Creating the Perfect Holiday Cheese Board with Enigma Wines

Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines

 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 
I think one of the things that wow people the most at holiday parties is a great cheese board paired with some great wine.

It’s fun to be super creative when putting a cheese board together, and to me it’s fun to surprise people with what they find on it. The key is to make sure you pair the cheeses properly with the wines you are serving, and to make it as full and colourful as possible!

This week I tried out two new wines from Enigma – made in California and newly launched at the LCBO.

Both Enigma’s Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are sold at the very affordable price of $13.95.

The Cabernet Sauvignon (or Cab Sav for me because I can pronounce Sauvignon!) had hints of black cherry and vanilla. I thought it almost had a coffee taste to it as well. It was very bold, which paired great with some of the aged cheeses I bought.

I am not a big red wine drinker, but my husband loved it with the cheeses on the board. I felt like I would love to drink it with a steak or a spicy Thai dinner.

The Chardonnay had a fruity flavour, and I could pick out pears, apple and lemon in each sip. It wasn’t as fruity and sweet as a Riesling, and was much dryer in comparison. It was sweet, but not so sweet that you would go into sugar shock. I really liked it!

 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 
A Chardonnay is best paired with brie which I included on my board, along with other soft, surface ripened cheeses. I chose goat cheese to pair with this wine as well, and it went perfectly.

As for the Cabernet Sauvignon, semi firm, aged hard cheeses pair best so I chose a smoked Gouda, and an aged cheddar.

I think cheese boards look best when they are overflowing. To compliment the cheeses I added grapes and sliced pairs to add some sweetness. I bought a few different kinds of firm crackers (don’t use anything flimsy like saltines), and I made my own grilled crostini’s as well.

I brushed each slice of Italian bread with olive oil, then grilled it for a few minutes and rubbed it with garlic. So yummy!

To go with the crostini’s I made a tomato and balsamic mix. I cut up cherry tomatoes, and fried them in a pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper for a few minutes. I topped it off with balsamic vinegar and voila!

 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines

 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines

 

 

I added ricotta cheese to my cheese board, and it tasted amazing when I spread it on a crostini, then added a pesto or roasted red pepper spread, and topped it all with the tomato mix. So good! I purchased the pesto and roasted red pepper spread, but I have made both before and they are actually not that hard to make. It all depends on how much time you have.

The arugula was also an option to add to the ricotta, plus it looked pretty with my cheese board. It sounds silly, but making your board colourful is an important part of making it look tasty.

I added calabrese, soppressata, and a salami to the board for the carnivores. I filled in the spaces with rosemary because it smells amazing, and because it’s a pretty herb.

That’s it! Paired with some great wine and fresh flowers, it’s the perfect cheese board for a holiday party!

For more information on Enigma wines, please visit their website here.
 

 

Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines

 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines

 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 
Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 

Making the Perfect Cheese Board with Enigma Wines
 

 

This product was provided to me for review, but all opinions are fabulously my own.

 

 
Mandy Furnis

 

Fresh Canteen Acquired by Fresh City + Enter to Win a $100 Gift Certificate to Fresh City!

KIDSOFTHEWOOD Photography
 

 

Earlier this year I posted about my experience with Fresh Canteen, but just last week Fresh City acquired Fresh Canteen!

Fresh City is an online grocer and the largest city farm in Canada. They deliver healthy meals that are made with locally and organically sourced ingredients. They also deliver organic and local produce bags to customers in Toronto, Mississauga and surrounding areas.

There are also several dozen Pickup Hubs as well – I personally live in Whitby and there is a Hub nearby in Scarborough.

You can choose between vegetarian, fish and organic meat-based meals. The Fresh City recipe bags start at $7.75 per portion, and their meals can feed up to four people.

 
KIDSOFTHEWOOD Photography

 

 

You can and can include anywhere from two to five meals per week in your recipe bag, and also included are the ingredients and instructions for each meal.

Delivery is under $3.50, or is free for orders over $75 or if picked up from one of the Hubs.

How would you like to try Fresh City for yourself? I’m giving away a $100 gift certificate to Fresh City this week on the blog.

It’s easy to enter – just use the Rafflecopter widget below. The contest begins on Wednesday, October 28th, 2015, and ends on Sunday, November 8th, 2015 at midnight. The winner will be announced on the blog on Monday, November 9th, 2015. This contest is open to residents of Canada only.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

To learn more about Fresh City visit www.freshcityfarms.com.

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 
Mandy Furnis

 

 

What to Expect at This Weekend’s Toronto Food and Wine Festival

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove

 

 

This morning I was lucky enough to attend the media preview for the first ever Toronto Food and Wine Festival. I ate so much amazing food at the festival, I think I’m still stuffed!

The Toronto Food and Wine Festival is on until Sunday, September 20th at Evergreen Brick Works, and it pairs two of the things I love the most – food and wine!

Curtis Stone, Tyler Florence, Gail Simmons, Chuck Hughes, Roger Mooking, Mark McEwan, Antonio Park and many more will be taking to the stages for demos, talks and workshops throughout the three-day event.

I was lucky enough to meet Roger Mooking today (he said he loved my sandals!), and Mark McEwan (I totally fan-girled him), and even took in a seminar about knives from chef Kevin Kent of Knifeware. He convinced me I need new knives. ASAP.

The show was jam-packed with all kinds of beverages from wine, cocktails and craft beers. The food selection was out of this world with some of my favourite restaurants offering some of their best dishes, to all kinds of foods from cupcakes to ice cream!

Here are a few of my favourite snaps from the day so you can preview what to expect this weekend.

 

 

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove

 

 
Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 

I was so excited that I couldn't actually provide a cute smile!

I was so excited that I couldn’t actually provide a cute smile!


 

 

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 

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Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 
Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 

Anet Gesualdi Macarons - I bought large box of these!

Anet Gesualdi Macarons – I bought large box of these!

 

 

Lily Sparkling VQA - their sparkling wine was so good!

Lily Sparkling VQA – their sparkling wine was so good!

 

 

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove

 

 

High Park Brewery - my husband said this beer was so good he wanted to buy a case right there!
 

 

Hawthorne Food and Drink - this Richmond Street restaurant was serving up this interesting dish with green beans and pop corn.  It was made with their own smoked butter!

Hawthorne Food and Drink – this Richmond Street restaurant was serving up this interesting dish with green beans and pop corn. It was made with their own smoked butter!

 

 

Split Tree Cocktail Co - created in Ottawa, they made a mean Dark and Stormy!  They will be on Dragons Den in October!

Split Tree Cocktail Co – created in Ottawa, they made a mean Dark and Stormy! They will be on Dragons Den in October!


 

 

Toronto food and wine festival sparkleshinylove
 

 

Stop by the Toronto Food and Wine Festival yourself and sample, sip and savour all the flavours from 130 purveyors of premium products, fine foods and beverages from Ontario, Canada and around the world in the Grand Tasting Pavilion – presented by PC Black Label.

I had an awesome time today – if you are hungry, you must go there this weekend!

For more on the Toronto Food and Wine Festival, visit them at www.torontofoodandwine.com, and on social media here:

Facebook: /Toronto FOOD & WINE
Twitter: @TOfoodandwine
Instagram: @tofoodandwine

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

My First Shopping Trip to Farm Boy Whitby!

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

Today I visited Farm Boy Whitby for the first time, and I can already say I’ll be back.  I wrote last week about the grand opening and the events to come this Saturday, August 29th, but I decided to stop in to see the store for myself today.

The biggest thing I noticed was that I couldn’t actually purchase anything bad for myself!  I really needed chips to get me through the weekend (I am a HUGE chip fan), and I couldn’t find them.  Why?  Well, they aren’t exactly healthy, but I was provided with all kinds of alternatives.  I picked up some of Farm Boy’s own tortilla chips and salsa in the place of my beloved chips.

 

 
Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

The store is packed full of everything good for you!  At the checkout instead of rows of candy bars you find organic candy and gum.  It’s a real change from the average chain grocery store.

The produce was incredibly fresh, and there were a few options you don’t always see at the grocery store like coloured carrots, and sliced up fruit samples in the isles.
 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove
 

 

My favourite part of the Farm Boy Whitby store is the fresh meals you can eat there or bring home!  We are always on the run, so sometimes I need something quick to feed the family.

 

 

I couldn’t belive all of the options.  The meat section had all kinds of marinated steaks, fish and chicken all ready for the oven or BBQ.  It was a bigger selection than I have seen at a regular grocery store.  The deli and cheese section had fresh products ready to be cut and packaged, and again had lots of ready-to-go options as well.

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

The salad bar is pretty amazing.  It’s got everything from pre-made Ceasar salads, to a section where you can create your own salad, all kids of potato and pasta salads, and then other mediterranean style salads.  Every kind of possible salad combination could be put together there.  There was also a section to package fresh soups made daily, and even a section with hot meals like pasta and butter chicken.
 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove
 

 

There was a separate area where you could have a stir fry made on the spot, and a sandwich section where you could have it warmed up on a grill.  There was also a fresh sushi spot, and a full service bakery.

 

 

The pizza area was really impressive.  You could choose the toppings on your pizza, and watch it cook in a fire burning oven before it’s boxed and ready to take home.

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 
Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

There was a great seating area both inside and outside to eat which was nice as well.

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

I picked up quite a few items from the Farm Boy brand like fresh orange juice, mediterranean salad dressing, and their tortilla chips and salsa.

 

 
Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove
 

 

I don’t think my shopping cart has ever looked so healthy!
 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

I didn’t notice too much of a price difference between Farm Boy and the other grocery stores I normally shop at.  I often buy organic fruits, vegetables, and gluten free treats for my son and I found the prices very comparable to where I usually shop and what I usually buy in that regard.

I really loved that they had many pre-packaged lunches and snacks to take on the go as well. How great is this lunch in a bag? It includes a sandwich, drink, cookies, an apple and a granola bar!

 

 

Farm boy Whitby review sparkleshinylove

 

 

For someone like me who doesn’t always have time to make dinner but has good intentions for serving something fresh and healthy to my family, I was very impressed with what they had to offer for meals to go.

 

Overall I loved it, and I will be back often!

Farm Boy Taunton Gardens (Whitby) is located at 2 – 360 Taunton Road East, Whitby, Ontario.

 

 

Mandy Furnis

 

 

Grand Opening of Farm Boy Whitby August 27th!

Farm boy Whitby grand opening

     

     

    Farm Boy Whitby is finally opening on Thursday, August 27th, 2015 and you are invited to join the festivities!

    The brand new 28,000 square foot location is having two opening celebrations! The first is on Thursday, August 27th at 7:45am for the official ribbon cutting ceremony. They will have Ontario vendors on hand with tasty samples, and the first 50 customers lined up will receive a $10 Farm Boy Gift Card.

    The official grand opening celebration is on Saturday, August 29th, from 10am to 2pm and you can join them for tasty samples, in store specials, Lulu the cow will be there, and also face painting for the kids. New Country KX96 will be onsite 10 am to 1 pm as well!

    The new store is the 18th Farm Boy location and the third of four stores planned for opening in 2015 – with the Kitchener store to open later this year. The Whitby location is the company’s first fresh market store in the Greater Toronto Area.

     

     

    Farm boy Whitby grand opening

     

     

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    What exactly is Farm Boy? It’s a grocery store featuring farm-fresh produce, organic, natural and locally sourced foods. There’s also a full selection of premium meats, artisan cheese, sustainable seafood and their own store brands. There are also fresh prepared meals made from scratch in the Farm Boy Kitchen which makes me very excited! I love being able to pick up fresh meals when I just don’t have time to cook for my family. There will also be an in-store eating area with free Wi-Fi.

    The store will support local businesses in the area as well by carrying products from Empire Cheese and Butter Co-op, Buster Rhinos Southern BBQ Sauce, Geissberger Farmhouse Cider and Black River Juice Company.

     

     

    Farm boy Whitby grand opening

     

     

    Farm Boy also offers a 50 foot wholesome and healthy fresh salad and hot bar, with fresh sushi and pizza made to order. It’s perfect for picking something up to take home, or to eat in-store! There are also 15 varieties of fresh soups, all made from scratch and served hot or ready to take home.

     

     

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    Stay tuned to the blog next week to see my personal experience shopping at Farm Boy Whitby!

    I’ll tell you about some of my favourite finds, and what to expect on your own personal trip. Be sure to shop Farm Boy first on August 27th for opening day!

    Farm Boy Taunton Gardens (Whitby) is located at 2 – 360 Taunton Road East, Whitby, Ontario.

     

     

    Mandy Furnis