TORONTO - You might say it's fit for a future king. Cider, that is.
Prince William is widely reported to enjoy a pint. In fact, when word got out that the eldest son of Charles and Diana had a fondness for hard cider, a cider apple was named after him by Britain's National Association of Cider Makers in 2010. Thatchers Cider in Sandford, England, makes Thatchers Prince William Cider from Prince William apples.
On this side of the pond, producers are finding that the beverage made from fermented apples is catching on. A chef in Burlington, Ont., and his sommelier are even putting together a tasting menu featuring dishes created from local ingredients paired with area ciders.
The multi-course meal being prepared by chef Chris Haworth will be paired with unique Ontario ciders, ranging from Champagne-style cider to ice cider. Quebec is a pioneer in the production of ice cider, a drink made from the fermented juice of frozen apples.
The chef at Spencer's at the Waterfront in Burlington, Ont., hails from Manchester in northern England and has a fondness for cider.
"Hard cider is something I am very keen on promoting," says the 38-year-old, who has been in Canada for six years.
Alcoholic hard cider is not to be confused with the non-alcoholic, unfiltered, unsweetened drink made from apples. This sweet apple cider, which is usually tangier than conventional filtered and treated apple juice sold in grocery stores, is typically served at such holidays as Thanksgiving and Christmas and sometimes is heated and mulled.
In the United Kingdom, it's common to find many types of hard cider, ranging from dry to sweet. Haworth says one of his friends can choose from among 20 ciders in his neighbourhood pub in Somerset. Cider is also popular in other countries, including Spain, Germany and Australia, and in the French regions of Brittany and Normandy.
Hard cider is becoming much more popular in Canada, Haworth says, noting that the cider industry in this country has grown exponentially over the past decade. Producers in Canada, especially on the west coast, in Quebec and Ontario, have been experimenting with different types of cider.
Haworth plans to feature 10 different ciders at his dinner on Sunday.
"We are treating it like a winemakers dinner. I am going to talk about the food and I am matching it with certain ciders and the cider maker will talk about their passion, their drive."
Spencer’s at the Waterfront's sommelier Craig McLean tackled the task of deciding which ciders to pair with Haworth’s dinner menu.
McLean says he has done winemakers dinners in the past, but “nothing out of left field like this."
"It is not something you usually get to do with cider. It is usually done with wine or beer," says McLean.
The challenge of teaming cider with food is that you don't want the sweetness of the cider to affect the flavour of the dish, he says.
"Even though they are dry ciders, they have an essence of sweetness to them. You really have to be careful when you pair them with savoury dishes that Chris is coming up with," McLean explains.
Grant Howes, owner of the County Cider Company Estate Winery, is an artisanal cider producer near Picton in Ontario's Prince Edward County. A couple of his ciders are going to be served at Haworth's dinner.
"We have been producing cider here for over 15 years from apples we grow on our own farm."
He said in a recent interview that over the years he has been propagating different varietals in his orchards, researching which are disease resistant and keeping track of which ones work and which ones don't.
"As a result of that we now have the largest private collection of cider apples in North America," he says.
Howe says he uses cider apples as the base for his beverages and then uses a blend of other apples, such as Ida Red and Northern Spy, to provide another level of flavour.
"I look for complex flavours. If you use true cider apples they are inedible. You can't eat them. They are not like a dessert fruit. You cannot make good cider out of a McIntosh apple. You get the depth and character and tannins out of the true cider apple," he says.
His products are sold in Ontario liquor stores and are on tap in pubs. "I think there has been a recognition of the cider category at some pubs, but we are still fighting very strong branding by imported ciders like Strongbow and Irish ciders like Magner," says Howes.
"We are offering ice ciders at the dinner," he said, adding that it will be "a chance for other cider producers from across the province to get together and compare notes."
Other artisanal cideries participating in the event include Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon, Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Twin Pines Orchards and Cider House, Thedford, Ont.
And though Prince William won't be able to make the tasting dinner, it's hoped that he and his new bride will have a chance to sample some local ciders while they're in Canada on their first official tour after their marriage.
For more information about the dinner at Spencer's at the Waterfront, call the restaurant at 905-633-7494 or by email atjessica(at)spencers.ca. Tickets are $95, including all drinks, taxes and tip.
source. http://www.brandonsun.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/chef-offers-unique-menu-pairing-cider-with-dishes-featuring-local-ingredients-116606373.html?thx=y
Prince William is widely reported to enjoy a pint. In fact, when word got out that the eldest son of Charles and Diana had a fondness for hard cider, a cider apple was named after him by Britain's National Association of Cider Makers in 2010. Thatchers Cider in Sandford, England, makes Thatchers Prince William Cider from Prince William apples.
On this side of the pond, producers are finding that the beverage made from fermented apples is catching on. A chef in Burlington, Ont., and his sommelier are even putting together a tasting menu featuring dishes created from local ingredients paired with area ciders.
The multi-course meal being prepared by chef Chris Haworth will be paired with unique Ontario ciders, ranging from Champagne-style cider to ice cider. Quebec is a pioneer in the production of ice cider, a drink made from the fermented juice of frozen apples.
The chef at Spencer's at the Waterfront in Burlington, Ont., hails from Manchester in northern England and has a fondness for cider.
"Hard cider is something I am very keen on promoting," says the 38-year-old, who has been in Canada for six years.
Alcoholic hard cider is not to be confused with the non-alcoholic, unfiltered, unsweetened drink made from apples. This sweet apple cider, which is usually tangier than conventional filtered and treated apple juice sold in grocery stores, is typically served at such holidays as Thanksgiving and Christmas and sometimes is heated and mulled.
In the United Kingdom, it's common to find many types of hard cider, ranging from dry to sweet. Haworth says one of his friends can choose from among 20 ciders in his neighbourhood pub in Somerset. Cider is also popular in other countries, including Spain, Germany and Australia, and in the French regions of Brittany and Normandy.
Hard cider is becoming much more popular in Canada, Haworth says, noting that the cider industry in this country has grown exponentially over the past decade. Producers in Canada, especially on the west coast, in Quebec and Ontario, have been experimenting with different types of cider.
Haworth plans to feature 10 different ciders at his dinner on Sunday.
"We are treating it like a winemakers dinner. I am going to talk about the food and I am matching it with certain ciders and the cider maker will talk about their passion, their drive."
Spencer’s at the Waterfront's sommelier Craig McLean tackled the task of deciding which ciders to pair with Haworth’s dinner menu.
McLean says he has done winemakers dinners in the past, but “nothing out of left field like this."
"It is not something you usually get to do with cider. It is usually done with wine or beer," says McLean.
The challenge of teaming cider with food is that you don't want the sweetness of the cider to affect the flavour of the dish, he says.
"Even though they are dry ciders, they have an essence of sweetness to them. You really have to be careful when you pair them with savoury dishes that Chris is coming up with," McLean explains.
Grant Howes, owner of the County Cider Company Estate Winery, is an artisanal cider producer near Picton in Ontario's Prince Edward County. A couple of his ciders are going to be served at Haworth's dinner.
"We have been producing cider here for over 15 years from apples we grow on our own farm."
He said in a recent interview that over the years he has been propagating different varietals in his orchards, researching which are disease resistant and keeping track of which ones work and which ones don't.
"As a result of that we now have the largest private collection of cider apples in North America," he says.
Howe says he uses cider apples as the base for his beverages and then uses a blend of other apples, such as Ida Red and Northern Spy, to provide another level of flavour.
"I look for complex flavours. If you use true cider apples they are inedible. You can't eat them. They are not like a dessert fruit. You cannot make good cider out of a McIntosh apple. You get the depth and character and tannins out of the true cider apple," he says.
His products are sold in Ontario liquor stores and are on tap in pubs. "I think there has been a recognition of the cider category at some pubs, but we are still fighting very strong branding by imported ciders like Strongbow and Irish ciders like Magner," says Howes.
"We are offering ice ciders at the dinner," he said, adding that it will be "a chance for other cider producers from across the province to get together and compare notes."
Other artisanal cideries participating in the event include Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon, Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Twin Pines Orchards and Cider House, Thedford, Ont.
And though Prince William won't be able to make the tasting dinner, it's hoped that he and his new bride will have a chance to sample some local ciders while they're in Canada on their first official tour after their marriage.
For more information about the dinner at Spencer's at the Waterfront, call the restaurant at 905-633-7494 or by email atjessica(at)spencers.ca. Tickets are $95, including all drinks, taxes and tip.
source. http://www.brandonsun.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/chef-offers-unique-menu-pairing-cider-with-dishes-featuring-local-ingredients-116606373.html?thx=y
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