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Eatdrink #79 September/October 2019

The LOCAL food and drink magazine serving London, Stratford and Southwest Ontario since 2007

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eatdrink: The Local Food Issue & Drink <strong>#79</strong> Magazine | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 1<br />

eatdrink<br />

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine<br />

A12 th<br />

Celebrating Our<br />

N N I V E R S A RY<br />

I S S U E<br />

Get Stuffed!<br />

Fat Olive<br />

in Dorchester<br />

FEATURING<br />

Road Trip Redux<br />

12 Years of Exploring Our Region<br />

12 Must-Try Craft Beers<br />

Explore and Discover<br />

Mindful Vegan Meals<br />

Book Review & Recipes<br />

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007<br />

www.eatdrink.ca


2 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

THE BACON AND ALE TRAIL<br />

IS A WELL ROUNDED MEAL<br />

IF YOU COUNT BARLEY<br />

AS A VEGETABLE<br />

Bacon and ale are a combination made in heaven,<br />

includes 5 tastes for just $30.<br />

-<br />

Stratford Tourism Alliance at 47 Downie Street.<br />

visitstratford.ca


eatdrink<br />

<br />

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine<br />

eatdrinkmagazine<br />

@eatdrinkmag<br />

eatdrinkmag<br />

eatdrink.ca<br />

Think Global. Read Local.<br />

Publisher<br />

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca<br />

Managing Editor Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca<br />

Food Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca<br />

Copy Editor Kym Wolfe<br />

Social Media Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca<br />

Advertising Sales Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca<br />

Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca<br />

Stacey McDonald – stacey@eatdrink.ca<br />

Terry-Lynn “TL” Sim – TL@eatdrink.ca<br />

Finances<br />

Ann Cormier – finance@eatdrink.ca<br />

Graphics<br />

Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy<br />

Writers<br />

Jane Antoniak, Darin Cook,<br />

Gary Killops, Bryan Lavery,<br />

George Macke, Chris McDonell,<br />

Tracy Turlin<br />

Photographers Terry Manzo, Steve Grimes<br />

Telephone & Fax 519-434-8349<br />

Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6<br />

Website<br />

City Media, Cecilia Buy<br />

Social Media Mind Your Own Business<br />

Printing<br />

Sportswood Printing<br />

OUR COVER<br />

Fat Olive owners Dino<br />

and Carla Dassie raise a<br />

glass in celebration. The<br />

Dorchester restaurant<br />

just celebrated its first<br />

anniversary in August<br />

© <strong>2019</strong> <strong>Eatdrink</strong> Inc. and the writers.<br />

All rights reserved.<br />

Reproduction or duplication of any material published in <strong>Eatdrink</strong><br />

or on <strong>Eatdrink</strong>.ca is strictly prohibited without the written permission<br />

of the Publisher. <strong>Eatdrink</strong> has a printed circulation of 20,000<br />

issues published six times annually in each of two markets, for a total<br />

of 240,000 copies in print. The views or opinions expressed in the<br />

information, content and/or advertisements published in <strong>Eatdrink</strong><br />

or online are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily<br />

represent those of the Publisher. The Publisher welcomes submissions<br />

but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material.<br />

Serving up<br />

Great<br />

partnerships<br />

commercial | digital | wide format | design<br />

Let us help with your next project...<br />

519.866.5558 | ben@sportswood.on.ca<br />

www.sportswood.on.ca


Contents<br />

Issue <strong>#79</strong> | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

Publisher’s Notes<br />

Twelve Years Young<br />

Milestones and Memories<br />

By CHRIS McDONELL<br />

6<br />

8<br />

Wine<br />

A Celebration of Ontario Wines<br />

Twelve That Are Sure to Please<br />

By GARY KILLOPS<br />

37<br />

Food Writer at Large<br />

Twelve Inspirations<br />

Building Community Engagement<br />

By BRYAN LAVERY<br />

8<br />

Restaurants<br />

Get Stuffed!<br />

Region-Specific Italian Cuisine<br />

at Fat Olive, in Dorchester<br />

By BRYAN LAVERY<br />

14<br />

Spotlight<br />

New Hotspots<br />

Four Noteworthy Additions<br />

By THE EDITORS<br />

18<br />

Road Trips<br />

Road Trip Redux<br />

A Dozen Years of Discovery<br />

and Celebration<br />

Compiled by CHRIS McDONELL<br />

20<br />

Beer<br />

Explore and Discover<br />

Twelve Must-Try Craft Beers<br />

By GEORGE MACKE<br />

33<br />

18<br />

37<br />

14<br />

56<br />

The BUZZ<br />

Culinary Community Notes<br />

New and Notable<br />

41<br />

Theatre<br />

Which London Life?<br />

This London Life, at the Grand<br />

By JANE ANTONIAK<br />

53<br />

Books<br />

Wine Crime<br />

In Vino Duplicitas<br />

By Peter Hellman<br />

Review by DARIN COOK<br />

56<br />

Recipes<br />

Mindful Vegan Meals<br />

by Maria Koutsogiannis<br />

Review & Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN<br />

58<br />

The Lighter Side<br />

Let’s Taco ’Bout Picky Eaters<br />

By DARIN COOK<br />

62<br />

58


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 5<br />

JOIN US<br />

For Our Famous All-You-Can-Eat<br />

Thanksgiving Buffet<br />

Sunday, <strong>October</strong> 13 11am – 2:30pm<br />

$32.95<br />

Call for reservations<br />

519-430-6414<br />

And ask about our RESERVE A BIRD<br />

Take Out Turkey Dinner for the whole family!<br />

/Blakes2ndFloor<br />

¦


More to Explore!<br />

6 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

Publisher’s Notes<br />

Twelve Years Young<br />

Milestones and Memories<br />

By CHRIS McDONELL<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

A<br />

dozen is a nice round number,<br />

perfect for roses and eggs, but<br />

not necessarily meaningful for a<br />

magazine. Nonetheless, I’m proud<br />

to celebrate this milestone with this issue<br />

of <strong>Eatdrink</strong>. I asked some of our regular<br />

contributors to focus on “twelve,” as you’ll<br />

see in our beer and wine columns. Our Writer<br />

at Large<br />

Bryan Lavery,<br />

whom I lean<br />

on heavily in<br />

shaping the<br />

magazine,<br />

gives us twelve<br />

inspirations<br />

in this issue.<br />

That got me<br />

thinking<br />

about my own<br />

taste<br />

LONDON<br />

The - Culinary Guide<br />

The 2010-11 Culinary Guide<br />

londontourism.ca<br />

Restaurants<br />

Specialty Shops<br />

Farmers’ Markets<br />

Food Festivals<br />

2010 2011<br />

inspirations, and what the future might hold.<br />

Back in 2007, when I consulted with a few<br />

friends and acquaintances about launching<br />

this publication, I’m not sure we ever talked<br />

about how the magazine might<br />

grow over time. The primary<br />

focus was getting off the ground.<br />

There were too many hats to<br />

wear, and not enough time to<br />

get everything done without a<br />

lot of late nights and weekends<br />

in the office. I’m sorry to report<br />

that not much has changed in<br />

that regard, yet somehow the<br />

magazine grew in its number of<br />

pages and the scope in our story<br />

subjects. Our distribution area<br />

grew, and the number of copies<br />

printed rose incrementally to<br />

accommodate that. We were<br />

busy, turning a small profit<br />

most of the time (this is not a<br />

charitable venture) and handing out all of our<br />

print run to interested readers every issue.<br />

CHATHAM-KENT • ELGIN • HALDIMAND • HURON • LONDON • MIDDLESEX • NORFOLK<br />

OXFORD • PERTH • SARNIA-LAMBTON • STRATFORD • WINDSOR-ESSEX<br />

Local Flavour<br />

SOUTHWEST ONTARIO<br />

CULINARY GUIDE<br />

Restaurants • Specialty Shops & Services<br />

Craft Beer & Local Wine • Farmers’ Markets<br />

localflavour.ca<br />

Coming <strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

I don’t recall moments of genuine reflection<br />

until our third anniversary issue, which I<br />

would say snuck up on us. All of a sudden, it<br />

struck me that we were not just surviving, we<br />

were having some success.<br />

Subsequent years brought further growth,<br />

and we got the idea that we could take on an<br />

additional project. Conversations with John<br />

LONDON’S<br />

Local Flavour<br />

VOLUME 7<br />

Restaurants • Specialty Shops & Services<br />

Craft Beer & Wine • Farmers’ Markets<br />

localflavour.ca<br />

Winston and<br />

Marty Rice<br />

at Tourism<br />

London led to<br />

our production<br />

of a local<br />

culinary guide<br />

that we called<br />

Taste London.<br />

The reception<br />

for that publication<br />

was<br />

2018<br />

gratifying, and a version of that guide became<br />

an annual event for <strong>Eatdrink</strong>.<br />

We took on another project, for Ontario’s<br />

Ministry of Tourism, creating a culinary guide<br />

EXPANDED<br />

EDITION<br />

VOLUME 8<br />

for the newly formed “RTO1” ...<br />

soon to be known as Ontario’s<br />

Southwest. Incorporating nine<br />

different tourism districts, the<br />

challenges there were almost<br />

back-breaking, but once again,<br />

the response was satisfyingly<br />

positive.<br />

Over subsequent years, the<br />

London guide became known<br />

as London’s Local Flavour,<br />

reflecting our ongoing interest<br />

in celebrating and promoting<br />

the growth of a regional<br />

culinary identity. And it got a<br />

little easier to put together.<br />

In 2018, in response to<br />

persistent enquiries, we opened<br />

up our Local Flavour publication to include<br />

“recommended neighbours.” This was a<br />

NEW!<br />

Recommended<br />

Culinary<br />

Neighbours


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

positive step for all concerned, and led directly<br />

to our current project.<br />

Local Flavour is now a “Southwest Ontario<br />

Culinary Guide.” This expanded publication<br />

will be our strongest yet, covering Southwest<br />

Ontario, from Essex County in the west, Huron<br />

and Perth County in the north, Haldimand<br />

County in the east, and all points in between.<br />

Among all of the changes that have happened<br />

with both <strong>Eatdrink</strong> and Local Flavour, I would<br />

argue that the most profound differences have<br />

occurred online. Twelve years ago, we launched<br />

our website simultaneously with the print<br />

magazine. We soon added a Facebook page, and<br />

then opened our Twitter account. As technology<br />

advanced, we changed with the times, and this<br />

year we saw over 50,000 unique visitors visit our<br />

website, with slightly more than half of those<br />

coming via their smartphones. Instagram has<br />

arguably surpassed our other social media channels<br />

in importance. Local Flavour has its own<br />

dedicated website. Check out localflavour.ca to<br />

see how we’re using that now.<br />

What will the next 12 years bring us? I can’t<br />

wait to find out.<br />

Peace,<br />

Boutique Bakery<br />

Buttercream Cakes,<br />

Cookies and<br />

French Macarons<br />

Wedding<br />

Consultations<br />

by Appointment<br />

145 Wortley Road, London<br />

Upstairs— above the former Village Harvest Bakery<br />

bakeshopstudio.com<br />

In print.<br />

Online.<br />

SINCE<br />

2007<br />

G<br />

eatdrink Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Fat Olive<br />

in Dorchester<br />

eatdrink<br />

www.eatdrink.ca<br />

|<br />

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine<br />

FEATURING<br />

Road Trip Redux<br />

12 Years of Exploring Our Region<br />

12 Must-Try Craft Beers<br />

Explore and Discover<br />

Mindful Vegan Meals<br />

Book Review & Recipes<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> |<br />

Celebrating Our<br />

A N N I V E R S A RY<br />

th<br />

I S S UE<br />

Pick up your free copy wherever<br />

discerning readers are found, or<br />

conveniently read the whole<br />

issue on your computer, tablet<br />

or smartphone.<br />

eatdrink<br />

THE LOCAL FOOD & DRINK MAGAZINE<br />

Get Connected!<br />

eatdrinkmag<br />

eatdrink.ca


8 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Food Writer at Large<br />

Twelve Inspirations<br />

Building Community Engagement Through Food & Drink<br />

After decades of working the<br />

spectrum of restaurant and other<br />

culinary businesses, I continue<br />

to be inspired by dedicated indie<br />

entrepreneurs who embrace the benefits of<br />

building community engagement through<br />

food and drink experiences. It is a privilege<br />

to be able to work at something and with the<br />

people you feel passionate about, while having<br />

a platform to be helpful to others.<br />

In no particular order, here are<br />

twelve food-related subjects that<br />

continue to inspire me.<br />

1<br />

I have been honoured to work<br />

with many restaurateurs as<br />

a friend, consultant or mentor<br />

since I retired from the restaurant<br />

business twelve years ago. The<br />

new wave of restaurants that<br />

are intentional in their purpose<br />

make me proud. Restaurateurs<br />

Brian Sua-an and Jerrah Revilles<br />

(featured on our January <strong>2019</strong><br />

cover) come to mind. They have<br />

been recognized with a rare<br />

2-star review in Where to Eat in Canada, for<br />

their 12-seat tasting menu<br />

restaurant that features<br />

optional wine pairings.<br />

2<br />

Stratford’s Evolving<br />

Gastro Scene: It<br />

has been great to work<br />

with Cathy Rehberg, of<br />

Stratford Tourism, these<br />

past 12 years. Stratford’s<br />

built a solid reputation<br />

as an innovational,<br />

entrepreneurial culinary destination for<br />

years. Stratford’s proprietary hold on gastroknowingness<br />

never loosens, in large part due<br />

to the Stratford Chefs School.<br />

By BRYAN LAVERY<br />

3<br />

London Downtown Business<br />

Association’s (LDBA) team have<br />

successfully positioned the downtown area as<br />

a premier dining destination, and continue to<br />

highlight the diversity of our local restaurants.<br />

Enthusiastic promoters of the downtown<br />

food scene, they have helped nurture the<br />

profile and profitability of downtown culinary<br />

businesses (restaurants, pop-ups, farmers’<br />

markets, specialty shops and<br />

accommodators) by supporting<br />

the ever-evolving culinary<br />

community.<br />

4<br />

Tourism London was<br />

initially instrumental in<br />

helping to launch the Local<br />

Flavour Culinary Guide in 2010.<br />

In a city celebrated for farmers’<br />

markets, food hubs, culinary<br />

artisans, and coffee and craft<br />

brewery culture, it’s evident<br />

that food and drink innovators<br />

abound. Working with a strong<br />

community team, Melissa<br />

De Luca of Tourism London<br />

and Joanne Wolnik of Southwest Ontario<br />

Tourism Corporation have been instrumental<br />

in raising the profile of<br />

these businesses and<br />

are now developing the<br />

experiential travel market<br />

in London. Likewise,<br />

Meredith Maywood has<br />

been doing the same<br />

work in Oxford County,<br />

developing experiences to<br />

great success.<br />

Reverie’s Brian Sua-an, Jerrah<br />

Revilles and daughter Saisha<br />

Stratford Chefs School Annual Long Table Dinner<br />

5<br />

New London<br />

Restaurants: We’ve<br />

had many stellar restaurants open in the<br />

last couple of years. Among them are Craft<br />

Farmacy, Reverie, Grace, Pizzeria Madre, Los<br />

Lobos, Hunter & Co, Ivy Ristorante, and The


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Little Bird Café. Taverna 1331, Wolfe Pack<br />

Company Bar, and Through Thick and Thin are<br />

a few new hot spots that are expected to open<br />

in London soon.<br />

6<br />

Culinary Educators: Fanshawe College’s<br />

Hospitality Program and teaching<br />

restaurant, The Chef’s Table, stimulates<br />

innovation and diversity, provides collateral<br />

employment,<br />

and<br />

contributes<br />

to creating a<br />

well-trained<br />

culinary<br />

workforce<br />

that fosters a<br />

strengthened<br />

London Training Centre<br />

culinary<br />

identity in<br />

London. The essence of the London Training<br />

Centre (LTC) narrative is that it achieves the<br />

whole seasonal cycle of our local bounty. The<br />

LTC faculty are not only culinary educators,<br />

but are also farmers, retailers, caterers, food<br />

artisans, restaurateurs, funders, and local<br />

food advocates.<br />

Spend time sampling over 50 of<br />

the freshest and finest extra virgin<br />

olive oils and aged balsamic<br />

vinegars... pairings such<br />

as cranberry pear balsamic<br />

with blood orange olive oil or<br />

Sicilian lemon with mushroom<br />

sage... your tastebuds<br />

will sing!<br />

21 York Street, Stratford<br />

oliveyourfavourites.com


Come Experience Our World!<br />

Award Winning Artisan Cheese<br />

NOW OFFERING! Affinage 101<br />

A hands-on behind-the-scenes experience<br />

• Visit the aging room where cheese is cured<br />

• Taste the changes in flavour as the cheese cures<br />

• Discover steps to judge cheese quality and taste<br />

• Create a delicious Gunn’s Hill fondue from scratch<br />

• Find details and register on our website<br />

445172 Gunn's Hill Rd, Woodstock, ON<br />

519-424-4024<br />

www.gunnshillcheese.ca<br />

7<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Local Food Initiatives: As a founding<br />

member of several local food initiatives,<br />

a proponent of Food Day Canada and of Feast<br />

On, I am focused<br />

on creating dining<br />

experiences that<br />

extend beyond what<br />

is on the plate. Since<br />

launching the Feast<br />

On program in June<br />

2014, the Ontario<br />

Culinary Tourism<br />

Alliance (OCTA)<br />

has continued<br />

growing, evolving,<br />

and improving the<br />

program, including<br />

the creation of a<br />

Growing Chefs! Ontario<br />

certification system<br />

to safeguard the character and reputation<br />

of authentic foods. It is an assurance that<br />

products possess certain qualities and<br />

characteristics, due to terroir or geographical<br />

origin. Restaurants such as Craft Farmacy,<br />

Abruzzi, Garlic’s of London, Chef’s Table at<br />

Fanshawe College, Windjammer Inn in Port<br />

WIN A LEXUS FOR A WEEKEND!<br />

Plus get your own car cleaned and detailed!<br />

eatdrink &<br />

Presented by<br />

Enter by going to eatdrink.ca/contests<br />

Contest ends <strong>October</strong> 28, <strong>2019</strong>. Complete details online.<br />

Congratulations Jim Smith,<br />

winner of our July/August Draw!


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Stanley Eddington’s of Exeter, Hessenland<br />

Inn and Winery in Zurich, Cowbell in Blyth,<br />

and Woodstock’s SixThirtyNine are among the<br />

province’s Feast On certified restaurants.<br />

8<br />

Global Cuisine: London has plenty of restaurants<br />

serving globally-inspired cuisine.<br />

T.G. Haile of TG’s Addis<br />

Ababa Restaurant<br />

T.G. Haile of Addis Ababa is a skillful chef at the<br />

top of her game.<br />

Her signature dishes<br />

from the repertoire<br />

of Ethiopian cookery<br />

comprise permutations<br />

of sweet, bitter,<br />

sour, salty, hot, and<br />

fragrant. Refined<br />

flavour contrasts are<br />

the hallmark of T.G.’s<br />

cooking. I remain<br />

an ardent and loyal<br />

fan of the hospitable<br />

Heidi and Bill<br />

Vamvalis, who have<br />

offered Greek cuisine<br />

and halibut and chips at Mykonos restaurant<br />

since 1985. Bhan Mudliar of The New Delhi Deli<br />

at Covent Garden Market is another favourite.<br />

100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table<br />

Hormone & Drug-Free<br />

Ontario Beef, Pork, Bison, Lamb & Chicken<br />

THE VILLAGE<br />

MEAT SHOP<br />

LOCAL - NATURAL - QUALITY<br />

Locally Sourced Ingredients<br />

Authentic Italian Cuisine<br />

Local Craft Beers<br />

Regional & Organic Wines from Italy<br />

Now Serving Sunday Brunch<br />

11am–2pm<br />

Take Out & Gift Certificates Available<br />

Follow us on Facebook for<br />

Upcoming Special Events!<br />

Lunch Wednesday–Saturday<br />

Dinner Tuesday–Sunday<br />

2135 Dorchester Road, Dorchester<br />

519-268-0001<br />

fatolive.ca<br />

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Dining<br />

Thames<br />

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WE ARE YOUR LONDON OUTLET FOR<br />

• Metzger Meat Products • Lena’s Lamb<br />

• Blanbrook Bison Farm • Little Sisters Chicken<br />

• Glengyle Farm Organics<br />

The Market at Western Fair District: SAT 8–3; SUN 10–2<br />

226-376-6328 • www.thevillagemeatshop.ca


E X P E R I E N C E D S E R V I C E P R O F E S S I O N A L s<br />

12 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Other stand-outs include the Budapest, Lo<br />

Nuestro, Mint Leaves, and Quynh Nhi.<br />

9<br />

Jill Wilcox is a dedicated culinary resource<br />

— supportive, knowledgeable, and a<br />

leader in promoting the local food community.<br />

Wilcox is celebrating 20 years as a<br />

culinary retailer at Jill’s Table, and<br />

for nearly four decades has been a<br />

food columnist for the London Free<br />

Press. In the spirit of giving back<br />

to the community, the Jill Wilcox<br />

Foundation was established in 2012<br />

to help women and children in<br />

food-related initiatives.<br />

10<br />

Growing Chefs! Ontario is<br />

a food education hub which<br />

aims to be an iconic destination<br />

for food exploration, by forging<br />

long-term partnerships with food<br />

literacy program providers, local<br />

producers, artisans, and other communityminded<br />

businesses, with an eye on sustainability<br />

and zero-waste. The social enterprise business<br />

model, in conjunction with the sponsorship<br />

program, generates funds needed to fully<br />

support the Food Education Projects, which<br />

Discover Heather's<br />

Incomparable Journeys<br />

Emerald Isle Discovery<br />

April 29–May 16, 2020. Maximum 18 travellers.<br />

Call for info and to reserve your spot!<br />

annually provide impactful hands-on cooking<br />

and food literacy programming for thousands of<br />

children, youth and families.<br />

11<br />

Food Trucks are the new incubators for<br />

culinary innovation. I’m talking about<br />

the chef-driven, entrepreneurial,<br />

indie food truck visionaries. The<br />

food truck scene is growing in<br />

London, and owner Dee Spencer<br />

of The Donut Diva says, “We are<br />

happy to have such a great group<br />

of professional food truck owners<br />

who work together and support<br />

each other. One of our main<br />

goals within our Association is to<br />

celebrate each other’s successes<br />

and be able to offer the city<br />

of London an amazing food<br />

truck experience.” Association<br />

Jill Wilcox of Jill’s Table members include the originals —<br />

Goodah, Bifana Boys, The Donut<br />

Diva, Smokestacks, and Rosie’s Streetery, as<br />

well as newer additions My Big Fat Food Truck,<br />

Big Daddy Bacon, Grill’EM, Shelbys, Pierogi<br />

Queen, The Snobox, Maggie Marie’s, and<br />

MegaCone London.<br />

In Downtown London<br />

Experience the vibrant culinary scene<br />

of downtown London like an insider<br />

with Forest City Culinary Experiences<br />

beginning at the Covent Garden Market.<br />

Heather’s Journeys are small groups handcrafted<br />

to enjoy culture, history, architecture, scenery and<br />

unique experiences. We travel the slow roads to<br />

charming tidy towns, music-filled pubs, ancient<br />

tombs and castles. We take time to enjoy leisurely<br />

walks, gourmet food and welcoming country<br />

hotels. You won’t find another itinerary like it.<br />

www.heathersincomparablejourneys.ca<br />

For any and all of your travel needs<br />

519-473-8591<br />

Heather Wilkinson<br />

31 Nottinghill Gate, Suite 203,<br />

Oakville ON TICO#50013851<br />

Travel<br />

Industry Council of Ontario<br />

Join us each Saturday<br />

in <strong>September</strong> & <strong>October</strong><br />

or by reservation.<br />

Visit our website to book<br />

forestcityculinaryexperiences.ca<br />

L<br />

C<br />

G


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

12<br />

Restaurant Ethics: If an inexpensive<br />

meal in a restaurant can only be<br />

achieved on the backs of workers toiling away<br />

in the kitchen without proper remuneration,<br />

you should be patronizing a restaurant that<br />

charges patrons enough to sustain their<br />

employees with a living wage. Good examples<br />

of restaurants committed to their employee’s<br />

well-being are Grace in downtown London,<br />

the worker-owned Red Rabbit in Stratford,<br />

and Emma’s Country Kitchen in Toronto.<br />

Historically there has been a significant wage<br />

inequality, and substantial occupational<br />

segregation, by gender and ethnicity in the<br />

restaurant business. Everyone needs and is<br />

entitled to equal protection in the workplace.<br />

More reasons to boycott certain chefs<br />

and restaurants have surfaced, including<br />

accusations of abuse, gender inequality and<br />

sexual harassment. We need change. Now.<br />

Trust...<br />

Taste...<br />

Quality...<br />

BRYAN LAVERY, <strong>Eatdrink</strong> Food Editor and Writer<br />

at Large, is also a partner in the culinary consulting<br />

business, Lavery Culinary Group. Always on the lookout<br />

for stories <strong>Eatdrink</strong> should be telling, he helps shape the<br />

magazine both under his byline and behind the scenes.<br />

Freshly home-made in the heart of the community<br />

The<br />

Village<br />

Teapot<br />

Check our website<br />

for our Sunday<br />

Roast Events!<br />

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and so much more ...<br />

• Sourced locally from trusted farms<br />

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13257 Ilderton Road, Ilderton ON<br />

thevillageteapot.ca<br />

519-298-TEAS (8327)<br />

Open six days a week.<br />

Hensall, Ontario<br />

Just off Hwy 4,<br />

45 minutes north of London.<br />

www.metzgermeats.com<br />

519-262-3130<br />

Available in London at<br />

The Village Meat Shop<br />

at The Market at Western Fair<br />

on Weekends!<br />

Local Beef • Pork • Lamb • Poultry<br />

Specialty European Meat Products


14 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Restaurants<br />

Get Stuffed!<br />

Region-Specific Italian Cuisine at Fat Olive, in Dorchester<br />

By BRYAN LAVERY<br />

The Italian table offers us a<br />

veritable feast. No single<br />

characteristic defines Italian<br />

cuisine — it is an attitude<br />

and an approach towards food.<br />

Regional variations, the high quality<br />

of ingredients, and a time-honoured<br />

sense of tradition are its mainstays.<br />

Still, Italian cuisine can be primarily<br />

characterized by simplicity, with<br />

many dishes having only a few focal<br />

ingredients. Traditionally-inspired<br />

Italian cooks rely on the quality of<br />

their products combined with an<br />

allegiance to seasonality rather than<br />

more intricate preparations, albeit<br />

with a few exceptions.<br />

Dino and Carla Dassie opened Fat<br />

Olive, an Italian-inspired family-<br />

friendly restaurant, in a small plaza in Dorchester last<br />

fall. Fat Olive is a paean to the food Dino’s family has<br />

always cooked and eaten. Carla tells me that they considered<br />

many locations before they chose Dorchester,<br />

and more than fifty names for the restaurant before<br />

they settled on Fat Olive.<br />

Dino was born into an Italian family. One side<br />

comes from Calabria, the southern region that forms<br />

the “toe” of the Italian peninsula. The other side of<br />

the family is from low-lying Veneto in northeast Italy,<br />

which faces the Adriatic Sea. He learned to cook from<br />

his mother Elena, and his aunts. At a young age he<br />

knew he wanted to open an Italian restaurant. After<br />

high school he attended Conestoga College, where he<br />

obtained his diploma in Business Administration and<br />

Marketing. After college Dino put his dream on hold<br />

and began driving a truck, but continued hosting large<br />

parties for family and friends. Family lunch with his<br />

parents, Elena and Benito, was always a small feast<br />

lasting nearly four hours.<br />

Three years ago Dino and Carla attended Goodfella’s<br />

Pizza School on Staten Island, New York, widely<br />

considered to be one of the most comprehensive,<br />

hands-on pizza schools. They were instructed on<br />

Executive Chef Nolan Darling<br />

Assistant Chef Adam Gartshore


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 15<br />

how to make wood-fired pizzas by pizza<br />

champions. They were coached on the owning<br />

and operating of a restaurant. Later chef/<br />

instructor David Rosen was engaged as a<br />

culinary consultant. Carla tells me, “Dino had<br />

been preparing for this restaurant<br />

from birth.”<br />

The kitchen is Dino’s<br />

sphere, and he and<br />

Chef Nolan Darling<br />

translate the<br />

region-specific<br />

Italian culinary<br />

canon<br />

with a blended<br />

regional perspective.<br />

It is an<br />

Fat Olive owners Dino and Carla Dassie<br />

interpretation of<br />

the ever-elusive concept<br />

of Italian culinary<br />

authenticity that comprises<br />

19 geographic regions, each of<br />

which has many subsets of idiosyncratic aesthetics<br />

and flavour profiles. The pared-down,<br />

uncomplicated presentation at Fat Olive hits<br />

the flavour mark, as each element of every<br />

dish is combined deftly and with thought.<br />

Chef Darling spent a decade cooking in different<br />

kitchens, featuring different styles of<br />

food, and using a wide variety of ingredients,<br />

before landing at Fat Olive. His career began<br />

when he was hired as a dishwasher in a downtown<br />

London restaurant. He needed the job to<br />

pay for tuition at the Architectural Technology<br />

program at Fanshawe College. “After<br />

a few months of washing plates<br />

with baked-on cheese, an<br />

abundance of cutlery,<br />

silver ramekins full<br />

of sauces and dips,<br />

and sauté pans upon<br />

sauté pans, I finally<br />

was able to become a<br />

line cook,” he states on<br />

his blog mukngrub.com.<br />

Fat Olive’s menu<br />

offerings capture the essence<br />

of Italian cookery. The cuisine is<br />

intuitive, menu items iconic and prepared<br />

with locally-sourced and quality Italianspecific<br />

specialty ingredients, interpreted<br />

with skill and an eye towards tradition. Like<br />

many good Italian restaurants, consistency<br />

and the quality of the menu offerings are the<br />

hallmarks of the Fat Olive experience.<br />

For Fat Olive’s rich tomato sauce, Dino<br />

Front House Manager Sonia Williamson<br />

and servers Sarah Vanbesien, Jade<br />

Williamson, and Tia Tessier.<br />

prefers using Mutti-brand tomatoes from<br />

the Parma-based Italian company. They’re<br />

grown in Southern Italy and preserved at the<br />

height of tomato season when the fruit is at<br />

its peak. They use several DOP (an affirmation<br />

of specificity and literally a protected<br />

designation of origin) types of<br />

cheese like Piave, which<br />

is produced in the<br />

Dolomites area in<br />

the northernmost<br />

tip of the<br />

Veneto region,<br />

Montasio, a<br />

nutty, semi-hard<br />

mountain cheese<br />

from the Veneto<br />

region, and Asiago,<br />

a semi-cooked cow’s<br />

milk cheese from the<br />

Asiago plateau.<br />

Dino sources his pepperoni,<br />

ground beef, ground pork, and pancetta from<br />

Metzger Meats in Hensall, which is known for<br />

carefully selecting ingredients from trusted<br />

producers who use traditional European<br />

methods, and also for the latest in food<br />

processing innovation. Occasionally Gerhard<br />

Metzger purchases wild boar from Ingrid and<br />

Fred Des Martines, the owners of Perth Pork<br />

Products. Seasonal produce is procured from<br />

Howe Farms, which has been operating in<br />

Elgin County for five generations.<br />

Entertaining is Carla Dassie’s forte. Walking<br />

through the restaurant she stops at a<br />

table to suggest a small batch<br />

organic wine, or attentively<br />

inquire about a<br />

patron’s meal or wellbeing.<br />

She converses<br />

with and listens to<br />

her customers. She<br />

champions the art<br />

of hospitality with<br />

composure. Sonia Williams<br />

is the charming and<br />

knowledgeable front house<br />

manager who runs the show.<br />

There is a lot to like on the menu. Fat Olive<br />

specializes in paninis, strombolis (a cousin<br />

of the calzone, with the sauce on the inside),<br />

freshly made pasta, home-made sauces,<br />

bruschetta flatbread, tiramisu, and cannoli<br />

with sweet ricotta. Signature dishes include<br />

a creamy, fresh semolina fettuccine alfredo<br />

with pancetta, herbs and Parmigiano. There is


eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Roast Pig with Chefs Nolan Darling and Dino Dassie<br />

a house-made semolina rigatoni with roasted<br />

pepper, caramelized onions, goat cheese and a<br />

balsamic glaze. Crispy-coated Chicken Parmesan<br />

is served with a side of spaghetti in a rich tomato<br />

sauce. At dinner the spaghetti comes with a<br />

Fat Meatball. There is a New York Striploin,<br />

Hickory-smoked Pork Chop and Salmon Risotto<br />

with lemon, arugula and roasted peppers and<br />

balsamic glaze. We love the Forest Berry gelato<br />

sourced from the Cream Beanery.<br />

Special and unique Italian wines come<br />

from a consigner who also supplies some of<br />

Toronto’s Buca restaurant’s private imports.<br />

Carla and Sonia are knowledgeable and<br />

will help guide you through less familiar<br />

territory on the excellent wine list. There is<br />

a good and varied blackboard selection of<br />

craft beer. Fat Olive uses the same love and<br />

culinary techniques you will find in an Italian<br />

home kitchen. Carla sums up the Fat Olive<br />

experience in a few words: good food, family,<br />

friends, love, and homemade. Be sure to make<br />

a reservation.<br />

Fat Olive<br />

2135 Dorchester Road, Dorchester<br />

519-268-0001<br />

fatolive.ca<br />

tuesday: 4:00 pm–8:00 pm<br />

wednesday: 11:30 am–8:00 pm<br />

thursday: 11:30 am–9:00 pm<br />

friday & saturday: 11:30 am–10:00 pm<br />

sunday: 11am–2:00 pm / 4:00 pm–7:00 pm<br />

BRYAN LAVERY is <strong>Eatdrink</strong> ‘s Food Editor and Writer<br />

at Large.<br />

Left, from top: Mushroom Pesto Stromboli; Fettuccine<br />

Alfredo; Fat Olive Garden Greens; Sweet Ricotta Mini<br />

Cannoli; Classic Tiramisu. Photos by Terry Manzo.


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 17<br />

on Sept. 15 & Sept. 30<br />

STREET FOOD<br />

SUNDAY<br />

SEPT. 15 & SEPT. 29<br />

Food Trucks • Vendors<br />

Live Music • Craft Beer<br />

Rescues • Vendors<br />

Craft Beer • Food


18 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Spotlight<br />

New Hotspots<br />

Four Noteworthy Additions to Our Culinary Scene<br />

By THE EDITORS<br />

IRONWORKS kitchen<br />

529 Dundas Street, Woodstock<br />

519-290-0926<br />

ironworkskitchen.ca<br />

monday–saturday 9am–11pm<br />

sunday 9am–9pm<br />

Downtown Woodstock’s newest addition<br />

is the recently opened 160-seat Ironworks<br />

kitchen.<br />

The name<br />

is a nod<br />

to Wood<br />

stock Iron<br />

Works, established in 1842 by Homer Pratt<br />

Brown, who became town mayor in 1861.<br />

Lunch and dinner menus feature elevated<br />

comfort food. Signature items include the<br />

“Homer Brown Burger” and the “Ironworks<br />

Salad,” as well as plenty of nods to today,<br />

including short ribs, rainbow trout, lamb<br />

shanks, chipotle mac’n cheese, and steak and<br />

frites. The Kids Menu includes a charcuterie<br />

board! There is even dessert poutine.<br />

Bocconcini<br />

1140 Southdale Road West, London<br />

519-601-7799<br />

bocconcinilondon.ca<br />

monday–thursday 11:30am–9pm<br />

friday 11:30am–10pm<br />

saturday 4pm–10pm / sunday 4m–8pm<br />

We’re crazy for the<br />

delectable gnocchi<br />

at Radu Rotariu’s<br />

Italian-inspired<br />

Bocconcini at<br />

Southdale and<br />

Boler Road in Byron. Chef Brian Honsinger’s<br />

pillowy potato dumplings with braised beef,<br />

cabernet and wild mushrooms are authentic<br />

and classic Italian cuisine. Try the ovenroasted<br />

Tuscan-inspired chicken. There is a<br />

wood-fired oven for fresh bread and pizza. The<br />

manicotti is outstanding and the silky, housemade<br />

tiramisu otherworldly.


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 19<br />

The Little Green Grocery<br />

129 Downie Street, Stratford<br />

519-305-8544<br />

thelittlegreengrocery.com<br />

monday–saturday 8:30am–7pm<br />

sunday 9am–4pm<br />

Formerly known as<br />

Your Local Market<br />

Co-op, The Little<br />

Green Grocery recently<br />

relaunched as a boutique<br />

grocery store “that has<br />

everything you need in one<br />

quaint little space.” At once both a throwback<br />

to simpler times and a forward-thinking<br />

enterprise committed to environmental<br />

sustainability, the store adds a different<br />

element to the charm of downtown Stratford.<br />

Fruit and vegetables from local farmers are<br />

available in season, of course, but in the spirit<br />

of “one stop shopping,” items such as lemons<br />

are also available. Similar thinking means there<br />

are items for vegan, vegetarian and carnivore<br />

diets. Every day, in-house chefs make bread,<br />

sandwiches, salads, frozen meals, pastries and<br />

“healthy bites.” They also make delicious dips,<br />

spreads and dressings, even ice cream.<br />

Striving to make “zero waste” easier, there is<br />

a refill section for items like shampoo, lotions,<br />

dish soap, laundry detergent, and a number of<br />

dry goods. Bring your own bags and containers.<br />

Should you forget, free donated containers are<br />

on hand. Catering is also available.<br />

The Tin Fiddler Brew Pub &<br />

River Run Brew Co.<br />

146/148 Christina Street North, Sarnia<br />

226-784-2337<br />

facebook.com/pg/TheTinFiddler/<br />

sunday–thursday 11am–10pm<br />

friday & saturday 11am–midnight<br />

Mark Woolsey<br />

and John<br />

Tidball are<br />

partners in<br />

the new Tin Fiddler<br />

Brew Pub, located in a<br />

large historic building<br />

(circa 1890–1910) in<br />

downtown Sarnia.<br />

They have also launched<br />

River Run Brew Co. after<br />

gutting the basement and installing fermenters<br />

and equipment purchased from another craft<br />

brewery that was upsizing. Initially, they are<br />

brewing a range of beers exclusively for their<br />

own pub, and it’s been a challenge to meet the<br />

demand of enthusiastic customers.<br />

Extensive renovations to the 12,000-squarefoot<br />

interior have revealed long-hidden charms<br />

in the space, highlighted by 16-foot plaster<br />

ceilings, brick walls and a terrazzo floor. A new<br />

kitchen and washrooms have been installed. An<br />

outdoor courtyard, opened last year, got good<br />

use this summer as a live music venue. The<br />

food menu includes an interesting selection of<br />

sophisticated pub food, including a traditional<br />

fish & chips, onion rings battered with puffed<br />

quinoa, and lamb tacos.


20 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

SPONSORED BY<br />

Road Trips<br />

Road Trip Redux<br />

A Dozen Years of Discovery and Celebration<br />

By CHRIS McDONELL<br />

After a dozen years of publishing<br />

this magazine, it struck me that a<br />

roundup of my favourite Road Trip<br />

stories would be an appropriate<br />

way to show off some of our stellar writers<br />

and the amazing destinations that we’ve<br />

covered. In theory, this was a great idea. In<br />

reality, as I waded through the archives on<br />

our website, it became clear to me that this<br />

roundup wouldn’t serve our readers without<br />

some editing. It is the nature of the culinary<br />

industry that excellent businesses come<br />

and go, and sometimes this happens within<br />

Elgin County<br />

eatdrink.ca/an-authentic-taste-of-elgincounty/<br />

by Bryan Lavery, July 2016<br />

A postcard-perfect fishing village on the<br />

shores of Lake Erie, Port Stanley is known for<br />

its harbour, colourful heritage buildings, and<br />

the iconic King George VI lift bridge. Regular<br />

visitors to “Port,” as it is known by locals, are<br />

attracted to the village’s dynamic artistic community,<br />

Port Stanley Festival Theatre, galleries<br />

and specialty shops. A big draw is the main<br />

beach, which offers one of the best stretches<br />

of sandy beach on the north shore of Lake<br />

Erie and is home to a newly refurbished pier ...<br />

months of our writing about a destination.<br />

The first good news, I saw in my overview<br />

of <strong>Eatdrink</strong> Road Trip stories, is that the<br />

vast majority of the hotspots we’ve written<br />

about remain alive and well and worthy of<br />

celebration. I have excerpted a great deal of<br />

the original text. The other good news is that<br />

these destinations have become even more<br />

exciting with the addition of new businesses.<br />

You’ll find some of those listed here, as well<br />

as links to the original stories that remain<br />

worthy of your attention. Here’s an enticing<br />

handful of great destinations. Enjoy.<br />

Nestled in the heart of Port Stanley, Kettle<br />

Creek Inn is one of “Ontario’s Finest Inns.”<br />

Jean and Gary Vedova opened the doors to<br />

Kettle Creek Inn in 1983, after renovating the<br />

building. The Vedovas, along with sons Troy<br />

and Dean, are hands-on. Menus showcase a<br />

commitment to the area with ingredients that<br />

are farmed, fished or foraged locally, such as<br />

the perch and pickerel that arrive in the kitchen<br />

daily. The Ontario-reared meats are all fresh<br />

products, and signature dishes include a locallyrevered<br />

pot pie ...<br />

The Inn has 10 guest rooms and five luxury<br />

Picture yourself...<br />

Relaxing on our patio,<br />

Enjoying Lunch, Dinner or a snack,<br />

Staying the evening in a room or suite!<br />

Main Street, Port Stanley<br />

(519)782-3388<br />

www.kettlecreekinn.com<br />

information@kettlecreekinn.com


22 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

suites. Dining options include a parlour with<br />

a cozy fireplace, an intimate English-inspired<br />

pub, two dining rooms, a gazebo and a stunning<br />

garden terrace. Jean tells us, “Guests can prop<br />

up their feet on their porch or balcony, sip a<br />

libation and amble down for dinner under the<br />

gazebo. It doesn’t get much better.” [Update:<br />

Enjoy new sidewalk patio seating!]<br />

Port Stanley’s Solo on Main is located in<br />

the heritage home previously occupied by<br />

Mickey’s Boathouse. Solo on Main is a familyrun<br />

business with chef Lauren Van Dixhoorn<br />

growers & creators of fine lavender products<br />

DISCOVER.<br />

INDULGE.<br />

ESCAPE.<br />

519-494-5525<br />

47589 Sparta Line, Sparta<br />

Wed–Sat 10-5; Sun 12–4<br />

Mother’s Day to Dec. 20<br />

steedandcompany.com<br />

Visit<br />

Our Website<br />

• Online Store<br />

• Recipes<br />

& much more!<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

at the helm. In seasonable weather there is<br />

a smartly appointed patio and inviting front<br />

porch that offers alfresco seating and great<br />

“Port” views. Inside, there is a charming<br />

walnut bar in the lounge, topped with quartz.<br />

The casual white-linen dining room with<br />

its original hardwood floors is decorated in<br />

warm gray tones and the walls are adorned<br />

with local art. The cooking is refined and the<br />

presentation modern and thoughtful... There<br />

are pickerel and perch, Lake Erie staples,<br />

either pan fried or breaded. The culinary<br />

experience succeeds on many levels.<br />

Just off the main beach in Port Stanley,<br />

The Windjammer Inn is the former Shephard<br />

House (1854), built by Samuel Shephard, a<br />

prominent local grain merchant. Owner and<br />

accomplished chef Kim Saunders sources<br />

her ingredients from the large farm network<br />

in Elgin County. In her eleventh season,<br />

her personal culinary style is evident on<br />

the menus, which state the kitchen’s food<br />

philosophy. “We use Local and Organic,<br />

Ethically Raised Products as much as possible.<br />

Thank you to our Farmers!” Saunders, who<br />

was raised on a farm, grows many of her own<br />

herbs, edible flowers and heirloom vegetables<br />

in the gardens surrounding the Inn. Lake<br />

Erie fresh line-caught perch and pickerel<br />

are available in season. Think lightly smokeroasted<br />

Everspring duck breast with ricotta<br />

herb gnocchi, roasted broccoli and rhubarb<br />

ginger chutney. Scratch breads, artisanal<br />

cheeses, fresh farm produce, local meats<br />

and Saunders’ baking round out the menu.<br />

In season, the restaurant has seating on the<br />

newly rebuilt wraparound porch. The Inn has<br />

three tastefully appointed rooms and two<br />

separate rooms next door. [Update: Now<br />

Feast ON-certified!]<br />

Update: A new hotspot in Port Stanley,<br />

!<br />

da<br />

WindjammerDINE<br />

The<br />

STAY<br />

Recommended in Where To Eat In Canada for 10 years<br />

Modern Farmhouse Cuisine<br />

INN<br />

Join us for Dinner Wednesday–Sunday & Weekend Brunch<br />

Comfortable Accommodations Year Round<br />

324 Smith St, Port Stanley • 519-782-4173 • www.thewindjammerinn.com


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Two Forks, features a “beachy chic” decor,<br />

complemented by a gorgeous patio and chef’s<br />

garden.... Small plates, designed for sharing,<br />

are made with local ingredients from scratch.<br />

You’ll find freshly shucked live oysters right<br />

at the bar, local wine on tap, craft beer flights<br />

and handcrafted cocktails. (<strong>Eatdrink</strong> #78,<br />

July <strong>2019</strong>).<br />

The blooms were harvested a little later<br />

this summer, but Steed & Company remains<br />

worthy of a side trip to charming Sparta.<br />

“Lavender is the same family as mint,” noted<br />

Suzanne Steed to <strong>Eatdrink</strong> writer Tanya Chopp<br />

(<strong>Eatdrink</strong> #76, March <strong>2019</strong>). “If you look at a<br />

lavender spike, it’s square — and if you look<br />

at a mint stem, it’s square also. We’re familiar<br />

with mint’s strong flavour, and lavender’s<br />

strength is similar. However, lavender has<br />

the ability to really enhance flavours. We<br />

have a raspberry-strawberry preserve, and<br />

lavender picks up the raspberry and helps it<br />

pop. It also enhances the flavour of our dark<br />

chocolate, and the vanilla in our ice cream. It’s<br />

remarkable in that way: it enhances whatever<br />

you use it with, but adds a floral note.” Steed<br />

& Co. remains open until Christmas.<br />

295 Bridge Street, Port Stanley<br />

NOW<br />

OPEN<br />

Scratch Cooking<br />

Small Plates<br />

Local Ingredients<br />

Craft Cocktails<br />

Local Wines on Tap<br />

Craft Beers<br />

226.658.4887 @twoforks295


24 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

Chatham-Kent<br />

eatdrink.ca/festivals-food-and-fun/ by<br />

Darin Cook, November 2016<br />

Early Acres Estate Winery’s reds, whites, and<br />

blushes [there are even a couple of wine blends<br />

with local fruit on offer] have collectively<br />

garnered 21 awards for the winery since<br />

opening in 2012. Located just outside Chatham,<br />

Early Acres holds monthly summer events<br />

with local entertainment on its country estate.<br />

[Update: Their Cabernet Francs may have<br />

made the biggest impression to date.]<br />

If you extend your visit into more than a<br />

day trip, Retro Suites Hotel at the corner of<br />

King and William Street is the place you want<br />

to spend the night. Even if this is your only<br />

stop in Chatham, spending a night here is<br />

worth it for the architecture and décor alone.<br />

This boutique hotel, with 52 individuallythemed<br />

suites, was honoured with<br />

TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award in the<br />

Best Hotels section in all of Canada in 2015.<br />

When dinner rolls around, here are a few<br />

downtown hot spots. On the street level of Retro<br />

Suites, with an atmosphere matching the hotel,<br />

The Chilled Cork is a funky restaurant where<br />

Chef Leona Williamson cranks out exquisite<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

contemporary dishes from the kitchen.<br />

A short walk down King Street, Mamma<br />

Maria’s Ristorante has become the area’s best<br />

Italian experience. The old world ambience<br />

feels as Italian as the food tastes. “Boasting a<br />

large menu with a variety of selection to whet<br />

every appetite, along with an extensive wine<br />

list, the menu provides for a food experience<br />

that is second to none.”<br />

Beyond the downtown core, Spice & Curry<br />

located on Kiel Drive, is the city’s best-kept<br />

secret. It’s run by business partners Shelly<br />

Sakhuja and Chef Gurmeet Singh. Chef<br />

cheerfully toils in the kitchen sending out<br />

the aroma of simmering sauces with spices<br />

roasted and ground from scratch. Shelly<br />

works the front of house, pleasantly greeting<br />

and seating guests and delivering steaming<br />

bowls of curry and baskets of still-warn Naan<br />

bread. You cannot go wrong with any menu<br />

options, especially the Tikka Masala and<br />

Madras dishes, which Chef will adjust to your<br />

preferred heat level.<br />

Parks Blueberries on Highway 2 lets you<br />

turn farm work into fun by partaking in the<br />

pick-your-own option on 50 acres of fields.<br />

Simply the finest authentic Italian cuisine available in the region!<br />

• Family-owned & operated<br />

• Beautiful patio on Thames River<br />

• Catering and 2 well-appointed<br />

private function rooms available<br />

• Family-friendly (Kids Menu Available)<br />

From-scratch cooking with<br />

the best local ingrendients<br />

231 King Street West, Chatham 519-360-1600<br />

Open for Dinner Daily / Lunch Monday-Saturday mammamariasristorante.ca


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Aside from freshly-picked blueberries, the<br />

country store is full of preserves, kitchen<br />

supplies, and handcrafts. You will also want<br />

to sample the blueberry-filled baked goods.<br />

Taking that southbound drive further,<br />

you will reach the fishing village of Erieau<br />

where Bayside Brew Pub provides craft beer<br />

and wood-fired pizzas in a perfect setting<br />

overlooking Lake Erie. The pizzas are the<br />

crowd favourite and Bayside also throws a<br />

twist on other pub food like Chicken Wings<br />

from the Fire, and Beer Battered Onion Rings.<br />

Update: Sons of Kent Craft Brewing<br />

Company is downtown Chatham’s destination<br />

craft brewery. Their 8 Track XPA (5.7% ABV,<br />

Huron County<br />

eatdrink.ca/county-bounty-culinaryadventures-in-huron-county/<br />

by Jane<br />

Antoniak, July 2018<br />

You could call a food and beverage road<br />

trip through Huron County crop touring at<br />

its finest ... You might want to start your<br />

tour in Exeter, a half-hour north of London.<br />

Eddington’s of Exeter, a Feast ON-certified<br />

restaurant run by Chef James Eddington,<br />

offers a true taste of Huron in a heritage<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 25<br />

55 IBU) has garnered special notice in this<br />

magazine and elsewhere for its strong citrus<br />

aromas, pleasant bitterness and smooth,<br />

balanced mouthfeel. Producing premium<br />

beer using traditional methods and modern<br />

ingredients, Sons of Kent has an on-site<br />

tasting room, event space, a bottleshop, live<br />

entertainment, and a kitchen striving to let<br />

“your senses run riot ... using local, seasonal<br />

ingredients to prepare fun, shareable items to<br />

pair with our large selection of craft beers.”<br />

Look for the kick-butt Reuben sandwich with<br />

Schinkles’ corned beef, dijon, and fried swiss<br />

on Pinnel’s rye and everchanging daily and<br />

weekly specials.<br />

building with a welcoming three-season<br />

patio. Chef literally bought the farm: 25<br />

acres on Lake Huron provide the freshest of<br />

ingredients, and he’s having his own beers<br />

brewed to his high-quality specifications.<br />

Beach Street Station is a converted heritage<br />

railway station now situated on the Goderich<br />

main beach. Open for lunch and dinner, the<br />

vaulted ceilings and 1907 architecture create<br />

interesting ambiance, but the large patio<br />

BISTRO • CONFERENCE • SUITES • SPA<br />

519-565-2576<br />

LakeHouseofBayfield.com<br />

Farm to Table Restaurant<br />

Fresh Seasonal Menus • 3-Season Covered Patio<br />

Eddington’s Farm<br />

A breathtaking 25 acres along Lake Huron<br />

Eddington’s Culinary Tours<br />

Once-in-a-Lifetime International Adventures<br />

Eddington’s Craft Beer<br />

Exclusive Premium Handcrafted Beers<br />

Join us on Facebook /Instagram for updates & upcoming events!<br />

527 Main Street, Exeter ON | 519-235-3030<br />

30 min N of London | 20 min E of Grand Bend | 30 min W of Stratford<br />

www.eddingtons.ca


26 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

overlooking the beach is also very inviting.<br />

You might grab a locally-roasted coffee and<br />

a pastry at the fabulous Cait’s Café on the<br />

square. Cait and husband Spencer Vail are<br />

dedicated to using local products, especially<br />

from Huron County, and have been Feast<br />

ON-certified. The buttery croissants might<br />

be enough on their own, but only get better<br />

with a thick slice of Metzger’s bacon or a slice<br />

of a local organic tomato. Cait’s the baker<br />

and Spencer, who served as executive chef at<br />

nearby Benmiller Inn for six years, calls his<br />

cooking style “Progressive Canadian.” Check<br />

out what’s fresh that day.<br />

Enjoy a refreshing beer tasting from Square<br />

Brew near the YMCA. [Update: This remains<br />

Goderich’s only brewery. Enjoy an interesting<br />

beer in a friendly, welcoming space, or grab<br />

some to go.<br />

Just down the road outside Goderich, you’ll<br />

find the Maitland Market, where you can pick<br />

up some fresh Ontario produce, organic and<br />

pasture-raised meats, locally made cheese and<br />

organic and free run eggs.<br />

Another stop on the Goderich tour might<br />

include lunch, dinner or just a great dessert<br />

at Samuel’s Hotel, situated a few kilometres<br />

Experience Hessenland Inn & Vineyard<br />

Where heritage is infused into every vine and vintage<br />

Join us for one of our<br />

Signature Events!<br />

• Thanksgiving Buffet & Dinner<br />

• 4th Annual Long Table Dinner<br />

• Novemberfest<br />

• Weddings, Conferences & Retreats<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

from Goderich in Salford. This boutique hotel<br />

offers wonderful amenities, with a private patio<br />

and fireplace in every room, and house-made<br />

gourmet cupcakes in the lobby. Daytrippers are<br />

welcomed too, and the lunch and dinner menus<br />

include a strong list of nearby suppliers.<br />

While in Goderich you shouldn’t miss a<br />

crème-filled donut at Culbert’s Bakery. It is<br />

well worth a stop. The bakery typically sells<br />

out early on weekends.<br />

For a sit-down meal to celebrate a special<br />

occasion or for a break from the road, Thyme<br />

on 21 offers lovely lunches and dinners in a<br />

historic home just off the square on Highway<br />

21. Family-owned and operated, this special<br />

place believes in full service with an easy<br />

country pace. It is consistently rated a top<br />

place to dine in Goderich.<br />

For those who want the country roads<br />

experience, Highway 21 is a fun way to cruise<br />

the coast of beautiful Lake Huron. It would be<br />

ideal to start this tour in Bayfield at Shopbike<br />

Coffee Roasters, where you get Fair Trade<br />

coffee or amazing gelato. Fourteen fresh<br />

flavours and counting ...<br />

Further south, try the delicious apple-based<br />

beers at Bad Apple Brewing Co. and Ingram’s<br />

“Where everyone knows your game”<br />

New Pro Shop<br />

Opening Soon!<br />

Accommodations • Award-Winning Gardens • Private Beach Access<br />

Vineyard • Dining Room with European & Locally Inspired Fare<br />

Located steps from Lake Huron between Grand Bend & Bayfield<br />

Call 519-236-7707 or 866-543-7736<br />

hessen@hessenland.com • www.hessenland.com<br />

Reservations required for all events<br />

18 Hole Golf Course • Year-round Restaurant / Bar<br />

whitesquirrelgolfclub.com<br />

7 km north of Grand Bend on Hwy. 21


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Apple Orchard, and then for some salty<br />

goodness in the form of pork pepperettes<br />

at The Whole Pig in Dashwood, just off the<br />

highway. While in Dashwood you may also<br />

want top pop into Hayter’s Farm for some<br />

turkey products, so bring that cooler!<br />

As you wind your way back to Bayfield, pop<br />

into the Bayfield Berry Farm for your sample<br />

of jam to take home. In season, you can also<br />

pick up fruits and vegetables.<br />

Staying the night in Bayfield is always a<br />

treat and there are more options in the village<br />

than ever before ... The Lake House of Bayfield<br />

offers seven spacious guest rooms, some with<br />

their own balconies overlooking main street<br />

and all outfitted with antique furnishings. As<br />

well, there is now a spa onsite and overnight<br />

packages include spa, dining and golf at a<br />

nearby course. A small conference space is<br />

available for meetings, and a lovely backyard<br />

patio. “There’s a lot of history and character in<br />

this place,” says co-owner Graham Wallace. “We<br />

have taken it from fine dining to a lot more<br />

casual.” Co-owner Chef Cody McWhirter has<br />

created a tasty menu. The Baron Burger is a<br />

real treat. It features smoked bacon from The<br />

Whole Pig on a succulent burger patty of fresh<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 27<br />

ground brisket and chuck beef. There are two<br />

local beers on tap from River Road Brewing<br />

and Hops in Bayfield (the Zesty Farmer Pale<br />

Ale offers a citrus freshness) and a pilsner from<br />

Stone House Brewing Co. in nearby Varna.<br />

Bayfield accom mo dations are also available<br />

at The Little Inn, a historic venue very popular<br />

with wedding groups and couples looking for<br />

a getaway. Arguably, it has the most lovely<br />

breakfast service in the county.<br />

South of Bayfield on Highway 21 at St.<br />

Joseph is the Hessenland Country Inn. The Inn<br />

has five acres of groomed gardens, an emerging<br />

vineyard [Update: Hessenland’s boutique<br />

vineyard, Schatz Winery, has now produced<br />

their first bottles!] and a outdoor pool with<br />

indoor hot tub spa. If you happen to stay over<br />

on a Thursday evening in July or August you<br />

can enjoy the Mongolian Grill. This popular<br />

summertime tradition gives guests the chance<br />

to create their own combination plates of fish,<br />

seafood, meats and vegetables which are grilled<br />

outdoors by Chef Frank Ihrig and his staff.<br />

Indoors, there is live music and additional<br />

foods including spätzle, salad and desserts. The<br />

meal comes with a glass of wine or beer.<br />

No stop-over in Bayfield is complete<br />

Real Food. Hand Crafted.<br />

Featuring<br />

Creative Menus<br />

from Chefs<br />

Erryn Shephard<br />

&<br />

Ben Sandwith<br />

NEW<br />

Teacher’s<br />

Lounge<br />

Now Open!<br />

Always Available<br />

for Caterings!<br />

Lunch and Dinner<br />

Seasonal Hours<br />

Reservations Recommended<br />

519.238.6224<br />

42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend<br />

www.finearestaurant.com<br />

Across from the TD Canada Trust<br />

TUES–FRI @ 11am • SAT & SUN @ 9am


28 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

without popping into neighbourhood pubs<br />

The Black Dog Pub & Bistro and The Albion<br />

Hotel. Just look for the line-ups. Yes, you can<br />

bring your dog to the patio at the Black Dog.<br />

While there, the enthusiastic bar staff will<br />

make you an outstanding Caesar or suggest<br />

one of the 20 beers on tap. You also can<br />

tap into the knowledge banks of owner Ted<br />

McIntosh, an expert in the field of single malt<br />

whiskeys. The food is equally stellar.<br />

Cowbell Brewing Co., Huron’s awardwinning<br />

destination craft brewery in Blyth,<br />

OPEN<br />

ALL YEAR<br />

ROUND!<br />

10am–6pm<br />

DAILY<br />

Something<br />

for<br />

Everyone!<br />

Fresh Local Ingredients<br />

Gluten Free & Vegetarian Options<br />

Great Selection of Craft Beer & Cider<br />

Tuesday–Saturday<br />

Lunch 11:30–2:00 & Dinner 4:45–8:45<br />

159 Queen Street, St. Marys ON<br />

519-914-8811<br />

Follow Us!<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

features a beautiful restaurant with indoor<br />

and outdoor seating, a retail store, and<br />

entertainment spaces. Long anticipated,<br />

Cowbell has attracted excited crowds since it<br />

opened. [Update: Cowbell remains popular!<br />

Reservations strongly suggested. See our<br />

story from January: eatdrink.ca/winningtogether-cowbell-brewing-co-craft-beerthat-rings-true]<br />

Update: White Squirrel Golf Club has<br />

emerged as another interesting dining locale<br />

off Highway 21. Open to golfers as well as just<br />

to those looking for a bite, there’s a newly renovated<br />

clubhouse (soon to be joined by a new pro<br />

shop) and an inviting seasonal patio. The yearround<br />

restaurant/bar focusses on local ingredients,<br />

and is open for lunch and dinner daily.<br />

Grand Bend sits just over the Huron County<br />

border in Lambton County. Worth noting are<br />

two longtime <strong>Eatdrink</strong> favourites, Schoolhouse<br />

Restaurant, run by Chef Gus Merkies, and<br />

F.I.N.E. A Restaurant, owned by Chef Erryn<br />

Sheppard. Chef Gus has opened a new Teacher’s<br />

Lounge on the lower level, perfect for a pre- or<br />

post-dinner cocktail. This is a great spot for<br />

weekend breakfasts and lunch and dinner with<br />

a family-friendly menu with interesting local<br />

twists. F.I.N.E. is more about, no surprise, fine<br />

dining, with Chef Ben Sandwith anchoring the<br />

kitchen with Chef Erryn. Check out our story<br />

from last May (eatdrink.ca/ mighty-f-i-n-efor-fifteen-years-f-i-n-e-a-restaurant-ingrand-bend).<br />

Note: Last issue, Bryan Lavery wrote about<br />

his more recent trip to Bayfield. Check it out<br />

at: eatdrink.ca/a-guide-to-bayfield-whatwhere-and-why<br />

Stratford & Perth County<br />

On the one hand, Stratford is so integral<br />

to <strong>Eatdrink</strong> that it sometimes seems like an<br />

oxymoron to describe a visit as a Road Trip.<br />

IN-STORE BAKERY<br />

& GIFT SHOP<br />

Old Fashioned Sausage<br />

Smoked Pork Products<br />

Bacon & Ribs<br />

Local Artisan Cheeses<br />

Large Selection of Gourmet Condiments<br />

Visit Percy, Our 10-foot Pig!<br />

The Finest Local Poultry Products<br />

Free Range & Drug Free<br />

#2146 Highway 7 & 8, Shakespeare ON<br />

519-625-8194<br />

www.porkshoppe.com


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

There are too many Stratford-based stories<br />

to begin to cite them here, but Bryan Lavery<br />

took a dedicated visit to Perth County that<br />

remains a highlight for me.<br />

eatdrink.ca/a-perth-county-adventure/<br />

by Bryan Lavery, November 2016<br />

Recently I participated in a tour of Perth<br />

County with Cathy Rehberg from Stratford<br />

Tourism Alliance (STA) and Agatha Podgorski<br />

from the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance.<br />

They know how to set the benchmark of<br />

industry best practice for culinary tourism.<br />

We toured the new home of the Stratford<br />

Chefs School on Ontario Street while it was<br />

still under construction. [Update: Now open!<br />

Check stratfordchef.com for the impressive<br />

list of events.] Double storefront units are<br />

being repurposed into teaching kitchens<br />

and a 50-seat restaurant with a great street<br />

presence. The new facility allows the school<br />

to merge its teaching operations into one<br />

campus, and makes it feasible to add an<br />

additional semester in the summer months.<br />

Stratford Chefs School is not only known for<br />

producing great chefs but also entrepreneurs.<br />

The next leg of the tour included stops and<br />

tastings at the Black Swan Brewing Company on<br />

Downie Street. We moved on to Downie Street<br />

Burgers where we sampled the signature poutine<br />

with bacon and tomato jam and St. Albert<br />

cheese curds covered in gravy. Here we also<br />

quaffed a pint of Black Swan’s Berliner Weisse.<br />

Next on the itinerary was Mike Heisz’s<br />

distillery, Junction 56, located in the former<br />

Pounder Brothers Building beside the Cambria<br />

Street railway tracks. We toured the distillery<br />

and tasted Heisz’s award-wining vodka, gin,<br />

and signature moonshine. You can stop by<br />

for a taste and a tour Saturdays at 11 am and<br />

while you are there you can purchase some<br />

locally crafted spirits for the holiday season ...<br />

Every Stratford restaurant worth its<br />

salt has owners and chefs dedicated to a<br />

balance of principles and procedures in an<br />

effort to offer a memorable and hospitable<br />

dining experience. Some restaurants and<br />

accommodators do this much better than<br />

others. Mercer Kitchen + Beer Hall + Hotel<br />

features items that are meant to be shared<br />

communally and reflect Mercer’s passions<br />

for the craft beer movement, and for<br />

building community. Chef prepared a multicourse<br />

tasting for our party showcasing his<br />

gastronomic oeuvre. The menu itself is an<br />

education on Perth County food procurement<br />

and is designed to appeal to the local<br />

From our farm to your table ...<br />

Award winning hand crafted<br />

alpine style cheese<br />

Monday to Friday 9am–5pm<br />

Saturday 9am–4pm<br />

Stonetown Artisan Cheese<br />

5021 Perth Line 8<br />

St. Marys ON<br />

Fresh Cheese Curds<br />

Cheese Tastings<br />

Gift Baskets &<br />

Gift Boxes<br />

Cheese Trays<br />

Fondue & Raclette<br />

519-229-6856<br />

info@stonetowncheese.com<br />

www.stonetowncheese.com<br />

Homestyle Cooking & Baking<br />

Family Owned & Operated<br />

Come in and try our<br />

FAMOUS BROASTED CHICKEN<br />

& Homemade Mennonite Meals & Baking!<br />

Featuring over 17 varieties of homemade pies<br />

& many other homemade goodies including<br />

bread, tarts, muffins, cookies & cheesecake.<br />

All items are baked fresh daily<br />

& available to eat in or take out.<br />

Gluten free baking now available!<br />

Enjoy the scenic drive to the heart of Amish country in Millbank.<br />

We would love to serve you!<br />

MON–SAT 7am–8pm Cash or Debit Accepted<br />

www.annamaes.ca • 519-595-4407


eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Casual Family-Friendly Italian<br />

Eat In • Take Out • Patio<br />

Licensed<br />

Tuesday–Thursday 4:30–9:00<br />

Friday–Saturday 4:30–10:00<br />

38 Erie Street, Stratford<br />

519-305-3838<br />

www.aopasta.com<br />

community as well as visitors.<br />

We began our second day at Anne Campion’s<br />

Revel, located in a former feed store off<br />

Stratford’s Market Square. Its tagline is<br />

“independent coffee for a revolution.” This<br />

community hub includes a custom-made<br />

communal table where we assembled for coffee<br />

and samples of delicious in-house baking.<br />

The next part of our trip was through<br />

gently rolling landscape dotted with farms<br />

on the outskirts of the historic stone<br />

town of St. Marys. Here lies the pastoral<br />

50-acre Transvaal Farm. Cindy Taylor and<br />

husband Scott McLauchlan are the epitome<br />

of hospitality and provide an informative<br />

agritourism experience. Besides meeting “the<br />

girls,” a bevy of Rhode Island Reds, the main<br />

elements of this adventure are a tour of the<br />

farm property by Scott McLaughlan, a lavish<br />

farm-to-table breakfast prepared by Cindy at<br />

the guest house, and a tour of the small-scale<br />

artisan goat cheese plant operated by Cindy’s<br />

brother, owner and cheesemaker of C’estbon<br />

Cheese Limited, George Taylor.<br />

Operations at C’estbon began as a retirement<br />

project for Taylor 16 years ago when<br />

he swapped a flock of sheep for a herd of<br />

Globally inspired Tacos, Tapas, & Prix Fixe<br />

Every Saturday 10pm - 2am<br />

A POP-UP SNACK BAR<br />

@ latenightlao<br />

Please call<br />

519.273.5886<br />

for Reservations<br />

@themillstoneON<br />

themillstone.ca<br />

30 Ontario St.<br />

Stratford, ON


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Toggenburg and La Mancha goats. George<br />

began crafting small-batch cheese using only<br />

the milk from his own herd to create his proprietary<br />

C’estbon chèvre. In time, George relocated<br />

his goats to a neighbouring farm. The<br />

goat milk is now delivered from a local producer,<br />

Hewitt’s Dairy. True artisanal cheese<br />

can’t be mass-produced and is limited in quantity<br />

with specific characteristics deemed to be<br />

specialty in nature. Not a single item leaves<br />

C’estbon without George’s thumbprint on it.<br />

Stonetown Cheese on Perth County Line 8<br />

(Kirkton Road) was our next stop. Stonetown<br />

is a purveyor of Swiss mountain-style cheeses,<br />

hand-crafted by master cheesemaker Ramon<br />

Eberle. Using unpasteurized milk from farmers<br />

Hans and Jolanda Weber’s herd of Holsteins,<br />

Eberle creates three types of cheese. We are<br />

given a tour through the state-of-the-art milk<br />

receiving area, where the milk is brought to be<br />

processed and is heat-treated to 65° Celsius.<br />

The goal of using raw milk is to keep the cheese<br />

as natural as possible, so that it ripens nicely<br />

and the flavours improve with maturation.<br />

In another area the cheese curds are stirred,<br />

separated from the whey and pressed into<br />

wheels before they are brined. There are three<br />

“A fun place to shop<br />

for housewares and gifts!”<br />

Sample delicious local eats,<br />

meet inspiring producers and<br />

marvel at the tempting array<br />

of fresh and artisanal edibles.<br />

From farm to table, pork to pies<br />

to pints, discover more<br />

in Perth County!<br />

restaurants<br />

farm gates<br />

• SUPPORTS HEALTHY SKIN<br />

• SAME PH AS HUMANS<br />

• HYDRATES AND BRIGHTENS SKIN<br />

Beekman soaps and skin care<br />

products are designed on a farm,<br />

not in a lab. Many incorporate<br />

fresh goat milk and can be used<br />

on the most sensitive of skin.<br />

WATSON’S<br />

CHELSEA BAZAAR<br />

84 Ontario St. Stratford<br />

watsonsofstratford.com<br />

519-273-1790<br />

food shops<br />

Find us, follow us!<br />

#DiscoverMore #PerthCounty<br />

@PerthCoTourism<br />

perthcountytourism.ca


32 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

very large and impressive maturation rooms<br />

for the aging of the cheese. The trio of stunning<br />

cheeses and other local products are available<br />

to buy on-site at the farm store. I highly<br />

recommend a visit for cheese lovers.<br />

There were additional stops at McCully’s<br />

Hill Farm and Market for a tour of the bush in<br />

a horse-drawn wagon and an overview of the<br />

maple syrup processing facilities, and at The<br />

Best Little Pork Shoppe in Shakespeare.<br />

It is certainly invigorating to explore the<br />

bucolic countryside in and around Perth<br />

County. Drop by the Stratford Tourism<br />

Alliance for culinary tours of another kind.<br />

Self-guided Bacon & Ale Trail and Chocolate<br />

Trail tours are available all year round and<br />

tickets are available at the Stratford Tourism<br />

Alliance. There is also a seasonal Maple Trail<br />

to look forward to in March and April.<br />

[Update: The original story referenced a<br />

great spot in St. Marys, now closed, that is now<br />

home to Harris Electric Eatery. Chef Jordy<br />

Carr reached back into the building’s history,<br />

when it was home to Harris Electric until<br />

1979. Carr embraces a farm-to-table approach,<br />

making everything in house, from preserves<br />

to smoked meats and charcuterie. Chef’s goal<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

is to have “something for everyone” with great<br />

sandwiches and burgers, salads and perhaps<br />

steak frites or a creative take on Asian and<br />

Latino cuisines. Leave room for dessert!<br />

Space does not permit details of some of the<br />

other invigorating Road Trip stories that<br />

come to mind. Sue Sutherland-Wood took two<br />

memorable road trips for us this year, one to<br />

Elora and a more recent one to Essex County. I<br />

encourage you to revisit those with us online. In<br />

fact, we’ve had a number of interesting visits to<br />

Essex, including visits to Windsor, Pelee Island,<br />

and deep dives into the EPIC wine region.<br />

Some of our stories in this column have<br />

been into the USA, from Buffalo to Cleveland<br />

to Frankenmuth. Kym Wolfe made memorable<br />

travels to Niagara-on-the-Lake and Prince<br />

Edward County for us. Bryan Lavery gave us<br />

insider looks at Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo,<br />

and Paris ON. Wherever you’re heading,<br />

I encourage you to run a quick search at<br />

eatdrink.ca. Happy Trails!<br />

CHRIS McDONELL is Publisher and the founder of<br />

<strong>Eatdrink</strong>. He can be reached at chris@eatdrink.ca<br />

PATIO NOW OPEN


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Beer<br />

Explore and Discover<br />

Twelve Must-Try Craft Beers<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 33<br />

BY GEORGE MACKE<br />

Craft beer exploration is a 12-pack of<br />

delights in London and area, where<br />

the microbrewing scene is finally<br />

coming of age in terms of quality,<br />

quirkiness, and neighbourhood legends.<br />

Here are 12 places true beer fans must visit in<br />

person, to take home fresh tallboy cans or to<br />

pull up a chair and wax poetic about hops and<br />

malts with fellow fans. We’ve included the one<br />

beer from each that you must try.<br />

Anderson Craft Ales, 1030 Elias St., London.<br />

Okay, no tall boy cans here. Anderson keeps it<br />

short with 355 ml cans of the brands that have<br />

created a buzz, such as Anderson Cream Ale and<br />

big boy Anderson IPA with its 6.5 per cent ABV<br />

and 60 IBU.<br />

But for those<br />

on a treasure<br />

hunt, it’s the<br />

new Anderson<br />

Brewer’s<br />

Reserve<br />

monthly<br />

series of innovative beers aged in barrels. Anderson<br />

is known for flexing its fitness cred, from<br />

running and cycling clubs to beer yoga, and combining<br />

all of that with flavourful beers consumed<br />

in moderation with friends for a healthy, happy<br />

lifestyle.<br />

Must try: Anderson Brewer’s Reserve<br />

monthly release.<br />

Beerlab! London, 420 Talbot St.,<br />

London. The newest entry on the London<br />

microbrewery scene is the result of hard<br />

work by two buddies who started brewing in<br />

a Kensal Park garage.<br />

This boutique brewery,<br />

next door to Milos’<br />

Craft Beer Emporium<br />

and a stone’s throw<br />

from Budweiser<br />

Gardens, is only open<br />

a few hours a week (on<br />

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday<br />

mid-afternoons and evenings, and Sunday<br />

afternoons). Beerlab’s takeaways are eyepopping<br />

32-ounce crowlers.<br />

Must try: Obi Porter.<br />

Black Swan, 144 Downie St., Stratford.<br />

Established by a pair of local teachers,<br />

Black Swan provides<br />

an education in really,<br />

really nice beers. A<br />

recent renewal of the<br />

brewhouse means<br />

things will sometimes<br />

get a little out there, as<br />

the creative licence has<br />

been issued. The backbone<br />

of the brewery is<br />

the excellent English Pale<br />

Ale, which in addition to being available at the<br />

brewery is served at many of Stratford’s fine<br />

eateries.<br />

Must try: Holy Mole Stout with Chilis and<br />

Chocolate.<br />

Cowbell Brewing, 40035 Blyth Rd., Blyth.<br />

This is rural Ontario’s most special brewery,<br />

and it’s not just because of the massive,<br />

barn-like architecture. It’s also about the<br />

beer. What you’ve seen from Cowbell at the<br />

LCBO — brands such as Absent Landlord<br />

kolsch — are just the tip of the iceberg.<br />

A self-guided tour takes you above<br />

the brewhouse floor, and the in-house<br />

restaurant features wood-fired pizza<br />

and farm-to-fork menu items aching to<br />

be properly paired with Cowbell beers.<br />

Must try: Blended Almanac 2018<br />

Barley Wine and Almanac <strong>2019</strong><br />

Imperial Stout. These beers,<br />

originally released in August 2018<br />

and August <strong>2019</strong> to mark Cowbell’s<br />

first and second anniversaries, have<br />

been blended in a special black tank<br />

near the bar. A limited quantity of


34 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

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#loveyourgut<br />

the rested result will be<br />

poured in November at<br />

the brewery.<br />

Curley Brewing Company,<br />

1634 Hyde Park<br />

Rd., London. Paired with<br />

a vegan cafe (grilled<br />

cheese with cashew<br />

mozza, anyone?), Curley Brewing Company has<br />

four beer recipes. Due to current licensing, they<br />

are for in-house consumption only. All beers<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

brewed here are vegan, which isn’t hard to do in<br />

the beer world once you eliminate honey browns<br />

and milk stouts (which have lactose sugar as a<br />

sweetener). Curley Brewing’s owners got off to<br />

a choppy start, stymied by zoning in an attempt<br />

to first open in East London. Then after fixing<br />

up an old building in Hyde Park they had to<br />

pack up, take a break, and move a short distance<br />

away. Now they’re on a roll and deserving of lots<br />

of West London love.<br />

Must try: Kettle Bird, a lightly soured dryhopped<br />

ale.<br />

Dundas and Sons Brewing, 400 Adelaide<br />

St. North, London. Home to the one of the<br />

world’s nicest brewery owners, whose sons<br />

are actually too young to help the business,<br />

Dundas and Sons is a<br />

tiny place, across the<br />

street from London<br />

Police Headquarters.<br />

The impressively<br />

bearded barkeep’s acts<br />

of kindness include<br />

collecting hot weather<br />

gear and making water available for Old East<br />

Village folks. And Rob Dundas can brew. He<br />

has a rotating array of four of his own recipes,<br />

and taps of friends such as Sons of Kent,<br />

Anderson, Forked River, and London Brewing.<br />

Must try: The Way She Gose.<br />

Forked River, 45 Pacific Court,<br />

London. Tucked away in two<br />

units of a London industrial park<br />

off Clarke Road, Forked River<br />

makes up for being hard to find<br />

by brewing delicious beer. LCBO<br />

patrons will know it by Capital<br />

Blonde and Riptide Pale Ale,<br />

two safe recipes that keep the<br />

cash flowing. But the real magic


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

is at the brewery’s own bottle shop, where<br />

creations such as Full City Coffee Porter<br />

(made with Patrick’s Beans) and a rotation of<br />

one-offs and seasonals use tricks such as red<br />

wine barrel ageing.<br />

Must try: Summers in Rangoon, a<br />

sessionable IPA brewed with mangoes.<br />

Herald Haus Brewing, 21 Marketplace,<br />

Stratford. Remember print journalism?<br />

The folks at Herald Haus sure do. They’ve<br />

repurposed an 1890s newspaper office and<br />

print shop into a go-to craft brewery. The<br />

building once housed the Stratford Herald,<br />

which carries on today as the Stratford<br />

Beacon-Herald. Only<br />

one beer pays homage to<br />

newspapers — Dingman<br />

Dark is a nod to the<br />

original owner. They have<br />

a steady core, featuring<br />

a golden ale and a hopforward<br />

American pale ale,<br />

but have not piled on the<br />

IPA bandwagon.<br />

Must try: Perth County Conspiracy APA<br />

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and DESTINATION CRAFT BREWERY in BLYTH<br />

40035 BLYTH RD., BLYTH, ON N0M 1H0 1-844-523-4724 WWW.COWBELLBREWING.COM


36 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

London Brewing,<br />

521 Burbrook Place,<br />

London. The region’s<br />

only microbrewery set<br />

up as a worker-owned<br />

co-operative, London<br />

Brewing makes bold<br />

statements about local<br />

ingredients, fair workplaces, and fine beer.<br />

Many miss the quirky, smoky Ode to the<br />

‘Wick, but beer fans can console themselves<br />

with the likes of London Natural Lager<br />

and Southwest Wheat. Frequent visits are<br />

required to take in the seasonals, highlighted<br />

by Neighbour Tart. It’s brewed with local<br />

donated rhubarb each June.<br />

Must try: Resolution Kettle Sour Series beers<br />

Powerhouse Brewing, 100 Kellogg Lane,<br />

London. Located in the former generating<br />

station of an abandoned cereal factory,<br />

family-owned Powerhouse Brewing is a key<br />

part of the Old East Village resurgence.<br />

Sure, we’re still waiting<br />

for a Special K or Rice<br />

Krispies beer, but the<br />

cereal company has<br />

no sense of humour<br />

about such creativity.<br />

We’re pleased to<br />

be served the likes of<br />

Homecoming IPA, the<br />

brewery’s original beer, in the coolest brewery<br />

building in London. For those who like to<br />

pair beer and architecture, note that this<br />

space was designed by Albert Kahn, aka “the<br />

architect of Detroit.”<br />

Must try: Buckley’s Irish Red<br />

Shakespeare Brewing, 2178 Line 34 (aka<br />

Highway 8), Shakespeare. Used to be you’d<br />

head to this tiny hamlet 10 minutes east<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

of Stratford for its antique stores and allthings-British<br />

shop. Now Shakespeare has<br />

upped its game. Run by a mom-and-pop<br />

team in a former school bus<br />

garage, Shakespeare Brewing<br />

has a compact bottle shop<br />

and beverage room decor that<br />

mimics your favourite uncle’s<br />

living room. A rotating number<br />

of beers are available in bottles,<br />

with clever names inspired by<br />

local lore and label artwork<br />

inspired by the Bard. This truly<br />

local brewery uses exclusively<br />

Ontario-grown hops and barley<br />

to make its beer. The online shop<br />

ships via Canada Post and they also do growler<br />

fills at the brewery.<br />

Must try: Fryfogal Fox Lager. Named for a<br />

local stagecoach stop, 4.5% ABV and 18 IBUs.<br />

Toboggan Brewing, 585 Richmond St.,<br />

London. The yin to the yang of<br />

Forked River in terms of actually<br />

finding the place, Toboggan has<br />

a high profile spot along heavilytravelled<br />

Richmond Street. It’s a<br />

brewpub with a brewery in the<br />

basement, literally below the<br />

feet of diners, and extra capacity<br />

offsite to feed cans of Lunatic<br />

Fridge IPA into retailers. A<br />

cute Beer and Gear shop makes<br />

take home beer (and branded<br />

wearables) a breeze post-dinner.<br />

Must try: Blackfriars Bridge Vanilla Stout.<br />

GEORGE MACKE is a craft beer explorer living in<br />

London.w<br />

willie’s café<br />

630 Dundas Street, Old East Village.<br />

@williescafe


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 37<br />

Wine<br />

A Celebration of Ontario Wines<br />

Twelve That Are Sure to Please<br />

by GARY KILLOPS<br />

Selecting wines for this issue was easy.<br />

Limiting the number of wines to twelve<br />

was difficult. I could easily have made<br />

a list of fifty Ontario wines that I have<br />

enjoyed over the past year. I am very thankful<br />

to live in a wine region that is producing some<br />

exciting and excellent world class wines. There<br />

are a lot of wines and wineries to discover in<br />

Ontario. It’s time to celebrate our wines!<br />

While you don’t need a celebration to enjoy<br />

sparkling wine, it’s always nice to have a few<br />

bottles of bubbly on hand to pop for these<br />

special occasions. Here are three budget<br />

friendly Ontario sparkling wines to get the<br />

party started.<br />

Colio Estate Winery in Harrow produces<br />

a couple of sparkling wines that are perfect<br />

for any celebration or really any<br />

occasion. Both are listed as off dry,<br />

however they both offer a kiss of<br />

sweetness, just enough to balance<br />

the acidity.<br />

Lily Sparkling Wine (LCBO<br />

#418657, $17.95) — Riesling is the<br />

only grape used in the sparkling<br />

wine. The naturally crisp<br />

acidity of this grape is perfect<br />

for sparkling wine.<br />

Loaded with lemon<br />

citrus and green apple<br />

notes this cheerful<br />

bubbly is a crowd<br />

pleaser.<br />

Lily Sparkling Rosé (LCBO<br />

#536565, $17.95) — A blend of<br />

90% riesling and 10% cabernet<br />

franc and light pink in colour.<br />

Hints of freshly picked<br />

strawberries lead the way. The<br />

vibrant acidity leads the way to<br />

a lingering finish. An excellent<br />

value for a quality wine like this.<br />

Pelee Island Secco (LCBO<br />

#225946, $14.95) — A blend of 85%<br />

pinot blanc, and 15% auxerrois.<br />

Expect to taste a little more<br />

sweetness in this sparkling wine. A<br />

cornucopia of green apple, yellow<br />

pear and peach flavours. Light,<br />

fruity and cheerful.<br />

After clinking glasses of bubbly<br />

it’s time to move onto<br />

some seriously good<br />

Ontario red wines.<br />

Coffin Ridge Back<br />

From the Dead Red<br />

(Vintages #260463,<br />

$19.95) — Coffin Ridge Boutique<br />

Winery is located in Grey County<br />

near Georgian Bay. As a result<br />

of the winery’s name it does get<br />

a lot of attention at this time<br />

of year. Often its wines appear<br />

on lists of Halloween wine<br />

recommendations.<br />

A blend based on maréchal foch,<br />

baco noir, cabernet sauvignon and<br />

merlot, this full bodied dry red<br />

wine is led by notes of black fruit,<br />

fresh garden herbs with an earthy<br />

undertone.<br />

Hidden Bench Estate Organic<br />

Pinot Noir (Vintages #274753,<br />

$31.95) — Niagara’s Hidden<br />

Bench winery produces some of<br />

the best pinot noir in Ontario.<br />

Consistently top quality<br />

fermented juice. Bing cherry,<br />

fresh garden herbs lead the way.<br />

A really elegant and refined<br />

wine that will please any pinot<br />

lover.<br />

Hidden Bench Estate Winery<br />

was recently named the “Best


eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Alton Farms<br />

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Winery in Ontario” at the National<br />

Wine Awards of Canada.<br />

Trius Red (Vintages #303800,<br />

$24.95) — Niagara’s Trius Winery<br />

has been producing this red<br />

blend for over 25 years. A blend<br />

of cabernet franc, merlot and<br />

cabernet sauvignon. Black<br />

current, black cherry, tobacco and<br />

recently cut cedar notes fill the<br />

glass. This is a superior<br />

Ontario red wine that<br />

always delivers.<br />

CREW Cabernet<br />

Franc 2016 (Vintages<br />

#315945, $22.95) —<br />

Some exciting times at CREW<br />

(Colchester Ridge Estate Winery)<br />

are happening. By the time this<br />

article goes to press the new<br />

tasting room and event facility<br />

should be open to the public.<br />

With kitchens on both the main<br />

floor and upstairs, and patios<br />

overlooking the vineyard, this will


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

be a destination spot to sip on a glass of wine<br />

and share a charcuterie board.<br />

Bernie Gorski, owner and wine maker at<br />

CREW, has always delivered with his wines.<br />

Ontario cabernet franc are some of the best in<br />

the world. This one proves it.<br />

Henry of Pelham Speck Family<br />

Reserve Baco Noir (Vintages<br />

#461699, $24.95) — No other<br />

winery in Ontario produces a baco<br />

noir like Henry of Pelham. They<br />

have set the bar so high many<br />

other wineries use this one to<br />

bench mark their own baco. If<br />

baco noir has never been your<br />

red wine of choice, once you<br />

have tasted this one you will<br />

likely be converted.<br />

Black berry, blueberry, and<br />

black cherry. Very silky and<br />

smooth on the finish.<br />

Mastronardi Syrah 2016 (Vintages<br />

#581223, $24.95) — Located in<br />

Ontario’s Lake Erie North Shore<br />

wine region, Mastronardi Estate<br />

Winery has been in operation<br />

since 2006. The vineyard is home<br />

to some of the region’s oldest<br />

vines at well over 25 years.<br />

Ontario’s cold winters are<br />

not good for syrah vines. But<br />

if they survive the cold season<br />

with little bud damage, the long<br />

hot summers are perfect for<br />

exceptional syrah wines.<br />

Mastronardi’s syrah conveys<br />

the summer heat. Black pepper and<br />

spicy notes, dark fruit with a silky<br />

finish.<br />

Vineland Estates Reserve<br />

Cabernet Sauvignon 2015<br />

(Vintages #582056, $49.95) — 2015<br />

was a warm vintage, perfect for<br />

cabernet sauvignon to reach full<br />

maturity and ripeness on the<br />

vine. Vineland used an optical<br />

sorter to select only the best<br />

grapes for this wine. This is a<br />

premium full-bodied Ontario<br />

red wine that is appropriate for<br />

special occasions. It is tasting<br />

good right now so don’t cellar it<br />

for too long. Open and enjoy!<br />

Winemaking at Its Finest<br />

Warm up to all the cozy occasions<br />

this season with the new<br />

Atmosphere Limited Release<br />

Australian Whisky Barrel Shiraz<br />

A perfect complement this holiday season!<br />

New customers will receive<br />

$25 off any purchased wine kit until Dec 31, <strong>2019</strong><br />

Premium quality handcrafted wine<br />

at an affordable price<br />

150 Exeter Road, London 519-652-3998<br />

somersetfinewines.com<br />

OPEN TUES–FRI 10am–7pm & SAT 9am–4pm<br />

Wining is Our Business<br />

invites you<br />

The Korpan Family<br />

to visit Early Acres!<br />

9494 Pioneer Line, Chatham<br />

519-354-9070<br />

info@earlyacresestatewinery.ca<br />

www.earlyacresestatewinery.ca<br />

Winery Retail Shop Hours<br />

Thurs & Fri 11am–6pm • Sat 11am–5pm


Small Lot Award Winning Wines<br />

We invite you to visit Oxley and taste our<br />

classics (Auxerrois, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir<br />

& Riesling) and our unique varietals:<br />

Regent, Wowza & Ripper Red.<br />

Open daily from 11am–6pm<br />

www.oxleyestatewinery.com (519) 738-3264<br />

533 County Rd. 50 E. Harrow, ON<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Weather Rock Cabernet Franc<br />

(LCBO #558809, $14.10) — This<br />

has become my go-to red wine. An<br />

affordable price and delivers quality.<br />

Produced by Oxley Estate winery<br />

in Lake Erie North Shore.<br />

Dark Horse<br />

Unapologetically<br />

Sinful Red (LCBO<br />

#493668, $14.95) —<br />

Dark Horse Estate<br />

Winery is located<br />

in Grand Bend and<br />

is one of several<br />

wineries in Huron<br />

County’s emerging<br />

wine region. This<br />

wine is an interesting<br />

blend of baco noir, cabernet<br />

sauvignon, and cabernet franc.<br />

Layers of black and red fruits<br />

with herbaceous undertone.<br />

GARY KILLOPS is a CAPS Certified<br />

Sommelier who loves to talk, taste, and write about wine.<br />

He shares his tasting notes on EssexWineReview.com<br />

Open daily year round 11am-5pm<br />

Quality Craft Wines<br />

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Enjoy Our Wines, Available at the LCBO<br />

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Harrow ON<br />

519-738-9800<br />

@crewinery


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 41<br />

The BUZZ<br />

Culinary Community Notes<br />

New and Notable<br />

London<br />

We here at <strong>Eatdrink</strong> are moving ahead with an<br />

expanded and updated Local Flavour Culinary<br />

Guide (Volume 8) featuring the best of Southwest<br />

Ontario. London remains the geographic hub in a<br />

larger wheel that will include participants from the<br />

counties of Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Huron, Middlesex,<br />

Norfolk, Oxford, Perth, Sarnia-Lambton, and<br />

Windsor-Essex. This is a natural evolution from<br />

last year’s Volume 7, when we first opened up the<br />

guide to businesses outside London. We’re happy<br />

to report that the 30,000 copies we printed and<br />

circulated last year were the right amount. We<br />

distributed them to essential, targeted locations<br />

like tourism offices, the airport, farmers’ markets,<br />

and select restaurants, craft breweries, shops<br />

and cultural hot spots. This year we are excited<br />

to invite all of our southwestern Ontario partners<br />

to take part in Local Flavour. Participants must<br />

be independent businesses committed to offering<br />

exceptional local culinary products, services, and<br />

experiences. Please let us know if you would like to<br />

participate in this guide. We are looking at a launch<br />

late in <strong>October</strong>.<br />

Congratulations to the iconic Arva Flour Mill,<br />

celebrating its 200th anniversary. Wow! <strong>Eatdrink</strong><br />

will pay more attention to this remarkable<br />

achievement in our next issue, and finding out more<br />

about the new Mill House Bakery. The historic<br />

mill is located in Arva, just north of London, and<br />

supplies a variety of flours to some of our region’s<br />

best bakeries and restaurants. 2042 Elgin (off<br />

Richmond St. N), 519-660-0199, arvaflourmill.com<br />

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that shares latitude,<br />

not attitude.<br />

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#WINERYQG | visitwindsoressex.com


42 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

It’s the return of the 6th annual Heeman’s Food<br />

Trucks of the Farm Event and this year they will be<br />

hosting 13 trucks. It all goes down over two days<br />

in the parking lot in front of Heeman’s greenhouse<br />

<strong>September</strong> 7 and 8. The trucks will be serving up<br />

deliciousness from 10am–3pm. This year marks<br />

the return of some fan favourites, along with some<br />

trucks appearing at the event for the first time. 20422<br />

Nissouri Rd., Thorndale, 519-461-1416, heemans.ca<br />

The majority of London’s food trucks are available<br />

for catering, and a few operate year-round, such<br />

Traditional, Real Food.<br />

Real Good!<br />

Try our world famous Goulash Soup, Cabbage Rolls,<br />

Schnitzel, Chicken Paprikash, a Combination Platter, or<br />

many other mouthwatering Hungarian dishes.<br />

519-652-9696<br />

aranka.ca<br />

aranka.csarda arankacsarda<br />

7447 Longwoods Road, London ON<br />

Our beautiful country setting is on Longwoods, the continuation of<br />

Wharncliffe Road, just outside Lambeth<br />

More than just a Coffee Shop!<br />

Gelato<br />

Breakfast Items<br />

Soups & Light Lunches<br />

Homemade<br />

Baking<br />

INCLUDING<br />

Gluten-free<br />

& Keto<br />

Homemade Gelato<br />

Pour Over Coffee Bar Open Daily 8am–9pm<br />

creambeanerycafe.com<br />

as Goodah, The Donut Diva, My Big Fat Food<br />

Truck, and Big Daddy Bacon. There is a little<br />

something for everyone, including Gourmet Grilled<br />

Cheese, Mini Donuts with over 30 sugary flavours,<br />

Portuguese Fusion, All Things Bacon, Tacos, Mac<br />

and Cheese, Shawarma (Halal), Poutine, Perogies,<br />

and Ice Cream. A lot of trucks have vegetarian and<br />

vegan options. A pilot Food Truck Night has been<br />

launched at the Western Fair Farmers Market lot<br />

on Wednesdays from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Food<br />

Truck Association is working with a local producer<br />

to create a show about food trucks for the Rogers<br />

Network. The show should be going into preproduction<br />

soon. facebook.com/londonfoodtrucks/<br />

This year’s VegFest — London’s annual “plantbased<br />

party” — takes place Saturday, November 9,<br />

10am–6pm, at the Metroland Media Agriplex, Western<br />

Fair District. A variety of vendors will be offering<br />

food and drink samples, and all kinds of support<br />

for a plant-based lifestyle. vegfestlondon.com<br />

Jill’s Table is celebrating 20 years as London’s premier<br />

food and kitchenware destination. In 1999, Jill Wilcox<br />

opened Jill’s Table in a small corner of the newly<br />

rebuilt Covent Garden Market. Two years later, she<br />

relocated to her present location, bringing in superior<br />

products from around the world, showcasing local<br />

food artisans, providing in-store demonstrations, and<br />

servicing home cooks and professional chefs with<br />

speciality food items, cookware, bakeware, and kitchen<br />

utensils. Jill’s Table is also a gift-giving destination<br />

that promotes and sells Canadian handmade products<br />

and creates exceptional gift baskets.<br />

Since 2009, Jill has been hosting food and wine<br />

tours to France, Italy and Portugal, and in the near<br />

future will be adding tours to Ireland and Spain.<br />

In 2012, Jill started the Jill Wilcox Foundation as<br />

a way of giving back to the local community with<br />

100% of all funds raised going to help women and<br />

children in food-related initiatives.<br />

Over the years, Jill has been recognized for her<br />

Quality Coffee<br />

New 2nd Location!<br />

22469 Adelaide Rd, Mt Brydges<br />

226-490-0301<br />

825 Southdale Rd W, London<br />

519-652-1607<br />

PATIO<br />

OPEN!


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

leadership in business, with awards including the<br />

YMCA Women of Excellence, London Chamber of<br />

Commerce Business Achievement Award and Canadian<br />

Gift Association Retailer of the Year. This fall,<br />

Jill is launching her 24th year of cooking classes,<br />

with a full lineup of demonstration and hands-on<br />

classes headed by master chef Ran Ai. Jill’s Table<br />

invites you to join their 20th anniversary celebrations<br />

on <strong>October</strong> 2, 3–7 pm. 115 King St. jillstable.ca<br />

Congratulations to Downtown London’s David’s<br />

Bistro and Reverie Restaurant, who are both listed<br />

in the recently released <strong>2019</strong>–20 edition of Anne<br />

Hardy’s Where to Eat in Canada. This annual guide,<br />

published by Oberon Press and now in its 48th<br />

year, offers an independent review of some 500<br />

restaurants in more than 200 cities, towns and<br />

villages across the country.<br />

Thursday nights are now a Jazz Night at Michael’s<br />

On The Thames, with a different jazz ensemble<br />

featured each week. Join Michael’s for a glass of<br />

wine, appetizers or dinner BUT be sure to join them<br />

for the jazz on Thursdays! 1 York St, London, 519-<br />

672-0111, michaelsonthethames.com<br />

Chef Josh Sawyer and Elaine Sawyer’s Wich is<br />

Wich has relocated to Wellington St., south of<br />

“a gastronomical landmark for over 23 years”<br />

Fall Food Fest<br />

Saturday, <strong>September</strong> 28 10am–1pm<br />

Celebrate the harvest season at this annual<br />

family-friendly event. There will be fun<br />

fall-themed games, a chance to judge and<br />

taste our Heritage Grain Cooking Competition,<br />

and a free cooking workshop<br />

upstairs in the market<br />

featuring Julie<br />

Kortekaas from<br />

Rebel Remedy<br />

Health Bar.<br />

Regenerate has also challenged some local<br />

vendors to try baking using heritage grains.<br />

Expect many different locally inspired goodies!<br />

Our 20th Anniversary Celebration!<br />

Saturday, <strong>October</strong> 19 10am–2pm<br />

Join us upstairs on the Mezzanine as we<br />

celebrate 20 years with a BIG thank you to our<br />

loyal customers! The day will be filled with<br />

delicious foods from all of our Market vendors,<br />

short speeches, a special announcement, live<br />

entertainment, kids activities and special<br />

giveaways. Come by and celebrate with us!<br />

Family Pumpkin Patch<br />

Saturday, <strong>October</strong> 26 10am–1pm<br />

Fun for the kids including crafts, face<br />

painting, bouncy castle, seasonal<br />

treats, entertainment, and more.<br />

Kids — don’t forget to dress up in<br />

your Halloween costumes!<br />

Chef-driven Farm-to-Table Cuisine<br />

Dietary Needs Accommodated<br />

Lunch Mon–Fri<br />

Ample Free Dinner Parking Mon–Sat<br />

Available for Private Parties<br />

Bistro & Catering<br />

46 Blackfriars Street, London | 519-667-4930<br />

blackfriarsbistro.com<br />

MARKET HOURS<br />

Mon–Fri 8am–7pm<br />

Saturday 8am–6pm<br />

Sunday 11am–4pm<br />

Mezzanine & Restaurant Hours Differ


“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed<br />

Ethiopian cuisine ...” — Bryan Lavery, <strong>Eatdrink</strong><br />

• FAMILY FRIENDLY<br />

• Vegetarian &<br />

Vegan Options<br />

• Takeout<br />

• Catering<br />

ADDIS ABABA Restaurant<br />

Tuesday–Saturday 11am–10pm by reservation<br />

Closed Sunday & Monday<br />

465 Dundas Street 519 433-4222<br />

www.tgsaddisababarestaurant.com<br />

Beautiful<br />

Canopied Patio<br />

NOW OPEN!<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Oxford (once Willie’s Café), serving the same great<br />

sandwiches (global flavours, exotic ingredients, and<br />

textural contrasts). Weekend brunch is served both<br />

days, and dinners Tuesday–Saturday. They also<br />

offer catering, grab-and-go, and a patio for dining.<br />

731 Wellington St., 519-860-9424, wichiswich.ca<br />

The Forest City Film Festival (FCFF) will run <strong>October</strong><br />

23–27 in Downtown London. Screenings will take<br />

place at Wolf Performance Hall, Fanshawe Good<br />

Foundation Theatre, Imagine Cinemas, and Museum<br />

London. On <strong>September</strong> 12, the <strong>2019</strong> Season Launch<br />

will announce all the films, film personalities, and<br />

events coming to FCFF. This is a free celebration at<br />

Joe Kool’s, followed by Open Air Cinema at Dundas<br />

Place, where there will be a free screening of “The<br />

Breakfast Club” and London’s favourite food trucks.<br />

Forest City 48, a 48-hour filmmaking challenge<br />

open to everyone interested in filmmaking, will run<br />

<strong>October</strong> 18–20. The inaugural Forest City Youth<br />

Film Festival, a day of seminars for young aspiring<br />

filmmakers, and screenings of the best short films<br />

created by Southwestern Ontario high school<br />

students, takes place Oct. 23. On Oct. 24, Lerners<br />

Opening Night, a gala event, will be followed by the<br />

opening night film (TBA) and an audience after party.<br />

Screenings and industry sessions will be held<br />

<strong>October</strong> 25–27. The Networking and Microkeynote<br />

Party, for local businesses and creatives in the film<br />

industry hosted by FCFF and London Economic<br />

Development Corporation (LEDC), happens Oct. 25.<br />

The FCFF PitchFest is on Oct. 26. Pitchfest winners<br />

can win up to $10,000 in prizes. On Oct. 27, the Closing<br />

Night film (TBA) will be followed by an Awards<br />

Celebration, with winners from all categories and<br />

competitions announced. forestcityfilmfestival.ca<br />

Origins Co, a grab-and-go coffee shop, relocated<br />

from Ann Street to King and Talbot Streets (in the<br />

space previously occupied by Fire Roasted Coffee).<br />

Origins serves fresh juices, smoothies and smoothie<br />

bowls, as well as baked goods with gluten-free<br />

options. Using ingredients that are ethically<br />

harvested, non-GMO, and organic where possible,<br />

it also offers teas, espresso, and bulletproof coffee.<br />

105 King Street, 519-601-5855, originsco.com<br />

Blackfriars Bistro & Catering is now also open<br />

on Mondays for lunch and dinner. Betty Heydon’s<br />

locally-acclaimed farm-to-table bistro continues<br />

to wow all age groups and recently celebrated its<br />

23rd birthday. Chefs prepare innovative, seasonal<br />

blackboard specials with cutting-edge menus that<br />

respect tradition. Closed Sundays, 46 Blackfriars<br />

St., 519-667-4930, blackfriarsbistro.com<br />

Eduard Nagy and Anita Tasonyi’s landmark<br />

Budapest Restaurant features a new, elevated


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

patio with a stunning retractable canopy. Signature<br />

dishes include a variety of superb schnitzels,<br />

chicken paprikash, goulash, and Hungarian<br />

cabbage rolls with a modern flair. 348 Dundas<br />

Street, 519-439-3431, budapestrestaurant.com<br />

Olha and Anatolii Prytkova’s charming Happiness<br />

Coffee and Desserts celebrated its first anniversary.<br />

The family-owned business bakes all the Europeanstyle<br />

desserts from scratch, including high-quality<br />

specialty cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, and<br />

chocolates. 430 Wellington St., 204-293-9530.<br />

Willie’s Café continues to grow and thrive in the<br />

London Food Incubator at 630 Dundas St. Ian<br />

Kennard has expanded the seating with more tables,<br />

comfy chairs and a new cozy dining area. There<br />

is inexpensive municipal parking off Queens Ave.,<br />

and customers are welcome to use the entrance<br />

accessible from the parking lot. Willie’s continues<br />

to provide catering services with a focus on office/<br />

corporate lunches. williescafeandcatering.com<br />

Wanting to create “the healthiest most digestible<br />

bread possible,” owner of The Whole Grain<br />

Hearth Bakery artisan baker Richard Placzek has<br />

committed to only using natural sourdough yeast in<br />

his breads and freshly milling his own flours from<br />

organic grains. Producing a variety of beautifully<br />

handcrafted breads and enticing pastries such as<br />

Red Fife Butter Tarts and gluten-free Spelt Pop<br />

Tarts, Placzek’s offerings are available at various<br />

locations, including Covent Garden Farmers’<br />

Market and Remark, as well as at the bakery itself<br />

on Fridays 11–5 and Saturdays 10–3. 958 Leathorne<br />

St., Unit #3, 519-719-7355, thewholegrainhearth.ca<br />

Regenerate Heritage Grain Weekend, featuring a<br />

Rotational Grain Eating Dinner hosted by Fanshawe<br />

College and a 2-day Bread Camp, is back and has<br />

expanded to include new grain-focused events.<br />

Regenerate has partnered with Fall Food Fest at<br />

Covent Garden Market for a day of community-<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 45<br />

building activities to build a strong narrative around<br />

five components of grain: Bread, Beer, Distilling,<br />

Pasta and Pizza. The regional collaboration weekend<br />

will highlight all these areas to engage consumers,<br />

chefs and farmers. <strong>September</strong> 17, 28 & 29. cktable.ca/<br />

regenerate-event-weekend-<strong>2019</strong>/<br />

Chef’s Table at the downtown campus of Fanshawe<br />

College is both a restaurant and a café. Menus<br />

showcase local suppliers and farmers, with<br />

staff creating many items such as cured meats<br />

and preserves. The Chef’s Table gives students<br />

LUNCH Wed to Fri 11:30–2:30<br />

DINNER from 5pm daily<br />

432 Richmond Street<br />

at Carling • London<br />

ALWAYS<br />

a 3-course prix fixe<br />

menu option<br />

www.davidsbistro.ca<br />

C’Angelina<br />

Catering<br />

Corporate & Family BBQs<br />

Prepared Foods & Fresh Meats<br />

Catering that meats your needs.<br />

426 Third Street, London<br />

519-204-8189<br />

c-angelina@rogers.com


Make HAPPINESS<br />

a part of your day.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

SUNDAY BRUNCH<br />

11am−2pm<br />

Intimate<br />

Outdoor<br />

Courtyard<br />

Open 7 Days a Week<br />

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

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

hands-on training and an opportunity to gain<br />

practical experience. There is an open kitchen,<br />

wood, exposed brick, and marble countertops, with<br />

a relaxed and accessible ambiance. The restaurant<br />

is open weekdays. Lunch: 11 am–2 pm; Dinner: 5<br />

pm–8 pm. 130 Dundas Street, 519-452-4433.<br />

Aranka Csárda is a family-run Hungarian<br />

restaurant on Longwoods Road beside Miller Berry<br />

Farms just outside of Lambeth. The hospitable<br />

owners take pride in what they do and serve only<br />

authentic and quality food, with daily specials such<br />

as traditional schnitzel, chicken paprikash, and<br />

cabbage rolls. 7447 Longwoods Road, London, 519-<br />

652-9696, aranka.ca<br />

PC Cooking Schools at Superstore offer one-hour<br />

weekly daytime “What’s for Dinner?” classes on<br />

Thursdays: Oxford and Gammage 12:30-1:30 pm;<br />

Oxford and Hyde Park Road 1–2 pm. Both locations<br />

offer a schedule of evening classes that run 6:30–<br />

8:30 pm. pccookingschool.ca<br />

Joan Hepburn of award-winning Joanie’s Pastries<br />

will be opening her storefront in early <strong>September</strong> in<br />

Northridge Plaza (1444 Glenora Drive). This is the<br />

first gluten-free bakery in London to be certified by<br />

the Celiac Society. If you haven’t tried her glutenfree<br />

tarts, cinnamon buns or cookies, you are<br />

missing out! 519-281-9605, joaniespastries.com<br />

Stratford<br />

The stunning new Braai House recently opened<br />

above Stratford’s iconic Keystone Alley. The menu,<br />

created by executive chef and owner Anthony<br />

Jordaan, highlights the amazing flavours that come<br />

off a South African-style braai, a wood-fired BBQ/<br />

grill. The menu is meant to bring friends and family<br />

together to enjoy great food and atmosphere. 34<br />

Brunswick St, 519-271-5647, braaihouse.ca<br />

The Mill Stone Restaurant & Bar focuses on “global<br />

tacos & tapas,” an assortment of small plates<br />

inspired by assorted cuisines, a large variety of<br />

authentic Mexican tacos, and internationallyinspired<br />

creations such as curries and confits<br />

(served on fresh handmade tortillas). In addition to<br />

those all-day menus, there are sandwiches during<br />

lunch and a pre-theatre prix fixe for dinner. Late<br />

Night Lao is still going strong Saturdays 10 pm–2<br />

am. An updated menu recently launched, with new<br />

delicious snacks to explore. The same menu is also<br />

on offer during “MexiLao” Sunday lunch alongside<br />

the taco menu. Looking ahead to the off-season,<br />

there will be a couple of events focusing on food<br />

and music, featuring collaborations with other<br />

chefs from around town and beyond. 30 Ontario<br />

Street, Stratford, 519-273-5886, millstone.ca


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

Downton Abbey High Tea at Revival House: Are<br />

you ready to “Spill the Tea” and talk ALL about the<br />

amazing Downton Abbey Movie? Come in your best<br />

Downton Abbey fashion and enjoy tea and tiers<br />

at Revival House. Sunday, <strong>September</strong> 29, <strong>2019</strong>, 12<br />

noon–2 pm. $45/person. revival.house<br />

Check out The Red Lion Room, Stratford’s new<br />

performance and entertainment venue. Located<br />

in the Windsor Hotel, the stated aim is inviting:<br />

“Simple understandable food; support for the craft<br />

beer movement; delicious value vino; a quiet place<br />

to relax (even on Mondays). 23 Albert Street, 226-<br />

766-9818, redlionroom.ca<br />

The Slow Food Perth County Sunday Market runs<br />

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Market Square. You’ll find<br />

local produce, bread, soups, sweets, crafty things,<br />

lacto-fermented foods, cheese, grass-fed meats,<br />

and garden seeds. slowfoodperthcounty.ca<br />

Stratford Farmers’ Market, a year-round market<br />

operating since 1855, offers fresh produce, crafts,<br />

meat, and cheese at Stratford Rotary Complex-<br />

Agriplex, 353 McCarthy Rd, Saturdays 7 a.m.–12<br />

noon. 519-271-5130. stratfordfairgrounds.ca<br />

The self-guided Savour Stratford Chocolate Trail<br />

introduces you to world-famous confectioners<br />

and bakers. Sample decadent treats and meet the<br />

makers. Twenty-eight delicious treats will tempt<br />

you. visitstratford.ca/stratford-chocolate-trail<br />

Stratford Symphony Orchestra’s 15th Anniversary<br />

Season opens <strong>October</strong> 5 with the wonderful<br />

concert Once Upon a Time, with fairy tale-inspired<br />

musical compositions from the ages, narrated<br />

by Stephen Russell from the Stratford Festival<br />

Acting Company. The SSO’s season opener will<br />

also feature sopranos Katy Clark and Leanne<br />

Kaufman from the Canadian Opera Company.<br />

stratfordsymphonyorchestra.ca<br />

Around Our Region<br />

Chef Rob Lampman, formerly of The Kettle Creek<br />

Inn, and his partner Terrie Collard have created the<br />

welcoming Two Forks in Port Stanley. A large outdoor<br />

patio and chef’s garden enhance the vibe. Small plates,<br />

designed for sharing, are made from scratch with local<br />

ingredients. You’ll find freshly shucked live oysters<br />

right at the bar, local wine on tap, craft beer flights,<br />

and handcrafted cocktails. 295 Bridge Street, Port<br />

Stanley, 226-658-4887, fb.com/twoforks295<br />

Solo on Main is a family-run restaurant with Chef<br />

Lauren Van Dixhoorn at the helm. In seasonable<br />

weather the smartly appointed patio and inviting<br />

front porch offer alfresco seating and great Port<br />

views. The cooking is refined and the presentation<br />

Gift Cards<br />

Available<br />

FINE FOOD FOR FINE PEOPLE<br />

PRIVATE DINING ROOM AVAILABLE<br />

G R A C E R E S T A U R A N T<br />

farm-to-table fine dining downtown<br />

Certificate of Excellence<br />

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


Buy Less. Choose Well.<br />

Assorted Chef’s<br />

Knife Rolls<br />

High quality, Canadian made<br />

leather goods and chef accessories<br />

159 King St. South, Unit 2, St. Marys<br />

or order online<br />

haversackleather.ca<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

modern and thoughtful. 187 Main Street, Port<br />

Stanley, soloportstanley.com<br />

The Vedovas opened The Kettle Creek Inn in 1983,<br />

after purchasing and renovating the building, and<br />

the business is now one of Ontario’s Finest Inns.<br />

Jean, along with her sons Troy and Dean, operate<br />

this ten-room, five-suite facility that features a<br />

charming restaurant, gazebo and sidewalk patio.<br />

216 Joseph Street, Port Stanley, 519-782-3388<br />

Lola’s Lounge is a former retro diner that has been<br />

converted into one of Sarnia’s local hot spots. Tania<br />

Auger, the talented owner, has put her stamp on<br />

almost every facet of the restaurant, especially<br />

the food. Auger sources local ingredients in season<br />

and serves generous portions. Steaks, fresh fish<br />

— from Purdy’s of course — and big martinis. 110<br />

Christina Street South, Sarnia, 519-336-8088<br />

Throughout the year Jane Magri’s Wildflowers<br />

Farm offers seasonally-inspired events to create<br />

a sacred space for community to gather, nourish,<br />

and celebrate all that Elgin County has to offer. The<br />

barn offers one-of-a-kind experiences and can be<br />

booked for private functions, from family dinners<br />

to celebrations. Check out the Fall Harvest Dinner<br />

on Saturday, Sept 14, 5–9 pm, $60 + HST, with live<br />

I ENJOY<br />

WONDERFUL<br />

COFFEE WHILE<br />

LISTENING<br />

TO BUSKERS.<br />

LOVE THIS PLACE.<br />

THEMARKETWFD.COM<br />

TERA D.<br />

GOOGLE REVIEW


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

music by Tuerto Loco. 42338 Fruit Ridge Line, St<br />

Thomas, 226-926-6432, wildflowers.farm/events<br />

Brenda Daniel of From the Meadow has been<br />

farming since 1978. She and her husband Dave,<br />

along with their daughter Heather, grow, harvest<br />

and manufacture a variety of natural herb products<br />

on their five-acre plot. They call their MyPick®<br />

(local farmer verified) business an “adventure”<br />

and are passionate about creating revitalizing and<br />

relaxing healing creams, scrubs, shampoos, soaps,<br />

and more with their own culinary herbs and other<br />

natural ingredients. Their products are available<br />

at the “Farmacy” at the farm in Elgin County,<br />

and at the Market at Western Fair. 3881 Avon Dr.,<br />

Harrietsville, 519-269-3961, fromthemeadow.com<br />

Affinage 101 at Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese: Wash<br />

wheels of cheese, learn about aging, and finish by<br />

creating a few fondues for your group, with the<br />

cheesemaker Shep Ysselstein. <strong>September</strong> 7 and<br />

<strong>October</strong> 5. 445172 Gunn’s Hill Road, Woodstock,<br />

519-424-4024, gunnshillcheese.ca<br />

SixThirtyNine opened its doors in 2005, cultivated<br />

by Pauline Bucek and Chef Eric Boyar. The modern<br />

dining space provides a comfortable atmosphere.<br />

They focus on attentive service and local,<br />

terroir-driven Canadian cuisine. 639 Peel Street,<br />

Woodstock, 519-536-9602, sixthirtynine.com<br />

IRONWORKS kitchen is downtown Woodstock’s<br />

newest hotspot (see the article on page 18 of this<br />

issue). Lunch and dinner menus feature elevated<br />

comfort food, including the signature “Homer<br />

Brown Burger.” 529 Dundas Street, Woodstock, 519-<br />

290-0926, ironworkskitchen.ca<br />

Brewed Exploration at Upper Thames Brewing Co.:<br />

Calling all hop heads, this is the experience for you.<br />

Step behind the bar to learn about brewing from<br />

grain to glass, and even bottle your own beer on<br />

Sept 21. upperthamesbrewing.ca<br />

Enjoy a warm and inviting atmosphere with<br />

counter-service light pub fare at Brickhouse<br />

Brewpub. Twenty-four taps of Ontario craft beer.<br />

Half are Upper Thames brews. Onsite brewing and<br />

retail. 190 Fairway Road, Woodstock, 519-421-2218,<br />

upperthamesbrewing.ca/brewpub.<br />

Elio Caporicci’s Early Bird Coffee is Woodstock’s<br />

first coffee roastery and café. Established in 2018,<br />

the company wholesales throughout the city and<br />

has an onsite café serving specialty and standard<br />

coffees, along with delicious baked goods. The café<br />

is small and homey and a great spot to grab your<br />

morning cup or to meet up and hang out for a while.<br />

Premium coffee from select growing regions with<br />

an emphasis on sustainability is at the forefront<br />

Light Alfredo<br />

Authentic Tomato<br />

Choose your favourites!<br />

580 Adelaide St N, London<br />

519-672-7827<br />

Quality<br />

Convenient<br />

Meals<br />

Blush<br />

Meat Sauce<br />

Family Dinner for 4 only $ 15 .99<br />

Fresh Pasta (600g) & Store-made Sauce (16oz)<br />

& Fresh Bread or Buns<br />

Takes minutes to prepare or have us cook it for $ 21 .00<br />

MON–FRI 9:30am–7pm • SAT 9:30am–5pm • SUN 11am–5pm<br />

Full menu available at marshallspastacatering.ca<br />

FLIGHTS & BITES<br />

HALF PRICE Sharing Plates & Oysters<br />

Tuesday–Friday from 3:30–5:30pm<br />

SUNDAY INDUSTRY NIGHTS<br />

20% OFF!<br />

TUES–SAT Lunch & Dinner 11:30am to Close<br />

SUNDAY Brunch 11am & Dinner<br />

449 Wharncliffe Road South<br />

519.914.2699


where art is<br />

Hey, Cupcake! a piece of cake<br />

The ORIGINAL<br />

LONDON CAKERY &<br />

GOURMET CUPCAKE<br />

BAKERY<br />

ASK US Custom Bakery • Walk-In Orders Available<br />

ABOUT OUR<br />

“RANDOM<br />

ACTS OF<br />

SWEETNESS!”<br />

CAMPAIGN<br />

www.heycupcake.ca<br />

275 Wharncliffe Rd. North<br />

519-433-CAKE (2253)<br />

STORE HOURS: Mon–Fri 11–7<br />

Saturday 10–5 • Sunday 11–4<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

of the business. Roasting top quality beans weekly<br />

ensures that the coffee is always fresh and at its<br />

best. earlybird.ca<br />

The Wine Cellar & Cheese Shop: Create your own<br />

quality wines by batch, at the shop. Find a wide<br />

variety of exciting local artisan and imported<br />

cheese. Canadian-made jellies, compotes and<br />

gourmet crackers are available. 118 Thames St. S.,<br />

Ingersoll, 519-854-5760, winecellaringersoll.com<br />

Handcraft a dozen gourmet truffles at Truffle Camp<br />

alongside Cindy Walker of Chocolatea. Learn how<br />

to use flavours from Southwestern Ontario to create<br />

a selection of delectable ganache as you step into<br />

the role of a chocolatier. $75.00 per person + HST.<br />

Chocolatea, 38 King Street East, Ingersoll, 519-495-<br />

6020, chocolatea.ca/product/truffle-camp<br />

The bounty and beauty of autumn is on full display<br />

at Hessenland Inn & Vineyard. Along with a<br />

delicious menu offered over Thanksgiving weekend,<br />

the Inn and their boutique vineyard, Schatz Winery,<br />

will be rolling out their 4th Annual Long Table<br />

Dinner on <strong>October</strong> 5. Enjoy Cocktail Hour with local<br />

libations and hors d’oeuvres in the vineyard, and a<br />

5-course dinner with wine accompaniments in the<br />

Garden Room, including Schatz Winery’s inaugural


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

vintages. On November 2, German tradition will<br />

be celebrated once again at Novemberfest — A<br />

Tribute to Ernst L. Ihrig (Dinner, Dance & Parkinson<br />

Fundraiser). hessenland.com<br />

The 1909 Culinary Academy is Canada’s first<br />

chef training facility with a focus on agriculture<br />

and the myriad of techniques used to cultivate<br />

the food destined for your chef-inspired menu.<br />

The schoolhouse presents a lesson in community<br />

heritage stewardship. Inside original details<br />

are everywhere, and include the blackboards,<br />

decorative tin ceiling, lighting fixtures, trim, doors,<br />

wainscoting, hardwood floors, and original dual<br />

entry foyer. Find out more about owner/executive<br />

chef, Murray Zehr, and the restaurant and training<br />

opportunities available through the Academy. 5183<br />

Trussler Road, Ayr, the1909culinaryacademy.ca<br />

Adventure Farms in Full Swing: Come <strong>September</strong><br />

Snyder’s Family Farm and Leaping Deer Adventure<br />

Farm are slinging loads of fall fun, from corn mazes<br />

to farm animals, and loads of tasty fall treats.<br />

snydersfamilyfarm.com; leapingdeer.com<br />

McCully’s Fall Harvest Festival: Weekends in<br />

<strong>October</strong> enjoy wagon rides, a corn maze, pumpkin<br />

catapult and more. mccullys.ca<br />

Have you visited Jordi Carr and Natalie Crittenden’s<br />

Harris Electric Eatery in St. Marys? This new hot<br />

spot features the casual charm of a modern pub<br />

in a heritage setting, with a creative, chef-driven<br />

regional dining experience. 159 Queen St. E., St.<br />

Marys, harriselectriceatery.com<br />

The Pristine Olive from London is thrilled to be<br />

supplying the newly opened Mindful Market<br />

and Eco Hub in Blenheim, ON with a fresh supply<br />

of quality extra virgin olive oils and balsamic<br />

vinegars. The Mindful Market is a specialty food<br />

store carrying local/regional foods and eco<br />

products. fb.com/MindfulonTalbot/<br />

Railway City Brewing in St. Thomas is introducing<br />

Barrel Aged Honey Elixir. They’ve whisky barrelaged<br />

their classic Honey Elixir to a hearty 7.2%<br />

ABV, available in 750ml bottles. Double Dead<br />

Elephant is back, and Train Reaction, a sea salt and<br />

lime Mexican lager, is a perfect end-of-summer<br />

quencher. Elgin Harvest is coming Fridays (4–8pm)<br />

with handcrafted, wood-fired pizza. On Saturdays<br />

(2–8pm), The Tipsy Pig comes in with their classic<br />

smokehouse BBQ. It’s Game Night on Tuesdays<br />

and Beer Cocktail Night happens Thursdays.<br />

Enjoy a variety of handcrafted cocktails made with<br />

premium liquor and Railway City’s most beloved<br />

beers. Live music on Saturday evenings. See the<br />

website for ticket info. railwaycitybrewing.com<br />

Modern Skincare Made with Love<br />

The Forest City’s<br />

all-natural small-batch<br />

skincare company<br />

Locally Handcrafted Curated Boutique<br />

incense, home decor, DIY supplies,<br />

jewellery, crystals, tarot cards, eco-friendly<br />

items and so much more ...<br />

111 Mount Pleasant Ave., London<br />

Monday–Friday: 10AM – 6PM<br />

Saturday & Sunday: 10AM – 4PM<br />

+1 519 630 5305<br />

info@purdynatural.ca<br />

purdynatural.ca<br />

Boho Bazaar Night Market<br />

Community is our passion. We support<br />

and sell local, and create events where<br />

everyone can gather and grow together.<br />

Stay updated on events @purdynatural<br />

@bohobazaarnightmarket


eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Alton Farms Estate Winery is hosting its Annual<br />

Grape Stomp Saturday, <strong>September</strong> 28. Festivities<br />

begin at 12 pm with the first stomp starting at 2 pm.<br />

There will be competitive stomps and kids stomps,<br />

so bring your family and friends! Time trials will<br />

determine the most productive stomper, measured<br />

by the volume of juice produced. Stomping fee<br />

is $5 per entry, with all proceeds in support of<br />

Bluewater Centre for Raptor Rehabilitation.<br />

(Raptors are magnificent birds, plus they help<br />

keep grape-eating bird populations in control!)<br />

Hot dogs and hamburgers will be available for<br />

purchase with a portion of the proceeds donated.<br />

altonfarmsestatewinery.com<br />

We want your BUZZ!<br />

481 Richmond Street<br />

garlicsoflondon.com<br />

519-432-4092<br />

Far Out ...<br />

but we like it that way!<br />

Do you have culinary news or upcoming events<br />

that you’d like us to share?<br />

Every issue, <strong>Eatdrink</strong> reaches more than<br />

50,000 readers across Southwestern Ontario<br />

in print, and thousands more online.<br />

Get in touch with us at editor@eatdrink.ca<br />

Submission deadline for the next issue: <strong>October</strong> 5<br />

Come for the planes and<br />

fall in love with the food!<br />

Enjoy our Patio<br />

overlooking the<br />

airport runway!<br />

Gift<br />

Certificates<br />

for all of your<br />

gift giving<br />

needs<br />

MON & TUES: Lunch 11–3<br />

WED, THURS & FRI: Lunch 11–5; Dinner 5–9<br />

Weekends: Breakfast 9–12, Lunch 12–3, Dinner 5–9<br />

Blair Blvd<br />

London<br />

International<br />

Airport<br />

Crumlin Rd<br />

Oxford St<br />

519-455-9005<br />

katanakafe.ca<br />

2530 Blair Blvd, London<br />

Diamond Flight Centre


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 53<br />

Theatre<br />

Which London Life?<br />

This London Life, at the Grand Theatre<br />

By JANE ANTONIAK<br />

Which Thames River? And for<br />

that matter, which Grand<br />

Theatre? The confusion between<br />

“our” London and “the other”<br />

London is the theme of a new play opening<br />

this fall at Grand Theatre, London, Ontario.<br />

Written and directed by Morris Panych, the<br />

concept has been in the works since 2017.<br />

“I love the notion of connecting London,<br />

England and London, Ontario,” says Panych.<br />

He lived in London, England for two years,<br />

and he has a connection to our London via<br />

Dennis Garnhum, artistic director of the<br />

the story of a man who shows up in London,<br />

Ontario thinking he is in London, England.<br />

He is confused because he hears familiar place<br />

names, such as Covent Garden Market and<br />

Thames River, yet he cannot comprehend that<br />

he is not in England.<br />

The cast includes a ten-year-old narrator,<br />

Ryan Shaw of Petrolia. He was discovered<br />

during an audition call in Toronto. “You don’t<br />

often get to see a person of that age take on<br />

such a major role,” says Panych. “I couldn’t<br />

believe how bright he was. He understood<br />

the humour and nuances of the show. He<br />

Grand Theatre. Garnhum grew up in our<br />

London and he set up several opportunities<br />

for Panych to get to know our city, including<br />

tours, informal focus groups and visits with<br />

Tourism London.<br />

“Aside from all of the names and<br />

similarities, I think it’s funny that famous<br />

places you have heard about your whole life<br />

had a parallel in London, Ontario and when<br />

you go there they are not the same. I found<br />

that sweet. I wanted to personalize London,<br />

Ontario as a place. I always thought it must<br />

be weird to be from a place that is named<br />

after a place that is so much better known,”<br />

says Panych.<br />

This London Life is a comedy and at times<br />

farcical. It’s a tale of mistaken location, telling<br />

Morris Panych (left), writer and director of This London<br />

Life, coming to London’s Grand Theatre, and (above right)<br />

Ryan Shaw, narrator. Photos by Mallory Brown<br />

really got it and it wasn’t like he was coached<br />

by his parents. He connected with the<br />

material so well.”<br />

Beyond the humour, the play also hopes to<br />

touch on a discovery of what it is like to live in<br />

the shadow of something else. Panych hopes<br />

to reflect a London, Ontario that has its own<br />

personality. “We are all living in the shadow of<br />

something in this county — the shadow of the<br />

U.S., of Britain — [some places] in Canada are<br />

named after other famous places. However,<br />

second time around gives us opportunity and<br />

freshness. We can create our own new thing.


54 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

A hilarious celebration of our beloved city —<br />

the “other” London.<br />

THIS<br />

LONDONLIFE<br />

WORLD PREMIERE<br />

<strong>October</strong> 15 to November 2<br />

Spriet Stage<br />

THIS LONDON LIFE by Morris Panych<br />

grandtheatre.com<br />

box office 519.672.8800<br />

SE A SON<br />

SPONSOR<br />

T IT LE<br />

SPONSOR<br />

DEVELOPMENT<br />

PARTNER


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

That’s what’s great about Canada,” he says.<br />

This London Life is part of the COMPASS<br />

New Play Development program. With<br />

funding provided by Tourism London and<br />

Carlyle Peterson LLP, COMPASS is dedicated<br />

to creating and premiering new work at the<br />

Grand, according to Garnhum. He says it<br />

is part of the<br />

Grand’s strategy<br />

to commission,<br />

write, produce,<br />

and premiere<br />

original plays that<br />

are relevant to<br />

local, provincial<br />

and national<br />

locations. As<br />

well, the plan is<br />

to share plays such as This London Life with<br />

theatres and stages around the world.<br />

“A major thread throughout my career has<br />

been a focus on developing new work. This<br />

season we are staging new works, such as This<br />

London Life, which allow us to reflect our city,<br />

and its people — to show who we are and who<br />

we want to be,” says Garnhum.<br />

Panych has his home base in Toronto, which<br />

is where he workshopped the play before<br />

bringing it to London and sharing it with<br />

selected members and friends of the Grand<br />

Theatre. Panych has a long and successful<br />

history of writing, creating and directing<br />

plays across Canada, including productions<br />

at the Stratford Festival. He is a recipient<br />

of a Governor General’s award. He is also<br />

an award-winning actor on stage and TV,<br />

including roles on The X-Files.<br />

Currently writing a digital series for<br />

the CBC, Panych has also been actively<br />

developing a new production — Frankenstein<br />

Revived — with David Coulter since 2016 for<br />

Stratford. “I am delighted to welcome Morris<br />

back to Stratford as a director,” says Antoni<br />

Cimolino, Artistic Director. “His work with<br />

both movement- and text-based pieces is truly<br />

inspiring.” Frankenstein Revived will be on<br />

stage in 2020 at the Stratford Festival’s newly<br />

renovated Tom Patterson Theatre Centre.<br />

This London Life previews <strong>October</strong> 15–17, opens on the<br />

Spriet Stage <strong>October</strong> 18, and runs until November 2.<br />

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to <strong>Eatdrink</strong>.<br />

She is also Manager, Communications & Media Relations,<br />

at King’s University College in London.<br />

FOREST<br />

CITY<br />

FILM<br />

FESTIVAL<br />

forestcityfilmfest.ca<br />

#fcff<strong>2019</strong><br />

#fcff<strong>2019</strong><br />

Oct. 23-27, <strong>2019</strong><br />

Downtown London<br />

See What’s On<br />

IMPROV<br />

NIGHT2 019<br />

Join us for Holiday Improv<br />

featuring seasoned Second City<br />

Improv specialists & enjoy<br />

a night of laughter!<br />

• Saturday November 30 at 8pm<br />

• $30 per Ticket (plus HST/Fees)<br />

• Doors Open 7pm, Show 8pm<br />

Reserve Tickets<br />

519-782-4353 www.psft.ca<br />

PortStanley<br />

FestivalTheatre


56 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Books<br />

Wine Crime<br />

In Vino Duplicitas<br />

The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire<br />

by Peter Hellman<br />

Review by DARIN COOK<br />

To fool a wine connoisseur with a<br />

fraudulent bottle, a forger would<br />

need to know, in equal measures,<br />

wines that were real and fake.<br />

Rudy Kurniawan, a 20-something Indonesian<br />

immigrant living in Los Angeles, had the<br />

wicked combination of a discerning palate<br />

for the authentic stuff, and a criminal mind<br />

capable of passing off the fake. Like a musician<br />

with perfect pitch, he was described as having<br />

“virtuoso nostrils” and had a taste for wine<br />

that could match few others. His tastes were<br />

so good they eventually seemed too good to<br />

be true. With an author’s luck, Peter Hellman<br />

happened to be at a wine auction which led<br />

him down a journalistic path into the world of<br />

counterfeit wine. Hellman’s In Vino Duplicitas:<br />

The Rise and Fall of a Wine Forger Extraordinaire<br />

(The Experiment, 2017) profiles this infamous<br />

wine forger, the victims he duped along the<br />

way, and the scar he swathed across the wine<br />

industry.<br />

After bursting onto the scene of wine<br />

auctions in 2002, Kurniawan convinced<br />

everyone he was a top-notch aficionado. He<br />

brought the world’s best wines to dinner<br />

parties and<br />

wine tastings.<br />

He charmingly<br />

endeared<br />

himself to the<br />

most influential<br />

characters at<br />

wine auctions,<br />

high-end<br />

restaurants,<br />

and<br />

vineyards.<br />

Not only was he an<br />

expert taster, but also a shopaholic,<br />

spending millions of dollars on cases of wine,<br />

owning several thousands of bottles at any<br />

one time in his revolving inventory of real and<br />

forged wines. He did all of this with the skill<br />

of an extraordinary con man. But when one<br />

vintner came face-to-face with an obvious fake<br />

from his own winery, Kurniawan’s unravelling<br />

began.<br />

In 2008, 22 bottles of red Burgundy from<br />

Kurniawan’s collection were pulled from a<br />

New York auction because the dates on the<br />

bottles were 37 years prior to when the wine<br />

was known to be produced. With his<br />

reputation being tarnished by some<br />

of the best collectors in the business,<br />

his sales plummeted; even so, he could<br />

not stop himself from continuing<br />

to buy and his credit card debt<br />

racked up. Suspicions rose further as<br />

Kurniawan’s supply seemed limitless.<br />

Where was he getting it all? Collectors<br />

at auctions started to become more<br />

cautious in spending their fortunes<br />

on lots of wine that might or might<br />

Author Peter Hellman


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

not be the vintage they claimed to be. For<br />

oenophiles, the damage caused to the wine<br />

market by the infiltration of this fraud – “a liar<br />

in a glass” – was comparable to the duplicitous<br />

betrayal of adultery.<br />

Hellman writes that “a great old bottle<br />

is an expression of the spirit” which is why<br />

connoisseurs put such high prices on their<br />

stock and are offended by the deceit of<br />

forgeries. There are many minute details on<br />

wine labels, corks and the bottles themselves<br />

that can tip off a winemaker or buyer that<br />

a bottle has been forged. But even if all the<br />

external appearances were accurate, was it<br />

possible that collectors, who claimed to know<br />

quality simply based on experience, could be<br />

fooled by someone who had a better palate?<br />

Hellman writes: “Push the right buttons in<br />

people who think they are too savvy to be<br />

fooled, as the master counterfeiter who is the<br />

subject of this book did repeatedly, and what<br />

is billed as the rarest of wines can be sold<br />

to marks for a far higher price.” Kurniawan<br />

himself was recorded as saying: “Sometimes<br />

the experts don’t even know what they’re<br />

drinking.” Preying on this ignorance was this<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> | 57<br />

con man’s secret formula for pairing his fake<br />

wines with eager buyers.<br />

One particular billionaire collector,<br />

outraged by the fraud blemishing the<br />

industry, spent over $20 million to clean up<br />

the wine trade by pinpointing that forgeries<br />

were more rampant than collectors wanted<br />

to believe. These investigations eventually led<br />

to Kurniawan being charged in the first ever<br />

criminal prosecution against a wine forger.<br />

With no precedence for issuing a verdict or<br />

a sentence, the court case broke new ground<br />

and, simply by being at that wine auction<br />

years before, Hellman found himself on the<br />

cusp of an intriguing legal development.<br />

Even readers unfamiliar with the intricacies<br />

of wine tasting or the value of high-end wines<br />

will be captivated by the subculture that<br />

Kurniawan was welcomed into, all the while<br />

intending to sabotage and exploit it for his<br />

own fortune.<br />

DARIN COOK is a Chatham-based freelance writer<br />

who keeps himself well-read and well-fed by visiting the<br />

bookstores and restaurants of London.<br />

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR<br />

FOR<br />

DON’T FALL ANYTHING LESS...<br />

A fresh, new harvest of EVOO has arrived just in time for autumn.<br />

Come experience our fresh, Southern Hemisphere<br />

Extra Virgin Olive Oils!<br />

,<br />

The<br />

Pristine<br />

live<br />

Est. 2012<br />

884 Adelaide Street N. | London | 519-433-4444<br />

www.thepristineolive.ca


58 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

Recipes<br />

Mindful Vegan Meals<br />

Food is Your Friend<br />

by Maria Koutsogiannis<br />

Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN<br />

You might think that a cookbook<br />

is simply a collection of recipes,<br />

but if you read as many as I do<br />

you’ll see that they’re usually more<br />

than that. A cookbook can be a guide to a<br />

different country or culture, a tribute to an<br />

author’s heritage or a celebration of family,<br />

friends or the bounty of the seasons. It is<br />

often a road map of an author’s travels. Maria<br />

Koutsogiannis has written a road map of a<br />

different kind. In her first published book,<br />

Mindful Vegan Meals: Food is Your Friend<br />

(Page Street Publishing; 2018) she shares her<br />

journey through the hell of an eating disorder<br />

and out the other side to wellness. It’s not<br />

for the faint of heart or for those offended<br />

by hard truth or hard language. The road is<br />

sometimes bumpy and the view is not always<br />

pretty, but, she assures us, “we eventually end<br />

up in a happy place.”<br />

I’d never recommend a book that makes<br />

claims of magical diets, or wonder foods that<br />

will solve all your problems if you just put<br />

them in your morning smoothie. But I am<br />

interested in people who truly want to help<br />

others and I admire the courage of those who<br />

are willing to show their own scars to do so.<br />

Koutsogiannis had some significant issues<br />

in her childhood that led to an unhealthy<br />

relationship with food. She<br />

now spends her life showing<br />

people what she did to change<br />

that, and invites us to see how<br />

improving that relationship<br />

can result in an amazing<br />

change for the better.<br />

Koutsogiannis is the founder<br />

of the food and lifestyle blog<br />

foodbymaria.com and was<br />

named “Food Blogger of the<br />

Year” in Calgary in 2017. She’s<br />

the child of Greek immigrants<br />

and is able to embrace the<br />

food culture of her<br />

childhood while<br />

maintaining the<br />

plant-based diet<br />

she now enjoys.<br />

Mindful Vegan<br />

Meals is all<br />

about making<br />

delicious,<br />

nourishing<br />

food from<br />

plants and enjoying that<br />

food to the fullest. It balances taste and<br />

texture, nutrition and emotional connections.<br />

It illustrates that food that makes you feel<br />

good emotionally and food that makes you<br />

feel good physically can be the same thing.<br />

Hearty Vegetable Minestrone is a recipe<br />

she shares from her childhood, a staple at<br />

her parents’ restaurant in Swift Current.<br />

It’s a wonderfully rustic soup full of chunks<br />

of vegetables in a soothing, simple broth.<br />

The squeeze of lemon at the end brightens<br />

everything up. It’s the kind of soup you want to<br />

eat while looking out the window on a cold day.<br />

Her version of Rice & Dill Stuffed Grape<br />

Leaves (Dolmades) has one of the best lines<br />

I’ve ever read in a recipe. When sautéing<br />

onions, she advises, “You will know they<br />

are ready when your home<br />

begins to smell very fragrant.”<br />

They are a bit more labourintensive<br />

than most of the<br />

recipes you’ll find in this book,<br />

but isn’t that how cooks show<br />

people that they love them?<br />

With an entire chapter<br />

devoted to the Greek<br />

favourites of the author’s<br />

childhood, this book is a sure<br />

hit even if you care nothing<br />

Maria Koutsogiannis


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

about a plant-based diet. For the adventurous<br />

non-vegan, there’s a chapter of sauces, dips<br />

and dressings that have been “vegan-ized.” I<br />

have to tell you, I’m a nut for this type of food<br />

and these look delicious. If, like me, you firmly<br />

believe that raw vegetables are simply a vehicle<br />

for dip, you might want to try some of these.<br />

Photography duties in this book were split<br />

between the author and Calgary commercial<br />

photographer Chris Amat. Food pictures are<br />

primarily done by Koutsogiannis and are warm,<br />

inviting and colourful. They make you hungry.<br />

Amat photographs the author and manages to<br />

capture a feeling of joy and freedom from Maria,<br />

along with her “take no prisoners” attitude.<br />

Whatever your feelings about veganism,<br />

Mindful Vegan Meals is a great cookbook and<br />

an even better story. In the end, this book<br />

is about food, love and happiness. Isn’t that<br />

what all good cookbooks are really about?<br />

Destination for the food lover<br />

Featuring specialty foods,<br />

kitchenwares, tablewares,<br />

cooking classes and gift baskets.<br />

TRACY TURLIN is a freelance writer and dog groomer<br />

in London. Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com<br />

Recipes excerpted from Mindful Vegan Meals by Maria<br />

Koutsogiannis. Copyright © 2018. Published by Page<br />

Street Publishing. Reproduced by arrangement with the<br />

Publisher. All rights reserved.<br />

Hearty Vegetable Minestrone<br />

This soup brings me straight back<br />

to my childhood. It’s super simple<br />

because all you need is one pot,<br />

just over ten ingredients and a bit<br />

of time to allow the flavours to<br />

simmer as you get on with your<br />

day! I recommend you enjoy a bowl<br />

of this minestrone soup with cheesy<br />

toast and fresh herbs.<br />

Growing up we used to always go<br />

to the restaurant, Kabos, which<br />

my parents own in Swift Current,<br />

Saskatchewan, and enjoy a bowl<br />

of soup, do some child work (make<br />

coffee, clean tables for fun, fill<br />

waters). This place was and will<br />

forever be my second home: a<br />

place where I learned to socialize<br />

and to work my ass off, and it is<br />

where my love for food was first<br />

born. I am crying just typing this<br />

because it brings back so many<br />

memories. Weekends and Mondays<br />

were vegetable soup. Tuesday’s<br />

115 King St., London Ontario<br />

jillstable.ca 519-645-1335<br />

EatDrinkAd_<strong>2019</strong>.indd 1 <strong>2019</strong>-06-18 11:37


60 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

soup was chicken noodle. Wednesday was<br />

lentil. Thursday was bean and bacon. Friday<br />

was traditional Greek avgolemono (otherwise<br />

known as lemon rice) soup. It’s safe to say this<br />

recipe is really special to me and reminds me of<br />

the good old days.<br />

SERVINGS: 4–5<br />

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil<br />

1 sweet white onion, finely diced<br />

3 cloves garlic<br />

1 cup (100 g) celery stalk, finely chopped<br />

1 cup (128 g) carrot, cubed<br />

Handful of fresh thyme and oregano, chopped<br />

2 cups (248 g) zucchini, cubed, 1 inch (2.5 cm)<br />

thick<br />

1 cup (150 g) red pepper, cubed, 1 inch (2.5 cm)<br />

thick<br />

2 cups (360 g) tomatoes, roughly chopped<br />

2 cups (200 g) green beans, cut into 3-inch<br />

(8-cm) pieces<br />

8 cups (2 L) unsalted vegetable stock<br />

½ cup (100 g) orzo<br />

Salt and pepper to taste<br />

Squeeze of lemon<br />

Fresh cilantro and parsley<br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

In a large soup pot heat the olive oil on high for about 30<br />

seconds. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion,<br />

garlic, celery and carrot and let them cook down for<br />

about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid burning. When<br />

the onions have become translucent, add the thyme<br />

and oregano. Give the mixture a gentle stir then add the<br />

remaining vegetables—zucchini, pepper, tomatoes and<br />

green beans. Cook the vegetables down for a few minutes<br />

on medium heat.<br />

Just as their colour brightens, add the stock. Bring the<br />

mixture to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Add the orzo<br />

and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste test, and add salt<br />

and pepper if needed.<br />

Enjoy immediately with a squeeze of lemon and more<br />

fresh herbs!<br />

Did You Know?<br />

Hot/warm foods help with digestion and<br />

bloating. When you learn to listen to your body<br />

and understand why you are craving certain<br />

foods you gain a stronger relationship with your<br />

body. In turn, your body will love you back for<br />

nourishing it so well!<br />

Rice & Dill Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmades)<br />

Oh baby, welcome to flavour town. These are<br />

about to blow your mind and leave your family<br />

and friends excited to come back around for<br />

dinner. I realize they are a bit more work than<br />

most of my recipes but you can’t mess with<br />

tradition, folks, so just be patient and trust that<br />

these taste like love in your mouth when you’re<br />

finished.<br />

The combination of lemon, dill and silky rice is<br />

perfect and the tastes complement each other<br />

well. I highly recommend trying the vegan<br />

lemon sauce but please note that this recipe is<br />

traditionally made using eggs, so if you want to<br />

stick to tradition then call your nearest Greek<br />

grandma and snatch that recipe off her!<br />

SERVINGS: 4–5<br />

30 grape leaves<br />

1 yellow onion, finely chopped in a food<br />

processor<br />

4 green onion stems, finely chopped<br />

1 cup (9 g) fresh dill, finely chopped, stems<br />

removed (can also add parsley), plus more for<br />

garnish<br />

7 tbsp (105 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided<br />

1 cup (185 g) white rice<br />

Salt and pepper to taste<br />

4 slices lemon, ½-inch (13-mm) thick<br />

Vegetable stock, enough to cover dolmades in<br />

the pot<br />

1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch<br />

½ cup (120 ml) lemon juice<br />

Lemon wedges<br />

Add enough water to halfway fill a medium-sized pot.<br />

Add the grape leaves to the water and bring to a boil then<br />

reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes<br />

or until tender to touch.<br />

While the grape leaves are cooking, put the yellow onion<br />

and green onion stems in a food processor and pulse for<br />

about 30 seconds; you do not want them to be very finely<br />

chopped, just well-blended. Remove from the processor<br />

and set aside. Add the dill to the food processor and<br />

process for about 20 seconds or until very finely chopped.<br />

If you do not want to use a food processor you can cut it<br />

by hand.<br />

When the grape leaves are cooked, drain them and lay<br />

them in a bowl or on a plate nice and flat so they will be<br />

easy to roll later. Check for large stems at the base of the<br />

leaf; if they are long just give them a little chop.<br />

In the same pot you used for the grape leaves, warm 4<br />

tablespoons (60 ml) of olive oil and the onion and cook<br />

over medium heat until the onions are soft. You will know<br />

when they’re ready when your home begins to smell very<br />

fragrant.


eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine<br />

In a large mixing bowl put the rice, dill and onions<br />

mixture. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Let this<br />

mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes.<br />

In a medium-sized pot put a few grape leaves and the<br />

lemon slices.<br />

Now it is time to begin assembling our little beauties!<br />

Start by holding a grape leaf, stem side up, in your palm.<br />

Scoop about a tablespoon full of the rice mixture onto the<br />

leaf. Close the leaf by folding over the top and then the<br />

two sides. Finally, tuck it in all tight with the bottom.<br />

Place the dolmades in the pot and make sure that they’re<br />

very close together to ensure they don’t fall apart while<br />

cooking. Repeat this step until you’ve used up all the<br />

grape leaves. Drizzle the remainder of the olive oil (3<br />

tablespoons [45 ml]) over the rolled dolmades. Add<br />

enough vegetable stock to just cover the dolmades then<br />

place a small plate on top (you want the plate to touch the<br />

dolmades). Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer<br />

for about 1 hour, or until the rice is cooked.<br />

Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of juice from the pot to make the<br />

lemon sauce. If there is not enough juice to equal 1 cup<br />

(240 ml), add some hot water.<br />

To make the lemon sauce, put the cornstarch in a bowl,<br />

then add 1 cup (240 ml) of juice from your pot and stir<br />

until well combined. Slowly add the lemon juice to the<br />

mixture and beat like you would an egg. Pour the sauce<br />

into a pot, heat on high for a minute until the sauce<br />

thickens, and then serve, poured over the dolmades.<br />

Sprinkle with the dill and serve<br />

with some lemon wedges for<br />

squeezing over the dolmades.<br />

<strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> Events & Highlights<br />

Sept 13 Chinese Moon Festival<br />

— Mooncakes & Tea Pairing Experience<br />

Pre-orders for Mooncakes to take home available<br />

Sept 19 Songwriter Showcase & Stove-Top Chai (3rd Thursday)<br />

Sept 21 & 22 Downton Abbey Garden Tea<br />

Pre-orders for Scones to take home available<br />

Sept 24 4 Weeks to Flourish<br />

— Evidence-Based Clean Eating Program Begins<br />

Sept 28 Matcha & Chanoyu Workshop with Momo Yoshida Walden<br />

Oct 3 Tea Tasting with Chinese Gaiwan Workshop<br />

Oct 10 Tea Beginnings – 4 week course<br />

— Origins, Terminology, Preparation, Tasting<br />

Oct 17 Songwriter Showcase & Stove-Top Chai (3rd Thursday)<br />

Oct 18 Petojo @ the Lounge<br />

— Indonesian Tea Pairing Dinner Experience<br />

Oct 25 Tea Flight Night — Green Tea & Sheng Puer<br />

Oct 27 Harvest Afternoon Tea Service<br />

268 Piccadilly Street (at Wellington)<br />

519-601-TEAS (8327) • tealoungelondon.com<br />

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

Did You Know?<br />

Grape leaves are used in<br />

traditional herbal medicine<br />

to combat a variety of<br />

ailments including heavy<br />

menstrual bleeding, canker<br />

sores and stomach aches.<br />

Notes<br />

You can find grape leaves in<br />

the ethnic section of many<br />

grocery stores; they are most<br />

commonly sold jarred or<br />

canned. If some leaves are<br />

larger than others, add more<br />

rice mixture accordingly.<br />

You could add up to an<br />

extra teaspoon when they’re<br />

a bit larger. At first, your<br />

grape leaves will not seem<br />

so tender but as the dish<br />

sits they begin to tenderize!<br />

Sometimes, these are best<br />

enjoyed as leftovers and<br />

heated before consuming!


62 | <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag<br />

The Lighter Side<br />

Let’s Taco ’Bout Picky Eaters<br />

By DARIN COOK<br />

When anyone asks me for an<br />

example of the culinary stars<br />

being perfectly aligned I refer<br />

them to 2016, when National<br />

Taco Day (which occurs every year on <strong>October</strong><br />

4) fell on a Tuesday. Countless families hold<br />

regular meals consisting solely of tacos on<br />

what have become known as Taco Tuesdays.<br />

With strong preferences for Mexican food in<br />

our family, however, sometimes one Tuesday a<br />

week isn’t enough. The spirit of Taco Tuesday<br />

gets appointed to other days of the week,<br />

when cravings arise on Margarita Mondays,<br />

Fiesta Fridays, or Soft Taco Saturdays.<br />

Another reason we rejig<br />

our calendars for Mexican food<br />

is that Jonah, the youngest<br />

member and pickiest eater in<br />

our family, has never shied<br />

away from tacos, nachos,<br />

quesadillas, or burritos. Having<br />

them for dinner often is a<br />

path of least resistance. Even when our pickiest<br />

eater can be in the mood for Mexican at<br />

the drop of a hat, National Taco Day colliding<br />

with Taco Tuesday was a meal made in heaven.<br />

That Tuesday I got home from work to find<br />

my wife had ground beef browning on the<br />

stove. She asked me to take over watching the<br />

meat, while she chopped tomatoes, lettuce,<br />

and avocados. The aroma of spices coming<br />

from the pan was a good sign that tacos would<br />

be extra delicious on this fortuitous day for<br />

Mexican food, but as I looked down at the<br />

meat, I sensed trouble and was struck by a<br />

terrible realization.<br />

“Are you insane?” I whispered to my wife,<br />

pointing frantically in the pan where I had<br />

spied tiny shreds of carrot and flecks of<br />

spinach amongst the ground beef. “Are you<br />

trying to ruin Taco Tuesday? It is one of the<br />

few things left that Jonah willingly eats. If he<br />

sees veggies in his tacos, it will be game over.<br />

We will lose Taco Tuesday. And you decide to<br />

risk it all on National Taco Day?”<br />

“I hide veggies in our spaghetti sauce<br />

and that’s never been a problem,” my wife<br />

defended herself, “so I thought I would try it<br />

with tacos.”<br />

I knew it was a good idea in theory, but<br />

Jonah’s ability to detect foods he does not<br />

like was at such a high level that we walked a<br />

fine line in getting him to ingest any nutrition<br />

from fruits and vegetables. I stirred the meat<br />

a bit, realizing it would turn darker brown the<br />

longer it cooked. It was highly unlikely Jonah<br />

would notice a difference in flavour if there<br />

were carrots and spinach mixed into his tacos,<br />

but if he spied one flash of orange or green, he<br />

would call it quits on the meal. I considered<br />

burning the meat to a charred blackness,<br />

obliterating any chance of<br />

him seeing a colour that<br />

did not resemble meat.<br />

But that could backfire on<br />

me as well, since he has<br />

a sensitivity to food that<br />

he detects to be the least bit<br />

overdone. My only hope was to<br />

cook the meat perfectly to hide the<br />

vegetables.<br />

With the table set with green guacamole<br />

and lettuce, red tomatoes and salsa, orange<br />

cheese, and white sour cream, I nervously<br />

brought out very dark brown ground beef.<br />

As expected from our vegetable-eschewing<br />

son, he used only beef and cheese, snubbing<br />

the other fresh toppings. The visual test was<br />

passed, as he scooped some meat into his<br />

taco shell. Crunching down on his taco, he<br />

declared, “This taco meat is so tasty.”<br />

Crisis averted. I was confident that Taco<br />

Tuesday had not lost its lustre and my<br />

wife was content that our picky eater was<br />

consuming a helping of vegetables. It really<br />

was a Mexican food miracle. And who knows,<br />

with Cinco de Mayo — an even more festive<br />

reason to celebrate Mexican food — falling on<br />

a Tuesday in 2020, maybe there is hope that<br />

Jonah will take the next step and put fresh<br />

veggies on his tacos.<br />

DARIN COOK is a Chatham-based freelance writer.


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