Gourmet Ontario

While on winter break with the kids, I was trying to find some fun things to do with them to keep them entertained. I had a Holiday cakelet pan with Christmas trees, Gingerbread men, Snowmen and a package of red velvet cake mix and cream cheese icing in the pantry. I mixed up the cake [...]

  Most people enjoy a good champagne or sparkling wine for New Years Eve and this year was no exception for us. Sometimes it can be difficult to select a champagne, some can be too sweet or too dry. I prefer my champagnes a bit sweeter but not too sweet. This year we decided to [...]

I love sweets of any kind; part of the reason I decided to write “Of Wine and Cupcakes” so that I could sacrifice myself for the good of mankind and find some of the best places around. This week my friend and I were able to make a visit to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. I [...]

The Niagara Icewine Festival 2012 runs from January 13 to 29.  This year’s theme is titled “A Shimmer of Gold”.  There are events at local wineries, restaurants and venues throughout the Niagara region during the festival. The festival starts on January 13th with Icewine Unveiled: A Masquerade Gala at the Fallsview Casino featuring wines from over [...]

Crème brûlée, also known as caramel brûlée, is a rich custard dessert often flavoured with vanilla and topped with a hardened caramel crust.  Although it isn’t a traditional Christmas or holiday dessert, I find it available in restaurants and at dinner parties in December more so than any other time of the year. Making them is [...]

I like mashed potatoes. They’re not an extraordinary side, but they’re a staple at most family dinners.  Whether its a Sunday night roast or a Christmas Feast, smothered in gravy or prepared with fresh herbs and garlic, you’ll be enjoying mashed potatoes several times a year.  They tend to be an overlooked side dish though. [...]

If you’re asked to think of a couple classic holiday confectionery delights that remind you of the Christmas season, no doubt peppermint candy canes and chocolate comes to mind.  The scent of peppermint oil in aromatherapy is associated with relaxation, and consuming chocolate has recently been found to release endorphins – natural chemicals in the [...]

With the festive Christmas season in full swing, its a perfect time to talk flavoured lattes.  Whether enjoyed in a travel mug as you’re hurrying off to work, sitting in your pj’s relaxing, or taking some “me” time at the end of the day when the house is quiet, drinking a cup of holiday cheer [...]

Gourmet Ontario will be adding a new section to our blog “Of Wine and Cupcakes”. We will be reviewing local cupcake bakeries, posting our latest recipes, and talking about our new favorite wines. I love cake. Chocolate, Red Velvet, Spice or banana cake, it doesn’t matter to me; I haven’t really had a cake that [...]

This fall I had the pleasure of attending two different wine festivals. A friend of mine, knowing my love for wine, asked me to make a trip to Ontario for the Niagara Wine Festival. This wine festival ran from September 16 through the 25th. We discussed the dates and the events we wanted to attend. [...]