ETHICAL GOURMET / Remind me to Tell You About the Time I Looked in the Heart of an Artichoke

Nouveau Ontario at The Restaurant at Stratford’s The Bruce Hotel After a delicious lunch at Mercer Hall we made a mid-afternoon reservation for dinner at The Restaurant at The Bruce Hotel. Owner Jennifer Birmingham handles the reservation personally which allows us the opportunity to inquire about the chandeliers in the dining room which I have been thinking about since my last visit. They dramatically recall Finnish designer Tapio Wirkkala’s art glass crystal sculptures which are reminiscent of melting ice. Birmingham tells me they were purchased at auction from the Four Season’s Hotel in Toronto. She offers that each glass panel, of which there are many, weigh 1 ½ pounds. In fact, she acquired numerous decorative objects and furnishings from the Four Seasons specifically for The Bruce. The newly built and handsomely appointed 25-room Bruce Hotel, set on six and a half acres of property and a short walk from the Festival Theatre, is the third hospitality undert

Savour Stratford Perth County Grand Tasting Event Sunday, July 20 1-4pm The Grand Tasting - Sunday, July 20 afternoon - Our garden party will take place in an elegant tent off historic York Street fronting the Avon River. Pairing 30 local chefs with local food producers and farmers to create seasonal delicacies complemented by Ontario VQA wines and craft brews. Tasting Awards will be presented. Musical entertainment by Jazz vacalist Ori Dagan and The Riley O'Connor Trio featuring Jordana Talsky. Silent auction with proceeds to the Festival's children's entertainment & programming. 24 invited regional chefs paired with local producers 20 + Ontario wineries and craft breweries ALL for one price - $75 VIP gift bags with hand-made wooden cutting board, culinary treats and early entry at noon - ALL for $100  New red carpet photo booth fun  Fabulous music, too!  Silent auction featuring culinary treats, travel, recreational items and more. Admission: $10

  Savour Stratford  Perth County Culinary Festival The Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival, presented by GE Café Appliances, will take place, on the weekend of July 18–20th 2014. Historically held in September, the event celebrates local cuisine, culinary luminaries, local artisanal producers and farmers and outstanding Stratford chefs.  This year’s theme is Coast to Coast to Coast and the 30th Anniversary of the renowned Stratford Chef School. Meet some of the top young chefs under 40 from across Canada — from Newfoundland to the N.W.T. to B.C. — all award winners, many trained in Stratford, and others associated with Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Anthony Bourdain. With over 150 chefs, farmers, producers, Ontario wineries and craft brewers, cheese makers and culinary personalities, the Savour Stratford Perth County Culinary Festival is one of the largest culinary festivals in Ontario.  Featured chefs will showcase their culinary expertise creating innovati