Grant Burge Summers Chardonnay won a Silver Medal at the Hong Kong International Wine Challenge 2011 for ‘Best Wine Paired with Kung Pao Chicken’. I was inspired to create a version of this classic dish for the home cook to enjoy. Kung Pao Chicken Ingredients: For the marinade: 3 boneless chicken breasts cut into small [...]

Take a mid-week break with fast and delicious comfort food. Hectic work days. Long commutes. Multitasking half a dozen household crises. How can parents be expected to prepare something tasty in the precious little time they have between getting home and their children’s first cries of hunger? They can’t be – not without a little [...]

By Pat Anderson I’m sure most people who have grown zucchini have had the experience of finding the zucchini they missed… which has grown to a massive size, is seedy, and too big to be used in the normal way. What do you do? Here’s what I did: Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 massive overgrown zucchini… [...]

Spice rubbed pork tenderloin and spinach salad with summer fruit and curry vinaigrette This spice mix is a blend of sweet and heat. A bright, vibrant rose with touch of sweet fruit freshness would be a terrific match for this main course salad. A delicious choice would be Southbrook Triomphe Cabernet Franc Rose 2011, an [...]

Prosciutto and Rosemary Wrapped Salmon Parcels What better way to go local than matching your favourite Reif Estate VQA wine with a recipe from wine country? The summer heat has offered up sweet, ripe produce and now that wines from the remarkable 2010 vintage are hitting the shelves at your local LCBO the time is [...]

Swiss Chard Bacon Tart with Crème Fraiche and Pine Nuts Paired with Delta Pinot Noir or Kris Pinot Grigio, which do you prefer? We love these wines and can’t decide over 2010 Delta Pinot Noir from Malborough, New Zealand or the 2010 Kris Pinot Grigio, Veneto, Italy.  They are a great match for this savoury [...]

Fill Two Needs with one Deed For most of us, the beginning of the school year is a bit of an emotional roller coaster. You might feel relieved that your kids are back in school and away from the computer. You probably feel a twinge of regret at seeing them grow so fast and go [...]

A recipe for a fun summer night on the patio. Don’t believe what these back-to-school commercials imply – summer is not over. The weather is going to be great for a good long time, and now is the time to enjoy a nice summer evening. So I propose that you invite your friends over for [...]

Pizza Bianca Not every pizza needs tomato sauce. Briny green olives, dried chile flakes and rich cheese make this pizza a perfect match with a fruit forward Montepulciano d’Abruzzo like Illuminati Riparosso. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Ready in: 30 minutes Original recipe yield 4 to 6 servings 1 (10 inch) pre-baked [...]

Thai-style Shrimp and Cheddar Spring Rolls A refreshing and delicious idea for a picnic What is it about eating outdoors that is so appealing? Is it simply the fact that we are trapped inside for most of the year and we need to get out come summertime? Maybe the increased amount of oxygen makes the [...]