The Appetizer

Shelf Life: The better butter

NP Editor — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:00:00 GMT

By A. Brouwer & A. Wilson

“Like buttah!” Who could forget Mike Meyers on Saturday Night Live, sending up his fantastically Jewish mother-in-law in the classic sketch Coffee Talk With Linda Richman? Oh. My. God. The poufy hair, the glamazon shoulder pads, the most perfect nails evah? The hilarious diva worship: “This show is dedicated as always to Barbra Joan Streisand.” Linda and her guests would clank their jewellery and swoon over their heroine: “Barbra, can I just say, I saw you in your new movie, The Prince of Tides, and you were like buttah!”

Which got us thinking. Are all butters worthy of the Barbra comparison? Aren’t some butters more like, say, Céline, or old-school Whitney? And what about those colourless, tasteless young pretenders no one has heard of? Who among us hasn’t spread something on their toast in the morning and it wasn’t like buttah; it was Jessica Simpson?

So Shelf Life did some homework. There are any number of interesting reasons for differences in butter quality. For example, European butter is highly rich and flavourful because it contains up to 86% butterfat (the North American standard is 80-81%). Closer to home, artisanal butters get their distinctive qualities from the practice of terroir, in which elements such as the location, breed and diet of the livestock may be discerned in the finished product. When it comes to everyday, supermarket butter, salt is a factor, and colour. Salt can be sneaky.

The market leader is unsalted butter, but those who use it the most know that the package must always be scrutinized, as some “unsalted” butters contain sodium. Colour can come from various sources, many of them artificial. As with so many other products, “enhanced” butter and margarine are relics of the Mad Men-era food industry — i.e., the notion that the more exaggerated the colour, the more it’s going to look authentic. Go figure. Finally, there’s the issue of American v. Canadian butter. In our informal poll, Shelf Life discovered that six out of 10 of our favourite cooks can detect a flavour difference: apparently American butter has a trace of sourness to it.

But back to our showbiz legend. In honour of Barbra — or as we girls like to call her, Mrs. James Brolin: Correct me if I’m wrong but the man is divine; he’s like buttah!! — this week’s taste test aims to find a product worthy of her name. A better Barbra butter, bubeleh. A butter that causes all who encounter it to shriek, like Mike Meyers as the lady herself (in Funny Girl): “Hello, gorgeous!!”

Ready to sample butter until the cows come home are our expert judges: Rodney Bowers executive chef at Le Petit Castor and chef/owner of The Rosebud and The Citizen restaurants; Lynn Crawford, celebrity chef on the Food Network; Lora Kirk, chef de cuisine, all in Toronto. Space limitations prevent us from evaluating every product in a given category; entries reflect the luck of the draw. Items are blind taste-tested and awarded between zero and five stars.

Organic Meadow, 1 lb., $9.39
Widely available; organicmeadow.com
Rodney Ahhhh. You know, I like this one. I like butter. I really like butter, and I really like this brand. The colour is strong — like sunflower petals. The flavour dances on the tongue, and the texture is light and soft. The taste is fleeting but wonderful — it’s supercreamy then gone like a Friday paycheque. ★★★★
Lynn I wouldn’t complain if this one ended up on my table. It’s soft, it’s creamy, and to me, it has a unique aftertaste — some floral notes, maybe a hint of grass. No salt. However it does have a bright canary yellow appearance, and it looks cakey and oily — the oil is almost beading. ★★★
Lora Not the world’s most attractive butter — it really does look like margarine to me. I agree about the taste though. It’s grassy and creamy and all of those things, and it’s not sweet but just on the edge of sweet. I’d put this one on the table and get out the bread. ★★★
TOTAL: 10 stars

Beurre Ancestral, 250 g, $9.99
Available in gourmet food stores and cheese shops; routedesfromages.com/index.php
Rodney It’s the colour of a ripe banana. This is another very creamy butter, and it tastes salty but delicate. Brand 2 is salty-sweet on the tongue, but not too much. Strangely, it smells like sour cream potato chips. ★★★★½
Lynn When I was growing up, I was always jealous of the other kids, who got butter. We had margarine. If we got butter, which was rare, my mother would freeze it. Brand 2 is obviously not margarine, but it is odd. If I put a little piece on my tongue I pick up beads of salt, which immediately go away, and then it finishes sweet. I like it, but …hmmm. ★★★
Lora All I’m getting is salt. I’m not big on salty butter, I’d rather add it myself. It’s got no aftertaste, and no smell. It’s yellow, with a texture almost like waxy dough. Brand 2 might work with something like corn on the cob. ★★½
TOTAL: 10 stars

Lactanctia, 1 lb., $5.99
Widely available
Rodney Brand 3 is pale, with a bit of transparency. It’s not my favourite, but it’s got an interesting, kind of earthy taste. Speaking of butter, have I told you recently how much I love mashed potatoes? At the restaurant we serve them Joël Robuchon-style, 50% butter and 50% mashed spuds. ★★★
Lynn C’mon, push it — I think you should make it 75% butter, 25% potato. Who could resist that? Not me. I could maybe resist Brand 3 though. I find it bland. It’s just not eventful. Zero salt, no sweetness, maybe a faint trace of grass. It doesn’t have any real drawbacks, but there are better products out there. ★★★½
Lora I like its smoothness. This is a light, fluffy, creamy butter, with one or two grassy notes, and I find myself eating more and more of it. Brand 3 has a really versatile creaminess — you could use it for just about any occasion. ★★★★
TOTAL: 10½ stars

Golden Dawn, 1 lb., $4.29
Available at selected gourmet and independent grocery stores; allistonherald.com/allistonherald/article/128576
Rodney Hey! This is a different butter altogether. As soon as I taste it, I get blossom honey, and it’s floral on the nose. The texture is soft and dissipates rapidly, and it has a beautiful buttery appearance. But, uh-oh — the flavour falls right off. ★★★½
Lynn It smells sweet, almost perfumey — there’s definitely something floral going on here. The flavour is absolutely lovely — it’s super-creamy, like everyone’s ideal of what butter should be like. Give me this and I could make a pecan pie that would be out of this world. Or butter tarts. Butter tarts! ★★★★½
Lora To me, Brand 4 tastes fresh and balanced, like homemade butter. There’s maybe a small bit of salt. I would cook my head off with this butter, starting with something like a braised steak. I love the sweet, flowery aroma. I think I’ve just found my new favourite butter. ★★★★½
TOTAL: 12½ stars

The Results: The cream of the crop turned out to be Alliston, Ontario’s delectable Golden Dawn brand. Judges also enjoyed Lactantia, from Quebec, with Organic Meadow and Beurre Ancestre achieving some mellow yellow as well.

Off the Menu: During this test, Shelf Life discovered quite a lot about butter consumption, plus one or two way-weird idiosyncrasies of the judges (Rodney: “ Do you know what’s really good? Butter in peanut butter sandwiches”). But when all was said and done and knives came down on plates for the last time, Shelf Life was struck by one thought: It is very easy to forget the reality of this product. Every aspect of butter represents an enormous amount of distilled labour. It takes 21 pounds of fresh cow’s milk to make one pound of butter. It took centuries to develop state-of-the-art pasteurization, refrigeration, selective breeding and transportation. Today, there are fewer people producing butter and more consumers expecting cheaper, tastier product. The system is showing signs of strain and is riddled with bad practice. Is the current life cycle of this beautiful product desirable — or sustainable? Just askin’.

[What could be better than butter? More butter! Tyler Anderson / National Post file photo]

Bonnie Stern: Someone's in the kitchen with Peggy

NP Editor — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

For those who love good food and literature, Margaret Atwood’s Year of the Flood is a must-read. Although the story is set in the future, many of Atwood’s predictions feel eerily familiar, whether about religion, pandemics, politics or food philosophy. It’s the perfect book to feature at a book club, especially if food is part of the event.

At the monthly book club at my cooking school, we prepare a menu that’s somehow related to the novel we’ve chosen — then we invite the author. This time it was Margaret Atwood.

As for planning the menu, we had lots of choice. In Atwood’s novel, there is a group of vegetarians called God’s Gardeners who are devoted to merging science and religion. There’s also the CorpSeCorps, a corporate power that promotes suspiciously amusing fast-food chains like SecretBurgers and Happicuppa.

Inspired by Year of the Flood, our menu reflected both philosophies with dishes including the following: Not-So-Secret-Burgers, Gardeners’ Salad with Ancient Fruits, crispy homemade fish sticks and Happicuppa Walnut roll. For more about the evening, visit Atwood’s website: marg09.wordpress.com

GOD’S GARDENERS’ SALAD WITH ANCIENT FRUITS AND HONEY VINAIGRETTE
In Year of the Flood, God’s Gardeners eat many wild greens and herbs. They also keep honey bees and make their own vinegar. For this salad, we used Cookstown Greens’ organic salad mix of more than 40 greens and made a honey vinaigrette.
- 16 cups (4 L) organic mixed greens
- 2 apples, halved, cored and sliced
- ½ cup (125 mL) pomegranate seeds
- 4 fresh figs, quartered
- 8 Medjool dates, halved
- 1 cup (250 mL) honey-coated walnuts or roasted walnuts
Dressing:
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
- ¼ tsp (1mL) pepper
- ½ tsp (2mL) Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- ½ cup (125mL) extra virgin olive oil
1. For dressing, whisk vinegar with honey, salt, pepper, mustard and shallot. Whisk in olive oil. Season to taste.
2. Toss as much dressing with greens as needed. Top salad with apples, pomegranate seeds, figs, dates and walnuts. Makes 8 servings

100% FISH STICKS WITH WILD HERB BREADCRUMBS
In the novel, the cafeteria at Helthwyzer High serves 20% real fish sticks, but ours were all real. Atwood said that the character Jimmy, from her previous novel, Oryx and Crake, would have loved them.
- 5 tbsp (75 mL) butter
- 1½ cups (375 mL) panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped wild herbs (thyme, sage or rosemary)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lb (1 kg) boneless, skinless, fresh halibut fillets, cut into 2 oz (60 g) pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt
- ¼ tsp (1mL) freshly ground black pepper
1. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add breadcrumbs and cook gently until lightly toasted. Add herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and place in a large shallow dish.
2. Rub pieces of fish with olive oil, salt and pepper. Dredge with crumbs on all sides. Place fish in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Roast fish in a preheated 425F (210C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or just until cooked through. Makes 6 to 8 servings

HAPPICUPPA WALNUT ROLL
This cake was inspired by the novel’s Happicuppa coffee franchise and the walnuts and berries that God’s Gardeners ate.
- 6 eggs, separated
- ¾ cup (175 mL) sugar, divided
- 1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (375 mL) ground toasted walnuts
- 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
Coffee buttercream:
- ¾ cup (175 mL) butter
- 1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) coffee extract or more to taste
Chocolate sauce:
- ½ cup (125 mL) whipping cream
- 4 oz (125 g) semi-sweeet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) brewed espresso or strong coffee (optional)
- 2 cups (500 mL) mixed berries
1. Lightly butter a 10x15-inch baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Butter and lightly flour parchment.
2. Beat egg yolks with ½ cup (125mL) sugar until very light. Add vanilla. Combine nuts with baking powder and stir into egg yolks. Whip egg whites until light and gradually beat in remaining sugar. Fold into nut mixture. Spread on prepared pan. Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven for 15 to 16 minutes. Cool.
3. For filling, whip butter until very light. Beat in icing sugar. Add vanilla and coffee extract.
4. Loosen cake from pan. Dust with icing sugar. Turn cake out onto parchment paper. Spread cake with filling and roll up lengthwise. Refrigerate. Serve cake at room temperature.
5. For sauce, heat cream. Pour over chocolate. Allow to rest for 2 or 3 minutes and then stir until smooth. Stir in coffee. Cool.
6. Drizzle cake with sauce and garnish with berries. Makes 8 servings

[Walnut roll inspired by Margaret Atwood's fictional Happicuppa coffee franchise. Brett Gundlock / National Post]

Happy Hour: Dark beers for dark winter nights

Adam McDowell — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:53:00 GMT

While the dreary weather may not have reached many parts of the country yet, rest assured it will come. You have our permission to shudder.

One is to be thankful that at least the seasonal dark beers have arrived ahead of the biting winds. We have time to prepare a drinking plan for the inevitable gloomy days ahead. I suppose a typical rundown of this sort would mention beers appropriate to situations such as après-ski and the tingle of reheating the tootsies after a pleasure skate, but let’s be honest: If you’re lucky, you’ll spend a tenth of 1% of the winter basking in moments like those. Herewith, an ale-matching guide for real Canadian winter situations:

You’ve spent an hour pushing your car out of the snow
What you need now is to forget this ever happened. At a whopping 11% alcohol and coming in half-litre bottles, Mill St. Barley Wine from Toronto is up to the task. A big strawberry aroma and tangy Tettnanger hops make this the ideal brew to give you the bittersweet pleasure of enjoying a drink after a hard, cold evening.

You’ve driven three different kids to three different hockey practices in one day
You’ve got three kids at different hockey age levels? You should have known this was coming. If you’re not into the whole forethought thing, how about something you can spontaneously pick up on the way home from the rink? Try either Guinness Draught or the new Rickard’s Dark, both of which will be widely available. I needn’t describe the reliable former, but the latter is another surprisingly decent offering in the Rickard’s line; it’s a porter brewed with maple syrup (not that it tastes of maple, mind you; I gather that gets fermented out). The days when Molson and Labatt made porters and stouts were before my time, but this is what I would have imagined a Molson porter to taste like: smoky, sweet, with a thin body and some of that characteristic tinny hoppiness Molson products tend to have (mmm, Stock Ale). It’s a credible approach to making a porter from a giant brewery.

You’ve just shovelled the front walk and now you’re wringing slush out of your socks
Good boy/girl! You deserve a treat! A little bottle Scotch Irish Plain Porter, with its endorphin-promoting malt and pervading bitterness, should create a Pavlovian reinforcement for you to behave admirably again next time. (And look at the cute little Scottie pooch on the label. Nice doggy!)

You went arse-over-teakettle on a patch of ice
You need some anaesthetic, stat. Gouden Carolus should do the trick, being 8.5% alcohol by volume. It’s a deep, contemplative dark Belgian ale, with a distinct lactic (that is, milky) flavour, a luxurious, bready body and a mere hint of bitterness in the finish. Also makes a fine companion for those days when there’s a solid white sheet of snow coming down outside and there’s no way in frozen-over hell you’re getting off the couch.

More to come! And don’t forget these!

[Photo: Adam McDowell / National Post]

The gigantic cereal aisle at the end of the rainbow

Jason Rehel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Here at The Appetizer we're always interested in being on the cusp of consumer food culture, whether that means bringing you news of the seven-patty Whopper that Microsoft heralded in Japan to promote their new operating system, or our regular Shelf Life features that help you decide between the leading brands in a given packaged-food product category.

That's why we were so excited this morning when we stumbled upon The Cereal Project, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, and then some. Let's put it this way, if you've made a habit over the years of reading the sides of cereal boxes, you're going to feel as if you've died and gone to grocery aisle heaven. According to their website, the Project's purpose is to be a:

comprehensive database of U.S. breakfast cereals. At this moment, the database contains over 1,220 cereals. The site is called a "Project" because it's ongoing. Thanks to site user participation, classic cereals continue to be discovered. As new cereals hit the market, they are also added to the database.

What do they have so far? Here's the list, and yeah, it's pretty comprehensive ... heck, these guys even have what amounts to a cereal bibliography. Sounds grrrrrr-eat! Sorry, we couldn't resist.

[Sure, for most people, the cereal aisle is a definite favourite, but just imagine a cereal aisle that included all the cereal boxes, flavours, mascots and contests of the past. Imagine no longer. Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images]

Doing it deli-style at Caplansky's

Jason Rehel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:25:00 GMT

By Adam McDowell, National Post

If a steady diet of Caplansky’s smoked meat sandwiches sends you to your maker ahead of schedule, you’ll at least have picked up a few good Jewish jokes at the restaurant to tell Him when you get up there.

Diners waiting around for their fressers, kishkas and versht at Caplansky’s Delicatessen in Toronto can feast their eyes in the meantime on the posters you see here.

They feature slogans that poke gentle fun at Judaism (not to mention Christianity) and an aesthetic inspired by traditional Jewish wedding contracts called ketubahs (ketubot is the Hebrew plural) — except festooned with images of meat and pickles where they would have been adorned with flowers.

They were designed by Toronto advertising agency Bensimon-Byrne as a thank-you to Caplansky’s Delicatessen for supplying some of the most delicious meat in town. The deli became an instant favourite of downtown Torontonians for supplying them, for the first time, with credible Montreal-style smoked meat when it opened inside a blue-collar bar in August 2008. Caplansky’s has been packed since it moved to its own location this past summer with an expanded menu.

Among the die-hard fans: Michael Takasaki and Glen D’Souza of Bensimon-Byrne. “Mike in particular is a massive meat fan, if I can put it that way,” says David Rosenberg, the creative director who supervised the poster project.

“The smoked meat is great, but I’m really a convert to the versht [kosher salami] on rye. And I had the tongue last time and it was really good too,” confirms Takasaki.
Astute readers will notice neither D’Souza or Takasaki has a name that suggests a Jewish heritage. That didn’t stop them from coming up with a handful of schmaltzy jokes.

“That’s always been the funny thing. Glen’s Indian and I’m half-Japanese. But that’s what we do, is put our heads into other people’s places. Living in Toronto you get to be familiar with so many other cultures; you pick stuff up.”

Caplansky’s owner Zane Caplansky — who appears atop the poster reading, “Leper shmeper, let’s see Jesus cure a salami” — says customers haven’t yet complained about the mildly sacreligious posters. In fact, they’ve been asking to buy copies. Caplansky says he hopes to offer them for sale soon.

He notes that one slogan in particular came in handy to explain the meat shortage crises of the restaurant’s early days. The poster observes that it took God six days to create the world but 14 are required to smoke a brisket. “It’s sometimes more difficult than Creation itself,” Caplansky says.

amcdowell@nationalpost.com

Canadian comfort food with haute cuisine twists

Jason Rehel — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:15:00 GMT

By Ron Eade, Canwest News Service

Autumn is a most welcome season at my house, if only because it gives me an excuse to make soul-satisfying braises and terrines and rillettes while others with more ruddy complexions are off hiking.

Comfort food is, well, comforting, which is exactly the point of staying home and creating unctuous dishes that might seem a bit heavy in, say, July when the temperature hits a sultry 30C.

Give me a tempting fall recipe, a casserole dish and an afternoon alone …

Or, as Canadian author Anne Michaels puts it, “There’s nothing like a good recipe to make you believe things will work out fine in the end. Even the phrase ‘serves four’ is hope distilled.”(Heart-felt prose like that perhaps explains why her book The Winter Vault was a 2009 finalist for the Giller Prize.)

No less inspiring, to this omnivore anyway, is a cookbook just out called Fresh Canadian Bistro by Halifax chef Craig Flinn, featuring recipes from some of the best chefs across the country.

Savour the season, brought to you by some of the best chefs our nation’s capital:

FOIE GRAS POUTINE
Serves 4
For the sauce:
1 cup (250 mL) red wine
1/4 cup (50 mL) shallots, sliced
1/3 cup (75 mL) carrots, diced
5 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, sliced
6 black peppercorns
2 cups (500 mL) veal stock (may substitute 1 package powder demi-glace mix, made according to package directions, but it won’t be as good)
5 oz. (140 g) foie gras
For the poutine:
6 cups (1.5 mL) peanut or canola oil, for deep frying
4 large russet (baking) potatoes, cut into french fries
1 tsp (5 mL) coarse sea salt
4 slices foie gras, each 3 ounces (85 g), cut 1-inch (2.5-cm) thick
12 oz. (340 g) fresh cheese curds, room temperature
2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh chopped chives, to garnish
A few grindings, black pepper

1. For the sauce, in a medium saucepan bring wine, shallots carrots, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, garlic and peppercorns to simmer and reduce until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add veal stock and simmer until reduced by one-quarter, or until it reaches sauce consistency.
2. Strain sauce, return to saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour hot sauce into a blender and pure with 5 ounces (140 g) of the foie gras. Season to taste with salt (don’t add salt if you used demi-glace mix), pepper — do not boil sauce after this point, just keep warm to avoid separation.
3. For the poutine, in an electric deep fryer heat oil to 275 F (140 C). Working in batches if necessary, fry cut potatoes about 3 minutes (fries should not take on any colour at this point) and transfer to large plate lined with paper towels. Allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Increase oil temperature in fryer to 350 F (180 C) and fry potatoes a second time, working in batches, until golden brown. Remove from oil and season with sea salt.
5. Heat a cast-iron frying pan until very hot and sear foe gras slices about 1 minute per side, depending on thickness. They should be golden brown but not overcooked (slightly underdone in the centre is perfect).
6. To serve, mound french fries in centre of a pasta or shallow soup bowl. Sprinkle liberally with cheese curds and place a piece of foie gras on top. Drizzle warm sauce over everything and garnish with chopped chives, freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, as fries will become soggy if allowed to sit.
—Source: Chef Stephen Vardy, Black Cat Bistro
Per Serving: Calories 1,139; Fat 73.6 g; Sodium 2,035 mg

MAPLE SYRUP PIE WITH CREME FRAICHE
Serves 8 to 10
For the creme fraiche:
1 cup (250 mL) heavy 35-per-cent cream
1 cup (250 mL) sour cream
For the filling:
3 cups (750 mL) maple syrup
3 cups (750 mL) fresh white breadcrumbs (not dried)
For the pastry:
2 cups (500 mL) flour
1 cup (250 mL) cold unsalted butter, chopped or grated
1/2 tsp (1 mL) salt
3/4 cup (175 mL) ice water (approximately)
1. Make the creme fraiche at least a day ahead by combining cream and sour cream; cover loosely with plastic food wrap and leave at room temperature overnight or 24 hours, until it thickens. Stir, then refrigerate until needed.
2. For the filling, in a heavy saucepan stir together syrup and fresh breadcrumbs. Simmer over medium heat until bubbling and reduced to taffy-like consistency.
3. For the pastry, in a food processor pulse flour with butter and salt. Add just enough ice-cold water to bring pastry together. Do not overwork. Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate a minimum of 1 hour. Roll out and fit into a 12-inch (30-cm) tart pan, preferably one with a removable bottom.
4. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Pierce bottom of tart shell evenly with a fork and bake until golden; allow shell to cool to room temperature.
5. Pour syrup mixture into cooled pastry shell. Bake again until bubbling, then remove from oven and cool completely. When set, cut into neat slices and serve with creme fraiche.
— Source: Chef Charles Part, Les Fougeres restaurant, Chelsea, Que.
Per Serving: Calories 713; Fat 29.1 g4; Sodium 451 mg

COUNTRY TERRINE OF PORK
Serves 12 to 14
2 shallots, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
21/2 tsp (14 mL) dried herbs de Province mixture
2 oz. (60 mL) cognac or brandy
21/2 lbs (1.2 kg) ground pork
8 oz. (225 g) smoked bacon, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, chopped very fine
21/2 tsp (14 mL) salt
11/2 tsp (7 mL) ground allspice
1 tsp (5 mL) ground white pepper
2 whole eggs, beaten
1/3 cup (75 mL) heavy 35-per-cent cream
14 slices smoked bacon (to wrap terrine)
1 smoked pork tenderloin, whole

1. In a heavy frying pan, saute shallots in butter with herbs de Provence 3 minutes and deglaze with cognac or brandy. Remove from heat and add to a large mixing bowl with remaining ingredients except bacon slices and whole tenderloin. Mix well.
2. Line a 10- by 41/2-inch (25- by 12-cm) terrine mould with bacon slices and fill halfway with ground pork mixture. Place whole tenderloin on top, centred in the mould, then fill terrine with remaining ground pork and pat down the top to smooth. Cover with sliced bacon.
3. Place terrine in a roasting pan or larger casserole dish and fill pan halfway up the sides with hot water to make a Bain-Marie. Bake uncovered in oven preheated to 375 F (190 C) until internal temperature of terrine using an instant-read meat thermometer shows at least 145 F (63 C).
4. As terrine cooks, wrap a clean brick a few times with aluminum foil and set aside. The brick will be used as a weight to compress the terrine as it cools, and should be large enough to barely fit inside the terrine mould. If you cannot find a brick, use a piece of untreated wood cut to size, or other food-safe flat object wrapped in foil, which you will weigh down with a large can or two or apple juice or soup.
5. When cooked, remove from oven and place foil-wrapped brick on top to press down on the terrine (if you do not, you will get meat loaf). If using foil-wrapped wood or other food-safe surface, weight it down with a large can.
6. Refrigerate with the weight on top until well chilled, then slice terrine 1Ï2-inch (12-mm) thick to serve.
— Source: Chef Steve Mitton, Murray Street Kitchen, Wine, Charcuterie
Per Serving: Calories 1,329; Fat 61.6 g; Sodium 4,422 mg

LOBSTER GNUDI WITH BEURRE FONDUE
Serves 4 to 6, as appetizer
For the gnudi:
1 whole egg
12 oz. (340 g) fresh ricotta cheese
4 oz. (115 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Pinch, freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (75 mL) semolina flour
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
For the butter-poached lobster:
1 cup (250 mL/2 sticks) salted butter
4 tbsp (65 mL) water
1 lobster (11/2 to 2 pounds/675 to 900 g), or 8-ounce (225 g) raw lobster meat
Fresh chives or tarragon leaves, to garnish

1. For the gnudi, in a small mixing bowl combine egg, ricotta, Parmesan, salt, pepper, all-purpose flour and 1Ï2 of the semolina flour. Mix until well combined.
2. Place remaining semolina flour in a shallow bowl. Using floured hands, pinch about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of ricotta mixture and form into little football shapes. Repeat, dredging each dumpling through semolina flour in bowl, then placing it onto baking sheet. Blanch dumplings in simmering water 2 minutes, or until they float, then transfer carefully to a sheet pan and refrigerate until firm.
3. Heat a frying pan over medium burner and saute cold gnudi (straight from the fridge) in 2 tablespoons (25 mL) of butter.
4. For the lobster, cube cold butter into 1Ï2-inch (12-mm) pieces. In a stainless steel saucepan, heat water until it just boils. Reduce heat to low, then begin adding butter, in pieces, whisking continuously. The butter will emulsify with the water and create a foamy sauce. Note: Do this over very low heat, as sauce will separate if it boils.
5. When beurre fondue is emulsified, add lobster pieces and poach in the beurre fondue 5 minutes until just cooked through. (If using meat from a recently cooked lobster, the meat will need less time.)
6. To serve, place about 10 pieces of gnudi per person in the centre of a soup or pasta bowl. Place warm lobster on top, followed by a few teaspoons of beurre fondue. Garnish with sliced chives or a few leaves of fresh tarragon.
— Source: Chef Michael Moffatt, Beckta Dining & Wine and Play Food & Wine
Per Serving: Calories 1,190; Fat: 114.4 g; Sodium: 1452 mg

[Lobster Gnudi with Beurre Fondue, from the book Fresh Canadian Bistro: Top Canadian chefs share their favourite recipes by Craig Flinn. Photo handout]

Lunchbox Revival: Bring on the ho-ho season — eggs, cheese, roasted tomatoes and gin

Karen Hawthorne — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:05:00 GMT

(Photo: A Bombay Roasted Tomato and Gorgonzola Tart pairs so well with a Sapphire Festive Pear cocktail — now that's a festive lunch. Handout photo)

Karen Hawthorne, National Post

The holiday music is playing in department stores, Santa commercials are taking over Web and TV ads, so it's time to seriously prep for the season. In certain cases, that means drinking gin.

Bombay Sapphire gin representatives stopped by for a gin-inspired lunch delivery to demonstrate the versatility of gin and show off their bartending skills. The idea was to pair an original festive original cocktail by U.K. mixologist Merlin Griffiths, a Sapphire Festive Pear, with a delicious entree, a Bombay Roasted Tomato and Gorgonzola Tart, prepared especially by chef-in-training Lauren Mozer from George Brown College in Toronto.

The cool bit? The two women, Stephanie Hutchinson and Sandra Decarvalho, mixed the cocktail with said gin, pear nectar, vanilla liqueur, fresh lime and bubbled to fruition with Prosecco wine, right on the spot, strained into a champagne flute and served with a smile.

Not every lunch at the office is quite so elaborate, now is it?

"Gin used to be considered an old man's drink," Stephanie says. "But now it's the young man's drink. Vodka is a little more girlie."

Stephanie knows about bartending for a roomful of testosterone. She worked at The Rinx, a Montreal sportsbar, where the guys liked their mixed drinks just as much as their beer. Sandra tended bar at a Swiss Chalet in Brampton, so you have to give her some credit, too. The secret to serving a great cocktail is following the measurements to the letter and having the ingredients ready to go — in the event that the hostess is sipping merrily, merrily along.

For lunch, brunch, or a little evening sparkly around the tree, this is a sweet cocktail with a smooth vanilla-pear flavour. The fruit and cheese combo always works for me, so the accompanying gorgonzola tart is rich, creamy and definitely not low-cal. If you can't count on those Christmas five pounds, what's going to propel you toward those slim-down resolutions?

Cherry tomatoes are cut in half lengthwise and tossed in a bowl with gin, salt and pepper, and roasted for 10 minutes before adding to the pie shell. Roasted tomatoes are yummy anytime, but I couldn't taste the gin. This could be remedied, I'm told, by adding more than the single tablespoon in which to soak the tomatoes. Next time, next time.

Sample these yourself — although you'll have to do the prep and service.

SAPPHIRE FESTIVE PEAR

1 ½ oz Bombay Sapphire®
1 ½ oz pear nectar (santé/parmalat Ceres brand or similar)
1 lime wedge (1/8th of a fresh lime)
2 tsp Galliano or vanilla liqueur
2 oz Prosecco wine

In a shaking tin or mixing glass full of ice add Bombay Sapphire, pear nectar, vanilla liqueur and lime juice. Gently pour the Prosecco into the shaker, be careful for it not to over-fizz.
Stir briefly to mix and carefully strain into a chilled champagne flute. Garnish with a sliver of pear.

BOMBAY ROASTED TOMATO AND GORGONZOLA TART
3/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 tbsp Bombay Sapphire®
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 frozen pie shell, thawed
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 eggs 
1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp cream (10%)
1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese

Preheat oven to 450˚F.
Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and toss in a bowl with Bombay Sapphire and salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Meanwhile, line pie shell with foil; fill with pie weights or uncooked rice. Reduce oven to 400°F and bake until rim is light golden, about 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil; let cool on rack.
Brush bottom of crust with mustard. Whisk together eggs, milk and cream. Layer bottom of shell with tomatoes and pour in egg mixture. Evenly place dollops of gorgonzola over top.
Bake at 375°F until knife inserted in centre comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool on rack for 10 minutes.

*Hors d’oeuvres size. Cut pie shell into 2 ½” rounds with a cookie cutter or inverted drinking glass and make individual tarts by baking in a mini-muffin tin. Place half a roasted tomato and piece of gorgonzola into each round and pour a little of the egg mixture over top. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until set. One pie shell makes 12 small tarts.

Making Love in the Kitchen: The Egg Has Dropped Egg Salad

Meghan Telpner — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:55:00 GMT

Meghan Telpner is a Toronto-based nutritionist and holistic lifestyle consultant. Her Making Love In The Kitchen video series will bring you tips on how to prepare healthful, nutritious goodness from whole foods. Visit her site for more love .

All this talk of eggs and ovaries and what not had me hungry for some dense nutrition.

Contrary to popular belief I am not vegan. Perhaps not even vegetarian. Who's to say and who wants to be labelled and tucked away in a box anyway. I eat what I feel my body needs and 95% of the time, it needs plant based foods. However, given that I was in a wee car accident a few weeks back and have been dealing with some bodily injury, this body of mine that likes its protein, needed an extra serving to help get me on the mend, and so eggs have been chillin' out in my diet lately.

My eggs obviously aren't the $1.99 variety you find in pink stryrofoam containers in the supermarket. Nor are they commercially organic. My eggs are are from free run, happy chickens and I pick them up from the farmer him/herself. That's how I roll when it comes to eggs. The best egg I ever did eat came off a farm in Ohio. I have never seen a yolk that amazing shade of vitamin A/ Beta Carotene orange in my life (see Josh's take on that glowing egg).

When I do eat them, it is not carelessly either. I want to get the most nutrition I can, so you won't find my eggs scrambled or omeletted- denaturing the proteins and the super fats at those high temperatures. Nope. I eat eggs only two ways. Poached or soft boiled. This allows me to get the best of the best goodness.

I have two main rules when it comes to eggs:

1. Do not buy eggs that come in cartons that resemble milk cartons. Eggs are not meant to be poured from a carton.That's just gross and I guarantee you aren't eating pretty eggs. Pretty eggs get to stay in their pretty shell package

2. Eat the yolk for goodness sake. The yolk contains so much of the good stuff, the stuff that keeps our nervous system healthy, our cell membranes healthy and our fat soluble vitamins absorbing.

And here are some of the amazing healthy things eggs can do for us.

Eggs are great for the eyes and may prevent macular degeneraton due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin.These nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.
One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids. That means two eggs gives me nearly 1/4 of my daily protein intake.
Before you get all cholesterol and heart disease on my egg-eating bottom, according to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease.
Egg yolks are great sources of choline. What is choline? Choline helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.
Happy great fats! One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat- which means the rest are the kind that make sperm swim faster, moods lift higher, brains function faster and lovers love longer (it's a blood thinning thing).
Contrary to popular propaganda, moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. Studies have shown that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person's lipid profile and may, in fact, improve it. (Psst- it's dietary crappy-ass saturated fats from fatty fatty fat fat animals that will have a dietary affect, not dietary consumption of cholesterol).
Forget the pills and sunbathing (I would never forget sunbathing) but eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.
And for The Pill poppers- eggs may prevent breast cancer.
And of course lets get a little vain because eggs promote healthy (and faster growing) hair and nails due to their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals.
Three cheers for B12. Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!

This recipe for mayonnaise free egg-salad can of course be applied to your fave egg substitute like tofu or tempeh or even steamed cauliflower (though you won't be getting the protein or fats with this one). It is deeelish and simplish.

The Egg Has Dropped Egg Salad

2 eggs
1-2 dill pickles (depending on the size- and make them yourself!), chopped
1/4 cup celery of fennel, chopped
2-3 Tbs Flax Oil
1/4 cup cauliflower, steamed and chopped (optional)
sea salt and cayenne to taste

Note, you may also like to mix in steamed sweet potato and onion.

Bring small pot of water to a boil covered
Carefully lower two eggs into the water and boil, uncovered for 7-8 minutes for a soft boil or 10-11 for a hard boil
Run eggs under cold water, the cooler the egg, the easier to peel
Peel and chop up eggs, or mash with a fork
Mix in pickle, celery or fennel and steamed and chopped cauliflower
Add sea salt and cayenne
Serve on a bed of green, in a wrap or sandwich style.

The Apathetic Gourmet: Jamie Oliver's Classic Tomato Spaghetti

Maryam Siddiqi — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:14:00 GMT

By Maryam Siddiqi, National Post

Jamie Oliver has transformed from chef to counsellor — he just wants us to take better care of ourselves. How can you fault a guy who only wants the best for us? But will his recipe go down as easy as his message?

Classic Tomato Spaghetti, recipe courtesy of Jamie’s Food Revolution.

- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 fresh red chili
- 1 bunch of fresh basil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 400g dried spaghetti
- Olive oil
- 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 100g Parmesan cheese

1. Peel and finely slice garlic. Finely slice chili (halve and deseed it first if you don’t want the sauce too hot). Pick basil leaves off the stalks and put to one side. Finely chop the stalks.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add spaghetti and cook according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, put a large saucepan on a medium heat and add two good lugs of olive oil. Add the garlic, chili and basil stalks and give them a stir. When the garlic begins to brown slightly, add most of the basil leaves and the tinned tomatoes. Turn the heat up high and stir for a minute. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Drain the spaghetti in a colander, then transfer it to the pan of sauce and stir well. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if you think it needs it.
4. Remove from heat. Roughly tear over the remaining basil leaves and grate over some Parmesan.
Serves 2.

Results: I would honestly eat this dish every day. Simple ingredient list, ridiculously easy to make and delicious — plus, my kitchen has never smelled better.

Oliver, who’s currently in the U.S. working on his newest show, took some time from teaching the citizens of Huntington, W.Va., how to cook to answer a couple questions.

I accidentally tossed the basil stems in the trash before I realized that they were meant for the recipe. Rescuing them wasn’t an option. I asked Oliver what I missed out on. “Apart from wasting a few cents and losing a tiny bit of flavour, don’t be too concerned,” he says.

My inadvertent disposal of the basil stems was essentially the only thing I tossed while making this dish. I asked Oliver if this was intentional. His response: Yes. “I always try to use every last bit of ingredients if I can so the whole recipe is simple and not wasteful at all. I try to see things from the reader’s point of view — nobody likes having loads of clearing up to do.”

Finally, due to low iron levels and an admiration of Popeye’s muscles, I added spinach and goat cheese. But Oliver has this tip for those looking to add more protein to the dish: “You could simmer a bit of white fish in the sauce and then add a squeeze of lemon at the end if you like.”

Jamie Oliver will be speaking at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall on Nov. 22. Ticket buyers will receive a copy of Jamie’s Food Revolution. For more information, visit roythomson.com.

Find previous Apathetic Gourmet culinary attempts here. Do you have recipe suggestions for our Apathetic Gourmet? Email msiddiqi@nationalpost.com.

Recipe: Thomas Keller's simple scallops

Jason Rehel — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:54:00 GMT

CARAMELIZED SEA SCALLOPS
serves six

- 5 oz kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 cups boiling water
- 8 cups cold water
- 12 U7-grade sea scallops (about 1-3/4 pounds), preferably dry-packed, tough side muscle removed from each one
- About 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) clarified Butter
- 1/2 lemon (optional)

1. Line a small baking sheet with paper towels. Combine the salt with the boiling water in a large bowl, stirring to dissolve the salt. Add the cold water.

2. Add the scallops to the brine and let stand for 10 minutes (no longer, or the scallops may become too salty). Drain the scallops, rinse under cold water, and arrange in a single layer on the paper towels.

3. Heat the clarified butter in a large stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat until it ripples and begins to smoke. (Although you may be tempted to use a nonstick pan, a stainless steel pan will produce a more beautiful caramelized exterior.)

4. Sprinkle the scallops lightly with salt and add them to the pan, without crowding. (If necessary, cook the scallops in two pans or in 2 batches; if they touch, they will steam rather than caramelize.) Cook, without moving the scallops, until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, 3 to 3-1/2 minutes. Turn the scallops and caramelize the second side.

5. Transfer the scallops to a serving platter and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice on top, if desired.

From Ad Hoc at Home by chef Thomas Keller.

Holiday Drinks Quarterly: Bottoms up!

Jason Rehel — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Our Holiday Drinks Quarterly arrives this weekend.

Here is an index of the special section:

• Amy Rosen wonders if women-friendly wine labels are effective or just downright insulting.

• Burp or spit? The story of a die-hard beer fan coming to terms with wine snobs.

• How do you buy beverage gifts for the discerning, or not-so discerning palate? Adam McDowell explains.

• Post wine critic Margaret Swaine explains how she judges a bottle

• Barrett Tyler Jones on why the coffee-wine analogy just doesn't make any sense.

• Bonnie Stern on why cooking with tea deserves some sympathy.

Follow The Appetizer 140 characters at a time on our Twitter account.

The Intervin Awards gold-medal winners

NP Editor — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 13:00:00 GMT

Margaret Swaine told you how award-winning wines are selected. Here, then, is a list of the gold-medal winners (which she helped select) from this year's Intervin Awards.

Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Beringer Vineyards Chardonnay
2007, Napa Valley
Red Blend
Bleasdale Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon / Malbec / Petit Verdot / Merlot
Frank Potts, 2005
Late Harvest
Cattail Creek Estate Winery Select Late Harvest Riesling
#1 SWEET, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County, 2005
Merlot
Creekside Estate Winery Merlot Reserve
Butler's Grant Vineyard, 2005
Red Blend
d'Arenberg Wines Shiraz/Grenache
d'Arrys Original, 2006
White Other Varietal
Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery Siegerrebe
Fraser Valley, 2008
Cabernet Franc
Featherstone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc
Estate Bottled, 2007
Riesling Off Dry
Flat Rock Cellars Riesling
#1 WHITE, 2008
Cabernet Franc
Hester Creek Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve
2006
Riesling Off Dry
Hillebrand Winery Riesling
Showcase Ghost Creek Vineyard, 2008
Dessert Wine - Vidal
Inniskillin Wines Vidal Icewine
Niagara Peninsula, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
SunRock Vineyard, 2006
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Sparkling Riesling Icewine
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Jacob's Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Lailey Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Niagara River, 2007
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Megalomaniac Riesling Icewine
Coldhearted, 2007
Fruit Wine
Moon Shadows Estate Winery Black Currant
2008
Red Blend
Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz
Bin 389, 2006
Cabernet Franc
Tawse Winery Cabernet Franc
Van Bers Vineyard, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Wente Family Estates Chardonnay
Morning Fog, 2008
Red Blend
Wirra Wirra Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz - Merlot
Church Block, 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon
Grey Label, 2005
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon
Premium Selection, 2005
Syrah / Shiraz
Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Founder's Reserve Shiraz
#1 RED, 2005
Red Blend
Wyndham Estate Shiraz Grenache
Bin 525, 2008

SILVER

Sparkling Wine
Adriano Adami Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene
Spumante Dry, 2008
Red Other Varietal
Argento Wine Company Malbec
2008
Pinot Gris
Argento Wine Company Pinot Grigio
2008
White Blend
Artisan Wine Co White
Rigamarole, 2007
Riesling Dry
Artisan Wine Co Riesling
White Bear Wines, 2008
Sauvignon Blanc
Artisan Wine Co Sauvignon Blanc
White Bear Wines, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Artisan Wine Co Chardonnay
Sonora Ranch, 2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
Banrock Station Unwooded Chadonnay
2009
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Founders' Estate, 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Knights Valley, 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Bleasdale Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Mulberry Tree, 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
Merlot
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Merlot
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Chardonnay
2007
Cabernet Franc
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Cabernet Franc
2007
Red Blend
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Meritage
2006
Syrah / Shiraz
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Syrah
2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
Calona Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay
Artist Series, 2008
Merlot
Calona Vineyards Merlot
Artist Series, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Camelot Vineyards Chardonnay
2008
Red Blend
Cassini Cellars Maximus
2007
Pinot Noir
Cassini Cellars Pinot Noir
2007
Merlot
Chateau St. Jean Merlot
2006
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay
Sonoma County, 2007
White Blend
Creekside Estate Winery Laura White
2007
Dessert Wine - Vidal
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Vidal Icewine
Dan Aykroyd Wines Discovery Series, 2007
Dessert Wine - RED
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Cabernet Franc Icewine
20 Bees Winery, 2007
Pinot Noir
Etude Pinot Noir
Carneros, 2006
Red Other Varietal
Farnese Vini Srl Sangiovese
2008
Red Other Varietal
Farnese Vini Srl. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Casale Vecchio, 2007
Red Other Varietal
Farnese Vini Srl. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
2008
Red Blend
Featherstone Estate Winery Onyx Cabernet Merlot
2007
Red Blend
Fielding Estate Winery Cabernet-Syrah
2007
Riesling Off Dry
Fielding Estate Winery Riesling
2008
White Blend
Fielding Estate Winery White Conception
2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Fielding Estate Winery Syrah
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay
The Rusty Shed, 2006
White Blend
Flat Rock Cellars Seriously Twisted
2008
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Frei Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
2006
Red Blend
Galil Mountain Winery Yiron / Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot
2005
Chardonnay Unoaked
Gerardo Cesari SpA Chardonnay
2008
Red Blend
Hardys Shiraz Cabernet
Stamp of Australia, 2008
Red Blend
Hardys Shiraz Sangiovese
Butcher's Gold, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Hardys Shiraz
Bankside, 2007
Gewurztraminer
Hernder Estate Wines Gewurztraminer
2007
Merlot
Hester Creek Estate Winery Reserve Merlot
2005
Riesling Dry
Inniskillin Wines Reserve Riesling
2008
Chardonnay Unoaked
Inniskillin Wines Varietal Chardonnay
2007
Riesling Off Dry
Inniskillin Wines Riesling
Winemakers Series, 2008
Cabernet Franc
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Cabernet Franc
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Riesling Icewine
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Gewurztraminer
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Gewurztraminer
Delaine Vineyard, 2007
White Blend
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate White Meritage
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Merlot
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Merlot
Delaine Vineyard, 2007
Red Blend
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Cabernet / Shiraz / Viognier
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Riesling Icewine
Proprietors' Reserve, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Chardonnay
SunRock Vineyard, 2007
White Blend
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate White Meritage
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2006
Merlot
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Merlot
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Shiraz
SunRock Vineyard, 2007
Merlot
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Merlot
SunRock Vineyard, 2007
Red Blend
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Meritage
SunRock Vineyard, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Kacaba Vineyards Reserve Syrah
2007
Dessert Wine - Vidal
Konzelmann Estate Winery Vidal Icewine
2007
Late Harvest
Konzelmann Estate Winery Select Late Harvest Vidal
2006
Dessert Wine - RED
Konzelmann Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine
2007
Red Blend
Lailey Vineyard Impromptu
2007
Merlot
Lailey Vineyard Merlot
2007
Dessert Wine - Vidal
Lailey Vineyard Vidal Icewine
2007
Merlot
Louis M. Martini Winery Merlot
Ghost Pines, 2006
Merlot
Megalomaniac Merlot
Big Mouth, 2006
White Other Varietal
Mission Hill Family Estate Pinot Blanc
Five Vineyards, 2008
Red Blend
Mission Hill Family Estate Quatrain
Legacy Series, 2006
Syrah / Shiraz
Nederburg Shiraz
Winemaster's Reserve, 2007
Pinot Noir
Niagara College Teaching Winery Pinot Noir
Dean's List, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Norman Hardie Wines Chardonnay
County, 2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Nyarai Cellars Sauvignon Blanc
2008
Red Other Varietal
Osborne Nactional Crianza
Montecillo, 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Pelee Island Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
2005
Sparkling Wine
Peller Estates Ice Cuvee
Merlot
Peller Estates Winery Merlot
Signature Series, 2007
Riesling Off Dry
Peller Estates Winery Riesling
Heritage Series, 2007
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Peller Estates Winery Riesling Icewine
2007
Pinot Noir
Prospect Winery Pinot Noir
Fats Johnson, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Quails' Gate Estate Winery Chardonnay
Stewart Family Reserve, 2007
White Other Varietal
Quails' Gate Estate Winery Chenin Blanc
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Red Rooster Winery Chardonnay Reserve
2007
Pinot Gris
Red Rooster Winery Pinot Gris Reserve
2008
Red Blend
Red Rooster Winery Reserve Meritage
2007
Late Harvest
Reif Estate Winery Riesling Late Harvest
2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, 2006
Riesling Dry
Rosewood Estates Winery Riesling Reserve
2007
Pinot Noir
Rosewood Estates Winery Pinot Reserve
Natural Fermentation, 2007
Merlot
Rosewood Winery Merlot Reserve
2007
Pinot Noir
See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Noir
2007
Red Blend
See Ya Later Ranch Ping
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
See Ya Later Ranch Chardonnay
2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Shingleback Shiraz
Red Knot, 2007
Pinot Gris
Skimmerhorn Winery & Vineyard Pinot Gris
2008
Gewurztraminer
Skimmerhorn Winery & Vineyard Gewurztraminer
2008
Chardonnay Unoaked
Sonoma Vineyards Chardonnay
2007
Merlot
Sonoma Vineyards Merlot
2005
Sauvignon Blanc
Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc
2008
Pinot Noir
Stoneleigh Pinot Noir
2007
Cabernet Franc
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Cabernet Franc
Black Sage Vineyard, 2006
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Black Sage Vineyard, 2006
Red Blend
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Meritage
Black Sage Vineyard, 2006
Sparkling Wine
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Tribute
Merlot
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Merlot
Black Sage Vineyard, 2006
Cabernet Franc
Tawse Winery Cabernet Franc
Laundry Vineyard, 2007
Merlot
Tawse Winery Merlot
David's Block, 2007
Riesling Off Dry
Tawse Winery Riesling
Sketches of Niagara, 2008
Cabernet Franc
Tawse Winery Cabernet Franc
Wismer Vineyard, 2007
Riesling Off Dry
Tawse Winery Riesling
Wismer Foxcroft Vineyard, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Tawse Winery Chardonnay
Quarry Road Vineyard, 2007
Riesling Off Dry
Tawse Winery Riesling
Carly's Block, 2008
Pinot Noir
Tawse Winery Pinot Noir
Seventeenth Street Vineyard, 2007
Red Blend
Tawse Winery Merlot Cabernet
Sketches of Niagara, 2007
Red Other Varietal
Telavi Wine Cellar Saperavi
Satrapezo, 2006
Merlot
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Merlot
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Vignavecchia Chardonnay
2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Villa Maria Estate Sauvignon Blanc
2009
Sauvignon Blanc
Viña Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc
Reserva, 2008
Red Blend
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery Cabernet Merlot
Estate Series, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery Chardonnay
Estate Series, 2007
White Blend
Wirra Wirra Sauvignon Blanc - Semillon - Viognier
Scrubby Rise, 2008
Red Blend
Wirra Wirra Shiraz - Cabernet Sauvignon - Petit Verdot
Scrubby Rise, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Wolf Blass Shiraz
Grey Label, 2005
Riesling Dry
Wolf Blass Riesling
Yellow Label, 2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Yalumba Shiraz Vioginer
Y Series, 2007

BRONZE

Red Blend
Alianca Vinhos De Portugal Touriga Nacional
Vista, 2006
Red Blend
Alianca Vinhos De Portugal Reserva
Bairrada, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Argento Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon
2008
Rose
Artisan Wine Co Rose
Rigamarole, 2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Banrock Station Shiraz
2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz
E Minor, 2007
Pinot Noir
Beringer Vineyards Pinot Noir
Napa Valley, 2007
Merlot
Beringer Vineyards Merlot
Napa Valley, 2006
Merlot
Blackstone Merlot
2006
Red Other Varietal
Bleasdale Vineyards Malbec
Second Innings, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Bleasdale Vineyards Shiraz
Bremerview, 2007
White Other Varietal
Bleasdale Vineyards Verdehlo
Potts Catch, 2009
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Bouchard Pere & Fils Mâcon-Lugny Saint-Pierre
Bourgogne, 2007
Pinot Noir
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Pinot Noir
2008
Riesling Off Dry
Calamus Estate Winery Riesling
2007
Cabernet Franc
Calamus Estate Winery Cabernet Franc
2007
Red Blend
Calamus Estate Winery Calamus Red
2007
Pinot Gris
Calamus Estate Winery Pinot Gris
2008
Pinot Noir
Calona Vineyards Pinot Noir
Artist Series, 2008
White Other Varietal
Calona Vineyards Sovereign Opal
Artist Series, 2008
Pinot Gris
Calona Vineyards Pinot Gris
Artist Series, 2008
Gewurztraminer
Calona Vineyards Gewurztraminer
Artist Series, 2008
Red Other Varietal
Case Bianche S.r.l Wildbacher
Col Sandago, 2003
Sparkling Wine
Case Bianche S.r.l. Prosecco D.O.C.
2008
Red Other Varietal
Castello di Gabbiano Chianti
2008
Red Other Varietal
Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva
2005
White Other Varietal
Castillo de Monseran Viura
2008
Red Other Varietal
Castillo de Monseran Garnacha
2008
Pinot Noir
Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir
Sonoma County, 2007
Dessert Wine - Other
Cidrerie St-Nicolas Ice Cider
2008
Chardonnay Unoaked
Colio Estate Wines Inc. Chardonnay Musque
CEV, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Colio Estate Wines Inc. Cabernet Sauvignon
CEV, 2007
Cabernet Franc
Colio Estate Wines Inc. Cabernet Franc
CEV, 2005
Sauvignon Blanc
Colio Estate Wines Inc. Sauvignon Blanc
CEV, 2008
Cabernet Franc
Coyote's Run Estate Winery Cabernet Franc
Black Paw Vineyard, 2007
Red Blend
Coyote's Run Estate Winery Cabernet
2007
White Blend
Coyote's Run Estate Winery Pinot Gris/Pinot Blanc
2008
Chardonnay Unoaked
Coyote's Run Estate Winery Unoaked Chardonnay
2008
Red Blend
Coyote's Run Estate Winery Meritage
2007
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Coyote's Run Estate Winery Riesling Icewine
2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Creekside Estate Winery Shiraz
2007
Pinot Gris
Creekside Estate Winery Pinot Grigio
2008
Riesling Off Dry
Creekside Estate WInery Riesling
Bulters' Grant Vineyard, 2007
Red Blend
Creekside Estate Winery Cabernet
2007
Cabernet Franc
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Cabernet Franc Reserve
EastDell Estates, 2006
Gewurztraminer
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Gewurztraminer Riesling
Birchwood Estates, 2008
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Riesling Icewine
Lakeview Cellars, 2007
Riesling Off Dry
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Riesling
20 Bees Winery, 2008
Red Blend
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Meritage
De Sousa Cellars, 2006
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Gewurztraminer Riesling Icewine
Birchwood Estates, 2006
Syrah / Shiraz
Diamond Estates Wines and Spirits Syrah Reserve
Lakeview Cellars, 2006
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Domaine de la Poulette Blanc
Cotes de Nuits-Villages, 2007
Pinot Noir
Domaine Vagners Pinot Noir
2007
Pinot Grigio
Ernest & Julio Gallo Pinot Grigio
Family Vineyards, 2008
Chardonnay Unoaked
Farnese Vini Srl Chardonnay
2008
Riesling Dry
Featherstone Estate Winery Riesling
Black Sheep, 2008
Merlot
Featherstone Estate Winery Merlot
Small Lot, 2007
Dessert Wine - Other
Featherstone Estate Winery Gewurztraminer Icewine
2008
Sauvignon Blanc
Featherstone Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc
2007
Red Blend
Fielding Estate Winery Meritage
2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
Fielding Estate Winery Unoaked Chardonnay
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay
2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay
Unplugged, 2007
Riesling Dry
Flat Rock Cellars Riesling
Nadja's Vineyard, 2008
White Blend
Flat Rock Cellars Twisted
2008
Red Blend
Flat Rock Cellars Red Twisted
2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Francis Ford Coppola Shiraz
2006
Red Other Varietal
Francoise Chauvenet Beaujolais
2007
Red Blend
Gerardo Cesari S.p.A. Amarone
2005
Red Blend
Gerardo Cesari SpA Valpolicella Ripasso
2007
White Blend
Hardys Riesling Gewurztraminer
Stamp of Australia, 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Hernder Estate Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
Red Other Varietal
Hernder Estate Wines
Baco Noir, 2007
Sparkling Wine
Hernder Estate Wines Sparkling Riesling
2007
Merlot
Hernder Estate Wines Merlot
2006
Late Harvest
Hester Creek Estate Winery Late Harvest Pinot Blanc
2008
Red Blend
Hester Creek Estate Winery Cabernet Merlot
2007
White Other Varietal
Hester Creek Estate Winery Pinot Blanc
2007
Merlot
Hester Creek Estate Winery Merlot
2007
Red Blend
Hillebrand Winery Red
Trius, 2007
White Blend
Hillebrand Winery White
Trius, 2008
Cabernet Franc
Hillebrand Winery Cabernet Franc
Trius, 2008
Sauvignon Blanc
Hillebrand Winery Sauvignon Blanc
Artist Series Limited Edition, 2008
Sparkling Wine
Hillebrand Winery Brut
Trius
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Hillebrand Winery Chardonnay
Showcase Oliveira Vineyard Wild Ferment, 2007
Merlot
Inniskillin Wines Varietal Merlot
2007
Dessert Wine - RED
Inniskillin Wines Cabernet Franc Icewine
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Inniskillin Wine Chardonnay
Winemaker's Series, 2008
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Inniskillin Wines Riesling Icewine
2007
Pinot Noir
Inniskillin Wines Reserve Pinot Noir
2008
Cabernet Franc
Inniskillin Wines Cabernet Franc Reserve
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Inniskillin Wines Reserve Chardonnay
2007
Pinot Gris
Inniskillin Wines Winemakers Series Pinot Gris
2008
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Black Anvil, 2007
Red Blend
J.P. Chenet Cabernet Syrah
2007
Red Blend
J.P. Chenet Merlot Cabernet
2007
Dessert Wine - RED
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Cabernet Franc Icewine
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Chardonnay
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Riesling Icewine
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Shiraz
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2006
Red Blend
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Meritage
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2006
Red Blend
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2006
Sauvignon Blanc
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Proprietors' Reserve, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Shiraz
Proprietors' Reserve, 2007
Rose
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Rose
Proprietors' Reserve, 2008
White Other Varietal
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Viognier
Proprietors' Reserve, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Chardonnay
Proprietors' Grand Reserve, 2006
Syrah / Shiraz
Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz
2006
Sparkling Wine
Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Sparkling
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Kacaba Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
Riesling Off Dry
Kacaba Vineyards Reserve Riesling
2008
Chardonnay Unoaked
Kacaba Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Karlo Estates Chardonnay
2008
White Other Varietal
Karlo Estates Geisenheim
2008
Fruit Wine
Kawartha Country Wines Apricot Dry
2007
Fruit Wine
Kawartha Country Wines Golden Plum Semi Sweet Tree Fruit
2008
Dessert Wine - Other
Kawartha Country Wines Black Currant Dessert
2007
Gewurztraminer
Konzelmann Estate Winery Gewurztraminer Reserve
2007
Dessert Wine - Riesling
Konzelmann Estate Winery Riesling Icewine
2006
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Konzelmann Estate Winery Chardonnay Barrel Fermented
Fourth Generation, 2007
Pinot Gris
Konzelmann Estate Winery Pinot Grigio
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Lailey Vineyard Chardonnay
Niagara River, 2007
Cabernet Franc
Lailey Vineyard Wines Cabernet Franc
2007
White Blend
Little Straw Vineyards Tapestry
2008
Riesling Off Dry
Little Straw Vineyards Riesling
2008
Sauvignon Blanc
Little Straw Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Louis M. Martini Winery Chardonnay
Ghost Pines, 2007
Pinot Noir
MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir
2007
White Blend
Malivoire Wine Co. White
2008
Red Other Varietal
Marcus James Malbec
2008
Red Blend
Marynissen Estates Bottoms Up
2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Marynissen Estates Syrah
2007
Red Blend
Marynissen Estates Malbec-Syrah
2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Paretai Estate, 2008
Dessert Wine - RED
Megalomaniac Cabernet Franc Icewine
Cold Hearted, 2007
Riesling Off Dry
Megalomaniac Riesling
Narcissist, 2007
Red Blend
Megalomaniac Cabernet Merlot
Vainglorious, 2006
Pinot Gris
Mission Hill Family Estate Pinot Grigio
Five Vineyards, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Mission Hill Family Estate Chardonnay
Reserve, 2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Mission Hill Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Five Vineyards, 2008
Red Blend
Mission Hill Family Estate Compendium
Legacy Series, 2006
Syrah / Shiraz
Mission Hill Family Estate Syrah
Select Lot Collection, 2006
Rose
Mission Hill Family Estate Rose
Five Vineyards, 2008
Sauvignon Blanc
Mission Hill Family Estate Sauvignon Blanc
Reserve, 2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Mitolo Shiraz
Jester, 2007
Sparkling Wine
Mumm Napa Brut Prestige
Red Other Varietal
Muscedere Vineyards Baco Noir
2007
Cabernet Franc
Muscedere Vineyards Cabernet Franc
2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Muscedere Vineyards Syrah
2007
Dessert Wine - RED
Niagara College Teaching Winery Cabernet Franc Icewine
Dean's List, 2008
Rose
Niagara College Teaching Winery Rosé
College, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Niagara College Teaching Winery Chardonnay
Dean's List, 2007
Merlot
Niagara College Teaching Winery Merlot
2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Nibilo Vintners Sauvignon Blanc
Monkey Bay, 2008
Pinot Gris
Nobilo Vintners Pinot Grigio
Monkey Bay, 2007
Pinot Noir
Norman Hardie Wines Pinot Noir
County, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Nugan Estate Pty Ltd. Shiraz
Cookoothama, 2007
Red Blend
Nyarai Cellars Cabernet Merlot
2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Nyarai Cellars Syrah
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Nyarai Cellars Chardonnay
2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Obikwa Shiraz
2008
Red Blend
Osborne Nactional Tempranillo / Cabernet
Solaz, 2007
Red Blend
Osborne Pty Ltd. Shiraz/Tempranillo
Solaz, 2007
Late Harvest
Pelee Island Winery ate Harvest Riesling
2008
Pinot Noir
Pelee Island Winery Pinot Noir
2008
Red Blend
Pelee Island Winery Red
Eco Trail, 2008
Cabernet Franc
Pelee Island Winery Cabernet Franc
2008
Red Blend
Pelee Island Winery Monarch
2008
Riesling Dry
Pelee Island Winery Riesling Dry
2008
Chardonnay Unoaked
Pelee Island Winery Chardonnay
2008
Dessert Wine - RED
Peller Estates Winery Cabernet Franc Icewine
2007
Dessert Wine - Vidal
Peller Estates Winery Oak Aged Vidal Icewine
2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Peller Estates Winery Sauvignon Blanc
Private Reserve, 2008
White Other Varietal
Peller Estates Winery Pinot Blanc
Family Series, 2008
Pinot Gris
Peller Estates Winery Pinot Gris
Private Reserve, 2008
Riesling Dry
Peller Estates Winery Riesling
Private Reserve, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Peller Estates Winery Chardonnay
Private Reserve Chardonnay, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Peller Estates Winery Chardonnay
Family Series, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Peller Estates Winery Chardonnay Sur Lie
Signature Series, 2007
Cabernet Franc
Peller Estates Winery Cabernet Franc
Private Reserve, 2007
Red Blend
Peller Estates Winery Meritage
Private Reserve, 2007
Merlot
Peller Estates Winery Merlot
Private Reserve, 2007
Sparkling Wine
Peller Estates Winery Ice Cuvee Rose
2009
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Peller Estates Winery Chardonnay
Private Reserve, 2007
Pinot Gris
Prospect Winery Pinot Grigio
Ogopogo's Lair, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Prospect Winery Chardonnay
The Census Count, 2006
Chardonnay Unoaked
Prospect Winery Unoaked Chardonnay
Townsend Jack. 2007
Merlot
Prospect Winery Merlot
Major Allen's, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Prospect Winery Shiraz
Red Willow, 2006
Sauvignon Blanc
Prospect Winery Sauvignon Blanc
Council's Punch Bowl, 2007
Dessert Wine - Vidal
Prospect Winery Vidal Icewine
Lost Bars, 2007
Late Harvest
Quails' Gate Estate Winery Optima Late Harvest TBA
2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Rancho Zabaco Sauvignon Blanc
2008
Red Other Varietal
Ravenswood Zinfandel
Vintners Blend, 2007
Merlot
Red Rooster Winery Merlot Reserve
2007
Pinot Gris
Red Rooster Winery Pinot Gris
Red Rooster Pinot Gris, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Red Rooster Winery Chardonnay
2008
White Other Varietal
Red Rooster Winery Pinot Blanc
2008
Pinot Gris
Reif Estate Winery Pinot Grigio
2008
Cabernet Sauvignon - Over $20
Reif Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
Red Blend
Reif Estate Winery Meritage
2007
White Other Varietal
Reif Estate WInery Kerner
2008
Dessert Wine - Vidal
Reif Estate Winery Vidal Icewine
2007
White Blend
Reif Estate WInery Silver Meritage
2007
Dessert Wine - RED
Riverview Cellars Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
2007
Sauvignon Blanc
Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc
Private Selection, 2008
Pinot Noir
Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir
Private Selection, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon
Private Selection, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Robert Mondavi Chardonnay
Private Selection, 2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Rosehall Run Vineyards Chardonnay
Rosehall Vineyard, 2007
Pinot Noir
Rosehall Run Vineyards Pinot Noir
Rosehall Vineyard, 2007
Pinot Noir
Rosemount Estate Pinot Noir
Diamond Label, 2008
Syrah / Shiraz
Rosemount Estate Shiraz
Diamond Label, 2007
Gewurztraminer
Rosewood Estates Winery Gewurztraminer
2008
White Other Varietal
Rosewood Estates Winery Semillon
2008
Cabernet Franc
Rosewood Estates Winery Cabernet Franc
2007
Riesling Dry
Rosewood Estates Winery Riesling Reserve
2008
Riesling Off Dry
Rosewood Estates Winery Riesling Sussreserve
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Rosewood Winery Chardonnay Reserve
2007
Pinot Gris
Santi Pinot Grigio
2008
Pinot Gris
See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Gris
2008
Syrah / Shiraz
See Ya Later Ranch Rover
2007
Gewurztraminer
See Ya Later Ranch Gewurztraminer
2008
White Other Varietal
See Ya Later Ranch Barrel Fermented Semillon
2007
Rose
See Ya Later Ranch Nelly
2008
White Blend
Skimmerhorn Winery & Vineyard Autumn Tryst
2008
Rose
Skimmerhorn Winery & Vineyard Pinot Rosé
2008
Red Blend
Stonechurch Vineyards Quintet
2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
Stonechurch Vineyards Chardonnay
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Stoneleigh Chardonnay
2008
Gewurztraminer
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Gewurztraminer
2008
White Blend
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Inspiration
2008
Red Other Varietal
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Baco Noir
2007
Fruit Wine
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Cranberry
2007
Riesling Off Dry
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Riesling
2008
Rose
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Just Rosy
2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Suamc Ridge Estate Winery Chardonnay
Black Sage Vineyard, 2007
Sparkling Wine
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Steller's Jay Brut
2005
White Blend
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Meritage (White)
Black Sage Vineyard, 2007
Merlot
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Merlot
Private Reserve, 2007
Fruit Wine
Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery Spiced Apple
2008
Cabernet Franc
Tawse Winery Cabernet Franc
David's Block, 2007
Pinot Noir
Tawse Winery Pinot Noir
Cherry Avenue Vineyard, 2007
Pinot Noir
Tawse Winery Pinot Noir
2007
Riesling Off Dry
Tawse Riesling
Winery Wismer Lakeview Vineyard, 2008
Riesling Off Dry
Tawse Winery Riesling
Misek Vineyard, 2008
Gewurztraminer
Tawse Winery Gewurztraminer
Quarry Road Vineyard, 2008
Pinot Noir
Tawse Winery Pinot Noir
Growers Blend, 2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
Tawse Winery Unoaked Chardonnay
Sketches of Niagara, 2008
Red Blend
Telavi Wine Cellar Saperavi-Merlot
Marani, 2007
Late Harvest
Telavi Wine Cellar Gviani
Satrapezo, 2006
Syrah / Shiraz
The Bergkelder / Distell Shiraz
Two Oceans, 2008
Riesling Dry
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Riesling
2008
Riesling Dry
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Riesling
Small Lot Steel Post Vineyard, 2008
Chardonnay Oaked - Over $20
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Chardonnay
Small Lot, 2007
Riesling Dry
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Riesling
Small Lot Triangle Vineyard, 2007
Red Blend
Thirty Bench Wine Makers Red
2007
Cabernet Franc
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Cabernet Franc
2007
Chardonnay Oaked - Under $20
Toasted Head Chardonnay
2008
Riesling Off Dry
Twenty Twenty-Seven Cellars Riesling
Featherstone Vineyard, 2007
Red Other Varietal
Undurraga Carmenere Reserva
Sibaris, 2007
Pinot Noir
Undurraga Pinot Noir Reserva
Sibaris, 2008
Pinot Noir
Villa Maria Estate Pinot Noir
2008
Sauvignon Blanc
Viña Santa Rita Sauvignon Blanc
120, 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Viña Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon
120, 2008
Merlot
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery Merlot
2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery Unoaked Chardonnay
2007
Riesling Off Dry
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery Riesling
Founder's Series, 2008
Pinot Noir
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery Pinot Noir
Estate Series, 2007
Red Blend
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery Shiraz/Cabernet
Estate Series, 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Wente Family Estates Cabernet Sauvignon
Southern Hills, 2007
Chardonnay Unoaked
William Fevre Chablis
Champs Royaux, 2007
Riesling Dry
Wolf Blass Riesling
Gold Label, 2007
Sparkling Wine
Wolf Blass Sparkling Brut
Yellow Label, 2008
White Blend
Wolf Blass Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Red Label, 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon - Under $20
Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon
Yellow Label, 2007
Syrah / Shiraz
Wyndham Estate Shiraz Viognier
Bin 515, 2006
Pinot Grigio
Flat Roof Manor Pinot Grigio
2008

Alcohol by volume: A guide to perfectly pairing your beverage with your book

NP Editor — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:00:00 GMT

By Adam McDowell, National Post

For friends who own a muddler and know how to use it: Difford’s Encyclopedia of Cocktails (Firefly Books, $45), Galliano L’Autentico and Tanqueray London Dry Gin. Simon Difford, a London-based bartender with a cult following among cocktail enthusiasts, and publisher of Class magazine, has assembled a staggering 2,600 recipes here. However, many can’t be made in Canada due to unavailability of ingredients. What you can whip up, with the products listed above, is a Milano Sour (Page 285), one of Difford’s delicious creations.

For the lover of wine, whether knowledgeable or not: Corked (Wiley, $29.95) and Château de la Tuilerie Syrah Grenache 2007. Kathryn Borel Jr.’s memoir of a wine-tasting trip around France with her snooty French father is instructive on the subjects of oenology and coping with a cantankerous dad long enough to resist the urge to crash your rented Citroën into a tree. The educated author recommends the above wine, or even better, Donnadieu Cuvée Mathieu et Marie Saint-Chinian Clos Bagatelle 2005.

For the beer fiend: Cheers! An Intemperate History of Beer in Canada (Harper Collins, $19.99), and the giftee’s favourite brew. Nicholas Pashley, Toronto-based author of Notes on a Beermat, returns with an exploration of all things related to fermented malted barley. Like a pleasant pub companion, Pashley rails good-naturedly and informatively against new-fangled “light dry low-carb ice beer” and such (“We can see how effective light beer has been in reducing the weight of Americans”), wine snobs’ condescension and, er, computers.

For the enthusiast of really classic cocktails: Imbibe! (Perigee, $28.50), Bulleit Bourbon, Grand Marnier, cocktail bitters. David Wondrich, Esquire magazine’s talented cocktail writer, conducts a chatty chapter-by-chapter tour through 19th-century bartender Jerry Thomas’s seminal 1862 cocktail manual. It’s a fascinating exploration of the lost world of pre-Prohibition saloons. Published in 2007, it features tasty, forgotten recipes, including the original, silkily simple Old-Fashioned Whisky Cocktail, pictured above.

For the tight-fisted, hooch-sodden wit: Everyday Drinking (Bloomsbury, $21.99), Beefeater 24 gin, dry vermouth, cocktail onions. Collected booze writings of late novelist/cheapskate Kingsley Amis, who learned a practical tip or two about staying drunk on a budget. Laugh-out-loud funny; see “mean sod’s guide” on how to “screw [dinner guests] while seeming, at any rate to their wives, to have done them rather well.” Sorry, old chum, we’ve recommended an expensive gin. Amis’s stingy martini recipe calls for a 15:1 ratio of gin to vermouth.

For the whisky initiate: 99 Drams of Whiskey (St. Martin’s Press, $31.95) and whisky to suit the giftee (see chart on previous page). Seattle’s Kate Hopkins, food blogger (a.k.a. the Accidental Hedonist) and former stand-up comedian, travels the four principal whisky-producing nations of Ireland, Scotland, the United States and Canada in search of knowledge and flavour. Hopkins tries too hard for a chuckle at times and really should have set foot on Islay (a complaint she anticipates), but ultimately a solid dram of edu-tainment.

[Canwest File Photo]

Bonnie Stern: Get that tea out of its bag and into this meal

NP Editor — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:00:00 GMT

So important is the role of tea in Asia that when you meet someone new and tea isn’t offered, you can be sure a relationship isn’t being offered either. So says Jeff Fuchs, author of The Ancient Tea Horse Road.

Meanwhile, in Canada, people’s interest in tea has increased to the point that George Brown College, in conjunction with the Tea Association of Canada, has started the country’s first professional tea sommelier certification program, taught by culinary instructor Bill Kamula. The college is also offering courses that would interest non-professionals, such as the history of tea, food pairing, sensory evaluation and blending of teas. The Tea Association has plans to start a program in Vancouver, as well.

At a recent event at Toronto’s Tea Emporium, Kamula served a delicious hot tea toddy (see recipe below), and Jeff Fuchs gave an overview of tea’s ancient history and his 6,000 kilometre, seven-month journey through the Himalayas along Asia’s legendary trade route.

TEA-SMOKED CHICKEN
This recipe is adapted from Nina Simonds’s A Spoonful of Ginger. Be sure to line your wok or pot with aluminum foil when “smoking” or it will be very difficult to clean.
- 1 chicken, cut into quarters, bone-in, skin-on or off, or 8 chicken thighs
- ¼ cup (50 mL) rice wine or sake
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce
- 3 green onions, trimmed and smashed
- 4 pieces fresh ginger, smashed
- 2 star anise, smashed lightly
Smoking mixture:
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) loose black tea
- ¼ cup (50 mL) brown sugar
- rind of one orange, cut into ½-inch (1mL) pieces
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces or 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
To finish:
- 1 tbsp (15mL) toasted sesame oil
1. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and toss well with rice wine, soy sauce, green onions, ginger and star anise. Marinate in the refrigerator one hour or longer.
2. Place a rack (I used criss-crossed wooden chopsticks) in the bottom of a wok or deep skillet. Add boiling water just up to the rack. Place chicken in a dish and place on rack. Cover tightly, and steam 20 minutes on medium-high heat, or until chicken is just cooked through. Add more water, if necessary.
3. Line a wok or large heavy pot, and its cover (the inside) with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Combine tea with sugar, orange peel and cinnamon and sprinkle over the bottom. Arrange a rack or criss-crossed chopsticks, over the tea mixture. Arrange chicken, fleshy side up directly on rack. Cover and crimp the edges of the foil so that it is airtight.
4. Cook over high heat. Once you smell the smoky aroma, continue cooking for 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Brush chicken with sesame oil. Makes 6 servings

GREEN TEA SHORTBREAD
Green tea turns these cookies an elegant shade of green and the sparkling sugar makes them glitter. For more green tea flavour, use up to 2 tbsp (30 mL) powdered green tea.
- 1 cup (250 mL) butter
- ½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) powdered green tea (matcha)
- ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
- ¼ cup (50 mL) coarse sparkling sugar (optional)
1. Cream butter with granulated sugar until light.
2. Combine flour, green tea powder and salt in a bowl and add to butter mixture. Mix only until combined. Divide into two parts, flatten slightly, wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Roll out each piece of dough on a floured surface, ¼-inch (5 mm) thick. Cut out with your fave cookie cutter. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar and press in slightly. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in a preheated 325F (160C) oven. Do not let cookies brown. Cool on racks. Makes 36 to 40 cookies

HOT TEA TODDY
A great cold-weather drink.
- 1½ cups (375 mL) hot, steeped, black tea
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) brandy or Cognac, optional
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) dark rum, optional
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) honey or to taste
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- grated nutmeg
- 2 orange slices
- 1 tbsp (15mL) dried cranberries
1. Combine tea with brandy, rum, cloves and honey in a saucepan and heat but do not boil.
2. Pour mixture into mugs and garnish each with cinnamon stick, grated nutmeg, orange slice and some dried cranberries. Makes 2 servings

[This chicken may set off the smoke alarms in your house, but it’s most definitely worth it. Aaron Lynett / National Post]

Happy Hour: Dear Liquor Control Board, import these spirits into Canada now, please

Adam McDowell — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:39:00 GMT

Dear Liquor Control Board of Ontario,

You and I have not always enjoyed the coziest relationship, primarily because I resent having to rely on you as my sole outlet for spirits except when travelling. You also fail to stock a selection that permits Ontarians to truly explore the world through drink.

Recently one of your employees made the sensible and kindly suggestion that I write you with a list of products I feel you should carry. At the risk of being rude, I’ve decided to make this an open letter. While Ontarians would be the proximate beneficiaries of an expanded level of choice at your stores, many spirit marketers won’t bother with Canada as a whole unless they can get onto shelves in the largest province. So by stocking the items below, you could give the whole country a chance to enjoy them.

Let’s get right into it:

• Please start to carry any U.S. rye whisky whatsoever. Ideally, start with the award-winning Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond and go from there. I personally enjoy Sazerac Rye and I know of bars in Toronto that would order it by the case if it were available.

• How about a Dutch gin, a.k.a. genever? Anything at all in that category would be terrific. Likewise with applejack. (Laird’s Bonded, say?)

• You already carry the Green, so Yellow Chartreuse is a no-brainer.

• St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, made in France and marketed from America, is all the rage in the United States. There are many recipes calling for it these days and we’re shut out completely up here. Oh, and pick up some Crème Yvette and/or crème de violette while you’re at it.

• This past summer I spoke with Jade Liqueurs’ Ted Breaux, Louisiana-based maker and importer of fine absinthes, who told me he’s desperate to get his gorgeous products, such as La Nouvelle-Orléans Absinthe Supérieure, into Ontario and Quebec. Please review the current scientific literature on thujone and modify your outdated regulations accordingly. Taboo Absinthe from British Columbia really ought to be on your shelves as well. I'd ask for Obsello Absinthe from Spain too, but am I pushing it?

• Alas, the list goes on. Where are Aperol and Punt e Mes? What about Herbsaint? Havana Club Gran Reserva? Hayman’s Old Tom Gin? Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, which was at one time considered an essential behind the bar, and is busy regaining that central place among those with access to it? Whither Cherry Heering? Bundaberg Rum? Your Scotch selection is pretty decent, but I make a special plea for younger members of the Laphroaig and Ardbeg ranges, and I beg you to bring back Caol Ila 12.

Having spotted newcomers Cynar and Amaro Nonino in your stores recently, I know you can take a previously under-represented category, namely Italian aperitifs and digestifs, and provide us with choice. I would be most grateful to see you make a strength of diversity in general. Please consider this list before importing, say, more vodkas. You already sell enough of those.

Finally, I happen to know that some people in the booze business in the U.S. balk at the high price points their products would reach in Canada. Despite our differences, you and I can share a good laugh over that. As we both know, dear LCBO, Ontarians are used to paying too much for spirits. You can reassure the Americans that we’ll buy their goods up here even at prices that seem unreasonable to them.

Know that I remain,

having no alternative,

your ever-loyal customer,

Happy Hour