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Madeira Island Winery Spotlight: Madeira Vintners and their Fenix
Winemaking has traditionally been a male-dominated profession. Winery ownership by females, either on their own, or together with their family members, is not that uncommon. A woman in a position of a professional winemaker is far more scarce. If you encounter an all-female winemaking team, you may want to pinch yourself to check if you… [Read more]
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Italian Tiramisu with Madeira wine and chocolate
Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert that everybody loves to bastardize. Heavily inspired by Tyler Florence’s recipe, our Tiramisu is traditional Italian and whimsically modern. Staying true to the classic, we combine zabaglione with mascarpone to make the cream. To elevate the cake to a whole new level, we substitute Madeira for Marsala and add… [Read more]
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Culmina Family Estate wines review: Merlot, Dilemma and Hypothesis
“Why can’t Canada produce a good Chardonnay?” This used to be our “go-to” icebreaker when sitting down for wine tasting at California wineries we frequented over the past decade. The question never failed to steer a passionate conversation among the winery guests and sommeliers. The consensus among our Californian friends has always been that Canada… [Read more]
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No cooking required! Quick and Easy Smoked Trout Salad
Looking for a simple and delicious salad you can bring to a potluck? Have a get-together with friends but don’t have time to cook? Look no further. This recipe leans on a store-bought smoked trout for a quick solution to your dining dilemma. Thinly sliced radishes add a crunchy texture to the otherwise creamy salad.… [Read more]
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Ukrainian Kitchen Spotlight: Healthy and Simple Vegan Beets Salad
Ukrainian kitchen is known for its perogies and cabbage rolls. Enter the unsung heroes, the Ukrainian vegetable dishes. In this modern Ukrainian cuisine dish, roasted red beets meet their match in crunchy pickled cucumbers, garlic and toasted walnuts. Delicious on its own, this salad is a formidable side dish option to accompany various types of… [Read more]
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Phantom Creek Rosé & Pinot Gris wines review
As with any winery in Okanagan, Phantom Creek Estates turns out an array of wines at various price points and quality levels. We visited Phantom Creek winery in the spring of 2022. All the wines we tasted at the winery were premium-priced quality wines. When we returned home, we sought out the Phantom Creek wines… [Read more]
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Authentic Ukrainian Kitchen: Potato Deruny aka Latkes, reimagined
Deruny, Latkes, or potato pancakes is a dish that many nations claim as their own. Mixed with an egg and onion, then fried to perfection, this potato dish is delicious on its own. It tastes even better if paired with meats and condiments. We serve our deruny with lightly grilled guanciale and mango chutney for… [Read more]
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Schramsberg old sparkling wines review
Undoubtedly you’ve heard the saying, fine wine tastes better with age. But is it true? Question of spoilage aside, what makes a bottle of wine you are tasting now a far cry from the identical bottle of wine, vintage and all, that you tasted some five years ago? In this piece, we talk about the… [Read more]
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Crab cakes on a bed of creamed corn
The sweet crab meat is a treat when formed into little cakes and pan-fried. If you can resist eating them immediately on their own, a bed of creamed corn, an adaptation of the recipe by the renowned chef Thomas Keller, is a match made in heaven, sure to delight all diners. Pair it with a… [Read more]
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The fruit wines of the Elephant Island Winery
Is an alcoholic beverage made of fruit, wine or not wine? A grape is a fruit, so doesn’t that simple fact alone answer the question? In this piece, we opine on whether or not fruit wine is wine or a misnomer. We also share our tasting notes for three fruit wines made in British Columbia,… [Read more]