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 food and wine taste better. Or maybe natural light soothes a primal part of our psyches, making the meal experience that much better. Whatever the reason, I just love eating outdoors, and I’m always on the lookout for new, easy and tasty picnic recipes. Thai-style […]
Food & Wine Pairing
Ontario VQA Wine and Canadian Cheese Twitter Tasting
What an amazing tasting last night! on Twitter with Canadian cheeses. A terrific group of wine tasters shared thoughts on the pairings and lots of laughs in a live tweet-up that everyone could join. (They had a whey with curds.) Most amazingly, our discussion trended #1 on Twitter: it was the most discussed topic on Twitter worldwide, more popular than Jay-Z, Mitt Romney’s wife and pop culture icons. Smokin! Join us this Wednesday at 8 pm as we get together again for a live Google + video group wine tasting. How do you participate in the next wine and cheese […]
Twitter Wine and Cheese Tasting July 19: Join Us!
Join us for a all-Canadian wine and cheesing tasting on Twitter Thursday July 19 at 8 pm. This tweet-up tasting will bring together some enthusiastic and knowledgeable wine reviewers below who will share the tips and favourite pairings that evening. Here are two more articles on pairing wine and cheese from the Ottawa Citizen and The Ledger. We want to hear from you too. Here’s a sneak peak at the wines and cheeses we’ll be tasting if you’d like to indulge yourself. See you (and tweet with you) soon! Natalie PS The hashtag for our conversion is #CdnCheese. 2010 Inniskillin […]
Recipe: Cedar Planked Salmon, Beet Quinoa Salad with Jackson Triggs Chardonnay
Cedar Planked Salmon With Beet & Quinoa Salad, Chardonnay Vinaigrette Salmon and Chardonnay are long-time comrades, and the use of chardonnay in this vinaigrette adds another dimension to the dish. Meet Chef Mackiddie at the i4c Kick-Off Party July 20th, featuring The Arkells at Jackson Triggs. Tickets on sale at www.coolchardonnay.org. Ingredients: 2 Cups Dry Quinoa 4 Cups Water 1 Tsp Salt 2 Medium Beets Cooked and Sliced 1 Tsp Chopped Thyme 1 Tbsp Chopped Parsley Method: Add Quinoa, Water & Salt into a saucepan, bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until water is fully absorbed (about 15 minutes). […]
Recipe: Beef Braciole, Grilled Tomato Sauce with Chianti Classico
Beef Braciole with Grilled Tomato Sauce Braciole is traditionally made with slices of top round steak, pounded thin and wrapped around a savoury filling, which is then braised in a tomato sauce. This version is BBQ-ready and features flank steak stuffed pinwheel-style, with proscuitto, fontina and parmesan. A summery grilled tomato and fresh herb sauce is served alongside. The dish would be a perfect match for a rich, harmonious Tuscan red like Fonterutoli Chianti Classico 2009. Serves 6 to 8 For the steak: 1 ½ to 2 lb. flank steak, well trimmed ½ cup Panko bread crumbs ¼ cup plus […]
Italian-Style Burger Recipe with Canadian Mozzarella and Chianti
Bring the taste of Italy to your backyard this summer. July is one of my favourite months, traditionally the warmest month of the year in Canada. It’s the perfect time to get together with friends and enjoy the best life has to offer. With warm days and spectacular sunsets, it’s easy to believe you’re in an exotic place where the weather’s more accommodating year round. To get the most out of your summer, here’s an exotic spin on an old favourite that’s best enjoyed with a bottle of wine, good conversation and the comfort of a backyard or patio. The […]
How to Pair Wine and Cheese Plus Serving Tips
It’s been said that wine and cheese are not only the perfect marriage, but the one that never breaks up! The key here is to build up a momentum. Offering three separate servings, start with lighter cheeses accompanied by light wines or beers and move on to stronger cheeses and more full-bodied vintages. And don’t forget to look for the 100% Canadian milk symbol whenever you buy cheese. Presentation: It doesn’t take much to attract a crowd to cheese. So a simple, elegant plate can suffice. But a lovely assortment of cheeses luxuriously laid out on a prized marble or […]
Wine Marketing Brand Launch: Henry of Pelham Sibling Rivalry
In the video below, Daniel Speck shares a behind-the-scenes look at the incredibly successful launch of the wine brand Sibling Rivalry. How can you use consumer package goods marketing to such a fragmented, quirky and artisanal category like wine? In 1984, many people thought that the Speck family in Niagara was crazy when they ripped out their Concord grapes at their own expense and instead planted Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, they’re considered prescient for having been one of the first wineries in the region to make the leap to premium grapes and wine. Three […]
Grilled Flank Steak Sandwich Recipe with Gorgonzola, Roasted Red Pepper Paired with Liberty School Cabernet
This isn’t your average steak sandwich. Pair this recipe with a wine that offers lots of ripe red fruit flavours and firm, but silky tannins. A great choice would be Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 from the California’s Paso Robles region.
Japanese Grilled Steak Sandwich Recipe with Canadian Havarti & Riesling
According to the calendar, summer officially starts in a week – on June 21. However, I believe that in sun-starved Canada summer starts the moment we see leaves on trees, and that’s why we’ve been enjoying it for more than a month. I suspect that many of you have fired up your barbecues long ago and by now you’ve probably cooked your fair share of burgers and steaks. So I thought you’d appreciate a fun, new idea for a simple and delicious recipe on the barbecue: Japanese-style Steak Sandwich with Canadian Havarti. This steak sandwich recipe features a mouth-watering, exotic […]
