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Blog Archive

Spring Adventures at Maple in the County


As  March is synonymous to the traditional Canadian experience of enjoying maple syrup, Prince Edward County’s sweetest tradition Maple in the County has officially come and gone. Eagerly awaiting all winter long I had the pleasure of attending the weekend event once again this year, marking the 15th anniversary of the award-winning festival. 

Maple in the County

I always find such joy and relaxation in taking road trips from Kingston to clear my mind and of course explore local food. So when it involves visiting a sugar bush or learning how sap is transformed into luscious maple syrup - count me in! From a dash of maple sugar in my morning coffee to maple glazed salmon or drizzled over vanilla bean ice cream - maple syrup is the perfect sweet treat to brighten your day.

This year's event featured participation from nine local sugar bushes: Sweetwater Cabin/Hubb’s Sugarbush, Fosterholm Farms, Vader’s Maple Syrup, Nyman Farms, Sugarbush Vineyards, Waupoos Estates Winery & Sugarbush, Walt’s Sugar Shack, Strictly Maple and Three Dog Winery & Sugarbush. That's not all folks, several wineries, local restaurants, producers and organizations participated with maple themed food, drink and events. It's a County wide event so you best have a car to get around from spot to the other. Whether you want to visit a sugar shack, buy maple syrup, go for a walk through the woods, hop on a wagon ride or are simply hungry for pancakes - there's something for everyone. This perfect family-friendly event is also a great way for locals and visitors to explore a new region and take in the picturesque gem of Prince Edward County. Side note: Want to unwind? Then click that link to get inspired to take a trip to the County - you won't regret it!

This year I was joined by some friends on my Maple in the County adventure as my foodie partner-in-crime was away. While we got a late start to the day which meant cutting our plans short, we sure did enjoy ourselves overall.

Our first stop of the journey was visiting one of my many favorite spots - Three Dog Winery.

Maple in the County

To celebrate the spring season, they collaborated with Seed to Sausage and offered a variety of delicious dining options, one of them including a waffle cone with walnut sausage glazed with a heavenly hollandaise sauce. 

Maple in the County

Before my adventure (and my morning routine), I stumbled upon a Pyramid Fermets post on Instagram - it mentioned that they were now offering maple kombucha, so naturally I had to get my hands on a bottle. And boy oh boy was I impressed and best part - they had a stand along with The Pink Lunch Pail Bakery. Maple glazed bacon donuts anyone? Yup I'm pulling a Homer right now - mmm donuts!

Maple in the County

We hopped into the car and ventured to our next stop - Vader's. This was a must as they had maple taffy - an essential to every maple event and no different at Maple in the County. But with lack of snow which was quite unfortunate, locations were still able to make people smile.

Maple in the County

Our final stop of the day was Black River Cheese. I simply had to cover all my basis of having a maple inspired dish, maple taffy and wait for it - maple cheddar cheese! This gal just had to indulge in a few samples - honestly I could have had the entire serving platter. Did I actually say that? Well I'm a cheese lover if you didn't know that already.

Maple in the County had another successful year and many more to come.

See you next year - next on my list is wine season in the County!

For more information, visit www.mapleinthecounty.com
Rosalyn Gambhir
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Getting Fancy at McDonald's Canada


Hello foodies friends! Recently I was delighted to have been invited out to sample a new casual dining experience with a fancy twist presented by none other than McDonald’s Canada. Traditions aside, they are stepping up their game and introducing personalized hamburgers complete with trendy toppings such as blue cheese and guacamole. Oh la la! I know you must be asking yourself - Rosalyn why fast food? Well being a digital gal, a marketer who fuels her buyer's journey on a daily basis and simply loves food, I had to see what was going on.


The new campaign being introduced as a soft launch goes by the name of Create Your Taste. It truly allows you to create your own personal burger experience from the moment you walk in to the moment you take your first bite. Through the use of touch screen technology, diners can build their ultimate burger by mixing and matching over 30 ingredients, while also getting McDonald classics. This may seem intimidating but trust me McDonald's has got your covered with a few pre-made combinations.

The different options include:

3 Buns: Black + white sesame seed brioche-style bun, artisan style bakery roll, or lettuce wrap.

5 Cheeses: McDonald classic cheese, monterey jack jalapeño, cheddar, swiss, or crumbled blue cheese.

12 Toppings: Tomato, lettuce, guacamole, sundried tomato pesto, caramelized onions, crispy onions, sliced jalapeños, sliced pickles, grilled mushrooms, or red onion rings.

9 Sauces: Ketchup, garlic aioli, mustard, smokey bbq, big mac sauce, chipotle aioli, grainy mustard, mayo, or sriracha Sauce.

It gets better...


So what was my creation?

As a burger lover, I was on a mission to be quite adventurous. I choose the following: a Canadian Angus patty with a brioche-style sesame bun topped with double the bacon strips, caramelized onions, grilled mushrooms, crumbled blue cheese and garlic aioli.

Boy oh boy was it surprisingly good! Juicy and filled with flavour - the artisan bun definitely elevated the taste with its slight crunch factor. As for the toppings, they blended nicely together and melted in my mouth. Mmm blue cheese... yes it was actually good! This was not your typical McDonald's burger as it was hand delivered on a wooden plank and fries in an small wire basket right to your seat. I must say, very pub-style inspired indeed.

Overall, the experience was quite pleasant and easy to use. The best part was the added personal touch of table side service. Though with a wait time of 10 minutes or so, I hope you're a tad patient. This is partially due to the kitchen only receiving your order once you've completely paid by which the cooking commences. During the wait, you are given a handy dandy buzzing device that alerts you. Wait for it - then McDonald's staff comes to find you to present you with your burger creation. 


You can even take your meal to go !

Just a second though, are you still hungry?

Let's save room for dessert while you have a peek at the new bakery items on the McCafe menu. From French croissants, mini chocolatines, maple mini pastries to soft baked cookies, your sweet tooth will definitely be satisfied.


What will you create?

#CreateYourTasteCA
Rosalyn Gambhir
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Photo Diary | Spring at City's Greenhouse


Spring is right around the corner and it is an exciting time for gardeners to go satisfy their plant cravings when the weather outside is less than perfect. But don't worry, if you don't have a green thumb or simply like to admire pretty things (guilty!), then say hello to the City of Kingston greenhouse. It’s the perfect place to take in fresh colours, to breathe refreshing scents and even spark some creativity in your life.

It's an opportunity to take the family and friends on an adventure as well as a learning experience. You will witness flowering spring bulbs and tropical plants including daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths - all destined to make their way into Kingston's parks.

When I stopped by at the last public open house, boy was it filled with people from kids, grandparents, nature lovers to photographers looking for the picture perfect shot.

Here are just a few snaps I took while I visited the City of Kingston greenhouse:

(p.s. scroll down to see when you can visit!)










Open for free public visits from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sundays: Feb. 19 & 26, March 5 & 12, 2017

Where: 111 Norman Rogers Dr., Kingston, ON

-xoxo
Rosalyn Gambhir
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Brunch Affair | Eggs Benedicts


A dish traditionally comprised of hot fluffy English muffins topped with poached eggs, bacon and doused in lusciously buttery hollandaise, eggs benedicts are hands down a pleasure to dig into and guaranteed to be oozing with golden yolks. Let's not forget the sides of perfectly seasoned potatoes to complete the dish for an extra satisfying result. Feeling a tad adventurous, how about some lobster or salmon?

Brunch Affair | Eggs Benedicts

So I'll let you in on a little secret - I can't make a poached egg to save my life. This is the one type of egg I can't bring myself to get right. So what to do when your gal is craving eggs benny at home (and still in her pjs)? Say hello to the KitchenAid Polished Egg Poacher Pan which my foodie partner-in-crime found on sale! This pan has been the best purchase and cooks up to four eggs at a time without the sticky mess in a matter of minutes.

Poaching eggs is the most difficult way to cook them and lies in the fact that there is a lot of loose, liquid-y egg white that floats and sets in thin wisps as the eggs cook. So thank goodness for the pan!

Do you have any brunch time tips?

-xoxo
Rosalyn Gambhir
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[name=Rosalyn Gambhir] [img=https://i.imgur.com/9rNiMGU.jpg] [description=Rosalyn Gambhir is the gal behind the blog The Staycationer. Whether it's exploring the local food scene with her foodie partner-in-crime or taking in the view from her favourite cafe, Rosalyn is always a tourist, looking for the next exciting adventure within Kingston, Ontario and beyond. The Staycationer allows you to rediscover hidden gems in your very own backyard.] (facebook=https://www.facebook.com/thestaycationer) (twitter=https://twitter.com/rosalyngambhir) (instagram=https://www.instagram.com/rosalyngambhir/)

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