bakery tagged posts

Even if you are not a fan of cider, don’t miss an opportunity to enjoy a scenic drive to Spirit Tree Estate Cidery, an artisan cider mill gracing the Niagara Escarpment, in the picturesque hills of Caledon. While farm-fresh apples and carefully crafted cider are at the root of the Spirit Tree experience, there is much more to this story.

Of course, there are delicious sweet and hard ciders to sample in Spirit Tree’s tasting room or purchase in their farm store, as well as apples already-picked from the estate’s orchards.

I look forward to a glass of sweet apple cider in the fall, but I am a novice when it comes to hard ciders. To learn more about Spirit Tree Estate Cidery’s award-winning, artisanal ciders, click the Our Ciders tab and the Press tab on their website link at the end of this post.

What I find exceptional about Spirit Tree Estate Cidery is the attention to detail and high-quality standards that owners and founders Thomas Wilson and Nicole Judge have poured into their business, starting with their cider but apparent throughout their operations.

Nestled in the heart of their award-winning straw bale building is a specially designed wood-fired oven with thick stone masonry that retains heat for hours, even after the fire burns down and is cleaned out of the oven. From that oven, come some wonderful things.

Artisanal bread is handcrafted using old European techniques and preservative-free, natural ingredients, then baked fresh daily, directly on the clean oven hearth. There are several beautiful varieties of bread to choose from, including Caledon Sourdough, Red Fife Whole Wheat, Boston Mills Multigrain, and Epi (gorgeous French-inspired baguettes styled after wheat stalks).

I brought home a Tartine loaf – a Spirit Tree favourite, with a chewy crust and delicious interior.

Spirit Tree’s Maple Walnut Granola is roasted in the wood-fired oven. It has a crisp texture with a pleasing maple flavour that is not too rich or too sweet. It’s made from rolled oats, brown sugar, maple, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, almonds, pecans, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Healthy never tasted so good!

Whole pies and quiches (filled with a variety of delicious ingredients) are baked fresh on the premises and available ready-to-eat or frozen. I picked up a frozen Quiche Lorraine filled with bacon, potato, thyme and swiss cheese. I have it stored in my freezer, ready for an easy brunch. For Thanksgiving, consider pumpkin pie or gluten-free Applicious pumpkin pie, but be sure to call in advance to pre-order. Cheese buns, cinnamon buns, tarts, cookies, and scones (which are delicious, according to my sister) are offered daily.

Spirit Tree Estate Cidery even makes a couple of enticing gourmet pâtés. I picked up Pâté with Ice Cider & Shallots – the ingredients sound delectable: chicken livers, clarified butter, shallots, port, brandy, ice cider, Calvados, apple syrup, eggs, spices. It’s frozen in adorable little 165g ceramic pots – I am storing it in my freezer for Christmas entertaining.

The owners’ insistence on quality, natural ingredients is evident again in the gourmet food they bring in from local artisans. Spirit Tree’s farm store is filled with fine quality, artisanal gourmet food – a gourmet gal’s dream.

Meredith’s Ginger Syrup is a fusion of fresh ginger root extracts and natural honey raised on Meredith’s organic farm in Meaford, Ontario. My favourite way to add this healthy elixir to my diet it is to add the juice of half a lemon and a dash of cayenne powder to 1 cup of hot or cold water, then stir in two tablespoons of Meredith’s Ginger Syrup for a rejuvenating morning habit that my friend Angela has got me started on. Of course, you can omit the cayenne and the lemon and enjoy a lovely, soothing drink of spicy ginger that will warm you from the inside out.

Handcrafted in small batches at the Deerhurst resort in Muskoka by chef Shelley Westgarth, Belly Ice Cream is served in some of the finest restaurants (such as the Ritz Carlton’s TOCA) and sold in several of the finest gourmet food stores throughout Ontario (including Spirit Tree Estate Cidery). Shelley uses locally-sourced, all natural, preservative-free ingredients and dreams up a variety of creative, gourmet flavours like these.

I bought Dulce de Leche with Spiced Chocolate ice cream – did they know I was coming? This flavour was made for me: dulce de leche caramel ice cream, toffee bits and thin wafers of Belgian dark chocolate that melt on your tongue and leave you with a little kick of heat. A variety of amazing flavours, sold in 500 mL containers or individual serving sizes, are available at Spirit Tree Estate Cidery.

You will also find Sheldon Creek Dairy products (such as traditional unhomogenized milk with cream on the top), Wicked Shortbread, Roothman’s Gourmet Preserves, and a bounty of other gourmet goodies.

My sister and I enjoyed a light lunch in the tasting room. The high ceilings, rustic decor, and touches of elegant black or white calligraphy scrolled on the walls and blackboards made us feel like we were eating in a charming French mas (farmhouse). You can also eat on the outdoor porch or the picnic tables scattered on the lawn, if the weather permits. Brunch and lunch are served from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Daily sandwiches and a farmhouse charcuterie platter are also on the menu.

The atmosphere is casual but the quality of the food is superb. The daily quiche was filled with wood-oven-dried tomatoes, sautéed spinach, thyme and chèvre, all suspended in a lovely egg custard. It came with a healthy side salad of barley, red quinoa, baby arugula, and diced vegetables.

Our gracious and knowledgeable server, Alyssa, informed us that the daily soup (mushroom) was made with homemade vegetable stock, fresh rosemary from the garden, and a just a hint of cream. It was chock-full of mushrooms and had a full mushroom flavour – the best mushroom soup I have had in a long time.  Soup is served with slices of Spirit Tree’s delicious Country French bread.

I couldn’t resist and ordered both a well-prepared café latté and a freshly-pressed sweet cider that tasted like apple in a glass – so much fresher tasting than mass-produced, grocery store apple juice that has been processed, filtered, treated, sweetened, and watered down.

Friday night is pizza night. Though I haven’t had the opportunity to try Spirit Tree’s hand-tossed, wood-fired oven pizza yet, I am told that it is a real treat. Pizza toppings range from traditional to creative, quality ingredients. To an adventurous eater like me, the Cider House Blues pizza sounds heavenly: caramelized onions, wood-oven roasted potatoes, sliced apples, mozzarella, blue cheese, rosemary, and walnuts drizzled with honey. Oh my! Pizzas are served from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and are baked to order, so call ahead. You can either take your pizza to go or enjoy it on Spirit Tree’s picnic tables, when weather permits.

Visit Spirit Tree Estate Cidery on Saturdays or Sundays at 2:00 p.m. for a drop-in, guided tour ($5 includes free-tasting) or check the website for details on pre-booked group tours. Sparkling sweet apple cider will be available in October, when Mother Nature dictates.

Fall is the perfect time of year to take a scenic drive through Caledon to Spirit Tree Estate Cidery. When I went with my sister last week, the leaves were just beginning to be tinged with colour. I’ll be back at Thanksgiving for more cider and again closer to Christmas to stock up on gourmet goodies for easy entertaining. I’d love to make it to the wassailing ceremony on Family Day in February, to sing to the apple trees. Stay tuned to my blog for more information, closer to the date. Whenever you go, bring a cooler to safely transport any frozen goodies home.

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Belly Ice Cream Company: www.bellyicecreamcompany.ca

Meredith’s Ginger Syrup: www.meredithsginger.ca

Roothmans Gourmet Preserves: www.roothamsgourmet.com

Sheldon Creek Dairy: www.sheldoncreekdairy.ca

Wicked Shortbread: https://www.facebook.com/wickedshortbread

Weekly news tidbits too tasty not to share.

Restaurant News/Food Events:

The veal parmesan at Andiamo Pasta Plus is incredibly tender. Olive it! It’s on the special menu for Taste of Streetsville, which ends October 6th, 2013.

Sweet Notes:

While the Danish Pastry House is preparing to move to their new location in the Shops of Oakville South, they will need to have a few closings at their current Port Credit location to facilitate the move.  They will be closed October 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9^th 2013.  Read more here: www.danishpastryhouse.ca.

Grocery Store Finds:

Did you spot the Rustichella d’Abruzzo pasta shown in the Pantry Essentials article of the Food & Drink Autumn 2013 issue (page 26)? Extrusion through bronze molds gives this pasta a coarser texture that allows it to absorb any sauce better. I served the pappardelle the other night – my tomato sauce clung to every strand.

I found a wide range of Rustichella d’Abruzzo pasta at this gorgeous, tiny grocery store in downtown Oakville.

Oh, to be riding my bike to this little gem of a store! It’s filled with gourmet goodies, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

 
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Pane Fresco is an Italian bakery and café in downtown Burlington, owned and operated by artisanal baker Marc Albanese and his wife, Felicia. It’s my sister’s favourite local spot for breakfast or lunch. She took my dad to Pane Fresco recently. After he told me that the Slow Braised Beef Brisket Panini was the best sandwich he has ever had, I knew I had to check it out.

So, I treated my sister to a birthday lunch at Pane Fresco. It was a little early for her birthday but because the Toronto International Film Festival was in full swing, I thought perhaps we might spot George Clooney amongst the baguettes. A girl can dream! During the 2009 TIFF, Pane Fresco was asked to prepare lunch for George Clooney to eat on his jet trip back to Los Angeles.

Pane Fresco’s spacious outdoor patio offers a pretty view of Lake Ontario at the end of Locust Street. The interior of Pane Fresco is tiny but charming. Its black and white tiled floor and dark wood paneling reminds my sister and me of the little French bistros or breakfast cafés we love to frequent when we’re in Montreal. There is additional seating in the lobby of the adjoining office tower (though not quite as charming).

And here is my lovely and charming sister.

While ordering at the cash, you will be enticed by the myriad of pleasures that Pane Fresco has to offer: the aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven or the daily special (such as weekday Daily Quiche, Slow Roasted Prime Rib on Saturdays, or Chicken Parmigiana on Wednesdays). Freshly baked pizza in a variety of irresistible flavours is carried out of the oven on wood paddles and laid out beside you. Biscotti and baked treats line the counter. The chalkboard menu is full of temptations.

Pane Fresco offers traditional favourites, as well as a variety of interesting artisanal breads, such as 9-Grain Loaf, Guinness Beer Sour Dough Rye and Fig, Raisin & Walnut Filone. Dough is made from preservative-free, natural ingredients, shaped and molded by hand using old world techniques, and then baked in a European oven, right in front of you.

My sister’s favourite sandwich is the Francese: a generous sandwich of shaved Virginia ham piled high on rustic baguette, spread with Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, and topped with brie cheese and baby greens.

I ordered the Slow Braised Beef Brisket Panini that my father raved about. The chef’s focus on flavour and quality ingredients makes the Slow Braised Beef Brisket a showstopper. Chewy, rustic baguette with a pleasing mouth-feel is loaded with thinly shaved, tender beef moistened with a flavourful jus and then topped with crispy onions, brie cheese, horseradish aioli, and baby greens.  It’s definitely the most delectable shaved beef sandwich I have ever had!

It looked so good when it was delivered to my table that I rushed to take the photos, anxious to take the first bite – and I blew the photos. So here is a cell-phone photo I took of a second Slow Braised Beef Brisket Panini that, on another day, I ordered to-go for my son and his monster-sized after-school appetite. What I may be lacking in photography skills, I make up for in the mom department. Ah, but think of the hungry boys we left drooling in our dust at the kiss’n’ride. Sorry guys!

But I digress, back to the birthday lunch. My sister and I also shared the seasonally available Panzanella Salad. Beautiful heirloom tomatoes (red, yellow, and green) were perfectly ripe, sweet, and juicy. Light and crunchy garlic parmesan croutons, crisp cucumbers, red onion, and baby arugula were dressed in a well-balanced vinaigrette. It is a sparkling salad.

Mr. Albanese’s artisanal-bread-making talent shines through again in his pizzas. Varieties range from traditional to innovative. In the Brie and Prosciutto pizza, the salty prosciutto plays against the sweetness of the fig jam, caramelized onions, and light balsamic glaze. Baby arugula adds a punch of pepper. Just a touch of mozzarella and brie cheese keeps things light so that the crust can play the lead role: a crunchy outer layer, sprinkled lightly with a touch of sea salt, sets the stage for the chewy, flavourful interior.

Breakfast is served seven days a week. Oh, wouldn’t I love to spread out a newspaper, sip an Italian coffee, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast of two fresh eggs, extra-thick maple bacon, roasted asparagus, chef’s home fries, toasted baguette, and a fresh fruit garnish that is plated up when you order The Classic. Pain Perdu is the breakfast special on Saturdays. Belgian Waffles with mixed berries, real whipped cream and maple syrup are served on Sundays.

It’s the perfect spot for a quiet breakfast on your own or a nice lunch with someone you care about. I think I may need to celebrate my sister’s birthday more often, say once a month? George, olive ya’ but it’s Pane Fresco’s star-quality Italian home cooking that will keep me coming back for more.

www.pane-fresco.ca

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Hot off the Olive Press! Paramount Fine Foods restaurant is opening up a second Mississauga location at Erin Mills Town Centre (Erin Mills Parkway and Eglinton Avenue), hopefully sometime in the fall of 2013. Paramount Fine Foods serves Middle Eastern cuisine.

Our first experience with Paramount Fine Foods was at their 1290 Crestlawn Drive, Mississauga location. My husband had just returned from a family visit to Montreal, which always includes fabulous Middle Eastern food. He wanted to find out if Paramount’s food could compete with Montreal standards. We weren’t disappointed.

Compared to the surrounding industrial neighborhood, the elegant interior decor of the Paramount Crestlawn Drive location is a pleasant surprise. The parameter of the room boasts a charcoal grill and bakery counters. Warm woodwork and beautiful chandeliers create an inviting ambiance in the seating area.

Even more pleasant than the decor is the service. Though you order at the cash, the food is delivered to the table quickly and our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable about the restaurant.

The first thing that strutted to our table, warm and puffed up like proud roosters, was a basket of freshly baked pita bread straight from the wood burning oven. Promise me that at least once in your life you will treat yourself to freshly baked Middle Eastern pita, which is thinner and tastier than other pitas.

I had to treat myself to a fresh mango juice because olive mangoes! The fattoush salad is fresh and crisp with romaine lettuce, parsley, red and yellow pepper, tomato slices, and deep fried pita bits in an authentically acidic dressing. We also ordered a bowl of tahina sauce to drizzle on our rice and meat. Olive tahina sauce (try my Grilled Trout with Tahina Sauce and Grilled Lemons).

I ordered the BBQ Beef: two skewers of charcoal grilled striploin beef. My husband ordered the Mixed Grill: skewers of shish taouk (marinated chicken breast), kofta (spiced ground beef), and bbq beef. All of the meat is so tender and flavourful that it is mouthwatering just to recollect. Paramount serves charcoal barbequed, sodium-nitrate-free, grass-fed, Ontario Halal meats prepared in the Paramount Butcher Shop.

Our plates included a small container of hummus or garlic mayonnaise, picked turnip, and picked celery. The fries are good but the rice is even better – nicely seasoned and fluffy.

The Arabic pastries are handmade and baked fresh daily in Paramount’s full bakery. They display them on huge, impressive trays behind the counter.  You can enjoy them in the restaurant or take them home.

My husband was in heaven. He selected a sampling of a few different kinds to share. Delicate layers of crisp pastry, sticky sweet with crunchy nuts.

These little babies, filled with beautiful pistachios nuts, have always been my favourite and they are exquisite.  Don’t they look like hungry baby birds?

The menu is extensive: appetizers, salads, sandwiches, grilled meats and chicken, shawarmas, falafels, Arabic style pizzas made to order and baked in a wood burning oven, fresh fruit juices, and fine pastries. We both agreed that Paramount Fine Foods restaurant is among the best Middle Eastern food we have tasted outside of Montreal. Reasonable prices, pleasant atmosphere, friendly efficient service, and good food. Olive Paramount Fine Foods!

Paramount Fine Foods plans to open in the fall of 2013 at Eglinton Avenue West and Erin Mills Parkway, in Mississauga.

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Check out their website for photos, videos, and other Paramount locations and hours in Mississauga, Hamilton, Toronto, Thornhill, and London: www.paramountfinefoods.com

A tip from a reader has helped me unearth a real gem in Port Credit – The Danish Pastry House, home of a wide variety of beautifully handcrafted, authentic Danish pastries and desserts.

Throw out your disappointing grocery store danish. It isn’t worth the calories. Head on over to The Danish Pastry House and experience quality that is far superior.

I am so hungry right now that I can smell the cinnamon wafting up from this photo of a Snegl (Danish for “snail” but what we think of as “danish”).

The Danish Pastry House honours traditional recipes and uses fresh, pure ingredients like imported Danish marzipan and almond paste. Preservative and additive free, pastries are baked fresh daily and never sold as day-olds.

Though I visited The Danish Pastry House a few weeks ago, I am still pining over the pastry I ate. The Chocolate Snegl is my absolute favourite. The chocolate, cinnamon, and remonce (butter and sugar mixture) caramelizes in spots at the edges into chewy decadence. The pastry is flaky and flavoursome and the centre is a soft and luxurious pool of chocolate glaze – waiting for you to dive right in. Olive it!

Just look at the light and flaky layers of pastry, baked from fresh Danish dough with no less than 27 layers. Behold the Apricot Spandauer, filled with almond paste and apricot spread. I love the combination of almonds and apricots.

Unfortunately, one or two of the pastries I bought didn’t make it home for the photo shoot – blame me and my son. Ohhh, they were so good! My photos just don’t do them justice and the pastries got hungry-boy-handled a bit on the way home. Please visit their comprehensive website for great photos of an extensive product line at www.danishpastryhouse.ca  (not to be confused with the Danish Pastry House in Medford, Massachusetts on the .com site).

I had the pleasure of meeting the sunny-souled and highly accomplished 2013 Head Pastry Chef, Thea Reinholdt Hansen, who trained in Denmark and graduated with a distinguished Pastry Chef certification. Ms. Reinholdt Hansen has joined The Danish Pastry House for one year, while Owner/President Anita Lauritsen prepares to open their first retail bakery in 2013. What great news for Mississauga!

If I can have only one decadent treat a week, let an exquisite artisanal pastry from The Danish Pastry House be it. Well worth a week of hard training, I’d drive from anywhere in our region to get one. Opening hours are limited so check first before you go.

www.danishpastryhouse.ca