Debbie Trenholm of Savvy Grapes hosted a Winterlude Winemakers' Brunch last weekend at the National Arts Centre. The brunch was catered by the team under Chef Michael Blackie of Le Café and included his famous General Blackie's Chicken. (According to FoodiePrints, "the crispy fried chicken is sauced with a mixture of hoisin and kecap manis".) And I want the recipe! :)

Other brunch items included poached egg with English muffin and shaved black forest ham, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, banana pancakes with caramel sauce, sushi, smoked salmon, a table of cold salads and an array of sweet desserts. It was a feast.

Though wine with brunch isn't a typical pairing, it was enjoyable on this wintry Winterlude day. Sixteen winemakers from Niagara and Prince Edward County were invited to showcase their bottles. All offered a selection of three or more options giving diners the opportunity to taste 65 different wines, sparkling wines and dessert wines! And the wines we enjoyed are not available at the LCBO, so it was a special tasting experience.

Wineries who shared their sips with us included the following:

13^th Street Winery – 20 Valley (located on the Beamsville Bench of the Niagara Escarpment)
Blue Gypsy Wines -  newest winery in Ottawa region
Cattail Creek Family Estate Winery - Niagara-on-the-Lake
Diamond Estate Wines – Niagara
Good Earth Food & Wine Co.- 20 Valley 
Kacaba Vineyards - 20 Valley
Karlo Estates - Prince Edward County
Lailey Vineyard - Niagara-on-the-Lake 
Palatine Hills Estate Winery - Niagara-on-the-Lake
Pondview Estate Winery - Niagara-on-the-Lake
Rosehall Run Vineyards - Prince Edward County
Rosewood Winery & Meadery - Beamsville Bench
Southbrook Vineyards - Niagara-on-the-Lake
Tawse Winery – 20 Valley 
The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards & Winery - Prince Edward County

In addition, we could then opt to subscribe to Savvy Grapes' unique wine of the month club and order our favorite bottles to be delivered to our homes.

Although I didn't try all 65 bottles, the ones I did try I enjoyed and wouldn't hesitate to order. (Pondview Estates' 2010 Bella Terra Chardonnay $24.95, Palatine Hills 2010 Neufeld Chardonnay $22.95 and the Tawse Sparkling Rosé $39.95).

Savvy Grapes is only one aspect of a group that call themselves Savvy Company. Their specialty lies in coming up with creative social experiences, whether it be sharing the enjoyment of wine or exploring the intrigue behind craft beer or discovering fascinating artisan cheeses.
Savvy Grapes not only brought the wineries to Ottawa, they offered to bring them to our dining tables. Now that's service.

Click here to check out their upcoming events.

Taffy on the Snow is nature's best candy. Though I usually associate it as a sugar shack tradition, I was excited to see it offered at Ottawa's Winterlude. As part of our skate on the Rideau Canal Skateway, which is the world's largest skating rink, we stopped to indulge in this sweet treat.

While talking to the taffy maker, I learned that in one week he has gone through 300 kg (over 600 pounds) of maple syrup! For the "snow", he grinds up bags of ice cubes. And each taffy pop costs $3.

The pure maple syrup is boiled to the soft ball stage (about 235˚F).


boiling the maple syrup

Then, it's poured onto the snow and allowed to cool slightly. Using a popsicle stick, the taffy is rolled around the stick into a ball.


pouring the maple syrup

placing the popsicle sticks

letting them cool

rolling the taffy


The crunchy snow crystals on the taffy make an unstable but delicious marriage of ice and warmth. And it just might be a better business idea than a lemonade stand!

Click here for more ideas about baking and cooking with maple syrup.

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Taste&Travel will be at the Cancun Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival March 15-18, 2012. Special guest will be Ferran Adrià, famous chef of El Bulli. Taste&Travel is the principal media partner for Canada for this event.

The Cancun Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival 2012 will host over 30 innovative events for lovers of food, music and culture. Here is just a sampling:

• celebrity Chef and Winemaker Dinners (including a tribute dinner in honor of world-celebrated chef, Ferran Adrià
• luxury Catamaran Cruise with master Mixologist Junior Merino (proclaimed the best mixologist on the planet and also known for his brand: The Liquid Chef)
• over 90 wine and spirit tastings
• top level cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs
• American Express Gourmet Tasting Village featuring signature dishes, paired with wine and spirits, from some of the best restaurant chefs

Chef Ferran Adrià has been called the Salvador Dali of the kitchen. Some consider him the best chef in the world and the most innovative chef in the history of cooking. People have traveled from around the world to dine at El Bulli, the restaurant he owned in Roses, Spain (but is sadly now closed).

All this, combined with world-class beaches, amazing Mayan sites, snorkeling and diving at the world’s second largest barrier reef, and you have a winning recipe for a vacation that also offers an enriching learning experience.

The Festival has a benevolent aspect to it as well. This year, the beneficiary is Ciudad de la Alegria – the City of Joy, an organization that empowers disadvantaged children, supports victims of violence, and cares for the needy, so although you may be indulging yourself you are also giving back to a needy community.

For more information or to order tickets, check out their website at www.crmfest.com.


In the latest issue of Taste&Travel, you’ll discover articles on travel, tips on where to find the best food, and recipes to make your mouth water. And sometimes it’s not only the exotic that delights. As one reader wrote, “That recipe for Great-Grandma’s Sour Cream Apple Pie proved to be the simplest and most delicious apple pie I’ve ever made.” (Issue 3, Autumn 2011, page 36).

The Winter issue of Taste&Travel hit store shelves last week. In it, you'll find a feature on Hong Kong, the Year of the Dragon. Another area highlighted is Atlantic Canada, in particular the art of Craft Distilling. As well, there are articles about Cooking in Oaxaca, Winter in Japan, and some interesting secrets on the Scandinavian Kitchen, plus Boston’s new Revolution which began when Julia Child moved to Cambridge in 1960 and introduced the city to fine cuisine. No longer is Boston known only for its beans and cod. Many other well-known chefs have followed Julia and have made their contribution to what has become a delightful culinary city with a strong focus on the locavore trend.

You can find Taste&Travel at Chapters stores across Canada.

Don't miss an issue. For the low cost of $25 per year, you can have T&T delivered to your door. You won’t find a better way to spend $25.

Subscribe here.



Lastly, I recently had the chance to bake and taste Life of Pie's Asian Duck Pie with Lemongrass and Thai Chili that is Taste&Travel's signature pie. The crust was flaky and tender and the filling was a delicious combination of spice, Asian vegetables and moist duck. It was a perfect medley of flavors wrapped in a melt-in-your-mouth crust.

Savoury pies are both convenient and satisfying, and according to the Life of Pie’s website, are in high demand. This one has earned its designation as T&T’s signature pie and is worth the taste.