Eatdrink #65 May/June 2017
The LOCAL food and drink magazine serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007
The LOCAL food and drink magazine serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007
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Issue #65 | May/June 2017
eatdrink
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
FREE
Trending Now: The Tea Lounge
is part of a Tea Renaissance
Tea Rituals
The Sommelier-Driven
Tea Experience
ALSO FEATURING
Al Fresco!
Dining & Drinking
in the Great Outdoors
John Szabo Interview
A Master Sommelier
Feast: Recipes and Stories
from a Canadian Road Trip
Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007
www.eatdrink.ca
2 | May/June 2017
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Celebrate
the art of life in in
STRATFORD
Spring is is bursting with with culinary culinary innovations, innovations, artistic artistic talent and talent and
musical pleasures. Come Come join join us for us these for these happenings happenings and more. and more
5-7 Country Weekend at The Hub
6 Young Adults Stratford Writers Festival
MAY
7 Bradshaws Open House – A Canadian
Marketplace
7 Spring Foraging, Puck’s Plenty (more dates)
19-21 Stratford Studio Tour
20 Revival House VQA Wine Festival
JUNE
16 50th Anniversary Picnic, Gallery Stratford
18 Father’s Day Craft Beer Festival,
Stratford Perth Museum
23-25 Stratford Blues & Ribfest
25 Revival House High Tea
Plan your Spring getaway at
visitstratford.ca
@StratfordON
@SavourStratford
StratfordON
SPRING EVENTS A T T H E IDLE WYL D
The Courtyard Opens in June!
.
BBQ
Buffet
Dinners
Wednesdays & Thursdays
Seatings start at 5:30–9pm
$36.95
per person + hst & gratuity
Mother’s Day Brunch
& Dinner Buffet
Sunday, May 14th
Brunch, Two Seatings: 11am & 2pm
$35.95 per person, Children 3–12 $18, + hst & gratuity
Dinner Buffet, Two Seatings: 5pm & 7:30pm
$39.95 per person, Children 3–12 $20, + hst & gratuity
$40
per person
+hst & gratuity
Our Famous Saturday Afternoon Tea
May 20th & June 24th | 2:00 – 4:00pm
Enjoy a traditional afternoon tea, featuring an assortment
of loose leaf teas, homemade scones, Devon cream and
preserves, cucumber sandwiches, savory mini quiches, and
mouth watering treats and sweets!
36 Grand Ave London, Ontario | 519.432.5554
www.idlewyldinn.com |
IdlewyldInnAndSpa
eatdrink
inc.
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
eatdrinkmag
@eatdrinkmag
eatdrink.ca
Living
Energy!
Full of enzymes.
Packed with vitamins, minerals,
and cleansing chlorophyll.
Delicious!
Conveniently packaged,
living and ready to eat.
Just snip, rinse & serve!
Available at Wholesalers,
Fine Restaurants & Retailers,
and at our Farm Gate Retail
7496 Calvert Dr., Strathroy ON
519-245-1339
slegersgreenhouses@gmail.com
www.slegersgreens.com
Think Global. Read Local.
Publisher
Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca
Managing Editor Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca
Food Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca
Copy Editor Kym Wolfe
Social Media Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca
Advertising Sales Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca
Stacey McDonald – stacey@eatdrink.ca
Finances
Ann Cormier – finance@eatdrink.ca
Graphics
Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy
Writers
Jane Antoniak, Gerry Blackwell,
Renee Borg, Tanya Chopp, Darin Cook,
Nicole Laidler, Bryan Lavery,
Wayne Newton, Tracy Turlin
Photographers Bruce Fyfe, Steve Grimes
Telephone & Fax 519-434-8349
Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6
Website
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OUR COVER
The Tea Lounge, owned by
Yixing Tang and Michelle
Pierce Hamilton, manifests
the exuberant enthusiasm for all
things tea in 2017. Story page 20.
Photo by Spencer Drake
Every Saturday in May!
Come for mammoth meals, deals & experiences at
these stops:
Shop & Sample our award winning Cheddar & Asiago.
816503 Country Rd 22, Bright
brightcheeseandbutter.com | 519-454-8600
Tour, taste, & take home our award winning cheeses.
445172 Gunn’s Hill Rd., Woodstock
GunnsHillCheese.ca | 519-424-4024
Sample our handcrafted chocolates & world teas
38 King St W., Ingersoll
Chocolate.ca | 519-495-6020
Gourmet grilled cheese & cheese baked goods.
544212 Clarke Rd., Ingersoll
LeapingDeer.com | 519-485-4795
Find more stops & details at
www.oxfordcountycheesetrail.ca
866-801-7368 x3355
@TourismOxford
Contents
Issue #65 | May/June 2017
Food Writer at Large
To B&B or Not to B&B
A Diversity of Lodgings in Stratford
By BRYAN LAVERY
8
Restaurants
Al Fresco!
14
Dining & Drinking in the Great Outdoors
By BRYAN LAVERY
14
8
Spirits
Craft Distillery Cocktails
A Spring Visit to Wolfhead Distillery
By JANE ANTONIAK
46
Various Musical Notes
Celtic, Québecois, and Iconic
Upcoming Highlights on the Music Scene
By GERRY BLACKWELL
48
Culinary Retail
Tea Rituals
The Sommelier-Driven Tea Experience
By BRYAN LAVERY
20
20
The Classical Beat
Happy Birthday, Canada
It’s All About Us
By NICOLE LAIDLER
50
Road Trips
Destination: Nebraska
A “Drive-to” State
By WAYNE NEWTON?
26
The BUZZ
Culinary Community Notes
30
Beer
Last Castle Brewing Co.
Nano Brewing in Port Stanley
By WAYNE NEWTON
40
Wine
Master Sommelier John Szabo
A Taste for Excellence
By TANYA CHOPP
42
26
40
60
55
Theatre
Summer Theatre Is Back!
Celebrating Canada Onstage
By JANE ANTONIAK
53
Recipes
Feast: Recipes and Stories
from a Canadian Road Trip
Review & Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN
55
Books
The Trends that We Eat
Devoured by Sophie Egan
Review by DARIN COOK
60
The Lighter Side
The Newbie
By RENEE BORG
62
42
62
Alternate Grounds Dockside, Sarnia
©
There’s a new culinary scene making waves in Ontario.
Ontario’s Blue Coast is home to a rapidly expanding wine region and premium waterfront
dining, all inspired by the laidback lifestyles in Lambton County.
Sit back, relax, sip some craft beer and sink your teeth into some fresh-caught lake fish.
It’s what we like to call the après-jet ski on the coast.
GET A TASTE at tourismsarnialambton.com
8 | May/June 2017
Food Writer at Large
To B&B or Not to B&B
A Diversity of Lodgings in Stratford
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
By BRYAN LAVERY
If you’re thinking of visiting
Stratford before the summer
season heats up, or in the
thick of theatre season, you’ll
find a diversity of comfortable
hospitable lodgings no matter
what your taste. The region offers
a variety of hotels, boutique inns,
luxury suites, hotel-style home
and vacation rentals, farm-stays
and over 70 bed-and-breakfasts
(B&Bs). Be sure to book in
advance for the most optimal
experience.
The lion’s share of Stratford’s
lodgings is situated around
the downtown area with easy access to
theatres, restaurants, cafés and independent
retailers. The gradual transformation from
heritage homes to elegant guest houses and
B&B lodgings has played a large role in the
conservation of the heritage architecture and
charm of Stratford and surroundings. Dating
from 1953, Stratford’s B&B history harkens
back to the beginning of the Shakespeare
Festival, when residents opened their homes
to unanticipated throngs of theatre-goers.
Due to their smaller size, B&Bs and inns
usually offer a more intimate, personalized
Forest Motel and Woodland Resort
Stewart House Inn
guest experience, allowing visitors interaction
not only with the owner but also other guests.
Add the draw of staying in a unique property,
breakfasts to remember, and comforts that are
comparable, if not superior to, other lodgings,
and it’s not surprising that many travelers
prefer B&Bs and small inns.
Stratford and Area Bed & Breakfast
Association (SABBA) is the leading
representative of independent B&B owners
in Stratford and surrounding area. The
organization has helped build a cohesive
custom service experience for visitors looking
for B&B accommodations, from the
unassuming and cozy to the most lavish
and luxurious. SABBA participants
are committed to the Association’s
quality standards, often surpassing
local licensing requirements. SABBA
properties are regularly inspected to
ensure these standards are maintained,
which results in guests having a more
optimized and engaged customer
experience.
Be sure to check out the comprehensive
list of B&Bs on SABBA’s website
(www.bbstratford.ca). You’ll find
choices such as the elegantly appointed
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
One of Stratford’s
original fine dining
restaurants
FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE
Key’d Inn
Magnolia House, one of the newer properties
to open in Stratford, in a beautifully restored
Edwardian home. Perennial favourites also
abound. The elegant all-season Stewart
House Inn, a six-bedroom B&B, almost
always experiences full occupancy during
the Stratford Festival season. Frequently
receiving rave reviews and five-star ratings
on TripAdvisor Canada, the Inn was named
Unique Luxury Hotel of the Year in the North
American listings of the Luxury Travel Guide
year-end America’s Awards 2016. The awards
celebrate the very best accommodation
providers.
Cathy Rehberg, Marketing Manager,
Stratford Tourism Alliance says, “Stratford’s
boutique inns are small enough to offer
personal interaction, yet large enough to allow
for anonymity if that is what is preferred.
Mercer Hotel (a walk up), The Lofts at 99,
Bentley’s (a walk up) and The Parlour Inn,
a Vintage Inn property, are good examples of
this and situated in the downtown. They all
feature dining on location and free parking.”
Another highly recommended spot is Key’d
Inn, operated by Keystone Alley. The Inn
consists of two spacious suites located above
the restaurant. You can enjoy a cocktail on
the impressive rooftop patio or relax in front
of the gas fireplace in the shared communal
dining/sitting area.
Forest Motel and Woodland Resort
provides an unexpected surprise, with 19
rooms in a wooded location on private
McCarthy Lake. This is a popular location for
weddings and romantic getaways, with chalet
rooms separated from the main building.
They also offer upscale B&B rooms across the
road. The setting is well suited to families,
with canoes, bikes and inviting outdoor space
to explore and enjoy at the east entrance to
Stratford.
Featured in 15 of the
best restaurants
outside the GTA
TORONTO LIFE
Join us for a cocktail in
our cosmopolitan new bar
Visit our website and follow us on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for
features and special events.
theprune.com
151 Albert Street in downtown Stratford
RESERVATIONS t. 519.271.5052
reservations@theprune.com
10 | May/June 2017
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Here are a few more suggestions and recommendations
to highlight the variety of choices and styles
in the Stratford area.
Foster’s Inn
In the heart of Stratford’s uptown, Foster’s Inn’s nine
eclectic rooms offer comfort and strikingly unique
furnishings in a casual and calming environment. This
The Restaurant at The
Bruce Hotel (above) and
indoor swimming pool
turn-of-the-century brick building features soaring
14-foot ceilings, fully-accessible en suite bathrooms
with modern amenities, an elevator and an excellent
steakhouse with a street-level patio in a prime
location off Market Square, just steps to the Avon
Theatre. Friendly, personalized service and excellent
breakfasts are the Inn’s hallmark. You will be the guest
of the owner Craig Foster, who is passionate about
hospitality. Drop by the quaint bar or street-side patio
during cocktail hour or after theatre. Open seven days
a week, breakfast, lunch and dinner. fostersinn.com
Mercer Kitchen/Beer Hall/Hotel
Mercer Kitchen/Beer Hall/Hotel, a unique, smartlyrenovated
heritage walk-up located in the heart
of downtown Stratford, is a balance
between contemporary and traditional.
The 14 expansive and comfortable
rooms are among some of the most
desirable in the core. The street level
boasts Mercer Kitchen, a terroir-driven
restaurant under the guidance of Chef
Ryan McDonnell, with a delicious “from
scratch” menu. They also offer one of
Ontario’s largest craft beer selections.
mercerhall.ca
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 11
The Bruce Hotel
The handsomely appointed, 25-room
Bruce Hotel features 21 spacious rooms
and four “petite suites” designed with a
Shakespearean character in mind. There
is a luxurious indoor pool and a stateof-the-art
gym. The Bruce is situated
on six and a half acres of property just
a short walk from the Festival Theatre.
The gazebo can be booked for special
dinners. The dining room is white linen,
chic with comfortable square-backed
upholstered chairs and settees. This is
the top end of dining in Stratford, with Chef
Arron Carley featuring cutting-edge Canadian
cuisine and wine pairings. thebruce.ca
The Festival Inn
The Festival Inn, offering affordable
accommodations in several low-rise buildings
and an annex adjoining the main hotel with
a covered walkway, has a retro ambience. The
hotel has been welcoming guests for over 50
years and is a six-minute drive from the Avon
Theatre. There’s an informal dining room and
a casual lounge with a large-screen TV and a
snack menu. A complimentary continental
breakfast is served in the Anne Hathaway
dining room, mornings between 7:30 am and
11 am. festivalinnstratford.com
Rundles Morris House
Rundles Morris House, designed by the
Canadian architectural firm Shim-Sutcliffe,
launched the first ever fractional vacation
home ownership opportunity in Stratford. As
the beginning phase in the re-development
of Rundles Restaurant, starting in the 2017
season of the Stratford Festival, Rundles
Morris House will be offered for sale in
one-week segments. The house functions
Rundles Morris House and kitchen (above)
WATSON’S CHELSEA BAZAAR
A fun place to shop!
as a deluxe two-bedroom suite, has a living
room, den, bedroom and en suite bathrooms.
Enjoy the wood-burning fireplace in the
living room, and views onto the Avon River
and parklands. The adjoining restaurant has
always been synonymous with innovative
culinary classicism and a refined level of wine
sophistication. rundlesrestaurant.com
BRYAN LAVERY is Eatdrink’s Food Editor and Writer
at Large.
Smeg small appliances ... A perfect fusion of practicality, technology and beauty!
84 Ontario St Stratford watsonsofstratford.com 519-273-1790
Stratford is more
than great theatre
visitstratford.ca
StratfordON
@StratfordON
Bard’s
“Buck A Shuck”
Fresh Oyster Bar
Every Friday & Saturday
starting at 5pm
Lunch & Dinner
Tuesday–Sunday
Limited Menu 3–5pm
After-Theatre Menu
Two Experiences, One Location
27 MARKETPLACE
Bard’s Steakhouse & The Hub
27-31 Marketplace, Stratford
519-508-BEER (2337)
27marketplace.com
Stratford’s ONLY Rooftop Patio!
Open Daily at 11am
Live Music
Daily Specials
54 Beers on Tap
Dining. Imbibing. Events.
Globally inspired menus using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients;
featuring familiar, homestyle comforts alongside new & interesting creations.
•
Hand-crafted cocktails; also featured on tap & in bottles.
•
Local craft beer on tap, bottles from around the world.
•
Refined selection of wines from Ontario & abroad
for reservations please call
(519) 273.5886
30 Ontario Street, Stratford, ON
www.themillstone.ca
Our Gelato is ready!
celebrating 122 years in stratford
And our new Ice Cream Bars!
hint: get them before they are gone!
Mon to Sat 9am to 6pm, Sun 10am to 5pm
dining + weddings + receptions
concerts + dinner shows
tour groups + private functions
REVIVAL … our inspired dining + events venue
BELFRY … a chill upstairs gastrolounge
CONFESSION … Stratford’s VIP hideaway
Special events
may alter hours
on Saturdays
70 Brunswick St.
Stratford
519.273.3424
www.revival.house
Outdoor
Garden Patio
NOW OPEN!
14 | May/June 2017
Restaurants
Al Fresco!
Dining & Drinking in the Great Outdoors
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
By BRYAN LAVERY
It is the launch of al fresco season and
we’ve gathered a selection of some of
the more interesting regional dining and
people-watching venues. Sip a coffee,
quaff a craft beer or enjoy a nosh or a full
meal at a sidewalk café, in a private garden or
secluded courtyard setting, under a pergola or
gazebo, on a roof-top patio, or on a charming
side-street terrace.
Here is my short list of recommendations
— not exclusive and in no particular order —
for refreshing al fresco dining and drinking
inspiration this season.
The Lake Huron Shore
In Sarnia, Alternate Grounds Dockside
affords the best view of the city and the only
water-top patio on the Canadian side of the St.
Clair River. Open seasonally, April 1–September
30, at Sarnia Bay Marina. agdockside.com
Smackwater Jack’s Taphouse features
a patio that literally hangs over the river
in Grand Bend, where it empties into Lake
Huron. Always a popular spot for boat
watching and sunset views, they recently
added a wood burning pizza oven to the multitiered
patio. smackwaterjacks.ca
Located between Grand Bend and Bayfield
outside the lakeside village of St. Joseph,
Hessenland Country Inn honours German
culinary traditions. The Ihrig family relaunches
their legendary al fresco Mongolian Grill nights
in the summer on their outdoor patio with its
great views of the bucolic grounds and fledgling
vineyard. hessenland.com
Alternate Grounds Dockside, Sarnia
Smackwater Jack’s, Grand Bend
London
Looking for something different? How about
trying a bistro-themed restaurant for plane
spotters and aeronautical aficionados with
its patio located next to the London airport
Idlewyld Inn, London
tarmac? Katana Kafe & Grill may be off the
beaten path, but it offers a spectacular view of
air traffic and Chef Chris Morrison’s cuisine
receives rave reviews. katanakafe.ca
The Early Bird, a diner with casual farmto-table
cooking, has a retro charm and a
26-seat seasonal patio placed across the
sidewalk for outdoor dining. theearlybird.ca
The close proximity to Budweiser Gardens
makes both Waldo’s On King (waldos.on.ca)
and Olive R Twists Food and Beverage
House (olivertwists.ca) at the Covent Garden
Market a desirable choice on event nights. Both
restaurants overlook King Street’s restaurant
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 15
Black Trumpet, London
row and are perfectly placed
for relaxing and watching the
passing scene.
For vegan diners, Glassroots
(glassrootslondon.com)
has a 14-seat elevated patio
overlooking Richmond Row,
and Plant Matter Kitchen
(plantmatterkitchen.com) in
Wortley Village also has
street-side seating.
Wolfe of Wortley is a
compact 24-seat
restaurant
which is complemented
by
a 14-seat patio.
This is casual but
sophisticated dining focusing on curing, pickling,
fermenting, and preserving, featuring craft cocktails
and a compact wine list. wolfeofwortley.com
The Springs, at 310 Springbank Drive, is
one of London’s premier culinary hot spots.
A beautifully appointed raised patio seats 40.
Chef Geoff Tew features locally grown ingredients
from farms specializing in sustainable
agriculture, organic growing practices, and ethically
raised livestock. thespringsrestaurant.com
Idlewyld Inn & Spa is a grand Victorian
mansion nestled at 36 Grand Avenue in a quiet
Old South neighbourhood. Here the passion
for food translates into updated classic cuisine
showcasing local and seasonal products. The
manicured grounds and elegant ambiance of
the gracious front porch and hidden forty-seat
“Garden Courtyard” create a welcome retreat
for diners. idlewyldinn.com
Black Trumpet is a prestige spot for al
fresco dining in its beautifully appointed
British colonial Indonesian-style courtyard
garden. This secluded oasis on Richmond St.
The Church Key, London
Fresh flavours
everyday
Proud to celebrate our 1st Anniversary
serving only our finest dishes with
fresh, local ingredients.
Restaurant & Bar
226 658 0999
soloportstanley.com
16 | May/June 2017
seats 60 and features several levels amidst the
wild plantings and exotic foliage. Chef Scot
Wessling and the culinary team have a modern
take on iconic classics, with Mediterranean
and Asian influences. blacktrumpet.ca
The Church Key Bistro-Pub resides in
a prominent heritage building across from
the Grand Theatre and beside St. Paul’s
Cathedral. Chef Michael Anglestad specializes
in traditional food updated with gourmet
flair. The pub features an intimate outdoor
courtyard for casual cocktails or dinner
SUNDAY BRUNCH
11am−2pm
PATIO
Now
Open!
Sun–Tues 11am–11pm, Wed/Thurs 11am–midnight, Fri/Sat 11am–1am
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
pre- and post-theatre, and they also serve an
exceptional Sunday Brunch featuring different
entrée items every week. thechurchkey.ca
Bertoldi’s Trattoria has a well-appointed
rooftop patio that gives patrons a great view
of the denizens on Richmond Row. The patio,
with seating for 100, resembles an Italian
garden, with hanging baskets and colourful
umbrellas. On cooler evenings, an infrared
heating system lends the patio a warm glow.
On sunny days, a misting system helps cool
things down. bertoldis.ca
Marienbad Restaurant and Chaucer’s
Pub share a Carling St. sidewalk patio with a
smart black iron fence, pretty flower boxes,
and comfortable tables with festive umbrellas
that exude old-world charm. Chef Klaus
Campbell evokes the traditional Mittel-
European cooking styles of Central Europe.
There is excellent steak tartare, schnitzels and
a superior beer selection. marienbad.ca
Craft beer enthusiasts have made Milos’
Craft Beer Emporium a local landmark,
part of Ontario’s rich craft beer culture. Chef
Matt Reijnen prepares seasonally-curated
menus that reflect their farm-to-table
commitment and passion for everything
local. There are 23 micros on tap with
excellent style variation, and twin street-side
seasonal patios. pubmilos.com
The Morrissey House is a welcoming, warm
and cozy local. Chef Andrew Harris features
an innovative from-scratch menu. The 60-seat
patio, set back from the street at 359–361
Dundas St., is an industry and neighbourhood
hot spot, attracting a large crowd of regulars.
themorrisseyhouse.wordpress.com
Toboggan Brewing Company is the concept
of restaurateur Mike Smith, owner of the venerable
London landmark Joe Kool’s. Toboggan’s
craft beers are brewed below the floors of the
a step closer to Italy...
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 17
Family-owned & operated, siblings Tina and Len
are celebrating 10 years of bringing a genuine
taste of Italy to Chatham. In homage to their
mother Maria, they insist upon from-scratch
cooking using the best of local ingrendients.
The restaurant is sophisticated yet approachable.
A beautiful patio overlooks the Thames River.
Catering and well-appointed private function
rooms are available.
231 King Street West, Chatham
519-360-1600
Open for Dinner Daily / Lunch Monday-Saturday
www.mammamariasristorante.ca
Frendz is run by the creative team of Brenda
Boismier and Chef Marc King. The warm, cozy
Resto/Lounge is designed for friends to gather for
good food and good times. Weekend entertainment
features local talent. The upscale yet affordable
menu features international cuisine, prepared from
scratch, from Spanish tapas to steak and seafood.
Craft beer is on tap, an extensive drink menu is
on offer, and this may be the best patio in town.
216 King Street West, Chatham
519-436-1313
Open Tuesday–Saturday for Lunch & Dinner
a step closer
www.frendzlounge.com
to home...
18 | May/June 2017
Revival House, Stratford
Richmond St. brewpub. The 519 Kitchen features a
large wood-burning oven, a large BBQ smoker and an
enviable roof top patio overlooking Richmond Street.
Smith’s other restaurants, Fellini Koolini’s and The
Runt Club, feature charming twin patios with plenty
of shade from mature trees at 155 Albert Street, just off
Richmond Row. tobogganbrewing.com
Stratford
There is no shortage of great patios in Stratford. If
you enjoy people watching, pull up a chair at Mercer
Kitchen, Bentleys Inn, Fellini’s Italian Cucina,
Downie Street Burger or Stratford Thai Cuisine.
Other favourite spots include Anne Campion’s Revel
on Market Square. This is a great place to grab a
barista-prepared beverage and some homemade smallbatch
baking and soak up the sun on one Stratford’s
most striking patios. revelstratford.ca
The relaxed osteria-style restaurant Monforte
on Wellington — known for its small plates, each
inspired by a Monforte cheese — has a charming
35-seat courtyard with umbrellaed tables for al
fresco dining. (fb.com/MonforteOnWellington) Another
notable patio is located at The Parlour Inn by
Vintage Hotels, just one block from the Avon
Theatre and Studio Theatres in downtown Stratford.
(theparlour.ca) Foster’s Inn (fostersinn.com) also
offers a smart street-side patio, as does The Mill
Stone (themillstone.ca). The HUB, at 27 Marketplace
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
above Bard’s Steakhouse, is the only
three-season roof-top patio in Stratford.
(27marketplace.com)
Chef Aaron Carley, at The
Restaurant at The Bruce at 89
Parkview Dr., describes his cuisine as
“New Canadiana,” using traditional
techniques and global influences applied
to the good things of this province. The
luxe restaurant features a stunning
36-seat terrace and a gazebo that can
be booked for private dinners. Open for
breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as
pre- and post-theatre. thebruce.ca
Revival House offers great local,
seasonal food in the warm atmosphere
of Stratford’s former Church Restaurant.
Keystone Alley, Stratford
Tucked along the Brunswick St. (south)
side of the heritage church building, a
new 40-seat garden patio is the perfect
spot to enjoy anytime nosh, craft
cocktails and local beer. revival.house
Keystone Alley’s unique outdoor
40-seat alley terrace is a hidden gem
on Brunswick St. The patio features an
Mamma Maria’s Ristorante, Chatham
Chatham
Tucked in the back of the Italian-inspired
Mamma Maria’s Ristorante is a beautiful
private dining area perfect for special
events or parties. There are streetside
tables and a stunning 50-seat patio off the
private room overlooks the Thames River.
mammamariasristorante.ca
SoLo On Main, Port Stanley
“edible wall” of herbs used in their seasonal
dishes. A great spot to enjoy the Ploughman’s
Platter and some wine or a menu full of fresh
seasonal and local foods. keystonealley.com
Oxford County
In Woodstock, we like to enjoy Eric
Boyar’s delicious farm-to-table cuisine at
Sixthirtynine and dine al fresco on the small
and intimate patio surrounded by attractive
raised flower beds. sixthirtynine.com
In Ingersoll, maple and pine trees share
space with bubbling cherub fountains along
Elm Hurst Inn & Spa’s 33 landscaped acres.
Inspired by the seasons, menus change to
reflect the local harvest. The gingerbreadtrimmed
mansion features a large outdoor
patio in a bucolic setting. elmhurstinn.com
Port Stanley
Kettle Creek Inn’s dining options include a
gazebo and a stunning garden terrace. Owner
Jean Vedova says, “Guests can prop up their
feet on their porch or balcony, sip a libation
and amble down for dinner under the gazebo.
It doesn’t get much better.” kettlecreekinn.com
At SoLo On Main, Chef Lauren Van
Dixhoorn’s cooking is refined and the
presentation modern and thoughtful. There
is a stunning patio and inviting front porch
overlooking the harbour. soloportstanley.com
The Windjammer Inn, at Smith and
William, has comfortable seating on the newly
rebuilt wraparound veranda. Owner and
accomplished chef Kim Saunders sources her
ingredients from the large farm network in
Elgin County. thewindjammerinn.com
Outdoor Farmers’ Market
Thursdays, 8am–2pm
Saturdays, 8am–1pm
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The market has partnered with
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Great suggestions for meals,
soups, salads, desserts and
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pick up a recipe.
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BRYAN LAVERY is Eatdrink’s Food Editor and Writer
at Large.
20 | May/June 2017
Culinary Retail
Tea Rituals
The Sommelier-Driven Tea Experience
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
By BRYAN LAVERY
London may be part of the explosion
of indie cafés serving small-batch
coffee roasts, which are part grab-andgo
café and part bakery, but we’re a
community of dedicated tea enthusiasts too.
And now, with the rise of the wellness tea
market, we are seeing several innovative teainspired
concepts. These indie hot spots are
about tea craft and accessibility and offer us
a well-curated selection of ethically-sourced
single-origin teas, blends, tisanes and infusions.
The upswing in the popularity of tea
translates to enhanced flavour profiles, and
blends that add fruits, flowers and spices for a
richer experience. Pairings of tea with herbs,
spices and fruits for beverages, tea-infused
jams, condiments, and desserts, cocktails, cold
brews and ferments are all on-trend.
In traditional tea growing countries like
China, Japan, India and Sri Lanka (formerly
Ceylon) the term tea specifically refers to
beverages made from steeping the leaves
of cultivars that have been developed for
thousands of years.
White, black, blue, yellow and green teas all
originate from one of two tea plant varieties:
the Camellia sinensis — a small-leaf tea plant
that flourishes in cool, mountain regions of
central China and Japan — and the Camellia
The Tea Haus
assamica — a broad-leaf variety of sinensis,
growing optimally in the moist, tropical
climates of China and North-east India. Like
wines, teas are a reflection of their terroir.
Processing after harvesting determines the
type of tea produced. Tea leaves can be roasted,
steamed and semi- or fully- fermented.
The purpose of blending tea is to create a
well-balanced flavour using different origins
and characters. Tea cultivars have been
developed for thousands of years, whereas
the international commercial tea industry has
only existed for a little over a century and a
half. Tisanes, infusions and herbal blends are
prepared like tea, but are made with herbs,
flowers, roots, bark, fruit, seeds and spices.
We love The Tea Haus, located on the
second floor of Covent Garden Market. The
hospitable proprietors have created a little
oasis, which is the perfect place to unwind and
escape the hustle and bustle. This premium
loose-leaf teashop features black, green, white,
herbal chai, Fairtrade, oolong, organic and
fruit teas. The attractive kiosk boasts a solid
inventory of teaware, pots and accessories.
Long-time local tea purveyors, Gary and
Martha McAlister of Everything Tea, located
at the Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market at Western
A guided tasting of four oolong teas at The Tea Lounge
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
Fair on Saturdays, have transferred their boutique shop
to their son Hadleigh. Called The Canadian Magpie
Merchant, it specializes in organic and fair trade tea
and accessories.
The Tea Lounge
Certified tea sommelier and nutritionist Michelle
Pierce Hamilton and her business partner Yixing Tang
opened The Tea Lounge in a small and charming house
on Piccadilly Street east of Richmond Row last fall.
Millwork shelving showcases an interesting selection
of unique and traditional teaware. The focal point is a
10-foot “Wall of Tea,” featuring over 100 hand-selected
teas from around the world.
The café has many seating options, including a
rustic conference table with over-sized hand-carved
dining chairs for groups and classes. A long crimson
sofa accents the Indo-Asian decorative features of the
eclectic central lounge. There is additional seating on
the front porch in the warm weather.
Tang and Pierce Hamilton offer a premium tea
service experience, serving ethically-sourced singleorigin
teas and tisanes from around the world, as
well as retailing striking teaware. The pair offers
traditional Chinese, Japanese and English teas, each
with its own teaware and serving style. Chinese
“grandpa style” is another option on offer. Or you can
Business partners Michelle Pierce
Hamilton and Yixing Tang
We’re getting fresh ẹr!
FRESH New Look!
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FRESH New Location,
simply get a quick cup to go. Guests
can sip meticulously-sourced teas
while experiencing their choice of
traditional or contemporary style tea
service in the laid-back lounge.
Whether you’re in the mood for a
tasty treat, wholesome ingredients,
to serve you better!!!
Photo by Spencer Drake
The
Pristine
live
Est. 2012
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June 1 we’re moving, but only 800m away!
884 Adelaide Street N. | London | 519-433-4444 | thepristineolive.ca
22 | May/June 2017
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
or have food sensitivities, delicious baked good
and healthful snacks from Petit Paris Crêperie
& Pâtisserie, Boombox Bakeshop and Bliss
Specialty Foods add to the tea experience.
A menu of light and nourishing food offers
a daily wholesome made-from-scratch soup
prepared by the culinary team at The Spruce on
Wellington just around the corner. Other items
include organic Mason jar layered-salads with
names like Plant Protein, Fruitoxidant, Kitchen
Sink, Greek Out and Sexy Mexi.
There is an “All ’Bout Cheese Board”
featuring a selection of local Ontario artisanal
cheeses like Gunn’s Hill Cheese, served with
condiments, nuts and other accompaniments
that they switch up, to keep things interesting.
Wisdom: Café,Teashop and Japanese Crêperie
Wisdom Teashop, founded by David and Vicky Chandler
nine years ago, sold tea and tea accessories in London’s
Old East Village. In 2016, their son Aaron took over
and rebranded as Wisdom: Cafe, Teashop and Japanese
Crêperie. A strong background grounding his knowledge
of tea, Aaron has a foothold in the blossoming “tea
wellness” market. Yet the business remains one of
London’s best keep secrets. The small but sophisticated
café is housed in a long narrow shop with a clean
modernist sensibility and aesthetic.
Aaron Chandler lived in Japan for three years and
was impressed by how small cafés and restaurants
there flourish through their ability to focus on each
individual customer’s enjoyment. He liked that
they did only a few things, but that they were done
exceptionally well. He wanted to bring this experience
and ambience to London.
As well as 145 teas and a large selection of teapots
and accessories, the café features sweet and savoury
Japanese crêpes, gelato, tea drinks and Propeller coffee
(brewed on a state-of-the-art Nuova Simonelli coffee
maker). Chandler prepares tea-based gelatos in small
batches, such as matcha ( a finelyground
powder of specially grown
green tea) and white chocolate,
cookies and cream with Earl Grey, and
more traditional flavours like vanilla
bean and triple chocolate. Everything
is made by hand in the café to ensure
freshness and quality.
Chandler prepares the crêpes
to order in the small open kitchen
at the back of the café. Compared
to their French brethren, these
Japanese-inspired, thin, savoury
crêpes are less sweet and are served
in a cone shape for easy eating. Try
the crispy Applewood smoked ham
For the plant-based crowd, the “Nuts for
Cheese Board” features a selection of artisanal,
handcrafted, and vegan cheeses made from
cultured organic cashews.
What makes great tea? Pierce Hamilton
believes, “It starts with excellent quality leaf,
with permission to naturally unfurl and fully
reveal its flavours and aromas. Not crushed
or crammed into a little bag or a ball.” The
tea lounge owners create blends that don’t
diminish tea’s nutrients, antioxidants and
essential oils. They do the legwork, sourcing
and selecting teas and tisanes from around the
globe. An informative and exciting schedule
of classes and events is also part of The Tea
Lounge experience. www.tealoungelondon.com
crêpe with melted cheddar, or the
smoked salmon, dill and goat cheese
— they are both excellent. We have
also sampled his outstanding matcha
ice cream crêpe with
fresh strawberries and
chocolate syrup.
The menu is continually
expanding to accommodate
customer sensitivities,
and now includes
a gluten-free crêpe and a
dairy-free vegan gelato.
www.wisdomcafe.ca
Matcha Ice Cream, Chocolate
& Strawberry Crêpes (left) and
an array of teaware (above).
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24 | May/June 2017
Distinctly Tea
High Tea at Revival House
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Stratford
Stratford offers several terrific ways to learn
about and savour superior tea. Meet certified
tea sommelier Karen Hartwick at Tea Leaves
Tea Tasting Bar to experience the simplicity
and intimacy of brewing, presenting, pairing
and savouring tea. Tea Leaves is open
Wednesday to Saturday, or by appointment.
Distinctly Tea is nestled on York Street
beside the river. Certified tea sommelier Dianne
Krampien offers a broad selection of teas and tea
brewing accessories. For the tea connoisseur, she offers sencha,
tikuanyin, and many other Chinese teas of excellent grade.
For over a century now, iconic hotels like the Toronto’s
Royal York have honoured the ritual of afternoon tea, a
remnant of India’s colonial British rule. Now, there is a
renaissance and renewed interest by restaurateurs in the
custom. Reserve your space at Revival House for High Tea
and enjoy a special selection of Sloane tea and a custom
menu of sandwiches, scones, petits fours and chocolates.
Visit The Restaurant at The Bruce Hotel for its monthly
afternoon tea, a relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Choose from twenty carefully curated teas — all of which
are complements to the traditional (with a twist) nibbles.
BRYAN LAVERY is Eatdrink’s Food Editor and Writer at Large.
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Destination: Nebraska
A "Drive-To" Rather Than "Drive-Through" State
Story and Photos by WAYNE NEWTON
If you’re thinking of Nebraska as a drivethrough
state while you’re en route to
the Rocky Mountains or lush Pacific
Coast, think again. This state, highlighted
by its capital Lincoln and trendy Omaha, is a
destination unto itself.
It’s good enough for billionaire investor
Warren Buffett, after all.
My exploration starts at Omaha’s Henry
Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, home to Lied
(pronounced lead as in leader), Jungle, which
is one of the largest indoor rainforest exhibits
in the world. The zoo is also home to the
world’s largest geodesic dome which houses a
fascinating indoor desert exhibit.
Underneath the dome, there is the world’s
largest nocturnal animal exhibit, Kingdoms of
the Night. In this enclosure, day-night cycles are
reversed so visitors can observe animals such as
the cat-like fossa of Madagascar, naked mole rats
and aardvarks. The exhibit’s 600,000-litre indoor
swamp is the largest in the world.
As a bonus, the zoo has stellar dining options
overlooking exhibits. These include the Omaha
Steaks Grill and Patio nestled between the
Lied Jungle and the cafeteria-style TreeTops
Restaurant.
In downtown Omaha, visitors are greeted by
a beautiful sculpture of a Sioux warrior outside
the Joslyn Art Museum.
The museum’s collection features
the expected and unexpected. There’s
impressive 20th century American
paintings and sculptures, but the most
storied is a recently restored and altered
Rembrandt from the 17th century.
The painting Portrait of Dirck van Os
was purchased in the 1940s in the belief it
was authentic, but doubt was cast and the
painting was displayed as being from the
Rembrandt school before eventually being
tucked away in storage for 10 years.
In 2012, it was retrieved and sent to
Amsterdam for analysis, where it was
discovered to be a true, albeit altered,
Rembrandt. Restoration work included
removing embellishments believed to have
been added after Rembrandt painted it,
including a cross and chain and lace collar.
Today, the restored painting is displayed as
The state legislative building dominates
the skyline in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The lobby of the
Durham Museum in
Omaha recalls its
railway days as a hub
for troop movement.
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 27
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28 | May/June 2017
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Hedy Lamarr’s 1958 Cadillac at the Museum
of American Speed in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Crescent Moon Ale House in Milton, Nebraska.
(Photo courtesy the restaurant)
the Joslyn’s marquis piece.
Equally impressive is the Durham Museum,
as much for its building as its collection.
The Durham is inside the former Union
Station, an spectacular 1931 art deco
passenger rail station saved from demolition.
In its heyday, the building served seven
different railways, including Union Pacific,
peaking during the Second World War when
over 10,000 passengers a day passed through.
The last train left in 1971 and the building
was donated to the city two years later to
become a museum focusing on Omaha’s
history as the Gateway to the West.
Visitors enter through the Great Hall, which
once served as the main passenger lounge, Most
exhibits are downstairs at track level, including
those highlighting the story of the Mormon
movement west and explorers Lewis and Clark.
There’s a nod to Omaha’s railway heritage
with a hands-on steam locomotive exhibit
and a row of restored rail cars to step inside,
including a luxurious Pullman and caboose.
Upstairs, there’s an authentic 1931 soda
fountain serving sundaes, malts, and oldfashioned
phosphate sodas.
The Omaha craft beer scene is served by
the likes of Benson Brewery, where instead
of flagship beers there’s a constant rotation
of recipes and styles, and Infusion Brewing,
both in the city’s northwest. The owner of
Infusion also owns Crescent Moon Ale House in
Midtown, home of the 100-beer draft taps and
the Blackstone reuben, chosen best in the city by
the Omaha World Herald newspaper. (Locals will
tell you the stack of corned beef, Swiss cheese,
and sauerkraut on rye bread was invented in
Omaha in the 1920s by Jewish grocer Reuben
Kulakofsky, who was looking to feed hungry
poker players at the Blackstone Hotel.)
An hour away in Lincoln, the focus is on the
University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football
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and basketball teams, the latter of which play
at the new 15,500-seat Pinnacle Bank Arena in
the historic Haymarket District.
As you might expect, the thousands of
hungry fans arriving in Lincoln help feed an
excellent and diverse food and beverage scene.
Lazlo’s Brewery and Grill in the eight-block
Haymarket District was the first brew pub in
the state. Outside the district and a 20-minute
drive from downtown, MoMo Pizzeria and
Ristorante puts a little bit of Italy into the
Midwest. Pasta and pizza ingredients are
either imported from Italy or sourced locally.
ALWAYS
a 3-course prix fixe
menu option
LUNCH Wed to Fri 11:30–2:30
DINNER from 5pm daily
Blue Orchid in Lincoln, Nebraska.
(Photo courtesy the restaurant)
Reserve Now
HOLIDAY PARTIES
One of Lincoln’s favourite restaurants
is Blue Orchid, a Thai restaurant owned by
university professor Witawas Srisa-an and
wife Malinee Kiatachikow.
Lincoln’s most testosterone-friendly
attraction is the out-of-the-way Museum of
American Speed.
Located in an industrial park, the three-floor
museum is diverse but focused on racing and
hot rodding. There are hundreds of racecars,
dating from the 1920s to more modern Indy
cars. Collectible production cars include actress
Hedy Lamaar’s seductive 1958 Cadillac.
But there’s also an eclectic side to the
150,000-square-foot museum with a wall of
racing-related LP album covers, rooms full of
children’s pedal cars, and a collection of Buck
Rogers toys.
As destinations go, there’s a bonus to
visiting both Omaha and Lincoln. Each has
a population of less than 500,000, making
them big enough for fun, yet small enough to
get around without feeling intimidated. It all
helps make Nebraska a drive-to, not a drivethrough,
state.
WAYNE NEWTON is a London-based freelance
journalist and photographer.
432 Richmond Street
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30 | May/June 2017
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The BUZZ
Culinary Community Notes
Opening Day for Covent Garden Market
Outdoor Farmers’ Market is Saturday
May 6. The outdoor market is held every
Thursday (8–2) and Saturday (8–1).
The market has partnered with the expert cooks
at Jill’s Table for a weekly cooking class featuring
market ingredients (Thursdays, 11:45–1:15). Get great
suggestions, try the food, pick up a recipe.
The Squire Pub and Grill is an American-style pub and
grill operated by General Manager Chris Cleary and Chef
Joel Silva. The dining room has a casual atmosphere,
with daily drink and dining specials. Located at the
corner of Dundas and Talbot, it’s perfect for before and
after events at Budweiser Gardens. Open for lunch,
dinner and late nights daily. www.squirepubandgrill.ca
The Early Bird recently expanded into the area formerly
occupied by Rock au Taco and owners Justin and Gregg
Wolfe will open a Mexican restaurant called Los Lobos
in the former Talbot St. Whisky House space early this
summer. The menu will share their love for tacos and
take on classics and Mexican entrées, with the focus at
the bar being on tequila, mezcal and bourbon.
Jess Jazey-Spoelstra and Chef Andrew Wolwowicz’s
new venture, Craft Farmacy, is opening in May, at 449
Wharncliffe Road South. It will feature local craft beer,
an oyster bar, rustic-style food, lots of sharing plates
and great wines and fabulous house cocktails.
Windermere Manor’s Restaurant Ninety One is
celebrating its first anniversary. The menu pays
homage to Modern Canadian cuisine. Chef Angela
Murphy tells us that the Saturday Afternoon Teas have
been popular. Murphy will release a new spring edition
on May 6 and launch a new spring Sunday Brunch
menu at the same time. www.restaurantninetyone.ca
Karri Egan returned last month from 20 years in
Alberta with a fresh idea — to bring Thai-inspired ice
cream trend to Downtown London. Roli Poli – Hand
Rolled Ice Cream will open in May, at 484 Richmond
St. Not only will it offer premium ice cream, but also
vegan-friendly, non-fat yogurt and coconut milk ice
cream. The Roli Poli Food Truck will also be serving
hand-rolled ice cream and artisan shaved ice. You’ll
see it on the streets of London, in the parks and at
festivals this summer. www.rolipoliicecream.com
Chef Alana Coughlin’s Haven’s Creamery is coming to
226 Piccadilly St. at Richmond. Look for from- scratch,
batch-by-batch, high-integrity ice cream made with
simple, local ingredients and fresh cream and milk from
Hagerville’s Hewitt’s Dairy. www.havensicecream.com
The former home of the Mongolian Grill on Richmond
Row has been sold to the Warehouse Group of Vancouver,
which plans a popular bar-restaurant concept that bills
itself as a “premium dive” serving inexpensive meals.
Wellington Market is opening in the space formerly
occupied by the Organic Works Bakery and Revive
Kitchen, bringing wholesome food to the SOHO
community. Vegetarian, vegan, omnivore and glutenfree,
dine-in or “grab-and-go”... everyone will find a
favourite here.
Visit the Organic Works Bakery new pop-up shop
at Eldon House, offering a selection of breads, bars,
cookies and treats. www.organicworksbakery.com
Eldon House Summer Tea Program features tea,
scones and jams with fruit and cream served on the
beautiful lawns of the property, overlooking the
Thames River. June 28–August 28, Tuesday through
Sunday, 2–4pm. Cost includes a self-guided tour of
Eldon House. Reservations recommended.
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The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
The Tea Lounge is launching Afternoon Tea Service on
one Sunday per month. The first will be on Mother’s Day
(two seatings available: 12pm & 2:15pm). Book a sitting
at the recently launched monthly Tea Flight Nights to
experience a comparative tasting. A cheese pairing tops
off the experience. www.tealoungelondon.com
Plant Matter Kitchen is an all-encompassing eatery
offering chilled organic brews, daily specials and a
smoothie and juice bar in Wortley Village. Look for a
new expanded outdoor patio this summer. A second
exciting iteration of PMK is expected to open downtown
in the former Braywick Bistro premises in midsummer.
www.plantmatterkitchen.ca
Idlewyld Inn& Spa is featuring a Mother’s Day brunch
and a dinner buffet. Reserve for one of two seatings:
11am & 2pm for brunch, and 5pm & 7:30pm for dinner.
The Courtyard opens in June. Savour a fantastic BBQ
buffet dinner every Wednesday and Thursday. Enjoy
Idlewyld’s Saturday Afternoon Tea on May 20 & June
24, 2–4pm. www.idlewyld.com
Rebel Remedy Health Bar recently opened to rave
reviews at 242 Dundas St. The downtown take-away
features plant-based breakfast and lunch options,
“bulletproof”coffee made with Pilot Coffee, cold-press
juices, salads, and a kombucha brewery that is in full
swing. www.rebelremedy.com
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32 | May/June 2017
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 33
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34 | May/June 2017
Globally Local has announced the launch of the
“World’s First” 24-hour Vegan Drive-Thru — located
at a former Harvey’s at Highbury & Cheapside. “The
revolution starts June 2017.” If you haven’t tried their
food yet, you can visit them in downtown London at 252
Dundas St. Open daily 8am–10pm. globallylocal.ca
Fresno’s: The Italian Table will open in the space
previously occupied by Union Burger on Richmond
Row. Kirk Anastasiadis, a partner in Burger Burger
and The Barking Frog, anticipates a mid-May opening.
Fresno’s will offer a signature hand-cut veal
sandwich, fresh pastas, gelato etc.
142 fullarton at richmond
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Aroma of India has opened in the space previously
occupied by Amici Ristorante at 350 Dundas St. The best
of traditional Indian cookery will be complemented with
new Indian dishes to add innovation for those who love
fine dining. The menu offers vegetarian, lamb, chicken,
and seafood dishes at different levels of spicing. Open
for lunch and dinner daily. www.aromaofIndia.ca
Zen’Za, formerly Rico’s Pizzeria Downtown, is known
for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free thin-crust
pizzas. The organic farmer’s sausage pizza and a
prosciutto-filled Hawaiian “Magnum Pi” are designed
for carnivores. 71 King St. www.ricosDT.ca
If you love cold beer and sizzling grilled foods, the
London Beer & BBQ Show presented by White Oaks Mall
is the place to be June 16–18. Quench your thirsts with
Canada’s top breweries and Ontario’s craft breweries and
a selection of wines, coolers, ciders and spirits all served
ice cold and perfectly sized for finding your signature
drink of the summer. You’ll find outstanding barbecue
too, prepared by local grill masters. The fun continues
with backyard games, live bands, bubble soccer, beer
tours, cooking demonstrations, cook-offs, taste-offs and
more! www.westernfairdistrict.com/beer-bbq-show
Masonville Farmers’ Market will open on May 19 and
run until the second week in October. The Market will
be located behind London Audio at Masonville Mall
this year, across from the bus depot.
Stratford
The new Market Square, opening July 1, welcomes
people into a pedestrian-friendly space with trees,
places to sit and relax with a good book, meet friends,
enjoy lunch from a nearby eatery or while away
the day. Just a short walk through Queen’s Park to
Confederation Park brings you to a new butterflyshaped
pollinator garden that offers a welcoming
home for bees. www.visitstratford.ca
Marc Chartrand joins corporate executive chef Ryan
O’Donnell as chef de cuisine at Mercer Kitchen and
will be handling the reins of the kitchen. A new menu
continues the playful, quality-driven approach to
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a hybrid Japanese izakaya/locavore Perth County
pub menu that was so well received last year. Alex
Kastner has left Mercer Hall. Myron Hussey is the
new Restaurant Manager and Shazelle Beach the new
Hotel Manager. Mercer presents a Father’s Day Picnic
at the Stratford Perth Museum on June 18 with outdoor
stalls, food and live music in a beautiful treed setting
on the museum grounds. www.mercerhall.ca
The Prune, a long-time Stratford favourite, is launching
a new concept featuring a lounge and custom-built bar.
Bar One Fifty One has a relaxed and elegant vibe, the
perfect backdrop for signature cocktails and a varied
wine list and tailored bar menu. Open for lunch, dinner
and late night. Bryan Steele remains Executive Chef
at The Prune. Inspired in part by the bounty of local
producers and growers, with touches of world cuisines
alongside the classics, the result is an experience that is
uplifting and memorable. www.theprune.com
Summer season at The Red Rabbit means the return of
the pre-theatre menu (fixed price) and to being open 7
days a week. Reade Haslam is the new restaurant manager,
while Jessie Votary is across the square starting
up Okazu, a new cocktail bar in the former Canadian
Grub to Go premises. Okazu, a Japanese word meaning
“side dish,” will be Stratford’s new late-night hot spot
for grown-ups who want a little of everything, followed
by a kimchi Caesar, a glass of sake, or a lemongrass
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martini. Not just a Japanese snack bar, food from around
the globe will be featured, clarified through a Japanese
palate. Chef Justin Dafoe’s menu will feature dumplings,
noodle bowls, and not-so-noodle bowls. Open 6pm-2am,
Thursday-Sunday. www.OkazuSnackBar.com
This season, The Mill Stone features a small seasonallyinspired
all-day menu with small plates, bolstered by a
rotating selection of feature dishes that focus on lighter
and healthier fare. This high-energy bistro is looking
to create a niche as the cocktail bar in town. Look for
cocktails on tap and in bottles, homemade bitters, and
fluidity between the kitchen and the bar with globallyinspired
flavours and locally-sourced ingredients.
Locally-brewed beer on tap and a varied bottle list, with
a focus on Canadian wines and a refined international
selection. www.themillstone.ca
Chef Arron Carley of The Bruce recently staged at
Swedish chef Fredrik Berselius’ two-Michelin-starred
restaurant Aska in New York. Chef Kris Schlotzhauer
and Tim Larsen have joined the culinary team, and
Mark Craft and Rob Beavus from the former The
Church Restaurant are now heading up The Bruce
dining room. www.thebruce.ca
For many years, the culinary opus at Bijou has been a
front-runner in Stratford for inspired, locally-sourced
cuisine. Mark and Linda Simone purchased the legacy
restaurant and added a new entrance on Wellington
St. and a small bar in the front area. They have now
expanded into the yarn shop next door. Chef Roddy
Eastman is launching “Food Flight Platters” as well as
continuing to feature small plates for the second seating.
Open now for lunch Wed–Sat and on Sunday evenings,
commencing in June. www.bijourestaurant.com
Bard’s Steakhouse is open Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–
12 midnight. Stratford’s only modern steakhouse,
Bard’s is located at 27 Marketplace, just steps away
from the Avon Theatre, and offers casual fine dining in
one of Stratford’s oldest buildings. There is a weekend
oyster bar, triple-A Canadian beef and ethically
sourced, ocean-wise certified seafood. 54 beers are on
tap and a beer market features over 100 varieties.
On July 1, The Hub, on the second floor of 27 Marketplace,
celebrates its first anniversary. Offering a funky,
industrial atmosphere and Stratford’s only rooftop patio,
additions this year included an elevator for accessibility,
patio heaters for chilly nights, and a 120-inch drop-down
TV screen. Coinciding with Canada’s 150th birthday, The
Hub will throw a weekend party to celebrate and thank
customers. www.27marketplace.com
Bradshaw’s Kitchen Detail presents a “Spring Grande
High Tea” event to celebrate Mother’s Day, served in
the lovely setting of Revival House. A selection of three
loose-leaf teas from Canadian tea company Sloane
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The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 37
Fine Tea will be served with Revival’s custom menu of
sandwiches, scones, petits fours and chocolates. Each
guest will receive a special gift. Tickets and info at
www.bradshaws.worldsecuresystems.com
Keystone Alley has completely renovated the interior
space, including the installation of sound-dampening
panels in the restaurant for a quieter guest experience.
Now open until 10pm Friday and Saturday nights and
featuring a late night menu with some exciting “to share”
items and live music on certain days of the month (on the
patio if weather permits). www.keystonealley.com
The Slow Food Market has secured an interim space,
pending full completion of Stratford Market Square.
Visit your favourite Slow Food vendors on Wellington
Street, between Market Place and Soup Surreal at the
corner of St. Patrick St.
Revival House launches the spring menu with new
hours and the patio is now open. Serving bistro lunches,
a new terrace menu, and à la carte dinners Wednesday–
Saturday (11–10pm) and Sunday brunch 11–3. After
Victoria Day weekend, Revival House will open Tuesdays
through Sundays for the Stratford season (11am–10pm).
Upcoming dinner concerts at Revival House include
London’s Sarah Smith Band (May 5), Juno Awardwinners
Digging Roots (May 19), and Toronto acapella
group Eh440 (June 9). On May 7, Stratford Symphony
Orchestra presents Classical Brunch with performances
by local Kiwanis Music Festival winners. revival.house
On Saturday May 20, Revival House presents its First
Annual VQA Wine & Food Festival —a Victoria Day long
weekend wine sampling and food pairing experience. Sip
and sample with some favourite Ontario wineries and
hors d’oeuvres prepared by Revival House chefs. 1–5pm,
$40 advance tickets available via www.visitstratford.ca
SAV Eatery and Smokehouse welcomes chef Angie
Mohr to the southern Low country-inspired smokehouse
and diner, opening in May on Wellington Street.
www.saveatery.com
On June 18, celebrate at the Father’s Day Craft Beer
and Cider Picnic. There will be over 20 breweries and
cideries represented as well as food by Mercer, live
music all afternoon and lots of activities for the kids.
Tickets include a branded glass for tasting, admission
to the event and to the Stratford Perth Museum.
Pavilion Coffee and Crepes on Marketplace is a great
place for a family breakfast and fresh made lunch.
Look forward to sitting on the patio with the roller
door open this summer. www.pavillioncoffee.com
New owner of The Annex Restaurant Chef Cameron
Jariott and his parents have revitalized the menu,
making each dish from scratch, using fresh, local
ingredients. www.annexrestaurant.com
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Junction 56 Distillery has added three new flavoured
moonshine products, Sugar Shack (maple), Fireshine
(cinnamon) and Eclipse (anise and fennel) to the existing
line-up of gin, vodka and moonshine. www.junction56.ca
Tallgrass Mead is making Honey Pops, a refreshing
beverage made with honey, and a variety of other wines.
Order it at Monforte on Wellington or when you visit the
Stratford Festival. www.tallgrassmead.com/products
Stratford Blues and Rib Fest, June 23–25, is an outdoor
family-friendly gathering over slow-cooked BBQ and
all types of blues music in support of The Huron-Perth
Centre for Children and Youth, The Stratford Kinsmen
Club, and area Girl Guides/Boy Scouts. Activities include
free live music, pro rib trucks and food vendors, licensed
beverages, professional roller derby bouts, low and
full contact games, Blues Cruises on the Avon River,
a Weekend Warrior Amateur Open BBQ Competition,
horse-drawn downtown carriage rides, artisans and
crafters, a musician’s workshop tent, motorcycle &
vintage tractor display, Classic Car Meet and Park and
many other activities. www.stratfordbluesandribfest.ca
Around Our Region
Kitchen Smidgen is a small bakery — a smidgen of a
spot along the beautiful Thames in St. Marys operated
by Cindy Taylor. Stop by for sweet and savoury treats,
perhaps pick up some C’est bon cheese or Transvaal
Farm preserves. www.kitchensmidgen.com
Sixthirtynine in Woodstock continues to evolve
as one of Ontario’s best destination farm-to-table
restaurants. Chef Eric Boyar recently finished staging
at Vancouver’s ingredient-driven, award-winning
Hawksworth Restaurant, with a few additional days
at Nightingale, which also features modern Canadian
cuisine. www.sixthirtynine.com
Calling all curd nerds! Every Saturday in May, hit the
open road to Canada’s Dairy Capital in Oxford County
and enjoy the day celebrating all things cheese. The
Oxford County Cheese Trail is stepping up its game
with amazing culinary experiences, games, delicious
local cheese menus, artisan workshops and of course,
all the cheese you can get your hands on. www.
tourismoxford.ca/blog/detail/articleid/7225
The Donut Diner is a fun, funky and charmingly retro
mini-donut trailer operating at the Pinery Market in
Grand Bend May through Thanksgiving. Get fresh, hot,
made-on-the-spot mini-donuts by the dozen. Watch the
“donut robot” crank out 50 dozen donuts per hour and
say hello to The Donut Lady! www.fb.com/DonutDiner
Located at the Sarnia Bay Marina, Sarnia’s only
water-top restaurant, Brian and Tammy Vickery’s
Alternate Grounds Dockside, is open April–October.
Stratford Chef School graduate Andrew McNaughton
executes unique weekly à la carte menus, including a
creative breakfast menu. www.agdockside.com
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
Brian and Tammy Vickery, with Scott Dargie (co-owner
of Paddy Flaherty’s Irish Pub) and manager Mike
Pettigrew have opened Mixx Lounge, specializing in
hand-crafted cocktails. Food is limited to charcuterie
boards featuring cured meats, specialty cheeses or
chocolate. For private events, they work with local
caterers and restaurants, and can host up to 60 people.
www.fb.com/180Front
Point Edward Moonlight Farmers’ Market is producerbased
with a vendor mix that evolves through the
season. You’ll find it on the service road in Waterfront
Park right under the beautiful Bluewater Bridge. Open
Thursdays, 4–8 pm, May 25–October 5.
Streamliners Espresso Bar will celebrate its grand
opening May 6. Streamliners serves Las Chicas del
Cafe premium beans, roasted and packaged inside the
CASO Station, located across the street at 767 Talbot
St. Owners Maria Fiallos of Las Chicas and Stacey
Hayhoe are focusing on brewing the best cup of coffee
in St. Thomas, one customer at a time.
We want your BUZZ! Do you have culinary news that
you’d like us to share? Every issue, Eatdrink reaches
more than 50,000 readers in print, and thousands
more online. Get in touch at editor@eatdrink.ca
and/or with our Social Media Editor Bryan Lavery at
bryan@eatdrink.ca
Whatever your taste,
experience it all in
UPCOMING 2016 EVENTS EVENTS IN GODERICH
IN May 6-8
Goderich Home July 29 12th Annual Don Johnston
May 5–7
Goderich Home & Cottage Show
& Cottage Show to Aug 1 Memorial Slo Pitch Tourney
May 9
The Sound of Goderich
May 10 The Sound of Goderich July 31
21st Annual Goderich
May 14
Run Around the Square
May 15 Run Around the Square
Firefighters Breakfast
May 21
May 20–Oct Goderich 7 Farmers’ Goderich Market
Farmers’ Aug 1-5
Market (every Saturday) Celtic College
to Oct May 8
21–Oct 8 (every Goderich Saturday)
Flea Aug Market 5-7
(every Sunday) Celtic Roots Festival
May 22
May 24–Sept Goderich 13
Circle Flea Market
City Cruize Aug 5-7
Nights (every 2nd Goderich Wednesday) Art Club
to Oct June 9
1–Aug 31 (every Downtown Sunday)
Concerts (every Thursday) Annual Art Show
May 25
June 2 & Circle 3 City Cruize Mocha Nights
Shriners Aug Spring 13-14
Ceremonial RC Model Air Show
to Sept 14 (every 2nd Wednesday)
June 16
Relay for LifeAug 19-21 Goderich Salt Festival
May 26
Downtown Concerts
June 18–Sept 3
Sunday Concerts Aug 21
Goderich Triathlon
to Aug 25
(every Thursday)
June 24
Children’s Festival Sept 2-3 West Coast Bluesfest
June 18 Huron’s Multicultural Festival
June 25
Huron’s Multicultural Sept 2-5
Festival Labour Day Fast Ball Tourney
June 19
Sunday Concerts by
June 28
Circle City Beach Sept Cruize 18
Terry Fox Run
to Sept 4 Goderich Laketown Band
Oct 31
Halloween Activities
June 25
June Goderich 30 Children’s Canada Festival
Day Fireworks Display
Nov 5 Country Christmas Craft Show
June 29
July 1 Circle City Beach Canada Cruize
Day Picnic & Parade
Nov 5-6
Huron Tract
June 30
July 2 Canada Day Lions Fireworks
Beef Barbecue
Spinners & Weavers
July 1
July Canada 7 to 9 Day Picnic Festival & Parade
of Arts & Crafts & Goderich Quilters’ Guild
July 1
July 7–Aug 25 Dash Piping for Diabetes
Down the Sun (every Friday) Show & Sale
July 3
July 12 to 15 Lions Beef Kinsmen Barbecue
Summerfest Nov 11
Remembrance Day
July 8-10
July 15 Festival of Horticultural Arts & Crafts Nov Garden 12-13 Tour IODE Christmas House Tour
July 8
July 17 Piping Down American the Sun
Wind Nov Symphony 18
Orchestra Angel Tree Ceremony
to Aug July 26
22
(every Memories Friday)
Then Nov and 19
Now Car Show Santa Claus Parade
July 13-16 Kinsmen Summerfest Nov 19 Festival of Lights Celebrations
July 23 Horticultural Garden Tour Dates are subject to change.
July 23 Memories Then & Now For locations and more information,
Car Show be sure to visit goderich.ca
Dates are subject to change.
For locations and more info, be sure to visit goderich.ca.
1-800-280-7637 •• goderich.ca goderich.ca
40 | May/June 2017
Beer
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Nano Brewing in Port Stanley
Last Castle Brewing Co.
By WAYNE NEWTON
Craft beer is making waves in Port
Stanley. The Lake Erie village, known
for its beaches, summer stock
theatre, and railway nostalgia, may
soon be equally famous for an innovative
brew pub which opened last year.
Last Castle Brewing Co., which focuses
on rustic farmhouse ales featuring local
ingredients, is tucked inside the New New
Age general store near Port Stanley’s main
intersection at Bridge and Colborne streets.
“We have strong family ties to the area and
were drawn to Port for its relaxed and fun
summer atmosphere,” said brewmaster Aidan
Norton. “Many make the trip to Port for its
charms, beaches and food scene and we are
excited to contribute to the beer landscape on
Lake Erie’s north shore.”
Last Castle’s flagship beer is Field Magic,
a Belgian-style saison brewed with spelt and
chamomile, made with an eye to quenching
thirsts on hot summer days. It has aromas of
spice, bubblegum and pear. If that seems like
a stretch from the light lagers often favoured
by the summer crowd, it isn’t.
“Port Stanley sees an influx of people in
the summer,” said Norton, who does double
duty by also working at a large craft brewery.
“Its seasonal ebb and flow aligns well with the
Belgian farmhouse
tradition of producing
refreshing summer
ales.”
“I take inspiration
from my
grandmother, who
immigrated to southwestern
Ontario from
Belgium. Her family
brought some of the
old world treats such
as gouda cheese, and
operated a general
store. Farmhouse ales,
being fermented with
house yeast cultures,
are not too far off.”
Last Castle draws
from medieval beermaking
practices,
thus its name, and a
passion for all things
local.
“Our team is
inspired by our native
Carolinian forest,
which provides a
backdrop and is a
Selected in
TOP 10
Beer Bars
in Canada
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 41
last bastion of its kind here in Canada,” Norton
said. “We aim to bring in a mix of seasonal
ingredients wildcrafted or produced in the
region. In terms of brewing tradition, we draw
on some medieval approaches to ingredients,
such as the use of herbs and teas. The brewpub
has the fortune of operating in a store that
specializes in custom herbal tea blends. We’re
also fans of storytelling and want our customers
to discover the story behind the beer.”
Among ingredients used are chamomile
from the New New Age farm in Elgin County,
spruce tips from Three Ridges Ecological Farm
near Aylmer, and hops from Common Ground
Farm in Southwold Township.
Norton uses a nano brewing system, producing
about 100 litres per batch. The selection
is constantly rotating, but Norton’s favourite
recipe so far is Hex Breaker, a tart juniper gose.
Amaranth Wild Pale Ale, which was available in
late winter, featured its namesake ancient grain.
“We love to use adjunct grains in our beers,
as they can make unique contributions to
finished beer,” Norton said. “Amaranth is an
ancient grain that we use in this brew. It’s
high in protein, like wheat, making for a fluffy
presentation. It’s an American-style wild ale
because it’s fermented 100 per cent with a
yeast known as brettanomyces that provides a
fruity character.”
While exciting experimentation will
rightfully attract the brewcationers and
brewheads to Last Castle, beachgoers, theatre
patrons, and train buffs are the core patrons.
“For beachgoers, if they’ve been out in the
sun all day, we likely recommend something
like a Kombucha Beer, made in collaboration
with London’s Booch Organic Kombucha,
which is low in ABV and similar to a shandy
or radler. As for the theatre patrons and train
buffs, we’d encourage them to explore our
ASK for ANDERSON
latest seasonal and hope that it’s a memorable
part of their visit to Port Stanley.”
Last Castle beers are currently available
only for in-house consumption.
Last Castle Brewing Co.
286 Bridge St., Port Stanley
(inside the New New Age General Store)
www.lastcastlebrewing.com
WAYNE NEWTON is a freelance journalist in London
who enjoys writing about beer and travel.
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42 | May/June 2017
Wine
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
A Taste for Excellence
How John Szabo became Canada’s first Master Sommelier
By TANYA CHOPP
It’s no wonder that when John Szabo speaks,
people feel compelled to listen. His voice
contains a well-deserved confidence. As he
talks about wine, he jumps passionately
between time periods, soil qualities, geographic
zones and a whole catalogue of first-hand and
textbook experiences that have led him to
become a master of what it is to truly eat and
drink well.
Of course, his claim to fame — as Canada’s
first Master Sommelier — is a title that he
admits carries weight in his industry. But it’s the
passion for lifelong learning, and an insatiable
curiosity for "taste" that has led him to prestige.
And even Szabo will tell you that the path to
his current status was far from clear-cut.
“I’m a serial academic,” he admits. After he
earned a double major in Spanish and Italian
from the University of Toronto, the idea of
turning from student to teacher didn’t seem
ideal. Though spending more time in academia
would have been a traditional route, Szabo
decided to go a different way.
While he had been still entrenched in his
studies, he had two experiences that proved to be
turning points. “During my undergraduate, I lived
in Spain for a year and Italy for a summer. While I
Master Sommelier John Szabo,
at Tastings
was there, I was exposed to lots of great food and
wine and I was fascinated with flavours,” he says.
“I really just enjoyed eating, more than anything
else.” So fascinated by flavours, in fact, that he
decided to make a career of it.
“After I graduated, I started working in
restaurants, in the kitchen, and apprenticed
with a nice collection of chefs in Toronto and
Collingwood, including Michael Stadtländer,
who was one of the first farm-to-table chefs in
the country, in the early ’80s. I did everything in
the kitchen,” he says, adding, “At Stadtländer’s
farm, I would feed the animals in the morning,
be chopping them up in the afternoon, and then
serving them in the evening.”
As he moved through different work
experiences, at a range of establishments, wine
began to take over as an area of interest. “I worked
in Niagara, at Highland Estates, in the kitchen.
When I could, I would wander to the winery and
chat with the winemaker because I was curious,”
he says. “I later worked in France, in Paris and
then in the south. When I moved to Paris, I took
a wine course, because I thought ‘If I’m going to
eat well, then I’m going to learn how to drink well
too’.” Szabo took a six-month course at a Michelinstarred
restaurant, which exposed him to French
wines from all over the country.
“When I returned to
Canada, I opened up a catering
business with my partner, who
is now my wife,” says Szabo.
And even though he was back
home, he decided to bring part
of his international experience
with him — he entered into
the wine importing business.
“I was put in touch with a
wine importing agent, focused
on French wine, mostly
Burgundy and champagne.
[The agent] wanted to get into
the restaurant side with more
reasonably priced bottles. So
we had samples sent over and
held a portfolio tasting with
May/June 2017 | 43
John Szabo in Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands
the community, which was well received.”
Afterwards, Szabo became an importer with
Vinifera, and that’s when his work in the wine
business, and path to becoming a Master Sommelier,
truly opened up. He began to write about
wines, and acted as a consultant for a few wineries
in Hungary. He then embarked upon obtaining his
Canadian Sommelier Guild Diploma, through the
Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET).
Never one to stop after each certification, when
a friend suggested that Szabo also take the Master
Sommelier exam through the Court of Master
Sommeliers, he says “I just decided to do it.”
Perhaps thanks to the passage of time — and
popular documentaries such as Somm — many
people are now familiar with the sweat-inducing
intensity of the test, which encompasses tasting,
theory, service, spirits, beer and global wine
knowledge.
However, the reward for those who pass is
receiving the “highest distinction a professional
can attain in fine wine and beverage service.” In
2004, John Szabo became the first in Canada to
receive the designation, after passing on his first
try. To date only 236 professionals have earned
the diploma, and only three in Canada.
“It’s quite intense, and even more intense now,”
he says. “You show up prepared and pass or fail.
I felt confident, having already completed the
course in France and having studied a full twoyear
program through WSET. I like to take tests
to see how much I know. I thought I might get
some use out of it and it’s been more useful than
I intended. It’s instant credibility, the title sounds
grandiose enough.”
So exactly what point of view does someone with
such extensive experience hold, when it comes to
making wine more accessible for the masses?
“Half of me says ‘don’t make it more simple,
because it’s not,’” he says of the tasting process.
“Why try to candy-coat it when it’s a beautiful
complex subject? The reason why a glass of wine
tastes the way it does is an intricate matrix
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of things that isn’t fully understood. That will
always be the case, just to reduce it down to the
most basic element is to destroy it.”
“The other half is that I like to share the love
and passion you can get out of it,” he admits. “And
is one of London’s premier
fundraising events, supported
by the best of the region’s chefs and wineries from around
the world — and Londoners who enjoy good food and wine for a
good cause.
May 4, 2017 Participating Restaurants & Chefs
Black Trumpet: Chef Scott Wesseling
Blu Duby: Chef Graham Stewart & Chef Cynthia Beaudoin
The Church Key Bistro-Pub: Chef Cliff Briden
Craft Farmacy: Chef Andrew Wolwowicz
F.I.N.E. A Restaurant: Chef Erryn Shephard & Chef Ben Sandwith
The Little Inn of Bayfield: Chef Michael Potters
London Hunt and Country Club: Chef Michael Stark
Restaurant Ninety One: Chef Angela Murphy & Chef Kris Simmons
Sixthirtynine: Chef Eric Boyar
All ’Bout Cheese: Rick Peori
Petit Paris Crêperie & Pâtisserie: Chef Nicole Arroyas & Chef Nathan Russell
O-Joe Coffee: Joe Ornato
The Tea Lounge: Michelle Pierce Hamilton
Tastings benefits the
London Health Sciences
Foundation Impact Fund,
ensuring leading-edge care
and research continues.
These photos are from the
2016 event at the London
Hunt & County Club.
All ’Bout Cheese
The Springs
2016 Participating Chefs & Sommeliers
for that, there has to be a relatively simple starting
point. If I were selling wine at the table or talking
about a wine to a fresh audience, then I’d start of
with just the basics: red or white, dry or sweet. And
from there, you enter into other discussions.”
“A great way to divide
David’s Bistro
styles is into fruity or
savoury; cleave it into two
basic camps. Most are either
fruity or predominantly
savoury, mushroom type
flavours. People can generally
grasp that. For instance, they
know if they prefer their
coffee with lots of sugar and
milk, or mostly bitter. If they
prefer bitter, then they’re
more of a savoury person.”
And as for how to pair
food and wine together? Well
that, Szabo says, takes some
practice. “It requires lots of
eating and drinking, which is
not such a hardship. Although,
specifically, I mean you have
to be eating and drinking and
paying attention.”
Normally, once someone
has taken their first sip, their
attention has already shifted,
and that can be the same with
food too.
“We don’t focus all that
much on texture and nuances
of flavour. If you want to
get the most out of it, you
have to stop and think and
contemplate it, to assess
how your body is reacting.
You’ll sooner or later start to
pick up on basic interactions
between food and wine.”
According to Szabo, the
dance that takes place on
your palate is not between an
equally matched pair. The key
is anticipating how the flavours
will play off one another.
“It’s context,” he
says. “Most wines don’t
dramatically affect the taste
of food, but the taste of food
does profoundly change the
taste of wine. For instance,
a dish with a lot of sugar in
it — and I’m not talking about
dessert, but let’s say a basic
southeast Asian cuisine — a
sweet substance will make
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
everything in your mouth afterwards taste that
much more bitter, sour and astringent. On the
other hand, if you put something really sour into
your mouth, then everything after that seems
sweeter, softer, rounder and more mellow.”
But if you’re the kind of person who has the
basics down pat, and is more focused on what’s
emerging in the world of wine, Szabo has some
insight there as well.
“I would say that cool climates are hot, and
that’s true, certainly within the trade. And now
it’s trickled down to the consumer. It’s not
quite mainstream but getting there. Countries
like Canada are positioned for success, as are
producers who are way out on the far coasts
where it’s chilly, or in higher elevation sites like
Argentina. And it all comes down to lower alcohol,
fresher wines as opposed to high alcohol ‘jammy’
wines. The wines are better balanced naturally.”
However, what really has Szabo’s interest is
volcanic wines. After all, he recently published a
book on the subject, called Volcanic Wines: Salt,
Grit and Power.
“Volcanic wines, generally speaking, tend to
be on the savoury side of the spectrum — and I
take my coffee black and bitter,” he says jovially.
“I’m attracted to them for the taste profile, but
also for a number of other reasons. In volcanic
regions around the world, there are indigenous
grapes that have been preserved because of
the soil. Many are positioned on steep inclines,
which is not good for viticulture, so they were
semi-abandoned
Come sail
which
to Pelee
preserved
Island!
grapes
Explore
from
centuries Pelee past. Island There are by hundreds taking an of Island indigenous
varieties Motor that have Tour, survived cycle dirt … it roads offers and
amazing through world of the things vineyards to discover.” on a Biking
It’s not surprising, given his journey, that
Szabo still and possesses Wine Tour, the same walk insatiable up to the curiosity
and drive. Lighthouse; Not “just” a catch Master a Sommelier glimpse any of the
longer, Old Szabo Vin also Villa now Ruins, owns a stop winery at in the Hungary, local
and he bakery, continues grab to consult a glass and of write. wine at the
And perhaps one of the best-kept secrets of all
is that Pelee Szabo visits Island London, Winery Ontario while regularly. listening to
For the some past decade live music; he has been learn a a quasi-guest little history of
honour and at London enjoy Health the limestone Sciences Foundation’s and sandy
prestigious culinary fundraiser, Tastings, where
beaches of Canada's Most Southern
he holds a special pre-tasting event.
This Inhabited year’s beneficiary Island. is the Stay Impact for Fund, a weekend which
helps the or hospital a week acquire getaway! advanced Watch equipment the sunrise and
technology, and and the advance sun set new on approaches the Lake to Erie.Turn care.
“It’s one of my favourite events of the year,”
back the time and enjoy island life at
Szabo says. “Not only is it a good charitable cause,
but my a mother slower is also pace. from London. I’ve been going
there all my life and it’s like going home.”
TANYA CHOPP is a storyteller and marketing professional.
She enjoys crafting and amplifying meaningful
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health, wellness, and technology industries.
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Spirits
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Craft Distillery Cocktails
A Spring Visit to Wolfhead Distillery
By JANE ANTONIAK | Photographs by BRUCE FYFE
Time to bring out
the patio glasses
and refresh your
cocktail list for
the new season! It’s fun to
set aside the single malts of colder days past
and to reach for the lighter splashes of spirits
such as grapefruit vodka, banana caramel
vodka and apple caramel whisky, all of which
we recently found at Wolfhead Distillery in
Amherstburg, near Windsor. Nick Connoy,
front of house manager and bartender, shared
some tips on making refreshing seasonal
cocktails at home.
Celebrities such as Madonna
and Sarah Jessica Parker, portraying
Carrie Bradshaw in Sex in
the City, helped to bring the pink Cosmopolitan
to every bar menu in North America in the
1990s. Served in a martini glass, this vodka,
cranberry and citrus mix was a stylish and
often sweet concoction that carried a sparkle
and Hollywood-to-New-York panache. The
Cosmo is still a mainstay today. Connoy has
made it “less of a sugar bomb” by using not
The Howler
Add:
1 oz Wolfhead Banana Caramel Vodka
1 oz Wolfhead Coffee Whisky Liqueur
2½ oz milk
Shake with ice until metal part of mixer starts to frost.
Strain into low ball martini glass.
Garnish with grated Belgian chocolate.
Wolfhead Old Fashioned
Stir:
1 orange slice muddled with angostura bitters
Splash of cherry simple syrup
1½ oz ginger ale
2 oz Wolfhead Premium Whisky
Pour into rocks glass. Top with ice and orange slice.
only grapefruit vodka but
also muddled grapefruit for
an added texture and zing.
The sweetness in this drink
is citrus driven.
Connoy warns new mixologists not to mask
the flavours when making cocktails with small
batch infused spirits. “Adding fresh citrus
makes the flavour of the vodka pop,” he says.
For example, he likes to use banana caramel
vodka in a daiquiri, and fresh orange in his version
of the very popular Old Fashioned. Wolfhead’s
Banana Caramel Vodka carries a lot of
sweetness, making it a good mix
in a cocktail, needing a minimal
touch. The Coffee Whisky
Liquor has less sweetness, as it
is steeped in Costa Rican espresso. These two
make for a natural pairing for those who like
banana flavours countered with strong coffee,
without the sickly sweetness of some coffeebased
cocktails. The Apple Caramel Whisky
is more on the sweet side, but with a burn. It
could go well with ginger ale and ice.
JANE ANTONIAK and BRUCE FYFE are regular
Eatdrink contributors. Jane is also Manager, Communications
& Media Relations at King’s University College. Bruce
is also Librarian, Weldon Library, Western University.
The Howler
Wolfhead Old Fashioned
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
The heart of
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Strathroy
Cosmopolitan
2017
Cosmopolitan 2017
Muddle a wedge of grapefruit with two wedges
lime to create a fresh juice
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Add:
Splash of orange simple syrup
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Shake with ice
Double strain into chilled martini glass which has
been rimmed with lemon and sugar
Garnish with slice of lemon
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48 | May/June 2017
Various Musical Notes
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
Celtic, Québecois, and Iconic
Upcoming Highlights on the Music Scene
By GERRY BLACKWELL
John McDermott
Oh, to be in Ontario now that spring
is here! Unless of course we skip
spring this year and go straight to
summer, always a possibility. Either
way, it’s a good time for music fans. Bob Dylan
is coming, Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt. And a
bunch of much younger folk.
If you’ve got Celtic blood in your veins, the
next couple of months will be particularly
good. It starts Friday, May 12 at the Grand
Theatre with John McDermott — Mr.
“Danny Boy” himself — and his Raised on
Songs and Stories show (7:30 p.m., $47.50).
The self-trained balladeer and former member
of the Irish Tenors is in fact Scottish by birth,
but no matter. The man has over 25 albums
to his credit. He’s big. If you miss him at the
Grand, he’s at the Capitol Theatre in Chatham
the next
night
(7:30
p.m.,
$47.50).
From
big and
experienced
to
young
and
fresh. Up the street at the London Music Hall,
a trio of local freshman folkies play the LMH’s
Rosewood Room that same Saturday night:
Karen Emeny and Ian Raeburn from London,
and Justine Chantale of Stratford (8:00pm,
$10). If you want to know what the next generation
of singer-songwriters sounds like, come
listen. (FYI, you can hear previews of all three at
music-sharing site soundcloud.com.)
With Home County only a couple of months
away, folk music, Celtic and otherwise, is very
big this season. The Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club
continues its series of concerts at Chaucer’s
Pub on Sunday, May 14 with dueling fiddlers
Maja &
David
(7:30pm,
$20/$25).
David is
David
Boulanger
of La
Bottine
Souriante,
the
Quebecois folk band. Maja is Maja Kjær Jacobsen
from the Danish fiddle trio Fru Skagerrak.
Holy catgut, Batman!
Revival House in Stratford has another of
its dinner-and-show concerts on Friday, May
19, this time featuring the Juno-winning
Digging Roots ($25 concert only, $35 with
prix fixe dinner). It’s a return engagement for
the indigenous blues ‘n’ roots outfit. Last time
they “blew the roof off,” receiving a standing
ovation in the middle of their set. Digging
Roots is Barrie-based husband and wife Raven
Kanatakta and ShoShona Kish.
The London
Music Club,
coincidentally, has
another Raven
the same night.
Folk-rockers The
Wilderness
of Manitoba,
Maja & David
Digging Roots
with singer
Raven Shields,
Raven Shields and
Will Whitwham of The
Wilderness of Manitoba
are playing the club
(7:30pm/8:30pm,
$10/$12). Front-liners
Shields and Will
Whitwham are in duet
mode for this show. The
full band meanwhile
has a new album due
any day.
There’s more Quebecois
folk music — which,
let’s face it, isn’t so different
from Celtic folk music
— at Aeolian Hall on Friday, May 26. Sunfest is
bringing in Bon Débarras (7:00pm/8:00pm,
$25/$30.) The group plays original compositions
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50 | May/June 2017
Sean McCann
but in a traditional
style
— lots of
fiddle, guitar,
step dancing,
body percussion.
The title
of the new
album may
be an apt
description of
the evening
in store — En
panne de silence (a shortage of silence.) Special
guest this night: Juno-nominated pop-folkster
Andrew McPherson.
On Sunday May 28, there’s a choice of Celtic
fare. Bud Gardens has Irish balladeer Daniel
O’Donnell, the wildly popular star of a string
of PBS specials, and the only artist to have a
new album on the UK charts every year since
1988 (7:30pm, $61.50-$127.) A few blocks away,
The Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club at Chaucer’s Pub
is bringing in Caim, a vocal-instrumental duo,
“direct from Scotland”: Heather Innes, vocals
and bodhrán (the big drum-tambourine
thing) and Pauline Vallance, harp, flute
and vocals (May 28, 7:30pm, $20/$25.)
On Saturday, June 3 we get a short
break from non-stop Celtic. Blues troubadour
Bonnie Raitt comes to Centennial
Hall (8:00pm, $79.50–$95.50+.) Raitt is
best known for the 1991 hit, “Something
to Talk About.” She’s currently touring her
2016 album — her 17th — Dig in Deep.
Canadian favourite Royal Wood opens.
If you miss them in London, Kitchener’s
Centre In The Square has the same show
Buddy Guy
Wednesday, June 7 ($72.50–$118.)
Meanwhile, back in Celtic town,
Bayfield Town Hall has Sean McCann —
okay, not strictly or exclusively Celtic, but
close enough — on Sunday, June
4 (7pm.) The ex-Great Big Sea
Neema Children’s Choir (Photo: Ian Davies)
frontman, always
an engaging
performer, has
been touring solo
for awhile. On
Friday, June 16
at Aeolian Hall,
Home County
is bringing in
Irish Mythen
(7:00pm/8:00pm,
$25/$30.) Don’t
know Mythen?
The Irish-born Canadian performer, now
based in PEI, plays her own compositions:
contemporary folk meets traditional Celtic.
Irish Mythen
She’s played with greats (Rod Stewart, Gordon
Lightfoot, Lucinda Williams), graced festival
bills the world over, and wows audiences
everywhere.
Then we get seriously un-Celtic with a pair of
music legends to herald the coming of summer.
Budweiser Gardens has ageless bluesman
Buddy Guy on Wednesday, June 21 (7:30pm,
$64.50–$109.50.) What can you say about
Buddy Guy? He is a giant. Guy, 80, didn’t
invent the blues, but he surely helped
define it. Two weeks later, on Thursday,
July 6, the Bud follows up with
Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan
(8pm,
$59.50–
$89.50.)
Dylan, 75,
helped define
an era. Legends
don’t last forever
folks: catch ’em while
you can.
GERRY BLACKWELL is a
London-based freelance writer.
TD Sunfest celebrates 23 years
of transfiguring Downtown
London’s Victoria Park into
a culturally diverse jewel
for 220,000+ devoted visitors. More than 35 stellar
world music & jazz ensembles from around the planet
will perform on five stages, while 225 exhibitors whet
festivalgoers’ appetites for scrumptious global cuisine
and one-of-a-kind crafts & visual art. Acts include iconic
bands like Kiev’s DakhaBrakha and Brazil’s Bixiga 70 and
returning favourites like Ontario’s Samba Squad and BC’s
Five Alarm Funk. July 6-9, Victoria Park, free admission.
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 51
The Classical Beat
Happy Birthday, Canada!
It’s All About Us
By NICOLE LAIDLER
A
party just isn’t a party without
some great tunes. And with
Canada’s 150 th birthday celebration
in full swing, music groups across
our region are pulling out all the stops to mark
the occasion.
Stratford Symphony Orchestra
Stratford Symphony Orchestra celebrates
Canada’s 150th on May 13 with a concert that
showcases Canadian composers and shines
a spotlight on local talent. The program is a
mix of light Canadian classics and Canadian
folk, and features special guest artists from
nearby St. Marys performing together as
Trent Severn.
This acclaimed trio, comprised of singerssongwriters
Dayna Manning, Emm Gryner
and Lindsay Schindler, performs original,
contemporary folk songs with a distinctly
Canadian flavour. “This is the first time Trent
Severn has performed with an orchestra,”
says SSO’s David Murray. In addition to
Trent Severn
debuting orchestrations of current hits and
new songs, the three will step out on their
own to present a set of new songs from their
latest recording, Portage.
SSO’s final event of the season will be the
annual Cows and Classics concert, to be held
June 25 at a farm just west of Stratford. A
hayshed, lawn chairs, refreshments, and music.
It doesn’t get much more Canadian than that.
The London Concert Band
The London Concert Band wants to pack the
house at the historic Beal Auditorium, June
18, for a free musical birthday bash. CBC news
anchor Heather Hiscox will act as emcee.
The London Concert Band
“Expanding the availability of music to
young and old alike is very important to us,”
says LCB conductor, Robert Kennedy. “So
we embarked on developing a concert that
would be available to all — equally — and
then set out to find a venue that could hold
many people.”
“With Glowing Hearts: Canada 150 features a
program that celebrates our country’s music
and diversity,” says Kennedy.
“Highlights for me would be the performances
of our many guests. The riveting clarity and fun
provided by the Percussion Trio, the colour of
our visiting Bhutanese dancers, the poignant
honesty of the folk-singing couple The Married,
and the historical significance of Ojibway
Storyteller, Aaron Bell, speaking on the history
of the drums in their Nation.”
The matinee concert also features The
London Concert Band’s premier of a medley
of music by Guy and Carmen Lombardo and
their Royal Canadians.
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
World
Premiere
June 28 to August 19
MR. NEW YEAR’S EVE:
A night with
Guy Lombardo
Written by David Scott
Directed by Gil Garratt
His father opposed Guy’s love of Jazz;
Canadian radio stations showed
active disinterest; but no obstacle
could block Guy’s path to stardom.
For tickets call 1.877.862.5984
or visit blythfestival.com
Amabile
London’s Amabile choirs also ends the season
on a Canadian note. True North
is a joint presentation by the
Junior Amabile Singers and
Amabile Da Capo Choir, June 3
at New St. James Presbyterian
Church, while Strong and Free
features the Amabile Youth
Singers and Prima: Amabile
Women’s Choir, June 11 at St.
John the Divine Parish.
Bach Festival of Canada
Exeter’s bi-annual Bach Festival of Canada is
back for its fourth installment, with a slightly
new format
and a decidedly
Canadian
focus. This
year’s festival
will be held
over two long
weekends,
explains
festival
manager Jean Jacobe, with concerts offered
July 6–9 and July 14–16. “We wanted to
make it easier for people from out of town to
attend,” says Jacobe, adding that she’s already
fielding inquiries from as far away as Toronto.
The line-up includes local talent like
Marlene Fagan and John Avery (July 6),
cellist Cameron Crozman (July 8) and
fiddlers Shane Cook and Gerry Smith
(July 14), as well as international stars like
Spanish pianist Leopoldo Erice (July 7) and
London-born, New York-based violinist Lara
St. John (July 9).
This year’s festival wraps up July 16 with
a traditional gala performance. To honour
Canada’s birthday, the 170 choristers,
orchestral players, and soloists, will be
performing an all-Canadian program that
includes the debuts of four new works
commissioned especially for the occasion.
Jeffery Concerts
On a completely different note, The Jeffery
Concerts wrap up a two-year cycle of
presenting the complete Beethoven String
Quartets with a performance by Pacifica
Quartet, May 13 at Wolf Performance Hall.
“It’s a great privilege to hear any Beethoven
quartets well-played at any time, but a
particular privilege to hear them played in a
series, so I felt very lucky to have been able
to hear them here in London,” comments
Pacifica Quartet
audience member Ernest Redekop. “One live
performance is not enough for anyone who
loves Beethoven’s music,” he adds, “but it is
one significant step to a deeper emotional
and intellectual understanding of some of the
greatest works of music ever written.”
As a feature writer, story-based copywriter, and content
consultant, NICOLE LAIDLER helps people find the
right words to share their stories with the world. Visit her
at www.spilledink.ca
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 53
Theatre
Summer Theatre is Back!
Celebrating Canada Onstage
By JANE ANTONIAK
It’s a sign that summer is coming when
the season begins for regional theatre
companies. Theatre-goers can look with
anticipation to Stratford, Blyth, Grand
Bend, Port Stanley and Petrolia for a change of
dramatic scenery.
Stratford Festival
The grand dame of Ontario theatre is coming
off a successful season, both financially
and artistically. Stratford experienced
a very strong 2016 season with posted
revenues of more than $62 million (providing
a surplus of nearly $700,000)
and attendance of more than half a
million people. Of note was a 25%
increase in attendance for Shakespeare
productions, led by Macbeth, directed
by Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director
of the Festival. As well, there was an increase
in people under 18 attending shows. Possibly
these statistics went hand in hand with the
fact that more school groups attended Shakespearean
productions tied to curriculum. Still,
it bodes well for Stratford that it is building
a future audience. And what’s good for the
Festival is good for the municipality. There is
now a twice-daily bus service from Toronto to
Stratford, which generated almost $14 million
in spin-off economic benefits for the region.
Stratford Festival also sees benefits in
adding food to the program. This year there
will be Treasure Hunt Lunches. Families can
pick up a bagged lunch and go on a scavengerstyle
search of downtown Stratford before
seeing Treasure Island. In July, a series called
Table Talk, with buffets and lectures, will be
offered before certain performances.
In 2017, to mark Canada’s 150th, the
Festival is centered on exploring questions
of identity. “In this sesquicentennial year, it
is important that we not only celebrate but
also reflect on what it means to be Canadian,
says Cimolino. “I think the 14 beautiful and
powerful plays of the 2017 season will help
us to re-examine our identity as a nation,
and us as individuals. We will look at how we
prepare our face to the world, deal with our
hidden desires, or balance our self-interests
with the environment around us — ideas that
we will delve further into through the events
of the Forum. We have also commissioned
The Breathing Hole, by Colleen Murphy —
an epic allegory that is one of the most
ambitious and unique pieces of writing I
have seen in years. Each of the three acts
breathtakingly captures a snapshot of this
country’s development, from the moment of
First Contact, through a startling encounter
with the Franklin Expedition, to a profoundly
moving conclusion in a future ravaged by
climate change.”
Previews for the 65th season are underway
at Stratford.
Blyth Festival
Heading up towards Lake Huron, about an
hour and half north of London, is the uber-
Canadian theatre company —Blyth Festival.
Situated in the recently renovated former
town hall, Blyth prides itself on superior
Canadian productions. So it is natural to
expect something special from Blyth for the
150th. Those who remember the Stork Club
of Port Stanley, or watching the ball drop on
New Year’s Eve to the twang of Auld Lang
Syne, are in for a treat. Blyth opens its season
with previews on June 28 and 29 and officially
opens on June 30 with the world premiere of
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
followed by an Elvis tribute musical All
Shook Up. A new comedy by Ontario
playwright Norm Foster opens on June 28
in Playhouse II. Jonas & Barry in the Home
is about two seniors looking for love in a
nursing home. As with all Foster plays there
is certain to be light-hearted relationship
and sexual humour.
Mr. New Year’s Eve; A Night with Guy Lombardo
by David Scott, directed by Gil Garratt,
Artistic Director. Garratt says they don’t have
to do something special for the 150th because
Canada has been celebrated with every show
for 43 seasons.
“With more than 130 world premieres
to date, The Blyth Festival has been the
foundation many of the country’s hottest
playwrights have built their careers on. The
Blyth Festival is the place to see the country’s
finest new works, all written by Canadians,
directed by Canadians, and performed by
Canadians, for the most adventurous audience
in the land,” says Garratt.
Huron Country Playhouse
Drayton Entertainment operates theatres
across Southern Ontario including the
Huron Country Playhouse and Playhouse
II, a few kilometers into the farmland from
the lakeside village of Grand Bend on Lake
Huron. Hugely popular with school and bus
groups, tourists and day trippers, Huron
Country Playhouses provide a lot of toetapping
entertainment for cross-generation
summertime fun. Almost 60,000 people
attended shows at Huron Country last
summer.
“There’s a lot of variety on stage this season
in Grand Bend,” says Alex Mustakas, Artistic
Director of Drayton Entertainment. “There
are grand scale musicals with familiar stories
loved by everyone,
rare gems with
incredible music
and fun characters
that make audiences
laugh and
sing, larger-than-life
comedies with outrageous
plots and even
more outrageous
characters and so much more. I know audiences
are in for a real treat this season.”
The season begins on June 3 with Joseph
and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
Port Stanley Festival Theatre
On the shores of Lake Erie is the recently
renovated Port Stanley Festival Theatre.
PSFT opens on May
23 with the very
patriotic Oh Canada,
We Sing for Thee! starring
Leisa Way and the
Wayward Wind Band.
This production,
along with a gallery
style showcase of
Canadian musicians,
has been sponsored by Celebrate Ontario
under the Ontario 150 Community Capital
Program Grant.
Port Stanley Festival Theatre produces
a number of Norm Foster plays, and 2017
is no exception. On June 7 the PSFT presents
Foster’s production of On a First Name
Basis which will be performed by two of the
theatre’s favourite actors, Susan Johnston-
Collins and Terry Barna. This production will
run until Canada Day.
Victoria Playhouse, Petrolia
You can’t get anything much more
stereotypical Canadian than a show called
Fiddler on the Moose! This “musical ride
across Canada” runs May 2-19 at the Victoria
Playhouse in Petrolia, deep in Southwestern
Ontario. Promising cover versions of songs
from The Tragically Hip, Stompin’ Tom
Connors, The Guess Who, Bareknaked Ladies
and more, this will be a fun ride for devotees
of Canadian content.
Canadian playwright Mark Crawford’s
new comedy, The Birds and the Bees, will be
staged from May 30 to June 17. A hit at both
Blyth and Port Stanley last summer, the show
intertwines beekeeping with romance — with
plenty of hilarious twists. Oh Canada!
JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to Eatdrink
magazine. She is also Manager, Communications & Media
Relations, at King’s University College in London.
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine May/June 2017 | 55
Recipes
Feast
Recipes and Stories from a Canadian Road Trip
By Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller
Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN
What do you get
if you take two
friends, add a
37,000-kilometre
road trip, and five months
of camping? For most of us
this could equal a recipe for
disaster. For two Canadian
authors, it adds up to a lot
of fun.
Lindsay Anderson
and Dana VanVeller
describe themselves as
“Vancouver-based writers,
adventurers, wanderlusts
and co-creators of Feast: Recipes
and Stories from a Canadian Road Trip. The two
women spent half of 2013 travelling across
Canada collecting recipes and stories, and
exploring the country’s sense of national
identity as it relates to food. They chronicled
the trip on their blog, edibleroadtrip.com.
Back at home, they compiled their notes and
photos to create the book. It’s a beautiful
collection gleaned from chefs, food writers
and educators, friends, family and a few
Canadian food icons.
Lindsay Anderson is from northern BC,
while Dana VanVeller is originally from
Sarnia. Both have worked
and studied across the
country as well as across
the ocean. Check out
their blog for more tales
of their adventures, from
Sarnia to Sri Lanka.
Along with the recipes
in Feast are stories
from each province and
territory that the authors
visited. Photos are mostly
their own and include
some haunting images
that capture of the beauty
of our country, as well
as some that bring
memories of childhood
visits to grandma’s
kitchen, wherever that
might have been.
I received this book very
early in the spring and was
leafing through it when I
noticed that the rhubarb
in my garden was already
trying to peek through the
snow. A few years ago, in a
fit of nostalgia for childhood
memories of rhubarb stalks
dipped in sugar, I transplanted
a bit of the stuff from my mom’s garden. That
small cutting became firmly entrenched in
my tiny herb garden and now threatens to
take over the entire thing. A sensible person
would probably just dig it up. But I discovered
that I love rhubarb — stewed, baked or added
to homemade applesauce. It has become my
first taste of spring. So I was delighted to
find a recipe in Feast from Canadian Living’s
Elizabeth Baird for “Lunar Rhubarb Cake”.
This is not the prettiest dessert you’ll ever
make but, like so many messy things, it is
well worth it. It gets its
name from the crumbly
topping of brown sugar
and butter that makes it
look like the surface of
the moon (and taste like
a slice of heaven).
While I was watching
my poor, optimistic
snow-dressed rhubarb
I noticed that the poor,
Authors Lindsay Anderson
and Dana VanVeller
56 | May/June 2017
neglected barbecue had icicles dripping from
its cover. Suddenly, Elk Burgers with Blue
Cheese and Balsamic Roasted Red Onions
were all I could think of making. I’m not sure
I can wait until the snow melts. I might try
these on the grill pan in the kitchen, using
lean beef, until I can find elk meat and get the
BBQ ready. In fact, by the time you’re reading
this, I may already have the BBQ up and
running. I hear that we have a local supplier
for elk. I’m heading down the farmer’s market
to see if I can find it.
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
The recipes in Feast are as eclectic as the
people who contributed them. Whether you
are looking for a new cocktail or a lesson
on a classic Canadian dinner, you will find
something delightful every time you open this
book. Maybe it will even inspire you to dust
off the camping gear and take a road trip of
your own.
TRACY TURLIN is a freelance writer and dog groomer in
London. Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com
Excerpted from Feast: Recipes and Stories from a Canadian Road Trip by Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller.
Copyright © 2017 Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of
Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
Elk Burgers
with blue cheese & balsamic roasted red onions
Serves 4 to 6
When we arrived at his ranch in Kanata, Ontario,
Thom van Eeghen handed us a pair of helmets,
loaded us into the trailer of an ATV, and drove us
out to his herd of elk. We first visited the cows and
calves in the field, then made our way over to the
woods, where an impressively antlered bull was
hanging out on his own. The photo below remains
one of our favourites from the trip — what a
goofball.
Elk meat is a great alternative to beef. It’s lean,
a good source of vitamin B, and ever-so-slightly
sweet, rather than gamey. If you don’t have any
elk producers nearby, you can easily substitute
beef or bison.
ROASTED ONIONS
1 large red onion (about 220 grams), sliced into
½-inch-thick (1 cm) rings
1 Tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
⅛ tsp salt
BURGERS
½ medium red onion (about 80 g), finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
⅓ cup (80 mL) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grainy or Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce
¾ tsp (3 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper
1½ pounds (680 g) ground elk, bison, or lean beef
¾ cup (185 mL) crumbled blue cheese (see note)
FOR SERVING
4 to 6 buns, toasted
Tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, and any other
desired burger toppings
NOTE: You can use any blue cheese you prefer,
as long as it’s firm enough to hold its shape
when you’re mixing the burgers. Some great
Canadian options include Ciel de Charlevoix,
Bleu Bénédictin, and Dragon’s Breath Blue.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
For the roasted onions, add the sliced onion rings to a
large bowl and toss with the balsamic vinegar, olive
oil, and salt. Spread out evenly on a large baking
sheet. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, turn the slices
over, and roast again until soft and caramelized,
another 10 to 15 minutes.
May/June 2017 | 57
Preheat the barbeque
on medium-high (about
450°F/230°C).
To make the patties, mix the
onion, egg, parsley, mustard,
Worcestershire sauce, salt,
and pepper. Add the ground
meat and gently mix with your
hands until just combined (over
mixing will make the burgers
tough).
Add the crumbled cheese and
mix again until just combined.
Divide the meat mixture into six
even portions (or four, if you’d
prefer larger burgers) and
shape each portion into a patty.
Grill on the barbeque, flipping
once, until their internal
temperature reaches 160°F
(71°C) or they’re no longer pink
inside, 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve the burgers on buns with
the roasted onions, lettuce,
tomato, mayo, and any other
toppings you like!
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58 | May/June 2017
Lunar Rhubarb Cake
Serves 12
This cake, by Canadian food icon Elizabeth Baird,
is ridiculously simple and tasty. Because she’s the
pro, here’s Elizabeth’s take on it:
Rhubarb is the universal Canadian fruit,
growing as it does in Canada’s north, south,
east, and west. And yes, it is a vegetable, but in
most Canadian kitchens, it’s treated like a fruit.
Many years ago I was working on an article for
Canadian Living magazine with home economist
Sandy Hall. Wyn Hall, her mother-in-law, gave
us her recipe for Rhubarb Cake to include in the
article. It was a winner — a no-fail butter cake,
with chopped rhubarb in the batter and a sugarcinnamon
crumble topping that baked into a
crusty crater-like surface. As soon as Sandy and I
took it out of the oven, its moonscape top inspired
us to rename the cake “Lunar Rhubarb Cake.”
A number of these ingredients need to be at
room temperature when you make the cake, so
take them out of the refrigerator well before you
start baking.
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
CAKE
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups (300 g) white sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (6 g) baking soda
½ tsp (1.5 g) salt
2 cups (500 mL) rhubarb, cut in ½-inch (1 cm)
pieces (about 4 large stalks; see note)
1 cup (250 mL) buttermilk, room temperature
TOPPING
1 cup (213 g) lightly packed brown sugar
2 tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, cubed and at room
temperature
FOR SERVING
Vanilla ice cream
NOTE: You can increase the rhubarb by another
½ cup (about 70 g) if you like. The cake will work
with other fruits — apricots, plums, raspberries,
and wild blueberries — but rhubarb is the
best. If using frozen rhubarb, measure it while
still frozen and let thaw completely. Drain in a
colander, but do not press liquid out.
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
Line the bottom and sides of a 9 × 13 inch (23 × 33 cm) cake
pan with parchment paper, or use soft butter to grease the
pan; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
In a large bo w l, beat together the butter and white sugar
until smooth, light, and creamy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape
down the bowl once or twice during this process. Beat in
the egg and vanilla and make sure all the ingredients are
combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour,
baking soda, and salt. Scoop out 2 Tbsp of this mixture and
toss with the rhubarb, then set the rhubarb aside.
Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in three
parts, alternating with the buttermilk in two parts.
Sprinkle the rhubarb mixture over the batter and fold in.
Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
For the topping, add the brown sugar and cinnamon to
a medium bowl and mash together using a fork. Add the
butter and blend together until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly
over the batter.
Bake in the centre of the oven until the fragrance from
the oven overwhelms hangers-on in the kitchen and the
surface is crusty and golden brown with pink lumps here
and there. A toothpick inserted into the centre should
come out clean. This takes about 45 minutes.
Let cool slightly. Enjoy warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
If making ahead, let cool completely. Double wrap in
plastic food wrap and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
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60 | May/June 2017
Books
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
The Trends that We Eat
Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies
— How What We Eat Defines Who We Are
Review by DARIN COOK
“
Tell
me what you eat,
and I will tell you
what you are” is a
maxim attributed
to the nineteenth-century food
philosopher Jean Anthelme
Brillat-Savarin. Culinary
Institute of America program
director Sophie Egan has put a
modern twist on this wisdom
in her book, Devoured: From
Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies
— How What We Eat Defines
Who We Are (William Morrow,
2016, $35.99). The book is divided into ten
themes that deal with a multitude of topics
about how our lifestyles can drive what we
eat given the bombardment of food choices.
Even with all its traditions and habits, food
selection is a very individual choice based on
what we love to eat, what is convenient, what
we crave, what fits into our current diet, what
is in season on the farm, or what menu items
chain restaurants are promoting.
The book is rich in research details that
statistically portray the human relationship
with food: only 26 percent of Americans
eat breakfast every day; Starbucks has
87,000 drink combinations; 66 percent of
Americans eat more types
of global cuisine than five
years ago; 20,000 new items
are introduced to the food
market each year; pancakes
and French toast recipes have
the highest number of online
searches. Where there are
statistics, there are trends,
and Egan writes about how
these numbers translate
into our food culture, from
eating the free samples at
Costco, to the astronomical
number of chicken wings
eaten during the Super Bowl,
to the explosion of on-the-go
protein bars that have
replaced breakfast.
Egan’s book is a look into
the food psyche of the United
States, but given its heavyhanded
emphasis on statistics,
she throws in plenty of comparisons
with Canada and other
countries, such as how countries
rank in alcohol consumption.
Although mainly a journey
through the American food world, the “mainstreaming
of global cuisines” has given foods
from many other countries a home outside
their places of origin. Italian food, in particular,
made its way across the Atlantic Ocean to
find a permanent place in American meals. In
a fascinating chapter called “The Story of Spaghetti”
Egan explains what it is about Italian
food that makes it, along with Chinese and
Mexican, one of the top takeout choices.
Aside from survival, one of eating’s other
main draws is that it has historically been a
communal activity. In the modern world it is
becoming less so, and one of Egan’s contentions
is that office life has not been
good for eating habits. Eating
alone at our desks (one
of every five workers takes a
lunch break), constant snacking,
and a workaholic mentality
have messed up the
three allotted times that we
customarily consume food.
On the other hand, brunch,
or “secular church” as Egan
Author Sophie Egan
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
calls it, could be the saving grace for communal
eating, even though it is one big extravagant
meal replacing two separate ones.
Egan also writes about “the democratization
of wine” that started with the boom in
cheap vino at Trader Joe’s in 1967. Since then,
marketing ploys have succeeded in spreading
wine’s appeal outside of its clichéd cliques,
with tactics such as using cute animals on
wine labels that have nothing to do with
the product (critter labelling), using artistic
Americans love the Super
“ Bowl because some of them
like football, most of them
like day drinking, and all of
them like feasting.
”
— Sophie Egan
license in the naming of wines (Bad-Ass Cabernet),
and using unconventional containers
(tin cans and Tetra Paks).
Fast food chains are expert in drawing in
crowds by developing “stunt foods.” These
stunt foods, such as Taco Bell’s tremendously
popular Doritos Loco Taco, provide shock
value even though they are “nutritional train
wrecks” — an unhealthy backlash compared
to the diet trends Egan discusses in chapters
entitled “Diet Evangelism” and “The Selling of
Absence” (i.e., low-fat, gluten-free, non-GMO,
reduced calories). Egan writes: “As a people,
we are health seeking on the one hand, while
indulgence seeking on the other” and she finds
no answers to the juxtaposition of fad diets
with expanding fast food menus. Nothing
defines these contradictions more than the
feeding frenzy that is Super Bowl Sunday,
as crowds gather around “snackadiums”
before, during, and after the big game. Egan’s
perspective is that “Americans love the Super
Bowl because some of them like football, most
of them like day drinking, and all of them like
feasting.” And because we all like feasting, this
book is a very interesting look at how trends,
marketing, and modern life influence our
tastes and eating habits.
DARIN COOK is a freelance writer based in Chatham
who keeps himself well-read and well-fed by visiting the
bookstores and restaurants of London.
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THE STORYTELLERS
michael ONDAATJE jane URQUHART
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scott MCKOWEN rachel THOMPSON
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photo by: Janet Hull ah
62 | May/June 2017
The Lighter Side
The Newbie
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
By RENEE BORG
Fresh out of culinary school, early one
morning I found myself standing
before one of the most prestigious
hotels in town. I had scored a position
as a prep cook, hand-picked from a bevy of
eager graduates. Riding an incredible high,
I felt I was embarking on a glorious career
filled with future restaurant openings,
TV appearances and cookbooks
with my face on the cover.
Anxious to make a good
impression, I had splurged and
kitted myself out in spanking
new chef’s duds (my student
uniform relegated to the back
of the closet): gleaming white
jacket with snappy black
buttons, fresh new apron,
crisp checked pants, and a
saucy black cap that read ‘Chef’! I
had also sprung for a very expensive
leather knife case. Bristling with
hardware, it held everything I felt necessary
for my new role: assorted chef’s knives, fruit
knife, vegetable peeler and all kinds of nifty
gadgets including a melon-baller and cherrypitter.
Beaming, I rode up the back elevators
to the floor where the kitchens were. When
the elevator doors whooshed open, I stood
and surveyed the exciting panorama of
culinary activity before me. I’d made it!
After Chef welcomed me to the brigade, I
was handed over to the sous chef and given
a tour. Then he led me through the busy prep
kitchen to a lonely back counter. Stacked
next to it, standing in a puddle of water, was
a towering pile of cardboard crates. The sous
chef cracked open the top box to reveal jumbo
tiger shrimp, packed in ice. “We need all
these shelled and deveined by 5 o’clock for a
function,” my new boss said.
“Yes, chef!” I barked out to his retreating
back, as we had been taught in school. I then
forlornly turned to the tower of shrimp.
For the next several hours I shucked, peeled
and deveined at a ripping pace, using my bare
hands, which quickly became wet and frozen.
Back then, latex gloves weren’t worn, and no
fancy gadget in my new case would make my
task any easier.
After a couple of hours, one of the other
cooks came by to see how I was doing. “Just
great!” I smiled through clenched teeth. At
noon the sous chef reappeared. I had
now been standing for over four
hours, increasingly covered with
shrimp detritus that turned my
pristine white jacket and apron
into reeking, purplish-stained
rags. The sous chef wordlessly
pulled up a stool for me to
sit on and walked away again.
By then my wet fingers were
covered in slippery bandages
from peeling back the sharp shells.
I no longer thought of cookbooks
and restaurant openings but just
kept smiling and shelling, smiling
and shelling in my little shrimp hell corner.
I finally finished the last shrimp at 5:30.
Filthy and soaking wet, I watched as the trays
of prepared shrimp were whisked away by the
garde manger staff. The cook who’d checked
up on me earlier sidled over. “You passed,”
he said. “They always give the newbies the
worst job on day one, to see if they whine and
complain. You did well.” Suddenly I felt a glow
of triumph which sustained me all the way
home on the bus (as fellow passengers dove
for the windows).
The next day, I humbly put on my old
school uniform and presented myself wearing
a plain white cap. The Sous chef led me into
the kitchen again and pointed at an empty
space on a bench beside another cook. “Today,
you mince parsley,” he said. The cook beside
me smiled. “Welcome to the Hilton.”
RENEE BORG is a newbie freelance writer based in
London who enjoys travel and food adventures but avoids
shrimp at all costs.
The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine
2017/18 season
subscribe today!
once
a christmas carol
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a thousand splendid suns
chariots of fire
ronnie burkett’s
the daisy theatre
what a young wife
ought to know
the glass menagerie
beethoven lives upstairs
evita
jeans ’n classics
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64 | May/June 2017
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11AM – NOON
UPSTAIRS IN THE MARKET KITCHEN
Local chefs demonstrate quick and tasty
meals made with market-fresh ingredients!
Market Hours:
Mon. to Thurs. • 8am – 6pm
Friday • 8am – 7:30pm
Sat. • 8am – 6pm
Sun. • 11am – 4pm
Every Saturday:
(Starting May 6)
8am ~ 1pm
Every Thursday:
(Starting May 11)
8am ~ 2pm
coventmarket.com
/coventgardenmarket