old administration building, the Special Events Building 

and the attached structure that links that building to the rest 

of the complex. New parking spaces will benefit the WFFAM’s 

large crowds on Saturdays. 

The London Beer & BBQ Show celebrates another 

Canadian tradition besides hockey: Grilling on the barbeque 

while nursing our thirsts with some of Canada’s finest craft 

brews. Sample Ontario’s established culture of craft beers 

and local grillers and participate in the variety of sports, 

cooking demos and activities. Agri-plex Western Fair District. 

June 21-22, 2013. 12 noon to 10:30 pm 

On the Move Organics (OTMO) was founded four years ago 

by Jeff Pastorius, a then-recent grad of Huron University 

College’s Global Studies and Philosophy Program. A 

pervasive concern with sustainable food politics soon had 

him and his friend Dan Hilton obsessively hunting down 

local organic farms. The Root Cellar is OTMO’s organic cafe, 

serving breakfast/brunch, lunch and dinner. (Open Tuesday 

& Wednesday 10am-7pm, Thursday & Friday 10am–9pm, 

Saturday 9am–6pm.) 

Bringing GREECE to London for over 38 years! 

BEST GREEK 

RESTAURANT 

MYKONOS 

572 Adelaide Street, London 

519-434-6736 

www.mykonosrestaurant.ca 

www.davidsbistro.ca 

“A sacred place 

where we 

celebrate life 

and each 

other with 

joy, warmth, 

good food 

and drink.” 

Garden Patio 

Open Daily 

We Host Parties 

— from 8 to 80 

We Know How! 

Mon−Sat 

11am to 10pm 

Sunday 

11am to 9pm 

ALWAYS 

a 3-course 

prix fixe menu 

option 

432 Richmond St. 

at Carling • London


STUNNING VIEWS 

EXCELLENT FOOD 

AMBIANCE GALORE 

CAFÉ OPEN TUES TO FRI, 11–4 

SAT & SUN BRUNCH, 11–4 

BOOK NOW for 

MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH — May 12 

AVAILABLE EVENINGS 

for Private Dining, Weddings, Corporate Events, 

Anniversary Dinners, Christmas & Birthday Parties 

CORPORATE BREAKFAST MEETINGS with AV 

at MUSEUM LONDON 

theriverroom.ca | 519.850.2287 

SUNDAY BRUNCH 

11am−2pm 

Please call for reservations 

PATIO 

Now Open! 

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

Tuscano’s Pizzeria and Bistro is a new family-owned and 

operated restaurant at 1579 Oxford St., directly across from 

Fanshawe College. “All of our foods are hand-made daily,” 

reports co-owner Shannon Donati, “from our fresh-baked 

focaccia bread, salad dressings, hand-crafted pasta and daily 

desserts. Our Oz Wine Bar allows us to serve high-quality 

wines by the glass and ensures the perfect temperature and 

flavour of the wine as it is intended.” Tuscano’s also offers 

catering, a separate entrance for take-out, and patio dining. 

www.tuscanoslondon.com 

Emily Peat has been making waves in the business plan 

competition scene this year, winning three major awards 

that will help put London on the map for entrepreneurial 

spirit. Peat’s London-based start-up, EcoPlace Organics 

sources certified organic, locally grown foods from smallscale 

producers and delivers them to people at work and 

home. The business launched in London in June 2012, 

growing to just under 200 customers by December. Peat says 

the business is ready for its next step — launching Ontario’s 

first organic grocery store on wheels by June 2013. 

www.ecoplaceorganicdelivery.com 

The final day for Kantina’s “Break the Chain initiative” was 

Tuesday, April 30th. This promotion was about breaking 

the “chain” habit and encouraging Londoners to visit 

restaurants other than ever-present and formulaic chains 

and showcasing London’s unique offerings. Kantina’s hours 

are changing and they we’ll be closed Sundays and Mondays 

starting in May for the summer. www.kantina.ca 

The Turkish Festival at the Covent Garden Market (CGM) 

has switched their dates from May 18th and 19th to May 25th 

and 26th. The Mexican Festival will be held on June 9th 

and the Columbian Festival July 20 and 21st. 

Chef Bhan from the New Delhi Deli at the CGM serves up a 

melting pot of authentic Indian, Caribbean, Mexican and East 

African cuisines. Serving homemade non-dairy, vegetarian 

and meat curry choices, jerk and tandoori chicken, roti wraps, 

samosas, seafood, duck, lamb and more, Bhan offers lunches 

anytime, snacks, and take-home dinners when you need a 

break from cooking. Catering services are also available. 

Josh and Jodi Stall offer authentic and eclectic cuisine 

from around the world at their UpFront at the Market 

at the CGM. Upfront’s menus aim to entice and satisfy, 

from the adventurous foodie to more traditional tastes. For 

seven years, the Stalls welcomed patrons and friends at the 

original UpFront Café in Strathroy. They are excited to build 

on that reputation for unique dishes made with impeccable 

ingredients and imagination right here in London. 

www.upfrontrestaurant.com 

Katherine Bansick and Chef Robbin Azzopardi are 

expected to open the new Byron FreeHouse in July in 

the space formerly occupied by La Bella Vita Ristorante on 

Commissioners Road.


Under the Volcano, London’s original Mexican food 

restaurant, recently moved from Richmond Row to the 

former Cityview Restaurant at the corner of Wharncliffe Rd. 

and Riverside Drive. Dagmar Wendt’s Under the Volcano 

has been a local dining institution having served London for 

over 35 years. It’s the fourth incarnation for the restaurant, 

which creates both regional Mexican and Tex-Mex styles. 

The new location is smaller but it has its own parking lot. 

Dagmar tells eatdrink the response to the new location has 

been overwhelming. www.underthevolcano.co 

Ruth-Anne Drennan Stricket’s gluten- free specialty shop 

is now open in East London. Ruby’s Pantry offers a wide 

selection of gluten free products including fresh baked goods 

from Organic Works and Jubilee Kafe. They also offer 

gluten-free soups, side dishes, sauces, cookies, baking mixes 

and flours, chutneys, pastas, treats, the list goes on! 125 Clarke 

Rd, in the Birdie’s Nest Plaza, across from the Marconi Club. 

Closed Sunday and Monday www.rubyspantry.ca 

Fire Roasted Coffee founder Dave Cook’s new flagship cafe, 

across from Budweiser Gardens at King and Talbot Street, 

is expected to open in late May. The corner premises in the 

renovated Wallace Building are being transformed into a cafe 

featuring Fire Roasted Coffee and Habitual Chocolate. The 

adjoining building will be used as a satellite micro-facility to 

create gourmet chocolate from raw cocoa beans. 

Empower your kids with the interest and enthusiasm to 

get gardens growing. The Junior Gardeners program will 

introduce children ages 6-11 to a food’s journey from seed 

to table. A Loblaw Master Gardener and In-Store Dietitian 

will conduct the first part of an interactive experience 

that concludes with a lesson from a PC Cooking School 

Coordinator on how to prepare a garden fresh salsa. They 

will complete the class by enjoying the salsa in a healthy 

cheese Quesadilla served with crispy corn tortilla chips 

and guacamole. $20. Saturday, May 25, 2–4 pm at Loblaw’s 

Richmond North location and Saturday, June 1, 1–3 pm at the 

Wonderland South location. 

Barrking Hill Farm opened in 2006 with the goal of 

producing healthy meats raised on natural feeds in a 

humane environment. They are producers of a variety of 

meats (beef, pork, chicken, rabbit) raised without hormones, 

vaccinations of anti-biotics. They grow their own feeds 

without pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Their products can 

be found at both Exeter and Masonville Markets. 

Danielle Brodhagen spent the last five years developing 

Stratford’s Culinary Tourism Program. She is the founder 

and the force behind the award-winning Savour Stratford 

Perth County Culinary Festival and past co-chair of 

Slow Food Perth County. Danielle has recently joined the 

Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance team as Director of 

Product Development. 

Cheesemaker Ruth Klahsen’s new “osteria” Monforte on 

Wellington has opened to rave reviews. There are limited 

Your love of all things Italian begins at 

Featuring specialty foods, kitchenwares, 

tablewares, cooking classes & gift baskets. 

115 King Street, London 

519-645-1335 www.jillstable.ca


A Taste of Europe 

since 1974 

Celebrate 

Mother’s Day 

Meats & So Much More! 

Brunch 10:30am–2pm 

Dinner (Full Menu) 

4:30pm–8:30pm 

Murder Mystery 

Dinner Theatre 

$39 .99 per person includes a Mystery Unlimited performance, 

salad, main course, coffee/tea, dessert, and gratuity. 

See our website for more details. 

Book Your Mystery Now! 

May 31 & June 21 

122 Carling Street (at Talbot, around the corner from Budweiser Gardens) 

519-679-9940 

Open Daily for Dinner 

www.marienbad.ca 

Lunch Monday-Saturday 

Great local 

BBQ Meats 

& Sauces 

Hormone & Drug-Free Ontario Beef, Pork & Lamb 

100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table 

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 

changing daily lunch and dinner menus, well-chosen wine 

selections, cheese and house-made charcuterie to purchase 

as well as coffee and espresso. www.monfortedairy.com 

After 29 years of leadership in assisting the Stratford Chefs 

School to its place as the pre-eminent culinary training 

program in Canada, Eleanor Kane is stepping down but will 

assist in an advisory capacity to the to the school and its Board. 

The Board of Directors of the Stratford Chefs School is pleased 

to welcome Rochelle Marshall as the new Fundraising and 

Development Officer. www.stratfordchef.com 

Chris and Mary Woolf have supported local farmers, 

artisans, and sustainable and organic producers for 19 years. 

Woolfy’s at Wildwood is their little restaurant that let the 

seasons dictate their menus. The scoop for now ... Woolfy’s 

Restaurant and “Little Red Cafe” will remain closed for 2013. 

Chris and Mary will be found at the St. Marys Farmers 

Market this summer with their wares. www.woolfys.com 

Pam Rogers from Kawthoolei Organics has returned 

from Burma for the season. Rogers offers fresh organic 

sprouts, chilies and early spring arugula and can be found at 

the Stratford’s Slow Food Perth County Sunday Market 

and the WFFAM on Saturdays. 

Soups Surreal has also joined the Slow Food Perth County 

Sunday Market, offering a variety of hand-crafted soups to 

enjoy at the market as well as frozen soups to take home. 

Stratford’s newest culinary trail is a sweet treat! The Savour 

Stratford Maple Trail is the third in Stratford’s culinary 

trail offers. This self-guided tour presents 12 maple-inspired 

stops from maple balsamic vinegar, to a maple smoked 

bacon BLT and a Canadian Maple Manhattan! Other Savour 

Stratford culinary trails include the Chocolate Trail and the 

Bacon & Ale Trail, each available all year round for $25 plus 

HST. www.visitstratford.ca/mapletrail 

GE Café Chefs Series Cooking Classes offer hands-on 

cooking classes with celebrated Ontario chefs in Stratford. 

May 5 Chef Jonathan Gushue of Langdon Hall, May 26 

Chef Paul Finkelstein of Screaming Avocado, June 2 Chef 

Nick Beninnger of Nick and Nat’s Uptown21 and June 

23 Chef Bryan Steele of The Prune. Check out menus and 

book online www.visitstratford.ca/gechefs 

Go to the wild side on May 4 for Spring Foraging. Join 

seasoned forager Peter Blush of Puck’s Plenty as he 

leads you along the beautiful Avon Trail is search of wild 

edibles such as wild ginger, cattail shoots and assorted wild 

mushrooms. Take away Peter’s favourite recipes to showcase 

your fresh picks. www.visitstratford.ca/tastings 

Springworks: Spoken Word Coffeehouse Poetry @ 

Revel Caffè. Gardens and Fields, Grandkids and Groundhogs 

with award-winning poet and filmmaker Elizabeth Zetlin, 

whose work celebrates the human community. May 9 at 7 

pm. Free. 37 Market Place, Stratford. Check out all the events 

from May 9–19 online. www.springworksfestival.ca


Savour Stratford presents a Cider & Cheese Tasting. 

Open your taste buds to a whole new world of fresh cheese 

pairings with cider — the new wine! Cheese specialist Liz 

Payne will lead your tasting at The Milky Whey Fine 

Cheese Shop, Stratford, Saturday, May 25, 3–5 pm, $27.50 

plus HST. www.visitstratford.ca/tastings 

Savour Stratford presents Artisanal Cheese Making at 

Monforte Dairy. Learn the process and stages of making 

great cheese before savouring an exclusive experience with a 

Monforte cheese tasting and pairing with VQA wines. Monforte 

Dairy, 49 Griffith Rd., Saturday, June 1, 3–4:30 pm, $25. plus HST 

and nominal handling fee. www.visitstratford.ca/tastings 

Stratford Chefs School invites you to their second Long 

Table Dinner — a relaxed gathering of supporters and 

friends, around a long beautifully appointed white dinner 

table in the lush setting of the park system in Stratford. 

Sunday, June 9, $175 per person. www.stratfordchef.com 

Tour four of Stratford’s historic pubs, sample a local micro-brew 

at each stop and hear the tales and spooky stories that haunt 

Stratford’s downtown during the Pubs, Pilsners and Spirits 

Tour on Thursdays, June 13 & 27. More dates are available from 

July–October. Meet at Stratford Tourism Alliance, 47 Downie St, 

Stratford, 8 pm, $25/A plus HST. www.visitstratford.ca 

Pork-a-palooza! Stratford has dedicated the month of June 

to celebrating pork. Savour the Bacon & Ale Trail, take in a 

bacon cocktail tasting and delicious pork menus. Selected 

restaurants, chefs, producers and shops are creating special 

menus, pork events and tastings. Stratford is not only the 

home of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival but also to 

the National Pork Congress, and the town is going hogwild. 

www.visitstratford.ca/spring 

Stratford Blues and Ribfest, June 21-23 – International 

rib teams come to Stratford for a weekend of delicious BBQ 

along with live music at the William Allman Arena, Lakeside 

Drive at Morenz Drive. www.stratfordbluesandribfest.ca 

Pazzo launches a new taverna in May. With Chef Yva Santini’s 

Italian kitchen, Taverna at Pazzo brings a brand new 

direction to the city’s main corner. In the kitchen, sustainable 

seafood like oysters, crab and lobster joins house-made pastas 

and gnocchi alongside locally-sourced steaks and produce. 

Simplified flavours in the Italian tradition paired with wines 

by the glass, bottle or barrel, Taverna is taking its cue from the 

neighbourhood restaurants of New York. www.pazzo.ca 

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. 

facebook.com/eatdrinkmag 

twitter.com/eatdrinkmag 

We tweet and retweet, post to our Facebook page, and print all 

the news we can. Let’s get better connected! 

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



farmers & artisans 

Something Special Is Brewing 

Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers, in the heart of Niagara wine country 

By RICK VanSICKLE 

He is a tall, strapping 27- year- old, 

and looks more like the star 

quarterback than a man who 

tinkers with high-octane booze 

all day long. But that’s the path master 

distiller Geoff Dillon has taken. 

Dillon (with degrees in biochemistry and 

economics), along with his father, Dr. Peter 

Dillon (a professor at Trent University who 

specializes in biogeochemistry), opened 

the doors to Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers 

late last year. Using the bounty of natural 

botanicals, herbs and fruit sourced from 

Niagara, the distillery is focused squarely 

on small-batch spirits, hand-crafted at the 

production facility shared with Angels Gate 

Winery. 

The location in Beamsville, Ontario, in 

the heart of Niagara wine country, was 

chosen in part for its proximity to the local 

ingredients. “Niagara was such a natural 

fit for the distillery,” says Geoff Dillon. 

“Between the amazing fruit grown here, 

the abundance of wineries and the open 

spaces … it’s an amazing microcosm of 

food, landscapes and people and we hope 

Dillon’s can help play a role in its culture.” 

“From a winery owner’s perspective, I 

think that Dillon’s adds significantly to 

the entire Niagara landscape,” says John 

Young, president of Angels Gate Winery. 

He hopes that the distillery “increases 

the awareness and attention to what is 

going on in Niagara” and will “add to and 

complement the exciting wine industry.” 

The first products from Dillon’s are made 

from a base of Niagara grapes that would 

otherwise have been thrown to the ground 

during the annual thinning process. 

Instead, they are dropped into baskets, 

fermented and distilled at Dillon’s. 

The grape-based spirit provides the base 

for the various distilled products, including 

Dillon’s Small Batch White Rye (with a 

delightful nose of rye, minerals and a touch 

of citrus); the Small Batch Gin (a mellow 

and smooth elixir with notes of juniper, 

herbs, tonic and spice); a chocolate mint 

spirit; and a local version of absinthe (made 

from wormwood grown in Dillon’s father’s 

garden, with 65% alcohol and delicious 

flavours of anise and licorice). 

But the backbone of Dillon’s product line 

will be its Canadian rye whisky. 

“Most people don’t know that Canadian 

rye whisky can be (and often is) made with 

as little as zero per cent rye then coloured 

and flavoured,” says Dillon. “Our whisky 

Master Distiller Geoff Dillon


Locally sourced ingredients (left) are part of the reason Dillon’s located in 

Niagara. Gin (the basis of the cucumber cocktail (centre), like all of the Dillon’s 

product lines, is distilled in copper pot stills (right), a traditional method rarely 

used currently by large distilleries. 

is made with 100% Ontario grown rye 

(eventually 100% Niagara-grown), and I 

know people will be blown away when they 

taste it.” 

The first batch of whisky has been distilled 

and is now aging in barrels from oak farmed 

in Ontario. It will take three years before 

the whisky is ready to sell. In the meantime, 

Dillon’s has a range of products available for 

sale at the retail store. 

Dillon says that with each product the 

distillery makes the aim is to be “honest and 

open. We not only list all the ingredients used, 

but where they come from, on every label.” 

There will be no spirit that Dillon’s 

cannot and will not make. A big part of the 

program will see seasonal spirits made 

from fresh Niagara fruit including peaches, 

pears and cherries, purchased and 

processed at Dillon’s with the pure juices 

added straight into the still for blending. 

The distillery also makes its own bitters, 

tonics and sodas that can be used to mix 

with the various spirits. 

At the centre of the experience at Dillon’s 

are the stills that are radically different 

than what you would find at a large 

distillery. “Most Canadian whisky is made 

in continuous distillation columns while 

we are returning to copper pot stills,” says 

Dillon. “We have built the first of its kind, 

a mashing-stripping still, as well as having 

two copper columns with variable plates 

that allow us to precisely create a whole 

host of spirits. A big part of Dillon’s is to 

show people exactly what we are doing 

and how we are doing it,” he says. “We 

will show you the grain coming in and the 

whisky going out. We are using traditional 

levels of quality while utilizing modern 

techniques and equipment to create 

authentic products, and I think people will 

love them,” Dillon says. 

“The story of our ingredients is the story 

of Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers. We have 

access to fresh local product grown by 

so many amazing people using healthy, 

responsible practices on some of the best 

growing soils in the world. These elements 

are fundamental to Dillon’s and without 

them we wouldn’t be doing it.” 

RICK VanSICKLE can be reached at winesniagara@gmail.com 

Delicious 

Seven Days a Week 

Dinner, Lunch or Sunday Brunch



caterers 

Catering to the Season 

Willie’s Café and The Sticky Pudding Catering Company 


This issue we are featuring 

recipes from two well-known 

London caterers. These are not 

complicated recipes, and the 

message is simple as well: good cooking 

is about fresh, seasonal, high-quality 

ingredients, used thoughtfully. We asked 

Ian Kennard from Willie’s Café and Chef 

David Grassie from the Sticky Pudding 

Catering Company for recipes from their 

catering repertoires that really explode 

with fresh flavours. 

Ian Kennard and Willie’s Café 

Willie’s Café has been a revered London 

lunch hot spot for many years. Proprietor 

Ian Kennard and Cindy Koivu (Willie’s 

main server for the 

past 17 years) possess 

a solid work ethic 

and interact in the 

dining room as a 

well-choreographed 

team. This keeps 

the café humming, 

patrons happy and 

business brisk. 

Chef Gail Raines is 

a culinary dynamo 

who combines 

efficient professionalism with friendly 

repartee in the small open kitchen. Menu 

items include over a dozen different 

sandwiches and wraps, along with a 

variety of soups, salads and other house 

specialties. Everything is made in-house 

and from scratch. Almost half of Willie’s 

business comes from catering, to both 

corporate clients and private parties. 

One of Willie’s specialties is the office 

lunch. They have built a reputation for their 

fresh and healthy sandwiches, salads and 

hot entrées delivered to your office at an 

affordable price. 

Willie’s Café 

731 Wellington Street, London 

519-433-9027 

www.williescafe.on.ca 

Recipe courtesy of Ian Kennard from Willie’s Café 

Chicken with Lemon White Wine Cream Sauce, 

Baby Spinach and Bowtie Pasta 

Serves 6 

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked 

and cubed 

1 500g box farfalle (bowtie) pasta 

3 cups (750 mL) baby spinach 

6 tbsp (120 mL) butter 

6 tbsp (120 mL) flour 

3 cups (750 mL) 35% cream 

1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock 

zest and juice of 3 lemons 

½ cup (125 mL) white wine 

salt and pepper


FOR SAUCE: 

1 Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 

Whisk in flour and cook until light beige and 

fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat 

and cool slightly. 

2 Add cream, whisking constantly. Return to heat. 

3 Add vegetable stock, lemon zest, lemon juice, 

and white wine. Bring to a boil, whisking 

constantly until the sauce thickens. 

4 Add chicken, reduce heat, and simmer. Season 

with salt and pepper to taste. 

5 Cook pasta according to instructions. 

6 Divide pasta among 6 large bowls; sprinkle each 

with ½ cup baby spinach. Spoon chicken and 

sauce over spinach and pasta. Garnish with fresh 

black pepper and serve. Bon appetit! 

David Grassie and The Sticky Pudding Catering Company 

Hailing from the north of England, David 

Grassie is an award-winning chef and 

caterer. Grassie began 

his career in Canada 

in 1978 working for the 

Holiday Inn, and settling 

in London in 1984. 

In 1990, Grassie began 

offering his services as 

an event consultant to 

a select clientele and 

David Grassie Chef 

Services was born. In 

1996, Grassie decided 

to combine his passion for good food with his 

love for meeting and working with people to 

create his current company. 

Sticky Pudding Catering Company 

519-652-0020 

www.stickypudding.ca 

Recipe courtesy of David Grassie from The Sticky Pudding Catering Company 

Chilled Green Pea, Parsnip and Mint Soup 

We asked Chef Grassie for a seasonal 

recipe and he provided the following soup 

recipe, perfect for late spring, when the 

green goodness of fresh shelled peas and 

baby leeks are at their prime, when mint 

and tarragon are fresh, and when the 

weather is beginning to suggest the early 

days of summer. Parsnips are always a noble 

ingredient to add sweetness and texture 

to almost any soup. This combination is a 

classic warm-weather starter. 

BRYAN LAVERY is eatdrink’s Food Writer at Large. 

I’m originally from the north of England, where soup 

is one of our staples. What better than peas and 

mint? I`ve added parsnip, for an extra dimension. I 

think they make a wonderful combination. 

6 cups (1.5 L) Chicken stock 

6 cups (1.5 L) green peas 

2 cups (475 mL) diced parsnips 

½ cup (120 mL) chopped leek 

1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped tarragon 

1/3 cup (80 mL) chopped mint 

¼ cup (60 mL) crème fraîche 

crème fraîche 

1 cup (240 mL) sour cream 

1 cup (240 mL) 35% cream 

1 Whip the cream to stiff peaks then fold into the 

sour cream. Cover with plastic wrap and leave 

on kitchen counter overnight. Refrigerate in the 

morning. 

2 In a large pot bring the chicken stock, peas, 

and parsnips to the boil. Turn down heat, and 

simmer until parsnip is soft to the touch. Strain 

and save the stock. 

3 Place the cooked peas, parsnip, leek, mint, 

tarragon, and half the stock in a blender and 

purée until smooth. 

4 Slowly add the remaining stock. Season with 

salt and white pepper. Pass through a mediumfine 

strainer. Refrigerate. 

5 Before serving, check the seasoning, serve with 

a teaspoon of the crème fraîche, and finish with 

fresh mint.



BEER MATTERS 

beer matters 

A Temple to Craft Beer 

Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium, in London 

By THE MALT MONK 

Ifirst met Milos Kral when he managed 

Chaucer’s Pub, in London. But it was 

during his time at Chancey Smith’s 

(which was in Covent Garden Market), 

that I really got to know Milos and his passion 

for good beer and simple but excellent 

cuisine. Both establishments became 

renowned local craft beer meccas during his 

tenure. Milos has had an impact on both the 

hospitality culture and the craft beer culture 

in London. He has introduced multitudes 

to the delights of crafted, fresh, real beer, to 

a wide variety of styles, and to the concept 

of beer-food pairing. Milos has also been 

responsible for many of the area’s craft beer 

events. He jokingly refers to turning macro 

(corporate) beer drinkers into craft beer 

acolytes as “converting infidels.” 

Last year, Milos finally realized his 

dream of building a temple to the brewing 

art when he moved into premises at the 

corner of Talbot Street and Carling. Milos’ 

Craft Beer Emporium is open to believers 

and non-believers alike. 

Milos is not afraid of the hard work 

involved in sourcing artisanal beers. He has 

made available many scarce but sought-after 

brews. He and his associate Adil Ahmad 

think nothing of hopping into a truck and 

rounding up casks and kegs of limited edition 

seasonal or one-off brews that normally 

would never make it to the London area. With 

23 draft taps and two cask conditioned beer 

engines, they are kept hopping, to offer a 

constantly rotating beer menu. 

Milos Kral 

I recently enjoyed a session at Milos’ 

gastro-pub. Here’s a little taste of what you 

can expect from a visit. But let me start by 

calming any trepidation you might have 

in going to pub for a good meal — Milos’ 

delivers. Chef Matt Reijnen has created an 

eclectic but unpretentious menu. Dishes 

are adeptly crafted with fresh locally 

sourced meats and produce. There is no 

microwave in the kitchen; food is made to 

order, and fresh. There are lunch, supper 

and “pub favourites” menus. 

We arrived as the lunch crowd was 

slowly filing back to work and were greeted 

by a smiling server. Milos stopped by the 

table for a chat, as he often does. We started 

with Nickel Brook Marzen paired with 

an appropriate appetizer — house-made 

Cumberland Sausage Rolls with Branston 

Pickle and mustard. The Branston Pickle 

was a perfect complement for these fresh 

savoury meat pastries, as was the rich 

malty earthy character of the Marzen. 

The soup de jour — a roasted root vegetable 

purée — was served with a snifter of Nickel 

Brook New World Belgian Pale Ale. My companion 

had the Roasted Beet, Quinoa and 

Watercress Salad with goat’s milk feta and 

almonds in an aged balsamic vinaigrette.

My soup was fresh and flavourful with the 

natural tastes of the root vegetables and seasonings 

riding on a rich creamy texture. The 

subdued bitterness and cider acidity of the 

Belgian pale ale complimented the soup. My 

friend found the bright citrus of his Church 

Key West Coast Pale Ale paired well with the 

balsamic vinaigrette on his salad. Score 2 for 

2 on our beer/food matches, thus far. 

We took a short break to cleanse our 

palates with some spiced almonds and a 

couple of hand-drawn half pints of cask ale 

— Neustadt Double Fuggled (a 60 shilling 

Scottish-style mild ale). The true real ale pub 

experience doesn’t get better than that pairing. 

Adil stopped over to chat about brewing, 

brewers, and brews — the Emporium’s 

“Ambassador of Craft Beer” knows his stuff. 

Next we got to our main entrées. I had the 

Braised Ontario Lamb Ragu with housemade 

potato gnocchi, goat’s milk cheese, 

mint and oregano — which I paired with a 

Spear Head Moroccan Brown Ale. My friend 

opted for the House-ground Beef Burger with 

old cheddar and locally-sourced garnishes, 

on a fresh kaiser. He didn’t want a large meal, 

but looking at the size of that plate, he got 

one anyway. The Ragu had tender meat and 

fresh gnocchi in a rich appetizing sauce. My 

pairing worked fairly well, with the spiced 

raisin-like fruitiness of the Moroccan brown 

ale adding a complementary note to the 

robust meat dish as well as providing good 

palate cleansing. My friend enjoyed the same 

ale, so I think Moroccan Brown is an allaround 

good match for red meat meals. 

Then on to dessert. We ordered spiced 

apple cake with hot apple jam, paired with 

Stone Hammer Coffee Stout. Hard to go 

wrong there — fresh warm fruity dessert 

and a satisfying coffee-infused brew 

rounded out the meal very nicely. 

Milos’ establishment provides a 

rewarding experience for foodies and nonfoodies, 

veteran craft beer drinkers and 

novice quaffers alike. There is something 

new to experience for everyone — all in a 

friendly atmosphere. 

As a side note to local beer lovers, I was 

given a scoop on some of the beers soon 

to come on line at Milos’: Oast House 

Barn Raiser and Smoked Stout; many of 

Bellwood’s rotationals; Flying Monkeys 

Saison; HBC 342 and Imperial Red Ale; 

Left Field’s Eefus (oatmeal brown ale); 

Mikkeller specials; De Molen beers; and 

Boon and Liefmans Lambics — a little 

something new for everyone. 

Milos’ Craft Beer Emporium 

420 Talbot Street North, London 

519-601-4447 

www.pubmilos.com 

more from The Malt Monk on page 55 ...

Let your lawn be the best 

it can be this summer! 



Starting from $248.75 (full season) 

Our most popular program, the Hybrid NL, uses the latest technology in fertilizer 

while controlling your weeds with Fiesta weed control. Our Hybrid program delivers 

season-long nourishment and timely weed management. Save $25 on the best 

lawn care program in the industry. 

· Early Spring Slow Release Premium Fertilizer 

· Early Spring Weed Control 

· Summer Slow Release Premium Fertilizer 

Spring Green Up 

Starting from $149.99 

Our Nourishment offer will get your lawn off to a perfect start this spring. A Core 

Aeration promotes root growth and reduces soil compaction. Our Premium Certified 

grass seed blend roots quickly and thrives in both sun and shade. Our premium 

fertilizer adds the nourishment your lawn needs to get a good start in the spring. 

· Overseeding with Premium Certified Seed 

· Spring Core Aeration 

· Spring Granular Slow Release Fertilizer 

Lawn Rejuvenation 

Starting from $199.99 

Thin, patchy lawn? Our lawn rejuvenation service will slit seed new cultivars of 

seed into your existing lawn. Save $50 and save the backache of rebuilding your 

damaged lawn. 

· Professional Slit Seeding 

· Organics Plus Top Dressing 

· Fall Weed Control 

· Fall Slow Release Premium 

Fertilizer 

· Newest Cultivar of Disease Resistant Seed 

· Premium Turf Starter Fertilizer 

“We were so pleased with our lawn this 

year. We’ve lived here for six years and 

this is the first time our lawn has looked 

nice.” — Lillian U., London 

“I have had numerous lawn care 

companies over the years. Now that 

Nutri-Lawn services my property, it 

has never looked better!” 

— Chris M., London 

SAVE UP TO $50 

on regular priced prepaid 

programs! 

EARN 

AEROPLAN ® 

MILES 

® Aeroplan is a registered trademark of Aeroplan Canada Inc. 

Scan with 

your smart 

phone to 

contact us 

Call us today and SAVE on prepaid services! 

519-455-2965 

nutrilawn.com 

NU-2012



Taste of the Month 

Radical Road Brewing’s Canny Man, 

Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale 

(LCBO # 311829) 

Radical Road Canny Man is a 9.1% abv “Wee 

Heavy” styled Scotch ale that has been aged in 

whisky barrels for 71 days. It is the brainchild of 

two creative brewers at Black Oak Brewing who 

thought it was time 

the brewery offered a 

really big barrel-aged 

beer. Many of us who 

heard the rumours it 

was coming thought 

they were nuts to 

offer an initial barrelcrafted 

big brew 

based on the “wee 

heavy” style, but the 

attention to sourcing 

authentic scotch 

barrels and quality 

ingredients, and the 

skilful way this brew 

was crafted made 

Scotch Ale a perfect 

style to showcase 

barreled aged beer. It 

works very well because the peat smoked malt 

taste associated with this style largely comes 

from the whiskey barrels. It comes in a wrapped 

champagne bottle with a caged cork stopper. 

I’m sure it will cellar well. 

My first impression, from the packaging, was 

that it must be another sales gimmick for 

a mediocre brew. How wrong I was. Inside 

that arty package was a hazy deep amber 

unfiltered ale with a massive cap that lasts, and 

a champagne-like effervescence from proper 

bottle conditioning. Big burly aroma fills the 

nose (and the room) with a pungent smokynutty-malty-fruity 

bouquet. Hopping 

is moderate but 

efficient and there 

is a nice smoky, 

roasted hazelnut 

and dark fruitiness 

riding below the 

caramel malt. It 

has a great rounded 

smoothness 

that comes from 

barrel aging. I 

was impressed 

by how this big 

robust version 

of a “wee heavy” 

held its sweetness 

and smokiness 

in check, by 

wonderful rounded malt complexity and a 

decent drying on the palate from efficient yeast 

attenuation. This is a world-class effort from 

some local brewers, and a joy to sip on or pair 

with a number of soft ripe buttery cheeses or 

smoked salmon. 

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 http://maltmonksbeerblog.wordpress.com/



wine 

California Flights & Bites 

Enjoy a “Winecation” in Sonoma County 


Photography by BRUCE FYFE 

It’s pretty cool that a Canadian is running one of Sonoma’s 

top wineries. That’s because Elizabeth Grant-Douglas 

knows a thing or two about cool climate grape growing 

and how to coax pinot grapes along in the delicate 

balancing act between damp, cold nights and hot, dry days. 

The graduate of Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and 

Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), who grew up watching her dad 

make wine in the basement of their Niagara Falls home, is now 

a leading California winemaker producing top rated pinot noirs 

and chardonnay’s for La Crema in Windsor, Sonoma County. 

This summer she will proudly bring her wines back home for the 

Niagara International Cool Chardonnay Festival. Grant-Douglas 

and her husband went to Sonoma on a whim, for a weekend, as 

new graduates 12 years ago. They never left. 

“I do feel somewhat spoiled getting to grow grapes in 

California,” she admits while showing some fellow Canucks 

her prize vines, just a few miles from her home. “It’s a great 

way to make a living and you get to live among some of the 

best grapes in the world.” 

Grant-Douglas also loves that La Crema wines are now 

carried by the LCBO. She’s constantly pushing her marketing 

team to get more listed. The La Crema Sonoma Coast pinot noir 

takes “a lot of gentle handling and special tools,” she says. “It is 

a delicious addition to any cellar.” 

La Crema was on our wine vacation bucket list, along with 

some other LCBO-listed California wineries including Francis 

Ford Coppola and Ravenswood. But as you take the winding 

roads of Sonoma, including the Russian River Valley, you are 

Sonoma County road signs 

(above) testify to the multitude of 

wineries. Elizabeth Grant-Douglas 

(below), from Niagara Falls, is La 

Crema Winery’s Head Winemaker. 

Sonoma County Vineyards, California


Wine barrels and an 

Apocalypse Now wine 

bottle with DVD at 

Francis Ford Coppola 

Winery 

surrounded by 

offerings — each 

delicious and 

beautiful. Sip and 

spit is required 

on this road trip with bottles purchased for 

dinners within walking distance of hotels 

where “bring your own” is di rigour — as 

long as you pay the corkage fee. This is 

gladly done in order to enjoy a bottle of 

Kunde Red Dirt Red, a blissfully smooth 

red blend, which we did, paired with 

braised short ribs, later in San Francisco. 

The only downside to this trip is the lack of 

a truck to fill with wines to bring home! So 

consume merrily while there! 

An ideal itinerary for the winecation is 

offered by Sono ma County Tourism, which 

works very hard to compete with neighbouring 

Napa. Known for pinot, cabernet 

sauvignon and chardonnay, Sonoma is a 

great destination within a short two hour 

drive from San Francisco. Pick up a rental 

car at the airport, cross the Golden Gate 

bridge and enjoy the easy driving along 

Highway 101. Or venture onto the winding 

winery side roads through the towns of 

Sonoma, Glen Ellen, and Windsor, and 

up to Healdsburg (home of the La Crema 

tasting room — not at the vineyards) and 

Geyserville, where Francis Ford Coppola 

has set up a second winery complete with all 

his Hollywood memorabilia (including the 

desk Marlon Brando sat in as The Godfather,


Relax under olive trees (above) at the Olea 

Boutique Hotel, in Glen Ellen, Sonoma County 

and all the Coppola family Oscars. 

The impressive winery has a full 

restaurant, Rustic, which offers an 

open kitchen and high ceiling with 

wooden beams, which overlooks 

the vines. Visitors can spend a 

day around the large swimming 

pool and rent a personal cabana 

to complete the California dream. 

Coppola has been known to hang out 

poolside and chat with guests while sipping 

his chards. Movie buffs will be enticed with 

the speciality bottling Apocalypse Now, 

which includes a hinged bottom on the 

bottle that holds a DVD of the film. For only 

$300.00, it can be yours! 

With all this wining and dining, 

overnight stays are highly recommended, 

especially if you are able to get a room 

at the lovely Olea Hotel near the quaint 

village of Glen Ellen. This hillside retreat 

with only 10 rooms (2 more coming later 

in 2013) is named after the olive trees on 

the property. Guests can lounge on a wellappointed 

patio with a view of the Sonoma 

hills while sipping complimentary Kunde 

Sauvignon Blanc from Riedel stemware, 

and munching on olives. The breakfast 

is prepared by expert cooks who offer up 

warm olive oil rosemary muffins with 

house-made pear and cardamom jam as 

a first course, followed by poached egg 

on a warm buttermilk biscuit with Italian 

sausage ragout and roasted asparagus. 

The highly recommended 

Town of Sonoma restau rant, 

the girl & the fig, features 

(above) Truffled Goat Cheese 

Gnocchi with spring peas 

& thumbellina carrots, pea 

shoots & vin blanc, and (left) 

The Works: a local cheese, 

chacuterie, spiced nuts, fig 

& apple plate 

Such is the start of 

another great day in 

Sonoma. You may 

want to pair that 

with a glass of brut 

from Buena Vista, 

California’s first 

winery and cellars, where you can take 

a historical tour by costumed guides. Or 

try the brut at Korbel in the Russian River 

Valley — equally dry and smooth. 

Make sure you do not miss having a 

meal at the girl & the fig in the town of 

Sonoma, operated by the talented Sondra 

Bernstein and John Toulze, who expertly 

incorporate figs into their stellar cheese 

and house-cured meats plate, and into a 

cocktail (via fig liqueur). With a passion for 

French cuisine in a casual “country flair” 

Bernstein stubbornly offers only Rhone 

region varietals and does so brilliantly with 

her flights of Viognier which are served 

in antique shop stemware of varying 

heights. Do not miss the signature duck 

confit or local chicken thighs with ricotta 

dumplings. Really, do not miss a bite 

of anything including the pot au creme 

caramel. Then don’t eat for about 24 hours! 

Taking a break from all the grapes is a 

good idea and the ideal outing is a walk 

in the ancient redwoods of Armstrong 

Redwoods State Natural Reserve in


Guerneville. An easy trail takes you past 

magnificent trees, more than a thousand 

years old, and is simply awe-inspiring. 

Of course, San Francisco itself is not to 

be missed — even if only for a day or two as 

bookends to your wine country trip. From 

“grabbing a pole” on a cable car en route to 

Fisherman’s Wharf, to crossing the Golden 

Gate Bridge on a rental bike and then 

coasting downhill to lunch in Sausalito, 

to dining Italian-style in North Beach (try 

Trattoria Contadina), the city is a splendor 

for tourists of all ages — even those a bit 

hung over from all the wine! 

JANE ANTONIAK is an eatdrink culinary travel writer 

and Manager, Communications & Media Relations at King’s 

University College, Western. 

BRUCE FYFE is a regular photographer for eatdrink and a 

librarian at Weldon, Western University. 

Walk among ancient 

redwoods (left) at 

Armstrong National 

Park, Russian 

RIver Valley. San 

Francisco’s Golden 

Gate Bridge (centre) 

is accessible by foot, 

bicycle or car, and 

the city’s unique 

cable cars (right) 

offer an exciting 

experience while 

seeing the sights. 

,



books 

Words to Eat By 

Five Foods and the Culinary History of the English Language 

by Ina Lipkowitz 

Review by DARIN COOK 

The name of a thing often helps to 

determine how it is perceived. 

Foods are no exception. When you 

see a slab of red meat wrapped in 

pastry on a plate, you probably know more 

of what to expect when told that it’s called 

Beef Wellington. The same can be said for 

Häagen-Dazs; it’s not obvious what it is, (in 

fact the name is made up, to sound Danish) 

but even non-Scandinavians know that 

it’s ice cream. A dish’s name itself informs, 

without need for further explanation. 

In her book, Words to Eat By: Five Foods 

and the Culinary History of the English 

Language (St. Martin’s Press, 2011, $29.99), 

Ina Lipkowitz, a linguist instructor at 

MIT, claims that English is filled with a 

food vocabulary that harkens from other 

languages, especially from French and 

Italian, with their rich culinary history. 

Many words are adopted into the English 

lexicon without being translated, such as 

pâté, à la carte, and au jus. Gourmet food 

tends to have French or Italian names, 

giving the impression of being fancier 

and tastier, even if by association only. 

Osso buco is a luscious main course, but 

doesn’t sound as nearly as appetizing when 

translated from the Italian (as “bone with a 

hole” on account of the marrow hole at the 

centre of the cross-cut veal shank). 

Words to Eat By focuses on five basic 

food words — milk, bread, apple, leek, and 

meat — one from each of the traditional 

nutrition pyramid groups. 

Lipkowitz claims that milk has a 

schizophrenic complex: it is consumed 

by some cultures but not others; fed to 

children more than adults. It is perceived 

by many as a healthy drink (except for 

those who are lactose intolerant) because it 

starts out as the sole source of sustenance 

to jumpstart the 

lives of babies, 

but then at a 

certain age, 

some children 

progress to 

dairy products. 

Adults choose 

whether 

they continue 

consuming milk and its 

use is quite regional based on cultural 

upbringing. The word “milk” is derived 

from the Germanic “meolc” but the Italian 

“latte” comes from the Latin “lac” and 

elevates the stature of the product — a 

coffee shop latte is worth more than a 

warm cup of milk. 

Names for bread can also paint an 

exotic picture. We are attracted to French 

baguettes, Italian ciabattas, Indian naan, 

Greek pitas, and Mexican tortillas. Our 

English word evolved from the rustic 

origins of the Germanic brot and brings 

to mind artisan loaves of baked, leavened 

bread made with grains, or perhaps the 

primary-coloured package of fluffy, sliced, 

white Wonder Bread. 

The sweetness of fruit is believed 

to be the reason for its name from the 

Latin fruor, meaning “to have pleasure.” 

Lipkowitz writes that “fruit provides such 

an unsurpassable pleasure that its name 

evokes happiness. However much we may 

enjoy our eggplants, string beans, and 

rutabagas, they simply don’t give us the 

same effortless delight.” Most fruits hail 

from warm and sunny locations, so the 

English language has adopted many foreign 

names, to identify things like pomegranates 

and mangos. Apples, though, are indigenous 

to the United Kingdom and the word appel


has barely changed in more than 1,500 

years of existence from the Old English 

original, and apples are still the universal 

poster-child for all fruit. 

Leeks were chosen for Lipkowitz’s 

discussion on vegetables because they 

are distinctly British, in contrast to most 

vegetables imported to England, whose 

names were stick to their country of origin, 

like broccoli and zucchini (Italian), tomato 

(Central American), and Brussels sprouts 

(Belgian). Leeks are part of the onion 

family and grow wild in England, leading 

Lipkowitz to a discussion about the fine 

line between eating what could be a wildgrowing 

weed or a cultivated and delicately 

cooked vegetable. As with many wild herbs, 

the leek has been attributed with medicinal 

qualities and is associated with its Latin 

name, loch, a medicinal substance to cure 

a sore throat. 

The meat industry has relied heavily on 

using names to remove the subject from its 

source. For starters, the word meat is used 

more often than flesh. Pig is an animal, 

pork is what we eat; the meat of a pig can 

also become prosciutto, pancetta, and pork 

chops to distance it further from its animal 

origins. Linguistic shifts throughout history 

were based on the conquest of one nation 

over another. Names of meat changed when 

William the Conqueror arrived forcefully 

in England in 1066. Cow, sheep, and swine 

(all Germanic names) become beef, mutton, 

and pork (from the French boeuf, mouton, 

and porc) when in edible form. Lipkowitz 

writes: “Although live beasts are called 

by their Old English names, they become 

French after they’ve been slaughtered, 

jointed, and roasted.” 

The historical references and linguistic 

research in this book are extensive and 

impressive, giving a delicious picture of 

how language has shaped what we eat. 

The thymus glands of livestock are given 

the more palatable name of “sweetbreads” 

as an alternative to the offal they really 

are. Similarly, why would a restaurant put 

“goose liver” on a menu when foie gras is 

universally recognized? The meaning of 

food, and our perception of its taste, all 

starts with a name. 

DARIN COOK works and plays in Chatham-Kent and 

regularly contributes to eatdrink. 

KLEIBER’S 

A Downtown London Culinary Landmark 

at the Covent Garden Market since 1940 

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



cookbooks 

Nigellissima 

Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes 

By Nigella Lawson 

Review and Recipe Selections by JENNIFER GAGEL 

If you’re a fan of Nigella Lawson, it 

shouldn’t be a surprise to discover 

that her heart has always lived in the 

kitchens of Italy. She approaches food 

in the way of true Italian food lovers — 

preferring simple, bold flavours presented 

unpretentiously, often family-style. She 

demonstrates this in her newest book, 

Nigellissima, the companion book to her 

new television series of the same name. 

Nigella’s recipes are usually inspired by 

a region or dish rather than exact copies 

of existing recipes, and the offerings in 

Nigellissima are no exception. She is drawn 

to the flavour and forthrightness of Italy 

but is also unapologetically a modern 

British woman. Shortcuts are perfectly 

acceptable and enjoyment is more 

important than authenticity. 

Her introduction tries to dispel some 

of the romanticized myths we may have 

about Italian peasants sitting around huge 

tables in the yards of their farmhouses, 

daily hosting dozens of friends and family. 

Nigella offers the reader a more realistic 

view of modern Italian life. Italians, like 

so many other cultures in our shrinking 

world, have embraced international 

cuisine. New ingredients and techniques 

are welcome. Just don’t try to pass them off 

as the traditional foods. This is what Nigella 

does, with flare. 

The book is well-indexed and organized, 

mostly by the primary ingredient, and with 

pictures as mouth-watering as the results. 

Lawson isn’t a food snob but she will 

argue passionately for the use of certain 

ingredients in a given dish, then happily 

turn the reader loose to decide for themself. 

She’s not a trained chef, but an enthusiastic 

lover of 

food and this book reflects 

that passionate rather than regimented 

approach. She cooks as most of us do on 

a daily basis — one dish to be served for 

our supper along with some sides. No 

appetizer, first course, second course here. 

Recipes are loosely gathered into chapters 

of Pasta; Meat, Fish & Fowl; Vegetables 

& Sides; Sweet Things. The book ends 

with a grand finale of an Italian-inspired 

Christmas feast, complete with Nigella’s 

favourite confetti sprinkles. 

Lawson has always been clear that 

she loves to entertain family and friends 

over dinners any night of the week, but 

she is realistic about the time and energy 

constraints that may keep some of us 

from doing so. Like any good cook, she 

understands the need to simply get dinner 

on the table. That she manages to do it in 

a way that is simple and delicious and yet 

looks so lavishly, warmly welcoming, is a 

testament to her casual and unapologetic 

approach to food. The lists of which recipes 

work well when made ahead, tips on how 

and how long to store leftovers and options 

for reheating and serving them make lavish 

food familiar. 

If you’ve watched any of Lawson’s 

television shows you know her rustic 

approach to plating food. She prefers to 

tumble, sprinkle and cascade food onto a 

serving dish rather than spend precious 

eating time building an architectural 

structure on a plate. Award-winning 

Australian food photographer Petrina 

Tinslay makes these simple family-style 

platters beautiful. 

Lawson often discusses the emotional


impact of food. As anyone who appreciates 

food knows, it’s not just about dinner, but 

also about our connections with friends, 

family, community and ourselves. You 

don’t have to be Italian to appreciate that, 

but maybe try: add -issima to the end of 

your name and see how it feels. 

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 

Recipes courtesy of Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes by Nigella Lawson (Knopf Canada, 2013, $45) 

Vanilla Mousse with Berries & Pistachios 

Serves 6 

2 free-range organic or pasteurized egg 

whites 

1 ¼ cups (310 mL) heavy cream 

½ cup superfine sugar 

seeds from 1 vanilla bean 

8 ounces (250 mL) raspberries 

8 ounces (250 mL) strawberries, chopped 

1–2 tablespoons (15–25 mL) chopped 

shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts 

6 approx. 2/3-cup (160 mL) glasses 

1 Whisk the egg whites in a clean, greasefree 

bowl until they form soft peaks. 

2 Pour the cream into another bowl, add the 

sugar and vanilla seeds, and whisk until 

this mixture, too, forms soft peaks. Fold 

the whisked egg whites gently into the 

vanilla cream to make your mousse. 

3 Divide the berries among 6 glasses until 

just under half-full and dollop the vanilla 

mousse on top, until every glass is softly 

peaked. 

4 Chill them in the fridge for 15 to 30 

minutes. 

5 On serving, dust the tops with the ground 

or finely chopped pistachios. 

ED Note: Reducing the sugar by half still results in a delectably sweet mousse. 

Quality vanilla extract will substitute perfectly well.


Chicken with Tarragon Salsa Verde 

Serves 6-8 

FOR THE CHICKEN 

2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil 

4 chicken breast cutlets 

(preferably organic 

and corn-fed), with 

skin on 

small bunch fresh 

tarragon (2 sprigs for 

chicken plus more 

leaves for sauce) 

pepper (preferably 

white, coarsely 

ground), to taste 

FOR THE SAUCE 

Leaves from small bunch 

fresh parsley (packed) 

(approx. 1 cup) 

Leaves from sprigs fresh 

tarragon (packed) 

(approx. ¼ cup) 

1 scallion (including 

green part), roughly 

chopped 

zest 1 unwaxed lemon 

and juice ½ lemon 

1 teaspoon (5 mL) kosher salt or ½ teaspoon 

(2 mL) table salt, or to taste 

1/3 cup (75 mL) olive oil 

1 Preheat the oven to 425ºF 

2 Pour 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the oil into a shallow 

ovenproof dish or roasting pan in which the 

chicken breast cutlets will fit snugly and then 

arrange them in there skin side up. Tuck 2 sprigs 

of tarragon in between the chicken pieces, add 

a good grinding of pepper and dribble another 

tablespoon of oil over them, then pop them in 

the oven for 20–30 minutes, or until the skins are 

golden and the flesh is tender. 

3 Take out of the oven, and let the cooked 

chicken stand for 5–10 minutes in the pan while 

you prepare the sauce. 


4 Put the parsley and tarragon leaves, along with 

the scallions, lemon zest, salt, and 3 tablespoons 

(45 mL) olive oil, into a suitable receptacle 

and, using an immersion blender, whizz to a 

paste, adding the lemon juice and remaining 3 

tablespoons (45 mL) olive oil slowly as you blend. 

Leave for a moment while you slice the chicken. 

5 Cut the chicken into thickish — ½ inch or so 

— slices (if you need it to go farther, then slice 

more thinly) and arrange on a platter. 

6 Pour any juices that have collected in the pan 

into the tarragon salsa and whizz again with your 

immersion blender, tasting for seasoning before 

dribbling the sauce over the tender sliced chicken. 

Give us a LIKE on and you could 

win one of these cookbooks ... and others! 

About every three weeks, we will draw from all our LIKES, current and 

new. for an outstanding cookbook. You only have to enter once! 

Search for us under eatdrink magazine. 

And follow us on Twitter! 

Search for @eatdrinkmag!

Subscribe & Get the Best Seats at the Best Price 

Oct 15 - NOv 2 

riNg OF Fire 

t he Music OF J O h NNy cAsh 

creaTed By richard malTBy Jr., conceived By william meade, 

orchesTraTions By sTeven Bishop and Jeff lisenBy 

ELF 

Artistic FrAuD OF 

NeWFOuNDlAND’s 

prODuctiON OF 

NOv 20 - JAN 4 

Book By Thomas meehan and BoB marTin, 

music By maTThew sklar, lyrics By chad Beguelin 

Based upon The new line cinema film 

spONs O reD By lONDON l i F e 

JAN 21 - Feb 8 

the pAssiON OF 

NArcisse MONDOux 

By graTien gélinas spONs O reD By BluestONe p r O perties 

Feb 18 - MAr 8 

Other Desert cities 

By Jon roBin BaiTz 

MAr 18 - Apr 12 

the 25 th ANNuAl putNAM cOuNty 

spelliNg Bee 

music and lyrics By william finn, Book By rachel sheinkin, 

conceived By reBecca feldman, addiTional maTerial By Jay reiss 

spONs O reD By 3M 

Apr 22 

Oil AND - MAy 10 

WAter 

By roBerT chafe 

OUR 2013/14 seasOn 

ADD 

theAtre 

tO yOur 

liFe 

high schOOl prOJect 2013 

legAlly 

BlONDe 

Sept 17 - 28 

music and lyrics By laurence o’keefe 

and nell BenJamin, Book By heaTher hach 

Based on The novel By amanda Brown and 

The meTro-goldwyn-mayer moTion picTure 

spONs O reD By lONDON cANADi AN t ire AssO ciA te DeA lers 

Subscribe Today! 

519.672.8800 | grandthEatrE.com/subscribE



the lighter side 

Strong, But Not Bitter 

By SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD 

L 

ike many young people, my first 

foray into the working world took 

place in the food industry. Parttime, 

after school and on weekends, 

I wore a nametag — and a hairnet. The 

option of a smartly striped baker’s cap or a 

sleek ponytail pulled through the back of a 

baseball hat simply did not exist. Obviously, 

everyone loathed the hairnets but they were 

compulsory. I would carefully style my hair 

and add extra kohl pencil, à la Colette, around 

my eyes; in this way, I hoped that others would 

understand that an artist like myself was being 

forced to conform, in order to keep myself in 

Gitanes, decent Levis and import albums. (Did 

I mention that I was sixteen?) 

And so it came to pass that I waited on 

tables, made sandwiches and learned how to 

make faux Peach Melba (ice cream with 

a dollop of cherry pie filling, a sliced 

tinned peach and a generous crown 

of whipped cream) at a frenetic 

seaside café in Britain. This 

particular café was tucked into 

a narrow strip of land that faced 

the Irish Sea and offered diners a 

panoramic view. For this reason 

it was a favourite of coach tour 

operators, and it was not unusual to 

see three buses chock-full of senior citizens 

hurtling down the curving path towards us, 

often without warning. 

The Chef was not beneath running outside 

with binoculars to get an overview of the 

demographic on board, and amused himself 

by (profanely) predicting what they would be 

ordering, with considerable accuracy. At the 

first sighting, massive steel teapots would be 

filled to accommodate the pending 70 cups of 

tea, with teabags the size of chicken-noodle 

soup sachets thrown in a few at a time. I was 

marveling at the size of these teabags as we 

worked when The Chef overheard me and 

asked sternly if I was aware of the amount of 

food that was often wasted in the restaurant 

business. Did I realize, for example, that 

these catering-size teabags were intended 

for multiple uses? Had he just seen me earlier 

emptying the old ones into the bin? Did I 

not understand that they must be dried and 

re-used? I was tearful. I had not known. 

The Chef softened, but explained that in 

future, I must hang the used tea bags on the 

clothesline outside. Pegs were by the door. 

The next hour and a half was spent in the 

fray of making English High Tea for several 

dozen elderly and demanding patrons (each 

one had a squeeze purse with a single ten 

pound note in it — each required change). 

Carrying five plates at a time was revealing 

biceps I never knew I had. My heel was throbbing 

blood beneath one of my strappy patent 

pumps and although I knew my legs looked 

amazingly long in them, by the end of the week 

I would be wearing sandals like an elderly aunt 

at the Sunday school picnic. As we set about 

clearing dishes, I remembered my earlier gaffe 

and, cheeks hot with shame, I went outside 

with a bucket to make things right. 

Carefully pegging the dripping 

tea bags on the line, I suddenly 

became conscious of the entire staff 

behind me at the door. Supporting 

themselves on one another, they 

brayed with uncontrollable laughter, 

a few even showing the presence 

of mind to combine a smoke break 

with the planned spectacle. The Chef 

hugged me: “You didn’t believe that 

really? Never mind — you’re one of us now.” 

This was good-natured kitchen “hazing” at 

its finest and I was ultimately able to laugh at 

myself without feeling too ridiculous. At the end 

of my shift, I walked down to the beach and sat 

on a rock with my shoes beside me, dipping my 

feet into the blissfully cold shock of the water. I 

peeled off that hairnet and looked closely as it 

curled in my hand like the gossamer skeleton of 

some tiny woodland creature. 

The day was over now and my mind 

was made up. My kitchen career was just 

unfolding. But like tea — I would become 

stronger as time went on. 

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.

№ 41 | May/June 2013 www.eatdrink.ca 63



WE’RE BACK 

PLENTY OF FREE PARKING 

SE Corner of Richmond St. & 

Fanshawe Park Rd. 

Open Every Friday 

8am to 2pm. 

From May 10th to Oct. 11th 

519-438-5942 

More Reasons To Shop Locally • www.farmersandartisansmarkets.com

Eatdrink #41 May/June 2013

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?