Whether you’re a parent with a house full of kids or single with a busy life, some days, you just don’t want the trouble of making dinner. With endless options to chow on, gone are the days of pizza as an easy take-out go-to. Ready-made meals for delivery or pick-up have taken mealtime to an entirely new level – and you still get to claim some brownie points. You’ve probably heard of the larger contenders in the prepared foods market, but there are many local companies who do it – dare we say…better, fresher, and healthier than the rest. 

Nadine Hughes, founder of Dinner at Home Meals, started her business as a cooking school in Oakville over 13 years ago. But her customers wanted more. After taking her cooking lessons, people would come up to Nadine and say: “I wish you could cook for me every night.” Nadine, whom one could describe as a serial entrepreneur, listened to her clients and their needs, and launched her Dinner at Home Meals, preparing tried and tested recipes for delivery or pick-up. 

Nadine’s goal is to make things perfectly effortless. She grew up in a European family where her mother was an exceptional cook. Her family had a passion for food and bringing people together around a table. Nadine’s recipes are made from scratch in small batches using local suppliers.  Recipes are developed, tested, and trialed in-house until they are perfect. “We chop the carrots and make the stock so that you don’t have to.” Recipes are designed specifically for frozen meals so that most dishes can go from the freezer to the oven to the table in a simple step.

Nadine’s business isn’t the only local business inspired by family. Columbian-born couple, Luis Velasquez and Juliana Berrio, are the owners of Familia Fine Foods in Burlington. After working in the banking industry in Columbia and Toronto, they decided to take the plunge into their own entrepreneurial journey. While Familia is part restaurant and part catering company, Luis and Juliana also offer frozen prepared meals (most of which come with authentic Columbian flare). “We know that getting home after a full day and rustling up a family dinner can be a difficult task. We’re a family, too, with two daughters of our own, so we feel the time crunch,” says Juliana. “It’s why we started Familia Fine Foods. To take the stress out of meal times.”  

Familia has a large selection of ready-made food. The Brazilian chicken pie is fantastic, and so is the pork stroganoff. There are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options as well. 

SupperWorks in Oakville is also inspired by family. Owner, Joni Lien founded SupperWorks over 16 years ago. At the time, she was a busy mom who loved to cook for her family – but she also understood how chaotic meal times could be. SupperWorks has a location in Ottawa as well as Oakville, and prepares fresh food for delivery, with each dish serving six people. One of the things we love about SupperWorks is their commitment to supporting local! Many of their meals are planned with seasonal ingredients in mind, so they can source those ingredients from local farms (talk about fresh). Once everything is prepped in their kitchen, freshly prepared meals are delivered right to your door – all you have to do is heat and eat! Some specialties include the four cheese and garlic crusted chicken breasts or the beef and ginger stir fry. Sides can also be included, like the healthy and delicious cauli rice with mushrooms and spinach or the maple crumbled sweet potato mash.

The Platter Company in Burlington is a foodie company that started off as a catering company, including making gourmet artisanal platters loaded with delicious cured meats, cheeses, olives and fresh and dried fruits. When the pandemic hit, the demand for party platters took a nose dive, but owner Jacqui Cronin quickly pivoted to focus on prepared meals. It was a natural transition as they know how to cook! Orders for the Platter Company’s frozen foods and prepared meals have been booming (so much so that they have recently  expanded their business to include a gourmet market). They have different meal sizes… the onesie (seniors, singles or students), meals feeding two or three, family size, and party size! With a whole frozen collection of appetizers, soups, sauces, pastas, brunch, desserts, their aim is to make it easy to entertain or just get through the week. Try the creamy truffle mac and cheese (there is also a lobster mac and cheese) or the peri-peri pulled chicken.

Monastery Bakery in Oakville offers fresh ready-made meals which can be ordered online.  There is a list of weekly dinner  specials to entice you, such as the Monastery Signature lamb shank on mashed potatoes with grilled vegetables, or the Atlantic salmon on brown rice with grilled vegetables Or try the cooked trays such as chicken teriyaki or seafood paella.

With all these creative options available, it seems that all is left is to sit down, open a bottle of wine if you choose, and enjoy your meal.

Local Links

Dinner at Home Meals: Dinnerathomemeals.com

SupperWorks: Supperworks.com

The Platter Company: Theplattercompany.ca

Familia Fine Foods: Familiafinefoods.com

Monastery Bakery: Monasterybakery.com

No country compares to India for the use of a vast array of spices in their cuisine. Those spices give each dish a distinct flavour and fragrance – which quite honestly, leaves us wanting more. While many popular spices used in Indian food can be found in local grocery stores, it’s all about how you combine and use them. And no one uses them better than our local Indian restaurants. While it would be a fair assumption to say that many of us have tried a creamy dish of Butter Chicken or even a golden curry – Indian food is so much more than that. 

With a population of over 1.38 billion people and 22 recognized languages, India is a country with vast cultural diversity. Naturally, with diversity comes many types of cuisine, and that means there is so much more to explore than mainstream Indian cuisine. Thankfully, Ontario has a large Indian population, which means their food and culture are well represented for us to learn about and enjoy. 

If you’ve had Indian food before, you’ve probably indulged in North Indian cuisine – also known as Punjabi cuisine (it’s the most popular). You’ll find lots of bread used in Northern Indian cuisine – think naan, roti, and samosas. In the South, you are much more likely to discover the versatility of lentils – lentil soups, lentil rice cakes, and lentil crepes. Their spice blends are also different. Northern Indian cuisine predominantly uses a spice blend known as  Garam Masala (a mixture of cinnamon, mace, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and cardamon pods). The most popular seasoning in the South is huli pudi, a mixture of turmeric, curry, coriander, methi, and coconut oil. 

Popular North Indian Dishes 

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani originated in Northern India. This dish is tender and juicy, and the chicken pieces are marinated in yogurt and then prepared in a rich gravy with a smooth, silky texture. Instead of using butter as the name would suggest, Ghee (or clarified butter) is added with cream to give the dish its luxurious texture.

Chicken or Lamb Korma has its roots in the Mughlai cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. It can be traced back to the 16th century and usually consists of a protein or vegetable that has been braised with yogurt, water, and spices to produce a thick gravy. It can be mild or fiery hot, depending on your liking.

Tandoori cooking is believed to have originated in Persia. A charcoal fire is built in the tandoor oven (shaped like a large urn) and allowed to burn until the oven is red hot. Chicken or fish are threaded onto long skewers and placed in the oven with one end resting on the ashes. The meats are colored a bright red by using a natural dye called tandoori rang, which is added to the marinade. Naan bread is traditionally also made in the tandoor, giving them their soft inside and crispy, chewy outside texture. 

Popular South Indian Dishes 

The cuisine of South India is known for its light appetizing meals. It is mainly rice-based, while some dishes are mixed with rice and lentils. South Indian food is an excellent blend of colour and flavour. It is also extensive in its scope as it covers four significant states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. While there is a common thread between the dishes, they may differ in preparation or level of heat.

Dosa is a thin pancake made from a fermented batter of lentils and rice. It is similar to a French crepe but crispier. It’s bursting with almost any type of filling, from sweet to savory. 

Masala Dosa is one of the most popular dishes and is filled with potato flavoured with fenugreek and curry with Ghee. It is served with chutney and sambar, a lentil-based stew cooked with peas and tamarind broth. Although there are endless versions of Dosa and fillings, South Indian restaurants mainly offer vegetarian food. Very rarely do you find meat dishes on the menu.

While there are a number of wonderful and authentic Indian restaurants in Oakville and Burlington, it’s always fun to try traditional cooking at home. Most supermarkets offer ethnic products, including Indian spices. East Indian Supermarket off Trafalgar Road in Oakville and Samir Supermarket in Burlington offer a large selection of ingredients. 

Whether you order in, go out, or try to master a dish at home, Indian food has so many options to choose from, so there is no excuse not to give it a try.

Popular Restaurants for Indian Cuisine

7 Spice Bar & Masala Grill, Burlington: 7spice.ca

Prince of India, Burlington: Princeofindia.resturant

Royal Cumin Restaurant, Burlington: Royalcumin.com

Black Pepper Indian Kitchen, Oakville: Blackpepperindian.com

Oh Bombay, Oakville and Burlington: Ohbombay.ca

Coriander Green, Oakville: Coriandergreen.com

Riyasat, Oakville: Riyasat.ca

Bombay Bhel, Oakville: Bbloungerestaurant.com

Biryani House, Oakville: Oakvillebiryanihouse.ca

Daal Roti, Oakville: Daalroti.ca

Samir Market, Burlington: Samirsupermarket.ca

East Indian Supermarket, Oakville: Eastindiansupermarket.ca

The original fondue – Swiss cheese fondue – was said to have originated in 18^th century Switzerland by farmers in mid-winter.  They needed to stretch their food supplies over the cold season and so developed the dish of fondue which deliciously used up any stale bread, with leftover cheese and a splash of liquor. 

Modern-day cheese fondue, made traditionally, is very simple and does not really differ much from the original: simply begin by rubbing a clove of raw garlic on the inside of a medium-sized cast-iron casserole. Combine grated Emmentaler cheese and Gruyere with white wine, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a touch of cornstarch, and heat until it is melted.  Finish off with a dash of Kirsch (cherry brandy) and a grind of pepper, and your fondue is ready to serve.  A perfect romantic dinner for two or a rowdy crowd-pleaser, it is that easy.  For dipping options, the list is endless.  Classic accompaniments could be; grilled or toasted bread chunks, or even just fresh crusty bread, pulled apart at the table. Tortilla chips and crackers work well for a lighter option.  Boiled or roasted baby potatoes or any other vegetables are delicious.  Raw or blanched cauliflower or broccoli are great, or raw mushrooms are also an option. If you like a heavier meaty option, meatballs or chunks of seared tenderloin would be delicious, or even some poached shrimp.  For a sweeter variation, pear or apple chunks are a great alternative.

Fondue Bourguignon is another popular style of fondue.  It does not hail from Burgundy as the name would suggest.  It is said that it was brought to the US by the Swiss-born restaurateur Konrad Egli, owner of Swiss Chalet in the 1950’s.  Apparently, the dish originated in Switzerland with farmworkers cooking their lunch in the fields in the winter, bringing a pot of oil to cook their meat over a fire.  Since then, through Egli and embellishments of his version, there are so many ways to enjoy this simple meal. 

Rule number one is to make sure your pot is very stable as the spilling of hot oil could be a very painful way to end a party.  Traditionally beef tenderloin was used for this style of fondue, but things have now progressed to all sorts of protein including chicken, lamb, duck, seafood, or tofu.  The sauces are what make the fondue really fun, and they are often served on a swiveling Lazy Susan, so that guests can easily reach each sauce. Bearnaise sauce (a sauce of butter and eggs flavoured with tarragon and shallot) is always a classic. Other popular choices are sour cream mustard, horseradish cream, herb butter dipping sauce, or barbecue. For a healthier version of this fondue, one can substitute the oil with broth.  Any type of broth can be used and it can be flavoured with garlic and herbs or just served plain.

To finish off a meal, chocolate fondue is a real treat. Any type of chocolate is mixed with cream and then melted.  A flavoured liqueur can be added for a different spin.  Amaretto or Bailey’s work well or you can try some peppermint schnapps for a candy cane twist.  The dipping options are as decadent as you would like. Biscotti, marshmallows, fruit, pretzels, cookies, Rice Crispy squares, and pieces of pound cake are all very popular.

Of course, consideration should be given to what wine pairs well with fondue.  In the cold winter months, Icewine is on our minds and it is the perfect match for both cheese and chocolate fondue. Icewine is made by leaving the grapes on the vine for the winter so that the water in the grapes freezes.  The frozen grapes are quickly picked and pressed so that the frozen water in the grapes remains behind and the concentrated juice that does flow, is very high in sugar.  This is then made into a sweet and luscious wine.  Try these decadent sticky gems, served well chilled.

Trius Vidal Ice Wine ($64.95) has flavours of tropical fruit with a tangy citrus finish.

Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine ($44.95) put Canada on the Icewine map by winning the 1989 Grand Prix D’Honneur at Vinexpo. It has floral aromas and hints of mango.

Cave Spring Riesling Icewine ($39.95) from the Riesling experts, is exceptional with notes of apple, minerality, and peach pie.

Henry of Pelham Red Icewine ($39.95) is an unusual blend of red grape (Cabernet Franc) and white grape (Vidal) and has delicious flavours of strawberry and raspberry.

Southbrook Organic Icewine ($37.25) offers notes of toffee, honey, and mango.

With these delicious wines on hand, and a fondue pot at the ready, your celebration is sure to be a great success.