Burlington - what we are thankful for

It seems like just yesterday that summer ended and we bid adieu to our student travel counselors but now I look at the calendar and realize that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  By the nature of the name of Thanksgiving you know what to expect and I am no different, taking some time to reflect and be grateful for all that I have both in a physical and emotional sense.  And while I am thankful for the obvious things (health, family, friends…) I am also aware that there is a lot we can be thankful for living in a country like Canada and in the city of Burlington.

Here are some of the things we at Tourism Burlington are thankful for (in no particular order)

photo courtesy Dan Banko

Our walkable downtown - There are not a great deal of cities that boast such a beautiful and vibrant downtown and while that might seem somewhat trivial, I think it is one of the most appealing things about our city.  Our downtown is ripe with amazing eateries, one of a kind boutiques and shops, and plays host to many events throughout the year.

 

Our fabulous Performing Arts Centre – In only its second season the Burlington Performing Arts Centre has already had over 30,000 people come through its doors to experience a wide range of music, dance and theatre.  The upcoming year will be no exception with a terrific line-up of performers and new programming such as the “Classically Yours…” and Theatre series that will engage and entice visitors both new and returning.

Our sports community – Burlington is home to an active sporting community at all levels of sport.  Our city is host to hundreds of tournaments, runs and competitions throughout the year including the annual Santa 5k, Shoe hockey tournament, Spring Cup Gymnastics Invitational and more.

Our festivals and events – with Lake Ontario as a backdrop, Spencer Smith Park is home to many events such as the ever popular Sound of Music Festival and Ribfest but it doesn’t end there, Burlington has great events throughout the year.  You can explore fall colours at Fall in Nature, welcome Santa at the Holiday Parade, stroll through the gardens during the spring bloom celebratons at the Royal Botanical Gardens and during the summer there are always lots of events to choose from.  We would also be remiss if we didn’t thank all the hard-working volunteers that make these festivals and events happen.  

Our great outdoors – Burlington is fortunate to be just a stone throw away from some of the prettiest natural areas in Ontario.  With a beautiful waterfront, hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails, six conservation areas and a Provincial Park there is ample opportunity to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.  From the weekend explorer to the avid adventurer, there is something for everyone.  

Our heritage – Burlington has a rich history and is home to two museums that reflect our unique heritage.  You can pick up a copy of the heritage walking tours at our Visitor Centre then stroll the downtown or art centre neighbourhood on a self-guided tour (outside only) of the many historic properties in our core. 

Photo courtesy of Rolly Astrom

Our arts community – not many people know but the Burlington Art Centre is home to the world’s largest collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics and is home to seven guilds. They regularly features exhibitions in various mediums in addition to their permanent collection.  In addition to The BAC, Burlington has a large arts community of working artists and studios.  Art in Action has a studio tour in November each year which gives residents and visitors to get up close and personal with local artists.  There are also several other studios, galleries and shops that are open to the public and operate year round including Artists Walk in historic Village Sqaure.

Our culinary scene – Burlington is becoming known as a dining destination with the variety and unique offerings of larger metropolitan cities combined with the accessibility and service of a small town.  We have amazing chefs working magic in their kitchens and offering up gourmet fare.  From the culinary stylings of Chef Matteo at Blacktree to the local fare from Chef Tobias at Red Canoe Bistro and Chef Andrew at Spencers on the Waterfont you are sure to find something to suit your tastes at any budget.

We want to wish you a happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Tourism and if you need assistance finding great things to see and do in Burlington drop by our Visitor Centre, give us a call or visit our website.

Taste of Burlington (Ontario) Prix Fixe Dining Program

As a foodie and wine lover by nature and by trade there are few things more inspiring than a room full of people who are equally as passionate in these fields. The Taste of Burlington media launch was a successful event guided by the thoughtful details attended to by their team of experts. The truth of the matter is, I ate my way around a room and stopped in the middle for libations, all the while soaking up the enthusiasm for locally farmed and sustainable food and wine. Awesome.

I first toured the room and was overwhelmed with the smells of gourmet fare, the sound of sizzling oil in pans and the familiar grumble that was my empty stomach. I could not justify attending this event sporting anything less than a hearty appetite. Ready to perform a gastro tour of epic proPORTIONS, I decided my approach would be in the order of set-up. My culinary adventure began. Because my appetite knew no bounds, the amount of food I consumed is shocking, and so my highlights are listed below. The comprehensive list could be considered for publishing as a short novel. What does that really mean, though? That each restaurant is offering exciting and innovative dishes that drew me in for a taste. I couldn’t help but want to hear the chefs explain their food and introduce me to their culinary creations.

My highlight list begins with one of the first items I sampled at the event. Brought to the event by Ivy Bar & Kitchen, the shitake leek pot stickers were incredible. They were served on a bed of Asian noodles topped with a sweet soy and black sesame seeds. Decadent. The flavours were very well balanced and with an extra piece of shitake placed on top, the dish over delivered on delicious.

The second dish that I can’t help but share with you was prepared and served by La Costa Nuova. Part of a restaurant group represented by three establishments, La Costa Nuova brought their A-game with a 12 hour braised short rib topped with a fresh cucumber slaw on crostini. Decadent. The meat melted in my mouth and the cucumber slaw was a beautiful accompaniment, adding a freshness to the savoury short rib. Costa Nuova’s sister restaurants in attendance were Walkers Fish Market who served up fresh pacific oysters from P.E.I., and Pepperwood Bistro who mastered butternut squash perfection with a mulligatawny soup.

The next dish was the standout of the day, in my opinion. When I saw the sign that read Queen’s Head Pub I was prepared to dive into some classic pub fare. To my delight, the culinary team behind this establishment is not only creative but incredibly skilled. The dish was a sampling from their new menu which is more focused on creative gastronomy and will debut at the pub this week. I had the pleasure of eating slow braised beef backribs on a bed of chestnut chilled orzo with Moroccan salt spice, pumpkin seed oil and edible flowers. It sounds complicated and it looked beautiful, but what I can tell you is that it was so right as I enjoyed every last bite. I have never been to Queen’s Head Pub, but they can consider me their newest regular.

And finally an item that comes from the dessert end of the spectrum. It is on this plate that my farm to table sensibility was best satisfied by local flavours. The Water Street Cooker brought dessert, and not just any dessert. A strawberry rhubarb crumble, an amalgamation of some of my favourite flavours. The perfectly moist cake was topped with locally sourced strawberries and rhubarb and finished with a delicious crumble that added a nice sweetness to the tart rhubarb flavor. With each bite this dessert became all the more tempting, and I must say that sponsor winery Flat Rock Cellars’ 2011 Pinot Noir Rose was the perfect pairing.

This event was a delicious success, and with the dishes I enjoyed as an indication of what is to come, it is clear that A Taste of Burlington is a must-add to your social calendar. Affordable price-points for creative gourmet (and in some cases, locally sourced) fare, paired with delicious wines and all in your very own backyard.  For a list of participating restaurants, pricing and menus visit the Taste of Burlington website. This is the definition of a fabulous life, and I hope you’ll join me in supporting the restaurants that are making it happen.

Allie Hughes, Guest Blogger, Hughes & Co.

Allie Hughes is a Niagara based food and wine writer and Partner at Hughes & Co. Her culinary tourism writing has been featured in local publications and large scale publications including WineAlign and Palate Press and she is the resident wine lover on NaturallyInNiagara.ca. Find Allie tasting at a local winery, "plugged in" for her clients or enjoying the local bounty of Niagara with friends and family.

Sweet Canadian Moments 2012

Maple Syrup and Springtime in Canada are synonymous for many of us. My mother, an adventurous foodie before foodie was even a word, used to actually tap the maple trees outside our home in Northern Ontario. Then the kitchen would be filled with maple perfumed steam for hours on end. The result was always very small in quantity but big in flavour. We would savour it, the more because it was so labour intensive to produce, poured on pancakes with sausages and bacon. That maple fog that filled the house remains one of my favourite childhood sensory memories.

It isn’t necessary to go through the hard work of maple syrup making to enjoy the sweet rewards, however. Spring in Burlington offers several opportunities to enjoy the pleasures of maple syrup without all the work.

Bronte Creek Provincial Park

At Bronte Creek Provincial Park, Fresh Ontario Maple Syrup will be yours to savour every weekend in March. At Bronte Creek, the costumed interpreters will demonstrate how to tap the trees, and how to make maple syrup and maple sugar.

During the Maple Syrup Festival, a wagon will take visitors to a heated pancake shack for fresh pancakes, sausages and, of course, maple syrup. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors while learning a little history, and to taste a bit of our most delicious heritage.

The maple syrup festivities are open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every weekend in March. For more information call 905-827-6911 or visit their website.

Maple Festivities at Mountsberg’s Maple Towne

Maple Towne at Mountsberg presents a delicious celebration of our national spring obsession, with a traditional sugar shack, steaming kettles of boiling sap, and tasty treats to sample. You can savour pancakes, with maple syrup, naturally, in an outdoor pavilion.

Visitors learn about the process and history of maple syrup and gain an insight into the life of our ancestors through displays and demonstrations, and can also experience an authentic horse drawn wagon ride through the sugar bush. In addition to the maple syrup activities, there are visits to the play barn and demonstrations of amazing birds of prey at the nearby Raptor Centre. Or take a leisurely hike along the Wildlife Walkway where you may come face to face with an owl or hawk.

Sweet Water Season at Crawford Lake

At Crawford Lake, you’ll see how native peoples produced ‘sweet water’ or maple syrup. On guided hikes, you’ll learn how maple trees were tapped and you’ll get to sample delicious cornbread dipped in fresh maple syrup. Afterwards you can tour the restored 15^th century Iroquois village and its longhouses, then make crafts, watch a video presentation or enjoy walks along the boardwalk that circles Crawford Lake or along the many hiking trails.

Maple Towne at Mountsberg and the Sweet Water Season at Crawford Lake take place weekends to April 9, 2012 on weekends and holidays.

(Hint: Maple Syrup is very popular! There are always line-ups to get in to these activities, especially during March Break. My suggestion is to be there when the doors open at 10 am. Check the website for times, dates and admission prices.)

A Brief History of Maple Syrup

When you visit Mountsberg or Crawford Lake or Bronte Creek for the Maple Syrup Festivals, you will be participating in an activity that has been central to culinary life since, some say, before recorded history.  Native peoples knew the qualities of maple sap, even if they did not have the iron pots for concentrating the sap into syrup. They would use it as a sweet drink or a hot tea.

Early settlers, with their wooden buckets and iron pots, developed techniques for concentrating the sap. After that, maple syrup and maple sugar became staples that could be found on every table during the 17^th and 18^th centuries when other sugars were in short supply. And the sugar shack became an important gathering place in springtime. Here, great clouds of maple steam made the shack toasty warm, and if you were lucky you could try out the syrup, or enjoy the ‘taffy’ formed when the hot thick syrup was poured on snow.

Everything’s better with a Little Maple Syrup!

Pick up a bottle of this year’s vintage of maple syrup from the gift shops at Mountsberg and Crawford Lake and use it generously. Here are a few suggestions for adding maple syrup to your cooking:

·         Pour it, of course, on pancakes, french toast and waffles but don’t forget to put a bit on the bacon during the last few minutes of cooking.  It gives a sweet glaze to the bacon that is irresistible.

·         Add maple syrup to softened butter, mix and chill.  Serve the maple butter on sweet rolls or raisin bread.

·         Sweeten your apple sauce with maple syrup instead of white sugar.

·         Use it to sweeten your tea or coffee.

·         Add it to baked beans.

·         Glaze squash, sweet potatoes or carrots with some maple syrup.

·         Pour over ice cream for an easy and delicious dessert.

·         Serve it with corn fritters.

·         Sprinkle maple sugar on top of your grapefruit.

·         Drizzle maple syrup or maple sugar on top of hot oatmeal.

Be creative! Maple syrup partners well with many dishes.  And it’s good for you. While it has the same number of calories as white sugar or other sweeteners, maple syrup contains iron, calcium and thiamin.

Maple Syrup and Royalty

In a recent exposé posted by a sneaky reporter who posed as a footman and gained access to Buckingham Palace, it was revealed that, on the breakfast table shared by the Queen and Prince Philip, was a silver jug full of Canadian maple syrup.

In fact, the top maple syrup producers have been sending cases of maple syrup to Buckingham Palace for decades, to please the royal sweet tooth. And a truffle maker in Fredericton last year shipped his popular maple flavoured truffles, in a specially designed maple box, to the Queen. Rumour has it that Canadian maple syrup will be on the menu for the wedding breakfast for Kate and William that Queen Elizabeth will be hosting for the couple and their closest friends.

Classic Facts about Maple Syrup

·         It takes 30-50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup .

·         Maple syrup can be concentrated further to produce maple cream, maple sugar, and maple candy.

·         A gallon of maple syrup weighs 11 pounds

·         Usually a maple tree is at least 30 years old and 12 inches in diameter before it is tapped.

·         As the tree increases in diameter, more taps can be added to a maximum of four taps.

·         Tapping does no permanent damage and only 10 percent of the sap is collected each year.

·         Many maple trees have been tapped for 150 or more years.

·         Each tap will yield an average of 10 gallons of sap per season, producing about one quart of syrup.

·         The maple season may last eight to 10 weeks, but sap flow is heaviest for about 10-20 days in the early spring.

·         Maple syrup comes in different grades:

o   "fancy" grade - is the lightest coloured

o   "commercial" grade is the best syrup to use in cooking because it is rich in flavour

© Barbara Ramsay Orr – @Orracle, guest blogger

Barbara Ramsay Orr is a freelance journalist, author of the Frommer's Guide to the Niagara Region, third edition (2010), Day Trips from Toronto for Globe Pequot and a lifetime resident of Ontario. Her work has appeared in many national and international publications, including Chatelaine, Canadian Living, The Globe and mail and Readers Digest. She is the Local Expert on Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Wine Country for Nile Guides, and is launching a travel app for Niagara Falls and on International Wine and Food Festivals. She has been the food writer for Hamilton Magazine for more years than she wishes to admit. You can follow heradventures, tune in to her tweets @Orracle, or visit her Niagara Falls andNiagara-on-the-Lake Blogs. 

Food, Fitness, Fashion & Fun!

Once again this year my friend and I are planning to attend the Burlington Women’s Show since it is a do not miss annual girls outing!  This year we are eager to see some of the new features at the show including a fashion show hosted by style expert for City Line Lynn Spence and the volunteer models from the community.  There are going to be interactive demonstrations including Moksa Yoga, so wear something comfortable!  To top it off the event is going to be M.C.’d by Annette Ham CH TV personality.

We enjoy having hair consultations, seeing new fashions, trying various foods and beverages from local restaurants and learning about new products.  In the past there have been so many samples we were glad we didn’t eat lunch! Here are some of the restaurants confirmed to participate this year which we are keen to check out; Rayhoon, Jack Astors, Water St. Cooker, Gator Teds, Coffee Culture, and Tim Horton’s.  Shopping, of course is always a priority for us and we usually bring home some great items for gifts (or treat ourselves) such as jewellery and other accessories. 

We already have our tickets as the event is coming up soon, Sunday February 26^th from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Tansley Woods Community Centre.  We found that it is best to take the shuttle from Mainway Arena, as the parking lot last year was full when we arrived.  Visit the website for more highlights and details on how to get tickets. 

Need an added incentive?  The first 200 attendees will receive a gift bag full of goodies, samples and offers.

Be a Burlington Ambassador and invite your friends and family to attend the show with you.  See you at the show.

-TourBurl Girl

While our co-worker and friend are out exploring the Women’s Show, I will be getting together with friends to enjoy a Taste of Burlington.  This prix fixe culinary event runs until March 11th at twenty-five of Burlington’s finest restaurants. 

Taste of Burlington runs both a winter and a summer programme which means I always have a great reason to get out and try my favourite restaurants and we try to get out to at least one new one each season.  This year so far we are planning visits to LaCosta Nuova (I must try the Lobster Mac & Cheese) and Martini House.  Last summer we visited Honey West and Paradiso which are both great choices and we have visited The Stone House, Eatalia, Pepperwood Bistro, Siam Dish and more over the years.  We are always impressed by the quality of the food, the generous portions sizes (no skimping here) and creativity of the menus which get better every time!

This winter we are happy to see new additions to the Taste of Burlington including Rayhoon Persian Eatery, Local Eatery & Refuge, Earls, and the Garden Café at the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Red Canoe Bistro

Like many diners these days we are always conscious of trying to incorporate as much local Ontario food into our dining as possible and this winter many of the Taste of Burlington restaurants are adding local Ontario ingredients to their menus including Downtown Bistro, Jake’s Grill & Oyster House, Local Eatery & Refuge, Martini House, Paradiso, Queen’s Head Pub, Red Canoe Bistro, Rude Native Bistro & Lounge, Spencer’s at the Waterfront, The Water St. Cooker and West Plains Bistro.  Look for the Foodland Ontario logo on the website and menus.

For those with a sweet tooth be sure to visit Chocolate: The Exhibition at the Royal Botanical Gardens, then consider lunch at the Garden Cafe or head down the road to the West Plains Bistro for lunch or dinner. For those exploring the Burlington Chocolate Trail there are lots of stops along the way close to participating Taste restaurants that will feature chocolate on their menus including the downtown core (Alex Restaurant, Beaver & Bulldog, Martini House, Paradiso, Queen’s Head Pub, Rayhoon Persian Eatery, Red Canoe Bistro, Rude Native Bistro, and the Water Street Cooker.) In mid-town you can enjoy Local Eatery & Refuge, Jake’s Grill & Oyster House or Walker’s Fish Market and in North Burlington be sure to head to The Purple Heather. 

Whatever you choose be sure to go hungry, with 3 full-courses (appetizer, entree and dessert) you may need to bring a “doggy-bag” home.  Lunches are $15 or $20 and dinners range from $30, $35 or $40.  For individual menus and pricing be sure to visit the website and make your reservation today.

Eat Well!

Top ten things we are thankful for

It’s that wonderful time of year again where we look back fondly on the past 12 months and plan for our future as the new year approaches.  The staff and volunteers at Tourism Burlington are lucky indeed as we have had the pleasure of meeting, helping and working with visitors and residents of Burlington.  As we all gathered together for a holiday luncheon to celebrate the season, share some laughs and thank each other for a job well done the theme was apparent, we love our jobs, our co-workers and our city - Burlington!

This weeks’ blog is dedicated to the top ten things we are thankful for (in no particular order), we hope you enjoy them and be sure to pop in to our Visitor Centre at 414 Locust St. and say hello next time you are in Downtown Burlington.

Family Day at The Centre

1.  Burlington Performing Arts Centre.  This fall we were thrilled to see the doors of The Centre open to the public.  This facility built to LEED principles is poised to become the only freestanding green performing arts centre in Canada.  The Centre is a boon for arts and culture in Burlington and will provide great new Tourism opportunities.

2.    Being named 3^rd best city in Canada for 2 years in a row!Burlington is not only a great place to live but also to visit. Enough said

Burlington Teen Tour Band

     3.  Burlington Teen Tour Band, our unofficial ambassadors have made us proud again this year with their inspired performances both locally and abroad; including a visit to Hawaii for the 70^th anniversary of Pearl Harbour.

     4. We are thankful for Famous Burlingtonians.  Ryan Gosling, named Time magazines coolest person of 2011 attended Lester B. Pearson High School and we are happy to claim him as our own.  Wouldn’t you ladies?

5.    Our dedicated tourism partners and volunteers that work with us to help promote our beautiful city.

6.    Our team of local photographers who continue to donate their best shots of Burlington so that we can share them with you.

Photo Courtesy of Vince Magro

7.    Burlington Hotel Association.  Six member hotels that offer great deals on overnight stays to visitors, work with us to supply group accommodations, provide incentives to attract new meetings, conferences and events to our city and funding to encourage and support event hosting. 

8.    Our culinary “scene”.  Burlington is lucky to have a wide variety of restaurants featuring almost any cuisine you desire, and many now feature local Ontario foods on their menus.  We have great culinary events, lots of agri-tourism, wonderful farms and markets, cooking classes and in 2012 we will be home to the Burlington Chocolate Trail!



Sound of Music Festival



     9.  Our Waterfront.  No matter what the season the waterfront showcases our city and draws people to the shores of Lake Ontario.  It is a great place to walk, run or cycle the waterfront trail, play in the park or partake in one of the many festivals and events that are held annually. 

     10. You!  Thank you for taking the time to engage with us, share your stories, photos and thoughts. 

Happy Holidays from Tourism Burlington

Get Cooking in Burlington

This is the time of year when many of us return to our kitchens and comfort food becomes part of our vocabulary as the cooler temperatures descend on us.  For those of us looking for inspiration this fall and winter, Burlington has a wide range of cooking classes available to suit everyone from the beginner learning to cook to the master of the kitchen looking for new ideas.

The Chefs at Paradiso Restaurant are ready to head back into their in-restaurant cooking studio to teach you how to prepare a wide variety of dishes sure to please every palate. 

We asked Elizabeth, one of our travel counselors to share her Paradiso experience with you (and us).

Cooking @ Paradiso

"Whether you are a seasoned home chef or just starting to try your hand at making a great dinner, you will truly enjoy a cooking class at Paradiso Restaurant, located in the heart of Village Square downtown. My fiancé and I became students for an evening this past January and were excited to add to our growing cooking skills and learn some recipes to impress ourselves and our guests at home. Along with the other 10 participants, we were first taught the basics of working in a restaurant kitchen, from how to walk around the fridges and stoves safely, how to tie your apron like a pro, and how to expertly chop the various ingredients and not our fingers! We were then introduced to the 3-course menu for the evening: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup to start, Moroccan Chicken Supreme with Spiced Potatoes and French Green Beans, and Dark Chocolate Truffle Torte to finish.

We divided into groups that were then each in charge of one or two parts of the meal. With our group, we prepared and stuffed the chicken, peeled and sliced potatoes, and made spice rubs. Our instructor (a Paradiso chef) was wonderful. She circulated around each group, giving tips and pointers about each step along the way and made sure we were all having a great time too. After about an hour or so of hard work and fun in the kitchen, we headed back into the dining room while everything cooked and the finishing touches were completed by the real professionals.

@ Paradiso

Each delicious course was greeted by cheers and compliments to the group that prepared it. Everything tasted even better than Paradiso’s always excellent food, knowing we had helped to create it! By the end of the evening, we not only felt full of an amazing dinner, but also that we had learned many new skills and recipes that we could try and re-create on our own. We happily took home our pamphlets outlining the ingredients and steps for each dish and have even successfully made a couple of the recipes since that evening. Choose any one of Paradiso’s themed cooking classes and be prepared to work hard, learn a lot, have fun, and eat a fabulous meal all in one great night!"

We are pleased to offer you a sneak peek at what classes Paradiso will be offering this autumn.  For full class details, pricing and booking information please visit the website.

Paradiso Cooking Studio Schedule

Wednesday Oct. 5 – Pasta & Sauces

Tuesday Oct. 11 – Tour of Tuscany

Wednesday Oct. 19 – Evening in Greece

Tuesday Oct. 25 – Fish & Shellfish

Thursday Nov. 3 – BBQ & Salsas

Tuesday Nov. 8 – Evening in Spain

Thursday Nov. 10 – Signature Dishes of Paradiso

Tuesday Nov. 15 – Tapas Style Cocktail Party

Head down Brant Street in Downtown Burlington you will find the Stir Kitchen Store which is a dream come true for the chef in all of us.  Not only does this store carry a wide variety of kitchen tools that set the standard for excellence in the industry, but they can teach you to cook as well at their in store cooking classes.

Pasta class @ Stir Kitchen

Stir cooking classes will teach you the fine art of cooking everything from appetizers to desserts.  In the demonstration based classes, the chef prepares the meal in front of you and you are served a full course meal including an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Participants receive the full recipe and instructions to take home with them.  Stir also offers hands-on classes that allow you to make the dish from scratch with instruction from the chef.  After completing the hands-on class, participants eat what they have prepared.

Homemade pasta @Stir Kitchen

Stir has a wonderful group of talented chefs working with them.  Chefs that have taught here include Chris Haworth from Spencer’s, Michael Levin from Walker’s Fish Market, personal chef and cookbook author Geeta Maini, French chef Andre Donnet, Luca Rosa, Fabiola Gonzalez and more.  They are always looking for new talent and trying to expand their repertoire of classes such as Gluten free and vegan classes, as well as knife skills classes. 

If you are ready to give it a try, check out the class schedule below and visit their website for details.

Stir Kitchen Schedule:

Oct 2 - Hands-On Pasta Making Class with Chef Luca Rosa

Oct 13 -Welcome to the delicious world of Indian food with Chef & Author Geeta Maini.

Oct 20 - Sauce Class with Chef Andre Donnet

Oct 22 - Ghoulish delights!

Oct 23 - Hands-on Fusion Class with Chef and cookbook author Geeta Maini.

Oct 28 - Moroccan Cooking with Nezha Saad

Nov 3 - French Cooking with Chef Andre Donnet

Nov 5 - Holiday Appetizer Class 1 with Chef Fabiola Gonzalez

Nov 12 - Holiday Appetizer Class II with Chef Fabiola Gonzalez

Nov 19 - Holiday Baking Class with Chef Fabiola Gonzalez

Burlington is fortunate to be home to two vegan restaurants that offer cooking classes and workshops throughout the year.

Chef Peter @ Naked Sprout

The Naked Sprout in North Burlington is a full-service vegan restaurant that offers cooking classes in a demonstration format.   They currently do not have any classes scheduled but check their website for updates.  For those interested in trying to go “raw” consider attending the 7-day raw food challenge workshop and information session.  More information is available here.

Kindfood in Downtown Burlington is a combination gluten-free, vegan bakery/café/store.  Kindfood runs one of the most interesting, motivating, fun, interactive, and delicious cooking classes in the GTA. The cooking class is lead by the Owner of Kindfood, Kelly Childs, and her daughter Erinn Weatherbie who is also an owner of Kindfood. They offer a bright, fresh take on cooking and how to eat a healthy whole foods, plant-based diet, in other words there is no meat, cheese, dairy, or any animal product of any kind in their food. Dates have not be determined for the next round of cooking classes, however they are planning on running more this fall. Look for a schedule to be posted on their facebook page or website at http://www.kindfood.com/

Burlington is one of a handful of locations that feature LCBO cooking classes.  At the Millcroft location you can meet some of the finest chefs and learn about their personal cooking techniques as well as, what LCBO products compliment your menus.   Cooking Classes include a small food sample of each dish and a wine match for some of the menu selected by LCBO Consultants.

LCBO Millcroft Schedule:

Thursday, October 6 - Give Thanks - *Full-meal class

Saturday, October 8 - Stress-Free Entertaining

Thursday, October 13 -Tastes Of An Italian-Inspired Harvest Menu

Saturday, October 15 -Stylish And Sophisticated Indian Cooking

Thursday, October 20 -What's For Dinner?

Saturday, October 22 -Anytime Entertaining Options

Tuesday, October 25 -The Elegant Vegetarian

Thursday, October 27 -Autumn Flavours

Saturday, October 29 -Entertaining With Pastries

Saturday, November 5 -Culinary Masterpieces - *Featured Chef

Thursday, November 10 -Delicious Make-Ahead Dinner

Saturday, November 12 -Savvy Entertaining Shortcuts

Tuesday, November 15 -Asian Finger Foods Part One

Wednesday, November 16 -Asian Finger Foods Part Two

Thursday, November 17 -Black-Tie Dining

Saturday, November 19 -Sweet And Savoury Holiday Treats

Thursday, November 24 -Spirited Cuisine

Saturday, November 26 -Baker's Secrets And Fabulous Cookies And Squares

Tuesday, November 29 -Home For The Holidays

Visit the website for more details on available classes and registration.

This winter a Taste of Burlington will be partnering with GO Cooking at the Hamilton Spectator to present a series of cooking classes featuring chefs from select Taste of Burlington restaurants.    GO Cooking classes are a chef's table format were you can interact with the chef as (s)he prepares taste sensations, plus sample the wine-consultant's pairings uniquely selected for each plate that is served.  Visit the website for current class offering and watch for Taste classes running February/March 2012.

I don’t know about you but we are ready to get out and get cooking.  We would love to hear about your culinary experiences in Burlington, please email us your stories and photos.

Cheers and Bon Appétit!