A Life, Lived

Pet Peeves

I haven't had a nice rant for some time. I am due.

Today was one of those days where things seemed to conspire to make me cranky. Luckily I was able to fight it so I didn't become a raving idiot but it was a struggle. What were the triggers you ask (well, in fairness no one did but I'm not about to let that stop me!) . . .

First up: summer shoes. Actually, summer shoes for women.

ARGH

Why are they a pet peeve?

They are loud, they are dangerous, and they are prone to slipping off leaving the poor fashionista prone on the floor.

Actually the real reason is that they make me miss trains.

There are days when I'm running late, and as I start my descent into the subway system I hear the sound of approaching trains. The urge to race down the stairs is upon me - the chance to utilize gravity to the fullest . . . unfortunately a woman in front of me has some 'kicky, fun' shoes on. Oh yes, she looks fabulous, but she slowly picks her way down the steps to the train platform, thereby making me late.

Don't ask why I don't time myself better so I am not running late as it is far more fun to blame these damn shoes. It isn't about me and my bad habits, it is the damn shoes. Really.

Pet Peeve # 2 - comb overs. Oh yes, I have already ranted about them. There is a guy on the train who has the worst comb over ever! Shave it off buddy - you're fooling no one. I would rant more about this but as I have already done so and I don't want to appear obsessed.

Oh? Too late?

Pet Peeve # 3 - people who listen to their music really loudly on the train. if I wanted a concert I would go to one. This guy beside me had his music so loud my ears were shaking. I couldn't read, I couldn't concentrate on anything, all I could do was to sit there and fantasize about ripping his iPod from his grip and smashing it repeatedly with my foot.

Yes, the anger management course starts tomorrow.

Have you ever noticed that when people play their music loud enough to remove your fillings the music is always crap? There should be a rule against that.

Pet Peeve # 4 is also based upon the train this morning. There were three very, very, very loud women on the car. ARGH  They laughed, they giggled, they shouted, they snorted, and they discussed breast feeding in rather explicit detail. They were three nurse practitioners on their way to a breast feeding conference.

Like so many other conference goers, they complained about the organization, the speakers, the handouts, the food, and so on. But these ones were different. They also felt the need to discuss their most difficult cases (where women struggled to breastfeed properly) in loud, excruciating detail.

Guess what? I don't need to hear about human breast milk secretion, nor nipple rash, nor required breast massage, it was too much.

It made the milk from my breakfast cereal curdle in my stomach.

With all of this it is a wonder that i was not cranky all day.

'Chicken Pandemoniyum'

We make many recipes from a series of low fat cookbooks written and self-published by two Canadians Janet and Greta Podleski. The three books are all best sellers (even if they are a little too 'cute' for my tastes, as in the recipe title above . . .) and Janet and Greta are even getting a cooking show on the food network.

I like the recipes because they are quick, easy, and involve ingredients that you would likely have on hand. We made this recipe a few days ago but I never got around to posting it. The prep is minimal, clean up an snap, and you end up with a hearty meal in just over 30 minutes. This isn't gourmet by any stretch of the imagination but man can not live on ramps, morels, tenderloin, and fine wine alone . . .

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
2 tsp olive oil
1 8 oz package sliced mushrooms (or 3 cups of sliced mushrooms if you'd rather slice your own)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 package (6.3 oz/180 g) packaged Long Grain and Wild Rice blend (I use Uncle Ben's)
1 1/4 low-fat, low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the chicken breasts into large chunks . Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet with a tight fitting lid. Add the chicken pieces and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken is lightly browned all over. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic to the same skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften (about 3 minutes). If the vegetables start to stick add a small amount of water or broth.

Add the rice and seasoning pouch which comes with the rice. Mix well and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and the wine. Return the chicken to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes (or until the rice is soft and the liquid absorbed). Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Calories - 404

We serve this with a green and salad and a piece of fruit for a hearty dinner.

Pancetta Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

When I saw this recipe in the Weber's Big Book of Grilling I knew that I had to try it out! It combined so many of the things we enjoy - pork tenderloin, the earthy saltiness of pancetta, rosemary, and garlic . . . what's not to love?

Pancetta, a salt-cured Italian bacon, adds rich flavor here and, if crisped over Direct heat at the end, it creates a compelling contrast to the tenderloin.

Paul declared this grilled treat to be 'a keeper'. I served it with a risotto made with shitake mushrooms and asparagus. I was a little concerned that the risotto might not be 'earthy' enough to go with the pork but it was fine (I think because I used some porcini boullion cubes I brought back from Italy with me - WOW what flavour!)

For the rub:

1		tablespoon minced garlic
2		teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2		teaspoons kosher salt
1/4		teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2		pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
1/4		pound thinly sliced pancetta

To make the rub: In a small bowl combine the rub ingredients.

Trim any excess fat and silver skin from the tenderloins and spread the rub evenly all over, pressing the spices into the meat. Cut six 12-inch pieces of cotton string, three for each tenderloin. Wrap the tenderloin with the slices of pancetta and secure the pancetta with the string. (The tenderloins do not need to be completely covered.) Allow to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

Grill the tenderloins over Indirect Medium heat until the centers are barely pink and the internal temperature reaches 155°F, 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Move the tenderloins over Direct Medium heat for the last 3 minutes if you want to crisp the pancetta. Allow the tenderloins to rest for 3 to 5 minutes, then snip the strings with scissors and remove them. Cut the tenderloins in thin slices on the bias and serve warm.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

We don't like our pork tenderloin too well done (medium rare) so we cooked it for a bit less than was called for. This was the final dinner all ready to enjoy:

Summer Drinks

I don't know about you but one of my favourite summer passtimes is to kick back on the patio with a cold beverage in my hands. To me nothing says summer like a Strawberry Daiquiri, especially one made with just pick, fully ripe strawberries. YUM

Summer seems to have just found us here in southern Ontario so in honour of that even I am posting an assortment of summer drinks to sample and enjoy!

Cheers!

Arc de Triomphe

1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 oz vodka, 1/2 oz Chambord, the juice of 1/4 fresh lemon and 2 oz cranberry juice.

2. Stir until well chilled and strain into a Martini glass.

3. Sprinkle with fresh raspberries.

Cranberry Spritzer

For a twist on the basic Spritzer recipe and add some cranberry or cran-raspberry juice to make a Cranberry Spritzer.

2 oz cranberry juice
3 oz of Peller Estates French Cross Seyval-Vidal (or other sweet white wine)
Soda water

Garnish
Fresh raspberries.

Fiesta Sangria

1. In a glass pitcher, combine one 750 mL bottle full-bodied red wine, 4 oz cranberry vodka, 1 lemon,1 orange, 1 lime, all sliced in rounds, 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced, 1 apple, cored and sliced, 9 whole cloves (inserted into apple slices) and 2 cups white cranberry juice.

2. Stir to mix, and let steep several hours if possible. Just before serving, add 2 cups lemon-lime soda. To serve, fill a wine goblet with ice and add sangria.

Makes approximately 12 servings

Frozen French Lemonade

1 oz Alizé Red Passion Passion liqueur
½ oz citrus vodka
1 oz water
4 oz lemonade concentrate

1. To a blender, add 1 cup ice, 1 oz Alizé Red Passion liqueur, ½ oz citrus vodka, 1 oz water and 4 oz lemonade concentrate.

2. Blend until slushy and pour into a Champagne flute.

Havanna Punch

1. In a glass punch bowl, combine 2 cups fresh lime juice, 1 to 2 cups superfine sugar (to taste) and 1 cup mint leaves, torn. Mash or muddle with a wooden spoon or muddler, mixing thoroughly until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Add 6 cups crushed ice and one 750 mL bottle of amber rum. Stir well, and pour 4 oz of mixture into a rocks glass. Top with soda water and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint sprig.

Makes approximately 12 servings

Kir Provencal

Dry rose wine
1/2 oz. Chambord

1. Fill a flute or wine glass with well chilled wine, about three-quarters full, then add the Chambord.

Monkey's Uncle

1 oz Sangster's Jamaica Rum Cream
1/2 oz Appleton Estate V/X Jamaica Rum
1/2 oz Crème de Banane

To a cocktail shaker, combine ingredients, shake and pour over crushed ice in a short glass.

Rhine Maiden

Deliciously fruity with a vibrant red apply flavour.

½ oz Calvados
4 oz off-dry Riesling, chilled
2 oz soda water, chilled

1. In a wine glass, add the Calvados, then the Riesling, then the soda water.

Soho Cocktail

Native to China, lychees are popular in Asian cooking and culture. The ocean-blue colour of the cocktail reminds us that Japan is surrounded by water; the North Pacific, Philippine Sea, East China Sea and the Sea of Japan.

1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 3/4 oz vodka, 1/2 oz Lychee liqueur, 1/4 oz blue curacao and 4 oz lemonade.

2. Shake and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.

3. Garnish with a lemon wheel

Watermelon Cosmo

1, In a cocktail shaker, mash 3/4 cup (175 mL) cubed, seeded watermelon (tip: watermelon can be blended and frozen in ice cube trays for quick and easy use - each cocktail would use about 4 watermelon ice cubes).

2. Fill shaker with ice and add 1 oz vodka, 1/2 oz Chambord and the juice of 1/4 fresh lime.

3. Shake well and strain into a glass.

4. Garnish with a watermelon slice or melon balls if desired.

 

 

Sunday Night Dinner

We haven't had the pleasure of mom's company for dinner on Sunday night for a few weeks as she has been under the weather with a bad bronchial infection. Today she felt well enough to leave the house so we invited her over for a dinner inspired by the cooking class we enjoyed earlier this week.

Paul and I started off with a blender of our favourite 'summer drink' of the moment . . . Bananas on the Side. The recipe is simple:

1/2 cup Banana Liqueur
1/2 cup Mango Rum
2 cups tropical fruit juice blend

Place all the ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until creamy. You can make ice cubes out of the juice so that you do not water down the drink as the ice melts.

The drink is light and refreshing!

It must be good because Paul had 4 and promptly turned beet red (alcohol does that to him).

Mom and Paul enjoyed a cheese tray that Paul had put together while I grilled the next course. Paul is quite good at the cheese course. He puts out a nice variety of cheese, dried cranberries, candied Spanish walnuts, pecans, an assortment of crackers and flat breads, and some sort of tart jelly. Tonight it was Fabia's Berry Blast (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and jalapeno peppers) . I think mom overdid it on the cheese!

The first course was a simple one. Grilled figs wrapped in prosciutto. All you do is wrap a fresh fig with a slice of prosciutto. I did three this way and for the other three I cut the figs almost from top to bottom and inserted a piece of Gorgonzola dolce in the centre, closed it up again, and wrapped it with prosciutto. You just lightly brush them with oil and grill them until the prosciutto is slightly crisped.

I served them with a balsamic reduction. We each got two - one with the melted Gorgonzola dolce in the centre and one plain.

The main course was a grilled beef tenderloin steak served on a bed of sauteed mushrooms, leeks, and shallots. I served it with roasted fingerling potatoes and sauteed rainbow chard and fiddle heads. I have never had chard before but it always looks so interesting in the store that I decided to buy some and enjoy it - I am so glad I did because it was wonderful!

   

The chef at the cooking class showed us how to garnish the plate by placing a 'salad' of baby lettuces/sprouts on top of the steak. I bought the mixture of pea, onion, beet, and broccoli sprouts at the market and mixed them with a bit of olive oil and some red wine vinegar which had been infused with rosemary. Yum - a simple but elegant way to finish off the dish.

While everyone relaxed I made dessert. It was the same dessert from the cooking class: Strawberries with Ice Wine Sabayon. The sabayon was not as difficult to make as I had anticipated it would be. I think I used too much ice wine, the recipe called for 1/2 a bottle but ice wine comes in a multitude of shaped bottles, all with a different volume. Grrr Oh well, now I shall have to experiment. Don't get me wrong though - it was still amazing but had more of a kick than I remembered.

I served it in a large martini glass and tucked in a Ossi dei Morti that Paul had bought me for our anniversary. They were really good dipped into the sabayon!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

We have lived in this house for just over four years. When we moved in it was newly constructed, raw, and surrounded by mud. Other than arranging furniture and hanging our art we have done very little inside the house; outside is a very different story.

Because of the soils dumped on the clay by the builder creating gardens was a huge problem. Any new garden had to either be raise up with good quality soils added or else we had to dig down for more than a foot, remove the bad soil, and replace it with good soil. Needless to say over the past four years we have spent close to $800 on soil alone!

The front of the house has a large balcony so I wanted to create a raised garden in front of the balcony to provide some privacy, shade, and to break up the geometric harshness of the building.

This was the garden when we first created it:

This is the same garden this week:

Along the side of the house we had some trouble. The next house is quite close and little sunlight reached the grass that the builders placed there . . . and so it died. There was a huge patch of mud. Last year my neighbour and I decided to have a cement walkway put in with a garden on either side. I planted a shade garden which has really taken off!

In the part of the shade garden which gets the least sun we tried to duplicate a wild forest garden with trilliums, Jacob's Ladder, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, mayflower, and other native flowers.

The back has seen the most change. We started with a flower garden back in 2004:

The back shows what the soil is like hidden under the sod. This is the same garden this year:

You'll notice that we expanded it considerably. We also added a pond:

Last year we noticed that the grass that was in the shade of the fence was not doing well, what to do? Dig it out and create another shade garden. This is the result:

We are at the point where we need very few annuals. Our trips to the garden centre and far less expensive then they were in the past. Now I am busy splitting perennials and giving them away, and replacing those plants which don't make it through the winter.

Cooking Class

Last night Paul and I went to a cooking class with two of our friends. The class was offered by the LCBO. For those of you who aren't from Ontario, this is our government run liquor monopoly. It is the largest purchaser of wine and spirits in the world and at the same time it pumps billions of dollars into the government coffers and provides Ontarians with an excellent supply of wine and liquor. Over the past few years they have really focused on the education side of wine and liquor . . . cooking and the appropriate wine pairings is a natural extension.

The LCBO store near our house is equipped with a large room where they hold tastings and cooking demonstrations three or four times a week. The cooking class was to be two hours long and we were to enjoy four courses and sample a wine with each course.

While I much prefer a full participation class, this was an excellent class. The chef was from a well known restaurant in Niagara On the Twenty. It is in the same building as the Cave Spring Winery that we visited on Sunday, it was no surprise that many of the wines used in the cooking were from Cave Springs.

The chef seemed quite young but he had been cooking for 15 years. This was his first class for the LCBO and I know form the response that it will not be his last!

Before we started the class the product consultant, recognizing that with today having been the hottest day of the year to date, we would need a nice summer drink to cool ourselves down so she offered a wonderful cocktail made with mango rum, a tropical juice blend, and banana liqueur. WOW Paul relented on the 'no more buying booze until February rule' and suggested that I stock up on the necessary ingredients to make this wonderful drink. I as always, was happy to comply.

The menu consisted of four courses:

Uovo e Raviolo (fresh churned ricotta, baby leek and organic egg ravioli with grilled asparagus, chorizo, and a sage butter sauce)

This was paired with a Cave Spring Riesling Off Dry. This was one of the wines that Dave tried to get us to try on Sunday but we were only drinking reds, having tasted it this evening I'll admit that we made a mistake. It had lovely apple. apricot, floral, citrus, and mineral aromas on the nose which made it a perfect pair with this dish.

Garlic and chili seared shrimp with steamed clams, served with sweet pea and summer truffle risotto

With this we had the same wine as with the first course. Again it was a fine match.

Grilled beef tenderloin with sauteed ramps and morels

This was a truly amazing dish - in fact after one bite Paul looked at me and said 'you have to make this one'  . . . and I think I'll comply on Sunday.

This was paired with a full-bodied red from Italy - Zenato Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa. It was a complex and multi-layered wine with aromas of blackberry and rich chocolate.

Strawberries with Ice Wine Sabayon

This was a wonderful surprise - simple, elegant, and so flavourful.

Dessert was paired with a sparkling red wine from Italy. Banfi Rosa Regale - it was a sweet red sparkling wine with delicate fruity character and flavours of raspberries and rose petals. This is a rare wine to get in Canada - in fact the store only received 1 case of 12 bottles and when it was gone, it was gone. Well, so many people in the course liked it that I think the store is now sold out!

We had such a good time that we signe dup for two more classes over the summer - a pitcher drink class:

LET’S TAKE IT OUTSIDE, PITCHER STYLE

The Piña Colada was invented in Puerto Rico, and this evening we showcase other hot destination cocktails. Tropical bursts of flavour sure to excite the taste buds. Give your summer thirst a refreshing chill using blender recipes to entertain with style and ease. A recipe package is included with this class

and a cooking class:

SUMMER FEAST FROM NIAGARA

What could be more uplifting than a delicious meal cooked with fresh Ontario produce? Meet Featured Chef Bruce Worden, for a full-meal menu that’s delicious, fresh, and creative. Be prepared to experience a burst of flavour as you taste Peach gazpacho with Thai basil and lemon ice, Pea shoot salad with pecan and raspberry, Iron-seared veal with whipped Yukon potatoes and summer mushroom fondue, and a grand finale of Wild blueberries with shortbread and crème Anglaise.

Guns in Schools

Yesterday we reacted in horror upon hearing that a teenager had been shot in a Toronto high school. This feeling only intensified when it was later revealed that he had died of his wounds.

Jordan Manners, 15, was hit in the chest around 2:30 p.m. yesterday. The Grade 9 student was rushed to Sunnybrook hospital, where he later died. He had just celebrated his 15th birthday on Friday. He is described as popular, trustworthy youth who was well known and liked in his community.

Initial reports indicate that there was a fight about fireworks outside of the school. The gunman went into the school, and not long later Jordan was shot.

Schools used to be a refuge where children could learn, interact, and laugh. It is frightening to think that kids are contemplating death before they understand what it means to live.

Generally we feel that we are immune to this stuff here in Canada. We have relatively strict gun control laws in the country so one wouldn't expect that kids would have ready access to them. Some suggest that they are illegally brought in from the US. I don't know if this is true or not, I do know I have been asked on numerous border crossings if I have guns.

My final comment on this sad case . . . today's papers all feature a large photo of Jordan's mother collapsing to the ground outside of the hospital seconds after she has been told that her son has died. I really despise the media vultures! People should be able to live their grief with some privacy before the press intrudes . . .

Niagara Wineries - Part 2

On Saturday we visited three wineries with Elise.

On Sunday Dave and Rosanne called, wondering if we wanted to check out some more. I asked Paul and his response was a hearty 'SURE" so not long later we were off to Niagara again.

On this trip we returned to some of our old favourites as well as some new ones.

Flat Rock Cellars

This was one of the new wineries we went to (note - when I say new it means new to US not necessarily new to production). Because it was the furthest away we went there first.

This 98 acre environmentally friendly vineyard, based in Jordan features a unique hexagonal building with clear views of Lake Ontario, a five level gravity flow system, a geothermal energy system and natural bio-filtration system. Flat Rock is specializing in Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Rieslings which are best suited to the winery’s soil, and weather conditions found on The Bench. Retail operations are direct from the winery.

Paul and I tried the Pinot Noir (2004 and the Gravity Reserve) The Gravity Pinot Noir has had a total of about 14 months' barrel aging. Look for well balanced, good full fruit (sweet and sour cherry on top) with notes of spice, pepper and earthiness. The tannins are quite big and grippy. It's drinking now (try it with rare lamb) or you can hold it up to five years.

The tasting room is bright and airy with huge windows overlooking the vineyards. On a clear day you can see down to the lake. They had a nice selection of Reidel glasses so we bought a set for Pinot Noir (fitting because we left the winery with 4 bottles of their reserve Gravity Pinot Noir).

Confession time - I have avoided Pinot Noir for years because of the so-called 'Sideways effect'. No one was going to accuse me of drinking them because the characters in the movie had raved about them so much! I've gotten over that - I like this varietal so much that if I'm accused of tasting this grape only because I saw the movie I think I can deal with it!  *SMILE*

Flat Rock Cellars

Cave Spring Cellars

Next up was Cave Spring Cellars located in the lovely village of Jordan. We discovered that lots of others were making a stop in Jordan so parking was a challenge. We drove around and around and finally found a spot - be sure to do the same. You don't want to miss this winery (or the shops).

Cave Spring Cellars was founded in 1986 by grape grower Leonard Pennachetti and wine maker Angelo Pavan. From the beginning, they have vinified vitis vinifera grapes - the noblest grape varieties of the Old World - from vineyards along Niagara's Beamsville Bench in Canada. Nestled at the heart of this narrow, fifteen kilometre shelf of the Niagara Escarpment, Pennachetti's Cave Spring Vineyard is one of Niagara's oldest vinifera plantings.

Their Pinot Noir is 45% Cave Spring Vineyard; 5% other Beamsville Bench; 40% Twenty Mile Bench; 10% Creek Shores, and is composed of 90% Pinot Noir; 10% Gamay. The wine is barrel aged for 1 year in older French, American, and Hungarian oak.

The result is a medium-bodied Pinot with delicate cherry fruit and some vanilla. Maybe be some earth, as promised. It has nice tannins, and a dry finish with a slight touch of pepper. We bought two bottles of the Pinot Noir (thank goodness we bought those glasses back at Flat Rock).

We also tried the 2002 Reserve Cabernet Merlot blend. It was a medium bodied Cabernet/Merlot with dark berry fruit, smoky oak, supple tannins and cedar/tobacco complexity. We liked it so we bought two bottles of that as well.

Dave tried the Rieslings and said that they were excellent. For some reason which I can't fathom Paul and I only try red wines . . . Dave informed us that we didn't know what we were missing. Oh well, a reason for a return visit.

Cave Spring Cellars

Featherstone

This is one of the area wineries we have visited the most over the years, yet lately we had neglected it. It was great to be back. I think that Featherstone of any of the wineries in the area this one packs the most value for the money: great wines at a great price!

Even though Featherstone Estate Winery is one of the smallest full-time wineries in the Niagara region, it has produced several recognized, high quality and award-winning wines. Established in 1998 by the husband and wife team of David Johnson and Louise Engels, Featherstone brings a high level of excellence to the Niagara winemaking community. Their holistic approach to winemaking sets them apart from many contemporaries in the region and has led to significant success over a short period of time.

Featherstone Estate Winery is completely self-contained and self-sustaining, which allows them to control the winemaking process from the start of the growing season through to the bottling stage. When Johnson and Engels purchased the 23-acre estate in 1998, it was already an established grape growing operation with Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Merlot vines that were up to 30 years old. The estate house became a multi-purpose building with a sweeping veranda offering gorgeous views of the rolling hills of vines surrounding the property. Visitors can enjoy the view from the veranda while relaxing with a glass of wine and one of the delectable choices from the summer “noshing” menu.

The winery always has samples of a wonderful white artisanal cheese made in the area and Fabia's Berry Blast Jelly. We left with some of each. They also had cheese from the Upper Canada Cheese Company which was amazing. We bought some of that as well. I also made a note that I would need to visit this cheese company soon!

We sampled the 2005 Cab Franc blend. Fermented in small batches and aged in American oak, this wine has aromas of cherry, tobacco, mint and spice. It would pair well with just about anything off the BBQ as well as Mediterranean foods and veal or pork tenderloin with lots of herbs. Paul quite liked it and while I was scarfing back more cheese (I hadn't eaten lunch and was quite peckish) he placed three bottles on the counter for me to buy.

Featherstone Winery

Malivoire

This is our favourite winery in the region. We pop by a few times each year and stock up on their wines. In fact, this was the winery where we assisted with the ice wine harvest back in January. You can read about our adventure here.

By now Rose was getting sick of wineries. She was giving Dave that look only wives can give: 'you don't need any more wine dear'. Happily that look is not in Paul's repitoire; he is more apt to sneak a few bottles of wines he enjoys onto the counterwhen I'm 'not looking'. Like the trooper that she is Rose persevered and let the boys have their fun!

Martin Malivoire, a well-know movie special effect artist purchased the 1994 and set out to make wine. The estate property provided an opportunity to develop a unique approach to the winemaking process. With input from winemaker Ann Sperling, a highly accomplished winemaker from BC’s Okanagan Valley, Malivoire set out to utilize the natural undulations of the land to create a gravity driven winery. The small Quonset hut at the top of the ravine was transformed into a three-tiered building flowing down a 30 foot incline. This allows gravity to move the wine from the crush level to the press level to the bottling level. Using gravitational forces, it reduces the need for mechanical manipulation and results in wines with “greater balance and finesse”.

This "gentle handling" approach is adopted by Malivoire throughout the winemaking process. In fact, winemaker Sperling prefers to think of herself as a “winegrower” rather than a “winemaker” as she indicates “that the vineyard is what makes the wine”. The winery employs several grounds keeping crews to manage the vineyards using hands-on methods. Malivoire Wine Company does not use pesticides or herbicides in either their Moira or Estate vineyards. Moira Vineyard has been certified organic with the 2004 vintage being the first officially organic line.

Our favourite wines here are the:

Gamay (a fragrant, easy-drinking red with classic strawberry-floral notes and light twiggy-leafy character. No candied quality as in gamays made via carbonic maceration—that is, most beaujolais. Light but cushy, with delicate acidity and very fine tannin. Great summer sandwich and picnic red);

Old Vines Foch (Very dark garnet, clear edge. Bold red and black-cherry aromas dominate in the aroma, with a back note of something intriguingly like dark toast. Impressive flavor, big and bold, fresh plums cherries, a hint of oaky vanilla, with soft tannins and tart, almost piercing acidity. It bears some stylistic resemblance to a good but young Chianti Classico Riserva);

Pinot Noir (satiny, supple, yet well-structured pinot shows fragrant, beguiling aromas of cherry-raspberry fruit, floral notes and dried herbs, plus chocolate and spice from aging in French oak. Fine tannin and excellent flavour focus. );

Ladybug (Tony Aspler calls it the best pink he has ever tasted from Canadian soil. It is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc and less than 5% each of Gamay, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Musqué. The wine is deep pink in colour with a bluish tint; on the nose, it has a lovely rose petal note above the strawberry bouquet; full-bodied, clean with a hint of residual sweetness, a lychee nuance to the strawberry fruit and a tannic lift on the finish. This is our favourite summer drinking wine).

If you're in the Niagara area do not miss this winery!

Malivoire Winery

Peninsula Ridge

The last winery of the day was Peninsula Ridge. This is a lovely winery which has only been in operation for less than 10 years.  Located on Niagara's Beamsville Bench, is unique for several reasons, not the least of which is its rapid rise to prominence. With their first vintage, they immediately won accolades, especially for their Reserve Chardonnay. Winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas honed his skills in Burgundy and he brings a definite old-world savvy to the Peninsula Ridge cellars.

Specializing in Bordeaux-style reds, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, the core vision at Peninsula Ridge is to produce the finest wines Niagara has to offer by combining the best of Old World Tradition with New World Technology.

The Peninsula Ridge wine boutique is a tribute to Canadian heritage. An ancient post-and-beam barn serves as the framework. After raising the floor and installing a modern infrastructure, the barn was rebuilt using antique barn boards sourced locally. The second floor wine shop serves as an antique boutique.

The tasting room is bright, modern and welcoming. Through the tall windows, you can see the coach house, which can be booked for special occasions, and the newly opened restaurant. The red brick Victorian house that houses the restaurant also adorns the Peninsula Ridge label. I've eaten at the restaurant a few times - while it isn't cheap, the food is amazing!

We were thrilled to discover that the wine tasting room had a new feature - cheese tasting! They had selected about 12 artisanal cheeses from Quebec and Ontario which paired well with their wines. You could sample any for a small fee. Paul and I shared a wine tasting (4 samples for $ 2 ha ha Napa!) and three samples of cheese ($ 1 each for a large sample).

We liked the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve so much that we bought two bottles! We also bought two pieces of cheese that we liked.

All in all it was a great two days of wine experiences! I think I bought 36 bottles of wine in all. My wine racks in the cellar are full and I shall have to buy more today. Paul has informed me that I am not allowed to buy any more wine until February when we are in Paso Robles! ARGH

Oh well, if anyone wants a wine guide for Niagara I'd be happy to help out!

Pork Burger "Sliders" with Roasted Onion Relish

On Saturday it was Paul's turn to cook. He decided to make these burgers, choosing a recipe from my favourite BBQ cookbook: "Weber's Real Grilling". It was published in 2005 and mine is 'dog-eared' and falling apart. Now that the nice weather is back upon us I'll probably make something from this book every week.

He hadn't read the recipe completely and didn't realize that the relish needed to be made in advance (or at least the onions roasted) so when I got up in the morning I put them on the BBQ so that they would be ready. We had a full day planned with Elise of chicken wing eating, shopping, and wineries so I knew we would be rushed come dinnertime. I'm sure that the neighbours got a kick out of me working the BBQ at 7 am but oh well!

Before we left for our day we set the onions to cool in a bowl on the counter and they were ready to go when we returned. We were still full from the wing feast; we didn't eat at our normal time and ended up eating at 8:30 which worked out fine.

Paul served these with some raw baby carrots and chips.

The flavour combinations in the burgers and the relish were AMAZING! There is no doubt that we will be making this recipe again.

Relish Ingredients

3 medium sized yellow onions
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Burger Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground pork
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

For Relish:

1. Peel onions and cut off both ends.
2. In a medium bowl, coat onions with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.
3. Wrap each onion in aluminum foil and grill over indirect medium heat for approximately 1 hour or until they are softened.
4. Allow to cool.
5. Peel the onions. Cut off and discard the stem and root ends. Cut the onions in half lengthwise and then chop into 1/2 inch pieces.
6. Place in medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat.
7. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, ketchup, wine, vinegar, and Tabasco sauce.
8. Stir mixture and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until almost all of the liquid has evaporated (about 10 - 15 minutes)
9. Remove from heat, stir in parsley.

The relish made be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature prior to serving.

For Burger:

1. In a large bowl, combine pork, ketchup, salt, allspice, mustard, pepper and Tabasco sauce
2. Shape into 8 equal sized patties, each about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Lightly brush or spray each side with olive oil.
4. Grill over direct medium heat 10-12 minutes, turning once, until done.
5. Serve on a toasted bun with onion relish.

Makes 4 - 6 servings.