The Grower's Basket

Some didn't think it was going to happen....but Mother Nature threw us a snowy curveball this weekend and coupled with a classic Canadian cold front, this turned out to be just what the winemaker ordered. Perfect conditions for an Icewine Harvest.  For those of you who have never participated in an Icewine harvest before, it is no easy job. Here is the break down: The grapes are still on the vine and typically cover in netting to keep birds away. It must be at least   -8 °C   for harvest and depending on the type of wine you want to make, the juice from the grapes is required to hold a minimum % of sugar, which is measured in  °Bx. For example: Icewine must be 35 °Bx, Special Select Late Harvest 30 °Bx, Select Late Harvest 26 °Bx. After a sample is pressed from the grapes and the  °Bx is measured and you can determine if the grapes are ready, or what style of wine you can attain from the harvest. The crew is then sent out to hand harvest every l...

Let's face it, I have probably had every type of salad on the planet. I am also guilty of simply dicing up every veggie in the fridge, throwing some classic ranch in the mix and calling it a meal. Salads can sometimes be repetitive and boring and I often forget that 'less is more'.  Enter the Toasted Sunflower Salad , a simple and easy creation to satisfy your salad blues.  Whats in it? green leaf lettuce sliced red pepper dried cranberries sunflower seeds dressing Sunflower seeds are ridiculously inexpensive in bulk. I like to toast them plain or in a bit of Shoyu (Japanese Soy Sauce) and bake them for around 10 min @375 . Whats great is that you can store them in a little baggy or container and put them on EVERYTHING.  Dressings are a never ending experiment for me, however when I'm in a hurry there is nothing better then a mix of balsamic vinegar(ette) and ranch dressing. Refreshing and creamy! Another quick and healthy alternative is grape seed oil an...

My resolution this year is to try and be more self sufficient, go to the gym more, and loose weight, blah blah blah....but I really do want to be more self sufficient! There are so many efficient ways we can devote our time to besides watching TV, facebooking, etc. There is a great blog that Court showed me over the holidays where the focus is on self sufficiency.  Crackers  is what inspired my resolution and though Aaron and I don't have a garden, or even a pantry, we can make small changes to decrease our reliance on supermarkets. While saving money at the same time .  THE SNACK Japanese Roasted Chickpeas Chickpeas are so high in protein and fibre, making them a great mid day snack for lunches, or to have ready and available in a bowl at home. Now of course I don't mean set out a can of chickpeas! In fact I buy mine bagged dry, for a much cheaper price than the can, and there is less preservatives. I soak 2 cups of the dried chickpeas overnight, then rinse and drain t...

Hello 2012, hello good life. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, mine was no short of greatness with many laughs, bottles of wine, and good home cooking.  It all began on Christmas Eve, Aaron and I drove to London to see my Mom, Dad, and brother Dean. Last year Dad made for the first time, BBQ'd rack of lamb and we decided the lamb was so delish we had to do it again this year. I opened a Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon Blend from Spain, Dean joined for a couple glasses and then there was the end of the bottle. I decided to open another because Aaron was now on the wine train also. Thankfully we had been thirsty because the second bottle was a Pino Noir from France by Chanson Pere & Fils Le Bourgogne  that hands down is one of the best pino's I have ever had. Unfortunately I didn't actually get a picture of the bottle, but I grabbed one off the web. The bottle was around $18 @ the LCBO so grab it and enjoy.  Ahhh Christmas Day! Always a great time at ...

To finish up our 12 Wines of Christmas List I thought it would be suiting to give readers a few bubbly options or this New Years Eve! Sparkling, sparkling, sparling for wines 10, 11 & 12! VOGA Sparkling Italy $18.95 This funky bottle is a great hostess gift for this holiday season. Very fruit forward, with soft acidity and a creamy bubbly texture, this big bottle not only looks good but tastes deeeelish too! Teal Lake 2008 Sparkling Muscat Australia $12 If you have yet to try a sparkling Muscat, you are missing out. This bottle of sparkling is much sweeter then the average showing notes of orange blossom and candied lemon. It is great for mimosas on Sundays, or on its own as a sweet treat! A unique gift for anyone on your list, as there is usually few bottles kicking around at the LCBO. If your local LCBO doesn't have this one, see if there if it is offered under another label. Generally they are in the lower price range too! Cave Spring Cellars Blanc de Blanc Brut Niagara P...

The ever so classic Bordeaux, generally so sought after because of great assemblage. At any time you could find merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot, and malbec in your bottle. Meritage however, is what we call blends of this structure here in North America.  Wine 8 & 9 on the 12 Wines of Christmas List is another battle of the bottle: a Bordeux blend from France vs a Meritage Blend from Ontario. The Local Choice Tawse Meritage 2007 Niagara Peninsula $48.70 Expensive, yes. Money well spent, of course. This blend of 38% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Cabernet Franc is something special for Ontario. This is a FULL bodied red that speaks of dark chocolate, cassis, and oak is a great idea for a friend or family member with a cellar, as it has the potential to age well beyond 10 years. Tawse has won all kinds of awards these past couple years, and the state of the art winery shows well to visitors! Tawse Website The Bordeaux Affair Chat...

As many of you may already know, one of my favourite bottles of red is Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Village. The grape which makes up this light bodied red wine is the Gamay, and is widely grown here in Ontario. So here we have it, a double take for wine 6 and 7 on our list. Two wines from 2 different countries, made with the same grape.  The Local Choice            13th Street  2010 Gamay Noir Niagara Peninsula $19.95 Why do I love this particular Niagara Gamay so much? It's juicy raspberry and cherry notes are not overpowered by acidity! Many Gamay's from Ontario I find can be way to acidic making the wine un balanced. This vintage showed well, medium tannins give it some unexpected body, and it can be opened right away or perhaps cellared for 3-5 years. This is a great purchase for the holidays because it will go perfect with appetizers, antipasto platters, or any tomato based dish!  The All Time Fav Louis Jadot 2009 Beaujolais-Villages Fran...