Whenever D and I get the yearning to leave the city and set up a little business in the lake, I stop myself with two thoughts: 1) the busiest time of year is also the time that we would like to be doing what everybody else is out there doing: enjoying the long and warm days with the family, reading in a hammock, walking the beach, riding bikes in the forest and (for D) playing tennis every morning and 2) the off-season must be such a challenge to pare back staff and supplies and keep a close eye on expenses to make it to the next lucrative summer season.

We know the restaurant business and understand these challenges, so we were non-pulsed with the reaction from the owner and our server at Idle Thyme at the Traverse Bay corner of Highway 59, when we asked if she served decaff coffee (I am trying to cut back and I had already had my two cup limit of half caff that morning).  She hesitantly admitted that she did have decaff but that she would have to put on a fresh pot and “that we had better drink the whole thing”.  We also could not help but notice that there was no peanut butter, jams or jellies served with their delicious brown and rye toast.  When we requested some, she scooped it out of a “home use” jar behind the counter.  It happened to be our favourite variety so this too, was not an issue.

I ordered a “Build Your Own Omelet” of cheddar, mushrooms and red pepper.  The concoction was delicious and perfectly prepared and was enhanced by both the toast made of bakery whole wheat bread and little half moons of fresh potato that were browned up on the grill.

D thought that he was back in the States when he spied Corned Beef Hash, a combination of pan fried potato, corned beef, onion and horseradish which came with two (also perfectly cooked) easy over eggs and rye toast.

We both thought that our selections were first rate, affordably priced and we left satisfied by our late fall breakfast at the lake.  Our only concern would be for those guests, especially visitors to the province, who might not know what a struggle it is to keep the doors open once the off-season arrives.  Would they be as understanding of the humphing and sarcasm?

Kath’s quote:  “Canned soups can be magnificent, the lowly meatball wildly exciting, and old-fashioned corned beef hash an emotional experience.”-Cosmopolitan (1952)

Love-that is all.

I spent the morning running errands in St. Catharines, while D took a beer tour of the Oast House Brewers.  By the time we reconnected it was time for lunch and to start our vineyard tours.  Lucky for us, we had been briefed by friend Perry of Stone Road Grille that Ravine Vineyard Restaurant would be just to our liking.  No surprise-he was absolutely right.

I loved the homey, farm-style ambience and the food was exceptional.

We perused the menu and could have ordered a half dozens dishes.  We loved everything we saw and had a very difficult time making up our minds.  Knowing that we had an entire day of nibbling and sipping ahead, we decided on sharing a Margherita pizza.  In our opinion, if you want to judge a good kitchen and a great pizza, order this variety.  The ingredients are basic and simple but when handled with expertise, the results are divine.  The crust was light and crispy but firm enough to support the sparkling tomato sauce and rich bufala cheese.  Slivers of fresh basil and a glistening olive oil, crowned the creation.  The ingredients literally danced in your mouth and it is not surprising when you study more about the chefs of the establishment.  “We are among the few self standing restaurants that bake our own bread, raise our own pigs, grow our own certified organic vegetables while pairing our meals with the guidance and discriminating palate of a wine maker.”  We had enjoyed a bottle of their fine Merlot the evening before and took another one home in our specially wrapped case of the best that the region had to offer, so we did not indulge with lunch.  Instead we tried another couple of the exceptional craft beer from the region.

Kath’s quote:  “Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.” Dave Barry

Love-that is all.

I was never one of those travel deal seekers.  Sure, when we had our dates for our annual sojourn to Isla Mujeres, I would shop around and try to get the best flight deal.  But the dates that we travelled always took top priority as well as staying in a place we knew in a neighbourhood we were familiar with on the island. My sister-in-law on the other hand is a travel deal guru and this how it came to be that we were whisked away to Ireland, a couple of springs ago.  In truth, we didn’t even know that we wanted to go to Ireland!  But it was touted as being one of those once in a lifetime deals and so it was.  Since that time, I too have subscribed to the Travel Zoo weekly newsletter with hopes that one day the stars will align and we will take that dream vacation to Prague, the Azores or Scotland.  In the mean time though, Travel Zoo proved to be serendipitous when we were planning a short vacation to Niagara on the Lake.  D actually did the booking and so I am not as familiar with the details as he, but as I understand it, we got a 2 night stay where each night was less than the other properties that we were investigating AND morning breakfasts, vineyard tours, a gift certificate towards an evening meal in the dining room and a departure gift of two bottles of wine.  For a modest fee, D upgraded us to a superior room and ensured that we enjoyed a full hot breakfast as opposed to the basic one.  Here is one little travel tidbit that I have learned with Travel Zoo-their upgrades all represent the same great value as their basic offers, so consider them.  In Ireland we changed our arrival city from Dublin to Shannon, went from a midsize to a full size car and switched from manual to automatic shift.  These affordable add ons, made a lovely vacation into an extraordinary one.

Still, when we book a deal on line we are skeptical that there is going to be some fine print that we didn’t scrutinize and we try to protect ourselves from disappointment.  When we drove up to the Riverbend Inn that afternoon, we knew that we had nothing to fear.

Our home for the next few days was a historic mansion with a fascinating history.

The late afternoon sun was pouring through the terrace doors as we arrived to see our lovely room.  With a fireplace in the corner and a gorgeous view of vineyards next door, we were well pleased.

We poured out a bottle of fine wine and lingered in the warm sun.  Wi fi was available on the terrace, so we were content to get caught up on the world and life at home.

We saw directly below us that there was a verandah where friends were meeting for a glass of wine and small plates and we made a note of it for the next evening.  In the mean time, we had made arrangements to visit old friends who owned the Old Stone Road Grille that evening.

We spied these chairs at the edge of the rows of grapes and concluded that we would not leave the area without spending some time perched there.

Our beautifully appointed room and adjoining bathroom were luxurious and that evening after an incredible dinner, we slept like babies.

Had we stayed longer or the weather had turned out to be not as fair, I could have imagined myself reading and sipping tea in the number of cozy sitting areas that dotted the inn.

These were our views of sunset the next evening.

The dining room and terrace that we had spied the evening before was equally charming and the food was exceptional.  The chef “draws fresh inspiration from each passing season while using local specialties. Enjoy farm to table freshness from our herb and vegetable garden located just outside our kitchen doors.”  Indeed, it was all true.

This was a sample of our full breakfast-a bacon, cheddar and brussel sprout omelet.  D was so thrilled with his basic bacon and egg breakfast that he ordered exactly the same thing, two days in a row.

Later that evening after a day of nibbling and sipping, we were tuckered out and wanted just a quick bite before retiring to catch the football game on TV.  The mussels of course were not local but they tasted as they might have been with enhancements of local wine and herbs.

Our special indulgence was the slow roasted bbq pork sliders.  The mild yet pleasantly salty meat was made sublime when the fat melted with it on our tongues.  Oh my.

Later that evening we made our way to these chairs in the dark.  We sipped another glass of the region’s fine wines and contemplated that this inn in this area was like being in rural France or Germany without the cost or jet-lag of a trans-Atlantic crossing, in fact in the province right next door to our own.  We marveled anew at all the amazing places we have yet to visit in Canada.

On the morning of our departure, the weather had turned and rain was on the way.  This was my last glimpse of all that the Riverbend Inn had to offer.

Kath’s quote: “A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.”-Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Love-that is all.

Have I mentioned that I am frugal?  I love the challenge of rummaging around in the freezer, fridge or pantry and whipping supper up with a couple of unearthed ingredients.  Lately though, this particular cupboard wasn’t producing any gems, so I decided to shake out the cobwebs and completely emptied the mess and reorganized.

I had made a quick trip to a cash and carry restaurant supply store in town and picked up three different sizes of clear deli containers.  Once I had everything repackaged and restacked, I stood back in amazement at the number of items that I didn’t know that I had.  While I was still purging I slow roasted pretzels, Shreddies and popcorn and took it to a Poker party as psuedo nuts and bolts. I thought that it was delicious and I heard at least one other snacker declare so.  Since the weekend, I have made a ham and split pea soup and have plans for homemade granola utilizing the coconut, dry mixed fruit, hemp hearts, wheat buds, whole flax seed, ground flax and sprouted chia and flax seed powder that I now apparently own in abundance.  In combination with the two cases of my Mom-in-law’s preserves that I actually went through in the basement pantry, I am also going to make a pear and peach crisp since I have more oatmeal (both whole and instant), than you could ever desire.  In the crock pot at this moment is 13 Bean chili which came together in a jiffy with her preserved garden tomatoes and her home-made salsa.

Homemade, wholesome food is so satisfying to spoon out and place down in front of my family.  When I have done so without making a trip to the grocery store, it makes it even more so.

Kath’s quote:

“Beautiful soup, so rich and green
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Beautiful soup! Who cares for fish
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
Pennyworth of beautiful soup?”

Lewis Carroll

Love-that is all.

I visit all of The Keg locations often at lunch time because I think that it is the perfect place to conduct a short business meeting.  When I am host for a lunch date, I know that the food quality will be consistently high and that service will be prompt, polite and non-obtrusive.  Although I love to eat steak and other beef selections, I do not often do so at lunch time unless I am planning ahead and not intending to have supper that evening, as is sometimes the case.  Recently while at the Southside Keg, I spied a new steak addition on the lunch menu.  The Manhattan Cut New York is a seven ounce portion which would definitely hold me over if I had an early teaching gig in the evening.

More often though, I choose the hearty Sante Fe Chicken or Cobb Salad.  The latter is topped with chicken in addition to avocado, bacon, hard cooked eggs and crumbled Bleu cheese!  I look forward to going back soon to sample the Lobster and Shrimp Salad which enhances the subtle shellfish tastes with black beans, corn, cremini mushrooms, avocado, mango sesame dressing and pine nuts.

I also spied the new Lobster Mac & Cheese which will also have to wait for a future visit.  On this day we started by sharing Tuna Tacos.  The mixed cabbage slaw was punched up with jalepenos and a side of Sriracha sauce but in my mind the sleek, subtleness of the ahi tuna was fine with no accoutrements.  The quality of the tuna was exceptional: ahi is another name for yellowfin tuna and is widely used in raw fish dishes, especially sashimi.  For a fish to be served raw, the quality of the flesh must be exemplary.  The filets had a dusting of creole seasoning and had barely touched the grill-just the way I love it.  As a result the meat was cool and silky, like a cold drink on a hot day.

I am a fried chicken lover from a way back when my grandma would serve just “caught” chickens for lunch.  I know that the thought may be disturbing to some, but the taste of a fresh, free range chicken is like no other.  Even though I was a city girl, I spent summers on the farm and the practice was just a part of everyday farm life.  But I digress, the only way that I have found to achieve this same kind of tenderness is by marinating the chicken first.  Buttermilk is the best manner because the mild acids that it contains, tenderizes the meat.  The Keg’s version then coats the hearty portion with a unique blend of seasonings.  I found the crust to be a bit on the salty side but not in an unpleasant way.  I am supposed to be conscious of reducing my salt, but I could not help going back to the delectable tastes over and over again in the same way that I crave kettle potato chips and buttery popcorn.  The chicken came with a choice of side and I selected the coconut curry soup which was delicious in itself, but offset the chicken in a lovely manner.

My lunch mate chose a half of the Brie Chicken sandwich with a salad and after I tried unsuccessfully to make it through the portion on my plate, I may opt for this lighter fare another time.

Business was conducted and the meet up was a success in all aspects.

Kath’s quote: “A cook she certainly was, in the very bone and centre of her soul. Not a chicken or turkey or duck in the barn-yard but looked grave when they saw her approaching, and seemed evidently to be reflecting on their latter end; and certain it was that she was always meditating on trussing, stuffing and roasting, to a degree that was calculated to inspire terror in any reflecting fowl living.”-Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852)

Love-that is all.