Make it umami

Compton Ave’s Umami Old Fashioned. Instagram.com/barcomptonave photo

The Dirty Martini is just the start. These days we love our savoury cocktails and the unexpected ingredients that add those rich umami flavours. Here are just five we’ve sampled recently in Toronto bars.

Continue Reading

Sunny sips for rainy days

The Cinque Terre from Ombré Restaurant in Tofino is a richer, cold weather twist on a classic spritz, thanks to the autumnal orange and rosemary syrup. Kyler Vos photo

At the new Ombré Restaurant in Tofino, the vibe is sunny Mediterranean, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t know how to deal with rainy days. After all, this charming village on Vancouver Island’s west coast sees over 300 centimetres of rain each year even without an atmospheric river.

Continue Reading

Finding Common Ground on the farm

Makers Mark has committed to making its entire supply chain follow regenerative practices. Photo courtesy of Maker’s Mark

Much has been written about the challenges facing farmers in North America; less has been done to solve them. Now a new initiative in the United States, with big names and big money behind it, aims to change that. And who knows? It might inspire action on this side of the 49th parallel, too.

Continue Reading

Five great gadgets

The season of entertaining is upon us and that means it’s a good time to stock up on cocktail gear and glassware. Here’s what’s on our list right now.

Bucket list

Yeti is known for making coolers that keep ice cold for days. But their Rambler beverage buckets are just as handy. They’re big enough to hold three bottles of wine, with a handle that makes them easy to carry and double-wall vacuum insulation that keeps ice frozen and drinks well chilled. Available in an array of designer-friendly colours. Now that’s, well, cool. Yeti.ca

Continue Reading

Whisky heaven (if you can get in)

Photo courtesy of Victoria Whisky Festival

One of the world’s best whisky festivals is just a short ferry ride away from Vancouver, but you’ll have to act fast if you plan to get tickets. The Victoria Whisky Festival returns for its 19th year January 16 through 19 at the Hotel Grand Pacific. These four days of all things whisky kick off with the Canadian Whisky Awards and continue with masterclasses, whisky dinners and consumer tastings, featuring more than 200 whiskies from 50 distilleries.

Continue Reading

Luxe and limited

If it’s fall it must be whisky, and if it’s whisky, it must be time for some exciting new releases. Here are three decadent drams we’re dreaming of this fall.

The Dalmore is releasing its Cask Curation Series II: The Port Edition. It features three single cask single malts celebrating The Dalmore’s long-standing partnership with the Grahams Port: a 27-year-old, 30-year-old and 43-year-old, each finished in a single harvest tawny port cask. The release is limited to 150 sets worldwide; as for the price, well, if you have to ask … thedalmore.com

Continue Reading

A tipsy take on tea at The Empress

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Empress

Afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress is one of Victoria’s bucket-list experiences, served in one of the city’s most iconic spaces, the hotel’s soaring and ornate tea lobby. But now, says Maeve Fogarty, “We’re twisting afternoon tea on its head.”

Continue Reading
1 2 3 11