Eatdrink #75 January/February 2019

Issue #75 | January/February 2019 

eatdrink 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

Pizzeria Madre 

Wood-Fired Passion 

in London 

FEATURING 

The Chef’s Table 

Fanshawe College in Downtown London 

All-Star Craft Beers 

Top Picks for 2019 

Paris Ontario Road Trip 

I Love Paris When it Sizzles 

Profiles 

of Excellence 

Cowbell Brewing Co. 

Maelstrom Winery 

Wolfhead Distillery 

Page 19 

Eatdrink’s London Wine & Food Show 

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007 

www.eatdrink.ca

EXPLORING THE 

CHOCOLATE 

TRAIL BURNS 

CALORIES 

GOOD THING. 

introduces you to our world famous confectioners 

and bakers. For just $30 you’ll get to sample our 

Stratford Tourism Alliance at 47 Downie Street. 

visitstratford.ca

eatdrink 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

eatdrinkmagazine 

@eatdrinkmag 

eatdrinkmag 

eatdrink.ca 

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 

Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Stacey McDonald – stacey@eatdrink.ca 

Terry-Lynn “TL” Sim – TL@eatdrink.ca 

Finances 

Ann Cormier – finance@eatdrink.ca 

Graphics 

Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy 

Writers 

Jane Antoniak, Gerry Blackwell, 

Darin Cook, J.J. Francissen, 

Gary Killops, Bryan Lavery, 

George Macke, Tracy Turlin 

Photographers Steve Grimes, Phong Tran 

Telephone & Fax 519-434-8349 

Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 

Website 

City Media, Cecilia Buy 

Printing 

Sportswood Printing 

OUR COVER 

London’s new family-run 

Pizzeria Madre is the 

brainchild of Matt Reijnen 

and Jessica Washburn, 

located in a modern and 

minimalist space on 

Wellington Street just 

south of Horton. 

Photo by Phong Tran 

© 2019 Eatdrink Inc. and the writers. 

All rights reserved. 

Reproduction or duplication of any material published in Eatdrink 

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

of the Publisher. Eatdrink has a printed circulation of 20,000 

issues published six times annually in each of two markets, for a total 

of 240,000 copies in print. The views or opinions expressed in the 

information, content and/or advertisements published in Eatdrink 

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

represent those of the Publisher. The Publisher welcomes submissions 

but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. 

Serving up 

Great 

partnerships 

commercial | digital | wide format | design 

Let us help with your next project... 

519.866.5558 | ben@sportswood.on.ca 

www.sportswood.on.ca

Contents 

Issue #75 | January/February 2019 

Publisher’s Notes 

Making a Magazine 

Serving Readers and Advertisers 

in Equal Measure 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

6 

Restaurants 


Pizzeria Madre, in London 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

8 

Culinary Education 

A Seat at The Chef’s Table 


By BRYAN LAVERYK 

14 

Profiles of Excellence 

2019 London 

Wine & Food Show 

Supplement 


20 

Maelstrom Winery 

22 


24 

Wine 

The One That’s In Your Glass 

Favourite Wines ... Year ’Round 

By GARY KILLOPS 

26 

Beer 

All-Stars 

My Top Picks for 2019 

By GEORGE MACKE 

30 

8 

36 

55 

14 

57 

Road Trips 

I Love Paris When it Sizzles 

Paris, Ontario 

By BRYAN LAVERYK 

36 

The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

40 

Music 

Baby, It’s Cold Outside 

Upcoming Musical Highlights 

By GERRY BLACKWELL 

48 

Theatre 

We’re All Better Together 

Theatre in Southwestern Ontario 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

52 

Books 

Plate of Darkness 

Apocalyse Chow 

Review by DARIN COOK 

55 

Recipes 

Yum & Yummer 

Ridiculously Tasty Recipes 

Review & Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

57 

26 

The Lighter Side 

Behind Closed Doors 

By J.J. FRANCISSEN 

62

eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine 

RESERVE NOW 

For Our Succulent 

Valentine’s Day Dinner 

Thursday, February 14 

Call for reservations 

519-430-6414 

/Blakes2ndFloor 

¦

6 | January/February 2019 

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag 

Publisher’s Notes 

Making a Magazine 

Serving Readers and Advertisers in Equal Measure 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

There is nothing more exciting, and 

terrifying, than a blank sheet of 

paper for a writer. Of course, for 

most of us today, that is a blinking 

cursor in a new Word document on an 

otherwise empty screen. Like a skier looking 

down on an untracked hill of powder snow, 

we plunge ahead anticipating an exciting 

run but are somewhat unsure of how we will 

successfully navigate our way down the page. 

The creative process is underway. 

Each issue of Eatdrink magazine begins 

something like this. We set forth with some 

definite ideas in mind, but each writer is on an 

independent journey with their contribution. 

Their individual ski runs conclude with an 

RTIES 

Reserve Now 

VALENTINE’S DAY! 

A 

London 

Landmark 

for 

24 

Years! 

emailed file to our Managing Editor Cecilia 

Buy, who takes a keen eye to their submission, 

ascertaining that they fulfilled their 

assignment with the grace we expect. Kym 

Wolfe is our diligent proofreader. Our Food 

Editor Bryan Lavery has a look as well, with 

the goal of ensuring that we are accessible but 

also accurate and appealing to the sophisticated 

diners and drinkers in our readership. 

While all this has been going on, our 

salespeople have been working on the other 

side of this business. While we place our 

editorial content as primary to maintaining 

our relevancy to readers, our advertisers are 

the lifeblood of the operation. Without them, 

we can’t afford to publish our efforts. 

NEW 

WINTER 

MENU 

Tradition 

& 

Passion 

117 King Street 

across from Budweiser Gardens 

519-434-2272 (CASA) 

www.lacasaristorante.com 

“Enjoy consistently 

outstanding Italian and 

International cuisine 

in a warm and inviting 

atmosphere.” 

Join us for Londonlicious Jan 11–Feb 2 

Extensive 

Scotch Bar 

Open Mon–Sat 

Lunch & Dinner 

FLIGHTS & BITES 

HALF PRICE Sharing Plates & Oysters 

Tuesday–Friday from 3:30–5:30pm 

SUNDAY INDUSTRY NIGHTS 

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Join us for Londonlicious! Jan 11–Feb 3 

TUES–SAT Lunch & Dinner 11:30am to Close 

SUNDAY Brunch 11am & Dinner 

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519.914.2699


Each ad is like each story, with a goal in 

mind, a beginning and an end. Studies have 

proven that the magazine reader sees the 

ads as integral to their experience of the 

magazine; they pay attention to them. In most 

other media, ads must work twice as hard to 

engage the reader, whose goal there is NOT 

to pay attention to the ads or commercials. 

Magazine ads have a definite advantage. 

About half of the ads in Eatdrink are 

supplied to us, and for the rest, we are directly 

engaged in the creative process of making a 

successful ad. Ultimately, readers make the 

decision on where they spend their money, 

but we give them plenty of enticing ideas. 

Marrying the ads with the editorial in a way 

that is pleasing for the reader and effective for 

the advertiser is the final task. We engage with 

readers on our website and through social 

media, and take that VERY seriously, but the 

magazine is the most tangible expression of 

our relationship with readers and advertisers. 

I hope everyone is as pleased with this first 

issue for 2019 as we are. That is our goal. 

Peace, 

grace is delicious + modern canadian + localfocused 

+ from scratch + hyper-seasonal + 

accessible + welcoming + food-as-ar t + foodas-communit 

y + ethical + unpretentious + for 

celebrations + for af ter work + beautiful, fun, 

demystified wine + curated beer + craf ted 

cock tails + coming early 2019 

215 DUNDAS ST · 226 667 4822 

INFO@GRACELONDON.CA 

GRACERESTAURANTLONDON 

GRACELDNONT



Restaurants 


Pizzeria Madre, in London 

By BRYAN LAVERY | Photos by PHONG TRAN 

Pizza’s origins can be traced back to 

the Romans and yet it remained 

a regional speciality in Naples for 

many years before making its way 

up the Italian peninsula. Known as a dish for 

the impoverished in 16th-century Naples, 

pizza was originally sold in the streets. My 

first experience eating authentic pizza was 

in Rome, while standing in front of the gates 

to the Vatican. Street vendors were selling 

rectangles of pizza from cast iron pans, sold 

by weight, and topped with braised artichokes 

hearts and mint, or with ripe figs and honey. 

I remember this clearly as this was also the 

day I saw two giant turtles on leashes that 

were being sold on the street. Pizza was a part 

of my childhood growing up in Toronto in a 

neighbourhood with a large diaspora Italian 

community. I could differentiate the good 

from the mediocre at an early age. 

Pizza tastes best when baked in a woodfired 

oven, because only then will the 

necessary temperature of about 750 degrees 

Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius) be achieved. 

The pizza is ready for serving when the base 

is crisp and crusty, and the cheese has melted 

thoroughly. Professional pizza makers, known 

as pizzaiolio or pizzaiole, always stretch the 

dough with their hands. There’s nothing more 

satisfying than a thin crust Neapolitan style 

pizza that is blistered with an inflated raised 

rim, which in Italy is lovingly referred to as 

the cornicione. This is high level pizza-making 

and connoisseurs know that it takes skill and 

timing to achieve this type of perfect crust in 

a sizzling hot wood-fired oven. 

Pizzeria Madre (madre meaning mother 

in Italian) in London’s up and coming SoHo 

district is one of London’s best kept culinary 

secrets. Restaurateur/chef Matt Reijnen’s and


January/February 2019 | 9 

(Opposite page) Jessica Washburn looks on as 

her partner, Chef Matt Reijnen, makes way for 

Sous Chef Paul Owen to add to the fire. (Right) 

The clean and minimalist interior is evocative of 

contemporary pizzerias in Toronto and Brooklyn. 

restaurateur/service professional Jessica 

Washburn’s Pizzeria Madre is situated in 

a 130-year-old building on Wellington 

Street and offers an exceptional dining 

experience. This licensed, casual 

contemporary pizzeria is sophisticated 

and nicely appointed with high ceilings, 

tile floors, picture windows, whitewashed 

walls and a partially open kitchen. The 

custom-made bar and tables are made with 

locally-sourced pine. There are two chalkboards 

featuring beers and specialty cocktails. 

Pizzeria Madre meshes with the culinary 

world’s continuing reverence for all foods that 

are authentically and gastronomically Italian, 

which is something this city has in short 

supply. Reijnen’s (who you may remember as 

the long-time talented chef at Milos’ Craft 

Beer Emporium) and sous-chef Paul Owen’s 

well-thought-out toppings at Pizzeria Madre 

are seasonal and artisanal, expertly combined 

and balanced. The ratio of crust to toppings 

is perfect. Naturally leavened sourdough is 

a passion for Reijnen. In addition to pizza 

dough, also on offer is naturally-leavened 

bread made with wheat, spelt and rye blends 

with an excellent crumb. 

Sharing/small dishes are laden with seasonal 

and iconic Italian ingredients. A green bean 

salad with roasted corn, arugula, pecorino 

and lemon-chile dressing was a sensational 

seasonal dish, as are warm Castelveltrano 

olives with roasted peppers and almond oil 

or with toasted chile and dried lime oil, and 

WIN A LEXUS FOR A WEEKEND! 

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Contest ends February 24, 2019. Complete details online. 

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Romaine salad with pecorino, cavalo Nero, 

cured egg yolk, bread crumbs and smoked 

balsamic dressing. What about trying their 

version of Garlic Toast with mashed chickpeas, 

lemon and chile, and topped with thin slices 

of folded mortadella — a true classic? Or how 

about trying the charred Charcoal Grilled 

Cauliflower with puffed rice, smoked egg 

yolk emulsion and salsa verde? Speck, an airdried 

ham, has bit of smoke and a bit of salt 

and is paired with pear mostarda and fresh 

hazelnuts, and makes a refreshing antipasto. 

We have sampled many pizzas from the 

ever-changing menu and all have offered 

amazing flavour combinations, with perfect 

crust made from naturally leavened pizza 

dough and baked in a custom-made, iglooshaped 

Malagutti Pizza Oven from Modena, 

Italy. They have included Marinara with 

tomato, garlic, oregano, pepper and olive 

oil; Nduja (spicy, spreadable pork salumi 

from Italy) with tomato, fior di latte (semifresh 

cow’s milk cheese made in the style of 

fresh mozzarella), roasted corn, Parmigiano 

and breadcrumbs; Carbonara with cream, 

black pepper, shaved onion, guanciale 

(cured meat from delicious pork jowl and 


cheek) and pecorino. “Patata” with shaved 

potato, fontina, cream, rosemary, chile 

and Parmigiano is a knock-out. There is an 

excellent Margherita, and the Neapolitaninspired 

pizza follows all the essential 

criteria — tomato, fior di latte, basil and olive 

oil. For funghi lovers the mushroom pizza 

features Shogun maitake, cremini, cream and 

Parmigiano. What about Steam Clams with 

white wine, butter, chili flakes and garlic? 

Are you getting hungry? Other flavours have 

included Calabrese, Cacciatorino and Sugo. 

A trio of warm zeppole, a deep fried Italianinspired 

fritter topped with powdered sugar, is 

served with a side of thick and creamy lemon 

curd cream or on another occasion chocolate 

hazelnut ricotta. An open-face S’more consists 

of a hard graham wafer, thick chocolate 

ganache and gooey brûléed and blistered 

house-made marshmallow. A deconstructed 

tiramisu showcases the kitchen’s strengths. 

Pizzeria Madre features a rotating local 

craft beer selection and a modest but good and 

reasonably priced wine list. They know how to 

make a good Negroni. There is a sixteen-seat 

seasonal patio, on-street parking and a small 

parking lot beside the restaurant. Service is 

Top left: Naturally-leavened thin-crust pizza options include the 

Cacciatorino (tomato, fior di latte, cured sausage, red onion, 

capers, fennel seed, oregano); Carbonara (cream, black pepper, 

shaved onion, guanciale, pecorino); and Roasted Mushroom 

(cream, maitake and cremini mushrooms, green onion, 

parmigiano). 

Right: Zeppole served with chocolate ganache and hazelnuts. 

Left: Rich dessert options include a decadent Baked S’more.



to be supported and celebrated. 

Some nights the restaurant feels like an 

upscale neighbourhood local with its sociable 

and convivial ambience, other times it has a 

hipster-millennial vibe, and I swear you could 

be in downtown Toronto, the Beaches or 

Montreal. 

Pizzeria Madre 

111 Wellington Street, London 

519-432-4333 

pizzeriamadre.wixsite.com/book 

tuesday to saturday, 5pm–10pm 

Chef Matt Reijnen and restaurateur Jessica Washburn 

genuinely warm, intelligent and attentive. This 

is a modern day Mom and Pop business (Jessica 

and Matt have a 17-month-old daughter) 

operated by talented professionals who deserve 

FRESH. 

The essence of who we are. 

Visit us to sample over 70 oils and balsamics. 

Savour white & dark balsamic vinegars from Modena, Italy, 

paired with the freshest olive oils from across the globe. 

Bottling fresh in store since 2012. 

BRYAN LAVERY brings years of professional 

experience in the restaurant and hospitality business, as 

a chef, restaurant and partner in the culinary consulting 

business, Lavery Culinary Group. He helps shape Eatdrink 

both under his byline and behind the scenes. 

Photographer PHONG TRAN is a student in Fanshawe’s 

Advanced Photography Program. He has been profiled by 

Elle MAN in his home country of Vietnam after the success 

of a documentary he produced last summer. This past 

year, he gained experience serving a co-op with Take5 

Digital and the Lavery Culinary Group. 

The 

Pristine 

live 

Est. 2012 

884 Adelaide Street N. | London | 519-433-4444 

www.thepristineolive.ca

Stratford is 

more than 

great theatre 

visitstratford.ca 

um 

A restaurant inspired by 

local ingredients. 

Run by workers. 

Owned by workers. 

Shared by the Community. 

Open Thursday through Monday 

Reservations Recommended 

64 Wellington St, Stratford 

redrabbitresto.com 

519.305.6464 

@redrabbitresto 

global tapas with local ingredients 

fresh cocktails 

Perfect for dinner, drinks and long conversations 

Thursday through Sunday from 5pm 

85 Downie St, Stratford 

(next to Avon Theatre) 

519.305.8585 

85Downie.com

“A fun place to shop 

for housewares and gifts!” 

From kettles and toasters to bread bins 

and paper towel holders, Swan Retro ... 

a timeless British classic combined 

with a contemporary design. 

WATSON’S 

CHELSEA BAZAAR 

84 Ontario St. Stratford 

watsonsofstratford.com 

519-273-1790



Culinary Education 

A Seat at The Chef’s Table 



We are living through a gastronomic 

rebirth, a golden age of dining 

threatened by the shortage of 

cooks and chefs — exacerbated 

even further by a lack of professionally-trained 

service personnel. With such a high demand 

for trained culinary professionals and the sheer 

amount of new restaurant openings, it has 

become next to impossible to recruit skilled 

kitchen labour. This chronic shortage of workers 

is the lament and constant refrain of almost 

every restaurateur I know. A vibrant culinary 

scene requires well-trained kitchen and front-ofhouse 

staff. Help, however, is on the way. 

Conestoga College’s recent expansion in 

Cambridge includes new culinary programming 

and a 50-seat full-service restaurant as part of 

its new Institute for Culinary and Hospitality 

Management. At Niagara College’s Canadian 

Food and Wine Institute, Benchmark Restaurant 

offers an innovative dining experience — 

showcasing food, wine and beer created, prepared 

and presented by students, with menu items 

based on what is being taught each academic 

semester. This allows students to hone their 

skill sets in order to attain success. In Stratford, 

the Stratford Chefs School’s new state-of-theart 

facility allows students to experience all 

the fundamental kitchen positions in order to 

produce menus daily under the guidance of a 

faculty of esteemed local chefs and guest chefs 

from across Canada and internationally. For the 

first time the Stratford Chefs School can welcome 

the public into the facility, not just as dinner 

patrons but also as active learners with hands-on 

programming. 

This brings us to Fanshawe College’s new 

$66-million six-storey downtown campus, 

which opened in the fall of 2017 in the former 

Kingsmill’s department store. It was both on 

time and within budget, much to the amazement 

of naysayers. Downtown London is the 

optimal location for the hospitality/culinary 

From the kitchen to the cocktail bar, students in 

Fanshawe College’s School of Tourism, Hospitality 

and Culinary Arts hone their skills, and put them to 

practice at The Chef’s Table.



and information technology programs, 

which have made their home at the new 

campus. Filled with destination restaurants, 

culinary retailers and home to the Covent 

Garden Market and its seasonal, produceronly 

farmers’ market, the core location is a 

seamless fit. 

Fanshawe’s culinary program is showcased 

at The Chef’s Table, the street level restaurant 

that provides a training ground for culinary 

students and serves locally-sourced food with 

a sustainable focus. The term chef’s table 

refers to an area of a restaurant allocated 

The street-level dining room (left) provides a “real 

world” training space for students while adding an 

exciting dimension to London’s vibrant culinary scene.


In the classrooms and in the kitchens and labs students learn 

from experienced chefs and instructors. Subjects include 

gardening, preserving, and butchery. 


to diners where they can have an 

interactive experience with the chef at 

work, and are often served a curated 

tasting menu. 

The Chef’s Table will stimulate 

culinary innovation and diversity 

locally, provide collateral employment, 

and contribute to creating a strong, 

well-trained and experienced culinary 

workforce. In addition to drawing diners 

to the restaurant, The Chef’s Table and 

the hospitality program will foster a 

strengthened culinary identity and 

commercial viability, and add to the 

social and culinary fabric not only of the 

downtown but of the city at large. 

State-of-the-art kitchens and a bakery 

comprise most of the third floor of the 

College, appropriately named the Spriet 

Family Culinary Centre. There are five 

kitchens in all: three savoury kitchens, 

a pastry lab and a bake lab. More than 

one million dollars was invested in 

new equipment with the Spriet family 

donating $500,000 to this initiative. 

Students are taught the art of crafting 

proper cocktails on the fourth floor, in 

the 24-station mixology lab. A licensed 

patio is located outside this space. 

There is a living wall over 20 feet 

high at the Dundas Street entrance 

containing more than 200 plants of 

various species. A broad staircase 

doubles as a gathering place and small 

amphitheatre. There are also shared 

learning spaces in the corridors. 

The ground floor teaching restaurant, 

The Chef’s Table, has floor-to-ceiling 

windows overlooking the new Dundas 

Place flex street. The Chef’s Table 

replaces Saffron’s at Fanshawe’s main 

campus on Oxford Street. Saffron’s, 

until it’s closing earlier this year, was 

one of London’s beloved culinary 

institutions. For decades, Saffron’s 

dining facilities allowed students 

to gain experience ranging from 

upscale casual dining to fine dining 

and table-side service. In recent 

years, under the watchful eye of Chef 

Wade Fitzgerald, menus changed 

frequently and seasonally with a focus 

and commitment to using local and 

sustainable foods. This allowed students 

to gain practical hands-on experience 

and an understanding of what it


means to work in and be committed to the 

hospitality industry. 

Just before Saffron’s closed I had lunch with 

Chef Josie Pontarelli, coordinator of Fanshawe’s 

Artisanal Culinary Arts program and a graduate 

of the Stratford Chefs School. We talked about 

culinary mentorship and Fanshawe College’s 

one-of-a-kind Artisanal Culinary Arts graduate 

program as well as the students’ engagement 

and enthusiasm. We also discussed the 

challenges in raising the profile of the program 

and finding outside support, as many people 

are unaware of its existence. The updated 

program teaches students techniques in 

gardening, fermenting, preserving, butchering, 

curing, cheesemaking, and bread baking. Based 

on a modified schedule that runs from May 

to December, a spring intake allows students 

to work in the on-campus fruit and vegetable 

garden throughout the semester as part of the 

fast-track curriculum. The seasonal ingredients 

which the gardens provide are utilized in labs, 

and produce is sold at the on-campus farmers’ 

market every other week. We also spoke 

about the inaugural Artisanal Culinary Arts 

fundraising dinner which was held in October 

2018 on what was coincidentally International 

Chefs Day. 

The Chef’s Table, London’s second 

certified Feast On® restaurant, honours the 

procurement of local and sustainable foods 

and focused on serving quality and seasonal 

Indoor Winter Farmers’ Market 

Saturdays, January 12–March 30, 9am–1pm 

Join us on the mezzanine for a wide variety of local 

goods from our farmers and producers. Baking, root 

vegetables, sprouts, wine, meat and more! 

Pay-What-You-Can Pilates from 9am–10am 

Live Music from 10am–Noon 

Free Cooking Classes 11am–Noon in the Market Kitchen 

Let’s celebrate local year round! 

Skating Rink 

Lace up your skates and enjoy winter in Downtown 

London on our outdoor Rotary rink at the Market. 

Afterwards, warm up inside with a hot chocolate from 

Hasbeans or a specialty tea from the Tea Haus. Skating 

is free and open 7 days a week, weather permitting. 

FREE PARKING 

With Validation 

Half Hour Weekdays 

Market Hours 

Monday to Saturday


Ontario ingredients. Feast On® is a certification 

program that recognizes businesses committed 

to procuring Ontario grown and made food 

and drink. The restaurant features Ocean 

Wise approved seafood. I was hooked after 

sampling Seared Ocean Wise Salmon with 

roasted tomato broth, seasonal vegetables and 

lemon aioli — the co-mingling of flavours was 

outstanding. There was an excellent sharing 

board with roasted Gunn’s Hill Brigid’s Brie, 

caponata, Pingue prosciutto (sourced from 

Niagara food specialties), fresh fruit and warm 

house-made focaccia. 

The dinner menu offers Metzger’s striploin 

steak with brown butter mash, root vegetables 

and Madeira demi-glace. Clear Creek Farm’s 

organic, free-range chicken is served with 

arugula pesto, wild rice arancini and roasted 

baby carrots. The triple-layer carrot cake with 

cream cheese frosting is one of the tallest and 

best iterations I’ve tasted. 

Because of the culinary program there is a 

retail store, open to the public, on the main 

floor that sells chefs coats, aprons, professional 

chef knife sets and pastry tool kits. 

Fanshawe College’s new downtown campus 


and The Chef’s Table are a boon to London’s 

culinary scene and to the downtown core, 

and are sure to launch more stellar cooks, 

chefs, bartenders and knowledgeable service 

professionals into the hospitality sector. 

The Chef’s Table and the Culinary Arts and 

Hospitality programs are bolstered by chefs 

and culinary educators, many of whom 

deserve individual recognition due to their 

long standing dedication and devotion. 

The Chef’s Table 

Fanshawe College London Downtown Campus 

130 Dundas Street, London 

519-452-4433 

lunch: monday–friday, 11am to 2pm 

dinner: monday–friday, 5pm to 8pm 

BRYAN LAVERY brings years of professional 

experience in the restaurant and hospitality business, as 

a chef, restaurant and partner in the culinary consulting 

business, Lavery Culinary Group. Always on the lookout 

for stories Eatdrink should be telling, he helps shape the 

magazine both under his byline and behind the scenes. 

An Experience to Savour ... 

• Casual Fine Dining • Stunning Architecture 

• World-inspired Cuisine Featuring Local 

Ingredients, Plus a Vegan Menu 

• Private Dining Rooms for Lunch & Dinner 

Join us for Londonlicious Jan 11–Feb 2 

BLACK 

TRUMPET 

Open Mon–Sat 

lunch & dinner 

523 Richmond St. London www.blacktrumpet.ca 

RESERVATIONS: 519-850-1500 | info@blacktrumpet.ca 

Loose Leaf Teas & Tisanes 

• 

Contemporary & Traditional Teaware 

• 

Fresh Soups, Salads, Cheese Boards, 

Fresh-baked Scones, 

Desserts Chinese 

New Year Food 

& Tea Pairing 

Tues., Feb. 5, 7pm 

Cuisine collaboration 

with Annie Wang 

Tea 

Flight Night 

Sat., Jan. 26, 7pm 

Exploring Unique 

Oolong Teas 

268 Piccadilly Street 

(beside Oxford Book Store) 

519-601-TEAS (8327) • tealoungelondon.com 

Valentine’s 

Day Afternoon 

Tea Service 

Sun., Feb. 10, Noon 

a second seating 

may be added 

WED & THURS 11am-6pm • FRI & SAT 11am-9pm • SUN noon–5pm



eatdrink 

2019 London 

Wine & Food Show 

Profiles of 

Excellence 

SUPPLEMENT 


Winning Together 

Maelström Winery 

Huron County’s First Winery 


Leading the Pack

20 

eatdrink 




Craft Beer that Rings True 

The Cowbell Experience 

Cowbell Kitchen, the restaurant at the brewery, specializes in local 

farm-to-table fare, with over 75% of the food served sourced in 

Huron County, paired beautifully with Cowbell beer, some of which 

is exclusive to The Farm. The Cowbell team curates an outstanding 

menu that changes seasonally, with daily menu features, shared 

plates, delicious appetizers, house-made burgers, and wood-fired 

pizzas. Recommendations 

include “The 

Wagyu Burger” and 

“The Royale Pizza.” 

“We would like 

everyone to feel welcome 

at Cowbell Farm,” 

said Grant Sparling, 

Chief Development 

Officer. “Enjoy a pint of 

craft beer and experience a taste of what Huron County has to offer.” 

With 26,000 square feet to explore, guests may take a guided or 

self-guided tour and enjoy unobstructed catwalk views of almost 

everything, including the state-of-the-art brewhouse. Cowbell is 

Canada’s first design-build Destination Brewery and whether you 

are stopping in for 

a pint, shopping at 

the General Store or 

staying for dinner 

or a tour, Cowbell 

offers something for 

everyone. 

Cowbell Brewing Co. is a familyfriendly, 

accessible, award-winning 

brewery, committed to making worldclass 

craft beer — and making a 

difference. Taking generations of business 

expertise into craft brewing, Steven and 

the third generation, Grant Sparling II, 

lead an ambitious team that is committed 

to outstanding beer, local food and 

memorable experiences at the innovative 

Cowbell Farm. 

Community- 

Inspired Brews 

Led by Brewmaster Stephen Rich, Cowbell’s 

brewing team creates exceptional recipes 

using the highest quality, globally-sourced 

ingredients. The Founders’ Series beers 

are available year-round, representing 

Cowbell’s creative interpretation of six 

classic beer styles. Each beer is named for 

remarkable, true characters of Blyth’s past 

and the story on every can shares a piece of 

Blyth’s history with the world. 

For more adventurous beer fans, the 

Renegade Series and the newlylaunched 

Barrel-Aged Project explore 

courageous flavours, while showcasing 

the talent of the brewing team. Act fast! 

These bottled beers are only available in 

small batches, while supplies last.

Commitment to the Environment 

Cowbell is committed to being a good steward of the land, just as 

generations of farmers have before us. Whether through the brewery 

building or design and operation, Cowbell is sincere in its efforts to maintain 

highly sustainable practices, verified by a third party. Beyond the beautiful 

wood frame structure, Cowbell has incorporated building design, materials, 

and best of class operations to improve efficiency and to reduce the impact 

on the local environment. Cowbell also participates in an onsite carbon 

sequestration program, achieved through a 23-acre reforestation project, 

which will be expanded in 2019. 

In Your Community 

Cowbell gives back with each and every pint 

or can of beer sold. From the very first pint 

in May of 2016, Cowbell has donated five 

cents to their Greener Pastures Community 

Fund. This fund supports life-enhancing 

programs to improve children’s health 

and well-being at Ontario’s four children’s 

hospitals: Children’s Hospital in London, 

SickKids in Toronto, McMaster Children’s 

Hospital in Hamilton and the Children’s 

Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa. 

The fund also provides support for programming at the 

Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity in Blyth. To 

the end of December 2018, $232,024 has been donated 

to Cowbell’s community partners. 

“For every pint or can of Cowbell sold in your 

community, the donation is to your local children’s 

hospital,” says Sparling. “Thanks to friends of Cowbell, we 

have accomplished amazing things — and we are just 

getting started. A nickel can make a meaningful impact in 

the life of a child facing health complications, and we are 

grateful for the support of the communities around us.” 


Cowbell is designed to be about more than great beer. 

To the Sparlings, Cowbell is about family, economic 

development and community success. It is about working 

hard to craft a winning recipe for their success and the 

success of people and communities. It’s a commitment to 

working together and winning together. 


40035 Blyth Rd, Blyth 

844-523-4724 

cowbellbrewing.com 

Profiles of Excellence eatdrink 21 

Cowbell General Store 

The Cowbell experience does not end when you leave; 

the General Store features Cowbell gear — most of 

it made in Canada — and Cowbell beer. Take home 

something to remember your trip to The Farm. Cowbell 

beer is available in cans and growlers, and smallbatch 

beers are available in custom 750mL and 1.5L 

bottles. The General Store also features a selection of 

“Guest Favourite” products being developed with local 

businesses, including a line of barbeque rubs and sauces 

with Garlic Box from Hensall, and custom roasted coffee 

from ShopBike Coffee in Bayfield. All merchandise is 

also available online, including beer.

22 

eatdrink 


Huron County’s First Winery 

Maelström Winery 

Family-Made Artisanal Wines & Ciders 

Delicate Wines Are Grown 

In Cooler Climates 

Huron County’s cold climate and clay loam soils add 

exceptionally favourable complexity, balance and intensity 

to Maelstrom wine. 

The Maelström vineyard location was chosen for its 

impressive natural drainage and mix of sandy 

and clay loam soils — a combination ideally 

suited to growing premium quality grapes and 

producing structured red wines like Marquette, 

Baco Noir and Cabernet Franc. 

Maelström’s white wines also demonstrate a 

unique expression of terroir. Both Chardonnay 

and Frontenac Blanc exhibit an increased 

acidity that produces more tropical fruit flavours 

and enhanced aroma than in warmer climates. 

A Hands-Off Approach 

From the start, it’s been important at Maelström 

to use winemaking techniques that use lessthan-conventional 

intervention when processing 

the wine. This means far fewer chemicals and 

gentle filtering practices, and a more natural 

maturation. This hands-off approach results in 

wines that are flavourful and rich, and it’s also a 

little better for the environment. 

Maelstrom Winery took root in 

2009, when the Landsborough family 

planted a test plot of vines to see if 

they would survive Huron County’s 

cold climate. To their delight, the vines 

not only survived — they thrived! 

The vineyard now has over 8 acres 

of grape vines, nestled in the crook 

of land between the south Maitland 

River and the Bayfield River. 

Taste the difference artisanal winemaking and 

unique terroir bring. Maelström is focused on the living 

expression of Huron County, giving their wine a unique 

character and personality. The focus is on balance — 

in fruit, sugar levels, acidity and tannin — ensuring 

these four components are harmonious. Expect higher 

intensity aromas, and rewarding complexity.


Tours & Tastings 

A Maelstrom Winery Tour includes a stroll through 

the vineyards and the entire winery, guided by one 

of the owners. You’ll see first-hand the real passion 

behind the winery and get access to the intimate 

knowledge of the intricacies of day-to-day winery 

operations. The tour then ends in the tasting room, 

where you can see some of the equipment used in 

processing wine, and taste the final product. 

Of course, you can visit the winery for just a tasting, 

and skip the tour. Whether you want to relax on the patio to 

beat the summer heat or retreat from the winter cold by the 

cozy fireplace; the tasting room is open year-round. Enjoy a 

complimentary wine tasting at any time during our store hours. 

Just drop by, although we ask that groups of 10 or more phone 

for a reservation. 

Note: Tours through the vineyard only run April–October. 

Currently Available 

Wines & Ciders 

RED WINES: 

2016 Reserve Cabernet Franc 

2016 Marquette 

2017 Abyss 

2017 Tempest 

WHITE WINES: 

2015 Frontenac Blanc Reserve 

2016 Frontenac Blanc 

2016 Chardonnay Reserve 

2017 Chardonnay 

2017 L’Acadie 

2017 Vidal 

2016 Blush 

2016 Summerström 

Ciders: 

Still Cider 

Open 7 Days a Week! 

This Destination Winery is open today for a tour, or just 

stop by for a tasting. Monday–Sunday, 11am–6pm. Or 

shop online to get Maelstrom wine, cider and the taste 

of Huron County terroir sent right to your door. 

78925 Sanctuary Line, Clinton ON 

519-233-9463 

maelstromwinery.ca

24 

eatdrink 


Leading the Pack 


Local Craft Small Batch Ultra-Premium Spirits 

The Restaurant 

The Wolfhead Distillery Restaurant features 

innovative and trendsetting culinary cooking. Open 

for lunch and dinner, the restaurant offers healthy 

seasonal menu items, locally grown, with many 

incorporating Wolfhead spirits. 

Recommendations include the Apple Whisky 

Pulled Pork Sandwich, pork shoulder basted with 

Premium Whisky, rubbed with Cajun spices and slowroasted 

for six hours. Then it’s pulled apart and infused 

with Wolfhead Whisky barbecue sauce, stuffed in a 

spacatelli bun and garnished with pickles, prosciutto 

and melted smoked gouda. Or try the Drunken 

Shrimp & Scallops. Large white tiger shrimp and 

sweet bay scallops are sautéed with garlic, select 

spices and tomatoes, then flambéed in premium 

Wolfhead Vodka. They’re served over rice pilaf with 

garlic bread. 

Tom Manherz, owner of 

Wolfhead Distillery, 

was inspired by the local 

history of rumrunning and Prohibition after establishing 

a third party bottling operation. Tom’s inspiration soon 

developed into ideas of building a premium craft distillery. 

Wolfhead was born. 

A craftsman’s operation, Wolfhead Distillery incorporates 

the resources found in its own backyard, producing unique 

flavours that push the boundaries of standard Canadian 

Spirits. Most notably, the neighbouring Amherstburg 

quarry supplies the distinct limestone-treated water that 

is used in the production of all Wolfhead spirits, as well as 

exclusively locally-grown grains. 

Good Things Come In Small Batches ... Enjoy Wolfhead 

spirits neat, on the rocks, or in exciting craft cocktails! 

An ever-changing list of local craft beers on tap, 

local wines and a creative cocktail list ensure a 

complete dining experience.

The Products 

Wolfhead is proud to already have six unique 

premium products available for purchase, with 

more to come. The double barrel Premium Craft 

Whisky is so bold that it stands alone among the 

pack, strong but classy and elegant. The small batch 

Premium Craft Vodka embodies craftsmanship at 

its finest. Fiercely elegant yet so smooth 

that it will unleash your inner wolf! Both 

are 40% alcohol by volume (ABV). 

Popular flavoured spirits include: 

Wolfhead Coffee 

Whisky Liqueur 

Deep toffee brown in colour with 

rich aromas of roasted coffee with 

milk chocolate and toasted grains, 

this creamy textured whisky tastes of 

honey, chocolate, vanilla and nougat 

with lingering coffee notes. 30% ABV. 

Wolfhead Grapefruit 

Flavoured Vodka 

Crystal clear and colourless with a 

bold grapefruit peel aroma, the clean 

vodka background taste is enhanced 

with a sweetly zesty pink grapefruit 

flavour and a mild tartness. Enjoy the 

clean piquant citrus finish. 35% ABV. 

Wolfhead Banana 

Caramel Flavoured 

Vodka 

Bright yellow/gold in colour, exotic 

tropical fruits aromas enhance this 

smooth vodka’s tastes of sweet ripe 

banana and caramel with a round, 

creamy texture. 28% ABV 

Coming in 2019! 

Look forward to further additions to 

Wolfhead’s popular Vodka line. Also 

coming along well in development is Wolfhead 

Premium Gin. Follow Wolfhead on social media 

for updates, or sign up online to be a member of 

The Wolf Pack! You’ll be the first to know about 

upcoming products and events. 


Not Just a Distillery 

Wolfhead has an inviting retail store where you can 

purchase your favourite Wolfhead products as well as a 

selection of unique gift ideas. 

Public tours and tastings are available on Saturdays, 

at only $12 per person. Group Tours are by appointment 

only, please. Just want a Tasting? Only $6 per person. 

For a truly original day or night, Wolfhead Distillery 

is available to host your party or event. It takes a unique 

approach to make that special day feel as amazing as 

you’ve dreamed. Let Wolfhead be your choice! 

Retail Store Hours* 

MON-TUE: 9am–4pm 

WED-SAT: 11am–8pm 

SUN: 11am–6pm 

Distillery & Restaurant 

MON-TUE: Closed 

WED-SAT: 11am–8pm 

SUN: 11am–6pm 

* subject to change 

7781 Howard Avenue, Amherstburg 

519-726-1111 

drinkwolfhead.com



Wine 

The One That’s In Your Glass 

Favourite Wines ... Year ’Round 

by GARY KILLOPS 

What’s your favourite wine? 

Ask a dozen people and you 

will probably get 12 different 

answers. It’s a question I get 

asked all the time and for me there is no right 

answer. I like wine and I like a lot of different 

wines so I often use this canned reply: “My 

favourite wine is the one that is in my glass.” 

I follow up this impudent response by asking 

them what their favourite wine is. 

Now, I’m aware that many who ask me 

this question are doing so with the intention 

of learning a little bit more about wine. So 

when they tell me that they drink only red or 

white wine, I regard it as an opportunity to 

introduce them to something different. 

For me, wine really depends on the season, 

and often on the food I will be pairing it 

with. In the summer I tend to open more 

chilled, crisp white wines and in the winter 

find that I often reach for full-bodied reds. 

Change is good, and sometimes having a 

lively pinot grigio on a cold winter night just 

seems so right. 

There are several wines that I do tend 

to open a little more frequently 

throughout the year. These are 

inexpensive wines that offer 

amazing quality for the price. I 

guess you could call these some of 

my favourites. 

Vineland Cabernet 

Franc (LCBO #594127, $14.95) 

— On a recent visit to the 

LCBO I found bottles of both 

the 2016 and 2017 vintages on 

the shelf. The wine geek that I 

am saw an opportunity to do a 

vertical tasting. Both vintages 

offered ripe blackberry, juicy 

cherry, and a hint of cedar. 

Noticeably missing in both 

(and, to me, a good thing) were 

those herbaceous green bell pepper notes that 

are often found in Ontario cab francs. Both 

were fruity and medium bodied. 

Vineland Estate Winery, located on the 

Niagara Escarpment, is one of Ontario’s top 

producers of cabernet franc. A 2015 reserve 

cabernet franc with a $50 price tag sold 

out quickly at LCBO’s Vintages locations 

and between 2018 and 2019. Vineland’s 

winemaker will release a series of six “Cab 

Ride” wines that are all about “terroir.” They 

will come from six different Niagara vineyards 

(Neumann, Smith, Van Bers, Nichol, Hunter, 

Briar Creek). They are reported to all taste 

remarkably different even though the only 

difference is where the grapes are grown. 

These wines will first be made available 

to Vineland wine club members. Any that 

remain unsold they will be made available to 

the general public. 

For details on Vineland’s wine club visit 

vineland.com 

Pelee Island Pinot Noir Reserve 

(LCBO #458521, $17.95) — Good Ontario 

pinot noir can get a bit pricey. From time to 

time I have seen this wine on sale and I stock 

up. Pinot noir is so versatile. It 

pairs well with many dishes but is 

also enjoyable on its own. 

The 2017 Pelee Island Winery 

reserve pinot noir was 50% 

barrel-aged in French and 

European oak for six months. 

Red berry fruit surrounded 

by subtle vanilla and earthy 

notes. Ripe, crisp finish. 

I recently paired this 

wine with fresh grilled 

Atlantic salmon with citrus 

marinated plum tomatoes 

and balsamic reduction. It 

was perfect!

Far Out ... 

but we like it that way! 

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Lunch Mon–Fri 11–3 • Dinner Wed–Sun from 5pm 

Weekend Breakfast 9–12, Lunch 12–3, Dinner 5–9 

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Come explore Canada’s 

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Quai Du Vin Signature Series 

White (LCBO #485821, $15.35) — I first 

tasted this wine last summer when visiting 

the winery. I purchased a couple of bottles 

on that trip and later wished I had 

picked up a few more. I shared it 

with company and everyone liked 

it. I am happy to see that it is now 

available at the LCBO, although 

currently somewhat limited in 

locations and supply. Buy some if 

you find it! 

An off-dry blend of riesling, 

vidal, pinot gris, and seyval 

blanc. Fermented in a 

combination of steel tanks 

and older French oak barrels, 

then blended. Red apple, 

pear, and lemon fruit notes 

dominate with a tasty off-dry 

lingering finish. 

Wines To Look For 

Several issues ago I wrote an article 

on Alton Farms Estate Winery, 

which is located in Plympton- 

Wyoming, about an hour west of 

London. Since then the winery 

has been able to have 

two of their wines 

available in select 

LCBO locations in 

Lambton, Middlesex 

and Oxford 

counties. Both are 

$16.20 

GARY KILLOPS is a CAPS Certified 

Sommelier who loves to talk, taste, and 

write about wine. He shares his tasting 

notes on EssexWineReview.com 

“a gastronomical landmark for over 22 years” 

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Open 7 Days a Week 

Mon/Tues 11:30-10, Wed/Thurs 11:30-11, Fri/Sat 11:30-12, Sun 11-10



Taste the elements. 

1709 Front Road, St. Williams, Norfolk County, ON 

Tastings, Tours & Events 

burningkilnwinery.ca 519.586.9858 

@burningkilnwine



Beer 

All-Stars 

My Top Picks for 2019 

by GEORGE MACKE 

Anderson Winter. An amber 

ale spiced with cinnamon, 

orange, honey and ginger, 

Anderson Winter makes a 

beer drinker thankful for 

the cold weather when this 

seasonal from London’s Old 

East Village brewer reappears. 

True, Anderson is better 

known for its IPA and cream 

ale, but Winter holds special 

appeal. A fireside classic, even if the recipe is 

only two years old. 

Black Swan English Pale 

Ale. The Stratford brewery 

rebooted itself with a 

renovation and expansion 

last fall, and a commitment 

to creative new one-offs 

and seasonals. But no 

amount of recipe wizardry 

is likely to unseat this EPA 

as one of the biggest joys of 

the Southwestern Ontario 

craft beer galaxy if, like me, you like your beer 

malt-forward with a hint of hops. 

Cowbell Shindig. 

Sure, before opening 

their own 

barn-shaped 

brewery 

in Blyth 

they started 

by contract brewing 

Absent Landlord, a 

kolsch, and that’s 

likely the Cowbell 

Remember the Smash Mouth song 

All Star from the Shrek soundtrack? 

It’s an earworm right now as I think 

about my votes for the NHL all-star 

team and, since hockey and beer go handin-hand, 

has me wondering. If there were an 

all-star team of Southwestern Ontario craft 

beers, what would it look like? 

I know where my 12-pack of votes would 

land. Here goes. 

beer most people know from the LCBO. But 

opening their own brewery has meant a dizzy 

whirl of new beer introductions and while 

many are more flavourful and exotic, none hit 

the mark like Shindig Lager, a sessionable beer 

for all occasions and the biggest seller at the 

brewery. 

Elora Borealis. This grapefruity 

pale ale won a gold medal at the 

2018 Ontario Brewing Awards and, 

while it’s available at the LCBO, it’s 

best enjoyed fresh at the brewpub 

in the pretty Wellington County 

village of Elora. Maybe pair it 

with the pub’s warm pretzel and 

wild boar summer sausage platter 

before taking a stroll to the gorge 

or a short drive to the unique 

Wellington County Museum, 

located in the oldest standing 

poorhouse in Canada. The joy of 

craft beer is in the journey of discovery. 

Forked River Golden Boy. Released 

last fall in specially labelled cans as 

a tribute to London Olympic gold 

medal bobsledder Alex Kopacz, 

Golden Boy is a super easy drinking 

Belgian-style ale. The aroma is 

stone fruit, the wee spicy 

kick is from the yeast. This 

one’s podium-worthy and 

available at the brewery or 

its online store. 

Innocente Charcoal Porter. Is there 

something about Kitchener-Waterloo and 

dark beers? Innocente’s Charcoal Porter,


a collaboration with Beertown 

restaurants, won a gold medal at the 

2015 Canadian Brewing Awards, and 

deservedly so. Think roasted barley 

and you get the idea behind this 

lighter-than-usual porter. 

Railway City Witty Traveller. 

There’s the famous 

Dead Elephant IPA 

and the summertime 

classic Orange 

Creamsic Ale. But 

I like to show a 

little love for Witty Traveller, a 

Belgian-style wit that’s light (4.2 

per cent alcohol) 

and flavourful. 

Sons of Kent 8 

Track XPA. A West Coast IPA, 

8 Track cranks up the volume 

with flavour coming out of all 

speakers. Named in honour of a 

music format that’s never coming 

Continued on page 34 ... 

2019 

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One per customer, while quantities last. 

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130 Edward Street, St. Thomas, Ontario 

519-631-1881 • railwaycitybrewing.com 

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144 DOWNIE ST, STRATFORD, ON 519 • 814 • 7926 

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Continued from page 31 ... 

back, 8 Track is big on citrus. Is that mango? 

And grapefruit? Yes and yes, just as you’d 

expect from the style. Skilled Sons of Kent 

brewers use three types of hops — Cascade, 

Citra and Centennial — to brew 8 Track. Pairs 

well with Horse With No Name playing in the 

background. 

Stone House Pilsner. A little brewery with a 

big beer, Stone House 

takes a page from 

Toronto’s famous 

Steam Whistle by 

concentrating on 

brewing a Czech-style 

pilsner. It’s brewed 

with aromatic Saaz 

hops, the same type 

used in international 

beers such as Stella 

Artois. Getting a taste means a journey to 

Varna in Huron County. 

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019 

9AM – 4PM 

Wolf Performance Hall 

and adjacent Conference Rooms, 

Citi Plaza, London, Ontario 

251 Dundas St. London, ON 

• Shop Vendors 

• Tasting Workshops 

• Industry Speakers 

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Upper Thames Timber Beast Brown Ale. 

Sure, the workers from around the corner at 

the Woodstock Toyota 

assembly plant might 

prefer to end their 

shifts with an Upper 

Thames Backpaddle 

Blonde or Portage IPA. 

But it’s the brown ale 

from Upper Thames 

that makes my all-star 

list. Little bit toffee, 

little bit coffee, and 

a whole lot of interesting. Enjoy it at the 

original brewery taphouse at 225 Bysham Park 

Rd. or at its sister Brickhouse Brew Pub at 190 

Fairway Road. 

Waterloo Dark. I’m so torn. Do I vote a 

rookie beer, Waterloo Salted Caramel Porter, 

as an all-star or stick with a 

familiar favourite, Waterloo 

Dark. On one hand, Waterloo 

Dark has been my go-to from 

their roster for years and it’s 

easy to understand why the 

Kitchener brewery bills it as 

Ontario’s favourite dark lager. 

But Salted Caramel Porter 

speaks to their spirit of taste 

adventures, despite how big 

they’ve become (Waterloo


Brewing announced a $9.6-million expansion 

last fall). Dark’s here for the long term, but 

Salted Caramel is a seasonal available at the 

Beer Store and the brewery. Your call. 

Wellington County Imperial Russian 

Stout. If you’re still thinking 

craft beer is a phenomenon 

invented by millennials, think 

again. Wellington Brewery in 

Guelph has been brewing great 

craft beer in the shadow of 

Sleeman since 1985. While some 

will point to Upside IPA as its 

best beer, I’ll put its bear-like 

eight-per-cent-alcohol stout on 

my all-star team any time. 

Look for 

us in the 

LCBO! 

GEORGE MACKE is a Southwestern Ontario craft beer 

explorer who spends too much time at the LCBO and craft 

breweries. 

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SPONSORED BY 

Road Trips 

I Love Paris When It Sizzles 

The Charms of Paris, Ontario 


Nestled in the valley where the Nith 

River meets the Grand, Paris benefits 

from its striking natural setting 

and its rich history dating back to 

1829, when the town was first settled. The wellpreserved 

buildings showcase architectural 

styles typical of small-town Ontario. The 

nickname “The Cobblestone Capital of Canada” 

pays homage to the churches and residences 

built with cobblestones pulled from the rivers. 

Voted “the Prettiest Little Town in Canada” 

by Harrowsmith Magazine, the town’s name 

originates from plaster of Paris, the product 

created from the gypsum beds that lay along the 

riverbed. Paris is the place to explore on a road 

trip or a weekend getaway. 

In the late 1800s the textile industry emerged 

as a key employer and economic force, driven 

by businesses such as Penman Manufacturing 

Company, which by 1880 operated three knitting 

mills in Paris. 

The Paris Wincey Mills Co. is the historic textile 

mill located in the downtown area, dating back to 

1889. (Wincey is not a surname, but a term used 

to describe a type of cloth.) The mill’s century-old 

hardwood floors have been rejuvenated, and the 

multi-paned windows uncovered and restored 

to allow access to natural light. The revitalized 

main floor is a well-designed space, reflective of 

Paris, Ontario 

Paris, Ontario has a historic tradition of textile 

production. Today, the Wincey Mills Co. building has 

been restored to house retail and food businesses open 

to the public, as well as upper-floors office space. 

its heritage, and showcases quality retailers in 

an indoor market hall setting. 

Blue Dog Coffee Roasters and 

Café and Tipperary Bog Fine 

Cheese and Gourmet Shop are 

open from Monday to Saturday. 

From Thursday to Saturday, the 

market features vendors like 

butcher Anthony Ferras’ Link 

Street Sausage House, Jiggs-n- 

Reels Seafood Shop, Florcita’s 

Classic Latin Foods, Sugar and 

Spice Bakery, Gourmet Popcorn 

and The Grilled Cheese Effect. A 

well-appointed, fully-equipped 

test kitchen was built with

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20191S 300 AWD 

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2019 NX 300 AWD 

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© I LEXUSOFLONDON 

1065 Wharncliffe Road South, London, ON 

(519) 680-1900 

lexusof london.com 

"Delivery Credits are available on retail purchase/lease of select new 2018 and 2019 Lexus vehicles from a Canadian Lexus Dealer and will be applied after la:,,;,es have been charged on the lull amount ol the negotiated 

price. Vehicle must be purchased/leased, registered and delivered by January 2nd, 2019. *Lease of/en; provided through Le11us Financial Services, on approved credit. *Representative lease eJU1mple based on a 2019 

RX 350 sh. 'I< on a 40 month term al an annual rate of 2.9% and Complete Le11us Price of $58,156. Bi-weekly lease payment is $258 with $6,780 down payment or equivalent trade in, $0 security deposit and fiI 

bi-weekly lease payment due al lease inception. Total of 86 bi-weekly lease payments required during the lease term. Total lease obligation is $29,180. *Representative lease elUlmple based on a 20191S 300 AWD snl 

'A' on a 40 month term al an annual rate of 1.9% and Complete Le11us Price ol $46,356. Bi-weekly lease payment is $198 with $6,500 down payment or equivalent trade in, $0 security deposit and fiI bi-weekly lease 

payment due al lease inception. Total of 86 bi-weekly lease payments required during the lease term. Total lease obligation is $23,695. *Representative lease eMmple based on a 2019 NX300 sl11 T ona40 month term 

al an annual rate of 0.9% and Complete le11us Price of $46,956. Bi-weekly lease payment is $188 with $4,560 down payment or equivalent trade in, $0 security deposit and fiI bi-weekly lease payment due al lease 

inception. Total of 86 bi-weekly lease payments required during the lease term. Total lease obligation is $20,890. 48,000 kilometre allowance; charge of $0.20/km for eitcess kilometres. Complete le11us Price includes 

freight/POI {$2,075), EHF Tires ($20.70), EHF Filte ($1), A/C charge ($100), Dealer Fees ($599), and OMVIC Fee ($10). Ta11es, license, registration (if applicable), and insurance are extra. Le11us Dealers are free lo 

set their own prices. limited lime offers only apply lo retail customers at participating leiws Dealers. Dealer order/trade may be required (but may not be available in certain circumstances). Offers are subject lo change 

or cancellation without notice. See Lexus of London for complete details.



the express purpose of giving the venue 

a culinary focus. There is also an outdoor 

seasonal market and plans for future 

development of the lower floor. Office spaces 

on the second and third floors offer generous 

views of Paris and the Grand River. 

If you’re looking for a great place to stay 

in downtown Paris, the boutique literarythemed 

Arlington Hotel is a hip option. 

Originally known the Bradford House 

Hotel, the hotel has enjoyed several other 

incarnations. The hotel re-opened its doors 

last March following extensive renovation 

and redecoration of the circa-1850 historic 

building. Owned by The Other Bird group 

(who are behind Hamilton’s Rapscallion 

Rogue Eatery, London’s Hunter & Co. 

and four other culinary hot spots), the 

Arlington has 24 guest rooms inspired 

by authors and creative minds. From the 

playful Dr. Seuss room to the luxurious 

Oscar Wilde executive suite, each features 

unique decor and touches. The hotel’s 

blackboard-menu-based restaurant is 

named edit and was created by Executive 

Chef Matt Kershaw and Chef Paddy 

Townsend. The menu offers a rotating 

assortment of flavour-focused fare with 

playfully-named dishes like Smoky the Pear 

Salad, Darkwing Duck and Thanks Foie the 

Memories. There is Pork and Parsnip on 

the dinner menu with Pork Chop, Sausage, 

Pork Belly, Parsnip Purée, Brussels Sprouts 

in Chilli Maple Gastrique with Maple 

Demi-Glace. The hotel features a cozy bar 

and an intimate vibe. 1851 Public House, 

in the hotel’s cellar, is used mainly for 

private events. The space is defined by its 

stone walls, warm wood accents and retro 

furnishings. 

The Grand River Trails, transformed from former railway 

lines and just minutes away from the Arlington Hotel, are 

easily accessible and perfect for cycling, hiking and crosscountry 

skiing. 

Matt Cummings, owner of Paris’s Cobblestone Public 

House Restaurant and Midtown Kitchen and Coffee (billed 

as an artisanal New York deli-inspired coffee house), along 

with chef/owner William Thompson of Food Network’s Top 

Chef Canada and a Niagara Culinary Institute alumnus, 

have created a mixture of comfort, fun and affordable fare 

at Stillwaters Plate & Pour on the main street The restaurant 

features two outdoor patios including an 80-seat rooftop 

Juniper Dining Co. (above) is one of the many dining options available in 

Paris. Owners Brandon and Andrea Legacey are inspired by French bistros, 

and combine quality local and seasonal ingredients in their cuisine.



The Arlington Hotel opened last year after extensive 

renovations. Besides 24 guest rooms, the Hotel offers 

dining experiences from celebrated Chef Matt Kershaw. 

patio with panoramic views of the Grand 

River. Cummings and Thompson are set to 

open Trattoria at Midtown this winter, a 

new concept that will feature casual Italian 

riverside dining in a “cellar-like” atmosphere. 

The restaurant will include a temperaturecontrolled 

glass wine cellar. 

Since 1927 Paris Bakery downtown on Grand 

River Street North has been providing the 

community and visitors with the finest baked 

goods. Owners Julia Pickard and Shannon 

Nunes feature baguettes and other artisanal 

breads. Homemade donuts, cupcakes, sausage 

rolls, meat pies bars and other specialties fill 

the counters of the tiny bakery. 

Off the beaten path on the less touristy 

side of the Grand River is Juniper Dining Co., 

which is worth the drive to Paris on its own. 

Juniper, owned by Chef Andrea Legacey and 

her husband Brandon, is the crème de la crème 

of the local culinary scene, inspired by French 

bistros and Lyonnais bouchons. (Bouchons are 

typically family-owned bistros that serve local 

specialties, with an emphasis on dishes that 

are heavily centred on meat and often feature 

heavy, rich and decadent cuisine.) Chef’s dinner 

menu is divided into sections — starters, small 

plates, sharing, and mains — featuring classic 

items like charcuterie, steak tartare, bone 

marrow, duck poutine, salt cod croquettes with 

malt vinegar aioli, olive oil poached halibut, 

celery root ravioli, and mushroom ragout. 

On the Lunch/Brunch menu there is a veal 

cheek Reuben, a 14-day house brined veal 

cheek pastrami, house-made sauerkraut, and 

Le Douanier cheese (Quebec cheese inspired 

by the classic French Morbier). There is a 

31 Nottinghill Gate, Suite 203, 

Lyonnaise salad with poached egg, pork belly 

Oakville ON TICO#50013851 

and duck fat dressing. At Juniper they combine 

quality local and seasonal ingredients with 

original cocktails, local beers and meticulously 

curated wines. 

Another iconic spot is the bright blue Cedar 

House Grill and Martini Bar (formerly an old 

mill that once operated between the Nith and 

Grand Rivers) that the Legaceys reopened 

earlier this year. 

If you’re looking for some real southern 

barbeque there is an amazing rack of smoked 

Alabama style ribs at Camp 31 out on Paris 

Road. 

If you’re considering a road trip to Paris, 

keep in mind it’s a four-season destination. 

It’s a short drive from Stratford, Hamilton, 

Cambridge and the Waterloo/Wellington 

County region, and easily accessible from 

London, Guelph, and the GTA. 

Eatdrink Food Editor BRYAN LAVERY brings years of 

professional experience in the hospitality industry, as a 

co-founder of the Lavery Culinary Group, food writer, chef, 

event planner, former restaurateur and mentor. 

Discover Heather's 

Incomparable Journeys 

Small Bespoke 

Group Tours for 2019 

Poland, Baltic States & St. Petersburg 

21 days, Late August 2019 

Stylish and vibrant history and culture and the 

sheer grandeur of Russia’s imperial city 

Tanzania & Zanzibar 

14 days, September 2019 

10-day Serengeti & Tarangire National Parks 

Safari,, plus 4 days Beach Resort 

www.heathersincomparablejourneys.ca 

For any and all of your travel needs 

519-473-8591 — Heather Wilkinson 

Regional Office: 31 Nottinghill Gate, Suite 203, Oakville 

TICO#50013851



The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

London 

The London Wine and Food Show, presented by 

White Oaks Mall, returns with more food, wine and 

entertainment than ever before. The show brings 

Londoners an enticing mix of local restaurants, 

wineries, craft breweries and distillers, and pairs 

them with tasting seminars, stage presentations 

and entertainment. Metroland Media Agriplex. 

January 17-19. 

Londonlicious is running January 11 to February 3. 

See the list of participants at londonlicious.ca 

Chef Dacha Markovic and Sommelier Brie Dema 

will be in London in mid-January and February 

from Fogo Island Inn and are expected to do a few 

pop-ups while they are in town. 

More exciting news in the downtown! Rio Brazilian 

Steakhouse & Supper Club officially opened in 

December with uber chefs Geoff Tew and Paul Eadie 

at the helm. It’s located at 45 King Street at Ridout 

(former Tru Restaurant premises) on the main 

floor and lower level of a newly restored Jenkins 

Seed House building. Doors open for an inspired a 

la carte lunch menu at 11:30am and their “rodizio” 

(all-you-can-eat service) starts at 5pm. 45 King 

Street, 519-850-3509, rio.london 

We will miss Lawrence Burden’s Kiss the Cook 

on Richmond Row. Burden spent two decades 

searching for the highest-quality kitchenware from 

around the world as well as showcasing a variety of 

top-notch local chefs by offering cooking classes. 

Take a stroll a couple of blocks from downtown 

across the newly-reopened and refurbished 

Blackfriars’s bridge to Betty Heydon’s 22-year-old 

Blackfriars Bistro. It features innovative blackboard 

specials with ever-changing seasonally-inspired 

menus. Planning a party or special event? They will 

take care of all of your food, beverage, and service 

needs. Call 519-667-4930 or email b.blackfriars@ 

hotmail.com. 46 Blackfriars Street. 

Garlic’s of London, the quintessential modern 

Ontario restaurant, is celebrating a milestone 25th 

anniversary. Edo Pehilj and chef Alex Martin’s 

repertoire is influenced by a strong commitment 

to supporting local and sustainable food and 

agriculture, and has been instrumental in helping 

to raise the bar for intelligent and ethical dining in 

London. Chef Martin had a stroke of genius when he 

came up with the Duck Confit Grilled Cheese. Made 

with Clear Creek Farms’ organic duck, taleggio, 

chèvre, aged cheddar on brioche with quince jam, 

and caramelized onion. 481 Richmond Street, 519- 

432-4092, garlicsoflondon.com 

Chef Thomas Waite will be hosting a variety of 

dinners at the In Home Chef, which will include a 

Slow Food Dinner this winter. Check the Facebook 

page for updates. 

Mucho Burrito and the Pizza Studio are now open 

at 750 Richmond at Oxford Street. 

Bombay Bistro features Indian/ Mexican Fusion 

and has recently opened at 346 Richmond Street. 

bombaybistro.ca 

Heatwave Hot Sauce Expo makes its debut 

Saturday, March 2 at Centennial Hall. Enjoy 

sampling hot sauces and spicy foods from over 

481 Richmond Street 

519-432-4092 

garlicsoflondon.com


40 internationally acclaimed and independent 

producers. Tickets to the Expo start at just $7.00. 

Nutritionist and certified tea sommelier, Michelle 

Pierce Hamilton recently celebrated the second 

anniversary of Bteas and The Tea Lounge, where 

patrons can experience exceptional quality, 

ethically-sourced teas from around the world. 

Fun and educational tasting events will be held 

in January and February including Tea Flight 

Night: Exploring Unique Oolong Teas (January 

26); Chinese New Year Food & Tea Pairing (cuisine 

collaboration with Annie Catering Wang) for (February Special Events, 5) 

and Valentine’s Day Afternoon Company Tea & Family Service. Christmas 

268 

Piccadilly Street, beteas.com/tea-lounge/ 

Parties, Schools & Sports Teams 

We deliver. Full Service Available. 

Michelle Pierce Hamilton is also sponsoring 

London’s first Tea & Kombucha Fresh Homemade Festival on Pasta Saturday, & 

March 30 at the London Sauces, Public Meatballs, Library Central Lasagnas 

Branch (Wolf Performance 

and so 

Hall 

much 

and 

more! 

meeting spaces). 

The Tea Guild of Canada is a co-sponsor, providing 

expertise, resources, and volunteers. The spirit of 

this venture is to grow tea culture by showcasing 

London and areas’ independent tea and Kombucha 

businesses. There will be a strong lineup of engaging 

workshops and speakers to provide valuable and 

interesting content. 

Union Ten Distilling Co. in Old East Village is expected 

to open soon. The distillery will produce whisky, 

rye, rum and vodka. The team has also created 

the Live Edge Kitchen + Bar and the Whiskey Jack 

Performance Hall. “These are places where people can 

gather together to eat, drink and laugh about the one 

that got away or experience unique live entertainment. 

656 Dundas Street. unionten.ca 

Palasad Social Bowl (tagline “Eat Well. Drink 

Well. Be Amused.”) has reopened after a 6-month 

renovation. Palasad features craft cocktails, a variety 

of local beer and a from-scratch small plate menu 

with items like wings, sliders, tacos, poutine and 

croquettes as well as a twist on its famous wood 

oven pizza. The menu has been curated by the Wolfe 

brothers of Wolfe of Wortley and Los Lobos. 777 

Adelaide Street North, 519-645-7164, socialbowl.ca 

Chef Angie Murphy and partner/sommelier Pete 

Annson are anticipating that Grace, located at 

the southwest corner of Clarence and Dundas 

Streets, will be operational sometime in January 

or February. The cuisine will be modern Canadian, 

drawing on classic French traditions and 

techniques, infused with global influences and 

local flavours. Grace will also feature a certified 

sommelier on the premises. Be sure to visit the 

booth at the London Wine & Food Show. facebook. 

com/graceLDNONT/ 

Bring back “homemade” 

again with Marshall’s Pasta! 

Quality 

Convenient 

Meals 

Fresh Homemade Pasta & Sauces, 

Meatballs, Lasagnas and so much more! 

Text 

MARSHALLS 

to 70734 for a 

$5.00 Off Coupon 

to be used in-store! 

Fully Cooked 

Family Dinner for 4! 

Choose Your Pasta Tray 

& Sauce + Garlic Bread 

$21 .99 

Pick up Hot and 

Ready to Eat! 

580 Adelaide St N, London 

519-672-7827 

MON–FRI 9:30am–7pm • SAT 9:30am–5pm • SUN 11am–5pm 

Full menu available at marshallspastacatering.ca 

Southwestern Ontario’s Most Dynamic 

Destination for Outdoor Adventure! 

New Chalet for Social & 

Corporate Events Now Open! 

Great Hall Banquet Room • Concourse • Meeting Rooms 

Weddings | Bridal & Baby Showers | Corporate Meetings & Retreats 

519-657-8822 

689 Griffith Street, London 

www.bolermountain.com 

SKIING • SNOWBOARDING • TUBING • TREETOP ADVENTURE PARK


Restaurateur Joe Duby launched Gnosh in the 

former Blu Duby space (with entrances off Dundas 

Street and Market Lane) to considerable success 

last fall. Chef Cynthia Beaudoin and her culinary 

team offer accessible and seasonally evolving 

menus. A service team of accomplished pros are on 

hand to attend to your every need. Construction of 

the newly created flex street is now complete and 

the area is expected to become a mecca for al fresco 

diners this summer. 125 Dundas Street, 519-601- 

8050, gnoshdining.com 

Locally Sourced Ingredients 

Authentic Italian Cuisine 

Small-Batch Region-Specific 

Organic Italian Wines 

Local Craft Beers 

Take Out & Gift Certificates Available 

Open for Lunch and Dinner 

Tuesday through Saturday 

www.fatolive.ca 

2135 Dorchester Rd., Dorchester 

519-268-0001 


Fouzan Beg and Manisay Visouvath, proprietors 

of Thaifoon, downtown London’s upmarket 38-seat 

Thai restaurant, are celebrating a 15th year 

anniversary with a refurbishment of the premises. 

The secret to their success has been sticking to 

the basics of good, authentic Thai cooking and 

offering spicy, sweet and salty but also rich coconut 

flavours mixed with fresh herbs like kaffir, lime 

leaves and lemongrass. 120 Dundas Street (east of 

Talbot), thaifoonrestaurant.com 

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra and Chef Andrew Wolwowicz’s 

stylish Craft Farmacy celebrated a one year 

anniversary in December. The owners are committed 

to sourcing and celebrating local Ontario food. 

In fact, it was London’s first Feast ON certified 

restaurant. The ever-changing menus focus on craft 

beer, cocktails, a large selection of fresh oysters 

and inspired rustic farm-to-table food. Be sure to 

check out the Sunday Brunch prix fixe menu. 449 

Wharncliffe Rd, just north of Baseline, 519-914-2699. 

Reverie, the acclaimed and unique 12-seat 

“tasting menu” restaurant, continues to receive 

accolades. It showcases a modernist Canadianfocused 

five-course menu every night from 

Thursday to Sunday. Owners Jerrah Revilles and 

Chef Brian Sua-an recently celebrated Reverie’s 

first anniversary and continue to offer an 

intimate, immersive, innovative experience with 

a combination of interesting platings and vibrant 

flavours. Wine pairings are optional but highly 

recommended. Reservations required. Piccadilly 

Street just west of Richmond. reverierestaurant.ca 

Cardboard Cafe is celebrating its fourth year 

in downtown London. In addition to being a 

full-service and licensed café, it offers an everexpanding 

library of board games. 114 Dundas 

Street, thecardboardcafe.com 

Bhan Mudliar, owner of The New Delhi Deli at 

Covent Garden Market, came to Canada from the 

willie’s café 

630 Dundas Street, Old East Village. 

@williescafe


Fiji Islands. She attracts legions of loyal followers 

to her small sit-down counter, and for takeaway, by 

offering deftly prepared from-scratch Caribbean- 

Indian specialties seven days a week. Try the jerk 

chicken, oxtail, curry goat, roti wraps, samosas, 

seafood, curry chicken, a variety of daily soups 

and Jamaican patties. There is also a selection of 

gluten-free, veggie, and vegan options. 

The 13th Annual Breakfast for Youth Opportunities 

Unlimited will be held on February 7. Join over 

1,000 business, community and government 

partners to help address youth’s most pressing 

needs. Tickets can be purchased as individual seats 

or for a table of 10. Or choose to donate a seat to a 

youth. eventbrite.ca/e/13th-annual-breakfast-foryou-tickets-47920156478 

Quynh Nhi Vietnamese Restaurant has garnered 

loyal patronage because of its responsive service, 

consistency and traditional Vietnamese cuisine. The 

signature Crispy Spring Roll is offered with chicken, 

pork, or in a vegetarian version served with fresh 

mint, lettuce and a chili-lime fish sauce. Take-out 

and delivery are now available. 55 Wharncliffe Road 

North, 519-850–8878, quynhnhi.ca 

Growing Chefs! Ontario, located in the former 

Auberge Restaurant at King and Maitland, is home 

to the ground-breaking program that unites chefs, 

growers, educators and community members in 

children’s food education projects. The sunrooms, 

dining rooms and bar have been turned into 

teaching areas. Upstairs are three rooms that can 

be used for private functions, corporate meetings 

and teaching facilities. growingchefsontario.ca 

The Lavery Culinary Group is offering its full range 

of services to both new and existing businesses, 

including entrepreneurial support, business 

planning, employee training and more. Culinary 

marketing services comprise photography, 

cinematography and visual storytelling, as well as 

web development. laveryculinarygroup.ca 

Michael Naish and Justin Belanger’s Storm Stayed 

Brewing is a charming brewpub in the premises 

once occupied by The Cove restaurant at 169 

Wharncliffe Rd. South, and recently celebrated its 

first anniversary. stormstayed.com 

Dundas & Son’s Brewing, founded by long-time 

homebrewer Rob Dundas, is now open. The brewery 

is located at 400 Adelaide North at Dundas Street 

and opens daily at 1pm with the exception of 

Mondays. Closing times may vary by day. For more 

details, see Dundas & Son’s Facebook page. 

Check out the self-guided Old East Village Public 

Art Crawl. oldeastvillage.com 

519-565-2576 

LakeHouseofBayfield.com 

BISTRO 

CONFERENCE 

SUITES 

SPA 

519-565-2576 

LakeHouseofBayfield.com

Your love of all things Italian begins at 

Gift Cards 

Available 

519-652-7659 • HWY 401 & 4 • pastosgrill.com 

LUNCH Wed to Fri 11:30–2:30 

DINNER from 5pm daily 

432 Richmond Street 

at Carling • London 

ALWAYS 

a 3-course prix fixe 

menu option 

www.davidsbistro.ca 


Stratford 

Old Man & Son opened in December at 75 Wellington 

Street to phenomenal support from the Stratford 

community and out-of-towners. No longer will you 

have to wait until 11:30 to enjoy a delicious breakfast/ 

lunch served up by their team. The restaurant is now 

open 7am–2pm Wednesday through Sunday. Go to 

oldmanandson.com to whet your appetite with the 

delectable menu, and to find their CRS (Community 

Supported Restaurant) form to invest in futures. 

Stratford Chefs School’s intensive workshops focus on 

themed recipes with instructor Eli Silverthorne. Take 

Super Bowl celebrations the whole nine yards this year 

on January 27. Learn how to make elevated comfort 

foods including pulled pork sliders on homemade 

buns with pickles and slaw, no-fuss vegetarian 

pressure cooker chili, and spinach artichoke dip with 

garlic toasts. Classes are for students 16 years and 

older. Participants will be provided with an apron and 

all necessary tools and equipment. Stratford Chefs 

School Kitchens, 136 Ontario Street, 519-271-1414, 

stratfordchef.com/open-kitchen 

Stratford Chefs School: International Chef in 

Residence Series, Carlo Coxon: Under the tutelage 

of professional chef Carlo Coxon (Grain Store, 

Edinburgh) students prepare and serve innovative 

four to six course dinner menus. January 29 to 

February 2. Stratford Chefs School, 519-271-1414, 

stratfordchef.com/dinners 

Savour Stratford Chocolate Trail, Stratford’s most 

popular and longest-running trail introduces you to 

world-famous confectioners and bakers. In time for 

Valentine’s Day, you’ll get to sample decadent treats 

and meet the makers who craft these indulgences 

year round. Enjoy six delicious chocolate tastes 

for just $30 + HST on your custom designed selfdirected 

route Tuesday–Saturday (Offers limited on 

Sun & Mon), visitstratford.ca/chocolatetrail 

Savour Stratford Maple Trail, from sap to syrup: 

Stratford’s culinary artisans invite you to sample their 

maple creations including handmade maple cream 

chocolates, freshly-roasted maple coffee, locallycrafted 

maple moonshine and sweet maple walnut 

crepes. You have never experienced Canada’s liquid 

gold quite like this! This seasonal trail will be available 

March 1–April 30. visitstratford.ca/mapletrail/ 

Around the Region 

Upper Thames Brewing Co. has opened a second 

brewery in Woodstock at 190 Fairway Road. The 

Brickhouse Brewpub is located about 5km from the 

original brewery and features a new brewhouse, 

restaurant, and tap room with 24 taps and a 

seasonal patio. upperthamesbrewing.ca/brewpub/


The Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation 

(SWOTC) has developed a new and improved 

website, a communication hub for the tourism 

industry in the region. SWOTC also wants to 

celebrate innovation around the region, which means 

they need you to share and brag. Nominations are 

open for the 2018 Innovator of the Year Award and 

2018 Innovative Experience of the Year Award (both 

nominations and self-nominations are accepted). 

These two awards will be celebrated at the SWOTC 

Conference on March 5 and 6. swotc.ca 

After two wins at the Royal Winter Fair (Fontina and 

Farmstead Emmental both won first place in their 

categories), the folks at Stonetown Cheese competed 

at the British Empire Cheese Competition where they 

were honoured with First Place for Grand Trunk, 

First Place for Farmstead Emmental and First Place 

for Farmstead Fontina. 5021 Perth County Line 8 

(Kirkton Road), St. Marys, stonetowncheese.com 

Gunn’s Hill Cheese has been awarded Grand 

Champion in the Variety Cheese Category for 

its 5 Brothers, at the Royal Winter Fair’s cheese 

competition for 2018. 445172 Gunn’s Hill Road, 

Woodstock, gunnshillcheese.ca 

Mountainoak Cheese garnered two wins at the 

Royal Winter Fair (First Place for Wild Nettle and 

Third Place for Farmstead Smoked). Mountainoak 

also competed at the British Empire Cheese 

Competition — Farmstead Gold won First Place 

in its category, and the Farmstead 3 Year and Goat 

Gouda won Second Place awards. 3165 Huron Road, 

New Hamburg, mountainoakcheese.com 

Oxford County chocolatier Cindy Walker is a smalltown 

shop owner, a certified tea sommelier, and “The 

Queen of Ganache.” As owner and head chocolatier 

of Ingersoll’s Chocolatea, Cindy crafts hand-cut 

chocolates with unique, creative flavours and sources 

a handpicked selection of teas. In her upcoming 

Truffle Camp workshops, participants will have the 

opportunity to take on the role of chocolatier and 

step behind the counter to craft a dozen of their own 

delicious, multi-flavoured truffles alongside Cindy. 

St. Thomas has a new quick take-out lunch option 

downtown. Chef/owner Cindy Bircham’s Harvest Eats 

is located at 481 Talbot St., in the rear unit with an 

entrance off Hiawatha St. Harvest Eats is a sister business 

to Elgin Harvest Woodfire Pizzeria, which offers 

locally-sourced soups, stews, sandwiches and sourdough 

calzones Wednesday–Friday, 11:30 am–2 pm. 

Chef/owners Klaus Ristanovic and Janet Duncan 

opened Jake and Humphrey’s Bistro in a charming 

old house in New Hamburg about eight years ago. 

On a recent visit the menu featured butter-seared 

Chef/Owner Mark Graham’s 

fresh, creative, locallysourced 

menus extend 

to full-service catering 

to Strathroy, London & 

area. Call for a quote! 

The heart of 

Downtown 

Strathroy 

Voted #1 Best Burger 

in Strathroy 

2018 Spirit Awards Winner 

Historic Post Office & Customs Building 

71 Frank St, Strathroy • 519-205-1500 

www.clocktower-inn.com

BEDTIME 

turmeric latte 

350 ml Almond Milk 

½ tsp Turmeric 

¼ tsp Ginger 

¼ tsp Cinnamon 

Warm milk in a pan. 

Whisk in spices. 

Drizzle honey. 

Froth top. 

Pour & enjoy. 

Makes 2. 

Artisan Spicier • Gourmet Foods • Gifts 

1-141 Wortley Rd., London 519.601.6610 

223 Colborne St., Port Stanley 519.782.7800 

Sat & Sun, 900 King St., London 

www.peppertreespice.com 


scallops, herbed goat cheese tart, braised short 

ribs duck confit, and grilled salmon with Catalan 

relish. White pumpkin pie with white chocolate curls 

and homemade ice cream was a knock-out. The 

house-made bread is also delicious. 196 Peel St, New 

Hamburg, jakeandhumphreys.com 

Grand Bend’s FINE: A Restaurant is taking a 

winter nap, closing in January and only opening for 

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14–16) patrons before reopening 

in March with an exciting new menu. Chef/owner 

Erryn Shephard says they are changing their annual 

Ladies Night fundraisers (March 19 & 20) to support 

both breast and colon cancer work at St. Joseph’s 

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In Memoriam 

Marika Hayek, 1932–2018 

Restaurateur of Budapest Dining Room & Tavern, London 

Contributed by Bryan Lavery 

It saddened me to read of the extraordinary restaurateur 

Marika Hayek’s passing in December 2018. 

Her Budapest Dining Room and Tavern — the 

first fine dining restaurant my family visited 

when we moved to London in 1970 — is 

a local gem with plush velvet valances 

and curtained alcoves, brocades, red 

and gold wallpaper and comfortable 

armchair seating that all evoke 

another era. The Roma “Gypsy-style” 

aesthetic is also the restaurant’s brand. 

I knew Marika Hayek for several 

decades. We were friendly restaurant 

neighbours for 10 years and she was only 

too happy to lend me a pound of butter on a 

busy Saturday night. She once invited me to go on 

vacation with her to the city of Budapest as her 

companion, “all expenses paid.” Hayek alternatively 

referred to me as Bruce, Byron 

and Bryan. I answered to all 

three. It was endearing. 

Marika delighted clients 

by serving a large selection of 

proper Hungarian dishes in her 

traditional old-world tavern 

setting. House-made chicken 

and rabbit paprikash, beef 

stroganoff, wiener schnitzel, 

combination platters or prixfixe 

dinners — spätzle and gnocchi were always 

delicious — and we saved room for the palacsinta, 

strudels or walnut roll. 

A few years ago, Hungarian Consul-General 

Dr. Stefania Szabo celebrated Hayek’s landmark 

achievements as a successful business owner and 

pillar of the London community. Marika was no 

stranger to such fanfare. I remember the Budapest’s 

50th anniversary was a multi-day extravaganza. 

Admired and well-regarded for her hospitality, 

Marika was known for her wit and risqué repartee. 

Marika and her husband arrived in Canada in 

March of 1957, part of a wave of immigration that 

occurred after the 1956 Hungarian revolution 

against communist rule. Knowing this helps to 

put Hayek’s formidable achievements into 

perspective. 

A trained cook in Budapest, Marika 

was drawn to the hospitality business. 

She was initially employed by Moskie 

Deli at Dundas and Waterloo Streets. 

She purchased the building that housed 

Moskie and later the delicatessen itself. 

Until last year Marika’s routine had 

been to rise before dawn, eat breakfast, 

exercise and swim laps in her indoor pool. 

She arrived at the restaurant early in the morning 

to begin the workday, insisting “everything on the 

menu be made in-house.” She oversaw and helped 

to prepare the large variety of Hungarian staples 

on which she had built her 

reputation. 

Marika often greeted her 

guests with a gracious “please 

come in, my lovely peoples” 

or “my lovely ladies and 

gentlemen.” At 85, requiring 

a cane for added mobility, 

Marika celebrated 60 years 

in business. A long list of 

local luminaries and a loyal 

clientele of long-time regulars, whom she mostly 

knew by name, still frequented the restaurant. 

Marika continued to delight Hungarian food 

fans who preferred the Budapest’s old-fashioned 

dishes, and no one can dispute her remarkable 

achievements. Marika will be missed. The Budapest 

will remain in business, as she wished. 

Exceptional Food. Outstanding Service. 

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Music 

Baby, It’s Cold Outside 

Upcoming Highlights on the Music Scene 


By GERRY BLACKWELL 

The dead of winter. Days are short, 

nights long; snow piles up, the wind 

bites. Not much to put a smile on 

your face this time 

of year. Except … music, sweet, 

sweet music. As ever, there’s 

lots of it around in London 

and hereabouts. 

The free Fridays at 12:30 

Concert Series continues at 

the Don Wright Faculty of 

Music at Western (von Kuster 

Hall). On January 18, faculty 

member and former Orchestra 

London concertmaster Joseph 

Lanza joins two members of 

the renowned Tafelmusik 

Baroque Orchestra, Patricia 

Ahern (violin) and Felix Deak 

(cello). (More on the series: https://goo.gl/ 

kTp7PT.) 

The Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club, aka Chaucer’s 

Pub, is another great place for live music. 

On Sunday, January 20 (7:30 pm), it’s The 

Marigolds, three great Canadian singersongwriters 

moonlighting as a sweet-harmony 

girl group: Gwen Swick, Suzie Vinnick, Caitlin 

Hanford. Folksy-rootsy, great songs, great 

singers. (More from CNFC: www.folk.on.ca.) 

Jazz for the People, now almost 40 years 

old, mounts free concerts 

at Wolf Performance Hall, 

usually the last Wednesday 

of the month, at 7:15 pm. 

The acts for January 23 and 

February 27 haven’t been 

announced yet, but the series 

has been surpassing itself of 

late. (Watch for updates here: 

https://goo.gl/jaeHje.) 

Western Music’s 

internationally recognized 

opera program is staging Mozart’s Marriage 

of Figaro at the Paul Davenport Theatre, 

featuring student and faculty performers. Five 

shows: Friday, January 25 (8 pm), Saturday, 

January 26 (2 pm), Friday, February 1 (8 pm), 

and February 2 and 3 (2 

pm). Marriage, a comedy, is 

Mozart’s best loved and most 

performed. Opera without 

the travel or exorbitant 

ticket prices. (In Italian with 

English surtitles.) 

Canadian rock legend 

Bryan Adams hits Budweiser 

Gardens on Thursday, January 

31. Despite a decades-long 

career and all the awards 

and hit records, Adams is 

Bryan 

Adams 

still pushing hard, playing 

over 100 concerts a year. 

He’s also writing songs for 

a forthcoming musical, Pretty Woman. His 

latest album, Ultimate, came out in 2017 — a 

retrospective of refurbished hits and new 

material. Sure, some of the hits (“Everything 

I Do” comes to mind) have attained cornychestnut 

status. But it’s hard not to sing along. 

London Symphonia’s season continues on 

Saturday, February 2 at Talbot Street Church 

(7:30 pm). It’s an unusual event, featuring 

London poet Najwa Zebian in a concert/ 

reading titled Belonging, exploring the idea of 

searching for home. Zebian, 

a Lebanese-Canadian who 

came when she was 16, writes 

poems inspired by her own 

experiences as a newcomer 

and later interactions with 

refugee children. The music? 

Orchestrations of Western 

classical and popular pieces, 

and Arabic songs by Maryem 

The Marigolds Tollar. (For more on Zebian: 

https://najwazebian.com.) 

Here’s a band I want to see: Dashboard 

Rattle. Billed as “everything roots” — blues,



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swamp, garage, rock ‘n’ roll, Americana, etc. 

— it features a quartet of veteran performers 

including London’s favourite prodigal son, 

Rick Taylor, a superb finger 

picking and blues guitarist, 

who returned to the city 

a few years back. Also 

starring: Joe Fournier, Jay 

Riehl and Richard Miron. 

The Rattle plays London 

Music Club Saturday, 

February 2 (7/7:30 pm) 

What could be more 

uplifting on a dreary 

February Sunday than 

some rousing gospel music? 

Opera star Ben Heppner 

& The Toronto Mass Choir bring a concert 

of traditional and contemporary gospel 

to Chatham’s Capital Theatre on Sunday, 

February 3 (4 pm). Heppner, one of the great 

tenors of his generation, now retired from 

operatic singing and better known these days 

as a broadcaster, appears in 

a rare outing with the multiaward-winning 

gospel choir. 

Friday, February 8: two 

intriguing singer-songwriters 

in concert the same night — 

you’ll have to choose. 

Andrea Ramolo is at 

Aeolian Hall (7/8 pm). The 

Toronto-based Ramolo is 

touring her Homage album 

(November 2018), a collection 

of Leonard Cohen tunes. 

Produced by Cowboy Junkies’ 

Michael Timmins, it sounds 

stripped-down and Junkie-ish. 

(Don’t know Ramolo? Check 

her out here: https://goo.gl/ 

myB1qY.) 

Meanwhile, over at London Music Hall 

(6/6:30 pm) it’s Terra Lightfoot, out of 

Hamilton, Ontario. 

Lightfoot started 

as a country-folk 

singer but nowadays 

plays bluesier, 

rockier material, 

accompanying herself 

on electric guitar. She 

has three albums to 

her credit, including 

2017’s New Mistakes. 

(Check out Lightfoot’s 

music here: https://goo.gl/14L75n.) Nope, no 

relation to Gord. 

The Jeffery Concerts presents Dorian 

Wind Quintet with 

Arthur Rowe (piano) on 

Friday, February 15 (8 pm) 

at Wolf Performance Hall. 

The London Times called 

the Dorians “breathtaking.” 

Time magazine said 

they’re “one of chamber 

music’s most sparkling 

and eloquent ensembles.” 

On this night, they’ll play 

Andrea Ramolo 

an era-hopping selection 

that includes modernists, 

Mozart and Bach. Check 

out their music here: https://goo.gl/DNpdqB. 

Exquisite. 

London Music Hall presents Sarnia’s own 

Donovan Woods and the Opposition 

on Thursday, February 28 (7 pm). Woods, 

a singer-songwriter in the folk-rock vein, 

has been touring hard for a 

few years now. He has four 

studio albums to his credit 

including 2016’s Hard Settle, 

Ain’t Troubled. Woods was a 

hit at Home County this past 

summer. 

Serenata Music: it’s a 

chamber music concert series 

we’ve been remiss in not 

mentioning before. Founded 

by local musicians 16 years 

ago, it features local and 

touring players and specializes 

in presenting Juno-winners. 

Terra Lightfoot 

On Saturday, March 2 (8 pm) 

Serenata is bringing pianist 

and 2018 winner Jan Lisiecki 

to the Wolf Performance Hall. Lisiecki, 

something of a wunderkind — he’s only 23 

— records for the storied German classical 

label Deutsch 

Grammophon. The 

New York Times called 

him “pristine, lyrical 

and intelligent.” For 

more on Serenata: 

www.serenatamusic. 

com. 

From the sublime 

to — well, something 

Dorian Wind Quintet 

completely different. 

London Music Hall


has a double bill of Too Many Zooz and Five 

Alarm Funk on Monday, March 4 (7 pm). The 

Funk, a madcap, brass-heavy jazz ensemble, is 

well known to Londoners from regular Sunfest 

appearances. Too Many Zooz, a New York 

band that grew out of a busking duo, bills itself 

as “brass house” — house music played on 

acoustic brass instruments. It’s … high energy. 

Jan Lisiecki 

More brass? How about London 

Symphonia Brass, on Tuesday, March 5 (7:30 

pm) at Talbot Street Church. Concert title: 

“Glorious Brass.” It’s a wide-ranging program 

with works by Renaissance masters such as 

Dowland and Byrd, but also contemporary 

works, including LS composer-in-residence 

Scott Good’s “Fantasy on a Theme of 

Monteverdi.” It will be… brassy. Gloriously so. 

Alt-rocker Matthew Good, late of the 

Matthew Good Band, plays London Music Hall 

that same night (7 pm). Decisions, decisions. 

Good, a fixture on the Canadian music scene 

for a few decades, with 20 Juno nominations 

and almost a million albums sold, hardly 

needs an introduction. But he’s lately been 

reinventing himself as a singer-songwriter. 

This one is a solo acoustic concert. 

From the still-playing-after-all-these-years 

file: southern rock icons Lynyrd Skynyrd, 

direct from sweet home Alabama to the Bud 

— Tuesday, March 5 (7:30 pm). LS (not to be 

confused with London Symphonia) have been 

barnstorming for over 40 years, recorded 

more than 60 albums and sold 30 million-plus. 

Salsa Night 

with 

Yani Borrell 

& Orchestra 

plus D.J. 

Saturday, January 26 

London Music Hall, 185 Queens Ave. 

Eddie & Quincy 

Bullen 

Father & Son 

Dueling Pianos 

Thursday, February 7 

Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St. 

JUNO 

World Music 

& Jazz 

Nominees in Concert 

Thursday, March 15 

Wolf Hall, 251 Dundas St. 

World Music 

& 

Jazz Series 

‘18 - ‘ 19 

Jesse 

Cook 

www.sunfest.on.ca 

Tanika 

Charles 

“A great soul artist” 

Music Republic 

Magazine (UK) 

Friday, February 1 


Direct from Sweden 

KONGERO 

Thursday, March 1 


Friday, March 22, 2019 

London Music Hall, 185 Queens Ave. 

Most Concerts: Doors at 7:00 pm ~ Performances at 8:00 pm 

Tickets at Venue Box Offices, and also Centennial Hall, 

Long & McQuade North, Village Idiot (Wortley Village), and sunfest.on.ca 

The London date is part of their two-year 

“farewell” tour. These good ol’ boys are hangin’ 

’em up. 

To close out the season and, we hope, 

winter, three great chamber music concerts. 

The Magisterra at the Museum series 

presents the Magisterra Soloists in “Russian 

Night” at Museum London on Thursday, 

March 7 (7 pm). String quartets by Stravinsky, 

Glazunov and Shostakovich. The next day, 

pianist Eve Egoyan (sister of film director 

Atom) is joined by composer Nicole Lizée 

in a presentation of Lizée’s Hitchcock Etudes. 

It’s part of the free Fridays at 12:30 Concert 

Series (von Kuster Hall, Music Building, 

Western University). And finally, The Jeffery 

Concerts is bringing the bright young Tesla 

Quartet, fresh from their debut recording, 

to Wolf Performance Hall on Saturday, March 

9. They’ll play string quartets by Beethoven, 

Villa-Lobos and Britten. 

And then it will be spring. We hope. 

Too Many Zooz 

GERRY BLACKWELL is a London-based freelance 

writer.



Theatre 

We’re All Better Together 

Theatre in Southwestern Ontario 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

There is an embarrassment of riches in the 

theatre world of Southwestern Ontario as you 

plan what to see in 2019. Within an hour’s 

drive of London is vibrant local summer 

theatre in places such as Port Stanley, Blyth, Petrolia, 

Grand Bend and St. Jacob’s where comedy, musicals 

and emerging Canadian productions shine. London’s 

Grand Theatre’s “world curious — London proud” 

theme continues to gain steam with some epic stories 

this winter including Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad 

and the return of the Black Donnelly’s tale Vigilante. The 

nationally renowned Stratford Festival has grown into 

a nearly eight-month season including previews and 

extensions. All eyes are on Othello and Billy Elliot the 

Musical, among a dozen interesting performances. 

What is special is that competition for patrons does 

not necessarily create silos between all these theatre 

companies. This winter Stratford superstars Seana 

McKenna and Megan Follows are starring and directing 

at the Grand Theatre in London, for example. At 

Christmas, Stratford’s Sean Arbuckle returned to the 

Grand’s Spriet Stage as Bob Cratchit in A Christmas 

Carol. Moreover, late last year, two theatre leaders in 

our region won major awards for their work in theatre 

on and off the stage. Anita Gaffney, Executive Director 

Anita Gaffney, Executive Director of Stratford 

Festival, was named one of Canada’s Most 

Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive 

Network 

of Stratford Festival, was named 

one of Canada’s Most Powerful 

Women by the Women’s Executive 

Network (WXN). Locally, the Grand 

Theatre, led by Dennis Garnhum, 

won a prestigious Pillar Community 

Innovation Award. In speaking with 

Gaffney and Garnhum separately, 

both commented positively on the 

state of theatre in our region. 

“I think it’s wonderful and it 

raises all boats to have this kind of 

activity in Southwestern Ontario,” 

says Gaffney. “It cultivates arts and 

Lisa Citton-Battel of 3M Canada presents a 

Pillar Community Innovation Award to Dennis 

Garnhum of London’s Grand Theatre, for the 

100 Schools Project.



THE GHOSTS OF THE DONNELLYS RETURN IN THIS 

EXPLOSIVE ROCK MUSICAL! 

Vigilante 

Feb 19 to Mar 9 

“ ” 

london free press 

grandtheatre.com 

519.672.8800 

Written, Composed, and Directed 

by Jonathan Christenson 

Produced by Catalyst Theatre 

(Edmonton) in collaboration with 

Canada’s National Arts Centre 

Premiere commissioned by the 

Citadel Theatre (Edmonton) 

season sponsor 

title sponsor

2019 PortStanleyFestivalTheatre 

SEASON 

Reserve Tickets 519-782-4353 www.psft.ca 

Lunenburg 

The Wildest Town in Canada: 

Donnelly Songs & Stories 

by Jeff Culbert 

May 21 to May 25 

WORLD 

PREMIERE 

Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. 

by Chris Gibbs 

May 28 to June 1 

ed’s 

garage 

by Norm Foster 

June 5 to June 29 

It’s Your 

Funeral 

GivinG Up The GhosT 

by Arlin Dixon & Matthew Gorman 

July 3 to July 20 

by Dan Needles 

July 24 to August 10 

by Jamie Williams 

August 14 to September 7 

artists. To have the whole industry firing on 

all cylinders is positive for the whole landscape,” 

she says. 

Garnhum is equally buoyant about the 

future of theatre here, especially because the 

Pillar Community Award was for a project 

that brought free theatre to youth via the 

100 Schools Tour. Not only do such programs 

have community impact by broadening the 

cultural experiences of youth from many 

backgrounds, ideally they also cultivate a 

future generation of theatre-goers. 

“I think it is a great time to be presenting 

theatre in Southwestern Ontario,” says 

Garnhum. “We are all better together. There 

is a lot of theatre in this part of the world. 

I love that Stratford is nearby. We can see 

Coriolanus at Stratford and then run to Port 

Stanley and have a good laugh at a comedy 

and then to Blyth to discover a new piece 

of work of Canadiana and then we, at the 

Grand, fit among it — my programming 

is meant to be complimenting all that. It 

gives me a great lens to pick plays. It shows 

me that people are curious. It makes an 

opportunity that people really want to see 

theatre and they are committed.” 

The theatre world is certainly bettered by 

the work and accomplishments of Gaffney 

and Garnhum, and their awards are welldeserved 

by them and by their teams. As 

well, their work alongside the employees and 

actors ensures a financially healthy theatre 

industry, which in turn allows the creation 

of more special stage experiences that are 

accessible to larger numbers. 

Gaffney, along with Artistic Director 

Antoni Cimolino, has steered the giant 

Stratford boat towards financial stability 

by eliminating a $3.4 million deficit. She 

has posted an operating surplus every year 

since being appointed Executive Director six 

years ago. The Festival is in Gaffney’s blood. 

She was born and raised in Stratford and 

began working there when she was 27, as a 

publicity assistant. She is also recognized 

for bringing diversity to the workplace. Her 

team proactively seeks a diverse workforce. 

Stratford also has a focus to bring the theatre 

experience to tens of thousands young 

people through school visits. Most recently, 

Stratford is working to take film versions 

of the productions out to wider audiences, 

especially youth without easy access to 

Stratford. The Festival now employs 1,000 

people in season and it is recognized as an


important driver of traffic to the culinary and 

retail scene in Stratford. 

“I think that the world needs theatre right 

now,” says Gaffney. I think we need places 

where there are stories that give us inspiration 

and help us with isolation. I think having an 

experience in a room together, all listening to 

stories and seeing something together that 

makes you reflect on what is happening in 

the world, is a real positive thing. The best 

thing we can do for mental health is to escape 

for a few hours to get into Billy Elliot or A 

Chorus Line for pure enjoyment, or as a pause 

for thought. It is important as isolation and 

disconnection is happening. Theatre has a 

role to connect people, to feel they belong and 

they are not the first people to go through 

things,” reflects Gaffney on the importance 

of her work beyond fiscal success. To this end 

she is credited with combining her financial 

mindset and passion for theatre with heading 

lobbying efforts to inspire the creation of the 

$27-million Arts Investment Fund in Ontario. 

Garnhum is equally passionate about the 


important work the Grand is doing to make 

theatre accessible to youth through the 100 

Schools Tour project., Garnhum says his love 

for theatre was ignited as a young student 

in London, when theatre was brought to 

his school. “The best way to inspire people 

to fall in with theatre is to bring it to them, 

to expose them to it. Too many people are 

intimidated by it — they think the Grand is 

an imposing building, we may not know the 

etiquette,” says Garnhum. “My job is to figure 

out how to ignite and inspire. I do believe 

people want to see theatre and they are 

rewarded by having a good time. There will be 

more of that coming forward for sure.” 

Congratulations to Gaffney and Garnhum 

and their teams, who continue to build the 

theatrical experience for all in Southwestern 

Ontario and beyond. 

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to Eatdrink. 

She is also Manager, Communications & Media Relations, 

at King’s University College in London. 

Books 

Plate of Darkness 

Apocalypse Chow 

A Remix of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness 

by David Julian Wightman 

Review by DARIN COOK 

A 

Toronto-educated, Ottawa-based 

journalist has given the restaurant 

scene a wild makeover —not by 

cooking elaborate dishes, mixing 

exotic drinks, or waiting tables with exquisite 

aplomb, but by brewing up a fictional 

rendering of chefs in grand literary style. 

Introduced in Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart 

of Darkness in 1899, Kurtz and Marlow are two 

names oozing with literary history. Francis 

Ford Coppola famously adopted the characters 

into the 1979 Hollywood blockbuster 

Apocalypse Now. With a tip of the hat to both 

those classics, David Julian Wightman has 

written a parody of 

Conrad’s story and 

Coppola’s movie 

by giving Kurtz 

and Marlow 

new culinary 

identities 

in his selfpublished 

book, 

Apocalypse Chow: A Remix 

of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (2018). 

The story starts at Belly, New York’s 

hottest restaurant, with the usual suspects 

gathering after a weekend closing. Along



with Wightman’s readers, the group of chefs, 

busboys and waiters are led down a path 

exploring the dark corners of the restaurant 

world. Charlie Marlow points out to his 

colleagues that Manhattan is “one of the 

dark places of the Earth,” but the rest of 

them know he has seen harsher territories 

in a swathe of illustrious restaurants jobs, 

the wildest of all being his time at Chow, a 

remote destination restaurant in northern 

Ontario. Walter Kurtz was the head chef at 

Chow and gained a reputation as the most 

talented chef in Canada. But he went rogue, 

and the restaurant owners 

wanted to part ways with 

the unorthodox chef. They 

recruited Marlow, a legendary 

restaurant manager in his 

own right, to track down and 

relieve the renegade chef of 

his duties. 

Nearly the entire novella is 

in Marlow’s words as he tells 

his restaurant brethren at 

Belly about his venture into 

the hinterlands to confront 

Chef Kurtz. As a veteran in 

the field, Marlow knows “the 

restaurant industry can be 

a stifling thing, a burden we 

choose to carry, to varying 

degrees of commitment. It 

can turn men into monsters.” 

He yearns to know what 

drove Kurtz over the deep end and into the 

weeds, because firing the best chef in Canada 

seemed a tall order without knowing the full 

story. It took some time for Marlow and his 

crew to trek by land and river to the secluded 

restaurant. He tells us how “the journey felt 

like a tortured night at work, when the hordes 

are at table and the restaurant struggles to 

cope … the madness of an out-of-control 

service.” He used the time to contemplate his 

mission and to gain an understanding of the 

wayward chef by talking to others — renegade 

food truck owners, strung-out dishwashers, 

overworked kitchen staff, sycophantic food 

critics. Kurtz was so well known for his 

outstanding food, people didn’t know whether 

to praise him or ostracize him. Wightman’s 

readers are strung along to find out what 

will happen once Marlow tracks down this 

so-called visionary chef. Will Marlow be able 

to follow through with his mission, or will 

“the inestimable privilege of dining at Chow” 

and the enticement of delectable cuisine from 

a culinary genius distract him from the job he 

was hired to do? 

Readers not familiar with the namesake 

works need not worry, since Apocalypse 

Chow is an enjoyable stand-alone read that 

clearly comes from a writer who knows the 

restaurant world. The story Marlow tells 

is steeped in restaurant lore. Wightman 

could be part of that kitchen crew sitting 

around the table in Belly: “Between us was 

the bond of the restaurant trade, a common 

understanding among 

men who’d long served.” 

Wightman put himself 

through Ryerson journalism 

school by bartending 

and waiting tables in 

Toronto restaurants and 

Marlow’s recap of his own 

experience is influenced 

by those years of service, 

including observations 

about food security, the 

allure of celebrity chefs, 

the hierarchical tensions 

between restaurant staff 

at the front and back of 

house, and illustrious menus 

comprised of the prodigious 

bounty of ingredients found 

by foraging in northern 

Ontario. 

Marlow says that his trip to Chow “seemed 

to throw a kind of light on everything about 

me, and the industry, and the entire society 

we feed which in turn feeds us.” Marlow’s role 

can be narrowed down to one man telling 

his most prized story — same as Wightman, 

whose own story is appreciably influenced 

by the writing of Anthony Bourdain. In the 

acknowledgements Wightman expresses 

regret that the late author/chef who inspired 

him cannot read Apocalypse Chow himself, 

but it is easy to assume that readers drawn 

to Bourdain’s books will thoroughly enjoy 

Wightman’s retelling of the deep, dark, 

culinary relationship of Kurtz and Marlow. 

Author David Julian Wightman 

DARIN COOK is a freelance writer based in Chatham. 

He keeps himself well-read and well-fed by visiting the 

bookstores and restaurants of London.



Recipes 

Yum & Yummer 

Ridiculously Tasty Recipes That’ll Blow Your Mind, 

But Not Your Diet! 

Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

Many of us will make a commitment 

to healthier living after the holidays, 

even if it’s a foggy memory 

of a New Year’s resolution shouted 

at a ceiling full of streamers. You may try a 

strict “I’m never eating cake again” approach 

but, for most of us, that just doesn’t last. This 

year I found a kinder, gentler approach to 

improving the quality of my diet that can work 

long after the New Year’s Day fog has lifted. 

Yum & Yummer; Ridiculously Tasty Recipes 

That’ll Blow Your Mind, But Not Your Diet! (One 

Spoon Media Inc: 2017) is Greta Podleski’s 

first solo book. The St. Thomas native is well 

known as half of the Looneyspoons team with 

her sister, Janet. Together, they’ve written 

four national bestseller cookbooks and hosted 

the Eat, Shrink & Be Merry television series on 

Food Network Canada. Greta, now based in 

Waterloo, has continued to share her love of 

good food with us. 

Podleski has a non-judgmental approach 

to healthy eating that makes us forgive her 

unholy love of puns. She’s a self-taught cook 

who is passionate about making real food for 

real life, preferring fresh, natural ingredients 

to something out of a box. Still, she does 

recognize that life is complicated and time is 

short. When a store-bought ingredient makes 

more sense, she advises reading 

the label carefully to choose the 

best one for your needs. 

For those who want all the 

details, nutritional analyses 

are included with each recipe. 

There’s an easy code with each 

dish indicating if it’s dairy-free, 

gluten-free or vegan. Most 

include extra suggestions for 

customizing the recipe or tips, 

in the form of “Kitchen Whizdom”. 

You can get the ingredients 

for all of Yum & Yummer’s 

recipes at any 

well-stocked 

grocery 

store and 

most can 

be made 

in time 

for a busy 

weeknight 

dinner. 

I think 

anyone 

could 

find 

something 

to love in this book. 

Podleski studied food photography so she 

could take the photos herself and the results 

are wonderful. There are beautiful pictures 

with every recipe in addition to a QR code 

(which she calls a YUM code) that you can scan 

with your smartphone or tablet to watch a 

short video. If, like me, you have a cell phone 

old enough to have a rotary dial, you can 

just go online to yumyummer.com to see all 

the videos. The only thing I enjoy more than 

cooking good food is watching someone else 

do it. 

The Apricot, Sriracha & Ginger-Glazed 

Meatballs are perfect as 

appetizers but I also tried 

Greta Podleski 

adding them to rice noodle 

bowls as a main dish and was 

delighted with the results. 

Made with ground chicken, 

they are light, sweet, spicy and 

tangy, hitting all the notes 

for a perfect snack. These are 

becoming a regular staple in 

my freezer. 

Move over Leek & Potato, 

there’s a new soup in town. 

Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup is


now my favourite cold weather food. It’s filled 

with all the flavours of a stuffed pepper but 

it’s easier to make and as a steamy bowl of 

soup is far more comforting. I usually have 

cooked rice in the fridge which means I can 

make this dish in one pot, in under an hour 

with pantry staples. Theoretically, this leaves 

extra time for more exercise, another New 

Years Resolution. Which I will do as soon as 

I’ve read through this book a few more times. 

And finished all the videos. I swear. 

Yum & Yummer is a very well rounded book. 


It’s informative, entertaining and visually 

appealing. Best of all, it shows you lots of 

ways to put more healthy food on your plate, 

keeping you satisfied enough to resist the high 

calorie, low nutrition offerings left over from 

the holidays. Which is not to say that this is 

“diet” food, just better food. Who couldn’t use 

more of that? 

TRACY TURLIN is a freelance writer and dog groomer 

in London. Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com 

Apricot, Sriracha & Ginger-Glazed Meatballs 

As the saying goes, 

“These aren’t your 

mama’s meatballs!” 

Nothing against 

mama, of course. 

And I don’t believe 

that’s actually a 

saying. Regardless, 

I created this sweetheat, 

party-meatball 

recipe specifically for 

Sriracha lovers. You 

know, the folks who 

carry around mini 

squeeze bottles of 

the trendy hot sauce 

on their key chains? 

Make these when you 

wanna kick things up 

a notch. 

MEATBALLS 

1 ½ lbs (680 g) lean 

ground chicken 

½ cup dry 

unseasoned bread 

crumbs 

¼ cup finely minced 

green onions (with 

white parts) 

2 tbsp hoisin sauce 

1 egg 

2 tsp minced garlic 

1 tsp grated fresh 

gingerroot 

1 tsp dark sesame oil 

½ tsp each sea salt 

and freshly ground 

black pepper


GLAZE 

1 cup no-sugar-added apricot jam* 

¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice 

1 tbsp Sriracha hot sauce 


2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot 

½ tsp dark sesame oil 

Finely chopped green onions and toasted 

sesame seeds for garnish (optional) 

* I found three brands of no-sugar-added 

apricot jam at my grocery store, including the 

ubiquitous Smuckers. 

Preheat oven to 400ºF. 

In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, 

onions, hoisin sauce, egg, garlic, gingerroot, sesame oil, 

salt and pepper (using your hands works best). Form 

mixture into bite-sized meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches in 

diameter. Wetting your hands helps prevent the chicken 

mixture from sticking to them. (Ground chicken and 

turkey are kinda sticky!) You should end up with about 40 

meatballs. 

Place meatballs on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake in 

preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until cooked 

through. Stir meatballs once, halfway through cooking 

time, to brown sides. 

While meatballs are cooking, prepare glaze. In a 10-inch, 

deep, non-stick skillet, whisk together jam, soy sauce, 

lime juice, Sriracha, garlic, gingerroot, and sesame oil. 

Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is hot and 

bubbly and jam has melted. Add cooked meatballs and 

mix gently, ensuring every meatball is coated with sauce. 

Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if using. 

Serve hot. 

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Makes about 40 meatballs 

Per meatball: 40 calories 

1.5 g total fat (0.4 g saturated fat) 

3.6 g protein 

3.3 g carbohydrate (0 g fiber, 2.6 g sugars) 

20 mg cholesterol 

121 mg sodium 

Scan the code for a How-To Video! 

https://youtu.be/mj_WR256irM 

Recipes excerpted from Yum & Yummer: Ridiculously 

Tasty Recipes That’ll Blow Your Mind, But Not Your 

Diet! (One Spoon Media Inc., 2017) by Greta Podleski, 

reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All 

rights reserved. 

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Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup 

We all know that guy who says soup’s not a 

meal unless it contains meat, right? I can see 

you nodding! I guarantee you won’t hear any 

“where’s the beef?” complaints when he eats this 

feast of a soup for dinner, since it’s meaty, manly 

and mighty filling. Plus, it really does taste like a 

stuffed bell pepper...only much easier to make! 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 ¼ lbs (568 g) extra-lean ground beef 

1½ cups diced green bell peppers 

1 cup diced onions 


1 ½ tsp dried 

marjoram 

1 ½ tsp chili powder 

½ tsp dried basil 

½ tsp dried fennel 

seeds (optional) 

4 cups reducedsodium 

beef 

broth 

1 can (19 oz/540 

mL) petite-cut 

tomatoes (with 

liquid) 

1 ½ cups tomato 

sauce (see 

Kitchen 

Whizdom) 

½ tsp freshly 

ground black 

pepper 

Sea salt to taste 

2 cups cooked 

brown rice 


Add marjoram, chili powder, basil and fennel seeds, if 

using. Cook and stir for one more minute. Add beef broth, 

tomatoes with their liquid , tomato sauce and pepper. 

Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, 

covered, for 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if needed. (I 

almost always add salt at this point, depending on the 

broth I use.) 

If serving immediately, stir in cooked rice, then ladle soup 

into serving bowls. If you’re planning on eating the soup 

over the course of a couple days, keep the rice separate, 

otherwise it’ll soak up all the broth. 

Heat olive oil in a large 

soup pot over mediumhigh 

heat. Add beef. 

Cook and stir until beef 

is no longer pink and 

lightly browned, about 

5 minutes. Add bell 

peppers, onions and 

garlic. Cook and stir 

until vegetables begin 

to soften, about 3 more 

minutes.


Makes about 12 cups soup 

Per cup: 174 calories 

6.6g total fat (2 g saturated fat) 

12.7g protein 

16 g carbohydrate (2.4 g fiber, 4.6 g sugars) 

26 mg cholesterol 

222 mg sodium 

KITCHEN WHIZDOM 

I don’t like big pieces of vegetables in this soup, so I dice 

the onions and bell peppers small and use “petite-cut” 

canned tomatoes (usually with green peppers, celery and 

onions added ... a good compliment to this soup). You can 

use plain tomato sauce or your favourite, tomato-based 

pasta sauce for extra flavour. For example, I often use 

Classico brand Sweet Basil Marinara in this soup. By the 

way, the chili powder doesn’t make the soup taste like 

chili. It just makes it taste BETTER! Use the fennel seeds 

if you like the mild black-licorice taste of Italian sausage. 

Those with fennel phobia should leave it out. 

Scan the code for a How-To Video! 

https://youtu.be/fI6MPC2NPcU 

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The Lighter Side 

Behind Closed Doors 

By J.J. FRANCISSEN 

For many years I harboured some 

secrets. They were in my bedroom 

closet, hidden away from impressionable, 

young eyes. Once a week I’d 

bring them out. My spouse was in on my 

secret. One could argue, is it still a secret 

if your better half knows? Yes, because it’s 

something we kept from my young adult son. 

Anyone with a teen or young adult male 

in the household might be keeping the same 

secrets —for survival purposes. 

When my son left the house, I’d watch 

him disappear 

around the 

bend, wait ten 

minutes, and 

then call to my 

spouse, “He’s 

gone!” We’d 

race to the 

bedroom and 

eagerly open 

the closet door, 

or crawl under 

the bed for the 

contraband. 

Now that 

we’re on the 

subject of the forbidden, I kept a stockpile 

in my nightstand too. It wasn’t kinky toys 

or other naughty paraphernalia, nor was 

it bottles of wine, beer or other mood 

enhancers. We’re dull people. We had to hide 

food. Yep, you read that right — food. 

My son had a hollow leg accompanied by 

a fast metabolism. He’d eat dinner, have 

seconds and thirds, and an hour later rip 

into a bag of Doritos. And he wouldn’t just 

eat a few, or leave half the bag for later, or 

heaven forbid, leave some for us. No! Gone 

in one go. 

Our breakfasts might start with us finding 

only a dribble of milk for the cereal. We’d 

decide instead to start the day with toast, 

only to find that Wonder Boy had used all the 

bread for a midnight gobble. Then perhaps an 

egg dish? They had flown the coop too! 

We felt like the Dad in A Christmas Story 

when the Bumpus hounds made off with 

the turkey. We were so gobsmacked that 

sometimes the cussing didn’t come out right. 

Leftovers were lost. Nutella, none. Pop 

Tarts, pilfered. Granola bars, gone. Cookies, 

crackers and chips disappeared. The milk 

went missing, and the peanut butter. 

We started to buy doubles of items, and 

hide them, at first in other parts of the 

kitchen, but 

he somehow 

managed to 

sniff them 

out. 

When we 

wanted to 

watch a movie 

with a snack, 

we were like 

old Mother 

Hubbard with 

cupboards 

bare. Complaints 

and 

entreaties fell 

on deaf ears, probably because the crunching 

of the chips was too loud. 

We were forced to hide food in our 

bedroom, and even toyed with the notion 

of getting a mini fridge installed in the 

wardrobe so we could have milk and yogurt 

in the morning. 

Eventually Hungry Harry went away to 

college. No more stake-outs or secrets. We 

could finally live our true lives … out of the 

closet! 

J.J. FRANCISSEN resides in London,where she spends 

her time writing nature, travel, historical and human 

interest articles, and working toward getting her novels 

published.

FREE for all ages in Courthouse Park Goderich 

Saturday, February 2 • 10am–5pm 

Ice Activities Open 

Hotdogs & Maple Taffy in the afternoon 

Juggler Performace 3pm–3:45pm 

Sunday, February 3 • 12noon–4pm 

Ice Activities Open 

Maple Taffy Treats & Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides 

in the afternoon



Grab your skates and head downtown 

to the Covent Garden Market 

Rotary Rink 

Skating rink is open everyday 

(skating only) 

Monday to Thursday: 

8am — 6pm 

Friday: 8am — 7pm 

Saturday: 8am — 6pm 

Sunday: 11am — 5pm 

Weather permitting 

coventmarket.com 

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MARKET HOURS 

Monday to Saturday: 8am ~ 7pm 

Sunday: 11am ~ 5pm

Eatdrink #75 January/February 2019

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