Eatdrink #76 March/April 2019

Issue #76 | March/April 2019 

eatdrink 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

The 

Women’s 

Issue 

Dedication 

Perspiration 

Motivation 

Inspiration 

Hospitality 

Eleanor Kane 

Co-founder, 

Stratford Chefs School 

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007 

www.eatdrink.ca

2 | March/April 2019 

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag 

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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, 

Tanya Chopp, Darin Cook, 

Gary Killops, Nancy Loucks-McSloy, 

Bryan Lavery, George Macke, 

Sue Sutherland Wood 

Photographers Bruce Fyfe, Steve Grimes 

Telephone & Fax 519-434-8349 

Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 

Website 

City Media, Cecilia Buy 

Printing 

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OUR COVER 

Eleanor Kane of Stratford 

is the co-founder of the 

the nationally renowned 


and a 2018 recipient 

of an Ontario Senior 

Achievement Award. 

Photo Courtesy of 


© 2019 Eatdrink Inc. and the writers. 

All rights reserved. 

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

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

information, content and/or advertisements published in Eatdrink 

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Contents 

Issue #76 | March/April 2019 

The Second Annual Women’s Issue 

Publisher’s Notes 

Wine 

The Women’s Issue Redux 

Our Second Annual Celebration 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

8 

40 

Remembering Michèle Bosc 

A Champion of Ontario Wine 

By GARY KILLOPS 

40 

Spotlight 

Music 

London Women in Food (2019) 

Ten Talented Women Making 

a Difference 

By KYM WOLFE 

10 

Stratford Women in Food (2019) 

Seven Sisters with a Seat at the Table 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

20 

Elgin Women in Food (2019) 

Six Women Leading the Way 

By TANYA CHOPP 

27 

Sarnia-Lambton/Huron County 

Women in Food (2019) 

Entrepreneurs in Good Taste 

By NANCY LOUCKS-McSLOY 

32 

Restaurants 

A Delicious Destination 

The Village Teapot, in Ilderton 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

18 

Beer 

If You Love it, Do it 

Women in Beer 

By GEORGE MACKE 

37 

37 

10 

20 

46 

32 

18 

I Feel it Coming 

Upcoming Musical Highlights 

By GERRY BLACKWELL 

43 

Theatre 

Dabbling in Wonderful 

Donna Feore on Work, Parenting 

& Inspiration 


46 

The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

New and Notable 

50 

Books 

Tea for More than Two 

A Literary Tea Party 

Review by DARIN COOK 

60 

The Lighter Side 

Home is Where the Hygge Is 

By SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD 

62 

60

eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine 

March/April 2019 | 7 

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Publisher’s Notes 


The Women’s Issue Redux 

Our Second Annual Celebration 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

There was no doubt that we would 

reprise our efforts to celebrate 

women in our culinary 

community after we received 

such a warm reception last year. As I 

noted then, while there has not been a 

single issue of Eatdrink ever published 

that didn’t acknowledge important 

contributions from women, the time 

had come to be more intentional and 

overt about that. Not that there weren’t 

some complaints, but by and large 

those disagreements surrounded 

the omissions we made, not who was profiled. 

Then, as now, there was just no way to include 

Eatdrink #70, March/April 2018 

all of the women worthy of celebration. 

The only helpful criteria that we could 

strictly employ in this round was to 

choose an entirely different list. I 

encourage you to avail yourself of our 

extensive online archive of magazines 

and articles on our website. Visit 

Issue #70 or search “women” and you 

can reread our profiles of a stalwart 

group that would easily qualify as 

outstanding candidates in 2019. I’m 

not certain when a woman 

will be chosen to be profiled in 

this annual issue a second time, but for now 

previous selections are disqualified. 

spark 

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We have once again chosen a geographical 

focus for our groupings of women, and we’ve 

expanded the list to include four regions. Each 

writer has taken a slightly different approach, 

but I believe you will agree that this makes for 

more interesting reading. The biggest challenge, 

again, is tight space considerations, but we 

have endeavored to give readers a sense of what 

makes these women significant contributors to 

our local food and drink culture. 

It is International Women’s Day on March 

8, but we’ll be celebrating this Eatdrink for a 

couple of months. We hope we might inspire 

similar efforts to honour the women in our 

lives, spanning the entire year. Let’s continue 

to do our best, respect the #metoo movement 

and political action for equality, and stand up 

for the most vulnerable women in our society. 

Many of them are in the hospitality industry, 

and in food production, and exciting changes 

are happening in these arenas. Support them. 

We’ve continued our Women’s theme 

throughout the magazine. Our restaurant 

profile of The Village Teapot is a highlight for 

me, as it is a quintessential women’s story 

as much as it is about a small town café. Our 


wine column is a remembrance and I am 

certain I won’t be the only one to wish I had 

known Michèle Bosc. Everyone excited about 

the craft beer renaissance will appreciate the 

insights on the industry from four young 

women currently immersed in it. The future 

looks bright, and will not be denied. 

Jane Antoniak’s interview of choreographer 

Donna Feore veers off the topic of the theatre 

in the way good conversations always do, 

circling back to the subject at hand but with 

myriad related thoughts shared. And our 

Lighter Side is another insightful musing from 

Sue Sutherland Wood, leaving us with the 

same sense of hygge (that’s all explained in the 

story!) that she writes about. 

I can’t reflect about women without acknowledging 

my wife Sue, my mother Nora, my 

daughter Tara, my five sisters Anne, Carolyn, 

Marjorie, Barb and Janet, and the women that 

make Eatdrink tick: Cecilia, Ann, Stacey, TL, 

Kym, Tracy, Tanya, Jane, Nancy and the other 

writers. Your strength is appreciated, and 

infectious, and I am grateful for you. 

Peace, 

#GetDTL #LDNENT 

Show your Mom some love this Mother’s Day with a gift of Downtown Dollars.



Spotlight 

London Women in Food (2019) 

Ten Talented Women Making a Difference 

By KYM WOLFE 

Photo by Alieska Robles, alieskarobles.com 

Tabitha Bartlett 

Co-Owner/Operator,La Noisette Bakery & Deli 

“I grew up in a family that ate meat and 

potatoes,” says Tabitha Bartlett, co-owner/ 

operator of La Noisette Bakery and Deli. “I 

started experimenting with different foods 

when I was about 10 — basic, but I had fun 

with it. I reached a point where I couldn’t 

teach myself anymore… I might be aging 

myself, but it was before YouTube and Google 

were the go-to for recipes. So I enrolled in the 

culinary program at Fanshawe.” 

Tabitha Bartlett & her daughter 

Fast forward through graduating with a 

diploma in Culinary Management, working 

in the industry for more than 15 years, and 

managing a large chain restaurant, all the 

while holding tight to “massive dreams of one 

day opening my own place.” Almost five years 

ago she finally did, with business partner Dave 

Coulter, an experienced Cordon Bleu chef. 

“I love that food brings people together, it’s 

common ground — no matter who you are or 

what you do, where you’re from, you need to 

eat. One good meal really can open up good 

conversation,” says Bartlett. “When I was 

very young, my grandparents nearly opened 

their own restaurant. It never happened, but I 

thought it was so cool at the time. It came back 

to mind when I was talking to my mother about 

growth for our business and what the next 

year may hold for us, and she told me that my 

grandfather would’ve been so proud of me. All 

the memories of the restaurant-that-never-was 

came rolling back. So now I feel a new sense of 

purpose for what I do.” 

Chandany Chen 

Pastry Chef, Abruzzi Ristorante 

Chandany Chen’s first degree was in Science, 

and when she graduated she worked for a 

while doing research for a company that 

produced fertilizer. But she quickly realized, 

“it was not for me. I only wish I had figured 

that out a lot sooner!” Back to school she 

went, and has since graduated from Fanshawe 

College’s Culinary Management program 

and worked in kitchens in London and Port 

Stanley before moving to Abbruzzi Ristorante 

a year and a half ago. 

“I am currently the pastry chef at Abruzzi and 

Chandany Chen


will also be the pastry chef at Abruzzi’s sister 

restaurant, Taverna 1331, when it opens later 

this year,” says Chen. “When the chance presents 

itself, I also search for ways to contribute to the 

community as a volunteer with Growing Chefs! 

as a food educator for school visits or as a chef 

for the cooking classes.” 

Chen has been a foodie from birth, she 

says. In her Cambodian household growing 

up, “we always had people in the house and 

everyone helped cook, from scratch, then we 

would enjoy the meal together. I always had 

an artistic side, too. Now I see every plate 

as a canvas, and I just want to try to make 

something beautiful out of it.” 

“I’d like to learn more, and I’m compiling a list 

of restaurants I would like to work in and pastry 

chefs that I would like to learn from,” she adds. 

“I’d like to bring those skills back to London.” 

Alexandra Connon 

Owner, The Boombox Bakeshop 

“I was taught how to bake by my late father 

Fred, and inspired by his passion for all things 

culinary,” says Alexandra Connon. After 

years of research and experimentation, she 

combined her father’s dream of operating a 

food establishment with her knowledge of 

vegan baking and business management, and 

opened The Boombox Bakeshop and café in 

2014. She also threw her passion for music 

into the mix. “You’ll never catch us without 

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tunes playing while we are busy baking and 

serving up drinks and treats,” she says. 

For the first four years the bakeshop 

specialized in vegan desserts — mainly 

cupcakes and mini-pies, along with a few 

seasonal goodies — but recently added 

savoury baked goods to the menu. “We always 

wanted to expand our menu to include lunch 

items, but we had space constraints,” says 

Connon. “Since we moved to our new space 

(on Adelaide Street at Princess Avenue) we 

have a larger kitchen and, one year in, we are 

ready to branch out.” 

The first offering, a mushroom and 

lentil pot pie, was an instant hit with both 

vegan and non-vegan clients, she says, and 

customers can expect to see more options 

going forward. “The Boombox Bakeshop has 

been shaped by the Old East Village and vegan 

communities, and we will always be a vegan 

shop — there is no meat, dairy or eggs on the 

premises. Our goal is to make great tasting 

vegan food for everyone to enjoy.” 

Margaret Coons 

Owner, Nuts for Cheese 

“I started experimenting with nut cheeses 

when I worked as a chef at the vegan 

restaurant Veg Out,” says Margaret Coons, 

owner and self-described “big cheese” at 

Nuts for Cheese. “The restaurant kitchen was 

actually my first production facility — I used 

to rent it after the restaurant closed and stay 

Margaret Coons 


up through the night to create my cheeses.” 

Cheese-making might seem like an odd fit 

for someone with a BA in English Literature, 

but Coons is also a trained and certified vegan 

chef. “I became a vegetarian when I was 12 and 

started experimenting with food and cooking 

for myself at a young age,” she says. “The 

process of mindfully creating and delighting 

in food helps me stay rooted in the whole 

reason behind my business: a love of good, 

shared food.” 

Nuts for Cheese crafts dairy-free and vegan 

cheeses from cultured organic cashews. “I 

experimented with sunflower seeds, hemp 

hearts and miso, but I ended up sticking with 

cashews because they are really versatile,” says 

Coons. “Getting the texture and mouthful 

feeling just right is both a science and an 

art. For people who cannot or choose not to 

consume dairy, finding something to replace 

that rich, savoury experience of cheese is a 

challenging journey.” 

Her cheeses seem to have hit the mark, 

with word-of-mouth propelling distribution to 

stores across Ontario and into Quebec. “The 

rate at which we’ve grown has definitely been 

a huge manufacturing challenge,” says Coons, 

who is proud to note that all products are still 

hand-crafted, right here in London. 

Michele Lenhardt 

Pastry Chef, Rhino Lounge Bakery & Coffee 

Shoppe, Museum London 

“For me baking is an art form,” says Michele 

Lenhardt, whose passion for pasty-as-art has 

led her to positions as pastry chef in decidedly 

artistic settings — first at the Art Gallery of 

Ontario, and now at the Rhino Lounge Bakery 

& Coffee Shoppe at Museum London. After 

moving to London 12 years ago she created the 

Black Walnut Bakery Café in Wortley Village, 

which she owned and operated for five years 

before moving to her current position. 

“The most satisfying aspect of cooking and 

baking for me is creative experimentation 

and recipe development,” says Lenhardt, who 

studied Baking and Pastry Arts at George 

Brown College as well as Advanced French 

Patisserie. “It will often take two or three 

times to get it to where I want it to be. One 

of my specialties is the vegan donuts that 

I created for the Rhino.” They have proven 

to be popular, and are now also available 

at Locomotive Café — but only on Fridays. 

Lenhardt also produces pastries for Jess 

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Michele Lenhardt 

River Room, and Craft Farmacy. 

When she’s not in the kitchen Lenhardt 

enjoys vintage shopping, for everything from 

clothing and housewares to artwork. And she 

has recently started working on a plant-based 

cookbook that will include all sorts of comfort 

foods. “I’m pretty passionate about plant-based 

cooking,” she says, and she’s enjoying the 

process of experimenting and developing the 

recipes. “I just started, so it’s a year or two away.” 

Jodie Marshall 

Co-owner, Marshall’s Pasta and Bakery 

Meet the Marshalls: Jodie has a degree in 

Applied Science, majoring in Consumer 

Behaviour; Blake played professional football 

with the Edmonton Eskimos; both come from 

families that had their own businesses. So 

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perhaps it’s not surprising that in their post- 

CFL life the Marshalls would want to start a 

business themselves, that Jodie would handle 

the human relations and marketing, and that 

one of their biggest client groups would be 

local sports teams. 

Marshall’s Pasta Mill opened in 1995. Ten 

years ago the couple purchased Lusitania 

Bakery and moved their pasta business 

into the Adelaide Street store. With the 

complementary businesses under one roof, 

Marshall’s became a one-stop shop for a 

full pasta dinner with the fixings, offering a 

variety of fresh pastas and sauces, Portuguese 

breads, prepared meals, lasagna, soups, 

meatballs and more. 

Jodie runs the daily operations, from school 

hot lunches and group fundraising events, to 

walk-in customers and catering orders. There 

is also a wholesale side of the business that 

delivers freshly baked bread to local restaurants. 

“The two things that I find most satisfying 

about my job are that we make really good 

healthy food that people love, and that we are 

able to help others in our community,” says 

Jodie. “I am involved with different social 

justice committees and Marshall’s supports 

many charitable organizations. Helping 

others, whether it is through my business or 

in my personal life, is the most important 

thing for me.” 

Michelle Pierce Hamilton 

Owner, The Tea Lounge & beTeas 

When Michelle Pierce Hamilton worked in 

the financial and banking industry she visited 

tea places in different parts of the world, and 

was quite taken with the artistry and love 

demonstrated by the tea masters. “You just feel 

so peaceful,” she says. She started to seriously 

study tea when people who were close to her 

Michelle Pearce Hamilton 


were diagnosed with chronic diseases, and she 

realized that constant travel and unhealthy 

eating and lifestyle were taking a toll on her 

and her family. “I felt a lack of control, and 

almost immediately I stopped smoking and 

eating fast food, and I started studying tea as a 

replacement for coffee, because I always had a 

warm beverage in my hand.” 

After training as a Nutritionist and a 

Certified Tea Sommelier she launched beTeas 

in 2010. The site educates people about the 

health benefits of tea, and the online store 

sells quality loose leaf teas, tisanes and 

functional tea ware. Teas are sourced from 

around the world, with a focus on single estate 

and artisanal teas from origin. 

Two years ago Pierce Hamilton opened The 

Tea Lounge on Piccadilly Street and created 

“the place I always wished I could go to” right 

here in London. Some of the décor comes 

from a Toronto restaurant that was run by her 

birth father. “His was the first Indo-Pakistani 

restaurant in Toronto,” she says. “He was never 

able to see the Tea Lounge in person before he 

passed away last year, but I had Skyped from 

there a few times, and he was delighted.” 

Dee Spencer 

Owner, The Donut Diva Mini Donut Food Truck 

A self-described “Professional Donutologist”, 

Dee Spencer has developed over 50 different 

recipes for her mini-donuts, ranging from 

basic to gourmet flavours like cheesecake or 

‘BetterTart’ (because it tastes better than 

butter tart, she says). You’ll find her selling 

her sweet treats out of Donut Diva food truck 

at different locations, mainly in London. 

She posts her changing whereabouts on her 

facebook page (fb.com/thedonutdiva) 

“I have been in the industry for about 35 years 

with jobs varying from server to general manager 

to corporate trainer and have always been 

an outside-of-the-box kind of gal,” says Spencer. 

“When I moved back to Ontario from Alberta 

and was looking at what I wanted to do I happened 

upon an episode of Dragons’ Den where 

a BC entrepreneur was pitching a Waffle Wagon 

franchise opportunity. After further investigation 

I decided that I could do something like that 

myself, and having loved mini-donuts at fairs 

out west I decided that was my niche.” 

She got her business rolling (literally!) 

in 2011. The Donut Diva Mini Donut Food 

Truck is equipped with a fryer where Spencer 

makes mini-donuts to order and serve them 

up warm, sprinkled with whichever sugary


Dee Spencer 

topping the customer chooses. “They’re cake 

donuts, so they’re light and fluffy,” she says. 

Spencer is active in the London Food Truck 

Association, and says, “I am very proud of 

our Association as we are a group of elite 

professionals who believe in celebrating each 

other’s successes and working together to 

further the Food Truck culture in London.” 

Krista Trollope 

Owner and Cake Artist, Hey, Cupcake! 

Up until 11 years ago Krista Trollope worked 

full time in accounting and did baking and 

cake decorating as a hobby. “I started making 

custom cakes the year that myself and all 

my childhood friends reached one of our 

milestone birthdays. They all loved them, 

and said that I should start selling them,” she 

recalls. “I realized that the style of custom 

cakes I was creating — one-of-a-kind edible 

pieces of art with elaborate design and 

detailing — were not what people would 

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walk in to purchase every day. So I decided to 

feature cupcakes, and I chose this location (on 

Wharncliffe Road) due to the proximity with 

Western, where I knew that a lot of students 

would be my main walk-in customers.” 

“Hey Cupcake was the first gourmet cupcake 

bakery in the city. Our slogan is ‘where art is a 

piece of cake’, and we still do custom cakes as 

well as cupcakes and cookies,” says Trollope. 

“In the beginning it was all self-taught, but 

now I have studied under many celebrity cake 

artists like Ron Ben-Israel, Susan Trianos, 

Karen Portelao and James Russell.” 

For Trollope, “The best part of my job is that 

I am afforded the opportunity to bring a smile 

to someone’s face just by using my hands, heart 

and artistry.” That includes working with Make- 

A-Wish, handing out cupcakes to children, 

caregivers and families at LHSC’s annual 

World Wish Day event, and her involvement 

in the Parkinson’s annual fundraising event 

Signatures: A Taste Test of London’s Best. 

Shauna Versloot 

Chef & Coach/Owner, The Live Well Community 

“When I was eight years old my mom was 

diagnosed with stage-4 breast cancer. As 

an only child I was so scared to lose her. A 

doctor said to me ‘Try to be as healthy as you 

can so that you don’t get sick someday’ and 

I took that to heart. Fitness, nutrition and 

healthy cooking became my life,” says Shauna 

Versloot, chef, coach and owner of The Live 

Well Community. 

With education in Fitness and Lifestyle 

Management (George Brown College), 

Nutrition and Psychology (Western 

University), and Culinary Arts (Fanshawe 

College), a National Coaching Certification, 

and a culinary apprenticeship at the London 

Hunt and Country Club, Versloot combined 

Shauna Versloot & 

daughter Tenley 

her passions for fitness and foods to create 

Live Well Community, with her husband Dan. 

“I realized over the years that the keys 

to success were all about balance and living 

well,” she says. The Versloots are passionate 

about living a healthy lifestyle, and have built 

a community of like-minded people who 

participate in Live Well’s workouts, cooking 

classes and community events. “I feel like life 

throws curveballs at us that we can’t control 

— like cancer — but we can control our 

health and enjoyment of life to some extent.” 

Versloot’s first food memories are of 

picking vegetables in her grandfather’s 

garden and helping her grandmother with 

family dinners. “My vegetable garden is still 

my biggest hobby to this day and preparing 

and sharing a meal with others — which is 

basically what we do in our cooking classes — 

is one of my favourite things to do.” 

KYM WOLFE is freelance writer based in London. 

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March/April 2019 | 17



Restaurants 

A Delicious Destination 

The Village Teapot, in Ilderton 

By JANE ANTONIAK | Photos by BRUCE FYFE 

The 

millennial 

tea trend 

meets 

British pub food in 

an historic Ontario 

village house in 

Ilderton with the 

arrival of The Village 

Teapot. Add a splash 

of craft beer, wine and 

the occasional roast 

supper inside a cozy two-room parlour and 

you have the makings of a relaxing experience. 

The venture is the result of a new business 

partnership between two self-declared “moms”, 

Gaynor Deeks and Jana Yassine. They met 

through their children, who attended the same 

Oakridge neighbourhood school in London, 

developed a friendship and discovered they 

both had a passion for cooking. Deeks had 

operated a home daycare while Yassine was a 

full-time stay-at-home parent after managing a 

London hotel. Both had some customer service 

background and so when Deeks’s employment 

was winding down, they decided that the years 

of talking about opening a restaurant was ready 

to go to the next level. 

In early spring of 2017 they assumed the 

lease on an empty restaurant in an 1800s 

building in Ilderton 

after “falling in love 

with the house” says 

Deeks. Their families 

pitched in to help 

renovate the space, 

adding an accent of 

red throughout, with 

seating for 32. The 

hardwood floors and 

simple tables provide a 

cheery atmosphere. 

The Village Teapot 

opened in June 2017 

and the new business 

owners say they 

quickly learned their 

first hard lesson. “Get 

your feet wet first 

and learn the ropes of 

your business before 

your grand opening,” 

says Yassine. Deeks 

nods enthusiastically 

in agreement. “Do a 

soft opening,” is her 

advice to other first-time restaurant owners. 

However, neither have any regrets despite the 

exhaustion of serving 90 people in the first few 

hours of opening their doors. “I would just say 

go for it,” says Yassine. “We could have sat back 

with many reasons why we shouldn’t do it but 

we jumped in. We are confident we have a good 

product and, as they say, if you build it they will 

come,” she adds. 

They humbly describe their food as “honest 

and simple” but it is far more delightful then 

they give themselves credit for. Their signature 

scones are light and airy, served warm in several 

flavours: cheddar chive, raisin, cranberry 

lemon and plain. These are high quality, flavourful 

biscuit-like cakes that can be ordered 

on their own or as part of a Cream Tea service 

which includes clotted cream and preserves. 

The scones are also 

served alongside 

homemade soups, and 

sold for take-away by 

the dozen. 

Cornish pasty are 

also house-made. 

These famous British 

“all in one meal” 

pastry pockets are 

stuffed with a variety 

of fillings including 

ground beef with 

vegetables; spinach


and feta; sausage, scrambled egg, cheese and mushroom; 

and a vegetarian version that includes leeks, potatoes and 

seasonings in a creamy sauce. 

Another traditional British staple, the simple yet satisfying 

sausage roll, is a popular menu item which is also available for 

take-away. The duo also sell their sausage rolls and scones at 

the Ilderton Farmer’s Market in season. They are busy outside 

of the teahouse hours with catering. 

A traditional tea triple platter and a ploughman’s lunch is 

a lovely way to experience the Teapot’s yummy slow-roasted 

ham sandwiches alongside devilled egg, artisan cheeses 

with chutney, pickled onion, veggies with dip and desserts 

including Shaw’s Ice Cream, butter tarts, cookies and more. 

No afternoon tea is complete without a wide choice of 

teas. The Village Teapot offers at least 10 specialty teas in 

silk pyramid tea bags to enhance flavor release, served in 

individual red pots. “I feel like I’m in a candy store, taking 

the teas out of the jars”, says Deeks as she happily fills pots 

from the high bar counter. They also offer French press coffee, 

local craft beers and wines as well as sodas. Special occasion 

seasonal teas are planned for Easter and Mother’s Day. “Tea is 

really coming back with the younger age group,” says Yassine. 

A roast dinner is offered the first Sunday of the month. Past 

dinners have featured a traditional roast beef, lamb, and turkey. 

Both Deeks and Yassine share the cooking and front of 

house service roles with help from one staff member. This past 

year they had the honour of hosting CBC London Morning for 

a live remote broadcast. As well, they have put on a fashion 

show, bridal showers and hosted the popular Red Hat Society. 

Now, after almost a year in business, the women say what 

they enjoy most is the friendships they have made with 

customers, and being their own bosses. Their other advice to 

new business partners? “Make sure you really like each other,” 

says Yassine with a laugh. It is clear these two are successfully 

managing friendship with entrepreneurship while providing a 

delicious new destination. 

The Village Teapot 

13257 Ilderton Road, Ilderton 

519-298-TEAS (8327) 

villageteapot@gmail.com • www.thevillageteapot.ca 

wednesday to thursday: 10:30 am–3:30 pm 

friday: 10:30 am–7:30 pm 

saturday and sunday: 10 am–2 pm 

closed monday and tuesday 

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to Eatdrink and Communications 

Manager at King’s University College. 

BRUCE FYFE is a frequent photographer for Eatdrink and Head, User 

Experience & User Services, Western Libraries for Western University. 

TOP: Gaynor Deeks and Jana Yassine behind the counter at 

The Village Teapot in Ilderton. 

MIDDLE: The Ploughman’s Lunch: slow-roasted ham, artisan 

cheeses, pickled onion, crusty bread, fresh fruit. 

BOTTOM: Shaw’s ice cream served in a vintage teacup.



Spotlight 

Stratford Women in Food (2019) 

Seven Sisters with a Seat at the Table 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

S 

tratford has no 

shortage of outstanding 

women 

who have made 

inroads into a milieu that 

has been traditionally maledominated. 

Many Stratford 

women come to their 

professions, in part, with 

dedication to improving 

the world through access 

to food. The following list 

of culinary stalwarts is just 

the tip of the iceberg. 

Anne Campion 

Anne Campion 

Owner & Barista, revel 

Anne Campion is committed to the core values 

of social justice by procuring and serving 

ethically and sustainably produced direct 

trade coffee. She can be seen pulling espresso 

shots or making consistently perfect cortados 

at revel, her busy coffee shop off Stratford’s 

Market Square. Behind the scene, she’s 

ensuring that her business is modelling all 

aspects of the ethical culinary conversation. 

“Our desire to be for the 

good of our community, 

both locally and globally, 

informs all our decisions,” 

says Campion. 

Launched with the 

assistance of just two staff 

people, Campion now 

employs 18. In addition to 

baristas and front of house 

staff, two pastry chefs now 

bake all of Revel’s pastries 

in house, using products 

from many local farmers. 

A formative coffee relationship 

with Las Chicas 

Dee Christensen 

del Cafe (read about the 

sisters behind this business 

in our “Elgin Women in Food” 

story in this issue), who developed 

signature Nicaraguan 

blends for revel, continues, 

while a new association with 

transcend coffee + roastery 

in Edmonton, AB (founded in 

2006 by Poul Mark) is opening 

doors for new growth. 

Working with transcend’s 

green buyer, Josh Hockin, 

and an all-female roasting 

team led by Kate Sortland has 

allowed an expansion of revel’s 

exclusive coffee offerings. In 

the fall of 2018, Don Moncho 

from Costa Rica was featured. This winter, 

Rudy Perez from Guatemala was introduced. 

There will soon be another new coffee from 

Costa Rica, and Campion is especially excited 

about bringing in an exclusive coffee from 

Ethiopia later this spring. 

Building direct trade relationships with 

coffee growers through her partnerships with 

Las Chicas del Cafe and transcend coffee, and 

joining forces with other 

businesses to support local 

community initiatives, is as 

fundamental to Campion’s 

business as ensuring the 

proper brew and pour of the 

next great cup of coffee at 

revel. 

Dee Christensen 

Owner, The Planet Diner 

Restaurateur Dee Christensen 

is a writer, social advocate 

and the former owner/editorin-chief 

of Recovery Wire 

Magazine, a leading addiction 

magazine. Christensen used


her life experience as well as an academic 

background in Criminology and Social Work 

to establish the common interest publication. 

Fortified with hospitality experience and a 

background that includes experience as a 

financial manager for the field of commercial 

design and a Commercial Investment Analyst, 

Christensen conceptualized and opened The 

Planet Diner in 2018. With red metal flake 

upholstered booths and a 1950s vibe, the 

26-seat carnivore-friendly vegan diner with a 

14-seat seasonal patio is warm and welcoming 

with enthusiastic and well-informed staff. 

Christensen says, “This is where herbivores can 

bring their carnivore friends.” Most items on 

the menu are derived from plant-based foods 

with a few meat-based options. The fledgling 

diner has been a success since it opened. 

Michelle Hern 

Owner, Olive Your Favourites 

Michelle Hern became an entrepreneur later in 

life after already having had a successful career. 

Nearly a decade ago, while visiting her sister 

in Traverse City, Michigan, Hern discovered 

an upscale speciality shop offering unique 

and exceptional quality extra virgin olive 

oils (EVOO) sourced from around the world. 

Customers were invited to taste oils before 

purchasing from stainless containers called 

fustis. On subsequent visits, she would sample 

and purchase oils and vinegars that she offered 

to her friends and colleagues to taste. In the 

spring of 2011 while eating a salad prepared 

with the oils and vinegars she had purchased, 

she noticed the supplier’s contact information 

on the bottle and decided to contact them. 

Hern ended up talking to the CEO of the 

company and made pages of notes. Looking 

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for an entrepreneurial opportunity she began 

a laborious mission to find a perfect location 

for a store. With equal parts determination 

and passion she found the optimal location on 

York Street facing the Avon River to showcase 

her products. Olive Your Favourites carries 

dozens of types of EVOO, some infused 

with pure fruits and herbs, as well as dark 

and white balsamic vinegars. The latter are 

also pure products and made from grapes 

in Modena, Italy. Hern’s knowledgeable and 

down-to-earth approach and the ability to 

hire friendly, intelligent and well-versed 

sales personnel have led the business to 

tremendous success. 

Buffy Illingworth 

Owner, Edison Café Bar 

Buffy Illingworth’s mother Gail, an early 

advocate for vegetarianism and plant-based 

cuisine, graduated from Stratford Chef 

School’s in 1986. Gail held many respected 

chef positions in area restaurants before her 

passing in 2005. It was a love she passed on 

to her daughter. “Her passion for the culinary 

arts and expertise in food styling continues to 

inspire me,” says Illingworth. 

The sophisticated and cozy Edison Café 

Bar opened in October 2016 after months 

of renovations by Illingworth and her 

husband Greg Kuepfer. “I pulled from all my 

passions when creating Edison Café Bar,” says 

Illingworth who envisioned a whole foods 

café with a menu focused on clean eating. 

The result is innovative, compact and stylish, 

where patrons can feel good about what they 

are eating and drinking. 

Although Illingworth and Kuepfer can 

both boast a long relationship with food, 

it was Illingworth’s background in Design 

and Holistic Nutrition that inspired them 

Buffy Illingworth 


to open Edison’s. Illingworth took her time 

researching cafés, sourcing the best suppliers 

and creating the sophisticated interior. 

Born and raised in Stratford, Illingworth 

is no stranger to business. With a formal 

education in Horticulture and Garden Design, 

she operated her own thriving flower shop, 

designing floral arrangements for hundreds 

of weddings and events. The couple’s children 

all have played an integral role in helping to 

shape the family business. “We keep hours 

that reflect a well-balanced work week and 

allow us to be home for dinner with them 

every night,” says Illingworth. 

Eleanor Kane 

Co-founder, Stratford Chefs School 

Eleanor Kane is Ontario’s equivalent of 

American culinary icon Alice Waters, a 

comparison and opinion that is rooted in 

watching her numerous achievements over 

a 35-year period. In what began in 1977 as a 

“self-directed sabbatical from work,” Kane 

and business 

partner Marion 

Isherwood 

opened The Old 

Prune (then a 

tea room) in 

Stratford, which 

led to successful 

careers as 

restaurateurs. 

Later, with 

James Morris 

of Rundles 

Restaurant, 

Kane co-founded 

the Stratford 

Chefs School, an 

enterprise that 

evolved into 

Eleanor Kane 

a widely recognized pioneering restaurantfocused 

training program. 

A University of Alberta graduate (Masters 

of Science, Psychology), Kane also brought 

decades of restaurant experience as well 

as human resources skills to her work 

at Stratford Chefs School. A recipient of 

numerous accolades and awards, Kane 

remains in an advisory capacity on the 

Board. Recent Stratford Chef School’s 

International Guest Chef in Residence, Ryan 

Brown, described his immense respect for 

Kane, with her elegance, strong presence, 

and love for all things relating to gastronomy.


Carole Rowe 

Carole Rowe 

Owner, Watson’s Chelsea Bazaar 

Watson’s Chelsea Bazaar is a long-standing 

Stratford establishment, well known and 

loved by many for its quirky mix of housewares 

and 

gifts. It 

provides a 

unique shopping 

experience 

and is 

friendly and 

inviting. As 

a “bazaar” it 

has a little bit 

of everything, 

from useful 

kitchenware 

and European 

imported 

ceramics to 

glassware and 

unusual finds 

for your home. The proprietor of the shop is 

Carole Rowe, the fourth generation of this 

family business. 

Started by Carole’s great grandfather in 

1895, when he decided to leave undertaking 

and embrace retail, the business has evolved 

and taken some twists and turns over the 

years. Today Rowe, along with dedicated staff 

and family, works hard to bring it all together. 

“We are aware, in this day and age, everything 

can be bought online for the lowest price and 

maximum convenience… Everything except 

a unique experience,” says Rowe. “We try to 

keep the essence of the store what it has always 

been: old fashioned, in the best kind of way, 

and always interesting.” 

Rowe fondly remembers her dad, David 

Bradshaw, always saying, “It’s a fun business,” 

and for the most part, it has been. “I think my 

great grandfather would be very pleased to 

know that, almost 125 years later, the business 

is still going strong and still fun,” says Rowe. 

Shelley Windsor 

Vice-President, Windsor Hospitality Inc. 

Shelley Windsor is the Vice President Windsor 

Hospitality Inc., co-owner of Mercer Kitchen/ 

Beer Hall /Hotel, The Prune Restaurant & Bar 

One-Fifty-One as well as York Street Kitchen. 

Windsor is the former owner of Best Western 

The Parlour Historic Inn & Suites and owner/ 

director of Best Western London Airport Inn 

Continued on page 26 ... 

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Shelley Windsor 

Continued from page 23 ... 

and Suites. Having worked in just about every 

operational position in a hotel, some of her 

past positions have included Sales and Catering 

Manager, Director of Human Resource 

Services, Director of Sales, front desk clerk 

and bed & breakfast owner/operator. 

Windsor is also known for her community 

involvement on volunteer boards and 

committees, which have included the Stratford 

Tourism Alliance, Stratford and District 

Chamber of Commerce, Stratford Hockey 

Club, and, as a Marketing Chair, Best Western 

Ontario Quebec Co-op. Her philosophy of 

giving back to the community where you 

live and work has paid off by the support of 

locals in many of the Windsor Hospitality’s 

endeavours. Windsor’s day-to-day routine 

includes being involved in the short and long 

term planning of all of Windsor Hospitality 

businesses, research and development for 

new projects, human resources, customer 

services and public relations, sales marketing 

and social media. Windsor also specializes 

in re-positioning restaurants to achieve a 

healthier bottom line. Involved in hospitality 

and food and beverage consulting for other 

restaurants needing assistance, Windsor likes 

to mentor other women in business. 

Eatdrink Food Editor and Writer at Large BRYAN 

LAVERY brings years of experience in the restaurant, 

hospitality and tourism industry as a chef, restaurateur 

and partner at the Lavery Culinary Group. He helps shape 

Eatdrink both under his byline and behind the scenes.



Spotlight 

Elgin Women in Food (2019) 

Six Women Leading the Way 

As Told to TANYA CHOPP 

We interviewed six visionary Elgin 

County business owners on what 

it’s like to be running creative 

and challenging operations 

in food, hospitality and agriculture. We also 

asked them to describe women in business. 

While no two answers were exactly the same, 

there were some definite themes: Women in 

business have to be as resilient as they are 

driven, as passionate as they are nurturing 

and creative. Together, these women represent 

over a century of combined experience in food, 

hospitality and farming. Every business is more 

than a decade old, while some are nearing 40 or 

50 years of operation. 

Maria Fiallos and Val Fiallos- 

Soliman 

Las Chicas Del Cafe, St. Thomas 

Women in business, in three words: 

“Passionate. Brave. Challenging.” 

Val: When it comes to our business, what 

lights my fire is knowing that failing is 

not an option. We know how many people 

depend on the business continuing. It’s 

very close to us, from the relationships we 

have to the small coffee growers that we 

buy from, to seeing our grandfather and our 

dad go through being coffee growers as well. 

We’re so linked to their struggle. 

Maria: For me, roasting is a mixture of 

science and art. On the science side, there’s 

the chemical changes that happen in the 

coffee bean as you’re roasting, including 

caramelization, and dehydration. You have 

to understand how sugars behave, what 

density, temperature and airflow can do 

to influence your roast — and every bean, 

depending on its origin. 

Val: I think for us, one thing that 

differentiates us is that not only are we 

connected to the origin (part of the coffee 

we bring in is from our dad’s farm), it’s also 

the approach we take with our customers. 

We’re very connected. It’s all personal. 

This past harvest was a real challenge. We 

didn’t finish receiving the harvest until 

mid-November. However, having those 

tight relationships with our coffee partners 

was truly valuable. They were really 

understanding, knowing that what going on 

was beyond our control, but the quality of 

the beans was still very important. 

Maria: Personally, without sounding kind of 

cheesy or cliché, what I do really doesn’t feel 

like work, because there’s a greater purpose 

to our day than simply getting coffee orders 

out. Each day I’m thinking about the bigger 

picture: how we do justice to the coffee 

we’re roasting and make sure it’ll land in a 

place where it’ll be appreciated. And I don’t 

just mean that we want someone to think 

it’s delicious, we also want customers to feel 

Sisters Maria Fiallos, left, 

and Val Fiallos-Soliman


that connection and that they’re proud to 

have our coffee in their establishment. 

Running your own business, being selfemployed, 

is probably the most stressful. 

Your everyday challenges can range 

from big to absolutely terrifying. But, 

when there’s a bigger picture — like Val 

mentioned — there’s no option for us to 

say that it just won’t work. So we’re always 

focused on how we can get over the next 

hump. I don’t get hung up on those small 

everyday challenges because they’re really 

just a small step to get onto bigger steps of 

running a business. 

Maria: When it comes to the impact we 

hope to make, an important aspect of 

the business for us is that we help foster 

awareness. Sometimes, for people spending 

$15 to $20 on a pound of coffee, it can seem 

like a luxury item, but when you bring 

forth everything that’s involved in that 

pound of coffee and the repercussions, 

from where it’s produced, to how baristas 

are being paid, to how families who are 

working on plantations can benefit from a 

good market price, you can see how it’s a 

win-win situation. Awareness offers a segue 

into really caring more about the products 

we consume in general, whether it’s meat 

products, leather, food, coffee or more. 

Val: We have a direct relationship with our 

retailers and aim to be connected to our 

consumers. So for us, it all comes down to 

helping people to take that coffee home 

and be absolutely in love with what they’re 

tasting. That’s how we’ve been able to 

really grow. We don’t have the finances and 

resources and big marketing campaigns or 

fancy packaging, but we’ve really focused 

on offering quality coffee. 

Kim Saunders 

The Windjammer Inn, Port Stanley 

Women in business, in three words: “Resilient. 

Persistent. Nurturing.” 

My work is my passion. I call it a lifestyle, not 

a career. I love working with food and drinks, 

experimenting, creating, feeding people — 

discovering new ingredients, combinations, 

exploring authentic recipes, and delving into 

the rich culture of food. My work feeds my soul, 

my heart, and my mind. It is never the same 

day twice, which always keeps it interesting! 

I work with a palette of tastes and textures 

as well as colours and visuals. Every dish has 


Kim Saunders 

a little of my heart and soul in it and although 

the end results don’t physically last (hopefully 

they get eaten!) the memory created is also 

part of the art. 

I feel whole when working in a kitchen. It 

helps to balance and focus me. I love noticing 

the nuances of a dish or ingredient as it comes 

together, the sounds, smells, tastes and 

sight of food and cooking comforts me and 

energizes me. I find it truly satisfying at the 

end of the day, knowing that I have put my 

time and energy into something that affects 

those around me in a productive, positive way. 

Food links us all through time and space. 

Restaurants connect a network of farmers 

and suppliers with the guests. We create 

experiences and memories that tie us all 

together into a larger whole. Food is central 

in most cultures to celebrations and comfort. 

In times of joy and sorrow, prosperity and 

challenge, we gather around the table and 

eat. We bring people together, teach and 

tempt, satisfy the hunger physically, and often 

emotionally ... All in a day’s work! 

Brenda Smith 

Pinecroft Green Frog Tearoom, Aylmer 

Women in business, in three words: “Sincere. 

Engaged. Driven.” 

We find satisfaction in providing a unique 

experience for our customers: from the freshly 

prepared menu to the visual experience of the 

entire property. Providing good value for their 

money, and making sure that our business is a 

great place to work for our employees. Since we


are a “public relations service industry,” I strive 

to make everyone’s experience the best it can be. 

Pinecroft opened in May, 1948 as a pottery 

studio, and remains the longest continuously 

Brenda Smith 


make me over zealous about food presentation, 

balance, and the ever important first impression 

of the food when it arrives at the table. 

When I’m at work, I feel empowered, 

energized and thankful. Every day, someone 

thanks us for what we offer at Pinecroft. From 

the moment someone drives in the laneway, 

they begin to evaluate the business. We 

endeavour to make it the best experience, and 

one that will bring them back because of our 

good service, great food and beautiful scenery. 

A complete package. 

operating studio in Canada. The tearoom was 

opened in 1978 by my mother and I to service 

the customers, who, at that time, were making 

a long drive out into the country to purchase 

our pottery. Both my son and daughter work 

with us in the business, with the intention 

that they will one day take over the operation. 

I love what I do, and I wouldn’t do it if I 

didn’t. Pinecroft represents a dream come true 

and a special place that, as a family, we are 

happy to share with everyone. After toughing 

out the first 35 years or so of running 

the restaurant, my son now manages the 

financial/business side, my daughter oversees 

all operations in the kitchen, my husbands 

bakes all the fresh bread and rolls and I 

continue to fill in where needed as cook, baker 

or sometimes server, while I am also filling the 

role of resident studio potter. 

There is an element to artistry to what I do, 

for sure. Being a ceramic artist first tends to 

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Open for Lunch and Dinner 

Tuesday through Saturday 

www.fatolive.ca 

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519-268-0001 

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519-773-3435 

www.pinecroft.ca


Suzanne Steed 

Steed & Co. Lavender,Central Elgin 

Women in business, in three words: “Creative. 

Determined. Confident.” 

With a passion for gardening and landscape 

design, I developed an agri-tourism business 

where we provide visitors with an experience 

for the senses. I have developed all of our 

handcrafted products as well as our culinary 

line of lavender inspired food products. I also 

manage the day-to-day operations at our farm. 

Operating a farm brings new challenges every 

day and there is always something going on. I 

enjoy these challenges, even though I sometimes 

struggle through the difficult ones. But when 

a visitor comes to me and says, “Thank you for 

creating a beautiful place to visit,” it makes me 

smile and feel very proud of what I do. 

There is absolutely an element of artistry 

in what I do! I take a lovely, fragrant herb 

(lavender) and create many specialty culinary 

products. For example using this herb in 

our culinary products can be tricky as it can 

overpower foods, so I’m always aiming to 

achieve a balance that is both interesting and 

enjoyable to the palate. 

When you’re a business owner, you’re 

always thinking about your business. I can’t 

describe what it’s like to be in the zone, 

because I’m never out of it. I’m always mulling 

over different ideas, conducting research and 

finding that inspiration comes to me at all 

hours, including in the middle of the night. 

Recently, I was thinking about our jams and 

Suzanne Steed 


wondering about what a combination of 

lavender and orange would be like. How would 

the flavour interact with the citrus notes? 

With our culinary products, I create the 

recipes, and pass them along to production, 

but with our soaps, I’m often creating them 

— so I’m in a productive zone then too. Plus, 

when I’m out in the community, I find that 

my business has become part of my identity. I 

was just in the grocery store and had someone 

come up to me and ask, “Aren’t you the 

lavender lady?” My business is always there. 

It becomes a part of who you are, and I’m sure 

any business owner could relate. 

It always amazes me how people never think 

to consider lavender as an edible herb. After 

travelling through France, eating at French 

restaurants and speaking to many people who 

live there, I found that lavender is a popular 

ingredient in many dishes — from desserts to 

main courses featuring fish and chicken. 

Lavender is the same family as mint. If you 

look at a lavender spike, it’s square — and 

if you look at a mint stem, it’s square also. 

We’re familiar with mint’s strong flavour, 

and lavender’s strength is similar. However, 

lavender has the ability to really enhance 

flavours. We have a raspberry-strawberry 

preserve, and lavender picks up the raspberry 

and helps it pop. It also enhances the flavour 

of our dark chocolate, and the vanilla in our ice 

cream. It’s remarkable in that way: it enhances 

whatever you use it with, but adds a floral note. 

I hope that our lavender farm offers visitors 

an opportunity to escape from their hectic 

lives, to a peaceful rural setting, where they 

can stroll amongst the millions of beautiful 

lavender flowers from mid-June to mid-July. 

I encourage visitors to learn many of the great 

attributes this herb has to offer, including; 

growing, harvesting and cooking with lavender. 

Lauren Vandixhoorn 

SoLo on Main, Port Stanley 

Women in Business, in three words: 

“Empower. Inspire. Talent.” 

Knowing that my work in any aspect of the 

restaurant will result in a satisfied customer 

is what lights my fire. That’s what my work 

means to me too, that’s whole point: to make 

people happy. The music, the ingredients, 

drinks, the staff, decisions I make everyday 

are all for the good of the customer. It’s 

simple, and that’s what I like. 

I also want people to find that when they



good, and then try my own version of it. A lot 

of chefs are inspired that way — by a dish that 

you start tweaking until it becomes yours. 

Good times are had at SoLo on Main! We’re 

inviting and we’re approachable. It’s just a 

chill place to enjoy some delicious, quality 

food, listen to awesome music and enjoy the 

view. I’ve worked very hard to make it so. 

TANYA CHOPP is a local writer and communications 

professional who enjoys exploring and writing on topics 

related to local food and culture, humour and fitness. 

Lauren Vandixhoorn 

dine here, there’s incredible value that goes 

into the experience they have. I believe that a 

restaurant provides more than just a place to 

eat — it offers a whole experience. 

I always knew that this is what I wanted 

to do. I grew up in Port Stanley, and I 

remember walking on the docks across from 

this restaurant with my friend when I was 15, 

talking about what we were going to do when 

we were older, and thinking, ”I’m going to own 

a restaurant for sure.” I always knew I’d be a 

chef. I’m the kind of person who has to be in 

charge, and when the opportunity came, I felt 

like I was ready and knew I could do it. When 

you’re put into a position where you have to 

do it, it just happens. 

There’s a level of workmanship in creating 

a menu, it has a flow, a balance. My menu has 

a personal touch that’s part of the vibe. It 

largely dictates the style of the restaurant. 

I’m inspired by the restaurants that I love 

to eat at, and even by social media. I might 

see a picture of something, feel like it looks 

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Spotlight 

Sarnia-Lambton/Huron County 

Women in Food (2019) 

Entrepreneurs in Good Taste 

As Told to NANCY LOUCKS-McSLOY 

Berni Gelinas 

Kitchen Widgets, Sarnia 

In business since 1995, we are a gourmet 

kitchen store, catering to those who love to 

cook or want to make cooking easier. From 

cookware to bakeware, dinnerware, knives and 

widgets “we find the right tools for the right 

job.” Many of our products are Canadian-made. 

We provide the necessary items for 

preparation and serving of food and drink. We 

love birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and 

“just because” occasions so we also provide a 

gift registry. 

The fact that we are in our 24th year of 

business is very satisfying, but best of all are 

the many amazing people we have met during 

our journey. 

I am not really one to give advice. I feel 

that each situation is unique. Different times, 

different measures. 

We have worked hard during the past several 

years doing something we love. We were 

honoured to be the CGTA Retailer of the Year. 

I say “we” because I could never have done it 

without the people around me. You are only as 

good as the people you surround yourself with. 

Leanne Kavanagh 

Shopbike Coffee Roasters, Bayfield 

My partners and I dreamed up Shopbike one 

cold Bayfield winter, six years ago. We had 

a vision of a vibrant Bayfield surrounded by 

craft breweries and wineries. We pictured 

roasted coffee and a cute café, smack dab in 

the middle… so we ordered a coffee roaster, 

sourced green coffee beans and taught 

ourselves how to roast them. 

We have evolved in six years. We team meet at 

the end of every season, shave off what didn’t fit 

and dream up new ideas for next season. 

As an all-season business we have learned 

to enjoy the ebb and flow of Bayfield, super 

busy in the summer, slower in the winter. 

Leanne Kavanagh 

We have many local suppliers such as 

Ferguson Apiaries and Bayfield Maple Syrup as 

well as New Age Port Stanley, Culture Shock and 

others. We wholesale to places such as Cowbell 

Brewery in Blyth, The Black Dog Pub and Bistro 

in Kincardine, and Killer Cupcakes in Guelph. 

I develop roasts with our business partner/ 

roaster Shaun Henry. I am also responsible for 

client relations, staffing, café creations, front 

of house, deliveries, bill paying, mopping 

floors, you name it! As a small business owner, 

you take it all on. I am also involved with the 

Bayfield and Area Chamber of Commerce as 

president 2018/2019. In my free time I work 

on the promotion of Bayfield as a food and 

drink destination for tourism. 

I love working with many other businesses, 

the unlimited coffee and the freedom to be 

creative. 

What made the choice easy for me was that I 

love coffee. I wanted to learn more, such as how 

to roast and how to make drinks. Most of all 

when I see someone enjoy something I helped 

create, it feels so good. If you love it, do it! 

My passions and drive have allowed me a 

lovely little life with my friends and daughter 

in one of the most beautiful places to live. I 

can hear the lake and drink a latte whenever I


want. It is not without dedication and hours 

in the day, but it is totally worth it. 

Anne Kurtz-Alton 

Alton Farms Estate Winery, Plympton-Wyoming 

My husband and I own a small vineyard and 

winery in Lambton county. In 2005 this city 

mouse moved to the country. The following 

spring we planted grapes with no experience 

or expertise. We began with one acre and by 

2013, with 6 acres behind us, we obtained 

our winery retail licence from the LCBO and 


opened the winery. To this day the planting, 

pruning, tying and picking is all done by hand. 

At harvest time we press the grapes through 

an Italian grape press, sometimes as much as 

20 tons in a season. When the wine is finished 

it is gravity fed into the bottles. The corks and 

labels are done singly. 

Along with the manufacturing of the wine, we 

sell our wine in our retail store and tasting bar as 

well as at LCBO stores and farmer’s markets. 

Most satisfying about the business? Naturally, 

the wine, the end product! Watching 

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Always Closed Monday 

Reservations Recommended 

519.238.6224 

42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend 

www.finearestaurant.com 

Benmiller Inn & Spa 

as always, like never before 

www.benmiller.ca | 519-524-2191 | 1-800-265-1711

Girlfriend Getaways & MORE! 

Time to plan your next 

Road Trip to Lambton County! 

Our new drink trail allows you to sip 

and savour in any order you prefer. 

Dark Horse Estate Winery 

Twin Pines Orchards 

& Cider House 

Widder Station Golf, 

Stonepicker Grill & Brewing Tap House Co. 

Refined Fool (2 locations) 

Stonepicker Brewing Co. 

Widder Station Golf, Grill & Tap House 

Munro Honey & Meadery 

Twin Pines Orchards & Cider House 

Alton Farms Estate Winery 

Dark Horse Estate Winery 

Wave Limousines & Tours 

Download the trail map at 

www.ontbluecoast.com 

1 800 265 0316 

Forest Glen Herb Farm 

Anne Kurtz-Alton 

people as they taste the wines, telling them 

our story and teaching them basic wine facts 

is very rewarding. 

Getting into the wine industry, especially, 

requires a lot of knowledge and skill. I had 

neither so it must be a passion. There are many 

different aspects to Ontario’s wine industry, all 

of which are equally challenging to both sexes. 

As a mother of five, my focus until 2005 

was my family. Since then I have learned 

many skills! Driving a tractor with no breaks, 

working heavy equipment, viticulture, wine 

making, marketing, accounting and retail, to 

name a few. I became a farmer. 

When I look back, I would have never 

dreamed of my husband Marc and I owning 

and running a winery and vineyard. 

Caitlin Vail 

Cait’s Café, Goderich 

Cait’s Café is a coffee shop in downtown 

Goderich specializing in European pastry and 

espresso beverages. We offer a full lunch menu 

of deli sandwiches, soups, salads and a variety 

of house-made treats such as muffins, cookies 

and squares. 

I am the owner/operator along with my 

husband Spencer. One of my major roles is 

to produce the baked goods. You will also 

find me scheduling employees, making 

espresso, clearing tables, washing dishes, 

ordering from local farmers and responding 

to catering inquiries. 

There are three things that are very satisfying 

about this business. Seeing how happy our


customers are. We have many regulars and the 

community support has been incredible. They 

love our place. With no family nearby for either 

of us, the community is our family. 

Working with local farmers and producers 

has been an honour for us. Knowing that 

our produce, eggs, cheese, coffee beans, etc. 

come from high quality sources is what sets 

us apart. We love the idea that when someone 

supports our business, they are supporting a 

string of other local businesses and producers. 

Lastly, seeing our staff strive and enjoy 

their working environment is very satisfying. 

Hearing them laugh and enjoy themselves 

is music to my ears. They work hard, so it is 

important to know they are also finding joy in 

what they do. 

While your passion can take you places, it 

is the hard work and perseverance that will 

take you all the way. You must be physically 

and mentally prepared, knowing that there 

is a lot of stress and long hours. If you have 

a strong work ethic, you can go far. Set 

measurable goals both long and short term, 

to keep you on track and to keep the business 

growing and exciting. 

I just became a mom to our beautiful 

daughter, Gabrielle. I joked with my husband 

that if you can start your own food and beverage 

business, you can do anything. I wasn’t quite 

prepared for motherhood, but it is rewarding. 

The community loves seeing her at the café. 

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Caitlin Vail



Melissa White 

Soups Up!/Sticky Fingers, Sarnia 

Upon graduating from college, I wanted 

my own business. I created a business plan 

and opened Sticky Fingers in 2003. I started 

off small, as my belief is to grow when you 

know what sells. In 2010 I took over the unit 

beside Sticky Fingers and prepared to open 

Soups Up! The day that it was to open I was 

hospitalized. That same day a woman drove 

into our newly renovated building. We opened 

after rebuilding in December 2010. We have 

“Where Everyone Knows 

You’re Game” 

Year Round Restaurant & Bar 

Using the Best of Local Ingredients 

from Neighbouring Producers 

72538 Hwy. 21, Zurich ON 

519-236-4030 

whitesquirrelgolfclub.com 

Melissa White 

since moved to 1143 Confederation Street, are 

busier than ever, and planning an expansion. 

We provide a large selection of homemade 

soups, kaisers and cinnaminis to our walk-in 

customers and through on-line ordering. We 

also have a catering business. 

From day one I have played a key role in 

all aspects of the café, from business plans to 

mopping floors as well as the catering business. 

Being my own boss and being creative are 

satisfying. Fighting for every dollar I make, I 

appreciate it more. 

Many times, I wanted to give up! People 

doubt you, so be tough and persevere. I am 

a people pleaser which is an advantage and 

a disadvantage. It upsets me when someone 

isn’t happy, but it has made me stronger and 

the business better by improving our ways. 

I have been nominated for and won several 

awards for “Young Entrepreneur of the Year” 

and “Outstanding Business of the Year”. 

Thank you to family, staff and customers. 

NANCY LOUCKS-MCSLOY is a freelance writer who 

loves cooking and entertaining. Her work has appeared in 

Eatdrink and many other publications. 

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Beer 

If You Love It, Do It 

Women in Beer 

by GEORGE MACKE 


First, there was water and grain. In 

the kitchens of ancient Egypt and 

Iraq, women knew exactly what to do. 

Make beer. 

A lot has changed in the 4,000 years since, 

but thanks to the craft beer revolution we’ve 

come full circle on at least one thing. Women 

in beer no longer means sexualization in 

advertising. It means brewing, bottling, and 

innovative marketing. 

Diana Salazar, head brewer at Forked 

River Brewing in London since 2015, took an 

international route. When the bartending 

classes she was taking in her native Colombia 

led to a microbrewery tour, she became 

focused on getting involved beyond serving. 

Salazar started searching for post-secondary 

brewing programs and landed at Niagara 

College. 

While her graduating year creation at 

Niagara was a wheat beer flavoured with 

tamarillo, Salazar’s personal taste in beer 

shifts frequently and now centres on IPAs 

instead of Scottish ales. 

“Women drink everything,” she said. 

That’s true, but differences are noted at 

craft beer festivals, often a person’s first 

experience with sampling the plethora of craft 

beers available. A man is more likely to ask 

to try a craft beer “like the big beer I’ve been 

drinking” while a woman might spy a fruit 

beer and start exploring from there. 

“It has more to do with beer knowledge 

than gender,” said Emily Ramsey, who works 

in post-fermentation (the position is called 

“cellarman” in some breweries) at Forked 

River. 

Ramsey, who learned on the job at Great 

Lakes Brewery in Toronto, said the image of 

craft breweries being workplaces for young, 

white males has changed a lot, thanks to 

groups and advocates such as the Society of 

Beer Drinking Ladies, the Pink Boots Society, 

and Queen of Craft. And Salazar notes 

Niagara College’s brewing program reserves 

three spots per semester for women. 

Craft brewery taprooms are not your 

grandmother’s ladies and escorts rooms. 

They’re community centres, with everything 

from beer yoga classes at Anderson Craft Ales 

in London to paint nights, trivia contests, and 

board games at various breweries. 

At Black Swan Brewing in Stratford, 

retail, brewery and social media assistant 

Post-fermentation worker Emily Ramsey, left, and 

head brewer Diana Salazar of Forked River Brewing in 

London are among the women playing key roles in the 

craft beer industry.


Meghan Landers is an assistant with retail, brewing and 

social media at Stratford’s Black Swan Brewing. “Even 

though you will face adversity, don’t let it stop you.” 


Meghan Landers said women enjoy pairing 

conversation with a new craft beer discovery 

or standby favourite. 

“I think the best thing about drinking in a 

brewery as a woman is when other women are 

there,” she said. “We go through a lot of the 

same experiences, so knowing other women 

are there is always comforting. If you see me 

behind the bar, you know I got you!” 

She also has a go-for-it attitude when it 

comes to landing a job in craft brewing. 

“As simple as it sounds, I would say if you 

love it, do it. Your passion and knowledge will 

always stand and even though you will face 

adversity, don’t let it stop you.” 

Aynsley Anderson of Anderson Craft Ales in 

London agreed. 

“All of our jobs can be done by any gender,” 

she said. “There are obviously role-specific 

qualifications, but otherwise the common 

thread is a person that is dedicated and 

genuinely interested in furthering the local, 

independent beer movement.” 

Gender neutrality extends to marketing and 

to a taproom drinking environment that’s more 

like a living room than an old school beer hall.



“We don’t market specifically to any 

gender,” she said. “We market to people 

that are interested in a quality product 

and who want to enjoy it in a friendly and 

welcoming environment. Our aim is to 

foster an environment where people feel 

welcome chatting with our staff and family or 

alternately enjoying a quiet beer with friends, 

family, solo, etc. No pressure.” 

Still, there have been flashpoints with some 

craft breweries and their questionable choices 

of names for their beers — sexist names 

or labels which could cost breweries female 

customers. 

“All industries should be striving to market 

their product in a way that doesn’t offend 

people’s basic human rights,” Anderson said. 

“So, hopefully breweries will step up to think 

of more creative marketing techniques than 

the Mad Men or shock value approach.” 

GEORGE MACKE is a Southwestern Ontario craft beer 

explorer who spends too much time at the LCBO and craft 

breweries. 

Aynsley Anderson, a co-owner at Anderson Craft Ales in 

London, has the role of overseeing “big picture” social 

media, marketing and facilities plans. Above, she checks 

on the brewery’s products at the LCBO. 

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Wine 

Remembering Michèle Bosc 

A Champion of Ontario Wine 

by GARY KILLOPS 

On January 10, the shocking news spread 

quickly via social media that Michèle Bosc 

had passed away following chemotherapy 

treatments after cancer surgery. She was a 

well-known figure in Ontario’s wine industry. The Bosc 

family own and operate Château des Charmes winery in 

Niagara-on-the-Lake. Michèle was VP of marketing and 

administration. 

Michèle Bosc was responsible for staff training 

and development, trade relations, advertising and 

marketing, as well as the guest experience and 

hospitality programs at the winery. She was also 

the winery representative on various marketing and 

tourism committees in the region. 

An engaging and passionate social marketer for the 

family’s winery, her last tweet was on New Year’s Eve. 

“Thank you for sharing all of the ways that you enjoyed 

our wines over the holiday season — it is truly the best 

gift that we could receive. Cheers to 2019!” 

As word quickly spread, heartfelt messages of 

condolence, including these, were posted on the 

Château des Charmes Facebook page. 

“Our i4C family would like to share our profound 

sympathy with the Boscs, Michèle’s family and 

everyone at Château des Charmes. We are stunned and 

we grieve. And we also honour Michèle’s incredible 

commitment to our wine industry, and her indelible 

role as a communicator and ambassador.” 

— Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration 

“Michèle was a valued colleague here in Niagara-onthe-Lake 

and her influence was also felt right across the 

Canadian wine landscape. She will be missed …” 

— Reif Estate Winery 

“Michèle Bosc was a beautiful example of what it 

means to give her everything to customer service, 

she was an ambassador to exemplary experiences at 

Château des Charmes, was so supportive to women in 

business and such a mentor to so many — especially 

those that worked closest with her at the winery.” 

— Cathy Davis 

Michèle Bosc, seen below with her husband Paul, was an inspiring 

ambassador for Ontario wines in her role with Château des Charmes. 

Photo by CL Buchanan


“To all of us women in wine, we have lost a 

strong, vibrant, inspirational, super intelligent, 

witty, leader. She was a guru of social media 

marketing in wine as an early adopter and then 

a market leader. As a colleague on the wine 

marketing council, her voice resonated with a 

true passion for our industry. So sad, she will 

be truly missed by so many.” 

— Danielle Giroux 

Michèle Bosc’s favourite quote about the 

family’s winery was “Making wine is not what 

we do, it’s who we are.” She was the 

wife of Paul Bosc Jr., the mother of 

their son Alex, and also a daughter 

and a sister. And an ambassador for 

the Ontario wine industry. 

In recognition of Michèle’s 

life and her contribution to the 

Ontario wine industry, here are 

some wine recommendations 

from her family’s winery. 

Château des Charmes Brut 

Sparkling (Vintages #224766, 

$25.95) — Michèle loved sparkling 

wine and was a promoter of 

Ontario bubbly. She was always 

Alton Farms 

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Available at the winery, select LCBOs & farmers’ markets 

5547 Aberarder Line, Plympton-Wyoming 

519-899-2479 • altonfarmsestatewinery.com 

An EPIC Wine Region 

that shares latitude, 

not attitude. 

We pride our winery experiences 

as being laid back and fun. Enjoy 

our scenic wine route by taking an 

unforgettable road trip, or if you’re 

feeling adventurous, pedal your way 

around the shores. 

Fun Fact! 

Our EPIC Wine Region shares the same 

latitude as some of the worlds most 

renowned wine making regions, including 

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excited to talk about Château des Charmes 

wines, especially this one. Produced the same 

way as Champagne, (traditional method) 

with Ontario chardonnay and pinot noir 

grapes, this dry (brut) effervescent wine 

offers apple and pear fruit notes with terrific 

acidity. Secondary fermentation occurs in the 

bottle and it is aged at least two years before 

disgorgement, resulting in the added bready 

notes and creamy texture. Michèle’s favourite 

food pairing for this wine was popcorn. It 

was elected as an LCBO Vintages Essential 

(a collection of approximately 100 fine wines 

and spirits from around the world that are 

proven favourites, represent the county and 

region well and are usually available.) 

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 

Celebrating Tea 

and Kombucha in 

London, Ontario 

Londonteafestival.ca 

LTKFinfo@gmail.com 

Château des Charmes Vidal 

Icewine (Vintages #565861, $27.96 

/ 200mL bottle) — The day after 

Michèle’s death, Château des 

Charmes had to harvest the grapes 

for the 2018 icewine. When it is ready 

to be released, there are plans in the 

works that this Icewine will have a 

special label in honour of Michèle. 

The 2017 vintage is currently 

available at LCBO stores and the 

winery. Super sweet, candied 

apricot, honey and marmalade. 

Michèle recommended pairing with 

crème brûlée. 

Château des Charmes Paul Bosc 

Estate Vineyard 2016 Pinot Noir 

(VINTAGES #332858, $38.95) — This 

is a good representation of a topshelf 

Ontario pinot noir. Red cherry 

fruit lead, with earthy forest floor 

and smoky notes. It is a mediumbodied 

wine that is elegant in old 

world style. Michèle’s pairing 

suggestion — herb-encrusted 

rack of lamb or cedar-planked 

salmon with a hoisin glaze. 

GARY KILLOPS is a CAPS Certified 

Sommelier who loves to talk, taste, and 

write about wine. He shares his tasting 

notes on EssexWineReview.com 

SPONSORED BY:


Music 

I Feel it Coming 

Upcoming Highlights on the Music Scene 


By GERRY BLACKWELL 

Spring is in the air! Okay, maybe we’re 

still buried in snow and icy winds still 

blow, but the end is definitely in sight. 

It will get lighter, and milder. It will. 

In the meantime, we have music to warm us. 

Jeff Healey called him “the finest blues 

guitarist in Canada.” Bob Dylan said he’d be 

famous if he hailed from Chicago. They were 

talking about Jack de Keyzer. London Music 

Club has the Jack de Keyzer Duo on Thursday, 

March 21 (7:30 pm/8:30 pm). The man has two 

Junos, seven Maple Blues Awards and a 2018 

album, CheckMate, to showcase. De Keyzer 

needs to be heard, you need to hear him. 

Jack de Keyzer 

Speaking 

of Junos, 

the Canadian 

music 

industry’s 

2019 Juno 

Awards 

show is 

coming to 

Budweiser 

Gardens, 

March 17 (8 

pm). CBC 

will televise 

it live, but 

you can be 

there. Sarah McLachlan hosts and scheduled 

performers include Loud Luxury and 2019 

Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Corey 

Hart. There will be others. 

TD Sunfest is bringing Rosie & The 

Riveters to the Cuckoo’s Nest Folk Club, 

aka Chaucer’s Pub, on Wednesday, March 20 

(7:30 pm). The trio’s 2018 album, Ms. Behave, 

rode the U.S. Top Ten folk music charts for 

17 weeks. Billboard called it “powerful and 

daring.” It’s music for the #MeToo era — “a 

collection of gritty, sultry, vintage-inspired 

folk anthems that paint a portrait of a 

woman’s voice in a man’s world.” 

Western Music’s lunchtime “Fridays 12:30” 

concert series winds up its season with Light 

of East Ensemble. The London-based septet 

plays von Kuster Hall (Music Building) on 

Friday, March 22 (12:30 pm). LoEE plays music 

of the Near and Middle East — Armenian, 

Greek, Sephardic, Arabic. Intrigued? Check 

out their latest album, Live at Aeolian Hall, at 

goo.gl/DD2yiN. 

Light of East Ensemble 

Rosie & The Riveters 

Come for the concert, (12:00-12:30 pm), and 

stay for lunch ($8). Upcoming Friday Lenten 

Noon Recitals And Lunch at First-St. Andrew’s 

United Church: Alastair Smyth, Baritone 

on March 22. Laudamus Bells, Terry Head, 

Director on March 29. Lynda Kennedy and 

Terry Head Piano Duo on April 5. Admission 

is by free will donation.


Sticking with world music, Sunfest is bringing 

Canadian flamenco-etcetera guitarist and 

composer Jesse Cook to Aeolian Hall on Friday, 

March 22 (7 pm/8 pm). Juno-winner Cook, 

born and partly raised in France, studied both 

flamenco and classical guitar. His music builds 

on those and other traditions, including jazz 

and Latin. If you love guitar, check him out (goo. 

gl/KFH9e7). He’s a master. (If you can’t make 

the London date, Cook is playing Brantford’s 

Sanderson Centre on Tuesday, March 19, 8 pm.) 

Bahamas 

Jesse Cook 

The last time multi-Juno-winning singersongwriter 

Bahamas (Afie Jurvanen) came 

to town, his shows sold out quickly. London 

Music Hall has the popular troubadour, 

along with opener Ben Rogers, on Tuesday, 

March 26 (7 pm/8 pm). My guess: if you like 

Bahamas, you’ll like Rogers. The latter is a 

little more traditional Americana, but with 

similarly catchy, intelligent songs. Bahamas 

is touring his 2018 album, Earthtones. Rogers’ 

latest, Wildfire, drops in March. 

Hometown sweetheart Denise Pelley 

appears with The Ken Foster Quartet, part 

of the free Jazz for the People concert series 

at Wolf Performance Hall (Central Library). It 

goes Wednesday, March 27 (7:15 pm–8:45 pm). 

For more free concerts: goo.gl/F5ePKS. Did we 

mention they’re free? 

London Symphonia, the reincarnation of 

Orchestra London, offers an intriguing program 

on Tuesday, April 2 at the Talbot Street Church 


(7:30 pm). 

Percussion 

soloist 

Beverley 

Johnston — 

vibraphone 

and cloud 

gongs! — 

joins the 

orchestra’s 

strings 

for Greek- 

Canadian 

Denise Pelley 

composer 

Christos Hatzi’s piece, Mirage. Rounding out the 

program, concert master Joseph Lanza takes a 

solo turn on some much more familiar music by 

Vivaldi. (For more LS concerts: goo.gl/LEFZMA.) 

Jazz fans take note. There’s a new band in 

town — well, sort of new. The London Jazz 

Sextet, formed with members of London’s 

Prime Time Big Band, debuts at London 

Music Club on Thursday, April 4 (7 pm/8 

pm). Expect the classics — Davis, Coltrane, 

Adderly, Monk, etc. — but in fresh new 

arrangements by the band. 

The Jeffery Concerts, the long-running 

chamber music series, presents one of London’s 

own musical treasures. World-renowned violist 

Sharon Wei appears in “Sharon Wei & Friends” 

at Wolf Performance Hall, Friday, April 5 (8 pm). 

Wei, who has worked with great orchestras and 

conductors, is a professor at Western’s music 

school. The program includes music by Hummel, 

Mendelsshon and lesser known early-Romantic 

composer Bernhard Heinrich Romberg. (For 

more Jeffery concerts: goo.gl/ct9Hst.) 

Canadian blues guitar mainstay Colin James 

comes to the Bud on Monday, April 8 (7:30 pm). 

James has been on a roll lately with two wellreceived 

and best-selling albums, 2016’s Blue 

Highways and 2018’s Miles To Go. Both spent 

time on roots/blues charts in Canada and the 

U.S. James has been at it a long time. Now, it 

seems, he’s an overnight sensation. 

The international success of her 2014 album, 

Compostela, took singer-songwriter Jenn 

Grant around the world. She’s back home now, 

touring with music from her 2017 follow-up, 

Paradise. Grant is at Aeolian Hall, Thursday, 

April 11 (7 pm/8 pm). Sometime collaborator 

Buck 65 (aka CBC Radio 2 DJ Rich Terfry) called 

her “one of the best singers in the world.” True? 

Come and find out. (If you miss her at Aeolian, 

Grant plays Dominion Telegraph in Paris on 

Thursday, April 18, 7 pm.)


I’ve asked the question before: how does 

little Brantford get premier acts that never 

make it to London? Brantford’s Sanderson 

Centre has jazz star Sonja Gustafson with 

Mitchell & Kathryn Baran Family Foundation 

present 

Jenn Grant 

the Jim Clayton Quartet on Monday, April 

15 (8 pm). Two nights later, same time, it’s pop 

music legend Chubby Checker. The guy must 

be about 100, but apparently still twists the 

night away. Brantford is only an hour away. 

American alt-rocker Neko Case, once 

and still occasionally lead singer of Canada’s 

New Pornographers, hits London Music Hall 

on Sunday, April 21 (7 pm). Case is touring 

her solo Hell-On album, released last year to 

strong reviews. It was recorded in Stockholm, 

Sweden. (We’re not sure why either.) Edgy, 

vaguely punk aesthetic. 

The Grand Theatre closes out its season 

with a revival of Mamma Mia!, the hit movie 

with soundtrack by Abba that found new life 

as a stage musical. Harmless, slightly sappy 

fun, catchy tunes. 

The Magisterra at the Museum chamber 

music series finishes up on Thursday, May 2 

(7 pm) at Museum London with “Eight.” The 

concert features members of the Londonbased 

collective founded and directed by 

German-born violinist Annette-Barbara 

Vogel. It features octets and sextets by 

Brahms and Brahms protégé Ferdinand 

Theriot, and a new commissioned work by 

local composer Edgar Suski. 

ARTY-PARTY 

& SILENT ART 

AUCTION 

In support of Unity Project & Museum London 

APRIL 27, 2019 @ 6 PM 

CENTRE AT THE FORKS - MUSEUM LONDON 

Buy tickets at: 

www.upwithart.ca 

Never heard of Swingrowers (pronounced 

swing growers)? Me neither. But if the folks 

at TD Sunfest think they’re worth bringing to 

Aeolian Hall — which they are, on Saturday, 

May 4 (7 pm/8 pm) — then I’m willing to listen. 

The vocal quartet, based in Palermo, Italy and 

Brighton, England, “blends the freshness of 

electronic dance music with the warm influences 

of 1920s and ’30’s era jazz to create a unique 

vintage-inspired pop sound.” Okay. Preview 

here: swingrowers.com. They are kind of fun. 

Swingrowers 

Wait, is that summer I see peaking over the 

horizon? 

Neko Case 

GERRY BLACKWELL is a London-based freelance 

writer.



Theatre 

Dabbling in Wonderful 

Donna Feore on Work, Parenting & Inspiration 


The secret inspiration for Donna 

Feore’s artistry on the stage, 

choreographing and directing 

dancers, singers and actors in 

brilliant, high-energy unison, comes from 

an unexpected place. The award-winning, 

Stratford-based dynamo behind the success 

of shows such as Guys and Dolls, Rocky Horror 

Picture Show, the movie Mean Girls and the 

TV movie Eloise, sees dance and movement 

all around her. In particular, she finds 

creative inspiration from her deep love of 

sport. This interview was conducted while 

she was driving to Toronto to proudly cheer 

on her daughter Anna Feore, a Team Canada 

volleyball player who is in her final season 

with the University of Toronto Blues. On 

another day she might have been spectating at 

her son Tom’s fencing match when he was also 

Donna Feore 

an undergraduate varsity athlete at U of T, or 

cheering her older stepson Jack at soccer. 

“I just don’t trust an actor that doesn’t love 

something other than acting. There are so 

many cross-overs and parallels between arts 

and sports. I commiserate with Anna’s coach 

all the time at U of T. We talk about strategies: 

we have to mediate, motivate and inspire. It’s 

very similar. One thing is for sure, when an 

athlete or actor loves something else, they 

bring more to the table,” says Feore. 

The mother-daughter pair has a favourite 

hangout: courtside watching the Toronto 

Raptors of the National Basketball League. 

“What I love about basketball is that you’ve 

got these big lanky men, some over seven feet 

tall. Now you are on this tiny space and you 

watch how beautifully they move. They are 

so body aware of each other. It is a beautiful 

dance and they are pretty graceful. When 

I saw LeBron James — that got me 

excited,” says Feore. “I have been known 

to have a glass of wine or two and buy 

very expensive Raptors tickets. It is so 

invigorating — I love being there.” 

What Feore experiences watching 

the round ball on the small court she 

transfers to the thrust stage at the 

Festival Theatre at Stratford, where she 

is kicking off her 25th season. She is a 

wizard at three-dimensional choreography, 

using every inch of a stage that 

has the audience wrapped around it on 

three sides. Right now, the excitement 

is mounting for this season’s production 

of Billy Elliot the Musical, which is in 

rehearsals at Stratford under the direction 

and choreography of Feore and 

which features a cast of 44, including 11 

children. It is just one of seven productions 

she is working on in 2019, from 

Stratford to New York City to Ottawa. 

“I’m kind of busy everywhere right 

now,” says Feore without a trace of 

Photo by Ann Baggley


Photo credit: Stratford Festival Reviews 

fatigue. “Billy Elliot is really my prime focus 

right now. It’s the first out of the gate and 

the biggest prep. It’s a show that has 14 

production numbers. It’s crazy. It is a huge 

show. We did a Billy Bootcamp in January and 

did a week with some of our young company 

including with Nolen Dubuc, the Billy Elliot, 

and his understudy. We have some exciting 

things like flying — so we had a week of 

doing scene, dialect work and then we started 

rehearsals on February first.” 

Feore says it has taken a year of 

preparations for her famous reinvention of a 

popular musical to the thrust stage. “I only do 

those that I can reimagine,” she says. For her, 

working with an 11-year-old lead is exciting. “I 

learn a lot from young actors, watching how 

free they are. They don’t have that mileage on 

them. They are incredibly open.” 

At the same time, Feore is also directing and 

choreographing the second Stratford musical 

of 2019, Little Shop of Horrors, at the Avon 

Theatre with a ’60s score and loads of special 

effects. “Our plant is off the charts crazy as 

only Stratford could do it,” she says. This is 

sure to be a hit with the same crowd that put 

Rocky Horror into the Stratford record books for 

longest run, and with huge financial success. 

Feore says one woman attended Rocky 42 times 

and several others saw it 30 times. She hopes it 

will now move to Toronto. 

“The hard drive is full,” laughs Feore when 

asked how she juggles two major shows 

alongside work in other cities. “I tell my 

assistant ‘download all the 

content from my brain’! I 

work with my associates, 

they are fantastic and have 

been with me for six to 

seven years. We have our 

system. They get all the 

information and record 

everything. Right away, we 

set four to five numbers 

and if there is dance in a 

show we do that early, as it 

takes stamina so people are 

healthy, strong. There’s a 

bit of a method to the madness, you know.” 

Her longtime friendship and collaboration 

with Stratford Artistic Director Antoni 

Cimolino is evident in his regard for her. 

“Donna is the master of musical theatre. We 

are so fortunate to have her return this season 

and take on the gargantuan task of helming 

two major productions at the same time. Her 

The Wildest Town in Canada: 

Donnelly Songs & Stories 

by Jeff Culbert May 21 to May 25 

Like Father, Like Son? Sorry. 

by Chris Gibbs May 28 to June 1 

2019 

SEASON 

PortStanley 

FestivalTheatre 

(519) 782-4353 www.psft.ca 

work last year on The Music Man and The Rocky 

Horror Show was inspirational and I have no 

doubt that her productions this season will 

have us all seeing both of these musicals in a 

brand new light.” 

Fifty-five-year old Feore seems to thrive on 

the “madness”. She and 

The Feore family: from the left, 

her husband, acclaimed 

Tom, Donna, Jack, Anna & Colm 

actor Colm Feore, are also 

parents to 22-year-old 

Anna and 24-year-old 

Tom, a law student at U 

of T, as well 29-year-old 

Jack, Colm’s son from a 

previous marriage, who 

is getting married this 

summer in Nova Scotia. 

Donna Feore is fiercely 

proud of the three of 

them. “The whole team 

knows when my kids are doing something! 

Sometimes the whole crew watches a semifinal 

match on the computer if Anna is competing 

abroad. It’s all about priorities. For women, 

I think we can have it all but not at the same 

time. Stop trying. This can go and that can 

happen. That can go and this can happen. I call 

it dabbling in wonderful.”


She credits their decision to make 

Stratford a home base since 1997 as key to 

being able to manage two show business 

careers while raising a family. Feore says the 

location gives them room to breathe and that 

they actually enjoy the drives from Toronto 

Pearson airport to Stratford while Colm 

commutes to film shoots and she to stage 

and film work around the world. And, with 

her trademark big personality, she jokes that 

her choice in a husband was quite practical. 

“The other smart thing I did was marry a 

man who is an absolutely fabulous cook! 

First question when you meet someone is: 

do you golf, the answer is no then you carry 

on. Second question is do you cook and the 

answer is yes then you carry on!” 

Feore’s theatre work is vast and expanding. 

The hit The Hockey Sweater, the Musical that 

she directed and choreographed ran at the 

National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and is now 

being translated to French for the Montreal 

stage. She hopes that show will travel out west. 

She is developing a new musical in New York 

and another for Stratford, she hints, possibly 

for 2020. Her multi-media production, Life 


Reflected, will run on International Women’s 

Day in Ottawa, and she continues to work as a 

director with operas, including The Marriage of 

Figaro in Ottawa. 

Despite all her career success, Feore 

says that in the end she has a small target 

audience: her family. “Honestly: every choice 

I make in my life, from choices of what 

material I am going to do, what I won’t do, I 

think of my daughter. I want my daughter to 

be proud of me. Sometimes we have to make 

hard ones, and we have to speak up and have 

hard things to say. The one thing I’ve always 

taught my children is that there is a very big 

difference between assertive and aggressive. 

Being assertive is about being clear and it 

will take you a long way. There is nothing 

gray about me. I take the word director 

seriously — it has the word direct in it and 

it’s never been so important. Do what you 

mean and mean what you say.” 

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to Eatdrink. 

She is also Manager, Communications & Media Relations, 

at King’s University College in London. 

WIN A LEXUS FOR A WEEKEND! 

Plus get your own car cleaned and detailed! 

eatdrink & 

Presented by 

Enter at www.facebook.com/eatdrinkmag 

Contest ends May 27, 2019. Complete details online. 

Congratulations Gail Fraser, 

winner of our January/February Draw!



The global smash-hit musical! 

“One of the most enduring musicals of our era.” now magazine 

“The ultimate feel-good tale of love conquering all.” the guardian 

April 23 to May 11 

Spriet Stage 

Music and Lyrics by Benny Andersson and 

Björn Ulvaeus 

And some songs with Stig Anderson 

Book by Catherine Johnson 

Originally Conceived by Judy Craymer 

Co-production with the Charlottetown 

Festival 

grandtheatre.com 519.672.8800 

season sponsor 

title sponsor



The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

London 

Rembrandt Homes together with Bethanys Hope 

Foundation presents “Feast with Friends” featuring 

Food Network star Chef Michael Smith, on Thursday, 

April 25. Enjoy an “Interactive Dinner Party” that 

kicks off at London Convention Centre with 5pm 

cocktails, food stations hosted by London culinary 

luminaries, and a silent auction. A sit-down dinner 

service and program, including a live auction, starts 

at 7pm. Tickets are $200 and available online, or 

call 519-858-HOPE. This is an exciting time for 

Bethany’s Hope, with clinical trials imminent after 

more than two decades of groundbreaking research 

right here in London into the devastating disease of 

Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD). If you have 

not yet seen the short video outlining the efforts 

of Lindey and David Mcintyre, who lost their child 

Bethany to MLD, go to bethanyscure.ca and prepare 

to be inspired. You can also see a video showing 

highlights of last year’s event. bethanyshope.org 

Angelina & Carmine Ianni, formerly of Pasquales in 

North London, have opened C’Angelina at 426 Third 

St. Tuesday–Friday, 1–6pm, they sell prepared foods 

and fresh meats and offer family-style catering — 

including BBQ whole pigs — for family reunions, 

weddings, or backyard parties. You also will find 

them, and their porchetta specialty, at London 

festivals this summer and at the Pinery Market in 

Grand Bend. facebook.com/cangelinameatcatering/ 

While this might sound like heresy to those pining for 

Spring, Kevin Beattie and his team award-winning 

team at Somerset Fine Wines reminds us that it 

is never too early to start your Christmas wine! A 

common misconception is that making wine at an 

affordable price means it will taste “like homemade.” 

Drop in at 150 Exeter Road for expert guidance, or go 

to somersetfinewines.com to see their Spring Specials. 

Cream Beanery Cafe is a coffee and gelato shop, 

and more. They serve breakfast, lunch and supper, 

featuring daily homemade specials. Save room for a 

Gelato Panini — your favourite gelato flavour sealed 

inside a fresh brioche bun. Delicious! 825 Southdale 

Rd. W (at Tillman) creambeanery.com 

As reported by the CBC, a bad olive harvest, primarily 

due to the olive fly, plus a late harvest due to 

challenging conditions, has led to some shortages of 

quality extra virgin olive oil. Jamie Griffiths of The 

Pristine Olive let us know they have found a good supply 

from Spain, Sicily and California, as well as his first oil 

from Portugal. His store is at 884 Adelaide St N, with 

products also available at The Village Meat Shop at The 

Market at Western Fair on weekends. thepristineolive.ca 

The Church Key is Vanessa and Pete Willis’ downtown 

gastro-pub with farm-to-table cuisine and an 

impressive selection of craft beers. Chef Michael 

Anglestad follows in the modern British tradition by 

specializing in high quality food prepared with innovation 

and finesse. 476 Richmond St. thechurchkey.ca 

Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness provides 

emergency shelter, supportive housing and related 

services to help adults and youth avoid living on 

the street. Life skills are embedded into a home-like 

environment where programming for over a thousand 

individuals (annually) involves participants with 

personal accountability, taking care of themselves, 

481 Richmond Street 

519-432-4092 

garlicsoflondon.com


each other, and community. This year, the Unity 

Project announced a partnership with Museum 

London for the 9th annual UPwithART event to be held 

on April 27 at the new Centre at the Forks at Museum 

London, catered by North Moore Catering. UPwithART 

is Unity Project’s signature fundraiser and a significant 

charitable and art event in London. upwithart.ca 

The Regional HIV/AIDS Connection annual fundraiser 

“A Taste for Life” returns May 1st. Get involved by 

volunteering, donating, or dining out at a participating 

restaurant! Participating restaurants open their doors 

and donate 25% of their evening sales to AIDS service 

organizations in their community. atasteforlife.org 

Chef Kim Sutherland has done a stellar job 

transforming food services at Boler Mountain, 

offering a wide variety of healthy choices including 

Buddha bowls with vegan broth, housemade 

chicken and vegetarian chilli, and grab-and-go 

fresh wraps alongside a full line of hot foods aimed 

at hungry families, including a full breakfast. She 

nurtures a bee colony on site and has instituted an 

extensive landfill diversion program. Kudos! As well, 

Chef Kim leads the catering kitchen for weddings and 

special events at Boler. The popular new chalet is 

now booking into 2020. bolermountain.com 

TIME 

FOR 

A 

Far Out ... 

but we like it that way! 

SPRING TUNE-UP? 

FOR 

COME IN AN OIL CHANGE 

A fresh, new harvest of EVOO has arrived just in time for Spring! 

Come say Hola, Olá, Hello, or Ciao to our fresh crush of Spanish, 

Portugese, Californian & Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils. 

Blair Rd 

London 

International 

Airport 

Crumlin Rd 

Oxford St 

Come for the planes and 

fall in love with the food. 

Open Thursday & Friday 

(3–6pm) for Small Plate Apps! 

½ Price 

Bottle of Wine 

Wednesdays 

$5 

16-oz Pints 

Thursdays 

519-455-9005 

katanakafe.ca 

2530 Blair Rd, London 

Diamond Flight Centre 

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

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

The 

Pristine 

live 

Est. 2012 

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

www.thepristineolive.ca



The London Training Centre (LTC) Local Food 

Skills program connects people to food. Receiving 

solid food-based knowledge, participants explore 

options for working with food as a job or profession. 

This is a full-time three-week course that provides 

skills training, industry certifications and learning 

experiences including fundamental culinary skills, 

food service styles, growing, harvesting and retailing 

food at a farmers’ market. Revenue from the wildly 

popular Local Food Skills monthly dinners, put on 

by students, supports the program. londontraining. 

on.ca/local_food_skills.htm 

Natural Ingredients 

from Local Vendors 

Baked with Butter 

from Scratch In House 

Lovingly Crafted with Skill & Heart 

Owners Tabitha & Dave 

New York Style Bagels! Apple & Blueberry Fritters! 

900 Oxford Street East at Gammage 

519-601-1651 

Fanshawe College and downtown’s new flex street, 

Dundas Place, host a celebration of Canadian music, 

food and fun on March 15, noon–6pm, coinciding 

with JUNO Week (March 11–17). All members of the 

community, along with Fanshawe staff, students and 

alumni, are invited to attend. This free, family-friendly 

celebration will include live performances by Fanshawe 

Music Industry Arts students and graduates and feature 

JUNO-inspired appetizers prepared by The Chef’s Table 

for a $2 donation. fanshawec.ca/fanshawe-live. 

The Market at Western Fair is open Saturdays 

(8am–3pm) and Sundays (10am–2pm) every week. 

Market Manager Dan Ross and Assistant Manager 

Courtney Berens continue to grow attendance 

and improve the customer experience. Two floors 

and 100+ vendors make up the Market, each with 

unique products. Help support local and include 

@TheMarketWFD and use #MeetMeAtTheMarket 

when sharing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

westernfairdistrict.com/market 

Chef Andrew Wolwowicz’s commitment to freshness 

and the provenance of what is on the plate is one 

of the cornerstones of Craft Farmacy’s culinary 

philosophy. The focus is on craft beer, cocktails, a 

large selection of fresh oysters, shellfish and inspired 

rustic farm-to-table cuisine. Open for lunch and 

dinner Tuesday–Saturday, and Sundays for a prix fixe 

brunch and dinner. 449 Wharncliffe Rd, just north of 

Baseline. facebook.com/craftfarmacy 

Chef Angie Murphy and partner/sommelier Pete 

Annson have had some delays opening Grace, 

located at the southwest corner of Clarence and 

Dundas Streets. facebook.com/graceLDNONT/ 

Field to Fork Caterer Chef Chad Stewart graduated 

college with Culinary Arts and Food & Beverage 

diplomas. In 2010, he moved to Vancouver to work at 

elite restaurants for the Olympics, including the first 

true 100-mile kitchen called Rain City Grill. Stewart 

worked at Garlic’s of London for five years and moved 

Hope Made Delicious. 

atasteforlife.org 

Thank you for supporting those 

living with, a ected by, and at-risk for HIV/AIDS. 

HOPE 

WED 

w 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 

Where Will You Dine? 

25% of sales will be donated to RHAC.


In Memoriam 

Angelo Stavrou, 1943–2019 

Owner of Merla Mae Ice Cream, London 

He was owner of a number 

of successful businesses, but 

became beloved by ice cream 

lovers young and old when he 

stepped in to save a London 

institution in 1998. Angelo 

Stavrou remained hands on 

at Merla Mae Ice Cream Catering until for Special Events, 

his recent battle with Company cancer, & Family Christmas 

arriving early every day Parties, to do Schools whatever & Sports needed Teams 

doing. “Always give more We deliver. than what Full Service the portion Available. 

sizes are,” he instructed his daughter Roula 

Dereza, who carries on Fresh at Merla Homemade Mae. “He Pasta loved & 

Sauces, Meatballs, Lasagnas 

taking care of his customers,” said Roula. “He was 

and so much more! 

on top of his business. And a family man like no 

other.” Angelo Stavrou will be sadly missed. 

up the ranks to head chef. For the last three years, 

Stewart has been a caterer and part time technician 

for Fanshawe’s Culinary Management Program. Now 

Stewart and his wife Catherine are launching London’s 

newest food truck, the Field to Truck Mobile Eatery, just 

in time for the JUNO Awards. fieldtoforkcatering.ca 

Welcome Reset Social Cafe to downtown London! This 

is a new hot-spot for fresh food, coffee and premium 

juices, under the Azure condo building at 503 Talbot St. 

The vibrant setting makes for a perfect spot to recharge, 

relax and reset your day. resetsocial.cafe 

Anita Tasonyi and Eduard Nagy are now operating 

Budapest Restaurant and making upgrades to the 

iconic gem. Protégés of the late Marika Hayek, they 

continue to delight clients by serving authentic 

Hungarian specialities in this traditional old-world 

tavern setting. Try the schnitzel or the stuffed veal — 

the spätzle and goulash are also delicious — and save 

room for the palacsinta. 348 Dundas St., 519-439-3431 

Jess Jazey-Spoelstra’s River Room, inside Museum 

London, has banks of tinted windows with panoramic 

views overlooking the Forks of the Thames. With 

a clubby ambience, tailored décor and charming 

attitude, The River Room is open for lunch Tuesday– 

Friday, and Sundays for a prix fixe brunch. Museum 

London, Ridout St. N. northmoore.ca/theriverroom 

Rio Brazilian Steakhouse, located in one of London’s 

most historic buildings, boasts a kitchen at the top of 

its game. Doors open for their “rodizio” — all-youcan-eat 

churrascaria served tableside by charming 

gauchos — and an extensive selection of sides at 

5pm daily. 45 King Street (at Ridout), rio.london 

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 

Loose Leaf Teas & Tisanes 

• 

Contemporary & Traditional Teaware 

• 

Fresh Soups, Salads, Cheese Boards, 

Fresh-baked Scones, 

Curry’s 

Indian Cuisine 

& Tea Pairing Dinner 

Sat., March 9, 7pm 

$75/pp, 4 courses 

Around the 

World Vegan 

Tea Pairing Dinner 

by Yoda Olinyk 

Sat., April 23, 7pm 

$75/pp, 4 courses 

Desserts 

The Art of 

Cup Tossing 

– Reading Tea Leaves 

(Novice Course Training) 

Sun., March 24 

$165 (6 hours) 

Tea 

& Chocolate 

Pairing with 

Sweet Brigadeiros 

Wed., May 10 

268 Piccadilly Street 

(beside Oxford Book Store) 

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

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


The Merry Makers Block Party 

Saturday, March 16, 1–5pm 

Held outside on the Covent Garden Market Square, 

directly across from Budweiser Gardens. 

This 100% handmade, 100% local makers 

fair will include food and beverage 

vendors, music, and handcrafted 

wares from the Forest City. The 

downtown core will be alive with 

community activities and events all day long! 

Mezzanine Level Kids Event, 2–5pm 

A fun, free kids event will be held upstairs. See Miss T, 

the Bubble Queen, and her incredible bubble show and 

enjoy your photo op standing in a large giant bubble! 

The event will also have a Bouncy castle, face painters, 

live entertainment, food and COTTON CANDY! 

Outdoor Easter Farmers’ Market 

Saturday, April 20, 8am–1pm 

Enjoy an abundance of local favourites in our annual 

Easter celebration, outside on the Market Square. 

See our website or Facebook page for further details. 

FREE PARKING 

With Validation 

Half Hour Weekdays 

Market Hours 

Monday to Saturday 

Restaurateur and community leader Heidi Vamvalis 

is a pillar of hospitality, and has been serving Greek/ 

Mediterranean cuisine and traditional English fish 

& chips with her husband Bill for over 40 years at 

beloved Mykonos Restaurant. Mykonos sports a 

festive covered patio that is heated during the cooler 

weather. The Mykonos Platter with moussaka, 

pastichio, souvlaki, tsaziki, tiropitaki, spanakopita, 

loukanica and dolmathaki is outstanding. 572 Adelaide 

Street N., 519-434-6736, mykonosrestaurant.ca 

Abruzzi Ristorante is an up-to-date epicurean hot spot 

serving both modern and emblematic regional Italian 

specialties. Owners Rob D’Amico and Chef Dave Lamer’s 

offerings are intuitive, often iconic, and prepared 

with locally-sourced and quality ethnic ingredients, 

supported by a superior wine list featuring 

interesting consignments. 119 King St., abruzzi.ca 

Barbara Czyz’s success with Unique Food Attitude is 

due to excellent modern European cuisine, creative 

chalkboard offerings, and an attentive vibe. Specialties 

include bigos, Polish poutine, goulash with potato 

pancakes, slow-cooked cabbage rolls, and peirogi with 

sweet and savoury fillings. 697 Dundas St., 519-649- 

2225, unique-food-attitudes.com 

Chef/restaurateur T.G. Haile of T.G.’s Addis Ababa 

Restaurant embodies the art of hospitality and 

entrepreneurism. She is dedicated to supporting 

meaningful cultural and charitable initiatives and 

events, despite being a busy hands-on restaurateur who 

does all of the cooking at her restaurant. Be sure to put 

TG’s Ethiopian breakfast on your list for a great culinary 

adventure on Sundays. 465 Dundas St. (at Maitland), 

519-433-4222, tgsaddisababarestaurant.com 

Jill’s Table is London’s paramount purveyor of fine 

foods and an award-winning specialty food and 

kitchen store in downtown London. Owner Jill Wilcox 

is an amazing culinary resource — supportive, 

knowledgeable and a leader in promoting the local 

food community. For more than 23 years, Wilcox has 

been leading cooking classes, now at Jill’s Table, and 

has been a food columnist for the London Free Press 

and Post Media for more than 38 years. jillstable.ca 

Chef Ashton Gillespie’s latest venture is The Dinner 

Table — a pop-up restaurant series. Meals are 

served at a communal table so anyone who enjoys 

great service and delicious food are encouraged to 

join them for a variety of themed dinners. facebook. 

com/popupthedinnertable 

PC Cooking Schools at Superstore offer one-hour 

weekly daytime “What’s for Dinner?” classes on 

Thursdays. Oxford & Gammage 12:30–1:30 pm or 

Oxford & Hyde Park Road 1–2pm. Gammage location 

classes will include “A Serbian Feast” with Paul



Abeleira on March 5, 6:30–8:30 pm; “Indian Food to 

Fight Winter Chills” with Jasjit on March 24, 1–3pm; 

“Cinco de Mayo” with Chef Barbara Toomer, April 

19, 6:30–8:30 pm; and “Flavours of the Far East” 

with Chef Mies Bervoets, April 30, 6:30–8:30pm. 

The Hyde Park Road location offers “Fruitful Dining” 

with Jamie Chowns, March 14, 6:30–8:30pm; “Cinco 

de Mayo” with Chef Barbara Toomer, March 26, 

6:30–8:30pm; and “Indian Seafood Sensations” with 

Ankita Vaidya, April 23, 6:30-8:30 pm. Sign up for 

any PC Cooking classes at customer service in-stores 

or online. pccookingschool.ca 

The 2nd annual London I Love BEER Festival: The 

Taco Edition is coming to the London Convention 

Centre on March 23 for a night of Ontario beer, cider, 

spirits and tacos. Cheers! iheartbeer.ca/london/ 

Michelle Pierce Hamilton is sponsoring London’s 

first Tea & Kombucha Festival on Saturday, March 30 

at the London Public Library Central Branch (Wolf 

Performance Hall and 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 skill-building workshops 

and speakers, including focused tea tastings by certified 

tea sommelier Karen Hardwick and Tea Haus owner 

Stefanie Stolzel. londonteafestival.ca 

Twenty new coaches emerged from the experiential 

tourism “Train the Trainer” course hosted by SWOTC 

and guru Celes Davar at The Tap Room above The 

Root Cellar, a ground-breaking gathering of tourism 

marketers and “experience” partners, all grads of the 

“Unlocked & Inspired” experiential tourism training. 

A Slow Food-inspired evening, with a craft beer 

pairing by Nate Torrresan of Forked River Brewing 

Co., was facilitated by Bryan Lavery and emceed by 

Nick Lavery of the Lavery Culinary Group with Chef 

Thomas Waite of The In Home Chef and Chef Ashton 

Gillespie of The Dinner Table. Speakers Gary Rowsell 

and Emanuela Frongia spoke about the Slow Food 

movement and its exciting Canadian Ark of Taste. 

Chaucer’s Pub (sibling to Marienbad next door)is 

among the longest continuously-operating hospitality 

businesses in downtown London and will be 

celebrating a 40th anniversary later this year. A local 

historian tells us “it is the only non-private pub/bar 

in London that does not have a TV screen in your face. 

(Up the art of conversation!).” marienbad.ca 

Congratulations to Alieska Robles and the amazing 

Forest City Cookbook team! The ambitious project 

More than just a Coffee Shop! 

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that inspired London’s culinary community can 

now be called “an international award-winning 

cookbook,” as the Canadian winner of the 2019 

Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in two 

categories: “Best Self-Published Book in English in 

Canada” and “Best Digital Book for Sale in Canada.” 

forestcitycookbook.com/shop/ebook 

Meaghan Biddle (manager, barista and coffee educator) 

and Alastair Smyth (barista) of Locomotive Espresso 

will be competing in the Canadian National Barista 

Championships the weekend of March 15–17 in Toronto. 

Good luck! locomotiveespresso.com 

Mama Chena Coffee Co. is Alberto Sepulveda’s coffee 

business based in London. Importing green coffee 

beans from the family farm and others on the north 

coast of Colombia, along the Sierra Nevada de Santa 

Marta mountain range, they supply direct trade 

green coffee beans to a number of southwestern 

Ontario roasters who help share their story. Clients 

include O-Joe Coffee (Mt. Brydges), Blackwater 

Coffee Co. (Sarnia), Chance Coffee (Windsor), 

Coastal Coffee Co. (Zurich, Ontario), Patrick’s Beans 

(London), Hasbeans (London), CommonWealth 

Coffee (London), Stratford Coffee Co. (Stratford), and 

Smile Tiger (Kitchener). mamachena.com 

The new culinary team at Dundas St.’s The Root 

Cellar remains committed to forging meaningful 

relationships with local, organic, and sustainable 

farms in Southwestern Ontario with worker-owned 

On the Move Organics, which continues to expand the 

network of organic farmers and producers they work 

with. Look for the new On the Move Organics location at 

The Market at Western Fair. onthemoveorganics.ca 

Shelbys Food Express on Horton Street has taken the 

city by storm with generous servings of traditional 

and fusion Middle Eastern cuisine. Now there is a 

new sibling — Bistro 644 — on Richmond Row, 

in the space previously occupied by Sakata at 644 

Richmond Street. shelbysfoodexpress.com 

At the new Quebec-based Copper Branch on 

Richmond Row, they’re offering a 100% plant-based 

power food menu. Chef-inspired menu items include 

power bowls, burgers, sandwiches, all-day breakfast, 

power smoothies, organic coffees and teas, and allnatural 

beverages. CopperBranch.ca 

Chris MacGregor and Valentino “Val” De Franco 

have opened up a new Shoeless Joe’s restaurant 

franchise at 89 King St., across from Budweiser 

Gardens. Expect an urban feel, with a sports bar 

focus. “We’re going to be open late,” says MacGregor. 

“So even after the London Knights have played or a 

concert has let out, patrons can come over for drinks 

and great food.” shoelessjoes.ca.


Stratford 

For 35 years, Stratford Chefs School, a not-for-profit 

career college focused on innovative, hands-on 

training of high quality, aspiring chefs and culinary 

entrepreneurs, has set the standard of excellence 

for culinary training in Canada. In addition to its 

renowned 32-week professional cookery program, 

the School recently launched a unique 16-week 

“Cook: Basic – Level 1 Diploma” program to run 

June 3–September 20. Teaching the basics of 

classical cookery and pastry coupled with theory 

classes focused on cuisine and hospitality, this 

program is perfect for those embarking on a second 

career or interested in fast-tracking culinary goals. 

stratfordchef.com/summer-program 

Interested in more recreational cooking classes? 

Stratford Chefs School continues its Open Kitchen 

program from March–October, devoted to home 

cooks and food-lovers looking for hands-on, skillbuilding 

classes that are informative and fun. $35 to 

$85 per session. stratfordchef.com/open-kitchen 

Herald Haus Brewing Co. is now open, in the 

extensively refurbished historic Herald building 

at 21 Market Place, former headquarters of The 

Stratford Herald newspaper. Owned and operated 

by Daniel J. Graver, the team includes head brewer 

Jeff Macdonald and assistant brewer John Zippel. 

Drop by the taproom for expertly poured pints, cans 

for purchase and an exclusive menu prepared by 

The Hub kitchen team next door. heraldhaus.com 

Old Man & Son, launched by Jessie Votary and the 

folks at The Red Rabbit and Okazu 85 Downie as 

another opportunity to offer fair wages and year 

round employment, is open for breakfast and lunch. 

Early risers (open at 7am) can expect super fluffy 

pancakes, smoked bacon and sausage, avocado 

toast and other honest fare with delicious twists. 

Lunch includes an interesting selection of burgers 

and sandwiches. 75 Wellington St., 519-305-7575, 

oldmanandson.com 


Steve Walters’ mission is to create a more optimistic 

future through the world of food. The Hub Fine 

Foods & Market will open this spring in the former 

location of Bard’s, followed by The Hub Butchery. 

Walters, as Agency Creative Director of the 

market, promises a bakery, freshly prepared foods, 

specialty and local products and fresh produce — 

“a welcome destination for the food enthusiast.” 

The Restaurant at The Bruce is hosting two special 

events in March. Savour Afternoon Tea on March 

10, with a delectable mix of traditional and New 

100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table 

Hormone & Drug-Free 

Ontario Beef, Pork, Bison, Lamb & Chicken 

THE VILLAGE 

MEAT SHOP 

LOCAL - NATURAL - QUALITY 

WE ARE YOUR LONDON OUTLET FOR 

• Metzger Meat Products • Lena’s Lamb 

• Blanbrook Bison Farm • Little Sisters Chicken 

• Glengyle Farm Organics 

The Market at Western Fair District: SAT 8–3; SUN 10–2 

226-376-6328 • www.thevillagemeatshop.ca 

willie’s café 

630 Dundas Street, Old East Village. 

@williescafe


Canadiana nibbles served alongside a choice of 

20 loose leaf teas curated by their certified tea 

sommelier. A Sugar Shack Dinner will be held 

on March 23, with each of five courses “mapleinspired” 

with all local Canadian ingredients. 

Reservations required. And don’t forget the Bruce’s 

Local Nights on Mondays. Enjoy an an innovative 

menu at a super price. visitstratford.ca/partner/ 

The-Bruce-Restaurant 

Weather permitting, the annual Swan Parade/ 

Release will officially begin at 2pm on April 7, but 

the family fun runs noon–3pm with carriage rides, 

street performers and a quest for decorated pop-up 

swan topiaries. Make your way downtown to Lakeside 

Drive where the swans are led by the Stratford Police 

Pipes and Drums. visitstratford.ca/swans 

Puck’s Plenty Early Spring Foraging begins April 20 

with naturalist/forager Peter Blush. Search forest 

trails for wild edibles and learn to harvest these 

delicious gems of nature sustainably. Recipes will 

also be supplied. 96 Birmingham St., 10am–1pm, $35. 

Call 519 271-3726 to reserve your space. 

The Milky Whey Fine Cheese Shop hosts a “This 

Cheese, That Wine” tasting and pairing event on 

April 6. visitstratford.ca/partner/The-Milky-Whey- 

Fine-Cheese-Shop 

Stop by Junction 56 Distillery on a Saturday (11am– 

noon) for a lively and informative tour. Be sure to try 

Sugar Shack, maple-flavoured moonshine, as well 

as Fireshine (cinnamon) and Eclipse (anise) flavours, 

just three of several wonderful flavours offered. The 

award-winning distillery also specializes in vodka 

and gin. 45 Cambria St., $15, junction56.ca 

The Slow Food Perth County Sunday Market 

runs 10am–2pm indoors at downtown Festival 

Marketplace Mall until May, when it moves to the 

Market Square at City Hall. You’ll find local produce, 

bread, soup, sweets, soap, healthy treats, crafty 

things, lacto-fermented foods, cheese, grass-fed 

meats and garden seeds. .slowfoodperthcounty.ca 

Stratford Farmers’ Market, a year-round market 

operating since 1855, offers fresh produce, crafts, 

meat and cheese at Stratford Rotary Complex- 

Agriplex, 353 McCarthy Rd, Saturdays 7 am–12 

noon. 519-271-5130. www.stratfordfairgrounds.com 

Revival House is serving Winter/Spring dinners 

Thursday–Saturday and a Weekend Brunch 

11am–2pm both days. A special Brunch Buffet 

will be offered celebrating Easter (April 21) 

and Mother’s Day (May 12) from 10am–2pm. 

Reservations recommended. 

Revival House is also serving up amazing 

live entertainment. The Stratford Symphony 


Orchestra presents more of the Classical Brunch 

series on Sundays April 14 and May 5 at 11:30am. 

The $40 admission includes a special brunch 

menu, musical performance and a $20 tax receipt 

(stratfordsymphonyorchestra.ca). Jully Black, 

“Canada’s Queen of R&B Soul” (CBC Music) will 

grace the Revival House stage for a show with 

her full band on Thursday, March 14. A Celtic 

Celebration concert will be hosted by Stratford’s 

own Rant Maggie Rant with a 2pm matinee 

performance on St Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 

17. Toronto’s Neil Young’uns return March 30, 

bring the audience “the closest you’ll ever get to 

the real Neil!” On Saturday, April 13, guests will 

groove to the 10-piece new roots reggae band The 

Human Rights. Two-time JUNO Award-winning 

singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman brings 

his signature blend of anthemic folk and showstopping 

vocals for one special night on May 21. 

Revival House offers limited pre-concert 

preferred seating. Enjoy dinner and the show from 

your seat! 519-273-3424, www.revival.house 

Around the Region 

McCully’s Hill Farm hosts a weekly Maple Syrup 

Festival in March. Sugar Bush Tours include a wagon 

ride through the sugar bush, a guided tour of our 

sugar shack and a visit with the farm animals. Enjoy 

Pancake Brunch served with McCully’s own maple 

syrup, McCully’s own maple pork sausage and maple 

baked beans and fruit. 10:30am–2pm, Saturdays and 

Sundays in March, 4074 Perth Line 9. 519 284-2564, 

visitstratford.ca/partner/McCullys-Hill-Farm 

Grand Bend’s Dark Horse Winery is hosting a St. 

Paddy’s Day celebration on March 17. visitstratford. 

ca/partner/Dark-Horse-Estate-Winery 

Tillsonburg’s Ottercreek Woodworks, founded by 

carpenter and craftsman Dave Schonberger, uses 

only local, sustainably-harvested hardwoods to 

fashion distinctive live-edge charcuterie boards. 

Popular “Tree to Table” board-making workshops are 

also offered. ottercreekwoodworks.myshopify.com 

Steelhead Food Co. recently moved into their own 

processing facility and are excited to offer fresh 

locally processed fish that is cleaned, cut and 

processed in-house. Based in St. Thomas, they 

offer a huge selection of premium quality fish and 

seafood — fresh, frozen, and smoked — to most of 

southwestern Ontario. steelheadfoodco.ca 

Ride the Bine provides local beer, wine, and cider 

tours. With a goal to get people closer to their 

food’s origins — owners Amanda Dooney and 

Susan Judd grew up on farms — Ride the Bine’s 

fleet of Mercedes-Benz Sprinters provide a safe


and easy way to get to some of the coolest spots in 

Southwestern Ontario. Launched in Norfolk County 

with great success, Ride the Bine is expanding and 

now also showcases many London and surrounding 

area gems. ridethebine.com/london-tours 

The Village Teapot in Ilderton (see story this issue) 

continues their popular home-cooked Sunday 

Roasts with all the trimmings. Service is from 

noon–2pm and 5pm–7pm for $18.95 per person, 

and only $9.95 for children under 12. On April 7, 

there is Roast Chicken; May 12 (Mother’s Day, open 

evening only) is Roast Lamb; May 26 is Roast Beef; 

and June 16 (Father’s Day) is Prime Rib at $24.95. 

Vegetarian options are also available. Reservations 

are required. 519-298-TEAS (8327) 

The Bayfield Public House, the restaurant of the 

Bayfield Brewing Co. and adjacent to their soonto-open 

Tap Room, is now open. Historical charm 

meets craft beer and a unique dining experience, 

with feature beers like their own Canadian Pale Ale 

paired with gourmet dishes, delectable desserts, 

and cannot-miss specials. bayfieldbrewingco.com 

The 2019 Terroir Symposium in downtown Toronto 

will explore the choices we make and how they 

affect the growth, change and collective identity 

of the hospitality, food and beverage industry. The 

always-rewarding annual event will offer more 

main stage programming with 12-minute talks, two 

in-depth panel discussions, and six industry-focused 

workshops. terroirsymposium.com/overview 

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 

eatdrinkmag 

Did you know we are sharing “BUZZ” every day 

through social media? Follow us @ eatdrinkmag 

and join the conversation! 

We want your BUZZ! 

Do you have culinary news or upcoming events 

that you’d like us to share? 

Every issue, Eatdrink reaches more than 

50,000 readers across Southwestern Ontario 

in print, and thousands more online. 

Get in touch with us at 

editor@eatdrink.ca 

Deadline for submissions for the May/June issue is 

April 5. 

Over 300 Artisan Blends 

& Fine Spices 

No Wheat 

No Additives 

Vegan 

Organic & Natural Ingredients 

Spice Merchant • Gourmet Foods 

Kitchenware • 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



Books 

Tea for More than Two 

A Literary Tea Party 

by Alison Walsh 

Review by DARIN COOK 

My goal in this Eatdrink column 

has been to present various 

topics from the food industry 

that have been represented in 

titles across the global bookshelf. In her new 

book, A Literary Tea Party: Blends and Treats 

for Alice, Bilbo, Dorothy, Jo, and Book Lovers 

Everywhere (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018), 

Alison Walsh, a food blogger and lifelong 

reader, has taken a different approach by 

searching for what food can be drawn out 

of books. Starting with classic titles, she 

concocts tea and treat recipes inspired by the 

books’ meals, characters, or storylines. 

Certain recipes are born out of a character’s 

food preferences. Piglet’s love of “haycorns” in 

Winnie-the-Pooh led to Walsh’s interpretation 

of edible acorns by combining Asiago and 

Swiss cheese with crushed almonds. They are 

simple to make, look adorable on a platter, 

and taste delicious. These tiny savoury 

cheeseballs are paired with Hundred Acre tea 

(black tea featuring hazelnut, vanilla, and 

honeybush). Some recipes come from foods 

directly mentioned in a book, like the “muffs” 

(sweet potato and bacon puff 

pastries) made by Hannah in 

Little Women, or the Turkish 

delight and hot chocolate 

consumed by Edmund in 

The Lion, the Witch, and 

the Wardrobe. Others are 

conjured from a book’s 

theme, such as Star-crossed 

Focaccia, which has nothing 

to do with Romeo and Juliet 

except for the stars cut out 

of the dough to symbolize 

the lovers’ relationship in 

Shakespeare’s play. 

Most of the 45 recipes are 

paired 

with one of the 

23 tea blends or five alternative 

beverages, such as the Raspberry Cordial 

made famous in Anne of Green Gables. One 

pairing that honours The Wizard of Oz is that 

of Cyclone cookies with Emerald City tea 

(green-tinged herbal tea with peppermint, 

spearmint, and lemon grass). And there 

are Fairy Dust Star cookies paired with 

Second Star to the Right tea (Earl Grey tea 

with vanilla and lavender) to be served as 

“an in-flight snack while on your way to 

Neverland” while reading Peter Pan. 

Not everyone likes 

themed parties, but tea 

drinkers tend to love them 

a lot. A good deal of that 

attraction might stem from 

the Mad Hatter tea party 

scene in Alice in Wonderland. 

This iconic tea party has 

an obvious place in this 

book with a delightful 

menu, including Bread 

and Butterflies (dainty 

cucumber sandwiches 

shaped like butterflies) and 

Drink Me tea (white peony 

Author Alison Walsh


tea with pear). Walsh suggests six other tea 

party ideas with appropriate menus, such 

as Aslan’s Feast featuring recipes specific to 

The Chronicles of Narnia or a Murder Most 

Delicious tea party with recipes based on 

Sherlock Holmes stories and Agatha Christie 

mysteries, including Blood Orange Scones and 

London Fog Lattes. 

Throughout the book, Walsh provides 

helpful tips she has stumbled upon in her 

recipe testing. For instance, when preparing 

Swiss roll type sandwiches, using oatmeal or 

potato bread allows for easier rolling because 

these have a higher moisture content and are 

less likely to dry out. When she gets into candy 

making with Peppermint Humbugs, to pay 

tribute to the word used by the curmudgeonly 

Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, she suggests 

coating your gloved hands and kitchen scissors 


with cooking spray to make it easier to work 

with the hot, sticky, melted sugar. 

As Sara Letourneau writes in the book’s 

introduction: “If literature is meant to reflect 

life, then why not use food, a part of our 

everyday lives, to make that reflection truly 

believable?” By drawing on her knowledge of 

literature and inserting quotes alongside her 

recipes, Walsh has invented tea party gems 

in her own kitchen and passed them on to 

all book lovers through A Literary Tea Party, 

proving that dishes inspired by fiction can 

become reality, because food is real, even in 

make-believe worlds. 

DARIN COOK is a freelance writer from Chatham who 

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

bookstores and restaurants of London. 

The Raven Cocktail 

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, 

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, 

“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven, 

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore — 

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!” 

Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.” 

Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven” 

3 blackberries 

3–5 mint leaves (plus 2 extra sprigs for garnish) 

1 ½ oz white rum 

½ cup pomegranate juice, chilled 

Makes 1 cocktail 

Use a muddler to crush the blackberries and 3–5 mint 

leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker (I used 3 mint 

leaves). 

Pour in the rum and pomegranate juice. Secure the lid 

onto the shaker and shake to combine. 

Pour into a wine glass. Strain out the berry pulp and 

leaves or, if you prefer, leave them in. I like the visual 

effect and extra flavour they add, so I leave them in. 

Top with a sprig of mint and serve to a gloomy feathered 

friend. 

Recipe excerpted from Alison’s Wonderland 

Recipes: Recipes Inspired by Classic Literature 

(wonderlandrecipes.com) by Alison Walsh. 

All rights reserved.



The Lighter Side 

Home is Where the Hygge Is 

By SUE SUTHERLAND-WOOD 

I 

was out shopping recently and happened 

to spend a few minutes browsing the 

shelves of scented candles. It was 

interesting to see how many of the 

choices were happy, nostalgic treats like 

sugar cookies, apple pie, and vanilla birthday 

cake. All instantly conjured up with the quick 

rasp of a match. This ties in nicely with the 

many popular books available which outline 

how to create what the Danes call “hygge” 

(pronounced hoo-gah), a now over-used buzz 

word that defines that 

snug feeling of cradling 

a mug of hot chocolate 

in front of the fire whilst 

wearing fancy socks that 

have never had cat hair 

on them. 

The reality is that while 

most of us absolutely 

do crave this feeling, we 

are also excruciatingly 

busy. When time permits 

(often at the ghastly hour of 10 pm when we 

may still be folding laundry by the light of the 

dryer) we still feel guilty about failing to do 

more, be better. Women are especially prone 

to this kind of anguish and tend to undervalue 

what they accomplish every day. 

Yet small things are important and their 

effect is cumulative. 

Despite now being over six feet tall, my own 

sons can still wax sentimental about going 

to the market when they were small. Even 

though I myself was often exhausted and 

shuffling with a coffee, they only remember 

The Cheese Ladies. These sparkling women 

took a genuine interest in them every 

Saturday and shaved off crumbly shards 

of Cheshire or offered squares of buttery 

Havarti, all the while earnestly listening. 

From Colby to New Zealand Cheddar they 

tried them all, and my eldest son began 

shyly bringing a drawing each week which 

the women proudly displayed till it curled 

and faded. Kindness and sincerity are good 

business partners, as it happens. We bought a 

lot of cheese! 

I was extremely moved recently by a tender 

anecdote delivered at a memorial service. A 

young woman, the eldest granddaughter, held 

everyone’s attention by eloquently describing 

the shivery chill of a wet bathing suit after 

a long afternoon of swimming, and her 

squealing delight as her grandmother wound 

her into a soft, thick towel which she had 

thoughtfully toasted 

in the dryer first. She 

was then presented 

with a cherry 

Popsicle, before 

skipping back to 

play. So simple. But 

it’s a feeling she can 

rekindle throughout 

her life: feeling loved, 

cared for, cherished. 

There are other 

things. A child’s excited pride in unclipping 

the Tupperware lid at soccer time. “Guys! It’s 

watermelon!” A friend of mine once marveled 

at her own mother’s help after the birth of 

a child. “She made chicken, she dried sheets 

outside. And she folded laundry perfectly — 

like they do in the store!” 

Many of us know and dread the endless 

preparations that go with camping. But 

ultimately, who remembers the homemade 

gourmet foil packets that cook uncertainly in 

the ashes of the fire for dinner? No one — not 

when there are s’mores! 

Light a scented candle by all means — but 

look carefully at your own life, gentle reader. 

You may already be creating far more hygge 

than you know. 

SUE SUTHERLAND-WOOD is a freelance writer and 

regular contributor to Eatdrink. Read more of Sue’s work 

on her blog www.speranzanow.com

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Eatdrink #76 March/April 2019

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