Eatdrink Waterloo & Wellington #4 December 2018/January 2019

Issue #W4 | December 2018/January 2019 

eatdrink 

The LOCAL Food & Drink Magazine 

Loloan Lobby Bar 

South East Asian Eclecticism 

in Uptown Waterloo 

ALSO FEATURING 

Swine and Vine 

A Focus on Sharing in Kitchener 

Artisanal & Farmstead Cheese 

Meet the Makers & Mongers 

Farm to Table 

A Cookbook Celebrating 

Stratford Chefs School 

Our 

Holiday 

Issue! 

Wine, Beer & Event 

Suggestions for 

Celebrating the 

Season 

Serving Waterloo Region 

& Wellington County 

www.eatdrink.ca

2 |December 2018/January 2019 

THE CHRISTMAS TRAIL 

CAPTURES THE SPIRIT 

OF GIVING AND 

THE JOY OF CHECKING 

OFF THAT LIST 

eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag 

You’ll discover unique and individual 

gift ideas when you stroll our festive 

streets. We’ve made it easy to kick 

off your holiday shopping with 

The Christmas Trail – six gifts 

for just $30*. And because it’s 

Stratford, be on the lookout 

for seven swans a swimming. 

Purchase your pass 

at Stratford Tourism, 

47 Downie Street. 

visitstratford.ca 

*plus HST

eatdrink 


eatdrinkmagazine 

@eatdrinkmag 

eatdrinkmag 

eatdrink.ca 

Think Global. Read Local. 

Publisher 

Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Managing Editor Cecilia Buy – cbuy@eatdrink.ca 

Food Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Editorial Consultant Andrew Coppolino 

Copy Editor Kym Wolfe 

Social Media Editor Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Advertising Sales Chris McDonell – chris@eatdrink.ca 

Bryan Lavery – bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Stacey McDonald – stacey@eatdrink.ca 

Terry-Lynn “TL” Sim – TL@eatdrink.ca 

Finances 

Ann Cormier – finance@eatdrink.ca 

Graphics 

Chris McDonell, Cecilia Buy 

Writers 

Darin Cook, Andrew Coppolino, 

Gary Killops, Bryan Lavery, 

George Macke, Nancy McSloy, 

Tracy Turlin 

Photographers Steve Grimes, Matthew Mannell 

Telephone & Fax 519-434-8349 

Mailing Address 525 Huron Street, London ON N5Y 4J6 

Website 

City Media 

Cecilia Buy 

Printing 

Sportswood Printing 

OUR COVER 

The Loloan Lobby 

Bar creates a striking 

image with its light 

fixtures and artworkpannelled 

ceiling 

leading the eye 

upwards. What’s on 

the plate is equally 

captivating. Read the 

story by Bryan Lavery 

on page 7. 

Photo by Matthew 

Mannell (www.pbase.com/ricked_wicky) 

© 2018 Eatdrink Inc. and the writers. 

All rights reserved. 

Reproduction or duplication of any material published in 

Eatdrink or on Eatdrink.ca is strictly prohibited without 

the written permis sion of the Publisher. Eatdrink has a regular 

printed circulation of 20,000 issues published six times annually. 

The views or opinions expressed in the information, content and/ 

or advertisements published in Eatdrink or online are solely 

those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of 

the Publisher. The Publisher welcomes submissions but accepts no 

responsibility for unsolicited material. 

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Let us help with your next project... 

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Contents 

Issue #W4 | December 2018/January 2019 

The Holiday Issue 

Publisher’s Notes 

Eatdrink and Be Merry! 

Food, Drink, Family & Friends 

By CHRIS McDONELL 

6 

7 

Beer 

Cold, and Dark 

Malty Darker Beers for Winter 

By GEORGE MACKE 

32 

Restaurants 


Loloan Lobby Bar in Uptown Waterloo 

By BRYAN LAVERY 

7 

A Focus on Sharing 

Swine and Vine, in Kitchener 

By BANDREW COPPOLINO 

12 

Culinary Retail 

Artisanal and Farmstead Cheese 

Meet the Makers and Mongers 


16 

Road Trips 

Take Your Time 

Discovering the Pleasures of St. Marys 

By NANCY McSLOY 

22 

12 

32 

36 

Wine 

The Gift of Wine 

Suggestions for this Holiday Season 

By GARY KILLOPS 

36 

Recipes 

Farm to Table 

Celebrating Stratford Chefs School 

Review & Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 

39 

Books 

Provence Through the Years 

My 25 Years in Provence 

Review by DARIN COOK 

43 

The Lighter Side 

Salvaging the Magic of Eggnog 

By DARIN COOK 

46 

The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

26 

16 

We are pleased to be reviewing Farm to Table: Celebrating Stratford 

Chefs School Alumni, Recipes & Perth County Producers 

on its own merit, but doubly so because it is authored 

by Eatdrink contributor and editorial advisor Andrew 

Coppolino. Andrew, familiar to most readers through his 

heavy media presence in local print, television, and online, 

is an invaluable member of our team serving Waterloo 

Region & Wellington County. We’ve excepted a couple of 

recipes from the book (which would make an excellent gift!), 

with photos from Stratford’s pre-eminent photographer Terry 

Manzo, a Stratford Chefs School alumna herself. Enjoy! 

39 

43

Eatdrink: The Local Food & Drink Magazine 

December 2018/January 2019| 5 

# dtklove 

5 19.745.8478 

twhsocial.com 

1 King Street West, Kitchener


Publisher’s Notes 

Eatdrink and Be Merry! 

Food, Drink, Family & Friends 


By CHRIS McDONELL 

We hope this issue will guide you 

to the experts and resources 

that will enrich your holiday 

eating and drinking experiences. 

While secondary to the people 

that we gather with — work 

colleagues, neighbours and 

friends, and family — the food and drink that 

we consume is a huge part of the festivities. 

There are plenty of excellent suggestions here. 

Traditions take centre stage for many of 

us, enhancing our connections and renewing 

precious memories. Fruitcake often takes a 

beating in popular culture, yet for some, this 

is a real treat. For me, my mother’s “Hello 

eatdrink.ca 

Dolly” squares are my favourite holiday 

indulgence, and I believe my generation’s 

execution of the recipe is true and delicious. 

But I’m also game to try something new, being 

old enough to remember the 

introduction of delicacies 

that are now firm traditions. 

Perhaps that will happen again this year. 

I’m amazed at the wealth of exciting 

opportunities outlined in the following pages, 

but trust we will also remember those less 

fortunate. Spread some kindness. Peace, 

CHRIS McDONELL founded Eatdrink in 2007. 

Anna Mae’s Christmas Baking! 

Let us do your 

baking for you! 

17+ Homemade 

Christmas Dainties 

to choose from! 

Family Owned & Operated 

Mennonite Restaurant and Bakery 

Homemade cooking & baking 

made fresh daily from scratch 

using the best ingredients! 

• 20+ Pies! • Muffins • Squares 

• Cookies • Sweet Buns • Cheesecakes 

• Tarts • Cakes & Cupcakes • Donuts 

• Bread & Dinner Rolls 

www.annamaes.ca 

519-595-4407 

Cash or Debit 

Accepted 

Monday–Saturday 7am–8pm • Closed Sundays & Holidays 

Please phone ahead to pre-order baking to avoid disappointment! 

4060 Line 72, Millbank ON



Restaurants 


Loloan Lobby Bar in Uptown Waterloo 

By BRYAN LAVERY | Photos by MATTHEW MANNELL 

The partners behind 

Loloan Lobby Bar are 

seasoned restaurateurs. 

The primary partners 

include Paul Boehmer as General 

Manager and Head Chef, Renee 

Lees, and Josh Koehler, former 

partner at Jane Bond and owner 

of the Starlight Social Club. 

Leanne Amort, manager of 

Bhima’s Warung, and Jon Rennie, 

Executive Chef at both Bhima’s and 

Loloan, are secondary partners. 

Boehmer is a George Brown College 

graduate. His well-rounded career 

includes apprenticeships at Michelin-starred 

hotels Langdon Hall (a Relais & Châteaux 

property) and the iconic Three Small Rooms 

at Windsor Arms, before opening Bhima’s 

Warung in 1994. Boehmer travelled all over 

the Indonesian archipelago and beyond 

on research trips to spend time with home 

cooks and document recipes. He owned 

and operated a fine dining restaurant in 

Bali for five years, which became part of the 

inspiration for Loloan. 

When Boehmer opened Bhima’s it was 

an ambitious undertaking, embracing the 

spectrum of regional cuisines, and a variety 

of ingredients and cooking methods largely 

The entrance 

unfamiliar to most diners. Boehmer has made 

a point of evangelizing cuisines that are less 

well known while not necessarily sticking to a 

strictly codified authenticity. That allows room 

for creativity and high quality alternative 

ingredients that are locally sourced. 

The Loloan partners travelled to Southeast 

Asia in January of 2017. It was an opportunity 

to get to know each other better and to get 

the lay of the land, culinarily speaking. They 

sought out the lobby bars in luxury hotels 

The interior 

The bar


From the top, Nem Trio finds its inspiration in Singapore, 

Hanoi and Thailand. Centre is the Crested Partridge, 

brined in ginger and roasted with lemongrass and citrus. 

Below, the Laarb Kwai features fresh Ontario water 

buffalo in a traditional Laotian “tartare” recipe. 

where they could enjoy the amenities offered 

to guests and visitors. This is how they came 

up with the idea of modelling Loloan after a 

lobby bar. Loloan translated means “where the 

river meets the ocean,” and the pool formed in 

this convergence is called a loloan. 

Loloan’s décor is elegant, with the owners’ 

personal tastes expressed in the combination 

of Art Deco opulence paired with colonial 

Indonesian eclecticism. The three-sided 


marble bar seats 25, with comfortable chairs 

upholstered with soft turquoise leather in the 

lounge area. Art Deco statuettes of women 

holding illuminated globes adorn the top 

of the quartz bar every few feet like chic 

hood ornaments. Stylish illuminated globe 

pendants are suspended overhead, adding to 

the bar’s timeless ambience. There are heavy 

revolving doors at the entrance, an intricate 

Art Deco-inspired ceiling, tiled floors, a rotary 

phone from the 1930s, and elephant-branded 

accessories and matchboxes. There are three 

two-tops in the front window, from which to 

watch passersby, and a seasonal street-side 

patio for alfresco eating and drinking called 

the Tuk Tuk Teras. The dining room seats 

around 40 in elegant booths and buttontufted 

banquettes. A well-placed large window 

above the banquettes gives patrons a birdseye 

view into the kitchen. Upstairs above 

the main dining room is the Map Room. 

The luxurious room is reserved for private 

parties and requires reservations and menu 

consultation in advance. 

Chef Jon Rennie, Boehmer’s protégé and 

former sous-chef at Bhima’s, is now chef 

at Loloan. His menus are upscale sensory 

experiences, meticulously conceptualized 

with sumptuously textured offerings that 

are tangy, spicy, aromatic and herbal. Like 

fresh sambal, the flavour building Indonesian 

hot sauce, Loloan’s cuisine packs heat and 

flavour in equal parts. Menus are gastronomic 

forays through the regional and cross-cultural 

cuisines of Southeast Asia, with homage being 

paid to Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Singapore 

and Thailand. Appetizers are modelled on the 

offerings of the small family-owned shacks 

and stalls – warungs – that sell street food 

alongside Indonesia’s roadsides. 

Traditional recipes often comprise up to a 

dozen herb and spice ingredients to achieve 

authenticity. Galangal and lemongrass may 

be essential to building Indonesian flavours, 

but the crushing and grinding of ingredients 

such as chilli peppers and spices, and grinding 

herbs and even fibrous ingredients like 

turmeric, ginger and kaffir lime leaves with 

mortar and pestle are essential. Indonesians 

have developed distinctly original gastronomic 

themes with lemongrass, galangal, tamarind, 

turmeric ginger and cardamom. 

Nem Trio finds its inspiration in Singapore, 

Hanoi and Thailand and consists of seafood 

salpicón (a combination of ingredients 

mixed in sort of a salad) in rice paper with



Wes Klassen, a Certified Sommelier, is pleased to guide 

patrons (above). The Butterfly Pea Flower Martini (right) 

is made with vodka, lychee, butterfly pea flower, served 

with salty-sweet pretzels on a wooden board. 

lemongrass sambal; ca cuon thit is a catfish 

and sausage fried roll with sour cherry nuoc 

(dipping sauce); and ginger-cured arctic char is 

served with somtom (green papaya salad) roll 

and crab oil. Try the Kwai Massaman, curry 

bison short rib, pickled mustard green, chili 

jam, morning glory, mushroom salad and rice; 

or Gaeng Dtaeng Pet with roasted Muscovy 

duck, lychee curry, oyster omelette, smoky 

gapi rice (shrimp paste fried rice) and prik 

nam plaa (classic Thai chilli and fish sauce); 

or Moo Parlow which is pork neck slowly 

braised in star anise caramel liquor, steamed 

rice noodle, crackling, pickled duck egg and 

condiments. Asam Laska features a terrine 

of seafood, pork meatballs, laksa noodle and 

smoky tamarind broth with condiments that 

make it crackle. The Laarb Kwai features 

fresh Ontario water buffalo prepared 

using a traditional Laotian ‘tartare’ recipe. 

Hati Gamuck is a terrine of foie gras with 

heartnuts, buntut (oxtail) gelée, tourtière 

croûte and kumquat sambal. Chef recently 

introduced crested partridge brined in ginger 

and roasted with lemongrass and citrus, 

served with fenugreek and yogurt sauce, 

seasonal vegetables, chutney and belachaung 

(a traditional condiment of fried onions, dried 

shrimp, ginger and red chillies). 

There are a la carte and weekly prix fixe and 

late night street food menus and snacks at the 

bar. The smartly-attired professional staff take 

their well-crafted cocktails seriously and the 

cocktail menu is influenced by flavours and 

combinations from across the globe. Butterfly 

Pea Flower Martini is vodka, lychee, butterfly 

pea flower and salty-sweet pretzels served on 

a wooden board. It finds its inspiration at the 

Siam Kempinski Hotel in Bangkok. The cocktail 

contains butterfly pea flower, which causes 

the drink to change from blue to violet when 

you add the sidecar of lychee. The Balineseinspired 

Ingat (which literally means take care) 

comprises gin, wild gunung honey, fresh kunyit 

(turmeric), tamarind and pomelo. 

There is an extensive bourbon and whisky 

list. Another of Loloan’s strengths is the 

impeccable Wes Klassen, a certified sommelier 

who you may know from Bhima’s Warung, 

Langdon Hall or the former Berlin. He 

skillfully adds another dimension to your 

fine dining enjoyment by guiding patrons 

in pairings that balance the flavours and 

idiosyncrasies of the cuisine. 

Loloan Lobby Bar 

14 Princess Street West, Waterloo 

519-883-1010 

sunday–wednesday 4 pm–12 midnight 

thursday–saturday 4 pm–1 am 

happy hour: 4 pm–5 pm for cocktails and 

snacks at the bar only 

dinner: served from 5 pm 

Eatdrink Food Editor BRYAN LAVERY brings years of 

experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry as 

a chef, restaurateur, and partner in the Lavery Culinary 

Group. Always on the lookout for the stories that Eatdrink 

should be telling, he helps shape the magazine both under 

his byline and behind the scenes. 

Kitchener-based photographer MATTHEW MANNELL 

shows online galleries at www.pbase.com/ricked_wicky.



Stratford is more than 

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Reservations Recommended 

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519.305.6464 

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global tapas with local ingredients 

fresh cocktails 

Perfect for dinner, drinks and long conversations 

Thursday through Sunday from 5pm 

85 Downie St, Stratford 

(next to Avon Theatre) 

519.305.8585 

85Downie.com


“A fun place to shop 

for housewares and gifts!” 


Chalet Chic Serveware, 

a cozy feel for your holiday table. 

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84 Ontario St. Stratford 

watsonsofstratford.com 

519-273-1790


Restaurants 

A Focus on Sharing 

Swine and Vine, in Kitchener 


By ANDREW COPPOLINO 

The concept for the cheekily 

named Kitchener restaurant 

Swine and Vine started with an 

entrepreneurial couple’s passion 

for food and cooking — and a dinner with a 

local restaurateur who directed the pair to 

an existing venue for sale on Kijiji. Jill Sadler 

had worked in the food and beverage industry 

before attending Wilfrid Laurier University 

to study criminology but was drawn back to 

restaurants. “After five years, I missed the 

industry. Doing something like Swine and 

Vine was always in the back of my mind,” she 

says. “Mica and I had tried to buy another 

location a few years ago, but there weren’t 

quite the right conditions. Then, when Ryan 

(Murphy) and Carly (Blasutti) were selling 

Swine and Vine owners Mica and Jill Sadler share a 

passion for food and cooking. 

Public, we talked and decided that this was the 

time to make it happen. It did, and within five 

days, away we went.” 

That was about a year ago, and Swine and 

Vine has continued to grow at its Lancaster 

Street location in Kitchener’s Bridgeport 

neighbourhood. It’s a unique and pleasantly 

comfortable 30-seat restaurant, within the 

extremely popular sharing plates-charcuterie 

board juggernaut that has become firmly 

embedded in the food and beverage industry. 

The approach derived from a perceived gap 

in the market that the pair had identified. 

“We’ve really enjoyed great food centres 

such as Toronto and Montreal and noticed 

that there were always restaurants focused 

on charcuterie,” says Jill, who is the face of 

the business. “It was just something that we 

were surprised Kitchener and Waterloo didn’t 

really have.” Mica Sadler, a veteran of the tech 

industry, works in a contributing capacity to 

the success and evolution of the restaurant. “I 

fill a role that helps the team here out as much 

The menu at Swine and Vine is oriented toward small 

plate and sharing items, including charcuterie.



as I can,” he says. “I’m learning as we go as well.” 

In terms of renovations to the space that was the very 

popular Public Kitchen and Bar, now located a few blocks 

south, the Swine and Vine bar with a half-dozen or so 

stools was re-fashioned and everything was brought up 

to code as a change in ownership usually warrants. “From 

the glass washer to sinks to glycol refrigeration unit, a 

lot had to be upgraded. And I’m from tech, so we had 

to have POS technology in the background,” says Mica. 

The kitchen was overhauled to include a 10-burner stove 

and hood, and fire suppression systems were upgraded. 

“We invested to make this a long-lasting business,” he 

adds. Outside the front door, a 12-seat patio built this 

past spring required a zone variance. Resolving that issue 

allowed additional summer seating. 

The menu, while not completely out of the realm of 

what Public was doing in the space, is oriented toward 

the small plate and sharing approach to food that 

customers were previously used to, according to Jill. 

That process of visiting the restaurant, sharing several 

plates and sitting for the evening is what the owners 

like to do — it made sense to them to continue to offer 

that to their clients. When it comes to restaurants, you 

Hand-crafted cocktails (top photo) are part 

of Jill Salder’s purview (above). The bar 

(below) was refashioned as part of recent 

renovations and upgrades.



The Swine and Vine menu includes an inspired “build your own 

board” option, with various meats, cheeses and condiments. 

have to know what you want in a concept and 

believe in it in order to convince someone else 

to buy into it. “It’s less about the appetizer, 

entrée and dessert approach,”she says. 

Her appreciation for the art and craft of 

charcuterie was deepened when she was part 

of the front-of-house staff at Waterloo’s Red 

House, where chef-owner Dan McCowan and 

then-chef Spencer Vella had been developing 

their program. “The preparation of charcuterie 

comes with a steep learning curve and 

involves a considerable investment of time,” 

Mica says. “But we haven’t deviated from what 

our goal was in the beginning,” adds Jill. 

The focus at Swine and Vine is sharing 

— the kitchen prepares a classic board with 

nduja and a seafood board, among others. 

The “Imposter” vegetarian board is popular. 

Menus are on large chalkboards on the wall, 

including the most popular “build 

your own board” where you select 

the meats, cheeses and condiments. 

Alternatively, you can create a small 

tasting menu drawing from the 

dozen or so sharing items. Features 

at the restaurant include a fondue 

special on Wednesdays, and a 

pint of Ontario beer and a pound 

of mussels on Thursdays. At the 

week’s end, the Saturday brunch 

menu includes eggs Benedict with 

brisket, drunken French toast, and 

a Caprese grilled cheese ($12-$16), to 

name a few. Elsewhere on the menu, 

you might notice unique “pulled” 

jackfruit spring rolls, a duck dish, 

sweetbreads and smoked Cheddar 

and stout dip. Boards like the “OG” 

can easily feed two, especially if 

you share a couple of appetizers: 

it’s home-made duck prosciutto, 

bresaola, terrine, pâté, three or four 

cheeses and bread, warmed olives 

and home-made crunchy mustard. 

Local sommelier and wine consultant 

Rebecca Pettigrew has created a 

list that blends old and new world 

wines, including several Spanish and 

Ontario selections that match the 

often meaty and salty items that 

characterize a charcuterie board. 

Jill Sadler takes care of the 

cocktail program. “Those, of course, 

are currently hugely popular and 

ours are hand-crafted with a menu 

that changes regularly. It plays 

on Old-Fashioneds and Caesars, and we 

just try to elevate them and do some cool 

interpretations,” she says. 

A year or so now into operations, many 

of the customers are repeat Swine and Vine 

visitors, and word-of-mouth — and a strong 

social media presence — are starting to 

expand that circle of guests. “A customer is a 

first-time visitor,” says Mica. “We don’t know 

them. They don’t know us, and they don’t 

know our menu. But a client is that person 

coming back again and again, and they bring 

other people. We see that time and again.” 

With any glitches and wobbles smoothed out 

in the restaurant’s relatively short life, Jill 

says they are now increasingly focused on the 

kitchen and getting as much done as possible 

in-house. That work lies with a tandem 

of co-sous chefs with different expertise.



adds, intimating that there is a future 

possibility next door. It’s evidence 

perhaps of both Sadlers thinking in 

terms of the entire organization as 

a whole and not just the atomistic 

elements of front-of-house, back-ofhouse, 

menus, revenue, expenses, 

and events. “We both have a vision 

that is looking to new avenues 

ahead,” Mica says. 

Gabby Crawford and Nathan Tripp, both 

having cooked at several other restaurants in 

Waterloo Region, split duties that include a 

growing catering business and collaborative 

projects. “We have just started a venture with 

Kitchener brewer Together We’re Bitter. We 

use their beer and make beer pepperettes and 

jerky. We’re packaging that, and they’re selling 

it at the brewery,” says Jill. 

Another project is a much bigger beast 

for Swine and Vine to wrangle. “We’d like to 

expand our footprint in this location,” she 

Swine and Vine 

Unit B-295 Lancaster St. W., Kitchener 

226-476-4418 

www.swineandvine.ca 

tuesday–thursday: 4 pm–11 pm 

friday: 4 pm–12 am 

saturday: 11 am–12 am 

sunday & monday: closed 

ANDREW COPPOLINO is a Kitchener-based writer 

and broadcaster. He is publisher of Waterloo Region 

Eats (waterlooregioneats.com). Andrew also serves as a 

regional Eatdrink Editorial Consultant. 

REIDCHOCOLATES.COM 

42 Ainslie Street North, Cambridge 

519 621 6988 • 1 800 387 7731 

REIDCHOCOLATES.COM 

39 Elgin Street South, Cambridge 

226 616 0720 

55 Wyndham Street North, Guelph 

519 265 8698



Culinary Retail 

Artisanal and Farmstead Cheese 

Meet the Makers and Mongers 


Fifteen years ago Ruth Klahsen was the 

first artisan cheesemaker to receive 

recognition from both chefs and food 

critics in our part of the province. She 

touched off a revolution in the small batch, 

handcrafted cheese world and encouraged 

countless other artisans to follow in her 

footsteps. Her enterprise began in the heart 

of Amish country with the use of Mennonite 

cow’s milk and quickly became well known to 

chefs and culinary enthusiasts. Klahsen has 

often stated that “food needs to be valued in a 

different way and consumers need to step up 

and be willing to pay for quality. We need to 

find a way to make artisanal food production 

viable.” Monforte Dairy is Ontario’s oldest 

operating artisanal cheese company and is 

a well-known presence at farmers’ markets, 

featuring a selection of cheese made from 

goat, sheep, cow and water buffalo milk. 

Amongst all the cheesemongers in the 

Perth, Oxford and Wellington County region, 

Cheesemaker Ruth Klahsen of Monforte Dairy 

Photo by Nigel Dickson 

there are two whose shops have become 

premier destinations for cheese lovers and 

enthusiasts. Milky Whey Fine Cheese Shoppe 

in Stratford, owned by master cheese maker 

Liz Payne, has an extensive selection of 

Canadian and international artisanal cheeses. 

The Whey Back Tasting Room is an intimate, 

cozy and unique space, available for private 

functions and for private cheese tastings and 

pairing events for 12 to 20 people. There is a 

choice of crackers, chutneys and other cheese 

accompaniments on offer. 

Cheesemongers Andrew and Kim Wheeler 

want TOMME “to be the cheese shop a foodcentric 

town like Guelph deserves.” Downtown 

Guelph didn’t have a cheesemonger until 

recently. Located off Market Square at 34 

Carden Street, TOMME offers an impressive 

range of artisanal Canadian and international 

cheeses, including hard to find specialty items 

like Murcia Al Vino. Nicknamed Drunken 

Goat, this Spanish goat’s milk cheese is supple 

and rich in taste. Are you a fan of sheep’s milk 

TOMME cheesemongers Kim and Andrew Wheeler


cheese? Try the incredible raw-milk pecorino 

from Pienza in Italy, wrapped in walnut leaves 

and aged for months in earthenware crocks. 

The result is crumbly, deliciously sharp, and 

pleasantly herbal. 

The friendly owners are quick with 

intelligent advice. They hand-cut each order 

to ensure premium flavour and quality. The 

Wheelers also offer a grilled cheese panini 

at lunchtime, cheese boards, local beer, craft 

cider and wine. There is a selection of olives, 

salami, spreads and crackers available, as well 

as cheese accessories. 

Artisanal cheese producers have 

evolved as rules for milk management 

relaxed to allow on-farm cheese making 

in limited amounts. True artisanal 

cheese cannot be mass-produced and 

is limited in quantity with specific 

characteristics deemed to be specialty 

in nature. Crafted from the milk collected 

on the same farm where the 

cheese is produced, farmstead cheese 

is also sometimes referred to as farmhouse 

cheese. Farmstead cheesemakers 

only use milk from animals they 

raise, unlike artisan cheese which may 

include milk purchased and transported 

from off-farm sources. 

Stonetown Artisan Cheese, outside 

St Marys, produces 14 Swiss 

mountain-style cheeses, handcrafted 

by master cheesemaker 

Ramon Eberle. The facility also 

produces two different types of goat 

cheeses: Capri Ella is a Tilsit-style 

cheese and Grey is a Gruyere. Using 

unpasteurized milk from farmers 

Hans and Jolanda Weber’s herd of 

Holsteins, Eberle uses raw milk so 

that the cheese ripens as naturally as 

possible while the flavours improve 

with maturation. Award-winning 

cheese, curds and other local products 

are available to buy on-site at 

the farm store Tuesday to Saturday. 

Guided tours allow you to see the 

process of cheese making. 5021 Perth 

County Line 8 (Kirkton Road), St. 

Marys, stonetowncheese.com 


Meet the Cheesemakers on the 

Oxford County Cheese Trail 

The Oxford County Cheese Trail is a curated 

list of roughly 30 stops featuring cheese, 

dairy and related offerings for visitors to 

experience. Some of the newer stops are 

Habitual Chocolate in Woodstock, which 

makes hot chocolate, lattes and ice cream 

from scratch using local dairy, and Wild 

Comfort, which has opened just down the 

road from Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese, making 

products using local goat’s milk. Two Cheese 

Cheese makers you might meet on the Oxford 

County Cheese Trail: Spencer Haskett of Bright 

Cheese and Butter (top), Shep Ysselstein of 

Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese (centre), and Ellis 

Morris of Quality Sheep Milk.


Trail partners offering new experiences 

are Cindy Walker’s Chocolatea, offering a 

Truffle Camp, and Ottercreek Woodworks 

with tree-to-table cheese and charcuterie 

boards. Ottercreek Woodworks specializes 

in beautiful, handcrafted boards using 

sustainably sourced local wood. Each piece 

of wood is handpicked for its organic shape 

and unique character features so you’re sure 

to find a piece you’ll love for years to come. 

Pieces are also available at Gunn’s Hill in 

Woodstock and Bright’s Cheese and Butter. 

Mountainoak Cheese, located near New 

Hamburg, is located out of Oxford County 

but is closely tied to the nearby community 

of Plattsville. Adam van Bergeijk and his wife 

Hannie took over the family dairy farm in 

Holland from Adam’s parents in 1976. From 

the beginning, they had an interest in making 

artisan cheese on the farm. After studying 

cheesemaking in Gouda, Holland and running 

their own dairy farm outside New Hamburg, 

the van Bergeijks founded Mountainoak 

Cheese in 1996. The state-of-the-art facility 


uses milk from their herd. They offer 18 

flavours of cheese including Wild Nettle, 

Black Truffle Gouda and other award-winning 

varieties. 3165 Huron Road, New Hamburg, 

mountainoakcheese.com 

Another award-winner on the Trail is 

Shep and Colleen Ysselstein’s Gunn’s Hill 

Artisan Cheese. Since the 1800s Gunn’s Hill, 

near Woodstock, has been a dairy farm. The 

Yesselstein family purchased it in the 1960’s. 

Raised on his family dairy farm, Shep honed 

his cheese making skills with apprenticeships 

in Switzerland, United States, and British 

Columbia. Gunn’s Hill has been producing 

Swiss-style cheeses since 2011 and has 

established a reputation for excellence for 

its 15 offerings. Be sure to try the awardwinning 

aged Handeck and the flagship 

Five Brothers cheese, which is similar to a 

Swiss Appenzeller. 445172 Gunn’s Hill Road, 

Woodstock, gunnshillcheese.ca 

In 1874 local farmers created Bright Cheese 

and Butter to put their surplus milk to use, 

with an emphasis on producing cheddar. By 

the twentieth century Bright Cheese had 

expanded, as had the market for Canadian 

cheddar, which was Canada’s second largest 

export. This led to the establishment of 1,242 

cheddar factories in Ontario. Today Bright 

Adam van Bergerijk (above) and his wife Hannie of 

Mountainoak Cheese are among the regions numerous 

award-winning cheese makers. Amarjit Singh (below) 

and his family produce all-natural cheeses, including 

Mexican and Latin American crema and queso.



Celebrate the Culture of Cheese 

www.OxfordCountyCheeseTrail.ca 

1-866-801-7368 x3355 

tourism@oxfordcounty.ca 

@TourismOxford


continues to craft award-winning cheeses at 

the 1800s factory and is known for all-natural, 

naturally-aged cheese made with 100% 

local milk, in the old-fashioned way. Aged 

cheddars, Asiago, colby, Monterey Jack, feta, 

havarti and specialty flavours are available 

in the shop. 816503 County Rd 22, Bright, 

brightcheeseandbutter.com 

Local Dairy Products owner Amarjit Singh, 

his wife Gurinder Kaur, and son Sajeev Singh 

produce high quality artisanal, local and 

all-natural dairy products out of a historic 

cheese factory in Ingersoll. You’ll find unique 

products inspired by the international world 

of cheese including Mennonite-inspired 

cheese, and traditional Mexican and Latin 

American crema and queso. There are over 

20 vegetarian products as well as authentic 

Indian dairy products, yogurt, (also buffalo 

milk) cultured butter, ghee, Koch Kase, dulce 

de leche, and cajeta caramel, produced under 

the Asli, La Vaquita and Perth County brands. 

139 Victoria St, Ingersoll, localdairy.ca 

Quality Sheep Milk Ltd.’s goats and sheep 

are fed dry hay with a non-GMO product grain 

diet and are milked twice a day to produce 


cheese on the 128-acre farm, operated by Ellis, 

Hazel and Sion Morris. Half the milk produced 

is used to craft a variety of cheese and create 

Greek-style yogurt. While on the Oxford 

County Cheese Trail, stop by the farm to pick 

up the trail’s only feta (both smoked and 

Greek-style) or the Italian-inspired pecorino 

Romano or pecorino Cortenese. They also 

make Gouda, cheddar and manchego cheese. 

Around the Region 

A small on-farm family business close to 

Lake Huron, Blyth Farm Cheese is proficient 

in the whole procedure of crafting great 

varieties of goat milk cheese. Everything 

from the farming and the cheese making to 

the packaging is completed on the farm. The 

Van Dorps have been successful farmers and 

cheesemakers for generations. The business is 

steeped in family roots and traditions while 

innovating and creating fresh and delicious 

variations of goat milk flavours such as 

smoked, jalapeno, nettle and “Blyth’s Drunken 

Goat,” a Gouda-style soaked in merlot. 82521 

Allboro Line, Blyth, blythfarmcheese.ca 

Operations at C’estbon Cheese began as 

Your Local, Fresh and Wholesome Gourmet Market. 

We are passionate about Food and Community!


a retirement project for George Taylor 18 

years ago when he swapped a flock of sheep 

for a herd of Toggenburg and La Mancha 

goats. Taylor began crafting small-batch, 

on-farm cheese using only the milk from his 

own herd to create his proprietary C’estbon 

chèvre. In time Taylor relocated his goats to 

a neighbouring farm. The goat milk is now 

delivered from a local producer, Hewitt’s 

Dairy. Not a single item leaves C’estbon 

without Taylor’s thumbprint on it. 4675 Line 

3, St Marys, cestboncheese.com 

Oak Grove Cheese Factory, located in New 

Hamburg, is independently owned and has 

been a family operation since 1879. The factory 

maintains the quality of its cheese products by 

continuing to produce cheese in the same way 

as when the Langenegger family first started, 

over 80 years ago. Today there are fourth and 

fifth generations of the family working in 

the business. This is where you go to buy the 

creamy, washed-rind, strong-smelling cow’s 

milk, Limburger. 29 Bleams Road East, New 

Hamburg, oakgrovecheese.ca 

As founding members of Ewenity Dairy 

Co-op, cheesemaker Elisabeth Bzikot and 

husband Eric of Best Baa Dairy in Fergus buy 

raw sheep milk from the small co-operative to 

make quality gourmet sheep milk products like 

yogurt and ice cream, and a fine collection of 

firm and soft sheep cheeses such as Mouton 

Rouge, a 60-day-aged raw milk cheese, and 

Ramembert, a creamy camembert style cheese. 

820 Gartshore Road, Fergus, bestbaa.com 

Driving the back roads through 

Southwestern Ontario you can sample 

award-winning local and artisanal cheeses, 

and savour scratch baking and other locally 

produced products. Explore the Oxford 

County Cheese Trail, visit a cheese factory 

or an on-farm cheese producer, and be sure 

to check out the museums devoted to cheese 

history and the region’s dairy heritage. 

Eatdrink Food Editor BRYAN LAVERY brings years of 

experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry as 

a chef, restaurateur, and partner in the Lavery Culinary 

Group. Always on the lookout for the stories that Eatdrink 

should be telling, he helps shape the magazine both under 

his byline and behind the scenes. 

Photography credit: Dudek Photography 

Farm to table award winning 

hand crafted alpine style cheese 

Tuesday to Friday 9am–5pm 

Saturday 9am–4pm 

Stonetown Artisan Cheese 

5021 Perth Line 8 

St. Marys ON 

Gift Baskets & 

Gift Boxes 

Cheese Trays 

Fondue & Raclette 

Fresh Curds 

519-229-6856 

info@stonetowncheese.com 

www.stonetowncheese.com 

Award Winning 

Artisan Cheese 

Gift Baskets to meet 

any need and price range 

Come Experience Our World! 

Visit our cheese shop and sample our unique 

handmade cheeses. 

See and learn about how cheese is made. 

Enjoy the scenery on our 3-generation family farm. 

Group tours are available by reservation. 

Monday–Saturday 9-5 

Christmas Eve 9–2 

Closed Christmas 

& Boxing Day 

445172 Gunn's Hill Rd, Woodstock, ON 

519-424-4024 

www.gunnshillcheese.ca


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Road Trips 

Take Your Time 

Discovering the Pleasures of a Small Town: St. Marys 

By NANCY McSLOY 

While attending an event in St. 

Marys, Ontario, I decided that 

this beautiful town merited 

a longer and more leisurely 

visit. On a bright, sunny Saturday morning 

in October we drove northeast from London, 

with a list of places to visit. The short drive 

was enhanced by the masses of spectacular 

colour as the leaves were turning to their 

autumn colours of orange, crimson and gold. 

Our first stop was the farmers’ market, 

which is open from May until October. At 

Breadtopia, which has a wide selection of 

breads and pastries, we bought freshly baked 

ginger snaps, red onion and aged cheddar 

focaccia, and loaves of Stonetown and Thames 

Grain bread. We left the market laden as 

well with fresh-from-the-farm vegetables, 

delectable pastries from an Amish family’s 

booth, and some Middle Eastern treats 

from The Syrian Baker, known for baklava, 

sambosaks (samosas), falafels and hummus. 

Next stop was McCully’s Hill Farm Market. 

At the store entrance we were met by the 

aroma of freshly-baked apple and pumpkin 

pies. The huge variety of baked goods, 

maple syrup, fresh local meat and cheeses, 

homemade pickles, jams and preserves made 

for another shopping spree. After a tour of 

the barn, where we met the farm animals, we 

Discover the culinary and cultural diversity of the 

farmers’ market in St. Marys



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were treated to a sampling of Fiege’s Gourmet 

Dressings and Sauces, which led to yet more 

shopping. 

One can’t visit St. Marys without checking out 

the local cheeses. Hans and Jolanda Weber, with 

Swiss cheese maker Ramon Eberle, have brought 

the art of cheese making to St. Marys by opening 

Stonetown Artisan Cheese. Our guide gave us an 

interesting and informative tour of the facility, 

and we enjoyed samples of some of Stonetown’s 

14 different curds and cheeses. It is no surprise 

that Stonetown is a two-time award winner at 

the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. 

Agritourism is alive and well in St. Marys. 

Transvaal Farm Guest House is a two-storey 

house with a living room and fully equipped 

kitchen on the main floor and two bedrooms 

upstairs. The hosts, Cindy Taylor and Scott 

McLauchlan, make their guests feel at home. 

Eggs are there for the gathering, visits to the 

barn are encouraged, and the vegetable garden 

is there, in season, for guests. Transvaal Farm 

is also home to another artisanal cheese maker, 

C’est Bon Cheese Ltd. Cindy also operates 

Kitchen Smidgen, a small bakery on Water Street 

in St. Marys. There’s a patio where you can enjoy 

your treats in nice weather, overlooking the 

Thames. 

Troyer’s Spices on Queen St. is filled with over 

100 quality herbs and spices from around the 

world and is a utopia for chefs, bakers and home 

cooks. Over 55 herb and spice combinations are 

handcrafted in the store, and are displayed in 

large glass jars. You can bring your own spice 

containers or purchase items pre-packaged. 

Other quality goods available include Aunt 

Milly’s Soup Mixes, oils, vinegars, vanilla 

products, local honey, organic maple syrup, and 

Urban Hippie Granola. 

Of course we had to check out The Chocolate 

Factory to try the homemade truffles. It was a challenge 

to choose between truffles, smoothies, chocolates and the 

specialty Halloween creations. 

It was time for a coffee break, so a stop at Stonetown 

Coffee was in order. The coffee was great and the 

homemade pastries and cakes looked mouth-watering (but 

I was full from all the sampling earlier). The atmosphere 

was friendly and relaxed with people visiting amongst 

themselves while others relaxed in armchairs by the 

windows. Stonetown Coffee serves breakfast and lunch, 

and gluten-free items. 

After our check-in at the award-winning Westover Inn 

From meeting some of the animals at Transvaal Farm Guest house, to 

exploring the shops and cafés in town, you’ll find plenty to do while 

discovering the small town of St. Marys.


The elegant dining room at Westover Inn 

our hostess Kaitlynn gave us a tour of the 

historic property. Built in 1867 by the Hutton 

Brothers, The Manor sits on 19 landscaped 

acres, along with two other buildings that also 

provide accommodations. The property was 

bought by the Roman Catholic Church in the 

1930’s and was operated as a seminary. The 

property was sold again 1985, and after two 

years of renovations the Westover Inn began 

receiving guests. The walls are lined with 

hospitality awards and it is apparently one of 

Christopher Plummer’s favorite inns. 

For dinner we headed off to the Wildstone 

Bar and Grill at Stone Willow Inn. The 

atmosphere was inviting and comfortable, 

and the service friendly and professional. The 

chicken breast with lemon grass, mango and 

strawberry reduction, served with rice and 

vegetables and topped with toasted coconut, 

was cooked to flavourful perfection. The 

evening special was prime rib, cooked to order. 

We topped off the evening with specialty 

coffees and shared a piece of cheesecake with 

fresh fruit. Wildstone Bar and Grill offers a 

selection of regional wines and craft beers. 

Breakfast at the Westover was an early 

morning pleasure. My order of smoked 

salmon on a house-made mustard seed bagel 

with cream cheese and arugula was served 

with a fresh fruit salad. The perfect ending to 

a perfect weekend. 

For years our vacations were long trips; 

I wanted to see the world. Now I am loving 

the short weekend jaunts and day trips. It is 

amazing what you can find close to home. 

NANCY LOUCKS-McSLOY is a freelance writer who 

loves cooking and entertaining. Her work has appeared 

in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Fur-Bearing Trout and 

Other True Tales of Canadian Life, McLean’s, Vitality and 

many other publications. 

Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex 

Contact Kelly Marshall 

Show Manager 

226.927.2749 

kellymarshall@live.com 

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extensively advertised via social media, radio, billboards, print, 

signage, etc. 

• Branding Create and enhance your company’s image. Ensure 

consumers think of your business first when they are ready to eat 

and drink. Increase your business familiarity and trust. 

• Reminders People forget. Out of sight, out of mind. The 

more impressions you make, the longer people remember. Have 

a competitive advantage over non-participating businesses. 

Presented by



The BUZZ 

Culinary Community Notes 

New and Notable 

Compiled by ANDREW COPPOLINO, BRYAN LAVERY and THE EDITORS 

This column consists of regional culinary 

news, including a large scoop of local 

news and inside information. There 

is no charge to be included here, and 

we encourage chefs, restaurateurs, brewers, 

fundraisers, culinary artisans, farmers — and 

everyone else with information to share — to send 

us details. Short and sweet! We want to include as 

many items as possible. See the end of this column 

for contact details. 

Kitchener 

With about 10 locations in Ontario, Pi Co. Pizza Bar 

opened in Fairview Park in late September. Heating to 

nearly 1,000-degrees F, the oven is a bell oven similar 

to those used at Famoso Waterloo and La Cucina 

Kitchener. The Pi Co. Pizza Bar process is make-yourown 

— well, selecting your own toppings at least, 

if not sticking your arm in small blast furnace. The 

organization, its dough and its pizza-making process 

is certified “Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana,” or 

authentic Neapolitan pizza. 

Swine and Vine is now open for Saturday brunch. 

The small casual restaurant in the Bridgeport 

neighbourhood is serving a Benedict brisket, 

drunken French toast, gnocchi poutine and a wild 

boar bacon sandwich among others. Check out the 

profile article of Swine and Vine elsewhere in this 

edition. 

Some long-time locals might remember Arpo’s 

Dugout, a basement venue at 15 Scott Street. The 

location was most recently the Stonegate Bistro 

until it was shuttered. Coming soon, however, is The 

Underground, a restaurant that promises fresh and 

quick takeaway or dine-in. 

Located in the historical Tannery building in 

Downtown Kitchener, Taste at the Tannery is a social 

hub for lunch and dinner, where guests can connect 

with friends while enjoying bold flavours and good 

times! Taste’s menu is full of dishes just waiting to be 

paired with favourite local craft brews, wines or unique 

cocktails. 121 Charles St W, Kitchener, tastetannery.ca 

Meticulously designed, The Walper Hotel provides a 

unique, modern boutique experience. It was built in 

1893, and its most recent refurbishment combines 

contemporary building technology with the best 

of the hotel’s heritage features. The Lokal is the 

striking piano bar and lounge on the second floor. 

Enjoy craft cocktails (try the Black Martini) and 

converse with friendly upbeat staff in TWH Social, 

the subterranean bar/bistro. The menu is touted as 

“local ingredients done well, with a thoughtfully 

sourced menu focused on sustainability and 

diversity.” Breakfast at the Barristers Lounge is a 

treat. 20 Queen Street South, Kitchener, walper.com 

Charcoal Group offers unique dining packages. 

Book a chauffeured luxury stretch limousine for 

eight people and ride in style to a “progressive 

dinner” at up to five different Charcoal Group 

locations. Enjoy a different course and beverage 

at each stop. Suggested destinations include: 

Charcoal Steakhouse, dels Enoteca Pizzeria 

and Martini’s in Kitchener; The Bauer Kitchen, 

Wildcraft Grill + Bar in Waterloo; and Beertown 

Public House in Waterloo, Cambridge and London. 

The family-friendly Moose Winooski’s in Kitchener 

is also in the Charcoal Group fold. 519-894-0110, 

charcoalgroup.ca/events 

Waterloo 

Lot 88 Steakhouse and Bar is opening in the former 

space of Wildfire, Baton Rouge and other restaurants 

that have struggled in that very large space. The 

ostensible hook to the place is a lava rock grill and 

“steaks cooked at your table,” according to the 

company’s website. Lot 88 has sister restaurants in 

Sudbury, North Bay and Winnipeg. 

It came. It saw. It faltered. Weber Street Public House 

has been closed by the landlord after only a few 

months. The pub opened this past summer. A note 

posted on the door outlines that terms of the lease 

are in default and the business has been shut down. 

It’s the same for the oddly named Vegetarian & 

Fast Food restaurant in University Plaza on Philip


Street. The place was open for nearly two decades; 

now closed for business. 

In and around (and around) one of the many traffic 

roundabouts that dot the landscape in north 

Waterloo, look for Naranji to open at 646 Erb 

Street West, near Ira Needles Boulevard. The food 

is Middle Eastern, so one would imagine that there 

will be shawarma. 

T&T Supermarket, Erb and Westmount, is a giant 

food outlet that has been eagerly anticipated in 

the city and scheduled to open December 5. It will 

settle in, no doubt, as well as B&T and New City 

supermarkets have settled in in downtown Kitchener. 

Look for something wild, new and exciting at 

Wildcraft. Stay tuned. We can’t say more. 

Pizzas that move away from the traditional heavy, 

dense crust and oozing gobs of cheese are becoming 

more and more popular, it would seem. With 20 

locations in both Canada and the U.S., Vivo Pizza and 

Pasta has opened on Parkside Drive in north Waterloo. 

You can choose from a dozen pizzas and 10 pastas. 

After a solid run as the premier chocolatier 

in Waterloo Region — and in fact much of 

Southwestern Ontario — Ambrosia Pastry Co. had 

its last day in early November. Owner Aura Hertzog 

is moving on with a new food venture, coming soon. 

“Big emotions around this today,” Hertzog wrote on 

Ambrosia’s Facebook page on the business’s last 

day. “Tim and I created a special little business. As 

I say good-bye to this, and let go, I open my heart 

even more. Thanks to all my friends and family who 

supported us.” 

A brand spankin’ new Balzac’s opened this fall on 

Philip Street near the University of Waterloo. The 

small elegant chain with carefully selected and 

curated coffees has outlets in Toronto, Stratford, 

Kitchener, Kingston, Niagara, Guelph and St. 

Catharines. 


Coming soon from the folks who opened Arabesque 

on Victoria Street, Kitchener: Chic Pea. It’s a 

Middle Eastern restaurant currently in build-out 

phase and will feature fresh, healthy local food 

with vegetarian selections and unique charcoal 

barbecue chicken cookery. The name, according to 

the owner, is a play on chicken and a veg dish like 

hummus, which uses chickpeas. Look for it to open 

in early December, the restaurant gods willing. 

In early November — and following the growing 

trend — Beertown, part of the Charcoal Group, 

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 to Dec. 19 

PLUS June–Labour Day: Tues 10-5 

www.steedandcompany.com 

Join us for our 

Christmas 

Open House 

November 

24 & 25 

Award-winning, year-round 

Food + drink tours 

with a heritage twist 

tastedetours.ca 

Gift 

Certificates 

available


has launched a vegan-friendly menu. According 

to corporate executive chef of Charcoal Group of 

Restaurants Todd Clarmo, more guests are looking 

for plant-based dishes, as are members of the 

restaurant team. “I wanted to curate a menu that 

was creative and craveable for everyone and not 

alienate anybody,” Clarmo says. “I searched out 

and tasted many different plant-based proteins 

and created from there. I kept the same Beertown 

cuisine and applications but with a vegan twist. 

We’ve also expanded our gluten-friendly menu 

quite extensively, as this is also in large demand.” 

Adding its app to the growing juggernaut that 

is mobile connectivity to food and delivery is 

Montreal-based Chef on Call. Located in The Hub 

at 130 Columbia Street near Lester Street near the 

University of Waterloo — or more strategically, 

the massive agglomeration of student housing in 

the immediate vicinity — the unique idea for a food 

outlet is capitalizing on the trend of bypassing a 

restaurant experience entirely and ordering food on 

one’s phone. 

John Cerny’s Sole Restaurant and Wine Bar is 

situated in a stunning 150-year-old Seagram’s 

building, minutes west of the Waterloo Uptown 

core. The interior soars two stories high to a timber 

frame ceiling, and exposed brick and wood finishes 

set the tone for an elegant yet casual experience. 

The menu is inspired by the Mediterranean and 

features excellent thin crust pizza, traditional 

pastas, vegetarian entrees, steaks and rack of lamb. 

A stellar dish of crisp, fried polenta with bocconcini 

and tomato ragu was superb. An extensive wine list, 

great selection of Scotch, and local and imported 

beers on tap complement the experience. Service is 

professional, knowledgeable and friendly. 83 Erb St 

W, Building Two, Waterloo, 519 747-5622 sole.ca 

We are constantly hearing great things about 

Proof Kitchen & Lounge, located in the Delta Hotel 

in Uptown Waterloo, on the site of the historic 

Seagram Barrel Yards. Proof offers a contemporary 

dining experience with stunning ambience. A chefdriven 

menu features local ingredients with an 

emphasis on global flavours. Chef Jeritt Raney’s 

menus are complemented by expertly crafted 

cocktails, a well-chosen wine list, and a diverse 

selection of local craft beers. 110 Erb Street West, 

Waterloo, 519 208 3333, proofwaterloo.com 

On King Street near Willis Way, 21 Fir Whiskey Bar & 

Kitchen blends southern and classic dishes amidst 

a prohibition-inspired atmosphere. The creative 

kitchen serves up delightful comfort food staples 

with a clever southern twist, while the bar offers 

elevated cocktails and boasts an extensive collection 


of whiskey. 100 King St S, Waterloo, 21fir.com 

Chef/owner Dan Mc Cowan’s Red House is located 

in a red house in Uptown Waterloo that has 

been converted into an intimate, relaxed bistro 

restaurant. Featuring fresh food inspired by quality 

ingredients, the menu changes daily to incorporate 

new and seasonal flavours. Fresh salads, inventive 

starters and entrées feature beef, duck, curries, 

pastas and vegetarian dishes. On Tuesdays, bring a 

friend and share delicious selections from the tapas 

menu. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday, 

and brunch and dinner Saturday. 30 William St W, 

Waterloo, redhouseuptown.ca 

The Waterloo Hotel in the city’s uptown is closing 

after more than three decades in business. The 

15-room boutique hotel is located at the corner of 

King and Erb streets. The historic building dates 

back to 1890 and its south Erb Street and west King 

Street façades are listed by the City of Waterloo as 

designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. 

Looking for unique gift ideas, decorations or 

ingredients for your holiday meals? Local farmers, 

retailers and artisans are ready for your business. 

Check out the Taste Real Holiday Food and Gift 

Guide. https://www.wellington.ca/en/business/ 

tr-holidayfoodandgiftguide.aspx 

Cambridge 

Taking over the vacant restaurant spot that was the 

short-lived The Stables in Hespeler, Choun Kitchen 

describes itself as Asian fusion. That would likely be 

ramen, Thai street-style fried rice, and banh mi with 

mom’s house soup — doesn’t that sound nice? 

Pickle Barrel, the popular Toronto chain, has 

opened on Hespeler Road in the former Milestones 

location. With about a dozen outlets in Toronto, this 

is the first time the popular restaurant has opened a 

location outside of the GTA. It has a huge menu and, 

having started out as a deli, smokes meat in-house. 

Check out Malasada World on Ainslie Street North 

at Dickson in downtown Galt for a new and delicious 

range of sandwiches and dough-nutty treats, from 

bifanas and fried chicken sandwiches to a hybrid 

Portuguese sweet that sees a malasada crossed 

with a pastel de nata custard tart; it’s called, 

perhaps not surprisingly, a DoughNata. 

Undoubtedly a gem in the crown of Waterloo 

Region dining, Langdon Hall Country House 

Hotel and Spa has staked its claim among the 

best in Canada. Earlier this year it was selected 

as the No. 5 Best Restaurant by Canada’s 100 

Best. Surrounded by Carolinian forest, Langdon 

Hall is one of 13 properties in Canada recognized


by Relais & Châteaux for achieving benchmark 

standards of excellence, and is known for incredible 

Five-Diamond dining experiences, exquisite 

accommodations and storybook architecture. 1 

Langdon Drive, Cambridge, langdonhall.ca 

Since 1948 Reids has been a local destination and 

tradition to many in the Cambridge community 

and beyond. Originally a specialty nut shop, 

Reids began to offer handmade chocolates and 

confections after husband and wife Tom and Kathy 

Drew-Smith gained ownership in 1971. It is now 

owned and operated by brother and sister team, 

Ted Drew-Smith and Carrie Peart. Reids marked 

its 70th year with its largest expansion to date. 

In addition to its flagship store on Ainslie Street 

North in Downtown Cambridge (Galt), you can now 

also find Reids locations on Elgin Street South in 

Cambridge (Galt) and in The Old Quebec Street Mall 

in Downtown Guelph. reidchocolates.com 

Cambridge Mill recently announced the 

appointment of Joel LaBute to the role of 

Executive Chef. In addition to bringing with 

him a fresh culinary perspective, Joel is deeply 

committed to using sustainable, organic and 

ethical food sources — so much so that he and 

his wife run their very own farm. Referring to his 

culinary style as “connection-based cuisine,” Joel 

aims to reflect the journey from farmer to chef 

to guest with a clean, refined approach to rustic 

farm-to-table cuisine. 130 Water Street North, 

Cambridge, cambridgemill.ca 

The Bruce Craft House, a name forged out of fire, 

craft beer and local food, is the new restaurant 

collaboration between the Cambridge Hotel 

and Conference Centre and B Hospitality. The 

restaurant features a stone-fired oven for pizza and 

other baked goods, and a number of craft beers 

on tap. Chef Aaron Clyne’s menu features dishes 

from a variety of regions and menu items highlight 

local food producers, such as goat cheese from 

Woolwich, and Carrick Hill Farm’s free range pulled 

chicken. cambridgehotel.ca/the-bruce-craft-house 

Blackshop Restaurant and Wine Bar is a 

Cambridge landmark operated by John Cerny. 

This well-designed restaurant offers innovative 

and traditional cooking, delivered in a casual yet 

elegant atmosphere. The ambiance is comfortable 

and appealing, offering high-quality continental 

cuisine in an unpretentious way. There are premium 

beers on tap, a wide scotch selection and an 

extensive wine list. Located on Hespeler Road, 2 

sets of lights south of the 401, beside the Travelodge 

Hotel, 595 Hespeler Rd, Cambridge, blackshop.ca 

BIG OR SMALL, 

WE CATER ’EM ALL 

We specialize in bringing Southern hospitality 

and our award-winning food to your special 

occasion. 

OUR PLACE OR YOURS 

Our upstairs event space, 

The Lanc Loft, features a 

full bar, separate washrooms, 

PA system, tables and chairs. 

Our fully-mobile food truck has complete 

kitchen facilities wherever you need us! 

EAT LOCAL. EAT FRESH. 

lancsmokehouse.com 

574 Lancaster Street West Kitchener ON 

Monday–Saturday Open @ 11:30am 

Contact our Catering Manager for booking inquiries 

519.743.4331 | info@lancsmokehouse.com 

something 

for 

EVERYONE 

Cambridge Farmers’ 

Market 

Circa 1830 

Saturday Year Round 

7:00am - 1:00pm 

www.cambridgefarmersmarket.ca


Guelph & Wellington County 

Celebrate the festive season with Guelph Farmers’ 

Market. The Merry Maker Night Market offers an 

opportunity for a seasonal celebration and a special 

last-minute shopping opportunity with more than 

80 vendors including specialty produce, artisans, 

food trucks, VQA wines and live entertainment. 

Wednesday, December 19, 4:00 – 9:00 pm. 

Alex Tami’s Sugo on Surrey, an Italian Restaurant 

with a Mediterranean influence, recently opened. 

117 Surrey Street East, Guelph, sugoguelph.com 

Earlier this year John Sleeman announced he 

was repatriating 100,000 hectolitres of beer 

currently produced in the United States. Sleeman is 

hoping to have his new craft distillery, Spring Mill 

Distilleries, up and running by Christmas. While the 

distillery will initially produce vodka and gin, there 

are plans to also produce a number of different 

whiskies. 

Crafty Ramen owners Jared and Miki Farrell 

studied the form at Yamoto Ramen School in Japan. 

The 500 square-foot noodle shop makes its own 

noodles in-house daily from Canadian wheat. The 

kitchen is dedicated to great ingredients like earthy, 

pork-duck broth made with locally sourced meat 

and bones which are supplied by Trotters Butcher 

Shop. Vegetarian broth is made from a combination 

of cherry tomatoes, kombu seaweed and shiitake 

mushrooms. 17 Macdonell St, Guelph, 519 824-8330, 

craftyramen.com 

Ron Hill and Tammy Hsieh’s Queen’s Café opened 

in September at the corner of Elizabeth and Victoria 

Road South. The menu features pan-roasted 

chicken supreme, beef short ribs, coconut shrimp, 

antojitos, a buttermilk chicken sandwich, and 

pastrami on rye, avocado toast, steak and eggs and 

buttermilk pancakes. The café is very popular for 

weekend breakfasts. 48 Victoria Rd. S., Guelph 

Join the Guelph Film Festival for the ‘Taste Reel’ 

Local Food and Film event at The Common café in 

Guelph on Sunday, December 9. calendar.wellington. 

ca/tastereal/Detail/2018-12-09-1900-Taste-Reel-A- 

Series-of-Films-and-Food-Behind-the-C 

The Townships & Beyond 

After two winners at the Royal Winter Fair (Fontina 

and Farmstead Emmental both won 1st place in 

their categories), Stonetown Cheese competed at 

the British Empire Cheese Competition and was 

honoured with First Place for Grand Trunk, First 

Place for Farmstead Emmental and First Place 

for Farmstead Fontina. 5021 Perth County Line 8 

(Kirkton Road), St. Marys, stonetowncheese.com 


Gunn’s Hill Cheese has been awarded the Grand 

Champion in the Variety Cheese Category for 

the 5 Brothers at the Royal Winter Fair’s cheese 

competition for 2018. 445172 Gunn’s Hill Road, 

Woodstock, gunnshillcheese.ca 

After two winners at the Royal Winter Fair (First 

Place for Wild Nettle and Third Place for Farmstead 

Smoked) Mountainoak Cheese competed at 

the British Empire Cheese Competition and was 

honoured when Farmstead Gold won First Place 

in its category, and the Farmstead 3 Year and Goat 

Gouda won Second Place. 3165 Huron Road, New 

Hamburg, mountainoakcheese.com 

Pub Trivia at Upper Thames Brewing Company: 

Join the Woodstock Public Library at Upper Thames 

Brewing Company for pub trivia and test your 

knowledge on December 19. Come in a team of 

five or join in upon arrival. Also enjoy Saturday 

afternoons in December with live music by 

Rockwell. upperthamesbrewing.ca 

Truffle Camp Experience: Step into the role of 

chocolatier for an evening as you work with 

Cindy Walker of Chocolatea to learn the art of 

truffle-making and handcraft your own batch of 

12 truffles. Work with a mix of local ingredients 

from neighboring farms to understand the terroir 

and flavours that make up Southwestern Ontario. 

December 1, 16 and 22. chocolatea.ca/product/ 

truffle-camp 

Elora Mill Hotel & Spa is a one-of-a-kind 

destination, nestled in the heart of a charming 

village, with panoramic views from its perch atop a 

thundering gorge. Originally built in the mid-1850s 

and rescued from bankruptcy by Pearle Hospitality 

in 2010, this iconic landmark has undergone an 

exciting transformation. Chef John Bakker recently 

served as Executive Chef of Gili Lankanfushi, a 

retreat destination voted #1 Luxury Resort in Asia 

for 2017. In addition to his time in the Maldives, 

Bakker made notable stops in Scandinavia, 

Germany, France and the United Kingdom, working 

in some of the most impressive kitchens in Europe. 

Bakker returned to his hometown to take the 

helm of the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa kitchen and 

leverage his vast international knowledge to bring 

something unique to the Elora experience. His goal 

is to put Elora Mill Hotel & Spa on the culinary map 

by taking Pearle Hospitality’s food philosophy to 

the next level. eloramill.ca 

When you are in Fergus be sure to check out Wesley 

Clarke’s Daddy’s Butcher Shop. Clarke is taking 

orders for the holiday season. He is featuring 

turkeys (whole birds or boneless roasts), prime


rib, tenderloin or sirloin (cut to size), pork roasts 

with crackling, duck, goose, pheasant, capons and 

Cornish hens. 168 St. Andrew Street West, Fergus, 

daddysbutcher.ca 

Woolwich 

Many folks will likely be disappointed that Hilltop 

Acres Poultry Products will no longer be selling at 

the popular stand at the equally popular St. Jacobs 

Market. The farm store in Bloomingdale announced 

recently that it will focus on on-farm sales and will 

be open for business Tuesday to Saturday. 

New Hamburg 

Chef/owners Klaus Ristanovic and Janet Duncan 

opened Jake and Humphrey’s Bistro in a charming 

old house on Peel Street about 8 years ago. On 

a recent visit the menu featured butter-seared 

scallops, herbed goat cheese tart, braised short 

ribs, Duck confit, and grilled salmon with Catalan 

relish. White pumpkin pie with white chocolate 

curls and homemade ice cream was a knock out. 

The house made bread is also delicious. 196 Peel St, 

New Hamburg, jakeandhumphreys.com 

Built in 1868 in elegant Italianate architectural style, 

Puddicombe House was converted into a restaurant, 

bed and breakfast, spa and salon in 2004. In 2016, 

Puddicombe Banquet and Event Hall was designed 

and built to complement the original building, for 

up to 250 banquet guests. The restaurant seats 60 

diners, in three dining rooms. Chef Lance Edward’s 

burgers were voted “The Best Burger in the Waterloo 

Region.” Baked Trout, seasoned with pomegranate, 

cranberry, and scallions is a local favourite. 

puddicombehouse.com 

Stratford 

The folks at Stratford’s The Red Rabbit and Okazu 

85 Downie love building new, worker-owned 

restaurants from (just about) the ground up. It 


gives them the opportunity to offer fair wages 

and year round employment — and of course 

offer their delicious food to the early risers. Old 

Man & Son is aiming to open in December, serving 

breakfast and lunch 7am to 2 pm, Wednesday to 

Sunday. Old Man & Son offers Community Shared 

Restaurant purchases — put your dollars into use 

as prepayment, in return for future products or 

services. These shares are sometimes referred to 

as “restaurant futures.” You can find the form at 

oldmanandson.com 75 Wellington Street, Stratford, 

Wed to Sun 7am–2pm, 519-305-7575 

Stratford Chefs School Dough is a gift certificate 

program where “dough” (aka dollars) may be 

applied towards any SCS merchandise, Dinner 

Series, and Open Kitchen cooking class. Purchase 

SCS Dough valued at $120 for only $100. SCS 

Dough can be purchased at the Administration 

Office at 192 Ontario Street. Available in $5, $10 

and $20 denominations and is redeemable at full 

denomination value. Some restrictions apply. 519- 

271-1414, stratfordchef.com 

We want your BUZZ! 

Do you have culinary news or upcoming events 

that you’d like us to share? 

Every issue, Eatdrink reaches more than 

50,000 readers throughout Waterloo Region & 

Wellington County in print, 

and thousands more online. 

Get in touch with us at editor@eatdrink.ca and/or 

connect directly with our Social Media Editor 

Bryan Lavery at bryan@eatdrink.ca 

Submission deadline for the next issue is January 5. 

Saturday Brunch 

11am–3pm 

– Build Your 

Own Caesars 

& Brunch 

Mimosas! 

Dinner 

TUES–SAT 

Catering 

DINNER New Year’s Eve! 

Prix Fixe Menu 

1st 

Anniversary 

Celebration! 

Saturday, 

January 5 

226.476.4418 

295 Lancaster St. W. 

Kitchener 

swineandvine.ca


Beer 

Cold, and Dark 

Malty Darker Beers, for Winter 

by GEORGE MACKE 


Goodbye light lagers. Adios radlers and beers 

that taste like ice cream. So long, fruit 

beers. As the thermometer drops 

and the sun goes down earlier, 

it’s time to restock the beer fridge with 

malty, darker beers to suit the season. 

Here are 12 stellar selections from 

Southwestern Ontario brewers. Most will 

require a personal visit to purchase at the 

brewery’s in-house beer store. More and 

more, craft breweries are also launching 

online stores offering beer delivered to 

your door. 

No Marzen for Eror by Innocente 

Brewing Company, Waterloo. Misspelling 

“error” is no mistake and neither is this 

Oktoberfest lager. The marzen style of beer 

originated in Bavaria and is 

traditionally associated 

with the change of 

seasons. Innocente’s 

version is copper in 

colour, not as dark as 

one might expect, and 

has a hint of citrus hop 

flavour. 

Nighthawk Weizenbock by 

Toboggan Brewing, London. More 

inspiration from the beers of Bavaria, this 

time from the fermenters at London’s popular 

Richmond Row craft brewery. Weizenbocks, 

dubbed by some as winter wheat beers, have 

been brewed since the early 1900s and that 

the style isn’t more widely 

known (and brewed) 

is mysterious. The 

Toboggan take is a 

deep red with aromas 

of banana and clove. 

Nighthawk is a wonderful 

fall beer choice best enjoyed with patience, 

from a tulip glass. It’s a low 14 IBU but a 

strong 8 per cent alcohol. 

Black Coal Stout by 

Railway City Brewing, St. 

Thomas. A seriously good stout 

from the 10-year-old St. Thomas 

brewery best known for Dead 

Elephant IPA, Black Coal almost 

lives up to its name in terms of 

colour — I’d call it dark brown. 

Rich in coffee and dark chocolate 

aromas. And is that a hint of rye 

bread? Named for St. Thomas’ 

railway heritage, Black Coal is a 

cold-weather reward for a day’s work well done. 

Ghost Cow by Wellington Brewery, 

Guelph. Spicy and dark, anyone? Ghost Cow 

is a milk stout 

brewed with ghost, 

habanero, and 

Scotch bonnet 

peppers as well as 

cocoa. It clocks in 

at a pleasant 7.1 per 

cent alcohol.

OUR RETAIL STORE FOR THE FULL 

VISIT 

OF OUR AWARD-WINNING BEERS 

SELECTION 

OUR SMALL-BATCH AND 

INCLUDING 

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McNall’s Mission by Cowbell 

Brewing, Blyth. One of a series of beers 

named for the colourful characters of Blyth, 

this is a honey brown named 

in honour of George McNall, 

who served in both the First 

and Second World Wars. One 

hundred years ago McNall 

received the Military Medal for 

his devotion to duty as a scout. 

Now available at the LCBO, 

McNall’s Mission incorporates 

sweet, savoury brown malts 

with local honey. Cowbell has 

been brewing it since 2017 and 

selling it on site and at craft-friendly pubs. 

It’s entry onto LCBO shelves is certain to 

accelerate its popularity while honouring a 

local veteran. 

Hans and Franz by 

Forked River, London. A 

German pilsner, Hans and 

Franz strikes a nice balance that 

works well with fare such as 

bratwurst. It’s not at the LCBO, 

Beer Store, or grocery stores so 

you’ll have to show your love 

by visiting the brewery store, 

or flaunt your tech abilities by 

ordering online. 

Spice Up Your Life by Storm Stayed 

Brewing, London. Spice Up Your Life is a 

pumpkin spice latte milk 

stout. Sure, that flavour 

combination will cause 

beer purists to cringe, 

but for those who always 

wanted to combine their 

favourite cold and hot 

drink flavours, this could 

be it. Besides, what good is a beer fridge in the 

fall without at least one pumpkin beer? 

Autumn by Anderson Craft Ales, 

London. The artists of 

Anderson make it easy 

to guide us through 

the beer seasons with 

releases named for each. 

Autumn is a marzen, 

available in 355 mL cans 

at the brewery’s bottle 

shop. Sure, we like Summer better, but do you 

blame us? 

AND WATERLOO BREWING MERCH. 

KEGS 

BINGEMANS CENTRE DRIVE, KITCHENER 

4OO 

1OAM-6PM 

SUNDAY: 

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RETAILSTORE@WATERLOOBREWING.COM 

WATERLOOBREWING.COM 

@waterloobrewing


The Heavy Horse by Shakespeare 

Brewing. A farmhouse ale, Heavy Horse gets 

its flavour from 

yeast cultivated 

from an apple 

orchard and honey 

from Nith Valley 

Apiaries in New 

Hamburg. It’s 7 per cent alcohol and 25 IBU. A 

fine reward for a hard day’s work on the farm 

— or at the office. 

Bronzeback Ale by Bayside Brewing, 

Erieau. There are lots of great reasons to 

daytrip to this Lake Erie resort 

town south of Chatham. 

High on the list is a visit to 

Bayside Brewing, where the 

beer of choice on a chilly day 

is Bronzeback Ale. Named as 

a tribute to local fishing — 

bronzeback is also known as 

smallmouth bass — this beer is 

copper in colour with flavours 

of burnt caramel and toffee. It’s 

been a Bayside mainstay since 2013. 


Natterjack Toad by Natterjack 

Brewing, West 

Lorne. Natterjack 

opened in September 

as a tribute to 

young brewer Matt 

Soos. His family 

is featuring the Belgian blonde recipe Matt 

developed as a student at Niagara College. The 

taste twist is that it includes pistachios. It’s 

available only at the brewery store. 

Waterloo Dark by Waterloo Brewing, 

Waterloo. If you’re a duck, deer or 

moose hunter, or are lucky enough 

to know someone who is, this is 

the dark lager to pair with wild 

game. Widely available, Waterloo 

Dark is brewed with Canadian 

malted barley and imported hops 

and tastes lighter than you’d 

expect from the colour. 

GEORGE MACKE is a Southwestern 

Ontario craft beer explorer who spends too 

much time at the LCBO and craft breweries.

#ItsWhatWeDrink 

NOW AVAILABLE IN 355 mL BOTTLES 

144 DOWNIE ST, STRATFORD, ON 519 • 814 • 7926 

BLACKSWANBREWING.CA @BLACKSWANBREWINGCO 

’til ‘til the COWBELLs s come home! 

Now available for home for delivery! home VisitCOWBELLBREWING.COM 

delivery! 

and shop shop 

online. 

40035 BLYTH BLYTH RD., BLYTH, RD., ON BLYTH, N0M 1H0 ON 1-844-523-4724 N0M 1H0 WWW.COWBELLBREWING.COM 

1-844-523-4724 WWW.COWBELLBREWIN

36 |December 2018/January 2019 eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag 

Wine 

The Gift of Wine 

Some Suggestions for This Holiday Season 

by GARY KILLOPS 

Giving a bottle of wine as a gift 

over the holiday season is 

always a great way to leave an 

impression, but sometimes 

selecting the right wine is not easy. You want 

the recipient to appreciate and enjoy your 

thoughtful offering, so here are some tips to 

help you choose. 

Knowing what kind of wine recipients 

might like can be helpful, but often you may 

not know if they prefer red or white wine or 

sweeter or dryer styles. If you know what they 

favour, great. If not, don’t worry too much 

about it; wine is a gift that can always be 

(shhhhh) regifted. 

A general rule of etiquette to keep in mind 

when bringing wine as a host or hostess gift 

is that there is no expectation that the bottle 

Giving a bottle of wine as a gift over 

the holiday season is always a 

great way to leave an impression, 

but sometimes selecting the right 

wine is not easy. You want the recipient to 

appreciate and enjoy your thoughtful offering, 

so here are some tips to help you choose. 

Knowing what kind of wine recipients 

might like can be helpful, but often you may 

not know if they prefer red or white wine or 

sweeter or dryer styles. If you know what they 

favour, great. If not, don’t worry too much 

about it; wine is a gift that can always be 

(shhhhh) regifted. 

A general rule of etiquette to keep in mind 

when bringing wine as a host or hostess gift 

is that there is no expectation that the bottle 

be opened that evening. Therefore if you have 

selected a white wine you do not need to chill 

it before bringing it. On the other hand, if you 

have been invited for a dinner and are asked 

to bring a bottle of wine it is expected that the 

be opened that evening. Therefore if you have 

selected a white wine you do not need to chill 

it before bringing it. On the other hand, if you 

have been invited for a dinner and are asked 

to bring a bottle of wine it is expected that 

the wine you bring will be opened, so chilling 

the white wine is appropriate. 

Around the holidays many Ontario 

wineries offer gift baskets that they have 

assembled with their wines and other local 

Ontario products. The baskets are often 

impressive and while they can often be a little 

pricey they can save you time should you 

want to give such a gift. 

For those who would like to include a bottle 

in their own gift baskets, or are looking for a 

few Ontario wines that will make sensational 

gifts, here are some suggestions. 

wine you bring will be opened, so chilling the 

white wine is appropriate. 

Around the holidays many Ontario wineries 

offer gift baskets that they have assembled 

with their wines and other local Ontario 

products. The baskets are often impressive 

and while they can often be a little pricey they 

can save you time should you want to give 

such a gift. 

For those who would like to include a bottle 

in their own gift baskets, or are 

looking for a few Ontario wines that 

will make sensational gifts, here are 

some suggestions. 

Westcott Estate Pinot Noir 2015 

(Vintages #427500, $29.95) 

Ontario’s cool climate is perfect 

for top notch elegant pinot 

noir. Westcott’s vineyards are 

located on south-facing slopes 

in Niagara’s Vinemount Ridge 

appellation resulting in longer 

sun exposure and riper fruit 

at harvest. This wine is a fine 

example of a medium-bodied,



Taste the elements. 

1709 Front Road, St. Williams, Norfolk County, ON 

Tastings, Tours & Events 

burningkilnwinery.ca 519.586.9858 

@burningkilnwine


Alton Farms 

EST A TE WINERY 

HO HO HO 

Merlot 

POUR 

THE 

WINE TASTINGS, EVENTS, 

TOURS, OUTDOOR PATIO, 

WOOD-FIRED PIZZA OVEN 

SARNIA 

LAKE 

HURON 

7 

21 

Grand 

Bend 

Forest 

Aberarder Line 

21 

402 

London 

77 km 

5547 Aberarder Line, Plympton-Wyoming 

519-899-2479 • altonfarmsestatewinery.com 

dry red wine with red berry fruits, anise, 

mushroom, earthy and smoky notes. 

Weather Rock Cabernet Franc 

(LCBO #558809, $14.10) While some 

of the 2016 vintage may still be 

found on the shelf at the LCBO, the 

Ontario cabernet franc was flying 

out of the store so quickly the 

2017 vintage was released earlier 

than expected to meet demand. 

It’s a medium-bodied wine, dry 

and loaded with red and 

black berry fruits. The 

2017 vintage has a little 

more tannins, perfect 

to pair with rare and 

medium rare steaks. 

Weather Rock is a virtual 

winery produced 

at Harrow’s Oxley Estate Winery 

and wines under the Weather 

Rock label are only available at 

the LCBO. 

Colchester Ridge Estate 

Winery “CREW” Merlot 2016 

(VINTAGES #310532, $17.95) 

Merlot has traditionally been used as a 

blending grape in Bordeaux but in many 

new world wine regions it is often bottled as 

a single varietal. CREW’s merlot is its best 

offering to date of this grape, and is offered at 

an insanely cheap price point that will stand 

up to many $40 - $60 California merlots. This 

is a full-bodied, dry, complex velvety wine 

with fruit forward blackberry, black plum, 

black cherry notes, with cedar and tobacco 

characteristics. Exceptional value, buy this 

one while you can! 

Mastronardi Estate Winery 

Syrah 2016 (VINTAGES #581223, 

$24.95) 

Syrah, also known as shiraz, is made 

from the same grape and can be 

very different in style depending 

on where it is grown. Shiraz is 

commonly identified as the style 

of wine produced in Australia, 

ripe and full-bodied, while syrah 

is associated with a lighter and 

leaner red wine. Mastronardi’s 

syrah is medium plus in body, 

dry, black fruit and a hint of 

cracked black pepper. Give this 

wine as a gift to someone who 

enjoys a glass of wine around the 

fireplace on one of Ontario’s cold 

winter nights. 

Casa-Dea Reserve Chardonnay 2015 

(VINTAGES #546812, $26.95) Some 

of the best Ontario chardonnays 

I have tasted were from Prince 

Edward County. The limestonerich 

soil found in many of the 

vineyards in this region offer ideal 

varietal expression. Medium 

body, dry, with ripe green 

apple and pear fruit notes 

balanced with light vanilla and 

butterscotch nuances from time 

spent in French oak barrels. 

Chardonnay leads the way in 

production as Ontario VQA’s 

single varietal wine. 

GARY KILLOPS is a CAPS Certified 

Sommelier who loves to talk, taste, and write about wine. 

He shares his tasting notes on EssexWineReview.com


Recipes 

Farm to Table: 

Celebrating Stratford Chefs School Alumni, 

Recipes & Perth County Producers 

By Andrew Coppolino 

Review and Recipe Selections by TRACY TURLIN 


My approach to life and work 

could be kindly described as 

scattered so I’ve always been a 

touch envious of people who are 

truly passionate about one thing. When that 

focus is aimed at celebrating and promoting 

their community, it’s a beautiful thing. When 

they’re in the food industry, it’s also delicious. 

This fall, that delicious thing is Farm 

to Table: Celebrating Stratford Chefs School 

Alumni, Recipes & Perth County Producers 

(Andrew Coppolino, Blue Moon Publishers). 

Andrew Coppolino is the editor of Waterloo 

Region Eats, a food blog that I spent way too 

much time reading while I should have been 

writing this review. He’s also a food columnist 

for CBC Radio Waterloo and has written for 

a host of other respected food publications, 

including Eatdrink. As far as I can tell, he only 

takes time out from writing about food long 

enough to eat food. 

Coppolino is a champion for innovative 

cooking done by knowledgeable chefs using 

the best local products available. In Farm to 

Table he brings together a number of people 

who love this idea as much as he 

does. He introduces the reader 

to the Stratford Chefs School 

and the Perth County producers 

who are affiliated with it. 

Joe Mandel of The Church, 

Jim Morris of Rundles, and 

Eleanor Kane of The Old Prune 

began the school in 1983. They 

knew they needed good local 

talent and saw an opportunity 

to retain the chefs that worked 

during the November to March 

off-season in Stratford. Instead 

of being laid off or moving on, 

these chefs were now able to 

Author Andrew Coppolino 

teach, giving 

local budding 

chefs the 

opportunity 

to train with 

the best. 

Students 

were able 

to gain 

valuable 

experience 

in the 

kitchens 

of the 

three 

founding restaurants. 

SCS has always focused on the 

relationship between the farm and the 

kitchen, recognizing the importance of 

local, seasonal ingredients that allow chefs 

to express the nature of the region in their 

dishes. It’s about more than food; it’s about 

respect for the work involved in producing 

high quality products. 

SCS is a not-for-profit organization that 

offers well-rounded programs 

to prepare students for many 

aspects of the food industry. 

I love that it also offers 

recreational workshops for 

adventurous home cooks 

and a one-week exploratory 

course for those who want to 

find out what the industry 

demands and offers. The 

school produces chefs, food 

entrepreneurs, writers and 

photographers. 

Terry Manzo is one of 

Stratford Chefs School’s first 

graduates and has been a


professional freelance photographer for 30 

years. The book is full of her vibrant, energetic 

photos. Many of the shots look deceptively 

casual until you notice the brilliant use of light 

and shadow that makes subjects seem to glow. 

Each recipe in Farm to Table is the result of the 

pairing of a chef with one of his or her favourite 

producers and includes a profile of both. 

Author Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh owns Black 

Dog Village Pub & Bistro in Bayfield. With SCS 

graduate Nathaniel Beattie as executive chef, 

Black Dog works to expand the farm-to-table 

concept in Huron County. Gerhard Metzger has 

run Metzger’s Meat Products Inc. in Hensall 

since 1990. He works with local farmers to 

provide specialty cuts for restaurant and retail 

sales. Sloan-McIntosh uses Metzger’s pork 

to create Char Siu Pork Shoulder. It’s simply 

tender bits of pork shoulder slow cooked in a 

sweet, spicy, Chinese BBQ sauce and garnished 

with green onion and sesame seeds. The dish 

can be served as a main course or in lettuce 

cups as a fun appetizer. 

Sean Collins is the executive Chef at The 

Red Rabbit, a worker-owned restaurant in 

downtown Stratford where they strive to do 


everything as well as possible and seem to 

have a blast doing it. Max Lass of Church Hill 

Farm aims to provide “high quality, humanely 

raised pork, lamb, beef and fowl”. This familyowned 

farm completes the farm-to-table 

loop by collecting vegetable trimmings from 

restaurants and mash from craft breweries to 

feed to the animals. Collins gives us Charcoal- 

Grilled Church Hill Farm Lamb with Herbs and 

Freekeh. Freekeh, the grain of young durum 

wheat, roasted and cracked, makes the stuffing 

for a butterflied leg of lamb that is then grilled 

to perfection. 

SCS is a national success because it is a 

local champion. It teaches professionals and 

amateurs alike that the heart of any good 

dish, fruitful business or successful restaurant 

is the relationship between people and place. 

It’s the magic that happens when all these 

good things come together to be greater than 

the sum of their parts. 

TRACY TURLIN is a freelance writer and dog groomer 

in London. Reach her at tracyturlin@gmail.com 

Char Sui Pork Shoulder 

Collaborators: 

Kathleen Sloan-McIntosh, Black Dog Village Pub & Bistro 

Gerhard Metzger, Metzger’s Meat Products Inc. 

FOR THE CHAR SIU 

½ cup hoisin sauce 

¾ cup liquid honey 

½ cup soy sauce 

¼ cup shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine) 

2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder 

2 tbsp fresh gingerroot, grated 

8 cloves garlic, finely minced 

½ tsp red chili flakes (optional) 

FOR THE PORK 

4 lb (1.8 kg) boneless pork shoulder, excess fat 

trimmed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks 

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 large onion, sliced 

½ tsp salt 

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper 

TO FINISH THE DISH 

Sesame seeds 

Finely chopped green onion 

Butter lettuce 

METHOD 

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 

Choose a large, oven-proof baking dish for the pork. 

Add the pork chunks to the dish along with the olive oil 

and sliced onion. Add salt and pepper and toss together 

thoroughly. Use heavyweight aluminum foil to cover the 

dish snugly. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 

hour. 

After an hour, pull the dish from the oven, remove the foil 

and add the prepared sauce to the pork. Stir this mixture 

well into the pork and the liquid that has accumulated: it 

is important not to drain this liquid. 

Return the dish to the oven and continue to bake for 

another 30 minutes. Then, give the mixture another stir 

and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. At this 

point, test a piece of the pork to see if it is done to your 

liking — it should be tender but not falling apart. If it is 

as you like it, remove from the oven, sprinkle with sesame 

seeds and chopped green onion and serve with butter 

lettuce. If you continue baking, be careful not to overbake, 

otherwise the pork will become too dry.



Recipes excerpted from Farm to Table: Celebrating Stratford Chefs School Alumni, Recipes & 

Perth County Producers reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved. 

Char Sui Pork Shoulder


Charcoal-Grilled Church Hill Farm Lamb 

with Herbs and Freekeh 

Collaborators: 

Sean Collins, The Red Rabbit 

Max Lass, Church Hill Farm 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 fresh boneless free-range lamb leg, butterflied 

¼ cup pepper, fresh ground 

¼ cup cumin, toasted and ground 

3 tbsp butter 

6 oz (170g) pancetta or cured pork, small dice 

1 large onion, minced 

8 cloves fresh garlic, minced 

Freekeh* (or farro), cooked like pasta in boiling 

salted water until tender, cooled 

kosher salt 

1 lemon (for juice and zest) 

2 eggs 

½ cup panko bread 

crumbs 

½ cup fresh chopped 

herbs (use whatever 

herbs you like!) 

olive oil to rub meat 

*freekeh is harvested 

grains from green 

durum wheat that is 

roasted and dried to 

create its unique smoky 

flavour. 

TO FINISH THE DISH 

Sugar snap peas 

Butter 

Mustard 

Feta, crumbled 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED 

Charcoal grill, fire pit, 

or propane barbecue 

Good quality charcoal 

Butcher twine 

Probe thermometer 

METHOD 

The night before prepare 

the lamb: spread lamb out 

on a cutting board or sheet 

pan and season generously 

with pepper and cumin 

on all sides. Return the 

seasoned lamb to the fridge 

and let it sit for 2–12 hours 

(roll it up to save space). 

To make the stuffing, add 

the butter to a large skillet 


and cook over medium heat until just bubbling. Add the 

pancetta and cook until lightly crisp. Add the onion and 

garlic and cook until translucent. Add the cooked freekeh, 

salt and pepper and lemon. Remove from the heat and let 

cool slightly. Stir in the eggs, panko and fresh herbs and 

taste to adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate overnight. 

The next day, light the charcoal and let it burn until it 

has created a nice bed of coals in a charcoal barbecue or 

fire-pit with a rack. Have a second pile of burning charcoal 

ready to replenish the fire, if needed. If using propane, 

preheat the grill to medium heat.


In the meantime, finish the lamb. Remove meat and 

stuffing from the fridge and spread the lamb onto a metal 

tray or in a roasting pan. Season generously with salt. 

Spoon the stuffing in a row slightly off the centre of the 

meat to form a cylinder, almost from end to end. Roll the 

meat over and shape it into a cylinder with the seam on 

the bottom. Tie the cylinder tightly with 4 or 5 pieces of 

butcher twine, tucking any stuffing back into the cylinder. 

Season the outside of the meat with salt, rub lightly with 

olive oil and set aside. 

When your grill is hot enough that you can’t hold your 

hand over for 5 seconds, carefully place lamb roast on 

the grill. Grill on all sides until golden brown and slightly 


charred (about 2-4 minutes per side). With a probe 

thermometer, check internal temperature every 10–15 

minutes. Roast until the thermometer reaches 135°–145°F 

(57°–63°C). If internal temperature is not reached and the 

surface of the meat is getting too dark, simply push coals 

to one side and continue cooking over indirect heat until 

finished. If using a propane barbecue, turn burners off 

on one side and move lamb to that side and close the lid. 

Remove the roast to a platter, cover with foil and let it rest 

for 15 to 30 minutes (or longer). 

Remove the string and carve the lamb with your sharpest 

knife. Serve with fresh sugar snap peas sautéed in butter, 

your favourite mustard and crumbled local feta. 

Books 

Provence through the Years 

My 25 Years in Provence: Reflections on Then and Now 

by Peter Mayle 

Review by DARIN COOK 

Some books are so seminal that from 

their first appearance they become 

untouchable, iconic archetypes, 

paving the way for future authors 

to imitate, but never replicate — a good 

storytelling recipe. I knew I was onto 

something of this calibre when I first read A 

Year in Provence by Peter Mayle when it came 

out in 1989. Mayle knew it too, since he has 

written many sequels that thread together his 

unique and exquisitely described outlook on 

French food and culture. It started out as “a 

year” and now, after a quarter of a century of 

Provencal living, Mayle is taking a look back in 

My 25 Years in Provence (Appetite by Random 

House, 2018). Provence is truly a magical place 

that spoke to 

Mayle through 

its food — a 

place where 

vin rose is 

“a taste of 

summer in 

the glass”, 

where 

making 

goat cheese is an art 

form, where eating a black truffle on foie 

gras is “the closest thing on earth to having 

heaven in your mouth”, and where the night 

markets provide the most pleasant grocery 

shopping experience he can ever imagine. 

By taking up residence in such a unique 

locale, Mayle grew accustomed to picking up 

on the trends of the seasons by observing 

what farmers were up to and listening to the 

gossip of the patrons in local cafés. Provence 

is an agricultural region bursting with 

grape vineyards, olive groves, fig trees, and 

asparagus fields. It also has a bit of the wild 

side with truffle hunters and their goldennosed 

dogs secretly plying their trade to keep 

Author Peter Mayle

203, 

851 


their sources out of the sight of others, while 

game hunters with noisier instruments roam 

the woods in search of wild boar. Throughout 

the year, food festivals are governed by the 

seasons to display regional delicacies — rice, 

olives, truffles, lemons, melons, garlic. Mayle 

writes, “These are informal, good-natured 

affairs, organized by people whose sole desire 

is to give you a taste of pleasure, whether your 

particular weakness is a fresh sardine or an 

elderly cheese.” He continues by saying the 

range of festivals “supports the widely held 

conviction that, wherever you are in Provence, 

you need never go hungry.” 

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Just as Mayle navigated towns, 

fields and forests of the French 

countryside, so does his writing 

wander across Provence to suggest 

some of his favourite lunch items at 

favourite restaurants in favourite 

towns. With dining tips from the 

likes of Mayle, we could not ask for 

more as readers. One beloved regional 

speciality is bouillabaisse made with 

fresh seafood gathered off the coast of 

Marseille, which he describes as “part 

soup, part fish stew; delicious, but difficult 

to control. Many an immaculate shirtfront 

has suffered from garlic-stains and it is a wise 

customer who asks for two large napkins.” 

His writings about Provence have inevitably 

caused others to follow him. His books have 

drawn attention to the region and tourism 

has blossomed, for better or worse. Certain 

things have changed because of tourism. 

Mayle hates that cafés have been replaced by 

boutiques that tend to be more profitable than 

selling cups of coffee. But it is the qualities 

that remain the same, that have endured 

the test of time, that have withstood the 

invasion of foreigners, that are the qualities 

that made him fall in love with Provence 

in the first place: the slow pace of life, the 

marvellous weather, spirited games of boules 

(lawn bowling), market shopping with fresh 

ingredients unhampered by plastic packaging 

or metal cans, and a regional anise-flavoured 

alcohol called pastis. 

Even though I have been a fan of Mayle’s 

books since he began writing more than a 

quarter of a century ago, I was sadly unaware 

that he had passed away. I had been reading 

this book with the same enjoyment as always 

when I learned from the biographical insert 

on the back cover than he had died earlier 

this year, making this book a posthumous 

publication and his final words on Provence. 

Even though I missed his obituary in the social 

media news feeds back in January 2018, I 

reverently bowed my head at the start of each 

new chapter to honour his soul. It was a good 

run and I am sad this is his last book. The world 

lost a great author with the death of Mayle this 

year, but this author’s life gave Provence to the 

world in a way only he could. 

DARIN COOK is a regular Eatdrink contributor who 

lives and works in Chatham-Kent.


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The Lighter Side 

Salvaging the Magic of Eggnog 

By DARIN COOK 

I 

have noticed that eggnog is now 

being stocked in grocery stores long 

before Christmas, infringing not 

only on American Thanksgiving in 

November, but also Canadian Thanksgiving 

and Halloween in October. These are three 

significant holidays being upstaged by 

Christmas cheer before its time. Being in 

stores earlier merely widens the window of 

opportunity for it to be consumed. 

“What is that doing here?” my son asked 

last year, pointing at a wall of eggnog cartons 

in a grocery display. 

“It’s not Christmas yet, 

is it?” 

It was early October, 

with several nonyuletide 

festivities 

still to come. My two 

sons believe eggnog 

was created for Santa 

Claus, and that normal 

humans are allowed to 

join in by purchasing 

the cartons sold at stores, so usually it wasn’t 

until December that we started buying eggnog 

regularly to get the Christmas cheer rolling. 

The sign over the eggnog display 

proclaimed “Not Just for Christmas 

Anymore!” But I think most people feel 

that eggnog is just for Christmas. Who was 

this sign trying to fool? Since I love eggnog 

so much, I guess it fooled me. Cast under 

the spell of that grocery store marketing, 

I decided to see if a Christmas beverage 

could hold its own when straying from its 

intended holiday. When I brought home 

the first carton one week before Canadian 

Thanksgiving, my wife rolled her eyes. 

“What is that doing here?” she questioned. 

“It’s not December yet.” 

I shared her misgivings, but I drank my 

first cup anyway. It tasted great, because the 

sweet, creamy nectar had not touched my lips 

for over ten months. But it felt odd being out 

of season. 

After learning that December 24th has been 

declared National Eggnog Day, I considered 

trying my hand at creating homemade 

eggnog. Alton Brown, the culinary genius of 

Food Network fame, is my go-to guy when 

experimenting with new recipes and I found 

an eggnog recipe in his book, Good Eats 2: The 

Middle Years. Alton strongly advises that “the 

key to success in making eggnog is patience” 

and I went into eggnog production hoping 

that I had the stamina to keep up. There 

was a lot of stand mixer beating involved 

(where the patience 

comes in handy). The 

combination of eggs, 

sugar, milk, cream, 

and nutmeg ended 

up being a delicious 

version of eggnog like 

we had never had from 

a carton. Alton’s recipe 

calls for the addition 

of rum, brandy, or 

bourbon, but that 

would come after the kids went to bed. 

Since it had started appearing early, I’d had 

my fill of more eggnog than most years. Even 

so, I convinced my family that making a fresh 

batch on National Eggnog Day could be our 

new tradition, to serve Santa the best we had 

to offer. Before bedtime, my sons placed a 

mug of eggnog and a plate of cookies by the 

chimney. When they weren’t looking I poured 

a shot of rum into the mug. As Christmas 

Eve drew to a close I imbibed one more glass 

of our homemade batch, just as Santa would 

do when he arrived. Mine also had an extra 

dash of rum — it seemed wrong, on National 

Eggnog Day, to not enjoy one last swig in the 

most appropriate way before retiring it until 

next Christmas. Or October. 

DARIN COOK is a regular Eatdrink contributor who 

lives and works in Chatham-Kent.



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The Perfect Holiday 

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Eatdrink Waterloo & Wellington #4 December 2018/January 2019

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