The Winner of "Caesars: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail" is...

@taylor40906

Congratulations @taylor40906! You have just won a signed copy of the ultimate food and drink bible CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail by Clint Pattemore! Please email me you full name and mailing address at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com :)

Thanks to the 16 contestants who participated in my giveaway. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #CaesarYu hashtag from day one of the giveaway (if you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up.) The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I wanna win a signed copy of "CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail"! http://bit.ly/1qsUQeD #CaesarYu". Each person may tweet once a day for the duration of the giveaway (duplicates were removed). Once the giveaway was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below is a list of people who qualified for the contest:

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick the winner from the 33 entries.

Sunday Brunch at Langdon Hall

After spending most of Saturday afternoon strolling around the hotel's property, then treating ourselves to a fantastic Chef's Tasting Menu in the evening, you may wonder what we ended up doing Sunday at Langdon Hall (Twitter: @Langdon_Hall, Facebook: Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa). How about the same thing all over again?! Well not exactly, but close enough. 

Feeling rejuvenated after a great night's sleep (in our beautiful room nonetheless) we woke to marvelous weather; there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Taking full advantage of this and the few hours we have before checking-out, we took one last excursion on the estate's herb and water gardens, fields, and manicured lawns. 

We would rest on the benches between our walks every now and then just so we can take a mental picture of the gorgeousness surrounding us. Life could not be better at that moment.

. 

Oops, actually it can! Enter Sunday brunch, outside, underneath a big beautiful tree, with a view of the Langdon Hall gardens!

STAR FRUIT MARGARITA ($18)

Star Fruit Syrup combined with Cointreau and Sauza Gold

MOCKTAIL ($6.50)

Cucumber and Beet Syrup Soda

Chef's Tasting Menu at Langdon Hall

I spent a weekend at Langdon Hall (Twitter: @langdon_hall, Facebook: Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa) for my birthday earlier this month and had a phenomenal time. As a matter of fact the word "phenomenal" doesn't begin to describe the weekend escape; to put it into perspective I questioned whether or not I really had to check-out Sunday morning (and when the inevitable came I was really sad). This two-days-one-night mini vacay away from the city was, hands down, the best weekend getaway I've ever had. I don't know about you but my days of getting hammered at a club for my birthday has long gone (just the thought of that makes me nauseous). Now that I'm older all I want is to spend quality time somewhere quiet and serene, at a place where I can relax and get away from all the traffic, construction, noise pollution and all that wonderful stuff associated with the city. Only an hour and a half drive from Toronto, this renowned estate in Cambridge was just what I wanted my birthday. 

Langdon Hall is gorgeous, inside and out, with incredibly stunning gardens. I think the hotel alone deserves a post of its own. Yup, I need to get on that.

So more on the gorgeous mansion later, for this post I'll share with you my dining experience at Langdon Hall, specifically their Tasting Menu by chef Jason Bangerter (formerly Auberge du Pommier, Luma). Bangerter replaced Jonathan Gushue, who ran the restaurant for eight years, as executive chef in September of last year. 

Proudly hung in the dining room, these two very prestigious plaques confirms why Langdon Hall is one of the best in Canada. Langdon Hall has held the CAA/AAA Five Diamond Restaurant Award for nine consecutive years and the CAA/AAA Four Diamond Accommodation Award for 18 consecutive years. 

*More information on CAA/AAA ratings can be found here

Accommodations and restaurants throughout the United States and Canada are assigned a rating of one to five AAA/CAA Diamonds, ranging from simple to luxurious. Below are the rating descriptions for Langdon Hall:

Restaurant Diamond Ratings: Five Diamond

These establishments are renowned and consistently provide a world-class experience. This is “haute cuisine” at its best. Menus are cutting edge, using only the finest ingredients available. Food is prepared in a manner that is highly imaginative and unique. The combination of technique and ingredients is extraordinary, reflecting the impeccable artistry and awareness of highly-acclaimed chefs. A maître d' leads an expert service staff that exceeds guest expectations by attending to every detail in an effortless and unobtrusive manner

Hotel Diamond Ratings: Four Diamond

These establishments are upscale in all areas. Accommodations are progressively more refined and stylish. The physical attributes reflect an obvious enhanced level of quality throughout. The fundamental hallmarks at this level include an extensive array of amenities combined with a high degree of hospitality, service, and attention to detail.

My view looking into the restaurant. My table was situated at the corner with my back against the windows.

Giveaway: Caesars - The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail - CLOSED

I'm giving away ONE SIGNED copy of the ultimate food and drink bible...
CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail by Clint Pattemore

On June 17, the ultimate food and drink bible CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail by Clint Pattemore, Caesar Mixing Officer for Mott’s Clamato, hit bookshelves across Canada. The gorgeous full-colour cookbook is a celebration of Canada’s official cocktail and is filled with over 50 unique thirst-quenching recipes for Caesar variations.

Here's a look at the book. This is my copy so obviously your signed copy will be different :) There's Clint Pattemore (@CaesarClint) on the right.

Over 50 unique thirst-quenching recipes for Caesar variations, all with beautiful photos.

There are also 20 delicious food recipes to pair with the Caesars by Top Chef Alumni Connie DeSousa and Charcut Roast House co-owner Chef John Jackson. To make selecting which Caesar to prepare when, the recipes in CAESARS are divided by seasons. Enjoy Spring’s vibrant Blackberry Lemon Caesar, Summer’s refreshing Strawberry Daiquiri Caesar, Fall’s savoury Whiskey and Sage Caesar, and Winter’s satisfying Bacon-ato. 

CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail is available at most major bookstores, online (Amazon.ca) or at a select number of grocery stores and major retailers.

 HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter:

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu I wanna win a signed copy of "CAESARS: The Essential Guide to Your Favourite Cocktail"! http://bit.ly/1qsUQeD #CaesarYu

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #CaesarYu hashtag stream. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up
4. The contest is open to Canadian residents only.

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Wednesday, June 18 and ends on Thursday, June 26 at 12PM. 

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner on Thursday, June 26. 

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre: Speakeasy!

Not all date nights have to begin with dinner and end in a movie. Of course there's nothing wrong with that 'cause I do it - quite often actually - but I confess it gets a bit dry and boring after awhile. Depending on how late it is, how tired I am or where I'm at (the list gets longer the older I get) there might be a chance we'll still hit up a cocktail lounge after the movie. If I'm not in the mood for alcohol then perhaps some place for dessert or bubble tea (Chatime #FTW). Long story short it's still the "same ol', same ol'" when it comes to date nights for most couples out there.

Well, just stop. Stop being lazy and plan a night out that's different and fun. Why not think outside the box and surprise your significant other (or first date or blind date) by taking them to a dinner theatre? Case in point: Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre (Twitter: @WhodunitTO, Facebook: Mysteriously Yours Mystery Dinner Theatre) is where you want to be. 

Celebrating 27 years of hilarious, interactive murder mysteries, Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre is an ideal venue for a fun evening out. I know I made it sound like Mysteriously Yours is just for couples earlier but it's really not - I've seen families there, I've seen friends celebrating birthdays there, I've seen bachelorette parties there. At the end of the day Mysteriously Yours is suitable for any occasion and for anybody looking for an entertaining night out.

We went to see Mysteriously Yours' newest production "Speakeasy!" a couple of weeks ago. We arrived to the fabulous, tiered-level venue at 2026 Yonge Street around 6:30pm (the mystery begins at 8:00pm and continues to about 10:30pm).

How it works: the Mysteriously Yours cast with the help of the diners, act out a play, during which there is a murder and a detective leads the investigation. The audience is then challenged to determine the method, the motivation and the perpetrator of the crime.

Being a Roving Twitter Reporter for Toronto Taste 2014

On Sunday, June 8th, Toronto Taste brought together the city's top chefs and beverage purveyors for an evening of delicious food and refreshing drinks in support of Second Harvest's food rescue program. Presented by The Daniels Corporation, Sunday's Toronto Taste celebrated its 24th year as one of Toronto's premier culinary events where guests were able to give back to Second Harvest (Twitter: @2ndHarvestTO, Facebook: Second Harvest) while indulging in dishes prepared by top chefs. At a cost of $250 per ticket with a $125 tax receipt, every ticket purchased allows Second Harvest to rescue and deliver enough food to provide 500 meals for adults and children in Toronto.

*$1 FEEDS 2 PEOPLE IN NEED*

Second Harvest finds good, surplus food that would otherwise end up in landfills & delivers it to those in need. A large number of these folks are people who simply can’t afford groceries after paying their bills. Second Harvest serves 200 agencies and is the largest food rescue program in Canada and one of the most efficient and impactful - including gas, storage and all the good people at Second Harvest who help make it all happen, a healthy meal costs a mere 50 cents to find and deliver. 20,000 meals a day to people in need.

As a member of Toronto Taste's Social Media team, I made my way to Corus Quay several hours before doors open to familiarize myself with the site (for the past three years that I've been involved with Toronto Taste it was held at the Royal Ontario Museum). When I arrived at 2:30pm some chefs had already begun setting up their stations. By the way, Corus Quay is a gorgeous venue! Just look at that beautiful lakeside backdrop (this photos doesn't do it justice).

Here's a shot of some the wines in Toronto Taste's Fine Wine Auction, which includes a global selection of wines sourced from private collections. There's also a Live Auction with various big-ticket prizes, such as culinary-themed trips, as well as a Silent Auction. 

This is the main stage where the Live Auction and the Chef Challenge will take place later on. And in case you're wondering, yes that is a slide.

From station to station, my job was to tweet about what each chef is going to serve - a preview of "what's to come" so to speak. With 70 food and beverage purveyors this was no easy task, and of course I couldn't have done it alone. A big thanks to Andrea (@TOfoodie) and Mark & Stacey (@TastingToronto), my trusty social media team colleagues, as well as Anna (@flozer) and Amanda (@amandalaird) for leading the entire "operation" :) Anyway, time flew by and before long, guests started arriving and the event was well underway.

You know how this goes, right? This post basically chronicles my eating and drinking whirlwind at Toronto Taste. I'm confident that I have been by, and ate at all (if not 95%) of the food stations at the event. No judging, k?

The Winner of the Starbucks Refreshers Good Energy On-The-Go Gift Pack is...

@OnceFunny

Congratulations @OnceFunny! You have just won a Starbucks Refreshers Good Energy On-The-Go Gift Pack valued at ~$150! Please email me you full name and mailing address at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com :)

Thanks to the 111 contestants who participated in my giveaway. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #fjcGE hashtag from day one of the giveaway (if you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream, it means there is no entry from you. Sorry. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up.) The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "I wanna win a @StarbucksCanada Refreshers #GoodEnergy Gift Pack worth $150 from @foodieyu http://bit.ly/1rj6B8K #StarbucksRefreshers #fjcGE". Each person may tweet once a day for the duration of the giveaway (duplicates were removed). Once the giveaway was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below is a list of people who qualified for the contest:

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick the winner from the 234 entries.

Café Boulud Yet Again

This marks my fourth post on Café Boulud (Twitter: @CafeBouludTO, Facebook: Cafe Boulud Toronto & d | bar) which will now be tied with Splendido as being the most blogged about restaurant on Food Junkie Chronicles. I know it's redundant to blog about a restaurant that many times but hey, this is my blog and I can do whatever I want. Heh, just kidding! Actually, no, not kidding...

But honestly, I shouldn't have to bring my big a$$ camera with me. There's really no need for me to write yet another post on Café Boulud (it should be obvious by now that I love the place). However, I still spend hours on my photos, writing and editing because I want to share with you all the incredible things they're doing there. Simple as that.

So if you're interested in what I have to say about Café Boulud yet again, please read on :)

We started off with some cocktails (and mocktail). We also ordered a bottle of 2010 Thirty Bench Riesling ($62)

DARK & SPICY ($16)

Barrel aged, hot pepper rum, pear juice, ginger beer

NOT NORMAL ($9)

Mocktail (sorry I forgot what was in it)

BREAD BASKET

CHEESE GOUGERES

There has been a few changes to Café Boulud's dinner menu since the last time I was there, so more the reason to write about them again, right? Okay, I'm gonna stop defending my decision.

NOVA SCOTIA LOBSTER SALAD ($26)

Iceberg lettuce, marinated quail’s egg, cucumber, avocado cream, marie rose