Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario
№ 34 • March/April 2012
www.eatdrink.ca
FREE
eatdrink
Chef Nicole Arroyas
London's
Face of
French
Fare
Petit Paris
& Auberge du
Petit Prince
FEATURING
F.I.N.E. A Restaurant
Fine for Any Occasion
The Manse
Putting The Manse in Romance
Downie Street Bakehouse
Bakers of Substance
Jill’s Table
A Feast of Kitchen Essentials
ALSO: Local Artisanal Cheese | YOU Made It Café | Tasty Treats in Southeast Texas | Reif Estate Winery
A delicious new season
springs to life
in STRATFORD
Salute spring with the sweet taste of fresh maple syrup, guided foraging
for wild leeks and ginger, innovative Saturday afternoon pairings and
a new Stratford Chocolate Trail.
MARCH
1-4 Stratford Garden Festival, Stratford Rotary Complex
3
Classic Cocktails Tasting, Molly Blooms Irish Pub
10 Chocolate Tour & Taste, Rheo Thompson Candies
17
Maple Fun at McCully’s Hill Farm
24 The Beer & Cheese of Belgium, Milky Whey Fine Cheese Shop
31-Apr 1 Annual Swan Parade Weekend
APRIL
5
Emm Gryner- Dinner concert @ Foster’s Inn
7
Local Easter Egg Decorating, Stratford Farmers’ Market
12 Culinary Conversations – desserts – Turnbull & Stewart
13-15, 20-22, 27-29 Cooking Classes with Chef Neil Baxter, Rundles
21 Foraging & Preserving, Savour Stratford & Slow Food Perth County
For more information about spring
culinary packages and events
visitstratford.ca
MEMBERS
Clovermead Bees & Honey
www.clovermead.com
Empire Valley Farm
Market & Greenhouses
www.empirevalleyfarms.com
From fine dining, quaint bistros
and unique tea rooms to casual diners
and delis, Elgin County’s restaurants
will satisfy every craving.
Farmgate Markets
Deli & Fresh Meat
www.farmgatemarket.com
Great Lakes Farms
www.greatlakesfarms.ca
Heritage Line Herbs
& Silver Birch Tearoom
www.heritagelineherbs.com
You can also visit Elgin’s own microbrewery,
take a cooking class in a historic bank,
experience adventure at a bee farm,
and so much more.
Travel our culinary trail and you’ll find the
perfect gift for everyone on your list.
Savour the Season
in Elgin County.
Horton Farmers’ Market
hortonfarmersmarket.blogspot.com
Kettle Creek Inn
www.kettlecreekinn.com
Killer Desserts & Café
www.killerdesserts.com
Lavender Sense
www.lavendersense.com
Mad Hatters Tea Room /
Quaker Barrel
www.quakerbarrel.com
Pinecroft Pottery
& Green Frog Tearoom
www.pinecroft.ca
Quai du Vin Estate Winery
www.quaiduvin.com
Railway City Brewing Co.
For information on the
Savour Elgin Program, call
1-877-GO ELGIN x137
or visit
www.savourelgin.ca
www.railwaycitybrewing.com
Ruby’s Cookhouse
www.rubyscookhouse.com
Rush Creek Wines
www.rushcreekwines.com
Steed & Company Lavender
www.steedandcompany.com
The Arts & Cookery Bank
www.theartsandcookerybank.com
The Windjammer Inn
www.thewindjammerinn.com
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Cover Photo: Chef Nicole
Arroyas is proprietor of Auberge
du Petit Prince and co-owner
of Petit Paris Crêperie &
Pâtisserie, both in London.
Photo by Steve Grimes.
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contents
ISSUE № 34
7
MARCH/APRIL 2012
F O O D W R I T E R AT L A R G E
Pass the Word
By BRYAN LAVERY
12
12
R E S TAU R A N T S
Chef Nicole Arroyas & the Evolution of a Dynasty
By BRYAN LAVERY
16 F.I.N.E. A Restaurant in Grand Bend
By JANE ANTONIAK
16
20 The Manse in Tillsonburg
By CHRISTIE MASSE
FA R M E R S & A R T I S A N S
24 Local Artisanal Cheese Producers & Vendors
By JANE ANTONIAK
30 Downie Street Bakehouse: Bakers of Substance
20
By DAVID HICKS
T R AV E L
32 Tasty Treats in Southeast Texas
By JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON
N E W & N OTA B L E
36 The BUZZ
30
THE BUZZ
C U L I N A RY R E TA I L
42 Jill’s Table: A Feast of Kitchen Essentials
By KYM WOLFE
B E E R M AT T E R S
45 Danke Schön, Dunkel: Lager’s Great Granduncle
By THE MALT MONK
42
WINE
48 Reif Estate Winery and Grand Victorian
By RICK VanSICKLE
C U L I N A RY E D U C AT I O N
52 YOU Made It Café & Youth Opportunities Unlimited
45
By BRYAN LAVERY
BOOKS
54 Mission Street Food: An Improbable Restaurant
By DARIN COOK
CO O K B O O K S
56 Scrumptious and Sustainable Fishcakes
Review and Recipe Selections by JENNIFER GAGEL
59
59 Serious Eats: A Comprehensive Guide
Review and Recipe Selection by JENNIFER GAGEL
THE LIGHTER SIDE
62 Asian-Style Slow Food: A Lesson in Chopsticks
By DARIN COOK
Discover Downtown London
tidbits
Join Us at the Women’s Lifestyle Show
By CHRIS McDONELL, eatdrink Publisher
W
e are hoping you will take a
break and join us at eatdrink’s
sizzling Cooking Stage at the
Women’s
Lifestyle Show! Enjoy
samples and sips while
picking up tips and
techniques from some
of the top chefs in
Southwestern Ontario —
all coming to this event
with their best local
ingredients and recipes
to share with you and
your friends. We’ll be
introducing different presentations every
hour, on everything from making breakfast
rock to invigorating cocktail hour. Now in
its 10th year, this show has become one of
eatdrink’s most anticipated events of the
year. As usual, we’ll be holding an enticing
draw for a night of indulgences for a lucky
reader, so be sure to
drop by our booth right
across from the stage.
Of course, there’s more
to the show than great
food and drink (go to
www.womenslifestyle.
ca for details on guest
Marilyn Denis and all
the rest), but we’re glad
to help connect you
with a number of our
favourite local restaurants, chefs, artisans and
producers. See you at the show!
Enjoy the cooking stage
presented by eatdrink
magazine and the Sip,
Savour Stage featuring
Pelee Island Winery seminars
and Fire Roasted Coffee
samples all weekend!
№ 34
www.eatdrink.ca
| March/April 2012
7
food writer at large
Pass the Word
More thoughts on writing, hospitality and great food ...
By BRYAN LAVERY
I
have just returned from the 4th Annual
Local Food and Culinary Tourism
Summit in Stratford, where I wore
many hats: First, as an ambassador of
eatdrink magazine; and also a representative
for vendor
recruitment
for the Western
Fair Farmers’
and Artisans’
Market; as a
proponent for
culinary tourism
in London and a
variety of local culinary initiatives, including
the newly formed London Culinary; and
finally as chair of this year’s Local Food
Connections: Farmer and Food Buyer
Networking Event and Taste it! Gala. It is a
very busy time. I am excited to report that
London will be hosting the Ontario Culinary
Tourism Summit in October 2012. In fact, we
are looking to have the month of October
declared Culinary Month in London. There
will be a lineup of exciting events.
The Stratford Culinary Summit included
several educational breakout sessions, in
addition to a Farmer/Chef “Speed Dating”
opportunity, which showcased products
from Perth County farmers and artisan
food producers. Stratford continues to
successfully link food to place with its
emerging, modern cuisine du terroir, with a
fidelity to origin and season and its excellent
Culinary Tourism Strategy.
Back in London, I have
uncharacteristically lent
my name and expertise to
a new business venture,
The Onyx Lounge and
Supper Club. These are
first-time restaurateurs,
father-and-daughter
Robert and Klaudia Lakatos, who are
developing a distinctive dining experience
in a beautifully refurbished space on Carling
beside the Gibson Gallery.
I am collaborating with the Lakatos to
oversee the cuisine and a rather unique
business model. After months of delays
and a rocky start when the original chef
left the project
days before the
restaurant’s
proposed
opening, things
are evolving
nicely. The dynamic chef team includes
chefs Alicia Hartley, formerly of The Tasting
London’s Celebration Destination
Lunch Weekdays
Dinner 7 Nights a Week
28
1 York Street (just West of Ridout)
Continental cuisine – with a
contemporary twist! – and Tableside Cooking.
Cooking.
From an amazing Caesar Salad to flaming coffees,
Michael’s makes your celebration an event.
519-672-0111
Baby Grand Pianist 6 Nights a Week
Plenty of Free Parking
www.michaelsonthethames.com
8
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
shops and accommodators) and to promote
Room, and Scott Leger of Cello. The chefs
and market our culinary community. The
prepare everything in-house from scratch
with a modern farm-to-table sensibility. The association’s mandate will be to communicate
menu combines international classics with a and educate the public regarding local
culinary initiatives and be a representative
modern Hungarian twist.
voice of its members.
The restaurant is open Tuesday to
This project is a
Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. for
consumer-driven
dinner. In the future, there are
N ’S
LO N D O
plans for the Onyx to be open
ur marketing initiative funded
by membership fees,
for lunch. The Lakakos are
Local Flavo
advertising & partnership
also looking to put a terrace on
funds, special events
Carling Street. Reservations are
grants, and innovative
recommended. 519-601-3463
fundraising. Part of this
initiative is to position
In the midst of the excitement of
Downtown London
getting the restaurant’s doors open,
as a unique “Culinary
I have continued to collaborate with
l
a
c
Lo r
District.” When an
Kathy McLaughlin to help position
FSlaervevdoHuere
average 25% of every
Downtown London as a premiere
visitor’s spending is
dining destination and highlight the
on food and drink, how can
diversity of culinary experiences in
we ignore the potential for growth in this
a designated Downtown Dining District.
industry? If we understand the motivation of
The association is being developed and
a culinary tourist and what they are looking
spearheaded by strategic leaders in the local
for, we can leverage our culinary businesses
culinary industry to grow the profile and
profitability of downtown culinary businesses and send visitors home to tell their friends
about the amazing experience they had —
(restaurants, retailers, markets, speciality
Restaurants
il
Culinary Reta
Food Festivals
ets
Farmers’ Mark
ar
12 Cu lin
T he 20
y Gu ide
rism.ca
londontou
10
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
They are pioneers of a new culinary regime.
In London, we are very fortunate to have
chefs like Jason Schubert and Paul Harding
of The Only On King, Danijel
Culinary regionalism and the
Markovic of Kantina, Dave
local food movement are not
Lamers of Abruzzi, Kristian
trends, but a transformation in the
Crossen of Braise, Andrew
collective mindset of communities
Wolwowicz of The Springs,
across Canada. When it comes to
Alfred Estephan of Avenue
food, what’s local is usually what
SOUTHW
Dining at the Idlewyld Inn, and
is finest. Culinary regionalism
EST Chad Stewart and Joshua Fevens
includes characteristic culinary
at Garlic’s, all of whom are not just
and agricultural features
advocating “eating and drinking
special to a particular region.
local” and “eating seasonal,”
It recognizes the uniqueness,
they are actively and creatively
idiosyncratic characteristics
enhancing and developing new
and culture of the places where
region-specific cuisines. As for their
the food is produced and of
cuisine, it’s made from scratch and
the people who produce it. Yes, there is
truly a new strain of chef who is labouring in it’s innovative. They are implementing timekitchens throughout the province serving up honoured traditions and trusted techniques,
some of Ontario’s finest culinary regionalism yet delivering ingredients in revolutionary
ways. They are the new culinary vanguards.
and authentic gastronomic experiences.
what better, more cost-effective marketing
can you get than word of mouth?
CHATHA
M-KENT
| ELGIN
| HAL
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| SARNIA-LA DIMAND | LON
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15/06/11
6:07 PM
Some notes on my column here at eatdrink magazine
Writing about restaurants and the culinary
community, I often feel I walk a tightrope,
with my integrity on the line. No one wants
me to gush unrestrained about every
restaurant, chef or culinary artisan in every
issue (believe me, no restaurant achieves
№ 34
www.eatdrink.ca
| March/April 2012
perfection all the time). On the other
hand, some readers inspire me with their
comments and others prod me to take a more
critical and occasionally tougher stance.
My columns and articles continue to elicit
an affirming amount of enthusiastic email
and feedback from restaurateurs, chefs,
and culinary
professionals, not
to mention the
most significant
people: readers
and diners. Since all criticism must be
viewed as having a purpose, criticism must
also be attributed to the critic’s motivation.
Focusing primarily on negative aspects goes
against what I am trying to achieve in my
articles. My mandate is to help educate and
promote the diversity of culinary businesses
in London, Stratford, and surrounding areas.
One dedicated reader recently wrote,
“Just picked up the latest issue of eatdrink. I
devour eatdrink and your articles, so please
keep writing it the way you have been. Don’t
let naysayers coax you into writing generic
tripe; keep it candid and intelligent.”
11
Saying this, I want to state for the record
that I have never been interested in writing
advertising copy positioned as editorial, aka
advertorial. I have no quarrel to take up with
anyone, nor ulterior motives behind what I
do or do not write about.
Several restaurateurs and chefs have
expressed feeling
conspicuous by
their absence in
the magazine.
Others feel
slighted, despite the fact that since eatdrink
began publishing, the editorial team has
requested culinary content every issue
“to help create the buzz.” If you have
interesting culinary news, we are generally
happy to pass it on to our large readership.
Please help us to keep the food media
alive in the region by contributing to the
magazine and supporting our advertisers.
eatdrinkink
BRYAN LAVERY is a well-known chef and proponent of the
regional culinary scene.
12
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
restaurants
Chef Nicole Arroyas
& the Evolution of a Culinary Dynasty
By BRYAN LAVERY
F
rance remains the capital of les pâtisseries
fines, and to this day, still has more
bakers per capita than any other county.
Mastering the art and chemistry of
creating perfect pâtisseries requires patience,
timing, and stringent attention to detail.
Petit Paris Crêperie & Pâtisserie is a sampling
of the French pastry tradition, located at the King
Street entrance of the Covent Garden Market. A
year ago, Chef Nicole Arroyas brought her expertise,
business acumen and artistry to the downtown,
talents she had already parlayed into success at her
iconic Auberge du Petit Prince restaurant, seven
blocks east of the market on King Street.
Petit Paris offers personalized cakes and
pâtisseries made from scratch — timeless
classics and traditional beloveds, all crafted with
premium-quality ingredients that have quickly
established Petit Paris’s reputation for quality.
Arroyas is partnered with Chef Nathan Russell
at Petit Paris. It is a collaborative venture and the
two complement each other’s high standards
and commitment to quality offerings. The use of
classic French pastry cream and real butter are
hallmarks of their dedication to authenticity.
The boutique shop features mouthwatering
croissants, scones, traditional macarons in a variety of classic flavours, pain au chocolat, and other
definitive French specialties, as well as quiche and
a delicious croque-monsieur. Crêpes, sweet or
savoury, are made from scratch on the premises.
Hand-rolled croissants are crisp and buttery, with
a soft delicate interior that can only be achieved
with lashings of real butter, time, effort and expertise. Signature cheesecakes are properly made in
a water bath (to prevent cracking), achieving the
correct flavour profile, and the toppings are from
seasonal preserves made in the Auberge kitchen.
Petit Paris has continued to evolve, and
recently Arroyas and Russell moved the
production facilities of Petit Paris to a new
location to keep up with the response.
Petit Paris will step up the demand at the
market with new offerings, including soups,
salads and sandwiches.
At the helm of the Auberge du Petit Prince
restaurant for five years, and co-owner of Petit
Paris Crêperie & Pâtisserie for over a year, Nicole
Arroyas has successfully built two businesses,
appropriately, from scratch.
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Russell discovered his aptitude
for cooking at an early age,
standing on a chair cracking
eggs for his mother. His culinary
journey took him from the dishroom at the Little Beaver in
Komoka to Bistro 990 in Toronto,
which, in its heyday, was a major
A-list draw and one of Yorkville’s
longest-standing French culinary
institutions. Russell’s culinary
education included a two-year
stint in the Bakery and Pastry
Arts Management program at
George Brown College. This oneof-a-kind program furnished
Russell with the best of both
worlds — advanced pâtissier
training and the business skills
required to operate a successful
culinary business. Russell worked
alongside Arroyas at the Auberge,
where he was groomed to do
wedding cakes, and one day they
decided the time was eminent for
a business like Petit Paris.
Pâtisserie seems to be
Arroyas’s true passion and calling, but her route was initially
a circuitous one. After high
school, Arroyas left London to
study in France at the Culinary
Institute in Lyons, led by the
venerated Chef Paul Bocuse.
An internship led her to the
renowned L’Astrance under the
tutelage of chef Pascal Barbot (considered
one of the world’s foremost chefs), who
possesses a Michelin 3-star rating in Paris.
A second internship conveyed her to Alain
Ducasse, under Jean Francois Piège. Arroyas
graduated with an international universitylevel diploma in Culinary Restaurant
Management.
Upon her return to Canada, Arroyas
worked in her parents’ restaurants until her
calling for pâtisserie resurfaced. Arroyas’
parents are also well-known and respected
restaurateurs, who own the very successful
Archie’s fish-and-chips restaurants. This is
where Arroyas cut her culinary teeth at age
thirteen, working in the very male-dominated
kitchen. It was a taste of things to come.
An entrepreneurial spirit and an ambition
to refine her pâtisserie repertoire vaulted her
to the Napa Valley and the Culinary Institute of
www.eatdrink.ca
13
Clockwise from top left: The Auberge du
Petit Prince “Provence Room” by day;
Street-view signage near the inviting
outdoor garden patio;
The French ambiance is conveyed
through dozens of small touches;
A commissioned stained glass window
by London artist Ted Goodden makes for
a special corner;
The cuisine offers a true taste of France,
enhanced by local produce and a
talented kitchen.
America. When Arroyas returned
home, she began to specialize in sumptuous
wedding cakes and found the demand both
surprising and creatively stimulating.
A couple of years passed, and Arroyas
reasoned the timing was right for an additional challenge. She and her parents, Alain
and Donna Arroyas, purchased the London
culinary landmark, Auberge du Petit Prince,
then refurbished it, and it was reborn to
much fanfare five years ago.
Each dining room was meticulously
decorated and styled to reflect an iconic
location in France. One main-floor dining
room is titled the Versailles; the other more
casual, bistro-style dining room is named the
Provence. Both feature inviting fireplaces.
The enclosed sunroom (formerly the outdoor
verandah) is called Cannes. The upstairs
features three intimate rooms for private
functions and corporate meetings. The rooms
14
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
are decorated with tapestries
and stained-glass windows by
the formidable London artist
Ted Goodden. There is a wellappointed outdoor terrace for al
fresco seating.
At the Auberge, the menus
have focused on good, simple,
country French cuisine, such as
coquilles St. Jacques, confit of
duck, frog’s legs, vichyssoise, and
French onion soup.
In the last year, with the
birth of her daughter, Arroyas
has re-evaluated “what’s really
important” and says she has
refocused her energies and
softened her approach with less
of a need to micromanage daily
operations at the restaurant.
She says she had developed a
reputation for being hard-lined. Courtesy lfpress.com
Not surprising, the general
Clockwise from top left:
consensus used to be that that
Fresh baking at Petit Paris;
male chefs had to be paternalisSignage at the Covent
tic and ultra-masculine because
Garden Market; A custom
they are cooks, and cooking was
handmade wedding
traditionally “women’s work.”
cake, one of hundreds of
Gender stereotypes and politics
inspirational examples on
decreed that female chefs had to
the Petit Paris Facebook
be aggressive, competitive, dicpage; The dessert counter
tatorial and unflinching if they
offers dozens of take-away
were to be taken seriously and succeed in
treats; Proud Petit Paris
the professional kitchen.
Co-owners/Chefs Nathan
There is no doubt that Arroyas, like many
Russell and Nicole Arroyas
talented women chefs, had to maneuver her
way through the bias that still remains in
Chef Robbin Azzopardi comes into the picture.
male-dominated culinary institutions and the Only 29, Azzopardi has been in the hospitality
old-guard French brigade system.
business for 14 years, starting in his family’s
Arroyas confesses that she has evolved
coffee shop. It is anticipated that Azzopardi
to place more confidence and trust in her
will come on board as General Manager of the
employees. She has learned to make intelligent Auberge du Petit Prince in March.
and heartfelt choices in her businesses and
Azzopardi is a graduate of the culinary arts
her family life, so she feels the time is right to
program at Fanshawe College and worked as
find someone to take care of the day-to-day
an instructor in the program for several years.
operations of the restaurant. “I really need
Azzopardi, a well-respected chef, caterer
someone to take the weight off all the details of (White Pomegranate), culinary consultant
running a restaurant, someone who can help
and events planner, has been employed at
the restaurant evolve.” Arroyas understands
various dining rooms in London, including
that while she has this opportunity to advance the London Hunt Club, Waldo’s on King, and
and expand her business opportunities, the
most recently at the Tasting Room.
restaurant still needs to maintain the high
The success of any restaurant
quality of food and service she has established, professional is contingent on stamina, an
as well as the carefully selected team of
acute sense of taste, excellent hand-eye
longtime culinary professionals in her employ. coordination, mathematical aptitude,
This is where service professional and uber- memory for details, artistic and creative
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Roasts | Chops & Steaks | Tenderloin | Ribs | Sausage | Bacon & More!
abilities, exceptional interpersonal,
organizational and communication skills,
and the maturity and ability to remain
graceful under pressure. The public can
be a hard taskmaster. Arroyas has already
proven she is a formidable culinary
presence in this city and knows that there is
a great opportunity for innovative culinary
experiences to become part of the story
depicting the uniqueness and diversity of
London. The evolution of a culinary dynasty
is no easy feat.
n Protein Pack!
Design Your Ow an protein option
is a le
100% Pure Pork
Petit Paris Crêperie & Pâtisserie
130 King St., Covent Garden Market, London
519-433-0647
www.petit-paris.ca
Auberge du Petit Prince
458-460 King Street, London
519-434-7124
www.aubergerestaurant.ca
A NUTRITION POWERHOUSE
LOW IN SODIUM
GLUTEN FREE
FEEL FULLER LONGER
Our Major Cuts Provide
25 grams or more of Protein
per 100 gram Serving
BRYAN LAVERY is a well-known chef, restaurant consultant,
culinary writer and contributing editor to eatdrink magazine.
Photography by STEVE GRIMES (www.grimesphoto.com).
Online ordering with FREE DELIVERY
www.thewholepig.ca
Phone Orders:
Orders: 519-851-3327
519-851-3327
OR Phone
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Dundas Street at Ontario | EVERY SATURDAY 8 to 3pm | Plenty of Free Parking | www.londons farmersmarket.ca
16
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№ 34
| March/April 2012
restaurants
Fine for Any Occasion
at F.I.N.E. A Restaurant, in Grand Bend
By JANE ANTONIAK
I
t’s tough (and wrong) in this business
to say you have a favourite restaurant.
Instead, “certain places for certain
occasions” is often the truth. F.I.N.E. A
Restaurant, in Grand Bend, consistently falls
into several of those occasions. We’ve been
for lunch, dinner, and New Year’s Eve, and
even had them cater to the beach for a group
of book club friends. I’ve taken my 82-yearold mother and my 20-year-old son. We’ve
celebrated retirements and new beginnings
there. The charm of its interior, combined with
the skills of owner/chef Erryn Shephard and
chef Ben Sandwith, make F.I.N.E a satisfying
and pleasant experience when visiting Grand
Bend. Customers now come from across
southwestern Ontario, and all are looking for a
bit of respite in Erryn and Ben’s dining room.
Opened in 2005, F.I.N.E. was designed
by architect David Murphy of London. He
brought in wrought iron to complement the
pine walls and reclaimed birch floors of the
original building, which has seen many lives
on Ontario Street (just south of the main
lights at Highway 21 into the Bend). The
stained glass by Exeter’s Rae Ann Dinney
contributes to the cozy atmosphere. The cottage-like main dining room features a stone
fireplace, jam
and stemware
cupboards
(Erryn sells
her own
preserves),
and beautiful local art
from Erryn’s
collection
(much from
the nearby
River Road
Art Gallery).
The surroundings so speak to her that she
named one of her famous desserts after
the architect: Murphy’s Law. (“You must
finish your dinner with lots of chocolate.”)
Murphy’s Law is a concoction of chocolate
mousse with Irish Mist, double chocolate
fudge brownie and ganache. Erryn is a
devoted baker and chocoholic, and David
Murphy continues to be a devoted customer!
These days, Erryn is trying to reduce her
time in the kitchen and giving her longtime
co-chef and friend Ben Sandwith more recognition for what the kitchen produces. “He’s
the lead now — he’s got younger legs than
I do,” she insists, even though
everyone marvels at Erryn’s
energy. “She’s the hardest-working person you’ve ever seen in
the kitchen,” says Ben. “She can
whip any 20-year-old butt — and
you can publish that!” The two
play off each other in the kitchen
and in life — with respect and
honesty. “We don’t really follow
trends,” says Ben. “We just cook
what we like, what we can get at
different times of the year.”
Drinks man Jamie Sandwith (left) with
his brother Chef Ben Sandwith (back) and
Chef/Owner Erryn Shephard
№ 34
| March/April 2012
What they can always get is fish from Lake
Huron, and their Pan Roasted Pickerel with a
ragout of corn, pickled beets, fingerling potatoes, grape tomatoes, asparagus, and lemon
vinaigrette will “never come off the menu.”
They came upon the idea for this dish before
the restaurant opened, while visiting a nearby
farm. Surrounded by fields of corn, beets and
bounty, they wanted to showcase both the
local produce and the local fish. The result is
delicious — a moist, meaty fish glistening in
a lemon vinaigrette, and set atop a mound of
crunchy mixed vegetables.
“We like cooking fish,” says Ben. “We get
two to three fish types each week in season.
Plus we love cooking seafood — we always
have requests for lobster. But we also like
cooking beef — it’s a home run every time,
the certified Angus beef. All we do is add salt
and pepper,” he says modestly. Some of the
meat, including bacon, cold smoked pork
shoulder, and T-bone pork steaks, come
from nearby Metzger Meat Products in Hensall. They often serve the pork with peach
chutney, a popular local treat.
“Really, we will cook whatever, whenever
— like we once did a duck poutine. We really
won’t say no to anything. We might say it in
the kitchen, but they will get it,” laughs Ben.
The two work in a galley-like kitchen, with a
door on each end for servers (and occasionally guests) to pop in and out. “I’d rather
they come into the kitchen to see us,” says
the sometimes-shy Erryn. “But on special
events I do go to every table.”
Where she really longs to be is working
with her hands — either elbow-deep in
flour or rug
hooking —
her main
occupation
outside of
the restaurant, besides
caring for
her dog.
She donates
her rugs to
the annual
Ladies Night
for Breast
Cancer dinner and
auction held
at F.I.N.E.
every March
18
www.eatdrink.ca
— which features local men as waiters. The
event has now spread to two nights, with all
funds, including tips, going to the Canadian
Breast Cancer Foundation.
Baking is Erryn’s culinary love. Her breadbasket features buttermilk biscuits, banana
bread, oatmeal rolls and, on occasion, Welsh
cakes (sweet biscuits with currants, braised
on an electric skillet). She also makes the buttery breadsticks in the Caesar salads — something she calls “that damn bun” because it’s
so popular! “I love the feel of bread in my
hands and the smell of yeast. If I had to do
it all again, I’d open
a bake shop.” Erryn
also prepares specialoccasion cakes for
in-house and catering orders. Dessert is
not something to be
easily passed by at
F.I.N.E.
The menu changes
1
four times a year at
F.I.N.E., and new this
spring is sun-dried
tomato & basil pesto
risotto with aged
goat cheese — light,
zesty and creamy all
at once. Naan breads
continue to make
their way onto the
menu. Popular at
2
lunch is grilled naan
with beef tenderloin,
caramelized onions
and mushrooms,
garlic butter, greens
and frites.
In season, F.I.N.E.
opens the 24-seat
patio facing Ontario
Street. Indoors, a cozy
3
bar that seats three
at the high table and
two tables of four is
around the back and
features lots of local
mug shots on the
walls. It’s here that
Ben’s brother Jamie
Sandwith runs the
beverage service,
which includes classic
4
cocktails, as well as a
№ 34
| March/April 2012
long list of commission wines alongside some
VQA wines. Jamie is taking the International
Sommelier Guild courses and works to match
wines to a “chef-run restaurant.” “I’ve tried
to test wines and see how customers react.
Typically, you have here wines that are tested,
true, popular and accessible,” he says. He will
custom-order wines for special requests. Jamie
serves Steamwhistle and Sleemans Ontario
draft beers, but it’s the cocktails that rule the
day (or rather the night) — so much so, that
he’s named a few after loyal locals, such as the
Uncle Bill’s Beefeater Martini and the Richard’s
Vodka Martini.
F.I.N.E. is a cozy place,
with seating for 38; sometimes noisy but always
charming. It’s big on
flavour and big on repeat
customers.
“I love this,” says Erryn.
“It’s a lifestyle, and not
everyone can do it. You’re
always on. It’s always
nights, weekends, and
I’m the last one to arrive
at my family gatherings,
but I love it. We’re a different type of people.”
F.I.N.E. A Restaurant
42 Ontario St., Grand Bend
519-238-6224
www.finearestaurant.com
JANE ANTONIAK is a regular
contributor to eatdrink and often
covers the shoreline of Lake Huron in
search of new culinary adventures.
1 Bisquits and banana bread
grace every table
2 Basil & Sundried Tomato Pesto
Risotto with aged goat cheese
appetizer
3 The “never leaves the menu”
Pan Roasted Pickerel entrée
4 A dessert named after the
restaurant architect, Murphy’s
Law: “You must finish your
dinner with lots of Chocolate”
— Chocolate Mousse with Irish
Mist, Double Chocolate Fudge
Brownie with ganache
№ 34
| March/April 2012
HAIR
Book and Lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado
Music by Galt MacDermot
Produced for the Broadway stage by Michael Butler
Originally Produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival
APRIL 10 - MAY 13
Grow it, show it and celebrate it! Come see this youthful,
barrier-breaking musical that rocked the world!
WARNING: NUDITY, SEXUALITY, DRUGS, PEACE, LOVE AND HOPE.
519.672.8800
grandtheatre.com
TITLE SPONSOR
20
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№ 34
| March/April 2012
restaurants
Putting The Manse in Romance
at The Manse Casual Fine Dining, in Tillsonburg
By CHRISTIE MASSE
A
window-side table offers an alluring
view of a quiet side street, lined
with century homes, which ends
with the grand illuminated stainedglass window of a neighbouring church. It sets
the tone for a romantic dinner at The Manse,
in Tillsonburg. The sounds of soft jazz float
through the room, and scents of wine and
kitchen delights waft through the air. With
attentive service and classic French cuisine,
this is a lovely initiation to chef/owner Vasco
Serrador’s offerings in local dining.
The forty-seat, three-dining-room restaurant occupies a nineteenth-century heritage
home that was built to house the minister of
St. Paul’s United Church, and hence its current
name — The Manse. Over his past nine years
of ownership, Vasco has lovingly renovated the
building while preserving its original structure
and history. The Manse’s grand staircase,
original fireplace and hardwood flooring are
complemented by antique-style dining-room
furnishings and a chiming grandfather clock.
Chef/Owner Vasco Serrador
The home’s original pocket doors allow for
opportunities to enjoy either an intimate
dining experience or a larger group experience. The sommelier-selected wine list and
moderately-priced classic French-inspired
menu, with touches of Italian and Asian influences, refine this restaurant’s identity.
Chef Vasco’s culinary career began at
The Elmhurst Inn of Ingersoll, followed
by stints in various restaurants and pubs,
including The Copper Mug in his hometown
of Tillsonburg. When he opened The Manse
in 2003, Vasco was committed to sourcing
locally as much as possible for the restaurant,
as well as for caterings and cooking classes. As
a proud member of Oxfordlicious, Vasco has
developed a personal relationship with many
Oxford County based artisanal producers, and
ensures that his servers are knowledgeable of
details pertaining to each supplier. There are
even brochures on hand to assist in spreading
the word. Inspired by European markets
such as those he’s perused in Portugal,
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Vasco utilizes as much local talent as he can,
establishing an interdependent community of
passionate foodies.
Vasco speaks enthusiastically of Oxford’s
newest cheesemakers at Gunn’s Hill of Friesvale Farms, a family-owned multigenerational dairy farm and cheese factory. “Shep
is a young guy and he’s making these amazing cheeses straight from the dairy cows on
the farm. He offers ‘Cheesemaker for a Day’
classes to the public. They are doing great
things.” Gunn’s Hill cheeses are offered on
Vasco’s appetizer menu. The plate includes a
hard, a semi-hard, and a soft variety, accompanied by walnuts and housemade toasts.
The grand staircase, original fireplace and hardwood flooring
are complemented by antique-style dining-room furnishings
Another producer Vasco makes sure to
mention is Jakeman’s Maple Farm of Woodstock. This is a family-owned producer and
retailer, whose techniques for maple production were originally taught by Oxford County’s
local Native Canadians in the late 1870s.
The family has developed several maple
products over the years. Vasco’s application
of Jakeman’s products varies as often as his
ever-changing menu. Other local suppliers
can be found on the restaurant’s website. His
long list of mentions ends with Beres’ Meat &
22
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Grocery of Tillsonburg — his go-to spot
Grilled filet mignon
for all things local on the fly. “If there is
anything I need, even if it’s short notice,
if it is local, they can get it!”
Chef Vasco’s modesty comes
through when asked about his own
food philosophy. “Simple, simple,
simple.” His emphasis on fresh
and local food leads to continuous
promotion of others. Vasco’s menu
is classic-inspired yet innovative,
with each dish revealing a bit of his
big personality. He plays with fusion
cooking in his Pheasant Spring Rolls
with spicy raspberry sauce, and his
Vasco’s versatility comes through again on
Carpaccio serves as a salad in comparison
the dessert menu. A delectable chocolate
to the more usual oil-drizzled slices of beef;
cheesecake crêpe, made-to-order, stuffed
topped with capers and sweet peppers, it
with beautifully baked cheesecake and
is a substantial starter. The local rib-eye,
topped with sauce made of high-quality
grilled perfectly to order with accompanying chocolate, leads to smiles of satisfaction and
peppercorn sauce, is a true testament to
an exchange of trade secrets after dinner.
what ethically raised and properly aged beef
Vasco’s emphasis on freshness is evident
can deliver when clothed in a well-made jus. by a tour of the kitchen. With minimal fridge
and freezer space, no heat lamps or deep
fryer, his only option for service is to buy
Recipe courtesy of Chef Vasco Serrador of The Manse,
daily and create-to-order, with service
Tillsonburg. Enjoy!
staff on hand and ready to bring plates
to tables as soon as they touch the pass.
Samples of Vasco’s menus can be found
Serves 2
on the restaurant’s website.
¾ cup (175 mL) fresh bread crumbs
Other services and products are found
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced garlic
on the website as well, including an
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh rosemary, chopped
elaborate and instructive catering guide
¼ cup (50 mL) olive oil
detailing all food-related aspects that
1 9-bone rack of Ontario lamb, trimmed
need be addressed when planning an
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
event. Links to information on classes
1 Move oven rack to the centre position. Preheat
that Vasco teaches through Fanshawe
oven to 450˚F (230˚C).
College can also be found here.
The Manse offers lunch on weekdays
2 In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic,
and is open for dinner seven days a
and rosemary. Reserve.
week. Accommodations for private
3 Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed ovenmeeting rooms and business lunches are
proof skillet over high heat.
also available.
Ontario Rack of Lamb
4 Spread Dijon over top side of rack until evenly
coated. Roll in bread crumb mixture.
5 Cover the ends of the bones with foil to prevent
charring. Arrange the rack bone side down in
the skillet.
6 Roast lamb in preheated oven for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on desired degree of doneness.
Using a meat thermometer, take a reading in the
center of the meat after 10 to 12 minutes, and
remove once desired doneness is reached
(140˚F = Rare, 150˚F = Medium, 160˚F = Well Done).
7 Allow lamb to rest for 5 to 7 minutes, tented in
foil, before carving between the ribs. Serve.
The Manse Casual Fine Dining
38 Ridout Street West, Tillsonburg
519-842-2900
www.manserestaurant.com
Hours of Operation
Monday–Friday: 11:30–2:00; 5:00–Close
Saturday & Sunday: 5:00–Close
CHRISTIE MASSE, a graduate of the Stratford Chefs
School, now runs Crust Catering & Bakery in St. Thomas
(www.crustcatering.ca).
Delicious
3 COURSE
DINNER
for $25
ALWAYS a
3-course
prix fixe
menu
option
Join Us
Today
for Details
Seven Days a Week.
Join us for Dinner, Lunch
or Sunday Brunch
432 Richmond St.
at Carling • London
FREE PARKING
After 6 pm off Queens Ave
www.davidsbistro.ca
Garlics of London
481 Richmond St., London, ON
519.432.4092
www.garlicsoflondon.com
dine@garlicsoflondon.com
Good Food for a Good Cause.
presents
∙ Book a table for April 25 at one of over 30
locally-owned participating restaurants.
∙ Go out for dinner with your friends, family
or colleagues and have a great evening!
∙ The restaurant will donate 25% of the cost
of your meal to Regional HIV/AIDS Connection.
Make your reservation early to avoid missing
out! Plus, everyone who dines out at “A Taste For
Life” will get a chance to win some great prizes.
Over the last 8 years, A Taste For Life has raised over $445,000
for Regional HIV/AIDS Connection's free programs and services
for individuals and diverse communities living with, at-risk,
or affected by the challenges associated with HIV/AIDS.
Wednesday
April 25
www.atasteforlife.org
519-434-1601
www.hivaidsconnection.ca
24
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
farmers & artisans
“Say Cheese” Brings Authentic Smiles
Local Artisanal Cheese Producers and Vendors
By JANE ANTONIAK
I
n Southwestern Ontario, the art
of artisinal cheesemaking is being
appreciated by increasing numbers of
consumers. We went on a search over
the past few months and discovered that small
producers are churning up some delicious
goat, cow and sheep cheeses — often using
milk from their own herds. With easy access to
top-quality cheese purveyors, more and more
people can now enjoy fine local handmade
cheeses. You will also find them served in
many of our region’s restaurants.
Shep Ysselstein of Gunn’s Hill Artisan
Cheese in Woodstock is the new kid on
the cheesemakers’ block. The 29-yearold was raised on his parents’ and
grandparents’ dairy farm, which until last
summer was solely a milking operation.
This new-generation farmer has opened a
beautiful new cheese-processing and retail
operation next to the family farmhouse
where he lives. “It was a logical step,” says
Ysselstein. He makes three cow’s milk
cheeses from his family’s herd. Locals flock
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese
to his retail shop on Fridays (his processing
day) for fresh, warm curds.
Ysselstein likes to educate people about
dairy farming and cheesemaking. The
sparkling shop features large windows into
the single-vat processing room, and there is
a live-stream TV monitor showing the aging
room. It’s a bit like watching paint dry, but
the huge 25-kilo rounds of ripening cheese
are impressive, especially to people who
haven’t experienced cheesemaking. He also
gives tours and brings the cows over for
visits in season.
“We used to have 97 cheese factories in
Oxford County, and I’ve been amazed by how
many seniors come by and recall how they
sold milk to the cheese houses or worked
there. They love to see what I’m doing here,”
says Ysselstein. His is mostly a one-person
business, though he has some help in the
aging room. A true artisan, he believes
in judging each vat by the look, feel and
taste of the curds, something he learned in
Switzerland, where he studied the Appenzeller
style of cheesemaking. “I milked cows, and it
was a one-of-a-kind experience being up in
the Alps with the herds and carrying down
buckets of milk to small cheese houses with
wood-burning cooking.” After an online search
of Canadian artisan cheesemakers using the
Swiss system, Ysselstein landed on Vancouver
Island, where he further studied the small-vat
cow milk cheese system. His product, similar
to Gouda, is known as Swiss Mountain Variety
— hard, semi-hard or soft is what he has
named his cheeses to date.
“I want to make cheese that’s enjoyable,” he
says with a smile. “I like to be able to feel the
texture and examine how the curds stick together, the colours and the textures — how dry,
hard or soft it is. That’s how I make cheese.”
Gunn’s Hill products are also available at
Jantzi’s Cheese in the Western Fair Farmers
Market, London, on Thursdays and Saturdays.
www.gunnshillcheese.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Monforte Dairy of Stratford is the
veteran in local cheesemaking. Owned and
operated by Ruth Klahsen, with help from
her son Daniel and up to seven other staff
at peak times, Monforte has been open for
seven years and now makes sheep, goat,
and cow cheeses. With $1.4 million in sales
last year and a goal to hit $2 million this
year, it’s clear that Monforte is doing many
things right. Klahsen’s philosophy is to “use
only seasonal milk from humanely treated
animals.” Monforte is well-known for their
Toscano — a hard cheese suitable for grating
or for a cheese plate — but they make
several dozen cheeses, both soft and hard.
Klahsen got into the cheesemaking
business after working as a chef in Stratford.
According to her son Daniel Szoller, “she
played around with cheesemaking and it
just took her.” Daniel is now an apprentice
affineur, working in the aging room and
excited to be part of what he sees as a bright
future for local cheesemakers.
Monforte Dairy
Join our
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Visit www.thecheesestore.ca
for Details
For Any Occasion ...
CANADIAN ARTISAN CHEESES
GOURMET FOODS
CHEESES OF THE WORLD
PLATTERS & GIFT BASKETS
www.TheCheeseStore.ca
510 Michigan Avenue, Point Edward, Ontario
519.336.8899 • info@thecheesestore.ca
118 Ontario St., Stratford
519-814-9439
themilkywhey.ca
“It’s an exciting time. It’s a good job and I
believe in what we are doing. Our business
model is about sustainability. We can pay
our farmers a good fee for their milk, so we
are able to support them and give people a
good, wholesome product that we are proud
to be part of. We love selling at markets
and having a direct connection with our
customers,” says Szoller.
Monforte is unique in that it has cheese
investors. Three years ago, Klahsen set up
a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture).
Members are customers who invest in the
dairy and are paid back over time in cheese
— with interest. The plan has attracted over
1,000 subscribers and raised $460,000 for
the operation to build their current facilities.
26
www.eatdrink.ca
Monforte cheeses are available in 35
markets across Southern Ontario, and
in select cheese shops, including Smith
Cheese at the Covent Garden Market in
London and The Milky Whey in Stratford.
www.monfortedairy.com
C’estbon Cheese
№ 34
| March/April 2012
the difficult but “liberating” decision to
move the goats to a farm north of town. He
now gets his goat milk from Hewitt’s Dairy
in Haggarvsille. “I needed more milk than
the goats could produce. One had to be
sacrificed so I could move forward,” he says.
Taylor has a cheesemaking colleague in
Havana, Cuba, whom he visits several times
a year. That relationship led him to develop
Sunrise Caprea, a firm, fresh, unripened
breakfast cheese of a style that is often
served fried or sliced in Latin America. He
also makes a goat feta and is working on
producing flavoured chèvres.
C’estbon Cheese has no retail outlet but
is open by chance or appointment. Their
products are available across Ontario,
including at Jill’s Table, Remark and Sunripe
in London, and Milky Whey in Stratford.
www.cestboncheese.com
Gordon’s Goat Dairy is up in Wroxeter,
C’estbon Cheese is just down the road
in St. Marys, operated by hobbyist turned
cheese producer George Taylor. Taylor took
early retirement, which allowed him to
move to the goat farm he had bought as an
investment.
“I’ve kept it a small on-farm operation
deliberately. I make cheese…at my leisure.
One of my underlying philosophies is that
to be truly artisanal, I have to have my
fingerprint on every cheese that leaves the
facility, so that limits my growth. To me, it’s
the same as producing an original artwork.
Every cheese that leaves here is a cheese I
have made. The company is profitable. It
provides me with a modest stipend, which I
throw right back into the cheese business. I
get to work at a pace I am comfortable with,”
says Taylor, 52.
That pace produces a single-vat chèvre
that is creamy and delicious. “We consider
it the premier fresh unripened cheese in the
province for taste, appearance and longevity.
That has been a blessing and curse. There is
so much demand for the chèvre there hasn’t
been much time for development of other
products,” says Taylor.
From 1999 until last year, he raised and
milked his own goats. Taylor says he made
in Northern Huron County between
Wingham and Listowel. Gordon and Bethany
Edgar turned a goat-milking operation into a
goat cheese business, using milk from their
herd. Reacting to low goat milk prices and
their own lactose intolerance, the Edgars
began experimenting in their own kitchen,
then built a plant in 2009 and were licenced
in 2010.
“We didn’t want to waste the milk, and we
wanted to do something to feel responsible, so
the milk wasn’t going down the drain. And our
friends and neighbours all enjoyed the cheese
so much — they said it was so fresh, without a
strong goaty smell and flavour,” says Bethany.
Running a true farm-to-table operation,
the Edgars grow the crops, raise the goats,
make the cheese, package it, and even
deliver it. Believing that goat’s milk cheeses
can replace cow’s milk cheeses, they have
Gordon’s Goat Dairy
№ 34
| March/April 2012
developed everyday types of products,
including a goat version of mozzarella and
Parmesan. They have three main varieties of
c-line Pro — a signature cheese of their own
making using probiotic cultures. As well, they
offer Gouda, Havarti and cheddar in several
flavours (including chive and chili). Their
Christmas cheese with cranberries proved so
popular they plan to make it year round.
“We have the advantage that the milk
is produced right on the farm — it’s not
pumped into a trailer and then swished
around and pumped into the factory. So it’s
not handled a lot. That really keeps the flavour mild,” says Gordon. “We control what
our goats eat — they eat roasted soybeans,
baleage, corn, and a grain mix that we grow
on the farm that includes barley and oats.
We try to grow all our own feed. It’s a holistic
approach to farming, and we put that into
the cheesemaking — that’s what we believe
in and how we were raised. We just wanted
to share our roots.” Adds Bethany, “It’s good
old-fashioned farm food — that’s what we
wanted to share with people.”
Jantzi’s Cheese
Open Thursday & Saturday
Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans‘ Market
Dundas Street at Ontario
Jantzi’s Cheese is commited to Customer Satisfaction, offering
a wide range of Artisanal, Domestic and Imported Fine Cheese.
Gordon’s Goat Dairy
Gordon’s Goat Dairy cheeses are available
in 75 stores across Southwestern Ontario,
including Foodies in Grand Bend and Hayter’s
Turkey Farm’s retail shop in Dashwood.
www.gordonsgoatdairy.ca
CHEESEMONGERS
We’re fortunate to have some outstanding
places to buy cheese in our area, including:
Smith Cheese, 130 King Street, Covent Garden Market,
London. More than 350 kinds of imported and domestic
cheese — London’s original and longest-standing cheese
market. Operator Glenda Smith offers both imported and local
cheeses, and lays claim to the largest and best selection of
cheese in Canada.
Continued on page 29 ...
June 1-3, 2012
Picton, Ontario
— in the heart of
Prince Edward County
Order tickets online!
Stratford is more than
great theatre.
“I made a delicious
discovery: Stratford has
a culinary obsession.
And, for me, finding
what I call a ‘food
town’ is a rare and
magnificent thing ...
You’ve got a place that
feeds all the senses.”
— Marion Kane, Food Writer
www.marionkane.com
№ 34
www.eatdrink.ca
| March/April 2012
29
Continued from page 27 ...
CHEESEMONGERS
Milky Whey Cheese Shop, 118 Ontario Street,
Stratford. Store owner and cheese lover Liz Payne
is a bona fide maître fromager. She has a selection
of cheeses from around the world as well as many
artisanal and small-batch cheeses made in Canada.
The Milky Whey strives to support local cheesemakers,
including Monforte and C’estbon. The selection of
cheeses at The Milky Whey varies, depending on
availability and season. www.themilkywhey.ca
Jantzi’s Cheese, Western Fair Farmer’s Market, Dundas
and Ontario, London. Open Thursdays & Saturdays.
Rick Peori has been in the cheese business for
twenty years and carries cheeses from about a dozen
suppliers, including Gunn’s Hill Cheese. He offers some
interesting English and American cheeses, including
Merlot Belle Vitano and a seven-year-old Jensen
cheddar from Simcoe. “People are demanding the best,
and price is not an object — especially if it’s local and
artisanal,” he says. Jantzis-Cheese on Facebook.
The Cheese Poet, Western Fair Farmer’s Market,
Dundas and Ontario, London. Open Thursdays &
Saturdays. London Chef Erin Harris is The Cheese Poet,
a new vendor at the Farmer’s Market specializing in
locally crafted cheeses and charcuterie, with selections
from Ewenity Dairy Co-operative (Best Baa Dairy), Fifth
Town Artisan Cheese Company, Monforte Dairy, and
Niagara Food Specialties. www.thecheesepoet.ca
The Cheese Store, 510 Michigan Ave, Point Edward
(near Sarnia) Newly opened last spring, this shop has
met the needs of caseophiles in Lambton County, who
have greeted it with a strong response. Owned and
operated by Murray Budden and Sue Kingyens, they
also offer unique cooking with cheese classes and are
known to bring in guest celebrity chefs for special
theme events. They truly love cheese and travelled
extensively to cheese shops before opening their own
dream business. www.thecheesestore.ca
Eat. Drink.
Helping you entertain in
style for over 115 years.
The Great Canadian Cheese Festival began last year in
Picton, Ontario. It runs June 1-3, 2012, bringing together
the country’s leading cheesemakers. Cheese lovers can
taste and buy cheese while learning about artisanal,
farmstead and specialty cheeses. www.cheesefestival.ca
JANE ANTONIAK owns several cheese boards and
cheese forks, and is known to favour Thunder Oak Gouda
— an artisan cheese from her hometown of Thunder Bay.
30
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| March/April 2012
farmers & artisans
Bakers of Substance
Downie Street Bakehouse
By DAVID HICKS
“ W
e used to call this one
‘Dracula’s Demise’ for the
cross-pattern in the crust and
the half-bulb of garlic we put
in every loaf.” Alan Mailloux points to a basket
of his bread on display at the weekly Stratford
Slow Food Market. Wisely, he and his wife
Barb McMahon now flag it the more prosaic
Roasted Garlic & Grana Padano Cheese.
It’s one of a baker’s dozen of distinctive
breads coming out of the ovens at Downie
Street Bakehouse that mark Mailloux and
McMahon’s welcome return to the artisanal
bread business after a three-year hiatus. And
the locals are smiling. “We were ready to get
back into the game for a while,” says McMahon
of their south-of-the-tracks location on one of
Stratford’s main streets. “It just took until last
summer to find affordable space.”
They were off and kneading by August,
and the Stratford creative cabal kicked into
gear. “The first week in our space, [designer
and illustrator] Scott McKowen burst
through the door saying how glad he was
to see us and asking if he could design our
identity — I think mostly so he could do the
sign out front,” Alan says with a smile. “He
was so excited, how could we say no?”
Bread lovers are happy to see Alan Mailloux and Barb
McMahon baking again.
As for the Bakehouse moniker, Mailloux
says, “It just popped into my head, and it
helps put distance between us and pastries
and desserts.”
Local foodies remembered the couple
from their three years at a location in
the nearby village of Sebringville and
their presence at local markets. “We
were blessed with loyal customers who
were happy to see us back at Savour
Stratford [Culinary Festival] and the
Garlic Festival, so we were off to a great
start,” Mailloux says. [Editor’s Note: Downie
Street Bakehouse is also a big draw at London’s Western
Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market on Saturdays.]
KNEADFUL CHANGE
[L to R] Walnut Sourdough, Roasted
Garlic & Grana Padano Cheese, and
Mini Me Miche.
Dissatisfaction drove Alan and Barb from
Windsor in 1990 to attend the Stratford
Chefs School. “After an empty corporate
job, the immediacy of the interaction
with food and customers was addictive,”
№ 34
| March/April 2012
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31
says Mailloux. “I didn’t set out to be a baker,
variety. In addition to the aforementioned,
but after the School we ran a B&B for eight
his breads sport engaging names: Holy Moly
whole wheat with buttermilk and honey, 12
years and found that baking for our guests
Grainy Goodness, Aunt Cora’s Sunflower &
was one of the best parts of the experience.”
He credits Montreal baker James McGwire Bran (the sunflower seeds are in the loaf,
not just on top) and
for the satisfaction he
Plain-Not-Boring White.
found in subsequent
STORAGE TIPS
Sour Cherry Chocolate
advanced bread-making
Sourdough made with
classes at the Chefs
Alan offers some tips for getting the
Michigan sour cherries
School. “He changed
most value from specialty bread:
and Belgian chocolate
the way I do baguettes
• North Americans love the soft texture
was an occasional item
and French country
and yeasty flavour of fresh-baked
but demand has pushed
loaf by working with
bread; but Europeans actually favour
for every weekend —
time and temperature,”
the firmer texture and grain flavours
any left over goes into
he says. “For instance,
that emerge one to three days later.
their Bread & Butter
making my baguette
• I just keep ours on the counter, sliced
Pudding, which “we sell
dough the day before and
end down.
by the panful.”
refrigerating it overnight.
• Put it in a paper bag if you like — a
Other specialty loaves
Bread is just flour, water,
wooden box is better. It should keep
are a potato and black
salt and yeast, but you
four or five days.
currant bread dubbed
can make dramatic
• But please, not in plastic — trapped
Irish Freckle; Mini Me
changes to your bread
moisture softens the crust, and the
Miche whole wheat
by working with time
bread can’t breathe and will go
sourdough, with its
and temperature. Now
moldy.
attractive crust patterns
I can look at someone’s
from resting in baskets;
bread and know they
• And NOT in the fridge — the cold
crystalizes the enzymes and it’ll go
Walnut Sourdough,
have a problem holding
stale faster.
with walnuts, added
temperature in their
in the last two minutes
oven, or something else
• Freezing does the same, only worse,
of kneading, that tint
they could do differently
while both chilling and thawing.
the inside of the loaf
for better results.”
purple; Cinnamon
In terms of preferred
Walnut Raisin (great for French toast); and
ingredients, Mailloux uses Parrish &
Heimbecker hard wheat flours from western Mediterranean Sunshine focaccia with black
kalamata olives and oregano.
Canada, distributed through New Life
“We also started Bread Club subscriptions
Mills in Hanover, Ontario. “Those prairie
winters give western wheat its bread-baking and Club events that include special loaves,”
says Barb, “like the Christmas party that
qualities, whereas Ontario varieties are soft
featured our Twist & Shout loaves, with either
and better for pastries.”
walnut and Stilton or hazelnut and chocolate.”
In these days of factory baking and anticarbism, one takes encouragement in the
Downie Street Bakehouse
rising popularity of characterful artisanal
breads, despite the higher prices. “When you 388a Downie Street, Stratford
519-274-0191
eat bread with flavour, you actually eat less,
which offsets both the price and the calories,” facebook.com/DownieStreetBakeHouse
Mailloux contends. “It has more substance,
Store hours:
more protein, more flavours, so there’s
Thursday 10–4; Friday 9–7; Saturday 8–4
more of an experience. You have to eat more
Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans Market:
slices of mass-produced commercial bread
Saturday 8–3
to satisfy hunger. “And sourdough bread is
Stratford Slow Food Market:
Sunday 10–2
actually better for diabetics because it breaks
down more slowly.”
BAKEHOUSE DOZEN
Mailloux is carefully scaling up his production, but he certainly hasn’t held back on
DAVID HICKS is a Stratford writer and marketing consultant.
You can reach him at david@pensario.ca.
32
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№ 34
| March/April 2012
travel
Credit Those Crazy Canucks
Southeast Texas Offers Tasty Treats
By JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON
I
t’s a long way from the east
coast of Canada to the shores
of the Gulf Coast, but the
flavours of southeast Texas
reflect nuances of this country’s
Maritime region. Most people think
of Cajun culture as being centered
on New Orleans, but it also spread to
southeast Texas when those intrepid
folks sought better futures for their
families and forsook flooded bayous
for the promise of oil industry jobs in
the early part of the 20th century.
Cajun comes from the term
Eating on the deck at Peggy’s on the Bayou
Acadian, French-speaking people
expelled from Nova Scotia and
personal favourite, boiled crawfish.
New Brunswick in the mid-1700s by the
My first encounter with this tasty dish came
British. They flocked to Louisiana, which
several years ago on a visit to Beaumont,
was controlled by France at the time, and
Texas. Crawfish are miniature freshwater
incorporated the plentiful seafood and
African spices into their cooking, coming up lobsters. Some are caught wild in the bayous,
but most are raised by rice farmers as a second
with wonderful dishes like shrimp étouffée,
boudain (sausage stuffed with rice), and my crop in their flooded fields. Flat-bottomed
boats harvest them, usually starting in late
January or early February. The season often
lasts through June and into July.
The crawfish — or ‘mudbugs,’ as area
natives call them — are boiled live, like lobster,
in a spicy broth made with dried pepper mix,
garlic, ground ginger, black pepper, mustard
seed, and a bunch of other mysterious
ingredients. Sometimes corn on the cob,
mushrooms or potatoes are thrown in.
My favourite Gulf Coast-area restaurants
all serve crawfish in a galvanized platter
in the centre of the table, with a bucket to
dispose of the heads, plenty of paper towels,
and some icy cold beer alongside.
Floyd’s Cajun Seafood and Steakhouse
in Beaumont isn’t fancy, but customers eat
like kings. Start with a dozen oysters on the
half shell, fresh from the gulf. No premade
cocktail sauce is offered; the wait staff brings
Harvesting crawfish
horseradish, ketchup, lemons and Tabasco,
№ 34
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2 for 1 CRUISE FARES
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MIAMI TO MIAMI
1,799
Oceania Cruises Presentation
THE WORLD OF OCEANIA CRUISES
Tuesday, April 17, 2012 | Idlewyld Inn – 7:30pm
PLEASE RSVP – 519-913-1933
AS SPACE IS LIMITED
*Offers expire March 31, 2012. All advertised fares, offers and any applicable shipboard credits, upgrades or special amenities shown are per person based on double occupancy unless otherwise
indicated, are subject to availability at time of booking, may not be combinable with other offers, are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn without prior notice or remain in effect after the
expiration date. All fares listed are in U.S. dollars, per person, based on double occupancy and include Non-Commissionable Fares. Cruise-related Government Fees and Taxes of up to $19.50 per
guest per day are additional. For itineraries shown with multiple departures, sailing prices may vary and any “Fares From” pricing is based on Category G unless otherwise indicated. Single rates
and rates for 3rd and 4th guests are available upon request; call for details. Cruise Ship Fuel Surcharge may apply and, if applicable, is additional revenue to Oceania Cruises. 2 for 1, Early Booking
Savings, Back to Back and Special Offer fares are based on published Full Brochure Fares. Full Brochure Fares may not have resulted in actual sales in all cabin categories, may not have been in effect
during the last 90 days and do not include Personal Charges and Optional Facilities and Services Fees as defined in the Terms and Conditions of the Guest Ticket Contract which may be viewed at
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Primary Air Gateways: ATL, BOS, ORD, DEN, DFW, EWR, IAH, LAX, MIA, IAD, JFK, MCO, PHL, PHX, SAN, SEA, SFO, TPA, YUL, YYC, YYZ, YVR. Airfare is available from all other U.S. & Canadian gateways
at an additional charge. Any advertised fares that include the “Free Airfare” promotion include airline fees, surcharges and government taxes. Some airline-imposed personal charges, including
but not limited to baggage, priority boarding and special seating, may apply. Oceania Cruises reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares, fees and surcharges
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34
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
and everyone
You can’t go to Texas and not eat their
mixes to taste,
famous barbecue — and we’re not talking
right at the table. simply about grilled meat, but real moist,
Crawfish is
tender, melt-in-your-mouth barbecued
ordered by the
pork, beef and chicken, slow-cooked over
pound. Our
coals and smoked to perfection. Every town
table of three
in east Texas has little hole-in-the-wall bargenerally gets
becue places, each with a smoker out front
about five
emitting clouds of delicious-smelling hardpounds. Pop
wood smoke.
them out of the
In Vidor, the Barbecue Depot’s smoker
shells one by
is locomotive-shaped and turns out the
one until juice
most tender brisket I’ve ever experienced.
runs down
Using aged apple wood, Alice Parrot smokes
your arms, and
hundreds of pounds of meat each week. A
a slug of beer
daily special makes eating lunch there as
squelches the
economical as it is tasty.
heat. What a satisfying combination.
The town of Beaumont features an amazIf you have room — and that’s questioning barbecue place called Tony’s Barbecue
able — pecan pie is a regional specialty and
and Steakhouse. It might sound Italian, but
favourite.
Tony’s is all Texas, featuring pulled pork and
Peggy’s on
a variety of other smoky meats served by the
the Bayou in
pound. Savoury sides include baked corn
Orange has an
casserole, baked beans and dirty rice.
outdoor eating
When in southeast Texas, a visit to the
area for the full
coast is a must. The Gulf of Mexico is a corexperience of
nucopia of goodness, and shrimp will never
dining alfresco
taste the same to you once you’ve experioverlooking the enced eating it the same day it’s caught.
marshy wetIn Galveston, we frequent several places
lands, home of
along Seawall Boulevard. Gazing at the
these crawfish.
sparkling waters of the Gulf while eating
After all the
amazing Tex-Mex made from the freshest
juicy goodingredients at The Tortuga, and devouring a
ness has been
few of the best-ever margaritas, is a perensucked out of
nial favourite.
Larry Judice and crawfish
the crawfish tail,
Surviving hurricanes since 1911, Gaido’s
at Larry’s French Market
just toss it into
Seafood Restaurant lays on the southern
the water — the charm with white tablecloths and soft-spogators will appreciate it!
ken waiters. Ordering the oyster combinaLarry’s French Market in Groves is
another area favourite, so definitely
Cajun band and dancers at Larry’s
call ahead for reservations. The staff at
this big place boils up 3,500 to 4,000
pounds of crawfish each week. It is as
authentic as they come, because Larry’s grandparents were some of those
hardworking Cajuns who immigrated
from Louisiana in the 1930s. It has a
full Cajun cuisine buffet, complete
with soft-shell crab, gumbo, boudain,
and dirty rice (rice mixed with beans
and spices). Couples whirl around
a large dance floor to the sounds of
bands playing Zydeco and southern
rock on weekends.
Willy shucking
oysters at Clyde’s
№ 34
| March/April 2012
tion platter allowed us to try these wonderful
bivalves six different ways. As a mollusk
maniac, I was in heaven.
To kick back and enjoy watching the
ocean-going vessels cruise into the
Galveston harbor on their way to the busy
Port of Houston, perch on the porch at
The Spot. A rambling building with several
open-air decks provides a great place to
people-watch the folks on the beach or those
cruising the boulevard.
Order up a Texas special called a “dressed
beer” — a Dos Equis with the bottle’s neck
rolled in kosher salt and a lime stuck in its
mouth.
With no scarcity of fun activities and sightseeing opportunities — beaches, botanical
gardens, museums, amusement parks, water
parks and lots more — you’ll be able to work
up an appetite to try all the great cuisine
of southeast Texas that’ll keep y’all coming
back again and again.
JILL ELLIS-WORTHINGTON is a freelance writer
and chief communicator for Write.On Communication Services
International (www.writedoton.com)..
Buy One Entrée
Get One FREE.
1737 Richmond St. (at Fanshawe Park Rd)
519-433-4888 www.maxwellmccoyseatery.ca
2 beverage purchase required. Maximum value of $15. Cannot be used with any other offer or promotion.
Free entrée must be equal or lesser value of purchased entrée. Limit 1 coupon per table. Expires: Aug. 31/12.
“Reasonably priced,
fresh, well-executed
Ethiopian cuisine ...”
— Bryan Lavery, eatdrink magazine
Vegetarian Options • Takeout • Catering
36
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
The BUZZ ... new and notable
S
ome of our farmers’ markets are open year-round.
Others are getting ready for the new season. Market
listings, events information, and more at www.
farmersmarketsontario.com.
Looking for March Break activities? Check out area farms.
Many offer tours or special March break events. And don’t
forget your local sugarbush!
Londoners for Afghanistan’s Women (LAW) was formed
in 2000 by two Londoners to help out the women in Afghanistan. All funds raised (through catering meals, educational
presentations, community events and cookbook sales) go
through CARE CANADA to support programs that benefit
women and children in Afghanistan. Until April 8 at Museum
London, there is an exhibit of War Rugs from Afghanistan.
Visit the display, and pick up the LAW cookbook. Discover a
new cuisine and enjoy the flavours of Afghan cooking.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Carousel Room at the
Western Fair District. Green Beer, Irish Cheer and Live Music
by The Mighty MacGowens. March 17, 2012.
Huron House, a much-loved eatery at Huron and Highbury
in northeast London, is gearing up to celebrate its 50th
anniversary. Its former dining room (now Dancing Greek
Taverna) has been completely renovated and now also
offers authentic Greek Mediterranean dishes. The restaurant
was opened by Jimmy Agathos in March 1963. Still owned
by the Agathos family, the restaurant is now run by Jimmy’s
grandson Zack, daughter Effie, and her husband Chris.
519-451-1420
Longtime London restaurateurs Dino and Bob DiFruscia have
opened Dolcetto Ristorante, a new Italian restaurant, at 3020
Colonel Talbot Road (at Southdale). With Chef Julie Cadogan
leading 15 culinary staff, the open kitchen pipes out fresh Italian
specialities including salume and formaggi boards featuring
artisan meats, cheeses and condiments from local companies
such as Metzger Meats, C’estbon Cheese and Caraffa
Olives. Fresh pizza dough and breads are made downtown
at the mother restaurant, Bertoldi’s, and brought daily to
Dolcetto. A Nano Wall, which folds away to completely open the
restaurant to the outdoors in season, will lead to an impressive
patio. The wine list is all Italian. www.dolcettoristo.com
Abruzzi is Chef Dave Lamers’ and Rob D’Amico’s
contemporary gourmet Italian-inspired King Street hot spot
serving traditional regional specialties. Chef Lamers uses only
quality ingredients combined with fresh, simple, seasonal
ideas that are executed with Italian methods and techniques.
The restaurant has achieved near-cult status from local
Italophiles, and has an outstanding wine list. www.abruzzi.ca
Rob Taylor and Chef Kristain Crossen of Braise Food &
Wine are excited to launch a new RAW BAR lounge menu
that features fresh oysters shucked to order at the bar, and
numerous other small plates of fresh Canadian seafood for
sampling and sharing. The restaurant has recently expanded
its wine list to offer over 30 great wines by the glass, dozens
of wines scoring 90 points or more, with lots of exceptional
value wines ($36 or less per bottle). www.braise.ca
Kantina owner Miljan Karac and Chef Danijel Markovic
reinterpret classic Serbian-inspired cuisine with plenty of
skill, expertise, and locally-sourced ingredients in their chic
downtown London restaurant. This is a scratch kitchen, and
all items are made in-house and by hand. The menus are
thoughtful and exciting riffs on an iconic indigenous cuisine
imbued with modern farm-to-table ideals. www.kantina.ca
The Springs is London’s newest gourmet refuge on Springbank
Drive, under the creative genius and culinary guidance of Chef
Andrew Wolwowicz and local entrepreneurs/restaurateurs Tim
and Laura Owen. Rave reviews continue to pour in about Wolwowicz’s interesting menus, listing dishes crafted from local, regional
and seasonal ingredients. www.thespringsrestaurant.com
The Onyx Supper Club is the latest big-ticket entry in Downtown London’s dining scene. Robert and Klaudia Lakatos
have created “a unique dining experience.” The Lakatos are
collaborating with Executive Chef/Culinary Consultant Bryan
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Lavery to oversee the cuisine and unique business model. The
dynamic chef team includes chefs Alicia Hartley and Scott
Leger. Prepared in-house from scratch, the menu combines
International classics with a modern Hungarian twist.
Robert oversees the ultra-modern dining room with righthand man-about-town Matthew McKenzie,a longtime
employee of Waldo’s on King, with a recent stint at the Marienbad. Tony Cabral runs the bar/lounge, which repurposes into a
sophisticated after-dinner nightclub. The expertise of Klaudia’s
mother, Katalin, is evident in the sleekly designed stylish
interior. Dustin Kiefer and Matthew Bielmann, co-owners
of Liquid Entertainment, bring a contemporary Vegas sensibility to the bar scene with their talents as “Flair” bartenders.
The nightclub will host live entertainment, such as jazz and
salsa nights. At 135 Carling St., next to the Gibson Gallery,
the space combines two dining levels, a lounge area with a DJ
booth, private rooms, and a late-night dance floor. This is the
perfect event space for private functions. www.onyxlounge.ca
The Braywick Bistro and Winebar has earned a reputation
for its take on reinterpreting iconic international specialties with
a contemporary twist. New owners Annisa and Barry Foley,
formerly of the Carolinian Winery, bring a fresh sensibility
to the business while The Braywick’s stylish, serene, gently lit
interior continues to provide a welcoming oasis for a business
lunch or intimate dinner with friends. www.braywickbistro.ca
Long Phan and sister Chefs Quynh and Nhi have reopened
Tamarine after a month-long trip to Vietnam. Tamarine
is the sister restaurant of the very popular Quynh Nhi on
Wharncliffe Road. Long reports that their trip has further
deepened their insights into both traditional and contemporary approaches to classic Vietnamese cuisine, so expect to see
some interesting additions to Tamarine’s menu in the upcoming months. www.tamarine.ca
Garlic’s of London could be the prototype for the ethical
modern Ontario restaurant. Celebrating culinary regionalism
and the unique idiosyncratic characteristics of our terroir, the
restaurant understands that the “local food” movement is not
a trend, but a transformation in the collective mindset of communities across Ontario. Proponents of farm-to-table cuisine,
owner Edo Pehilji, manager Emma Pratt, and Chefs Joshua
Fevens and Chad Stewart offer intelligent and ethically
informed menu choices. www.garlicsoflondon.com
Marvin Riva continues to pack patrons into his new LatinAmerican-inspired Che Restobar on Dundas Street. Named for
the famous revolutionary Che Guevara, the restaurant features
exposed brick walls, a granite bar, massive light fixtures, and
authentic Latin American fare prepared by Chef German Nunes,
a native of Peru. The tuna ceviche continues to be one of the best
appetizers in the city. Main courses include roast pork adoba,
seafood paella, and chimichurri ribeye steak. www.cherestobar.ca
Robbin Azzopardi has joined the Auberge du Petit Prince
as general manager. (See Bryan Lavery’s article on Nicole
Arroyas in this issue of eatdrink.) www.aubergerestaurant.ca
Your love of all things Italian begins at
38
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
A Taste For Life is the premier dining event and fundraiser
for the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection. Participating restaurants commit to donating 25% of their gross revenue from
the evening in support of its many free programs and services. Wednesday, April 25; www.hivaidsconnection.ca.
Agnes and Miki Hambalek, popular vendors at the Western
Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market, opened a second store
at 1286 Jalna Blvd just before Christmas. The Taste of Hungary
features a deli, takeout, and sumptuous food specialties. Agnes,
a professional baker, pastry chef and caterer, makes authentic
cabbage rolls, goulash and paprikash, as well as made-fromscratch cakes, cookies, and several varieties of traditional
home-made strudels, and she’s known for her Dobos Torte. Miki
is well-known for his popular, all-natural, no-filler sausages,
bacon, and other delicious meat products. The boutique store
has a wide array of hard-to-find Hungarian and European food
items, such as jams, spices, condiments and soups.
Chef Erin Harris, proprietor of The Cheese Poet, will be selling
Artisan Cheese and charcuterie at the Western Fair Farmers’ and
Artisans’ Market. Among her selections are: Monforte Dairy, Fifth
Town and Ewenity Dairy. www.facebook.com/TheCheesePoet
Luis Rivas, the Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market
operations manager, is a long-time vendor committed to
providing the authentic flavours of both Mexican and El
Salvadorian cuisines. Rivas also opened the popular True Taco
310 Springbank Drive, London
| March/April 2012
restaurant in Old East Village, after perfecting his business
model and building a loyal clientele at the Market. True Taco
facilitates miniature gastro fiestas with a traditional menu of
family-style recipes. Specialties of the house, tacos ($2.50 each)
are prepared with a choice of chorizo, pastor, beef barbacoa,
or beef tongue, and a selection of homemade sauces. They
also offer a spectacular all-day breakfast of huevos rancheros
($6.95). Other favourites include the delicious pupusas made by
the sublime Elsa Garca. www.truetaco.com
Luis Rivas and Dave Cook have been the driving force behind
the expansion of Habitual Chocolate (www.habitualchocolate.
com) at the Western Fair Farmers’ Market. Cook’s businesses have
a social mission and tap into the trend of revolutionizing retail —
the growing number of people committed to sourcing quality,
ethical, healthy food, and concerned about where it comes from.
Cook, also proprietor of The Fire Roasted Coffee Company
(www.fireroastedcoffee.com) and the Market, continues the
weekly tradition of Saturday Market Days.
Cafe Sentral at 117 Dundas St. offers a variety of fresh-fruit
bubble teas, smoothies, savoury crêpes, dessert crêpes and
waffles, all made from fresh ingredients all day, every day. The
open kitchen lets you see the crêpes being prepared from across
the restaurant — or across the street. Café Sentral vows to really
“wow” their customers with both takeout and dine-in options,
comfortable seats, and fast Wi-Fi, and at Dundas and Talbot is an
ideal student venue. www.cafesentral.com
(between Wharncliffe & Wonderland)
Open Monday–Thursday for lunch & dinner until 10 PM.
Open Friday & Saturday for lunch & dinner until 1AM. Closed Sundays.
Owners Tim & Laura Owen
and Chef Andrew Wolwowicz
519.657.1100
www.thespringsrestaurant.com
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Formed in the summer of 2010, Ontario South Coast Wines
(OSCW) has brought together more than a dozen wineries
and vineyards in five counties along the north shore of Lake
Erie, including Middlesex County. Its mandate is to “cultivate a
distinct and vibrant wine region” in the area. More concretely, it
hopes to achieve the official status of Designated Viticulture
Area (DVA), known more widely as VQA. “We’re getting close to
100 acres,” says Judy Buck, general administrator of OSCW. “We
are working hard to organize existing wineries and vineyards to
join the organization so we can get the VQA designation.”
Quai du Vin Estate Winery near St. Thomas continues their
popular monthly Winemaker’s Dinner Series on March 24
and April 28. www.quaiduvin.com
“... A TRULY SUPERB AND
INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCE.”
“CHEF IS NOT ONLY
TALENTED BUT COOKING
SOME OF THE MOST
DELICIOUS FOOD
IN THE CITY.”
Photos by Robert Miedema Photography, London
Bonnie Preece recently purchased Carolinian Winery and
one of the first things she did was join OSCW. The Carolinian
Winery sells traditional grape wine, and makes wines from
blueberries, strawberries, black currants, and other berries
on site. “We’re planning to start using blackberries this year,”
she says. “We also make a lot of blended wine, such as black
currant and Merlot. They’re very popular.” Everything on
the vineyard is organic, so customers come to buy organic
fruit and wine year-round — and also to eat at the popular
restaurant. Preece and Chef Dave McMurray have been
working hard this winter on renovations to the restaurant and
recreating the menu. The plan is to reopen the restaurant in
early March. www.carolinianwinery.ca
SPECIAL
DELIVERY
3 Course Meal
$29
Book your Meeting
in our
Semi-Private
Dining Room
and have an
Exceptional Dinner!
JOIN US FOR
FFET!
SUNDAY BU
?
40
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
Lo Maximo Meats is an offshoot of Spence Farms, a fifthgeneration family farm located in Chatham-Kent. Paul and Sara
Spence have combined their lives into this creative culinary and
agri-tourism business, offering traditionally-raised beef, pork,
chicken, and eggs with a Latin American twist. Immigrating to
Canada four years ago from Ecuador, Sara’s cultural background
adds a unique perspective to their properly aged, hormone- and
steroid-free, flash-frozen meat products. Sold at regional Farmers’
Markets, they offer Latin American cuts such as tongue, oxtail,
sweetbread, and chicharron, as well as North American favourites,
including tenderloin, sirloin, and T-bone steaks. In 2012, they will
be featuring other culturally-unique products, such as goat meat
Local Country Honey & Maple Syrup
Handmade
EASTER
Chocolates
205 Main Street, Port Stanley OPEN: 11am−5pm
519-782-3006 www.telegraphhouse.com
| March/April 2012
and quail eggs, all grown and raised right on the farm. In addition,
the Spences will offer exclusive imported products, including
chocolate, coffee, jams, and cooking sauces, all from fair trade and
organic family farms in Ecuador.
Paul and Sara have also been hard at work developing
“Experience Casa Latina,” a Latin-style BBQ served in a parrilla
style (all-meat meal). In conjunction with a farm tour, meat
workshop, and an intro to salsa dancing, the meal is served in
a late-1800s cozy one-room schoolhouse. The “experiences” are
scheduled once a month, or can be independently reserved for
groups or special events, and is a great idea for an educational,
farm-themed children’s birthday party. 519-365-9791
The Old East Village (OEV) is one of the oldest and most
culturally-rich neighbourhoods in London. However, since the
mid-1980s, OEV has experienced a downward spiral of commercial, economic and social disadvantage. The OEV Business
Improvement Association and partners are currently working
on a Local Economic Development Plan: From Food Desert
to Food District: Local Economic Development Planning
for the Revitalization of London’s Old East Village. In
2008, a study co-authored by Dr. Jason Gilliland of Western
University identified the Old East Village as a “food desert,” a
socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhood abandoned
by major grocery chains and left without easy access to retailers of healthy, affordable food. However, in a follow-up study,
Gilliland and graduate student Kristian Larsen revealed how
the opening of a farmers’ market in the Old East Village in 2008
greatly improved the variety and price of healthy foods available
in the OEV. Further collaborative research by the OEV BIA and
Western (led by Michael Clark) has also identified how the
farmers’ market has had a considerable economic impact on the
local community. One of the core objectives of the OEV LEDP is
to generate business growth through innovative partnerships
(both local and regional) and “kick-start” projects. Building
upon the measured success of the Western Fair Farmers’ &
Artisans’ Market as a business incubator, one of these projects
will be targeted at an emerging sector in which the community
has a comparative advantage: a local agri-food hub.
Chef Devin Tabor, of Bon Vivant Personal Chef Service
& Catering, is pleased to have been selected to cater
№ 34
| March/April 2012
for General Rick Hillier’s speaking event in Goderich at
the Knights of Columbus Centre, April 18th. For more
information go to www.huronchamber.ca
Join in a tour foraging around Stratford for wild leeks, marsh
marigolds, and other wild edibles along The Avon Trail. March
24. www.pucksplenty.com
We’re sorry to report that Shawn Hartwell closed the doors
on Simple Fish and Chips in January. But you can still
purchase sustainable seafood from Shawn at the Stratford
Slow Food Perth County Sunday Market. Says Shawn,
“Think sustainable, think local, and vote with your wallet!”
Thanks to Dave Lingard, a reader and owner of Stratford’s
Evergreen Terrace, for reminding us the Slow Food Market
has moved. No longer in the charming Anything Grows,
it has found a larger home at the Stratford Brewing
Company’s new location (114 Erie Street at St. Patrick) and is
open Sundays from 10–2.
Tango is undergoing renovations and will re-open as a fullservice bistro and lounge in mid-April. Tango gift certificates
will be welcome at Fellini’s and at the new Mercer Bistro.
www.mercerhallinn.com.
Stratford Chefs School March Break Culinary Camp for
Kids provides high school students the chance to learn about
food and cooking at the Stratford Chefs School. Instructors
and alumni guide students through recipes selected from
the curriculum. Monday, March 12 to Friday, March 16. www.
stratfordchef.com
McCully’s Hill Farm is offering a March break program that
includes nature play, outdoor skills, farm fun, and maple syrup
activities of all kinds. March 12–16. www.mccullys.ca
Woolfy’s at Wildwood is the little restaurant that could. Woolfy’s lets the seasons dictate their menus. Chris and Mary Woolf
have supported local farmers, artisans, and sustainable and
organic producers for 18 years and continue to celebrate all of
their achievements. Woolfy’s also continues to evolve. This year
the business will become Woolfy’s Restaurant and Little
Red Café. Woolfy’s will have two rooms — fine dining in the
main room and a moderately priced, simple-food concept with
tables stripped down in the back. Both will now be open five
lunches per week (including Saturday lunches). The restaurant
sits in an unlikely spot on Highway 7# Perth Road at #118, on the
outskirts of St. Marys. www.woolfys.com
To better spread “The Buzz,” eatdrink is now at facebook.
com/eatdrinkmag and twitter.com/eatdrinkmag. Let us
help you get the word out about your business too. We’ll be
retweeting, posting to our Facebook page, and printing all the
news we can fit in this space. Let’s get better connected!
Our readers want to know, so send us info about
culinary events, fundraisers, and regional news. With
BUZZ in the Subject line, send to: editor@eatdrink.ca.
Serving Lunch
and Dinner
Winter Hours
Wednesday to Saturday
NEW!
Bistro Sunday
Reservations
Recommended
EASTER BRUNCH
April 8th, 1 Sitting, 12 noon
Phone for Reservations
519.238.6224
42 Ontario St. S.,
Grand Bend
42
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
culinary retail
“A Feast of Kitchen Essentials”
at Jill’s Table in London
By KYM WOLFE
J
ill Wilcox has always enjoyed both
cooking and writing about food, but
the seeds for her retail store, Jill’s Table,
really took root at a food conference
she attended in Italy in 1995. “That really
influenced my outlook on food, and it was a
springboard to starting a business,” she says.
Wilcox opened her specialty kitchen shop
in the Covent Garden Market in 1999, and
her Italian experience led her to infuse Jill’s
Table with a Mediterranean feel. Since then,
she has moved and expanded her offerings,
but the Mediterranean influence lingers, and
the foods and products she carries continue
to be primarily Italian, Spanish and French.
However, she also makes a point of carrying specialty Canadian items, from cheese to
caviar, which are easily identified by Canadian
flags throughout the store. And while those
flagged goods come from across the country,
many are produced close to home. “We were
huge advocates of eating local long before it
became widely promoted,” Wilcox says.
From the beginning, Wilcox has defined
her business as “a feast of kitchen essentials,”
although in the early years product selection
was somewhat limited by her small space.
That changed dramatically when Ann McColl
gave her a heads-up that her nearby kitchen
shop would soon be vacant. Wilcox took over
the more than 500-square-foot space on King
Street in 2002 — a move that she describes as
“very scary — there was lots of space to fill!”
And fill it she did, while maintaining her
focus on hard-to-find ingredients, specialty
foods, and quality kitchenware. Over the years,
Wilcox has introduced a number of new items
to the London market. For example, she says,
“We were the first to bring Serrano ham to
Southwestern Ontario, and we started carrying
smoked paprika twelve years ago.”
The new and unique continue to pop up
on the shelves at Jill’s Table, from chocolate
balsamic vinegar to small baking tins that
are used to make individual French canelé
pastries. Wilcox explains, “We like to be on
the leading edge of food trends. I often visit
places like New York City and California, and
Jill Wilcox at the counter of her bustling retail store
№ 34
| March/April 2012
I pay attention to foods that are trending.”
It is the food that brings people in, says
Wilcox. She carries a large selection of olive,
pumpkin seed, walnut, macadamia nut and
avocado oils; tarragon, raspberry, cassis, pomegranate, white balsamic and champagne vinegars; truffles and specialty mushroom products;
a growing spice section with Spanish saffron,
French sea salt and espelette pepper, cooking
A N D
L O U N G E
Chocolate Fondue $7.99 per person!
Great for Private Parties and groups of up to 30 people
Easter
Eggs!
OPEN DAILY for hot beverages.
Large selection of FORRAT’S CHOCOLATES
and serving LONDON ICE CREAM
Small baking tins for making individual French canelé
pastries are among new items Wilcox is carrying this year.
1304 Commissioners Rd W
(in JJ’s Bistro Plaza, Byron)
LLCB
www.forratschocolates.ca
519-204-7904
“Everyone deserves to have their cupcake and eat it too!!”
NOW
OPEN!
ning
Grand OpeTION!
CELEBR
A
11am-6pm
March 31st
in the cafe
Everything 1!
is only $
• A wide variety of allergy-friendly delectable treats
• Party Packages for children' birthday parties, bridal & baby showers and corporate meetings.
• Home Party Packages for a fun, unique and stress-free Girls Night Out!
Come to the cafe, where we provide private Scentsy Candles, Wrap It Away with It Works, and
Under the Moon home parties at no extra cost to the hostess! No cleaning, no prepping, fun sweets and drinks for your guests!
1035 Gainsborough Rd., London 519-681-0196 www.twodivasandacupcake.com
44
www.eatdrink.ca
Specialty Canadian items, from cheese to caviar, are easily
identified by Canadian flags throughout the store.
lavender and red Hawaiian salt; and a feast of
other unusual and tantalizing foodstuffs.
Aside from food, the shop also carries
a mix of tools, table/cook/bakeware, and
other kitchen essentials that appeal to a wide
demographic, from dabblers to die-hard
foodies. The popularity of television food
shows has translated into an expanded client
base, says Wilcox.
“We are seeing a growing younger ‘foodie’
customer, some students, and even some
really young teens who are interested in the
Food Network. The boomers are starting to
retire, and the men in particular are heading
to the kitchen.”
Just as the kitchen is the heart of the home,
the cooking area is the heart of Jill’s Table. “I
love putting something on the stove and filling the store with good smells,” she says. “I
also test recipes for my food column here.”
On occasion, you might also find her testing recipes for her newest cookbook. She has
written four so far, two of which are sold at
the shop: Jill’s Soups (2007) and Jill’s Starters
(2010). Wilcox is not exactly sure of the content for her next cookbook and will only say
that it will be published in 2013, it will be very
user-friendly, and it will likely be her last one.
Wilcox recently hired food specialist Molly
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Laurence to help with food ordering, sampling, and the seasonal cooking classes that
are offered on-site. Classes run two to three
nights a week from the end of March to the
end of June, and in October, November, January and February. Many have themes like
vegetarian, pie-making, cooking with wine,
gluten-free, or guys night out; others are geographically defined like We Love Latin, Taste
of Sicily, or Canadian Holiday menu; and for
others, the draw is the chef, from well-known
locals like Chris Squire and David Chapman to
special guests like Denis Cotter of Café Paradiso in Cork, Ireland, and Canadian food icons
Rose Murray and Emily Richards. Wilcox also
teaches some of the classes herself.
While Jill’s Table is divided into distinct
areas — foods, cookware, tableware, spices,
cookbooks, knives, tools of the trade, linens,
the kitchen area — it all flows together in a
visually appealing manner without feeling
crowded or cluttered. Wilcox says her arts
background has definitely benefited her in
this business, from creating the store atmosphere to food styling (she went through the
Beal art program and has a B.A. in fine arts
from Western).
But product mix and presentation are not
enough to maintain a loyal customer base,
says Wilcox. “Our customer service and
product knowledge are incredibly important.
Everything we sell has been well-researched,
and we’ve used it or tasted it ourselves.”
Another thing that Wilcox deems to be
incredibly important is community involvement. She has volunteered time, money
and product to various organizations over
the years, and is currently establishing a
charitable foundation that will focus on the
welfare of women and children, and on food
education and food security.
In the end, Wilcox has fashioned Jill’s Table
as a mix of ingredients, all related to food. The
proof of her success is, as they say, in the pudding: this year Jill’s Table was named by the
London Chamber of Commerce as a finalist
for the Business Achievement Awards’ Business of the Year (Small Category).
Jill’s Table
115 King Street, London
519-645-1335
www.jillstable.ca
KYM WOLFE is a freelance writer based in London.
№ 34
www.eatdrink.ca
| March/April 2012
45
BEER MATTERS
beer
matters
Danke Schön, Dunkel
Here’s to Lager’s Great Granduncle
By THE MALT MONK
A
s I pen this article,
winter rages on outside.
Empty bistro patios are
coated in ice. The spring
releases are still bubbling away
in the fermenters and as far off as
spring sunshine. Sitting here in
front of the fire with a fine old ale,
at a ski-country lodge, it’s a cozy
meditative idyll — and a time for
reflection.
The history of the brewing arts
is long and venerable. The brewer’s craft has
shaped the culture and embodied the terroir
of the regions that sired them, and those
artisanal brews of antiquity have influenced
brewing and beer today. Whenever I peer back
into the obscure alchemy of proto-brewing,
there is always one common historic brewing
fact — early European beer was dark in colour.
It was also heartier and sweeter and would
often replace a meal, as well as accompany
one. Medieval Europe underwent a long cold
period which made growing wine grapes hard
or impractical, and consequently barley- and
wheat-based beer became the beverage of all
classes in northern Europe. This robust protobeer was food, drink and pleasure combined,
for lord, monk and serf alike — and it was dark.
This is the heritage of modern brewing.
Bavarian Dunkelbier
Emerges as a Distinct Style
The cradle of malt-based beer
brewing in continental Europe
was Germany, and Bavaria is its
very heart. Records inform us of
Bavarian monastic malt-based
brewing as early as the 6th
century, and commercial brewing
in the region was established
centuries before the crusades.
The historic brews of Bavaria
were dark or “Dunkel,” a result of
primitive malting science, which
scorched and caramelized the
malted grain, making the beer
a dark brown and giving it a
light caramel sweetness. Over
time, the beer became known
simply as “München Dunkel”
— meaning “Munich Dark”
(Munich or “München” means
“Monks”— alluding to the
origin of the city and its brewing
industry). The cry for “Dunkel”
was heard at taverns, fest tents,
and biergartens across Germany for centuries.
As the 18th century approached, Dark Munich
beer became a bottom-fermented and lagered
beer, making it even more popular.
Dunkel — The World’s First
Codified True Beer
Dunkel is such an antiquated style that
it was the first beer to be standardized
by the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516
(Reinheitsgebot), and is the progenitor of
virtually all lager beer styles made in Germany
(the exception being German ales like Alt,
Kolsch and Weissbier). As malting evolved,
German beers got lighter or darker, but all
share the pedigree of the Dunkel brewing
process. Key to that process and Dunkel’s
wonderful round toasty-caramelbready taste is decoction mashing.
It is a beer that was extremely
popular in Europe as a daily drink
for many generations until
it was challenged by
the modern Munich
“Helles” light gold
lager. Today, Dunkel
is still made primarily
in Bavaria. The
revived micro-brewing
revolution has spread
the popularity of historic
dark German lagers across
Europe and North America.
46
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
Munich Dunkelbier-Style
Characteristics
The colour of Munich Dunkelbier ranges
from a deep reddish-mahogany to a rich
chestnut brown. Dunkel is made primarily
with Munich specialty malts — Munich
dark, dehusked dark, red carafa or crystal
malts, and often a torrified grain for body.
Like most Munich-styled beers, Dunkel
tends to have a malt-forward flavour
profile, with only a gentle spicy-herbal
Hallertau hop accent and low discernible
bitterness. Dunkel is a lager, which
means cold fermenting with specialty
bottom-working yeast and cold aging
(lagering), a process that makes it
silky smooth. Cultured lager yeast
gives it a clean crisp character with a
very subtle nose. Soft water is often
used for a soft, rounded mouthfeel,
but many brands use hard mineral
water, which accents a clean crisp
finish. The process of double or triple
decoction mashing gives Dunkel a
distinctive “near” sweetness (malty
tending toward sweetness but not
sweet per se) and enhances the toffeechocolate-nutty-fresh-baked bread
tones. The alcohol level by volume of a
typical Dunkel is between 4.8% and 5.6%, so
it’s a suitable beer for meal accompaniment,
and a satisfying thirst-quencher.
The mouthfeel is soft and elegant,
with a rich, mildly vanilla, toasty-nuttycocoa-semisweet overtone and a clean,
rounded almost complex finish that is
never harsh. There is low but sufficient
noble hopping to limit sweetness
and complement in a support role.
Medium-bodied with a rounded
finished character, Munich Dunkel has a
typically clean lager taste with no hint of
fruity esters, and a very subtle nose.
Import Dunkels to Die For
Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel is a
platinum medal winner in world
beer competitions, from a brewery
consistently ranked as one of the
world’s ten best, and my personal
favorite German Dunkel. Seek it out
at specialty shops and bistros when
you travel stateside.
Klatenberg König Ludwig Dunkel
is the most popular Dunkel in Germany.
The brand can trace its origins directly to
GOLD
Ontario
Brewing Awards
2006, 2009
| March/April 2012
the very first modern Dunkel made in the
16th century. It’s made by the Kaltenberg
Brewery, whose royal owner is a descendant
of the author of the Bavarian Beer Purity Law
of 1516. All that tradition shows in the quality
of this beer. It is occasionally available as an
LCBO seasonal, and can usually be found at
stateside beer stores
Budvar Dark is proof that Bohemia
(Czech Republic) was as fond of Dunkel
bier as Germans. A great authentic
Dunkel , the original “Budweiser” from
Budvar brewery in Budweis, Bohemia.
Imported as “Czechvar dark” in US and
Canada.
Augustiner Dunkel is the oldest
monastic-based brewery in operation
in Munich. With 680 years of brewing
tradition, they still produce, arguably,
the best Dunkel in the city. With its
reddish-brown, aromatic cereal nose,
spicy-cocoa taste, and clean-finish rich
character, this is a deeply satisfying dark
lager — the Dunkel-style benchmark.
King Brewery Dark Lager
Weltenburger Kloster Barock
Dunkel pours a rich dark brown with
a distinct ruby core, a puffy creamcoloured head,
moderate body. The
FLAVOUR CHARACTERISTICS:
nose has cinnamon
spicybrewing
notes,
roasted,
Our authentic
technique,
using only the finest imported Dark
Malt and
Noble herbaceous
German Hops, gives this
beer King’s
chocolate-maltiness
and
hints
oftrademark “true
aroma and flavour. This deliciously dark lager is red-brown in colour, wi
grass and nettle. On
the head
palate
it full
has
a Itfine,
tan coloured
and a rich,
palate.
delivers a complex yet clea
taste with a hint of toasted chocolate, and leaves elegant lace lines t
robust silken texture
plenty of chewy,
bottomand
of the glass.
malty brown-bread
and
caramel
Extremely
flavourful,
balancedflavours.
and refreshing, our Dark Lager can be
appreciated from the very first taste.
There is some sweetness,
but there is enough
FOOD PAIRINGS:
noble hop bitterness
to balance it — a fine
Pairs well with all European continental style foods and cheeses.
Dunkel from aKEYhistoric
monastic brewery.
INFORMATION:
WarsteinerCOUNTRY
Dunkel
(LCBO # 58461 andCanada
OF ORIGIN
on tap at localMALT
pubs) is one of the bet- German Dunkel
ter commercial
German Dunkels. Dark
HOPS
German Hallertauer
chestnut brown
with a sticky off-white 4.8%
ALCOHOL / VOLUME
cap and bready-nutty-cocoa
flavour,
this
AVAILABLE FORMATS
Bottle: 341ml Keg: 30L, 50L
is an authentic
Munich Dunkel — soft Available
GLASSWARE
and rounded
the palate, with aProvided (Domestic Coupler)
KEG on
FITTINGS
slightly lighter
body.
LINE CLEANING
Provided
PRODUCT AVAILABILITY
Draught: Contact Beer Barons For D
Bottle: Select Beer Stores / LCBO S
Locally Crafted Dunkels
698399
CSPC #
Denison’sRETAIL
Dunkel
is the oldest craft
PRICE
Dunkel in this market, highly rated,
ABOUT THE BREWERY:
many awards,
authentic Munich DunKing Brewery, located in Nobleton, Ontario, officially opened in July o
kel flavourwith
and
a delicious
fresh
one ofbody,
the only authentic
German decoction
brewhouses in Can
Committed to brewing stylistically authentic, ultra premium beer, the
draft Dunkel,
and
a personal
favourite
has earned
immediate
recognition with
both discerning beer drinke
— only oncritics
tapalike.
at better beer bistros.
King Brewery offers an unprecedented combination – the craftsmans
King Dark
(LCBO 698399, at The
heritage of Old World brewing, combined with the freshness of a loca
it’s leading
edge thinking
technology, King continues to pro
Beer Store,With
and
on tap)
Likeand
Denison’s,
that rivals the best imports in both taste and quality.
King Brewing’s Dark (Dunkel) has been
around a while, and has high ratings and many
SILVER
Ontario
Brewing Awards
2010
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Ontario
Brewing Awards
2009
№ 34
| March/April 2012
awards. Of all the local crafters, King (based
in Nobleton, Ontario) is the only one I know
of that still does traditional decoction
mashing on their Dunkel. The effort
can be tasted in this beer’s fresh
bready-nutty aroma and taste. An
easy drinking, slightly drier Dunkel.
Cameron’s Dark 266 (LCBO
#679837 and at The Beer Store) is
a well-crafted Canadian Dunkel
— smooth, flavourful, satisfying.
A dark chestnut-cola color, nose
is bready-cocoa, toffee, a light
blush of wet hay and earthiness.
Big doses of caramel and roasted
malts in the flavour leave a burnt
toffee on toast discernment — a
wee bit of complexity with some
nuts and herbal notes added
to the sweet roast character —
and a clean finish. Ample Malt
backbone, sturdy body, creamy mouthfeel.
The Malt Monk’s Picks
I recently happened on two seasonal
local brews of such fine quality they
bear mention. Although available only
at the brewery, I recommend them,
hoping you keep an eye out for them
next year.
Cameron’s Deviator Doppelbock was released early winter,
and to date it is the best local
bock of the year — rich in all the
complex traditional bock flavors
you expect, coupled with a decent
mellow smoothness.
Flying Monkeys Brewing
has been releasing some edgepushing one-off brews recently,
but their “Effinguud” Milk Stout
www.eatdrink.ca
47
was exceptionally good and innovative. It’s a
rich dark stout, full of roasty-nutty flavour, but
with a demure creamy sweetness running in
the background. Very drinkable for a stronger
robust stout with a silken smooth mouthfeel.
There is talk of releasing this one again in
bottles or as a kegged one-off. Follow FMB or
Gambrinus on Twitter for release updates.
THE MALT MONK is the alter ego of D.R. Hammond, a
passionate support of craft beer culture.
Ahhh, Spring.
Harbinger of new
deliciousness.
Welcome back
old friend.
511 Talbot Street | p. 519.433.7737
www.blackshire.ca
Locally sourced & made from scratch
48
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
wine
Reif Estate Winery & Grand Victorian
A Perfect Pair in Niagara-on-the-Lake
By RICK VANSICKLE
W
alking into the Grand Victorian the Niagara River, and is surrounded by the
vineyards of the Reif Estate Winery.
mansion is like taking
Today, the Grand Victorian is owned
a glorious step back
and run by Eva Kessel, who has spent
in time. Located on
considerable time lovingly restoring the
the scenic Niagara Parkway outside
estate back to its original condition. She
Niagara-on-the-Lake, the spectacular
operates the home as a guesthouse, with
building, with its Queen Anne Revival
six suites that are rented out at rates up
influence, has been lovingly restored
to $225 per night.
to reflect its late-nineteenth-century
Kessel also enjoys a close relationship
roots, and the opulence and grandiose
with Reif Estate Winery and collaborates
style typical of the era.
with the winery on weddings and speThe impressive entrance reveals
cial occasions in the fine-dining facilitwelve-foot ceilings, stained glass
ties at the mansion.
windows and myriad roaring fireplaces.
The mansion and the wines from
The original arts-and-crafts-style
Reif Estate brought 35 guests together
woodwork includes an oak staircase
recently to enjoy the magical winter
descending into the great hall and the
pairings of Wine Country Catering
original ornate oak ceiling.
Reif Estate Winery chef Robin Howe’s creations,
The mansion is set on one and
Vidal Icewine
matched to wines chosen by
a half acres of gardens across from
Reif Estate Winery president
Klaus Reif and winemaker
Roberto DiDomenico
№ 34
| March/April 2012
The Grand Victorian B&B, Niagara-on-the-Lake
winery president Klaus Reif and winemaker
Roberto DiDomenico.
The theme was icewine, with each dish
incorporating that lush, sweet elixir in some
form or another, then matched to table
wines chosen by Reif and DiDomenico.
The challenge put to the chef and
winemakers was a daunting one: to cook with
www.eatdrink.ca
49
icewine in each dish
(from hors d’oeuvres to
starters to entrées and
desserts), and to select
the perfect wine from
Reif’s substantial portfolio
to pair with the food.
The evening began
with a homemade
sparking icewine
cocktail, a concoction
of icewine and
sparkling wine that
DiDomenico wants to
make commercially
in the coming year. It
was a deliciously sweet
and bubbly treat that
worked well with Howe’s icewine-cured
salmon gravlax on Yukon gold potato blini
with crème fraîche and icewine custard.
Other nibbles, such as skewered shrimp
wrapped in pancetta and Thai basil with
a chili-icewine glaze, and mini-sausages
with icewine grainy mustard, were served
with the new Reif Sauvignon Blanc 2010.
50
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
The grapefruit, citrus and grassy-green
notes paired brilliantly with the icewineinspired starters.
But it was the main event that brought
folks to the $130-per-person event. We were
summoned to one of two grand dining
rooms, extravagantly decorated with an
icewine-inspired motif, and comfortably
bathed in the warm glow of candlelight. The
room was radiant and took us back to more
elegant times when dinner was an elaborate
affair best shared with friends around a big
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405 Wharncliffe Road South (corner of Emery)
519-433-5546 www.freshnpress.com
Citi Plaza − 355 Wellington St., #110 (by GoodLife Fitness) 519-850-8730
Dan Hasson Clothier − 320 Dundas St. (across from the Delta) 519-673-3315
Red Thread Creations − Covent Garden Market (Mezzanine) 519-679-2202
Clothing Matters − 2454 Main Street, #7, Lambeth 519-652-8980
N O W
| March/April 2012
family dining table. It was a perfect setting
on this chilly winter’s night in wine country.
Our first course was a pan-sautéed filet
of Ontario pickerel with a shellfish mélange
in lobster saffron butter sauce, spiked with
Reif Icewine.
The wine chosen for the pairing was the
Reif Chardonnay Reserve 2009, with ripe
apple, pear, pineapple and sweet spicy oak
notes. The grapes for the Reif reserve wines,
explained DiDomenico, are taken from the
oldest vines on the estate, which yield less
fruit but produce wines with more intensity
and richness.
I noted a touch of toasted spice and butter
in the wine, which played well with the fish
and seafood and was exceptional with lobster and saffron. The sweet and subtle icewine flavours added dimension to the dish.
Our main course was an icewine-glazed
confit of Muscovy duck on a lightly curried
cauliflower and sunchoke (Jerusalem
artichoke) purée, caramelized onions and
Brussels sprout leaves paired with the
exquisite Reif First Growth Pinot Noir 2007.
This was a sensational pairing, and a definite
highlight of the evening.
Reif First Growth wines are only made
in the very best vintages. The third release
of this top series was made from the spectacular 2007 vintage. The other vintages
for the First Growth wines were 2001 and
2002. No First Growths were made in
either 2008 or 2009.
I first tried the ’07 Pinot over a year ago,
paired with a warm salad of peppered
pan-seared cold-smoked salmon. The silkysmooth Pinot melted the bites of salmon in
the mouth with its pretty and delicate red
fruits and juicy acidity. It was a harmonious
match with salmon. But I found the
O P E N
153 Carling Street, London
www.onyxlounge.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
Pinot now has softened and mellowed
a bit, showing its bright red fruits while
maintaining
structure,
Icewine-Glazed Confit of
acidity and
Muscovy Duck
texture. It was
so fine with
the Cabernet
Franc icewine
glaze on
the crispyskinned duck
and brought
symmetry in
the mouth.
The dark and
savoury meat
of the duck
was perfect with the red fruits, earth and
spice of the Pinot. An absolute stunner.
For the closer, Howe made a chocolate
icewine truffle cake with Reif’s own icewine
ice cream
and fresh
Chocolate Icewine
berry coulis.
Truffle Cake
It was cleverly
matched to an
older (2005)
Reif Vidal
Icewine.
The ’05 Reif
Vidal is one
of Niagara’s
most awarded
icewines
and as it has
matured,
flavours of
sweet toffee, caramel, spice and lush fruit
compote have emerged. “It’s like a punch in
the nose,” said DiDomenico. “It gets really
intense.”
I thought it was brilliant with the icewineinfused gelato. I am more prone to match a
red icewine with chocolate, but the maturity
of the icewine added a new dimension to the
flavour profile that somehow came together
with the truffle cake.
It was a gorgeous evening of food and
wine, in sumptuous surroundings.
RICK VanSICKLE is a freelance wine writer who lives
in Niagara with his family. He publishes a website (www.
winesinniagara.com) dedicated to Niagara wines and is a wines
and spirits contributor to several magazines.
Friday, April 13, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 15, noon to 5 p.m.
Brochures available in late March at
Museum London, Library Branches,
or online at:
www.londonstudiotour.com
52
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
culinary education
YOU Made It Café
A Social Enterprise of Youth Opportunities Unlimited
By BRYAN LAVERY
F
inally, you can get a
proper cup of artisanroasted coffee, a breakfast bagel, or something nutritional to eat if you
are catching an early train to
Toronto or Windsor during the
week. The YOU Made It Café,
on York at Richmond is open
Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The
café is the perfect place to have breakfast or
lunch or to purchase a seasonal soup, salad,
gourmet sandwich or panini to go. You can
even order in advance for pickup. The Hot
Black Jack, Vietnamese-inspired Bahn Mi,
and Italian Deli Sandwich with mortadella
are all fresh and delicious. The sandwiches
are served plain or pressed in a panini grill.
These are sandwiches that impress the eye
as well as the taste buds. There is a large
blackboard selection of items on offer, and
wireless internet access to boot.
In 2007, YOU (Youth Opportunities
Unlimited) purchased the Grigg House
(one of London’s first hotels) and renamed
it The Cornerstone. Built in 1879, this lateVictorian building provides a strong visual
presence to York and Richmond Streets.
Interior renovations to the main floor
include an apprenticeship training centre, an
alternative education
classroom, an
YOU Holiday
entertainment &
Gift Basket
recreation area,
offices, and the
YOU Made
It Café. The
YOU Made
It Café
is the
public
face of a
commercial
teaching
kitchen
and training operation for youth in the Cornerstone. The stylish and serviceable café was
planned by design expert, Jim Telfer of Grafica,
to maximize the visual appeal of the room’s
architectural features — namely a bank of
arched windows that let in lots of natural light.
Revenue from the café supports Youth
Opportunities Unlimited services in the
building and in the community. The Café
is directed by Chef Ricardo Cavaco and
sous-chef Ron Beeswax (both formerly of
the Morrissey House) and Customer Service
Mentor, Melissa Power. The café is staffed by
another full-time and two part-time employees, as well as four local youth employed in
YOU’s Enterprise Services division.
The youth prepare and serve meals, produce the Market Quality Preserves (MQP)
line of gourmet jams, preserves, sauces, salsas, and rubs. The youth are also an integral
part of the YOU Made It catering services.
An 8,000-square-foot rooftop garden will
produce herbs, flowers and vegetables, all
planted and harvested by youth for the YOU
Made It Café. The garden will serve as an
outdoor classroom for youth employed in
the café. Seating areas in the garden as well
as a rooftop boardroom will provide tenants
and visitors with a unique and beautiful
vista in the heart of London.
Since 1982, Youth Opportunities
Unlimited has helped lead youth in London
and Middlesex County toward achievement.
Knowing that many youth need guidance
and support to reach their true potential,
they believe that investing in youth and
№ 34
www.eatdrink.ca
| March/April 2012
strong communities go hand in hand. YOU
works with local business, community and
government partners to address
youths’ most pressing
ade It
YOU M
needs. Through transition,
career, and enterprise
services, they provide
youth with the training, skill
development supports, and
referrals they need to develop
their potential and lead
positive lives. YOU is a caring
and active place where all
youth are engaged in learning
and creating opportunities to
build their future.
The YOU Made it program is
the composite of four commercial
businesses, which were set up to provide
work experience opportunities for local
youth. In 1996, YOU launched its first social
enterprise, Reuse It Recycling. The program
was created to offer youth facing barriers
to employment applied skills training in all
facets of a small business.
In November 2011, I had the pleasure to
g
ater n
C
53
be at the celebrations for the grand opening
of The Cornerstone. The Cornerstone has an
innovative mandate offering
programs, supports and services
to assist youth in building
positive lives. The opening
of the Cornerstone allows
YOU to deliver high-quality
community programming
and amenities to more than
150 London-area youth each
day. Other YOU sites in
London and Strathroy serve
hundreds more youth on a
daily basis. Each year YOU
help more than 3,600 local
youth build positive lives.
YOUTH
UNITIES
OPPORT
D
UNLIMITE
port
enues sup
All rev
for youth.
program
elopment
skills dev youth.
l
part of a
m)
ering is
s for loca
minimu
de It Cat ms and service
erson
person
....$1.75/p
YOU Ma
TS (10
..............
ded progra
DESSER ares Tray .....................res and tarts.
much-nee
Squ
person
squa
m)
,
imu
kies and
.........$2/
brownies
son min
..............
on Coo
of cookies,
..............
7.50/pers
(10 per
chocolate
A selection
..............
tray,
res with
KFAST ...................................es,.....$
et Tray.......
and squa
fresh fruit
Fancy Swe smaller cookies
scon
t .......
on
of
muffins and
tal Breakfas
1.75/pers
selection
Continen fresh homemade
............$
5/person A ed berries.
of
..............
.......$1.7
A basket and juices.
..............
n dipp
..............
..............
.75/perso
dozen)
..............
..............
coffee, tea
...........$1
by the
..............
ares
.......
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Squ
ced
vres.
.......
(pri
..............
Muffins ....... ............................
VRES match of our hors d’oeu
.......
D’OEU
mix and
m)
Scones...
hour.
HORS cocktail reception try aper
minimu
erson
person per
... $15
s
$11.50/p
person
next
te....
piece
4
.......
your
igret
to
(10
3
For
is
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..............
Dill Vina
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guideline
.. $12
Mustard
LUNC h Lunch...................
es on hom
A general
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peas with
ise ..............
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dwic
fresh vegg
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..... $12
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Hearty San assortment of hear es per person),
Coriande
..............
Shrimp wrap
and cook
Lime and
..............
$12
with
A delicious rolls (1.5 sandwich emade squares
.......
es
.....
..............
hom
..............
Crab Cak
breads and a selection of
..............
..............
pita........
and
.......... $12
s ..............
Spanako
with dip
imum)
..............
emary Coin
..............
.. $12
son min
0/person
and Ros
..............
ta ..............
Cheddar
(10 per
.......... $2.5
.......
chet
.......
rson
.......
DS
Brus
.......
$12
SALA with Garlic Croutons ....... ................. $2.50/pe rson Wild Mushroom
............
Asian Dip.
..............
.......
tons with
0/pe
d
.......
.......
Won
$2.5
Sala
.......
.......
.....
....... $15
Caesar
d .......
tini.........
Spicey Pork
..............
..............
rson
per Cros
Pasta Sala
..............
Dijon .......
.. $2.50/pe
and Pep
Rainbow
Dill and
..............
..............
Sausage
ise)
..............
Potato with
0/person
igrette .......
erloin ....... Béarnaise Mayonna
Creamy
...... $2.5
with Vina
Beef Tend
..............
with
n Salad
..............
in bacon
Mixed Gree
..............
(wrapped
Salad....
imum)
erson
min
.50/p
Fresh Fruit
son
....$1
D
m)
(10 per
..............
on
UIT AN person minimu
Drinks ................................... ...................$1.50/pers n
IE, FR
(10
0/person
..............
VEGG
..............
.$2/perso
...... $2.5
TRAYS
Water.....
..............
..............
..............
CHEESEwith Dip...................... ............... $2.50/person Soft Drinks................. ...................................
.......
Tray
..............
5/person
.......
..............
$2.7
Vegetable
.......
.......
.......
.......
Juice
..............
..............
..............
Fruit Tray
..............
Tray
ese
5/person
..... $3.2
Basic Che
c cheeses)
..............
4 to 5 basi
..............
ses)
(includes
..............
ed.
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ese Tray
two prem
t includ
Deluxe Che c cheeses plus
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basi
(includes
ucts. Ta
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BREA
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per pr
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charge
All ord
Sales Man
Delivery
contact the
729
er please
For more
F
e an ord
519-808-2
or to plac
or phone:
information s@you.on.ca
email: sale
YOU Made It Café
332 Richmond Street, London
To place an order for pickup, call:
226-777-0116, ext.108
www.you.on.ca
BRYAN LAVERY is a contributing editor and Food Writer at
Large at eatdrink magazine.
anshawe’s new 8-month graduate certificate program
enables students to develop a “deep-seeded” respect for food
by growing and preparing their own delicious, seasonal produce.
Learn the art of traditional preparations such as artisanal baking,
butchery, and preserving.
www.fanshawec.ca/artisanal
54
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
books
Mission Street Food
Recipes and Ideas from an
Improbable Restaurant
by Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz
Review by DARIN COOK
S
treet food has recently been given
a gourmet facelift. No longer just a
venue for hot dogs, some vendors
selling from sidewalk carts and
mobile trucks have gained fame and
fortune with non-traditional street-food
menus. Documented in scrapbook-style,
Mission Street Food: Recipes and Ideas from
an Improbable Restaurant (McSweeney’s
Insatiables, 2011, $33.50), outlines how two
unlikely entrepreneurs kick-started this
revolution three years ago by mingling fancy
food with a rented taco cart in San Francisco.
They were a hit with food journalists, they
sold out of food every night, and they
transformed the local restaurant scene.
With a business plan that goes against all
convention, the husband-and-wife team of
Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz created Mission Street Food out of ingenuity.
Myint, an American of Burmese descent,
who had been working as a full-time line
cook, wanted to run a restaurant of his own
without taking too many risks. His solution
was to rent a taco cart on Mission Street
once a week to
sell fancy sandwiches. The sandwich fillings read like high-end restaurant
menus, the likes of crab fritters, edamame
purée, pickled hon shimeji mushroom, and
nori crumble on homemade flatbread.
Their unique idea gathered attention
through social media when bloggers and
tweeters started the buzz the morning of their
opening night, giving rise to Mission Street
Food’s success, with hundreds of customers
congregating outside the cart on the first
night. And the rise of street food’s popularity
spread from there, both in volume of vendors
and quality of food, inspiring recent shows on
The Food Network such as Eat Street and The
Great Food Truck Race.
After a very short, but very successful,
five nights in the food cart, they continued
their operations in a run-down Chinese
restaurant called Lung Shan on the same
street. They kept their name as Mission
Street Food but it took on a different
inflection — going from Mission StreetFood to Mission-Street Food. They
rented the building for one night a
week, and the name of Lung Shan
remained on the outside of the
building, with Myint and Leibowitz
essentially running a restaurant
inside of a restaurant with a different
name, coining another unique term
in the industry: “pop-up restaurant.”
To meet their goal of offering
unpredictable eating experiences,
their gimmick was to serve inventive
menus that would be different each
week. Customers would never know
Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz
№ 34
| March/April 2012
what was going to be served from one
week to the next, fanning their flames of
mysterious popularity further.
Leibowitz gives full credit to her husband
for his creative business sense: “Anthony does
things differently from other people; he sees
possibilities where no one else does, but he’s
also willing to take on projects that everyone
else is too practical to even try.
” Not content
Holiday
gift baskets made to order
Known by the best chefs in Ontario – and discerni
with the novel idea of subletting
a restaurant
and can
include cheeses, condiments
home cooks – as a premium producer, Metzge
and using innovative combinations
of including our specially
and salami
uses the best raw ingredients, with local meats
New
ingredients
to create never-before-seen
dishes, products.
Christmas-themed
Homestyle
traditional recipes. The result is healthier produ
Myint began propositioningChristmas-themed
guest chefs from wrapped salami
Burgers!
fashionable presentations of ready-to-cook me
other restaurants in San Francisco
tofrom
cook500
at grams to 2.8 kilos –
ranging
Agift
German
butcher
right
in our
delicious
traditionally-smoked
German
baskets made
toandorder
Known
by thedeli
best
Mission Street Food, hopingperfect
to launch
heHoliday
forwhat
corporate
gifts.
and
can
include
cheeses,
condiments
home cooks – as
called “an indie-chef movement.”
own backyard.
Myint was also completely serious about and salami including our specially
uses the best raw in
Gently formtraditional
practicing excessive philanthropy through Christmas-themed products.
ed, recipe
wrapped salami
Beef, Pork &fashionable
their business, iterating throughout the bookChristmas-themed
La
mbpres
New
– ty
Homes
that all profits from Mission Street Food go ranging from 500 grams to 2.8 kilos
le Buand
rgdelicious
ers traditional
perfectHomestyle
for corporate gifts.
that set a
to hunger-related charities; the proceeds
new standard!
from the sales of the book itself are donated
Burgers!
to Slow Food USA.
Street food’s popularity stems from many
things, including the novelty of getting
gourmet food from a street cart historically
Known by the best chefs in Ontario
reserved for hot dogs. Another factor leading
to its success is the easier connectivity to
— and discerning home cooks — as a
the owners. Compared to the dissociation
premium producer, Metzger’s uses the
between diners and chefs in traditional
best raw ingredients, with local meats and
restaurants, food trucks give closer
traditional recipes. The result is healthier
interaction. As one customer explained
products, fashionable presentations of
about Mission Street Food, “It’s fun to talk to
ready-to-cook meats and delicious
the guy whose cart it is. It’s fun to talk to the r right in our own backyard.
traditionally-smoked German delights.
other customers. We’re in line for the same
thing, I guess. It’s like we exchanged our
money for something more than just food.” eek.
Join us on Facebook
Aside from detailing the history behind
under Metzger Meat Products
German
butcher
right
in
our
own backyard.
the business of Mission Street Food,
for recipes and specials!
ats.com
the book called Mission Street Food is a
concoction of recipes, cooking techniques, ensall, Ontario.
photos, and food essays written in tandem pen six days a week.
Join us on
by Myint and Leibowitz. While reading it,
under Metzger Meat
for recipes a
you learn that Mission Street Food is difficult ww.metzgermeats.com
to explain because it is an assortment of
business ventures that keep changing and
building off each other — a taco truck,
Hensall, Ontario.
a food blog, a burger stand, a charity, a
pop-up restaurant, but most of all, a wacky
vision fuelled by creativity that has changed
Open six days a week.
the face of street food.
519-262-3130
oods.
Holiday
Foods.
Metzger.
.
Metzger.
er
EastM
S
HA
www.metzgermeats.com
DARIN COOK is a freelance writer who keeps himself wellread and well-fed by visiting the bookstores and restaurants of
London and Chatham-Kent.
"Like" us and be entered to
win a box of NY Strip Steaks!
Contest closes April 30/12
56
www.eatdrink.ca
№ 34
| March/April 2012
cookbooks
Scrumptious & Sustainable
Fishcakes
A collection of the best sustainable fishcake
recipes from Canadian chefs, coast to coast
by Elizabeth Feltham, Elaine Elliot, Craig Flinn,
Virginia Lee, Sandra Nowlan & Maureen Tilley
Review and Recipe Selections by JENNIFER GAGEL
T
hink fishcakes all taste the same?
Think again! Not long ago, six maritime cookbook authors decided
to travel coast to coast to ask top
Canadian chefs for their take on the humble
fishcake. The result is anything but humble.
Scrumptious and Sustainable Fishcakes
shows just how creative you can get with one
basic idea, producing distinct and delicious
variations on a theme, while still making
sustainable choices.
“To shop and eat sustainably is to support
food practices that are ultimately better for
our environment and deliver a higher-quality
product to our dinner tables,” say the authors
in the introduction. In a few brief pages, they
give a synopsis of different organizations and
tools that have recently sprung up around
sustainability concerns. They emphasize
the Canadian organization SeaChoice for
consumers looking to make better choices.
A simple, colour-coded SeaChoice Guide is
included in the book to make shopping with
this slim volume a pleasure.
The fishcake recipes consist of crab, haddock, halibut, lobster, sablefish, salmon,
scallops and shrimp, brought together in 40
different and creative ways.
From the opening recipe, every one is a hit.
The Salmon and Wasabi Fishcakes practically
fly out of the kitchen of the Charlotte Lane
Café in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. This is a recipe
that comes together quickly and is extremely
forgiving. The wasabi adds an unexpected
complexity to the more traditional fishcake
ingredients, finished off by a curry mango
mayonnaise that stirs together in seconds.
Other recipes are much more decadent.
One uses scallop mousse to lighten the
texture; another is topped with drizzles of
Bernaise sauce; and yet another is served
in a spoonful of delicate spinach and white
wine sauce. The sauces in this book are
outstanding (and there are many more uses
for these than fishcakes alone). You can
also adapt these fishcakes for parties — just
make them bite-sized and serve as surprising hors d’oeuvres with an array of sauces.
A recipe that can be dressed up or down is
the Cream Cheese Crab Cakes from Boffins
Club in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. These are
everything good about a superb hot crab dip
in crispy-packaged form. Do take the extra
few minutes to make the warm Creole Mustard Sauce; the orange tang complements
the creaminess perfectly.
Accessible and adaptable, these recipes
work. Something about these little morsels
makes serving them more fun, and these
recipes are the closest I’ve ever come to
picture perfect presentation. And there is a
photo for every page, making these recipes
extra appealing.
Once you’ve got the basics down, it’s easy
to see how you could turn leftovers into
fishcakes. One recipe even uses mashed
potatoes, broccoli and cheddar cheese.
Another uses cooked rice as a base. With a
tiny bit of foresight and a quick scan through
the well-listed index, fishcakes could make
mealtimes come together in a flash.
Share the inspiration of many of Canada’s
best chefs and try your hand at fishcakes in
ways you’ve never before imagined — you’ll
love the results.
JENNIFER GAGEL is a freelance writer and can be reached at
jennagagel@gmail.com.
Salmon and Wasabi Fishcakes
4 fishcakes / 2 servings
8 oz (225 g) salmon, skinless and boned
½ tsp (2 mL) olive oil
½ cup (125 mL) chopped red onions
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped garlic
1 cup (250 mL) mashed potatoes (½ lb / 225 g)
1 tbsp (15 mL) Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp (2 mL) dried dill
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
2 tsp (10 mL) wasabi powder
FOR BREADING:
½ to 1 cup (125 to 250 mL) flour
FOR COOKING:
Olive oil
1 Bring a saucepan or deep skillet of water to boil;
turn heat to medium, and place salmon in pan,
ensuring water covers fish. Cook until salmon
flakes apart easily, then drain and let cool.
2 In a frying pan, heat olive oil, then sauté red
onions and garlic until soft; remove from heat.
Scrumptious & Sustainable Fishcakes: A Collection of the best
sustainable fishcake recipes from Canadian chefs, coast to coast by
Elizabeth Feltham, Elaine Elliot, Craig Flinn, Virginia Lee, Sandra Nowlan
& Maureen Tilley (Formac Publishing 2011, $24.95)


Join us at our
after-hours library party.
Enjoy food samples created by
local chefs, live music and more!
April 13, 2012
3 In a large bowl, combine salmon, potatoes, red
onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dill, salt,
pepper, paprika and wasabi.
6:30-9:00 pm
Central Library
4 Form into patties and refrigerate for several hours.
251 Dundas St.
5 Dust with flour. Fry in olive oil over medium heat
until browned on both sides, turning once.
ED note: This recipe is very forgiving. I used Pacific wild canned
salmon, didn’t fry the onions and garlic (though I scaled back a bit
on both), and tossed the cakes in the freezer while I tidied up before
frying them. Still delicious! Next time I will double the recipe.
Also, instead of the homemade version in the book, I made
Curry Mango Mayonnaise by mixing about a ½ cup of storebought mayonnaise with 1–2 tbsp of mango chutney. The
addition of fresh mango would have been fabulous.
$30
Tickets available at Central
Library Program Services.
519-661-5122
www.lplevent.ca/b2e
58
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№ 34
| March/April 2012
Cream Cheese
Crab Cakes
12 crab cakes /
4 to 6 servings
¼ cup (60 mL) finely
chopped red bell
pepper
¼ cup (60 mL) finely
sliced green onion
¼ cup (60 mL) finely
sliced celery
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh
lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) jalapeño
hot sauce, or to taste
8 oz (250 g) whipped
cream cheese, room
temperature
1 cup (250 mL) fine bread crumbs
½ tsp (2 mL) thyme
½ tsp (2 mL) basil
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1 lb (450 g) lump crabmeat
2 to 3 tbsp (30 to 45 mL) butter
fresh herbsRE&S ED32.pdf 1 12-02-19
1 In a skillet over medium heat, sauté pepper,
onion, celery, lemon juice and pepper sauce
until the vegetables wilt, about 5 minutes.
2 Remove from heat and stir in whipped cream
cheese until combined. Set aside.
6:56 PM
Serving the Industry since 1944
Complete lines of equipment, cookware, china,
glassware, stainless steel and much, much more!
3 In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, thyme, basil,
salt and pepper. Set aside.
4 Clean and check crab for shell and cartilage;
squeeze gently to remove excess liquid. Cup
your hand and place about 2 tbsp (30 mL) of
crabmeat into it. With a blunt knife, spread
about 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the cream cheese mixture over the crabmeat. Add another 2 tbsp (30
mL) of the crabmeat, press down and form into a
ball. Roll the ball in the crumb mixture until well
coated. Place ball on a cutting board and press
lightly to form a cake about ¾-inch (2 cm) thick.
Repeat process to form 12 crabcakes.
5 Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add
crab cakes, being careful not to crowd, and sauté
until golden on both sides.
6 To serve, arrange 2 or 3 cakes on each serving
plate, drizzle with Creole Mustard Sauce, and
garnish with fresh herbs.
ED note: I didn’t form the cream cheese centers, but instead just
mixed the cream cheese mixture with the crabmeat and then
coated in bread crumbs. Two grocery store cans of crabmeat
worked great here.
Y
234 William St., London
519-438-2991 • 1-800-265-5904 • Fax: 519-432-0904
resco@start.ca • www.rescolon.ca
Old
Old Style
Style Service...
Service...
...Wholesale
...Wholesale Prices
Prices
CREOLE MUSTARD SAUCE
3 tbsp (45 mL) pepper jelly
¼ cup (60 mL) fresh orange juice
¼ cup (60 mL) Creole mustard
ED note: You can use Dijon mustard with a pinch of allspice to
mimic Creole mustard.
№ 34
www.eatdrink.ca
| March/April 2012
59
cookbooks
Serious Eats
A Comprehensive Guide to Making &
Eating Delicious Food Wherever You Are
By Ed Levine
Review and Recipe Selections by JENNIFER GAGEL
“ D
o you live to eat, rather than eat
to live?” That’s one of the questions Ed Levine and his team
at seriouseats.com ask on the
back of their book, Serious Eats: A Comprehensive Guide to Making & Eating Delicious
Food Wherever You Are (Clarkson Potter,
2011 $32.99).
Ed and his team have “strained relationships with friends or family by dictating the
food itinerary” in their quest for the best
American food. And since 2006, they have
found the holy grails of Reuben sandwiches,
fried clams and apple pies — and much more.
With the great sense of humour that has
made their food blog a popular hit, they
have pulled together a compendium that is
part cookbook, part tour guide and all gastronomic goodness. Tuck it close to the GPS
for any road trip stateside.
In this thick volume, you will find, for
example, the complete history of pizza,
from its European roots to its most recent
American incarnations. You’ll also discover
that Portland, Oregon is the street-food
mecca of the United States, with over 500
multicultural vendors; and you’ll find the
quintessential recipe for southern fried
chicken.
An entire process went into recipe development. The Serious Eats team would define
what they wanted, for example biscuits that
were buttery and light served with rich and
meaty sausage gravy. Then managing editor, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, would try to create a
recipe to fit the bill. They’d try it out and give
feedback until it was refined to perfection.
“It was hard work, all that taste-testing —
but don’t pity us too much,” quips Levine.
They might have dragged out the testing,
but the resulting recipes are outstanding.
Detailed and
specific, they
make it easy
for you to
recreate exactly the experience they
intended. While some of the recipes are as
simple as a perfect grilled cheese sandwich,
others are a whole-day affair of smoking
briskets, or require precise attention to frying temperature. The team makes no apologies for the effort involved in truly great,
satisfying food.
A fresh
Smoked
Garlic
Seasoning Blend
Flavour you can see,
boldness you can taste ...
• Marinades, dips, sauces
• Beans, rice, couscous
• Pork, chicken, beef
• Soups
• Tacos
Visit www.thegarlicbox.com
for spectacular recipes!
toll free 1.888.772.9994 • Hensall, ON
Available at Jill’s Table, Kingsmills, Remark Fresh Market & Bradshaws (Stratford)
60
www.eatdrink.ca
The Italian-influenced Lemon Ricotta
Pancakes involve a little forward planning
to drain the ricotta, but it’s straight ahead
to delight once that’s out of the way. The
finished light, almost creamy texture and the
sweet tang of ricotta and lemon make these
pancakes perfect as they are, but Levine and
his team won’t hold it against you for topping them with real maple syrup. Personally,
I think a warm blueberry compote spooned
on top would make these out of this world.
Many of these recipes are an indulgence.
The Triple-Chocolate Brownies are so rich
№ 34
| March/April 2012
they are almost fudge. The chocolate flavour
is downright sensual, due to the combination
of two types of quality chocolate. Even the
cocoa dusting contributes to the experience.
Levine recommends making these to get a
promotion, and he might be on to something.
Take a tour of fifty recipes and fifty states,
and find out just how satisfying modern
American food is. (And maybe share with
your boss.)
JENNIFER GAGEL is a freelance writer and can be reached at
jennagagel@gmail.com.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
Makes 12 pancakes
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) baking soda
2 tbsp (25 mL) sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
Zest from 1 lemon (about 2 tsp / 10 mL)
½ cup (125 mL) buttermilk
1 cup (250 mL) fresh ricotta cheese, drained (see
Note)
2 tbsp (25 mL) unsalted butter, melted and
slightly cooled
2 large eggs
½ tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for the griddle
Maple syrup, to serve
1 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking
soda, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a medium
bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, ricotta,
melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in a medium
bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture
and whisk until no dry flour remains (mixture
should remain lumpy; be
careful not to overmix).
2 Heat ½ tsp (2 mL) of oil in
a 12-inch heavy-bottomed
nonstick skillet over
medium-high heat (or on
an electric griddle) until
the oil shimmers. Reduce
heat to medium and
wipe out the skillet with
a paper towel. Cook the
pancakes four at a time
using a ¼-cup measure to
scoop them into the pan.
Cook on the first side until
bubbles appear and the
bottom surface is golden
brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip
the pancakes and cook
until the second side is
golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer
the pancakes to a plate and cover with a clean
kitchen towel while you cook the remaining
batches. Serve with maple syrup.
Note: For best results, use high-quality fresh
ricotta. Check the ingredients list. If it contains
anything other than milk, salt, and an acid
starter, keep looking. Gum-stabilized brands
tend to weep as they cook, resulting in watery
pancakes. For best results, spread the ricotta on
a plate lined with a triple layer of paper towels,
cover with plastic wrap, and allow to drain at
room temperature for 30 minutes before using.
ED Note — Blueberry Compote: Put half a package of frozen
blueberries in a small saucepan over medium heat with 1 tbsp (15
mL) sugar and about 2 tbsp (25 mL) water. Heat until blueberries
burst, stirring frequently. Check and add more sugar if desired,
add the rest of the package of blueberries and warm through.
№ 34
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| March/April 2012
61
Triple-Chocolate Adult Brownies
Makes sixteen 2-inch brownies
2 tbsp (25 mL) softened butter, for coating the pan
2 tbsp (25 mL) cocoa powder, for dusting the pan
12 tbsp (1½ sticks; ¾ cup; 175 mL) unsalted
butter, room temperature, cut into cubes
2 (4-ounce / 125 g) bars high-quality milk
chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 (4-ounce / 125 g) bars high-quality dark
chocolate, coarsely chopped
¾ cup (175 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (175 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp (25 mL) vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp (5 mL) fleur de sel or sea salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) instant espresso powder
1 (4-ounce / 125 g) bar high-quality bittersweet
chocolate, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 Position a baking rack in the lower third of the
oven and preheat oven to 325ºF. Cut a piece of
parchment paper into an 8” x 12” rectangle. Use it
to line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square
cake pan, the parchment
extending up and over the
edges. Use the softened
butter to grease the top of the
parchment, and dust with cocoa
powder.
3 Allow the chocolate mixture to cool at room
temperature for 10 minutes, then add both the
granulated and the brown sugars and the vanilla,
beating the mixture with a wooden spoon until
incorporated. Add one egg at a time, beating
until the batter becomes completely homogeneous between additions. Add the flour, salt, and
espresso powder, and mix vigorously until the
batter is glossy and pulls away from the sides
of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Fold in the bittersweet chocolate, if desired.
4 Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and
rap the pan firmly against the counter a few
times to even out the top and get rid of any air
bubbles. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted
into the center of the pan comes out moist
but clean, about 45 minutes, rotating the pan
twice during cooking.
5 Place the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
Remove the brownies using the parchment sling,
and place them directly on the rack. Allow them
to cool completely before cutting and serving.
2 Place the cubed butter and
the milk chocolate and dark
chocolate in a medium
microwave-proof bowl and
microwave at 15-second
intervals, stirring between each
phase, until the butter and
the chocolates are completely
melted and smooth, about 1½
minutes total. Alternatively,
melt the butter and the
chocolates in a bowl set over a
double boiler until smooth.
Welcome
To Our Tables
Billy’s
113 Dundas St @ Talbot
519-679-1970
Breakfast or Lunch
Tuesday−Saturday
7:30am−3pm
Sunday: 9am−2pm
www.billysdelirestaurant.ca
62
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№ 34
| March/April 2012
the lighter side
Asian-Style Slow Food
A Lesson in Chopsticks
By DARIN COOK
C
hopsticks are the gentle cutlery.
Choosing them for a meal means
relinquishing the more violent
actions of stabbing with fork
tines and slicing with knife blades. Like
surgery, using chopsticks involves delicate
procedures and pinpoint accuracy. Western
utensils, by comparison, seem to be
designed for an aggressive contact sport,
while chopsticks allow for more of a tai chi
routine. But, of course, that’s only for those
who know how to use them well enough to
avoid looking ham-fisted.
My wife and I lived in South Korea for
six months, and any chopstick slip-ups
in a restaurant were cause for hilarity for
Koreans around us. In the beginning, we
had no choice but to fumble through our
inadequacies until it became second nature.
We were trying to integrate ourselves into the
culture, but didn’t automatically reach for
the chopsticks when cooking meals at home.
“What’s the point of these things?” we would
often ask ourselves in frustration, knowing
that skill would only come with practice,
but sometimes longing for a fork to make it
through a meal without finger cramps.
The chopsticks we had in our apartment
were wooden, the same as those often provided by Chinese takeout restaurants — you
know, the ones that come in a paper sleeve,
that you snap in half before using. They are not
the most eco-friendly option, since reusable
and washable ones are a wiser environmental
and more hygienic choice, but they were easier
to handle and better at gripping food than the
ones given to us at restaurants. Unlike other
Asian countries, Korea uses stainless steel
chopsticks. These things take all the fun out of
it. They are much flatter and more slippery
than the wooden ones. These two thin
pieces of metal manipulate your hands into
becoming dysfunctional parts of your body.
The travel writer, Bill Bryson, once wrote that
he finds it hard to believe that Asian cultures
are responsible for so many advancements
in technology and still think that eating with
a pair of knitting needles is civilized. They do
tend to make Westerners in Asian countries
look slightly unsophisticated. Maybe that’s
the point.
But my wife and I had to get by, and we
were determined to become as proficient as
possible. Even with those unruly stainless steel
ones, we practiced everywhere. We willed the
chopsticks to become extensions of our fingers
and found ourselves eating smaller bites to
practice our grasping skills. We plucked peanuts from bar snack bowls and single grains of
rice from our dinner plates. Ice cubes from our
water glasses became our biggest challenge
and most impressive achievement.
While we encouraged each other to
pick up smaller and more slippery items,
it dawned on us that chopsticks forced us
to eat more deliberately, more in the style
of Slow Food. We had to physically move
more slowly to pick up the food. We had to
contemplate what our next target would be
and how big the morsel would be; there was
no diving in blindly to shovel food into our
mouths, as often happens when in a hurry
with a fork. By necessity, and by nature,
each bite is smaller and better for digestion.
And there is a meditative focus involved in
keeping the sticks clamped together so food
doesn’t fly around the room; not to mention
the anticipation of how good the food will
taste once it successfully reaches your
mouth after such concentrated effort.
The Slow Food movement originated in
Italy and is not typically associated with Asian
cuisine, but the East has contributed a natural
utensil for slowing down a meal, allowing for a
more deliberate and contemplative approach
to eating. And maybe that’s the point of them.
DARIN COOK is a freelance writer who keeps himself wellread and well-fed by visiting the bookstores and restaurants of
London and Chatham-Kent.
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