Karlo Estates

For their first venture into Countylicious, Karlo Estates called on chef Bailey Kennedy, a frequent collaborator at the winery.

“I’m a vegan chef, and they’re a plant-based winery, so it seemed like a natural fit,” says Ms. Kennedy. 

Karlo’s two-course lunch menu and three-course dinner will be entirely vegan, showcasing seasonal items from Campbell’s Orchards, Maple Mountain, and Lakeview Farms. 

A seared oyster mushroom with braised lentils, potato pave, and truffle dust is the main course. For dinner, there is a buttercup squash soup with chive oil and sesame crumb to start. 

“It’s surprisingly easy to have a well-rounded, elegant meal where the entirety of the focus is on those hyper-locally-grown fruits and veggies,” Chef Kennedy notes. 

“There’s a subtle difference between wine pairing and choosing a wine that will enhance the flavours of the dish itself,” she added. Founder Sherry Karlo and business Partner Saxe Brickenden, she says, “are really masters of that nuance.”

Waupoos Estates Winery

When asked about developing a menu to showcase regional produce, Waupoos Winery chef Kevin McKenna chuckles. “It’s not really fair, because I have my own farm,” he says. “I’m like a kid in a candy store here.”

In addition to what’s growing at Waupoos, Chef McKenna is delighted by the range of produce available from Lakeview Farms, Laundry Farms, and from purveyors like Cressy Mustard and Empire Cheese. He’s just as excited to dine during Countylicious as he is to cook.

For all chefs, a lot of the work this time of year, with fresh produce fleeting, is preservation. Chef McKenna is in the process with his beans. “We bought blueberries from Waupoos and we froze them and we’ll be using them on our gluten-free chocolate torte.” 

When developing menus, he follows the flavours of the season.

“We use our apple cider, alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic, for sugar notes,” he adds. “We have lots of jalapenos as well, so it’s going to be spicy and sweet notes for Countylicious this year.”

Waupoos Estates has the oldest vines in the County, which means wine pairings as well as non-alcoholic options. This year, in addition to pressed apple cider, they will be serving a vidal grape juice. 

With the cider mulling on the stove, notes the chef, “the restaurant will smell just like fall and harvest.”

Big Mike’s BBQ

Over a decade ago, chef Mike Bell was experimenting with smoking meats on his Weber barbecue. The results were delicious. He and his wife, Trish, headed down to Texas for two weeks to immerse themselves in barbecue culture. 

“We met with pit masters, we met with front-of-house people, and we really talked about the ins and outs,” says Trish Bell. 

After retrofitting an old newspaper van, affectionately called Big Blue, Big Mike’s BBQ was born. This year, they have a Countylicious menu that showcases smoked meats.

Although the County can’t supply enough beef to keep up with demand for Big Mike’s brisket – 12 to 15 cows a week – “the sides and the desserts are really where the local products sing for us,” says Ms. Bell.

The main courses are platters, with barbecue classics like pork side ribs, sausage, chicken, and brisket, with sides of chili and smoked beans. 

Desserts include a Campbell’s Orchard apple crumble, and a banana pudding made with vanilla wafers from Karla’s Confections. 

Big Mike’s is at a new location, 6 Stanley Street in Bloomfield, right next to All My Friends brewery. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather with a platter and a pint on the patio.

Bocado 

For Bocado Chef Stuart Cameron, buying from local farmers is as much about forging relationships as it is about cooking with beautiful produce. 

“To have farmers come in and deliver food or go and have those interactions and to receive products that don’t come in a box or bag, they’re just straight out of the ground that day or week, is really nice,” he said.

“The personalities and relationships are also really amazing and uplifting. The people that deliver your stuff are the people that pick it and grow it as well.”

At Bocado, local ingredients get a Spanish accent. Countylicious options include endive salad with Lighthall’s whipped feta, marcona almonds and Spanish anchovies. For dessert, carmelized Laundry Farm apples come with Calvados ice cream and Spanish churro. 

Bocado is also going local with wine, with pairings from Last House, Traynor Vineyards, and Karlo Estates.

“Knowing where everything comes from and the romance of your food being grown around the corner is really special,” notes the chef with a smile.