Prince Edward County's annual food and wine festival, TASTE Community Grown celebrates the culinary community from farm to table - the region's finest chefs, winemakers, beer, spirits and cider masters, farmers and artisanal food producers. This past weekend, it was certainly the most perfect fall weather where foodies from across the province gathered at the historic Crystal Palace in Picton to sample the unique local flavours of the area.

The day was filled with culinary education with speakers and seminars, a wonderful epicure experience of the County, live showing of County Chopped Live and oh so much more.

A few highlights from the festival:



The Drake Devonshire served a splendid chilled chowder composed of corn, yukon gold potatoes, smoked paprika as well as a few other ingredients but surprisingly no diary products! Hello vegan friendly!





{Stanners Vineyard}

For more information visit: www.tastecommunitygrown.com

Hello, September!

The start of a new autumn season is near and it is one that truly captures our foodie hearts. As the mercury continues to dip, our taste buds invariably start to crave all those magnificent fall-specific foods and flavours.

This is a time to warm ourselves from the inside out as cooler weather is the perfect time to enjoy piping-hot dishes and seasonal items not as readily available during other times of the year to chase away the fall chill.

So throw on your favourite sweater, get cozy and be sure to grab a snack before proceeding as I put together a list of my top 5 quintessential fall favourites: 

1. Pumpkin Spice Latte



Fall means crisp weather, changing leave colours, the start of a new school year and of course the return of the ever so popular Pumpkin Spice Latte. Pumpkin is ubiquitous for fall and on top of being flavorful, it is jam packed with good-for-you vitamins and minerals. (p.s. Starbucks Corp. recently announced that its PSL will now be made with real pumpkin and without caramel colouring – let us know what you think!)

This go-to specialty seasonal drink for many, is synonymous to hot chocolate topped with marshmallows or apple cider but truly marks the bittersweet beginning of fall.

2. Comfort Food



Most of us have a signature dish bound to produce satisfied murmurs or bring back fond childhood memories during the fall months. From sweet potato casseroles with marshmallows to homemade macaroni and cheese, these decadent comfort food dishes are often the pièce de résistance at gatherings with family and friends.

Though in our books macaroni and cheese is the epitome of comfort food with all its delightful cheesy goodness adored by both adults and kids alike. There is something magical about curling up with a bowl of creamy mac and cheese that makes everything feel just right as it tickles your taste buds!

3. Apples



What could be better than standing in the middle of an apple orchard picking (and eating, of course) crisp, tart apples right off the trees? There’s nothing more satisfying in life than biting into a fresh fall apple. Probably the most popular and plentiful fall fruit, apples are satisfying eaten raw or baked into a delicious dish and they certainly do a marvelous job at ringing in fall’s arrival.

From apple pie to apple crumble, this is the perfect season to relish in a savoury sweet treat with a side of vanilla ice cream and perhaps a drizzle of caramel to highlight the deep flavors of fall. Don’t forget a side of caramel apple cider!

4. Pie



All summer long, our ovens (or shall we say bellies) have been filled with fruity pies filled with peaches, berries and the list goes on. Once the temperature drops, our pie fillings switch to fall flavours such as pumpkin, apple, and chocolate. The savoury indulgence scale skyrockets as the aroma of freshly baked pie wafting from a cozy kitchen instantly warms the hearts of those basking in its glory – delightful scents of buttery, browning crust and bubbling fruit waiting to be topped with homemade whipped cream.

Fall is prime pie-baking season, and there is no better time to try your hand at a few new autumnal desserts than right now.

5. Chili



The ultimate fall comfort food, chili is a simple and inviting fill-you-up fare. Whether you want to serve a bowl at your potluck, as a simple weeknight supper or for lunch on a lazy Saturday, the options are endless as a simmering pot of chili will warm up any occasion.

Chili dishes are quite diverse and will suite every taste from super hearty beef and chicken chilis, pulled pork, vegetarian options, even healthy chilis. A full-flavoured, hearty dish with its rustic elements, chili is quintessential to fall with its melt in your mouth goodness.

This blog was originally posted on Gusto TV.

Brunch is reason enough to get out of bed in the morning.

Venturing out of the house for that midday meal is a gratifying ritual that deserves to be celebrated – preferably over mimosas. It’s the perfect remedy for hangovers and weekday woes, an indulgent wake-up call ready to be devoured.

Here’s a short list of our favourite classic brunches, because who doesn’t crave the simplicity of eggs, bacon or perhaps some pancakes or waffles?  It’s simply inexcusable to mess up.

1. Eggs Benedict

A dish traditionally comprised of English muffins topped with poached eggs, peameal bacon and doused in lusciously buttery hollandaise, eggs benny 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 adding some lobster or salmon?

2. French Toast

A true staple on brunch menus, French toast appeals to those with a sweet tooth looking to satisfy morning cravings with thick slabs of bread soaked in crème anglaise, browned golden in butter and then dressed in a sweet finish of Canada’s most prized and essential local commodity, maple syrup. Sounds decadent right?

This is a brunch dish so classic, it’s no wonder that kitchens like to get creative with combinations with berry coulis, apple butter and dollops of goodness and…the options are endless.

3. Pancakes

There’s just something so comforting about a big ol’ stack of flapjacks – they’re the perfect weekend pick me up. Slather on a little butter and douse them with good maple syrup and you’re good to go. These fluffy sweet or savoury delights of various thickness, fillings and toppings are as classic as it gets.

After being cooked in a pan they arrive on your plate to fulfill their glorious life purpose as the classic brunch food.

4. Waffles

Waffles are no longer exclusively for those looking to fulfill their sweet indulgence. Sure, you’ll find waffles loaded with maple syrup, powdered sugar, fruits and whipped cream, but welcome to 2015 and you can now order waffles paired with crispy fried chicken, doused in hollandaise sauce, or infused with pumpkin spice – add some syrup and goodness gracious this classic brunch meal is complete.

5. Sunny Side Up

A decision that is unique to every individual and a dream order for any chef. Topped with freshly ground pepper, fresh herbs and a side of hash, the moment the yolk is poked is the defining moment that brunch has officially commenced.

This blog was originally posted on Gusto TV.

Craving a rich and creamy milkshake?

Well, you're in luck and using just a few ingredients, you can whip up peanut buttery goodness to treat yourself using Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Spread. Say what? You heard me, it's like a match made in heaven. (Bonus: it can now be found at your local grocery store.) Take that Nutella - sorry but this gal is allergic to hazelnuts and as good as hazelnuts are with chocolate, they can never overcome chocolate’s true counterpart - peanut butter.


So a big thank you to Reese for adding a twist and introducing this sweet and salty delight in which I may have already had numerous spoonfuls of and 100% reliving my childhood (you only live once right!).

Reese's lovers rejoice and spread the love with this luscious, frosty peanut butter chocolate milkshake recipe:

Thank you Hershey Canada for sponsoring this post!

While I have been compensated monetarily and with a product - this recipe and review are all my own honest opinions and experiences.

Check out my recent adventure to the County and snapshots of my go-to spots:

{Barley Days Brewery}

Where:

Rosehall Run Winery | 1243 Greer Rd, Wellington, ON
Norman Hardie Vineyard & Winery | 1152 Greer Rd, Wellington, ON
Drake Devonshire | 24 Wharf St, Wellington, ON
Barley Days Brewery | 13730 Loyalist Pkwy, Picton, ON

Other Favourite Stops in Prince Edward County:

Ice Cream at Slickers
Cooking Class at From the Farm Cooking School
Great Canadian Cheese Festival in June
Apple Cider at The County County Cider
Treat yourself at The Pink Lunch Pail Bakery
Barn searching at Hinterland Winery, Closson Chase and Karlo Estates.
Picnic with local elements at Grange of Prince Edward County
Dogs, live music, wine and wood fire meals at Three Dog Winery

A long standing tradition, the relationship between the Marines from Marine Barracks Washington,  D.C., and the Fort Henry Guard dates back to 1954. The two units have paraded together countless times both at the Fort and at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. It was a pleasure to have them back in Kingston, Ontario this past summer!

A few snap shots from the night's performance:

To view more images, visit The Staycationer on Facebook here!

-xoxo