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Sweet Retreat

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Re-imagine your yard as an outdoor oasis. Perfect for parties, or an intimate evening for two.A weekend trip to Buffalo, New York changed the way I view my humble backyard. Last summer I toured 30 private gardens, part of the National Garden Festival, the largest free garden walk in the United States. The festival, held annually from late June to late July, beautifies the revitalized urban centre. No two are alike. Hidden in the corner of one yard, pink and purple perennial borders framed a textured stone patio, with room for two oversized teak loungers. Flowing water features, found art, concrete sculptures, meandering pea gravel paths and a wooden pergola contributed to the whimsical feel. A second garden featured three outdoor areas: a romantic koi pond encircled by native grasses filled the front section of the yard, while a formal dining area and a covered, torch-lit tiki bar were ready-made for outdoor entertaining.
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A Liquid Career

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“It’s a sad fact that Canadian whisky doesn’t get its due. I am committed to changing that, using a ‘kill-rumours-with-facts’ approach, and believe me, there are plenty of myths and misunderstandings about Canadian whisky out there.”
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Grape X

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It’s not always the wine that excites me, it’s the journey it takes to get in my glass — from vine, to bud, to flower, to grape, to harvest, to crusher, to fermentation, to barrel, to bottle and finally to my mouth.We take the journey lightly, letting Mother Nature, viticulturists and winemakers do all the work before we show any interest in the life of a grape. After all, it’s not one grape we’re interested in; it’s a whole bunch of them.I have always wanted to patiently watch a single bud as it grows into a grape, through the various stages it takes before it’s gone in a gulp. I know, I know, how geeky is that, right? Well, it’s really geeky, and I admit it. And frankly, I didn’t have time to sit and watch a grape grow.
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Pomme

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Oh, the signs were there all along: The extravagant apple cider-themed dinners at his tony restaurant on the waterfront in Burlington, Ontario. The British heritage and the fact that he was raised on the myriad ciders offered in the pubs of London. And his name on Twitter, of course: @ciderseeker.It would appear that it was Chris Haworth’s destiny, but it was shocking nonetheless when he came home from a hard night of cooking and told his wife Amy and two young children that he was quitting his job as executive chef of Spencer’s at the Waterfront to chase his dream of making apple cider in a province that is just beginning to show interest in fermented apples.“She said, ‘What? Are you crazy?’” Haworth recalls with a chuckle. “But she’s a totally, 100 per cent supporter of the project.”
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Own It: A Sane Person's Guide To Insanity

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Rows of vines rule your yard, easing out family and friends. Your mini-fermenter sprang a leak and oozed booze on the new Nissan. Pickled beets and canned corn occupy your wine cellar. You want a piece of the wine business, but don't know how to branch out. Seasoned vineyard owners in BC, Ontario and Quebec offer six tips to get you started.Caution: Only those with copious amounts of extra cash, an insanely rich relative, or the itch to convert sugar into value-added vino need read further.
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Artisan

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He is a tall, strapping man, all of 27 years old, and looks more like the star quarterback than a man who tinkers with high-octane booze all day long. But that’s the path master distiller Geoff Dillon, with degrees in biochemistry and economics, has taken in the heart of Niagara wine country.Dillon is on the frontline of a taste revolution that is being fuelled by discarded grapes, locally grown wormwood, lavender, all kinds of mint and juniper as well as future crops of rye, grains, hops and the seasonal fruit of Niagara. It is borne of passion, fine craftsmanship and artisanal flare. And it is manifested in fine craft whiskies, gins, vodkas and myriad craft beers that have quickly become part of the Niagara mosaic.It is being driven by young, passionate entrepreneurs who see the potential among the vineyards, the booming wine industry, and the influx of gourmet food trucks and chefs who have moved into the region to add a little sizzle; a giant jolt of yumminess that you can enjoy once you’re done with that glass of fine Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. Or maybe, just maybe, instead of wine.

  • Twitter Tasting

    @ Pinot Gris

    @mikedicaro Michael Di Caro 09 Thirty Bench P. Gris: Pear, peach, floral notes & interesting use of oak but it still hasn’t managed to turn me on to PG #30dayslocal There it was. A simple tweet typed out and sent in seconds to no one in particular, just one among the hundreds of thousands that [READ MORE]

  • the-owner

    What Indigenous Varieties Can Do For You

    Now this is amusing. “Old men in sports cars were beyond pity or comprehension. It was as if they’d paid a great deal of money to purchase a huge piece of attire that pointed at their waning potencies. It was as if something had gone in their heads, some bit of wiring had become confused [READ MORE]

  • Apple cider

    Pomme

    Oh, the signs were there all along: The extravagant apple cider-themed dinners at his tony restaurant on the waterfront in Burlington, Ontario. The British heritage and the fact that he was raised on the myriad ciders offered in the pubs of London. And his name on Twitter, of course: @ciderseeker. It would appear that it [READ MORE]

  • chartreuse

    Easy Chartreuse Cocktails

    One of the most appealing things about spring is watching those little chartreuse-coloured buds appear on the trees. And before you know it, they turn into full-grown leaves. Loved this line from Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof. The bar owner, Warren (played by the director), serves a green liqueur to some customers. After they empty their [READ MORE]

On Quench TV

From The Pages Of Tidings Magazine

  • The Dirty Truth About Winemaking

    Some days I think I am insane to move from straight winemaking into the business side of things … I believe if you keep moving forward with your passion, eventually you will reach your goal. At least I hope so! Kevin Panagapka, Owner/Winemaker 2027 Cellars Just imagine making your own wine. Sip and savour it [READ MORE]

  • Bold New Horizons

    As a wine country, South Africa today defies easy explanation. The convenient Old or New World tags really don’t fit here. The wine culture of the Cape goes back at least 300 years. Although the original Dutch settlers were not wine growers, they were soon joined by Huguenots, French Protestants with a similar religious outlook, [READ MORE]

  • Women Or Wine?

    The American Association of Wine Economists is a “non-profit, educational organization dedicated to encouraging and communicating economic research and analyses and exchanging ideas in wine economics.” Twice a year they publish a journal with papers on such learned and sleep-inducing subjects as “Identification of Stochastic Processes for an Estimated Icewine Temperature Hedging Variable” and “Unobserved [READ MORE]

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Top Drinks

  • Froth Blower Cocktail

    Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

  • Maiden Head

    All sodas and alcohol should be chilled an mixed with a stirring stick before topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

Get Hungry

  • Discomfort Food

    I am not fond of surprises. One of my least favourite surprises occurred while in Los Angeles. The date was January 17, 1994 and I lay snuggled in my bed. Not a person in LA will argue the moment the Northridge earthquake rattled through the city like a runaway locomotive. In nearly every home, clocks [READ MORE]

  • The Chicken Factor

    “It tastes just like chicken!” If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard that line, I’d be a millionaire by now. Let me tell you, I’ve tried frog legs, eel, alligator, rabbit and kangaroo. And despite assurances to the contrary, none of it tasted even remotely like chicken. In fact, frog legs happen [READ MORE]

  • Grilled Filet Mignon

    Whenever I need pampering I make filet mignon, using an inexpensive cast iron grill pan to sauté the steaks. To infuse grill marks, give the steak a good sear on both sides over high heat, giving it a half turn to create a crosshatch. The sauce is a ‘cheater’s Bernaise’ and much easier to make [READ MORE]

  • Southern Gumbo

    Everyday this week, Tidings will be featuring Nancy Johnson’s fabulous recipes. Nancy has a knack for creating delicious fare that’s quick and easy to pull together. Based on all the great reader feedback Nancy’s recipes have received over the years, we have no doubt that these will become staples in your home. Give them a [READ MORE]

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