Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival
Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival
– Adam Waxman, DINE Magazine: September 3, 2018
Bob Romaniuk – Brant County Garlic Co.
2019 represents the 41st year that Bob and Irene Romaniuk have been in the business of growing fresh produce. They got into the business in 1978, supplying the Toronto Food Terminal with fresh produce and garlic. They also supplied the local Calbeck’s grocery chain, which at the time had nine stores, including two in Brantford and one each in Paris, Simcoe, Waterford and Port Dover. He also got into custom agricultural spraying and grew herbs. From 1991 to 2001 he grew echinacea, Golden Seal and black cohosh, and the Romaniuks saw to it that they became certified organic growers.
Bob stayed with custom agricultural spraying and started to concentrate on garlic. Between 1992 and 2008, the Romaniuks grew a modest eight to 10 acres of garlic for the family and friends. But as Bob says: “Then lightning struck and we decided to get into garlic on a larger scale.”
That started the specialized planting regime. They grow five varieties. The largest is called music, the most common variety. They also plant Yugoslavian red, which is about 20 per cent of this year’s 45-acres crop. The other three are French varieties all in the official French catalogue. They are sabagold, thermador and messidor.
The Romaniuks also have trial plots every year to see if there are better ways of growing each variety. They work with the Ontario Ministry of Food and the University of Guelph. It’s all to ensure they have the best quality product on the market.
He also mentors a lot of growers who want to get into garlic. Their website includes an article detailing 20 items growers should know if they want to get into growing garlic. “We believe in sharing information and helping others grow this crop,” said Bob.
Romaniuk said that between 1,800 acres and 2,000 acres of garlic are grown in Ontario every year, and the average grower plants two to three acres. That’s a far cry from the known demand in the province, he said. “Ontario could use 40,000 acres to supply just its domestic needs.”
Bob has been a director in the Garlic Growers Association of Ontario for the past nine years, and a director of the Brant County Federation of Agriculture.
We’re delighted to have Bob and Irene back yet again this year, and are thrilled that Bob has once again agreed to share his vast garlic growing knowledge with you in the Presentation Theatre. His talks on garlic growing are always fun, informative and always one of our most popular presentations. If you are wanting to get into garlic production for home use or on a larger scale, Bob is the man you want to know! Don’t miss him!
Chef Eli Silverthorne
Chef Eli Silverthorne, as his Twitter handle says, is the #truffledchef.
A London, Ontario native and Red Seal Chef, Chef Eli has worked most recently at The Berlin (K-W) and Stratford’s Prune Restaurant. He was Class Valedictorian for his graduation from The Stratford Chefs’ School in May, 2015, and has staged for Maison Publique, Richmond Station, Scaramouche and Araxi in Whistler, BC., all top restaurants in the country. Chef Eli also completed his B.A. in history and political science at the University of Western Ontario in 2006 and has worked as an educational aid at Fanshawe College for six years. Currently, Chef Eli is an Instructor of Practical Cookery at The Stratford Chefs’ School. Chef Eli tells us that his favourite part of being a Chef is being able to utilize all five senses plus intuition and imagination at the same time. He is constantly visualizing, smelling, tasting, touching, and listening, whether it be to other chefs or sizzling burners…all the time! Few occupations demand so much of you at any given singular moment. He loves the challenges offered by food.
We are thrilled to have Chef Eli join us once again at this year’s Stratford Garlic Festival to share his love of all things colourful and culinary!
Jobsite Brewing & Pizza is a company started by two co-workers from the construction industry during a break at their construction site. Dave Oldenburger and Phil Buhler had worked together in construction for nine years creating a variety of projects. After deciding on a brand and its main features, a fellow tradesman suggesting that they contact the owner of the former Pounder Brothers Hardware building at 45 Cambria Street. Once they had toured the old lumber yard, it was decided that this was the perfect venue for their new brewery!
They quickly came up with a creative layout that would allow full accessibility to both the taproom and the large events area in the production area, while keeping the building as exposed and raw as possible. Because they did much of the demolition themselves, they were able to reclaim and re-purpose much of the lumber for doors and tables, even preserving a full section of wall which now hangs in the taproom.
With the rich history of construction in this building and in their lives, both Dave and Phil are loving constructing beers for each and every drinker, and they invite everyone to drop in and enjoy one of their craft beers and a wood-fired pizza at Jobsite Brewing Co. This year at The Garlic Festival, they’ll be sharing with you some of their secrets on brewing exciting new flavours in craft beers to enjoy with your Jobsite pizza.
Lorraine Kuepfer is a retired Education Assistant who LOVES all pollinators and has set out on a mission to save them! She has been particularly active in “Bee City Canada”. Several years ago it was announced that Stratford had been named only the second Bee City in Canada. The announcement came just a year after Toronto became Canada’s first Bee City in March 2016. Ninety percent of the world’s wild plants depend on pollinators to reproduce and one in three bites of food we eat is thanks to pollinators. Bee City Canada’s vision is to protect, promote and celebrate pollinators for a healthier ecosystem.
“Living in an agricultural community, there is an incredible opportunity to bring attention to the importance of bio-diversity in farming. Bee City allows us to make meaningful change and feel as if our opinions matter. Lorraine feels that this is an incredible program that has been designed by Bee City Canada. It offers a simple program that all communities across this country can adopt in order that all of us can do something positive for all the pollinators that live in our own backyards. The Kiwanis Club of Stratford and Lorraine Kuepfer invite each of you to come to the Stratford Garlic Festival and hear how you, too, can turn your own yard into a pollinator garden and help save our bees through this movement that is sweeping the country.”
Barb Hacking has been retired from teaching at Avon School for seven years. She loved raising Monarch butterflies in her classroom each September, but when she retired, her husband (a biology teacher) could only find one caterpillar. Evidently, the Monarch population had reached an all-time low. Consequently, Barb has spent her retirement educating people as to what they can do to help not only Monarch butterflies, but all pollinators. Each February, she has travelled to Mexico to visit the Monarchs in their overwintering grounds. We, in Kiwanis, support Barb in her efforts to save the Monarch butterfly, and are proud to have her return once again this year as part of our 2019 Stratford Garlic Festival.
Over 7 years ago, on a farm located in Grey County, Lorraine Irwin began growingacre of organic hard-necked garlic called “music” at her BOARS’ ROCK FARM. Recently on the side, she has started manufacturing a wide range of garlic products such as garlic powders. Lorraine tells us that when selling her products, she always gets thesame question, “What is added to the powders that make them so good?” andreply is always “Nothing butmusic!” Join us at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7th in the Presentation Theatre as Lorraine tells us all about making “black garlic”, a seasoning used by many elite Chefs, including Chef Arron Carley of The Bruce Hotel, who favour seasoning their “haute cuisine” with black garlic.
Rheo Thompson Candies and Junction 56 Distillery are teaming up to satisfy both your sweet tooth and craft spirit cravings. Rheo Thompson Candies will be sampling some of their world famous creations while Junction 56 Distillers pairs them with hand-crafted spirits inspired by these treats! Be sure to reserve your spot for this uniquely Stratford pairing!
Vineland Estate Winery and Stonetown Artisan Cheese have a history of working together to bring you their mouth watering Game Changer wine and cheese selection. It is a must try combination for both red and white wine lovers. This pairing will be heaven for your taste buds! Drink what you love, love what you eat!
Join Rheo Thompson Candies and Black Swan Brewing as they explore the unique pairing of beer and chocolate! Experience the interaction between the richness of chocolate and the carbonation of beer – complementing each other through aroma, flavor and mouthfeel! Experiment, indulge and enjoy!
Stonetown Artisanal Cheese and Junction 56 Distillery will demonstrate that cheese not only melts on a fire, it will melt in your mouth when paired with fine batch distilled spirits. This tasting session is sure to be a mouth-melting experience, one slice and sip at a time!
This pairing will showcase the perfect balance between the cheese from Millbank Cheese and Butter and the wine from Maelstrom Winery. As you go through the different pairings, you will first experience soft and subtle notes between the two. You will then be able to try some of the more intense and flavorful pairings, which will showcase the best of both companies. The collaboration between the pride of Perth East and the pride of Huron East will be an experience to remember!
Alton Farms Estate Winery, the pioneering estate winery in Ontario’s emerging wine region, Huron Shores is pairing with Great Lakes Goat Diary, a farmer-owned company producing artisan cheeses from their high-quality goat’s milk. This session will feature Great Lakes Goat Dairy’s creamy, firm-textured goat cheeses and Alton Farms Estate Winery’s lightly-filtered, flavourful – and prize winning – wines.
Come to this session to experience locally grown fresh Ginger and off-dry English style cider from Huron County. Loco Fields Organics and Maelstrom Winery partner to showcase how perfect fresh ginger complements and supports the maple and spice characteristics in their cider, as well as other organic vegetable and cider pairings. The acidity and gentle sweetness of cider works with all sorts of food products. Loco Fields grow fresh ginger and fresh turmeric. Fresh turmeric has a fabulous fresh orange characteristic that elevates Maelstrom Cider. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory properties which can support better mornings and decrease swelling. You can grate fresh turmeric into your cider OR peel and freeze the turmeric and use it to keep your cider cold while releasing the gentle flavor. Loco is a local grower of vegetables; they offer a wide range of products. Ginger, turmeric and potentially one other fresh product will be paired with Maelstrom Cider.
Millbank Butter and Cheese and Trail Estate Winery will showcase Trail Estate’s small-batch wines grown in the limestone rich soils of Prince Edward County with cheeses from Millbank Cheese and Butter, a locally owned and operated factory which has been producing delicious artisan cheeses using traditional recipes and local dairy suppliers since 1908.
Over 7 years ago, on a farm located in Grey County, Lorraine Irwin began growingacre of organic hard-necked garlic called “music” at her BOARS’ ROCK FARM. Recently on the side, she has started manufacturing a wide range of garlic products such as garlic powders. Lorraine tells us that when selling her products, she always gets thesame question, “What is added to the powders that make them so good?” andreply is always “Nothing butmusic!” Join us at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7th in the Presentation Theatre as Lorraine tells us all about making “black garlic”, a seasoning used by many elite Chefs, including Chef Arron Carley of The Bruce Hotel, who favour seasoning their “haute cuisine” with black garlic.
Chef Anthony Jordaan – The Keystone
Chef Anthony Jordaan (or Chef McDreamy as he has become affectionately known at The Garlic Festival) is returning for a fourth year to do a presentation in our Presentation Theatre. Chef Anthony is a native of South Africa and is a trained chef with 18 years experience in the Hospitality Industry in both Africa and Canada. While working in Zambia as Manager of a Hotel/Restaurant, he met his partner Kimberly Hurley of Stratford, and after a series of adventures, they settled in Canada. They have two sons and a daughter, and are becoming an active family in the Stratford community. Chef Anthony has worked his culinary magic in Vancouver, Nunavut and now Stratford as Co—Owner/Chef of The Keystone Alley Café. And as if with three small children and a tremendously busy & popular restaurant they still have an excess of energy, this year (2019), Anthony and Kimberly became Owner/Operators of The Little Green Grocery Store on Downie Street and Braai House, their newest endeavour situated above The Keystone Alley Café. Braai House specializes in the flavours of South Africa and it is simply delightful…great décor, great location, great service but most of all…GREAT FLAVOURS! We at the Stratford Garlic Festival LOVE Chef Anthony Jordaan!
Chef Ian Middleton – The Hub
Chef Ian Middleton was born and raised in Thunder Bay. His culinary adventures began more than 20 years ago while working his way through university. Having worked in many aspects of the restaurant industry, both in dining rooms and kitchens, Chef Ian felt it was time to hone his skills and enrolled in the Stratford Chefs School in 1999. Following his graduation from the Chefs’ School, he spent time in London, England, working in Michelin-starred restaurants to gain more experience. Upon returning to Canada, he has worked in some of Stratford’s best restaurants as a Sous Chef, Pastry Chef, Baker and Chef de Cuisine. He has been a core member of the faculty at the Stratford Chefs School the past seven years, teaching practical cookery and academic courses. In Spring, 2018, he left The Chefs’ School to take on the position of Executive Chef of The Hub located upstairs on Market Square. The Kiwanis Club of Stratford is delighted to have Chef Ian Middleton with us for the second time this year, and hope he’ll return year after year. It’s of note that the reason we haven’t been able to twist his arm until last year was because, during his years at The Stratford Chefs’ School, he oversaw the prestigious “Long Table Dinner” held in Stratford each year on the same weekend as our Garlic Festival. The “Long Table Dinner” is the signature fundraising culinary event of The Stratford Chefs’ School. With all those years of sharing his culinary magic with the students of The Stratford Chefs’ School, you can imagine what a great (and instructive) presentation he does at The Garlic Festival.
Chef Kris Schlotzhauer – AO Pasta
Chef Kris Schlotzhauer, a Stratford native, and his partner, Pastry Chef Suzy Schlotzhauer, from Calgary, Alberta, got together while working together in Calgary. They travelled across Canada before settling in Toronto, Ontario, where they worked in some of that city’s finest restaurants. They eventually moved back to Stratford to raise their young family and to follow their dream of opening their own restaurant. AO PASTA (so named after their two children, Axel and Olive) opened in June/2018, and Chefs Kris and Suzy are loving sharing their dream with their clientele that keep coming back again and again.
AO PASTA is a casual, friendly, counter-service Italian restaurant located in the heart of downtown Stratford. They offer a simple, honest, Italian inspired menu anchored by the pastas and made-to-order sauces. The menu is complemented by seasonal dishes and salads, and their signature “Arancini” deep-fried risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella cheese…oh yeh!!!
This will be Kris’s first year presenting at the Stratford Kiwanis Garlic Festival and you won’t want to miss it as he teaches you his signature Pesto.
Come to this session to experience locally grown fresh Ginger and off-dry English style cider from Huron County. Loco Fields Organics and Maelstrom Winery partner to showcase how perfect fresh ginger complements and supports the maple and spice characteristics in their cider, as well as other organic vegetable and cider pairings. The acidity and gentle sweetness of cider works with all sorts of food products. Loco Fields grow fresh ginger and fresh turmeric. Fresh turmeric has a fabulous fresh orange characteristic that elevates Maelstrom Cider. Turmeric also has anti-inflammatory properties which can support better mornings and decrease swelling. You can grate fresh turmeric into your cider OR peel and freeze the turmeric and use it to keep your cider cold while releasing the gentle flavor. Loco is a local grower of vegetables; they offer a wide range of products. Ginger, turmeric and potentially one other fresh product will be paired with Maelstrom Cider.
Vineland Estates Winery and Stonetown Artisanal Cheese have a history of working together to bring you their mouth-watering Game Changer wine and cheese selection. It is a must try combination for both red and white wine lovers. This pairing will be heaven for your taste buds. Drink what you love! Love what you eat!
This pairing will showcase the perfect balance between the cheese from Millbank Cheese and Butter and the wine from Maelstrom Winery. As you go through the different pairings, you will first experience soft and subtle notes between the two. You will then be able to try some of the more intense and flavorful pairings, which will showcase the best of both companies. The collaboration between the pride of Perth East and the pride of Huron East will be an experience to remember!
Alton Farms Estate Winery, the pioneering estate winery in Ontario’s emerging wine region, Huron Shores is pairing with Great Lakes Goat Diary, a farmer-owned company producing artisan cheeses from their high-quality goat’s milk. This session will feature Great Lakes Goat Dairy’s creamy, firm-textured goat cheeses and Alton Farms Estate Winery’s lightly-filtered, flavourful – and prize winning – wines.
Trail Estate Winery and Stonetown Artisan Cheese have come together to bring you their newest creations. They will be pairing the best wine and cheese selections they have to offer. This is sure to be a sensational flavour experience. Life is great, wine and cheese make it better!
