Local farms honoured
June 12, 2008
By Casey Lessard
It’s appropriate to raise a glass to Twin Pines Orchards and Cider House (left), who we featured for their winery last fall, and to one of our favourite farms, Sunnivue of Ailsa Craig. Both won regional awards for the Ontario government’s Premier’s Agri-Food Innovation Excellence awards. Each won $5,000 for their innovation; Twin Pines won for making their farm a destination and offering more than just fruit for sale. The farm offers school tours in addition to the winery, which creates apple wine and apple cider. Sunnivue Organic Farm, outside of Ailsa Craig, is a not-for-profit land trust that produces and sells organic milk, beef, veal, chicken, pork, and a large variety of fruits and vegetables.
Putting the family in family restaurant
May 13, 2008
Fifth generation now working at Aunt Gussie’s
By Casey Lessard
If you didn’t notice that Aunt Gussie’s was taken over by new owners a year and a half ago, Pat and LeeAnn Powers are content with that. The couple worked at the Ontario Street South restaurant for a couple of years before taking ownership, and wanted to make sure the transition was as smooth as possible.
“We’ve freshened it up,” Pat says of recent renovations, “and done our best to stay true to the tradition here.”
It’s become a family tradition to own the restaurant south of the Bluewater Motel. LeeAnn’s parents Bill and Janice Peckitt owned Pizza Delight during the 1980s.
“Originally this building was built by Bill’s grandfather, Stanley Martin in the late 50s and it was originally the Bluewater Restaurant,” Pat says, noting Stanley and Ella built the restaurant after building the Bluewater Motel.
“My earliest memories of this restaurant were in the summertime doing dishes,” Bill Peckitt says. “I was eight years old. It was exciting for me. I didn’t realize it was work. There was lots of action. It was a busy restaurant with lots of tourists. Lots of Americans were here; there were probably more American tourists then than there are today. Same kind of food. It was a family restaurant with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“At eight years old,” Peckitt points out, “I was wishing I was 16. There were some nice looking waitresses.”
“Oh, dad!” LeeAnn groans, before noting she, too, has also worked at the restaurant since she was eight years old.
“I remember sitting over in that corner building pizza boxes for like a penny a box. My brother and I would race to see who could get the most done.
“We lived here until I was in Grade 5 or 6. Our staff room is the room beside my old bedroom. I remember running with my bare feet in the stone parking lot to and from the swimming pool next door.”
Bill and Janice sold the Pizza Delight business to Tony VanDongen in 1990, and former Pizza Delight manager Pete Miller and Gus Merkies leased the building in 1995 to open Aunt Gussie’s. Miller bought the property in1998. The Powers took over in late 2006.
“I’ve been in the restaurant industry for the last 20 years,” Pat says, “and LeeAnn has all of her life. This was a great way for us to access what we had done for most of our business lives so far and for us, there was an inevitability about getting to Grand Bend. There’s something nice about the legacy idea of getting the business back in the family.”
The Powers hope it will stay in the family; their oldest Mallory, 14, is the fifth generation of her family to work at the restaurant.
“I started waitressing at Pizza Delight when Mallory was just a baby,” LeeAnn says. “When Mallory started bussing three years ago, the staff who had been working here since my parents owned it, took a double take.”
“It’s a nice spot. As busy as it is, it’s really fun. I like talking to people,” Mallory says. “I look forward to working here until I go to university.”
The Powers treat staff like family, and the staff return the favour. Some have been with the restaurant since Aunt Gussie’s opened in 1995, and one server, Jackie, started during the Pizza Delight era.
“Everyone gets along so well,” LeeAnn says., noting many took part in Winter Carnival activities on behalf of the restaurant..
The staff are also excited about the new menu, which lost three items but added 12 new ones.
“You can hear them going on about the new menu,” LeeAnn says. “For the ones who have been here since it opened, it’s exciting for them to have new fresh things to add to it.”
The Powers believe it takes good staff and loyal customers to run a successful business, and they have both.
“It’s a great business,” Pat says. “We just want it to stay the busy little spot that it is. This is the career for a lot of people in this community. We just want to support the family and have a decent go of things.”
When I think spring… I think rhubarb!
April 14, 2008
By James Eddington, Eddington’s of Exeter
519-235-3030
Really, I do!
Rhubarb is a vegetable with a unique taste that makes it a favorite in many pies and desserts. Rhubarb is often commonly mistaken to be a fruit, but rhubarb is actually a close relative of garden sorrel, and that makes it a member of the vegetable family.
Rhubarb is rich in vitamin C and dietary fibre. Rhubarb is a perennial plant with large leaves and has long, thick and tasty stalks, and is available from early winter through early summer. Winter rhubarb is commercially produced in forcing houses in Michigan and Ontario. Rhubarb is common ingredient in any chef’s kitchen during these months.
Rhubarb leaves grow from the ground in early spring. The leaves can grow up to a foot or more in width and length and the plant may grow to a height of several feet. The green leaves of the plant are poisonous. They contain high concentrations of oxalic acid crystals, these crystals can cause swelling of throat and tongue and can restrict breathing.
The edible stalks are up to 18 inches long, 1 to 2 inches in diameter just like celery. These stalks are cut and used in pies, jams, chutney, jellies, sauces and juice.
Ontario’s West Coast rhubarb is always ready for picking just as soon as the strawberries are ready for harvest. It freezes well, as do the berries, so you can enjoy these spring delicacies all year round.
Rhubarb & Strawberry Lemonade
Makes about six servings
3-1/4 cups water
3/4 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste
Two 3-inch strips of lemon zest removed with a vegetable peeler, plus additional for garnish
1/4 tsp. vanilla
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh lemon juice
Splash of vodka: optional
Sprig of mint: garnish
In a saucepan stir together the water, the rhubarb, the sugar, 2 strips of the zest and the vanilla, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and simmer it, covered, for 8 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the strawberries and boil the mixture, covered, for 2 minutes.
Let the mixture cool and strain it through a coarse sieve set or china cap over a pitcher, pressing hard on the solids. Stir in the remaining cup of strawberries , vodka (optional) and the lemon juice, divide the lemonade among glasses filled with ice cubes and garnish each glass with some of the additional zest and fresh mint.
Take a flight this Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2008
By James Eddington, Eddington’s of Exeter (http://www.eddingtons.ca/)
While trying to think of the perfect dessert for Valentines Day, I remember a wine tasting I had attended, where each wine was paired with a taste or flavour on a spoon. While each spoon had its own flavour, an array of taste can be combined into a “flight.” So for all you hopeless romantics this Valentines Day, reserve your table at Eddington’s of Exeter (519) 235-3030 or try a “flight.”
Blindfold your date and spoon-feed them one bite at a time in the order listed above. If you choose your own ingredients, select flavors that pair well together, but vary in temperature, texture, and taste. Enjoy and most of all have fun!
Flights of Fancy
(Each ingredient to be served in a standard tablespoon)
Flight 1
1 3/4 inch cube of pear, sprinkled with pepper and seared in a hot pan for 1
minute per side
1 3/4 inch cube of Stilton cheese
1 roasted pecan
1 tbsp port
Flight 2
1 chocolate truffle
1 mini scoop vanilla ice cream
1 dried apricot
1 tbsp framboise (raspberry liqueur)
Flight 3
“For a good time, STRIP!”
(Editor’s note: I think James is referring to the newspaper.
Take a flight this Valentine’s Day
January 21, 2008
By James Eddington, Eddington’s of Exeter
While trying to think of the perfect dessert for Valentines Day, I remember a wine tasting I had attended, where each wine was paired with a taste or flavour on a spoon. While each spoon had its own flavour, an array of taste can be combined into a “flight.” So for all you hopeless romantics this Valentines Day, reserve your table at Eddington’s of Exeter (519) 235-3030 or try a “flight.”
Blindfold your date and spoon-feed them one bite at a time in the order listed above. If you choose your own ingredients, select flavors that pair well together, but vary in temperature, texture, and taste. Enjoy and most of all have fun!
(Each ingredient to be served in a standard tablespoon)
Flight 1
1 x 3/4 inch cube of pear, sprinkled with pepper and seared in a hot pan for 1 minute per side
1 x 3/4 inch cube of Stilton cheese
1 roasted pecan
1 tbsp port
Flight 2
1 chocolate truffle
1 mini scoop vanilla ice cream
1 dried apricot
1 tbsp framboise (raspberry liqueur)
Flight 3
“For a good time, STRIP” (Editor’s note: I think James is referring to the newspaper).
A fresh approach to beat the winter blues!
January 21, 2008
By James Eddington, Eddington’s of Exeter
As January rolls into February, we look to break from the whirlwind of activities of the past months. We yearn for less indulgent foods that are lower in fat - a change from the heavy sauces and extravagant desserts of December: foods with clean crisp tastes.
As few believe, Ontario still has a substantial supply of locally grown produce, including beets, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, squash, sprouts, etc.
Beautiful beet soup
This delicious dish brightens any table. Serves 4.
1 tbsp (15 mL) cold-pressed olive oil
1/2 medium onion
1/2 tsp (3 mL) curry powder
4 medium beets, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
3 cups (750 mL) vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
1 1/2 tsp (8 mL) honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon juice to taste
2 tbsp (30 mL) yogurt or kefir
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped green onions
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft. Add curry powder and cook for a minute longer, then the beets, potatoes and stock or water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender, 30-45 minutes. Purée or mash with a potato masher. Reheat the soup and add the honey. Season to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the sour cream and green onions.
Braised red cabbage and apples
A little sweet, a little sour, this sensational side dish of braised red cabbage and apples is an easy accompaniment to roast turkey that can be made ahead of time and reheated right before dinner.
2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 small head red cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced
2 apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) red wine (any kind)
1/4 cup (50 mL) apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) salt
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring for five minutes, until softened. Add cabbage and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until cabbage is thoroughly wilted and softened. Now add apples, wine, vinegar, sugar and salt, lower the heat to low and simmer, covered, for one-and-a-half to two hours, stirring once in a while.
Stir in apple jelly, replace the cover on the pot and continue to simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.
Crispy mushroom strudel with fresh herb cream sauce and cranberries
Ingredients for filling:
2 oz unsalted butter
1 lb sliced mixed fresh mushrooms (oyster, portobello, shiitake, button, cremini)
4 fresh garlic cloves - minced
1 small yellow onion - diced
Salt & pepper to taste
2 oz plain breadcrumbs
2 tbsp fresh chives - chopped
2 oz chardonnay white wine
Ingredients for dough:
2 oz unsalted butter - melted
5 sheets phyllo dough
1 egg
Ingredients for sauce:
8 oz low sodium chicken stock
6 oz Chardonnay white wine
1 shallot onion - sliced
8 oz heavy cream
2 tbsp mixed chopped herbs (parsley, chives, rosemary, basil, thyme)
Garnish:
4 tbsp sliced cranberries
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Preparation:
Heat medium-sized sauté pan, add butter and onions and cook for one minute. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté for about three minutes. Deglaze pan with white wine and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushrooms into a mixing bowl and let the mushrooms cool off. Add chives, breadcrumbs and chives and mix everything very well. Lay out a kitchen towel and place first sheet of phyllo dough on it. Brush the sheet with melted butter then place the next layer of phyllo dough and repeat the first step until the last sheet of dough is placed. Spread mushroom mixture along the longer side of the sheet - about two inches wide. Take the towel and start rolling the strudel. Transfer strudel to a greased baking sheet pan, brush with beaten egg and bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes. Put chicken stock, Chardonnay wine and shallot into a saucepot and bring mixture to a boil on high heat. Turn the heat to medium and let the liquid reduce (cool down) to about 5 oz. Add the heavy cream and let the sauce reduce to half. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve.
Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Add the fresh chopped herbs. Heat cranberries with butter in a small sauté pan. To assemble strudel, pour sauce on the center of the plate, sprinkle cranberries across the sauce and place a two-inch slice of Strudel in the middle of the plate. Garnish with fresh thyme. Sautéed baby spinach or root vegetable julienne accompany this appetizer very well.
Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps
December 14, 2007
“This is a holiday favourite at the Spiers home, ” says Barb Spiers of Beauty ‘n’ the Beach hair studio in Grand Bend (519-238-6520), who sent us this recipe.
Serves 4.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pkg sliced bacon (not already cooked)
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp chili powder
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Cut each bacon slice into thirds. Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick. Stir brown sugar and chili powder together. Dredge wrapped chicken in mixture. Spray rimmed cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken wraps on sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until bacon is crispy.
Recipe for thought – now and in the New Year
December 14, 2007
Compiled by Harry Young, Royal Canadian Legion Grand Bend
Serves 1 or more.
“Today is the beginning of a new dream.”
“We cannot direct the winds, but we can adjust our sails.”
“Learn to forgive; once done, you are now a better person, the future is yours.”
Make tonight a cosy autumn evening
November 22, 2007
Recipes supplied by chef Cara Funk, Eddington’s of Exeter Casual Fine Dining 527 Main St, Exeter. (519) 235-3030.
Soup: Red lentil and apple with a hint of curry finished with a drizzle of Canadian maple syrup
Entrée: Rosemary roasted spaghetti squash with crispy fried bacon. Sautéed white asparagus tossed with shallots, and red Bartlett pear finished with fresh torn basil and aged cheddar
On a cozy evening there is nothing better then the aromas of autumn vegetables roasting, fried bacon, and fresh herbs. This a great dinner to sets the mood for comfort on those lazy evenings in. My first intention for this meal was to create a healthy vegetarian dinner; however, the suggestion of having a meal without any meat was not the most appealing to my husband. And the white asparagus scared him a bit as well. So I did what every cook knows to do when cooking for the gourmet-challenged, I added bacon and cheese. Everything tastes better when you add those two ingredients. The result was a fantastic dinner full of flavour and texture. It’s easy to prepare with restaurant appeal.
Our soup is earthy and rustic, and features red lentils, which cook faster then other varieties of legumes. It’s a nice way to warm up on an autumn evening.
Sweetly curried apple lentil soup
Serves 4 to 6.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped
4 small to medium carrots chopped
3 royal gala apples chopped
1 cup red lentils rinsed
1 sprig rosemary chopped
2 tbsp curry powder
3 cups chicken stock (homemade is best, store-bought low-sodium stock will do)
3 cups water
2 tbsp maple syrup
Cook onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, celery, carrots, apple and lentils. Add rosemary, curry powder and cook until vegetables are soft. Add stock and water and simmer until lentils become soft and falling apart, about 30-40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth in texture. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup.
Rosemary roasted squash
Take two medium-sized spaghetti squash and cut each in half lengthwise, removing the seeds. Season each half with rosemary, salt and pepper and olive oil. Place on baking sheet and roast in a 400-degree oven skin side up, for 20-25 minutes.
Sautéed white asparagus with pears and shallots
Slice one shallot and three pears and put in frying pan with eight trimmed asparagus spears and 2 tbsp olive oil. Cook until asparagus is tender yet still crispy. Finish by adding hand torn basil leaves and sliced aged cheddar. (I used four-year cheddar).
Fried bacon
(Note: start the bacon in cold frying pan.) Cut six strips of bacon into three pieces each and cook on medium heat.
Plate the squash and asparagus, and top squash with bacon.
Enjoy fall’s bounty with James Eddington
October 27, 2007
Recipes supplied by James Eddington, Eddington’s of Exeter Casual Fine Dining 527 Main St, Exeter. (519) 235-3030
Fall arrives and nature’s growth comes to an end. Squash, turnips, beets, etc. lend themselves to soups and salads flavoured with the last of our summer’s herbs. Surplus ripe tomatoes are turned into canned or frozen salsas and sauce.
This month, the first real frost brings an unconscious desire for heartier meals. A cook’s thoughts turn to stews with a fresh loaf of warm bread. Harvested root vegetables simmer in a rich, meat-filled broth to provide comfort and to ease the chill of a cool fall night.
Enjoy the local harvest; we are truly blessed to live in an area full of the riches that our farmers and fields have to offer. Spend some time in the kitchen this season melding the deep rich flavors of the fall.
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