Eatdrink #66 July/August 2017

Issue #66 | July/August 2017 

eatdrink 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

FREE 

Chef Thomas Waite’s 

Spruce 

on Wellington 

Classical Food with 

a Modern Twist 

ALSO FEATURING 

The Prune & Bar One Fifty One 

Stratford’s Fine Dining Stalwart 

Local Ice Cream 

A Scoop of Happiness 

Norfolk County Road Trip 

Up the Garden Path 

Serving London, Stratford & Southwestern Ontario since 2007 

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2 | July/August 2017 

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area. Call for a quote! 

Think Global. Read Local. 

Publisher 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Managing Editor Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca 

Food Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Copy Editor Kym Wolfe 

Social Media Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Advertising Sales Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Stacey McDonald – stacey@eatdrink.ca 

Finances 

Ann Cormier – finance@eatdrink.ca 

Graphics 

Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy 

Writers 

Jane Antoniak, Gerry Blackwell, 

Cecilia Buy, Darin Cook, Mark Kearney, 

Gary Killops, Nicole Laidler, Bryan 

Lavery, Wayne Newton, Tracy Turlin 

Photographers Steve Grimes 

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Historic Post Office & Customs Building 

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OUR COVER 

Spruce on Wellington owner Chef 

Thomas Waite and staff in the 

recently renovated cottage on 

Wellington St North. The story is 

on page 20. 

The photo is by Steve Grimes 

(grimesphoto.com).

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Contents 

Issue #66 | July/August 2017 

Publisher’s Notes 

Summertime Summertime 

By CHRIS MCDONELL 

52 

Restaurants 


The Prune and Bar One Fifty One 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

10 

Classical Food with a Modern Twist 

Spruce on Wellington, in London 


16 

Road Trips 


A Visit to Norfolk County 

By CECILIA BUY 

20 

Culinary Retail 


Find This Summer’s Trending Treat 

By NICOLE LAIDLER 

28 

The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

34 

Beer 

Part of the Community 

London Brewing Co-operative 

By WAYNE NEWTON 

42 

Wine 

The 1867 Label Project 

Celebrating 150 Years in an EPIC Way! 

By GARY KILLOPS 

44 

10 

28 

16 

56 

58 

20 

Spirits 

What’s Hot! 

Craft Cocktails with Cred 


47 

Various Musical Notes 

Southwest Summer 

Upcoming Highlights on the Music Scene 

By GERRY BLACKWELL 

49 

42 

The Classical Beat 

Festival Season 

Classical Music Steps Out 


52 

Th e a t r e 

Everything Old is New Again 

Summer Theatre Highlights 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

55 

Books 

Seoul Searching for Korean Food 

Eating Korea by Graham Holliday 

Review by DARIN COOK 

56 

Recipes 

The First Mess Cookbook 

by Laura Wright 

Review & Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

58 

The Lighter Side 

Brushes with Fame 

By MARK KEARNEY 

62

Alternate Grounds Dockside, Sarnia 

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There’s a new culinary scene making waves in Ontario. 

Ontario’s Blue Coast is home to a rapidly expanding wine region and premium waterfront 

dining, all inspired by the laidback lifestyles in Lambton County. 

Sit back, relax, sip some craft beer and sink your teeth into some fresh-caught lake fish. 

It’s what we like to call the après-jet ski on the coast. 

GET A TASTE at tourismsarnialambton.com



Publisher’s Notes 

Summertime, Summertime 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

Late in June, I’m thinking that if we 

keep saying it’s here, like in the old 

ditty, perhaps we’ll see two beautiful 

days in a row and really relax into a 

summer vibe. With Canada 150 officially upon 

us, I’m sure this will develop into a season to 

remember. Let me tell you why. 

This issue provides plenty of inspiration. 

Bryan Lavery visited two outstanding restaurants, 

young and old. “Stratford Stalwart” The 

Prune has represented the benchmark for fine 

dining excellence for over 30 years. Spruce on 

Wellington is the new kid on the block, and 

Chef Thomas Waite is one to watch. 

Cecilia Buy took a Road Trip to Norfolk 

County, and even after a couple of days of 

happy exploration found she had just scratched 

the surface of possibilities in “Ontario’s 

Garden.” Nicole Laidler had the envious task of 

visiting our region’s ice cream producers. Again, 

the old and the new are keeping pace. I intend 

to confirm that in person. 

Summer music festivals are already in full 

swing. Nicole pays particular attention to 

Stratford Summer Music, more wonderfully 

eclectic than ever, and Gerry Blackwell’s 

“popular” music round-up covers most of the 

bases. Summer feels good in part because live 

music sounds so good. 

It was impossible to fit all The Buzz in but 

there’s so much going on. Now, I’m ready for 

a cold drink. Craft cocktails, craft beer, craft 

wines ... We’ve got lots of expert suggestions 

here. Summer decisions are hard! Wishing you 

all the best with yours, 

Fun, fine dining, 

& funky finds? 

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Restaurants 



The Prune and Bar One Fifty One 


Chef Bryan Steele has trained and 

mentored hundreds of professional 

chefs. In his capacity as senior 

cookery instructor at the Stratford 

Chefs School, the originality and diversity 

of culinary undertakings that span his 

three-decade oeuvre have helped lay the 

underpinning for the culinary revolution that 

we see both locally and nationally. 

In what began in 1977 as a “self-directed 

sabbatical from work,” Eleanor Kane and 

Marion Isherwood opened The Old Prune 

(then a tea room) in Stratford, which led to 

successful careers as restaurateurs. With 

James Morris of Rundles Restaurant, which 

opened the same year, Kane later co-founded 

the Stratford Chefs School. 

The Old Prune, under the direction of 

Isherwood and Kane, cemented its reputation 

with Sue Anderson in the kitchen. In 1988, The 

New York Times stated, “The Old Prune serves 

lunch, dinner and after-theater suppers in 

three Edwardian dining rooms and on a patio. 

The creamy pastas and deft salad plates are 

recommended here, as well as the loin of lamb 

with twicecooked 

pepper 

and sauté of 

spinach with 

sage cream 

sauce. Desserts include prune and Armagnac 

ice cream and a very rich chocolate terrine. 

The fixed price for a three-course dinner is $25. 

Chef Steele took The Old Prune to another 

level. I first became aware of Steele when he 

was sous-chef at Stadtländer’s in Toronto in 

the mid-’80s. Steele has been chef de cuisine 

at The Prune and an educator at the Stratford 

Chefs School since 1989. He had acquired a 

degree in chemistry from Queen’s University 

before turning to 

gastronomy. The 

Old Prune became 

The Prune after it 

changed hands in 

2011 when Bill and 

Shelley Windsor, 

who owned and 

operated The 

Parlour Inn, took 

possession.


Steele and sous chef Michael Fry continue 

to elevate the dining experience at The Prune 

with a sophisticated and approachable menu 

that is handsomely prepared and well executed. 

Ryan O’Donnell’s role as executive chef of the 

Windsor Hospitality Company (which operates 

The Prune, Mercer Kitchen/Hotel, and Levetto 

Baden) is to support his colleagues and assist 

in integrating Bar One Fifty One, the new 

adjoining bar to The Prune’s kitchen, says 

O’Donnell. “This integration is a team effort 

using the many talents of our chefs both at The 

Prune and Mercer Kitchen. From a culinary 

perspective we are excited about the synergies 

we can create between the three restaurants 

and how they will help us create better and 

better food across the board.” 

Designer Emily Wunder, an integral 

part of Mercer Kitchen’s rebrand last year, 

collaborated with the Windsor’s on Bar One 

Fifty One to curate an atmosphere that feels 

exclusive without pretention. The goal is 

to echo the natural elements found in The 

Prune’s gardens and trees. This is achieved 

with the extensive use of wooden surfaces and 

naturalistic patterns, accented with energizing 

golden tones and lighting. The bar’s relaxed 

and elegant vibe is the perfect backdrop to 

the signature cocktails, varied wine list, and 

tailored bar menu. 

The Bar One Fifty One menu concept 

is based on the best qualities exemplified 

by the many small cafés and bars Chef 

O’Donnell frequented during a half year 

in France. Customers can feel welcome for 

any type of experience be it lunch, dinner 

or late night snacks and cocktails. A short 

curated menu offers classic dishes chosen for 

their comfort factor. The goal is to execute 

simple and satisfying plates with the care 

and quality The Prune is known for, at an 

accessible price point. 

The menu in the dining room at The Prune 

is an ever-changing seasonal prix fixe, offering 

1 

2 

3 

1 Citrus-cured albacore tuna appetizer served with honey 

mushrooms, pea shoots, sesame wonton crisps and a 

soy reduction; 

2 Seared squid appetizer, served with seaweed, crisp kale, 

radish and a tumeric-ginger sauce; 

3 A dessert composed of a white chocolate mousse, 

yogurt sorbet, seabuckthorn compote & curd finished 

with lime zest and meringue crisps; 

4 Smoked Muscovy duck canapés served with white beans 

and frisée, nestled in braised cabbage leaves. 

4


two courses for $59.00, three courses for 

$75.00, or four courses for $85.00. This 

arrangement helps expedite the challenges of 

pre-theatre dining. The restaurant is formal 

but only in the sense of being professional. 

The menu designed for a prix fixe experience 

is available à la carte upon request. Appetizer 

dishes might include Chicken Liver Mousse, 

seabuckthorn and rhubarb chutney, brioche; 

Hot smoked Boone Run trout, radish and 

cucumber salad; or Seared squid, seaweed, 

kale with turmeric-ginger. Mid courses 

are currently Risotto with cherry tomato, 

basil, thyme and house-made ricotta, and 

Tortelli with onion, bacon, fresh peas and 

herbs. Traditional main dishes could include 

“Smoked” Muscovy duck breast, white bean, 

frisée and caramelized cabbage, or Seared 

Cornish hen, spinach and mushroom salad 

with herb dumplings. There is a grilled 28 

ounce bone-in rib steak for two, with white 

asparagus and sauce Choron ($10 supplement 

per person). For an additional charge, sides 

are offered, as are specialties like the housemade 

sourdough bread baked fresh daily and 

served with house made pickles, butter and 

labneh (a yogurt-style cheese). 

Manager Shelley Buss has crafted an 

excellent cocktail list. For details and the 

recipe for signature cocktails like the Parasol 

and the Smoking’ Prune, see this issue’s 


Spirits column, “What’s Hot! Small Batch 

Distillers and Craft Cocktails with Cred,” on 

page 47 or online at eatdrink.ca. 

Steele and Buss have paired each dish with 

a wine. Buss takes pride in offering new and 

exciting wines for guests to try, that they may 

have not heard of before. The Prune likes to 

primarily offer Canadian wines by the glass, 

with a few additional options from around the 

world. The bottle list is Buss’s pride and joy. It 

is extensive and has many selections that can’t 

be found anywhere else or are rare vintages. 

Steele’s cuisine reflects a gastronomic 

sensibility that is global and finds inspiration 

in regional producers and seasonal growers. 

The challenge during the busy theatre season 

is for service to be unswerving. The restaurant 

generally operates at a very high skill level and 

the service is intelligent and responsive. There 

is also a charming outdoor patio. 

With the announcement that Jim Morris 

is retiring and Rundles will close at the end of 

this season, The Prune will be among the last 

of the fine dining stalwarts left in Stratford. 

The Prune and Bar One Fifty One are always 

worth a trip for an optimal and vital dining 

experience, even if you’re not attending the 

Stratford Festival. 

The Prune 

151 Albert Street, Stratford 

519-271-5052 

www.theprune.com 

dinner: tues–sat 4:30 pm–10 pm 

Bar One Fifty One 

lunch: tues–sat 11:30 am–2 pm 

dinner: tues–wed 4:30 pm–10 pm 

thurs–sat 4:30 pm–12 am 

BRYAN LAVERY is Eatdrink’s Food Editor and 

Writer at Large. 

Some views of the newly renovated space located 

inside The Prune, named “Bar One Fifty One.” 

A sophisticated French bistro atmosphere is 

complemented with a delicious bar menu offering 

locally inspired dishes, an extensive wine list, 

signature cocktail list and interesting craft beer 

selections.

Th e LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine July/August 2017 | 13 

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Restaurants 

Classical Food 

with a Modern Twist 

Spruce on Wellington, in London 


By BRYAN LAVERY | Photography by STEVE GRIMES 

Spruce on Wellington opened in 

January 2017 in a small house. Its 

minimalist design has charm and is 

compact with 32 seats in the dining 

room and 22 on a nicely appointed seasonal 

patio. The premises were formerly those of 

Willie’s Café, a landmark catering company 

and lunch hot-spot for over three decades. 

(Incidentally, a new iteration, Willie’s Catering 

and Takeout recently opened at the London 

Food Incubator in Old East Village.) The 

intimacy of the operation allows executive 

chef/owner Thomas Waite and chef de cuisine 

Evan Futcher (formerly of The Springs and 

Black Trumpet) to not only prepare meals à la 

minute, but be hands-on in the dining room 

to converse with the diners. 

There is a good-hearted bravado about 

Waite that is disarming. During a lengthy 

conversation we talked operational challenges, 

acoustics, social media and chef colleagues 

who share their talent and passion for the 

profession. Since he was able to talk, Waite 

wanted to be a chef and has worked towards 

that dream. As a child he transformed the 

family basement into a restaurant, naming 

Chef Thomas Waite, above and seated in the photo to the 

left, leads an inspired team of industry professionals, 

including, from the left standing, Danielle Pupulin, Evan 

Futcher, Jason Astels, and Jamie Sandwich (seated).

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine July/August 2017 | 17 

it after hockey legend Mario Lemieux. Waite’s aim for 

the Spruce on Wellington to become a jewel in the city’s 

dining scene is an understandable ambition. 

He was 15 when he began to adopt restaurant lingo 

and kitchen jargon, while working at Joe Kool’s. At the 

RiverBend Golf Community Waite worked for five years 

under the guidance of executive chef Kirk Weiss, whom 

he credits as an important mentor. After enrolling in the 

Culinary Skills and Culinary Management programs at 

Fanshawe College Waite received his Red Seal certification, 

which he refers to as “a high point in my life.” 

Tucked into his résumé are the launches of four 

contrasting restaurant concepts. They include Earls 

London, Byron Freehouse, Icarus Restobar and Wich is 

Wich. Despite being hands-on in the opening process he 

never felt the sense of fulfilment he was seeking. 

Before turning 30, Waite had eight surgical procedures 

which resulted in an ostomy. Having to mitigate and 

combat his health concerns while pursuing his career 

has been worrisome. Another surgery to reverse the 

procedure is slated for the near future. “This is all part of 

who I am and my personal story,” says Waite cheerfully, 

revealing a certain mettle when I ask whether disclosing 

this in print is an unreasonable intrusion and invasion of 

his privacy. Waite, by his own account, draws inspiration 

from molecular gastronomy proponent, Chef Grant 

Achatz of Alinea and Next in Chicago. Achatz famously 

surmounted his own well-publicized health issues. 

In our conversation, Chef expresses gratitude for 

his parents, Greg and Evelyn, for having supported his 

career, and for being hands-on during the construction 

and now with day-to-day operations. In fact, his father 

Clockwise from top left: Spiced Barramundi with Israeli cous cous, 

tomato marshmallow, heirloom tomato salad & olive oil two ways 

White Gazpacho with cucumber, green grape, almond, radish & sprout 

AAA Beef Tenderloin Fillet, scallop gratin, cipollini onion, whiskeybraised 

carrot, demi-glace (Photo courtesy Thomas Waite) 

Potato Gnocchi with cauliflower, romesco, crispy prosciutto, 

manchengo, crème fraîche & sprout



Located in a small bungalow with plenty of charm, Spruce on Wellington 

features a minimalist design. There are 32 seats in the dining room and 

22 on a nicely appointed patio (below). 

crafted all the dining room tabletops out of 

spruce wood. 

Waite started The In Home Chef catering 

business in 2010, as an outlet to express 

contemporary takes on cuisine. Delivering a 

professional restaurant experience directly, 

Waite is known for classic, seasonal food 

preparation, with a twist. Custom menus 

allow him to express his culinary 

point of view, and this freedom 

is the driving force to which 

he attributes his success as a 

caterer. 

“To me, being a chef isn’t 

a job. When I am in a kitchen 

working with my hands, I feel 

complete. Being a chef isn’t just 

a part of me, it’s who I am,” says 

Waite brimming with conviction. 

Last year The In Home 

Chef catered 160 events, and 

Waite is looking to surpass 

that record. In addition, Waite 

has taught cooking classes at 

Loblaws Superstores, as well as 

the Peppertree Spice Company 

in Port Stanley. Intimate, 

immersive cooking classes are 

also offered at The Spruce. There 

is a line of popular dressings and marinades 

retailed in-house and at Remark Fresh 

Markets. But first and foremost is the issue of 

how to run a successful catering operation and 

a demanding restaurant simultaneously, while 

balancing all of his culinary interests. 

Chef is among a group of young 

entrepreneurs living their dream and driving 

the city’s expanding foodie circuit. He 

collaborates with chefs like Ashton Gillespie 

(profiled last year in an article on the now 

defunct Le-Rendezvous, he is now a chef 

specialist for Diply Delicious videos) who he 

hires for special catering events. 

Waite takes his sleeve of tattoos as seriously 

as he takes his knives. His culinary fervour 

is expressed with intricate, multi-coloured 

graphics on his forearm, which also sports the 

moniker, Chef. The other arm features a series 

of overlapping roses and the quote, “Live 

long and prosper” — which he emphatically 

states is by no means a tribute to Star Trek, 

but a homage to his grandfather. His mother’s 

middle name is Rose. 

Waite’s creativity is strong. I recall the 

standout “Little Tommy’s Meat Loaf,” when he 

was sous chef at Byron Freehouse. Comprised 

of pork infused with Asian aromatics and 

caramelized onions, it was finished with a 

ponzu-like citrus soy glaze. Another strong 

memory is of his layered butternut squash 

parfait with whipped yogurt, honey, granola, 

quinoa, spiced nuts and dried apricots when 

he was chef at Icarus Restobar. A blast of 

flavour with the crunch and texture of spiced

Th e LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

nuts combined with the sweetness of honey 

against the yogurt and dried apricots. It was 

pure alchemy. 

Artfully arranged beef tartare, pork belly 

and charcuterie are on trend and as appetizers 

here at the Spruce they generate good word of 

mouth. Picture a plate of impeccably housecured 

and smoked Manitoulin Trout with 

toasted rye bread, green goddess dressing, 

sprouts, marinated cucumber, shallot pearls 

and grated horseradish that has become a 

“ 

Being a chef isn’t just a 

part of me, it’s who I am. 

” 

— Thomas Waite 

Your love of all things Italian begins at 

house signature. An earthy coq au vin is made 

with succulent breast and thighs, cabernet 

sauvignon, pearl onions, wild boar bacon, 

mushrooms and cream. At lunch perfectly al 

dente fettuccine carbonara with Parmigiano 

and boar bacon crowned with a raw egg that 

is essentially cooked by tossing the hot pasta 

is a hit. There is also a good Bolognese and 

delicious potato gnocchi. Brunch is served on 

Saturdays and Sundays. 

The wine list, while not terribly extensive, is 

reasonable and has good selections with some 

VQA. There is a short but interesting cocktail 

list. 

Waite is a chef for whom work is everything 

— his consuming passion is for cooking 

and jobs he can really sink his teeth in. His 

cuisine is beautifully handcrafted, classic in 

its influences, innovative in sensibility and 

plating. Known for combining flavours and 

textures in outstanding ways, he talks about 

incorporating foams, powders and dry ice on 

future menus. “But nothing too crazy,” says 

Waite with a smile. 

The Spruce on Wellington 

731 Wellington Street, London 

519-434-9797 

www.spruceonwellington.com 

monday-tuesday: closed 

wednesday-friday: 11:00 am-10:00 pm 

saturday: 5:00 pm-10:00 pm 

sunday: 10:00 am-2:00 pm 

BRYAN LAVERY is Eatdrink’s Food Editor and Writer 

at Large. 

519-652-7659 • HWY 401 & 4 • pastosgrill.com 

Opening 

Early September! 

449 Wharncliffe Road South 

London 

519.914.2699

20 | July/August 

2017 


SPONSORED BY 

Road Trips 


A visit to Norfolk County, Ontario’s Garden 

By CECILIA BUY 

There are three themes that run 

through the narratives of Southwestern 

Ontario: tradition, passion, and 

community. They are recurring motifs 

that can guide us to a more interesting understanding 

of the places we visit, the people we 

meet, and the food and drink that we discover. 

They’re all apparent in Norfolk County. 

Norfolk County was probably an ideal 

region in which to develop culinary tourism, 

but the confluence of changing times and 

economic upheaval hastened the process. 

Blessed with a sandy soil that favours 

horticultural crops, the area once produced 

about 90 per cent of Canada’s tobacco. But the 

economic downturns of the 1980s and 90s, and 

later a decline in the tobacco market, forced 

many farmers to reconsider their options. Some 

turned to ginseng, while others looked for 

different opportunities. Throughout the changes 

there were constants: love for the land and the 

rural traditions, and supportive community 

networks. Today Norfolk County bills itself as 

Ontario’s Garden, and is a prime producer of 

asparagus, ginseng, strawberries, blueberries, 

sweet corn, and a 

variety of other crops. 

The county’s 

tourism industry 

was built on its Lake 

Erie coastline 

— beaches, 

fishing, boating, 

camping. Adding 

culinary tourism 

was a calculated decision implemented with 

the guidance of both provincial and local 

governments. That the results have been so 

successful is largely due to the community of 

farmers, producers, retailers and restaurateurs, 

and their friends, families, and neighbours. 

The VandeVelde farm on the outskirts of 

Delhi was once dedicated to tobacco. Today Jenn 

and Dave and their children, the fourth and 

fifth generations on the farm, still plant it on 

some of their 100 acres, but their main business 

is Wholesome Pickins Market where they sell 

strawberries (seven varieties) and raspberries 

from their own farm, as well as a range of 

Norfolk County products from cheese (Jensen’s) 

Tourism has contributed to the economy of Norfolk 

County since the 1920s, when beaches like this, at 

Port Dover, attracted summer visitors


*Some restrictions apply. See Lexus of London for details.



to nuts (Kernal Peanuts). The 

darkened beams of the old 

tobacco barn are still visible in the 

converted shop, but the gleaming 

kitchen is a new addition. Here 

Aunt Linda has put her own 

passion into the business and 

makes pies, tarts and other 

baked goods. The VandeVeldes 

take obvious pleasure and pride 

in supporting their friends and 

neighbours. As elsewhere in the 

county, that road runs both ways. 

After completing studies at 

the University of Guelph, sixthgeneration 

farmer Carrie Woolley 

joined forces, and life, with her 

neighbour Brett Schuyler. The 

Schuyler family farm produces 

apples, sour cherries, grains and oil seeds. 

And now grass-fed lamb. Both Carrie and 

Brett are advocates of land conservation and 

sustainable agriculture. Watched over by their 

guardian dogs, the sheep never see the inside 

of a barn. Spring and summer are spent in the 

pastures. After the fruit harvest they graze in 

the orchards, working as natural lawnmowers. 

Woolley’s Lamb can be enjoyed in restaurants 

from Simcoe to Niagara-on-the-Lake, or 

John Picard, 

below, owner 

of Ramblin’ 

Road 

Brewery 

Farm, serves 

up some 

craft beer in 

the tasting 

area. (Photo 

Norfolk 

Tourism) 

LEFT: Wholesome Pickins offers lots more than strawberries, but now is 

the season. Dave VandeVelde shows off some of the current crop. 

RIGHT: Carrie Woolley’s sheep live outdoors year-round, in the pasture 

or grazing in the orchard. 

purchased from the farm and at VG Meats and 

The Apple Place. 

The hospitable Norfolk soil has welcomed 

two crops that have not been part of the 

agricultural tradition; hops and grapes are 

playing roles in both the economy and tourism. 

The Picard family has transitioned over time 

from tobacco, to corn and soy, to peanuts. Since 

2006 hops have been added to the mix. After 

some years spent developing Picard’s Incredible 

Snack Food Company (the products are sold 

across Ontario) John Picard’s fancy turned 

to thoughts of beer. Today Ramblin’ Road 

Brewery Farm in La Salette produces small 

batch craft beers. The brewery has become 

an attraction: tours of the facility are offered; 

beers are available to enjoy while visiting or 

to take home; there’s a dining room (great 

burgers!); and the new patio should be opening 

soon. The farm also produces potatoes — 

Dakota Pearls. They’re used in the brewing of 

Dakota Pearl Ale, and in the kettle chips that 

are made on site and available in the store. 

The newest microbrewery in Norfolk is 

housed in an old school building in the town 

of Nixon, between Delhi and Simcoe. New 

Limburg Brewing Co. is a family affair. These 

Belgians (Jo Geven, Mischa Geven and Yvonne 

Moonen) craft Belgian-style ales that you can 

enjoy either indoors or on the patio, relaxing 

in the rural surroundings. Belgians have been 

settling in Norfolk County for a few generations 

now, but they’re not the only ones discovering 

the pleasures of New Limburg’s output. All beers 

are available for sale at the brewery, along with 

specialty beer glasses and other items. Yvonne 

is both administrator and resident artist,


responsible for the stunning label designs. 

Norfolk County is one of Ontario’s 

emerging wine regions, and gaining a 

reputation for bold wines. It is home to about 

half a dozen wineries, some of which also 

produce fruit wines or ciders. 

Burning Kiln Winery, overlooking Long Point 

Bay, is another producer with roots in tobacco 

country. The old pack barn has been restyled 

and houses the winemaking equipment, a retail 

area, tasting bar, and in the midst of it all, a 

dining and entertainment area — where, if you 

time it right, you might be lucky enough to hear 

local powerhouse Felicia McMinn, or another of 

Norfolk’s homegrown musicians. In the gourmet 

food truck Chef Scott McRae of David’s Restaurant 

prepares appetizers and meals from local 

foods, including Woolley’s lamb and Lake Erie 

perch, that pair with Burning Kilns wines. These 

wines are winning acclaim — and awards — 

both at home and internationally. 

If your schedule precludes visiting the 

sources of Norfolk County’s bounty, you 

can cheat! From coffee shops to fine dining 

restaurants, you can sample the goods. 

For 25 years Heather Pond has been serving 

diners from Simcoe and around the region, and 

in 2012 she opened the taps to serve beers from 

an on-site microbrewery. The menu at The Blue 

Elephant Craft Brew House is extensive, and 

includes Thai cuisine as well as lots of traditional 

pub food and comfort fare, all with local Norfolk 

flavour. (The website provides a list of local 

suppliers.) Heather is proud of the food, and of 

the brewery’s output (crafted in small batches 

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using local organic barley, wheat, hops and pure 

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she’s no snob. If you want to “just say OV” go 

right ahead. The historic building maintains 

many original features, offers numerous dining 

and drinking areas, including front and back 

! 

This is what Local tastes like... 

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Lunch Daily • Dinner Tues–Sun 

168 New Lakeshore Road, Port Dover ON 

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519-583-0706 

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Outdoor Farmers’ Market 

Thursdays, 8am–2pm 

Saturdays, 8am–1pm 

The Outdoor Market 

is London‘s best 

outlet for local 

produce, meat, 

cheese, wine 

and more. We 

have more vendors this year than ever before! 

Live Music 11am–noon 

Free Cooking Class 11am–noon 

Family Story Time 10:30–11:00am 

UPCOMING FESTIVALS 

AT THE MARKET 

Please come out and enjoy our summer fun! 

The following events will take place on the 

Market Square. 

Columbian Gastronomy Festival 

Saturday, July 22, 4pm–12am 

Forest City Beer Fest 

Saturday, August 12, 3pm–11pm 

London Taco Fest 

Saturday, August 26, 3pm– 12am 

FREE PARKING 

With Validation 

2 Hours Saturday & Sunday 

Half Hour Weekdays 

Sample some Belgianstyle 

beer at New Limburg 

Brewing Co., in the former 

Nixon school building. 

patios, and the 

recently opened 

“Shed” — an old 

outbuilding that now draws one in with retro 

décor and comfortable kitsch. 

You can take the boy out of the country… 

but you can’t always keep him out. Ryan 

Rivard, like many from Norfolk County, went 

far afield (for about twenty years in his case), 

and then came back home to Simcoe. (Five 

of those years he spent as chef and co-owner 

of The Bison, in Banff.) In 2013, with his wife 

Jennifer von Schleinitz, Rivard opened The 

Combine, which quickly proceeded to garner 

accolades from diners near and far. Sourcing 

locally at this restaurant begins in the back 

garden and extends across the county, taking 

in Lake Erie fish, Woolley’s lamb, Y U Ranch 

longhorn grass-fed beef, and the best of 

Norfolk’s vegetables, fruits and other products. 

This is satisfying and completely delicious food, 

and one of the most honest approaches to 

“local and seasonal” to be found in our region. 

The attitudes and processes are supported and 

embraced by customers, and by the staff which 

includes chef Marcus Myerscough and sous 

chef Robynne Hubert, as well as front of house 

The view from the terrace at Burning 

Kiln Winery, looking towards Lake Erie 

(Photo Norfolk Tourism)

Th e LOCAL 

Food & Drink Magazine 

Spice Up 

Your Grill! 

BBQ & Grilling Spices 

and so much more! 

Owner Heather Pond ensures that good food, fresh beer, 

warm hospitality, and a casual friendly atmosphere 

await you at The Blue Elephant. 

team members Mykel and Amanda (who does 

double duty in the garden and greenhouse, 

as well as running her own CSA, called Sweet 

Pea). Jennifer’s background in the business, 

including time as The Drake’s Director of Food 

and Beverage, makes her the perfect “food and 

libation loving hospitality gal.” The beer and 

wine lists are not limited to but lean heavily 

towards the hops and grapes of Norfolk County 

producers. The enticing cocktail list also brings 

in local flavours, and shows not bravado, but 

experience. Rest assured, there is nothing 

pretentious about The Combine. The fact that 

its owners live upstairs is not the only reason 

you’ll feel right at home here. 

No matter how fine the pedigree, every 

community, like every family, needs fresh 

blood. Among those who have come from away 

and chosen to take up the Norfolk County life 

are Joyce and Roger Humbert of Culverdene 

House, an 1840s home that is now a bed and 

breakfast, in beautiful rural surroundings just 

outside Simcoe. They arrived five years ago, 

bringing their passions — jazz percussion 

(Joyce) and photography (Roger) — along with 

a penchant for hospitality. They’ve embraced 

their new community — and vice versa. 

Norfolk apples are eaten across Canada, 

and around the world. The Norfolk Fruit 

Growers’ Association has a high-tech facility 

in Simcoe, and a retail store called The 

Apple Place. Besides the expected (fresh and 

succulent) you’ll find local cider, honey, apple 

gadgets, and giftware. Follow your nose to 

the source of the appetizing aroma. You’ll be 

in the bakery section, watching apple cider 

doughnuts being made. Norfolk County’s 

official doughnut, a bag of these will fit in 

peppertreespice.com 

519-782-7800 

7 Days a Week • 223A Colborne St., Port Stanley 

Saturdays • Western Fair Farmers’ Market, 

900 King St., London 

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 

Enjoy 

Our Annual 

Lavender Fairy 

Festival 

Saturday, Aug. 12 

Noon–4pm 

Bring 

Your Wings!



FROM TOP LEFT: At The Combine, sourcing locally begins in the garden 

behind the restaurant, here being prepared for spring planting; 

Preserved Niçoise salad: Olive oil poached Albacore tuna, pickled beans, 

black olives, tomato confit, fingerling potato, hard-boiled egg over 

greens with a preserved lemon tarragon vinaigrette; 

Cast Iron King Cole Duck Breast, lentil pilaf with goose confit, grilled 

asparagus, morel mushroom broth; 

Kitchen Party (formerly known as Chef’s Table) — Grilled Townsend 

Butcher tenderloin, truffled tomato salad, asparagus, roast cherry 

tomatoes, chimichurri, pan jus. 

your picnic basket, but you’ll probably end up eating them 

while they’re still warm. 

If in Port Dover, and hankering for fresh fish, head 

down to the east commercial basin of the port. You’ll 

find the Pleasant Port Fish Company in a small orange 

building facing the water. Take home some perch or 

pickerel, or whatever’s just been caught by this third 

generation of Lake Erie fishermen. (You can order via 

Facebook Messenger too.) 

Also in town, on Main Street, is The Dover Cheese 

Shop. Owner Jenny Ball will share her enormous 

enthusiasm for her fine selection of cheeses — local, 

Canadian, and international. There are other enticements 

here, both edible and not, including oils, preserves, and 

accessories for the table. Ask Jenny for a sample of Grand 

Crème Delin. (Regular customers have a nickname for this 

very popular, and addictive, cheese.) 

Lago Trattoria i n Port Dover opened last year, on 

Canada Day. It’s from the same people who make The 

Combine such a great place to dine, and the focus here is 

also on fresh and made-from-scratch food, sourced locally 

as much as possible — with an Italian accent. Finish your 

meal with a glass of limoncello, made in-house. 

If the road home takes you north of Simcoe — or if you 

don’t mind a very worthwhile detour — stop at Townsend 

Butchers. This family business sells locally raised meats 

fresh, frozen, and smoked. They are purveyors to a number 

of area restaurants (and to Culverdene House, where you’ll 

find some very tasty bacon on the breakfast table). 

Some never leave the county. Some do, and come home 

again. Some arrive from other places, other backgrounds. 

They all pick up the reins of tradition, perhaps tread new 

paths. They do it to live and they do it with love. They’re a 

community, and they’ll happily draw you into it. 

There’s lots more to do and see in Norfolk County 

— more breweries and wineries and restaurants, 

farmers’ market and farmgates, beaches, campsites (and 

glampsites!), biking trails and hiking trails, great places to 

stay, and events year ‘round. You can find details on the 

Norfolk County Tourism website: www.norfolktourism. 

ca. Happy trails! 

CECILIA BUY is Eatdrink’s managing editor. She was a guest of 

Norfolk County Tourism, which did not review or approve the contents 

of this article.


London 

Get a babysitter and ca l a cab . for tonight we live it up! 

FESTIVAL 

2017 Heat Edition 

July 21 st –August 13 th 

Indulge in a 2 or 3 Course Meal! 

2 Course Lunch Menus $ 15 & $ 20 

3 Course Dinner Menus $ 25, $ 30, $ 35 & $ 40 

Call Restaurants for Your Reservations Today! 

Angry Goat Public House 

519.601.7110 

Armouries Grille 

519.640.5030 

Bangkok Pad Thai 

519.433.6634 

Black Trumpet 

519.850.1500 

Blake’s Bistro & Bar 

519.430.6414 

Blu Duby 

519.433.1414 

Blu Duby North 

519.472.1414 

Bourbon St. Cajun & Creole Kitchen 

519.667.2000 

Budapest Dining Room & Tavern 

519.439.3431 

Chop Steakhouse Bar 

226.663.5100 

Crossings Pub & Eatery - Hyde Park Rd. 

519.472.3020 

Crossings Pub & Eatery - Lambeth 

519.652.4020 

For Locations and Menus See Website 

www.londonlicious.ca 

Earls Kitchen + Bar 

519.601.5513 

Fellini Koolini's 

519.642.2300 

Fire Rock Pub 

519.471.3473 

Garlic’s of London 

519.432.4092 

Gusto Food & Wine Bar 

519.937.1916 

Icarus Resto Bar 

519.601.7110 

Idlewyld Inn & Spa 

519.432.5554 

Katana Kafe & Grill 

519.455.9005 

La Casa 

519.434.2272 

London Wine Bar 

519.913.3400 

Michael’s On The Thames 

519.672.0111 

Practical Henry’s Pub & Eatery 

226.663.8020 

Indulge in Life! 

Raja Fine Indian Cuisine 

519.601.7252 

Spruce on Wellington 

519.434.9797 

Sweet Onion Grill 

519.204.5775 

Tamarine by Quynh Nhi 

519.601.8276 

Thaifoon Restaurant 

519.850.1222 

The River Room 

519.850.2287 

The Runt Club 

519.642.2300 

The Springs Restaurant 

519.657.1100 

Tuscano’s Pizzeria & Bistro 

519.452.3737 

Villa Cornelia 

519.679.3444 

Waldo’s Byron 

519.473.6160 

Waldo’s On King 

519.433.6161


Culinary Retail 


Where to find this summer’s trending treat 



Steve Jobs once said “If you want to make 

everyone happy, don’t be a leader — sell 

ice cream.” Local entrepreneurs are taking 

that advice to heart. Just in time for 

summer, ice cream is having a moment. 

Whether you’re a minimalist, or bury your scoop 

under a mountain of toppings, or are looking for 

an organic, non-dairy, gluten-free frozen treat, the 

independent ice cream market is heating up. 

Eatdrink took on the task of revisiting some 

old favourites and sampling from the new kids 

on the block. It was a tough assignment, but 

here’s the scoop: 

London 

London Ice Cream Company has been making ice 

cream “the way it used to be” since 1995. That means 

you won’t find ice milk or frozen desserts on the 

menu. London Ice Cream Company makes ice cream 

— right on the premises — using a process called 

batch pasteurization. There are over 120 unique 

flavours in rotation, with top sellers including 

Moosetracks, Happy Birthday, Peanut Butter 

Mudpuddle, and Acadian Vanilla. 

This summer London Ice Cream Company will 

be scooping up a selection of patriotic flavours to 

celebrate Canada 150, including Oh Canada, Bruce 

Trail Mix, Canadian Rockies, Nanaimo Bar, and 

Double Double. 

London 

Ice Cream is 

available by 

the scoop at 

its location at 

the corner of 

Baseline and 

Wharncliffe, or 

At Chil you can 

dress up your 

(cetified organic) 

frozen yogurt 

just the way you 

want it. 

Nanaimo Bar is one of London Ice Cream 

Company’s flavours that celebrates Canada 150. 

you can pick up a 2L bucket at select food 

retailers in London, Ingersoll, and Mt. 

Brydges. www.londonicecream.ca 

With its funky black and pink interior, 

and large patio on the corner of Richmond 

and Hyman, Chil Frozen Yogurt Bar is a 

year-round destination for those in search 

of some healthy frozen indulgence. 

Opened by husband and wife team Julia 

Hatter and Kevin Wu in 2012, Chil was the 

first in Canada to offer Certified Organic 

Greek Frozen Yogurt. Available in more 

than 60 flavours, it’s all made on site from 

milk produced locally at Mapleton’s Organic 

Dairy Farm. 

Chil also offers a wide selection of nondairy 

and vegan friendly frozen desserts, 

including a variety of tasty quinoa, almond 

milk, and ‘superfood’ frozen treats. 

With a topping bar overflowing with 

more than 150 different items, you can 

enjoy your self-serve froyo just the way 

you like it. (Just be warned — it’s sold by 

weight!) 

Slices of New York Cheesecake and a 

selection of liqueurs, coolers and craft beers 

are also on the menu. www.chilfroyo.com 

Located off Richmond Row at Piccadilly, 

Haven’s Creamery opened this April and


is already a hot spot for ice cream lovers in search of 

a more simple approach. 

Haven’s makes ice cream your grandmother would 

recognize, beginning with fresh real cream from 

Hewitt’s Dairy. Hand-crafted on site using a batchby-batch 

approach, the result is a smooth, melt-inyour-mouth 

experience. 

Haven’s takes a traditional approach to flavours, 

with only 11 on offer — including two monthly 

feature flavours and one dairy-free sorbet. Scoops 

come in three sizes, and are served 

in cups or house-made waffle 

cones. (The owner is working on 

a recipe for gluten-free cones.) 

There are no additional mix-ins or 

toppings, but with this much pure 

goodness, there’s no need. www. 

havensicecream.com 

Chances are, you’ve never seen or 

tasted ice cream quite like this. Open 

since the Victoria Day weekend and 

located on Richmond just across 

from the Grand Theatre, Roli Poli 

Ice Cream is London’s first handrolled 

ice cream shop. 

What does that mean, you ask? At Roli Poli, your 

ice cream is made while you wait — hand-rolled on a 

frozen metal pan for each individual customer. It’s a 

technique owner Karri Egan discovered in Thailand 

and decided to bring to Canada. 

Beginning with a plain ice cream, non-fat yogurt, 

or coconut milk base, Roli Poli offers 

12 different flavour combinations 

created by adding fresh and 

intriguing mix-ins. (Think Key Lime 

Pie made with fresh limes, or Mini- 

Donut made with real donuts.) 

Available in a cup, cone, waffle cone, 

waffle taco, or on a waffle plate, with 

free, unlimited toppings, Roli Poli will 

have you rolling downtown for more. 

www.rolipoliicecream.com 

The Ice Creamery began with a 

small booth at a Sarnia’s Lambton Mall farmer’s market 

more than 22 years ago. Today this family-run business 

scoops up happiness at two locations, in Sarnia and in 

London’s Covent Garden Market. 

Specializing in ice cream, gelato, and chocolate 

creations, everything at the Ice Creamery is created 

fresh, from scratch. The high-quality ice cream 

begins with a steady supply of fresh cream and 

GMO-free ingredients. 

The menu has expanded to include ice cream 

cakes, to-die-for mini-doughnuts, and decadent 

truffles —hand-crafted from fair trade, organic 

chocolate. www.icecreamery.ca 

At Haven’s Creamery, local 

cream and simple ingredients 

are blended in small batches. 

St. Thomas 

A trip to Port Stanley just 

wouldn’t be the same without 

a stop at Shaw’s Ice 

Cream. It’s been serving 

up “delicious old fashioned ice cream 

made the way it should be” since 1933. 

Although the business has passed 

though the hands of several owners, the 

commitment to using only the finest 

natural ingredients and 100% Canadian 

cream remains. Today Shaw’s is owned 

and operated by sisters 

Kristine, Kelly and Kim, 

who have expanded the 

business through the 

introduction of private 

labelling, growing the 

Roli Poli makes Thai-style 

hand-rolled ice cream, served in 

cups, cones, waffles and more.



Fresh fruits like these 

canteloupes are used in 

making gelato and ice 

cream at The Ice Creamery. Top right, 

Shaw’s features an iconic dairy bar 

in St. Thomas, on the road to Port 

Stanley. 

Fresh Peach Sundae is made with 

Bartley’s vanilla ice cream, fresh 

Ontario peaches, 

and real whipped 

cream 

The name says it all — 

almost — at the popular 

JENN & Larry’s Brittle ‘n 

Shakes & Ice Cream Cakes 

(photo to the right) on York 

Street in Stratford, where 

you’ll also find other ice 

cream treats like cones and 

sandwiches. 

wholesale distribution 

area, and renovating 

the historic roadside 

Dairy Bar. 

Shaw’s offers a wide selection of hard ice 

cream, fruit sorbets, frozen yogurt, thick 

milkshakes, decadent sundaes and celebratory 

ice cream cakes, as well as take-home tubs. 

With 41 flavours ranging from Butterscotch 

Ripple to Tiger Stripe, you’ll keep coming back 

year after year. www.shawsicecream.com 

Woodstock 

Bartley’s Dairy Bar knows a thing or two 

about what summer should taste like. It’s 

been serving up ice cream and frozen yogurt 

in downtown Woodstock since 1971. 

Bartley’s is the place to go if you’re feeling 

nostalgic for real soft ice cream, dipped 

cones, sundaes, milkshakes, banana splits, 

smoothies, flurries, or ice cream pies — all 

made with wholesome ingredients and topped 

with seasonal fresh fruit. Take-home tubs 

mean you can bring the fun home, if it lasts 

that long! www.fb.com/Bartleys-Dairy-Bar 

Stratford 

Most people know Chocolate 

Barr’s Candies for their meltin-your-mouth 

chocolate truffles, 

minties, bars, and brittles. But for the past 

nine years, Derek and Jacqueline Barr have 

also been serving up ice cream during the dog 

days of summer. For the past two seasons, 

they’ve made their frozen treats from scratch 

and in-house. 

Barr’s summer gelato and sorbet menu 

features a rotating selection of seven flavours 

ranging from refreshing Strawberry and 

Raspberry Sorbets — made from local berries 

— to the Embro Barn Burner, a sophisticated 

combination of toasted marshmallows, 

caramel sauce, and scotch. 

Those who can’t choose between the store’s 

famous chocolate minties and a frozen delight 

can enjoy the best of both worlds with a scoop 

of the best-selling Mint Chocolate Chip — 

made with diced minties mixed in a plain ice 

cream base. Served in a house-made waffle 

cone, it could be the perfect summer treat. 

www.chocolatebarrs.com 

Famous for his hand spun chocolate shakes,


Larry operated Ontario’s first independent 

ice cream drive-in during the 1960s and 70s. 

His daughter Jenn founded Jenny’s Peanut 

Brittle in 1999, which quickly became known 

as having the best brittle in Stratford. 

Together this father and daughter team 

opened JENN & Larry’s Brittle ‘n Shakes & 

Ice Cream Cakes their quaint, retro-inspired ice 

cream and brittle business on York Street along 

the Avon River in 2010. Just look for the lineup 

of smiling customers spilling out the door. 

In addition to a mouth-watering selection 

of brittles, ice cream, dipped cones and shakes, 

JENN & Larry’s offers ice cream pies and 

celebration cakes as well as store-made ice cream 

cookie sandwiches, ice cream pops, chocolate 

covered chilled cookie dough on a stick, and 

their best-selling britzels (dipped pretzels.) 

Whatever you choose, JENN & Larry’s 

provides the perfect sweet ending to a day 

— or night — in the festival city. jenn-larrysbrittlen-shakes.myshopify.com 

NICOLE LAIDLER loves soft vanilla ice cream almost 

as much as she loves helping people share their stories 

with the world. www.spilledink.ca 

Hey Cupcake! k 

where art is a piece of cake 

With a whimsical and clever sense of taste and style, 

Hey Cupcake is a small, family-run business, creating 

the freshest and finest cookies, cupcakes and 

custom cakes, made in house, 

with tender loving 

care, just for you! 

Visit us online at: 

www.heycupcake.ca 

OR at our bakery located at: 

275 Wharncliffe Rd. North, London 

519-433-CAKE (2253) 

STORE HOURS: Mon–Fri 11–7 

Saturday 10–5 • Sunday 11–4 

ASK US 

ABOUT OUR 

ONGOING CAMPAIGN 

“RANDOM 

ACTS OF 

SWEETNESS!” 

Whatever your taste, 

experience it all in 

UPCOMING 2016 EVENTS EVENTS IN GODERICH 

IN May 6-8 

Goderich Home July 29 12th Annual Don Johnston 

May 20–Oct 7 & Cottage Goderich Show 

Farmers’ to Aug Market 1 Memorial (every Slo Saturday) Pitch Tourney 

May 10 

May 21–Oct The 8 Sound of Goderich 

Flea July Market 31 

(every Sunday) 21st Annual Goderich 

May 15 

May 24–Sept Run Around 13 

Circle the Square 

City Cruize Nights (every Firefighters 2nd Wednesday) Breakfast 

May 21 

June 1–Aug Goderich 31 Farmers’ Downtown Market 

Concerts Aug 1-5 

(every Thursday) Celtic College 

to Oct June 8 

18–Sept 3 (every Sunday Saturday) 

Concerts Aug 5-7 

Celtic Roots Festival 

May 22 

July 1 Goderich Canada Flea Market 

Day Picnic Aug 5-7 

& Parade Goderich Art Club 

to Oct 9 

(every Sunday) 

Annual Art Show 

July 2 

Lions Beef Barbecue 

May 25 Circle City Cruize Nights Aug 13-14 RC Model Air Show 

to Sept July 14 

7 to (every 9 2nd Festival Wednesday) 

of Arts & Crafts 

Aug 19-21 Goderich Salt Festival 

May 26 

July 7–Aug Downtown 25 

Piping Concerts 

Down the Sun (every Friday) 

Aug 21 

Goderich Triathlon 

to Aug July 25 

12 to 15 (every Kinsmen Thursday) 

Summerfest 

Sept 2-3 West Coast Bluesfest 

June 18 

July Huron’s 15 Multicultural Horticultural Festival 

Garden Tour 

Sept 2-5 Labour Day Fast Ball Tourney 

June 19 

July 22 Sunday Memories Concerts by 

Then and Now Car Show 

Sept 18 

Terry Fox Run 

to Sept August 4 Goderich 3– 7 Laketown 13th Annual Band 

Don Oct 31 

Johnston Memorial Halloween Slo Activities 

Pitch 

June 25 

August Goderich 6 Children’s 22nd Festival 

Annual Nov Goderich 5 Country Firefighters Christmas Breakfast Craft Show 

June 29 

August 7–11 Circle City Beach Celtic Cruize 

College Nov Goderich 5-6 

Public School Huron Tract 

June 30 

August 11–13 Canada Day Celtic Fireworks 

Roots Festival 

Spinners & Weavers 


August Canada 11–13 Day Picnic Goderich & Parade 

Art Club Annual & Art Goderich Show Quilters’ Guild 


Dash for Diabetes 

Show & Sale 

August 19 & 20 

Radio Control Model Air Show 


Lions Beef Barbecue Nov 11 

Remembrance Day 

August 20 

Goderich Triathlon 

July 8-10 Festival of Arts & Crafts Nov 12-13 IODE Christmas House Tour 

September 1 & 2 West Coast Bluesfest Around Town 


Piping Down the Sun Nov 18 

Angel Tree Ceremony 

September 1–4 

Labour Day Fast Ball Tournament 

to Aug 26 

(every Friday) Nov 19 

Santa Claus Parade 

July 13-16 

September Kinsmen 17 

Terry Summerfest 

Fox Run 

Nov 19 Festival of Lights Celebrations 

July 23 Horticultural Garden Tour Dates are subject to change. 

July 23 Memories Then & Now For locations and more information, 

Car Show be sure to visit goderich.ca 

Dates are subject to change. 

For locations and more info, be sure to visit goderich.ca. 

1-800-280-7637 •• goderich.ca goderich.ca

Eat & Drink at the Water’s 

Smackwater Jacks 

Λ 

Taphouse 

Smackwater Jacks Tours 

Launching JULY 1st 

Smackwater Jacks invites you to become a local for 

the day, exploring Grand Bend and surrounding 

area. Guests will see the local attractions of 

Lambton & Huron Counties and will finish the tour 

at Smackwater Jacks for a sunset dinner. 

Call ahead to reserve any of the following tour 

packages at 519-238-5556. 

South Bound 

Explore the south route of Lambton County along the picturesque 

coast of Lake Huron. Sample wines from local wineries 

and visit local attractions such as The Forest Glen Herb Farm. 

North Bound 

Explore the northern parts of the area in Huron County. Enjoy 

the picturesque escape of Lake Huron and Huron County. 

Sample wines from local wineries and visit local attractions 

such as Windmill Lake Wake & Eco Park. 

The Girls Weekend 

Unwind in the picturesque town of Grand Bend and surrounding 

areas. This tour will get you in touch with the local attractions 

around town. Exploring some of the local wineries and farmers 

markets. This tour is the perfect escape from the city. 

The Last (Grand) Bender 

Grab some friends and celebrate the bride-to-be in 

Grand Bend on her last outing as a single woman. 

Enjoy the local wineries and experience the 

nightlife that Grand Bend offers. 

Please call 519-238-5556 or email 

bradley.oke@gmail.com for 

bookings and more details. 

and tour!

Edge 

Smackwater Jacks Taphouse is a front row 

seat to one of the most beautiful sunsets in 

the world. Enjoy comfortable indoor seating 

and a spacious patio on the water’s edge. 

We serve locally grown foods of the highest 

quality to our guests. Our large selection 

of craft beers and wine will not disappoint. 

Smackwater Jacks is your summer go-to 

restaurant and bar. 

Follow us! 

smackwaterjacks 

SmackwaterJacksTaphouse 

Find us on Open Table and 

make a reservation. 

Follow Smackwater Jacks on 

the Untappd App and see our 

beer selection before your visit. 

Summer Hours 

Sunday–Thursday 11am–9pm 

Friday & Saturday 11am–10pm 

71 River Road, Grand Bend ON 

519-238-5556 

www.smackwaterjacks.ca 

info@smackwaterjacks.ca



The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

London City Council voted unanimously to 

allow live, amplified music and dancing on 

patios. The amended bylaw stipulates the 

following conditions: music has to cease 

before midnight, noise is limited to 70 decibels, 

permits will be temporary, and business owners 

will have to post notice telling the public they’re in 

the process of applying for a temporary permit. 

The Ontario Liberal government’s recent 

announcement of a plan to increase the minimum 

wage to $15 an hour — a 32% hike — in the next 18 

months has created grave concerns for many small 

business owners, particularly in the labour-intensive 

hospitality industry. A government-commissioned 

report made 173 recommendations aimed at creating 

better workplaces with decent working conditions. 

But the average Ontario restaurant operator exists 

on a pre-tax profit margin of 3.4% of sales, which 

according to Statscan is the lowest in Canada. 

The restaurant business is a challenging way 

of life, and even the most dedicated and talented 

professionals are often ill-equipped to withstand 

dramatic turns in the economy. It takes more 

than tenacious determination and open-minded 

optimism to succeed in this field, one known for its 

high turnover and burn-out rate. The new laws will 

affect how restaurants are staffed and shifts are 

scheduled. Some pundits suggest the wage hike will 

require menu prices to increase by 20%. 

London Training Centre’s Culinary Pre-Apprenticeship 

students start 8-week placements with 

restaurants and event venues the first week of July. 

The Local Food Skills Program is growing food 

ecologically again this year on a new property west 

of London. The program continues throughout 

the summer and fall with a 3-week program every 

month. LTC is currently working on a September 

schedule for cooking classes and culinary 

fundamentals such as bread baking, charcuterie, 

curing/smoking etc. There will be evening and 

weekend class options. londontraining.on.ca 

The Growing Chefs! Ontario team is excited 

to welcome you into their new Growing Chefs 

Headquarters. They have worked hard to transform 

the former Auberge du Petit Prince restaurant into an 

innovative Food Education Centre. It is a venue where 

Londoners, young and old, can get excited about 

growing, cooking, sharing, and celebrating delicious 

healthy food together. growingchefsontario.ca 

David’s Bistro, elegantly tucked into a fine 

Richmond Street heritage building and one of 

downtown London’s culinary landmarks, is closing 

from July 1 to August 15 to upgrade the building 

after a fire caused smoke and water damage in the 

adjacent premises. davidsbistro.ca 

Chef Angela Murphy of Restaurant Ninety One at 

Windermere Manor will launch new summer menus 

on July 12. The staff at Windermere Manor will 

be marching in the Pride parade on July 30th and 

handing out flyers for a “Pride On” event. In order to 

extend Pride London Festival celebrations there will 

be a semi-formal gala event at Windermere Manor 

on August 4, open to the public. Tickets are $20 

until July 1, increasing to $25, then $30 at the door. 

restaurantninetyone.ca 

North Moore Catering/River Room owner/ 

proprietor Jess Jazey-Spoelstra and chef Andrew 

“Pure 

Chinese” 

Cuisine 

—eatdrink 

Friday to Sunday 

11am to 8pm 

Five Fortune 

Culture 

RESTAURANT 

366 Richmond Street at King 

www.fivefortuneculture.com 

226 667 9873


Wolwowicz’s new venture, Craft Farmacy, is 

now slated to open in early September at 449 

Wharncliffe Road South. It will feature local craft 

beer, an oyster bar, rustic-style food, sharing 

plates, great wines and fabulous house cocktails. 

Tyler Weatherall is the new sous chef at the River 

Room. northmoore.ca/theriverroom/ 

The Wolfe brothers of Wolfe of Wortley and The 

Early Bird plan to open Mexican-inspired Los Lobos 

in the former Talbot St. Whisky House space in early 

August. The menu will show their love for tacos and 

other Mexican classics, with the focus at the bar 

being on tequila, mezcal and bourbon. 

Garlic’s of London owner Edo Pehilj and manager 

Emma Pratt are supporters of farm-to-table 

cuisine, and ensure their carefully chosen team 

offers intelligent and ethically-informed menu 

selections. Chef Carla Cooper features top-ofthe-line, 

rustic cooking using quality seasonal 

ingredients. garlicsoflondon.com 

The Squire Pub and Grill, located in the Art Deco 

former bank building at Dundas and Talbot, is a 

welcoming, American-style pub and grill. It features 

good food and great deals through the week. It’s in 

close proximity to Covent Garden Market and perfect 

Trust... 

Taste... 

Quality... 

Your Source for 

Dry Aged Steaks, 

Sausages, Burgers & Kebabs 

and so much more ... 

• Sourced locally from trusted farms 

• Traditional European preparation methods 

• The latest in food processing innovation 

Open six days a week. 

Hensall, Ontario 

Just off Hwy 4, 

45 minutes north of London. 

Available in London at 

The Village Meat Shop 

at Western Fair Farmers’ Market 

on Saturdays! 

www.metzgermeats.com 

519-262-3130 

Local Beef • Pork • Lamb • Poultry 

Specialty European Meat Products


for before and after events at Budweiser Gardens — 

or to grab a pint and a snack. Pub Stumpers Trivia 

League begins in September. Open for lunch, dinner 

and late nights daily. www.squirepubandgrill.ca 

The Root Cellar offers from-scratch seasonal 

menus, a funky reclaimed interior, and a friendly, 

knowledgeable staff in Old East Village. They possess 

a strong commitment to sourcing ingredients from 

the local organic farming community through their 

partners at On The Move Organics. Recently opened 

is a second-floor, 55-seat, renovated special events 

space, Taproot. Hosting everything from concerts 

Experience Hessenland Inn & Vineyard 

Where heritage is infused into every vine and vintage 

Join us for one of our 

Signature Dining Events! 

• Long Table Vineyard Dinners 

• Mongolian Grill 

• Hessenwein Lunch Tours 

• Novemberfest & MORE! 

Accommodations • Award-Winning Gardens • Private Beach Access 

Vineyard • Dining Room with European & Locally Inspired Fare 

Located steps from Lake Huron between Grand Bend & Bayfield 

Call 519-236-7707 -7707 or 866-543-7736 

-7736 

hessen@hessenland.com • www.hessenland.com 

Reservations required for all events 


and workshops to board meetings and private 

dinners, Taproot might just be the fresh event space 

you’re looking for. rootcellarorganic.ca 

SO INVITING is the new Chinese bakery across 

from the Farmers’ Market at Western Fair, offering 

a variety of savoury hand-made dumplings (pot 

stickers) and a selection of not-too-sweet baking. 

The savoury bean paste cookies are a big hit. There 

are plenty of fresh and delicious goodness on the 

shelves and in the freezer for take away. 

After five years, The Pristine Olive has moved 

to a new location — only 800 metres away! The 

new digs has lots of free parking, a welcoming 

ambiance, and fresh new products. The olive oil and 

balsamic vinegar tasting bar is now at 884 Adelaide 

St. N., a block south of Cheapside on the corner of 

Adelaide & Grosvenor. thepristineolive.ca 

LondonLicious, the Heat Edition, runs July 

21–August 13. The list of participants and menus 

can be found on the website. Also look for a Pub 

Edition of this popular promotion in September and 

LondonLicious: The TV Edition on the Rogers cable 

station. londonlicious.ca. 

The London Food Truck Association has turned 

blocks of downtown into a food truck pod. Bifana Boys 

(Portuguese food), COCOville (Caribbean & Cuban), 

Goodah Gastrotruck (gourmet grilled cheese), Donut 

Diva (mini-doughnuts), Smokestacks (smoked brisket 

& pulled pork), MegaCone Creamery (ice cream) 

and Roli Poli (hand-rolled ice cream) park in specific 

blocks on different days: Tuesdays at Talbot & Queens, 

Wednesdays at Richmond & Queens, Thursdays at King 

& Wellington, and Fridays at Queens & Wellington. On 

Sundays, look for food trucks at Springbank Park from 

noon–5pm across from the splash pad. 

The McVegan’s food truck, owned by Globally 

Local, focusses on vegan options at festivals. Try 

the McInnes Burger — a take on the Big Mac — 

or their BBQ sandwich made from jackfruit and 

served with creamy coleslaw. One of our favourite 

519.238.6224 

42 Ontario St. S., Grand Bend 

www.finearestaurant.com 

Lunch and Dinner — Seasonal Hours 

Reservations Recommended

Th e LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine


food trailers is the organic, Mexican-inspired 

ivanopoblano on Oxford St. east of Quebec St. 

Creative director and photographer Alieska Robles 

is collaborating with London chefs, regional 

producers and craft brewers to create The Forest 

City Cookbook. A crowd-funding campaign has 

been launched to support the initiative that will 

include 125 original recipes in a 300-page, fullcolour, 

hardcover book. Participants include Chad 

Stewart of Field to Fork Catering, Yoda Olinyk of 

Glassroots, Andrew Wolwowicz of Craft Farmacy, 

Carla Cooper of Garlic’s of London, David Chapman 

Pure Ingredients 

Chef-Prepared Take-Home Meals 

House-Made Sauces and Preserves 

Gourmet Kitchen Items 

Baked Goods 

Catering 

purebon.ca 


of David’s Bistro, Angie Murphy of Restaurant 

Ninety One, Paul Harding of The Root Cellar, 

Michelle Lenhardt of Rhino Lounge/River Room/ 

North Moore Catering and Thomas Waite of Spruce 

on Wellington. The Forest City Cookbook can be 

pre-ordered now at ForestCityCookbook.com. 

Culinary entrepreneur Dave Cook has opened The 

Pickle Social Club — a performance and event 

venue — at 874 Dundas St., directly across from 

the Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market at Western Fair. 

The space is for rent on a short-term basis, from a 

few hours to a few days in a row, for purposes such 

as a baby shower, a photo shoot, a work retreat, a 

pop-up retail shop, or more. picklesocialclub.com 

Ian Kennard’s Willie’s Catering & Take-out recently 

joined businesses like Dave Cook’s Fire Roasted Coffee, 

Heather Pirsky’s Naturally Vegan, Kim Banma’s 

gluten-free bakery Urban Oven, David Glen’s Glen 

Farms Herbs & Preserves and The Village Table (nonprofit 

Meals on Wheels) at the London Food Incubator. 

Joining these start-ups is Yam Gurung of Momo’s at 

the Market, who is opening a satellite location soon. 

Anchoring the space is the Old East Village Grocer, 

an independent grocery store offering healthy and 

affordable food products while doubling as a retail 

training space for people with disabilities. 

The Bicycle Café opened at 355 Clarence St. near King. 

Owner Ben Cowie is serving Rosso Coffee, a small 

coffee roaster in Calgary that works directly with 

growers to create new and exciting taste profiles. The 

café part of the business is upfront of the shop and an 

espresso machine is slated to arrive from Italy soon. 

Out back a bicycle shop focusses on sales and service 

for urban cycling. londonbicyclecafe.com 

In downtown London, Five Fortune Culture 

Restaurant at the corner of Dundas and Richmond 

is part of the groundswell of restaurants offering an 

authentic dining experience. This is not the typical 

Chinese-Canadian restaurant serving Anglo-genres 

conceived by old-style Cantonese immigrants who 

‘Altogether different … and so very, very tasty.’ 

MOUTH-WATERING BARBECUE 

Unique charcoal rotisserie smoker with exclusive marinade 

Served hot off the grill — for 30 to 30,000! 

Full Meals OR Meats Only 

Weddings • Corporate Events • Private Parties 

Contact us for a quote! 

‘Relax like a guest, even at your own event.’ 

Pineridge Barbecue Co. 

1.888.241.8450 

www.pineridgebbq.com 

Hensall ON


adapted traditional recipes to suit local tastes 

and available ingredients. The cuisine as prepared 

by owner Jie Liang and Wenbei is “Pure Chinese” 

Yunnan with Sichuan and Guizhou influences. 

Che Restobar is taking a summer siesta and is 

closed for regular dining. It will be available for 

private events and catering. Check out Facebook 

and Twitter for updates. Visit Che Restobar at 

Sunfest in Victoria Park from July 6–9. 

Tea sommelier and nutritionist Michelle Pierce 

Hamilton and her business partner Yixing Tang 

opened The Tea Lounge in a small charming 

house on Piccadilly Street east of Richmond. They 

recently launched a menu of cold drinks, iced teas 

and vegan-friendly lattes. Matcha, London Fog and 

cinnamon-orange spiced tea lattes are available hot 

or iced. There is afternoon tea service one Sunday 

per month. Book a sitting at the monthly Tea 

Flight Nights to experience a comparative tasting. 

A small in-house scratch menu and baked goods 

and healthful snacks from Petit Paris Crêperie & 

Pâtisserie, Boombox Bakeshop and Bliss Specialty 

Foods add to the experience. tealoungelondon.com 

Idlewyld Inn & Spa’s features a locally-inspired 

menu of contemporary and traditional favourites 

and decadent desserts, complemented by a selection 

of award-winning wines, and draughts and ales on 

tap. Enjoy some al fresco dining on the gracious 

front porch, or escape to Idlewyld’s hidden garden 

courtyard. Back by popular demand, Chef Trevor 

Stephens is master of the grill. Summer BBQ nights 

are held Wednesdays & Thursdays. idlewyld.com 

The Church Key Bistro-Pub follows in the Britishinspired 

tradition of contemporary food executed with 

panache and attention to detail. Chef Michael Anglestad’s 

from-scratch kitchen features seasonal, locally 

sourced ingredients. Owners Peter and Vanessa Willis 

recently celebrated the eighth anniversary of this 

downtown landmark that features one of London’s top 

patio dining experiences. thechurchkey.ca 

A new agricultural facility, Shogun Maitake 

Canada Ltd., on south London’s Colonel Talbot Rd., 

specializes in producing the Japanese premium 

specialty mushroom known as Maitake or Hen of 

the Woods. www.fb.com/ShogunMaitakeMushroom 

Stratford 

Wanting to sharpen your kitchen skills, or just 

your knives? For the first time in its 34-year history 

Stratford Chefs School is offering spring and 

summer cooking classes and learning experiences 

for the dedicated home cook. There is something 

for all skill levels, whether you want to cook the 

perfect burger or ferment vegetables. www.smore. 

com/v8qr5-open-kitchen-classes?ref=email 

142 fullarton at richmond


The Mill Stone Restaurant & Bar features a 

seasonal menu with small plates of globallyinspired 

flavours and locally-sourced ingredients 

that focus on light and healthy fare. Be sure to try 

the signature back ribs from Perth Pork Products 

Ltd. The restaurant features cocktails on tap and 

in bottles, homemade bitters, locally-brewed beer 

on tap, and a varied bottle list. There is a focus on 

Canadian wines. There is also a small but charming 

street-side patio. themillstone.ca 

SAV Eatery + Smokehouse is a “proper Southern 

diner smokehouse” with 70 seats on the main floor 

NOW OPEN 

[ Across from Bud Gardens ] 

Food & Drink 

Specials, Every Day! 

Lunch 

Dinner 

Late Night 

109 Dundas St at Talbot 

squirepubandgrill.ca 

519-204-0173 


and additional seating for events and private dining 

on the lower level. It is authentic Lowcountry cuisine, 

associated with South Carolina and the Georgia coast. 

The menu features smoked foods and traditional 

Savannah and Charleston fare, like Shrimp & Grits. 

Everything from the ribs and BBQ sauces to the breads 

and buns is made in-house. Pork is sourced from 

local Tamworth herds and the butchery is done by 

chef/owner Angie Mohr. The custom-built smoker is 

completely wood-fired and can hold 350 pounds of 

meat at a time. Expected opening in early July. 

An era comes to an end! Stratford will lose one of its 

iconic dining landmarks at the close of this year’s 

Stratford Festival. Owner Jim Morris is retiring 

and Rundles will be closing for good in September. 

Rundles made its name with high-end contemporary 

French cuisine, artfully plated, with a worldly 

influence. The restaurant is synonymous with 

classicism and a refined level of wine sophistication. 

Neil Baxter has been chef de cuisine at Rundles since 

1981. The restaurant will have its last dinner service 

on September 23. rundlesrestaurant.com 

Chef Loreena Miller has unveiled a rustic-French 

summer menu at Revival House. The menu is divided 

into Petits Plats, Fromage, Salades Repas (meal 

size salads), Sandwiches, Pour Partager (dishes for 

sharing), and Grand Plats (mains). Highlights include 

Sarde in Saor sweet and sour marinated sardines, a 

classic French Onion Soup, a new vegetarian Eggplant 

Involtini, Potato Gnocchi, Chicken Supreme and 

Salmon Succotash (with summer squash, tarragon, 

white wine and lemon cream). revival.house 

Mercer Kitchen/Beer Hall/Hotel is expanding by 

rebranding the Baden location as Mercer Mercato, 

bringing the quality and value that it has come to 

stand for to a whole new market, and featuring an 

exciting restaurant menu as well as an extensive 

list of prepared meals to take home. 

Windsor Hospitality, parent company to both Mercer 

and The Prune, is adding Stratford’s iconic York 

focused on using only the freshest, local, and seasonal ingredients 

A boutique, farm-to-table, custom, everything-from-scratch (even the ketchup) Caterer 

serving London & Area with different and unique ideas Corporate 

Catering 

www.heirloomcateringlondon.com 519-719-9030 Specialists


Street Kitchen to its family of restaurants. Everyone’s 

favourite boutique restaurant, York Street Kitchen, 

on Erie Street, is known for creative sandwiches, 

innovative salads and sides, and homemade desserts. 

Owner/founder Susie Palach, who celebrates nearly 

three decades in business, is staying on to ensure the 

magic shines brighter than ever with the support of 

Windsor Hospitality’s dynamic team. 

Around Our Region 

Dining at Elm Hurst Inn & Spa is always an occasion, 

whether you are celebrating with family and friends, 

catching up over Sunday Brunch, or looking for a 

relaxing spot to enjoy a glass of wine and some topnotch 

cuisine. Savour locally-inspired menus prepared 

by executive chef Michael Davies in one of nine private 

dining rooms or on the patio. elmhurstinn.com 

Upper Thames Brewing Company, Woodstock’s 

first (and so far only) craft brewer, is expanding 

brewing operations with a new 30-hectoliter 

vessel. A licenced patio is expected to open soon. 

upperthamesbrewing.ca 

Woodstock Summer Streetfest is the place to be 

August 10 to 12, when Dundas Street becomes 

pedestrian-friendly for this annual shindig 

featuring over 175 vendors. Enjoy live music and 

great food at restaurant patios that take over the 

street. downtownwoodstock.ca 

Cowapolooza is held in Woodstock August 18 to 20. 

Music, food, cows, rides, beverage garden, two free 

concerts under the stars, Night Fever, Trooper & 

more. Southside Park is the perfect setting for this 

family-style festival. cowapolooza.com 

“Authentic, fun, ever-changing, high quality, good 

food.” A summer popup business has been launched 

at Railway City Brewery in St. Thomas and Cindy 

Bircham promises artisanal wood-fired pizzas on the 

weekends. Her seasonal, farm-to-table approach — 

she grows many of the toppings herself and sources 

the rest locally — fits perfectly with the craft beer 

ethos. Eat-in or take-out. elginharvest.ca 

Just outside Sparta, Steed & Company Lavender 

hosts their annual Lavender Fairy Festival on 

Saturday, Aug 12, noon–4pm. Celebrate the hardworking 

Lavender Fairy, as she is responsible for all 

the fairies’ laundry. Bring your wings and explore 

the enchanted lavender gardens, enjoy a children’s 

performer, crafts and a parade. Pirates also 

welcome! www.steedandcompany.com 

We want your BUZZ! Send local culinary news to 

editor@eatdrink.ca and/or directly to our Social Media 

Editor Bryan Lavery at bryan@eatdrink.ca 

JULY 1 – AUGUST 15 

LUNCH Wed to Fri 11:30–2:30 

DINNER from 5pm daily 

432 Richmond Street 

at Carling • London 

ALWAYS 

a 3-course prix fixe 

menu option 

www.davidsbistro.ca


Beer 


Part of the Community 

London Brewing Co-operative in London’s Old East Village 

Story and Photography by WAYNE NEWTON 

Can a craft brewery offer cheesy kale chips 

and maple-spiced cashews on its snack board 

without sounding hoity-toity? Yes, it can, if 

it’s London Brewing Co-operative, the fouryear-old 

Old East Village microbrewer that’s doing its 

bit to help change a neighbourhood. The tasty snacks, 

an upgrade on peanuts, pretzels and potato chips, 

underscore the brewery’s determination to be different. 

London Brewing Co-operative started inside The 

Root Cellar on Dundas Street, brewing small batches 

of beer featuring local ingredients and selling it in 

64-ounce growlers and 32-ounce Boston rounds during 

monthly pop-ups. The beers — notably Local 117, which 

is a sessionable amber, and Tolpuddle Porter — proved 

such a success that the worker-owners quickly started 

plans to relocate LBC into its 

own space. The move was made 

last winter when LCB opened in 

a former industrial building on 

Burbrook Place. 

David Thuss, secretary-director, 

said the move has accomplished 

many things. There is now 

an increased brewing capacity 

and a “proper” bottle shop open 

regular hours. It also established 

LBC as a neighbourhood meeting 

spot with indoor and outdoor 

seating for pub-style gatherings, where lingering over 

complimentary board games or trying your luck on 

restored retro pinball machines is 

part of the experience. The space 

is also available for meetings and 

private gatherings. 

Still, the heart of the place is the 

brewing and the focus of the brew 

is local. 

A map on the wall opposite 

the bar indicates where the LCB 

beer ingredients are sourced — 

all within about 100 kilometres 

of the brewery. Hops come from 

Norfolk and Essex, malts from the 

Guelph area, and heritage wheats 

from Chatham-Kent. “It’s all local 

and also traceable,” Thuss said. 

“It’s either delivered or picked up 

by us. When you know the people 

you are buying from, it changes 

your mindset,” he added. “Local 

beer means not just made here, it 

means supporting local farmers by 

buying from them.” 

Heritage wheat varieties grown 

with an hour of London are used 

in one of LBC’s newer recipes, 

Heritage Wit. It’s a cloudy, citrusy 

beer which Thuss recommends for a 

first-time visitor ordering a flight.


perhaps even instructions on how to play 

some of the more obscure board games on 

the shelves. “We’re part of the community,” 

says Thuss. 

London Brewing Co-Operative 

Where: 521 Burbrook Place, London 

www.londonbrewing.ca 

Flights can vary from craft brewery to craft 

brewery, but at LBC it’s four 4-ounce glasses 

of whatever’s on the draft board, for $8.50. It’s 

the sample system of choice for newcomers 

and craft beer explorers before committing to 

a growler to take home. 

For a flight Thuss recommends, in addition 

to Heritage Wit, Local 117, the iconic LBC beer 

first brewed in 2014 that uses ingredients 

from within 117 kilometres. Its popularity 

comes from being a malt-forward and 

sessionable amber, at 4.5 per cent alcohol. 

Choice three for including in a flight would 

be Pound Galena, an English pale ale that uses 

hops from the Carolina Hop Yard in Norfolk. 

A well-rounded flight sampler would end 

with Tolpuddle Porter, a LBC beer popular 

with trade unionists. Tolpuddle Martyrs 

were agricultural workers in nineteenth 

century Great Britain who were arrested 

for taking part in an early form of trade 

unionism. Three of them eventually 

immigrated to London, Ontario. 

Upcoming plans for LBC include a licence 

change (to allow the serving of cider and 

wine), tutorials on urban agriculture, and 

ASK for ANDERSON 

WAYNE NEWTON is a freelance journalist in London 

who enjoys writing about beer and travel. 

SUNDAY BRUNCH 

11am−2pm 

Intimate 

Outdoor 

Courtyard 

Open Daily @ 11am 

Sun–Tues 11–11pm, Wed & Thurs 11–midnight, Fri & Sat 11–1am 

We now have 5 varieties 

available in 355mL cans. 

Come pick yours up 

at the brewery, today! 

1030 Elias Street, London 

andersoncraftales.ca


Wine 

The 1867 Label Project 

Celebrating 150 Years in an EPIC Way! 


By GARY KILLOPS 

Ontario wineries will be all red 

and white for Canada’s 150th 

anniversary. Numerous wineries 

across Ontario are celebrating 

by producing limited releases with 

specially labelled bottles. 

In Niagara, Vieni Estates has a 

celebratory sparkling wine made 

from a blend of pinot noir, baco noir 

and pinot meunier with a Canada 

150 label. 

Wine Collective, a wine club 

that ships wine to members 

across Canada every month, 

and Konzelmann Winery in 

Niagara, held a Canada 150 label 

design contest. Two designs 

were selected. The 2016 merlot 

features a moose and a 2016 

riesling showcases a photo of the 

sun setting on a northern cottage 

country lake. 

Canada 150 

wine projects 

have been 

popular across 

the country 

Sandbanks Winery in Prince 

Edward County and Pelee Island 

Winery in Lake Erie North Shore 

each have a red and white wine 

featuring Canada 150 labels that 

will be available at most LCBO 

locations throughout Ontario. 

However, when a group 

of wineries get together to 

Melissa Muscedere and Ann Neydon Wilson 

initiated EPIC’s Canada 150 project. 

collaborate on a Canada 150-themed project, 

the results can be EPIC! 

EPIC (Essex Pelee Island Coast) is a group of 

local wineries in the Lake Erie North Shore wine 

appellation of Ontario. In 2013 six EPIC wineries 

collaborated on the Stowaway 1812 project 

(which celebrated the bicentennial of the War of 

1812 and the festival of the tall ships). 

Melissa Muscedere (Muscedere Vineyards) 

wanted to do something similar for Canada 

150. She contacted Ann Neydon Wilson who, 

along with her husband Murray Wilson, owns 

Oxley Estate Winery. Ann had helped to 

organize the Stowaway project. 

Melissa and Ann approached other 

EPIC winery members to gauge interest in 

participating in a Canada 150 project. The 

proposal was to celebrate the 150 years of 

Canadian winemaking in Lake Erie North 

Shore with each winery commemorating a 

historical wine event or place. Ten wineries 

immediately jumped on board. 

Dr. Maria Cioppa, Associate Professor, 

Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences 

at the University of Windsor heard about 

the Canada 150 project and along with Lynette 

Bain from TWEPI (Tourism Windsor Essex


Pelee Island) formed the group that planned, 

researched the history, and created the marketing 

material for the project. Jason 

Lavin, who works for TWEPI and is 

also a graduate student in history at 

the University of Windsor, did the 

research for the labels. The 10 EPIC 

wineries will each have a different limited 

edition 1867 label that will trace 

the 150-plus years of wine making in 

Essex County. Talysha Bujold-Abu, a 

fine arts student at the University of Windsor, 

created the wine label designs. 

The modern era of winemaking in Ontario 

began in 1974 when a Niagara winery was 

granted the first licence to commercially produce 

wine since the prohibition in 1916. Colio Estate 

Winery was the first in Lake Erie North Shore 

to receive a wine production licence and today it 

is one of the largest wine producers in Ontario. 

But the history of winemaking in the area goes 

back much further. 

In 1865 three men from Kentucky — 

Thaddeus Smith, J.D. Williams and Thomas 

S. Williams — purchased farmland on the 

northwest corner of Pelee Island and in 1866 

they planted 25 acres of grape vines (mostly 

Catawba) on the land. They also built a large 

wine cellar with a wine press. They called 

Canada’s first commercial winery Vin Villa 

Vineyards. Vin Villa wines were sold in Canada, 

the US and Europe. In those early years Vin 

Villa purchased more land for grape vines and 

six more wineries opened on Pelee Island. 

Oxley Estate Winery 21st Century Red, 

a blend of the three Harrow-grafted grape 

varietals HG-1, HG-3 and HG-4, pays tribute to 

Vin Villa on its limited edition EPIC 1867 label. 

By the 1890s there were 35 commercial 

wineries in Ontario. Most of them were in 

Essex County. 

The Girardot Wine Company vineyards were 

located across from Our Lady of Assumption 

Church in Windsor. It is featured on 

Muscedere Vineyard’s label along 

with the story about the winery’s 

owner Ernest Girardot, who traveled 

to Paris and was mistaken for the 

Shah of Persia. 

Featured on Colio Estate Wines 

EPIC 1867 label is Calcat Vineyards. 

The winery was located on Campbell 

Avenue in Windsor, sold wine in ceramic 

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• Pelee Island Winery 

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The celebration of 150 years of winemaking 

will be supplemented by a speaker series 

and an exhibit at the Chimczuk Museum in 

Windsor, August 4 until December 31. 

Talysha Bujold-Abu’s original drawings for 

the labels will be auctioned at the 23rd Annual 

EPIC Vintage Tasting, to be held this year on 

Sunday, August 13 at Pelee Island Winery. 

GARY KILLOPS is a CAPS Certified Sommelier who 

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

tasting notes on EssexWineReview.com 

jugs and was worthy competition for Ernest 

Girardot. 

The EPIC 1867 special limited edition wines 

are only available for purchase at each winery 

(for $18.67). The participating wineries are: 

Ten members of EPIC (Essex Pelee Island 

Coast), a group of wineries in Ontario’s Lake 

Erie North Shore wine appellation, each 

produced a special limited edition wine to 

celebrate Canada 150. Each winery has a 

different 1867 label — designed by Talysha 

Bujold-Abu, a fine arts student at the 

University of Windsor — that traces the 150- 

plus years of wine making in Essex County. 

For example, the image on Oxley Estate 

Winery’s label is of the ruins of Vin Villa, 

Canada’s first commercial winery.


Spirits 

What’s Hot! 

Small Batch Distillers and Craft Cocktails with Cred 


Getting a dynamite cocktail at a friendly 

bar is a wonderful experience. But 

getting a great crafted cocktail, at the 

bar where it originated or from the 

mixology whiz who demonstrates their 

craft, adds an experiential element to 

cocktailing. The cocktail renaissance 

has given rise to the burgeoning microdistillery 

scene, barrel-aged cocktail 

trend, molecular mixology, and the 

craft cocktail movement. Cocktails 

like the Moscow Mule, Manhattan, 

Martini, Old Fashioned and Negroni 

have had a resurgence in popularity. 

As well, there is the return of spirits 

like absinthe and moonshine, and 

long forgotten eaux de vie, digestifs 

and modern fruit liqueurs that you 

can sip neat, chill on the rocks, or use 

to create cocktails. 

New to the LCBO is Giffard Lichi 

Li, which can be enjoyed on the rocks, as an 

aperitif, in white wine sangria or in cocktails 

like a Lichitini or Lychee Mojito. Giffard Crème 

de Violette has made a comeback and is now 

available at the LCBO. It is a great addition in 

Prosecco or cocktails like a Violet Gimlet. 

Violet Gimlet 

2 oz dry gin 

½ oz of Giffard Crème de Violette 

1 oz lime cordial 

Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker and 

pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish 

with a violet flower or slice of lime. 

Something really on trend is Black Cow 

Pure Milk Spirit. An English dairy farmer 

created this smooth spirit, produced from 

the milk of grass-grazed cows. The milk is 

separated into curds and whey. The whey is 

fermented into a beer using a special yeast 

that converts the milk sugar into alcohol. 

This milk beer is then distilled and 

treated to a blending process that 

gives it a creamy character. The 

spirit is triple filtered and finished, 

before being hand bottled. 

Incidentally, the curds are used to 

make a specialty cheddar cheese. 

The rise of small batch spirits 

in Ontario is driven by indie 

distillers who craft local takes 

on whisky, gin, vodka and 

niche spirits like moonshine. 

Amherstburg’s Wolfhead Distillery just 

released Kavi Reserve, another hot new 

product. It’s the harmonization of cold-brewed 

coffee and Canadian whisky. An easy way to 

reinvent the classic Old Fashioned is by simply 

adding a dash of your favourite bitters and 

twisting in the oil of the orange zest. 

Kavi Old Fashioned 

Stir: 

2 oz Kavi reserve 

2 dashes of bitters 

Orange zest 

Pour into rocks glass. Top 

with ice and orange zest. 

Toronto’s Yongehurst 

Distillery has been 

experimenting with 

niche spirits like 

Triple Sec, Shochu 

(the classic Japanese distilled spirit) and 

the herbal liqueur Amaro. 

Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers 

focusses on small batch spirits (rye, vodka, 

gin) made from natural base ingredients. For 

Canada 150, Dillon’s has introduced a 100% 

pure Ontario rye whisky. It also crafts absinthe, 

eaux de vie and vermouth. Enjoying an aperitif 

has long been a European summer pastime 

— and we have also caught on to the sipping 

pleasures of digestifs, like Dillon’s Limoncello 

with its unique homegrown taste.


Bartenders are offering cocktails featuring 

more craft distilled spirits. A good example is 

Junction 56 Distillery Moonshine. A 100 per 

cent Canadian corn base ensures the flavour 

profile matches that of traditional moonshine. 

Distilled like a whisky product but not aged, 

this is a complex but light, smooth and wellbalanced 

spirit. 

Red Rabbit: 

Junction En Française 75 

1 oz Junction 56 gin 

25 oz simple syrup 

1 oz lemon juice 

5 oz sparkling wine 

Lemon twist 

Shake first 3 ingredients with ice. Strain into a champagne 

flute and top with sparkling wine. 

Okazu Snackbar: 

Mango Junction Fizz 

1 oz Junction 56 gin 

1 oz Aperol 

2 oz mango nectar 

1 oz lime juice 

5 oz egg white 

5 oz simple syrup 

Lime twist 

Dry-shake egg white, add 

ice and other ingredients. 

Shake and strain over 

fresh ice. Garnish with a 

lime twist. 

The Prune: 

Smokin’ Prune 

Mango Junction Fizz 

In a rocks glass, place one or two large ice cubes (whiskystyle 

cubes are best). Build this cocktail in the glass by 

adding the following: 

1 ½ oz cold steeped Smokin’ Prune Tea* 

½ oz Luxardo 

1 ½ oz Bourbon (Bulleit is suggested) 

1 dash of Angostura Bitters 

Stir slightly in glass until cold. Garnish with 

a twist of orange peel and a bourbon cherry 

(Amarena cherries are an alternative to 

homemade bourbon-soaked cherries). 

*THE SMOKIN’ PRUNE TEA is specifically 

crafted by The Prune tea sommelier in conjunction 

with Stratford Tea Leaves. However, Lapsang 

Souchong Tea is a viable alternative in this cocktail. 

When cold steeping tea, for 1 litre of cold water add 

1 tsp (at most) of Lapsang Souchong Tea and let 

steep for 2 hours. Then simply strain the tea leaves 

out and it’s ready to be used in cocktails! 


Summer is all about spending time with 

friends and family outdoors, and of course, 

crafting thirst-quenching cocktails. Here are four 

great cocktail recipes from Stratford hot spots. 

[See the full story on The Prune and Bar 

One Fifty One in this issue, and FOUR MORE 

cocktail recipes from Red Rabbit and Okazu 

Snackbar with this story online at eatdrink.ca.] 

Junction En Française 75 

Bar One Fifty One: 

Parasol 

In a champagne flute, fill with 

half a glass of the prosecco or 

sparkling wine of your choice. 

Add a wedge of peach in the 

bottom of the glass. 

½ oz Lillet Blanc 

½ oz St. Germain 

Elderberry Liqueur 

Parasol 

½ honey syrup* 

¾ oz freshly squeezed 

lemon juice 

*HONEY SYRUP: As you would with simple syrup, 

to make a honey syrup boil 1 cup of water and add in 

1 cup of honey (the darker the better!). Let boil until 

the honey is completely dissolved and remove from 

heat. Cool and store in an airtight container. For ease 

of use, you may use a pourer or squeeze bottle when 

making the precise cocktail 

measurements. For even more 

Smokin’ Prune flavour, you can always use the 

same recipe and add in wedges 

of lemon, basil or mint. 

BRYAN LAVERY is Eatdrink’s 

Food and Social Media Editor.


Various Musical Notes 

Southwest Summer 

Upcoming Highlights on the Music Scene 

By GERRY BLACKWELL 

It’s gonna to be a hot time in the city 

this summer, folks. London has music 

festivals! Blues, rock, folk, world, jazz, 

country, bluegrass. Does any city have 

more summer music? Seems unlikely. 

Sunfest, , the world-music lollapalooza 

dreamt up 23 years ago by founder and 

director Alfredo Caxaj, kicks off 

the festival season. It’s arguably 

the biggest and best of the music 

weekends, drawing more than 

200,000 to Victoria Park. It runs Thursday 

to Sunday, July 6 to 9, and features over 30 

performers. (For a complete list: https://goo. 

gl/rgy4Eh.) Did we mention it’s free? 

Lady Antebellum 

Downtown residents get a few days 

respite before the volume cranks up as 

Rock the Park hits Harris Park. It kicks off 

Wednesday, July 12 

with an evening of 

country music, 

featuring Lady 

Antebellum, 

Kelsea 

Ballerini, 

Brett Young 

and Jason 

Benoit. 

Then the 

rockers (and 

Alessia Cara hip-hoppers) 

take over for 

three evenings and a Sunday afternoon of 

mayhem and fun. Featured acts include DJ 

Mustard (Thursday), Vanilla Ice, Salt n Pepa 

(Friday), Bleeker (Saturday), Alessia Cara 

(Sunday). If rock and hip-hop are your thing, 

you’ll want to be there. Day passes: $60 

or $65. VIP section: $125. Meet-and-greet 

packages with selected artists: 

$200/$300. For complete lineup: 

https://goo.gl/B5ralX. 

A few blocks away, the 

venerable and slightly more sedate Home 

County Music and Art Festival serenades 

Victoria Park — for the 44th time. It runs 

Friday to Sunday, July 14 to 16. As always, it’s 

free, but volunteers will be at the entrances 

and around the park, looking to fill the 

donation jars. Home County was originally 

for folkies only. Nowadays it presents a 

range of styles, but still mostly roots music. 

At time of writing, the festival hadn’t 

announced a final lineup. Big acts from 

generations and festivals past — the Valdys 

and Murray McLauchlans — didn’t feature 

in the preliminary list. But Juno-winning 

Inuit crossover star Susan Aglukark is 

Susan Aglukark 

here, also throw-back folk trio The Once and 

Stratford-based Celtic outfit Rant Maggie 

Rant. Delightful folk-pop harmony duo Dala 

returns as well. (Watch festival Facebook 

page for updates: https://goo.gl/Ft62vj.) 

Not all the music is outdoors. London Music


Hall has country superstar 

Dwight Yoakam on 

Thursday, July 20 (7 pm/8 

pm, $69-$178). Yoakam 

has been churning out 

hits for over 30 years. 

He’s currently touring a 

new album, Swimmin’ 

Pools, Movie Stars …, 

in which he affirms his 

Appalachian roots with 

bluegrass renditions of 

his pop-country hits. 

Intriguing. 

Dwight Yoakam 

Scottish hardrockers 

Nazareth 

are at the Hall on Wednesday, August 2 (7 pm, 

$39.50). Nazareth must be as old as Methuselah 

by now, having been around since the 1960s. But 

they still have a packed schedule, playing gigs 

around the world. Desperate to see them but 

can’t make August 2? They’re at Station Music 

Hall in Sarnia Saturday, August 5 (7 pm, $39.25). 

Miss Angel and 

The Homewreckers 

It might seem disloyal to mention the 

Kitchener Blues Festival — after all, 

London has its own Bluesfest coming later in 

the month (see below) — but mention it we 

will. It runs Thursday to Sunday, August 10 to 

13. See the website (goo.gl/LrpZAu). 

If there’s a prize for the festival with the 

best-named acts, Kitchener should win. Th e 

Harpoonist and The Axe Murderer, a rawsounding 

blues duo from BC, will be there. Also 

Saskatoon-based Juno-winners The Sheepdogs. 

And my personal favourite, Miss Angel 

The Harpoonist and The Axe Murderer 

Bobby Rush 


and The Homewreckers, a Miss’ippi blues 

band. Miss Angel has been touring since 1975. 

The same weekend Goderich, Ontario hosts 

the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. It goes 

Friday to Sunday, August 11 to 13 ($25-$40 

per day, $65 to $80 weekend). The lineup is 

impressively varied, with acts from all over 

Canada and the UK and Ireland. It rightly 

includes Quebecois acts (Les Poules á Colin, 

Yann Falquet & Pascal Gemme) and even a 

Métis outfit from Winnipeg, Métis Fiddler 

Quartet. Multiple Juno- and Polaris-winner 

Joel Plaskett and his Dad, Bill, will be there 

promoting their album Solidarity. (For a 

complete lineup, see website: goo.gl/dGkMpI.) 

The London Music Club has Atlanta-based 

slide-guitar blues quartet Delta Moon — 

“music as it should be — raw and honest” — on 

Thursday, August 10 ($20/$25). And then on 

Saturday, August 12, Station Music Hall in Sarnia 

has legendary bluesman Bobby Rush (6 pm/7 

Métis Fiddler Quartet 

pm, $35). Rush, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee 

(2006) and multiple Blues Awards winner and 

Grammy nominee, had his first hit record in 

1971. His latest album, the delightfully-named 

Porcupine Meat, came out last year. He’s also at 

the Kitchener fest, Sunday, August 13, 7 pm. 

The good ol’ Purple Hill Country Hall, near 

Thorndale, is holding the annual Bluegrass 

Opry Reunion Friday to Sunday, August 18 

to 20. Featured acts include Allen Family 

Reunion Band, Rescue Junction, Stompin’


($49-$236). Headliners include the multiaward-winning 

Robert Cray Band, with 

a classic blues sound, legendary Canadian 

rocker Burton Cummings, the LA-based 

rock band Wallflowers, featuring Bob Dylan’s 

son Jakob, and a reconstituted Blood Sweat 

& Tears (sans David Clayton Thomas). For a 

complete list and late additions, see festival 

website: https://goo.gl/4u7MKd. 

Molly Johnson and Jane Bunnett 

GERRY BLACKWELL is a London-based freelance 

writer. 

Flyers and more ($15-$60). See Purple Hill web 

page for details: https://goo.gl/WhLGYP. 

Canadian jazz royalty comes to Revival House 

in Stratford when saxophonist Jane Bunnett 

and sultry singer Molly Johnson appear 

together on Friday, August 25 ($40-$80). It’s part 

of the Stratford Summer Music Cabaret series. 

Robert Cray Band 

Finally, the last hurrah of summer: London 

Bluesfest, running Friday to Sunday, August 

25 to 27. It was a freebie in Victoria Park last 

year. This year it moves to Harris Park, the 

focus shifts a few degrees from pure blues 

towards rock, and there is an entrance fee 

LIVE JAZZ 

Friday Nights 7–10pm 

Serving up 

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The Classical Beat 

Festival Season 

Classical music steps out 



Summer is the time of year when classical 

music steps out of the traditional concert 

hall. This year some of the world’s top 

talents share their gifts in intimate and 

sometimes unexpected venues throughout our 

region. Just hop in the car, and enjoy the sights 

and sounds of the season. 

Bach Festival of Canada (July 6 to 16) 

Launched as an experiment in 2010, Exeter’s 

Bach Festival of Canada is now one of the 

most anticipated festivals on the summer 

music calendar. Inspired by the small-town 

festivals of Europe, this bi-annual event draws 

internationally-renowned performers and 

sold-out crowds to the heart of rural Ontario. 

“Exeter is in the middle of such beautiful 

farm country,” says festival founder Gerald 

Fagan. “We draw audience members from 

all over Ontario. And the local people are 

incredibly supportive.” 

The festival has grown over the years, both 

in size and in musical scope. This year’s Bach 

Festival begins with Just Between Friends, 

an evening of Broadway classics performed 

by bass-baritone John Avey and pianist 

Marlene Fagan. It’s a return performance for 

the musical pair, who Gerald Fagan calls “one 

of our most popular duos.” 

Also back this year are Spanish pianist 

Leopoldo Erice (July 7), and renowned 

Spanish pianist Leopoldo Erice 

London-born violinist Lara St. John (July 

9). “Lara was the first major artist we featured 

when we began the festival, so we thought 

it was time to bring her back,” notes Fagan. 

This year, St. John returns with American jazz 

pianist Matt Herskowitz. Fagan expects the 

program to include Bach and beyond. “They 

are incredible talents and it will be amazing,” 

he says. 

Canadian fiddle sensation Shane Cook 

makes his festival debut July 14, in a concert 

with a home-town twist. Shane’s first fullsized 

fiddle was purchased from Exeter native 

Gerry Smith, Fagan explains. A championfiddler 

in his own right, Smith will join 

Cook and his troupe for this special musical 

reunion. 

The Bach Festival wraps up July 16 with an 

afternoon concert that is sure to shake the 

rafters at Exeter’s South Huron Recreational 

Centre. More than 200 singers and musicians 

will be joined by four soloists —bass John 

Avey, contralto Anita Krause, soprano 

Leslie Fagan, and tenor Colin Ainsworth 

— for a celebration of Canada 150. To mark 

the occasion, the Festival commissioned new 

works by Ontario composers Jeff Smallman 

(Hensall), Stephanie Martin (Toronto), Elsie 

LeTourneau (Ottawa), and Matthew Emery 

(London). “I think we don’t perform enough 

Canadian music, so this was something that 

was very important to me,” says Fagan. 

www.bachfestival.ca 

Stratford Summer Music (July 17 

to August 27) 

After seventeen years at the helm of 

Stratford Summer Music, John Miller 

recently announced that he’s bidding 

the festival he founded a fond farewell at 

the end of the summer. “2017 is a good 

time to pass the baton to another artistic 

leader,” Miller says. “Our festival is in 

great shape with the finest Canadian and


July 17 to August 27 

July 18 James Ehnes 

July 22 Angela Hewitt 

July 27 & 29 

Stéphane Tétreault 

July 28 & 29 Jan Lisiecki 

August 5 The Ennis Sisters 

stratfordsummermusic.ca 

519.271.2101 / 1.866.288.4313 

August 11 Carmen Braden 

& Members of The New 

North Collective 

August 23 The Rolston 

String Quartet 

August 25 Jane Bunnett & 

Molly Johnson, Jazz Cabaret 

SEASON 

SPONSOR


Buffy Sainte-Marie 

world musicians eager to appear here, with 

our finances solid… and with our community 

support vibrant and substantial.” 

But before Miller takes his final bow, he is 

looking forward to presenting more than six 

weeks of musical programming, with a special 

focus on Canada in celebration of the 150th 

anniversary of the country. 

First Nations music icon Buffy Sainte- 

Marie performs at the festival for the 


first time, on August 7. Her concert at The 

Avondale is just one of several events that 

celebrate the richness of First Nations 

and Inuit culture as part of the festival’s 

sesquicentennial summer. 

The golden age of Canada’s big bands will 

also be celebrated when Guy Lombardo’s 

Royal Canadians take to the stage of the 

Best Western Plus Arden Park Hotel August 

8 and 9, with dance classes called Brush UP 

Your Fox Trot available one hour before each 

concert, to help get the party started. 

Those are just two highlights on a jampacked 

musical calendar that includes plenty of 

free events, formal concerts, informal cabarets, 

lectures, a vocal academy and a school of rawk. 

www.stratfordsummermusic.ca 

NICOLE LAIDLER is a freelance writer, story-based 

copywriter and content consultant. She has been covering 

the local music scene for more than a decade. See what 

else she is up to at www.spilledink.ca 

Th e a t r e 

Everything Old is New Again 

Summer Theatre Highlights 

By JANE ANTONIAK 

It might sound English, with an Avon 

River and with productions of Shakespearean 

plays, but going to Stratford 

this summer for some theatre would 

be a very Canadian way to salute the 150th. 

Yes, the Union Jack is flown at the corner of 

Ontario and Downie Streets but this quaint 

town is full of top-notch Canadian talent on 

stage and in the restaurant kitchens. 

Those who like a high-energy celebration 

should consider taking in Guys and Dolls at the 

Festival Theatre. Directed and choreographed by 

Donna Feore this show features her trademark 

acrobatic-infused dancing with a precise, thrilling 

orchestration of actors and singers. Feore 

takes a 1950s script, layers upon it a 1992 Broadway 

adaptation by Michael Starobin and then 

modernizes it so that the contemporary audience 

doesn’t feel uncomfortable with the gender 

biases of previous generations. Women are 

strong. Men are strong. What’s old is new again. 

A tip of the hat to goes to the Original 

Kids Theatre Company of London, which has 

two alumni in Guys and Dolls. Alexis Gordon 

Guys and Dolls

Photo by Hilary Gauld Camilleri 


garners a significant role as Sarah Brown, 

the evangelist with an aim to “save sinners”. 

After working with OKTC in London Gordon 

trained at the University of Windsor. Joining 

her on stage is Trevor Pat as Calvin. Pat is 

a hard-working ensemble actor who shows 

comedic talent. Both are a joy to watch. 

For a modern take on a less well-known 

Shakespearean tale check out Timon of Athens 

at the Tom Patterson Theatre. This is a theatrein-the-round 

experience. (The small venue may 

be transformed in the coming years. Stratford 

has recently received a $20 million commitment 

from the provincial government to renovate 

the theatre, contingent on other layers of 

government supporting the plan. There are 

challenges with steep inclines and less-thancomfortable 

seats.) It is a special experience to 

be so close to the actors and immersed in this 

tragic tale of revenge. This powerful production 

is set in modern times with actors taking selfies 

and drinking martinis. Stratford last staged 

this play in 2004 but the tale is timeless. The 

modern adaptation may not be for everyone 

but it certainly is interesting. 

Summer theatre has rich offerings in Southwestern 

Ontario as regional theatre companies 

up their games. Just off the shores of Lake 

Huron near Grand Bend are the Huron County 

Playhouses (two theatres). Legendary Ontario 

Jonas and Barry in the Home 

Timon of Athens 

June 28 to August 19 

World 

Premiere 

MR. NEW YEAR’S EVE: 

A night with 

Guy Lombardo 

Written by David Scott 

Directed by Gil Garratt 

His father opposed Guy’s love of Jazz; 

Canadian radio stations showed 

active disinterest; but no obstacle 

could block Guy’s path to stardom. 

For tickets call 1.877.862.5984 

or visit blythfestival.com 

playwright Norm Foster will not only have a play 

on performance at Huron County but he will 

also be making a rare acting appearance there. 

Foster will star in Jonas and Barry in the Home 

which runs until July 15. This runs alongside the 

popular Million Dollar Quartet, which tells a story 

about a time in the fifties when musical legends 

Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl 

Perkins jammed together. 

The Blyth Festival opens in late June with 

a show about London’s own Guy Lombardo, 

Mr. New Year’s Eve. Lombardo and his 

brothers and sisters gained fame by singing 

the sweetest music this side of heaven … 

or so they say. In London we have a bridge 

named after him and we used to have a 

museum. Those who recall their parents or 

grandparents going to the Stork Club to see 

the Lombardos and the Royal Canadians will 

want to venture over to Blyth for this truly 

patriotic experience. If only there was a way to 

dance under the stars while leaving that show. 

We wouldn’t need any fireworks. 

JANE ANTONIAK is a regular contributor to Eatdrink 

magazine. She is also Manager, Communications & Media 

Relations, at King’s University College in London.


Books 


Seoul Searching for Korean Food 

Eating Korea: Reports on a Culinary Renaissance 

Review by DARIN COOK 

Korean food has quietly 

and steadily been rising 

in popularity outside 

its own country, but is 

often in the shadow of other Asian 

mainstays: Japanese sushi, Indian 

curries, Vietnamese pho, Thailand 

pad Thai. The integration 

of Korean favourites into the 

Western culinary scene does not, 

however, mean that the tastes 

of a country won’t evolve; Graham 

Holliday testifies to this in 

his book Eating Korea: Reports on a Culinary 

Renaissance (HarperCollins, 2017, $33.50). As 

a Brit returning to South Korea after working 

as an English teacher twenty years prior, Holliday 

expected Koreans to be stalwart in their 

food traditions. He was shocked to find that 

fusion experimentation was cropping up in 

Korean restaurants, even though he personally 

did not want to see this type of transformation, 

and nor could he believe that older 

Koreans would allow it. He had to dig deeper 

than expected for the authentic dishes he 

had returned for, to get beyond the nouveau 

Korean food that was surfacing. 

His culinary tour takes in all the different 

regions of South Korea, each with its own 

variations and specialties, like Gangneung 

(dried squid), Gochang (eel), the island of Jeju 

(pheasant noodle soup), and Andong (the 

capital of soju, the Korean spirit distilled from 

potatoes). His travels take him up to, but not 

past, the demilitarized 

zone between South 

and North Korea; he 

is not allowed to enter 

the north but does 

learn from a North 

Korean escapee that 

the food is similar, 

with slight variations. 

The cold noodle soup 

called naengmyeon was a 

speciality from North Korea’s 

capital, Pyongyang, but the 

best he can do is get it from 

a restaurant in Seoul that 

replicates how its Communist 

neighbours prepared the dish. 

Holliday pined for the soul 

of the old ways of cooking. He 

wanted aged soy sauce from 

master chefs, tea leaves from 

countryside plantations, and 

bean sprout soup that claimed to 

cure hangovers after drinking too 

much soju. Some of these Korean foods can 

be acquired tastes, and none is more acquired 

than kimchi. But once a taste is developed for 

it, the flavours of a smelly, spicy, fermented 

cabbage become unexpectedly intoxicating. 

Holliday feels the same way and knows that 

going back is the only way to satisfy his craving 

for kimchi. During the time he spent teaching 

in 1996, it was common for all Koreans to say 

that a meal is incomplete without kimchi at the 

table, but the tide on that belief seems to have 

turned and he has a hard time fathoming the 

possibility of a Korean refusing kimchi. 

He also uncovers the absurd notion that 

Korean production of kimchi cannot keep up to 

the demand and is being imported from China. 

He finds this idea preposterous, knowing that 

Koreans take pride in the kimchi preparation 

process passed down through generations of 

kitchens. It is abhorrent to him to hear that 

“replicant Chinese 

kimchi is spreading 

like an invasive plant 

throughout Korea’s 

restaurants.” 

One restaurant 

that would never 

resort to the 

imported, inferior 

Author Graham Holliday versions was one that


Holliday stumbled upon that specialized in 

kimchi as the main course. This was unusual 

since it tends to be a side dish — albeit an 

omnipresent side dish served at every single 

meal of every single day, including breakfast. 

When Holliday eats the larger portion as a 

meal he writes, “It was unlike any kimchi 

I’d ever tasted. It died on my tongue, like a 

melting spirit. It disappeared in a merry-goround 

of garlic, vinegar, and chile. It whirled 

around and around; it tasted of the past, and I 

didn’t want the ride to end.” 

With the good, comes some bad, and 

hongeo is a dish that shows Holliday that even 

though he feels that the traditional ways of 

cooking are still the best, they do not always 

produce edible results to outsiders. If kimchi 

is an acquired taste by foreigners, then hongeo 

is a Korean delicacy that only Koreans can 

tolerate. After being repulsed by this sashimistyle 

skate fish fermented in its own urine, I 

am sure Holliday was struck by the dilemma 

of whether bad traditional dishes are better 

than unusual new ones. 

The number of restaurants in the country 

kept Holliday busy, but it was not only him 

dining out in a nation of restaurant-goers. He 

writes, “In a 2015 survey looking at how the 

world cooks across twenty-two countries, the 

Koreans were at the bottom when it came to 

amount of time spent in the kitchen … Korean 

food was good, cheap, and easily available, and 

much of it was very hard, and in many cases 

too stinky, to cook at home. Buying out was 

practical.” The more forward-thinking of these 

restaurants were introducing experimental 

dishes, like fruit cake pizza, that would not 

have been possible when he first lived there. 

This could be worrisome to foreigners who 

come to Korea for what they have come to 

know as Korean food. 

In the end, Holliday concludes that Korea 

is a culture that will be forever changing, with 

new ways of cooking the same ingredients, 

and new combinations of standard dishes. 

The traditions in the kitchen may lessen, but 

will hopefully be carried on to some extent 

by every generation even as they explore new 

flavours, and remember that the stinkiness, 

the spiciness, and, most of all the kimchi, are 

all part of what it means to be Korean. 

DARIN COOK is a freelance writer who lives and works 

in Chatham. Having lived in South Korea for a time, he now 

dearly misses the daily consumption of kimchi. 

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Recipes 



Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons 

By Laura Wright 

Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

I’m glad I was distracted when 

I picked up The First Mess 

Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based 

Recipes to Eat Well Through 

the Seasons by Laura Wright 

(Penguin Canada; 2017; $35). I 

saw “Mess,” I saw some great 

veggie dishes on the cover, 

and away I went, reading and 

bookmarking a dozen recipes 

before it finally occurred 

to me that these were not 

vegetarian recipes, but vegan. 

Vegans probably hate it when 

omnivores think this is a 

compliment but it really is meant to 

be. (I look forward to your emails.) 

Sometimes I seek out vegetarian food for 

its flavour and economy but vegan recipes 

often seem to be pale imitations of other 

food. If you’ve gone vegan, why go to such 

extreme lengths to pretend you’re eating a 

hamburger? Isn’t there great vegan food? As 

it happens, there is. Laura Wright knows how 

to cook it very well, and is willing to share 

her knowledge with us. Anyone looking for 

healthier recipes that are still delicious should 

be extremely happy that she does. These 

recipes didn’t make me think, “Wow, that 

would be great if only it had chicken in it.” 

Wright is a Niagara-based food writer and 

photographer with a lifetime of experience in 

all areas of the 

food industry. 

She grew up in 

a family that 

emphasized 

the importance 

of food and 

community. 

After attending 

culinary school 

and working at a 

farm-to-table restaurant, she 

adopted a vegan lifestyle 

and started a healthy 

food blog, firstmess.com. 

Most of the 125 recipes in 


are new, but a handful are 

favourites from the blog. 

Squash Noodle Bowls 

with Lime Peanut Sauce is 

the most popular recipe on 

the blog and it’s easy to see 

why. It looks like a beautiful 

Thai-style noodle take-out 

dish, but tastes far better. The 

author notes that this is a good 

dish for using heavier winter 

produce, but by cooking the spaghetti squash on 

the BBQ and adding spinach instead of kale, it 

becomes the perfect summer supper. Now when 

I go shopping I can almost hear all those fresh 

vegetables clamouring for Lime Peanut Sauce. 

Growing up, we always had a large garden in 

our backyard. We usually ate most of the peas 

straight off the vine before they ever made 

it to the table. Now that I’m a tiny bit more 

patient, I can make Peaches, Peas and Beans 

Summer Salad. I can’t think of a better way 

to enjoy sweet new peas and beans than with 

this tangy dressing. The addition of peaches is 

wonderful. I always feel I’ve gotten away with 

something when I can add sweet fruit to a 

savoury dish. 

For readers 

with dietary 

restrictions, 

recipes have 

notations 

indicating if 

they are free 

from nuts, oil, 

cane sugar or 

Author Laura Wright gluten. I’m


lucky to be able to substitute any ingredient 

I wish but I know that good options for 

restricted diets can be difficult to find. I 

think I could make any of these dishes with 

ingredients from a well-stocked grocery store. 

In The First Mess Cookbook Laura Wright 

shares recipes for a lot of really amazing food. 

The fact that most of it is good for us is a 

delicious bonus. A bit like a beautiful vegan 

dessert. 

TRACY TURLIN is a freelance writer and dog groomer in 

London. Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com 

Excerpted from The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons. 

Copyright © 2017 Laura Wright. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin 

Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved. 

Peaches, Peas and Beans Summer Salad 

Serves 4 to 6 

Free of gluten and cane 

sugar 

Fresh pea season stretches 

right into summer where 

I live, so we get to harvest 

those sweet shell, snow, and 

snap pea varieties for a while. 

This is another colorful and 

vibrant salad that takes 

advantage of juicy fruit and a 

crunchy garnish. The dressing 

is super simple by design, 

allowing all of the seasonal 

flavors to shine through. 

DRESSING 

1 tablespoon (15 mL) 

balsamic vinegar 

1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon 

mustard 

1 teaspoon (5 mL) glutenfree 

tamari soy sauce 

2 tablespoons (30 mL) 

sunflower oil 

salt and pepper, to taste 

SALAD 

¾ lb (341 g) young green 

(or yellow or burgundy) 

string beans, trimmed 

2 ripe, but firm, peaches 

1 small shallot, peeled and 

sliced paper thin 

large handful of snap peas, 

trimmed and sliced down 

the middle 


¼ cup (50 mL) chopped 

fresh basil leaves 

¼ cup (50 mL) whole 

toasted almonds, 

coarsely chopped



MAKE THE DRESSING 

1 In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the 

balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, tamari, sunflower oil, 

salt, and pepper. 

2 Tightly secure the lid, and shake the jar vigorously 

until the dressing has a smooth consistency. Set aside. 

MAKE THE SALAD 

3 Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Salt the 

water and then throw in the trimmed green beans. 

Blanch the beans for 3 minutes or until tender and 

Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowls 

with Lime Peanut Sauce 

Serves 4 

Free of gluten and cane 

sugar 

This is far and away the 

most popular recipe from 

my blog. I think it appeals 

to the plant-eating crowd 

as well as to the low-carbeating 

lovers out there, 

too. I take the natural, 

noodle-like strands of 

winter spaghetti squash 

and tangle them up into 

a whole meal with hearty 

greens, herbs, broccoli, and 

a delicious peanut sauce 

born out of pantry staples. 

It’s a vibrant and clever 

way to enjoy heavier winter 

produce that looks and 

eats like a bowl of takeout 

noodles. 

LIME PEANUT SAUCE 

½-inch (1 cm) piece fresh 

ginger, peeled and 

chopped 

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

hot sauce, to taste 

2 tablespoons (30 mL) 

natural peanut butter 

1 lime, peeled and chopped 

1 tablespoon (15 mL) 

unseasoned rice vinegar 

2 teaspoons (10 mL) raw 

agave nectar 

1 tablespoon (15 mL) glutenfree 

tamari soy sauce 

⅓ cup (75 mL) grapeseed or 

other neutral-flavored oil 


crisp. Drain the beans and place them in a bowl of ice 

water to cool immediately. 

4 Remove the pits from the peaches and cut the fruit into 

thin slices. In a large bowl, combine the sliced peaches, 

shallots, and snap peas. Drain the green beans and 

lightly dry them. Add the beans to the large bowl. 

Season the salad with salt and pepper. 

5 Pour the dressing over the vegetables and peaches, and 

toss lightly to combine. Scatter the chopped basil and 

almonds over the top, and serve.


NOODLE BOWLS 

1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, 

seeds scooped out 

6 curly kale leaves, stems removed 

4 cups (1 L) broccoli florets (from 1 small bunch) 


½ small red onion, thinly sliced 

½ cup (125 mL) toasted cashews, chopped 

2 tablespoons (30 mL) sesame seeds 

½ cup (125 mL) chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

1 Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). 

2 Make The Lime Peanut Sauce: To a blender, add 

the ginger, garlic, hot sauce, peanut butter, lime, 

rice vinegar, agave nectar, tamari, grapeseed 

oil, salt, and pepper. Whiz on high until fully 

incorporated. Check the sauce for seasoning, 

adjust if necessary, and set aside. 

3 Prepare the Vegetables: Line a baking sheet with 

parchment and place the squash halves, cut side 

down, onto the sheet. Bake for about 1 hour or 

until the flesh pulls away in easy strands. Remove 

from the oven and set aside to cool. 

4 While the squash is baking, slice the kale leaves into 

thin ribbons and place in a large bowl. 

5 Set a medium saucepan with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) 

of water over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer. 

Place the broccoli florets into a steamer basket 

and set aside. 

6 When the squash is cool enough to handle, place 

the steamer basket of broccoli into the pot with 

the simmering water. Cover and allow the broccoli 

to steam until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. 

7 Assemble the Noodle Bowl: While the broccoli is 

steaming, scrape the spaghetti squash strands 

out of the shell with a fork and into the bowl with 

the kale. The heat from the squash should wilt 

the kale slightly. Season the squash and kale with 

salt and pepper. Pour a big splash of Lime Peanut 

Sauce into the bowl, and toss to combine. 

8 Remove the broccoli 

from the steamer. 

Portion the squash and 

kale into 4 bowls. Top 

each bowl with the 

steamed broccoli, 

sliced red onions, 

chopped cashews, 

sesame seeds, 

chopped cilantro, 

and extra Lime 

Peanut Sauce. 

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The Lighter Side 

Brushes with Fame 

By MARK KEARNEY 

If I were to write my autobiography (I’m 

still waiting to be asked), I would entitle 

it My Dinner with Helmut Kohl and Other 

Brushes with Fame. 

It’s not that the former German chancellor 

and I are BFFs, but we ate dinner together in 

Kenya one night, courtesy of a mixed up schedule 

and a fellow traveller who threatened to 

use my journalism credentials to publicize 

any snub from Helmut (as I call him). 

I was on a safari many years ago 

and after a long, hot day in the national 

parks we pulled into our hotel for dinner. 

The only problem was that Helmut 

and his entourage had been on safari 

elsewhere but decided to stay there 

during a state visit. They had 

flown in that afternoon and commandeered 

the hotel. Despite our 

advanced booking, we were told at 

the desk we couldn’t stay the night. 

Bedding down with the wildlife, literally 

at a local watering hole, was 

looking like a strong possibility. 

But a traveling companion, an 

airport security adviser from Washington, 

D.C., wouldn’t budge. He 

told the hotel manager, pointing to me, 

“We have a reporter with us who will write 

about this and give you bad publicity.” I madly 

searched for a notebook and pen to give the 

impression I was ready to write such an exposé. 

They gave in and put us in the corner of the 

banquet room, as far from Helmut as possible. 

We shared dinner with the chancellor and 

listened as the entourage saluted each other 

with official toasts. He gave a little nod 

our way while speaking, but my German is 

limited. Perhaps he said “May you sleep with 

hippos you #$%& journalist.” 

In my likely-to-never-be-released autobiography 

I would also mention sitting beside actor 

Jack Klugman in a Manhattan restaurant when 

he asked to borrow the salt and pepper from 

my table. Yeah, that was our contact, but I 

know that I did it so neatly and precisely that if 

he had ever wanted to re-cast The Odd Couple 

for a new Felix to his Oscar he’d have said “Get 

me the salt and pepper guy.” 

On a less foodie note, while working as 

a government speechwriter, I was once 

asked to be Desmond Tutu’s bodyguard. 

Well, slight exaggeration. A few of us 

communications types were asked to line 

the hallway in the main Queen’s Park 

building where Tutu would walk before 

addressing the legislature — just in case 

something happened. 

At five foot seven and 135 pounds at the 

time, I was hardly the raging bull you’d 

want protecting the esteemed South 

African bishop. What could I do if he 

was attacked? Jump into the fray? 

More like “Hey, I’ll write a press 

release about the fray.” 

Tutu smiled as he walked past me, 

no doubt thinking “You are small of 

stature but big of heart, my friend.” 

All I know is nothing happened to 

him on my watch. 

One final brush with fame. 

During intermission at a play in 

Stratford, I saw Yo-Yo Mah, the 

celebrated cellist who had provided 

music for the production, standing by 

himself sipping a drink. I asked him how 

he liked the play and he replied that he was 

“enjoying it a great deal.” I let it go at that, 

assuming he’d be overwhelmed by any more 

of my witty banter. 

After all, being polite may get you further 

in your brushes with fame than being a jerk. 

But I’ve always regretted my approach to 

him. It would have been much more fun and 

memorable for both of us if I’d shouted: 

“Yo! Yo-Yo.” 

MARK KEARNEY has been a journalist for more than 

35 years and has been published in nearly 80 publications 

in North America. He teaches writing and journalism at 

Western University.

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Eatdrink #66 July/August 2017

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