This week GFR take a trip out to Niagara to visit one of our favourite Winemakers, the fabulous Craig McDonald of Hillebrand. Craig tells us about his journey to Canada from Australia, his first experiences of Canadian wine, and where he feels Niagara’s strengths lie when it comes to wines.

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As a lead in to our series of written pieces concerning the wonderful world of Jura Wines, we present a video introduction to the region.

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This week finds GFR tasting wines with South African Winemaker Gerhard Swart of Flagstone Wines fame at Toronto’s Crush Wine Bar.

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This week we take a trip 2 hours north of Toronto to Meaford, Grey County, where we find ex-Cowbell, now Barberien’s Front-Of-House guy Grant MacPherson tending his organic fruit and vegetables…

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On a steamy, sticky, humid day at Toronto’s CNE I had the chance to interview the Ace Of Cakes himself, Duff Goldman.

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Way back in 1989, when I was young ginger lad attending university in London UK , I was very much torn between the obvious hedonistic psychedelic pleasures of the nascent ravescene and the sophistications I found in the world of jazz… be it latin jazz, jazz funk, jazzy hip hop, jazz house or, dare I say it… errrr… acid jazz.

For a couple of years I was a regular at a certain Camden Sunday afternoon club helmed by DJ Gilles Peterson and his cohort Patrick Forge entitled Talkin’ Loud Sayin’ Something. I even had a dinky wee membership card, that I was most proud of.

Every Sunday I would shed my raver gear, don a smart brown suit (procured from a second-hand store) coupled with vintage dress shoes, and then take the Tube up to Dingwalls for my Sunday afternoon jazz dance… often going there alone as I could not convince any of my contemporaries to get out of their beds…

At the time I thought that I looked the Bees-Knees, but if the truth be told I’m pretty sure that I looked like a bit of a tit.

Since those halcyon days Gilles has gone on to run innumerable record labels and is recognised as being one of the finest selectors around.

So when I discovered that over the past 20 years he had turned into a bit of a food and wine fanatic, and that he was in Toronto for Havana Club’s Havana Cultura Festival , I just had to catch up with him…

Cue lunch at Delux on Ossington, a bottle of Norman Hardie‘s Pinot Noir, and an interview on a side street…

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Winemaker Natalie Spytkowsy in her pristine winery.

This week we spend some time in Niagara visiting Rosewood Estates’ Winemaker Natalie Spytkowsy. She tells us a bit about her history and winemaking philosophy.

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Lecture: Andrew Weatherall (Madrid 2011) from Red Bull Music Academy on Vimeo.

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It’s a hot sticky Summer in Toronto, and that means it is time for Toronto Chefs to show us their tasty sausages at Marben‘s Sausage League.

Make a dinner reservation and order the $25 Sausage League Special… for this you get TWO sausage-based dishes (one from each competing Chef) along with a bottle of beer thrown in for good measure by Steamwhistle Brewery.

And then everyone gets a chance to vote for the tastiest sausage… FANTASTIC.

The second round of Marben’s marvellous tadger-tastic Sausage League is almost moving into the Second Round.

Don’t miss the final qualifying round on Wednesday the 27th of July, where Pizza Libretto/Enoteca Sociale‘s mighty Rocco Agostino goes sausagehead to sausagehead withTorito‘s spicy Luis Valenzuela.

July 27th:  Luis Valenzuela (Torito) v. Rocco Augostino (Enoteca Sociale/Pizza Libretto)

Aug 10th: Cory Vitello (The Harbord Room) v. Chris Brown (The Stop)

Aug. 24th Ted Corrado (c5) v. Jesse Vallins (Trevor Kitchen and Wine Bar)

Sept 21st: Brooke Kavanaugh (La Palette) v. Who ever wins on the 27th!

This weeks winner was Jesse from Trevor who prepared a Rueben Sandwich Sausage with Corned Brisket, Sauerkraut and Rye Bread in a lamb casing.

Get more details or make a reservation here.

Good Food Revolution think it’s a great way to spend a Summer evening!

On a recent glorious weekday afternoon I was invited into the backyard of a Toronto home to share a few hours with the charming Annie Sibonney, Host/Creator of The Food Network’s From Spain With Love, and Owner of Relish Culinary Tours  “Culinary Adventure Company”.

Annie and I spoke of many things, but mainly her passion for the culinary culture of Spain, and how this led to her television show, From Spain with Love.

If you have not yet had the opportunity to see Annie’s superb show then tune in for the Season Finale episode ‘A Pig’s Tale’ on Food Network Canada, tonight Thursday Aug 25 at 7pm Eastern Time and the repeat on Sat Aug 27th at 10:30am Eastern Time.

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