Durham Central » Food

Make your own wine

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:54:25 +0000

Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice encourages others to get creative while continuing to enjoy the finer things in life.

The current state of our economy has people taking a hard look at ways to keep money in their pocket without having to give up on the things they love most, like their wine. With this in mind, people are quickly discovering all the benefits of making their own top quality wines at a fraction of retail wine prices!

The friendly people at Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice think that this should be a time to celebrate and take stock of the important things in life, like spending time with friends and family. “We recognize that people are concerned about what is happening these days”, says Sarah-Beth, “but there are so many inexpensive ways to continue to enjoy the finer things in life, we just need to get creative when we’re making plans.”

Here are some suggestions on ways to get creative while spending time with friends and family that won’t break the bank. Instead of going out to an expensive Restaurant and spending hundreds of dollars on food and wine, why not have a potluck dinner party and serve your own top quality wine? Everyone brings a dish and pairs it with the appropriate personally made wine from Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice.

It’s a wonderful experience to spend a Saturday afternoon together with friends and make your own wine. With countless varieties available, groups can enjoy creating their own wines, socializing with friends, while keeping some of that hard-earned money in their pocket. It’s a great inexpensive way to add to one’s personal wine collection. But why stop there… once your wines are ready, a wine tasting event at someone’s home is the perfect and inexpensive way to celebrate your personal creations.

It’s great to create memorable experiences with friends and family. With your own collection of top quality wines from Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice, you can “have your wine and drink it too”, at a fraction of retail wine prices. Cheers to that!”

Newsplash – At the 2008 Wine Making International amateur wine competition, Winexpert won 6 of the top 10 wine kits from thousands of entries originating from 8 Canadian provinces and 48 American states!

Seafood Splash Recipe

A delicious seafood dish with scallops, shrimp and tomato pasta sauce, this recipe calls for our “Selection Estate New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc”

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Butter
1 small onion – chopped
1 garlic clove – minced
2 tbsp basil – chopped
1/2 cup Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 cups fresh diced tomatoes
1 pkg shrimp and scallops

Preparation:

Saute butter, onions, garlic clove and chopped basil until onions are soft. Add the wine, then reduce liquid to 1/3. Add 1 cup heavy cream (whipping) and reduce to 1/3. Add 2-3 cups fresh diced tomatoes and bring to a boil, then add shrimp and scallops. Heat until seafood is cooked. Enjoy!

Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice also specializes in all inclusive Wedding Wine Packages!
Gift Certificates also available!

About this article: Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice is located at 1414 King St. East. (Hwy#2 and Townline) in Courtice. They can be reached at 905-438-VINO(8466) or by email at winexpertcourtice@yahoo.ca or visit the Winexpert Web Site. Are you interested in an Advertorial on DurhamCentral.com for your Business? Click here for all the details.

Print or mention this coupon!

Custom Cakes for any occasion

admin — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:34:39 +0000

If you’ve ever watched the Food Network program “Ace of Cakes” or have ever wanted to do something extra fun for one of your celebrations or special events then we invite you to discover the amazing Cakes from Distinctive Cakes!

Located in Ajax, Ontario, Distinctive Cakes will take your favourite object, idea or vision within your imagination and turn it into amazing Cake Art! According to Company owner Michelle, “I absolutely love designing cakes! The ability to use my artistic expression through cakes to capture something that is unique & special about an individual that resonates with them is the ultimate gift.”

Michelle also loves the personalization factor, “Cake designing is not just a job, it’s my passion”. Well, if customer reaction is any indication, then Michelle has found her niche and special events all over Durham Region will be more fun thanks to her unique creations.

It’s not just Birthday Parties that bring out Michelle’s passion for creating these amazing works of art. Weddings, Anniversaries, Corporate Events, Baby Showers or just about any other “Special Event” can be made extra memorable with a Distinctive Cake!

It’s a fun Business to be in, when we get a call from somebody who needs a cake, we never know what we’ll be creating until they share their idea with us. “It’s challenging, but in a fun way that keeps our creative juices flowing.” So, how do the cakes taste? “We use the very best ingredients to create our cakes and every bite is absolutely delicious!” says Michelle.

Customer reaction has been extremely positive and it’s been very rewarding to hear all the positive feedback. Having a positive impact on people’s emotions during times of celebration “makes me feel like I am doing exactly what I was destined to do”. Customers have said wonderful things like… “We loved the cake. My sister was very happy with it and our guests had a good laugh. It’s exactly what we wanted and the colour worked out so well. I’m attaching a picture of my sister’s tummy. Without having met her, you captured her profile very well.” Another customer said… “You did a great job and replicated the cake we wanted ever so perfectly. Thanks so much!”

So no matter what your Celebration or Special Event, why not make it more memorable with a with a custom designed cake from Distinctive Cakes, your guests and your taste buds will thank you!

About this article: Distinctive Cakes is located in Ajax Ontario and serves Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area. For more information or to order your custom cake, please visit www.DistinctiveCakes.ca. Find out how to add an article about your Business to our site.

Scone Virgin

admin — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:29:53 +0000

I have a confession to make. I was a scone virgin.

No, really … I was. Up until a week ago, I’ve never made scones before. I’ve never even eaten a scone before. What a world I have been missing!

There are so many different kinds of scones. And different ways to pronounce it as well. Yet again, it’s another battle between the British and the Americans. The Brits pronounce it as “skon” like gone. Whereas, the Americans pronounce it as “s-cone” like own. Either way you say it, they’re still a versatile little biscuit. Click here to read more about the history on scones. Being so versatile, there’s sure to be a least 1 or 2 or more you can add to your recipe repertoire.

You can make them sweet, like the Cranberry Orange Scones. Great with a cup of joe in the morning or when you have company over in the evening. This recipe is not overly sweet and can be changed to suit your family’s tastes. Switch out the orange for lemon or the cranberries for blueberries. For you chocolate lovers out there, skip the cranberries and orange all together. Throw chocolate chips into the mix and drizzle chocolate sauce on top. Or for you fellow Canadians out there…MAPLE! Add some maple syrup and walnuts to the mix & instead of water for the icing – use maple syrup! I bet it wont be long before you have a few favourites.

You can make them savory, like Bacon Cheddar Scones. Fabulous along side say maybe … a bowl of Creamy Clam Chowder. Make them bite-sized and serve them along with the Garlic & Parmesan version (coming soon) to make great hors d’oeurvres! Again, feel free to switch out different herbs & spices and customize them for your occasion.

Now, don’t get me wrong, scones do come with a reputation. Don’t Be Alarmed! Scones, like biscuits, have been known from time to time in a land far far away, to turn out like hockey pucks. Okay, triangle-shaped hockey pucks. The key to avoiding this is to simply not overmix your ingredients. Be gentle. Be tender. If you follow this one golden rule, you will guarantee yourself a fine and dandy scone.

So the next time you see an attractive, enticing scone in your local coffeeshop – go all the way!
Home, that is, and bake yourself a batch of these great versatile biscuits that your family will love.

Access lots of great free recipes at our site: www.RecipesFromSuburbia.com

Teddys Diner

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:26:50 +0000

Teddy’s Diner in Oshawa is one great deal! Not only will you get great food and plenty of it, the wait staff is also impressive! We’re talking big portions, great flavour and fast service here! For those reasons we’ve decided that Teddy’s Deli Diner is definately a Durham Region hot spot! So if you want to dine out and feel like you got your money’s worth then give Teddy’s a try, and don’t let the lineup put you off, it moves fast!

Teddy’s Diner is located at the corner of Park Rd and King St. in Oshawa. Enjoy!

Better Crockpot Cooking

admin — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:40:04 +0000

Tips To Making Your Crockpot Cooking Better
by: Jeff Jones

The crockpot may be the perfect cooking appliance for a new cook. It’s no wonder it’s become so popular in so many American Kitchens. You add the ingredients and turn it on. Let the slow cooker do the rest! Plus, it’s really hard to mess up a crockpot recipe.

Here are some tips to make your slow-cooking better.

The best crockpots have a removable liner. The crockpots that have built-in liners are very difficult to clean. You will enjoy cooking in an appliance that is easy to care for. There are many inexpensive models of crockpots available now.

Try to buy a crockpot that’s big enough to hold more than the normal amount of food you will need. That way, you’ll have extra capacity available when you need it unexpectedly.

Make sure not to over-fill the pot when you are adding ingredients. The experts recommend filling it between one-half to two-thirds full maximum. This will facilitate even cooking and avoid the mess when it bubbles over.

Many crockpot recipes call for some sort of meat. Some of the best pot roasts and chicken dishes I’ve had have come from a crockpot! Remember when slow cooking meat to trim off excess fat. Due to the prolonged cooking in a slow cooker, that excess fat can really get cooked in giving your dish an odd taste.

No matter how good the meal starts to smell resist the temptation to open the lid. Each time you do, heat escapes, and the cooker will take longer to finish your meal. The ingredients at the bottom will cook faster than those on top, but it is not necessary to stir as often as you would a stove-top recipe. Keep that lid on except when it is absolutely necessary to stir your recipe.

As for cooking time as directed by recipes – keep in mind that one hour on high in a crockpot is equal to about 2 hours on low. If your slow cooker recipe calls for a four-hour cook time on high, but you want to eat in eight hours, cook your dish on low.

Crockpot cooking can be easy, fun and really tasty. Check out our assortment of crockpot cookers at http://www.searchkitchenappliances.com/Small-Kitchen-Appliances/Cookers-Steamers

About The Author : Jeff Jones is passionate about food and does’t mind stepping out of my comfort zone to make a meal an event to be savored. Stop by my Reading Room and pick up some tips and tricks you can use today! www.SearchKitchenAppliances.com

Durham Golf and Leisure Saving Book

admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:47:28 +0000

2010 is a great year to save money! This year we are proud to offer the best value in and around Durham Region. The 2010 Golf and Leisure Savings Book contains hundreds of coupon offers that will save you over $9,500 in Durham Region, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes and surrounding areas.

Our high value coupons include:

157 FREE ROUNDS OF GOLF

168 coupons at 53 golf courses. Average value of these offers is $42 each.

Plus 74 coupons for driving ranges, golf instruction, miniature golf and golf retail shops

You can redeem 118 additional coupons for discounts at popular restaurants, pubs, spas ski resorts and entertainment

Preview the Golf and Leisure book by clicking here! or order your copy today!

The Courtyard Pub

admin — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:26:05 +0000

Originally opened in August of 2000 as a ”Waltzing Weasel” pub, the renamed Courtyard prides itself on service, atmosphere and quality of food. “Our goal is to ensure that you, our valued customer have the best experience that we can provide. “

Whether your bringing in the family, the team or a group of friends, our menu offers something to please everyone. Our fast, friendly service has been a large part of building a regular clientele and we pride ourselves on being the neighbourhood “local.”

In the warm months, the large patio is the place to be to relax and enjoy a meal outdoors. On Saturday eventings you can also enjoy live entertainment on the patio. Indoors we boast a warm atmosphere complete with fireplaces and a comfortable bar area.

Location:

1437 King St., E
Courtice, ON
L1E 2J6

Telephone: (905) 404-0251

Website: www.thecourtyardrestaurant.ca

Swiss Chalet Courtice

admin — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:46:33 +0000

Swiss Chalet offers one of the best dining our values available. With great tasting food and excellent service, this Courtice location deserves you undivided attention. Order a selection of Chicken based meals and even combine it with some awesome ribs!

This location (in Courtice) definately deserves kudos for providing really top notch service and pouring the best tasting pints of Rickard’s Red in the area!

It’s always an affordable pleasure to dine at Swiss Chalet, Courtice.

Location:

1427 King St E, Courtice, ON L1E 2J6
in between Townline & 2
(Cross Street: King ST and 2 HWY)
Phone: 905.571.4588

Harpos Restaurant

admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:38:59 +0000

Harpo’s offers a fine dining experience with friendly, attentive staff. Our menu (view menu) offers prime rib, baked salmon, rack of lamb and other exquisite selections. We can accommodate up to 120 guest in our banquet room.

We are located on Stevenson Rd, right across from the Oshawa Centre shopping mall.

Voted “Best Chef & Best Fine Dining in Durham Region” – Reader’s Choice Awards.

Read Harpo’s reviews by clicking here

Location:

44 Stevenson Road South
Oshawa, ON
Tel: 905-436-2977

Website: www.harpos.ca

Fazios Restaurant & Wine Experience

admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:38:14 +0000

Fazio’s offers the finest cuisine (view menu) accompanied by excellent service. With relaxing surroundings, the art of fine dining has never been better than at Fazio’s. We are the perfect location for entertaining family and friends or for that very special romanic evening.

Fazio’s was opening in 1979 (view history) and as the restaurant grew, so did the desire to offer Durham’s best wine selection. Today’ Fazio’s has over 15,000 bottles of wine available (see wine list). So come and join us for good food, good wine and good company. Read reviews for Fazio’s by clicking here

Location:

33 Simcoe Street South
Oshawa, ON L1H 4G1

Telephone: 905-571-3042 Fax: 905-571-7994
Email: Info@faziosrestaurant.ca

Website: www.faziosrestaurant.ca

Havana Nights

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:36:10 +0000

Havana Nights redefines fine dining in Durham Region. With a clearly tropical theme, there is no better way to rid yourself of the winter blues than to have a wonderful dinner and then dance to a latin beat until the early hours at Havana Nights.

Our Chefs create sophisticated weekly features to keep our return customer’s senses excited while also tempting the palettes of our new visitors. Our Varadero Beach Patio is sure to be a hit too, order yourself something tropical and enjoy it in a vacation like setting.

Havana Nights also hosts and provides catering for special events. Read reviews of Havana Nights Restuarant by clicking here.

Location:

85 Kingston Rd
Ajax, Ontario.

Telephone: 905-426-1616

Website: www.havananights.ca

The Villa

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:15:02 +0000

If you’re looking for Teppanyaki cooking then the Villa Restaurant in Whitby is for you! We have visited this restaurant several times and find it is a really nice way to enjoy a dinner out. The menu features lots of different Sushi and Sashimi but the Teppanyaki dinner choices provide you with a dinner and a show!

Teppanyaki involves the chef cooking right in front of you on a red hot, gas fired stainless steel grill. During the cooking process the chef will do tricks with the salt and pepper shakers and sometimes even chop an onion, stack it in a pyramid shape, pour in oil and light it on fire for a spectacular onion volcano!

There are a variety of Teppanyaki dinner choices, but we found the dinner for two selections to be a great way to go. The amount of food you get for two people could feed 3 people! Very good value for the money. Our dinner featured Miso Soup, Salad, Lobster tail, Steak and Chicken (yes all three!) along with cooked vegetables and rice all for about $58.00. We found by the time you add a couple drinks into the mix and a tip the bill for two was about $100.00 but worth it.

So if you feel like doing something different and you want a fun dining experience, check out the Villa in Whitby. (check back for photos soon!)

Location:

The Villa
813 Dundas St. W. Whitby
(905) 668-1688

Baton Rouge Restaurant

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:32:53 +0000

The Bâton Rouge concept is a true success story based on winning factors: first-rate quality and an overall experience that is consistently good from one restaurant to the next. We believe in this philosophy and know that it is the reason for our customers’ high level of satisfaction. That’s why we could never compromise the quality of our food, the service in our dining rooms, or the ambience that graces each of our many restaurants.

The story begins with the opening of our first restaurant, in Laval. Right away, our concept set itself apart from the competition. Our founders attended to every detail: colours, textures, lighting, food quality, precision of recipes, presentation of dishes, service. They designed a menu rich in variety to meet the needs of a diverse clientele. To ensure a high standard of quality and freshness, they unanimously agreed to prepare all the food on site.

The popularity of Bâton Rouge restaurants quickly took off. Today our 21 franchises located throughout the provinces of Québec and Ontario can accommodate on average 230 diners each (7,000 to 9,000 square feet). Each new location is carefully selected in order to draw in a diverse clientele. The company seeks strategic growth rather than aggressive expansion in order to maintain the very essence of its concept. Bâton Rouge is a division of Imvescor Restaurants Inc.

Location:

Bâton Rouge Restaurant
25 consumers road, unit 2
Whitby (Ontario) L1N 9S2

Tel. : 905-444-9525
Email : whitby@batonrougerestaurants.com
Website: www.batonrougerestaurants.com

Rileys Old Town Pub

admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:17:29 +0000

Riley’s Pub is located on King St. in downtown Oshawa. The pub is located right next to a multi-storey parking garage making finding a parking spot a breeze. The pub has lots of seating (don’t get the booth right in front of the entrance on a cold night…you’ll freeze!), lots of tv screens and features a variety of traditional pub fare, on our last visit we sampled the roast beef dinner which was quite nice (although is seems impossible for Canadian establishments to get Yorkshire Puddings right).

Our most recent visit to Riley’s was on Jan 24th, a Saturday night. We made a reservation (recommended) and arrived at 7pm. The restaurant was busy and the billiards room and lounge were fairly quiet.

I ordered the Steak and Ribs ($31.99). The Angus Striploin was very nice, but I found the ribs a bit bland. It seemed like they applied the sauce right before they were served and therefore the saunce didn’t get a chance to penetrate the ribs themselves. The mashed potatoes were really nice and the garlic veggies got my taste approval too. Our service in the Restaurant was also very good.

With it being a Saturday night during our visit, Riley’s had live entertainment upstairs and down. The gentleman who was performing in the upstairs lounge (see video) was excellent at performing Elton John’s Hits and his piano playing was amazing. Very entertaining. Our upstairs server was attentive and even let us know when a pool table became available so we could play pool for an hour ($12.00 per hour). Pool tables are available on a first come first served basis, so it was really nice of her to do that without us having to stand at the entrance to the billiard room hoping a table would come free.

All in all, our visit to Riley’s was a nice experience. It was great to have dinner and then be entertained afterwards without having to go to another location.

Read reviews of Riley’s Olde Town Pub.

Watch a Video clip of live entertainment from Riley’s

Location:

Riley’s Olde Towne Pub
104 King St. E.
Oshawa, ON
L1H 1B6
Website: www.rileysoldetownepub.com

Tel: 905 404-2464 Open 11:00 am – 2:00 am Every Day

Pimentos Restaurant

admin — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:16:13 +0000

Pimentos is the restaurant of choice for the discriminating diner. Located in the heart of downtown Whitby, Pimentos continuously entices patrons with eclectic and Mediterranean flavours paired with diverse wines in lavish surroundings. We like to pamper our guests with exceptional and attentive service, while they relax and enjoy the ambience of rich woods, eye-catching colours and sophisticated design.

We offer an extraordinary dining experience perfect for social and romantic dining. If business is on your mind, we suggest our Private Dining Room, a great venue for all your corporate needs with seating availability for up to 40 people. Whether you come for lunch, dinner, or a private party, we are sure you will enjoy a splendid culinary experience.

Read reviews of Pimentos Restaurant by clicking here.

Pimentos Restaurant
120 Brock St N
Whitby, On
L1N 4H2

Tel: 905-666-3005 – Fax: 905-666-3099
E-mail: info@pimentosrestaurant.com
Website: www.pimentosrestaurant.com

Durham Central » Food

Make your own wine

Seafood Splash Recipe

Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice also specializes in all inclusive Wedding Wine Packages! Gift Certificates also available!

Custom Cakes for any occasion

Scone Virgin

Teddys Diner

Better Crockpot Cooking

Durham Golf and Leisure Saving Book

The Courtyard Pub

Swiss Chalet Courtice

Harpos Restaurant

Fazios Restaurant & Wine Experience

Havana Nights

The Villa

Baton Rouge Restaurant

Rileys Old Town Pub

Pimentos Restaurant

Winexpert Oshawa/Courtice also specializes in all inclusive Wedding Wine Packages!
Gift Certificates also available!