Eatdrink #47 May/June 2014

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario
FREE
№ 47 • May/June 2014
www.eatdrink.ca
A Family
Affair at
SaucyMeats & So Much More
FEATURING
Garlic’s & La Casa
20 Year Celebrations
Edgar and Joe’s Café
Goodwill’s Social Enterprise in SoHo
Purdy’s Fisheries
Love of the Lake in Sarnia-Lambton
ALSO: The Oxford County Cheese Trail | Norfolk County Wineries | Antony John on The Food Web

SAVOUR STRATFORD
celebrates Spring
Tap into fresh spring tastes sampling our culinary trails - The Maple
Trail, Chocolate Trail and Bacon & Ale Trail; foraging for morels;
cooking with celebrated Ontario chefs; and in June – Hog Wild Week!
– Stratford's tribute to all things pork.
MAY
4 GE Café Chefs Cooking Classes, Chef Joshna Maharaj,
Champion of Sustainable Food, Toronto
10-11 Spring Foraging, Puck's Plenty
18 GE Café Chefs Cooking Classes, Chef Dennis Tay,
Richmond Station, Toronto
25 GE Café Chefs Cooking Classes, Chef Jordan Lassaline,
Stratford Chefs School Instructor
JUNE
8 Long Table Dinner, Stratford Chefs School
14-15 Spring Foraging, Puck's Plenty
16-22 Hog Wild Week, various restaurants
18-19 Ontario Pork Congress
20-22 Stratford Blues and Ribfest
29 The Big Lunch, Stratford Perth Museum
Plan your culinary getaway
visitstratford.ca/spring
@StratfordON
@SavourStratford
StratfordON
SavourStratford

Authentic
CULINARY
EXPERIENCES
FROM FARM TO TABLE, LONDON'S CULINARY CULTURE
IS COOKING WITH LOCAL FLAVOUR
www.londontourism.ca/culinary
TOURISM
tourismlondon
@tourism_london
LONDON
C A N A D A

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contents ISSUE № 47
MAY/JUNE 2014
12
21
30
47
50
18
56
FOOD WRITER AT LARGE
8 Good Taste and Good Sense: Championing “Local”
By BRYAN LAVERY
RESTAURANTS
12 Differentiated at Birth: Garlic’s of London & La Casa Ristorante
By DAVID HICKS
18 Goodwill’s Social Enterprise: Edgar & Joe’s Café, in London
By BRYAN LAVERY
ROAD TRIP
16 Three Delicious Slices of The Oxford County Cheese Trail
By NICOLE LAIDLER
CULINARY RETAIL
21 A Family Affair at Saucy: Meats and So Much More!
By LORI MADDIGAN
TRAVEL
24 Bem Vindo: A Warm Welcome in Portugal
By MARTHA McALISTER
FARMERS & ARTISANS
26 The Food Web: Global Connections & Biodiversity
By ANTONY JOHN
30 Love of the Lake: Purdy’s Fisheries, in Sarnia-Lambton
35
By JANE ANTONIAK
NEW & NOTABLE
The BUZZ
IN THE GARDEN
35
45 Incredible Edibles: Old Favourites, and Some New Ideas
By ALLAN WATTS and RICK WEINGARDEN
WINE
47 Sipping from Norfolk County: Three Expressions of the Grape
By KIM MILLER
BEER MATTERS
50 Bocking the Trends: The Robust Charms of Bockbier
By THE MALT MONK
THEATRE
53 Perfection Is So Overrated: Donald DISHES on Theatre
By DONALD D’HAENE
BOOKS
56 The Devil’s Picnic by Taras Grescoe
Review by DARIN COOK
COOKBOOKS
58 Bal’s Spice Kitchen by Bal Arneson
Review by TRACY TURLIN
THE LIGHTER SIDE
62 Good Night Chef
By DAVID CHAPMAN
THE BUZZ
58

navigate
№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 7
great
TO
TIMES
TOURISM
SARNIA-LAMBTON
LET US GUIDE YOU THROUGH
OUR VACATION PLAYGROUND!
in
Lambton
County
Top: Petrolia 70th Battalion – WWI, c. 1916
Right: Lawrence House, Sarnia, 1915
Doors Open
Lambton County
Explore & Enjoy
the Hidden Places & Spaces
of Our County June 21 & 22, 2014
call or click for your FREE travel guide and map
also available at southwestern ontario visitor centres
1.800.265.0316
www.tourismsarnialambton.com/EatDrink

8 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
food writer at large
Good Sense and Good Taste
Championing “Local” & Ontario’s Farm-to-Table Movement
By BRYAN LAVERY
I
am a dedicated reader of Sarah Elton,
who tracks the culinary zeitgeist for
CBC Radio’s Here and Now, and has
written for The Globe and Mail, The
New York Times, Maclean’s and TheAtlantic.
com. Her book, Locavore: From Farmers’
Fields to Rooftop Gardens, How Canadians
are Changing the Way We Eat, was an awardwinning
treatise on the local food movement
in Canada.
In Ontario, many cooks continue to
develop imaginative takes on farmto-table
eating while examining
the roots of local cuisine and
developing new region-specific
specialties and products. They
characterize the frontline of the
contemporary culinary scene
by rethinking the food chain,
stewarding the environment and
adding their voices to the collective
Canadian culinary identity.
Elton’s latest book, Consumed:
Food for a Finite Planet,
champions the movement away from
global food production and presents an
intelligent and engaging argument for the
sustainable food movement and alternatives
to the factory farming model. She travels to
rural farming villages in India and China,
to France, and to Detroit’s inner-city to
document the transformative nature of food.
This is an up-to-the-minute account of the
politics and issues surrounding sustainable
food production, food security and
locavorism that offers some solutions.
When I go out to eat, I am drawn to
restaurants that support local farmers and
food artisans by procuring and featuring
local ingredients, products and VQA wines.
Patronizing farm-to-table restaurants makes
sense because it supports and sustains
economic activity on a local level.
Ontario has developed the Local Food
Strategy to help increase the profile,
access to, and demand for local food. The
foundations of this strategy are the newly
approved Local Food Act, and the recently
launched Local Food Fund.
The Local Food Act is part of a strategy
to build Ontario’s economy and agri-food
sector by making more local food available
in educational institutions, cafeterias,
grocery stores, markets and restaurants. Its
objective is to improve local food literacy,
and encourage the demand for
homegrown food, by requiring
the Ministry to establish
aspirational local food goals
and targets in consultation
with stakeholders that have an
interest. The Act creates a nonrefundable
tax credit of 25 per
cent for farmers who donate
their surplus harvest to eligible
community food programs such
as food banks. The policy also
proclaims a Local Food Week
that will take place annually, beginning the
first Monday in June. A reference point for
defining local was created with the passing
of the Local Food Act and when the Ministry
of Agriculture and Food committed funding
to support the development of Ontario’s new
Foodservice Designation Program (OFD)
in partnership with the Ontario Culinary
Alliance (OCTA). The program entitled Feast
ON has similarities to the former Savour
Ontario Dining program, which brought
together diners and restaurants who share
an interest in choosing and serving locally
grown and produced foods in Ontario.
The new OFD Program is a criteria-based
designation system, designed to increase
the profile and demand for local food by
identifying restaurateurs and foodservice
operators dedicated to procuring and
serving Ontario foods and beverages and

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 9
whose particular attributes qualify their
commitment to local food. Feast ON has
engaged Community Connectors to support
the objectives of the program by working
with OCTA to gather data required to
implement, manage and safeguard
the OFD program criteria.
Feast ON recognizes foodservice
businesses committed
to showcasing Ontario grown
and produced food and drink.
Restaurant operations in all their
incarnations — from food trucks to
fine dining — sourcing a minimum
of 25% Ontario food products and
25% beverage products will be certified
with the Feast ON seal, assuring consumers
an “authentic” taste of Ontario.
In addition to the Feast ON strategy,
the ministry is determining how they can
differentiate, classify and market Ontario’s
terroir and authentic regional products. It
seems a new provincial designation system
will likely include a geographic indicator
certification.
This type of certification is an assurance
that products possess certain qualities, are
made according to traditional methods,
or possess particular characteristics,
due to terroir or geographical origin.
Ideally, certification would be similar to
the European Union-adopted systems
of geographical indications
and traditional specialties, and
our existing VQA structure of
classification for wine.
The purpose of certification is
to safeguard the character and
reputation of authentic foods,
promote rural and agricultural
activity, help producers
obtain the best price for their
regional products, and eliminate the
misrepresentation to consumers by imitators
and counterfeit products.
Asiago, Feta, Fontina, Gorgonzola and
Munster are the five new cheese names that
Canada has recently approved to identify
for its geographic indications as part of a
trade agreement between Canada and the
European Union. Existing producers won’t
be affected but any new cheese names
introduced will need to be qualified with
descriptors such as “style,” “kind” or “type.”
Welcome to a TASTE
of Downtown London!
We are proud of the dining experiences our members have
to offer. Whether you are looking for a farm-to-table meal
featuring the best of local food and beverage choices, or a
quick bite on the go, you can find it in our new dining guide.
Drop by our office at 123 King Street to pick up your copy.
You can also browse our menu guide and get personalized
recommendations. You will also find more listings for our
restaurants online at www.downtownlondon.ca.
123 King Street
519.663.2002
www.downtownlondon.ca
@Downtown_London DowntownLondon

10 www.eatdrink.ca
It seems to me that several of Ontario’s
premier artisanal cheese makers have
successfully differentiated their distinctive
products with names based on each
cheese’s unique characteristics, geographic,
and cultural attributes by thinking in terms
of terroir.
In Italy, certification laws re quire
that Parmigiano- Reggiano be made
according to a specific recipe and
production methods, and only
within specific geographical
regions. The Parmigiano-Reggiano
Safeguarding Consorzio pursued a
company in Mexico that blatantly
named its product Parmigiano-
Reggiano and affixed on it identical
symbols and indications to those registered
as collective marks by the Consorzio.
I have witnessed first-hand the perfect
example of the certification process from
start to finish. I arrived early to tour one
of the cheese dairy co-operatives in the
countryside of the strictly designated “zona
tipica” of Parmigiano-Reggiano in Italy, to
watch the cheese being crafted.
The milk from the previous evening
№ 47 | May/June 2014
had been left overnight to separate and a
portion of the cream had been skimmed
off. The remaining milk was mixed with the
morning’s whole milk, and then poured
into large, temperature-regulated copper
cauldrons. Fermenting whey from the
previous day was added and the mixture
heated and slowly stirred.
When the desired temperature was
achieved, calves rennet (a natural
coagulating extract) was added. The
coagulated milk became cheese
curd, the leftover liquid whey.
(The remaining whey not used
in the next production will be
used to imbue local pigs with
the unique flavour that has
distinguished this region for its exceptional
variety of protected Italian air-cured meats,
most notably Prosciutto di Parma).
Next a large, ball-shaped thorn brush
was employed to fracture the curd. Again
the curd was heated and stirred. With the
heat shut off, the curd set. This mass was
maneuvered with paddles and cut into two
identical pieces, each with enough curd to
make a wheel of cheese.
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№ 47 | May/June 2014
The curd was then wrapped in hemp cloth
and suspended above the cauldrons to dry.
Later the curd was lowered into a circular
wooden form, where it was pressed into
a wheel. With the cloth removed, a stamp
with teeth was inserted between the cheese
and the mould. The teeth form a series of
impressions, denoting authenticity with date
and the designation Parmigiano-Reggiano.
After resting, the cheese is immersed in
vats of brine and left to float. It is rotated
daily for 25 days and briefly exposed to
the sun before being stored. The cheese
is warehoused on vast wooden shelves in
climate-sensitive aging rooms, and turned
over mechanically while it matures for a
minimum of 18 months.
Watching this process convinced me that
there is a need for geographic indicators and
certification to help protect, differentiate
and authenticate our distinctly unique and
traditional products now and in the future.
patio
now
open!
new
spring & summer
lunch & dinner menus
BRYAN LAVERY is eatdrink’s Food Writer at Large and
Contributing Editor.
523 richmond street
519-850-1500 www.blacktrumpet.ca
A Taste of Europe since 1974
Celebrating Our 40 th Anniversary (1974-2014)
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Murder Mystery
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$39 .99 per person includes a Mystery Unlimited performance,
salad, main course, coffee/tea, dessert, and gratuity.
See our website for more details.
Book Your Mystery Now!
May 30 & June 20
Patio
Now Open
122 Carling Street 519-679-9940
(at Talbot, around the corner from Budweiser Gardens) www.marienbad.ca

12 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
restaurants
Differentiated at Birth
Garlic’s of London and La Casa Ristorante celebrate 20 years
By DAVID HICKS
Like a pair of non-identical twins, two of
London’s favourite downtown eateries
both share and differ in their ways. Both
are Italian at heart. Both are fixtures in
London’s downtown. Both have loyal followings.
Both are marking their 20 th anniversaries in the
business.
Yet each took a different path to longevity: the
stalwart La Casa staying the course with full-on
traditional homemade Italian passion; Garlic’s
of London, with its initial fixation on garlic that
veered to local and farm-to-table.
Garlic’s of London
Garlic’s owner, Edin Pehilj (pronounced Aiden
Pay-hill), started there as a part-time waiter in 1997
so he looks back with an
insider’s perspective. “How
did we get this far? We often
discuss such things,” he says.
Garlic’s made a noteworthy
entrance to the London
scene. Londoners proved ready
to embrace garlic as a feature in
pastas, pizzas and salads, and
welcomed the emphasis on
cooking from scratch.
“Twenty years later, we get
Western [University] graduates
returning with their families,
people who played at the Grand
Theatre over the years… even the
woman who wrote the very first
review of Garlic’s brought her
family in during a recent visit from the United States.”
Of late, Chef Chad Stewart (half Italian himself)
went from Fanshawe College’s culinary course to
the London Hunt and Country Club, to Vancouver’s
Raincity Grill, a well-known farm-to-table bistro,
and back to Richmond Row to join Garlic’s as
Sous Chef in 2010, and Chef as of last summer. “It’s
still an Italian menu at heart, for people who are
passionate about simple food.”
Garlic’s owner
Edin Pehilj
(above), Chef
Chad Stewart
and Manager
Emma Pratt
(right) share a
commitment to
locally-sourced
seasonal menus.

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 13
The Turn to Local
Garlic’s main departure came in 2006 with
the shift to farm-to-table sourcing, and
eating what is growing around us, to be more
connected to the sources of our food. “We
adopted the trend early because we believe
it’s better in terms of health, the economy,
and the environment,” says Pehilj. “As a child
in Yugoslavia, it was perfectly natural that
you eat what’s growing in the backyard, but
it took two or three years for the public to
really embrace that shift.”
“We have our perennials,” says Chef
Stewart. “Our customers still come for
the garlic parmesan frites or the garlic ice
cream, but we cook from scratch and tweak
the menu monthly, particularly the sides,
according to what’s in season locally.”
“Taking ‘local’ further to farm-to-table
keeps things interesting and fun. We use duck
from Everspring Farms in Ilderton several
ways because it’s so versatile, and elk for our
pappardelle from Renecker’s Hillside Elk Farm
near Stratford. Sous Chef Carla Cooper uses
Arva Flours in her baking and desserts. We
even put a couple of bee hives on the roof last
summer and got a couple gallons of honey. We
plan to expand with more hives this year.”
Lessons Learned
Pehilj attributes Garlic’s longevity to
extensive planning and watching the bigger
picture. “Variety on the menu, listening to
customers, being on the floor and engaging
with people personally, watching what
they respond to, paying attention to details.
But also engaging in local events in the
downtown, making sure we’re part of the
city’s makeup,” he says. “The downtown
should be a place for people to come, relax
and spend time, not just drive in and out.”
As for perspective earned over the past
two decades, is there something Pehilj
wishes the public understood better?
“Yes, that serving is a real career, not just
something we’re doing until something
better comes along. We think of what we do
as a profession — that’s something Emma
[Pratt, Guest Relations Manager] and I look
for when we’re recruiting staff.”
Garlic’s of London
481 Richmond Street, London
519-432-4092
www.garlicsoflondon.com
sunday & monday: 11am–9pm
tuesday–thursday: 11am–10pm
friday & saturday: 11am–12am
sunday brunch: 11am–2pm
Featuring specialty foods, kitchenwares,
tablewares, cooking classes & gift baskets.
115 King Street, London
519-645-1335 www.jillstable.ca

14 www.eatdrink.ca
La Casa Ristorante
Syl Basacco had big expectations
after partnering at a local pizza place,
Il Piccolo Ristorante (now The Only
On King). It took two years to gut and
renovate his location further down
King Street at Talbot. But with his
mother’s recipes and help, La Casa
quickly built a loyal following and
Syl expanded several years later with
the more upscale Black Trumpet on
Richmond Row.
Syl’s three siblings were destined to
become hands-on restaurateurs. “We
had a shaky period when Syl passed
away [in 2003],” says Nino Basacco, a
retired teacher. “Rocco
and I took La Casa
and Linda [D’Andrea]
took the Black
Trumpet.
We were all
teachers so we
№ 47 | May/June 2014
La Casa owner Nino Basacco (left) and Chef Scott
Anderson ensure the menu stays fresh without
compromising traditions customers love.
Photo by Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press
didn’t know what we were doing, but
we all had to step in. Washing dishes,
wiping tables, mopping floors, we did
it all. I was the cleaning guy for two
years, so it wasn’t exactly romantic.
But we got through a steep learning
curve and we’re still here.”
At 86, their mother, Maria Angela,
still brings in the occasional tray of
her legendary lasagna. “We make
additions but her signature dishes are
as good as the first day. And we’ve had
two outstanding chefs in Bob Murphy
and Scott Sanderson — you don’t get
anywhere without that.”
Theme and Variations
Chef Sanderson blazed a similar path to Garlic’s
Chef Stewart: Fanshawe, London Hunt Club,
Vancouver, and back to La Casa six years ago. “We
alter the menu every month or two, but our longtime
customers still order the lobster tagliatelle
from 15 years ago, or veal piccata which has never
actually been on the menu.”

№ 47 | May/June 2014
The SECRET
to AWARD-
WINNING
SAUCES
Rather than being bothered, Sanderson
enjoys the special requests. “It’s another way
we go out of our way for customers. Some of
the fish tacos I make for the staff make their
way out to the tables, and some regulars
know that I keep a stash of special rib-eyes
in the back.”
Emphasizing consistency and home
recipes, the pastas are all made in-house,
including the venison-stuffed gnocchi.
“We do some of our own charcuterie, like
pancetta, our own smoking, baking and
desserts. Apparently the sourdough starter is
20 years old now.”
To celebrate two decades, La Casa
reprised the original menu and prices for
two nights, by invitation. “It was fun for our
longtime customers and raised a couple
thousand dollars for the Heart and Stroke
Foundation and Community Living London,
so it was fun for everyone,” says Nino.
“It’s strange to think we’re 11 years in to
Syl’s nine, but as long as the Basacco name is
on it, we’ll keep providing the best food and
service we can.”
La Casa Ristorante
117 King Street, London
519-434-2272
www.lacasaristorante.com
monday–saturday:
lunch: 11:30am–2:30pm
dinner: 5pm–10:30pm
closed sundays
EXCELLENT ON PORK, CHICKEN, FISH & BEEF
PROUDLY CANADIAN
GLUTEN-FREE
NO TRANS OR SATURATED FATS
NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS
KOSHER
FIND A RETAILER ON OUR WEBSITE OR ORDER ONLINE
DAVID HICKS is a Stratford writer and branding
consultant. His favourite Italian dish is his wife’s pressure
cooker risotto with chorizo, peppers and kale.

16 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
road trips
Cheese Please!
Three Delicious Slices of the Oxford County Cheese Trail
By NICOLE LAIDLER
W
here there’s milk, there’s got to be
cheese. So it only makes sense that
Oxford County — long known as
the Dairy Capital of Canada — is
also home to some of Canada’s finest artisanal
cheesemakers.
It’s a heritage that dates back to 1840 when
James Harris founded the first cheese factory
in Upper Canada. In 1866, Harris put Canadian
cheddar on the map with a 7,300-pound
“Mammoth Cheese” that travelled to the New
York State Fair and to England.
The Harris family home is now the Elm Hurst
Inn & Spa, which is just one stop on the Oxford
County Cheese Trail — a self-guided tour that
invites visitors to discover local cheesemakers,
specialty stores, museums, and entertainment.
Launched last summer, the tour was created
in response to the growing interest in culinary
tourism. “As the world becomes faster-paced
people want to slow down and take the time to
appreciate how their food is made,” says Oxford
County tourism specialist, Meredith Maywood.
“Cheese is a great example of that.”
At the industry’s peak in the 1800s, Oxford
County boasted 98 separate cheese factories.
The Bright Cheese and Butter Manufacturing Co.
Ltd. is one of the originals, established by local
farmers in 1874.
Adam Van Bergeijk of Mountainoak Cheese
Bright Cheese and Butter
Bright Cheese and Butter has been
in its current location since 1901
and is still known for its all-natural,
naturally-aged cheese made with 100
percent Ontario milk. “Our cheese
has a creamier, more developed taste
because we use full milk and no
aging agents,” says Bright Cheese and
Butter’s Don Woolcitt.
In addition to cheddar, the factory
produces mozzarella, colby, havarti
and a variety of flavoured cheeses,
with fresh cheese curds being a
perennial favourite. All are available
to sample and purchase at the Bright
factory store, open six days a week,
or at a second retail location in
Shakespeare.
Packaged selections from Bright Cheese and Butter

№ 47 | May/June 2014
Moutainoak Cheese
One of the area’s newest cheese makers,
Moutainoak Cheese Ltd., is located just a short
drive up the road. Adam and Hannie Van
Bergeijk brought their love of dairy farming
and premium cheese with them from Holland
when they immigrated to Canada in 1996.
Wanting to pass the dairy business on to their
grown children, Adam decided to turn his
cheesemaking hobby into a new business venture;
Mountainoak produced its first Goudastyle
cheese in July 2012.
With the barn visible from the cheese
factory, it’s hard to imagine a more earth-totable
cheese experience. “We do the cropping
to feed our cows,” says Adam. “And we use the
milk right away. It doesn’t get cooled, so you get
a really nice flavour and texture, and the cheese
ages better.”
While visitors aren’t able to wander the
farm unaccompanied, groups can call ahead
to arrange a guided tour. The retail store is
open Fridays and Saturdays.
Mountainoak now produces more than a
dozen varieties of premium Dutch cheese,
and has been recognized with several awards,
including winner in the Special Cheese
Section at the 2013 British Empire Cheese
Show for their one-year aged Gouda-style
cheese.
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese
Another award-winner on the cheese trail is Shep
Ysselstein of Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese Ltd.
Raised on his family dairy farm, Ysselstein honed
his cheesemaking skills with apprenticeships in
the United States,
British Columbia
and Switzerland.
Gunn’s Hill has
been producing
Swiss-style
cheeses since 2011,
and has already
established a
reputation for
excellence.
Gunn’s Hill Five
Brothers artisan
cheese won the
2013 Canadian
Cheese Grand
Prix award in
Shep Ysselstein of
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese
the firm cheese
category.
Oxford County Cheese Trail
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese Ltd.
445172 Gunns Hill Rd. RR #4, Woodstock | www.gunnshillcheese.ca
Quality Sheep Milk (Village Cheese Mill)
383747 Salford Road, RR#1, Salford | www.qualitysheepmilk.com
Mountainoak Cheese Ltd.
3165 Huron Rd., New Hamburg | www.mountainoakcheese.ca
The Bright Cheese & Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
816503 Country Rd. 22, Bright | www.brightcheeseandbutter.ca
Just-A-Few-Photos
445574 Gunns Hill Rd. RR#4, Woodstock | www.justafewphotos.com
Norwich and District Museum
89 Stover St. N., Norwich | www.norwichdhs.ca
Ingersoll Cheese and Agriculture Museum
290 Harris St., Ingersoll | 519-485-5510
Patina’s Gifts of Art & Craft
112 Thames St., Ingersoll | 519-485-6466
Elm Hurst Inn & Spa
415 Harris St., Ingersoll | www.elmhurstinn.com
Dairy Capital Cheese Shoppe
474 Dundas St., Woodstock | www.dairycapitalcheese.ca
Just for You B&B
6325 Dundas St., Woodstock | www.bbjust4ucanada.com
Village Cheese Mill
333744 Plank Line, Slaford | www.villagechessemill.com
Coyle’s Country Store (Since 1899)
244282 Airport Rd. Hwy 19, RR#7, Tillsonburg
www.coylescountrystore.com
Woodstock Fairgrounds Farmer’s Market
875 Nellie St., Woodstock | www.woodstockfairgrounds.com
Walters Dinner Theatre
836074 Hubbard Rd. RR # 3, Bright | www.walterstheatre.com
Jakeman’s Maple Farm
454414 Trillium Line, RR#1 Beachville | www.themaplestore.com
“Cheese is a growing market,” notes
Ysselstein. “And the cheeses we make
have an easy flavour to enjoy.”
Visitors to the cheese shop — open
Tuesday to Saturday — can watch
the cheesemaking process through
large windows, or view a short video.
Group tours are also available with
advanced notice.
A visit to all three cheesemakers made
for a leisurely day-trip from London.
Those looking for a longer adventure
could easily set out for a weekend
escape, and take an even bigger bite out
of the Oxford County Cheese Trail.
For more information visit:
www.oxfordfresh.com/cheesetrail
NICOLE LAIDLER is a freelance writer and
copywriter and the owner of Spilled Ink Writing &
Wordsmithing. Visit her at www.spilledink.ca

18 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
restaurants
Savoury Social Enterprise in SoHo
Goodwill’s Edgar and Joe’s Café
By BRYAN LAVERY
Since London was incorporated
as a village in 1840, the district of
SoHo has existed within the same
confines. Originally named St.
David’s Ward, this community is flanked
on the north by the CN railroad tracks
near York Street, on the east by Adelaide
Street, and on the south and west by
the Thames River. The SoHo acronym
is geographic in origin as most of it is
situated south of Horton Street. It makes
sense that it is also intended to evoke
the vitality of the cultural and restaurant
neighbourhoods in Lower Manhattan and
London, England’s, West End.
SoHo is in fact a burgeoning restaurant
district and home to many interesting dining
options and bakeries including Organics
Works Café, Razzle Dazzle Cupcakes,
Kambie Chinese Restaurant, Enat Ethiopian
Restaurant, Hong Ping, El Ranchito, Walker’s
Fish and Chips, Family Circle, The Soho
Diner and Edgar and Joe’s Café.
Striving to foster an economically
vibrant neighbourhood renewal, projects
like the 1872 Red Antiquities Building and
The Roundhouse, a 19th-century railway
roundhouse, are virtuous examples of the
balance of heritage preservation and urban
renewal created by leveraging historic,
cultural and architectural resources to create
sustainable, vibrant communities. The
The modernist Horton Street facade and
(below) three views of the sleek and expansive
counter, chalkboard and ordering area
Roundhouse, a few blocks east of the Goodwill
Social Enterprise Abilities Centre on Horton
Street, had sat empty since November 2007,
when the Great West Beef, once a popular
landmark London steakhouse, closed its doors
after 31 years in business. ATMOS Marketing
and rTraction (a full service digital agency)
will share the refurbished Roundhouse. Peter
Cuddy and Kate Gielen’s Organic Works
Bakery in the former Ming’s Restaurant on
Wellington epitomizes just how outmoded
buildings can be retained and brilliantly
repurposed with design savvy and intelligence.
Having a long-time presence in the district,
Goodwill wanted to invest in delivering
more urban character in the evolving SoHo
neighbourhood and built the Goodwill Social
Enterprise Abilities Centre in 2011. The stylish

№ 47 | May/June 2014
and minimalist 70-seat Edgar and Joe’s Cafe opened last July
in the $12-million Centre. The Centre features a 50-seat town
hall, 160-seat community hall and various other gathering
spaces. With an excess of 100,000 shoppers visiting the
Goodwill Centre annually and a staff of 120, the café quickly
garnered great word-of-mouth, becoming a favourite daytime
destination with a diverse clientele from all over the city.
Edgar and Joe’s Café offers an affordably-priced menu
highlighting nutritious food made from scratch with locally
sourced ingredients from purveyors like Las Chicas Del Café
and Metzger Meats. Bread and baked goods are freshlybaked
daily; condiments, preserves, soups and daily features
are made from high quality raw ingredients. The in-house
baking, eclectic salads, breakfast features and a variety of
exceptional sandwiches have become particular standouts.
The all-day breakfast is elevated by homemade jams and
breads, and the particularly tasty addition of sweet potato
to the hash browns, with the house-made ketchup, is bliss.
The classic breakfast special — eggs, toast, hash browns, and
your choice of bacon, sausage or ham — is only five dollars.
A recent lunch special was charbroiled Ontario lamb with
balsamic roasted cipollini onion, tomato and spicy mayo on
fresh baked bread with soup and salad, for $6.50.
Le Cordon Bleu-trained Chef Danny Galinou made it clear
that the café is about focusing on collaborative principles
and goals and that he did not want to be singled out in an
article about the café. So I will resist commenting on his
exceptional abilities in the kitchen.
Galinou and Neil Burnett, manager of hospitality and
food services, lead the staff by overseeing food production
and service, culinary and hospitality training, nutrition
and food security programs, and catering and community
cooking initiatives. The Café’s now up-and-running Hands
on Hospitality program is eight weeks in length and
provides participants with the skill set required to work in a
restaurant, including a two-week co-op with a partner of the
program and a closing segment devoted to resume building
and interview techniques.
Edgar and Joe’s Cafe offers training and mentorship by
giving program participants the skills they need to secure
meaningful employment in the hospitality industry. By

20 www.eatdrink.ca
fostering collaboration and community
initiatives that embrace diversity and
inclusion, with an emphasis on health and
wellbeing, the program allows participants
to build confidence and have a vision of their
successful futures. The organization aims to
educate the larger community about, and
help break down the stigma surrounding,
mental illness and social disadvantage.
The name Edgar honours social innovator
Dr. Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister, who
founded the Goodwill movement in 1902,
with the philosophy of “a hand up, not a hand
out.” Goodwill Industries became a registered
№ 47 | May/June 2014
charity in 1935. The
name Joe is a reference
to the “average Joe,”
who faces challenges
such as mental health
issues, homelessness,
developmental disabilities,
or LGBTQ status,
when working towards
obtaining education and
employment.
Edgar and Joe’s brings
leadership, social innovation and community
collaboration to the forefront in a neighbourhood
that prides itself on a vibrant arts and
culture scene, heritage preservation and
urban renewal.
Edgar & Joe’s Café
255 Horton St. East, London
519-645-0900
www.edgarandjoes.ca
mon–fri 7am–5pm; sat & sun 9am–3pm
BRYAN LAVERY is eatdrink’s Food Writer at Large and
Contributing Editor.
Patio now open!
Join us for our
New Summer Menu
1288 COMMISSIONERS RD W
LONDON • 519.601.3300
byronfreehouse.ca

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 21
culinary retail
It’s a Family Affair
Saucy: Meats & So Much More! in London
By LORI MADDIGAN
Photos by STEVE GRIMES
Erin Jardine arrives at the
Western Fair Farmers’
Market on Saturday
morning after a two-hour
drive to pick up a special cut of
fresh meat for a customer. Her
husband, Andrew, smiles and chats
with the steady stream of shoppers,
responding to questions about
the high quality products that fill
the shelves and coolers at Saucy:
Meats & So Much More!
Donna Lawson, a regular
customer, says, “They have the
best meat — my husband won’t
eat bacon from anywhere else, and
they are just such nice people.”
As parents of three young
children, Andrew and Erin were
always concerned with nutrition,
buying meat directly from the farm
before they discovered Saucy.
Impressed by the quality, and
fascinated with the business model,
Andrew, a recent MBA graduate,
Andrew and Erin Jardine and family operate an innovative
retail space in the Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market
jumped at the opportunity to purchase Saucy in July
2013. “It was a perfect fit for us,” says Andrew, “and
we wanted our kids to be part of a family business.”
Their oldest son, five-year-old Aidan, is seen every
now and then, in his very own Saucy t-shirt, bagging
customers’ purchases.
Original owner Jane Antoniak worked for years with
local food producers in her role as a communications
professional. Jane suggested to some that they set up
shop in London — easier said than done for families
already working countless hours on their farms. Her
clients replied, “Why don’t you do it, Jane?” After
months of research and planning, Jane launched her
unique business, Saucy, in September 2012.

22 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
Customer experience
ground, non-GMO
was crucial for Jane: “We
corn, with no added
wanted a booth people
hormones. The processed
meats are free
could walk into, look at
the products, and serve
of starches, flours and
themselves.” In addition
flavour enhancers. No
to two specialty display
wonder Metzger delivers
award-winning
coolers, Saucy houses
two large stand-up
products, year after
coolers for fresh and
year. “The bacon is
frozen meats. All the
outrageously good,”
meat is vacuum sealed,
says Andrew. “Repeat
allowing shoppers to
customers stand at the
see exactly what they
bacon fridge and sell it
are purchasing. “The
for us!”
meat is sealed fresh
Bruce and Shirley
at the butcher and
Mills have owned and
fully inspected by the
operated Blanbrook
All meats are conveniently vacuum sealed
health unit. The vac seal
Bison Farm for 22
reduces handling, and
years. Bison meat
keeps the meat from leaking in shoppers’ — high in protein and iron, and low in
bags,” Jane says.
cholesterol, is growing in popularity.
“Not many butchers do vacuum seal; it’s “Our collaboration with Saucy has been
costly,” says Andrew. Interacting almost beneficial, allowing us to sell our meat to a
daily with four butchers and six or seven larger audience,” says Shirley.
local farmers to source and prepare the
In addition to beef, pork, lamb, duck
meats, “Erin does a lot of work behind and bison, Saucy offers a variety of locally
the scenes,” Andrew says, “and it’s all
produced sauces, oils and dry goods, as well
very time-sensitive.” Andrew and Erin are as suggestions for pairing them with the
exceptionally selective, only supporting meats. “The Garlic Box makes a great white
farmers who are committed to raising their bean soup mix that pairs well with a pork
animals ethically, and producing hormone- hock from The Whole Pig,” says Andrew,
and drug-free meat.
“and, ‘Traditional Portuguese Sauce,’ made
Darlene and Dave Pettit, owners of Lena’s here in London [by Cavameida], is perfect
Lamb, focus on quality
as a marinade or base
and consistency. “We
for a lot of the meats
only sell what is born
we sell.” Customers
and raised on our farm,”
are also welcome to
says Darlene. “We enjoy
borrow from Saucy’s
working with Andrew
recipe book library.
and Erin. They are a
Most Saturdays,
smart and hard-working
customers are able to
family, and are just
sample some of the
as passionate about
sauces and oils Saucy
providing customers
carries. Jamie Griffiths,
the best local food as
owner of The Pristine
we are.”
Olive Tasting Bar, and
Gerhard Metzger, of
his father, Dave, offer
Metzger Meat Products,
also appreci-
the freshest olive oils
samples of some of
ates that Andrew and
and finest balsamic
Erin “share the same
vinegars available in
values when it comes
London. Andrew also
to locally produced
hopes to offer samples
foods.” Metzger’s pigs
of cooked meats this
are fed only freshly-
summer.

№ 47 | May/June 2014
Trust...
Taste...
Award-Winning
PRIME
BEEF
Burgers
Quality...
But does high quality come at a high
cost? “We monitor our prices closely,” says
Andrew. “As a young family, it’s important
to make good, healthy meat affordable for
other families, like us.” Saucy also offers
customers the flexibility of paying with
credit cards.
Saucy is indeed a family business, but
Andrew and Erin have become part of
a much larger family: “the Western Fair
Farmer’s Market is such a supportive
community,” says Andrew, “and we really do
think of our customers as neighbours.”
Bringing together farmers, food producers
and consumers through a unique business
model, top quality natural foods, and good
old-fashioned customer service — Saucy
really is So Much More!
Saucy: Meats & So Much More!
900 King Street, London
Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market
226-376-meat (6328)
www.saucymeats.com
saturdays: 8 am–3 pm
LORI MADDIGAN is a fresh market aficionado from London.
STEVE GRIMES is a London-based photographer and a regular
contributor to eatdrink. www.grimesphoto.com
At last! Spring has arrived and
BBQ season has begun!
Follow us online as we present new creations
for the BBQ throughout the summer.
.
Open six days a week.
Hensall, Ontario
Just off Hwy 4, 45 minutes north of London.
Available in London at
Saucy: Meats & So Much More
at Western Fair Farmers’ Market
on Saturdays!
www.metzgermeats.com
519-262-3130
Local Beef • Pork • Lamb • Poultry
Specialty European Meat Products

24 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
travel
Bem Vindo
A warm welcome in Portugal
By MARTHA McALISTER
My husband Gary and I spent
a month in Portugal. Our
daughter Alexandra joined us
in Lisbon/Porto and returned
with our son Hadleigh to spend the last
week with us in this incredible country.
The Algarve, Portugal’s southernmost
region (famous for its sea salt), served as
our base. Flowers, and almond, fig, orange,
lemon and olive trees were blooming. It is
a country founded on small business, and
the family-run stores and restaurants show
superb customer appreciation and offer
value for money.
Small, neighbourhood bakeries,
each with its own specialties made
daily, are everywhere. One begins
with a bica, an espresso consumed
standing at the counter, or a
galao, an espresso latte, and this
prescription is repeated multiple
times daily. Traditional folklore
subscribes to accompanying your
prescription with delicious baked
goods. However, coffees are not the
only beverages — freshly squeezed
fruit juices, green or mint teas, and
pure hot chocolate (in many flavours) that
tasted like melted chocolate bars.
We went to Lisbon, a must-see city, a
splendid mix of old and new architecture,
many buildings covered with azulejos,
classical pictorial blue tiles. The city is
spread over seven hills, with quaint districts
like the Alto Barrio and Alfama which are
home to fado music clubs and tapas bars.
At Marcelino we sampled the famous black
Port Barques in Gaia, Porto
pork (from local, dark-skinned pigs fattened
on acorns). Naturally, high on our list was the
world-renowned Pastéis de Belém. There are
no words to describe these amazing custard
tarts. One is given little packages of cinnamon
and fine icing sugar to sprinkle over, but can
one improve on perfection? Lisbon has fine
tea salons and incredible cafés, where we
tried presunto (smoked meat) and a dazzling
array of fish.
When dining in Portuguese
restaurants, there is a set format.
One selects portion size and
orders, and the couvert arrives.
Typically comprised of bread,
cheese, fish, pastes, olives
and marinated vegetables, the
couvert is brought to the table
as a convenience to the diner,
but is not complimentary. Most
menus include caldo verde, a
typical soup made with kale,
potatoes and garlic.
After Lisbon, we headed north to Porto
through the Duoro Valley wine region.
Visiting the old port warehouses in Gaia
was imperative. The impressive traditional
barques are still moored quayside. Ramos
Pinto was our first stop where we received a
talk and tasting notes and luxuriated in five
different ports. Some special reserves cost
150–200 Euros, or $200–300 Canadian. We
Tapas Lamb Shanks Prawn Mango Curry Fish Cataplana

№ 47 | May/June 2014
Inside the seafood area of the Louie
Market (above) and fresh grilled sardines
(right) at Ze Morgadinao
left here and found a lunch spot where we
ordered arroz de marisco (seafood rice) and
frango piri-piri (spicy hot, lemony chicken).
It was all inexpensive and delicious. Next was
a tour of Sandeman, the famous producer of
ports and sherries. My flight of ports included
“White,” “Ruby” and “Tawny.” I rather liked
the chilled white as an aperitif and purchased
a bottle. That evening we fortuitously
stumbled upon Patua, a
restaurant with an open
concept kitchen with
a trail-blazing young
chef who elevated our
rain-sodden spirits with
two complimentary
appetizers: a hot
sausage sushi and
smoked salmon roe
pâté. I had a hot Ruby
Port to ward off the
chills — super! My main
was a deconstructed empanada served
in a mason jar with a potato cream base,
wine-infused slow-cooked meat centre,
and braised vegetables on top. The others
enjoyed bacalhau (dried salt cod) with cream
liquor sauce, and pasta nero with gigantic
tiger shrimp. We finished with sumptuous
desserts; merengada with meringues, cream,
strawberries, liquor and shards of dark mint
chocolate, and a Nutella Fantasy!
Back in the Algarve, it was Dia des
Enamorados (Valentine’s Day) and with six
new friends we ate at the splendid restaurant
A Babuja, where the whole enclosed patio
was festooned with romantic decorations.
It was a five course meal: special couvert,
codfish brandada starter, pork tenderloin
with pineapple, heart shaped vegetables,
and filo pastry with chocolate cream hearts
for the finale, all accompanied by two bottles
of wine for 45 Euros (under $70) per couple
— spectacular! We returned again for our
anniversary
and received
complimentary
champagne.
The meal was
splendid: lemon
Dover sole, grilled
calamari, mango
shrimp curry and
The World’s Best
Chocolate Cake —
aptly named!
Two huge components of Portuguese
cuisine are cataplanas (fish stew), which
we thoroughly enjoyed, and sardinhas
assadas (grilled sardines) which are freshly
barbequed. O Navigador was one seafront
venue that offered jazz and fado nights. Here I
enjoyed gorgeous lamb shanks and first crop
strawberries while observing our steaks being
cooked on our own hot stone.
This whole region
has many British tourists
and some excellent
establishments cater
to this group. No Patio
restaurant had exquisite
Sunday lunches
and special weeknight
treats. We had fun
watching Canada win
Sandeman Cellars, Porto
hockey gold here.
As a nation, the
Portuguese embrace
fresh, local food and every town has a
municipal farmers’ market building operating
daily with Loule being one of the best, as
well as the Saturday Gypsy market. One can
also purchase vegetables and fruits along the
roadside — a three kilogram bag of oranges
costing only 1–2 Euros ($1.50–$2).
To conclude, in Hadleigh’s words,
“Portugal you have won me over with
your magnificent beaches, insanely cheap
excellent wines and delicious fresh fish.”
Obrigado, beautiful country, warm
hospitable people.
MARTHA McALISTER has been a teacher, traveller, multicultural
co-ordinator, purveyor of fine teas, and nominee for Canadian
Retailer of the Year. She and her husband Gary own Everything Tea in
London, at the Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market.

26 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
farmers & artisans
The Food Web
Global Connections & Biodiversity
By ANTONY JOHN
As I go through the rhythm of daily chores
on our certified organic farm, I am
increasingly struck by the cyclicity of
life. I have now crossed the threshold of
30 years of farming, and the pace of days blending
into one another seems to be quickening. Did 2013
really pass by that quickly? Have we been running
Soiled Reputation for 20 years already? My 20-year
journal confirms everything. It also reveals some
fascinating connections and patterns that have
emerged out of such a lengthy association with an
agricultural ecosystem. Our farm is actually a food
web, with connections stretching as far as Brazil,
and I believe it offers insights to be gleaned, in
relation to the food we grow, the food we buy, and
the impact those decisions have on biodiversity.
In mid-February, Tina and I board a plane for
Belize. For the past two years, we have formed a very
real food web connection, with a very special place
in Belize, called Belcampo Lodge. Twelve thousand
acres in area, this luxury lodge is launching an
ambitious and extensive agricultural enterprise,
based on the principles of organic growing and
Slow Food. Last year, I was hired to help with their
organic vegetable garden, which will supply the
lodge’s restaurant with fresh produce, meals for the
staff, and produce for the Punta Gorda market.
Tina and I are also at Belcampo to help publicize
the incredible birdwatching opportunities, there
and in Belize at large. Guests have the rare
The Belcampo lodge (above) and garden staff
privilege of birding with Dr. Lee
Jones, the author of Birds of Belize,
along with the lodge’s own guides,
in a variety of locations and habitats,
including Mayan ruins, rare pine
savannah, mangroves, and the
property of Belcampo itself. Indeed,
the vegetable gardens
and organic
A view from the Belcampo deck

№ 47 | May/June 2014
citrus groves are among the most productive
habitat in which to see birds, as they forage
among the plants. As a testament to the
incredible biodiversity of Belcampo, and its
sustainable growing practices, we have seen
over 250 species of birds in just two weeks!
The lodge at Belcampo acts as a most
eloquent manifestation of the real food web
connection to our farm in Southwest Ontario.
A large part of Neotropical bird life is made
up of migratory species such as warblers,
flycatchers, tanagers, orioles, and thrushes.
We recognize them as spring migrants. Some
species, like the Baltimore oriole, return to the
silver maples of our farm to nest each May.
I record the first arrival date of each species
of bird year after year in my journal, and an
amazing calendar of species-related arrival
dates has emerged after 20 years.
Other birds, such as the diminutive Magnolia
warbler, pass through Southwestern Ontario
on their way to the Boreal Forest to nest. I’ve
seen both of these species at Belcampo, feeding
amongst the Madre de Cacao trees that shade
(and feed) the coffee, cacao, and vanilla vines,
or foraging among the wax bean plants in the
garden for whiteflies. These may well be the
same individuals that we’ll find on our farm
three months later.
The fact that these birds complete a journey
from the Neotropics to our farm, and points
far beyond, (our Barn Swallows winter in
Brazil), is made all the more remarkable by the
fact that they do it twice a year, and without
ever having been shown the route (make a
sharp left at Albuquerque!). All along the way,
they may stop at organic farms and woodlots
to refuel for the next leg of their journey. The
biodiversity of our farm and others like it
forms part of an important migration corridor
for these birds, and for migratory insects such
as monarch butterflies. Our farm is linked to
all other organic farms and wild areas along
the eastern flyway, to shade-grown organic
plantations in Belize, Costa Rica, Brazil, and
other countries, by the migratory birds that
traverse the continents.
We are part of a much broader food web
that is increasingly put under pressure
from irresponsible growing practices,
environmentally harmful pesticides such as
neonicotinoids, and short-sighted land-use
practices such as monocropping. The sooner
we realize how complex a food system must
be in order to support life, the better off most
of our planet will be.
Summer Tanager
Pygmy Kingfisher
Magnolia Warbler
Painted Bunting
Olive-Throated
Parakeet
ANTONY JOHN is an organic farmer, painter and avid
birdwatcher. He lives near Stratford. This is the first of a
series of reflections on the food we grow and buy.

Ontario focus. European Style.
INN | RESTAURANT
Chef-inspired artisanal
food and drink featuring
local seasonal cuisine,
Ontario-focused wines &
house-infused cocktails.
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Stratford
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than
great
theatre...

We hope to see all of our wonderful
customers at our new location!
Until then, we are at 136 Ontario Street, Stratford
— Save the Date —
July 18-20, 2014
www.savourstratford.com

30 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
farmers & artisans
Love of the Lake
Purdy Fisheries in Sarnia-Lambton
By JANE ANTONIAK
The Purdy family of Sarnia are clearly
water people. The family has worked
Lake Huron, running a commercial
fishery operation, for more than a
century. As Steph Purdy aptly puts it — they
have a love of the lake.
It’s a pull that brought Steph, fourth
generation in the business, back to Sarnia
from British Columbia to work alongside her
brothers, Tim and Rob (who are both boat
captains), and her parents, Milford and Mary.
Her mother is the company accountant and
her dad, at age 76, “would still be on the water
doing what he could every day but his poor
body won’t let him. It’s been too many years
of hard labour. He is the key brains of the
operation — a wealth of information,” says
Steph. Steph and her husband, Mike Hopko,
met in B.C. where she was a university student
and then a professional figure skating coach.
He is from Chilliwack, B.C. but since 2003 the
couple has made Sarnia their home. Mike also
works for Purdy’s, smoking fish — a job he
took over from Steph’s uncle. Purdy’s has a hot
The nets bulge with part of the
day’s catch on Lake Huron
smokehouse at its Point Edward location.
“It was the water that called me home,”
says Steph. “People say to me ‘Are you
crazy? You left B.C.?’ But I say look at what
we have here. And I don’t miss the rain.”
The Purdys are major local suppliers of
pickerel, yellow perch, lake trout and lake
Photo by Jeff McCoy www.StudioKaoss.ca Photo by Jason Mortlock www.jasonmortlock.com

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 31
Photo by Jason Mortlock www.jasonmortlock.com
whitefish. They also catch catfish, silver
bass, redfin and freshwater drum (a.k.a.
sheephead, or sheepshead). Using both the
trap and gill fishing methods (depending
on time of year), they use different boats for
different jobs and conditions. “We prefer
to use the traps but they are very weather
dominated. So we can’t fish traps in the
winter at all. In the deep part of summer,
when the water temperature is too warm,
trap doesn’t work either so we go to deeper
water with the gill nets”, explains Steph.
They have a fleet of 10 boats including a gill
boat built by her grandfather Ron Purdy in
the early 1940s.
“As my brother says, sometimes we have
nine boats too many as we don’t have a lot of
captains! We have different boats for different
jobs. Sometimes we need an anchor boat and
a net boat. The most we ever have on the water
would be three. It is more likely two on the
water on the same day. A gill net in deeper
water fishing white fish and a trap net boat
lifting pickerel traps.”
The Purdys have two licences, which allow
them to fish southern Lake Huron from Sarnia
north to Point Clark. Their main operation is
in Point Edward where they also have a large
retail outlet. They have a seasonal dockside
retail operation in Grand Bend on the water
next to the Yacht Club. And they sell their
fish at Sarnia’s Farmer Market on Saturday
mornings, in London at Sunripe, and in
Toronto at Butcher by Nature.
Discerning diners can find Purdy’s on the
menu at the The Only on King restaurant
in London, at Jamie Kennedy’s
Gilead restaurant in Toronto, and
at Canoe in Toronto. Steph admits
it is a bit of thrill to be able to
connect their fish with celebrity
chefs. “They’re just people too,”
Continued on page 34 ...
Purdy’s Fish Market (above), is
open year round on the shore
of the St. Clair River in Point
Edward, while Purdy’s at The
Bend (right), on River Street in
Grand Bend, is open through
the warmer months.

32 www.eatdrink.ca
Dine
• Shop • Stay • Play
Enjoy
Ontario’s
West Coast
№ 47 | May/June 2014

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 33
A Fresh Take on Tradition
Come for dinner or
a romantic getaway
on the Huron Shore
Celebrate the Season!
www.hessenland.com
Mother’s Day
Brunch
Stylish German Cuisine
Distinctive Accommodations
RR #2 Zurich ON
Hwy 21, north of Grand Bend, 1 hour from London
519-236-7707 or 1-866-543-7736
and
Father’s Day
Chicken & Rib
Lunch Buffet
PATIO
NOW
OPEN!
Your table awaits you!
Named one of Ontario’s BEST
“Destination Restaurants”
“Evidence that you don’t have to be in
a big city to create great things!”
— The Globe & Mail
527 Main Street, Exeter 519-235-3030
30 min North of London • 20 min East of Grand Bend
30 min West of Stratford
www.eddingtons.ca
519.238.6224
42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend
www.finearestaurant.com
Lunch and Dinner — Seasonal Hours
Reservations Recommended
WEEKEND
ENTERTAINMENT
Eat and drink at
the water’s edge
ENJOY
20 Beers
on Tap
71 River Road, Grand Bend OPEN 7 Days a Week 519-238-5556 www.smackwaterjacks.ca
Featuring the finest meat & produce from our
outstanding local farms, alongside
quality craft beers & wines.

34 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
Continued from page 31 ...
she says, “who have a very cool job. Chefs to
me are what a professional athlete or movie
star is for other people. It’s kind of cool when
what you do gets validation.” Jamie Kennedy
gave back to the Purdys when he travelled
to Grand Bend to be a judge at their first
(now annual) Chowderfest. The 5th Annual
Chowderfest will be held in the second
weekend of August in Grand Bend as part of
the Aquafest water celebration.
Adding their own culinary creations
for sale at their own retail outlets, as takeout
or dine-in, has proven to be a positive
innovation for Purdy’s. Fish and chips with
homemade coleslaw is an obvious menu
item and it’s something that Purdy’s does
well, especially with their lake perch and lake
whitefish. Chowder is offered once a week
in Point Edward. And a new item for those
looking for something not fried is Great Lakes
Salad. Think tuna salad but made with mostly
whitefish or any combination of local fish.
They cook the fish in a smoker (not smoked)
and add celery, onions, and dill pickles. It is
sold in tubs to take home or served with pita
chips or on a bun with lettuce. They also
sell a line of imported seafoods, gourmet
sauce/food lines and house-made
salmon pot pies, fish cakes and seafood
lasagna (fresh and frozen depending on
the day of the week).
Some of this innovation has come from
the input of students at Lambton College
who help produce the food. Steph offers
cooking classes in the fall or by group
booking. Recipes can be found on the
company website. And, if you are in the
Sarnia area, you can catch Steph on the
Purdy’s Dockside Eatery in Point Edward provides
the perfect perch to enjoy your perch.
radio each week as part of Food Talk with Lee
Michaels on FOX FM or CHOK AM Blackburn
radio. They discuss products, fish, the effect of
weather on fishing, and more.
“We are passionate about what we do. I am
proud of our family and our tradition. And we
have a great product to back it up. It is just a
lot of hard work and a quality product.”
Purdy’s Fish Market & Dockside Eatery
1 Riverfront Road, Point Edward
519-344-3732
www.purdysfisheries.com
Purdy’s at the Sarnia Farmer’s Market
110 Proctor Street, Sarnia, ON
saturdays 7am–noon
Purdy’s at The Bend
59 River Road, Grand Bend
519-238-8044
JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to eatdrink,
often found writing stories near the waters of Lake Huron, Erie
and Superior. She is also Manager, Communications & Media
Relations at King’s University College, Western U in London.
A variety of fresh options
at Purdy’s Fish Market
Photo by Jeff McCoy www.StudioKaoss.ca

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 35
The BUZZ ... new and notable
In a recommendation that went to the Planning and
Environment Committee in March, London’s city
staff requested holding a public participation meeting
on May 13 at City Hall to discuss a pilot program that
would permit non-amplified music on outdoor patios within
reasonable hours this summer. In effect for more than 20 years,
the existing bylaw banning live music and entertainment on
outdoor patios is targeted at “reducing conflict arising from
noise,” city documents reveal. It is expected that the pilot project
will be reviewed at the end of the year.
Culinary Historians of Canada (CHC) is a country-wide
organization whose members share a passionate interest in
Canadian food history and food ways. They view Canada’s
unique food history as having a vital place in contemporary
culture, and really, they are talking about the original 100-mile
diet. They hope to “inspire appreciation while advancing
knowledge of Canada’s food history.” Stratford Chef School
graduate Angel Commins (angel@culinaryhistorians.ca) is
the membership committee chair of CHC and she is looking for
new members to help grow the national organization. Commins
is also working on a cookbook of Canadian heritage desserts/
baking, and hopes to be conducting cooking classes in her home
starting late spring of this year. www.culinaryhistorians.ca
The sounds, tastes and culture of Mexico are returning to
downtown London. Celebrate the fourth annual Fiesta
London at the Covent Garden Market. Enjoy a day full of fun,
fiesta and mariachi as you explore the beauty of Mexico’s food,
rich history, art and music. It’s the Hispanic signature event in
London. Sunday June 9, 11 am–10 pm.
Bring your friends and enjoy the true tastes of summer at the
London Beer and BBQ Show at the Western Fair District
Agriplex. The event will showcase many fine craft breweries
from across southwestern Ontario and will pair beers with
outstanding BBQ prepared by a variety of grill masters
from local and area restaurants. Sample over 50 beers from
Ontario’s established culture of craft beers, savour sumptuous
barbecue by local grillers — everything from pork ribs and
pulled pork to brisket and chicken. Participate in a variety of
sports, cooking demos and activities running throughout the
weekend. Friday June 20 th to Sunday June 22.
www.westernfairdistrict.com/events/attend/beerbbq2014
Double Decker Ice Cream is going into its third summer and
the red double-decker bus on Wellington Road (next to The
Red Lobster) has become fairly well known around the city.
Recently, Double Decker Ice Cream opened a satellite location
at the Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market on the 2 nd
“Reasonably priced, fresh, well-executed
Ethiopian cuisine ...” — Bryan Lavery, eatdrink magazine
• Vegetarian
Options
• Takeout
• Catering
• Reservations
Recommended
ADDIS ABABA Restaurant
Tues–Fri 5–1pm • Sat 12–1pm • Sun 2–1pm
465 Dundas Street 519 433-4222
www.tgsaddisababarestaurant.com

36 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
floor. This provides a year-round London location for premium
quality Shaw’s Ice Cream, made locally from Ontarioproduced
cream since 1948. At the market, they have added
the “All-Day Breakfast” — fresh hot waffles with ice cream
and choice of toppings. www.fb.com/DDIceCream
London Ice Cream has added some great new flavours this
spring, including Chocolate Box (Acadian vanilla swirled with Au
Chocolate ice cream with caramel, mint, cherry & raspberry chocolate
cups), Fruit Loop (lemon, lime and raspberry ice cream swirled
together) and Chicago Mix (buttered popcorn, salty cara mel & a
cheesy character!) www.fb.com/LondonIceCreamCompany
STUNNING VIEWS
EXCELLENT FOOD
AMBIANCE GALORE
CAFÉ OPEN TUES TO FRI, 11–4
SUN BRUNCH, 11–4
NOW OPEN DAILY!
AVAILABLE EVENINGS
for Private Dining, Weddings, Corporate Events,
Anniversary Dinners & Birthday Parties
at MUSEUM LONDON
theriverroom.ca | 519.850.2287
Try Our NEW Grilled Seafood Menu Items!
Abruzzi presents a “Front to Back” fundraiser for Bethanys
Hope Foundation (www.bethanyshope.org) on Sunday June 1.
An Italian-inspired 5-course menu will be served by the cooks and
cooked by the servers. Tickets are $150 (and eligible for a $75 tax
receipt) and 100% of the profit goes to this exciting local charity,
which announced at their “Big Italian Kitchen Party” gala last
month that they are close to running clinical trials in their search
for a cure for leukodystrophy. The ticket price includes wine, and
a cash bar will be available. Cocktails begin at 6pm, with dinner
service at 7. For tickets, call Bethanys Hope at 519-642-7589 or drop
by Abruzzi at 119 King Street. www.abruzzi.ca
Gary and Martha McAlister of Everything Tea are
pleased to announce rotating weekly specials of teas and
accessories at exceptionally reasonable prices. Watch for
changing website news coming soon. Lovely bright coloured
teapots with floral and gardening themes are in stock to
herald spring’s arrival. Saturdays, upstairs at the Western Fair
Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market 8 am to 3 pm. 519-433-9522
Locomotive Espresso is London’s newest independent
purveyor of caffeinated beverages and other fine fare. In
addition to serving a great selection of coffees, lattes and
espressos, brewed by professionally trained baristas on a
La Marzocco GB5 (handmade in Florence, Italy), Londoners
will find a variety of locally-sourced products and services
including fresh salads, paninis and baked goods from
Heirloom Catering; fresh breads from The Artisan Bakery;
cold pressed juices from the Pulp & Press Juice Co.; organic
teas from Wisdom Teashop and Clipper Teas (UK); biscotti
from local pastry chef Michele Lenhardt; Kosuma Bars,
Habitual Chocolate and Nepalese chai tea, fresh rolls, and
granola from Momo’s At The Market, from the Western Fair
Farmers’ Market. www.locomotiveespresso.com.
The Five Fortune Culture Restaurant opened to crowds in
March at the southeast corner of Richmond and King Street.
Owners Jeff and Wenbei Li travelled 7,756 miles to start a new
life in a strange land with the hope of living more peacefully.
The cuisine is a combination of Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou
styles and influences. Mixian mini-pots, rice noodles, green
onion pie, pancake rolls and dumplings are among the housemade
specialties. www.fivefortuneculture.com
ENJOY
Authentic
Greek Wines
& Beer
OPEN LATE!
SUN & Holidays 11–9
MON−SAT 11–11
EAT-IN OR
TAKE-OUT
572 Adelaide Street, London
519-434-6736
www.mykonosrestaurant.ca

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 37
The Black Olive Mediterranean Bistro opened recently
in south London and serves traditional Lebanese cuisine. The
casual bistro-style restaurant at 825 Southdale Rd. W. has 24
seats plus 15 on the patio. www.blackolivebistro.ca
Done Like Dinner has been making a name for itself over
the past year, supplying home-cooked meals to busy London
families, professionals and seniors. Co-owners Annie Johnstone
and Stephanie Johnson, dedicated farmers’ market and local
producer supporters, offer a made-from-scratch entree, soup and
salad delivered free on Tuesdays and Thursdays. See menus and
ordering info at www.donelikedinner.ca
Farm Boy fresh market stores are coming to London with their
first store set to open in June at 1045 Wellington Road, beside
Chapters. Founded in Cornwall in 1981, the chain now has 14
locations carrying abundant varieties of fresh produce, premium
meats and artisan cheese, plus made-from-scratch meals and
60 feet of self-serve food bars with fresh greens, grains, grilled
proteins and an array of hot and tasty favourites made in the
Farm Boy Kitchen. Londoners can expect Farm Boy to stock a
number of their favourite local products. www.farmboy.ca
Ontario Update
As of May 1, 2014, homegrown wines, crafted entirely from
Ontario-grown grapes and following local winemaking
standards, can be bought at approved farmers’ markets.
Locally, Quai du Vin Estate Winery has applied to set up
shop at nine markets in our region.
For purposes of the Liquor Licence Act (LLA) and Regulations,
“farmers’ market” means: a central location at which a group of
persons who operate stalls or other food premises meet to sell
or offer for sale to consumers products that include, without
being restricted to, farm products, baked goods and preserved
foods, and at which a substantial number of the persons
operating the stalls or other food premises are producers of farm
products who are primarily selling or offering for sale their own
products. VQA wine may be sold during farmer’s markets’ hours
of operation. Many are hoping that this will pave the way for
expanding additional product offerings in the future to include a
wider range sales of local craft beer, wine and artisanal spirits at
farmers’ markets and beyond.
Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews announced new
legislation will oblige restaurants with 20 or more locations to
post calorie counts alongside pricing. The legislation will force
restaurants to post a contextual statement about daily calorie
intake and give power to Ontario Public Health to enforce the
new rules. The minister hoped for the bill to come into effect
as of January 2015, but now an election is pending.
The general minimum wage increase from $10.25 to $11 per
hour will take effect June 1, as well as corresponding raises
in student hourly minimum wage from $9.60 to $10.30 and
liquor server minimum wage by hour from $8.90 to $9.55.
www.davidsbistro.ca
ALWAYS
a 3-course
prix fixe menu
option
432 Richmond St.
at Carling • London
London’s Celebration Destination
31
Lunch Weekdays
Dinner 7 Nights a Week
1 York Street
(just West of Ridout)
519-672-0111
Continental cuisine – with a
contemporary twist! – and Tableside Cooking. Baby Grand Pianist Nightly
From an amazing Caesar Salad to flaming coffees, Complimentary On Site Parking
Michael’s makes your celebration an event. www.michaelsonthethames.com
MICHAEL’S ON THE THAMES

38 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
A new and independent competition, with Loblaw as marquee
sponsor, became the largest cheese competition in Canada with
76 producers across the nation providing 291 cheeses for judging
at University of Guelph. It is the first cheese competition in
Canada open to all types of milks used in cheese making —
cow, goat, sheep and water buffalo — with only pure natural
cheese accepted for judging. That meant no artificial colours,
flavours or preservatives, and no modified milk ingredients.
Ontario’s chefs, culinary enthusiasts and cookbook lovers are
grieving the loss of a 31-year-old Toronto institution. The
Cookbook Store closed its doors for good in March to make
way for a new condo development.
SUNDAY BRUNCH
11am−2pm
PATIO
Now Open!
Sun–Tues 11am–11pm, Wed/Thurs 11am–midnight, Fri/Sat 11am–1am
The Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation is the
provincially mandated Regional Tourism Organization for
Ontario’s Southwest (also known as Region 1). About 220
tourism operators from across Southwestern Ontario were in
London in March for their annual conference.
Seasonal Farmers’ Markets
The MyPick® verification program grew out of a real need.
Shoppers at Ontario farmers’ markets often thought they were
buying directly from local farmers when in fact they were
buying from resellers. They had no way of knowing which
vendors were which. Now they do, thanks to the MyPick®
verification program from Farmers’ Markets Ontario®. When
you see a vendor displaying a MyPick® sign, you can be sure
you’re getting just-picked freshness from the grower’s own
farm, and are helping support local agriculture.
www.farmersmarketsontario.com/mypick/
The Covent Garden Market Farmers’ Market offers
seasonal, fresh, friendly and local food twice a week, outside
on the tented square. These vendors are involved in producing
what they are selling, and are happy to answer questions. For
current news, recipes and seasonal information, go to their
blog: www.coventgardenfarmersmarket.com Thursday &
Saturdays, 8 am to 1 pm, weather permitting.
Masonville Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market features over 40
farmers, artisans and food producers. Located in North London
in the former Sears parking lot at the Masonville Place Mall,
just north of Fanshawe Park Road off Richmond Street. Fridays
8 am to 2 pm, May to October. Weather permitting.
Since its inception, Slow Food Perth County’s Sunday
Market has been a popular go-to food destination. Marketgoers
appreciate the good, clean, fair principles of Slow Food
as well as the exceptional produce and artisanal products
offered by local vendors. Now outdoors at Stratford Market
Square, the market moves indoors to The Local Community
Food Centre after Thanksgiving. Sundays 10 am to 2 pm.
Strathroy Farmers’ Market is one of Middlesex County’s
longest running Farmers’ Market established in 1861, located
on Market Square behind the Town Hall in Strathroy at 52
Frank Street. Saturdays 8 am to 12 noon, early June to October.
Celebrating our 20thAnniversary!
Delicious
Seven Days a Week
3 COURSE
DINNER
FOR $28
519.432.4094
481 Richmond Street
www.garlicsoflondon.com
Dinner, Lunch or
Sunday Brunch

№ 47 | May/June 2014
Horton Farmers’ Market supports the regional economy by
providing access to high quality food producers, craftspeople
and artisans. The market endeavours to have only local
producers and craftspeople represented, giving you a taste
and experience unique to St. Thomas. Manitoba Street, ½
block north of Talbot Street. St. Thomas, Saturdays. May 10th
to November. www.hortonfarmersmarket.ca
Downtown Woodstock Farmers’ Market is a vibrant
outdoor local market in the heart of Woodstock on Museum/
Market Square. Museum Square and Dundas St., Woodstock.
May to October, Thursdays 12 noon to 5 pm (sometimes later).
www.downtownwoodstock.ca
Grand Bend Farmers’ Market welcomes you to a season of
fresh, locally-grown produce. If the vendors don’t grow it, produce
it, make it or bake it, it can’t be found at the market. They offer
a varied selection of products from the three counties of Huron,
Middlesex and Lambton. 1 Main St., Grand Bend (Colonial Hotel
Parking Lot — enter off Hwy 21.) Opens May 21 to October 8.
Wednesdays 8 am to 1 pm. www.grandbendfarmersmarket.ca
Culinary Education
Professors at Brescia University College have been awarded
a $50,000 Healthy Eating in Secondary Schools grant from
the Ontario Ministry of Education to launch a university peer
nutrition education program at Oakridge Secondary School.
FRESH (Food Resources and Education for Student Health) is a
multi-strategy program created by and for university students
under the supervision of Dr. Paula Dworatzek and Dr.
June Matthews, Associate Professors in Food and Nutrition
at Brescia, and Anne Zok, Nutrition Manager for Western’s
Hospitality Services. Now in its fifth year of operation, FRESH
has reached thousands of university students through peer
education (FRESH ED), a web site (freshu.ca), and various
social media channels. It has also influenced the campus food
environment by highlighting healthier options in vending
machines (Healthier 4U) and on menus (FRESH Approved). Their
frequent-buyer program (FRESH Fruit/Dairy Card) has increased
consumption of these healthy foods.
Drs. Matthews and Dworatzek will work with Diane O’Shea,
Family Studies Department Head and teacher at Oakridge
Secondary School, to implement FRESH High with the help of 20
students, drawn mostly from Grade 10. Throughout the 2014–15
school year, Oakridge students will receive mentoring and
orientation to be empowered participants in FRESH High. The
program will teach the students to become advocates for changes
to the food environment, and raise brand awareness through
interactive displays, food demonstrations, and social media. If
the inaugural program is deemed a success in a post-program
evaluation, FRESH High may expand to other secondary schools.
The 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup London Host
Committee is excited to announce the May 16–25 schedule
for the upcoming Championship. Featuring a possible nine
thrilling hockey games, the 2014 MasterCard Memorial Cup
also involves a number of activities off the ice. The 11-day event
begins with the Arrival of the Memorial Cup Ceremony and the
Your love of all things Italian begins at
“A place you
can depend on
and delight in”
— eatdrink
46 Blackfriars Street, London
519-667-4930
www.blackfriarsbistro.com
EXPRESS LUNCHES
INTIMATE DINNERS
EXTRAORDINARY
CATERING
DIETARY NEEDS
ACCOMMODATED
AMPLE FREE PARKING

№ 47 | May/June 2014
Opening Gala, both presented by BMO. From exciting acts in the
Budweiser Beer Garden (beer tent in the South Parking Lot of
Budweiser Gardens), to the Downtown London FanFest open
daily on Talbot Street and the Covent Garden Market Square,
there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Fans can enjoy a
Captains’ Pancake Breakfast, a tour at the Royal Canadian
Regiment Museum, a beach event with the Memorial Cup, a
celebration at our local legions with the Memorial Cup, and the
MasterCard Memorial Cup Golf Tournament.
Are you feeling “done
like dinner”, and dinner
isn’t done yet?
Order online today:
donelikedinner.ca
We look forward to cooking for you!
DLD Kitchen
From the Field
to Our Kitchen to
EST. 1996
Your Table
Local Ontario Ingredients
Non-GMO • Organic Lines
Canning Classes
Wedding Favours & Gift Baskets Available
London, Ontario
519-680-7912 • surelyhomemade.com
Downtown London is working with Tourism London,
downtown hotels and the London Convention Centre to
promote businesses to visitors this summer. In particular
the organizations are working with them to distribute the
Downtown Guide and the new visitor dining guide, Taste
Downtown London, to help people find places to dine.
www.downtownlondon.com
Last year London City Council agreed to get public feedback on
a proposed program to allow food trucks. The current Food Truck
Pilot Proposal was heard by the Community and Protective
Services Committee on April 28th. Many councilors remained
hesitant about the pilot program going forward as written and
the proposal was tabled for a special meeting before council the
first week of May. The proposal worked its way between city
departments for months and has been refined and revised along
the way to avoid the bureaucratic red tape that plagued Toronto’s
food truck initiative. The City liberalized the initial food truck
plan, and proposed a much less restrictive version that balances
the interests of stakeholders and recognizes and encourages
entrepreneurial spirit. As of this writing it is expected that a new
food truck licence will cost a vendor $1,225.
Initially, the City Policy Coordinator stated that an
impartial Food Truck Advisory Review Panel, made
up of local food industry experts, was expected to provide
knowledgeable opinion and recommendations regarding
food truck strategy in London. In addition, the panel was
anticipated to be charged with encouraging culturally diverse
and original menu offerings, and endorsing the promotion of
healthy eating. But the latest report that went to politicians
stated that menu-vetting (read micro-managing) is too
complicated to be part of London’s food-truck plan.
Under the new proposal, City staff will be able to designate
locations based on such criteria as proximity to restaurants,
schools and neighbourhoods. There will be is a 25-metre
buffer zone separating food trucks from existing restaurants.
Food trucks will also be required to keep their distance
from schools, and vendors will be required to keep a log of
their whereabouts. Food trucks will be required to close for
business between 3 am and 7 am. Food trucks are subject to
standardized health and safety regulations and inspections.
The proposed food truck by-law amendments appear to
provide reasonable recommendations and safeguards, making
the pilot much more accessible to entrepreneurs. However,
it is still too early to try to define what London’s food truck
streetscape will look like and if there will be significant
changes to the pilot proposal.

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 41
The swanky Rhino Lounge Bakery and Coffee Shoppe is
the latest venture for the River Room Private Dining and
North Moore Catering team. The stylish lounge is situated
in the former gift shop at Museum London, and the rhino
in the logo is a direct and thoughtful reference to artist Tom
Benner’s iconic aluminum sculpture of a white rhino, which
has called the front lawn of Museum London’s home for
nearly 30 years. www.fb.com/rhinolounge
In June, artist Ron Benner will be installing a photographic/
garden installation in Xi’an, China, which the Museum in Xi’an
is organizing for him. The director there is planning to maintain
this garden installation as an on-going contemporary art
project in this amazing site. Benner’s photographic/garden
installation at Museum London will be celebrating its 10 year
anniversary with its annual Corn Roast on August 24.
www.museumlondon.ca
Chef Dani Gruden Murphy has joined The Root Cellar
and the On the Move Organics team. The newly renovated
premises will open on Monday, May 5 (a soft opening with
a grand opening to follow once The Root Cellar is licensed).
For the first few weeks, they will be featuring prix fixe dinner
specials on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. We can expect
lots of new spring dishes featuring local organic fare (as
always), a move to table service (the take-out counter will
remain open all day), and local wine and craft beer offerings
to follow soon. The Root Cellar will also be the home of
the newly-incorporated London Brewing Co-operative
(English-speaking Canada’s first worker-owned brewery).
www.onthemoveorganics.ca
Luis Rivas and Elsa Garcia and family continue to wow guests
by providing Latin flavour and ambience at their new and much
larger True Taco Authentic Comedor Latino restaurant, across
from their former premises, at 784 Dundas Street. This is a lively
cantina with vibrant red walls and plenty of comfortable seating
areas, including a private room. The original True Taco opened after
perfecting its business model and building a loyal following at its
Saturday operation at the Western Fair Farmers’ and Artisans’
Market. The restaurant offers up a spectacular all-day breakfast
of huevos rancheros, sunny-side up eggs with homemade sauce
served with locally sourced beans and tortillas. Handmade
pupusas are a specialty and are made with rice or corn flour
tortillas typically stuffed “de queso” (fresh cheese) or chicharron
(fried pork) and served with refried beans and crudito (traditional
cabbage relish) and tomato sauce. Central American offerings
include burritos, tacquitos, quesadillas, enchiladas and corn-husk
wrapped pork and corn meal tamales. They are expecting to apply
for a liquor licence in the coming weeks. www.truetaco.com
The Soho Diner has been earning rave reviews since it
opened in early February. The diner is located in the premises
of the former Lemon Tree Lebanese Restaurant, directly
across from the Viet-Thai Restaurant at 223 Horton Street at
featuring:
Crêpes and More • Fried Rice Delite
Dominic’s Italian Eatery • Treats
London’s Shawarma • Sushi N Sushi
Daily Planet Café

42 www.eatdrink.ca
Clarence. This new breakfast and lunch hot spot is open seven
days a week from 11 am to 4 pm. Chef Chris Howard’s menu
offerings include Fried Buttermilk Chicken with homemade
coleslaw, prosciutto and tomato bruschetta on sour dough
and the Ultimate Grilled Cheese with aged cheddar, Swiss,
mascarpone and jalapeño. www.sohodinerlondon.com
Restaurateur Greg Efstatheu and Covent Garden Market produce
merchant Chris Doris are expected to open Olive R. Twists in the
space with what is arguably the best patio downtown. The new
restaurant will occupy the premises formerly occupied by Upfront
at the Market and Chauncey Smith’s.
1050 Kipps Lane, London
519-673-6606
www.kippslanefish.com
Homemade Goodness
with a Gourmet Touch
Since 1972
TUES–THURS: 3–7:30
FRI: 12–7:30 SAT: 3–7:30
Closed SUN & MON
№ 47 | May/June 2014
Kathryn Banasik and Robin Azzopardi`s Byron Freehouse
continues to receive rave reviews for a menu of comfort foods,
specifically updated riffs on gourmet versions of classic
quick-bistro fare. The Freehouse’s beautifully appointed 1288
Commissioners West patio has one of the largest areas for al
fresco dining in the city. www.byronfreehouse.ca
Black Trumpet Chef Scott Wesseling has introduced new
spring and summer lunch and dinner menus. The expanded
lunch menu includes a couple of different burgers, a first for
Black Trumpet, one using bison and the other venison! The
restaurant’s elegant courtyard patio, one of London’s gems, is
now open. www.blacktrumpet.ca
Zack Agathos from Icarus has had some delays with
construction approvals due to City reviews taking a long time.
As of this writing he’s predicting a mid-May opening. Agathos
will begin with a soft opening without a liquor license.
London Training Centre’s three-week Local Food Skills
program continues through the spring, summer and fall.
The LTC grows ecologically-raised food at the farm just west
of the city. They will be selling their vegetables along with
baked goods at the Masonville Farmers’ Market on Friday
mornings. London Training Centre will be hosting its annual
fundraiser on Thursday July 17, at the farm. The “Food for
Thought” event, formerly held in September, will know be
called “The Feastival.” www.londontraining.on.ca
While Fair Trade has been a core focus for Fire Roasted
Coffee (FRC) since its inception in 2006, FRC has expanded
its direct trade relationships with organizations like Cafe
Justicia from Guatemala. FRC recently announced a new
direct trade relationship with a co-op of small family farms
in the Lake Kivu region of Rwanda. FRC will be carrying one
of the five micro lots of this light, bright and buttery coffee.
These types of relationship can create real change in the
global community through farmers achieving sustainable
livelihoods by growing outstanding specialty coffee.
FRC and Habitual Chocolate announced their recent
collaboration with Lifford Wines & Spirits, a wine provider
that focuses on quality wines from family-owned vineyards.
Lifford’s has arranged a cellar of reds and whites that
Great Local BBQ Meats & Sauces!
Meats & So Much More!
We are your London outlet for
Metzger Meat Products, The Whole Pig,
Blanbrook Bison Farm and Lena’s Lamb,
with sauces and spices from
The Garlic Box, Pristine Olive, Stonewall
Kitchen, and Traditional Portuguese Sauce.
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100% Local — from Our Farmers to Your Table
Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market • Saturdays, 8am–3pm • 226-376-6328 • jardines@saucymeats.com

№ 47 | May/June 2014
taste delicious on their own, and are offering rich reds to
complement Habitual Chocolate’s dark, in-house chocolates,
and crisp whites to sip with lighter chocolates.
www.fireroastedcoffee.com
The Church Key Bistro-Pub, with its innovative farmto-table
inspired menus and stellar craft beer selection,
celebrated its fifth birthday on May 1. Owners Pete and
Vanessa Willis say they will begin serious celebrations in
July. www.thechurchkey.ca
Downtown London’s The Raja Fine Indian Cuisine also
turns five this summer. In appreciation to their clients, they
will be offering a free appetizer to patrons with a minimum
purchase of $50 for two. The Raja is also serving an Express
Lunch for downtown workers who have a limited time for
lunch. www.rajafinedining.ca
Stratford
Co-owner Jeffrey Leney tells us that the new Pazzo
Bambino, located in the former Pazzo Bakery, is essentially
a food shop serving pizzas, sandwiches, antipasti, salads,
Italian sweets, espresso drinks and focaccia with a focus on
take-out. There are 30 seats for those who wish to dine in.
Designer Ron Nuhn took the former bakery concept and blew
it up, creating an operatic ambience and an exciting space.
www.pazzo.ca
The Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival,
presented by GE Café Appliances, will take place earlier
in the season than usual, on the weekend of July 18–20.
Historically held in September, the event celebrates local
cuisine, welcoming great guest culinary personalities, local
artisanal producers and farmers, and outstanding Stratford
chefs. This year’s theme is Coast to Coast to Coast and
the 30th Anniversary of the renowned Stratford Chef
School. Meet some of the top young chefs under 40 from
across Canada — from Newfoundland to the N.W.T. to
B.C. — all award winners, many trained in Stratford, and
others associated with Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver
and Anthony Bourdain. With over 150 chefs, farmers,
producers, Ontario wineries and craft brewers, cheese makers
and culinary personalities, this is one of the largest culinary
festivals in Ontario. www.savourstratford.com
Stratford’s newest culinary trail is a sweet treat! The Savour
Stratford Maple Trail is the third in Stratford’s culinary trail
offers. This self-guided tour presents 10 maple-inspired stops
with offerings that range from aged maple balsamic vinegar,
to a maple-smoked bacon BLT and a maple chai latte. Other
Savour Stratford culinary trails include the Chocolate Trail
and the Bacon & Ale Trail, each available all year round for
$25 plus HST. www.visitstratford.ca/mapletrail
Looking for Chocolate? Come July, Chocolate Barrs is moving
from 136 Ontario Street to 55 George Street West (formerly
The Sun Room restaurant). Be sure to check out the new
digs for tasty treats. www.chocolatebarrs.com
Open WED to SUN
11am to 10:30pm
Five Fortune Culture
RESTAURANT
366 Richmond Street at King
www.fivefortuneculture.com
226 667 9873
NOW
OPEN

44 www.eatdrink.ca
GE Café Chefs Series Cooking Classes offer fun hands-on
cooking classes with celebrated Ontario chefs in Stratford.
On May 4, Chef Joshna Maharaj of Ryerson University
will be paired with Lailey Vineyard Winery. On May 18,
Chef Dennis Tay of Richmond Station will be paired with
Tawse Winery. On May 25, Chef Jordan Lassaline of Local
Community Food Centre, Stratford will be paired with
Rosehall Run Vineyards. Purchase tickets online.
www.visitstratford.ca/gechefs
The restaurant and lounge are open at The Bruce, with the
hotel opening May 24. Executive Chef Aaron Linley describes
growers & creators of fine lavender products
DISCOVER
Steed & Company Lavender, part of a
45-acre horse farm just outside of Sparta
INDULGE
in our unique handcrafted lavender products
ESCAPE
in the wonderful scent and
calming powers of lavender
519-494-5525
47589 Sparta Line, Sparta
buds@steedandcompany.com
Open Wed-Sat 10-5; Sun 12-4
Mother’s Day through Christmas
www.steedandcompany.com
Season Opening
MOTHER’S DAY
May 11
Annual
BLOOM
CELEBRATION
June 21–29
№ 47 | May/June 2014
his menu as “Nouveau Ontario” — imaginative, ambitious,
eclectic cuisine marrying global influence, modern French
technique and the very best of Ontario. www.thebruce.ca
Come to the wild side on May 10 & 11 and June 14 & 15 in
the Search for Morels, as seasoned forager Peter Blush
of Puck’s Plenty leads you along the beautiful Avon
Trail, hunting for wild edibles and wild mushrooms. Take
away Peter’s favourite recipes to showcase your fresh picks.
Information and tickets at www.visitstratford.ca/tastings
Enjoy 2–3 hour morning or afternoon Flavours of Stratford
Culinary Tour in downtown Stratford. Meet some of the
faces behind the places and learn tips, tricks and techniques
while savouring samples along the way. Tours run Wednesday
to Saturday, May to October. www.visitstratford.ca/tastings
Celebrate pork with Hog Wild Week in Stratford June 16-22.
From the Bacon & Ale Trail, tasting delicious pork and beerinspired
treats to visiting selected restaurants and pubs that
are creating special menus, pork events and tastings devoted
to pork… and bacon, too. Stratford is not only the home
of the Stratford Festival but also of the National Pork
Congress, June 18-19. www.visitstratford.ca/spring
Canadian entertainers from a variety of musical genres
perform at the Stratford Blues and Rib Fest, June 20–22,
as award-winning ribs are served for a weekend of delicious
BBQ along with a Vendor Village Veterans Drive in
Stratford. www.stratfordbluesandribfest.ca
Visit the Stratford Perth Museum and share a favourite dish at
The Big (Canadian) Lunch – a community lunch – on Sunday
June 29 from 12 noon–2pm. www.stratfordperthmuseum.ca
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Our readers want to know, so send us info about your
culinary events, fundraisers, and regional news. We’ll print
as much as we can, and there is no charge for this service.
With BUZZ in the Subject line, send to:
editor@eatdrink.ca.

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 45
in the garden
Incredible Edibles
Old Favourites, and Some New Ideas
By ALLAN WATTS and RICK WEINGARDEN
There are more and more old
heirloom seeds available today,
and the selection is nothing short
of incredible. Growing your own
food affords you many more options than
you will ever find at the grocery store. In the
garden or on the plate, the diversity allows
for so much creativity and choice.
The value in growing your own food is
incredible on your wallet as well! Fresh is best
and it doesn’t get any fresher than growing
your own. The following are a collection of
some old favourites and some new varieties
we are looking forward to trying.
Greens: One of Our Favourites
Arugula, also known as rocket, is always
part of our garden as we love the spicy
greens in salads and pastas. Wild arugula, a
perennial, offers a more peppery flavour and
crunch. This year we will try the wild arugula
called Dragon’s Tongue. It has beautiful red
veins running through the green leaf.
Kale is very tasty and is easy to grow. Kale
is both ornamental and edible, and is very
nutritious. Dinosaur, or Lacinato kale, is an
Italian heirloom and is a customer favourite.
Fizz is a new variety for us this year. The
plant is a more open, lower growing plant
with flat, cut grey leaves. It is a very good
salad variety when picked young.
Lettuce is expensive in the stores, and you
can grow your own gourmet greens for
much less. Lettuce that you’ve cut just before
eating is one of the best things you can sink
your teeth into. In only three to four weeks
after planting, you can begin eating baby
leaves. Each seeding will provide about five
cuttings and then it will be time to re-seed.
Mesclun salad mixes offer an instant
cutting salad. An heirloom mix has
varieties with mouth-watering names like
Dragon’s Tongue Arugula
Dinosaur Kale
Fizz Kale
Flashy Troutback Lettuce

46 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
Troutback, Blush Butter, and Red Ruffled
Oak. Use lettuces as ground covers and
underplantings in both the garden and
containers. They offer great colour and
texture, and are beautiful and edible!
Spinach is often grown in the veggie patch.
Classic varieties perform well in the early
spring or late fall. The tropical climber
Malabar spinach is an heirloom from
Central America. This variety does very
well in the heat of summer. Harvest from
the plant right through summer into fall.
Because it climbs, it does need support for
four to five feet.
Now for a Little Crunch
The Cucumber: A delicious and unusual
cuke that produces apple-sized, yellow gems
is the Lemon Cucumber, a pretty vining plant
that needs four to five feet of support. It’s the
perfect size for a salad for two. And so is the
Cucamelon (Mexican Mouse Melon), a tiny
cucumber the size of the end of your thumb
that looks like a miniature watermelon. This
climbing vine is fun for anyone, perfect for
salads, pickling and snacking!
Radishes: If you have not tried the Watermelon
Radish, you must, for colour alone.
It is also refreshing, mild and unique. Its
deceiving white skin hides the pretty pink
flesh that really pops on the plate! Another
rare radish is the Rat’s Tail Radish. Unlike
its cousins, this radish doesn’t grow below
the ground. It is the ripened seed head on
the plant.
Brussels Sprouts are little wonders that
add great flavour to foods. Green ones are
wonderful, but this year we look forward to
trying Red Ball, not only for the red colour,
but because this variety is known for setting
the sprouts more easily.
What Else Is “New”?
The Goji berry, native to the Himalayas, has
been tested successfully in our climate. It
becomes a prolific fruiting shrub, approximately
3.5 feet in diameter. The Goji is
known for its health and nutritional
properties. It can be eaten fresh off the
plant or dried for storage.
Cucamelon cucumber
Watermelon Radish
Nasturtium Cherry Rose Jewel
Edible Flowers: Beautiful and incredible
edibles must include edible flowers.
Introduce edible flowers as pollinators that
benefit the whole garden. Nasturtiums,
calendula and borage are great varieties to
grow for adding to salads or to use as edible
decoration.
There any so many incredible edibles! Make
your summer experience more incredible
and grow some food and enjoy the diversity
that is now upon us.
RICK WEINGARDEN and ALLAN WATTS own
Anything Grows SEED Co. (www.anythinggrows.com). They can be
found at the Western Fair Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market on Saturdays,
and at various gardening events around the region.

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 47
wine
Sipping from Norfolk County
Three local wineries with a focus on the grape
By KIM MILLER
Finally it seems the deep freeze is
over. The sights and sounds and
smells of spring are finally upon
us. If you are anything like me,
then this change of season results in
the need to break free of your four
walls and explore new territories.
If you find yourself up for a
scenic, meandering sort of drive,
this is the trip for you. In just
over an hour’s travelling time southeast of
London, you will discover Norfolk County,
billed as “Ontario’s Garden.” It is a haven of
family-run farms that offer an abundance
of family fun, fresh produce, crafts and, of
course, wine.
Most of the wineries here produce
fruit wines, which in their
own right can be quite delicious.
Here, however, we will focus
on the three wineries that have
endeavoured to repurpose
their once profitable tobacco farms and
produce their wines from grapes.
Bonnieheath Estate Lavender & Winery
Bonnieheath is owned by Steve and Anita Winemaker Terry Rayner, of London,
Buchner, lifetime farmers each in their own takes his craft very seriously, despite the
right. Their extensive property includes whimsical names he gives to his wares.
vineyards, orchards, prairie grasses,
One might say he has boldly gone where no
lavender fields and natural wetlands, all of winemaker has gone before. Terry has taken
which are available to be explored. It is their two hybrid grape varieties, both used rarely,
goal to provide guests with an authentic and then only for blending, and turned
agricultural experience and at the same them into blockbusters — namely Frontenac
time provide a sophisticated Gris and Frontenac Rouge.
winery atmosphere.

48 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
lots of tropical fruit on the nose. It is medium
bodied with loads of pear and papaya on the
palate. The finish is strong with citrus, honey
and mineral.
“crooked wrench RED” is the 2012
Frontenac Rouge, also $16.95. This wine is
a rich, dark cherry colour which exhibits
aromas of thyme, blueberries and violets.
The palate is intense with earthiness and
spice. Beautifully balanced tannins provide
a long, lingering finish.
“don’t count your CHICKENS” is the 2012
Frontenac Gris, available at the winery for
$16.95. It is a pale straw colour and exhibits
Bonnieheath Estate Lavender & Winery
410 Concession, 12 Townsend, Waterford
www.bonnieheathestate.com
Burning Kiln Winery
This is the home of the Ontario Wine
Awards “Winemaker of the Year” award
winner for 2012, Andrzej Lipinski. His
wines are extra special because of an
ancient method of grape drying that he
has modernized somewhat to suit our
climate. He is considered the pioneer of
“appassimento” in Ontario, a method
whereby the grapes are picked and
basically sun-dried in whole bunches. This
method intensifies the fruit flavour which
can be extracted from the
berries.
The 2010 VQA Chardonnay
at $14.95 a bottle is a gem.
It is lightly oaked and gives
off the perfume of apple pie
and mineral. A full mouth
feel tapers off to a smooth,
clean finish.
Even more
striking is
the 2012 VQA
Strip Room,
60% merlot,
40% cabernet
franc. Impressively,
this
wine was
chosen as the
official wine of
the Ontario Legislature in 2012.
It is a dark plum colour sporting
a huge nose of dark fruit, black
pepper, cedar, coffee and smoke,
all of which soften into a long
appealing finish.
Burning Kiln Winery
1709 Front Road, St. Williams
www.burningkilnwinery.com

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 49
Villa Nova Estate Winery
Carol and Phil Ryan are the proprietors of
this incredibly diverse estate. The property is
bisected by an ancient river valley, resulting
in a wide range of terroir. Hilltops provide the
perfect vantage point for vines; old pastures,
wetlands and hardwood forests are home to
grassland birds, wild turkeys and deer.
The 2012 VQA Trout Fly Off Dry Riesling,
$12.50, is a classic example of this European
vinifera varietal. It has a pale yellow green
colour which compliments its floral bouquet.
This is a crisp and refreshing wine that
basically punches you in the mouth with green
apples and ripe apricots. The finish is long and
lingering.
The 2012 VQA Pinot Noir, $15.95, is another
classic grape varietal from across the pond
that responds beautifully to our climate here
in southern Ontario. This prime example is
a beautiful deep garnet colour. The nose is
reminiscent of Burgundy with tons of ripe
cherries, strawberries and earth. A very easy
drinking and well balanced wine!
Villa Nova Estate Winery
1449 Concession 13, RR#4 Simcoe
www.villanovaestatewinery.ca
Pinot Gris
Reisling
Norfolk County has lots and lots to offer for
those taking the time to explore it. Take the
time to peruse www.norfolkfarms.com. It is
an easy to navigate site which will help you
make the most of your visit to the area. Have
fun, buy much, travel safely!
Cheers!
KIM MILLER lives in London with her spouse and two children.
This is why she studies the many attributes of wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon
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50 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
BEER MATTERS
beer matters
Bocking the Trends
The Robust Charms of Bockbier
By THE MALT MONK
It’s time to join a revolution — a
revolution born of thirst for big, rich,
full-flavoured lagers. At the forefront
of this revolution are seasoned
quaffers who keep gravitating away from
the prevailing trends in craft beer marketing
culture — such as the race for the most
eclectic brew or the biggest hop bomb, or
the endless quest for the most radical brew,
or status symbol, flavoured Belgian clones
— to a return to basics. Basics have been the
sustaining elements in traditional crafted
beer styles and brewing; they are balance,
taste, silken drinkability and warming
comfort. Many
of today’s
big brews
lack some or
all of these
refinements.
According to
the histories I
have become
acquainted
with, the cradle
of the brewing
art was not
Belgium but
Germany, and
of its traditional
styles, bockbier
(or simply “bock”) is
universally accepted
as the apogee of
1000 years of the
Teutonic brewing art.
Bock is my all-time
favorite go-to beer
for sipping, pubbing,
and to mate with
good food because of its diverse sub-styles.
Bock also has a natural toasty sweetness,
because unlike the big Belgian ales which
get their strength from the addition of candi
sugars, Bock derives its strength from large
amounts of crafted malts. Bocks are woefully
under-represented in the local markets and
in commercial craft brewing enterprises in
general. Too bad, because bock has so much
to offer the robust beer fancier.
Bockbier: The Lager with a “Kick”
Bockbier’s historic roots reveal the reasons
for its longevity and why it was, and should
remain, so popular. Bockbier originated in
the 14th century as a dark, malty, strong,
aged ale made in the town of Einbeck. It was
wildly popular for the big malty body hiding
its strength. The style migrated to Munich,
where the local dialect pronounced “Einbeck
bier” as “ein bock bier” or “billy goat beer” —
“bock” being a ram goat. The name became a

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 51
humorous reference to the beer’s strength so
to this day we see a ram goat associated with
bockbier labeling/marketing.
Another innovation happened to the
strong dark brew from Einbeck in Bavarian
brew houses — it became a lager. Brewers
took the old heavily malt accented
Einbeck ale and subjected it to bottom
fermentation at cool temperatures and
long cold conditioning periods, to produce
a rich dark malty-roasty robust lager with
strength, yet that is incredibly smooth,
balanced and satisfying. Bocks varied in
strength from 6% to 13%, rivaling wine
as table fare. These characteristics made
bockbier widely popular for centuries as
both a stimulating drink and as a meal
beverage. Bavarian bock breweries were
kept busy supplying demand
.
Diversity of Style
As bockbier became more and more
popular, German brewers offered diversity
of style by changing the strengths and types
of malts used. The earliest variations were
of “Dunkelbock” (dark bock) with a rich
red Christmas bock (Weihnachtsbockbier),
Doppelbock (double strength) and Eisbock
(an ice-process bock of imperial strength).
Next, a tawny-red medium strength bock
appeared for the Easter lent festivals
(“Fastenbock” — Paulaner Salvator is the
historical benchmark of this sub style).
And then, as the new pale malts became
available “Mai Bock” (May bock) appeared
for the spring festivals. Also called helles
bock or heller bock, this is a deep golden
lager of extra strength (6% to 7%) —
essentially a strong Edel hell lager.
So, aside from the traditional dark bock
lagers (usually a winter season brew) bock
drinkers now had Amber Lenten bocks
and golden Mai Bocks to choose from, and
bock became a three-season phenomenon
as refrigeration technology advanced.
Unfortunately bockbier’s popularity waned
as the new wonder of the brewing art,
Bohemian Pilsner, eclipsed the popularity
of darker, more robust lagers. Today, outside
of the few traditional Munich brewers and
older commercial German brands, bockbier
has had only marginal resurgence in the
current craft brewing renaissance.
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№ 47 | May/June 2014
Local Examples & Recommendations
Outside of the wonderful Ayinger Celebrator
and Paulaner Salvator imported German
commercial offerings we see at the LCBO
occasionally, there are some fairly good
examples of the bock
styles available from local
crafters. The beauty of
locally brewed bock is
that there is nothing quite
like new bockbier fresh
from the tap — it’s a treat
for the senses and just so
awesomely satisfying.
Grand River Brewing
offers a fairly feisty example
of a spring bock called “Dog Stalker April
Bock.” It’s a tawny amber bock with
red highlights, which has toasty-sweet
malt richness but finishes dry with
some herbal bittering. I buy it on tap
when I see it. This year’s release
was particularly good, so I put in
a supply of bottles as well (LCBO
#337352)
Junction Craft Brewing offers
a fall and a spring bock on tap.
I’ve sampled both and I prefer their
“Bockscar Spring Bock” — light brown
and deliciously malty-toastyroasty,
lightly sweet with good
balance and a hop bite in the
finish, a good drinkable bock.
Amsterdam Brewing makes
an exceptional spring bock. It’s
a dunkel bock but very tasty and
satisfying. It gets good ratings and for good
reason; it’s a rich malty bock with lager
smoothness in spades. In spring it usually
appears on tap, at better craft beer pubs,
and in bottles (LCBO 208942).
Mill Street Brewing
makes a practicable Heller-
Mai Bock that appears on
tap now and then — they
bottle it occasionally too.
But it is the Mill Street
winter dunkler bock that is
worth a trip to the pub —
deep brown, roasty toasty,
lightly sweet, balanced
noble hopping, a first rate
quaff and a decent bock worth seeking out.
For home imbibing Creemore UrBock
is a serviceable enough dark bock but
lacks the robustness of larger bocks
(LCBO #219659). It does pair well with
a variety of cold cut sandwiches
and sausage dishes so I usually
have a few around for visitors and
late season hockey games.
I’m fortunate that my favorite
brew pub usually has all or most of
these on tap, but unfortunately they
are seasonal and the kegs drain out far too
fast. For a bockbier fancier it’s a long wait
until they appear again and I find
myself wishing there were more
bocks available year-round.
Maybe a local crafter reading
this will take pity on us bock lager
quaffers and fill that void.
Malt Monk’s Brew de Jour
My recommendation for this edition comes
from the spring LCBO Brewer feature of
four new Beau’s offerings. Of the
four, one well-crafted brew stood
out. It drank well alone as a
spring patio quencher but was
just made for food pairings.
Beau’s White Pepper Saison
(LCBO # 378794) is a bright,
fruity, sparkling imperial
strength saison infused with just
enough white pepper to make a
crisp piquant impression which
compliments the spicy hopping in
this big fruity ale. A natural companion for
creamy rich dishes, this is a good stand-in
for wine. I paired this with a creamy
shiitake chicken fricassée with great
results. Highly recommended
but a limited release. Buy it
quickly, before it’s gone.
THE MALT MONK is the alter ego of D.R.
Hammond, a passionate supporter of craft beer
culture. He invites readers to join in the dialogue
at maltmonksbeerblog.wordpress.com/

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 53
BEER MATTERS
theatre
Perfection Is So Overrated
Donald DISHES on Theatre
By DONALD D’HAENE
“ I
boring. Call me twisted but during
abhor the idea of a perfect world.
It would bore me to tears.”
I hear you Shelby Foote!
Perfection is so overrated and
my quarter century in theatre, I loved it
when things went wrong. When inevitably
something hit the fan, two things invariably
popped into my mind: first, glad this
happened to/because of me, and second, I
wonder if I will write about this one day.
I was cast in my first theatrical show for
London Community Players at The Palace
Theatre, Gordon Pinsent’s A Gift to Last,
back in 1992. I went up to ask the director a
question at rehearsal and the answer was,
“Why are you talking to me?” Later during
the run, the fire alarm went off during the
big funeral scene. I didn’t know whether to
laugh or cry, but you can bet I didn’t ask!
My first big break was as the Bell Hop in
Port Stanley Festival Theatre’s Lend Me A
Tenor in ,93. The cast and team got along like
gangbusters — for the most part. I have since
learned this is the norm but I remember there
was some frustration in terms of whether we
would be able to pull the show off. It didn’t
help that opening night was the first time we
ran act one and two together and with the set.
Let’s just say that everything that went wrong
opening night worked in this crazy comedy
and we kept it all in — especially after the
standing ovation and
the rave reviews.
It’s interesting: in
some shows everyone gets
along from day one, and everything works
like a charm, but come opening night the
audiences just aren’t feeling it. I’ve had few
of those experiences. Mine have been more
of the gloriously imperfect kind.
For example, more than twenty years
ago, I was cast in a show Out of Town and
the actress I played off refused to kiss me
during the rehearsal process. To state that
we weren’t getting along would be to put
it mildly. I know she thought she was a
reincarnation of Sarah Bernhardt. Regardless,
the director kept demanding a kiss. I finally
asked, “Well, it isn’t because I’m gay, is it?”
“Of course, it is.” I wanted to shoot back,
“Pucker up buttercup, you know how many
gays Sarah Bernhardt kissed before she
ended up on Broadway!” but chose instead,
“You’ve got to be kidding. You’ve probably
kissed more guys than I have!”
I don’t recall one line from the show,
let alone the plot, but I’ll never forget that
“actress” for two reasons: When I said
two sentences in the wrong order during
a performance she went, “tsk-tsk!” to
the audience, and I got an unexpectedly
passionate kiss on opening night.
Talking about realism, or lack thereof,
Out of Town
Lend Me a Tenor
House of Frankenstein

54 www.eatdrink.ca
physical contact is often faked on stage. I just
witnessed the first real slap in ages in Venus
in Fur at The Palace Theatre’s Procunier
Hall. I wanted to stand up, applaud and yell,
“Again, but this time leave a mark!”
Once, to get in the mood for my
character’s big scene in Elgin Theatre Guild’s
Jitters , I had an actress slap me off stage.
“Not hard enough.” I had her keep doing
it until I got the “red” I was aiming for. I
rationalized that I was helping her come
out of her shell. By closing night, she was
winding her arm just like a baseball pitcher.
Frankly, I’m the most imperfect person
I know for I always find unique ways of
screwing up.
Once, while rehearsing a show, we went
for drinks after. The cast suggested we order
pizza. “I don’t mind picking it up,” I said.
Who knows why but I walked back from the
pizza place holding the pizza like it was a
briefcase under my arm!! My only response
to their dumbfounded faces: “Hey guys, I’ve
never delivered pizza before!”
I’ve chosen the hard way over the ‘right
way’ on more than one occasion.
№ 47 | May/June 2014
A Gift to Last
When I was cast as the monster in another
Elgin Theatre Guild production, House of
Frankenstein, I was merely required to grunt
on stage the entire play, until taking a potion
at the end, after which I miraculously spoke
— with an English accent. Funny play but
lame ending, I thought, so opening night,
I was in my Franken-tux in the green room
and sighed to the other cast members, “Too
bad I couldn’t spice up the ending.” As I spat
out the word spice, I spotted a wedding veil
and some make-up. “Wouldn’t it be a kick if I

№ 47 | May/June 2014
came out after taking the potion as the Bride
of Frankenstein?” The laughter that just the
expression of the idea caused had me in the
veil and rouge in moments. My entrance
stopped the show and unfortunately the
hearts of the directors. “It’s alive!” took on a
whole new meaning, for they wanted to kill
me and had me veil-less the next night. One
of them has never spoken to me since, for
which I cry into my pillow every night.
So many more stories, so little space.
Ilyas Kassam was so right when he wrote,
“There is beauty in the imperfect. Thus I
lust over the flawless, and fall amorously
forceless to the flawed.” (Reminiscence of
the Present: Spiritual Encounters of the
Analytically Insane)
I promise more flaws are forthcoming.
Meanwhile, you have a London Fringe
Festival of 40-plus shows to see this June.
Let the new stories and games begin.
40th SeaSon june 25 - Sept 6, 2014
DONALD D’HAENE is Editor of donaldsdish.ca. Twitter @
TheDonaldNorth and email: donalddhaene@hotmail.com.
1.877.862.5984
blythfestival.com
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FestivalTheatre
2014
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56 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
books
The Devil’s Picnic
Travels Through the Underworld of Food and Drink
by Taras Grescoe
Review by DARIN COOK
Picnics are usually imagined as affectionately as
being sunny and cheery with the Green Mist,
potato salad and pink lemonade. also comes with
But they don’t have to be. If you’re the not-soaffectionate
feeling up to it, grab a wicker basket and
a plaid blanket, find a grassy spot in your
favourite park, and vicariously indulge
in forbidden food with Taras Grescoe by
reading The Devil’s Picnic: Travels Through
the Underworld of Food and Drink (Harper
Perennial, 2005, $22.95). A journalist from
Montreal, Grescoe visits seven countries
over twelve months, sampling cultural
delicacies that could get you in trouble with
the law if you possess them, or harm your
health if you consume them. This is a picnic
not for the faint of heart, easily-offended,
puritan-minded, or health-conscious.
He starts with hjemmebrent, a moonshine
from Norway known for giving a hangover
like no other. After his second cup, Grescoe
was “sufficiently anaesthetized,” certain
the end result was more important than
the taste. He writes: “All of the aesthetic
pleasures one might experience in sharing a
good Scotch or burgundy were absent with
hjemmebrent. You were sober then you were
drunk.” It is paradoxical that Norway has
liquor with such a sinful reputation, while
the country is very strict with alcoholic laws.
However, one of Grescoe’s contentions is
that the more something is denied, the more
likely the public will want it,
latching on to the notion that the
forbidden fruit of the Garden of
Eden was eaten largely because
it was forbidden. His experiences
with absinthe in Spain, France,
and Switzerland have similar
debilitating effects as Grescoe
learns centuries-old recipes
and rituals from subcultures
that consume it. Grescoe
reputation of
driving many
famous artists
and writers insane.
Cheeses forbidden in the
United States are those made with raw,
unpasteurized milk aged for less than 60
days. It is the idea of the raw milk not going
through the pasteurization process to kill
disease-causing pathogens that irks people,
although critics of pasteurization argue it
kills all the good enzymes necessary for
flavour. Grescoe tracks down the famous
Epoisses cheese originally made by 16 th
Century Cistercian monks in a fromagerie
in a French village. This is the type of
cheese that is both appetizing and putrid
at the same time. Grescoe informs us that
Canadian cheese shops don’t seem to have
the same legal issues with importing these
varieties as the U.S.A. Interestingly, in Paris
it is illegal to carry Epoisses on the metro
because of its offensive odour.
Grescoe writes, “Almost every European
nation boasts some abstruse gastronomic
tradition that its neighbors find unsanitary,
incomprehensible, or just plain disgusting.”
In Spain, he tracks down
secretive dishes in out-of-theway
restaurants, like criadillas,
cooked bull’s testicles considered
a delicacy during bull-fighting
season. Also from Spain, Iberico
ham is rated the best in the world
by many chefs, yet is banned
from the U.S.A., punishable
by up to ten years in prison
or a $10,000 fine, because the
discovers that absinthe, known
Taras Grescoe Department of Agriculture felt

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 57
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58 www.eatdrink.ca
that a swine epidemic in the 1970s tainted
Spanish slaughterhouses. Spanish chefs
have countered with a 4,000-member strong
association called Euro-Toques which defends
artisanal cooking techniques, arguing that
bureaucrats in an office cranking out policies
don’t know more about handling food than
the chefs who have been doing it for centuries.
Several of Grescoe’s forays involve the
versatile and stimulating ingredient of coca
in several varieties: pure chocolate in France;
coca leaves chewed to alleviate altitude
sickness in the Andes; mate de coca tea to
soothe the mind in Bolivia. Cocoa beans
used for making chocolate have been used as
currency in certain cultures, a sure sign of their
value, but have also been banned at certain
times in history for their addictive qualities.
Although cigars are not edible, they are
consumed by those who love them with the
same gusto as good food, and often as an aftermeal
indulgence. But they are a Communist
product marked with an evil stigma by the
U.S. trade embargo. Canadians have been
entrepreneurial about importing Cuban cigars,
especially in border towns like Windsor, where
№ 47 | May/June 2014
smoke shops advertising Cubans line the
downtown core across the river from Detroit,
enticing Americans to cross the border for the
forbidden fruit in tobacco form.
These are just a few of the illicit items
Grescoe consumes on his year-long
picnic. But were these health-damaging,
law-breaking things worth it? Strictly for
taste, some of them, like the chocolate and
cheese, seem to be. For those who indulge
in tobacco, the Cohiba Esplendidos from
Cuba are considered the best in the world.
The coca tea, Norwegian moonshine, and
absinthe were potent for all the right (or
wrong) reasons. Grescoe writes, “The most
exquisite of pleasures always come served
with a dollop of risk.” Whether that risk is
flirting with the law or consuming foods
with potential food-borne illnesses, when
obtained legally and properly treated, these
foods go from risky to pleasurable because
of the element of the forbidden.
DARIN COOK is a freelance writer who works and plays
in Chatham-Kent, and keeps himself well-read and well-fed by
visiting the bookstores and restaurants of London.
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№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 59
cookbooks
Bal’s Spice Kitchen
By Bal Arneson
Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN
Variety may be the spice of life but
spices could just be the variety you
need to see you through the last leg
of this long, cold winter. Bal’s Spice
Kitchen is just the thing to inspire you to
cook the savoury, warming dishes that will
banish the last of those winter blues.
Bal Arneson is all about fresh food
with exotic flavours. As a young girl she
began cooking over a barbeque pit in her
small village in India. Her family didn’t
have a lot of money, so she learned to
use seasonal ingredients from her garden
and experimented with her own blends of
herbs and spices to produce deliciously
innovative meals.
Here in Canada, Arneson found herself
raising her young daughter on her own. To
make ends meet while she furthered her
education, she began catering and teaching
others to cook the dishes of her childhood.
Arneson proved that Indian food could
be light and healthy and she worked to
demystify Indian spices. Two television
series and three cookbooks later, she is the
cook Canadians look to when we want to
bring masalas, chutneys and rotis into our
kitchens. Her smile and welcoming manner
are as warm as the spices she loves.
She now lives in Vancouver with her son
and daughter and records her television
show, Spice Goddess (Food Network
Canada), in her home kitchen. Her cooking
techniques may have
changed but her love of
spice has remained.
Her third book, Bal’s
Spice Kitchen, is less about
traditional Indian food than
her previous efforts. She
often uses Indian spices
in classic North American
and European dishes, even
including an Indian twist on
Thanksgiving
turkey dinner.
Arneson
shares her
own spice
blends
(masalas) with us. A
glossary of spices includes a photo of the
most common forms (whole or ground)
and fantastic descriptions of the aromas
and flavours of each. This is helpful, as she
encourages us to substitute them to suit
our own tastes. Don’t care for heat? Reduce
the chilies. Enjoy floral tastes and aromas?
Increase the cardamom. Love the taste of
lemon? Coriander seed is the way to go.
The book is peppered with tips such as
how to cook lobster perfectly, and how
make your own paneer (fresh cheese).
Many recipes offer a suggested wine
pairing. Photographer Tracey Kusiewicz has
captured the food so beautifully that I wish
there had been more photos of the finished
dishes to inspire readers.
The featured recipes are a perfect way
to jazz up your dinner this spring. The
winter blues will melt away even if the snow
never does. Fresh mangoes add a touch of
summer sweetness to the earthy, smoky
warmth of Chicken with Cashews and
Mango Sauce. Try a dish of Lobster with
Prawns and Paprika Coriander Dressing
and you can almost imagine you are sitting
on the patio enjoying
lunch in the sunshine.
Add some spice to your
next meal, and Bal’s Spice
Kitchen to your cookbook
collection.
Bal Arneson
TRACY TURLIN is a freelance
writer and dog groomer in London.
Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com.

60 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
Recipes from Bal’s Spice Kitchen© 2014 by Bal Arneson. Published by Whitecap Books. All rights reserved.
Chicken with Cashews and Mango Sauce
Because of my love and passion for mango, I decided to incorporate it into this recipe. The
warm earthy flavours from the cumin seeds combine very well with the mango’s sweetness.
Serves 4
2 Tbsp (30 mL) grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp (30 mL) grated garlic
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grated ginger
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cumin seeds
2 tsp (10 mL) ground coriander
1 tsp (5 mL) fenugreek seeds
1 tsp (5 mL) smoked paprika
½ cup (125 mL) cashews
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
½ cup (125 mL) plain yogurt
2 cups (500 mL) mango chunks
1 Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high.
2 Add the garlic and ginger and saut. for about 1
minute.
3 Add the spices then the cashews and toast for 10
seconds.
4 Turn down the heat to low and add the chicken.
5 Cook until it is nearly done, about 8 minutes.
6 Add the yogurt and finish cooking the chicken,
about 2 more minutes, then stir in the mango
chunks.
7 Serve with
rice or rotis.
SUGGESTED
WINE
PAIRING
2009 Merlot
Reserve by
Mission Hill
Family Estate

№ 47 | May/June 2014 www.eatdrink.ca 61
Lobster with Prawns and Paprika Coriander Dressing
My daughter Anoop’s love for seafood inspired me to create this recipe.
Once the lobster and prawns are cooked, the rest of the steps are very simple.
You just throw everything together for a very elegant salad. If you like this
half as much as Anoop does, you’ll be eating it all the time!
Serves 4
4 lobster tails, steamed and meat removed
20 cooked prawns (see directions)
1 medium purple onion, finely chopped
1 cup (250 mL) basil leaves, chopped
Combine the lobster, prawns, onion and basil
leaves in a salad bowl.
PAPRIKA CORIANDER DRESSING
½ cup (60 mL) flaxseed oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp (5 mL) smoked paprika
½ tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste
Thoroughly whisk the oil, lemon juice, paprika,
coriander, salt and pepper in a bowl.
TO SERVE: Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
HOW TO COOK
PRAWNS
In a skillet, heat 2 Tbsp
(30 mL) grapeseed oil
on medium heat. Add
20 prawns, deveined
and shells removed,
and cook until they
curl up and are just
firm, about 3 to 5
minutes.
SUGGESTED WINE
PAIRING
2010 White Lie by
Serendipity Winery

62 www.eatdrink.ca
№ 47 | May/June 2014
the lighter side
Good Night Chef
By DAVID CHAPMAN
So here we are in 1974, in Toronto.
The Hyatt Regency hotel had just
opened and it was THE place to
work, so I applied for a cook’s job.
The chef was Fred Reindl, a six-foot-four
hulk of German origin. At this time, most
chefs were of European origin, and all were
men. Chef Reindl (one always called chef
by his title not his name, but more of that
later) was a well respected professional
who made Truffles,
the signature
restaurant, a Toronto
landmark in fine
dining at that time.
At an interview,
usually one is asked
for a resumé and
references, but Reindl
was different. An
onion was requested.
I was told to chop
the onion. I did
this perfectly, but
nervously, and was
hired. Reindl had
the theory that knife
skills were a sign of
a professional, and
could not be disguised
in a resumé.
It was nice to be
back in a large hotel
kitchen. The energy
and excitement in
a hotel is like no other aspect in cooking.
There is 24-hour service with fine dining,
casual dining and banquets. The staff is a
wonderful cross-section of breakfast cooks
(the hardest job in the world), fine dining
divas, and the money-makers in banquets.
I was a cook in banquets, working with a
Scottish cook and a German sous chef. One
thing you learn pretty quickly in a kitchen,
especially a male-dominated kitchen, is
that you have to prove yourself. A kitchen is
dependent on everyone doing his part and
the weakest link won’t last long. I lasted five
years, and it was the best of times.
As executive chef, Reindl would usually
go home first. Before leaving, he would go
through the kitchen and say goodnight to
all the cooks. They would of course respond
“Good night, Chef.” Then one evening a
single voice said “Good night, Fred.” A hush
went through the kitchen. Of course it was
Richard, our class clown. What was going to
happen next could
have gone one of
two ways. Chef could
have had a meltdown
and it looked like this
might happen. But
instead, he went over
to the steam table,
took a fingerful of
mashed potatoes,
and sticking them
in Richard’s ear
said “Good night,
Richard.” Masterful!
Reindl was the
single biggest
influence in my
career. He showed
that not only did
you have to be a
good cook but you
also needed to be
1974 advertisement
a good human. In
another classic,
he had a bunch of
cooks gathered around a pot of stock. He
would make like he was tasting it with his
finger — not correct, but it happens — and
would ask, “Is it chicken stock, or veal?”
Much discussion would follow. It turned out
it was dish water he had put in the pot. Fred
Reindl, mentor, chef and prankster, where
are you now?
DAVID CHAPMAN has been a creative and respected
fixture on the London restaurant scene for over 20 years. He is
the proprietor of David’s Bistro. www.davidsbistro.ca

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