Look Local – Celebrating Community
Aldershot
Author

trinity

Browsing
In Food & Drink

Thankful for Turkey: The Prep? Not So Much

No Comments

Let’s be honest. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner from scratch is an undertaking.

First, there’s the turkey. Then there’s the stuffing. Then the potatoes. Then the vegetables. Then the gravy. Then the dishes! And just when you think you’ve got everything under control, you realize you forgot the cranberry sauce.

Fortunately for Thanksgiving hosts across Halton Region, there’s another option: let a local restaurant do the cooking. No braving the grocery store lineups. No waking up at the crack of dawn to stuff the bird. No mountain of roasting pans soaking in the sink.

Many local restaurants offer Thanksgiving meals featuring all the classics, allowing the host to spend Thanksgiving weekend actually enjoying Thanksgiving. 

Below we’ve rounded up some great local offerings for the occasion. Check with your favourite local restaurants early for Thanksgiving menus and ordering deadlines, as these popular dinners can sell out quickly.

District Kitchen + Bar in Aldershot offers individual turkey dinners for one for $23.95. Each includes a 6 oz slow roasted turkey, sausage and sage stuffing, root vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and turkey gravy. For larger gatherings, they also offer a take-out option to feed 5 or 6 people that includes a 40 oz slow roasted turkey and all the trimmings for $139.95. 

Denningers in Burlington gives you the choice of turkey or ham. Their turkey meal option includes a whole roasted turkey or roasted stuffed turkey breast with creamy mashed potatoes, garlic & herb green beans, honey roasted root vegetables, homemade stuffing, poultry gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. The ham dinner option includes Deningers’ famous signature apricot-glazed ham with scalloped potatoes, garlic & herb green beans, honey-roasted root vegetables, honeycup mustard, red pepper jelly and pumpkin pie. 

Familia Fine Foods in Burlington offers a three-course classic turkey dinner including a roasted carrot and butternut squash soup starter, turkey breast (portioned and sliced), homemade gravy and cranberry sauce, brown sesame rice, rustic mashed potatoes and seasonal roasted vegetables, and key lime pie for dessert. $41 per person (minimum order 2 people).

Mo’s Family Restaurant in Oakville offers a three-course meal including a soup starter, a turkey dinner with all the fixings, and pumpkin pie for dessert at $37 per person. 

Pepperwood Bistro in Burlington has been offering Thanksgiving dinners for 25 years. Perfect for a larger gathering of 8 to 10 people, their meal features a whole carved turkey, garlic roasted red skinned mashed potatoes, herb roasted root vegetables, stuffing, cranberry compote, turkey gravy, and apple crisp for dessert. $340.

The Platter Company in Aldershot offers full turkey dinners for 2 or 4 people. The meal includes sliced oven-roasted turkey breast in house gravy, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, carrots and parsnips, Brussels sprouts with bacon, sausage stuffing, and drunken cranberry sauce. $90 for 2 people, $180 for 4. 

COOKING YOUR OWN TURKEY

If you’re cooking your own Thanksgiving turkey, don’t be intimidated! Chef Vicki, Director of Culinary at B Social Hospitality in Hamilton says a few simple steps can make all the difference. 

Start by making sure your turkey is completely thawed, then pat it dry with paper towels. For crispier skin, leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours before roasting.

Season the cavity with salt. Rather than traditional stuffing that Chef Vicki says can affect cooking time, fill the cavity with lemon halves and aromatics such as thyme, garlic, leeks or onions. “The lemon and aromatics add moisture and flavour while the turkey roasts,” she says. 

Once your turkey is cooked, give it a good rest before carving. Chef Vicki recommends at least 45 minutes. “This allows the juices to redistribute and helps keep the meat juicy,” she says. Chef Vicki rests her turkey for 1 ½ hours before carving. “As long as you keep it properly hot/covered, the extended rest can make carving and serving much easier while keeping the turkey juicy,” she says. 

Check out these great local options to find a turkey to suit your family.

Dietrichs Butcher & Marketplace
1260 Speers Road, Oakville
dietrichs.ca

Florence Meats
2136 Speers Road, Oakville
florencemeats.com

Marbled Premium Meats
115 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville
marbledoakville.com

J & G Quality Meats
175 Plains Road East, Burlington

DeBoer’s Farm
4485 Harvester Road, Burlington
deboersfarm.com

Heritage Butchery
3300 Fairview Street, Burlington
heritagebutchery.ca

Marilu’s Market
4025 New Street, Burlington
marilusmarket.com

By Lisa Evans

by
Keep Reading
In Just for Fun

Let me out: Escape Rooms are the nail-biting, hair-pulling kind of fun

No Comments

Move over, game nights! Escape rooms bring a whole new level of fun to date nights, family outings, friend hangouts and team-building adventures. Step into a themed story, hunt for clues, solve puzzles, and race the clock to complete your mission. You’re not just playing a game — you’re right in the middle of it! 

An escape room is a real-life puzzle adventure. You and your group are placed in a themed environment and given a goal such as: “You have 60 minutes to solve this mystery and escape.” Themes can be any genre imaginable, from comedy to space exploration, murder mystery, and even horror.

The combination of challenge and social connection makes escape rooms a popular group activity. “You get to run around for an hour trying to solve puzzles and unlock secret passages,” explains Zeljka Burazin, a self-proclaimed escape room junkie who’s always on the lookout for places to get trapped with her husband and siblings.

Escape rooms are especially a draw for people who enjoy puzzles, brain teasers, mysteries, video games and immersive experiences. They appeal to people’s curiosity and offer social collaboration, an adrenaline rush, and the satisfaction of mastering a challenge. 

Lee-Ann Webber enjoys escape rooms with her husband, teen daughter and adult son. “I like the challenge of doing the puzzles and seeing the room set-up that goes along with the theme,” she says. 

New adventure in every room

Part of the fun of escape rooms is the room itself. Production value can play a big role in the experience, with elaborate sets, props, lighting and sound creating an environment that can be just as engaging as the puzzles you are trying to solve. Rooms can transport you to space, a fantastical world, or a spooky haunted house.

Webber recommends that first-timers choose a theme they already know or think they’ll enjoy, which can make the experience feel less intimidating and more engaging. Some rooms take the immersion even further with live actors, which Burazin says definitely enhances the experience. 

Interactive entertainment

One of the biggest highlights of escape rooms is that you aren’t simply watching someone else solve a mystery; you are the person solving it. This is part of what makes escape rooms so great for group outings, because they make use of everyone’s skill sets while working towards a shared goal. One person might be great at organizing clues, another at recognizing patterns, while someone else thinks creatively or notices details everyone missed. 

“There are always a few laughs and many ‘aha’ moments when you finally figure out one of the many puzzles that need to be solved,” says Burazin.

The “escape” is sometimes literal, but not always. The goal may be completing a mission, solving a crime, saving a character or uncovering a secret. Forget the 2019 horror/thriller movie, Escape Room — the escape rooms around here have no diabolical Gamemaster, fatal mine cave-ins or plane crashes. They’ll elevate your heart rate but in a good way, like being asked to the prom or plunging down a rollercoaster.

The puzzles can lead you to having some interesting experiences. “My favourite moment was at a horror themed game where one of us had to climb into a coffin to find the next clue,” says Burazin.

And if you’re stuck, you’re not necessarily doomed. Staff, or ‘puzzle masters’ can offer hints to help you move forward. “They don’t give the answer straight out, but give a hint,” says Webber

Are you ready to get inside the game? 

Halton region offers many escape room options suitable for everyone. Check one out for your next date, family fun night or team building activity. Get your heart pumping, and give your brain a thrill!  

Confundrum Escape Rooms 
777 Woodview Rd, Burlington
Offers a wide variety of escape rooms ranging from family-friendly adventures to horror.

Trapped Burlington 
2007 Mt Forest Dr, Burlington
Offers a good mix of adventure, mystery and spooky themed rooms.

Ruze Escape Rooms 
534 Brant St., Burlington 
Known for great puzzles with a variety of interesting themed rooms.

Game Over Burlington 
4325 Harvester Rd., Burlington 
High production escape rooms with a mix of adventure and horror.

Next Level Escape Rooms 
1039 Upper James St., Hamilton 
Interesting themed rooms with traditional escape room puzzle solving.

Alcatraz Escape Rooms 
604 Concession St., Hamilton 
Themes ranging from spooky, mystery and action-based. 

Crimson Codes Escape Rooms 
1119 Fennell Ave E, Hamilton 
Ideal for those looking for spooky, horror and thriller experiences, these rooms lean towards the scary. 

Hanes Escape Rooms 
1001 Highway 5, Dundas 
A rustic, quirky setting with themes such as The Sheriff’s Office. 

By Lisa Evans

by
Keep Reading
In Food & Drink

Berries From the Bog: The allure of cranberries goes far beyond turkey

No Comments

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas feast MUST have cranberries. It’s almost a law. But if you are only enjoying this tart berry once or twice a year you are missing out. This tiny berry is a flavour dynamo that packs a powerful health punch. 

I make smoothies every morning for my family and include various fruits, protein powder, nuts, chia seeds and often, cranberries. And as a salad addict who is always looking for new ingredients, I find that adding dried unsweetened cranberries gives a lovely pop of jewel-like colour to my creations.

This mighty berry delivers impressive amounts of Vitamin C, beta carotene and flavonoids. Rich in antioxidants and plant compounds which aid in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, cranberries have another impressive secret power: they can help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Indigenous peoples have been using this amazing berry for thousands of years as a food source, for its medicinal properties and as a dye. They have used it in pemmican, for baking, as a natural preservative, in the treatment of fevers and stomach cramps, and to prevent scurvy.

Nature’s rubies

There is only one remaining commercial cranberry producing farm in Ontario. Bala is home to Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh/Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery, run by the Johnston family for three generations and open 363 days of the year. Visitors can tour the cranberry farm, take trail hikes, experience the Johnstons’ winery, and see first-hand the hard work that goes into harvesting cranberries. 

The harvest starts in late September and is usually finished by October 31st. It happens once a year, and the farm’s 27 acres yield around 300,000 to 400,000 lbs of cranberries. 

Early in the harvest season cranberries are dry harvested. Later, workers flood the bog, and a tractor combs through the vines to knock the berries loose. The berries float to the top to make a picture-perfect crimson lake. A floating boom brings the berries together, and then they are put in bins for cleaning and processing, eventually finding their way to Ontario tables.

Cranberry crawl

Best known juiced or as a holiday condiment, cranberries bring tastebuds to life in a host of other delights, from muffins to meat glazes. Our creative local restaurateurs use cranberries in various ways to satisfy tart cravings: 

  • Montana’s BBQ & Bar (Burlington, Oakville, Milton): Apple Pecan Harvest Salad
  • Turtle Jack’s (Burlington): Blackened Chicken and Goat Cheese salad
  • Rose Garden Restaurant (Burlington): Turkey and Cranberry Sandwich
  • Loondocks Restaurant (Burlington): Turkey Avocado Sandwich with Cranberry Aioli

Cranberries are also delicious in liquid form, prized for their deep red hue and lip-smacking flavour. Here’s a sampling of local cocktails:

  • Pepperwood Bistro (Burlington): Classic Cranberry Margarita 
  • Symposium Cafe Restaurant (Milton, Oakville): Purple Haze Martini
  • Pur & Simple (Oakville, Burlington): No-Gria Mocktail, Very Berry Smoothie
  • Martini House (Burlington): Fuzzy Peach, Royal Treatment, T-Bar, Red Stiletto, Malibu Barbie, Cover Girl, White Lotus, Gold Digger. 

And you can never go wrong in ordering a classic Cosmopolitan, as it features cranberry juice to give the classy drink its trademark pastel pink colour.

Full-bodied taste, full-body plunge

At harvest time, visitors to Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh can take wagon tours, hike over 10 kilometres of trails, taste cranberry wine, ciders and spritzers, and experience the famous and Insta worthy Cranberry Plunge! It’s an experience not to be missed, according to Lesley Commandant, Customer Relations Manager, Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery. 

“We flood the bog and about 35 people at a time put on chest waders and take the plunge,” Commandant says. “There’s lots of space and everyone gets their Instagram moment and can take photos and throw the cranberries around and fall in.” The plunge is available from September 26 to the end of October. And as Bala is known as the Cranberry Capital of Ontario, if you plan to visit, you can also check out Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery and the Bala Cranberry Festival.

Local Links:

Bala Cranberry Festival
October 16 to 18, 2026
www.Balacranberryfestival.on.ca

Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh/Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery
1074 Cranberry Road, Bala
705-762-3203
www.cranberry.ca

By Cyndi Ingle

by
Keep Reading
In Local History

History, Her Way: Remembering the Women Who Shaped Oakville

No Comments

My grandmother never did anything history would call “big.” Her name won’t appear in a textbook or on the side of a building. But every time I drive past what remains of the old General Electric plant along the QEW, I see her.

Her name was Anneliese, like mine.

She passed away from breast cancer at 58, only ten days before I turned two. I don’t remember her voice or the way she laughed, but it wouldn’t be true to say I never knew her.

I know her through stories.

She came to Canada from Germany in the early 1950s and worked as an au pair for a wealthy Oakville family. When they asked her to relocate with them to the United States, she chose to stay. Instead, she went to work making light bulbs at the Canadian General Electric lamp plant.

She worked on the factory floor alongside other women while Oakville grew around them, changing from a small lakeside town into an industrial community. Through my family’s stories, I know she was brave enough to leave everything familiar and cross an ocean. I know she worked hard, built a home and raised her family here.

When I began learning about Hazel Chisholm Mathews and Martha Matilda Harper, I found pieces of my grandmother’s story in theirs. Like her, Martha began her working life in someone else’s home. And Hazel did for Oakville what my family’s stories did for me: preserved the details that turn a name from the past into someone we can still know.

Hazel Chisholm Mathews: The Woman Who Made Sure Oakville Remembered

It is difficult to tell the story of Oakville’s past without encountering Hazel Chisholm Mathews. A great-granddaughter of Oakville founder William Chisholm, Hazel inherited a deep connection to the town, but rather than simply looking back on her family’s place in its history, she devoted herself to preserving the stories, places and records that belonged to the wider community.

Hazel studied original documents, photographs, account books and family papers, interviewed local residents, and connected the stories she uncovered. Her research became her 1953 book “Oakville and the Sixteen”, preserving a detailed record of the community she cared for so deeply.

Hazel understood that local history could easily disappear if no one took the time to collect it, document it and share it. She helped establish the Oakville Historical Society, and her work laid the foundation for what would become the Oakville Museum.

Fittingly, Oakville’s first museum opened in the Old Post Office and is still operated by the Museum today, along with Erchless Estate, where six generations of the Chisholm family lived.

Martha Matilda Harper: The Woman Who Opened Doors

Martha Matilda Harper’s remarkable story began in Munn’s Corners, a small rural community that is now part of north Oakville. Born there in 1857, Harper came from modest beginnings and was sent away from home as a young girl to work as a domestic servant. Her path would eventually take her to Rochester, New York, and to an idea that was well ahead of its time.

In 1888, Martha transformed her knowledge of hair and scalp care into the Harper Method and opened her own salon, The Harper Method Hair Parlour. She built a successful business around her own hair-care products and approach to beauty and helped pioneer the modern salon experience. But her greatest innovation may have been how she chose to grow the business. Harper developed one of North America’s earliest franchise systems, giving other women the opportunity to operate Harper Method salons and become business owners themselves.

At a time when women had few avenues to financial independence, Harper created one. At its height, her network included more than 500 salons worldwide and created opportunities for generations of women, helping to redefine what was possible for women in business. 

Together, Hazel, Martha and my grandmother take us through three different versions of Oakville: the rural community where Martha was born, the harbour town Hazel preserved and the industrial town my grandmother helped build.

Their lives looked very different, but each left something behind that reached far beyond her own.

By Anneliese Lawton

by
Keep Reading
In Home & Garden

All The Feels: The warm and fuzzy effect of autumn decor isn’t just in your head

No Comments

Interior design is much more than making a room look pretty. As with any art form, there’s a science to it. Interior designers are masters of optimizing indoor environments so they are safe, functional, and visually appealing while matching the client’s lifestyle.

As the seasons change here in Canada, so does the intent of interior design. Autumn decor aims to draw people indoors as the outside world gets darker and cooler — so it’s no coincidence that looking at a plush, burnt orange cushion feels almost as comforting as sipping hot cocoa.

Lisa Kooistra, Principal Designer and Founder of LK Designs, explains that spring and summer decor is about opening up, with lighter palettes and airier fabrics. Winter, especially post-holidays, tends to go the other way and gets starker and more minimal, as a sort of visual reset. “Autumn sits in between,” she says, “and its job is really to ease that transition.”

The joy of nesting

Making home an inviting refuge from the elements doesn’t require a major overhaul. Karin Bennett, Principal Designer, Karin Bennett Designs, says the current trend is more about creating a home that feels warm and collected year round, and then introducing subtle seasonal changes through textiles, throws, pillows, artwork and accessories. Bringing in warmer tones, or simply switching to warmer-hued lightbulbs and bringing in more lamplight and candles, can soften the ambiance and have a big impact on how a room feels.

“Our brains naturally make associations with visual and tactile cues based on our experiences and memories,” Bennett says. “While the response is personal and influenced by individual experiences, colour and texture can create very real psychological associations.” 

Creating an inviting, intimate space calls for homey accents and layered, lived-in aesthetics. This season, our local interior designers are seeing a theme of warmth in various forms:

  • Warm-toned wood finishes
  • Texture over pattern: bouclé, heavy wool, nubby linens
  • A colour palette of deep terracottas, mossy greens, warm neutrals like taupe, caramel and clay 
  • Metals shifting warmer: unlacquered brass and aged bronze replacing cool chrome and nickel 
  • Natural and living finishes: raw wood, stone, a bit of greenery 
  • Jewel tone accents (deep burgundy, forest green) paired with warm neutrals for a grounded look 

Mindful decor

Tastes of the day evolve with the times, but the principles of design hold true, working their magic in our collective subconscious. 

“Warm colours like gold, rust, and deep red are linked in our brains to fire, sunlight, and autumn’s natural tones,” Kooistra explains. “A room done in warm tones feels warmer than one in cool blues and greys, even at the same actual temperature.”

The powerful effect of decor, Kooistra adds, is also due to touch-memory. “Our brains process visual texture partly through the memory of how things feel, so a chunky knit throw or plush cushion reads as soft and warm before you’ve touched it,” she says. “Combining warm colour and texture layers two psychological cues at once: comfort and safety.” 

When planning lighting, Bennett often moves toward 2700K, which gives a warmer, softer and more enveloping quality to a space. Clients of her firm also seek comfort in natural materials like wood or stone, as well as woven and multi-textured fabrics. Adding a unique, non-mass produced piece can make a space feel more comfortable and lived in while adding character and a personal touch.

Bennett recently injected some heritage and soul to one of the bedrooms in her home, with the addition of her husband’s nana’s paintings from 1962. The sense of history and personal connection they bring can’t be created with something brand new. “The goal of good interior design,” Bennett says, “is not simply to make a room look beautiful, but to create a feeling.”

By Michelle Morra

by
Keep Reading
In Blog

Experience Fall at RBG: The Great Pumpkin Trail Returns Alongside 15,000+ Pumpkins, Gourds, and Squash on Display

No Comments

Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) is your must-visit destination this October! Enjoy daytime visits featuring spectacular fall displays of more than 15,000 real pumpkins, gourds, and squash. Plus, some of RBG’s most popular evening events are set to return! Don’t miss The Great Pumpkin Trail (all ages) and RBG After Dark: Pumpkin Trail (19+). Whether you’re looking for a day in the crisp fall air or an evening adventure along a moonlit trail, there’s endless fun to be had!

“A fall visit to RBG is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to enjoy Ontario’s natural beauty and seasonal splendour in new and engaging ways,” said Zee Hamid, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “Royal Botanical Gardens celebrates the spooky season with family-friendly programming for all ages, bringing together nature, culture and community. It’s a great reason to visit RBG for the first, or hundred-and-first, time.”

Fall Displays in Hendrie Park
October 10 – November 2, 2026

Experience Hendrie Park in fall splendor! Starting Thanksgiving Weekend (Saturday, October 10, 2026), take a daytime stroll through vibrant horticultural arrangements featuring more than 15,000 pumpkins, squash, and gourds in stunning mosaics and vignettes, perfect for seasonal photo ops and autumn inspiration. 

Please note, daytime visitation is during regular hours of operation. Garden Admission is separate from access gained through ticketed special events such as Pumpkin Trail. 

Plan your daytime visit:

Wondering what happens to the pumpkins, squash, and gourds once the season ends? To help reduce waste and support the community, edible items from the displays will be donated to local food banks, and some will be provided to local farmers for animal feed.

Ticketed Evening Events: 

The Great Pumpkin Trail is a wooded hiking trail illuminated by hundreds of real, candlelit jack-o’-lanterns. A 1/4 km accessible loop through the garden is also available.

The Great Pumpkin Trail
October 15 – 18 and 23 – 25, 2026

The Great Pumpkin Trail returns to RBG! Follow the candlelit glow of hundreds of jack-o-lanterns deep within the recesses of the Hendrie Valley. Savour the flavours of the season with a selection of sweet and savoury delights while enjoying live entertainment and pumpkin-themed activities. Plus, enjoy thousands of real pumpkins arranged in artistic displays and installations throughout Hendrie Park!

Pre-purchased tickets are required. Secure your preferred timeslot early by visiting rbg.ca/pumpkintrail.

RBG After Dark: Pumpkin Trail (19+)
October 22, 2026

RBG’s Hendrie Park transforms under the cover of darkness for an exclusive adult-only Halloween celebration which is sure to send a chill up your spine! Come dressed in your Halloween best and follow the candlelit glow of hundreds of jack-o-lanterns deep within the recesses of the Hendrie Valley. Enjoy an evening of music, entertainment, and pumpkin-themed activities. Satisfy your appetite with bountiful bites and sips as you explore the autumn nightscape of Royal “Boo”tanical Gardens!

Pre-purchased tickets are required. This highly popular, adults-only event often sells out quickly! Don’t miss out – tickets are available now at rbg.ca/afterdark. 

RBG members enjoy exclusive pre-sale access to many of RBG’s special events, programs, and day camps. Learn more about membership benefits at 

rbg.ca/membership.

Stay up to date on the latest happenings at RBG: follow @rbgcanada on Instagram, Royal Botanical Gardens on Facebook, and join the eRBG Newsletter at rbg.ca/erbg-newsletter.

by
Keep Reading
In Food & Drink

Take Your Pick: Local orchards are now laden with perfect, ripe apples

No Comments

From late August through October, Ontario apples are abundant and ready to be picked. Our region has a multitude of beautiful and sprawling apple orchards ready to share their bounty. With peak season in September, get out into the countryside to pick your own sweet, tart and juicy apples. Here, we’re sharing some of our favourites.

Williams’ Orchards
10101 Hume Court, Milton 
williamsorchards.ca

Since 1983, family-run Williams’ Orchards has welcomed visitors to pick apples. Founders Sandra and Eldon Williams turned an empty cornfield into 26 acres of thriving apples, pears and plums, and continue to run the orchard with their children and grandchildren. Reach into the trees to select your own apples on weekends starting in early September, or choose from an array of pre-picked fruits in their barn also stocked with non-alcoholic apple cider. The season starts with tart Vista Bella and dark red Tydeman Red apples — both great for pie making — and ends with sweet, honey-like flavoured Ambrosia and gorgeous, blush-coloured Fuji apples. What’s more, the orchard has free admission and doesn’t charge for parking!

Chudleigh’s
9528 Regional Road 25, Milton
chudleighs.com

With more than 18 varieties to choose from — including their very own Sunrise apple, which has a similar taste to Honeycrisp (sweet, floral and not overly acidic) — Chudeigh’s farm has nearly 50,000 apple trees across its 60-acre orchard. Head to their website to see a complete guide to the texture and flavour profiles of the apples they grow, from juicy Red Delicious to tart Ginger Gold. After picking your own fruit, don’t forget to pick up some Apple Blossoms, Chudleigh’s signature dessert made up of sweetened local apples, cinnamon, buttery oats and flaky pastry. Trust us, they’re as delicious as they sound.

Carluke Orchards
2194 Shaver Road, Ancaster
carlukeorchards.ca

The first apple tree was planted by the Inksetter family in 1965 that would later become the beloved Carluke Orchards, now on its third generation growing apples in the Hamilton area. Their pick-your-own apple season runs from early September until mid-October with 13 different varieties available, including Royal Gala, Spartan and Empire apples. After picking, enjoy a delicious apple cider slushie or caramel apple, and bring home one of their incredible from-scratch pies — either the Country Apple with a flaky crust top or Dutch Apple with a rich crumble top. 

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO APPLES

Aside from hundreds of lesser-known apple varieties, there are about 15 main types of apples grown in Ontario, primarily around Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Before you go apple picking, take a look at our guide below. 

Snack on: Ambrosia, Honeycrisp, Royal Gala, Fuji

These types of apples shine on their own; simply bite into one or slice it up and enjoy. Snacking apples should be juicy, sweet and a little tart, but not too sour or bitter.

Bake with: Granny Smith, Northern Spy, Cortland

Add these apples to pies, tarts, muffins and many other baked goods for a kick of tart sweetness. The key is an apple variety that is crisp and firm, so they hold their shape in the oven and don’t bake into mush. 

Make sauces/soups with: McIntosh, Empire, Golden Delicious 

Cook these apples down with cinnamon, water and sugar for a simple apple sauce, or blend into soups. You want an apple with a soft flesh so it breaks down easily when heated. 

Apples might just be the most versatile fruit. Add them to charcuterie boards when entertaining, enjoy one sliced and dipped into peanut butter for a nutritious snack, or make a simple apple crumble with just a few pantry staples. Local apple farmers such as the ones we shared have an abundance of knowledge. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you visit. They can point you towards the perfect apple for you. Happy picking!

French Toast with Apple Topping

Based on a recipe published in the 1993 Ontario milk calendar.  The simple yet decadent apple topping is great on pan-fried French toast, but this recipe uses a slightly crispier, oven-baked version.

INGREDIENTS

French Toast:

4 eggs
1 cup milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 thick slices French bread or raisin bread
3 tbsp butter melted

Apple Topping:

2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 apples peeled, cored and sliced

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375 °F.  In a large, flat bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Soak bread in egg mixture for 5 minutes.

Line baking sheet(s) with aluminum foil. Spray well with non-stick cooking spray or brush well with melted butter. Arrange egg-soaked bread slices on baking sheet(s) in a single layer.

Bake in a preheated oven for 12 min. Flip bread over and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

Meanwhile, melt brown sugar and butter in a small pot. Add the apples, water, and cinnamon and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender. Generously spoon apple mixture onto French toast.

By Lauren Medeiros

by
Keep Reading
In Food & Drink

Stir Things Up: Try a cooking class this fall

No Comments

Stuck in a dinner rut like me? I make the same seven meals on autopilot.

Time for a shakeup. This fall, while the kids head back to school, maybe it’s our turn to learn something new. 

A cooking class is a surprisingly fun (and practical!) venture. Talented chefs throughout Halton and the surrounding area are eager to share their recipes, techniques, and family traditions, with cuisines from all over the world.

When I spoke with Chef Nick about cooking classes at India Village, he explained that great Indian cooking is about building layers of flavour. A combination of whole and powdered spices brings intense flavour to a dish. One of his favourite tips is to let whole spices gently bloom in hot oil before adding the remaining ingredients. It sounds simple, but it completely changes the depth and richness of a curry. He also shared another trick: don’t rush the onions. Cooking them slowly until they’re deeply golden creates the rich flavour base that gives many Indian dishes their complexity.

Over at Gastro Market Inc., executive chef/co-owner Anthony Zolkiewicz says the goal isn’t perfection; it’s confidence. His advice? Taste as you go. Professional chefs constantly adjust seasoning throughout the cooking process instead of waiting until the very end. He also recommends letting meat rest for a few minutes before slicing into it. A little patience helps keep all those delicious juices where they belong, in the meat instead of all over your cutting board.

If olive oil, fresh herbs, and plenty of garlic sound like your kind of happiness, a visit to The Urban Vine is a must! Take your love of food to the next level with one of their popular hands-on cooking classes. From rolling pillowy gnocchi to creating a beautiful Mediterranean-inspired charcuterie board, each class is a fun and flavourful experience. 

All tastes and palettes

Cooking classes are the perfect chance to laugh, learn something new, and then sit down to enjoy a meal you’ve created together. And if you show up on your own, don’t worry. Solo chefs-in-the-making often find these classes incredibly welcoming. Everyone starts out awkwardly measuring ingredients and, by dessert, strangers are swapping recipes and confessing the kitchen disasters that left egg on their faces (possibly literally).

Knife skills classes at Aphrodite Cooks can completely change the way you prep food and may even save your fingertips. Home Chef School offers popular bread-making workshops, while Le Dolci is well known for its sourdough classes that make keeping a starter alive seem almost achievable.

If you’re more of a “give me the tongs and stand back” kind of cook, Weber Grill Academy offers BBQ and grilling classes that go far beyond burgers and hot dogs.

The Joyce of Cooking offers hands-on classes in sushi, dumplings, dim sum, kimchi, pad thai, and more. It’s a great way to learn Asian cuisine techniques that can be surprisingly easy once someone shows you how.

Italian food lovers can spend an evening making fresh pasta, creamy risotto, and regional favourites at Paradiso in Oakville. Il Convento has also earned a loyal following for its authentic Italian cooking and traditional techniques. 

For dessert, Chocolate Tales offers artisanal Italian gelato workshops that might just ruin grocery store ice cream forever.

Throughout Halton and the surrounding area, you’ll also find specialty workshops covering everything from French pastries to seasonal entertaining. Many are one-night classes, perfect for anyone who wants to dip a toe into a new cuisine. (Author’s note: dipping your toe in the risotto is strongly discouraged.)

So this fall, the season of “fresh starts,” consider signing up for a cooking class. You might discover a new favourite cuisine, make a few new friends, and at the very least, head home with dinner already made. 

Local Links:

Webber Grill Academy
webergrillacademy.ca

Le Dolchi
ledolci.com

Home Chef School
culinaria.ca/individual-adult-cooking-classes

Aphrodite Cooks
aphroditecooks.com

Urban Vine Inc.
urbanvineinc.com

Dundas Gastro Market Inc.
gastroinc.ca/cooking-classes

India Village
indiavillage.ca/cooking-class

Chocolate Tales
chocolatetales.ca

IL Convento Italian Cooking
ilconvento.ca

The Joyce of Cooking
joyceofcooking.com   

Paradiso Cooking Studio
oakville.paradisorestaurant.com

By Lisa Thornbury

by
Keep Reading
In Health & Wellness

Workout Showdown: Running VS Swimming

No Comments

Remember those magazine quizzes that claimed to reveal your personality based on whether you were a “land” or “water” person? They may not have been scientifically sound, but they do inspire an interesting fitness debate: when it comes to running versus swimming, which workout wins?

Running and swimming are both excellent ways to improve cardiovascular fitness, build strength, tone muscles and burn calories. I asked fitness experts Mel Peachey and Alana Leger to compare these two workouts across various fitness categories. 

Let’s dive in (pun intended)! 

Cardiovascular Conditioning – Both

Both running and swimming deliver a great cardio workout, but with some important differences. Running tends to push the heart rate higher, a key factor in improving cardiovascular fitness.

Alena Leger Wellness

“Swimming usually results in a heart rate that’s 10 to 15 beats per minute lower than running at a similar perceived effort,” says Mel Peachey, a Dundas-based fitness coach and competitive triathlete. “The cooling effect of the water and the horizontal body position reduce cardiovascular strain.”

But a lower heart rate doesn’t mean swimming is easier. Swimming requires controlled breathing and continuous movement against water resistance. Alana Leger, owner and virtual creator of Alana Leger Wellness, says that while running pushes the heart rate higher, swimming delivers an incredible low-impact cardio workout. 

Muscle Strengthening – Swimming 

Both experts say swimming has an edge in muscle strengthening. “It provides more resistance and engages nearly every major muscle group,” says Peachey. Swimming delivers a complete body workout, engaging the shoulders, back, chest, arms, core, glutes and legs with every stroke.

Coach Peachy

While running is mainly an endurance exercise, it can still strengthen muscles, “especially if you’re springing or running hills,” says Leger. Running targets glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. Experts do give running an edge for supporting bone health. As a weight-bearing activity, it helps build bone density. 

Weight Loss – Both 

Peachey says both running and swimming can support weight goals, depending on “intensity and consistency.” 

Leger gives running a slight edge because it often allows for greater calorie burn in a shorter workout. Still, she emphasizes that either exercise can support weight loss when combined with balanced nutrition.

Toning – Swimming

When it comes to achieving that lean, sculpted look, both Peachey and Leger give swimming a slight advantage because it engages the whole body. “It builds lean, balanced muscle,” says Leger. 

Impact and Injury Considerations

Choosing the right workout isn’t just about your fitness goals. It’s also about which activity suits your body. Running can support cardio and bone health, but its repetitive impact on joints may not suit everyone.

Swimming, on the other hand, is a low-impact workout well-suited to people with arthritis, mobility limitations or previous injuries. Water supports the body and protects the joints from excessive stress. 

The Best 30-Minute Workout?

While there’s no clear “winner” in this showdown, Peachey would recommend running for someone with no injuries or mobility limitations since it requires minimal equipment, is easy to fit into a busy schedule (no travelling to a pool), and offers higher calorie burn per minute for most people.

Leger agrees that running may provide the biggest short-workout return for calorie burn, cardiovascular conditioning and bone strength, but says swimming may be better for someone seeking full-body strengthening with minimal joint impact.

Both agree that the best workout is the one you enjoy.

 “Consistency is where the real health benefits happen!” says Leger. 

“The best exercise is the one someone enjoys enough to stick with,” says Peachey. 

Combine Both for a Balanced Workout

For a truly balanced routine, why not combine both? Peachey says combining running and swimming has made her a stronger and more resilient athlete, providing a well-rounded fitness program while reducing repetitive strain. “Running and swimming complement each other extremely well because they challenge the body in different ways,” she says. 

Whether you lace up your running shoes or grab your goggles, you’re in for a great workout.

Local Links:

Alana Leger Wellness
alanalegerwellness.com

Coach Peachey
coachpeachey.com

By Lisa Evans

by
Keep Reading
In Community

Here’s to Human Decency: Let’s Protect The Safety Of Elected Officials

No Comments

When Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward attended meetings with several other female elected representatives in 2024, they discovered that they shared one disturbing thing in common:  every one of those women had experienced harassment and abuse on the job. 

It turns out that toxic behaviour toward people trying to serve the public is widespread. While both women and men are subject to threats and abuse, women get a particular kind of threat that is based on their identity as women and can be sexualized – with threats of rape, or harm to family. Racialized communities get a specific kind of abuse related to their identity and race or religion. “It makes it that much harder for underrepresented candidates to step forward,” Meed Ward says. 

Hate is not OK

People don’t always agree with their elected officials, but there are civilized ways to express an opinion and be heard. 

“If you disagree, don’t threaten,” says Marianne Meed Ward, Mayor of Burlington. “Advocate, and vote… Or run for office!”By Michelle Morra

Last June, Meed Ward and her peers launched Elect Respect to promote the right to work without threats, abuse or intimidation. The campaign has snowballed into a national movement, from Newfoundland to Victoria. Elected leaders, candidates, municipalities, boards, and citizens across Canada have signed the Elect Respect pledge, formally declaring that toxic behaviour is not acceptable.

NO EXCUSE

No one should be bullied out of a career or vocation, yet the risk has increased for government workers and elected officials. Here are a few reasons why:

COVID – The pandemic was a time of great anxiety and isolation for many people. That’s when the trouble started for Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. “My first death threat came during COVID – that I was going to be hung from the rafters at City Hall, that people were going to exercise a ‘citizen’s arrest,’ people protesting in front of my home,” Meed Ward says.

Social media – The internet makes it much easier for armchair activists to spread threats and misinformation about a person, using anonymous or fake accounts. Posts are very difficult to get taken down and affect a person’s reputation. 

Leaders behaving badly – Political campaigns and tenures weren’t always so unfriendly. When the general public sees national or international politicians engaging in name-calling, taunts, and other nastiness, some get the idea that it’s okay to bully their own elected officials.

The threat is often extreme. Meed Ward says that someone once threatened to set her on fire if she attended a meeting on a development proposal they didn’t support. A city’s Mayor has important work to do — yet twice in the past year, she has been advised not to attend public meetings because of threats. 

Despite strong support from the Mayor’s team at the office, from health and safety staff, and among law enforcement, even one death threat is unsettling. “You don’t know what is waiting for you when you leave the office,” she says. 

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Fortunately, by shedding light on the issue and giving it national attention, Meed Ward and her grassroots group of female elected representatives have ignited optimism. It also helps that Canadians have their back.  

Citizens, including people in politics, can sign the online pledge at electrespect.ca. It promotes respectful conversations, issue-focused debate, and an end to personal attacks, whether online or face-to-face. When a local council endorses Elect Respect, it shows a commitment to creating a safer, more respectful community for everyone.

“Elect Respect has been an incredibly powerful and galvanizing movement,” Meed Ward says. “It has shown that none of us are alone, that we don’t have to suffer these threats in silence, that collectively we are stronger and can say ‘enough.’ Every public servant and elected official deserves a safe workplace.”

For more information or to sign the pledge, visit electrespect.ca.

By Michelle Morra

by
Keep Reading