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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.

  • 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]

  • Summer Patio

    Sweet Retreat

    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, [READ MORE]

  • 85537224_14

    Fresh and Local

    The Egg Farmers of Canada recently conducted a survey that asked Canadians what freshness means to them. The reveal? Canadians overwhelmingly demand that the farm products they buy be fresh, with 90 percent saying that farms within their province deliver that freshness. Distance from farm to grocery store is seen as the key to freshness. [READ MORE]

  • chicken

    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]

On Quench TV

From The Pages Of Tidings Magazine

  • Celebrity Wine & Pizza Craze

    Is it me or does every has-been celebrity seem to have a line of wines named after them nowadays? Why so surprised? Celebrities are as good as superheroes — able to leap onto any marketing opportunity in a single bound. Surely if they can blend their own cologne, design clothes and create salad dressing, then [READ MORE]

  • New In Tidings – October 2010

    I think I sometimes become predictable. I don’t mean to. I just don’t see the passion that I assume should be in all of us. You see, every time we start to work on the Maverick Chefs issue, I get riled up. Our work takes me to a lot of kitchens — both physically and [READ MORE]

  • Australia and the Wines of Winter

    What the heck happened to the popularity of Australian wines? That’s probably the same question Paul Hogan is asking about Australia in general. What the heck did happen? Back in the 1980s, the Aussies were everywhere. Think INXS, Men At Work, Hogan Crocodile Dundeeing it all over the place and, of course, the emergence of [READ MORE]

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Top Drinks

  • The Bronx Ain't So Sweet

    In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine all of the ingredients. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass.

  • Caucasian

    Pour vodka and coffee liqueur over ice cubes. Add desired amount of Half-and-Half (usually 1 oz. to 3 oz.)

Get Hungry

  • Mangia Italia!

    A family legend has it that I invented Aglio Olio. This was back in the early 1960s when most kids were eating bologna sandwiches with processed cheese on white bread. I was raised in an Italian/Irish household — heavy on the Italian. My parents grew garlic and herbs among the tomato plants. There was always [READ MORE]

  • And Now For Something Completely Different

    I am so immature. This thought occurred to me as I watched the magnificent series The Tudors. Mind you, I really try to pursue scholarly subjects with a somewhat sophisticated attitude. But my brain resists, taking an unprovoked right turn at the crossroads of mature intellectual pursuits and Monty Python. The fact is I was [READ MORE]

  • Summertime Munchies

    You don’t have to travel to Mexico to feel the heat. Sit poolside, on a patio or a balcony sipping Margaritas and noshing on this dip. It also makes a great spread for a pork or steak burrito. For a different taste, substitute pinto beans for black beans. Sour cream can take the place of [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]

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