There were lots of vendors showing off non-food items like home decor and appliances, clothing, cars and bikes, and building supplies, but hey, this is a food blog, so I’m going to talk about the food!

Tons of great food vendors were on hand to display their products and answer questions from the huge crowd. While the show was pretty busy on Saturday afternoon when we arrived, the food sections definitely had the biggest crowds!

Lots of local and semi-local organic and natural food vendors were at the show, with a huge variety of products to try – baked goods, chips, chocolate, soy and rice milk, dairy-free ice cream, sauces and more. We tend to shop at stores that have a lot of these products, so we already knew about most of the companies that were in attendance. Some of our favourites include Sweets from the Earth (love the biscotti), Natur-a (their maple soy ice cream is really good), Shasha (ginger snaps!), Neil Brothers (chips and salsa, plus products from a lot of other companies they distribute here in Ontario), Taste of Nature (granola bars) and Yoso (soy yogurt and soy cream cheese).

This year’s show also had a Fresh Farm Fare section, where local farmers and local chefs were paired together to create amazing food. Tickets were just 2 dollars each, or a pack of 5 for 10 dollars. Most dishes were 1 ticket, although some of the meat stuff was 2, but as vegetarians Rich and I didn’t try those.  What we did try, however, was fantastic.

In the photo below we’ve got Sovereign Farms Early Spring Ontario Greenhouse Panko’d Tomato Goat Cheese Salad, Cottage Cheese Gnocchi with Wild Leeks and Preserved Lemon, and a selection of three Ontario cheeses: feta, goat cheese, and a sharp cheddar.  Ok, so we went for a lot of cheese, what can I say? All three were really lovely, and probably would have cost 10 bucks each if we’d ordered them at a local restaurant, so 2 bucks each was a bargain. My favourite was the goat cheese salad.

After stuffing our faces with food, we decided to check out the Grapes and Hops Tasting Pavilion. Tickets here were also 2 dollars each or 5 for 10 dollars. We assumed that for that price, we’d be getting a little tasting pour of wine or beer, so opted to buy 5 tickets, but soon discovered that most places gave very generous pours for 2 bucks, as you can see from the photos below.

First we tried a Riesling from Inniskillin. It was really lovely, dry and crisp. We’ll probably pick up a bottle or two of this over the summer, as it was the perfect wine for a hot summer day.

Next we decided to get two different rosé wines and compare them. On the right is Ladybug rosé from Malivoire. On the left is Canada’s first biodynamic wine, a Cabernet rosé from Southbrook Vineyards. Both were nice, but we preferred the Cabernet rosé from Malivoire, finding it a bit better rounded and less ‘young’ tasting.

I didn’t get a shot of the beer we sampled, but it was Cameron’s Auburn Ale. It wasn’t anything amazing but it was a nice, drinkable beer, a bit on the sweet side, and with a bolder hoppy taste than we were expecting. A good beer for parties, we figure, since it’s something many will like.

After sampling all that food, beer and wine, we were pretty stuffed, so figured it was time to head out. Overall it was a fun show, and a great place for foodies to get samples and learn about new organic products coming out. We’ll be back next year!

I wrote up the details for the FoodTV blog, Food for Thought.

It might be a recent discovery for us, but it certainly isn’t new – Souz Dal has been a fixture on College for more than fifteen years. The rusty globe sign and the domed ceiling are the first two things we noticed about the place upon entering for the first time. Then, scanning the room, we noticed the funky decor in warm colors, the candles on the tables, and the window seats with cushions. We also noted the middle table seemed to be taken up by a party, where everyone was dressed fairly casually and had a martini or cocktail in front of them. Generally, the vibe was relaxed and fun, so we decided to take the table next to the heater and stay a while.

Wine, cocktails and martinis are the focus here – this is not the place for anyone looking for interesting beer. They do offer a single beer on tap (Amsterdam Blond) and a dozen or so beers in bottles, but nothing remarkable. We usually begin our night with a half litre of wine, then move to a cocktail or two. I’ve become fond of the good old Side Car, although I must note that they make a tasty Mint Julep here. Staff here are friendly and efficient, and seem to be used to doing crowd control; often larger groups will come in hoping for a table, and sometimes will even stick around, hovering over the bar for a while until a table does open up.

They’ve even got a heated back patio that is open year round. We haven’t tried sitting there yet, since it seems far too cold this time of year, but we might on a more mild day in the spring or fall.

Just one warning – it’s hard to have just one drink here, so a typical visit is going to set you back a bit. This isn’t a cheap drinks student bar. It is, however, delicious!

Souz Dal – 636 College Street (College at Grace).  416-537-1883.

paella

Originally uploaded by nyxie.

Yesterday I felt like cooking something fun, and turned to a long list of ‘world cuisines’ to try to get inspiration. When I read the word Spanish, I instantly decided I’d make a batch of Paella. Paella has been one of my ‘go to’ dishes during the summer for the last few years, because it is simple to make and goes very nicely with a variety of crisp summer drinks.

For those unfamiliar with the dish, it contains rice, olive oil, and saffron, along with some variety of vegetables and proteins. Most commonly you’ll see chicken and/or seafood varieties, but sausage is also often an ingredient. Since I’m a pseudo-vegetarian and don’t eat chicken or sausage, I used a vegetarian ‘sausage’ (tofurky!) and shrimp in this version.

Quick Paella
Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup onions
1/4 lb kielbasa, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (not low-fat), (I used tofurky ‘sausage’ instead here.)
1 1/3 cups long-grain rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
15 frozen cleaned medium raw shrimp
1/3 cup small pimento stuffed olives
1/3 cup frozen peas

1. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then sauté garlic and onions, stirring until garlic and onions are golden, about 2 minutes.
2. Add kielbasa (or tofurky) and cook, stirring, until kielbasa is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
3. Add rice, wine, broth, saffron, and shrimp and cook, covered and undisturbed, over high heat until most of liquid is absorbed and shrimp are cooked through, about 6 minutes.
4. Stir in peas and olives and cook, covered, for about 2 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

I served mine with a delicious glass of sangria. Or actually, to be honest, quick and easy ‘Sangria’ which is actually Tinto de Verano. Just take a glass and toss in a few ice cubes, then fill about half way with red wine. Fill the rest of the glass with lemonade or lemon-lime soda (try to get one that isn’t too sweet). Add a few lemon pieces and you’re done.

Enjoy!

French wine and spirit naming is subject to a whole pile of regulations. You’ve probably heard how only wine made from grapes from the Champagne region can be called “Champagne”, for instance, but similar rules apply to all of the controlled-origin (Appellation d’origine contrôlée, AOC) regional wine names.

This is good, inasmuch as you know that that Bordeaux is actually from Bordeaux, or that Mâcon-villages is actually from Mâcon. And the protected status of those names is one of the reasons that French wines still use their regional naming while the rest of the world has moved towards naming the varieties (a Gamay Noir instead of a Beaujolais, or a Chardonnay instead of a Chablis).

But what happens when your out-of-region winery wants to produce a wine to compete against the French AOC wines? Well, this, for instance:

(Goats Do Roam is a Shiraz-Pinotage which reminds one of a certain French coastal region. Candice and I tried a bottle a while ago. It was a good big, juicy wine, full of berries and spice. We’re usually not big drinkers of big reds, partly because neither of us eat much meat (or any red meat) and thus rarely have anything around to put a wine like this with.)

Or you can do this, which I find even more interesting because it was made in France:

which, while clearly depicting a chat-sur-oeuf might remind one of another particular region. This one comes from Cotes-du-Ventoux, though! We haven’t opened this one yet, but it’s a Grenache-Syrah, so it’s not just the name that’s familiar (although it’s said to be quite a bit lighter than your typical Chateauneuf).

And yes, I regularly buy wine based on the label. And it’s worked out well so far! (By the way, the wine in the title is quite nice also — and yes, it’s “pee” everywhere in the world except the USA, which gets “phee”.)

First, a little background: Rich went to university at McGill, so he got used to Montréal-style cafes, clubs, and bistros. Bistros there are particularly interesting; they tend to be funky and at least a bit trendy, with some effort put into decorating and interior design. They also tend towards a club feel with the music and/or DJ, but still serve a decent menu of various small meals and snacks. Sadly, there are not very many places of that sort in Ottawa, as there seems to be more interest in pubs and bars. So when we moved to Westboro and found out about Trio, we knew we wanted to try it out.

The first thing you’ll probably notice about Trio is how small it is. While I’ve never actually counted, there must be no more than 12 small tables in the place, plus a few chairs around the bar. From spring to fall, they also have 3 or 4 tables in an outdoor, street-side patio. All this means that on a Friday or Saturday night, you need to come early if you’re going to have anywhere to sit.

The second thing you’ll probably notice is just how friendly the staff are. While yes, one would expect decent service at any eatery they intend to frequent, the folks here seem genuinely happy to work there. They are prompt in bringing you your food and drink, check up on you a reasonable amount, and don’t rush you out the door, allowing you plenty of time to linger over your drinks.

You’ll probably also notice the music. Generally they play nothing but music you might hear in a dance/nightclub, with a DJ taking over song selection on Friday and/or Saturday nights. Of course, this leaves a lot of room for variety, where anything from trance and ambient to disco might be heard. I’m also pleased to say that I’ve never heard them play anything by whoever is the ‘blond popstar of the moment’, or anything from the latest boy-band. They seem to realize their regular clientelle (mostly late-20s to 40s) wouldn’t much be interested in that kind of music. However, I do have one minor complaint: the sound system doesn’t seem to be the best quality and the best layout, which means if you choose a seat too close to a speaker, you’ll get a bit of crackling in your ear, and you’ll have to yell so whoever you’re hanging out with can hear you.

Other things of note before I get to the food: the walls are covered in art by local artists, that is available for purchase should one desire. There is also a small area by the bar that has jewelry by local artists on display. These things just add to the ambience without making you feel you’ve stepped into someone’s personal art collection.

Their drink menu consists of popular beers from Ontario and Quebec micro-breweries (eg – McAuslan, Unibroue, Wellington), a few wine-by-the-glass choices, and of course the typical mixed-drink choices. Nothing to be amazed at, but nothing terrible, either. They seem to have given some thought to which wines and which beers grace the menu, and the staff actually know the menu well enough to give drink recommendations.

The food menu? Well, the first few times Rich and I went to trio, they had a full menu with various pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and appetizers. We would usually order two of their pizzas: one containing brie and pear, and the other which was a typical Mediterranean vegetarian, with olives, tomatoes, feta and peppers. Sometimes we would also grab an appetizer to start, such as their garlicky hummus served with pita chips. Sometimes we would also grab dessert, which was brought in from a local bakery daily. I recall having a wonderful apple flan there once, and a delicious hazelnut dacoise another time. So overall, we were happy with the menu, even if it was a bit small. There were items we enjoyed on it and we didn’t mind having them pretty much every time.

Recently, however, Trio seems to have decided to re-market themselves a bit. They now have a menu that clearly states on it ‘We are not a restaurant!’ and their door advertising mentions snacks and drinks, leaving off any mention of meals. The menu still contains most of our favourites, but has done away with most of the sandwiches and all of the pastas. We don’t have a problem with this, since we never went there for large meals in the first place. However, at our trip there a week or two ago, we did notice multiple people come in, look at the menu, and promptly leave again. We can’t be sure if they were old regulars or new to Trio, but it is obvious that this change is causing them to lose a little business. Whether or not this becomes a problem in the long term remains to be seen, but I’m hoping the idea will catch on with locals. The place really deserves to be a hang-out rather than a restarant, which is something their old menu was getting away from a bit.

So in conclusion: If you’re looking for a good meal with an extensive winelist and a ‘see and be seen’ atmosphere, Trio isn’t the right spot for that. Try your luck at one of the popular hangouts in the Byward Market. But if you want something more casual, with appetizers, good drinks, an occasional DJ and a funky decor, then try Trio Bistro.

(307d Richmond Rd, just east of Churchill; 613-722-3887.)

It’s strong, but that’s not odd, because I don’t drink gin and tonic because I like tonic water. (I drink them to keep away malaria.) What’s a bit odd is that aside from its usual junipery goodness it smells like roses.

What’s very odd is that while smelling like roses it tastes vaguely like cucumber.

On purpose.

It’s Hendricks Gin, and it’s one of a few particularly peculiar gins that I’ve wanted to try lately. It’s around the same price as your favorite premium gin, provided that your favorite costs about $40 for a bottle, but it’s very much unlike any other gin I’ve tried. The base flavor reminds me of the stronger premium gins, like Tanqueray Ten (and not like Sapphire at all), with enough rose petal and cucumber to make you aware that it tastes different but not so much that it tastes like you are eating a cucumber — although they do recommend garnishing a Hendricks martini with a slice of cucumber rather than an olive.

According to their website, they also use an unusual distillation method, a Carter still, of which there are four in the world, none of which are Googleable. But I have no reason to doubt them. I couldn’t tell you what Carter-distilled gin tastes like, though. The cucumber and rose is enough to make it hard to pick out subtleties of distillation technique. As if this weren’t all strange enough, it’s a product of Scotland. It comes in a brown-glass bottle with a cork closure that wouldn’t look out of place on the shelves of an apothecary. The back label warns: It is not for everyone.

If you’re a fan of flavorful gin, I can’t think of a better fit with summer than a bit of cucumber. There’s no reason for it to be more refreshing, since it’s still just liquid gin, but it manages to trigger the refreshing-cucumber memory anyhow.

I suppose this all depends on whether or not you like cucumber. I might still toss in an olive occasionally for old time’s sake, though.

(On the subject of unusual gins: have any of you tried Old Raj? It’s a boutique gin like Hendricks, but with saffron in the botanicals. I’m intrigued but not convinced, and it’s not like you can find this stuff stocked in bars.)