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Filtered By Chase Collins-Chandler

Reflecting on the Season

December 13 2017

The winds pick up. The dull grey clouds roll through. Even in the sunlight it doesn’t feel bright and the sun goes down at 4:30 in the afternoon. I had to shut the water down in the kitchen and barns and blow out the lines to prevent freezing and rupturing the pipes. I’m still tying down the vines to prepare the vineyard for its annual hibernation. It’s a different time now. It’s almost hard to imagine summer these days on the farm.

Ruth's Cheddar by Land and by Sea

As we moved into the open water it was clear Champ did not enjoy being on the boat. All that pitching and yawing in the swell of Lake Ontario upset his equilibrium and his delicate stomach. He looked at me with these plaintive eyes I had never seen before as if to say “You have to take me back to shore”. Our very considerate host and captain agreed to turn his worthy craft about and we made for Wellington harbour and terra firma for Champ. Safely ensconced in the back seat of the car under the shade of the basswood trees Champ flashed a smile at me as if to say “thanks doggie daddy. Now you run along. I’ll be fine here”.

Many Stars Aligned

Today I contemplate going into the vineyard to continue pruning the vines. If things dry out a little bit, it promises to be a good year. The vines are loaded with nascent bunches of fruit. It remains to prune each vine to establish the right architecture so that each will produce a limited number of bunches with the highest potential for quality and ripeness.

Warm Autumn Reflections on the Summer Dinner Series

October 17 2016

There was a tang in the air. The leaves on the trees glowed with their Thanksgiving colours that Andy Goldsworthy finds so fascinating. Chase and I made sure there was plenty of firewood around. We would need to get the wood stove going in the loafing barn Saturday evening for the first time all summer. Victoria wanted the Tom Dean “Mercy” burning barrel close to the entrance so that everyone could see the fire from their seats. Crispy Confit of Pork was to be one of the hors d’oeuvres on the ridge so we needed to burn a fire there too.

A Collaboration with Chef Albert Ponzo

From time to time we get to collaborate with our colleagues to create a gastronomic experience for our guests that allows them a window to observe and taste stylistic differences in food preparation, in real time, in the context of a dinner. For all the cooks involved, it is also a great opportunity to step outside one’s comfort zone and to learn from each other.

A Celebratory Feast with Charles Baker

It is another peerless day on the farm. This morning I notice a heavy dew. The temperature has dropped overnight, providing water from condensation that I imagine my potato plants absorbing before the sun rises and all is dry again.

Jeff Connell at the Summer Dinner Series

Sometimes it takes stepping away from one’s usual focus to gain perspective and a better understanding of what makes the work one is engaged in, unique. This small journey outside the box inspires one further in one’s own work, closer to home.

The Twin Cherries

At 3:00 pm on Saturday June 18^th, I was already up on the ridge. Anne Rumble stayed behind in the kitchen to put the last pieces of the mise en place together. Deep breaths and focus as we move into the fast water. The clock approaches guest arrival time at 5:00 pm. Today the excitement is palpable as it is our launch of the Summer Dinner Series.