Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Sips and Bites – Holiday Gift Edition

Sips and Bites – Holiday Gift Edition 

The past months have been busy with a lot of travel and other commitments, but I’m glad to be back. With Christmas almost upon us here is a short roundup of books and gifts that are sure to please your favourite foodie, even if that is yourself!

I’ve had the pleasure of living over the past few months with a few cookbooks that I have come to appreciate. Any cook will love one or more of these to peruse once the turkey is done!

I wrote in May about “Curbside: Modern street food from a vagabond chef” by Niagara-based Chef Adam Hynam-Smith (Whitecap Books). It is indeed a wonderful source of inspiration and one of my favourite books of the year.

Another book that I have turned to often, since I got my review copy, is the mammoth tome, “The Food Lab” by Kenji Lopez-Alt Managing Culinary Director of the great online site Serious Eats. He “birthed” the 6½ pound (seriously, you need to read this on a sturdy surface) earlier this year and I find myself drawn to it, not least for its down to earth and very practical writing, but to check on things like when to salt meat, his extensive testing of techniques etc., and for a better understanding of the science behind cooking. Given its size it has hands down the best cost per page ratio of any of the books I’ve seen this year.

My forays into Molecular Gastronomy have been helped by the book of the same name by Jose Sanchez, published by Wiley. It is a lovely book, that is both highly technical and practical, really aimed at culinary students. I like it for the clear definitions, history and explanations of the applications of various compounds used in molecular cuisine.

I’m also enjoying a trio of more ethnic books which are helping me re-connect with my European

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Garden Fresh – Relaunching the Rock Garden

Garden Fresh – Relaunching the Rock Garden 

The drone footage shows just how stunning the re-launched Rock Garden at the Royal Botanical Gardens will be. The inter-twined paths of the new year-round perennial gardens are sinuous as vines, and the waterways feature state of the art programmable lighting and sound. The nearly-completed and fully-accessible Visitor Centre features a leaf-shaped roof, restaurant, and banquet space for 120 guests. There’s also a million dollar courtyard with water features that will accommodate 2 - 300, and the venerable tea house has also had an upgrade.

As part of a focus group, gathered in the RBG boardroom earlier this month, I was there to provide feedback on the food-themed grand re-opening events tentatively scheduled for May 13-15 2016. The Rock Garden was first built in 1931, and the recent transformation of the beloved space has entailed no less than $20 Million of public and private funds. For that kind of investment expect fireworks. Or better yet a spectacular light show, set to music, showcasing the history of the RBG.

The RBG Board want the events to become a premiere annual fundraiser, and the plans are nothing if

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Sips and Bites – early fall 2015 edition, with bonus giveaway

Sips and Bites – early fall 2015 edition, with bonus giveaway 

There are a couple events, beginning TOMORROW, that merit mention. I’m also pleased to: share some breaking news about an exciting new premier bash that is being developed to launch next May; report on the recent Flamborough Chili Fest; and point you to a couple of tasty, quick reads.

The ever-popular Chef Michael Smith is at Springridge Farm tomorrow, Sunday 27th September, between 10:30 and 12:30. He will be speaking about his new Cookbook, ‘Make Ahead Meals’. You’ll see from a previous Food for Thought, he’s a genuine and funny presenter well worth hearing from. When I first met him at Springridge he stayed until every single copy of his last book (Family Meals - which recently won a Gold Medal at the Taste Canada Food Writing Awards) had been signed. He’s not perfunctory in the least, engaging with the crowds of folk who clearly adore him. It will be crowded, so get there early and take in some of the other offerings at this family and foodie-oriented destination.

The very enjoyable Harvest Halton takes place on Sunday, October 4, from noon - 4:00 p.m. at Country Heritage Park in Milton. Local farmers pair with area chefs to create dishes, and all food and drink tastings are included. A WagJag discount offer of up to 54% off of regular priced tickets makes the event even more affordable, with prices going down the more you buy. Kids 12 and under are just $5.00 at the door. Readers can win two tickets (valued at $60) simply by leaving a comment below, or tweeting to me @AlexBielak and using the hashtag #harvesthalton. I will draw from among entrants toward the end of the week.

I’ve heard the Royal Botanical Gardens is looking at introducing a major annual signature event that will be run “in tandem with the opening of their newly renovated and beloved Rock Garden.” It will feature local celebrity chefs, entertainment, and an “incredible finale” that is being kept under wraps for now. I’ll be happy to share more as I am able.

The 3rd Annual Flamborough Chili Fest was held earlier this week. I was sorry not to be able to accept the invitation to be a judge again this year, and hear I missed some great offerings. All the funds raised benefitted the Flamborough Women's Resource Centre: it provides support services for all women in the community including information and community referrals, individual counselling, legal advocacy and support, women's groups, transitional housing support for victims of abuse, and teen peer support groups. A worthy cause indeed.

Flamborough Downs carried off the majority of the accolades, repeating in three categories. They were again the Overall People's Choice winners, and took Best Garnish/Presentation and Hot and Spicy classes again as well, adding Best Booth to their haul this year. The lovely ladies at Roseto Culinary and Catering Services were also repeat winners carrying off the Celebrity Judge Favourite title. The Chili Fest will be back in 2016, and I hope to return as a judge too.

Finally, fancy a really good, fast, tasty read? Taste Canada in partnership with the Food Bloggers of Canada (of which I’m a proud member) recently celebrated the first-ever winners for best French and English-language posts on food blogs. The winner in the Category for Best English Post was "Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Hazelnut, Orange, and Saffron." The French gold laureate was "Pizza 3 minutes: saucisses italiennes, épinards, tomates cerise, coeurs d'artichauts et mozzarella.” Congratulations Allison Day from ‘Yummy Beet’ and Christelle Tanielian from ‘Christelle is Flabbergasting’.

To close, I’d mention this is the 90th Food for Thought. Stay with me to the centenary folks! 

To see more pictures, click here.

To see all past columns please see (and “like”) the Food for Thought Archives

Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info or on twitter @AlexBielak)

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - How I “cooked” with @CHEF_LYNN

How I “cooked” with @CHEF_LYNN

Life is good. Today is, of course, the 22nd anniversary of the official recognition of the baguette (thanks Mother Google), and I’m just back from the first ever Scottish Salmon Festival in Inverness. As noted in my last column, I took the opportunity of being in Scotland to partake of three splendid and educational tours: at the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh, and Glenfiddich and Abelour distilleries in the Highlands. I’ll be writing about them later and will provide links once the piece is published.

Re-entry to the Southern Ontario food scene was swift. I received an invitation to participate in the 5th Stein and Dine in Waterloo. The main draw was Pitchin’ In star and Chopped Canada Judge Chef Lynn Crawford. (Readers may recall Food for Thought covered Crawford’s appearance at Denninger’s Diamond Anniversary about a year ago, but was unable to secure an interview at that time.)

The Waterloo gig was clearly going to be my chance!

In many ways the Kitchener-Waterloo food and drink scene is poised to take off the way Hamilton-Burlington has prospered during the past three years. KW has long been known for the bounteous St Jacob’s Farmers’ Market, and hosting what National Geographic crowned the best Oktoberfest outside of Munich, Germany. But there’s a lot else going on these days, with fine culinary talent being attracted to the area, new breweries abounding (as befits the area’s Germanic origins) and active social media devoted to the topic. I’ve often directed readers south toward St. Kits, Niagara and east to Halton : I can heartily recommend going a bit further northward as well. 

Dave MacNeil, Executive Director of Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest told me the festival now counts four silos: Cultural and family activities, Sports, Business to Business, and Culinary. They’ve brought food “front and center” and while “there has always been the traditional foods like schnitzel, and sausage on a bun available at the fest halls, there will be more food events than ever this year.” There will be a Taste of Oktoberfest culinary series featuring Bavarian-inspired menus and beer pairings, Oktoberlicious (think Taste of Burlington’s prix-fixe menu program), and Oktoberfeast, a food truck gathering with trucks from all over Ontario. For full details see the Oktoberfest website.

So there I was at the culinary kickoff, Stein and Dine, for a dinner prepared by Chef Lynn and the staff of the Waterloo Inn. When I finally got to eat it, it was pretty tasty. “My” salad with beer-pickled beets was light and well dressed. A trout schnitzel with pilsner remoulade was a standout, perfectly cooked, quite the trick given the number of portions served. The Applewood-smoked pork chop with sausage gravy was very tender and accompanied by an unusual side: a ham hock, apple and sauerkraut bread pudding.

Dessert was a signature dish from Crawford’s restaurant, Ruby Watchco, a sweet pretzel streusel with airy pumpkin cheesecake, served in a small mason jar. Each of the dishes were well-paired with a Molson product (Creemore Springs lager and pilsner, and Rickard’s Red and White) by Justin Lamontagne, one of only 8 Cicerones (think beer sommeliers) in Canada.

You’ll note I said “My” salad. Yes indeed, I ended up on stage, endured a Survivor-style elimination (see photo by Sylvia Pond Photography), and was dressed by Chef so I could prep the salad with her. That involved more of the same, i.e. no, as in zero, handling of food, except for pieces of pickled beet stuffed in my mouth and a bit of jar shaking. Now I admit I had provoked Chef with my comment about silly hats (see photos again), and fully deserved the continuous ribbing I took from her, to the delight of the crowd.

I departed the stage arms full: a jar of brown derby dressing, a spoon, a chef’s hat, a cleaning cloth, her book (At Home with Lynn Crawford), and a tube of Rub A535 to soothe my aching arms. As I said later on Twitter, I’m expecting the offers to come rolling in from the fest halls now I’ve proved my mettle as a beer carrier.

The thing I did not leave the event with was an interview with Chef Crawford.

Third time lucky?

To see more pictures, click here.

To see all past columns please see (and “like”) the Food for Thought Archives

Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info or on twitter @AlexBielak)

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Sips and Bites – It’s summertime edition

Sips and Bites – It’s summertime edition 

I’ll be the first to admit the hot summer weather has meant that beyond fishing, marketing, a bit of barbequing, and a bit more imbibing with friends, little has gone on in the Food for Thought household. That said, here are a few upcoming dates for your calendars, as well as a couple of tips on places that merit a visit. Pop Up Hamilton is running ‘The Great Southern Cookout August 28th.’ Owner, Dave Hanley says chefs from Southern Smoke BBQ and the Aberdeen Tavern will be collaborating on the chef-inspired menu. As always the location is secret for now. You can sign up for tickets via the website.

If you’d like to get a flavour of what to expect at the Pop-Up, check out a short YouTube video about the previous event: held at the Hamilton Player’s Guild Theatre, it was a celebration of Downton Abbey, with guests attired in Edwardian costume and served authentic period dishes. Sounds like fun!

Ever-popular Chef Michael Smith returns to Springridge Farm, Sunday, September 27 at 10:30am. He’ll be promoting his latest cookbook, Make Ahead Meals, during an exclusive meet and greet and

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Gone Fishing

Pierre D'Amours cooks a shore lunch
on the banks of the Restigouche river -
 Iphone pic by Alex Bielak

GONE FISHING!

The filing deadline for this column was inconveniently in the middle of Food for Thought's annual fishing trip to the Maritimes. I'm sending this photo - recording a remarkable lunch in a remarkable place - from a Timmies in Campbellton during a "supplies run." (The river is low, as are staples like nibblies and gin, so needs must, and we have ventured from camp to "civilization" to restore the larder.)

The joys of such a trip with good friends include not just the fishing and easy camaraderie, but also long discussions after dinner on esoteric subjects: thus far we've covered the recent discovery of the oldest ever published volume of fly patterns, fraternities, British sketch comedy, and what in life remains sacred. Not much beyond love, apparently.

The integral fuel for all of this is the fantastic camp food, wine assembled from all over the world and intermittent, copious refreshments. An additional bonus this year was a side trip a number of us arranged down much of the Restigouche River. Over the course of a sunny day we motored and floated about 100 Km of the river, including over 60 Km of stunning wilderness, punctuated by some of the most exclusive salmon camps in the world.

Our guide, Pierre D'Amours, a superlative woodsman, navigated the skinny waters, teaching us much about the ecosystem, and some about ourselves and our place in it. At midday, after we had seen a fisherman land a fine male salmon on the best pool on the river that can hold thousands of Atlantic salmon up to 40 pounds or more, Pierre made a fire over which he cooked a splendid shore lunch.

Salmon smoked according to his secret recipe, and fiddleheads were followed by the steaks in the photo, accompanied by fried potatoes, onions and mushrooms. His wife Lisa's fresh strawberry jam on rolls baked by his mother were dessert. And yes there were libations, chilled in the cool tributary that ran into the main river.

It has been said one fishes to feed one's soul rather than one's body. I put that into practice this morning as I released a small salmon back to the clear green waters of Camp Pool. Luckily our cook, June, had a light something ready for us to restore the balance between soul and body!

Dr. Sam Schulman- on management of bleeding disorders

Enjoy our chat with Dr. Sam Schulman as Dr. Schulman talks about his and the researchers working with him's findings on the management of bleeding disorders and of blood thinners during surgery

1. In layman’s terms, can you describe the contribution your research has made to the issues surrounding bleeding disorders and use of blood thinners used during surgery. Please describe the problem you’ve addressed and the impact of what you have discovered.

The new blood thinners that are starting to replace warfarin (Coumadin) act in a different way and therefore you need to stop and restart them differently when patients have surgery. Physicians have been unsure of how to do that and it is important to demonstrate the optimal timing for this. If the blood thinner is stopped too early before surgery, the patient can suffer a stroke or a new blood clot in the lungs or legs. If it is stopped too late, they can bleed more during surgery. same problem after surgery. Our results show how this should be done safely with a very low risk for both bleeding and stroke.

2. What will physicians and surgeons learn from your studies and how might they employ these findings?

By publishing the result in a high-impact journal like Circulation and also lecturing on this we hope our colleagues will adopt our strategy and establish local hospital guidelines or policies based on these results.

3. We are certain that many will be interested in the results of your research, but can you also explain what prompted you to focus on this area and, more specifically, what triggered the revelation that led to this breakthrough?

When new drugs are approved some questions are addressed by the studies performed before registration. But many hugely important issues are left for studies such as ours to answer afterwards.

4. Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about this work?

The study was funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and recruited almost twice as many patients as originally planned, which strengthens the results.

Thanks Dr. Schulman for your work and the sharing of this information on The Hamiltonian. 

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak-Taste report and a Year’s Worth of Beer in Two Weeks

Taste report and a Year’s Worth of Beer in Two Weeks 

Beer-lovers have the opportunity to swamp any sorrows they might have over the coming two weekends this July.

Before I give details of how you too can sample over 52 beers or ciders in just two weeks, a short note about the recent Taste of Burlington launch event. In a nutshell it was a terrific showcase of what’ll be on prix-fix lunch and dinner offer at the 23 participating restaurants, July 19 – August 2, 2015.

Though I had my favourites (see photos), there were many fine dishes on offer and it was clear many
of the chefs had upped their game this time around. The judges courageously picked a very simple, but refreshing, watermelon and mint salad from Persian restaurant Rayhoon as the “Best Taste” winner.

It won over a splendid, more complex offering, from three-time champ, Chef Mitchell Lamb from

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Dream of Blue Oysters

Dream of Blue Oysters

So, with apologies to Sting, I’ve become a farmer. Well technically I financed a smallholding, and sub-contracted the work to my wife and daughter. How small, you ask? About a foot square by a couple of feet high. Allow me to explain…

A couple of weeks’ back – during the Les Marmitons Gala I mentioned in the last column - I was at a talk by Brad Kuhns and Angela Vessie, the husband and wife team that runs Top Shelf Mushrooms in Collingwood. I love mushrooms, especially the more exotic ones that cost so much at supermarkets, so I found their talk fascinating. They are foragers who eventually founded a business making kits for folk who wanted to try their hand at growing their own. They also now run an expanding mushroom farm.

Their grow-at-home kits, available by mail, are certified organic and come with a couple of

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Les Marmitons - Cooks Without Pants

Les Marmitons - Cooks Without Pants 

Made you look! More on pants, or lack there-of, below.

In my last column, while extolling the virtues of several chefs under whose direction I have had the pleasure and privilege of cooking, I mentioned a cooking group I’m a member of. Here’s some more information about it, and how to express interest in joining.

A “Marmiton” was traditionally a young kitchen helper or apprentice chef, and Les Marmitons is a men’s cooking organization with 17 chapters across Canada and the U.S. The Niagara and Toronto clubs are within a manageable drive of Hamilton/Burlington, depending where you live: I’m involved with both. Members at clubs benefit from cooking on pro equipment at culinary colleges, the Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College, and Liaison College West, in Etobicoke, respectively.

Chapters organize events more or less monthly between September and May, including special ones

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Refreshing Rhubarb (with Red Pepper Jelly and Star Anise) and Road Trips

Refreshing Rhubarb (with Red Pepper Jelly and Star Anise) and Road Trips  

My wife loves rhubarb because it reminds her of her Grandmother. Grannie was a wonderful gardener and would give the children rhubarb stalks sprinkled with sugar to chew on as soon as the first harvest from her garden was ready. Tart and crunchy, it’s a memory of carefree childhood. 

Grannie’s approach is too tart for me, so I improvised a version that would work for both Roberta and I. This gloriously-refreshing stewed rhubarb recipe is dead simple to make, and can be eaten as an easy dessert (with a crisp oatmeal cookie, perhaps), as a fillip to the tastebuds at breakfast, or perhaps incorporated in a cocktail. The possibilities abound and I leave readers to experiment with ingredient quantities to their taste.

I took a dozen or so slim fresh rhubarb stalks (the leaves are poisonous), chopped them into inch long pieces and put them in a pan with a cup and a half of water. (They will release more water so use more or less water if you like your compote thinner or thicker.) I then added a couple of tablespoons of sugar, a large dollop of red pepper jelly (for an interesting colour accent, and to add a tad more sweetness as well as a colourful, fiery hit) and a couple of star anise pods.

I stirred the gently simmering mixture to dissolve the sugar and jelly, and as soon as the stalks were tender (perhaps ten minutes or so) I turned off the heat. As the contents cool you can adjust the sweetness: I sometimes add a touch of fresh maple syrup. You can eat the dish warm, or (my preference) chilled in the fridge. It’s delicious with or without a dribble of cream.

Thinking of spring also brings to mind road trips and discovering the bounty of other parts of Southern Ontario.

A wonderful event is coming up June 6th – 7th, just to the south, in Beamsville. Nearly sold out, Graze the Bench has eight wineries teaming up with some of the top chefs in the area for what promises to be a splendid weekend of bevvies, munching and tunes. You can also “Rock the Bench” on the evening of June 5th at Thirty Bench Winery. Our friends at Memphis Fire are providing the bound-to-be-tasty BBQ.

Try Smoking Buddha’s oriental offerings at Angels Gate winery, Chef Mark Hand’s fennel sausage at Mike Weir winery, El Gastro’s amazing food (Check out my early review of their new cookbook, Curbside, in the previous column) at the Organized Crime Winery, and Chef Victor Barrie’s “100 day aged chuck burger” at Hidden Bench Vineyard among others. As a member of Les Marmitons, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of cooking under the direction of all these chefs and can promise you their food is nothing short of amazing and alone worth the trip. And the wines at all the participating wineries aren’t half bad either!

Going north, I’d alert readers to the upcoming May 30th Spring Rural Romp in Wellington County. It is a self-guided farm, plant nursery and food tour and includes great opportunities to win prizes by participating in the Butter Tart Trail Challenge (mmm… butter tarts), and a photo contest.

Enjoy the warming weather and all it brings to bloom!

To see more pictures, click here.

To see all past columns please see (and “like”) the Food for Thought Archives

Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info or on twitter @AlexBielak)

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Sips Between the Lines, Curbside Bites and Tastebuds Edition

Sips Between the Lines, Curbside Bites and Tastebuds Edition

Just published this week, Curbside: Modern street food from a vagabond chef (Whitecap Books), is a terrific book by Chef Adam Hynam-Smith: he and his partner own the gourmet food truck – El Gastrónomo Vagabundo (know simply as El Gastro to his many mates) that ranges throughout the Niagara Region up to Hamilton.

I just received my review copy a few days ago, and was totally blown away by the quality of the nearly-300 page book. Hynam-Smith, Aussie by birth and now Niagara-based, is one of the bright lights on the culinary scene, and in the book he shares his own innovative recipes, along with

From the Lens of Ron Ogulin

Click on pic to enlarge

Ron Ogulin is a talented local photographer. From time to time, The Hamiltonian features local artists and photographers. 

If you are a photographer who would like to submit a picture for consideration, please send to admin@thehamiltonian.info

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- The this just in Edition – Knitted Meat, and Films on Food

The this just in Edition – Knitted Meat, and Films on Food

Every so often an email pops up via the email address at the end of the column informing me of a food-related event. This week I got a doozy featuring “knitted meat”, and it is so out there I had to share it and the photos that came with it.

But before I do, and since we now have easier access to the Great Metropolis down the Go, readers might appreciate knowing TIFF’s “Food on Film” is underway until June 24th. Hosted by CBC’s Matt Galloway, the series features films related to food, followed by discussion on a variety of related topics.

For full details and ticket info click here. Three films remain to be screened and if I had to pick just one to see it would probably be the one on May 13th featuring innovative America Chef, Wylie Dufresne. He will discuss his inventive approach to cooking and introduce the 1991 French “post-

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - The top 4 ingredients for judging food fests

The top 4 ingredients for judging food fests (Judging Soupfest - Part 2)

A few weeks back I had the privilege to adjudicate a new award at Soupfest 13. Joining me in deciding who would win the “Foodie Choice” award were the Spec’s GoCooking Co-ordinator, Karen Aquino, Dave Hanley of Pop-up Hamilton, Food Blogger Amanda Kinnaird of Inspire Hamilton, and another busy Food Blogger around town, Chanry Thatch.

While largely informal, such competitions can be hotly-contested. As Nina Ruelens, Executive Chef of the 4th Course Bistro at Copetown Woods alluded to in the first part of this article, the results of being judged by peers, and others in the industry, matter.

We were there as individuals with both knowledge of, and great passion for food, rather than as “celebrity” judges or participants. (The latter often generously appear at such functions for publicity/promotional reasons, but might not have much relevant expertise beyond liking good food.) I’ve been personally involved in judging several such competitions now (ChilliFest, Battledish,

Our Own Alex Bielak to be a SoupFest Judge

Click on pic for larger image

The Hamiltonian’s own Food for Thought Columnist has been asked to be a judge at this major event taking place next Tues, February 24th. More than 25 area restaurants will compete for Best Soup, Most Creative Soup, Best Display and the Best Grow Local category. Local celebrities and politicians come out to serve soup and help with the event. There is a Toonie Auction & live entertainment.

There is still time to get Soupfest 2015 Tickets.  Tickets are available via the Living Rock website or by calling 905-528-7625 ext 250. All funds raised will support the Ministries’ efforts in responding to youth-at-risk. The event will be held at the Hamilton Convention Centre.

Congrats Alex. And congrats to SoupFest for rallying in favour of a great cause!

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Unsung Tastes

Sue Hofman of
Lakeshore Coffee House

Unsung Tastes

Before I get to the main platter in this edition of Food for Thought, here’s an appetizer for readers, a “meat Valentine,” if you will, particularly those who love a great steak. The next column will feature Stoney Creek’s VG Meats: they held a super event recently, launching their “MeatMentor” mobile app to an audience of hungry bloggers (it is also available for your Android or Blackberry, as well as your Iphone.). A Canadian – and perhaps world-first, it allows shoppers to ascertain how tender a cut of beef is before buying it. Details, interviews with the forward-thinking folk who developed it, and pictures from the launch, in a fortnight.

Last time around I mentioned Feb 22nd to March 15th is the prix-fix Taste of Burlington and promised an update on the January launch event. Click at the end of the column to see pictures of some of the mouth-watering dishes served up by participating restaurants.

The standout dish was the People’s Choice winner (and Judges’ runner up) served up by Chef Mitchell Lamb of Stone House Restaurant. Lamb’s dish of Maple & Bourbon Glazed Beef Ribs

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Sips and (great big crunching) Bites - News and Upcoming Events

Despite the cold, things are heating up in our area. Here’s some news and several coming events that you might want to get tickets for or mark in your calendars.

The upcoming Pop-Up: Speakeasy Hamilton St. Valentine’s 3-Day event is pretty well sold out, but there are still a few tickets available for Thursday 12th February via the Popup Hamilton website or by calling 289-788-3283. It promises to be a fun event conjuring up the shades of the naughty goings on that came about as a result of Prohibition. There’ll be food, wine and craft beer. As usual the Pop-up is at a secret location (as befits a speakeasy of course) to be announced to participants two days prior to the event. 

A baker’s dozen or so brewers, will be at the Burlington Winter Beer Festival, at the Waterfront Hotel, Friday, February 06, 2015 - Sat, February 07, 2015. Tickets are available now for both an

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - A New Year - Sites to Share

I hope readers had a wonderful break over the holidays and are back at it rested and refreshed. I was able to clear my mind of visions of my digital media course homework, and was pleased to get back to my stove cooking for family and friends. In my mind there is nothing better than breaking bread together, catching up and sharing experiences.

One of the ways I spent my time was browsing the web where I discovered several websites I’d like to share with you. They’re a mix of recipes I’ve stumbled across and really liked, interesting information, and kitchen gadgets that caught my eye.

For example I found two super recipes on NotQuiteNigella.Com and have had success with both. Her Singapore Chilli Prawns (shrimp) recipe is delicious and simple and seems failsafe, allowing one to