Treasure at Tempest

At the end of a full day of Icewine tasting (see the summary here), we stopped in at Tempest restaurant in Wolfville for a spectacular Italian feast. This restaurant has often generated my curiosity, as I've met Chef and Proprietor Michael Howell on several occasions, but have never ventured to Wolfville late enough for dinner!

I started with a delightful plate of calamari, lightly coated and served with a lemony mayonnaise for dipping. The tender squid was enclosed within a feather-light batter that contrasted nicely with the rich dipping sauce. A squeeze of the lemon wedge served on the side added zing to the dish.

Calamari w/ Lemon Aioli

For the entree, I chose Risotto di Mare, a creamy dish with bit of bite. The grains of risotto enveloped precious jewels of seafood; shrimp, scallops, mussels and lobster were buried within the buttery rice. Oddly enough, the characteristic that I really enjoyed about this dish was that the portion size was just right, enough to satisfy, but so mouth-watering to leave you wanting more...

Risotto di Mari

Shrimp, Scallops, Mussels & Lobster

Though I don't normally allow my little belly a three-course meal, everyone at the table was indulging in dessert. Since the current theme of Tempest's menu is Italian, I couldn't help but think "When in Rome...", so I ordered a Tiramisu. This dessert was exquisite with a luscious Marscapone contrasting the earthy bite of coffee. A touch of cocoa gave it another, almost deeper layer of sweetness.

Tiramisu di Toscana

Marscapone and coffee cake

And finally, my curiosity has been satisfied, my palate sated. The fact that Tempest is a little bit of a journey, made the visit that more precious. When you anticipate an experience for so long, and find nothing wanting, it's well worth the drive!

Local Jo's

When I'm jonezin for some caffeine, normally a good, strong dip coffee will do. But this wknd, I was not only getting slightly cranky, I was hungry too. My crankiness was most likely due to aforementioned hunger :S

We decided to stop into Local Jo's on the corner of Oxford and Liverpool to get perky. I ordered a latte as I find it gives me just the right amount of sustenance to get me through to...whatever eating occasion comes next! How could you resist this? Snuggled up on a padded bench with the cup warming up my hands and the rich liquid within warming up my demeanor, I felt delightfully content at Local Jo's.

Valentine's Day Treats at Susie's Shortbreads

Ah- the joy I get from delivering a gourmet cupcake to an unsuspecting sweet tooth! Yesterday, I went to Susie's Shortbreads to pick up some treats for a few sweet people in my life. TJ Peach, of SS has created some new Valentine's Day flavours and re-themed the classics to surprise your special someone. I made a cupcake delivery yesterday afternoon, but also picked up something a little different for dessert at this evening Valentine's Day dinner. I was thrilled to see SS' chocolate-dipped Rice Crispy Square (I've had a craving for one of those for a while now!) but I also wanted to try something a little different. The Red Velvet whoopie pie immediately caught my eye, as I've never tried Red Velvet cake!

Tucked away on Dresden Row, just off Spring Garden Road, SS is a delightful place to stop in order to quell that sugar craving. Sit at the counter and have a coffee with your snack, or make a delivery to someone special! I've written about SS cupcakes before; both their Strawberry Fields, and their Swiss Alps cupcakes. SS has 100 flavours in their roster, with moist cake and rich buttercreams ranging in flavours from Reece's Pieces and Peppermint, to Caramel Apple and Cinnamon Bun. Check out their incredible list of flavours here. SS also posts a list of their daily flavours, so that you can choose your cupcake before you even enter the store! My friend's Valentine's Day treat was a Black & White Cupcake, or black and red for this occasion!

They also have a selection of shortbreads; cupcake truffles, cake and buttercream centres enrobed in chocolate and cheesecake babies, mini bite size cheesecakes made with SS' shortbread cookie crust. Because all of their products are such a hit, SS has started to sell tubs of their frozen cookie dough and glorious buttercream!

Food for Boobs!

Food for Boobs is a cookbook whipped up by the members of #halifaxchicks; a group of women who met on Twitter, the social networking site, and who come together for monthly gatherings. #halifaxchicks member Melanie MacDonald developed the project for the #halifaxchicks Bust A Move team. Bust a Move was a joint fundraising initiative for Nova Scotia's IWK and QEII Foundations in an effort to raise funds for the purchase of digital mammography equipment.

Melanie mentiones that "I begged, borrowed and tweeted the chicks to give me some of their favourite recipes, and I put it all together with the help of blurb.com's self-publishing software." From the moment Melanie put out a call for recipes to the day the book was published, 2 weeks was all it took to assemble this cookbook! She adds that " The twitter community really came through." Every drool-worthy recipe in the book came from a local tweep, and 100% of the profits go to Bust A Move.

Want to check it out? The book can be previewed/ordered online at Blub.com's Food for Boobs

page. You'll find a section for beverages, appys/sides, mains and desserts. For only $11.95 US + shipping, you can have a selection of recipes by some of Halifax's lovely #halifaxchicks! The more books you buy, the better the deal, as it's flat rate shipping for up to 5 copies. Payments are available via VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Paypal. Bust A Move donations are still being collected until Monday, so make sure to check it out TODAY!

Some contributors:

@AliceinParis
@Natalie Joan
@NancMacD
@RemedySpa
@AuthenticCoast
@HalifaxCakes
@AngieAllTheWay
@tenacioushfx
(@giftedtypist)

For more information on this fantastic fundraising initiative, contact Melanie MacDonald;

@lifeofmytime or direct by email: melanie_mac@hotmail.com

MEXICAN TABOULI

Recipe provided by @NancMacD

This recipe is always a hit at parties!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Bulgar

6oz tomato juice with a shot of hot pepper

10oz beef broth

1 cup cucumber-peeled/seeded/diced

1 lg tomato seeded/diced

1/2 cup green pepper diced

1/4 cup green onion chopped

1/2 cup parsley

1 minced jalapeño pepper

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp thyme

1 clove garlic minced

cayenne pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Put bulgar in medium size bowl. Heat juice and broth to boil and pour over bulgar stirring once. Let stand for 1 hour. Drain cool and chill 1 hour before serving. Combine all other ingredients. cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving. Combine with bulgar and serve with nacho chips!

------------

MAPLE PECAN BAKED BRIE

Recipe provided by @lifeofmytime

INGREDIENTS

1 small bag pecan pieces

1/4 cup Sainte Famille Maple Wine

3 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 (12 ounces) round Brie cheese

Assorted crackers

Bartlett pear slices

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pecans onto bottom of an ungreased pie plate. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until toasted, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and stir in maple wine, brown sugar, and vanilla extract; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Remove top rind of Brie cheese and discard. Place Brie cheese into an ungreased shallow baking dish; top with pecan mixture. Bake, uncovered, 10-12 minutes or until Brie cheese is soft and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven and serve immediately with assorted crackers and pear slices. Pair with a glass of the remaining dessert wine, and you'll be in heaven!

Domaine de Grand Pre

Domaine de Grand Pre was our last (but not least) winery stop of the day- we actually finished at Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville, but more on that later.

When we arrived at Grand Pre, Owner Hans Peter Stutz and his daughter, Cacilia Stutz-Spirig welcomed us with ice...a curling ice, that is. Last wknd, Grand Pre hosted their first Paint Can Curling Tournament! Now, I've watched curling before, and to be honest, I thought it was pretty boring. But THIS, was fun! Paint cans filled with sand served as the stones, and Grand Pre had created an ice surface for the event- complete with the winery's logo- a sponsor's dream!

Once we had our fill of the outdoor activity, we got down to my sport of choice- drinking. Well, I guess tasting i the proper name for it, but as Gran Pre was our last stop, and the most familiar winery of the trip, I took off my student cap, and put on my oenophile one. I've visited Grand Pre several times in the past, and tend to lean toward their offerings on Nova Scotian wine lists. This is predominantly because I know that I'll never be disappointed However, I' happy to say on this visit, that I was surprised once again, and discovered some 'new-to-me' wines that I'll happy order again!

Cacilia Stutz-Spirig pours us up a wine and cheese tasting

On this particular occasion, Grand Pre held a wine and cheese tasting in conjunction with the Icewine festival. For $15 pp, guests were treated to a wine and cheese pairing. The winemaker's pairing notes are below:

1st Pairing:

Vitner's Reserve L'Acadie ~ Dry, full-bodied wine with a crisp acidity, displays aromas of fresh peaches and rich tropical fruit

Muscat Icewine ~ This wine is layers with fruit and floral notes with a rich, aromatic nose

Manchego ~ A sheep's milk cheese made in Spain. The flavour is very distinctive, slightly salty, but not too strong. It is creamy with a slight piquancy and leaves the characteristic aftertaste of sheep's milk.

2nd Pairing:

Pete Luckett's Millot ~ Medium bodied red wine with earthy chocolate and dark stone fruit aromas.

Vidal Icewine ~ This icewine displays notes of apricot, lemon and blood orange. It is balanced with crisp acidity and a long, lingering, sweet finish.

Comte ~ A French cheese made from cow's milk. It's taste is complex, nutty and caramelized with a lingering, but not sharp flavour.

3rd Pairing:

Castel ~ Rich, dense and deeply pigmented, this wine offers inviting herbaceous aromas of caraway and black pepper, a balanced palate of ripe fruit and tannins.

Double Gloucester w/ Stilton ~ English Cheddar with Inner layers of Stilton blue cheese. The flavours of both cheese compliment each other to provide a distinctive taste.

4th Pairing:

Dolce Vita ~ This elegant red dessert wine is crafted from the Marechal Foch grapes and displays intense notes of blackberry cherry and raspberry. Delicate touches of oak, jam and red currant give the wine a beautiful long and well-balanced finish.

Beemster XO~ This premium dutch cheese is matured for 26 months to ensure a wonderfully complex taste. As the cheese matures the flavours expand to the widest flavour ranges possible and still retains its smooth and creamy taste.

Myself and my partners in crime for the day!

Muir Murray Estate Winery & Foxhill Cheese!

After almost an entire portfolio tasting at L'Acadie Vineyards, we made our way over to Foxhill Cheesehouse for "Sweet & Delicious" a pairing of Icewine & Gelato! Foxhill is offering the same delightful combo this wknd, $5 pp, on the 13th & 14th from 2-4 pm. WHAT could be better than that? Rich and creamy gelato drizzled with Muir Murray Estate Winery's Solstice Icewine. After several samples, I decided on a Maple gelato, though the creamy vanilla would be the best pairing to showcase Muir Murray's Solstice.

Maple Gelato is among the many flavours of Foxhill gelato to make your mouth water!

And so, a carload of ladies rife with sugar-comas made our way over to Muir Murray Estate Winery in order to sample their other offerings. As Nova Scotia's newest Estate Winery, Muir Murray is a lovely venue to stop in on a chilly winter's afternoon, as their wines are just the trick to warm you up.

We tried (and re-tried in Solstice's case) several of their offerings. I started with their Summer Song, described in the winemaker's notes as "light, bright and happy." Who wouldn't want to try such a libation? The Summer Song was just as it claimed; light and refreshing, with a slight taste of sweet strawberry and citrus, this is the ultimate summer afternoon sipping wine

Next, we moved on to some of Muir Murray's whites; Valley Mist and Atlantic Tide. The former is a Seyval, crisp with citrus notes, while the latter is created using the L'Acadie grape and has a smooth, rich mouthfeel. I was particularly drawn to the Atlantic Tide as the winemaker's notes alluded to the pairing of fried fish. I have to agree that this wine would certainly up the ante to a Fish n' Chips platter!

From there, it was on the the reds. We sampled Muir Murray's Cape Split, a Leon Millot and Eagles Soar, a Baco Noir. My friends and I commented that the tasting notes hit the nail on the head here- hints of anise, black cherry and dark chocolate were obvious and aroused the palate. With this tasting, I was immediately excited. I had never been particularly fond of Baco Noir, but this winery's offering quickly changed my opinion! It's slightly lighter than other I've tried and contains notes of bittersweet chocolate and cinnamon. As the tannins are lighter here, this Baco I found this Baco to be drinkable with or without food.

Then, it was on to dessert, in the form of the winery's Solstice. I love the winemaker's notes on this one "It's impossible not to like this wine." I couldn't have said it better myself. This is clearly a dessert wine, rich and sweet, though it lacks the cloying, syrupy consistency that I've encountered in other Icewine products.

Upon leaving this winery, I expressed again how happy I was to finally taste the wine at the winery itself. There's something to be said for sampling wines where they're created. It lends a certain familiarity to the product and instills the desire to support those creating it. On our way to our next stop, Domaine de Grand Pre, we witness a group of Bald Eagles both soaring and huddled in the trees. It brought a smile to my face as I thought of the fact that I had finally connected with a Baco Noir- Muir Murray's Eagles Soar.

When we arrived at Grand Pre, a special treat awaited us....

L'Acadie Vineyards

After Gaspereau Vineyard's offerings quenched out thirst, we meandered on to a different sort of palate experience; one that tickled my tongue, put a smile on my face, and amazed me, yet again by the incredible jobs that winemakers are doing in this province.

This Saturday, L'Acadie Vineyards was hosting "Stars on Ice", a sparkling wine tasting with fondue. Who doesn't love fondue? Melted cheese and chocolate; a winning combination. For $10 pp, this event paired the vineyard's 3 sparkling wines with cheese fondue and their dessert wine with chocolate fondue.

We started out with the 2006 Brut ($35) Medal winner at the Canadian Wine Awards, Atlantic Canadian Wine Awards and All Canadian Wine Championships. Made by the traditional champagne method of natural fermentation and ageing the wine on its yeast lees for three years, the Brut pairs well with...anything! But if you're going to be conservative about it, the winemaker suggests pairing it to any seafood dish, or in this case, a lovely cheese fondue.

As attendees wait with baited breath, Winemaker Bruce Ewart
pours up some glasses of the Brut.

An attendee removes the cheese-soaked bread from the fondue pot.

Next, we moved on to what I believe may be my favorite wine of the day, L'Acadie's 2008 Sparkling Rose ($26), a medal winner at the CWA. Again, aged using the traditional champagne method, this is another lovely bevy to drink for a special occasion, or to try with spicy cuisine. It's also the quintessential summertime-lovin' , patio-sippin' wine!

The final of the sparkling offerings was the 2007 Organic Cider ($17.50). This certified organic cider uses CO apples from the Annapolis Valley, including Golden Russet and Northern Spy and has a refreshingly tart taste. I'd drink this on it's own, or with a cheese plate and a nice chunck of crusty bread.

As the last drops of the Organic Cider were drained, our group moved on to the dessert station featuring chocolate fondue and the vineyard's dessert wine, 2008 L'Acadie Soleil ($26), A double Gold medal winner in the 2009 ACWC, this Recioto-style dessert wine is created using 100% dried grapes. Since dried grape's sugar content is increased, the resulting wine is rich and sweet with flavours or apricot and honey.


The rich, chocolate fondue, using local chocolate-maker Just Us! 's products sat in a pool over the simmering hear, welcoming sweet and tangy strawberries and soft vanilla pound cake.

As I consumed yet another chocolate-dipped strawberry, we bundled up and got ready to venture into the biting cold. The cold temperature outside, however, was no match for the rosy glow that brushed all of our cheeks. We were filled to the brim with wine, cheese and chocolate, - What could be better than that?

In tomorrow's post, we pass Bald Eagles on the way to Nova Scotia's newest estate winery, Muir Murray Estate Winery. Stay tuned for the delicious cheese fondue recipe. It was so good, that L'Acadie provided copies for the guests!