We are obsessed with Valentine’s Day. A holiday that some say has its origins in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, known for its feasts, ritual sacrifice and sexually charged celebrations. Any attempt to celebrate Lupercalia today would have you spending the rest of your days incarcerated. Today, this Hallmark holiday brings out the friendly and romantic notions in all of us, from children to octogenarians. Dare to forget Valentine’s Day, and you’ll find yourself out in the cold.
The guests arrive mid-afternoon to a dining table laden with sweets for the sweet-hearts: cookies in floral shapes, cakes enrobed in pink frosting, chocolates of milk, white and dark. Pink sparkling wines. But wait, they’ve all turned their backs on this luxurious spread. They are mesmerized by something going on in the kitchen. They are crowding around, clamoring to participate. What’s can it be? It's the Ninja Swirl by Creami, Soft Serve & Ice Cream Machine!
In the opinion of ice cream lovers everywhere, this is the winning appliance of the century. Mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour into the pint in the machine. Hold the cone under the spout and watch the swirls of your Chocolate Peanut Butter Soft Serve, or Dairy-Free Mint Lite Soft Serve. As you become bolder, try Cookies & Cream Frozen Custard, or Salted Caramel Pretzel Milkshake. Kids won’t refuse Cinnamon Cereal Frozen Custard swirled into a cone for breakfast. The instructions are amazingly simple; the ingredients are few; the rewards are thrilling.
Rye and Ginger: "How the West was Won”
My Dad opened his sheepskin coat, and from his pockets took out large bottles of Ginger Ale and Cola. “These are samples,” he smiled. “I just bought the company.” Proudly, he stated that Rye whisky and Ginger Ale were part of Western Canadian culture—our beverage of choice. In our hometown, (laugh out loud if you must) bars were packed after-work between 5:00pm and 6:00pm, and then closed from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, to allow folks to get home for dinner, before reopening again at 8:00pm.
Now, Rye & Ginger has been re-born. Like a marriage made-in-heaven, Canada Dry Ginger Ale and J.P. Wiser’s have launched a pre-mixed cocktail—a uniquely Canadian favourite with no mixing or measuring required. All we need is a glass or a straw. Crafted at 7% ABV, this flavour-forward innovation reflects Canadian taste and is available in single 473ml cans, with 355ml four-packs in BC, AB and QC. Crisp and delicious. I raise a can of Rye Whisky and Ginger Ale to the memory of my Dad. Cheers! Great then, and still great now.
In the Secret Society of Chocolate Lovers, the rule is: keep a balanced diet—have chocolate in each hand. Preferably a handmade, hand-painted chocolate that speaks on a direct line to the chocolate lover. Aline Nasseh takes her responsibility of providing the most delicious chocolate very seriously. The proof is in the eating. Put one chocolate in your mouth, close your eyes and think about the taste. When the chocolate has been eaten, do you crave another immediately? No. The precious sense-memory lingers. The chocolate crave is fulfilled. Look for a pop-up in Yorkdale Mall until the end of February.
In my travels as a journalist to Europe, Asia, Australia, South Africa, and even in the U.S.A, the talk often turns to fine Canadian Whisky, and the hope that I have brought some in my luggage. Now, in Turner Valley, Alberta, Eau Claire Distillery has released Ploughman’s Single Malt Whisky finished in Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry casks. It has already earned Double Gold at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Ploughman’s demonstrates what happens when Canadian terroir, patient maturation and disciplined cask selection converge at the super-premium level.
This Single Malt Whisky is made with 100 per cent Alberta grown barley that is planted and harvested using draught horses rather than machines, as part of the company’s farm-to-glass philosophy. Consider also, the sharp temperature swings and seasonal extremes of Alberta’s climate, (one day a warm Chinook and the next day below zero) that have contributed to flavor development through the natural expansion and contraction of oak casks. The result is a richly layered whisky that balances structure and depth with regional character. Tasting notes include aromas of toasted oak, espresso, dark chocolate and dates, followed by a palate shaped by European oak spice, roasted walnuts, honey and cherry. This is a product of our proud Canadian Heritage.