Just a quick note to let you know that last night was a success despite the bad weather. Wayne did a wonderful job, was very informative indeed. My guests all commented positively about him, and the whole experience. Food was great, wines were delightful.
A cool shopping experience awaits at Outstanding in their Fields Taste & Buy . It’s our 6th annual event were you’ll discover hard-to-find wines, craft beers & ciders from all across Ontario & Quebec. Here is a peek of what will be open for you to sip & sample.
Got your Tickets?
Our Taste & Buy events always sell out. AND we know that everyone has a full calendar at this time of the year, so we are are hosting Outstanding in their Fields– in 2 places.
Mark our words, it will be our BIGGEST Taste & Buy event – EVER! Guaranteed to get you geared up for holiday parties AND a head start on shopping for gifts.
Have a look who is coming to Ottawa from Lake Erie North Shore, Prince Edward County, Niagara, Ottawa Valley & Quebec too!
4 DEGREES BREWING CO.
True North of 7 $2.75
True South of 7 $2.75
Frost & Wood 55 $3.00
Old Slys ’69 $3.00
CARTWRIGHT SPRINGS BREWERY
SMASH $3.99 (473 ml can)
Pakenham Bitter $3.99 (473 ml can)
Kinburn Honey Lager $3.99 (473 ml can)
Chocolate Stout $3.99 (473 ml can)
BROKEN STONE WINERY
2017 Rosie Poésie $19.95
2016 Chardonnay Barrel Reserve $22.95
2016 Cabernet Franc $19.95
2016 Exuberance Sparkling Riesling $24.95
CASA-DEA ESTATES WINERY
2016 Dea’s Cuvée Sparkling $20.95
2016 Melon de Bourgogne $20.95
2012 Pinot Noir $19.95 (regular $21.95)
2012 Desidario $22.95
2014 Cabernet Franc Reserve $26.95
CREEKSIDE ESTATE WINERY
2016 Marianne Hill Riesling $22.00
2016 Iconoclast Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc $23.00 (AWARD ALERT!!! Won Best of Show White Wine at last week’s Royal Winter Fair)
2016 Pinot Noir Rose $23.00
2015 Shiraz Cabernet $19.95
2015 Laura’s Red $22.00
2015 Iconoclast Syrah $25.00
FARMGATE CIDER
Mid Season Dry (500ml) $10
Mid Season Off Dry (500ml) $10
Wild Apple (500ml) $10
Blush (500ml) $10
FERME GUY RIVEST
Crème de Fraises $18.00
Perles de Fraises $15.00
HUFF ESTATES WINERY
2011 Cuvee Janine (Rosé) Sparkling $30.00
2016 Riesling Off Dry $20.00
2016 Pinot Gris $22.00
2016 Rosé Price $19.00
2015 South Bay Merlot $35.00
KARLO ESTATES
2016 Lake on the Mountain Riesling $19.00
2016 Gewürztraminer $22.00
2016 Estate Grown Chardonnay $35.00
2016 Patio Reserve Rosé $18.00
2016 Marquette $20.00
2016 Estate Grown Pinot Noir $65.00
2016 VanAlstine White $45.00
2016 VanAlstine Red $39.00
KEINT–HE WINERY & VINEYARDS
2015 Voyageur Gewurztraminer $20.00
2014 Portage Chardonnay $25.00
2013 Frost Road Chardonnay $30.00
2014 Portage Pinot Noir $30.00
2013 Queenston Road Pinot Noir $30.00
KIN VINEYARDS
2016 Understory Vidal Blanc – $19.95
2016 Civil Grit Chardonnay – $22.95
2016 KIN Chardonnay – $29.95
2016 KIN Pinot Noir – $29.95
LEGENDS ESTATES WINERY
2013 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve $16.95
2013 Chardonnay Reserve $18.95
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $21.95
2012 Merlot Reserve $21.95
2012 Petit Verdot Reserve $22.95
2012 Shiraz Reserve $23.95
LONDON BORN WINE CO.
2015 Aure Blanc De Noirs Sec $22.95 (a unique Sparkling White Gamay)
2016 Viognier $15.95
2016 Pinot Blanc $16.95
2015 Marechal Foch $27.95
2012 Aure Reserve Cabernet Franc $35.00
MELDVILLE WINES
2016 Chardonnay $20.20
2016 Sauvignon Blanc $20.20
2016 Canadian Oak Chardonnay $27.20
2016 Pinot Noir $27.20
2016 Syrah $27.20
2015 Cabernet Franc $27.20
ROSEWOOD ESTATES WINERY
2016 Süssreserve Riesling $15.95
2015 Origin Riesling $15.95
2016 Locked & Loaded White $16.95
2015 Locked & Loaded Red $19.95
SOUTHBROOK VINEYARDS
2013 Poetica Chardonnay $49.95
2016 Estate Cabernet Rosé $29.95
2016 Triomphe Organic Cabernet Franc $24.95
2013 Poetica Red $69.95
2014 Organic Vidal Icewine $49.95 (375 ml bottle)
SPRUCEWOOD SHORES ESTATE WINERY
2016 Sparkling Riesling $20.15
2016 Rosé $16.15
2016 Unoaked Chardonnay $14.95
2015 Cabernet Sauvignon $18.15
2015 Meritage Hawk’s Flight Reserve $25.15
THE GOOD EARTH FOOD & WINE CO.
2016 Pinot Grigio $17.95
2015 Chardonnay $24.95
2015 Gamay Noir $21.95
2015 Pinot Noir $24.95
TWO SISTERS VINEYARDS
2016 Sauvignon Blanc $34.00
2013 Eleventh Post $42.00
2013 Cabernet Franc $49.00
VIENI ESTATES WINES
Momenti Sparkling $13.95
2013 Classic Brut $19.95
2012 Bruce Trail Red Sparkling $12.95 (Reg $15.95)
2016 Pinot Grigio $14.95
2014 Red Trillium Ripasso $16.95
2013 Aglianico Reserve $24.95
2014 Sparkling Vidal Icewine $49.95
Maple Brandy $59.95
VIGNOBLE CARONE WINE
2015 BIN 33 Red $17.00
2014 VERITÀ Red $18.00
WESTCOTT VINEYARDS
2016 Violette Sparkling Brut $25.95
2013 Brilliant Sparkling $32.95
2016 Estate Chardonnay $25.95
2013 Estate Pinot Noir $30.00
2015 Estate Pinot Noir $30.00
Can’t come to the event? You can still order…
Order online & we’ll ship anywhere in Ontario. Call the Savvy Team on 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) or cheers@savvycompany.ca for the complete list of wines, craft beers & ciders you can order. We’ll even help you make your shopping list!
FREE delivery applies to orders received by midnight on Sunday November 26.
Corks will be popping at this all-Canadian Taste & Buy as we celebrate winemakers who have worked incredibly hard to put our country on the world wine map. Meet these Canadian wine rockstars, taste their wines that are WOWing the world…then order your favs to enjoy at home.
It’s THE event you have been waiting for…
The #1 question we get asked: Can you buy from BC, NS & Quebec wineries as well those in Ontario? YES you can! Oh Canada! Celebrate Red & White Taste & Buy event is all about ordering wines from BC, NS, Quebec and Ontario…then have them delivered directly to your home or office to enjoy all summer long.
What goes best with Canadian wines? Canadian artisan cheese of course! Cheesemakers & our Cheese Sommelier will be serving samples of award-winning cheeses that you can buy onsite too.
Create your own combo of Canadian wines to have delivered to your home after the event. You won’t find any of the featured wines at the LCBO – the wines will be delivered straight from the winery anywhere in Canada directly to you. AND…there’s FREE shippingon 6 or more bottles of your top picks.
Bring a picnic basket & fill it up with artisan cheeses & gourmet treats too.
You’ll enjoy red carpet treatment with advance access from 5 to 7pm to spend more time sipping & meeting the makers. Stay as long as you like for the main event.
DATE: Thursday June 22 – next week! VENUE: Horticulture Building @ Lansdowne Complex in Ottawa
TIMES: V.I.T. Reception – 5 to 7pm ($25 upgrade pass per person is required) Main Event – 7 to 9pm
ADVANCE TICKETS ONLY: $80 + bring a friend FREE OR Group of 4 people for $150 IDEA: Take the bus. OC Transpo is FREE – simply show a printout of your ticket.
Wear Red & White…Win $50
Be a proud Canadian – come to this Taste & Buy event dressed head to toe in red & white and we’ll automatically give you $50 off your ticket to our next Savvy Event.
Unable to make it, but want to order?
Don’t sweat it! The Savvy Team will help you stock up on featured wines showcased at this event. Call 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) or email us & we’ll send you the complete list of wines & online order form. You too can get FREE shipping – your order needs to be received by midnight on Sunday June 25.
WIN TICKETS! Go on the Savvy Scavenger Hunt…
Find this video on our Facebook or Instagram pages, then…LIKE it & POST the name of your favorite Canadian wine. On Monday, we’ll pick 2 lucky people to receive a pair of tickets & V.I.T. Passes to join us at Oh Canada! Celebrate Red & White. It’s easy to win! On your mark…Get Set…GO!!!
Psst…it’s Father’s Day weekend!
Yikes…totally forgot? Our #1 Father’s Day gift is a subscription to our Savvy Hip Hops beer-o-month club.
Click here to subscribe your Dad for 4 or 6 months & his fridge will auto-magically be filled with the best craft beers from a different Ontario brewery each month – bottles, growlers & cans not available at LCBO or The Beer Store. 100% guaranteed to make your Dad smile from beer to beer!
We’re hiring…
We have cool summer job opportunities for a high school or university students to work with the Savvy Team at Savvy HQ in Ottawa. We’re looking for creative & savvy students who are keen to learn about Canadian wine, artisan cheese, craft beer & cider.
Interested?Contact us on 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) or send your resume to cheers@savvycompany.ca
Spring has sprung …and hopefully you will feel the same sunny vibe when you open this month’s parcel of Savvy Cool Curds. Bright colour cheeses & bundles of delicious-ness are there, waiting to be enjoyed. This month, we shine the spotlight (or should I say ray of sunshine) on Best BAA Diary located in the small town of Fergus, Ontario.
Best Baa Dairy is a family run business that makes stunning cheese with local sheep milk. Not only do they make artisan cheese, their yogurt and ice cream is fantastic too…and it’s 100% sheep’s milk! “The days are long but this tremendous family effort is rewarded by happy consumers of our delicious sheep milk products”, says Nicole Bzikot, the dairy’s second-generation owner.
In your Savvy Cool Curds you will find…
… these rare artisan cheese beauties:
Feta
Eweda Cru
Sheep in the Meadow
Ramembert
Mouton Rouge
Nicole and Peter – like Elisabeth and Eric before them – fundamentally believe that the viability, as well as sustainability, of the family farm is the backbone of rural communities. Nicole and Peter continue the family mantra and are committed to the Five Freedoms of farming practiced by farming communities in the UK:
Freedom from hunger and thirst.
Freedom from fear and disease.
Freedom from discomfort.
Freedom from pain and injury.
Freedom to express natural, normal behaviour.
By providing the herd with these five freedoms, they tend to be healthier and the need for medication rare.
Special gift from us!
In your package this month you’ll find a little something extra from Savvy Company. Our marketing wizard, Karen, let me in on a wonderful product she recently discovered; an all natural and reusable food wrap made from beeswax! This Canadian invention keeps cheese much fresher and longer than plastic wrap can. Give it a try and let us know what you think! Learn how to use and care for the wrap at abeego.com.
Enjoy your cheese!
Would you like more cheese from this month’s Savvy Cool Curds? If we have extra chunks of cheese, you are welcome to it. Just call our Savvy Team & we’ll arrange a special shipment for you. Put us on speed dial – Savvy Cool Curds Hotline 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) or cheers@savvycompany.ca
We’ve finally left winter behind, and we are ‘lighten-ing’ it up on these pages too. Time to try something different to keep things fun & to dig a bit deeper and get some interesting ‘dirt’ (sorry for that corny pun) on the dynamic people behind the cheeses that we send you. Not only are they great cheesemakers, they are incredibly interesting people with neat stories to tell about how they got into cheese biz!
So, let’s pose some questions and put Nicole on the “Savvy Hot Seat”, shall we?
Current Job:
My husband Peter and I are the owner operators. Peter’s parents started the biz & in January they retired. Honestly though, everyone does a bit of everything!
It’s Wine O’clock. What wine & cheese combo would you like right this minute? My go-to is the Mouton Rouge, yet it needs a robust red to go with it and with the sun pouring into the cheese shop, I am thinking more along the lines of Rose wine right now. So that definitely would be best with the Ramembert.
When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up? The funny thing is that my background is in textile art. I met Peter when I bought cheese at the St Laurence Market. Interestingly, I was selling art supplies and hand made craft items at the time. I never EVER dreamed that I would be living on a farm. The craft part of me stays true as we are crafting cheese here.
What is in a name? Around here, product names are often highly debated. We take the approach of using silly Sheep-related puns to make memorable.
What is it about cheese that got you hooked? Cheese can be political, romantic, and when you travel there is always different types to try.
What lead you down the path to becoming the cheesemaker you are today: Cheesemaker wasn’t my dream job, but now I realize that I love eating cheese and it is such meaningful work . It is definitely physical work, I use my hands to create. The best part is that our customers write regularly to thank you for the products we make. That fills my soul.
Is there music playing in the cheesemaking facility right now?
Absolutely. We mix it up all the time. We have satellite radio and usually we listen to the channel called Spectrum. It plays a mix of the 70s-80s-90s.
Favorite thing about the local cheese industry:
I love the fact that we know the people & family behind the milk we purchase. It provides a significant income that allows them to stay on their family farm.
Favorite thing about making cheese: By the end of the day you have a product that people need & want to keep them healthy. Something tangible.
What is the unglamorous thing about cheesemaking? I find it funny that anyone thinks this is glamourous. Everyday we wear something just short of being called PJs & a hairnet.
Why did you choose yellow and green wax for your cheeses? They are happy colours. Green = grass. Yellow = sunshine.
Industry Mentors:
We are humbled by what the cheese that is coming out of Quebec. While we grow, we are always trying to raise our own standards.
What wine region do you want to visit next? Italy. But honestly, it is hard to get away.
One surprising thing that I’m really good at: I have always enjoyed leadership through comraderie. In addition to Peter and I, there are 8 people on staff. They are all local (not relatives!). The interesting thing is that we are all friends outside of work too.
When is your birthday (no year required!):
March 22 – and wouldn’t you know it…my Zodiac symbol is a ram!
My Birthday “Favorite Meal” That is easy….spaghetti. Or fresh lobster, but that is hard to come by here in Fergus.
A funny moment you remember about visitors coming to the cheese shop: People are shocked when they meet me after chatting on the phone or online. I am 6 feet tall & have a young face. I usually get “you can’t possibly be the owner….you are too young!”
What does you daughter think? She is 9 years old and is very proud of what we do. She stamps the bags or is on the front line ready to offer samples at Farmers Market. I think she might like to be a shepherdess, like her grandmother.
~ Cheese Tasting Notes ~
Typically, Vanessa offers her tasting notes…but for this issue we are mixing it up a bit and have asked Nicole to share her thoughts on the special cheeses in this month’s Savvy Cool Curds.
Feta
This traditional Greek style feta is made from pasteurized and raw sheep milk. The flavour in both versions is tangy and full, with hints of lemon. The flavour is more abundant in the raw milk version with greater nutritional value preserved (cheese speak: flavour loss through pasteurization).
It takes upwards of 3 weeks to make this feta, then it is packaged in brine made from the whey. This delicious cheese can stand on its own or enhance your favourite dish.
Eweda Cru
Beginning with a traditional gouda recipe, this raw milk cheese is aged for a minimum of 9 months. Each wheel is marked with information pertaining to the producer of the milk used.
Each round of this semi-hard cheese weighs approx. 3 kgs. Why is the wax green? To represent the grass. Cut inside and you will find the paste (cheese speak: the cheese) is pale yellow with many small holes. The texture is slightly crumbly yet smooth on the tongue. Its rich, earthy aroma leads beautifully towards an explosive, complex flavour.
When savoured, Eweda Cru is nutty at first, then grassy with a lingering finale of creamy freshness.
Mouton Rouge
It’s playful name; this firm cheese is mild yet pleasing, and full of surprises.
The reddish tinged rind encases a pale, creamy yellow paste, dotted with small holes. The aroma is fresh and grassy. The nutty rind contrasts beautifully with the mild, slightly buttery inner paste. A lingering creaminess remains on the palette. Made in rounds of 1 to 3 kgs that have aged for upwards of 60 days.
Ramembert
Get it? This cheese is Best BAA’s version of Camembert. “We love using puns for our product names…it makes you remember them better” says Nicole, laughing at her own joke.
This small, bloom ripened cheese, has an exterior that is fluffy and white, concealing an ivory white interior. The paste is creamy and smooth with an earthy, mushroomy aroma. The cheese is at its best when the sides yield easily to pressure. Then the cheese oozes goodness! Store in the fridge when ripe and serve with a crisp baguette, a few grapes and any bold red wine.
Sheep in the Meadow
This lactic cheese has a bloomy rind sprinkled with Herbes de Provence from France. Rosemary and thyme dominate the aroma while mushroomy undertones also are noticed. Close to the rind, the texture is creamy, and you will find it increasingly firm towards the centre. Luxuriously smooth, the creamy paste is imbued by the herbs.
It is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed in its early, fresh cheese stage or in its later ripened state. Savour it your way!
Flour, for work surface
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Eweda cheese, shredded
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet.
With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
Remove pastry shell from oven, and sprinkle with cheese. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Lamb and Feta Chili
From Nicole & Peter’s Kitchen – Best Baa Dairy TIP: This makes a BIG batch to feed a hungry crowd or to store in your freezer for a quick an easy meal later!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
250 grams of fresh Feta cheese
1 medium yellow pepper
1 medium red pepper
1 kg of ground lamb
3 16 oz. cans of tomato sauce
3 tablespoons of chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Brown the ground lamb in a large pot. Salt and pepper the meat while it is cooking. Drain the lamb and set it aside in a second, medium size pot. Saute the onions, garlic and peppers in the same pot used for browning the meat (without cleaning it!) If there isn’t sufficient fat left in the pot, you may want to use a little olive oil.
Return the lamb to the large pot. Add the tomato sauce and chili powder. Cook on medium heat for approximately one and a half hours.
Serve up the chili in your favourite bowls and garnish with a few spoonfuls of the fresh sheep milk cheese curd or sheep milk creme fraiche.
8 medium potatoes, peeled
1 cup of Eweda Cru cheese, grated
1 egg
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons of curry powder
½ cup of flour
Directions
Boil potatoes till tender. Mash and cool. Add egg, cheese, onion and salt. Form mixture into golf ball sized balls.
In separate bowl, mix flour and curry powder. Roll potato balls in flour mixture.
Over medium heat, press in frying pan with olive oil and fry until lightly browned. Add more grated cheese on top if desired and serve!
It is happening next week – Prince Edward County is coming to Ottawa! Over 150 bottles of hard-to-find wines, craft beers, ciders & artisanal spirits will be open for you to taste…and buy. None of these gems are at the LCBO.
County in the Capital is a discovery & tasting experience like no other. You’ll sip & savour new bevvies, meet the makers…then order your favorites to be delivered to your doorstep. It’s the SAVVY way to shop.
DATE: Thursday, April 20 COOL VENUE! Horticulture Building (in the Lansdowne Complex near TD Place) V.I.T. RECEPTION: 5 to 7pm – V.I.T. Passes required MAIN TASTING EVENT: 7 to 9pm
It is easy & hassle free to order – exactly like ordering from Amazon or an online store. Create your order as you taste the bevvies at the event or order online afterwards. Order 6 or more bottles of ANY combo of your favorite bevvies & we’ll deliver to your home or office – FREE.
Can’t make it but want to order?
Call the Savvy Team on 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) to place your order & get FREE shipping. Deadline for all orders: April 23 @ midnight.
Next Event: A concert like NO other!
We are excited to announce our involvement in bringing one of Canada’s finest musicians – Chantal Kreviazuk – to Ottawa for a special concert on Friday May 26.
Only 300 tickets for this VIP concert featuring a world renown Canadian artist that includes canapes & Canadian wine all night long. After the show, Chantal will open the floor for an interactive chat about performing on the world stage.
County in the Capitalis happening again on Thursday April 20, 2017. It is another sellout event. This year there is even MOREneat bevvies to try…and buy. 150+ wines, craft beers, ciders & spirits too. And of course there will be artisan cheese & treats too!
Below is the list of bevvies that will be available for you to sip & sample. These gems are not at the LCBO, so this evening is designed to try as many as you like…then order those you want to enjoy at home. Just like ordering from Amazon or your favorite online shop, you can have bottles delivered to your home or office.
County in the Capital is so popular that every year we host the event in a bigger space…yet we always sell out! It’s a special occasion to have all of Prince Edward County under 1 roof AND to have them all in Ottawa.
Look what bevvies will be available to Taste & Buy:
To top it all off, these cool creations will also be featured:
Cheesemakers…
5th Town Artisan Cheese
La Fromagerie Folie Bergeres
Gourmet Artisans…
Abeego
County Posters
Emerson Pringle Carpentry
Prince Edward County Hot Sauce Company
Travel & Tourism…
Prince Edward County Tourism
Mark our words, County in the Capitalis ALWAYSa fun night out…and you will get lots of tips on places to visit when you head down to The County. Here’s our top 101 to do in PEC tips to get you started!
Look who is coming:
TIP: Be a V.I.T!
Psst…it’s Father’s Day weekend!
In your Savvy Cool Curds you will find…
Feta
Eweda Cru
Asparagus Eweda Tart
Curry Potato and Cheese Patties
Gourmet Goodies too!
Order your favorites! Shipping is FREE.
Next Event: A concert like NO other!
