Meet the Unstoppable “Hot Irishman” and maker of Writers’ Tears Irish Whiskey, Bernard Walsh. Just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day!
In 1999 Bernard Walsh and his wife Rosemary founded The Hot Irishman Company an innovative Irish Coffee.
The company named changed in 2007 to Walsh Distillery and The Irishman Whiskey was introduced followed by Writers’ Tears in 2009. Working with a small team Bernard has brought his whiskies to 40 nations worldwide, including Canada.Today he has created one of Ireland’s largest independent distilleries. The distillery is unique for being manually operated and for distilling all three styles of Irish Whiskey – pot still, malt and grain- in the same house.
His recent visit to Toronto captivated us with his Irish charm and delightful range of Irish Whiskies available at the LCBO just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day.
If you are lucky you can get them while they are still all available.
Press Luncheon with Bernard Walsh, at the Royal Canadian Military Institute on University Avenue, Toronto.Walsh is the exclusive supplier showcased in an initiative at the LCBO known as the ‘Distillery Feature’ which launched at participating Whisky Shops on February 7, 2019. As support, Walsh has distilled 7 different expressions that were introduced together and available for a limited time
The Magic of Mushrooms and Vitamin D! To Your Number One Health With Irie Selkirk.
Our special guest this week, Irie Selkirk.
On this podcast you’ll learn about the healing powers and magic of the mushroom, both of grocery store species and those containing psilocybin! Fascinating info from our special guest Irie Selkirk, Co-Founder of Sansero Life Sciences and co-founder of Rise Wellness Retreat located in beautiful sunny Jamaica! Tips to better health, well being and balance with Irie include Vitamin D and Box Breathing!
Be sure to tune in!
Have you taken your daily mushroom boost today? 
We love adding our tinctures to a morning coffee, tea, cacao elixir, or straight under the tongue and down the hatch to elevate our day.
Rise Wellness Retreat combines natural healing and ancient wisdom with modern science to create a completely immersive wellness experience unlike any other, in a beautiful and relaxed setting with trained facilitators.
Our integrative wellness program supports your mind, body and spirit, combining microdoses of specially-formulated psilocybin, restorative classes and personalized guidance to pioneer a safe and new way to rebuild the foundations of life based on increased creativity, reduced stress, improved wellness and an overall better state of mind.
Sansero Life Sciences is a Canadian-based bioscience company developing novel medications for the evolving needs of patients and the future of mental health care.
Sansero’s highly skilled and experienced research team uses advanced machine learning, diagnostics and metabolic pathway profiling to create psilocybin-based formulations designed to replace anti-depressants and ADHD medications with new pharmaceuticals that treat the complete neurological pathway
Christmas in Hawaii! Virtual Wine Tasting with The Wine Ladies
We had the opportunity to host a virtual wine tasting for the Oakville Wine Enthusiasts Club. This event replaced their annual Christmas Gala due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although not a “party” in the normal sense of the word, everyone had fun and we tasted some lovely wines. Peter Sharp, from Select Wine Merchants provided some wonderful wines for the members to taste and enjoy, including the Telmo Rodriguez/Blancos de Rueda, the 2019 Basa Rueda DO $ 18.99 from Spain and the Speri / Valpolicella Classico 2019 Valpolicella Classico Valpolicella Classico DOC $ 21.99 from Italy.
Lots of great prizes and games were part of the fun too.
If you are interested in a similar event for your club, restaurant or business, please do not hesitate to contact us directly.
This is an edited version of the 1.5 hour event that took place on Dec 4th, 2020 with over 100 participants.
About Us
The Oakville Wine Enthusiasts Club (OWEC) has been operating as a not for profit wine appreciation club since 2005. We meet on the last Friday of every month, except for July and August. Over the years we have established a reputation with wine producers and brokers alike of providing a warm and inviting audience to present their wines. OWEC members support these presenters by purchasing wine – and purchase wine we do! Last year alone, members purchased in excess of $100,000. at our monthly tastings and special events.
In addition to our monthly tastings, our committee of volunteers organize periodic special events that could be dinner and wine pairings, wine country showcases and even road trips. As part of our wine tasting year, we also hold a formal Christmas Gala usually in late November or early December. This event attracts 300 plus members and guests and showcases 12 or more wine stations along with live music, seated dinner and lots of fun surprises.
As we continue to offer a venue for new and upcoming wineries and brokers, we also celebrate and support our “old friends” who have supported us along the way. You can always look forward to tasting and learning about wine varietals from regions both close to home and across the world. We hope you can join us as we discover new tastes and revisit old favourites.
The Wine Ladies Events, Soirees, Fundraisers and Simply Super parties!
Please join us for our next up coming event!
You never know when or where our next event will be…. Life is like a box of chocolates…. But one thing is for sure, it will be filled with joy, laugher, great people and fabulous wine and food! Heck, you might even learn something!
Visit this page regularly to not miss out!
Whether practicing yoga in the vineyard, harvesting frozen grapes in the bold cold of January for icewine or stomping grapes in oak barrels, live life large with us!
See some of our past events below. Oh and if you ‘d like us to create an event for you, your company or your brand? We’re here for YOU!
If you are interested in hiring us for your next event whether live or virtual, please email us at thewineladies@gmail.com
On This Week’s Podcast, Marvels Of Mediterranean Cuisine Featuring Oakville’s NEW Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine.
Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine
We’ve got the travel bug and no place to go!
And with so many folks out there having travel plans being foiled due to Covid 19, we thought well…for today’s show our topic is “if you can’t get to the Mediterranean, we’ll bring the Mediterranean to you!
And introduce you to some of the marvels of Mediterranean cuisine, from countries including the likes of the well traveled Spain and France, but also those less well known for their cuisine such as Israel, Egypt and Syria. Each celebrating a few of their very own and unique specialties.
We’ll also touch upon on some of the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Studies have shown folks that follow this style of eating are also more likely to enjoy a longer life than people in other regions.
So joining us today, we bring the Mediterranean to you via the journeys of our guests Rebecca Shoufany Amoury .Rebecca and her husband Jad are the proud owners of Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine, a fabulous restaurant, located in Oakville, Ontario that offers you, the diner a delectably diverse and mouth-watering menu.
Rebecca and Jad each have their own journey that began just north of Israel, knowing and living the traditions of Mediterranean culture first hand for many years. Their journeys eventually led them here to our beautiful country and our beautiful town of Oakville.
We will welcome Rebecca CEO of Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine first, she will fill us in on her story and learn more about the story behind Montfort.
For our second perspective on rosés made in France we turn our attention to the Rhone Valley. Our focus is more specifically the appellation of Ventoux. The Ventoux vineyards actually developed and expanded during the Avignon papacy. This papacy was 1309 -1376. The kings of France drank these wines over the centuries.
Our producer Ogier founded in 1859 is situated in the southern Rhone in the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This literally translates to “new castle of the Pope”. Ventoux is enjoying a positive affect of climate change now due to the warmer climes. They are producing wines of deeper colour and body.
And to close off the show, Yvonne Robinson will join us. Montfort just recently relocated and under the guidance of Yvonne, an Interior Design Consultant for over 25 years, with a love herself of the Mediterranean, Yvonne designed and decorated the new Montfort. Yvonne will share with us the nuances that speak to the Med in her design, truly a job beautifully done.
Our podcast “Taking Life One Sip at a Time” is an radio audio podcast on which we share with the audience our passion and sense of adventure for delectable and fascinating foods, wine, spirits and lifestyle discoveries. Our motto “everything in life somehow comes back to the vine and to live life large and with integrity is intertwined with a variety of guests from around the globe… Chatting with celebrity chefs, celebrity winemakers, exotic food purveyors, artists, musicians, sports personalities, lifestyle advocates and fashion icons be sure to tune in for an hour of lively topical and educational conversation.
Mesmerizing Marvels of Mediterranean Cuisine
Rebecca sits above Montfort Castle in the high Galilee, Israel where the Montfort name came.Mesmerizing Marvels of Mediterranean Cuisine
With so many folks out there having travel plans being foiled due to Covid 19, we thought well… if you can’t get to your planned destination maybe you can bring the destination to you! What do they say, when life gives you lemons make lemonade? For us… a hopeful visit to the Mediterranean was not to be, so since we couldn’t get to the Med, why not bring a little of the Med to us! Starting with one of the Mediterranean’s star features, food glorious Food! Here we’ll introduce you to a brand-new restaurant embracing the delectable, mouth-watering and healthy cuisine of the Mediterranean. We’ll touch upon the incredible diversity the region has to offer. With Twenty-three countries bordering the Med one can only imagine the possibilities for the foodie, from a country’s signature dish to a unique spice, indigenous herb and/or traditional recipes handed down over generations.
Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine, located in Oakville, ON, is a quintessential Mediterranean restaurant with some of the best authentic dishes you can imagine.
Rebecca, or Rabab as she is affectionately known, grew up in the North Galilee Israel, in a town that overlooks Lebanon which we learned is located just a half hour from where the Last Supper was held. Now that is pretty cool! Rebecca’s roots go back many generations in the area with her grandparents and parents having a passionate connection with the land, harvesting grape leaves, lemon and olives trees, growing a variety of vegetables, different herbs and more. Rabab tells us this is where she has many fond memories of harvesting the trees, grinding falafel, and learning to prepare traditional recipes of the Mediterranean which are still being used today at Montfort. She recalls that everything was always so fresh, so delicious, and prepared with so much love and attention.
“Growing up, I had the opportunity to be a part of the most incredible experience of what the true meaning of traditional Mediterranean cuisine is! Every October olive harvesting and pressing our own olives at the olive press which was in our village”
We learn that the family time together was most often spent sitting at a large harvest table, enjoying one another’s company over food and drink. This she tells us has a lot to do with her philosophy today.
“The Shoufany Amoury family represents the true foundation of Montfort and we stand behind the belief that “food, family and friends“ are a shared richness that is not only a part of our culture, but a way of life that we have been privileged enough to share here in Canada at our restaurants.
We had the opportunity to sit down with the Founder Rebecca Shoufany Amoury and, over a glass of wine and a variety of mouth-watering dishes, she began to share her story.
Rebecca founded Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine over 25 years ago with “the grateful assistance of my parents Melad and Georgette”. The name Montfort she says was chosen “because it represents a big part of who my family are; “strong mountain ”She recalls on many occasions sitting far above the Montfort Castle from where the name Montfort came, in Galilee, Israel.
After 25 years in one location, they recently relocated reopening in a space where the atmosphere and environment of Montfort bellow out “welcome to the Mediterranean”! And welcome to our place for friends and family to gather and enjoy fresh, delicious, home-made traditional dishes of the Mediterranean.
In 2013, the Montfort family grew after Rebecca met Dr. Jad Amoury in Israel. Jad had been practicing dentistry for 15 years and since coming to Canada has joined the family business at Montfort.
An astute businessman, Jad runs the business and oversees the kitchen, whilston off hours spending time with two young babies, ages 2 and 8 months. How do they do it all?“It’s about passion” Rebecca tells us. Passion for family, for tradition, for the wonderful flavours and dishes of the Med!
What is the Mediterranean diet?
Twenty-three countries across 3 continents border the Mediterranean Sea. Although all of the Mediterranean diets share common characteristics there are slight variations depending on the region.A typical Mediterranean diet consists of plenty of vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes and fruits. Olive oil is the predominant fat and thank goodness…wine and homemade Arak often accompanies meals!
To our own experience on this day at Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine Although the countries of France, Spain and Italy have garnered much of the “Mediterranean “attention, today as you may have surmised Rebecca and Jad are eager to explore several of the eastern countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Israel, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt to name a few are represented on a beautiful spread Executive Chef Fouad sets down before us.“Chef Fouad,”Jad informs us “hails from Egypt, studied in France and in Holland.
Let the tasting begin! We begin with an appetizer plate “Maza” which is a selection of four appetizers, (you are free to choose your own) baba ghanoush, humous, kibbeh and falafel. Each of these represent a different birth place including Israel, Lebanon, Greece and Egypt, although all are a key staple around the Mediterranean with slight variations. A delicious starter to be sure. After a plate of delicate, delicious fried calamari, seasoned withMontfort Mediterranean spices and drizzled with a reduced balsamic vinaigrette, the main course, a Mixed Grill featuring their signature dish, Montfort Chicken, Chicken Shawarma, Pork Souvlaki and Kafta arrived. All juicy, flavorful, tender and with fragrant and flavourful herbs and spices… where am I? Could it be the eastern part of the Med? No… alas, we are not permitted to travel, but this is definitely the next best thing!
Let the tasting begin! We begin with an appetizer plate “Maza” which is a selection of four appetizers, (you are free to choose your own) baba ghanoush, humous, kibbeh and falafel. Each of these represent a different birth place including Israel, Lebanon, Greece and Egypt, although all are a key staple around the Mediterranean with slight variations. A delicious starter to be sure. After a plate of delicate, delicious fried calamari, seasoned withMontfort Mediterranean spices and drizzled with a reduced balsamic vinaigrette, the main course, a Mixed Grill featuring their signature dish, Montfort Chicken, Chicken Shawarma, Pork Souvlaki and Kafta arrived. All juicy, flavorful, tender and with fragrant and flavourful herbs and spices… where am I? Could it be the eastern part of the Med? No… alas, we are not permitted to travel, but this is definitely the next best thing!
In closing we have to applaud Rebecca and Jad for having the courageto push forward with the launching of the new Montfort Mediterranean Cuisine during these challenging times. Jad, as the operations Manager took a bold and savvy step, by being an early adopter in creating their own apps for Montfort for takeout and delivery. This allows their local customers to order online, earn loyalty points and receive an automatic credit of $5.00 with each download.This has helped the restaurant immeasurably, allowing for greater sales, and pickup and delivery costs to be minimized during Covid 19.Before we part ways Rebecca wants to make it clear that she credits the continued success of Montfort to her loyal customers, many of which have become good friends and are like family.As she maintained throughout our chat “I’ve learned that fresh quality food is just as important as the service, atmosphere and presentation but most importantly Pleasing my guests just like they are family is the key to a successful restaurant.”If you would like to experience the delectable and diverse foods of Montfort MediterraneanCuisine, please visit their website.www.montfortrestaurats.com
Bravo Rebecca and Jad!
Want to dazzle your guests? Book The Wine Ladies to host or emcee your next event!
Book The Wine Ladies to host or emcee your next event.
The Wine Ladies Events, Soirees, Fundraisers and Simply Super parties!
Book The Wine Ladies to host or emcee your next event.
You never know when or where our next event will be…. Life is like a box of chocolates…. But one thing is for sure, it will be filled with joy, laugher, great people and fabulous wine and food! Heck, you might even learn something! Visit this page regularly to not miss out! Whether putting on a gala, wine tasting, practicing yoga in the vineyard, harvesting frozen grapes in the bold cold of January for icewine or stomping grapes in oak barrels, live life large with us! See some of our past events Oh and if you ‘d like us to create an event for you, your company or your brand? We’re here for YOU!
Book The Wine Ladies to host or emcee your next event.
Want more information? Send us an email to thewineladies@gmail.com
The Wine Ladies at Sopra Lounge, Toronto with Celebrities Massimo Capra and Emilio Fina
Patio Launch party at Calamus Estate Winery with Peter Van-Heldingen, Twenty Valley, Niagara,
If you like Piña Coladas! …. la la la…National Piña Colada Day, July 10,2020
Perfect weather here in for an icy cold tropical drink at cocktail hour!
? If you like Piña Coladas! ?
Who’s getting ready for National Piña Colada Day on July 10th? ? Enjoy this fruity drink as you sit back by the pool and soak in the sun ☀️
Barrachina, a restaurant in Puerto Rico, says that “a traditional Spanish bartender Don Ramon Portas Mingot in 1963 created what became the world’s famous drink: the Piña Colada.”
How to make a Barrachina Piña Colada
If you follow Barrachina’s recipe.
- Mix four parts pineapple juice with one part Coco Lopez or Goya coconut cream.
- Blend for 30 to 40 seconds with 3/4-part water, then put the mixture in the freezer, stirring occasionally until it achieves your desired thickness. (If you want to blend it with a scoop of ice instead, then skip the water.)
- Pour your desired amount of rum — Reyes suggested a shot; I suggest a couple — into the bottom of your glass. To make it authentic, use Ron del Barrilito, Puerto Rico’s oldest and most cherished rum.
- Pour the slushy mix on top, then decorate with a cocktail-umbrella-stabbed maraschino cherry and pineapple chunk.
Perhaps a Piña Colada Ice lolly is more your speed!
Ingredients:
450g fresh pineapple chunks
4 tbsp Malibu
zest and juice ½ lemon
2 tbsp icing sugar
100ml coconut cream, plus 2 tbsp extra for dipping
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
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Method:
Whizz the pineapple in a food processor until it is quite smooth but still has some texture.
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Add the Malibu, 2 tbsp lemon juice zest, icing sugar and coconut cream and whizz again to combine. Taste the mixture – it should be sweet and sharp. Add more lemon juice or icing sugar if needed.
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Divide between the lolly moulds and freeze for 1 hr until thick enough to hold a lolly stick upright. Push a lolly stick most of the way into each mould and freeze for another 6-8 hrs until solid.
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Meanwhile toast the coconut flakes in a dry pan until they are a light golden colour.
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Pull the lollies by their sticks to remove them from the mould. If they are stuck dip the mould in hot water for 10 secs and try again.
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Dip the tip of each lolly in the extra coconut cream then roll in the desiccated coconut.
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Either serve straightaway or wrap each lolly in baking parchment and store in individual airtight freezer bags for up to 1 week.
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Enjoy!! ?
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Image Credit: thebaker.chic
David Johanns, special guest tonight! WTF! It’s Wine Time Friday with The Wine Ladies
Thanks to everyone who joined us last Friday
We had so much fun that we are doing it all over again and again! Same time… Same place… Zoom wine party.
Please join us as we raise a glass together with your favorite wine. We’ll talk a bit about wine chit chat and just have some fun.It will all be recorded and posted on The Wine Ladies YOU TUBE Channel and social media! So be sure to put on some lipstick, comb your hair and get out of your pj’s!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88241594306?pwd=c3VIZ25zS1g5aTRYWUlTN0lHd0F0Zz09
Meeting ID: 882 4159 4306Password: 032143
Tonight we have special guest who will be joining us! David Johanns of Dave’s Virtual Piano Bar who will be tickling the ivy’s with a wine song or two!
After The Wine Ladies…
Dave’s Virtual Piano Bar Tonight 8:00pm . New shirts, new songs, new stories. The 41st night of consecutive pandemic performances. Beautiful music, beautiful audience, beautiul moments. Please share. Sponsored by realtor
If you would like to share this email and invite a friend or two that’s ok too!
Here are the details to the scheduled party
Date: Friday, May 1st, 2020 Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88241594306?pwd=c3VIZ25zS1g5aTRYWUlTN0lHd0F0Zz09
Meeting ID: 882 4159 4306Password: 032143
Want to dazzle your guests? Book The Wine Ladies to host or emcee your next event!