"It isn't how much time you spend somewhere that makes it memorable: it's how you spend the time." David Brenner
On our way from the Onatrio Falls to the Lake, we decided to drive along the Niagara Parkway. Past Brock's Monument, the Butterfly Conservatory and kilometers of woods and field. Of course a vast majority of that field is vineyard! Slowly, the area begins to close in and a the quaintest town arrives. Alas, we are in Niagara-on-the-Lake! A place which Kev had never been and somewhere I haven't been since I worked in the area 12 summers ago. After our first year at Stratford Chefs School, four of us classmates moved out to Virgil, Ontario (a one horse town on the way to NOTL). Two of us worked at Hillebrand Winery Estates. It was the hardest season I have ever worked, yet I loved it! I would ride my bike down country roads on my way to work everyday, past orchards and vineyards... Absolutely beautiful! But, all those tourists! My word! In the summer time, that place is crawling in 'em! I'm sure that's one thing that has not changed out here, even though so much else has! The Hillebrand restaurant has changed a lot, but the food was still good! We sat in the dining room, enjoyed a couple glasses of Riesling and sampled the mushroom ravioli and a Buffalo mozzarella and roasted tomato salad with prosciutto and watercress (pictured below). One thing about eating out here, is that you know everything is local! Heck, most of the ingredients also have the name of the farm it comes from on the menu! The Chef who was our commander that busy summer is long gone, Chef Tony Deluca. A good change though, for Tony has his own restaurant now in NOTL! I told Kev that one day soon, I would like to go and visit him!
In town, I took my sweetie to my old haunt, The Olde Angel Inn, est. 1789. The oldest inn and pub still in operation in Upper Canada! How amazing! I had a cider, Kev the house ale and we shared a plate of fries and curry sauce. Yum! We then headed over to Queen's Landing (where my other classmates worked), sat on the patio, sipped a wheat beer and looked out onto the sailing club marina. Afterward, we walked over to the Prince of Wales Hotel for a mid afternoon tea break while sampling some Canadian cheeses. Of course, the whole time we were there, all I did was reminisce and try to spit out as many stories as I could! I'm glad Kev's a patient man! Being back in the area certainly was a walk down memory lane. A walk I'd like to take again soon! I can promise you, it won't take me another 12 years to go back! Who knows, maybe Kev and I have started a new tradition...Wow, Friday already! Well, I am off to the land again with my Dad today! Hopefully we can get the tiller fixed and get the garden in full swing! I'll tell you all about it on Monday... Have a happy weekend, my followers!
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