Eatdrink #77 May/June 2019

Issue #77 | May/June 2019 

eatdrink 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

MIGHTY 

F.I.N.E. 

A Restaurant 

in Grand Bend 

FEATURING 

Culinary Experiences 

Planting Seeds for Experiential Tourism 

Cool Climate Chardonnay 

A Crisp Taste of Our Climate 

Road Trip to Elora 

Beneath the Plaid 

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007 

www.eatdrink.ca

2 | May/June 2019 

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag 

Stratford’s 

#nextgen chefs are here 

VisitStratford.ca

BEST 

SHOPPING 

IN THE CITY; 

NOW BOTH 

SATURDAY 

AND SUNDAY! 

THEMARKETWFD.COM 

STEPHANIE A. 

FACEBOOK REVIEW 

Get off the highway and escape the rush. Visit small towns and dusty roads to celebrate 

the culture, flavours and creators of Oxford County. Slow down and embrace our rural routes. 

Get inspired and find details at 

TourismOxford.ca 

519-539-9800 

1-866-801-7368 x3355 

tourism@oxfordcounty.ca 

www.tourismoxford.ca 

Woodstock, Tillsonburg, Ingersoll, Norwich, Tavistock, Drumbo, Embro


eatdrink 

 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 


eatdrinkmagazine 

@eatdrinkmag 

eatdrinkmag 

eatdrink.ca 

Think Global. Read Local. 

Publisher 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Managing Editor Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca 

Food Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Copy Editor Kym Wolfe 

Social Media Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Advertising Sales Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Stacey McDonald – stacey@eatdrink.ca 

Terry-Lynn “TL” Sim – TL@eatdrink.ca 

Finances 

Ann Cormier – finance@eatdrink.ca 

Graphics 

Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy 

Writers 

Jane Antoniak, Darin Cook, 

Gary Killops, Bryan Lavery, 

George Macke, Kym Wolfe 

Sue Sutherland Wood 

Photographers Bruce Fyfe, Steve Grimes, Doug North 

Telephone & Fax 519-434-8349 

Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 

Website 

City Media, Cecilia Buy 

Social Media Mind Your Own Business 

Printing 

Sportswood Printing 

OUR COVER 

On the patio of Grand 

Bend’s F.I.N.E. a 

Restaurant are chef/ 

owner Erryn Shephard 

(left), front-of-house 

manager Susan Tebrugge, 

and chef Ben Sandwith. 

Photo by Bruce Fyfe. 

© 2019 Eatdrink Inc. and the writers. 

All rights reserved. 

Reproduction or duplication of any material published in Eatdrink 

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

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

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

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

information, content and/or advertisements published in Eatdrink 

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

represent those of the Publisher. The Publisher welcomes submissions 

but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. 

Serving up 

Great 

partnerships 

commercial | digital | wide format | design 

Let us help with your next project... 

519.866.5558 | ben@sportswood.on.ca 

www.sportswood.on.ca

EVENTS • FOOD • VENDORS 

eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine March/April 2019 | 5 

SorryNO 

RV Parking 

on long wknds & July-August 

OVER 200 VENDORS SELLING UNIQUE, HANDCRAFTED, 

VINTAGE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN 

FOOD VENDORS, CRAFT BEER & LIVE ENTERTAINMENT 

EVENTS POSTED ON FACEBOOK 

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FOR MORE INFO 

VISIT 

US ON 

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Grand Bend 

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519-238-8382 

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Contents 

Issue #77 | May/June 2019 

Publisher’s Notes 

When Patience Is a Virtue 

Getting It Right the First Time 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

8 

Food Writer at Large 


Planting Seeds for Experiential Tourism 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

10 

40 

10 

Wine 

Cool Climate Chardonnay 


By GARY KILLOPS 

40 

Theatre 

Summertime ... 

And the Theatre Is ... Diverse 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

48 

Restaurants 

Mighty F.I.N.E. for Fifteen Years 

F.I.N.E. a Restaurant, in Grand Bend 


20 

Spotlight 

New Hotspots 

Additions to the Culinary Scene 

By THE EDITORS 

24 

Road Trips 


There’s More to Elora 

By SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD 

28 

Beer 

For the Love of Lager 

Craft Brewers Take on Big Beer 

By GEORGE MACKE 

35 

28 

20 

The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

New and Notable 

53 

Books 

Chop Suey Nation 

by Ann Hui 

Review by DARIN COOK 

64 

66 

Recipes 

Earth to Table Every Day 

by Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann 

Review & Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

66 

The Lighter Side 

Skål! 

By KYM WOLFE 

70 

64

eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine 

May/June 2019 | 7 

WE SPEAK THE GOOD 

FOOD LANGUAGE 

Come & sample our 

New Seasonal Menu! 

Reserve NOW for Our Famous Gourmet 

MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH BUFFET 

Sunday, May 12 

519-430-6414 

/Blakes2ndFloor 

¦


Publisher’s Notes 


When Patience Is a Virtue 

Getting It Right the First Time 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

O 

ne of the best perks in publishing 

Eatdrink is the notices we get 

when a new business launches. It 

is always exciting to hear about 

creative people taking the bold step of 

introducing the world to their brainchild. This 

is not work for the faint of heart! We admire 

their courage and strive to be fully supportive. 

And we are pleased to announce the news. 

As exciting it is to break a story first, we 

tend to be a little slow to put together an 

in-depth profile for our readers. There 

are several sound reasons for this, 

although we get some complaints about 

this informal policy from eager owners 

(and publicists, who are often on shortterm 

contracts so they REALLY press to 

PATIENCE 

get their story out). We offer our BUZZ 

column, totally free of charge, but “a real story” 

is seen as the golden ticket. 

We have been doing this since 2007, and we 

have learned that we can be of best service if 

we are a little patient. Despite putting together 

the most detailed and well-researched business 

plans, years of experience in the industry, with 

boundless energy, passion and keen intelligence 

brought to the project, very few businesses get 

everything right when they first open. 

I could cite some real disasters, like a head 

chef crumbling under the pressure of opening 

day and resigning before dinner service was 

over, but those are few and far between. 

Thankfully! But quite consistently, lesser 

issues arise. Perhaps there’s a staffing issue. 

It might turn out that some menu items are 

just not working, the HVAC system proves 

inadequate with a weather change, or a 

supplier can’t manage to deliver a key product 

in a timely manner. A tweaking or an overhaul 

takes place, maybe several times, before the 

business is really hitting its stride. 

We take our responsibility to our readers 

very seriously. We only publish stories about 

places that we are confident our readers will 

enjoy. The result: readers understand the 

story is a form of endorsement and their 

interest is piqued. A bump in business ensues. 

New customers are created, and they help 

spread the word. That is the ideal situation. 

Every good business makes the effort to 

ensure every customer enjoys an optimum 

experience. For a first-time customer, this is 

absolutely crucial. A large number of patrons 

will not easily return if things do not go 

well. Which is why a “soft opening” is 

so helpful for getting launched. There 

is an understanding on everyone’s 

part that this is “a work in progress” 

and extra allowances are granted. Here 

at Eatdrink, we like to extend that grace 

period a little longer. 

Early on, we published a story on an 

interesting new business, and the owner was 

excited. The story came out, but in just a few 

weeks, some things went sideways. The owner 

contacted us a few months later, asking that 

we write another story about his business. 

“So much has changed! We’ve fixed so many 

problems! We need to tell a different story!” 

Publishing every other month, we literally 

don’t have the space to write about every 

worthy business even once a year. We have 

written about some businesses more than 

once — our cover story is a fine example of 

that (pun intended!) — but there are years in 

between stories. So we wait, until a venture is 

relatively established, and also able to sustain 

a spike in business when a story comes out. 

We’re interested in long term relationships, 

with our customers and with our readers. 

Now, all that said, we’re trying something 

a little different this issue, and have included 

a column about five new businesses that 

Eatdrink is watching with some excitement. 

Is this a good idea? Please let me know! We’re 

here to serve. 

Peace,


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Food Writer at Large 


Planting the Seeds for Experiential Tourism 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

We like to travel along Oxford 

County’s concessions and back 

roads to rediscover the terroir 

and pastoral landscapes and to 

stop at the farmgates in season. Just outside 

Woodstock, situated in the rolling hills just off 

Highway 59, is Shep Ysselstein’s Gunn’s Hill 

Artisan Cheese operation and his family’s wellestablished, 

third generation dairy farmstead. 

Bo, the Ysselstein’s affable canine will likely 

greet you upon arrival. Prepare yourself to 

walk in the shoes of a gifted local cheesemaker, 

while attending Affinage 101, a new hands-on 

culinary experience in Oxford County. 

We were given hairnets and disposable shoe 

coverings before heading in to get a hands-on, 

behind-the-scenes look at how Ysselstein 

crafts his award-winning Swiss-style artisan 

cheese. The wheels of cheese are stored on 

long wooden shelves in climate-sensitive 

ageing rooms. We washed the hefty wheels of 

cheese in order to keep them moist, turned 

them over, and washed them again allowing 

the cheese to gain additional flavour. Using 

a double-handed cheese knife, the affable 

Ysselstein, cut into the wheels in order to 

taste the cheese at the various stages of 

ageing. We were guided on how to judge the 

quality of cheese, and rate the various flavour 

At Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese visitors get the full 

experience: from hands-on cheesemaking activities , 

to preparing and enjoying the final product. 

profiles, textures, and anomalies. 

Later we prepared a trio of cheese 

fondues. The insides of the pots were 

rubbed with garlic cloves, white wine 

was slightly heated with cornstarch 

over portable burners, and then 

three different varieties of cheese 

were grated and individually stirred 

into their own fondue pots. We ate 

the communal fondue by dipping 

fresh bread (from Woodstock’s new 

bakery, Two Guys and a Whisk) into 

Dave Schonberger leads visitors in “From Tree 

to Table – A Build your own Board Experience,” 

another opportunity for experiential tourists.

the melted cheese. 

There was time to 

socialize with other 

participants, sample 

different cheese 

varieties and savour 

the fondues. 

On display at 

Gunn’s Hill’s newly 

renovated showroom 

are tree-totable 

charcuterie 

and cheese boards, 

Poland, Baltic States handcrafted & St. Petersburg with 

21 days, sustainably-sourced 

Late August 2019 

Stylish and vibrant history local and wood culture by and Dave the 

sheer grandeur Schonberger of Russia’s imperial of city 

Tanzania Ottercreek & Zanzibar Woodworks. 

September In 2018 2019 

14 days, 

10-day Serengeti & Schonberger Tarangire National won Parks 

Safari,, plus the 4 Innovative days Beach Resort 

Experience of the 

Year Award from 

Southwest Ontario 

31 Tourism Nottinghill Gate, for his Suite 203, 

Oakville “From ON Tree TICO#50013851 to Table 

– A Build-your-own 

Board Experience.” 

This experience 

includes a guided 

walk through Carolinian 

Forest, an 

artisanal workshop 

where you can craft 

your own live-edge 

charcuterie board, 

and a tasting of 

local cheese and 

charcuterie. 

Affinage 101 and 

“From Tree to Table 

– A Build-your-own 

Board Experience” 

are both good examples 

of authentic 

experiences which 

enable visitors 

to forge deeper 

connections with 

regional food stories. 

Planting Seeds for Experiential Tourism Dinner: 

(top) Modernist Apple with Edible Soil by Chef 

Brian Sua-an of Reverie: (middle) Pawpaw Puree 

from Farmer Paul Spence; (bottom) Joanne Wolnik, 

Tourism Project Development Manager, Southwest 

Ontario Tourism Corporation. Photos by Phong Tran. 

experience the 

wonders & colours 

of morocco 

A tour that will 

open your mind 

and your senses 

11 DAYS 

18 MEALS 

Call Heather for dates and prices 

www.heathersincomparablejourneys.ca 

For any and all of your travel needs 

519-473-8591 — Heather Wilkinson 

Regional Office: 31 Nottinghill Gate, Suite 203, Oakville 

TICO#50013851 

Come Experience Our World! 

Award Winning Artisan Cheese 

NOW OFFERING! Affinage 101 

A hands-on behind-the-scenes experience 

• Visit the aging room where cheese is cured 

• Taste the changes in flavour as the cheese cures 

• Discover steps to judge cheese quality and taste 

• Create a delicious Gunn’s Hill fondue from scratch 

• Find details and register on our website 

445172 Gunn's Hill Rd, Woodstock, ON 

519-424-4024 

www.gunnshillcheese.ca

Trust... 

Taste... 

Quality... 


Celes Davar (above) discusses experiential tourism 

with an engaged group of industry professionals at 

a Slow Food-inspired evening. 

Your Source for 

Dry Aged Steaks, 

Sausages, Burgers & Kebabs 

and so much more ... 

• Sourced locally from trusted farms 

• Traditional European preparation methods 

• The latest in food processing innovation 

Open six days a week. 

Hensall, Ontario 

Just off Hwy 4, 

45 minutes north of London. 

www.metzgermeats.com 

519-262-3130 

Available in London at 

The Village Meat Shop 

at Western Fair Farmers’ Market 

on Saturdays! 

Local Beef • Pork • Lamb • Poultry 

Specialty European Meat Products 

When led by knowledgeable guides, participants 

become interactively immersed. Experiential 

tourism offers a value-added, hands-on activity 

that changes the visitor from a consumer to a 

participant, enriching the experience, and often 

creating longer stays and increasing revenue. 

Last November a culinary experience with 

an invitation to be creative about tourism 

was branded as “Planting the Seed for 

Experiential Tourism”. It is being marketed 

for team building experiences and convention 

attendees later this year. This experience 

was crafted with Melissa Du Luca of Tourism 

London, Joanne Wolnik of Southwest 

Ontario Tourism Corporation (SWOTC) and 

Forest City Cookbook creator Alieska Robles. 

We asked participants to attend with a spirit 

of adventure and prepared to be enlightened


by culinary professionals. Designed to 

inspire participants and to think about 

creative collaboration and innovation, the 

experience included certified tea sommelier 

and nutritionist Michelle Pierce Hamilton, 

owner of beTeas and The Tea Lounge; chef/ 

owner Brian Sua-an of Reverie, London’s 

12-seat tasting restaurant; chef/owner Thomas 

Waite of The In Home Chef; and Paul Spence, 

Chatham-Kent’s local food champion. 

More recently, I facilitated a Slow Foodinspired 

evening on behalf of Lavery Culinary 

Group. My colleague and nephew Nick Lavery 

emceed the event, with a craft beer pairing by 

Nate Torrresan of Forked River Brewing Co. 

Speakers Gary Rowsell and Emanuela Frongia 

provided an impressively nuanced discourse 

on the Slow Food movement. Frongia spoke 

of the Canadian Ark of Taste (think of 

Noah’s Ark for food), which comprises an 

archive of foods threatened by agribusiness, 

standardization and environmental 

degradation. Photographer Phong Tran 

offered expert advice on creating Instagramworthy 

food photos with your cellphone. 

Sample delicious local eats, 

meet inspiring producers and 

marvel at the tempting array 

of fresh and artisanal edibles. 

From farm to table, pork to pies 

to pints, discover more 

in Perth County! 

restaurants 

farm gates 

Woodstock’s Chocolatea involves visitors in creating 

hand-crafted chocolates — a “Truffle Camp” workshop — 

a fine example of experiential tourism in action. 

food shops 

Find us, follow us! 

#DiscoverMore #PerthCounty 

@PerthCoTourism 

perthcountytourism.ca


Experiential dining events are all about 

innovation, often featuring restaurants popups 

in non-traditional spaces. For both the 

“Planting the Seeds for Experiential Tourism” 

and Slow Food-inspired dinners, menus 

included less familiar indigenous ingredients 

such as custardy pawpaw, tart quince, nutty 

Jerusalem artichokes, local chestnuts and the 

honey-like tasting Jesuit pear, prepared by 

farm-to-table observant farmers and chefs. 

We learned how experiential tourism is 

changing the landscape of visitor experiences 

Homestyle Cooking & Baking 

Family Owned & Operated Mennonite Restaurant & Bakery 

Homemade cooking & baking made fresh daily from 

scratch using the best ingredients! 

• 20+ Pies! • Muffins • Squares • Cookies • Sweet Buns • Donuts 

• Cheesecakes • Tarts • Cakes & Cupcakes • Bread & Dinner Rolls 

OPEN 

ALL YEAR 

ROUND! 

10am–6pm 

DAILY 

www.annamaes.ca 

519-595-4407 

Monday–Saturday 

7am–8pm 

Cash or Debit Accepted 

4060 Line 72, Millbank ON 


in travel and tourism in Canada by “experiential 

guru” Celes Davar, of the award-winning 

boutique experiential tourism company Earth 

Rhythms. Davar and his wife Susan are dedicated 

to fostering customized immersive travel 

experiences. Twenty new trailblazing experience-development 

coaches emerged from the 

“Train the Trainer” course facilitated by Davar, 

all grads of his “Unlocked & Inspired” training 

program provided by SWOTC. 

Among the grads were tourism innovator 

and Oxford County chocolatier Cindy Walker, 

certified tea sommelier, and self-styled “Queen 

of the Ganache.” As owner/head chocolatier 

of Ingersoll’s Chocolatea, Walker crafts smallbatch 

chocolates with innovative flavour 

pairings and procures a carefully curated 

selection of teas. Participants assume the role 

of the chocolatier and step behind the counter 

to craft a dozen of their own multi-flavoured 

truffles in her “Truffle Camp” workshops. 

Walker guided the Culinary Learning Tour 

for the SWOTC 2019 annual conference. We 

were transported by school bus to Heeman’s 

Greenhouse where we met Susan Judd, a 

partner in Ride the Bine, who provides local 

beer, wine and cider tours with co-owner 

Amanda Dooney. Chief Daymaker Will Heeman 

was on hand to provide context and an engaging 

overview of Heeman’s family owned and 

operated greenhouse and strawberry farm. We 

tasted and transplanted different herb varietals 

to take away. A honey tasting experience was 

presented by Tom Heeman, with an explanation 

on how bees make honey, the different varieties 

and the variations in colour, taste, texture 

and aroma. Tom is the driving force behind 

Heeman’s honey production and has a solid 

background in agronomy and biological controls 

along with industry experience, having grown 

up on the farm. The honey was paired with 

IN-STORE BAKERY 

& GIFT SHOP 

Old Fashioned Sausage 

Smoked Pork Products 

Bacon & Ribs 

Local Artisan Cheeses 

Large Selection of Gourmet Condiments 

The Finest Local Poultry Products 

Free Range & Drug Free 

Holland Grills 

#2146 Highway 7 & 8, Shakespeare ON 

519-625-8194 

www.porkshoppe.com


different types of cheese for a taste comparison. 

Chef Shauna Versloot, coach/owner of The Live 

Well Community, spoke about a recent trip to 

Italy as well as balsamic vinegar. The tour ended 

with a competitive make-your-own sundae with 

strawberry preserve and balsamic glaze topping. 

Davar stated, “In the hands of local storytellers, 

passionate gardeners and in the warm, 

humid and green environment, we had a tropical 

holiday for a winter’s afternoon. That’s how 

we change tourism, one experience at a time.” 

This summer, my colleagues and I will be 

helping to host a range of customized foodfocused 

and cultural experiential walking tours 

options that will be on offer in Downtown 

London. You will be able to experience the 

Forest City in a new way, and indulge all of your 

senses with an insider tour by a local culinary 

expert. Watch the Eatdrink social media 

channels for more information. 

Eatdrink Food Editor and Writer at Large BRYAN 

LAVERY brings years of professional experience in 

the hospitality industry, as a co-founder of the Lavery 

Culinary Group, food writer, chef, event planner, former 

restaurateur and mentor. 

Stratford ‘Stinks’ – but only once a year! 

September 7, 9am – 5pm 

September 8, 10am – 4pm 

Indoors at the Community Hall 

Stratford Rotary Complex 

353 McCarthy Road, Stratford ON 

• 

Ontario Garlic & Artisan Market 

featuring over 70 vendors 

Exclusive Tastings 

pairing artisanal cheeses with wines, 

beer and spirits 

Cooking Demonstrations 

Educational Forums 

Live Entertainment 

Free parking and bike valet service 

growers & creators of fine lavender products 

DISCOVER. 

INDULGE. 

ESCAPE. 

Annual 

BLOOM 

Celebration 

June 15-30 

519-494-5525 

47589 Sparta Line, Sparta 

Wed–Sat 10-5; Sun 12–4 

Mother’s Day to Dec. 20 

PLUS June–Labour Day: Tues 10-5 

steedandcompany.com 

$5 Garden 

Admission 

June 15-July 14

Stratford is 

more than 

great theatre 

visitstratford.ca 

Where Herbivores 

can bring their Carnivores 

PATIO 

NOW 

OPEN! 

118 Downie Street, Stratford 

Wednesday thru Sunday 11–8 

Call 519.305.5888 

www.theplanetdiner.com 

Globally inspired; locally sourced. 

An eclectic array of tapas, tacos, & plates; 

featuring a pre-theatre prix fixe dinner menu. 

Local craft beer & wine, 

unique cocktails & margaritas. 

(519)273.5886 

themillstone.ca 

Every Saturday 

10pm - 2am 

30 Ontario St, Stratford, ON 

A POP-UP SNACK BAR 

Laotian cuisine alongside 

regionally-inspired cocktails 

@ latenightlao 

themillstoneON

“Our bodies are our gardens 

to which our wills are gardeners.” 

— William Shakespeare 

Awaken your taste buds 

with over 50 choices of fresh, 

olive oils & balsamic vinegars, 

all in the heart of Stratford. 

21 York Street 

TUES, WED, THURS, SAT 10–5; 

FRI 10–6; SUN 12–4; Closed MON 

519-508-1757 

oliveyourfavourites.com 

Casual Family-Friendly Italian 

Eat In • Take Out • Patio 

Licensed 

Tuesday–Thursday 4:30–9:00 

Friday–Saturday 4:30–10:00 

38 Erie Street, Stratford 

519-305-3838 

www.aopasta.com

“A fun place to shop 

for housewares and gifts!” 

Beautiful rugs and textiles made 

entirely from recycled plastic bottles 

visitstratford.ca 

@StratfordON 

WATSON’S 

CHELSEA BAZAAR 

84 Ontario St. Stratford 

watsonsofstratford.com 

519-273-1790 

PATIO NOW OPEN

A WORLD OF 

MUSIC FOR 

EVERYONE 

Friday Night Live at Revival House 

Join us Friday nights in Stratford as we turn a dining hall into a Manhattan-style night 

club. Don’t miss these six exceptional evenings that will jazz-up your summer nights! 

$45 each show, in advance (+ $5 at the door) 

$89 Dinner & Show package, in advance only 

FRIDAY, JULY 19TH AT 9 PM 

Stephen Prutsman, jazz 

FRIDAY, JULY 26TH AT 9 PM 

Conception Bay with Duane Andrews, Mark Fewer 

and INNERchamber, jazz & folk 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND AT 9 PM 

Phil Dwyer Trio, jazz 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16TH AT 9 PM 

Bohemians of Brooklyn, Tom Allen, Lori 

Gemmel, Bryce Kulak, Patricia O’Callaghan 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 AT 9 PM 

Rhapsody in Blue and Brazilian Jazz with 

John Novacek, James Campbell and Graham 

Campbell, brazilian jazz 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH AT 9 PM 

Jodi Proznick & Heather Bambrick, jazz 

season 

sponsor 

519.271.2101 / 1.866.288.4313 

stratfordsummermusic.ca



Restaurants 

Mighty F.I.N.E. for Fifteen Years 

F.I.N.E. a Restaurant, in Grand Bend 

By JANE ANTONIAK | Photos by BRUCE FYFE 

Aging like a fine wine, or maybe more like the 

energizer bunny, Chef Erryn Shephard, shows 

no sign of slowing down or of losing her love 

of French cuisine. Her brilliant touches on 

everything from the breadbasket to the cheesecake, not 

to mention custom décor including her own art collection, 

make Grand Bend’s F.I.N.E. a Restaurant a beloved 

Southwestern Ontario destination. 

Shephard speaks of roux in loving tones. Butter and 

flour are her muses. She bakes and makes soups with such 

passion that, at 58, when other chefs might think about 

standing down after years on their feet, she is consumed 

with what new culinary business she may yet start. 

“I love it. I cannot imagine doing anything else. I’m 

not tired of any of it yet,” she says when you can manage 

to get her to sit down in a chair for a few minutes for 

an interview. Her 14-year partner in the kitchen, Chef 

Ben Sandwith, takes her chair for further questions as 

Shephard dashes off to the kitchen to bring yet more 

samples or to 

personally pack 

left-overs for 

guests to take 

home. 

“There’s 

not a thing 

she won’t do 

for someone,” 

says Sandwith. 

He outlines 

the various 

charitable acts 

by Shephard 

including 

cooking for 

schools, 

churches, and 

fundraisers 

for everything 

from the local 

foodbank to 

Seated on the F.I.N.E. patio are chef/owner Erryn Shephard (left), 

chef Ben Sandwith, and Front-of-house manager Susan Tebrugge


Tastings at the London Hunt Club. This is in 

addition to the tens of thousands of dollars 

she has raised for cancer research at St. 

Joseph’s Health Care in London via her annual 

ladies’ nights dinners and auctions. 

This generous spirit is also evident in her 

kitchen. While Shephard loves working with 

rich ingredients in classically-inspired dishes, 

she has respect for customers who prefer 

lighter or vegetarian fare. 

Daily soups include the popular Coconut 

Curry Sweet Potato vegetarian soup. Cream 

of Celery Root soup, topped with apple slaw, 

is light, silky and crunchy. Shephard says she 

is seeing a younger crowd in recent years who 

“don’t come in for a Manhattan, but they 

know a lot about food.” While the certified 

Angus beef tenderloin remains a mainstay on 

the menu, chefs Shephard and Sandwith also 

give a nod to fish as a customer choice. Maybe 

it’s the location (next to Lake Huron waters) 

which inspires both chefs and customers to 

clamour for the lake fish. While the pan-fried 

pickerel is outstanding, so is the fresh BC 

halibut, pan-seared and served beautifully 

with lemon cream, spring peas, homemade 

BISTRO • CONFERENCE • SUITES • SPA 

519-565-2576 

LakeHouseofBayfield.com 

meats Catering that your needs. 

C’Angelina 

Catering 

Corporate & Family BBQs 

Prepared Foods & Fresh Meats 

Sausage-Making Classes 

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Sundays 9–4 

By Appointment 

426 Third Street, London 

519-204-8189 

c-angelina@rogers.com



gnocchi that melts in your mouth, and is topped with 

a light salad. Don’t put it past Sandwith to play it up 

with jumbo shrimp, lobster and other ocean fishes for 

his fish-of-the-day or his crostini-of-the-day. “Ben has 

just gotten better and better,” says Shephard. 

Both chefs were trained in the US. Shephard 

attended the Greenbrier Apprentice program in 

West Virgina as well as programs in Dallas and Ohio. 

Sandwith grew his talents in New York City before 

returning home to Grand Bend, where he and Shephard 

connected at the Oakwood Inn. They are strongly 

customer-centric while remaining true to “cooking 

what we love to cook” and what the customers love to 

eat. Front-of-house is managed by Susan Tebrugge. 

A visit to F.I.N.E. simply must include dessert. 

Shephard’s cheesecakes are deep, creamy and not 

overly-sweet despite being double-chocolate or peanut 

butter with additions of fudge sauce, whip cream, 

cookies and candies. She is playful with offerings 

such as hot bananas in deep-friend wontons with 

spiced honey, cinnamon sugar and vanilla ice cream. 

“People are more open to trying things, trusting us,” 

says Shephard. As well, they get summer customers 

on vacation who are looking for a special experience. 

The customer base has grown from Grand Bend 

locals to regulars from London, Sarnia and beyond. 

The restaurant is open ten months a year, closing 

in January and February (although it opens for 

Valentine’s Day). F.I.N.E. also has a busy catering 

business serving up to 200 at off-site weddings, 

custom private dining and even beach parties. The 

restaurant itself has two sections for about 40 people, 

a seasonal patio for 24 and a private room upstairs for 

12. Think elegant cabin with stunning artwork and 

funky seasonal decorations. F.I.N.E. offers some special 

occasion events such as Mother’s Day brunch, Father’s 

Day dinner, wine-tastings and tapas with Michael Buck 

of Lifford Wines. And an interesting experience that 

combines dinner with psychic readings. 

Still, Shephard is strongly hinting she wants more. 

“I love the feeling of yeast, dough in my hands,” 

she says. For example, locals pop by on Fridays 

for Cinnamon Friday Fries — a tribute to a longago 

Grand Bend bakery which sold iced cinnamon 

deep-fried dough strips. “I was taught by such great 

chefs in the US so I like the classical stuff and how 

it’s applied here. Sometimes I think I’d like to offer 

the food of your parents: cool, old-school and still 

really good.” She gets sentimental reminiscing about 

Oysters Rockefeller and Surf ’n’ Turf. Clearly, with 

14 solid years in the bank, the loyal clients of F.I.N.E. 

Right, from top: Cream of Celery Root Soup with apple slaw ; 

Crostini-of-the-Day: jumbo shrimp, garlic chilis and 

homemade hot sauce; Chocolate cheesecake with Skor bits, 

chocolate fudge sauce, cream and berries.



F.I.N.E a Restaurant 

42 Ontario Street South, Grand Bend 

519-238-6224 

finearestaurant.com 

lunch & dinner hours change seasonally 

Pan-roasted BC Halibut (top) with homemade gnocchi, 

spring peas, asparagus, and lemon cream; and Hot 

Bananas Won Tons (below) with spiced honey, cinnamon 

sugar, Macadamia nuts and vanilla ice cream. 

have proven that Shephard and Sandwith have 

found a unique space for their talents, with 

the promise of more to come. 

The Best and Only Water-TOP Patio! 

Chef-inspired Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Menus 

Craft Beers & Inspired Cocktails 

Best View In The City 

Join Us ... Dockside! 

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to Eatdrink. 

She is also Manager, Communications & Media Relations, 

at King’s University College in London. 

BRUCE FYFE is a frequent photographer for Eatdrink 

and Head, User Experience & User Services, Western 

Libraries for Western University. 

Alternate Grounds Dockside 

Sarnia Bay Marina, 

97 Seaway Road, Sarnia 

519-332-3081 

Open Daily • from 8–Late • April–October 

agdockside.com 

“Where everyone knows your game” 

18 Hole Golf Course 

Year-round Restaurant / Bar 

519-236-4030 

whitesquirrelgolfclub.com 

72538 Bluewater Hwy. 21, Zurich



Spotlight 

New Hotspots 

Five Noteworthy Additions to Our Culinary Scene 

By THE EDITORS 

There is no shortage of exciting culinary news, 

and our Buzz column on page 53 offers plenty of 

proof of that. We think it’s obvious editors here 

at Eatdrink are always on the lookout for quality 

businesses that our readers will want to know about. There 

is also real consternation about the constraints on the 

number of stories we can print in any one issue, in any one 

year. This column is an effort to help remedy that. 

After a great deal of discussion, we are putting an extra 

spotlight on five new businesses of merit, with a bit more 

attention than the Buzz column can afford. Here they are, 

in no particular order, and with some exceptionally enticing 

enterprises left on the back burner for a future issue. 

Harris Electric Eatery 

159 Queen Street East, St. Marys 

519-914-8811 

facebook.com/HarrisElectricEatery 

tuesday–saturday 11:30–2pm; 4:45–8:45pm 

sunday & monday closed 

The location will be familiar to many as the 

former home to some great restaurants, most 

recently Chris and Mary Woolf’s Little Reds. 

But chef Jordy Carr reached even further 

back into the building’s history, when it was 

home to Harris Electric until 1979. Given that 

his mother’s maiden name was Harris (no 

relation), the homage to both town and family 

felt right. 

Chef Carr worked across the country 

before returning to his 

hometown with a young 

family in tow. Having 

been in the industry 

for about two decades 

(he started when he 

was 14!), Carr had run 

kitchens but not his 

own restaurant. He made a commitment to a 

farm-to-table approach, making everything 

in house, from preserves to smoked meats 

and charcuterie. The atmosphere is familyfriendly 

and cozy, with an interesting range 

of craft beers on tap. Chef’s goal is to have 

“something for everyone” but he keeps the 

regular menu manageable and fresh. Expect 

great sandwiches and burgers, salads and 

perhaps steak frites or a creative take on 

tacos. Changing specials frequently reflect 

Carr’s interest in Asian and Latino cuisines. 

Just ensure that you leave room for dessert!


AO Pasta 

38 Erie Street, Stratford 

519-305-3838 

aopasta.com 

tuesday–thursday 4:30–9pm, 

friday & saturday 4:30–10pm 

sunday & monday closed 

Boutique Bakery 

Buttercream Cakes, 

Cookies and 

French Macarons 

Complimentary 

Wedding 

Consultations 

by Appointment 

Open for Walk-in Purchases 

THURS & FRI 11–4pm • SAT 10am–2pm 

145 Wortley Road, London 

Upstairs— above the former Village Harvest Bakery 

bakeshopstudio.com 

Make HAPPINESS 

a part of your day. 

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ 

❤ 

 

 

 

 

AO Pasta is the creation of 

Kris and Suzy Schotzhauer, 

with the name inspired by 

their young children, Axel 

and Olive. Chef Kris, 

Stratford-raised, honed his 

love for pasta at Toronto’s Enoteca Sociale. Chef 

Suzy made her mark as a pastry chef in Calgary. 

Together now for almost a decade, their 

restaurant is as family-centred as the business 

name. Open hours are structured to maintain 

a balance between work and home life, and 

the menu is inventive but accessible, anchored 

by — no surprise here — pastas and made-toorder 

sauces. Craft beers and a good wine list 

are complemented by Italian soft drinks. 

Striking a balance between great food and 

affordability means counter service without 

wait staff and no reservations, with the goal 

of filling the gap between fast food joints and 

Stratford’s sit-down restaurants. The space, 

previously home to The County Food Co., offers 

comfortable seating and a casual ambiance. 

Procure a table, peruse the “simple and 

honest, Italian-inspired menu using seasonal, 

locally-sourced products and authentic Italian 

ingredients,” then get up to order. You’ll find all 

is as advertised, simply delicious. The signature 

Arancini — deep-fried risotto balls stuffed with 

mozzarella — are highly recommended.


Streamliners Espresso Bar 

767 Talbot St.,St. Thomas 

519-631-0999 

facebook.com/streamlinersespressobar 

monday–wednesday 7am–6pm 

thursday & friday 7am–8pm 

saturday 7am–6pm 

sunday 9am–4pm 

First, while Streamliners 

can hardly be called “new” (having been open 

about two years) it has grown into a truly 

chic hotspot of note. It’s located in the heart 

of “Railway City,” across the street from the 

marvelously restored CASO Station that is 

also home to the Las Chicas del Cafe coffee 

roastery. Those are the same “coffee chicks” 

behind Streamliners, and along with awardwinning 

coffee, hearty and healthy breakfast 

and lunch options, and delicious pastries, 

this a great all-day spot. Open Mike Nights 


bring in music, and even a Poetry Slam. As 

one fan said, “Go for the coffee. Stay for the 

atmosphere. The people here are amazing!” 

Ivy Ristorante 

587 Oxford St E., London 

519-601-7707 

ivyristorante.com 

tuesday–thursday 5pm–10pm 

friday & saturday 5pm–11pm 

closed sunday & monday 

At a time when so many 

are turning to a less 

formal approach, it’s both 

a surprise and refreshing 

to see “the best of Italy” 

presented with classic fine 

dining accoutrements, white linen tablecloths 

included. In the former home of Bourbon 

Street on Oxford St. at Adelaide, owners 

Michael & Karla have transformed the space 

with elegant and romantic touches throughout. 

The menu is as classic as the decor, with a wine 

list offering predominately Old World choices. 

Brickhouse Brewpub 

190 Fairway Rd, Woodstock 

519-290-5347 

upperthamesbrewing.ca/brewpub 

sunday–thursday 11am–11pm 

friday & saturday 11am–late 

This is the second location for Upper 

Thames Brewing Company (the first locale 

at 225 Bysham Park Drive in Woodstock also 

has an appealing taproom). Twelve taps are 

The menu is unabashedly upscale, with a wide 

variety of the Italian canon presented with a 

dedication to tradition. 

dedicated to their own beer, with 

their small-batch approach ideal for 

experimentation and limited hardto-find 

seasonal offerings. Another 

dozen taps rotate other Ontario 

craft beers. This is a production 

facility too, so there’s a store for 

bottles and growlers to go, but a full 

kitchen makes this a popular destination for 

more than great beer. 

A casual pub vibe includes counter service


for traditional pub fare that often incorporates 

Upper Thames beer. Think Lazy Fox Amber 

Ale-Braised Pork Side Ribs with a Gunn’s Hill 

cheese-loaded baked potato, or Beef & Ale Pie 

filled with local beef, onion, carrots, potato, 

mushrooms and Timberbeast Brown Ale. The 

food is hearty, the atmosphere is warm and 

friendly. Watch the website for special events, 

including live music, comedy and more. 

grace is delicious + modern canadian + localfocused 

+ from scratch + hyper-seasonal + 

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

y + ethical + unpretentious + for 

celebrations + for af ter work + beautiful, fun, 

demystified wine + curated beer + craf ted 

cock tails + coming spring 2019 

215 DUNDAS ST · 226 667 4822 

INFO@GRACELONDON.CA 

GRACERESTAURANTLONDON 

GRACELDNONT 

Monday–Thursday: 11:30am–9pm 

Friday: 11:30am–10pm 

Saturday: 11:30am–10pm 

Sunday: 11:30am–8pm 

NOW OPEN 

Reservations: 519-601-7799 

1140 Southdale Road West, London 

www.bocconcinilondon.ca 

Free Parking



SPONSORED BY 

Road Trips 


There’s More to Elora 

By SUE SUTHERLAND WOOD 

The village of Elora has so much to 

offer — hiking, quiet walks, fishing, 

festivals, scenic views, music, 

water activities, history, wildlife 

— and of course wonderful places to eat and 

drink. Unique shops that have been carefully 

restored in keeping with heritage architecture 

also offer exciting wares year round. Retaining 

tradition, yet constantly evolving to present 

something new makes Elora an ideal road trip 

destination — for any season. 

At Elora Mercantile (eloramercantile.ca), 

vivacious Patti Boutin, speaks ardently about 

being “a general store with a conscience.” This 

credo is reflected in choices that are always 

organic, local when possible and predominantly 

made in-house by Patti herself, with assistance 

from her mother Michele, who 

brings a charming Québécois 

sensibility to many of the offerings. 

Like all of the vendors in Elora, 

they have a stalwart concern for 

the environment (bottled water 

is simply not available, anywhere). Re-fillable 

containers are used for many of the products. 

Patti invited me to try a few samples and 

both the quality and unique selections were 

impressive. Cretons, a rich meat spread beloved 

in Quebec, and its French cousin rillettes, made 

with duck and pork, come attractively packaged 

in glass jars and were moist and fragrant when 

spread on a crispbread. Piping hot wontons were 

succulent 

pillows of 

duck meat. 

A variety 

of cheeses 

including 

Wild Nettle 

and Black 

The Elora Mercantile’s Patti 

Boutin, left, and her mother 

Michele, are but two of a 

large number of irrepressible 

personalities that have found a 

home in beautiful Elora. 

A view of the Grand River as it flows through Elora


May/June 2019 | 29


The Evelyn combines French-inspired fine dining in a 

vintage setting, with a warm, unpretentious approach. 

Top photo by Mike Nagy @ Transparent Kitchen. 

Dessert photo, below, by Dan Dunlop MacLean. 

Truffle, onion confit, tender samosas with 

a sharp coriander chutney, and many jewel 

toned jellies such as Spicy Northern Crab Apple 

rounded out the feast. Michele also presented 

me with their satiny smooth maple crème brûlée 

— I was very sad indeed when it was finished. 

Turkey, Meat and Boeuf Bourguignon pies 

are also popular take-home items from the 

store freezer. It’s clear that Patti understands 

that people work hard and deserve a 

homemade treat that they can feel good about. 

She is already planning the launch of an old 

school picnic basket — complete with blanket 

and shop selections — that can be enjoyed and 

then returned at the end of the day. 

The Evelyn (theevelynrestaurant.com) 

is an intimate French-inspired restaurant 

that combines fine dining with a welcoming, 

unpretentious environment. The vintage interior 

décor with gilded pineapple light fixtures, an 

elegant wall mural and candlelit seating, make 

it difficult to believe that The Evelyn has not 

yet been open a year. Like many others, owner 

MacLean Hann was drawn to the less frenetic 

way of life available in Elora and the restaurant 

has flourished with the local support and


friendliness of the community. The menu offers 

five entrées and there are sharing opportunities 

in the chaud and froid section such as mussels 

or pork terrine. I enjoyed the Coq au Vin (made 

with Cornish Game Hen) and a green salad 

featuring shaved radish, pickled shallot, roasted 

pear and dried cranberries in a chardonnay 

vinaigrette which was divine, artfully presented 

on blue and white willow china. The portions 

were absolutely spot on and left me able to enjoy 

an oozing, still slightly warm butter tart served 

up with Kawartha ice cream. 

Greg Dove has already been working at Elora 

Bread Trading Co. (elorabread.ca/our-bread) for 

about six hours when we meet at 10 a.m., but 

this father of twins still looks freshly scrubbed 

and cheerful as the door opens into the moist, 

inviting smell of freshly baked bread. Large 

bags of flour bear playful names like “Rye 

Humour” and Greg is quick to mention 1847 

Stone Milling in Fergus (1847.ca) for producing 

organic grains and a discriminating product. 

The mill actually brought a stone burr mill from 

Europe in 2013, once it was clear that they were 

going to make a go of it. 

Modern Skincare Made with Love 

The Forest City’s 

all-natural small-batch 

skincare company 

Locally Handcrafted Curated Boutique 

incense, home decor, DIY supplies, 

jewellery, crystals, tarot cards, eco-friendly 

items and so much more ... 

Greg Dove and his small staff at Elora Bread Trading Co. 

turn out about 800 loaves every week. Photo: Doug North 

Greg and his small staff turn out about 

800 loaves every week and well over 1,000 in 

peak season. The bakery offers an extensive 

selection — choices vary daily — with a 

naturally-leavened sourdough as a constant. 

Elora Bread Trading Co. also has a tempting 

lunch menu and the sandwiches are especially 

popular with locals. Quality and sustainability 

shine here as well with mayonnaise, hummus 

and pesto all made in-house. Greg is a relative 

newcomer to Elora and he also cites the warm 

support of a community that reflects a united 

vision of food integrity. 

Elora Brewing Co. ( elorabrewingcompany. 

ca) is in a building that was originally an old 

111 Mount Pleasant Ave., London 

Monday–Friday: 10AM – 6PM 

Saturday & Sunday: 10AM – 4PM 

+1 519 630 5305 

info@purdynatural.ca 

purdynatural.ca 

Boho Bazaar Night Market 

Community is our passion. We support 

and sell local, and create events where 

everyone can gather and grow together. 

Stay updated on events @purdynatural 

@bohobazaarnightmarket


At neighbourhood bar and restaurant The Porch Light, 

you’ll find one of the largest whiskey selections in the 

region, along with a lively and friendly atmosphere 

hardware store but which has been converted to a 

gastropub/craft brewery. It’s a lively, comfortable spot 

to have a bite and sample some award-winning beer. 

Elora Borealis, a Gold Medal winner at the Ontario 

Brewing Awards last year, is clean and fruity and 

one of many to choose from, both bottled and on 

tap. Locally-sourced menu choices are delicious and 

hearty with an emphasis on farm-to-table philosophy 

and staff are knowledgeable and pleasant. The EBC’s 

interior is yet another example of repurposing, with 

the original tin ceiling now adorning the bar and firescarred 

beams dating back to the 1800s still visible en 

route to the mezzanine level. Spotless stainless steel 

vats remind diners that the brewery is directly on site, 

lending a cool industrial vibe. It’s obvious that a great 

deal of hard work and attention to detail is paying off 

and will ensure EBC’s continued success. 

The Porch Light (porchlightelora.com) is a singular, 

intimate spot that has quickly forged a place in Elora’s 


heart. With its clever octopus wallpaper 

and funky, custom bar stools (made by 

local artisan Mike Hintermeister using 

re-claimed steel), the general vibe here is 

full-on, unapologetically Irish pub. That 

is also reflected in its having one of the 

largest selections of whiskey in Southern 

Ontario, over 30 from around the world 

including the twice-distilled Kilbeggan. 

Tayto’s Cheese and Onion crisps are 

here to go with it too! There is a quirky 

selection of specialty cocktails/mocktails 

and the companionable website 

suggestion that if you don’t see what 

you want: “just ask, chances are we can 

make it anyway!” Sunday nights herald 

the “Porch Light Sessions” with live 

music. There are hopes to expand further 

outside during the summer months. 

An eclectic menu offers many choices 

from traditional Irish soup to a selection 

of artisanal boards and there is a kids’ 

menu. All foods are chosen carefully and 

the website notes “we know where our 

products come from and we are proud to 

highlight the best of the best.” 

Janet Etherington’s The Cellar Pub & 

Grill (thecellarpubelora.com) is enjoying 

its ninth year of business. When 

asked about the Elora camaraderie 

Elora Mill offers a range of unique 

rooms and suites, many with 

breathtaking views of the Grand 

River and the gorge


everyone talks about she raises her hands 

playfully and smiles, “Born and raised in Fergus!” 

She shrewdly recognized early on that 

this is where she wanted to be, and that passion 

is still evident. 

Janet has worked with Chef Kevin Zuber for 

many years and 

credits his ability 

to provide affordable, 

quality dishes 

(including glutenfree, 

vegan, and vegetarian 

choices) as 

being a big part of 

The Cellar’s success. 

The menu offers 

house specialties 

such as Lemon & 

Herb Basa Fish and 

the salads are especially 

noteworthy. 

Watermelon and 

feta with blueberry 

vinaigrette can be 

topped with grilled 

chicken, salmon, 

shrimp or smoked 

tofu. A stunning 

outside patio at the 

back is unexpected 

and like entering a 

painting, as the river 

is silvery calm here 

and one can enjoy 

a drink watching 

ducks (and sometimes 

swans) gliding 

Enjoy fine dining at 

affordable prices at The 

Cellar Pub and Grill, by 

the river. The Cellar also 

offers accommodations 

with a river view. 

 

 

 

 

Dining 

Thames 

 

 

 

 

 

Locally Sourced Ingredients 

Authentic Italian Cuisine 

Local Craft Beers 

Exclusive to Southwestern Ontario 

Small-Batch Region-Specific 

Organic Wine by the Glass or Bottle 

Take Out & Gift Certificates Available 

Open for Lunch and Dinner 

Tuesday through Saturday 

www.fatolive.ca 

2135 Dorchester Rd., Dorchester 

519-268-0001


There’s more than outstanding craft beer at Elora 

Brewing Company. The Kitchen supports local farmers 

and producers, offers “playful” beer and food pairings, 

and even has an on-site butchery. Photos: Doug North 

past. Janet is an enthusiastic participant in the 

Swan Conservation program and everyone looks 

forward to a sighting. 

During our time in Elora we were fortunate 

enough to stay at The White Garden (febba.ca) 

where hosts Karen and David Drimmie offer 

a pampered bed and breakfast experience in 

the setting of their stately home. Bright, highceilinged 

rooms are filled with thoughtfully 

placed art and statuary while plants billow freely 

out of pots in sunny corners. The atmosphere 

here is tranquility — not museum. Our room 

was quietly elegant with an excellent bed and 

stained glass doors. A private bathroom was 

delightful with an oversized shower, modern 

fixtures and plenty of hot water. We loved every 

minute — including some excellent conversation 

and a breakfast served on vintage china. 

The Elora Mill (eloramill.ca) has been an 

imposing and majestic landmark since it was 

built over 175 years ago. Its location offers 

dramatic views of both the Gorge and the 

Grand River thundering beneath. After a series 

of incarnations and sadly, some neglect, the 

former grist mill (one of the few five-storey 

Ontario mills still in existence) has recently 

been transformed into a luxury hotel and spa 

by Pearle Hospitality owner, Aaron Ciancone 

— but with a genuine sensitivity and respect 

not often seen. Twenty seven million dollars 

in renovations included carefully repointing 

stone, the creation of the Mill’s own power 

plant to take advantage of the Grand River’s 

hydro potential, thirty opulent guest rooms, 

many featuring breath taking views and 

every imaginable luxury, ‘The Granary’ with a 

rooftop garden suitable for special events and 

weddings, and an elegant dining room with 

seating overlooking the river and falls. The site 

of the Mill’s stables have also been re-imagined 

as a new spa complex and incorporates cliffside 

views of the gorge. 

We enjoyed lunch in Elora Mill’s dining 

room which provides an authentic vista to 

the river and gorge below. The atmosphere 

is stylish but friendly and our server was 

especially good. I particularly admired the 

staff uniforms, which included long brown 

tailored aprons as chic as a Burberry scarf and 

flattering to both male and female servers. 

The menu offered traditional mains and I 

selected the frittata which was sinking with 

mushrooms and tangy sheep’s milk cheese; 

my partner ordered salmon which was cooked 

to flaking pink perfection. 

For those who want to combine Elora’s 

history, scenic beauty and the Grand River 

consider a “punt” tour. These 20-foot Englishstyle 

punts, hand-crafted by Ken Thompson, 

are similar to gondolas. Thompson’s company, 

Elora Raft Rides (eloraraftrides.com) offers 

guided or self-piloted options as well as 

a myriad of customizations from white 

water to twilight tours to specialty (add a 

musician, a historian — or a picnic basket!) 

to eco-cruising (400 million year old fossils, 

anyone?) Thompson notes that the flatbottomed 

punts are manageable for seniors 

and stringent safety precautions are in place. 

Ken’s sincere passion for Elora’s history 

presents a unique opportunity to spend some 

time on the river. 

Choose whatever you want to do in Elora 

— you’ll be so glad that you came! 

SUE SUTHERLAND-WOOD is a freelance writer and 

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

at www.speranzanow.com 

DOUG NORTH is an enthusiastic photographer, writer 

and historian living in London. 

Sue and Doug were guests of ELORA & FERGUS 

TOURISM (elorafergus.ca), which did not review or 

approve the contents of this article.


Beer 

For the Love of Lager 

Craft Brewers Take on Big Beer Brands 

by GEORGE MACKE 


Big beer, move over. Craft lagers are 

gunning for your core brands. Small 

batch microbrewers once shunned 

making lagers in favour of ales, 

mostly because lagers take more tank time 

and major brands had lager fans sewn up. 

But no more. There’s been an explosion in 

the number of thirst-quenching craft lager 

offerings as independent brewers respond to 

demand from fans for less hoppy options. 

Still, don’t expect a craft lager to taste 

anything like a Budweiser, the North 

American standard for an easy-to-drink pale 

ale. Once you start exploring craft lagers 

and their clever flavour nuances, Bud will 

come across as watery. 

(Fun fact: Bud is brewed to exacting 

standards of consistency so that, for 

example, a Bud brewed in London using 

Great Lakes water will taste the same as one 

from the original brewery in St. Louis. Craft 

lagers could vary batch-to-batch.) 

Not every lager from craft brewers is a 

pale lager or a pilsner. Helles, marzen, dunkel 

and Schwarzbier lager styles are all brewed by 

various microbreweries and are more flavourful 

lagers to sip and savour. 

Fresh and local, craft lagers are where it’s 

at from Victoria Day to Labour Day, on decks 

and docks everywhere. Here are 12 

to seek, taste and compare. 

Long Pond Lager, Bayside 

Brewing — I’ll bet the folks at this 

little brewery on the shore of Lake 

Erie pictured a day of fishing when 

they developed the recipe for this 

honey-aroma lager. Along the way, 

they hooked those of us who’ve never cast a 

line. The LCBO suggests pairing it with tacos 

or burgers. I prefer pairing it with a wood-fired 

Bayfield Classic pizza and a waterfront view at 

the brewery in pretty Erieau. 

Shindig, Cowbell Brewing — A 

German-style pilsner brewed in Blyth 

using all Canadian barley malt and hops 

imported from Germany, Shindig has 

become hugely popular. I picture Huron 

County farmers reaching for it as a 

twilight, end-of-workday reward. True 

to style, Shindig is low in bitterness 

with a character described as bready. 

Square One Pilsner, Square 

Brewing — Can you be a microbrewery 

in a beach town and 

not offer a lager? Square Brew 

in Goderich offers a classic 

refresher with Square One, which,



Breweries, 

Craft Beers, spirits, 

Wines, Coolers, 

Food trucks, BBQ, 

Live MusiC, 

GrilLing stage, 

BaCkyard GaMes 

& MuCh More! 

WesternFairDistrict 

@WesternFair 

#LdnBeerBBQ



#LDNBEERBBQ 

JUNE 14&15 

FRI @ 6PM-11PM | SAT @ 12PM-5PM | SAT @ 6PM-11PM 

SAMPLE NEW & UNIQUE SUMMER FLAVOURS 

SLOAN 

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like Cowbell’s Shindig, is brewed with Canadian 

malt and German hops. Square also does a 

Vienna-style lager, which is dark and malty, 

called Vienna is Waiting. 

Daly Pil, Herald Haus Brewing — The yearold 

Stratford brewery has a new light pilsner 

which hasn’t yet passed my 

lips. It’s 4.7 per cent alcohol 

and described by the brewery 

as classically crisp. Herald 

Haus also has Dingman Dark 

Lager, named in honour of 

Stratford’s first mayor, brewed with intensely 

dark (and local) Midnight wheat malt. 

Oops, It Fell Out, Stonepicker Brewing 

Co. — This pilsner from a farm-based brewery 

in Forest uses barley malted on 

site. At 5.75 per cent alcohol, it’s 

more potent than most and at 5 

IBU, it’s the malt-forward anti-IPA. 

Undertone, Storm Stayed 

Brewing — The beer board 

constantly gets revised as recipes 

come and go at this strip mall 

microbrewery on Wharncliffe Road 

in London. Undertone’s 

cool factor is that it’s a lager 

brewed with purple corn. 


Waterloo Craft Lager — One of Ontario’s 

oldest continuously operating craft 

breweries, Waterloo Brewing marks 

a milestone 35 years of beer-making 

by introducing a new lager — a yin 

to the yang of Waterloo Dark. Widely 

distributed at the Beer Store and LCBO, 

this new craft lager is 

sessionable at 4.7 per cent 

alcohol, and versatile with 

summertime food pairings. 

Waterloo Pilsner — 

Waterloo Craft Lager’s older and 

wiser sibling has more bitterness 

and is highly touted for pairing 

with seafoods from calamari to 

fish and chips. 

Liquid Schwartz, Forked 

River Brewing — Some 

like it dark. Lagers need not 

be light and sessionable. 

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a Schwarzbier dark lager which, last I checked, 

was still available at the 45 Pacific Court 

brewery. As the brewery says, think roasty 

pilsner. Better suited to cool weather, Liquid 

Schwartz still resonates as a ratcheting down 

from ports and stouts. 

London Natural Lager, London Brewing 

— The microbrew co-op on Burbrook Place 

made beer drinkers throughout 

Southwestern Ontario stand up and 

take notice with this flavourfulyet-accessible 

lager recipe. London 

Natural Lager is brewed in the 

Munich helles style. They’ve used 

North American Sterling hops, which 

provide a spice and herb aroma. 

Available in distinctive silver cans at 

the brewery, Beer Store, and LCBO, 

remember to pour it in a nonic glass 

or, in a pinch, a red Solo cup. Pairs best with 

hot summer nights, campfires, and loons. 

Country Pilsner, Ramblin’ Road Brewery 

Farm — They don’t mind taking it slow down 

on the farm. Czech-style and richly-flavoured, 

Country Pilsner starts smooth and ends bitter. 


It pairs with sausage, chicken, 

and fish as main courses or light 

desserts such as fresh berries with 

whipped cream, according to the 

brewery’s cheat sheet. Ramblin’ 

Road is near Delhi. 

Astro Pils, Sons of 

Kent Brewing — 

Chatham-based Sons of 

Kent takes a page from both German 

and Czech pilsner styles to create 

Astro Pils. They’ve used both Czech 

Saaz hops and German Select. The 

result, as expected, is a crisp beer. 

It’s 5 per cent alcohol and at 32 IPU, 

bitterness beckons with a whisper 

and a wink. 

Lager Alternatives 

If your favourite craft brewery doesn’t have a 

lager, reach for a cream ale or American pale ale. 

Great local examples are Anderson Cream Ale 

and Homecoming APA from Powerhouse. 

GEORGE MACKE is a Southwestern Ontario craft beer 

explorer who spends too much time at the LCBO. 

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40 | 

Wine 

Cool Ontario Chardonnays 


by GARY KILLOPS 

Ontario is a cool 

climate wine 

region, but 

what does that 

really mean? 

Because of the lower 

temperatures, grapes 

grown in cool climates 

tend to preserve their 

acidity. The wines tend 

to be crisper and often 

lower in alcohol. 

The fruit flavours 

lean towards tree 

fruits such as 

apple and peach 

rather than tropical 

fruit notes like 

pineapple. 

Some wines, 

such as chardonnay, 

tend to express the 

climate that the grapes are grown in. 

The I4C 

The 9th annual I4C, or International Cool 

Climate Chardonnay Celebration, runs from 

Friday, July 19 to Sunday July 21 in Niagara, 

Ontario. Winemakers from cool climate 

regions around the world will converge to 

talk, sip, and share the chardonnays that they 

have produced. Tickets for the weekend-long 

event are already on sale and some of the 

popular events sell out fast. 

The I4C offers a choice of wine, food and 

educational experiences that will showcase 

Ontario’s most popular and most planted 

grape, along with cool climate chardonnays 

from other regions around the world such as 

Chablis and Champagne France, Southern 

Australia, Northern California, New Zealand 

and Nova Scotia. 

Popular events such as “Flights of 

Chardonnay” offer those attending the 

opportunity to taste chardonnays poured 

by the winemakers from regions around the 

world. The event is held at the Niagara District 

Airport and features five Niagara restaurants 

offering small bites (for a fee) that pair well 

with cool climate chardonnays. 

On Saturday July 20 the Canadian Food and 

Wine Institute will host a cool climate world 

tour tasting and dinner at Niagara College. 

This event is often the pinnacle event of the 

weekend. 

Grape Growers of Ontario will also host 

an event on Saturday afternoon called “Kick 

The Dirt.” Those attending this event tour 

vineyards in Niagara and meet with the some 

of the passionate grape growers. The growers 

will discuss the soils, climate, and the vine


management techniques used to produce 

their award winning chardonnays. 

HAPPENS! 

A total of 50 wineries (28 Ontario and 

22 from other regions) will be showcasing 

chardonnay over the weekend, in seven 

organized tasting events. Visit the I4C 

website at CoolChardonnay.org for more 

information on the events, times and prices. 

Why Choose Chardonnay? 

Chardonnay is a versatile grape. It can be aged in 

oak to add flavour complexity. It can be used to 

make sparkling wine and can also be fermented 

dry or left with a touch of sweetness. 

Chardonnay is grown in all three of 

Ontario’s VQA wine appellations. 

Approximately 125 wineries in Ontario 

produce chardonnay. It is used in 18% of 

Ontario’s annual total production and is 

most often fermented to a dry style. 

Here are several of Ontario’s cool 

climate chardonnays for you to 

consider. 

Fielding 2017 Unoaked 

Chardonnay (Vintages #164491, 

$15.95) — This is a clean, fruit 

forward chardonnay. 

Red apple, melon, and 

nectarine fruits linger 

on the palate for quite 

some time. It is crisp, 

clean and refreshing. An 

easy sipping wine that highlights 

Ontario’s cooler climate. 

Consider serving this one as 

an aperitif, or with some light 

appetizers. 

Southbrook 2016 Triomphe 

Organic Chardonnay 

(Vintages #172338, $24.95) — 

Quite a complex chardonnay. 

Fresh peach, lemon, and green 

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Experience Canada’s Hottest Wine Region 

MAKE IT AN 

EPIC WEEKEND! 

SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR 2019/2020 EVENTS 

Dip Into Summer 

May 25 & 26, 2019 

EPIC Vintage Tasting 

August 11, 2019 

Meet the Makers 

February 8 & 9, 2020 

March MAC’ness 

March 7 & 8, 2020 

Taste the Season 

November 23 & 24, 2019 

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apples, ginger spice, butterscotch, and vanilla. 

With a medium plus body it has some weight 

to it. Ontario’s cool climate is expressed in the 

vibrant acidity that leads to a lingering finish. 

Will pair nicely with creamy Parmesan garlic 

mushroom chicken. 

Cave Spring Estate 2016 Chardonnay 

(Vintages #256552, $19.95) — Fresh green 

apple notes, lemon peel citrus. Lighter in 

style than one might expect, resulting in a 

graceful, elegant chardonnay. The elevated 

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519-738-9800 

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acidity allows this wine to be paired 

with fried chicken and other fried 

dishes. 

Flat Rock “The Rusty 

Shed” Chardonnay 

2016 (Vintages 

#1552, $21.75) — This 

is a big, full-bodied 

chardonnay leading 

with oak dominated 

notes. Rich and 

complex. Apple 

and citrus notes 

balance the oaky 

vanilla very well. 

The wine’s creamy texture will 

entice anyone who loves this big, 

oaky style of wine. 

Closson Chase 

Vineyard 2016 

Chardonnay (Vintages 

#148866, $29.95) — The 2017 

vintage was released on April 

1. Bottles of the 2016 vintage, 

which are from a warmer 

vintage for Prince Edward 

County, are still available 

at select locations. Ripe 

apple, pear and citrus fruit, 

creamy butter, vanilla 

and butterscotch notes 

complement. Well-balanced 

and deliciously complex! 

GARY KILLOPS is a CAPS Certified Sommelier who 

loves to talk, taste, and write about wine. He shares his 

tasting notes on EssexWineReview.com

More Local VQA Chardonnays 

Aleksander Estate Winery 

2013 Chardonnay, $16.00 

Alton Farms Estate Winery 

2017 Unoaked Chardonnay, $23.00 

2016 Oaked Chardonnay, $16.00 

Colchester Ridge Estate Winery 


2016 Flagship Chardonnay, $19.95 

Colio Estate Wines 

2016 Bricklayer’s Predicament Chardonnay, $13.95 

2015 Girls’ Night Out Chardonnay, $10.95 

Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards 

2013 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, $17.95 

2016 Chardonnay Musqué, $16.95 


Mastronardi Estate Winery 


Oxley Estate Winery 


Pelee Island Winery 


2016 Chardonnay Reserve, $13.95 

2012 Chardonnay Vinedressers, $17.95 

Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery 


2016 Barrel Chardonnay Hawk’s Flight 

Reserve, $22.15 

Viewpoint Estate Winery 


Vivace Estate Winery 


Open daily year round 11am-5pm 

Quality Craft Wines 

Beachfront Picnics 

www.sprucewoodshores.com 519-738-9253 

Enjoy Our Wines, Available at the LCBO 

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 

Tuscany. 

#WINERYQG 

visitwindsoressex.com 

Donna Feore



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Theatre 

Summertime ... 

And the Theatre Is ... Diverse! 


It is fair to say there is something for everyone this 

summer at regional theatres. An elephant with ties to 

St. Thomas (any guesses?) shows up in Blyth, while the 

saga of the Donnelly’s from Lucan hits the stage at Port 

Stanley. There’s also Canadiana from Norm Foster who goes to 

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and delivers the story home to Lake 

Erie. Another legendary Canadian playwright, Dan Needles, 

brings his iconic rural reflections twice this season — to Blyth 

and also to Port Stanley. And hot on the heels of last summer’s 

curling hit comes another comedy by Stratford writer Mark 

Crawford, Bed and Breakfast, also at Blyth. This and so much 

more is detailed below to help you map out your summer 

theatre trips. 

While summer theatre is usually lighter fare to match the 

carefree season, we are going to be challenged as well. Blyth’s 

artistic director Gil Garratt has taken on one of the most serious 

crimes of our region, the murders of seniors by former nurse 

Elizabeth Wettlaufer, and co-written it into a play. We start our 

summer theatre roundup in Blyth, located 95 kilometres north 

of London. 

Blyth Festival Theatre 

Blyth Festival Theatre is celebrating its 45th season with a 

deepened commitment to producing Canadian stories for the 

stage. It kicks off its anniversary season on June 14 with a 

world premiere, Jumbo. Anyone who has driven into St. Thomas 

will have seen the statue of this famous elephant from P.T. 

Barnum’s circus. The statue marks the tragic ending of Jumbo 

the elephant, hit and killed by a train in Southwestern Ontario’s 

“railway city”. Playwright Sean Dixon and Director Garratt have 

set out to tell the story on stage of Jumbo’s fame, which lives on 

in local lore. Pass the peanuts and get ready for a nostalgic show. 

Heading into Canada Day weekend, Blyth brings back a 1984 

premiere, Cakewalk, written by Colleen Curran and directed 

by Kelli Fox. Imagine today’s baking wars television shows set 

in the 1980s. It is a good thing there are delicious cookies for 

sale in the Blyth community hall as you are sure to get hungry 

watching this show! 

Dan Needles of Wingfield fame has two shows at Blyth this 

season. There is a pre-season performance May 23–25 of True 

Confessions from the Ninth Concession, followed 

later in the summer by The Team on the Hill 

directed by Severn Thompson. 

“This is a season full of spectacle, comedy, 

The playlist this season at Blyth Festival Theatre 

includes (from the top): Team on the Hill; Jumbo; In the 

Wake of Wettlaufer; Cakewalk; and Bed and Breakfast.


drama, and current affairs; a season full of 

larger-than-life creatures, and true-to-life 

stories; a season that exemplifies our mission 

to give voice to the region and the country. 

Our 45th consecutive season of producing the 

best in new Canadian plays,” says Garratt. 

Garratt had landed in some controversy 

as we went to print over his decision to 

co-write and direct a new play which has its 

roots in the tragic nursing home murders by 

Wettlaufer. At least one family member of a 

victim is calling for a boycott of In the Wake of 

Wettlaufer. Garratt has publically stated that 

he sees the play as a vehicle of change when it 

comes to the country’s health system. He has 

also shared on Blyth’s social media site how 

the play was developed. 

In the post Garratt said “long term care in 

Ontario is in crisis”, and feels the conversation 

created by the play is “urgent, relevant, and 

necessary.” Props to Blyth for taking on the 

difficult with the charming this season. 

The theatre and the impressive Cowbell 

Brewery have brought tourism back to this 

corner of Huron County. Take some time for a 

self-guided tour of the brewing premises and 

giving 

up the ghost 

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enjoy some local taps for those who are recording beer 

tastings in their apps. Cowbell also offers a full menu 

for lunch and dinner. It is a busy spot so book ahead. 

blythfestival.com 

Port Stanley Festival Theatre 

The recently renovated Port Stanley Theatre is a perfect 

little jaunt from London on a summer’s day or evening. 

Allow space in your schedule for the Lake Erie perch 

offered at local restaurants. It can’t be beat! The theatre 

itself is now licensed and offers drinks before the show 

and at intermission on two patios. It is located right on 

the harbor in Port Stanley, next to the bridge. 

The theatre company has expanded the season from 

five to six shows running from May 21 to September 

7. It is a delightful mix of mystery, music and comedy. 

Artistic director Simon Joynes has created quite the 

playlist for the summer. “Our 2019 season is an exciting 

blend of Canadian stories taking our patrons from the 

intimate concert setting of Jeff Culbert’s The Wildest 

Town in Canada: Donnelly Songs and Stories to Norm 

Foster’s Lunenburg through the world premiere of 

Giving Up The Ghost and Jamie Williams’ madcap period 

farce It’s Your Funeral. We’re excited by the size of the 

season, by the design challenges, and by the fact that it’s 

our biggest season to date with six unique productions.” 

Joynes explains that they’ve gone to a larger season 

because it challenges them to become better at what 

they do, and because it increases the variety of programming 

that they can offer their patrons. psft.ca 

Victoria Playhouse Petrolia 

Last year’s hit at the Blyth Festival, The New Canadian 

Curling Club, saw a successful run in Alberta this past 

winter. It now returns to our region August 6-25 at 

Victoria Playhouse Petrolia. This delightful poke at our 

obsession with the game is a comedy. New Canadians 

learn the skills and traditions from a crusty rink rat 

coach. Any curling fan will simply love it. 

Victoria Playhouse Petrolia is a busy spot, with the 

longest season in our area for local theatre this summer. 

It opens on April 30 with a tribute show to Carole 

Victoria Playhouse Petrolia 

The summer line-up at Port Stanley Festival 

Theatre includes (from the top): The Wildest 

Town in Canada: Donnelly Songs and Stories, 

“Like Father, Like Son? Sorry.”, Lunenburg, 

Giving Up The Ghost, and Ed’s Garage.



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King and James Taylor and wraps 

up fittingly in late October with 

Dracula, a Chamber Musical. This 

production sees the return of David 

Rogers as co-artistic director in the 

same production he performed on 

the Stratford Festival stage back in 

the late 1990s. thevpp.ca 

Stratford Festival 

Last issue we published a feature 

interview with Donna Feore, 

choreographer and director at 

The Stratford Festival, hot on the 

heels of last season’s hit The Rocky 

Horror Show. This year she is busy 

again at Stratford with two big 

shows: Billy Elliot and Little Shop of Horrors. 

They both open in late May. It looks like an 

amazing season at Stratford. Congratulations 

to artistic director Antoni Cimolino, who has 

had his term extended through to the 2024 

season. No surprise there as Stratford posted 

a $1.9-million surplus, with a 10% increase 

in attendance to 502,605 in 2018. It was 

their longest season on record, running into 

Stratford Festival presents Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor 

from May 11 – October 26, directed by Antoni Cimolino. Above, from 

left: Brigit Wilson, Sophia Walker, and Geraint Wyn Davies. 

Creative Direction by Punch & Judy Inc. Photography by David Cooper. 

December, thanks to the mega fans of Rocky 

Horror. More than 100,000 patrons saw the 

show. stratfordfestival.ca 

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 facebook.com/eatdrinkmag 

Contest ends June 24, 2019. Complete details online. 

Congratulations Tom Anguish, 

winner of our March/April Draw!



London 

The goal of the Culinary Federation of Chefs & 

Cooks is to unite chefs and cooks across Canada in a 

common dedication to professional excellence. The 

Federation was founded in 1963 and incorporated 

in Ottawa as a non-profit association in 1972. 

Throughout its history as Canada’s largest federally 

chartered professional chefs’ organization, the name 

of the federation has undergone several changes to 

recognize the chef’s continually changing role in the 

kitchen and education. Membership in the Culinary 

Federation is available to any and all persons with 

career paths as a Cook Apprentice, Journeyman 

Cook, Professional Chef/Cook or Culinary 

Professional. culinaryfederation.ca 

Congratulations to Vanessa and Pete Willis of 

The Church Key Bistro-Pub. Downtown London’s 

landmark restaurant with farm-to-table cuisine 

and an impressive selection of wine and craft beers 

is celebrating 10 years in business on May 1. 476 

Richmond St. 519-936-0960, thechurchkey.ca 

We’re crazy for the gnocchi at Radu Rotariu’s 

recently opened Bocconcini at Southdale and 

Hyde Park Road. Chef David Taylor’s pillowy 

potato dumplings with braised beef, cabernet and 

wild mushrooms are authentic and classic Italian 

cuisine. The manicotti is out of this world and the 

silky tiramisu otherworldly. 1140 Southdale Road 

West, 519 601-7799 

Eduard Nagy and Anita Tasonyi have taken 

over operations at London’s landmark Budapest 

Restaurant. Signature dishes include a variety of 

superb schnitzels, chicken paprikash, goulash and 

The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

More than just a Coffee Shop! 

iconic Hungarian cabbage rolls. The restaurant 

has long served as one of the city’s quintessential 

European restaurants for dining out. The familyrun 

restaurant offers banquet facilities and is 

available for lunch and dinner parties, celebrations, 

business meetings, and weddings. There is a 

seasonal street-side patio. 348 Dundas Street, 519- 

439-3431, budapestrestaurant.net 

Angelina & Carmine Ianni, formerly of Pasquales, 

opened C’Angelina and retail prepared foods and 

fresh meats as well as offering family-style catering 

— including BBQ whole pigs. Check out the sausage 

making classes. You also will find them at London 

festivals this summer and at the Pinery Market in 

Grand Bend. 426 Third St, Tuesday–Friday, 1–6 p.m. 

facebook.com/cangelinameatcatering/ 

Aroma of India owner Venkat Matta and chef Sunil 

Kumar offer well-seasoned Indian cookery with 

plant-based, lamb, chicken and shrimp dishes at 

different levels of spice. We like the crisp onion 

bhajias and spicy Chana Masala. There are varieties 

of locally-brewed Coolindia featuring traditional 

Sanskrit names on offer. Open for lunch and dinner. 

Closed Mondays, 350 Dundas Street, 519-601-5353, 

aromaofIndia.ca 

Olha and Anatolii Prytkova’s family-owned 

Happiness Coffee and Desserts, on Wellington 

Street across from One London Place, features 

European-style coffee and scratch baking, including 

seasonal and specialty cakes, macarons, cupcakes 

and chocolates. The name Happiness comes from 

when the Prytkovas were home in Ukraine. A friend 

bought a box of cakes that Olha had baked and said 

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Iced Coffee 

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825 Southdale Rd W, London 

519-652-1607 

creambeanerycafe.com


it was like a box of happiness, and the name stuck. 

430 Wellington St., 519-204-2854 

Edo Peljhi of Garlic’s of London is this year’s 

recipient of the Fanshawe College Tourism, 

Hospitality and Culinary Arts award for Industry 

Supporter of the Year. There is tremendous 

demand for trained hospitality professionals across 

the globe, and Fanshawe’s programs provide a solid 

foundation to set participants on a career path that 

could take them anywhere in the world. 

“Elles sont Food, and You?” is open to women 

chefs, sous-chefs, pastry chefs, cooks and food 

entrepreneurs, living in Ontario and involved in 

the gastronomy scene. The culinary competition 

is an event organized by the Consulate General 

of France in Toronto, in partnership with the Ted 

Rogers School of Hospitality and Management, 

Ryerson University. The goal for the participants is 

to showcase the culinary culture of Ontario and/or 

France by creating the best cocktail party possible. 

For this, they will have to rely not only on the 

specificity of French culinary culture but also on 

the diversity and richness of Ontario cuisine with 

the objective of showcasing the best local Canadian 

and/or French ingredients.ellessontfoodandyou.ca 


The 2019 Hospitality Awards Gala, presented 

by the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel 

Association›s London Region, will take place 

at the London Convention Centre on June 17. 

londonhospitalityawards.com 

There are plenty of changes for brothers Gregg 

and Justin Wolfe this spring. Originally, the Wolfe 

brothers had planned to refigure the recently 

closed Wolfe of Wortley space to build a new 

pizzeria, but after finding the London Pride Fish 

and Chips on Chester Street at Ridout vacant, they 

altered their vision. They will now be opening the 

pizzeria which they will call Through Thick and 

Thin in the London Pride space. More recently, they 

opened a smaller incarnation of The Early Bird — 

their iconic downtown diner — known as the Little 

Bird Café in the former Wolfe of Wortley space. 

The brothers had already taken over the former 

premises of the Village Harvest Bakery next door 

and plan to expand and rebrand as The Wolfe Pack 

Company Bar. The brothers also own and operate 

Los Lobos — think modern Mexican flavours, with 

innovative riffs and ideas with lots of cool Mexican 

imagery and local references. London watches for 

their next moves with great interest!


We popped by Wortley Village’s hospitable Bake 

Shop Studio to visit owner Kate St Laurent and her 

hospitable crew. This boutique bakery specializes 

in beautiful, made-from-scratch cakes and pastries. 

When they aren’t baking they offer hands-on 

baking classes and mentorship for artisan bakers. 

They are open Thursday and Friday 11-4pm and 

Saturdays 10am-2pm. A selection of small pastries 

and cupcakes are available to purchase for walk-in 

clients. One of London’s well-kept secrets, the 

bakery is located upstairs at 145 Wortley Road. 

bakeshopstudio.com 

From Pottage to Pinperneau: The Eldon House 

Cookbooks. This exhibit will display and interpret 

several historical cookbooks in the museum’s 

collection and elaborate on the origins, uses and 

terminology of these wonderful examples of social 

history. The Eldon House Collection holds several 

books of cookery — from printed materials to hand 

inscribed “receipt” books. Historical cookbooks 

contain more than just tips on turning a “joint of 

meat to perfection;” they are encyclopedias of 

domestic advice, encompassing recipes for home 

remedies and medicinal treatments as well as 

delicious desserts. June through November. 

Afternoon tea on the beautiful lawn of Eldon House, 

overlooking the Thames River, returns July 2 

through August 25, Tuesday through Sunday. Light 

Tea is $15.00 (incl. HST) per person and includes a 

scone with butter and jam, fresh fruit and a small 

dessert item. Full Tea is $26.00 (incl. HST) per 

person and includes tea sandwiches, a scone with 

butter and jam, fresh fruit and a variety of dessert 

items (24 hour advanced registration). 481 Ridout 

St. North, eldonhouse.ca 

If you love beer and grilled foods you can’t ask for 

a better place to enjoy the true tastes of summer 

than at the London Beer and BBQ Show on June 14 

and 15. Highlights for this year include unique BBQ 

and Beer flavours — grill experts are on hand with 

live cooking demonstrations. Watch the eatdrink. 

ca website for more updates on this show, which 

has earned a permanent spot on the June calendar. 

New this year: Saturday will be divided into an 

afternoon and an evening show. Admission includes 

a performace by rockers Sloan on Friday night, and 

country favourites The Reklaws on Saturday night. 

westernfairdistrict.com/beer-bbq-show 

Willie’s Café continues to grow and thrive in the 

London Food Incubator at 630 Dundas and will be 

celebrating two years at the new location at the 

beginning of June. Ian Kennard has expanded the 

seating with more tables, comfy chairs and a new 

London’s New Culinary Adventure! 

African Breakfast 

Sundays 

“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed 

Ethiopian cuisine ...” — Bryan Lavery, Eatdrink 

• FAMILY FRIENDLY 


• Vegetarian & 

Vegan Options 

• Takeout 

• Catering 

• Reservations 

Recommended 

ADDIS ABABA Restaurant 

Tuesday–Sunday 11am–10pm by reservation 

Closed Monday 

465 Dundas Street 519 433-4222 

www.tgsaddisababarestaurant.com 

Loose Leaf Teas & Tisanes 

• 

Contemporary & Traditional Teaware 

• 

Fresh Soups, Salads, Cheese Boards, 

Fresh-baked Scones, 

Tea 

& Chocolate 

Pairing with 

Sweet Brigadeiros 

Fri., May 24 

Desserts 

Mother’s 

Day Traditional 

Afternoon Tea 

Sun., May 12 

Noon–2pm 

Petojo 

@ the Lounge 

Indonesian Plantbased 

Pop-up & 

Tea Pairing Dinner 

Sat., June 8 268 Piccadilly Street 

(beside Oxford Book Store) 

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

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


cozy dining area. There is inexpensive municipal 

parking off of Queens Ave. and customers are 

welcome to use the entrance accessible from the 

parking lot. Check out some of the new menu items, 

including house-made sodas, lemonades and 

specialty desserts. Willie’s continues to provide 

catering services with a focus on office/corporate 

lunches. willescafeandcatering.com 

The outdoor Farmers’ Market at Covent Garden 

Market is held on Saturdays from 8 a.m.–1p.m., 

through to December. New this year is a Night 

Market on Thursdays from 4–7p.m. 

Freshly home-made in the heart of the community 

The 

Village 

Teapot 

Licensed 

Dine In & Take Out 

Catering & Private Events 

Breakfast • Brunch • Lunch • Cream Teas 

Wed–Fri 10:30–3:30 

Sat & Sun 10–2 

Reservations 

Recommended 

Check our website 

for our Sunday 

Roast Events! 

13257 Ilderton Road, Ilderton ON 

thevillageteapot.ca 

519-298-TEAS (8327) 


LULU Magazine invites you to enjoy The Latin 

American Festival. Experience Latin American art, 

music, rhythms and iconic Latin American food in the 

Covent Garden Market Square. There will be a Salsa 

and Bachata contest. Saturday, June 1, 2–11p.m. 

FIESTA London Mexican Festival brings the 

sounds, culture and tastes of Mexico to Downtown 

London outside in the Covent Garden Market 

Square. Sunday, June 2, 11a.m.–9 p.m. 

The London Multicultural Festival is a colourful 

and family-friendly event offering an opportunity 

to have a great time with your family and friends. 

Enjoy the diversity, visit the multi-cultural displays, 

watch the performers and taste globally-inspired 

food at Covent Garden Market Square. Sunday June 

9, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 

The Saturday and Sunday Market at Western Fair 

is a popular destination for chefs, cooks and food 

enthusiasts in search of a wide variety of artisanal 

products and seasonal ingredients. Market-goers 

love the Market because they can buy high-quality, 

farm-fresh goods directly from the person who 

produced them, and can find unique products not 

available elsewhere in the city. The second floor 

Artisans’ Market features over 40 permanent 

vendors and a rotating roster of weekly market 

table vendors providing friendly personalized 

service. Experience a variety of artisans’ 

products from the culinary arts to the fine arts. 

westernfairdistrict.com/market 

Recently opened Mint Leaves Indian Kitchen is 

geared to serving speedy dine-in or takeaway 

cuisine. The owners bring some of the best 

authentic Indian cuisines to London. We loved 

the fiery Rogan Josh with tender morsels of beef, 

the savoury Chicken Biryani and the succulent 

Lamb Masala. The chickpea flour pakoras are 

crisp and melt in your mouth. Mint Leaves serves 

properly prepared Dosa (a type of crepe made from 

Featuring 

Creative Menus 

from Chefs 

Erryn Shephard 

& 

Ben Sandwith 

Always Available 

for Caterings! 

519.238.6224 

42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend 

www.finearestaurant.com 

Lunch and Dinner — Seasonal Hours 

Reservations Recommended


In Memoriam 

Remembering Tibor Homolay 

(A long-serving career hospitality professional) 

A Letter from Nino Basacco 

I realize this may not be a normal letter, but I need 

to let people know of the sudden passing of Tibor 

Homolay. For over a decade Tibor was a great 

server in our family restaurant. His enthusiasm 

and laughter will no longer sound in the dining 

room of La Casa, but many of you will always 

remember his good cheer and his ceaseless 

energy trying to make sure everyone enjoyed their 

dining experience. 

A proud Hungarian, he claimed he could speak 

five languages, including Italian, and yes, he 

could. He could also make you dizzy with his 

knowledge of wines and foods. And his awareness 

of what was going on in the world made for some 

very lively discussions. 

La Casa will miss Tibor, but not like his dear wife 

Maria Homolay (long-time server at Michaels On 

The Thames) and daughter Christina will. Our 

hearts go out to them. We hope in the next few 

days we will be able to host a memorial tribute for 

Tibor at La Casa. If you were ever served by Tibor, 

you might want to drop into La Casa and sign our 

Book of Grateful Memories. 

fermented batter) that is stuffed with potato and 

served with two varieties of chutney and sambar. 

1080 Adelaide St. N., 519-601-9494 

The menu at TG’s Addis Ababa Restaurant features 

an outstanding offering of elaborately spiced and 

perfectly prepared Ethiopian specialties from the East 

African culinary canon. Be sure to put TG›s Ethiopian 

breakfast on your list for a great culinary adventure 

on Sundays. 465 Dundas Street (at Maitland), 519-433- 

4222, tgsaddisababarestaurant.com 


Billy’s Deli has been a downtown landmark for 

over 30 years. For lunch, specialty deli sandwiches 

like the quintessential Reuben and Montreal 

smoked meat are made with a quarter pound of 

meat, warm and sliced off the brisket. Interesting 

daily blackboard specials are enticing and add 

seasonality to the extensive menu. Billy’s is 

known for the baking and we love the Potato Latke 

Breakfast with Octoberfest sausage, two eggs, 

toast, apple sauce and sour cream. 113 Dundas 

Street at Talbot, 519-679-1970 

Altogether different... 

and so very, very tasty! 

Catering excellence since 1985 

Weddings Pineridge Barbecue Co 

Corporate Events 

Hensall, ON 

Backyard Shakers 1-888-241-8450 

Celebrations of Life pineridgebbq.com 

Benmiller Inn & Spa 

as always, like never before 

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

“a gastronomical landmark for over 23 years” 

Bistro & Catering 

Dietary Needs Lunch Accommodated Mon–Fri 

Ample Free Dinner Parking Mon–Sat 

Available for Private Parties 

46 Blackfriars Street, London | 519-667-4930 

blackfriarsbistro.com 

FLIGHTS & BITES 

HALF PRICE Sharing Plates & Oysters 

Tuesday–Friday from 3:30–5:30pm 

SUNDAY INDUSTRY NIGHTS 

20% OFF! 

New Summer Menus & Cocktails! 

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

SUNDAY Brunch 11am & Dinner 

449 Wharncliffe Road South 

519.914.2699 


At Waldo’s on King Bistro & Wine Bar, chef/owner 

Mark Kitching’s talented culinary brigade offer 

traditional bistro-style selections. This is where 

you will find the best organic burger in town. Uberbartender 

Greg Simpson rocks the bar at Waldo’s 

several nights a week. 130 King Street, (Covent 

Garden Market) 519-433-6161 

The London Food Truck Association is now booking 

for spring and summer events. Reach out for 

more information or to find the weekly schedule. 

facebook.com/londonfoodtrucks/ 

PC Cooking Schools at Superstore offer one-hour 

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

Thursdays, Oxford and Gammage 12:30-1:30 p.m.; 

Oxford and Hyde Park Road 1-2 p.m. Both locations 

offer a schedule of evening classes that run 6:30- 

8:30 p.m. Gammage location: “Gluten-Free Seafood 

Sensations” with Ankita Vaidya on May 7;”Dinner and 

a Book Club - The Nest” (Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney) 

with Chef Barbara Toomer on May 14; “Early Summer 

BBQ Favourites” with PC Cooking School Chef on May 

28; “Fruitful Dining” with Chef Jamie Chows on June 

4; “PC Summer Insiders Collection” on June 11; and 

“Celebrate Like the Masters” with Van Houtte Coffee 

on June 13, 6:30-8:30 pm. Hyde Park location: “Street 

Foods of Egypt” with Paul Abeleira on May 7; “Early 

Summer BBQ Favourites” with PC Cooking School 

Chef on May 24; “Quick but Delicious French Stews” 

with Chef Barbara Toomer on May 27; “PC Summer 

Insiders Collection” on June 7; “Celebrate Like the 

Masters” with Van Houtte Coffee on June 10; and 

“East meets West Indian Fusion” with Ankita Vaidya 

on June 25. 

Stratford 

Stratford Tourism Alliance (STA) celebrates 

#nextgen chefs in the 25th edition of the Stratford 

Culinary Guide, a staple for restaurants, pubs, 

cafés, food shops and producers in Stratford and 

area. It continues to be a go-to source for culinary 

information in Stratford. The guide was officially 

launched at a pop-up event at Richmond Station 

in Toronto, owned by Stratford Chefs School’s 

graduates and partners, Ryan Donovan and Carl 

Heinrich. Eatdrink magazine, Food Editor Bryan 

Lavery and other media guests were treated to 

tastes created by Stratford Chefs School alumni 

by Jamie Crosby of The Prune, Meaghan Evely and 

Vincent Stacey from Pazzo Taverna & Pizzeria and 

Ryan O’Donnell of Mercer Hall. Craft beverages 

were served by Junction 56 Distillery and Black 

Swan Brewing Company. The 2019 guide features 12 

#nextgen Stratford chef photos in the print version 

which is available at Stratford Tourism, local 

accommodators and Ontario Travel Centres. Thirty-


seven restaurants, food shops and producers 

from Stratford and area are featured in the guide. 

A digital version of the guide is available online 

VisitStratford.ca/culinaryguide 

The Stratford Blues & Ribfest will be kicking 

off the summer June 21 to 23. This is an outdoor 

family-friendly gathering with slow-cooked 

BBQ and all types of Blues music in support 

of the Boy Scouts and Girls Guides. Licensed 

beverages will be available at the bandshell area. 

stratfordbluesandribfest.com 

Do you want to attend a world-class event 

that showcases and supports local agriculture 

and features tastings, pairings and delicious 

garlic dishes? Then mark your calendar for the 

Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival, September 7-8. 

Keep an eye on the Facebook page for updates. 

stratfordgarlicfestival.com 

Chef Kris Schlotzhauer and Pastry Chef Suzy 

Schlotzhauer recently changed operating hours to 

offer dinner service at AO Pasta. Dine inside or on 

the patio or order take-out. aopasta.com 

The Mill Stone Restaurant & Bar features 

seasonally-inspired lunch, dinner and late-night 

menus using many locally procured ingredients. 

A couple of back tables overlook the Avon River, 

and there is a small street-side patio. This year the 

restaurant features a late night pop-up snack bar 

with a Lao-inspired menu on Saturdays from 10 

p.m. to 2 a.m. (Yes, the kitchen is open till 2a.m.). 30 

Ontario St., Stratford, 519-273-5886, themillstone.ca 

Anne Campion of Revel is committed to the core 

values of social justice and serves 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. “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, Campion now employs 18. Two 

pastry chefs now bake all of Revel’s pastries in 

house, using products from many local farmers. 

revelstratford.ca 

Celebrate the young stars of this year’s Kiwanis 

Festival of the Performing Arts Stratford. Your 

family and friends will love the SSO Sunday Brunch 

Concert Series at Revival House, offering farm fare, 

craft brews, wine and music. These fundraising 

events feature local performers in support of the 

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 

481 Richmond Street 

519-432-4092 

garlicsoflondon.com


Outdoor Farmers’ Market 

Opening Day: Saturday, May 4, 8am–1pm 

NEW this year! Thursday Night Markets, 

starting May 9, 4pm–7pm 

We grow it, raise it, 

make it & bake it — 

local produce, meat, 

cheese and more! Join 

us outside on the 

Market Square. Both markets will run weekly 

through December. 

Latin American Festival 

Saturday, June 1, 2pm–11pm 

Lulu Magazine invites you to experience Latin 

American art, with music, rhythms and flavours. 

Enjoy traditional Latin food, and an exciting 

Salsa and Bachata Contest. All are welcome! 

Fiesta London Mexican Festival 

Sunday, June 2, 11am–9pm 

Fiesta London honours culture, tradition, and 

family with the sounds and tastes of Mexico. 

This is a celebration and a vigorous declaration 

of community spirit. All are welcome! 

London Multicultural Festival 

Sunday, June 9, 11am–5pm 

This colourful and family-friendly event is an 

opportunity to enjoy our diversity. Visit the 

ethnic displays and enjoy a wide range of 

performers and ethnic foods. All are welcome! 

MARKET HOURS 

Mon–Fri 8am–7pm 

Saturday 8am–6pm 

Sunday 11am–4pm 

Mezzanine & Restaurant Hours Differ 

Stratford Symphony Orchestra. Sunday brunch 

events start at 11:30 a.m. 

Revival House is serving up amazing live 

entertainment this season and offers limited preconcert 

preferred seating. Enjoy dinner and the 

show from your seat! 519-273-3424, revival.house 

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 

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 a.m.–12 

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

Around Our Region 

We are hearing great reports about Jordi Carr 

and Natalie Crittenden’s recently opened Harris 

Electric Eatery in the space previously occupied by 

Little Red’s at 159 Queen Street East in St Marys. 

harriselectriceatery.com 

Steelhead Food Co. recently moved into its own 

processing facility and will soon offer fresh locally 

processed fish that are cleaned and cut at the Fish 

and Seafood Market. Based in St. Thomas, Steelhead 

offers a selection of premium quality fish and 

seafood — fresh, frozen, and smoked. 5 Barrie Blvd, 

St. Thomas, 226-237-3474, steelheadfoodco.ca 

Alton Farms Estate Winery has extended their 

hours, and is now open Wednesday through Sunday, 

12 noon–6 p.m. The patio will be open when 

weather permits, with pizza on offer by June 1. 

altonfarmestatewinery.com 

Dino and Carla Dassie of Fat Olive in Dorchester 

went to Goodfella’s Pizza School in Staten Island, 

New York, one of the world’s most comprehensive, 

hands-on pizza schools. They were taught how 

to make wood-fired pizzas and about owning 

and operating a restaurant by the world pizza 

champions, Be sure to make a reservation, Fat Olive 

is a busy hot-spot. Closed Monday & Sunday, 519- 

268-0001, fatolive.ca


Udderly Ridiculous, co-founded by Cheryl and 

Greg Haskett in Oxford County, is a local artisanal 

company introducing goat’s milk ice cream to 

frozen dessert lovers across Ontario. Available 

in six sophisticated flavours “With less naturally 

occuring sugars and more vitamins and nutrients 

such as calcium and protein, goat’s milk is a fabulous 

alternative to cow’s milk ice cream,” says Cheryl 

Haskett. “Goat’s milk allows us to sustainably 

provide fresh-from-the-farm ingredients,” adds 

Greg Haskett. “In addition to farming sustainably 

and supporting local, ten cents from every tub 

of our ice cream goes towards buying a goat for 

a family in need through World Vision.” Udderly 

Ridiculous will be available at select Sobey’s and 

Foodland stores, with more distribution channels 

coming online soon. udderlyridiculous.ca 

St. Thomas’s Chef Terrance Tew (Chopped Canada 

contestant) and Anna Tavares have teamed up to 

offer The Tipsy Pig — “an authentic roadside BBQ 

Catering Company.” Housed in a renovated barn, 

they use local ingredients and traditional woodfired 

BBQ techniques. “Elgin County has always 

amazed us with an abundant amount of producers 

and products that surround our local community,” 

says Chef Terrance. “We showcase it the best way we 

can, with what we affectionately refer to as refined 

BBQ, combining traditional Southern smoking, 

modern scratch cooking, and our dedication to 

hospitality.” They look forward to servicing Elgin 

County and surrounding areas. 519-319-7980 

The Village Teapot is serving Mother’s Day Afternoon 

Tea on Sunday, May 12, 1—3 p.m. Also on the event 

schedule are Homestyle Sunday Roasts with all the 

fixings. Mother’s Day features Roast Lamb, May 26th 

is Roast Beef and Father’s Day, June 16th is Prime Rib. 

Reservations required. Licensed with a selection of 

local wines and beer. 13257 Ilderton Road, Ilderton, 

519-298-TEAS (8327), thevillageteapot.ca 

Join Ride the Bine for the new tour of Cheese Bites 

and Beer Flights – a journey through the backroads 

of Norfolk and Oxford County. Enjoy local tastes as 

you sip small batch beer and sample an array of fine 

cheeses – both artisanal and international. Amanda 

and Susan meet guests at 12:30 p.m. in the Quality 

Inn parking lot in Woodstock to begin an afternoon 

adventure of fun. 

Keith Muller, chair of Hospitality & Culinary Arts 

at Conestoga College, told Eatdrink that a Centre 

of Excellence for Cheesemaker Training is set to 

launch in Ontario at Conestoga College’s Waterloo 

campus, in collaboration with the Ontario Dairy 

Council and French-language College La Cité. The 

cheesemaker training program will be Ontario’s 

where art is 

Hey, Cupcake! a piece of cake 

The ORIGINAL 

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BAKERY 

ASK US Custom Bakery • Walk-In Orders Available 

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www.heycupcake.ca 

275 Wharncliffe Rd. North 

519-433-CAKE (2253) 

STORE HOURS: Mon–Fri 11–7 

Saturday 10–5 • Sunday 11–4 

100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table 

Hormone & Drug-Free 

Ontario Beef, Pork, Bison, Lamb & Chicken 

THE VILLAGE 

MEAT SHOP 

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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


a 

movement 

for 

restaurants 

who believe 

local food 

matters. 

® 

A Feast On® Certification means 

you’re fighting the good food fight. 

You’re supporting our farmers 

and putting local food first. 

To get certified, visit: 

ONTARIOCULINARY.COM 

@ONTARIOCULINARY #FEASTON


most extensive hands-on training program, and will 

address a growing demand for skilled workers and 

artisans in the dairy processing industry. 

Sollgood Social Market kickoff, June 20 in 

downtown Ingersoll from 6–9 p.m. Artisan 

vendors, food and beverage trucks, food producers 

and musicians all from within a 100 km radius. 

sollgoodsocialmarket.com. 

Your love of all things Italian begins at 

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 

Submission deadline for the next issue: June 5 

Gift Cards 

Available 

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Books 

Chop Suey Nation 

The Legion Café and Other Stories from 

Canada’s Chinese Restaurants 

by Ann Hui 

Review by DARIN COOK 

Ann Hui was first exposed to Chinese 

food outside of her home when her 

school cafeteria served a Chinese 

New Year meal. Even at six years 

old she was confused as to why it did not 

resemble her parents’ cooking. Years later, as 

The Globe and Mail food reporter, Hui became 

obsessed with this Canadianized Chinese 

food and embarked on an 18-day road trip 

from British Columbia to Newfoundland to 

visit small-town Chinese restaurants. Chop 

Suey Nation: The Legion Café and Other Stories 

from Canada’s Chinese Restaurants (Douglas & 

McIntyre, 2019) documents the journey which 

led her to question “why so many of them 

seemed to look and feel exactly the same” 

and to seek out “a single answer that could 

explain the spread of Chinese restaurants 

across the country … a single starting point or 

a single place responsible for the ubiquity and 

uniformity of these tiny restaurants.” 

Chop suey is translated into English as 

“bits and pieces” and is prepared by throwing 

together whatever scraps are 

available to compose a dish. 

This hodge-podge approach 

allows recipes to be adaptable 

to regional variations, such as 

strips of cabbage being used in 

chow mein in Newfoundland 

to replace egg noodles that 

were hard to come by in such 

a remote location. Ginger beef 

was a national mainstay on 

Chinese menus, invented in the 

Silver Inn Restaurant in Calgary 

to combine the customers’ 

love of deep fried food with 

some exotic flavours. Even 

though this style of chop suey 

cuisine is not 

authentically 

Chinese, and 

was often called 

“fake” Chinese 

in Hui’s 

household, 

she found out 

how undeniably 

popular it 

was from coast to coast. 

Hui’s small-town criteria intentionally 

put places with higher populations out of 

reach, but she was compelled to try one local 

restaurant inside a curling rink in Thunder Bay. 

The second-generation owner was continuing 

the legacy of her father — a popular chef who 

had his own local TV station cooking show 

after establishing Ling Lee’s Chinese Cuisine, 

a dining hot spot, to entice people to the 

curling rink. The restaurants Hui visited were 

overwhelmingly run by families. Most owners 

portrayed the exhausting yet satisfying lifestyle 

of an all-consuming business 

with long hours. Family homes 

were often attached to the 

restaurants, leaving little room 

for division of family and 

work; young children would 

move between residence and 

restaurant to wash dishes, 

assemble takeout orders, 

or do homework at vacant 

tables. Many restaurants 

were sold in their entirety — 

recipes, buildings, equipment, 

inventory, supplier contracts 

Author Ann Hui 

Photo by Amanda Palmer



— as a source of income for 

new families to make a go of 

it in Canada. Even beyond 

being family-oriented, the 

homey feel extended to the 

community, with restaurants 

acting as social hubs of a 

city. This was most evident 

in Stony Plain, Alberta 

where the popularity of the 

owner of Bing Restaurant 

No. 1 spurred him on to run 

for and win the seat of city 

mayor. More than a venue to serve food to the 

community, Hui writes, “The restaurant, it had 

turned out, had been the perfect launching pad 

for his political career.” 

The further Hui investigated the stories of 

these restaurants, the more it moved beyond 

the food to explore sweeping cultural issues. 

Even more poignant than chop suey’s role in 

Canadian culinary history are the surprise 

elements of her story that she unearths as 

she travels back in time through stories of 

her father’s upbringing. She was able to piece 

together portions of his childhood in China, so 

TIME 

FOR 

A 

Author Ann Hui, bottom left, in a childhood 

family photo. Photo courtesy Ann Hui. 

different from her own, and 

how he became a chef after 

immigrating to Canada at 

the age of twenty-four to 

join his own father. Not 

only did she surprisingly 

learn that her family had 

taken the same path by 

running its own Chinese 

restaurant in Abbotsford, 

BC before she was born, 

but she was able to bridge 

generational and cultural 

issues that were not talked about when she was 

growing up, to gain a deeper sense of belonging 

to her heritage and an understanding of how 

her family came to Canada. As Hui learns from 

one of the restaurant owners, and what seems 

to apply to most of them: “Even more so than 

the food … Chinese restaurants are defined by 

the families that run them.” 

DARIN COOK is a Chatham-based freelance writer 

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

bookstores and restaurants of London. 

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Recipes 

Earth to Table Every Day 

Cooking with Good Ingredients Through the Seasons 

by Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann 

Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

We talk a lot these days about 

farm-to-table, slow food, local 

and seasonal eating. It’s easy 

to forget, as we zip through 

our days, 140 characters at a time, that this is 

just the way the world used to work. People 

grew fruits and vegetables, raised livestock, 

produced small batches of cheese or beer 

or sausages. They invested their time, their 

labour and, ultimately, their reputations. 

They made the best they could because they 

took pride in knowing that people — real 

people with names and faces they recognized 

— would be buying it. You, as the consumer, 

bought the best, when it was available, and 

enjoyed it while it lasted. You didn’t fuss too 

much with it because, why would you mess 

with the best? 

This is the philosophy behind Earth to 

Table Every Day: Cooking with Good Ingredients 

Through the Seasons (Jeff Crump & Bettina 

Schormann; Penguin; 2018). 

UWO alum Jeff Crump went on to attend 

Stratford Chefs School, and trained at some of 

the world’s best restaurants before returning 

to Ontario. He worked as executive chef at 

Ancaster Mill, along with good friend and awardwinning 

pastry chef Bettina Schormann. Over 

nearly two decades of working together, they’ve 

developed a holistic approach to food. This has 

guided them through the creation and evolution 

of the Earth to Table: Bread Bar restaurants, 

in Hamilton and Guelph. Based on the idea 

that “good ingredients 

matter,” the Bread Bar 

menu is changed four 

times a year to match 

the seasons. 

At Bread Bar they 

are not just making 

and selling great food; 

they’ve become a vital 

link in the ecosystem of 

their community. 

Many consider 

it a gathering 

place and 

20 lucky 

customers 

were chosen 

to test recipes 

for Earth to 

Table Every 

Day. 

Their 

community-centric 

approach means supporting local 

businesses, craft breweries, and other producers 

as much as possible. Having learned that 

lack of access to land is a problem for aspiring 

farmers, they and their partners at Pearle Hospitality 

purchased farmland in 2010 and set 

aside 50 acres to serve as an incubator farm. 

Another six acres is used to produce exclusively 

for Bread Bar, giving them access to the freshest 

ingredients they choose to grow. 

Flipping through this book I wasn’t sure if I 

wanted to fire up the oven or make reservations, 

but I’m confident you would find either to be a 

delight. The recipes selected for this book either 

come from the restaurant or are inspired by the 

people who inspire the chefs. 

Crab Cakes with Citrus Chutney are worth 

the effort of finding the best fresh crabmeat 

available. Poblano chilis add a mild, savoury 

heat that compliments 

the sweet seafood 

without overpowering 

it. The chutney 

brightens the dish 

and works well on just 

about everything. 

Jeff Crump and 

Bettina Schormann


Piri Piri Baby Back Ribs satisfy my recent 

obsession with apple cider and are perfect for 

the upcoming grill season. These ribs are the 

best of both worlds with a low, slow roast in 

the oven for moisture and a quick char on the 

grill for the smoky taste of summer. The Piri 

Piri Dry Rub mixture has found a place in our 

kitchen among our favourite spice mixes. 

Sadly, I don’t have the room here to tell you 

about the desserts, the pizza and the bread. 

Oh, the bread. In short, whether you use this 

book to plan your next dinner party or your 

next trip to the restaurants that inspired it, 

you win either way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I 

have to go read the bread chapter again. 

Destination for the food lover 

Featuring specialty foods, 

kitchenwares, tablewares, 

cooking classes and gift baskets. 

TRACY TURLIN is a freelance writer and dog groomer 

in London. Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com 

Recipes excerpted from Earth to Table Every Day: Cooking 

with Good Ingredients Through the Seasons by Jeff Crump 

and Bettina Schormann. Copyright © 2018 Jeff Crump 

and Bettina Schormann. Published by Penguin, an imprint 

of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House 

Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the 

Publisher. All rights reserved. 

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Crab Cakes with Citrus 

Makes 12 crab cakes • Serves 4 

These beautiful crab cakes are an absolute 

splurge. Make them when you can get fresh 

crabmeat from a fishmonger. Go ahead and 

reward yourself and the ones you love. Be gentle 

when shaping the cakes — better to have very 

loose and tender crab cakes than well-formed 

but dense ones. You will have leftover citrus 

chutney, which can be used on buttered toast or 

served with roast chicken. 

CITRUS CHUTNEY (makes 2 cups/500 ml) 

1 lemon, ends trimmed (or 2 Meyer lemons) 

1 orange, ends trimmed 

2 limes, ends trimmed 

1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced 

2 cups (500 mL) lightly packed brown sugar 

½ teaspoon (2 mL) red chili flakes 

CRAB CAKES 

1 large egg 

1¼ lbs (565 g) fresh 

crabmeat, picked over 

¼ cup (60 mL) minced 

poblano chili 2 

tablespoons (30 mL) 

minced fresh cilantro 

1 clove garlic, minced 

Grated zest of 1 lime 

1 cup (250 mL) Basic 

Mayonnaise (p. 246) 

or store-bought 

¼ cup (60 mL) Dijon 

mustard 

½ teaspoon (2 mL) 

Lawry’s Seasoned 

Salt or Old Bay 

seasoning 

¼ teaspoon (1 mL) 

cayenne pepper 

1 cup (250 mL) panko 

crumbs 

½ cup (125 mL) canola 

oil, divided 

1 To make the Citrus 

Chutney, wash the citrus 

well under warm running 

water. Cut the lemon, 

orange, and limes into 

⅛-inch (3 mm) rounds. 

Pluck out any seeds. 

Place the citrus in a large 

saucepan. Add the red 

pepper, brown sugar, chili 

flakes, and just enough 

water to cover. Bring to 

a boil over medium-high 

heat. Reduce the heat 


and simmer until the citrus peels are very soft, about 30 

minutes. Add a little water if the mixture starts to dry out. 

2 Cool to room temperature before serving. (The chutney 

keeps in the refrigerator, in a resealable container, for 

up to one month.) 

3 To make the Crab Cakes, in a medium bowl, beat the 

egg. Add the crab, poblano chili, cilantro, garlic, lime 

zest, Basic Mayonnaise, mustard, Lawry’s Seasoned 

Salt, and cayenne. Mix well to combine, but do not 

overwork the mixture—try to keep it airy. 

4 Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape them 

into hamburger-like patties. Dredge them lightly in the 

panko crumbs. 

5 Heat ¼ cup (60 mL) of the canola oil in a non-stick skillet 

over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the Crab 

Cakes for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden 

brown, using the remaining ¼ cup (60 mL) canola oil as 

needed. Drain the Crab Cakes on a plate lined with paper 

towel. Serve hot with the Citrus Chutney.


Piri Piri Baby Back Ribs 

Serves 6 • Requires time for prep 

Summertime to us means outdoor cooking, 

barbecues, and good times. If we had to cook 

just one thing in the summer, it would be these 

simple, flavourful, and tender ribs. They are easy 

to cook and are the perfect outdoor dinner with 

friends. Apple cider brings both sweetness and 

the moisture needed for the long, slow cooking. 

PIRI PIRI DRY RUB (makes 1 cup/240 ml) 

¼ cup (60 mL) hot paprika 

8 teaspoons (40 mL) kosher salt 

4 teaspoons (20 mL) dried oregano 

4 teaspoons (20 mL) ground ginger 

4 teaspoons (20 mL) ground cardamom 

4 teaspoons (20 mL) garlic powder 

4 teaspoons (20 mL) onion powder 

2 teaspoons (10 mL) cayenne pepper 

2 teaspoons (10 mL) sugar 

Zest of 4 lemons, 

minced 

Zest of 4 limes, minced 

1 In a small bowl, combine 

the paprika, salt, oregano, 

ginger, cardamom, garlic 

powder, onion powder, 

cayenne, sugar, lemon 

zest, and lime zest. Stir 

well. Store, covered and 

refrigerated, for up to one 

month. 

4 racks baby back ribs 

(about 8 lbs/3.5 kg) 

1 cup (250 mL) Piri Piri 

Dry Rub 

1 cup (250 mL) dry 

apple cider 

2 Place the ribs meat 

side down on a cutting 

board and remove the 

membrane from the back 

of the rack by inserting a 

small knife beneath it and 

pulling it up so you can 

grab it with a dish towel. 

Peel off the membrane 

and discard. 

3 In a large bowl, combine 

the ribs and the Piri Piri 

Dry Rub. Using your 

hands, cover the meat 

entirely in the rub. 

Shake off excess. Wrap 

ribs in plastic wrap and 

refrigerate for at least 3 

hours or overnight. 


4 Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Place the ribs in a 

large Dutch oven — it’s okay if they overlap—and add 

the apple cider. Cover tightly and bake for 4 hours, or 

until the meat is fork-tender. Uncover and let cool. (At 

this point you can wrap the ribs in plastic wrap and 

refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze in a resealable 

plastic bag for up to 1 month.) 

5 To serve, preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill the 

ribs for 5 minutes per side, until slightly charred. You 

can serve these ribs dry, 

by sprinkling with a little 

more Piri Piri Dry Rub, or 

wet with your favourite 

barbecue sauce.



The Lighter Side 

Skål! 

By KYM WOLFE 

Apparently Swedes have a “bittersweet 

relationship with alcohol.” Who 

knew? Not me, until I visited the 

Spritmuseum in Stockholm where I 

learned ... 

Historically liquor meant strength and 

manliness. Vodka kept soldiers healthy and 

brave. Serious drinking on May 1st kicked 

off the growing season, and farmers 

sprinkled vodka over the fields to 

ensure fertility and a good harvest. 

Whenever guild members 

gathered they would raise a toast 

to Christ, the Virgin Mary, and 

a never-ending list of saints. 

The rules were simple: drink the 

same amount as everyone else and 

behave. If you dared to fall down, 

throw up or pass out you would be fined. 

For an unaccompanied woman to drink in 

public was unthinkable. The only exception 

seemed to be for the “oarsmadames” who 

taxied people around Stockholm in rowboats 

(the city is made up of 14 islands). In one 

painting, two oarsmadames stand in their 

small boats and raise a toast, a large uncorked 

bottle on the dock between them. Perhaps 

there was an understanding that they needed 

the sustenance to fuel their rowing. 

Vodka was considered as nourishing as meat 

and bread — even young children had their 

daily tipple. During times of famine mothers 

moaned that their poor malnourished 

children had to make do with water in their 

porridge. Help was on the way … 

Countess Eva de la Gardie was the first 

woman elected to the Swedish Royal Academy 

of Sciences in 1748. Her claim to fame? 

Transforming potatoes into vodka. Thanks to 

Eva, grains could be used to feed the starving 

masses instead of being turned into vodka … 

there were plenty of potatoes for that! 

Swedes drank copious amounts of alcoholic 

punsch during the 19th century, raising their 

glasses in a show of national pride referred 

to as “Punsch Patriotism.” Sugar was a status 

symbol, and punsch was packed with sugar … 

giving rise to another common phenomenon: 

“Punsch Belly”. 

By the late 19th century, thanks to a vocal 

temperance movement, alcohol education 

became a mandatory school subject. 

Terrifying images, designed to scare children 

from even trying alcohol, warned: “Danger 

might be lurking in the very first glass!” 

Picture fat-choked hearts and livers, and 

booze-ravaged faces. A “vodka dragon” — 

shaped like a still with vodka pouring 

out of it — was surrounded by 

paths leading to prison, the 

madhouse and the poorhouse. 

“Good citizens” were issued 

an alcohol ration book. Married 

women, substance abusers 

and the poor need not apply. 

One book per household, to the 

man of the house. Not having 

one meant you were not a trusted 

citizen. Shameful! 

Today the Swedes have developed a taste 

for the bubbly — Sweden is now the world’s 

tenth largest Champagne market. One exhibit 

dispelled a myth that refuses to die: that the 

champagne coupe was designed to match 

the shape of Marie-Antionette’s breasts. She 

“actually did have china cups that were clearly 

breast-shaped, but they were intended for 

goat’s milk, and were not modelled after the 

queen’s own womanly charms.” 

Vodka remains the spirit of choice 

for traditional holidays, though, with 

sales peaking at Christmas, Easter and 

Midsummer. Drink vodka, eat pickled 

herring, crayfish and surströmming 

(fermented herring), and sing schnaps songs. 

And of course propose a toast. 

For tips on how to do that properly, we 

turned to Swedish actor Max von Sydow at 

the “Skål School with Max” exhibit. Raise 

your glass. Look the person you are toasting 

in the eye — one eyebrow lowered, slight 

smirk. Say “Skål”! Give a slight nod. Down the 

hatch! Another direct and serious look in the 

eye, with furrowed brow. Put your glass down. 

Elegant and effective. 

Thanks Max, and skål! 

KYM WOOLF is a freelance writer based in London.

LONDON’S 

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VOLUME 7 

Restaurants • Specialty Shops & Services 

Craft Beer & Wine • Farmers’ Markets 

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Eatdrink #77 May/June 2019

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