Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Walking and a’ Wandering – Culinary Tours and other Diversions

Steve Lovelace, Niagara Culinary Tours
 and Pillitteri wines

Walking and a’ Wandering – Culinary Tours and other Diversions

In my last column I teased this piece would feature “an Australian, a big knife, cool wife and tale of breaking into the Kremlin.” It does, as well as describing a new venture offering culinary tours in the St. Catharines and Niagara region.

I’ve cooked with Steve Lovelace, the affable Aussie in question, for several years now. Kibitzing aside, when big knives are involved you learn to work carefully in close quarters! Steve’s love of wine and food is infectious and was instilled at an early age: his Mum was a great cook and grandparents were bakers. “A bit of wine and a bit of water at the table as soon as you were a teenager, and as the years progressed, more wine and less water!” he says his raucous laugh filling my kitchen as we chat.

He and his backpack bounced about a bit as Aussies often do, working in the hospitality business including being part of the opening staff for Si Wai Lai’s Shaw Café in 1996. He got out of the restaurant business - again that hearty laugh - because the bank told him he had to get a real job if he wanted to buy a house! Settled in Niagara

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Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Rrroll up the Rim for Giveaway winners, and dates, dates, dates

Rrroll up the Rim for Giveaway winners, and dates, dates, dates

This long weekend edition of Food for thought plays catch-up while saluting a Hamilton icon.

First off the good news. Because of the generosity of the sponsor, ALL those who commented on my last column will win a three month subscription to WorldJikoni. I ask Scrap, Just an Observer, Kevin, Cynmom16, Brad Koziej, Brenda Lee and Colleen at Forty Something Bride to email me at fft@thehamiltonian.info and I will provide them with information as to how to access their prize. Congratulations to all and enjoy!

Also in the last column I mentioned the departure of Dave Hanley from Dishcrawl Hamilton and when I invited Dishcrawl to comment, they had not got back to me. I got a very nice note from Dominique Foreman,

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak- Sips and Bites – Arrivals, Departures and Giveaways

Sips and Bites – Arrivals, Departures and Giveaways

There’s lots going on with several developments impacting the regional culinary scene. So we’ll dive in... mouth first… Do please read through to the end for details of how to win one of three exciting, tasty giveaways.

I was surprised to hear the agreement between dynamic Dave Hanley and Dishcrawl Hamilton has ended and Hanley will no longer be running the events. I reached out to Dishcrawl for comment, but as of my deadline had not heard back. Dave told me “I am sure there will be another ambassador in place soon. In the interim, I will be focusing on my other ventures in Hamilton.”

I wish him well as he’s a man of boundless energy, ideas and vision: he and his pork pie hat will be missed in his Dishcrawl persona. In the meantime you can sponsor Dave who will be rappelling down 100 King St.