The (more expensive) staff of life

While inflation in the US has prompted talk of stagflation, the rise in the loonie — and fixed prices for staples such as milk through supply management — has kept Canadian CPI in check, so far. But this morning’s Star highlights one mainstay that’s getting more expensive: The price of an industry standard 40-kilogram bagcontinue reading

Wines

We finally came to the end of our Circa(tm)-style-binding wine notebook, conveniently just before we left for Hong Kong. So a new year, a new wine journal. Highlights: Chateau de Cruzeau 2004, AOC Pessac-Leognan, 12.5%, $22.75. A very nice white Bordeaux from a Vintages release last fall, pretty much sold out in Toronto Central butcontinue reading

Now’s your chance —

I know that sometimes one’s deep thoughts about world politics, the failings of the educational system and global warming are overwhelmed by a need to consider the plight of Ontario’s wild turkeys. Now, you can have your say: ONTARIO MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES Transmitted by CNW Group on : January 18, 2008 15:20 Public Askedcontinue reading

Wine update

Farnese and Citra have both released the 2006 vintages of their inexpensive $7-and-change Sangiovese wines. We didn’t take notes on either of them (not that kind of wine…) but they both actually strike me as kind of similar: ripe, good fruit, noticeable body, both great value for money. I am not sure whether it iscontinue reading

The whole beast

I went to the brand-new Cherry St. T&T’s today. It does seem like it should have a place in our grocery routine, though I’m still working out what it would be. TMQ and I cook from a set of ideas that are mostly English and Italian, while T&T as far as I can tell iscontinue reading

Wines

Our first attempts at foodie-oenophileness in Ottawa were not auspicious. A kinda boring Italian wine with a middling pizza, a non-VQA Ontario Merlot that I accidentally bought with a downright bad pizza, and then, worst of all, a highly-rated Austrialian Bordeaux Blend (Parker 89 etc.) that we travelled all over to Ottawa to find andcontinue reading

15 minutes of fame, sort of

Sassafraz is planning to reopen in time for the TIFF, and in preparation they are posting on the hoardings and on their website comments from blogosphere circa the time of their fire. Was surprised to walk by the site and find myself quoted (yes it’s from the law-related one).

On a lighter note

Something tells me the writer of this headline has recently acquired a dog. I’m not sure what to make of the main article. Part of me wants to say something along the lines of: Of course the whole organic thing has gone corporate, what did you expect?

A fizzy that’s good in the heat

We recently picked up a bottle of Allimant-Laugner Crémant d’Alsace Brut (Vintages 30593, $19.95), since we’re fond of cracking open a bottle of fizzy for random celebratory occasions such as Tuesdays, and we’ve long since run out of the Crémant d’Alsace we buy from Opimian. Very fresh, lots and lots and LOTS of green applecontinue reading