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RESTAURANTS • RECIPES • WINE • TRAVEL
OPENING SOON
BRAISE
A Quest for Perfection
FEATURES
The Tasting Room
in London
Rene’s Bistro
in Stratford
The Kettle Creek Inn
in Port Stanley
SPOTLIGHTS
Antony John’s Soiled Reputation
A Perth County Taste Trek
Heirloom Tomatoes
Issue  • Late Summer 
Paddington’s Pub
in Grand Bend
Lola’s Lounge
in Sarnia
Savour Stratford this Autumn
For gourmands of local cuisine, we invite you to the Savour Stratford
Perth County Culinary Festival, September 26 & 27, set under
lounging tents in the historic heart of Stratford’s beautiful garden
district accompanied by some of Stratford’s finest music.
You will sip, sample and savour dishes created by over 30 renowned
chefs paired with 30 local Perth County food growers and exclusive
Ontario VQA wines.
• Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market
• York Street Carnivale
• Monforte Kids Tent
• Stratford Chefs Schools Learning Centre*
• Bradshaws Silent Auction
• Perth County BBQs, Outdoor Concert, Craft Beer
& Wine Pavilion
• Stratford Perth Museum Flavours of Perth Pork Roast* (Saturday)
• Barbecue, Blues and Brews Event* (Saturday)
• Savour Stratford Tasting welcomes celebrity chefs
Jamie Kennedy, Jonathan Gushue and Jeff Crump * (Sunday)
* Denotes ticketed event; tickets can be purchased on line.
Discover a food lover’s paradise, visit
www.savourstratford.com/eatdrink
CONTENTS
FOOD WRITER AT LARGE

Opening Soon: Braise Food and Wine
By BRYAN LAVERY
6
RESTAURANTS

Lola’s Lounge, in Sarnia

The Kettle Creek Inn, in Port Stanley
By CECILIA BUY & BRYAN LAVERY
By DEBRA BAGSHAW

Rene’s Bistro, in Stratford
By CECILIA BUY
14

The Tasting Room, in London
By MELANIE NORTH

Paddington’s Pub, in Grand Bend
By JANE ANTONIAK
31

SPOTLIGHT
The Manic Organic’s Soiled Reputation
By MELANIE NORTH

34
TRAVEL
A Taste Trek, Perth County Style
By JANE ANTONIAK

SEASONAL SPOTLIGHT
Heirloom Tomatoes
By SUE MOORE

Ron Benner’s th Annual Corn Roast
By MELANIE NORTH
42
54
NEW & NOTABLE
The BUZZ
Compiled by MELANIE NORTH
BUZZ
COOKING FROM THE GARDEN

Two Pies: Sweet & Savoury
By CHRISTINE SCHEER
BOOKS

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip
By DARIN COOK
COOKBOOKS
58

Restaurants of Stratford and Select Recipes
By JENNIFER GAGEL
WINE

Champagne: Not Just for New Year’s
By RICK VanSICKLE
BEER

Kellerbier: Do Not Fear an Unclear Beer
By THE MALT MONK
60
THE LIGHTER SIDE

A Cook’s Life: Part III
By DAVID CHAPMAN
eatdrink
™
RESTAURANTS • RECIPES • WINE • TRAVEL
A Food & Drink Magazine Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario
www.eatdrink.ca
» A virtual magnet for all things culinary
— read the interactive magazine online, find restaurants, read reviews and much more.
Publisher
Chris McDonell — chris@eatdrink.ca
Finances
Sande Marcus — smarcus@citywoman.ca
Advertising Sales Director
Diane Diachina — ddiachina@eatdrink.ca
Advertising Sales Representatives
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Sue Laur — slaur@eatdrink.ca
Rick Huxley — rhuxley@eatdrink.ca
Telephone & Fax
519 434-8349
Mailing Address
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525 Huron Street,
London ON N5Y 4J6
News & Feedback
editor@eatdrinkmag.net
Contributors
Bryan Lavery
Christine Scheer
Darin Cook
D.R. Hammond
Chris McDonell
Melanie North
Jennifer Gagel
Rick VanSickle
Sue Moore
Cecilia Buy
Jane Antoniak
Debra Bagshaw
David Chapman
Editorial Advisory Board
Bryan Lavery
Chris McDonald
Cathy Rehberg
Copy Editor
Jodie Renner — www.PolishedProofreading.com
Graphic Design & Layout
Hawkline Graphics — graphics@eatdrinkmag.net
Melanie Peters at Red Rhino — www.red-rhino.com
Website
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Printing
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Copyright © 2009 eatdrink™, Hawkline Graphics and the writers. All rights reserved.
Reproduction or duplication of any material published in
eatdrink™ or on eatdrinkmag.net™ is strictly prohibited without
the written permission of the Publisher. eatdrink™ has a circulation
of 10,000 issues published monthly. The views or opinions
expressed in the information, content and/or advertisements
published in eatdrink™ are solely those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily represent those of the Publisher. The Publisher
welcomes submissions but accepts no responsibility for
unsolicited material.
late summer 2009 • no. 18
NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
Ice Cream Dreams
By Chris McDonell
W
e recommended some outstanding
ice cream manufacturers last issue
but neglected a local gem. The Ice
Creamery was started 17 years ago by an idealistic young couple, Dave and Wendy Ghobril, after they travelled Europe and fell in
love with the way Italians
made their ice
cream/gelato. Dave was
a craftsman by nature
so the thought of
handcrafting ice cream
really appealed to him.
The couple committed
to making ice cream, fresh
from scratch, with excellent
ingredients, doing as much in house as possible. To this day, Dave makes the stuff and
Wendy makes sure it all runs smoothly.
Together with Linda, their London Store
manager, they make ice cream every single
day, trying to be as inventive and fun as possible. They now have four stores, three in Sarnia
and one in London’s Covent Garden Market.
It has been a “different” kind of summer but
we hope you’re making the best of it. If not,
get moving! We’ve got another “taste trek” for
you this issue, and plenty of restaurant stories (including our first from Sarnia). The
Taste of Huron offers some unique culinary
experiences, as does the Savour Stratford
event in September. Check the respective ads
and websites for details. Much of our local
produce is at its peak, right now, and though
our tomatoes have been badly hurt by
weather-induced blights, we’ll appreciate
them all the more. Al fresco dining is a great
option, at home or on a restaurant patio, but
rain or shine, indoors or out, make sure
you’re eating fresh, quality ingredients. You
deserve nothing less!
We’ll talk to you again in October, and
then finish the year with our holiday issue.
All the best,
6
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
FOOD WRITER AT LARGE
Opening Soon
Braise — A Quest for Perfection Takes Time
By Bryan Lavery
Photo by Jim Kost / Photography by Yvonne
T
he term “braise” refers to a method of
evolution of Braise has been two years in
slow-cooking that infuses the key
development and implementation. Now, with
ingredient with moisture, aromatics
the final finishing touches underway, Braise
and flavour. Rob Taylor tells me that the term is well situated in the revitalized space of a
braise is not only a great cookformer warehouse built in
ing technique, but it also
1886, with entrances off both
evokes a richness and warmth
Covent Market Lane and Dunthat he wants you to experidas Street for easy accessibility
ence in his new venture.
It’s been a family affair all
Opening a new restaurant
the way. Rob’s father-in-law,
from the ground up can be a
Glen Brockington, has
dream come true, but many
brought more than 50 years of
crucial success factors need to
building experience into the
be considered before securing
project. “As for my wife, Bevan ideal location. There are
erley, she’s been there every
always a multitude of issues to
step of the way. Beverely has
bear in mind, and most
been a constant support in
restaurateurs start with a
everything from the midnight
well–thought-out business
truck rental returns in the
plan outlining how they
blinding snow to collaboratintend to make their vision
ing on the staff training mansuccessful. It seems to me that
ual. Beverley knows the
customers are often unaware
Chef Kristian Crossen (LEFT) and industry in depth, and she’s a
of how much planning,
restaurteur Rob Taylor in Braise, brilliant researcher, so she’s
preparation, hard labour, and still under construction in August. been a full-on partner in the
blood, sweat and tears go into
development of the concept
the opening of a new restaurant.
and design. I don’t make many moves withMost every restaurant start-up is fraught
out her opinion or ideas. Going forward,
with inevitable crises, delays, bureaucracy
Beverley will handle all of our administraand sleepless nights.
tion and ongoing aesthetics,” says Taylor.
In this column, I will go behind the scenes
One of the things that distinguished the
and share a few insights about this process,
Braise project early on was the professional
and how it relates to restaurateur Rob Taylor conceptual computer design renderings that
and his chef, Kristian Crossen, as they prewere developed in collaboration with Wayne
pare to open Braise in downtown London.
DeGroot, of D-Cubed and ddd.ca. The highly
As I write this article, they are still completrealistic 3D renderings helped various stakeing the interior of the restaurant, wielding
holders understand the Taylors’ vision for the
hammers, getting dirty and gearing up for
restaurant and recognize immediately the
the final stretch. So allow me to start with
calibre of the venue they are developing.
the nuts and bolts of the project and design. Another complementary aspect to the project
Braise will be a sophisticated upscale
is the co-existence of Braise with the hotel
restaurant/brasserie situated below the hotel project Metro, which is being developed at
space, next to the lobby of the new swanky
the same site. Al-Hussein Velji, representing
boutique hotel project, Metro, in downtown
the hotel’s ownership group, has worked in
London. From the initial visualization of the
tandem with the Braise project and expects to
venture through to the planning, designing
open the hotel’s doors soon as well. The
and construction of the restaurant, the
restaurant will retain an exclusive service
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
7
contract to provide all food and beverage
materials in very conscious and intentional
requirements for the hotel.
ways: salvaging a very large walnut tree and
The restaurant includes 50 feet of comhaving a solid walnut slab for the bar top
mercial frontage between the two entrances milled from it; rescuing a 44-inch-wide
to the 2700-square-foot main floor space,
maple log doomed for firewood and realizwhich is dedicated almost entirely to seating its rarity as a piece of prized spalting (an
ing and service areas. An
exotic form of wood
additional 1500 square feet
colourization), which is
on the basement level
used to great effect as an
houses the kitchen and
accent in the restaurant.
other operational eleThe eco-friendly restauments of Braise.
rant design incorporates
The Covent Market Lane
organic materials mixed
side of the business will
with modern surfaces for
have a casual brasseriea crisp eclectic urban senstyle menu in addition to
sibility. Restaurant tablethe main restaurant
tops are Douglas fir that
A conceptual rendering of the
menu, and the area will be
Brockington
reclaimed
Dundas Street entrance.
transformed late nights to
through renovations to
a lounge setting through furniture design
the hotel’s atrium.
and placement.
A back-lit, solid-walnut-topped bar is
The dining room renovation features
one of the focal points in the 126-seat room,
exposed brick walls, solid maple hardwood
which includes a 30-seat bar and lounge.
flooring, 14-foot ceilings, and a structurally
Brockington built the bar cabinetry and the
solid post and beam construction. Taylor
floor-to-ceiling wine cellar from repurhas sourced and reclaimed his building
posed wooden beams and tempered glass.
8
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
The bar will feature a wine list offering
ect and keep close attention to the details.
four house wines and sixteen premium
“Maintaining the standard of operations
wines by the glass, at a variety of price
set by Braise will be a team effort, and we will
points, as well as a full list of international
value the opinions of our employees,” says
bottles. All of this contributes to the goal of
Taylor. “Braise will employ a 360-degree
becoming the first London
review program allowing for
restaurant to eventually
valuable feedback from all
achieve the Wine Spectator
employees as they assess
Award of Excellence.
restaurant management and
Three separate areas will
the efficiencies of daily prohave the capability to
cedures. This approach to
become private dining
operational programs and
rooms that will be able to
decisions will help us to
accommodate parties of 10
improve our operational systo 36 guests. Braise will also
The Braise front dining room plan tem and foster a sense of
be able to seat from 44 to 65
pride and personal responsipeople in the banquet facility of Metro’s
bility among our staff.”
indoor courtyard, which features a stunning
Taylor confers rather than boasts, and he
35-foot-high sky-lit atrium.
does not sound pompous when he suggests
Rob Taylor is all poise under pressure,
that Braise will eventually be recognized as
optimistic yet pragmatic when discussing
the single best restaurant in the London
the infrastructure of the project and his suc- area. No, he’s not throwing down the gauntcessful mentorship by London Telecom
let; it is evident that he has high expectacofounder Rob Freeman. This mentorship
tions for both the restaurant and himself.
has given him invaluable diagnostic tools
Taylor is complimentary about other restauand insights to constantly reassess this proj- rants in the city, but has an excellent reason
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late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
9
for the rationale behind his goal: he has
over a decade ago, Taylor accepted his first
hired the talented and energetic Chef Kristserver position and quickly moved on to the
ian Crossen, formerly the sous-chef at Lang- dining room at Westover Inn in St. Marys and
don Hall Country House Hotel, a
then the acclaimed Teatro and its sister
5-diamond, award-winning Relais and
restaurant, the multi-award-winning River
Chateaux property. Langdon
Café in Calgary. It was in part
Hall, with its Chef Jonathon
the training from these highly
Gushue, is the first restaurant
respected organizations that
in Ontario to earn the muchassisted Taylor in gaining a
vaunted Relais Gourmands
coveted server position at one
status, joining culinary lumiof Canada’s top restaurants,
naries The French Laundry in
Canoe, in Toronto.
California and The Fat Duck
“Canoe is a high-performin England.
ance dining room, ultiTaylor has been employed
mately guest oriented, and
A Market Lane entrance view
in the hospitality industry for
through the highly
17 years, apprenticing initially in food prepa- acclaimed Oliver & Bonacini’s training proration and kitchen management. Starting at
gram I was able to perfect and sharpen my
age 18, he was responsible for all the fresh
skills with an internationally celebrated
bakery items for the 350 residents of Joanne
organization,” says Taylor. (Taylor’s wife,
Kates’ (restaurant critic of The Globe and
Beverley, also trained at Jump, the Oliver
Mail) Camp Arowhon in Algonquin Park,
and Bonacini establishment.)
and later as the pastry chef’s assistant at The
Canoe is of course one of Canada’s most
Church Restaurant in Stratford. After seven
venerated restaurants, and the Globe and
years of working in kitchens, Taylor moved
Mail once wrote of Chef Anthony Walsh’s
on to the service sector of the business. Just
offerings, “Canoe represents the growing
10
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
progress, and is intentionally designed to be
national culinary identity, the sense of what
straightforward, understandable and lanCanadian cuisine is and can be.” With this
guage-friendly. It is a menu whose subtleties
level of experience and influence, it makes
and strengths reveal that the integrity of the
sense that Taylor would team up with a chef
like Crossan, who has a Relais and Chateaux ingredient is paramount. The menu is intentionally designed to allow
background and training, as
dishes an assured longevity
well as a Toronto Life awardwhile conveying a truthful
winning stint in Stratford
sense of the season.
and earlier formative experiCuisine is in constant evoences in London restaurants.
lution, and Crossen’s dishes
After relocating to Londo not spring fully shaped
don, Taylor accepted the
from his imagination. There
position of General Manager
are antecedents, inspiration,
at The Black Trumpet. With
a new member of the family A rendering of the main dining hall and practical matters to consider. Chef Crossen
on the way and looking to
describes his menu style succinctly. “We
temporarily lighten his schedule, Taylor
moved to Mint RestoBar, where he remained want to strike a chord between comfort,
approachability and familiarity, with a twist
until taking on this project.
of the avant-garde.” I am told that we can also
An ethical and sustainable culinary phiexpect the theatrical, with offerings such as
losophy is shared by Taylor and Crossen.
Chef, who spent nine years living on a farm, butterscotch and black truffle ice cream. The
raising chickens and tending an organic gar- kitchen will be baking its own bread and
den, has allowed me to peruse a preliminary making its own butter.
A tasting menu offering small portions of
version of his late summer/early fall dinner
seven courses will also be available to showmenu. The menu is still an evolving work in
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
11
case a selection of in-house specialities, sig- want to be seen as a “special occasion only”
nature flavours and taste experiences, and
restaurant. The terms “approachable,”
will be changed frequently to take advan“accessible” and “collaborative” keep poptage of fresh seasonal ingredients.
ping up in their conversation.
On another occasion, Taylor
Taylor says that Braise will be a
articulates his thoughts and
seminal dining experience that
philosophies. He envisions and
will not only raise the bar but will
then re-envisions the potential
rival competitors in quality and
of Braise, all the while addresscomfort, which will be coupled
ing my questions with a restauwith an incomparable combinarateur’s charm and humour, and
tion of superb cuisine and worlda systematic approach of critical
class wine selection. The Braise
analysis that is an anomaly for
experience will be further
many first-time restaurant ownenhanced by a concerted dedicaers of my acquaintance.
tion to the pursuit of perfection in
Our conversation enjoyably
food service and atmosphere.
deviates from what I expected as
The Braise criteria for
The bar, under construction “detailed, intelligent and enthuTaylor, Crossen and I discuss
everything from ways that consiastic” service will be accomtemporary restaurants flag clients who
plished through specialized, ongoing
should receive special attention to whether
training. Servers will not have to go to the
or not the more discerning diner wants to
kitchen to ask about ingredients for clients
know the provenance of the food on their
with food allergies or dietary restrictions —
plate; from acoustics in the dining room to
they will already be able to answer the custhe importance of respecting and venerating tomers’ questions about the food and how it
vegetarianism; to the fact that they do not
is prepared.
no. 18 • late summer 2009
one part loyal customers with one part professional staff and consistent food offerings
and you’ve got it. Perennial favourite The
Tasting Room continues to pack the restaurant with diners who love their sassy style.
The Church Key Bistro-Pub is proving to be
very successful and the restaurant industry
hot spot of the moment. The outdoor patio is
nicely appointed and feels like a calming
and civilized urban oasis in the heart of the
downtown. Because the owners, Peter and
Vanessa Willis, hail from the bar and fine
dining sectors the concept ensures a unique
experience. Their intention seems to be very
customer focused.
Maggie’s Supper and Jazz Club is London’s
answer to sophisticated piano-bar restaurants in Montreal or Manhattan. A cosmopolitan mix of food and music, this ultimately
stylish and urban space is home to the
local jazz scene while adding their own creative stamp on the core in partnership with
the respected Thielsen Gallery at Maggie’s.
Taylor and Crossen are planning to build
their customer base gradually, by starting
relationships and then nurturing them.
Both men have a confidence level that tells
you to expect great things. They both understand that maintaining quality demands
daily attention, and that a restaurant never
has a second chance to make a good first
impression. “When it comes to being the
best, being good is never good enough,” says
Taylor. “We have the willingness to go out of
our way to do anything we can to accommodate our customers.”
The restaurant will be open for dinner
service seven nights a week and will also feature a late-night menu. Lunch will be served
from Monday to Friday and there will also be
a Sunday brunch.
Braise Food and Wine
125 Dundas Street, London
519-433-1414
www.braise.ca
Tidbits
If you’re looking for another recipe for success, look no farther than The Tasting
Room. [See the story on page 29 —Ed.] Mix
If you haven’t been to Garlic’s in a few
years, you may not be aware of the culinary
strides that Chef Wade Fitzgerald and
owner Edo Pehilj have made. Customer
Service Manager Emma Pratt is also part of
the team that has helped the restaurant
move in a more local direction. Due to
ongoing education with the culinary team,
floor staff are able to make intelligent and
informed suggestions about your dining
experience at this note-worthy restaurant.
Not satisfied to rest on his culinary laurels,
Waldo’s Chef/owner Mark Kitching is to be
commended for his series of organic dinners
with Chef Steve James. Having said that, Mr.
Kitching’s fans are still waiting for the slowbraised organic beef rib poutine with foie
gras gravy to appear on his menu. We wait
hopefully for the fall offerings to be
announced. An early summer organic dinner featured squab, which has been absent
from local menus for quite some time. This
succulent and delicious bird is set to make a
big comeback on upscale menus. BRYAN LAVERY is a well-known local chef, culinary instructor and former restaurateur. As eatdrink’s “Food Writer at
Large,” Bryan shares his thoughts and opinions on a wide
spectrum of the culinary beat.
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and Lambton County
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no. 18 • late summer 2009
RESTAURANTS
Whatever Lola Wants ...
Tania Auger’s Lola’s Lounge in Sarnia
By Cecilia Buy and Bryan Lavery
D
rive down Christina Street in Sarnia,
and you can’t miss it: a narrow building, with the front of its second floor
covered by the outsize signage, “Lola’s
Lounge” in flowing neon script, voluptuously crimson. Red is Tania Auger’s signature colour, and the owner of Lola’s has put
her unmistakable stamp on every facet of
her restaurant, from furnishings to food,
from the window treatment to the wine list.
The bones of the old building show
through. Operating continuously since the
thirties, the shade of the former diner
lingers. The swivel stools at the counter have
been replaced with metal-framed barstools,
but the curved bulkhead above the liquor
shelves remains, now backlit with red neon
that casts a speakeasy glow over the bottles
and Tania’s collection of vintage Canadian
and Italian art glass.
Down one side of the room are the original booths, seats now reupholstered, each
booth with its own coat and hat rack. On the
other side of the terrazzo floor (laid in diagonal stripes of light and dark), the booths
have been replaced with tables and chairs.
While the room seats 70, it feels more intimate, that sense enhanced by the large
coloured-glass lamps suspended over each
table and a jungle of shiny sequined decorations that dangle from the ceiling, with
swinging lamps over the bar. Tables are set
with bread plates, cutlery and glassware, and
a rainbow of cloth napkins. The upbeat
music is played to be noticed and enjoyed as
part of a high-energy dining experience.
Even with the bright sunshine pouring
through the large plate-glass window, the
ambience is less of lunchtime than “afternoon at the seraglio” / fifties cocktail lounge.
Tania Auger was born a bon vivant and
knew from an early age that she and the hospitality business were made for each other.
She arrived in London in her late teens,
charisma already flowing, to fill a vacancy at
the Lamplighter Inn, working as a bartender.
This was followed by stints at Howard John-
son’s and several much longer stretches at
John and Ingrid Blanke’s Gabrielle’s Next
Door. Not long after, she became the barkeeper/doyenne at Singapore. Located downstairs from the ultra chic Asian-inspired
Sorrenti’s restaurant, Singapore was an
instant hit under Auger’s direction. The intimate bar was an oasis of smoky cosmopolitan
seduction and sophistication with an adjoining secluded back room complete with two
Moorish-inspired tented booths. The bar
boasted a menu of classic cocktails: stingers,
manhattans, rusty nails, Rob Roys and martinis, as well as original concoctions that
cemented Auger’s reputation as bartender
extraordinaire. At the time, Auger was also
making her name designing and handcrafting
her own collection of avant-garde jewellery.
In 1988, Auger’s entrepreneurial streak
continued to surface, and she leased the Ritz
The outsize neon signage sets the
tone for the dazzling retro-chic
interior of Lola’s Lounge.
late summer 2009 • no. 18
Hotel in Bayfield where she opened
the Shark Inn. After a very successful
season, the building was purchased by
Joan Ivey, who bought out the lease
and paved the way for Auger to return
to London and transform a longtime
lunch counter into the legendary 99
King. Auger’s high-energy approach,
design sensibility and idiosyncratic
style went a long way into helping to
turn a derelict part of King Street into
the restaurant mecca it has become.
The restaurant and lounge eventually
expanded into three buildings in the
premises now occupied by the Cello
Supper Club. In the second year of
operation, Auger upped the ante and
hired uber-chef Jacqueline Shantz for
the long-run period. Shantz was
followed by the accomplished Chef
Paul Eadie.
All good things come to an end,
and after a lengthy and successful
run, in 1997, much to the dismay of a
large and diverse clientele, the doors
of 99 King were closed. Tania
returned to her hometown, Sarnia,
and after a brief hiatus opened a new enterprise, the tony Smoked Oyster, and a second
restaurant/nightclub, Red Tango. Following
the events of September 11, 2001, Sarnia, like
other Canadian border cities, felt the effects
on trade. The locals, sophisticated American
customers, Point Edward Charity Casino’s
high rollers, and the tourists along Sarnia’s
stunning riverfront district stayed away in
droves. Undeterred, and never one to look
backwards, Auger “bit the hair of the dog”
and opened Lola’s Lounge in the summer of
2002.
“When I first opened, I was trying to do
funky comfort food ’cause I still had the Red
Tango. I was trying to keep the Tango as the
dressy place and this as the more comfort …
I finally said, ‘Okay, forget it!’ and painted
the place red (gotta have red), raised the bar,
and put the mirrors in,” recalls Auger. “People were mad at me for closing the Smoked
Oyster. It was not easy. People wouldn’t even
come. It took at least a year to get things
going again.”
Seven years later, Lola’s has seen some
changes and permutations in style, staff, and
cuisine, but seems settled in for the long
run. Giselle Dennis, Lola’s manager, has
been by Auger’s side every step of the way,
With her signature
red colour, Tania
Auger has put her
unmistakable stamp
on every facet of
her restaurant.
ONTARIO’S
INNS
member
no. 18 • late summer 2009
doing the books at 99 King, four years at The
Smoked Oyster and the last seven at Lola’s.
Despite a current trend to simplicity and
seasonality, Auger, who appreciates the
“local” philosophy, does not follow trends,
she sets them. Her menus have a distinct
personality consistent with the Tania Auger
brand, the imprimatur, retro-chic with a
continental riff on the traditional. Hers is an
anthology of rehabilitated classics like escargot forestière, crispy frogs’ legs, oysters
Rockefeller, clam chowder and iceberg lettuce (but this incarnation served with beef
tenderloin, blue cheese, boiled egg and avocado). It is food that is brash, sensual and
sexy, food that borders on the hedonistic
with big flavours. Menus denote exotic
locales, diverse flavours and ingredients. The
irony of items such as Mama Mia Meatballs
with major mozza & baguette and Fashion
Forward Cold Seafood Extravaganza reference what is both camp and kitsch.
Lola’s rack of lamb is a culinary legend
with its spicy maple bourbon sauce, whose
ingredients came to Auger fully formed in a
dream, and Chef Shantz perfected during
the 99 King years.
Auger has always paid homage to the
American bar and grill sensibility and its
culinary traditions, especially martinis, big
10- and 12-oz. steaks, and the freshest fish
and seafood. Lola’s fresh fish is sourced
locally from Purdy’s Fish Market, which is
one of Southwestern Ontario’s hidden gems,
operating since 1900 in Point Edward. There
is also a location in Grand Bend, and Purdy’s
sells its offerings at the Sarnia Farmer’s Market at the corner of Ontario and Proctor
Streets on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon.
Turns out, you can go home again. Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets. And little man,
little Lola wants you. Make up your mind to
have no regrets. Recline yourself, resign
yourself, you’re through.... Gift Certificates Available
Lola’s Lounge
110 Christina Street South, Sarnia
519 336-8088
hours of operation:
monday to saturday: 11 a.m. to close.
sunday: 5 p.m. to close
OPEN SUNDAY FOR DINNER & M ON-SAT – LUNCH & DINNER
FOR RESERVATIONS: 519-652-7659 • HWY 401 & 4
CECILIA BUY and BRYAN LAVERY are both regular
contributors to eatdrink.
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
17
RESTAURANTS
A Port Stanley Jewel
The Kettle Creek Inn
By Debra Bagshaw
S
ome dining experiences linger in the
mind with a happy little afterglow. A
recent Friday evening meal at the Kettle
Creek Inn in Port Stanley provided just that.
Upon arrival, my guest and I were taken to
a table for two in the gazebo, where we proceeded to soak up the pervading mood of
relaxation. The gazebo is a substantial structure in a mature garden of plants and trees,
creating a nice pocket of seclusion from the
nearby street. Music provided a complementary background. Tables in and around
the gazebo were filled with a mixture of inn
guests, pre-theatre diners, couples, and families with children. Staff took orders with
friendly efficiency, made helpful suggestions, and took their cue for conversation
from each diner’s needs. People seemed to
be enjoying the outdoors, conversation and
the food, bathed in the slanting rays of the
early evening sun. Even the children present
seemed to be happy with the easy ambience
and their menu choices.
We chose a wine and the Tomato Bocconcini Salad to share, made with organic
cherry tomatoes, red onion, bocconcini
cheese and fresh basil on organic greens
drizzled with honey-balsamic vinaigrette.
The waiter offered to split the salad, which
was drizzled with honey-balsamic vinaigrette, simple but fresh and delicious. Each
half portion was generous and oh so much
prettier when divvied up in the kitchen.
My dining partner enjoyed the Lake Erie
Perch Dinner, a Port Stanley favourite. Jackson Fish Market yellow perch fillets were
lightly floured and pan seared, finished with
a sauce of citrus and caper butter, accompanied by seasoned rice and vegetables. I
chose a McSmith’s Farm organic chicken
breast. The Caribbean-inspired chicken dish
was stuffed with papaya, mango and goat
cheese and encrusted in golden-brown
coconut and served with pineapple coulis.
The chicken was flavourful and nicely textured with the wonderful contrasts of sweet
pineapple, tart mango and toasty coconut.
An edible zucchini flower garnish was beautiful and delicious.
The accompanying rice and vegetables
were well prepared and flavourful. The presentation was enticing but not overdone. Our
shared dessert of chocolate carrot cake was a
perfect finish. Like most of the inn desserts,
it was made just around the corner at Killer
Desserts. The inn presents a satisfying balance of good food, local product features
and pleasant atmosphere.
A chat with Chef Mike Robbins and coowner Jean Vedova on the following
Wednesday convinced me that my experience was more than just happenstance.
Mike Robbins is a happy, accomplished
chef. Jean is co-owner, with Gary Vedova, of
18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
ideas, then creates his own personal twists.
He aims for contrasting textures and flavours
— my Caribbean chicken is one example of
his success. He is, he says, a fan of a sweet
element to menu items. Food favourites
include blueberries and strawberries, and he
uses as many as possible in season.
Robbins likes to keep the restaurant’s
offerings in line with the economy and plans
to include several wintery, homey selections
on the fall menu. He notes it has been a “different” year. People are tending to choose
less high-end items — more pot pie and fish
this family-run business lovingly developed
and chips. They still want wine but are
since its opening in 1983. A sense of pride is
reflected in the dining experience they offer. spending less on the entrée.
Jean Vedova was a “Cape Breton girl” who
Robbins came to the Kettle Creek Inn
travelled to Alberta, meeting Gary and endthree and a half years ago. He was born and
ing up in St. Thomas in 1968. They started
raised in St. Thomas, then moved up north
the inn and restaurant in 1983, while she was
with his wife-to-be, completed chef’s trainteaching and Gary was practicing law. Over
ing at Canador College, and settled into a
the years, the inn has had several
job at the Holiday Inn in Barrie. He
accomplished chefs. The restaurant
also did stints at the board of educahas always featured perch, pickerel
tion office there and at Collingand local seasonal produce. The
wood’s Cranberry Resort. Robbins
Inn began to increase their
has used all of his work experiemphasis on local and ethical
ences, including those at fast-food
products 10 years ago, with the
chains following high school, to
inclusion of Cumbrae Farms’ meats,
learn about different business styles.
which are raised naturally, on the
He notes there are several layers of
Chef Mike Robbins
best feeds, without hormones,
clientele at the Inn restaurant.
drugs or chemical enhancement.
Many locals like the pub. Tourists are drawn
They also started to market the inn as “North
by perch, pickerel and a menu that showcases foods grown, caught or farmed nearby. Shore Lake Erie,” a destination descriptor
they found more meaningful to tourists than
The slant towards local foods was already
well-established before Robbins came to the “Elgin County.”
Sous-chef Mike Dawdy started a year ago.
inn, and it’s a focus that meshes well with
his own cooking style. Jackson’s Fishery, says “Mike Robbins and Mike Dawdy are both
Robbins, is their valued supplier for pickerel very capable and don’t have egos. They work
and perch. Elgin County Encounter Farms’
organic field greens and vegetables are also
a mainstay in season. He frequently stops at
farmers’ markets and tries as often as possible to buy Ontario products. The core menu
is well thought out and offers something for
everyone, while seasonal products are used
to advantage with creative potato, veg and
sauce options.
On his cooking style, Robbins notes that
he likes butters and understated seasonings.
He prefers fresh flavours and likes to cook to
order as much as possible. His watchwords
are fresh and light. A French chef during college days had a definite influence. His inspirations are far-ranging — he watches the
Seating options include a parlour with fireplace, an
intimate English pub, two cozy dining rooms (one
Food Network and reads extensively for
shown left), and a patio.
L to R: Dean, Jean,
Gary and Troy Vedova
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
well with the servers,” notes Vedova appreciatively. “That makes a huge difference.”
Sons Troy and Dean figure prominently in
the smooth operation of the inn. Both
started as dishwashers and have “done it all.”
When the Kettle Creek Inn opened in
1983, Port Stanley wasn’t as attractive as it is
now, but the Vedovas believed it was a jewel.
Though its popularity has grown, they think
it is still an underrated dining and getaway
destination. Guests at the inn often decide to
stay on an extra day or so, says Vedova, simply because they love the inn and they are
drawn to the area’s natural beauty and
friendly atmosphere.
The Kettle Creek Inn was constructed in
1849 as a summer home for the local Port
Stanley Justice of the Peace. The main building was significantly expanded and restored
in 1983 and 1990. Dining options include the
parlour with its fireplace, the intimate English
pub, two cozy dining rooms, and the patio.
In more recent years, pub fare features and
off-season discounts for locals have become
a real draw, and the pub is now a social hub.
This was an opportunity, Vedova admits, of
which they were slow to take advantage, but
has proved to be a great success. It is important, she notes, to always pay attention. “The
key is to make every person who walks in the
front door feel welcome.” 19
The Kettle Creek Inn
216 Joseph Street, Port Stanley
519-782-3388
www.kettlecreekinn.com
DEBRA BAGSHAW is the editor of Relish Elgin, a print and
web magazine (www.relishelgin.ca) featuring topics related
to food, home, art and culture in Elgin County.
20
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
RESTAURANTS
What’s In a Name?
Rene’s Bistro in Stratford
By Cecilia Buy
W
hat’s in a name? René Delafranier
found out a few months after
opening his first restaurant, Five
Senses, on Wellington Street in Stratford.
Stationery and menus had been printed,
website uploaded, and business was good.
Then came the call from a Toronto law firm.
Their client was operating under a similar
name, and was prepared for a fight.
René and his partner, Margaret Masters,
decided to take a pass on what could
become an expensive battle. Instead, they
continued to channel their energies into
developing their enterprise, which they
renamed René’s Bistro.
There are arguments for and against an
eponymous business name. If you fail, your
name goes down with you. But by using
their own names, entrepreneurs communicate that they stand behind their services
and skills, and that they are prepared to put
their reputations on the line. René says that
the change “was a blessing in disguise.” He
and Margaret are well-known in the community, and having his name on the shingle
endows the business with personality.
Brand recognition.
René grew up in Stratford, and knew from
the time of his first restaurant job, in grade
nine, that he was destined for the business. It
wasn’t until he started at the Stratford Chefs
School that René discovered that a fellow student in his martial arts class was Neil Baxter,
then Master of Cuisine at the Chef School,
and Chef de Cuisine at Rundles Restaurant.
While studying, and after graduating in
’99, René put his training into practice in
Stratford, working at Rundles, The Annex,
and Down the Street. Margaret Masters,
meanwhile, was paying her dues and gaining experience in the other half of the
restaurant business: front of the house. She
had grown up on a farm in Embro and studied business in college, but found her métier
in the hospitality business.
Some time after their first meeting, Margaret and René opened a bed and breakfast in
town. It was sold earlier this year, but during
its operation the couple found themselves
part of a “really good networking system,”
which still benefits them today. The network
includes the owners of numerous other B&Bs
(whose guests often ask for restaurant recommendations), store owners, and other local
restaurants, including Sapori’s, Down the
Street, Keystone Alley, Mercer Hall, The Parlour, Queen’s Inn and The Sun Room. As well,
says Margaret, the Stratford Tourism Alliance
has been a great support. (The mandate of the
STA includes the promotion of Stratford as a
late summer 2009 • no. 18
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tourism destination, and strengthening the
local economy).
“We were in business as soon as we
opened,” says René. Good reviews have
helped them stay that way. The bistro
obtains consistently high rankings on Internet restaurant review sites. Last month Pat
Donnelly, culture critic for the Montreal
Gazette, included René’s Bistro on a short
list of Stratford’s top dining establishments.
The bistro resides in our collective imagination as a cosy, casual Parisian restaurant/bar to which we stroll, where we
indulge in good wine and good food that is
prepared by the owner with attention and
skill, all offered at reasonable prices. (The
appellation has been attached to a huge
number of eateries that variously deserve it,
or not.) Both training and proclivity led René
to choose the classic bistro as his model.
René’s offers both Provençal and Tuscan
cuisine. (The latter “allows us to offer a little
bit more,” says René.) Among the typically
French items are pork rillettes (“as old
school as they come”), and ratatouille,
baked in puff pastry and capped with grilled
vegetables and a double-cream Brie. The
Italian flavours appear most obviously in the
pasta menu and in the chicken crespelle, but
also crop up in sides, such as the polenta,
which partners a provençal salmon. Elements of both cuisines are combined in
some dishes, such as the slow-braised lamb
shank, which is accompanied by goat cheese
gnocchi, wild mushrooms and baby spinach.
Slowly-cooked meats are customary on the
classic bistro menu, and this is René’s
“biggest seller.”
Among the most popular items on the
menu are mussels. Chef prepares fresh
Prince Edward Island mussels and presents
them in six different ways, from marinière to
moules à la bouillabaisse.
In the kitchen, working alongside René, is
Head Chef Tim Otsuki, another Stratford
Chefs School alumnus. “We worked together
a long time ago,” says René. “He went to
Hong Kong, to Turks and Caicos, ran a
restaurant down there [at Windsong, a boutique resort], then came back this year…So I
said ‘If you’re staying, you gotta work here!’”
Otsuki contributes to the menu with items
discovered on his travels and with new
ideas. But just as valuable, or perhaps more
so, is the “other voice” he provides for René,
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22
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
and the support of an old friend in a new
focaccia. Happy news for René (and every
enterprise. Also in the kitchen are two curother chef in town) is the recent return of
rent Chefs School students: Evangeline
Ruth Klahsen, cheesemaker extraordinaire,
Cauchi and Kevin Payler.
to Stratford. Monforte Dairy cheeses are now
The dining room is Margaret’s purview.
available from the new premises at 49 GrifMaybe it’s the B&B experience, but I think
fith Road.
she’s doing what comes naturally when welMargaret and René seem to have figured
coming you warmly into her restaurant, as if
out how partners can best work together.
into her home. As
They have their own
one diner put it, she
responsibilities, but
is “delightful, helpful
are definitely in it
and informative.”
together. “I try to
Margaret’s role
make sure that
includes helping the
everyone is happy
servers, tending bar,
out front,” says Margetting coffees and
garet, and as for the
teas, taking reservakitchen, “I don’t go
tions, and generally,
back there!”
as René says, “everyRené, definitely
thing” required in the
not a temperamental
front. Some of her
talent, adds, “We’re
Chef René Delafranier presents fresh Prince Edward
photographs (a long- Island mussels (ABOVE) in six different ways, from
both pretty laid back;
time hobby) grace the marinière to moules à la bouillabaisse. The Grilled
it works well.” Whatwalls. Margaret valVegetable Tart (BELOW) is ratatouille baked in buttery ever the recipe, it’s
puff pastry topped with a double cream brie cheese
ues her staff (Jenny
satisfying them both:
and grilled vegetables, served with parmesan crusted they’re tying the knot
Carter, Todd Hill,
herb mini potatoes and creamy balsamic vinaigrette.
Andy Stapes, Ben
this January.
McMillan, Caroline
Don’t wait ’til you
Flood, and sister
get to France. Go to
April Masters), knowStratford, stroll
ing that exceptional
down the street, stop
service is one of the
in for a cocktail, be
keys to success.
embraced by the
Two things stand
hospitality of the
out in the beverage
owners, enjoy a
menu: an extensive
good meal. René’s
martini list (it is a
Bistro … the name
bistro), and a wide
says it all. selection of teas and
tisanes. These come from Karen Hartwick, a
member of Stratford’s informal bed and
René’s Bistro
breakfast network, but also a certified tea
20 Wellington Street, Stratford
sommelier and the owner of Tea Leaves.
519-508-1777
Hers are not the ubiquitous out-of-a-bag
www.renescuisine.com
offerings, but are among the best loose-leaf
teas available. I like my tea from Tetley’s, but hours of operation:
found a new favourite — vanilla bean tisane. tuesday to saturday: 4:30 pm until last
As described on Hartwick’s website, “The
reservation taken at 8:30 pm
natural sweetness of Vanilla bean infused
open sundays july to september
with a rich China black tea makes this an
irresistible delight. The aroma is calming
and the cup is a bright copper brew.”
CECILIA BUY is a writer and designer who has enjoyed livOther local suppliers are in evidence,
ing and dining in London and area for the past 17 years.
although the kitchen prepares everything
possible in-house, including the herbed
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
23
SPOTLIGHT
The Manic Organic’s Soiled Reputation
Antony John’s Produce Earns Rave Reviews
By Melanie North
T
hese days, we are seeing growing consumer interest in the origins of the
products we buy. We are turning away
from mass-produced and imported foods and
embracing local and seasonal products. For
ethical and environmental reasons, not to
mention quality, inquiring minds want to
know: Where did this food come from? Who
grew it? Is it organic? Is it local? Is it fair trade?
Who is the farmer? These are questions we
might ask when we go to the market or the
grocer, and particularly when we buy wine or
cheese. But how often do we ask our restaurateurs about the source of the food they plate?
Many chefs are now addressing these
questions on their menus and that’s a good
thing. Canoe restaurant in Toronto, for example, lists “Cumbrae Farms Beef Tenderloin
Tartare and Yarmouth Lobster” on their
menu, and many restaurants list the origins
of the cheeses they serve. The London Club
offers “Goat’s Cheese & Vegetable Terrine
with Hand Picked Soiled Reputation Greens.”
Garlics’s of London is offering similar infor-
mation on their menu, such as “Everspring
Farm’s Muscovy Duck,” “Fried St. Marys
Almond Crusted Chevre,” and “City Farming
Network’s Organic Heirloom Beets.”
One of the top growers and suppliers in
the area of organic vegetables is Antony
John, owner with his partner, Tina, of Soiled
Reputation in Sebringville. He says that too
often vegetables are seen as the poor relatives on the dinner plate, and he wants chefs
and diners to be given the opportunity to
taste the quality, appreciate the beauty, and
recognize the care and effort in growing
quality vegetables.
What are the important qualities to look
for? Beyond certified organic and local food,
there is the influence of “terroir.” As John says,
“There is no truer expression of a region’s
unique combination of geography and climate than the food grown in its soils.” Perth
County soil is classified as sedimentary. Massive lush primordial forests grew up in the
former glacial lakebed, then decomposed
Continued on page 24 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
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99 Ontario Street
downtown Stratford
A fabulous place
to spend the night!
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
Continued from page 21 over the years and built up layers rich in
organic matter. The soil here contains the
ideal ratio of clay to sand: enough sand to
allow drainage and enough clay so that it
contains moisture and releases it slowly over
time. The region also benefits from the Lake
Huron rains due to the prevailing west winds.
It’s the ideal combination of soil and
weather for a growing
region. In essence,
what a Burgundy or
Bordeaux region does
for wine, these soils do
for vegetables. Antony
John is manipulating
the same variables as
wine growers do and
producing exceptional
taste and quality in the
vegetables he grows.
With a degree in Wildlife Biology from
Guelph University and ten years under his
belt as a dairy farmer on Tina’s father’s farm,
John decided the time had come to start up
their own farm business. Eighteen years ago
he asked the question, “What is the best way
to produce high quality food?” and the
answer was organic. Now, with a total of
eighty acres, forty of which are Pro-Cert
organic certified, he and 20 employees grow
and care for fifty different crops on twenty
acres, renting out the rest. Edamame, fava
beans, red and gold cipoline onions, gold
and candy cane beets, Castlefranco radicchio
(which turns chartreuse with a splash of red
when ready for harvesting and has hazelnut
undertones in flavour), purple Viking potatoes and La Ratte potatoes (made famous by
renowned Chef Joël Robuchon) are some of
the of the specialty greens and vegetables
they grow in order to provide top chefs and
consumers with the best of the best.
We stand in the field munching on sugar
peas and fennel. John admits that large producers, in an effort to rush their food to market, will often overwater carrots and fennel to
make them bigger faster. The unfortunate
result of the excess water is less flavour. This
fennel is different, slightly more compact,
more subtly sweet in flavour. Antony John is
interested in crafting food, not just producing
it. He doesn’t plant carrots until July in order
to take advantage of the first frost of mid-September that will trigger the starch into sugar
in the carrots and various root vegetables.
Every once in a while we stop to look
through John’s high-powered bird scope for
an up-close look at the barn swallows or
sandpipers. John is an avid birdwatcher and
has identified 117 species so far in his eighteen years on this piece of land. The birds
provide inspiration on several levels, as subjects for his art and a
reminder that, “I am
managing a farm as an
ecosystem. My job as
steward of the land is
not only to produce
food for people but
also to increase and
foster biodiversity. For
example, the birds that
we see today will be in
Costa Rica this winter
and so what we grow
here and what these
birds eat will have a direct affect on the biodiversity of the land in Costa Rica, and vice
versa.” John is an artist both on the land and
off it. He is pursuing his painting again after
a long hiatus to get the farm up and running.
Inspired and mentored by Alex Colville, he
paints both at home and in Costa Rica, and
has accumulated a body of work that he
hopes to place in a Toronto gallery.
We continue sampling through the rows,
including some of the “weeds.” The purslane
is delicious and tastes surprisingly like watermelon. We taste lambs quarters and chickweed. John talks about his fava beans that are
just finishing. He updates chefs weekly on
what’s coming and what’s gone from the
field. He sows a new crop of lettuce and
arugula every 7–10 days, and his crew is picking outside until December. The farm operates year round using greenhouses and has
made a commitment to restaurants to provide them with produce throughout the year.
Fourteen years ago, John started taking
cooking classes from Neil Baxter, Chef at
Rundles and instructor at the Stratford Chefs
School. As a result, he learned the language
of “chefdom” and what chefs are looking for
in product. He says, “In that sense, I am a
part of the kitchen brigade, selecting and
editing in the field. I can get into the minds of
the chefs and their restaurants and what they
each want.” He is also trying to create heterogeneous variety on the farm to accommodate
different chefs’ styles and different restau-
26
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
27
rants’ offerings. The validation from Chefs
best dish of the year may well be the simple
such as Jason Schubert and Paul Harding at
vegetable salad at this former dairy in LonThe Only on King is very gratifying
don, Ontario.” Those vegetables
for John. “I’m a professional, just
came from Soiled Reputation.
the same as a winemaker, but the
John sums up his feelings on
key to raising our profile is in eduhis vocation: “Having this farm
cating diners to ask for it [quality]
has allowed me to be creative, to
at their restaurants.” Chefs like
be a farmer and to play with the
Schubert and Harding have
textures and colours in salads. So
S OI L E D
embraced the flexibility necessary
it’s a great combination for me.
R E P U TAT I O N Our name, Soiled Reptutation, is a
in setting their menu daily to offer
TEMPTATIONS FROM
THE GARDEN
the season’s best produce.
reflection of the maverick personJohn pulls a few torpedo
alities Tina and I have. We always
onions, soft red in colour with an oblong
seem to be on the fringe, and I wouldn’t
bulb. They have a flavour that is a cross
have it any other way.”
between a shallot and a Vidalia onion. I take
some home to grill on the barbeque with bal- SOILED REPUTATION is located at 4129 on County Road
samic vinegar and olive oil. These vegetables 130 in Sebringville and stocks a cooler of salad greens, seaare worthy riches. Soiled Reputation is a sup- sonal vegetables and Neil Baxter’s sourdough bread for their
plier to top restaurants in Toronto, as well as
weekend “homies,” the dedicated foodies who want to buy
those in Stratford like The Church, The Old
direct from the farm. Contact them at 519-393-6497 or at
Prune, Bijou and Rundles. In London, The
www.soiledreputation.net (under construction). Only on King has been a staunch supporter
and it has paid off. EnRoute magazine named
MELANIE NORTH is Editor of CityWoman magazine
them one of the ten best new restaurants in
(www.citywoman.ca) and a regular contributor to eatdrink.
Canada last year and concluded, “the single
28
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
TRAVEL
Taking the Taste Trek, Perth County Style
By Laurel Armstrong
D
ay tripping during the late summer
“daze” offers a break from the city
and the beach. With the weather
we’ve had this summer, a “road trip with
rewards” is a great way to go. Load the trunk
with a large cooler and lots of freezer packs,
pick up those friends with equal fervour for
the freshest ingredients and delicious goodies, grab the map, and make a day of it!
Head out on the road and enjoy some
small-town stops along the way to pick up the
bounty of the harvest season that’s just begun
in our region. Last issue, eatdrink explored
Huron County. Perth County also boasts some
of the best in food production and presentation. We’ve selected a small sampling of shops
and stops that will lead you to discover some
of the amazing array of Perth County bounty
for foodies of all styles and preferences.
Get Out of Town and Go North!
Set off early for this day trip. From London,
head north to connect with Highway 7, then
turn east on 7 to St. Marys, Canada’s Stone
Town, to start your relaxed rural getaway
with great taste treats in store.
Mollet’s Designer Desserts at 31 Church
Street in St. Marys will tempt you to fill the
cooler. You’ll soon realize you won’t have
room for everything, so why not create a
sampler to enjoy at a picnic table or as you
travel? The dazzling array of jewel-coloured
squares are true eye-candy — and don’t we
all eat with our eyes first! Alex Mollet is a
Swiss-born and trained professional chef
and patissier who has worked his magic for
over 17 years in Switzerland, Hong Kong,
United States, England and Alberta. If you
have a family celebration coming up, you
might want to consider having Alex create a
memorable dessert or specially-crafted cake
to highlight the menu.
Time for Lunch?
If you’re ready right now for lunch, find your
way to one of Ontario’s finest inns — the
Westover Inn, just across the river in St.
Marys. Set amid 19 acres of woods and gardens in this historic town, the gracious limestone manor houses six spacious
second-floor guest rooms. In the dining
room, the menu emphasizes local ingredients, including Perth County wild boar
sausage, Shepherd Gourmet Dairy sheep’s
milk cheese, and organic greens from
Antony John, the Food Network’s “Manic
Organic.” (See our “spotlight” on John in this
issue.) Select from a wonderful wine list and
enjoy the personable table service here
before venturing back on the road to continue your way east to Stratford for a little
gourmet power-shopping.
We recommend some quick stops to keep
the pace of palate-pleasing travel moving right
along. It’s always worth checking to see what’s
going on at McCully’s Hill Farm, at 4074 Perth
Line, on the road to Stratford. It’s both an educational centre as well as home to an outstanding market. The fare is fresh and local,
and you’re guaranteed a warm welcome.
Stratford Selections
If you’re a trend watcher, you know that tea
has joined coffee as a favourite Canadian
beverage. Stratford boasts two great stops for
tea lovers and recent converts looking for
the health benefits.
Tea-tasting at Distinctly Tea on York
Street is an especially lovely experience
when you enjoy take-out teas to bring along
as you wander the park across from the
late summer 2009 • no. 18
shop. Their teas range from fruity to fulsome
black teas from around the world.
Tea Leaves Tea Tasting Bar at 433 Erie
Street is an intimate tea lounge in Rosewood
Manor Bed and Breakfast. Host Karen
Hartwick is a trained tea sommelier and this
congenial host is ready to share her passion
and knowledge with guests. You’ll find that
her guided tea sampling is the best way to
enjoy the healthy and flavourful benefits
with every sip.
After you’ve selected your teas and tucked
them in the trunk, you’ll want to shop at a
boutique that’s sure to please your best
friend — the family dog!
The Barkery has gone to the dogs in Stratford and created a bake shop for man’s best
friend. This charming bake shop, tucked
around the corner in downtown Stratford at
6 George Street, creates all-natural dog
treats. Using only fresh ingredients, they
offer tasty, healthy dog treats as rewards and
well-wishes from their loving owners. We’re
sure you’ll be greeted with great enthusiasm
when you get home with a bag filled with
ginger cookies for pups of all ages. The Barkery shares too! You’ll find the recipe at
www.thebarkery.ca so you can make your
own for the pooch at home. Bone appetite!
And of course, no day in Stratford is complete without a chocolate fix. Stop at Chocolate Barrs at 136 Ontario Street or shop at
Rhéo Thompson at 55 Albert Street for a box
(or three!) of Chocolate Mint Smoothies —
the original and still a favourite hostess gift
for Perth County folks. Now you’re ready to
go east to the hamlet of Shakespeare for
more “best of” Perth County foods.
The Other Shakespeare
Less than 20 minutes east of the bustle of the
city, you’ll find the hamlet of Shakespeare,
an aptly-named location given the lure of
the theatre experience in Stratford. We’ll recommend three shops in the village today,
but there are lots more to explore in this
charming and busy cross-roads community.
Don’t neglect the chance for a little antique,
quilt or custom-created teddy bear shopping
while you’re exploring.
The cases and coolers of Shakespeare
Pies are brimming with freshly baked pies
and tarts and six varieties of meat pies — not
to mention the jams, relishes, maple syrup,
apple butter, honey and even pickled eggs. It
will be hard to choose, but that’s all the more
reason to make sure this shop is on your
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“return to” list in the fall. This spot also offers
Natural Red & Black Angus Beef, summer
sausage and wild lake trout too.
The Bright Cheese & Butter Company,
started by a group of local farmers in the
1800s, now has two retail shops. You’ll find
curds, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, Marble, Gouda, Havarti, Onion & Parsley, Hot
Pepper and Mozzarella, along with freshchurned butter, of course! Watch for the
shop at 200 Huron Road West in the village.
Add a load of great bread and you’re on your
way to picnic heaven.
no. 18 • late summer 2009
The Best Little Pork Shoppe features
exclusive pork products ranging from fresh
cuts to smoked and flash-frozen chops and
other selections. This busy location on Highway 7/8 west also hosts the new Perth
County Welcome Centre and Artisan Marketplace, where you’ll find a selection of
maps and brochures to tempt you to travel
further afield on your next trip to the area.
An Organic Oasis
Next, from Shakespeare, turn north on Perth
County Road 107 to Amulree. Go west at this
crossroad on County Road 43 and drop by
the Organic Oasis for fresh-from-the-field
fruits and vegetables, milled cereals, flours,
meats — and Mapleton’s Organic Ice Cream!
During your visit to the Oasis, a certifiedorganic farm market shop, watch for the
greeter, Winston, a friendly dog who finds
the best shady spot to snooze.
Continue west on Perth County Road 43
and turn south on County Road 119 and head
back into Stratford. By this time you’ll be
ready for dinner, and no city of this size boasts
as many great dining spots as this one. Before
you even head out on this road trip, you might
want to find a restaurant and call for a reservation to make sure your table is waiting.
After dinner, do a little window-shopping,
then head back home with a cooler full of
goodies and a satisfied feeling — knowing
you’ve discovered great foods from the harvest of Perth County.
For additional travel information, visit
www.visitperth.ca, and for more about the
Taste Trek and other travel experiences, visit
www.shakespearetotheshoreline.ca. LAUREL ARMSTRONG is an avid traveller who lives and
works in Huron County as a tourism industry consultant.
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
31
RESTAURANTS
Taste a Flight in London
The Tasting Room Bar & Bistro
By Melanie North
A
fter 16 years in management at Joe
Kool’s, Pam and Karl Lansdowne
decided to realize the dream of owning their own place. In January of 2003, they
opened The Tasting Room Bar & Bistro.
While travelling, they had seen bistros in
Chicago and Florida that offered tasting
flights of wine, and they felt that Londoners
would enjoy the concept. They added the
twist of combining wine tasting with a variety of appetizers. Karl had traveled to Spain
and enjoyed the noisy and lively tapas bars
there, and this served as part of the inspiration for the Mediterranean-style bistro. Tile
floors combine with sunny yellow walls,
greenery, and hammered copper tabletops
to make a comfortable and fun place to be.
Pam and Karl prefer New World wines,
largely from
California
and Australia,
choosing
wines by
their personal taste.
A wine flight
All wines are
consignment so you won’t see them at the
LCBO, but Pam says, “Anyone who wants to
purchase a case of something they like, we
can give them the contact information for
the consignment representative.”
The tasting flights are divided into four 2ounce glasses of red or white wine. White
wine flights include Chardonnays or Sauvignons Blancs, and you can choose reds from
Shiraz or Cabernet. The Wine Flight menu
details the flavours you can discover during
your tasting. It’s an opportunity to learn
more about what wines you prefer, experiment with new wines, and test your nose
and your taste buds. The Tall Poppy Australian Chardonnay, for example, is “fullflavoured, with aromas of apple and melon
with a hint of oak.” The California Cabernet,
Michael Sullberg, combines “berries, chocolate and vanilla-wood flavours.” Glasses of
wine are arranged on the table in order of
lightest to heaviest, and water is offered to
cleanse the palate between tasting. Wines
32
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
are also available by the bottle or glass and
are reasonably priced.
The appetizers are the focus in this bistro
and they are vast and varied. Everything is
made from scratch, and fresh seafood is
always on the menu. You can try Tasting
Room Mussels steamed in a white wine
broth with garlic, parsley and parmesan,
Shrimp Ravioli Trio served with zucchini,
tomato-almond and carbonara sauces, or
Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls with a sweet
chili dipping sauce.
As well as 22 different appetizers,
the bistro serves 12 main dishes prepared by their co-chefs, Paul Eadie,
formerly of 99 King, and Alicia Hartley. With a nod to the cultures of various staff, the entrée menu has an
international flair: Milanese Chicken
stuffed with parmigiano-reggiano
cheese, pancetta, roasted red peppers and artichokes and served with
a fresh basil cream; Jamaican Pork
Loin, a Jerk-rubbed pork loin served
with a warm banana-mango chutney; Sesame Studded Ahi Tuna Loin
served with pickled ginger, sweet soy
no. 18 • late summer 2009
and wasabi cream; along with Angus
Beef Tenderloin or Ribeye, and a variety
of seafood dishes.
The whole experience has been gratifying for the couple. “I wanted to have a
place that I would like to go to myself,”
says Pam. One of the biggest compliments she receives from out-of-town
customers is when they say they would
love a place just like The Tasting Room
in their own town.
These days Pam and Karl are able to
leave the day-to-day running of the
bistro to their mature and capable staff.
Good thing too, because they are working on
putting together a new venture. In partnership with Scott and Rosemary Crawford,
they will open a new family-style restaurant
at the former North restaurant at Cheapside
and Waterloo. Scott is also formerly of Joe
Kool’s. Family-style dining will give the
neighbourhood and St. Joseph’s Health Centre employees and visitors a chance to eat
great food made from scratch in a comfortable atmosphere. It will be called “The Bungalow,” and one of the big sections on the
Canada’s First Onsite Outdoor Gourmet Grilling Experience
Fresh • Healthy
Local • Seasonal
519.520.6700
Call to book Lunch or Dinner today
with Grill Master Nicholas McDonald
late summer 2009 • no. 18
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Complete lines of equipment, cookware, china,
glassware, stainless serving pieces and much more!
menu will be Bungalow Burgers. Burgers:
beef, tuna, salmon, buffalo, turkey or Portobello mushroom. The restaurant will also
serve thin-crust pizza, wings, and fish &
chips. Look for it to open mid-September. WHO
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The Tasting Room Bar & Bistro
483 Richmond St., London
519-438-6262
www.thetastingroom.ca
hours of operation
mon to thurs: 11am to 1am
fri to sat: 11am to 2am
sunday: 12pm to 11pm
MELANIE NORTH is the Managing Editor of eatdrink and a
regular contibutor. She is also the Editor of CityWoman
magazine.
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34
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no. 18 • late summer 2009
SEASONAL SPOTLIGHT
Heirloom Tomatoes
By Sue Moore
S
ummer always has its own culinary traditions, and for my family it has to be
the first tomato sandwich of the season.
Sourdough or Portuguese bread is a must;
next comes a crumbling of the oldest cheddar available and a generous scattering of
fragrant basil leaves from the garden. And
growing close to the basil at our house is the
star itself — the tomato. Choose a hot summer’s day so that the harvest is still slightly
warm in your hand, and slice thick, crimson
bicycle wheel rounds
right onto the bread.
Add a skittering of
kosher salt, a few grinds
of the pepper mill and a
thin line of olive oil,
then top with more
bread. Ahhh, yes! Only
a sandwich, you may
say, but this is an art
form when the tomatoes are good — Pablo
Neruda knew what was
going on when he wrote
his “Ode To Tomatoes”
and observed that “the
tomato offers its gift of
fiery color and cool
completeness.”
Indeed.
The tomato does not have a linear pedigree. Historical sources trace its origin to
South America and most likely Peru; certainly, it is mentioned in Aztec culture and
cooking, so it would make sense that the
European explorers would bring plants back
home with them. But the tomato is a member of the (highly poisonous) nightshade
family and consequently was regarded with
deep suspicion and grown only for decoration for a long time. Italians are widely
thought to have been the first enlightened
Europeans to start eating tomatoes and
using them in cooking around 1500. Ironically, years later, the tomato would be introduced to North America by European
immigration and not through the more obvi-
ous route of travelling north. It seems bizarre
to think that despite a thriving ketchup
industry ($430 million worth squeezed
annually on junk food alone), tomatoes are
still a relatively recent addition to North
American cuisine.
Not all tomatoes are created equal — in
fact, in the wintertime, the hard, bloodless
globes that are sold as “tomatoes” are often
not worth buying. Grown and cultivated
especially for practicality — a mealy, stan-
dard-sized tomato travels better and is easier
to transport — taste seems to have become
an afterthought. These tomatoes are also
picked when green, so ripening is persuaded
later with a little nudge of ethylene gas.
Harmless, perhaps, but it makes for a terrible “sandwich.”
Enter the heirloom tomato. Perhaps you
have seen these brightly hued little fellows
and wondered what all the fuss was about —
and the expense! The “heirloom” or “heritage” tomato is all about preserving and celebrating the tomatoes from yesteryear, and
the main consideration is taste — and a variety of tastes. Ranging from every colour —
white, black, striped, rainbow — to every
shape, these tomatoes are sought out by
late summer 2009 • no. 18
foodies and restaurateurs alike. The names
are particularly exotic, with monikers like
“Cherokee Purple,” “Tigerella” and “Giant
Oxheart.” Way beyond the traditional
tomato taste, here you will find tomatoes
that boast flavours such as spicy, bold,
intense, citrus, peppery, and even brandy.
The higher price tag is due to the fact that
many of these lovely specimens are so
juicy, so thin-skinned and so delicate that
they simply require much more care in
reaching you. They also tend to be organically grown and produced on a much
smaller, less “engineered” scale. (The
prized gourmet “Black Krim,” for example,
is so tender it can scarcely be plucked from
the vine without tearing the skin). Growing
heirlooms is a smaller industry, but interest
seems to be increasing steadily when people taste the difference.
Of course, with a bit of effort you can easily grow these beauties yourself, either from
seed or from plants obtained from a generous friend. (Which is how I ended up with a
“Striped German” in my own garden this
year!) Local horticultural societies often promote and offer
these unusual
varieties at
Did you know …
their own
• Tomatoes contain lycopene (the
sales, and the
red pigmentation), which is a
seeds are
powerful antioxidant.
readily avail• Recent studies out of Harvard
able by mail
suggest that the lycopene in
order or via
tomatoes could be beneficial in
the Internet.
the prevention of prostate canMore and
cers and possibly many other
more people
cancers as well.
agree that a
tomato should • Eating tomatoes regularly is
good for the complexion.
actually taste
• Cooking tomatoes with small
like one —
amounts of olive oil is especially
sample a few
healthy, since the oil aids in the
heirlooms and
release of nutrients contained in
see if you
its skin.
agree! • Tomatoes are high in Vitamin A,
Vitamin C, Calcium and Potassium.
SUE MOORE lives
Recommended Books
and writes in LonThe Tomato Handbook: Tips and Tricks for
don. She is also an
Growing the Best Tomatoes, Jennifer
online music editor
Bennett, Firefly Books, 1997.
The Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to
and works in the
Table, Amy Goldman, Bloomsbury,
London Public
2008.
Library.
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no. 18 • late summer 2009
RESTAURANTS
A Bit of Britain in The Bend
Paddington’s Pub in Grand Bend
By Jane Antoniak
A
funny thing might
happen to you if
you innocently
request a 50 at Paddington’s Pub in Grand Bend.
Instead of getting a bottle
of beer, you might end up
being part of the  Beer
Club, where you will experience a beer lover’s extravaganza of beers from
around the world. And if
you sample all 50 types
(not in one sitting!), you
will have the honour of
having your name
inscribed into a brick on
the pub wall, which you
can admire while wearing your Paddington’s
 t-shirt. Sound like fun? Then this cute little pub in the Bend is just the place for you.
Paddington’s is located, appropriately
enough, right across the street from the
Beer Store on highway 21 in Grand Bend,
just north of the main traffic lights. It is
more than a bit deceiving from the outside
— appearing to be an older-style home with
a porch converted to an eatery — but you’ll
be pleasantly surprised when you step
inside. It used to be a Greek restaurant and
before that was the home bar of renowned
Grand Bend performer Rick Powell. Now, it
has been dolled up inside, with smart
urban shades of beige, brown and black,
into a modern and appealing British-style
pub — a place that not only appeals to the
regular pub crowd, but where a group of
women on a day trip might like to stop in
for some food and refreshments, or where
someone might go on a date. Its cute and
clean style reflects the image of owner Jen
Gaukroger, a young Grand Bend businesswoman and single mom who is putting
her all into this venture.
Gaukroger comes by her passion for
British pubs through her family roots.
Her dad is Scottish-Canadian and her
mom is from Britain. Many of the pub
recipes are from her grandmother, most
notably the Shepherd’s Pie. Her bartender, Lee Woods, just returned from
working in a pub in Manchester, and a
server, Sarah Hughes, is from Walsall
near Birmingham.
(L to R): Paddington’s bartender Lee Woods,
customer service representative Linda Tilson,
server Sarah Hughes and owner Jen Gaukroger .
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
The bottled beers are the pride of the
place and are sourced from a wide range of
breweries, notably Ontario microbreweries
such as Mill Street in Toronto, where she
obtains the “Coffee Porter” beer, a superrich dessert experience; Wee Willy Brewery
in Hamilton, which provides a Dark Scottish
beer; and the Guelph brewery, Wellington
Arkell, for its Best Bitter. The imported line is
most impressive and changes constantly. On
our visit we tried the Fiddler’s Elbow from
Oxfordshire, England, and the Innis & Gunn
Oak Aged from Edinburgh, Scotland. That
would have given us two ticks on the 50 Beer
Club chart on the wall — of which she now
boasts 140 members. Twenty-one people
have already completed the quest since the
pub opened in May of last year.
Clients are also pleasantly surprised by
the bargain prices of these beers. Gaukroger’s highest-priced imports are only $5.44
plus tax for a total of $6 — a price that one
can pay for a domestic beer at a bar in London. She carries some very reasonably
priced Ontario beers at $3.48 each, including
James Ready from Niagara Falls and Red Cap
from Waterloo.
Not a beer drinker? No need not shy away
from Paddington’s. The pub offers an
impressive variety of martinis, fine scotches
and “wine wars” — Jen’s preferred beverage.
Customers can order up tasting flights of
wines and enjoy three or four small glasses
from an international list of well-chosen
wines she offers from Italy, France, South
Africa, California, Australia, Portugal, Chile,
Spain and New Zealand — most for under
$6 a glass. (A Tasting flight is the term used
by wine tasters to describe a selection of
wines, usually between three and eight
glasses, offered for the purpose of sampling
and comparison).
The food is certainly another reason to
stop in after a day at the beach or on the
road. Jen prides herself on making all meals
from scratch, yet serving them up on trendy
white square plates set against black tables
and white cloth napkins. She pulls off a
homey yet smart atmosphere with quality
food at reasonable prices.
Paddington’s pub suppers include delicious fish and waffle chips, a Guinness
Drench 8 oz steak, and Grandma Kennedy’s
Shepherd’s Pie. Many diners like to order
appetizers, and Jen has $4.99 specials on
apps during her “appie hour” from 4 to 6
p.m., including cheese plates, mussels and
dips. And for dessert, don’t pass up the
Peanut Butter Shudder or Warm Apple
Brown Betty — delicious!
As a fairly long-time community member,
Gaukroger has created some unique ways to
give back to her customers through monthly
charitable events at Paddington’s. Each
month she displays a donated prize — such
as a golf bag and rounds of golf — and customers purchase ballots for a loonie. The
staff take turns picking a local charity and
the proceeds, usually up to $500, are given
to a different cause each month.
“Some Canadians think this is a drinking
hole because it has the name ‘pub’ on it. But
this is just like the pubs in England. We have
enough of the places where you can get
wings and beer — this is a happy place
where you can bring your girlfriends and
enjoy a nice cheese plate over a glass of
wine. This is for both the locals as well as the
tourists. The British tourists really get it, and
that makes me proud,” says the owner with a
smile.
Paddington’s is open year-round for lunch
and dinner. Free parking is available behind
the restaurant. 39
Paddington’s Pub
18 Ontario Street, Grand Bend
519-238-5788
hours of operation
11:30am to midnight, 7 days a week
(november to april, thursday to sunday)
JANE ANTONIAK enjoys touring the Grand Bend to
Goderich stretch of Highway 21 in search of new and notable
places to rest and dine.
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Shores
GRAND BEND
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A Restaurant
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Seasonal Hours
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Always closed
Monday
519-238-6224
42 ontario Street S., Grand Bend
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42
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NEW AND NOTABLE
The BUZZ
Compiled by Melanie North
S
ous-chef at The Old Prune in Stratford
and culinary instructor at the Stratford
Chefs School, Jordan Lassaline has
been in Sri Lanka, volunteering in a community project where he is teaching cooking. In
his time off, Lassaline is exploring the beautiful tea plantations of the Kandy/Hatton
region. He recently cooked dinner for the
American ambassador to Sri Lanka and the
head of the UN.
The Slow Food Pig Roast will be held at
Punkeydoodles on August 30. Treat your
family to an old fashioned pork roast —good,
fair and clean fun, Slow Food Style! Meet
your local farmers, bring a musical instrument and join in the fun, in a fabulous place
name to boot. Cost is by donation. Go to
www.slowfoodperthcounty.ca for more info.
On Saturday, September 12, the third
annual Stratford Garlic Festival will celebrate all things garlic, offering some of the
best garlic in the world, plus celebrity cooking demonstrations by Canadian Living’s
Food Editor Elizabeth Baird and
acclaimed Canadian cookbook author Rose
Murray. The family-oriented event, running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature more
than 40 vendors and include activities and
entertainment for children.
The Garlic Festival will take place at the
old Stratford Fairgrounds and is presented
by the Kiwanis Club of Stratford in con-
no. 18 • late summer 2009
junction with the Garlic Growers Association of Ontario. All proceeds go towards
local community projects. Admission is $5 a
person. For a complete list of exhibitors and
vendors, plus the schedule of events, go to
www.stratfordgarlicfestival.com.
S.P.L.A.T! Fest will be held on September 13,
from noon to 4 pm, with support from Perth
County Slow Food. This fall family festival
(Savouring Perth County Local Annual
Tomatoes) celebrates tomatoes at St. Marys’
McCully’s Hill Farm. Lots of fun is promised
for the whole family, including heirloom
tomato and cheese tastings (featuring Ann
Slater’s produce and C’est Bon cheeses),
horse-drawn wagon rides, tomato target
practice, and a Chili Sauce Tasting & Contest. For more info, visit www.mccullys.ca.
The Birtch Farms Apple Festival takes place
September 19. Thousands of people from
across Ontario are making this an annual
family tradition. Families pick apples fresh
from the trees and ride in the horse-drawn
wagon through the orchard along the “Apple
Tale Trail.” Delicious apple treats baked on
site, a lunch BBQ, a tasting bar to pick your
favourite fruit wine and music round out the
festival. Visit www. birtchfarms.com/applefest for details.
The Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival will be held the weekend of
September 26 & 27. “One of Canada’s top 10
festivals” according to the CTC in The Globe
and Mail, the event is set in the heritage district along the banks of the Avon River in
Stratford. This culinary celebration brings
the best of Perth County food producers
and artisans, musical and visual artists and
late summer 2009 • no. 18
alumni of the Stratford Chefs School
together for two days of outdoor food markets, dining and tastings, concerts and art
exhibits at the height of the harvest season.
New this year, the Stratford Chefs School
Learning Centre will see high-profile chefs,
authors and industry experts presenting
demonstrations and taste experiences to
broaden your culinary horizons. The York
Street Tent will accommodate three stellar
ticketed events over the course of the weekend: 1. The Stratford-Perth Museum
“Flavours of Perth” Pork Roast (5-8 pm
Saturday); 2. BBQ, Brews & Blues (8-11 pm
Saturday); 3. Savour Stratford Tasting (1-4
pm Sunday).
The York Street Carnivale will see York
Street merchants convert their quaint and
picturesque roadway into an exciting and
festive feast for the senses, including sidewalk shops, cafés and street performers.
The Monforte Kids’ Tent will be home for
many activities for our youngest foodies,
including cooking demonstrations with
celebrity chefs Jamie Kennedy and Denis
Cotter and local chef Sirka Sie. The all-day
food-related fun will be hosted in part by the
Stratford Public Library and the Early
Years Centre.
Enhanced music programming includes
an eclectic and robust roster of talented local
musicians keeping the main stage lively from
9 am Saturday to 6 pm Sunday. More fabulous music artists are scheduled for the Saturday night BBQ, Brews & Blues event and
the Sunday afternoon Savour Stratford Tasting, both in the York Street Tent.
day, May through September), has just
released Restaurants of Stratford, a guide
book with recipes from some of Stratford’s
finest restaurants. The compact book, handily coil-bound, provides a personal take on a
selection of restaurants and is available for
sale at $15 (GST included) at Stratford
Tourism Alliance as a fundraiser for the
Stratford Symphony Orchestra.
Teddy Payne, a Stratford watercolour artist
and writer (his work can be purchased at Art
in the Park, Wednesday, Saturday and Sun-
Rhéo Thompson in Stratford has brought
back their dessert toppings (sauces). Four
flavours are available; milk chocolate, dou-
“An oasis for food lovers”
David’s
bistro
432 Richmond St. at Carling • London
LUNCH Wed to Fri 11:30-2:30
DINNER from 5pm daily
519 667 0535
www.davidsbistro.ca
FREE PARKING
After 6 pm
off Queens Ave.
SUNDAY BRUNCH
“Modern, delicious, comfort food.
Join us on the patio or
in our beautiful new pub.”
476 Richmond Street, London
(across from the Grand Theatre)
519 936 0960
www.thechurchkey.ca
Open 7 days a week, 11am–1am
(’til 2am Friday & Saturday)
ble dark chocolate, creamy caramel, and
apple caramel. All flavours are wonderful
when added to cakes, pies, crisps, ice creams
and, of course, right off the spoon.
Late summer and fall are the times when the
rural community come together at fall Agricultural Fairs. Visit Mitchell September 4-6
and Stratford September 24-27.
The Stuffed Zuccini started doing brisk
business as soon as it opened in Lucan a few
weeks ago. On Main Street next door to the
Recommended in Where to Eat
in Canada 2008 & 2009
BED, BREAKFAST & BISTRO
519.782.4173
324 Smith St., Port Stanley
www.thewindjammerinn.com
no. 18 • late summer 2009
new Lucan Area Heritage & Donnelly
Museum, this new take-out spot is run by
Irene Demas of the respected Wilberforce
Inn, on the other side of the museum. Featuring “Grab ’n’ Go” sandwiches and wraps,
salads, fresh bread, pastries, deli meats and
more, Demas brings her commitment to
quality to this new venture, presenting all
natural, fresh and local goods. Open seven
days a week, she has cut lunch at the Wilberforce temporarily but is taking dinner reservations at 519-227-0491.
Londoners have welcomed the addition of
Raja Fine Indian Cuisine to the local scene.
Well established in Stratford, Raja has done
a beautiful job in refurbishing the 428
Clarence Street address (between Queens
and Dundas Streets) that recently housed
Santorini but was known to a couple of generations as Mario’s and Jaggz . The large
space has been graciously appointed, with a
variety of seating options for a couple or a
crowd. But it’s the food that gave Raja its
good name in Stratford, and the same holds
true here. A good wine list, interesting martinis and attentive service round out the experience. Call 519-601-7252 for reservations.
The Morrissey House is now open at Dundas and Waterloo, in the space formerly
occupied by the Oxford Arms. The building
has been renovated and redecorated with
the addition of a 60-seat outdoor patio in the
front. Mark Serre, formerly of Crave and
GTs, has been very intentional about his
business model and building relationships
with his clientele. “The Morrissey House is
first and foremost a local — not an Irish pub,
a British pub, a gastro pub, a resto pub, a
sports bar or a luncheon spot — but a local,”
Open for
Lunch & Dinner
7 Days a Week
LIVE
Acoustic Music
Friday Nights
and
Sunday Brunch
OVER THE BRIDGE, BEFORE THE BEACH
late summer 2009 • no. 18
he says. “We want to convey the feeling that
all are welcome, that we are good neighbours, and that we have a sense of community. The Morrissey is a living space and we
want people to feel like they are going over
to a friend’s house for a dinner party. The
atmosphere is comfortable and warm, the
music is nonintrusive, and the service is caring. The ideal is that guests will walk in and
know fellow guests as they feel that same
sense of community.”
London’s Amici Italian Ristorante at Dundas and Waterloo is excited to have added
Chef Jeff Mussio to their team. Mussio is
from the Friuli region of Italy and brings 20
years of experience to the kitchen
Amici is featuring some classic Sicilian
dish and wine pairings in August, with allinclusive (prix fixe) dishes. Owner/Chef
Paul Krohn has chosen Pasta con le Sarde
(linguini with tomato, olive oil and fresh sardines) to start, complemented with Spadina
Una Rosa Nero D’avola; Piatto (main dish):
Pesce Spada Con Caponata (grilled swordfish with orange gremolata, served with eggplant caponata), served with Feudo Arancio
Grillo; Dolce (dessert): Cassata, Ricotta and
Cocoa-filled Sponge Cake served with
Amaro Siciliano Averna. Followed with Vito
Curatolo 10-year-old Dry Marsala Superiore.
$45/person.
The Red Door Café in Hyde Park recently
changed hands. In addition to the café’s
popular light lunches and deliciously decadent desserts, new owner Patricia Cook is
now serving breakfast, 9–11 a.m. weekdays
and 9–12 on Saturdays. For reservations, call
519-657-5700.
London’s Mint RestoBar, on King Street, is
no more. Rumour has it that the space is
being completely retooled, getting a new
concept, a new design, new menu direction
(Italian) and will re-open in late summer.
There has been an amazing renovation to the
King Street space that housed Inside Inc,
with more attention to design than one
might expect for a sports/bar lounge. Kingwest Bar and Grill in London has a sophisticated, sleek, smart design sensibility and
serves more upscale casual fare. A unique,
key feature is the glass safety barrier that
Aug. 12 – Sept. 5
“MENDING FENCES”
by Norm Foster
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Artistic Director:
SIMON JOYNES
Apropos
Season Sponsor
Box Office:
519-782-4353
psft.on.ca
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
encloses the rooftop patio, affording patrons
an uninterrupted, spectacular view of Jubilee
Square, Covent Garden Market Square and
the Forks of the Thames.
into the world of the boutique hotel during
talks with Braise Food and Wine [see Bryan
Lavery’s story on page 6]. The Metro Hotel in
downtown London offers an intimate, luxurious, idiosyncratic environment that will
provide highly personalized accommodation and services. The rooms are spacious
and well-appointed, with stylish mid-century modern furnishings and large windows.
The hotel is impressive in its attention to
design detail, including mattresses from
Vera Wang, who has created a lifestyle brand
that is the epitome of quality and modern
elegance. Some rooms overlook the secondfloor atrium, which has a dual function as a
lounge that can be repurposed as an intimate dining space, already booked for corporate functions. We predict this space will
be much sought after by discerning guests
and corporate groups in town.
Braise, the restaurant operating on the
main floor of this location, will have exclusive catering rights to the space. This unique
project has been in development for some
time and recent owners found it necessary
to deal with a series of issues that would
have caused some owners to walk away from
the project in search of an easier start-up.
Much credit should be given to the Velji
family for addressing the various problems
that came up, and as a result, they now have
a building which will serve them well for
many years to come.
46
Garlic’s of London is presenting a series of
Organic Dinners. On August 26, September 9
and September 23, Executive Chef Wade
Fitzgerald will be preparing a three-course
set menu inspired entirely by organic ingredients. A different menu will be presented on
each evening, so join them once, twice or for
the entire series. Space is limited, so please
make your reservation early. Contact Garlic’s
of London at 519-432-4092 for more details.
Recent visits to Jambalaya on Dundas Street
have demonstrated a popular lunch business and a growing dinner crowd. Chef
Kevin Greaves has added a unique and delicious Pad Thai and a new drinks menu featuring several special cocktails (since they
received their liquor license earlier this summer). The restaurant space continues to
evolve, and they have moved more tables to
the front of the restaurant to give diners
more desirable options for seating with a
view to the world outside.
Back in Chef Greaves’ former locale on Richmond Street, Veg Out has been busy despite
the weather’s impact on patio dining. Florine
Morrison’s vegan fare has been warmly
received by Londoners, who welcomed her
move back to her hometown after several
successful years in Stratford. In keeping with
the restaurant’s environmental ethos, delivery service is now available, by bicycle!
eatdrink magazine had the opportunity to
get a sneak peak at London’s first real foray
Added to their mention in enRoute magazine’s list of the top-rated new restaurants in
Canada, The Only on King now boasts
another coup — a mention in the current
issue of Anne Hardy’s Where to Eat in
Canada. This listing is known to bring more
national attention to restaurants listed in the
Bienvenue!
Lunch • Afternoon Tea • Dinner
• 5 Unique Dining Rooms
inspired by cities in France
• Enclosed Year-Round Veranda
• Two Fireplaces
• Affordable Wine List
& Reserve Cellar Wines
- King St. • London
• Traditional French Food
--
• Free Parking
Mon-Sat from : am
www.aubergerestaurant.ca
Reservations Recommended
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
publications. The Only on King, who recently
celebrate their two-year anniversary, continues to tantalize local London palates.
The London chapter of the Canadian Culinary Federation (CCFCC) will be hosting its
annual charity dinner this fall, and London’s
own Growing Chefs! Ontario has been
selected as this year’s charity recipient. From
Field to Fork will take place Sunday Oct 18,
2009, at Fanshawe College. Tickets are $125
or $200 for two. The dinner will feature a
locally sourced five-course dinner prepared
by some of London’s top chefs.
The money raised will be used to fund the
Growing Chefs! Ontario Classroom Gardening Project, which teams local chef volunteers with London elementary school
classrooms in an in-class gardening and
cooking program. For ticket information or a
sponsorship opportunity, please contact
Trevor Hunt at chef.trevor@live.ca. For more
information about CCFCC, please visit
www.ccfcc.ca, and for more information
about Growing Chefs! Ontario, visit
www.growingchefsontario.ca.
Jay Calvert of London is making his dream
come true. He has developed a truly unique
specialty hot sauce called Jake Albert’s
Fuego Rojo, Spanish for Red Fire. It’s a
blend of sweet pomegranate and fiery
habañero pepper. Jake Albert’s sauce is now
available at Remark in London.
Set along the magnificent shoreline at the
mouth of Lake Erie and the Detroit River, the
Shores of Erie International Wine Festival is
a showcase for Lake Erie’s North Shore’s
wineries and restaurants. Celebrity chefs and
wine experts will offer tastings, cooking
shows and informative seminars from September 10 to 13. There will also be an exquisite
5-course Winemakers’ Dinner, complete with
VQA wine pairing. Each candlelit table will be
hosted by one of the region's finest winemakers or sommeliers. Seating is limited. Tickets
and more info can be found at 519-730-1001 or
www.soewinefestival.com.
“A sacred place
where we
celebrate life
and each
other with
joy, warmth,
good food
and drink.”
www.mykonosrestaurant.ca
47
Oops! Our mistake! Last issue, The Buzz
included a recommendation for rhubarb
scones at Grandpa Jimmy’s Scottish
mykonos
restaurant and takeout
Garden Patio
Open Daily
inal
e Orig
Home of th
Bringing
GREECE to
London for Over
Years
30
We Host Parties • From  to  • We Know How!
English s
 adelaide street, london
--
& Chip
Fish
Monday-Saturday: am-pm • Sunday: am-pm
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
Bakery in Grand Bend. In fact, they are
rhubarb fritters. Our apologies for any
inconveniences suffered. Fortunately, the
fritters are delicious!
The Carolinian Winery specializes in fruit
and grape/fruit blended wines, utilizing fruit
grown organically and with environmental
sensitivity in mind. Owned and operated by
Barry and Anissa Foley since 2004, Carolinian Winery’s offerings are developed and
produced onsite, with blends using fruit
direct from their farm fields. A true “family
business” success story, there is attention to
detail in every glass of their original blend of
fruit wine.
In-season fruit is also available at the farm
for purchase as either “u-pick” or pre-picked
options. The winery is located east of London on Hwy 2 (Dundas Street), 1 km east of
Shaw Side Road.
A wonderful new food shop has appeared on
the strip in Grand Bend. Foodies is owned
by Chris and Mike Burgess and will be
operated year round. They sell a wide variety
of spices, condiments, sauces, dishes,
kitchen utensils, and gift items for cooks.
The Huron County Taste of Huron Culinary
Festival, from August 24 to 30, is billed as a
week-long “Festival of Flavours and Feasts
on Ontario’s West Coast.” Enjoy the Food
for Thought Dining Series at Benmiller
Inn, Hessenland Country Inn, Eddington’s
of Exeter and The Little Inn of Bayfield. Be
sure to call each restaurant to reserve seating for special presentations, menus and
matchings. More details are available at
www.tasteofhuron.ca, or buy tickets for culinary events through the Blyth Festival Box
Office at 1-877-862-5984.
The King Edward Restaurant and Pub in
Ilderton was nominated for two Golden Tap
Awards (www.goldentap.com) in the “Best
Real Ale Pub in Ontario” and “Best Draft Pub
in Ontario (outside of the GTA)” categories.
Good luck to owners Richard and Deb
Hunter! The winners will be announced
August 29, in Toronto.
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late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
Speaking of the King Edward, we mistakenly identified proprietor Rich Hunter as
being from Cornwall, England in a story last
issue. Although he did move to Cornwall as
a teenager, he in fact hails from Yorkshire.
Sorry Rich! We hope the folks back home
didn’t take offense!
In downtown “Lovely Lambeth,” The Village
Pantry at 2473 Main Street is celebrating 30
years in business. Patricia Mattheos has
been welcoming families for the past 26
years, and her dad Klair, at age 80, is still
serving up their popular home cooking. As
part of the celebrations, they’re offering a
“buy one, get 30 off a second special,” with
a minimum $10 purchase. Congratulations
on reaching this auspicious milestone!
Patty Galea at Dinner Revolution in London is pleased to present a new website with
easy online ordering that includes individual
pricing for every menu selection, as well as
convenient portioning for 2, 4, or 6 people.
They also have an online coupon at
www.dinnerrevolution.com.
The Western Fair Association is donating
its state-of-the-art cooking stage to the London’s Farmers Market for the duration of
the Western Fair this year. Not only will the
market stay open through the entire fair
(September 11 to 20) this year, chefs from
The Only on King, Blue Ginger, Crave and
Aroma are among those booked for demonstration cooking. The stage is located across
from the Dutch Bakery, across from the
centre entrance of the Market.
49
True Taco, a popular operator at London’s
Farmers Market, Trail’s End Market and
Gibraltar Market, is opening a taqueria at in
newly renovated premises at 789 Dundas
Street. This is another interesting addition to
this creative part of the city, located between
the historic Aeolian Hall and the vibrant
East Village Coffeehouse.
Does your business or organization have
news to share? Don’t forget to be part of
creating The Buzz. Inclusion is free!
Email your interesting local culinary news to:
mnorth@eatdrink.ca MELANIE NORTH is Managing Editor of eatdrink.
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“Exquisite Artistic Elegant Catering”
Christmas and New
Years bookings are
now being taken. Your
dinner party, company
event and cocktail
receptions will be
spectacular when you
call Elegant Catering.
Free consultation!
519-438-3046
www.elegantcatering.ca
info@elegantcatering.ca
50
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
COOKING FROM THE GARDEN
Two Pies: Sweet & Savoury
By Christine Scheer
A
simple walk through your garden or a
stroll through your local farmers’
market will reveal the remarkable
abundance that this season has to offer.
Remarkable also is the diversity of the produce available; from root vegetables to leafy
greens to flowering vines, the choices are
not only which vegetable to choose, but
even extend to which variety of a given vegetable to choose. Regardless, it is all lush,
flavourful and irresistible.
It is never a problem to use the variety of
vegetables that are available at this time of
year – simple suppers of stir-fries, salads,
and pastas are easy enough to toss together.
If you would like to spend a bit more effort
on a weekend meal that will satisfy guests
and family members alike, this galette with
grilled vegetables and local cheeses just
might be the dish for you!
I enjoy shopping at Smith Cheese in the
Covent Garden Market because Glenda
Smith has always carried an interesting variety of cheeses from all around the world, as
well as a fantastic selection of local cheeses.
For this dish I used goat’s milk feta cheese
from Rivers Edge in Arthur, Ontario, and
Empire Cheese roasted garlic and chilli
Photos by Jim Kost, Photography by Yvonne
mozzarella from Campbellford, Ontario. For
more information, you can check out these
websites:
www.empirecheese.com
www.guelphwellington.ca/Rivers-Edge-Goat-CheeseCompany.html
www.ontariogoatmilk.org
www.ontariocheese.org (a terrific map of Ontario cheeses).
Grilled Ontario Vegetable Galette with Cilantro Cream
Serves 6
PASTRY
2½ cups (625 mL) all-purpose unbleached
flour
½ teaspoon (2 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) cold shortening, cubed
1 egg + enough cold water to equal ½ cup
(125 mL)
VEGETABLES
4 cobs sweet corn, husked
1 large red or cooking onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
10 small new potatoes, sliced
1 cup (250 mL) button mushrooms, quartered
1 yellow zucchini, diced
1 green zucchini, diced
¼ cup (60 mL pure or virgin olive oil
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground coriander
1 cup (250 mL) Rivers Edge feta cheese, crumbled 1 cup Empire Cheese roasted garlic
and chilli mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry
blender, cut in shortening until mixture
resembles coarse crumbs.
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
2 Break egg into a liquid measuring cup, stir
with a fork. Add enough cold water to
equal ½ cup (125 mL), and pour into flour
mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until
pastry comes together. Pat into a ball, wrap
in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3 Meanwhile, prepare the filling:
Heat barbecue to high, or oven to
425°F. If grilling on the barbecue,
have four foil grill pans sprayed
with non-stick spray ready, and if
roasting vegetables in oven, 1-2
tablespoons olive oil onto four
baking sheets.
4 Coat husked corn with oil and
place on hot grill or baking sheet.
Cook for approximately 20 minutes, until kernels are deep
golden brown and tender.
5 Toss onion with peppers, a bit of
olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt,
then spread out in single layer on
hot grill pan or baking sheet.
Cook for approximately 20 minutes, until edges of onion are
turning brown, but not crispy.
6 Toss potatoes with olive oil and
salt and lay out on pan in single
layer. Cook approximately 20 -25
minutes, until golden brown.
7 Finally, toss the mushrooms with
the zucchini and a bit of olive oil
and salt. Lay out on prepared pan,
grill or roast. Cook approximately
15 minutes.
51
and half of mozzarella onto vegetables.
Scoop on remaining vegetables, top with
remaining cheese.
11 Fold pastry up and over edge of vegetables; it will not meet in the center, it will be
Cilantro
In the culinary world, cilantro is the world’s
most consumed herb. This infamous herb,
which people either love or hate, doesn’t
thrive in the garden at higher temperatures
and is almost impossible to grow in the heat
of July. But as the nights cool off in August,
this popular herb will flourish. Good thing,
too, as so many other crops are then ready
and pair beautifully with cilantro in the
kitchen, such as zucchini, peppers, tomatoes,
garlic and onions. Is anybody else thinking
Mexican food?
What is the controversy with cilantro? It is
all about the taste: some people think it tastes
soapy or metallic. I think it tastes simply delicious, and it adds an unsurpassed pungency
to many globally inspired dishes. It looks similar to flat-leaf parsley, so if you are not sure,
tear off a leaf. Its distinct aroma and flavour
should guide you.
When buying cilantro, the best choice is to
choose bunches with shiny green leaves, with
no sign of wilt. You can buy it with or without
the roots, but with the roots left on, it will last
longer. It can be stored in the refrigerator in a
plastic bag for up to one week.
— C.S.
8 When all the vegetables have
been grilled or roasted, toss them together
into a large bowl, and stir in the minced
garlic and ground coriander. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Go easy on the
salt, because the salty feta has not been
added yet.
9 Heat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking
sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper.
10 Roll out pastry on floured surface into a
large circle, approximately 18-20 inches
across, to about ¼-inch thickness. Lay pastry out on parchment-lined pan. Scoop
half of grilled vegetables onto middle of
pastry circle, leaving about a 3-inch frame
all the way around. Sprinkle half of feta
open. When the pastry has been tucked
up all around, brush it with the egg, and
place it in hot oven.
12 Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until pastry is a
deep golden brown. Let sit for 5–10 minutes before serving. Serve with cilantro
cream.
CILANTRO CREAM
1 cup (250 mL) sour cream
¼ cup (60 mL) fresh chopped cilantro
Combine the sour cream with the fresh
chopped cilantro. Stir to combine. Serve
immediately.
Peach Pie
Appetizers Soups Salsas
Chilies
Salads
Bean Dips
Desserts
Soybean
Snacks
Available at:
519-657-0887
REMARK FRESH MARKET
1180 Oxford St W @ Hyde Park Rd
HAVARIS PRODUCE
Covent Garden Market, 130 King St
UNGER FARM MARKET
1010 Gainsborough Rd
ARVA FLOUR MILL
2042 Elgin (off Richmond)
It’s not just the flavour of a fresh, treeripened peach that is so appealing, it is also
its juiciness. The best peach I ever ate was
just picked from one of my in-laws’ trees. It
had ripened on the branch, and was unbelievably juicy and delicious. I don’t think I’ve
ever had one so good since.
Let’s face it, though, most of us are buying
our peaches at the market or the grocery
store, so this is what we should be looking
for: fruit that is fairly firm, not soft, with
smooth skin, a sweet scent, and no bruises.
Store at room temperature until they are
ripe, then you can refrigerate them for up to
five days. The best way to ripen them on
your counter is in a closed-up paper bag, in
a single layer.
This pie is all about the peach — the
flavour of the finished pie depends solely on
the quality and ripeness of the peaches, so
choose wisely.
CRUST
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 mL) granulated sugar
1 cup (250 mL) cold butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup (60 mL) cold water
late summer 2009 • no. 18
FILLING
3 eggs
3/4 cup (185 mL) granulated sugar
4 cups (5-6 medium) free-stone peaches,
peeled and sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) salted butter
Crust:
1 Combine flour and sugar in bowl of food
processor. Pulse. Drop in cubed butter
through feed tube and pulse several times,
until mixture becomes crumb-like. Add
cold water all at once and process until
mixture comes together into a ball.
Remove dough from food processor. Wrap
in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2 Heat oven to 400°F.
3 Divide pastry in half. Wrap and reserve one
half of pastry for later use — it freezes well.
Roll out remaining half, place in pie plate
and bake crust blind (Baking blind means
lining the unbaked pie shell with foil or
parchment paper, and then filling it with
dried beans or rice. This should prevent
the pastry from puffing up), for 12–15 minutes. Remove foil and beans, and bake 3–4
minutes longer. Remove from oven. Lower
heat to 375°F.
LONDON’S
FARMERSthruOthPEeNFair
MARKET Se11pte–2m0ber
Amazing Ethnic Food • Locally Grown Produce
Fruits • Vegetables • Meats • Cheeses
Baked Goods • Eggs • Flowers •
Local Art Displays • Live Music 10-2
Second Floor, A Must to Explore!
Located at the Western Fair
Dundas at Ontario Street
Saturdays, 8am–3pm
Masonville Place Market
Fanshawe Park Road at Richmond Street
Fridays, 8am–2pm
519-639-4963
Plenty of Free Parking
www.londonsfarmersmarket.ca
Filling:
1 Beat eggs and sugar together until pale
yellow.
2 Add sliced peaches and stir in gently.
3 Transfer mixture to heavy sauce pan, heat
to almost boiling, stirring constantly.
Lower heat and add the butter, stir until it
is melted, then remove from heat. Pour
into prepared pie shell and bake at 375°F
for 30 minutes.
Makes 1 pie. Like most pies, this is best eaten
the day it is made. CHRISTINE SCHEER is a chef who lives with her family on
an organic farm. She currently runs the Oakridge Superstore cooking school. Her passions include using seasonal,
local ingredients and teaching children how to cook. You can
reach Christine at: dolwayorganicgarden@sympatico.ca.
“A Unique Cafe”
Comfort Food ...
Made from Scratch
• Customized Menus
• All Occasion Catering
• Homemade Entrees
and Desserts
• Eat In and Take Out
• Your Dish or Mine!
54
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
BOOKS
Waiter Rant
Thanks for the Tip
— Confessions of a Cynical Waiter
Review by Darin Cook
A
t first I was hesitant to read a book
that seemed to be an outlet for complaining about restaurant customers. I spend my fair share of time in
restaurants and I don’t want to hear about
the things I’ve been doing wrong all these
years. Those who don’t like negativity with
their dinner should be warned that the
once-anonymous blogger known as The
Waiter (Steve Dublanica, who claims to be
the voice of servers everywhere) may set out
to entertain us with his witty tales of waiting
tables in Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip —
Confessions of a Cynical Waiter (HarperCollins, 2008), but he does so without
pulling punches. I feared a judgmental
divide between those who eat at fine dining
restaurants and those who work at them. I
expected endless haranguing by a bitter
waiter, always short-changed on his tips. But
the book is far more than a tirade and turns
into a well-constructed narrative that takes a
good, hard look at the restaurant industry.
Waiter Rant has an accompanying website,
with “The Bistro” kept anonymous to
emphasize that his restaurant war stories
could be any waiter’s, at any dining establishment, on any given night.
From what we know, The Waiter lives in
New York and has worked a string of marketing jobs in corporate America. When he
finds himself unemployed, becoming a
waiter is at first a laughable suggestion. He
sees himself as overqualified (college-educated) and over aged (31), with the typical
reaction that waiting tables is for struggling
actors and unemployable teenagers. Desperate for money, however, he takes a waiting job, thinking all the while it will be a
temporary solution until he figures out what
to do with his life.
In the restaurant-festooned landscape of
North America, it is a shame that such a
career is not taken seriously. Other cultures
view it with a certain level of professionalism,
like in Europe,
“where waiting is
considered an
honourable vocation (complete with formal
schooling and internships).” After many
years, amid stories of demanding customers
and immoral restaurant owners, Dublanica
realizes he has grown into quite a good
waiter, not to mention that it has lasted
longer than any other job he’s had. He knows
he won’t get rich, but the money is good
enough to make a living, which factors into
his theories about why waiters get addicted
to their jobs and stay longer than expected.
After seven years in the business, his complaints about annoying customers don’t let
up and he comes up with the opinion that
“20 percent of the American dining public
are socially maladjusted psychopaths.” The
other 80 percent are just nice people out to
get good food, but even they can be annoying with grandiose culinary expectations
from watching too much Bobby Flay and
Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network.
Most of Dublanica’s rants are, predictably,
about bad tippers. He is skeptical of diners
who overly compliment his service because
“customers who heap verbal tribute upon
their servers often do so at the expense of
financial tribute,” and he is infuriated at the
after-church crowds who give religious tracts
in lieu of a tip. He even gives one account of
performing the Heimlich maneuver on a
customer, literally saving his life, and still
being left a bad tip. His ultimate goal is to
entertain, and he does so with cynical
panache, but The Waiter also sets out to educate the public about the food-service industry and hopefully urge people to become
better customers. Or at least, for his sake,
better tippers. DARIN COOK keeps himself well-read and well-fed by
visiting the bookstores and restaurants of London.
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
55
COOKBOOKS
Restaurants of Stratford
Teddy Payne’s Restaurant Guide
Review by Jennifer Gagel
S
tratford is a restaurant Mecca, hosting
some of the finest establishments this
side of Toronto. Teddy Payne is so
appreciative of the town that allows him to
indulge his gastronomic proclivities that he
has put together a unique little book, Teddy
Payne’s Restaurants of Stratford: A Guide
Book with Recipes from Some of Stratford’s
Finest Restaurants (Edward Payne 2009,
$15). Not only does this guide book serve up
some delicious recipes, but proceeds support another of Payne’s passions, the Stratford Symphony Orchestra.
Within this small pocketbook, Payne gives
a brief review of each of the 14 restaurants
listed, complete with watercolours he’s done
of their facades. In each review he is sure to
outline the salient details such as style of
cuisine and unique accoutrements which
recommend that particular establishment.
Some of Stratford’s gems require an experienced and local guide such as Payne. Bijou
is one of these hidden treasures. “Tucked
away in an obscure alleyway, a hardly noticeable mauve door off a parking lot
leads into a white-washed french
style café — hard to find, but well
worth searching for.” Here you will
find cuisine du terroir, the French
style that focuses on fresh, local
ingredients and dishes that have
their roots in the peasant tradition.
If you find yourself looking for
an ambient after-theatre hangout,
then Payne knows the crowd can
often be found at Foster’s, “one of
those places where you feel at
home the moment you walk
through the door,” or Pazzo, the
restaurant with a “split personality.” Above Pazzo’s lounge — a
favourite with the locals, is the
minimalist all-white dining area
and a “wonderful menu, one of
those one wants to dwell over,
especially on the sidewalk patio Teddy Payne
as you watch the
world go by.”
This book doubles
as a perfect souvenir, and copies are availabele
at the Stratford Tourism office on Downie
Street. You can cook your way through the
recipes from each restaurant, relieving the
tastes of Stratford and your visit there. JENNIFER GAGEL is a professional home cook, freelance
writer and also works at the Crouch Branch of the London
Public Library, where she can be found scouring the cookbook section. She can be reached at jennagagel@gmail.com.
Recipes courtesy of the restaurants.
Keystone Alley Summer Pudding
»» www.keystonealley.com
7–8 slices day-old bread from a large white
loaf, crusts removed
2 lb (1kg) mixed soft fruits (raspberries,
stoned cherries, blackberries,
black currents, red currents,
loganberries, bilberries, and
preferably a mixture of 2 or 3)
½ cup sugar (125 ml / 4 oz / 120 g)
approximate
1
Prepare and wash the fruit. Place
in a heavy saucepan with the
sugar, which should be added
according to taste, taking into
account the tartness of the fruit.
Cook over a low heat until the
sugar has dissolved and the juice
begins to flow.
2 Line the base and sides of an 850
ml pudding basin with just over
two-thirds of the bread, making
sure that the slices overlap
slightly and fit tightly with no
gaps for the fruit to fall through.
3 Pack in the fruit and sugar mixture, adding just enough juice to
Continued ... 56
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
soak the bread. Set aside the rest of the
juice for later.
4 Cover with the remaining slices of bread
and sprinkle with a little juice, but do not
saturate to the point that the bread is
soggy, or it will not mold well enough for
the pudding to stand on its own.
5 Cover the top of the pudding with a
saucer, curved side down, that just fits
inside the top of the basin.
no. 18 • late summer 2009
6 Place a 1 lb (½ kg) weight, or a heavy tin or
jar, on top of the saucer to compress the
pudding. Leave to stand overnight in a
refrigerator or cool place.
7 To turn out, remove the weight and saucer
carefully and ease round the side of the
pudding with a round-bladed knife. Invert
onto the serving plate.
8 To serve, cut into wedges and drizzle with
the reserved juice (and cream if desired).
Rundles Double Lemon Tart
»» www.rundlesrestaurant.com
CORNMEAL CRUST
½ cup (125 ml) butter
¼ cup (60 ml) white sugar
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup (180 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 ml) cornstarch
¼ cup (60 ml) stone-ground cornmeal
2 tbsp (30 ml) water (optional)
1 Combine butter, sugar, and cream in a
mixing bowl. Add yolk, flour, cornstarch,
cornmeal, and water (if needed). Mix just
until dough comes together. Refrigerate
for at least 30 minutes.
2 Roll dough out to a ½-inch thick round on
a lightly floured surface. Press into a 9-inch
tart pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3 Preheat convection oven to 330°F. Bake
tart shell until golden brown (about 20
minutes).
LEMON FILLING
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
4 large eggs
¾ cup (180 ml) sugar
¾ cup (180 ml) whipping cream (35)
1 Reduce convection oven to 270°F.
2 Combine lemon zest, juice, eggs, sugar,
and whipping cream in a mixing bowl.
Beat until smooth.
3 Pour into pre-baked shell, until ¾ full. Bake
until filling is just set (about 20 minutes).
Cool.
LEMON CURD
1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) plus 2 tsp (10 ml) butter, cubed
1 Combine egg, egg yolks, sugar, lemon
juice in a mixing bowl over a saucepan of
simmering water. Whisk until mixture
begins to thicken (about 2 to 3 minutes).
2 Whisk in butter slowly, until all is incorporated.
3 Pour over lemon filling, spreading evenly.
(It is easier to pour the curd mixture if it is
hot.) Let sit at least 20 minutes before serving (or chill).
4 To serve, cut tart into wedges, lightly dust
with icing sugar, and brulée with a blow
torch.
The Sunnivue Farmstore
Organic Meat and Produce
Organic Vegetables,
Herbs & Flowers
Beef, Veal & Chicken
Eggs
Home-Made Breads
Maple Syrup
Honey & Jam
Beeswax Candles
Waleda Body Care Products
Here’s one of the many ways to Sunnivue: Take
Richmond St. to Elginfield and turn left on Route 7.
Continue to Ailsa Craig and turn left in the middle of
Subject to Seasonal Availability
Cash or Cheque Only
town on Queen (which becomes Petty St.) Turn right www.sunnivue-farm.on.ca
on New Ontario Rd., a short distance outside of
town, and drive about 1 km. to Sunnivue, on the left.
519-232-9096
late summer 2009 • no. 18
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
57
SEASONAL SPOTLIGHT
Ron Benner’s 5th Annual Corn Roast
By Melanie North
L
ondon artist Ron Benner hosts and
roasts at the 5th Annual Corn Roast at
Museum London in the Wolf Sculpture
Garden on Sunday, August 30, from 1:00 to
4:00 p.m. Ron’s garden installation As the
Crow Flies will serve as the backdrop for conversation and corn at the free event.
Benner’s enthusiasm for what he calls the
“Maiz Barbacoa” is matched by his extensive
research and knowledge of corn. He notes
that the words “maiz,” meaning corn, and
“barbacoa,” meaning roasted, are both
Caribbean words. Columbus first discovered
corn was being roasted when he landed in
the Caribbean and subsequently took corn
back to Spain. Benner relates that the tropical corn didn’t grow well in the Spanish climate and it wasn’t until a generation later
that Cortez found a variety of corn in Mexico
that was better suited to Spain. This is only a
very small part of the history of corn that
Benner is happy to talk about. He says, “I’m
an extremely didactic corn roaster!”
Benner roasts a sweet peaches-and-cream
variety of corn from Ferguson’s on Wellington Road South over charcoal (sweet corn is
open pollinated, and not genetically modified). He trims the tassel, roasts it for about
10 minutes and then removes the leaves for a
few more grill minutes to crisp it. Condiments include salt and butter, fresh squeezed
lime juice and Mexican chili powder.
The corn roaster itself is noteworthy, for it
carries photographs of corn roasters that
Benner has taken around the world, from
Mumbai (Bombay), India, to Viet Nam and
Beirut. It also flies flags from different countries and has the names of corn in different
languages, including native languages. “Often
there are First Nations people that come to
the corn roast, and one of the interesting
things they find out is that corn in different
native languages is a completely different
word,” notes Benner. “In fact, that’s also true
of other languages too. In Italy, for example,
the word for corn is ‘granturco,’ which means
‘grain from the Turks.’” And why is that? Benner says seeking the answer to that question
and many more about corn, its origins, its
travels and its worldwide appeal is a great
reason to come to the Maiz Barbacoa. “It’s a
positive thing,” he declares. “It’s about how
the world has embraced corn.”
The corn is provided courtesy of Museum
London, the history of corn and corn roasting by Ron Benner and entertainment provided by musician Frank Risdale. MELANIE NORTH is Managing Editor of eatdrink.
“A delightfully charming story for
animal lovers of all ages.”
by Ann & David
Lindsay
David and Ann Lindsay owned and operated
Ann McColl’s Kitchen Shop with the help of their
animal friends in London
Ontario from  to .
Available at:
The Oxford Book Shop Ltd.
Attic Books
Jill’s Table
.
Sales benefit The London Humane Society
58
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
WINE
Champagne: Not Just for New Year’s
By Rick VanSickle
C
hampagne is a wine that everyone
loves but very few enjoy outside of
New Year’s Eve and very special occasions. But, as many wine lovers know,
Champagne, real Champagne from the
region in France where it is made and grown
from three principal grape varieties, is a versatile beverage made in a multitude of styles
that can be enjoyed year-round with or without your meal.
No other style of wine is so dependent on
the region where it is grown. The very name
Champagne can only be used on labels by
the wineries of that geographical area in
France, just 145 kilometres northeast of Paris.
Making a sparkling wine is no easy feat. To
produce the tiny bubbles in Champagne the
base wine — either Chardonnay, Pinot Noir,
Pinot Meunier or any combination of those
grapes — is bottled with a small amount of
yeast and sugar, which induces a second fermentation in the wine. That fermentation
prompts gas in the bottle, which in turn produces carbonation.
Then the fun begins. The sediment left in
the bottle is shaken to the neck of the bottle,
frozen and removed in a lump. It is replaced
with some more wine, to top it up, and sugar
can be added depending on if you want to
make a sweeter Champagne or not. Most are
made dry, called Brut.
The grapes used in making Champagne
define the style of wine you are getting. The
majority of Champagne houses use some
combination of the three grapes but some
make a Blanc de Blanc (Chardonnay only) or
a Blanc de Noir (Pinot Noir only). There is
also Vintage Champagne, a wine made in
a particular year, or non-Vintage Champagne, blended from a number of years.
Some of the classic food matches with
Champagne include oysters and delicate
white fish with Blanc de Blanc, game birds,
veal, pork with Blanc de Noir, lighter
cheeses with non-Vintage Champagne,
lightly smoked foods, stronger cheeses
with Vintage Champagne and fish with
rich sauces with younger Vintage Champagnes. Semi-sweet Champagnes are best
as an aperitif or even with foie gras and
some not-too-sweet desserts.
There are many great names in the
Champagne world — Dom Perignon, Krug,
Moet, Mumm — but the name Heidsieck,
Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck, not
to be confused with Heidsieck Monopole,
have always been popular brands with two
distinct styles of sparkling wine.
The Piper-Heidsieck style is young,
fresh and vibrant while Charles Heidsieck
is more mature, refined and sophisticated
with the complexity that comes with age.
Both styles are made by Regis Camus, the
“Chef de Cave” for the wineries. Here are
some fine examples of his work now available at the LCBO.
june/july 2009 • no. 17
Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut
Non-Vintage Champagne
($58 LCBO) — A blend of
three Champagne grapes but
mostly Pinot Noir, this defines
the “house” style. Aromas of
lemon, ginger, flint and citrus
zest. The juicy acidity on the
palate is mouth-watering followed by waves of tart citrus
fruit. Lovely bubbly.
Charles Heidsieck Brut
Reserve Champagne
($60 Vintages) — This is
a round and voluptuous
style with honey citrus
aromas to go with
orange blossoms, hazelnuts and toasty vanilla.
It’s an elegant sparkler
on the palate with generous flavours bolstered
by a nutty-baked bread
quality. It’s an equal
blend of the three
grapes.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Vintage Champagne
2000 ($100 Vintages) — A wonderful treat
with a half and half blend of Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir. The nose is all about peach,
toast and citrus notes. On the palate it’s a
lemon bomb that also shows subtle nuttysmoky flavours. This big Champagne has
good bite in the mouth but is softer than the
Non-Vintage.
Charles Heidsieck Brut Vintage 2000 ($89
Classics Catalogue) — This is the same
blend of grapes as above but is entirely different wine. More subtle aromas of honey,
peach and citrus with a persistent bead of
bubbles. The palate shows summer peach,
more mature flavours and even some pepper-licorice notes. This will continue to get
better in the bottle for years to come.
Welcome to Windermere’s Café,
where our unique character, charm and
distinctive natural setting are sure to
captivate you!
Reservations encouraged...
 Collip Circle
@ The Research Park
The UNIVERSITY of WESTERN ONTARIO
(Windermere at Western Road) • London
Affordable Fine Dining
A relaxing atmosphere overlooking the Thames
River and Golden Plate Award-winning
maitre d’extraordinaire Jack DiCarlo and staff
have made Michael’s on the Thames one of the
finest dining rooms in London. With tableside
cooking, flambéed desserts and coffees, the restaurant specializes in continental cuisine.
Group-set Menus to Suit Any Budget
Affordable Lunches Monday to Friday
Open for Dinner Every Day
1 York Street
Enjoy! RICK VANSICKLE is an avid wine collector. His weekly wine
column appears regularly, in various forms, in the Calgary,
Ottawa and Toronto Suns. He can be reached at
rickwine@hotmail.com.
(Just West of Ridout)
26
Years of
EXCELLENT
Service
519-672-0111
www.michaelsonthethames.com
Pianist Tuesday to Sunday Evenings
Plenty of FREE Parking
60
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no. 18 • late summer 2009
BEER
Do Not Fear an Unclear Beer
Cloudy Kellerbier Is Clearly Full of Flavour
By The Malt Monk
T
he other day an old school chum
dropped by for a visit so I naturally
offered a beer and some snacks. This
person does not know I’m a home brewer
and I’m always interested to get feedback,
so I gave him a pint of my freshly bottled
Munich lager. He poured it into the
glass, saw it was lightly turbid and
said, “Hey, I think this one went bad
on you — it’s all cloudy.” I assured
him that was normal for unfiltered
natural beer and that he would like
what he tasted. He tried it and came
away with a new appreciation for
unfiltered beer.
I’m going to admit something that
may get me in trouble. In some circles
I may be branded a heretic, but I’m
really not all that fond of filtered beer!
It’s an unfortunate fact of the brewing
art that the very process that gives us a bright
crystal-clear commercial product to slake
our thirst also removes a significant amount
of flavour from our beloved beverage.
Oh, I can hear the indignant howls of disbelief now: “How can you say that? Some of
the world’s best beers are crystal clear!” Yes
indeed, many of the finest bottled and kegged
craft and import beers are crystal clear and
delicious, and I enjoy and recommend many
of them. However, filtering and pasteurizing
beer removes a lot of the flavour found in its
naturally cloudy state. So, think of how good
those world-class beers would have tasted
served fresh from the conditioning vessel
before they were filtered and pasteurized!
The Filtering Process
Prior to the last few decades of the 19th century, all beer was served unfiltered. Clarity
was a matter of allowing the beer to age
(condition) so the suspended yeast and proteins would mostly settle out of the brew
before it was consumed. Modern-age massmarket demands for bottle sales forced commercial brewers to find a way to clarify beer
without the slow, expensive 40–90-day conditioning cycles. Filtering relatively young
beer for clarity and extended shelf life
became the commercial standard, and the
public came to associate clear beer with a
superior product, a popular misconception.
What filtering removes: As a
brewer and beer lover, I know how
much flavour is lost to commercial
clarity filtering. Gone are many of the
nutritional and flavourful accents — B
vitamins, antioxidant alphas, complex
nutrients, and the intense earthycereal-herbaceous character of natural beer. The nutty, toasty, earthy,
bready, and fruity tastes suspended in
unfiltered beer are diminished. Gone
is the soft natural carbonation; cold
filtered beer is totally flat and must be
artificially carbonated.
The Kellerbier Style
Kellerbier is of 19th century German ancestry.
The style originates in Fanconia, which had a
profusion of small artisan breweries and beer
gardens. Traditionally, Kellerbier is served
fresh right out of the vessel in which it was
aged, usually a cask or keg. Translated,
Kellerbier means “cellar beer,” implying it is
fresh directly from the brewer’s lagering cellars. It’s usually a lager-type beer and is
always unfiltered, unpasteurized and lightly
cloudy, as all beer is in its natural finished
state. Keller is also of soft to low carbonation
because it is fermented in a loosely bunged
vessel, allowing the natural CO2 from fermentation to mostly bleed off. Keller is deeply
flavourful and perfectly balanced, with a
smooth mouth feel and ample body. Zwickelbier and Zoiglbier are very similar to Kellerbier, but are fermented in tightly bunged
vessels so they have a higher natural carbonation to them. In Germany, unfiltered beer is
labeled as “naturtrüb” to distinguish it as a
naturally cloudy, full-flavoured beer. This is a
sales point for savvy German beer drinkers.
late summer 2009 • no. 18
Resurgence: Many modern brew pubs in
Europe and America now offer a Kellerbier,
Zwickelbier or Zoiglbier, served unfiltered
straight from the cask or vessel it was conditioned in. The style has gained increasing
popularity with craft beer connoisseurs in
Europe and North America for its fresh rich
chewy flavour. Many commercial German
brewers now offer the style for home consumption in cans and bottles.
Other Unfiltered Beers: Leaving beer in
its natural unpasteurized, unfiltered state is
not unique to Franconian brewing culture.
We see unfiltered Hefe-Weissbier from
Bavaria and the spicy-dry Witbiers of France
and Belgium. There are also the hazy unfiltered farm ales of Alsace and Flanders. Most
Kloster, Trappist and Abbey ales are put into
corked bottles unfiltered — all bottle-conditioned beers are unfiltered. This why they
are sought after and relished: all the retained
nutrients and natural flavours are intact.
Recommendations & Tasting Notes
Creemore Springs Kellerbier (lcbo 134148)
We are fortunate to have a local microbrewer
offering a traditional Kellerbier in this market. Creemore Springs brewery has a limited
seasonal release of a Kellerbier, out now,
available at LCBOs only. It pours a shimmering hazy copper lager into your glass with
a large frothy head. Fresh toasty cereals
and leafy hops in the aroma, with an
earthy undertone. A soft sweetness,
malty-grainy with a nutty-earthy tone up
front, is balanced off perfectly by a leafyherbal hop body that leads to a clean
fresh finish. Try some before it’s gone.
Lakes of Muskoka Hefe-Weissbier (lcbo
132241) Not a Kellerbier, but an unfiltered
wheat ale. A cloudy pale gold ale with a
large meringue head. This offering is
exceedingly fresh-tasting and contains
all the wonderful banana-clove spicy
dry character of a Bavarian hefeweiss.
World class and made right here in
Ontario. Well worth a try. THE MALT MONK is the alter ego of D.R. Hammond, a
passionate supporter of craft beer culture. He has been
a home brewer and reviewer/consumer of craft beers for as
long as he cares to remember.
62
always more online @ www.eatdrink.ca
no. 18 • late summer 2009
THE LIGHTER SIDE
A Cook’s Life: Part III
By David Chapman
S
o here we are in 1968, my apprenticeship is finished and I am really a cook.
It’s at this time that two things manifest
themselves: The desire to leave home (I do
still love you Mum) and the drive to perfect
one’s craft. For the latter, I start looking in
Caterer and Hotelkeeper, a wonderful trade
magazine that is still in print. It reports all
the latest industry news and also serves as
an employment guide.
The back section is full of job want ads.
This is where you find out the best jobs anywhere in Britain, or the world. One position
caught my eye: a chef de partie for a hotel in
South Mimms, Hertfordshire. Accommodation was supplied and it was just outside
London. I sent my application (by regular
mail, of course) and two weeks later, I
started work.
It was there that I first learned about the
ethnicity of the industry and the world at
large. Coming from Belfast, this was a surprise. I mean, who would have thought that
there was more diversity than being Catholic
or Protestant?! At the hotel, I met Moroccan,
French, Italian, Asian, and even English. I
also learned that none of this is relevant. The
only thing that really matters is your ability.
This lesson was brought home quite
quickly. The sous chef was a French Moroccan
with a lot of experience, but an attitude that
far exceeded his ability. He also liked to
undermine other staff. Two weeks after I
started, he told me in strict confidence that
the chef was going to fire me. I was devastated
... my first job away from home and I was
going to be fired. I don’t know what I feared
most, being fired or having to go back home.
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The next day, when I arrived for work the
sous chef is not there but Chef wants to see
me in his office. I was ready for the worst and
was prepared to take it like a man. But what
do you know? It was the sous chef who was
fired, and I got his job. I love this business!
My first major challenge came two days
later. The chef was off and a huge leg of veal
was delivered. It had to be butchered and
portioned right away. I had never done this
before but had a basic idea of how it should
be done. I mean, how hard could it be? So,
throwing caution to the wind and with an air
of confidence I had not really earned, I
butchered that sucker in no time. Next day,
Chef was most impressed. “All in a day’s
work,” said I.
I had a great time there. On days off, I
explored London, which was only 30 minutes away on the tube. This was a golden
time in music too, and I saw many great
bands at their peak: Fleetwood Mac when
they had Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer,
and Led Zeppelin before they hit the arenas
and the drugs.
It was also a sad time back in Belfast, as I
started getting word from home about the
start of “the troubles.” Only the Irish would
use a euphemism like “the troubles” to
describe an era of devastation that ripped
the country apart. In typical Irish fashion,
black humour was also used to ease the tension. For instance, when a store was blown
up, it was called shop lifting!
It was at this time that British troops first
moved into Belfast to keep the peace. The
story goes that two kids, upon seeing a black
soldier in their neighbourhood, promptly
asked him if he was Catholic or Protestant.
He replied: “Don’t you think I have enough
problems?”
Next time: Working in the troubles. www.eatdrink.ca
Interested in a woman’s perspective?
www.citywoman.ca
DAVID CHAPMAN has been a creative and respected fixture
in the London restaurant scene for over 20 years. He is the
proprietor of David’s Bistro and manages The Katana Kafe.
“The secret
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Extensive Wine Cellar
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Plenty of free parking.
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519-227-0491
“More than a visit...An Experience!”
“We would like our guests to have a unique dining
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possible and use as many local products as we can. We
prepare our food in-house and everything is made from
scratch. Our dining rooms are comfortable, elegant and
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from : am
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Take-out boxed lunches from $
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Afternoon Tea
Dinner starting at $
• Affordable Wine List
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• Prix fixe & Tasting Menus
• Vegetarian options
• Diet Requests Accommodated
• Traditional French food