Malivoire Party Launches "Alive" Wine Labels

On Wednesday, April 15 Malivoire wines held a party to relaunch some of their wines under a redesigned label featuring the word "Alive". (See how the one word fits into the other?) The party, at the environmentally-friendly event space known as The Richmond (477 Richmond West), attracted an eclectic bevy of guests, many from local restaurants, including NFB publicist Melissa Than, Alexa Clark of Cheap Eats, NOW style editor Andrew Sardone, menswear designer Philip Sparks, and iconic chef and sommelier Jacques Marie.

Chef Jamie Kennedy was on hand arranging delectable slices of lake trout and smoked whitefish onto some sort of blini-esque mini-crepes with a mild and crunchy onion (and beet?) croûte, and a touch of sour cream (for the trout) or whitefish roe (for the whitefish). There were also yummy ground-lamb kebabs on applewood "splinters", confit of duck with rhubarb wrapped in potato perfused with duck fat (too good, really!) and an array of local cheeses.

As if that weren't heaven enough, my favourite shucker, Patrick McMurray (who owns Starfish) was on hand with gorgeous plump little New Brunswick oysters. Okay, I know I'm just making you envious and hungry, so I'll get to the wine.

If you don't already know, Malivoire is a newish winery on the Beamsville Bench, which is 20 minutes east of Hamilton. They've been making wine since 1997, and have quickly gained a big reputation. I'm personally a sucker for their seductive Old Vines Foch. Turns out it hasn't been in strong supply since that rainy summer a few years ago, but you can still get it at the winery at $381.60 for a case of 12, as it turns out. (Nice thought for next windfall…)

Jamie Kennedy addressed the crowd, pointing out that it made sense for a chef like him to appreciate Malivoire's wines and philosophy. "The search for a local gastronomy has consumed me," he said. "If you're chasing a local gastronomy, you need a local wine."

"We've proved organic sustainable agriculture was practical in a Niagara vineyard," said Malivoire proprietor Martin Malivoire, urging wine lovers not to save his products for special occasions only. "I want my wine on every table for every occasion."

To this end, the "Alive" series labels are colour-coded, so buyers don’t even have to remember the names. Here are some bottles you can look out for at local restaurants, at LCBOs and at the winery, should you get out there yourself (caution: non-expert opinions follow).

• 2008 Chardonnay Musqué: I found it to be very sweet, pearlike and slightly musky… or does the name merely suggest that last? I may be wrong, but I believe this was one of Alexa's favourites. $12.90 a bottle at the winery.
• 2006 Chardonnay: This is a Vintages “Essential”, and is found in about 180 LCBO stores across the province, at $19.95 a bottle.
• 2008 Pinot Gris: Martin Malivoire says he considers his Pinot Gris to be “on a line somewhere between Alsace and Italy.” I found it to be really, really pale in both taste and colour; it's certainly not a challenging wine, but it was lovely with a nibble of sheep cheese. Malivoire general manager Ernie Kerst says it will be the first "Alive" label to hit the LCBO, in May. $18.80 at the winery.
• 2008 Ladybug Rosé: Wow, did I ever find this one dry on the mouth, like dehydrated strawberries! It's not an "Alive" wine; it has its own label, featuring a ladybug. It's already in LCBOs and will be there until it's sold through, at $15.95.
• 2007 Gamay: Malivoire describes this as tasting of strawberries, vanilla and cinnamon, but I’d respectfully suggest nutmeg. Tony Aspler says black cherry. $16.80 for the 2006 at the winery.
• 2005 Pinot Noir: This is the one that reminds me of spicy strawberries, more than the Gamay; Aspler (see link above) says "sweet black raspberries". $21.80 for the 2006 at the winery.
• 2007 Mottiar Pinot Noir: Also in LCBOs now, at $34. It's a Vintages exclusive, and won’t be at the winery.

• 2008 Melon: Malivoire says this limited-edition white wine has notes of meyer lemon, pear and grapefruit, and it was very much my favourite of the night. To me, it tasted rich, nostalgic and subtle – and it was so yummy with the oysters! Patrick McMurray says he heard it was actually the result of a mistake; Malivoire ordered Muscat grape cuttings, but got Muscadet (or “Melon”) instead, and went with it. I say: hooray for shipping errors. It seems to be priced around $20 at the winery, but I'm not certain.

Shirley Lum's A Taste of Toronto Offers Foodie Walking and Biking Tours of Toronto

Back in 1993, Torontonian Shirley Lum (pictured), a fourth generation Canadian-Chinese and "unabashed foodie", started operating A Taste of the World, a company that offers walking and biking tours of some of Toronto’s most intriguing and tucked-away treats.

A leading authority on Toronto's first and oldest Chinatown and a member of the Culinary Historians of Ontario, the Swansea Historical Society, the Dickens Fellowship of Toronto and the Women's Culinary Network, Lum’s eclectic passions have led her to offer ghost walks and literary tours, but surely her strolling-and-dining food walks are at the heart of her business. After all, as she reminds her clients, Confucius himself was of the opinion that "a man cannot be too serious about his eating, for food is the force that binds society together." Here’s a taste of her upcoming schedule:

• May 24 and 31: Dragon Boat Festival in Toronto’s Lost First Chinatown + Second Chinatown: Lum explains that "on the 5th day of the 5th moon, dragon boats races are held all over China. On May 28, many Toronto Chinese will be swooning over their mom’s special sweet and savoury glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. Guests will love the legend behind this festival, and the hunt for the essential ingredients at an Asian grocery store. The best part will be sampling the various sticky rice dumplings at the hosted dim sum luncheon."
• June 20 to September 12: Multi-Ethnic Summer Bounty in Kensington Market: An exploration of seasonal local and international ingredients like blueberries, peaches and white asparagus. Guests may find out how corn is cooked in Chilean or Jamaican kitchens, nosh on traditional snacks from various cultures, sample artisanal Canadian cheeses and taste handcrafted chocolates.
• July 12 to 19: Lotus Festival in Toronto’s Lost First Chinatown + Second Chinatown: This tour explores the lure and lore of the lotus, including its edible fruits, root and leaves, in the bakery, the herbalist, the grocery store and the dim sum restaurant.

A Taste of the World Foodies Walks last 3.5 hours. The price of $43 includes all food and non-alcoholic drinks. Seniors (65+) and students with ID: $38.50. Children 12 and under: $27.50. Normally, you shouldn't eat breakfast before your tour. Reserve by email or by phone at 416-923-6813 (mention any dietary restrictions at least 48 hours in advance.) Tours tend to be limited to about a dozen people. Private tours can be arranged.

Eat the Street – Mammalian Diving Reflex Gets Kids’ Comments on Queen West Restaurants

Over the past few years, theatre company Mammalian Diving Reflex has pioneered a series of projects that cast new light on our social structures by putting power into the hands of kids. For instance, they created one of the best-ever Nuit Blanche events with an all-night dance party deejayed by grade-schoolers, and they’ve travelled the world with their self-explanatory Haircuts by Children.

Now, in association with Parkdale Public School, they’ve created “Parkdale Public School vs. Queen Street West 2: Eat the Street”, a “critical dinner series” where kids document their feelings and observations about a series of dinners at Queen West eateries.

“People like to focus on the empowering effects of this kind of work on kids but while that may or may not be the case, what's certainly the case is that the adults do have their understanding of the world decisively altered,” reports company artistic director Darren O’Donnell.

The series kicked off on March 26 at Shangrila, followed by sessions at Skyline Restaurant, Mitzi's Sister, The Drake, Czehoski, Saigon Flower, Cadillac Lounge and Oddfellows. Photos (like the one above) and comments are posted on an Eat the Street blog. If you’re interested in observing the action in person while enjoying a meal of your own, the remaining sessions are:

• Tuesday, April 28, 7 p.m.: Addis Ababa (1184 Queen West, east of Northcote, 416-538-0059 – reservations recommended)
• Friday, May 1, 7 p.m.: Mother India (1456 Queen West, east of Lansdowne, 416-588-4634)
• Thursday May 7, 7 p.m.: The Beaver (1192 Queen West, east of Gladstone, 416-537-2768)

There’s also an Awards Ceremony, where the kids present their accolades to their favourites, on Monday, May 11, at 7 p.m. at The Gladstone (1214 Queen West, 416-531-4635). Admission is Pay-What-You-Can.

Hone Your Knife Sharpening Skills

Do you worship your Wüsthof? Jealously guard your Global? But it doesn't matter how fabulous your kitchen knives are if you don't know how to keep 'em sharp. The Inspired Cook to the rescue! The Queen East kitchen shop is hosting a free seminar on knife sharpening technique and blade maintenance. It will be led by professional sharpener Ron of CGS Cutlery Sharpening, who provides sharpening services to numerous kitchen shops around the GTA. It's taking place this Sunday, April 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Inspired Cook (1378 Queen Street East at Greenwood, 416-461-8886). You can stop by Red Rocket a few doors further east for a sublime Mayan Mocha and some chai-flavoured shortbread when you're done.

Slow Food Movement Pioneer Carlo Petrini in Toronto

The Italian food philosopher and author Carlo Petrini (pictured) will be honoured at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 at the Al Green Theatre at Miles Nadal JCC (750 Spadina at Bloor) at an event titled "An Evening of Conversation with Carlo Petrini".

Petrini, who has been advocating a rethinking of social attitudes towards food and eating since the 1980s, is perhaps best known as the author of Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean, And Fair (2005) and Slow Food Revolution: A New Culture for Dining and Living (2006).

A pioneer of "Slow Food", he advocates for thoughtfully produced and prepared food instead of factory-produced fast food. He founded the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy, and has been named a European Hero by Time magazine and one of "50 People Who Could Save the World" by The Guardian. Here in Toronto, he is the recipient of the Planet in Focus International Eco Hero Award.

"An Evening of Conversation with Carlo Petrini" is co-presented by Planet in Focus environmental film festival and the Italian Cultural Institute in Toronto. Tickets are $35 ($25 for seniors & students), or $75 for the event and an accompanying reception. A portion of proceeds goes to the Stop Community Food Centre. Call 416-531-4689 or visit the Planet in Focus box office.

Also, on Friday, May 1 from 6:30 on, Slow Food Toronto holds a "Do It Slow Banchetto": a Slow Food feast with Petrini and other Slow Food speakers at Hart House. It opens with a reception hosted by Jamie Kennedy featuring local wine and cheese.

The event continues with a five-course dinner created by:

• Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann (Ancaster Old Mill)
• Mark Cutrara (Cowbell)
• Karen Viva-Haynes (Viva Tastings)
• Jonathan Gushue and Rob Howland (Langdon Hall)
• David Chrystian (Hotel le Germain)
• Tawfik Shehata (Vertical)
• Michael Steh (Reds)
• Anthony Walsh, Tom Brodi and Chantalle Noschese (Canoe)
• Joshna Mahraraj (STOP Community Food Centre)
• Steffan Howard and Chrystal Porter (Palais Royale)
• Andrew Milne-Allan (Zucca)
• Marco Tucci (Hart House)
• Anthony Rose (The Drake)
• Ted Corrado and Michelle Fernandes (C5 at the ROM)
• Anne Yarymowich (FRANK at the AGO)
• Bertrand Alepee and Jason Inniss (Amuse-Bouche)
• Scott Vivian, Sharon Bergey and Rachelle Cadwell (Jamie Kennedy Kitchens)
• Cave Spring, Chateau Des Charmes, Featherstone and Henry of Pelham wineries

The event is sponsored by Slow Food Toronto, Toronto Slow Food Chefs and Ontario Wines. Tickets are $150 ($125 for Slow Food members). To order contact U of T Tix. $5 from each ticket sold will be donated to the U of T Urban Agriculture Committee.