Toronto Uncovered

I have always loved to travel. Last year at this time, I was in full preparation mode for my first solo trip to Brazil and Argentina. Since I had decided to go it alone (and South America has the potential of being a little dangerous) I chose to go with Toronto-based travel company GAP Adventures.

If you’re looking an escape, set your sights South of the equator. I say this for a couple of reasons: First of all, our Winter is their Summer so it is hot hot hot! Second, it’s far less expensive than anywhere in Europe, the US or Mexico. And third, it’s way cooler than going to the Dominican or Cuba (which are fine choices, but don’t offer much in the way of an adventure).

I would return to South America in a heartbeat. Our trip kicked off in Rio, which delivered an instant infusion of Brazilian culture: warm, beautiful and passionate.  It is a city that loves good food, loud music and vibrant parties. From Rio, we took a bus trip to Paraty (pronounced Par-a-chy), a small village surrounded by lush mountains and five interconnected beaches. The cobblestone streets of Paraty are lined with restaurants, tourist shops and outdoor markets. During the day, tourists take a short bus ride through the mountains to the beaches, rent boats, or charter a private tour of the surrounding islands. When the sun sets, they wander the streets, entertained by buskers and filled with cake from passing carts. It is truly a great escape. Our last stop in Brazil was Iguassu Falls. This is the site with the most waterfalls in one spot, with upwards of 275 drops . I wouldn’t recommend spending more than a day or two here, because aside from the falls visit there isn’t a whole lot to do or see.

Buenos Aires, known as ‘The Paris of the South’, was the first and only location we visited in Argentina. I’m a true city girl.  I love getting lost wandering among unfamiliar streets lined with architectural masterpieces. I felt instantly at home in Buenos Aires and wish I had been able to spend more than 1 night. Like Brazil, they love their beef buffets. I had never seen more meat lined up and ready to devour. Needless to say, I spent my only night there eating, drinking and comparing travel notes. The next morning, I walked along their pedestrian only street, Calle Florida, picking up trinkets for friends and family at home. I was surprised at how inexpensive the shops were.

If you’re thinking of heading down South, here are some tips:

1. The sun down there is intense. Make sure you take lots of high SPF sunscreen and reapply like mad.

2. GAP guides often have deals worked out with a lot of the local restaurants. This is both good and bad. Good in that they know with places to take you to that serve quality food. Bad in that they are often expensive, touristy and not really indicative of authentic dishes.

3. Hit at least 1 proper Brazilian or Argentinian buffet. If you like meat, you won’t be disappointed (cheese and wine infused beef = died and gone to heaven).

4. Brazil’s national drink is called the Caprihina. It is made with their national liquor cachaca and lots of lime and sugar. If made properly, it is delicious and extremely potent. Drink with caution.

5. Buy your Haviana sandals from the markets and make sure you bring your best bargaining skills!

Last night I was among the lucky bloggers and journalists in Toronto to receive an invite to a very intimate Inniskillin wine tasting.  The event was hosted in the back room of  Nancy’s Cheese at Dupont and Spadina, which provided  amazing cheese and a cozy atmosphere for us learn about the various wines that make up Inniskillin’s Winemaker Series.

I am definitely no wine connoisseur, but I do know what I like when it hits my pallet. Throughout the evening we tried four wines from the series and listened as Marketing Director, Scott Starra, regaled us with stories of Inniskillin’s past and present accolades.

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We started the tasting with a 2008 Two Vineyard Riesling. Unlike most Rieslings this particular blend was not overly sweet, but instead had strong notes of citrus, leaving a refreshed feeling in your mouth. If you like your Rieslings dry with higher acidity levels this is a great choice. It is also highly versatile for food pairings, going well with Asian, Thai and Indian dishes as well as squash soups.  Scott explained that if you are ever unsure of what to pair with a particular meal, a dry Riesling is a good choice as they often accent most flavours and foods.

Our second wine was a 2008 Three Vineyard Chardonnay, oaked in both French and American oak for a full robust bodied taste.  As with the Riesling, this Chardonnay was high in acidity, which is a common element in 2008 white wines because of the long, warm nights that summer was blessed with. I usually prefer an unoaked Chardonnay, however, found this one to be really tasty when paired a strong cheese  like the Roaring Forties Blue from Australia. You can also pair it with buttery foods like lobster, seafood, buttered popcorn (with truffle oil if you’re feeling swanky), and even turkey.

It was finally time to move onto the reds. While I enjoy my whites, I am a red wine girl at heart. I was thrilled to learn our first selection was a Pinot Noir. Maybe it stems from the scene from Sideways in which Miles gives a full description of the delicacy, sensitivity and temperament of the Pinot grape, or maybe its just because i have good taste, but Pinot has been high on my list of favourites for some time.

The 2007 Three Vineyard Pinot Noir owes its full body and distinguished tastes to the hot summer we had in 2007. If you’re looking for a mild Pinot, this is not for you. On the other hand, if you like your wines to have a little bit of attitude and be able to stand on their own this is a great choice.  In terms of pairings, Scott suggested anything with earthy mushroom flavours, pork, duck, or a good brie. I also liked it with the Blackburn cheese from Quebec that we sampled last night.

Our final vino of the soiree was a 2007 Cabernet Franc from Inniskillin’s Reserve Series. As with all wines from 2007, the Cab Franc was very full bodied, without being too strong or intrusive on the pallet.  I liked this wine a lot and since it is the only one we tried last night currently on the stands in the LCBO will definitely be picking some up for the holidays. Priced at $16.95 you’re getting a lot of value at a low cost. This wine is well paired with lamb, steak and grilled chicken as well as a strong well-aged cheese.

The first three wines featured will be hitting the shelves in the near future. If you’re not already familiar with the different wines Inniskillin and other Niagara region wineries have to offer, its high time you get acquainted. For more information on Inniskillin check out their Facebook page, including videos, interviews and recipes.

I usually refuse to set foot in a mall during the pre-Christmas craziness. I’m not huge on malls to begin with, and I really don’t have the tolerance to withstand the crazy crowds. Since I am also not prepared enough to start my shopping early, I rely on the thousands of online stores, ready to ship my parcels with the click of a button.

There is only one problem with this method: I’m not supporting my local vendors. This year, my mission is to incorporate more vendors from the GTA who also have online stores.  Below are some I have found so far:

Duration of Ownership: 2.5 hours. Chocolate Lover? Check. Human? Check.

Neslo Chocolates: Neslo is owned and operated  by two cousins who hand make every batch of delicious, high quality Belgian chocolate. They experiment with unconventional flavours like Banana Brandy, Salted Caramel and Strawberry Wasabi. These chocolates are melt in your mouth. If you don’t finish the box in the first couple of hours  not only are you not a chocolate lover, you may not be human either.  These are a perfect gift for anyone in your life, just make sure you pick up a box or two for yourself while you’re at it.

You cant get much cooler than having a Star Wars and Computer combo!

Orange Fish: This online-only store caters to the knick-knack lover. Products range from characterized USB keys, to belt buckles, to artisan undies and magnets. I particularly love their cuff links, many of which are made out of  pieces of real items like hockey pucks, working compasses,  footballs and Madison Square Gardens flooring.  Everything on OrangeFish.ca is unique in either creation or design and range in price from as little as 4 or 5 dollars through to around 200. Their items would be great stocking  stuffers or Secret Santa gifts.

Warning: Owners may also experiment with copping a feel

Clothing Brand Experiment (CBE for short): CBE hoodies are a Toronto based company offering some funky and colourful hoodies for men and women. The hooded sweatshirt was the first “experiment” CBE went after.  Their goal was to make a locally produced, hooded sweatshirt with all the features they loved. Looks like they did a pretty decent job and don’t have to charge their clients an arm and a leg. Check out their online store – good gift for anyone hoping to stay warm this winter in style.

Simply splendid and simply de-lic-ious (num num num num num)

Simply Splendid: OK, so this one you cant order online, however, you can just pick up the phone and place your order that way. And since you can still accomplish this from the comfort of your couch, it still counts. Simply splendid owner and baker extraordinaire, Marilyn Mirabelli, specializes in making the most delicious shortbread cookies I have ever tasted. I have tried her vanilla and chilli chocolate which were both good enough to make me go back for seconds, but the real show stopper was her curry flavoured shortbread. I know it sounds kind of weird but its amazing. Her teas and cookies can be purchased separately or as sets. Definitely a good gift for any sweet tooth in your life. She will also come to your house and put on a full British-style Victorian Afternoon Tea.  A great gift idea for moms, grandparents, Brits and any cookie lover in your life.

Where have you been doing your online shopping this year? Any great Toronto vendors to share?