Glengarry Chocolate Factory

I started with a cuppa coffee and waiting for my friend for lunch.

To have a chocolate factory in our little town is remarkable.And they serve crepes too? Amazing!

 We both had buckwheat crepes stuffed with ham and melted cheese. Delish!

We sat and talked for hours and had worked up an appetite for dessert. Anyone for a pear and dark chocolate crepe? Yummers!

Farm to Table Dinner

Last night Richard and I had the pleasure of attending the Farm to Table Dinner, put on by our local (and favourite) eatery, The Quirky Carrot. 

I was looking forward to eating a meal featuring food that was all locally grown.

 Service was in a barn at Avonmore Berry Farm in Avonmore...Two long tables with hay bales as seats.

Isn't this place just charming?

Tables all set and ready for guests. There were even cloth napkins for all. Very classy!

And I swore I'd photograph every last bit of food offered. Here goes!

Here's our charming hostess Julia serving a terrific hors d'oeuvre:
Corn cakes with bacon, avocado and candied tomato.

Next up? Buckwheat blinis with sturgeon caviar (can you imagine LOCAL sturgeon? Yes! It's from down the road in St. Eugene.) 

Even better, it was served with panache by the lovely Grace, Julia's daughter.

 There were also crostini with butter, radishes and Maldon salt. Fabulous!

 Here's Richard trying wild boar smokies with homemade ketchup and mustard.

OK, my bad. Somehow I missed snapping a pic of the zucchini fritters with lemon aioli (I was likely too busy stuffing my face with them!) 

And we can't forget the Beau's beer as well as a selection of assorted local cheese and grapes.

BTW that's Julia with Chef Bruce beside her.

 The buffet was amazing! Where to start?

 Roasted potato and green bean salad with walnuts and pesto vinaigrette.

 Market carrot and charred corn salad with jalapeno

 Quirky kale salad with shredded beets and carrots.

 A selection of amazing bread and rolls by Fleidermaus Farms.

OMG, all so delicious.

Too many good choices!! (Is there such a thing?)

 Heirloom tomato salad with feta cheese.

 Roast chicken...amazing...served with...

 ...smoked ricotta and tomato mash. Amazing!

 Quinoa-strawberry tabouleh.

 Somehow I missed taking a pic of the ratatouille (under the red cloth to stay warm) but I did eat it and it was yummy!

 Julia welcomed her guests and we all chowed down.

 After all that, there was dessert! Her charming staff served us strawberry-rhubarb crisp with a choice of homemade raspberry or blueberry or strawberry ice cream.

There were a bunch of picnic tables outside and since it was 30C, we decided to enjoy the summer air and eat outside. 
There was lightning most of the night but it never rained. A perfect evening!

I especially loved this photo of Richard and me taken by the amazingly talented Anick Bauer.

It seems to capture the moment so well.

Orange Julep

 I grew up in Montreal and as a teenager, we used to hang out at the Julep.

 I hadn't been back for 20+ years and we found ourselves in Montreal so we went.

 Richard had a burger and fries with a Julep, natch. (I don't think this place even serves Coke or Pepsi!)

I had the toasted-bun hot dog, a side of poutine and a Julep. Tastes like summer! And...my youth.

Amazing burgers at Webers

Just last week, on our way from Toronto to Muskoka we went to the world famous Weber Burger joint. Last year we travelled that way on Labour Day and the line up was insane. This year it wasn't quite as bad, the service was fast and I'm so happy we got to try a Weber's burger.

Apparently, this amazing fellow known as Key Man started twirling hot dots at the age of 16 on Weber's opening day, July 16, 1963 and has now flipped burgers for 45 + years and hasn't missed a beat. Weekend fans watch him flip 800 burgers an hour, flipping at break neck speed. Wowza!

We were doubly lucky because it was such a lovely day outside and we got to enjoy our burgers in the sunshine.

Yum, yum, yum! Can't wait to go back next year!

If you want to read more about Weber's here's their website:www.webers.com/

And more about "Keyman" the burger guy here: www.webers.com/keyman.html

Birthday Lunch at Mariposa Farm

 For my birthday we headed to Mariposa Farm in Plantagenet.

Sweet that the salt and pepper shakers were kitties!

Loved 'em!

The dining room is a big, bright windowed affair...

This is what it looks like from the outside.

It has an open kitchen with your eating selection on the counter
A choice of one of three appetizers, three mains and three desserts.

Lots of fun salt and pepper shakers. Ducks seemed apropos for this pair!

Fun!

 Nat and Gordon both chose a wonderful salad...

 Richard started with roasted tomato soup....

 I had the duck/pistachio pate for a starter. Wowza!

 My main was their very own grown duck on a mushroom bread pudding and greens.

 Richard had pork...

 Nat and Gordon both chose the bison flank steak on an assortment of veggies.

 For dessert, you serve yourself coffee or tea...

 

 I chose the carrot cake...

 ...while the other three had the wild blueberry vanilla pannacotta.

All in all a fabulous meal!

 Then we toured the grounds and admired their wonderful gardens.

 Natalie makes friends where ever she goes.

 There was a very late blooming lilac bush with a lovely swallowtail butterfly on it.

 And a sweet pond beside the dining room.

 On the pond was a very big swan...

...who seemed to take a liking to Natalie.

The weather was perfect...

 ...and we all had a grand time. A perfect way to spend my birthday!