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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.

  • lemon-flowers

    Citrus Squeeze

    Great news – there’s a new addition to our family! I wasn’t sure if we really should go for it. But, it was a blustery Saturday morning when I laid eyes on it, and the promise of heat and sunshine took over my thoughts. Our new addition is a dwarf lemon tree loaded with blooms [READ MORE]

  • OCP_oct12_view3copy

    Own It: A Sane Person’s Guide To Insanity

    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 [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]

  • 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]

On Quench TV

From The Pages Of Tidings Magazine

  • Le Marche – A Food Lover’s Guide

    I’ve long extolled the virtues of the wines from the Adriatic-bordering, Italian region of Le Marche. The wines generally over-deliver in quality versus price. And while Le Marche might not have the cache of Tuscany, it’s for that very reason that this region is still able to offer wines at bargain deals compared to its [READ MORE]

  • Bottle Temp & Wine Geeks

    When my husband brings home a bottle of red wine, he won’t let a corkscrew near it until it’s had a few hours to reach room temperature. Do we really have to wait that long? Your husband must be a real history buff, because his wine-serving techniques are right out of the 1900s. That said, [READ MORE]

  • Half Bottles, Full Flavour

    It used to be that the only wines available in half bottles (375 ml) were dessert wines. Without any trouble, a great bottle of Sauterne, Port or Vin Santo could be found on your favourite restaurant’s wine list or at your local wine shop. But try to find a great bottle of wine in a [READ MORE]

What is twitter saying

Top Drinks

  • Dirk Diggler

    Add Jagermeister, and fill rest of glass with Thomas Kemper Root beer. Mix and enjoy!

  • Time of the month

    Mix all the ingredients in a big old fashion. Stir and serve.

Get Hungry

  • Sultry Summer Eats

    Nancy Johnson is the Food Editor at Tidings Magazine, and rightly so. The recipes that she creates are beautiful to look at – colourful and mouthwatering – and scrumptious to eat. The wonderfully warm weather I’ve been enjoying here in Ontario makes me crave bright and tasty summer dishes. If the weather where you are [READ MORE]

  • Goat Cheese Pizza

    Nancy Johnson started writing before she could read, dictating her stories to her mother. Nancy’s love for cooking grew slowly, mainly because it involved kitchen clean-up.  Eventually, she embraced her inner gourmet by attending George Brown College where she studied culinary arts, food media and wine.  When she is not in her kitchen, she works [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]

  • Easy Summer Eats

    I am not a big fan of frozen chicken fingers, so I make my own, which isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Lately, I’ve found that combining panko (Japanese) bread crumbs with store-bought bread crumbs results in a crust that is crunchy but not too crunchy. This is a fast mid-week dish that is heavenly [READ MORE]


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