We Heart Our Media Partners

Terroir has been uniting chefs, cooks, sommeliers, winemakers, farmers, artists, authors, advocates, producers and more for over a decade. 

We've invited guests and distinguished speakers from across Canada, North America and the world to come and share their lessons, share their research, share their life's work in order to inspire new ideas and create new connections. 

We can't do it without the help of our media supporters. This year we've partnered with an amazing group of media partners who have helped share our Canadian Themed programming just in time for Canada's 150th Birthday. We couldn't do it without you. Thank you for your continued support.

THANK YOU! 

Terroir - Where the World Of Wine Unites

Wine is undoubtedly synonymous for it's use and connection to terroir. Winemakers & vignerons coined and use word ‘terroir’ to describe the various components that help grapes develop the look, smell and taste of a certain place. Wine is a powerful expression of place, each year wine is a large component of our Terroir Symposium. Terroir means something different to everyone but in the wine world ‘terroir’ is used to describe the various & often times unique natural factors that contribute in creating this taste of place, for example the sun, wind, soil, aspect, rain, climate, topography & biodiversity of the vineyard all play vital roles in shaping wine. 

Every year Terroir Symposium unites talented winemakers, distributors, sommeliers and wine marketers from all over the world to explore wine and discuss the latest trends and research within the field. Partnering with Wine Country Ontario & VQA this year we’ll meet Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, and discuss the trends and topics within our local wine community.

Love wine? Join us for one of our wine sessions outlined below.  

#1 Orange Wine

What’s your skin in the game?

Ontario’s Vintner Quality Alliance (VQA) is about to approve regulations governing the production and certification of skin-fermented white Ontario wines, more commonly referred to as “orange” wines. Join John Szabo, Master Sommelier, and orange wine stakeholders, for a philosophical debate about skin-contact wines and the new legislation that will govern them, as well as an informative tasting, featuring Ontario wines with different degrees of skin contact. Prepare for an exciting blind tasting and heated discussion!

#2 Canadian Riesling Session

Long Live Riesling

The darling of many wine experts, is Riesling the single greatest white grape variety? Grown across Canada with 2,700 acres grown in Ontario, local Riesling stands out amongst the best. Join Riesling specialist Ursula Heinzelmann and Magdalena Kaiser of VQA Wines of Ontario as they moderate an interactive panel discussion focused on this noble white grape. Featuring Ontario Riesling while we explore different Riesling styles from other key wine regions.

#3 The Explosion of Canadian Fizz

Canadian sparkling wine is one of Canada’s most exciting wine trends. Join Eugene Mlynczyk, MW on a journey through the sparkling wines of Canada with a special focus on VQA Wines of Ontario. Discover the key styles and unique characteristics that local sparkling wines have to offer. Provincially and nationally our climate produces top bubbles with fully developed flavours, high acid and low potential alcohol, critical for great sparkling wine. 

Photo Credit: Wine Country Ontario + Culinary Tourism Alliance 

Meet Canada's Smartest Kitchen

Not sure how to start your food business? Need help getting your food business to the next level? Are you looking for food experts? Look no further than Canada's Smartest Kitchen. 

What is Canada’s Smartest Kitchen?

Canada’s Smartest Kitchen is a food product development centre based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Our team of chefs, food scientists, and market experts work together with clients to bring leading-edge food products to life - from concept to market.

So you’re like a food business incubator? Where did the idea come from?

We are more active on the front end of development. We work on everything from consumer science and sensory panels to get third-party validation from real consumers to working on innovative packaging concepts with our European partners. Incubation is typically the next step in a product’s pathway to market, but we do work with clients on the scale-up of their production when they get to that stage.

Take us through the services you offer?

Food product development is an umbrella term for the concept to market services we offer. Essentially, we’re solution providers to food businesses of all sizes and sectors, we become an extension of their team. Our core services include:

Food Product Development - From bench top prototypes to product reformulation and optimization. This is our primary expertise.

Consumer & Sensory Science - We conduct focus groups and sensory panels in our state of the art sensory lab. This gives clients unbiased feedback on their products and helps our developers to refine prototypes.

Market Research - An incredibly important service that can guide the development of a product. It’s so crucial to understand the market you intend to enter and the customer you’re targeting.

Food Styling & Media - We have an in-house food stylist who is a decorated chef and product developer as well. She works with a team to produce beautiful food media for our clients.

Corporate Chef Services - Our chefs work with clients to promote their products at tradeshows and expos. They have a detailed understanding of these products so they are able to be a strong marketing and sales tool for clients.

Who should apply to Canada’s Smartest Kitchen?

We work with food, beverage, and ingredient suppliers of all sizes. We specialize in functional foods and beverages, seafood (we are an Island, after all), and artisan products. Because of the different skill sets on our team, we’re able to take on projects of any scope and size.  

What are some new innovations that have come from Canada’s Smartest Kitchen?

While we are very proud of the work we conduct, the nature of research & development limits how much we are able to talk about it. At a high level, over the past year we’ve worked on value-added seafood products, functional baked goods, packaging concepts for a brewery and an organic vegetable producer, sensory analysis of frozen retail and foodservice products, and market studies for protein snacks and seasonings.

Share with us your tips on travelling to PEI - Must visit restaurants?

Point Prim Chowder House in Belfast on the eastern end of the Island. The food is great, but the setting is incredible. There is no better, more quintessential PEI restaurant. You can eat the freshest seafood right on the water. Richard’s Fresh Seafood on the North Shore is also a great spot to hit up after the beach. There’s no shortage of fresh seafood spots on PEI.

Must visit breweries or wineries? Upstreet Craft Brewing is a favourite in Charlottetown, but if you’re up for an adventure, head 20 minutes out of town to BarNone Brewery on Thursday evenings for a really unique experience.

Food experiences you have to do while in PEI? If you’re planning to visit, September is a great time. There is a month long PEI Fall Flavours festival, which plays host to the PEI International Shellfish Festival and a month’s worth of other food events all across the Island.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, what’s in your glass? A caesar - Island style with PEI Potato vodka and garnished with a PEI mussel.

The earth is throwing a potluck, PEI has to bring one thing. What is it? Oysters. Can we bring some grass fed PEI beef, too? We don’t think anyone will object. 

Meet the Culinary Tourism Alliance.

Formerly known as the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance, the OCTA team has recently rebranded to focus on culinary tourism across Ontario & Canada. 

Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA for short) is a not-for-profit devoted to connecting taste-makers, sharing their stories & sparking delicious developments in food tourism. They work around the world, but Ontario has a special place in their hearts (and stomachs!)

We sat down with them to learn a little more about what makes Ontario so special—and what you need to see, do and eat while you’re here for Terroir 2017.

We get Culinary. We get Tourism. But what exactly do you guys do?

Photo Credit: Terry Manzo

Along with our member destinations, there are over 50 of them in the province, we’re working to build rural economies by driving people to places for food and drink. Think farmers markets, undiscovered tiny towns, our vast and beautiful wine regions... We want people to travel in Ontario for food. Tourism spending, especially on food and drink, can be an extremely powerful economic driver. We’re working with regions to tell their stories, but also create products and experiences that speak to our unique and diverse food culture.

So how do we find these delicious, undiscovered experiences?

Definitely look for Feast On™ Certified restaurants, whether you’re on the road or looking for a night out in your home town. Being Certified means these places are actively working with farmers and have built local sourcing into their business models. These are businesses who are working hard to put more local food on plates, even when it’s difficult.

For road trip ideas, check out OntarioCulinary.com. We’ve got itineraries, destinations, even recipes reflecting Ontario’s food and drink. If you’re strapped for time, follow us on social media @OntarioCulinary. We’re sharing our favourites daily.

Sounds like there’s endless things to do in Ontario. Shall we answer some rapid fire questions?

We’re game, if you are!

Best thing you ate in 2016? 
Starting with the hard ones, eh? We just learned about cheddar cheese on apple pie on a recent jaunt along the Apple Pie Trail. Minds blown.

Photo Credit: Apple Trail + Culinary Tourism Alliance.

Must see spot in Toronto? 
We always suggest Café Belong at the Evergreen Brick Works. It’s off the beaten path, the food is amazing and they’re Feast On Certified! Plus, you can easily lose yourself for day at the Saturday at the Farmers Market.

Must see spot in Niagara? 
Ravine Vineyard… for a meal, a tour or even just a glass of rosé at the bar.

Photo Credit: Wine Country Ontario + Culinary Tourism Alliance

Most underrated destination?
Grey County and the Beaver Valley. Rolling hills dotted with orchards and great cideries, plus really good food and down to earth, salt-of-the-earth vibe.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere, what’s in your glass?
Prince Edward County pinot noir. Ideally, it’s our third glass of the afternoon.

The earth is throwing a potluck, Ontario has to bring one thing. What is it?
A maple butter tart.

Photo Credit: Headwaters Tourism + Culinary Tourism Alliance

And where are you eating it?
At Doo Doo’s Bakery in The Kawarthas, home of the Butter Tart Trail! 

One more thing everyone should add to their hitlist?
Craft Beer in Windsor and Ottawa and Kingston. Beer everywhere right now, really! 

Ticket Giveaway: Calling All Line Cooks + Kitchen Staff

Are you a line cook or work in a kitchen? Then this challenge is for you.

This year we've partnered with Pulse Canada to conduct a culinary challenge to giveaway 4 tickets to Terroir 2017. Post a photo of your favourite or most creative dish featuring pulses (lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas) on social media and tag #PulseXTerroir by MAY 12th 2017. 

4 creative dishes will win and 4 chefs will be given tickets to this year's Terroir Symposium courtesy of Pulse Canada. 

The 4 lucky winners will also get to go to the Terroir Retreat. 

Good luck! 

The Protein Packed Canadian Food You've Never Heard Of

Did you know that Canada is a leading grower of pulses? Wait, what is a pulse? You can cook with pulses?

Pulses are the dried seeds of the legume plant. What separates pulses from the rest of the legume family (which includes foods like peanuts and soy) is that they contain virtually no fat.

In Canada, we produce four types of pulses – dry beans, dry peas, lentils and chickpeas. Canadian pulses truly help feed the world - they are exported to more than 150 countries. In 2016, Canada exported 5.7 million tonnes of pulse crops worth $4.1 billion.

Most people cook and eat pulses but don’t know what they are. The United Nations actually declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses because they are are nutritional, cost effective and packed with protein. You can bring these benefits to your kitchen too – just add pulses to your next dish!

Here are some quick facts:

-        Pulses are nutritional powerhouses loaded with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals

-        Pulses can help improve your bottom line - lentils cost just $0.16 cents/serving. They one of the most cost effective source of protein, iron, folate & more!

-        Lentils contain 1.5 times the amount of iron as a steak & twice the protein of quinoa (!)

-        A half cup of pulses contains 7 – 17g of fibre.

-        Pulses can be easily added to soups, salads, sauces, bakes goods and even meats  to boost protein and fibre

-        Pulses are also good for the environment as they have a lower carbon footprint than most food groups.

-        Pulses are tasty, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan

Visit www.pulses.org to learn more. And be sure to stop by the Pulses booth at Terroir 2017 to sample some delicious pulse foods. 

Shakshuka with Chickpeas

Recipe provided by Pulse Canada

This middle Eastern ragout is often served for breakfast but also makes a great lunch or dinner entrée. A great hearty vegetarian dish that’s easy to make for any meal, this dish incorporates hearty and healthy chickpeas with classic Middle Eastern flavours. 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp (30 mL) canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

½ green pepper, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1 tsp (5 mL) cumin

1 Tbsp (15 mL) paprika

1 (28 oz/796 mL) can whole tomatoes with juices

½ (5.5 oz/156 mL) can tomato paste

1 (19 oz/540 mL) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

¼ tsp (1 mL) salt

6 eggs

½ cup (125 mL) crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh parsley

6 pieces toasted bread or pita

Directions:

1.      In a large skillet or saucepan with a lid, heat canola oil over medium heat. Add onion, green and jalapeno peppers and saute until they begin to soften and brown, about 5 - 10 minutes.

2.      Add the garlic, cumin and paprika, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes with juices, tomato paste and chickpeas. Season with salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with the spoon, untilsauce thickens, about 15 - 20 minutes.

3.      Make a shallow well in sauce for each egg and crack eggs into wells. Cover pan with a lid, letting the eggs poach for 5-7 minutes for soft eggs.

4.      To serve, carefully scoop some sauce and an egg into a bowl. Top with feta and parsley. Serve with toasted bread or pita.

Cook’s Note: 1 (19 oz/540 mL) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained equals 2 cups (500 mL) cooked chickpeas.

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 egg and ¾ cup (175 mL) sauce

Nutritional Analysis: 

Calories 342

Total Fat 13 g

Saturated Fat 3 g

Cholesterol 189 mg

Sodium 723 mg

Total Carbohydrates 40 g

Fibre 7 g

Sugars 9 g

Protein 17 g

Folate 41 mcg

Potassium 212 mg

Vegetarian

More Ways to Enjoy Pulses......

Thai Coconut Chickpea Curry - easy to make ahead of time

Hoisin Lentil Salad Wraps - easy to make and vegetarian!

Black Bean Burger - tasty vegetarian option for BBQ lovers